The news was bad from everywhere. A lot of the Gardening Department had been cleared. Most of the Clothes departments were empty. The counters were being ripped out of Cosmetics, although fortunately not many nomes lived there. Masklin could hear, even here, the thud and crunch of the work going on.
Finally he could stand it no longer. Too many people kept staring at him. He went back down to the garage, where Dorcas was still watching from his spy post on top of the girder.
'What's happened?' said Masklin.
The old nome pointed to the lorry immediately below them.
'That's the one we want,' he said. 'It's got all sorts in it. Lots of stuff from the Do-It-Yourself Department. There's even some haberdashery things, needles and whatnot. All the stuff you told me to look out for.
We've got to stop them driving it out!' said Masklin. Dorcas grinned.
'The machinery that raises the door won't work,' he said. 'The fuse has gone.' What's a fuse?' said Masklin.
Dorcas picked up a long, thick red bar lying by his feet. 'This is,' he said.
'You took it?' 'Tricky job, we had to tie a bit of string round it. Made a powerful big spark when we pulled it out.' 'But I expect they can put another one in,' said Masklin.
'Oh, they did,' said Dorcas, with a self-satisfied expression. 'They're not daft. Didn't work though, because after we took the fuse out the lads went and cut the wires inside the wall in a couple of places. Very dangerous, but it'll take the humans for ever to find it.' 'Hmm. But supposing they lever the door up?' 'Won't do them any good. It's not as if the lorry will go, anyway.' 'Why not?' Dorcas pointed downwards. Masklin watched, and after a moment saw a couple of small figures scurry out from under the lorry and dive into the shadows by the wall. They were carrying a pair of pliers.
A moment later a solitary figure hurried after them, dragging a length of wire.
'Powerful lot of wire them lorries need,' said Dorcas. 'This one ain't got so much, now.' Funny, isn't it. Take away a tiny spark and the lorry won't go. Don't worry, though, I reckon we'll know where to put it all back later' There was a clang down below. One of the humans had given the door a kick.
'Temper, temper,' said Dorcas mildly.
'You've thought of just about everything,' said Masklin, admiringly.
'I hope so,' said Dorcas. 'But we'd better make sure, hadn't we.' He stood up and produced a large white flag, which he waved over his head. There was an answering flicker of white from the shadows on the far side of the garage.
And then the lights went out.
'Useful thing, electricity,' said Dorcas, in the darkness. There was a rumble of annoyance from the humans below, and then a jangling noise as one of them walked into something. After some grunting and a few more thuds, one of the humans found a doorway out into the basement, and the rest of them followed it.
'Don't you think they'll suspect something?' said Masklin.
'There's other humans working in the Store, they'll probably think they caused it,' said Dorcas.
'That electricity is amazing stuff,' said Masklin. 'Can you make it? The Count de Ironmongri was very mysterious about it.' 'That's because the Ironmongri don't know anything,' sniffed Dorcas. 'Just how to steal it. I can't seem to get the hang of the reading business, but young Vinto has been looking at books for me. He says making electricity is very simple. You just need to get hold of some stuff called you-ranium. I think it's a kind of metal.' 'Is there some in the Ironmongery Department?' said Masklin hopefully.
'Apparently not,' said Dorcas.
The Thing wasn't very helpful, either.
'I doubt if you are ready for nuclear power yet,' it said. 'Try windmills.' Masklin finished putting his possessions, such as they were, in a bag.
'When we leave,' he said, 'you won't be able to talk, will you? You need electricity to drink.' 'That is the case, yes.' 'Can't you tell us which way we should go?' 'No. However, I detect radio traffic indicative of airline activity to the north of here.' Masklin hesitated. 'That's good, is it?' 'It means there are flying machines.' 'And we can fly all the way home?' said Masklin. 'No. But they may be the next step. it may be possible to communicate with the starship. But first, you must ride the lorry.' 'After that, I should think anything is possible,' said Masklin gloomily. He looked expectantly at the Thing, and then noticed with horror that its lights were going off, one by one.
'Thing!' 'When you are successful, we will talk again,' said the Thing.
'But you're supposed to help us!' said Masklin. 'I suggest you consider deeply the proper meaning of the word "help",' said the box. 'Either you are intelligent nomes, or just clever animals. It's up to you to find out which.' What?' The last light went off.
'Thing?' The lights stayed off. The little black box contrived to look extremely dead and silent.
'But I relied on you to help us sort out the driving and everything! You're just going to leave me like this?' If anything, the box got darker. Masklin stared at it.
Then he thought: it's all very well for it. Everyone's relying on me. I've got no one to rely on. I wonder if the old Abbot felt like this? I wonder how he stood it for so long? It's always me who has to do everything, no one ever thinks about me or what I want...
The shabby cardboard door swung aside and Grimma stepped in.
She looked from the darkened Thing to Masklin.
'They're asking for you out there,' she said quietly. 'Why is the Thing all dark?' 'It just said goodbye! It said it won't help any more!' Masklin wailed. 'It just said we have to prove we can do things for ourselves and it will speak to us when we're successful! What shall I do?' I know what I could do, he thought. I could do with a cool flannel. I could do with a bit of understanding. I could do with a bit of sympathy. Good old Grimma. You can rely on her.
What you'll do,' she said sharply, 'is jolly well stop moping and getup and go out there and get things organized!' 'Wha-' 'Sort things out! Make new plans! Give people orders! Get on with it!' 'But-' 'Do it now!' she snapped.
Masklin stood up.
'You shouldn't talk to me like that,' he said plaintively. 'I'm the leader, you know.' She stood arms akimbo, glaring at him.
'Of course you're the leader,' she said. 'Did I say you weren't the leader? Everyone knows you're the leader! Now get out there and lead!' He lurched past. She tapped him on the shoulder.
'And learn to listen,' she added.
'Eh? What do you mean?' 'The Thing's a sort of thinking machine, isn't it? That's what Dorcas said. Well, machines say exactly what they mean, don't they?' 'Yes, I suppose so, but-' Grimma gave him a bright, triumphant smile.
'Well, it said "When",' she said. 'Think about it. It could have said "If ".' Night came. Masklin thought the humans were never going to leave. One of them, with a torch and a box of tools, spent a long time examining fuse boxes and peering at the wiring in the basement. Now at last even it was gone, grumbling and slamming the door behind it.
After a little while, the lights came on in the garage.
There was a rustling in the walls, and then a dark tide flowed out from under benches. Some of the young nomes in the lead carried hooks on the end of thread lines, which they swung up to the lorry's covers. They caught, one after another, and the nomes swarmed up them.
Other nomes brought thicker string, which was tied to the ends of the thread and gradually dragged upwards...
Masklin ran along, under the endless shadow of the lorry, to the oily darkness under the engine where Dorcas's teams were already dragging their equipment into position. Dorcas himself was in the cab, rooting around among the thick wires.