Now, as the library showed the others views of the people and worlds of this place I gathered my strength. Stockwood was here. He would not always be protected by his tame lioness. Though I had been forced to surrender the rongo-rongo rongo-rongo to the Doctor to help him understand the language of this world and, therefore, more properly translate the images of the library, I still had the knife I had taken from Stump after leaving Portsmouth. It was small and had remained concealed at every step of my journey so far. I had been saving the knife. I would await my chance and, when the time was right, I would take it. to the Doctor to help him understand the language of this world and, therefore, more properly translate the images of the library, I still had the knife I had taken from Stump after leaving Portsmouth. It was small and had remained concealed at every step of my journey so far. I had been saving the knife. I would await my chance and, when the time was right, I would take it.

And I would kill Horace Stockwood.

22.

Face from the Past

I do not know how long we waited in the cave. Certainly long enough to grow hungry and thirsty. No one apart from Topeno spoke a single word to Richards, Jack or myself the entire time. That was the situation when - some time later - another islander crawled into the cave. He seemed most agitated. He conferred with Topeno for a few moments in speech too rapid for me to follow. Then both men crossed to me. They indicated that I should follow them through the pa.s.sages. Richards and Jack were made to come as well. I wondered if we were being taken off to be killed, or given to the Peruvians as bargaining chips in order to save the islanders taken captive. If this was the case there was nothing I could do. I was simply too sick to my soul to protest.

We followed Topeno and his friend, crawling for what seemed like miles through the maze of volcanic tunnels, until eventually we emerged into an even larger cave. By now my clothes were filthy and beginning to tear. Of us all Jack seemed the most spry. As we emerged into the cave, I realised it was full of islanders. They were deliberating in agitated voices. I caught enough phrases to realise they were holding a council of war. But it was the speaker whose voice I was drawn to in the darkness.

'If you do not fight you will die. Do you want to die in the caves like animals? Where is your pride? Where is your fighting spirit? This place is your home! Will you allow it to be invaded? I say no! In my Place of Land, if another tribe attacked then the Sevateem fought back with every weapon and every man, woman and child until either the attackers were dead or we were. And we live! All the while one of you remains free and unbowed your people will live. They can take your people. They can kill your people. They have better weapons. But they are few and you are many. And you have stealth. And you have guile.' She saw me entering the cave and smiled. And you have me.'

'h.e.l.lo, Leela,' I said quietly.

'h.e.l.lo, Stockwood, my best friend. We are at council of war.' Her voice raised exultantly. And I say we kill the enemy! Kill them now! Slay them and make playthings of their bones for the children!'

The islanders responded with a few cries. The cries grew into chanting.

The chanting into a unified, rhythmic shout.

Someone beside me spoke. The voice was husky, exhausted, but familiar. 'Look at her, Horace. Anyone who could whip up a thousand savages whose language she did not speak only last week into a killing frenzy within hours of arrival half dead on their sh.o.r.e deserves at least one term of political office, don't you think?'

I turned. James! By all that's merciful, you're alive!'

He managed a smile. And as the council of war continued, he told me what had befallen himself and Leela, during their many days at sea. I learnt about the whale, the sharks, the amazing journey through the waterspout with the whale, and then the even more amazing escape from the inside of the whale as it sank after being flung clear of the tornado. I learnt how they had remained adrift clinging to the wreckage salvaged from Tweed Tweed before finally being spotted by a Polynesian fishing party out in canoes. They had been picked up and taken to one of the French Polynesian islands, where they had been fed and their wounds were treated. After much discussion there a group of islanders had brought them across the intervening ocean in a tiny fleet of fishing canoes. The journey had taken many days but this time they were prepared and provisioned. The Polynesians were expert sailors and their tiny ships virtually unsinkable. 'I never realised what a rare delicacy turtle meat was until I had the opportunity to eat some as an alternative to fish,' James said, seemingly overwhelmed by his adventures. I didn't blame him. 'I tell you, Horace, if I never see a plate of breaded prawns again it will be two weeks too soon.' before finally being spotted by a Polynesian fishing party out in canoes. They had been picked up and taken to one of the French Polynesian islands, where they had been fed and their wounds were treated. After much discussion there a group of islanders had brought them across the intervening ocean in a tiny fleet of fishing canoes. The journey had taken many days but this time they were prepared and provisioned. The Polynesians were expert sailors and their tiny ships virtually unsinkable. 'I never realised what a rare delicacy turtle meat was until I had the opportunity to eat some as an alternative to fish,' James said, seemingly overwhelmed by his adventures. I didn't blame him. 'I tell you, Horace, if I never see a plate of breaded prawns again it will be two weeks too soon.'

