The Ascendant Stars - Michael Cobley [159]
Theo smiled, recalling similar gatherings when he was younger, especially during the Winter Coup, when eve-of-battle congregations were held, songs were sung, ale was drunk, and loved ones were held close.
They have every right to celebrate their Humanity, he thought. To celebrate the fire that burns in our hearts. Come the dawn in just a few hours we’ll be facing terrible, pitiless enemies. We have to succeed. Many will die but we still have to find a way to destroy the warpwell or face our own destruction …
The plans had been laid. Alliances had been negotiated and pacts sealed. Gideon had met with the leader of the Spiral renegades and again with Solvjeg and Ian Cameron – coded messages flitted by crude shortwave back and forth between Tusk Mountain and Hammergard or the Spiralist renegade camp near Port Gagarin. The schematics of war were drawn up, timings and logistics agreed upon. While the Tusk Mountain insurgents bided their time, units of Eastern Town militias were moving through the wild woods that ran north along the ridges and cliffs to merge with the jagged spurs west of Giant’s Shoulder. At the same time bands of Spiralists were converging on the steep tracks north of the promontory, many of them armed with portable missile launchers that would be put to good use against the combat mechs.
Then there was the bomb, the warpwell bomb. Soon after Theo returned with Rory, word came from the Hall of Discourse that the Zyradin was asking to speak with the diminutive Scot. Theo had duly accompanied Rory down to the ceremonial hall, where he clambered up onto the glowing platform and stood there with a distrustful look on his face. The Zyradin had then explained that someone had to take a space-fold bomb up to Giant’s Shoulder and use it against the warpwell. Oh aye, Rory had said – is that tae stop all they cyborg mad-bastards from coming through here? Yes, Rory, the Zyradin said. And since you now have a machine-system attunement you would be able to penetrate their defences while the main attack occupies their full attention. Well, I do have this thing wi’ machines, right enough, Rory had admitted. Noticed it a lot since I got back, like, just knowing how they work, how tae change what they’re doing. Exactly, said the Zyradin. You can tell the combat mechs to ignore you. Rory had nodded hesitantly. So I dive past them and plant the bomb but will I have enough time tae get out afore it goes kaboom? The Zyradin said: there should be long enough for you to retreat to a safe distance. Rory had frowned and thought for a brief moment before nodding. All right, yer on!
Not long after, Gideon and Solvjeg came to thank Rory for his help, and to finalise his part in the assault, the when, the where, and with who. Later a Uvovo scholar sought him out to say that the Zyradin’s device had appeared on the great platform. Rory had said that he’d wait until it was time to go before retrieving it.
Theo found himself drawing cool air from his pipe, which had gone out. He contemplated refilling and relighting it then decided that he really should try and get some shuteye. Even some of the ribald singers down below had thought the same and were climbing the rope ladder that led from the bottom of the crater to the gaping entrance. The rain was still falling, a steady curtain of drench, but he had made up his mind. He knocked out the charred dottle from his pipe then stood.
‘I think I’ll be turning in,’ he said. ‘See if I can trap me a couple of hours’ sleep, eh?’
‘Aye, I’ll mebbe try the same in a wee bit, chief,’ Rory said.
Theo nodded, pulled on a cloth cap