Seeds of Earth (9 page)

'Nastrovya.
^r

'SlainteV

'Hey, what is that you're drinking}'
Tomas said.

'I wish I knew,' Greg said in a hoarse voice, savouring the smoky aftertaste and the warmth in his throat. 'Tastes a bit like . . . grilled bark, or something. 'S no bad, though. So why are you calling me in the middle of this historical event?'

'Just to let you know that Miss Macreadie is, as they say, carrying a torch for you'

'What?' Greg said, so surprised he almost spilled his refilled beaker. 'How d'ye know? - did she say so?'

'Of course she didn't say so, but when I mentioned your name to her a short while ago she acted so disinterested it was like a sign saying "I want Greg" going on above her head.'

Greg chuckled at the image. 'You know, your record in these matters isna exactly one hundred per cent.'

'Maybe so, but I'm sure that she's thinking of you . . .'

'Tomas, she's a former Enhanced,' he said. 'I don't really think that I'd measure up to her intellect, somehow . . . wait, hold on, our picture's back. I'll speak to you later, O great matchmaker!'

'Okay, you're allowed to laugh now, but you'll see that I'm right, trust me. . .'

Video (mid-range functionality) Together, the president, the ambassador and a senior officer inspect an honour guard of thirty soldiers from the Darien Volunteer Corps, drawn up in two ranks in front of the Port Gagarin terminal building. A small brass band is playing a march off to one side as the three men progress steadily along, pausing to speak with a couple of Corps troopers. The DVC dress uniform is a form-fitting two-piece in field green with dark brown trim, soft green cap with a red cockade, and brown gauntlets. Each soldier carries a sidearm and an autorifle, slug-thrower weapons based on proven twentieth-century designs, while a standard-bearer holds a ceremonial flag showing the DVC badge, crossed swords beneath a planetary globe.
LEE SHAN:
The ambassador inspects the honour guard, pausing occasionally to ask a soldier's name or where they are from. Ambassador Robert Horst is a highly experienced diplomat who first came to prominence during the blockade and subsequent liberation of Prodas in 2259. He was involved in negotiations with Tyat terrorists during the Farplains hostage crisis in 2262, and later took up the post of Earthsphere delegate to the short-lived Convoke of Worlds. Most recently he played a key role in the concerted attempts to persuade the Dol-Das regime to give up its planetbreaker weapons. Since the toppling of the Dol-Das dictatorship, however, Robert Horst and his wife have suffered the loss of their only daughter Rosa, who died in a tragic accident while taking part in antiwar protests in the Kingdom of Metraj an e-year ago.

'Poor man,' murmured Svetlana.

Catriona nodded, privately wondering why a presenter would comment so publicly on such sensitive details. Wouldn't the ambassador and his wife be upset at the public discussion of their personal grief? But that was just one snippet in a flood of information which had no context or background for Darien viewers, bare facts merely stated, as if their importance were obvious.

As if we're expected to be impressed,
she thought.

She glanced round the room at the rest of her team, or at least the nine who had been nearby and off-duty, and saw a few with perplexed expressions. Others, like Svetlana, were wide-eyed and engrossed in the unfolding ceremony.

Then Tomas sidled into the room and resumed his seat next to hers.

'You missed the ambassador shaking the president's hand,' she said sardonically. 'Where were you?'

He shrugged. 'I remembered that I had to call up Gunther's team to see if they have any spare sample cases - they said they'll send a box over tomorrow. So what's been happening?'

'I wish I could say it's been exciting, but. . .' She indicated the screen. 'It's all protocol and ceremony - the most interesting stuff so far has been this 'caster Lee Shan's side comments. There's been hardly any detail on recent history'

'It seems that the daily sheets planetside have been running articles on the Swarm War and how Earth was saved from destruction by the brave and altruistic Sendruka Hegemony,' Tomas said, rolling his eyes.

'Aye, well, if that's what they did, then I'm glad,' Catriona said. 'I mean, we know how bad it was for the First Families when the Command AI turned on them what must it have been like on Earth with the Swarm bombing cities and getting ready to invade?'

