kept him far from the attack!
Before she could think what she was doing, Orli shouted and waved, rushing headlong toward the unexpected figure. When she called his name, her cracked voice sounded like a wail. “Mr. Steinman! Mr. Steinman!”
He stopped, stunned at first by the destroyed settlement, and now taken aback by this dervish coming toward him. He propped his staff against the ground and waited for her to reach him. She threw herself into his arms with such vehemence that she almost knocked him over.
“I saw the smoke, saw the big ships,” he said, trying to hold her at arm’s length. She was filthy, her clothes torn and sooty, her face streaked with dirt and tears. “Tell me what’s going on, kid.”
“I was exploring the caves at the end of the canyon when the big EDF ships came. They blasted the whole colony—the buildings, the people, the—”
“EDF ships? Are you crazy—”
“I saw them land, and they were full of compies and Klikiss robots. They killed anybody they found.” Her voice hitched. “Everybody.” She looked over her shoulder. “There’s nothing left.”
Steinman stared toward the sheltered canyon that had once held a burgeoning Klikiss metropolis, and more recently a fresh new Hansa colony. “You’d better stay with me for the time being, kid. I wasn’t looking for company, but you’re not a bad sort. And you sure look like you could use some help.”
Orli didn’t argue with him. They gathered the salvaged supplies she had collected, and then Orli followed the old man out onto the plains of Corribus.
Chapter 14—QUEEN ESTARRA
After speeches and a gala send-off, the King and Queen waved to the crowds as they boarded a Hansa diplomatic transport to Ildira. Already settled in before the fanfare began, Chairman Wenceslas was at work in his cabin with the door locked, ignoring the show outside. He’d never had any interest in stealing the spotlight; he preferred to work behind the scenes.
Peter hurried Estarra to their own quarters, hoping to avoid the Chairman’s notice—though obviously Basil didn’t want to be bothered by the royal couple, either.
Without asking permission, Estarra had brought one of the small potted treelings from the Whisper Palace’s conservatory. Peter had agreed to help her smuggle it onto the diplomatic transport and hide it in a cabinet in their quarters.
“I brought this one myself from Theroc, when I came to marry you,” she explained, stroking the golden scaly-barked stem. “Since we’re about to meet the Mage-Imperator, it seems a fine gift for him. You don’t mind?”
“Basil won’t like losing one of the treelings.”
“Nahton is the court green priest, and he said this wouldn’t affect the performance of his duties,” she said, sounding bolder than she felt. She had already run through the arguments in her head. “Besides, Sarein is bound to return from Theroc soon. She can bring more treelings with her.”
Estarra secured the potted container as their craft began to accelerate out of orbit, escorted by several old-model EDF Manta cruisers. She and Peter both hated to be in such close quarters with the Chairman; they knew what he was capable of. Basil had never denied trying to kill them, and the friction between the Chairman and the King remained unresolved. And she was very nervous that Basil would learn their new secret.
“It’s going to be a long trip to Ildira,” Estarra said.
Not long ago, she had discovered that she was pregnant, which was cause for both joy and fear. Once she’d quietly confirmed that she was carrying Peter’s baby, Estarra had revealed the news to him.
Though the pregnancy was unexpected, she certainly wanted the child, and so did Peter. Basil had imposed birth-control measures on the couple, but no method was entirely reliable, and accidents happened. It wasn’t their fault.
But Chairman Wenceslas did not tolerate “accidents”—unless he staged them himself.
As pressures
Before she could think what she was doing, Orli shouted and waved, rushing headlong toward the unexpected figure. When she called his name, her cracked voice sounded like a wail. “Mr. Steinman! Mr. Steinman!”
He stopped, stunned at first by the destroyed settlement, and now taken aback by this dervish coming toward him. He propped his staff against the ground and waited for her to reach him. She threw herself into his arms with such vehemence that she almost knocked him over.
“I saw the smoke, saw the big ships,” he said, trying to hold her at arm’s length. She was filthy, her clothes torn and sooty, her face streaked with dirt and tears. “Tell me what’s going on, kid.”
“I was exploring the caves at the end of the canyon when the big EDF ships came. They blasted the whole colony—the buildings, the people, the—”
“EDF ships? Are you crazy—”
“I saw them land, and they were full of compies and Klikiss robots. They killed anybody they found.” Her voice hitched. “Everybody.” She looked over her shoulder. “There’s nothing left.”
Steinman stared toward the sheltered canyon that had once held a burgeoning Klikiss metropolis, and more recently a fresh new Hansa colony. “You’d better stay with me for the time being, kid. I wasn’t looking for company, but you’re not a bad sort. And you sure look like you could use some help.”
Orli didn’t argue with him. They gathered the salvaged supplies she had collected, and then Orli followed the old man out onto the plains of Corribus.
Chapter 14—QUEEN ESTARRA
After speeches and a gala send-off, the King and Queen waved to the crowds as they boarded a Hansa diplomatic transport to Ildira. Already settled in before the fanfare began, Chairman Wenceslas was at work in his cabin with the door locked, ignoring the show outside. He’d never had any interest in stealing the spotlight; he preferred to work behind the scenes.
Peter hurried Estarra to their own quarters, hoping to avoid the Chairman’s notice—though obviously Basil didn’t want to be bothered by the royal couple, either.
Without asking permission, Estarra had brought one of the small potted treelings from the Whisper Palace’s conservatory. Peter had agreed to help her smuggle it onto the diplomatic transport and hide it in a cabinet in their quarters.
“I brought this one myself from Theroc, when I came to marry you,” she explained, stroking the golden scaly-barked stem. “Since we’re about to meet the Mage-Imperator, it seems a fine gift for him. You don’t mind?”
“Basil won’t like losing one of the treelings.”
“Nahton is the court green priest, and he said this wouldn’t affect the performance of his duties,” she said, sounding bolder than she felt. She had already run through the arguments in her head. “Besides, Sarein is bound to return from Theroc soon. She can bring more treelings with her.”
Estarra secured the potted container as their craft began to accelerate out of orbit, escorted by several old-model EDF Manta cruisers. She and Peter both hated to be in such close quarters with the Chairman; they knew what he was capable of. Basil had never denied trying to kill them, and the friction between the Chairman and the King remained unresolved. And she was very nervous that Basil would learn their new secret.
“It’s going to be a long trip to Ildira,” Estarra said.
Not long ago, she had discovered that she was pregnant, which was cause for both joy and fear. Once she’d quietly confirmed that she was carrying Peter’s baby, Estarra had revealed the news to him.
Though the pregnancy was unexpected, she certainly wanted the child, and so did Peter. Basil had imposed birth-control measures on the couple, but no method was entirely reliable, and accidents happened. It wasn’t their fault.
But Chairman Wenceslas did not tolerate “accidents”—unless he staged them himself.
As pressures
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