“If this is true, though, Technician,” the black-robed man with the mutilated hand was saying, “your name will be remembered in every chapel on every ship on every day of worship. You and Basq will have brought us home.”
It’s nothing! The Words are just lies and air and a way to maintain power! There were no Nameless! There can’t be! Because if there were …
If there were, I’ve sinned. I went over the World’s Wall and I led the V … the Aunorante Sangh back to the Realm …
Have to get out of here.
“Adu!” he called to the bridge. “Get us out, head anywhere, break the limits and go!”
“I can’t.”
“What!” Eric staggered down the corridor to the bridge. Adu sat motionless in its chair, watching the screens.
“This ship has been placed under a quarantine lock.”
“Quarantine lock?” Eric repeated, trying to force his mind to understand. He knew the term, but his mind wouldn’t define it for him.
“Standard precaution built into space traffic hardware and software, so that in case of a computer or biological virus the ship can be held in isolation. While the quarantine is active, the docking bolts will not release the U-Kenai.”
They’d be coming for him. Now. At once. They were on their way. They’d been waiting for him.
“They won’t have me.”
And what am I going to do to stop them? I can barely stand up.
“They won’t have me,” he repeated through clenched teeth. “Adu, find a way to override the quarantine.”
“It will take …”
“I know. Release the beacon and get going on the lock.” Eric returned to the common room.
No time for hesitation. He was under siege. He had to buy all the time he could and worry about any damage he did if he survived that long. He hit the seal for the door and tore out the wires in the lock. Ignoring the sting on his palms, he jammed the manual bolt home. He dashed across the common room and sealed both cabin doors.
Make them hunt.
He lifted the hatch under the view wall and climbed down the ladder to the drive room. Dizziness made the walls sway drunkenly as he reached up to shut the hatch and slide the locking bolts shut.
Make them dig.
The drive room was sterile, brightly lit, and cramped. Most of the room was taken up by the curved, ceramic drive housings with their meters and input terminals and warning labels. Heat exhaust and fuel intake pipes ran fore and aft overhead, or rammed themselves into the floor like pillars. Anybody who wanted to take him here would practically have to get up close enough to lay hands on him. If they get that close … Eric flexed his hands. There was some strength left. Some. It’d be enough. The Vitae were little creatures. Sorry, pale, flabby little creatures.
The Vitae were the Aunorante Sangh, no matter what name they had bestowed on the People.
Nameless Powers preserve and forgive. I didn’t know. I didn’t know. How could I know?
He’d led them to the Realm. To the Temples and the Kings. To his family. To Lady Fire.
I didn’t know. I didn’t know.
The compartment walls were thick, shielded, insulated and shielded again. He couldn’t hear anything. He raised his hand to his translator disk to hail the bridge, but stopped. The Vitae could trace that signal straight to him. He pressed himself into the corner. No way out from here, but only one way in. When they came for him, he would see them before they saw him. It was his only advantage. It would have to be enough.
I am Teacher Hand. I am dena Enemy of the Aunorante Sangh. They will know that. They will not forget that.
I will not forget it again.
I didn’t know. I didn’t know.
Metal and ceramic snapped over head. Eric pressed his back against the smooth wall. The hatch lifted away from the ceiling. Boots lowered themselves through the hatch and a human form, completely encased in a scarlet vacuum suit, dropped to the floor, landing steadily on both feet. Eric saw his own reflection in the blackened faceplate as it moved aside so its partner could drop down beside it. He faced them both. They could see him perfectly. He could tell by the way his distorted face shone on their visors. They both carried dart guns in their gloved hands, he noticed. Tranquilizers, probably, but maybe poison if they were done using him.
“I deny you. I defy you. I stand against you as the sun stands against the Black Wall.” Every Teacher knew the words of resistance. They were told the Aunorante Sangh might return at any time, maybe even before the Nameless did. He held his hands up so that his palms reflected in their faceplates and braced himself against the wall.
Nameless Powers, grant me strength to fight for you. Grant me strength to live up to the name you have given me.