Deeper Darker

Book 2: Chapter 40: Ledge Lord

Third Quadrant.

Asteroid Tethari.

Unknown Antecessor Site.

This is amazing, said Ubik. Look at it. Isnt it beautiful?

The large alien head hung in the air beyond the ledge the four of them had climbed to. The concentric circles in its black eyes had stopped moving; its squared scalp was resolutely inhuman; the magnified pores on its blue-grey skin giving its face the appearance of a topographical map.

The possibilities were endless. The secrets it held might change everything.

I wouldnt call it beautiful, said PT.

Shallow, said Ubik, shaking his head. You have no taste. Youre judging the aesthetic of an alien culture with the palate of a man who thinks mashed potatoes and soft-chew steak are the high-point of human achievement.

I have no idea what point youre making, said PT, but if youre trying to make me feel hungry, youre doing an excellent job. Give me a sandwich.

I dont have any left, said Ubik.

Sure, said PT. Sure you dont.

Its the truth. I gave my last one to Nif. Tell him.

He yes, Mr Ubik did, said Nifell. His eyes were transfixed on the large head, awe and horror competing for real estate on his face.

PT walked up to the edge of the platform, to the side of the stairs they had ascended, and stared up at the image. He seemed far less impressed. Its waiting for us to choose.

One moment, said Fig. Let me run a few scans.

Good idea, said Ubik. Something this advanced can probably kill you instantly if you make a wrong move. We need to show respect for an older and more advanced civilisation.

You want to show respect? said PT. You mean you want to steal their tech.

Tech? This is more important than gadgets and knickknacks. This is first contact with an alien species. Well, a recording of one.

There were three coloured circles below the head. They looked to be red, yellow and green. Were you supposed to name the colour or was it non-verbal? He reached out a hand, finger pointing at the first button, to see if the buttons would react to movement.

PT slapped Ubiks hand down. Dont touch anything.

Im nowhere near it, said Ubik, shaking the slapped wrist. Arent you excited? This is the greatest discovery of the last fifty years. Maybe even the last hundred years.

I discovered a new Antecessor sigil a few days ago, said Fig without looking up. So its really only the greatest discovery this week.

A sigil? What was it, a few squiggly lines? This is the face of the Antecessors!

I dont think so, said PT.

Could be, said Fig. Probably not.

Of course it is, said Ubik. This is the mystery solved. Who were they? What did they look like? What happened to them? All of the answers are here. Have you any idea what the people out there would give to have access to this beautiful face? Have you any idea what theyd do? To us? Rip us to pieces and put us back together so they could do it again. Oh, if they were ready to do us harm before, now theyll do it twice as hard and poke our eyes out, too. We have the thing everyone wants, and everyone is going to tear off our heads and stick their

Alright, we get the picture, said PT. Calm down, youre upsetting Nifell.

Whats the timer? said Nifell, his eyes bugging out. What happens when it hits zero? How long have we got?

The numbers above the head were still counting down. There were sixteen digits, the three on the far left all zero. The three on the right were the only ones changing, the furthest right faster than once a second, the one next to it slower than once a second and the one next to that slower than once a minute.

It wasnt comparable to any known system of calculating time Ubik was aware of, but he felt he could get a rough idea of what it was indicating.

Id guess its somewhere between one year and one thousand years, said Ubik.

Fantastic, said PT. Whats the margin of error? Plus or minus infinity?

Im just giving the outside figures, said Ubik. You have to start on the outer edge and work your way in. This is how science works.

According to my scans, said Fig, eyes on the panel on his arm, theres nothing here. No energy signature, no light emission, nothing. It doesnt exist.

See? said Ubik. Light years ahead of anything we can do. Wheres it projected from? How did we hear what it said? How did it learn our language?

Its being projected from up there. PT pointed at the dark roof of the chamber they were in. We heard it through the bones in our ears, some sort of telepathy or maybe a vibrational communication device. And it learned our language from Fig when it hit him with the steam. Probably read his mind.

Thats just guessing, said Ubik.

Yes, said PT. Thats how science works. He looked up at the head. I dont like it. Something feels off.

Thats normal, said Ubik. When primitive man encounters something he doesnt understand, he will ascribe supernatural meaning to it.

No, said PT, I dont think its magic, I think this is all too easy for something hidden so carefully. We bypassed all the security systems the Antecessors put down, got straight here without any interference it doesnt add up.

Because were with him, said Ubik, pointing at Fig. Hes the one they want, you said so yourself.

I know what I said. It should still try to target the rest of us. Theres no plus one on his ticket. Or plus three.

Youre very paranoid, you know? said Ubik. If you keep trying to second guess yourself, youll never get anything done. We only have a limited time somewhere between one and one thousand years. Try being a little more spontaneous. Youll have more fun that way. Ill show you.

Ubik stepped to the front of the ledge and raised his hand.

No, dont

He ignored PTs protest and said, Red, please.

The eyes, vertically stacked in the middle of the alien face, shifted to become horizontal, a little too close together to be human but certainly less alien. The face took on a more intense expression.

Level of purity unacceptable.

