The Icerigger Trilogy: Icerigger, Mission to Moulokin, and The Deluge Drivers (90 page)

She wasn’t finished. “We have neither the right nor the power to compel you. We know that you and Mr. September have endured a great deal these past months. We won’t impose on you any further. But we had to ask.” She spread her hands in a gesture of helplessness. “We had to ask because we had no other choice.”

What a terrific way to begin his relationship with the rest of the outpost’s permanent staff, Ethan thought. Not that he was likely to ever need their help. If only they wouldn’t be so damn gracious in defeat! Why didn’t they yell a little and curse him? What the hell did they expect? Even if he did confess to temporary insanity and agree to go off with them, didn’t they understand there was just no way he could convince Hunnar and Captain Ta-hoding and the rest of the
Slanderscree
’s crew to do likewise?

Because Hunnar and his friends had to return home. Even if Hunnar was in no hurry to assume the mantle of Landgrave’s heir and even if he and his people were interested in exploring still another unvisited region of their world, he was technically on his honeymoon. Did Tran
have
honeymoons? Maybe newlyweds were expected to go out and butcher a Droom or something equally adventurous.

It made no difference. They had to return to Sofold if only to inform their friends and relations of their continued existence. For all Elfa Kurdagh-Vlata’s father knew his daughter was dead and the crew of the icerigger with her, the great ship destroyed, the bones of her crew gnawed by scavengers. Regardless of how they might respond personally to Cheela Hwang’s request they were obligated to return home if only to convey news of their survival. The citizens of Sofold were unaware they were now members of a great and growing union of city-states. Hunnar and Balavere Longax were obligated to inform them of their future. There were relationships to be renewed, songs to be sung, deeds to be told. No choice in the matter.

He said as much to Cheela Hwang and her colleagues, hoping it would satisfy them and put the matter to rest in a manner which would preclude any need for future defensive recriminations on his part. He forgot he was dealing with people who were used to extracting answers from meager data. Blanchard found one before Ethan could excuse himself.

“What you’re saying, then, is that if you could convince them to take us, they’d be prohibited from doing so because of their need to report back home.”

Ethan nodded vigorously. “Circumstances beyond my control, or Skua’s, or anyone else’s.”

Blanchard looked gratified. “Not necessarily. What’s the minimum crew for a ship like your icerigger?”

“I don’t know,” said Ethan, taken aback. “I never really thought about it. I was just a passenger. If you’re talking about sailing, you don’t need near as many as the
Slanderscree
normally carries. If you’re talking about exploring a new part of the planet and defending yourself while you’re doing it, that’s something else again.”

“This would be a journey purely for research,” Blanchard argued. “We don’t anticipate any fighting.”

“You never do,” Ethan told him, “but Tran-ky-ky isn’t exactly a benign world. There’s plenty of hostile fauna around besides uncontacted Tran.”

“We would go properly equipped,” said another of the scientists. “No advanced weapons because that’s strictly forbidden, but we could take other equipment which would be of help. And if you’re trying to frighten us you’re wasting your time. We’ve discussed this among ourselves and we know what we’d be letting ourselves in for. We’ve traveled on and around Arsudun. We’re not entirely innocent of the dangers of this world.”

Ethan didn’t bother trying to explain that a jaunt of a few days around a relatively stable, civilized island like Arsudun bore no relation to a journey of many weeks into unexplored regions of a hostile world. Why waste the time? They weren’t going anywhere anyway. But Blanchard wasn’t through.

“What we could do is hire a merchant vessel to take the elderly, the injured, and the chronically homesick back to this Sofold. We have some discretionary income in our budget and we know how starved the Tran are for metal. I’m sure we could find a captain willing to undertake the trip. Those of your friends who insisted on returning wouldn’t have to work or fight on the trip back. They could relax. They’ve earned it. And we’d still have plenty of funds left to hire your icerigger.”

“This Balavere Longax, the senior soldier you speak of in your report, could be put in charge of the returnees,” Hwang added. “As a respected member of the court of Wannome his report would be believed and honored. In fact, you could argue that it’s his place to deliver such a report and not the younger knight you call Redbeard. The remaining crew could sail us to the southern continent.”

