[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
I even look at a man you are quick to forbid me him. Jesse Thorne "
"Dear Lords, let's not get into that. A leather-clad barbarian? Such an
assignation hardly preserves de-
corum. I made a mistake with this; it is too soon and you are not thinking
clearly."
"I am fine," she sniffed, white-skinned, purple-lipped, and flush-cheeked.
"Shebat, let us try some new business. You were not pleased with my handling
of our first Earthly emergency.
Hear this proposal, the only alternative to which is an end to this limited
war and the extermination of every rebel stronghold from orbit, no matter how
many inno-
cents die in the implementation of that directive."
She leaned forward, forgetful of her body, which made her groan softly.
"At last, I have your attention. Take your dream danc-
ers, who have waited over a month for you to arrive, arid train them however
you like; put them down on the planet and tame it. I have little attention to
spare for guerrilla warfare. March fifteenth is census day in New
Chaeronea. I've a celebration scheduled for then with many Consortium
dignitaries invited. By that date I want a calm and peaceful appearance, in my
northeast western
65
EARTH DREAMS
hemisphere test site, at least. Refrain from aiding me as you previously
promised, and bear the consequences. Let
Spry's remains and long sponge-journeys go, for the nonce, and do what needs
to be done here, freeing me to deal with my not inconsiderable problems in the
areas of cruiser industrialization, interconsular politics, and my
star-crossed family. Agreed?"
She saw in him a tinge of desperation overshadowed by determination; she saw
in him Parma Alexander Ker-
rion's feral spirit, the old tiger's tail lashing behind his civilized facade.
"Will we end up like your mother and father, a working unit with no passion
other than power, tolerating each other by dint of acclimatization, looking
ever elsewhere for comfort, and to one another only for strategy and
power-bloc votes?"
"It is to be hoped that we will establish at least that between us. Anything
less in a consular marriage preor-
dains destruction; anything more is on the order of divi-
dends. We have an heir; we will likely have something for him to inherit. To
that end I, at least, intend to labor.
What say you?"
"Can I see him?" said a tiny, trebling squeak of a voice she hardly recognized
as hers.
Her husband shrugged, unwound from the bed, put his hand out to her. "There is
precious little to see. But I'll go with you . . . ?"
Her nod had a sob in it, half-swallowed, that she hoped he thought came from
the trial of swinging her legs out over the edge of the bed.
Cluny Pope had brought a sloe-eyed youth to Jesse
Thome, the young scout bursting with pride. Bitsy Mis-
tral seemed to Jesse too smooth and fey, not at all the sort of companion to
wax prideful about, at first glance.
In the Earth town, things had been easier to compass than what Thorne had seen
previously, but full of strang-
eness, nonetheless. This youth Mistral was no less prob-
lematical than their entire venture beyond heaven.
Halfway through the first day, Thorne had begun to re-
gret his hubris. Now he wanted only to set his feet upon solid earth and look
up at a sky which was not fascimile
Page 42
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
beyond a horizon which curved reasonably downward, 66
JANET MORRIS
not up. Bringing his charge home yet ignorant of the likes of Bitsy Mistral
was fast becoming a pressing concern.
There was nothing wrong with the youth's behavior, save that Cluny treasured
his company and spoke of little else. Finally, Thorne had taken a hand,
suggesting that it might be best if he met Cluny's new friend.
"Friend? We have an oath, to the death, with honor!"
"Wonderful. Now go fetch him."
"He will be glad to meet you, he has asked me much about you."
Jesse Thom&'s nose itched high up inside, where it al-
ways itched when traps and treachery were abroad. He just did not have the
heart to condemn someone without a hearing, especially when that someone was
the single acquaintance young Pope had found to shield him from the horror of
all this strangeness and flouted magic.
Though the cabin in which he sat had a realistic dirt-
floor and crudely trimmed log walls, it also had a pottery pot which at the
touch of a gleaming handle whisked ex-
crement Jesse knew-not-whither, and a "shower" and a magic box which talked to
him when he wished it, and was silent when he wished that. It could send
messages and receive them, and imitate voices he had come to know. He could
have any food he desired without hunt-
ing or trading, and money seemed no part of life here where everything one
surveyed was desired, desirable, and completely controlled. The air was
neuter, telling him nothings the food was long-removed from life; the
Earth-towners were polite and self-effacing, most obse-
quious, offering every service a nobleman could find on his own faraway world,
and many forbidden to those of conscience. Still, no thing that man's
ingenuity can envi-
sion is more awful than the one thing he cannot: death.
And those dalliances Cluny was doubtless learning where to find from Bitsy
Mistral were no different than those He might already have indulged in while
living at ease in his father's hold: drugs and drinks and man's use of his
fel-
low describe the arena in which depredations can be per-
petrated, but the perpetrator is always responsible.
It was just that he had been given the boy to show him
67
EARTH DREAMS
other, more fitting responsibilities. Wealth is no easy tu-
tor, even in green-hilled Troy.
So when Cluny brought the scarlet-and-teal-clad youth with his perfect skin
and shining boots and bebaubled wrists into the cabin, Jesse Thome had already
decided to make the best of it.
Young Cluny's twice-broken nose was sheened with sweat, and his coarse black
hair arrayed in some unsuita-
ble enchanter's fashion, pushed back from his low fore-
head and curled around his large, pointed ears. He, too, wore scarves and
high, shiny boots and a cloak with a bating eagle over seven stars embroidered
on its back.
From the fit of them and the cut of them he knew they belonged to the other
boy before Cluny crowed, "Look what Mistral gave me," turning proudly, anxious
to share his delight.
"Very fitting, I hope." He unfolded himself from a claw-footed settee and
strode forward, extending his hand to the slight, long-tashed voluptuary who
came barely to his shoulder, and felt ashamed. This boy was sixteen, at best,
Page 43
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
and condemned before any fact of wrongdoing. But Thome's nose itched furiously
and the hand he took in his was soft like a woman's, with glisten-
ing, perfect nails.
"Go on. Go on," Cluny hissed, pushing the other closer when the youth, staring
up at him, hung back.
"Say it, or I'll say it for you."
Then Mistral gave a clumsy militia greeting, and once that was done: "I'm so
glad to meet you, Commander
Thorne. Cluny's told me so much about you. I'm a dream dancer, like Shebat "
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]