The Ashes of Worlds - Kevin J. Anderson [160]
“Don’t let him fool you. He’s just thumbing his nose at me — and trying to take over.”
“Sir, we are in desperate need of help. We cannot turn their offer down. You know this.”
Basil shook his head, his thoughts in a flurry. “I’ve got Sirix and the Klikiss robots also studying the countless fragments. They can set up grids and response drones to help us divert the asteroids.” He stood abruptly from his chair, letting it spin counterclockwise as he faced his deputy. “Don’t you see? If I let Peter save us, that will prove the Hansa has finally fallen. He’ll show that he’s better than I am. He wants us to let our guard down, and as soon as our defenses are spread too thin, his Confederation outlaws will invade. Peter will seize power again. That’s what he’s always wanted.”
Basil realized that everyone in the underground command chamber was staring at him. After a long moment of silence, one of the technicians interrupted. “Mr. Chairman, we just detected three more impacts in the southern Atlantic Ocean. They’ve generated tidal waves. Within the hour they will hit the Brazilian coastline. An evacuation call has been sounded, but most of the people probably won’t have enough time.”
Basil clenched and unclenched his fists, imagining that Peter himself had hurled those asteroids down to where they could cause the most damage. Cain said again, more insistent now, “Mr. Chairman, we cannot turn down the help.”
“Very well, let him pretend — but I’m not fooled.” Basil turned away, feeling defeated. Then his thoughts shifted, and he let a slow smile cross his face. Yes, he did possess one last secret weapon he could turn against Peter. He hadn’t expected to be so direct, but now the opportunity had fallen into his lap.
He had seen the numerous surveillance files of the Aguerra family taken long before “King Peter” had been introduced to the public. Basil knew how much Raymond/Peter had loved his mother and little brothers. Peter would cling to any hope that poor little Rory had survived. That boy would be a perfect lever to force Peter back in line. Fortunately, Basil had no such sentimentality.
* * *
110
Jess Tamblyn
For weeks the water bearers continued their travels across the Spiral Arm, conveying the new warrior wentals, locating fresh seedpools, bringing powerful reservoirs back to Theroc. Now Jess and Cesca needed to see what Kotto Okiah had managed to develop in cooperation with his sample wentals.
Traveling toward Golgen, Jess could never forget what had happened here to Ross, but he and Cesca had to keep their Guiding Star in sight — defeating the faeros and ending this elemental war once and for all.
But when their water-bubble ship approached the yellowish gas giant, they were astonished to see hundreds, possibly more than a thousand, Solar Navy warliners in orbit and cruising through the atmosphere above the skymines.
Though Jess could not understand why so many ships were here, Cesca gave him a knowing smile. “I think the Ildirans are in the same fight that we are.”
Though Del Kellum had offered his largest conference room for the war council, the chamber still felt crowded with eager audience members. Before the meeting began, Kellum paced back and forth, arranging for refreshments and trying to look busy. Eighteen people took seats at a long milky-white table, while others crowded against the walls. Jess and Cesca remained by themselves at the far corner, isolated and haloed by elemental power.
Tasia glanced at her brother and smiled, looking as sure of herself as she’d ever been. Kotto was there, full of news to share about his new weapons developments. Mage-Imperator Jora’h and Adar Zan’nh, garbed in ornate, uncomfortable-looking clothes, took seats side by side. Wearing only a brief shift, the green priest Nira held on to her new treeling, and the girl Osira’h remained attentive at her mother’s side.
Cesca had been right in her initial assessment: They were all in the same fight, against the