The red orbs glowed brighter. The cell grew still colder.
“Everything,” repeated Ombra. “Forever.”
CHAPTER 43
SHINING PEARL’S IDEA
SHINING PEARL CROUCHED at the entrance to the cave, peering out through the rain. Behind her, the pirates sat in the dirt, exhausted, wet, hungry, miserable.
“D’you see anything?” whispered Smee.
“No,” whispered Shining Pearl. “I think they’re gone.”
“Now what?” said one of the men.
It was a good question. The Scorpions seemed to be everywhere, patrolling in groups of four or five men, scouring the island’s jungle hillsides and valleys. Twice in the past sleepless day the pirates had come very close to being spotted; they would surely have been caught by now, had it not been for Shining Pearl’s intimate knowledge of the island’s geography. But they could not run forever. Sooner or later, the Scorpions would find them. The pirates understood this now; Shining Pearl could see it on their faces. She judged that now was the time to tell them about her idea.
“We have two choices,” she said.
They were all watching her.
“We can keep running,” she said. “There are other caves. If we’re careful, moving by night, keeping quiet, we might be able to avoid them for a while longer.”
The men looked around at the dank, dark cave.
“What’s the other choice?” said the pirate named Hurky.
Shining Pearl took a deep breath. “We attack them,” she said.
Hurky laughed, a harsh bark. “Us, attack them?”
“Yes,” said Shining Pearl.
“But,” said Smee, “we don’t have…that is, what would…I mean…How?”
“Do you have any clothing belonging to Captain Hook?” said Shining Pearl.
Smee frowned. “I b’lieve the cap’n’s old pants is back at the fort. I made him a new pair from sailcloth, but I was going to patch his old ones.” He frowned more deeply still. “But what does the cap’n’s pants have to do with attacking them Scorpions?”
Shining Pearl explained her plan. When she was done, the pirates sat quietly for a moment. Hurky broke the silence.
“Seems to me,” he said, “that it probably won’t work.”
The men nodded.
“But it also seems to me,” said Hurky, “that it’s better than spending the rest of our days hiding in caves, waiting for them to kill us.”
The men nodded again. They turned to Smee, who looked back at them, puzzled, until it dawned on him that a decision had been made and that it was up to him as acting captain to express it.
“All right, then,” he said to Shining Pearl, “let’s carry out your plan.”
CHAPTER 44
A LEAK IN THE UNIVERSE
THE FIRST THING YOU MUST UNDERSTAND,” is that humanity is an accident. You, who think you are the center of creation, are in fact here because of a flaw in the cosmos.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” said Leonard.
“No,” said Ombra, “you would not. You humans are so involved with the details of your tiny lives that you never notice the immense struggle beyond this insignificant speck you call the world.”
“Then perhaps you will be so kind as to enlighten me.”
“I will try,” groaned Ombra, “though it will be difficult for you to comprehend, given the limitations of human thought and language. To put it as simply as I can: there are two conflicting sides in what you call the universe. On one side is creation, being, light; on the other side is destruction, nothingness, darkness.”
“And you are on the side of darkness,” said Leonard.
“I am not only on the side of darkness,” groaned Ombra. “I am darkness.”
“And the Others?” said Bakari.
“The humans that you call the Others are unimportant. They do what I wish them to do, without knowing why. Like you Starcatchers, they are pawns in a game they do not understand.”
“If we’re so insignificant,” said Leonard, “then why are you here, interfering in our affairs?”
“I will explain,” groaned Ombra. “But you must first understand some history. The struggle between light and darkness has gone on since the beginning of what you call time. It was going on before there was time, though I do not expect you to know what I mean by that. What you need to know is this: for the past several billion of your years, light has been winning the struggle. The side of existence, of being, is expanding. The side of nothingness, of darkness—my side—is retreating. We have survived in pockets, in voids of darkness; one such void is…not far from here. But we are losing. We are being driven back everywhere, by a force we cannot match.”
