Jack Vance - Ecce and Old Earth

"You were right about the rain."

“It is a terrible storm,” said Kathcar. ”The worst I have seen."

“You have been here long?"

“Not too long.”

“How long?”

“About two months.”

“What was your crime?”

Kathcar responded tersely: "I am not sure in my own mind why I am here. Apparently I offended Titus Pompo, or something of the sort.”

Glawen told Chilke and Scharde: “Kathcar is a Naturalist from Stroma.”

“Interesting” said Scharde. "How is it that you are acquainted with Titus Pompo?”

“It is a complicated matter, not presently relevant."

Scharde said nothing. Glawen asked him: “Are you tired? Do you wish to sleep?”

“I am probably stronger than I look.” Scharde's voice drifted away. “I think I’ll try to sleep.”

"Give your gun to Chilke."

Scharde gave over the gun, crawled across the hut and stretched out on the floor. Almost at once he dozed.

The rain waxed and waned: slowing for a few minutes as if passing over, then suddenly striking down in new fury. Kathcar marveled anew: “This storm is incredible!

Chilke said: “Scharde has been here about two months. Who came first: you or Scharde?"

Kathcar appeared to dislike questions. As before, he answered curtly: “Scharde was here when I arrived.”

“And no one explained why you were here?"

“No.”

“What of your family and friends at Stroma? Do they know of your whereabouts?"

Bitterness tinged Kathcar’s voice. “As to that, I cannot guess."

Glawen asked: ''Were you an LPFer at Stroma, or a Chartist?”

Kathcar surveyed Glawen sharply. “Why do you ask?”

“It might cast light on why you were imprisoned.”

“I doubt it."

Chilke said: "If you have run afoul of Titus Pompo, you must be a Chartist.”

Kathcar spoke frostily: “Like the other progressives of Stroma, I endorse the ideals of the LPF party.”

“Very strange!“ declared Chilke. “You were clapped into jail by your best friends and good clients: I refer, of course, to the Yips.”

“No doubt there was a mistake, or a misunderstanding,” said Kathcar. “I do not care to dwell on the matter, and I will let bygones be bygones.”

“You Peefers are a high-minded group, “said Chilke. “As for me, I crave revenge.”

Glawen asked Kathcar: “You are acquainted with Dame Clytie Vergence?”

"I am acquainted with this woman.”

"And Julian Bohost?”

"I know him. At one time he was considered an influential member of the movement."

"But no longer?”

Kathcar spoke in measured terms. "I differ with him on several important points."

“What of Lewyn Barduys? And Flitz?"

"I am not acquainted with either. And now, if you will excuse me, I too will try to rest." Kathcar crawled away.

A few moments later the rain stopped, leaving a silence broken only by the splash of drops falling from the trees. Imminence charged the air.

Purple-white dazzle fractured the sky. A second of tense silence and another — then an explosion of thunder, dying in a sullen rumble. Across the jungle came a response of grinding chatters, angry roars and bellows.

Silence again, and the pressure of imminence then a second burst of lightning, and for an instant every detail of the compound was illuminated in brilliant lavender light, followed as before by another clap of thunder. After a moment the rain started again, in a new torrent.

Glawen asked Chilke: “What happened in the shed that was so peculiar?”

“I live a very peculiar life,” said Chilke. “If you think of it like this, the business in the shed is just a typical incident, even though the average man might be astounded.”

“What happened?”

“First, a Yip in a black uniform took the bag from my head. I saw a table with some documents arranged in a neat pile. The Yip told me to sit down, which I did.”

”It seems that I was under surveillance from a lens across the room. A voice came from the speaker ‘You are Eustace Chilke, native to Big Prairie on Earth?’ “

“I said, yes, that was the case, and to whom was I talking?”

“The voice said: ‘Your single concern at the moment must be the set of documents you see in front of you. Sign them where indicated.’ “

“The voice was harsh and distorted, and not at all friendly. I said: ’I suppose it is pointless to complain of the outrage represented by this kidnapping.‘ “

“The voice said: 'Eustace Chilke, you have been brought here for good and sufficient reason. Sign the documents and be quick about it!' “

“I said: ’It sounds like Madame Zigonie talking, but not in a kindly voice. Where is the money you owe me for six months work?’ “

“The voice said: 'Sign the papers at once, or it will be the worse for you.' “

“I looked the papers over. The first deeded all my property, without exception or reservation, to Simonetta Zigonie. The second was a letter to whom it might concern authorizing the delivery of my property to the bearer. The third, which I liked the least, was my will, bequeathing everything I owned to my friend Simonetta Zigonie. I tried to protest. ‘I'd like to think things over, if you don't mind. I suggest that we go back to Araminta Station and settle the matter like ladies and gentlemen.’ “

“ 'Sign the papers,' said the voice, 'if you value your life!' “

“ I saw that there was no reasoning with the woman. I said: ‘I'll sign if you like, but it’s all a great puzzle, since I own little more than the shirt on my back.’ “

“ 'What of the articles you inherited from your grandfather?’ “

“ They don’t amount to much. The stuffed moose is a bit shabby. There is a small rock collection, with bits of gravel from a hundred planets, a few oddments of bric-a-brac including some purple vases, and probably more junk of the same sort out in the barn. I seem to remember a rather nice stuffed owl with a mouse in its beak.”

” ‘What else?’ “

“That's hard to say, since the barn has been so thoroughly burgled that I almost feel ashamed offering the stuff to you.”

“ ‘Let us have no more delay. Sign the papers, and be quick about it.' “

“I signed the three documents. The voice then said: 'Eustace Chilke, you have saved your life, which henceforth shall be spent repenting your fleering and cavalier attitudes, and your disregard for the sensitivities of those who might have wished to befriend you.' “

“I decided that Madame Zigonie was referring to my stand-offish conduct at Shadow Valley Ranch. I told her I didn’t mind apologizing if it would do any good, but she said that it was too late for that, and what must be, must be. I was taken out and dropped into the doghole, where I instantly got busy repenting. I assure you I was glad to hear your voice."

Glawen asked: "You have no idea what she is looking for?”

“It must be that some of Grandpa Swaner's belongings have more value than I supposed. I wish he had let me know while he was still alive.”

“Someone must know something. Who could it be?"

“Hmf. Hard to say. He dealt with lots of strange people — junk dealers, thieves, antiquarians, book dealers. I remember one chap in particular, who was Grandpa's friend, colleague, rival and accomplice, all at the same time. I think they were both members of the Naturalist Society. He traded Grandpa a set of exotic bird feathers and three Pandango soul masks for a parcel of old books and papers. If anyone knew Grandpa s affairs inside-out, it would be this chap.”

“Where is he now?"

“I couldn't say. He got into trouble over some illicit tomb-robbing and fled off-planet to evade the authorities."

Glawen, chancing to look over his shoulder, saw the pale glimmer of Kathcar's face, much closer than he had realized. It was evident that Kathcar had been listening to the conversion.