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by the hundred； flickering around the walking trees； shielding them。 Thousands of things that leaped and hopped and glided and flopped and flew。 So gruesome and wondrous a sight。
On the westward leg of our circle I spied the imperial force； two thousand men in a phalanx on the foreslope of a ridge a mile ahead of the Rebel。 A joke； them standing against Darling。
A few bold mantas cruised the edge of the null； sniping with bolts that fell short or just missed。 I judged Darling herself to be aboard a wind whale about a thousand feet up。 She had grown stronger； for her null's diameter had expanded since my departure from the Plain。 All that bewildering Rebel array marched within its protection。
The Lady had called us pathfinders。 Our carpet was not equipped like the others； but I did not know what she meant。 Till she did it。
We climbed straight up。 Little black balls trailing streamers of red or blue smoke scattered behind us； shoveled overboard hastily by the old sergeant。 Must have been three hundred。 The smoke balls scattered； hovered just feet short of the null。 So。 Markers by which the Taken could navigate。
And here they came。 Way up； the smaller surrounding the W formation of bigs。
The men on the bigs began releasing the giant pots。 Down； down； down went a score。 We followed； sliding along outside the smudge pots。 As they plummeted； the flowerpots turned pole…downward。 Mantas and whales slid out of their way。
When the pole hit ground it drove a plunger。 The paraffin seals burst。 Liquid squirted。 The plunger hit a striker。 The fluid ignited。 Gouts of fire。 And when that fire reached something inside the pots； they exploded。 Shards cut down men and monsters。
I watched the blooming of those flowers of fire； aghast。
Above； the Taken wheeled for a second pass。 There was no magic in this。 The null was useless。
The second fall drew lightning from whales and mantas。 Their first few successes cured them； though； for the pots they hit exploded in the air。 Mantas went down。 One whale was in grave trouble till others maneuvered overhead and sprayed it with ballast water。
The Taken made a third pass； again dropping pots。 They would hammer Darling's troops into slime unless she did something。
She went up after the Taken。
The smoke pots slid around the flanks of the null； outlining it pletely。
The Lady climbed at shrieking speed。
The W of bigs went away。 The smaller carpets took on more altitude。 The Lady brought us into position behind Whisper and The Limper。 Clearly； she had anticipated Darling's response。
My emotions were mixed； to say the least。
Whisper's carpet tipped its nose downward。 Limper followed。 Then the Lady。 Others of the Taken followed us。
Whisper dove toward one especially monstrous windwhale。 Faster and faster she flew。 Three hundred yards from the null two thirty…foot spears ripped away from her carpet； impelled by sorcery。 When they hit the null they continued on in a normal ballistic trajectory。
Whisper made no effort to avoid the null。 Into it she plunged； the man in her second seat guiding the carpet's fall wilh those fish fins。
Whisper's spears struck near the windwhale's head。 Both burst into flames。
Fire is anathema to those monsters； for the gas that lifts them is violently explosive。
The Limper trailed Whisper with elan。 He loosed two spears outside the null and another two inside； just dropped as his second…seat man took the carpet within inches of the windwhale。
Only one lance failed to strike home。
The whale had five fires burning upon its back。
Storms of lightning crackled round Whisper and Limper。
Then we hit the null。 Our buoying spells failed。 Panic snatched at me。 Up to me？ 。 。 。
We were headed for the burning whale。 I jerked and banged and kicked levers。
〃Not so violently！〃 the Lady yelled。 〃Smoothly。 Gently。〃
I got it in hand as the whale roared upward past us。
Lightning crackled。 We passed between two smaller whales。 They missed us。 The Lady discharged her little ballista。 Its bolt struck one of those monsters。 What the hell was the point？ I wondered。 That was not a bee sting to one of them。
But that quarrel had a wire attached； running off a reel 。 。 。
Wham！
I was blinded momentarily。 My hair crackled。 Direct hit from a manta bolt 。 。 。 We're dead； I thought。
The metal cage surrounding us absorbed the lightning's energy and passed it along the unwinding wire。
A manta was on our tail； only yards behind。 The sergeant ripped off a shaft。 It look our pursuer under the wing。 The beast began to slide and flutter like a one…winged butterfly。
