Hellspark. Part 23

"Oh, foot!" said Buntec, "I lost the throat mikes."

Swift-Kalat smiled; Buntec smiled back, pleased that he found her fiction acceptable by Jenji standards.

"And just in time." Om im grinned and pointed: two daisy-clippers emerged from the flashwood.

Moments later, Hitoshi Dan was pounding backs all around, welcoming them like lost children. He was so happy to see them he gave the same welcome to swift-Kalat, who hadn't been lost. Buntec didn't begrudge it in the slightest.

On the skirt of the daisy-clipper, Om im paused and held out the edge of his cloak to Sunchild. The sprookje took it, loosed it, then turned and stepped into the flashwood, headed in the direction of base camp. "Thanks, but I'll walk," Om im interpreted with a grin. "After the last ride you had, I'm not at all surprised." He bounced aboard and gave Edge-of-Dark a flourish and a wave. Edge-of-Dark took his meaning; the daisy-clipper dashed for base.

Chapter Thirteen.

EVERYTHING REACTIVATED SIMULTANEOUSLY-from the arachne to Tocohl's 2nd skin and implant to Alfvaen's hand-held-and simultaneously Maggy a.s.sessed it all. The view from Tocohl's spectacles, though Maggy enhanced it, showed only the tuft of moss that the sprookje had given her; Tocohl had apparently put the spectacles in her pouch. From the arachne, Maggy saw Tocohl's still "booted" feet; the programming she'd read into the 2nd skin's local microprocessors had held even through the lapse of contact, she noted. (Tocohl!) she said through the implant, (Tocohl!) There was still no response. Maggy sent the arachne up for a better look while she checked the sensors in Tocohl's 2nd skin. Heart-and breath-rate close to normal-normal for unconsciousness, at any rate-but the swelling beneath Tocohl's skin at the third rib on the right spoke of injury.

Using the arachne's vocoder, she tried to rouse Tocohl to consciousness. She was somewhat surprised to realize that she would have kept trying, despite layli-layli calulan 's injunction, had Tocohl not stirred and spoken. "Maggy, you're safe!"

(Veschke's sparks!) Maggy said. (You thought something had happened to me !) But Tocohl had lapsed back into unconsciousness and Maggy finished the thought to herself, Of course! All our contact had gone dead. You were as afraid for me as I was for you.

Having a.s.sessed the data from the 2nd skin, Maggy concluded a seventy percent chance Tocohl's rib was broken. Concluding as well that layli-layli calulan had little interest in probability by percentage, she said only, "She may have a broken rib-"

Layli-layli calulan, as Maggy had expected, already knew, but asked her to look at Alfvaen.

a.s.suming Alfvaen still had the hand-held... Maggy sent the arachne over the backrest of Tocohl's seat.

It was no easy task manipulating the mobile in a moving vehicle, especially without stepping all over Tocohl. When she had at last landed and steadied it beside Alfvaen, she promptly switched a high proportion of her attention to the Siveyn.

While layli-layli notified base camp that Om im and Buntec were safe and gave the location where swift-Kalat waited with them, Maggy probed Alfvaen. "Asleep," she p.r.o.nounced when her words would no longer be an interruption, "at least her heartbeat and respiration are the same as I noted when she slept normally.""That's encouraging. Buntec says she seemed to sober, then began to hallucinate. She challenged Tocohl to a death duel, that's why she's tied. I can't tell you anything about those growths on her skin.

They might be a symptom of Cana's disease that hasn't yet been noted, or they might be-" The daisy-clipper lurched slightly; layli-layli calulan did not finish the sentence.

She concentrated on piloting for a moment, then said, in a different tone, "Your last hunch was right: Buntec found an Hayashi jammer in Tocohl's throat mike. But that's a secret, you're not to tell anyone about that just yet."

"I will tell Tocohl."

"Of course. That was understood. But no one else."

Maggy scanned Alfvaen once more, considering as she did the state of Tocohl's rib and the fact that fiction had proved true in the case of the Hayashi jammer. She was silent for the remainder of the trip upriver as she recalled all the relevant Siveyn literature.

By the time they arrived within sight of base camp, Maggy had reached what she thought a good conclusion. "That must mean that Alfvaen and Tocohl are best friends," she said aloud.

"I beg your pardon?"

Layli-layli calulan sounded so puzzled that Maggy momentarily lost her certainty, until she recalled that layli-layli calulan simply didn't know the Siveyn as well as she did. "If Alfvaen challenged Tocohl to a death duel," Maggy said, "they must be best friends. I didn't know they were." She sought the a.n.a.logous situation-midway through Alfvaen's favorite fiction-and found in Tocohl's gloss the comment: "Don't worry, Maggy. It'll all work out right. It always does in a case like this." Maggy knew from Tocohl's tone that this was intended to be rea.s.suring, so she told layli-layli calulan precisely the same.

