The Space Between

by Scott J Robinson

  The uniformed men about him shouted at the crowd. Sha Yukima held up his hand to try to forestall further action. But it was all to no avail. Within moments, the whole group was dripping with the remains of fruit and vegetables as they moved forward at the donkeys' slow, steady pace.

  Eventually, the wagon stopped in front of a squat, stone building that was so large it had two cone roofs. A mass of clamoring humans pushed in from every side, shouting abuse and threats. As Tuki gingerly hopped to the ground, they surged forward. Keyman Kuwisa and his patrol held them back, but Tuki wasn't sure if they were protecting him, or themselves.

  The Keyman cleared a path so they could reach the entrance of the building.

  Inside was another crowd. This one was quite a bit smaller, but it seemed almost as loud. They finally fell silent when they realized Tuki and his escort had arrived. Within moments only the noise of the crowd outside could be heard.

  Sha Yukima cleared his throat and spoke. "This young man is Tuki. He has agreed to stay here until we can work out what we are going to do."

  Tuki touched at his lip to be sure that it was not still bleeding, then scrunched the bloodstained cloth into a ball and stood with his head bowed.

  "A troll has agreed to stay here?" The man who spoke seemed older than the others. His facial hair was mostly grey, and his hair was receding like a forest giving in to an encroaching desert.

  "I do not believe that Tuki is a troll, Nasinwa. I think he may be a moai, come from the desert to visit with us."

  "A moai?" The man named Nasinwa laughed and Tuki noticed others hurrying to join in. "The moai are from children's stories, Sha Yukima. You don't expect us to believe in them do you?"

  "Yes, I do."

  The laughter stopped.

  "What makes you think he is a troll?" Sha Yukima asked.

  "Well, look at the size of him," Nasinwa said.

  Yukima nodded. "I've never seen a troll that big. Have you? But I have seen many men the size of trolls. Men like you or I. Men like the one you have tending to your garden every week, Councilor. We do not stone him because he is the size of a troll, do we?"

  Tuki was stunned. Nasinwa was on some sort of council? What women would allow such a thing? Tuki was uncomfortable and wondered about his decision to place himself in the care of these men. He needed to speak with one of the women so he could tell his story. Surely the women would know of the existence of his people.

  "My gardener is obviously not a troll," Nasinwa said.

  Sha Yukima raised one eyebrow. "Why is that?"

  "You would never meet a gentler man. And he is intelligent, with knowledge of more than death and destruction, that is."

  Sha Yukima grunted and shook his head. "And Tuki here is obviously such a violent fellow. We could hardly control him on the way here. He was throwing fruit at all of those meek, intelligent humans crowding along the sides of the road. And he attacked them back in the markets."

  The Councilor sneered. "Lock him in the most secure cell, Keyman. And have him guarded at all times."

  Sha Yukima shook his head and sighed. "If you will excuse me, I'm going to get cleaned up. Perhaps you would like to join me, Tuki."

  "I said, lock him up."

  "Kuwisa and his men can watch while we cleanse ourselves and I take a moment to tend to his wounds. The bathing room is quite secure enough. I don't think Tuki will fit through the window."

  The Councilor shook his head but relented a moment later with small grace. "Very well. Just don't be all day about it."

  "Thank you, Councilor Nasinwa," Tuki said with a slight bow of his head. "Thank you, Sha."

  He ducked through a door behind the priest and followed him to a small room with a washtub. The tub was filled to overflowing with clear water.

  "All this water," Tuki said, still standing in the doorway. But in the lands of man, water fell from the sky; he shouldn't have been surprised. "It is strange that Poti led me here."

  "Why is that?"

  "Well, you are so different from the moai. It is a surprise that we even speak the same language. How are we to tell each other anything at all?"

  "And if we were the same, would it be worth saying anything?" Sha Yukima washed his hands and splashed water over his face, letting precious drops fall to the floor. "I can speak to my neighbor any day, Tuki."

  "Perhaps, but do you?"

