Questioner Visits the Panhagion.

The following morning, the Questioner, dressed in the force-shield cloak she wore outside for protection against everything short of meteorites, was standing with Ellin and Bao on the gravel drive, awaiting their conveyance, when the ground began to shake, the initial tremor building into a bone-twisting shudder that lasted some minutes but seemed, in retrospect, to have gone on for hours. The gardens shimmied, blooms were whipped from their stems to fly like shrapnel in all directions. The terraces snapped like so much sugar candy, the rough edges of the shards grinding against one another in a rasping mutter that almost drowned out the sound of the roar, the exhalation, the whatever-it-was from wherever-it-came that subsumed all other sounds.

When the ground stilled at last, Questioner was still standing obdurately erect, stabilizers extended, with Ellin and Bao each clinging to an immovable arm. Waiting for the last of the noise to subside, the Questioner asked in a mildly interested tone: "Read for me what the report says, Bao. That one you are still holding. And may I remark how dutiful you are to have held on to it."

Bao, between gritted teeth, hissed a commentary that fell far short of describing his feelings.

"Take a deep breath," said Questioner. "Release. Now again, in, out, in, out. Are you recovered?"

Bao muttered again, as Ellin broke into a t.i.tter that threatened full-fledged hysteria.

Questioner turned her head from side to side, examining them both. They still clung, as though for dear life. "It's over for the time being," she told them. "Look, down the driveway, where the horses attached to our carriage are having seizures of anxiety. Observe the driver in the exercise of his phlegmatic habitude. Does he not inspire you? Are you not moved to emulate his imperturbability?"

Ellin stepped carefully away, feet spread well apart, braced for the resumption of the tremor. Bao followed her example, keying the file he held and peering at it blindly. "It says," he gulped, "it says ..."

"There, there," said Questioner impatiently. "What does it say?"

"It says the crust of the planet is becoming increasingly unstable ..."

"How perceptive of them!" cried Ellin.

"... and may reach, but has not yet reached, the point at which it endangers planetary life," he concluded, handing the report to Questioner, who scanned it rapidly.

The carriage, which eventually approached, was one that had been adapted to carry Questioner's ma.s.sive form. She climbed the two steps without help and sat hugely upon the seat, the two aides across from her, the report open upon her lap.

"When you first went to the Temple," said Questioner to Ellin, "I recall that D'Jevier remarked about the volcanoes. Did it seem to you she was greatly disturbed?"

Ellin thought back. "Not greatly, no," she said, grabbing for a handhold as the carriage dropped an inch or two over a recently fallen slab. "Her perturbation seemed more dramatic than real."

Questioner scanned farther in the report. "Our planetologists tell us that the greatest damage thus far has occurred on the other side of this world, where islands have sunk or are sinking, all of them uninhabited, so far as anyone knows. Our scientists go on to say that what we are experiencing, this local disturbance in the vicinity of the Giles, happens every ten to twenty years in gravitic response to certain lunar configurations. So, if she, the Hag, has seen this happen before, why is she being so dramatic about it now?"

"She is dragging, perhaps, a dead fish along the way, hoping we will go sniffing after that rather than something else?" asked Bao.

"Rather than thinking of indigenes?" Ellin asked.

"Quite possibly," mused Questioner. "Of course, this latest eruption is exceptionally strong, and dangerous, but do they know that?"

Ellin t.i.ttered again, breathlessly. "It would be ironic if we all got swallowed up by some volcano, the indigenes along with the rest of us."

"Which could happen in time," said Questioner, dispa.s.sionately. "For our planetologists say that if present conditions persist, the settled areas will be endangered. Further, they say they can find no geological reason for this instability except an 'unforeseen and mysterious change in the movements of the crust itself, though there is no detectable change in its nature.' I find that very interesting."

"Interesting." Ellin gulped. "She finds it interesting."

