Fixit referred to its memo leaf.
“On way back, Self told survey ship to find all places identifiable as Edges.” It shook its head at Abasio, wearing an expression Abasio might have called “troubled.” “Have inventory of each one, Abasio, very accurate, though very sad making. How many men, how many women, children? Xulai much concerned about children, spoke to me of children.” It shook its head. Abasio was learning to read its facial expressions, and it was wearing one of distaste. “Abasio, not many children. Very few, very fat children. Not very many women either. Only men were very old ones. Women, too, mostly old. Those few peoples, not speaking much. Not interested in anything much. Sleeping most of time. Seeming strange, somehow.”
“I don’t imagine they get much exercise,” said Abasio.
“Making metal fish for people brains not exercise?”
“Willum and Sun-wings think there were around a total of fifty Edger men involved in that fish-building business. The Edges I knew of, outside Fantis, would have had that many men in any one Edge. It sounds to me like they’re dying off.”
“You think when city died . . . ?”
“I do think it, yes. Whether the Edgers realized it or not, they depended on the city. They depended on the farms. When the sickness hit the city, wiping it out, I think that spelled the end for the Edgers as well. Wide Mountain Mother speaks of disputes her people had with Edgers. Once farms stopped providing food, once communities like Wide Mountain stopped tolerating them, they began to die. This fish business was sort of a last gasp. If I had to decide what to do with them, I’d just sterilize any that are still fertile and let them alone. Any able-bodied Edgers who still existed were probably in that bunch that got wiped out in Saltgosh. Old Purple was eaten by a giant. Inasmuch as the Edges made the giants, this is perhaps poetic justice.”
“Some few were taken prisoner, not? We can go talk to such?”
“Not a bad idea. We want to pick up the rest of the stuff from that wagon anyhow.”
Fixit looked up and rose as a bell on the front of the analysis locker made a chirping sound. After examining the gauges on the locker, it announced, “Aha. Now, that is interesting, is it not? The metal bars the boy brought. They are yribium.”
“I know. There’s more of it in Saltgosh. The stuff is heavy and Willum didn’t want Sun-wings to try and carry it. It was her first long flight since she was wounded.”
Fixit wasn’t listening. It had its teeth in a bar of yribium and was shaking it into submission as it went on exultantly, “Was meaning to tell you. I went back to Oracle cave to roll up Oracle mat and take it up to turtle for disposal. When I roll mat up a little, I see all beneath it layer of white! Very heavy little crystals, white. Always, everyone thought yribium was in soil of Oracle planet, thought Oracle picked only planets that had yribium. Is now evident this is not so. Yribium is being somehow . . . excreted by Oracle. This Old Purple person, this is source of his wealth. Not Gold King at all. No.”
Abasio said,“You mean the Gold King was trading stuff to the Oracles? And getting paid in yribium!”
It gave itself a shake, quivering in annoyance. “No one is ever studying Oracle. Someone should study Oracle!”
“Are you allowed to do that? Allowed to take one apart? See how it works?”
“No. Am not allowed. Should be allowed, however.”
“What do they look like, under their clothes?”
“Clothing is not clothing. Is part of creature. Looks like robe? It is like little thing of stone or wood or pottery . . . REFERENCE needed! . . . Figurine! Solid at bottom with feet carved on. Should be study of knowing how Oracles secrete and excrete. It is almost only reason they are being allowed to continue living. I am probably sending whole assembly of them, it, to one huge planet, heavy gravity, far-off travel route, with clear signs saying no landings. No more travel for Oracles.”
“Why heavy gravity?”
“Hard to look like upstanding person in heavy gravity. Hard to pretend to be separate thing. On heavy planet could only be separate puddle. On heavy planet might even evolve intelligence!”
Abasio had resolved last night that he would find out what was really going on. He said in his most tactful, soothing voice, “Look, Balytaniwassinot, I believe everything you tell me, really . . .”
Fixit tried very hard to look appropriately flattered. “Yes, Abasio. Is there a problem?”
