Part 72 (1/2)

'You are no longer on Aachan.'

'The construct was taken from an Aachim city.'

'Their laws are not yours.'

'Nor yours!'

'Then the only way owners.h.i.+p can be resolved is by Malien, Matah of Tirthrax, who befriended Tiaan in Tirthrax and no doubt helped her to make it.'

Vithis was shocked. 'Tirthrax was empty! No one answered the sentinels.'

'Malien was preparing to go to the Well.'

'Malien has not come forward,' snapped Vithis. 'If she exists! I am within my rights to seize the flying construct.'

Tirior sprang up, but an aide spoke in her ear and she sat down again.

'I would not advise it.' Flydd was a small figure before the tall Aachim, but no less formidable. 'We do not wish to take you on, but you have come to our world uninvited, and not in friends.h.i.+p.'

'Our own world was lost,' said Vithis. 'We had no choice.'

'Granted, but you come armed for war.'

'Who would not? The void is no place for the defenceless.'

'You turn away our emissaries, or treat them with contempt. You rove where you will, deferring to no authority but your own. These are not the actions of a peace-loving people. I would know what your intentions are.'

'Survival!' snapped Vithis.

'By which you mean a piece of Santhenar,' growled Flydd. 'If that is your aim, do me the courtesy of stating it plainly.'

Vithis stood up. 'I will do what '

Tirior stepped in front of him and when he tried to get by she hissed something that made him leap backwards. 'Scrutator Flydd, be a.s.sured that we come in peace and friends.h.i.+p, and that we acknowledge our kins.h.i.+p with old humankind. You have suffered much in your war with the lyrinx, but we have suffered more! Since the Forbidding was broken, two hundred of your years ago, we have seen Aachan torn apart beneath our feet. Nine-tenths of our people are dead. Everything we created in the ten thousand years of our Histories has been lost, save what you see before you. You have Santhenar. We have nothing. And who brought this calamity upon Aachan?'

'The forces of nature, before which the greatest of us are humbled.'

'The Forbidding was broken on Santhenar,' Tirior said forcefully. 'That breaking caused the loss of our world. Santhenar destroyed Aachan. Now Santhenar must provide for its homeless. You owe us a world, Scrutator Flydd ...' She met his eye. 'But we will be satisfied with half.'

For a moment, even Flydd was silent. Irisis, sitting next to him, could not believe their arrogance. Did they truly believe humanity would give Santhenar away, or were they so strong that they could take it? She did not think so, else this debate would not be taking place at all. It had to be a bluff.

'The troubles of all the worlds began with the Golden Flute,' said Flydd, 'as you well know. And that was made on Aachan, with Aachim aid. Tensor himself laboured in its forging.'

'The troubles began when the flute was stolen and brought to Santhenar. By Shuthdar Shuthdar, one of your own. And Shuthdar created the Forbidding in the first place.'

'Not as I understand the Histories,' said Flydd. 'But we can debate those times until the equator freezes over and we will be no closer to the truth. We were prepared to make you an offer of land, in friends.h.i.+p and acknowledgement of your loss. But we are not to blame for it and we will never submit to demands. We will fight '

'What offer?' said Vithis, moving out from behind. 'You are late in making one.'

'As are you in putting your true intentions. We were prepared to offer you the land of Carendor, on the eastern side of the Dry Sea.'

'You dare insult us with a desert?' cried Vithis in a rage. 'By '

'Carendor is an arid land, it is true,' said Flydd, 'yet the fertile valley of the great River Truno runs all the way through it, while the springs and seeps on the slope of the Dry Sea are enough to water a garden a hundred leagues long. Before the war Carendor supported a million people. Its numbers are less now, but even to give that land to you, more than your number must be displaced.'

'Carendor is too hot, dry and barren. We will take nothing less than all that lies south of the fortieth parallel. One half of your lands. That is our price. And the flying construct, of course.'

'Precisely what do you offer in return?' said Flydd.

'Our aid in your coming battle at Snizort. Plus Treacherous Tiaan, and Cryl-Nish Hlar the Rogue.'

'And that is all? I am hard pressed to see any difference between you and the lyrinx, save that they are honest foes.'

The Aachim stiffened as if they had been given a mortal insult. 'You challenge our honesty?' cried Vithis. 'd.a.m.n you. The offer is withdrawn. You will regret this insult, scrutator.'

For a moment Flydd did not know what to say, but he was not going to back down. 'You did not deal honestly with Tiaan,' he said mildly. 'Why should you treat us any differently?'

'You will regret impugning our good name, scrutator.'

'I'll make sure you regret it more. You are a little little force in an unknown land and your supplies are running low. Every man is your enemy; every woman; every child. Even if we took five casualties for every one of yours, you would suffer the greater injury.' force in an unknown land and your supplies are running low. Every man is your enemy; every woman; every child. Even if we took five casualties for every one of yours, you would suffer the greater injury.'

'You reveal yourself,' said Vithis furiously, and now Tirior and Luxor were solidly behind him. 'Your real plan is to eradicate the Aachim and no threat could spur us to greater efforts. We will fight bitterly for our survival, scrutator!'

'I merely point out what is obvious. May I have Artificer Cryl-Nish Hlar?'

'You may not. Begone, Scrutator Flydd, or you will see what our little force can do.'

FIFTY-EIGHT.

Irisis was an early riser, normally up long before the scrutator. On going out Fyn-Mah's front door at sunrise a few days later, she was surprised to see Flydd in his chair, staring at a message sheet.

'You look horrible,' she said cheerfully. 'Should have stayed in bed.'

'I haven't been to bed yet.' He did not look up.

'Something else the matter?'

'Ha!' he said savagely.

'What is it?' He was like a barnacle in the mornings.

'Eiryn Muss can't find any way into Snizort. Therefore, I can't carry out my orders to destroy this strange node-drainer.'

'What about a ma.s.sed attack?'

'As soon as we begin, they would simply drain the field, stopping the clankers dead. I don't dare.'