[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
translate most of what the creature says, but that doesn't tell us much. The
tape is exactly what it appears to be, a report to anyone who finds the ship.
It implies that there is a lot more information stored in the ship's data
banks, but we can't get to them without the unlocking codes, and we don't have
any idea how to decipher those. The books we've found, once we realized what
they were, all proved to be technical manuals. They are valuable, but so far
they have proven much more resistant to translation. It has been suggested
that they are written in a language other than the one the creature spoke."
"Maybe they have castes with secret languages. Like the brethren."
"There is no evidence of that, Marika. Our principal difficulty is that we
have no one trained for the kind of work we're having to do. The skills needed
have to be found by trial and error. It is a slow business. And the language
we are dealing with is not precise. We have found a number of words that,
while identical in print, can possess multiple meanings. There are also words
that, when spoken, sound the same, but appear differently in print. It isn't
always possible to guess what they were trying to say."
"All right."
"Excitement running down?"
Page 115
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"No. Never, now. The gateway to the future is open. Before long we are going
to be inundated with dark-faring sisters, all eager to pass through it."
"I know. And I don't look forward to that."
"Oh?"
"Silth will be silth, Marika."
"What do you mean?"
"It will be the same old story. Flocks of darkships will race out there and
try to make first contact in order to lock up the benefits for their
particular sisterhoods."
"Not this time. The All has decreed the impossibility. In order to reach these
aliens one has to cross a desert of stars. There is no silth but I who has the
strength to manage that crossing. The bath who accompanied me will attest to
that. And even if one such did exist, no one but me knows the way. My bath
didn't have the training to recall the sequence."
Bagnel appeared doubtful.
"Believe me. Call it chance or the will of the All. The alien's whereabouts is
my secret. If the sisterhoods wish to participate in whatever comes of the
contact, they had better try hard to keep me alive. You might let that drop
occasionally, especially in your reports, just so the fact isn't overlooked or
forgotten."
"Of course." He seemed amused. "You will play your games with the whole race,
won't you?"
"With the most seniors, yes. There are times when I enjoy manipulating them.
But don't you ever tell anyone I said that."
"I don't need to. They know already. Are you going there again? To that alien
world?"
"Of course. But not right away. I'll let you know when. One thing I'll need
from you is some simple messages prepared in their language."
"Why don't I go with you?"
"Who's getting bitten by the adventure bug at this stage in his life?"
Bagnel pretended to look around. "Who are you talking to?"
"Nobody here but me and thee, old-timer. Of course you can go. I hoped you
would ask because I did not want to conscript you. It will be our grandest
flight ever. Something they can write epics about."
"Epics are for silth. I don't care about epics. I want to see these aliens. I
want to smell and touch them."
"You'd better find us some way to communicate."
"On the most basic level that may prove easier than you imagine. Assuming you
can transport the equipment. Dare you trade bath for equipment?"
"Not really. The desert of stars is too wide."
Page 116
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"Suppose you spied out an alternate and easier route?"
"No. I won't do that. If only one is believed to exist, and that only within
the confines of my mind, then my hold remains firm. Should it ever become
necessary to transport large masses of equipment we'll have the Redoriad loan
us High Night Rider."
"That would not make them happy."
"They haven't been happy with me for years. That doesn't concern me. They have
earned their unhappiness. You will have to excuse me. I must go see Grauel and
Barlog and smooth their ruffled fur. They are extremely displeased because I
left them behind and they missed out on a memorable mission. Though they would
have been just as displeased had I insisted they fly off with me on one of my
mad exploratory jaunts. With those two I can't win."
"You should... "
"Don't even suggest it. They are my pack. Damn it, Bagnel, they are as good as
my dams. I have known no other since before I first met you."
"Go. I will not pretend I understand the relationship between you three."
"We don't either. But it keeps us alive."
III
A year passed before Marika dared take the time to visit the alien world
again.
Her discovery had excited the sisterhoods into a scramble. Till it waned she
stood fast, guarding the treasure already in paw. She shook her head often
that year, unable to believe grown silth could behave so, that they would so
stubbornly cling to old values and ways in the face of a screaming need to
adapt to altered realities.
Bagnel did not believe her when she informed him that she was ready for the
trip. "I will pack my things when I see you step into the airlock."
"This is the real thing this time." There had been false alarms before, times
when she had changed her mind at the last minute. "There are no schemes afoot,
here or on the homeworld." Though it was difficult to manage from so far away,
she had kept her small group of dedicated antirogue silth operating and had
used them to acquire intelligence about other plots as well. "I am going this
time."
He awarded her a doubtful look.
"Really," she said. "It's under control. Grauel and Barlog can hold it down
here. Everyone is preoccupied elsewhere. Do I have to make the trip without
you?"
"You jest. Try it. You will find your darkship on a tether with me reeling it
in."
Adding Bagnel and the equipment he needed made the journey much more
difficult. Marika stretched herself farther than ever before-and was surprised
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]