Scattered Suns - Kevin J. Anderson [89]
The warliners had cargo holds full of powdered shiing, which would be swiftly distributed to the populace. Without the Designate or Czir’h guiding them, the old thism network would unravel immediately, leaving the people of Dzelluria alone and adrift. It would be a simple matter for the Imperator to snare them in his own network before the shiing wore off and solidified the bonds again.
Already, Czir’h’s eyes were beginning to glaze and cloud up. The intensely strong drug created a sort of relaxed confusion. The boy’s shoulders sloped as his attachment to the Mage-Imperator’s thism and to the world itself unraveled, the strands left to dangle loose. The most important part came when the young man willingly submitted.
Rusa’h lunged with his thoughts, grasped the correct soul-threads, and wove them in his own fashion.
Now that Czir’h was part of the altered tapestry of thism, the Imperator ordered his warliners to begin distributing shiing among the population of Dzelluria.
The first step had been simple and straightforward, and Rusa’h knew his power would only grow. The revolt would spread from planet to planet, but he had to plan his movements strategically. He looked across the sea of Ildiran people, who were frightened and confused by the attack on Dzelluria. Once Thor’h prepared the way, Rusa’h would go to Dobro, where he expected an even easier victory.
After all, he and his brother Udru’h were very much alike.
Chapter 41—ADAR ZAN’NH
Hyrillka’s citadel palace had once been a lovely structure overgrown with flowering vines that draped arches and climbed courtyard walls. In those days, the Hyrillka Designate had been fond of the Solar Navy’s spectacular skyparades, and Zan’nh had visited this world several times with Adar Kori’nh.
Now, however, the citadel palace was no more than an ornate prison run by brainwashed Ildirans. The main city was an austere complex devoid of leisure or arts.
Rusa’h’s pleasure mates guarded the door to Zan’nh’s holding rooms, poised hungrily as if hoping he would try to fight them. The formerly beautiful and seductive women had become grim killing machines made of steel cables instead of soft flesh. Though they did not shackle Zan’nh, their narrowed eyes and flashing teeth showed that they did not trust him. He was alien to them, separate, since he refused to join the corrupted thism web that held Rusa’h’s converts together.
Zan’nh was effectively alone here on Hyrillka, isolated in the midst of a population swayed by the Designate’s visions. A day ago, Rusa’h had flown away with the stolen warliners, to launch an attack on the surrounding Ildiran splinter colonies. They meant to strike with extreme speed, hammering one planet after another and swiftly subsuming the populations before the Mage-Imperator could grasp the conspiracy within his Empire.
It was partly Zan’nh’s fault. He had lost those ships, giving the Hyrillka Designate the weapons he needed.
He glared at the pleasure mates outside his door to demonstrate his resolve. These women, trained and skilled in the arts of sex, had now become avid students of killing. Smiling wickedly at him, two of the hardened women held crystal-bladed spears in hands still caked with dried blood, as if they considered it a badge of honor after slashing the throats of Zan’nh’s crewmen.
If he had thought he might have a chance, he would have thrown himself upon the two women, slain them both, and made his escape. But he knew it would be pointless, since more converted warriors waited out in the hall. The heavily muscled soldiers would kill him, and he would have no chance to get his revenge...or to make amends to the Mage-Imperator for his failure.
Isolated in the citadel palace, he was starving for the contact and comfort of the primary tapestry of thism. Before long, Zan’nh was afraid the loneliness and complete segregation would wear on him. He would weaken, grow distraught and edgy. He had to escape before his mind began to crumble.
He tried to plan, but each time he attempted to concentrate, the sucking silence in his