Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [134]
'To Earth?' Roberts said. 'You've got to be kidding.'
'To Earth, or at least to some Confederation or Roamer outpost where I can book passage aboard another ship. I don't care how long it takes, but I'm certainly not getting any closer to my family by staying here. The Mage-Imperator has promised to pay any fee you wish to charge.' When Rlinda snickered, he asked defensively, 'What's so funny?'
'Ildirans don't have a clue about how to negotiate. They can't imagine someone might take advantage of an open-ended offer like that.'
'I'm sure he's sincere,' Sullivan said. The Mage-Imperator had already given him a case of precious gems and valuable metal chits that would pay off most of his family's debts.
'Oh, I believe it. But the Curiosity's got a full load of trading items,' Rlinda said cautiously. 'I'm the Trade Minister, you know. How many others do you expect to take along?'
Sullivan scratched his cheek, feeling the rough stubble, he had forgotten to shave again. 'It'll just be me. The others are working with Tabitha on rebuilding the Solar Navy, and our green priest has become fascinated with new revelations, or religion, or whatever it is he calls it. They've all become rather inseparable - in more ways than one. I'm the only one who wants to go.'
'We can work something out.' Rlinda picked up the diamond-film sheet one of the Ildiran trade ministers slid toward her. 'We're leaving tomorrow, so you'd better start packing.'
* * * * *
Tabitha and Kolker faced him aboard the main construction station, but their minds were elsewhere, preoccupied. Kolker seemed adrift in a silent conversation, as he had often done when chatting with green priests through telink. But this was something more.
'Are you sure you want to stay here?' Sullivan asked for the third time.
'We're happy,' Kolker said.
'And I've got the most cooperative workforce I've ever seen,' Tabitha said. 'The Ildiran workers follow me around like little ducklings, and the Mage-Imperator is paying more than fairly. What more could I ask for?'
'And you, Kolker? We could bring you back to Theroc'
'I can be on Theroc whenever I like simply by touching the worldtree. I have more important work to do here, and I already have many converts among the green priests.' Then he paused, musing. And, now that Denn Peroni has joined us, I realize the greater possibilities in the Spiral Arm.'
Sullivan was surprised at that. 'Denn Peroni?'
'He wanted to know how we can run our work so efficiently,' Tabitha said with a contented smile. 'He was very impressed.'
'And after I showed him, he felt as if he had suddenly seen the solution to a very complex puzzle he'd been working on all his life.'
Tabitha was almost pleading. 'It would take only a few minutes and you'd understand, Sullivan. You'd see the big picture, like we do.'
He could see their fascination, their acceptance, but thankfully he wasn't worried that they would force him. These two were still his friends, and they did not do anything against his wishes. They were not proselytizers or fanatics, just changed. 'I've seen as much of the picture as I care to. I don't begrudge you your happiness. I want to thank you for your years of service. It wasn't always easy.'
'It led us to here,' Tabitha said. 'I don't regret a moment of the journey.'
He gave them each an awkward hug, hurriedly gathered his belongings, and went to find Captain Kett and her Voracious Curiosity.
Eighty-four
Sirix
As the robot-controlled battleships approached Llaro, Sirix planned his attack against the breedex and its growing subhive. With their resources limited, he and his robots would make a new and direct kind of assault. Although it was more dangerous, and risked the loss of his robots, it was also like the old wars - the very reason the robots had been created.
As the group of ships entered orbit, QT pointed out helpfully, 'I have downloaded all available background information about human activities on Llaro, their facilities and main industrial outputs. I can deliver a summary, if you wish.'
'I am not interested in the