The Ashes of Worlds - Kevin J. Anderson [184]
Through telink, the green priests also knew the news from Nira about the recent faeros battle at Golgen. Jess and Cesca, Adar Zan’nh, the wentals, and the Roamers were all preparing to take the fight to Ildira. And the worldforest would join them. All of the allies had to act now, before the faeros began their vengeful destruction.
With her gaze turned to the sky again, Celli watched the numerous wental spheres drift down like a rainstorm of huge drops. She and Solimar stepped forward, carrying their newly harvested treelings. Because the verdani were interconnected, each delicate plant was as significant a part of the worldforest as any larger tree. All of them were one.
A wental sphere as broad as her outstretched arms hovered in front of Celli. When she pressed one of her spindly treelings against the curved soap-bubble edge, the water folded itself inward. She positioned the treeling at the center of the globe of water, where it floated free. An aurora of light shimmered from the core, and the water rippled with liquid power, as the verdani tree and the wental combined into a stronger force. An invincible force, Celli hoped.
Completed, the water sphere lifted into the air to hover above the treetops. Solimar also inserted a treeling into a waiting wental ball, and the second englobed tree rose to join the first. More green priests came forward to do the same, each one creating a new combined elemental weapon.
After dumping his liquid cargo in the air, Nikko Chan Tylar landed his Aquarius alongside the ships of ten other water bearers. He emerged, followed by his father, Crim, and another old man, whom some of the clan representatives recognized. “Caleb Tamblyn!”
“Yes, I’m joining this damned fight after what those fiery monsters did to me, and they murdered Denn.”
Mother Alexa and Father Idriss came out to meet them, carrying baby Reynald, whom they were tending while Peter and Estarra were at Earth. “We can always use more fighters.”
“Then I’m ready to join the fight.” Caleb crossed his bony arms over his chest. “I’ll make a difference, just you wait and see.”
Celli’s father reached out to shake Caleb’s hand. “Happy to have you with us. And what is it you can do, exactly?”
The old man looked flustered.
The green priests continued to create weapons with treelings and water spheres. Fronds floated inside their wental bubbles, both drawing and providing energy. Many silvery balls lifted above the canopy, reflecting the sunlight like a cluster of polished pearls. Nikko stared upward, his almond eyes sparkling. “That’s really beautiful.”
“Let’s hope the faeros don’t think they’re so pretty,” his father growled.
When they were ready, the wental-verdani spheres shot off toward Ildira.
“Is that all there is to it?” Caleb Tamblyn asked, looking around uncertainly. “I expected something to happen.”
“Oh, there’s more to come,” Celli said.
“Much more,” Solimar added. “But it’s going to take place at Ildira.”
Caleb clapped Crim on the shoulder. “Then what are we waiting for?”
Nikko was already sprinting toward his ship, and the other water bearers did the same.
* * *
126
Sarein
She and Cain formulated their plans, timing everything carefully. They waited for a blustering Basil to fly off to his closed-door meeting on the Confederation flagship; once he had left Earth for the full diplomatic process, they would have less than two days to hamstring the Hansa government.
Before he departed, though, Basil came to her quarters again, looking tense and harried. Fortunately, he did not have sex on his mind; he needed something else. “Soon we’ll celebrate, Sarein. Everything will be back in order. Once I manage to make Peter recognize his untenable position, the Hansa will run smoothly again.” The Chairman made no secret of the ultimatum he had issued; he was quite smug about Peter’s long-lost brother Rory as his trump card. He expected Peter to quickly bow to his wishes.
Basil stood so close that it felt awkwardly intimate. The warmth of his breath sent a chill down her spine.