“No,” said the ship’s computer.
“Is there anyone in stasis who can take command away from me?”
“No,” said the ship’s computer.
“Is there anyone in the universe who can take it?”
“No,” said the ship’s computer.
But this could not possibly be true. Then Rigg realized what he had actually asked, and phrased the question in another way. “Is there any person or machine that can take control of the ships against my will?”
“Yes,” said the ship’s computer. “Upon synchronizing with any starship authorized by the admiralty, I must surrender complete control to that computer.”
That was the thing that Ram Odin must have feared. But Rigg did not fear it. And so Rigg would not have to destroy the world to prevent it.
Only when he had this information did Rigg Pathfinder put out his hand to touch the shoulder of the man that he had killed.
Ram Odin fell forward onto the console.
Rigg could sense, as clearly as by sight, the eleven-thousand-year-old path in which a different copy of Ram Odin also slumped forward in this very chair, onto this very console, his neck broken by the expendable that stood behind him.
“Kill or be killed,” murmured Rigg.
How many animals had he killed when he found them still struggling in his traps? A number immediately came to his mind but he ignored it. Sometimes accuracy at facemask levels was simply not appropriate. Rigg had killed again and again. He knew the feel of life giving way to non-life. He knew the slackness of the empty body.
But this time, this time, it was a man. It was this man. It was Ram Odin. And, his hand still resting on the dead man’s back, Rigg wept.
CHAPTER 24
Destroyers
Having once used Param’s time-slicing ability to skip ahead into the future, Umbo and Param saw no reason to wait three years to see whether they had made the right choice in warning the Visitors about the stowaway mice. Umbo suggested it, but Param agreed at once and she proposed it to the others.
“We can’t go back into Odinfold—for all we know, the mice are planning some kind of vengeance. And even if they’re not, there’s nowhere here in Larfold for us to live while we wait three years.”
“We were spoiled by our life in Odinfold,” said Loaf. “More luxury than during our time as wealthy hotel patrons in O.”
“And a better library,” said Umbo.
“Did we find King Knosso here, alive, only to leave him behind?” asked Olivenko.
“Why not invite him to come into the future with us?” suggested Umbo. “If it turns out the Destroyers arrive on schedule, we’ll be returning to the past in order to try something else to block them. We can take Knosso with us.”
“What about Rigg?” asked Loaf. “He won’t know where we’ve gone. And he can’t skip into the future without Param.”
“If Rigg wants to join us,” said Umbo, “he can come to this spot and find our paths and shift into this moment.”
“If he doesn’t come to us before we begin our journey forward,” said Param, “then it means that he chose not to.”
“And that’s all you have for Rigg?” asked Loaf.
“He’s the one who left us,” said Olivenko.
“We don’t know if he’ll even be himself after he has the facemask,” said Param.
“If Vadesh doesn’t kill him,” said Olivenko. “He chose to walk into danger.”
Loaf sat looking at the sand in front of him.