“Let this Longax person,” Blanchard went on, “assure the people back home that all is well. He can tell them about this union you’ve instigated, about the exploits of his comrades and friends, and of the royal marriage you attended recently. He can also explain the delay in the
Slanderscree
’s return and the importance of this journey we have to undertake. As to payment, we want to be sure we don’t offend the dignity of this Redbeard person.”

“There ain’t a Tran alive adverse to taking money,” September said, “but you won’t hire the
Slanderscree
and its sailors for a few chunks of iron.”

Hwang smiled. “The outpost has its own compact smelter, Mr. September. There’s ore deep in Arsudun which the natives cannot make use of but which we can. The smelter is here so that we can build and repair outpost facilities. That doesn’t mean we can’t use it to turn out ingots, bars, tubes, nails and bolts, swords and arrow points, and whatever else would please your Tran. We can fill the hold of their ship for their return journey. They can give us a detailed shopping list and we’ll fill it.”

Hwang had just made the closest thing to an irresistible offer one could propose to a Tran. Trade in sophisticated goods like electronics was still forbidden on Tran-ky-ky save for a few simple devices which would eventually break down. Nails and swords would last on a world where steel was more valued than gold. Even one as homesick as Hunnar would find it hard to turn down the offer.

“You can also tell them,” Blanchard continued, “that they would be expanding their knowledge of their own world and extending the hand of friendship and union to new peoples.”

That was as much an appeal to him as to the Tran, Ethan knew. By going along he would be doing business, making new trading contracts, perhaps finding new goods to buy. In a civilization like that of the Commonwealth, where electronics and goods and services were available cheaply and readily, exotic handicrafts and artwork were among the most highly prized of new goods.

Why the hell not? He was stuck here anyhow.

“I’m still not sure if this is a good idea or not or if it wouldn’t be better taken care of by some kind of remote survey craft, but I’ll put your proposition to Hunnar and his people. They have the right to turn you down themselves.”

“That’s all we’re asking.” She glanced up at September. “What about you, sir?”

“Me wishes all of you the best of luck, but my ship departs orbit at oh-eight hundred tomorrow morning. I’ll wave on my way outsystem. I’ve been cold long enough.”

Hwang was persistent, stubborn, or both. “The region where we’re going is warmer. That’s the problem.”

“Your problem, not mine. I’m off to where it’s warm all the time. Maybe I’ll regret not taking you up on your offer—in a year or two.”

She turned to Ethan. As far as she was concerned now, September had already departed. “I’m sure you’ll put our offer to your Tran friends as openly and honestly as we have put it to you. I only wish I could convey the importance of ascertaining the cause of this meteorological disturbance as rapidly as possible. There are crucial contradictions that require immediate resolution. Try to convey that to your friends along with our offer of cargo and transportation home for those who won’t come with us.”

“I’ll make sure they understand all the details. Why don’t you come with me since you feel so strongly about it? Tell them yourself.”

She shook her head. “I’m not good with people and I don’t know the language. None of us do. In that way our translators are electronic crutches. Speaking in person is infinitely more effective than talking through a device. Besides, these are your friends. It’ll sound much better coming from you. If they agree to help, then maybe I’ll be able to think of them as my friends as well.” An approving murmur rose from the scientists.

“We’ll see,” Ethan said, “but I can’t make any promises. As to convincing them of the urgency, that’s going to be tough.”

“I’ll take care of that,” said Williams quietly but confidently. “You soften them up, Ethan, and I’ll finish the argument off.”

Ethan looked dubious. “Hunnar Redbeard and Captain Ta-hoding are going to take more than just softening up when I try to convince them it’s not time for them to return home.”

“We’ve been a long time gone.”

As Hunnar finished his little speech his sentiments were echoed by the other Tran in the room. They included Balavere Longax, senior warrior among the crew of the
Slanderscree;
Ta-hoding, her captain; Elfa Kurdagh-Vlata, daughter of the Landgrave of Sofold; and Hunnar’s two squires. Ethan and Milliken Williams spoke for the staff of the research station while a dour Skua September glowered in the background. Ethan had asked him to join them and since his shuttle’s departure had been postponed to an early morning liftoff, he couldn’t very well decline. But he wasn’t happy about it.

