The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [147]
‘An interesting proposal,’ Kuros said guardedly. ‘How do you envisage such an arrangement working in practice?’
‘I would see my role as tactical commander under your supervision,’ Becker said smoothly. ‘We already possess significant intelligence gathered over the last few days, which reveals that the Human insurgents have been reinforced by renegade Ezgara, traitors from my world armed with powerful weaponry.’
‘I had heard something of this very recently,’ Kuros said.
‘But there is more, Ambassador. These insurgents are planning to mount their own raid on Giant’s Shoulder in just a few hours – and they have made a pact with a sizeable faction of the Spiral zealots.’
Kuros stiffened at this news, glanced sideways and made a beckoning gesture. In a moment, Vashutkin was at his elbow.
‘Did you know about this?’ he said to the Human.
‘There were some offworlder Humans calling themselves Tygrans,’ Vashutkin said. ‘I know nothing of any Ezgara, and this pact with the zealots is also unknown to me. It could have happened after I left Tusk Mountain.’
Kuros looked at Becker. ‘These new collaborations could present a problem. They must be stopped, a pre-emptive strike against that mountain lair of theirs.’
‘I agree, Ambassador,’ Becker said with a sharp smile as he glanced at Vashutkin. ‘So who is your companion and how does he come to know about these … Tygrans?’
‘This is Alexandr Vashutkin, only surviving minister from the last legitimate Darien government and, by virtue of Blue Chain, my faithful ally. Until recently he was working alongside the insurgents of Tusk Mountain, one of his primary tasks being the elimination of Greg Cameron, which I trust has been carried out.’
Vashutkin frowned. ‘I cannot be certain of his death. I had him cornered on Giant’s Shoulder, I turned to observe approaching mechs and when I looked back he was gone. I thought he could have fallen over the edge, or that the Forerunner facility device had somehow transported him away or even killed him … ’
‘I know of this Cameron,’ Becker said. ‘And he is not dead. We picked up comm traffic which proves that he is aboard one of the vessels preparing to defend Darien.’
Vashutkin bowed his head and stared at the floor. ‘I have failed you, master.’
‘A minor failure next to your successes,’ Kuros said. ‘My deliverance, for example. So, Marshal, what is your proposal for the order of battle?’
‘Together we can field an effective airborne task force comprising Brolturan troopers and my commandos. If we come in fast and strike hard we can crush any local opposition, regardless of their offworld friends. After that, Ambassador, we can move against Giant’s Shoulder, which seems to be overrun with rogue mechs led by some cyborg creature. This isn’t the by-product of an unsuccessful Hegemony experiment, by any chance?’
‘No, Marshal, I can assure you it is not.’
Becker nodded and said over his shoulder, ‘Nathaniel, the slate.’ One of his commandos, a man with a disfiguring burn mark down one side of his face, leaned in to hand him a large datapad. Becker thumbed it on, then paused to look again at Vashutkin.
‘Ambassador, I’ve just thought of a great service that your faithful ally could perform for us, especially since the battle above us has not yet commenced.’
As he outlined the idea, Kuros found himself amused and curious to see what the result would be.
‘I approve, Marshal. Proceed.’
Becker beckoned Vashutkin over.
‘I have configured the slate to record, and this is what I want you to say … ’
KAO CHIH
The transition to normal space was not pleasant. The Shyntanil assault craft’s hyperdrive was poorly shielded and its control systems, especially for the field alignment regulator, lacked a certain precision. After nearly five hours journeying up the tiers of hyperspace, nearly all the Heracles’ survivors had regained consciousness and everyone was expressing how hungry they were. But there were no rations to be found anywhere on board,