At last the other guard returned. “Right, you can let him go,” he said, breathlessly. I ran to the door.
There was nobody outside. There were buildings with doors; all shut, all silent. Beyond them I could see the wire fence. Above, the sun blazed down casting black shadows among the dazzling brightness.
“Where is she?” I shouted. “What have you done with her?”
The two guards were walking away; I ran after them grabbing their arms. They shook me off, walking on.
Then faintly I heard her call. “Drove! Drove!” I stared in the direction from which her voice came, but at first could see nothing. I moved past a small shed.
Then I saw her running, along by the fence, jumping ditches as she looked in my direction. She saw me and stopped, holding out her arms and crying, while I ran towards her.
I hesitated, looked towards the locked gate where the guard stood watching, grinning. Then I turned back to Browneyes and I think I was crying too. “What have they done to us, my darling?” I mumbled. “What have the freezers done to us?”
She was outside the fence and I was inside.
One of us was a prisoner.
CHAPTER 18
The fence was at least five paces high and strongly made of wire mesh; all Browneyes and I could do was touch fingers. We did this for some time, gazing at each other and saying very little, realizing, I think, that there was little point in speculation. The authorities, the adult world, had separated us with the same impersonal finality that I employed when separating a pair of pet privets whom I didn’t want to mate. As my girl and I stood there, I knew for the first time just how much of the poor compulsive animal there was in me—despite my fine thoughts recently. All that crap about changing attitudes, burgeoning adulthood, peaking intelligence—all that was meaningless, irrelevant beside the desolation of being parted from my female.
We walked along to the gate, once, and tried reasoning with the guard; but like all of his kind he merely stated that he had his orders.
“Whose orders?” I shouted at him. “Who gave you those freezing orders?”
There may have been sympathy in his eyes, there may not. I don’t know. He just said, “Your father’s orders, Alika-Drove.”
Browneyes looked so alone out there. There was not a living soul in sight; just the Yellow Mountains in the distance, then the trees, the fields, the hills, the open land. Nearby were vast heaps of excavated dirt, the ground scarred by trucks and loxcarts, trampled flat and bare of grass. There stood Browneyes, less than a pace away, sad and crying and caressing my fingertips, pathetic in her ragged dress with all the glow and excitement of new womanhood gone. She looked like a hurt child, which she was, and my mind and body ached for love of her.
Then the two guards came and told me that my father would see me now. They took my arms and led me away; I watched Browneyes over my shoulder until a building cut her off from me.
They took me down steps and through a series of doors, along corridors where distil lamps burned evenly from their brackets. Eventually they knocked on yet another door and waited.
It was opened by my mother. I walked past her and found myself in an ordinary room, like the room in any house—except that there was no window. There was a table and chairs and all the usual furniture, all the usual litter of newspapers and food containers and ornaments and things that make a home; the only unusual factor was that all this should be here, under the cannery.
My mother was smiling at me. “Sit down, Drove,” she said, and I obeyed automatically. “This is our new home. Do you like it, dear?”
I gazed around and saw the war map on the far wall. The Astan flags were very close, a tight ring around the coastal region of which Pallahaxi was the centre. Mother followed my eyes and her smile widened. “But they won’t get us here, Drove dear, we’re safe down here. Nobody can get us.”
“What the freezing Rax are you talking about, mother? What about the town? What about the people in Pallahaxi? What’s this all about?”
“There’s room for them, is there? Some will perish. The good will be saved.”
She was talking strangely, even for her. “That wire isn’t going to stop the Astans, mother,” I said.
Still with that crazy smile on her face she said, “Ah, but we have guns, lots and lots of guns. Oh, lots and lots and lots.”
“I’m getting out of here,” I muttered, making for the door with one eye on mother. She made no attempt to stop me, but as I reached the door it swung open and father hurried in.
