Страница 103 из 109
"Status on the current population?"
"Most of them have managed to clear out in private vessels, sir," said Soleta. "Some chose to remain on the planet and . . ."
"Foolish. Dedicated but foolish," said Calhoun.
"We've evacuated over a thousand people onto the Excaliburas well," said Kebron.
"A thousand?"gasped Shelby. "Maximum capacity for this ship in an evacuation procedure is supposed to be six hundred."
"We've asked that they all stand sideways."
"Good thinking, Kebron," Calhoun said dryly. He turned to Shelby and said, "Looks like we'll be taking Nelkar up on their offer sooner than anticipated." Then he noticed Si Cwan standing off to the side, very quiet, his attention riveted to the screen. "Are you all right, Ambassador?"
He shifted his gaze to Calhoun and said, "Of course not."
It seemed a fair enough response.
"Sir, energy buildup!" a
"Take us back another five hundred thousand kilometers, Mr. McHenry. Burgoyne, have warp speed ready, just in case we need to get out of here quickly."
"Perhaps it would be wiser to vacate the area now," Shelbysuggested.
"You're very likely correct. It would be wiser. However, I think I want to see this."
She nodded. Truth to tell, she wanted to see it as well.
On the screen, Thallon continued to shudder, its entire surface ribboned with cracks. Even from the distance at which they currently sat, they could see lava bubbling in all directions. The very planet appeared to be pulsating, throbbing under the strain of whatever was pushing its way out.
And then, all of a suddenly, something thrust up from within.
It was a claw. A single, giant, flaming claw, miles wide, smashing up through what was once a polar icecap. Then another flaming claw, several hundred miles away, and then a third claw and a fourth, but these at the opposite ends of the planet, and they seemed even larger. The screen adjusted the brightness to avoid damaging the eyesight of the bridge crew.
The process begun, it moved faster and faster, more pieces breaking away, and then the planet broke apart in a stu
. . . and there was a creature there unlike anything that Calhoun had ever seen.
It seemed vaguely avian in appearance, with feathers made of roaring flame and energy crackling around it. Its talons of flame flexed outward, and its massive wings unfurled. Its beak was long and wide, and it opened its mouth in a scream that could not be heard in the depths of space. Incredibly, stars were visible through the creature. It was as if it was a creature that was both there . . . and not there.
"I don't believe it," said a stu
"Unknown, sir," replied Soleta. "In general physicality, it seems evocative of such beasts as the ancient pteranodon, or the flamebird of Ricca 4. But its size, its physical makeup . . ."
"Oh, my God," said Burgoyne in slow astonishment. "It can't be. Don't you get it?" s/he said with growing excitement.
"What is it, Burgy?" asked Shelby, who was as riveted to the screen as any of them.
"It's . . . it's the Great Bird of the Galaxy."
THE GREAT BIRD OF THE GALAXY
XI.
"DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!" said Shelby. "That's . . . that's a myth!"
"Once upon a time, so was the idea of life on other planets," commented Zak Kebron.
The Great Bird, in the airlessness of space, continued to move its wings. It crackled with power. Extending its jaws, it gobbled up floating chunks left over from Thallon . . .
. . . and then it seemed to turn its attention to the Starship Excalibur.
"Uh-oh," said Shelby.
"I do notlike the looks of this," Calhoun agreed. "Aren't baby birds hungry first thing after they're born?"
"Customarily," Soleta said.
"What if it moves to attack the other ships?'"
"It doesn't seem interested in anyone else but us, Shelby," said Calhoun. "Probably because we're the biggest."
"Shall we prepare to fight it, sir?" asked Kebron, fingers already moving to the tactical station.
"Fight the Great Bird of the Galaxy?" said Calhoun. "Even we have to know our limitations."
The creature moved toward them, and Shelby said, "It seems to have a bead on us."
"I think you're right. Okay . . . move us out at warp factor one. Let's draw it away from the area and give everyone a chance to clear out."
"Incoming message from one of the vessels, sir," Kebron a
"Save it. Now isn't the time. Mr. McHenry, get us out of here."
The Excaliburwent into reverse thrust, pivoted, and moved away from the shattered remains of Thai-Ion, with the Great Bird of the Galaxy, or whatever it was, in hot pursuit.
"It's picking up speed," said Lefler.
"Jump us to warp four," Calhoun ordered, sitting calmly with his fingers steepled.
With a thrust from its mighty warp engines, the Excaliburleaped forward. The Great Bird, if such it was, flapped its wings and kept moving, pacing them.
"According to legend," Burgoyne was saying, "there can only be one Great Bird at a time. And when it senses its end is near, the Great Bird imparts its essence into a world, gestates over centuries, and is then reborn. I guess that's why it was
'mythological ' . . . it takes centuries for the 'egg,' if you will, to hatch."
"But you told me 'May the Great Bird of the Galaxy roost on your planet' was a blessing," Calhoun pointed out.
"Obviously it was. Look at the prosperity that Thallon saw during the time of the roosting."
"But when it hatches, the planet is destroyed! What kind of blessing is that?"
"It's oral tradition, not an exact science, sir," McHenry commented.
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Burgoyne said.
"Sir, it's catching up."
"Pull out the stops, Mr. McHenry. Warp nine."
The Excaliburraced away, and this time the creature seemed to let out another squawk before the Excaliburleft it far behind. It dwindled, further and further, to the farthest reaches of the ship's sensor, and then was gone.
There was a slow sigh of relief let out on the bridge. "Well," said Shelby brightly, "that wasn't too much of a chore."
"Collision course!"shouted McHenry.
The Great Bird was directly in front of them, its mouth open wide. Faster than anyone would have thought possible, McHenry course-corrected and tried to send the ship angling out of the way of the creature's maw.
No good. The Excaliburflew straight into the Great Bird's mouth . . .
. . . and out the other side of its head.
The ship was jolted, shaken throughout, and it was all that the bridge crew could do to keep its seats. "Damage report!" shouted Calhoun.
"Slight dip in deflector shields! Otherwise we're clear!" called Lefler.
The creature appeared on their rear monitors. It appeared to be watching them go with great curiosity. Indeed, if any of the crew were given to fanciful interpretations of events, they would have said that the creature seemed just as curious about this new life-form that it had encountered as the new life-form was about them.