Ecce and Old Earth (12 page)

“I resent it as well," said Scharde. “I am working to keep my rage under control.”

"Everything considered," said Glawen, “you had better explain to us what we want to know.”

Kathcar was mulishly silent. Glawen prompted him. "You are a member of the LPF faction at Stroma. How did you become acquainted with Smonny Clattuc, or Madame Zigonie — or whatever else she may call herself?”

"It is nothing to marvel at,” said Kathcar with great dignity. "The LPF is concerned with conditions at Yipton, and wishes to bring Cadwal into modern times, and out of the sleep of centuries."

"So. You traveled to Yipton?"

"Naturally. I wished to observe the factual state of conditions."

"You went alone?"

Kathcar again became testy. "What possible difference does it make with whom I went?"

"Identify these persons, and allow us to be the judge.”

"I went with a deputation from Stroma."

"Who was in the deputation?"

“Several members of the LPF”.

"Was Dame Clytie one of them?"

Kathcar was silent a long ten seconds. Then he made a furious gesture of frustration" "If you must know, yes!" “And Julian?"

"Naturally," said Kathcar with a sniff. “Julian is energetic and insistent. I have even heard him described as a bit bumptious, though perhaps I should not characterize him in this fashion."

"We are discreet, and will not report your condemnation to Julian," said Scharde with a grin. “So what happened at Yipton?"

"You must understand that, while the LPF uniformly and unanimously agrees on the need for progressivism, there are several concepts as to which direction the changes must go. Dame Clytie speaks for one of these philosophies and I represent another, and our conferences are not always harmonious.”

Glawen asked: "How do your views differ?"

"It is mainly a matter of emphasis. I favor a carefully structured leadership organization for the new Cadwal and I have designed the system in careful detail. Dame Clytie, I fear, is a bit impractical and imagines a new society of happy peasants, singling at their toil, dancing and playing tambourines up and down the village commons every night. Everyone will be story-teller or musician; everyone will take joy in producing beautiful artifacts. How is the new community to be governed? Dame Clytie endorses a concept where everyone, young and old, male and female, dolt and sage, all alike are supposed to debate issues at conclaves, then agree by glad hurrahs and vocal acclamations. In short, Dame Clytie opts for a democracy in its purest, most basic and amorphous form.” Glawen asked: “And the native beasts? What happens to them?”

Kathcar spoke airily. “The wild animals? Dame Clytie is not over-interested in the problem. They must learn to live with the new order. Only the truly nasty and repellent creatures will be driven away or exterminated.”

“And your views are different?"

“Very much so. I call for a structured centrality, with authority to formulate policy and establish regulations."

“So then, you and Dame Clytie composed your differences and went together to Yipton?"

Kathcar draw back his lips in a sardonic grimace, half-smile, half-sneer. “The junket to Yipton was not my idea. I don’t know for certain where the idea originated, but I suspect that Julian, who is always in favor of intrigue, the more devious the better, evolved the notion. I know that he consulted a certain Namour during one of his visits to Araminta Station, and then possibly broached the idea to Dame Clytie. Whatever the case, the plans were made. When I learned how the wind was blowing, I insisted upon joining the deputation, to ensure that my point of view be made known.”

“We flew to Yipton. I knew nothing of Simonetta or her status; I thought that we would be conferring with Titus Promo, and so I was astounded when we went into conference with Simonetta. Neither Julian nor Dame Clytie showed the same surprise, and I am sure that Namour briefed them in advance as to what to expect. I was naturally offended by what I considered a breach of diplomatic courtesy, and I resolved to make my displeasure clear at the first opportunity.”

“In any event, Namour took us into an office with a floor of woven bamboo mat, walls of split bamboo, and a ceiling of intricately carved wood, evidently smuggled in from the mainland. We waited fifteen minutes before Simonetta chose to show herself — a delinquency which irritated Dame Clytie, so I could see.”

