Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 679
his eyes again.
reached out and put a hand on his arm. When he finally turned
to face her, she said, "Why have we come here?"
a time I was content just to be escaping--escaping anything,
beyond belief. If you gave me no good answer as to where
those things to find me."
He smiled slightly and briefly. "I find it hard to talk
3340, who gave me the impulse to begin with, made me to be
reluctant. Do you understand the concept of conditioning?"
She smiled ironically. "You ask Queen Galas that?"
it. But I no longer work for 3340..." He glanced over at her
quickly, as if startled by something--or afraid.
Interesting, she thought. "Who do you work for now,
Armiger?" she asked quietly.
"One question at a time. You asked why we were here.
Look." With a sweep of his arm he indicated the fang-tooths of
this place might hold the key. It is the nexus of physical power
for the western end of the continent. Here the desals have their
power plants and desalination stacks. This is their interface
with the Winds of the ocean, who are incredibly strong as well.
This is the transfer point for hundreds of underground
highways, and there are giant data stores and genetic stockpiles
buried deep within the mountains. You probably never got a