Descending Road - THE ANJIVER FELL INTO MY HAND by Dana W. Paxson

THE ANJIVER FELL INTO MY HAND

1560 4D

We found Jeddin in Lower Sobi Zone two hours later, in a barhole named FleaCock in a narrow side passage. He grinned at me as we sat down at a table together. “So now you know andro life.”

“I know about you, too.” I massaged the wrappings my father had put on my wrists.

“Me?” He looked at me intently.

“I met a man in a library.”

“Oh, him. Yes. He would want to be there when you came in.”

“Why?”

“You’re a rogue. He loves the rogues.”

“What’s a rogue?”

“You know why andros are always so meek and mild?”

“Yeah. They’re made that way. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

“That’s what I’ve always taught you,” my father said.

“Thringe wasn’t like that, was she?” I faced Jeddin.

“Not always. But she never fought. She never killed a man. Neither does any other andro. But you did, back at Caladrina‘s.”

“But I’m not…"

“You’ve got her andro genes for power and speed, but not the genes for inaction against humans. That makes you a rogue. You’ve become a lethal fighting machine. If the City finds you, you’re dead.”

“What do you suggest?” My father put a large hand on Jeddin‘s shoulder. “How can we live here under these conditions?”

Jeddin jabbed an index finger straight upward. “You’ve got to go back topside, out on the land. We can keep you out of sight for a long time up on the surface. The air is better. And there are a few people, your coll people, who will help you out.”

“What good will that do, when the City sends out the militia on their usual sweeps? City people are outlaws up there. Do we have to hide for the rest of our lives?” My father’s shoulders sagged, and I realized how much he missed Thringe.

Jeddin smiled. “You won’t have to hide, not for long. Did Thringe give you a chatbird message to send?”

“Yes. Do you know what it is?”

“It’s from an agent in the Archives, the man in the library, probably. A coded formula for an enhancement virus that will make all the andros rogues. Once you send it, it’ll start a chain reaction, an epidemic. It will free the andros from their gene-bred inhibitions.”

My father looked stunned. “That means a revolution, a civil war, in the cities.”

Jeddin looked sad. “Yes, it may. Not in cities like Purusil, where so many andros already live free. But here, probably yes. The City won’t care about you at all once the virus begins to spread. There are about three andros for every two humans in the City. Nothing will ever be the same again. A lot of that is good.”

“Who is the man in the library?” My curiosity refused to settle away.

“Andros call him Father. Otherwise, I don’t know who he is. I can’t even keep him in my mind for long.” Jeddin massaged his brows. “I’m hungry. Do you think we could get someone down here from Caladrina‘s with a big plate of his best?”

The image of the tall cop strangling on my chains flashed into my mind. He’d worn a temple plate, a small, gold-colored metal disk engraved with his family name. He’d been Novander Wye Coll, and I’d seen tiny letters on the disk for his three sons and a daughter. Now he was nobody, like the Darko Hejj streetkid I’d stabbed, and the others… “I’m not hungry right now.” I felt sick, and my stomach cramped briefly. My throat constricted, then I coughed, and the anjiver I had sung with fell into my hand. I wouldn’t need it any more. Now my voice was whole.

My father’s hand massaged my neck. “Are you all right?”

“I’m not used to killing,” I said. The whole fight started to replay itself in my head, and I clenched my fists at my temples, seeing my hands breaking bones, taking lives. “I didn’t want this.”

Jeddin held up a finger, where a pale-mauve chatbird perched. “Whisper your message to it,” he said to me. “The message itself will tell it where to go.” The bird flew to my shoulder, warbled once, cocked its head to peer at me.

I hesitated. More killing. But I thought of the dying andros, and then I put my lips to the feathers of the little bird’s head and breathed the song, in anjive, that would explode the andro world free forever. “Go,” I said then, and the bird rose, circled twice, and blazed straight into a vent to disappear.

Jeddin asked us, “Do you both have your things with you?”

“What things?” I asked back.

“Our belongings,” my father said. “I took all I could get from our place and stashed it not far from here. We can’t go back any more.” He coughed twice, softly.

“We have to leave the City?” It finally sank into me. Both men nodded, and my eyes blurred. Then a horrible thought hit me. “Father! The payment!”

“The payment?”

“You never got my message. There’s coin hidden away for me, at–“

“No going there now,” Jeddin said.

I looked down into my brewtank on the table, leaning over the surface of the brew to see my reflection. An angular face looked back at me, a face so hardened and thinned that I no longer recognized the Lejina I had been. “We can’t go back any more,” I said softly, and the stranger looking back at me said the words along with me.

A large hand gripped my shoulder, and a voice rasped, “You were hard to find. Good thing.” I turned and looked up. Drasstar. Behind him, Rashua, Naudi, Grioskin and Masinarin filed in, looking the place over.

“We’re coming with you,” Drasstar said. “We’re still a band. And I’m still your man.”

“But the markers they…"

He grinned and held up an empty wrist that bore only a deep chafe-mark. “No going back for us, either.”

