by Tony Attwood
'Or maybe it's a double sun, and the one we saw before has now set and this is its binary partner. ' said Koreli.
'Yes... What?'
Koreli laughed, looked at Vila, but kept on at a brisk pace. 'Of course there could be a million reasons why this direction is wrong. The alternative is to sit and wait for something to happen. And something might not happen. Or what happens might not be very nice. So we go for a walk. The gravity is low and the planet is small. Which means we cover the ground faster and the horizon is closer. So the building may not be that far away after all. All right?'
She had spoken quickly, and it sounded convincing. Vila continued to look glum. He tried a different tack. 'They can't just leave us here, can they? I mean, they brought us here. What's the point?'
'They didn't bring us here, Vila, we came to steal their sygnum and we know that no one else seems to have got away with the stuff. So don't be too hopeful. '
'I'm not. I'm used to adventures with Avon which turn out like this... '
Vila chattered on, making a strong effort to keep up with Koreli, consoling himself all the while that at least he now had a chance to be with her on his own, without Avon around, and without distractions. If only she wouldn't walk so fast. After fifteen minutes a form began to take shape on the horizon. After half an hour it was clearly the building they had experienced before. After an hour they reached it.
The entrance looked the same as it had from what was, according to Korell, the opposite direction. Korell walked up the stone stairway to the first door.
'You're not going through it again are you?' asked Vila, horrified. 'We can walk round. '
'I thought you didn't want to go the extra six miles? Besides the only way back to where you started is to retrace your steps. '
Vila seemed unsure. Korell put a friendly arm around him; it changed his entire outlook on life. 'Supposing this is the same planet as the ship was on before, but a different dimension? Suppose anything Vila, but take it from me the best chance we have is going back the way we came. ' And without further debate Korell walked up to the door and went through. Alone, Vila took a quick look back, found the endless grass no less enticing than it had been as he walked over it, and followed Korell through.
Vila had expected to land on grass, and he did. What he didn't expect was to find himself in a metal cage. Next door was another cage, occupied by Korell. There were other cages on either side. They were empty. There was no sign of Avon or Revenge.
Ahead was the building, looking as it had looked before. The sun, sky and grass, which made up the rest of the environment, looked much the same. 'How do you explain this one?' Vila shouted.
'With extreme difficulty, ' came the relaxed reply. 'Don't worry Vila. It could have been worse. Supposing whoever put us here lived in swamps and marshlands. '
'Well?'
'You'd have got wet feet. '
Vila, for once, was dreaming up a witty reply, when a sound from near the building made him turn away from Korell's cage. A group of people, similar in stature and clothing to the stranger who had entered the Revenge was making its way across the grass. The people came out of nowhere, talking in a curious language, half distinguishable, half not, pointing, jumping and laughing at the cages.
'Our captors, ' announced Korell. 'Don't scowl at them Vila, they might take offence. '
Vila tried his best not to show any emotions at all and sat down. The leader of the group, wearing baggy green trousers and a short-sleeved shirt, touched a control at the door of the cage and let Vila out.
'A good job you just did that, ' said Vila. 'I was about to pick the lock. '
'Without your tool kit?' asked Korell without malice. 'And where would you have gone?' she added as she herself was let free.
Vila ignored the question. 'What are they going to do now?'
'The traditional approach is to take us to a dark and rather oppressive little room and keep us locked up for several days without food or water. Then they take us one by one for a spot of torture, demanding to know how we got here, what we wanted, how many of us are there. If tradition holds true this should also be a time of national crisis for them, when they are at their most jumpy, in which case we shall immediately be accused of being enemy agents. They could of course decide to kill us at once, or maybe they'll tear you apart limb from limb and rape me, or if I am lucky sell me as a slave to the local war lord. '
Vila turned away. He decided he was going off this girl. Korell however was still smiling. She stood, hands on hips talking gently whilst watching the aliens. As if on a cue the strangers began to push and prod their captives. But just as the pushing was about to get too intense for Vila's lilting, more people arrived. These were older. Men and women with short hair and more restrained clothes. At the first sight of them the youngsters took fright, ran to the building and dived as one through the door.
'Rescue?' asked Korell.
'Or a fate worse than death, ' suggested Vila. 'Still you're right about one thing. The kids were jumpy. 'The opening words of the leader of the new group seemed, in tone at least, reassuring. Since they were spoken in an alien tongue it was only the tone that could be judged.
A hand was held out in welcome by the apparent leader, a tall man aged in Earth terms about 35, with quick blue eyes and strong arms. He spoke carefully and deliberately. His manner was friendly, but cautious. Koreli had a distinct feeling that although not armed he could pose a threat at any moment if he so wished.
Seeing his words were not understood the man rapidly switched to Terran, which he spoke with a perfect, if somewhat archaic accent. 'I must apologise for the behaviour of our young friends. They are used to playing with androids, rather than real people. Allow me to escort you back to your ship - it is unfair on our children to stand talking in their area. And you must forgive our not recognising your esteemed selves. We assumed, because of your problems with the museum, that you could not be of the Federation. Now I see by your language you are. Many come and try to steal a quick use of our secrets and the glorious Federation has taught us eternal vigilance.
