Robert E Mills, page 4
Purpur's massive frame shook with silent cat-laughter. "You mean he was just star-gassing again?"
Ween Leever asked when Dann finally straightened-up.
Even Garthane was chuckling. Nila summed it up best, in her courteous way: "He does tend to exaggerate somewhat, doesn't he?"
An hour later, Dann took the wheel from Zak, mentally contrasting the happy voyage with the last one they had taken together on the day that the skies went dark with aircraft and Merport burned in the distance.
After being at the wheel a half hour, Dann was greeted by the breathtaking sight of hundreds of sleek, gleaming shapes breaking the water, leaping high into the air, and then diving back into the sea. The journey's over, he thought. Lii-Arc searacer is here!
Immediately after this sight, Dann cut the engines, dropped anchor, left the cabin, and told his companions to don their depth-suits. He was the first one to go over the side. Red Rian, not to be outdone in front of Nila, followed hard on the young Aquaean's heels. But he lost his footing on the slippery rail, and pitched head-first into the water like a fish dropped from the claws of some clumsy sea bird.
As his suit's scanners bLeeped a soft tattoo, Dann peered through his visor and watched the silvery form in the distance grow larger with its approach. Then, when the great dolphin turned and went into the infinity-symbol-loop that the Quee used to greet their own, Dan's heart leaped with it. He dove forward and kicked off, leaving his friends behind as he went to greet his spiritual father.
"Lii-Arc!" he cried through his suit's speaker in delphinese, the barking, tweeting speech of the Quee.
"Lii-Arc sea-racer, father of my heart!" The great dolphin circled him three times, nudging him affectionately as it did. "Dan Oryzon, son of my soul!" it said in the difficult speech of humans. Then, as the young man put his arm over the back of the chief of the Quee, each
reverted to the language he was most at home in.
"The child of my spirit has done many wondrous things,". Lii-Arc said. "And now he knows what I could not tell him."
"Yes, I know now, master of the waters," Dann replied. "I know who my parents were, and why I was brought to Aquaea. And I have brought those I love to meet you."
They swam over the six depth-suited and waiting figures. The dolphin-chief glided back and forth before them, stopping when Garthane spoke to him in delphinese and stroked his underbelly. "I am pleased to see my lord again," the High Master said. "And 1 thank him with all my heart for guiding the growth of my son's spirit."
"No thanks are necessary, Master Garthane," Lii-Arc replied. "Rather than having given me a burden, you added to my joys." He rubbed up against the High Master, who now stroked him with both hands.
Acting as translator, Dann introduced Lii-Arc to his friends. All were greeted courteously and complimented by the master of the seaways. When Lii-Arc spoke to Red Rian, he could not resist adding these words, referring to the star-pirate's clumsy plunge into the waters of the Western Sea: "The son of my spirit is most fortunate to have a friend who is such a fine diver."
To everyone's surprise, Rian parried this affectionate thrust with much aplomb. "My lord will be amazed," he said, "to learn that his son's friend mastered the waters in only two short hours."
Lii-Arc broke out into the trilling, high-pitched laughter of the Quee. "Captain Rian," he said when he had recovered, "is now at home in the water as well as deep space. In the name of my people, I bid you all welcome." He t!Jrned away from them and emitted a series of whistling sounds.
Dann's scanners began to sound again, and in a few'
moments he could see the tribe approaching, swimming just below the ocean's surface, their backs gleaming in the sunlight like silver torpedos. The dolphins recognized Dann, and saluted him as befits a sea-brother of the Quee. When they had gathered around the visitors, Lii.,Arc introduced Dann's companions.
Purpur was the center of attraction, and the dolphins nudged each other aside in their curiosity, trying to peer into the visor of the cat-man's depth-suit. Humans they were used to, but the felinoid was a creature they had never seen before, Purpur being the first of his kind ever to venture beneath the waters. At first he yowled, un-settled by the presence of beings who resembled fish larger than himself. But the friendly, gentle manner of the Quee soon had him purring through his speaker and stroking the bellies of those closest to him, while the dolphins cooed and tweeted in appeciation of his affectionate nature. And Rian translated his cat-speech to Dann, who translated it in turn into detphinese, while Purpur told the Quee of the felinoids of Yahwoo.
