Fire Time (24 page)

Nausea rose in Sparling’s gullet. ‘What do you mean, they won’t hurt her?’ he snapped. ‘Unmixed Ishtarian food–’

‘Larreka’s a smart old devil. The moment he saw her borne off, he ran to fetch her box of supplement, and managed to toss it onto the other deck.’

Sparling sagged in his chair.
I wish God were more to me than the mayor’s nickname, so I could thank him.

Then:
But she’ll be in that hell-country, alone among savages. They won’t realize she can’t endure many things they take for granted. Or any superstitious notion may enter their heads.

Strength returned. ‘I’ll go there,’ Sparling said. ‘Make sure I can have a fast long-range vehicle, will you? First, though, I’ll check what else I can arrange. Shall I call you back?’

‘Yes, please do. I … I’ve got to notify her family.’ Hanshaw’s image blanked out.

Sparling swiveled around to face Dejerine. The officer’s tanned countenance had become a piece of leather in which the eyeballs stood like white-ringed targets.

‘You heard,’ Sparling said. ‘What do you propose we do?’

Dejerine worked his lips before he responded, ‘What have you in mind?’

‘Don’t worry, nothing rash. I’ll try to negotiate her release. But if they don’t approach us about that soon, or if they demand impossible terms, we’ll show them they’d bloody well better bring her back unharmed.’

‘You would threaten–?’

‘What else? They savvy force. When we start sinking their ships, demolishing their homesteads, strafing every armed band we come on, they’ll get the message.’
And if Jill has died–

‘Aerial punishment.’ Dejerine nodded heavily. ‘My command is to supply the means.’

‘You’ve got ’em. We don’t. We haven’t a single military device. Never expected to need any.’ Anger lifted. ‘Well, how long are you going to sit there? You didn’t need those battle flyers you brought along – till now – to justify your presence on Ishtar!’

Dejernie gathered resolution. ‘That would be insubordination on my part,’ he said. ‘Under no circumstances besides a direct attack on us may we, any man or any equipment, be used against natives. The policy has more reasons than idealism. If we got embroiled in local quarrels–’

Sparling’s left hand squeezed that arm of his chair; his right fist doubled upon the other. He spoke slowly, congratulating himself on the levelness of his voice. ‘Don’t you think you’ll compromise your mission
worse
by provoking a complete boycott of it and all your personnel? That’s what will happen if you abandon her, you know. I’ll see to it personally.’

Dejerine reached toward him as if across a gulf. ‘Can you not realize?’ he pleaded. ‘I will dispatch a message at once, requesting permission. I am fond of her myself.’

‘How long will your courier boat take to reach Earth? How long will those lardbrain GHQ bureaucrats take to process your letter – and deny you?’

Dejerine’s tone hardened. ‘If I disobeyed, I would be removed from this post. My successor would likely be much less
simpatico,
considering what trouble you caused the Navy. I can carry on if you boycott us, but it will require using powers of confiscation and arrest, criminal penalties for refusing to give us essential co-operation.’ He stood; Sparling did too. ‘Sir, I will leave you. Please note, I have not ordered anyone to refrain from helping Miss Conway. Please do not be so conspicuous about whatever you do that you force me. And … you would be wise to keep me informed of events … and I will be more grateful than you can guess.’ He bowed. ‘Good day, sir.’

Sparling stared at the door for a minute after it had closed.

Doubtless he’s right,
he thought drearily.
Well, I suppose I’d better go home and pack.

When he stepped outside, it was into a hot blast, which hissed down the street and brawled in the treetops. Bel glared and Anu glowered where red-tinged streaks of cloud hastened through a sky that was otherwise merciless blue.
The air smelled dusty. Few people were about. He didn’t notice if they greeted him or not. As he strode, he was working on a set of plans, one for each contingency he could imagine.

Except Jill’s death. If her laughter blew away forever on the wind, nothing would matter very much.

His wife was in their living room. With most undertakings suspended, Primavera’s supply department required little staff. ‘Hello,’ she said. ‘What brings you this early?’ He turned his face her way, and the happiness died out of her. ‘Something is terribly wrong,’ she whispered.

He nodded. The facts jerked forth.

‘Oh,
no. Não permita Deus,’
Rhoda closed her eyes briefly, seemed to brace herself, then came to take both his hands. ‘What will you do?’

‘Go there.’

