Cat Karina

Exile

Astrud’s shoulder hurt so badly that she could hardly move her arm, her legs were bleeding from a network of scratches, and blisters were erupting on the palms of both hands — the Punishment of Agni.

She wondered how she’d come out of it alive. She’d seen the ground rising to meet her, then she’d known little more until she’d found herself lying on the deck of this squalid little sailcar, with two giant men handling the ropes.

«Palace Guards,” Tonio whispered to her. «They must have been sent here to make sure we had a clear track. The Canton Lord looks after us, you see, Astrud.» There was a dreadful bruise on the side of his face, and much of the skin was missing so that his cheek looked like raw tumpmeat, wet but not quite bleeding.

«Raoul …?»

«He’s fine.»

Raoul turned and looked at her then, and his eyes were full of pain. «She said she was going to kill us. She had this terrible … head in her hands, I don’t know what it was a head of, but it looked as though she’d pulled it off some animal. Ugh. She will kill us, you know. I’m sure of it. She looked crazy.»

«The Canton Lord will protect us.»

«What, from every felino in the Canton?» Raoul voiced Tonio’s own private fear. «How in hell can he? They could get us any time. They could attack the Cadalla — they could even come to the house. You ought to have seen her face, father.»

«I knew no good would come of this year’s race,” said Astrud. “ Rayowas touched by Agni, and in the end he claimed her. That’s what happens when you forsake the Examples. Tonight, I’m going to pray for forgiveness. And I’ll make sure you do too, Tonio. And you, Raoul. You were involved in this, too.»

Raoul said, «I’m not sure we’ll have much time for praying, mother.»

«What do you mean? What does he mean, Tonio?»

Tonio said carefully, «When news of the accident gets back to Rangua, we may find the felinos in a troublesome mood. It might be better not to spend the night at home.»

«There were so many hurt.…» The vision of carnage was reborn in Astrud’s mind; the flames, the screaming, the crazed vampiros.…

Raoul said, «I think one of the El Tigre grupo died. That’s what Karina was crying about.»

«Mordecai!» In his perturbation Tonio swore like a Specialist. He turned, staring through the open tail of the old Estrella del Oeste at the rosy glow in the southern sky. Torres still burned.

The Us Ursa were slackening sail as the hill of Rangua South Stage loomed ahead. The rails gleamed palely against the darkness, and no sails were to be seen.

«What happened to the rest of the cars?» Raoul said. «I’ve been expecting a head-on collision.»

«I think.…» Tonio hesitated. «Perhaps the felinos refused to tow them, after the news of the accident reached them.»

Astrud said, «If you ask me, they’d be more upset about the way we sailed straight past them up the hill at Rangua.» Although her head still throbbed, the wind had helped and she was beginning to think clearly again. «I simply can’t understand you, Tonio. How could you hope to get away with a trick like that? You know how touchy the felinos are. Now you’ve probably tied up a dozen sailcars the wrong side of Rangua. I don’t blame the felinos one bit. You as good as told them they were redundant. It’s against the whole culture of the coast!»

Tonio looked away, discomfited by her accurate summing-up. «There are other pressures,” he muttered. «You wouldn’t understand.»

«Your only hope is to apologize to the felinos.»

At this totally inappropriate suggestion Raoul, with Karina still vividly in his mind, uttered an almost hysterical shout of laughter. «I think it’s gone a little beyond that, mother.»

The Estrella del Oeste glided to a stop at the foot of the bank. The Us Ursa climbed to the ground and the True Humans followed. The grass was wet with dew and South Stage still deserted.

For the first time in over an hour, one of the Us Ursa spoke.

«You will report to the Palace in the morning.»

Then the two big Specialists melted away into the night.

Over the past few moments Astrud had been reappraising the situation. Her head was aching abominably, the strangeness of her surroundings was oppressing her greatly, and some inkling of the dreadful implications of recent events was coming home to her. They were not safe. The Specialists, those odd animal-people, could present a genuine menace. Rangua was going to be uncomfortable for a while.

«I’m glad the Canton Lord is going to discuss this with you, Tonio.» That great palace on the hill represented a rock of permanence, normality and security. «It would be quite unfair to expect you to handle this alone.»

With something that sounded like a groan of terror, Tonio plunged off into the night to round up three mules. They would have to ride home from here. He hoped they wouldn’t meet anyone on the way.

The Canton Lord didn’t speak for some time, and Tonio sat watching the screen while the sweat dribbled from his body and his stomach contorted itself into knots.

«Say your piece, Captain Tonio,” said the Lord at last.

«I … we’re in trouble. The felinos are after us. You’ll have to hide us somewhere, just for a while.»

«I’ll have to, will I?» There was amused sarcasm in the voice. «You wreck my car and kill a number of people through your own incompetence, and you want me to help you? I don’t think so, Captain Tonio.»

«But they’ll kill us!»

«Think of the sailways. The daily commerce, the interlocking cultures. A thousand miles of coastline. What’s one captain more or less?»

«I did it for you, Lord Benefactor! It was all for you, at your request! You promised me —”

«Oh,” purred the voice. «Just what did I promise?»

«Well, I assumed you’d make sure I.… After all, you did organize the whole thing; Rayo, Maquinista.… If the felinos knew the Canton Lord was responsible for —”

«Are you trying to blackmail me, Captain Tonio?»

«Absolutely not. But, Lord Benefactor.… Surely, we’re in this together.…»

«Partners, you mean? You and I?»

«No! I wouldn’t presume …!» Tonio was weeping with despair.

«Of course not. What you must understand, Captain Tonio, is that there are bigger issues here than your personal well-being. I had hoped that Rayo would be an example to the whole coast of what could be achieved — and coastal unity would have outweighed the felinos’ objections. But you failed to demonstrate the craft’s capabilities. Now I cannot expect any support from the other Cantons if the felinos become … dissatisfied with their lot. And I understand they are dissatisfied. They have refused to assist the remainder of the tortuga fleet, which is now immobilized north of the town. The next step — so I should imagine — is that El Tigre will lead his people in some undisciplined raid on Rangua Town and, possibly, this very Palace.»

«No, I don’t think so,” said Tonio eagerly. «I really don’t think we have to worry about that. No, no. El Tigre? That fool? Never!»

The Canton Lord sighed, as though the effort of unintelligent conversation had finally exhausted him. Slowly and distinctly, he said, «You will leave, now.»

And an Us Ursa entered, carrying black clothing. He dumped this on a chair and approached Tonio. There was no expression on his broad face, but his fingers were curled slightly.

«All right,” said Tonio.

«Put on these cloaks,” said the figure behind the screen. «They will hide your faces — and people in cloaks are generally left alone. My guards will escort you to the Palhoa sailcar. After that, you are on your own. My advice is to take to the mountains. It will be unwise for you ever to come back to Rangua — particularly since I intend to cast you in the role of scapegoat for this disastrous enterprise. It may go some small way towards maintaining law and order in the Canton, and then again it may not.»

«I will never come back,” said Tonio woodenly.

«You didn’t tell me that felina had found out about the tortugas, Tonio.»

There was nothing he could say.

«Goodbye, Captain Tonio.»

Revolution

That same morning a band of felinos on muleback rode north through the drizzling rain. Wet and tired, they had been riding since dawn, and they had not exchanged one word during that time.

A cold, animal fury burned within them.

They’d helped bury the dead, all except the four crewmen of Rayo. Two of those men died in the accident, but the other two had taken to the hills undercover of gathering darkness.

The felinos had sent the grupos after them.

They were caught at midnight, hidden in the branches of a tree on the edge of the tumpfields. A grupo had winded them and had dragged them out of there, screaming. They had every reason to fear for their future. Within an hour of their arrival back at Torres they had been sentenced to death by an ad hoc court and, together with their two dead comrades, had been nailed to crosses on the beach, facing out to sea, in the glow of the still-smouldering Rayo. The grupos spent the rest of the night in fruitless search for Tonio and his family and at dawn the search had been called off. The general supposition was that the fugitives had somehow managed to board one of the other cars which was on the hill at the time, and had been whisked south.

It was no problem, the Torres felino chief assured El Tigre. The signalmen would be busy by first light, and descriptions would be flashed all the way to Patagonia. There was no escape.

Meanwhile, the True Human inhabitants of Torres huddled indoors, with doors and shutters barred.…

Now El Tigre rode into Rangua South Stage. The camp had been re-erected overnight, and a number of people from North Stage were there too, because it was generally felt that South Stage would be where the action was.

They expected El Tigre to initiate that action — and this time they would be listening.

«Pegman’s here,” Karina said to Runa. They rode behind the men, like errant children being brought home. «There’s his sailcar. He must have come back right after the accident. Strange he didn’t stay.»

«Have you ever known the Pegman to do what we expect?»

Teressa said, «Probably he’s gone into hiding. After all, he is a True Human. He got out of Torres while the going was good. Did you see how those crewmen kicked, on those crosses? And the yelling — True Humans died noisily, that’s for sure.»

El Tigre and his followers rode grimly up the hill in the direction of the community hut, where a crowd was now gathering. The girls lingered beside Estrella del Oeste, pondering the whereabouts of the Pegman. Suddenly their whole world had changed; their sister was dead, the Canton was in an uproar — and the Pegman represented a link with the past; with the childhood they’d left behind so suddenly. Karina fingered the ancient woodwork, slippery with rain.

«Nothing’s ever going to be the same,” she said.

And a voice suddenly spoke, hollow and ghostly.

«Who’s that? Who’s that?»

Karina said, «It’s the Pegman. He’s in there.»

«Have they gone? Huh? Is that you, Karina?» The Pegman’s eyes appeared at a gap in the warped timbers.

«Have who gone?»

«The Palace Guards. They were here, didn’t you know? They commandeered the Estrella — stole it, if the truth be told — and sailed it back from Torres. I was scared, I tell you. When I saw them coming I hid in the hold. I knew they wouldn’t be poking about amongst the kegs of grease.» There was a scuffling and he emerged from the cargo hatch, swung himself to the ground and glanced around nervously. «What’s happening?»

«Father’s holding a meeting,” said Runa.

«We’re going to wipe every True Human off the face of the Earth,” added Teressa.

«I’m a True Human.»

«You’re out of luck, Pegman.»

The Pegman’s eyes sought Karina, but he found little comfort there either. Her face was set, the lips clamped together. Then, after a moment, she said,

«We didn’t find those bastards, Enri. We’ve been looking for them all night. They got clean away.»

«You mean Captain Tonio and his wife and son?»

«That’s who I mean.»

He was silent, remembering the unintelligible discussions on the deck. And those final words, couched in tones of quiet menace, You will report to the Palace in the morning. Captain Tonio’s family, in trouble. Enri didn’t know the whole truth of the matter; but one thing he did know, it was easy to misjudge speed in a sail‑car.

Rayohad been so fast.… Unnaturally so. He’d seen a car break away from the shruglegger team once, and run backwards down the bank at Jai’a. And, like Rayo, it had hit the curve at terrifying speed, and the guiderail had collapsed.… One felino had been killed. Enri had pitied the captain.…

The El Tigre grupo stood before him, a fighting team.… Enri decided to keep his mouth shut. Casually, and just to change the subject, he asked, «Where’s Saba?»

And their eyes told him.

«Saba?» he said, as something seemed to hit him in the stomach. «Saba?»

«Her neck was broken,” said Karina. «And other things.» She was watching him strangely and, after a moment, she stepped close. «Tell me, Enri. Tell me right now!»

«They were on Estrella ,” he muttered, unable to look into the furnaces of her eyes. «They’re probably at the house right now. The guards told them to report to the Palace in the morning. They may have left.»

«Come on!» said Karina, beginning to run. «Let’s tell father, quickly!»

The Pegman looked after them. «I couldn’t help it,” he said to himself. He walked to a nearby team of shrugleggers. Cupping his hands trumpet-fashion he bawled at the leader. «Couldn’t help it, couldn’t help it! Couldn’t help it!»

The creature regarded him in dumb puzzlement.

«But father, we’ve got to get after them! Isn’t that what this whole business is about?»

El Tigre regarded Karina somberly. They stood in the community hut on a makeshift stage. The place was jammed; the audience spilled out through the doors. The South Stage leaders were grouped around El Tigre: Diferir, Manoso, Dozo, all the influential felinos united in a common cause.

El Tigre said, «There are more important things, Karina. Tonio is small fry.»

«But Saba.… Your own daughter …!» Karina was shaking his arm trying to get him to look at her; but El Tigre had learned the folly of looking into Karina’s eyes. «How can you fool around with some stupid meeting when the murderers are getting further away all the time! We have to get after them, now, and nail them up like we did the crew!»

El Tigre said, «Listen, Karina. The important thing is, the True Humans have started using metal to build ships fast enough to spell the end of us. Look at this crowd. It’s the biggest we’ve ever had — half of North Stage is here, too. And this time we’re united. We’re going to put our plans to these people, and they’re going to agree with them. It’s the revolution, Karina.» Yet there was no excitement in his voice. The spark had died at Torres, with Saba.… «Now, what are they going to say if I send them all running after a couple of True Humans? They’ll ask what kind of revolution this is. They’ll say instead of dealing with the big issues, El Tigre is pursuing a personal vendetta. Can you understand that, Karina?»

«No, I can’t! I can’t believe it, either! We’re just back from burying Saba, and we know who the murderers are, and all you want to do is talk!»

«I’m sorry.» El Tigre’s attention was wandering. Torch was calling the meeting to order and he needed to marshal his thoughts. «That’s the way it is.»

«Well, if you’re not going to do anything about it, I am! I’m going to Rangua with the grupo, right now, and we’re going to hunt down those bastards, and you’re not going to stop us!»

The girls headed straight up the hill at a run.

Arriving at Tonio’s house, they found every sign of a recent hurried departure. Although the rain was still falling steadily they were able to follow the trail into the forest, where three mules had obviously been tethered overnight.

«They headed west,” said Runa, examining the grass.

The felinas loped through the forest. «The Palace,” said Teressa finally, halting and motioning the others to stop, too. Ahead of them lay the vast open area; the grounds, the private sailway running through, and the huge ancient building. And the guards, too powerful for even the grupo to tackle.…

«So what do we do now?» asked Runa.

«There are the mules — see?» Karina pointed. «So they’re still in there somewhere. We just wait for them to come out, let them get clear of the guards, then we take them.» Her fingers itched.

But it didn’t work out like that. Eventually Tonio, Astrud and Raoul emerged, accompanied by two guards. For a while the True Humans stood under the portico, sheltering from the rain. They put on black cloaks, drawing them tight around the neck and pulling the hoods over their heads. Presently a sailcar arrived, halting nearby. The five people climbed aboard, the crew let off the brakes and hauled in the sails, and the car accelerated quickly away, heading north.

«Quick!» shouted Teressa. «After them!»

«No!» Runa grabbed her arm as she was about to run across open ground. «There are guards everywhere. Let’s go back the way we came. If we hurry, we can catch them at the station in Rangua!»