“Starstuff,” said Bakari.
“Yes,” said Ombra. “Starstuff. It flows outward across the universe from a point called the Beginning. Where there was nothing, it creates something. It leaves stars in its wake, galaxies, structures bigger than galaxies, and structures bigger than those. Along the way it also leaves incalculable quantities of smaller, random clots of matter and gas—comets, asteroids, rocks, dust particles—and planets. There are untold millions of planets about the same size as your Earth, did you know that, Lord Aster? I see by your expression that you did not. You humans believe you are unique. And in a sense, you are correct. Because of all these untold millions of planets, yours alone is located near the flaw.”
“What flaw?” said Leonard.
“In the starstuff conduit,” said Ombra. “It passes very close to Earth. You cannot see it; it does not exist in the same way that ordinary matter exists. But it is there nonetheless, carrying starstuff from the Beginning to the remote reaches of the universe, as an aqueduct carries water. But there is a flaw, and sometimes it causes a leak in the aqueduct. This is known as a Disruption, and when it occurs, a tiny quantity of starstuff escapes and enters your reality.”
“A starstuff Fall,” said Bakari.
“Yes,” said Ombra. “It has been falling here for quite some time. That is the reason life came to exist on this barren rock in the first place. That is the reason this life acquired intelligence. You humans, and what you call your civilization, are here because of a leak in the plumbing of the universe.”
“And is that why you’ve come?” said Leonard. “To retrieve this leaked starstuff?”
“No,” said Ombra. “We have come for far more than that. But to understand it, you will need to indulge me for a bit longer.”
Leonard nodded.
Ombra continued: “As humans gained in intelligence, they began to understand the power of the starstuff. Some humans wanted to use it to dominate; other humans wanted to prevent them from doing so. This led to the struggle between the Others and you Starcatchers. This struggle went on for thousands of years before it was noticed.”
“Noticed by whom?” said Leonard.
“By my enemies,” said Ombra. “By the powers of light. Their attention had been focused elsewhere in the universe, on their struggle against my side, against darkness. When they finally saw what their starstuff Falls on Earth had caused—the development of intelligent life and the conflict between the Starcatchers and the Others—they felt responsible and decided to intervene. Had my side been in control, we would have simply eliminated your troublesome planet. But the powers of light choose not to destroy life.”
“Good for them,” muttered Leonard.
“As you will see in a moment,” said Ombra, “it is not good for them. But to continue: the powers of light felt responsible for you humans and chose to set up a mechanism to prevent you from using the starstuff to destroy yourselves. That mechanism was the Watchers.”
“Watchers?” said Leonard, exchanging a glance with Bakari.
“Yes,” said Ombra. “Watchers are beings with certain abilities, including the ability to sense an impending Disruption. These Watchers were put here on Earth, in very small numbers, to warn the Starcatchers, so you could retrieve starstuff Fal
ls before the Others could get to them. Centuries ago the Watchers showed your ancestors how to return the starstuff. Your ancestors passed this knowledge along to you, as I learned during our unpleasant encounter at Stonehenge, when you were able to return the starstuff that we retrieved, and that you Starcatchers managed to get away from us.”
“We barely got it back,” said Leonard. “We were never warned about that Fall.”
“No,” said Ombra. “We were warned. For the past twelve years, the only Watcher on Earth has been working for us.”
“Peter’s parents,” said Leonard.
“Very good, Lord Aster,” groaned Ombra. “But not both his parents. Only his father. He made a mistake, unusual for a Watcher. He fell in love with an ordinary human. He married her. They had a child. That gave us the control we needed. To save his wife and child, he had to work for our side, the shadows.”
“But,” said Bakari, “didn’t your enemies—the powers of light—notice that they lost their Watcher twelve years ago?”
“No,” said Ombra. “As I have said, their attention is focused elsewhere in the universe, and twelve years is nothing in the time span of this struggle. The powers of light have no reason to believe anything is wrong on Earth. And when they discover the effects of what we’re about to do, it will be far too late.”
