The City And The Stars - Arthur C. Clarke [86]
The door of the conference room was locked, and it was some time before Hilvar could attract attention. The minds of the senators, it seemed, were so completely engaged that it was difficult to break into their deliberations. Then the walls slid reluctantly aside, and Alvin moved his robot swiftly forward into the chamber.
The three senators froze in their seats as he floated towards them, but only the slightest flicker of surprise crossed Seranis’ face. Perhaps Hilvar had already sent her a warning, or perhaps she had expected that, sooner or later, Alvin would return.
‘Good evening,’ he said politely, as if this vicarious entry were the most natural thing in the world. ‘I’ve decided to come back.’
Their surprise certainly exceeded his expectations. One of the senators, a young man with greying hair, was the first to recover.
‘How did you get here?’ he gasped.
The reason for his astonishment was obvious. Just as Diaspar had done, so Lys must also have put the subway out of action.
‘Why, I came here just as I did last time,’ said Alvin, unable to resist amusing himself at their expense.
Two of the senators looked fixedly at the third, who spread his hands in a gesture of baffled resignation. Then the young man who had addressed him before spoke again.
‘Didn’t you have any—difficulty?’ he asked.
‘None at all,’ said Alvin, determined to increase their confusion. He saw that he had succeeded.
‘I’ve come back,’ he continued, ‘under my own free will, and because I have some important news for you. However, in view of our previous disagreement I’m remaining out of sight for the moment. If I appear personally, will you promise not to try and restrict my movements again?’
No one said anything for a while, and Alvin wondered what thoughts were being silently exchanged. Then Seranis spoke for them all.
‘We won’t attempt to control you again—though I don’t think we were successful before.’
‘Very well,’ replied Alvin, ‘I will come to Airlee as quickly as I can.’
He waited until the robot had returned; then, very carefully, he gave the machine its instructions and made it repeat them back to him. Seranis, he was quite sure, would not break her word; nevertheless he preferred to safeguard his line of retreat.
The airlock closed silently behind him as he left the ship. A moment later there was a whispering ‘hiss …’ like a long-drawn gasp of surprise, as the air made way for the rising ship. For an instant a dark shadow blotted out the stars; then the ship was gone.
Not until it had vanished did Alvin realise that he had made a slight but annoying miscalculation of the kind that could bring the best-laid plans to disaster. He had forgotten that the robot’s senses were more acute than his own, and the night was far darker than he had expected. More than once he lost the path completely, and several times he barely avoided colliding with trees. It was almost pitch-black in the forest, and once something quite large came towards him through the undergrowth. There was the faintest crackling of twigs, and two emerald eyes were looking steadfastly at him from the level of his waist. He called softly, and an incredibly long tongue rasped across his hand. A moment later a powerful body rubbed affectionately against him and departed without a sound. He had no idea what it could be.
Presently the lights of the village were shining through the trees ahead, but he no longer needed their guidance for the path beneath his feet had now become a river of dim blue fire. The moss upon which he was walking was luminous, and his footprints left dark patches which slowly disappeared behind him. It was a beautiful and entrancing sight, and when Alvin stooped to pluck some of the strange moss it glowed for minutes in his cupped hands before its radiance died.
Hilvar met him for the second