by Mick Farren
At that point Phaid's brain dropped through to another level. Just how far did elaihim take their manipulations? To what extent did they dabble in human affairs? Phaid put some of these questions to Ben-e but, true to form, the android's replies were polite but non-committal to the point of being totally unhelpful.
'It's-always-disconcerting-for-a-species-to-find-that-it-is-no-longer-top-of-the-heap.'
Phaid felt a chill run through him when he heard those words. He had never in his life thought of himself as part of a species. He liked to believe that he owed little or nothing to the rest of humanity, but the chill was there all the same. Men had never been particularly kind to what they considered inferior species. There was little reason to think that the elaihim would behave differently. He wasn't going to be able to forget the android's words.
'It's-always-disconcerting-for-a-species-to-find-that-it-is-no-longer-top-of-the-heap.'
'But what do they want with us? Do they really want to stay separate and avoid all contact?'
'That-is-what-they-claim.'
'Yeah, but is it true?'
'I-have-not-had-that-many-chances-to-observe-the-behaviour-of-the-elaihim-but-from-my-limited-experience-I-would-say-that-the-majority-of-them-would-wish-to-avoid-all-contacts-with-mankind. There-are-exceptions.'
'Exceptions?'
'There-is-Solchaim-for-example.'
'Solchaim?'
'I-thought-you-had-spent-time-in-the-Republic.'
'I have, but I never heard of anyone called Solchaim.'
'According-to-the-latest-rumours-he-is-the-most-influential-advisor-of-Life-President-Chrystiana-Nex.'
Phaid didn't like the sound of this at all.
'Are you telling me that the Republic has fallen into the hands of an elaihi?'
'No.'
'So?'
'So-there-are-simply-rumours-that-an-elaihi-may-now-be-the-power-behind-the-throne-in-the-Republic.'
'And that's all you've got to say about it?'
As usual, Ben-e the android seemed unperturbed.
'What-else-should-I-have-to-say? I'm-an-android. It's-no-paint-off-my-back.'
'But if this goes on, the elaihim could take over the world.'
'Like-I-said-it-is-going-to-be-hard-to-come-to-terms-with-them.'
'Something should be done about it.'
'Yes?'
'Yeah.'
'Are-you-saying-that-the-drovers-had-the-right-idea?'
'No, of course not, but . . .'
'They-wanted-to-wipe-out-the-elaihim. Do-you-have-a-better-idea?'
'No, but . . .'
'Think-about-it.'
If it hadn't been for thinking about it, the journey to Fennella would have been a very pleasant interlude. Ben-e seemed quite happy to do all the driving and Phaid and Makartur were more than prepared to let him. The android did have the unfortunate habit of constantly exhibiting that he was able to drive with total high speed precision and hold bright, witty and thought-provoking conversations at the same time. It didn't matter too much, though. Makartur was asleep for almost the whole day and a half and Phaid was paranoid.
So paranoid in fact, that by the time they reached the grasslands that meant they were only a few hours from Fennella, Phaid was wondering if Makartur's long sleep was actually a result of the elaihim being inside his brain for so long. Another idea also occurred to him. If an elaihi was wielding power in the Republic, he ought, somehow, to be able to profit from actually having met a whole tribe of the creatures out in the wilds. So little was known about them, his observations ought to be worth something. He probably would have spent even more hours wrestling with this mass of problems created by the elaihim except he was interrupted by the world of men when the first and tallest spires of Fennella became visible on the horizon.
Phaid knew Fennella was just another town that only existed because it was halfway between one place and another but, in that first moment, it was beautiful. Phaid saw it as a golden road. Fennella was the start of the direct path straight back to the real world, the restaurants, the shaded lights, stained-glass over green baize tables, women in expensive gowns playing seemingly expensive games that were at root primitively simple, even bars where the bartender bothered to remember your name. It was the road to where sleight of hand counted for something and style was everything. Phaid was suddenly very happy.
