The Trimorphs (The Ammonite Galaxy , book 7)

Chapter 19

GRACE WAS STILL standing pressed against the wall when Diva and the visitor appeared in front of her. She jumped.

Diva's mental voice sounded in her head. "It's only us. No need to panic. What's the matter?"

Grace moved back to where Ledin was waiting. "What is going on over there?" she demanded of the newcomers, in a fierce whisper. "What has happened on Pictoria?"

"The Dessites are too strong, and the canths have formed an astrand of their own, so we were at a loose end." Diva hovered at the height of their heads, but was clearly eager to do something. "Shall we get going? Unless you two succeed in applying the lasers, I am awfully afraid that the Ammonite Galaxy is going to have to bow down to new leaders."

It was Ledin who explained. "We can't figure out how to get past the entry sentinel without pulling all the other guards down around us."

Diva looked at the visitor, who was pulsating slightly. The bimorph buzzed in turn.

"I am the only one who can avoid getting trapped and vaporized by the astrand," he pointed out. "I should go."

Diva hesitated, and then dipped slightly in agreement. "I suppose you should. But what are you planning to do?"

"Bring the guards down only on myself," the Visitor told her. "At least, that way, you three might have time to reach the astrand."

"They won't send all the guards after you."

"No. The rest will be up to you, Diva."

Diva brightened. "Good. I will give them the same run I did last time." She explained to the visitor about the Eye of Enara. "That should keep them busy for quite a long time. Grace, you and Ledin just have to get into the crystal cavern and hit them with the lasers. Have you figured out the settings yet, by the way?"

Ledin shrugged. "There are only two main settings. We are guessing it is the other one, the one we didn't use to bring the animas out of stopped light."

"Seems reasonable. I just hope it works. Otherwise I can't see how we can stop them."

"Don't worry, Diva. We will manage it, you'll see."

"Yes," said Grace, "but what about the ones following Diva and the visitor. We won't be able to get them, will we?"

"No-o-o." Diva paused for a moment and then moved on. "Oh, never mind. We can cross that ravine when we get to it, right?"

The visitor seemed in complete agreement. "The most important thing now is to break up their astrand. If we don't do that, and very soon, there won't be any canths left, and the Ammonite Galaxy will belong to them anyway. When we left the canths were holding their own, but the Enaran astrand is much bigger than theirs, and we don't think they will be able to hold out for very long."

Grace and Ledin nodded. He was right. They could worry about the details later. Ledin bent to plant a small kiss on his wife's forehead.

"Ready?"

She nodded, and smiled back, her expression a little tremulous. "Ready. At least you will have to give me one of the lasers now!"

Ledin unshouldered one of them. "Yes. You go to the right in the great chamber, and I will take the left. We will need our bodywraps on. Diva says the temperature in there is in the high 50's."

They hastily pulled their bodywraps on. It seemed like an eternity, but at last they were ready. Ledin placed one of the lasers in Grace's arms, and pointed out the mechanism. "We may not be able to see each other, so just switch it on as soon as you see mine start up,."