Stolen Worlds (The Harry Irons Trilogy)

by Thomas Stone

  When the fence was completed and charged, Bobbie let Harry and Utme through the perimeter. They carried packs, weapons, but no body armor. It was an oversight and Harry admonished himself for it. Things had moved along too quickly and it was impossible to be prepared for every contingency. Still, it was his responsibility to plan ahead and to be prepared. As bad as he wanted to get Fagen, he still had a crew to take care of. He'd lost one already and, although he hadn't particularly liked O'Neill, he didn't want to lose anybody else.

  Harry called to Yoni and told him to return to the camp, but the boy lingered at the top of the wall. "Come down," Harry shouted in Bedoran.

  Yoni looked down and comically cupped a hand to his ear. "Can't hear you."

  "I can hear you just fine, now come down from there. There are dangerous beasts here."

  "I am a hunter," said Yoni, "I have no fear of beasts."

  "What does he say?" asked Utme.

  "He doesn't want to come down."

  Tringl appeared in the brush atop the wall, surprising the boy. Yoni was startled and scrambled down the vines. Tringl motioned, indicating he would meet Harry at the exit to the field.

  Bobbie shut off the power fence and allowed Yoni to enter the camp. "I don't want to be in here," he said.

  "I'm sorry," Harry said, "it won't be long. Just sit tight for now."

  Yoni sullenly turned away and walked to the shade of a tent.

  The exit from the field was marked by tumbled bricks and mortar that had long since turned to dust. Beyond, they discovered an ancient set of stairs that led to a courtyard. It looked as though at one time a fountain had occupied the center of the courtyard, but it had long since tumbled into disrepair and now was nearly covered with jungle vegetation.

  Tringl met Harry and Utme in the courtyard and they moved out like a military team with Tringl in the lead, Harry following, and Utme bringing up the rear. They passed more ruins, all of which were covered with vines and creepers, and did not pause to inspect anything in detail. Harry's priority was to locate the ghlowstone, and he wanted to locate it as soon as possible.

  They followed the path the rangefinder defined and soon realized that the hill directly in their path was not a hill at all, but another vine-covered ruin. At a hundred yards distance from the pyramid, the rangefinder stopped working.

  "I think we may have located the ghlowstone," said Harry, pointing at the mound. "Radiation's high, but not lethal."

  "Yet," added Utme.

  "Keep on eye on the Roentgen strips. If they start to change color, it's time to head back. Let's check this structure. Look for anything that looks like an entrance. And remember, let's stay within sight of one another."

  They circled the mound and Harry satisfied himself that indeed it was in the shape of a pyramid. The vegetation around its base was high and thick, completely hiding the structure. If there was an entrance, it wasn't apparent.

  How long the ruins had been there was a mystery. Certainly, they were thousands of years old, testifying to a grander past the Malaaz either knew nothing about or had forgotten over time. It was hard to believe the Malaaz could be descended from the race who had built the Lost City. The architectural styles, or what was left of them, was nothing like the Malaaz city.

  Harry and Utme surveyed the pyramid and noted its size. It was something over three stories tall, perhaps ninety feet tall. The sides of its base were equal and the same size as the height. Like the pyramids of ancient Earth, it also appeared to be laid out with precision. Its corners were aligned in directions that were true to Bedor-2's magnetic fields.

  Harry climbed to the top and found that, although a good-sized chunk was missing from the tip, it was still sealed from above. From the top, Harry was able to get a much better view of the city. It stretched out for a kilometer or so before the jungle completely took over. There were many other structures, but none as large as the pyramid.

  Behind, Harry could see the field where they had landed and established the camp. He had first thought the field was constructed for athletic events, but now saw that gulleys ran from it, gulleys that would be suited for carrying water through the community. He reminded himself that it would be difficult to determine the purpose of any structure in the Lost City. In the first place, everything was in ruins. Secondly, who could say what a long-dead alien culture had in mind when they built something?

