The Orphaned Worlds (67 page)

‘Ready for …’

Before he could speak further, the cloud of glowing blue motes swooped to surround him. Startled, he staggered back, seeing everything through a veil of glowing points. Then some of them settled onto his bare hands and began to sink into his skin.

‘Now, wait a second, what is it doing?’ he said, panic rising.

THIS MERGING IS ONLY TEMPORARY BUT SERVES TWO FUNCTIONS
IT PROVIDES THE PROTECTION YOU NEED
IT ALSO ALLOWS ME TO DERIVE ENERGY FROM YOUR OWN RESOURCES

‘And there’s no permanent side effects, then?’

OTHER THAN CONTINUING TO LIVE THERE ARE NONE

Greg gazed at his hands and down at his body. The bright motes seemed to cling to his form, passing in and out of his clothing as if it wasn’t there, meandering around like a restless nimbus. He glanced at the Sentinel. ‘So, all I have to do is get to the warpwell chamber and you’ll do the rest.’

‘
I shall be there when you arrive.
’

‘Okay,’ Greg said. ‘Let’s go gatecrash Kuros’s party.’

It took twenty minutes to organise the team he wanted, and get Varstrand over to the blustery eastern slope in the
Har
. In the company of Alexei, Maclean and Bessonov, they waited in the windy downwash while a rope ladder came snaking down from the dirigible. While there was fascination over Greg’s blue glow, there was also a disconsolate feeling; Rory’s absence was being sorely felt. Maclean and Bessonov pointed torches upwards for Varstrand’s benefit and soon mooring lines were coming down as well, caught by accompanying helpers.

‘Hey, Mr Cameron,’ yelled the Finnish pilot. ‘If we are going on the night trip, it is usually a secret reason or a crazy reason. Which one, do you say?’

‘Both,’ Greg shouted back as he clambered into the gondola.

At the Zyradin’s insistence, he was carrying the cylinder in a webbed harness strapped to his back, over his padded combat jacket. Weapon bundles were heaved in next, followed by the others. Last was Bessonov but before he could close the hatch another figure appeared and hauled his brawny frame inside. Vashutkin grinned and nodded at everyone then reached outside and dragged in a long object, a Brolturan beam rifle.

‘Alexandr,’ Greg said. ‘My great and dear friend, have you lost your mind? This could well be a one-way trip – nae votes in it.’

Vashutkin dogged the hatch and gave the thumbs-up to Varstrand, then came and sat across the aisle from Greg.

‘Very true, Gregory, very true, but the greater truth is that if you fail because I was not there, how do you think that will make me feel, eh? Apart from probably being dead when this Legion of Avatars overruns the planet. So I decided to throw all my dice along with yours. After all, you’ve been pretty lucky so far.’