"We do not abide slavers on this world,” growled Arepno's translator box. “Nor do we abide humans who want to convert us to their brand of religion.” Ellis was astounded at how the translator box could be made to put a particularly nasty turn on the word, religion. “I have sent his friends back to Gaea, unharmed. He insisted on coming to you. Here he is. I bid you good day, John Mark Ellis.” Arepno turned and bowed to G'Liat and then stormed off into the fog.
RETURN TO THE STARS
"I presume you know this man,” said G'Liat staring down at the prostrate form of Clyde McClintlock.
Mark Ellis, clamping the pipe stem in his teeth still knelt beside the one-time colonel. “He's alive,” said the commander around the pipe stem. Looking along the body, Ellis noted that McClintlock's suit was relatively clean, indicating that there had not been much of a fight. Using sensitive fingers, he felt along the spine, checking for any evidence of injury. “As far as I can tell, he's simply unconscious. We should be able to move him."
"Who is he?” asked G'Liat, growing more curious, but seeming unconcerned about human flesh against cold, hard ground.
"He's McClintlock, the leader of the Tejan ground forces on Sufiro I told you about,” stated Ellis, his eyebrows crossed. “He's the one who laid down arms and made peace with New Granada.” Puffing furiously on the pipe, Ellis remembered seeing the colonel's face in the ceiling that morning. His brow knitted slightly and he looked back at the form on the ground. “We should get him inside where it's warm."
Resuming a more human poise, G'Liat nodded. He helped Ellis pick up the limp body and haul it back to the compound. Inside, they sat McClintlock in the comfortable chair where G'Liat examined his brain using the scanner. McClintlock's head rolled to the side causing the scanner to tip slightly. A soft moan escaped the evangelist's lips. G'Liat set the scanner to the side of the chair.
"Colonel, can you hear me?” asked Ellis.
McClintlock's eyes fluttered for a moment. Shortly after that, the evangelist took a deep breath then opened his normally bright, blue eyes. Looking groggily around, those eyes seemed, at last, to focus on Ellis. Briefly he opened his mouth, then shook his head, as though trying to clear cobwebs from his brain.
"Bring him a glass of water,” ordered Ellis, softly.
G'Liat inclined his head studying McClintlock for a moment, then went off to do as he was bid.
Ellis sat cross-legged on the floor and used his thumb to re-tamp the partially burned tobacco. Looking up, he lit the pipe again and smoked for a couple of minutes, contemplating the groggy form of Clyde McClintlock. At last, G'Liat returned with the water. The warrior helped the evangelist take a sip. With the first drink of water, McClintlock seemed to gain strength. He took the glass gingerly and drank the rest of it down. Blinking a few times, he looked around until he found Ellis again.
"I've found you, at last,” whispered McClintlock.
Ellis arched his eyebrows. “Found me?” He held the pipe by its stem and contemplated McClintlock. “Was I lost?"
"Your mother tells me, you had the same vision I had. You had the vision of the Cluster,” said McClintlock in a daze.
Ellis nodded. “She told me about your discussion in Roanoke.” The commander came slowly to his feet. “I thought you were still on Sufiro."
"The people of Roanoke put me on the path to truth and light,” said McClintlock dazedly. “From what your mother told me, I've come to understand that God favors you, as he does me.” McClintlock's voice was gaining strength though his eyes, while more focused, still seemed lost.
Ellis looked at G'Liat who shrugged slightly. “I only used the scanner to check that his brain was not seriously harmed. I would have to examine him more closely to determine what, if anything, you have in common."
Looking back at McClintlock, Ellis sighed. “What's this about God? What does it have to do with the Cluster?"
"Surely you see!” said McClintlock, excitedly clapping his hands together. The shock of the clap seemed to startle the reverend. “The Cluster is the hand of God. It brought peace to Sufiro when peace was unobtainable any other way. It sent a vision to you and me. A vision that humanity no longer needs to suffer the tragedy of warfare."
Ellis grew tense. He removed the pipe from his mouth and set it gently on a table. “Colonel, if that's true, what about all the ships it destroyed?” He snorted. “If anything, the Cluster has seemed more the devil than anything else."
