Masters of the Maze (4 page)

“You are small. Sires are big.”

“They
become
big,” he said, excitedly. “Sires may eat much protein and as they grow older, they — ”

“The Na delays me from reaching my tasks promptly,” she said, and, quickening her step, hastened away from him. She was right; the Na turned hastily toward his training-place. But his thoughts were far from thence. Dim, they were, yet infinitely desirable; inchoate for the most part, at best scarcely formed. Strange, new thoughts, hot and frightening and unspeakably exciting. Let the young Ma go to her routine and humble tasks, content to await the summons to the established Sire and to remain but a number in a stud-book. The Na did not need her, the Na could wait, the Na had other thoughts on the subject. Let her go tend the clusters. There were, after all, always plenty of clusters.

There were always enough eggs.

• • •

Unlike the Sire, the instructor-Na did not confuse Current Projects Four and Five. Possibly this was because, unlike the Sire, he had never heard of any but the one he was assigned to. Instructors tended to be very single-minded; if he had heard, he would have designedly forgotten it.

The other trainees had already begun to don the accoutrements when the Na scuttled in. The instructor eyed him and his silence did not for a moment make the latecomer think that this failure would not be recorded. Hastily he placed his lower, thinner arms to his body and let them follow the folds and curves so as best to diminish the protrusion from the basic lines of the torso. Then with his upper arms he bound the lower ones with the long strip of the thin flexible material from which the other accoutrements were made.

“Generally speaking,” the instructor-Na intoned, “the higher vivipars of this area tend at all times to shield their bodies with these and similar accoutrements. Reasons to explain this are obscure. Vivipars have said it is because of heat; conversely, they have said it is because of cold. Innumerable are the inconsistencies of the vivipars, primitive life-forms which must give way to superior ones.”

The trainee-Nas with much less difficulty than earlier had now completed decking and cloaking themselves, and sat upon a sort of detached shelf raised on legs.

“Whatever the reason for this cumbersome practice,” the instructor continued, “it is obviously of infinite use to the Chulpex. The importance of it cannot be overstated. Therefore, we must consider the exceptions to it. The vivipars sometimes remove their coverings, it seems, in the presence of their own mates. As mating between us is physically impossible, such situations will not arise. Also, they have been known to remove them when they rest. To avoid this it may be necessary to explain that you are too hot, or, conversely, too cold. The last likely situation concerns the fact that, because of their primitive metabolisms, they frequently grow unclean and find it essential to wash their bodies in water; sometimes they immerse themselves in it. It has been observed that on such occasions, particularly in the absence of members of an opposite sex, they uncover themselves — sometimes completely, sometimes partially. The Na 14 ’Parranto 600, the Na 97 ‘Murriste 526, conjecture such a situation, and proceed.”

The two played a rapid finger-game to see who took which role, and then enacted the necessary scene. It was well enough, the instructor said, when they had done; but he was not fully satisfied with their manipulation of the language. “It may not be wise to depend too fully on hypervocalization,” he said. “We must have more drill on common speech. For this purpose the instructor-Na could desire an actual vivipar. The instructor-Na believes that on previous occasions actual vivipars were made available, and this possibility will be brought to the attention of those in charge. Admittedly the difficulties are great.”

“The instructor-Na.”

“The Na 14.”

“Mention has been made of ‘difficulties.’ Does this refer to the many-pathed way in general and in particular to those who watch and those who guard and those who fight — monsters and menaces?”

The other trainees looked at him in surprise and with some degree of uneasiness. The instructor-Na looked a longer while than was usual before speaking. Then he said, “The question will not be answered, for the reason that it refers to matters not yet reached by this training group. The instructor-Na is not pleased that the Na 14 presumes to bring up matters in advance of their proper place on the training schedule. All trainees will promptly erase this subject from their minds.” He paused. “The instructor-Na has observed in the Na 14 tendencies toward an archaic and dangerous quality to which the ancients gave the name
personal ambition.
He informs the Na 14 that this quality might imperil the success of the Current Project.”

Again he paused. “Further manifestations may result in the Na 14’s being directed to cease to take food.”

