The Iron Breed (38 page)

It reminded him of the crowded state of Foskatt's quarters. Here, too, there had been an ingathering of things found throughout the lairs.

Among these moved several of the In-born, though none of them paid any attention to the two newcomers threading a path here. These workers were females. Some sat on the chairs or puffs intent on bits and pieces laid out on low tables before them. Others stood over devices which purred or clinked or made outlandish noises.

“All small strange devices are brought here,” Foskatt needlessly informed him. “First Gammage and his Elders, those who have worked the longest and know best the dangers which might exist, inspect them. In the early days there were accidents. Dolar has no hand on one wrist because of an incautious examination of a new find. So each is tested. When they are sure that it is not dangerous, it is given to those who try to unravel its secrets. For these gathered here have the best hands for that.”

Furtig saw what his companion meant. The fingers of those at work here were indeed as unlike his own stubby ones as Liliha's—longer, less clumsy in movement.

It was Liliha herself who stood in the doorway of the third room. She folded, with quick, graceful turns of hands and wrists, a long strip of material which seemed bulky until she dealt with it firmly. Then it made a neat and surprisingly small pack.

To Furtig's surprise she gave them the customary greeting of the cave people:

“Fair morning and smooth trail, warriors.”

“And a fair morning to you, One-Who-Chooses,” he replied.

“One-Who-Chooses,” she repeated. “Yes, of that custom I have heard, warrior. Though we do not altogether follow it here. If you seek the Ancestor, he is within. A new find, Foskatt?” She looked to the box.

“No. Just perhaps a new use for an old one. You see, Liliha, even we who are not seekers-in-depth may make discoveries also.”

Did Foskatt then sound defensive, as if he had a need to outdo the In-born in some way? If he did, Furtig could well understand that emotion.

“All knowledge is three times welcome,” was Liliha's answer. Once more she was industriously flipping the fabric into those smooth, much-deflated folds.

Gammage was not alone in that last chamber. He was seated on one of the wide seats of the Demons', all of which were raised just the wrong distance from the floor to be comfortable for one of the People, unless the feet were drawn up.

Beside him on the same seat was a powerfully built warrior with a notched ear and a long scar on his jaw. His one hand rested on his knee, and he gestured with his other arm as he talked. There was no fur-backed hand on that arm; instead, it ended in a ball of metal equipped with claws, and a cuff which was lashed to his own flesh and bone. This must be Dolar, Furtig reasoned.

The other there, a Chooser, was plainly of the In-born, just as Dolar was of the out-country. Her fur was silky black, and around her neck was a chain of bright stones. She wore bands of a like nature about her wrists.

Both she and the battered warrior showed no welcome to those who entered. But Gammage gave a purring call:

“What have you, Foskatt? It seems that you come in haste with something new.”

“It is one of the see boxes,” the female broke in. “Of these we have plenty—amusements for younglings.”

To Furtig's secret satisfaction, Foskatt caught her up quickly. “Not used as this brother can use it!”

“How?” Gammage squirmed off his seat and came to them. “How do you use it?”

Between them Furtig and Foskatt explained. Then Furtig demonstrated. He produced two pictures, the first of the caves, the second of Eu-La.

In that small, vivid scene she was busied with a number of strips cut from hide. These she twisted and turned in a fashion which seemed to Furtig useless. And it was apparent she was frustrated at not achieving what she attempted. But Gammage uttered an exclamation.

“Lohanna, see what this young female does!”

At his call the In-born looked. After a long moment of close attention she turned on Furtig almost accusingly.

“Who is this youngling?” she demanded, as if Furtig were attempting to conceal a matter of importance. He remembered his promise to Eu-La—this was the time to carry it out. And he freed the bag from his belt.

“She is Eu-La of Gammage's cave. This she made and asked me to show to Gammage.”

