The Tar Aiym Krang Part 3

'Um. Well, that's blunt enough. I won't prod a sore. Maybe we should get on to...' He paused and looked to his right. Tse-Mallory and Truzenzezux followed his gaze with their own.

Flinx s.h.i.+fted his position on the floor uncomfortably. He had managed to hear as much as he had by remaining utterly inconspicuous while in plain sight, an art he had learned from a certain patient and very sneaky old man. Aided by his own odd abilities, it had served him importantly more than once. These three, however, were far more observant than the folk one encountered in the marketplace. He could see clearly that he would have to leave. Why not voluntarily ?

'Uh, sirs, I could do with some ... if you, honoured host, would point me in the direction of a pantry, I will endeavour to make myself instantly and painlessly nonpresent.'

Malaika chuckled deafeningly. 'Astuteness is laudable, youth. So instead of sending you home ... I could wonder wherethat might be ... you go back to the hall, to your right, second door. You should find in there enough nourishment to keep even you busy for a few minutes!'

Flinx uncurled from his lotus position on the floor and departed in the indicated direction. He felt their eyes and minds on him until he was out of view, at which point the pressure relaxed. Malaika's conviviality did not fool him. He might already have' heard more than would prove healthy. He was intensely interested in the answers to a good many questions that Malaika was now undoubtedly putting to his guests, and entertained thoughts of locating a good listening place at a thin section of wall.

However, the death's head bad reappeared and stationed himself by the entrance to the porch-room.

The blue eyes had pa.s.sed over him once, as though he were not worthy of a second glance. Flinx bridled, then sighed. He would have to make do with what he could pick up without visual contact. Might as well enjoy the other opportunity while he bad it. He walked on.

The pantry was all of fantastic. He almost forgot the unusual progression of incidents that had brought him here while he gorged himself and the minidrag on the store of luxuries. He had gotten as far as debating between Terran champagne and pine mint from Barabas when a short-series of extremely odd thoughts drifted across his open mind. He turned and noticed that the door to the room on his right was slightly open. The teasing sub-vocalizations came from beyond there. He did not for a moment doubt that that door should be securely locked. Cautiously, with a quick glance at the kitchen entrance, he made his way over to the door and slid it back another inch.

The room next to the kitchen was narrow but long. It probably ran the whole length of this radius of the tower. Its function, at least, was unmistakable. It was a bar. With an eye towards locating' an even more palatable drink and his curiosity piqued he prepared to enter, only to catch himself quickly.

The room was already occupied.

A figure was hunched over by the opposite wall, its head pressed tightly against it. He could make out the outlines of a ventilating grid or something similar on the other side of the head. The face was turned away from him-and so bidden. The metal and wood he could see there was thin and light. The voices from the next room sounded clearly to him even from where he stood in the kitchen.

He eased the door back as slowly and easily as possible. Apparently totally engrossed in the conversation taking place on the other side of the wall, the figure did not notice his quiet approach. The grid itself could now be seen to be much larger than would be required for ventilating purposes. It looked loose and was probably hinged. Garbage could be pa.s.sed through it from the other room, and thence s.h.i.+fted to nearby disposal units. He had a hunk of spiced Bice cheese in one hand and a pheasant leg between his teeth. His free hand started down for the stiletto hidden in his boot, then paused. The thoughts of the figure did not have the coldness nor the death-clear logic of the professional spy or a.s.sa.s.sin. Quite the contrary. Deaf killers were also rare, and this one hadstill refused cognizance of his presence.

He made a rapid decision and brought back a foot, delivering a solid blow to the upthrust portion of the unbalanced figure below. It uttered a single screech and shot through the grille into the room beyond. In a split second he had regretfully discarded both pheasant and cheese and rolled through after it, coming up on his feet on the other side. The startled faces of Malaika, Tse-Mallory, and Truzenzuzex were already gazing in astonishment at the scene. The figure stood opposite him) rubbing the injured portion. It cursed him steadily and fluently. He noticed absently as he dodged the fingers which drove for his larynx that the figure was very much that of a woman. It matched the thoughts he had picked up. Reluctantly he a.s.sumed a defensive pose, legs apart, knees slightly bent, arms out and forward. Pip fluttered nervously on his shoulder, the pleated wings unfurling preparatory to the minidrag's taking flight.

