by Douglas Hill
Keill glanced at Joss, who looked sympathetic, then at Fillon, who looked annoyed. "If that's what you want," he said calmly.
"Reckon it won't be so bad," Shalet added with a broad grin, "If Joss volunteers to keep an eye on you"
"I will," Joss said readily. Then she grimaced down at her torn coverall. "But first I need to change."
Then while Joss is prettyin" herself," Shalet chortled, "you come on with me, Randor. I'll give you a personal guided tour of the Home."
She clapped a powerful hand on Keill's shoulder and propelled him towards the door, talking boisterously. But Keill's mind was still fixed on the words that the big woman had spoken earlier - words charged with menace.
CHAPTER THREE
Two weapons...
On their way through the doors, Keill saw that the corridor was empty, which meant either that GroII had recovered or that he had been carried elsewhere.
In either case, Keill knew, he had stored up trouble for himself from that source. Not that one more bit of trouble, he thought, would make much difference.
Preoccupied with such thoughts he walked with Shalet back towards the moving walkway and down to the lower levels. So he was only half-hearing her voluble stream of information - much of which he had learned earlier from the Overseers, while preparing for his mission.
Shalet had begun with the basic fact that the small planet on which they stood was the largest body of a collection of planetoids, asteroids and bits of space rubble which had been drawn by various cosmic forces to cling together, so that the whole came to be called the Ouster.
It moved through space as a single object, rotating round a common axis. And the larger bodies had, over the millennia, developed simple forms of life, mostly various lichenous growths including the blue substance Keill had seen, and a thin but breathable atmosphere.
The Cluster orbited its sun quite near, in astronomical terms, to a larger planet When mankind's early starships had brought colonists to this system - during the ancient Millennium of the Scattering which had spread man through the galaxy - they had found the large planet, which they named Veynaa, suitable in every way to support human life.
They also explored the Cluster thoroughly - with one price-ay less result. A scientist, named Ossid, studying the blue lichen, found it to be a rich source of an amazingly broad-. spectrum antibiotic - which the Veynaan colonists named ossidin after its discoverer.
So the colony's fortune was made. In the centuries after the Scattering, when the colonized planets were forming contacts, trading links and so on, ossidin proved a valuable resource. The Veynaans planted a small sub-colony of workers on the Cluster to gather the lichen and ship it back to Veynaa for processing.
And Veynaa prospered hugely on the ossidin trade.
Eventually, though, the people of the Cluster - never more than a few hundred - stopped thinking of themselves as Veynaans. They enlarged their central base into the present massive structure, named it Home, and called themselves Clusterfolk. And a time came when those tough and independent-minded men and women wanted to break free of Veynaan control. They wanted to govern themselves, and to take a fairer share of the rich profits from the ossidin trade.
When the Veynaans refused, anger and unrest swept the Cluster. Relations grew more bitter when the Clusterfolk went on strike, refusing to ship ossidin. A few violent attacks on visiting Veynaan officials were followed by retaliatory raids. Unrest became rebellion.
Then recently, without warning, the Clusterfolk had issued a threat. If their independence was not granted, they said, they would declare war on Veynaa.
At this point Keill restored his full attention to Shalet, since the war was why he was there. Shalet went on to say that, for a while, Veynaa had been leaving the Cluster mostly alone -except for occasional overflights and minor harassments by Veynaan ships, like the one Keill had run into that day.
'They think it's comical," the big woman grumbled, "us folk declarin" war on them. They figure it's just a lotta noise, an" we'll come to our senses soon."
'Still," Keill said carefully, "it does seem a fairly unequal fight."
'Sure it does." Shalet set her jaw. "But not if we've got ourselves an equalizer."
Is that what you hinted at before?" Keill asked, trying to sound casual. "Some weapon ?"
'Somethin" like that. But I shouldn't be talkin" about it. I'll leave it to Quern to tell y" about it, when he figures it's all right."
Keill paused for a moment, so as not to seem too eagerly curious. "This Quern sounds important."
"He is," Shalet assured him. "Been a big help to us ever since he came. Gonna win this war for us, Quern is."
A premonition stirred behind Keill's calm control. "Since he came ? He's not from the Cluster ?" "Nope - offworlder, like you," Shalet grinned. i got the impression," Keill said lightly, "that some Cluster-folk don't like ofiworlders too well."
Shalet snorted. "Don't judge the Cluster from the likes of Groll, or Fillon.
Lots of folk here are from offworld, come to get work before the trouble started. Must be a hundred or so." Her laugh boomed. "Fillon himself, he's one of "em, an" Joss too. All good Clusterfolk, now - even if Fillon gets a bit prickly sometimes."
Keill nodded, storing the information away. It was an interesting fact about Fillon, though not fully explaining the young man's hostility to Keill. And the mystery man Quern was even more interesting...
But he knew better than to arouse suspicion by pressing Shalet with even more questions. He regained his expression of polite interest as the guided tour continued.
They descended at first to the lowest levels of the great structure, where Shalet led him through the sizeable areas where much of the work of the Home went on. Kcill watched the work-robots disgorge their heaps of fragmented, lichen-covered rock, which were gathered up to be powdered in mighty machines and packed into storage containers.
