The Dark Ascent

by Walter H Hunt

  If esLi has not been corrupted as well, she thought to herself. "There's only one way to find out, though: to ask Qu'u himself."

  The idea of seeing Stone again troubled her. If her assumption was correct, that Hesya was indeed Stone, it would mean that she would be encountering the same mysterious figure in three completely different contexts—on Center, in a vid almost a century old, and potentially within the gyaryu—within just a few weeks.

  There was clearly no way backward. There was also no way to go forward without knowing what might be within the gyaryu. The immediate future depended on her confidence in the sword; she could not function as Gyaryu'har if everything that now defined her life turned out to be some sort of deception. Again.

  Not that it would be anything new, she thought. All during the aircar ride from Sanctuary to esYen, Jackie thought about it, letting the debate go back and forth in her mind. Byar accompanied her and concentrated on his own meditations, leaving her alone. It seemed to suit the moment. She tried to keep her thoughts away from the gyaryu itself, preferring to keep the sword's inhabitants out of it—in case there were hostiles among them.

  By the time they reached the city she had an idea what to do. When they reached the High Lord's garden, she had decided.

  The High Chamberlain was conferring with the High Lord when they approached the part of the esTle'e hi Sa'a had set aside to receive her ministers. It was not the same place the High Lord's father had chosen for the purpose. It was, however, the first place Jackie had ever seen in the High Nest, when she had stepped out of anGa'e'ren a few weeks earlier, near the center of that particular clearing.

  T'te'e looked upset. The position of his wings and the tension of his claws indicated that someone—or something— had angered him. As Jackie and Byar approached, he seemed to shrug the emotion away, arranging himself in a more restrained and formal posture.

  "se Gyaryu'har," he said to her. "Master Byar." His wings were arranged politely.

  Byar silently offered a stance of respect to the High Lord and the High Chamberlain.

  "se T'te'e." Jackie inclined her head.

  hi Sa'a gestured to a stepped bench for Jackie, and a slightly lower perch for Byar. "I take it that your studies were fruitful," the High Lord said.

  "I think I know what we should do," Jackie said. "If I'm interrupting—"

  "No," Sa'a said. "We were discussing a matter that would interest you, but perhaps we should hear your news first."

  "It's rather complicated."

  T'te'e's wings rose a bit, perhaps indicating that contradicting a suggestion of a High Lord wasn't quite polite; but again Sa'a defused the situation. "Very well," she said, her wings conveying some slight amusement, "se T'te'e brings us word of a peculiar request from the government of our friend the Solar Emperor." She looked at the High Chamberlain. "se T'te'e is not particularly pleased."

  "They want the gyaryu," he growled, his wings moving to an angry position. "They want you to bring it to them," he said to Jackie.

  "They what?" Jackie's hand strayed near the hilt for a moment, then she carefully put her hands in her lap.

  The High Lord gestured. T'te'e touched a comp on a lectern beside him. A holo appeared in midair. It showed a figure in a neatly tailored suit; a certified logo of the Solar Empire hovered above his left shoulder.

  "From His Imperial Majesty Dieter Xavier Willem, Solar Emperor, greetings to the honorable Sa 'a HeYen, High Lord of the People, and best wishes for your continued health.

  "It has come to the attention of the Imperial Government that our good friend High Lord Sa'a has obtained the return of the sword known as the gyaryu, a powerful chya, and that it has now been settled upon an Imperial subject, one Jacqueline Laperriere, Admiral IN Retired. The Solar Monarch shares in the High Nest's great joy at this happy turn of events coming at a time when both races are in imminent peril.

  "As a result of counsel from trusted advisors, the Solar Emperor suggests that this sword may provide significant assistance to human Sensitives, whose skills are largely inferior to those of our friends among the People. Taking the current holder of the sword as an example, it seems apparent to us that association with the sword confers significant improvement even to those who previously demonstrated little or no Sensitive talent.

  "That being the case, it is the opinion of the Government and the Emperor that it would be of greatest benefit if Sensitives—particularly those to be assigned to frontline naval vessels—should have an opportunity to enjoy the benefit of this gyaryu.

