David Wingrove & Rand Miller - Myst 01 - The Book of Ti'ana.pdf

(595 KB) Pobierz
166496097 UNPDF
Myst: The Book of Ti'ana
by Rand Miller & David Wingrove
PART ONE
ECHOES IN THE ROCK
The sounding capsule was embedded in the rock face like a giant crystal,
its
occupants sealed within the translucent, soundproofed cone.
The Guild Master sat facing the outstretched tip of the cone, his right
hand
resting delicately on the long metal shaft of the sounder, his blind
eyes
staring at the solid rock, listening.
Behind him, his two young assistants leaned forward in their narrow metal
and
mesh seats, concentrating, their eyes shut tight as they attempted to
discern
the tiny variations in the returning signal.
"Na'grenis," the old man said, the D'ni word almost growled as his left
hand
moved across the top sheet of the many-layered map that rested on the map
table
between his knees. Brittle.
It was the tenth time they had sent the signal out on this line, each time
a
little stronger, the echoes in the rock changing subtly as it penetrated
deeper
into the mass.
"Kenen voohee shuhteejoo," the younger of his two assistants said
tentatively.
It could be rocksalt.
"Or chalk," the other added uncertainly.
"Not this deep," the old man said authoritatively, flicking back the
transparent
sheets until he came to one deep in the pile. Holding it open, he reached
beside
him and took a bright red marker from the metal rack.
"Ah," the two assistants said as one, the carmine mark as clear an
explanation
as if he'd spoken.
"We'll sound either side," the old man said after a moment. "It might only be
a
pocket...."
He slipped the marker back into the rack, then reached out and took the
ornately
decorated shaft of the sounder, delicately moving it a fraction to the
 
right,
long experience shaping his every movement.
"Same strength," he said. "One pulse, fifty beats, and then a second pulse."
At once his First Assistant leaned forward, adjusting the setting on the dial
in
front of him.
There was a moment's silence and then a vibration rippled along the shaft
toward
the tapered tip of the cone.
A single, pure, clear note sounded in the tiny chamber, like an invisible
spike
reaching out into the rock.
* * *
"What is he doing?"
Guild Master Telanis turned from the observation window to look at his
guest.
Master Kedri was a big, ungainly man. A member of the Guild of Legislators,
he
was here to observe the progress of the excavation.
"Guild Master Geran is surveying the rock. Before we drill we need to know
what
lies ahead of us."
"I understand that," Kedri said impatiently. "But what is the problem?"
Telanis stifled the irritation he felt at the man's bad manners. After
all,
Kedri was technically his superior, even if, within his own craft, Telams's
word
was as law.
"I'm not sure exactly, but from the mark he made I'd say he's located a patch
of
igneous material. Magma-based basaltic rocks from a fault line, perhaps, or
a
minor intrusion."
"And that's a problem?"
Telanis smiled politely. "It could be. If it's minor we could drill
straight
through it, of course, and support the tunnel, but we're still quite deep
and
there's a lot of weight above us. The pressures here are immense, and while
they
might not crush us, they could inconvenience us and set us back weeks, if
not
months. We'd prefer, therefore, to be certain of what lies ahead."
Kedri huffed. "It all seems rather a waste of time to me. The lining
rock's
strong, isn't it?"
 
"Oh, very strong, but that's not the point. If the aim were merely to
break
through to the surface we could do that in a matter of weeks. But that's
.not
our brief. These tunnels are meant to be permanent-or, at least, as permanent
as
we can make them, rock movement willing!"
Still, Kedri seemed unsatisfied. "All this stopping and starting! A man could
go
mad with waiting!"
One could; and some, unsuited to the task, did. But of all the guilds
ofD'ni,
this, Telanis knew, was the one best suited to their nature.
"We are a patient race, Master Kedri," he said, risking the anger of the
other
man. "Patient and thorough. Would you have us abandon the habits of a
thousand
generations?"
Kedri made to answer curtly, then saw the look of challenge in Telanis's
eyes
and nodded. "No. You are right, Guild Master. Forgive me. Perhaps they chose
the
wrong man to represent our guild."
Perhaps, Telanis thought, but aloud he said. "Not at all, Master Kedri. You
will
get used to it, I promise. And we shall do our best to keep you busy while
you
are here. I shall have my assistant, Aitrus, assigned to you."
And now Kedri smiled, as if this was what he had been angling for all
along.
"That is most kind. Master Telanis. Most kind, indeed."
* * *
The excavator was quiet, the lighting subdued. Normally, the idle chatter
of
young crewmen would have rilled the narrow corridor, but since the observers
had
come there was a strange silence to the craft that made it seem abandoned.
As the young guildsman walked along its length, he glanced about
warily.
Normally he took such sights for granted, but today he seemed to see it
all
anew. Here in the front section, just behind the great drill, was the
Guild
Master's cabin and, next to it, through a bulkhead that would seal
automatically
in times of emergency, the chart room. Beyond that, opening out to both
right
and left of the corridor, was the equipment room.
The excavator was as self-contained as any ship at sea, everything stored,
 
