Golden Torc - 2 (30 page)

Elizabeth Brede is so close to understanding her vision if you would only help her to interpret-

"Brede is a spider! The Host of Nontusvel warned me of that. At least they're honest barbarians, making no bones about their antagonism. But Brede weaves metapsychic webs and I say to hell with her!" The spill of bitterness was swiftly reconfined. "Shall we get on with it, or not? And speak out loud to me, please, Lord Healer."

He sighed. "I'm sorry. Brede-and all of us-have only sought to keep you with us because of our great need. We have not given proper consideration to your need. Forgive us, Elizabeth." She smiled. "Of course. Now tell me what percentage of your Tanu children are afflicted with this terrible thing?"

"Seven. The syndrome that we call 'black torc' may appear among purebloods at any age up until the approximate onset of puberty, after which the adaptation to the torc is presumably in homeostasis. Most of the cases are under four years of age. With the hybrids, there is never a danger of black torc, only of the incompatibility dysfunctions that pureblood humans may experience when wearing the device. Severe though the dysfunctions may be, with careful redactive treatment they can usually be remitted. But we have been powerless to help these black-torc children... until now. Your execution of the erasures and cutoff was astounding! You of the Milieu are advanced far beyond us in deep redaction. Even if you will not stay-may I hope that you will at least relieve the rest of these suffering little ones before you leave us?"

O Yes? Immerse in more innocent agony 'breast more wailing dumb endurance so useless unchanneled unproductive evil rending of me and it poor babies why so ungodly why these everbedamned torcs?

It is our way Elizabeth the only way we know how could we turn away from even this simulacrum of operancy once knowing it could you?

Their massive egos confronted one another, naked in power for the most fleeting instant before veiling. But she had looked down on Dionket the Healer in her mightiness, and he had abased himself and entreated and offered-what was it he offered?-and he had shown her how many others there were like him.

Tears started to Elizabeth's eyes. She would have lashed out, but she knew that this man at least was no manipulator. And so her response was gentle.

"I can't play the role you ask of me, Dionket. My reasons are complex and personal, but there are practical considerations that I will point out to you. The Host of Nontusvel still means to kill me, even though they know that Gomnol's scheme of mating me with the King has been forbidden by Brede. The Host is even more worried now that I might bear children by Aiken Drum-or team up with him somehow during the Grand Combat! You know me well enough by now to see the impossibility of either notion. But the Host think only of their dynasty. Right now, they're too distracted by Combat preparations to mount more than an occasional attack on me, but I'm still not safe sleeping anywhere but in Brede's room without doors. You and your faction could never protect me from Nodonn and a massed thrust coordinated by him. When I'm sleeping, I'm vulnerable. And they're determined. I won't live the rest of my days imprisoned in Brede's house or fending off mindbolts from that pack of mental savages."

"We are trying to change the old pitiless ways!" Dionket cried. "You could help us in our struggle against the Host!"

"My mind-set is wholly nonaggressive. As you know. Bring about your great changes first and then ask me to help."

"As Tana wills," he said, resigned. "When do you depart from us?"

"Soon," she said, looking down again at the sleeping child. "I'll take care of all the rest of these black-torc children for you while you and your best people observe. You may be able to learn the program."

"We will be deeply grateful for your guidance... And now, if you will agree, we will leave this chamber of mind-hurt for a time. Even though you screen it away, I know that you are diminished by contact with the black-torcs. We will go to the terrace, beyond reach of their pathetic aura."

The towering form in red and white walked from the ward into cool stone corridors, past screens of marble filigree and onto a great garden balcony. There was a stupendous view of Muriah from up here on the Mount of Heroes, and they could see a long stretch of the Aven Peninsula, the saltflats, and the lagoons all spread below in the clean loud scorch of the noon sun. The crying of the pain-filled young minds was blotted out in the solar emanation. The light so dazzled Elizabeth that she faltered, momentarily blinded and perceived the call.

Elizabeth Orme Farspeaker respond.

Dionket said something solicitous. Taking her arm, he guided her into a shaded corner where there were wicker chairs. Elizabeth! Elizabeth!

So faint, so garbled, so human, but who?

"Your experience with our poor little ones has affected you, my dear. It's no wonder. Sit here and I'll fetch a restorative." Could Dionket have heard? But no. It was on the uniquely human mode and almost beyond her own perception, much less his.