The Ancestor took the bag, turned it about as if it were indeed some treasure newly discovered, then passed it to Lohanna. She studied it with the same attention and then said to Gammage:

“She is one we should have with us, Elder. Though she is not of the In-born, yet see what she has wrought. And what does she there?” She gestured to the picture. “She rediscovers by herself one of the secrets of the Demons—doing it clumsily, but from her own mind! The old strain is not finished in the Out-World!”

“So it seems. And we shall try to bring her, Lohanna. Now—” Gammage looked to Furtig. “So you can make the picture become what you wish—How?”

“I do not know how. I think—and there is the picture of the one I think of. Not as I remember them last, but perhaps as they are at present. But how can I be sure? I do not know it for the truth!” He was not going to claim any talent which could later be proven false. In spite of Foskatt's enthusiasm, Furtig was stubbornly determined to walk cautiously before the In-born.

“Tell him how you were led through the lairs—”

Reluctantly Furtig added that piece of information.

“Not so strange.” For the first time the metal-handed Elder commented. “We have long known that certain of us can be so guided—”

“But the point Foskatt would make,” Gammage said, “is not that Furtig was guided, but that he used it with one he did not know, had had no contact with before. So it would seem his use of that talent is also different. If such a change breeds true, we can hope for much in the future. Yes, Furtig, our brother here has been right to urge you to tell us this. Now, what else can you see—perhaps here in the lair?”

Furtig took the box. The picture of Eu-La had vanished in the fog. Should he try to see an unpeopled place—or one with people? He tried to fasten on the prison room in which he had found Foskatt, but the box remained dark.

“It will not show me a place without people,” he reported.

Gammage did not seem in the least disappointed. “Then your ability must tie with a living thing. Well, can you think of a person in the lairs—”

Furtig chewed his lower lip and thought. Then an idea flashed into his mind. It would be the highest test of his ability. He summoned to mind the picture of the second Ratton guard he had seen before the prisoners' cell.

To his surprise and delight the fog gathered. The picture which emerged was blurred, but not so much that he could not distinguish part of it. And small sounds from two of those with him indicated that they saw also.

There was the Ratton. But he lay on the floor of the guard room. A piece of rubble, probably dislodged by the battering of the servant, pinned his leg to the floor. However, he still lived, for reddish eyes glinted and Furtig saw his mouth open as if he called for some help that would never come. Perhaps his fellows had left him to die because he was now useless.

“The Ratton guard!” Foskatt cried out. “Him I have seen! And that place—”

The blurring was complete, the scene vanished.

“That was one of the guards who held me!”

“So it would seem you can pick up other than our own people!” Gammage was excited. “Yes, these boxes, if others can learn to use them so, will become far more than just something to amuse younglings. Lohanna, would it not be well to check immediately on all those who have used them idly to see whether they were thinking of anything when they did so, or if they had any control over their viewing? If they can control it—or only a small number can control it—”

“Scouts,” the warrior broke in. “Send scouts and turn this on them—you could have instant warning of what they viewed. We could prepare for attacks in good time.” He raised his false hand and used its harsh talon tips to scratch his chin.

Lohanna was already at the door. “You shall have the answer as soon as possible, Elder,” she assured Gammage.

“Lohanna knows very much about the learning machines,” the Ancestor told Furtig. “I only wish we had more of the ancient records—”

Foskatt stirred. But Gammage was continuing: “Do not take those words of mine as a complaint of your failure to find such records. We had no idea the Rattons had invaded that section of the lairs in force. It is a great danger that they have. We dare not underestimate them in any way. They breed in greater numbers than we do. Though the same illness which changed us in the beginning also cut the numbers of our litters, the Ratton females have many offspring in a single season.

“And among the Rattons are those whose cunning has greatly advanced, so that they have their own seekers of Demon knowledge. Being small, they can slink along ways we cannot follow. It would be very difficult to seal off any part of the lairs so that they could not find their way in. Also, they have their traps.

“We have certain Demon weapons. But, like the servants, those are uncertain as to performance and to depend upon them in time of need and then have them fail—” He shook his head. “But still, the records we have found reference to—they must lie in the very territory the Rattons have invaded. Should they find them first—and I am firm in the conviction that they have among them those who are able to put Demon learning to use—then we may be in a very dangerous position. Time—we have so little time!”