  "The Government and the Emperor sincerely hope that the High Lord and the High Nest concur in this view, and will aid us in using this sword to help train our Sensitives and prepare them for duty against our common enemy.

  "As Admiral Laperriere is an Imperial subject, who has taken both a citizen's and a soldier's oath of loyalty to her Emperor, we are certain that she will obey the request of her Government and the command of her Emperor to report to the Sensitive training facility at New Chicago as soon as possible to commence this process.

  "His Imperial Majesty Dieter Xavier Willem wishes to reiterate his friendship and affection for the High Lord, and his pleasure in continuing his Imperial protection for the People."

  The holo winked out.

  "An interesting proposition," the High Lord said.

  Jackie saw T'te'e's talons clench, sitting on his perch.

  "Our Gyaryu'har is an Imperial citizen and former member of the Navy and is therefore expected to take one of our most important artifacts and place it in the hands of—"

  "—artha," the High Chamberlain interjected, and then glanced at Jackie. "Eight thousand pardons," he added, with little sincerity.

  "—humans," the High Lord corrected. "naZora'i. But I do not understand why they have reached this conclusion. Can you enlighten us, se Jackie? Which of the emperor's . . . advisors provided this insight?"

  "I'm not sure." She frowned, thinking, repressing the reflex to ask the gyaryu for help. "I didn't meet with any human Sensitives while . . . oh.

  "M'm'e'e Sha'kan. I discussed the sword with him at Langley, the Imperial Intelligence HQ."

  "That is a rashk name," T'te'e said. Zor traditionally did not think much of the rashk, and considered them cowardly and duplicitous. "What did you tell him about the sword?"

  "Nothing that would lead him to the conclusion that it could be used to benefit Sensitives . . . We primarily discussed Stone. M'm'e'e had some interesting data, which corroborates other information we had here at the High Nest.

  "He knows the legend of Qu'u, I'll give him that; he doesn't seem to discount the beliefs of the People as readily as most humans do. Perhaps M'm'e'e thinks that studying the sword could somehow . . ."

  ". . . the People . . . outside had no desire to destroy Shr'e'a, but rather to learn from its strength . . ."

  The phrase from the old recension of seLi'e'Yan jumped into her head unbidden. "No, wait—it's a trap. They . . . si S'reth feared something like this." She described the passage, in which Hesya lured Shr'e'a's warriors to allow their sword to be taken outside the walls.

  Sa'a nodded, as if she were familiar with the tale.

  "se Jackie," Byar said, "High Lord. Do you think this rashk knows of this version of the legend? Furthermore, do you think he seeks to follow it? For if so, then he . . . might well be Hesya, returned from Ur'ta leHssa."

  "The esGa'uYe told us that many of his brothers walk the Plane of Sleep now. It is possible that Hesya is among them." Sa'a's statement seemed matter-of-fact.

  Jackie wasn't sure when it had become so easy to talk about beings of legend as if they were going to arrive on the next shuttle.

  "We can't let him have the sword," Jackie said at last. "If we represent the Shr'e'a'i, it would be disastrous to trust him with it."

  "Even if we do not," T'te'e interjected, "it would be unthinkable."

  "There is an additional problem," said Jackie.

  "Your studies," Sa'a said. "Pleas
e enlighten us."

  "I believe that the gyaryu is indeed the Sword of Shr'e'a, as described in the original legend of seLi'e'Yan."

  Sa'a inclined her head, as if this was not news to her, but T'te'e seemed to have set aside his anger and was listening intently.

  "If that is so, then it was held by others—likely, numerous others—before it was recovered by Qu'u from the Plain of Despite."

  "Some of them must have been esGa'uYal. And since each person who carries the sword leaves hsi behind, there might well be some sort of—taint? I am afraid that the gyaryu may not be trustworthy."

  "Is there any way to find out for certain?" Jackie looked directly at the High Lord, whose wings conveyed no insight into her thoughts on the subject.

  "Yes," Jackie answered at last. "We can inquire directly."

  It was clear that the High Lord was in no mood to be gainsaid. Jackie saw something pass between Sa'a and Byar: It was no more than a glance and a rapid cascade of wing-gestures. se T'te'e had said his piece and now he was standing at guard, his chya at the ready. His wings were again held in an angry, defiant stance.

