Chung Kuo - The Marriage Of The Living Dark Part 47

Da-neel grunted and turned his head slightly, one sleepy eye half-focusing on DeVore "Oh, if s you ..."

FLOWERS.

"Yes, it's me," DeVore said. "And Fve a task for you, if you've finished f.u.c.king my woman."

The boy sat up slowly, disentangling himself from the woman's limbs. "What1 s happening?" he asked, yawning as he reached down and picked up his s.h.i.+rt.

Tve been playing a game"

"A game?"

"Yes, with a poker and a map."

"Ahhh ..." The fake's eyes widened with understanding. "Who was he?"

"Lin Lao."

"Lin Lao?" Daniel pulled on his s.h.i.+rt, then whistled. "Then you know where she is."

"Precisely. But we've not got long."

"I see that" The young man turned, looking down at Emtu. "Then you'll need her, too."

DeVore smiled. "Yes." He sat beside the woman, then ran his left hand slowly up her flank until it cupped her breast Slowly the nipple hardened. She turned, murmuring vaguely in her sleep. DeVore leaned forward and nuzzled his tongue against the hardened bud. An eye flicked open. The woman smiled. 'Tve a job for you, my sweet A very important job. Indeed, you might say that if s the job you were made for."

It is night. A field of lucent blooms, pale, long-necked lilies, stretch beneath the circle of the moon, their radiance tike the glow oftiving death. Tall-stemmed blooms that tremble in the chtH wind from the west. A sigh ripples from bloom to bloom, from stantened mouth to mouth; an utterance of darkness, iMean. There is a moment's perfect stillness and then they walk, black earth tumbling like pepper grains from their roots as they slowly ctimb the steepening dope, the faint rustle of their leaves filling the silence of the valley.

From s.p.a.ce nothing, yet the truth is, in a thousand valleys the blooms are on the move, their faint corpse-light s.h.i.+mmering across the dark yet moont.i.t lands, slowly extending their domain, even as humankind sleeps. A sigh and then they rest once more, leaves folded, awaiting the day and the sunlight from which they take their strength.

Fields of lilies, beautiful pale white lilies s.h.i.+ning beneath the moon, filling the high ground of the alpine valleys, while beneath them 'lie the great plains of central Europe.

They rest. Tomorrow they unH begin the descent. Tomorrow.

CHAPTER-18.

the song of no-s.p.a.ce.

Chuang walked slowly around the edge of the circular pond, raised on her toes like a dancer, her arms out for balance, her back straight, her head back. Below her feet the fish circled slowly, a mix of dark and orange carp, their well-fed shapes appearing and disappearing among the bright green lily pads. Returning to her point of departure, Chuang looked across. Kim was sitting on the top step of the first tier, a notepad in his lap, writing. Behind him the great transparent dome of Fermi curved sharply upwards five hundred metres then levelled out Through it she could see where the blackness of no-s.p.a.ce met Ganymede's dull, orange-red surface in a sharply drawn arc.

Kin was dressed formally, the dark austerity of his cloak a sharp contrast to his normal, casual attire. It was almost three months since she had last seen him and he had changed a great deal in that time; his face was thinner, his hair grown steely-white. Chuang walked across and stood there, looking down at him. "What are you writing, Uncle?"

Kim glanced up, as if noticing her for the first time, then looked back at his pad. "If s nothing, just..."

She went round and stood just to the side of him, looking down over his shoulder.

Equations, the Machine said, its voice sounding clear in her head. He's developing new notations for the folded-s.p.a.ce equations.To her eyes the marks Kim was making seemed little more than complex doodles - for they lacked the clean line and simplicity of normal mathematical symbols - yet the Machine quickly showed her how their shapes reflected their use; how each corresponded to a certain mathematical formula. They were symbols. Symbols in a new mathematics.

She smiled. "If s like music."

"Yes ... Yes, it is."

He pointed to one of the marks, which resembled a flatfish being speared by an electrical charge. "Besides its mathematical value, each symbol contains an element of what you might call resonance and harmony. Factors that normal maths don't have. If s a kind of language. I'm using it to try to express the physics of No-s.p.a.ce and Folding, but its base, as you say, is musical." "Like a song?"

Kim grinned. "Precisely."

"And does it help? I mean, does it make your task any easier?"

He shrugged, his large, dark eyes thoughtful, his forehead deeply furrowed. "I don't know, to be honest with you, Chuang. I hope it will. As I get more fluent - as I find subtler ways of expressing the equations - I'm hoping that something will jump out at me ... will, if you like, open to me. But who knows? If s been a long time now."

