by neetha Napew
“We will take them away from your blessed sight and drown them at once, great one.” Ortsac hurried to assure it.
“No.” Quickly hiding its alarm, Alunthri snapped out another order. “You will take them to my chamber, so that I may inspect them further. They may be of use to me in other ways.”
“Other ways?” What might have been suspicion crossed Ortsac’s fat face. “But, great one, surely-“
“You dare question me?” Alunthri tensed, and bared its teeth. “You, who are less than a grain of sand in my eye?”
Big Bird threw himself down on his face again, talking to the stone floor. “No, great one, I beg your forgiveness, your indulgence. You are the scourge and I am your back.”
The Chakacat waited a couple of beats before saying, “Very well, I will indulge you this once. Now, bring them to my chamber.”
I could tell the Chakacat was enjoying its role-playing, as it had when it pulled off a feral act among the Hsktskt. I only prayed it would be able to keep it up long enough for us to figure a way off Taerca.
The monitors hauled us to the small chamber at the base of the steps, and shoved us inside. When they would have followed, Alunthri stepped in and waved them away.
“I will speak to them alone.”
That caused a few looks to be exchanged, but the monitors bowed and shuffled back.
Since there was no door, and no way to know if the Taerca were listening in on our conversation, Reever addressed the Chakacat in its own native language.
Alunthri responded, at length, then gave me a reassuring grin.
“You, small Terran. Attend me.” It held out a brush, then shrugged out of the heavy toga-robe. I started brushing its fur. In a scarcely audible whisper, it said, “Sorry. They expect everyone to worship me.”
“I already do, pal. What’s the plan?” I watched as Reever quietly spoke to Xonea and Salo.
“I will conduct a short service for the natives. Then, with a bit of luck, do as Duncan says and ascend into the heavens with my offerings.” The Chakacat purred with pleasure as I drew the brush through its short, gray fur. “That feels wonderful.”
“You’re as bad as Jenner.” I put down the brush, and picked up one of the strange arm-cuffs. They might have been designed as personal ornamentation, but they resembled manacles a little too closely for my taste. “Pretty things.”
The Chakacat took one and traced the outline of the gems imbedded in the silver. “They displayed chests of them for me. I think they’ve been saving them up for years.”
I checked the door to see if anyone was watching. “Have you found out anything about this god they think you are?”
“I’m not a god, exactly. From what I’ve gathered, Sadda was a feline alien whose vessel crashed on this world many centuries ago. It taught them how to build and gave them some of its technology as prototypes, to create their own. The alien eventually was deified for the enlightenment it provided.” It curled a paw around the ornament. “What’s so provocative is that my species may actually be descended from that alien’s people.”
“I thought Chakacats lived in the wild on your world.”
“There have been many technologically advanced civilizations on Chakara. Over time, war and outside conflict consistently decimated the population. It is possible that at one point in our history, my kind were the dominant species on our planet.”
I couldn’t help a slightly evil chuckle. “Now that would be proof enough to get Chakacats sentient status within the League.”
Alunthri beamed. “I believe it would.”
“Then we’d better grab some evidence, if we can.”
The Chakacat held up a small disc. “Presented to me with all due ceremony. It contains all known accounts of the origins of Sadda. They want me to check it and make sure their ancestors recorded the facts correctly.”
The monitors hovered outside the doorway, making discreet noises, and Reever nodded to Alunthri.
“My rainments.” It swept its paws outward so I could put its toga-robe on. “Come. You have been instructed and shall attend me at the ceremony for my people.”
The ceremony was as pretentious as any I’d ever seen. Hundreds of Taerca poured into the ziggurat, and formed living chains by standing with arms linked on three sides of the steps leading up to the central platform. Alunthri and the rest of us climbed the fourth set of steps, which had been left empty for the holy procession.
Tadam Ortsac prostrated himself again and asked if he would be worthy to conduct the ceremony.
Alunthri took a minute and pretended to think about it. “Are you the best the people can do?”
