Epiphany of the Long Sun (79 page)

"Yeah, sister. You need a drink?"

She shook her head. "I'm addressed as Colonel. Since I want something, you may call me sister. When you want something from me, call me Colonel. You might get it if you do."

The fat man looked up. "Hey, I'll call you Colonel right now, sister."

"Though I don't think so. You have a patron named Urus."

"Couple, anyhow," the fat man said. "Three I can lay hand to, only one got the pits."

"Urus is in your back room, and he's expecting me. Show me where it is."

"Nobody's in my back room, sister."

"Then I'll wait there for him. That yellow bottle." She pointed. "I take it that's sauterne?"

The fat man shrugged. "S'posed to be."

"Bring it, and two clean glasses."

"I got some that's better, only it's twenty-seven bits. That up there's sixteen."

"Bring it. You keep accounts for patrons? Start one for me. My name is Abanja."

"You mean you'll pay later? Sister, I don't-put that thing away!"

"You men." Abanja smiled as she stepped behind the bar. "How are you to face lances if one small needler terrifies you? Get the good sauterne and the glasses. Are you going to send for the Caldé's Guard when you leave me? They won't arrest an officer of the Rani's, but I don't think my friend Urus will like it."

"I never do that, sister."

"Then it won't be necessary for me to have you arrested when they come. Nor will I have to shoot you. I admit I had thought about it." Abanja smiled more broadly, amused by the clinking of the glasses in the fat man's hand. "Lead the way. If you don't misbehave, you have no reason to be frightened."

With her needler in his back, he pushed aside the dirty green curtain that had concealed the entrance to a dark and narrow hall. She said, "You know, I think I understand this Trotter's of yours. Are you Trotter?"

He nodded.

"Your courts meet in the Juzgado, and this is where the accused drink before they go there. Or if they're discharged. It's empty because your courts are not in session."

"The back room's empty, too." Trotter had stopped before a door. He gulped. "You can wait if you want to, only I close-"

She shook her head.

"When you leave. After that, all right? If anybody called Urus comes in, I'll tell him you're here." Trotter opened the door and gaped at the filthy, bearded man at the table inside.

With exaggerated politeness, Urus rose and pulled out a chair for Abanja. As she sat, Trotter mumbled, "I forgot the Caldé let 'em out. A lot can't hardly walk."

"I sprung myself," Urus told him. "Get me somethin' to eat. Put it on her tab."

Still smiling, Abanja nodded.

When the door had closed behind Trotter, Urus said, "Thanks for gettin' the bottle 'n standin' me a meal. You're the dimber damber, lady." His voice became confidential. "What I got to tell you is I'm all right too. You treat Urus brick 'n he'll treat you stone. Ain't you goin' to put your barker up?"

"No. Trotter didn't know you were in here."

"He'd of wanted me to drink, 'n I didn't have the gelt. Lily with you, see? Yeah, I been in the pits. I just got out. Yeah, I'm flat. Only you need me, lady, so you're goin' to give me ten cards-"

She laughed.

"'Cause I'm goin' to tell you a lot. Then I'm goin' to find out a lot more, 'n you 'n me'll knot up again, see?"

"Open that and pour yourself as much as you want," she told him. "I feel sorry for you, so I'm giving you a drink, and food if the barman has any."

"You know who Spider is?"

"Should I?"

"Shag yes. You got spies here. Spider knows 'em all. He knows me, too, only he don't know I'm workin' for you."

"You aren't. Not yet. To whom does this Spider report, assuming that he exists?"

"Councillor Potto. He's Potto's right hand. You ever hear of Guan? How 'bout Hyrax? Sewellel? Paca?"

Abanja looked thoughtful. "Some of those names may be familiar to me."

"They're dead, all of 'em, 'n I know what happened to 'em. Spider was their jefe, 'n he ain't. I know where he is 'n what he's doin'. I could bring you. I don't scavy you'd want me to, only I could. You twig they nabbed General Mint?"

"She's free now." Abanja holstered her needler. "That's what I've been told."

"You don't cap to it."

"I believe what I see."

Urus grinned. "Pure keg, lady. All right, it's the lily, she's loose. I could show her to you 'n throw in Spider, 'cause they're together. Only I'm like you, see? 'N what I want to see's gelt."

Abanja took a card from her card case and pushed it toward Urus, across the stained and splintered old table.

