Eternity's Mind (47 page)

The shadows were disorganized, agitated, and unreliable. Exxos was growing increasingly frustrated with them. In a thought that rippled across nearly a million identical robot minds, he wondered if it might be time just to trigger the entropy-freezing plan, to shatter and shut down the creatures of darkness and cut his own losses.

But not yet. He still needed the Shana Rei to accomplish other goals, and before the shadows were exterminated, he had to have as many robot counterparts as possible. He still required these insanely powerful allies. For now.

“Only one attack on Pergamus,” he pushed. “We know from Tamo'l that the planet has few defenses, so our victory there will be easy. Through her eyes you have already seen the disease stockpiles locked in their vaults. And when we unleash those plagues on populated worlds, you know what those diseases will do.”

In fact, Exxos wasn't sure whether or not the shadows understood pathogens and mortality rates. “Trust us,” he said. “I have proved that we understand your need for destruction, so let us achieve that destruction for you. If we remove the agony of sentience by killing humans and Ildirans, you will then have more strength to fight Eternity's Mind. Think how it makes sense.”

The creatures of darkness were so chaotic that Exxos was not sure they could understand cause and effect, but he hoped they would listen to him.

Finally, the pulsing inkblots agreed. “Yes. We will engulf Pergamus, seize the deadly diseases … and destroy the rest. Then we will loose all the plagues on humanity.”

“Good,” Exxos said. “That is a perfect plan.”

 

CHAPTER

88

TASIA TAMBLYN

After the heart-wrenching dismay from the destruction of Earth, Tasia found some joy in visiting her brother at Academ. Not only was Jess family, the two of them shared many experiences—wonderful ones as well as terrifying ones. They had both witnessed the destruction of worlds … more than once, in fact.

Rlinda insisted on joining Tasia and Robb as they shuttled over to the glowing comet. Most of the students had transferred away as a precautionary measure against the increased wental activity, but Jess and Cesca had stayed behind. Jess had sent Tasia a mysterious message. “I have a mission for you—I know you can help out.”

Rlinda shook her head as the
Curiosity
docked in Academ's landing bay. “Strangeness after strangeness.” She looked at the oddly shimmering ice walls. “I'd prefer a boring retirement where all I have to do is manage a restaurant and worry about Zachary Wisskoff insulting the customers.” She sighed and looked at the silver capsule in her wide palm. “BeBob was always a calming influence. I'm glad he's resting in peace, but I wouldn't mind having him around right now.”

The comet seemed alive and vibrant, and when Tasia inhaled, she smelled ozone in the processed air. Even if the elemental beings were allies, it was probably best that the Roamer children had gone back to Newstation. A few determined students and Teacher compies remained inside the comet, but Academ was mostly empty.

When Jess and Cesca came to greet them in the landing bay, Tasia ran to give her brother a hug. He wrapped his arms around her and swung her in an arc in the low gravity. Tasia felt like his young sister again, a spunky teenager at the family ice mines on Plumas.

“I see you're still getting into trouble,” he said, “and leaving plenty of problems in your wake.”

Robb looked around, blinking against the glow in the walls. “I remember when you two were charged with all that wental energy.”

“It's not the same this time,” Jess said. “The wentals are different now.”

Cesca interrupted, “Everything is different since the Elemental War. I wish the wentals were back and strong. Then they could be fighting the Shana Rei with us.”

Tasia said, “The Shana Rei are more dangerous than the hydrogues ever were. They're everywhere.”

“We'll see if we can do something about that.” Jess and Cesca led them through the empty corridors of Academ.

“These wentals are pure,” Cesca insisted. “We can sense it, and there's something they need us to do.”

Jess turned to his sister. “Something we need
you
to do, in your ship.”

“We have the
Curiosity
and
Declan's Glory,
” Rlinda said. “What do you need?”

“The wentals want you to deliver something to Fireheart Station.”