When they reached the station some time later, however, the Lord’s private car was already at the platform and there was no sign of the True Human family. The two guards were there, furling the sails in leisurely fashion, but otherwise the station was deserted.

«They’ve gone into a house somewhere,” said Karina in despair. «How are we going to find them now? It’s no good asking the guards.»

«Maybe when the revolution comes, it’ll flush them out,” suggested Teressa. «According to father, we’ll sweep everything before us. We’ll roust everyone out and line them up, and kill them.» Teressa warmed to her theme. «Then we’ll take their places. We’ll be top cats. We’ll capture the Palace, kill the Lord, and live there with El Tigre as the new Lord. The guards will obey us and we’ll rule the Canton, and if anyone has the gall to step out of line, by Agni we’ll set the guards on him!»

Runa laughed. «I love you, Teressa.»

«We’ll try the inn,” said Karina decisively.

That moment, when the El Tigre grupo entered the Rangua inn in search of Captain Tonio and his family, for some reason caught the imagination of the later bards. It was a moment of some drama, although the couplet in the Song of Earth exaggerates a little. But then, few epics would be worth a damn without poetic licence.…

«She led the fearsome hunting girls into the house of sin,

And terror gripped the drunken soul of every man within.»

In point of fact there was little drunkenness, since it was only mid‑morning. And annoyance, rather than terror, was the emotion uppermost in the souls of the men. Specialists were not welcome in the house of sin that morning, with revolution in the air, and the Town Elders holding a meeting upstairs to discuss defensive measures.

Karina stood in the center of the floor eyeing the drinkers who sat around the walls. Teressa and Runa stood in the doorway to discourage anyone from leaving.

«We don’t want any trouble here, now,” said the innkeeper, pausing in the act of filling a pitcher with ale.

«Throw them out!» somebody called.

Karina spat briefly in that direction, then said, «Anyone seen Captain Tonio?»

There was a sullen silence.

«Maybe you didn’t hear me too well.» Karina took the pitcher from the innkeeper and threw its contents into the face of the nearest customer. «We’re looking for Captain Tonio and his family. They were last seen wearing black cloaks, headed this way.»

The customer, spluttering and dashing ale from his eyes, said, “ Idon’t know. Why pick on me?» He was elderly, and shaking with impotent rage. «He hasn’t been in here, that’s all I can tell you.»

Suddenly a voice said, «I think I know where he might be.»

«Pegman!» Now Karina saw the figure in the corner.

The Pegman rose, draining his mug. «Let’s go outside,” he said. «It wasn’t doing me any good in there, anyway.»

He followed the grupo into the street, blinking at the light. The sailway ran nearby and he sat on a running rail.

«Well?» asked Teressa impatiently.

But the Pegman was not to be hurried. He uttered a couple of strange cries while be collected his thoughts. Finally he said, «You remember a little while ago, Karina, we talked about … the Dedo.»

«That bitch! I’m going to get her!»

«She lives in the rain forest above Palhoa. Now, Captain Tonio once worked on that old sailcar track that ran from Palhoa up to Buique. It’s all wrecked, now. It’s a region nobody ever goes to — even the mountain people stay away — because of the Dedo, I think. Anyway, things are a bit strange around there and Tonio knows that. I think that was the real reason why the sailway track was abandoned — you could almost smell the strangeness. Tonic’s mentioned it to me more than once. It’s a perfect place to hide out — no people, plenty of food.… I think that’s where Tonic’s headed for.»

«You don’t think he’s in town here?»

«Not if he’s got any sense. This town will be a battlefield before long. The signalmen reported a big gathering down at South Stage — but I expect you know about that. No. I think Tonio caught the morning car to Palhoa.»

«But the cars aren’t running, Enri.»

«The Palhoa car is a square-rigger, remember? It doesn’t need felino help. It’ll be back later on today. All we have to do is ask the crew if three passengers in black cloaks travelled to Palhoa today. And if they did, we take the car tomorrow.»

«You’re coming?»

«Of course,” said Enriques de Jai’a, hoping that he would be able to prevent bloodshed, not expecting success, and wondering why all this seemed predestined as though the Ifalong had suddenly become inevitable.

«Was it worth all those years of disappointment, El Tigre?» Dozo asked his chief.

The meeting had been a rousing success. The hillside still resounded with the roars of acclamation. The felinos were pouring out of the community hut prepared to do battle now, this minute. Mules were being brought, and the few precious horses. Even the shrugleggers had drawn near, mouths hanging open in dull astonishment.

«A moment’s cheering?» El Tigre regarded the crowd, which was now being marshalled into three armies. «No.»

«Still not satisfied, El Tigre?» Manoso gave his sly grin. «Maybe when I’ll capture the delta for you, you’ll smile then.»

«No.» The chief felino stood for a moment in thought. «When we control the whole Canton and I’m satisfied that people — all people — are better off than they were; and when the Canton is running so well that we can start giving things back: the tumpfields to the tumpiers, the town to the True Humans, the delta to the cai‑men; and when I can see that everyone has his fair share, and no one race is setting itself up as chief; then maybe you’ll see me smile. But even then,” he added with a faint grin, «only if I’m happy.»

«I’m surprised to hear you considering giving the True Humans a share in anything,” said Diferir. «I mean, you, El Tigre.»

«My personal feelings have no place in the revolution.»

Dozo said, «It never occured to you that this racial segregation is the real cause of the problem?»

«No — that’s natural. It’s the very existence of races which causes trouble. Which takes me right back to a question I’ve asked myself many times. Was the great Mordecai — our creator — a saint or a devil?»

They followed the tail-end of the crowd outside, where the rain still fell steadily. Like the Pegman, El Tigre felt he was caught up in an inevitable flow of events. The revolution was not his doing; it had been brought about by a series of happenings culminating in the accident at Torres. He was a tool, and so was everyone else. Just for a moment, he allowed himself to wonder who was wielding that tool.…

They were watching him, waiting for a sign.

«Move out!» he shouted.

The revolution had started.

The felinos were divided into three fighting units, commanded by Dozo, Manoso and El Tigre himself.

Dozo headed west. His task was to take his army into the foothills to deal with the tumpiers and any True Humans who might be around. It was the easiest job of the three and little active opposition was expected although — and this was why El Tigre had chosen Dozo for the task — a considerable amount of diplomacy had to be used. The tumpiers had to be won over rather than conquered, to ensure the continuance of the food supply. They were proud people with their own culture and traditions and El Tigre did not want to antagonize them any more than necessary. In order to demonstrate good intentions, Dozo’s army consisted of good-natured bachelors. He had been given strict instructions that the Women’s Village was not to be entered.

Manoso headed north with a mixed army of bachelors and felina grupos to conquer the delta region and to seize the yards, workshops, and tortuga pens. The Canton’s whole economy was based on this region, and stiff opposition was expected. There were a number of True Humans in the jungle, Maquinista himself was known to have unusual and effective weapons, and the cai‑men were an unknown quantity. Logically, as Specialists, they should side with the revolutionary forces; but past experience told Manoso that, once stirred up, the crocodile‑men would probably fight both sides indiscriminately, just for the hell of it. El Tigre had faith, however, that Manoso’s devious mind would be equal to any challenge.

El Tigre headed northwest with a strong force of grupos plus their closest males and other chosen felinos such as Torch. His target was Rangua Town, and here the fiercest fighting was expected. Rumor had it that the Town Elders had already declared martial law, that all Specialists were being interned and that defenses were being organized.

These rumors were substantiated about a kilometer further on, when the advancing army met Karina, Teressa and Runa hurrying downhill.

«They’re putting barricades across the streets,” Karina told them. «And they’ve sent word to the Palace asking for a contingent of guards.»

«Guards?» echoed Diferir nervously.

«They won’t fight in Rangua,” said El Tigre confidently. «The Lord will keep them back at the Palace. He’ll want to protect his own neck.»

«All the same, guards.…»

«The Palace …?» somebody else said. «Are we intending to attack the Palace?»

«Mordecai!» roared El Tigre. «My only hope is that True Humans have even less guts than you. Torch! Round up the men for a frontal diversion. Iolande! take your grupo and fifteen others and circle west. Attack across the sailway, near the station. Tamaril! East, and keep below the ridge. Twenty grupos. Attack through the residential areas. Now.…» He regarded them broodingly. «We don’t know what to expect. But one thing we do know — if we fail, we won’t get another chance in our lifetimes. Now, we’re not used to killing — the Examples forbid it. But just for a few hours we’re going to have to forget the Examples. Kill if you have to, but only as a last resort. Make a few examples, scare them into surrender, and take prisoners. Then stop. No looting, no vandalism. We have to live with these people afterwards.»

«And if we find Tonio?» said Torch.

«Bring him to me. I want him alive. I want to be sure he dies correctly, in the utmost pain.»

«What about the rest of us?» asked Amora, the well-built mother of a strong grupo.

«Wait with me,” said El Tigre. «I want plenty of reserves. Now, Torch, Iolande, Tamaril! Move!»

The attack on Rangua Town began.

Into the mountains

Astrud looked back on her old life, knowing she would never see it again, and the collection of shacks which was Rangua shimmered into tears. Raoul seemed to accept things better; he looked forward, up the track towards the jungle‑clad hills, and there was a gleam of excitement in his eyes.

Tonio sat beside her, somehow shrunken, the lines of sorrow and defeat radiating from his eyes so that he smiled too readily, too watery when people glanced at him. He wore the cloak tucked closely around his neck, the hood barely above his eyes; and he’d shaved off his beard and mustache as a further disguise. Not only had he lost his sailcar and his pride, but he’d been forced to lose his identity too.

Now they bumped inland on an ancient square-rigged sailcar full of strangers escaping from the rumored felino attack, with the timbers gaping so the wind whistled through — which was probably as well, because it alleviated the stink of the goats which were wandering up and down the aisle. Astrud huddled down into her cloak as a mountain-girl caught her eye. Even on this branch‑line to nowhere, they could still be recognized; and by now all Rangua must know the story of Rayo.

The mountain-girl smiled tentatively. «I think Rangua is a good place to be leaving, just now. But what takes you to Palhoa?» She was pretty. There was something about her features — her graceful neck, long eyelashes and full lips — which made a connection in Astrud’smind.

The mountain-girl was a Specialist. She had vicuna genes. In her sheltered existence Astrud had rarely encountered her race.

She instinctively pulled the hood tightly around her face as she realized for the first time that she was surrounded by llamoids — eyes heavy‑lidded, heads carried high. She hoped Raoul would have the sense to keep his mouth shut. For herself, she was not used to being among a crowd of Specialists and she found the situation oppressive as well as fearful. Once you recognized them, Specialists looked more like animals than human beings. Tonio probably didn’t notice; he stared straight ahead, lost in thought. The mountain-girl was waiting for a reply.

Astrud panicked. «My husband is surveying the old sailway above Palhoa.»

Then the girl’s companion spoke, and her attention was diverted.

Out of the corner of his mouth, Tonio asked, «Why in hell did you have to say that? She may remember, if anyone asks her.»

Her fear turned to annoyance. «Well, why are we going to Palhoa, anyway?»

«It was the Canton Lord’s idea, and it has its conveniences. I know the old track up there well.»

Raoul asked, «What kind of traction did they use?»

«Shrugleggers, mules.… Not like this line. Here, the wind always blows up the valley so the car carries big square sails for the inland run, then rolls downhill back to the coast. Above Palhoa, it’s too steep for sails.»

«Do you think everything will be all right, Tonio?» asked Astrud for the tenth time.

He gave her his watery smile. «Of course it will.»

In the valley of lakes above Palhoa, there was a mystery. There were tapirs and hoatzins, capybaras and jaguars, marmosets and seriemas, common animals, rare animals, and fish too — and there was the Dedo. All living in perfect balance, century after century, with nothing gained, nothing lost. Some lived short lives, some long. Some evolved, some held their own, some died out.

One animal was like no other, and it lived a very long time. Even the omniscient Rainbow had no record of its origin, nor of its death — so, for all we know, it may still be there. The Song of Earth mentions this animal obliquely in an early couplet:

«Above the silver ocean and below the mountain’s peak,

There dwells a sacred animal of which men rarely speak.»

The part this animal played in the story of Karina is, however, well known. At this time, the animal was known as Bantus.…

Bantus was hungry. Feeling the rumblings in his stomach he padded to the mouth of the cave and regarded the Jungle. The rain fell, washing away the scents and sounds. He sniffed, snorted and lumbered downhill, following the well-worn trail to the creek. A lone capybara, sensing the hunger of Bantus, took fright and left the trail, trotting piglike into a deeper thicket. Bright macaws watched from branches as the beast passed; they were for once silent, their plumage streaming with rain. Then a tapir, perhaps blinded by the downpour, blundered onto the trail.

And Bantus ignored the beast, almost brushing the tapir aside as he plodded along. The tapir stood stock-still on the trail for a long time afterwards, trembling with terror.

It couldn’t know that today was not Bantus’ day for tapirs.

Today was fish day. But Bantus did not know who had placed that unusual instinct in his mind. As he descended the hill he passed an overgrown stone dwelling and didn’t give it a glance, even though a face of human appearance watched him from the window.

Bantus reached the creek and the little fish were there, but he couldn’t see them. The surface of the water was in dancing motion with the rain. Snorting with hunger and annoyance, he made a ponderous slash at a half-seen flash of silver, and his paw came up empty.

The nearby lake was about twenty meters across and quite deep; one of an interlinked system of five small lakes. Above, the stream descended narrow and cold from the mountains. Below, a waterfall fell a hundred meters down an escarpment, sealing off the valley from that direction. How the fish got there, Bantus didn’t have the intelligence to ask himself.

Now, irritated, he prowled the banks of the linking streams and soon came across easy prey. A huge fish hovered in the current, facing upstream and totally unaware of his presence. Bantus tensed. He would leap into the center of the stream and straddle the fish — that was the most certain way. The bases of his claws itched.

He sprang.

And something in the very fabric of his cells said: Today is not the day for Torpad.

Torpad?

No, he didn’t want the big fish today. Someday maybe, quite soon. But today the fish was too big for Bantus’ hunger. It would be wasteful to take him.

And Torpad, having no curiosity in his dim senses, fled into the next lake and instantly forgot his narrow escape. Soon he was feeding on small fish — never taking more than he needed — while the smell of mammal washed out of the waters.

Bantus grunted in disgust and plodded away. It was too wet for fish, yet it was no day for meat.

Not in the valley.…

But he remembered that food was available outside the valley. He need not be hungry today; not if he climbed the rocky hill towards the brightness. Outside the valley, food was unlimited. He quickened his pace, and soon the wind was cool against his coat as he climbed into the barren ground, leaving the jungle behind.

In Palhoa they bought food, utensils and a llama. They paid the villager well — money was no problem for Tonio — and led the animal away. They soon found that llamas do not necessarily agree with human concepts of ownership, and this particular llama was very much his own animal. He consented to take a small share of their baggage, but any attempt to load him further resulted in a display of sullen temper and spitting, until Astrud said nervously,

«We’ll carry the rest. It’s not too far, is it?»

