The troupers cheered.
O'Hara lowered his fist, then looked around the arena. "But we left friends behind. Joliet Jake Sobie and Siren Sally Fong died in the clem on Tuulurim. On the planet Morvah, Arnheim's sabotage made us leave nine of the Irish Brigade in hospitals and another four troupers in the ground. Blondie MacDeer, Pieface Jack Goolahan, Tooter Tamazan, and Peyote Pete Beartooth died there." The Governor rubbed his eyes, then lowered his hand. "At the last stand, on Dyvaul, eleven died... You all know who they were."
Again he looked around the arena. "We obtained victory... but the price. The price is too high." He held out his arms. "All of us—we are entertainers. We are show people. I am in the entertainment business. I am not going to spend any more lives on Karl Arnheim."
The stands around the arena buzzed with chatter. O'Hara waited for the troupers to quiet down. "Beginning next season, I'm taking the show out of the Ninth Quadrant. O'Hara's Greater Shows is going to open up the Tenth Quadrant to the star circus." The stands were silent. O'Hara looked around the arena, then continued. "We will be gone for a long time each stretch. Five, maybe six years at a time. Each one of you has to decide if you want to come along with the show, or leave it when we lay up on Ahngar." He held the microphone to his lips for a few moments longer, then lowered it. A propman took the microphone from O'Hara's hand and the show's owner walked slowly out of the arena.
As the troupers came down the stands in small groups, Kristina reached across Little Will and placed her hand on Bullhook's arm. "What about you, Willy? Are you staying with the show?"
He watched the troupers filing out of the practice arena, then shrugged. "What about you and Little Will?"
The Lion Lady smiled. "The cats stay with the show, and so do we."
"Then so do I."
Kristina looked down for a moment, then aimed her gaze at Willy. "I've been rough on you."
Bullhook nodded. "I don't blame you."
The Lion Lady glanced at Little Will, then back at Bullhook. "No. But I'm beginning to."
Little Will watched as the big man placed his hand on Kristina's hand. "Regal lady, can a humble bullhand interest you in a cup of coffee?"
Her mother laughed. "In sooth, Willy Kole, that's the best offer I've had all day."
Little Will smiled and looked around at the stands. "Hassih? Hassih? Where are you?"
"Little Will?" The Ssendissian's thought was weak. "I am in my quarters with one of your cursed human colds. Are you well?"
She looked at her parents holding hands, smiling at each other. "My mommy and daddy love each other. Isn't that wonderful?"
An almost audible telepathic sniff, then Hassih said: "Life with a circus is one long uninterrupted dee-light."
Little Will and Shiner Pete both laughed. She opened her eyes, stood, and walked around the sleeping bodies until she was next to the boss harnessman's son.
"Is it all right, Pete?"
"Sure."
She sat beside him and they held hands.
"Pete, what's going to happen to us? The show?"
The boy was silent for a moment. "I asked Waxy that just before Mange cut off my dad's arm. Waxy said you can kill troupers and you can kill animals, but you can't kill the show." Pete squeezed her hand. "You can't kill the show."
They watched the fire until they both drifted off to sleep.
EIGHT
In the Snake Mountain Gap, when the gangs working north and south met, that night a celebration was held. The attempt at merriment was lubricated by a brew that the Emerald Valley folks made out of the sweet sap from angelhair trees that came in several grades ranging from sweet wine to varnish remover.
As both gangs gathered around fires and drank, Goofy Joe made his way into the camp from the south. Shortly after, the gangs learned that boss animal man Pony Red Miira had been killed south of the Tieras station in a fall down Slowdown Cliff.
Little Will and Shiner Pete left their fire and grim companions and walked the gap road in the darkness toward the Emerald Valley. When they reached the downslope, they saw below them the fire lights of the town of Dirak. Beyond that were the lights of Ris; and far away against the soft blackness of a huge mountain were the faint flickerings of the lights of Dcona. Below them, from the direction of Dirak, came the metallic wail of a tin flute. That would be Dublin Dan, a bannerman with Stretch Dirak's advance.
Singing joined the sounds of the flute. The night air and distance blurred the words, but Little Will recognized the song about the killer elephant, Black Diamond. Bullhook Willy had taught her the song about the outlaw bull and how it was tortured to death, committing all future bullhands to seek revenge upon an extinct organization called the Texas Rangers.
It was a mournful song, and Shiner Pete spoke out loud. "Someone from the Emerald Valley gang must've gone ahead and told 'em about Pony Red."
Little Will put her arm around Shiner's waist and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I feel a thought in your mind."
Shiner Pete nodded. "I was just remembering on the ship after the sabotage had been discovered and the air was running short. They were going to kill the animals to conserve air, but Pony sealed off Number Three and refused to open the hatch until Mr. John agreed to try and save them." He looked down at her. "That was after you were hurt." He looked back at the lights of Dirak. "If it wasn't for Pony, there wouldn't be bulls or horses on Momus."
Little Will wiped the tears from her cheeks and turned away from the lights. "Let's go back. I don't want to go any farther."
Shiner Pete turned, placed his arm around Little Will's shoulders, and they both walked the dark road toward where the road gangs were sorting through their own thoughts.
When they reached their bedrolls, only a few troupers still sat around the fires, drinking. Shiner Pete fell into a troubled sleep, but Little Will continued staring at one of the fires.
She was watching the same fire as the dawnlight came upon the camp, gray and chilly. Packy Dern, Stretch Dirak, Fisty Bill Ris, and Goofy Joe still sat around the fire. Stretch Dirak looked at the gathering evidence of the new day, passed on the jug, and spoke to Packy. "Who's going to take over as boss animal man?"
Packy slowly shook his head. "Skinner Suggs, the boss hostler, don't know nothin' about bulls, an' I don't know nothin' about nags. 'Sides, I don't guess we got much need for a boss animal man now." The boss elephant man pushed his fingers through his thinning gray hair. "Goddamn Pony, always been with the show. Took me on when the show only had five bulls."
Goofy Joe passed on the jug. "Packy, you movin' your gang south to help Skinner get down the cliff?"
Packy lowered the jug from his lips and nodded. "Some, I guess. Most'll be goin' back to Miira... to finish buildin' their houses. Funny how we call the town Miira."
He shook his head and spat on the ground. "Crummy little shacks. Damned hobo jungle. Trouper's got no business ownin' a damn house anyway. He stood, stumbled around in a circle, then faced the fire with his hands held out. "Trouper's got no business—no business—on this here damned planet." He stabbed at his chest with his thumb. "Lookit us! Goddamned road gang!" He sat down with a thump. "Goddamned road gang."
Fisty Bill took the jug and depleted its contents. After he lowered the jug, he pointed with his thumb back toward the sleeping crews. "Seems like you and Waxy'll have to move in together."
Packy looked in the indicated direction and saw Little Will pretending to be sound asleep next to Shiner Pete, Waxy's son. Packy shook his head. "Bill, you got an imagination that'd put Mootch Movill to shame. She's only thirteen; and what's Pete? Fourteen, fifteen?"