“Simonetta at last condescended to appear, and I was amazed, as I have already indicated. Instead of the earnest, just and dignified Titus Pompo of my expectations, here was a woman as massive and strong as Dame Clytie herself. Simonetta, I must say, is a strange looking woman. She wears her hair in a massive pile atop her head, like a coil of old rope. Her skin is like white wax. Her eyes glitter like amber beads. There is a sense of wildness and unpredictability about her that is most disturbing. She is clearly a woman of a hundred passions, which she disciplines as much as needful, but no more. Her voice is somewhat harsh and peremptory, but she can pitch it almost to a musical softness when she chooses. She seems to be guided by an instinctive or subconscious shrewdness, rather than formal intelligence; like that of Dame Clytie. On this occasion neither woman wasted any affability on the other, and there was only a cursory attempt at simple and ordinary courtesy. But no matter: we had not come to Yipton for the exchange of pleasantries but, rather, to discover how best to coordinate our efforts toward the common goal.”

“I regarded myself as the senior member of the delegation, and started to speak, that I might express the philosophy of the LPE as I saw it, in an orderly, coherent and definite manner, so that Simonetta should be under no illusions as to our basic point of view. Dame Clytie, however, conducted herself with absolutely vulgar and unforgivable rudeness, interrupting my remarks and shouting me down when I remonstrated and pointed out that I spoke with the authoritative voice of the LPF. Dame Clytie, using her most bluff and boisterous manner, pretended to regard Simonetta as a comrade-in-arms, and a stout paladin in the cause of virtue and truth. Once again I tried to bring the discussion back to its proper channels, but Simonetta instructed me to hold my tongue, which I considered absolutely egregious and insulting conduct. Dame Clytie, rather than taking note of the insult, made offensive remarks of her own, something like: 'Excellent! If Kathcar will stop his braying for a few moments, we will get on with our business.’ Something on that order.”

“In any event Dame Clytie began to speak. Simonetta listened for a few moments, then once more became impatient. She said: 'I will be quite candid! I have been done grievous wrongs by the folk of Araminta Station, and the whole thrust of my life is retribution. I intend to sweep down on Deucas like an angel of wrath, and I shall be Mistress of Araminta Station. My revenge will be so sweet as to transcend all other pleasures I have known! AII shall know the sting of my fury!' “

Dame Clytie found it necessary to chide her, though she tried to be judicious. ‘This is not quite the emphasis or the thrust of the LPF. We intend to break the tyranny of the Charter, and allow the human spilt scope to flourish and grow!' “

'’ ‘So it may be,' said Simonetta. 'Still, eventually the Charter will be replaced by the Monomantic Credence, which will guide the future of Cadwal.' “

“Dame Clytie said: 'I know nothing about this Credence, and I would deplore the introduction of some freakish cult.' “

“ ‘This is an unkind description,' said Simonetta. ‘The Monomantic Credence is the Ultimate Pansophy: the Way of Existence and the Vital Perfection!' “

“At this, Dame Clytie became a trifle bleak. Julian leapt into the breach. He discoursed upon the new Cadwal and stated that, where true democracy was the watchword, every person’s beliefs must be and should be sacred. He declared that he, personally, would defend such a precept to the death, or some such blather. Simonetta tapped her fingers on the table and barely listened. I saw the way the wind was blowing, directly toward recriminations and bad feelings. I decided to set the matters straight, once and for all.”

“I pointed out that absolute democracy — sometimes known as 'nihilism' — is equivalent to utter confusion. Further, everyone knew that rule by committee was only slightly less chaotic than rule by a mob. For true progress, authority must be exercised by a single resolute man of unquestioned quality and judgment. I announced that, while I had no overweening lust for power the exigencies of the situation demanded that I take on this great responsibility, with all its challenges and trials. I felt that at this very moment we should agree to this program and proceed with full dedication in this direction.”

“Simonetta sat staring at me. In a pleasant voice she asked if I were definitely convinced that the person in authority should be a man.”

“I answered affirmatively. This, I said, was the lesson of history. Women were valuable adjuncts to society, with unique functions and irreplaceable instinctive skills. In men however resided that peculiar quality composed of wisdom, strength, persistence and charisma necessary for leadership.”

“Simonetta asked: ‘And what function do you plan for Dame Clytie in your new kingdom?' “

“I saw that perhaps I had spoken too expansively, and had stated my case a trifle too earnestly. I replied that 'kingdom' was perhaps not quite the correct terminology, and that certainly I had full and great respect for both the ladies on hand. Dame Clytie might well be in charge of arts and crafts and Simonetta perhaps might do well as Minister of Education — both highly important posts.”