Shalet explained that the Cluster was stockpiling the raw ossidin, while the rebellion continued. "When we're free," she said, "we'll get the stuff processed offplanet, and market it ourselves. An" we'll get some new equipment - not all this out-of-date stuff the Veynaans put on us. Quern's makin" all the arrangements."
"He seems to know his way around," Keill commented.
"Quern's been a trader all over the galaxy," Shalet said proudly. "Knows more about trade than any of us."
Keill nodded, making no further comment, but adding another fragment to the mystery of Quern.
Shalet went on to describe the shipping process. An elevator, rising in a huge vertical shaft up through the Home, lifted the containers of raw ossidin to the roof, to be loaded on to the shuttles.
"You said shuttles," Keill put in. "I saw only one."
'There're two - but Quern's got the other one. Makin" a trip," Shalet said vaguely.
The shuttles, she continued, carried the containers up to a giant ultrafreighter, in a parking orbit round the Cluster. And when it was fully loaded, it transported the raw ossidin to be processed - to Veynaa, before the rebellion.
More information for Keill to tuck away. He knew something of the enormous interplanetary ultrafreighters - ten times as long as his own spaceship, and proportionately as wide. It seemed that the Cluster had everything they needed for running the ossidin trade — once they had gained their independence.
Farther on among the lower levels, Shalet took him through maintenance areas, workshops, laboratories, clerical rooms and more. All of these areas were swarming with busy Clusterfolk and their robots. And everyone had a cheery greeting for Shalet, and took time also for a careful look at jo
Kefll accompanied often enough by a friendly nod. Keill g-jjled to himself at the buzz of talk that arose in their wake as they continued - talk in which he could hear the word legionary". News never travels fester, he thought, than in a dosed community.
On another level they glanced into a chamber full of huge tanks that produced the basics of the Home's food.
"food's mostly recycled and synthetic," Shalet remarked, «but it keeps the belly full - and keeps us goin" since Veynaa cut off supplies. There's water under the rock outside so we could last a couple more years, if we needed, on our own."
"But you won't need to ?" Keill asked.
"Uh-uh. We're gonna finish off the Veynaans quick."
The words seemed all the more chilling for being spoken so casually. Of course it might just have been a figure of speech, Keill knew. But he wondered...
The upper levels of the enormous honeycombed building held a variety of communal rooms - recreation rooms, eating areas and sleeping quarters; the last ranging from sizeable apartments for families to tiny one-person cubicles. The tour ended in front of the narrow door to one of these cubicles.
It offered little more than a narrow bunk and storage niches, with a slit of window in one wall.
"This can be yours," Shalet said. "Ain't much, maybe, but at least the singles get a place of their own. Privacy's a luxury in a place like this."
Keill agreed, gratefully, knowing how he would have been limited if he had had to share accommodation with several curious Clusterfolk.
'Showers an" so on are along there," Shalet added, pointing. "An" we eat pretty soon. Someone'll come an" show you, but I reckon you're all right on your own till then. Stay put, though, don't want to upset Fillon by wanderin" round alone, doy'?"
She grinned, and turned away.
Keill sank thankfully on to the hard bunk, glad for the chance to digest all that he had learned that day, to examine it for facts that related to his purpose on the Cluster. The window-slit showed that, outside, night had fallen - so it had been a long day, as well as an active one.
And it had been mostly enjoyable. The Clusterfolk were likeable, good people - Keill had considerable respect for their sturdy, hard-working, determined approach to life. But with the respect came sadness. Normally, they would have little chance of carrying through their impossible dream of independence. They were too few and Veynaa was too strong.
How could six hundred people with laserifles and two cargo shuttles fight a whole world? When Veynaa finally decided to squash their rebellion, the end of the Cluster's dream would be tragic - and calamitous.
Yet Shalet had let those hints slip - of a weapon, an "equalizer', and finishing the Veynaans off.
In the midst of those disturbing thoughts, Glr slipped into Keill's mind. And she seemed no less disturbed, when Keill told her what Shalet had been saying.
It all forms a most unpleasant equation, she said. With a weapon, and a human called Quern, as the unknown factors.
'I'II find out more? Keill assured her. "But I need to be careful about asking questions?
True. But time is short.
'This Quern will return to the Cluster sometime" Keill replied. Til surely learn more then."
It will be an interesting meeting, Glr commented.
Keill caught the hint of anxiety in the alien's inner voice. " About Quern - are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Indeed - literally so, at this moment. There was a trace of Glr's laughter, quickly fading. Certainly he follows the pattern. An outsider, gaining a position of influence and power, guiding the people around him to accelerate the progress towards war. There can be little doubt.
'Deathwing." The word resounded hollowly within Keill's. "It is the way that Warlord works, Glr agreed. And it seems have come none too soon.
Keill was silent for a moment, weighing the grim conclusion. Before he could reply, there was a subdued tap at the door of his cubicle. He felt Glr slip out of his mind as he moved to the door;
Joss was standing there, looking restored and lovely, her smile warm.
"Hungry?" she said. "The food hall is serving in a few minutes."
