Anvil of Stars (42 page)

"Which behaviors?" Erin asked.

Martin wished he could end the conversation now. The smell of turpentine had intensified. Twice Grown was either nervous, feeling threatened, or wanted to flee.

"Harming and other violences," Twice Grown replied. "The wishing to kill, to inactivate. I we have read Beowulf, and I we have read Macbeth. I we have also read The Pit and the Pendulum."

"Physical conflict is important in fiction," Martin said. "It plays a much smaller role in our everyday life."

Erin gave him a look that as much as said, Always the politician. "Some humans are capable of violence," she said. "Sometimes, when we're frightened… "

"This fear emotion, when you wish to flee or hide," Twice Grown interrupted, "it is different from we our fear. You not only wish to flee and hide, but to destroy the thing which causes fear."

"That makes sense, doesn't it?" Carl asked.

"But I we do not know this fear emotion. Is it akin to wishing to flee, or is it akin to a wish to do violence?"

"It's part of getting ready to run or fight back," Carl said. "An urge to protect oneself, or one's family and friends."

"But is it also awareness of the unknown? We we find the unknown powerful, like a stimulant. We we willingly sacrifice to the danger of unknown for experience in knowing, understanding. You do not?"

"We've had people willing to do that," Martin said.

"But they've been rare," Erin said. "Mostly, we try to conquer or protect ourselves against danger."

"That is difficult," Twice Grown said. "Are new friends not unknown? Do you wish to conquer new friends?"

"I think maybe we should put together a discussion group later," Martin said. "We need to think through our answers and not give wrong impressions."

"Need for more thinking, yes," Twice Grown said. "For looking at humans, there is a mystery not like looking at we ourselves; a wondering if perhaps there is death here, without cause, like a sharkness in the waves."

Erin's eyes widened. "Oh, no," she said. "Fiction is a way of letting off steam."

"What?" Twice Grown asked.

"She means, releasing personal and cultural tensions," Paola said. "I think Martin's right. We should think this over and let humans and Brothers debate and ask questions. We're just making things muddier."

Twice Grown grew still and tightened his coils. His odors had dissipated; Martin could smell nothing now. "I we would enjoy such a debate," he said. "To rid of the mud."

A snake mother and a mom awaited Martin, Paola, and Ariel, and two Brothers—Stonemaker and Eye on Sky—in empty quarters along the boundary between human and Brother territory.

Paola Birdsong seemed surprised that Martin had chosen her for this meeting, but Martin had grown more and more impressed with her skills in dealing with the Brothers.

Ariel was quiet, alert, and slightly nervous. Neither asked why they were chosen; he did not volunteer to tell them.

Martin had conferred with Hans about the meeting; he had been a little surprised when Hans had decided not to attend.

"I'm sure I'm a little tainted right now, having worked with Rex too closely," Hans had said. "You go. Ask some pointed questions." He had seemed subdued, even sad.

Martin put that from his mind as the snake mother and the mom settled themselves before them. Stonemaker and Eye on Sky sat in formal coils, rustling faintly. They emitted no scents Martin could detect.

"We may begin," the mom said.

"We have important decisions to make," Martin began. "But first we have to agree on overall strategies. And I think we have to… clear the air a little."

He hadn't meant to bring up the problem of trust; but now there was no way to avoid it.

Stonemaker said, "It is good we all we meet now. But for we us, clear air is ominous. Can you explain?"

"The more we learn about Leviathan, the more confused we become," Martin said. "It looks like a thriving stellar system."

"Like a shoreline marketplace," Paola said by way of enhancement for the Brothers.

"Yes," Eye on Sky said.

"We haven't seen visitors come from outside, so perhaps it's an isolated market," Martin continued. "But there's evidence many different races live there. If this isn't another illusion, or if we can't penetrate the illusion from this distance, what are we going to do next?"

"Do you ask us?" the mom inquired.

"Not really. I'm just throwing the question open."

"We we are opposed to passing judgment without conclusive evidence," Stonemaker said.

"So are we," Martin said. "But we're also fairly convinced this is another blind the Killers are hiding behind."

