by Jack Conner
“Those of us that were altered became the ambassadors of our kind. The Octunggen hailed us as gods, as we had intended. We became the Collossum and dwelt in a great temple in Lusterqal. There we were revered and worshipped for many years. Then, finally, after eons of planning, we engineered the war. Octung would subdue the world for us.”
“But something changed,” Hildra said. “You didn’t go through with it. Well, a few of you didn’t.”
“Some of us, a small segment, began to see the war as evil. Millions were dying because of our labors, and though that might not have mattered to us in the beginning, that was the price we paid for being human—we’d come to appreciate humanity. This awakening came at a very inconvenient time, of course—the war was already launched, and Octung was winning handily—but it was too late. We’d already sided with humanity. So we decided to stop it—the war.
“We broke away from the Collossum. They called us blasphemers, heretics, denounced us as the Black Sect while they were the True. Debate and intrigue gripped the temple, and at last most of us were forced from it. We worked against them when we could, sabotaging their efforts, whittling away at their priesthood, but it was not enough. The human powers in Octung began to stir. Fearful, knowing we must act quickly, a group of us ventured to the sea, returned to our greatest city in the depths. There we petitioned our Elders to end the war. In secret, however, knowing they would refuse, we used the petition as a ruse while some of us scoured the city for certain information. Information to build a machine, a wonderful, powerful machine. I was one of those so tasked, and I have that knowledge in my head.
“The Elders refused our request, as we knew they would. But then they did something that we had not planned. They found out about our investigations ... and moved to destroy us. Having no choice, we fled through the sea, and they gave chase. They crushed our ship and killed most of us. Some were scattered. I was wounded, and I drifted, dying, in the depths. A whale devoured me, began to digest me, and I was too weak to heal or even wake. I would’ve died. And yet, and here is the strange part—the war that I tried so hard to stop saved my life. Whalers after the hot lard of the whale, a tool for war, killed the whale, and you know the rest.”
She lapsed into silence, and the only sound to be heard was wind hissing over the dirigible.
Janx rubbed his stubbled head. “That’s quite a story, darlin’.” He looked at Avery. “What do you say, Doc?”
Avery frowned. “I ... think she’s telling the truth, incredible as it is. However, the question I’m wondering is this—if you are telling the truth, Layanna, what was the Mnuthra? Why did you think it would help?”
Layanna bowed her head. “Yes, the Mnuthra are not as I thought.”
“What are they?” asked Hildra.
“Fellow Collossum,” Layanna said. “Or they were. The Mnuthra went rogue centuries ago and disappeared from Lusterqal. Or at least we thought they’d gone rogue. When I was engaged with Uthua, as I said, I touched its mind. I discovered it and the others weren’t acting independently. The Elders had dispatched them. And there are others, throughout the mountains, the caves, the forests of the world. They gather the mutants, the ngvandi and their like. It’s the mission the Elders have sent them on. It’s why they departed Lusterqal in secret so long ago.”
“What for?” asked Janx.
Layanna leaned her head back against the dirigible wall. She looked spent. “Apparently my kind intend to nurture the mutants, make them our people, our instruments. They’re superior to humans in that they are creatures of the sea. As such they can be used as sacrifices.”
“Sorry I missed out on that,” Hildra said.
“This is what I discovered when I touched Uthua’s mind. If certain programs are not far enough along, my people intend to betray the Octunggen once the war is done. They will use the Octunggen to weaken, divide and depopulate humanity, and then they will allow the technologies gifted to Octung to stop functioning. The Octunggen, now rulers of the surface world, will be defenseless when the ngvandi rise up—when the ngvandi destroy and devour and rape and burn them. That is what the Mnuthra are doing, organizing the ngvandi to serve the Elders and one day rise up against the Octunggen—to destroy humanity once and for all.”
Janx, Hildra and Avery shot glances at each other.
“What happened to the other Black Secters that survived the destruction of your ship?” Avery said. “The ones we came to the Borghese to find?”
