The Icerigger Trilogy: Icerigger, Mission to Moulokin, and The Deluge Drivers (91 page)

“And if there is to be a fight or two along the way, why, it would keep us from boredom. That is the only place I fear to visit.”

“I should think you’d had enough adventure to keep you from boredom for the remainder of your life.” Elfa’s gaze shifted from the exuberantly enthusiastic squire back to Ethan. “Still and all, your scholar friends offer a city’s ransom in payment for a little transportation. Long as it has been since my father has seen me, I know what he would advise.”

Hunnar had been studying his right paw, extending and retracting his claws. Now he looked up to where Skua September leaned against the door that led back into the outpost complex.

“What think you, friend Skua? Should we accept this proposition?”

“Yes, what
do
you think?” Balavere asked.

September let his gaze touch on human and Tran alike. “I think you’re every one of you fools. Some of you are furry fools and some of you smooth-skinned, but you have warm blood and idiocy in common. I think Ethan’s a fool for risking the dangers of your world on still another journey into unknown regions. I think the rest of you are fools for not returning home right now.”

“We know what to expect, Skua,” said Williams, adjusting his glasses. “It would be discouraging if we didn’t encounter one or two new things on such an expedition.”

“Something new ain’t what would worry me. Surprises wouldn’t worry me. What would worry me, Milliken, is that sooner or later a man’s odds will catch up with him. You don’t go give those odds any help against us. Fate’s already on their side. Me, I’ve been tiptoeing on the far edge of disaster most of my life. Just because I haven’t fallen off yet doesn’t mean I’m going to start dancing. I don’t think you should go.”

Williams turned to the watchful Tran. “Certainly there may be dangers to be faced. This is your world. I believe Cheela Hwang and her colleagues when they say that it may be in danger. The kind of danger that can reach across oceans and continents. We seek an explanation because events that cannot be explained have a way of coming back to haunt you. We
must
find out what is happening to the weather along the edge of the southern continental plateau.”

“What threat could it pose to us in far distant Sofold?” Budjir wanted to know.

Williams struggled to persuade. “I realize you’re still trying to grasp the concept of a world as one place, a single home. It took my people even longer to do so, to their detriment. A world is like a living organism. What happens on the other side of the globe can affect us here in Arsudun. Think of it as a creature without arms or legs. If one area is infected and not treated in time, the infection can spread and kill the whole body. We need to find out if this is an infection of that kind.”

“The scholar speaks truth. I agree with him,” said Balavere.

Hunnar and Elfa exchanged a look. She nodded once, slowly. But the final word did not rest with them. Not here, on this matter. This was not an affair of state. He turned to the captain of the
Slanderscree.

“What of the ship? What repairs would have to be made before she could undertake such a journey?”

“None, Sir Hunnar. The ship is sound. While I would rather return home myself, the thought of another long journey does not frighten me. Our vessel is solid. She could use a thorough cleaning, but then what ship could not?

“The thought of sailing so far south with less than a full crew does not cheer me, but it can be done. No reason be there why thirty could not handle her well enough, particularly if we take our time and put out anchors early.”

“We’d like to reach this place as quickly as possible,” Williams commented, “but our actual speed would be up to you. Whatever’s affecting the climate isn’t going to alter radically one way or the other in a day or two.”

Ta-hoding looked content. “As long as we are not hard pressed, then, I see no reason why we cannot send half our complement and more home to cheer those we have left behind. We know her well by now, our icerigger, and those who agree to crew her on this voyage will be volunteers. If those who do so are promised a greater share in the promised cargo, I foresee no difficulty in securing willing sailors.”

“Naturally the captain’s share would be proportionately larger,” said September from his corner.

Ta-hoding coughed, looked slightly embarrassed. “It would not be unnatural. It is the traditional manner of such payments.”

“Clearly there would be plenty for all.” Hunnar shook a massive paw at Williams. “This will be the last place the
Slanderscree
docks before the familiar portal of Wannome harbor. Absolutely the last! The lamentations of my family echo loud in my ears.”

Williams nodded assent. “I promise. After this you can all go home, richer as well as wiser.”

