The Orphaned Worlds (65 page)

For a moment Greg said nothing as he absorbed the implications, then slowly he said, ‘You cannot be serious.’

‘
There are no other options left to us, Gregory.
’

‘Look, Kuros is dug in behind heavy fortifications with hundreds of veteran troops and a battery of those tasty beam cannons. He might even have some air support for all I know. In short, it’s a suicide mission. There has to be another way.’

‘
I was being accurate, Gregory. There are no other options. I would advise that you assemble a team and be ready to leave with the Zyradin as soon as possible. The zeplin would be ideal – with its speed you would be able to draw the droids away from attacking the stronghold.
’

‘Whoa, what droids? There’s been no sign of any for days.’

‘
This is because they have been gathering at a staging area over a hundred miles to the north,
’ said the Sentinel, pulling up a satellite image of the Forest of Arawn. ‘
The Brolturans no longer
control the mech factory, the Namul-Ashaph. It was taken over by a Knight of the Legion of Avatars several days ago. It detected the Zyradin the moment it appeared here; he knows how important it is, which is why an army of mechs is heading for this mountain.
’

Greg glared at the Sentinel. ‘One of those things is here on Darien? And you didn’t think to tell me?’

NO ONE KNEW

‘
I had vague suspicions that maybe another of those Instruments was meddling in affairs on Darien, but was unable to scan for it.
’

I KNOW THE ODOUR OF THEIR SPOOR WELL AND I DETECTED THE KNIGHT’S PRESENCE ON YOUR WORLD SOON AFTER MY ARRIVAL
I DONATED SOME ENERGY TO THE SENTINEL SO THAT IT COULD SEE FOR ITSELF

Looking around him at the sombre faces, Uvovo and Human, Greg noticed Vashutkin standing over by one of the entrances, leaning against the stone, arms crossed.

‘So if we keep the Zyradin here,’ Greg said, ‘we get massacred by a mob of war droids. If we fly off to Giant’s Shoulder with it, we get shot to pieces by Kuros and his Brolt troops … or massacred by a mob of war droids along the way. Did I miss anything out?’

‘I will take on this task,’ said Vashutkin, his voice booming across the chamber. ‘If no one else will.’

Greg laughed and shook his head. ‘Concerned for our welfare, Alexandr? Och, I’m touched …’

‘Gregory, dearest of all my friends, you are too valuable to be lost to such a risky adventure.’

‘Aye, I know, but I’m sure ye could struggle along without me, somehow.’

‘
Gregory Cameron, on reaching Segrana, the Zyradin must be given to the Keeper of Segrana, to Catriona Macreadie. There will be changes, alterations.
’

Taken aback, Greg gave the Sentinel a narrow look. ‘What kind of alterations?’ he said, thinking of Chel’s Seer eyes.

‘
Unknown. She is Human.
’

‘C’mon, you’ve got to give me more than that!’

SHE IS THE KEEPER OF SEGRANA
SHE IS THE TRUE VOICE AND EYES OF SEGRANA
THROUGH HER I CAN REACH EVERY PART OF SEGRANA