Read Online Eternity's Mind by Kevin J. Anderson - Free Book Online

isn’t a charity operation. I’m accountable to seventeen major clans.”
    Kotto sounded baffled. “But I’m not stopping you from doing anything.”
    Alu frowned. “We’ve been waiting to find out what that void is.”
    â€œIt is something very interesting, with a great deal of potential,” Kotto said firmly. “It may take some time to get the answers, but by all means don’t stop the business of Fireheart. Shareen and Howard here can help me collate the results. We’ll keep ourselves busy.”
    The Station Chief looked confused but also relieved. “So, you think we can start isotope skimming again, stretch the films to make more power blocks? You’re sure the void doesn’t pose any danger?”
    Kotto gave a dismissive wave. “Garrison Reeves marked out a safety perimeter. So long as your operations stay outside the boundary, you’ll be fine.”
    Shareen turned away so no one would see her doubts. Kotto had no basis for making such a statement.
    â€œAll right, I’ll inform the teams. They’ll be glad to get Fireheart back to normal.” Alu glanced through the windowport at the black void slowly drinking the nebula gases. “Your experiment was a big setback for us, Kotto. By the Guiding Star, I’m amazed by what you accomplished here, and it was the greatest show I’ve ever seen … but once the experiment was over we were hoping to repurpose the superconducting magnets and strip out thousands of power blocks. Now they’ve all been sucked down the cosmic drain, gone forever. We have to start from scratch.”
    The chief’s tone had only a hint of scolding, but Kotto did not seem bothered. “Starting over from scratch, Beren—that’s what Roamers do. Depending on what it turns out to be, that void could make Fireheart Station into a major tourist attraction.”
    Shareen and Howard both shot a surprised glance at him.
    The Station Chief blinked and let out a nervous chuckle. “I highly doubt that.”
    â€œOne never knows. Right now there are too many unanswered questions, and a lot of theoretical physicists will be on their way to have a look. Feel free to have your teams start generating income in the traditional way. As soon as I have answers for you, I’ll present them.”
    Since it wasn’t her place to interject, Shareen waited for Alu to leave. When he was gone, she started to ask her questions, but Kotto rubbed his hands briskly together. “There, that’s the impetus we needed,” he said, as if trying to sound certain. “We have to find some answers—and that will involve asking more vigorous questions. We can’t just stand here at a distance and look. I’m going to take the next step.”
    KR said, “We have standard probes ready for immediate deployment, Kotto Okiah. They will give us a first look into the gap.”
    Kotto was impatient now. “Not good enough. Everything about my project was big and bold. We can’t be shy now—this calls for a scientific adventure!”
    Unsettled, Shareen looked at Howard, but she could tell that Kotto had made up his mind.
    â€œI’ll outfit a survey craft and prepare for an expedition,” he said. “I’m going to go inside that void.”

 
    CHAPTER
    8
    OSIRA’H
    The faeros were like a sunstorm in the Ildiran sky. Her father had gone up to face them.
    The gathered people were terrified, their uncertainty thrumming through the thism. Osira’h could feel it. In the crowd, the human historian Anton Colicos frantically took notes. Nira wept, tears trickling down her emerald cheeks as she gazed up at the Mage-Imperator’s small figure high on the tower. “What if they incinerate him, just like Rusa’h?” she whispered.
    Osira’h put a comforting arm around her mother. She felt a call of her own, though. She had been bred to command the