  The priest finished washing in silence. The rumble of the crowd could still be heard out the window.

  Tuki hoped he had not offended.

  When Yukima stepped aside, Tuki stepped forward reverently, to take his turn at the trough.

  A few minutes later Tuki smiled like a go'gan after his first Seeing. He was totally unconcerned about the water he was wasting, splashing it onto his face, watching as it ran along the joins in the floor tiles, flicking it from his fingers and examining the patterns it created on the walls. He tried to wash his robe and met with some success. He also filled his water bottle.

  Tuki smiled at Sha Yukima a few minutes later, watching him bring forth a small sack filled with salves and ointments and elixirs.

  The old man spoke while he started to work. "So how, exactly, did the Mother Blower lead you here?"

  Tuki was caught in a moment of indecision. Three of Keyman Kuwisa's men were crowded about the door, shifting nervously from foot to foot. Should they, mere men, be allowed to see the skyglass? Should Sha Yukima really be allowed to see it, religious man though he apparently was? But there were no women present, and he needed help in this strange world.

  "I will show you." Tuki said. He pulled the skyglass out of the pouch and held it up for the other man to see. The world of Kiva was shown in great detail. "See the blue dot? That is us."

  "That is our world? Amazing. I have seen globes before but not like that. And we are the blue dot, you say?"

  "Yes."

  "And who painted the blue dot on there? Was it the Goddess?"

  "It must be. The blue dot follows the skyglass everywhere."

  "The dot moves?"

  "Yes, I came from down here, and the dot followed me. And you see the yellow dots?" There were still five in the air above the blue dot. Others were still spaced randomly around the part of the world the 'glass showed.

  "Of course."

  "Well, I followed one of them here."

  "What do they represent?"

  "Meteors," Tuki said.

  "Pardon?"

  "A shooting star."

  "Yes. Yes, there was a shooting star a couple of days past, right above the city. But do shooting stars normally," He wiggled his fingers towards the yellow dot, "do they normally stop like that?"

  "I am sorry, I do not know. Perhaps they are up in the sky all the time but we cannot see them unless they are moving. The mo'min would know for sure."

  "Perhaps, but that seems awfully strange. And the shooting star from the other day was so much brighter than any I have ever seen. I almost felt that I could reach out and touch it."

  "I know. When I first saw, it I was very surprised." Tuki fell silent as more shooting stars appeared in the globe. Then more still. Soon, there were a dozen yellow dots right above Payota and dozens more all around the world.

  "What's happening?"

  "I do not know." They watched silently. After a little while, Tuki started to count the yellow spots. Occasionally he looked out the window but could see nothing other than a narrow strip of sky. He reached seventy-five when, outside, the noise of the crowd suddenly died away. He kept counting. One hundred and twenty comets in all.

  The noise of the crowd burst forth once more. This time the people were screaming.

  17: Other Gods

  Tuki rushed to the window so he might see better. Sha Yukima climbed up onto a bench so he could look as well. The guards stayed in position by the door but shifted from side to side in an effort to catch a glimpse. Outside, the crowd was scattering. Tuki had never seen anything like it. Nobody had any thought for anyone else. They pushe
d and shoved and cursed.

  Great black bats circled in the sky. Tuki did not have to watch to know what happened next. This was not his vision from the desert, he knew, but the bats were the same and they were sure to have the same fiery eggs.

  "We must go, Sha Yukima."

  "What? Why? You are safest in here."

  "We must hurry." But where would they go? Tuki did not know what to do. Even as he urged the priest to hurry, he stayed where he was and turned his gaze back to stare up to the sky. "Where can we hide from the fire?" he asked of himself.

  "What fire?"

  "The bats, Sha. They will drop eggs of fire onto the city."

  "Eggs of fire? What are you talking about?"

  "Poti showed me, Sha. Fire."

  "Fire? She showed you in the skyglass?"

  Tuki thought of telling the truth, 'No, she told me in a bottle,' but decided that an admission like that could cause problems. He said nothing.

