'They wanted only you,' said Veldo. 'I had to convince them to take us as well.'
After some uncomfortable minutes stumbling after the thaalid in near-total darkness, they emerged into a corner of the landing field, where another Haki aircraft, or possibly the same one, was waiting for them. But where was the crew? On the bridge was Charles, wolfing down some paan. Almost immediately they heard the rising hiss of the engines as they prepared to take off.
'They locked me in a filthy cell and left me there,' said Charles. 'I never saw a soul until these creatures got me out and brought me here. It's the first time I've eaten. Are we going back to Dameefu?'
'It appears the thaal has kept his word,' said Veldo. 'Though how he got this hakijuk I cannot imagine. We must watch him carefully, I think.'
'Don't forget we still have to find Torris Verga,' sighed Charles. 'If it exists.'
Freddy observed him curiously. Though only a few hours had passed since they parted, he seemed strangely defeated, as if all the fight had gone out of him. Had he really just spent the night in a cell?
Chapter 19
Freddy woke to find Veldo gently shaking him by the shoulder. A steaming cup of what could almost be coffee was thrust into his hand. Gratefully sipping the bitter brew, he picked his way to where Charles stood at the window, gazing downwards. He found that the crippled thaal was holding the aircraft more or less stationary and at a considerable height, the land spread like a map beneath them.
'Where are we?' he asked. 'Dameefu?'
Charles nodded. 'Over Torris Verga, or so we think.'
Freddy gazed downwards, trying to get his bearings. 'It looks about right,' he agreed. 'That could be the ridge where we camped, which would make that larger watercourse our river. And those could be the dark hills for which we were heading. Why, they make a circle! Could it be a crater of some kind?'
'I shouldn't be surprised,' said Charles indifferently. 'See there? They're not entirely black; there are red streaks.'
'What has the thaal to say?'
'Not much. He took us to where we crash landed and then followed the river upstream to that lake. We think its outlet looks man-made.'
Freddy gazed at the endless jungle, its grimly dark foliage stretching in all directions to the misty horizon. Had Wilfred and the others found their way to the land of the Black Tuun, or were they lost somewhere down there in that maze of leaden grey channels?
'That river has many branches,' observed the Captain of Ships. 'How did this thaal know which to choose? I am thinking he knew exactly where to come.'
Charles shrugged. 'Perhaps.'
'But are you not curious?' persisted Veldo. 'First this creature is a slave in a stinking hakijuk, then suddenly he commands it. Did he steal it? I do not think so. He would be pursued and killed. Someone has directed him to bring you here. Who is that someone? I should like to know.'
'Then why don't you ask him?' snapped Charles irritably, and turned to brood again upon the scene below.
Veldo shook his head. 'Not until I feel the earth beneath my feet.'
The thaal now caused the aircraft to drop precipitately some thousands of feet before moving slowly over the crater, not far above the treetops.
'Such a strange place,' said Veldo, wonderingly. 'It is like in the Hamafaalid — a hollow mountain. Perhaps it is real after all, and not just a silly tale to frighten children.'
'See there, in the forest?' said Charles. 'It looks like a tower or mast, and a building of some sort.'
'And there a ship!' cried Veldo. 'But such a ship. Was ever one so large? And more of them! But many are broken. How can this be? No-one has ships like these, or towers so high. They are not Venusian I think.'
Gazing at the wreckage passing below, Freddy felt a shadow fall across his soul. Some disaster had befallen those ships. Had they come too late to save Daphne? Or was she never here?
Veldo spoke to the thaal and his companion in Venusian.
'I have asked them about this place, but they say they know only what the drums tell them; that the Voorni went with the metal men and that it is forbidden to enter their domain. They say that they will nevertheless land here in the hope of finding her. Since we have not the means to fight, we must engage in diplomacy. It will be dangerous I think.'
'It can't be more dangerous than what we've been through already,' said Freddy. He glanced at Charles, who merely nodded what might have been his assent.
