Latest / Classic Science Fiction Books / 15 - The Door Through Space - Marion Zimmer Bradley
Transcript
- Chapter fifteen. He hadn't changed much in six years. His face was worse than mine. He hadn't had the plastic surgeons of Terran Intelligence doing their best for him. His mouth, I thought fleetingly, must hurt like hall when he drew it up into the kind of grin he was grinning now. His eyebrows, thick and fierce with gray in them, went up as he saw Miellyn, but he backed away to let us enter and shut the door behind us. The room was bare, and I didn't look as if it had been lived in much. The floor was stone, rough laid, a single fur rug laid before a brazier. A little girl was sitting on the rug, drinking from a big, double handled mug, but she scrambled to her feet as we came in and backed against the wall, looking at us with wide eyes. She had pale red hair like Julie's, cut straight in a fringe across her forehead, and she was dressed in a smock of dye read fur that almost matched her hair. A little smear of milk like a white mustache clung to her upper lip, where she had forgotten to wipe her mouth. She was about five years old with deep set, dark eyes like Julie's that watched me gravely, without surprise or fear. She evidently knew who I was, Rindy, Rakhal said, quietly, not taking his eyes from me. Go into the other room. Rindy didn't move, still staring at me. Then she moved towards Miellyn, looking up intently, not at the woman, but at the pattern of embroideries across her dress. It was very quiet until Rakhal added, in a gentle and curiously moderate voice, do you still carry a skeen race? And I shook my head as an ancient proverb on terror about blood being thicker than water. Rakhal, that's Julie's daughter. I'm not going to kill her father right before her eyes. My rage spilled over then, and I bellowed, to hell with your damn dry town feuds and your filthy toad god and all the rest of it, Rakhal said harshly. Rindy, I told you to get out. She needn't go. I took a step towards the little girl, a wary eye on Rakhal. I don't know quite what you're up to, but it's nothing for a child to be mixed up in do what you. Damn please, I can settle with you any time. The first thing is to get Grindy out of here. She belongs with Julie, and damn it, that's where she's going. I held up my arms to the little girl and said, it's over, Rindy. Whatever he's done to you, your mother sent me to find you. Don't you want to go to your mother? Rakhal made a menacing gesture and warned I wouldn't. Miellyn darted swiftly between us and caught up the child in her arms. Rindy began to struggle noiselessly, kicking and whimpering, but Miellyn took two quick steps and flung an inner door open. Rakhal took a stride towards her. She whirled on him, fighting to control the furious little girl, and gasped, settle it between you without the baby. Watching through the open door, I briefly saw a bed a child's small dresses hanging on a hook, before Miellyn kicked the door shut, and I heard a latch being fastened behind the closed door. Rindy broke into angry screams, but I put my back against the door. She's right, we'll settle it between the two of us. What have you done to the child? If you thought? Rakhal stopped himself in mid sentence and stood watching me without moving for a minute. Then he laughed, you're as stupid as ever, Race, Are you fool? I knew Julie would run straight to you if she was scared enough. I knew it would bring you out of hiding. Why you damn fool? He stood mocking me, but there was a strained fury, almost a frenzy of contempt behind the laughter. You filthy coward, Race, six years hiding in the Terenzo, six years, and I gave you six months. If you'd had the guts to walk out after me. After I rigged that final deal to give you the chance, we could have gone after the biggest thing on wolf, and we could have brought it off together. Inspead of spending years spying and dodging and hunting, and now when I finally get you out of hiding, all you want to do is run back where you'll be safe. I thought you had more guts, not for Evarin's dirty work, Grakhal swore hideously. Evarin, do you really believe I might have known he'd get to you too, that girl, and you managed to recall I did there too. Suddenly, so swiftly my eyes could hardly follow. He whipped out his skin and came at me. Get away from that door. Now stood my ground. Could have to kill me first, and I won't fight you, Rakhal. We'll settle this, but we'll do it my way for once, like Earthmin, son of the Ape, get your skein out, your stinking coward, I won't do