The Nitrogen Fix

XVI Action, Antagonistic

Neither Kahvi nor Bones had made any plans for such an event, but both acted as though there had been careful rehearsal. The woman did not even slow down, but hurtled with her full running speed into the man who had suddenly appeared in her path. This unfortunate had heard her voice as she called to Bones, but had not seen her in time.

He was therefore not braced for any impact, and went over backward. Even worse from his viewpoint, Kahvi had crossed her arms in front of her body and. taken the force on her elbows in an almost instinctive gesture to protect the baby.

The man’s ribs were not actually broken, but it was some days before he was sure of that. His immediate trouble was landing in the glass-covered area, flat on his back. His howl warned the woman, and since the collision had almost stopped her anyway, she was able to keep her feet out of the caltrops.

Bones, fully aware of the location of the glass, made even better use of the incident; the body of the guard, writhing though it was, made an adequate bridge. It was too dark to signal to Kahvi, but communication was not needed. The woman snatched up Danna, Bones pulled the sandals from the feet of the guard, and they were off down and around the hill. Kahvi confessed afterward that she had beentempted to stay and trip some of the others into the glass, but admitted she was glad she hadn’t. The shrieks of the single victim, fading as they fled, did not provide the anticipated pleasure. She felt sick again, but managed to keep it under control.

Neither she nor Bones could tell whether they were being pursued. Some, judging by the voices, had stayed to help the guard, but others might be following. It seemed unwise to wait to find out.

They paused briefly while Bones took over Danna and gave the sandals to the woman. She fastened them on after some difficulty, and they went on. Kahvi was leading the group around the hill toward the west; her first months as a Nomad had been passed mostly on that side of Great Blue Hill, and she was certain of finding a breathing refuge there.

Her cartridges and Danna’s still had many hours in them after their recent pause in the other jail, but some Nomad decisions were without detailed thought. Her goal was reached with the raft, but she would not head toward it without checking on possible pursuers; and she would not make that check without being close to a breathing refuge.

They were travelling slowly now, even with Bones carrying the main burden. Kahvi was not worrying about glass as long as her feet were protected, but she was tired and half way through a pregnancy; and the best of breathing masks interferes with activity.

They came finally to a jail on the northwest slope of Great Blue Hill, which suited the wornan’s purpose. Kahvi led the way to a thicket of realwood on the farther side of the structure, and all concealed themselves inside. Danna went to sleep in a hastily assembled nest, and Kahvi devoted some time to exchanging information with the Observer. While doing this, however, she looked frequently back along the way they had come.

Presently the moon was high enough to illuminate the landscape plainly, and drown out the faint light which had been visible through the roof of the jail. As it grew brighter, two figures appeared on the shoulder of the hill where the trio had traveled. They were walking slowly. Kahvi, with no tracking experience, did not guess at the reason; she assumed that they had followed by sound, and wondered why they had taken so long to arrive.

The pursuers saw the jail as soon as they reached the near slope. One pointed, and their speed increased. One of them waited a few meters from the air lock while the other quietly circled the building; then they approached the lock together, and one of them entered.

To Kahvi’s surprise, conversation sounded from the building almost at once. It hadn’t occurred to her that there might be someone already inside. The waiting pursuer also seemed a little taken aback, and after a few seconds of listening he, too, disappeared through the lock. Kahvi, uttering a quick “wait here” in words only, and hoping that Bones would understand, dashed to the near wall of the jail and was at the top in seconds.

Eavesdropping had been useful before and was certainly worth trying again. As before, she was careful about moonlight and gold jewelry. This place was better lighted inside. The two who had just entered were easily recognizable, since they were dripping wet. The three others appeared to form a family group; they were a man and woman somewhere near Kahvi’s own age, and a boy of nine or ten.

This was not too surprising; Kahvi knew that both custom and law in most cities worked toward a tight family knitting.

Parents were expected to take active part in their children’s education, and be with them whenever anything important or dangerous was due to happen. It was quite understandable that the parents would be outdoors if the child had to be.

It was much less obvious why the child had to be out, but Kahvi gave little thought to the matter; there was a much more interesting difference between the groups. The newcomers had promptly removed their masks, but the family, who had evidently been inside for some time, had theirs on. There was an obvious explanation; it really qualified only as an inference, but it seemed a very, very strong inference.

This jail must be oxygen-loaded, too. There must be a surprising number of oxygen-junkies in Great Blue Hill; what had been happening to the city since Kahvi had been Nomadded, anyway?

There was still more to be inferred. The family members were normal people, and they knew aboutthe changed air. The conversation came as no surprise. One of the newcomers was speaking.

