Comet Fall (Wine of the Gods)

by Pam Uphoff

  The god walked around to the side. He stared at the back of the small building housing the stabilizer. "Look dimensionally, as if for bubbles, see the tunnel? Can you see where it goes? If we can locate Earth, we can sabotage their equipment if they attack again."

  Dydit whispered back, "It goes too far and it . . squirms."

  Lefty shook his head. "I can't see a thing. And I don't understand why you two can't see through to the other side. There's a street, people with flags directing traffic."

  The Auld Wulf stared as it plunged away into the sparkling, fizzy blueness. If he looked closer, the fizziness expanded and became dimensional bubbles, jiggling and rushing past. "I think Dydit and I can see the extra-dimensional structure of the connection, and it overwhelms the mere three dimensional visual input. I wonder if . . . " He touched a driver's mind, followed it . . .

  " . . . worse than witches. Well, no, nothing's worse than witches, but you come close."

  He was being carried over someone's shoulder. He twitched and tried to make a noise. He tilted, his feet hit the ground and he was held as he tried to keep his knees straight.

  "And you weigh too damn much!" Dydit informed him. "If it weren't for Rustle wanting to keep you for a pet, I would have left you there. What did you do? Other than keel over, loosing your light warp at an awkward moment when rather a lot of soldiers were looking our direction."

  "I attached to a driver's mind and tried to follow it down there." He shook his head carefully. "I feel sort of numb and strange."

  "That driver probably drove off with a piece of your mind. With any luck, he'll keep it."

  The Auld Wulf grinned and looked around. "Stirred them up, didn't I?"

  "Ambassador Benri is bound to be pissed, and we're going to have a hard time doing that again. Not that I want to do it again, mind you. But some people have no sense."

  "Well, we'll take some time to think over what we've already learned." He turned and slogged away from the camp. "I suppose they've got the Bank surrounded?"

  "Oh yes. Did we learn anything?"

  "Mostly that they come from so far away we can't see their world." The Auld Wulf staggered around in a circle. "Lefty?"

  "Leading them around on a wild goose chase."

  "And he'll no doubt pick up information as he goes. Where can we get a good look at the bank? Oh, it's right there. Let's check their dispositions. Benri really ought to have a list of their transgressions when he speaks to them."

  Dydit grabbed him as he tilted. "Oh no you don't I'm a goat, not a donkey. I can't carry you a whole lot further."

  "Hmm, if I just had a saddle . . . "

  "My horns are inconveniently placed for riders."

  "True. Ah, there they are. Tum te tum te tum. Tsk tsk! Artillery, yet. Let's get closer. I want some details." The Auld Wulf reached carefully out and warped light around himself. He could feel Dydit shrink his area of effect and nodded as the soldiers failed to notice them standing there, a hundred feet away.

  He checked out the number and probable strength of some really nice mobile lasers, some old fashioned chemical propellant artillery that made him feel homesick, and nothing that had much chance of getting through the shields he'd left in place. He admired the spots where they'd leaned sticks up against the physical shield where they could see them fall if the shield dropped. "Smart boys! Pity they don't know about doors and windows." He put out his hands and convinced his numb brain to open a hole he and Dydit could step through, then closed it behind them, and staggered up the steps and through the doors before releasing his light warp.

  "Are you all right?" Benri hustled up to them. "What did you do?"

  "Squirrled my brain a bit studying their gate." The Auld Wulf said. "Sorry about the unpleasant situation out there."

  Benri snorted. "They'll be apologizing as soon as they get some civilians out here to mess up what the military thinks needs to be done. Are you planning anything else?"

  "Going to catch some sleep before even thinking about anything else."

  Dydit steered him back into the living quarters and aimed him at a bed.

  "Dydit. Remember slow it down, push it south, in case . . . "

  Gisele arrived thirty seconds later. "Tsk! Scaring the poor goat that badly! Drink this."

  "Sorry, brain feels numb."

  "And your hands are cold. Interesting."

