Fall; or, Dodge in Hell - Neal Stephenson Page 0,364

the second time that Prim had seen, Corvus transformed himself into the shape of a man.

“Ugh!” he hawked, when the thing was done. “I hate this. It’s why I have you people. But where we go next, wings are worse than useless.” He borrowed clothes from Mard and Lyne, and put a dagger on his belt for appearances’ sake. But for the most part he had no idea what to do with his arms, to say nothing of his hands, and so he strutted about with his thumbs jammed in his belt, just to prevent his upper limbs from flailing.

The new contingent of Beedles made no effort to be subtle about their approach. Quite the opposite, as it was their habit to intone marching chants (“songs” was not quite the right word) to keep in step on the trail. If their purpose was also to intimidate, then it worked. By the time they drew up along the edge of the no-man’s-land, just out of the range where archery would be of much use, it was perfectly obvious to all the members of the Quest that they could with ease simply run up the slope, protecting themselves with shields, and take the camp with few if any casualties.

After allowing a few minutes to pass, the sole Autochthon stepped forward, flanked by a couple of shield-bearing Beedles. He had the same fair, fine looks as the officers Prim had met at Secondel. He came up the slope boldly until Lyne and Prim both nocked arrows. Then he stopped, smiled, and displayed empty hands. “I just hate shouting,” he explained.

“We can hear you,” said Fern. They’d agreed she would speak for them.

“Thirsty? We have tons of water. Literally tons.”

“We are fine, thank you.”

“You’d be the smuggler. Fern.”

“You may certainly address me as Fern,” she allowed.

“I am Harrier. Where’s the big crow? He going to peck my eyes out?”

“Taking his ease in the delicious shade, Harrier.”

“Is it nice up there? I’m told that if you go too far in, there’s a nasty surprise.”

“We have used it to bury our dead.”

“You’ve noticed, then, that El’s military is taking all of this more seriously than the many voyages you have made along this coast in the past,” Harrier said.

“It had not escaped me.”

“Perhaps you’re associating with the wrong sorts,” said Harrier. “I’ve admired you from a distance—a frustratingly enormous distance—for years. Our futile pursuits of Silverfin have been a fine training exercise for our crews. No better way to find out which Beedles still have strength to draw oars and which are ready to be . . . reassigned. This time it’s different though.”

“Why is it different?”

“Because of the young lady. Presumably the one to your left, glaring at me like a true princess, arrow nocked.”

“What of her?”

“No idea. You’re not familiar with how the military works, are you? The way it works is that they don’t tell me such things unless I need to know. I’m to bring her in. It has been made clear that I am to do so with the utmost politeness and consideration for her feelings and her personal safety—which is why I’m standing out in the hot sun talking to you instead of simply marching up there behind a shield wall. Nothing was said to me about you, Fern, and so I will be more than happy to convey you, and the young Bufrects for that matter, back to civilization in a cool cabin with a lot of fresh drinking water. Or, you could all die here.”

“You keep mentioning water, as if it will wash away our resolve,” said Fern. “Since you have so much of it, do you go back to your camp and drink it or bathe in it or pour it over your head or whatever it is you do with such an abundance thereof, and leave us alone to consider matters.”

“Very well. We march up this hill at nightfall,” said Harrier. “If you make it difficult for us, you’ll be the first one into the crack.” He turned on his heel and walked away, followed by his two Beedles, who scuttled backward, shields high and eyes sharp.

Pick went through the sample case one drawer at a time, removing tools and instruments, or bits of strange rock, from some drawers and finding ways to secrete them on his person or on Querc’s. Other constituents he wistfully left in their assigned places. Then he closed it up and, with visible effort, turned his back on it. “Go ahead,”