"Just-something to drink," she said. "Anything cold."

"Of course. I'll return immediately."

Elizabeth!

Whoyou whereyou I Elizabeth respond.

Me/us! Felice/AngeliqueGuderian! ThankGoditworked 0 damn quick losing mindmeld tunenarrow An gel i... I have you Madame Guderian.

Graceadieu we were soafraid we called solong noresponse listen we are someofus coming to you sabotage torcworks require help AikenDrum if trustworthy do you think can you vouch?

Aiken?

Yesyes himalone le petit farceur! Ifonly wecantrustOlisten this how thisway it is...

Elizabeth listened in astonishment to the faint babbling thoughts inexpertly squirting data, smearing a crazy quilt of mind-pictures and clumsy subvocalizations, the whole so clogged with anxiety, so wavering and distant that only a Master could have made sense out of it. What an incredibly bold plan! But these human rebels had already accomplished the incredible at Finiah, hadn't they? This scheme, too, might succeed. But-

Aiken Drum? What could she tell them about him, his mind now impervious even to her, doubtless of masterclass potential, perhaps even gone fully operant by now. What could she tell them about the laughing little nonborn chosen of Mayvar Kingmaker? Brede?

Elizabeth I hear.

Prognosticate. (DATA)

Do it.

Harmless?

Never that nonhuman is.

Harmless forbest myfriends humanity atlarge?

(Irony.) Longview affirm falsealoof Elizabeth.

Damn you . . .

Madame Guderian?

Yes Elizabeth.

I will relay your request to Aiken Drum without telling him more than he needs to know about your plan of action. I believe it to be in humanity's longterm best interest to include him in your scheme. But there may be shortterm danger. Be wary. I will continue to do what I can for you for as long as I can. Othankyoumerci butit will be dangerous pourl'amour dedieu be withus Elizabeth we cannot/mustnot fail (fear guilt hope). Elizabeth?

Be at peace Angelique Guderian. And all of you my friends... "Here now!" Dionket proffered a tray. "Cold orange juice should be the very thing to restore you. Vitamin C, potassium, and many other good things in this splendid Earth fruit." Elizabeth smiled and accepted the crystal tumbler. The faraway mental voice had disappeared amid the bedlam of other thought waves.

Seized by uncontrollable laughter, Stein fetched his companion a herculean whack on the back. The small figure dressed in gold stood as firmly as a metal statue.

"Aiken.. .kid! Isn't that the damnedest absofuckinlutely greatest news you ever heard in your life? They're coming! Our good ole Group Green pals are coming with their pockets full of iron and a friggerty big zapper that we can blast the chickenshit Tanu into orbit with! And they can cut off our torcs! Sukey and me can be free! All of the humans who don't want to wear these things can be free! Would you believe it?" Aiken Drum smiled his golliwog smile. "That's what Elizabeth says."

The two of them were on a balcony of Mayvar's apartment in the Hall of Farsensors. Their interrupted lunch lay uneaten on the table before them. The high hot sun shone upon the holiday-decked capital city, aswarm with Tanu and human visitors. Out on the shimmering White Silver Plain to the south, thousands of small black Firvulag tents spread in serried ranks, together with larger pavilions of ochre and rusty red and other earthen hues that sheltered the nobility of the Little People. Great bleachers with awnings colored scarlet and blue and purple and rosy gold were being completed on both sides of the great Field of Lists where the sporting contests were to be held prior to the blood events of the Combat proper. Stein, bareheaded and wearing only a lightweight tunic, clutched his cup of iced mead so firmly that the silver threatened to buckle. "How about it, kid? Do you really think you can recharge that photon cannon thing they're bringing?"

"Can't say for sure until I eyeball her, Steinie. But if it's just a matter of figuring how to open a fewkin' powerpack like Madame said, it should be el cincho to a genius like Me."

"Hot damn!" The giant tossed his drink off and slammed the goblet onto the table. "I'm sure as hell gettin' in on the blanket party for the torc works! Think they might let me do the zapping? There's nobody can teach this boy any tricks in how to handle light-blasters... or were you figuring to join the zorch yourself?"

