Heresy 14

Tylha

"Bringing her in now, sir." Anthi Vihl's voice is crisp and correct over the com link. I look up, into the troubled sky.

"OK," I say, "see you soon, then. Shohl out." I turn to my companions on the ground. "Bring those force field emitters to maximum. There's going to be a lot of dust kicked up when the RCS thrusters cut in."

Klerupiru makes the necessary adjustments, and the air sparks as the force fields gain power. There's already a visible ledge on the ground where the emitters are holding back the falling dust. One of the Vulcans, Stileg, helps.

I look up again at the sky, but I'm looking in the wrong direction. I feel, more than see, the shadow fall over me, and when I turn, Spirits of Earth is there, through the clouds already, gliding through the troubled air towards the ground.

I suppose I'm used to the 871 metre bulk of the King Estmere; I always think of Spirits of Earth as a small ship. But she isn't, seen in absolute terms - especially seen from underneath her as she's coming in to land. Her huge wing blots out the murky sun as it sweeps overhead, and I hear and feel the vast dull rumbling in the air as she passes through it.

I wait for the blast and the dust storm, but there isn't one. The ship just settles, slowly, to the ground, perhaps her own length away from the encampment. I hit my combadge.

"Down and secure, sir," says Anthi's voice. "Landing struts deployed, opening the ventral hatches now."

"Did you just dead-stick that landing?" I demand.

"Antigravs only, sir," she replies. "I thought it best to minimize the disturbance to the dust."

I shake my head. "OK. Let's get this show on the road, then. Everything ready?"

"Operating rooms are prepped for surgery now. We have AG float pallets in the airlocks, ready to take the critically injured to sickbay. I have the IDRA people here, too -"

Faintly, I hear a voice saying, "Although she nearly didn't, I almost had a coronary at that landing!" A familiar voice - Koneph Phoral, Osrin Corodrev's chan-partner. I repress a grin. "We'll have a chat later on about standard landing procedures." And the only words I'm going to say will be along the lines of "good work, Number One", because she's right, the last thing we want to do is drag those casualties through a howling dust storm. "Let's get to work. Secure the injured first, then evacuate this facility, completely. I think Stiak will finally let us do that, now."

As if on cue, I see Stiak emerging from his hut, followed by the tall striking figure of Valikra. I head for them. Valikra turns her head to survey the Spirits of Earth, and gives a minimal nod, as if the ship meets with her approval - just. Stiak seems preoccupied with something.

"Vice Admiral," says Valikra. "We are ready to depart."

"We're getting ready to move the injured," I tell her. "After that, we can get everyone else on board. I take it that's still the plan?" I turn to Stiak. "Director?"

"Yes," he says. His eyes seem unfocused. Perhaps he's lost in thought - he seems the type.

"We shall depart as soon as is convenient," says Valikra. "And I must return to the Raven's Heart and set some matters in train. You are privileged, Vice Admiral Shohl. You have been present at a moment of history." And, with that, she sweeps past me and stalks towards my ship.