Tasia and Robb looked at each other, then at Jess, raising their eyebrows. “Sure, we should make a trading run anyway.”

Rlinda broke in, “It'll be good timing. You've heard the news? General Keah and Adar Zan'nh are bringing a giant military force there to kick some Shana Rei butt.”

Robb held up a hand. “You're agreeing awfully fast. We don't even know what the mission is yet.”

Tasia rolled her eyes. “If Jess asks, you know we're going to do it, Robb.”

He sighed. “I suppose.”

When they reached the main office, KA was attending to administrative details, securing files and temporarily shutting down the school. The office walls were bare ice, and the frozen wall glowed.

Cesca set an empty liter-sized canister on the desk, while Jess stepped up to the wall of ice. “This is what we need you to deliver to Fireheart.”

He drew a square on the ice wall with his fingertip. The wentals reacted and melted a line of water in an eight-inch cube. Jess reached in to pull a perfectly cut block of ice from the wall. It held itself together through the will of the wentals, and once the cube was removed, the comet wall reshaped itself to fill the socket, leaving a smooth surface.

“Take this to the terrarium dome in Fireheart. The two green priests need it.” Jess carried the block to the liter container, and the wental ice thawed of its own volition. Like an amoeba, the water flowed into the canister and filled it precisely.

Rlinda grabbed the container. “I'll deliver it. I've known little Celli for years.”

“We'll take both ships and round up a load of special isotopes and new power blocks while we're there,” Tasia said with a grin. “Sooner or later we're going to distribute through Handon Station. Kett Shipping has to support Xander and Terry, you know.”

“I'm not sure how much is left of the company,” Robb said. “I wonder how many of our ships got away from Earth.…”

Rlinda said, “We'll consolidate whatever we have. After all”—she held the container of wental water close—“Kett Shipping is still around as long as I'm still around. And the shadows haven't gotten me yet.”

 

CHAPTER

89

LEE ISWANDER

After being shunned by the Roamer clans, Lee Iswander returned to his extraction operations and pondered what to do next. The price of ekti was already falling—a good thing for the customers, he supposed, but certainly bad for business, his business in particular.

Iswander had been through it all before, and he had survived.

Alec Pannebaker looked distraught when Iswander arrived back at the facility, alone. The deputy's usually optimistic nature was more introspective. “I thought you should know, Chief—we've lost twenty-five workers in the past four days. Some gave notice, took their pay, and departed in their own ships. Others just disappeared into the night.” He shook his head. “Damned unprofessional, if you ask me—complete lack of courtesy. I have enough people to run the crews, though, and we've kept producing ekti while you were gone.”

“If we could only find a place to sell it…” Iswander said, disappointed with the bitterness in his voice.

Pannebaker scowled. “After all you've done for them, Chief, I'd hoped for a little more loyalty.”

“I'd hoped for a lot more of everything. But I've run industries most of my life. There are unreliable employees and good employees.” He looked up at his deputy. “You're one of the good ones, Mr. Pannebaker, don't ever forget that.”

Pannebaker scratched his goatee, embarrassed by the compliment. “Well, I've always liked to take risks and do daredevil things.” He forced a grin. “I never thought that staying by your side would be a risky thing.”

Iswander studied the summaries of their operations, the daily work logs. Ekti production was down—no surprise, due to the reduced workforce and, quite likely, because of diminished enthusiasm among the employees. But it was still a respectable output of stardrive fuel waiting to go to market. Surely somebody would need it.

He turned to go. “I'll be in my quarters, Mr. Pannebaker. I have some business-development plans to write down.”

“If you need a sounding board, sir, I'd be happy to listen. A lot of our workers, even the loyal ones, want to know what's next. Iswander Industries has poured everything into these bloater-extraction operations, but you always have another innovative idea up your sleeve.”

“You're right, I've had plenty of ideas in the past. Thank you for your faith in me.” Iswander wondered just how many brilliant and innovative ideas one man was allowed to have in a lifetime.