“There you are,” he said briefly. “Right, get this straight. Your room is through that door, that’s where you sleep. Otherwise you’re free to go where you like inside the wire, so long as you don’t go through the green doors or the red doors. Just keep out of everybody’s way, that’s all. Any funny business and I’ll have you confined to quarters. This is a military establishment, you understand?”
“I thought it was the new seat of government. Whom are we governing?”
“You will meet all the Members in due course and you will be polite to them.”
“Certainly, father. And you will let Browneyes in?”
His impatience turned to quick petulance. “I will not bargain with you, Drove! Just who exactly do you think you are? That girl stays outside, where she belongs!”
“Right.” I walked past him to the door. “Then just tell the guards to let me out, will you?”
“Oh, Phu…Oh, Phu…” mother whined.
Father seized my arm in his rough grip. “Now listen to me, Drove, and save the arguments until later, when there’s time. I’ll just tell you straight that there’s two types of people in this world as it is now—the winners and the losers. It’s as simple as that. And so far as I’m concerned it is my duty to ensure that the members of my family are on the winning side. Don’t you understand, I’m doing it for your sake?”
“After all,” whimpered mother, “you must have some consideration, Drove. Think how it would reflect on your father’s position if you went over to the—”
“Shut up!” yelled father, and I thought for a moment he was going to hit her. His face was livid and his mouth twisted; then quite suddenly he deflated, drew away from us and sat down. I stared at him. He looked normal, only more so. When he spoke, it was quietly. “One day I’ll find out why everything I try to do is countered with opposition or stupidity or misunderstanding,” he said. “I am insisting you stay with us, Drove, because I know that otherwise you will die, and I don’t want my son to die—do you believe that? And as for you, Fayette, I’d like you to remember that this place is now full of Members and compared with the average status I am a pretty small fish. And Drove, space is limited here as you can imagine, and everyone has friends or relatives they’d like to bring inside the wire, but they can’t—and as I am a small fish, you will appreciate that there is no way I can bring your, uh, girlfriend inside. Now,” he said softly, regarding each of us in turn with only a little twitch at the corner of his mouth to indicate that he walked a hairsbreadth from total breakdown, “I’d like you both to tell me that you understand my viewpoint.”
“When I think how I’ve worked and slaved for that boy—”
“Come with me, Drove,” said father with a bright smile, taking my arm quite gently but almost running me from the room and down the corridor. We went through doors, climbed stairs and emerged into daylight. The sun was gone; the air was misty but still very warm; my clothes began to stick to me. I immediately looked around for Browneyes and saw her, sitting forlornly on the ground beyond the wire.
Father was sniffing the air. “It looks as though the drench is coming,” he said cheerfully. “By Phu, it really looks as though the drench is coming. I must tell the Members. I must tell the Members. Do you remember that drench two years ago, Drove, when the basement flooded and your drivets drowned? They could swim, but the water rose past the roof of their cage. there’s a lesson for all of us in that, Dro
ve. A lesson, oh yes…”
I was edging away, scared sick. He followed me, babbling on. “That’s your girl over there, is it, Drove? Pretty little thing. Pretty little…let’s go over and talk to her. Shame, her sitting all alone like that. I remember your mother…” Suddenly he stopped and stood quite still, staring southwards. I followed his gaze uneasily but could see nothing out of the ordinary, merely the high trees of Finger Point and the tiny figures of lorin. When I turned back he was looking at Browneyes again. “Come on,” he said, walking briskly towards her.
She was watching us hopefully, but her face fell when I shook my head.
Father said, “Young lady, I’ve been rude to you and I’m very sorry. I hope you’ll find it in you to forgive me for what I said, and for having to take Drove away from you like this.” He spoke steadily and normally—and sincerely. “Believe me I have the best of reasons.”
Browneyes looked up at him, her eyes swimming. “I’m not bothered about what you called me, I’ve been c-called names before…B-but I’ll never forgive you for taking Drove away; it’s the worst thing anybody’s ever done to me in all of my life and I think you must be a very evil man.”
