A Cleft Of Stars

I finally got rid of the M-25 by burying it deep in the sand. We had a drink of water and set off across the wadi, heading for the same group of hills which had sheltered me from Rankin and following approximately the same course. After a time Nadine asked, 'What when the moon comes up? Surely the light will give us away?'

'We must reach the post before then. We're making good time.'

I aimed to pick up hard ground on the K2 side of the wadi and then make our way quickly parallel to The Hill until we struck Rankin's path to the command-post which both we and Praeger had used. As we progressed farther into the thick sand our fig-tree branches became a nuisance, and I was considering abandoning them also like the machine-pistol, when the chilling laugh of a hyena echoed through the still night. It appeared to come from The Hill.

Nadine stopped in her tracks. 'Dika! It's Dika, Guy!' '

There are scores of other hyenas about,' I comforted her. 'It's not necessarily Praeger's.'

The sobbing scream echoed and re-echoed again.

'They sound worse than they really are,' I went on. 'They're not near enough for us to worry about.'

We trudged on but Nadine remained apprehensive as a general chorus got under way. It was impossible to pinpoint where any one scream originated because of the cross-echoes. After what seemed an interminable time the going underfoot started to harden and we knew we were across. Then some dead trees loomed and we changed direction, using them as cover to work our way eastwards towards where we knew Rankin's path must intersect our course. The Hill blanked out a slice of star-horizon; we could not distinguish it clearly beyond a dark looming mass.

'Guy,' observed Nadine. 'There's no light in the command post.'

I didn't want to let my fears regarding Rankin run away with me. 'Perhaps Rankin's in his cave. A light wouldn't show. The whole place is too high to see from our present angle anyway.'

'I don't like it,' she said, — with a shiver.

'We'll know pretty soon what's happening. We should hit the path any moment now. Praeger and Koen seem to be keeping mighty low, too.'

'Do you think Koen's come round by now?'

'Sure to have. He'll be after our blood for sure.'

'What if the two of them are also heading for Rankin's cave?'

We've got a good start. By the time we reach the cave the moon will be up. We're bound to sight them crossing the wadi — if they are.'

Despite our long trudge, Nadine managed to put on speed. We kept on for a while but then I began to worry that we might overshoot the path. The sky was somewhat lighter in anticipation of the approaching moonrise, but we dared not risk showing a light. However, our anxiety vanished when we found the big rock where we had sold Koen the phoney treasure story. We gave ourselves a short rest and then set off on the steep climb. It took longer than we had expected and by the time we reached the top the moon was above the horizon. By its light we found the plane's wheels for our litter, and some strut wire. As we suspected, the tyres had been destroyed but the wheels themselves were undamaged. The command-post lay in a shadow unbroken by any gleam of light.

'It's too easy!' Nadine said in a low voice. 'I don't like it, Guy. Something's wrong.'

'Let's get up higher where we can see down into the post.' '

Look, the door's open!'

The handlines, we saw, were still in position and our uneasiness grew. We made a circuit to reach higher ground. The Hill became visible as the moon grew stronger but of Praeger and Koen there was no sign. We were feeling our way over the rough going when I stumbled over a mound of earth. There was no mistaking its grave-shape.

'Oh God!' cried Nadine.

I took her by the arm and led her away.

'Peter — or Rankin?' she whispered.

'We'll soon find out.'

The better vantage position did not in fact provide the answer: the enclosure was deserted and the cave mouth was a black shadow. Yet the weak light and deep shadows made it impossible to pick out any details.

'I'm going in, Nadine.'

'No, Guy, it might be a trap.'

'I must risk it. Rankin's the key to everything.'

'Is-or was?'

If that's Rankin — ' I jerked my head in the direction of the mound — 'it changes everything. If it isn't, our original plan stands and we've got to get him out.'

I checked the wick of my improvised bomb and tested my cigarette lighter behind my hand to see if it was sparking properly.

'Do you see anything at The Hill, Nadine? Your eyes are better than mine.'

'No.. ' she replied, a little uncertainly. 'No, Guy, nothing. Von Praeger couldn't have doubled back and arrived here before us, could he?'

'He could, but it's unlikely.

'Don't go, Guy.'

'I must, my darling.'

'I'm coming too'

'I'd rather you stayed.'

'The whole plan's ours, not yours or mine.'

'Is this still the way you want it?'

'Yes. We could have run after we fixed Koen. We didn't.' I gave her the tyre lever. 'We won't want the truncheons: Dika's not here.'

She shivered and kept silent. We made our way quickly and quietly to the old wall and the rock crossing. The half-open door was unnerving; it beckoned yet repelled. We used the handlines and trod silently. When we reached the door I eased it wide and paused but there was neither sound nor movement. We gave it a few minutes and then, with the bomb at the ready, I led the way inside. The place was deserted; utterly silent.

We had begun to make our way towards the cave entrance when a subdued moan came from the interior. We froze, but when it was repeated we felt our way inside the kinked entrance until I was sure that a light could not be detected from the outside.

I flicked on my lighter: the tiny flame; by emphasizing the shadows, made Rankin's face look worse than it probably was. It was hideously pulped and his lips were swollen; he had dragged himself along the floor and had stripped off his bandages in doing so, leaving a blood-stained trail. He was spreadeagled on his chest with his right hand extended, the fist clenched, and the left doubled under him.

I knelt down and held the light close to his eyes. '

Rankin! It's Bowker — Guy Bowker!'

He moaned again and his face tied in a spasm.

'Water — quick!' I said to Nadine, who stood stunned at the sight. 'No, wait, he's trying to speak.'

Something incomprehensible bubbled from his lips but neither Nadine nor I could make it out.

His head did not seem able to support its own weight and fell sideways in my hand. I thought he was dead but he managed to speak, and this time we understood.

'They were cut diamonds, Guy — from The Hill.' Both of us craned towards him and we heard his next words distinctly. '

The hyena's blanket.'

'What does it mean, Rankin? What does it mean?' He tried to articulate again but it was lost.

'Water! Get some water, Nadine!'

She rose and he threw out his arm in a sort of jerky, uncontrolled movement as if to stop her and something fell out of his fist and rolled out of range of the tiny light. I had an inspiration. I passed Nadine the lighter and got the top off Koen's half-jack. We tipped back Rankin% head and poured some of the strong liquor into his mouth. He didn't open his eyes but said in a weak, faltering voice. '

It's the way in … the King's Messenger takes you there. We couldn't get him to speak again, and ten minutes later he died. We found a lantern and watched him die without being able to do anything for him. After the final death-rattle we searched the floor for the thing which had fallen from his hand and found it easily because it shone faintly with a curious glow.