Valhai (The Ammonite Galaxy)

by Gillian Andrews

  “We are all very worried about you, Cimma. He thinks that a Commission would be the proper way to decide your future. We all want only the best for you, as you know.”

  “You hell-hag! You snide-tongued daughter of Sacras!” Grace opened her eyes wide. She had never heard her mother speak like that. “You will regret this . . .”

  “Oh, I don’t think it will be I who regrets this,” promised Amanita, “After all, the Commission is not going to be investigating me, is it?”

  “I have met Kwaidians with more decency than you!” snapped Cimma. And I definitely have, thought Grace secretly to herself. Cimma went on, “What are you expecting them to find, might I ask?”

  “They might find that you would be better cared for on Cesis.” The small woman pulled her lips up in what would have been a smile on any other person. “Especially since your only daughter will be studying at the university this year, don’t you think? After all, sleeping in sarcophagi is not exactly normal behavior, is it Cimma? You know, I do believe you are just a sliver too far away from normal these days.” She tutted briefly. “Such a pity,” she smiled sadly. “Anyway, just to let you know about that appointment, Cimma. I will be in touch with the exact day and time. Cutting the connexion!”

  Mother and daughter stared at each other, in perfect agreement for the first time in months.

  “Why did Xenon ever marry that . . . that . . . viper?” lamented Cimma.

  “Because he thought she would look after his house well,” Grace said. “And she is . . . she is going to get rid of the two of us at one fell swoop. You have got to admire her. No wonder she won six university prizes at house management!”

  “I wouldn’t have given her the time of day!” Cimma showed her teeth. “She won’t get away with it. Just you wait and see. I have plenty of people who will support me. The cheek of it! And my own son! What his father will say I don’t know. He will be furious. I shall go and talk to him now.” And Cimma made her way in the direction of the tanato chamber, leaving her daughter with the distinct feeling that the foundations of the 48th floor were toppling about her.

  The only thing that occurred to Grace was to get in touch with Vion. He agreed to a personal visit with an alacrity which surprised her. She hadn’t thought doctors so keen to treat non-virtually these days. As she waited for him by the main lift she wondered again if she should take him into her confidence about Arcan, deciding for the fiftieth time that it wasn’t really her secret to share, and that Arcan would have to be the judge of who was told. Since he had specifically requested that nobody else should be brought into the loop, she felt she couldn’t include Vion, however tempted she was.

  The lift hissed to a stop on her floor. She found herself looking forward to seeing the amiable doctor again.

  He was anything but amiable as he stepped out, however. “What is all this mumbo jumbo that wretched Amanita has cooked up?” he demanded.

  “She asked for a Commission of Investigation. She thinks that they will send Matri to Cesis for hospitalization.”

  “And she will conveniently have rid herself of two dependents, I suppose. Does she think no-one will see through this brilliant plan of hers?”

  “I think she thinks nobody else will care.” Murmured Grace.

  “That is outrageous! Of course people care!”

  Grace looked at him steadily. “Who?” she asked simply.

  “Well, me, for starters.”

  “Who else?”

  “I . . . err . . . there must be hundreds of people.”

  Grace shook her head. “I don’t think there are. Not many people would dream of taking a stance against a reigning head of house. I think everybody else will just accept whatever result the Commission gives, that as long as protocol is followed they will believe whatever Amanita wants them to.”

  “And what has she decided for you?”

  “I’m to go to university. Nobody will find that in the least bit strange.”

  “No, you’re right. You should have gone last year.” Vion gave a sigh. “It would be unheard of for a first daughter not to attend a university course. She will have complete Sellite support for that.”

  Grace looked up. “And you?” she asked.

  “Me what?”

  “Do you think I am crazy not to want to go to university?”

  Vion started to speak, and then stopped and thought for a long moment. “I was going to say yes, but I think that’s just because everybody here goes. You would learn a lot, of course—”

  “Like Amanita did?” Grace interrupted.

  He laughed and gave a small shrug. “She is a good reason not to go, I agree.” He pulled a face. “I think the biggest problem is that you would find yourself isolated from all the other Sellites your own age if you didn’t go. They aren’t going to accept someone who gave up their studies at your age. The university lowrise is the only communal building on Valhai, apart from the Valhai Voting Dome. You won’t meet anybody your own age if you don’t go.”

  “As if I care about that!”

  “Well, now you don’t,” he said earnestly. “But who are you going to commit to? If you don’t conform then I doubt anybody will ask for you.” He caught sight of her face, and said hurriedly, without thinking about the implication. “Well, I would of course, but then I am years too old for you.”

  “You are not old!” she said heatedly, thinking how nice it was of him to say such a thing. And then to her shame she blushed. She felt the heat staining her face, starting at her cheeks and then spreading out and down to her neck. At that moment she totally hated herself.

  He looked at her strangely. There was a long moment of silence between them. Vion looked as if he were going to say something more, but then he thought better of it.

  “You will have to do whatever your brother decides for you,” he said abruptly, and turned away from her. Picking up his implement case, he made his way quickly off in the direction of the tanato chamber in search of her mother.

