Empress of Eternity (30 page)

35 Quad 2471 R.E.

The keeper returned to Faelyna’s workroom in the station less than half an hour after she had vanished. That was the way it seemed, but all of the station equipment that indicated time was nonfunctional. Eltyn had tried not to look too hard at the images of equipment that continued to shift and mutate moment by moment. He did wonder just how many eons those changes represented and how long the ancients had actually operated the station in the fashion represented by those images.

You weren’t gone that long,
offered Eltyn as the woman in scarlet appeared.

It was long enough to consider the possibilities. Do you know of a place where you have friends who will help you?

Why?
asked Rhyana.

I can transport the four of you there, if it is no farther than Hururia. We can also create…a disruption…in Hururia that will make seeking you…less of a priority.

Eltyn glanced to Faelyna.
TechOversight?

She shook her head.

He should have realized that The Twenty and the RF would have targeted all the known TechOversight Facilities.

Chiental is possible,
offered Faelyna.

The keeper glanced back at the shadowy silver figure that Eltyn had not seen appear; then toward the three. After a moment, a map of the continent appeared, projected into the air, with dots in places where there were no cities.
Point out where this place is.

Eltyn stepped forward and studied the map, finally locating the Fhranan Peaks.
About here. Against the western cliffs in a valley opposite the tallest peak in the range.
He paused.
Most of the installation is under the mountain, except for what looks like a log lodge.

We should be able to locate it. We’re already shifting the Bridge toward Hururia. It won’t intrude into the event-point, but it will be visible in a way, just below the reality horizon. The Twenty will see it. It won’t be a Bridge, though.

What else could it be?
asked Rhyana.

The most glorious rainbow they have ever beheld. We should go down to the main level. That’s from where you’ll be leaving.

So soon?
asked Eltyn, almost involuntarily.

There are advantages to operating outside the event-points.
The keeper turned, walked to the ramp, and headed down to the main level.

As he followed, Eltyn wasn’t certain that her boots actually touched the surface of the ramp. He also tried to sense whether the station or Bridge was moving, but he felt nothing. He looked to Faelyna.

She shook her head and shrugged.

Rhyana slipped ahead of them and continued down the ramp to the lowest level.

Eltyn frowned, then nodded when he saw the delivery woman return carrying the projectile rifles and two stunners. There wasn’t any guarantee about what might be waiting for them, and the weapons would be useful even if they were welcomed with open arms, although he doubted that was too likely. He was hoping for skepticism, rather than out-and-out hostility, if and when they reached Chiental.

Rhyana set the weapons on the floor, along the outside wall, but away from the door, then straightened.

The keeper stopped short of where the south door was—or used to be—and turned back toward the three. She extended a small round pebble to Eltyn.
When the south door opens, throw this out. Make sure that it strikes the dome. You have only one chance. Do not let your hand or fingers or any part of your body extend into the door opening or beyond.

He fingered the tiny stone she had dropped into his palm. It felt like the walls of the station, except that his fingers did not quite touch the smooth surface of the pebble. He frowned.
A stone?

It will do what is necessary.

Why can’t he lean out?
asked Rhyana.

Then you will all have to leave at that moment…or remain in the station for some time. The fall to the stone pavement around the building would likely kill you all if you tried to leave. You might not be able to depart the station until you were out of food if you did not leave then.

Might?
pressed Faelyna.

I would not be able to open the station again for some time. How long would depend on too many matters to calculate now.

Could you allow us to open the doors?
asked Faelyna.

I could…but not if you want to attack The Twenty and leave the Bridge in a location other than where you entered it.

That’s not much of a choice,
snapped Rhyana.

To move the Bridge, even outside your event-points, requires energy. Opening the doors at a geographic locale other than in its moored orientation requires energy for shielding. There is only so much energy.

None of the three spoke.

Do you want to attack The Twenty and then reach this place…or not?

Eltyn sensed something behind the voice, but whether it was anger, impatience, or frustration…that he could not tell.

We’ll attack and go to Chiental
, said Faelyna firmly.

I’m glad you finally made up your mind.

There wasn’t much humor in those mental words, Eltyn realized.

The keeper turned toward the south wall. The stone slid open wide.

Eltyn blinked, because the opening in the wall was surrounded by a coruscation of colored light, as if the Bridge/station were in the center of a brilliant rainbow. The keeper had told him that would be the effect, but hearing her words hadn’t conveyed the incandescence of what lay between him and the gold-gilded rounded stone of the Ruche dome.

The smooth and unmarked top of the dome was a good ten yards below the opening before him and no more than five from the station wall. For a moment, he just looked, wondering how it was possible that they were where they were.

Throw it!

He grasped the small stone and threw it at the top of the dome, but not too hard, knowing that excessive effort was all too often counterproductive. Once the pebble passed through the station opening, the stone wall of the station began to close. Eltyn kept watching as the door narrowed. Just before the small dark rock was about to strike the dome, it flared, and then accelerated into the structure. Light flared everywhere, bright enough that he couldn’t see, even after the Bridge/station sealed itself off.

What happened?
demanded Rhyana.

The building is in ruins.
The keeper’s tone was matter-of-fact.

With all those people in it?
asked Faelyna.
Just like that?

They ordered the killing of all those who opposed them, didn’t they? They destroyed the ability of thousands to think, didn’t they? Or did you lie to me?