In itself, Fennella was nothing much to get excited about. It had once hired a good architect with a passion for narrow, conical towers, but although he had made the town beautiful to look at from a distance, he had failed to lift the inhabitants from the base bourgeois. They had the narrow, self-protecting, small town outlook that welcomed strangers as long as they kept moving and had no intention of staying around. Their outlook was reinforced by the whipping post, the gallows, the public stocks and an efficient, if bribable, squad of town rangers.
None of this bothered Phaid, however. All they had to do was dispose of the rebuilt flipper, let Ben-e the android scare up some money and make their way to the line terminal. It was all so straightforward and easy. He didn't see how either he, Makartur or the android could get into any trouble during that short time.
As they drove slowly through the congested streets of central Fennella, the flipper drew a lot of curious glances. Out in the desert the hybrid flipper had been useful and functional. In the town, it stood out like a sore thumb among the sleek, well cared for machines of the citizens.
The stares of the townspeople were nothing compared with the looks they received when Ben-e swung the machine into Honest Nazim's Used Transport Lot.
Nazim was an olive skinned, paunchy individual on to whom spurious bonhomie seemingly had been applied with a trowel. This forced joviality fell away with alarming speed when he was confronted with the jerry rigged flipper, complete with its blaster burns, sand scoured bodywork and the raw marks on the frame from the crude welding jobs that held it together.
Planting his hands on his hips and almost blocking the entrance to the lot, he looked at the vehicle and its occupants with nothing short of disgust.
'What the hell do you call this mess? You ain't planning on bringing it in here, are you?'
Phaid jumped down and confronted the used flipper dealer.
'Sure we want to come in here. We aim to sell this unique vehicle.'
Nazim let out a short barking laugh that was devoid of humour.
'Sell that thing? You ought to give me money to break it up for you.'
Phaid turned and looked at the flipper.
'You got to be blind. This is a custom built desert flyer. There's not another one like it in the world.'
Nazim sniffed.
That's a fact.'
Phaid ignored him.
'It's got to be one of the fastest things in rough country. It made it from Wad-Hasa Wells to here in less than three days.'
Nazim looked as though he didn't believe a word of it.
'How much do you want for the heap?'
Phaid became very indignant.
'Heap, heap?'
It didn't work.
'Cut out the crap and tell me how much you want for it.'
Phaid stared Nazim straight in the eye.
'Six thousand.'
Nazim fell about.
'Six thousand?'
'Six thousand.'
'I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll give you six hundred off the listed price of any flipper on the lot, and if anybody betters that offer I'll stand on my head and eat a bug.'
'We don't want another flipper. We're getting on the line. All we want to do is sell the machine and move on.'
Nazim held up a pudgy hand.
'Wait just a minute. You don't actually expect me to hand over hard cash for that thing.'
'Three thousand?'
'I tell you what I'll do. If you throw in the android I'll give you seven hundred cash.'
Ben-e sprang down from the flipper.
'Ill-have-you-know-that-I-am-not-for-sale.'
; Nazim sneered.
'An uppity robot.'
'Listen-you . . .'
Phaid quickly stepped between the android and the used flipper dealer.
'Hold up there. Let's not make a big thing out of this. How much will you give us for the machine in hard cash?'
Nazim gave the machine a contemptuous once over.
'Three hundred.'
'Eight.'
'Three hundred.'
That's your best offer?'
'It is.'
Phaid sighed.
'Yeah, well, I guess we'll have to take it. We're in a hurry.'
Nazim summoned an assistant and the flipper was driven away. Nazim went off to get their money. Makartur, who'd kept out of the haggling, sauntered over and looked enquiringly at Phaid.
'How much did we get?'
'Three hundred.'
'Three hundred? I thought that you were the shrewd gambling man.'
Phaid closed his eyes.
'Don't you start.'
'Yeah, but three hundred, manny. I call that pathetic.'
'It's all profit. We didn't pay for the thing.'
