Nightwings

First published: 1969 (serial form, Galaxy, 1968)

Type of work: Novel

Type of plot: Science fiction—future history

Time of work: The Third Cycle of Earth history, approximately forty thousand years in the future

Locale: The cities of Rome (Roum), Paris (Perris), and Jerusalem (Jorslem), as well as other Earth locations

The Plot

The old Watcher travels to Roum with Avluela, a young, female, genetically created true-breeding flyer with nightwings, and her lover, Gorman, a guildless changeling. Changelings are genetically modified members of the human race. The Watcher’s guild duty is to search the heavens for the invaders of Second Cycle myth and legend. They travel in a Third Cycle Earth that is highly stratified socially and is bankrupt. Earth also is full of modified humans and visitors from other planets.

Upon entering Roum, the Prince of Roum passes the three traveling companions on the city streets. Seeing Avluela, he commands her to become his concubine. Gorman vows to gouge out the eyes of the prince in revenge. In Roum, Gorman is revealed to be an alien invader scout instead of a changeling. He reveals that an invasion is beginning.

Torn from his traveling companions during the invasion and now a member of a useless guild, the old Watcher undertakes a journey to Perris to join the guild of Rememberers, the planet historians. While traveling to Perris, the old Watcher becomes the companion of the deposed and blinded Prince of Roum, who travels in the guise of the Pilgrim’s guild. As an apprentice rememberer, the old Watcher, now named Tomis, discovers the true history of the invaders’ claim to Earth, including visual records of the sin humanity committed against the invaders’ people.

The former prince of Roum, as a former world leader, is a criminal under indictment by the alien invaders, as are all former world leaders. The prince also transgresses the rules of the Rememberers guild. Tomis must choose between being denounced to the invaders for harboring the former prince or making a deal for the prince’s life in trade for the visual record of humanity’s crime against the invaders. Tomis chooses the latter and betrays humanity in general for the benefit of individuals. The prince is killed in an altercation, and Tomis is expelled from the Rememberers guild.

Tomis journeys as a Pilgrim to Jorslem to apply for renewal, a process by which the body is returned to youthfulness using Second Cycle technology. In Jorslem, Tomis is reunited with his flyer, Avluela. She and Gorman had tired of each other shortly after the invasion. Tomis is accepted for renewal, and the process is successful. Upon completion of his renewal, Tomis is invited by Avluela and others to join the new guild of Redeemers, a group united by a limited telepathy and an almost religious fervor, that hopes to create the Fourth Cycle of human history. As the story closes, Tomis and the other Redeemers experience what flight is like through a telepathic link with Avluela. They lend her the strength through this link to overcome the limitations of her nightwings, allowing her to fly in sunlight. She travels to invite others to join them in the Redeemers guild.