Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [182]
The older woman had said that Orli might be special, that her music might have impressed the breedex enough to ensure her safety. But during her escape with all the others, there had been so much panic, violence, confusion.
Once Davlin described his group's escape from the Klikiss, and Tasia Tamblyn explained what she had seen during the Osquivel's flyover of the city, it didn't sound as if anyone had been spared in the settlement. After the robot invaders' departure, the Klikiss had levelled the town, presumably killing all of the colonists who hadn't gotten away. Orli didn't know if the Klikiss had kept even Margaret alive. ‘Are we the last ones left alive on this whole planet, DD? Seventy-six people?'
‘And me.' DD was definitely worried, too.
‘Yes, and you.'
And UR. She needs some repairs.‘
‘And UR.'
Roamer technicians had made basic fixes to the Governess compy's arm socket, but it would take a far more sophisticated mechanic to install a new cybernetic limb. In the meantime, DD assisted the other compy in watching the children and helping the refugees. Orli wondered if the breedex was done with them now, or if the Klikiss would still try to hunt them down. Davlin had managed to keep everyone alive this long.
Sitting by herself, her back resting against the rough sandstone wall, Orli explored new, mournful melodies that captured the feelings she held inside. Though she kept the volume low, the sound permeated the shelters, evoking a shared mood among the uneasy survivors huddled around Davlin Lotze.
‘We're already past capacity here,' muttered Mayor Ruis. ‘We need food, blankets - in fact, we need just about everything.'
‘What we really need is to leave here,' Crim Tylar said. ‘Most of us didn't want to come to Llaro in the first place. Damned Eddies!' Nikko sat close to him, oscillating between the joy of finding his father alive and the sadness of knowing that his mother had died fighting the Klikiss. V
‘We've got the Osquivel,' Davlin said with determination. ‘It's fixable - and it'll hold all of us. So let's figure out how to get these people out of here alive.'
‘We've got a few tools and weapons, a handful of fighters, and everybody's experience, right?' Tasia said. ‘Once we get the hell off this planet, we can come back with a real military force and fall on those bug bastards like an asteroid out of the sky.‘
Davlin looked down at the crude charts he had made. ‘If you can repair your ship's standard engines, I'll get you the fuel you need. I have two barrels stashed away, but we'll have to retrieve them.'
Robb's expression brightened. ‘I didn't think it was going to be that easy.'
‘Easy?' Mr Steinman let out a disbelieving snort. ‘Davlin's forgetting to mention that he hid the fuel smack in the middle of Klikiss territory.'
‘That does indeed pose difficulties,' DD agreed.
Concentrating on her playing, Orli half listened. She closed her eyes and let the quiet music remind her of cloudy Dremen, her father's optimism in moving to Corribus, a new hope, followed by disaster… and another new chance here on Llaro - then another disaster. Her music grew more sombre, and she gradually increased the volume.
Orli opened her eyes when Nikko came to sit by her and listen to her play. She noticed his distant expression, his sad face as he said, ‘My mother liked music. She played it in our greenhouses -said it made the plants grow better.'
‘Did it?'
He shrugged. ‘It doesn't matter. I wish she was here.'
‘I knew her, you know. Your parents took me in when the Klikiss rounded us all up in the stockade. She was so kind - and a great shot with a rifle.'
Nikko gave her a wistful smile. ‘That's Mom. It's been such a long time since I saw her.'
Orli continued