"Well, you fat old tabby," Rian said, nudging his friend at the end of the latter's recital, "that's gonna make one hell of a tale when we liberate Yahwoo."-
Purpur nodded, warmed by memories of his
homeworld.
Lii-Arc questioned Garthane about his and Dann's adventures, and was told of the armada's end, Blorg's death, and the horror and power that was Ylang- Ylang.
Then the dolphin-lord told his guest of the part his people had played in the resistance struggle.
The Quee danced in honor of their guests, and Dann's companions were overwhelmed by the grace and beauty of their performance. And as they said farewell to the visitors, Ween Leever amused them greatly by asking technical questions and then delivering long-winded explanations regarding the use of sonar and the potential of echolocation systems. Rian groaned, and told Ween he considered his explanations to be about as relevant as lecturing the birds on flight.
That night, on the way back to Merport, Dann and Nila stood together at the stern of the glider ,looking out over the board expanse of the ocean. "You must be very happy tonight," she said, taking his hand. "Your cup is full."
He raised a finger in the air. "Almost full, though only a madman would dare to ask for more. But I can still hope."
Nila responded to this in a low, musical voice. "Yes.
You can still hope."
Score one for the kid from Aquaea, Red Rian thought, as he came out of the cabin and saw the pair kissing, silhouetted against the moonlit sea. He sighed as the weight of discouragement made itself felt in his insides like ballast settling in the hold of a freighter.
"Well," he said, muttering to the waves of the Western Sea, "there's always Ylang. . . "
When Blorg emerged from the monstrous dream-world ofYlang's ecstasies, the first thing he did was to ask his lord and master to grant him one thing.
What is that one thing, my sweet Blorg? the Devourer asked, thundering contentedly.
The privilege of killing Aaasp. For he has governed, albeit briefly, in my stead, and will never again be be satisfied with a lesser position. Discipline requires this as well. So I ask you to grant me this privilege, Father Ylang.
That is no privilege, my son, the Devourer purred.
That is your right.
When Dann docked the hydro-glider at Merport's central pier, another reunion was in store for him: Altektu and D-Anacom had come to Aquaae. The android couple were as warm and gracious as ever; their eyes still shone like dia,onds in the green setting of their permaflesh features,~nd their slender hands still moved through the air with all the grace of temple-dancers.
They received a warm welcome from Garthane and the others and were introduced to Zak, who was leaving
that night to teach guerrilla warfare to the League's forces. Only Rian was aloof and reserved in his greeting. Altektu and his consort were hurt by this, but they said nothing.
"Say, skipper, y'know something?" Ween Leever hissed out of the side of his mouth, as Dann and the androids walked ahead of the group. "You're a bigot. A snob and a bigot."
Rian glowered at him. "Don't give me that crap, you baggy-eyed little Andy-Lover," he side-mouthed back at Ween. "How many times have I got to say it before the message penetrates your dura-plated skull: A man's a man, and a machine's a machine. . . and both should know their place."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple any more, Captain Rian," Garthane said, having overheard the exchange.
He turned and walked alongside the pirate. "Androids such as Altektu and D-Anacom have been self-refining entities for several centuries now. In fact they have been directed their evolution to the point where they possess most of our virtues and few of our faults. You might even consider them the possessors, in their electronic way, of souls the equal of our own. The only differences between them and ourselves are that they are no self-reproducing and have no need to breathe."
Rian greatly respected the High Master, and tried to listen to him with an open mind.
"And did you know," continued Garthane, "That their secret word for us-breathing creatures, that is-was coined by Altektu himself? They call us bio-mechs . . . And I should think that their kindness and respect for life in all its forms would serve an example to sinners like ourselves."
Rian thought about the affection the androids displayed toward Dann and each other. "But that's just what annoys me," he replied, "they way they ape human behavior, the way they seem to actually be. . ."
"In love?" Garthane asked.
"Yeah, as if they really. . ."
"They do mean it, Captain Rian."
