The next morning after breakfast she returned to the library. Wandering around the shelves she pulled and looked at any book that caught her eye. The section on Color Crystal was interesting. It had never occurred to her that anyone else would do research on it. She would have to remember to tell Violet about this library.
In the technology section was one book on color-related instruments, like the Belt, Castle, and Prism. Scanning the book she realized it was a collection of stories from people who had seen them used, and speculation on how they worked.
At last around a corner she got to the end of the used sections. Just as she turned to go back to the front, a gleam of color caught her eye. On a bottom shelf in a gloomy corner was a set of books that made her blood run cold. She brought them out and set them on a table, hoping she hadn't found what she thought she had.
Hands trembling, she picked up the top volume, in a red cover, and opened it. The words of Dal, the Great One of her race, leapt out at her. Some pages were stained, barely to be read, while others looked as if they had been printed last year. She looked in each one, confirming it was part of the set of eight books. There was one complete set.
She sat back, stunned. These books should not exist. None of these books should be found off her home world.
"Doris, what can you tell me about these books?"
"Nothing, mistress. They are not in the catalog, and I did not know they were there... wait. A 'conditions met' file is opening... I am instructed to tell you to find a tile marked "RB/CC-1?"
"Where...?"
"Wait. We have an arrival. The ship's beacon indicates it is Sorrell the Sorcerer. He is asking permission to dock. Orders?
"Permission granted. Maybe he can shed some light on what Plock was up to."
"Plock did not trust Sorrell, and never confided in him to my knowledge."
"I'll just have to ask, I guess."
She put the books back where she found them, and went to meet the unexpected guest.
"Well, Rainbow Brite!" said Sorrell as he climbed out of his ship, "I wasn't expecting to find you here! Where is Plock?"
"I'm afraid he's dead."
"DEAD? What happened?"
"I'm not certain. I just got a message to come here. He's left everything to me, so I'm sorting things out."
"I see... Let's talk."
"Yes, lets. This way."
She led the way to the living room, and found refreshments waiting. Helping themselves, they settled into comfortable chairs.
"So tell me, what do you want here?" asked Rainbow.
Sorrell smiled. "To the point, eh? Very well. I've been studying your people and their magic for a long time. That's not easy to do, as you well know."
"Yes, we find it best to keep to ourselves as much as possible," she replied, "Much of our... magic...could be dangerous in the wrong hands."
"Yes... well, I have, uh, had, a contract with Plock for him to find me any books, papers, and artifacts that may be about, or from, your world. He contacted me and told me about some books he found that I should have, so I bought them."
Rainbow sat back, stunned. She knew instantly what books he meant. She couldn't believe Plock would betray her by giving this dangerous sorcerer access to those books. Sorrell may not be as bad as the Shadow King, but he would be bad enough if he mastered what was in them. That plus the fact the books shouldn't even exist made giving them to him out of the question.
"I see... I'm sorry, but I havn't finished sorting out his affairs."
For a second Sorrell gave her a venomous look, then covered it up. "I want the books I've paid for. I've come a long way for them, and I'm not leaving until I get them."
"Do you have a receipt?"
He pulled out a computer tile and handed it to her. Laying it on the tile port, the screen lit up, revealing a detailed contract between Sorrell and Plock, saying exactly what Sorrell had claimed.
Along with it were copies of messages between them. The last one, dated just a few days earlier, also said exactly what he claimed. It was followed by a transaction record.
She handed the tile back to him.
"Well, I'll have to do some looking in the records. I'll give it top priority, but it may take some time."
"Urrgh...very well, I'll wait. But not for long." She looked at him, and he glared back. Their eyes held for a long moment, then he broke, looking away. His eyes seemed dim, somehow, like a veil was over them.
"Doris, please show our guest to a room."
A stripe appeared, and Sorrell followed it out. As he reached the door, he turned and glared at her again. Then he was gone.
She flopped down in the chair. "Doris, what am I going to do? I can't give him those books. They shouldn't even exist!"
"He has paid for them. They should be delivered. Anything else would be dishonest."