'We shall have to make a report, ' announced Koreli, putting an arm around Vila in the hope of distracting him from the conversation. 'As we walk back, perhaps you will explain what has been going on? I shall not report everything of course, you can rely on my discretion, but it would be better to give me the full picture. '
'No death rays, no torture, ' said Vila.
'You are most gracious madam, ' said the man, ignoring the thief. Yet just as the explanation was about to commence he suddenly stopped walking and held his hand to his heart. There was a brief look of anguish on his face. The attack, if that's what it was, passed rapidly; the man resumed at his previous pace as if nothing had happened.
'You have a splendid imagination, ' he said. 'You must be Vila. '
'My fame has spread far and wide, ' the thief replied pompously.
'Everyone knows of Blake and his team. If the young people had known with whom they were playing they would have shown more respect I can assure you, although it might have shattered their illusions somewhat to find that the heroes of their story books could be captured so easily. '
'And a good job it was that they let us out at that moment. There could have been trouble. '
Koreli interrupted Vila. 'I would rather hear from our hosts about this planet and its inhabitants, ' she said, 'than a series of boasts from you about what you would, or would not, have done, given the chance. '
Vila gave way to a sullen silence. In the distance Revenge could clearly be seen as it emerged above the horizon. As they got closer it also became possible to make out areas of grassland that had been dug up, not only by the landing of the ship, but also by someone or something else. The marks, Vila was sure, had not been there before.
'This planet you call Skat is known to us as Re-Ter-Al - in our language it means the World of the Golden Gift. My name is Levarll. My friends and I are from Earth. We are representative
s of the Federation. '
Vila stopped dead in his tracks. Koreli kept walking alongside the speaker, raising only one quizzical eyebrow in response to this revelation.
'Five hundred years ago when the inhabitants of Earth started to colonise this part of the Galaxy they looked at this world, and found it beautiful, but of little value. There were no minerals, not enough wild animals to kill for meat, not enough fish in the oceans to catch, and it was too far from the developing trade routes to be of use. But it appeared a very pleasant place to live. The grass grew easily in minimal rainfall, in many parts of the planet the local stone made good building material, and the climate generally was very pleasing. So they put a basic research team down. A small population can be maintained here easily, and we have always been a small population.'The research team's mission was to look into new methods of high speed transmission of messages across the galaxy. The work was considered politically sensitive at the time, and so the group was isolated. The research teams were permitted to bring their families with them. It was supposed to be at most a three year project, and the place looked nice, so everyone agreed to the isolation. But after two years our ancestors discovered an unexpected spin-off from their research. They found, as expected and as the theories predicted, that they were able to speed up messages so they travelled faster than light. However, as the signals approached speeds that made transmission from system to system practical (the sort of thing you take for granted now) they found they were actually changing the very fabric of the Galaxy itself. Only by tiny amounts - nothing more than a few electrons per second of message. But it was enough to divert several of the greatest minds of the original researchers onto a new problem. '
'And before the three years were up they cracked it?' suggested Korell.
'You are perceptive, ' Levarll told her. 'They found out the cause of the electron disintegration, and a way through into what was hitherto little more than a dream - a new universe. A universe that turned out to be just one in a series of parallel existences. And not just one series but thousands - millions. More than could be counted. Each reality slightly different from our own. '
'And we have been to one, ' said Korell.
'The large building - our museum - acts as a control operating one of the gateways into another world. It is one that is reserved for our youngsters - it take them into worlds that are safe. '
'They certainly seem safe, ' said Vila. 'There's nothing but grass anywhere. '
'Near the museum, yes. In fact most of the entrances are real entrances to a real museum. We come here for picnics, and debates. It's a very pleasing environment in which to learn about your past. And we are very concerned that everyone should know about our past. '
'That isn't an attitude widely encouraged in the Federation, ' Korell pointed out.
Levarll ignored the comment and continued his tale as they approached Revenge. 'The discovery of alternative worlds leading to infinitely varied existences was deemed so important by our ancestors, the original colonisers, that certain decisions were taken - including one that said that Earth should not know about the discovery - at least for a little while. The idea was to keep quiet until the three years was up, whilst during the remaining months the implications of the discovery would be worked out. However, it was soon realised that our ancestors were not the only ones who had broken through the electron barriers. And that gave them a problem. But we are almost back at your ship - let us find Avon and continue the story with him present. Then you can decide what you wish to do. '
As the group approached the ship Avon, never content with waiting to be found, appeared at the main hatch. Vila announced the latest news with enthusiasm.