"It's God's vengeance,” said McClintlock with a slight smile. His eyes drifted off toward the corner of the room. “God always strikes out at evil-doers,” he said in a dream-like tone.
Ellis clenched his teeth and ground them slightly. “My father was aboard one of those ships.” G'Liat eyed Ellis cautiously. The commander fought to maintain control of his emotions.
Clyde shrugged; his voice still distant. “I cannot speak for the morals of your father, though given what I know of your mother..."
Ellis bolted forward and grabbed the evangelist by the lapels of his coat and shook him. “How dare talk that way about either my father or mother!"
With two quick supple movements, G'Liat sprang between Ellis and McClintlock and pushed them apart. He stood between the two with his hands on his hips. “This is not the time to fight,” he said gently. Ellis opened his mouth to protest, but the warrior cut him off with a stare. McClintlock stood, too dazed to deal with his rumpled coat. G'Liat looked at Ellis reproachfully. “The fact of the matter is that McClintlock is valuable."
"Valuable?” asked Ellis, incensed. “It seems to me that he's gone completely round the bend."
"McClintlock's presence only helps us. Instead of only one person who has had contact with the Cluster, there are now two here,” explained G'Liat, his voice infuriatingly rational. “I can look for similarities in your brain patterns, find out what's missing in my own to successfully contact the Cluster.” G'Liat heaved his chest in an imitation sigh. “From the scan, I know he's suffering from a concussion. Now you're trying to make it worse by shaking him around."
"Why would you want to side with him?” Ellis gestured toward the evangelist. “After all, like Arepno said, he's a slaver. I thought Rd'dyggians hated slavers."
G'Liat turned and helped the dazed McClintlock back to the comfort of the chair. At last he faced Ellis once again. “I thought you said he's the one who laid down arms. Now it's time for you to put aside your feelings."
"But, what about our plans?” Ellis began pacing the room, agitated almost to a frenzy. “I thought you were anxious to go out and try to contact the Cluster personally."
"Indeed, I am,” said G'Liat, straightening and putting his hands behind his back. “In fact, I'm more anxious than ever."
"Spending time mapping his brain patterns and mine will delay us. We need to get out there.” Ellis pointed to the ceiling. “We need to get out and find the Cluster and stop it."
"I couldn't agree more,” said G'Liat. Ellis blinked a few times, as though stunned. “We'll take him with us."
Clyde McClintlock shook his head. The way he stared blankly into the corner of the room indicated that he hadn't quite recovered from either Arepno's or Ellis’ assault. “You'll take me where?"
"On a spiritual quest,” said G'Liat, his mustache seeming to outline a smile. “We are going to seek God."
McClintlock smiled, his face softened. “I knew I was right to seek out John Mark Ellis.” McClintlock looked to the ceiling, his hands upraised. “Praise be to the Cluster."
John Mark Ellis shook his head, retrieved his pipe and stormed outside.
* * * *
G'Liat saw to McClintlock's comfort. He gave the evangelist a mixture of herbs that would speed the healing of the head injuries. Once done, the warrior helped the human to the same room where Ellis had spent the previous night. Suppressing his natural revulsion for the small, fragile human form, G'Liat stripped McClintlock of his mildly soiled clothes and helped him into the mud bed. He would clean the evange
list's clothes as he had done for Ellis. The warrior left the dirty laundry near his desk to be dealt with later. That done, the hulking warrior made his way outside.
Standing at the threshold, G'Liat took a deep breath of air. To him, the day seemed warm and a bit dusty, though he knew his human guests were chilled. The sunlight, filtered by the clouds, seemed very cheerful. In point of fact, G'Liat had gotten more than he could hope for, two humans who had contacted the Cluster. The only question he faced was whether or not he could keep them from killing each other while he sought the answers he required.
G'Liat stood silent, not even breathing, and listened to the forest around him. He could hear the faint sounds of Ellis sucking on his pipe. Until G'Liat had been in Ellis’ brain, he had never understood what humans found appealing about the drug, tobacco. Even now, the sensation seemed too subtle to explain. Following the sound, G'Liat found Ellis, his head obscured by a billow of smoke, his arms folded, shivering in the glade.