“What do you intend to do?” said Leonard softly.
“At last,” groaned Ombra, “we come to the present. You have no doubt noticed the tall metal structure in the courtyard outside.”
Leonard and Bakari nodded.
“A rocket, designed by Dr. Glotz. He is quite intelligent, for a human; we have enhanced this intelligence by exposing him to controlled doses of starstuff. Since this exposure, he has been using his talents to exploit the flaw in the conduit. He has made remarkable progress. He developed a means to send up a rocket containing a small quantity of starstuff, thereby causing a Disruption that brings down a larger quantity. That is how he caused the Scotland Fall. More recently he has learned to control the location of the Fall, as he did this morning. That starstuff was located for us by the Watcher’s son, Peter, who apparently has inherited at least some of his father’s powers. It is a very large quantity of starstuff we now have in our possession. Tonight, Dr. Glotz will send it up in the rocket, to be released at precisely the right moment during the Leonid meteor shower. You will want to be looking out your cell window when it happens. Dr. Glotz assures me that it will be quite spectacular. But there is another reason why you should watch, Lord Aster.”
“Why is that?”
Ombra’s eyes glowed brightly in the cell gloom.
“Because,” he said, “it is the last thing that you, and all other humans, will ever see.”
The cell was silent for a moment.
“I don’t understand,” said Leonard.
“You will never understand,” said Ombra. “As I said, the limitations of your language—and, with all due respect, your minds—render the concept beyond your grasp. I will leave it at this: if Dr. Glotz is correct—and I am confident that he is—the extreme, sudden shock to the starstuff flow caused by the rocket tonight will cause it to reverse, like a wave hitting a wall. The result will be an immediate stop to the expansion of the universe. It will actually begin to contract. This Reversal will happen with inconceivable swiftness. In less than a moment, all light and all it has ever created, will be gone. All of it—from the tiniest mote of dust, to your precious Earth, to the galaxies themselves—all gone back to before the Beginning. Before time. In their place: timelessness and nothingness. And we will rule in darkness, as we once did. Forever.”
Leonard and Bakari stared at the red orbs for several long moments. Bakari broke the silence.
“Why are the Others helping you, if it will cause their deaths?” he said.
“The Others are humans: ignorant fools,” said Ombra. “Zarboff knows only that there will be more starstuff. He does not think beyond that.”
“But surely Dr. Glotz knows what he is bringing about,” said Leonard.
“He trusts his theories,” said Ombra. “But he cares only about one thing: that in his last instant of existence, before the Reversal, before everything becomes nothing again, he will have proved his theory correct.”
“He’s insane,” whispered Leonard.
“That hardly makes him unique among you humans.”
Again the cell was silent. When Leonard spoke again, his voice was hoarse.
“You won’t win, you know,” he said. He felt the red orbs gazing intently at him. He forced himself not to look away.
“And why is that, Lord Aster?” Ombra said.
“Because,” said Leonard, “light overcomes darkness. A tiny match can illuminate the darkest room. As long as there is some light somewhere in the universe, you can be defeated.”
“But that is precisely the point, Lord Aster,” groaned Ombra. “What if there is no universe?”
Ombra kept his gaze on Leonard, as if awaiting a response; Leonard had none. Finally Ombra turned and oozed back through the cell bars. Then he was gone, disappearing into the dungeon gloom, leaving Leonard and Bakari to look out the window at the bright desert day. Perhaps the last day ever.
CHAPTER 45
DOOMED
IT TOOK THE CHILDREN HOURS to reach Maknar—hot, thirsty hours, with the city beckoning in the distance, a mosaic of sunbaked huts, hunchbacked palms, and the glinting spires of Zarboff’s palace. The sea of sand played tricks on their eyes: sometimes, as they trudged forward, the city seemed to move farther away, like a desert mirage of shimmering blue water.