«About six kilometers.» Tonio shared the remainder of the baggage between them while the llama watched with ill‑concealed triumph.

They took a trail into the bush and within minutes were in a different world as the rain forest closed about them. Tonio led, ploughing through the vegetation, Astrud followed, then came Raoul, leading the llama.

That was how the villagers remembered them: squat coastal True Humans walking into the jungle, loaded down with provisions, the boy jerking a reluctant llama behind. They looked completely out of place. There was much speculation. Some said they were spies of the Canton Lord; others, having heard a little of the happenings in Rangua, guessed they were refugees. Later, they learned the truth.

«It doesn’t matter,” one of the village elders said. «We’ll never see them again. La Bruja will get them.…»

In some places the abandoned sailway had completely disintegrated into the jungle floor, but the route could still be followed and in places the rail supports still stood. Some rails were even in place, a webwork of vines holding the rotting logs together.

«Why did they abandon it?» asked Raoul as they rested, sharing a moss‑covered running rail while the llama ruminated nearby.

«They said something in the village about a bruja ,” said Astrud.

«Nonsense!» Tonio said loudly. «Typical Specialist superstition.»

His face was red with exertion and he looked unhealthy, but at least he’s lost some of that beaten look, thought Astrud.

In fact he seemed to have gained in stature since they’d left civilization. He strode ahead again, balancing on fallen rails and eyeing the forest with new interest as they climbed higher. From time to time he would exclaim as he recognized things: marked rocks at the trackside, or the overgrown clearing which denoted an abandoned stage. Astrud drew something from his new confidence, ceased to shy at every yell of the howler monkeys, and even took in her stride the unearthly rattling roar of a jaguar.

«It’s nature,” Tonio said. «We have to get along with it, if we’re going to survive. In some ways, the kikihuahuas were right. They say you could put a kikihuahua down anywhere and he’d fit in, and he’d have the animals and plants working for him in no time.» Incongruously he slapped at a mosquito, examined the little smear of blood on his palm, and swore.

Fitting into his mood, she quoted:

«They float about the Greataway, their ships are monster bats.

Live hemitrexes cook their food, their clothes are made by rats.»

It was a childish rhyme which her mother had told her, years ago; but somehow it had stuck in her mind.

Before the last words had died away into the wetness of the jungle, Tonio stopped. «What’s that?»

«What?»

He stood tense and staring, watching a part of the forest where the trees thinned out and a rocky ridge could be seen. They had climbed out of the clouds and the ridge baked in the afternoon sun, brilliant beyond the darkness of the jungle. «I saw something … big.»

«They say jaguars don’t attack in daylight.»

«This was not a jaguar.» He was whispering, watching the ridge, while he fumbled blindly with the fastenings of his pack.

«What was it, then?» She was whispering too, and the fear had returned. She watched as he stole quick glances at his pack, drawing out a leather sheath while he continued to keep the jungle under observation.

«It was gray and … enormous. I only caught a glimpse, you know? Its head — it seemed to be all teeth! Agni, what a brute!»

She watched in horrified realization as he began to screw pieces together. The thing was metal. Touched by Agni. He’d carried it all this way.

«Tonio!»

«Shut up!»

«Maquinista gave you that,” said Raoul quietly, flatly.

Tonio didn’t reply to that. His instrument was complete. He hefted it in his hand, fitted a bolt, then sighted at the trees. He was trembling — and suddenly Astrud knew it was excitement, not fear. He was actually enjoying this moment of danger. «This was bigger than any bear — more like a huge cai‑man with long thick legs and gray hair. It ran down the ridge, fast, on its hind legs. I’ve never seen an animal run so fast.» Suddenly he brandished the crossbow. «Come on, you bastard! I’m ready for you!»

Raoul said unhappily, his eyes on the bow, «You could have been mistaken. It could have been quite small, really. Or two animals running together. Giant anteaters.»

He uttered a bark of derision. «In the mountains? I don’t think so. Well, we can’t wait for him. We’ll see him again, I’m sure of that. And when we do.…» He waved the crossbow like a banner.

«Have … have you noticed how quiet the forest is? Even the monkeys.» Raoul followed him, jerking at the llama’s rope. The animal’s reluctance had become more marked.

Astrud stood staring after them and, in a moment, followed.

The track steepened as they pushed on — then, before Astrud realized it, they had reached their destination. The ground levelled out. There was an old signal tower which had almost become part of the jungle; just four more creeper-entwined trunks among many, and she had to follow Tonio’s finger carefully before she could make out the rectangular shape of the cabin among the branches.

«They’ll never find us here,” said Tonio.

«Are you sure it’s safe?» Raoul asked. «It looked very old.»

Tonio was already climbing the ladder, testing each rung. «I’ll have to replace a few, but they’ll be all right for the time being. Come on up, Raoul. Tie the llama to that post.» His face looked down through a mass of foliage. Raoul ran nimbly up.

«Come on, mother!»

So she climbed, in fear of each rotting step, and stood in the cabin which was to be her home. The roof had fallen in and the floor was slippery with stinking, decayed fruit. It couldn’t have been more than four meters across, and much of that space was taken up with the controls for the lamp: wooden levers and a ladder leading upwards. She knew nothing of signalling. The cabin was incomprehensible, dank and frightening.

«Not bad,” said Tonio, kicking away filth and unrolling his blanket on the floor.

They ate a supper of dried fruit and it seemed to Astrud that the shadows were full of moving things. Afterwards, it took a long time for her to get to sleep although the other two were snoring lightly within a short while of lying down. She lay awake listening to the menacing sounds of the jungle night and watching the sleepy movements of a colony of spider monkeys silhouetted against the stars. When eventually she slept, she was soon awakened by a commotion on the forest floor.

Tonio, opening an eye, said, «Only a jaguar hunting. We’re safe up here.»

It didn’t reassure her at all. She dreamed of jungle cats, and in her sleeping mind they gained a new dimension of menace.

And Tonio ran with them, waving a brand from which flared the Wrath of Agni.

The battle for Rangua

Iolande’s grupo scored the first successes.

The True Humans’ makeshift militia had been strengthened by farmers and others from the foothills and delta regions, and by the time the first attacks came most of the perimeter was covered by lookout emplacements at strategic locations, backed by large reserves within the town itself.

Iolande’s grupo overran one of these emplacements. They’d approached upwind, smelled True Humans from some distance away then, with the utmost caution, crept nearer until they could hear snatches of conversation. The enemy were located in a small thicket, lying down, scanning the foothills. The sun, breaking out for a moment, glinted on something which Iolande guessed to be a hemitrex for use in signalling back. She motioned her grupo to lie still. The others were further away to her left, grupos creeping down the run-off gullies like clawed fingers reaching for the town.

Iolande glanced upwards. Although hidden from the True Humans, they were in full view of the signal tower. She could see the tiny head of a signalman, and wondered whose side he would be on. Then, parting the grasses before her, she surveyed the thicket again.

There were four of them in there; three men and a woman. They were farmers; their scent told her that. They would be accustomed to defending their crops and livestock against marauding animals. They would have weapons, and they would know how to use them. Iolande had her ironwood sword, but this weapon was more traditional than practical. When it came to fighting, she would use fingers and toes. She felt an enormous excitement, and a great pride in her grupo — the best she’d ever mothered. She glanced around at them as they crouched behind her, eyes slitted, nostrils flared, urinating quietly as they wound themselves up for the charge. Iolande chuckled, a small purr of delight. She’d taught them well. Away to the left, she heard a brief scuffle. Another grupo had attacked.

«Now,” she said.

Screeching, she bounded forward like a charging tiger, hitting the first man squarely in the chest as he rose from the ground. He went over backwards and she went with him, her fingers hooked into his shoulders, her knees bent and her toes slashing at his belly. She felt warmth as her toenails bit into flesh and the man groaned, falling back, his body slack, staring incredulously at his own intestines spilled out over the wet ground. His eyes met hers, and there was a cowlike bewilderment in them. He said quietly, «Why …?» and then he died with a small sigh.

Iolande turned in time to knock aside a quick thrust from a short dagger and, as the other woman fell forward, she slashed at her throat and saw blood spurt. «Mordecai!» she swore. «Can’t you protect my back?» One of her grupo grinned sheepishly; she’d missed her spring and the True Human woman had slipped away from her.

The other two men were already dead; one had his neck broken and the other lay face‑down in a lake of blood.

«We did it!» said Iolande. Her eyes were shining, her face pale with excitement. «This time it was for real, and we did it!»

«But.…» The felina who’d mistimed her leap looked unhappy. «Didn’t El Tigre say we shouldn’t kill unless we had to?»

«Piss on El Tigre! This is what we were created for, don’t you see? Generations of play-fighting, and now this. Next, we go into town and take them apart!»

«Iolande!» It was a gasp of horror. Iolande, without thinking, had slaked her thirst with a cupped handful of blood.

She looked at her hands in mild surprise, then said, «True Humans created us, and now they have to take the consequences. If you don’t like it, Lastima, you’re not the felina I took you for.»

“ But this.…» Lastima indicated the carnage.

«Ha!» Iolande picked up the dagger the True Humans woman had used. She turned it over in her band. It was not obsidian, as she’d first supposed. «Look at this,” she said quietly. «See? This blade has been wrought by the Wrath of Agni. Well, now. Isn’t that something? And see — the spear, this tip? And another knife here.… Lastima! You have no stomach for this fight — so here’s what you can do. Take these weapons to El Tigre, say where we found them — and then listen to his views on killing. If I know El Tigre as well as I think I do, he’s going to change his mind pretty damned quickly!»

So Lastima left. The remainder of the women advanced to the sailway track and began to move north to link up with the other grupos.

The felinas made swift gains elsewhere, too. Tamaril, another of El Tigre’s erstwhile mates, had a larger army than Iolande. Although her discipline was not so effective and she lost contact with seven grupos early on, she pressed home her raid into the eastern outskirts of Rangua, cleaning out a number of houses and advancing until stopped by solid barricades and massed defenders. A hundred felinas paused, spitting fury, as they faced over two hundred True Humans on the other side of piled furniture and vehicles, in a narrow street. Knives, swords and spears glittered in the hands of the defenders.

«Charge!» yelled a felina who had no right to give orders, and she paid the penalty as she ran forward alone. She reached the top of the barricade in one leap, then died as a spear was thrust into her belly from below.

«Wait!» shouted Tamaril. With some difficulty she achieved a withdrawal and regrouped her forces behind a projecting wall. «This isn’t our kind of fight,” she said. «Right now, the True Humans have all the advantages. But if we hold on here, and wait until dark.…»

The felinas grinned as they visualized the night fighting.

«True Humans don’t see well in the dark,” somebody said, shivering with anticipation.

A single voice was raised in opposition, like Lastima who was at that moment making her way sadly back towards the main force under El Tigre. The felina said, «I.… I think I killed a woman in one of those houses back there. I kind of lost control. El Tigre wouldn’t like it, if he found out. The Examples.…»

«Shut up,” said Tamaril.

«But if we attack in the dark.… There’s no knowing what.…»

Tamaril said, «Most of us have killed back there, you fool. That’s what war is all about. My main concern is, what’s happened to the rest of our grupos? I lost contact when we reached the first houses.» She glanced around the wall. The defenders stood grimly behind their barricades, waiting for the felinas to come to them. Behind them, stilted above the low buildings, was the signalbox. «El Tigre should have made plans for that box,” she said.

In fact, El Tigre had. At that moment Teressa was climbing the ladder, followed by Karina and Runa. Around the base of the tower stood a circle of felinas facing outwards, while groups of True Humans hovered in doorways of the houses opposite, muttering but unable to take any positive action. The thrust had come too quickly, straight up the hill, hidden by the long grass on the far side of the sailway track.

Teressa kicked open the cabin door.

This time, however, there was no opposition from the little signalmen. They sat on tiny seats which jutted from the walls, their hands folded and their heads bowed in attitudes of defeat.

«Send a signal to Torres for relaying right down the coast,” said Teressa. «Tell them the felinos have risen against True Human rule. Tell them the days of slavery are over, and that half of Rangua is in felino hands. Tell them to rise up themselves. Tell them El Tigre has spoken.»

One little man looked up, the ghost of a smile on his hatchet face. «Tell the sun to come out.»

«Well, by the Genes of Mordecai, you’re supposed to be the experts!»

«We borrow from the sun, but we can’t command it.» The signalman quoted an old Guild saying. Outside, the rain drizzled down. Above the box, little puddles of water had gathered in the blind, upturned eyes of the hemitrexes.

«We’re wasting our time with these fools, Tess,” said Runa.

Karina, staring out over the town in the hope of catching sight of fierce fighting, said, «Look!»

The Palhoa car, sails furled, was rolling gently down the grade towards the station.

«Send the signal just as soon as you have enough sun, signalmen!» commanded Teressa. «We have other things to do. But we’ll send some felinas up here to make sure you do as you’re told.»

The El Tigre grupo hurried towards the station. They passed several grupos on the way; members of Iolande’s army holding their positions having eliminated the True Human outposts, but unwilling to cross the street to attack the heavily-fortified houses.

They met Iolande at the station. «We’re waiting until dark,” she said. «We’ll wipe them out, then.»

«Where are the prisoners?» asked Karina. She’d always mistrusted the tall woman and, for a moment, doubted whether Iolande had encountered any opposition at all.

Iolande merely smiled, however, not deigning to reply. She lifted a hand and, with a sliver of wood, began ostentatiously to clean her fingernails of reddish-brown residue.

The sailcar rumbled into the platform and braked to a halt. Karina swung herself to the deck and descended to the open nose.

«You know Captain Tonio?» she asked the captain.

«Of course.»

«Did you take him up to Palhoa this morning?»

«Well.…» The man hesitated, made nervous by the oppressive combination of sexuality and violence which this cat-girl brought to his cabin. «There were a lot of people leaving Rangua — there were rumors of trouble, you see. The car was full. I didn’t pay too much attention.…»

«I think you’re lying,” said Karina frankly.

«No! I can assure you.…» There was dried blood on the girl — and what was happening outside? There were felinas on the platform, and along the track!

«Yes,” said Karina, following his gaze. «Things have been moving around here since you left. You’re in occupied territory, captain. In fact you’re my prisoner, and so are your crew. You’re our only prisoners, because I suspect the others are all dead. Somehow, our grupos don’t seem to understand the concept of prisoners. But then, what do you expect from ignorant animals?»

The captain said, surprisingly, «I don’t think you’re an ignorant animal. I think you’re a beautiful woman.»

«Well, thanks.» Karina was taken completely off-guard. «All the same, I —”

«My name’s Guantelete,” said the man. «If I tell you what you want to know, will you guarantee the safety of my crew?»

Somehow the initiative seemed to be slipping away from Karina. She said, recovering, «I’m not guaranteeing anything!»

«Then I’m not telling anything.»

«Oh. Well, all right, then. I’ll make sure nobody harms you.»