“It is settled then,” said Elfa. She glanced up at Ethan. “But this I say to both of you: This is a thing we do not for the fortune your metal wizard has promised to us, nor out of friendship which has its limits. This thing we do because Milliken Williams asks it of us. Because we owe him a debt that has not yet been repaid.”

“Truth!” declaimed Balavere Longax loudly.

Ethan knew what they were referring to. If not for the schoolteacher’s application of some ancient practical knowledge, both the battles for Wannome and Moulokin would have been lost. Elfa, Hunnar, and the rest of the Tran owed Williams not only their independence but their lives.

“Yes, well.” The teacher dropped his eyes and voice and tried to vanish from view. “Anyone else in my position would have done the same. I just happened to be in the necessary place at the required time.”

“Anyone else I do not know,” said Hunnar. “Milliken Williams I do know. You overdo your modesty. This then is our repayment. We Tran do not like to leave debts lying loosely about where consciences can stumble over them in the night.”

“We’re all set then.” Ethan pushed back his chair. “Milliken, why don’t you deliver the good news to Hwang and Blanchard and the others? I’m sure they’ve chewed their nails down to the quick wondering what our friends’ answer will be.”

“With the greatest pleasure. They’ll be delighted for a minute or so. Then they’ll get to work making preparations for departure.”

“Yes, preparations,” said Ta-hoding. He didn’t rub his paws together but came close. “And while provisioning is going on I can meet with your metal wizard to discuss what we will want in the way of cargo for our trip back to Sofold. In that way it can be ready and waiting for us as soon as we return.”

Elfa was smiling. “It will be good to return home with something more than stories to give the people.”

Laser-bright, the sun of Tran-ky-ky cast the rocky features of Arsudun island into silhouette as it rose in the east. Ice particles bombarded the glass sealing in the second-floor observation deck that overlooked the shuttle runway.

Ethan watched as the shuttle rose from its underground hangar like a skeleton from the grave. It rested on wide blue ice skids, the stern of the sleek delta-wing shape pocked with rocket and jet exhaust ports. It would accelerate rapidly down the smooth runway, using standard jets to carry it into the upper atmosphere where ramjets would take over and increase its velocity further. Beyond the envelope of frigid air that cocooned Tran-ky-ky, rockets would take over and propel it into orbit where it would be overtaken by its mother ship. After passengers and cargo had been distributed, the KK-drive would be activated, tugging the interstellar craft out of Tran-ky-ky’s system and into that strange region known as space-plus, where faster-than-light travel was possible.

As he stared, the shuttle’s stern glowed with life. The thunderous roar of the jets was muffled by the thick glass. The ship began to move forward. Slowly at first, gradually gathering speed, its great weight forcing the skids through the ice onto the solid stelacrete beneath. Behind him other members of the outpost’s complement turned away. The once-a-month departure of the shuttle was not enough of a novelty to hold their attention longer.

They chatted easily, relaxed, their thoughts back on the business of the day. Ethan’s rode aboard the shuttle, alongside the large, extraordinary gentleman who’d been his close companion and friend for the year and more they’d spent surviving on this frozen world together.

Carried aloft on a column of superheated air, the shuttle lifted from the far end of the runway. Ethan followed it with his eyes until it vanished like a lost leaf in the perfectly clear blue sky. He continued to stare into the distance until the echo of the little vessel’s thunder faded in his ears. Then he turned away from the window.

There was plenty to do. Establishing a formal trading station would require the completion of an enormous quantity of paperwork, no matter how accommodating the new Resident Commissioner. If he started on it immediately he might be able to scratch the surface before the
Slanderscree
departed for the southern continent. Then there were specialized computer programs to be ordered, files to be set up, requests for personnel to enter. If he were lucky and everything he needed reasonably available, he might be able to relax in three or four months. If he could at least get some programs operating, it would look to Malaika’s subalterns like he was doing his job.

It was going to be a lonely one. Administration and supervision demanded he read, not shake hands or other appendages. The most entertaining computer program was a poor substitute for close companionship.

