Perdido Street Station Part 14

"Squire, b.u.g.g.e.r," he shouted curtly, nodding at both of them. His eyes were quick. Isaac nudged Lin, indicated her to stop.

"What d'you want?" said Isaac impatiently.

The man spoke very quickly.

"Well, visitors being unco down the Spatters I was chewing on whether you'd fancy a little helpster, like."

"Don't be an a.r.s.e, man," Isaac roared. "I'm not a visitor visitor. Last time I was here I was the guest of Savage Peter," he continued ostentatiously. He paused for the whispers that the name invoked. "Now, at the present I'm after a little chinwag with them." He jerked his finger at the garuda. The fat man recoiled slightly.

"You're for conflabbing with the bird-boys? What's that about, squire?"

"None of your sodding business! Question is, do you want to take me to their mansion?"

The man held up his hands, conciliatory.

"Shouldn't have pried, squire, none of my concerns. Smiley to take you to the bird-boxes, for a measly little recompo."

"Oh, for Jabber's sake. Don't worry, you'll be taken care of. Just don't don't," yelled Isaac at everyone in the staring crowd, "be arsing around with ideas of muggery and thievery. I've just enough to pay a decent guide on me, not a stiver more, and I know that Savage will be screaming f.u.c.king livid screaming f.u.c.king livid if anything happened to an old mate on his turf." if anything happened to an old mate on his turf."

"Please, guvvo, you're insultering the Spatterkin. Not another sound, just be tracing on me tail, how's that?"

"Lead on, man," said Isaac.

As they wound through the dripping concrete and rusted iron roofs, Lin turned to Isaac.

What in Jabber's name was all that? Who's Savage Peter?

Isaac signed as he walked.

Load of b.o.l.l.o.c.ks. Came here once with Lemuel on a . . . dubious errand, met Savage. Local big man. Didn't even know for sure he was still alive! Wouldn't remember me.

Lin was exasperated. She could not believe the Spatterkin were taken in by Isaac's preposterous routine. But they were definitely being led towards the garudas' tower. Maybe what she'd witnessed was more like a ritual than any real confrontation. Maybe, alternatively, Isaac had kidded and scared no one at all. Maybe they were helping him out of pity.

The makes.h.i.+ft hovels lapped up against the bases of the towerblocks like little waves. Lin's and Isaac's guide beckoned them enthusiastically and gesticulated at the four blocks positioned in a square. In the shadowy s.p.a.ce between them a garden had been planted, with twisted trees desperately reaching for direct light. Succulents and hardy weeds burst from the scrubland. Garuda circled under the cloud-cover.

"There's your aim, squire!" said the man proudly.

Isaac hesitated.

"How do I . . . I don't want to just plough on up unannounced . . ." he faltered. "Uh . . . how can I attract their attention?"

The guide held out his hand. Isaac stared at him a minute, then fumbled for a shekel. The man beamed at it and put it in his pocket. Then he turned and stepped a little way back from the building's walls, put his fingers to his mouth and whistled.

"Oy!" he yelled. "Bird-bonce! Squire wants to parley!"

The crowd that still surrounded Isaac and Lin took up the yells enthusiastically. A raucous yelling announced to the garuda above that they had visitors. A contingent of the flying shapes congregated in the air above the Spatters crowd. Then with an invisible adjustment of the wings, three of them plummeted spectacularly towards the ground.

There was a gasp and appreciative whistling.

The three garuda dropped like the dead towards the waiting crowd. Twenty feet from the ground they twitched their outstretched wings and broke their precipitous falls. They beat the air heavily, sending ma.s.sive gusts of wind and dust into the faces and eyes of the humans below them as they hovered up and down, sinking a little, then rising, just out of reach.

"What you all shouting for?" screeched the garuda on the left.

"It's fascinating," whispered Isaac to Lin. "His voice is avian, but nothing like as difficult to understand as Yagharek . . . Ragamoll must be his native language, he's probably never spoken anything else."

Lin and Isaac stared at the magnificent creatures. The garuda were nude to the waist, their legs covered in thin brown pantaloons. One had black feathers and skin; the other two were dark tan. Lin gazed at those enormous wings. They stretched and beat with a ma.s.sive span, at least twenty feet.

"This squire here . . ." began the guide, but Isaac interrupted him.

"Good to meet you," he yelled up. "I've got a proposal for you. Any chance we could have a chat?"

The three garuda looked at each other.

"What you want? want?" yelled the black-feathered one.

"Well, look-" Isaac gesticulated at the crowd "-this isn't really how I was envisaging this discussion. Is there anywhere private we could go?"

"You bet!" said the first one. "See you up there!"

The three pairs of wings boomed in concert and the garuda disappeared into the sky, leaving Isaac wailing behind them.

"Wait!" he shouted. It was too late. He looked around for the guide.

"I don't suppose," Isaac asked him, "the lift's working in there, is it?"

