Rebma Pattern Room
Some Days After the Invasion
"Wish me luck," I said, with a slight smile, then turned to leave Morgaine and Andrew in the library.
"Luck..." Morgaine muttered, quietly.
"Figure of speech," Andrew explained, looking back at me with a slight smile.
I left him with her, to calm her - on the theory that it looked as if anyone could do that, it would be him - and then went into my study to get the Jewel out of the safe.
Convincing Morgaine to let me do this had been tricky, and I could understand her hurt, but I could really see no way around it. Mosley was adamant, and my instincts were telling me that this should be done as soon as possible, to pave the way for the rest of the settlement - assuming she didn't bottle out and decide not to fight any longer. I had not expected her to become as despondent as she had been in the maze, but again, in a way, I could not blame her. Everything seemed ranged against her just now.
And anyway, even putting that aside, I wanted the repair on the Rebman Pattern completed sooner rather than later because of what Dworkin had said it involved.
I slipped the stone into my pocket, then brought William's Trump to mind, and was pleased when he took my call.
"Hi Dad. What can I do you for?"
"I was wondering if you would be willing to watch my back for me," I answered.
"You normally ask Andrew," he commented, trying to sound light, but with an underlying tone of bitterness.
"This time I'm asking you," I answered, "if you are willing."
He shrugged, and extended his hand towards me.
"What the Hell?" he muttered, and I brought him through, "what do you need me to do."
"I have to repair the Pattern in Rebma, and I want someone I trust making sure that no-one comes in and puts a crossbow bolt in me while I do it."
He looked startled. "Repairing a Pattern? Meaning what, exactly?"
"Meaning exactly that. Editing the one that exists in Rebma, to remove the influence of the Abyss on the place."
"This is to do with the sacrifice shit, right? And the invasion?"
"Yes."
He flashed me a quick smile. "I guess it comes under the advance lessons."
"It's a little beyond that," I replied, matching his expression, "will you do it?"
He shrugged again. "If you want me there, then I'll come...it's just so rare that you get me involved in the outside world - the only other time I can think of was to hit that fortress."
"I am seeing that that has to change - and when we get some time, we need to talk about it. Not now, however. Will you come? "
"Sure. It's better than square bashing."
I looked at him, and really couldn't work out if he was joking, until he again accorded me a quick smile. "When do we go?"
"Now seems as good a time as any. I'll Pattern jump us there."
With that, I brought up a Pattern lens, sent it out towards Rebma, and homed in on the top of the stairs to the Pattern Room, where I could see Mosley's men assembling with Teutonic punctuality. I rested my hand on William's shoulder, then stepped forward, taking us both through.
"Whoa. Warn me next time," he muttered, startled. However, he re-orientated himself with impressive speed, instantly alert.
"Sorry," I replied, "I had forgotten you aren't used to that."
He didn't answer, but looked around the place. As he did, I felt a pang of regret. Rebma really wasn't the same without the darting fish playing around the people.
"I thought Rebma was supposed to be full of water," William commented, looking a little puzzled.
"Mosley decided he didn't like it," I answered, not quite able to hide the trace of anger in my voice, "however, part of what I'm doing is preparing the way for that to change once he leaves."
William looked about him again, then added quietly. "Why is this so important for you? The whole business with Morgaine seems to have fired your interest more than I have ever seen it fired before - except when you went after that black lodge, about four years ago."
I shrugged. "I'm not sure any more. I suppose it's become a matter of principle," I answered, "Morgaine is a friend, and I like to help my friends."
"Isn't this getting to be above and beyond the call of duty?"
"Someone has to help her, and keep her sane," I answered, "and with the possible exception of Rick, no-one else seems to give a damn...if you'll excuse me a minute, I have another call I need to make."
With that, I shuffled out Brand's Trump and called him.
"Afternoon, Robert. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I was hoping you might be willing to spare me a couple of hours, to give me a little moral support."
"I never thought I'd hear you put it quite that way," he answered, with an ironic smile on his lips, "what is it you want me to do?"
"I don't want you to DO anything, per se. But I would appreciate it if you were willing to at least be here."
He seemed to look past me, and saw where I was. Realisation seemed to dawn, and I again saw the slight smile on his features.
"Alright," he answered, and he extended his hand to me and came through. I knew Morgaine wasn't desperately pleased that I wanted my mentor involved, but with Corwin opting to stay out of it, and Fiona the last choice as the right person to observe - given her ambitions towards Rebma - Brand was the logical choice to be there and make sure I didn't screw up big time.
My uncle looked around him, taking in the lack of water, then nodded to William, before turning his attention back to me.
"Are you ready to do this?" he asked, his face more serious.
"Yes," I replied, adding lightly, "why, do you think I haven't learned my lessons well enough?"
"I don't remember quite getting to this, although I admit it's the logical precursor to what you want to do next," he answered with a smile, "however, if you are confident, then we had best be going."
Two of Mosley's guards led off. Then myself and my party followed them, and the remaining guards brought up the rear. We followed the now familiar route, and soon arrived by the door to the Pattern Room. One of the guards reached for the key, but it seemed stiff in the lock, so I offered my assistance. He accepted grudgingly, and soon the door was open and we stepped inside.
I looked around the room, thinking the place was sad and unnatural without the water, and saw the coats of arms Mosley had hung there. The gesture was almost understandable, if unnecessary. I gave them thirty seconds if Morgaine ever did regain her throne.
