James Tiptree Jr. - Up the Walls of the World

“That’s not my brother! They’ve done something terrible to Ron!”

Giadoc opens the door and automatically thrusts an emergency-calm field-edge at Rick, while Noah implores, “It’s all right, Ricky! Ron’s all right! Please, Ricky, please don’t spoil the test.”

“He’s not all right,” Rick persists as Terenc’s transmission blares on. But Giadoc’s efforts are having effect. Rick slumps back in his seat and lets Noah replace his marking tools. “ Please write down what you got, Rick. We’ll check Ron as soon as it’s over.”

Excitement is emanating from all the compartments; the others are evidently hearing Terenc’s signal all too clearly too. How could they fail?

Giadoc maintains what hold he can on Rick while Noah calls out, “Second group. Start!”—and Terenc’s new signal comes blasting through.

“B-N-O-Z-P! B-N-O-Z-P! B-N-O-”

More agitation from the other cubicles. Giadoc strains to send out a wave of reassurance while keeping pressure on Rick. Oh, when will the Beam come and free him?

“Third group. Start!”

May Terenc fall out of the Wind, Giadoc curses, as the third shout yammers through. The effort to soothe them all is taking all the field-strength he has on this weak world. But Terenc is throwing them close to panic, and it’s his responsibility not to let harm come… The interval seems to take forever.

By the fourth signal even Kirk is showing signs of disturbance, but Giadoc does not care. Where in the Wind’s name is the Beam? They must recall Terenc first.

As the fifth signal howls in, Noah pops his head through the door.

“Dann, I believe I’m getting something myself!” he whispers, his field flaring elatedly. “This is amazing, we must discover the exact conditions. Ron’s never been so good before!”

And never will again, winds willing, Giadoc thinks.

And then to his infinite relief he feels the thrill in the air, the palpable, thrumming, building power of the seeking Beam.

“Take Terenc! Take Terenc first!” he projects with all his might as the last signal-groups come ripping through.

“That’s it!” Noah is shouting happily, rushing among the cubicles. “Identical! Every one identical, Kirk! Oh, wait till they see this. Dann, Dann, come help me get the subjects out.”

But Giadoc does not stir. The huge tension of the Beam is coming to full focus on him now. In a moment he will be away forever and the real Doctordan will be here to do his work. Giadoc wishes them well. But why is it taking so long?

Ah! Energy culminates.

But just as he gathers himself to launch out upon it, he realizes something is wrong. No good, wrong bias! His life is thrown back violently, dazing him, but he realizes the dreadful meaning. “ NO! Fathers, you must not!” he sends fiercely.

But it is too late. Familiar energies are blooming into being nearby.

“Doctor Dann, help! Frodo—”

“Dann! Chris is—”

Giadoc staggers through the clamor in the cubicles, already knowing what he will find. Yes—an alien female body is lying screaming on the floor, wreathed in the terrified field of a Tyrenni child. As he stares, the small alien male blunders past him and falls to its knees by the body. Around him surges the huge, unmistakable field of a Father of Tyree. The newcomer clasps the alien girl. The fields merge, the screams cease.

It is the life-field of Giadoc’s son, Tiavan, and his child.

“Criminal! Go back!” Giadoc lashes at him.

“Tyree is burning. I will save my child.” And then Tiavan is wholly preoccupied in Fathering, his alien mouth mumbling “Calm, you’re safe my little one. Father’s here.”

Uproar among the aliens; one is clinging to Giadoc and crying out. The air is humming and bursting with the power of the Beam. The alien Kirk has pushed into the commotion and, unthinkably, is tugging at Tiavan’s small bodily form, trying to pull him from his child. Tiavan mind-strikes him, he staggers back. Then Rick gives a loud scream and falls, while another, smaller Tyrenni field streams out around him. “ No wind!” it transmits in horror. But Giadoc has no time to attend, he is almost knocked over by Kirk charging out.

“I’m calling the patrol. You freaks are into my head!”

“No, no, Kirk!” Noah rushes after him.

Giadoc follows in time to see Kirk seizing some energy-device. But as he does so, his body arches backward and he shouts wordlessly, falling. In a moment his own limited energies are replaced by the wildly faring energies of a child of Tyree. At its first cries, the old ambiguous alien stumbles out and falls upon it, another huge Father-field furled around them both. Giadoc thinks he recognizes the life-pattern of Father Colto. Kirk’s animal is circling them, uttering yelps.

“Doctor Dann, what’s happening?” cries the alien still clinging to his arm. Next second she too staggers, still hanging on him, and the life-aura spreads to a pattern he knows: the female Avanil.

“N-o w-wind—” she mumbles, and collapses. There is a final yell and crash from the corridor.

Angered beyond expression, Giadoc stands irresolute in the throbbing, energy-brimming room. Seven Tyrenni are here. Only the old alien Noah is left, so excited that he can only turn in place, gasping, “You—you—Who! We, I think I—” while the power of the Beam rains down, still biassed against him.

Then the dog suddenly falls over, and Giadoc sees a last Tyrenni field striving to form around it.

The Beam clears. He is free to go.

But as he gathers himself, the vision of the two Fathers attempting to comfort their grotesque “children” wrenches him. And Tiavan, his son. How can he leave them to the dangers of this place? Desperately he mind-shouts, “ Go back! Undo your crime. This is a dangerous world, your children are not safe here.”

“No!” The figure of Tedyost lurches out of the corridor, a big Tyrenni field streaming about it. But the life is damaged, in terrible disarray; Giadoc can scarcely recognize him.

“Scomber!” he exclaims aloud. “You have done this thing.”

“Yes.” Tedyost’s body falls against the wall and slides downward, while Scomber’s wounded life writhes, trying to restore itself. Beyond him Giadoc can see Tiavan trying to force his small alien body to carry or drag his child in this windless place. It is pathetic beyond bearing. But the power of the Beam is falling and rising oddly; Giadoc must go.

At that moment he becomes aware of alien minds outside, and a hostile emanation from the doorway.

Major Fearing walks into the room.

The hatred he transmits is so shocking that Giadoc is transfixed. Danger here. But the alien’s outward appearance is spuriously calm and relaxed as he gazes around the chaotic room. When he perceives the prone figure of Kirk cuddled in the old alien’s arms his mind forms the words, “ They’ve got that fool Kirk.” Meanwhile his mouth is saying smilingly, “Well, Noah, how did your big test go?”

His hand holds out a paper.

Noah comes out of his trance and begins distractedly exclaiming and showing Fearing his results. As he does so, Giadoc can read in Fearing’s thoughts the intent to do some violence to the bodies in which the Tyrenni are, in which his son is; a picture of them lying inert and mindless, something about Doctoraris. The contrast between Fearing’s hatred and his demeanor is frightening, it implies absolute power to do his will. The Beam is flickering again, but Giadoc cannot leave the oblivious Tyrenni now. The Beam will wait for him; it must.

“DANGER! DANGER!” He sends in utmost-emergency mode. But the Fathers are too preoccupied. Only Avanils’ mind starts to respond. But she breaks off, touching the dog, and mind-cries, “ Janskelen! Janskelen is in this bad body!”