“My friends and I’d planned to regroup where the Mnuthra lived if we were ever separated. We thought they, as rogues who had abandoned our kind, could be our allies, aid us against the Collossum. But it was a trap. The Mnuthra were not independent as we’d thought; they were still part of the Collossum—high members, even, on an important assignment. As I touched Uthua’s mind, I felt what he had done. Uthua had ... he had killed them all. All of my friends.”
“I’m sorry,” Avery said, meaning it.
“Yeah,” said Hildra.
Layanna took in a deep breath and let it out. “Now I’m the only one left who knows how to build the Device.”
“So how do we do it?” Janx said. “What’s our next step, darlin’?”
“The only resources available that can assemble the Device are in the hands of the Collossum—and the Black Sect. The members that did not accompany me to the city in the sea are in hiding in Lusterqal, striking at the Collossum when they can. With my knowledge and their resources, we can build the Device. We can end the war.
“I’d hoped the Mnuthra would let me use one of their altars, but now I realize that is impossible. But there is one I can use at the temple to the R’loth in Cuithril. If we don’t reach it, if we fail, all of humankind will be washed away, and my people will go on to rule the stars.”
Hildra visibly shuddered. “And you don’t want that, honey? For your people to win? I don’t get you, sister.”
“We brought the Cataclysm on ourselves,” Layanna said. “We may do it again. I think ... I think perhaps the only thing that can save us is not to overreach ourselves this time. To stay small. And I believe your people are worthy—worthy of life, at least, and freedom. You have potential, and I would not take it from you.”
“This is some messed-up shit,” Hildra said.
“There’s more,” Layanna said.
“What?”
When Layanna spoke, her voice held a grimness Avery had not heard before. “The Octunggen cannot be allowed to capture me alive.”
Avery shifted uncomfortably. “Why not?”
“Two reasons. Both important. The rest of the Black Sect, those being hunted and in hiding in Lusterqal—only I know how to find them. If the Octunggen capture me, not only will I be unable to build the Device, but I also might be forced to betray the others. Then all hope of resistance against the Elders will die.”
“What’s the other reason?”
Her voice hardened. “The research I did that enabled me to design the Device, it could be used for ... other purposes. I’ve designed the Device to null the abilities of the Octunggen’s extradimensional technologies. But the plans could be used to ... amplify them.”
“You mean ...?”
“Yes. Octung would be able to win the war that much sooner. If they catch me alive, nothing can stop them.”
“Hell,” said Janx.
To Avery, she said, “You’ll do what must be done?”
He knew what she was asking. How can I kill her, though? She’s our only hope.
He nodded.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Shit,” Janx said suddenly. Pointing, he said, “We’ve got company.”
Avery looked, and instantly wished he hadn’t.
* * *
Three rays swept toward them over mountain jags to the south. They must have been among those that had pursued Avery and the others. Now, huge, indomitable, the creatures glided over the snowy peaks toward the dirigible. Red light fell across great, broad delta-shaped bac
ks, each a mile wide, across the innumerable troops that clustered there, glinting on armor and helmets, rows and rows, and on the weapons, some of them unconventional, bulky and strange. Bathed in crimson light, the three great rays aimed directly at the small dirigible and increased speed.
“Shit,” said Hildra.
Avery didn’t waste time agreeing. Though he suddenly began sweating, and his fingers trembled, he gripped the wheel tightly. He pressed a button. Mashed a pedal. The dirigible lurched to port, then shuddered upward. Janx was flung against the gunwale. Hildra slammed into Avery, nearly knocking him over.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” she said, pushing herself off.
“Sorry.” Sweat stung his eyes. He tried again. This time he angled the ship down, toward the nearest mountain peak.
“You’re gonna crash us,” Janx warned.
“Maybe. But I’m not going to let us get caught.”
The rays were miles behind them, ten or fifteen at least, but they were moving faster than the ship, and sooner or later they would overtake it.
