“Yes, sir,” the floater acknowledged.
“Did Mother see that drone that came after us?"
“Yes, sir."
“Where did it come from?"
“The drone was launched from an unregistered outpost in the immediate vicinity of Fortress Holding."
“Thaddeus? He sent it?"
Bredon recognized the name with an unpleasant start. The invisible housekeeper had mentioned it, but somehow, perhaps because these spirits pronounced the name a bit differently from the way old Atheron did, it had not really registered. Thaddeus the Black was, according to legend, one of the most inhospitable of all the Powers, prone to destructive rages and possessed of a vicious streak of sadism. The stories about him were not the moral fables or amusing tales that were told about the other Powers; they were horror stories, to be whispered around the fire after the children were asleep.
Fortunately, Thaddeus's domain was located entirely in the western deserts, where few mortals had any contact with him.
“Apparently,” the floater agreed. There was an instant's hesitation, and then the machine continued, “Sir, we are approaching the High Castle, and I can detect no trace of the drone that assaulted us previously. However, a great deal of violent activity is taking place."
“What? What kind of activity?"
“Weapons activity, sir."
“Weapons? Damn it, open that window!"
“Yes, sir."
Light poured in from ahead, banishing the darkness; Bredon blinked, half-blinded, then squinted until his eyes could adjust.
Most of their protective bubble was still in place, blacker than the midwake sky, but ahead of them an oval of light had appeared, allowing them to see where the platform was carrying them.
They were rushing down a steep mountain slope, down into a narrow valley. On the far side of the valley another mountain rose to a sharp peak.
Atop the peak stood what could only be the High Castle, built as if growing out of the stone of the mountain itself. Spired and turretted, banners whipping from its rooftops, its towers soared upward as if trying to pierce the sky. Between foundation and towers were three great tiers of massive walls and battlements.
Bredon stared at it in open-mouthed wonder, wonder that mounted steadily as they swept ever nearer and he was forced to repeatedly adjust upward his estimate of the structure's size. He had never seen nor imagined anything like it.
It was only when they were across the valley and starting up the opposite slope that he noticed the glittering specks that flickered on every side of the castle, zipping about it, fluttering back and forth among the towers. Before he had consciously recognized them as being similar to the “drone” that had attacked Geste's platform, something flashed a vivid red from one of the specks, splashing against the stone wall, leaving a black mark-it appeared tiny from his present location, but Bredon realized it was easily three meters across.
Something equally red flashed back from one of the castle towers, and the speck erupted into a golden fireball.
The roar swept over them a second or two later, and glancing to the side, at either end of the “window” in the protective darkness, Bredon could see the trees on either side being whipped violently backward by the accompanying shockwave. The air around him, atop the platform, did not so much as ripple; in fact, despite their great speed, the air felt stagnant and dead, and did not smell very pleasant.
“What the hell does Thaddeus think he's doing?” Geste muttered. “These are all his, aren't they?"
The floater took almost a second to reply, “Yes, sir, the mother ship confirms that all attacking equipment originated within a two-kilometer radius of Fortress Holding. Fortress Holding has refused to reply to inquiries."
Another exchange of crimson fire took place; this time the drone escaped, unscathed.
“Maybe we shouldn't get too close,” Geste said.
The platform immediately slowed to a crawl. As always, Bredon felt no deceleration; the outside world simply stopped rushing by as quickly.
The stillness of the air in the bubble made the distant battle seem unreal, as if it were no more than an illusion, like the ones Bredon had seen created by traveling conjurors. It was infinitely more elaborate and detailed, of course, but Geste was a Power, not a mere conjuror. Bredon began to wonder whether what he saw was real, or whether Geste was playing some elaborate prank.
Another burst of red fire blossomed, followed by another, and then a full-blown barrage from a dozen or more of the attacking machines. The weapons in the castle towers replied.
“Better stop here,” Geste suggested as they drew near the paths of the outermost drones.
The platform halted, hovering a meter or so above the bare rock of the slope. The blackness of the heavy protective fields remained to either side, behind, and below. Above and before them lines and flashes of red and yellow fire spattered fitfully across the castle towers.
“Put a call through to Brenner,” Geste ordered.
The floater did not reply immediately, and the Trickster glanced up at it, startled.
“I'm sorry, sir,” it said at last, “I can't get through. All communications with the High Castle are being jammed."
“Damn!"
“What's going on?” Bredon asked.
“I don't know,” Geste answered. “I don't know, but I don't like it.” He stared up at the battle for a long moment.
“Is Lady Sunlight in there?"
“I don't know, but I suspect that she is."
“Is she in danger?"
“I don't know that, either,” Geste replied. “But I'm afraid she might be."
Bredon looked up at the flashing of incomprehensible weapons. “Is there anything we can do to help?"
Geste did not reply for a long moment. “I don't know,” he said at last, “but I don't think we're going to get in there, are we?"
“No, sir,” the floater replied. “I cannot take you much closer than this while the castle is under fire, and I certainly can't deliver you to any of the registered entrances."
“If I know Brenner, that castle is even stronger than it looks,” Geste said, reflecting. “Unless Thaddeus has one hell of an arsenal built up, he's not going to get through the defenses any time soon."
Neither Bredon nor the floater said anything. Bredon knew nothing about either Brenner or Thaddeus save various unpleasant legends, and the floater had no comment to make.
“Maybe Thaddeus has a good reason for this,” Geste said at length. “Call Fortress Holding again-tell them that I want to talk to Thaddeus."
A moment later, the floater said, “I'm sorry, sir, but the intelligences at Fortress Holding do not acknowledge. I am certain that several of them are receiving my transmission, but none have responded."
“I think we better call around, see if anyone knows what's going on,” Geste said thoughtfully. “Thaddeus may have a legitimate gripe against Brenner-though I can't imagine any that would justify this-but he has no business endangering Sheila and Sunlight."
“That assumes that Lady Sheila and Lady Sunlight are, in fact, in the High Castle,” the floater pointed out.
“Well, that's another reason to call around,” Geste said. “To see if they're anywhere else."
The floater acknowledged the point with a bluish flicker, but then said, “Sir, I believe that the mother ship constantly monitors all members of your expedition, through their internal systems, in order to provide information in the event of an emergency. Would you say this constitutes an emergency? If so, I can inquire as to the exact whereabouts and state of health of Lady Sheila and Lady Sunlight."
Geste nodded. “Do it,” he said.