Matter

by Iain M. Banks

  “So, one of us has to—” Holse began.

  “I can’t ask either of you—” Anaplian started to say at the same time, then gulped and shouted, “Ferbin!”

  The suited figure was already rising above the shield of the vane, upper body exposed to the flickering radiations beyond, throwing away the weapon he’d been carrying.

  She must have been hit hard. When she awoke it was to find herself in the grip of something adamantinely hard and utterly unforgiving. Dear fuck, it had eviscerated her. The suit was shredded, torn apart, and her body inside with it. All that was left of her was her head – half flayed, skin burned off – and a short tattered tail of spinal cord. This bloody scrap was what the Iln thing cradled.

  Eyelids burned away, she couldn’t blink; not even her tongue or jaws were responding to orders. Djan Seriy Anaplian felt more helpless than a newborn.

  The Iln machine above her was dark, not big, vaguely triangular. Her eyes were damaged, the view hazy. So much trouble from something so small, she thought, and would have laughed if she could. Its slickly bulbous shape was lit from the side by the cage of light surrounding the Xinthian and from below by the scintillations sparking from the containment holding the growing sphere of anti-matter.

  Strange little beasts, you, the great heavy voice said inside her head. What fleeting titillations life continues to throw up, many-fold, like virtual particles, bioscale, so long after –

  Oh

  She had seen all she needed to see, heard all she needed to hear.

  go

  Now she was close enough.

  and

  (This was all she had, and the worst of it was, backups or not, she’d never know if it was going to be enough.)

  fuck yourself, Djan Seriy Anaplian said finally.

  She let the containment within the little anti-matter reactor inside her head go.

  Appendix

  C: the Culture

  HLI: High-level Involved (also MLI: Mid-level; LLI: Low-level)

  L1S: level one of Sursamen (etc.)

  S: Sursamen

  Characters

  Aclyn the lady Blisk, mother to Elime and Oramen; banished

  Aiaik Towermaster of the D’nengoal Tower, Sursamen

  Alveyal Girgetioni Acting Craterine Zamerin, Sursamen

  Archipontine head monk of the Hyeng-zharia Mission

  Baerth knight of Charvin, Sarl (Bower or Brower to Ferbin)

  Bleye one of tyl Loesp’s lieutenants

  Broft foreman, Nameless City dig, Ninth, Sursamen

  Chasque Exaltine, Sarl chief of priests

  Chire rail car driver, the Falls

  Choubris Holse Ferbin’s servant

  Chilgitheri (Morthanveld) liaison officer on “Fasilyce, Upon Waking”

  Dilucherre old master of painting, Sarl

  Djan Seriy Anaplian; princess, C SC agent

  Droffo earl, from Shilda; becomes equerry to Oramen

  Dubrile ex-soldier at Falls; becomes Oramen’s bodyguard chief

  Elime esk Blisk-Hausk’r; dead eldest son of Hausk

  Everlasting Queen Nariscene monarch; currently on 3044th Great Spawning

  Fanthile secretary of royal palace, Pourl

  Ferbin otz Aelsh-Hausk’r (Feri, as child)

