Key to Destiny

  There was no match. But the children followed up. “North pole, Mino” Warp said.

  The superimposed image rotated as if the planet were turning on a mounting, until the north polar region was centered. There were crevices there, and crevices on the tapestry, but it was plain that they did not match and could not be made to match.

  “South pole, Mino,” Weft said. The children were enjoying this.

  The globe rotated again. “The folk there must be getting motion sick,” Futility said, and both children burst out in giggles. That surprised Aura in another manner: she had thought the woman had no interest in children, these or any others. But of course one quip did not necessarily mean anything.

  The south polar region centered. There was no match. Aura was almost relieved.

  “Align,” Ini murmured.

  The image turned about its axis until it suddenly matched the image on the tapestry. The two sets of crevices aligned exactly.

  The children clapped their little hands. “It works!” Warp exclaimed.

  “Perfectly,” Weft agreed.

  It did indeed. They had located the new area marked by the tapestry. They knew where the next mission was.

  They shut down the image and put away the tapestry. There was nothing else to do now except complete the journey between planets and see what the Glamors had in mind next. Mino had already been given the destination.

  “Where are we going?” Futility asked.

  “Death Valley,” Ini said. “Where the Ladies Ennui, Aspect, and Nonce foraged for the threads to make the tapestry. It's very private."

  Mino moved to enter the long shadow of Charm: the night side. He dropped toward the dark ground. There was no light; Mino did not need it to see his way.

  They landed gently. “We have arrived,” Ini said. “There should be a habitable cave nearby."

  “Cave men!” Warp cried, delighted.

  They disembarked, using handlights. “Beware mini-Chroma zones,” Ini said.

  But there was a clear path that wound between zones toward a low hill. Someone had made it, and Mino had landed beside it. The cave itself was lighted internally and was stocked with supplies: food, water, bedding, bathroom facilities. “They were evidently comfortable here,” Aura remarked.

  “But lonely,” Symbol said.

  “Because they didn't have children,” Weft said wisely.

  “Surely so,” Symbol agreed, not quite smiling. “Now are you ready for an illusion show?"

  They were always ready for that. So while Symbol distracted the seven children with the show, Aura and Ini went about making a meal. Ivo and Iva were uncertain what to do.

  “Regret,” Augur told them. “The Chroma zones here are generally small and shifting, as I understand it. Unsafe to assume your natural form; you could be caught by changing zones. Can you endure in condensed form this night?"

  “Uncomfortable,” Ivo said. “We have been condensed for some time already."

  Weft appeared beside them. “I'll tell Ennui. She'll fix it.” She vanished.

  Aura laughed ruefully. “So much for the distraction of the illusion show! Glamors will not be contained."

  Weft reappeared. “She's on it.” She returned to the illusion show.

  The Red Glamor appeared. “Apology for our neglect. We had a distraction. We'll take the ifrits to their new range now.” The Yellow and Green Glamors appeared behind her.

  The ifrits hardly had time to bid parting to their human friends before the Glamors clasped them, with the Yellow Glamor taking the four children in a group, and disappeared. Suddenly Aura, Augur, Ini, Symbol, and Futility were alone with the three children. The cave seemed oddly empty, despite their number.

  They were there for the night and the next day, passing the time as convenient. Then at dusk the Glamors came again. “Mino will take you to the south pole,” the Red Glamor said. “We have prepared a camp."

  It seemed to Aura that they were trusting Mino a great deal. Even if they didn't trust him, taking him along on their final mission seemed entirely too risky. But she remembered that they did need him; they couldn't complete their mission without him. So it made sense. But who was using whom? She wished she could be sure.

  They trooped out to the big machine, and Mino lifted and flew silently across the planet, not directly south. Aura wondered about that, then realized that if anyone was watching, spying the machine by its temporary blotting of the sight of stars or Counter Charm as it flew over them, this indirection would lead them astray. In any event, any southward angle would lead them soon enough to the pole.

