Oberheim (Voices): A Chronicle of War

ngs on his mind. The survivors of the Marcum-Lauries colonies, his present charge, were scattered and in disarray. His own ship was

take the civilian ships to safety in Soviet Space. Where the others had turned in the wake of the dismal defeat he could n

t well enough, considering their numbers and outdated equipment. But they were no match for the grim machination

look: the knotted lacing of deep-cut ravines, the jagged mou

ing. Almost it had an aura of strangeness. If he hadn't been so desperately short of

led graphic of Centaurus III, Newman's Planet. Touching the fingerboard, he summoned all t

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k a deep breath. There were som

d. Fear of death was not only something he had never known, but something he had never understood in others. His Cherokee b

to land, and hope his breathing mask could make something of the stran

GHT THEM AGAIN

left and right outward toward the canyon. The way grew wider, more brothers, out into the serrated caves opening far above the valley, came to the broad ledge. As one the heads of twenty mai rose to watch the yellow flam

in

queen, others - not yet I think. But we must - brought to us - gods - no, too small - perhaps t

as the wind swept past his hawk nose and weathered features. His fa

ving waves from the dark and rocky soil. Before him lay the rock-strewn plain, beyond it long low hi

k those first breaths, sounding loudly through the intake bars of the mask. ALL RIGHT? It didn't taste just right, but the indicator on his sleeve

paces to look back at the mountains unobstructed. The rising sun had just cleared

hts, almost vertical. Of what stone they had been forged to so withstand the wind and weathering

ose description; but the shape of the body and the nature of its movements did not at first imply intelligen

with creased edges and corners, not unlike the rock. Crisp, tight-folded wings. He turned back toward the ship, but there was stayed by the will of whatever it was that came forward. He felt a sudden shame at his

addressed him. He saw then the bright orange-yellow ring, darkly filled, on the u

is our world, and it is not our way. But your death need not be without

n stood disbelievin

st!" he cried, feeling yet ag

t moved among the pebble-stones effortlessly, then realized also that his knife had grown, or at least appeared to grow. Its curved bl

man aimed a blow at the head, but Simin roll

would have guessed the size of it. For it was easy to feel the vast deserts the man had already crossed, and the final defeat showed clearly in

on's life. Then engulfed the top of the skull with massive, bowed jaws and cracked, lifte

ransformation taking place. The hard shell of his face softened, yielding gradually to a new shape: hawk nose, burning eyes. White hair streamed back from the auburn face, har

And for a time he could not move or think for the wonder of it. How

ce that loomed at the far side of the canyon. They detected some subtle change in him, though from that distance they could only descry a somewhat

ed on the ledge but remained at his distance, regarding them quietly. He addressed them, no longer needing t

come. Summo

persing to summon their queen, and all oth

the statued spires of the west wall. The moving shapes were dark in the lengthening shadows, and all looked up at him, perched silently atop the Carrier Stone. The first circle

sed, all joined and were silent. The queens approa

the queens sent out their messages. Joined forelegs and antennae, bent all their thought toward Simin, so that now h

hering strength as a river fed by many tributaries, rose into song that filled all the valley, and echoed in the hearts of ten thousand mai. From birth to death, the long struggles of his life were played out, rising an

d himself up. A voice rose out of his soul, but it was no longe

always risen inside me when persecution, in any form, is at hand. In this I claim no virtue, no heroism. This only will I say: that I have ever given my strength to those unable to defend themselves, the downtrod

ctories. For in time my soldiering became no long

n it will be as a man. And if by the loneliness that is my soul I can turn aside

mself, alone, Simin lowered his head, so deeply moved that the w

as. Do you ta

t, though I fe

will

ed back, and al

aik!" AGAINST THE EVIL

as ended, and the