'I hope we'll be getting some reliable historical accounts from that period soon,' Tomas said. 'And maybe hear something about the other two colonyships . . . Hm, what's happening now?'

'They're about to hold a press conference,' Catriona said.

'Really?' Tomas said. 'I wonder if they'll take the risk of allowing questions?'

Video (variable functionality) The terminal foyer is full of a noisy crowd of Dariens, some sitting in rows before a wide, green-draped platform while most of them stand to the rear and sides. Then they erupt into applause and cheering as President Sundstrom in his wheelchair and Ambassador Horst enter and approach the long ramp up to the platform. Once there, accompanied by the vice-president, the mayor of Port Gagarin and a dark-suited security detail, the president grins at the raucous welcome for a moment then raises his hands and makes hushing gestures. ■

-
PRESIDENT SUNDSTROM:

Thank you, thank you all for this rousing reception. Well, I can see how amazed and delighted you all are at this astonishing event, that 150 years after the
Hyperion
touched down we've re-established contact with Earth. To know that Earth survived the Swarm War and went on to become strong and influential is an incredible source of joy and pride. So before I become overwhelm3d, let me just state that it gives me enormous pleasure to say on behalf of all our citizens - Ambassador Horst, welcome to Darien!

Video (variable functionality) Even louder applause breaks out again and the president moves his wheelchair back a few feet. The ambassador smiles and as he steps forward the crowd quietens down to an expectant hush.
AMBASSADOR HORST:

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for this warm and generous reception. It is a privilege and an honour to stand here before you as the personal representative of Erica Castiglione, president of Earthsphere, for the colony you have made here in the face of such hardship is proof of the indomitable spirit of Humanity!

[Applause]

The discovery of Darien Colony is of great importance to all the peoples of Earth, not least because the fate of the three colonyships has been an unresolved enigma since the defeat of the Swarm a century and a half ago. We know that each ship was under orders to flee the Solar System by taking random hyperspace jumps, which is why the destinations or whereabouts of the other two ships, the
Forrestal
and the
Tenebrosa,
remain a mystery.

Of course, the original colonisation plan consisted of fifteen ships, most of which were partially complete when the Swarm invaded the Solar System. Those first unprovoked attacks slaughtered millions across our world and destroyed many of those vessels, which is why your forebears became the first to depart Humanity's home on such a desperate mission.

It would be difficult to overstate the intensity of interest in Darien that is gripping Earth and all the Human communities across Earthsphere.

Indeed, both the Migratory Service and the Diplomacy Office have been inundated with requests from Russia, Scotland and Scandinavia from those wishing to make contact with long-lost branches of their families. This will involve a considerable amount of work, matching records and DNA, but we'll begin this as soon as possible.

I feel I should at this point give you an outline of the wider interstellar situation and Darien's place in it. Your world is very far from Earth, almost 15,000 lightyears, and in your immediate vicinity are a host of civilisations with which Earthsphere has had little or no regular contact. Fortunately, the dominant power in the area is one of Earthsphere's allies, the Sendruka Hegemony, which has promised to maintain peace and stability in the region, thereby safeguarding Darien's independence and sovereignty. And in order to establish good relations without delay, a very senior representative of the Hegemony - High Monitor the Exalted Utavess Kuros - is on board the
Heracles
and will be coming down to meet you all tomorrow.

Yet despite the great distances involved, there will be many opportunities for aid and trade between Darien and Earthsphere, as well as other markets in the area. In addition, your contact with the Uvovo and the subsequent cooperation is bound to be a source of fascination for xeno-specialists and other scientists across civilised space. You may not be aware of it yet, but Human communities enjoy excellent relations with many different sentient races, an experience you will soon be able to share as friendly civilisations in the vicinity apply to open embassies here.

That is all that I have to say for now. I know many of you have hundreds of questions to put to me, but I intend to provide answers at a full press briefing to be held tomorrow afternoon in Hammergard. So let me once again thank you for your heartwarming welcome and I look forward to speaking with you tomorrow.