  It did. Mino landed in a nonChroma snowstorm. Since the poles were the only large regions of perpetual cold on the planet, this had to be in the vicinity. They had to don heavy clothing before going outside.

  “How did you know where we're going?” Aura asked Ini, who was at the screen, directing the machine.

  “Warp gave me coordinates he got from Havoc, and I gave them to Mino."

  “Coordinates?"

  “A kind of grid that parses the planet with imaginary lines. Regular folk don't use them, but Glamors and machines do, it seems, because they can't trust the shifting Chroma zones."

  “Confusion."

  Ini nodded. “How can imaginary lines be more accurate than real physical planetary features? It is a challenge of understanding. I can explain after we get inside, if you're interested."

  “Appreciation."

  The hatch had opened and the others were filing out. They were linking hands as they exited, because the flying snow was blinding. Aura and Ini were the last two.

  The storm bashed at them, making them stagger as the hatch closed behind them. But there was a beaten path whose sides were walls of snow, making it impossible to wander astray. Aura clung to Augur's hand before, and Ini's hand after, and tramped along.

  The path deepened, with the walls rising, until it was a small canyon. Then the packed snow arced over the top, and it became a tunnel. That cut off most of the wind and made progress easier. But they still held hands; it was reassuring.

  The passage curved and recurved, then debouched into a chamber large enough for all eight of them to stand. When Ini was inside, Augur set a sheet of ice across the aperture, cutting off what remained of the draft. Then he pulled away a similar ice panel at the opposite side, and they entered the main chamber, which was much warmer. “Airlock,” he explained. “Separates us from the outside. Concept from space."

  “I saw no such device on Mino,” Aura said.

  “That is because Mino is used to transporting machines that don't breathe or require air pressure,” Ini explained. “But because his kind sometimes has to transport living creatures, the concept and ability exists, and the Glamors invoked it. So no airlocks there, but the ship was airtight for that trip, with fresh air provided."

  Now Symbol picked up on it. “Mino could have let the air out in space, suffocating us?"

  “It wouldn't have paid him to do that,” Ini said. “The Glamors would have been annoyed."

  Futility was interested too, and not pleased. “But he could have?"

  “He has that capacity, yes."

  The dancer's mouth thinned. “They were gambling with our lives."

  “Not really."

  Now all of them were grimly interested. “Explanation,” Aura said.

  “Analogy: story of hippo and croc, perhaps dating from Ancestor Earth. Mother hippo, huge and fat, with baby hippo, vulnerable. Dozen predator crocs sharing water hole in drought. Mother tolerates them, but mouths the leader croc, lifting him up without biting. He knows better than to protest; she could crunch him in half, though she's a herbivore. Then when crocs get prey and are in a feeding frenzy, mother pushes baby into their midst, and takes a nap. What happens?"

  They thought about that. “Nothing,” Futility said. “They touch that baby, they die. They know it."

  “She makes sure they know it,” Aura agreed, impressed.

  “The Glamors
put their babies in Mino,” Symbol said. “And went away."

  Ini nodded. “Assume they might gamble with our lives. Would they also gamble with the children?"

  Aura mulled that over. The three children were adopted, but she had seen them with their parents. They were Glamors, perhaps impossible to kill, but it would surely be death even to try. “Negation."

  “I have seen Havoc angry,” Futility said musingly. “He reminded me of Void."

  “It was a demonstration!” Auger said, amazed. “Mother hippo to leader croc: try it if you dare. And he didn't dare."

  “Surely for good reason,” Ini agreed. “The Glamors could have taken us back to Charm the way they took us to the other planet. They didn't. They were making a point."

  “Point made,” Aura said. She was just as glad she had not seen it this way while in space; she would have been considerably more nervous.

  “Now explain it to us,” Weft said. “What about crocs?"

  Symbol smiled. “Granted. This way.” She took the children to an alcove, and soon was demonstrating with dolls and gestures.

