Hellhole Inferno (49 page)

Still receiving no answer from Lodo, she closed her eyes and touched her left temple, delving inward. “Uroa … no!” Her eyes flew open again. So, her own alien presence knew as well—and so did Zairic, Encix, all the leaders of this faction. “And yet you went forward, still pushing for this?” She whirled to glare at Lodo. “You convinced the rest of your race that this was their ultimate goal, but you didn't tell them the consequences!”

“It is our racial destiny,” Lodo said. “It is our priority. You're just complicating it with facts.”

Zhaday drew his large torso up, and his blue pigmentation shifted and pulsed. “They did not consider the rest of the universe. The original Xayan race never looked outward, never sent ships to distant star systems, never communicated with other species, although we did detect signals from afar when we all lived on Xaya, and we had hints of other civilizations. Zairic, Encix, and the other
ala'ru
fanatics did not care about the destruction they would cause. They would change the underpinnings of the universe, become gods—and re-create whatever they wished.”

“While the rest of us get caught in the backwash,” Walfor said.

“The Ro-Xayans refused to allow that to happen,” Zhaday continued. “We pleaded with Zairic's faction to stop. We used violence against them, but they were more powerful. A large number of us finally broke away, hoping that by removing a significant portion of our population the other Xayans would be unable to achieve
ala'ru
, at least not for a very long time. But Zairic's followers worked harder, focused their powers, raised their potential … and we knew we had to act. We preserved samples from the ecosystem in order to restore it someday, and then we sent the first asteroid to Xaya. We hoped that would be enough to prevent
ala'ru
forever—but it was a false hope.”

A large female Ro-Xayan with a splash of scarlet coloring across her face rose up in front of Lodo, her expression furious, but Lodo did not back down in front of her. “It is our racial destiny,” he insisted. “Encix has always been quite vehement about it, saying that it doesn't matter if we leave nothing but cosmic wreckage behind. She can be very persuasive.”

“And self-centered,” Tanja said. “Either way, the human colonists end up obliterated!”

“By destroying our sacred home planet and our race, we are saving the
universe
,” said Zhaday. “Our faction is willing to crush our own racial destiny in order to save the rest of the cosmos, all other star systems, all other races that are out there. The
ala'ru
fanatics care about their own destiny and nothing else.

“We learned our lesson from our first failure, analyzed our mistakes. This time, we will not let compassion soften the necessary blow. We must kill every Xayan, eliminate any possibility of
ala'ru
. Forever. There is no measure of our sadness, but there is no question of the necessity of this action. This time, we will make certain our Xayan brothers cannot hide. With so many planet-killing impacts, not even the slickwater will survive.”

In a heavy voice, Keana-Uroa said, “We came out here to convince you to change your minds, to prevent you from destroying Xaya and all the people there, both human and Xayan. I still urge you to negotiate. I am one of the leading shadow-Xayans, and the truth was withheld from my human portion, as well as from the other human converts who were transformed in the pools. I assure you, we did not understand the consequences.”

“Encix does,” Lodo said. “And she will not stop. She will drive forward, no matter what.”

Tanja cleared her throat. “You may prevent
ala'ru
by wiping out the planet, but all your people live inside this habitat, too. If you smash this asteroid into Hellhole, then everything you've preserved will also be obliterated. You'll all die.”

“It is extreme,” Zhaday said, “but it is the only way.
We
are Xayans as well. Our faction still has the potential for
ala'ru
within us. Our will may be strong now, but generations hence, who can guarantee that some other prophet like Zairic would not arise? What if that prophet claims we were wrong and drives our people toward the ascension again?”

He hung his head. “We know we will all die soon, that we are causing the extinction of an entire civilization, an entire race. Every Ro-Xayan lives in this asteroid habitat, and we will all smash into our world. But it is necessary, the only way to forever destroy the threat of
ala'ru
. And at least humans may remember us after we are gone. Someday they might understand what we did for the universe.”

