“Yes. It would have violated a basic principle of mine.”
“Glad to hear it,” Nathanial said. “But now you have my curiosity piqued. What is this inviolable principle of yours?”
“One should only fire a gun with intention to kill.” She smiled thinly. “That still leaves my options open, of course.”
Nathanial couldn’t think of anything to say in response to that. Perhaps there was nothing to say.
Chapter Thirteen
1.
“I know I look one hell of a fright,” Collins said to Nathanial as they walked along a wide street towards the city, “but the skinks seem to love it when I smear art all over me. They just love to paint themselves.”
“Skinks?”
“When I’m feeling all formal like, I think of them as Therians. Short for Therapod, which is the closest Earth animal I could think of. Fossils always was a hobby of mine. They got their own name for themselves, but I can’t speak their whistling nonsense to save my life. That, I know from direct experience.”
“They evolved from the bipedal saurian, then?” Nathanial asked.
“Evolution doesn’t really make sense around here. Long story, tell you about it later.”
Nathanial resolved to stay off the subject. “So, they’re not related to the Skreelan…ah, the lizard-men?”
“Count their fingers. Short answer, no.”
“Good point,” said Nathanial, trying to appear conciliatory. He didn’t want to get on Collins’ bad side. It was less from any sense of etiquette than the fact that the fellow had a squadron of flying saurians with flamethrowers at his beck and call. “In fact, that’s what aroused our curiosity. We found a mummified hand at the safehouse, I presume from some unfortunate Therian. Quite obviously, we wanted to investigate.”
Collins chuckled. “Didn’t have a thought for old Jungle Ned, no doubt dragged off by lizard-men?”
“Actually, we’d come to the conclusion you’d been captured by Germans who’d tried to make it look like the locals were the culprits.”
Collins smirked. “Now, you gents are pretty smart, after all. You almost figured it out, except it was me doing the fooling, not them. I wanted the Krauts to think I was gone, you see.”
“I’m afraid the Germans won’t be discovering you any time soon. They all met with an untimely demise. They apparently disturbed a colony of moisture sucking prawns.”
“Oh, I know all about it.” Collins waved an indifferent hand. “Wasn’t planning on going back there, anyhow. No need, and figured that infestation was still active.”
“It is,” said Nathanial with a shudder.
“Damned good thing for you that my flying skinks spotted you dropping in. Figured you’d be coming in to support me. Was really hoping for some good Earth food. ’Saur steaks get old after a while. That and I could use some weaponry.” He turned to face Nathanial. “Don’t suppose you brought any guns with you?”
Nathanial decided not to mention Annabelle’s revolver. “Not as such, no. We’re a purely civilian expedition.”
“Damn.” Collins spat, managing a good five foot trajectory. “Well, nothing for it. Mostly just needed something with a longer range than the flamethrowers. But let me guess, you two are just a couple of geologists.”
“Aren’t you?”
“At first here for the rocks, yeah. But then I discovered there was more to it than just some aetheric effects.”
“Like what?”
Collins turned around and squinted at Nathanial. “Don’t know if I should explain things, not until I know you better. You strike me as a bit of a milksop, you know? Likely to fold when faced with the big truths.”
Nathanial took a deep breath to collect himself. “Sir. I don’t believe we’re destined to be the best of friends, but I do think our goals coincide. I understand Her Majesty’s Navy is taking an increasingly greater interest in your find. And speaking personally, I am fascinated by the effects of this ore you’ve found. We’ve already noted the way it responds to aetheric disturbances. Think of the potential for space travel alone, not to mention medicine.”
“Medicine, eh? So you figured that much out. Not bad for a geologist.”
“You could become a very rich man.” Perhaps appealing to the man’s baser side would help, Nathanial thought. Not that he is displaying anything but.
Collins started walking again. “That would have mattered to me once. Came back from New Guinea with some coin, sure. Old Neddie git himself some posh flat in the right part of town, all the fancy women I wanted. The usual, you know? Beats the hell out of trying to get the Royal Academy boys to pay attention to you. I’d take pounds over publishing any day. But it wasn’t enough. You’ve got that chaos we call humanity all over, all screaming at you all the live long day, yeah? At least I could get away from that out in the wild. So I snapped up the offer from the Navy to come out here. Figured I’d finally find what I’d been looking for.”