No…but…

But what? Never in our long history has anyone who used such methods been stopped without the use of force and more killing.
With almost no break in her words, she went on.
Before long the Bridge will reach the locale you indicated
.

The keeper glanced to her left, where the shadowy figure in silver had appeared. For a moment, she blurred, then resolidified.

An image appeared in midair, showing a valley.

That’s not it,
said Faelyna.
The western cliffs should be higher, and there should be a small lake to the south.

Two more images appeared before Eltyn said,
That’s it. The entrance is through the log building below that cleft.

The image vanished.

You need to take the body of the dead man when you leave. You can drop it once you’re outside the Bridge.

Rhyana looked to Eltyn. He nodded, and the two of them walked back down to the lower level, where she cut loose the bonds that held the dead man to the chair. His limbs were still stiff and locked him into a sitting position. That made carrying him back up the ramp awkward and slow. They set the body down next to where the door had opened, then straightened.

Can we just toss him out when the door opens?

Whatever you want…
A wry smile crossed the keeper’s lips, then vanished.
It won’t be that long now. I cannot extend the Bridge into the cliff itself, except along the metal tunnel beneath the log building…and not that far.

When the door opened, Eltyn stepped over to the dead riffie. Rhyana joined him. As soon as the opening was wide enough, the two of them swung the body outward, not as effectively as Eltyn would have liked, since the dead riffie barely tumbled past the edge of the stone and out through the rainbow corona, beyond which he could see only a hazy grayness.

He stepped back and turned.

Faelyna already held a long-barreled stunner. She eased toward the opening, but stopped short.

Eltyn immediately reached down and lifted the remaining projectile rifle, then straightened and turned to the keeper.
Why are you doing this?

Because I must. You offer the hope of intelligence against the dead hand of a dead faith. Go! All of you.

Rhyana was the first through the doorway. Eltyn and Faelyna hurried after her.

Eltyn stumbled, and then righted himself as the rainbow incandescence quickly diminished. He blinked. The three of them stood in a metal-lined corridor with a ceiling less than a yard overhead. Behind them the last of the rainbow flared momentarily…and then vanished totally.

Toward them hurried a man in a drab brown garment that had been a TechOversight singlesuit before it had been subjected to far too many cleanings. He came to an abrupt halt. “Who…how did you get inside? What was that light?” He almost reached for the stunner at his waistband, then saw the weapons in the hands of the three.

“Tech Eltyn, Tech Faelyna,” said Eltyn. “We were stationed at the MCC MetStation when the RF uprising started. We received the order for Contingency Three. It took a while for us to get here.”

“How did you get in?” demanded the older tech, his voice bearing equal traces of anger and concern.

“The only way we could,” replied Eltyn.

“How did you manage that rainbow effect? Did you burn…?” He stopped speaking and looked past them toward the dead riffie, his brow furrowed in puzzlement.

“The riffie tried to kill us,” snapped Rhyana.

“We’ll be happy to explain that, as well as we can, when we’re debriefed,” added Eltyn.

“The only place you belong is in detention.”

“I have a suggestion, Supervisor,” Eltyn said pleasantly. “Along the way, we also blew the top off the Ruche dome in Hururia. We’ll be happy to wait quietly until you get confirmation.”

“Oh…and when did this explosion occur?” The supervisor’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Just a few minutes ago.”

“Most amusing.”

“It’s true. All you have to do is wait.”

“I could brain-scan all of you.”

Eltyn didn’t mention that the supervisor was outnumbered and outweaponed. That wouldn’t last long.

“That wouldn’t make you any better than riffies and The Twenty,” snapped Rhyana. “We’ve worked hard to get here. You might look over the riffie’s body.” She half-turned and pointed to the limp figure on the composite floor of the tunnel. “It might tell you something.”

Eltyn frowned. Was there a pulse-net in Chiental? He extended a probe, trying to determine…

Authenticate!
demanded the system.

Eltyn entered his TechOversight codes and ID.

Accepted. Level three.

Eltyn looked to Faelyna and mouthed, “Pulse-net.”

After a moment, she nodded and smiled.

Interrogative access?
demanded someone.

The supervisor glanced from Faelyna to Eltyn, then back to her.

Project Canal-three, MetCom cover,
replied Eltyn. He had the feeling that the Chiental pulse-net was operating on individual segregation, except possibly on the supervisory level. They’d never needed that at the canal station, not with two people. How many techs and others were sheltered on the multiple levels of the redoubt?

Supervisor Tauryl…bring the canal techs to debriefing section.
The net command conveyed absolute authority.

Even so, Eltyn wondered how well the speaker might do against the Bridge-keeper. He kept the thought to himself. No one else in the Ruche was likely to ever enter the station.

“How did you manage that?” asked Tauryl.

“Senior net access,” replied Eltyn.

“You might as well come, too,” Tauryl said, glancing at Rhyana. “Chief Interrogator Bernyt will want to know everything.”

“What about the riffie?” demanded Rhyana.

“I’ve sent for a crew to pick it up. Now…let’s go.” He pointed deeper into the mountain tunnel.

Chief Interrogator? Exactly what had they gotten themselves into? questioned Eltyn.

Faelyna eased closer to Eltyn, murmuring, “Just tell them everything about the Bridge systems.”