The Rebellion Read Online Free PDF Page A

connected to huge weapontradin’ houses that made a profit out of sellin’ weaponmachines. Govamen was supposed to be stoppin’ wars an’ finding other ways to resolve conflict between Beforetime factions, but in reality it reaped coin from th’ very people who wanted th’ wars to go on—namely th’ weaponmakers. Of course, th’ connection between Govamen an’ th’ weapontradin’ houses was illicit. Th’ Reichler Clinic folk learned of it by chance when they was tryin’ to find out why they were bein’ investigated.”
    “You mean this organization conspired to promote war for profit?” Rushton demanded.
    “I would not go that far,” Garth said. “However, it does seem to offer an explanation as to why the Beforetimers had so many wars. It is a thing that has always troubled me about them.”
    “I still don’t understand what this had to do with the Reichler Clinic hiding things,” I said. “It wasn’t forbidden to be a Misfit then, was it?”
    “No. But th’ Reichler Clinic people learned that th’ part of Govamen investigatin’ them was devoted to research an’ development of paranormal abilities as weapons,” Fian said. “This was th’ symbol of th’ research cell from Govamen.”
    He stopped to point to a tiny picture atop one of the plasts. It showed three minuscule birds flying in an endless spiral around a word I could not interpret.
    “Look closely,” Garth invited.
    I did, and my eyes widened at the realization that the birds pictured were Agyllians—Guanette birds, as Landfolk called them.
    “Fascinating, eh?” he demanded.
    “Yes,” I agreed faintly, thinking he had no idea
how
fascinating.
    The Land resonated with myths about the huge red birds, which were believed to be virtually extinct. But I knew that they dwelt in nests on high citadels of stone in the tallest mountains to the north, because they had once brought me there to save my life in the hope that I would one day destroy the Beforetimers’ remaining weaponmachines. I wondered if it could possibly be a coincidence that their image adorned material produced by the mysterious organization called Govamen, with its sinister connections to the weaponmakers.
    “Th’ section in Govamen that used this as their mark”—Fian tapped the design—“had apparently gone a lot further in its paranormal research than simply testin’ th’ minds of volunteers. It had actually tried to alter th’ brains of animalsto produce artificial Talents. Seems they had some spectacular initial results that came to nowt. From what I have translated, th’ Reichler Clinic people feared Govamen’s interest in th’ clinic meant they had th’ idea of usin’ th’ people that they had tested as latent Talents. An’ by usin’ I mean kidnappin’ an’ experimentin’ on, against their will.”
    I felt sick. That meant Misfits had been no safer in the Beforetime than we were now. Perhaps it would always be so.
    “This is all very interesting,” Rushton interrupted. “But you could have told it to us safely and simply back at Obernewtyn. I presume there is some reason you have dragged us into this miserable place?”
    Garth sighed. “All right. I could have told you what I am about to show you, too, but it is so momentous I felt you would wish to see it. Perhaps I was wrong.”
    The stocky teknoguilder moved to the other end of the room, and as the light from the lantern he carried reached the far wall, I could see a mural had been carved there, depicting a mountain scene in perfect relief and intricate detail. It was a magnificent work, and it seemed vaguely familiar.
    “It’s Obernewtyn,” Rushton said in a stunned voice. “Or at least, it is where Obernewtyn is sited. The same spot. The trees are different, but you can tell by the positioning of the mountains. But why on earth would its image be carved here?”
    “I think ye’ll find th’ answer to that when ye read th’ inscription on th’ wee plaque,” Fian said,