  He looked at the pyramid. The years had obviously taken their toll, but it was the only building that still stood in totality within the Lost City. That's because it was built to last, Harry thought. It was important that the structure maintain its integrity because of what it held, and that was, as Blane had guessed, the most powerful substance ever imagined.

  Harry hadn't bought into Blane's theory about the ghlowstone completely just yet, but he had to admit, it certainly made sense.

  Chapter 26

  Tringl moved well for a fat guy, Harry observed. But then again, among the Malaaz, Tringl was definitely on the thin side. The alien moved easily through the brush, able to do so after a lifetime spent wandering through the jungle. Tringl was turning out to be a trusted companion, his knowledge of the terrain invaluable.

  After probing the vegetation along the base of the pyramid, it was Tringl who found the door. At least, Harry figured it was a door; he didn't know what else it could be. It was in the shape of a triangle with an apex three meters from its base. It was flush with the exterior wall and offered no hint as how to open it. Additionally, carved into the face of the door were demonic images, apparently meant to send a warning to anyone who attempted entry.

  Tringl pointed to the bas-relief. "These are images of the inhabitants of hell. I think perhaps this is a doorway to the underworld." He took a step backward and Harry felt the alien's fear.

  "Don't worry," said Harry, "we're going to be very careful."

  "Will you open the door?"

  "I hope so," Harry said truthfully.

  "I do not want to be here when that happens."

  Harry didn't comment. He continued to inspect the door, looking for anything that could be a release mechanism. He searched in vain. There was simply nothing to show how to get inside. With the proper instruments, Harry knew he could find a way, but the problem was his gear wouldn't work that close to the structure. The microwave emissions were so strong, even the heavily shielded electronics gave off only scrambled readings.

  He wondered if the door was meant to be opened. There was a good chance that, if opened, the radiation contained inside would immediately kill them all. Well, Harry considered, that was a secondary problem. The sealed door was the first problem.

  The pyramid cast a long shadow over the courtyard, pointing back in the direction of the camp. Harry noted the sunset and rounded up Utme and Tringl. Together, they walked back to the camp.

  "Well?" asked Burke.

  Harry glanced at his second-in-command and wished he could trust his Co-commander. But the man was sold on his job. Duty occupied his mind to the extent that the thoughts sensed by Harry indicated that, even in the face of contrary information, Burke would toe the company line.

  "The source of the radiation seems to be contained within a pyramid made from a type of hard granite. God knows what they've used on the inside as shielding. We found what I think is a door, although I can't figure out how to open it. I need lighting and I also want to don a radiation suit."

  Harry showed Burke his Roentgen strip. The radiation indicator had turned from its original green to a light pink.

  "You picked up some rads."

  "Yeah," said Harry, "but I'm still within the safe range."

  "Corporation regs say..."

  "I know what the procedures are, Burke. I'm going to wash off, put on the skin suit and go back."

  "Tonight?"

  "Yes, tonight. I didn't come here for a sight-seeing trip. I want to get inside that pyramid. Now, any indication of aliens or anything else?"

  "No," Burke said stiffly, "nothing's
been around. That animal of yours," Burke pointed toward Yoni, "is a pain in the neck. I have to constantly keep an eye on him to make sure he doesn't turn off the power fence and run away. We're not baby-sitters, you know."

  Harry looked to Yoni. The Bedoran boy stared back with innocent eyes.

  "Just keep an eye on him. I want two people awake at all times. Sleep in shifts. Keep your weapons within reach."

  Burke didn't reply. Instead, he turned on his heel and went to inspect the fence, mumbling something about the lack of security and playing loose with Corporation procedures. Harry ignored him. At the moment, Burke's feelings were of minor concern.

  Harry's intentions were to get in and out as quickly as possible. He'd known that if the singularity was contained somewhere, he'd have problems getting to it. Of course, he could always resort to blasting the door open, but then he ran the risk of releasing an unimaginable power and that risk was too great. He needed to open the door the way it was meant to be opened. If it was meant to be opened at all.

