BooksBarbecue
Back Excession
Chapters (108)
  1. About the Author
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. 1 - Outside Context Problem
  6. I
  7. II
  8. III
  9. IV
  10. V
  11. VI
  12. 2 - Not Invented Here
  13. I
  14. II
  15. III
  16. 3 - Uninvited Guests
  17. I
  18. II
  19. III
  20. IV
  21. 4 - Dependency Principle
  22. I
  23. II
  24. III
  25. IV
  26. V
  27. 5 - Kiss The Blade
  28. I
  29. II
  30. III
  31. IV
  32. V
  33. VI
  34. 6 - Pittance
  35. I
  36. II
  37. III
  38. IV
  39. V
  40. VI
  41. 7 - Tier
  42. I
  43. II
  44. III
  45. IV
  46. 8 - Killing Time
  47. I
  48. II
  49. III
  50. IV
  51. V
  52. VI
  53. VII
  54. VIII
  55. 9 - Unacceptable Behaviour
  56. I
  57. II
  58. III
  59. IV
  60. V
  61. VI
  62. VII
  63. VIII
  64. IX
  65. X
  66. XI
  67. XII
  68. XIII
  69. XIV
  70. 10 - Heavy Messing
  71. I
  72. II
  73. III
  74. IV
  75. V
  76. VI
  77. VII
  78. VIII
  79. IX
  80. X
  81. XI
  82. XII
  83. XIII
  84. XIV
  85. XV
  86. 11 - Regarding Gravious
  87. I
  88. II
  89. III
  90. IV
  91. V
  92. VI
  93. VII
  94. VIII
  95. IX
  96. X
  97. XI
  98. XII
  99. XIII
  100. XIV
  101. 12 - Faring Well
  102. I
  103. II
  104. III
  105. IV
  106. V
  107. VI
  108. Epilogue

‘Not at all,’ Leffid said. ‘I already know the ship’s called the Furious Purpose and it’s back here unscheduled, in Dock 807b. If it’s a mechanical problem it’s got, I can’t imagine it’s anything to do directly with the scarring. As for the location in the signal; it’s about half way between the stars Cromphalet I/II and Esperi . . . slightly closer to Esperi. And there’s nothing there. Nothing that anybody knows about, anyway.’

Leffid tapped at the pocket terminal and after some experimentation got the beam to brighten until it ignited the napkin he’d written on. He let it burn and was about to sweep the ashes into the table’s disposal slot when Lellius - who was slumped back in the seat, looking blank - reached out one red hand and absently ground the ashes under his palm before scattering them to the breeze; they fell floating away from the carousel in an insubstantial cloud, towards the seats and private boxes stacked below.

‘Some minor running-gear problem,’ Lellius said. ‘The Affronter ship.’ He was silent a moment longer. ‘The Elench may have had a problem,’ he said, nodding slowly. ‘A clan-fleet - eight ships - left here a hundred days ago to investigate the Swirl.’

‘I remember,’ Leffid said.

‘There have been,’ Lellius paused, ‘. . . indications - barely even rumours - that not all has been right with them.’

‘Well,’ Leffid said, placing his palms flat on the table and making to rise from his seat, ‘it may be nothing, but I just thought I’d mention it.’

‘Kind,’ Lellius wheezed, nodding. ‘Not sure what the Tendency can do with it; last ship we had coming here went Sabbatical on us, ungrateful cur, but we might be able to trade it to the Mainland.’

‘Yes, the dear old Mainland,’ Leffid said. It was the term the AhForgetIt Tendency usually employed to refer to the Culture proper. He smiled. ‘Whatever.’ He held his wings away from the seat-back as he stood.

‘Sure you won’t stay?’ Lellius said, blinking. ‘We could have a betting competition. Bet you’d win.’

‘No thanks; this evening I’m playing host to a lady who needs two place settings at a time and I have to go polish my cutlery and make sure my flight feathers are fettled for ruffling.’

‘Ah. Have armfuls of fun.’

‘I suspect I shall.’

‘Oh, damn,’ Lellius said sadly, as a great shout went up from below and to most sides; the race was over.

Lellius leant over and scratched out another couple of numbers on the wax tablet.

‘Never mind,’ Leffid said, patting the vice-consul on his ample shoulder as he headed for the swaying cable bridge that would take him back to the main trunk of the huge artificial tree.

‘Yes,’ Lellius sighed, looking at the smudge of ash on his hand. ‘I’m sure there’ll be another race starting in a while.’

III

III