Piers Anthony - Unicorn Point

Neysa walked on. Even if the Adepts suspected, now, it would do them no good to act against her. The moment Bane and Mach learned of the threats against their wives, hell would begin fermenting in the Adverse ranks!

8 - Bane

Uncle Bane! An I commune with Nepe, my dam be killed! Bane, in the process of exchanging with Mach, felt as if he had been knocked out of the connection. He stood in Proton, tuning in, but there was nothing more.

Mach! he thought after a moment. Didst thou hear?

Yes. That was Flach.

Ne ‘er did he send to me before! Dost believe he tells truth ?

Yes. I think we now know why the two have ceased contact.

Bane pondered momentarily, as things fell into place. Wouldst call it a violation o’ the covenant?

Yes. Our wives were not to be threatened. Then thou hast aught to do in Phaze, and I in Proton.

Agreed. We must not commune again until it is done. Thus quickly had their loyalties changed. They had known almost from the outset that they served the wrong side, but had been bound to it by honor. Now that the Adepts—and surely the Citizens—had violated the terms, the two of them were free to do what they wished. They would join Stile and Blue.

They communed no more, for any prolonged contact at this stage would become suspicious. The Adepts and Citizens could monitor the fact of their contact, but not its substance, just as they could monitor the children’s contacts. For a long time the children had communed without being detected, because they did it only when Mach and Bane were communing, and made no separate signal. But after Flach and Nepe exchanged, and almost secured their freedom despite the net closing on Flach, their amazing ability was known, and the monitoring technique had quickly been refined to distinguish their contacts from those of Mach and Bane. But this single communication was so surprising that Bane knew no provision had been made for it. Flach sending to Bane! And what a message! At one stroke this had solved the riddle of the children’s recent attitude, and sundered the agreement that bound Mach and Bane to the forces opposing Stile and Blue. The parity of the impasse had supposedly been replaced by the parity of mutual connections between the frames. Now it was evident that one side was cheating, in an effort to make the critical breakthrough and assume power.

Bane kept his face straight as he pondered this. He had no trouble concealing his emotions, in this robot body! He had to act normal until he decided how to proceed. If Fleta was threatened in Phaze, Agape would be similarly threatened in Proton.

Yet how was this possible? Neither Mach nor Bane had set up anything like this in either frame—and they represented the only contact the Citizens and Adepts had between frames. Fleta might indeed be in danger in Phaze, but how could Agape be under a similar threat?

Bane knew the Citizens: they would have made it tight. Somehow they had done it; he could not afford to assume otherwise. Perhaps they had made Flach send to Nepe—

But Nepe would not have relayed such a message to the Citizens! A death threat against her mother? She was an amazingly clever girl, and even a stupid one would have realized that the threat could only be real if she told the Citizens. She would have kept it quiet, thus defusing it. How, then? He came to no answer, yet he was sure there was one. Meanwhile he was proceeding to his rendezvous with Tania, to make his routine report. He smiled internally, grimly. For the past four years, in Proton, Tania had been his liaison with the Citizens. She had tried to seduce Mach, suggesting that he had no woman in Proton and that she was appropriate. Mach had consistently put her off, but never with prejudice, because she could make a lot of mischief if she chose. Bane had made it clear that his love was in Proton, and he would consider nothing else. Still, it had been evident that she would take either of them if she could.

He had agreed with Mach to say nothing to her or anyone else in Proton of the situation with Tania in Phaze. Only to Agape, from whom he kept no secrets, and Troubot, who could be trusted. Troubot! Who had turned out to be Nepe! But still could be trusted.

In Phaze, Tania had used her blandishments openly, and despite the defensive spell Mach had given him, he had felt the impact. When it had become apparent that her ploy had reversed, and she had fallen in love with him, it had been hard not to yield to some degree. When she adopted what he considered to be decent ways, leaving her cynicism and cruelty behind, he was impressed despite his suspicion that this was artifice. When she befriended Fleta he had been more impressed, for Fleta was exceedingly choosey about her associations.

He wished he could discuss the matter with Agape. To what extent was there merit in the proposition that the two frames were separate, and that a man could have a woman in each? Stile and Blue, as alternate selves, had different women. But Mach and Bane, as alternate selves, already had different women. For each to have two—that seemed too much of a stretch of ethics. Yet the temptation existed. Now he realized that Tania could be useful. He knew a lot about the one in Proton, because of his experience with the one in Phaze. He was sure he could get her help, if it could be done covertly. Perhaps she had been involved in Flach’s action in sending the message; she was there with Fleta in Phaze, now, because the Adepts suspected her of trying to let Flach escape the net. The boy would not have known what to do about the threat against his mother, but Tania’s more cynical mind could have handled it. Still, he could not see the boy confiding in her, so that matter remained in doubt. Could he trust her?

He reached Tan’s office. Tania was there alone; the pro vocative serf secretary was absent.

He decided to gamble on her. “Tania,” he said without preamble, “I need thy help.” He knew that this was private; the office was always sealed off from unwanted intrusion.

She was surprised. “What, no sneer today. Bane?”

“Swear to me that thou willst betray my confidence not, and I will tell thee much that interests thee.” Her eyes assumed the look of those of her other self, though they lacked the magic power.

“You want me to do something for you, and not tell, and you will tell me what I want to know? I believe I am safe in assuming that you are not think ing of asking me for sex.”

“Aye. I promise naught more, but I think it be enough.”

“I don’t trust this. Bane. You never gave me the time of day before.”

“I ne’er had need, before.”

She walked around the room, considering. Bane, accustomed in youth to the clothing of Phaze, had never completely adjusted to the nudity of Proton serfs. She looked exactly like her other self, except for her lack of clothing, and he found that illicitly fascinating despite all the deliberate glimpses her other self had proffered. In Phaze he had a spell to ward off her seductions; here he did not. “I won’t kill anyone, or do anything against my side,” she said.

“It be against thy side.”

She laughed. “And why would you suppose I would do that?”

“Because, an thou didst, I might pursue thy case with Mach.”

She halted abruptly. “You’re serious!”

“Aye.”

“Listen, Bane—if I go against my side, I can wind up dead!”

“An they learn o’ it, aye. But things be changing, and mayhap the other side would protect thee.”

She stared at him. “Are you changing sides? What of the covenant?”

“Swear, and we deal.”

She paced again, and he watched her breasts and buttocks moving. She had been foolish to go after Mach, when she could have had any other man she chose. But perversity was evidently her basic component. She was fascinated with the notion of Phaze, and of magic, and with the notion of power; thus Mach became the object of her interest. Had there been any other available male with similar connections, she would have been as interested in that one. Indeed, her other self pursued Bane, because of his connection with Proton. Then she nodded. “I’m a fool. I swear.”