The Garments of Caean

‘The economy of the rings is centrally directed and rests on communal decisions alone. Food, fuel, artifacts and services are distributed free, every individual sharing in their production as a matter of obligation. This unusual arrangement possibly springs from the early Russian economy, which also prized group activity above individual enterprise. On the other hand it could have arisen as the best answer to the difficulties of wresting survival from extra-planetary surroundings.

‘We have found out why it is that the metalloids frequently emit UHF. It seems that these emissions are emotional, non-verbal communications. The Sovyans, of course, are unable to communicate by facial expression, possessing nothing you would care to own as a face. We surmise that these UHF transmissions compensate for this deficiency.’

He broke off as Amara suddenly spoke to him. ‘Sarkisov is getting hostile,’ she said. ‘Do you think I’ve pushed him too far?’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘He’s been going on about Verednyev again. Claims we’ve got him in a Faraday cage!’ She sounded annoyed.

‘We have got him in a Faraday cage,’ Estru said resignedly. ‘If you think we’re in danger I’ll call Captain Wilce.’

She seemed not to have heard him. ‘There’s something going on,’ she said excitedly. ‘I think he’s talking to someone a long way off. See if you can pick it up, Estru.’

Obediently he tuned his receiver, more elaborate than hers, up and down the scale, trying to find the wavelength Sarkisov was using. Whistlings and hummings, together with momentary babbles of Sovyan Russian, the living background of the rings, assailed his ears. Finally he pin-pointed a transmission which appeared to be beamed directly this way. Several voices were speaking on it, but from the rapid talk he picked out one repeated word.

Kiborg – Kiborg – Kiborg.

Cyborg!

Abruptly the voices stopped. Sarkisov’s head section rotated slightly, as though searching the sky.

Amara spoke up brightly in Sovyan. ‘Well then, we’d be interested in seeing some more public utility installations. What about—’ But Sarkisov cut her off.

‘Instead I would like to see the inside of your installations, the Callan,’ he said brusquely.

‘Well, it’s difficult …’ she said slowly.

‘Where is the difficulty? Our comrade Alexei Verednyev is already there – as a prisoner!’

‘No, no, not a prisoner,’ objected Amara. ‘He is with us by choice. You have spoken to him!’

‘He speaks only when you take him out of the Faraday cage. The rest of the time you keep him in the cage so we cannot hear him. What would you tell us if he could speak freely?’

‘He is not in a Faraday cage,’ Amara lied.

‘I will tell you what I think,’ the Sovyan said calmly. ‘You have told us you are our cousins, creatures like us from a far star. We have accepted your word and answered your questions, expecting to learn of your people in return. But perhaps you have deceived us. It is possible you are cyborgs wearing body-masks, seeking to trick information on Domashnabaza out of us.’

‘Your surmise is completely unjustified,’ she told him. Then she made an aside to Estru. ‘Better call Captain Wilce.’

But before he could do anything Wilce’s own voice came through his earphones. ‘Is anything happening out there? We are being surrounded by Sovyan militia. They have some heavy equipment.’

Sarkisov spoke again. ‘Well, in any case we must take you to a place of safety. There has been a large cyborg attack and there is fighting nearby.’

‘We are sorry to hear it. But we would prefer to withdraw to our ship,’ Amara said coldly.

‘Out of the question. Follow me, please.’

Estru replied to Wilce, ‘We have trouble too, Captain. I think we are being arrested on suspicion of being cyborg spies. We need a rescue party.’

‘Very well.’ Wilce’s tone was clipped and efficient. ‘We’ll pull you out.’

With astonishing speed, four more Sovyans now jetted in to assist Sarkisov. It was useless to try to escape the towering metalloids; compliantly Amara and Estru obeyed Sarkisov’s order and rose from the surface of the asteroid, to be escorted at high velocity on a winding path through the shining rubble.

The journey lasted several minutes, until finally there loomed ahead of them one of the few wholly artificial structures Estru had seen in the rings. It was a huge metal dodecahedron, drifting among the rocks like a giant shimmering diatom, all of two hundred yards in diameter. Suit-men flitted through a single huge portal, reminding Estru of the entrance to a beehive.

He heard Captain Wilce again. ‘I’m sorry, but we’re having trouble getting a party to you. We are under attack ourselves. What’s your situation?’

‘We are approaching a big artificial asteroid,’ Estru told him. ‘Can you see it?’

‘Yes, we have been tracking you. Are you in any immediate danger?’

‘It’s hard to say how decided the Sovyans’ conclusions about us are. It seems the rings have just come under cyborg attack, which has made them edgy.’

‘Understandable. Keep me informed.’