Menagerie Part 16

It scratched its head and sighed. 'I suppose I'd better get you down from there,' it said.

'To conclude, let me draw together the strands of our learning thus far. learning thus far.

'Firstly, the holy artefacts have meanings and functions beyond that which the Higher has so far revealed to us. beyond that which the Higher has so far revealed to us.

Secondly, the clear implication is that the Kuabris are not uniquely used by him. We are joined in our struggle for uniquely used by him. We are joined in our struggle for truth by countless unseen brothers. Perhaps when we die we truth by countless unseen brothers. Perhaps when we die we will see them face to face for the first time. Thirdly, one of will see them face to face for the first time. Thirdly, one of the robes has been taken, and one must in the first instance the robes has been taken, and one must in the first instance suspect human rather than Higher intervention. suspect human rather than Higher intervention.

'In this annotated catalogue of our treasures I have concentrated on the philosophical and theological concentrated on the philosophical and theological ramifications of the first two points. Although my tenure as ramifications of the first two points. Although my tenure as Grand Knight is drawing to a close and I feel the icy Grand Knight is drawing to a close and I feel the icy embrace of illness brushing my skin ever more strongly, I do embrace of illness brushing my skin ever more strongly, I do not want to neglect the more practical concerns raised by not want to neglect the more practical concerns raised by the missing artefact. I will order a thorough investigation the missing artefact. I will order a thorough investigation into the stealing of the robe. If a knight is found to have into the stealing of the robe. If a knight is found to have taken the artefact then his body, stripped of clothing, skin taken the artefact then his body, stripped of clothing, skin and life, shall be cast into the land beyond the city walls. If and life, shall be cast into the land beyond the city walls. If the thief is a common man - how my heart chills at such a the thief is a common man - how my heart chills at such a thought - then we are all aware of the terrible punishments thought - then we are all aware of the terrible punishments that await him and his family. that await him and his family.

'It is regrettable that I must end so illuminating and fascinating a study with the threat of death and expulsion fascinating a study with the threat of death and expulsion from the Higher's presence. My friends, this should not from the Higher's presence. My friends, this should not surprise us. Until we attain the Higher there will always be surprise us. Until we attain the Higher there will always be darkness striving for a hold on his light. darkness striving for a hold on his light.

'This duality is at the very heart of our definition as people.' people.'

Extract from Summary of Findings Summary of Findings by Grand Knight Zipreus. Subsequently banned and destroyed by order of Grand Knight Himesor. by Grand Knight Zipreus. Subsequently banned and destroyed by order of Grand Knight Himesor.

Eleven.

'I am very grateful to you,' said the Doctor as he followed the shrew-like being through the corridors and streets of the city.

'I am sad that I could not rescue your companions,' he replied. The Doctor had come to think of the creature as male, although there was no evidence to support this. 'The poison proved fatal to the other surface-dwellers: your body must be unusually resistant.' He stopped for a moment, sniffing the air, and then turned into another dark street, his bouncing gait requiring the Doctor to walk briskly to keep up. The Doctor could tell that they were now in the dimly lit residential area. The blazing power station that so troubled the Doctor was a beacon in the distance, casting disturbing shadows on the solid sky overhead.

The little animal looked exactly like some anthropomorphic children's character, a bipedal shrew a couple of feet in height and dressed in a simple uniform the same orange-brown colour as its glossy fur. His paws were hitched casually into a utility belt covered in miniature tools. The Doctor noticed a couple of ostentatious gold rings at the creature's elbows.

'I'm the Doctor, by the way. I'm very pleased to meet you.'

The creature twitched its nose in what seemed to be an expression of amus.e.m.e.nt. 'I know of this habit you surface-dwellers have, this desire to label everything, including yourselves. It seems more than a little egotistical. I am a Dugraq scout. That describes my position within our society. I am recognizable, and can recognize my friends.

We Dugraqs find we have no need for t.i.tles.'

'That must make sending Christmas cards rather difficult,'

observed the Doctor.

'You talk a great deal,' said the Dugraq. 'Talk is good.

Talk is the enemy of fear. Only when reunited with their Queen can the Taculbain communicate properly. That has always been their species' downfall.'

'Taculbain?'

'I have just rescued you from the Taculbain. With their Queen they are a sensible race. Without her they are impressionable and become aggressive because of their fear.'

'What has happened to the Queen?'

'She was taken by a surface-dweller many years ago. He now governs the Taculbain. He doubtless arranged for you to be attacked.'

The Doctor nodded. 'I did sense something more than mere animal savagery at work. What will happen to the dead knights?'

'They will be eaten,' said the Dugraq simply. 'One species consumes another. That's how the planet spins.'

'And who captured the Queen? Was it this magician I've heard so much about?'

The Dugraq made a little clicking noise with his tongue that the Doctor took to be laughter. 'Defrabax? No, Defrabax is in league with the Rocarbies.'

'The Rocarbies?'

'You have much to learn, and ask many questions.

Questions are also good.' The creature pushed open a rusted gate and followed the Doctor into what had once been a huge park and recreation area. The plants had died back, and swings and slides sulked sadly in the corner. 'This is where we live. Welcome to the Dugraq camp.'