This made the buccaneer wince as if he had been stabbed. The High Master had an uncanny habit of finishing the star-pirate's sentences when ever he wanted to convince him of something.
"You mean. . . ?"
"Yes I do, Captain. If you would risk your affections'"
more often-the lady Nila excepted, of course--they would be returned more frequently."
Rian felt a warm flush creep up the back of his neck.
Garthane was right, as usual. He had just realized that his failure to recognize the android pair's spiritual and emotional existence had its roots in his own fear of opening up, of making himself vulnerable to life.
He lowered his head and puffed-out his cheeks, ashe began to study the moon's reflection in the toe of his glossy boot. Several seconds passed before he looked up again, a humbler man than the one who had looked down. "Excuse me, sir," he said to Garthane as he
walked away from him. "I've got some dues to pay."
The two androids were still talking to Dann when Red Rian came up beside them. He hemmed and hawed until they turned to face him.. "Sir, tady," he said, sweating andbreathingheavily."Uh,AI,D-Ana.. ."Rianused the forms the couple preferred when addressed by their friends. "I've, uh . . . come to ask your forgiveness for my, ah-h-hhh . . . stupidity. I haven't been very fair to you, and. . . "
The androids smiled at him sympathetically. They knew how hard it must be for him, the ultimate self-sufficient man, to apologize to anyone. "No need to say more," D-Ana said, touching his arm with her cool fingers. "We understand."
"And we thank you, Captain Rian," Altektu added,
"for this great courtesy."
"Oh-h-h-hhh," Rian said, wheezing his relief like a busted bellows, "thanks a lot, you two." He backed off, grinning like a idiot, his hands fish-flapping for the second time that day. "I, uh. . . think I'll be going back to headquarters, folks. I've, uh . . . got a bunch of things to do, you know." Again he grinned that idiot-grin of extreme embarassment. "See you around."
Thump! He stepped into a coil of rope by the entrance to the pier, and fell flat on his back. His friends all crowded around him and helped Rian to his feet. No one laughed. . . not a soul. And best of all, Nila gave him a big kiss before he left, and whispered, "You're even braver than I thought, skipper."
The pirate whistled The Girlfrom the Outworlds all the way back to his quarters. All things considered, he thought, it hasn't been such a bad day at all.
Chapter 3
Strategies and Starships
Whaang! Whaang! Haaass! Red laser-beams whined over his head and flared in the dim corridor as Aaasp scrambled around a corner, gasping for breath. Blorg the Devastator was hot on his trail. Aaasp lurched down another corridor and headed for the shadowy pile of ruins that marked the site of the oldest part of the ancient city. Once he entered that cyclopean maze of rubble and fallen stone, he was sure that the lord of the Ysss would never find him.
Racing around another corner, Aaasp lost his footing on the damp stone and rolled down the steep incline that led to the abandoned palaces of Kordor's long-dead founders. As he got to his feet he cursed his luck, and he cursed the day he was hatched in the rocky lowlands of his native Sserp. The stewardship of the Dark Empire should have been his to keep, but Blorg, with the luck of Hiisazel the serpent-god, had miraculously been snatched from the jaws of implacable death. And now the Devastator, who brooked no competition when it came to Ylang's favors, was after him, determined to
add Aaasp's number to the legions of hell.
He entered the ruins and ducked behind an enormous fallen column carved in high-relief with the hideous images of the ancient Mordlings. Ahead lay a virtual labyrinth of stone and metal, the debris of the oldest civilization in the whole of the known universe. The darkness before him promised safety and time to think, time to devise a plan whereby he could save his own life. Breathing heavily, the reptiloid sat down on a ledge of stone. He was not afraid (for the Ysss fear only Ylang), but his reptilian instinct for survival was functioning at its highest level. He relaxed, and began to think of the best way of contacting the Dark Emperor, who would surely (in light of his past services) intervene in his behalf.
Haaass! Aaasp sat up suddenly, as a small stone rulled down from above and bounced off his boot. Peer-ing through his visor, the reptiloid looked up, the pupils of his lidless eyes dilating with the attempt to see into the surrounding gloom. He thought he could make out a shape in the blackness, the shape of something large, something tensed and ready to strike. Aaasp sent his thoughts out to probe the mind of the thing above him.