A slight, a very slight stir passed through the group. After a sufficient keening, the one addressed said, “It is regretted very much by the Na that he did not at once erase from his mind information improperly supplied him by the Na 27 ‘Parranto 600. He will do so immediately, appreciating the unparalleled excellence of the instruction being furnished his training group.”

The instructor was mollified. They proceeded with speech drill. And when, subsequently, the Na 97 ‘Murristo 527 inquired of his former partner in vivipar miming what the purpose was of the latter’s cluster-mate in improperly supplying him with information, the Na 14 answered that he did not understand the question.

In point of fact, he did understand it, for he had not erased the subject from his mind at all. It was fortunate that hypervocalization between Chulpex and Chulpex was impossible — as it seemed also to be between vivipar and vivipar. The Na intended henceforth to be most circumspect, to cease from giving evidence of identity-assertion as much as he could help. He was, after all, not yet a sire — he was still very far from even the proximate possibility. There were dangers in the many-pathed ways, then. This was true, the instructor-Na had as much as admitted it. Such being the case, it was well to avoid all dangers here at hand.

The Na was learning, he was learning fast, and by no means was his learning confined to matters on the instruction-schedule.

• • •

Arristemurriste did not follow the more-or-less solitary life favored by Arrettagorretta in the latter’s chamber. Hence, it was by the agitated scurryings of his many attending-Nas that he first had notice of the latter’s unprecedented approach. The days of Sire warring upon sire had long since passed; it was not for this that the war-Nas drilled and trained, although no doubt many of the tactics and maneuvers used dated back to the time when Chulpex lived on the world surface, when Sun Sarnis had not begun to cool, and it was not even unknown (so the records said) for swarm to fight swarm. Still, there were traces of protocol established in those hot, harsh days which still endured. As witness:

“The Sire, the Sire!”

“Why this commotion? Speak, informing me clearly and briefly.”

“Arrettagorretta, the ‘Gorretta-Sire, is approaching on our ramp!”

Not showing the astonishment he felt, he inquired in what state the other Sire was approaching — and was informed, slowly and alone.

“ ‘Slowly and alone …’ Thus. When he reaches the summit of the ramp he will ask for my permission to proceed further. Inform those there that the permission is already accorded him. Prepare food, the Nas.”

Wave after wave of ‘Murriste Chulpex informed their Sire of his peer’s progress. He had indulgently granted to all those adjacent to the other’s route, who were not occupied in tasks of an emergency priority, consent to leave their duties and watch; for scarcely any of them had ever seen another sire before. When at last the vast bulk appeared in the great entrance-way of his chamber, he rose respectfully a trifle and greeted him.

“What, ‘Gorretta, has word been brought you that I have refused to breed?”

Arrettagorretta paused in his approach. “Not so, ‘Murriste, assuredly it is not so.”

“Assuredly not. I spoke in an exaggerated manner merely to indicate my surprise at your approach. Does not every Sire know that ‘Gorretta never leaves his dais but to breed or to exercise anger-outlet, the only known exception in multicycles having been the misfortunate and unprecedented matter of the ‘Parranto? Come, ‘Gorretta, share my dais.”

He rose on all sixes and moved to make way. “Not that even that was a complete exception, you having taken his Mas to nest. Why did you not share them among us?”

Ponderously the other Sire ascended to the dais and sank down upon it. At a gesture from his host, attending-Nas brought him food, and he took it. After a while he said, “It was designedly that I did not do so. I desired to express in a strong manner my abhorrence of the unnatural deed of the ‘Parranto without utterly destroying the spirit of his swarms…. What reports have you? What new things?”

Arristemurriste gestured his Nas to withdraw a distance. Then he told his guest that all reports were more or less as might have been predicted. The continued loss of heat from the planetary core would require abandoning the two outermost units and creating two new ones farther in toward the world’s center, unless effective entrance was made to other worlds. Current Projects One and Two would probably have to be abandoned, and Three looked more and more dubious. And among the most recent hatch of his own get was a high proportion of females.