She saw the tiny flicker of doubt in his eyes and looked away, pretending that she hadn't Kim had been stalled on this problem for more than fifteen months now. It was the longest he'd ever taken to solve any problem, and it was beginning to look as if this once he had over-reached himself. He could breach the membrane between realities, certainly -time and again he had created brief-lived, tiny windows between the universes - yet he could not make them big enough, nor permanent enough, to be of any use. Every attempt of his to create a larger, more stable window - one that was of practical use; that one could use to travel through -had failed. And with each new failure, Kim's confidence had visibly diminished.

"He's late," Chuang said, changing the subject "I told you he'd be late." Kim lifted the flap of skin over his wrist and glanced at the timer, then shrugged again. "If he's late, he's late. I can't be blamed for that Besides, they can't start without him, can they?"

"No, I..."

There were hurried footsteps just below them, then a shout "Father?"

"Up here, Sampsa," Kim said, standing up and pocketing his notebook. He put a hand out for Chuang to take. "Come."

Sampsa met them at the foot of the steps. He looked fl.u.s.tered.

"You've remembered everything?" he asked impatiently.

"Everything," Kim said, patting his cloak pocket "Now come. Ai Lin is waiting."

As they stepped out into the arena of Fermi's smaller dome, where the ceremony was to take place, Ai Lin looked across from where she stood on the raised podium beside her sister, Lu Yi, and Tom, and gestured to them to hurry. Kim looked to Sampsa, seeing how nervous he was, then leaned close, whispering in his ear.

"She looks beautiful, Sampsa. Don't keep her waiting any longer." Tom was smiling. He had clearly known all along where Sampsa was, but, mute as he was, he had not been able to communicate it to the twins. As Sampsa stepped up onto the podium, Ebert detached himself from the little group he was standing with and walked across, taking his place before the two couples. A moment later Kim and Jelka joined him there, standing either side of him as the ceremony commenced.

"People of City Fermi," Ebert began, the twin probes above his head circling much slower than usual, "We bear witness today to the solemn joining of these two couples. We shall hear their vows and give our communal blessing, as is our custom.

But before we begin, let me say a word or two about the young, men and women standing here before us today."

There were smiles from the crowd of two to three hundred who had gathered in the arena. There had been few weddings these past two years, so this was an especially joyous occasion. Things had not been going well for the colony - a spate of recent suicides not the least of their problems - and so most found this occasion not merely welcome but almost an affirmation of faith in the future.

It was also the first time in more than six months that Kim had made a public appearance, and many in the deeper levels of the domed cities turned on their screens to watch for that alone; to look at Ward and judge whether there was any substance to the rumours of his illness.

For now, however, the cameras switched between the blind-eyed face of Ebert and the two couples who stood transfixed before him. Ebert looked directly at Sampsa and smiled benevolently. "Our friend Sampsa we all know and love. No one, I believe, has worked harder for the colony these past two years. Nor has anyone, I feel, done more to raise our spirits under trying circ.u.mstances. It would be no exaggeration to say that he has carried an immense burden, yet carried it with good cheer and without complaint" Kim looked up, surprised by the words, then glanced across to where the giant, Karr, stood with his wife and daughters, beside Kao Chen and his family. Karr was looking down, slowly nodding to himself.

"What most of you will not know, however, is just how hard he works. Indeed, so concerned is he with the personal problems of our citizenry, he almost did not make it here this morning."

Sampsa gave Ai Lin an apologetic smile.

"But now that he is, let me move on quickly and say a word or two about his a.s.sistant on the Council, Tom Shepherd."

"You'd best," Lu Yi said, grinning, "for he certainly won't!"

There was laughter. Tom grinned.

"So it is," Ebert said, smiling, "yet as the old saying goes, actions speak much louder than words, and by his actions Tom has shown himself to be a good friend to all of Ganymede's citizens. His work with children, especially his cla.s.ses on signing, has been of benefit to all and future generations will surely profit by having a language that can be used in vacuum conditions."

Tom nodded to Ebert, making the hand sign for "thank you", which Ebert returned with a gesture of gracious emphasis - "thank you." "But before we think that the men alone are worthy of praise, let me mention the long hours of work that Ai Lin and her sister Lu Yi have put in supporting their partners. Moreover their visits to the sick and injured have been greatly appreciated by many. In a small society such as ours such actions are the cement that binds us together and we should not forget their importance." Ebert paused, momentarily speaking beyond the small circle surrounding him. "These past few years have been difficult It is not easy to live without a sense of movement, of destination. It is hard to maintain faith in a condition of No-s.p.a.ce. Yet we shall come out of this, and today's ceremony is not merely a matter of personal joy for these two couples who stand before me, but a more general celebration of faith - that we shall come through. That we shall arrive at Eridani. And the children of these unions - for I hope there will be children - will come to stand upon a new world, beneath a new sun. And so the race of man will continue."