'Starving," Keill said truthfully, returning her smile.
The food hall's plain, functional plastic tables and stools were crowded when they reached it. Keill followed Joss's slender form through the throng, to the central automated counter where they collected their meals in closed containers. As they found a table, Keill saw Shalet across the room, who gave him a wave and a broad wink.
Joss laughed. "I hope Shalet's tour didn't weary you."
"Not for a minute," Keill said. "Very informative." Catching Joss's quick glance, he smiled and added, "Don't worry, she didn't spill any secrets."
'There's a saying in the Home," Joss said wryly. "A secret can be kept for five minutes - an important secret for half as long."
Keill chuckled. "And will a time come," he asked lightly, "when I can be trusted with Cluster secrets ?"
"oh yes, soon," Joss said. "The folk have accepted you already. They're delighted to have a legionary on their side."
"Not all of them," Keill said. He had caught sight of the bulky form of Groll, in a far corner, glowering darkly under a livid bruise on his forehead.
Joss followed his gaze. "Groll won't forget what you did to him," she warned.
Keill shrugged. "Tell him to keep his fighting for the Veynaans."
The conversation declined a little as they turned to their meal. Shalet had been right, Keill found, eating in the Home ¦was more like refuelling than enjoyment. But fuel was necessary, and he dutifully worked his way through what was before him.
When they had done, Joss looked up, hesitating a moment. "Would you like to walk awhile," she said tentatively, "if you're not tired?"
"I'd like to," Keill said quickly. "But won't you get bored with keeping watch on me ?"
Joss laughed softly. Tm not. Whatever Fillon says, I don't think you need to be watched."
Keill felt pleased at the implication that she was there for his company, not for security reasons, and even more pleased when she calmly and naturally slipped her arm into his.
They strolled the corridors awhile, talking — or at least Keill was talking, for Joss was a superb listener, attentive and responsive. She seemed especially fascinated by Keill's life as a legionary, and it was a subject he was happy to talk about -up to a point. While tales of past adventures with the Legions were one thing, he had to be vague and evasive when Joss sought to know more about what he had been doing since the destruction of Moros.
Secrets, he thought darkly, on both sides. But he knew it could not be otherwise.
Eventually they made their way to one of the small recreation rooms. A broad window occupied much of one wall, and Joss led him to it, to gaze out in silence at the star-brilliant night. It was an impressive view, Keill admitted. The starlight glinting on the stark and rugged rock slopes around the Home gave them a delicate, eerie beauty.
Joss lifted a slim finger to point at the sky, where one fat golden spot of light stood out, smaller than a moon but larger than any of the stars.
CHAPTER FOUR
'Veynaa," she said quietly.
As Keill obediently looked a voice from the doorway broke in."Joss?"
Keill turned to see an anxious-looking Qusterman hurrying towards them, bending to mutter something in Joss's ear.
She looked at Keill regretfully. "I'm sorry. I must go."
Trouble?"he asked.
"No - just the opposite. I'll tell you tomorrow, if I can."
"Are you going to let me find my way back, unguarded?" Keill grinned.
She laughed. "As long as you don't get lost."
Keill returned to his cubicle directly. Wandering around alone would be pointless, he decided - it might reawaken suspicion, and he did not yet know where to begin searching for answers to his questions. In any case, he realized, it had been quite a day, and the thought even of the hard bunk in his cubicle was appealing.
But as he reached it, Glr's inner voice spoke to him, laughter bubbling behind the silent words.
I have always wondered about human courting rituals, she teased. They seem more dull than those of my race.
"If I ever do any courting, as you call it," Keill replied, "you can stay out of my head"
Willingly, Glr laughed.
But one day I must tell you about the mating flights of the Ehrlil.
"Can we change the subject?" Keill said sourly. "I'm sleepy"
Before you sleep, Glr said more soberly, you might want to know that your ship's sensors have detected a spacecraft nearby, on a course for the Cluster.
Keill sat up quickly. "Any identification?
Not yet. But it will soon be near enough for more accurate scanning.
"It might be another Veynaan raider? Keill said. "But it could also be..."
The mysterious Quern, Glr put in. Wait, now - the ship is closer. It has...
She seemed to hesitate.
"Be what!" Keill asked.
Glr did not reply.
"What is it?" Keill asked, puzzled.
Silence.
"Glr?" Unease trailed a cold finger down Keill's spine. Gathering his concentration, he formed the mental words with the utmost care. "Glr - are you reading me?
Silence still - as empty and total as the silence of infinite space.
Communication had been cut off. And, since Glr was the communicator, that meant only one thing.
Something - far out in the depths of space, unknowable to Keill, beyond any guessing - had happened to Glr.
Keill did not sleep that night He spent much of it staring out of the window-slit, at the star-stippled depths that concealed his ship, far beyond the range of human vision. Tension and anxiety seethed behind his iron control, and his imagination went into over-drive.
Perhaps a real malfunction had developed in his ship, he thought. Or perhaps Glr's telepathic power - still mostly a mystery to Keill - had failed her. Or, again, perhaps that incoming spacecraft had been a Veynaan raider after all, who had spotted Glr and attacked.
