“Yes, yes,” Banks interrupted impatiently. “We’ve been through all that with your—what’s his name?—Trevany. If you’re about to tell us again about structures here that you think were made by the same aliens, ancestors—whatever your theory is—then you can save your breath. We have the prior claim on this area, which, as I have already advised you, we are prepared to enforce. I’m sorry if that frustrates your immediate hopes, but we’re a business enterprise, not a philanthropic society with academic sympathies. If these Technolithic people were here, no doubt there will be other signs of them all over Mars—and probably other places too, from what you seem to be saying. I can only suggest that you show patience and tenacity in the best tradition of your profession. But you can’t expect serious development and commerce to halt every time you find a few rocks that nobody else is interested in. If that were allowed, the race would never have gotten off Earth at all.”
Kieran shook his head emphatically. “No, you misunderstand. I told you, my field is outside the academic disciplines of Dr. Trevany and his colleagues.” He made a flourish—and in the process swept his helmet and gloves off the shelf he had put them on and onto the floor. Banks and the others watched disdainfully while he fussed around gathering them together again and stood up, regaining his composure. “I didn’t come here to plead, or to belabor you with scientific details. I came here to warn you.”
Banks blinked. His face showed reaction for the first time. “Warn us?”
Kieran’s eyes gleamed, fixing on each of the three in turn. He moved a pace toward the cabin center, causing Xedeidang to pull back in his seat, and gestured with an extended arm. “Study the histories down through the centuries of those who violated the places made sacred by the Technolithics. How these things happened, we don’t know, but the records and testimonies of those who were there, and who saw, are clear. Strange accidents and misfortunes befell them. Lives that were successful and prosperous fell into ruin. Inexplicable diseases ravaged their bodies. . . .” That one was thrown in for Gilder’s benefit. “Others went insane, committed suicide, turned violently upon each other. . . .”
Xedeidang looked perplexedly at Banks, silently saying they had a madman aboard and asking what to do. He started to pull his leg back as Kieran turned to retrace his course; Kieran tried to evade by altering his step, went off balance, and steadied himself against the bulkhead.
“This is preposterous,” Gertrude Heissen muttered at Banks.
Kieran straightened up and resumed. “You don’t understand. Your experience is confined to the materialistic processes that your scientists tell you are all there is to the universe. But they have barely glimpsed a fraction of it. The Technolithic peoples, whoever they were, wherever they came from, had knowledge of powers that we can only guess at. The structures they built were not tombs and monuments as has been told. Materials are found in them that we use only in our most advanced scientific creations. They were precision machines—instruments involving forces unknown to us today, serving purposes that we are unable to imagine.” Kieran stabbed a finger in the direction of the ground outside again. “And down there, beneath where we are standing, is an example of—”
“This has gone far enough,” Banks cut it. “We’ve heard as much as we’re prepared to. Whether you’re officially a member of Professor Hashikar’s staff or not, go back and tell him that if—”
But Kieran seemed to have worked himself up into too much of a frenzy to hear. He whirled, throwing out a hand and causing Heissen to duck in alarm, gazed rapturously upward as if for inspiration, in the process backing into an empty seat by the folding table serving the area and sitting down heavily in it. But his verve and vigor were undiminished. “Communicate back with those who sent you here, and have them end your mission. Strange powers operate in these places, manifesting themselves as radiation fields and magnetic disturbances. They exist here!” As if Banks and the others didn’t already know. “They know those who come with malevolent intent. They can distinguish. Leave while you are still safe! Things happen that scientists cannot explain. Their instruments stop functioning. Even as you sit here—” Kieran turned his head toward the door leading forward, as if a thought had just struck him. “The instruments in this aircraft, maybe. Wouldn’t that make you think? Can I ask your crew?” Before anyone realized what he was doing or could stop him, Kieran got up suddenly, pulled open the door, and stepped through into the nose section. Two surprised faces jerked around to greet him from the crew positions. “Excuse me, gentlemen, but can I ask you—”