"Never got put in, squire." The guide grinned wickedly. "Best be getting started."

"Dear sweet Jabber's a.r.s.e, Lin . . . go on without me. I'm dying. I'm just going to lie here and die."

Isaac lay on the mezzanine between the sixth and seventh floors. He hissed and wheezed and spat. Lin stood over him, her hands on her hips with exasperation.

Get up, you fat b.a.s.t.a.r.d, she signed. she signed. Yes, exhausting. Me too. Think of the gold. Think of the science. Yes, exhausting. Me too. Think of the gold. Think of the science.

Moaning as if he were being tortured, Isaac staggered to his feet. Lin chivvied him to the edge of the concrete stairs. He swallowed and braced himself, then staggered on up.

The stairwell was grey and unlit except by light filtering round corners and through cracks. Only now, as they emerged onto the seventh floor, did the stairs look as if they had ever been used. Rubbish began to build up around their feet. The stairs were grubby rather than thick in fine dust. At each floor were two doors, and the harsh sounds of garuda conversations were audible through the splintered wood.

Isaac settled into a slow, miserable pace. Lin followed him, ignoring his declarations of imminent heart attack. After several long, painful minutes, they had reached the top floor.

Above them was the door onto the roof. Isaac leaned against the wall and wiped his face. He was drenched in sweat.

"Just give me a minute, sweetheart," he murmured, and even managed to grin. "Oh G.o.ds! For the sake of science, right? Get your camera ready . . . All right. Here we go."

He stood and breathed slowly, then strode slowly up the last flight to the door, opened it and walked out into the flat light on the roof. Lin followed, her camera in her hands.

Khepri eyes needed no time to adjust from light to darkness and back again. Lin stepped out onto a rough concrete roof littered with rubbish and broken concrete and saw Isaac desperately s.h.i.+elding his eyes and squinting. She looked coolly around her.

A little way to the north-east rose Vaudois Hill, a sinuous wedge of high land which rose up as if trying to block the view to the centre of the city. The Spike, Perdido Street Station, Parliament, the Gla.s.shouse dome: all were visible, b.u.t.ting their way over that raised horizon. Opposite the hill, Lin saw miles and miles of Rudewood disappear over uneven ground. Here and there little rock knolls broke free of the leaf-cover. Off to the north there was a long uninterrupted line of sight over to the middle-cla.s.s suburbs of Serpolet and Gallmarch, the militia tower of St. Jabber's Mound, the raised tracks of the Verso Line cutting through Creekside and Chimer. Lin knew that just beyond those soot-stained arches two miles away was the twisting course of the Tar, bearing barges and their cargo into the city from the steppes of the south.

Isaac lowered his hands as his pupils tightened.

Whirling over their heads aerobatically were hundreds of garuda. They began to drop, to spiral neatly out of the sky and drop to their clawed feet in rows around Lin and Isaac. They fell thickly from the air like overripe apples.

There were two hundred at least, Lin estimated. She moved a little closer to Isaac nervously. The garuda averaged at least a couple of inches over six feet, not counting the magnificent peaks of their folded wings. There was no difference in height or musculature between men and women. The females wore thin s.h.i.+fts, the males wore loincloths or cut-off trousers. That was all.

Lin stood five feet tall. She could see no further than the first circle of garuda who surrounded her and Isaac at arms' length, but she could see more and more dropping from the sky; she had the sense of the numbers building up around her. Isaac patted her shoulder absently.

A few shapes still swept and hunted and played in the air around them. When the garuda had stopped landing on the roof, Isaac broke the silence.

"Righto," he yelled. "Thanks very much for inviting us up here. I want to make a proposition to you."

"To who?" came a voice from the crowd.

"Well, to all of you," he replied. "See, I'm doing some work on . . . well, on flight flight. And you are the only creatures in New Crobuzon who can fly and and have brains in your bonces. Wyrmen aren't renowned for their conversational skills," he said jovially. There was no reaction to his joke. He cleared his throat and continued. have brains in your bonces. Wyrmen aren't renowned for their conversational skills," he said jovially. There was no reaction to his joke. He cleared his throat and continued.

"So, anyway . . . uh . . . I'm wondering whether any of you would be willing to come and do a couple of days' work with me, show me some flight, let me take a few prints of your wings . . ." He took hold of Lin's hand that contained the camera and waved it around. "Obviously I'll pay for your time . . . I'd really appreciate some help . . ."

"What you doing?" The voice came from one of the garuda in the front row. The others looked to him when he spoke. This, This, thought Lin, thought Lin, is the boss man. is the boss man.

Isaac looked at him carefully.

"What am I doing? You mean . . ."

"I mean what for d'you need pics? What you up to?"

"It's . . . uh . . . research into the nature of flight. See, I'm a scientist and . . ."

"Horsec.r.a.p. How we know you don't kill us?"

Isaac started in surprise. The congregated garuda nodded and cawed in agreement.