Questioner turned toward her. "We all die, Ellin Voy. Even I, in time. I was designed to be interested in all things, including those that repulse mankind, like slime and strange insects, like plague and famine and dying. You may be interested, too, when you have a calm moment to consider it. Now do as I bade Gandro Bao. Breathe, breathe, and calm yourself."

The rest of the journey was made in nervous silence by the dancers, in apparent serenity by Questioner, and in some apprehension by the horses. The driver was habitually glum, and nothing had changed him. The pa.s.sengers were met at the foot of the Temple stairs by Onsofruct herself, her face pallid and her hands moist, who conducted them up the stairs and into the forecourt.

"I'm sure you are not female in the sense our worshippers would understand," said Onsofruct to Questioner. "But in some cases, appearances are all. Shall we go into the Temple?"

They did so, seating themselves on the lowest bench, the one nearest both the lectern and the effigies of the Hagions. There were worshippers scattered about in the Sanctuary, some kneeling, most of them standing quite still or seated upon cushions. Older women, some very old, sat on the high-backed benches around the sides. Though the air was hazed with dust, the Temple seemed undamaged by the recent tremors.

Questioner scanned the interior of the lofty s.p.a.ce, comparing it to the account Ellin had recorded. She saw the book on the lectern, rose and went over to it, flipping the pages with one hand, too rapidly for the others to see anything but a blur. When she returned to sit beside them, she had put into memory the total contents of every page, including the chemical traces left on each page by the fingers and breath of those who had taken time to read it. A separate part of her mind went to work a.n.a.lyzing what it had read and cross-referencing persons to pages.

She smiled at Onsofruct, took out the geological report, keyed it, and turned it so that the Hag could see it.

"Your concern about the stability of Newholme's crust is well founded."

Onsofruct stared at her, mouth very slightly open, thinking vaguely that she and D'Jevier had been blown by their own bomblet. Though the Hags had purposefully overstated their fears, it seemed this current instability was living up to their pretended anxieties.

Smoothly, Questioner continued, "What we find most interesting about this is that the geologists can find no reason whatsoever for this increasing instability. There is no significant change in the geothermal variations of the mantle or the core. There is no gross change in the slow movement of the plates or the frictional heat causing up-ellings from mantle through crust. Our technicians tell me, and I find this imaginative, that it is as though the world's crust was suffering discomposure. A planetary eczema, perhaps?"

Onsofruct smiled, a humorless smile, her eyes focused on some other time or place.

Questioner shook her head with seeming sadness. "Madam, pay attention. Whatever other problems you may have here on Newholme, they pale beside this one. Whatever guilts you are attempting to hide from me, they are small beside this actual danger of destruction. Actual, proximate, and total destruction."

"Then the Men of Business ... they are right?" Her voice sounded incredulous and shrill. She cleared her throat. "I thought ... I thought perhaps they had overstated the case."

"No," murmured Questioner. "I am amazed the Temple is still standing after that shaking this morning."

"When we took over the building, it was retroengineered to withstand earthquake," muttered Onsofruct. "Most of the larger buildings in Sendoph and Naibah were either reinforced or designed to be quake resistant from inception. There are always ... tremors."

"Ah ..." said Questioner. "Madam, this may sound quite silly to you, but do you have any legends or myths concerning this shaking? Hmmm?"

"Legends?" she faltered.

"Most societies have stories about natural phenomena: volcanoes, waterfalls, windstorms, whatever. Fire G.o.ddesses; wind G.o.ds; ocean deities. You have been upon this world long enough to acc.u.mulate a mythology. Do you recall any such?"

"I do," came a voice from behind them.

They turned to see D'Jevier, who was observing Onsofruct with troubled eyes.

"My cousin," murmured Onsofruct.

"D'Jevier Pa.s.senger," the new arrival introduced herself. "We are close cousins, yes, but we did not share all aspects of our rearing. My cousin may not have heard a children's story that I remember well. Did you ever hear it, Onsy? About the snake at the center of the world?"