He reached his quarters, which were cold, dark, and empty. Londa had been away on Newstation for some time, and now this place was his alone.

He scolded himself for his defeatist attitude. He still had money squirreled away from his past investments; he had knowledge and expertise and—as Pannebaker had just shown—he had good people to implement his plans. But he just wasn't sure he had the energy to start all over again.

He sealed the door, looked at the bright, clean rooms, and lifted his chin with determination. He recited the mantra that he had said aloud so many times in recent weeks.
A successful man fails more times than an average man bothers to try.

His workers believed in him—otherwise why would they have followed him after Sheol? Why would they have stayed after the terrible accusations leveled against him? Inertia? Yes, they had faith in him, and so did his wife and son. He knew it, and he loved them for it—even though he rarely showed his affection or his pride.

That was a failing on his part. A good leader always had to encourage his troops, to acknowledge the things they did for him so they would remain loyal. It was part of being a leader, but it was also part of being human. Perhaps Iswander had spent far too much time working on the former and not the latter.

He had taken his wife for granted, because she wasn't the sort of driven person he was. Now these quarters felt hollow, mere
rooms
instead of a
home.
He looked at the walls and saw the art prints there, the stylish furniture, the colorful decorations, the well-maintained kitchen unit, their bedchamber, all of which carried personal touches he had not bothered to notice before. These were not just quarters for sleeping during down time. Now that Londa was gone, the place was a museum that reminded him of what normal life should be. Oh, he knew Londa remained just as devoted to him as ever, and that she loved and adored him. He hoped she was happy where she was.

Arden was also his future, his hope. The young man was growing stronger, even though he likely did not enjoy the pressures heaped on him at Academ. Iswander believed that giving a person an easy road to success was also a road to disaster; Arden would understand that someday.

He made himself tea and heated a packet of spiced protein noodles, knowing he needed to eat, even though he didn't have much appetite. He sat in the empty chamber, chewing and thinking.

Elisa Enturi was also an exceptionally loyal worker, but sometimes loyalty could go too far, and now she was gone, too. Considering what she had done, he'd been forced to banish her, but if there had been any way to salvage the situation he would much rather have her here now.…

Nevertheless, he could rely on his own skills. He resolved to do so without feeling sorry for himself. Lee Iswander would find some way to reinvent himself. He would regain his respect in such a way that even the Roamer clans would have to admit that it was the greatest comeback story ever told … whatever that turned out to be.

Although he wasn't tired, Iswander knew he needed to sleep. But after he dimmed the lights, he just sat in the shadows and stared out the windowports, watching the extraction operations: pumping rigs, tankers, inspection pods, ekti-transport arrays. The activity gladdened him.

From this distance the operations looked marvelous, vibrant and successful. They were all he had now—along with his wife and son. Londa and Arden were his real legacy, and he had to leave them something worthy of the Iswander name. For now, he would tell his crews to keep working, to produce as much ekti-X as possible, because that was what
they did.
That was where they excelled.

Until his final chance fell apart, he was determined to squeeze every last drop of profit from these operations.

 

CHAPTER

90

ELISA ENTURI

Relleker was a mess, as Elisa had expected. After learning about the salvage operations, she had flown here to join Xander and Terry's crew. She knew she could do the work; in fact, Elisa was convinced she could do anything that was necessary—preferably for someone who appreciated her efforts.

Unfortunately, doing “what was necessary” had led to her current situation, made her an outcast and an exile. A flare of anger toward Lee Iswander crossed her mind, only to be replaced by sad resolve. She had pondered much during the flight from Newstation to the Relleker system. Though it pained her, she couldn't deny that Iswander had made the proper decision to save himself and his company. He needed to have a scapegoat, a sacrificial lamb. And that was Elisa.

Still, it hurt her. Everyone was howling for her blood anyway, so he had made the right choice. With cold objectivity, she knew she would have done the same in his shoes, although she believed
loyalty
should be a commodity more valuable than profits.