Helix by Eric Brown

Author:Eric Brown
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Speculative Fiction
ISBN: 9781844164721
Publisher: Solaris
Published: 2007-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

EIGHT : THE TRUTH

1

IN THE EARLY hours of the morning following their return to Agstarn, Ehrin left his room in the attic of the Telsa foundry and hurried down to the shop floor. There, in the shadows of the great silent crucibles and furnaces—usually alive with noise and fire—Kahran hailed him, and they left the foundry and moved quickly through to the hangar.

In the illumination of the gas-lamp that Ehrin held before him, the rearing shapes of a dozen dirigibles filled the hangar, ranging from the small one-man skyships to the mammoth freighters. The hangar was silent, like a museum, and for a second Ehrin imagined far future generations looking back and smiling at these exhibits of a backward technological age. He had never thought that before—had always assumed that the dirigibles were the leading edge of scientific innovation—but Havor’s interworld machine had changed all that. How primitive all this must seem to the strange alien pilot!

They had made the return journey to Agstarn without incident. Ehrin’s fear that a curious geologist or engineer might question their story about the alien ship, or worse actually try to board it, had proved unfounded. He had refrained from entering into any further theological argument with Elder Cannak, but something the Elder had said on parting had sent an icy shiver up the fur of Ehrin’s spine. “I have noted our conversations, Mr Telsa, Mr Shollay, and, notwithstanding the success of the mission, I will be forced to make a report upon your conduct, and philosophical views, to the relevant bureau.”

“Mere words,” Kahran had said once the Elder had departed, but Ehrin had seen the shadow of doubt in the old man’s experienced eyes.

They hurried across the oil-stained hangar floor to the looming shape of the freighter. Ehrin had earlier taken the precaution of locking the cargo hold, and now he turned the key with fumbling fingers and hauled open the double doors.

They crossed the hold to the streamlined shape of the golden ship, and Ehrin rapped on the triangular viewscreen.

Seconds later the hatch hissed open.

They passed down the corridor and entered the control room. Havor was lying upon the couch, staring at a screen above him. He glanced at Ehrin and Kahran and grimaced in greeting. “I’ve been assessing the damage, which isn’t as extensive as I first feared. I’ve managed to repair a relay system, but the main drive suffered physical damage on reentry.” He looked from Ehrin to Kahran. “I’ll need to replace a component if I want to get the ship running again. And then...”

“The deathship,” Ehrin said.

Havor inclined his great head. “The deathship indeed,” he said, grimacing.

“How can we help?” Kahran asked.

“I will need a precisely tooled part, which should not be beyond your capability to produce.”

“We will do what we can,” Ehrin said.

“And if Kahran might describe in detail the whereabouts of the Church’s mountain hangar, I will leave here and do what I must do.”

“Better than that,” Kahran said, “I’ll come with you, guide you to exactly to the where the Church keeps the deathship.

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