Pictoria (The Ammonite Galaxy Series, Book 4)

Chapter 18

LEDIN AND SIX crept through the dark passageway which led up to the top of the butte, to the domed chamber at the summit. As soon as the winds had dropped that morning, they had struggled up the last metres of the climb out of the cavern, and made their way to the base of the butte. They were not feeling at their best; neither of them had eaten anything since the day before, and they knew that their bodies would be affected by that. Not that it was a new sensation to either of them; they had both grown up more often hungry than not, and there were no complaints. That was something that disappeared after the first score or so of nights trying to sleep with an empty stomach.

They had been planning to go to the shuttle, but they went past the tunnel leading to the top of the butte first, and there was a message waiting for them there. Before dragging herself into the tunnel, Grace had had time to scratch something on the rock beside the entrance. In the early morning sunlight they could see the straggly lines clearly. A capital G wended its way across the surface in teetering lines.

Ledin stopped Six, putting a warning hand on his arm. "She is up there," he said.

"She could have left that last time."

"No. She has left it for us as a sign. We have to go up there now. Please, Six!"

"Fine. After you." Six stood aside, and made a generous gesture. Ledin grinned. "Hoping I'll get stuck on that spike are you?"

"Just want to be sure I'm in the right place to pull you out of trouble again."

"In that case ..." Ledin threaded himself into the hole in the rock, not without a twinge of misgiving. He hadn't exactly enjoyed the experience in the underwater tunnel, and he had the nasty feeling that it would be with him in his nightmares for quite some time. However, on this occasion there was no difficulty, and he slid successfully out of the tunnel on the other side, into the pitch blackness of the inner pathway. Seconds later, Six pulled himself out of the end of the tunnel behind him.

"I'm getting better at that," he said cheerfully. "Now, let's see how long it takes us to get up to the top. I wouldn't like Grace to have eaten all the breakfast by the time we get there."

"I hope the avifauna haven't had her for breakfast!"

"I wouldn't put it past her to be giving the Dessites a lecture about the morality of taking over somebody's mind processes!"

"She might," admitted Ledin. "Though I don't think they would take it very well, do you?"

"Grace could convert a sabre-toothed tiger to vegetarianism. They haven't got a chance. What are 552 billion against one Sellite?"

Ledin's face lightened a little and the deep crease of worry between his eyebrows diminished slightly. "You're right," he said. "She will be fine."

"Fine? It's the Dessites I pity. You wait and see. It'll be them we have to rescue. They are probably flinging their avifauna bodies off the top of the butte as we speak, gliding away from her as far as their four wings can take them."

"Well, let's go and see."

"After you."

TWO HOURS LATER they were at the opening to the chamber at the top of the butte. They could hear a buzz of noise as they got nearer.

"Told you so!" whispered Six. "She has already won them over!"

They edged around the corner of the chamber, making as little noise as they could.

Grace was sitting on the floor, her back to them, and her legs were crossed over in front of her in a tangle of limbs. She was evidently trying to talk to the Dessites, who were amply represented both by amorphs and avians. Most of them were chattering to themselves, and the noise in the chamber reverberated around the rock, and traveled into the opening of the corridor which led down to the base of the butte.