  "Well quickly then, come with me."

  Tuki was aware of the priest hurrying from the room, but he could not take his eyes away from the bats above. The first of them were coming straight for him now, gliding down the side of the hills.

  He felt a tug on his arm and looked down to see the priest back by his side.

  "If there is fire, we must go."

  "Yes," Tuki allowed himself to be led from the room. He followed Sha Yukima, glancing over his shoulder as the soldiers came along behind. Back in the room where the officials were gathered, Tuki stepped amidst a sea of angry faces.

  "What is going on?" one of them shouted when he saw Tuki. "Did the troll lead these giant bats to us?"

  Tuki would have stopped to explain to the man, but the little priest still had hold of his arm and did not slow down. The soldiers were behind him with their big knives. Yukima turned a corner and went out through the room's third door. Tuki ducked through behind him with the officials at his heels.

  "What is going on, Yukima?"

  "Where are you taking the troll?"

  "I am not a troll."

  "Make him stop the bats."

  "Shut up you fool."

  At the end of the hall, Sha Yukima, now at the head of a long line, pushed open a large stone door and ushered Tuki through. "If the rest of you are coming in here," he said, "then you will have to shut up."

  Everyone fell silent for a moment. Tuki went carefully down some stairs and waited in darkness.

  "This is not your church, Yukima. This is a building belonging to the Council."

  "And how long do you think the Council would last without the support of the Church of Anas? Thank you. Now everyone stay calm, and Keyman, please shut the door before you leave. Tuki seems to think there will be fire."

  "I will be staying with the Councilors, Sha," Kuwisa said.

  "The Priman will need all the men he can get to protect the city, Keyman".

  "Then I will stay here with two men and send the rest to the barracks," Kuwisa replied. "The Council is too important to leave unprotected in the company of a troll."

  It looked as if the Sha would say something else, but outside a thunderous sound ripped through the continuing sounds of panicked people.

  Someone shouted: "Fire!"

  Tuki watched as people started to rush down the stairs towards him. The little bit of light that had been coming from the floor above was blocked by their progress. He felt somebody brush past him. He flinched, fearing more pain. But whoever it was must have known the location of flint and a torch, for moments later light sprang into being.

  The room was long and low. Luckily Tuki had not straightened his back, for his head almost brushed the ceiling in his stooped position. Wooden boxes lined two walls, running from either side of the door all the way to the back of the room. Stone columns stood like sentinels along the way, forming deep shadows in the flickering torchlight.

  "If he did not bring the bats, how does he know about the fire, Sha?" Nasinwa asked.

  "His Goddess showed him."

  "His Goddess?" Kuwisa said. "You mean he has gods other than Anas?"

  "I believe so."

  "And you believe in these gods?" Councilor Nasinwa asked, a smile touching the corners of his mouth.

  "It is a Goddess. And I don't see that I have any choice, Councilor. I have seen proof of Her power with my own eyes."

  "And where did you see this?"

  "Tuki has a crystal ball."

  "A crystal ball? Like some hedge witch telling futures?" The Councilor marched over to Tuki who still held the skyglass in his hand. "Let me see this ball. Here, give it to me."

  Tuki was reluctant to hand it over. He took a step away from the human who stood with his arm out stretched. "I cannot, go'shin. The Goddess gave it to me, and it cannot be given to another." He could see the look of veiled threat in the other man's eyes, and it scared him.

  "You think I will break your sacred ball? Of course I won't. I just want a look."

  Tuki examined the skyglass, turning it over in his large, rough hand. The Mother Blower had said nothing to him about the 'glass and who should hold it and who should not. Truth be told, She had not told him he could touch it himself. Councilor Nasinwa was a man of standing, as much as any man could be.

  Tuki held the 'glass out hesitantly, and the other man took it with a sudden show of disinterest. Nasinwa weighed it in his hand, as if wondering if he should toss it away. He flinched when the image of Kiva started to fade.

