Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [209]
Foolishly trying to intercept the faeros incarnate on his way to the skysphere, fifty guard kithmen charged into the hall and formed a living barricade, holding their weapons against the searing flames. Rusa'h simply raised his hands, and a wall of fire rolled toward them, roasting the Ildirans inside their armour, before an intense flash consumed them all. Their soulfires vanished into the widespread network of the faeros.
In a misguided gesture of loyalty, dozens of chittering servant kithmen threw themselves upon the fiery Designate, doing anything to delay Rusa'h's progress. They, too, perished.
Two more faeros appeared in the sky and closed in on the Prism Palace. The mad Designate strode through the mirrored corridors. Each footprint burned, then hardened behind him, leaving a clear trail of his progress.
Daro'h felt echoes of all the deaths as he ran. The seemed to be stretched to its breaking point. He knew that the Mage-Imperator would feel that agony from Theroc, but he was much too far away to be of any help.
One hundred and twenty-eight
Mage-Imperator Jora'h
After having formed his long-sought alliance and cleared his burden of guilt, the Mage-Imperator departed from Theroc. Now at last he could move forward, he and Nira could go home.
Jora'h felt a great sense of satisfaction. Nira had acquired several new treelings, as well as promises from five green priests who had agreed to come to Mijistra. He stood with her in the command nucleus as his ceremonial warliner headed away from the thorny verdani battleships guarding Theroc and outward into space beyond the green-and-blue planet. It had been a long time since he had felt so hopeful, so content. The Empire was, once again, on the right track…
Suddenly through the he felt a resounding call of alarm and pain. He stiffened, shuddered, and nearly fell backward as he cried out from the clamour in his mind. 'The fire! The pain. I can feel it across all of Mijistra!'
His connection with Prime Designate Daro'h was so clear, and the same echoing turmoil came through Yazra'h, through Osira'h, and many other Ildirans. Something truly apocalyptic was taking place - and he was far away from his people!
Nira sensed the shift as well. She touched one of the new treelings she had carried into the command nucleus. 'Kolker isn't there. No one else can use the treeling. I don't know what's happening.'
'It is Rusa'h. He has returned with his faeros. Daro'h warned us. I've got to get to Ildira immediately!' The warliner's stardrive engines were already building up energy. The resounded with tremor after tremor of chaos, destruction, and bright, bright fire. 'Faster,' Jora'h cried to the warliner's captain. Confident in his victory, Rusa'h no longer bothered to hide himself in the .
The ship's sensor operators, already feeling the emergency, scrambled at the controls. The tactical officer shouted an unexpected warning. 'Liege - large ships coming in! Right now, closing on us! Many of them. They belong to the Earth Defence Forces.'
As the warliner headed home at full speed, the EDF ships - a fully armed Juggernaut and four Manta cruisers - careened directly into its path.
'Why are they here? Take evasive action! I do not have time to deal with human politics. We must leave, now,'
'Shall I open fire, Liege?'
Jora'h was suddenly at a loss. The Solar Navy opening fire against the Earth Defence Forces? That made no sense. He had just entered into an alliance with King Peter.
Nira's face was drawn in anguish. 'Those ships may well be our enemies, Jora'h. Don't count on the EDF to be reasonable--' She touched her treeling again and let out a sharp cry. 'The treeling in the Prism Palace! It's just been destroyed. I'm cut off. The tree just