it, Rakhal. I stood and him. I had outmaneuvered dright howners in a sugary bet. I knew Rakhal, and I knew he would not knife an unarmed man. We fought once with the kiffer, and it didn't settle anything. This time, we'll do it my way. I threw my skin away before I came here. I won't fight. He thrust at me. Even I could see that the blow was a faint, and I had a flashing instantaneous memory of Dallisa's threat to drive the knife through my palms. But even while I commanded myself to stand steady, sheer reflex threw me forward, grabbing at his wrist and the knife between my grappling hand. He twisted, and I felt the skin drive home, rip through my jacket with a tearing sound, felt the thin fine line of touch, not pain yet as it sliced flesh. The pain burned through my ribs, and I felt hot blood, and I wanted to kill Rakhal, wanted to get my hands round his throat and kill him with them. At the same time, I was raging because I didn't want to fight the crazy fool. I wasn't even mad at him. Miellyn flung the door open, shrieking, and suddenly the toy released was darting a small, whirring, droning horror, straight at Rakhal's eyes. I yelled, but there was no time to warn him. I bent and butted him in the stomach. He grunted, doubled up in agony, and fell out of the path of the diving toy. It whirred in frustration, hovered. He writhed in agony, drawing up his knees, clawing at his shirt, while I turned on Miellyn in immense fury and stopped hers had been a move of desperation, an instinctive act to restore the balance between a weaponless man and one who had a knife. Rakhal gasped in a hoarse voice, with all the breath gone from it, did want to use rather fight clean. Then he opened his closed fist, and suddenly there were two of the little whirring, droning horrors in the room, and this one was diving at me. And as I threw myself headlong to the floor, the last puzzle piece fell into place. Varin had made the same bargain with Rakhal as with me. I rolled over, dodging behind me. In the room there was a child's shrill scream, Daddy, Daddy, And abruptly the birds collapsed in mid air and went limp. They fell to the floor like dropping stones, and lay there quivering. Brindy dashed across the room, her small skirts flying, and grabbed up one of the terrible vicious things in either hand. Brindy, I bellowed no. She stood, shaking, tears pouring down her round cheeks, a toy squeezed tight in either hand. Dark veins stood out almost black on her fair temples. Break them, daddy, she implored, in a little thread of her voice, break them quick. I can't hang on. Rakhal staggered to his feet like a drunken man. And snatched one of the toys, grinding it under his heel. He made a grab at the second, reeled and drew in an anguished breath. He crumpled up, clutching at his belly where I'd butted him. The birds screamed like a living thing. Breaking the paralysis of horror, I leapt up ran across the room, heedless of the searing pain along my side. I snatched the bird from Rindy as it screamed and shrilled and died as my foot crunched the tiny feathers. I stamped the still moving thing into an amorphous mess, and kept on stamping and smashing until it was only a heap of powder. Rakhal I finally managed to haul himself upright again. His face was so pale that the scars stood out like fresh burns. That was a foul blow, Race, But I I know why you did it. He stopped and breathed for a minute. Then he muttered, you saved my life, you know? Did you know you were doing it when you did it? Still breathing hard, I nodded done knowingly. It bent an end of blood feud, however, we had wronged each other. Whatever the pledge is. I spoke the words that confirmed it and ended it. Finally and forever, there is a life between us. Let it stand for a death. Miellyn was standing in the doorway, her hands pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide. She said, shakily, you're walking round with a knife in your ribs. You full Rakhal whirled with a quick jerk, he pulled the skin loose. It had simply been caught in my shirt cloak, in a fold of the rough cloth. He pulled it away, glanced at the red tip, then relaxed, not more than an inch deep, he said, then angrily, defending himself. You did it yourself, you ape. I was trying to get rid of the knife when you jumped me. But I knew that, and he knew I knew it. He turned and scooped up Rindy, who was sobbing noisily. She dug her head into his shoulder, and I made out her strangled words, the other toys hurt you when I was mad at you, She sobbed, rubbing her fists against smeared cheeks. I I was, isn't that