  With an uncertain look, Nasinwa quickly gave the skyglass to the Keyman. "Have a look at that," he said. "Talk to Sha Yukima if you have to," he glanced at Tuki, "just don't give it back to him."

  "But —"

  Nasinwa interrupted Tuki. "You'll get it back when I'm sure."

  "Sure of what?" Tuki asked boldly.

  The Councilor glared.

  "That is not fair, Nasinwa," Sha Yukima said. "You would steal from a young man come to visit our city?"

  "I would, if I thought that young man was a danger."

  "If he was a danger we'd all be dead by now. If he didn't care, we'd all have been killed because we'd be up above."

  "Kuwisa will keep the crystal ball until I say otherwise."

  Tuki examined the Keyman and his long, curved knife. He did not think that a blade such as that would be used for peeling tubers. The other man did not look like he wanted the skyglass, given the way he held it out before him on the tips of his fingers, but he was not about to hand it back either. Tuki was sure he could not take it. Seeing there were only three soldiers remaining, he wondered if one of the much-feared trolls would have hesitated.

  Councilor Nasinwa continued. "What is in those sacks at his waist?"

  "This one is for holding the skyglass," Tuki said, indicating the empty sack. "The other holds inks and needles for tattooing, and my water bottle."

  "You can keep those. We will keep the ball for a while."

  Sighing, Tuki moved away to sit in the semidarkness with his back against the wall at the far end of the room. Sha Yukima flipped open the lid of one of the boxes and rummaged inside. After a moment he sat on the floor as well.

  "You were hungry?"

  "Yes."

  "Have this." The priest handed him a long red strip that was tough and salty. It was like nothing Tuki had ever tasted.

  "What is it Sha?"

  "Salted pork."

  "Pork? What is pork?"

  "Pig. Pork is swine."

  Tuki stopped chewing, his eyes widening in horror. After long moments in which he examined the priest to see if he was joking, he spat the food out onto the floor. He spat and spat and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. Fumbling for his water bottle he raised his eyes to the heavens in prayer, but the heavens were not there. Above him was only rock. No stars, no sky, and no chance of quickly getting to a place where he could see either. As he drank he cast his glance to the far end of the room. The Keyman was examining the skyglass, but it was dull and lifeless in his hand. He had no use fo
r it, could do nothing with it, and Tuki needed it desperately. He spat some more and looked at the cracked stone ceiling. Prayers tumbled from his lips.

  "What is it, Tuki?"

  Conscious of being polite, as always, Tuki paused for a moment to answer. "I ate a living creature. I cannot eat a living creature."

  He started to pray again. When he married Keala he would get her to draw some stars or the sun somewhere on his skin so he could always see it. The taste would not leave his mouth.

  "It was not alive. It was long dead, Tuki."

  Tuki swallowed and drew in a deep breath. "Once alive, always alive, Sha. Do your gods not teach this?"

  "Our gods say that the physical self dies and the spiritual self goes on to another existence. The bodies of the dead are just husks." The priest climbed quickly to his feet and went to search through another box. He returned a short time later with something that was quite obviously a vegetable. "An apple. It has no soul."

  Tuki took a bite of the apple. The cool juices cleansed his mouth like the prayers and the water had not been able.

  "What does your Goddess tell you of the body, lad?"

  "Poti says that the spirit remains in the body until the body is no more," Tuki replied, dribbling juices down his chin. "And when the body is gone, returned to the world from whence it came, then the spirit is set free to join the stars in the heavens."

  "A strange thought."

  "No stranger than the teachings of your gods. How can a spirit not be attached to the body in every hair and organ and muscle?" He wondered where the thoughts had come from. Should he compare gods with Sha Yukima? The priest was obviously an intelligent man, far smarter than Tuki, so would he believe in gods that didn't exist? Did all the gods live side by side? Or were some people fooled into believing in false gods? And if false gods existed, who was to say which were false and which were real?

  Tuki continued to chew on his apple. It was a wonderful fruit, juicy and crisp and clean. He prayed silently and thought about the existence of the gods.