Chilke laughed. “Kathcar, you are a marvel."

“I stated what I considered to be no more than universally accepted truisms.”

“So you did,” said Chilke. “But that made the cheese no less blinding.”

“In retrospect, I see that I exceeded caution. I had assumed both Dame Clytie and Simonetta to be rational and realistic persons, aware of the fundamental facts of history. I was wrong.”

"Quite so," said Chilke. “What happened next?"

“Julian said that he thought that all of us had expressed our views, and now we must reconcile what seemed to be relatively minor differences. Our mutual goal was to throw off the dead weight of the Charter and it was not an easy task. Simonetta seemed to agree and suggested that we adjourn for lunch. We went out on a terrace overlooking the lagoon, and here we were served a lunch of mussels, fish paste, a bread of seaweed flour and kelp, along with wine from Araminta Station. Apparently I drank more wine than usual, or perhaps the wine was drugged. In any event, I became drowsy and fell asleep.”

“I awoke to find myself in a flyer. I assumed that I was returning to Stroma, though neither Dame Clytie nor Julian was on hand. It seemed a very long flight, which ended, to my utter astonishment, on Shattorak. I protested with great indignation; nevertheless, I was taken to a doghole and immured. Two days passed. I was told I could either become station cook or remain in the doghole, and I became cook. That is essentially all there is to tell.”

“Where are the flyers kept?"

Kathcar grimaced. “These are not my secrets. I am reluctant to discuss such matters."

Scharde spoke in a measured voice. "You are a reasonable man, are you not?"

"Of course! Have I not made this clear?”

“There will be an attack on Shattorak by such forces as we can muster at the station. If you have failed to provide us exact and detailed information, and any of our personnel is killed, you will be deemed guilty of murder by default, and you will be executed."

“That is not just!" cried Kathcar.

“Call it whatever you like. At Bureau B we interpret justice as loyalty to the terms of the Charter."

“But I am LPF and a progressive! I consider the Charter an archaic piece of rubbish!"

“We will consider you not only a Peefer but also a renegade and a murderer and execute you with no remorse whatever.”

"Bah,” muttered Kathcar. ”It makes little difference one way or the other. The flyers are in an underground hangar on the eastern slope of Shattorak, where a lava cave was enlarged."

“How are they guarded?”

“I cannot tell you, since I never ventured in that direction, nor do I know how many flyers are in the hangar.”

“How much staff is on hand?”

“A dozen or so.”

“All Yips?”

“No. The best mechanics are off-world folk. I don’t know much about them.”

“What about Titus Pompo's space yacht? How often does that appear?"

“Twice during my time."

“Have you seen Namour since you went with Dame Clytie to Yipton?”

“No.”

“And Barduys, what is his function?"

Kathcar responded haughtily: “As I stated, I know nothing of this person.”

“He seems to be a friend of Dame Clytie.”

“So it may be.”

“Hmf,” said Glawen. “Dame Clytie may not be quite so democratic as she would like us to believe.”

Kathcar was puzzled. “Why do you say that?"

“In this new society of equals, Dame Clytie no doubt intends to be more equal than anyone else."

“I do not altogether grasp your meaning," said Kathcar with dignity. ”Still, I suspect that you derogate the LPF.”

“Possibly so,” said Glawen.

II.

The Skyrie approached Araminta Station from the southwest, flying very low to avoid observation, and landed in a wooded area south of the River Wan.

Shortly after sunset Glawen approached Riverview House, and knocked at the front door. He was admitted into the reception hall by a maid-servant, who announced him to Egon Tamm. “You have returned in good health! How went your mission?" Egon Tamm’s welcome was almost effusive.

Glawen glanced toward the maid, who was still in the room. Egon Tamm said: “Come, we will talk in my office. Will you take some refreshment?”

“I would be happy for a cup of strong tea."

Egon Tamm instructed the maid and took Glawen into his office. "So, were you successful?"

"Yes. I rescued not only Scharde, but also Chilke and another prisoner, a Naturalist named Kathcar. They are waiting outside in the dark. I did not want to bring them in, and show them to your guests."