A Cleft Of Stars

'I can't think even in terms of annexing Praeger's because he hasn't one, as far as we know. Yet this business of putting down a plane near The Hill has me licked. I simply don't know how he managed it.'

'A plane's no use: neither of us can fly. If only Peter. she broke off, choking slightly. 'Guy, I think he must be dead.' '

Why?'

'I caught something von Praeger and Koen said when they were talking between themselves outside. Koen said something like, "well, that's one less to worry about': I refused to let my anger rise but I answered grimly.

'I believe Praeger could have saved him if he'd wanted to. He's concentrating everything on Rankin.'

'In a way, the more he helps Rankin the more he helps us.'

'True, though it doesn't excuse Praeger's gas oven mentality. We've got to play this thing coolly and not let our anger run away with us or we're sunk. It boils down to our having two alternatives for escape — first, to try and make a break on foot; or second, to use my boat. For both of them there's one hell of a prerequisite and that is to give Praeger and Koen the slip. Let's by-pass that one for the moment and assume we get clear of them. What do we do? Without transport we'd be lucky if we got ten miles before the sun killed us. If we try and work downriver on foot our problems are almost worse. The water is poison to drink and the sun reflects at double strength off the white sand. It would burn us up quicker than if we used a bush route. There's no real choice between upstream and downstream; either the Limpopo or the Shashi. We haven't any food here either, remember. It would be straight suicide. Think of Rankin. He can't walk even one mile in his present state.'

'It all seems to point to transport of some sort'

'I hid the boat pretty carefully under a palm clump and we'd be unlucky if Praeger sighted it. It depends, of course, where he landed but the sand and mud seem to rule out that particular area.'

'He appeared very taken aback, didn't he, when I blurted out that bit about our having no Land Rover? Perhaps he'll simply assume that the plane which crashed was how we eat here and never even think of a boat. It seems unlikely when you consider the state of the river.'

'If that's so, it gives us the edge on him at the outset. The first four miles downriver from here isn't too bad but farther on the rough stuff really begins. I wish to Heaven I had one of those shallow-draft water-jet affairs which are specially designed for these conditions! We could then work our way without portaging through all the shallow channels and stagnant pools. Make no mistake, Nadine, if we do manage to escape it's going to be a hell ride. Our biggest advantage will be if we can win the head start of those first four miles of clear water. That'll give us room to play with.'

'They'd pick us up from their plane within an hour,' she objected. 'You can't hide in this bare countryside.'

'What good's a plane? They can't land it in the bush. They could try shooting us up but they wouldn't manage more than a few pot-shots. Firing from a fast-moving plane is a dead loss anyway: the odds against one are enormous. We'd hear the machine coming into the bargain and have plenty of time to take cover.

'Guy, Guy, it's all ifs and buts, all hit-and-miss, this sort of plan! If this, then that!'

'I know, I know! I've been worrying at it all night. If we plump for the boat to escape by, we still haven't touched on the initial hurdle — just how are we to overpower Praeger and Koen before we even begin?'

'They've got a sub-machine-gun now as well as everything else.' There was a tremor in her voice.

'Machine-pistol,' I corrected her gently, kissing her hair. She pressed her cheek hard against mine and spoke close into my ear. 'Promise me, my darling, promise me above anything else that you.

'I won't,' I smiled in the darkness. 'Not now.'

'Not ever,' she whispered passionately. 'Not ever. I couldn't bear being left alone like the queen. I … I..

I calmed her and she lay warm against me.

'Koen's gun in my hands would be the answer,' I resumed thoughtfully. 'He's very cagey, though. It's a dicey chance that he'd drop his guard long enough for me to jump him.'

'Rankin isn't going to rush at our invitation to come along either.'

'He's a very slippery customer and a dangerous one, even hurt as he is. The last thing he wants is to be brought to book. He'll vanish like a puff of smoke if he's given the slightest chance.'

'It's not only him I'm thinking about. What if we do escape? What happens to von Praeger and Koen? Do you think they'll simply wait around for you to return with the police?'

'We could burn their plane.'

'Guy, do you really believe the police will swallow your story about a secret diamond works hidden in a cave? You'll be suspect in their eyes right from the start, having just come out of jail. How will you explain away a couple of bodies? If you view it impersonally it sounds like an elaborate attempt at a cover-up for yourself. That's the way they'll look at it, I'm certain.'

I felt an apprehensive knot in my stomach. I said with more assurance than I felt, 'Praeger and Koen can't destroy all traces of this machinery..

'What if the whole plan misfires?' she persisted. What happens to you? And to me? Von Praeger and Koen aren't the sort to stand by with their arms crossed. They're capable of anything! And you've still to tell me how you intend overpowering two heavily-armed, desperate men. How are you, with the added handicaps of an injured man and a woman round your neck? It won't work, Guy! Its success hangs on a series of chances which we may never get!'

I knew in my heart that she was right; I answered defensively, 'What do you propose in its place then? Simply string along with them in the hope that the mad Gestapo doctor comes to his senses and realizes we don't know anything about his super-gem? We'd both be dead from torture before that happened! Under no circumstances can he afford to let us go. We know too much about him.'

I felt her body stir against me. 'I've got it!' she continued to keep her voice low but there was a ripple of excitement in it.'The Hill!'

It came with a rush: 'There's the perfect place we've been looking for on the tabletop! It's near the queen's grave!

There's a kind of deep underground chamber hewn from the rock and behind its innermost wall is another small room almost completely hidden.'

'Steady!' In the darkness I smiled at her spate of words. '

Step by step, please!'

Her animation continued to bubble. 'It's perfect, perfect, Guy! The more I think about it the better I like it! One would never suspect there was anything there if you didn't know: the chamber has hardly been excavated or explored properly. I think it must have been what Dr Drummond was anxious about when he and Jock Stewart climbed to the summit after the damage to the Land-Rovers. He called it an armoury — they'd found some intriguing ivory arrow-heads and there's a beautiful inlaid mosaic floor'

'Have you actually seen this hidden room?'

'Yes. It's not big enough to be called a room really: more a minute hollow cut in the solid rock, about the size of a wardrobe and half blocked with rubble. It's a very tight squeeze. We could hide there and be absolutely safe from von Praeger, I'm sure.'

'It sounds good.'

'The spring's close so we wouldn't be short of water. I know my way up the secret stairway and the layout of the summit.'

'Food I have it! We could pick up what's left at my camp.'

She kissed me cheerfully. 'Everything for surviving a siege!'

Although I too was sold on the idea I said cautiously, 'It doesn't solve our problem of how to break free of Praeger And Koen or how to take Rankin along.'

'Perhaps we could use the place as a sort of staging post on the way to your boat if Rankin isn't fit enough to make it at one go,' she replied. 'Whatever we decide eventually, it gives us a firm objective to start with.'