Transcendent by Stephen Baxter

Author:Stephen Baxter [Baxter, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, pdf
Tags: Sci-Fi, Science Fiction & Fantasy
ISBN: 9780345457912
Goodreads: 587627
Publisher: Del Rey
Published: 2005-11-29T06:00:00+00:00

The dark corridor led to an inner door, like an airlock. When all five of them were inside the outer door closed. Alia glanced back at the closing door; she saw nothing but sand shifting into place, an unobtrusive technology.

For an unpleasant heartbeat the six of them were locked in darkness, the silence broken only by the scratch of their breathing behind the masks. Then the inner door slid open. They all crowded through the hatch.

They emerged into another corridor, low-roofed and with rounded walls of what looked like ceramic. Illuminated dimly by lamps inset into the walls, the corridor curved out of sight. They had to duck to avoid the low ceiling, even the squat Campocs.

A few paces from the door a figure was waiting to greet them.

Alia stepped forward. This was a woman, she thought—but slim and sexless, and dressed in a bland white robe. She was without hair; the naked skin of her face and scalp was blotchy. It was hard to tell how old she was, though her smallness and a certain delicacy about her features made her look young. Her eyes were her most striking feature, large, watery orbs with wide, watchful pupils: eyes adapted to twilight, Alia thought. She was expressionless.

Reath nudged Alia. “Ask her who she is.”

“I am Alia. Tell me your name.”

The woman had to think it over. “My name is Berra.” Her accent was strong, but easily comprehensible. But she spoke slowly, enunciating each syllable separately: Be-rra. It was as if it were the first time she had heard the name herself. “You are the Transcendent-Elect.”

“Yes. My companions are—”

Berra wasn’t interested. “I am an Interface Specialist,” she said. “I will answer all questions.”

“I’m sure you will—”

“Please do not speak to anyone else you meet. Or anything. Please speak only to me. You need not doubt my veracity.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“What is it you want to know?”

Alia took a breath. “I want to learn about the Redemption.”

Berra nodded. “Ah, yes. We all serve that mighty cause. Then you will want to see the Listeners.”

“I will?”

“Please come.” Berra turned and led them away, along the corridor.

Reath walked beside Alia and Drea. The Campocs clustered behind. Curious, watchful, they seemed to be enjoying the adventure.

“Power must be scarce,” Bale said. “Not too warm, not too bright, cramped corridors.”

Seer whispered, “And it’s been this way a long time. You see how small she is? And those big pupils: she is adapted for these dingy passages.”

Denh asked, “What do you think the power source is?”

Bale shrugged. “Geothermal? But on a planet like this you’d have to dig deep.”

Reath looked back. “The details don’t really matter. Every Coalescent colony is like this, more or less. And the crowding isn’t just for economy. It’s purposeful. You stay cramped; that way you stay locked into the eusociety.”

“Yes, but—”

Reath snapped, “Stop your chattering!”

Alia said to Reath, “We can only speak to her, she will only speak to me. I suppose it’s fair.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions,” Reath said. “This is not a human society, Alia.

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