Beams of blue light shot out of the eyes and struck Ubik in the chest. He was thrown into the air, flying across the platform and landing on his back.

His head was spinning but he wasnt badly hurt. The reduced gravity made falling a lot less painful, although his chest ached. Two heads appeared over him.

Nice suit, said Ubik. My compliments to the tailor.

Ill pass the message on, said Fig.

Nif, stay back, said PT. If Ubik bites it, well need you.

Its a little hurtful, said Ubik.

The beam of light? said PT.

No, you lining up my replacement. Its not like you have to worry about the nanodrones. Theyre not even here.

Sure, said PT. Sure, they arent.

What are you implying? said Ubik as he sat up, wincing at the pain in his chest. You can search me, if you like. I swear to you on my Grandmas life, I dont have a single nanodrone on me.

Ill try, said Fig. Might not want to kill me.

Or we could ignore it and see whats through the arch, said PT.

Really? said Ubik. And miss out on the answers to all of mankinds questions? The secrets of the universe right there in front of us, but youre in too much of a rush looking for the secrets of the universe?

Were not here to find the secrets of the universe, said PT. Were here to find Figs dad, remember? And sometimes knowing a secret isnt worth the price.

Its always worth the price, said Ubik.

Red, said Fig.

You are tainted. A beam shot out again and threw Fig backwards. Ubik rolled out of the way as Fig landed in his spot.

Ow, said Fig. That things got a bit of a kick.

Looks like their millennia-old death rays arent a match for our modern spacesuits, said PT.

Or, said Ubik, it isnt trying to kill us. Yet.

This obsession it has about purity, said Fig, sitting up. What do you think it means? Some sort of bloodline? A descendant?

I dont imagine its a good thing, said PT. People who demand racial purity are usually psychopaths. I would have thought Ubik was the closest thing to a distant relative.

Im one hundred percent human, said Ubik.

A hundred percent? said PT.

Maybe it wants an organic, said Ubik. A fully-active one.

But why let us in here if Fig isnt the one its looking for? said PT.

Because maybe this isnt an Antecessor? said Fig.

Right, said PT. Could be one of the other factions. We may be in the middle of a feud we know nothing about. We should just go. We arent going to get any answers here.

Or you could try your luck, said Ubik. Worst case, you get a kick in the chest like us.

No, thanks, said PT. If it didnt accept you two, it wont accept me.

Come on, man, just because theres nothing special about you doesnt mean Wait, wheres he going? Ubik was watching Nifell walk towards the edge of the platform.

I am pure, said Nifell. I am a true Enayan. I am untainted.

Whats he going on about? said Ubik.

Hes a member of the First Temple, said Fig. Its a sect on my planet. People who believe they are the true natives of Enaya.

Isnt everyone on your planet a settler? said PT.

Yes, said Fig. But they believe in a mystical presence on the planet that claims their souls.

Id better stop him, said PT.

No, said Ubik. Maybe hes right.

Oh, now you believe in the supernatural? said PT.

Wont hurt to see, said Ubik. Well, it wont hurt us.

Nifell stood with his arms raised. I ask the First to accept the true inheritors of Enaya.

You are pure. You are accepted.

Nifell was hit by a beam of blue light but unlike the others, he wasnt knocked down. The light bathed him and raised him into the air. Nifell had his arms out to the side and his head tilted back.

Which button did he press? asked Ubik.

None, said PT. I dont think hes getting any answers, either.

The giant head vanished and Nifell dropped back down, slow enough to land on his feet. He turned around.

We will enter the vault, said Nifell. His voice sounded very different. You will lead. He pointed at Fig.

I think someones getting a little too big for his boots, said Ubik.

PT grabbed the visor on Nifells helmet and pulled it up. His eyes were black with concentric circles. His arm shot out and sent PT flying into the wall.

I get it, said Ubik. It couldnt download itself into me or Fig. Not pure enough. Not simple enough. Good thing you didnt try, PT.

How do we stop it? said PT.

You will do as I command.

Can we get a couple of those answers first? said Ubik. You know, the secrets of the universe and the hunters and everything?

You will do as I command. Nifells eyes began to glow.

Okay, thats a no, then. Bye. Ubik waved his hand.

Nifell arched his back and convulsed. His head was thrown from side to side and his arms bent at unnatural angles.

I knew it, said PT. Those nanodrones. You put them in Nifs suit.

I needed somewhere safe to store them. Thats what you use a backup for, isnt it?

Nifell was lying on the floor, not moving.

But they dont work in low gravity, said Fig.

They behave differently inside a liquid, said Ubik.

Liquid? said PT. Wait, you fed them to him? In the sandwiches!

Nifell sat up. His eyes were pure black now. You will obey my commands.

He isnt dead, said PT.

Of course not, said Ubik. I wouldnt kill him. What kind of a monster do you think I am? Dont answer that. I just cut his optic nerves.

You blinded him, said PT.

Arrgh, cried out Nifell, his head turning from side to side. You will

I wont, said Ubik. But if you dont want to be stuck in the dark forever, I think its about time you answered some questions. Id like to press the red button, please.