"Do you find McClintlock to be an honorable man?” asked G'Liat, quietly.
Ellis inclined his head, but did not turn to face the warrior. Many humans, G'Liat knew, would be put off Ellis’ refusal to turn. The warrior actually found the posture to be quite Rd'dyggian. “Honestly, I haven't thought much about that. I don't know much of anything about him."
"Yet, you are justified in judging him almost instantly.” G'Liat did his best to imitate the human gesture of a smug nod, though he let himself slip into a native Rd'dyggian accent. He moved around to face Ellis. The bearded human still would not look into his eyes. It only bothered G'Liat because he knew that meant Ellis was still resisting. He waited for Ellis to speak again.
"What do you make of this talk of God's vengeance?” asked Ellis, at last looking G'Liat in the eye.
"It's an interpretation of the visions he saw,” postulated the warrior. “They were certainly powerful enough to have religious connotations. What do you make of it?"
"It gives me the creeps.” Ellis removed the pipe and examined it for a moment. “What did Arepno mean about McClintlock being a missionary?"
"You were on Earth more recently than I.” G'Liat lowered his neck between his shoulders, a gesture that looked remarkably like a shrug to humans. “I assumed you had heard about Clyde McClintlock's Cluster religion."
"I wasn't exactly in touch with current events,” grumbled Ellis. The commander shook his head. “For someone so aware of events on Earth, you seemed awfully ignorant of McClintlock's appearance."
"One human is much like another.” G'Liat waved the question aside.
Ellis returned the pipe to his mouth and began to pace. “Do you really think we should take him with us?"
"Indeed,” said G'Liat, gently, but firmly.
"Cluster religion,” mused Ellis. “Won't his followers, I presume he has followers..."
"Quite a number, from what I hear."
"Won't his followers want guidance? Won't they come after him?” Ellis rubbed his beard.
"It's possible,” admitted G'Liat. He thought for several minutes. If he did not come up with a convincing argument, Ellis might argue to leave McClintlock behind. “However, they might be willing to help us fund our expedition. In that way, they could be extremely helpful."
Ellis looked toward the sky. “I still like the idea of looking for a job aboard a mapping vessel, though. I think McClintlock could be a hindrance to that."
"His military experience, like yours, could be presented as an asset.” G'Liat followed Ellis’ gaze, mostly out of curiosity, to see what the human saw in the clouds. “I also think the plan of joining the Gaean mapping service is best. Still, it is good to have a backup plan, if necessary. Any backup plan we have will require money."
Ellis grunted, then shook his head. “I doubt he has more money than I do in my estate."
"Possible,” conceded G'Liat. “However, his resources are expanding, while yours are shrinking."
Ellis gripped the pipe with his teeth for several minutes, his hands thrust deeply in his pockets. The trained eyes of the warrior recognized the inner war raging within the human. At last, he turned to face G'Liat again. “Okay, when do we leave for Earth?"
"As soon as McClintlock is well enough to travel.” With that, G'Liat felt satisfied that Ellis would stick to the plan. As he turned, Ellis stopped him with a question.
"There's something else that's been bothering me.” The commander's brow was furrowed. “What do Rd'dyggian warriors see in human women?"
G'Liat pondered the question for a moment. Finally, confused, the warrior shook his head.
"I saw two Rd'dyggian warriors in a bar, watching human women,” said Ellis, carefully measuring his words. “I was wondering what the fascination was."
The warrior thought for a moment about how best to answer. At last he said, “Have you ever seen a beautiful feline or, better yet, an equine running a race?” The warrior only slightly regretted the explanation as he saw the commander shudder. With a slight shake of the head, he turned and made his way back to the compound to see to his other human charge.
* * * *
Jonah and Daniel, Clyde McClintlock's disciples sat battered and bruised on the star cruiser returning them to Earth. They prayed that their leader would be able to complete his holy quest to contact the Cluster. They prayed that Arepno had not simply slaughtered their teacher.