‘Alone?’

‘Might as well, since the Navy isn’t interested in protecting mere taxpayers.’ An imp reminded Sparling that extrasolar workers didn’t pay taxes. ‘Should things come to a fight, Larreka’s troopers are preferable to us civilians. Or, if we do need human help, it can arrive in a matter of hours, even if we are only allowed small passenger vehicles these days. Meanwhile, till we have some solid information, why keep men tied down in Port Rua?’

‘Must you go yourself? And immediately?’

‘We’d better have
a
human on the spot.’ No longer able to meet her look, he regarded a picture of Becky on the wall. ‘I’m idle here; the Navy will get no more advice from me. I have about as wide an experience of Ishtar and Ishtarians as any man. You know how I’ve perforce become a fairly good jackleg physician, in case she – she – Well, she’ll’ve had a rough time at best.’

Rhoda straightened her dumpy figure. ‘Also your top reason,’ she said quietly. ‘You are in love with her.’

‘Huh?’ he exclaimed, shocked. ‘Why, that, that’s ridiculous! We’re friends, sure, but–’

She shook her head. ‘No,
querido?
She hadn’t used the endearment of their early days for a long time. The tears
would not altogether stay down. ‘I know you. I knew this from the start, and knew you were both innocent. You have always been kind to me, Ian. So I think, because you must go back into a dangerous place – you must – I should say you go with my blessing. Bring her home safe.’

He hugged her to him, protesting, ‘You’re wrong. I can’t imagine how you got such a wild idea,’ since that felt like the only possible thing to do.

‘Well, perhaps I was mistaken,’ she likewise lied against his breast. ‘We will talk no more of it. Let me help you pack. And I will call the Conways and ask if there is any way we, I can help.’

Should I feel guilty that I chiefly feel embarrassed?
he wondered.
Or that several of my contingency plans call for me to risk my life?

A thought went through him like an electric shock. She sensed it in his body. ‘What is the matter?’ she asked timidly.

‘Nothing. Nothing.’ He spoke with his voice alone; his mind was elsewhere. ‘I just got a notion. It’ll keep me here maybe two or three days yet.’

Port Rua was legionary barracks and their outbuildings, workshops, trading posts, warehouses, taverns, the homes of long-time dwellers, all crowded together on straight and narrow streets in order that a high, betowered stockade might enclose them. Outside sprawled tents, booths, and shacks where overflow people could shelter unless attacked. Further scattered were the steadings of farms and pastureland which had helped nourish the town. But most of these stood deserted amidst heat-sickened fields. Tassu raiders had plundered several. Legionary columns made sallies northward and westward as much to hunt and gather food as to harass their foes.

From that mountaintop where he waited at the head of warriors, Arnanak could barely see the settlement. Clearer in view were the long sweep of the Esali River through its brown-burnt valley till it emptied into Rua Bay, and the easterly glint of that great bight opening at last on the Sea of Ehur. His telescope found boats trying to fish – they didn’t venture far, lest a native warcraft snap them up – and masts of ships tied at the wharf, supply line and escape for the Zera Victrix.

The sky seemed white-hot over the two suns. Though the air never stirred, and its dryness made pelts and manes crackle, somehow it seethed. Arnanak and his sixty-four males wore nothing save their shields and weapons, whose metal parts they did not touch, and still they felt consumed. What must it be like for the sixty-four from cold Haelen and gentle Beronnen, bound full-armored up the mountainside?

They came at a smart trot, though, which thumped the bricklike soil, snapped stalks of parched dead lia across, and kept their standard slowly flapping. They were in battle order too, squads knit into platoons (three heavy-mailed shock troopers with a porter for their gear; four pairs each of an archer and his arrowbearer, who held a big shield for them both; eight light troopers, swift scouts or close infighters as need might be) and one catapult trio (its bearer, its shooter, and its ammunition lugger). This left a single male in command, if the agreed-on number was not to be exceeded.

Actually, it had been, but Arnanak didn’t fret. For the extra member was a human!

Clad in white, its head likewise decked against heaven, it moved mysterious to the sight. A murmur and growl went among the Tassui. ‘Hold steady,’ Arnanak told them. ‘This is a thing I was hoping for. Remember, such creatures are mortal. Do I not hold one of them captive?’

