The incalculable foulness was new to the quintessence of the Emperor Navvur W, however. Equally, it was something never experienced and not imaginable by the essences of his hundred advisers. Among them all only one diminutive spark of consciousness proved able to cope with the assault on the senses. Flinx recognized the thought-self of Lord Eiipul. Along with everyone else who had been standing adjacent to the Emperor when Flinx had projected, he too had been wrenched outward by the force of the human's metaphysical dislocation.
In consequence of barely perceiving the outermost edge of the onrushing Evil that lay behind the Great Emptiness, a host of silent, terrified screams momentarily filled a minuscule portion of the endless extragalactic desolation. Like saplings caught in a hurricane, individual specks of sanity began to fragment and splinter. It would do no good to confirm his thesis to a congregation of the hopelessly insane, Flinx realized. He began to pull away, to recoil. Away from a supraphysical malignancy too vast to be comprehended, too excessively loathsome to be understood.
Cognizance fled from that place of interstellar horror, the diversity of confused and confined nonhuman minds drawn and shepherded away by one that was more than human. Fled and retreated back to a region of welcoming warm stars, of planets swarming with life, of respiration and intimation and meditation. A hundred and two minds withdrew all the way back to just one of those star systems, to a single world as blissfully unknowing as all the others of the unspeakable fate awaiting it. Back to one moderately spacious chamber inside one building within the boundaries of one city. Not all of them, alas, returned whole.
It was a risk a reluctant Flinx had been forced to take.
Opening his eyes, he stopped swaying and once more took stock of his surroundings. His physical self was intact. He had not been shot. As near as he could determine, he had not been touched. The slight weight on his left shoulder was that of an Alaspinian minidrag. Glancing down, he saw that Pip was exhausted but otherwise unchanged by the experience they had just shared. Turning his attention to the milling throng of larger, more sentient reptilian shapes that surrounded him, he found himself confronting a far greater range of consequences.
Pandemonium reigned in the great chamber of The Eye of the Nye. To his right, the Emperor Navvur W was struggling to stand upright. In this he was aided by a frightened bevy of newly arrived technicians. Grim-faced medical personnel worked their way through the shocked, confused crowd, attending to the unconscious, the gibbering, the sobbing, and those whose thought-selves had returned only in part. Close to the naked human, a dazed but otherwise coherent Lord Eiipul stood staring fixedly in the direction of the Emperor.
“The venerable Navvur appearss to have ssurvived the encounter,” Flinx's host commented coolly. Sharp eyes turned to study the bewildered crowd. “Not sso all of my dissbelieving brethren.”
Observing the newly arrived medical forces at work, Flinx could only concur. “I meant to convey only the Emperor with me. Sometimes—no, make that many times—I don't know what my Talent is going to do or how it's going to react to the demands I place on it.” His mouth tightened. “I've damaged some of those here. I've damaged people before. I never mean to. Unless they're trying to hurt me, and even then I try to minimize the effects.”
Lord Eiipul turned sharply on the softskin. “‘Minimize the effectss’? What ‘effectss’? The effectss of what? Can you do more than jusst sshare thiss dreadful and dangeroussly enlightening experience, Flinx LLVVRXX? Iss there more to you and your capabilitiess than you have told?”
Turning quickly away, Flinx started toward where Navvur W was showing signs of rapid recovery. “Hadn't we better be sure we stay close to the Emperor lest some of his destabilized and more assertive bodyguards decide to resolve matters on their own initiative?” Keen to further change the subject, he indicated some of the less speedy-to-recover nobles receiving medical attention. “Assuming we're not killed, won't you benefit from the unintended damage that the experience has inflicted on some of your rivals?”
Distracted by the notion, Eiipul scrutinized the surrounding circle of badly battered AAnn nobility, then looked back up at the human. “Truly you comprehend our cusstomss in wayss I would never have thought possible for a ssoftsskin.”
Flinx shrugged, aware that the meaning behind the shoulder-lifting gesture might be lost on his host. “Since I feel comfortable everywhere and at home nowhere, I've had to learn to empathize with every species' customs.”
