Damien Broderick - Strange Attractors

stood, feet apart,
hands behind his back.
Ilena came in carrying a glass. ‘T hat’s right’, she said. ‘You
mustn’t be on there when the chair goes.’ The Desousans glanced
quickly away from her, back to Geffe. ‘Your ears can be hurt, your
retinas. There can be genetic damage.’
Geffe nodded the two to block her passage, but she advanced
holding the glass, and they, unable to meet her eyes, backed
awkwardly until they again stepped upon the metal disc. Glances to
Geffe for help. In exasperation he nodded them away and Ilena
brought the drink to Bernheddin.
‘Here.’
‘Thanks.’
They spoke quietly. The others watched them. Fruit juice, cool
and tart. It cut away the acrid taste that lined his mouth. ‘Sulphur,
isn’t it?’
‘Yes, the cone is active.’
He found her eyes fascinating. Different from boys’ eyes. He
thought she was not much older than Clouis. ‘Smoky? This brown
light
‘It’s all across the sky. Haven’t you heard it?’
He realised that he had. Crepitations originating out in the bay.
They penetrated the walls and foundations of the villa.
They started to speak together —
She: ‘W hat are you going to . . . ?’
He: ‘W hat are you do . . . ?’
— and laughed.
‘M r Haase . . . ’ she said.
‘Yes?’
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Anthony Peacey
Clouis and Heavy were eyeing them with particularly obvious
distaste.
‘I came, you see . . . Paused. ‘Vajo za Amzon did not tell them
where you were. They only had to ask the cybernex.’
‘Yes, I realised that. They got here very quickly.’
‘They must have been on their way. Why doesn’t he say
anything?’ H er marvellous eyes darting to Geffe. Geffe waiting,
predatory but rather wooden.
‘They would rush us if they were less uneasy about the presence
of a female, an Earthian female. They may yet.’ And louder: ‘Ouoi,
my old friend, why don’t you take your boys and wait outside? I’ll be
out shortly.’
‘Have you decided?’ said Geffe harshly. ‘Then come now. W hat
can you have to say to this Earthian . . . lady?’
Bernheddin drawled, ‘Oh, we may wish to discuss the weather —
Earthian in comparison to Desousan. Are you — ’
T hunder cannonaded across water and cliffs, through the villa.
Then a vast hissing.
Recovering, Geffe said, ‘Come.’
‘Not for a minute.’ Bernheddin shook his head.
Geffe took a step forward. Ilena blocked him. He looked past
her. ‘We shall see what it is like,’ he said. ‘Be with us quickly.’ And
went out.
‘Amazing!’ said Bernheddin.
The other Desousans followed him, except Feet-apart-hands-
behind, who did not move and wore no expression.
‘Are you going?’ she asked Bernheddin.
‘No.’
She whispered in his ear, breath, lips, hot and moist, touching
his skin. Coordinates, midnight, a shrine of Athene in the hills outside the Athens of Pericles. Wait for her.
His enjoyment of these moments of intimacy turned to fear. ‘No.
You know I cannot do anything for you,’ he said. ‘You know I cannot
love you.’
‘Why do you think I chose Athens?’ Still she caressed his ear, arm
around his shoulders.
‘Then why do you have to come?’
‘To bring you clothes and money, silly.’
‘Is that all?’
‘W hat have you heard about Earth people? You know we do what
we want.’
7 'imc and flowers
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‘Not this. Lord za Amzon would scarcely approve;
‘T hat’s got nothing to do with it.’
‘Could you get back?’
‘O f course.’
But she would have to be persuaded.
‘Will you go?’ she said.
‘Fetch me Clouis.’ And when she hesitated, ‘To say goodbye.’
The floor was trembling as Clouis came in, and the chair which
Rernheddin would not leave.
The boy was distant. After a moment he said, ‘Well?’
‘Clouis, I want to say goodbye.’
Outside the Earth roared.
‘I don’t think / want to say anything to you.’
It was a stomach blow. Bernheddin could think of no reply.
Clouis turned and passed beneath the arch, which was shaking.
It got suddenly darker. The immobile Desousan slid his eyes
whitely towards the arch just as Ilena ran in. H er dress seemed
faintly luminous, the colours bizarre.
‘Bernheddin!’
‘Yes, I’m going. You must get away from here.’
She fell on him, kissed him. ‘You will meet me?’
‘Yes, yes.’
There was a tremendous explosion that rolled and reverberated
around sky, sea, islands.
‘Go, Ilena, go. O r I shall get out of this chair and give it to you.’
‘I won’t be long,’ she said.
The arch had cracked. Something crashed elsewhere in the villa.
Geffe and his men swirled around Ilena as she was leaving.
‘Bernheddin, get away!’ she shouted.
They were on the disc, Geffe foremost.
He touched the contact pads.
Sat on the edge of the silent estuary, gazing bemusedly at the
silent lagoons. He seemed