Tiaan's madness and banishment gave Nish rather less pleasure than he had expected. Revenge was less sweet than he had been led to believe and he could not help worrying about Irisis's part in it. Had she done something to the artisan to bring on crystal fever? There was no way to find out. Irisis now avoided him, and on the rare occasions they did meet she refused to talk, much less lie with him. He'd risked everything and gained nothing. Moreover, he found that he missed Tiaan about the place, especially her trim figure and light step going past the artificers' workshops.
A couple of days later, on his monthly day off, Nish walked down to Tiksi, giving his letter and the news to Fyn-Mah, the querist there, chief of the city's intelligence bureau. Fyn-Mah reported directly to his father. A slight, small woman of no more than thirty years, she was young to have such responsibility. Judging by her black hair and dark eyes, her delicate features, not to mention her cool manner, she was Tiksi-born. The querist was an attractive woman, and wore no ring, but Nish did not consider her for an instant. Everything about her shrieked 'keep your distance'.
Fyn-Mah laid the letter aside. Her eyes met his and he had to look away. 'I already know about Tiaan,' she said without expression. 'A bad business.'
Nish looked down at the table, wondering what she knew.
The querist ran her fingers over the letter, then placed it in a grey satchel. 'I will send it with the courier this afternoon.' She nodded. He was dismissed.
Nish turned away from her door with a great sigh. The deed was done and it would take a couple of weeks for the courier to get to Fassafarn, where his father lived. Even if Jal-Nish was angry, as seemed probable, there could be no response in under a month.
On the way back Nish happened to pass the breeding factory. On impulse he went to the grand entrance, to enquire about the new woman, Tiaan. Several silver drams jingled in his pocket, his first wages as a prober, and he had the delicious thought of buying what he'd previously been refused.
'We don't do business with boys,' sneered the man at the door.
'I'm a man! I'm twenty. I have my rights.' As it happened he was only nineteen, but the lie could not hurt.
'The breeding factory is not a right, it's a privilege. We choose the seed carefully here, as well as the man. And the first thing we do is make sure it's ripe!'
'But I'm…'
'No, you're not!' said the guard. 'And if you were, the fee would be fifty drams. In any case, the woman you mention is ill. Be on your way now, before I call the watch.'
Nish hurried back to the manufactory, smouldering. A week and a half later he was called to the overseer's office to receive an urgent package from his father. So urgent, in fact, that it had come by skeet. Nish knew how expensive that was, for the big carrier birds were vicious, difficult to train and in great demand by the army. What could it be?
He unfastened the oilskin wrapper, anxious now. There were two letters inside, one addressed to him, the other to 'Probationary Overseer Gi-Had'. Nish handed that one to the overseer, wondering what it meant. Gi-Had had been overseer for ten years.
Gi-Had was staring at the envelope in uneasy bafflement. He slit the envelope and turned away. Nish went to the window and sat down. He did not open his own immediately. Something was badly wrong.
He was staring out the cobwebbed window when the overseer cried out. Nish tore open his own letter, which was not dated.
Jal-Nish Hlar
Perquisitor for Einunar
The Cleftory
Munning Har
Fassafarn
Artificer Cryl-Nish, I am most displeased. Your report so alarmed Fyn-Mah that she sent it to me by skeet. I cannot believe your incompetence. Artisan Tiaan has brilliantly solved two problems that have plagued our clankers in recent months, and we have great plans for her.
Nish put down the letter, thinking out aloud. 'But Irisis solved those problems.'
Gi-Had swung around, balling up a hairy fist. 'Irisis made one mistake,' he grated. 'Tiaan wrote a report on what she had done before she went mad. It was found in her pocket by your father's other prober. The one who isn't an incompetent fool. Thinking I was in on the conspiracy, he sent it straight down to the querist. Now Jal-Nish questions my loyalty. My loyalty!' he choked. Gi-Had tore a page off the back of his letter and thrust it in Nish's face.
Nish read Tiaan's report and blanched. There was no doubt that it was genuine. Irisis must have been behind it all – the sabotages, the faked evidence, and Tiaan's crystal fever too. Nish knew he was undone. Doomed! Why had he been taken in by her? Why hadn't he listened to that inner voice? He went back to his own letter.
Tiaan's day journal reveals the development of an artisan of rare talent, unlike any in the sixty-seven manufactories in the south-east. Fortunately I have competent people reporting directly to me from your manufactory, though it took them a while to find out what had happened. This was no fit of crystal madness, idiot son of mine! It was brought on by tincture of calluna, a herb that causes hallucinations. Her bedclothes stank of it. Some traitor gave it to her, you thrice-cursed fool! Someone who cares only to see the enemy ruin us.
Clearly there is a conspiracy in this manufactory and I am coming personally to root it out. Everyone is under suspicion, particularly you and your friend Irisis. I have been told of threats you made against the artisan. Why, Cryl-Nish, why? As of this instant you are relieved of your position as prober and your whole future is at stake. I have instructed Gi-Had to punish you.
Immediately afterwards you will go to Tiksi, as assistant to Probationary Overseer Gi-Had. You will bring Tiaan back and ensure she is restored to health and to her position. I have ordered Querist Fyn-Mah to the manufactory. She will take charge of the investigation until I arrive. Make sure no evidence is tampered with or your head will swiftly leave your shoulders.
Do a good job and, if Tiaan recovers fully, you may in time be restored as prober. Fail, and you will be in the front-line as fast as you can be carried there. The scrutator has been informed and he is as displeased as I am.
Jal-Nish
Perquisitor
Nish's shaking hand dropped the letter. As he bent to pick it up he caught Gi-Had's eye. The overseer's dark face had gone as pale as paper. Casting Nish a look of purest fury, he screamed, 'Why did you do this, artificer? Guard!' He threw himself out the door, bellowing so loudly that it shook the flimsy wall of his office.
A brace of guards came running, and more behind them. 'Take this man to the whipping posts and strip him naked, ready for the lash. Bring everyone outside. The entire manufactory will watch!'
The guards dragged Nish away. The bellowing continued behind him. Gi-Had was a most frightened man. What had been in his letter?
Outside Nish was stripped and tied to the middle whipping post. Shortly he heard screams, scuffles, and a naked Irisis was bound to the post next to his. He cast her a furious glare. She stared him down. Her pale skin was covered in purple blotches, for it was well below freezing.
'I curse the day I met you!' he hissed.
She looked him up and down. 'I can't say that you were worth it either, little Nish!'
They stood there for an hour while the thousand people in the manufactory were assembled. Nish felt sure he had frostbite in his toes, which had lost all feeling. How could he have been such a fool? Irisis had been behind it the whole time. But why would she betray everything her life had stood for? It made no sense.
Finally Gi-Had appeared. 'When my father hears of this…' Nish blustered.