It was not the response Eiipul had been expecting. He felt an unexpected and entirely deviant surge of sympathy for the human. “I ssensse that you are obliged to deal not only with demonic forcess on the outsskirtss of the galaxy but alsso within yoursself.”
Flinx started to nod, remembered to gesture second-degree concurrence. “There are times when I don't know which troubles me more.” He resumed advancing toward the rapidly improving Emperor.
By the time the two of them had approached to within speaking distance of Navvur, the ruler of all the AAnn had recovered to the point where he took note of their presence. Bodyguards, this time with weapons drawn, moved to intercept the noble and the softskin. Unmistakably shaken by the experience he had just undergone but with his innate perspicacity unimpaired, Navvur W gestured his sentinels aside.
Stopping just out of arm and tail reach, Flinx stared placidly back at the Emperor of all the AAnn. As it often did at the most inopportune moments, his inborn sarcasm chose that moment to reassert itself. “Tssant, venerable Navvur. Did you find my ramblings entertaining?”
To his credit, the Emperor ignored the gibe. As he had stated earlier, he had little time to waste. “What jusst happened here, and how did you do it?”
Flinx sighed. “I did what I promised I would do. I showed you the threat of which I spoke. That's all I can do. How I did so doesn't matter. What matters is your response. Are you going to believe me or are you going to kill me?” He paused only a moment. “It really doesn't matter, because in the long run if I'm not allowed the opportunity to try and find a way of stopping what's coming, everyone and everything is going to die anyway.”
“You sspeak too much of death,” Navvur hissed softly in reply. “Sspeak to me of life.”
“Let me go. Let me rendezvous with my ship.”
The Emperor hesitated. “You will return to the Commonwealth, sspeak of your experiencess here, and tell them we are weak.”
Flinx gestured first-degree demurral. “I will return, yes, but only to pursue a defense against what you just experienced. I have little interest whatsoever in the unending historical squabbles that divide the Empire and the Commonwealth.”
“Ah.” Navvur looked pleased. “You guard firsst of all your own interesstss. How very like a nye. In that event, why sshould you care what happenss to anyone elsse, far less everyone elsse?”
Flinx looked away. “There are those I do care about. Friends. A certain member of my species of the other gender in particular. We will not be impacted by what is coming this way, but our grandchildren might be.”
The Emperor of the AAnn gestured first-degree comprehension underscored by second-degree bemusement. “Ssoftsskinss,” was all he hissed, as if that explained everything.
Lowering his gaze, Flinx did not blink as he focused on the slitted pupils of the venerated AAnn standing opposite. “Do you believe me? Do you believe what you experienced?”
Navvur turned to judge those around him. The usual spiral of eager supplicants and prattling advisers currently resembled a scene after a battle. Medical personnel were everywhere. After studying the sight for a long minute he turned back. Not to Flinx, but to the AAnn noble standing beside him.
“Lord Eiipul IX, you believed the expossition of thiss ssoftsskin from the beginning. How doess what we all jusst experienced differ from what you went through before?”
“It wass very much identical, essteemed Navvur. The only difference I am aware of iss that thiss time I had more company.”
The Emperor gestur
ed absently to himself. “Confirmation of intergalactic horrorss unimaginable iss not ssomething to be wisshed for, but at the ssame time cannot be denied. Truth iss truth.” He turned back to the silently waiting Flinx. “By the ssand that sshelterss life, ssoftsskin, and againsst all logic, I find that I musst believe you.” His tone hardened, the hissed consonants emerging sharper and more biting than ever. “Woe unto you and your kind if thiss iss ultimately determined to be ssome ssort of clever diverssion from the verity of exisstence. You musst know that as ssoon as thiss ssession iss dissolved, a full account of everything that hass transspired will be passed on to the Imperial asstronomical council. The mosst advanced insstrumentss will be sset to ssearching that portion of the heavenss you have ssingled out for attention. What they find there may determine the fate of many, whosse collective future hass now become your ressponssibility.”
Flinx responded without hesitation. “Nothing would please me more, venerable Navvur, than for your scientists to deep-scan that section of the heavens and find nothing more than the most dull and boring extension of normality.”
