Chapter Thirteen
The Heat is On
"You eat flowers?"
The elder Sandari's shiny amber eyes locked on mine. "No. The dune scarabs. They feed on the nectar of the thistle. Without a continuous bloom, they vanish and so do we."
A lump formed in my throat. I didn't know about dune scarabs, but I knew hunger. I'd seen it in the hollow eyes of kids back in Georgia, with meals dependent on school lunches or a neighbor's kindness.
Solis gasped behind me, "Oh, the injustice. How utterly tragic!"
I waved her off. "How do you know the well's poisoned?"
The younger Sandari respectfully suggested I use the scanner. The hologram zoomed in on a well glistening with a shiny green surface, like congealed oil on week-old soup.
Yeah, I wouldn't drink that.
"The fungal contamination has spread and is now concentrated under our fields," he said. "It must be diluted before the desert can hope to convert it."
The hologram shifted to fields of thistle—low to the ground, hardy blooms with vibrant orange petals flaring from deep green stalks. A faint, golden glow pulsed from their veins as they bent in the wind. A few had collapsed with leaves flattened like melted wax against cracked dirt.
Far above the projection, silver and white dots rotated slowly.
Parker leaned in. "What are those?"
"Ice asteroids," I said as an idea bloomed. "Can we use one?"
Axios spoke sharply, "Specify the manner."
"Well, can we nudge a small one, so it rains lightly? Enough to save the flowers and dilute the poison without flooding the desert?"
Solis let out an excited laugh. "Brilliant! Oh, Thomas, you are clever!"
Axios' eyes glowed green. "Accessing geosynchronous satellite protocols. The plan is feasible, and there are several viable candidates. Minimal risk of collateral damage if the asteroid is fragmented precisely."
"How minimal? I want to make sure nobody gets hurt."
"Most will burn during atmospheric entry," said Axios. "The remainder will break apart, evaporate, and convert into rain."
After confirming it would save the crops, then dilute and not spread the poison, and avoid damaging communities, I gave the go-ahead.
The elder Sandari drew closer to the camera, his large, expressive eyes wide with hope. Then his ears drooped. "What is the cost?"
Years back, the Sandari made a deal for survival and lost a third of their planet. Like the Volardi, I helped, but all I could see was desperation on their foxlike faces and a need to feed their families.
"No charge," I said.
After a surprised yip, both lowered their ears twice in quick succession. "We are honored, Thomas," said the older one.
Axios spoke out mathematical formulas, and a trajectory arc appeared on the hologram showing Sudo. My implant converted the time: at least ten minutes until it entered the atmosphere, then rain.
Simulacra, Sandari, a Human, and a Volardi-Human hybrid waited while an orbital satellite nudged orbiting ice. Sure enough, a single asteroid tumbled down toward Sudo, exactly along the path Axios laid out.
"Fragmentation sequence initiated," said Axios. "Estimated rainfall: Roughly 4.3 millimeters or 0.16 inches as you would measure."
"So a light drizzle," I said.
The projection soon showed a mist falling over the orange thistle, and I exhaled. "This should take care of the problem, right?"
Both Sandari nodded, and their ears flapped forward as they thanked me.
"Contact me if there's anything else."
The hologram lingered on the fields, and I let out a shaky breath.
The blooms perked up at once, and orange petals rose toward the light rain.
Soon after, a dune scarab—thick-bodied with earthy orange and deep blue patterns—landed on a fresh bloom.
It fed quickly, and its six legs shifted with urgency as it chewed.
Axios updated me. "The initial rainfall has diluted the mycosis," he reported in his calm, mechanical voice.
"According to the data uploaded by the Sandari, the scarabs will ingest the fungus and convert it into a protein-rich compound.
Others will burrow into the ground and clean the subterranean water there. "
I nodded, following as best I could.
"Presuming their data is accurate," he said.
"You don't sound confident."
Axios' flat, stern face tilted slightly. "I am not connected to the Sudo Planetary Network. My analysis is based on the limited sample data transmitted by the Sandari. I can only cross-reference it with default Volardi biological profiles and make reasonable assumptions."
Solis pointed as soft rain soaked into the parched soil. "Not to worry. The flowers love what you have accomplished."
"Maybe you should both connect to the network," I said.
Axios' head tilted again. "Connection requires authorization from the Soturi Sentinel," he stated.
An 'Incoming Message' flashed, and the ID made my stomach tighten.
Zephyron appeared in an open speedster, his massive frame dwarfed the sleek machine as it zipped through golden dunes.
