Chapter 10

The silence somehow felt loud to Erd, but nobody else noticed. The glowlight being used by Buzz as he manipulated the electronic lock seemed rather dim to Erd, but it was probably just as well. Buzz didn’t seem to be having any difficulty, and it would be less likely to attract attention.

With a quiet click the lock came open, and the door opened with only a quiet squeak. Erd flinched slightly, but nobody else seemed to notice.

The other team had entered separately, since there were rarely more than three uniforms seem together, at least that Buzz had caught on his recording devices.

He and Hammer both stopped walking as Buzz held up a hand. A little flying device rose up from his palm, rose towards a camera which Erd had not even seen. What was it doing up there? If it merely jammed the camera or sent a blank feed, that might trigger an alarm somewhere. Could it be hacked to send a looped feed that might not be noticed?

Both of the security guards were on the other side of the building. They didn’t draw weapons or start running, so apparently their cover wasn’t broken yet. All the same, they were walking directly towards the three of them.

Erd was very conscious of Hammer beside him. Hammer could probably stop the security guards if Erd didn’t, and Erd thought he had a stunner in addition to all his more lethal weapons. He wasn’t quite sure though, and anyway the use of a stunner might attract attention. The energy signature was detectable from a distance, and some machine might even be monitoring the guards vital signs.

The two guards were furry humanoids, almost as tall as Erd. They were no species of the Eightfold that he knew of. Belatedly it occurred to him that they should have learned more about the natives of this world before coming here. While the most challenging and sensitive jobs in the city would presumably be filled by Eightfold, knowledge would have been a hidden asset in a situation like this.

The one on the left said, “You guys don’t clean down there. The secure cleaning crew in the red lined uniform does.”

Thinking quickly, Erd answered indignantly. “That’s exactly what I said. When they gave us this assignment, I knew it was supposed to be them. They told us there had been a couple calling in sick at the last minute, and a couple of personal emergencies, and we would have to do it. They said nobody would question us, but that’s not how things are supposed to be done. They gave my partner something to call the lift with, but if it doesn’t work I’m out of here. Some Eightfold told me there was opportunity on this world. Here I am getting messed over because different bosses tell me different things. Do you know what that’s like?”

The guard might have been suspicious, but there was no way answering that could get him in trouble. And for most the answer was a foregone conclusion.

“I do.”

Erd went on, “I realize You believe my whole story but don’t want to get involved with any issues between me and management. All the same, this isn’t fair to me. Could you just call your boss and confirm that we’re supposed to be here?”

When he used the vulgar sorcery suggestion, encompassing two targets at a time was harder than he had suspected. He was well trained, but not experienced in a potentially hostile situation. He wasn’t quite sure if it had worked.

Although there were no telltale gasps from beside him, Erd sensed his companions were shocked at the request he had made verbally. He had done it for a reason though. Vulgar sorcery often didn’t work for long on Eightfold who already knew it existed. If he could get the others to choose based on his suggestion it would probably prolong the effect.

“Uh, no, if you have any questions you better call and ask yourself. Sorry buddy.”

The guard on the left turned around and walked away. After an instant’s hesitation his companion did the same.

The expression on Buzz’s face was unquestionably a grin. He produced the device whose existence Erd had postulated and called the lift. It was a little crowded with all three of them, but Erd didn’t think separating the party would be a good idea, and nobody else suggested it.

Suddenly he wondered how much weight the lift could hold. Now that would be an ignominious end to their little commando raid: dropping to the bottom of an empty shaft in a broken lift. Erd wondered how much the lift was designed to hold, and if Buzz had some trick that could save them.

Then they gently stopped at the bottom, and the doors opened again.

There was no underground maze to navigate. There was one corridor, and as best Erd could visualize it was taking them to a room straight underneath the portal. This was almost too easy, but Hammer was holding his stunner at the ready.

They came to a final door, and to Erd it looked more formidable than the other they had passed through.

Buzz was up to the challenge though. After a couple of minutes some lights flickered green, and the reinforced door swung open.

A chair sat in front of a desk covered with computer interfaces. Nothing sat in the chair, but a remarkable being was perched on the back.

Countless species comprised the Eightfold, and Erd had only met members of a few in person. Most sorcerers knew the Flutterers at least by reputation. They were not large in size, a bit less than half of Erd’s own height. Their gossamer wings shimmered in all the colors of the rainbow.

Erd had never seen one in person before and was impressed. The colors were not just refracted sunlight, since they shimmered and changed even in the indoor artificial glow.

