Metal Swarm - Kevin J. Anderson [227]
Troop transport successfully away, Admiral.'
Willis felt a pang, wishing that things had gone differently, but tough decisions rarely came out cleanly. 'And the engines and life-support are functioning properly?’
'Yes, Admiral. It will reach its destination, but we’ll be long gone before the EDF can bring out any guard dogs.’
She made her way back to the bridge. Now she had a real battle group under her control, and Chairman Wenceslas could ill afford to lose so much of his remaining fleet. Ten Mantas and a Juggernaut.
When she sat in the command chair again, she said, 'Set a course for Theroc. Let’s see if King Peter can use a few battleships.’
One hundred and forty
Celli
'You are ready, child, and the worldforest is ready for you,’ Yarrod said to Celli. He placed another smear of dye juice on her cheek. 'I have never seen the trees accept an acolyte so swiftly.’ Even though he spent much of his time in a rush of joy and sharpened perceptions since joining Kolker’s 'group’, her uncle still performed all of his other duties, and he was still clearly proud of her.
She felt warm inside. As an acolyte, she had known when she was ready. The worldforest wanted her, and now Celli understood that it had always wanted her. But the patient worldforest had waited for her to come to the same conclusion. 'I’ve been practising for a long time, even if I wasn’t officially an acolyte.’
Solimar and the green priests had applauded the fact that she would soon join them. When he hugged her, Celli knew this was one of the last times they would have that silent barrier between them. Soon, she and Solimar would understand each other completely. Their communication would be total.
At last, Celli felt as if she belonged. For most of her life, she’d had no real guidance, no expectations placed upon her. Reynald, Beneto, Sarein, Estarra… they had all been given a clear path. But not Celli, the youngest daughter. Now she knew that the trees had intended her to be a green priest like Beneto, and that was what she herself wanted.
After marking each of her cheeks with the new stain, Yarrod explained little about what would happen to her. 'It is what all acolytes must pass through before they become green priests. You will do it, as I did, as did all of us.’
When she had pestered Solimar for more details, even he had been coy. 'I don’t want to spoil the surprise.’
And so, Celli sprinted off alone into the densest, most mysterious part of the forest. She wanted Solimar to come with her, but that was not allowed. This had to be her own journey. With a spring in her step, she covered kilometres, running to places she had never before seen, verdant meadows and thickets even more surprising than the place where she had discovered the wooden golem of Beneto growing.
When Celli came upon a quietly welcoming glen, her instincts told her that she had to walk inside. She was being guided by the trees, the first whispers of telink. Branches, vines, and fronds parted, as if every bit of plant life were sentient. She felt no fear at all as the foliage wrapped her like a cocoon, pressing close in a strange embrace - until she became one with the worldforest…
One hundred and forty-one
King Peter
Peter was convinced that Celli’s exciting news had triggered the Queen’s labour. Very shortly after her little sister bounded off into the deep woods to become a green priest, Estarra’s water broke.
Theron doctors and midwives were called. Roamer women rushed to offer far more assistance than was necessary for a simple birth. King Peter stayed by Estarra’s side in their quarters as the contractions came. This was their first child, and no one could guess whether the delivery would be fast and easy, or long and difficult. For Peter, every moment seemed to last forever.
Estarra’s brow was beaded with perspiration, but she seemed more concerned about his obvious anxiety than her own pain. 'Don’t worry about me - women have been doing this for millennia.’
'But you haven’t, and you don’t get a practice run.’ He squeezed