Rainbow sat deep in thought for a while, trying to find a way out of the delemma. Then she remembered the other developement. "Doris, you were telling me to look for a tile. What was the lable"
"It was RB/CC-1."
Some time later she found the tile and went to her room. She locked the door, and started to put the tile on the port, then hesitated.
"Doris, what is Sorrell doing?"
"He is meditating. Oh, the anomaly has reappeared."
"Where is it?"
"I cannot tell, exactly. Somewhere in the living area. I will try to localize it."
"Please do. In the meantime, privacy."
That order directed the computer not to monitor her activities. She put the tile on the port, and Plock's features promptly appeared on the screen.
"Greetings, Rainbow Brite! Since you're seeing this, I am dead, and you have inherited everything I own. I've given it all to you because I have no family, and you were always special to me. I hope you will look my things over carefully. You may find some useful items."
Rainbow stood looking at the image of her friend, and tears began to roll down her cheeks.
"One thing, maybe very important. I sold Sorrell the Sorcerer a set of books that came from your home world. I thought it was just a minor find, until I looked at them carefully. I'm just an old peddler, and don't understand these things, but I did understand enough to realize that Sorrell shouldn't have them. I cancelled the sale, the record is on this tile. The books are in the library; you'll know them when you see them, I'm sure. Be careful; I've learned there are others who will stop at nothing to get them."
The figure looked out at Rainbow, and smiled sadly. "Goodbye, my friend. I'm sorry I won't be able to visit you folks again, but we have had some times, and they are good memories." The screen darkened.
Rainbow sat down where she stood, and let the tears come. He hadn't betrayed her after all.
"Mistress, the anomaly..." said Doris, "Is something wrong?"
Rainbow got up and washed her face.
"No, something has just been made right. What were you saying?"
"The anomaly was in this room."
She looked around. "Where?"
"It's gone again...and so is Sorrell! He's not in his room! I can't locate him!"
Rainbow ran to the door, opened it, and got a glimpse of movement as she started out the door. She pulled back just before an orange fireball hit the door where she'd been standing.
"I want those books, Rainbow Brite!"
"Never, Sorrell! Not as long as I live!"
"Then I'll have to do something about that!"
A green sticky mass hit the floor with a loud plop, instantly sending out long, sticky tendrils into the room. She managed to avoid most of them, but one got her on the arm and leg and stuck. She pulled, but stopped when she realized it would take her skin off to remove it.
She activated the rainbow, and sent it out the door and around the corner where Sorrell was. After a moment, the Belt's computer said 'TARGET NOT AVAILABLE'. She stood a moment, wondering what to do when the green gunk on her arm and leg started to burn. In a few seconds it was very painful, and escalated rapidly to unbearable. She pulled the rainbow back and used it to slice the tendril off her arm and leg. At a mental command, it formed under her feet, carrying her over the mass and out the door. She went down the corridor to the library, arriving to find the door open, and the sound of feet running.
"Here they are," Sorrell's voice said from somewhere in the back.
"Sorrell, please stop! I can't let you have those books!"
He stepped from behind a bookcase, his hands holding the books. He made a peculiar gesture, and they disappeared. "You can't stop me! They're mine!"
He started to gesture in her direction, and she threw up a transparent rainbow shield.
Blazing blue-white bolts of electricity flew from his hands, striking the shield. The sudden light was unexpected, and blinded her.
The distraction weakened her will, and allowed some of the electricity to flow back down the rainbow and into her. She screamed briefly, and was knocked to one side, unconsious.
Sorrell walked up to the front and looked down on her. A sudden breeze, growing stronger, caught his attention.
"Computer, what is that wind?"
"I have opened the airlocks. You have less than one minute before the air is gone."
"If I had time, I'd fry your chips for this, but I'm going."
He turned to the door, and stopped, looking back. "That takes care of her,
anyway," he muttered, and ran out.
Shortly thereafter the breeze stopped as the airlocks closed. Sorrell was gone, and the forbidden books were with him.