Despite our circ.u.mstances, I found myself grinning like an idiot as the tale unfolded. 'I can't believe you're alive,' I said, rather unnecessarily, as James finished speaking.

'I wouldn't be if not for Leela. I've never met anyone like her.' I nodded in heartfelt agreement. 'And now we have arrived here, it seems, only to step from the frying pan into the fire. Peruvian slavers, I understand.'

I nodded. 'They arrived here three days ago and invaded without warning. They attacked the clipper, imprisoned Stuart and the crew. They have taken several hundred islanders captive. And they shot the Doctor.'

'Shot the Doctor? Is he dead?'

'I hope not.'

'I wonder if we can buy them off with gold,' James mused.

I shook my head firmly. 'They would take your gold and kill you without a moment's thought. They are blaggards and scoundrels. I watched them shoot down a party of islanders in cold blood. They laughed. It was like sport to them.'

James's response was interrupted by a minor commotion some distance from us. I saw two of the men arguing with an old woman. I realised with a sudden shock that she was pointing at us. At me. It was clear she recognised me. The inevitable had happened at last. I had been discovered. By now a significant number of the men had become involved in the fracas. Leela's council of war had stopped to allow the matter to be dealt with.

I watched as the men brought the old woman closer, surprised at how calm I was. James sensed the hostility of the group and tried to interpose himself between us. I pushed him aside. 'This is my responsibility,' I told him. I saw Richards keeping to one side. She was watching intently. I saw the islanders draw their obsidian knives. Was Richards to get the grandstand view of my death, which she craved so much?

I suppose I should have run, protested, struggled, something. In truth I found the strength to stand, enough to meet the old woman's accusations with some dignity. Perhaps humility would have been better. I could not summon that much strength. And they did not realise how much I had already punished myself over the matter of the rongo-rongo. rongo-rongo. Nothing they could do to me now would match the suffering I had inflicted upon myself. The worst they could do was kill me -and then at least the punishment would be over. Nothing they could do to me now would match the suffering I had inflicted upon myself. The worst they could do was kill me -and then at least the punishment would be over.

The woman - whose name seemed to be Atani - broke from the group of islanders and ran towards me. She stopped within an arm's length. She was ancient, her skin warped tightly across prominent bones. Her face was tattooed and her ears stretched to her shoulders. They had been pegged back but one had broken loose as she ran towards me. Now she stood before me and pointed in accusation.

'He is the one. He is the one who stole the rongo-rongo. rongo-rongo. He is the one responsible for my brother's death. Tortorro trusted you and befriended you and you betrayed him.' He is the one responsible for my brother's death. Tortorro trusted you and befriended you and you betrayed him.'

'I saved his son's life.'

The woman spat at me. 'His son is dead, killed by the Peruvians. So all you did was delay what was meant to be.'

I searched for something to say. I could find nothing. I tried to conjure an image of the tiny child I had saved so many years ago. At that precise moment I couldn't even remember what colour his hair had been. Atani was right. The only difference my involvement had made was to enable us to blackmail Tortorro into getting us to Bird Man's Island and stealing the rongo-rongo. rongo-rongo. To my left I could see Richards watching silently. Her face showed no emotion at the woman's accusation. To my left I could see Richards watching silently. Her face showed no emotion at the woman's accusation.

By now the cave was silent.

Topeno came forward and stood beside the woman. You are Stockwood who stole the rongo-rongo?' rongo-rongo?'

I nodded miserably. 'Yes. Yes, I am. And I know I was wrong, and I know there's no excuse for what I did. So why don't you just kill me now and get on with it? Get it over with! Come on! Use one of your d.a.m.n knives or strangle me or turn me insane with some poison if you must, only do it now before I go quite mad with impatience!'

I felt James's hands upon my shoulders. 'Hysteria serves no one, Horace.' His voice was quiet, calm. Amazingly so under the circ.u.mstances.

I took deep breaths, waited for judgement.

A moment pa.s.sed. No one spoke.

And then there was movement. Slow, deliberate movement. The islanders parted to allow another through into the clearing which had grown around me. It was a man. Tall, a shock of pure white hair crowned a face gone to age and madness. The skin was paper-thin and pale from lack of sun, stretched across a skull which seemed to be trying to escape from the body with every change of expression. The body jerked, as if movement was unfamiliar, lurching towards me, arms outstretched in senile greeting.

And I recoiled from the arms raised in greeting as I recoiled from the mummified smile as I recoiled from the recognition boiling up like hot bile within me.

