“Except the Three Score and Ten,” finished the anonymous Bikura.
“Because they followed the cross, prayed at the room, and became of the cruciform,” said Alpha. “Must he not then become of the cruciform?”
I stood there gripping the cold metal of the small cross and awaitedtheir verdict. I was afraid to die—I
felt
afraid—but the larger part of my mind seemed almost detached. My greatest regret was that I would not be able to send out the news of the basilica to an unbelieving universe.
“Come, we will talk of this,” Beta said to the group and they pulled me with them as they trod silently back to the village.
They have imprisoned me here in my hut. There was no chance to try for the hunting maser; several of them held me down while they emptied the hut of most of my possessions. They took my clothing, leaving me only one of their rough-woven robes to cover myself with.
The longer I sit here the more angry and anxious I become. They have taken my comlog, imager, disks, chips … everything. I have a single, unopened crate of medical diagnostic equipment left up at the old site, but that cannot help me document the miracle in the Cleft. If they destroy the things they have taken—and then destroy me—there will be no record of the basilica.
If I had a weapon I could kill the guards and
oh dear God what am I thinking? Edouard, what am I to do?
And even if I survive this—make my way back to Keats—arrange travel back to the Web—who would believe me?—after nine years’ absence from Pacem because of the quantum-leap time-debt—just an old man returning with the same lies he was exiled for—
Oh, dear God, if they destroy the data, let them destroy me as well.
Day 110
:
After three days they have decided my fate.
Zed and the one I think of as Theta-Prime came to get me shortly after midday. I blinked as they led me out into the light. The Three Score and Ten stood in a wide semicircle near the cliff edge. I fully expected to be thrown over that edge. Then I noticed the bonfire.
I had assumed that the Bikura were so primitive that they had lost the art of making and using fire. They did not warm themselves with fire and their huts were always dark. I had never seen themcook a meal, not even the rare corpse of an arboreal they devoured. But now the fire was burning strongly and they were the only ones who could have started it. I looked to see what fueled the flames.
They were burning my clothes, my comlog, my field notes, the tape cassettes, video chips, data disks, the imager … everything that had held information. I screamed at them, tried to throw myself at the fire, and called them names I had not used since the street days of my childhood. They ignored me.
Finally Alpha came close. “You will become of the cruciform,” he said softly.
I did not care. They led me back to my hut where I wept for an hour. There is no guard at the door. A minute ago I stood at the doorway and considered running for the flame forests. Then I thought of a much shorter but no less fatal run to the Cleft.
I did nothing.
The sun will be setting in a short time. Already the winds are rising. Soon. Soon.
Day 112
:
Has it been only two days? It has been forever.
It did not come off this morning.
It did not come off
.
The medscanner’s image wafer is right here in front of me but I still cannot believe it. And yet I do. I am of the cruciform now.
They came for me just before sunset. All of them. I did not struggle as they led me to the edge of the Cleft. They were more agile on the vines than I could have imagined. I slowed them down but they were patient, showing me the easiest footholds, the fastest route.
Hyperion’s sun had dropped below low clouds and was visible above the rim wall to the west as we walked the final few meters to the basilica. The evening windsong was louder than I had anticipated; it was as if we were caught amid the pipes of a gigantic church organ. The notes rose from bass
“Because they followed the cross, prayed at the room, and became of the cruciform,” said Alpha. “Must he not then become of the cruciform?”
I stood there gripping the cold metal of the small cross and awaitedtheir verdict. I was afraid to die—I
felt
afraid—but the larger part of my mind seemed almost detached. My greatest regret was that I would not be able to send out the news of the basilica to an unbelieving universe.
“Come, we will talk of this,” Beta said to the group and they pulled me with them as they trod silently back to the village.
They have imprisoned me here in my hut. There was no chance to try for the hunting maser; several of them held me down while they emptied the hut of most of my possessions. They took my clothing, leaving me only one of their rough-woven robes to cover myself with.
The longer I sit here the more angry and anxious I become. They have taken my comlog, imager, disks, chips … everything. I have a single, unopened crate of medical diagnostic equipment left up at the old site, but that cannot help me document the miracle in the Cleft. If they destroy the things they have taken—and then destroy me—there will be no record of the basilica.
If I had a weapon I could kill the guards and
oh dear God what am I thinking? Edouard, what am I to do?
And even if I survive this—make my way back to Keats—arrange travel back to the Web—who would believe me?—after nine years’ absence from Pacem because of the quantum-leap time-debt—just an old man returning with the same lies he was exiled for—
Oh, dear God, if they destroy the data, let them destroy me as well.
Day 110
:
After three days they have decided my fate.
Zed and the one I think of as Theta-Prime came to get me shortly after midday. I blinked as they led me out into the light. The Three Score and Ten stood in a wide semicircle near the cliff edge. I fully expected to be thrown over that edge. Then I noticed the bonfire.
I had assumed that the Bikura were so primitive that they had lost the art of making and using fire. They did not warm themselves with fire and their huts were always dark. I had never seen themcook a meal, not even the rare corpse of an arboreal they devoured. But now the fire was burning strongly and they were the only ones who could have started it. I looked to see what fueled the flames.
They were burning my clothes, my comlog, my field notes, the tape cassettes, video chips, data disks, the imager … everything that had held information. I screamed at them, tried to throw myself at the fire, and called them names I had not used since the street days of my childhood. They ignored me.
Finally Alpha came close. “You will become of the cruciform,” he said softly.
I did not care. They led me back to my hut where I wept for an hour. There is no guard at the door. A minute ago I stood at the doorway and considered running for the flame forests. Then I thought of a much shorter but no less fatal run to the Cleft.
I did nothing.
The sun will be setting in a short time. Already the winds are rising. Soon. Soon.
Day 112
:
Has it been only two days? It has been forever.
It did not come off this morning.
It did not come off
.
The medscanner’s image wafer is right here in front of me but I still cannot believe it. And yet I do. I am of the cruciform now.
They came for me just before sunset. All of them. I did not struggle as they led me to the edge of the Cleft. They were more agile on the vines than I could have imagined. I slowed them down but they were patient, showing me the easiest footholds, the fastest route.
Hyperion’s sun had dropped below low clouds and was visible above the rim wall to the west as we walked the final few meters to the basilica. The evening windsong was louder than I had anticipated; it was as if we were caught amid the pipes of a gigantic church organ. The notes rose from bass
Similar Books
