The Ashes of Worlds - Kevin J. Anderson [192]
What had once been a primordial ocean alive with the water elementals now appeared to be a scarred wreck. But Jess and Cesca had broken through to underground aquifers that gurgled up into hot, eager pools. Several of his faithful water bearers had returned seedpools of living water here as part of their work, as well. Those seedpools had flowed and multiplied. Right now, thousands of the tree-bubbles were streaming across open space from Theroc, accompanied by the water bearers in their own ships.
The battle on Golgen had left many of the Solar Navy ships battered and scarred, their anodized hull plates scorched, the solar sails in tatters. Nevertheless, the warliners still formed a mighty fleet with all the Confederation ships that had joined the group.
Adar Zan’nh was impatient to face the faeros as the numerous ships descended over the newly awakened oceans, but Jess assured him the process would not take long. “The wentals know what to do.”
Zan’nh clenched and unclenched his hands and spoke as if reminding himself. “A rush into battle is often a plan for defeat.”
“Give Kotto’s new idea a chance,” Sullivan Gold said. “It sounds like something Tabitha Huck might have come up with.” The Adar looked at him and responded with a faint smile before he nodded.
As the warliners swooped over the cracked landscape covered with large pools of resurrected water, the wentals simmered and rejoiced. The mass of ships cruised low over the glistening pools, and the rejuvenated oceans and lakes bubbled beneath them.
Columns of wental water leaped into the air like cyclones, and fountains of elemental liquid dispersed themselves into a thin spray. The living fog surrounded each warliner and Roamer ship in a cocoon of mist that sparkled in the hazy sunlight. As the combined fleet raced onward without pausing in their flight, each ship gathered a gauzy wreath of protective vapor.
Through their wentals, Jess and Cesca instructed the liquid entities to follow the patterns Kotto had earlier devised, forming themselves into frozen artillery shells. The ships in the combined war fleet drew more of the wental water into their holding chambers, and aboard each vessel, crewmen loaded the icy projectiles into gunports.
Also joining their fighting force, hundreds of pearlescent tree-bubbles arrived from Theroc, like foam droplets on a cosmic tide, each encapsulating a small but vital treeling. Nikko Chan Tylar and the rest of Jess’s volunteer water bearers followed along in their ships.
Jess could feel the powerful wentals surging within his body, ready to challenge their opponents. “The faeros incarnate can be destroyed, and the rest of the faeros can be controlled. Just like the hydrogues. But it will not be easy.”
Cesca took Jess’s hand, and he felt the crackle of energy flow between them. She addressed the Mage-Imperator. “We will lead the charge. The faeros incarnate is as much our enemy as he is yours.”
They went to the warliner’s launching bay, emerged from the airlock, and shot themselves away from the ornate hull, tumbling out into the misty swath that surrounded the warliner. Gathering the droplets around themselves, Jess and Cesca formed a new wental ship for themselves.
Behind them, as the combined fleet left Charybdis and entered open space, all the ships were now veiled in misty shields. Flying their bright sphere in front of the gathered battleships, the new wental bubble shone like a Guiding Star.
In a great sparkling mass, the Solar Navy and the Confederation fleet streaked toward Ildira.
* * *
133
Tasia Tamblyn
I hate bugs,” Tasia said, sealing the hatch of the Roamer cargo hauler in preparation for leaving the main Golgen skymine. “I really hate bugs. And you will too, Kotto — as soon as you get to know them.”
Kotto Okiah sat eagerly in the copilot’s chair. “I hope that doesn’t mean you’re having second thoughts and would rather be off fighting the faeros. We have to test the Klikiss