Avon looked unmoved. 'White holes!' he said as Vila concluded. 'Well now, that is, to say the least, world shattering. '
'Kerr Avon, your mind is all it is reputed to be. '
'This is Levarll, ' explained Vila. They've heard of our reputation. And Levarll has been really helpful since we got dragged through that building. It's an event horizon... '
'If they've heard of your reputation, ' Avon replied, 'I'm surprised they haven't locked you up by now. ' Suddenly he seemed to change tack. 'It's time to go. Unless you prefer to stay here chatting with your new-found friends. '
'Avon!' Vila was upset. 'These people are friendly. They can help us. They've already rescued us. '
'Very well, ' said Avon. He stepped back onto the ship's entry bay and then turned. 'I should stand back if I were you - the blast from the ship can be considerable when it's lying flat. ' And with that he disappeared into Revenge. Within a second Korell was on board, dragging Vila with her. But Vila didn't like being forced.
'Logically, ' said Korell, pushing him up the gangway and then along the stair shaft that led to the upper deck, 'if thereis a reason for getting out quickly then it is not a good idea to discuss it in front of the enemy. '
Vila decided not to protest at this obvious misuse of the word enemy. He'd had enough protesting. It was just the law of life. If he wanted to stay, they went. If he said leave, they stayed. If he wanted to be in sector 8 at the edge of the Galaxy they went to Earth. This was Vila's law, he decided.
In the control room Avon rapidly started the ramjet firing sequence. 'They are letting us go, Avon, ' Vila told him, despite all his resolutions on the way up. 'Doesn't that indicate something?'
'That is the most worrying thing, ' Avon replied. 'Koreli, get this ship ready for take-off as fast as possible - but do not go up. '
'Conscience?' she asked. Avon looked puzzled. 'You don't want to injure those people. '
'It is just that we are not going up, ' he said. 'Ease up ten feet and then head straight for that building, preferably for the door. '
'Avon
'Vila, if you are so convinced of their friendliness you can try and explain what three Federation pursuit ships are doing coming into land at this very moment - without the slightest problem from the sophisticated devices your friends used to try to scare us off in the first place. '
'I thought it funny when they welcomed us as Federation people and then welcomed us just as much when they found out who we really were. I don't suppose you've had time to fix a plasma shield?'
'No I haven't. Which is why we are not heading up into the air. '
'So where are we going?'
'Straight through that doorway. '
'But it's not big enough to throw a whole ship through. '
'If it really is a white hole then it will simply expand to accept us. We'll soon know. Without shielding there is nowhere else to go. Get this straight, Vila. The whole planet is a trap and we walked into it. '
As Avon spoke, Koreli was bringing the ship to readiness for a run at the building. On the ground the inhabitants of Skat were running left and right trying to escape the massive down draft that the ship made when taking off from a prone position.
'Anyway, what is the point of being in an alternative universe?' asked Vila above the fusion howl.
'Answer that yourself, ' Koreli told him. 'You are in it. '
Below, the world was bleak and windswept. There was no sign of the grassy landscape, nor even the building they had just rammed.
Avon looked hard at the information coming from the panels surrounding him, then looked up. 'Koreli?'
'It's just possible that the push through the gate gave us an unexpected leap far in excess of anything the ship's drive had on offer. '
'Get us away from this planet and get a fix on the location. '
'Avon, Koreli... ' pleaded Vila. 'What is going on?'
Koreli locked the drive into position, and looked at the controls. 'Vila, it's like this. I haven't the faintest idea what has happened. I don't know where we are. I don't know when we are. I'm fairly uncertain if we are still in our own universe. And I can't even be sure that the normal laws of science apply out here. The universe has eleven dimensions. We could be locked at a tangent to any of them. Does that put your mind at rest?'
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'Oh yes, wonderful. So far since we approached that planet I've seen a living crumbling wall turn into a building which had a locked door that dragged me through it when it opened; been taken on a twenty-mile hike; put in a cage and sent through a white hole. And now you tell me you don't know what is going on. If you want my advice... '
'No, ' said two voices.
'I'll tell you anyway, ' said Vila.
'I was afraid of that, ' Avon replied caustically.'What we should be doing is setting ourselves up so we can live out our lives, or what is left of them, in peace and tranquillity. You Avon should come clean and explain why you shot Blake, and what your next great scheme is and if it involves the death of me; and when you've finished that lot you can let me know why you were so sure that those people down there were Federation agents or whatever. As you pointed out in the past there were many times when they could have shot us if they wanted and they didn't - they let us through. '
Avon was silent for a moment and then spoke quietly. 'Vila, you were never very bright at the best of times, and this doesn't seem to be the best of times. '
Before Vila could come back with further demands Korell gave a call.
'We are two thousand spacials from Skat and according to the positions of all the stars that is still Skat. '
'All right, let's take another look. Go back down Korell. '
Vila objected. 'Last time we went down the ship was nearly blown to bits. '
'So would you rather rush around this galaxy without even knowing if we can get back to our own time through the white hole?'
Korell was less hopeful. 'It's unlikely the white hole still exists, after driving the ship through it. '
'The building may have been destroyed, ' Avon told her, 'but something must be left. '
Yet he was wrong. The descent to die planet was uneventful, and the new Skat nothing but barren rock. In vain they searched for any sign of the building. 'In this galaxy, the building simply doesn't exist, ' said Korell. 'The original colonisers never came. '