Guantelete regarded her sadly. Why did it have to be like this? The girl was a vision of loveliness and he was a sentimental middle-aged man who had been relegated to the Palhoa backwater because of his failing ability to cope with the rigors of the coastal run. He would have liked to be friends but now, apparently, there was war between them. And worse, he had to betray Tonio because it was the lesser of two evils.

«Tonio was on the morning car,” he said.

«And his wife and son?»

«Yes.»

«All right. You’d better come with me. I’ll have to find somewhere to lock you up.»

«There’s something else. My wife, she lives in the town. I wonder, could you.…»

«I’ll make sure she’s all right.»

«Bring her to me. You see, you’re going to need me and my crew to take you up to Palhoa on the morning breeze. Then, I think we’ll stay there for a while until things blow over down here.»

Karina bristled. «Blow over? Nothing’s going to blow over. This is the revolution! Nothing will ever be the same again!»

«Of course it won’t,” said Captain Guantelete pacifically, and gave her instructions where his wife could be found. «I’m sure you’ll have captured the whole town by morning,” he said.

«You’re not very loyal to your people.»

«Just practical.»

As Karina led Captain Guantelete and his crew along the platform, she noticed an odd thing. The Canton Lord’s private car was still there, and the guards were shaking out the sails ready to depart. But nobody was making any attempt to stop them. Iolande was talking to her grupo, and although her gaze rested on the huge figures a couple of times, she made no move. It was as though the revolution flowed around the guards; as though their awesome power rendered them automatically neutral.

Yet she knew — and her father had said many times — that the main objective of the revolution would be to overthrow the Canton Lord.

How could they do that, if they were afraid to capture just two of his guards?

Shortly afterwards El Tigre brought the main force up the hill and they set up camp for the night in the south-west corner of the town, around the base of the signal tower. They hung skins from the sailway guiderails to form tents for the bachelors, the children and the mothers, and any others who did not care to join in the fighting. Nobody was forced to fight. El Tigre had enough willing warriors with the grupos.

As darkness fell, the reports started coming in.

Dozo had accomplished his mission. By mid-afternoon he’d held a meeting of tumpiers and put the situation to them. Following this, he’s entered the Womens’ Village in the company of the Madre and addressed the Women. It seemed to him that both audiences were somewhat unenthusiastic — he’d been used to felino meetings, with their roars of acclamation — and this was something of an anti‑climax.

«They don’t seem to care,” he said to his henchman.

This was probably fair comment. The tumpiers were philosophical people and used to regarding life in the long-term. Rulers would come and rulers would go, but the span of tumpier existence was dependent on the tumps themselves.

Tamaril sent word back that she was holding her position inside the eastern borders of the town, that she’d joined up with the errant grupos, and that she would attack around midnight over the rooftops, coming down behind the barricades. All was well and the grupos in good spirits. There had been little loss of felina life.…

Iolande’s front had now joined the main body so that the felinos were in command of the entire western side of the town, from the station to the signalbox, including the sailway and a few buildings. The town was thus cut off from the Palace further west.

The iron weapons captured by Iolande were examined and discussed. Like the earlier news that the tortugas were, in fact, animals, this was seen as merely another example of True Human perfidy. It did not present any immediate danger. At close range, an iron dagger was little more effective than ironwood or obsidian. The weapons did not cause anything like the furor which occurred when the remains of Rayo were found to contain metal bearings.…

«When we rule the Canton,” El Tigre had roared, «The Examples will be law! The kindling of the Wrath of Agni will be punishable by death!»

So the discussions continued, and as night deepened the grupos crept among the houses, infiltrating the barricades and scaling the walls. Every so often a muffled gurgle would be heard, as some True Human guard fell and bled his life away; and sometimes a screech startled the night when a felina’s enthusiasm overcame her caution; but El Tigre thought little of this.

He was more concerned about the situation in the delta. He’d heard no news from Manoso since the morning.

Torpad

Shocked, they regarded the carcass of the llama.

«That’s a jaguar did that,” said Tonio. «I’m going to kill the brute, you’ll see.» The excitement was in him again, and he looked alert and refreshed after the night’s sleep. «Today I’ll go hunting.»

Astrud said dully, «The Examples.» Her dream was still vividly in her mind; Tonio and the cats, hunting together. «Of course you can’t hunt. Don’t be stupid, Tonio.»

He glanced at her. «Survival,” he said. «You’re going to have to change your ideas, Astrud. We don’t have time to plant crops up here. It’s primitive, violent — don’t you feel it?»

Raoul had been examining the remains of the llama. «This wasn’t a jaguar’s kill, father. Look at the way the thigh bones have been bitten through. A jaguar couldn’t do that.»

The smell of blood, the smell of death, the smell of decaying vegetation, and the monkeys chattering in the trees overhead. Astrud suddenly clapped her hands to her ears.

«I can’t stand it! Take me home, Tonio! Anything is better than this!»

Ignoring her, Tonio bent to examine the carcass. It was an unusual kill. The llama had been forcibly dismembered and the bones chewed. Very little flesh remained; the few shreds were crawling with ants.

«Can I come with you, father?»

«No. You stay behind. Somebody has to look after your mother.»

After a breakfast of dried fruit, Tonio climbed to the signal light and detached a hemitrex from its mounting. Then he found a patch of forest floor where the sun slanted through the trees and used the shell to focus the rays onto a little heap of tinder. Soon a fire was burning, the smoke curling up among the branches.

By now, Astrud was past speaking, huddled against the ladder, eyes wide with shock.

«See it doesn’t go out,” said Tonio to Raoul and, taking up his crossbow, headed off into the forest.

As he walked, he wondered at the sense of well-being which flowed through him. He felt as though he was one with the jungle; a predator just as much in his element as the jaguar. He moved quietly through the trees and soon reached the barren ridge he’d seen the previous day. He climbed into the morning heat and, arriving at the crest, sat down on a rock.

More jungle lay before him, a forested valley very similar to the one he’d left, sandwiched between saw-edged ridges and ending on the seaward side in a sheer escarpment. He could hear a waterfall and, through the trees, he caught a glimpse of a small lake. There would be fish.

Some time later he came to a clearing in the valley floor and the tiny lake lay before him, sparkling in the sun. He knelt and peered into the water. Sure enough, small fish swam there, each about as long as his forearm — easy targets for his crossbow. He slipped in a bolt, took aim and shot.

Thunk! As the ripples cleared, he could see a fish transfixed, thrashing on a bolt which pinned it to the mud. He reached in and drew it out, removed the bolt and laid the fish on the bank.

«What are you doing?»

Startled, he looked up. A girl stood there. She wore a long black dress and her hair was drawn back from her face and fastened above her neck. He found himself staring. There was an unearthly beauty about her, and something touched a memory from the past. There was no trace of expression on her face, and this he remembered, too.

But it couldn’t be. This girl was no more than twenty years old.…

«I said, what are you doing?» she repeated without impatience, as though she had all the time in the world.

«Well, fishing. We’re staying over the ridge — you know, the old sailway track? We’re living in the signal cabin — well, it’s not very comfortable, but we’ll soon have it fixed up.… Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?»

«You can’t fish in this valley.»

«But there aren’t any pools in our valley — just a small stream. Drinking water, that’s all we’ve got. You live here, do you? Surely you can spare some of your fish — there are plenty. I saw them.»

«I can spare them. But the animals who live here can’t spare them. Neither can the big fish, Torpad, spare them.»

«Listen, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Fish are fish. They’re there to be caught.» He wound up the crossbow, took aim and shot.

He missed.

The fish darted away as the bolt hit the water. He shot again, and missed again. Sweating and becoming annoyed, he looked up at the girl. «Go away, will you! You’re scaring the fish!»

She didn’t move.

He unleashed shot after shot into the pool, and now his bolts were disappearing into the mud so that he could not retrieve them. The fish were still there but they could not be caught. Finally, hot and enraged, he was out of bolts.

«So now you’d better go back to the signal cabin,” said the girl placidly.

«But I’ll be back!» he blustered, a beaten True Human around thirty-five years physical, too ready to submit, feeling an odd need to weep as he strode away.

Now, as he walked with empty bow, the game abounded. Deer wandered across the trail, fat birds perched on nearby branches and watched him. Soon he came to a stream and a huge fish was there, just idling in the current, begging to be shot. He regarded it for some time, and as he stood there in the suddenly-silent forest a name came into his head.

Torpad.

The fish was gigantic. It would provide food for days, and all he needed was just one bolt. Again he felt a compulsion to weep. Everything was against him. He jumped into the water after the fish, but it evaded him easily. He walked on empty-handed and by the time he arrived back at the cabin it was late afternoon.

«Did you get anything?» Raoul asked.

«No.»

Now Astrud spoke for the first time in hours. «Good.»

«There was a girl.»

«A girl?» Astrud showed dull surprise.

«Over in the next valley, a girl living alone. She was … strange. She scared me, in a way.» The beaten look was back; the crowsfeet, the sudden feeble grin.

«How old was she?»

«Oh.… Twenty, maybe. It wasn’t easy to tell.»

«Was she pretty?»

«And there was this fish — it was huge. We could have fed off it for days, but I had no more bolts left. She didn’t want me to catch fish, or anything else. She wanted the whole valley to herself. I’ll show her. Tomorrow I’m going right back there and I’m going to get that fish.»

«I don’t want you to go back there,” said Astrud.

It was at that time that Raoul began seriously to consider the possibility that the stress of recent events had driven his father insane.

That night Astrud relived the strangeness of her day; the hours in and around the tower, the terror of the Wrath of Agni in the glade, the queer threatening noises from the forest, the sudden scuttlings nearby. She’d cleaned out the cabin and fixed part of the roof with branches and overlapping leaves. Raoul had helped her, saying little. In the forest close by Raoul had found a relic of the past: an old sailcar, overgrown but still intact, lying on rotting rails. He’d gone inside, disturbing a sounder of peccaries which scampered off into the jungle, scaring her — she must remember to tell Tonio about it in the morning, take his mind off that girl — and she and Raoul had sat in the tiny forecabin, remembering the past, imagining phantom rails flying by, the tramping of the crew on the deck above, Tonio’s quick warm smile when something pleased him.…

Tonio was different, now. Astrud had noticed a big change, too.

Whimpering, she awakened and looked around with wide eyes.

By morning Tonio’s determination had increased. «Tonight we eat fresh fish,” he said, slipping crossbow bolts into his pack. «You’ll see.»

«I’d rather you didn’t go. Oh, Tonio — there are some peccaries near! Raoul came across a whole herd of them in an old sailcar, in the bush over there!»

«I’ll shoot one tomorrow.» Shouldering the crossbow, he strode off into the forest.

«Oh!» Unwittingly, Astrud had sentenced a peccary to death.…

It was raining, but the ridge was already warming up as the sun tried to burn away the clouds. Tonio descended the other side — and now, as he re-entered the rain forest, the place seemed to hold a different atmosphere. The air was fresh instead of fetid. The cries of the parrots were musical rather than harsh. The rain dripped softly through the leafy canopy and the other sounds — the animals and reptiles moving through the bush — were no longer menacing.

He was welcome.

He reached the nexus of pools and began to search the interconnecting streams. The water was clear despite the rain and Tonio became aware of an unusual sensation. It was a feeling of total certainty: he was going to catch that big fish, Torpad. The feeling was so definite that it was almost as though the event had already occurred.

And on many happentracks it had. A few Tonios had failed, a few had even drowned, and one had received a slashing bite from the fish which would turn septic and ultimately cause his death. But in general the fish had been caught.

Tonio saw Torpad. The great fish hovered in his accustomed position, facing the flow of water, keeping station with minimal fin movement. Tonio loaded his crossbow and knelt on the bank directly above the fish, which gave no indication of fear.

Tonio shot.

Torpad thrashed on the bright pebbles of the stream bed, while a mist of scarlet flowed away. His tail came clear of the surface and water sprayed about. Tonio made ineffectual grabbing motions, nearly overbalanced, nearly received a bite; then, satisfied the fish was securely pinned by the bolt, sat back to wait for him to tire.

«So you killed Torpad.»

The flat tones of the girl came just as Tonio was wading into the stream to claim his prize.

«I said I would, didn’t I?»

«And you did.»

«Well.… He didn’t even try to get away. «Tonio laid the fish on the bank; it was well over a meter long. «He just stayed there as though he wanted to be caught.»

She said seriously, with no trace of anger or recrimination, «Perhaps he did. Perhaps he knew his time had come, and he wanted to get it over with. But those little fish you were after yesterday — perhaps their time hadn’t come.»

«I knew I’d get him.»

«You didn’t know yesterday. It was only this morning that you knew — when the number of possible happentracks had diminished enough to make the Ifalong easy to foretell.»

He stared at her. The words were strange, yet they made a kind of sense. «Are you saying its possible to forecast the future?»

Her face was like a stone. «Nothing so precise. But it is possible to foretell the Ifalong.» Now she smiled, but there was no humor in it at all. «Come with me. You must be tired and hungry after your walk. My cottage is near.»

«You mean you could foretell my future?» he asked, trotting behind her like a pet animal, the fish forgotten beside the stream. She was young and very attractive, this girl, and she couldn’t possibly be the same one who had given him the infant Raoul, all those years ago. But the resemblance was uncanny.…

The pursuit

The battle for Rangua was virtually over by daybreak. Under cover of darkness the grupos had infiltrated the True Human lines and attacked from behind with terrifying ferocity. Although outnumbered by five to one the felinas had the advantage of superior night vision and, in the confusion, many True Human casualties had been inflicted by their own people hacking with swords at anything that moved.

Barricade after barricade surrendered and the prisoners were herded into the inn and other buildings on the main street. The felinas were not compassionate jailers. Their fighting instincts were still aroused and they were quick to punish anything which remotely resembled an attempt to escape. In point of fact no True Humans wanted to escape. The dark interior of the inn was a blessed sanctuary after the streets with their murderous, half-seen predators.

Shortly before dawn, Iolande reported to El Tigre.

«The northern half of the town is ours. Should we move south, or wait for Tamaril to work her way up to us?» She was panting with excitement and drenched with blood; an unnerving sight in the early half‑light.

It was probably at this moment that the first intimations of disaster came to El Tigre.…

«Wait,” he said.

«We could fan out north, mop up the farms and link up with Manoso in the delta.» Iolande was unwilling to stop fighting. Only her affection for El Tigre — and a certain fear of him — had prompted her to report back at all. Now she wanted to return to the battle.

«No. Hold your positions. Have there been …? How many died?»

«No more than necessary,” she answered. She gave him a quick hug which left a dark stain on him, then ran swiftly back to her forces.

As the sun rose out of the ocean El Tigre was watching from the top of the signal tower. The town was quiet; all fighting seemed to have ceased. Nearby, a great crowd of silent True Humans spilled out of the door of the inn and nearby houses, guarded by felinas. El Tigre wondered at their silence. It was though they were in the grip of a kind of mass shock. Even the children made little sound.