The new arrival was noticeably taller and broader than Jill Conway, doubtless a male. Arnanak wondered if a death tool lay beneath yonder flowing garments, to wipe his whole band out at a burst. He thought not. How then would the male ever learn where the female was kept? No, he must
have arrived lately in a flying boat. Much earlier, the Zera’s commandant had released a couple of Tassu prisoners with the message that he wanted to talk under truce. Arnanak set out from Ulu the day he got that word, sending a courier ahead to declare the place and terms whereon he would meet. He had barely arrived and pitched camp here. Thus he would not hitherto have heard of the newcomer.

The legionaries halted two spearcasts away. Their standard dipped thrice, their sign of peacefulness. Arnanak for his part thrust sword into ground. He and their leader stepped forward.

Startled, he saw this was none less than Larreka. All knew of old One-Ear. Arnanak had glimpsed him a few times, on visits to Port Rua before war began. So he was back from South-Over-Sea and gambling his life on the good faith of his enemies?
Why not?
the Tassu decided.
I am here in my own person, and I may well be more the keel of my people’s strength than he of his.

‘Greeting, mighty one,’ said Larreka in the vernacular. He added no customary wishes for luck.

Arnanak returned a Sehalan salutation: ‘Honor and happiness be yours, Commandant, and fellowship between us.’

Larreka stood quiet, his pale blue eyes probing the other’s green. Hardly aware that he did, the latter took soldier’s stance, torso and arms straight, feet squared, tail bowed outward. Larreka stepped near and offered his left hand. There passed between them the initiates’ grip of the Triad, followed by certain phrases.

They let go. ‘Where did you serve?’ Larreka asked.

‘Tamburu Strider,’ Arnanak told him. ‘Combat engineer corps, mostly in the Iren Islands. But that was long ago.’

‘Yes, it would’ve been. … You’re the Overling of Ulu, aren’t you? Gods know I’ve heard enough about you.’ Larreka paused. ‘And we’ve met before. You don’t seem to have recognized me then, in my helmet. But I’d know you in the Final Dark. You bore the human off my ship. I cast her ration box onto yours.’

Arnanak’s hearts clenched. Was this a fate – whether of
Sun or Ember Star – or a whim of the Rover which might breed a fate – or might mean nothing?

Because Larreka stood unshaken, he rallied to his purpose. ‘Then well are we met anew, maybe. Let us swear a day’s peace, and your folk can take ease with mine.’ He waved at the awnings they had raised. ‘We brought beer for hospitality.’

‘You and I and this human have work to do.’

‘Aye.’

The fighters gave oath in their separate ways, broke formation, disarmed, and mingled, southerners more warily than northerners. In Sehalan, Arnanak acknowledged Larreka’s introduction of Ian Sparling, and led them to his shelter. A regular tent, though two sides were furled for the sake of breath, it stood in a patch of wan blue blades. Already Starkland seeds, blown in on storm winds, were surviving Fire Time better than most of the plants which fed mortals.

Beneath the tent were shade, rugs to rest on, ale, water-skins, and goblets. The Ishtarians folded their legs. The human sat down jerkily, arms clasping knees, face haggard, insofar as that visage was readable. Arnanak told him: ‘She of your kind who names herself Jill Conway is well. She has suffered no harm, nor do I mean for her to.’

‘That … is good to hear,’ Ian Sparling grated.

‘I seized her, when the chance came, as much to bring about a meeting like this as for any other reason. On my side we have ever stood ready to make peace. We got no word–’

‘You sent us none,’ Larreka interrupted in a tone as dry as the land, ‘save that the legions must get out and stay out.’

‘This is our country,’ Arnanak said for the human to hear.

‘Not every bit of it,’ Larreka retorted. ‘Our sites we have held for octads, bought from owners willing to welcome civilized traders. Since, we’ve often had to punish banditry. But who in your ruck of barbarians has any claim to our towns?’

Arnanak addressed Ian Sparling: ‘Gladly would we Tassui have met your kind and dealt. You never opened a door.’

‘We sent occasional explorers here,’ the human said.
Having talked a great deal with Jill Conway, Arnanak made out the strain in his voice. ‘But that was before there seemed to be any single purpose or leadership among the dwellers. Lately we’ve had troubles of our own–’ He leaned forward. ‘Well, I’ve come about her release. If you truly wish the friendship of her friends, you’ll fetch her to me at once.’

‘And afterward we will talk further?’

‘What do you want of us?’