"Don't go for a swim," Gaby warned. "That's hydrochloric acid in pretty good concentration. Things are programmed not to come in here-look how well it worked with the Titanides-but the acid is a last-ditch protection, as it were."
"Then that is Crius, right there?"
"In person. We won't introduce you. You and Robin stay back by the wall and don't make any quick motions. Crius knows the Wizard, and he'll talk to me because he needs me. Be quiet, listen, and learn." She watched them sit down and joined Cirocco at the edge of the moat.
"We will speak English," Cirocco began.
"Very well, Wizard. I sent for you nine thousand three hundred and forty-six revs ago. This lack of efficiency is beginning to impair the proper operation of systems. I thought of filing a complaint with the God of Gods but have delayed it."
Cirocco reached into the folds of her red blanket and threw something at the shape in the acid lake. There was a bright flash of light when it struck Crius, and red dots chased each other frantically over its surface.
"I retract the statement," Crius said.
"Did you have any other complaints?"
"None. I made no complaint."
"See that you don't."
"It will be as you say."
Chris was impressed in spite of himself. The exchange had been rapid, emotionless on the part of Crius. Cirocco had not raised her voice. Yet the impression was of a child being chastised by a strict parent.
"You spoke of a God of Gods, " Cirocco said. "Who is this?"
"I spoke as a humble servant of Gaea, the one and only God. The phrase was used in... in a metaphorical sense," Crius finished, rather lamely, Chris thought.
"Yet you used the word 'God' in the plural. This is a source of surprise to me, who had thought such a construction could not enter your mind."
"One hears heresy."
"Would you be speaking of imported heresy or the local brand? Have you been speaking with Oceanus?"
"As you know, Oceanus speaks to me. It is not in my power to stop listening. I have, however, been completely successful in ignoring him. As to imported, human notions, I am aware of and unimpressed by their many varieties of myth."
Once again Cirocco reached into her blanket. This time she paused, and as she did, more red spots appeared on Crius's surface, dancing anxiously. The Wizard did not take notice. She looked thoughtfully at the floor for a time: then let her empty hand appear in the open once more.
The conversation turned to matters that meant nothing to Chris, concerning the day-to-day affairs of Crius. Throughout it, Crius maintained an attitude that was not precisely subservient, yet left no doubt he knew well who was in charge. His voice was not loud. It had a buzzing quality and was not in the least intimidating. Cirocco dispensed orders casually, as though her role in the exchange were by natural law something like a queen dealing with a respected commoner, but a commoner nonetheless. She listened to the things he said, then would interrupt in the middle of a sentence with her decision. Crius never attempted to argue with her or to explain further.
They spoke for more than an hour on matters of policy; then the talk turned to more prosaic items, and Gaby was invited to join in. Much of it was again meaningless, but at one point they discussed a malfunction in a particle accelerator that was part of Crius, deep beneath his surface. What Crius would do with a particle accelerator was a mystery to Chris.
A preliminary contract was made, Gaby agreeing to look into the matter in less than a myriarev, provided Gaea offered acceptable payment. She mentioned contacting a race in Phoebe that was good at subterranean work.
Chris could tell Robin was bored after the first ten minutes. He held out a little longer than that but soon was yawning himself. It was not that he felt the trip was wasted-it was interesting to see what the regional brains looked like and educational to see Cirocco do something more than drink-but it had been a very long stairway. He dreaded the climb to the top. The audience was ended without ceremony. Cirocco simply turned, gestured to Robin and Chris, and the four of them entered the stairs again. It was five minutes before the gentle curve of the corridor put them out of sight of the grotto.
Cirocco glanced behind her, then let her shoulders sag. She sat and put her head in her hands, then threw it back with a deep sigh.
Gaby sat behind her and began massaging the Wizard's shoulders. "You did real well, Rocky," she said.
"Thanks. Gaby, I could use a drink." She said it without emphasis. Gaby hesitated, then reached into her pack and took out a small flask. She poured a capful and handed it to Cirocco, who quickly drained it. She gave it back without requesting another, though Chris could see Gaby was ready to give her one.
Gaby gave Chris and Robin an annoyed look.
"You might say something nice," she suggested.
"I would if I knew what you're talking about," Robin said.
"I was impressed," Chris said. "But I thought it was routine."
Gaby sighed.
"Sorry. I guess it was, now that you mention it. I just never get used to it. Even with a relatively sane one like Crius you never know what it's going to be like from one visit to the next. He could squash us like flies, you know. He's not in the least happy about having to take orders from an alien. The only thing that keeps him in line is his fear of Gaea. Or love of her. Frankly, with a relationship like that there's not much distinction."
Chris frowned. "Are you saying we were in danger?"
"What's danger?" Gaby looked at him and laughed. "Ten minutes before we got there that chamber was flooded with acid. By now it's probably full again. It wouldn't have been hard to arrange an accident. He might even have convinced Gaea it was an accident."
"He'd never do that," Cirocco said firmly. "I know him."
"Maybe not. But Oceanus has been talking to him. You know that. I had a bad moment there when he started off with his 'complaint'. Coming from Crius, that's like a billionaire starting to quote Karl Marx."
"I took care of it," Cirocco said contentedly. "Rub a little lower, will you? There, there, that's it."
Chris suddenly felt like sitting down. He wondered what he was doing here. It was obvious he knew little of what had really gone on, what was still going on. These women dealt in things that often seemed less than real to him, but that crystalline brain had been as solidly real as a pair of pliers. Somewhere far away there existed another brain much like it, but malevolent, bent on death and warfare. And above all of them was a deity who collected cathedrals like the poker chips in a game played by megalomaniacs.
It was a forbidding idea. He could not help observing that when mortals stepped into the affairs of Gods, the smart money would pick the Gods to get the better of it.
25 Inglesina
"What do you think, Rocky?"
Cirocco had been sunk in the mindless rhythms of the near-infinite climb. She looked up in surprise.
"About Crius? Forget it. There might be some way to involve him in an ad hoc grouping. You know, afterward. But for now, forget it."
"You didn't think it was a hopeful sign?" Gaby persisted. "The fact that he was talking about complaining to Gaea about you? What did you make of that?"
Cirocco snorted. "Damn little."
"Don't you think you could fan that spark?"
"Don't get so eager, Gaby. I don't know how the ice could be any thinner, but the way you keep heating things up... ."