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〃He said it was his child；〃 Camille replied。
Montefalco shrugged。
〃No harm will e of this Mongroid； if we are given a fiend of our own。〃 Montefalco said。 〃I will personally guarantee that。〃
〃Good。〃 said Camille。 Then； without Talisac speaking again； she added： 〃He would prefer if you did not e here again together。 Only General Montefalco。〃
〃You'll get no argument from me on that account。〃 Bogoto said； waving the horror away as he retreated。 〃If he gives us our monster； then he can give birth to a thousand little brats as far as I'm concerned。 Just keep them the hell away from me。〃
VI
Lucidique lay on the blood and sweat stained bed beside her lover； and watched the moon through the window。
〃This can't last for long； you know。 This thing between us。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃For two such as us to find some happiness together？〃 she said。 〃It's against nature。 You killed my father。 I should hate you。〃
〃And you put me through hell at Agonistes' hands。 I should hate you。〃
〃What a pair we make。〃
〃Maybe we should go back out into the desert。〃 Kreiger said； 〃We'd be safer there。〃
Lucidique laughed。 〃Listen to you。 Safer！ Isn't the world supposed to be afraid of us？ Not the other way round。〃
〃I just want to hold on to this。。。hope that I feel。〃
Lucidique reached across the bed and ran her blade along Kreiger's arm。 〃We can't leave Primordium；〃 she said。
〃Why not？ It's going up in flames； sooner or later。 Let it burn。〃
〃But love； we started the fire； you and me。 We should stay and watch it to the end。〃
Kreiger nodded。 〃If that's what you want。〃
〃It's the way things have to end。
〃End？ Why do you say that？〃
〃Hush； love。 It'll be better this way； you'll see。〃 She leaned over and kissed him。 〃Do it for me。〃
〃That's as good a reason as any I ever heard；〃 Kreiger said。
〃So you'll stay？〃
〃I'll stay。〃
Book Five
The Haunter of Primordium
I
Having made the arrangement with Talisac to provide them with a creature； the three Generals…Bogoto； Urbano and Montefalio…returned to Military Headquarters and waited。 Bogoto was the most anxious of the three。 He'd seen his share of battle scenes； bodies blown to pieces； the stink of burning hair and bone in the air： but the grotesqueries of Talisac's laboratory had left him sickened and nervous。
He decided to do what he often did when his life became difficult： he drove across the city in the night to seek the fort of a woman called Greta Sabatier； a reader of fortunes。 Though he would have been appalled if he'd thought any of his fellow Generals knew it； Sabatier's advice had been behind much of what Bogoto had done over the years： who he'd favoured amongst his subordinates； and who he'd demoted； even； on occasion； how he'd run some of his military campaigns。 And as events in Primordium had steadily bee more crazed； Bogoto had e to rely more and more upon Sabatier's wisdom。 Her cards； he had e to believe； carried vital clues to his fate。 In a world where madness was constantly in the air； and nothing and no one could be trusted； it made a paradoxical sense to seek illumination from a woman who read the future from a pack of dirty cards。
〃You've seen somebody powerful；〃 Greta told him that night； tapping one of the cards she'd just turned over。 〃I can't tell if it's a man。。。or a woman。〃
Bogoto pictured Talisac； hanging up from his hooks； with that vile womb of his hanging down between his legs。
Sabatier was studying his face。
〃You know this person I'm talking about？〃
Bogoto nodded。
〃Well then you don't need any warning from me。 He； or she…which is it？〃
〃It's a man。〃
〃Well he has friends。。。allies。。。it's hard to be sure exactly who or what they are。。。the cards are very ambiguous。 But there's harm from this source； whatever it is。〃
〃Harm to me？〃
〃Harm to the world。〃
〃Huh。〃
〃That matters less to you； yes？〃
〃Of course。 Do you think I should consider leaving the city？〃
〃Well。。。you're a military man。 It's not the first time I've seen death in your cards； General。〃
This was the first time Greta had ever made mention of the General's profession。 Whether she knew it from the cards or from the broadsheets in which he was regularly eulogized was anybody's guess。
〃But I don't think I ever saw it so near to you；〃 she went on； looking at the cards。
〃I see。〃
〃So yes； I think you should consider leaving。 At least until this unsettled period is over astronomically。〃
〃So it's not just the cards； it's the stars too？〃
〃They're all reflections of one another： cards； stars； palms。 It's the same story wherever you look。
She sorted through the cards as she spoke； and now dropped one down on the table in front of General Bogoto。 It was called The Tower； and it represented…in a simplified； even crude； form； a tower struck by lightning。 Its upper half was erupting； raining down rubble； and bodies； the lower half was cracked and ready to topple。
〃This is Primordium？〃 Bogoto said。
〃It's the city's future；〃 Greta replied； nodding。 〃Or at least one of them。〃
〃So will you be leaving too？〃 Bogoto said； thinking to catch the woman out。 Greta was as old as the antiquated table she read her cards upon and her legs were a good deal less reliable。 She'd never leave Primordium； or so he thought。
〃Yes； I'm leaving。 This will be the last time you see me； General； unless you should e to Calyx。〃
〃You're moving to Calyx？〃
〃Tomorrow。 Before things get any worse。〃
II
The house on Diamanda Street； which had once belonged to the murdered Senator； had gathered itself quite a reputation of late。
There were lovers there； it was rumoured； several of them。 Night and day； passers by heard the sound of lovemaking： the sighs； the sobs； the irresistible demands。
The houses nearby were all virtually deserted； their owners having fled Primordium for safer cities； or better still； for the country。 Life on a pig…farm might be boring； but at least it had a chance of being long。 Nevertheless people came to Diamanda Street of late； simply to hear the noise of pleasure out of the lamp…lit home。 No； not just to hear。 There was a feeling about the place； which got under people's skin。 The energy seeping out from open windows； was enough to make the fireflies assemble in their many tens of thousands each dusk and describe elaborate arabesques in their pursuit of one another； the air so thick with their passion； and their light so insistent； that the house was festooned with their flight paths； which lingered long after the deed was done and the insects lay exhausted and extinguished in the long grass。
Sometimes the human voyeurs； who lingered in the shadows of the nearby houses； hoping to catch a glimpse of the lovers； were granted what they were here to see。 As the strange force of the lover's din suggested； they were not natural creatures； not by any means。 They seemed to be hybrids； one third human； one third metallic； one third the no man's land between flesh and devices made to strip it and slash it and scour it。 They bled as they rose from their nuptial sheets；