“It’s this whole story about what’s going on here. There’s something wrong with it. For instance, somebody or something was . . . is running Grandma’s life. I know how that feels. That somebody or something sent men to live with her, to father her children. I’ve been through that business of being selected and sent somewhere, too. Now, she’s an intelligent woman. She’s able to tell a good man from a bad one. She told me about the men they sent to live with her. She said in all important ways they were alike, and she liked them. Well, Xulai and I—we know about that. We like each other, too, and our lives were arranged for us. We know why. But why was Grandma’s life and the lives of all those men? She says they were all good men, capable men, kind men. The children were—are all bright, good kids. Immensely talented. They are not traumatized by this whole . . . stupid Oracle business. They seem to be . . . thriving. This does not seem accidental to me. And it’s certainly not something these so-called Oracles could have managed.”
“Fixit agrees. Oracle didn’t manage,” said Fixit. “Something using Oracle as . . . how you say, finger of feline? . . . REFERENCE needed! . . . Cat’s-paw!”
Abasio shuddered. “Wouldn’t you know? Wouldn’t your head office know?” He stopped. There was music coming from somewhere. Music. Orchestral music. He had first heard orchestral music in Tingawa, not before, not since. This was coming from Grandma’s new house. “The children have moved their music, all those instruments . . .”
Fixit remarked, “I helped them move in. Used small moving devices you saw. Piano was why we had to send for big ship. Little flier does not stretch to piano. Or harp. Or thing called Suzie-phone. Self is assured this is what it is called. Makes strange oompah sound like mating call of Flobstummel, marsh-water denizens on second planet of Glom. Interesting place. I think maybe when this world is all water, I bring pair of Flobstummel to visit you.”
“Your people must really have long lives, Fixit. Afraid I won’t last that long.”
Fixit made a face. Sometimes even his own life seemed too short to get everything done that needed doing. “That is true, Abasio. Sometimes I am forgetting. Now Oracle matter settled. Grandma matter settled. She has children, house, Needly, also. Needly wants to go with Willum, Willum wants to go with you. Self thinks that is good. They will be help for you, when you have finished recruitment job—no, truly. Do not be shaking head with sad expression on face. Job is NOT forever. I am knowledgeable. You will finish job—then children can come live with Grandma. Or maybe you will not want to give them up. Self think they will grow wanting sea-eggs together.
“All things progress: little World Spirit of Earth has gone to rehab. New Earth World Spirit arriving very soon. Giants have been sprayed with Shrink-eze, patented product of Shrinkables Corporation, motto of corporation, ‘Makes big problems into no problems.’ ”
“Oh,” cried Abasio. “I forgot to tell you.” He explained the ul xaolat’s forecast regarding dead giants. “If the giants over near Saltgosh died from that poison, can you get rid of the corpses?”
“Oh, yes. If shrinking too slow and you wish to hurry matter, you may kill giants and I will dispose of corpses. Will send message to mover in orbit. Mover can locate any dead giant bodies, transport said bodies above planetary orbit plane, then propel said bodies toward the sun. Cremation in sun no problem. Any we do not find dead will be shrunken. They shed only a little bit each day, but it goes on and on. In half your year, they end up size of small creature lives unde
r mushroom.”
“Gnome? Pixie? Imp?”
“Some such kind word, yes. First shrinks to eating rabbit, then is eating mouse, then cricket, then ant, then mite, then no more giant. You know, Self has taken Lom women to Tingawa. Precious Wind also in Tingawa. Interesting. Precious Wind had samples, jars of what Edgers were washing off stinkers. Yes, Coyote told me stinker story while you were busy. Stuff of stinker is like . . . human primal material. Silkhands can make anything with it. Shape it, it becomes living! She has already shaped it into shapeshifter organ like Mavin’s. Only problem, shape is ephemeral. Does not hold.”
“Did anyone tell you what the Edgers were trying to do with it?”
“Oh, yes. Self saw. All was recorded on device in portable camp. Self saw.”
“Did you see that other substance they used, at the end. Before everything blew up?”
“Self did see. Activator.”