This time is was Ben-e who stepped in to keep the peace.
'This-is-all-pointless. We-need-not-be-concerned-about-money. I-would-rather-get-away-from-this-place. I-don't-like-people-who-call-me-a-robot.'
They collected the three hundred from Nazim and then, with Ben-e leading them, they walked across town. Ben-e stopped the first android they met, a street corner soft drink vendor. For a short while they whistled and squeaked at each other in the android's private, electronic language and then Ben-e turned to the two humans.
'This-excellent-being-has-told-me-where-I-may-obtain-an-adequate-sum-of-money-for-our-journey. It-is-not-far-from-here-so-if-you'11-follow-me . . .'
They left the street vendor marching up and down on short, stubby legs and followed Ben-e down a side street. After a walk that involved twisting and turning down a series of increasingly narrow streets, they arrived at a small building that sported a rather battered sign that read technical repairs. Ben-e hammered on the peeling paint of the front door.
At first no one answered, but after a long time the door was swung back a crack, and a small android peered out. It was even shorter than Ben-e, little more than a metal box with an antenna on the top, a single sensor lens mounted on the end and thin, tubular legs holding it up. There was another whistling, tweeting conversation, then Ben-e turned and faced the two men.
'You'd-better-wait-out-here. These-guys-are-a-little-nervous-of-humans.'
Phaid and Makartur looked at each other and shrugged.
'Suit yourself, we'll wait.'
Ben-e disappeared inside, and the two men assumed lounging positions against the wall. Makartur jerked his thumb towards the door.
'You trust that bucket of bolts?'
'Who? Ben-e?'
'Who else?'
Phaid made a non-committal gesture.
'Why not?'
'He's an android.'
'So?'
'I don't know. I never feel comfortable around androids.'
Phaid laughed.
'That's rich.'
'What's that supposed to mean?'
'Well shit, here's you, the man who was so damn thick with the elaihim, telling me that he don't feel comfortable "round androids".'
'I was never thick with the elaihim.'
'You were too.'
'Shit.'
'Shit yourself. You were quite prepared to get you and me killed to save them. You killed a whole bunch of drovers, you, a man who has drovers for relatives.'
Makartur tugged at his beard.
'It's funny. I've been wondering about that myself. Something came over me.'
'Yeah, something came over you.'
'Huh?'
'Nothing.'
Phaid didn't feel it was the moment to start expounding his theories about the elaihim, so the conversation lapsed there. They leaned for a while, just happy to be in a town after so many days in the desert. Then Makartur nudged Phaid in the ribs with his elbow.
'Don't look now, but here comes the local law.'
Phaid slowly turned his head and took a covert look up the street. Sure enough, two characters in tight, dark blue suits and pale blue helmets were sauntering towards them, doing tricks with long batons. Phaid nodded.
'Law, as sure as I saw them.'
'I got to tell you, I never could see eye to eye with the law.'
Phaid sniffed.
'Me neither. You think we're doing anything illegal?'
Makartur grimaced.
'Who can tell in a place like this?'
'We'll find out pretty damn soon. Here they come.'
The two law officers halted in front of Phaid and Makartur. With studied insolence they looked the pair up and down. Phaid and Makartur did their best to appear unconcerned.
Fennella obviously took great pride in its guardians of law and order. The town certainly spent of lot of money on them. Their suits were neat, one piece affairs, reinforced with flashy tuck and roll jobs at the shoulders, knees and elbows. The plasteel helmets gave their heads almost total protection, while the dark visors lent them the air of sinister insects. Fuse tubes were strapped to their right legs, while their high boots were polished to a glasslike shine. By way of a finishing touch, each man had a large gilt badge emblazoned with a very aggressive eagle and the legend Fennella Department of Rangers.
When the four men had finished examining each other, one of the rangers tapped Phaid on the chest with his nightstick.
'What are you doing?'
Phaid smiled innocently. 'Waiting.'
'Waiting for what?'