"We all we must be more than fairly certain to condemn these worlds," Eye on Sky said.

"I think we're in agreement," Martin said. They still have no scent; what's going on? "So we have to design the mission accordingly. How many ships can we make out of Dawn Treader and the Journey House?"

The mom said, "As many as are required. How many do you contemplate?"

"At least three. Humans have talked about entering the Leviathan system in disguise, as visitors. Could we create a different kind of ship, something that doesn't look at all like a Ship of the Law?"

"Yes," the mom said.

"Would it be within the Law for the ships' minds to help us create such a disguise?"

"An interesting question, I we agree," Stonemaker said.

"It would be no more inappropriate than providing you with the original Ships of the Law," the mom said.

"I think we should assume Leviathan is not what it seems," Martin said.

"A reasonable beginning," Stonemaker said.

"Just to be cautious," Martin added.

"Agreed."

"Acting under such an assumption, we also should assume that the beings behind the disguise are Killers…"

"Agreed," Stonemaker repeated.

"And the Killers probably have some knowledge, perhaps extensive knowledge, of the civilizations in this vicinity, and what they're capable of," Martin said.

"You wish to design a ship that might come from such a civilization," the mom said.

"Yes. A ship that couldn't be destroyed without interstellar repercussions," Martin said.

"You are assuming," Eye on Sky began, "that this disguise is meant for senses other than we all our own. That the Killers of worlds assume they are under scrutiny from others besides we all ourselves."

Martin nodded.

"He means yes," Paola said.

"It is remarkable insight," Stonemaker said. A faint smell of peppers and baking bread: interest, perhaps pleasure for one or more of the Brothers. "I we see this is related to your literature, as a fiction or strategic lie. Would all this joined Ship of the Law be part of play-act?"

"Hans and I believe the ship should divide into several parts," Martin said. "One part will enter the system, disguised but essentially unarmed, to investigate; the other two will orbit far outside. If a guilty verdict is reached, weapons can be released by the ships outside. We can try to finish the Job. If the Killers no longer live here—"

"Or if we can't hurt them without hurting innocents," Ariel said. Martin cringed inwardly. Yes, but what if?

"Or if we can't find them or recognize them," Martin amended, "then we'll rejoin and change our plans."

"That is feasible," the mom said. "Useful information will be made available. Do you wish to design the vessel that enters the Leviathan system, or do you wish us to design it for you?"

"We can do it, but I think we'll need assistance," Martin said. Ariel was about to add something, but he looked at her dourly and she clenched her jaw.

"Your designers should think about these things," the mom said. "The ship to enter Leviathan's system must not appear overtly threatening, nor should it appear to come from a weak civilization. It should not, however, appear to have technology equal to that possessed by the Ships of the Law, specifically, the ability to convert matter to anti-matter. Your crew must appear innocent of all knowledge of killer probes."

Martin agreed.

"When will your groups make their decisions?" the mom asked.

"In a couple of days, maybe sooner," Martin said.

"Separation and super-deceleration will have to begin within a tenday," the mom said.

"Is there anything else we'd find useful?" Martin asked.

"There is no possibility that the Killers, if they still exist around Leviathan, have knowledge of humans," the mom continued. "No killer probes escaped Earth's system. There is a small possibility they have knowledge of the Brothers. Transmissions by the killer probes from the Brothers' system were monitored, information content unknown."

"We we would like to be part of the crew of any entry vessel," Eye on Sky said. "This might be a difficulty?"

"It might," the mom concluded.

The snake mother arched and floated a few centimeters above the ground, a purple ladder field faintly visible beneath. In this, too, they differed from the moms; Martin had never seen a mom display its field. Its voice sounded like a low wind interpreted by the string section in an orchestra. "Brothers may play key roles in ships that stay outside the system," it said.

"Is that something they will vote on?" Paola asked, brow wrinkling.

"It is something to be decided by the Brothers in private," the snake mother said.

Eye on Sky and Stonemaker produced strong smells of salt sea air. "So is it," Stonemaker said. "There will be a Triple Merging for objectivity and decisions will be made before next day comes."

"I have one more question," Martin said, feeling his chest constrict. "It isn't an easy one, and I hope for a straightforward answer."

