The Shores of Death by Michael Moorcock Page A

over to the amplifier in the corner of the room, switched it on, but only heard the last couple of words—“—is possible!” Then the amplifier roared with the sound of cheering.
    People were very excitable today, he thought, as Fastina came into the room again. “What was that?” she said.
    “Somebody making an announcement. Your friend Aimer, I think.”
    “He’s fond of making announcements. What was it about?”
    “I didn’t catch it. Will you go down as you are?”
    “I won’t be in fashion, but still...”
    They dropped into the gravishute.
    Leaving the gravishute at ground-level, they walked quickly along a passage and entered the main hall. People were smiling at one another, talking rapidly.
    Clovis heard a woman say: “Will this mean the re-industrialisation of Earth?”
    Re-industrialisation? A horrible idea. What called for that, he wondered.
    Holding Fastina’s hand, he made his way through the crowd until he found Narvo Velusi. The old man was talking to the tall, yellow aliens. Beside him, Andros Aimer interpreted.
    Cheerfully, Clovis said: “What’s all the enthusiasm for?”
    Narvo turned. “Clovis—these people—‘ Shreelians ’ is the best we can manage—they think they can save us.” Clovis looked closely at the tallest alien. Was it possible? He experienced a sense of profound excitement. Suddenly his whole pattern of ideas broke apart and reformed itself. He felt light-headed as he said: “How?”
    “Well, it’s complicated—we aren’t quite sure how they they can do it—but it sounds as if it will work. They’re already beginning to put their plan into operation in their home world. As far as we can tell it involves shunting our entire solar system out of the danger area.” Clovis said: “But that isn’t possible, Narvo. The gravity ...”
    “Their technology is far in advance of ours. It will mean converting two entire planets—probably Pluto and Mercury—into huge machines that will set up a field of force around the system, producing artificial balance when we move beyond galactic influence. Probably Pluto and Mercury will have to be re-positioned...”
    Clovis said urgently: “And you are sure they can do it for us?”
    “They can’t do it—they need all their man-power, as we shall. But they can show us how.”
    Clovis grinned involuntarily, then let the laughter come. Narvo looked at him, smiling. “A chance, eh, Clovis? A solution we didn’t dare consider!”
    “A solution, yes,” Clovis laughed. “Salvation— certainly. This does make a difference, Narvo. Oh, yes —a very great difference. But it’s salvation in two ways, Narvo. I’m not interested in our salvation any more. I’m interested in mine\”
    “You’re speaking nonsense, Clovis.” Narvo took his arm sympathetically. “You’re still under a strain. Perhaps you had better rest—the world is going to need your leadership again. We must form a government— ”
    Then Clovis had brushed away Narvo’s hand and turned, running through the crowd, following by Narvo’s shocked stare. He looked at Fastina:
    “Fastina—he must listen to me. Soon the world will be at work—tensions will arise, conflicts over plans— only Clovis can hold us together. He must not desert us? What does he mean?”
    “I don’t know,” she said as she started after him. “Clovis! Clovis! Where are you going?”
    Chuckling like a mad-man the First Citizen of Earth darted up the gravishute towards the roof.
    He heard her behind him.
    “Clovis! Isn’t that what you were looking for? Isn’t your search over now? You’d hoped to save humanity— and now it has the chance! What’s the matter, Clovis? There’s no need to go on looking!”
    As he reached the roof, he laughed and wheeled round to confront her as she emerged from the shute. She looked at his face and she felt the same shock she had experienced in the intergalactic ship when she had seen the corpse. She stepped backwards, nearly overbalancing