Aiken's grin became bemused. He took a daisylike flower from the table centerpiece and started to pick off the petals. "Who, me? Strike a blow for human freedom and the destruction of the Tanu kingdom? Me use the Spear of Lugonn? Pissy patoot, my man! I probably couldn't even lift the fewkin' thing." He dropped petals into the congealed gravy on his plate. "You know, Steinie, that Spear-the zapper, I mean-is really a sacred thing to these exotic folks. Humans using it in war has caused the biggest stink since the Tanu first came to Earth a thousand years ago. The Spear was one of two photon weapons the exotics brought here from their home galaxy for ceremonial fights between great heroes. The second one is smaller, called the Sword of Sharn. Used to belong to an old Firvulag warlord. Now it's only used as a championship trophy in their Grand Combat. Nodonn's got it."

Stein smote the table. "We'll show that bastard! We'll show the whole bunch of 'em! No more human slaves. No more filthy breeding schemes. Without a steady supply of torcs, this whole goddam Tanu setup is gonna fall apart!"

Aiken inspected the shredded blossom with comic dismay.

"Sure seems like that's what would happen... Poor li'l flower.

All ruined."

Stein shoved back his chair. "Let's go tell Sukey! She's been worrying her heart out, hiding away there in Redact House."

"Maybe we better hold off on that," Aiken said casually.

"You know. The fewer who know a secret..."

"She'd never tell."

"Not willingly." Aiken did not look at Stein. "She's safe where Dionket and Creyn put her. But there are other redactors unfriendly ones-floating around that place, too. If Sukey's thoughts just happened to drift a little one day, a really top digger like Culluket Prettyface might get wind of our little conspiracy. All Sukey would have to do is imagine the Spear. Conjure up an image of you shooting it, for instance." Stein was stricken. "Sweet Jesus, Aiken! Can't we bring her over here with us?"

"I couldn't cover her the way the friendly redactors can. She'll have to stay there until the northerners get here with their iron chisel. Then I can cut off her torc, and yours, too, and you can sail away into the sunrise just like I promised. I gotta confess, kiddo-until we got this crazy flash from Elizabeth and Madame, I didn't have the least fewkin' idea how I was gonna carry out my promise to you two. But with your torcs off so you guys are out of the Tanu mind-net, so to speak, it won't be that hard."

"Can't get this thing off fast enough for me." Stein gave a futile tug at his own gray collar. "Lately, just in the last week, like, I been getting these screwy feelings. And it's this torc, kid! I know it is. I'll be doing nothin' special and all of a sudden an ordinary thing like a shadow makes me jump like a goosed moose. Or I'll feel like the worst goddamn monster in the world is right behind me, reachin' out. And I dassn't turn around and look, because that's all that keeps it from jumpin' me..."

"Don't sweat it," the trickster said. "Four, five days, you'll be bareneck and free as a bird and on your way to the Spaghetti Islands with your lady."

Stein gripped the arms of the little man in gold. "And you, too, right, Aiken?"

"Aw." The mischief-maker's eyes slid away. "I was having fun here in King, Arthur's Court. And the Combat's nearly here. I think I might just be able to take some of these turdlings. Win myself a fair lady or a spare kingdom or something."

Stein roared with laughter. "And end up with stir-fried brains! You can have your kingdom, sweetheart. What's left of it when me and Madame's gang get finished!" He started for the bal-cony doors. "I'm going to Sukey. I won't say a word about the zapper. Just tell her things are looking up. Okay?" Aiken held up the mangled stem of the daisy. Slowly, it straightened. The bruised disc plumped and restored itself. Lavender ray-florets sprang out anew, crisp and perfect. "And we thought you were a goner, li'l flower!" Aiken chortled. "It just goes to show-don't jump to conclusions!" Rising off the ground, he tucked the flower behind Stein's ear. Then he returned to the normal mode of human locomotion and strutted away, whistling, "Over the Sea to Skye." They did it around the campfire at nightfall, since it had been decided that the two old people would have to leave Roniah and go into hiding that night, with the rest of the party embarking for the south at dawn on the morrow.

"It's appropriate," Amerie said when they were all together, "that the traditional Introit for this service should be King David's prayer for victory. It can serve for all of us as well as for Claude and Angelique.

May the Lord send you help from his holy place

and defend you from Mount Zion!

May he grant you your heart's desire