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.But whoever was prepared to steal the thapter, out here, would hardly stop at doing her a mischief.The mechanism roared and the thapter lifted off only to thump down again.A woman swore under her breath, and it evened the odds a fraction in Irisis's mind.She looked for a weapon but everyone had taken theirs with them and Irisis had left the camp without so much as a knife.She couldn't even see anything to throw.She took off her boots and socks, sniffed disgustedly and laid them aside.She rose to her feet, then went back for a boot.It was better than nothing.The thapter lifted off, screaming like a ghost in torment and shuddering so violently that Irisis had to hold on.The pilot was standing with her back to her, jerking back and forth on the controller, not understanding what she was doing.If she got the thapter up to ten spans or so, and lost control, it would be destroyed in the impact and everyone would die here.Irisis crept up the ladder, the boot swinging in her right hand, though it was little use as a club; it didn't weigh enough.She slid her arm in, up to the elbow, settled the hard heel over her fist and kept it behind her back as she climbed one-handed.The thapter sideslipped, steadied and began to rise, wobbling from side to side.Irisis was far enough up the ladder now to recognise the pilot, Tirior.She was a mighty mancer, second only to Vithis in power.Irisis hesitated for a second and Tirior must have sensed that she was there, for she turned her head.Irisis went up the rest of the way in a rush as Tirior twisted her body and raised her free hand to deliver a blast that would tear Irisis apart.She acted without thinking.There wasn't time, and physical force versus the Art normally only ended one way.Irisis swung her fist in a vicious blow to the bridge of Tirior's nose.The heel struck it full on, her nose broke and Tirior went down.Her hand slipped off the controller, the mechanism died and the thapter fell.Irisis caught Tirior's hand, slammed it onto the flight knob of the controller and eased it up, gently.The thapter arrested, hovered, and Irisis let it down with just a minor crunching of metal, then stopped the Aachim's mouth with her knee and held her fingers until, with a bound, Vithis was perched on the hatch.The trial took little time, since the evidence was beyond dispute.The clan leaders were unanimous in their verdict, though given that Tirior was a clan leader herself, the sentence had to be confirmed by Urien.This she did with dispatch and Tirior was sentenced to be delivered upside down to the Well by all the clan leaders, an ignominious end that would result in the demotion of Clan Nataz to Last Clan.Tirior made no defence, no statement, no plea.She simply went to the Well as if it was beneath her dignity to remark upon it.The revelation of her betrayal had washed Vithis's despair away.First Clan hadn't fallen, it had been brought down by treachery.He stood up straight, brushed the salt dust off his garments and there was a glint in his eye that Tiaan did not like at all.It was as if he'd found new hope.'Minis! Attend me!' he said peremptorily, after the Well had taken Tirior with a brilliant yellow flare that lit up the salt-crusted basalt for hundreds of paces around, and a positive volley of echoes.Minis, reluctantly, levered himself to his foster-father's side and stood leaning on his crutches.'Foster-son,' said Vithis, laying a hand on his shoulder, 'I judged you ill and I'm deeply sorry.I blamed you for failings that were due to our clan enemy.You did not let me down then and I know you won't do so now.''Foster-father?' said Minis.'I despaired when I should have put my faith in you.I will do so now.Minis, Clan Inthis must be created anew and only you can do it, for as you know I am sterile.You must put aside all other objectives until you've bred me sons and daughters - especially daughters.I will chose your partners from women of other clans, who have strong Inthis blood -''I cannot, Foster-father,' cried Minis.'If you lack desire,' said Vithis carefully, 'I have the remedy here.' He withdrew a capped phial from his pocket.Minis looked as if he was going to vomit with humiliation.'I am not.incapable, Foster-father.''If you were a man, you would have mated already and produced the children that Inthis needs.You would have taken joy in it.''I -''No more talk, Foster-son.Take one of these today, now, and another every half-year.It will give you potency beyond any man alive.Women will flock to you, despite your disabilities.''I am not a rutting machine, Foster-father.''You have a duty to me and your clan.Do it, for once in your life.''No, Father.I will not.' Minis looked pale and terrified of the older man.Tiaan's heart went out to him.Vithis sprang, caught Minis around the chest and thrust a tablet into his mouth.Minis tried to spit it out.The older man held his nose until Minis had to open his mouth, then thrust it down his throat.The crutches fell away and Minis collapsed on the ground, weeping with mortification.'Do your duty like a man,' Vithis raged.'If you are a man.I have often wondered.'Minis found his crutches and climbed onto them as tears of helpless rage flowed down his cheeks.'I am a man, Foster-father, and I will do what a real man must do.' He clacked away behind the thapter.'You have always been a dutiful son, Minis,' said Vithis, the rage gone as quickly as it had come.'I have every confidence in you.'Tiaan suppressed an urge to run after the younger man, for it could do no good.In spite of her feelings about Minis, she could not bear to see him so humiliated.'And now you, Malien,' said Vithis.'For your clan's part -'He broke off as Minis reappeared, carrying something in his cupped hands [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.But whoever was prepared to steal the thapter, out here, would hardly stop at doing her a mischief.The mechanism roared and the thapter lifted off only to thump down again.A woman swore under her breath, and it evened the odds a fraction in Irisis's mind.She looked for a weapon but everyone had taken theirs with them and Irisis had left the camp without so much as a knife.She couldn't even see anything to throw.She took off her boots and socks, sniffed disgustedly and laid them aside.She rose to her feet, then went back for a boot.It was better than nothing.The thapter lifted off, screaming like a ghost in torment and shuddering so violently that Irisis had to hold on.The pilot was standing with her back to her, jerking back and forth on the controller, not understanding what she was doing.If she got the thapter up to ten spans or so, and lost control, it would be destroyed in the impact and everyone would die here.Irisis crept up the ladder, the boot swinging in her right hand, though it was little use as a club; it didn't weigh enough.She slid her arm in, up to the elbow, settled the hard heel over her fist and kept it behind her back as she climbed one-handed.The thapter sideslipped, steadied and began to rise, wobbling from side to side.Irisis was far enough up the ladder now to recognise the pilot, Tirior.She was a mighty mancer, second only to Vithis in power.Irisis hesitated for a second and Tirior must have sensed that she was there, for she turned her head.Irisis went up the rest of the way in a rush as Tirior twisted her body and raised her free hand to deliver a blast that would tear Irisis apart.She acted without thinking.There wasn't time, and physical force versus the Art normally only ended one way.Irisis swung her fist in a vicious blow to the bridge of Tirior's nose.The heel struck it full on, her nose broke and Tirior went down.Her hand slipped off the controller, the mechanism died and the thapter fell.Irisis caught Tirior's hand, slammed it onto the flight knob of the controller and eased it up, gently.The thapter arrested, hovered, and Irisis let it down with just a minor crunching of metal, then stopped the Aachim's mouth with her knee and held her fingers until, with a bound, Vithis was perched on the hatch.The trial took little time, since the evidence was beyond dispute.The clan leaders were unanimous in their verdict, though given that Tirior was a clan leader herself, the sentence had to be confirmed by Urien.This she did with dispatch and Tirior was sentenced to be delivered upside down to the Well by all the clan leaders, an ignominious end that would result in the demotion of Clan Nataz to Last Clan.Tirior made no defence, no statement, no plea.She simply went to the Well as if it was beneath her dignity to remark upon it.The revelation of her betrayal had washed Vithis's despair away.First Clan hadn't fallen, it had been brought down by treachery.He stood up straight, brushed the salt dust off his garments and there was a glint in his eye that Tiaan did not like at all.It was as if he'd found new hope.'Minis! Attend me!' he said peremptorily, after the Well had taken Tirior with a brilliant yellow flare that lit up the salt-crusted basalt for hundreds of paces around, and a positive volley of echoes.Minis, reluctantly, levered himself to his foster-father's side and stood leaning on his crutches.'Foster-son,' said Vithis, laying a hand on his shoulder, 'I judged you ill and I'm deeply sorry.I blamed you for failings that were due to our clan enemy.You did not let me down then and I know you won't do so now.''Foster-father?' said Minis.'I despaired when I should have put my faith in you.I will do so now.Minis, Clan Inthis must be created anew and only you can do it, for as you know I am sterile.You must put aside all other objectives until you've bred me sons and daughters - especially daughters.I will chose your partners from women of other clans, who have strong Inthis blood -''I cannot, Foster-father,' cried Minis.'If you lack desire,' said Vithis carefully, 'I have the remedy here.' He withdrew a capped phial from his pocket.Minis looked as if he was going to vomit with humiliation.'I am not.incapable, Foster-father.''If you were a man, you would have mated already and produced the children that Inthis needs.You would have taken joy in it.''I -''No more talk, Foster-son.Take one of these today, now, and another every half-year.It will give you potency beyond any man alive.Women will flock to you, despite your disabilities.''I am not a rutting machine, Foster-father.''You have a duty to me and your clan.Do it, for once in your life.''No, Father.I will not.' Minis looked pale and terrified of the older man.Tiaan's heart went out to him.Vithis sprang, caught Minis around the chest and thrust a tablet into his mouth.Minis tried to spit it out.The older man held his nose until Minis had to open his mouth, then thrust it down his throat.The crutches fell away and Minis collapsed on the ground, weeping with mortification.'Do your duty like a man,' Vithis raged.'If you are a man.I have often wondered.'Minis found his crutches and climbed onto them as tears of helpless rage flowed down his cheeks.'I am a man, Foster-father, and I will do what a real man must do.' He clacked away behind the thapter.'You have always been a dutiful son, Minis,' said Vithis, the rage gone as quickly as it had come.'I have every confidence in you.'Tiaan suppressed an urge to run after the younger man, for it could do no good.In spite of her feelings about Minis, she could not bear to see him so humiliated.'And now you, Malien,' said Vithis.'For your clan's part -'He broke off as Minis reappeared, carrying something in his cupped hands [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]