'h.e.l.lo... old... friend.'

The voice was like a scratched gramophone, a distorted version of that which I remembered so well. 'Alex... Alexander?'

'Welcome to... Rapa Nui,' he said in cracked tones. 'I am your punishment.'

I staggered, my head whirling, grabbed the wall of the cave for support. 'Alex? Alex Richards?'

He had stopped, his arms drifting like withered leaves until they were motionless at his sides. His skin was chalk-white, creased with age, starkly naked when compared with the tattooed islanders.

'I... I...'

'You have returned,' he said in a voice like razors moving across a sharpening stone. 'The sun will shine in the night. The dead will live again. I am your punishment.'

I took a step forward, all thought gone. My friend whom I thought dead was alive. Alive! I had no thought for the wasted years. My redemption was at hand. He was alive! I would take him away from here, take him back to London. James would help. His madness could be treated, cured.

My friend! Alive! 'Oh Alex...'

And then she moved. The old woman moved. She produced an obsidian knife from her belt and laid it across his throat. I stuttered, pointed. n.o.body moved. Topeno and the other islanders seemed content to merely watch. Alexander did not even move. It was as though his every response had been ch.o.r.eographed, like a dance or a play.

'Tell him who you are,' the old woman hissed.

'I am your punishment,' Alex said as she slit his throat from ear to ear.

23.

Voice from the Future

Five minds, interconnected; memories like struggling insects trapped in eternity's web. Myself, Horace, Leela, the Doctor and Richards. Five minds, thinking as one. A chorus of thoughts and memories. The past become present. A litany for the future.

And the Fathers of the Tribe of Sevateem were sent forth by Xoanon to seek Paradise to seek Paradise And the Members of the Geographical Society have voted to sponsor the Stockwood-Richards Pacific Expedition the Stockwood-Richards Pacific Expedition And And we must launch the moai moai into s.p.a.ce. Like seeds they will land on into s.p.a.ce. Like seeds they will land on other worlds. Our DNA will be encoded by retrovirus into that of the other worlds. Our DNA will be encoded by retrovirus into that of the local dominant life form. We will die but our race will remain hidden local dominant life form. We will die but our race will remain hidden from those who would destroy us. In time we will return through the from those who would destroy us. In time we will return through the moai moai gateways and the dead will live again gateways and the dead will live again And And while the Tribe of Sevateem searched for Paradise the Tribe of Tesh, who remained at the Place of Land, betrayed our Fathers Tesh, who remained at the Place of Land, betrayed our Fathers And And Horace Stockwood, hear me, for I curse you for a coward if you leave me here to die with these savages leave me here to die with these savages And the new arrivals carry our death within them. A genetic corruption. An alien virus. We are all infected now. We have no corruption. An alien virus. We are all infected now. We have no defence defence And the Tesh made a pact with the Evil One and Xoanon turned his face from us from us And the blank eyes of the moai, and the accusing screams of Alexander Richards follow me for months back to England and a lifetime beyond Richards follow me for months back to England and a lifetime beyond And And

so that's what happened to the thousands of islanders that have vanished over the generations: used as carrier pigeons for an alien vanished over the generations: used as carrier pigeons for an alien amino-acid chain amino-acid chain And the Evil One raised the Tower and defended it with the Black Wall And And I have cried out his name in the night. I have awoken sobbing and close to madness close to madness And Stockwood took the rongo-rongo, rongo-rongo, and with it the operating instructions and with it the operating instructions for an Einstein-Rosen Bridge for an Einstein-Rosen Bridge And the Tribe of Tesh, who stand between the Tribe of Sevateem and Xoanon, G.o.d of their Fathers, must be killed Xoanon, G.o.d of their Fathers, must be killed And And I live only to see your face at his grave, to see your madness grow and consume you, and then to kill you, if I can consume you, and then to kill you, if I can And And the face of the enemy is upon us and it shows no mercy only death And And now is the time when the Tribe of Sevateem shall rise in their wrath and kill the Evil One and kill the Evil One And I desire your death, Horace Stockwood, I desire it as some desire perfume or sweet appointments or love or life itself? perfume or sweet appointments or love or life itself?

And and I see worlds destroyed, life eradicated. I see the rape of hope and the annihilation of truth and beauty. I see it all and the the annihilation of truth and beauty. I see it all and the horror horror is more is more than I can bear than I can bear And the library takes me and shows me and I know. The G.o.ds help me I know. know. I know how it ends. I know how it begins. I know how it ends. I know how it begins.

I know everything.

24.