mad at you? I wasn't that mad at anybody, not even him. Grakhal pressed his hand against his daughter's fleecy hair, and said, looking at me over her head, the toys activate a child's subconscious resentments against his parents. I have found out that much. That also means a child can control them for a few seconds. No adult can. A stranger would have seen no change in his expression, but I knew him and saw Julie said you threatened Rindy. He chuckled and set the child on her feet. What else could I say? They would have scared Julie enough to send her running to you, Julie as proud, almost as proud as you are, your stiff next son of the ape. The insult did not sting me. Now, come on, sit down and let's decide what to do now we've finished up the old business. He looked remotely at Miellyn and said, you must be Dallisa's sister. I don't suppose your talents include knowing how to make coffee. They didn't, but with Rindy's help, Miellyn managed, and while they were out of the room, Rakhal explained briefly, Rindy has rudimentary e s P. I've never had it myself, but I could teach her something nor much about how to use it. I've been on Evarin's track ever since that business of the lists. I'd have got it sooner if you were still working with me. But I couldn't do anything as a Terran agent, and I had to be kicked out so thoroughly that the others wouldn't be afraid. I was still working secretly for Terror for a long time. I was just chasing rumors. But when Rindy got big enough to look in the crystals of Nebrun, I started making some progress. I was afraid to tell Julie. Her best safety was the fact that she didn't know anything. She's always been a stranger in the dry towns. He paused, and then said, with honest self evaluation, since I left the Secret Service, I've been a stranger there myself. I asked, what about Dalisa. Twins have some e s p to each other. I knew Miellyn had gone to the toy maker. I tried to get Dallisa to find out where Miellyn had gone learn more about it. Dallisa wouldn't risk it, but Kiral saw me with Dallisa and thought it was Miellyn that put him on my tale too, and I had to leave Shainsar. I was afraid of Kurral, he added, soberly, afraid of what he'd do. I couldn't do anything without Rindy, and I knew if I told Julie what I was doing, she'd take Rindy away into the Terran zone and I be as good as dead. As he talked, I began to realize how vast a web Evarin and the underground organization of Nebron had spread for us. Evarrin was here to day, what for, Rakhal laughed erthlessly. He's been trying to get us to kill each other off. That would get rid of us both. He wants to turn over Wolf to the non humans entirely. I think he's sincere enough, but he spread his hands helplessly. I can't sit by and see it, I asked, point blank. Are you working for Terror or for the Dry Towns or any of the anti Terran movements. I'm working for me, he said with a shrug. I don't think much of the Terran Empire, but one planet can't fight a galaxy race. I want just one thing. I want the Dry Towns and the rest of Wolf to have a voice in their own government. Any planet which makes a substantial contribution to galactic science, by the laws of the Terran Empire, is automatically given the status of an independent commonwealth. If a man from the dry towns discovers something like a matter transmitter, Wolf gets dominion status. But Evarin and his gang want to keep it secret, keep it away from Terror, keep it locked up in places like Canasa. Somebody has to get it away from them, and if I do it, I get a nice fat bonus and an official position. I believed that where I would have suspected too much protestation of altruism, Grakhal tossed it aside. You've got Miellyn to take you through the transmitters. Go back to the master shrine and tell Everin that Raced Cargill is dead in the trade city. They think I'm Cargill and I can get in and out as I choose. Sorry if it cauts you trouble, but it was the safest thing I could think of. And Alva's magnuson have him send soldiers to guard the street shrines. Evarin might try to escape through one of them. I shook my head. Terror hasn't enough men on all Wolf to cover the street shrines in Charin alone, and I can't go back with Miellyn, I explain. Rakhal pursed his lips and whistled when I described the fight in the transmitter. You have all the luck, Carkill. I've never been near enough even to be sure how they work, and I'll bet you didn't begin to understand. We'll have to do it the hard way. Then it won't be the first time we've bulled our way through a tight place. We'll face Evarin