  "When hi Sa'a chose to fly the perilous path into the Plane of Sleep," he said to Jackie, "I stood guard while se Byar accompanied our High Lord there, se Byar knew without being told, but you are . . . new to the High Nest. I do not seek to touch your honor, but I promise by my own, that nothing will protect you if you return without her hsi."

  Jackie looked from T'te'e to Byar, whose posture was almost as defiant as the High Chamberlain's. She could offer no promises, make no guarantees about the High Lord's safety.

  She nodded. "Very well," Jackie said. "I understand."

  "I am ready," Sa'a said. She took up a position on a perch behind a high-backed chair; Jackie sat on the chair, which conformed to her back.

  With the gyaryu in her lap and her hands upon the scabbard, Jackie closed her eyes and imagined the black plain, covered with hRni'i . . .

  A few moments or hours later—there was no way to tell—she opened her eyes again to find herself sitting on the plain. The High Lord stood behind her, her eyes still closed, her wings wrapped around her like a cloak.

  "hi Sa'a," Jackie said, getting to her feet.

  The High Lord opened her eyes and she could not help but gasp. "The gyaryu," she said. "We are within the gyaryu."

  Jackie did not answer, but brought the sword to a one-handed guard. She gestured toward the distant light and the two began to approach.

  Sa'a could not maintain her usual composure, but conveyed expressions of surprise and wonder with every step. She saw Sergei and Admiral Marais first. As more and more inhabitants of the gyaryu approached, it was apparent to Jackie that the High Lord knew a great many of them.

  "No High Lord has ever seen this," Sa'a said quietly, her wings forming a position of reverence to esLi. "I hope that I have not touched your honor by insisting on accompanying you."

  Jackie stopped her progress toward the lit entrance to the garden, now plainly visible. "hi Sa'a." She turned to face the High Lord, who had gotten a step or two ahead of her. "You have not touched my honor: rather, you honor me by accompanying me.

  "I may have faced the esGa'uYal and walked through anGa'e'ren, but this place still scares me. Every time I visit here—and it's not too often—I worry that there might be something I don't know, don't understand." She gestured into the darkness above them. "As for this visit, I can't even imagine what might be before us."

  Sa'a seemed to relax just a bit; though, at the reference to the dark, she let her hand come to rest on the hi'chya she wore.

  "What is before us now?" She pointed to the entrance to the garden.

  They stepped through the entrance. A warrior of the People walked toward them, his wings held in a position of pride.

  "si Qu'u," Jackie said. She gestured to Sa'a. "This is the High Lord of the People, hi Sa'a."

  Qu'u bowed to the High Lord. "Be welcome, great Lord," he said. "You are not the Gyaryu'har, yet for you to come here must indicate some great peril to the People."

  "I would not endanger my Inner Peace otherwise," she answered. "I am greatly honored to meet the great hero of the People."

  "I thank the High Lord for her kindness."

  Before either could insert yet another profession of honor or gratitude, Jackie said, "Great Qu'u. High Lord. We are here to learn an important truth."

  "I await your question," Qu'u said.

  "We have studied the many versions of the legend that surrounds your deeds," Jackie said. "In the story, there is an indication that the gyaryu, the sword on which we now stand, was recovered from the Plain of Despite."

  "That is true."

  "Wait. Before you answer, let me clarify," Jackie interjected. "In the story common in our time, it is not the sword that is recovered, but rather that which will be reforged into the sword. In other words, the gyaryu is not . . . well, it's not the gyaryu until it is returned to the World That Is.

  "Yet an earlier version claims the opposite: that the gyaryu itself is recovered. There is evidence to support that the sword was held at one time by Despite, when it was taken in a ruse by a pair of brothers—"

  "Sharnu and Hesya," Qu'u said.

  Jackie and Sa'a exchanged a glance.

  "It was decided," Qu'u began, "that the gyaryu could not be seen to be tainted by Despite. The Lord esLi"—his wings moved to a posture of respect—"had chosen me to go to the lands of the Deceiver to recover the sword. The two brothers—He of the Dancing Blade, and the One Who Weaves— took it from Shr'e'a, as the legend tells."

  "The old legend."