Zhaday's voice rang out with an air of command enhanced by mental powers. “Summon our greatest telemancers. They've been regenerating their powers after such a great expenditure of telemancy. I want them to apply all possible force to accelerate these asteroids, no matter how much harm the extreme effort causes them, no matter how much it drains them. We need to strike our target as fast as possible! There is no time left.”

 

65

Shaken and pale, Percival gripped the command chair and stared at the blank screen, disturbed that General Adolphus would use Escobar as a bargaining chip. Was that unexpected? He understood the man's desperation, understood it very well.

Adkins stood beside him. “What are you going to do, Commodore? Diadem Riomini would not want you to show weakness in front of the General.”

Percival growled, “Diadems have a way of issuing orders that cause as much damage to me as to the enemy.”

Politically, he had been ordered to discard Michella Duchenet, thus removing her value as an enemy hostage—but he recognized that was as much because of a personal grudge as a tactical move. Yes, the old woman was oblivious to her own fingerprints on all the damage she had done, the thousands of graves. Percival had so many reasons to resent her … yet he'd remained loyal to the Constellation Charter, even though he could not have explained why. Selik Riomini was the official Diadem now, not Michella Duchenet, and the Commodore had his new orders. Even if he rescued the former ruler and brought her back to Sonjeera, no doubt Riomini would execute her.

But Escobar … Percival had personal priorities of his own.

Now his fleet was in orbit above a hell world, supposedly victorious and yet painted into a corner by a military face-off that fit none of their projected scenarios, nor did it follow any standard rule of military conduct. “Get the General back on the comm. We aren't finished with our conversation yet!”

“General Adolphus seems to believe it's over,” Adkins said.

The screen remained blank despite repeated pings by the comm officer.

“He can't wait very long.” Percival shook his head. “Every hour of this standoff is costing him the launches of shuttles that could bring evacuees to orbit. He's trying to manipulate me, put me off balance.” The Commodore clamped his lips together. He did indeed feel off balance. Under normal circumstances, he would have thrown all of his resources, personnel, and ships into the disaster relief effort. Refusing to do so went against the grain of his personality and smacked of dishonorable conduct.…

Finally, after repeated requests for a comm link, the screen activated, and General Adolphus appeared. “I'm busy, Commodore. Unless you've decided to cooperate, I can't waste more time. If you won't assist with the effort, then get out of the way.”

“I demand to see my son. Show me Escobar. Prove he's safe and healthy, and then I might consider some flexibility in my position.”

Adolphus shook his head. “I have a planet to evacuate, and I won't play favorites or waste personnel rounding up one man so he can have a conversation with his father. Lives are going to be lost due to your harassment and interference—no question about it.” He leaned closer to the screen; his dark eyes were hard. “I guarantee you this, Commodore. If we don't have enough ships or time to save my people, then your son will forfeit his position on a rescue vessel. Escobar Hallholme will be last on the evacuation list.”

The General's image vanished from the screen, replaced by archival video, with his voice saying, “We faced a similar threat before, so we know what's in store for Hellhole. Watch—this is only a hint of what's about to happen here.” At first, Percival didn't recognize the planet in the images, then he saw two asteroids hurtling in, giant pock-marked rocks that closed on the world. A flurry of ships filled the orbital lanes, being loaded aboard stringline haulers that raced away along the iperion path.

“This was Candela,” said the General's voice, “the previous target of the murderous aliens. That world was rendered utterly uninhabitable by only
two
asteroids, Commodore. Now the Ro-Xayans are coming at my planet with
twenty
, and we have less than four days.”

On-screen, the General's face replaced the archival images. “My people are going to die, and so is your son, and so are the Constellation POWs, if you don't cooperate. We can't stop asteroids.” His expression changed. “You have used dishonorable tactics on the battlefield many times, but you also secretly helped my colony survive when the Diadem wanted us all to die. I think I know your true character, Commodore Percival Hallholme. I appeal to your humanity.”

