第22节

Who knows? Might come up with some ideas..."

Cadillac didn't respond.

Malone looked at Steve. 'Let's say - just for argument's sake - you

captured a train. More or less in one piece. What would you and your

Mute friends do with it once you've got Roz and Clearwater away?"

'That's for Cadillac to say. But if you're asking me, they won't do

anything with it. By the time they've finished, there'll be nothing

left."

The news provoked a sigh of regret. 'Seems a shame a top-class

fighting vehicle like that. It's a pity you can't figure a way to get

your friends out and leave it more or less in one piece. If the

M'Calls took over Red River and let my boys help them run it. Hell -',

Malone grinned, '- the Federation really would have a fight on their

hands!" 'Yes, they would,' agreed Steve. 'And if you laid hands on a

few Skyhawks, Cadillac here knows how to fly."

'No kidding..."

'Yup. He's a real ace."

Unaware that Steve was watching him closely, Cadillac drew himself up,

his chest swelling like a mating cock-bird.

'And not only that! I designed and built rocket-powered planes for the

Iron Masters of Ne-Issan!" 'Did you now?" Malone turned to Steve.

'How come you didn't tell me about this back at the camp site?"

'I did mention he was something special."

'Yeah, but I didn't realize he was that special."

Steve shrugged. 'Like I said, it's a long story."

'Yeah, well, I think we've got a good thing going here."

Malone laid a fatherly hand on Cadillac's shoulder. 'How does this

sound, good buddy? Cut us in for a slice of the pie, and if we manage

to grab this wagon-train, you can be head of the air force!" Steve

laughed disgustedly. 'Aww, c'mon, guys, stop jerking off! This is a

pipe dream! There's no way the M'Calls could capture a wagon-train.

I'm not saying Mr Snow couldn't wreck one. He came pretty close to

doing that at the Now and Then River. But capturing one in working

order. hell!" He laughed again. 'Can you see a wagon-master lowering

the ramps to let a screaming bunch of Mutes on board?"

Malone's brow furrowed. 'No..."

'Exactly. It's a total waste of time to even think about it. Cadillac

and I have already been through this. That was what started the

argument which brought out the knives. I wanted to try and rescue

Roz.

He said it couldn't be done. And he was right."

'I didn't say it couldn't be done,' said Cadillac. 'I said I wasn't

prepared to waste the lives of'my clanfolk trying to rescue your

kin-sister."

'Whatever you say, Caddy. I'm not gonna argue with you any more. I

broke my blood-oath once and look what happened. I lost Clearwater."

'We both lost Clearwater. But she is not lost forever.

Thanks to you, she is alive - and has asked us to deliver her!"

'Aren't you forgetting the prophecy? Isn't she supposed to go into the

Federation? She asked Mr Snow if she would die in the darkness of

their world and he said, "No, you will live"."

'I am a wordsmith as well as a seer,' exclaimed Cadillac.

'I forget nothing. And only a seer can interpret the images he draws

from the stones. In speaking of you I said this: He will come in the

guise of a friend with Death hiding in his shadow and he will carry you

away on a river of blood. I said nothing about her going into the

Federation.

Clearwater just assumed that. In replying to her question - Am I to

die in the darkness of their world, or will I live to see the sun

again? - the Old One merely said she would live. He said nothing

about the dark cities."

'So she's not destined to go into the Federation..."

'Not in my reading. For me, the images apply to our time in

Ne-Issan.

You came in the guise of a friend, offering to help me, but you were

really planning to wreck my work." He held up a hand. 'No! Don't

interrupt! The death hiding in your shadow was your secret link with

the Federation who supplied the devices you used to destroy the Heron