To Storm Heaven - Esther Friesner [56]
“Now listen to me,” Lelys told Data, anger driving any attempt at diplomacy out of her words. “When we get there, I want you to cause some sort of a distraction for me.” “I will do my best,” the android replied. “But where is ‘there’?” “We are returning to the shrine these people have made of Ma’adrys’s house,” she replied. “If no one is nearby, I will not need you to do anything. But if someone is there, watch me closely and when I signal you, draw their attention away from me.” “Understood.” Data saw no need to question Lelys further.
They continued up the track. Ma’adrys’s house came into view, and with it the fence of crudely hacked saplings and thin rope that had sprung up around it. There was a narrow gap in the fence, guarded by a knot of three stone-eyed men. All of them were armed with cudgels and looked ready to pick a fight even if no one wanted one. Two more of their number Walked along the inside of the fence, patrolling the newly established perimeter. Behind them, just inside the gateway, sat a man who looked as if his presence among so much brawn and sullenness was a mistake. He was garbed much like the lad that the Away Team had first encountered on the road to Kare’al, with the same bland, amiable, vacant expression. He sat with a shepherd’s crook and a broad-brimmed hat on the grass beside him, playing happily as a child with a herd of carved wooden sheep.
The other men sat up and took notice as Lelys and Data approached. The Orakisan ambassador paused a little before the gateway, surveyed the fence, then tried to pass through as if there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. The largest of the men stepped directly into her path, his arms outstretched to bar her way.
Lelys’s eyes flashed. “What does this mean?” she demanded. “Why is the way to holy Ma’adrys’s shrine blocked?” “Not blocked, honored visitor, not like that at all,” the man said. He sounded sincerely apologetic, but he didn’t move an inch.
“Indeed?” Mr. Data was perceptibly intrigued by this situation. “If that is so, perhaps you are not aware that you are blocking it at this very moment?” “It’s like this,” the man said. “What with the sickness and all, folk have been flocking here half out of their minds with fear and worry. The hut was packed tight as a fleece bale for days until Bilik oberyin gave the word that we was to come up here and keep things, uh, orderly. Terrible things folk do when they’re afraid. Terrible things.” He shook his heavy head. “You realize that one of the people who came here to pray for holy Ma’adrys to save their family went and—” A second man gave his comrade a hearty jab with his elbow and growled, “Don’t you go talking like that before visitors about our own, M’kin. Could be there’s another reason why it vanished.” Mr. Data opened his eyes wide in inquiry. “Why, what vanished?” The second guard made a disgusted sound and gave the first man a dirty look. “That’s done it. Might’s well tell him.” He glowered at Data. “Then you can go running back downslope to your own people and tell them that we’re all a bunch of thieves in Kare’al village. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”’ “No, I cannot say that I would,” Data admitted honestly. “What has been stolen?” “One of the relics,” the guard named M’kin said.
“A mirror that Ma’adrys had from her mother. That’s what La’akel the herbwife said, anyhow. It was mostly her that tidied up the place after Ma’adrys was took up. She knew what was in there and what wasn’t.” “Shame. Just a shame,” a third man spoke up. “All the time since she’s been gone off to Evramur and nothing of her’s touched, except to keep the dust off.
Free entry to her place for all. That’s how it used to be, how it ought to be, and now this!” By this time, one of the men walking the fence line had reached the gateway, overheard the conversation, and wanted to add his mite to it. “Well, could be whoever took it’ll fetch it back after this hard time’s over and done. Maybe it was a woman hoping that the touch of it would save her babies’ lives. Can’t really blame her for that.” He continued on his