With a furtive glance into the next room, Chenille tapped the surface of the glass with her forefinger. A floating gray face appeared. "Yes, madame."

"Keep your voice down, all right?" Chenille herself was whispering. "There's somebody asleep in the big bed."

"Generalissimo Siyut madame. She is well within my field of view."

"That's right, and you wouldn't want to wake her up, would you? So keep it down."

"I shall, madame. I suggest, however, that you close the door. It would provide additional security, madame."

Chenille shook her head, her raspberry curls bobbing. "I got to know if she's waking up. Pay attention. You know the Caldé's Palace?"

"Certainly, madame."

"I've asked three or four times on the glass there, see? He let me, the Caldé did, I'm a friend of his. What I want to know is are you the same one? The monitor I talked to there?"

"No, madame. Each glass has its own, madame, though I can utilize others, and consult their monitors if need be."

"That's good, 'cause he couldn't find Auk for me, ever, and I saw this glass of yours when me and Generalissimo Siyuf came in, and I've been wanting to try it ever since, only not where she could hear 'cause I'm looking for Auk. I know there's a lot of Auks. You don't have to tell me that. The one I want's the one that lives in the Orilla, the one they call Auk the Prophet now. Real big, not too bad looking, broken nose-"

"Yes, madame. I have located him. It was a matter of no difficulty, the word
prophet
being a sufficient clue. Do you wish to speak with him?"

"I-wait. If I speak to him, he can see me, right?"

Like a floating bottle disturbed by a ripple, the gray face bobbed in nothingness. "You might postpone your conversation until you are dressed, madame. If you prefer."

"That's all right. Just tell me where he is."

"In the Grand Manteion, madame. It is two streets north and one west, or so I am informed."

"Yeah, I know. Listen, he's there now? Auk's there right now, in the Grand Manteion?"

"Correct, madame."

"Is he all right? He's not dead or anything?"

"He appears somewhat fatigued, madame. Otherwise I judge him in excellent health. You do not care to converse?"

"I think it would be better if he didn't know about me and the generalissimo. Better if I don't shove it at him, anyhow, and even if I close the door he's bound to want to know what I'm doing here."

The gray face nodded sagely. "Prudent, madame."

"Yeah, I think so. Wait up, I got to think."

"Gladly, madame." For nearly a minute, there was no sound in the Lyrichord Room save Siyuf's hoarse respiration.

At last Chenille announced, "This is going to be one tough job for you, Monitor."

"We thrive upon adversity, madame."

"Good, I've got some for you. I want to get word to a lady named Orchid. Get her, or get anybody that might be able to get a message to her. What time is it?"

"Two twenty-one, madame. It is Phaesday morning, madame. Shadeup is less than four hours distant."

"That's what I was afraid of. If you can't do it, just tell me. I won't blame you a bit."

"I shall make the utmost effort, madame, but Orchid is also a widely employed appellation. Additional information may be of assistance."

"Sure. This Orchid's got a yellow house. It's on Lamp Street. Music runs right in back, and there's a pastry shop across the street. Across Lamp Street, I mean. She's a big fat woman, I guess forty or forty-five."

"That is sufficient, madame, I have identified her. There is a glass in her private apartments, and she is preparing for bed in the room beyond. Shall I summon her to her glass?"

"I know that glass and it doesn't work."

"To the contrary, madame, it is fully operational, though it was out of service for… eighteen years. Would you care to speak with Orchid?"

Chenille nodded, and in half a minute saw Orchid standing in front of her own glass in lacy black pantaloons and a hastily assumed peignoir. "Chen! How'd you get this thing turned on?"

"Never mind, it just is. Orchid, I need a favor, only there'll be something for you. Maybe a card. Maybe more."

Orchid, who had been eyeing the rich furnishings of the Lyrichord Room, nodded. "I got my ears up."

"All right, you see the mort in doss in the next room? She's the Trivigaunti's generalissimo. Her name's Siyuf."

"You always were lucky, Chen."

"Maybe. The thing is, I got to beat the hoof. Is Violet riding pretty light?"

Orchid shrngged, plump shoulders rising and falling like pans of dough. "Pretty much. You know how it is, Chen. Where are you?"

"Ermine's. This's Room Seven and Nine, get it? It's a double room, so seven and nine too. Right at the top of the big stairs. Siyuf likes tall dells, she would've given me five easy. Five's nothing to her. Violet ought to get more if she soaps her. Tell her to come uphill and play spoons, tell Siyuf she's my pal and I told her what a nice time I'd had, so she thought she'd drop by and party. I'll leave the door unlocked when I go out." Chenille's voice hardened. "Only I get half. Don't think you're going to wash me down."