in his own hide out. If Rindy's with us, we needn't worry. I was willing to let him assume command, but I protested, you'd take a child into that that what else can we do? Rindy can control the toys, and neither you nor I can do that. If Evarin should decide to throw his whole arsenal at us, he called Rindy and spoke softly to her. She looked from her father to me, and back again to her father, then smiled and stretched out her hand to me. Before we ventured into the street, Rakhal scowled at the sprawled embroideries on Miellyn's robe. He said, in those things you show up like a snowfall in Chansaire. If you go out in them, you could be mobbed. Hadn't you better get rid of them? Now I can't, she protested, they're the keys to the transmitter. Rakhle looked at the conventionalized idols with curiosity, but said, only calf them up in the street. Then Rindy find us something to put over her dress. When we reached the street, shine, Miellyn admonished, stand close together on the stones. I'm not sure we can all make the jump at once, but we'll have to try. Rakhal picked up Rindy and hoisted her to his shoulder. Miellyn dropped the cloak she had draped over the pattern of the neighboring embroideries, and we crowded close together. The street swayed and vanished, and I felt the now familiar dip and swirl of blackness before the world straightened out again. Rindy was whimpering, dabbing smeary fists at her face. Daddy, my nose is bleeding. Miellyn hastily bent and wipes the blood from the snubby nose. Rakhal gestured, impatiently, the worker wreck everything you see Brindy. If anything starts to come at us, you stop it, Stop it quick. And he bent and took the little face between his hands. Geea, remember they're not toys, no matter how pretty they are. Her grave gray eyes blinked and she nodded. Rakhal flung open the door of the elves workshop with a shout. The ringing of the anvils shattered into a thousand dissonances. As I kicked over a work bench and had half finished toys crashed in confusion on the floor. The dwarfs scattered like rabbits before our assault of destruction. I smashed tools, filigree jewels, stamping everything with my heavy boots. I shattered glass, caught up a hammer, and smashed crystals. There was a wild exhilaration to it. A tiny doll, proportioned like a woman, dashed towards me, shrilling in her supersonic shriek. I put my foot on her and ground the life out of her, and she screamed like a living woman. As she came apart, her blue eyes rolled from her head and lay on the law watching me. I crushed the blue jewels under my heel. Rakhal swung a tiny hound by the tail, its head shattered into debris of almost invisible gears and wheels. I caught up a chair and wrecked glass cabinet of parts with it swinging furiously. A berserk madness of smashing and breaking had laid hold of me. I was drunk with crushing and shattering and ruining when I heard Miellyn's scream a warning, and turned to see Evarin standing in the doorway. His green cat eyes blazed with rage. Then he raised both hands in a sudden sardonic gesture, and with a loping, inhuman glide, raced for the transmitter. Rindy Rakhal panted, Can he block the transmitter instead? Rindy shrieked, We've got to get out. The roof is falling down. The house is going to fall down on us the roof. Look at the roof. I looked up, transfixed by horror. I saw a wide rift open, saw the skylight shatter and break, and daylight pouring through the cracking walls. Rakhal snatched Rindy up, protecting her from the falling dabris with his head and shoulders. I grabbed Miellyn round the waist and we ran for the rift in the buckling wall. We shoved through just before the roof caved in and the walls collapsed, and we found ourselves standing on a bare, grassy hillside, looking down in shock and horror as below us, section after section of what had been apparently bare hill and rock caved in and collapsed into dusty rubble. Miellyn screamed hoarsely, Run, run, hurry. I didn't understand, but I ran. I ran my sides, aching blood streaming from the forgotten flesh wound in my side. Miellyn raced beside me, and Rakhal stumbled along, carrying Rindy. Then the shock of a great explosion rocked to the ground, hurling me down full length, Miellyn falling on top of me. Rakhal went down on his knees. Rindy was crying loudly. When I could see straight again, I looked down at the hillside. Was nothing left of Evarin's hideaway or the masters Shrine of Nebrun except a great gaping hole, still oozing smoke and thick black dust. Miellyn said aloud, dazed, So that's what he was going to