“Surely, if we can keep the infection contained to Nueva Portugal, that is not necessary,” Guerra argued.
“We do not know enough about the nature of the Orpheus weapon yet to definitely say it can only spread with people,” Roslyn told him. “It is entirely possible that it was designed to be airborne over significant distances and we will begin to see outbreaks outside the peninsula as time goes on.”
“May the Holy Spirit protect us,” the Cardinal whispered. “Very well, Envoy. The orders will be sent. No one has launched in the last hour, in any case, but we will secure all spaceports and launchpads.
“You have my word as a Cardinal of the Church.”
“We will do what we must,” Roslyn told them. “I think that the Orpheus lab itself should be safe against the weapon, and I will be organizing an evacuation to move as many people into it as possible.
“From there, we will see what we can learn and if we can find an answer…or even an off switch.”
“This is a strategic-area-denial weapon,” Daalman said. “I’d be surprised if there was any way to turn it off. Once they activated it, they likely intended it to damn the entire planet.”
“Doom us, perhaps,” Guerra replied, his tone firm. “But as the Envoy pointed out, the souls of the infected are innocent. We will do everything we can, but I assure you—even the victims of this horror are not damned.
“Its creators, on the other hand, will not enjoy their meetings with St. Peter.”
“Quite likely, they’ve already met him,” Roslyn murmured. “I need to get to work.”
“Hold on one second, Commander,” Daalman told her. “The Marines are hitting the first of your aerosol sprayers. A bit more intelligence might come in handy, don’t you think?”
“I will wait,” Guerra agreed. “God be praised that your people are here, Mage-Captain. I dread to think of what that lab might have managed, left unbothered.”
Roslyn hoped she managed not to look too guilty in response to that. While the Orpheus lab wouldn’t have done any good left alone, they also probably wouldn’t have dusted an entire city with their weapon without her poking them.
“Sergeant Colburn reporting,” a new voice interrupted. “We are at the location indicated in the map and we have located the target. It appears to have been built into the roof of a large office tower, but…”
There was silence for a moment and a video feed from the shuttle appeared on Roslyn’s helmet screen. Several nozzles had clearly emerged from the roof of the tower, each at least a meter high and aimed over the side of the building.
“We can’t be sure until we put boots on the ground, but they’re not spraying anything,” Colburn said grimly. “They might be out of supply.”
“I can’t ask you to put anyone down there, Sergeant,” Daalman replied.
“You didn’t, sir,” Colburn conceded. “We are violating quarantine and will not be able to return to the ship. Sorry, sir.”
The camera shivered moments before two exosuited Marines appeared in the camera feed. Powered gauntlets tore one of the sprayers out as the two began to dismantle the entire structure to find the feed tank.
“Looks like about a hundred-liter tank feeding this one, with separate feeds for each sprayer,” Colburn passed on his people’s report. “And they’re dry. Best guess is this site pumped about six hundred liters of the nanites into the air.
“I don’t know what that translates to in terms of doses beyond ‘way too fucking many,’” the Marine concluded. “Sir. We’ve violated quarantine and cannot follow the original plan. New orders?”
Daalman sighed.
“Report to Lieutenant Commander Chambers at the main target site,” she ordered. “She has a potential evac location, and you will provide air cover. You will not make contact with Chambers, as your vessel and armor are almost certainly contaminated.”
“We know, sir,” Colburn said quietly. “But someone had to do it.”
“Now I need to make sure none of our other volunteers pull the same stupid stunt,” Daalman told the Sergeant. “Good luck.”
The channel to the Marines cut, and Daalman turned her attention back to Guerra and Roslyn.
“Looks like you have air support and some extra hands, if you’re careful, Chambers,” she told Roslyn. “Cardinal-Governor, we have work to do. We’ll keep you in the loop.”
“God bless you, my children,” Guerra told you. “He knows His warriors. He will see you to safety.”
“God helps those who help themselves,” Roslyn replied quietly. “And right now, I need to go help a bunch of other people.”
“And in that, you are His tool today,” the Cardinal told her. “And He will bless and guide you, I promise.”
37
The conference view finally dropped, and Roslyn pulled herself out of the van. A small stream of people was heading her way… Too small.
“Bolivar, I was expecting a few more people heading my way,” she said over the radio. “What’s going on?”
“I’m in the Guardia net and they’re sending everyone they’re finding your way,” the Captain told her. “The school is proving…more difficult.”
She sighed.
“Ping me your coordinates,” she told him.
“Commander?” he questioned.
“Just do it,” Roslyn ordered.
A moment later, his exact GPS position appeared on her helmet. She took a second to double-check her numbers on her wrist-comp, then nodded to herself…and stepped.
“What the blazes?” the middle-aged woman in the prim suit standing in front of Captain Bolivar exclaimed as Roslyn appeared. They were apparently gathered just outside the main entrance to the school, which had heavy shutters closed across it.
“I am Roslyn Chambers, Voice of the Mage-Queen of Mars,” Roslyn told the woman she presumed was the school principal. “What’s going on?”
“This man is trying to get me to evacuate the children from the safest place I have for them,” the woman snapped. “I don’t care if he’s Guardia; the school is designed for any crisis.”
“Your name, ma’am?” Roslyn asked, as
