Bredon could think of nothing appropriate to say, so he simply bowed again.

“Well, I don't want him here!” the Skyler said.

That, Bredon thought, was that. With nothing left to lose, however, he decided to try arguing.

“Geste, you can't leave me there. I want to help, I want to see what happens. I can help, if you let me; Gamesmaster taught me to run some of your machines."

Geste was startled. “It did?"

“Of course!” Bredon replied, startled by the Trickster's surprise. “You told it to do what I wanted, and you were gone for almost four wakes; what else was I supposed to do?"

Geste smiled. “When you put it that way, I don't really know. I would have just waited-eaten, slept, played a few games, perhaps. I keep forgetting how impatient you mortals are, and how easily bored."

“Some mortals would have done the same,” Bredon said, “but I'm too restless for that."

“So I see,” Geste replied.

“May I come along, then?” He did his best to sound casual, to make it a polite request rather than begging.

Geste contemplated him, still smiling, clearly thinking it over.

“Geste!” the Skyler exclaimed warningly.

“No, wait, Skyler,” Geste said, still looking at Bredon. “He may have a point. Maybe he could help. Thaddeus will never expect a native to be a danger."

“Why the hell not? I would! I don't trust these people!"

“But, Skyler, Thaddeus is different, and you know it. He's so damn arrogant that he hardly considers us a threat, let alone some poor bastard who survives by killing rabbits with rocks. Bredon might be able to walk right up to him, where we couldn't get within kilometers without being probed down to our marrow."

The Skyler hesitated, almost pouting, then gave in.

“All right,” she said. “But keep him away from me. And Skyland, you watch him, every second. And I won't eat with him, and I don't want him in the main house.” She turned and stalked away.

Geste and Bredon watched her go, and when she was out of sight the Trickster gave Bredon a smile that could only be considered conspiratorial.

“Don't mind her; she's just nervous."

“It's all right,” Bredon answered. “I don't blame her. According to the legends she has never spoken to a human-I mean, a mortal-before."

Startled, Geste looked after the departed immortal. “She hasn't?"

“So the stories say."

“Skyland, is that true?"

“Yes, sir, to the best of my knowledge it is. The Skyler does not believe any contact with the indigenes to be safe."

“They aren't indigenes; they didn't evolve here."

“My apologies, sir. Say rather, the previous inhabitants."

“She's never spoken to any of them?"

“Not to my knowledge, sir."

Geste considered this. “She always votes to stay here, though, whenever anyone wants to go home,” he pointed out.

“Yes, sir, she does,” the Skyland agreed.

“Why does she want to stay, if she never has any contact with the people here?"

Bredon thought that was obvious, even to someone as ignorant as himself, but he let the machine answer rather than risk making a fool of himself if he should be wrong.

“She has never stated a reason, sir, but in order to carry out my duties most effectively I am required to understand the Skyler's psychology as far as I can, and based on that understanding I would say that she does not like any strangers, and prefers Denner's Wreck to Terra because the population here is far smaller and less intrusive."

Bredon almost nodded. It was obvious.

“I hadn't realized she had it that bad,” Geste said, more to himself than to Bredon or the Skyland.

The two men stood silently for a moment, and then the Trickster roused himself.

“Well, Bredon, the weapons are all aboard, and Imp is seeing to it that they're all linked to our central control system. We'll be heading for the High Castle as soon as the Skyler gets around to giving the order. It will take a few hours to get there; this thing isn't designed for speed. Have you had lunch?"

Chapter Sixteen

“In the southern portion of the desert west of the mountains, in the harshest part of the desert, where nothing grows, nothing lives, here is the domain of Madame O. The man who finds her is fortunate indeed, for not only will he be saved from death by thirst in that barren land, but he will be given food and drink the like of which most mortals dare not even dream, foods of spun crystal and glossy velvet, drinks like liquid song. He will see sights most mortals cannot imagine. Her chambers flow with light and color; the very touch of the air is like strange silks. The grass that grows in her courtyard is as soft to the touch as a kitten's fur, and fountains on the amber terraces sing like silver bells as they pour forth flashing streams of stars…"

– from the tales of Kithen the Storyteller

“I want to go home!” Lady Sunlight wailed, turning about as if looking for an exit from the great stone chamber that served as Brenner's central guesthall.

The others ignored her. “You're sure that he'll do it?” Sheila asked, shifting uncomfortably in her red pseudo-leather chair. She was not accustomed to chairs that refused to reshape themselves to accommodate her.

“Of course I'm sure!” Brenner snapped, as he continued his slow pacing, each step timed to the ancient music that played softly as a constant background. “If I weren't sure I wouldn't have said anything. Barring a miracle, Thaddeus will be through the wall in the south tower within half an hour."

“We're doomed,” Lady Sunlight moaned. “All doomed!” Her pet clung to her neck and chittered in sympathetic distress.

“Will you shut up?” Brenner snarled at her, still pacing.

“No, I won't shut up!” she shouted back. “That madman is probably going to kill us all!"

“No, he isn't,” Brenner replied, in a more moderate shout than her own. “And if you'll shut up I'll explain why not."

“Thaddeus is certainly capable of murder,” Rawl pointed out quietly. “We all know what he did on Alpha Imperium."

“Yes, we do know,” Sheila said, annoyed. “And we don't need you to remind us of it just now."

“I never forgot it,” Brenner said, forcing himself to stop pacing and to maintain an even, conversational tone. “That's why I've always kept a closer eye on him than the rest of you, and I suppose that's why he attacked me first."

“I had always supposed that you simply didn't like him,” Rawl remarked, settling back in his black pseudo-leather chair.

“Why? Did you think none of us had any appreciation for justice but you?” Brenner's tone was harsher again, but he kept his voice down to a normal volume.

Rawl shrugged.

“And for all of that, if you're so concerned with justice and punishing those who have done evil, why didn't you ever do anything about him? You knew who he was."

“Yes, I knew,” Rawl admitted. “And I knew I should have turned him in before we ever left Terra. I was weak. I chose not to get involved. I bowed to the obvious will of the majority.” The sound of an explosion penetrated the surrounding stone and forcefields. “Had I done what I knew was right, we would not be here now. I would apologize, but it seems a little late for that, and in any case you're all as guilty as myself."

“He must be crazy!” Sunlight shouted, waving her arms and sending her floating polychrome dress into wild, billowing contortions that sent floral perfume out in thick waves.

“Oh, yes,” Rawl replied. “He's obviously been quite mad for centuries."

“On that we agree,” Brenner said.

“Oh, we're all going to die!” Lady Sunlight said again.

“No, we are not,” Brenner replied, rocking on his heels. “And if you'd all ever shut up for a minute and stop distracting me I'd explain why not."