The Asutra (23 page)

"On the planet Kahei they discovered an environment almost identical to their own and the Ka were compatible hosts. The asutra assumed control of Kahei, which over the centuries became to them a second home-world.

"On Kahei they encountered a most unexpected and unwelcome circumstance. By subtle degrees the Ka adapted to the asutra, and slowly the roles began to shift. The asutra, rather than being the dominant member of the symbiosis, became subordinate. The Ka began to subject the asutra to undignified uses, as control nodes for mining engines, processing machinery, and other unpleasant tasks. In other cases the Ka employed arrays of joined asutra as computing machines or reference devices; essentially the Ka used the asutra to augment their own powers, rather than the other way around. The asutra objected to such arrangements; a war occurred and the asutra on Kahei were enslaved. Henceforth the Ka were the masters and the asutra the adjuncts.

"The asutra expelled from Kahei were anxious to discover new hosts. They came to Durdane, where the human inhabitants were as agile, durable, and proficient as Ka and far more responsive to control. Durdane was too arid for their own comfort; across two or three centuries they conveyed many thousands of men and women to their home-world and integrated them into their system of life. But they still coveted the world Kahei for its idyllic moors and delightful quagmires, and therefore launched a war of annihilation against the Ka, using men as their slave warriors.

"The Ka, never a numerous folk, were assured of defeat by attrition unless they could stifle the human assault. As an experiment the Ka contrived the Roguskhoi and sent them to Durdane to destroy the human race. As we know, the experiment failed. Next the Ka thought to use men as warriors against the asutra, but again the experiment met no success; their corps of slave warriors revolted and refused to fight."

Etzwane demanded, "How did you learn all this?"

Ifness made a casual gesture. He had finished his soup, and was now eating a plate of assorted meats and pickled fruit. "I employed the facilities of the Historical Institute. Dasconetta, incidentally, is discomfited; I overwhelmed his pedantic inflexibility, and indeed took the matter before Coordination, where I found active endorsement of my views. The Earth-worlds cannot tolerate human enslavement by alien races; this is fundamental policy. I accompanied the correction force in the nominal capacity of advisor to the commander, but in fact directed the expedition.

"Arriving at Kahei we found both the Ka and the asutra exhausted and discouraged with the war. In the north country we halted an engagement of warships, then enforced a peace, which was hard but fair. The Ka were required to surrender all their asutra and to repatriate all their human slaves. The asutra abandoned their attempt to dominate Kahei and also agreed to return all human hosts to Durdane. The solution to a highly complicated problem was elegantly simple, and within a common zone of comprehension. So there, in a most truncated outline, you have the situation as it exists now. " Ifness drank from a cup of verbena tea.

Etzwane sat hunched in his chair. He thought of the silver and white ships which had driven the Ka ships back from the black asutra globes. With a pang of bitter humor he recalled how defenseless and apathetic had been the training camp, and' with what illusory ease he and his men had captured it. The spaceship which they had taken with such grim determination—it actually had come to take them back to Durdane. Small wonder the resistance had been so scant!

Ifness spoke in a voice of polite concern, "You seem troubled; has my account distressed you in any way?"

"Not at all," said Etzwane. "As you say, truth destroys many illusions."

"As you can apprehend, I was preoccupied with large causes and unable to attend to the captured Alula, who presumably once again wander beside the Vurush River. " He glanced at his chronometer. "What were your own actions subsequent to our parting?"

"They were of no great consequence," said Etzwane. "After some small inconvenience I returned to Shillinsk. I brought your boat back to Garwiy."

"That is good of you. Dasconetta sent a space car down to Shillinsk for me, which of course I used. " Ifness glanced at his chronometer. "If you will excuse me, I must leave. Our association has spanned several years, but I doubt if we will meet again. I am leaving Durdane and I do not plan to return."

Etzwane, slumping back in his chair, said nothing. He thought of far places, of flowing rivers and nomad clans. He remembered terror aboard the transport ship and the death of Karazan; he thought of black velvet moors and the purple-black morass; he recalled Polovits and Kretzel. . . . Ifness had risen to his feet. Etzwane said, "At Shagfe is an old woman named Kretzel. She knows fourteen thousand cantos to the Great Song of the Ka. The knowledge will die with her."

"Indeed. " Ifness hesitated, pulling at his long chin. "I will submit this information to an appropriate agency, and Kretzel will be interviewed, no doubt to her profit. And now— "

Etzwane blurted, "Do you require an aide, an assistant? " He had not meant to ask the question; his words had come of themselves.

Ifness smilingly shook his head. "Such an association would surely be impractical Gastel Etzwane: goodbye. " He departed the inn.

Etzwane sat still and alone for fifteen minutes. Then he rose and went to another table across the room. His appetite had vanished; he called for a flask of strong wine. He became aware of music: Frolitz and the Pink-Black-Azure-Deep Greeners played a pleasant air of the Lor Asphen uplands.

Frolitz came to stand by the table. He laid a hand on Etzwane's shoulder. The man is gone, and just as well. He has had a baneful influence upon you; in fact he has distracted you from your music. Now he is gone, and things will be as before. Come play your khitan."

Etzwane looked into the depths of the cool wine, studying the lights and colors. "He is gone, but tonight I have no stomach for music."

"'Stomach'? " scoffed Frolitz. "Who plays with his stomach? We use hands and breath and merry inclinations."

"True. But my fingers are numb; I would embarrass us all. Tonight I will sit and listen, and drink a glass or two of wine, and tomorrow we will decide. " He looked toward the door, though he knew that Ifness had gone.