A Forest of Stars - Kevin J. Anderson [190]
Vao’sh said, “Unlike humans, we do not toy with frightening situations.”
“Oh, come on now, what is there to be afraid of in the dark?” Anton said. “Or don’t you ask yourselves that question?”
“Humans and Ildirans both fear the unknown. For a race that was born under the light of seven suns, the very concept of night was unknown to us until our empire expanded and we began to see the prevalence of shadows on other worlds.”
“Ah, but in human culture, nighttime is the best venue for telling ghost stories. Those are some of the best memories from my childhood. My parents used to do it all the time at our archaeology camp on Pym,” Anton said with a smile; then his expression became more troubled. “Although with the hydrogues abroad, I suppose we don’t really need excuses to frighten each other.”
The blazing sun fell behind them as they continued toward the darkening horizon. Shadows stretched across the uneven ground like long black claws. Maratha Prime had only another month or so before night fell for the season, and the boundary of dusk came up on them quickly. Stars dazzled in their blazing glory, but the sky was black in the gaps between them. Anton pressed his face close to the shuttle windows to see the constellations overhead, which could never be seen under the relentless daylit sky.
The ground shimmered with dwindling heat, then settled in to a slow, cold night. Anton recalled the armored ch’kanh anemones that clung to survival in the deep canyons. Here, under the freezing starlight, all life would have gone dormant, waiting patiently for the long months of constant sunshine…
When Anton had first made his suggestion for this unique expedition, Vao’sh was intimidated at the prospect of making a journey across the darkness just to see a city that wasn’t yet operational. But the eager scholar had persistently worked to convince the rememberer that it would be interesting. Finally, in an effort to understand humans, the senior historian had agreed—provided they could find a large enough group of Ildirans to accompany them.
Seizing the chance, Anton had called for volunteers after a marathon telling of a particularly exciting story. The audience had been intrigued, their interest piqued. Smiling, he had challenged, “Would you all like to have an adventure of your own? We could go on a brief trip, do something memorable. It’ll be an experience you’ll never forget.”
As he explained his idea, he watched the dismay flicker across their faces. Not discouraged, Anton wagged a finger at them. “You enjoy stories of heroes and deeds of valor, but how can you truly understand heroes if you’re afraid to take even a small risk yourselves? I assure you, if we go to the construction site, you’ll see Secda in a way that no other Ildiran can claim to have glimpsed it. You may never have the chance again. Are you too frightened to try one new thing?” His eyes shining, he looked at all of them. “I need ten volunteers, besides myself and Rememberer Vao’sh.”
Though unsettled by the prospect, Vao’sh was intrigued to watch the other Ildirans. He himself had never presented such a challenge to his audiences, and he learned something from the experience about his own people.
Over the next four days, Anton did recruit ten volunteers. Just barely…
Now as the low shuttle raced over the terrain, Anton dozed. It would take several hours to cross half the continent to arrive at the Secda construction site. The Ildiran “daredevils” were far too agitated to relax, and he supposed they must think him strange for being so complacent in the face of the unknown.
He awoke when he felt the deceleration. Ahead, he could see the lights of the second city site. The Ildirans crowded against the windowports, animated and interested at last.
Klikiss robots could operate without artificial illumination, but they had been informed of the unusual visitors. Now, the huge construction