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WalkingStone nearest her she picked up and hurled over the edge of
the balcony it clutched at her desperately, missed, and fell with a
strange silence. The other WalkingStone, an odd one with
mismatched arms, immediately planted itself between SilverSide and
the GodBeing. It made no move toward SilverSide, though she knew it
would not let her pass.
The GodBeing was a strange creature, she thought, its face a pasty,
dead color and its fur all gathered on the top of its head and nowhere
else. It concealed its body behind some strange substance so that she
could not even see its sex, and one arm was bound to its body. It had
no claws, and its teeth seemed to be flat and dull like a planteater s. It
smelled horrible, like some obscene cross between a dead
WalkingStone and a TreeWalker.
It hardly looked formidable enough to be leading the WalkingStones.
And yet...SilverSide was strangely fascinated by the creature. It was a
being of flesh, and it ruled this world of technology. Find intelligence,
her old programming had ordered.
SilverSide shook the feeling aside. Protect the kin; that was what the
First Law demanded.
I challenge you! SilverSide roared to the GodBeing in HuntTongue,
but it only shook its head, not understanding. I challenge you,
GodBeing, she said again, using the VoidTongue. The words felt odd
coming from her throat and yet were strangely familiar at the same
time. The GodBeing reacted to her use of the VoidTongue, its eyes
going wide and startled. Let us fight to decide who controls the
WalkingStones.
SilverSide growled and shifted into the challenge stance, her hind legs
gathered as if to leap, her claws extended. The WalkingStone in front
of the GodBeing began to move toward SilverSide, and she snorted. It
reached for her, and her jaw clamped around its arm, tearing
savagely. It was like chewing on stone, but the grasp gave her leverage
and she flung the robot to one side.
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The GodBeing backed away, trying to escape back inside the Hill of
Stars, and SilverSide moved to block it. No, she said. I will not
allow you to run. We must fight. That is the way to decide this.
There is no need to fight, the GodBeing said. You will not fight me.
You will move aside from the doorway. There was a tone of
imperious command in its voice. Almost, SilverSide wanted to obey,
and for just a moment her stance changed, becoming servile and
submissive. But she shook her massive head and growled again in
angry BeastTalk.
The OldMother sent me to save the kin. You kill them. We must fight.
That is the way.
The GodBeing was shaking its pasty-fleshed head. No. I ve changed
all that. I ve told the city to stop. Back away now. You re a robot. You
have to obey me.
I am the leader of the kin. I obey the will of the OldMother.
Who is the OldMother? the GodBeing asked, and SilverSide could
not believe its stupidity. How could it not know the OldMother?
Corning from the FirstBeast, it must know her.
But there was no time to question the GodBeing. From the edges of
her peripheral vision, SilverSide caught movement; trebled
movement. The WalkingStone she had flung aside was advancing
toward her, and from inside the GodBeing s cave in the Hill of Stars,
she could see two Hunters running toward the ledge and their
confrontation.
SilverSide howled in fury and faced the GodBeing.
You are afraid of me. I should be the leader. If you rule the city, then
meet me. I will wait for you.
She flung aside the hand the WalkingStone laid on her and rushed to
the edge of the ledge, knocking the GodBeing down in her leap. It was
certainly a fragile being, for it cried out in pain as she plummeted
over the side.
She willed herself to become the bird again and swooped up and
away. The WalkingStones had helped the GodBeing to its feet and
were watching her as she gained altitude. She watched them carefully
to see if they aimed their awful fire at her, but the GodBeing held
them back.
Howling her BeastTalk challenge once more, SilverSide left the city.
Landing in the forest, she resumed her preferred form and sat down
to wait.
CHAPTER 24
A CALL RECEIVED
It had to be one of the most frightening sounds he d ever heard, those
shivering howls coming from the throat of the huge black carrion
bird. More than anything else, the fluidity of the rogue s body was
terrifying. It had seemed to simply melt into its new shape....
Watching the rogue flyaway, Derec was suddenly very certain that
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this wasn t going to be as easy as he d thought it would be. Not at all.
He took a deep breath of the cold night air. Cradling his arm, he went
back inside.
Master Derec, are you hurt?
Mostly my pride, Mandelbrot, he answered. I suspect it ll heal
slower than the rest of me.
Derec s arm was throbbing again, and his head ached where he d hit
the railing as the rogue swept past him, but none of it was as serious
as it could have been. He d seen those teeth, those claws, and he d
seen how the rogue had flung Mandelbrot aside like a broken doll. A
few scrapes and bruises were nothing. Nothing at all.
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