  Again, Harry wondered who had constructed the pyramid in the first place. He was sure it wasn't the Malaaz or even the forerunners of the Malaaz. The technology required to contain a singularity was beyond simple mortar and granite.

  Tringl sat on the ground and watched the treeline at the far end of the field as it faded into darkness.

  "The night is a bad time here. I am worried."

  "About the Krits?"

  "Yes."

  "Can you tell me anything more about them?"

  "Little is known."

  "Do your legends say if the Krits built the Lost City? Have they always been here?"

  "As far as I know, they have always been here. It is said they stay close to this place. I do not know who built the city. It was a long time ago, long before I was born. There is a story about the city and those who once lived here. They are said to have known great secrets and to possess magic strong enough to stop the sun in the sky. They became so involved with their magic that one day they neglected to make the proper sacrifices and the gods released the magic, destroying the city and all those who lived here."

  "Except the Krits."

  "Some say the Krits were born out of the destruction."

  Yoni came over and sat beside Harry. He greeted Harry with a typical Bedoran greeting, flicking his tail over his head and keeping his eyes downcast.

  "You've caused us a great deal of bother," said Harry, preparing to lecture the boy.

  "I didn't mean to," said Yoni.

  "It's dangerous here. You would have been better off staying aboard the Grunwald."

  "I could not stay. The great ship is not my home. This soil under my feet is the closest thing to my ancestral home. Everyone and everything I knew on Bedor is now dead. I have nothing left."

  Harry put his arm around the boy's shoulders and pulled him close. "You have me, Yoni. Kathleen, as well."

  "What will you do if you find the ghlowstone?"

  "That's a good question. I'd like to bring it aboard the Grunwald and take it back to Earth with me. Whether we'll be able to do that is another question altogether."

  "Are you leaving again tonight?"

  "Yes," answered Harry, "for awhile."

  "Can I go with you?"

  "No. I'm sorry, Yoni, but it's too dangerous. I want you to stay here."

  "But I am bored here."

  "Sorry," Harry scratched the top of Yoni's head, "you've got to stay."

  The boy said nothing but, for the moment, he seemed to understand.

  Two of the three moons hung in the early evening sky. Had the situation been different, Harry thought, he would have enjoyed being out in the open on this alien planet. The stifling heat that lay over the city during the day had ebbed away and Harry could feel a cool breeze occasionally passing through. The ruins cast eerie shadows that belied the mysteries of the ancient city. He was certain the answers he sought were somewhere among the scattered granite, amid the crumbling walls, beneath the shadows. Given enough time, the city would yield its secrets.

  After giving Utme time to rest and eat, they donned their radiation suits and gathered the portable lighting and other gear and once again set out toward the pyramid. Yoni accompanied them to the edge of the fence and sadly watched as they disappeared into the darkness.

  Utme and Harry worked under the glare of the lights, clearing away more brush and searching for a hidden mechanism that would open the door. After an hour, they'd found nothing.

  Harry climbed above the door and searched in vain. He searched each side and found nothing. At the very least, he hoped to find more bas-relief murals that might give some hint as to the pyramid's secret, but, to his growing disappointment, there was not a clue.

  Utme suggested that what they thought was the door was a false lead. "Maybe the entrance is still concealed from us, possibly covered with soil?"

  "That's a good idea, but I hope it's not the case. If so, we'll have to dig trenches all around until we find it." Harry paused and looked at the length of the structure. Digging trenches by hand in the heat of the day would be slow, hard work. Did they have enough time before they were discovered? Harry doubted it.

  "If it's not a door, then what is it?"

  Utme shrugged.

  Harry picked up a shovel and began to dig at the bottom of the door. After a few minutes, it became obvious it was a dead-end proposition. There was nothing under the mural or to either side. Harry tossed the shovel aside and stared at the demonic faces. They were not so different from other figures guarding the tombs of long dead, ancient Earth leaders. The faces were twisted in the grotesque caricatures of an artist's imagination, conveying a message of fear.