  He frowned. Did some division problems in his head. Recited the Gettysburg Address. Pictured Rustle. "Okay, everything seems to be working. What's the problem."

  "Don't you know that when a doctor is flummoxed they call it psychological?"

  "You're flummoxed?"

  "Well, as far as I can see, you did something that may have duplicated the circumstances in which our brains got chewed up originally. Whether it was physically damaging or just a hideous reminder, it was enough to induce shock."

  "So, keep warm, liquids and rest? I feel like a frail fainting flower of femininity."

  A loud snort from outside the door.

  "Actually your hands are warmer, so I'll just leave this with you. Remember to drink the rest of it. Dydit, if you can't stay awake and watch him, get somebody else to. If he's going die, someone ought to be awake to watch him do it."

  Another snort. "Fortunately he looks pretty pathetic. Let me see what Rustle is up to."

  Rustle trotted in a few minutes later. "You don't look quite as bad as Dad described, so I won't run away screaming like he was hoping."

  "Just keep an eye on him, dear. If his hands get cold again, call me." Gisele disappeared.

  Dydit hugged his daughter. "No carrying on. I will be in and out, keeping an eye on the situation out doors."

  "Yes, Dad."

  The Auld Wulf scrunched up on his side and against the wall to give her enough room to sit down next to him. She rubbed the muscles of his arm, and he drifted off toward sleep. It felt like his brain was throbbing. Rustle was wafting a gentle healing spell. Rustle. Mother of his son, his wonderful little god. Have to try a goddess next time . . . The witch and wizard genes together on one X chromosome, that had worked well for Xen . . . he could put a mage gene right by the witch gene on the other X chromosome . . . he could see just how to do it . . . substitute the power gene sequence for the don't-allow-male-sperm-in genes . . .

  When he woke he was first aware of a bright glow beside his bed and turned his head that direction. Rustle sat cross-legged on the floor, hands palm up on her thighs. The glow was all mental, magical. So bright, so much power. Not to mention the brains. Did she really just sit down and make a transdimensional gate a few days ago? No machinery, just manipulating natural, so to speak, multidimensional phenomena? If we can survive this comet, the whole world is going to change again. The whole multiverse.

  When he tried to follow what she was doing, she bumped him back. :: Stay away from the gate. ::

  He sat up stiffly. "Don't you go and get hurt. Your father is already pissed at me."

  "Don't be silly," Dydit said from the door. "Why should a father be pissed about his lovely daughter falling in love with a man old enough to be her great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great . . . " he sighed. "Come and get breakfast. We've stirred up quite the hornets nest, back on Earth. They've got the locator here turned on full time. The gate opens about every other hour, with both soldiers and civilians driving in both directions. We are eavesdropping on everything possible."

  Dydit led the way to what had been a conference room. "This is now Magic Central."

  Lefty was there, looking about in exasperation. Had the poor man been put in charge of this mess of powerful civilians?

  Nil and Justice were sitting together, eyes closed, two Triads of witches, about half the Rip Crossing Goat Boys, and Selano's Compass.

  "Romeau tried to get a good look at the gate and collapsed just like you did. Well, not actually as badly, but I hadn't realized Lady Gisele knew words like that."

  The Auld Wulf
grinned. "Actually I always rather thought she'd invented some of them, although she claims it's medical Latin."

  Lefty edged out and joined them. "Rufi figured further exploration of the ruins could wait, and he wanted a show of force—at first we thought they'd attacked you."

  "No, did it to myself."

  "At any rate, we've got all the disciplines covered." Lefty shrugged. "Personally I think we ought to just kick them out and break their anchor. I've listened in to their private conversations. A bit different than what the diplomats say to Benri. They aren't going to help us, and if we're seriously weakened by the comet, they plan to move in and take over."

  "How nice of them." The Auld Wulf ground his teeth. "I'll talk to Rufi about kicking them out before the Comet, so we don't get stabbed in the back."

  "Can I help do the kicking?" Benri's voice, from the next doorway.

  "Cafeteria in here." Dydit shook his head. "Honestly, mages! We really shouldn't have called them in."

