Ruins (Pathfinder 2)

Once Rigg was sure that the others were up to speed in the language of O, he asked Loaf, “Are they understanding us?”

“If you ask obvious questions like that, complete with gestures,” said Loaf, “they’re sure to pick up this language very quickly. But so far, no.”

“But they’re paying very close attention,” said Umbo.

“That’s how they learn,” said Loaf. “And, again, you looked at them in a pointed way and used a hand gesture that allowed them to decode your meaning. I suggest we close our eyes so we won’t give so many visual cues.”

“And then they swarm all over us,” said Param.

“They can do that whether our eyes are closed or not,” said Loaf. “And Rigg can see their paths even with his eyes closed.”

It was true. Rigg did not need to answer. “No matter how dangerous and untrustworthy they are,” said Rigg, “these little hair-dwellers may well be the only hope the people of Garden have against the Visitors.”

“Then we’re the only hope the people of Earth have against these rodents,” said Olivenko.

“As Param said,” Rigg answered him, “if it’s us or them, won’t we all choose us as the survivors?”

“Is it survival, if we’re ruled over by mice?” asked Olivenko.

“An excellent question,” said Rigg. “That’s certainly a topic for discussion when we get there.”

“Let’s just go back in time and leave them here,” said Umbo. “I mean, after the flyer lands.”

Param and Olivenko murmured their assent.

“Then we have an enemy,” said Loaf.

“They aren’t already the enemy?” asked Olivenko.

“The enemy,” said Loaf, “are the Destroyers.”

“But we can’t trust them,” said Param. “Even if they save Garden from the Destroyers, who will save Garden from the mice?”

“Who will save the mice from us?” asked Loaf. “Who ever saves anybody from anybody?”

“Humans make war,” said Rigg. “Loaf is right. If we separate ourselves from the mice right now, then we’ll just be acting out the main theme of human history—people going to war precisely at the times when they should be most united.”

“How can we unite with them?” asked Umbo.

“That’s the question, isn’t it?” said Rigg. “Up to now, we’ve been united with them without knowing it—acting out their purposes, obeying their plans for us, and we had no idea who they were. Picking up jewels, using a knife they made for us, we’ve been their puppets.”

“Cut the strings,” said Olivenko.

“The only strings we can cut,” said Loaf, “are the ones that we can see.”

“Our very existence is one of the strings,” said Rigg. “And let’s remember. They can’t time-shift, but what if they change their minds about giving us the missing jewel? What they gave us, they can go back in time and take away.”

That gave them pause.

“Why haven’t they done that already?” asked Umbo. “Since we’re not doing what they told us to do.”

“We haven’t not done it,” said Rigg. “We’re still talking.”

“They need to get what they want,” said Loaf. “And that’s survival. To them, that means getting out of the wallfold, spreading through the world. The worlds.”

“And stopping the people of Earth from sending the Destroyers,” said Param.

“What do we want?” asked Rigg.