“I am, great one. I have been preparing myself to serve you since my birth.” The official rubbed his bulging stomach. “You will find no fault with my oration or my sustenance, I promise you this.”
“Very well.”
On the platform, Alunthri stood calmly in the center of the rest of us, and Ortsac only hissed at us to kneel before addressing the assembly.
“Sadda is indeed returned to us, surrounded by his sacrifices, benevolent and gracious in all things.”
The chains of devoted worshippers swayed as the Taercal sighed and murmured their pleasure.
“Our ancestors allowed themselves to be seduced by the power afforded to them by that which was not of Sadda. We were wise to eradicate those who would have kept us in thrall to false gods.” He turned to the Chakacat. “Behold, great one, your gifts intact still.”
All around us, the monitors went to the walls, and jerked down the immense drapery. Beneath them wasn’t more black, tul-infected stone, but vast interior alloy panels that began to flicker and glow with lights and color. At the same time, there was a distinctly recognizable rumble beneath our feet.
The ziggurat wasn’t a church.
“Reever.” I stared at the panels. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“Yes.” He scanned the walls slowly. “It’s a vessel of some kind.”
There were more than thirty ziggurats inside the city. “All of them?”
“It is possible.”
Even as the rumble of engines faded away, I rubbed my arms. “They aren’t going to try to fly this one, are they?”
“I don’t think so. They’re just displaying the fact that they’ve kept the ship in working order. Something the original Sadda probably helped them build and taught them to maintain.”
Even Xonea, who had been exposed to myriad alien tech over the years through trading, looked a little dazzled. “Why didn’t they destroy the ships when they divested themselves of technology?”
“It was their own technology, developed by the Taercal themselves, that they destroyed. The configurations of this vessel do not correspond with any I have ever seen before.” Reever studied one of the nearby panels. “It may be from a former civilization.”
“Watch the fat one,” Dhreen said. “There’s something wrong.”
He was right. Wart Sack looked so happy that I blinked. So did all the other Taercal.
“You have the evidence of our faith before you now, Sadda,” the official said, waving his beringed hands around. “We have endured your scourges and remained steadfast and unwavering. We welcome your indulgence, so that you may lift the holy affliction from us, your devoted and suffering.” Ortsac folded his arms and bowed again. “Enlighten us now. Remove our burden, feast on your sustenance, and restore the people to our former joy.”
Uh-oh. Lifting holy afflictions and restoring people to former joy hadn’t been in our game plan. And what was this “sustenance” business Big Bird kept yammering about?
Alunthri hesitated, long enough to make Ortsac’s grin droop a bit. Finally, it nodded. “I am pleased by the evidence of your faith and suffering. I shall remove the scourge from the people from the heavens, as I ascend.”
“Ascend?” Ortsac looked confused. “I do not understand, great one. You are among us; you belong to us now. As you promised, you have returned. Your s
trong backs are here. Your sustenance is here. You have no reason to leave us.”
“I am not leaving you,” Alunthri lied. “In order to lift the suffering from so many, I must perform the proper ritual in the air. The air from whence the people came down, and bore the scourge for my sake.” It stroked its facial fur with one paw, then added, “Surely you do not mean to delay the alleviation by bombarding me with questions as to my methods, Tadam Ortsac.”
That was enough to send the official into a momentary panic. “No, great one, of course not. I would never- I would not even think of performing such blasphemy!”
“Excellent. I am pleased with your obedience. Now, you will escort me and my offerings to the place beyond the city where my ascension vessel awaits.”
We all held our breaths as Ortsac digested that, then turned to the assembled people. “This day we walk in Sadda’s favor! To the plateau beyond the city!”
“Keep looking like you’re going to bite someone’s head off,” I murmured to Alunthri as we passed through Sadda’s Maw. “Once we’re on the ship, we’ll do a sweep and locate Hawk.”
The Chakacat halted for a moment as it studied the sky. “We may have another problem.”
I looked up, and my jaw sagged. A third launch was descending at a dangerous angle, rocking and shaking as it came down through the atmosphere too fast. “Who is that?”