In order to arrive in what was left of the daylight they hastened to land, deciding on a small clearing, not far from the mysterious tower. In the event, the thaalid refused to be parted from the hakijuk, so they left them to guard it and made their way into the trees. They were effectively unarmed and made no attempt at stealth. Veldo and his men had with them the bronze short-swords that all Venusian soldiers seemed to carry, but only to deal with any threatening vegetation they might encounter.
'I should not be surprised if they were to fly away and leave us here,' said Veldo, glancing back. 'Still it is good to be free of them.'
After some minutes they came upon one of the ruined vessels.
'It is aamblik!' marvelled Veldo, gazing up at it. 'I never thought to see such a thing. But what is that?'
A giant, anthropomorphic figure was sitting on the ground, leaning against the towering side of the hull. Its head was detached from its body and lay close by, whilst tendrils of young tijit vine wove in and out of its battered body plating.
'Dijsaan tzin!' cried one of the ishtaarid, and looked for a moment as if he might flee.
'Yes, it's a tzin,' confirmed Freddy. 'It was they who attacked the village and took away the Migraani and the Voorni.'
Veldo attempted to roll with one foot the great cylindrical head. 'This fellow will not be attacking anyone again, I think.
'Perhaps that one then?' suggested Charles.
They all turned. Towering above the trees, the gleaming mechanical colossus stood gazing down at them with arms akimbo, rather in the manner of an angry farmer who has found some small boys scrumping his apples. It took a ponderous step forward, shaking the very earth, and everyone backed hastily away. Then, with a rustling of leaves and a cracking of branches, another tzin pushed through the forest canopy from the direction they had come, cutting off their retreat. Even as it did so, a score or more of humans and thaalid rose from the undergrowth. All were identically dressed in darkest jungle green and armed with large and deadly-looking ray guns.
'What do we do now?' asked Freddy.
'I suggest surrender,' smiled Veldo.
Charles was shaving off many weeks' growth of beard. The polished bronze provided the usual rather indifferent reflection and he cursed as he cut himself. 'You would think, wouldn't you, that they'd have invented silvered glass by now?'
'I suppose we can't complain about our treatment,' said Freddy, adjusting his newly provided clothing. Unlike their captors' drab uniform it consisted of light canvas boots, enormously baggy, candy-striped pantaloons and a long, belted shirt, all in silky, thaal-woven fabric. It felt surprisingly cool.
Veldo arrived, already bathed and dressed. He had been allowed to retain his sword and scabbard. 'How do I look?' he demanded, striking a pose. 'Handsome, no?'
'You never did suit purple chiffon,' said Freddy.
'The question is, what are they about?' said Charles, dabbing the blood from his face. 'Are we to be paraded like trophies before some savage court?'
'I have tried to discover it,' said Veldo. 'But they speak little, and are hard to understand; worse than the Hakiid.'
A sleek and prosperous-looking thaal appeared and politely indicated that they should follow him. Unlike any of that race they had so far encountered, he was clothed well beyond the bare requirements of decency, having on much the same garments as their own, augmented with a bright red sash.
'Creatures in human clothing,' muttered Veldo darkly. 'It is unnatural.'
They came to a broad and elegant staircase, and as they climbe
d they began to hear a great buzz of voices, including the occasional tinkle of female laughter. It looked as though Charles's dire presentiment might well prove correct. Then ornate doors were thrown open and they were on the threshold of a great hall, ablaze with light and quite filled with a gay and colourful throng. A small party of humans had gathered by the door, excitedly chattering amongst themselves. At the captives' appearance they fell briefly silent, and then began to applaud.
Gazing at them in astonishment, Freddy could not forbear to weep. The next moment he was in the wonderful, scented embrace of first Daphne, then the Migraani.
'My dear old friend!' cried the Professor, pumping him by the hand. 'I am so glad you are alive! And Charles, my son! We have been so worried about you.'
'Welcome to Torris Verga Uncle!' cried Wilfred, taking his turn. 'What do you think of our little surprise?'
'Veleema! Can this really be you?' The Captain of Ships had swept the Migraani off her feet and was whirling her round and round.