There was no joy in El Tigre as he descended the ladder, having seen Iolande and Tamaril heading towards the tower. They had obviously linked up, the battle was over, Rangua was theirs. A single cry of desolation rose from somewhere in the town like the crowing of a lonely cockerel. What about Manoso? Why was he silent? And in the foothills, the Palace. How should he approach that problem?

By the time he reached the foot of the ladder Karina, Teressa and Runa were there. His girls.… He put his huge arms around them, feeling better, for a moment.

Karina said, «I think we’ve won, father.»

«That may be.»

Now Torch, Iolande and Tamaril arrived, looking alert and ferocious despite having been busy all night.

«You must come and address the prisoners, El Tigre,” said Torch. «We must make our position clear — this is no temporary occupation. We must get certain guarantees out of them before we allow them to go home. We must assign responsibilities —”

«Yes, yes. First I’d like to inspect the town.»

«Of course.» Torch understood. It was natural that El Tigre should wish to gloat over the scene of conquest.

«Father,” said Karina, «we’ve captured the captain and crew of the Palhoa car. Can we get them to take us to Palhoa now? We must get after Tonio while the scent’s still warm.»

El Tigre looked at her, shaking his head slightly like a baffled bull. «No — come with me first. There’s plenty of time for Tonio.» And he thought: I need you with me for a while, children.…

So they paced down a nearby street; El Tigre with his head thrust forward, his grupo glancing at him and each other nervously; Torch, Iolande and Tamaril with light step and an air of pride and excitement. The barricade in this street consisted of a row of ox- and mule‑carts, with pieces of furniture pushed into the gaps: chairs, cupboards, a baby’s crib with the blanket still in it, tables, beds, anything which had come readily to hand. There was something pathetic about the futility of this barricade. It might have stopped a runaway tapir, but felinas …?

El Tigre sprang lightly to the top, standing on an oxcart.

A score of twisted bodies lay on the ground beyond.

They lay as they had died, hunched around terrible lacerations, in puddles of blood now turned to jelly and glistening in the new sun, surrounded by trampled entrails. They were both sexes and all ages. They hadn’t stood a chance.

Iolande jumped to the ground. «See, El Tigre?» She held up a metal knife, «You see the kind of two-faced bastards we’re dealing with?»

The others joined her, stepping carefully through the carnage.

El Tigre said nothing.

Karina gulped, and walked away. She looked at the sky, clean and bright and blue, the clouds of yesterday gone. What’s the matter with me? she wondered.

«Let’s take a look in there,” said El Tigre suddenly, pointing to a house where the door leaned open.…

They found the bodies in the bedroom; an elderly man and his wife. It seemed the old couple had locked themselves in and pushed a heavy dresser against the door; it lay on its side nearby. The man lay beside it with his throat slashed open; the door lay across his legs, torn away from its lintels. The woman had tried to get out of the window; the shutter was ajar. She lay in a huddle with her neck twisted back and her eyes open, staring at El Tigre as though in surprised recognition.

He said, «Why?»

«Well, hell, what do you expect?» Iolande answered briskly. «Have you ever tried to control a dozen grupos with the smell of blood in their nostrils? Have you ever tried to control one? All right, so a felina got a little out of hand in here. It’s a small price to pay.»

They left the house and walked on, but now El Tigre insisted they examine the whole town, house by house. He wanted to see the results of the battle personally, before anything was removed.

He saw enough to sicken him of revolution forever.

The barricades were bad enough, with their heaps of corpses and pools of blood; but at least the people there had died fighting. It was in the houses where the pathos lay; where the elderly and the children had barred the doors only to have them broken down by the powerful felinas; and where, in all too many cases, the felinas — already crazed with blood lust — had gone berserk.

El Tigre was relentless, and saw it all.

Some time in the afternoon Iolande said, «All right, all right!» and she began to cry. She collapsed on a doorstep, her head in her hands.

Tamaril, who had been silent for a long time, said, «Perhaps we shouldn’t reproach ourselves for the way we’re made. After all, the great Mordecai Whirst was a True Human.»

El Tigre said slowly, «No — the blame lies with us. We didn’t understand one another well enough, felinos and felinas. We didn’t understand what war meant, because we’ve never known one. The bachelors wouldn’t have done all this, if I’d sent them in instead. But then, the bachelors may not have won the war. Our men are clever and strong, but they are lazy and easy-going. I am such a man, although I drive myself to lead because somebody must. Our women hunt in packs and they’re cruel and violent when aroused — and I knew that — yet I sent them into Rangua. I must take the blame. I didn’t realize what I was doing, because we’ve never fought a real war before, and we didn’t know our own strength. But I should have known. I should have seen what I was committing the Canton to, once the revolution became more than just my talk.

«Iolande — stop snivelling and get up. Last night you did what you were born to do — only daylight has changed the picture. Now we must face our prisoners. This should be our moment of triumph. This is my moment of vengeance for what they did to Serena.» His bitter smile did nothing to hide his sorrow. «But instead I only feel guilt.»

Karina said quietly to Teressa, «You and Runa stay with father. I’ll go after Tonio alone.»

El Tigre, overhearing, said, «More killing?»

«This is a special case.» Confused and desperately unhappy, she hurried away. Time was getting on. She’d be lucky if she reached Palhoa by nightfall.

She went to the house where Captain Guantelete and his wife and crew were being held, obtained their release and assured the uncertain grupo guard that she could handle them.

Later, as the great square sails were spread and the car crept into the foothills on the last of the wind, she sat on deck and watched Rangua recede. The True Humans had left their temporary jails now, and were assembled before the signal tower, where her father was addressing them from half-way up the ladder. She hoped her sisters would look after him; right now, he needed their support and affection.

She felt she needed support too; and she was relieved when an ungainly figure came bounding out of the bush and swung itself aboard. It was the Pegman, who had left town in time to avoid the night’s killing.

He sat beside her. «So Rangua belongs to the felinos now.»

A bluff hid the town from view and the setting sun illuminated the wetness of the delta region. For a moment she wondered how Manoso had fared. His silence had alarmed El Tigre, who had a vision of Manoso’s entire force being wiped out by the ferocious cai‑men. Thinking unhappy thoughts, Karina was carried towards Palhoa and her historic meeting with the Dedo.

Years afterwards, they were still telling the story in Palhoa of how the cat-girl had awakened and stood, head high and nostrils flaring as she sniffed the morning air. Her beauty was unearthly, they said, but no man would have gone near her that day — except for the Pegman, a one-armed True Human freak from somewhere down the coast. The cat-girl awakened from where she’d been lying and the vicuna people edged away, tossing their heads. After sniffing she uttered a wordless sound — some said she roared — and she plunged into the jungle, followed by the freak.…

The Pegman had prevailed upon Karina to spend the night in Palhoa. «I’m beat,” he said. «And you must be tired, too. The jungle around Palhoa is dangerous. I know. I’ve been there. We’re going to need our wits about us.» So they’d slept on the deck of the car.

In the morning they were climbing, following the overgrown sailway. The scent was cold, but the Pegman assured Karina this was the route Tonio would have taken.

«He may be headed for Buique or even further. He’ll be expecting to be followed, for a while at least. He’s almost two days ahead of us, but he doesn’t know that. Maybe he’ll get careless.… There are other things besides jaguars here, so they say.…»

Karina had been casting around. «Somebody’s been this way — look!»

«Do you really want to go through with this, Karina?» asked the Pegman later, as they sat gnawing at a fungus.

«Is that why you’ve come? To try to talk me out of it?» Her voice was high. She was much affected by the happenings in Rangua.

«I wouldn’t do that.» He sat regarding her somberly. He was behaving with unusual normality, and hadn’t uttered a single insane yell since entering the jungle. He, like others, had a sense of converging events, of an inevitability in recent happenings which even his mad clowning could not disturb. «You have to make up your own mind, Karina.»

«I’ve made it up. I made it up when I found Saba dead.»

«So you will kill Tonio. Will you kill his wife and son, too?»

«Of course.»

«What did they ever do to you?»

«If you want to stay with me,” Karina cried suddenly, «You’d better keep your damned mouth shut, Pegman!» Her eyes were bright with tears.

Picking up the scent

After a while Tonio found he was talking about himself, telling this girl the story of the disaster. When he’d finished, she said,

«If it’s any consolation to you, Tonio, consider that on many happentracks the guiderail didn’t give way, and the people of Torres lived. Consider also, that on a few happentracks you rose to become a Company man, even in a couple of instances rising to the position of second‑in-command to Silva. Consider again,” she added quietly, «that none of this matters, because the Fifty Thousand Years’ Incarceration has run more than half its course, and within twenty millennia the Triad will free Starquin to roam the Greataway once more.»

He glimpsed a vastness. «In the Ifalong,” he said.

«We work towards that day.»

«And what about me?» His chest was tight. «What happens to me?»

«Many things.»

«Yes, but what’s the norm? What might I expect?»

It was late afternoon already; where had the day gone? The rain had stopped and a fresh breeze stirred the trees outside the cottage. The birds were screeching in anticipation of night and the jaguars stretched and unsheathed their claws, limbering up for the evening hunt. And another creature stirred too; a huge beast, the only one of his kind.

Leitha said, «You will take your place in the scheme of things.»

«What do you mean?»

«Tonio, you’ve been at odds with your surroundings for some time now. You must have known it yourself — you’ve been fighting things instead of going with the flow. Soon, things will be different.»

As he left, he said, «You didn’t mind me shooting the fish, then?»

«Mind? No, I don’t mind. Today you shot the fish. It is a fact, and it was going to be a fact before it happened. It makes no difference to the overall scheme — in fact, it’s part of the scheme.»

He walked away, musing on the disturbing fatalism of those words. He was almost back at the signal cabin before he realized he’d left the fish behind. Astrud greeted him, and immediately accused him.

«You’ve been with that girl!»

«I talked to her, yes.» He was abstracted, still back at the strange cottage in spirit, still seeing the girl’s cold face.

«It’s not like you’re thinking, Astrud. She’s an odd person, but I think she could help us a lot.» He leaned out of the window, looking east. It was possible to see where the old sailway had run; the jungle was thinner, the roof of the trees just a little lower. From a certain position he could just see the ocean, probably fifteen kilometers away. «If they ever came after us,” he said, «I think she would hide us and look after us.»

«Why? Because she likes you?»

«Because it might fit in with the nature of the Ifalong,” he said, and she stared at him.

Later Raoul tackled him. «We have to move on, father.»

«I think this will suit us fine, Raoul.»

«You didn’t see the way she looked! She’s after us, I know that — and she’ll be bringing a few grupos with her!»

«Are you still talking about that felina?»

«Yes I am, and I think she’s a lot more important than that bruja you’re always with. It seems to me she’s got you twisted around her finger! ‘You will take your place in the scheme of things,’ mimicked Raoul furiously. «What about us, father? What about mother and me?»

By the Sword of Agni, he thought, the young bastard’s been following me. Tonio glanced around, saw Astrud was out of earshot, and said, «The jungle is a dangerous place, Raoul. Particularly that valley where the girl lives. You could get yourself killed, going in there.» He said this quietly, and there was no doubt as to his meaning. A different world, he thought. Survival of the individual is what counts.

Raoul had backed off as though Tonio had struck him, and now he was staring incredulously at him. «Are you threatening me, father?»

«Just pointing out the dangers.»

«Right,” said Raoul. «I understand.…»

They hadn’t made such quick progress as Karina had hoped. After a few kilometers’ climbing they’d left the sailway on the Pegman’s advice, heading south.

«Tonio will have made for Buique,” said Enri, but he lied. «This is the quickest way. The sailway took a roundabout route, because of the gradients.»

His own fury at the death of Saba had subsided and he was regretting telling the El Tigre grupo where Tonio might be. There had been enough killing. He’d heard some of the screaming from Rangua during the previous night and he knew that, so far, Karina had had no part in it. He wanted it to stay that way.

They spent the night a few kilometers below Buique, having bypassed the area where the Pegman supposed Tonio to be. Congratulating himself, he settled down to sleep. Tomorrow he would continue the wild-goose chase until Karina cooled her intentions. He slept heavily and it seemed only a moment later that it was dawn and Karina was shaking him awake, oblivious of the fact that her breasts jiggled in full view under the loose neck of her tunic.

«Enri! Wake up! Look!» She shook his shoulder violently and he dragged his gaze away from her to look in the direction she indicated.

A wisp of smoke rose above the trees, several kilometers below them.

«We’ve come too far,” said Karina.

«We can’t be sure it’s them.»

«Of course it’s them! Who else but a True Human like Tonio would kindle the Wrath of Agni? And now —” her eyes narrowed to fierce slits as she squinted against the wet brightness of the rising sun “— we’ve got them! Now we close in. Come on, Enri!»

Resignedly, the Pegman allowed himself to be led downhill, and soon they came across the upper reaches of the old sailway.

«We should never have left the track,” said Karina, with a glance at Enri.

«You’ve met Astrud?» asked the Pegman later.

«No. I’ve seen her, though.»

«She’s a nice woman. Simple, really. Very religious — she really believes the Examples. I was in her house once, and I saw texts all over the walls.»

«I know. I … kind of spied on them a while back, and I saw into the house.»

«And you want to kill her.»

“ Rayohad metal bearings! How two-faced can she be!»

«She didn’t know. I’ll swear to that, Karina.»

«Huh.»

They scrambled down further, walking in the bed of a little stream which followed the sailway. Then Enri said,

«You know.… One time, I thought you rather liked Raoul.»

She didn’t turn round. «Oh?»

«Well.… I hear you rode with him up to Rangua one day — and got into quite some trouble about it, so they say. And you followed him into the delta.…»

«And I got caught, and he didn’t do a thing to help me! Mordecai, what a creep! He’s weak, weak!»

«You’re right. He doesn’t have the guts to stand up to his father. It’s the way True Humans are raised, I suppose.»

«Maybe,” said Karina.

Later the track levelled out to a platform and there, barely visible among the dense trees, was a signal tower.

«Look at this, Enri!» Karina stood in a glade. At her feet, the remains of a fire smouldered. «They’re here.» Her gaze snapped this way and that, finally dwelling thoughtfully on the signal cabin at the top of the tower. «Up there,” she said.

But the cabin was empty. There were signs of recent habitation however; some food, skins, and blankets laid on the floor.

«Right,” said Karina grimly as they climbed down to the foot of the ladder. «They’re not far off, and the trail’s still warm. We’ve got them, Enri. Follow me, and don’t think of making any loud noises.»

Raising her head, she sniffed the air delicately.

«Are you sure you don’t mind?» asked Tonio. «Four fish would probably be enough, but five would be better. They’re quite small. My wife, she must learn to eat.…»

«The valley will be in balance again before long,” Leitha said. «When you arrived there was a certain imbalance, but that will right itself. Meanwhile you can keep the fish.»

She looked at him in a way which he might have thought calculating — but dead eyes cannot calculate. His gaze strayed to the water. Today the fishing had been good — and there was another big fish there. He’d seen it. Not so big as Torpad, but big enough.