“How did you know about the oxygen? Don’t tell me you could smell it!” The masked adults shook their heads negatively, and the man replied aloud.

“Of course not; but look at the trays. Every last one of them has Bence or Trendell growths-makers.

There isn’t a nitrogen maker or dilution tube in the place.”

“You noticed that as soon as you got here?”

“Of course — Who could be sloppy enough not to make that check in a new building? I’m glad to say that Ray, here, was — ” The other cut in.

“You weren’t expecting something of the sort, were you.? Why are you here so late at night?”

“Well,” the father admitted reluctantly, “as a matter of fact, yes. We’ve checked several buildings.

We — ”

“Never mind softening it. You came to check the air, on purpose?”

“Yes.”

“Why? And you say you’ve been to others?”

“Yes, several. It was reported that many of the safety buildings had been sabotaged by oxygen wasters, and a lot of families came out to make repairs.

Both newcomers stiffened, and the one who had hitherto been silent asked quickly, “You brought N-cultures with you?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Have you spoiled any of the O-plants yet?”

“We’ve fixed them, yes, of course. It was the first thing we did. Of course it will take a while before the air becomes normal, so we’re staying masked for the night.”

The two looked at each other, frowning. One seemed uncertain; the other was more organized.

“Which ones did you fix?”

The woman answered after a moment’s hesitation, “We’re not exactly sure — it didn’t seem to make much difference, so we didn’t pay a great deal of attention.”

“You’re a liar!” was the snarled answer. “With three of you doing it, you’d never have left it to chance who did what. You’d never have risked destroying them all!”

The husband straightened up indignantly. “Watch your language, waster. There was no danger of doing them all; our N-spores couldn’t grow in a Bence culture. We probably did do all the others, if it’s so important to you. We don’t lie, and if you think anyone would on such a minor matter please get out of here — you’ll be giving the boy dangerous ideas, though I’d trust him not to be much impressed by your kind!”

“Breathe it! Don’t tell me you’d spoil all of even one of the cultures. Even if you’re stupid enough to think that your masks will keep extra oxygen out, you can ‘t be dumb enough to risk the last of any culture.” He laughed at the expressions visible even with the masks in place. “Deep thinkers, aren’t you?

All a rebreather bellows does is mix the gas from your cartridge with some of the outdoor air. You’re like a couple of Nomads — follow the rules without any thinking!”

“Good for them!” retorted the woman. “At least, they know about rules. It was a Nomad who told us about the vandalism in the jails. I’d rather look like one of them than be mistaken for one of you if-a-little-is-good-more-is-better types. Now get out of the way. We’re leaving.”

The taller of the addicts was wearing an unpleasant smile. “Sure. Two of you go any time you want.

The kid stays until we know just which O-plants you heirs of righteousness ruined.”

“You can’t stop him. We’ll — ”

“You’ll what? Even if you count him, the three of you aren’t strong enough to get past us without having your masks ruined. Think it over. Lots of spare cartridges here, but only a few masks, and we can take care of those before you can save them. It’s so much easier to smash things than to fix them, isn’t it?”

Before either parent could move he had taken two long strides to the small boy, and seized the tubes running from cartridges to bellows. “Shall I pull?”

“No!” the mother almost shrieked.

For a moment, the watching Kahvi didn’t know whether to be more indignant at the junky’s threat orat the mother’s lack of firmness. Then she imagined Danna in the boy’s place and understood. Decision was a little more difficult than usual, but having decided, Kahvi’s action was of course unhesitating.

“It won’t do you any good!” she called, rising to her knees on the wall. “There’ll be plenty of others along tomorrow. You junkies may as well let them all out, and enjoy what you can of your oxygen. If it takes the others long enough to get here, maybe you’ll be able to see which of your plants got fixed. But leave that boy alone, or we’ll come in there now and make you sorry. Bones! Danna! Come over here and cover this air lock!”

The people in the jail looked up in astonishment at Kahvi’s figure, clearly visible in the moonlight. The addicts, startled, did nothing else; the parents seized their son and plunged into the lock pool.

They emerged outside just as Bones arrived with Danna, and at the sight of the Observer and its burden they froze almost as completely as the two still within. Kahvi’s voice restored them.

“All right, don’t worry about Bones. She’s working with me, and I trust her with my daughter. Leave your boy outside, and come back in with Bones and me. There’s work to do.” She shifted to sign language, letting Bones know her plans, and the native set Danna down beside the other child.

Kahvi descended, a little awkwardly, from the wall and led the way to the lock. Bones followed immediately, the other pair farther back and more hesitant. By the time they were inside, most of the action had finished.