“That’s what you have in your locker with the yribium. We didn’t have any of the activator stuff until Willum brought it back. There’s another container of it in Saltgosh. The people in Tingawa believe that’s what makes the thing keep a shape permanently. Tingawa thinks it’s a necessary ingredient in making organs for the Griffins.”
“There should be more in the truck it came from.”
“It isn’t anymore. The man who was left had . . . a temper tantrum, blew it up with an explosive.”
“So I need to take this to Tingawa! You will come with me?”
“You know, Fixit, Xulai and I do have a job to do.”
“Very soon you will getting back to it. You are not losing time. Think! You will have portable camp. This will make you safer. Make camp at night, put horses, wagon, selves inside. Push button, hay comes for horses. Push button, water for horses. Nobody can find you. It weighs almost nothing. This will make travel easier. Better for horses, too. Self has looked at wagon. Self thought maybe a flier, but Xulai says no, it would . . . frighten people. She says these villages are very low tech. Very con-ser-va-tive, which means every brain cell filled with old ideas, sometimes ideas three, four, twenty generations past. Living ideas change, like all living things. Ideas that do not change begin to rot at bottom. Must be turned over, like garden soil, or begin to stink.
“So you must keep wagon, but wagon can be modified to look the same but weigh about one-tenth. Portable camp accesses things like food, hot water, from other places via miniworms. Cuts down weight. Also, Self has ordered attachment that bakes cookies, has own access to ingredients. You get low on cookies, tell wagon to make just how many you need for then. Also, it will be better for Needly and Willum, who want to go on with you. Xulai says she will school. I think you take basic edubot with you for Willum! Edubot a bit heavy, so we pack it in wormhole and hitch it like trailer. Do not think Needly needs much school, but she will enjoy.”
Abasio sighed. “One thing I’ve wondered.”
“What’s that?”
“It looks like you can do almost anything, you and your Massive Fabricators and your wormholes, and so forth. How come no one has suggested stopping the waters rising?”
Fixit made a small shuffling dance, all six legs in simultaneous movement. Abasio interpreted the movement as one of embarrassment.
“Well,” it said. “Best reason is we can’t stop.”
“Can’t? You can go zipping around the galaxy, interdicting planets right and left, and you can’t stop the water coming from Squamutch?”
“It IS stopped coming—from Squamutch. Squamutch is sending no more. That we did first thing, stop it from Squamutch.” Which was quite true, once enough water was already on the way. “But wormhole is already full of it. All downhill from where it is. Enough to drown planet. Cannot be detached and allowed to run out into space, become danger to interstellar commerce. Cannot be moved. Wormholes, once anchored, become intransigent. Dislike being pushed. Push one, it tangles two others, then four. Before you know it, massive galactic mess taking endless time to untangle.”
“You said best reason. Is there another one?”
“Of course. Reason water was started in first place. Galactic Order to Eradicate mankind is still in effect. Mankind is biped walking around on land. That mankind is ruining planet. Do not tell me new leaf has been turned over by mankind. Will not believe you.” Fixit sighed, stared longingly at the picture of the homecoming dinner: twigpit.
“What about the stinkers? Silkhands says the stuff they exude is needed for making shifter organs.”
“Galactic Head Office says stinker material interesting, but not unique, can be produced and provided if needed, says Arbitrarily Imposed Solution to eradicate stinkers is permitted in this case since stinkers truly incapable of making any decision. I will take care of eliminating stinkers, cleaning out mountain where washing of stinkers took place. I have given information to Tingawa how material may be made without necessity of eating humans to make it. Humans or whatever else one may be trying to create.”
“You mean, they excreted . . . that is, exuded the essence of whatever they ate.”
“The essential basis. That is correct. One other ingredient needed to make organ hold shape. Great surprise.”
“What ingredient?
“Yribium.” Fixit stared at Abasio with all eyes, unblinking. A small quiver at the corner of its mouth reminded Abasio of something. Sun-wings: her laughter betrayed only by the quiver of tissue at the sides of her beak.
“You are making jest with me,” Abasio suggested.
