us prayers to make the crops grow,' said Mamissa Kokoe.
Nigel Bishop had shouldered in closer. 'But there seem to be many
… ways to worship,' he said.
'As there have always been.'
They had emerged from the fields and were now walking through a network of huts. Potbellied half-naked children ran barefoot through the streets. All of them were nut-brown, by birth or exposure to desert sun. They seemed healthy and happy.
'Are you completely self-sufflcient here?'
'No.' For an instant the smile wandered. 'We need things from the lower levels. Most of us on the upper levels worship the gentler gods-we have even given up animal sacrifice.'
'Sacrifice? '
Twan's ears had perked up at the word. They were surrounded by children now, coming out of the houses and the huts, curious as children always are.
Acacia found herself scratching a cornrowed head. Trevor Stone was sitting on his heels, whispering to a handful of the children, showing them something hand-sized that glittered. Many were coffee-skinned Hispanics, and they ran alongside the Adventurers laughing and smiling, rows of improbably white teeth gleaming, hands outstretched, touching strangeness.
'Pigs. Barnyard fowl. These are often sacrificed, and we have done away with some of it.'
'Why?' Twan persisted.
'Greenpeace,' Mamissa said soberly. 'Save the chickens, man.'
The ash-blond jogger-Bobo? — sprinted forward to block their path. 'Mamissa,' he said, 'we cannot allow these strangers to witness our ceremonies!'
'Oh, hush your mouth. The Mami Wata have personally interceded. It would be rude to turn them away.'
'You go too far!' Bobo called after them.
Mamissa paid no attention to him, and they continued on.
'You refuse to sacrifice to the gods, and now you allow strangers. You will bring grief on us all!'
So sacrificing to the gods was valuable, but they hadn't been doing their share of it? Acacia made a mental note, resolving to pay extra special attention. In all times and places, one must learn the religious laws.
Huts were clustered like coconuts just this side of a lagoon… wait. From this angle, the lagoon seemed an ocean. It stretched as far as the eye could see.
Acacia strode up to keep abreast of Mamissa; for all of her girth, the woman moved like a race walker. 'What exactly is this ceremony?'
The village seemed to be gathering. The sun was high and sparkled on the waves rolling in toward the beach.
'The Mami Wata ceremony is a tribute to the water folk,' Mamissa said. 'If you would soothe your dreams, if you would know the future, if you would commune with the water spirits, you must participate.' She turned and looked among the Adventurers. 'What woman among you would join in the Mami Wata ceremony?'
Acacia weighed options for a moment and then stepped forward. 'I will,' she said.
'Waters,' Poule snapped, and S. J. Waters stepped forward.
Mamissa shook her head. 'No. Women only.'
SJ shrugged at Evil Poule. Poule said, 'Yeah. I thought your name might be lucky.'
A high, moaning sound went up from the village, followed by a joyful keening. Perhaps fifty women rushed out of the huts. They were all races and colors and all half-naked.
Acacia watched Alphonse's eyes bug out. Here comes the main event, she thought. She had been expecting this.
With studied casualness she stripped down to her panties. Every movement was a calculated tease. The Army men had effectively turned to stone. Al the B.-paranoid as always-tried to keep his eyes moving, and failed. The Fool-Killer could have had him for free.
Gloriously long-limbed and bare-cheated, Acacia turned and glared at the men. Their eyes bugged like gigged frogs. 'Well, what are you staring at, you knuckle-dragging mouth breathers?'
Adam's apples bobbed. Nervous perspiration glazed wrinkled brows. God, she thought. I love being a mammal.
The Mouser managed a weak reply. 'Uh… she said we can't join in…'
Mamissa laughed heartily. 'true, but if you would watch, or help, shed your clothing. Otherwise, stand back! And allow the Faithful to worship.'
'I remember!' Al the B said suddenly. Slowly at first, then with a growing frenzy, Alphonse started to peel.
Other men were following suit. One could tell from their expressions-puzzled frowns or secretive grins- whether they'd read the material on the Mami Wata rites or were just following Al's lead.
Only two people actively complained. One was Major Terry Clavell. 'I'm not doing this,' he said stubbornly. 'I just won't watch the ceremony, that's all. '
General Poule dropped his pants on his backpack, then his shirt, without taking his eyes off the native women gathering at the shore. He said, 'Then I'd better watch. I might see something we need to know.'
The other was a wrinkled, sun-dried nut of a woman, MaryMartha Corbett. 'There's enough sufferin' in the world,' she muttered, 'without askin' perfectly nice folks in China and England to watch my peekaboos on wide screen.' Uncharitably, perhaps, no one argued with her.
Top Nun hadn't complained, but wasn't disrobing, either.
'Oh, come on,' Mouser said. 'Give it a try.'
'You don't know my husband,' she said wistfully. 'Would he be angry? Hoo-ha!'
Poule said, 'Dammit, Waters, they're all staring at my belly.'
'It isn't soft, it's just big, right? General, why don't you ask Bobo to punch it?'
'Because he looks bloody strong.'
Far below their feet, Doris Whitman requested a stat run from Tony McWhirter. Tony ran through the complete list of twenty-four survivors and evaluated them for magic and resistance to spells. He came up with three names, all males.
Doris ran a quick randomizer series to select a victim. She patched through to the individual lines, punched his code, and began to speak.
For an instant, Alphonse thought that he was going crazy. 'Hello,' a rather sexy voice whispered breathily in his ear. 'The gods, here. You have been chosen for a demonstration of our power. You will do exactly what we tell you to do, when we tell you to do it, or you will take twelve hit points of damage right now. If you understand, please nod your head.'
Alphonse nodded enthusiastically.
'Good lad. This is what we want you to do…'
Nonworshipers had been pushed to the rear of the crowd, with nothing to see but the backs of heads.
Participants were all lined up at the water's edge now. The entire three-quarters-naked lot of them were swaying and chanting to music that seemed to surround them, to flow from everywhere, from nowhere, and filled them completely.
The water roiled at the shoreline. Near-naked Adventurers separated themselves from their clothed companions and joined the legion of screaming, leaping, wailing women on the beach.
The waves seemed almost alive. They beckoned.
Back near the huts, Major Terry Clavell gave a harsh, flat bark of laughter. 'Seems to me that this is going to give The Girls an unfair advantage,' he said unpleasantly.
'Philips crossed us. She tried to show how good she was,' S. J. Waters said matter-of-factly. 'Her timing was lousy.'
'Waters,' The major said curtly, 'we've discussed all this before. I'm not interested in it now. Whatever fucking mermaid nonsense this is, I don't care. Someone has to remain ready for combat at all times. However…'
Mamissa looked over the clothed Adventurers and motioned several of them forward. She shook her rattle at
