The Lord of Opium(99)
Matt introduced the old man. “He isn’t used to the sky and feels safer when he can’t see it,” the boy explained. He described the work the man and Cienfuegos had been doing.
“So the cat’s out of the bag,” said the jefe. “I’m warning you prehumans”—he shook his finger at Fidelito and Listen—“if you set foot in the mushroom house, I’m going to feed you to the Giant Gomphidius.”
“There’s no such thing,” said Listen.
Cienfuegos smiled wolfishly. “Come and find out.”
A servant filled everyone’s glass with fruit juice except, as usual, the jefe’s. “What’s that? It smells delightfully moldy,” said the Mushroom Master, sniffing from beneath the umbrella. Cienfuegos signaled for another glass of pulque.
The sun was setting. One tree was full of redwing blackbirds, singing so loudly it drowned out all the other birds. A peacock settled for the night on a plaster cherub holding a wreath of plaster roses. A line of quails hurried from one bush to another.
“We should eat outdoors more often,” Matt said.
“We, uh, did it all the time at the plankton factory,” said Ton-Ton. “We didn’t have birds, though. The Keepers ate them all.”
“Soon the stars will come out,” Matt said, steering the conversation away from that unpleasant memory. “You’ll be able to see them,” he told the Mushroom Master.
“I’ve seen pictures. I don’t need the real thing,” the old man said, grasping the umbrella more tightly.
“One of the brightest is the Scorpion Star. You must be interested in that.”
“Never heard of it,” said the Mushroom Master.
“It’s the space station patterned after your biosphere. A place for people to live off the Earth.” Matt was amazed that the man had never heard of it.
“Why would anyone want to live away from Gaia?” The Mushroom Master reached for a piece of chicken.
Matt exchanged looks with Cienfuegos. “You know, that’s a good question. El Patrón went to huge expense to create the space station, but we don’t know what it’s for.”
“I know he never went there,” said the jefe. “Dr. Rivas and his daughter tried to visit once. El Patrón had them arrested in Aztlán and brought back.”
“How do people get there?” said Chacho. “On TV they show rocket ships flying to other planets.”
“Pfft! The other planets are lifeless balls of rock,” scoffed the Mushroom Master.
Matt turned to him, or at least to the umbrella. “How do you know?”
“I read books. We have a perfectly good library in the biosphere,” said the old man. “It’s a hundred years out of date, but that doesn’t matter. The planets were dead then and still are. Only Gaia is alive.” Salsa and chips were rapidly disappearing under his umbrella.
“People use the Sky Hook to reach the Scorpion Star,” said Cienfuegos. “It’s a long tether attached at one end to a mountain in Ecuador and at the other to the space station. An elevator goes up and down, carrying people and supplies.”
“May I have another piece of chicken?” the Mushroom Master asked.
“You can have as much as you like,” said Matt.
The old man sighed with pleasure. He tipped the umbrella slightly to reach the food and quickly righted it again. Matt heard chewing noises from inside.
“You know, it isn’t going to rain,” said Listen from the far end of the table.
The umbrella tipped up again. “I remember you. I wondered at the time why you weren’t in the Brat Enclosure. You’d like it there. Lots of games and playmates.”
“I would not like it,” Listen said. “Why don’t you put that thing away? Nothing’s going to fall on your head.”
“Are you sure? A star might come loose,” the old man said.
“You’re making fun of me ’cause I’m a little kid, but I’m smart. A star is a ball of fire millions of miles away. It isn’t going to fall on anybody.”
“Don’t talk back to adults, Listen,” said Sor Artemesia.
“Listen. What an interesting name,” the Mushroom Master said. “You must hear all kinds of things.”
“I got ears like a bat,” the little girl said.
“It’s true that I don’t need an umbrella,” conceded the old man. “I’ve lived all my life under a roof, and the sky scares the dickens out of me. But I’m going to put the umbrella away just for you, child.” He furled it and placed it on the ground by his feet. Matt noticed that his eyes were closed. “I can do this,” he murmured. He opened his eyes and gasped.