Wyst: Alastor 1716 by Jack Vance Read Free Book Online Page A

Connatic often disappears from Lusz.
Now I’ve heard—this is admittedly rumor, but where there’s smoke there’s
fire—that during these exact intervals, and only during these intervals, Bosko
Boskowitz [14] makes his depredations. This correspondence has been thoroughly researched, so
I’ve heard, and there’s no doubt about it.”
    “Interesting!” said Skorlet. “Doesn’t Bosko Boskowitz
maintain a secret palace among the starments staffed only with beautiful
children, who must obey his every whim?”
    ‘That’s the case! And isn’t it odd that the Whelm never interferes
with Bosko Boskowitz?”
    “More than odd! That’s why I say: ‘Egalism across the Cluster!’”
    Jantiff said in disgust: “I don’t believe a word of it.”
    Skorlet laughed her gloomy laugh. “You’re young and naive.”
    “As to that I can’t say.”
    “No matter.” Skorlet peered into the jug. “I suppose we
might as well put a term to it.”
    “Excellent idea!” declared Esteban. “The strength is always
at the bottom of the jug.”
    Skorlet raised her head. “No time now; there goes the gong.
Let’s go for wump. Then, afterwards, why not conduct our new friend around the
city?”
    “Certainly) I’m always ready for a promenade! It’s a fine
day after the rain. And what of Tanzel? We could pick her up along the way.”
    “Yes, of course. Poor little dear; I haven’t seen her for
days. Fl call her right now.” She went to the screen, but pushed buttons in
vain. “It still won’t go! Idiotic thing! There’s been maintenance on it twice!”
    Jantiff went to the screen, touched the buttons, listened.
He slipped up the retainer ring and lowered the screen upon its hinge.
    Skorlet and Esteban came to look over his shoulder. “Do you
understand these things?”
    “Not really. As children, we’re trained to elementary circuits,
but I haven’t gone much further. Still, this is very simple equipment; all
plug-ins, and the telltale shows when they’re bad… Hm. These are all in
order. Look here; this filter bank isn’t slotted accurately. Try now.”
    The screen glowed. Skorlet said bitterly: “The maintenance
fellow studied his instruction book for two hours and still couldn’t do the
job.”
    “Oh well,” said Esteban, “he was just someone like me on
high drudge.”
    Skorlet merely gave a sour grunt She touched buttons, and
spoke to the woman whose face appeared. “Tanzel, please.”
    A girl nine or ten years old looked forth from the screen. “Hello,
Mother. Hello, Father.”
    “We’re dropping by in about an hour, and we’ll go for a nice
promenade. Will you be ready?”
    “Oh, yes! I’ll wait in front.”
    “Good! In just about an hour.”
    The three turned to go. Jantiff stopped short. “P11 just put
my bag in the wardrobe; no harm starting out tidy at least.”
    Esteban clapped Jantiff on the shoulder. “I think you’ve got
a jewel here, Skorlet.”
    “Oh, I suppose he’ll do.”
    As they walked along the corridor Jantiff asked, “What
happened to your last roommate?”
    “I don’t know,” said Skorlet. “She went out one day and
never came back.”
    “How strange!”
    “I suppose so. No one ever knows what’s in another person’s
mind. Here’s the wumper.”
    The three entered a long wide room, lined with tables and
benches, and already filled with chattering residents of Level 19. An attendant
punched their apartment numbers into a register; the three took covered trays
from a dispenser and went to a table. The tray contained exactly the same
rations Jantiff had been served the previous evening at the Travelers Inn.
    Skorlet put a cake of gruff to the side. “For our next swill.”
    Esteban with an expression of whimsical grief did likewise. “For
swill, any sacrifice is worthy.”
    “Here’s mine,” said Jantiff. “I insist on contributing.”
    Skorlet gathered the three cakes together. “I’ll take them
back to the apartment, and we’ll all just pretend that we’ve