The woman made another motion as if to attack again, but was frozen by the bellow which came from Malaika's - direction.

'ATHA!' She turned to face him.

The big merchant strode over to stand between them. His eyes went from one to the other, finally settling hard on Funx.

'Well,kijana ? I suggest something profound, and quickly!'

Flinx tried to keep his voice as even as possible, despite the adrenalin pumping through his system.

'I was in the pantry and happened to notice the door to the room next to it was open' (never mind why he had noticed it). 'Looking in, I saw a figure ... that figure ... hunched over next to a grille. The room most certainly ought to have been locked. I a.s.sumed that this was not part of your normal method of conducting private business talks and so I decided to force the issue -and the person into the open, where the air is clearer. I'm sorry if I've broken a fetish or taboo of yours.'

'What!' Then he caught the humour of it and grinned.. 'Think I'm a weirdie, eh,kijana ?

'It was a thought, sir.'

'Adabu! No, you did right, Flinx.' He turned a furious gaze on the girl. She shrank back slightly under that withering visage but the obstinate glare left her face. Somehow she found the wherewithal to look righteous.

'G.o.dd.a.m.n you, girl, double-d.a.m.n and collapsed drives, I've told you about this, before!' He shook his head in exasperation. 'Again,kwa ajili ya adabu , for the sake of manners, I forgive it. Get out to the port and check out the shuttle.'

It was checked again only last week and nothing was wrong with ...

'Agggh!' He raised a hand the size of a ham. 'I.. strongly ' ... suggest ... that you ...!'She skittered by the descending hand and sped for the exit. The look she sent Flinx on the way out was brief, but hot enough to melt duralloy. Malaika caught his breath and seemed to calm himself somewhat.

'How much of what she heard did you hear?'

Flinx lied. In the situation he considered it more than ethical. 'Enough.'

'So, so!' The merchant considered. 'Well, perhaps it will work out for the better. You'll probably turn out to be the sharpest one aboard, lad, but I'd stay clear of Atha for awhile. I'm afraid your method of making first greetings will never replace shaking hands'.' He shook with laughter at his own witticism. He put out an arm as if to embrace Fiinx's shoulders, drew it back hastily at a warning gesture from Pip.

'She works for you?' It was a rhetorical question. But Flinx was curious to know what position the girl held that could inspire such trust on Malaika's part that he could treat her as he had without fear of reprisal.

'Atha? Oh yes.' He looked in the direction taken by the girl. 'You wouldn't think amwanamke that ferocious would have the patience to make stars.h.i.+p copilot at her age, would you? She's been with me in that capacity for six years now.'

Flinx resumed his former position on the floor. In reply to Tse-Mallory's inquiring gaze. Malaika said, I've decided that our young friend will accompany us on the journey. I know what I'm doing, gentlesirs. If the trip is long and tedious he will provide relief for us, and he's sharp as a whip besides. He also has some peculiar abilities which might prove useful to us) despite their capriciousness. It is a subject to which I have meant to give more attention in the past, but have never found the time.' Flinx glanced up interestedly, but could detect nothing beyond the merchant's veneer of surface geniality. In any case, he is too poor and not rich enough to pose a threat to us. And I believe him to be disgustingly honest.

Although he has had ample opportunity to steal from my house he has never done so . . . as far as I know.'

'His honesty was never in question,' said Truzenzuzex. I've no objection to the lad's presence.'

'Nor I,' added Tse-Mallory.

'Then, sociologist, if you would continue with your narrative?'

'Actually, there is not much that is new to tell. Would that there were. As you might know my companion and I gave up our respective careers and regular pursuits some twelve odd years ago to research jointly the history and civilization of the Tar-Aiym.'

'Some talk of your work has filtered down to my level, yes. Do continue. Naturally I am interested in anything that has to do with the Tar-Aiym ... or their works.'

'So much we - naturally - supposed.'

'Pardon, sir,' interrupted Flinx, I know of the Tar-Aiym, of course, but only by rumour and book. Could you maybe tell me more, please?' He looked properly apologetic.

Since Malaika offered no objection, perhaps himself not considering such information redundant.

Tse-Mallory agreed.

