The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [151]
‘Where could they go? Where would be safe?’
‘Nowhere, which is why they are heading for Darien.’ The Roug nodded at Kao Chih’s amazement. ‘It has taken nearly four hours to gather and assemble the segments of the Vyrk-Zoshel, the only survivor from the great and mighty fleet of warvaunts that met their doom in the battles against the Dreamless a hundred centuries ago. Now the last warvaunt shall plunge through the levels and veils of hyperspace and hunt down the dreamless machine minds of the Suneye Monoclan.
‘And you must be on board, Kao Chih – your skills will be needed, and your advice and mere presence if you do eventually reach the Darien system. I will not lie to you – the hazards are great.’
Kao Chih felt resolute. ‘I am ready to go with you, Qabakri, wherever it leads.’
The Roug smiled with his Human face. ‘I shall not be accompanying you, Kao Chih – I need to use this Shyntanil vessel to get to a place called the Great Hub. An old adversary of yours is about to bring another crisis to its climax, and I may be able to stop her … while mimicking you, as it happens.’
‘Talavera,’ Kao Chih guessed, knowing he was right. ‘Take care, my friend – she enjoys danger.’
The Heracles survivors were trooping off the assault craft and across to the square-hulled transport.
‘A couple of those Humans with the supplies are Roug able to speak Earth-Anglic,’ Qabakri said. ‘They’ll make sure they are returned to the nearest Earthsphere outpost. In the meantime I need to persuade your Construct companion to go with me to the Great Hub.’
‘I wish I was going too,’ Kao Chih said. ‘But I shall do what I can to prevail upon its good nature. How soon … ’
‘All our departures will commence as soon as possible.’
Kao Chih smiled sadly. ‘All departures happen too soon,’ he said, leading the way up into the assault craft.
GREG
Soon after Vice-Admiral Ngassa’s flagship, the ESS Shieldwall, reached the high-orbit vicinity of Darien, Greg and Lieutenant Berg were allowed to return to the Starfire. However, before they were even halfway they received orders diverting them to the Silverlance. By the time they had docked then trudged aft to the engineering overdeck – which was still doubling as a command bridge – Greg was feeling decidedly cranky. But the moment he and Berg entered he knew something was wrong.
Ash was standing before the big angled holoscreens, his face like stone. Gazing down at him were the faces of Admiral Olarevic of the Vox Humana and Vice-Admiral Ngassa. The latter was speaking.
‘ … is the sum total of all they are saying, Lieutenant. They regard the Imisil as a direct threat to their allies and an implicit threat to themselves. If they do not leave, Supreme Overcommander Gannor cannot offer any guarantees of peaceful cooperation.’
For a moment no one spoke.
‘Well, they do only have five vessels,’ said Admiral Olarevic. ‘It would not be a loss.’
‘I understand that, Madam Admiral,’ Ash said. ‘My concern is the reliability or otherwise of the Hegemony’s fleet’s Supreme Overcommander.’
‘Lieutenant,’ said Ngassa, ‘I actually have some acquaintance with Gannor. When I was commodore of the escort flotillas in the Yamanon he was overcommander of their Third Echelon and we cooperated on a number of occasions. I always found him straightforward and honourable.’
Standing off to the side, Greg rolled his eyes. Aye, and I’ll bet he was a gentleman and a scholar, too …
‘Your appraisal is greatly appreciated, Vice-Admiral,’ said Ash. ‘But it would be more helpful if we were to have direct contact with the Supreme Overcommander … ’
‘That’s not possible, I’m afraid,’ Ngassa said. ‘Gannor insists that he will speak with no one but myself. Now, time is running out, Lieutenant Ash, and I strongly recommend that you accept these terms and ask the Imisil to depart.’
‘I shall give this matter close and urgent attention, sir,’ Ash said. ‘Now I must consult with our other allies before reaching a consensus, which I shall convey to