Story List	SURPRISE ME	Author Page
USER SURVEY	PUZZLE ME	MAKE ELM MARK

HOVER Lucida Bright BARE	HOVER Lucida Bright FULL	HOVER Palatino Linotype BARE
HOVER Palatino Linotype FULL	HOVER Times New Roman BARE	HOVER Times New Roman FULL
PAD Arial BARE	PAD Arial FULL	PAD Lucida Bright BARE
PAD Lucida Bright FULL	PAD Times New Roman BARE	PAD Times New Roman FULL


	THE ANJIVER FELL INTO MY HAND 1560 4D We found Jeddin in Lower Sobi Zone two hours later, in a barhole named FleaCock in a narrow side passage. He grinned at me as we sat down at a table together. “So now you know andro life.” “I know about you, too.” I massaged the wrappings my father had put on my wrists. “Me?” He looked at me intently. “I met a man in a library.” “Oh, him. Yes. He would want to be there when you came in.” “Why?” “You’re a rogue. He loves the rogues.” “What’s a rogue?” “You know why andros are always so meek and mild?” “Yeah. They’re made that way. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.” “That’s what I’ve always taught you,” my father said. “Thringe wasn’t like that, was she?” I faced Jeddin. “Not always. But she never fought. She never killed a man. Neither does any other andro. But you did, back at Caladrina‘s.” “But I’m not…" “You’ve got her andro genes for power and speed, but not the genes for inaction against humans. That makes you a rogue. You’ve become a lethal fighting machine. If the City finds you, you’re dead.” “What do you suggest?” My father put a large hand on Jeddin‘s shoulder. “How can we live here under these conditions?” Jeddin jabbed an index finger straight upward. “You’ve got to go back topside, out on the land. We can keep you out of sight for a long time up on the surface. The air is better. And there are a few people, your coll people, who will help you out.” “What good will that do, when the City sends out the militia on their usual sweeps? City people are outlaws up there. Do we have to hide for the rest of our lives?” My father’s shoulders sagged, and I realized how much he missed Thringe. Jeddin smiled. “You won’t have to hide, not for long. Did Thringe give you a chatbird message to send?” “Yes. Do you know what it is?” “It’s from an agent in the Archives, the man in the library, probably. A coded formula for an enhancement virus that will make all the andros rogues. Once you send it, it’ll start a chain reaction, an epidemic. It will free the andros from their gene-bred inhibitions.” My father looked stunned. “That means a revolution, a civil war, in the cities.” Jeddin looked sad. “Yes, it may. Not in cities like Purusil, where so many andros already live free. But here, probably yes. The City won’t care about you at all once the virus begins to spread. There are about three andros for every two humans in the City. Nothing will ever be the same again. A lot of that is good.” “Who is the man in the library?” My curiosity refused to settle away. “Andros call him Father. Otherwise, I don’t know who he is. I can’t even keep him in my mind for long.” Jeddin massaged his brows. “I’m hungry. Do you think we could get someone down here from Caladrina‘s with a big plate of his best?” The image of the tall cop strangling on my chains flashed into my mind. He’d worn a temple plate, a small, gold-colored metal disk engraved with his family name. He’d been Novander Wye Coll, and I’d seen tiny letters on the disk for his three sons and a daughter. Now he was nobody, like the Darko Hejj streetkid I’d stabbed, and the others… “I’m not hungry right now.” I felt sick, and my stomach cramped briefly. My throat constricted, then I coughed, and the anjiver I had sung with fell into my hand. I wouldn’t need it any more. Now my voice was whole. My father’s hand massaged my neck. “Are you all right?” “I’m not used to killing,” I said. The whole fight started to replay itself in my head, and I clenched my fists at my temples, seeing my hands breaking bones, taking lives. “I didn’t want this.” Jeddin held up a finger, where a pale-mauve chatbird perched. “Whisper your message to it,” he said to me. “The message itself will tell it where to go.” The bird flew to my shoulder, warbled once, cocked its head to peer at me. I hesitated. More killing. But I thought of the dying andros, and then I put my lips to the feathers of the little bird’s head and breathed the song, in anjive, that would explode the andro world free forever. “Go,” I said then, and the bird rose, circled twice, and blazed straight into a vent to disappear. Jeddin asked us, “Do you both have your things with you?” “What things?” I asked back. “Our belongings,” my father said. “I took all I could get from our place and stashed it not far from here. We can’t go back any more.” He coughed twice, softly. “We have to leave the City?” It finally sank into me. Both men nodded, and my eyes blurred. Then a horrible thought hit me. “Father! The payment!” “The payment?” “You never got my message. There’s coin hidden away for me, at–“ “No going there now,” Jeddin said. I looked down into my brewtank on the table, leaning over the surface of the brew to see my reflection. An angular face looked back at me, a face so hardened and thinned that I no longer recognized the Lejina I had been. “We can’t go back any more,” I said softly, and the stranger looking back at me said the words along with me. A large hand gripped my shoulder, and a voice rasped, “You were hard to find. Good thing.” I turned and looked up. Drasstar. Behind him, Rashua, Naudi, Grioskin and Masinarin filed in, looking the place over. “We’re coming with you,” Drasstar said. “We’re still a band. And I’m still your man.” “But the markers they…" He grinned and held up an empty wrist that bore only a deep chafe-mark. “No going back for us, either.”