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.The air around him, atop the platform, did not so much as ripple; in fact, despitetheir great speed, the air felt stagnant and dead, and did not smell very pleasant."What the hell does Thaddeus think he's doing?" Geste mut-tered."These are all his, aren't they?"The floater took almost a second to reply."Yes, sir, the mother ship confirms that all attacking equipmentoriginated within a two-kilometer radius of Fortress Holding.Fortress Hold-ing has refused to reply toinquiries."Another exchange of crimson fire took place; this time the drone escaped unscathed."Maybe we shouldn't get too close," Geste said.The platform immediately slowed to a crawl.As always.Bredon felt no deceleration; the outside worldsimply stopped rushing by as quickly.The stillness of the air in the bubble made the distant battle seem unreal, as if it were no more than anillusion, like the ones Bredon had seen created by traveling conjurors.It was infinitely more elaborate anddetailed, of course, but Geste was a Power, not a mere conjuror.Bredon began to wonder whether what hesaw was real, or whether Geste was playing some elaborate prank.Another burst of red fire blossomed, followed by another, and then a full-blown barrage from a dozen ormore of the attacking machines.The weapons in the castle towers replied."Better stop here," Geste suggested as they drew near the paths of the outermost drones.The platform halted, hovering a meter or so above the bare rock of the slope.The blackness of the heavyprotective fields remained to either side, behind, and below.Above and before them lines and flashes of redand yellow fire spattered fitfully across the castle towers."Put a call through to Brenner," Geste ordered.The floater did not reply immediately, and the Trickster glanced up at it, startled."I'm sorry, sir," it said at last, "I can't get through.All communications with the High Castle are beingjammed.""Damn!""What's going on?" Bredon asked."I don't know," Geste answered."I don't know, but I don't like it." He stared up at the battle for a longmoment."Is Lady Sunlight in there?""I don't know, but I suspect that she is." "Is she in danger?""I don't know that either," Geste replied, "but I'm afraid she might be."Bredon looked up at the flashing of incomprehensible weap-ons."Is there anything we can do to help?"Geste did not reply for a long moment."I don't know," he said at last."But I don't think we're going to getin there, are we?""No, sir," the floater replied."I cannot take you much closer than this while the castle is under fire, and Icertainly can't deliver you to any of the registered entrances.""If I know Brenner, that castle is even stronger than it looks," Geste said, reflecting."Unless Thaddeushas one hell of an arsenal built up, he's not going to get through the defenses anytime soon."Neither Bredon nor the floater said anything.Bredon knew nothing about either Brenner or Thaddeussave various unpleas-ant legends, and the floater had no comment to make."Maybe Thaddeus has a good reason for this," Geste said at length."Call Fortress Holding again tellthem that I want to talk to Thaddeus."A moment later, the floater said, "I'm sorry, sir, but the intelligences at Fortress Holding do notacknowledge.I am cer-tain that several of them are receiving my transmission, but none have responded.""I think we better call around, see if anyone knows what's going on," Geste said thoughtfully."Thaddeusmay have a legitimate gripe against Brenner though I can't imagine any that would justify this but hehas no business endangering Sheila and Sunlight.""That assumes that Lady Sheila and Lady Sunlight are, in fact, in the High Castle," the floater pointed out."Well, that's another reason to call around," Geste said."To see if they're anywhere else."The floater acknowledged the point with a bluish flicker, but then said, "Sir, I believe that the mother shipconstantly moni-tors all members of your expedition, through their internal sys-tems, in order to provideinformation in the event of an emergency.Would you say this constitutes an emergency? If so, I can inquireas to the exact whereabouts and state of health of Lady Sheila and Lady Sunlight."Geste nodded."Do it," he said."Yes, sir [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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.The air around him, atop the platform, did not so much as ripple; in fact, despitetheir great speed, the air felt stagnant and dead, and did not smell very pleasant."What the hell does Thaddeus think he's doing?" Geste mut-tered."These are all his, aren't they?"The floater took almost a second to reply."Yes, sir, the mother ship confirms that all attacking equipmentoriginated within a two-kilometer radius of Fortress Holding.Fortress Hold-ing has refused to reply toinquiries."Another exchange of crimson fire took place; this time the drone escaped unscathed."Maybe we shouldn't get too close," Geste said.The platform immediately slowed to a crawl.As always.Bredon felt no deceleration; the outside worldsimply stopped rushing by as quickly.The stillness of the air in the bubble made the distant battle seem unreal, as if it were no more than anillusion, like the ones Bredon had seen created by traveling conjurors.It was infinitely more elaborate anddetailed, of course, but Geste was a Power, not a mere conjuror.Bredon began to wonder whether what hesaw was real, or whether Geste was playing some elaborate prank.Another burst of red fire blossomed, followed by another, and then a full-blown barrage from a dozen ormore of the attacking machines.The weapons in the castle towers replied."Better stop here," Geste suggested as they drew near the paths of the outermost drones.The platform halted, hovering a meter or so above the bare rock of the slope.The blackness of the heavyprotective fields remained to either side, behind, and below.Above and before them lines and flashes of redand yellow fire spattered fitfully across the castle towers."Put a call through to Brenner," Geste ordered.The floater did not reply immediately, and the Trickster glanced up at it, startled."I'm sorry, sir," it said at last, "I can't get through.All communications with the High Castle are beingjammed.""Damn!""What's going on?" Bredon asked."I don't know," Geste answered."I don't know, but I don't like it." He stared up at the battle for a longmoment."Is Lady Sunlight in there?""I don't know, but I suspect that she is." "Is she in danger?""I don't know that either," Geste replied, "but I'm afraid she might be."Bredon looked up at the flashing of incomprehensible weap-ons."Is there anything we can do to help?"Geste did not reply for a long moment."I don't know," he said at last."But I don't think we're going to getin there, are we?""No, sir," the floater replied."I cannot take you much closer than this while the castle is under fire, and Icertainly can't deliver you to any of the registered entrances.""If I know Brenner, that castle is even stronger than it looks," Geste said, reflecting."Unless Thaddeushas one hell of an arsenal built up, he's not going to get through the defenses anytime soon."Neither Bredon nor the floater said anything.Bredon knew nothing about either Brenner or Thaddeussave various unpleas-ant legends, and the floater had no comment to make."Maybe Thaddeus has a good reason for this," Geste said at length."Call Fortress Holding again tellthem that I want to talk to Thaddeus."A moment later, the floater said, "I'm sorry, sir, but the intelligences at Fortress Holding do notacknowledge.I am cer-tain that several of them are receiving my transmission, but none have responded.""I think we better call around, see if anyone knows what's going on," Geste said thoughtfully."Thaddeusmay have a legitimate gripe against Brenner though I can't imagine any that would justify this but hehas no business endangering Sheila and Sunlight.""That assumes that Lady Sheila and Lady Sunlight are, in fact, in the High Castle," the floater pointed out."Well, that's another reason to call around," Geste said."To see if they're anywhere else."The floater acknowledged the point with a bluish flicker, but then said, "Sir, I believe that the mother shipconstantly moni-tors all members of your expedition, through their internal sys-tems, in order to provideinformation in the event of an emergency.Would you say this constitutes an emergency? If so, I can inquireas to the exact whereabouts and state of health of Lady Sheila and Lady Sunlight."Geste nodded."Do it," he said."Yes, sir [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]