Avery shoved the dirigible down. Breath caught in his chest. The mountain peak loomed ahead, its tip glittering white with snow. The glare stung his eyes.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” said Hildra, hanging onto the ropes that wound along the gunwale. Hildebrand clung nearby, shrieking.
Avery swung the dirigible toward the mountain tip. Clustered further down from its pinnacle, the ruins of some castle huddled, its broken battlements encrusted with snow, its sides stained with time. The mountain approached, blotting out all else. Carefully Avery edged the dirigible to the side, pumping pedals and jerking gears. The craft swung clumsily and edged around the great bulk. Jagged towers of the castle heaped below, scratching at the gondola as it passed. Avery was so close he could see the piles of bones in the centers of rooms whose ceilings had collapsed and the stir of giant batkin roosting along the edges, hanging upside down and still dripping blood.
Avery risked a glance over his shoulder. The rays sped forward. Metal winked from the lead ray’s back—some weapon, surely pirated from Octung.
An eerie green light fell over the gondola. Immediately, as if the light contained heat, Avery felt his skin blister. Pain suffused him. He cried out and nearly sank to the deck. Only his grip on the wheel kept him up.
Beside him, Janx and Hildra screamed. They crumpled, still clutching at the gunwale. Blisters bubbled under Janx’s skin. One popped on his arm, spurting blood. Avery felt similar blisters sprouting on his own flesh. Hildra clawed at her arms and screamed in confusion. Hildebrand hopped around like a mad thing, but he showed no signs of the blisters.
The dirigible listed toward the mountain. ramparts of stone rearing ahead, ready to smash the ship to splinters. With a grunt, Avery jerked the wheel, swinging the dirigible away. The ramparts receded.
The green glare intensified.
Burning pain filled Avery, nearly crippling him. Only dimly did he notice the green light had no affect on the wood and rope and canvas of the dirigible. It targeted human flesh alone.
Gasping, he flew the ship back toward the mountain, this time in a controlled veer. The dirigible, with painstaking slowness, slipped around the back of the mountain, finally blocking out sight of the rays and their weapons. As soon as it had arrived, the green light faded, and with it the pain.
Avery panted and slumped against the wheel. The blisters on his arms and hands began to grow less livid but did not disappear. He felt like steam should be rising from him.
Janx stared at his arms, horrified and amazed. Sweat drenched the whaler’s face. “Fuckers aren’t playin’ nice, now are they?”
Avery noticed Layanna’s skin was slightly flushed, but that was it.
“They’re using stolen Octunggen weapons against us,” he said. “We can’t allow them to catch us in the open again.” He aimed the dirigible at the next closest peak, maybe ten miles away.
“I wonder if Sheridan’s on one of those rays,” Hildra said.
“I’m sure she is,” Avery said. “As an admiral now, she’s probably leading them. Remember what we overheard at Claver’s. She controls Haggarty. That means she controls the Navy, and those rays are the Navy’s prize pets.”
He neared the next mountain peak and began a pass around it. Craning his neck, he saw that the rays were just beginning to appear around the bulk of the first peak. Acting quickly, he pulled the levers that controlled the propellers. Accidently, he reduced their speed the first time, then corrected himself and whipped them to full throttle.
To Layanna, he said “Is there any way you can help us?”
“I can hold off the psychics, I think, but that’s all. I need food to heal. Food from the sea.”
“The sea’s the other way, sweetcheeks,” said Hildra.
“I think she’s aware of that.” Avery banked the dirigible around an outcropping of rock. He had to stay low, hugging the mountain, keeping its walls between him and the rays. Between him and Sheridan. Would the woman never leave him alone?
He passed to the backside of the mountain, put it between the dirigible and the rays, and aimed for the next one. The sun had vanished to the west, but a hint of crimson still gleamed on the horizon. Before long he would not be able to see the mountains well enough to risk getting close to them. He hoped that meant the rays would have difficulty seeing the dirigible, but he didn’t count on it.
