But it was hard to remain circumspect when the natural development of the species which had been entrusted to her care was threatened by a lunatic like the Renegade. Not to mention the health of the several blissfully ignorant humans presently functioning under his direct manipulation.
The brethren she had managed to contact briefly had counseled patience. Renegades usually overestimated their abilities and made fatal mistakes, the inimical edifices of their plans invariably imploding from the weight of their own complexity. The difficulty lay in containing the damage they did before this took place.
She drew strength from the knowledge that in order to interfere in human affairs, the Renegade was compelled to rely upon human agencies to carry out his intentions. Given their inherent unpredictability, which they had already demonstrated, this allowed for the possibility that the Renegade might lose control of his carefully crafted disruption without the Monitor even having to act.
So she did not panic, but rather remained where last she had confronted him, waiting to see what would happen next.
XI
They did not see Apu Tupa for several days, during which time they were presented with telephone-style headset translators which transformed Contisuyun Spanish-Quechua into modern Spanish or passable English, as the wearer preferred.
When the Inca finally did reappear it was to gesture imperiously at the Fernándezes. “You two will come with me.”
The brothers exchanged a glance, then gingerly stepped off the platform. When Ashwood and Da Rimini tried to follow, they found that the pirca had been restored.
“Wait a minute.” Ashwood leaned both hands against the barrier. “Why just the two of them?”
Apu Tupa looked back at her. “They are our kind.
We wish their input.”
“You want input? I can give y’all plenty of input.”
“Yeah,” Da Rimini added. “What about us?”
“You have the look of the conquistadores, the conquerors,” Tupa told them.
Carter objected. “I’m no conqueror. I’m an American. My country was hardly started when you had your last contact with your homeland.”
“You are European. More important, you are not Inca. We know that the Spaniards had many allies, and we determined long ago not to repeat the mistakes of our ancestors. So we exercise caution.” He turned and walked away with the Fernández brothers in tow.
“Wait!” Da Rimini shouted. “What this all about? Damn!”
Igor sat munching on a piece of something like green potato. The Incas had been very big on potatoes. “I do not know, but I don’t like the idea of them breaking up the group.”
“It may be of no great significance.” Fewick was feeding Moe. “As the Fernández brothers are largely of Inca stock, our hosts may simply wish to question them about their lives.”
“Well, I don’ like it.” Da Rimini edgily paced their enclosure. “If we could jus’ get to the transmitter and make it work we’d get out of this place.”
“We can’t,” Carter reminded her. “We don’t even know how this pirca barrier thing works.”
Da Rimini glared at him. “I thought you were pretty much an empty-head when I met you, an’ I haven’ seen nothing to make me change my mind.”
Carter smiled sweetly. “I love you too.”
“If you children can spare the time maybe we can think of somethin’ constructive to do,” Ashwood snapped.
“I already have,” Fewick announced. “To wit, sampling the native cuisine, which is hearty and flavorful if not particularly subtle.”
“How can you think about food?” Igor asked him.
“I am am somewhat kin to the stegosaurus, my bucolic Peruvian friend, in that I have two brains. The one in my head deals with such as you while the one in my belly joyfully occupies itself in the unending pursuit of gourmandish analysis. I see no reason to alter this division of labor so long as we are trapped here.” He gazed through the barrier.
“Meanwhile it might be well to contemplate the possibility that the manner of our hosts’ inquiry may be other than balsamic. The Incas were known to have done unpleasant things to reluctant prisoners. Making flutes out of their bones, for example. Do not be so hasty to envy our absent associates.”
The elected nobles and scientific representatives who had gathered in the conference chamber were arguing heatedly among themselves while the bemused Fernández brothers sat off to one side, trying to follow as much of the babble as they could. The translators they had been given were not perfect and these descendants of their forefathers utilized terms neither man understood.
One did not have to be a linguist, however, to recognize rampant disagreement.
One older noble rose, his remarkable iridescent gray tunic glistening like an Irish beach beneath the overhead lights.
“I think this proposal is a waste of time and resources, and I will vote against it. In the centuries since we fled Earth we have raised here a greater civilization than ever our ancestors dreamed of, peaceful and prosperous.” He looked around the table.
“Let the past lie. If we embark upon this course some of you favor, who can guarantee that we will not open ourselves to reconquest by the viracochas? Our population is sophisticated and well defended but not that large.” He gestured in the direction of the Fernández brothers. “You have heard the testimony of these two. The Earth is overpopulated, bursting at its seams. We have much empty fertile, temperate land and other humans a hunger for empty places. Is it worth risking everything we have achieved to gain revenge for injustices perpetrated so long ago?”
“There is no risk.” The speaker who rose wore a red uniform. “Only we understand the operation of the transmitters. If these two tell the truth, we have now under our control the only viracochas who are aware of its existence. We can attack in secret and if necessary retreat by the same means. The danger is minimal. It will be less so once we have occupied and fortified the ancient base at Nazca.”
“Base?” blurted a startled Manco Fernández. “There’s nothing at Nazca but treasure and caves.”
The man in the red uniform turned to look at him. “Did you explore all the caverns, all the passage-ways?”
“Well, no. We found a lot of other tunnels leading off in different directions that we didn’t have the time to inspect.”
The man nodded. “Below the upper rooms are the vast caverns utilized by our ancestors. Or did you think that we moved tens of thousands of people through the single small transmitter by which you arrived? There is at Nazca another transmitter constructed by Those-Who-Came-Before, one much bigger than that which transported you here. We believe it was built to move large cargoes. We made good use of it before it too stopped working. If it is also functioning again we will make better use of it still.” He regarded his colleagues.
“Once the ancient Nazca base is secured our assault force will be impregnable. Then we can dictate whatever terms of revenge we desire.”
“Just one thing,” said Manco. “Those people who accompanied us? The viracochas? I wouldn’t trust anything they say. You know how viracochas are.”
