Eternity's Mind by Kevin J. Anderson Page A

breakdowns for new battleship construction. The costs were offset by drastically reduced stardrive fuel costs, thanks to the reliable supplies and generous discounts from Iswander Industries.
    When the main briefings were finished, a flustered Dr. Jocko Krieger appeared in the conference room. The weapons scientist was fifteen minutes late, but when he walked in and unrolled his projection pad on the table, he just started talking as if everyone had been waiting for him. “I’m pleased to report that we now have six fabrication stations in full operation throughout the LOC. Each station is producing enhanced sun bombs at the rate of five per day.”
    Keah was pleased. “Now that’ll do some damage. Are they being deployed?”
    â€œSince you departed for Rakkem, General, twenty-five Mantas have been fully loaded and dispatched on patrol. All they need is something to blow up.”
    Admiral Harvard spoke up. “I can give you the full mission plan, identify which systems they’re visiting and what their patrol routes are. Sooner or later they’re going to encounter a Shana Rei infestaton.”
    Keah set aside the lengthy document. “I’ll review it later. Is the Kutuzov loaded with sun bombs, too?”
    Krieger gave a vigorous nod. “Fully loaded, plus an extra ten percent, General. I thought you’d want that.”
    â€œYes, Dr. Krieger, I definitely do.”
    The scientist kept talking about his accomplishments, patting himself on the back if no one else would. “The orbital labs are manufacturing at full capacity, ma’am.” He quickly added, “With full safety systems in place this time.”
    â€œGood.” Keah turned to Handies. “What else did you have to report?”
    The other Admiral displayed a succession of starfield images; each one showed black blots, as if someone had smeared an ink-covered thumb across space. “Shadow clouds are appearing, dark nebulae that haven’t been mapped before. They seem to be … leaking out of space.” He shook his head. “I suspect it has something to do with the Shana Rei.”
    â€œNo shit,” General Keah said. She looked down at the images—swirling blobs of opaque smoke that seemed to be expanding from numerous origin points. “Are they threatening any star systems yet?”
    â€œSome, but not directly. The shadow clouds seem to be moving, and we’re trying to map them. Several Mantas have gone out to take images. The largest cloud is on the outskirts of the Relleker system.”
    Keah immediately made up her mind where the Kutuzov would go on the shakedown cruise. “We’ll head out as soon as possible.”
    â€œBut the shadow clouds have made no threatening moves yet,” Admiral Harvard pointed out.
    Dr. Krieger let out a loud snort—a snort that Keah agreed with.
    â€œTheir existence is a threatening move, Admiral,” she said. “Now, if we’re finished, here? Give me summaries of this data, and I’ll take it back to the Kutuzov. I’ve decided to move up my launch. We’ll be out of here before the end of the day.”

 
    CHAPTER
    15
    ARITA
    After dreaming of serving the trees, Arita considered the betrayal of Kennebar’s voidpriests and the Gardeners the greatest treason imaginable. They meant to bring about the downfall of the verdani mind, and they wanted to watch her die.
    As the threatening voidpriests came for her and Collin, the chittering Onthos swarmed into the fronds overhead. They stared down, no longer pretending to be innocuous survivors to elicit sympathy. These creatures were evil. The voidpriests were even worse. Kennebar wanted to kill Arita, and they intended to absorb Collin.
    That sickened her—and made her angry. She looked within herself, cast about for any sort of strength, any unexpected hope.
    Collin had sent his mind into the heartwood of the silent worldtrees; he had