If they had the ability to build this machine, they could have simply fled their system when the G2 sun went critical, mused Patek Georg. The red-band looked at Far Rider. Have you tried to destroy the machine?
The lipless smile beneath the ectofield twitched lizard-wide on Far Riders strange face. Many times. Scores of thousands of true Ousters have died. The machine has an energy defense that lances us to ash at approximately one hundred thousand klicks.
That could be a simple meteor defense, said Dem Lia.
Far Riders smile broadened so that it was very terrible. If so, it suffices as a very efficient killing device. My father died in the last attack attempt.
Have you tried traveling to the red giant system? asked Peter Delem.
We have no spacecraft left, answered the Templar.
On your own solar wings then? asked Peter, obviously doing the math in his head on the time such a round trip would take. Yearsdecades at solar sailing velocitiesbut well within an Ousters life span.
Far Rider moved his hand with its elongated fingers in a horizontal chop. The heliosphere turbulence is too great. Yet we have tried hundreds of timesexpeditions upon which scores depart and none or only a few return. My brother died on such an attempt six of your standard years ago.
And Far Rider himself was terribly hurt, said Reta Kasteen softly. Sixty-eight of the best deep spacers lefttwo returned. It took all of what remains of our medical science to save Far Riders life, and that meant two years in recovery pod nutrient for him.
Dem Lia cleared her throat. What do you want us to do?
The two Ousters and the Templar leaned forward. Chief Branchman Keel Redt spoke for all of them. If, as you believe, as we have become convinced, there is no inhabited world left in the red giant system, kill the Destroyer now. Annihilate the harvesting machine. Save us from this mindless, obsolete, and endless scourge. We will reward you as handsomely as we canfoods, fruits, as much water as you need for your voyage, advanced genetic techniques, our knowledge of nearby systems, anything.
The Spectrum Helix people glanced at one another. Finally Dem Lia said, If you are comfortable here, four of us would like to excuse ourselves for a short time to discuss this. Ces Ambre would be delighted to stay with you and talk if you so wish.
The Chief Branchman made a gesture with both long arms and huge hands. We are completely comfortable. And we are more than delighted to have this chance to talk to the venerable M. Ambrethe woman who saw the husband of Aenea.
Dem Lia noticed that the young Templar, Reta Kasteen, looked visibly thrilled at the prospect.
And then you will bring us your decision, yes? radioed Far Rider, his waxy body, huge eyeshields, and alien physiology giving Dem Lia a slight chill. This was a creature that fed on light, tapped enough energy to deploy electromagnetic solar wings hundreds of kilometers wide, recycled his own air, waste, and water, and lived in an environment of absolute cold, heat, radiation, and hard vacuum. Humankind had come a long way from the early hominids in Africa on Old Earth.
And if we say no, thought Dem Lia, three-hundred-thousand-some angry space-adapted Ousters just like him might descend on our spinship like the angry Hawaiians venting their wrath on Captain James Cook when he caught them pulling the nails from the hull of his ship. The good captain ended up not only being killed horribly, but having his body eviscerated, burned, and boiled into small chunks. As
soon as she thought this, Dem Lia knew better. These Ousters would not attack the Helix. All of her intuition told her that. And if they do, she thought, our weaponry will vaporize the lot of them in two-point-six seconds. She felt guilty and slightly nauseated at her own thoughts as she made her farewells and took the lift down to the command deck with the other three.
You saw him, said True Voice of the Tree Reta Kasteen a little breathlessly. Aeneas husband?
Ces Ambre smiled. I was fourteen standard years old. It was a long time ago. He was traveling from world to world via farcaster and stayed a few days in my second triune parents home because he was illa kidney stoneand then the Pax troopers kept him under arrest until they could send someone to interrogate him. My parents helped him escape. It was a very few days a very many years ago. She smiled again. And he was not Aeneas husband at that time, remember. He had not taken the sacrament of her DNA, nor even grown aware of what her blood and teachings could do for the human race.
But you saw him, pressed Chief Branchman Keel Redt.
Yes. He was in delirium and pain much of the time and handcuffed to my parents bed by the Pax troopers.
Reta Kasteen leaned closer. Did he have any sort of aura about him?
Oh, yes, said Ces Ambre with a chuckle. Until my parents gave him a sponge bath. He had been traveling hard for many days.
The two Ousters and the Templar seemed to sit back in disappointment.