Reboot Session 1 (or Session 124) - SCENE FOUR
On the other side of the portal there were scraping, snuffling and grunting sounds. Leon reiterated his warning to keep eyes closed before Uru's cloud went down. He also warned them to prepare for movement, shortly before they were lifted bodily into the air. Gupta could not keep her eyes closed and glanced down briefly:
They were being flown out of an open-topped cage formed of thick, rib-like bars around a teleportation circle. The cage was in a pit full of large, six-legged, low-bellied lizards, whose baleful gaze Porras sought to avoid, quickly scrunching her eyes closed again. She felt her body stiffening, but a sidelong glance at the basilisks had not been enough to cause her real harm. Quite the security measure!
They were lowered down and Leon said they were safe now. Eyes open, they were greeted by several gaunt, mottled, diminutive men whom Gupta recognised from legend as the maustin caji or gith. They welcomed Leon in halting common and he explained Gupta's presence apologetically. It was agreed that they would take care of Campion Price-Hill and transport him 'up the valley' more slowly. But for Uru, Leon and Gupta, speed was of the essence. They found themselves being relay-propelled, telekinetically flown from person to person - each a gith poised on some rocky outcropping on one side or the other of a steep-sided mountain pass. It was exhilerating and terrifying.
At length they arrived high up in a vertiginous wooded valley. Above, snowy peaks; below, a long, narrow mountain lake that wound its way into the distance. Dotted here and there were beautiful stone buildings that complemented the landscape and foliage. They came to one that was a hive of activity: a dozen or more human and gith children at play, including one - perhaps the youngest - who stood out: a three-year-old black kid whose skin was traced with glowing filigree patterns. The children stopped to look at Leon and the two newcomers and call out greetings. A dark-skinned, matronly woman - a Cloudwood native by the look of her - took charge of the children and bid them let the adults pass. (This was Ayesha, Matunaaga's wife.)
Inside the building they found Marshal Baldrey Korrigan! Gupta recognised him from his rally in Dawn Square. Korrigan had always been a hero of hers. Her heart began to beat faster as he broke away from the game of chess he was playing with an elder gith (Chenu, Matunaaga's father) and first greeted Uru (who now took the form of a little boy in RHC uniform) with a sharp salute.
"Keep an eye on Stover Delft," said Uru, repeating back to Korrigan his final orders from three years ago (and in his own voice too). Korrigan greeted Uru warmly and thanked him for his dogged service. It transpired that Uru had brought news of Gupta's newspaper article to the attention of Korrigan & Co. Not only that, but he had shadowed Gupta every step of the way from Flint (undetected through two teleportation circles)!
Gupta received a brief nod of introduction, but Leon was keen to report back with news of his reconnaissance: The Lux Profectusque had docked in Seobriga early that morning: “If the Ob are in Seobriga- and aggressively so - there must be a reason we need Tinker Oddcog. Time to reveal our hand, and to mobilize.”
Korrigan nodded. Three years in hiding, biding his time. For the safety of his son, and of Malthusius' reincarnation, they had come here to this hidden place - the valley of the gith, Matunaaga's people. Here deep veins of iron, gold and salt prevented all manner of intrusion, and elder matrons worked in continual shifts to shield the place from divination. (The gith had once been slaves, and were not eager to repeat the experience.) Only Uru and Leon could roam free, protected by their respective ranks within the Unseen Court, and each had worked tirelessly to track down further leads. But to no avail, until now.
Korrigan made his mind up quickly, gave a nod and said, "Let's go." They had planned for this moment, and were ready.
Leon and Uru walked up the valley to find Conquo crouched outside of a maustin temple, poring over an ancient scroll - an incongruously delecate thing in the hands of this immense, simian golem. Doctor Meredith was irked at this interruption to her study of Deep Speech, but Conquo obeyed Leon's commands without question (and remembered to say hello to Uru which is something Xambria forgot).
Korrigan found Matunaaga fishing, with Uriel watching and offering unhelpful advice, has shadow on the water spooking the fish. Korrigan said they were leaving. Uriel wanted to come. “You’re staying here with Matunaaga.”
Matunaaga said, “You're sure you don’t need me?”
“Come when you’re ready. Or when we really need you. Whichever comes first. In the meantime, focus on training your cadre of glaives. We want our children to be safe.” Korrigan knew that it took Matunaaga a long time to ready his mind for conflict, but once his meditations were done there was no warrior more capable. And so they bid farewell.
On the way back up the hill, Korrigan explained to Gupta that it was his intention to send her back to Flint, or better yet, leave her here so no Obscurati spy could learn of their whereabouts. She began to object, citing her personal stake in the mission; her orders from Delft, Cyneburg, Lee and Price-Hill; even going so far as to use the emotional appeal of having regarded Korrigan as a hero for many years and jumping at the chance to join him. Korrigan was still ruminating when they met up with Leon, Uru and Conquo. A debate ensued. Conquo (who was by now covered in clambering children, all begging him to stay) immediately took Gupta's side, although he wasn't sure why. Xambria also spoke up for her once the facts of the case became clear. Leon stayed silent, but Uru also spoke up for Gupta: she was the one who found the clue, after all. Gupta spoke of her local knowledge and her contacts and eventually Korrigan relented: They would take her as far as Seobriga and access her contacts. But no further. They couldn't afford a weak link. (No one said this, but that's what everyone was thinking.) Campion Price-Hill was also discussed. He would be nursed back to health by Ayesha but only returned to Flint once the element of surprise had passed. There was some talk of finally letting Delft know what they were up to, but this was dismissed for the time being for the same reason. And so they shouldered their packs and set off out of the valley, where teleportation was possible.
As they head back up the hill, Leon asked: “What about Rumdoom?”
Korrigan said: “I spoke with him via sending. He’s on his way, but won’t be with us for a while. He’s developed a philosophical objection to teleportation, so he’s coming via ship from Trekhom. It’s a luxury liner, so it won’t be quick, I'm afraid.”
Everybody laughed like they do at the end of an episode of a seventies cop show.
End of session.