Onsofruct flushed and glared at her sibling, who only smiled in return, saying: "Though it may be embarra.s.sing to recount a ... nursery tale, the matter does seem to be of some urgency. Surely the Questioner would not ask if it were not important."

Some signal pa.s.sed between them. Onsofruct flushed again, began a retort, then caught herself, mumbling, "Oh ... well. Yes, I remember hearing it. But my cousin is correct, it's only a children's story. A fairy tale."

"Tell it," instructed the Questioner. "Sometimes we find truth in the unlikeliest places."

"Well ... let me see. The Summer Snake is curled in the center of the world, like a baby snake in an egg...."

"Why is it called Summer Snake?" asked Questioner.

"Because that is when it came," said D'Jevier. "It came in summer, and its name is Niasa."

"You mean, then is when it was laid?" asked Ellin.

"Laid, I suppose. Came Came is what I remember." is what I remember."

Onsofruct resumed: "... And there are moon dragons, Joggiwagga, who keep track of the moons, for when the moons get lined up and pushy, it makes Niasa uneasy and wakeful, and the egg shakes. So then its mother soothes ..."

"Not the mother," D'Jevier corrected. "It was Bofusdiaga."

"I thought Bofusdiaga was its mother." Onsofruct frowned.

"No. Don't you recall? She was the mother, and Little Niasa was the egg. Big Summer Snake laid her egg at the center of the world, where it is nice and warm. And when she hears Little Niasa crying, she cries also, very loudly, and then the Corojumi and Bofusdiaga hear her...."

"Who or what are they?" murmured Ellin.

D'Jevier shook her head, shrugging. "Bofusdiaga is something very large and singular. The Corojumi are smaller and numerous. In the stories, Bofusdiaga is the sleep tender, the one who lullabies, and the Corojumi weave the dreams that keep the snake from waking. Also, Bofusdiaga sets the sails, and the Corojumi hold the tiller, or other way round, and they sail the ship of dreams across the pillared seas to Niasa's nest."

"They want to keep keep the snake from waking?" asked Ellin. the snake from waking?" asked Ellin.

"Yes." Both the cousins nodded. "So it won't hatch too soon."

"And from whom did you hear this charming story?" asked the Questioner.

A momentary stillness.

"Our ... nursemaids," said D'Jevier. "When we were little."

"And what were their names?"

"Mine died," said Onsofruct.

Questioner glanced at her aides and smiled, a sardonic smile that said she knew they were lying.

D'Jevier said, in a tone of bright and totally spurious helpfulness, "Mine was a nice old lady, but she also died, years ago. Her name was Velgin. Emily Velgin. She didn't have any family. She was sterile. She never married."

"Her parents are no doubt dead, too," murmured the Questioner. "And all her family."

"Certainly." They said it almost together, both nodding.

Questioner rose, still smiling, thanking them fulsomely, letting them know with every movement and word that she knew they were liars of the worst stripe, whom she would pretend to believe for the nonce, for reasons of her own. As they moved toward the curtained arches, the floor came alive beneath them, dancing under their feet. High in the vault, a window cracked, then broke, shedding a shower of tinkling ruby gla.s.s.

"Perhaps Little Niasa has colic." Questioner smiled. She had thrown her protective cape across Ellin at the first shiver. "Perhaps it writhes helplessly, seeking to escape evil dreams. Night terrors, as they are sometimes called. If Big Niasa could waken it, perhaps it could be soothed, given hot milk and a cookie. Or, since it is reptilian, a live mouse."

She lifted her arm, releasing Ellin.

"Perhaps," said D'Jevier, her forehead beaded with tiny drops, her hand clammy when Ellin grasped it as they said good-bye. Bao waited for them outside on the steps of the Temple, his own face fearful. They felt three more tremors of descending degrees of violence on their way back to Mantelby.

Where they confronted rebellion.

"Look at this," snarled the protocol officer, waving a copy of the geological report. "I've just had a chance to read it. It says the world is going to come apart. We aren't required to sit here and wait for it, are we?"