  The chamber was set into ground, rather than snow, and had a ceiling of wooden beams and boards. There was a stove in the center, radiating heat. There were several adjacent chambers, some with beds. There was a kitchen area, with food supplies. This was a residence, or perhaps an inn, hewn from the wilds. Evidently the Glamors had been busy while the mortals and children traveled.

  Aura settled into a chamber with Augur. “I suspect the worst is to come,” she said. “Let's do what we can while we can."

  He agreed. They made love, and slept, finishing out the night.

  In the morning Aura thought to see about breakfast, but Symbol was already on it, feeding the children and setting up for the adults. Futility, surprisingly, was helping. She saw Aura, and shrugged. “Envy."

  “Question?"

  “You with your man. Symbol with children."

  Aura was surprised. “You desire this?"

  “Now I do. Quality man, quality children. I lacked experience with either, in my prior life."

  “Understanding. Can you find a quality man?"

  “Readily, now that I know what to look for. After the mission."

  “After the mission,” Aura agreed. But that was a giant imponderable.

  * * * *

  The Lady Aspect was startled to see the Red Glamor appear. “Problem?” she asked. She realized belatedly that the Glamor was not alone; there was another woman with her. She had been told to prepare, but hadn't known exactly for what. They had been scrambling to prepare a suitable Chroma zone, no easy matter.

  “Introduction,” Red said. “This is Iva Ifrit."

  Aspect reacted with automatic poise. “Greeting, Iva. I am the Lady Aspect, social assistant for King Havoc."

  “Acknowledged."

  “You reserved a region for the ifrits?” Red asked.

  “Confirmation. Ennui set it up."

  “Show me there.” Red put her hand on Aspect's arm, and suddenly they were hovering in the dark air above the pyramid city of Triumph.

  Nonplused, Aspect had to demur. “Ennui knows. I'm not good at outside locations."

  They were back in the palace. Ennui was just entering Aspect's office, trailed by the Green Glamor and a handsome young man. “We have to deliver the ifrits to their zone,” Ennui said. “Follow me.” The Glamor touched her, and both vanished, leaving the man behind.

  Red touched Aspect again, and now the two of them stood in a glade in a Red Chroma zone under the pale light of Counter Charm. Before either could speak, the Yellow Glamor appeared, with Nonce. Then the Glamors were gone. “Question?” Nonce inquired, evidently nonplused.

  Then the Glamors were back, with Iva, the man, and four young children. “These will be your contacts,” Red told the ifrits. “But right now they are needed elsewhere. Check this site for their eventual return."

  “Appreciation,” Iva said.

  Then the visitors fuzzed and began to dissolve into vapor. “Astonishment!” Nonce said.

  “Swale explained,” Ennui said. “They are returning to their natural form. They are sentient clouds from Counter Charm."

  “Now you will join us,” Red said, putting her hand back on Aspect's arm.

  “Wait!” Aspect cried. “If we are to leave Triumph, we have to install the mocks."

  “Swiftly,” Green said, evidently annoyed.

  “This can't be done swiftly,” Aspect protested. “We have to prepare them and the palace personnel. There has been a recent—change."

  “I'll start it,” Ennui said. “You stay here and get to know the ifrits. And explain."

  Green took Ennui away. They had arranged for Bijou to emulate Gale, and had rousted out the minstrel who had first emulated Havoc for repeat duty. But they had not yet been notified it was official. They were definitely not yet ready.

  Aspect knew that the Glamors were in touch with each other, so an explanation to one would be to all. So while the ifrits dissolved into clouds, she reviewed the necessary spot preparations, to ensure that no outsiders caught on to the fact that the real Havoc and Gale were absent. The murders of Berm and Spanky had brought not merely grief, but chaos to the mock system.

  “A day,” Red said grudgingly.

  “We shall get it done in a night and day,” Aspect agreed. She know the Glamors wouldn't tolerate any more lost time.