  Foise general, Sarl army, attached to Falls contingent

  Geltry Skiltz C person, aboard MSV Don’t Try This At Home

  Gillews (Dr) Royal Physician to Hausk

  Girgetioni Nariscene family, Sursamen

  Harne the lady Aelsh; mother to Ferbin

  Hausk Nerieth (“the Conqueror”); warrior-king, Sarl

  Hippinse Pone; an avatoid of the Liveware Problem

  Humli Ghasartravhara; liaison officer, MSV Don’t Try This At Home

  Honge bravard of Pourl’s drinking dens

  Illis armourer, royal palace, Pourl

  Jerle Batra Djan Seriy’s SC Control/mentor; an Aciculate

  Jerfin Poatas in charge of Falls excavation

  Jish whore, Pourl

  Kebli child in court at same time as Djan Seriy

  Kiu (-to-Pourl) Oct Ambassador to Pourl

  Klatsli Quike avatoid of the Liveware Problem

  Koust Oct Tower under-clerk, Sursamen

  Leeb Scoperin another Special Circumstances agent on Prasadal

  Leratiy senior technician, Sarcophagus excavation, Falls

  Luzehl whore; sister to Paiteng

  Machasa Mrs; young Djan Seriy’s nurse and tutor

  Mallarh lady of the Sarl court

  Masyen Aclyn’s husband; becomes mayor of Rasselle

  Munhreo junior scholar, Hicturean-Anjrinh Scholastery

  Neguste Puibive becomes Oramen’s servant

  Nuthe 3887b Morthanveld greeting device, Syaungun

  Obli Harne’s ynt

  Omoulldeo old master of painting, Sarl

  Oramen lin Blisk-Hausk’r; a prince, same mother as Elime

  Prode the younger ancient Sarl playwright

  Puisil servant in the royal palace, Sarl

  Quitrilis Yurke C traveller; finds Oct lying about ship movements

  Ramile lady of the Sarl court

  Renneque, the lady Silbe

  Savidius Savide Oct Peripatetic Special Envoy, Sursamen

  Seltis old tutor of Ferbin’s – now Scholastery Head Scholar

  Senble Holse’s wife

  Shir Rocasse tutor to Oramen

  Shoum director general of Morthanveld Strategic Mission

  Sinnel ancient Sarl playwright

  Skalpapta Alien Greeting and Liaison Officer, GS Inspiral, Coalescence, Ringdown

  Sordic old master of painting, Sarl

  Tove Lomma childhood friend of Oramen; later his equerry

  Tulya Puonvangi C ambassador, on Inspiral, Coalescence, Ringdown

  Tagratark Towermaster of Vaw-yei Tower, Sursamen

  Tareah Sarl doctor

  Tchilk Nariscene Barbarian Relational Mentor, Baeng-yon Crater

  Toark child Djan Seriy rescues from burning city

  Tohonlo one of tyl Loesp’s lieutenants (also Toho, as child)

  Truffe second cousin to Ferbin

  Turminder Xuss (Handrataler) Djan Seriy’s drone

  tyl Loesp Mertis; Hausk’s 2nd in command

  Utaltifuhl Nariscene Grand Zamerin of Sursamen

  Vaime the lady Anaplia; mother of Djan Seriy

  Vollird of Sournier, knight of Sarl

  Werreber senior general; becomes field marshal, army chief

  Wudyen duke; Hausk’s brother

  Xessice whore, Hyeng-zhar Settlement

  Xide Hyrlis C outcast, military commander for Nariscene

  Xidia young lady at court (named after Xide Hyrlis)

  Yariem Girgetioni Deputy Acting Zamerin, Sursamen

  Yilim senior officer in Hausk’s army

  Zandone Sarl actor and impresario

  Zeel young Djan Seriy’s pet mersicor

  Zourd (Expanded Version Five) Cumuloform, 13th, Sursamen

  Culture Full Names

  Astle-Chulinisa Klatsli LP Quike dam Uast

  Meseriphine-Sursamen/VIIIsa Djan Seriy Anaplian dam Pourl

  Sholz-Iniassa Jerle Ruule Batra dam Ilyon

  Stafl-Lepoortsa Xide Ozoal Hyrlis dam Pappens

  Species

  Aeronathaurs Tensile; see Xinthia

  Aultridia upstart species that evolved from parasites living under carapaces of Xinthia; mat-like/Pelliform (also “Squirmiform”, term of abuse); LLI

  Avians bird species; L5S variety methane gas-going

  Birilisi Avian species much given to excessive narcoticism; MLI

  Bithians (L0S) gilled whale-size creatures, waterborne; HLI

  caude giant winged creature, tameable and rideable; L8&9S

  choup Sarl equivalent of dog; L8&9S

  chunsel warbeast, later of burden and traction; L8S

  Culture, the mongrel humanoid civilisation; HLI

  Cumuloforms cloudlike O2 beings; L4S
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  Deldeyn same species as Sarl, one level down; allied to the Aultridia, seen as antagonistic to the WorldGod and so enemies of the Sarl; L9S

  hefter beast of burden and traction; L8&9S

  Hydrals black hole smoker species; L13S

  Iln aero-spiniform HLI aeons ago; wrecked Shellworlds, destroyed Veil tombs; believed extinct/missing