  Oscar and Bran's harem girls, all seven very pregnant, appeared to have taken over the kitchen.

  Lefty laughed. "They didn't want to let Oscar and Bran out of their sight, once they got them back from their three day world tour with Art."

  "Oh, and next time, steal a bigger building, won't you?" Benri grinned from a corner table and waved an invitation for him to sit down. "My simple little pre-retirement assignment seems to have grown in size and is still going strong after seven and a half years."

  "Didn't steal it. I bought it. What's going on out there?"

  "Other than the best calf scramble ever? They pulled the Ambassador for a day, then sent him back, but every hour the poor man gets new orders and has to pretend that was what he meant all along.

  "First they tried to assert ownership of the entire continent, and I asked if they really wanted it, what with the incoming comet and all, and what were they offering to pay us for it?

  "They asserted ownership by right of arms, and I had to remind them who won the battle in the canyon.

  "Then they suggested that they would be delighted to rescue us and split us up among their various mining Worlds, which are in need of labor.

  "I suggested that moving half a billion people might be difficult, but that some villages might consider their offer, and what pay, benefits, guarantees and human rights were standard for that sort of thing?

  "They pointed out that slave labor was preferable to death. I asked if that was a widely held opinion where they were from, and what percentage of their own population was enslaved.

  "Their Ambassador barely managed to not imply that slavery was for other people. They should be back again in a few minutes."

  "They didn't say anything about the Comet?" the Auld Wulf asked.

  "Not a thing. Didn't even reply to my sally about it."

  Rustle walked in. "The gate's opened and closed again. Three big gyps, shiny black with polished metal bits all over, very posh, every one deferring to one fellow called Mister Secretary and Mister Downey and Secretary Downey. Armed body guards looking ready to take down anyone, up to and including the soldiers."

  "Excellent. They've sent in The Government Official." Benri smirked. "Standard ploy."

  "Mister is a title of respect for an adult male. Secretary is an appointed government post, anything from completely unimportant to Privy Council Member," the Auld Wulf put in.

  "They're trying something new!" Oscar yelled from the front door.

  They looked out at billowing clouds of smoke.

  The Auld Wulf chuckled. "Looking for invisible spies. Can the mages have a bit of fun with it, Benri?"

  "Oh certainly. Mock their efforts."

  Bran, Gre and Selano walked up behind him.

  "Hmm, dancers, I think." Selano smirked. "But not an orgy, wouldn't want to shock them."

  The smoke promptly swirled into a row of dancing smoke maidens, joining arms and high kicking their way off to the left as they slowly dissipated.

  "Ah, there's Ambassador Johnson. Looking a bit put out." Benri pondered for a moment. "Well, I think I'll stroll down alone, to show that I understand that he's no longer the Big Fish in the Little Pond."

  Oscar cupped his hands and they could hear the Ambassador's shoes swish through the short grass. "Good morning, Oklahoma. I see they've inflicted an government official on you."

  "And I see you're still watching us, Benri."

  "Of course. You are, after all, an invading army. We're not foolish enough to believe that a single rout has convinced you to terrorize elsewhere." Benri looked irritated, and no wonder. The Earthers, with their constant presumption of rightness, were getting on everyone's nerves. "So, is this a gallivanting face trying to look important, or does this one have actual authority?"

  "Straight from the President."

  "Oh my, I'm so flattered!" Benri smirked. "I really must see about getting some of our allies' representatives out here. Well, if I wanted to muddy the water, at any rate. Scoone has a President, the current one is a woman by the name of Hetso Biny."

  "What sort of influence would her representative have?"

  "Very little. They are an actual democracy, they vote on everything. Bringing them in is guaranteed to increase the time required by an order of magnitude." Benri studied the men walking up behind the Ambassador.

  "Where you merely need consult with your king?"

  "Unless they pray to their gods." The leader of the new men stopped and eyed Benri.