Yet the blood lust had left him. When he’d successfully shot his first small fish and laid it on the grass there had been no elation; just a relief that his hunger would be appeased.

Suddenly, the Dedo stood, glanced around, then walked off up the trail without a word. He watched her go. It was warm in the sun and he was drowsy. He’d lost all sense of time, but figured he ought to be getting back. The signal cabin had begun to feel like home; although Astrud’s mood had become unpredictable, and Raoul was showing signs of youthful rebelliousness.…

In fact Astrud was close by at that moment, having tired of fixing up the cabin, and having begun to wonder, not for the first time, just what Tonio spent his days doing.

She emerged from the trees in time to see the Dedo disappearing up the trail. Tonio sat by the stream as though in a trance. He’d taken off most of his clothes and he looked pale and flabby. Rage began to gnaw at her. She stormed down to the riverbank.

«You’ve been with that girl!»

«Yes.»

«Well, it’s not right! I’ve been working back there while you spend your time idling about with some forest girl!»

«I wasn’t idling. I caught some fish.» He indicated them.

«I won’t have you playing around with that girl! Listen, Tonio, I haven’t stuck by you all this time for you to run off into the woods with some Specialist.»

«Leitha isn’t a Specialist.»

«And you know all about Specialists, don’t you? After all, you killed plenty of them!»

«What’s happening here?» Raoul pushed his way out of the bush. «I could hear you a kilometer away.»

«Your father’s running out on us, that’s what!»

There was a strange expression on Tonio’s face, and he was blinking rapidly. «I thought I told you not to come this way,” he said. «It’s dangerous. You could cause an imbalance.»

«A what?»

«It’s claptrap,” said Astrud furiously. «Claptrap he teamed from that girl. Since he met her he’s been coming out with all kinds of queer things!»

Tonio was blinking at the water. «Nothing to be done.…»

«There’s one thing to be done. You come with us back to the cabin, right now!»

«Two happentracks. I do, or I don’t.» A tic was twitching in Tonio’s cheek. Soon Astrud might start screaming. It was in the nearby Ifalong.

«Come on, Tonio,” she said, suddenly more gentle. «You’re not yourself. It’s the reaction. The humidity. Come —”

She broke off, staring.

Tonio had picked up one of the fish. It had been dead for a couple of hours and it was stiff. He clutched it in his fist with the head uppermost.

He regarded it thoughtfully.

Astrud was still. Raoul was still. The forest was silent.

Tonio put the head in his mouth and bit it off, with a crunch, just as though he was eating a stick of celery.

Astrud screamed.

Blood trickled down Tonio’s chin as he chewed, watching her vacantly. He took another bite, stripping flesh from the backbone. He chewed with his mouth open. His teeth shone crimson with blood while his tongue rolled a wad of flesh and bones.

Raoul uttered a bellow of despair and ran, pushing his way blindly through the undergrowth.

«Listen.… What’s that?» said Karina.

Away to the left they could hear a crashing as a heavy body plunged through the forest.

«A tapir,” said Enri. «There are lots of them around these parts. They get scared by a noise, and they just run off into the bush.»

They heard a woman’s voice; a low, breathless sobbing.

«Tapir, huh?» said Karina. «Come on. This way. She’s headed back to the signal cabin.»

«Just Astrud?» The Pegman stayed where he was. «She’s not so important, is she? Tonio’s still up ahead. He’s the one you really want.»

As Karina stood irresolute, staring this way and that into the dense foliage, she caught sight of movement. «Quiet.…» she whispered, and began to creep forward, one careful step at a time.

There was the flick of a black cloak, half-seen. Karina crept on, her heart pounding, her fingers hooked into talons. It was Tonio — it had to be. It was too tall for Astrud. A twig snapped under her foot and she swore under her breath; but, a moment later, she saw the quarry again, crossing a clearing where water flowed.

On the ground beside the river lay some dead fish, one of them half-eaten. «See this?» she said to the Pegman as he hurried up. «They’re eating meat, now. Hunting, kindling the Wrath of Agni — it shows the kind of things True Humans will do, when they think nobody’s watching.»

«I’m a True Human,” Enri reminded her, not for the first time.

Now Karina began to run, plunging through brush which slashed at her legs, climbing rocks, clawing her way up through the jungle and wondering at her quarry’s speed. She climbed on, the Pegman puffing behind her with no pretence at stealth, and emerged into, sudden sunshine.

She was standing on a ridge of short grass and rocky outcroppings which marked the northern boundary of the valley. Fifty meters away the cloaked figure stood in the sun.

And between Karina and this figure lay a ravine with sheer walls, a hundred meters deep.

She stared. «How …?» It never occurred to her that there might have been two cloaked figures and the Dedo, calculating happentracks, slipped away unseen.

The Pegman uttered a wordless exclamation.

The figure was turning round, slowly, to look at them. The cloak fell away from the face, and the sunlight shone on pale skin, jet black hair. It wasn’t Tonio.

It was the handmaiden.

The sun lit the eroded fissures of her burned face and the wind caught her hair, lifting it. Karina’s eyes narrowed as the light seemed to intensify painfully — and suddenly the handmaiden was beautiful. Karina couldn’t see the Marks of Agni any more; only the eyes and the oval outlines of the face; the tall, slim figure and the lifting hair.

And the Pegman was shouting a name, over and over.

«Corriente! Corriente!»

The imbalance resolved

Astrud ran. She blundered through thickets, flung herself across streams, and burst out of the jungle onto the slopes of the ridge. Her mind was afire with horror and disgust. Every rock, every tree was Tonio, his face an animal’s face as he munched raw flesh, snorting with gratification. She stumbled up the slope and down the other side, falling several times, picking herself up and plunging on, scratched and bruised, the heat burning the strength out of her.

She had to get back among real people.

She would pick up a few things from the cabin, then follow the track down to Palhoa. She stumbled on, reached the cabin at last, threw herself at the ladder and began to climb.

The ninth rung split.

She fell, seeing Tonio’s face in the ground as it rushed up to hit her. Later she climbed again, dragging herself up with arms shaking from the effort, one leg almost useless. She crawled across the cabin floor, caught hold of the control arms and pulled herself to her feet. Holding onto her last glimmer of consciousness she worked the arms, catching the sun’s rays in the battery of hemitrexes, directing the beam downhill, noting the way the jungle shadows brightened and following the line until she was sure the people in Palhoa must see the distant blaze of light.…

She fell to the floor, and prayed that someone was looking her way. Some kindly mountain-woman, long-necked with head held high, her eye caught by the sudden glare.…

Much later she awakened. It was almost dark.

Somebody, something, was in the cabin with her.

«Tonio …?»

«Rest easy for a moment. I’ve almost done.»

It was a woman’s voice.

«What … what are you doing here? Where’s Tonio?»

«You can stand now. Your ankle was badly injured, but I’ve healed it.» Leitha slipped a smooth stone into her pocket and helped Astrud to her feet. «You signalled the village. You shouldn’t have done that. It introduces new factors and creates new happentracks. You’re not very rational, are you? I have to get you away from here. There is a need for you in the Ifalong.»

They walked. The forest was waking up for the night. Astrud’s leg felt good and she found time to wonder at the healing powers of this strange girl; then her mind clouded over. This was the woman who had taken Tonio away from her.

«Why did you do it?» she asked.

«Don’t talk. It isn’t safe to be out, tonight. There’s an imbalance.»

They descended the ridge into the secret valley and it was very dark among the trees, and the animals seemed to be all around them. Astrud started as a tapir, head down, burst from the undergrowth and pounded so close that it brushed her in passing. She waited, shivering, for its pursuer to appear. Leitha drew her on, and soon they were fording a stream.

«What’s that?» There was a big shadow on the bed of the stream, and for a terrified instant Astrud thought it was a cai‑man, about to snap at her.

And Leitha said, «Torpad.… He’s just a big fish.»

Later they reached the stone cottage. It was empty and weirdly illuminated, and again Astrud asked, «Where’s Tonio?»

«He’s been helping me restore the balance.»

«Balance?» Astrud was intimidated by this cold, self-possessed girl. It was quite obvious, now, that Tonio had not been involved with her in any romantic sense. This girl had never had a man, and never would — although she was quite beautiful in an icy way. Astrud had misjudged Tonio. In a moment she would find him, and apologize to him.… «Tonio’s coming with me. We’re leaving.»

«Well, that’s possible, on certain remote happentracks. But very unlikely. The chances are, you will die.»

The cold eyes watched her.

«I’m getting out of here!» Astrud ran for the door, suddenly terrified in a mindless way, in the way of a hunted animal.

«You’ll only hasten your own end,” the Dedo called after her.

So Astrud ran into the night and stood there for a moment, heart pounding, looking this way and that. She didn’t know where Tonio was, but she knew she must find him quickly. They had to get out of this valley, away from the threats of this girl. She called his name, listened for a reply, but heard only the sound of night hunting.

«Tonio!» she called again.

There was a bright moon above and she could see well enough to discern a trail leading downhill. She thought it was the one she’d come by, but she couldn’t be sure. Had she been in the cottage for long? She broke into a run. She didn’t look back.

Leitha was watching her from the doorway; watching and calculating, because that was her Duty. She weighed predator against prey, scavenger against carrion. She considered the grass, and the deer. Her mind dwelt briefly on the ants and the anteater, the tapir and the rainfall. She listened to the wind and the birds, and the sound of Astrud’s retreating footsteps.

She contemplated the Ifalong.

Astrud ran.

A jaguar killed a pacarana.…

Bantus lumbered through the forest. He ignored the deer which swerved in front of him, and he paid no heed to the tapir which he could hear browsing nearby.

Tonight was fish night.

The certainty was within his being, like a command which he couldn’t help but obey. He salivated, anticipating the flavor of fresh blood. There was a rightness about the night. He could sense a rhythm and a pattern, and his own place in it.

Something in his mind was saying: Bantus —tonight is the night for Torpad.

Karina had to physically restrain the Pegman from attempting to jump the ravine. There was a brief struggle until finally she pinned him to the ground, during which time the handmaiden disappeared.

«She’s gone, she’s gone. Oh, Corriente!»

«Is that the Corriente you’ve been talking about all these years?»

«That’s her.»

«But she’s cursed by Agni, Enri,” said Karina gently.

«Does that matter? I only have one arm, now.»

How can I kill that woman now? Karina wondered. «I think we’ll find her easily enough tomorrow.»

The Pegman gave a faint smile. «After all these years.…» he murmured. «And now, Karina, if you’ll kindly get your pretty body off my old one, we can decide what to do next.»

«Oh.… Of course.» She stood, watching him warily. «Maybe we should go back to the signal cabin. Tonio may be there by now.» But the urgency was gone. It was late afternoon and warm here on the ridge. She sat beside the Pegman. «Who is this Corriente, anyway? Where did you meet her?»

«Long ago, before you were born, I met Corriente at the Tortuga Festival in Portina, to the south. I was playing a few tunes for the felinos, singing a song or two; while they were laughing at the idea of a True Human entertaining them. A few of them had been drinking and some things were said which were not really meant. I was thinking of moving on. Then Corriente came and sat beside me, and everyone was silent.

«Because she was beautiful, you see — more beautiful than any woman there, even the felinas. She sang with me, and afterwards we enjoyed the Festival together, the feasting and the dancing and the fun. Later, in the moonlight, we made love. In the morning she cried, and I thought it was because … well, True Human women sometimes do cry when it’s over. So I asked her to be my wife; and she said she couldn’t, because she had to marry somebody else.

Karina said, «True Humans make things complicated.»

«Maybe, but there are sometimes compensations — although not in my case. It turned out that Corriente was the daughter of the Canton Lord, so I was wasting my time. She went away the next day. There was just one moment when I might have had her. I sat on a mule beside Portina station and watched her and the Lord get aboard the sailcar and I almost .… She walked past me so close and her eyes met mine, and I almost reached down and caught hold of her.…

«And I almost rode off with her into the hills, and we almost built a little cabin up there, and raised crops and a family, and we almost lived happily ever after.» He smiled. «It was so close. All I needed to have done, was to reach out and catch hold of her.

«I’ve been trying to undo that moment ever since. You’ve heard of happentracks? Well, I know on many happentracks I rode off with Corriente. I could almost feel them there, right next to my life. I’ve been trying to jump across to one of those happentracks ever since.

«Maybe this time I’ve done it.»

The sun had gone down behind the trees. Karina said, «So you became the Pegman. What happened to Corriente?»

«She died — or so everyone thought. There was an accident to her car on the way to the wedding. They say a branch fell off a tree and jammed the sails. The car was struck by Agni and it left the track and fell into the river. They never found her body. It happened at Pele North Stage.»

And he looked at her, nodding slightly, as if to say, Yes, yes .…

She stared in growing amazement. «What was the name of the car?»

“ Cavaquinho.»

«Oh.…» She was looking at him as though she saw him for the first time. «And so … Corriente must be.…»

«Princess Swift Current. Same words, but an old tongue.»

“ You, Enri? You? That story — it’s almost a legend. One of the great sailway songs. You’re the humble minstrel from Jai’a!»

«That’s me,” He grinned in embarrassment.

«Mordecai!» Things began to fit together; old stories, odd remarks from Enri, carrera songs.…

«And now.… Here she is, in this valley. Those times I’ve heard you talk about the handmaiden, I never thought.…»

Uncertainly, Karina stood. Suddenly her vendetta was beginning to look small against the sweep of Time and events. All the same, it was getting dark, and the familiar restlessness stirred in her veins; the blood of carnivores from long ago.

«Well.… Let’s go and get that bastard Tonio anyway,” she said.

Astrud saw Tonio in the moonlight, face‑down in the stream, and she thought he was dead. With a small scream of desolation she stepped into the water and knelt beside him. He lay very still, the water flowing past his hair and down his pale, naked body. His heels broke the surface, his arms lay along his sides.

Then she saw his fingers were fluttering.

She thought it was the flow of the water. She seized his left hand and held it to her. The fingers twitched swiftly.

Then the body squirmed.

She took hold of him. He was cold. He struggled, squirming sideways, feet kicking. She tried to drag him onto the bank but he was too heavy. He didn’t try to push her away, yet she sensed he was resisting her.

«Tonio!» she cried, dragging at him, sobbing. She thought he was trying to drown himself. The guilt had been too much for him. All those felino people dead. And she hadn’t exactly helped.

His mouth opened and she thought he was going to speak, but it closed again. Water dripped from his lips.

His mouth opened again, and closed.

He gaped, and gaped, just like a big fish.

She couldn’t hold him up much longer.

She felt the ground move under her, and the moonlight was blotted out. She looked up.

She screamed.

She backed away, staring, screaming her lungs out, not standing, just crawling slowly backwards while her gaze remained transfixed by the glowing eyes of the most terrible creature she’d ever seen.

The Pegman and Karina watched from the undergrowth.

«Oh, my God.…» Enri was mumbling. «Oh, my God.…» Quietly, as though the sound of his own voice was a comfort he couldn’t do without, even though it might reach the ears of the monster.

