Mirror Space - Marianne de Pierres [38]
His next gasp was one of pure fear. The rubber collar on the other side of the hatch attached directly onto a long and fragile suspension walkway. In fact suspension, thought Tekton, was description overkill. The bridge appeared to be floating free in a void that was circled by a number of floating metal constructions.
The Lamin stepped nonchalantly onto the bridge and glanced back over its shoulder. The only sign of discomfort from the wind and cold was the shiny discharge from its tri-part nose. It licked that away.
‘Are you coming, Lostol-Tekton? I cannot activate the bridge until you are on.’
Tekton forced himself to move forward, but could not stop himself from staring down. Jagged objects floated in the deep abyss below, which was periodically lit up by the flash of something silver.
‘W-what is making that l-light?’ he demanded in shrill, stuttering tones.
‘Your moud’s guest protocol will tell you,’ said the Lamin, over its shoulder. It trotted on ahead, causing the bridge to undulate unnervingly.
Tekton reached for the guide rail, frozen to the spot. Moud, he shrieked. His akula and the erection that had been with him for hours had completely deserted him. What is making the silver flashes?
Transmuted-metal detrivores, Godhead. Their smaller counterparts were created to keep the metals clean and rust-free. However, the overabundance of food has allowed some mutation.
Mutated detrivores. What do they look like? Do they only eat metals?
The moud flashed a representation of one across his retina. Tekton absorbed the appearance of the creature: a roachid with a large, dull-grey disclike plate covering its head, and wide silver-veined wings. The scale showed it to be much larger than a canine.
The larger detrivores live on a primarily metal diet but there have been reported incidences of them attacking sentients whose blood contains a high level of certain minerals.
Tekton’s stomach contracted into a hard lump. A salty flavour in his mouth alerted him to the fact that he had bitten his lip sufficiently hard to make it bleed.
Turn around and go back to the taxi, free-mind urged.
If the Lamin is leading then the way must be safe, reasoned logic-mind.
Why are you even here? his free-mind demanded.
Because I want information about Farr, and this might provide it.
Might?
Tekton closed his eyes for a moment. Courage was something he’d never had to consider calling upon before. His life was largely without physical risk. Even Lasper Farr’s unveiled threats hadn’t been as real to him as this spindly, swaying bridge and its dreadful abyss. He desperately wanted to piss.
He cracked open his eyelids. The Lamin was already halfway across.
Across where?
His eyes opened wider. While he’d been gripping the railing, the far end of the bridge had drifted higher, and appeared to now be secured to the base of a large triangular-shaped object.
The Lamin continued onward, its thick, stumpy legs pumping hard to keep its high-heeled feet climbing.
Tekton took in a long and deliberate breath. Courage might be unfamiliar to him but pride was not. He forced his legs to move, keeping his line of sight on the Lamin’s back, diverting all his thought and energy into catching the arrogant assistant. He would not be the butt of Lamin jokes about cowardice.
The creature waited for him at the end of the bridge, where the structure coupled roughly onto a railed platform at the base of the triangle.
Tekton’s sense of triumph soon faded when the Lamin gestured for him to precede it across the platform, up several flights of narrow stairs that seemed to be barely attached to the side of the triangular structure. From what he could see there was no safety net or even a harness. The railing on the abyss side of the stairs looked flimsier than those on the bridge.
‘How far?’ he managed to ask.
‘The entrance to the chapel lies at the top.’
Tekton gritted his teeth and began the ascent. This time he kept his eyes on the steps above him. He knew that even the briefest of glances would allow the spinning sensation in his head to overtake