Then I saw the new carvings around the wall, and winced. Tiggers? Grow up, boy!
The three of us - William, Brand and myself - left Mosley's guards by the doorway, and headed for the beginning of the Pattern. Then they stepped back towards the nearby wall, and I approached the start of the line. Muttering a silent prayer to myself, I pulled the Jewel out of my pocket and regarded it.
Confidence of success, I suspected, would be a major factor as I worked, and confidence I had. My studies of the Jewel in the weeks I had had it meant that I had identified the 3D image I needed to work from to achieve the repair, and Dworkin's endorsement of my actions was reassuring.
I could do this.
I quickly located the image, fixed its position in my mind, and stepped forward. The charge as my foot made contact with the line of the Pattern sent a shiver through me, as it had the previous two times I had taken this route. However, as I took my second step, I realised something was subtly different this time. It was almost as if it had detected what I wanted to do, and was welcoming it. After all, it would be stronger once the influence of its enemies in the Abyss was gone.
As I took a few more steps, the fact that the Pattern wasn't fighting me as much seemed to be confirmed, although I did seem to be walking more slowly than I had expected, almost suspended on the edge of real time as the Pattern became the main centre and driving influence of my being, at least for the duration. Of course, that didn't stop the rush of memories coming to mind, but I tried to tune them out as I concentrated on the Jewel in front of me and the line under my feet. After all, just then there seemed to be nothing else of importance in the universe.
And above everything, I tried to keep the idea of a Rebma without the Abysmal influences at the front of my mind, and clung on to the image of the Amber Pattern within the Jewel. That way, at least, I hoped I wouldn't cause too much distress to my revered ancestor. It was his Pattern I was reimposing and strengthening, not some creation of my own - not yet - and his comments about a repair basically coming down to messing around in his psyche, had been disturbing.
Soon I reached the First Veil, and I drew on the Jewel to push my way through it. As I did, I reinforced the idea that Rebma did not need the Abyss and the sacrifices to survive, suspecting that the Veil points were the keys to such a change. Once I was through, I carried on walking, fighting down the memories as I did not have the luxury of letting them overwhelm me. Keeping my own thoughts in check seemed important, as did holding my form so that no taint of Thelbane could enter the repair.
Onwards.
The Pattern seemed to be glowing slightly brighter now, but I could still feel no hostility from it. No resistance. I don't honestly know how sentient it is, but I suspect it understood that what was being done was for its benefit, as well as that of Rebma. Slightly faster than normal, presumably due to the decreased resistance, I came up on the Second Veil, and again willed the changes into it. Soon it parted before me, and I continued.
I was getting tired now, while at the same time feeling a strange exhilaration. The Pattern felt stronger, and my instincts told me that the repair was going according to plan. I wondered what Brand was making of my progress.
The walk to the Final Veil was still tiring. I drew a little strength from the Jewel, although I tried not to take too much, and continued on my way. Eventually I could feel the build up of resistance as I approached it, and again bent my will more strongly towards my aim. Purging the unwanted influences from the land. I could feel the ideas and images of that settling about me, as I began to pierce the Veil.
As a finishing touch, I keyed a last trigger into the repair sequence around the Final Veil and the steps that followed it. The next time either myself or Morgaine walked the Rebma Pattern, the dome would melt away, and the water would flow back into Rebma...at a manageable pace, and as breathable as ever before. In turn, the fish and the corals would begin to re-grow at an accelerated rate, until the damage Mosley had done was repaired, and that which made Rebma Rebma would be restored, without ever needing the previous resort of sacrifice, either mortal or otherwise, again.
The last three steps were the hardest of course, and when I finally reached the centre, I realised that I was breathing heavily. I was also very, very tired, although I took personal satisfaction in the fact that I had managed to maintain my human form all the way around this time. I was getting better at this.
I looked across at where William and Brand were standing, and flashed them a quick grin. I don't know if they could see it at that distance, but a few moments later I felt an incoming Trump call. When I checked my mental deck, I saw it was my uncle. I opened the link, to see that he seemed quite satisfied.
"Not bad," Brand said, with a smile, "but then, you always were my most promising pupil."
"Are you coming back to Millbank?"
"No, I should be elsewhere. However, I will make sure William gets back...I imagine you'll go from there."
I gave a quick nod of agreement.
"Nice job," he finished, and broke the contact. Moments later, I saw him and my son disappear William in a rainbow of Trump light.
Once they had gone, I brought a mental image of Mosley to mind. He was still playing in the trees with Max, which was disheartening - I really had thought he was more mature than that, but the sight confirmed to me that between them Max, Mosley and Kenneth hadn't got past a mental age of ten.
"It's done," I said, quietly.
"I'm still not leaving until it's worth my while," he answered, his tone still as bitchy as it had been when he had blocked Morgaine being present.
"Things will stay as they are until you do," I replied, "I will see you at the treaty negotiations."
And with that, I broke the contact, before I did something I would regret. Then I concentrated on the Pattern, and asked it to send me back to Millbank. I arrived back in my study, and walked out into the library, to find William already with drink in hand, talking to Morgaine and Andrew.
"Drink?" Morgaine asked as she saw me.
I felt overwhelmingly tired, but I managed a nod. She quickly poured me a glass, and then I made my way across to my favourite chair, before I fell over.
"Well, it's done," I said, quietly, after I had taken a drink from the glass, "and I am confident of the work."