So preoccupied with planning was he that he almost ran into the large figure that had stationed itself at the far end of the corridor. The individual was leaning against the jamb, arms crossed and an angry expression on his face. Ethan’s jaw dropped.

He jerked around to stare back toward the observation window. No, the shuttle had not returned when he wasn’t looking, nor had he imagined its departure. Any more than he was imagining the massive, familiar figure that blocked the doorway.

It was just as well September spoke first because Ethan was utterly at a loss for words.

“This is all your fault, young feller-me-lad.”

The accusation called for a response. “My fault? What are you talking about, my fault? What’s my fault?” He gestured helplessly back at the window. Beyond, ground crew in small individual vehicles were out on the runway, already commencing preparations for the arrival of next month’s shuttle.

“Why aren’t you on the shuttle?”

“I’m not on the shuttle because I’m here. Can’t be in two places at the same time, now can I?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Skua.”

“Really? I thought I made it quite clear. We’re talking about my being here being your fault. That’s not overly obtuse, now is it?” He unfolded his oversize frame, stood straight. “It’s because of your damn archaic sense of responsibility. Your innocence and your filthy ingratiating personality. Hell, if I pulled a gun right now and blew your grinning head off, your last words would be an apology for the cost of the power surge. Where do you come off making me feel guilty, you and that midget mine of arcane trivia and those tiger-toothed furballs with pretensions of civilization?”

“Nobody can make another person feel guilty like that, Skua. You’ve managed it all by yourself.”

“Oh, now that’s a pithy homily, it is. Here I was, all set and ready to be on my way, and that runt Williams had to go and drag us to that damn meeting. Dangerous meteorological anomaly, my butt! And here I am still stuck on this lousy chunk of slush because somebody sees an anomaly in a fogbank a few thousand kilometers away.”

Ethan knew it was an inappropriate time to smile, but he couldn’t help himself. It was clear Skua was raging not against his friend but against himself.

“Skua, it’s not the worst thing in the world to admit to somebody else that you’re a decent human being.”

“But that’s just it, young feller-me-lad. I
ain’t
a decent human being. I’ve never been a decent human being. I could give you proof.”

Ethan tried to calm the giant. “You’re confused; that’s all.”

“Confused, hell. I’m mad and I’m frustrated because I don’t know what I’m doing here.” He jabbed a thumb ceilingward. “When I should be up there, relaxed, warm and outbound.”

“Whatever you’re doing here you’re going to be doing it for at least another month, until the next shuttle arrives. What about your archaeologist friend?”

“Who? Oh, Isili. Isili Hasboga.” He shrugged. “I’m two years overdue. I don’t expect she’ll fly into a rage if I don’t show up next week. In fact, I have the feeling she won’t even think about it. Me now, that’s something else.” He turned, ate up distance with enormous strides.

“One thing I’ll warn you about now, Ethan, and you can pass it along. When we’re out on the ice none of those sniveling scientists better thank me for coming along or he’ll find himself skating all the way back to Arsudun on his backside.”

“So you’re coming with us, then?”

“No,” September snapped. “I purposely missed the shuttle so I could squat here and glower at the robots. Of course I’m coming along.”

Ethan struggled to repress a broad grin. “That’ll be nice. Knowing in what regard Hunnar, Elfa, and the rest of the Tran hold you, I’m sure their spirits will be boosted just by your presence.”

“Further proof of how primitive they are and how far they still have to go,” September muttered. “Showing respect for a fool like me. I am a fool, you know. I’ve just gone and proved it again.”

“Quit bawling, already. And you still haven’t convinced me I’m in any way shape or form responsible for your continued presence here.”

“Ain’t it obvious, feller-me-lad? How could I leave with a clean conscience knowing you were all set to run off and get yourself killed. You would, too, without me around to watch after you. If not for old Skua, you’d be dead a dozen times over this past year.”

That was true enough, Ethan knew. It was also true that he’d returned the favor by saving September at least as many times as September had saved him, but he forbore pointing that out. He was too pleased to have his friend back for the forthcoming journey to belabor him with logic.