Roger Zelazny - Donnerjack

As messages were written and information transferred, Virginia’s sobs slowed, then ceased. The tears continued to course down her cheeks.

“Without Mizar you’re going to need me, so don’t even think about sending me away.”

Jay nodded. “As you wish.”

And with those words John D’Arcy Donnerjack experienced an epiphany. He was in charge of this expedition. On some level he had expected one of the adults to lead, but although Virginia might insist on coming with them, she could not be trusted for clear-headed decisions.

Drum could offer advice, but the Verite, not Virtu, was his native realm.

And Alice—Link? She was Jay’s own age and, like Drum, out of her element. Duhbe would do what he could, but he was a monkey, after all, and a follower, not a leader. If Tranto had been there… but that was wishful thinking, nor could the Lord of Deep Fields be expected to send in the cavalry. Even if he had been so inclined, he would not be able to now.

Jay felt very old, very young, very frightened, and very excited all at once. The jumble of emotions was so strong that he almost forgot to hug Mizar before Death’s dog departed.

“What do we have?” he said, moving over to where Drum and Virginia were studying Mizar’s input. Alice, although obviously interested, had joined Dubhe in keeping watch.

Drum handed Jay the light pad on which he had started a map.

“You’re the cartographer, so you update the map while we fill you in. ‘Ginnie?”

Virginia cocked an eyebrow at the unexpected nicknaming, but otherwise forbore from commenting.

“When I went south, I saw considerable activity on the mountain’s lower slopes. I didn’t dare get close, but it appeared that someone was setting up a series of transfer stations. Judging from the winged bulls and lions guarding them, I would guess that they are associated with the upcoming Elishite Celebration.”

“Anything else?” Jay asked, after he had sketched in her observations.

“I don’t really know what is normal and what is not,” Virginia confessed. “The upper slopes, as far as I could tell, held numerous temples in a variety of styles.”

“Probably related to the various deities worshiped in both Virtu and Verite,” Jay said, and from where he watched, Dubhe nodded agreement.

“That’s it for me,” Virginia said. “Mizar’s information may be more useful.”

“Can you sum up for him?” Jay asked.

“Pretty well. The information is fragmented. Whatever fried his systems did a thorough job.”

“Go ahead.”

“On the other side of the mountain, about halfway up, there is a heavily guarded installation. Unlike the constructions I saw, this one does not appear to be overtly religious—although there are religious over-tones—it reminded me more of a factory. This is where Mizar scented the thing you are looking for.”

“You said ‘heavily guarded,’ ” Jay asked. “What are our chances of getting in?”

“One of the things that made me think of a factory,” Virginia said, “is that crated material was being taken from it.”

“So there is traffic?”

“Right. Drum and Alice might be better at working out how we should penetrate the facility.”

“Well, folks?” Jay asked.

Drum nodded. “I’ve looked at the data and I think we can come up with something. We have a fair amount of distance to cross to get there, however, and I’d like to see this ‘factory’ myself before I offer tactical advice. Why don’t we start hoofing it and we’ll give you our plan when we actually see the place?”

“Fine with me,” Jay said. “Virginia, can you take point?”

“That’s what I’m trained for.”

“I’ll drop to the back, then. We need to stay within eye-shot of each other, but at the same time be spread out far enough that we don’t make ourselves obvious. Doubtless they have guards, but the Lord of the Lost thought that they wouldn’t be expecting Veriteans. If their base programming is shoddy, I may be effectively invisible to lesser guard proges, and the rest of your virt forms are pretty basic; they shouldn’t attract interest.”

“That’s a comfort,” Drum said. “Let’s start walking.”

“Factory, yes. I wouldn’t have thought to call it that myself,” Alice said, “but I can see exactly where you were coming from, Virginia.”

Looking through his binoculars up the slope of Mount Meru, Jay Donnerjack inspected the long, blocky building that was set into a cut on the slope. It was constructed from a standard fieldstone template that blended nicely with the surrounding rock and scrub brush terrain; otherwise, it was rather unimaginative.

“I don’t see what you’re seeing,” he admitted, “but then I don’t think I’ve ever seen a factory.”

Alice stared at him, but Drum nodded understandingly.

“From what you’ve told us about your upbringing, I’d be surprised if you had,” he said. “Most of your jaunts were in Virtu and the unreal World doesn’t exactly need manufacturing plants.”

He placed a hand on Jay’s arm, his manner suddenly reminding the younger man of Reese Jordan.

“Take a look. Jay. We’ve got a building here with minimal exterior decoration—all of those temples went for adornment in a big way. So we have a utilitarian structure. Next, note the near absence of windows. Even in Virtu, buildings tend to follow the Veritean custom and allow for ‘natural’ light.”

“I’m with you so far,” Jay prompted.

“Then there are the large bay doors neatly spaced along the front, each with road in front of them rather than paths or sidewalks. Clearly these are meant to facilitate the delivery of building materials and the removal of completed products.”

“Okay,” Jay said, “we have a factory here. Why? What purpose would that serve? Legend says that the gods on Meru can imagine whatever they want—that this is how they create their armies and minions.”

From the corner of his eye, he saw the odd expression that crossed Alice’s face.

“Uh, sorry, Alice. That was kind of tactless of me.”

“No, that’s all right, Jay. I’m mostly comfortable with my dad’s history, but sometimes it’s weird.”

“Later, folks,” Drum cut in. “Jay, I can’t answer your question. I don’t know enough.”

Dubhe lowered his binoculars. “I have an idea. What if they’re duplicating whatever it was that Warren Bansa carried across the interface? What if that factory is making artifacts ? That would explain the design of the structure.”

“You mean hard copy?” Jay said. “Here?”

“Why not? Bansa’s device supposedly had the ability to permit full-body crossover between the universes. If they applied some aspect of that, then they could create Veritean material, or something that could exist in both places.”

“That’s an unsettling idea,” Jay said, “but it has potential.”

“Another possibility,” Virginia added, “is that the ‘factory’ is a manifestation of one of the divinities—sort of a genius loci meant to guard the area or control operations within.”

“Or it could be both,” Alice said, “an idea that does not fill me with joy.”

“Me either,” Drum said, “but any plan we make is going to need to take both possibilities into account.”

“Now that you’ve seen the structure do you have any ideas?” Jay asked somewhat diffidently. He had hoped to have a brainstorm himself, but the factory only filled him with dread and a certainty that he could never succeed.

“At first we considered having Dubhe go up and scout,” Drum said, “but the Lord of Entropy considered you best for the job. Now, you’re here ‘in the flesh,’ right?”