8

There is only one thing to do,” Foskatt said slowly. “I shall try again. Though this time, being warned, I do not think I shall be entrapped.” There was dour determination in his voice.

Gammage shook his head. “Remember, younger brother, you are but fresh out of the place of healing. Your wound may seem closed, but if you were put to some severe test this might not hold. Do you not remember what happened under similar circumstances to Tor-To?”

For a moment Furtig thought Foskatt would protest. Then his tribesman gave a sigh. “But who then can go? And if the Rattons have taken over that part of the lairs, will we ever be able to reach the records if we wait longer?”

“He is right,” the deeper half-growl of Dolar rumbled. “Were I but able—” His speech became a full growl, and he brought his metal hand down upon the edge of a table with such force that the claws left deep indentations in its surface.

“Dolar, my close-brother, were you able, yes. But this needs youth and quickness of body such as we have both long since lost.”

To his inner astonishment, some other seemed to take over Furtig's voice then, for he heard himself saying:

“I am warrior trained and skilled, Elder. Also I have the homing sense which before led me through unknown ways. Let me know just what to search for and—”

“No!” Gammage was emphatic. “We must have you here, to work with the box, to learn how you are able to do this. Can you not see that is of the greatest importance?”

“More,” Dolar asked, “than saving records from the Rattons? We have but six now of the warrior Out-World breed, and the other four are abroad on missions to contact tribes. If Foskatt cannot go, dare we send an In-born? They cannot learn the ways without many journeys under guidance. Those we cannot give them. But now this matter of boxes—let Foskatt and this young warrior try between them such sendings. If they find they can use it as a scout might, then there may be a way out of this difficulty.”

His sensible suggestion carried, and so for the rest of that day and part of the night, taking only short rests and eating the trail rations they carried with them, the two played a hunt and search game through the echoing corridors of the aboveground lairs. When Furtig set off to wander, Foskatt sought him with the box. At first they were defeated over and over again, Foskatt seemingly unable to pick up any clear picture. Though once or twice the mist formed, enough to encourage him to keep on trying.

Just as they were ready to surrender to disappointment, Furtig, returning to the point where he had left his partner, discovered Foskatt wildly elated.

“You stood in a room where there were shining strips on the walls!” he cried out hoarsely. “And then you went and put your hands against one of the strips. On its surface was a second you who also put forth his hand to meet you palm to palm!”

“That is right.” Furtig slumped against the wall. “That is what I did just before I started back. Then it works for you, too!”

When they returned with the news of this small success, they were greeted with a disturbing report from another scout. He had tried to reach one of the tribes of the People reputed to have hunting grounds to the north, only to be cut off by a pack of Barkers who, it appeared, were settling in.

Gammage paced up and down as if his thoughts would not let him sit still. His tail switched and his ears were a little flattened. Had not Furtig known that in the lairs Trials were forbidden, he would have believed the Ancestor was preparing to offer challenge.

“In the records there is proof that the Barkers were, even more than we, the slaves of the Demons, licking the ground before their feet—which the People, owned though they were, never did! I had hoped—But that is another matter. If the Barkers now ingather about the lairs, can we believe that is a sign pointing to Demon return? Perhaps the Demons have in some secret manner signaled the Barkers to them. Though if the Barkers remembered the Demon end here as well as we do, they would not be so quick to answer such a call.”

“The Barkers,” offered Dolar, “are rovers, not liking settled lairs. Other times they have come near, but they never stayed for any length of time.”

“Hunting parties, yes,” Gammage agreed. “But this time they bring their females and young. Ask of Fy-Yan, who has been three suns watching them. We must have knowledge—”

“Which perhaps we can gain for you, Ancestor,” Foskatt said. “We can use the box. I have seen Furtig afar in it.”

Gammage turned with the quick grace of one seasons younger. His yellow eyes glowed.