CIIAPTER XIII
A f t e r m a t h
TREPRDATTON VO’.RTEX’ A rge tr vel,“ng force-field of uncertai origin and nature, manifested as a gravitational titrbtilence with gyroraagnetic and electric side-effects. The name derives from the fact that the digerential equations describing conditions on the fri-n-es are similar to those for a vortex in hydrodynamics, as well as from the popular a,5sociation with a maelstrom. These vortices are responsible for a number of pheno ena, including trepidation of planets and other small bodies. The fluctuating forces they exert on spaceships, as well as the irreglarities they introduce into hyperdrive )ields, have violent co equences, the vessel o en being destroyed or hurled far o-.ff course; doubtless the vortices are responsible for most otherwise inexplicable disappearances of ships. The best theory of the trepidation vortex is due to Ramaclian ra and proposes that local cance,ntrations o-‘ nascent mass-
I
Dictionary definitions! Was tl-ie lexicographer ever in such a storm?
Lightning sheeted tl)roii;zb the room and thunder banged in its wake. By its glare Sean saw an uprooted tree falling, and rolled to escape it. The branches flayed off his shirt.
he cried. “Ilaloal”
He felt her in his arms and held her close, straining against the floor. It toned with a giant vibration through flesh and skull and brain. By another electric flash he saw Trovelyan grope across the park, Nicki clinging to his hand. A woman cri@-I out. Then the reverberance of metal drowned human voices.
Induced currents-His body felt the beat Under him, and be smelled the grass as it beaan to char. They couldn’t stay here! The floor rocked, falling dizzilv away and then rising to smash at his ribs. Shifting -ravitation- “Come oii, ‘Lo, come on,” he groaned.
They lurched up, clutching for each other. The darkness was a chaos of echoes, booming and banging, shriek, whistle, crack and crash. From some forgotten corner of his mind a memory was spewed up. You couldn’t have an electric field inside a bollow charged conductor. The lightning discharges bad been between non-conductors, trees, and these were down now. But there would be firel
A heave and p;tch sent him staggering. Broken twigs knifed his skin. He climbed erect again, leaning on Ilaloa -scmehow she had kept her feet. They crawled over the tree.
Light was dimly reborn, blue fireballs created in the air and-drifting on its winds. He saw Ilaloa’s face etched against the dark. She wasn’t frightened now, but be couldi-i’t read her expression.
A lightning ball swooped past, like a small sun. He felt a tingle in his nerves, and every bair stood up by itself. Bevond the dull radiance was a howling night.
Someone blundered into him. He looked on a boy’s distorted face. “Hcive you seen rny sister?” The voice was dii-a under the endless metallic roar. Hands clutched at his shoulders. “Where’s Janie?”
“Come with us-” Ilaloa reached for the boy. He was suddenly gone, whirled away. Sean saw pain in her face,
then the murk closed in again.
Gravitation tilted horribly. He went to his knees, sliding down a curve of hot steel. He fetched up brutally against a wall. Ilaloa was still with him, arm locked in arm.
Another globe of ball lightning hovered by. He saw a ,man gasping toward them. His face was hollow with terror
and be drooled from an open mouth.
“Abbey! Abbey Roberto!” Sean shouted through the sundering roar of metal, hardly knowing he did.
The man stumbled closer. There was a knife in his hand, and Ilaloa gasped. Abbey snarled, swinging the blade at her.
“Witch! Damned murdering witch, you did this!”
Ilaloa grabbed for his knife wrist. He struck at her with the free hand, a buffet that sent her to her knees.
Sean’s world reddened. He stepped above Ilaloa’s crouching form, driving a knee into Abbey’s stomach. The other man choked and thrust at him. Sean caught the descending arm in his hands, and twisted the knife loose. Abbey clawed for his eyes. Sean stabbed him.
The lightning ball exploded, thunder and fury and a rain of fire. Its glare was livid over the trembling, staggering walls. Sean crouched with Ilaloa, holding her close and waiting.