“Never would Self do such a thing,” Balytaniwassinot murmured, putting three of its hands over its face.
“You would and you are! Really? Yribium! Well. Isn’t it a good thing we didn’t throw the Oracles away. Can we keep it/them and make it/them yield yribium?”
“It would be slavery.”
“I don’t think you can enslave something that has no brain.”
“Is interesting question. We will submit question to the galactic court. We will need to keep creatures only a few thousand years awaiting decision. A mere . . . cosmic blink of the eye. Meantime, I will go to Saltgosh to pick up rest of stuff. Every few years I will go flatten Oracles and make good use of yribium. If you can find truck driver, maybe he could tell you what activator is, that would save time. Otherwise . . .” It shrugged all six shoulders. “Let it alone. Tingawa capable of determining what stuff is.”
Abasio, remembering Xulai’s birth, let it alone. He simply could not imagine that Tingawa was still creating people . . . breeding people born to do certain tasks, jobs, fill certain positions, crossbreed certain people. No, that really wasn’t it. He could imagine Tingawa doing the genetics. He couldn’t imagine the . . . moral dimension. What had gone on in that Tuckwhip village and elsewhere in Hench Valley had not been genetics. It hadn’t been something someone could take apart and figure out in advance. It had been almost a miracle. It simply could not be Tingawa. Meddling. Again. He smiled, thanked Fixit for his help, and shaking his head, watched the ship’s virtually instantaneous departure.
Blue stuck his head over Abasio’s shoulder and said, “Alone again, Abasio? Do I understand that Rags and I and the other team are to have accommodations? Hay on command?”
“Well, it seems so. If we can find that truck driver, it’ll give us a piece of the puzzle.”
“Tell that Jinian lady. She’ll talk to some birds, they’ll talk to some gophers and foxes, they’ll talk to an eagle or two. In no time, they’ll find him.”
“Blue, that is an exceptionally good idea.”
Chapter 18
A Road Ends: A Road Begins
WHILE PEOPLE FLEW AND SEIZED AND STRUGGLED ELSEWHERE, while Oracles excreted yribium and Saltgoshers cut salt, while Wide Mountain Mother administered and Arakny dreaded her future, Grandma sat on the front porch of her house in Artemisia, lost in daydream. The big trees
around it screened it from other houses, so she wasn’t out in public view, not that she was hiding, just enjoying being pleasantly quiet and, for the moment, alone. The house was half full of children. Earlier, she had been watching a wagon that was approaching from the west. She had watched it, or watched the dust trail it had kicked up, almost all the way down the mountain. As it neared the bottom, it disappeared. The dust cloud still showed above the trees, now and then.
Wide Mountain Mother had a spyglass in her dining room that allowed her to see that road that came from the pass to the west, or went off to Cow Bluff to the south-southwest, or vaguely north by west to Catland. The only direction Mother could be surprised from was the east, and there were riders out in that direction to prevent surprises from happening. Mother thought there had been quite enough surprises. A year ago, would she have thought of grooming a Griffin? Making Griffin-style soup? Adding a nonhuman star traveler to her usual guests?
Precious Wind, Mavin, Silkhands, and Jinian were in Tingawa. Abasio should be returning soon with Willum and Xulai. Grandma yawned. Needly and Serena came out with a tray. They put it on the little table beside her.
“You don’t even need to move,” said Needly. “There’s stewed chicken with cornmeal dumplings.
“And apple pie,” said Serena. “I learned to cook at the Oracles. The edubot that taught cooking was really great.
Grandma murmured, “I enjoyed the music earlier.”
“Oh, that music room is splendid. It actually has acoustics. I thought everywhere had acoustics, but Jules says echoes and reverberations are not acoustics. He and Jan argue about it all the time. Enjoy your supper.”
And they were gone. Perfectly self-contained, capable, good children. She took a bite of chicken and dumpling. Children who could cook! HER children. She wiped a tear from the corner of each eye. It was certainly nothing to cry about! Well, it was. In a sense. In that she had had absolutely nothing . . . almost nothing to do with it.
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