  "—Yes. The old legend. The High Lord A'alu knew that if there were any doubt about the gyaryu, the Nests could not be united. Therefore, she caused the legends to be changed."

  "What about Dri'i? Why was he added to the story?"

  "It was a logical part of the revised legend, se Gyaryu'har. A warrior of the People using a known talent to stand within the Circle."

  "Then the Shield of Hatred was known in your time."

  "Yes, se Gyaryu'har. It was much practiced in the time of the Warring States. It was a way for warriors of the People to understand how warriors of Sharia'a could have resisted the Army of Sunset."

  "So Shr'e'a did fall."

  "There is no account of that event, se Gyaryu'har. It is not the tale the Sharia'a'i tell."

  "Yet it fell."

  "It fell," Qu'u said at last. His wings dropped to a position of sorrow. "The warriors of Shr'e'a let their Sword be taken through the gate and . . . when it was taken away, they surrendered.

  "This is not the story that hi'i A'alu wished as the guide for the Flight of the People."

  Jackie looked away from Qu'u and at the High Lord, who stood impassively, waiting for her to continue. Sa'a seemed to have expected this admission from Qu'u.

  "I have one more question, si Qu'u," said Jackie. "If this is indeed the Sword of Shr'e'a, and if every person who holds the gyaryu leaves hsi behind, then when Hesya took the Sword from Shr'e'a, he must have held it. He must be here."

  "He is." Qu'u turned away and beckoned for them to follow. Jackie and Sa'a were only a step behind as they made their way through the garden.

  Jackie had never been to the other side of Qu'u's post within the gyaryu. In fact, she had only come to the garden once, when she had first held the sword. The garden was roughly circular, with an entrance on either side; one led onto the black plain from which they had come. She didn't know where the other one led.

  As Qu'u approached, all she could see was darkness, as if there were another black plain beyond. Standing before the entrance, Qu'u turned to face them once again.

  "Those who held the sword before I recovered it from the Plain of Despite are beyond this point," he said. "They cannot emerge from here and cannot communicate with the holder of the gyaryu."

  "You guard the entrance," Sa'a said matter-of-factly.

  "It would be sensible," Qu'u answered. "I
would willingly defend the gyaryu against those beyond"—he shrugged toward thedarkness—"but that is given to a power far greater than myself."

  "Meaning—?"

  "The Lord esLi defends us.

  "Neither ra Hesya, nor any other Servant of Despite, can reach beyond the barrier of Light."

  He stepped aside and Jackie leaned forward to glance into the darkness . . . and beyond, cascading through the black anGa'e'ren, was a luminous band of light divided into six colors, ranging from a deep violet to a bright crimson.

  Chapter 20

  THE ART OF WAR TEACHES US TO RELY NOT ON THE LIKELIHOOD OF THE ENEMY'S NOT COMING, BUT ON OUR OWN READINESS TO RECEIVE HIM; NOT ON THE CHANCE OF HIS NOT ATTACKING, BUT RATHER ON THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MADE OUR POSITION UNASSAILABLE.

  —Sun Tzu,

  The Art of War, VIII: 11

  Josephson System was fifteen parsecs closer to the captured naval base of Adrianople than the heavily defended base at Denneva. From Josephson it was an easy jump to a dozen well-populated Class One worlds within the Empire, Denneva among them. From Adrianople these worlds were mostly inaccessible.

  It made sense for the enemy to try for Josephson; it made sense for the Imperial Navy to defend it. Accordingly, Admiral Hsien had deployed the most experienced elements of the Imperial fleet there, while Admiral Stark's flag moved to Denneva to defend the base.

  Against the luminous backdrop of the Milky Way and the distant double-suns of Josephson System, the gig moved quickly toward its destination: a berth in the shuttle bay of the fleet carrier Duc d'Enghien. The carrier was equipped—and plenty big enough—for Fair Damsel to dock directly, but Dan McReynolds had decided that he'd prefer to stay in his own mooring with the other merchanters attached to His Majesty's Fleet.

  The Duc had accordingly sent the gig out to fetch its single passenger. Jackie had again decided to forgo an entourage, despite Dan's protests (which didn't seem terribly sincere, in any case); there would be enough of that when she reached Duc anyway.