09 The Chantry Guild by Gordon R Dickson

Author:Gordon R Dickson [Dickson, Gordon R]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780812575590
Google: XKG8J8Rv6_UC
Amazon: 0812575598
Publisher: Hachette UK
Published: 1988-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 23

“I’m sorry to interrupt you, as I told you I might have to-” Amid was beginning, with relentless Exotic courtesy, when Hal cut him off. “It’s quite all right, as I said it would be. Don’t be concerned,” said Hal.

The sun was just disappearing behind their own cliffs; and the mountains he watched at sunrise were now lost in night’s shadow. Below them, the jungle was losing itself in twilight; and the ledge itself, to its outer edge, was in the last rosy light of the sunset. “What is it?” asked Hal. “A search party from the garrison will start combing through the jungle below, tomorrow,” said Amid. “Elian visited Onete again this afternoon to tell her, while she was visiting with Cee. Cee, naturally, disappeared just before Elian showed up; and since Onete knew the news was important, she didn’t wait around to see if Cee would be back, but came directly up to the ledge and me. I’ve had them dig up the barrier stone to block the way in under the boulder, and it’s set ready to be put into position at a moment’s notice. Onete, Artur and Calas-you know Calas, of course?"

"Of course,” said Hal. Calas was a wiry little man who had been one of the original Guild Members with Artur, back when Jathed was still alive. “We’re gathered in my reception building, making plans. I’m afraid we need your advice."

"Anything I can do … ” said Hal. Amid was already leading him at what, for the small and aged man, was almost a trot toward the reception building; which now, like the two dormitories, had blackout curtains over its windows.

Within the building, an evening fire had just been lit in the fireplace and the people Amid had mentioned were seated in three chairs on one side of it. Overhead, the ordinary artificial lighting that was powered by stored sunlight from collectors on

the mountainside above them in the day, was on a setting so low that its radiants, shaped like upside-down cones, glowed no

brighter than candles. There was an empty chair between that of Onete and the chair Amid always occupied. Amid led Hal to it and all but pushed him into it before the Guildmaster seated himself.

Whatever the other three had been discussing, they had broken off. They sat silent as Hal and Amid came in and found their chairs. “Here’s Hal,” said Amid to Onete, unnecessarily. “Tell him what Elian told you."

"He said … ” began Onete. A product of Exotic schools, she had naturally been taught what the people of Mara and Kultis called Perfect Memory. In effect, this was a ninemonic system that, when learned, gave virtually total recall of information gained through any of the senses-the equivalent in ear, nose and sense of touch of an eidetic memory for anything visual. ” ‘I just found out at lunchtime that the garrison’s definitely sending out a search party for the Guild, tomorrow. My cousin heard Sanderson, the corporal who’s quartered on her and her husband, talking to the private he uses as an orderly.

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