do. It fitted the peculiar non human logic of the toy maker he'd covered the traces destroyed. Rakhal raged all destroyed, the work crumbs, the science of the toys, the matter transmitter. The minute we find it, it's destroyed. He beat his fists furiously. Our one chance to learn. We were lucky to get out alive, said Miellyn quietly. Where on the planet are we? I wonder? I looked down the hillside and stared in amazement. Spread Out on the hillside below us lay the rassa, topped by the white skyscraper of the HQ. I'll be damned, I said, right here, we're home, Rakhal. You can go down and make your peace with the Terrans, and Julie and you, Miellyn before the others. I could not say what I was thinking, but I put my hand on her shoulder and kept it there. She smiled shakily, with a hint of her old mischief. I can't go into the Terran zone looking like this. Can I give me that comb again, Rakhal? Give me your shirt, cloak. My robes are torn, you faint, stupid female worrying about a thing like that at a time like this. Rakhal's look was like murder. I put my comb in her hand, then suddenly saw something in the symbols across her breasts. Before this, I had seen only the conventionalized and intricate glyph of the toad God. But now I reached out and ripped the cloth away. Cargill, she protested angrily, crimsoning, covering her bare breasts with both hands. Is this the place before a child too? I hardly heard, Look, I exclaimed, Rakhal. Look at the cymbals embroidered into the gliph of the Guard God. You can read the old non human glyphs. You did it in the city of the List. Mee Lynn said they were the key to the transmitters. I'll bet the formula is written out there for anyone to read. Anyone that is, who can read it. I can't, but I'll bet the formula equations for the transmitters are carved on every toad God glyph on wolf racal. It makes sense. There are two ways of hiding something. Either keep it locked away or hide it right out in plain sight. Whoever bothers even to look at a conventionalized toad god. There are so many billions of them. He bent his head over the embroideries, and when he looked up, his face was flushed. I believe by the chains of Sharer. I believe you have it race. He may take years to work out the glyphs, but I'll do it or die trying. His scarred and hideous face looked almost handsome in exultation, and I grined at him. If Julie leaves enough of you once she finds out how you maneuvered her. Look, Rindy's fallen asleep on the grass there, poor kid. We'd better get it down to her mother, right. Rakhal thrust the precious embroidery into his shirt cloak, then cradled his sleeping daughter in his arms. I watched him with a curious emotion. I could not identify. It seemed to pinpoint some great change, either in Rakhal or myself. It's not difficult to visualize one's sister with children, but there was something some strange incongruity in the sight of Rakhal carrying the little girl, carefully tucking her up in a fold of his cloak to keep the sharp breeze off her face. Miellyn was limping in her thin sandals, and she shivered. I asked, cold, no, but I don't believe Evarin is dead. I'm afraid he got away. For a minute, the thought dim the luster of the morning. Then I shrugged. He is probably buried in that big hole up there, but I knew I would never be sure. We walked abreast, my arm round the weary stumbling woman, and Rakhal said softly, at last, like old times, it wasn't old times. I knew he would know it too, once his exultation sobered, I had outgrown my love for intrigue, and I had the feeling this was Rakhal's last adventure. It was going to take him, as he said, years to work out the equations for the transmitter. And I had a feeling my own solid, ordinary desk was going to look good to me in the morning. But I knew now that I had never run away from wolf again. It was my own beloved sun that was rising. My sister was waiting for me down below, and I was bringing back her child. My best friend was walking at my side. What more could a man want? If the memory of dark poisonberry eyes was to haunt me in nightmares, they did not come into the waking world. I looked at Miellyn, took her slender unmanacled hand in mine, and smiled as we walked through the gates of the city. Now, after all my years on Wolf, I understood the desire to keep their women under lock and key, that was its ancient custom. I vowed to myself as we went that I would waste no time finding a fetter shop, and having forged therein the perfect steel chains that should bind my love's wrists to my key for ever. End of Chapter fifteen.