Part 15 (2/2)

His voice was even and mild. Almost neutral, in fact, I am sorry, love.' He flexed a bicep. I still love you, of course, but I don't see why we should both be made to suffer for this unfortunate setback. I'll wait for you.' Then, after a thoughtful pause. I do hope this doesn't complicate our relations.h.i.+p.'

Teleen's answer was unprintable.

'Teh! Such language. And after all those expensive schools, too. Yes, I am certain you will be placed in the section most suitable to your att.i.tude, child. I see no reason why you shouldn't take the opportunity to add to your education at the same time as we are about improving your disposition.'

She waved a hand negligently and the girl was dragged spitting and squealing from the room.

'Remember now, dear. I am depending on you to show your hosts the true Nuaman spirit! Come back to us in one piece, won't you?' She shook her head mournfully after the closing doors had cut off the sound of the girl's fading shrieks. 'The, I'm not sure that girl will ever be ready to take over the company reins. Everything devolved upon me, and I am old. But not that old.' She extended a hand 'Rory ... come here...'

They were half-way home and proceeding smoothly for Moth. Flinx looked up from his game of crystal solitaire, now grown childishly slimplistic. The sense of thoughts in violent conflict had grown too strong to be ignored. As it was a normal sleep s.h.i.+ft he was the only one in the lounge, and the commotion surprised him.

A rather dishevelled-looking Atha stepped into the room. She obviously hadn't expected to encounter anyone and was noticeably upset by Flinx's presence.

'Well,' she began awkwardly, simultaneously trying to adjust her clothing, 'we've, uh, almost finished our journey, Flinx. I imagine you're looking forward to getting home ... and to that credit slip Malaika's prepared for you!'

'Yes, to both. You're on your way to relieve Wolf at Control, I a.s.sume?'

'Hmmm? Oh yes, naturally!' He had to hide his amus.e.m.e.nt at the way she had pounced on the excuse.

'Yes, I've just come from making some alterations, uh, in the arrangement of the s.h.i.+p's supplies. They were becoming unwieldy. I had to... work on the problem at some length to get things right.'

'And did you?'

Her smile was broad. 'Oh, yes, Everything should now be m its proper place.' She disappeared forward.

A short while later a much more dishevelled Sissiph, clothes and self in nearly equal disarray staggered into the lounge. The expression on her face was murderous, interrupted only when she grimaced at a particularly painful bruise. She spared him one unfocused glance before weaving off in the direction of the big cabin she shared with Malaika.

Apparently then, everyone had profited from the expedition, with the exception of an attractive and furious minority of one. He sighed and returned to his game, its attraction dimmed. There were many things to do, and he wasn't sure how to go about doing them. Lf he couldn't have any fun ... Malaika, lie knew, was preparing great things for him. He could not see himself in the role the merchant had envisioned for him. Dressing up for gala conferences, withering compet.i.tors with his astonis.h.i.+ng insight.

Perhaps a compromise might be arranged. But that might mean leaving the markets, and his friends there.

Mother Mastiff would probably have no trouble adapting to such a life. He grinned. Could High Society survive her? More seriously, how would he adapt? With everyone these days convinced of his own righteousness and secure in the knowledge that 'his was the proper way of doing things.'

He'd also seen what un-nice people could do to the nice, enough to want to modify the situation. Out there were minds which would resist such efforts. And who was he, to arbitrate the lives of others? Did he want to play G.o.d? He didn't think so. Besides he was only ... well, he was almost seventeen, wasn't he? He had talent, and one innocent man and two probably guilty ones had died because he hadn't used it properly. ”Now he had Power, and who knew how many had died in s.p.a.ce because of it? Power.

f.a.gh! He wasn't one tenth the Man Tse-Mallory was! He'd need. Men like that to help him or he'd likely make some horrendous mistakes. Now they might prove deadly. Could be handle what he was now?

Did he want to?

Still, the whole universe was out there and it seemed a shame not to take a look at it.

Now that he could see,

Commonwealth Chronology (NOTE: Where ”c” is used, the date given is approximate.)

1 billion B.C.

The Xunca are at their height. They discover something connected with the Great Emptiness and begin setting up their transmitter network.

400 mill B.C.

The Xunca create the Groalamason Ocean on Horseye and modify the or- bits of the planet's moons. They set up a transmitting station in the polar ice cap. A minor relay station is set up on Terra, but is destroyed by con-tinental drift. A Mutable is stationed on every planet set up with a compo-nent of the system.

950,000 Hur'rikku begin to explore from the Galactic Center.

501,000 The Vom arrives on the last world it will devour. It has destroyed all life on about a thousand worlds.

500,000 The Tar-Aiym Empire is at its height. The Vom, contacted by the Tar-Aiym, panics and destroys the investigating fleet. The Tar-Aiym send a robot fleet to contain the Vom. Peot becomes the Guardian and is placed in orbit around the Vom's planet.

499,000 Tar-Aiym contact the Hur'rikku; war is begun.

480,000 After enduring several attempts to be forced into the Tar Aiym Empire, the Hur'rikku threaten to use their anti-collapsar weapon on Tar-Aiym worlds.

The Tar-Aiym begin intensive weap-ons research. The Krang is built on Booster. The fleet guarding the Vom is called away to help in the war with the Hur'rikku, leaving only a few s.h.i.+ps and the Guardian.

479,000 ”Living” photonic storm, released by the Tar-Aiym as a plague, decimates all intelligent life in the area, includ-ing the Tar-Aiym and Hur'rikku. A dying race on the edge of the plague area broadcasts a warning, so an in- formal quarantine is created. This area becomes the Blight.

97,000 Alaspinian civilization is at its height. Alaspinians explore more s.p.a.ce than that contained by the Commonwealth, but don't establish settlements 75,000 Alaspinians die out, possibly by racial suicide.

27,000 Most recent warm cycle begins on Tran-ky-ky.

17,000 Warm cycle ends and present cold cy-cle begins on Tran-ky-ky.

10,950 Tunnelling begins on Ulru-Ujurr.

c8000 Thranx civilization is born on Hivehom. The ”Eternal City” of Daret is founded.

c6000 The last wars are fought on Hivehom.

c5700 Human civilization is born on Terra.

c2000 The Priory of the Brotherhood ”Evonin-taban” on Tran-ky-ky is es-tablished.

A. D. (Anno Domini), Christian religion calendar change occurs on Terra.

c500 Temple of Moraung Motau is founded on Horseye.

c1800 Thranx achieve s.p.a.ce travel.

c1900 Thranx discover posigravity drive.

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