  When Vion entered the tanato chamber he found Cimma resting in the sarcophagus. Gently, he tapped her shoulder.

  “Go away. I don’t want to see anyone.” She turned from him.

  “Do you want to make things easy for Amanita?” he said sternly. “You will be playing straight into her hands if you insist on isolating yourself like this.”

  “I don’t care. Nothing matters anymore anyway.”

  “What about Grace?”

  “What about her? She is forever sneaking up and down in the back lift to the twenty-first floor. Thinks I don’t know. Hah! As if she would care!”

  “She cares very much, Cimma.”

  “. . . And you can send your father up next time! You aren’t even head of your own house, yet. Think you know everything, I suppose. But you don’t. I don’t want you to come anymore.”

  “You need to look after yourself, Cimma.”

  “I need to be ready for when they come.”

  Vion scratched the back of his neck, and controlled the unavoidable feeling of irritation. He had been genetically modified to feel empathy with his patients, but in this case it wasn’t working. Cimma was making her daughter miserable and herself even more so. She wasn’t going to let anybody help her. And if his father came here, well, the dratted woman would probably find herself in hospital even before the Commission paid its visit! He knew she was grieving for her lost husband, but he wished he could get through to her.

  “I would like to examine you again, Cimma,” he said.

  “Get out! You are on Amanita’s side. I know. You all want to get rid of me. Leave me alone. I won’t listen to any of you.”

  Suddenly he leant forward. “You will listen to me,” he said urgently. “You have to do something, Cimma. If you don’t you are going to find yourself in that hospital on Cesis, and Amanita will have won. You can’t want that. What would your husband have said to you? What would he have wanted you to do?”

  She stared at him, taken aback. “I didn’t have t
o make up my mind about anything,” she said defensively. “He always made all of the decisions. He took care of it all.”

  “I know. But he would have wanted you to protect his artifacts, wouldn’t he?”

  “Of course.”

  “And his sarcophagus?”

  She gave him a look as if he were crazy himself. “Of course.”

  “How will you do that if you allow Amanita to have you sent to a hospital on another planet?”

  “It won’t come to that.”

  “It will.”

  “Go away!”

  Vion gave a sigh. “All right.”

  There was nothing else he could do. She needed to take the pills he had left for her, and he was pretty sure she wouldn’t.

  He made his way back to the visitor’s room, where Grace was waiting for him. He shook his head.

  “I got nowhere, I’m afraid,” he confessed.

  “You did your best, Vion. Never mind. I will try to get her to see sense, I promise.”

  “I know you will. By the way, what is this project you have on the twenty-first floor?”

  It was merely a sociable question, but he was amazed at its effect on the young girl. She froze at his words and the colour literally drained from her face. It took her whole seconds to assimilate the question and even more to formulate a response.

  “H . . . how . . .?” she stammered.

  Vion held up a hand to calm her. He could actually see her heart leaping in her rib cage. The question he had asked had terrified her. But why? “I’m sorry. Grace, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean . . . that is, it was an intrusive question. Forgive me.”

  She took a huge breath. “No, it’s okay. I . . . its just . . . I have been working on a project . . . a . . . a painting. It’s nothing really. I just didn’t know my mother had noticed I was using that floor.”

  “Well. Take the best care of her that you can.” Vion touched the tips of his fingers to hers. “And take care of yourself.”

  She managed a weak smile. “I will. Thanks for your visit.” But as soon as he had gone she closed her eyes and sank into a chair.

  Chapter 21

  SIX STARED AT Atheron thoughtfully. Despite the man’s afable expression, Six’s senses were screaming an alarm that would have been impossible to ignore, even if he hadn’t known what the Sellite’s plans for him were.

  “You think I deserve a few days off?” he repeated.

  “Yes.” Atheron put on what he undoubtedly hoped was his most disarming smile. “You have finished the most advanced section of quantum physics, and your last three exam results have been quite satisfactory.”

  Of course they had. Six had not been backward in taking full advantage of Arcan’s brain as well as his own. But he didn’t like the sound of these “holidays”.

  “Before we start the next topic?” he asked.

  “Exactly. A few days to clear your head. Take a rest.”

  “And . . . what will the next topic be?” he asked.

  The grey head looked up at the ceiling. “Well, you know. I’m not sure. I don’t think it has been decided yet.”

  I bet, thought Six violently. Because there is no topic. I have finished the course and it’s my time under the knife, right? You slab-faced old hypocrite, you can’t wait to get rid of me, can you? But don’t count on me being part of the plan just yet. We will see what Arcan has to say about that!

  He could hardly wait until the Sellite had disappeared from his usual column before he signed Diva.

  “Hey, Six, what’s new?” she replied in her usual rapid rattle of fingers.

  “I’m about to go under the block, is what,” he told her.

  “WHAT? No way. Don’t worry; we will get you out of there long before you get the same treatment I did. Arcan, are you monitoring this?”

  “I am. We must call a meeting. I do not think that Six should have to pass through the same experience you did.”

  “Definitely not. The thought of half a million little Sixes appearing on Xiantha or Cesis is terrifying!”