His face was tight with fury as raindrops slapped his tan skin.
He wiped them away as if they were spit.
"Explain this," his deep growl rumbled through, "rain, in my domain! "
"Oh, how lovely," said Solis off-camera. "Poetry."
His wet eyebrows rose to the new voice.
"Uh, I helped the Sandari."
"You helped them? You? An untrained Omega took it upon himself to meddle with a delicate ecosystem?"
The words hit like a slap, and I stood my ground. "The flowers that fed them were dying, and you weren't here. I solved the problem after making sure nothing bad would happen."
Zephyron's jaw tightened. He flicked his wrist, and the projection widened. "Nothing bad?"
Twenty? No, thirty red spots appeared on the map and moved inward. A few more appeared as I stared.
"What are those?" asked Parker as his camera floated in.
Axios leaned closer to analyze the display. "I do not have information on this phenomenon."
Solis whispered, "Nor do I."
An overhead synthetic voice, flat and indifferent, spoke. "Multiple Zerlite swarms detected."
Realization hit.
"The rain?"
"Affirmative," said the Palace AI. "They are now converging on multiple locations with large Volardi and Sandari populations."
Axios turned toward me. "The coordinates indicate several dozen homesteads and outposts."
"And Zephyron?" I asked, my voice trembling.
The Palace AI answered, "They are surrounding the speedster."
His video soon cut out.
My heart dropped. Everything I had done to fix one problem, unleashed another. "What in the hell have I done?"
***
I waited, expecting Zephyron to call back. Even a scolding would've been welcome, but nothing came except silence.
The Palace AI's monotonous voice rang out again. "Transponder signal with Zephyron is lost: Estimated cause, environmental interference or enemy disruption."
The holographic feed projected satellite images and live data streams of the chaos within the territory, where it had rained.
Zerlites in various grotesque forms rampaged across the sands.
Some resembled bloated crab-like creatures, their translucent shells pulsating as if filled with venom.
Others were more sand-colored and moved on hind legs, their reptilian frames hunched.
A few ran on all fours, looking like clay and teeth slapped on a canine body.
The video showed them clawing at structures, overwhelming homesteads, and swarming Volardi warriors and howling Sandari civilians.
"Zephyron is out there. Alone! Surrounded by those things, and you can't even tell me if he's alive?" I asked.
The Palace AI's emotionless voice answered, "Signal with the palace Soturi remains lost. Status: unknown."
I stared at the holographic feed as one of the simian-like Zerlites leapt onto a Volardi warrior's back, clawing at his armor before another warrior blasted it off.
"We're going after him."
Both Simulacrums exchanged glances, then Solis bowed. "Oh, how noble of you, Darling! Charging headfirst into danger!"
Axios folded his metallic arms. "Per my analysis, the likelihood of success in a direct engagement with Zerlites is minimal. The palace Soturi are trained for combat encounters. We are not. His location is unknown."
"Calculate his speed, path, and when the signal was lost. You know: 'math it out.' That should give you a rough estimate."
"Very rough," said Axios.
Parker appeared beside me, his painted red hover camera bobbing silently over his shoulder. "Thomas, I'm all for a dramatic rescue, especially when recorded, but these Zerlites? They're b-movie monsters. The Sandari gave up a third of their planet because they couldn't deal with them."
I jabbed a finger at a taller Sandari female, running with two cubs in her arms. "Someone's got to do something. Palace AI? Do I have access to those beam weapons, or can I uh, turn Simulacrums into weapons?"
"Negative. Anything beyond logistics is forbidden. Only the palace Soturi has access to weaponry."
"Uh, are there any battle ships, or a vehicle we can use?"
"Yes."
***
The ship that brought me to Sudo wasn't available, but there was a heavy transport with armor. We climbed in, and no buttons appeared to my touch.
"Allow me," said Axios. Temporary buttons and displays appeared, and we lifted off, the palace and its Swiss cheese towers growing smaller behind us.
Axios studied my face, and the ship picked up speed to at least two hundred miles per hour. Hyper-fast Sim reflexes navigated between canyon walls and around large rocks.
The attack came as a loud, brown blur. The cruiser jerked to a dead stop after we slammed up against a stone spire.
Monitors flickered. Dozens of Zerlites had fused together into a rolling mass of limbs and gnashing teeth.
Clawed arms jutted out at odd angles, propelling them forward as it spun like a living bowling ball, just far bigger.
A chorus of shrieks echoed from outside.
Parker ducked behind his hover camera. "They're trying to get in!"
"Can they?" I asked.