  Inheritors see Oct

  Involucra/Veil Shellworld builders, HLI aeons ago

  lyge giant winged creature, tameable and rideable; L8&9S

  mersicor large quadruped, tameable and rideable; L8&9S

  Monthia pan-species very large ocean-going creature-type

  Morthanveld Nariscene mentors; spiniform waterworlders, HLI

  Nariscene Sarl mentors; insectile, MLI

  Nuersotise humanoid; one of the contending species on Prasadal

  Oct/Inheritors claim descent from Involucra; control (most) travel within Towers of Sursamen and many other Shellworlds; octal Waterworlders; LLI

  ossesyi quadruped warbeasts; L8S

  Pelagic Kite atmospheric waterworlders; sail air over waterworlds; term also used for surface-going kited bioships; L5S

  rowel quadruped pack beast; L8&9S

  ryre quadruped, equivalent of cat; L8&9S

  Sarl humanoid people exiled/interned within Sursamen; L8&9S

  Seedsails mirror-sailed seed carriers; L1S

  spore-wisp plasma seed of a stellar field-liner

  Swimmers beings from lower levels of gas giant planets; L12S

  Tendrils elongated gas giant species, L6 & 10S

  Tubers black hole smoker species; L13S

  Tueriellian (Maieutic) investigative Seedsail

  uoxantch quadruped warbeasts; L9S

  WorldGod, the being at Core of Sursamen; a Xinthian; L15&16S

  Veil see Involucra

  Vesicular surface waterworlders; having gas-filled bladder/sail; L10S

  Xinthia (Tensile Aeronathaur) an Airworlder; giant airships (smaller than dirigible behemothaurs); semi-adapted for high-pressure gaseous/liquid environments and space-capable. Now rare and generally Developmentally/Inherently/Pervasively Senile; see WorldGod, the

  Xolpe humanoid; Nariscene client species, at war

  ynt quadruped equivalent of small tame otter; L8&9S

  Zeloy humanoid, one of the contending species on Prasadal

  General Glossary

  34th Pendant Floret region of space

  512th Degree FifthStrand Humanoid Guest Facility, Syaungun

  aboriginistas those with obsessive interest in “primitives”

  Aciculate bush-like

  afap as fast as possible (C)

  Altruist a civilisation purposefully and consistently eschewing naked self-interest

  Anjrinh district in Hicture; home to a Scholastery

  Aoud star/system, home of Gadampth Orbital

  aquaticised (humanoids) fully converted to water- dwelling

  Arithmetic re a Shellworld, term given to one whose levels occur in simple multiples

  Articles of Inhabitation rules by which Shellworld inhabitants live

  Aspirant civilisations wanting to be Involveds

  Asulious IV Morthanveld planet, Lesser Yattlian Spray

  autoscender uncrewed transport within Shellworld Tower

  backing direction (opposite of facing)

  Baeng-yon Surface crater, Sursamen

  bald-head fruit edible by caude, common to L8&9S

  Bare places on Shellworld with no ground cover

  Baron Lepessi classic play by Prode the younger

  Baskers species type; absorb sunlight directly

  bell-goblet vibrating crystal container used when drinking Chapantlic spirit

  billow bed C bed with 99% AG, multiple soft wisps of material and smart “feathers” able to avoid being breathed in

  Bilpier Nariscene planet, Heisp system

  black-backed borm C animal

  Botrey’s gambling/whore house in Pourl’s Schtip district

  Bowlsea body of water filling Prime depression in Shellworld

  brattle bush, L8&9S, Sursamen

  bravard lusty, drinking, up-for-a-fight kind of man

  Bulthmaas planet in Chyme system where Xide Hyrlis found

  camoufield (C) projected field camouflaging objects

  Chapantlic spirit type of booze (see bell-goblet)

  Charvin a county of Sarl

  Cherien ridge, near Sarl city, L8S

  Chone a star in the Lesser Yattlian Spray

  Chyme stellar system, home of Bulthmaas

  CleaveHull type of Morthanveld ship

  Clissens a Rollstar of the Ninth, Sursamen

  cloud trees flora, L8&9S, Sursamen

  Conducer (species) those which make habit of taking over and (usually) exploiting structures, artefacts and habitats built by earlier civilisations – from ancients to the recently Sublimed

  Core solid centre of a Shellworld

  crackball C game played with solid wooden ball

  Crater re a Shellworld, a high-walled habitable area on Surface

  crile leaf cocoa-like drug, chewed; L8&9S

  Curbed Lands type of (originally Deldeyn) province

  cut-rot gangrene (Sarl term)