A deceptively gentle pinging disturbed their prayers. The captain's voice came over the speakers, attempting to sound calm. “A Cluster ship has just been sighted to our left. I believe it is far enough away that we will be able to evade them and resume our course for Earth."
Jonah and Daniel hurried to the left side of the ship. They saw the Cluster's appearance as a sign that their leader's mission would be a success.
An explosion rocked the after cabin. It was Daniel who pointed out the green beam emerging from the Cluster. “Take us home, oh Lord!” shouted Jonah as the beam sliced into their cabin and the air began to rush out.
* * * *
John Mark Ellis watched as G'Liat carefully tended to Clyde McClintlock's injuries. The commander bit his lip. He wondered whether it had been a good idea to come to Rd'dyggia. So far, the warrior seemed to have gained more than Ellis had himself. He thought back to the conversation about the Titan domes. G'Liat knew something about the Titans that Ellis did not. For whatever reason, the warrior was holding back the information. Ellis had to learn more.
He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, and stepped from the room.
The commander found the warrior's teleholo unit and turned it on, nervously looking over his shoulder to make sure that G'Liat had not followed him. He called Sufiro. Manuel Raton's face appeared. “John Mark! How goes your quest for the Cluster?"
Ellis held his finger up to his lips. “Manuel, I need you to get Mom, quickly."
Manuel looked confused, but nodded. “She's right here."
Raton faded from view and Suki Ellis appeared. “Hi Mark,” said Fire. “How are you doing? Where are you calling from?"
Mark Ellis looked around again, biting his lower lip, then turned to face his mother. “I don't have much time to talk, sorry. Mom, what can you tell me about the origin of the Titans?"
Fire laughed and shook her head. “Only that it's one of the most hotly debated topics in academia. The Titans sure don't provide us with anything."
"Could you find out where the Titans came from?” asked Ellis.
Fire's lips curled as though she was about to laugh again, then stopped, seeing the earnest look on her son's face. “Mark, I'm a good historian, but what you asked is like saying, ‘Ma, was the Lamb of God on England's pleasant pastures seen?’ The preliminary research alone could take years."
"Don't throw Blake at me, mom,” sighed Ellis. “Is there anything you could do?"
"It's one of the most fascinating puzzles you could pose to me. Let me go back to Earth and do some poking around there. I should be able to get a couple of wee
kends on Titan. I can't promise anything.” Fire shook her head.
"You don't want to leave Sufiro, do you?” asked Ellis, seeing his mother's frown.
"No, Mark, I don't. But, I can't just let myself be fired from my job on Earth, either. This is a good enough mystery to get me to go home ... at least for a while.” Fire sighed. She looked to someone off-screen. Ellis guessed she was looking at Manuel. She turned her attention back to Ellis. “How do I contact you once I find something?"
"I'll let you know.” Again, Mark looked over his shoulder to see if G'Liat was eavesdropping. “Mom, I love you. I've gotta go. I'll call soon.” With that, Ellis terminated the connection. During his preliminary training as a communicator, Ellis had learned a few tricks with teleholos. He reached under the console and activated a few circuits and quickly erased the record of his call to Sufiro.
* * * *
Clyde McClintlock's injuries took about a week to heal. During that time, G'Liat and Ellis spent many hours talking about their experiences with the Cluster. Underlying these conversations was a vague tension. Both the warrior and commander knew that they must develop a strategy for the encounter.
As McClintlock recovered, he began to join the conversations. At first, his input seemed wildly irrational. The evangelist refused to talk about the Cluster directly. Instead, he would speak of the alien as God's hand. Ellis, eventually, grew callused enough to this to ask, “God's hand, eh?"
Clyde, trying to breathe as little of the foul Rd'dyggian air as possible, looked at the commander and grinned. “How do you explain the Cluster, then?"
"To me, it's an alien we've never encountered. It appears hostile. It kills. But there's a contradiction. I get the impression that it likes humans; some humans, at least.” The commander shook his head, then looked into McClintlock's warmly smiling face. His bright blue eyes seemed to sparkle. “However, I sense no love from the Cluster."
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