A Quantum Mythology

by Gavin G. Smith

  Elodie nodded. ‘A short EVA from the habitat. I spoofed your sensors and the suit was set up for stealth,’ the feline intrusion-specialist told him.

  ‘By the look of you, you rode the ship down during entry into the atmosphere. Some kind of insulating foam?’ Elodie nodded again. ‘So all you had to do then was override my airlock, spoof it so I didn’t know about it, sneak past all my sensors, spoof a nano-screen and hide from my automatons – none of which you should have been able to do. You really are very good, aren’t you?’ Mr Hat said. Elodie’s smile was more of a grimace. ‘And you have a ridiculous amount of resources behind you.’ At the base of the column, more of Mr Hat’s automatons were slowly moving towards them.

  ‘I’d advise against it – your psych profile says you don’t like taking unnecessary risks.’

  ‘Does it say that I also don’t like losing? Or being made a fool of?’

  ‘Yes, it does. There’s no shame in this. Your army aside, there’s one of you and three of us, and whatever lies we may like to tell ourselves, we’re all of a comparative skill level.’

  ‘Did you trick me here?’ the diminutive lizard asked.

  ‘We knew the information broker Jonas used – an AI affiliated with Pythia. We bribed him so he’d only accept your bid.’

  ‘I’d hope it was the highest,’ Mr Hat said.

  ‘With our contribution, it was.’

  The automatons had stopped. Vic rode past them as they perched on vehicles, watching him with their eyeless faces. The Amuser had stopped firing as well. He rode over the lip. The bubble wheels deflated to a normal configuration as he made his way towards the shuttle station.

  ‘So I suppose the question remains: why?’ Mr Hat asked.

  ‘We want the blank,’ Elodie told him.

  The lizard’s snout wrinkled in confusion. ‘Without his entangled twin, he only offers one-way communication with my employer, whom Scab can contact through other channels if he wishes. So why does he want the blank?’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Elodie said. The lizard’s voice-analysis software suggested she was probably telling the truth, and that there was an undercurrent of confusion and irritation connected to her lack of knowledge.

  With a thought, Mr Hat brought the Amuser up over the lip of the rift and ordered his automatons to make for the closest shuttle station. He gazed out over the vast plain-like road. The vehicles on it looked like fast moving insects. He had the ship hover just beneath the transparent roof holding up the ocean.

  ‘You must realise that my employer’s a very powerful individual, yes?’ Mr Hat asked. ‘And he will be displeased about this, to say the least. Your threat is inconsequential compared to what he could do to me.’

  ‘You’ll weigh up the risks; we’re a more immediate threat.’

  Mr Hat considered this. ‘My pride is wounded, Miss Negrinotti, but this really is a most interesting job.’

  ‘I’d give it up. Woodbine Scab destroys everything he touches.’

  The diminutive lizard looked up at her. ‘Very well, I’ll give you the blank.’

  Scab, a partially mangled Vic – who had to be cut out of his bodyglove bike – and a still-healing Elodie, escorting the blank – an eyeless human, idiot clone, biologically entangled to a twin somewhere – walked into the Basilisk II’s pool room. Steve, now in his dolphin body, was swimming in agitated circles.

  ‘A courier!’ his limbed P-sat shouted at them. ‘You had me delivered! You had me fucking delivered!’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ Vic groused.

  36

  Ancient Britain

  When they left Cuda’s bower they were blindfolded again until they were close enough to easily find the tracks left by the column. The survivors had travelled deeper into woods, into the land that Guidgen and his people called Ardu.

  Guidgen had spoken with the gwyllion, and they had agreed to cease the attacks until the dryw spoke with Bladud and his people. As they made their way past the outlying guards, a number of them nodded at Tangwen and Kush as they walked by. The guards glared at Guidgen with suspicion and no little dislike. It was obvious that he represented the tribe who had been murdering their people as they slept.

  As they walked into the camp, Tangwen saw four riders enter as well. They wore the garb, bore the weapons and carried themselves as warriors, but their armour looked ill-fitting, as if it had belonged to someone else originally. They dismounted as Bladud and Nerthach, accompanied by Anharad and her silent grandson Mabon, approached the riders. If they were warriors, as they appeared to be, then it was fitting that Bladud greet them. Even from a distance, Tangwen could see that the newcomers had experienced hard times in the recent past.

