The Machinery Of Light Part 39

"I never left," she replies.

-touches it- it- Jesus Christ!" yells Linehan.

-and the Operative kills the antimatter, hits all retros-slowing the ship just enough to take it off the direct path of the Righteous Fire-Dragon Righteous Fire-Dragon. But it's going to be close- Too close.

"Hold on!" yells Spencer.

"You guys need to hear this," says the AI.

"f.u.c.king download it!" screams Jarvin.

The Righteous Fire-Dragon Righteous Fire-Dragon swipes the swipes the Harrison Harrison just aft of where the just aft of where the Memphis Memphis is still lodged in the flagship's side. is still lodged in the flagship's side.

The dropship is still attached to the wall of the hangar.

It's being buffeted worse than any atmosphere.

Sarmax feels Velasquez's hack-sequences continue to course through him, repairing his armor where they can, tending to the software in his mind- -She's putting all that's going on overhead out of her mind-begins running the sequence to hack the door that leads through the inner perimeter. It's not just a hack on zone either. It's also her mind: her psionic abilities surge against the defenses- The Harrison's Harrison's been sliced almost in two. Lynx and Linehan are clinging to the walls via magnetic clamps while the rear section of the flagship surges out of control. Wall starts to rip away ahead of them. Colonists stream out behind them like water playing from a fire hose. been sliced almost in two. Lynx and Linehan are clinging to the walls via magnetic clamps while the rear section of the flagship surges out of control. Wall starts to rip away ahead of them. Colonists stream out behind them like water playing from a fire hose.

What's left of Righteous Fire-Dragon Righteous Fire-Dragon charges on into the thick of the American fleet, smashing ships while getting smashed itself. The Operative's screaming at Maschler and Riley to get inside the inner bridge. They're leaping to comply as the Moon seesaws crazily in the window- charges on into the thick of the American fleet, smashing ships while getting smashed itself. The Operative's screaming at Maschler and Riley to get inside the inner bridge. They're leaping to comply as the Moon seesaws crazily in the window- -It's a demolition derby in the middle of the L2 fleet, and the megaships are coming apart under repeated impacts. Spencer and Jarvin are thrown back and forth as their ship plows on past the fleet, arcing back toward the Moon, the outer layers starting to shred- At least I saw you again," says Sarmax.

"We're not dead yet," says Velasquez.

The walls of the hangar start to tear away.

The sequences she's running keep on building, as does the psychic backwash. Factors keep on dwindling toward zero, canceling out all infinities. Untold reverberations wash through her, but she antic.i.p.ates each one, slides her mind at the precise angle to avoid insanity- We are so f.u.c.ked," mutters Linehan.

"At least go out in style," snaps Lynx. He's trying to hack the motor directly. What's left of the combined ma.s.s of the Memphis Memphis and the and the Harrison Harrison is falling away. The farside of the Moon's coming in toward them. is falling away. The farside of the Moon's coming in toward them.

Maschler joins the Operative on the inner bridge.

The outer bridge personnel are panicking. Riley pulls himself into the inner bridge, slams the door behind him.

"Now what?" he yells.

"Hold the f.u.c.k on," says the Operative.

It's all they can do. They're being shaken ever harder as the Righteous Fire-Dragon Righteous Fire-Dragon barrels its way through the far flank of the L2 fleet, ships scattering on both sides like schools of fish before a shark. Moon's rushing in toward them. barrels its way through the far flank of the L2 fleet, ships scattering on both sides like schools of fish before a shark. Moon's rushing in toward them.

The dropship detaches in one fluid motion, firing motors and falling away from the disintegrating hangar and out of the megaship. Hull starts to streak past them.

The ceiling is disintegrating. Along with the floor.

They're back against the bulwark of the motor itself now, holding on with those magnetic clamps. And suddenly that engine is firing again. Linehan feels his whole life flash before him. Lynx is laughing like crazy as he feeds commands into the motors and they rocket past what's left of the Harrison Harrison, catapulting straight in toward the Moon.

The outer bridge personnel are hurling themselves against the door to the inner bridge, trying to somehow find a way in. It's not like they have a plan. They're just intent on killing the ones who have killed them. But the three men inside pay no attention-instead, they're watching the Harrison Harrison's wayward antimatter drive streak past them, two suited figures clinging to it.