Karina was silent while the Little Friends raged through her body, urging her to run.

.… It was the way the creature had scooped Tonio out of the water with one paw, as though he was a medium-sized fish. And the next part had been quite simple, too. Tonio hadn’t screamed. He’d made no sound at all, just opening and shutting his mouth. He’d squirmed quietly until the creature had cuffed him and broken his neck. Then he was gone, eaten. There was very little blood. The monster wheeled around, and left.

Astrud lay panting and trembling like a terrified deer. «So sorry, Tonio,” she whispered. «Sorry, sorry, sorry.…»

Karina’s breath rattled in her throat, like a snarl. She’d dropped to a crouch and her eyes were wide and luminous. The Little Friends were quieter now, but the human part of her was scared sick. At last the dull footsteps of the monster died away and she crept forward and laid a hand on Astrud’s shoulder. The woman started, stared at her and whimpered. Her eyes were empty of all intelligence.

The Pegman was talking. «There are worse things on Earth than True Humans, Karina.»

She glanced at him, took a deep breath, and stood.

«Help me with Astrud,” she said. «We’re going to find that damned Dedo!»

Death of the Dedo

A bar of light showed under the cottage door and Karina hesitated. They had found the place quite easily, but now.… Only fungus and slimy things — and of course the Wrath of Agni — glowed at night. It was unnatural, that light. She shivered, swallowed heavily, and threw open the door.

Two women were there.

The handmaiden — Corriente — stood on the far side of the room, the ravines of her face like dancing shadows. The whole room glowed, not only because of the Wrath of Agni which was consuming a pile of sticks in a rock alcove.

Sitting before this alcove, showing no fear, was the Dedo. She was a lot younger than Karina had expected, and much more beautiful. Her eyes glowed with the firelight and a little more of Karina’s resolve ebbed away.

«So you’re the Dedo,” she said, and the Little Friends helped keep her voice steady. «You’re not so much. Your neck’s kind of skinny and I’ll bet your belly’s soft.»

«Yes, I am in human form,” said Leitha.

Karina strode across the room and stood above her, braving the heat and menace of the fire. «Is everything going according to your plan?» she asked. «Are we all dancing along your precious happentrack like puppets? Can you tell us who else is going to die along the way?» Her fingers were hooked and ready.

«It’s becoming unimportant, now. The nearby Ifalong is decided. Certain humans have served their purpose, and there is still a slight imbalance in the valley. Those are considerations.» The Dedo treated the question on its merits.

«By Agni!» Karina’s temper snapped. «I’m going to kill you!»

«No,” said the Dedo. «Raoul will kill me.»

The certainty in the beautiful woman’s tone stopped Karina as her fingers were reaching for the slender throat. «You know that? Then why don’t you save yourself?»

«Because my life is of little importance when considered against the Purpose, the Duty, and the sweep of the Ifalong.»

Unexpectedly, Astrud spoke. «You took Tonio away from me!» Her gaze darted around the cottage as though seeking her husband in some dark niche. «He’s here somewhere, I know it!»

Karina shivered. The Pegman backed away. Astrud was completely mad; they could almost see the emptiness of her mind.

«Where are you, Tonio?» cooed Astrud in tones of terrifying sweetness. Then her gaze returned to the Dedo. «You’ve hidden him. He’s your lover, isn’t he?» Now she blinked, and for an instant there was a glimmer of intelligence like a cunning dog. «And Raoul’s your child! You’re the girl he met in the forest, all those years ago! You’re a witch, a bruja! ” Then, as though the effort had been too great, she turned away with a little whimper and began to stroke the fur of a strange animal which hung on the wall.…

«Raoul is not my son,” said the Dedo. «He has a far greater significance.»

The light in the cottage had no source. The fire glowed at one end and the Rock at the other; but there was something else, a suffused glow which seemed to be in the air. As though Agni himself is riding the next happentrack, thought the Pegman.

«Where did the handmaiden come from?» he asked with studied casualness.

«That matters nothing to the flow of events,” said the Dedo. «Her work is finished now, anyway.»

«It matters to me.»

The Dedo’s glance rested on him for a moment. «The handmaiden? She came to me many years ago, sick and badly burned, talking of a sailcar accident. She was of no significance and I might have healed her and sent her on her way, or simply eliminated her, but then my study of the Ifalong revealed she could be useful in guiding events. So I used her. I didn’t heal her, of course. Her burns were useful in keeping the superstitious coastal humans from approaching her.»

Enri walked up to the handmaiden and took her hand. «Do you remember me, Corriente?»

But the woman stood silent, her eyes vacant, her hand cold and unresponsive.

«What have you been doing around here?» Karina asked the Dedo. «Have you driven her mad, too? Do you sacrifice everything to this stupid Purpose? Doesn’t it occur to you that ordinary humans have their own Purposes which are just as important to them? Let me tell you why Starquin’s Purpose seems more important to you than a human’s Purpose. It’s because Starquin is bigger and stronger, that’s why. That’s the only reason! That’s the trouble with every god humans ever dreamed up! They’re always made out to be important, but the real truth is they’re bigger and stronger, and they can stomp on you! They’re rotten big bullies!»

«That is the essence of a certain Cosmic Truth,” said the Dedo.

«Well,” shouted Karina, shaking her fists at the ceiling, «Piss on you, Starquin!»

«If you’re hoping he will strike you with a thunderbolt, thereby proving his existence and a certain vulnerability, you are going to be disappointed,” said the Dedo. Reaching into a niche, she took out a curious instrument and pointed it at an earthenware pot. Thoughtfully, almost experimentally as though she was not used to doing this, she thumbed the button.

The pot jumped and shattered, the fragments glowed, then ran together in a small puddle of intense heat.

«It is time to reduce the possibility of error,” Leitha said.

Then she pointed the weapon at Astrud.

That scene, the frozen tableau of players, entered legend, was etched in the circuits of the Rainbow, and finally emerged in the Song of Earth as the famous couplet:

«The one-armed man, the mother and the cat-girl watched with dread,

As the devil-woman numbered them among the living dead.»

Probably the three humans, at that moment, could not quite believe what was going to happen. All three had recently witnessed violent death; but that had been perpetrated by a mere animal. Now they were watching a creature in human guise, a creature who they suspected was living on a plane above them, a greatly superior being one step short of a god.

And yet this goddess of beauty pressed the button on her little machine.

Astrud glowed briefly, and fell.

«She was mad,” said the Dedo. «It’s difficult to predict what mad people might do. However, normal humans react very much according to a pattern.»

She watched the door.

It burst open and Raoul entered, wild-eyed and breathless.

«What’s going on here?» he shouted. «Where’s my father?» Then he saw the body on the floor. «Mother!» He knelt beside her, laid a hand on her cheek, snatched it away and looked up at them. «Who did this?»

Karina said, «This woman did it with that thing she’s holding. She killed your father, too.»

There was a stricken look on Raoul’s face which changed as they watched. He rose slowly to his feet, gaze fixed on the Dedo.

«Well,” said the Dedo softly, «now I think you’ve served your purpose too, Karina.» And she pointed her weapon at the cat-girl.

«No! Not Karina!»

With a howl of rage, Raoul flung himself at the Dedo.

As she had known he would.…

She fell against the wall, brought up the weapon and pressed the button. Half a meter from Raoul’s head the wall glowed and dribbled lava. As he jerked away, she aimed at Karina again. This time Raoul threw a bottle which struck the Dedo on the shoulder, and Karina jumped aside as the floor began to glow. The Dedo recovered, but Raoul had sprung forward again, grasping her wrist. The weapon discharged a bolt of light into the ceiling, and timbers cracked and fell, smoking. Raoul, snarling like an animal, jerked at her arm and felt the bone snap as a ribbon of light slashed across the wall.

The Dedo screamed. The weapon dropped to the floor.

Raoul released his grip. The Dedo fell and began to scrabble for the gun. Even though she knew the outcome of this struggle, the instinct of self-preservation remained. Raoul stepped on the gun. As the Dedo tried to pry it from under his foot, he placed his toe squarely on the button.

The Dedo bucked once and lay still, smoking.

For a moment Raoul stood watching her, then his eyes met Karina’s and he looked away, embarrassed.

«You did that for me?» said Karina wonderingly. «You could have been killed yourself, Raoul. You don’t understand just how powerful the Dedo was.»

The Pegman uttered a shaky laugh. «So much for the Ifalong,” he said.

Karina was still watching Raoul incredulously. «But I’m a felina, Raoul.»

«So?» he muttered. «Maybe I just lost my temper. Wouldn’t you, if your mother had just been killed?»

He regarded the scene in the cottage; the two bodies on the floor, the Pegman standing white-faced, Karina watching him with a look he couldn’t understand, and the handmaiden still standing in the corner, unmoved by events.

He mumbled something, swung around and left.

They’d run out of things to say about Time and happentracks and other strangenesses, and the dead women lay on the other side of the wall. The forest was very still, and stars were fading with the first light of a new day.

«What are you going to do, Enri?» Karina asked.

«Oh.… I thought I’d stay in Palhoa for a while. Corriente has to be looked after.… When she’s feeling better, I’ll take her down to Rangua.»

Karina looked from him to the motionless handmaiden and her face was suddenly sad. «Princess Swift Current.…» she murmured, and she remembered how she’d first met this tall, silent woman, out on the sailway track beyond Rangua, when her leg was broken. It is important that you live, the handmaiden had said, and she’d healed her, and saved her life.…

She’d done it with a smooth stone.

Karina said, «Enri, I want to try something.»

She drew aside the handmaiden’s robe and there, in an inside pocket, was the stone.

Karina took it and, concentrating, thought: Little Friends, help me if you can. I don’t understand the use of this stone.

Her fingertips tingled.

Gently, she rubbed the stone over Corriente’s face. A light came into Corriente’s eyes. She twisted away and mumbled, «She told me never to do that to myself.»

Karina said, «She’s dead, Corriente.» She continued to stroke the burned face.

The Pegman sighed.

The marks of Agni were disappearing, smoothed by the healing action. The puckered scars melted away, the twisted eyelids were mended, the eyes became almond-shaped and beautiful, the brows and the hairline grew back.

The lips smiled.

Princess Swift Current was back — older, but the Pegman recognized her still, and marvelled. The Little Friends withdrew, having unblocked certain pathways in her mind.

«What.… What’s been happening?» she asked.

«Do you remember me, Corriente?» the Pegman asked. Of course, she wouldn’t. It was so long ago. So many things had happened.

She said, «Enri. I wanted you to take me away with you.»

«I didn’t know.…»

«You knew I loved you.»

And now that he had her at last, Enri lost his nerve. She was too beautiful, and he was a one-armed Pegman. He wasn’t worthy. He shrugged, admitting his past foolishness, accepting that it was now too late. He turned away.

Corriente took hold of him, swung him round and kissed him.…

For a long time Karina fidgeted nearby, examining the stone wall with embarrassed intensity. True Humans were the strangest creatures — they behaved like people in legends. At last the couple stepped apart. Karina sighed with relief. She’d feared they were going to mate, there and then, and it wouldn’t have seemed, right for her to watch. Anyone else, but not the Pegman. Needing to change the subject, she said tentatively:

«The Dedo died very … easily, didn’t you think, Enri? With all her powers.…» Her imagination had conjured up a picture of the Dedo sitting in the chair by the fire the way she’d first seen her, sitting there right now, on the other side of the wall, smiling to herself, having fooled them all.

«She knew Raoul was going to kill her. It was in the Ifalong. So there was no point in fighting it. I kind of think it was all part of her Purpose that she died.»

«Look!» said Corriente. Smoke was puffing from under her door.

They backed off. The smoke thickened, then suddenly the cottage burst into flames. Fingers of fire reached through the roof into the trees and the slates popped and crackled. The roof collapsed and a great breath of smoke puffed out of the windows like the exhalation of a dying dragon. The door fell outwards, flaming, and within minutes the cottage was reduced to a smoking shell. So rapid had been the conflagration that the ferns and mosses growing in and around the walls were barely scorched. As the smoke died, the remains of the cottage seemed to blend back into the forest, giving the impression of an old rock face scarred by a couple of caves.

In fact, thought Karina in a moment of superstition, maybe that’s what it is. ”

It had all happened so unnaturally fast, as though Starquin had needed to erase something from Time, and had done it by the most convenient means.

Karina was about to discuss her new theory with Enri when she saw that he was again occupied with Corriente, and looked as though he’d rather not be disturbed. She stood quietly for a while, feeling sad; then at last said diffidently:

«What shall I do now, Enri?»

The Pegman disentangled himself. «Are you still here, Karina? What are you waiting for? Go and look after Raoul — this forest is thirsty for blood. I’ll see you in Rangua in a few days.»

Karina flushed. «I don’t go nursemaiding True Human brats!»

«But he saved the life of a felina brat,” said Enri.

«Oh.»

«Or did he save the life of a good felina girl who would be happy to return the favor? He’s lost and unhappy, Karina. Does it matter that he’s a True Human?»

«He saved my life.…» Karina was reliving that fearful moment. «Do you think I’ve misjudged him, Enri?»

«Go on. Get after him.»

«Thank you, Enri. Thanks for everything.» She threw her arms around his neck, pressed her body against his and kissed him long and hard.

Afterwards, the Pegman chuckled ruefully. «That was every bit as good as I expected. Will you forgive me, Corriente?»

Corriente was watching Karina running into the jungle. «She’s a very remarkable young woman.…»

«Is there something you’re not telling me?»

«Raoul isn’t a True Human, Enri.»

«What!»

«He was brought here from a distant place. He’s the first natural hybrid of True Human and Specialist. According to the Dedo, on certain happentracks he’s capable of fathering children. This is the Dedo’s Purpose — to create a new line of people. Karina’s a descendant of Captain Spring, the tiger-woman who brought bor back to Earth. She’s not a full jaguar-girl at all — hadn’t you noticed? And Raoul — his children may be able to mate with True Humans or Specialists.»

The Pegman caught a glimpse of the Ifalong. «That could solve a lot of problems.»

«But it’s incidental to the Purpose. In one happentrack of the Ifalong — maybe this happentrack — Karina and Raoul will mate and have a son. This son will be the first of a new line of humans with bor, neither full Specialists nor True Humans but having the best characteristics of both, and capable of breeding with either.»

«Karina and Raoul.… I always thought there was something special about her; but him.… I don’t know. Do you really think it’s going to happen, Corriente?»

She said, «I hope so. Leitha died for it. That’s quite a sacrifice for someone who’s nearly immortal.»

The importance of love

There was no love in Leitha. Why should there be, when she was a Finger of Starquin? He is a lone creature, a being without sex, without even a form.

Yet Leitha understood love, and what it meant to humans. And she used it in bringing Karina and Raoul together. She’d learned about it long ago; learned of its importance, and the part it had played in Mankind’s progress. She’d known the days of Greataway travel, when humans flitted among the stars faster than light, in insubstantial matrices they called Invisible Spaceships.