  ‘That is Bladud,’ Tangwen told Guidgen. He nodded, smiling as if he knew that already. As they walked towards the Witch King, they started to hear the conversation with the newly arrived warriors.

  ‘I am Ysgawyn. These are my men – Brys, Gwynn and Madawg,’ the apparent leader of the warriors said.

  ‘That is all?’ Nerthach asked, sounding a little confused. ‘No deeds to your name, nor your father’s name, or your tribe?’

  ‘We are Durotriges from the south and the west,’ Ysgawyn told Nerthach. ‘We do not feel like great warriors. Our lands have been overrun by the spawn of Andraste and our people are dead, or worse.’

  Bladud was studying the man, a look of concentration on his face. ‘There is some truth to your story, but that is not all of it, I think,’ he said.

  Tangwen increased her pace, stooping to pick up a rock without breaking stride.

  ‘Tangwen?’ Kush said.

  Tangwen pushed past a surprised Bladud and Nerthach. Ysgawyn turned. There was a moment of confusion but he realised her intent too late. As he started reaching for his sword, Tangwen hit him in the face with the rock again and again, riding him down to the ground, bloodying his mouth, breaking his nose and teeth. His three men reached for their weapons. Nerthach stepped forwards, pushing the youngest one, Gwynn, to the ground with his bulk as he drew his own blade. Bladud stepped back, watching impassively. Warriors were running towards the fight. Kush arrived first, axe at the ready. Ysgawyn’s men were quickly surrounded. Tangwen was crouched over Ysgawyn. She spat in his face and drew her iron-bladed dagger.

  ‘Tangwen!’ Bladud’s voice cut through the raised voices. Tangwen hesitated. Ysgawyn was staring up at her through the blood, furious. ‘This is ill done.’

  ‘These are the Corpse People. They make war on children and defenceless landsfolk. They kill for the sake of it and think they are dead. I am merely helping them with their belief.’

  ‘Then let us face each other like warriors, when I have a sword in my hand, or is that too much of challenge for you?’ Ysgawyn demanded. There were nods from among the warriors present. Tangwen spat in his face again.

  ‘I’ll give you the same chance you gave all the peaceful villages you sacked – not that you would have had the courage to do it if you hadn’t been allies of the Lochlannach!’ Tangwen hissed. There was more muttering from the surrounding warriors at the mention of the Lochlannach.

  ‘I have heard of the Corpse People,’ Nerthach mused. ‘It is an ill name.’

  ‘If Tangwen wishes to take this man’s life, then any who object may do so to me,’ Kush said. His voice was a low, menacing rumble. Guidgen had come to stand next to him. There was still a slight smile on the strange dryw’s face.

  ‘Are you spying for them? For Bress?’ Tangwen demanded.

  ‘No,’ Ysgawyn told her.

  ‘This is ill done,’ said Brys, the oldest of the Corpse People, a heavily built, grizzled man with long grey hair tied back into a ponytail. ‘We have waged war and raided just like the rest of you, only we are better at it. If Ysgawyn, or any of us, have broken your laws, then we have the right to challenge.’

  ‘Why aren’t yo
u with Bress and his master, the Dark Man in the flames?’ Tangwen demanded.

  ‘They betrayed us!’ Ysgawyn shouted at her. ‘Are you happy?’

  Tangwen stared down at him with utter contempt. She raised the stone again and he brought up his hands to shield his face. Tangwen dropped the stone, then straightened and faced Bladud.

  ‘If he gets in my way, or even irritates me, I’ll kill him,’ Tangwen told the Witch King.

  ‘Tangwen, it is not for you to speak to Bladud—’ Nerthach began. Kush opened his mouth to object.

  ‘Let her speak freely,’ Bladud said.

  ‘As far as I am concerned,’ Tangwen said, raising her voice so all could hear it, ‘this man is beneath respect. He may be treated as people see fit. If he offends you, or breaks any laws, he should be killed out of hand, for he does not deserve anything more.’