  Meanwhile the ifrits were making an amazing transformation. Their entire bodies were evaporating, forming red clouds. The children completed the process first, and floated into the forest. The two adults had more mass to dissolve, and were forming larger clouds. In due course they too floated away.

  “When you need to contact them,” Red said, “come to this spot and wait. They will find you, and one will assume human form so that you can converse. They had been long in condensed state, so were desperate to return to their natural forms. Once they have acclimatized, they will be amenable to brief condensations."

  Aspect thought about how it would feel to have to be in some unnatural body form, and hoped she understood.

  When the ifrits were gone, the Glamors took Aspect and Nonce back to the Palace. “Be ready,” Red said, disappearing.

  They did their best. Bijou had emulated Gale before, including sessions with Havoc himself, so she was quick to orient. The minstrel had been out of it for over a year, and had entanglements elsewhere, but understood the need. Both were promised that this would be of brief duration, but no exact time frame was clear. They reviewed the royal social and business schedule, drilled in the necessary information, and talked seriously with the palace staff members who would be their closest support. Ready or not, they moved into the royal suite within a day.

  The Glamors came for Ennui, Aspect, and Nonce, and took them to what turned out to be the south pole.

  Ini was there, and Futility, and red Augur and blue Aura. Symbol was with the Glamor children. The succubus Swale touched Aspect's mind, checking in. Everyone except the Glamors. They had a rather nice underground station complete with bedrooms and cooking facilities.

  After the initial round of greetings, Aspect took stock. “Does anyone have a clear idea what we are doing here?"

  “Apart from helping the Glamors make their final assault on the mystery of their origin, no,” Ini said. “However, there are things that should perhaps be clarified."

  “Please."

  “We have just had a considerable experience on Planet Counter Charm, and some of us hope to return there to stay once this mission is done. Similarly, some ifrits are starting a colony of their kind here on Charm."

  “Awareness,” Ennui said.

  “We also have the object we traveled to fetch: the spacecraft machine we call Mino. He is theoretically tame, but some of us have doubts. However the Glamors evidently believe that he will not betray our effort. It seems his participation is essential to the mission; the altar I carry and the tapestry Futility carries suggest this.” S
he paused a moment. “But we are not clear why the participation of the three of you is required."

  Was it safe to tell?

  Little Weft had been listening closely. Now she spoke up. “Voila knows. She says you should tell."

  And the baby Glamor was precognitive, as were the children to a lesser extent. Voila seemed to be asleep, but there was no reason to doubt the information. Ennui caught her eye and nodded faintly.

  Aspect smiled. “Conjecture: we are here less to help than to achieve separation from the ikons we carry. Ennui carries Havoc's ikon, and I carry Gale's, and this possession has changed both of us significantly, as others may have noticed. We have become different creatures, and wish to return to our natural states. But we are unable to separate from the ikons. This is thus part of the Glamor mystery, and its solution may also free us."

  “I can separate from the altar,” Ini said. “And Futility from the tapestry."

  “And Nonce from the loom,” Aspect agreed. “But those are not personal ikons, and seem to follow different rules. What of Symbol with Voila's ikon?"

  “I think I could separate, if I wanted to,” Symbol said. “But it is becoming more difficult."

  “Attachment takes time,” Ennui said. “You have had less time."

  “Question,” Symbol said. “Why do you want to revert? Your ikons have indeed changed you, but for the better, no offense. You are younger, prettier, stronger, smarter, and much sexier now."

  “But we are not truly ourselves,” Aspect said. “And our men prefer us as we were."

  “Surprise. No offense, but men—” Symbol shrugged.

  “Are unpredictable,” Ennui said. “Apparently not all want shapely sexy eager creatures."

  “Weird.” Symbol picked up Flame. “Yet there are other things in life."

  “Candy,” Flame agreed. “Fireballs.” One appeared in the air before her.

  Several adults laughed. Then they compared notes on things, getting comfortable with the current situation. Aspect, Ennui, and Nonce settled into a room together; they had been associating for more than a year and were compatible.