Part 8 (1/2)
Suddenly the vehicle lurched forward. Bane almost leaped out of his seat, but this time padded straps appeared and restrained him.
He peered out the forward gla.s.s. The terrain was coming toward him, as though he were riding a horse. ”This-this be a wagon!” he exclaimed. ”It moves by itself!”
”Yes, it is a machine, like your body, but not as intelligent as yours.”
”A machine,” he repeated, a.s.similating the concept. ”Like a golem, or an enchanted object.”
”I think your world is as alien to this one as is mine,” she said.
”My world is natural. This be the alien one.”
”With that, too, I can agree.” She glanced at him. ”Where would you travel, Bane?”
”I-I hadn't thought. I mean, I had expected to circle in the forest, seeking to intercept mine other self. But now I know not.”
”The forest remains there, for him,” she reminded him. ”I can circle if you wish.” And she guided the vehicle into a broad loop.
”No, I have other thoughts, now. I think he would not have remained in the glade. There be dangers.” He peered out again. ”The night be closing rapidly. He would seek shelter.”
”Would he know where to find it?”
That question did not ease Bane's mind. ”I fear not. He could follow the path, but it forks, and the one fork goes to the Unicorn Demesnes, while the other- Oh, I hope he took that one not!”
”Where does it go?”
”To the swamp, where there be monsters. Of course, if they took him for me they would stay clear.” He brightened. 'The clothing marks me as of the Blue De-menses.”
”Clothing?”
”Yes. We wear clothing there. So-”
”But he is of Proton,” she pointed out. ”Would he wear clothing?”
Bane's heart sank. ”Nay, I fear not. But if he followed that path naked-” He shuddered.
”If he should follow it, and wear his clothing so he was not harmed, where would he finish?” Agape asked.
”It goes to an old empty crater the ogres used. But we cleaned them out. Sometimes Fleta and I would go there to play.” He smiled privately.
”Who is Fleta? A girl-companion?”
He laughed. ”Companion, yes; girl, no. Tell me not thou'rt jealous of her, Agape!”
”I am your companion, and I am not a girl,” Agape said. ”Am I permitted to be jealous?”
He mulled that over. ”I suppose there be a parallel, after all. Fleta and I were very close, as children, though I have seen not much of her recently. Thou mayst be jealous if thou dost wish.” He smiled.
'Thank you.”
Suddenly he realized something. ”I have reverted to mine own mode of speech! I should have talked to thee- to you not thus!”
”Please, Bane, do not change your speech for me. I like it as it is. I know what it is to be in a strange society.”
”But if others realize mine origin, there could be trouble.” He was also embarra.s.sed to think that it had probably happened because he had been distracted by her voluptuous body.
”I will not tell others,” she promised.
He believed her. He had no magic here, but he had a sense about people, and he liked her. ”Then let's find mine other self.”
”Of course.”
”But let's a.s.sume he followed the correct path. That would take him to the Herd, and they would recognize him with or without clothing, and bear him home to the Blue Demesnes.”
”The herd?”
'The local unicorn herd. They be all oath-friends with Neysa, and Neysa is oath-friend to my father Stile, so none would e'er do me harm. They would believe that Mach is me, under some hostile spell, so would take him home right away.”
”And home is these blue demesnes? Where are they?”
”North of the herd demesnes. In Phaze every type of creature of any significance has its own region, called its demesnes, and so do the Adepts, the leading magicians. Of course there be a number of unicorn herds, just as there be many werewolf packs, but the important ones to us be the oath-friends.”
”Wolves too?”
”It all dates back to when my father made the Oath of Friends.h.i.+p with Neysa, so powerful it embraced all the members of the Herd and the Pack too. Because I be the child of Stile, I can safely go anywhere in those demesnes, because no unicorn or werewolf would harm me, and no lesser creature would dare to, for fear of the Herd and the Pack. So Mach will be safe.”
”If he took that path,” she said.
”He has to have taken that path!” he said vehemently. ”Otherwise-”
”Surely he took it,” she agreed.
”So we can go to the Blue Demesnes, and find hij there,” he concluded.
”And these are north of here?”
”Should be northeast of here.”
”But-”
”They be north of the Herd, but the Herd be east of the glade where we exchanged ident.i.ties. That glade coincides with Mach's room in the dome; that be why I was able to locate him there, and finally to achieve rapport with him. Since the two geographies be identical, I can find the spot here by taking the same route I would there.” He peered again into the darkening gloom. ”I hope.”
”There should be a map,” she said.
”A map?”
”A map of Proton. All planets have maps.” She touched b.u.t.tons, and a screen illuminated. Soon the map appeared.
Bane stared at it. 'That be Phaze!” he exclaimed.
”It says it is Proton,” she said. ”See, here is our city, Hardom, with our vehicle location glowing.” She pointed to the blinking spark of light on the map.