  ‘How convenient.’ It was said in a low, rasping voice, little more than a whisper, but it still carried. Tangwen turned around to see the sallow, narrow-faced, oddly frail-looking warrior with a receding hairline who had ridden in with Ysgawyn. He had been introduced as Madawg. He was staring at Tangwen in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.

  ‘Do you have something to say?’ Tangwen asked, her hand dropping to the haft of the hatchet pushed through her belt. Madawg said nothing. He just kept watching her.

  Nerthach offered his hand to Ysgawyn and pulled him to his feet.

  ‘You help around here and you do as you’re told,’ Nerthach told the rhi of the Corpse People. ‘Any trouble and I’ll kill you myself – fair fight or not, it makes no difference to me, understand?’

  Ysgawyn glared at the big warrior in his bear-fur cloak, but he nodded.

  Tangwen turned to Bladud. ‘This is Guidgen, a dryw of the gwyllion,’ Tangwen told the Witch King.

  Bladud offered his arm. Guidgen looked down at the hand. His smile grew a little wider but he did not take the proffered arm.

  A short time later they were standing on a small earthen bank next to the mud track, some distance away from the main camp. Around them the leaves were just starting to yellow and the woods were soaked still from the overnight rain.

  Bladud was opposite the wizened, still-smiling Guidgen, Anharad and Tangwen nearby. Nerthach was keeping watch, and Kush was also close by. Even Germelqart had come to sit quietly at the treeline after exchanging a few words with Kush in their own tongue.

  ‘Thank you for coming to speak with me,’ Bladud said. Guidgen nodded.

  ‘I do not thank you,’ Anharad said. ‘You have acted in a cowardly manner. You have waged war on the sleeping and the helpless, killed children, and all this on people who have suffered enough. I think you are no better than these Corpse People.’

  ‘Given the choice between doing the right thing and the survival of your people, what would you do?’ Guidgen asked.

  Anharad opened her mouth to answer but then closed it again.

  ‘The Corpse People raided, the gwyllion are just protecting their land,’ Tangwen said. ‘I am not sure we would have done things very differently. When a stronger tribe comes to your land, you’re left with cunning and fear to best them. We used to lead raiders astray in the marshes and pick them off one by one.’

  ‘I am sure that Tangwen explained the situation?’ Bladud said. Guidgen nodded. ‘And you will join us?’

  ‘We have not even decided if we will let you pass,’ Guidgen said. ‘We will certainly not be serving you.’

  Bladud held his composure well. Tangwen couldn’t help but smile. Anharad made a choking noise.

  ‘Do you understand what is happening?’ the Trinovantes woman demanded.

  ‘Indeed,’ Guidgen said.

  ‘And you believe it?’ Bladud asked. ‘It can sound difficult—’

  ‘The spawn of Andraste are less than two days behind you, and they kill or change everything in their path. Our scouts have seen them, and there is no way we can fight them.’

  ‘Yet,’ Bladud said.

  ‘Then your people will flee?’ Anharad asked.

  ‘Perhaps,’ said Guidgen.

  ‘Are you trying to be irritating?’ Anharad demanded.

  ‘No, it is incidental.’

  Tangwen laughed and Anharad glared at her.

  ‘We are stronger together,’ Bladud pointed out.

  Guidgen shook his head. ‘You, personally, are stronger, because you have power over these people. We would obviously be better off on our own. That is assuming the coming of Andraste’s brood is not a good thing.’

  Bladud didn’t quite manage to keep a grasp on his composure this time. Even Tangwen was staring at Guidgen in shock.

  ‘Guidgen, you are right to question, but we have seen these things,’ Bladud said when he finally recovered the ability to speak. ‘There is no reasoning with them – what they do not kill, they change and then enslave.’

  ‘I would agree with all of that – with the exception of slavery,’ said Guidgen. ‘We think they are as much slaves as are the wolves in a pack.’

  ‘Wolf packs have leaders,’ Nerthach growled from where he was keeping watch.

  Guidgen nodded towards him in agreement. ‘We made the mistake once of gathering power, of living behind walls, of trying to be civilised.’ Guidgen looked at Kush, who smiled and bowed towards him. ‘It was a mistake. Now the trees walk and we can hear the Horned God’s laughter echoing through their branches. We would be changed. What we are now would be no more, but we could better serve the Horned God, and through him Cuda.’