'To get a repair done.'
The second ranger joined in the game.
'Repair? What repair?'
Phaid silently asked forgiveness for taking their benefactor in vain.
'Our android, as a matter of fact.' He knew Ben-e wouldn't have liked that.
'Android?'
'Android.'
'Not from around here? Out of towners? Right?'
'Right.'
'Not planning to stay?'
Phaid unconsciously picked up the beat of the ranger's clipped speech pattern.
'No. On way to line terminal then android went on fritz.'
'Bad district this. Boohooms, androids. Robberies, murders. You want to be careful.'
'Will be.'
'One more thing.'
'What's that?'
'I know your face.'
'You do?'
'I know your face.'
'So you said.'
'I wouldn't want to see it in a few days' time.'
'You won't.'
'I'd be very unhappy.'
'I'm telling you, we're just passing through.'
'You'd be very unhappy too.'
'I understand.'
'Right. Have a good day.'
'And you.'
The rangers moved on. Phaid let out his breath with a long sigh.
'How about those beauties?'
Makartur spat on the cracked, uneven sidewalk.
'They're all the same.'
The possible discussion of comparative police forces was cut short by the door opening and Ben-e coming out.
'I-have-the-money.'
Phaid beamed.
'You do? How much?'
'Eight-thousand.'
Phaid could scarcely believe his ears.
'Eight fucking thousand!'
'I-didn't-want-to-leave-anything-to-chance.'
'You damn well didn't.'
'You-are-displeased?'
'Hell no, quite the opposite. How does eight grand sound to you, Mak?'
'I warned you about that.'
'Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry. I forgot, but shit, man, eight fucking grand! How about that? We can travel first-class from now on.'
Makartur didn't seem particularly pleased.
'You get there just as fast by third-class.'
> 'What's the matter with you? It ain't every day that you can have the best.'
'It's wasteful.'
Phaid's jaw dropped.
'What?'
'I can't abide waste.'
Phaid slowly shook his head.
'You're insane, man. Insane.'
'Aye, maybe, or maybe you'll see it different one of these days.'
Phaid shook his head.
'You're a miserable bastard when you put your mind to it.'
He transferred his attention to the android.
'So, friend Ben-e, we're off to the Republic on a first-class line.'
Ben-e made a motion part way between a bow and a nod.
'If-that's-what-you-want.'
Phaid closed his eyes and smiled.
'Yeah, that's what I want.' A thought suddenly struck him. 'There is one thing, though.'
'What-is-it?'
'Well . . .'
Phaid hesitated.
'I doubt I'd get anything suitable in this hick town, but . . .'
'Is-there-something-wrong?'
'Listen, if we're going first-class, there's a slight problem.'
'What-is-that?'
'If I'm going to travel in a first-class car . . .' Phaid looked down at his dirty, stained clothes. I'm going to need a new suit and a few other things.'
'That-is-quite-possible.'
Makartur made a disgusted noise deep in his throat.
'Vanity, pride and waste. They all go hand in hand.'
Phaid's lip curled.
'You're a goddamn pain.'
Chapter 10
The only thing that Phaid had ever seen that could make a land crawler seem insignificant was the transit line and its huge, complicated rolling stock. The transit line was one of the world's near miracles. It had functioned for nearly a thousand years and showed every sign of going on functioning until the last vestige of human civilisation had passed into the realm of legend.
The lines spread out in a network that had its rough centre at the Republic's capital, Chrystianaville. It extended well beyond the borders of the state. The durability and efficiency of the line was totally due to the unending efforts of the marikhs, an insular, caste ridden people who had built the lines, ran them, maintained them and continued to pioneer new routes for the already extensive system.
The line was impressive just on its own. Towering stone pylons were spaced at regular intervals, supporting a narrow ribbon of steel alloy that didn't rust or corrode. The surface of the steel was honeycombed with thousands of tiny force field projectors powered by a complex system of sun catchers and storage units built into the pylons.
