Orphans - Kevin Killiany [30]
And now these gnomes, creatures of unknown purpose and knowledge, came seeking access, seeking the secret of controlling the world. They would not ask so openly if they suspected the nature of their goal was known. For now the element of surprise was on his side. But for how long?
“Take the Household Guard,” he ordered. “Capture these gnomes. See that they speak to no one. Bring them to me.”
* * *
Kairn paused for a moment, allowing the others to reach him.
The stench of carbon dioxide was becoming so familiar that it was no longer an effort to separate out other scents. Still, he was aware of it and could feel it robbing his body of strength and resiliency. What must it be like for the others, to be unable to sense what was affecting them? They would die without realizing they were under attack, simply slipping into sleep.
He shuddered in horror.
“Cold, Kairn?”
He grunted at the cultural specialist, an answer that could mean anything. For a creature nearly devoid of hunting senses, the human female was remarkably perceptive.
Behind her the human male was supporting the wounded Bynar over a broken section of the trail. Seeing that Kairn had stopped, and having finally learned that his stopping signaled a rest period, the human helped the Bynar sit. They were the two least adapted to survival in this nearly tech-free environment, but they made a complementary pair.
While it was the Bynar who had noticed the intricate design of the landscape, it had been the human who deduced its purpose. The frequent areas of rough terrain, as well as the dense forests, rushing rivers, and mountain ridges that extended above the atmosphere, all combined to make straight line travel impossible. They’d not seen it, but a barrier or series of barriers prevented circumnavigating the cylinder. No one could simply walk thirty-seven kilometers upwater or downwater, as the natives called it, and end up where they’d begun.
A native, unaware of the design of the ship, would think the world much larger than it was and, given the difficulties involved, be disinclined to undertake long journeys.
But how had the designers managed to keep the colonists from building and maintaining roads for two thousand years? No doubt that was the sort of question the cultural specialist was expected to answer.
In rear-guard position, and taking the responsibility with admirable seriousness, was the Tellarite, Tev. Kortag had told him that many humans were amused by a superficial resemblance between Tellarites and a Terran animal similar in temperament to a targ. Kairn found little to be amused by in Tev. Of all the species he had met, and he had to admit he had met very few, the Tellarite made the most sense. Kairn suspected that Tev, like Langk, was from the Tellarite equivalent of a noble House.
A single pebble ticked off a rock to Kairn’s right. Lauoc announcing his return. Unnecessary for Kairn, who had his scent, but it brought Tev’s head around. Neither the humans nor the Bynar noticed.
A moment later the Bajoran appeared next to Kairn.
“Twelve riders approach,” he reported. “Ornate armor, a totem bearer, and someone in what might be ceremonial robes.”
“Take a dose of triox now,” Kairn said. “Also any medicinals due in the next two hours.”
“What happened to half rations for the duration?” the human, Stevens, asked.
“An official party that may be seeking us approaches.” Kairn reflected that Defense Force protocol called for him to kill the human for making such a challenge. “We must give them no reason to doubt our strength.”
Even the human did not question the wisdom of that. For the next few moments everyone busied themselves with their kits.
Kairn noticed Stevens helping Soloman to a higher position, then bracing him in place with two backpacks. He nodded at the strategy. The natives who were withered from birth were accorded special courtesies on this world. All whom they had met regarded Soloman as one