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It was remarkable how fast he team's dressing rooms cleared when it became evident that Shaun Sili was no longer the winner of a gold starburst. The judges were the first to go, and the newsmen all followed after, presumably to the old champion's quarters, to watch as he recieved news of his good fortune. Tris and his team were left brooding in silence.
"So come on, everybody!" he ordered. "Get dressed, all of you who aren't already. Let's go back to the Village. No need for us to remain here to witness the triumph of unreason. If you don't think I argued with those two inflexible fools! Well, better luck next time. Then we get everything down in writing before we begin."
"But I don't understand," cried Skem, who had been pushed into a corner during the recent excitement. "How did they know he was born on Sarvis Q73B? I never heard him mention Sarvis Q73B."
"Neither did I," said Vesh. "It was always Sobillon. Sobillon was his home."
"I never heard of Sarvis Q73B before," said Becka. "Do people really live on a planet like that?"
"Of course they do," Hates told her. "But you have to be tough. It's near peak tolerance."
Merl was frowning at he floor in worried thought. "It seems to me that someone mentioned Sarvis Q73B just he other day. Yes, it was you, Jan-o. You asked me what the gravity was on that planet."
"Why was that?" Tris was quick to ask. "What difference did it make to you?"
"I just thought----I wondered----if Shaun came from there, maybe he was so strong that he could win for sure."
"So you knew about it! It's more than I did. I'd been told, but I'd forgotten," said Tris.
"But how did you know?" Merl was puzzled. "He never told me."
"One time....after practice. We were talking about our childhood."
Suddenly, Skem burst from his sister's side and threw himself upon the unfortunate Jan-o. "You did it! You did it! You gave him away and made him lose! You beastly traitor!"
"Now hold on!" cried Tris, pushing himself between Jan-o and the furious Skem. "Don't go on like that or you'll be sick again. How could he possibly have told the judges? They hardly knew that he exists."
"He didn't have to tell the judges. He told Drayk. I know. Vesh saw them together in the stadium. Didn't you, Vesh. Didn't you?"
"Well, I thought I did," said Vesh, her tone dubious. "But I told you not to tell!"
"Who's Drayk?" The question came simultaneously in six voices.
"He's that tricky gambler that tried to poison me!"
"Now I don't believe he had any such thing in mind!" Vesh was trying tactfully to steer Skem away from Jan-o. "He treated us to an excellent meal and you just ate too much of something that didn't agree with you."
"He was trying to pump information out of us. He must have found Jan-o easier to pump." Skem glowered at the jumper from behind his sister.
"All right. How about it, Jan-o? Did you tell this man that Shaun was born on Sarvis Q73B---or didn't you?"
"I guess I did!" Jan-o muttered miserably. "How was I to know that a simple discussion of gravity...."
"You were told and told to keep away from all strangers! You've been nothing but a liability on this trip. You didn't train when you should have and so you lost your competition. And so you were angry and you went out with this space viper and blabbed! And don't you be so cocky!" Tris bellowed at Skem. "You consorted with strangers, too. You ended up flat on your back and lost us a gold starburst just as surely as Jan-o did."
"But I was all done with the Games!" wailed Jan-o. "I was washed up and finished. I couldn't see how anything I did mattered after that."
"You couldn't see!" said the coach. "Well, and maybe it didn't. We've no proof there's a connection between this Drayke and the judges' decision."
"Oh, yes there is!" cried Skem. "He's Roberd's man. Or at least the gambler's man. He told us a great deal of money was riding on Roberd. And he tried to bribe Shaun to throw short. Shaun was so mad, I thought he'd kill him.
Tris stared at Vesh. "Is this so?" he demanded.
The girl nodded. Tris raised his hands to heaven.
"Why am I never told everything? Why, oh why?"
"We didn't want to upset you," she whispered. "Shaun said not to."
"You didn't want to upset me?" For a moment the coach looked wildly around the room, speechless. And then his mind seemed to register a vital fact. "Where's Shaun?" he demanded. "Where is he? Doesn't anybody know?"
A quick search of the back rooms satisfied them that Shaun wasn't there.
"Come on," the coach ordered. "Let's get out of here before that mob leaves the stadium. He's likely in his room. Let's return to the Village."
But when the despondent little group made its way back to its quarters they found that Shaun was not there. In fact, there was no sign of him having been there. Worf came hopefully to greet them, but his tail stopped wagging when he looked in vain for his master.
"Don't worry, Worf," Vesh said. "He'll be coming soon. You can say with me for right now."
"It's enough to put anybody off," grumbled the trader. "Leave the boy alone till he can be reconciled with the verdict. For the rest of you, go get some supper if you've got the stomach for it, and then off to bed. We'll get off this lousy planet as soon as it's proper."