“Well then, why don’t we have a sit and we can talk about excavation?”
“Aren’t you paying attention? Had a revelation, you see. I liked it out in the jungle. No rules, nobody playing a fiddle you have to dance to, just you and what you could make for yourself.”
“So, you headed to the biggest jungle of all, then.”
“Right. But the problem with the jungle is that you still can’t escape things, not anymore. See, I’m okay in my book. But the rest of you lot?” Collins snorted. “No, you need guidance. Just look at the mess of things all those governments are making. Used to be just on Earth, but now they’ve sprawled out across the Solar System like a fat cat shedding and defecating all over the house. Soon, there’s no room that’s worth spit, see?”
“Guidance?” Nathanial stopped. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
Collins laughed. “I doubt it. You probably think I’m going to try to take over this planet with a force of Therians and their lizard birds, eh? Don’t you worry.”
“Furthest thing from my mind, truly,” Nathanial lied.
“No, it’s about how I ended up in charge here.”
“I imagined you just decided to fit in. All this business with the tribal markings, right?”
“That? Well, they like it, but that’s just fitting in. Being one of the crowd, yeah? Like I said, they have these evening get togethers where they break out the paint pots and have at it. I think it’s their equivalent of going to the ball. Just less fornication afterwards.”
“Sir, please,” said Nathanial, glancing over his shoulder at a glowering Annabelle. “My sister is not a delicate flower by any means, but I do believe she’s beginning to take offense at your tongue.”
“Eh? Sorry, been out in the jungle far too long to care about that. Not interested in her anyway, what with her deformity.”
Nathanial was astonished to find himself standing over a prostrate Collins. He didn’t remember throwing the blow, but his hand hurt and Collins was on the ground, groaning and clutching a profusely bleeding nose. As a man of science, he had to admit that the data seemed to indicate fisticuffs had occurred.
Well, if he was going to find himself brawling, the least he could do was win.
Annabelle patted him on the back. “My hero.”
“Our Professor Stone has unplumbed depths,” said Arnaud. “Useful to know.”
“Lost my head there, sorry.”
“Ne t’inquiète pas,” Arnaud said. “Never forget that instinct has its place.”
Nathanial met his gaze. The Frenchman’s eyes were intense and earnest, without a trace of his usual flippancy. It was a side of Arnaud rarely seen, but one he’d revealed to Nathanial after leaving Ceres. Living in the ice-jungle of the Ceres underground had impacted Arnaud greatly. Nathanial wanted to say something in return, to let Arnaud know how he appreciated it, but found himself at a loss for words.
“Mon ami? Our friend stirs.” Arnaud nodded at Collins.
“Was wondering when you’d do that,” Collins said, clenching
a kerchief to his nose. “Always good to know how far you can push a man.” He looked at the Therians who surrounded them. “And you bastards, you didn’t do a bloody thing!”
The Therian Collins had referred to as “Freddie” stepped forward. “Sorry, master. You say not hurt humans.”
Collins rose to his feet and pushed Freddie to the ground. “Test!” he yelled as he kicked Freddie. “Test! Test! Test, you worthless lizard!” Freddie curled into a ball, whistling in pain. His fellow Therians didn’t move.
Collins smiled. “Test noted as successful.”
Annabelle lunged at Collins, only to be restrained by Arnaud.
“I think I prefer to leave here alive,” Arnaud whispered. “Who knows how this one will react if we should aggravate the current contretemps, oui?”
Annabelle shook his arm off, but stepped back. “Yes,” she said with clear reluctance. “But so help me, if I get a chance…”
Collins dusted off his kilt. “There, I feel much better now.” He turned to Freddie. “Tell all no hurt humans. But. Humans hurt me, they no humans. Kill like kill Skreelan, savvy?”
“Yes, Master,” moaned Freddie, slowly getting to his feet with the aid of the other Therians.