"Sure thing, Chen."

"The way I'm set with the Caldé-" groping the carpet at her feet, Chenille found her bandeau, "I ought to be able to throw something your way pretty often. Only don't try to wash me, Orchid. The word from me could shut you down."

Under her breath, Hyacinth asked, "Do you really want to go through with this?"

It seemed too foolish to require a reply, but Silk nodded. "Your Cognizance, you and His Eminence, with Patera Jerboa and Patera Shell, are more than sufficient, surely."

From Echidna's dark chapel behind the ambulatory, Maytera Marble called, "Just one moment more, please, Patera. Patera Incus is working as quickly as he can, and-and…"

Like a rumble of thunder, Hammerstone's deeper voice added, "She wants to be there, and there's another reason. Hold on, Caldé. Patera's about finished."

Hyacinth whispered, "We really don't have to. We could just go somewhere and do it all night. It doesn't matter to me, honest." Tick added, "Goo no!" from her arms.

"I've revoked your vow of chastity," Quetzal said; it was impossible to say whether he had overheard her. "You're still an augur. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly, Your Cognizance."

Remora smiled in a way he meant to be reassuring. "Can't, eh? Not even Quetzal. Indelible, hey?"

The Prolocutor himself nodded. "I could enjoin you from augural duties, but you'd still be an augur, Patera Caldé."

"I understand, Your Cognizance."

"I'm not doing it. You're relieved of the requirements. You need not say the office and sacrifice, but you can if you want to. You can and should wear the robe. Our citizens have chosen an augur, believing the gods chose for them. We must keep it so. We must sustain their faith. If necessary, we must justify it."

He glanced at Maytera Mint, who said, "Your Cognizance is wondering whether I retain mine after Pas failed to appear. I don't know, and it may be weeks before I do. Years, even. I wish Bison were here."

Spider nodded. "Me, too."

Spokesman for his master, Oreb croaked, "Do now!"

Hoping his bird had been understood, Silk said, "You told me what took place, General, but I'm afraid I wasn't listening as closely as I should have been. I couldn't think beyond my need to obtain His Cognizance's permission and persuade Hyacinth to accept me. Did Pas actually say that he would grant you a second theophany when you got here?"

"I…" Maytera Mint sighed, her face in her hands. "To tell you the truth, I don't remember. I thought so."

Slate put in, "No, he didn't, sir. He said you take the sarge to the Grand manteion, 'cause my prophet Auk's there and I mean to tell him how to fix him up. He didn't say nothing about right away."

Remora nodded.

Auk said, "He told me he'd teach me, and he will. Only he ain't yet." Auk cleared his throat. "This was as queer for me as for Maytera. Worse, when I had to watch what it did to her. Pas had us fetch Patera Jerboa there-that's Hammerstone and me, and Patera Incus. All right we did, only nothing's happened yet. I had all my people up here and they're not here any more, so I guess you know what they think about me after this."

Oreb sympathized. "Poor man!"

"Only that don't matter." Defiantly, Auk looked around at the rest of the impromptu wedding party. "They still think more of me than what I do myself. It's what they think about the Plan, and that's what's hardest, harder even than Maytera. But I'm sticking. If everybody goes, that's all right, only not me. I'm here, like Pas said, and I'm sticking."

From deep within the vast nave, far from the light of the dying altar fire, a voice rumbled, "This's my fault, Caldé." A man taller even than Auk rose, and as he did a misshapen figure sprang to the top of the pew before him.

From his position behind and to the right of Quetzal and Remora, old Patera Jerboa quavered, "My son…"

"Probably you don't remember me, Caldé, only I gave you one on the house once, 'cause you said Pas for Kalan. I'm Gib from the Cock."

Silk nodded and smiled. "Of course I remember you, Gib; though I admit I didn't expect to meet you here, and I thought we'd met everyone. Have you been praying?"

"Tryin', anyhow." Gib strode down a side aisle, his tame baboon leaping from one pew to the next.

Auk said, "Muzzle it, Gib. You didn't do anything."

Silk nodded again. "If by 'fault' you mean this delay, the fault certainly isn't yours, Gib. If anyone is at fault, I am the person. I should have acted much more expeditiously to have Maytera's hand repaired."