The sun’s light finally vanished, and the wind gusted colder and more frigid. For the next few hours, Avery guided the dirigible to and around the dim bulks of the Borghese, aiming toward Ungraessot, land of the God-Emperor, which lay just over the mountains to the east. By starlight and moonslight, Avery could not see the peaks around him clearly and kept his distance, but not too distant. He had always to keep the mountains between the dirigible and the rays. After several hours, he grew exhausted and Janx relieved him. He awoke to find that Hildra had relieved Janx, and Janx slept fitfully under a blanket to the rear of the ship, with Layanna in the bow looking forlorn.
“How long was I out?” Avery said, stretching. The horizon seemed lighter. Had he slept the whole night through?
Hildra shrugged. She gripped the wheel with hook and hand, eyes on the next peak. The sky behind them gave no sign of the rays. “Dunno. A long time, I guess. Janx piloted forever. An’ I’ve been at it a good while.” She yawned widely and blinked her eyes with exhaustion. Hildebrand lay curled on her shoulder, his little chest rising in and out.
“I’ll spell you,” Avery said.
“Not yet. I wanna see the sun before I sleep.”
He helped himself to the dried foodstuffs of the Octunggen soldiers. Munching on a stale oat bar, he wondered at a race that could possess such fantastic technologies yet eat the same indifferent dried food the Ghenisan soldiers did, or close to it. He supposed Layanna’s people hadn’t felt obliged to improve on military cuisine. To wash it down, he helped himself generously to water stored in a canteen. It was stale.
At last his attention returned to Layanna. Slowly, oddly reluctant, he made his way forward, toward the jutting prow where she lay. A pale face peeked out from the black blanket she’d wrapped herself in, and blond hair spilled over it. She cracked her eyes as he crouched over her. They were very blue.
“I just wanted to check on you,” he said.
She said nothing as he took her pulse and temperature. She was pale and feverish. Her veins showed like blue eels beneath her skin. Her breaths came fast and harsh, irregular.
“Am I going to make it?” Her voice was forced and light.
“I don’t know anything about your kind. Your body on this plane seems human, and that part, at least, is well.”
She nodded, as if this explanation helped, though it could not possibly, and stared up at the dark sky. With a sigh, he sat down beside her and put his back to the gunwale. They shared a windy, companionable silence.
In a low voice, she said, “I’m truly sorry
I brought all this on you and your friends.”
“It’s not your fault.”
That seemed to catch her off-guard. “But it is.”
“No. You only did what you thought right. Remember, I’m the one that made the decision to come with you. I still don’t understand something, though.”
She turned to look at him. “What, Doctor? What don’t you understand?”
He gave a strained smile. “Francis. You can call me Francis.”
She paused. “Francis.” She tried out the word. “Fran-cis. What don’t you understand, Francis?”
“You, for a start.”
She let out a long breath, looked away, up into the fading night. “What do you want to know? I’ve lived in Lusterqal for hundreds of years, orchestrating things, the integration of our mythology into Octung’s culture, the development of technologies that they could use. Weapons. We studied the Octunggen, learned from them. Learned about being human.”
“You did nothing but work, in all those years?”
“Oh, in secret I would abscond from the Temple. I would go out into the streets, pretending to be one of the people, and I would have adventures, as I thought of them. Over time I even made contacts. Friends.” A sad smile touched her face. “I had lovers. They grew old, but I stayed young. In the end, it would pain them to see me, but they could not let me go.” In a sad, soft voice she added, “I know all the graveyards in Lusterqal.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.
She patted his hand. “It’s all right. There’s nothing to say. I learned to love humanity. I wasn’t the only one.” Clouds like palls of smoke drifted across the sky, obscuring the moons, the stars, then revealing them in bursts of glory. Wind stirred her hair. Her eyes misted. Suddenly she turned to him. “Why are you here ... Francis?”
He hadn’t expected the question, and a hitch developed in his throat.
“I fight for this.” He reached into an inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out the item which he kept over his heart.