Free Asimov's SF, January 2012 by Dell Magazine Authors Page B

on, and they were looking out across the vast purple matting that constituted so much of the surface of Hibachi's World. In the distance, it faded to ocean. “This,” said Abel, “is a section of coastline about a thousand miles west of us. You'll notice the diminution in the coloring. That was what first drew our attention."
    Hutch saw only a very slight difference in the color.
    "You get something like that,” Abel continued, directing his remarks primarily to Eddington, “and you know there's an abnormality."
    Eddington nodded.
    "A disease,” said Larry.
    "As a matter of fact, it was a parasite. But that's not the point. It's simply the reason we got interested. We sent a team out to look. And they found this—"
    The image shifted. The foliage receded and grew swampy. A hilltop emerged. “There's a bay beneath all this,” Abel said. “And the hilltop you're looking at is an island. Or would be if the cover were to disappear."
    "So where are we going with this?” asked Eddington.
    "Let's make some of the cover go away.” It vanished, and they confronted a harbor opening into the ocean. And the island—
    "My God,” said Larry.
    A round building, about eight feet in diameter, stood at the highest point on the island. It was an open-air structure, made of stone, its roof supported by five circular columns. Its base was raised a few feet above ground level, with steps providing access on opposite sides.
    "You're saying,” said Eddington, “it's been there all the time?"
    "There's a city beneath the growth. But it's limited to the coastline. It's big, though. Probably supported a population of twenty, thirty thousand at one time."
    "How long ago?” Eddington leaned forward, peering.
    "A thousand years or more. We don't have the capability to make a determination."
    "What else,” asked Larry, “is on the island?"
    "Nothing. The only thing we found was that." The round building.
    Eddington shook his head. “I wouldn't have believed this world harbored a sentient life form."
    Abel nodded. “Since then we've discovered two more cities. One smaller, and one capable of supporting probably a hundred thousand. They're both on this continent. Nothing anywhere else that we could find."
    "What's the technology look like?” asked Larry.
    "Rome, probably."
    Eddington just sat there, breathing heavily.
    Larry was visibly overwhelmed. “You have any idea what they look like? Are any of them still around?"
    "If there are, we haven't seen any. And so far we don't know much about them. We're pretty sure they were taller than we are. But we haven't really had a chance to do any serious investigation."
    Eddington cleared his throat. “Does the Academy know?"
    "We haven't notified them yet, no."
    "Probably just as well. You'll want to have a few more answers before you say anything. As soon as they learn about this, they'll send some specialists out. In the end, they'll take the mission from us, and we'll be closed down."
    Larry was peering at the building. “What is it, Ted? You have any idea?"
    "We think there was a table in it at one time. We found what was left of it.” He shrugged. “Maybe it was a bait shop."
    "It was probably an altar,” said Hutch. Her tone drew a few glances.
    Abel's features softened. “I was kidding,” he said.
    "What sort of condition are they in?” asked Eddington. “The cities?"
    "They'v beene wrecked by the vegetation. It's thinner out on the water. Along the coastline, everything got strangled."
    "Okay,” he said. “I want to go take a look. As soon as you can arrange it.” He was giving orders.
    Abel frowned, but let it go. “If you're interested, Michael,” he said, “we can take a look at some of it now."
    "What do you mean?"
    He got up. “Come with me.” They followed him out of the conference room and down another long corridor until they arrived at a set of double doors. He pressed a pad, the doors opened, and lights came on.
    It was a storage area. The walls were lined