  Dengroal town, L8S, beneath the D’nengoal Tower

  deSept Nariscene clanlet without a Sept or major clan/family

  Despairationals extremist group, Syaungun

  Dillser ducal house by Boiling Sea of Yakid, L9S

  director general high rank of the Morthanveld

  Disputed re a Shellworld, one whose Towers are not all controlled by the same species

  D’nengoal Tower Oct transport Tower, Sursamen

  Domity a Rollstar of L8S

  Enabler (machine) device used to find ways to communicate with alien species and artifacts

  Evingreath a town on the Xilisk road from Pourl

  Exaltinates elite troops under Chasque

  Exaltine top Sarlian religious rank; chief priest

  Exponential see logarithmic

  facing direction; from facing direction of world’s rotation (opposite of backing)

  Facing Approach Street near royal palace in Pourl

  Falls Merchant Explorer guild of merchants exploiting Falls

  Falls, the cataract on the Sulpitine river, L9S (aka the Hyeng-zhar)

  Far Landing peripatetic port on far side of Sulpitine from the Settlement

  farpole direction to pole of world furthest from Sarl heartlands (opposite of nearpole)

  Feyrla river, Xilisk, L8S

  Fifth deSept minor, unaligned clanlet, Nariscene/Sursamen

  Filigree complexes of Shellworld Tower ceiling supporting inverted buttresses

  Fixstars Shellworld interior stars, unmoving

  floater slightly derogatory term used for aquatic peoples by landgoing peoples

  Foerlinteul C Orbital

  FOIADSFBF First Original Indigent Alien Deep Space Farers’ Benevolent Fund (Morthanveld)

  Forelight pre-dawn light cast by Rollstar

  Gadampth C Orbital

  Gavantille Prime waterworld planet, Morthanveld space

  Gazan-g’ya a Crater of Sursamen

  Gilder’s Lament, the tavern, Pourl

  Godded a Shellworld with a Xinthian at its core

  Grahy Morthanveld planet, Lesser Yattlian Spray

  Grand Zamerin exalted rank of the Nariscene (see also Zamerin)

  Greater Army combined armies gathered by Hausk to resist Deldeyn and invade their level

  Great Palace Rasselle, L9S

  Great Park Rasselle, L9S

  Great Ship type of very large Morthanveld ship

  Great Tower one of six fortifications within Rasselle

  Guime a Rollstar of L8S

  habiform technically correct term for what is usually called terraforming; altering any already existing environment to suit it to the needs of one or more species

  Heavenly Host Deldeyn religious sect
tyl Loesp empowers

  Heisp Nariscene colony system

  Hemerje ducal palace near the Great Park, Rasselle

  Heurimo a fallstar of L9S

  Hicture a region of L8S

  Hicturean Tower (L8S, not far from Pourl)

  Hollow World see Shellworld

  House of Many play by Sinnel

  Roofs, The

  Hyeng-zhar cataract on the Sulpitine river, L9S, aka the Falls

  Hyeng-zharia Mission religious order; controlled the Falls’ excavation

  Hyeng-zhar Settlement ever-temporary city, the Falls, Sursamen

  Ichteuen (Godwarriors) fight for Sarl; L8S

  Illsipine Tower Sursamen

  Imperial Procreational on Nariscene homeworld; regulates

  College Spawnings

  Incremental re a Shellworld, term given to one whose levels occur in exponential increments (hence aka Exponential)

  injectiles any organisms or mechanisms capable of being injected (usually into metre-scale entities, in context especially humans)

  In Loco’d placed under care (Morthanveld term)

  Inner Caferlitician region of space

  Tendril

  interior star artificial suns emplaced by secondary Shellworld species within these worlds; anti-gravitational, pressing against ceiling of given level; most mobile (Rollstars); some not (Fixstars)

  Ischuer city, Bilpier

  Jhouheyre city-cluster, Oct planet of Zaranche

  Jiluence a Monthian (megawhales) ancestral homeworld

  Keande-yi region near Pourl, L8S

  Keande-yiine Tower in region near Pourl, L8S

  Khatach Solus Nariscene homeworld

  Kheretesuhr archipelagic province, Vilamian Ocean, L8S

  Kiesestraal a fading Rollstar of L9S

  Klusse city, Lesuus Plate

  krisk nuts caude stimulant, L8&9S

  Kuertile Pinch region of space

  Lalance continent, Prasadal

  lampstone carbide

  Lemitte general, Sarl army