Haaa-aa-ass! To his shock, they were met by the cold thoughts of Blorg himself!
Surprised, my lord Aaasp? Well, don't be. You're not theftrst to be hunted in this place. Aaasp heard the click of a switch, followed by the crackling hum of an infrared heat-scanner's activation. No one escapes me. You i should know that. Aaasp slid off the ledge and]
straightened up, backing into a smooth mass of polished stone that felt as cold as the grave. Then, in his mind, he heard Blorg pronounce the ritual formula of the Y sss, , the one they always used before a killing: Death make i you welcome. The scarlet flare of the laser-rifle was the last thing Aaasp ever saw. . .
On the way back to their quarters, the android couple informed Dann of their plans. "We are returning to Astyx," D-Ana said. Dann remembered the city and its Pleasure Dome, that incredible psycho-sensorium where he had first met his two friends. "On Garthane's advice, the League has ordered the conversion of the Pleasure Dome into a treatment center for the psychic casualties of the Dark Empire's brutality."
"D-Ana and I have been chosen to head this project," said Altektu.
"They couldn't have picked anyone better," Dann replied, shaking Altektu's hand and kissing D-Ana on the cheek. "You did a hell of a job on me. This is certainly a challenge worthy of your skills."
"You must visit us at the center when you have time," Altektu said as they entered the android couple's quarters.
"As soon as I'm able, AI," Dann replied.
"And now, we'd like you to meet someone," D-Ana said, opening the door to the room adjoining the one they were in.
Dann followed them in, and saw a young woman looking out of a window, staring up into the gentle night
of Aquaea. She stiffened involuntarily when they entered, but made no move to acknowledge their presence.
"Val," D-Ana said softly, "we've brought someone to meet you." The young woman continued to stare out into the night.
The androids approached and flanked her, D-Ana stroking her hair and Altektu taking her hand in his own.
"Our friend is here," Altektu said in a gentle voice.
"The one we told you about. We love and trust him very much, and wish to share him with you." The young woman still did not move from the window. "He won't hurt you, Val," D-Ana said soothingly. "He is very kind, very gentle. Turn around and see him."
Slowly with the movement of someone caught in a bad dream, she turned to face Dann. And as she did, the sight of her beauty made him catch his breath. She was small and finely made, yet full-bodied for all her delicate appearance. Her hair, dark as midnight in the depths of the ocean, rolled down to her waist in lustrous waves.
The perfect oval of her face was as lovely as any Dann had ever seen, with its high cheekbones, slender and aquiline nose, full lips, and vaulting eyebrows. And her eyes were dark, reflecting the room's light the way deep mountain pools reflect the stars. But those pools were troubled; they ran cold, fed by the springs of pain and'
terror.
"Valennia," D-Ana said, "this is Dan Oryzon. He's a native of this world."
"I'm glad to meet you, Valennia," Dann said, smiling at her. But she made no reply, and merely continued to stare at him. When he looked into her eyes again, Dann realized that she was hiding somewhere deep within herself.
"Use your powers of mind, Dann," Altektu whispered. "Go inside her mind and comfort her. Find out why she won't speak to anyone." .
Dann gazed into Valennia's eyes and gently entered her mind, using the powers he had acquired through his initiation into the Fellowship of Light. Don't be afraid, he thought to her. I won't hurt you in any way.
I feel you inside me, her thought-voice replied.
Please don't hurt me . . . If you do, I'll kill myself I swear it.
No, I won't. You're the friend of those I love and; trust. And I'm asking you to trust me.
Don't hurt me any more. . . I hurt so much already.
I won't. I swear it by the Infinite-the source of all life.
Then she nodded almost imperceptibly, and opened her mind to Dann Oryzon.
In a turbulent montage of images, he saw the mosaic of her life on Dusilium, a world in the same sector of the Primula galaxy as Aquaea:
Loving family, friends, a happy childhood. Adoles-cence and initiation into the mysteries of womanhood.