"What a way to go," says Riley.

"We're going the same way," says the Operative as he finishes the sequence he's been keying. Explosions suddenly detonate throughout the outer bridge.

We've lost the engines," says Spencer.

Jarvin nods. He brings up the trajectory and looks at the dotted line that shows the extrapolation-an arc continuing around the lunar surface, impacting on the nearside at- "Hmmm," he says.

They're getting the h.e.l.l out of the way of the nukes. The megaship falls away in the distance. The ships of the L2 fleet pour by overhead. The dropship's plunging toward the lunar surface.

And suddenly they're upon her. The guardians of the Room. Not just silicon either. She can feel the texture of their minds; they're almost like her, living flesh linked to silicon to create something greater. She pictures living brains trapped within walls, pictures them linked together, swarming in upon her head- Two men like insects on the edge of eternity, clinging to machinery that's roaring full tilt toward the ground. The L2 fleet blasts above them, formation after formation surging around toward the nearside to face the main weight of the Eurasian fleet. But the American deployment is less than flawless-gaps are everywhere in the ranks, testament to the damage the megaships wrought.

"They're f.u.c.ked," says Lynx.

"And we're not?"

The Moon rushes ever closer.

Admiral's privilege," says the Operative.

He's not kidding. The inner bridge of the Harrison Harrison doubles as an escape ship. Riley and Maschler can only watch as he takes that ship through a series of evasive maneuvers. The L2 fleet tumbles away above them. The Moon falls in toward them. Riley laughs. doubles as an escape ship. Riley and Maschler can only watch as he takes that ship through a series of evasive maneuvers. The L2 fleet tumbles away above them. The Moon falls in toward them. Riley laughs.

"No one's one's going to be fooled by this," he says. going to be fooled by this," he says.

"Szilard will f.u.c.king nail us," mutters Maschler.

"I think he's got other s.h.i.t to worry about," says the Operative, gesturing at the explosions dotting the approaching lunar surface.

The last cameras are getting taken out. But as they go, they show clear evidence that the lunar garrisons are in very deep trouble. A couple of domes on the boundary between farside and nearside just blew-outposts that are clearly under coordinated attack by the Eurasian commandos that the megaships have scattered like countless spores across the Moon. But those ships are paying the ultimate price for the havoc they've wreaked. Hammer of the Skies Hammer of the Skies is disappearing from sight, disintegrating across the horizon, shredding into the mother of all meteor showers. And before they went offline, the engines of the is disappearing from sight, disintegrating across the horizon, shredding into the mother of all meteor showers. And before they went offline, the engines of the Righteous Fire-Dragon Righteous Fire-Dragon got one last set of instructions. got one last set of instructions.

"Projected impact on Copernicus," says Jarvin.

Spencer whistles. "The lunar capital?"

"For a couple more minutes."

The dropship careens downward. The ship's stealthy, but that alone won't be enough. Sarmax can only imagine what hacks this Rain triad is running on the American zone. He's starting to think they might actually make it to the surface. He looks at Velasquez.

"Why'd you save me?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

She shoves her head deeper into the Room's defenses, smashing ever further into those minds, each one a p.r.i.c.k of sentience she's snuffing out. She can't help but wonder whether these brains were the real Rain originals-the things that never left the vats, that instead were a.s.signed the mission of defending Sinclair's ultimate stronghold. But she's turning the flank on those defenses. She's almost there. She feels it all twisting in around her.

They're still pointed straight down, aiming at the very center of the farside. Ground-to-s.p.a.ce lasers streak past them. Lynx throttles up the engine even further, opens up a comlink with what's left of the Congreve defense grid, and starts running a particularly insidious hack.

They're getting low now, maneuvering within ten thousand meters of the surface. Mountain ranges loom ahead of them, straddling the near and farsides.

"Where the f.u.c.k are we going?" says Riley.

"Familiar ground," says the Operative.

They're arcing down across the nearside, the domes of Copernicus approaching all too rapidly-and Spencer can only imagine the alarms that are going off within them. Not that anyone's going to have time to react.