Bones, at a gesture from the woman, had seized the two men, holding their arms at their sides with ropy tentacles. Kahvi was busy scooping up masks and cartridges. She gestured at the other to do the same, as they wiped mask windows.

“We’ll leave a few cartridges, of course, but be sure to get all the masks — no, we’ll leave one,” the Nomad said briskly. “If something happens to the roof they can stay alive by sharing it, but won’t be able to get into mischief. You two — ” she addressed the prisoners “ — can play around with the cultures all you want, but I’d suggest you be very disciplined. If you spoil any more oxygen, you might just have to get to the next jail holding your breaths by turns. As I remember, it’s about five hundred meters a little south of west, over two hills. Use your judgment, if overloading yourselves with oxygen has left you any.”

One of the addicts answered. “Very nice, Nomad. We know how pure and righteous you all are, and of course you have every right to force other people to go along with your morals. You must feel really virtuous, going around with an Invader. I suppose you’ll help it destroy the cities the way they did the rest of the world — you won’t be bothered, will you?”

“No time for mythology just now,” Kahvi replied briefly. “If you feel the need for straight oxy, at least you could build your own gas-houses.

These buildings were made to save lives, and I haven’t any time to waste on free-loaders. Got everything, you two? All right, Bones — ” she shifted her burden to one arm and gestured with the other — ”hold them until we’re outside with the children. Then do anything you can think of to keep them from interfering with you, and come along. We’ll head for the raft; we have plenty of air.” She started down the air lock steps, then turned back. “One more thing, now that I think of it. These other folks are barefoot, I notice. I’ll take your sandals. I don’t like those nasty bits of glass you oxy-lovers have invented.”

The verb stung the prisoners, not yet entirely free of their upbringing. “We didn’t invent them. They showed up in a pseudolife mutation that used to make fiberglass for insulation, so we used them. Anyone would have.”

Kahvi, adding the sandals to her burden, sniffed audibly through her mask. “Anyone not burdened by ethics or conscience might. Knowing that I’ve picked several dozen of the things out of my child, though, you’ll excuse me for excluding such people from the human species, I’m sure. Free breathing.”

She disappeared into the pool. Bones gave her about five seconds than, tossed the prisoners against the far wall and lunged through before they recovered their footing.

Outside, Kahvi had introduced herself and Danna to the others, and learned their names. The woman was Viah Renuchi, her husband Jonathan Demang, and their son Ray Vellik. They had never met Nomads before, nor had they seen one of Bones’ kind, but of course had heard of both. They had the usual city tendency to regard Kahvi as a rather low variety of human being, but the fact that she couldconverse with Bones forced them to modify their views about both. They were a little awed by the Observer.

“I have to get back to our raft with Danna and learn what Earrin’s doing,” Kahvi explained when introductions were complete. “He must have been in the city. You said that a Nomad brought the word about oxygen in the jails, and we’re the only ones I know of around here. You didn’t see him?”

“I guess we did,” replied Jonathan. “He was with the people who did the briefing, and they referred to him a lot, but never by name. He was about your height, a little lighter in build, blue eyes, rather narrow face, and had a much smaller one of these creatures with him.”

“That’s Earrin. There was another native in the city and Bones here did meet her or him or it, but neither had met Earrin at that time. The two escaped together from some of your oxy-wasters; Bones was recaptured but brought outside, where I found her a little while ago. The other one must have found Earrin, or been found by him. If they were with your people, they must have gone back to the raft, or at least be on the way. I must get back too, and get into step with him and the other native. Do you want to come too, or go back to the city? There’s plenty of air at the raft, and you’ll find out more about what these young people of yours are doing. It looks as though more of you ought to find out; or would you rather get Ray back indoors before you do anything else.

“He’s all right as long as he’s with us Viah replied. “We never have done much outdoors, but he needs the training, and would probably get it better with you around. Besides, we’re book copiers, and maybe you could help us find better writing tissue or ink. We’ve heard that Nomads sell things like that.”

“Maybe,” agreed Kahvi. “All right, come along. It’s about three kilometers on the map, so I suppose between four and five walking. We can travel all right by moonlight. I hope we don’t need the sandals; if we run into glass we’ll have to carry the kids, and I don’t know what we’ll do with Bones. You wear sandals, and I’ll go ahead barefoot so the young ones won’t be first to run into it.”

The others knew nothing of the glass caltrops, and were suitably horrified by Kahvi’s account. They had barely heard of the Hemenway delinquents, and couldn’t guess what was going on — the news industry was one of the casualties of the change. They were still, however, willing to go the shore. Kahvi, hoping fervently that she was right in believing that the glass had been sown only in special areas for special purposes, led the way…