Firelight

The islanders washed Stockwood in the blood of his friend whom they had killed. I watched Richards while they did this. I knew she would try to kill him. Revenge. But she was in the waking sleep - her mind robbed by shock. She sat in one corner and a number of islanders comforted her as she descended even further into madness. I knew the islanders would take care of Stockwood now. They had punished him. Now they would welcome him into their tribe. So, leaving Stockwood and Richards to deal with the death of Alexander, I led an attack on the pirates.

There were three Peruvian sailors keeping watch over the island from the top of the cliffs overlooking Anakena Bay. They were pa.s.sing a bottle between themselves, drinking and laughing. Occasionally they would loose shots at a rodent or fowl. We waited until they were drunk before moving, then Topeno and another islander called Tenini slit the throats of two and I gutted another, pushing him to the ground and covering his mouth to prevent warning screams as I took his heart.

Royston, who had followed us, was appalled at our actions. 'Leela!

What do you think you are doing?'

'Winning,' I told him softly. 'Now be quiet. I still do not trust you.'

Armed with an a.s.sortment of pistols and daggers, in addition to our knives, we made our way to the beach, moving quietly and checking for other sentries. There were none. Three guards for seven ships. This DaBraisse was a stupid man. I wondered if all men on this planet were as stupid. Topeno signalled to the others and we slipped into the water.

More than a hundred islanders followed us. We did not make directly for the pirate ships. Instead we swam quietly out to Tweed Tweed and, even more quietly, climbed the bow ropes on to deck. There were more pirates here. and, even more quietly, climbed the bow ropes on to deck. There were more pirates here.

A lot more. They were busy looting the various cabins and drinking the liquor they found or had brought with them. One pirate was throwing his knife repeatedly into the corpse of one of the men from Tweed Tweed who had been tied to the mizzenmast. His astonished look when the knife he had been throwing was returned, apparently by a dead man, to bury itself in his throat and take his own life, was most satisfying. who had been tied to the mizzenmast. His astonished look when the knife he had been throwing was returned, apparently by a dead man, to bury itself in his throat and take his own life, was most satisfying.

After making sure the pirate was dead and lowering his body over the side to avoid its accidental discovery Topeno and I opened the quarterdeck hatch and slipped quietly down the ladder to the lower decks. Checking the companionway was clear, we made directly for the Captain's cabin. Five pirates were busy inside, rifling through the Captain's sea chest. It was the work of moments to kill them all. I regretted the blood that would spoil the beautiful carpet but spared no thought for the lives we took. The pirates had forfeited their right to life when they had first killed. Though Royston would not admit it I knew the truth. We were at war. To lose was to die. There were nine more pirates on the ship. Topeno and I hunted them silently through the decks and cabins. In ten minutes they were all dead.

When there were no more pirates left alive we went directly to the hold and opened the hatch. I called down into the darkness. 'Captain Stuart!'

His voice answered at once. 'Leela? By the heavens, is that you?'

'Yes. I have come to free you so that we may kill the pirates and free the islanders and the Doctor. Come with me. Bring your men. And guns.'

Now we had a hundred and fifty men armed with pistols and swords, some armed with the pirates' own weapons. Cook was first on deck. He wore a cutla.s.s and a pistol, and carried a meat cleaver and a large pepperpot. 'Time to chop cutlets, lads.' His voice was even. He did not smile.

By now there were nearly two hundred people on Tweed. Tweed. I turned to Captain Stuart. 'Keep them quiet. Follow the swimmers in boats when you are able. Your job is to take one of the pirate ships. We must use their weapons against them. Do you understand?' I turned to Captain Stuart. 'Keep them quiet. Follow the swimmers in boats when you are able. Your job is to take one of the pirate ships. We must use their weapons against them. Do you understand?'

'Oh, I understand all right. And so will they - when I get my hands on their cannon.'

Topeno and I climbed back over the side of the ship and slipped into the water. We swam slowly and silently for the leading Peruvian ship. It was running low in the water with the weight of its cargo of islanders.

That made it all the easier to slip aboard. I climbed over the stern deckrail and crouched dripping on the deck. Topeno followed me. There seemed to be no one nearby. But I could hear singing and clapping from the direction of the bowsprit. The moon was a thin crescent, barely topping the rocky hills of the island, and it cast scant light. The stars were bright, though, so we would have to be careful. I moved along the deck, crouching beside the deckrail and making sure I remained in shadow.

Lamps were strung up along the spars. They threw an oily yellow light barred with black shadows on to the ship.

The singing got louder as we moved forward. The pirates were obviously drunk on wine or brandy. This was going to be very easy.

Then I saw the Doctor.