“Thus it is by all. I think, ‘Murriste, that the new units require to be made larger than the ones they are to replace; also I see no other choice but that a certain number of underlings pertaining to other units must be transferred to them in order to relieve pressure.”

“That will not be necessary. Long before then, I am confident, we shall have achieved successful penetrations into Current Project Areas Four and Five.”

Arrettagorretta made a swift, astonished gesture. “What thing is this? Did you not say that all reports were more or less what might have been predicted?”

“Thus. You have allowed yourself to be too much out of touch with things, ‘Gorretta. It is not thus that life-through-life is to be perpetuated. But enough … it is not proper that one Sire should much reproach another. We must now consider the implications of such successful penetrations. In our own world, from our own inhabited areas, there is only one direction in which we can move: Inward. Downward. But the aquisition of the two Project Areas will give us mobility such as we have scarcely dared conjecture. They are thus to be valued not merely for themselves — rich, rich sources of space and heat and protein that they are — but for what they in turn can lead to —

“Infinite mobility, ‘Gorretta! Crossroads after crossroads! It means that every Na now living is a potential sire!”

His guest moved and muttered. “They must not be told, yet. Almost I wish that I had not been told, myself. It will be difficult containing my impatience. Indeed, I can scarcely believe it — but I do not dare deny myself the hope. It has been long, ‘Murriste … It has been so long …”

It would not be impossible to check the records to find out exactly how long, but that was not important. The only thing now of importance was victory. Escape. Penetration. Extension. Life! Life! And life-through-life!

• • •

Something roused the Na from deep rest. He looked without moving anything but his eyes, looked around and over the rows and rows of shelves where, from each silent and unmoving form arose a now-dim breath aura. All seemed as usual. Yet — he was certain — all was not quite as usual. He continued to look, and, meanwhile, he began to think. Rich, exciting, comforting were his thoughts. They were not unlike his often, earlier thoughts of the young Mas and of sireship; indeed, they included all of that … but they went much further. Surely no other Na had ever had such thoughts before.

Slowly his eyes moved from figure to figure and from shelf to shelf. And then he saw and then he realized what must have awakened him and all at once everything became clear to him.

Slowly and silently he extracted himself from his place on the shelf. Slowly and silently he moved through the dim, acrid-scented chill. There, there on the third shelf … a figure with an aura, a second, third, fourth figure, each with an aura … and a fifth figure — with no aura.

The body of the old work-Na was quite light and easily abstracted from its place without disturbing its neighbors. The Na considered dragging it, but decided against this because of the sound, no matter how slight, which this would make. Easily, then, he draped it over his shoulder and moved away. Someone had to do this task; it was in theory anyone’s task, yet specifically it was no one’s assigned task. The absence of the body would create neither surprise nor comment.

Through room after room, chamber after chamber, hole after hole, the Na proceeded; and came eventually to a deeply sloping way. The nature of the air, its temperature, scent, humidity, all began to change. And then something moved ahead.

It was an old work-Ma, blinking, frail, opaque. Plainly, the other Mas on duty here had been long delinquent in denying her access to food. However, this was beside the present point.

“Ah, food,” she said. “This is well, the Na. It is long since enough food has been supplied. Although what you bring is not of the best. When the ‘Parranto-Sire was still accessible there was more food. The Ma was then a dam and — ”

She ceased her babbling and tugged at his burden. It scarcely moved.

“I will help the Ma.”

“That is well and proper, the Na. The Ma is fully capable of doing her stint, indeed, more, for she requires less rest than the younger, slothful Mas. Nevertheless it is well.”

She kept a hand on it as she moved ahead, but little more. “The Ma will also guide the Na. Thus. Thus. Further on. Through here. Thus. Down. Ahead. Here begin the clusters. Be careful, the Na. Directly down the center, faltering neither to the right nor the left, and on no account brushing against the clusters, lest eggs adhere. Thus.”

The chittering of newly hatched and hungry fry feeding was still in the Na’s mind when he returned at last to his place on the shelf. But there was so much in his mind that it did not dwell on inconsequential details.