“Repeat it, God damn you!” said Collins, shoving Freddie backwards.
Freddie drew himself up, pushing the goggles up onto his head so he could look directly into Collins’ eyes. “Savvy, Master. Kill no humans. If hurt Master, no human. If no human, kill. Freddie tell all.”
Collins grunted with apparent satisfaction. “Okay, you go now.” He turned to the humans. “Sorry about that, have to reassert myself from time to time. Freddie’s just a little too smart for his own good. Means he can speak English, but I got to watch that one like a hawk. Any road, I imagine you savvy, too, eh? Touch me, and my lizard friends will eat you alive.” He winked. “Actually, they’d probably just burn you to death.”
“Monsieur,” said Arnaud, “I think your point is made. These lizard-men, they worship you as their god. But I would be careful if I were you. Men have abandoned many a god in the past with far less cause than abuse. The idols they make of you today may well be smashed with the hammers of tomorrow.”
“You still don’t get it, do you?” Collins said. “And here I was developing some respect for you two. Listen up. I was once like you lot, yeah. Got warned off this area by Kraut and skink alike, figured there was something worth hiding. And samples brought out more than a bit of that oh so precious ore we’re all here for.
“But these Therians were here first. Damn near had me for lunch, but I ran up onto that pyramid. Dunno why. Fear makes a man smarter than he knows, I suppose. Things wouldn’t follow. All taboo like, see? Anyway, that’s where we’re headed.”
“So, what will you do when they revere us as gods as well?” Nathanial asked, instantly regretting it.
“Nah, only one god at a time. They’ll even go to taboo land if I tell them to. Do anything I say. They don’t have a choice.”
“I suppose you have something clever to threaten them with.”
“It’s not that. It’s that they’re as incapable of disobeying me as your little girl is of walking on two legs. Constitutionally incapable.”
Nathanial didn’t bother trying to conceal his disgust. “Congratulations on becoming a petty despot. Once, I understand you were quite the geologist. But now you’d rather squat in the jungle in order to abuse the natives.”
“Ain’t my long term plan, though. I will bring great things to the universe, just you wait and see.”
“I’ll bite. What do you have to offer anyone?”
“Order. Courtesy of old Jungle Ned. Ain’t that a corker?”
Nathanial snorted. “Nonsense, more like.”
Collins smiled. “Yeah? You know, I like you. I know the feeling ain’t mutual, but here you are, completely at my mercy. And you’ve still a mouth on you. Tell you what, I’ll show you around and explain things to you. Then we can leave on your ship and make a few things happen, eh?”
Oh, of course, Nathanial thought. The fellow wanted off planet, after all. Well, that gave them a bargaining chip. But did he pose a danger to anyone? He was a walking advert for a sanatorium, of course. That didn’t necessarily make him dangerous, however. Loathsome Collins might have been, but it would probably be best to play along.
2.
“Look around you,” Collins said, gesturing at the surrounding city as they sat down at an improvised dinner table on the top of the pyramid. Collins had set up a camp of sorts there, with wooden supply crates serving as furniture and a canvas lean-to strung between pillars as a drawing room. “How far the mighty have fallen, eh? They had thousands of these cities across Venus, and were growing more each day. Trade and communication via Therians, brute labor from the skinks, them living in the lap of luxury.”
“You said growing,” noted Arnaud. He tapped the surface. “Is like coral, no?”
“Precisely so,” Collins said. He’d become less argumentative as they’d ascended the steps to the top, almost genial. “They call them the Old Ones. They weren’t like us. We make machines to do our bidding. We’re tool users, like the Martians. Not as decadent, of course, but that’s the gist. These Old buggers, though, they lived on a planet where metal rotted into rust in weeks. Couldn’t really make steam engines, right? But they had something else.”
“The life force,” said Arnaud. “We are atop the rock that causes growth.”
Collins clapped his hands slowly. “You discovered that about the ore, did you? Well done, sir, well done. Ah, look, tea’s on.” In an apparent fit of conciliatory hospitality, he’d laid out a crude service atop a packing crate. He poured a cup and offered it to Arnaud.
