Part 35 (1/2)

AIKEN: Well? I'm ready. Say the word, and I'll come.

ELIZABETH: To Black Crag-?

AIKEN: Unless you've learned to deep-redact at distance. The ATV train leaves Calamosk within the hour. It'll take us less than two days to reach the Amalizan cutoff where we rendezvous with Bleyn and split off the Alpine expedition.

Black Crag is only eight kloms from there as the golden falcon flies. I think I can just about make it. Say-on the evening of September fifth.

ELIZABETH: Aiken ... I'm expecting Marc to return here. It wouldn't be safe for you to come. Not even with the sigma.

He mustn't ... I don't dare ...

AIKEN: [Anger + fear.] Maybe you think I'm joking about my mental state! Well, I'm not. During the day when I'm busy it's not so bad. But every night they get bigger, more out of control. They're doing it that way so that last joke will be on me. I won't just die, I'll die ridiculous!

ELIZABETH: I don't understand. You say you're experiencing hallucinations now along with the metapsychic weakening and the pain?

AIKEN: It's not a delusion! It's real [image] real grotesque I'm so ashamed it can't be happening [image] not to Me and Mine they're dead there's no way they can be doing it [image] making me swell and burn and drain away again [image] and again [image] not real or real it doesn't matter because it's ruining me Me me ELIZABETH HELP ME!!

[Supremely obscene montage abruptly cut off.] ELIZABETH: Yes. Of course I'll help. I'll come to you.

AIKEN: Come?

ELIZABETH: Be easy, ”dear. I'll come. Minanonn will bring me-and Dionket and Creyn as well. We'll help you.

AIKEN: Alone. Come alone. (n.o.body must know! n.o.body must know!) ELIZABETH: I'll need help, just as I did when I redacted you on the Rio Genii, after the battle with Felice. Trust me.

AIKEN: You'll really come?

ELIZABETH: Yes. Now listen to me. We'll need a secure place.

We don't want to use the sigma. The thing is a virtual beacon to a long-distance fa.r.s.ensor and Marc mustn't suspect that I'm working on you.

AIKEN: (n.o.body must know! Him above all! Humiliation! Ridicule! A jest on the jester!) ELIZABETH: There are more important reasons for secrecy. I can only help you to set up a skeletal structure for your reintegration. A mental framework for you to mount the subsumed faculties on.

AIKEN: I won't be cured ... ?

ELIZABETH: You'll be freed of distressing symptoms if the redaction succeeds, able to reestablish your metafaculties by yourself. You'll heal, just as you did after the Rio Genii. But you don't want your enemies to know your weakness.

AIKEN: (n.o.body must know the shame.) ELIZABETH: Listen. I've asked Minanonn, and he says there's a suitable place about twenty kilometres southwest of the trails junction. [Image.] It's a disused Firvulag cave, abandoned centuries ago when the Little People withdrew from southern France.

AIKEN: Yes. I see. You want to meet me there?

ELIZABETH: Try to be inside the cave before sundown on the fifth. Marc seems to do his d-jumping by night to minimize solar interference with the upsilon-field.

AIKEN: They grow at night, too. Even if I sleep under the sigma.

ELIZABETH: You'll be better soon.

AIKEN: Are you sure?

ELIZABETH: No, I'm not. What you did-the subsumptionis unprecedented. But I'm going to do my best to help you.