"Is it indeed?" Questioner was calm as she removed the cloak. "Would you like to leave the planet?"

"We should all go at once."

"I am inclined to agree that you should, yes. I am staying here for the time being. I imagine, though I am not certain, that Ellin and Bao will choose to stay with me. That is no reason, however, why the other members of my entourage should remain here. Your work is largely done. You will no doubt be more comfortable on the ship, and I should be able to maintain a link with the ship while it remains safely in orbit."

For a fleeting moment, Ellin readied herself to shout a denial. She would go, go at once, not stay, things were too dangerous. She tried to formulate a graceful announcement that wouldn't sound like total hysteria, but the words wouldn't come. Why not? Could it be that she didn't want to go? After a moment's shuddering indecision, she admitted it to herself. She wanted to ... to feel like this. She had never felt like this, tingling like this. Absurdly, she remembered the little boy who had wanted tornadoes! He had been right! She also wanted tornadoes. She wanted to see what was going to happen.

Turning, she caught Bao's eyes on her and flushed. He had told her to put out roots and grow, and now he was watching her do it! He made a comical face and winked at her, accurately interpreting her confusion.

The protocol officer departed, returning briefly to say that all eight of them were leaving for the shuttle and would return to the ship immediately.

"And you're really going to let them go?" asked Ellin.

"Have they contributed anything to our inquiry? The technicians-who are not political appointees, thank whomever arranged it-have given us considerable help, but they've done it from orbit and can go on doing so. So long as we can reach the ship, what do we need these people for?"

"I am not seeing why you are having those people in the first place," sniffed Bao.

Questioner laughed, a mirthless bark. "My dear young people, they are foisted upon me. A century or so ago, the Council of Worlds decided that providing me with an entourage would open up opportunities for some of their juvenile kinfolk. Many of the functions of COW are cluttered up with witless fetchers and carriers who are somehow related to council members. A pity Haraldson never forbade nepotism!"

"If you are not needing them, are you really needing us?" Bao asked.

"I am. I really need nonthreatening persons with alert, questioning minds and enough good sense to spot the oddities. Thus far, you've done well. So, let us proceed."

A Mantelby servant came in to announce that dinner was served in the adjacent salon, to which Questioner, Ellin, and Bao immediately repaired to indulge themselves in a long, elaborate, and delicious meal. The servants had just set dessert on the table-a fluffy concoction of fruits and cream which Ellin had been looking forward to with delicious guilt since it had appeared on the morning menu card-when the link to the ship announced itself.

Bao spoke to the Gablian watch officer, who asked for the staff member who was handling the geological reports.

Bao informed the ship that the entire staff should be aboard. A long silence presaged a denial by the watch officer that any of the staff members were anywhere on the ship.

Questioner rose and approached the link. "Commander, I sent all my entourage except the two young Earthians back to the ship some hours ago."

"I was alerted to expect them. They never arrived."

"Hold fast," suggested the Questioner. "Let's see what we can find out here." She turned to Bao and Ellin, putting on an exasperated face. "Would you mind, young people? Go see what's holding them up?"

Ellin had a mouth full of delight and her eyes shut. Reluctantly, she swallowed.

"You, a dancer, consuming such stuff!" said Questioner in mock reproof.

"I know," Ellin cried guiltily. "But then, I keep thinking it might be the last chance I ever have."

"Last chance, child?"

Seduced by food and wine, her thoughts burst out without censor. "Oh, Questioner, something's building to a climax! I keep hearing the music for it, all those tremorous violins, the slow descending ba.s.ses, each note deeper into the fabric of the world, the bra.s.ses, muted, like voices calling in a dark wood...."

"All day she has been hearing this, nodding her head in time to this music," confirmed Bao. "I am finding it quite interesting."

Questioner nodded, unimpressed by this idea. "Very poetic, my dear, but hardly your last chance. Your dessert will wait for you."