Whether it served to rea.s.sure layli-layli or not, Maggy couldn't tell. They had reached the base camp and the shaman shot over the barbed-wire perimeter to ground the daisy-clipper, with a jarring thump, directly in front of the infirmary. She exited shouting commands to those who waited with stretchers.

Maggy made sure the arachne got in no one's way, then sent it springing into the infirmary after them all.

Alfvaen and Tocohl had already been transferred from stretchers to beds. "Out," layli-layli calulan commanded, "that means everyone but you"-she pointed a finger stripped of its bluestone ring at Kejesli. Maggy ducked the arachne under a bed; she was not leaving Tocohl un.o.bserved by any means at her disposal. "-And you," layli-layli calulan finished; she thrust her pointing finger under the edge of the bed in the general direction of the arachne.

Concluding that she meant to let the arachne stay, Maggy poked it hesitantly from concealment.

Layli-layli scooped it and set it beside Alfvaen. "We'll get to Tocohl in a moment," she said, stripping the ring from her other hand, "but notify me if you sense any change in her condition." Tocohl seemed to be resting comfortably, so Maggy concentrated her attention on Alfvaen.

Layli-layli snipped through Alfvaen's bonds and, having shifted her to a more comfortable position, strapped her firmly to the cot, the catch-releases out of reach. Then she peeled back Alfvaen's 2nd skin, giving Maggy's camera eye a good look at the growths, and attached to her body various medical sensors. Next she took a sample of the gray filaments from Alfvaen's skin.

Behind her, Kejesli gasped. "Garbage plants!"

Without hesitation or a need to scan her Sheveschkem files, Maggy interpreted that tone as one of horror. She corrected him instantly: "No, they are not garbage plants. They bear only a superficial resemblance to the species I was shown."

"Good," said layli-layli calulan, "and thank you, maggy-maggy, that saves me a lot of time.-Captain, there are sedatives in the cabinet to your right if you need one." She set the diagnostic machine to its task of preparing slides of the sample.

Kejesli, as if exhausted, slumped suddenly into a chair, where he watched layli-layli with tired eyes.

If such behavior did not worry layli-layli calulan, Maggy decided, it would not concern her either.

"While we're waiting for the slides..." Layli-layli held out her arms, inviting the arachne into them.Layli-layli carried it across the room to place beside Tocohl.

Seeing she needed access to Tocohl's injury, Maggy provided it: the 2nd skin peeled away from Tocohl's ribcage in broad strips. Layli-layli first probed the swelling with gentle hands, then confirmed her shaman's diagnosis with a sounding scanner. "Yes, the rib's broken. No complications to that though.

I'm giving her a local anesthetic, maggy-maggy"-she suited action to the words-"then we'll set the rib."

Once again she brought her fingertips to rest on the swelling. The reddening seemed to lessen. "You have more than average control, maggy-maggy. Is it fine enough to keep Tocohl's 2nd skin taut in this area only?"

"Tell me what to do," Maggy said, "and I'll do it."

"Good, she'll be more comfortable if I don't tape it." Layli-layli calulan smoothed the 2nd skin gently back over the injury where Maggy sealed it. "Be ready, I'm about to set the rib."

"Ready," Maggy said, set to record from both the arachne's lens and from the sensors in Tocohl's 2nd skin. The job was done in a single swift push... then Maggy was drawing the 2nd skin tight in accord with layli-layli's instructions.

"Fine, that's fine. You're to keep it that way until I tell you otherwise."

"Tocohl," Maggy began.

"Tocohl has no say in a medical matter. If she gives you any trouble, refer her to me. Or tell her it's that or taping." Layli-layli calulan directed a brief smile at the arachne. "And I'll give you one additional warning. She'll be in some pain when the anesthetic I gave her wears off. Do not be tempted to loosen the 2nd skin-"

Maggy had by this time been through her medical files. "I know," she said, risking the impoliteness of an interruption both to save layli-layli calulan the time and to a.s.sure her that she would take good care of Tocohl. "It might make the pain worse-and it could lead to internal damage. I'll tell her to do a Methven ritual for the pain instead."

"Suggest a Methven healing ritual as well. Between the two of us, we'll have her up and around in no time." She walked to the diagnostic machine, where her slides awaited, leaving the arachne one last instruction: "Tell me when she wakes."

Maggy sent the arachne bounding after her. At layli-layli's glance of surprise, she explained, "I can tell through the 2nd skin when she wakes-and she'll want to see your results too. I'm recording for her."

