“I did, for the briefest moment,” she said, “when you mumbled that nonsense. I suppose that was an incantation.”
“Yeah, sort of. Well, yes, that’s exactly what it was. It serves only to focus the mind. Come to think of it, magic is a mostly mental discipline. It very well could be psychic, much as I loathe that word.”
“Whatever.” She sighed. “Very well. Even though, frankly, I think you’re lying, I’ll tell you what the Thread is. It is a fracture in the fabric of spacetime … I
“Cosmic strings.”
“Yes? That’s what you call them?”
“Just a theory where I come from. Now I understand. Okay. And the Thread is used for interstellar travel, faster than light?”
“You grasp things quickly for one who prides himself on ignorance. Yes, the regions of space near the Thread are anomalous, and, with the proper technology, can be exploited for space travel.”
“How?”
“Basically you pilot your ship near enough to the inner singularity of the Thread so that the extreme gravitational force pulls the ship along. The intense distortions of spacetime in those regions produce strange effects, most of which are not completely understood. One of the effects is superluminal travel. But if you get too close to the singularity, you die. Understand?”
“I think so. Nifty.”
Sativa frowned at this word, then shrugged. “The Dominion of Worlds is sometimes called the Beads Along the Thread. The Thread runs through several galaxies —”
“Travel between galaxies? Now there’s a radical concept. You’re talking about huge distances, aren’t you?”
She nodded. “But they are nothing to the Thread. The Thread obliterates space — and time.”
“I like it, I like it. Now, obviously there’s a war going on.”
“Good observation,” she said.
“A rebellion.”
“Of a sort.”
“And the Irregulars are the rebels.”
“They’re criminals.”
“Well, you’re part of the establishment under siege. You would tend to feel that way about them.”
“It isn’t a feeling. They are a pack of cutthroats posing as noble freedom fighters. They have duped everyone who has lent them support.”
“Do they have support?”
“Enormous support. They have their supporters in the legislature itself, some of them in the Upper Chamber.”
“Interesting.”
“Their cause is widely held to be just. I, personally, think they have already won. The Dominion is doomed. It’s only a matter of time. But some of us fight on.”
“To save the Dominion.”
“Yes. Some are still foolish enough to believe in it and in the principles for which is stands.”
“Which are?”
“You want a lecture on government?”
“Not if you don’t want to lecture me,” he said, “though maybe we should talk about more important matters. Like, what do we do now?”
Sativa lifted her shoulders. “I suppose you turn me in for whatever you can bargain out of the Irregulars.”
“Forget that noise. Do we hide in the mine or take to the hills?”
She shrugged again. “It matters little. They will find us no matter what.”
“Then our best bet is the mine,” he said.
“Is it? I suppose. It will simply delay my capture. There is only one way out, really. Please give me my gun.”
“Forget about shooting yourself. I won’t let them take you.”
She looked up at him. “No? Strange.” She made motions to get up.
“Rest a minute,” he said, settling down beside her.
She gave him a long, questioning look. “Why are you helping me?”
He leaned over and kissed her full lips.
“Sorry,” he said. “I don’t know why I did that. Well, yes, I do know. You’re tremendously attractive.”
“You want me? Then take me. I have no means to resist you.”
“I’d hardly want you under those circumstances.”
“If that is the reason you’re helping me, fine. At least I can understand that.”
“I don’t usually take advantage of women.”
“You like men?”
“Not what I meant.”
“Then take me.” She grabbed his hand and pressed it to her crotch.
The material of the suit she wore was thinner then he’d expected it to be.
“You know how to get right to the point,” he said.
“We don’t have very much time.”
“Your wound,” he said, running his hand along the bloody tear.
“It will be all right.”
She touched a few spots on the front of the suit and the whole thing opened up with a ripping sound like Velcro. He didn’t see any Velcro. She was naked underneath.
His hand went immediately to the laceration along her side. It was long and ugly, but had just missed doing any real damage. The bleeding had stopped, and the wound was already scabbing over. Then his hand went to her small breasts.
“Yes, take me now, before they rape me.”
“I won’t let them. You’re beautiful, do you know?”
“Some say.”
“Do you have a husband?”
“Yes. He is an artist.”
“I don’t do married women. This is ridiculous.”
“What is ridiculous about it?”
“Nothing. Sorry. I didn’t mean that you’re —”
“Then make love to me.”
“Yes, I will.”
Ten
Underworld
He waited, but did not know for what.
He waited on the banks of a wide river. Above, darkness, with a suggestion of limit, as of a roof. This place