〃Watch where we're going！〃 the Lady yelled。 I turned around。 A windwhale back rushed toward us。 Fledgling mantas scurried in panic。 Rebel bowmen threw up a barrage of arrows。
I hit and yanked every damned lever and pedal； and pissed my pants。 Maybe that did it。 We scraped the thing's flank； but did not crash。
Now the damned carpet began spinning and tumbling。 Earth； sky； windwhales swirled around us。 In one glimpse； way up； I saw a windwhale's side explode； saw the monster fold in the middle； raining gobbets of fire。 Two more whales trailed smoke 。 。 。 But it was a picture there and gone in a moment。 I could find none of it when the carpet again rolled to where I could see the sky。
We began our plunge from high enough that I had time to calm down。 I fiddled with levers and pedals； got some of the wild spin off 。 。 。
Then it did not matter。 We were out of the null and it was the Lady's craft again。
I looked back to see how the sergeant was。 He gave me a dirty look； shook his head pityingly。
The look the Lady gave me was not encouraging either。
We climbed and moved westward。 The Taken assembled； observed the results of their attack。
Only the one windwhale was destroyed。 The other two managed to get under friends who doused them with ballast water。 Even so； the survivors were demoralized。 They had done the Taken no injury at all。
Still； they came on。
This time the Taken dropped to the surface and attacked from below； building speed from several miles away； then curving up through the null。 I maneuvered between whales with a more delicate hand but still fell dangerously near the ground。
〃What are we doing this for？〃 I yelled。 We were not attacking； we were just following Whisper and Limper。
〃For the hell of it。 For the sheer hell of it。 And so you can write about it。〃
〃I'll fake it。〃
She laughed。
We went high and circled。
Darling took the whales back down。 That second pass slew two more。 Down low the Taken could not throw themselves all the way through the null。 None but Limper； that is。 He played the daredevil。 He backed off five miles and built a tremendous velocity before hitting the null。
He made that pass while the bigs were dropping the last of their pots。
I've never heard Darling called stupid。 She did not do the stupid thing this time。
Despite all the flash and excitement； it was clear that she could； if she wanted； press on to Horse。 The Taken had expended most of their munitions。 Limper and the bigs were headed back to rearm。 The others circled 。 。 。 Horse was Darling's if she was willing to pay the price。
She decided it was too dear。
Wise choice。 My guess is； it would have cost her half her force。 And windwhales are too rare to give up for a prize so insignificant。
She turned back。
The Lady broke away and let her go； though she could have maintained the attacks almost indefinitely。
We touched down。 I scrambled over the side even before the Lady and in a calculated； melodramatic gesture； kissed the ground。 She laughed。
She had had a great time。
〃You let them go。〃
〃I made my point。〃
〃She'll shift tactics。〃
〃Of course she will。 But for the moment the hammer is in my hand。 By not using it I've told her something。 She'll have thought it over by the time we get there。〃
〃I suppose。〃
〃You didn't do badly for a novice。 Go get drunk or something。 And stay out of Limper's way。〃
〃Yeah。〃
What I did was go to the quarters assigned me and try to stop shaking。
Chapter Forty…Two： HOMEING
The Lady and I entered the Plain of Fear twelve days after the aerial skirmish near Horse。 We traveled on horseback； on second…grade nags； along the old trade trail the denizens of the Plain respect with free passage most of the time。 Clad in castoffs； for the trail； the Lady was no longer a beauty。 No kick…out…of…bed dog； but no eye…catcher。
We entered the Plain aware that by a pessimistic estimate； we had about three months before the Great Tragic River opened the Great Barrow。
The menhirs noted our presence immediately。 I sensed them out there； observing。 I had to point it out。 For this venture the Lady had schooled herself to eschew anything but the most direct and raw sensory input。 She would train herself to mortal ways during our ride so she would make no mistake once we reached the Hole。
The woman has guts。
I guess anyone willing to play heads…up power games with the Dominator has to have them。
I ignored the lurking menhirs and concentrated on explaining the ways of the Plain； revealing the