'All right then, lad.' He took another long swig of his drink. 'As near as we have been able to determine, some 500,000 Terran-standard years ago this area of the galaxy was, as it is now, occupied by a large number of diverse and highly intelligent races. The Tar-Aiym were by far the strongest of these. Most of their time and effort was apparently absorbed in warring with their less powerful neighbours, as much for the pleasure of it,, it seems, as for the wealth it brought them, At one time the Tar-Aiym empire covered this section of s.p.a.ce to a depth of four quadrants and a width of at least two, Maybe more.

'Any reason we could put forth to explain the total disappearance of the Tar-Aiym and most of their subject races would be mostly conjecture. But working pains-takingly with bits and pieces of myth and rumour, and a very few solidly doc.u.mented facts, researchers have put together one explanation that seems to offer more than most.

'At the height of their power the Tar-Aiym came across a more primitive race far in towards the galactic centre. This race was not quite the intellectual equal of the Tar-Aiym, and they'd had star travel for only a short time. But they were tremendously tenacious and multiplied at an extra-ordinary rate. They resisted, successfully, every effort to be forced into the Tar-Aiym hegemony. In fact, under the impetus provided by Tar-Aiym pressures, they began to make giant strides forward and to spread rapidly to other systems.

'Apparently the Tar-Aiym leaders.h.i.+p did a most uncharacteristic thing. It panicked. They directed their war scientists to develop new and even more radical types of weaponry to combat this supposed new menace from the centre. True to form, their great laboratories soon came up with several offerings. The one that was finally implemented was a form of mutated bacterium. It multiplied at a phenomenal rate, living off itself if no other host was available. To any creature with a nervous system more complex than that of the higher invertebrates it was completely and irrevocably lethal.

The story from there,' continued Truzenzuzex, 'is a simple and straightforward one. The plague worked as the leaders.h.i.+p had hoped, to the extent of utterly wiping out the Tar-Aiym enemies. It also set about totally eliminating the Tar-Aiym themselves and most of the intelligent and semiintelligent life in that huge sector of s.p.a.ce we know today as the Blight. You know it, Flinx?'

'Sure. It's a-big section between here and the centre, Hundreds of worlds on which nothing intelligent Lives. They'll be filled again someday.'

'No doubt. For now, though, they are filled only with the lower animals and the wreckage of past civilizations. Fortunately the surviving s.p.a.ce-traversing worlds were informed of the nature of the plague by the last remnants of the dying Tar-Aiym. A strict quarantine must have been put into effect, because for centuries it appears that nothing was permitted in or out of the Blight. Otherwise it is probable that none of us would be sitting here now. It is only in recent times that the systems of the Blight have been rediscovered and somewhat hesitantly explored.'

'The taboo' lingers even if the reason behind it has gone,' said Malaika quietly.

'Yes. Well, some of the quarantined races on the fringe of the epidemic died out rather slowly. By means of inters.p.a.ce relay or some similar device they managed to pa.s.s out some threads of fact describing the Armaggedon. Innocent and guilty alike died as the plague burned itself out. Thank Hive that all traces of the germ have long since departed the cycle of things."

'Amen,' murmured Malaika surprisingly. Then, louder, 'But please, gentlesirs, to the point. And the point is - credit.'

Tse-Mallory took over again. 'Malaika, have you ever heard of the Krang?'

'Nini? No, I ... no, wait a minute.' The trader's thick brows furrowed in thought. 'Yes. Yes, I believe I have. It forms part of the mythology of the, uh, the Branner folk, doesn't it?'

Tse-Mallory nodded approval, 'That's right. The Branner, as you may or may not recall, occupy three star systems on the periphery of the Blight, facing Moth. According to a folk-legend of theirs pa.s.sed down from the cataclysm, even though the Tar-Aiym were hard pressed to find a solution to the threat from the centre, they had not yet given up all forms of nonmilitary development and experimentation. As we now know for a fact, the Tar-Aiym were inordinately fond of music.'

'Marches, no doubt,' murmured Truzenzuzex.

'Perhaps. Anyway, one of the last great works of artistic merit that their culture was supposed to have produced was a great musical instrument called the Krang. It was theoretically completed in the waning days of the Empire, just as the plague was beginning to make itself known on Empire planets as well as those of the enemy.'

'Ili?' said Malaika. 'So?'

