Judas Unchained

“We generate a superstorm, and use force field–derived mechanisms to steer it. Far Away is blessed with a rather unique meteorological system, partly due to its size, partly its geography. A major storm evolves out over the Hondu Ocean every night, and blows in across the Grand Triad. That will become our powerhouse; we have evolved a mechanism to amplify that and direct it onto the Marie Celeste. In theory, I should add. Nobody has ever put such an idea into practice before.”

“Mars has storms,” Paula said abruptly. “Big storms.”

“Well done, Investigator. Mars is subject to planetary storms that last months, sometimes years. It also shares Far Away’s low gravity, which makes it the closest match in the Commonwealth. The data we collected there will be invaluable for our control routines.”

“Do you really think you can control the weather?”

“A better description would be to aggravate it and direct it. And yes, we believe it is possible; for a short while at least, and that is all we ask.”

“It will require a phenomenal amount of energy. Even I can see that.”

“Yes. That’s taken care of.”

Paula wanted to point out flaws, it seemed such a bizarre notion, not one you should depend on to bring a hundred-thirty-year-old crusade to its climax; but she didn’t know enough about the procedures Johansson had dreamed up. It just had to be taken on faith. “Assuming you can direct a superstorm, and I’m still skeptical about that, what use will that be against a starship whose force fields can protect it against nuclear weapons?”

“Its size is its downfall,” Bradley said intently. “We intend to initiate the planet’s revenge while the Marie Celeste remains on the ground, where it is most vulnerable. The superstorm will be powerful enough to pick it up and fling it to its destruction. And the beauty is, if its force fields are switched on, the surface area they will present to the storm is even larger, while the overall mass remains the same—which makes it even easier for the winds to pick it up and smash it.”

“I see the logic,” Paula said. “I’m just not convinced about the practicality.”

Johansson slumped down. “We’ll probably never know now.”

“I’ve been thinking about our arrival at Port Evergreen,” Paula said. “Do you have any more of those reconnaissance drones?”

“Two in each armored car,” Adam told her.

“We need to try to launch them when we get within their flight range of Port Evergreen.”

Adam gazed down the length of the cargo hold. “Should be fun.”

They were a hundred kilometers out from Port Evergreen when Wilson took the Carbon Goose down to a kilometer above the water.

“Are you ready?” he asked Adam, who was in the armored car closest to the rear loading ramp.

“Systems engaged. The drones are ready to fly.”

“Stand by: depressurizing.” Wilson’s lime-green virtual hands swept over control symbols.

“No effect on stability,” Oscar reported from the copilot’s chair.

“Anything on radar?” They’d switched their own radar off now they were close to their destination. If the two Carbon Goose planes the Starflyer had taken were still using their radar, the signals should be detectable.

“Nothing,” Oscar said. “I guess the Starflyer’s planes are down.”

“Damn, I almost want to make a sweep just to find out.”

“This is our only advantage,” Oscar said. “It doesn’t know we’re coming.”

“Not much of an advantage.”

“It’s the only one in town,” Anna pointed out.

“Okay, let’s stick with the plan,” Wilson said. His displays were showing him the lower cargo hold was now pressure-equalized. “Opening the hold doors now,” he told Adam.

They were all bracing themselves for the giant plane to judder. It never happened. The only way Wilson could even tell the doors were opening was through his virtual vision display.

“Launching,” Adam said. “One away. Wow, that’s a tumble. Looking good, the array is pulling it out of the dive. Leveling off. Okay, launching two.”

Wilson closed the doors, then took the Carbon Goose down to three hundred meters. It was as low as he dared go without any sort of radar to check how far they really were above the sea. The altitude should help them get closer to Port Evergreen before they were detected.

Everyone on board accessed the secure signal from the drones as they raced on ahead. Infrared showed a faint outline of the sheer rock island as they closed on Port Evergreen. Brighter, salmon-pink patches glowed above the waterline, nestled in the broad dip in the cliff.

“They’re down,” Adam said.

“Plenty of activity there,” Morton said. “I can see movement.”

“Vehicles, I think,” Paula said. “The heat is coming from their engines.”