'Put me down, you great oaf!' laughed the Migraani. 'You will disrupt my hair. Of course it is me! Who else would it be?'
When they had all been reduced to beaming foolishly at each other, Freddy turned and examined more closely their long-eared escort. Did he not recognise that slightly darker patch of fur? 'Why, as I live and breath,' he exclaimed. 'It's Hawghi!'
'It is good that you do not forget your old servant,' said Hawghi, baring his fangs in a thaal's equivalent of a smile. 'But permit me to introduce my brother, Loris Loriji, High Tuun of Torris Verga.'
A tall, gangling human with a pronounced academic stoop stepped forward and gave an awkward little bow. 'You are most welcome guests,' he said. 'Come, eat.' It was as unlike a Venusian greeting as one could well imagine.
'Did he say brother?' frowned Veldo.
It was only when he was seated at high table, led there with great solicitude by the Migraani, that Freddy was able to take stock of his surroundings. He quickly realised they were being entertained within the stripped hulk of one of the great ships, lit not by jungle leaves but numerous glittering chandeliers. Below them were several more long tables, packed shoulder to shoulder with humans and thaalid. It seemed that in this place no social distinction was made between the two races, yet it was still with some amazement that he observed Hawghi sitting at the High Tuun's right hand and clearly deferred to by all around him. Almost as surprising was that on that eminence's left hand was none other than old Ludo, looking for all the world as if he belonged there.
'A tzin carry only driver and one other,' the High Tuun was explaining. 'Purple ship come soon so we fetch ladies quick. When we go back, you gone.' He smiled affectionately at his furry companion. 'Hawghi sad!'
To Freddy, none of this seemed quite real. His gaze kept returning to Daphne and the Migraani, whom he had scarcely hoped to see again. Daphne was as impossibly lovely as ever, but the real transformation was in the Migraani. She had put on a little weight, which greatly suited her, and her once shingled hair had now grown long enough to wear in a chignon, a few raven-black ringlets perfectly framing her pale Venusian face. In any other company than Daphne's, he thought, she would have been considered beautiful.
'They searched for you everywhere, Uncle Freddy,' said Daphne. 'But when we heard the canoe was found smashed, we just about gave up hope. Well, I didn't, but everyone else did. I knew you'd come back to me.' Since their arrival she had scarcely stopped clinging to Charles's arm, and this last remark was directed at him. Charles, nodded and smiled, but he continued to look preoccupied, as if a part of him was a long way off.
'But where is little Agnes?' asked the Professor. 'Was she not with you?'
'Agnes is dead,' said Freddy.
In the ensuing silence, Hawghi was seen to slip quietly away.
Chapter 20
On completing a set, it was permitted to leave the line without forfeit. Bowing deeply to his dancing partner, Wilfred returned to his friends at high table. He was feeling a little put out. Usually it was the Migraani whom he squired through the parsitaan, but tonight her cousin Veldo had taken her hand, though the big man's puppy-like enthusiasm scarcely made up for his ignorance of the figures. He wondered if there was anything between them, not that it was any business of his.
'It is somewhat like our own monarchy,' the Professor was explaining. 'The High Tuun seldom makes decisions himself but largely relies upon a council of ministers chosen equally from amongst the two races. Clearly it is essential that he understands the mind of the thaal, and to that end he is traditionally brought up with one.
Freddy nodded. 'So Hawghi was raised by a human foster-mother?'
'Yes. Which of course explains his perfect grasp of Venusian, or their version of it. From there it would not have been such a big step to learn English. How is he, Wilfred? Did you find him?'
'Taking it hard,' said Wilfred throwing himself down. 'He was very attached to Agnes, as you know.'
'So was I,' said Freddy.
'Yes Uncle, I'm so sorry. Had we known, we'd have given you a different sort of welcome.'
'How did you know it was us anyway?'
'We didn't. We have trouble with slavers occasionally and I just turned out the militia as usual. The sight of a couple of tzinid invariably scares them off and it's good practice for some more serious threat.'
'You turned them out? How so?'