In a voice that wasn't as firm or confident as he wanted, Percival answered, “The moment you surrender, General, we can work together to get those people to safety. Look how many ships I have to help. It'll make all the difference.”

He knew the General couldn't just wait it out and he wouldn't just surrender his leverage. He couldn't see any other way to follow his orders.

Percival stared at the screen, and his nemesis stared back—two battering rams of pride facing off. Adolphus's expression dropped, and Percival could see he had reached a crux point. “All right. I will submit to whatever retaliation you wish, Commodore—
afterward
. First, we have to save as many of my people as possible, or
you
will be responsible for the destruction of this entire colony and the death of your son. Do you want all that blood on your hands?”

Some of the crew members on the flagship's bridge cheered, thinking the impasse had been resolved, but Percival felt an even heavier weight in his chest. “Unfortunately, General, my orders from Diadem Riomini were quite explicit. I am to
ensure
the destruction of your colony. I must see to it that every person on planet Hallholme is eradicated—just like Theser.”

His own bridge crew grumbled uneasily—until now, they hadn't been given the full details of their mission, and Percival felt sickened as he repeated it.

“I can't believe you would follow such reprehensible orders,” the General said in disgust. “How will you rewrite the history books to disguise
that
?”

Percival said, in a wooden voice as if to justify himself, “I am bound by the Constellation Charter.”

Adolphus stared back, then suddenly brightened as an idea occurred to him. “Then allow me to cite the Constellation Charter, Commodore. If you are truly as loyal as you say, then you know the Charter supercedes any orders from a sitting Diadem. My colony world clearly faces an emergency situation, and you yourself have verified the imminent asteroid impact. Therefore I, Tiber Adolphus, planetary administrator of the Deep Zone planet Hallholme, under Code Seventy-three, Section Twelve of the Constellation Charter, hereby commandeer your vessels for humanitarian purposes to assist in the emergency evacuation of my colony. By law, you cannot refuse such a request.”

The Commodore caught his breath and felt a startled smile spread across his face. This was a loophole he could seize, a way to maintain his honor. “I believe you're right, General. By law, that section of the Charter takes precedence over any new orders I might have received.” Yes, he could do this, a perfectly defensible decision. He could add his seventy ships to the effort. It was a dramatic shift. “Very well—under tightly controlled circumstances, we can begin. But I insist on rescuing the Constellation military prisoners first.”

The General looked pleased. “We have almost four days. With your help, we just might have enough time.”

Percival's sensor operator turned from her screen, puzzled. “Commodore, I don't understand this.” She looked down at the long-distance projections, reran her results. “The inbound asteroids … something's happened.”

“They changed course?”

“No, they're still heading directly toward the planet—but they're
accelerating
!”

 

66

Even trapped in the remote, demeaning conditions at Slickwater Springs, Michella knew the world was about to end. She had survived a smoke storm, quakes, torpedo ants … even the treachery of Ishop Heer! But asteroids were hurtling toward the planet—she could not believe it. She had to get away from here.

Her life had been shattered in many ways ever since the vile General reignited his rebellion. The great Michella Duchenet, Diadem of the Constellation and ruler of seventy-four worlds, was broken and humiliated. If she could believe the General's report, she had been deposed on Sonjeera—and she did not underestimate the ambitions of Selik Riomini. Even her most faithful supporters had failed her. The stream of disappointments tasted like bile inside her.

Commodore Hallholme, the once-great military hero, had failed repeatedly; he'd let her be abducted, then lost his beachhead on Tehila, not to mention his previous defeats. What a fool and an ingrate he was. She had resurrected his career, saved the man from retirement, and given him a purpose in life again—to serve her. She had never expected blunder after blunder from the old warhorse.

But now he had brought a fleet to Hellhole, and he had a chance to redeem himself completely. All would be forgiven if he rescued her now! She might even name another planet after him.…