Ebert was silent a moment, then, looking to Kim, he held out his hand, palm open. Kim stared a moment, then, understanding suddenly what he meant by the gesture, fished in his pocket for the rings, spilling all four out into Eberf s palm.

They were simple gold rings, like the rings he and Jelka wore A symbol so old it seemed almost to predate history.

The drde forged. The halves made whole.

He watched Ebert turn and smile at the two couples, and felt a great flood of warmth wash through him. Reaching out, he took Jelka's hand behind Eberf s back, squeezing it, conscious of the look of love and pride in her face. If only Mfleja were here to see this, he thought, his eyes suddenly moist But Sampsa seemed unaware of any shadows. He glanced sideways at his beloved Ai Lin, his face lit with delight, then looked back at Ebert as the words of the ceremony began.

Afterwards, Karr came across to him and taking him aside, said quietly, "Can I see you, Kim? We need to talk."

"Of course," he began. "H you want to come over tomorrow evening."

"No," Karr said, his face stern. "I meant right now. There's a room nearby."

"Gregorl Whaf s going on?"

'If s important, that1 s all I can say."

"Important?"

But Karr would say no more. Taking Kim's arm, he led him away. And Kim, looking about him, saw how several of those gathered there glanced at him then quickly looked away.

"Well?" he asked when they were inside the room, the door locked behind them.

"Is there a reason for this cloak-and-dagger stuff?" "A very good reason," Karr said, indicating that Kim should take a seat "We think there's a plot to overthrow the Council. A plot that involves killing all of us then turning round and going back to Chung Kuo." Kim gave a laugh of disbelief. "But that"s impossible!" "You know that and I know that, but there are some here who think we've been lying to them."

"Lying?" This got more incredible by the moment. "Are you serious, Gregor?" "Never more so. Your life... all our lives... are in danger. We must act soon, Kim, or go under."

"Now wait a moment You say there's a plot, so I suppose there is one. But are you sure about this? Are you sure they mean to kill us and supplant us?" "Not certain, no. But if what we've heard is right..."

"If what you've heard? Then why have I heard nothing?" Karr gave a bleak laugh.

"When did you last speak to me, Kim?"

Kim thought "Two weeks ago? No ..." "That's right Five weeks. And Sampsa, when did you last see Sampsa before today?"

Kim looked down. "Have I been that engrossed in things?"

"Obsessed is more the word."

"Then why didn't someone say something?"

"Because we thought what you were doing was important But right now this is more important, hence the hastily-arranged ceremonies. You see, we are all being watched. And had we gone to you at Kalevala, they would have known. As it is, they'll probably suspect So maybe we've not long at all in which to act. Maybe they'll choose to strike tonight."

"A coup?"

Again Karr nodded.

"So what do we do?"

"We round them up."

"And then?"

"We place them on board one of the s.h.i.+ps and cut them loose."

Kim gave a low whistle. "Are things that bad?"

"Worse. There's not a single citizen who doesn't feel somehow imprisoned. We're suffocating, Kim. Not literally, but psychologically. And maybe that1 s worse. Maybe that7s far worse in the circ.u.mstances."

"Then I must find the answer."

Karr sighed. "You think there is an answer?"

"Don't you?"

"I don't know any more. When you got so close, I thought ... Well, I thought it would be days, not years. I thought..."

Kim nodded. "I understand." He was quiet a moment then. "Okay. Let's do what must be done. But no violence unless we must And give them all they need on the s.h.i.+p. I would not have them come to harm. It was not their fault that we came into this No-s.p.a.ce."

Karr looked to him then bowed, as if taking orders from his general, then turned and, unlocking the door, went out, leaving Kim to ponder how far things had degenerated.

I didn't know, he thought. Why, I didn't even guess!

Back at Kalevala, Kim went to his study and sat down in the big leather chair behind his desk, brooding. He was still brooding when Jelka came into the room. "I heard," she said.

He looked up, his dismay etched in his face. "If s falling apart, isn't it?"

She went to contradict him, to somehow lift him, but she could see from his eyes that he didn't want that; this once he wanted the truth, whether it hurt or not. "Maybe," she said, fearing to say an unequivocal yes. "But Gregor"s no fool. If anyone can hold things together, he can."

"Yes, but at what price?" Kim sighed, forlorn now. "I knew there'd be times when spirits would flag, but this ... I never imagined this." She laughed, making him look up at her. "What?" he asked.