KUROS

High Monitor the Exalted Utavess Kuros watched as Horst and the Darien president left the platform to a chorus of futile shouted questions. There were others studying the screen in the
Heracles's
lowlit lecture theatre, his personal bodyguard of eight Ezgara commandos. Quad-armed forms in dark blue body-armour, they sat in the front row, silent in close-fitting helmets, faceless, motionless.

And one other, visible only to Kuros.

'7
mislike these Humans,"
¹
the General said.
'They are a disrespectful and undisciplined rabble riddled with dissidents who spread poisonous speculation through their media, which is lamentably unguided. Even after an alliance lasting nearly eighty velanns, they still have not learned their place, or shown any devotional progress, and these colonists are sure to be even worseV

Kuros smiled at his lifelong companion and AI mindbrother, General Gratach.

'Then you agree that they present something ot a challenge?' he said in his thoughts.

The General folded his muscular arms and Kuros heard the metallic rustle of armour platelets. In keeping with the real, historical Gratach, the AI was attired in the battledress of a senior Abrogator officer of the Three Revolutions War, an ornate harness of gleaming gold and red, with powershield spikes studding his arms and shoulders, each one bearing a small votive pennon, silver lettering on black. His helmet had a bronze sheen and was plainer, its moulded circlet of
chusken
skulls offset by the tactical eyepieces that sat poised at eyebrow level, ready to swivel down.

'Challenge,'
grunted Gratach.
'Only in terms of the Hegemony's immediate interests - militarily, the colony is insignificant.'

Kuros nodded, thinking back to his audience with the Fifth Tri-Advocate just hours before leaving Iseri, the Sendrukan homeworld. Clad in austere grey, the Fifth had been sitting in a high-backed overpod, flanked by holograms of his mindbrother advocates, against a backdrop of translucent curtains. He had questioned Kuros on the Darien task dossier which he had received less than a day before. Satisfied with Kuros's grasp of the essentials, the Fifth had then offered his observations.

'We note that the bulk of your record is divided between Boundary Sector 12, where you held the post of Second Suppressor, and the Pothiwa Conformation, where you led several trade delegations. Hopefully, you will only need to draw upon the latter experience in this assignment. You will find that Humans are sentimental, especially about military events and achievements: helpfully, their governments routinely employ such sentimentality to mask historical details and to maintain doctrinal integrity as well as popular support.

'You should make frequent reference to the friendship between the Hegemony and Humans, mutual coopera tion and shared values, even though these things an largely illusory And be aware of media surveillance at all times: take no action and make no disclosure that may betray our interest in the ruins of the Ancients. Devise spectacles to divert the attention of both the media agents and the colonists . . .'

Then one of the AI advocates had turned in Kuros's direction - its image was that of the Avulser Hegemon Moardis, a gaunt, golden-eyed figure attired in a rich red robe whose collar supported an array of black vertical spikes that curved round the back of the head. Moardis was the Hegemon who, 400 years ago, had fought off the clandestine invasions of the Ghaw parasites and eventually eradicated them and th
i
neighbouring civilisations that they had subverted. Onlv the most powerful of AIs were allowed to adopt the image of such an illustrious Hegemon.

'Much depends on this mission, Utavess Kuros. If you succeed, the future security and glory of the Hegemony will be safeguarded in Voloasti's name for generations to come, such is the nature of the power that awaits us - do you know what it is called?'

'A warpwell, Your Immanence.'

'This is not the first we have investigated, but it may be the first to be found still functioning. If so, the Hegemony will have a gateway into the lower domains of hyperspace. When we control them, we can deny any foreseeable adversary the strategic scope to become a threat. Peace and glory shall be our legacy'

The Fifth had spoken again. 'Prepare yourself thoroughly, Kuros. Pray to Voloasti for protection and guidance. Plan for all eventualities. Let nothing be a surprise to you. Use the media agents against your adversaries or even against themselves. Ensure a triumphant outcome, and fame, honour and riches will be your reward. The Hegemon himself has promised.'