Resolution (99 page)

Tom opened a holo.

‘Everything all right, General?’

General Lord Ygran gave a grim smile. ‘As well as can be expected.’

‘Have you had word from Avernon?’ It was critical that the modules laid down in orbit align themselves correctly. Geometry was everything. ‘Can we detonate yet?’

‘No, Warlord. We’re still waiting.’

‘Maybe I can do better than that.’

Shift.

Avernon is clawing at his own face and screaming.

‘Stop it, sir. Stop it. ‘A soldier grabs hold, hard. ‘This is no good.’

‘I know, I
—’

Avernon sobs. Stops.

‘It’s not going to work,’ he says. ‘Do you understand? It won’t work!’

Tom flipped back into the chamber.

‘Warlord?’

Tom shook his head. ‘Avernon’s not happy.’

‘Aren’t the modules dispersed?’

‘Yes ...’ He could visualize the shuttle’s displays without slipping back into Seer-trance. ‘And their alignment looks OK to me, but not to—’

‘I’d say we have to go for it now, Tom.’ General Ygran was looking off to one side, his expression grim. It was the first time he had addressed Tom by name, not rank. ‘And may Fate be with us all.’

Holos swirled.

So be it.

Transmitters were poised to deliver timed signals across the globe.

‘Thank you, General.’

Tom raised his hand. ‘Ready to activate.’

Damn you, Anomaly.

Gestured.

A white glow spreads through the spinpoint field.

The shield modules are doing their work, collapsing spacetime in their vicinity, linking with each other to form a barrier around Nulapeiron. Shining
—

And then the glow begins to fade. The spinpoint layer remains intact.

Nothing has changed.

Tom flips.

Eemur? Is Elva OK? Are you?

Which of us are you worried about?

For Fate’s sake.

We’re all right. Do whatever it is you have to, Tom.

Switch.

In the shuttle cabin, Avernon is still, regarding the status displays like a statue, while the other occupants stare out the windows at dark space, and the dying glow of their effort.

Tears track down Avernon’s cheeks.

‘I’m sorry, ‘he whispers. ‘I thought
...
I
thought I could
—’

‘Oh, Fate,’ murmurs the pilot.

Outside, small white points that are not distant stars are glowing as always.

Everyone in that cabin is aware of what it means. The collapse of spacetime is supposed to bring the spinpoints into existence as a side effect... but a side effect in negative time. From any ordinary viewpoint, the spinpoints should have disappeared several seconds ago, as if they had ceased to exist.

But still they shine.

‘We‘ve failed.’

Flip.

It meant failure, of their only defence against the Anomaly.

Failure.

Switch.

Nothing has changed, save that Avernon has turned away from the status displays.

Outside the shuttle, the spinpoints still shine.

A symbol of humanity’s defeat.

And flip.

Tom stared into the holo, but General Ygran seemed to know already.

‘What happened, Warlord? Enemy attacks are redoubling everywhere. If it’s sensed Avernon’s shield—’

‘Then it should have been too late for the Anomaly to do anything.’

‘If the shield had worked.’ General Ygran rubbed his face. ‘Does that mean...?’

‘It failed,’ said Tom. ‘That’s not guesswork. I Saw it fail.’

For a moment, there was only silence. When General Ygran finally spoke, his voice was hollow.

‘Then I guess ... we fight. Until the end.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Aye, Warlord.’