Part 30: Freezing Point

Chapter 25: Freezing Point



A narrow pass led up through the mountains. Crossing the pass in the cold, thin mountain air was like climbing Uzo Island all over again. At least on Uzo it didn't snow. On the other hand, on Dezo I didn't have to scramble through dark caves searching for one of half a dozen nearly-identical plants, so maybe I should count my blessings.



As we reached the other side of the mountains and began to descend, a coniferous forest came into view on the other end of the eastern snowfield. On its outskirts stood another abandoned Palman settlement.



Just as in Zosa, the natives had moved in and claimed this town as their own. Considering that I've thoroughly looted every abandoned factory, lab, garbage dump, dam and mine I've been to so far, I guess I'm in no position to blame them for taking advantage of opportunities.



"Kain, I owe you an apology. You're not the biggest idiot I've ever met. This guy is at least a foot taller than you, even without the hat."



Apparently, to the natives, "hot" meant "only cold enough to almost give me frostbite". That would be a good thing to remember if one of them ever offered me a hot beverage.



We did leave behind an empty town for you people to live in, you know. A little gratitude wouldn't be out of order.



I invested in a new pair of boots for each of us, but there wasn't much else of interest at the local armour shop. The weapon shop, on the other hand, offered Laconian swords.



I tried a few practice swings with each sword, testing them for grip and balance, before settling on one that felt best. It was a weapon crafted with obvious skill and passion, with a razor-sharp blade a little under four feet long and a decorative guard in the shape of a winged serpent eating its own tail.

I had a new weapon. Now, all I needed was a chance to test it.



Another variety of those ape-creatures lurked in the forest, hoping to make an easy meal out of us. Naturally, I had other ideas.



My new sword tasted its first blood, and it was every bit as deadly as I'd hoped. Any monster or robot without heavy armour would fall easily to this blade.

Our visit to Ryuon had been productive in one way, but the natives had never heard of the man we were looking for. We were no closer to our goal.

"Well, we've done all we can here," I said. "Unless anyone has further business in Ryuon, it's time to go back to Skure and try to find a route to another town."

Rudo frowned. "Listen, Rolf, it looks to me like you're sending us on a wild goose chase. Even if this man exists, we've got a whole planet to search. Our odds of finding him aren't good. I think it's time to cut our losses and decide on a new plan of action."

"I'm inclined to agree with Rudo," Hugh said. "Our only source of information on this man is from a single disreputable individual, and even he seemed to know little about him. Are you certain he exists?"

"Hang on, everyone," I said. "I know we've been to two towns so far and found nothing about our mystery man, but let's not give up hope. Maybe there's another native town around here somewhere."

Kain scratched his head. "Well, I reckon if'n we ain't found anythin' in our first two towns, ain't nothin' sayin' we'll have better luck the third time, or the fourth. An' I don't wanna be runnin' around in the ice an' snow for the resta my life."

I sighed. "I see your point. If we learn nothing from the next town we find, I'll give up the search, and we can decide on what to do from there. How does that sound?"

Rudo nodded sharply. "One more. But I'll hold you to that. I won't let you risk Kain and Hugh's lives chasing a mirage."

"Very well," said Hugh, "although I must confess that I have doubts about how much help one man living on Dezo can give us in our present predicament."

Kain shrugged. "If'n I've followed ya this far... why the hell not. One more."



Were they right? What was I even trying to do? Even if this man I was looking for could help me find out the reasons behind Mother Brain's failures, what could I do to repair her? My previous attempts to repair her defective systems hadn't exactly turned out well, either for me or for Algo. It'd certainly be easier to go home now, rather than set off again on a dangerous mission with a vague goal and uncertain prospects of success.

But some irrational, indefinable impulse inside me wouldn't let me give up. First the mining accident and spaceship crash on Dezo, then the Biomonster plagues on Mota, and finally the destruction of Palm... they couldn't all be unrelated accidents. There was something behind them all, and I had to know what it was. I'd see this through to the end even if I had to travel alone.



A long, winding series of walkways and ladders led west and north around the outer edge of the mine pit.



On our way, we stumbled upon more of the abandoned cash of settlers and tourists from a decade ago. Shir would be proud if she could see me now, I thought to myself with a bitter smirk. I've been corrupted. Or maybe liberated. I'm not sure of the difference any more.



Eventually we emerged in the snowfields of Dezo, for possibly our last time as a united group. We'd come so far together; was I betraying them by dragging them along on my personal crusade? Maybe everything I'd been taught about putting duty above friendship wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

After all, Mother Brain had been wrong before.