“Krazzumk,” the Emperor grunted. “You threaten apocalypsse yet assk for little.”
For the second time that morning, Flinx shrugged diffidently. “I ask only to be allowed to go.”
Navvur considered. “I know what I experienced, I know what I felt, I know what I ssenssed in place of sseeing. What I do not know iss how one ssmall and inssignificant being ssuch as yoursself, remarkable though you may be, can possibly think you can ssuccessfully confront and combat a menace greater in extent than entire clussterss of sstarss.”
How much should he explain? Flinx found himself wondering. How much could he explain? “I hope …,” he began. “I hope to have—help.”
The Emperor let out an ascending hiss. “It would have to be help on a cossmic sscale to deal with ssuch a cossmic peril. My hope would be to die long before thiss phenomenon—if it iss as real as it appearss—reachess the outsskirtss of our galaxy.” Bright piercing eyes searched Flinx's own. “You appear to me to ssuffer from a debilitating affliction common among your kind, Flinx LLVVRXX of the Ssaiinn. You are an incorrigible optimisst.”
“If I was not,” Flinx told him, “I suppose I would have given myself up for lost a long, long time ago.”
Was that a reptilian twinkle in the Emperor's eye? “You ‘ssupposse’?”
“I said I was optimistic.” Reaching up, Flinx stroked the back of Pip's neck.
“Mysself,” Navvur replied thoughtfully, “I find optimissm to be a mental sstate inconducive to ssurvival. That doess not mean it sshould not be encouraged. One thing iss ssurely rightful: if what you sshared jusst now with me and mine iss veritable, then as you ssay it truly will not matter if you live or die.” He made a gesture that pronounced first-degree judgment. “Accordingly, I have decided to let you li—”
He was interrupted by a screaming noble, hands and claws extended and teeth bared, who made a sudden leap straight for the human's throat.
The violent, unexpected onslaught triggered several synchronous responses. Although the attack was clearly aimed at the softskin in their midst, Navvur's bodyguards took no chances. Weapons were leveled as they rushed to fill the space between the assailant and the Emperor. High overhead Pip took immediate note of the sudden upsurge in her master's emotions, folded her wings to her sides, and dropped like a stone toward the hurtling AAnn. At the last instant she spread both brightly hued membranes and rocketed off to one side. Startled nobles and advisers ducked or flinched as she shot past just over their heads. She broke off the counterattack because Flinx empathically urged her to do so. Another party had already intervened on his behalf.
Launching himself forward, Lord Eiipul IX smacked into the side of the bounding assailant and sent both of them crashing to the glittering floor of The Eye. His interception of the assault was not the end of it. Tail flailing, the enraged noble who had launched the attack promptly turned his ire on his fellow nye.
Wanting to intervene but unsure of the proper protocol for doing so, Flinx could only stand by and watch as Eiipul took up the fight on behalf of his guest. He himself had fought AAnn before, had observed AAnn battling humans and thranx, had even seen them fighting one another— but never in traditional combat devoid of weapons. A small space cleared for the combatants as spectators backed up to give them room. No one else offered to intercede. Nor did Flinx feel that he could do so either in the absence of any word or sign from the attentive Emperor.
He tried to envision the heads of two major companies or great trading families engaging in hand-to-hand combat on the floor of the Earth's center of government, with representatives from other worlds quietly looking on. AAnn custom ran old and deep, he reflected somberly.
Neither fighter was young. Both were experienced. Tails switching robustly from side to side, teeth bared, clawed hands upraised, they circled one another as each searched for an opening, an advantage, a misstep on the part of his opponent.
“Kwarranssk,” Eiipul hissed, “did you not sshare the experience of the menace? Are you blind to the danger that threatenss uss all?”
“It iss all nothing more than a sscheming trick of the ssoftsskin'ss!” The attacker was adamant. “Why do you intervene on itss behalf?”
“Did you not hear the pronouncement of the venerable Navvur?” Eiipul's powerful leg muscles were taut, ready to launch him at his adversary any second. His opponent was no less prepared.
