The Hero of Downways by Michael G. Coney

Author:Michael G. Coney [Coney, Michael G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: SF
ISBN: 9780575129368
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Published: 2013-05-20T07:00:00+00:00

The Council Chamber, once a place regarded with awe, had become a familiar sight to Shirl in recent wakes. Nevertheless this time, as she emerged from the small hole into the timbered vastness of the room, she experienced a shock. There was a new face seated among the Elders—a face new yet familiar.

“Ned!” she gasped, forgetting her manners in her surprise. He smiled at her.

So Ned had been nominated to the Council of Elders to replace the recently deceased Paul. Shirl was pleased at the honor which had befallen her quiet friend. She wondered whether his views had altered—remembering their discussions of earlier longwakes and his expressed determination to change things. Well, he seemed to have sobered down lately.

Then a more disturbing thought struck her. Ned was a hunter; Max was a hunter. Max had made his opinions clear, and Troy held similar views. Sten’s edge of power on the Council was very slight indeed, as it was to be assumed that in any further vote taken on the subject of attacking the Odd-lies, Max, Ned, and Troy would vote together. They would only need to win over Clare in order to defeat Sten and the other conservative, Agar, despite Sten’s extra casting vote.

The preliminaries over, Sten stood. Shirl was shocked to see how old he looked—he appeared to have aged dramatically over a few wakes.

“You may regard this in the nature of a reprimand, John-A,” the old man began sternly. He then went on to express his “disappointment” as he put it, concerning the android’s behavior of the previous wake. “Nothing short of rebellion. Fortunately futile. But just think about it. If you had had your way, young man, we would now have been at war with the Oddlies and Downways an armed camp!”

He continued in this vein for some time, while Max and Troy sat back, grinning. The former grief at his son’s death had been predictably short-lived. Shirl knew what they were thinking. The next time, it wouldn’t be a rebellion—with the present constitution of the Council it could be a proper declaration of war by majority vote. Then Max would feel safe in throwing his hunters in behind John-A. Watching Sten as he made his speech, she found herself wondering just what line the Council would take if the old man were dead. … Sten did not spare Shirl either; she flushed as she came in for some mild criticism over the incident of yesterwake. After all, as Sten pointed out, she had been instrumental in shaping John-A’s character and, even now, saw more of him than anyone else.

When he had finished John-A began to speak in his own defense. Shirl nudged him, indicating that he keep quiet and leave things as they were, but he would have none of it. He spoke at length, painting a rich picture of the secure home which would be Downways with the Oddlies out of the way. He spoke well and passionately.

Alarmingly, Shirl saw Clare nodding. Max and Troy were smiling.

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