But finally they were standing in a bustling marketplace, doing their best to look inconspicuous in their newly acquired robes. Around them swirled the sounds of people bargaining, and a hundred scents—acrid sweat, sweet incense, coconut, spices. The camel, which had carried Tubby Ted, Prentiss, and Molly most of the way, let out a strange humming noise. Thomas led it to a water trough, from which it drank thirstily.
“What now?” James said. He intended the question for Peter, but it was Molly who answered.
“We must go to the palace,” she said, “and free Father.”
And be caught immediately, like a big stupid fish, observed Tink, who was hiding under Peter’s robe.
“What’d she say?” asked Molly.
“She said the palace is heavily guarded,” said Peter. “We can’t just go barging in there, Molly.”
“Well, we can’t just stand here, either,” said Molly. “People are starting to notice us.”
This was true: even in the colorful chaos of the market, their group was drawing curious looks.
“All right,” said Peter. He gestured for the group to gather, whistling to Tubby Ted, who was wandering toward the food stalls. When they had all huddled together, Peter spoke, his voice low.
“As I see it,” he said, “we need to do two things. We need to free Lord Aster and Bakari. Then we need to get all of us out of here. We need a ship.”
“We came by ship to Ashmar,” said Molly. “But that’s another long trip across the desert. I doubt we’d make it if we were being chased.”
Peter nodded. “There are ships here,” he said. “There’s a harbor below the city. That’s where Ombra brought us in his underwater ship. There were sailing ships there.”
“Then perhaps we need to borrow one,” said George, giving Molly a look.
“Do you think you could be in charge of that, George?” said Peter. He was reluctant to admit it, but George was quite good at things like getting ships.
“My pleasure,” said George.
“Good,” said Peter. “So you, Molly, and the boys will get a ship and have it ready to sail. Tink and I will go to the palace and—”
“I’m going with you,” said Molly.
No she’s not, said Tink.
“No, you’re not,” said Peter. “Molly, think about it. Tink and I can fly. And we’ve been inside the dungeon. We know where we’re goin
g.”
“He’s my father,” said Molly. She pulled out her locket. “And I have starstuff left. I can fly if I need to.” Peter started to object, but she cut him off. “I’m going with you,” she said, “like it or not.”
Not, said Tink.
“All right,” said Peter.
“Thank you,” said Molly.
We’re doomed, said Tink.
A few minutes later, with the plan settled, they left the market in two groups. George and the other boys headed toward the harbor, with George leading the camel. Molly and Peter, with Tink still tucked away, headed toward Zarboff’s palace.
Peter eyed the looming spires, recalling how close Kundalini had come to making a meal of him and his mates. He glanced at Molly, glad she was with him. But at the moment he had no idea how the two of them, and Tink, could possibly free Leonard Aster from Zarboff’s dungeon. He also had grave doubts that George, capable as he was, would be able to procure a ship.
We’re doomed, Tink said again.
“What did she say?” asked Molly.
“She says,” replied Peter, “that this should be exciting.”
CHAPTER 46
TINK’S MESSAGE
LEONARD ASTER SAT SLUMPED against the cell wall, staring at nothing. Next to him, Bakari, equally downhearted, rose to stretch his legs. He glanced out the small barred window, then moved closer for a better look.
“They are working on the rocket,” he said.
Leonard rose quickly and stood next to Bakari. The blazing bright afternoon was yielding, slowly, to the softer light of evening. Across the courtyard, the rocket thrust its dark, tapering silhouette into the sky above the palace wall. A tall, thin man—Viktor Glotz, Leonard assumed—was supervising a crew of boys, who appeared to be about Peter’s age. The boys were carrying buckets from a wagon to the rocket. Stationed around the rocket were a dozen soldiers armed with rifles; at least fifty more armed men were positioned around the courtyard. Many of the men were shading their eyes with their hands, scanning the sky.
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon Page 19