The Professor smiled. 'I'm afraid your nephew has reverted to type, and is again a species of government official.'
'I just look after defence,' said Wilfred modestly. 'They've been very good to us here and I wanted to make myself useful.' He turned his gaze on the floor of the hall. There was no-one left at the lower tables and only a few dancers remained, solemnly processing to the sound of flute and drum. 'Where are Charles and Daphne?' he asked.
'Off on their own somewhere, I expect,' said the Professor.'They've been inseparable all evening, as I suppose is only natural. You were talking to them earlier weren't you Albert?'
'Trying to,' grumbled Simms. 'He's still my employer after all.'
'Looking for some back pay, eh Albert?' quipped Wilfred.
Freddy pushed back his chair. 'Wilfred, I'd like a word with you.'
They stood outside, grateful for the relative coolness of the Venusian night.
'It's Charles,' said Freddy. 'I don't know if you've noticed, but he's not himself. For a while in the wilderness I feared he might be heading for some sort of breakdown, not that I could have blamed him for that, but he's said and done some pretty queer things and I'm beginning to wonder if there's more to it than mere funk.'
As Freddy told of Charles's desperate eagerness to get to Faluaan, even at the cost of abandoning his companions, followed by his mysterious lost hours in the capital, Wilfred felt a growing sense of unease. He remembered the man's frantic attempt to attract the Purple ship that had so nearly been their undoing. And when before had he ever shown the slightest interest in Daphne? That mountebank, the Migraani had called him, and the archaic expression had stuck in his mind. 'Well we'd best keep an eye on him,' he said. 'You ought to turn in; you look bushed. I've got a few things to do first.'
I may be quite wrong, he thought, as he hurried through the night-time glow of the forest. But if I am, no-one need know. He wondered if he should have gone for his pistol, but the High Tuun's palace was a good ten minutes away from where the hakijuk had landed and he feared he might be too late.
He found the aircraft about to take off, the engines already running and the two of them approaching the landing ramp, Daphne had on her best clothes and Charles was carrying her battered suitcase.
'Leaving us already Prendergast?' he asked nonchalantly.
Charles would have walked on, but Daphne stopped and waited for him, her eyes bright with excitement.
'You mustn't worry, Wilfy,' she said. 'Charles has explained everything. The Migraani and the Tuuntu were lying. They made the people at Court sound horrid but it's just not true. Char
les says they're quite nice really, and they desperately want me back so I can start being the Queen-Goddess. And as soon as I'm of age we'll be able to get married and everything will be all right!'
'So if you don't mind, Carstairs,' said Charles, drawing her away. 'Must be getting on. Wedding to organise and all that.'
But Wilfred strode to the top of the ramp and turned to face them. 'And who told you all this?' he demanded. 'Did they come and visit you in your Faluaan gaol cell?'
Charles would have pushed past him but Wilfred held his arm. 'I think you owe us some answers, Mister Prendergast.'
'Wilfy, please don't make a scene,' began Daphne. Then her mouth dropped open and she let out a terrified scream.
Acting on instinct, Wilfred hurled himself off the ramp, taking Daphne with him. In the same instant he became aware of the Migraani, standing at the edge of the clearing. Her long skirts were hitched up around her waist and her clasped hands were outstretched towards him as if in supplication. Then there came a blinding stab of blueish light and something fell heavily upon him.
Wilfred blinked repeatedly, trying to rid himself of the after-image of the lethal ray. He was on the ground, with Daphne kneeling close by. She was noisily vomiting, and her face and clothes were smeared with mud. Nearby, lay the smoking, decapitated remains of a thaal, his lifeless hand still clutching a heavy bronze meat-cleaver.
The Captain of Ships helped him to his feet. 'I should have strangled that creature the day he betrayed his master,' he growled.
'You must take more care,' chided the Migraani, giving Wilfred back his pistol. 'It was foolish to leave this behind.' She was breathing heavily, and as she placed the weapon in his hand he noticed that hers were shaking.
'You told me you couldn't hit a krit at five paces,' Wilfred reminded her.
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