  Benri noted the man's fine wool pants and matching jacket, white shirt and lack of frills and lace. "I don't think we use the term god in quite the same way you do. Our gods aren't the creators of the Universe and mankind. 'Gods' as we usually use the term are simply very, very powerful 'Magic Tech' users."

  "Like those two spies of yours?" the man sneered.

  "Which two? The women who studied your system for a few weeks, sixteen years ago? One witch, one wizard. The two men that studied your camp sixteen years ago? Both wizards. Or, if you mean the two chaps from a couple of days ago, that was Dydit, one of the aforementioned wizards, giving a tour to one of the gods."

  The Secretary snorted. "I'd like to meet a god."

  Benri raised an eyebrow, then looked back at the bank. The Auld Wulf sauntered out on cue. His hair was still damp from an undoubtedly fast shower and he'd changed into a suit of cloth not unlike Benri's. Damn fast shower, how'd he do that?

  "Secretary Downey, I'm Wolfgang Oldham. In the local terminology, I'm a god. Don't take it too seriously, I certainly don't."

  Downey looked him up and down. "We don't allow genetic engineering, after a disastrous war thousands of years ago."

  "Yes, well, welcome to the dumping ground. We've made a home of it. Now, we came by to see if you had any detailed information you'd sell, or if you were completely ignorant of the problem, to warn you about the impending impact so you could remove your people." He nodded politely and stepped away. "It's been almost eight years, with no indication you are willing to assist us in any way. While no doubt diplomatic contact is overdue between our people, we are a bit busy, so I'll leave the diplomacy to an expert and get on with our crisis."

  "If you were on Earth, you could be shot on sight as a non-human." Downey said.

  The Auld Wulf turned back. "One of the things the genetic engineers tried to accomplish was life span extension. They succeeded very well. I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the year two thousand eighty-eight. I know all about the striping of rights from the engineered. I have brain damage from being physically wired into Trans World Travel's gates. As if I were nothing more than a piece of machinery." He stepped up into the Secretary's personal space. "And I know that some things are worth risking one's life for.

  "All through human history groups of people have been dehumanized before being slaughtered. Your attempts to dehumanize us are going to be taken as an act of war if they persist. Take that message back to your leaders."

  Benri looked at the bodyguards. They were frozen
in place, sweating.

  The Auld Wulf eyed the Earth Secretary with disfavor. "Go away. Sorry about that Benri. There's a reason the King sent you to do the talking."

  The man and his body guards disappeared. The Auld Wulf disappeared.

  The Secretary and his guards reappeared beside their vehicles. The Auld Wulf didn't.

  Benri sighed, and looked at his opposite. "I'll bet you don't have to contend with people so powerful that they are constrained by their own consciences, and not much else."

  Oklahoma suppressed a smile. "You haven't met my president."

  "Well, that's true. And I suppose we'd both better go communicate with our masters. Nice seeing you, Oklahoma."

  "Later, Benri."

  Benri took a long look down the hill, to where the Secretary was being stuffed into his gyp by his bodyguards who were hampered by the guns they were waving around at the soldiers. That President was no doubt going to get an earful.

  But whatever is said, they will not help us. We're on our own.

  Chapter Thirty-three

  1375 Late Summer

  The New Lands

  "So, we all talked it over, and we volunteer to be the first. The test case." Havi looked at her inquiringly.

  Rustle looked over the Summer Camp. And wished the Auld Wulf were somewhere where she could keep an eye on him. "Okay. So, what I need to do is figure out how large an area, or rather, how much space, I can scoop up in a bubble, and find out if that will let me move something bigger than one of my gates, through one of my gates."

  "If you can't scoop our homes and orchards up, then we'll just pick up and move." Ras shrugged. "We'll be set back about four years, no big deal, if the soil is better."

  "The soil is much better. All right. I'll start with some fruit trees. They're young, I think I can guide the bubble deep enough to get all the roots. I'll start with one, and perhaps a garden patch. If it's a flop, I'll stop. If it works, I'll just keep on going." Rustle turned Phantom and headed down to the south. A bunch of people followed.