Part 59 (1/2)

'Only barbarians could be indifferent to our suffering.'

Nish expected an explosion but it did not come. The Aachim was looking at him thoughtfully. Maybe his defiance had earned a grudging respect.

'Your suffering is insignificant compared to our own. We have lost a world; Minis and I have lost our entire clan all twenty thousand of First Clan.'

'Why is it called First Clan?'

'Because civilisation was founded on our hearthstone. We built the first city on Aachan. We invented writing, and the wheel, and were the first to discover the Art. We lifted the other clans up from the dirt.'

Nish wondered if the other clans would agree, and how intense their rivalry really was. Perhaps humanity could make use of that.

'What about Clan Elienor? I've heard that they too have a n.o.ble history.'

'I have nothing to say of Elienor. They are not of the Eleven Clans. Some of us doubt that they are true Aachim at all.'

'Minis also lost his clan, yet he can still find room in his heart to care about humanity.'

'All Minis wants is to serve his father and do his duty to clan and kind. No Aachim could desire anything else.'

Nish shrugged, trying to seem indifferent. 'Of course you're right. What do I care?'

The Aachim's fingers went down on Nish's shoulders, as hard as iron claws. 'What did my son ask of you?'

'He felt,' said Nish, 'after I had told him my tale, that if anyone could find the flying construct it would be me. Because I know Tiaan well, and because I am courageous and resourceful.'

'I would have said incompetent yet boastful! What did he plan to do with the flier once he had it?'

'Give it to his foster-father, of course.'

The fingers relaxed. 'Minis is a dutiful son. I don't know enough about you, Cryl-Nish Hlar, though I have made many enquiries. Sit down. Be at ease.' He signalled to the construct and a man came forth carrying a cloth and a basket.

Nish sat in the shade of a spreading tree and his racing heart slowly steadied. Perhaps Vithis did not mean to harm him after all. Vithis questioned him on every detail of the past months and the dark eyes never left his face. Nish felt as though the man was was reading him. reading him.

Nish answered truthfully, though not with the same candour as to Mira. Poor, sad Mira. He could not shake that night from his mind. He could not blame her either.

'Hmn,' the Aachim said at the end. 'A fine set of answers! And even if half of them are true, there is something about you, and it agrees with what others have told me. You are resourceful and have a certain rodent-like cunning. I think I will use you after all.'

The word 'use' had an unpleasant ring to it. 'What for?' Nish's voice squeaked as he spoke.

Vithis gave him an amused glance. 'I'm going to take you with me.'

'As what?' said Nish. 'A tame human?'

'I concede to Minis's judgment. You know Tiaan better than we ever could. You will help him search for her and the flying construct. Go up.'

Nish climbed the side of the construct, marvelling at the workmans.h.i.+p, so superior to anything he had seen in the manufactory. The unpainted skin of black metal was polished to such a brilliant s.h.i.+ne that he could see his face in it. Such elegant curves could never have been shaped in the manufactory. The joins could hardly be seen.

Vithis handed him inside. Nish recognised a kind of controller lever, though nothing like the ones the clankers used. On the binnacle, gla.s.s plates glowed and coloured patterns flowed across them. He wondered if they were projections of the field.

'Go down,' said Vithis.

Nish descended the ladder, finding at the bottom an open s.p.a.ce shaped like the inside of an egg. Benched seats might have accommodated as many as ten occupants, crammed together, though at present the s.p.a.ce was empty.

The gentle hum that had been in the background all the time swelled to a whine and the construct accelerated smoothly. Nish sat on one of the benches and closed his eyes. He had survived yet again. Someone must be looking out for him. He did not even have the strength to admire.

He woke having no idea where he had been taken, or what time it was. The construct was stationary, silent. Nish climbed the ladder. Vithis was not at the controller and the hatch was open. The construct rested on the ground in the middle of a copse. Beyond, through the trees, Nish made out a glade in whose centre stood a circular wall of cut stone, tapering toward its broken top the simplest of towers.

He approached it. The tower must have been very old, since a tree had grown inside it. Its slit entrance had once been blocked with slabs of stone, now scattered on the ground. Nish edged in through the slit. A concentric inner wall followed the outer, inside which was a s.p.a.ce a few long strides across, living quarters for the family that had once dwelt here. The trunk of the tree occupied a good fifth of that s.p.a.ce, so the structure must have been abandoned for centuries.

Nish climbed the broken inside wall, which formed a series of steps. Peering over the top, he tried to imagine himself here when it was new, looking out in fear for the coming of marauders. Protecting his family.

He could not see much; the forest was too dense. But there might not have been forest here in ancient times. He looked the other way. Vithis and another Aachim stood behind a screen of bushes, as if watching for someone.

Nish became aware that Minis was standing in the clearing, but he had not seen him arrive. Minis crept around the tower. Nish pulled his head low. A dark-haired figure emerged and his heart skipped a beat, thinking it was Tiaan. It was not; the woman's hair was curly and she was smaller, more stocky. She vanished in the dappled shade, appearing on the other side of the clearing next to Minis.

He spoke rapidly to her. Nish did not catch any of it. The woman handed Minis a small packet, Minis dropped something into her hand, then she fleeted across the clearing and vanished.

Vithis came charging out of the bushes. His guard went the other way but neither managed to catch the flying figure. Minis did not move; his young face showed dismay.

'What are you doing here?' Vithis plucked the packet from Minis's unresisting hand.

Minis made no reply. Vithis ripped open the packet, which contained some papers. He read them, tore them to shreds and scattered them on the ground.

'Worthless rubbis.h.!.+ You'll never find it that way.'

'What are you talking about, foster-father?'

'I know what you're up to. Come down!' He looked up, directly at the stone behind which Nish was hidden.

How had he known? Nish climbed down, and when he appeared around the side of the tower, Minis paled.

'What ...?' he said.

'I know everything, foster-son,' said Vithis, and embraced him, to Minis's surprise. 'You are a dutiful son, Minis. Your loyalty means everything to me; we have only each other. But why did you not tell me what you were planning?'

Minis, clearly, was wondering what his foster-father knew and how much he could safely say. Nish came to his rescue.

'He did not want to raise false hopes. Minis knows it will be difficult to find the flying construct, even with my help.'

Vithis whirled. 'I didn't ask you! Don't speak unless you are spoken to.

'You should have told me, foster-son,' he continued. 'I could have helped you. It fills me with terror to think of you going out, alone. Were this man an enemy, just a single thrust of his knife and Inthis First Clan would be no more.'

'I was not alone, foster-father. I had my personal guard, and Tyara and Vunio too.'

'They are just children!'

'And so must I remain, foster foster-father, unless you let me go. You're suffocating me.'

'I'm doing what I must to ensure the survival of our clan. I am sterile you know that. It's up to you, Minis. Take one of the partners I have chosen for you. Father children for our clan and for me!'