Jamie stared at the jailor, trying to work out why he looked so familiar. The man was quite the shabbiest knight Jamie had so far seen, his armour painted black and caked with dirt. He sat slumped with his head on the table, snoring, a huge gla.s.s of wine still clamped in one fist. His armoured breeches were around his ankles, leaving his legs covered only by grey cotton hose.

'What did you do to him?' asked Jamie.

Kaquaan scanned the other cells but found them to be empty. 'He was drinking long before I got here.'

'Aye,' said Jamie, remembering with startling clarity the guard he had disturbed just before meeting Cosmae. 'There seems to be a lot of that going on.'

'One of the other great forms of escape from a dull life,'

p.r.o.nounced the girl. She turned to Jamie. 'Cosmae's not here.'

'Are there any other cells?'

'You have as much idea as I.'

'Then what shall we do?'

'Get away from our friend the jailor,' said Kaquaan. 'And then . . . I suggest we visit the Furnace.'

'Why?' Jamie was completely nonplussed.

'When you and Cosmae were explaining to Araboam what you had seen you mentioned a huge fat man in overalls who smelt of the Furnace.'

'Did we?'

'Yes. Araboam, for reasons of his own, seemed not to make the connection. But there is a very famous man in our city, a huge hairy great thing. His name is Argaabil, and he works in the Furnace.'

Jamie nodded, carefully testing the sword's blade with his thumb. 'Let's ask him some questions. Perhaps he knows who's been playing tricks on my mind.'

The savannah walker was an elephant-sized creature, covered with short white fur. Large, timorous eyes dominated its broad face. Its huge legs fidgeted with nervous energy.

Like most of the ma.s.sive animals it was kept in a rough corral towards the edge of the circus. Horses and a number of creatures that Zoe did not recognize paced about apprehensively.

The twins approached the savannah walker and made soothing noises, stroking its pale cheek and inspecting the saddle-like arrangement still fixed in place just behind the animal's shoulders.

It was quieter now. Most of the people seemed to have dispersed, the circus ground resembling a battle field after the armies have moved on. Zoe watched for their pursuer, trying to see if the deadly creature was still tracking them.

'You're not going to sacrifice this poor animal, are you?'

asked Diseaeda, panting from the exertion of the run.

'I have no intention of sacrificing anything,' said Zoe. 'But think for a moment what we know of the creature. It detects its prey by their heat emissions, and kills because it is strong and cunning. It seems to have no concept of technology and intellect. In which case, if its number one priority is self-preservation at the expense of all living things, what would it be most interested in attacking first?'

The strongest creature in the area?' suggested the circus master.

'And how would it tell that if it can't see in the same way as you and I?'

'I don't know,' said the man without really thinking. 'This is hardly the time for a test.'

'It would hunt down and kill the animal with the largest heat signature, thinking it almost certain also to be the strongest,' continued Zoe, unperturbed.

'Thus the savannah walker.'

'That's right. I suspect that the monster followed us for a while, confused by the torch we were carrying, but now it's probably closing in on this enormous animal.'

'So we'd better get out of here,' suggested Raitak.

As she spoke a group of horses towards the edge of the corral began neighing and flicking their feet in fear. Zoe glimpsed a humanoid figure moving towards the animals.

She nodded. 'You're right.'

Diseaeda jumped up on to the walker, gripping its stunted mane in his hands. 'Just about enough room for us all up here.' He reached down and pulled Zoe up on to the beast's broad back. The twins scuttled quickly into position behind her.

Diseaeda snapped the reins and the savannah walker began to move just as their pursuer emerged into the centre of the corral. The horses and other animals scattered, some trying to clear the low fence in their desperation. Behind the monster was the usual collection of twitching, b.l.o.o.d.y corpses.

'Where to?' shouted Diseaeda as the walker picked up speed.

'I seem to remember that the town has a power station like the city's,' said Zoe.

'Power station?' asked Diseaeda. 'You must mean the generators. They're on the edge of town.'

'Why do you want to go there?' asked Raitak. 'Perhaps the heat from the furnaces will interfere with the thing's vision,'

said Zoe.

'And if it doesn't?'

'Then we'll have to ask it very kindly to go away.'

The Doctor was escorted to the meeting place of the Dugraq council, and he bowed slowly, as he had been instructed. He couldn't resist a smile as he recognized the rusted remains of a roundabout, on which sat eight of the little shrew-creatures. Each one was dressed in ornate robes and held some sort of staff. The Doctor's rescuer had slipped into the crowd that discretely surrounded the Dugraq council.

'Who are you?' asked one of the Dugraq leaders, his grizzled fur clearly a mark of some distinction.

'I am the Doctor.'

'Is that a "name" or a function?'

The Doctor side-stepped the question. 'I "function" as a traveller.'

'Well, Traveller,' said another councillor, 'what brings you to our little world? We are told that you were rescued from the Taculbain, but that the knights were already dead.'

'That's right,' said the Doctor. 'Iwas forced to help them.'

'The knights persist in looking for the menagerie,'

commented a sad figure towards the back.

'Then it exists?'

'In a sense,' said the grey Dugraq. 'Four races live here in the darkness.'