Page 73 of The Space Traveller's Lover
“I have set all the takeover-grid coordinates for every single planet, major or minor. I have set up every departure stage inThe Prestigein minute detail and every hyperspace sequence in the Grand Fleet’s motherships.” As Rothwen speaks, Kuzhma-Or’s face beams with the anticipated thoughts of victory.
But there is still an uncanny, unsettling question in the air as Rothwen recounts all his exploits and preparations. Finally, a brief haunting silence makes it clear. Rothwen is well aware that Kuzhma-Or and Athguer are keen to know about his plans for Shaillah as he stares at them defiantly, avoiding mentioning her name altogether.
Athguer is the first to break up the blatant expectation.
“I’m sure you know about Shaillah’s current state of mind. She won’t talk to anybody, not even Zula,” Athguer mentions cautiously.
Rothwen presses his lips together, folding his arms and staring into the distance as he considers his options. “I’ve come to the conclusion that this obsession of mine has to end now. Shaillah will have to decide for herselfwhat she’s going to do. But above all, she has to accept our actions. I will make sure of that,” he impassively says.
“Shrena” (Exactly), Kuzhma-Or boastfully rumbles. Then he sends the entangled signal to all the motherships, activating the fleet of destroyer-crafts. “Kleehern” (Deploy)!
With their long, spiky bodies, the destroyer-crafts, fully armoured with plasma rays and antimatter cannons, suddenly eject from their holding vaults, deep in the bowels ofThe Prestigeand every Grand Fleet’s mothership. Aligning in multiple conical grids, rapidly extending as even more crafts join in, they twist and turn as if they were part of a single throbbing living system, destroying any obstacle that gets in their way, rocketing in and out of the raiding network’s hyperspace. Their takeover is swift and overwhelming, surrounding every planet and its moons, sweeping and penetrating their defenceless domains.
“This was going to be the first stage of the plan—until we had to change it, at your request, Rothwen.” Kuzhma-Or fumes with a seething gaze at Rothwen.
But as the supreme commander watches the destroyer-crafts’ unstoppable advance, surrounding and then pulverising all the human spaceships and interplanetary bases, the writhing spirit of overdue revenge fills his indomitable soul with immense satisfaction.
“We’ve come to an end—in reverse order—but we’ve come to the long-awaited end,” Kuzhma-Or gloats in his booming voice.
“What has to happen will happen,” Rothwen glowers, crinkling the corners of his eyes as they all haughtily watch the unrelenting takeover scenes unfold.
As the ever-expanding network of destroyer-crafts enmeshes the outer planetary region and its forefront convoy fromThe Prestigesurrounds the inner planets, and within them, the Earth and its Moon, Kuzhma-Or and Athguer closely follow the takeover manoeuvres, relishing in their might and invincibility. But soon, Rothwen takes his chance to leave the UniverseScope furtively. He can’t wait to see Shaillah.
CHAPTER 31
FORGETTING
Why is it that, of all the places in this universe where I
could be right now, I’m here with you instead?
“Go away!” Shaillah cries in dismay. She is sitting on the floor, her back firmly pressed against her locked door, shaking her head as if trying to dispel her writhing torment. “Go away!” she repeats over and over, her croaky voice and unyielding tone showing no sign of giving up.
She hears Rothwen’s voice inside her head telling her,there’s no use in fighting it, Shaillah. But she disconnects his frequency and shuts down her transmission. Her stone silence says it all.
“I know you are upset—very upset,” Rothwen admits, sliding down on his back against the door and sitting down, only the thick door panels separating them. He sets himself up to wait for as long as it takes while checking the steady signals from his stalking lead mothership and lurking Grand Fleet. Then, he sets all the entangled hyperspace tracking networks on standby.
But he doesn’t have to wait long before he hears her voice and her thoughts again, albeit her tone getting angrier and more despondent as she speaks. “First, Kuzhma-Or forbids me from the UniverseScope and then from getting into any scouting-craft. And on top of that, you disappear without a word. I’ve lost count of the days before I gave up waiting for you. I stopped counting after two hundred sunsets. No one would tell me yourwhereabouts. Yes, you left me in this room full of fancy gifts and gadgets and this beautiful domed paradise. But that is not what makes me happy.”
“And what does?” he eagerly asks her.
He waits for her answer, but all he hears is a sullen whimper.
“What does?” he insists.
“Being with you!” she exclaims, but then she exhales a drawn-out sigh of regret.
“I had to go for a while to prepare the Grand Fleet’s operations. It was Kuzhma-Or’s order to keep you away so you wouldn’t visit the humans in that turbulent period. But now I’m here to tell you everything is going well. Your island is all finished. You’ll be happy with the changes.”
“Why didn’t you come to see me … before you left?” she asks in a reproaching tone.
“I thought it would be easier that way.”
“Maybe easier for you ...”
“The important thing is that I’m back. Now that it’s all done, you’ll appreciate it better.”
“I’m not so sure.”