“Why not?” said Arnaud as he took it. “Long rides atop carnivorous flying reptiles does parch the throat.”
“Is this real tea?” Nathanial asked. He took a tentative sip. It had the staleness of reused tea, bolstered with some smoky herbs he couldn’t identify. He’d had worse.
“Close enough,” Collins said, slurping with gusto. He wiped his mouth. “Glad you’re willing to lower yourself and drink out of a tin cup.”
“I’m a believer in function over form,” Nathanial said.
“Spoken like a true engineer,” Collins said. “But these Old Ones, you see, they weren’t engineers so much as gardeners. Want a weapon? Grow a tree that flames. Need a house? Breed coral that will grow the way you train it. Need a flyer? Alter the animals that can already fly.”
“And now, they are primitives, fearful of the very monuments they once erected,” Arnaud said. “Monsieur Rousseau might have approved, but I am not certain I do.”
“Don’t waste your tears for them, my dear Doctor Froggy,” Collins said. “The Therians were just as much a creation as the flyers were. They’re dogs pacing around their master’s grave. Same hand structure, but I think that was a modification. That hand I found, it was from an Old One. You’d be surprised how long things last in peat bogs.”
“You said the gods brought themselves down,” Nathanial said. “It was you who wrote that, wasn’t it?”
“In one of my more grandiose moments, yes,” said Collins. “It came to me in a flash when I found the body. Just had to write it down. The genius urge, don’t you know? The next day, I left for here, mucking up the house to cover my tracks. See now, if they’d simply died off over the years, we would have more of their ruins lying about. Must have been war. Only thinking creatures bother to raze cities and salt the earth of their enemies. It’s part of our charm.”
“Do you think it was the prawns that did these fellows down?” Nathanial asked. “I think it was Géroux who thought they were an artificially bred species. And it would explain why the buildings were preserved, at least here. Killed by their own creations, there was no one left to destroy it.”
“Might have a point, yeah. Takes fire to crack these coral buildings. And fire isn’t exactly a common occurrence on this soggy excuse f
or a planet.” Collins pursed his lips. “That reminds me, need to get the damned skinks to prune those flamethrower groves. Don’t need them getting the food storehouses burned down or some foolishness like that.”
“I admit to being perversely gratified,” Arnaud said. “On one hand, we have the death of a whole city and civilization, but on the other side of this coin, I have the pleasure of having my hypothesis confirmed.”
“Yeah, pretty sure you’re right,” Collins said. “Those shrimp ain’t natural, that’s for sure. Can hibernate for years until you wake them. I first found them in what I figure was a mausoleum deep in the bowels of the pyramid. Judging by all the dried out corpses laying around in that room, they used them for preserving their dead. We can go visit.”
“Perhaps later, “ Nathanial said. “I imagine over the years, they spread to the swamp proper.”
“Not at all,” Collins said. “Weren’t any near the colonies at all until I had the Therians seed the surrounding water from the air. Carried them aloft in baskets, dropped them from the clouds. Tough little things, think most of them survived the splash.”
“That’s bestial!” Nathanial exclaimed. “Why, those were civilians!”
“Oh?” Collins replied. He picked his teeth thoughtfully. “Well, just another day’s work for Her Majesty’s service then. Ain’t like they don’t kill their fair share of innocents on a daily basis. Really, if you don’t believe that, you need to get out more. But unlike you, I recognize the necessity. They were coming close to my discovery.”
Nathanial felt his mood change to puzzlement. “How on Earth did you manage to keep the prawns from attacking you or your Therians? They’re incredibly voracious.”
Collins grinned widely. “Ah, now we come to the fun bit. Control, my boy. That’s what this is all about. Would you make a steamboat without a tiller? The Old Ones had control over everything they made, see?”
“But how?”
Collins sat back. “Found the answer deep in the pyramid when I was on the run from my Therian friends. You go down far enough, the passageways lead into the bedrock. Funny thing about the jungle, everyone forgets it’s just skin over the meat and bone of the planet. But I didn’t find the bones.
Leviathans in the Clouds Page 11