each
cupboard and drawer secured against sudden jolts, but here the purpose of
the
craft was nakedly displayed, the massive rock drills lain neatly in their
racks,
blast-marble cylinders, protective helmets, and analysis tubes racked
like
weaponry.
The young guildsman stopped, looking back along the length of the craft.
He.was
a tall, athletic-looking young man with an air of earnestness about him.
His
dark red jumpsuit fit him comfortably rather than tightly; the broad,
black
leather tool belt at his waist and his long black leather boots part of
the
common uniform worn by all the members of the expedition.
His fine black hair was cut short and neat, accentuating his fineboned
features,
while his eyes were pale but keen. Intelligent, observant eyes.
He passed on, through the crew quarters-the empty bunks stacked three to a
side
into the curve of the ship's walls, eighteen bunks in all-and, passing
through
yet another bulkhead, into the refectory.
Master Jerahl, the ship's cook, looked up from where he was preparing
the
evening meal and smiled.
"Ah, Aitrus. Working late again?"
"Yes, Guild Master."
Jerahl grinned paternally. "Knowing you, you'll be so engrossed in
some
experiment, you'll miss your supper. You want me to bring you
something
through?"
"Thank you, Guild Master. That would be most welcome."
"Not at all, Aitrus. It's good to see such keenness in a young guildsman.
I
won't say it to their faces, but some of your fellows think it's enough to
carry
out the letter of their instructions and no more. But people notice
such
things."
Aitrus smiled.
"Oh, some find me-foolish, Aitrus, I know. It's hard not to overhear things on
a
tiny ship like this. But I was not always a cook. Or, should I say, only a
cook.
I trained much as you train now, to be a Surveyor-to know the ways of the
 
rock.
And much of what I learned remains embedded here in my head. But I
wasn't
suited. Or, should I say, I found myself better suited to this occupation."
"You trained, Master Jerahl?"
"Of course, Aitrus. You think they would allow me on an expedition like this
if
I were not a skilled geologist?" Jerahl grinned. "Why, I spent close on
twenty
years specializing in stress mechanics."
Aitrus stared at Jerahl a moment, then shook his head. "I did not know."
"Nor were you expected to. As long as you enjoy the meals I cook, I am
content."
"Of that I've no complaints."
"Then good. Go on through. I shall bring you something in a while."
Aitrus walked on, past the bathing quarters and the sample store, and on
into
the tail of the craft. Here the corridor ended with a solid metal door that
was
always kept closed. Aitrus reached up and pulled down the release handle.
At
once the door hissed open. He stepped through, then heard it hiss shut
behind
him.
A single light burned on the wall facing him. In its half-light he could see
the
work surface that ran flush with the curved walls at waist height, forming
an
arrowhead. Above and below it, countless tiny cupboards held the equipment
and
chemicals they used for analysis.
Aitrus went across and, putting his notebook down on the worktop,
quickly
selected what he would need from various cupboards.
This was his favorite-place in the ship. Here he could forget all else
and
immerse himself in the pure, unalloyed joy of discovery.
Aitrus reached up, flicking his fingernail against the firemarble in the bowl
of
the lamp, then, in the burgeoning glow, opened his notebook to the page he
had
been working
* * *
"Aitrus?"
Aitrus took his eye from the lens and turned, surprised he had not heard
the
 

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika:

Zgłoś jeśli naruszono regulamin