The humans required survival suits for this extended parley, but to the Tran the temperature in the transition room was positively tropic, barely a few degrees below freezing.

As Hunnar sat down Ta-hoding leaned over the plastic table. “They wish us to take them where, friend Ethan?”

Williams unrolled the map Cheela Hwang and her colleagues had prepared. Transfers had been made from the survey satellite’s infrared photos. He wondered how the Tran would react to it, never having seen their world from above. They navigated by wind and stars, landmarks and tradition. If any could make the mental leap necessary, it would be those in this room. The concept of maps was not unknown to them, but aerial photography was something else again.

Tran measured distance in units called
satch,
and he’d had the outpost cartographer put all measurements on the crude map in those familiar numbers. It helped.

Elfa eyed the map uneasily. “No one has ventured so far south and east. That region is unknown to us.”

Ethan thought she looked wonderful in her furs and leathers. Exotic, very feminine in a feline sort of way, and wholly alien. You’re anthropomorphizing again, he warned himself.

“Until you made the journey in the
Slanderscree
no one from Sofold had ever been this far east before, either.” He used a finger to trace a route on the map. “We’ll head south to Poyolavomaar. That much is familiar territory and we can resupply the ship there if necessary. From there we turn southeast until we cross the equatorial ice pressure ridge—the ‘bent ocean’ as you call it—somewhere in this vicinity. Then it’s straight on to the edge of the southern continent. The continental plateau runs almost due east-west at that point and we’ll be able to keep the west wind hard behind us. I doubt we’ll run into anything we haven’t already met up with.”

“That is a promise oft disproved before,” Budjir quipped softly.

Ethan rerolled the map. The research department’s publications section would have copies prepared and laminated prior to the icerigger’s departure.

“It’s not like Hwang and her people are asking you to sail them to the south pole. They’re going to make the trip worthwhile. Each member of the icerigger’s crew will share in the profits to be realized upon your return home to Sofold.”

“What of those left behind who wait anxiously for word of that long-delayed return?” Balavere Longax inquired. His fur was tipped with silver and his beard gray instead of ruddy.

“The humans here intend to hire the best ship available to take a portion of the
Slanderscree
’s crew back to Wannome. They can report for all.”

“No other merchant vessel has ever made such a journey. Until we came to this place the people of Sofold had no knowledge of Arsudun, nor they of us,” Ta-hoding pointed out.

“Exactly. Now that the route is known and the journey once completed, other Tran should be more willing to attempt it. The owners of the ship we hire will be well paid.”

“We had the wind always behind us.”

“The return trip will involve more time and less danger, since the obstacles are now known. Those of your crew who make this journey will do so in comfort. Others will raise the sails and cook the food. When you stride together into the great hall at Wannome to speak of our adventures you will be honored. There will be more honor to come when the
Slanderscree
finally returns weighted down with its cargo of metal.

“I’ve talked to the metallurgist in charge of the smelter here. She’ll be glad to fulfill your requests for spear points, nails, small tools, and pipes. Whatever you wish. The humans who want to engage your services will pay for everything. With this one cargo Wannome will leap beyond its neighboring city-states in wealth and prestige. It will make it easier to strengthen the new union. When the people of Ayhas and Meckleven see the benefits to be gained from membership, they’ll rush to join.”

“You tempt us, friend Ethan,” said Balavere. “You tempt us greatly. Were it not for the need to inform our loved ones and our Landgrave that we still
chivan
o’er the oceans of our world, I would be inclined to stay with you myself. Such a cargo as you describe has never been imagined. I would like to be the one to unveil it.”

“As friend Ethan says, it is not as though we are being asked to sail ’round the globe.” Suaxus-dal-Jagger clearly had no doubts as to which course they should take. “What his friends propose is a journey no longer than the one that took us from here to Moulokin. Those lands also were unknown to us until we visited them. By making the journey we gained knowledge and allies. Why should not this one prove similarly beneficial?” The squire grinned, showing razor-sharp canines.