“Someone who does not know how to fly,” Xonea said, in low outrage.
Since every member of the crew had undergone pilot training, there was only one person left on the ship who fit that description. I pressed a hand over my eyes and watched through my fingers. “Dhreen, I think your girlfriend’s here.”
Despite her lack of piloting skills, Ilona Red Faun somehow managed to pull the vessel’s nose up just before she hit the surface. Sprays of crushed worms and dirt repelled the mist as the bottom of the launch bounced once, then twice, before skidding to a noisy halt.
“You could use some of those attack trellises in the launch bays,” I said to Salo, who was shaking his head.
Reever was more practical. “We had better take her launch, and abandon the other two.”
The Captain hadn’t been pleased by the idea of leaving behind one, and I could almost hear his teeth grinding. “She reports to me as soon as we return to the ship.”
I wouldn’t want to be in her moccasins in a couple of hours. “Someone had better go get her.”
While all this was happening, the Taercal were trying very hard to look worshipful and affronted at the same time. Xonea and Reever didn’t quite reach the shuttle in time, and the exterior hull panel opened.
Ilona Red Faun didn’t bother with a docking ramp but jumped out. She brandished a pulse rifle under one arm and one of the Captain’s multibladed swords in her hand.
“Dhreen? Dhreen!”
She spotted him a moment later, dodged the men, and ran directly at me, Alunthri, and the object of her affections. Behind us, the Taercal made a collective, unpleasant sound.
Reever grabbed the weaver from behind and, despite her struggles, held on. Salo quickly disarmed her.
Frustrated, yet unable to free herself, Ilona began ranting in Navajo.
“All we need now are some Hsktskt,” I murmured to Alunthri. “Or some popcorn.”
It stopped being funny when Dhreen pressed his spoon-shaped fingers to his chest and began gasping for breath. I braced him with one arm and checked his vitals.
My smile faded. We had to get off this rock.
“Ilona, listen very carefully,” I said, walking with Dhreen toward her, but keeping my eye on the mob. “You’ve just blown our escape plan. Kneel in front of Alunthri and beg forgiveness.”
She stopped swearing in Navajo. “Why should I?”
“Because if you don’t, two things are going to happen. Those people will attack us, and your boyfriend will go into respiratory arrest.” I beckoned with my free hand to Reever, who turned the weaver loose and came to help me support Dhreen from the other side.
“How do I know you speak the truth?” Ilona demanded.
“Don’t do it, and find out.”
“Why must I kneel?”
I closed my eyes for a moment. Stuff like this always happened with the lovesick. Usually while I was trying to keep them from getting their heads bashed in. I looked at her again. “Because these maniacs think Alunthri is one of their gods.”
“They’re insane.”
“I guess you’d know.” I adjusted my grip on Dhreen. “Now do it, and remember to call it Sadda in a nice, loud voice.”
Ilona scowled as she performed the obeisance. “Honored Sadda, forgive me... I meant no offense to you.”
The Chakacat gestured for the Terran girl to rise. “Return to the vessel and await my judgment.”
Before Ilona could move, Tadam Ortsac approached Alunthri and sank down on his knees in what I was beginning to think of as Sadda’s Position.
“Great one,” he said, wringing his hands, “please, I beg you, enlighten us.”
The Chakacat glanced at me. I shrugged-I was no religious expert-and rolled my eyes toward the launch. To Ortsac, Alunthri said, “What is it now?”
“These polluters, great one. Surely they but interfere with your alleviation of our suffering.” Wart Sack gave me the usual you’re-not-worthy glare. “Let us drown them for you, and offer you proper sustenance before you ascend.”
Again with the “sustenance.” Did Big Bird intend on force-feeding Alunthri?
“It is not your place to question my decisions, scourge back.” Alunthri adjusted a fold of its toga-robe. “These aliens will accompany me on my ascension. That is final.”
“But... why?” Ortsac finally burst out.
My friend produced a chilling snarl.
“Forgive me, great one, but I do not understand. Your need is my provision.”