It held two delicate pseudopods in the air, far from any equipment or controls. It spoke the common tongue of the Eightfold relatively well, though in a rather high pitched voice. It said, “Please don’t shoot. The weapon you have that would merely stun many species would destroy me.”

Seeing the little being, Erd had no trouble believing its words. As well, his studies confirmed what it was saying. Flutterers were known for their physical delicacy, and for their resistance to sorcery. He hoped he had not used his power unnecessarily before, since his reserves might be put to the test now.

Hammer said gruffly, “You must cooperate with us.”

The other being agreed eagerly, “Yes, yes, of course. I will do anything you ask.”

Buzz had been staring at the equipment on the desk. “It does not seem to me that any of the equipment on that desk is designed to be used by members of your species. How do you operate it?”

The other being hesitated a moment. “I am only here to guard it. I do not operate it. Perhaps you can do so, but I do not have the passwords.”

Buzz seated himself without disturbing the fragile being perched behind him and began using a keyboard. Erd felt funny, as if the universe was switching into slow motion. There was something funny about this. A guard who was in no way prepared to fight them, equipped with no visible weapons?

The simplest thing was to tell the Flutterer that it was their friend and wanted to help them in any way possible. It would be a little harder on a Flutterer, but by no means impossible. All the same, something about the suspicious circumstances held him back. That trick was so common.

Erd said, “Explain to me all the tricks and mental reservations in your mind which are meant to protect against sorcery.”

He reached, and he pushed, and he pulled all at once. He had done sorcery before, though never in quite such a difficult situation. All the same, he was not exhausted yet. He still had something in reserve. And he had chosen the words carefully to include both tricks thought up by the being itself and those taught to it.

The Flutterer spoke rapidly, as if almost glad to brag about the traps it encompassed. “Well, many sorcerers like to tell Eightfolds that they are their best friends. I myself am rather paranoid, and thanks to some negative experiences do not trust even my closest friends. Also, no matter how suddenly I came to love you, you would still be rather reckless friends. I would not necessarily be doing you a favor by giving you any passwords for that computer, if I had them. For instance, perhaps you would use them to anger people smarter and more powerful than yourselves.”

Buzz said, “You could make it tell us all the passwords!”

Erd answered, “Except it brought up the question of passwords deliberately, and is not out friend. I have … limited power left. It is trying to lure me on.”

He didn’t want the Flutterer to know he could probably do only one more command. Instead he waited. After an instant it felt compelled to reveal more of its secrets.

“Oh, and here’s a trick and mental reservation I thought up myself just now. I can stall you by explaining how I’m stalling you. Since you told me to explain –”

Erd interrupted, “That part is completely explained. You’re not complying unless you move on.”

Technically he hadn’t told it how fast to explain, but adding clauses and qualifiers could weaken a command instead of strengthening it. He was a trained sorcerer, and had hopefully spent more time thinking about that than his target though.

Sure enough, the creature continued. “I can try to mislead you by talking about hypothetical passwords. After all, if you discover too much, all you’re going to do is antagonize Eightfold smarter and more powerful than yourself. That wouldn’t be a nice thing to –”

Erd said, “Fine, that’s explained. Move on.”

Meanwhile, Buzz stopped using the interface equipment and pulled out one of his own gadgets. After a few moments he said, “I don’t think this computer is even physically connected to the portal. Barring expensive cords that transmit data at ftl speeds, the real one should be around here somewhere.”

Their unarmed antagonist said, “I could have cut the cords just before you came in. That computer might still have the information you need. You should tell us where the real computer is. You’re so pretty I would hate to damage you.”

Buzz answered, “I think every bit of information in this computer is a decoy.”

The Flutterer said, “You are much cleverer than your antenna make you appear. Since that stunner would kill me, I will mention there is another computer hidden behind that wall you could set up.”

Buzz scanned the apparently blank wall with his handheld device. Then he said, “There is another computer. Hammer could easily destroy the wall. But –”

Erd finished the sentence for him. “It’s probably another decoy. That came too easily.”

He asked the Flutterer, “So where do they keep the real one?”

“I do not know for certain. It is on a wheeled cart which can be easily moved around on this level. I do not know where they actually –”

As if forced to speak, the Flutterer blurted out, “Just demonstrating another trick, stalling you while answering your question. And even if I felt you were my friends I would be helping you too, because –”

Hammer said, “Tell us what you’re waiting for while you stall, or I’m just going to shoot you.”

A voice came from all around them, perhaps through several hidden speakers. “Please surrender now. If you do not harm the gentlebeing in there with you, you will all be well treated.”

The Flutterer said unnecessarily, “That is what I was waiting for.”