'On the side of the Blight almost one hundred and fifty pa.r.s.ecs from Banner lies the home world of a primitive race; ofhominids, little visited by the rest of the galaxy. They are far off the main trade routes and have little to offer in the way of value, either in produce or culture. They are pleasant pastoral, and nonaggressive. Seemingly they once possessed star travel, but sank back into a preatomic civilization and are only just now beginning to show signs of a scientific renaissance. Interestingly enough, they also have a legend concerning something called the Krang. Only in their version it is not an artistic device, but a weapon of war. One which the Tar-Aiym scientists were developing parallel with the plague, before the latter was put into widespread use. According to the legend it was intended to be primarily a defensive and not an offensive weapon. If so, it would be the first time in the literature' that the Tar-Aiym had been reduced to building a device for defensive purposes. This runs contrary to all we know of Tar-Aiym psychology and shows how severely they believed themselves pressed by their new enemy.'

'Fascinating dichotomy,' said Malaika. 'And you have some indication as to where this weapon or lute or whatever might be? If either, it would be very valuable in Commonwealth markets.'

'True, though we are only interested in its scientific and cultural properties.'

'Of course, of course! While my accountants are estimating its net worth, you can draw theoretical rationalizations from its guts to your heart's content ... provided that you remember how to put its pieces back together again. Now just where is this enigmatic little treasure trove, eh?' He leaned forward eagerly.

'Well, we know exactly, almost,' said Tse-Mallory.

'Exactly? Almost? My weak mind again, gentlesirs. Forgive me, but I profess lack of comprehension.'

Truzenzuzex made a very human-sounding sigh. Air made a softwhoosh ! as it was forced out the breathing spicules of his b-thorax.

'The planet on which the Krang is supposedly located was discovered accidentally nearly a t-year ago by a prospector working independently in the Blight. He was hunting for heavy metals, and he found them, 'Only they weren't arranged in the ground the way he'd expected.'

'This fellow, be must have had sponsors,' said Malaika. 'Why didn't he take this information to them?'

'The man owed a very great debt to my s.h.i.+p-brother. Heknew of his interest in Tar-Aiym relics.

Supplying Bran with this information was his way of paying off the debt. It was of a personal nature and going into it here can serve no purpose. It would have been a more than equitable reimburs.e.m.e.nt.'

'Would have been?' Malaika's humour was degenerating visibly into irritation. 'Come, come, gentlesirs, all this subtle evasion makes my mind sleepy and shortens my patience.'

'No evasion intended, merchant. The man was to have met us in our rooms in the market section of the city, bringing with him a star map listing complete co-ordinates for the planet. As we had previously agreed on you as a likely sponsor, the three of us were then to proceed on to this house. When he did not arrive as scheduled we decided after some deliberation to seek you out anyway, in the hope that with your resources you might discover some hint as to his whereabouts. In any case, it would have been difficult to maintain our independence much longer. Despite our best efforts, we do not look like tourists.

Enterprising persons had already begun asking awkward questions.'

'I will - ' began Malaika, but Flinx interrupted.

'Did your friend by any chance have red hair?'

Tse-Mallory jerked around violently. For a second Flinx had a glimpse into something terrifying and b.l.o.o.d.y, which until now the sociologist had kept well buried beneath a placid exterior. It faded as rapidly as it had appeared, but a hint of it persisted in the crisp, military tones of the sociologist's voice.

'How did you know that?'

Flinx pulled the crumpled piece of plastic from his pocket and handed it to an astounded Truzenzuzex.

Tse-Mallory recovered himself and glanced at the unfolded sheet. Flinx continued unperturbed.

'I have a hunch that's your star map. I was on my way to Small Symm's establishment when my attention was caught by a commotion in an alleyway. Ordinarily I would have ignored it. That is the way one lives in Drallar, if one wishes to livelong. But for reasons unknown and thrice cursed my pet,' he gestured at Pip, 'got curious, and took it into his head to investigate. The occupants of the alley took exception to his presence. An unfunny fight was in progress, and in the situation which developed the only argument I had was my knife.

'Your friend had been attacked by two men. Professionals by their looks and actions. They weren't very good ones. I killed one, and Pip finished the other. Your friend was already dead. I'm sorry.' He did not mention his earlier encounter with the three.