  He looked at the surrounding ruins. None were nearly as interesting as the pyramid and all were in such disrepair they seemed incapable of hiding an underground entrance.

  Just as Harry decided to call it a night, Utme hissed at him. He looked and she motioned toward the shadows that led to the camp. "Something is coming this way!"

  Harry drew his stunner and backed into the darkness, instantly prepared for an assault. Without trying, the new part of his mind seemed to take over and reached into the darkness, looking for anything out of the ordinary. In a moment, it found something, something familiar that was headed their way.

  Utme braced herself at the sound of motion in the brush and was surprised when Harry stepped from his hiding place and stood in the open.

  After a few tense seconds, Bobbie came running up the trail toward the lights.

  Relieved, both Harry and Utme lowered their weapons.

  "What's wrong?" asked Harry. "What are you doing out here alone?"

  "Mr. Burke sent me," she said. "It's Yoni."

  "Has something happened to him?"

  "Not exactly. He turned off the power fence and left the camp. We can't find him."

  *

  The remainder of the night was taken up searching for the boy. The only good thing about it was that during the entire time, there was no sign of anything else. When dawn came, they expanded their search to include a greater part of the city. They searched the ruins in pairs, keeping a close watch on one another, but they failed to find even a trace of the boy. By mid-morning, they gathered at the base of the pyramid.

  "This is a waste of time," said Burke. "He's disappeared and there's nothing we can do about it."

  Harry had to agree. All that could be done was to continue their work and hope that Yoni would find his way back. Harry looked at his hands and tried not to feel responsible, but, as Mission Commander, he was responsible for everything that happened on the survey mission and every life that accompanied him. Although loss of life was an accepted hazard among all Corporation survey crews, Yoni wasn't part of that.

  Harry was tired. It had been twenty-four hours since he'd slept and the rising air temperature sucked the remaining strength from him.

  He instructed Burke to continue searching around the pyramid. Taking Tringl, he return
ed to the camp and collapsed into one of the cots. In minutes, he was asleep.

  It seemed as if he'd just closed his eyes when he was roused by the others coming back into camp. Harry got up and blinked at the afternoon sun. Utme and Bobbie walked toward the perimeter, carrying something, Bobbie holding one end and Utme the other. Burke followed.

  They marched into camp and set down their load; Burke stepped forward.

  "We looked all around. Didn't see as much as a broken branch. The Bedoran's gone." He pointed at the rock slabs the two women carried. "Long found something interesting."

  Harry ran his hand over his face. He needed more sleep, but he could function. Yoni was gone. His responsibility. For a moment, the doubts crept in again. Was he in control of himself? Was he losing his judgment? Was the kitzloc essence working still deeper into his mind? He didn't know. Most of the time, there was nothing, none of the physical symptoms that accompanied the alien state. More often now, feelings and pictures came and went. Along with those impressions came knowledge of the source, knowledge based in the certainty of another's being. It was like stepping into someone else's shoes and, surprisingly, finding them to be comfortable.

  The question was: was it driving him crazy? Harry knew it was futile to appraise himself and he wished he'd at least talked more to Kathleen about it.

  He looked at Burke with unfocused eyes. The ideas behind Burke's words came to him like children's blocks tumbling toward him in slow motion. He had time to recognize the thoughts before the words got there.

  "What did you find?"

  "Cuneiform tablets."

  The natural linguist in Harry perked an ear. "Where?"

  "About forty feet straight out from the door, under a lot of vegetation. Can you read it?"

  "Let's take a look." His head finally clear, Harry stepped out into the afternoon sun.

  The women had placed the tablets on the ground and were brushing off excess dirt. The slabs were two feet by three with a depth of maybe two inches. They first appeared to be made from granite, like the surrounding ruins, but upon closer inspection, Harry saw that the material wasn't exactly rock. It had a dark sheen, almost metallic, and yet the tablets were too light to be made from either rock or metal.