"Why by d.a.m.n d.a.m.n would I want to kill you . . . ?" would I want to kill you . . . ?"

"Just f.u.c.k off, mister. No one here wants to help you."

There were a few mutterings of unease. It was clear that a few of the a.s.sembled might, in fact, have been prepared to take part. But none of them challenged the speaker, a tall garuda with a long scar linking his nipples.

Lin watched as Isaac opened his mouth slowly. He was trying to turn the situation round. She saw his hand go to his pocket and come away again. If he flashed money on the spot, he could seem like a spiv or a wide-boy.

"Listen . . ." he said hesitantly. "I really didn't realize there'd be a problem with this . . ."

"No, well, see, that may or may not be true, mister. Might be you're militia." Isaac snorted derisorily, but the big garuda continued in his sneering tone. "Might be that the murder squads've found a way to get to us bird-boys. 'Just come along to do research . . .' Well, none of us is interested, ta."

"You know," said Isaac, "I understand that you're concerned at my motives. I mean, you don't know me from Jabber and . . ."

"Ain't none of us going with you, mister. Simple."

"Look. I can pay well. I'm prepared to pay a shekel a day for anyone prepared to come to my lab."

The big garuda stepped forward and prodded Isaac aggressively in the chest.

"Want us to come to your lab lab to cut us open, see what makes us tick?" The other garuda stepped back as he circled Lin and Isaac. "You and your b.u.g.g.e.r friend want to cut me into pieces?" to cut us open, see what makes us tick?" The other garuda stepped back as he circled Lin and Isaac. "You and your b.u.g.g.e.r friend want to cut me into pieces?"

Isaac was expostulating and trying to deny the charge. He turned slightly away and looked over at the surrounding crowd.

"So am I to understand that this gent gent speaks for all of you, or would someone here like to earn a shekel a day?" speaks for all of you, or would someone here like to earn a shekel a day?"

There were a few mutterings. Garuda looked s.h.i.+ftily and uneasily at each other. The big garuda facing Isaac threw up his hands and shook them as he spoke. He was incensed.

"I speak for all all!" He turned and stared slowly at his kin. "Any dissenters dissenters?"

There was a pause, and a young male stepped forward slightly.

"Charlie . . ." He spoke directly to the self-appointed leader. "Shekel's a lot of moolah . . . what say a bunch of us go down, make sure there's no monkey-business, keep it sweet . . ."

The garuda called Charlie strode over as the other male was speaking and punched him hard in the face.

There was a communal shriek from the congregation. With a tumult of wings and feathers, great numbers of the garuda burst up and out from the roof like an explosion. Some circled briefly and returned to watch warily, but many others disappeared into the upper floors of other blocks, or off into the cloudless sky.

Charlie stood over his stunned victim, who had fallen to one knee.

"Who's the big man?" shouted Charlie in a strident bird-call. "Who's the big man?"

Lin tugged at Isaac's s.h.i.+rt, began to pull him towards the stairwell door. Isaac resisted half-heartedly. He was visibly appalled at the turn his request had taken, but he was also fascinated to see the confrontation. She dragged him slowly away from the scene.

The fallen garuda looked up at Charlie.

"You the big man," he muttered.

"I'm the big man. I'm the big man 'cause I take care of you, right? I make sure you're all right, don't I? Don't I? And what'd I always tell you? Steer clear of groundcrawlers! And steer clearest of the anthros. They're the worst, they'll tear you up, take your wings away, kill you dead! the big man. I'm the big man 'cause I take care of you, right? I make sure you're all right, don't I? Don't I? And what'd I always tell you? Steer clear of groundcrawlers! And steer clearest of the anthros. They're the worst, they'll tear you up, take your wings away, kill you dead! Don't trust any of 'em! Don't trust any of 'em! And that includes fatboy with the fat wallet over there." For the first time in his tirade he looked up at Isaac and Lin. "You!" he shouted, and pointed at Isaac. "f.u.c.k off out of it 'fore I show you exactly what it's like to fly . . . straight f.u.c.king down!" And that includes fatboy with the fat wallet over there." For the first time in his tirade he looked up at Isaac and Lin. "You!" he shouted, and pointed at Isaac. "f.u.c.k off out of it 'fore I show you exactly what it's like to fly . . . straight f.u.c.king down!"

Lin saw Isaac open his mouth, attempt one last conciliatory explanation. She stamped in irritation and pulled him hard through the door.

Learn to read a d.a.m.ned situation, Isaac. Time to go, Lin signed furiously as they descended. Lin signed furiously as they descended.

"All right Lin, Jabber's a.r.s.e, I get the idea!" He was angry, stamping his great bulk down the stairs without any complaints this time. He was energized by his blistering irritation and bewilderment.

"I just don't see," he continued, "why they were so f.u.c.king antagonistic so f.u.c.king antagonistic . . ." . . ."

Lin turned to him in exasperation. She made him stop, would not let him pa.s.s.