Few of them had the heart for a meal. The Village was empty of athletes, for now that the Games were over, everyone was bent on celebrating. But Tris's team had little to celebrate. They followed his orders and retired early to bed. All evening the little trader sat at his door, waiting for Shaun's return and listening ruefully to the sounds of revelry in the distance.330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVA5ziZh3KY
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When Shaun ran from the dressing room and the crowd of athletes and reporters, he was barely conscious of where his feet were taking him. His one thought was to get out before he gave way to bitter tears and sobs which, despite all his efforts at self-control, were welling up inside him. Not since childhood had he been thus overwhelmed by emotion. In vain he told himself that he was putting too much importance on his loss. It was unsporting to be a poor loser. Not worth of an Olympiad athlete! But this was worse than losing in the stadium. He had been proclaimed the victor only to have it taken away at the last minute for no fault of his own.
Without thinking, he found his way past the showers, past the massage rooms to a back exit and so out of the stadium. He followed the first path that presented itself. In the distance he heard the electronic voice of the announcer talking to the crowd. Doubtless explaining how Shaun Sili was not the champion after all. That the crown was again bestowed upon their own Roberd. He shut his mind to the sound and scurried away, down streets and across bridges, farther from the stadium and also from the athletes' village. He did not notice the occasional curious look of a passerby who saw that he wore the shorts and tunic of a competing athlete. He thought merely of getting as far as possible from everybody he knew. And little by little the effort put into this headlong flight served to subdue his emotions and bring about a certain calm. If he was gaping now, it was not from suppressed sobs but because of his rapid pace.
Then as he paused for breath, he took in the scene around him----a garden, a hedge, and beyond a spreading lawn that led to a bridge and more trees. He was away from the buildings of the sports complex. Here were flowers. Flowers everywhere. Pevoria was known as a garden planet, and Shaun was looking at a bit of that peace and beauty which he had expected to enjoy when the Games were over, maybe as a visiting champion. He gulped as he thought how that was now impossible and how all this alien beauty was meaningless to him.
And then he was shocked to hear his name called. He whirled and saw the Pevorian, V'gon Tacbian, standing a few paces away. Shaun thought the alien must've moved very fast to keep up with him. Or had he only come upon him in the last few moments? The boy felt a certain satisfaction that he could at least look another in the face and feel master of himself again.
"You have been severely mistreated," said the alien. "Your own kind have dealt unfairly."
"The rules are the rules," Shaun blurted. "I guess I broke 'em without realizing it."
"People who deal unfairly with others will deal unfairly with their own species. I saw you in the stadium. You were far better than Roberd. There was no doubt. I was in the judges' stand and they all said so. Even the first handicap was too much. You were unbeatable."
"Then why----why?" Shaun was grasping at a straw he knew wasn't there.
"Too many greedy people had bet on Roberd. Almost the whole planet. It's a peculiar custom of your kind that I have observed often. In your case, they needed an excuse and they found one."
Shaun stared at him. For the first time he remembered Drayk and recalled his anger at the offered bribe. A great deal of money is riding on Roberd! Once again that sick feeling surged over him. It couldn't be! Not in the sacred Olympiad!
"Do you really think so?" he asked.
"Don't you?" said the other. "Of course, it might be hard to prove. They found the technicality. It's all legal now."
Suddenly Shaun felt very tired. He wanted to sit down, but there was no place to sit. There weren't even any houses where you could go in and rest and maybe have some liquid refreshment. He realized that he was thirsty, too. V'gon looked at him curiously.
"What are you going to do now?" he asked.
I don't know. I don't even know where I am. I guess I wasn't paying attention. Where are all the houses? Aren't people living here?"
V'gon laughed. "The houses are underground. That's how we can have so much garden up above. Come and let me show you. There's a lot that is beautiful about our planet, if you'll only forget a few of the people who live upon it."
"I should be getting back," Shaun muttered. "I shouldn't have run away, I know. But thanks. I could use a rest and a nice, cold drink."
"But not that way." V'gon smiled. He took off his cloak and offered it to the athlete. "The people are mostly at the stadium now, but they'll be coming back. It's better if they don't recognize you."
Shaun grinned sadly as he wrapped the alien's cloak about himself. He found that he was thankful for the warmth.
V'gon led him to an artfully hidden entrance, where steps led down into an underground dining hall. They sat in a corner and V'gon ordered refreshments. The room was vacant at first, but little by little others began to drift in and soon it was noisy with excited arguments about the results at the stadium.
Shaun tried hard not to listen, to focus on what V'gon was saying. The alien spoke of his life and how his race had retreated into the mountains rather than compete with the new civilization brought by the humans. He seemed to know that Shaun needed to take his mind off his personal disappointment and focus upon something else.
"It's not that we dislike you humans," he said. "We are a quiet and reflective people. We like peace and time in which to gather our thoughts."
"I don't blame you," said Shaun. "I like peace, too. Another day like this, and I'd be ready to throw in the sponge."
"Throw in?" questioned the alien. "Ah, yes. An athletic phrase I find your language quite quaint at times. But you must come to the mountains with me. And my people are not alone there. Up there where we live are the observatories. Where your people study the stars. We work together sometimes. They have let us help them on many projects. The weather. The orbits of satellites and arriving ships. I think you must have spoken to some of them when you came."
Shaun remembered Tris's dispute over the docking arrangements and laughed.
