Part 58 (2/2)

'A place south of here, famous for its tar pits. It's in the land of Taltid.' He indicated it on a map. 'I'll go through his ledgers and see what I can discover.'

He came down shortly afterwards, finger holding a ledger open. 'Gilhaelith purchased several kinds of bituminous spirits from Snizort. He's made some notes on the place.'

She read them, though they mainly had to do with geography. An arid land, spa.r.s.ely vegetated, with tar pits and seeps all over the place.

'Oh well,' she said, feigning disinterest. 'He's lost. I'd better keep going. Could you keep watch for me?'

'No. I've done more than my duty, and I can't stay a moment longer.'

'Just for an hour. I'm nearly finished. Please.'

'Oh, very well, for my master's sake. Half an hour only.'

Nixx came running in ten minutes later, his jaw working like a nutcracker. 'Constructs, marm. Lots of them.'

She dropped her wrench, which just missed a fragile gla.s.s mechanism. Tiaan reached over to pick it up. 'How many is lots?' she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

'At least fifty.'

'Where are they?'

'Approaching the foot of the mountain.'

Fear tickled her throat. 'How long will they take to get here?'

'Couple of hours; no more.'

It was not enough; the tests weren't finished. 'You'll have to stall them, Nixx.'

'Can't do it, marm. They'll torture my family if I try. You can't ask that of me.'

'What are you going to do?'

'Run, as fast as I can.'

'Where to?'

'We have a hiding place.' He hesitated. 'An overgrown lava tunnel, way down in the forest.'

'How can I get the thapter out of here?' She should have asked that question a long time ago.

'You can't. We had to remove the window to bring it in.' He was looking increasingly jumpy.

'All right,' she said. 'Go. Save yourself. And thank you, Nixx.'

Offering her a sketchy salute, he ran up the steps. She skittered the walker across to the door and barred it, then raced back to the thapter. There was no time to replace the metal skin sections. She strapped them to the back and got on with the testing. If it did not work the first time, she was finished.

Tiaan was still doing the tests when she heard the echoing whine of constructs coming up the road. Only minutes left. She strapped her walker to the side of the thapter. Pulling herself into its seat, she pa.s.sed a strap around her, took hold of the trumpet-shaped lever, visualised the field and let the energy flow.

Nothing happened. She tried again with the same result. Had she forgotten something? Yes, the hedron was still in its socket in the walker, and the thapter needed it and the ampliment, to fly. As she climbed out to get it, the Aachim began to smash down the front door.

FORTY-NINE.

Nish felt an overwhelming urge to run, but there was nowhere to run to. The hors.e.m.e.n were already melting into the forest. There was just the clearing, Vithis and himself.

'Get down,' said Vithis. 'Send your stolen horse away. You will not be needing it again.'

Nish did so. The horse trotted off.

'Come here.' Vithis leapt to the ground.

Nish came to within an arm's reach of the intimidatingly tall Aachim, who held up his palm. He carried no cane now and the limp was gone. He seemed calmer than before.

'After your previous behaviour, you dared return to my lands?'

'These are not your lands. You're an invader.'

'Force makes them mine,' said Vithis, standing close and looking down on Nish. 'No one has dared oppose me.'

Nish was used to intimidation; his father had done that to him all his life. He had developed a technique to deal with it he imagined his father failing at what he most wanted. So, what did Vithis most desire, and fear he would never get? A homeland for his people? It gave Nish strength. 'We will will dare, should it be necessary! But we know Aachim to be human too.' dare, should it be necessary! But we know Aachim to be human too.'

'I would not have thought it from the way you behaved the other day, Marshal Hlar.'

'I am no marshal,' said Nish.

'Indeed! Your speech revealed you to be a most common common man.' man.'

'I merely reflected your own character back at you,' Nish said coldly. 'If you do not like what you hear, look into your own soul.' He was risking his life, but every word the man said was a wrongness and a goad.

Vithis seemed to grow even taller. 'I could tear you apart with my naked hands.' He held them out and the impossibly long, curving fingers could have spanned Nish's throat.

'It would only carve the bitterness deeper into your heart.'

Vithis whirled and stalked away. Why had he come? Nish had nothing of any use to him. Or was he just looking out for Minis? There were other Aachim in the thapter, and someone behind the javelard in the turret at the back, but it was pointed at the ground. This was between Vithis and him.

'Why do you seek to corrupt my foster-son?' said the Aachim from some distance.

How much did Vithis know? Maybe everything. Nish saw no point in lying, though he was not necessarily going to tell the whole truth either. 'Minis sought me out,' said Nish. 'We talked. I liked him and we both wanted the same thing.' sought me out,' said Nish. 'We talked. I liked him and we both wanted the same thing.'

'And that was?' Vithis said dangerously.

'To prevent a new war, and end this one that has been going on for generations.'

'We care nothing for your war.'

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