Susan's Tale, Part 4b

She led us through the entrance her daughter had made, into a passage that led steeply downward. I noticed the warriors stayed right by us. The walls here were different, and I borrowed the match to take a closer look. Holding it up I could see that the earth was covered with a thin layer of a glistening, semi-transparent substance. One of the others tapped me on the arm, and gave me a pale, glowing globe.

"Please use this light instead of your own? Its brightness pains us."

"Of course, of course," said Grandfather. He took the match and blew it out; I found I could actually see better. The light intensity was lower, but it was also more diffuse, allowing the eyes to adjust better. I could even make out the patterns on the carapace of the creature who had produced the globe - they were intricate, full of whorls and circles, and in an odd way they reminded me of home.

"Your markings are very beautiful," I said. He gave a little shake, possibly a sign of embarrassment.

"Thank you. They are very fresh because it is only two cycles since my change; I am the youngest in my patrol, apart from the excavators."

"Do you mean the children?" He nodded, a very human gesture. "I was wanting to ask about them. How do they make these tunnels?"

"How do you mean? In the usual way, of course. They pass the earth through their bodies where it is compacted and mixed with various secretions that harden as it is pressed against the walls, to stop it falling in again." I made a disgusted noise, and Grandfather chuckled; fortunately our companion didn't notice. "Here, of course, we are only making temporary passageways, so the excavators don't chew on the wood beforehand -"

"I knew it was paper!" I exclaimed. It was rather shrill; I hated that about my voice. Several guards turned to look, and I felt my face turning red. Not that anyone would see. Grandfather put an arm around me, gently. "I think we've reached our destination," he said, tactfully.

"I am called Chot," whispered my new friend; and then we were stepping out of the tunnel and into a chamber.

"This is one of our nurseries," said the matron. I could tell this, because there were hexagonal banks of racks on the walls, a bit like a beehive but more designed, somehow. There were also sculptures and bas-reliefs, and another group of the beetle people on guard. Only a few of the egg spaces were occupied, but it was obvious how much they had invested in their children, and I felt tears welling up at the thought of what they had been going through.

"We have to keep the children hidden as well as we can, so the nurseries are only connected to the main tunnel network temporarily, when we require access. It means that they do not get quite enough air, but the alternative is worse." She stamped her spear on the ground. "Yet still it is not enough! Somehow the killers always find their way in. We do not know what more we can do."

The talk of people wearing armour earlier had made me wonder if the attackers were advanced technologically, so I immediately thought of densitometers. They could have full, three-dimensional maps of the Nest; if so, all the hiding in the world would achieve nothing. Grandfather was wandering through the chamber, admiring the artwork; he didn't seem to have heard, though I knew he would have been listening carefully and would be formulating a plan. Still, the matron seemed to be waiting for a response, so I gulped back my tears.

"Have you thought about moving? Or digging deeper, so they can't get to you as easily?"

The matron shook her head. "The excavators cannot go any further down because the ground is too hard. And moving to a new Nest is out of the question. We can only go out at night, and are even more vulnerable on the surface." She sighed. "This was the perfect place, settled seventeen generations before me. It is an area rich in everything we need. We counted ourselves so lucky to be here."

"Until your kind came," interjected K'tak.

"Quite astonishing," said Grandfather. We all turned to stare at him; he was admiring one of the statues. After a moment he looked up as if surprised by the attention, though he didn't fool me for a moment.

"This carving is made by your excavators, correct?" I hadn't realised because I had been concentrating on other things; now, looking closer, I could see it was like papier-mâché, the same substance as the walls. It was finely detailed.

The matron was nodding. "All our artists are from the excavator phase," she said, "but what has this to do with our problem?"

"Hm? Nothing, probably nothing. It's just - well, never mind." He stood up straight. "The solution to your problem is simple. Susan and I must return to the surface, contact your enemies, and make them see the error of their ways. Hopefully they will listen to us as beings of similar form; and if they do not - well, then I shall just have to improvise, shan't I?"

"Matron," said K'tak, "do not listen to them! They will betray us at the first opportunity!"

"How can they betray us, K'tak? Their people always find the nurseries anyway, so what can they say that can possibly make anything any worse for us? No, it is time to take a chance; and I believe these two are our best opportunity."

Grandfather bowed again. "Madam, I thank you for your trust. May I take a small carving, perhaps this one?" He indicated a six-inch high model in one of the egg spaces. The matron nodded her assent. "Then I believe it is time to go."

A small group assembled: the matron, K'tak, Chot, two other guards, one excavator, Grandfather, and myself. We were just about to leave when there was another earth tremor.

"Softening us up," muttered Grandfather. We waited until everything was still then set off down the tunnel, the excavator sealing it shut behind us. Chot positioned himself beside me.

"Tell me what it is like living on the surface?"

I thought for a moment. How could I explain it to someone who couldn't even stand to be in daylight? "Well, Chot, we are travellers, and we see all kinds of different places. Some are brighter than you could imagine, some are darker than this tunnel; some are full of life, while some are completely barren. It just depends where we happen to end up."

"But which one is your home?"

"My original home is a long way away, and I don't suppose I'll ever see it again. But I've made a home in the TARDIS."

"TARDIS?"

"Our ship. It looks like a box from the outside but it's really very comfortable with plenty of space for all of us."

"So it is like a Nest?"

I thought about this, and smiled. "I suppose it is, in a way."

He nodded. "Then you are not so different, really."

The conversation continued, and it wasn't too long before we reached the highest levels. Then the rumbling began again, but this time the ground shook more violently. Grandfather and I dropped onto our hands and knees; most of the Nest people did the equivalent, though they seemed more comfortable than we on all fours. Then the roof came down in front of us, landing on top of the matron, who screamed once, then went silent. A group of about half a dozen armoured humanoids clambered down through the opening.

In the sudden light of day K'tak turned and glared at us. "I knew it! You have betrayed us, and now the matron is dead! I will kill you for that!" He leaped towards us, spear at the ready...

Oh, look at you - you're almost asleep, aren't you? Don't worry, I'll tell you what happened with the people of the Nest another day, how Grandfather and I finally met up with Ian and Barbara again; but we've gone past the part of the tale that made the biggest impression on me, that my mind hooked onto in its delirious state. There's only a little more I want to say for now. it won't take long.

Next Time:
A side trip to examine The Longest Story in the World...