"Time to go," says Spencer.

"Agreed," says Jarvin.

The truth is we need you," says Velasquez.

"Because of Sinclair," replies Sarmax.

"Because otherwise we're nothing but his prey."

She's in the home stretch now. Though she keeps wondering why Sinclair is making this so hard for her.

Especially when he needs her to finish what he's set in motion. Maybe this is her final test. Maybe he's trying to draw off some of her strength. If that's the case, it's not working. She's only growing stronger. She moves onto the final sequence- Let's do this," says Lynx. The two men detach themselves-fire judicious thrusts from their motors as the antimatter drive drops away. Lynx has convinced Congreve's defenses that this fragment of the Harrison Harrison is about to try an emergency landing in the adjacent Korolev Crater. The two men plunge downward in their armor and watch the engine beneath them dwindle to a speck while Congreve's dome grows larger by the second. is about to try an emergency landing in the adjacent Korolev Crater. The two men plunge downward in their armor and watch the engine beneath them dwindle to a speck while Congreve's dome grows larger by the second.

Mountains are streaking in toward them. The Operative's working the controls, banking the escape craft beneath the highest peaks, letting it drop down toward the valleys. Maschler does a doubletake.

"Wait a second," he says. "This is-"

"Shut up and hold on," says the Operative.

Spencer and Jarvin crawl through a narrow shaft that's nearly identical to the one they had used to enter the c.o.c.kpit on the Hammer of the Skies Hammer of the Skies. Spencer was tempted to rig the Eurasian AI with hi-ex, but he realizes that would stretch the word superfluous superfluous to whole new levels. He's got the files that machine downloaded in the back of his head. He's got no time to bother with them right now. They reach the last hatch, shove it aside, fling themselves out into the abyss. to whole new levels. He's got the files that machine downloaded in the back of his head. He's got no time to bother with them right now. They reach the last hatch, shove it aside, fling themselves out into the abyss.

How much do you know?" asks Sarmax.

"Enough," she replies. "He's been using us-"

"When did you figure it out?"

"After we realized we weren't guarding Sinclair."

"When did he leave?"

"Some point before the war started, I guess. Now he's at the Room, I don't see how the h.e.l.l we can stop him in time."

He stares at her. "We can f.u.c.king try," try," he says. he says.

Terrain starts to appear in the windows of the dropship.

Ciphers so next-level that only a brain like Haskell's can hope to penetrate them. She's tearing through them on overdrive-making them think that she's she's the one who's created them. Who's now reversing them. She's through. The locks the one who's created them. Who's now reversing them. She's through. The locks click click through her mind- through her mind- A million shades of black and grey, a million lights flaring all around-and the soundtrack to all of it is silence as Linehan takes in the sight. It's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. He suddenly feels that all the fighting and shooting and killing that's going on around him isn't really happening-that existence has dwindled to this tiny s.p.a.ce inside his helmet even as he looks at all those stars. It seems like there's a pattern all around, like somehow it's all meant to happen. He and Lynx are freefalling, tumbling downward, that engine-that's-now-a-bomb a distant firefly far below. Any moment now Congreve's defenses are going to come to their senses. But a few moments more and it's going to be too late- million shades of black and grey, a million lights flaring all around-and the soundtrack to all of it is silence as Linehan takes in the sight. It's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. He suddenly feels that all the fighting and shooting and killing that's going on around him isn't really happening-that existence has dwindled to this tiny s.p.a.ce inside his helmet even as he looks at all those stars. It seems like there's a pattern all around, like somehow it's all meant to happen. He and Lynx are freefalling, tumbling downward, that engine-that's-now-a-bomb a distant firefly far below. Any moment now Congreve's defenses are going to come to their senses. But a few moments more and it's going to be too late- They swoop over one mountain, veer in toward another. A giant sinkhole stretches out before them, carved straight through adjacent hills and valleys. It doesn't look natural. More like- "Someone had some fun with blasting powder," says Riley.

"Couple of nukes," says the Operative.

"Autumn Rain?"

"Several days back."

"And you were there, huh?"

"Hey," says Maschler, "that looks like another ship."

