The Namura Stone (The Ammonite Galaxy, book 6)

Chapter 20

THE DESSITES WORKED in shifts; there was a constant to-ing and fro-ing around the tank which contained Arcan. However, it was clear which was the night shift and which was the day shift. At night, the tests carried out were negligible; those Dessites who were on duty simply limited themselves to watching, and waiting.

There were many video cameras around the chamber, and Arcan suspected that there were many more cloaked, invisible to any except their handlers. He knew that another incursion like the last one would now prove completely impossible. The Dessites were not about to make the same mistake as before. They had clearly taken quite a lot of measures to protect themselves.

But Arcan's plan did not involve moving around the Island of the Forthgoing; he planned to transport his secret cargo to the Island of the Preborn, and he hoped that they had not thought to extend their security there. He thought it was unlikely they had; there was nothing on that island except cryolized bodies and a few attendants. He doubted the Dessites would think anyone could possibly have an interest in that.

Six and Ledin were now rested, but the visitor had been getting increasingly cross about having to stay within the stuffy space inside the carrysack and had insisted on its being opened. Six was not best pleased with the morphic's grumbling.

"Look here, spindle-brain," he told him shortly. "I have just about had it up to here ..." he drew his fingers across his face, about the height of his nose, "...with all your moaning. Diva is risking her life for us right now, and all you can think of is your own comfort!"

The visitor turned black. "How dare you! You are only a transient, what would you know about anything?"

Six laughed. "More than you, apparently. At least I wouldn't carry on just because I was shut into a carrysack."

"It is hot in here!"

"It is hot in here!" Six mimicked him with a high-pitched voice, flapping his hands about. "Huh! No staying power, that's your problem."

"At least I have a brain, which is more than you, numbskull."

"Who are you calling numbskull, pinhead? My brain is much bigger than yours!"

"Yes, but so much less efficient. You have all those raging emotions rattling around in there."

"Well, be careful; they might reach out and choke you."

The visitor sighed. "—If this namura lining doesn't finish me off first."

Arcan interrupted. "Right. We are ready to make a move. Are you prepared?"

"Thank Sacras," said the visitor. "If you had left it any longer I would have been delivered in liquid form."

Six gave a hiss of disgust and raised his eyes heavenwards. "We are ready, Arcan. Can you see where to go?"

"The visitor has shown me. He has vivid memories of his ancestor being placed there."

"His ancestor?" Both Ledin and Six turned towards the carrysack.

The voice that answered was still slightly muffled by the material. "Yes, my ancestor. They called him Exemphendiss. He was a dissenter."

Six raised his eyebrows. "Exemwhat? What sort of a name is that?"

The visitor flashed. "The name was modernized during the period of expansion. In the old language he was known as 'he who would wish to separate himself from the rest by advocating a limiting of our numbers'."

Six winked at Ledin. "Put that way, Exemwhatever seems quite short. What was it again?"

The visitor spun. "Exemphendiss."