Homat and Irquit boarded warily, eyes darting anxiously about in search of
sails and oars. When Etienne tested the engine, both dashed for the rail and
clung tightly to the unyielding metal.
Lyra wiped morning sweat from beneath her sun visor and tried to comfort them.
"It's all right, it's only our engine. The device that moves the boat. It's
loud, but harmless. The spirits within are fully contained."
"There are no sails," Irquit observed cautiously.
"Or oarsmen," Homat added.
"No, there aren't. We move by taking water in at the front of our craft and
pushing it out the back much faster than we take it in."
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"What pushes the water?" Irquit asked, slowly releasing her grasp on the
railing; it was undignified. Homat continued to hang on tightly.
"Our engine. It would take a long time to explain. Maybe once we're on our way
I'll try." She left Irquit with a reassuring smile and descended the ladder to
the upper cabin.
"De-Lyra, I am fearful!" Irquit gave Homat a disapprov-ing look, but Lyra
paused and eyed him pityingly.
"All right then, come on inside. But you won't like it."
Homat followed her, Irquit tagging along because she didn't want to miss
anything. Once below, the truth of Lyra's words became immediately apparent.
At a cabin temperature of eighty degrees, both Mai found themselves shivering.
Etienne greeted them in the transparent bubble of the cockpit, left
explanations to Lyra. Though she used simple terms and kept her science as
basic as possible, it soon became clear that such concepts as electricity and
light-emit-ting diodes were beyond the comprehension of their guests.
Before long Homat confessed, "I think I would rather be fearful than frozen,"
and he led the retreat back toward the stern.
Once outside he hopped around for a few minutes until his system warmed, then
busied himself arranging personal effects on the deck. The Mai would sleep
where they cooked, away from the terrible arctic climate their hosts appeared
to favor.
Reassurances and explanations notwithstanding, it took Lyra another hour of
quiet coaxing to convince them that the boat wasn't going to devour them if
they let loose of the rail when Etienne raced the engine and sent the
hydrofoil leaping forward. She showed them how the boat lifted clear of the
surface on its twin metal blades, explained how that enabled them to move
Upriver at seventy kilometers an hour.
As time passed and the smoothness and exhilaration of the ride overcame
initial fears, both Mai not only relaxed but began to enjoy the journey,
though from time to time Homat made signs designed to keep them from striking
a submerged log or drifting helplessly toward the clouds.
Villages crowded the shores of tiny tree-covered islets. Astonished children
barely had time to shout before the hydrofoil had raced past their
disbelieving elders. The boat's scanner picked out fishing craft ahead,
enabling Etienne to steer safely around them long before they came into view.
Larger islands appeared as they moved farther Upriver. There the water had
receded from the floods sufficient to permit planting of grains and other
foodstuffs. Some villagers were engaged in crude but effective aquaculture,
from the raising of crustaceans to the gathering of waterfowl. All looked
askance at the spirit boat that roared past their homes and scattered birds
and amphibians in its wake.
There seemed no end to the villages. According to the initial satellite
surveys, the Skatandah Delta was the most densely populated section of
Tslamaina, which was why it had been chosen as the site of the first
Commonwealth out-post.
As they traveled toward the equator the temperature in-tensified, if that was
possible, and no occasional sea breeze battled the humidity. Despite months of
acclimatization, the Redowls spent the majority of their time sequestered in
the air-conditioned interior of their craft. Merely to step out on deck risked
a shock to the system. Homat and Irquit were right at home on the stern deck,
however, and readily ex-changed muted comments about the fragility of the
human system.
Homat made a game of trying to outguess the scanner, sitting on the bow and
staring at the water in search of submerged rocks or other obstacles. He
always lost, but the acuity of his eyesight impressed both Etienne and Lyra.
By analyzing the current and the debris the water carried, the hydrofoil's
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computer could make a decision on which branch to take, but it was still nice
to have Irquit confirm the choice. Without the computer or their guides they
could have spent years wandering through the Skatandah in a futile attempt to
locate the main course of the Skar.
As the days slid past in superheated study, the Redowls found themselves more
and more grateful for the presence of their two passengers. Having completely
overcome their fear of the boat, the Mai had revealed themselves as efficient,
helpful, and good company. Lyra derived an added benefit from being able to
study their reactions to new discoveries, additional information on Mai
society which she regularly entered into her scientific log.
They also turned out to be excellent cooks as well as sharp bargainers at the
villages where they stopped to pur-chase supplies, and except for periodic
raids on the salt tablet and vitamin stores, the humans' stock of packaged
food remained nearly untouched.
Irquit and Homat didn't try to hide their delight. Not only were they enjoying
themselves, but Lyra knew they must be anticipating the honors that would come
their way after they returned home. Their careers were made. She was pleased
for both of them.
It was clear that those Mai fortunate enough to make their homes in the delta
were more content than their urbanized relations. Government control so far
from
Po Rabi was lax, food was abundant, and there was little to inspire conflict.
The social setup would change, Lyra suspected, once they left the lush
Skatandah region behind and emerged into the main channel of the Skar. Farming [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]