Judicious bursts of their suit-thrusters as they exit-and the Righteous Fire-Dragon Righteous Fire-Dragon is rushing past, dropping beneath them as they gain height. It seems to have given up spitting nukes. It won't matter-it's still going to turn Copernicus into a big pancake. The sky above Spencer's head is alive with lights, the vanguards of the American fleet clearly visible as they vector out from behind the Moon to do battle with the onrushing Eurasian fleet. Spencer can see quite clearly that the Yanks haven't a f.u.c.king prayer. The ships of the East make the sky immediately above the nearside look like the center of the galaxy. The is rushing past, dropping beneath them as they gain height. It seems to have given up spitting nukes. It won't matter-it's still going to turn Copernicus into a big pancake. The sky above Spencer's head is alive with lights, the vanguards of the American fleet clearly visible as they vector out from behind the Moon to do battle with the onrushing Eurasian fleet. Spencer can see quite clearly that the Yanks haven't a f.u.c.king prayer. The ships of the East make the sky immediately above the nearside look like the center of the galaxy. The Righteous Fire-Dragon Righteous Fire-Dragon is dwindling below them as it moves into the last stage of its final plunge- is dwindling below them as it moves into the last stage of its final plunge- They've seen us," says the pilot.

Velasquez just nods. The ship rocks from side to side as its pilots keep the trajectory unpredictable, letting the craft drop lower all the while. Moon's filling the window now. It looks as if they're maneuvering amidst a mountain range. But Sarmax's vantage point prevents him from seeing the whole picture.

Which doesn't mean he can't be kept in the loop.

"Your friend Carson," says Velasquez.

"Where's he going?"

"Right where we thought he would."

She's got everything right where she wants. She's pressing her head against the surface of the door, feeling the vibrations rumble deep within. She envisions dominoes falling, endless chains of locks turning like gears, grinding in upon hinges that slowly start to swivel. She backs up, moving out of the way as the door to the Room starts to open.

The engine punches straight through the main dome of Congreve, red flaring out as a chunk of antimatter explodes into the city.

"Wow," says Linehan.

"They were all f.u.c.ked anyway," says Lynx.

And then some. The two men drop through what's left of the shattered dome, firing at everything in sight.

The Operative hits the afterburners, sending the craft on a barely controlled plummet into the sinkhole that sprawls across so much of Nansen Station. He rockets in toward the bottom. There's no way they're going to stop in time.

"What the f.u.c.k are you doing?" yells Maschler.

The Operative says nothing. But now all three men can see that what looks to be the deepest part is actually the beginning of a tunnel- A kilometer of disintegrating megaship crashes through Copernicus's dome, detonating as it goes. Enough of its fuel was intact to make it interesting. Thousands of nukes are going off, enveloping the lunar capital in sheets of energy, making the whole nearside shake. Radiation pummels the suits of the two men who are still several klicks above the city. They start playing evasive action with the debris that they're descending into. kilometer of disintegrating megaship crashes through Copernicus's dome, detonating as it goes. Enough of its fuel was intact to make it interesting. Thousands of nukes are going off, enveloping the lunar capital in sheets of energy, making the whole nearside shake. Radiation pummels the suits of the two men who are still several klicks above the city. They start playing evasive action with the debris that they're descending into.

"We'll need some new gear," says Spencer.

"First things first," says Jarvin.

They swoop down toward that smoking crater.

The ship lifts away from the sinkhole, pivots, drops in toward an adjacent valley.

"What the h.e.l.l's going on?" says Sarmax.

"Carson's gone to ground," replies Velasquez.

"And we're not?"

"We're going in another way. Are you ready to get back in the fight?"

Sarmax nods. Tunnel closes in around them.

The door's as ma.s.sive as it is reinforced. As it swings open, Haskell can hear the creaking of doors behind it doing the same thing. A whole succession of gates, and she's cracked them all. She steps behind the first one, starts moving past the procession-starts to get intimations of the s.p.a.ce that lies beyond- The upper levels of Congreve are totaled. The lower levels are pure chaos. The fact that Lynx has hacked the inner enclaves of the city's defenses is only adding to the insanity. He and Linehan charge into the city's bas.e.m.e.nts, shooting in all directions, heading downward as fast as possible.