Night of Light

“But he still won’t have to undergo the Night?”

“Oh, yes, he will. He’ll not be given the drags to put him Asleep, and he’ll have to face whatever comes, in a prison cell.”

“But suppose there’s a mass resistance? The government wouldn’t have time or the facilities to deal with a large body of people, would they?”

“You don’t understand Kareenans. No matter how frightened they will be, the majority would find it unthinkable to disobey Yess.”

The more Carmody thought about it, the less he liked it. To some extent, he could understand the men and women being forced to go through with it, but the children! The i

“I don’t understand it,” he said. “But then I am not, as you pointed out, a Kareenan.”

“But will you try to persuade him not to force this?”

“Have you talked to the other Fathers?”

“Some of them,” Abog said. “I got nowhere. They will go along with whatever Yess wants.”

Carmody was silent for a while. He fully intended to argue with Yess, but he was not sure that it would be wise to tell Abog so. Who knew what capital Abog and the party he represented might make of his statement? Or what resentment Yess might have if Carmody’s intentions were published?

“I’ll just have to take the consequences,” Carmody said aloud. “All right, I do mean to talk Yess out of making the decision you and so many others fear. But I do not want to be quoted on TV or have this interview printed in the papers. If such happens, I’ll deny everything.”

Abog seemed happy. Smiling, he said, “Very good. Perhaps you can succeed where others have failed. So far, he has made no official pronouncement. There’s time yet.”

He thanked Carmody and left.

The priest called Gilson back and told him to come up; then he notified the guards to let the Earthman in when he came.

The phone rang a third time. Tand’s face appeared on the screen.

“I’m sorry, John. Yess can’t see you tonight. But he will see you tomorrow night at the Temple. Meanwhile, what do you intend to do to pass the time?”

“I think I’ll put on a mask and join the merrymakers in the street.”

“You can, because you’re a Father,” Tand said. “But your Earth compatriots, those men you spoke about, Lieftin and Abdu, they can’t. I got the police to restrict them to the hotel unless they agree to go through the Night. As a matter of fact, all non-Kareenans are restricted by the new ruling. I’m afraid there’ll be a lot of disgruntled tourists and scientists tonight. But that’s the way it is.”

“You swing a lot of weight, Tand.”

“I don’t overuse my power. But I think this ruling is a good idea. I’d like to go out with you, John, but I’m tied up with too many official duties. Power brings its responsibilities, you know.”

“I know. Good night, Tand.”

His hand passed over the screen, and he turned to walk away. The phone rang. This time, it was not a face but a hideous mask that appeared on the screen. The mask blocked out all view of what lay behind it. From the noises Carmody surmised that the phone was in a public booth on one of the main streets.

The voice that issued from the stiff lips of the mask was distorted.

“Carmody, this is Fratt. I just wanted to get a good look at you before you died. I want to see if you’re suffering, although you could not possibly suffer as much as my son and I did.”

The priest forced himself to be calm. In an even voice he said, “Fratt, I don’t even know you. I can’t even remember the incident you allege took place. So, why don’t you come up to my room and talk to me? Maybe you’ll change your mind.”

There was a pause so long that Carmody decided he had shocked Fratt. Then, “You don’t think I’d be fool enough to put myself again in the power of a man like you? You must be insane!”

“All right. You name the time and place. I’ll come alone to meet you; we’ll talk this thing out.”

“Oh, you’ll meet me all right. But it’ll be when and where you’ll least expect it. At least, I’ve got you sweating. And begging.”

A glove shaped like a claw moved up before the mask, and the screen went blank. Carmody went to the door in answer to the clanging of the knocker. Gilson entered.

Angrily, he said, “I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you much, Father. I’ve just been notified that I’m restricted to the hotel.”

“That’s my fault,” the bishop said. He told Gilson what had happened, but Gilson did not seem any happier, especially after he heard Carmody’s account of the phone conversation with Fratt.

“I might as well take the next ship out,” he said.

“Let’s go down to the hotel dining room and eat,” Carmody said. “It’s on me. And I understand that the hotel has an Earth cook for those who can’t adapt themselves to a Kareenan diet. Only trouble is, he’s Mexican. If you don’t like enchiladas, tortillas, chili burros, well...”

In the dining room, they found Lieftin and Abdu sitting at the same table. Both men were picking at their food and looking very disgruntled. Carmody invited himself to sit with them, and Gilson followed his example. Gilson was introduced as a businessman.

“Has your request for an interview with Yess been denied?” Carmody asked Lieftin.

Lieftin growled and said, “They were polite but they made it clear that I couldn’t see him until after the Night.”

“You could take the Sleep,” Carmody said, then paused. “Hmm, if Yess forbids Sleep, will he make the edict apply to non-Kareenans, too?”

“Do you mean that I could Sleep and then interview Yess afterwards?” Lieftin said, his face red. “Nothing doing!”

Carmody wondered why Lieftin was so vehement. If Lieftin were the assassin, he would want to complete his job before the Night started.

“Are you going back now?” Carmody said to Abdu. “You can’t complete any business now.”

“This restriction handicaps me,” Abdu answered, “but I can conduct business over the phone.”

“I wouldn’t think you could do much during the festival. Most businesses are shut down now.”

“Kareenans are like Terrestrials. There are always a few who’ll do business no matter what, even during an earthquake.”

Lieftin jerked a thumb toward the entrance to the hotel. “See those two guys dressed in the blue and red feathers? They’re cops. They’re making sure we don’t leave this forsaken tomb.”

“It is quiet,” Carmody said. He looked around. Aside from a waiter standing ten tables away, they were the only ones in the dining room. Moreover, the lobby beyond was occupied only by several desk clerks and bellhops, all silent and glum.

“I can’t stand my room,” Lieftin said. “It’s like being in a mausoleum. All that cold stone and deathly silence. How the, uh, how do the Kareenans stand living in places like this?”

“They have certain resemblances to the ancient Egyptians,” the bishop said. “They think much of death and their short stay on this planet. They like to be reminded that this is only a stopping-off place.”

“What’s their idea of Heaven? And Hell?” Abdu said.

Carmody started to speak, then waited for Lieftin to answer. If Lieftin really were what he claimed to be, he would have to know at least the elements of Kareenan religion. His church was not likely to send an unbriefed man here on such a mission; spaceship travel cost too much.

Lieftin started to eat, his eyes on his plate. When it became evident he was not going to reply to Abdu, Carmody said, “Boontism has a two-level Heaven. The bottom level is for those who are worshipers of Yess, who strive to be ‘good’ but do not dare to test themselves by going through the Night. These live forever in a place similar to their earthly existence. That is, they must work, sleep, they have discomforts, pain, frustration, boredom, etc. But they do live forever.