“Even one sso gifted as the revered Navvur may be fooled,” the attacker growled. “No ssentient iss immune to clever deception.” Eyes full of fury flicked in Flinx's direction. “The ssoftsskin sseekss only to make hiss esscape by meanss of a clever ssubterfuge.” Peering at the surrounding, encircling crowd, the frothing noble beseeched his peers.
“We know nothing of what thiss intruder hass learned of Blasussarr, of our sstrengthss and weaknessess here! To let him go free without further ressearching the truth of hiss assertionss iss worsse than foolissh.” Returning his full attention to the attentive Eiipul, he concluded, “To harbor ssuch a sspy consstitutess treasson!” Then he launched himself.
Tails flailing, teeth and claws flashing, they slammed together in the space that had been cleared for them. The ritual clash differed little from those Flinx had encountered every day on the central sand-paved walkways of Krrassin. What was different this time was that far more than status was at stake. Talons slashed at eyes, teeth snapped at arteries, and mini-sonic booms echoed as tails snapped at exposed faces.
The razored claws of Eiipul's opponent ripped scales loose, gouging bloody gashes in his flanks. Ignoring the lacerations, Eiipul sought a firmer, deadlier grip. Closing around his rival's throat, the noble's jaws clamped shut. Blood fountained, staining both combatants and the beautiful floor.
An utterly barbaric and uncivilized exhibition, humans of comparable age and standing would have declared while turning away in revulsion. Until one of them was forced into a similar situation, Flinx knew. He had seen too much, experienced too much, to be lulled as were so many of his “civilized” species into thinking otherwise. Given the right circumstances and motivation, any pair of suitably antagonistic humans would quickly find themselves reduced to a similarly primordial style of combat. The only difference between them and the thrashing, grappling AAnn was a lack of sharp teeth, claws, and tail.
It was all over in a couple of minutes. Tail whipping slowly from side to side as he wiped at his bloodstained jaws, Lord Eiipul rose and stepped back. Blood gushing from the torn arteries in his opponent's neck began to pool on the gem-encrusted floor. Pushing their way to the front, a pair of medical techs bent over the gravely injured attacker. Only advanced technology allowed them to stanch the bleeding in time to save the nye's life. Breathing hard, Eiipul expressed his gratitude to them.
“Better that one doess not die,” he explained to Flinx as his seriously wounded adversary was hustled away through the crowd. “Were he to do sso it w
ould mean a sseriouss feud between hiss family and mine.” Eyes afire with the aftermath of bloodlust, he looked back at Flinx. “That ssuch a demisse sshould happen over a ssoftsskin would make ssuch a feud all the worsse. Far better that it hass been avoided.”
“I'm thankful, too,” Flinx admitted as Pip settled back onto his shoulder. “I don't want anyone to die on account of me.” He nodded in the direction taken by the wounded nye and the attending techs. “Not him, and not you. I'm sure he, too, is responsible for the upkeep and development of an unknown number of offspring.”
As Eiipul opened his mouth to respond, they were interrupted. Flanked by his guards, Navvur W had rejoined them. This time his attention was focused on Flinx's host and not the invasive human.
“Your family hass alwayss produced ssuperior warriorss. It wass a fair fight, and one not initiated by you.”
A deferential Eiipul sheathed his claws, stilled the switching of his tail, and executed an especially elegant gesture of first-degree subservience. “Venerable Navvur honorss me.”
“Venerable Navvur iss alwayss judiciouss when addressing thosse with blood on their face,” the Emperor replied dryly. Raising a cloth-covered forearm, Eiipul resumed cleaning his snout and jaws. Though he proceeded conscientiously, he did not hurry the process.
The Emperor turned back to Flinx. “You are without doubt the mosst interessting sspecimen of your kind I have ever encountered. In comparisson, your accredited diplomatic repressentativess are dull and dry, while the human prissonerss I have sseen undergoing interrogation are belligerent and foolissh. I would have you sstay awhile longer, Flinx LLVVRXX of the Tier Ssaiinn.”
Flinx gestured first-degree regret. “You speak of a dialogue I think I would enjoy myself, Excellence. But I cannot turn or delay from the responsibility that weighs on me. Having experienced the cause, I know you will understand.”
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