He sighed, absently watching the Pallahaxi road where a huge crowd of people had appeared, swarming over the brow of the hill and descending towards us. “I think your father will be here soon,” he said. “It would be best if you went back with him. And please believe me, I really am sorry. Come along to the gate, both of you.”
He was back in control of himself. “Fetch Zeldon-Thrawn and Juba-Liptel,” he snapped to the guard. “And alert the troops. Hurry, now!” The guard left at a run; I think he’d been asleep in his hut and had failed to notice the oncoming horde. Father turned and looked thoughtfully up the hill again.
Browneyes was outside the gate and I was inside, but only the heavy bolts separated us. I walked to the gate and began to tug at the bottom bolt. My father pulled me away bodily, but without undue violence.
“Just let me out of here, you freezer!” I yelled, struggling. “It makes no difference to you whether I’m inside or outside!”
I felt him tense. “Didn’t you listen either, Drove?” he said quietly, and released me. For a wild moment I thought he was going to let me out, but as I stepped forward to the gate there were guards and troops all around. They stood with spring-rifles cocked, rapidly shuffling themselves into a spaced line within the fence. I heard a hiss and a rumble, and a mobile steam gun was wheeled into position beside the gate, barrel poking through a small hole in the wire mesh. I saw troops stripping the covers from the long line of rectangular objects we had seen—so very long ago—from the other side of the river; these too proved to be steam guns, equally spaced around the entire perimeter of the large compound. More troops emerged from the buildings, wheeling portable boilers from which steam rose.
I whirled round on my father, staring at him. “What’s going on?” I shouted. “Those are Pallahaxi people coming! For Phu’s sake, who are we against? “
“We are against anyone who wants to kill us,” he said, then walked among the guards, giving orders. I saw Zeldon-Thrawn and another man whom I took to be Juba-Liptel talking nearby, eyeing the rapidly approaching mob. After a moment Thrawn raised a hailing funnel to his lips.
“All right,” he boomed. “That’s close enough!”
The main body of the crowd hesitated some distance off but the large figure of Strongarm continued to stride forward. After a brief struggle Ribbon detached herself from restraining hands and ran after him.
I stepped up to my father who was standing beside a phalanx of guards. He glanced at me expressionlessly. “If your men shoot them,” I said, “I will kill you, father, the very first chance I get.”
He looked back towards the Pallahaxi people. “You’re overwrought, Drove,” he said indifferently. “It would be best if you went back down with your mother.”
Strongarm halted at the gate, unharmed. He looked down in some annoyance on finding Ribbon panting beside him, then said loudly, “Who’s in charge here?”
“I am,” said Zeldon-Thrawn.
Strongarm paused, then said, “Perhaps you’ll tell us who you intend to use those guns against. It was my understanding that our enemies are the Astans. But the guns seem to be pointed at us.”
And Thrawn, too, had that look on his face; that look of death. “Don’t play with me, Pallahaxi-Strongarm,” he snapped. “We both know the reason for this charade. Now say it, man. Say it!”
Strongarm gripped the fence with his hands and I saw his fingers whiten with the pressure. “All right,” he said in controlled tones. “We’ve been aboard the Ysabel. Its cargo was guns and munitions for the defence of Pallahaxi, you said. So tell us this. Why was all that stuff on board made in Asta, man? Guns and shot and supplies, canned goods and distil, all made in Asta! Why is Parliament trading with the enemy?” His voice rose to a roar. “Whose side are you on?”
Thrawn was silent as Strongarm, losing control, shook the wires impotently. At last Ribbon got his hands away; he turned and looked at her blankly, then nodded as she whispered something to him. Ribbon next spoke to Browneyes who shook her head violently, crying. Then Strongarm took Browneyes firmly by the arm and the three of them made their way back to the main body of the townsfolk. Browneyes was looking over her shoulder all the way, stumbling as Strongarm pulled her along.
I heard a guard say to my father, “Shall we open fire now, Alika-Burt?”