  Bladud was already shaking his head. ‘This is not of Cuda. This is a blight – it sickens her.’

  ‘So you would have it, because your life is coming to an end and now a different life will be dominant. Tell me, do you think these things are evil?’

  ‘No,’ Bladud finally admitted. ‘They are … something else.’

  ‘Fine,’ Tangwen said. ‘But you can’t blame the old life for fighting back.’

  Guidgen nodded towards her.

  ‘It sounds like an excuse to not fight, an excuse for cowardice,’ Anharad said, unimpressed.

  ‘To do something of which we are very afraid?’ Guidgen asked.

  ‘Is that what you have chosen?’ Bladud asked.

  ‘It is one of our choices. We could also flee on our own, so we would not be laden down with the others you have gathered around you. We could join you and help with the burden of your responsibility. Or—’

  ‘Fight us every step of the way so that you could sacrifice us to Andraste’s children,’ Bladud said. Guidgen nodded.

  ‘Is he under hospitality?’ Anharad demanded. Mabon was on his feet, hand on his knife, responding to his grandmother’s obvious anger.

  ‘Yes,’ Tangwen, Kush and Bladud said as one.

  ‘You fear a change,’ Guidgen said. ‘That is understandable, but it is not so clear a path for us as it is for you. Constant fleeing would appear to offer no hope.’

  Bladud was smiling. ‘I like you, Guidgen,’ he said.

  ‘I’m afraid I cannot say the same thing, for I know what you are,’ Guidgen said.

  Nerthach turned to stare at Guidgen, furious. ‘Dryw or no, it does not befit you to insult Bladud!’ the big warrior told Guidgen. It was the first time the smile on the dryw’s face faltered.

  ‘He did not insult me,’ Bladud said thoughtfully.

  ‘Is there hope for you as a people?’ Guidgen asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Bladud told him. ‘But it is slim. It will be hard, and dangerous, and we will not discuss it with you unless we are sure you are with us.’

  Guidgen nodded. It was his turn to look thoughtful. ‘And there are others here who know of this hope?’ Guidgen asked. Tangwen frowned. It sounded like an odd question.

  ‘Yes,’ Bladud said.

  ‘Very well. We will join you
, we will help – on one condition,’ Guidgen said.

  ‘That I give myself to the land,’ Bladud said.

  ‘Enough of this,’ Nerthach spat and started drawing his sword. Tangwen’s hands went to her hatchet and her dagger. Bladud stepped between Nerthach and Guidgen.

  ‘It is better that you cut me down than strike a dryw in my presence, do you understand?’ the Witch King demanded. Nerthach froze. The big warrior was shaking with anger. Guidgen appeared to be perfectly calm and unafraid. The smile was back on the wizened dryw’s face as he looked around at the wet woods. Bladud turned back to Guidgen. ‘Do I know you?’

  ‘We have never met,’ Guidgen told him.

  ‘Why would you see my blood on the earth?’

  ‘Because the oaks speak of you, and the words they whisper through their creaking branches are bannog rhi.’

  ‘I have made no secret of this,’ Bladud said. ‘We are stronger together, particularly now, and if there is a stronger leader, they will take my place whether I want it or not. But these are things to discuss once we have found a way to deal with the spawn of Andraste.’

  Guidgen’s smile had gone now. ‘That is a lie,’ he said. Tangwen’s breath caught in her throat.

  ‘I’m warning you—’ Nerthach began.

  ‘Nerthach, enough!’ Bladud said. He was angry now. ‘Is this your idea of serving your people? Hide behind your status as a dryw to insult warriors?’ he demanded of Guidgen.

  ‘You do not wear a warrior’s robe,’ Guidgen said. ‘And it is no insult to say what is, is. The actions you take now will help your claim as bannog rhi.’

  ‘Fine, that is true, but I also think you underestimate how much I want my people and myself to live,’ Bladud said after some thought.

  ‘You would rule us?’ Guidgen asked.

  ‘I would have you join us.’

  ‘Under your rule.’

  ‘If you like.’

  ‘It does not befit a rhi to obscure his words so.’