His friend nodded when he explained. "Ah, yes. Some of the officers can be argumentative. And there is a lot of traffic at this time for the Games...." He broke off and looked sharply at Shaun. "I'm sorry. We were not to talk about that. But one cannot escape it here. This place gets noisy. Why don't you come home with me now for a rest? Something new for the evening. A break in your routine."
All at once, Shaun was eager to go. "A great idea," he cried, his usual enthusiasm returning. "But I must at least tell the boss. You know, Zeth Tristotha, my coach. Is there any way? He'll be wondering."
"But of course," said V'gon. "We'll find a codebox. But let's get out of here."
Outside they found that evening was upon them, and a cold wind was coming in gusts. Shaun pulled the cloak tighter around him.
"I think," said the alien," that your chums will have left the stadium and probably not yet have reached the Village, if that's where they go tonight. They may, of course, go to some of the many dinners----celebrations----I suggest we call later from my home."
He set off at a brisk pace, and Shaun lengthened his stride to keep up. V'gon led him down a maze of crossing lanes and paths and stopped at a gate in a fence. Here he paused to pay in the planet's currency and then pushed the gate for Shaun.
"It is too late to walk tonight, so I think we will take the lift."
Shaun hardly knew what to expect. An elevator to the underground dwelling? But V'gon Tacbian lived up---up in the mountains. And then he saw before him a line of little cars. They entered one. It had seats arranged facing one another. They were the only occupants, and as soon as they were seated, a bubble roof came down over their heads and the car shot forward along a single rail.
V'gon had seated them both riding backwards, so that the car started to run onto higher ground, and soon took off on a cable through the air, the entire panorama lay before them----the Pevorian fields and gardens, valleys and forests, beach and ocean; and the great Olympiad complex of stadia and villages and training fields. They watched the strugglers from the stadium, pouring out across the gardens and pleasure places, seeking entertainment for the evening.
And the two saw something else. The celebration would have to take place indoors, contrary to Pevorian custom, for a storm was rising, and they could see people hurrying for shelter. Black clouds were towering to the east and already the wind gusts were shaking their gondola car.
"We were lucky," V'gon said. "They've stopped all the cars behind us from using the cable. There's going to be too much wind."
"I can believe it!" Shaun was clutching his seat. "Are these things really safe?"
The alien laughed. "You men from space find an atmosphere hard to take. But we'll make it. Otherwise, they would have stopped us."
When the car arrived presently on a ledge near the mountaintop, Shaun was glad to get out. The few trees that struggled in the high altitude were bowing and groaning before the wind. His friend called him to follow, and they ran together down a rocky path, up a steep incline and through a mountain cleft toward what Shaun recognized as an observatory. Before they reached it, the alien drew him down another path to the door of a house. It was built against the side of the mountain, buttressed by giant rocks, with a sheer drop to one side and open view across a valley to rising peaks.
Even as they ducked into the gate, the rain came down and thunder echoed across the gulf. Shaun shook the drops from his cloak and looked around.
It was a pleasant room such as might be designed for an alpine lodge. A fire glowed in a wide fireplace and comfortable chairs and couches were arranged around that focal point. Everything pointed to relaxation and enjoyment, but they were the only persons in the room.
V'gon looked shocked. "Where is everybody? This is just the outer dressing, you understand? Where we receive visitors. The work goes on back there. Well, let's get you in touch with your friends."
He stepped to the com-set in the corner, but a moment later he turned back with a resigned shrug.
"Seems to be dead, I'm afraid. It happens up here in storms. We'll try again later."
He swung open a door and Shaun glimpsed a long corridor with rooms opening off. It must, he realized, extend back into the mountain. V'gon called down the hall.
"Hello! Where is everyone?"
A head appeared from one of the rooms and then a young man darted out. A man, not an alien. He looked troubled and harried.
"Thank Gideon, you're back!" he cried. "There's a situation brewing. Didn't anyone else come with you?"
"No, and they won't come till morning. The lift's stopped."
"Good Galaxy! I knew too many of us went. These blasted games! You'd better come to work. Him, too, if he knows anything about computers."
V'gon smiled. "I hardly think....what do you do, Shaun? When you're not throwing the discus?"
"Me? Do?" It took Shaun a moment to think back to his past life. "Why, I was a shepherd boy on Sobillon. You know, took care of the sheep....My dad....."
The young man threw up his hands. "Galactica! A shepherd and a discus thrower and you brought him up here!"
"I did study some navigation on the ship. Tris insisted you know."
The young man stared. "Navigation? You mean like.....celestial? That'd be computers. Well, maybe we can use you after all. Come along, V'gon. Dr. Gardong said to round up everyone we can get. He's going to blow a microchip when he knows they're all marooned down the mountain."
"Just a minute," said V'gon. "We don't fly off the handle even if the world's coming to an end. Allow me. Shaun Sili, Olympic athlete. Chal Lockury, astronomer second class. Now please tell us what is going on."330Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53W8wYruyi
"Nothing---except the world probably is coming to an end! We've just discovered that Crilia U5 is on a collision course!"
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