Godzilla vs. Kong by Greg Keyes (e books free to read TXT) 📗

worth or two of concentrated protein rations in case they had a few bad catches, but so far, the sea had provided well, and Kong seemed to enjoy the catch well enough. She had been trying to engage him in conversation, but since demonstrating he could sign, Kong hadn’t been inclined to do so. Not with her, anyway. She had hoped he would, now that the secret was out. It would be better if Jia wasn’t the only one who communicated with him. She hadn’t been getting anywhere, but once the food arrived, she knew it was hopeless. So instead she went to see the other half of the equation. Jia.

She paused at the door to her quarters. Jia was there, drawing, her Kong doll near at hand. For an instant she might have been any little girl, anywhere. But she wasn’t, was she? She had suffered unimaginable loss. Ilene had believed she could fill part of that void, and perhaps she had. But until now, she hadn’t realized to what extent Kong and the girl had a hold on each other. She knew that Jia was emotionally connected to Kong, but she had never realized that the relationship went both ways, or how strong it was. Strong enough for Jia to lie to her—or at least to omit the truth.

She sat on the bed.

Why didn’t you tell me? she signed. You know I’ve been trying to communicate with him. To understand.

He didn’t want you to know, the girl replied. He was afraid.

Afraid of what? Ilene wondered. But now she knew; Kong did not trust her. And after what had been done to him—what she had allowed to happen to him—he probably never would.

“Now everyone knows,” Ilene said.

Jia nodded, continuing to draw.

If he had talked to me, maybe things would be different, Ilene said. Does he understand that?

I told him that, Jia said. He didn’t believe me. Now I’m not sure either.

What do you mean? All I want to do is protect him.

Jia paused for a moment. Her face was without expression, which Ilene took to be a bad sign. The Iwi expressed so much meaning in their facial and body language that when they chose to be neutral, it could be interpreted as an active sign of distrust.

You have him tied up, Jia said. It is not the first time. He doesn’t know how you make him sleep, but he doesn’t like it. It makes him helpless. He is helpless now. Are you stronger than a Skullcrawler? If one comes to get him, could you stop it?

There are no Skullcrawlers here, Ilene replied.

No, Jia signed. Worse. Godzilla is out here. You say what you are doing is best, but if Godzilla comes, you cannot protect him.

You saw all of these ships, Ilene said. All of the flying machines. They can protect him.

Do you really believe that? Jia said. Kong knows what is best for Kong. No one else should get to say. That is why he doesn’t trust you.

And you? Ilene asked. Do you trust me?

You do what you think is best, she replied. But you are not Kong. And you are not… She stopped signing and went back to her drawing.

Ilene felt her breath catch in her throat.

I’m not Jia, she signed. I’m not you. Is that what you meant to say?

Jia didn’t answer, but she turned the picture around.

It was a drawing of Kong, lying down. He was surrounded by human figures bearing spears, maybe twenty of them, but most of them didn’t have legs. From what Ilene knew of Iwi iconography, that meant they were ghosts, or ancestors. Only two of the figures had legs; one was smaller than the other. At the edge of the picture Jia had colored a dark cloud, and in it a pair of evil-looking eyes. It appeared to be entering the frame, coming down on the helpless Kong. The human figures had their spears pointed up toward the cloud.

This is you? she asked, pointing at the smaller figure.

Jia nodded.

Ilene pointed at the second figure with legs, which was holding a spear but did not have it raised in defense.

And this?

You, Jia said. And still she showed no expression.

Ilene nodded. Stay in here, she said. I’ll be back.

*   *   *

In the ship’s commissary, Nathan tuned out the clatter of cooks and other crew. He turned his little spaceman between his fingers a few times, laid it down, and then took out the picture of him and his big brother Dave. The last picture of them together, in fact, and the last time he had seen him, preparing to enter his modified aircraft.

Unto the breach.

Over time, the irony of the phrase had grown on Nathan. It came from Shakespeare’s Henry V, spoken when the king was rallying his men to renew their attack on the French Army despite seemingly hopeless odds. Although Dave had never meant it that way, in retrospect it suggested that entering Hollow Earth was an act of war. If so, the first victory went to Hollow Earth. But the phrase had acquired another meaning over time: try again.

We’ll get there, Dave, he thought. Just wish we could do it together.

He noticed Ilene coming toward him with two coffee cups. He tucked the picture away.

“Here,” she said, handing him one of the cups.

“Thank you,” he said. “How’s Jia?”

“Calm,” Ilene said. “So calm it’s scary.”

He pictured Kong’s hand again, forming the sign.

“That was extraordinary,” he said.

“I had been signing the alphabet,” she said. “Basic commands. But he never…”

“Do you have any idea how long they’ve been communicating?” he asked.

She didn’t answer right away.

“No,” she said. “I mean, I knew that they had a bond. He trusts her. Without her, he’d be tearing this ship apart. You know … Jia’s parents were killed on the island. When the storm took over the island, it wiped out the native people. But Kong saved her. She had nowhere to go. So, I made a promise, then and there, to protect her. I think that,