Love played a very big part in Man’s Greataway travel, because the ether is delicate and will not readily accept hostile vibrations. The Three Madmen of Munich, who planted the Hate Bombs, only succeeded in entering the Greataway because of a one‑in-a-million chance when a Dedo was unluckily absent from her Rock.

But by the time our story takes place, romantic love has become rare. Most Specialists had no need for a permanent bond between male and female, and only the True Humans carried on the old traditions — a little strained in most cases, like Astrud and Tonio. And only a few remote happentracks can tell what really happened to Corriente and Enri, when he scooped her into the saddle that distant day in Portina. Did they, in fact, live happily ever after?

There is one exception — a Specialist who was essential to the Purpose — an animal-person who, against all the odds, knew a romantic attachment. He is central to all the events of that momentous year, he is the reason why Serena, and later Raoul, were transported to Rangua, yet he is only briefly mentioned in the Song of Earth.

He is El Tigre, the fierce and gentle man, the only suitable mate for the tiger-woman Serena.

He is an underestimated lover.

There are others in the Ifalong more famous.

The fast and exciting lives of the Dream People in the Domes left little time for the lingering slowness of love. Just one Dream Person is celebrated for her knowledge of real love — Elizabeth of the Triad, also known as the Girl-with-no-Name, from Dome Azul, along way down the coast. In the same Dome a Cuidador named Zozula lived; in the Song of Earth he is known as the Oldster.

These two Dome people, they knew love. They discovered it over twenty thousand years after the time of our story.

Meanwhile the thread of Karina’s descendants continued, and they experienced love too, because bor knows it is essential to the ultimate survival of a sexual species.

The Triad is celebrated in one of the most famous verses of the Song of Earth, beginning:

«Come, hear about the Trinity of legendary fame.

The Oldster and the Artist and the Girl-with-no-Name.»

In the year 143,624 Cyclic the Triad came together, loved, rediscovered the Greataway and went out there and removed the Hate Bombs by the strength of their love alone.

And Starquin was free.

The Artist was one Manuel, a young Wild Human.

He was a direct descendant of John, who was born during the year after Leitha died.

Karina saw Raoul on a rock at the top of a ridge. He sat slumped, silhouetted against the sky in the warm morning sun. He was clearly visible to any predator, but didn’t appear to care.

Karina climbed up to him.

He heard her coming, jerked around and saw her, and tensed as though about to run. He watched her with as much nervous uncertainty as he would watch an oncoming jaguar.

«It’s all right,” Karina called.

He said nothing as she sat beside him. She’d washed herself in a stream and she was confident that she looked good. Her hair had dried and it drifted like a bronze cloud beside her head.

«I’m not going to hurt you,” she said.

«I’m not afraid of you!» he said with a flash of spirit. He forced himself to stare at her and suddenly found that he was not, in fact, afraid.

«I’m sorry about your parents, Raoul.»

«Don’t give me that! I heard you at Torres! You —”

«I wasn’t myself at Torres. I didn’t realize how much the Dedo was in charge. She ruled us all, you know that? For a while there, everything we did was dictated by her. Including what your father did.… She influenced us in lots of little ways — and when that didn’t work, she compelled us.»

«But now she’s dead,” said Raoul.

Karina remembered how he’d reacted when he’d thought her life was in danger. She felt a warm glow spread through her body, almost alarming in its suddenness. «You killed her, Raoul,” she said softly. «You killed her for me.»

«Well, I don’t know about that.…»

«So now she’s dead,” said Karina with sudden forced gaiety, trying to suppress her growing emotions. «And now we can do anything we like!» She wriggled, finding her words had a double meaning — and gave in to herself, admitting to herself what it was she would like. She left the rock and the disturbing proximity of Raoul, and lay on the grass, looking at the sky. It shouldn’t be hurried.

«Tell me about the Dedo,” said Raoul. «I thought she was just some girl my father found.»

So Karina explained, from her first meeting with the handmaiden to the occasion in the cottage when his mother had died, just a few hours ago. When she’d finished, Raoul said:

«If she was so powerful, don’t you think she might have left her plans behind her? Set up the Ifalong to suit herself, I mean?»

«I don’t care,” said Karina, yawning. The sun was making her drowsy and for a moment she closed her eyes. Here, on this ridge with Raoul, she had a wonderful feeling of isolation and content. The rest of the world seemed a long way off. She stretched, catlike, feeling her breasts pressing against the tunic and hoping that Raoul was watching her. She cracked open an eye, and saw that he wasn’t.

«I can’t see why she had to kill so many people,” said Raoul. «Do you suppose she set up the whole revolution?»

«I don’t want to talk about the rotten old Dedo.»

«Well.… What do you want to talk about?» He sensed an impatience in her tone and hoped she wasn’t going to leave.

«Mordecai! Here we are all alone in the forest and you don’t know what to talk about?»

«My parents have just died.»

«Well, I’m very sorry. But they weren’t your real parents, were they?»

«No. But I loved them, I guess.»

«I know what you mean. My father.… He’s the nicest man I know. And I love my sisters, too. But that’s not the same thing as, well, you know.… A man and a woman. Is it, Raoul?» She’d propped herself up on one elbow, looking up into his face, hoping he could see down the front of her tunic. «Remember a while back, I rode with you in the sailcar, and you kicked Torch in the pants?»

He grinned suddenly. «I didn’t like him too much.»

«But you liked me .»

Trapped, he admitted, «You’re very pretty.» He could see right down to her navel.

«Why did you kick him? Why did you kill the Dedo? It was because of me, wasn’t it!»

«Yes,” he said quietly, staring at the distant ocean.

«Well, then!»

«Karina, I.…»

«Look at me when you speak to me, Raoul!»

And foolishly, he did. He fell into the pools of her amber eyes and was caught by the nets of the Little Friends who waited there. He leaned forward, unable to help himself, and slipped his hand inside her tunic, stroking the nipple gently, then squeezing the breast.

«Karina.… We’re different species,” he said helplessly.

He was hers, now. She crawled close, put an arm around his neck and pulled him down beside her. She kissed him long and passionately, as though she’d been doing it all her life.

«Karina, you’re not being fair,” he said, when he had the chance.

«It’s not supposed to be fair. It’s supposed to be fun. Come on, Raoul. Show me what you’re made of. Show me it wasn’t a fluke, what you did in the cottage.»

«But killing has nothing to do with this!» he protested in despair, his hand between her legs, his fingers drawing her clothing aside.

«No,” she said in satisfaction. «It wasn’t a fluke.»

«But this is because I want you.»

«That’s good enough for me.»

But not for me, he thought in desolation, as his body did just what she wanted it to. This only makes it worse. Now I’m trapped, and I’ll never, never be free.

«Oh, Raoul.…»

Because I love you, Karina. I love you with all of my heart, and you don’t even know what that means.

Then, for a few blessed moments, all thought stopped.…

Later, Karina rolled away and stood. «Oh, Raoul — that was so good. Every bit as good as they say it is.»

«You mean … you never …?»

«Yes, that was the first time for me,” she said happily. «I didn’t tell you, because I didn’t want you to think I was, well, amateurish, you know. But you liked it, didn’t you?» She was full of life, full of vitality and youth, as though she’d just enjoyed a refreshing swim on a hot day.

Raoul sighed, lost, as he’d known he would be.

Return to Rangua

Seven days later Karina and Raoul came out of the Jungle and told Captain Guantelete to take them back to Rangua.

«I’m not sure about that.» Palhoa basked in an Indian Summer and the turmoil of Rangua seemed a long way off. «There’s been no news out of Rangua for days,” Guantelete said. «God knows what’s happening down there.

«Take us,” said Karina.

Guantelete grinned suddenly. «If that is your wish, Karina.» He had his curiosity. Every day he’d climbed a signal tower and observed the Canton capital for a while. He’d seen no sails moving. The little signalmen were gone from Palhoa; disappeared into the foothills. It was rumored that their Guild had called them off the job due to violation of their property in Rangua. The hemitrexes stared blindly downhill. Palhoa was cut off from the rest of the world.

Some time later the sailcar rolled to a halt in Rangua station.

Nobody paid any attention to Karina and Raoul as they alighted and walked down the main street. A few True Humans were about, and felinas loitered at the corners in grupos, chattering and idly stropping their fingernails on the trees.

They found El Tigre sitting alone on a treestump beside the sailway track. «It’s good to see you again, Karina,” he said. «The Pegman was here a few days ago, with his woman. He told us the story. It was difficult to believe.»

«I hope you didn’t harm him.»

«Nobody’s been harmed for many days,” said El Tigre. His eyes were haunted. «Raoul, I’m grateful to you for saving my daughter’s life.»

«I think I’d do anything for her, El Tigre,” said Raoul.

Karina gave a smug grin, then surprised her father. «We mated, up there in the jungle. Lots of times. It was so good.»

El Tigre watched them silently; his wayward daughter and her True Human lover, and he was sad. It was a pity that such a beautiful thing wouldn’t last. And it was all so pointless anyway, because they were different species.…

He found himself thinking of Serena.

«Who did win the Tortuga Race, anyway?» Karina’s question brought him back to the present.

«Captain Herrero.»

«Oh. What a pity.»

«They flashed the news through just before the signalmen walked out. I’d rather not have known. It seems there’s nothing on Earth will stop a man like that from winning.»

Raoul regarded the houses of Rangua: quiet, defeated, in mourning. «If it’s any consolation, I expect Captain Herrero thinks the same about you, El Tigre.»

Then Teressa and Runa arrived, and the mock-fight finished with the girls a tangled heap on the ground while Raoul and El Tigre looked on tolerantly.

As the felinas were dusting themselves off, Raoul asked, «What’s been happening around here, anyway? I expected to find you all living in the Palace.» And for a moment the memories returned; the house with its view over the coastal downs, and his father and mother. He could never go back to that house.…

«We’ve been betrayed,” said El Tigre. «How can I deal with the Canton Lord when we can’t put our own forces in order?»

«Manoso’s double‑crossed us,” Teressa explained. «He took his army to the delta under orders to capture it, but instead he made a deal with the people there. The bastard. He’s got the cai‑men and Maquinista and all the Specialists on his side, and he’s holding the delta, the tortuga pens, and all the cars in there. Now he’s bargaining with us for terms.»

«He wants to operate the whole place himself,” said Runa. «He’s set himself up as a little Lord.»

«We should go right in there and slaughter every last one of them!» said Teressa.

El Tigre said, “ There will be no more killing.»

«You see?» said Teressa.

«So what do we do?» asked Runa. «Just sit around here, like we’ve been doing this last few days? The felinas are getting restless, I can tell you that, father. People are beginning to ask what the Revolution was all about. The signalboxes are empty and the cars aren’t running, and the cargoes have all gone bad. What was it all for?»

Karina was watching her father. «Was it bad, the fighting?»

«It’ll take a miracle to bring felinos and True Humans together, after this.»

Karina said, «There’s only one thing to do. We must capture the Palace and take over the guards. How can people respect you, father, if you rule them from a treestump?»

«I don’t think we can raise a big enough army to take on the Lord,” said El Tigre. «Our people seem frightened of the guards.»

«Why do you need an army?» asked Karina, «when you’ve got us?»

They reached the Palace ground undetected and paused under cover of a dense thicket.

«Where are the guards?» whispered Karina.

«I think I saw somebody at the window,” said Raoul. He held his father’s crossbow, a bolt already loaded.

«So what now?» asked El Tigre. «As soon as we leave the bush, they’ll see us.» He’d made it clear he had little heart for the fight. For him, the Revolution had died during that first night in Rangua Town.

«Too bad,” said Karina. «Come on, Raoul.»

And she stepped into the open, and walked boldly across the grass towards the Palace doors. Raoul walked beside her, the crossbow held loosely but ready.

The guards met them inside the entrance. Karina pushed the door open and strode into the vast, dim hall — then quickly dropped into a fighting crouch. Raoul did likewise, swinging the crossbow in an arc.

El Tigre, following up, murmured, «Mordecai.…»

There were over thirty guards standing around the walls. They carried no weapons — they didn’t need them. Their strength and size was intimidating enough. They stood with their arms folded across their chests, watching the small band silently.

«Come on, you bastards.…» said Karina softly. «Come on.…»

Teressa began to creep towards the nearest guard, her lips drawn back. «I’m going to kill you,” she said. The guard made no move.

«Wait, Teressa!» Raoul said suddenly.

«Huh?» Surprised, she glanced over her shoulder. «No True Human brat tells me what — oh!» The guard had stepped forward, pinning her arms to her sides. He lifted her and she hung kicking, snarling with frustration.

Raoul said, «Take us to the Lord.»

«The Lord is gone.»

«Gone? Where?»

«We don’t know. He’s left the Palace and won’t be back.»

The guard released Teressa and she dropped to her feet. «Scared, huh?» she said triumphantly. «The Lord got scared of us, and he ran out. We’ve won, father!»

El Tigre remained silent and thoughtful.

«Who’s in charge, then?» asked Raoul.

«Nobody. We await your orders.»

“ Ourorders?» Runa’s gaze ran along the row of guards in delighted surprise. «You mean you’re our guards now?»

The guard permitted himself a faint smile. «We answer to Karina and Raoul. They’re the new Lords.»

«Why them?» asked Teressa in aggrieved tones. «They’re not in charge here. El Tigre is. Besides, Raoul here is a True Human!» She spat out the words with the utmost distaste.

«Ask yourself, cat-girl,” said the guard. «Will the Canton accept a single Lord from a single species? Can’t you see the wisdom in setting up this couple as joint Lords — a True Human and a Specialist?»

El Tigre smiled for the first time in days. «That makes a hell of a lot of sense to me. What do you think, Karina?»

She nodded, wordless, feeling Raoul squeeze her hand.

El Tigre continued. «We have other problems besides True Humans. Manoso, for instance. Do you have any ideas about him, short of annihilation, of course? We’re through with war.»

«Negotiate with him. Treat him the way he wants to be treated — as an independent ruler. After all — he’s already done what you were trying to do, El Tigre. He’s united True Humans and Specialists in a single purpose. If the purpose is to make money, is that bad? He seeks power through commerce, and you seek power through conquest. Is either way more right than the other?»

El Tigre shook his head silently.

«Go and organize Rangua, El Tigre. Share the work and the rewards equally between Specialists and True Humans. At the same time work towards restoring good relations between Rangua and the other Cantons — they’re going to be suspicious of the change, for a while. It’s not going to be easy, but you can do it.

«Meanwhile Karina and Raoul will rule from the Palace. Ostensibly you’ll be working under their orders, but their main purpose will be to serve as figureheads — a united couple for the Canton to look up to. Proof that different human species can live together, and more.»

Now El Tigre laughed. «Karina a figurehead? I’ll believe that when it happens.»

Looking much happier, he ran his hand through his daughter’s hair, saw Serena in her eyes again, glanced curiously at Raoul as though he was half-remembering something, gathered Teressa and Runa around him and set off back to Rangua Town, to begin the rebuilding.