I leaned in to whisper, “He wants you to eat. Tell him you’re going to eat us up in the sky.”
“In order to alleviate the suffering of the people, I require sustenance. You have said so yourself. These aliens will do nicely.”
“But that is what I am to do, great one,” Ortsac whined.
Uh-oh. Suddenly, the official’s pathetic obesity took on all new and gruesome overtones.
He went on. “I have been fattened specifically for you, Sadda.” The official tore open his robe, exposing his flabby, feathered body. He disrobed so fast he knocked over two other Taercal around him. “Behold your sustenance, Sadda. Feed upon me.”
No one moved or spoke. What could anyone say? Don’t offer yourself as a twelve-course meal for the local god? Luckily, Alunthri recovered and thought of another stall.
“Perhaps if I am still hungry when I return, then I shall feed on you.” Alunthri made a grandiose gesture at the official’s robes. “Cover yourself.”
“No!” Ortsac clawed at his swollen neck, tearing feathers out by the handfuls. “No, I am ready, I am yours, I will be your sustenance!”
He was determined to be a martyr. We had to get out of here. “Alunthri, let’s go. Let’s just go.”
Two of the monitors came forward, clubs in hand, as Ortsac’s clawed hands drew blood from his own throat. Alunthri hissed out a furious order for him to stop, but it was too late. Both clubs hit Ortsac’s head from either side, and crushed his skull.
Ilona screamed as Taercal blood splattered all of us, and Ortsac fell over, dead.
Alunthri’s colorless eyes closed. As it stood closest to Ortsac, it had been drenched. Slowly, it lifted trembling, bloodstained paws to its face. It had always been a sensitive creature, unable to tolerate violence in any form.
“Don’t pass out,” I muttered. “Not now.”
“Reject the offering,” Reever said.
With great reluctance, Alunthri licked one of its paws, then spat bloody saliva on the ground. I could tell from the way its nostrils flared that it was fighting the urge to vomit. “This sustenance... is not... worthy of me. Take
it... away.”
The two monitors grabbed Ortsac’s body by its stunted wings and dragged him off into the crowd. Monkey-birds circling overhead began diving down, trying to get at the body.
The Chakacat was visibly shaking as it turned to us. “All of you, enter my ascension vessel.” It even managed to growl at the crowd when a couple of them shuffled forward, “No more delays! I must ascend now!”
From there, we walked as fast as we could into the launch. Dhreen’s lungs were straining by the time I got a breather strapped on him and switched it to pure oxygen feed. His pulse skittered beneath my fingertips, then he slumped forward, unconscious.
I held him up, but he was deadweight. “Duncan, give me a hand, will you?”
Reever helped me strap him in, and Xonea went to the helm. Alunthri paused in the door panel to lift a paw and wave to the crowd. As soon as the panel closed, it stumbled over to a disposal unit and vomited.
I felt a terrible sympathy for my friend, but I couldn’t leave Dhreen. “Ilona, go help Alunthri. Xonea, can we leave before the demon lack-wit dies on me?”
The Captain spared me a glance. “We must locate Hawk.”
“Oh, hell.” I’d forgotten about him. “How are we going to find him?”
“I know where he is,” Reever said. “Captain, if you would, ascend to two hundred feet and head seventeen degrees north.”
“Make it fast, unless you don’t want Dhreen around much longer.” I frowned at my husband. “How do you know where he is?”
Duncan gave me one of his enigmatic looks. “Where would you go if you had wings?”
“Some place where the people who can’t use theirs won’t get at me.” I glanced through the viewport. ‘Those peaks, right behind the city.”
“Exactly.” Reever went to sit copilot beside Xonea. “We will find him as quickly as we can.”
I wiped Dhreen’s face and started an infuser line with saline. “You’d better hurry up, or Sadda is going to get its first alien sacrifice.”
It didn’t take long for Reever to pick up Hawk’s thermal signature, or locate the exact cave he’d decided to hide in. Landing was impossible, but Xonea kept the launch on hover while Reever opened the exterior panel.