  “I hadn’t thought of that!” Six appeared much struck by this comment. “Perhaps I shouldn’t deny posterity this chance to get at my genetic material. One doesn’t like to be too selfish, after all, does one?”

  “One is going to be left in one’s bubble if one doesn’t shut up, isn’t one?” Diva retorted.

  “No need to get violent, Diva, Arcan won’t like it.”

  “This is true, I do not agree with violence. This you both know already,” Arcan said.

  “Who wants to use violence?”

  Six chuckled. “Leave it Diva. And I really am in a mess, so if you wouldn’t mind putting your heads together and coming up with a solution?”

  “I do not have a head,” said Arcan.

  “Don’t worry Arcan, neither does Diva. She thinks out of her—”

  “—Six!” warned Diva.

  “Oh, very well. I will be good. Please, pretty please, can you giant intellects get yourselves organized and GET ME OUT OF HERE?” The strength of the last five words actually hurt Diva’s hands.

  “Ouch!” She jumped back.

  “SOONEST.” But only Arcan caught the last word.

  “We will be in contact,” he replied to the Kwaidian.

  “Yeah, yeah. Hope I won’t be out vaniven riding. I will tell my butler to admit your communications.”

  Arcan signed Diva, who had reconnected,“What is this butler?”

  “Just a joke, Arcan. He is making fun of me. I used to have a butler. He is a man who . . . who . . . opens doors and things,” she finished lamely.

  “Opening doors is a difficult task on Coriolis?”

  “No. But I was a very important person there.”

  “You are a very important person here.” Arcan considered. “Not as important as I am, of course, but very important all the same.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Does this mean I should have one of these butlers?”

  “No, Arcan. That is only on Coriolis. The Sellites don’t use them here on Valhai.”

  “Good. Good. I expect they are a nuisance.”

  She burst out laughing. “A very great nuisance,” she agreed. “Now, what are we going to do about Six?”

  Arcan was surprised. “We will talk to Grace, of course. She is the person indicated here.”

  “You don’t think I can come up with a plan on my own?” Diva wasn’t sure if she was offended.

  “Grace is my luminary,” he said simply. “You are pure motion, the person who sees it all through. Grace is the one who gives the answers, you make them happen. Six is . . . Six is . . .”

  “I know, Arcan, He leaves me speechless too!”

  “Go get Grace, Diva. We need her.”

  Once Grace had been brought up to date with all the news she sat for a long time, thinking.

  “It isn’t just Six,” she said finally. “The others must be about to have their operations too. They will be behind Six, because they haven’t had Arcan’s help, but it won’t be very long before their turn comes. And we have no way of knowing because they don’t know how to sign.”

  Diva pursed her lips and gave a soundless whistle. “You’re right,” she said, “but if we move now, before the operations, even just with Six; then the Sellites will know, won’t they?”

  “I can’t see any alternative, can you?”

  “No. Unless we let them be operated on, and pull them out when the Sellites have no further use for them, like we did with me? That would solve the problem of the Sellites taking reprisals against our home planets.”

  “Oh. Yes. That is something else to be taken into account,” agreed Grace. “I would hate to put Six through that operation, though.”

  “Me too. I just can’t see any other way.”

  “How long have we got?”

  “Six doesn’t know. Atheron said a few days’ holiday, so perhaps we can count on twenty-four to forty-eight hours?” suggested Diva.

  “Let’
s sleep on it, and then we’ll go bare planet tomorrow and have a proper meeting with Arcan. If we haven’t come up with anything by then perhaps he will have.”

  Grace went back to the 48th floor immersed in thought. She stepped out of the lift and came straight up against Amanita.

  “Aah! You scared me to death.” She put a hand to her heart, as if the gesture would calm its beating. “What are you doing here, Sister-in-law?”

  “I wondered why I couldn’t find you.” Amanita’s inquisitive eyes went from the lift to Grace, and back to the lift. “Where have you been?”

  “Just down to the ground floor.” Grace tried to sound nonchalant. “I use it for my painting.”

  “Oh yes. Your . . . painting.” Amanita smiled nastily. “I don’t think you will be having much time for painting in the future.”

  “Has . . . has my brother decided about my studies?”

  Amanita inclined her head. “You are to study house management,” she said. “At my old college, where I still have enough contacts to be able to keep an eye on you.”

  “I said art! I told him anything but house management!” Grace’s voice came out in a squeak.

  “Yes, I know.” Amanita smiled again. “Fortunately, he decided to take my advice, and not yours.”

  “I won’t go!”

  “You have absolutely no choice, Grace. Where would you go? You can’t stay here because your brother will take your biosign off the list, and I can assure you that no other house on Valhai will take you in. And,” she finished acidly, “you have no money to go to another planet.”

  “I have a right to part of the artifacts!”

  “Not so, I’m afraid. If you had studied harder at your school level house management course, you would know that all the artifacts in a skyrise are the sole property of the current head of house. Incumbents,” She looked meaningfully at Grace. “have no say in the distribution of the skyrise’s wealth.”

  Grace was crushed. That meant she truly had no choice. She bent her head, determined that she wouldn’t give Amanita the pleasure of seeing her tears of chagrin.