"I see." Layli-layli calulan set about her work. When she had examined the slides-and given the arachne a chance to do so as well-she moved again to Alfvaen's side, placing the arachne at the head of the cot.

Again her fingers flickered lightly over the Siveyn's skin while her eyes scrutinized various monitors.

Alfvaen moaned.

With a suddenness that made Maggy jump the arachne back, Alfvaen flailed against the straps that held her. Her eyes flashed open, fixed on the empty s.p.a.ce between layli-layli and Kejesli. She began to speak, slowly at first, then building to the fever-pitch rapidity of terror.

"Alfvaen," Maggy said in Siveyn, trying to cut through the fear, "Alfvaen, there's nothing there!

You're safe!"

Alfvaen did not hear her and went on as before. Maggy sent the arachne a cautious step forward to try again.

Layli-layli calulan laid her hand across Alfvaen's eyes: the Siveyn's violent struggles subsided to steady tension against the straps, her voice sank to a still-fearful whisper. "Can you translate for me, maggy-maggy?"

"Roughly, she says, 'They're coming! They're coming to get me! Let me go! The Ilistis are coming!'"

That needed clarification. Maggy added, "The only reference I can find to Ilistis describes them as very ugly, very violent mythical creatures. No other match. She keeps saying it over and over again. I'm sorry, layli-layli, that's all I can tell you. I wish I knew more. That can't be right."

"I think your reference is probably correct. It fits with her medical condition and with what Buntectold me of Alfvaen's hallucinations." Layli-layli calulan brought her hands to either side of Alfvaen's temples and murmured softly. A moment later, Alfvaen relaxed back onto the cot, fell silent; a moment after that, she was asleep-to all appearances, peacefully.

"I don't understand," Maggy said, taking care to keep the vocoder low.

Layli-layli calulan answered in quiet calm. "You won't find it under Cana's disease, but elsewhere... Look at the monitors. Those growths are not obstructing her circulation; what's more, the blood monitor shows no indication of alcohol in Alfvaen's system."

That was so, Maggy had to admit, but... "I still don't understand."

"You'll find the information under delirium tremens. To be healthy, a human being needs to dream.

Alcohol disrupts the ability to do so. Now that the alcohol is gone from her system, Alfvaen's mind and body seek instinctively to... catch up on dreaming. Awake or asleep, she dreams-sometimes of duels, sometimes of Ilistis."

She strode to a cabinet, brought out a small blue container, strode back to Kejesli. Shaking a pill into his hand, she commanded, "Take that."

Kejesli obeyed listlessly, bringing the pill to his mouth, swallowing a number of times. At last, he looked up at layli-layli calulan. "Can't you do something to get those things off her?"

Having by this time reviewed all available information on the effect of alcohol on the human body, Maggy was surprised to hear in Kejesli's voice the same horror it had held when he had mistaken the growths for garbage plants. Didn't he understand...?

Layli-layli calulan explained it for him, simply and firmly: "Those things, Captain Kejesli, are healing her."

"Healing her?" swift-Kalat said, when layli-layli calulan repeated her statement for him half an hour later. He bent beside Alfvaen and stroked her temple gently. "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be with an unknown life-form. Check the slides yourself-you'll see the structure is similar to, but does not match, the garbage plants." Turning to draw him with her to the display screen, layli-layli calulan was forced to an abrupt halt to avoid a collision with Kejesli.

He attempted to move out of her way but his grip on the edge of Alfvaen's cot prevented him from backing the necessary distance. Startled, he glanced down at his hands as if he had not seen them before-or as if he had no control over what they were doing, Maggy thought. With obvious effort he removed, first one to splay it at his throat, then the other. This time he stepped out of her way.

"No offense given, Captain," layli-layli calulan said patiently, "but I would prefer that you wait outside until I have finished checking Buntec and Om im for injury. Your debriefing can wait that long..."

Kejesli splayed his hand a second time at his throat. Without a further word, he walked unsteadily-as if the infirmary floor heaved beneath him, disturbing his balance-to the door and vanished through it.

While swift-Kalat pulled a chair to the display screen to do as layli-layli suggested, the shaman retrieved her sounding scanner. Om im, standing over Tocohl, glanced up at her approach. "That's not really necessary, layli-layli," he began.

"Humor me," said the shaman. "It gives us the opportunity to speak of things among ourselves that we might not speak of to Kejesli."

More secrets, Maggy decided, and realized abruptly that she had not given Tocohl the message she held from layli-layli. Finding Tocohl alive though injured had drawn from her an unusual response: without any deliberation, her priorities had shifted. She shifted them back; when Tocohl awoke, she was to receive layli-layli calulan's message before Maggy said anything else.