And my father said, “Don’t bother. They’re already dead.”
Much later they came again. The rain was beginning to fall steadily now, and it was becoming colder. Little pockets of mist swirled about, rising from the river. We watched them come down the hill from Pallahaxi; and there was steam trailing above their heads. They dispersed before they came within range of our guns and took up positions among the fields and ditches and swamps, but still the steam rose from their two guns and the Parls were able to pinpoint them and sent a fusillade of shots in reply to each lone ball from Pallahaxi. Once they rushed the fence under cover of one of the new short nights, but were beaten off under the light of distil flares and left many dead. For a long time I couldn’t go near that side of the compound for fear I would recognize one of the bodies. Then, one morning, they had all been removed.
I spent most of the time pacing about the compound looking out at the world and hoping to get a glimpse of Browneyes but the townsfolk rarely showed themselves now, and probably would not allow her to approach the fence. I examined the guns and other equipment around the cannery and found that a considerable amount was of Astan origin. I asked my father and Zeldon-Thrawn about this but they were uncommunicative, which served to reinforce my suspicion that Strongarm was right: that, incredibly, the Erto Parliament had concluded some sort of pact with Asta. Maybe, I thought, the war was over.
Despite the fact that people constantly referred to the Members and their Regent, I never saw them, apart from Zeldon-Thrawn. I began to doubt their presence and the feeling grew that somehow we were in a little closed world of our own, a purposeless world consisting solely of the troops, the guards, my parents, Thrawn, Liptel and the administrative staff and families. I kept asking myself: what are we doing here? Why are we fighting?
Nobody would tell me; they were all too busy, too nervous, until one day after a long lull in the gunfire Zeldon-Thrawn asked me into his office.
“I understood from Horlox-Mestler before he died that you have a working knowledge of our solar system, Drove,” he said pleasantly as I sat and glowered at him. “I hope you don’t mind if I continue where he left off. It’s important that you know. It might explain a lot to you—and it might help explain the position of us in the cannery. You have to live with us, and you’ll find it easier not to hate us. You might even be able to help.”
“Uh.”
“Now.” He took a charcoal stick and drew a diagram similar to the one Mestler had produced, but s
maller, leaving a great deal of blank paper. “You are already familiar with our world’s passage on an elliptical orbit around the sun Phu. This is a proven fact although, until not many years ago, it was assumed that Phu revolved around us in a double helix.” He chuckled. “I still find that a fascinating concept. However…In recent years a great deal of theoretical work was performed by our astronomers and, although they could explain the orbit as being in the nature of things, there were two factors which disturbed them.
“Firstly, it would be logical to assume that our world was originally a part of Phu which broke off, or was spun off. But if this was so—then why does our planet revolve on its axis at right angles to its orbital path? Logically it ought to spin on the same plane, or very nearly so.
“And secondly, unexplained perturbations were discovered in the orbit.”
He paused and sipped from a mug, regarding me thoughtfully. “Do these points strike you as interesting, Drove? They ought to. They interested our astronomers, and they resulted in certain further theories.
“The first theory postulated that at some time in the distant past, there was no relationship between our world and the sun Phu. We were not a part of our sun. We had come from elsewhere; we had wandered through space and been captured.
“The second theory quickly became proven fact. The perturbations in our orbit were caused by the giant planet Rax.
“And with the invention of the telescope, the two theories became one fact. It was found that Rax revolves on its axis in the same plane as ourselves. Rax and ourselves were once part of the same system—in fact we might even have been a part of Rax itself—and the sun Phu was the outsider…”
He allowed this to sink in. At last I said, “Are you saying that all that nonsense about the Great Lox Phu dragging us from the clutches of the ice-devil Rax is true? That Phu pulled us out of an orbit around Rax?” It was a disappointing thing to hear; it was as though my mother was proved right.
“It’s true, but it’s only half the story. It’s a two-sided arrangement you see…
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