Silence from the robots. Eye on Sky and Stonemaker rustled faintly.

"Some of us have been given the impression—rather, we've observed—that the Brothers' libraries are much more extensive than our own. Why are they more extensive?"

The mom said, "Each race is given the information necessary to carry out its part of the Law."

"We feel the ships' minds may not think humans are as trustworthy as the Brothers," Martin continued.

"Every race differs in its needs and capacities," the mom said. "Information differs for that reason."

"Will we be denied any of the information contained in the Brothers' libraries?" Martin asked.

"You will be denied nothing you need, as a group, to complete your Job."

The snake mother said, "Your Ship of the Law is older than the Brothers' ship. There are design differences."

"I thought that might explain part of the…" Martin said, trailing off.

"Attitudes and designs change," the snake mother added.

"We have discussed this before," the mom said.

Martin nodded. "I'd like to have it made more clear. Do you trust humans as much as you trust the Brothers?"

"We are not designed to trust or distrust, or to make any such decisions regarding character," the mom replied.

"Please," Martin said through clenched teeth. Ariel reached out and touched his hand, and he gripped hers tightly, feeling her support, her strength. "We do not need evasive answers. The Benefactors could not have known our character before you sent your ships into the Earth's system… You must have made some judgment, reached some decision about our capacities."

The ship's voice spoke. Martin was startled. "The ships' minds can't make such decisions. If such a decision was made, we didn't make it."

He felt tears on his cheeks and gritted his teeth, ashamed at showing such emotion. "Are we inferior to the Brothers?"

Stonemaker became agitated. His rustling increased until his entire length vibrated. Eye on Sky coiled and uncoiled twice, weaving his head. "Offense is given here," Stonemaker said. "We we do not wish we our partners to feel offensed."

"Offended," Paola corrected automatically.

"We need to know whether we are trusted," Martin repeated, it seemed to him, for the hundredth time.

"Both libraries will be open to those who wish to conduct research," the ship's voice said. "What is shared and is not shared is up to humans and Brothers, not to the ships' minds."

"We came close to the edge," Paola said sadly as they walked toward Hans' quarters. "Maybe we don't want to know the whole truth."

"Maybe the Brothers are afraid of us," Ariel said. "Of what we might become."

"What do they think we'll do?" Paola asked.

Martin's voice shook with anger—and with more than a little guilt. "They might think we'll become planet killers," he said.

Ariel shivered to untense her muscles. "Rex certainly didn't convince them otherwise," she said. "What about the moms?"

"Maybe they think so, too," Martin said.

"Wouldn't they have dumped us or killed us or something?" Paola objected.

"Not if they're forced to enact the bloody Law," Ariel said. "We were victims. They rescued us. They need us to finish the Job."

"Why not push us aside, and let the Brothers do the Job?" Paola asked. "They only need one set of victims."

"So maybe we've scared the Brothers. What have we shown them to the contrary?" Martin asked.

Paola stared back at him, jaw quivering. "Me," she said, pointing to herself. "You. We're not all like Rex."

"How could they know?" Ariel asked. "Let's just ask ourselves that."

"By looking at me!" Paola said, crying openly now. "I'm not like that!"

"Do they expect to send pacifists out to kill worlds?" Martin asked, feeling his anger build, then deflate. He let his shoulders slump. "What are we? Allies, or just bad cargo? "

Hans examined the designs for the Trojan Horse, nodding and humming faintly. Martin, Hakim, Cham, Donna Emerald Sea, and Giacomo had spent the better part of two days working out the design and details with Dry Skin, Silken Parts, and Eye on Sky; even now, in the Brothers' quarters, Eye on Sky presented the design to Stonemaker for his approval.

"It certainly doesn't look like a Ship of the Law," Hans concluded. "It looks like a pleasure barge."

Eighty meters long, with a brilliant red surface, laser/solar sails folded and rolled along its length, two curving arms reaching from a spindle-shaped body, small, heavily shielded matter-anti-matter drives mounted fore and aft, the Trojan Horse would appear to be the product of a relatively youthful technology, star travel on the cheap.