Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 726
seemed trivial.
We will eat this world in no time.
He tore his gaze away from the red spot and the lightning
flickering around it. The Winds would not be able to stop
3340. Maybe the human fleet that he knew waited in orbit
could--but their methods would guarantee the deaths of every
living being on this continent. There had to be another
solution.
The monks and even the army marching down from the
mountain's peak were forgotten. Armiger stood still, frowning
into the false day, wracking his brains for a way out of the trap
he had himself set and sprung.
"Sir, they're not fighting."
The lieutenant lay at the very edge of the door, a
telescope jammed against his eye. He was staring straight
down.
"What do you mean? They haven't engaged the enemy?"
"I think the monks must have surrendered. They're all
together down there, but there's no fighting going on."
"Excellent. Have they got the semaphore set up yet?"
"It's just coming on line now, sir. They're sending a test
message."
"Read me the first real message as it comes in. I don't
want to waste a second."
He paced back and forth, fighting vertigo and cursing the
basts who got in his way. Nearly the entire army was on the
ground now, either here or at the mouth of the valley. They
would never be in a better position than they were now.
"I want to know the instant you have your hands on
General Armiger."
"Yes," said the bast who had been overseeing the