02 Quetzals Flock

QUETZAL'S FLOCK
"The Ship must have started from somewhere."
"The Ship always was, as far as we can remember. First, when we started the
journey, we were with the Fleet, then the Fleet was scattered and we journeyed alone -
and then we came to Jubal."
"And the purpose of the journey was to seed the stars."
"A romantic notion, Quetzal. I am more pragmatic. We were either trying to
migrate from our world, or we were driven out to become space wanderers. The
original purpose is lost to us. Perhaps, you can tell us - after all, you are Quetzal, one
of the Masters of Psi. You are all knowing, you do not need me to teach you ancient
history!"
"Yes, I am Quetzal but I am also Kane Ashford - and Kane Ashford knows
nothing of your ancient history."
The musicians started once again. This time, the music was more lively. One
of them started to sing, then others around the circle of onlookers started to join in. As
far as he could tell, it was a ditty about the vicissitudes of a Picun herder's life. It was
more to the taste of the crowd, who had seemed subdued in the face of the ancient
dance. The pace of the party picked up and the fire water flowed more freely.
The scene was unreal, it was the sort of activity normally associated with a
campfire and the blackness of the night. It took place in the full glare of the fiery star.
It made Kane realise how much he appreciated the darkness. Man needed the night as
well as the day. The party was in full swing, when Eridos touched his arm.
"We must talk."
Kane followed him into the privacy of the tent. He had consumed a prudent
amount of fire water. He had learned his lesson from the evening he had spent with
Obeid. He wondered if Eridos had mellowed under its influence, it was a forlorn
hope. He adopted Kane's time scale.
"Tomorrow we move. We are five days from the Arch and my herd is still on
the move and can be no more than two days from it. My scouts report no sign of
Obeid and his herd. It would seem that your orders have been disobeyed. Hammadi is
no longer in control."
"Hammadi will keep control and he will move his herd."
He wished he felt as sure as he sounded. Obeid might have risen in fire and
flame from his sick bed and countermanded Hammadi's orders. On the other hand,
Hammadi himself might have had second thoughts.
"What do you intend, when we reach the Arch? I give you fair warning, you
are creating a scenario for disaster. One false move and I cannot be answerable for the
consequences. My men have hated the band of grey cloaks for longer than you can
imagine. I have told you already, there is no hope of healing the Division and the
Enmity.
We consider ourselves to be the ones unjustly treated. Tursac was a senile fool,
who placed the Ship in jeopardy when he landed against the advice of his officers -
and that included Siyulk, his own brother. Bringing the two herds together and the two
Encampments, will result in a blood bath. I will not be able to prevent it, neither will
Obeid, nor Hammadi - nor you, O great, omnipotent Lord Quetzal! I wonder - is that
your plan? Is it your intention to prune the people of the Ship, so that there is room for
those who are left?"
Kane stared at him and shook his head slowly.
"You still don't understand, do you Eridos? The Ship is capable of carrying
you all. You must know that. Siyulk would have told you as much as he could about
the Ship and its capabilities. Just as Tursac told Obeid and Obeid told Hammadi."
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