Om im waved aside layli-layli's invitation to lie down, choosing instead to draw a chair to Tocohl's side, blade right. With a look Maggy interpreted as resignation, layli-layli scanned him where he sat, taking care to approach him from the politic side.

Buntec, who had been silently observing Alfvaen, now turned and strode across to them. For a long moment, she gave Tocohl the same scrutiny. Then she said, "It's too bad we haven't the equipment to salvage that daisy-clipper"-she punched her palm-"I'd give an arm to see that engine.""I'd give Megeve's arm to see that engine," Om im said.

"You don't know it was Megeve," she countered. "Anybody had the chance to plant those jammers.

And we don't know the clipper was sabotaged."

Om im eyed Buntec for a long moment, then, tilting the chair back, he drew his blade and began to hone it. Layli-layli calulan stepped back, gave him a look that Maggy could neither see nor interpret from the position of the arachne. "Sorry," he said, sheathing the blade and bringing the chair upright with a thump, "I didn't mean to disrupt your examination."

Layli-layli calulan said nothing, only stepped forward again to draw her fingers lightly down his body. Maggy angled the arachne for a better look and discovered that she did not actually touch him except once. "Just a bruise," Om im said, having noticed the arachne's interest. "Buntec, show Maggy those gadgets. You were right, Maggy, about the Hayashi jammers. Buntec's got them in her pocket."

Never having actually seen an Hayashi jammer, Maggy sent the arachne skirting Tocohl's head in order to record this for future reference. Buntec reached into her overpocket.

(Maggy? Maggy?) Though the words were soft and urgent, Tocohl's voice rang through their private channel. (Are you all right, Maggy?) Instantly, Maggy split her attention. Halting the arachne where it could show her both the palmful of tiny electronic parts Buntec held out for inspection and Tocohl, she said, in what she judged from layli-layli's usage to be a rea.s.suring tone, (I'm fine. You have a broken rib though. Layli-layli calulan told me to suggest you perform a Methven healing ritual.) Tocohl's eyes did not open. (Healing ritual it is.-I'm glad you're safe, Maggy. It got awfully lonely without you.) Her voice fell silent but Maggy could tell from the sensors in her 2nd skin that she had begun the ritual.

Through the arachne, Maggy said softly, "Tocohl is awake now and has begun the Methven ritual you required."

Just as softly, layli-layli calulan told the others, "Quiet, please." She moved to Tocohl's side; placing her fingertips on Tocohl's injured ribs, she too fell silent, as if in ritual of her own.

There went the priorities again, Maggy realized. She did not understand why that was happening.

Forgetting priorities-forgetting to deliver messages one had been told were important-that was something that happened often in fiction, but it had never before happened to her. She ran a diagnostic.

A moment later, Tocohl opened her eyes and said wanly, "Hi, how's Alfvaen?"

Layli-layli calulan repeated her diagnosis for the third time. While she spoke, she took Buntec firmly by the shoulders, sat her on the edge of Tocohl's cot, and ran the sounding scanner over her.

Laying aside the scanner, she finished her account with the command, "Another moment of quiet, please."

Priorities, thought Maggy. She pinged privately for Tocohl's attention, but before she could speak, layli-layli calulan said, "That means you too, maggy-maggy." A finger, bereft of its ring, pointed at the arachne. Maggy dropped the arachne into a crouch; if the pointed finger was aimed, she could at least keep the arachne from being a direct target.

Layli-layli calulan smiled. "I only meant, don't be distracting, maggy-maggy. I had no intention of quieting anyone permanently." Tocohl twisted her head to give layli-layli a puzzled look, then twisted farther to take in the crouched arachne. Understanding lit her tired face and she smiled rea.s.suringly into the arachne's camera eye. Maggy kept quiet: she was taking no chances..

When layli-layli calulan had finished treating Buntec's handful of bruises, Tocohl said thoughtfully, "The sprookje... suppose it identified the toxin in her system? You did dub that a 'sample tooth,'

Buntec; maybe the description is more apt than anyone thought. That second bite it gave Alfvaen might have been what it considered... well, an antidote."

"As a hypothesis," said swift-Kalat-he had finished his examination of the slides layli-layli calulan had prepared and come to stand behind Om im-"that's safe to say."

Taking into account what was "safe to say" in Jenji, Maggy knew he was not nearly as sure of that as Tocohl, but that he wished it so and could speak it without fear.

Buntec shifted on the edge of the cot-with great care-to face Tocohl directly. "Not much we cando for her if it's wrong," she pointed out. "Next question: What'll we tell Old Rattlebrain-about the jammers, I mean?"