Tse-Mallory was looking from the map to Flinx. 'Well, it was said before that it was a fortuitous circ.u.mstance that brought you to our notice. Now it appears to have been doubly so.'

He was interrupted by an intent Malaika, who s.n.a.t.c.hed up the map and moved over to where a flexilamp was poised. Positioning the powerful beam he began to study the lines and symbols on the plastic with great deliberation. Dust motes danced drunken spirals in the subdued light.

'A most unusual and versatile pet,' commented Truzenzuzex idly. I've heard of them. The mortality rate from their venom is notoriously high, giving them a reputation all out of proportion to their numbers and disposition. Fortunately, as I understand it, they do not seem to attack without due provocation.'

'That's right, sir,' said Flinx, scratching the object under discussion on the side of its narrow head. 'A s.h.i.+p's physician at the shuttleport once told me he'd met a scientist who'd actually been to Alaspin. The minidrag is native to there, you know. In his spare time, the man had done some limited research on them.

'He said they seemed standoffish, which struck me as kind of a funny way to describe a poisonous reptile. But harmless unless, as you said, provoked. Pip was already pretty tame when I found him. At least, I've never had any trouble with him. The people in my area have learned to tolerate him, mostly because they haven't any choice.'

'Understandable att.i.tude,' murmured the philosoph.

'This doctor's friend was with an expedition to Alaspin to study the ruins of the ancient civilization there.

He hypotha ... hypothesized that the minidrag's ancestors might have been raised as pets by whoever had produced that culture. Selective breeding could account for some of their peculiar characteristics. Like, they have no natural enemies on the planet. Fortunately their birthrate is very low. And they are omnivorous as well as carnivorous. I found out early what that meant, when Pip started eating bread when he couldn't find meat. Oh yes, he also said they were suspected of being empathetic telepaths. You know, telepathetic on the emotional but not the mental level. That's why I'm never cheated in the marketplace or at business or gambling. Pip's sensitive to such things.'

'A fascinating creature, I say again,' Truzenzuzex continued. 'A subject I would like to pursue further.

However as I am not an exoherpetologist. I don't think it would be worthwhile just now. Too many other things on my mind,' The confession did not entirely ring true, as Flinx could read it. Mot entirely.

Malaika was craning his neck over the map, tracing out lines in the plastic with his fingers and nodding occasionally to himself. 'Ndiyo,ndiyo ... yes.' He looked up finally.

'The planet in question circles a GO, sol-type star. Four-fifths of the way towards GalCentre, straight through the Blight. Quite a trip, gentlesirs. He doesn't supply much information on the planet itself, no, not by anndege -depositing, but it might be enough. Terratype, slightly smaller, marginally thinner atmosphere, higher proportion of certain gases ... helium, for example. Also eighty-one point two per cent water, so we should have little trouble finding the thing.'

'Unless it happens to be submerged,' said Truzenzuzex.

'So. I prefer not to consider possibilities upsetting to the liver. Besides, if that were the case I don't think your prospector friend would have found it. We'll have the same kind of heavy-metal detection instruments with us anyway, but I'd wager on its being above the water-line. If I recall, the information we do have on the Tar-Aiym suggests they were anything but aquatic in build.'

'That's true,' admitted the philosoph.

'We'll travel most of the way through uns.p.a.ced areas, but then, one section of nothing is very much like any other,kweli ? I foresee no problems. Which probably means amavuno of them. At least we will be comfortable. TheGloryhole will not be crowded with all of us.'

Flinx smiled but was careful to bide it from the merchant. The origin of the name of Malaga's private cargo-racer was a well-known joke among those in the know-Most thought it an ancient Terran word meaning a rich mineral strike ...

'Unless, of course, this gun or giant harp or whatever is going to crowd us. How big did you say it was?'

'I didn't,' said Tse-Mallory. 'We've no better idea than you. Only that it's .. large.'

'Hmph! Well, if it's too big to go up on the shuttle, we'll just have to send back for a regular transport.

I'd rather sit on it once we've found it, but there are no relay stations in that area. If it's been there untouched for a few millennia it will wait a few days.' He rolled up the map. 'So then, sirs. If there are no objections, I see no reason why we cannot leavekesho , tomorrow.'