and reds that mark the ocean currents, these are what guide us.”
“Explanation-in-detail.”
“Pleasure-in-expatiation. We are here now, in the ocean west of Yebeisk. At your instructions we continue to swim west until dark in case others follow. We will then be about here, in this red stream, a south-flowing current. We will drift with it during the night; then at dawn, after a position check, we will begin the voyage to our destination. Accuracy-of-swimming, desire-for-knowledge of our destination?”
“Uncertainty-now. Show me what you would do if our destination were Gendasi.”
“Eagerness-in-enumerating. For Gendasi we must follow this current as it sweeps south and west to midocean. This is a most interesting area, quite abundant with life. When we reach it we will choose the correct current for our destination. This is the one we seek, which sweeps here past Alakas-aksehent to the green land beyond.”
Ambalasi studied the chart closely, staring at Yebeisk, then allowing her left eye to move across the ocean to Gendasi.
“A question. We swim in a great arc southwest to midocean, then another arc northwest to our destination. Think how much faster it would be if we simply cut straight across the ocean like this.” She ran the edge of her thumb across the chart in a swift motion. Elem stepped back and gasped, her crest flaring red.
“Impossible!” Modifiers of despair and fear. “What you suggest is… unnatural. For short periods, yes, as we do now, or crossing from one island to another, then it is in order. But nothing moves in a straight line. The sea creatures follow the currents of the sea, the birds the invisible currents of the air. Such a course that you suggest, why — it goes against nature. The uruketo would have to be forced away from the currents, though at night it would drift with them, then in the morning recalculation… plainly impossible!”
“A simple query of scientific interest, Elem, compose yourself. Since you are a worker-with-knowledge, for the greater good of your labors, I will tell you of the two different states of matter. Or do you already know Atepenepsa’s law?”
“Humble-ignorance, desire-for-input.”
“Stated in its most basic form, invisible matter moves in straight lines, visible matter does not. Remove the glaze from your eyes and close your mouth — you are a picture of fargi stupidity! Do you know of invisible matter?”
“No…”
“Lump of ignorance! Gravity is invisible — if I drop this chartweight it goes straight down. That-which-carries light is itself invisible and it moves the light in a straight line from object to eye. Inertia is invisible, yet it keeps a moving object… enough. I see that this is all beyond you. Do not feel shame for your imbecility. There are very few Yilane like myself who have no intellectual limitations. Now, to our course. What lies here?”
Ambalasi placed her splayed fingers and thumbs upon the empty area of the chart beyond Maninle, south of Gendasi. Elem gaped. “Nothing, nothing at all.”
“Empty-of-mind, unconscious-of-being-alive! Must I teach you your own speciality? What are these on the chart, here and here?”
“Currents, ocean currents of course.”
“Wonderful. Now, amplification-of-detail, what causes currents?”
“Temperature differentials of sea water, wind, planetary rotation, impact on coastlines, gradient of ocean floor…”
“Good. Now these currents, here and here, examine them closely. They do not appear out of outer darkness so suddenly. Trace them backward.”
“I see, I see! Great Ambalasi you have drawn me from ignorance as a fargi is drawn from the sea. There must be a large mass of land here, where you have indicated. Though no one has ever seen it or recorded it — you have deduced its existence from these charts…”
As the significance of this was driven home, Elem lowered her head and signed from lowest-of-low to highest-on-high, as she suddenly realized that Ambalasi knew as much as she did of navigation. Perhaps more. Ambalasi nodded, accepting the awareness.
“You are skilled in your own science, Elem,” she said. “But it is I who am skilled in all sciences — as I have just proven. This is not the work of a moment, I have been looking at navigation charts for some years now, making these deductions. This voyage will prove that my contentions are correct. We are going here, to this blank spot on the map. It will never be blank again after we have reached it. Now go, bring Enge here to attend me.”
Enge went with Elem as soon as she was summoned. Ambalasi was standing in an arrogant pose when they joined her, as erect as her aged spine would permit, a chart grasped firmly in her hand. Elem approached the scientist as humble as a fargi. Enge, shaping her limbs with utmost respect, did not quite go that far. Ambalasi held out the chart at arm’s length, utmost gravity-importance in the gesture.
“Now I will show you, Enge. Now I will reveal our destination and the city that is awaiting you there.”
“We have true gratitude for what you have done for us.”
Her arms shaped the curved gesture that indicated she spoke for everyone in her group.
“Excellent. Here, here on this chart, at this place, is our destination. While here — is our city.”
She opened her other hand as she spoke, extended it. Resting on her palm was a large and convoluted seed. Enge looked from chart to seed, then back again, before bending her head in appreciative acceptance.
“We are grateful. Since there is only an emptiness here on the chart I can only assume that with your superior knowledge you know of a new land that is there. A land without cities, without Yilane, so therefore the seed is a city seed that will be grown to shape a city of our own.”
“Precisely,” Ambalasi said sharply, putting seed and chart down with unnecessary violence, ripples of color running along her crest. “You have a first-class brain, Enge, and I look forward to besting it.
She did not add that she had not succeeded this time, nor did Enge make a point of mentioning it, but signed gratitude and agreement instead. The aged scientist was set in her ways and irascible — but could be allowed any eccentricities after all that she had done for them.
“Is it permitted to ask for more information on our destination in order to enjoy the working of a brain of such infinite magnitude?”
“It is permitted.” The colors died from Ambalasi’s crest as she accepted what was only her due. “Look closely and learn. The strength, the width, the temperature of these currents, these rivers in the sea, are noted on the charts for those with the capacity to understand them. Whose number of course includes me. I will not go into details, you would not understand them, but will give you my conclusions instead. Here is no small island or string of islands, but a great land mass whose size we will discover when we reach it. It lies to the south of Alpeasak which means that it will be gloriously warmer. Do you know the name of this new land, Enge?”
“I do,” she answered firmly.
“Then tell us all,” Ambalasi said with uncontrollable movements of pleasure.
“It is named Ambalasokei so that in tomorrow’s tomorrow, as long as Yilane speak one to another, they will speak the name of she who brought life to this distant and unknown place.”
“Well composed,” Ambalasi acknowledged and Elem signalled agreement with modifiers of enlargement. “Now I will rest and conserve my energy. You will of course need my guidance so do not hesitate to waken me then even though it troubles you to do so.”
Word of what was happening spread quickly and there was great excitement. The Daughters of Life pressed Enge to reveal the significance of Ambalasi’s disclosures and she did, standing in the shaft of light that fell from the open fin so all could hear.
“Ugunenapsa, our teacher, told us that the weakest is the strongest, the strongest the weakest. By this parable she meant to instruct us in the oneness of life, to make the point that the life of a still-ocean-wet fargi was as important to that fargi as the life of an eistaa would be to the eistaa. Ugunenapsa spoke this long ago, but the eternal truth of it has been driven home to us again today. Ambalasi, even though she is not yet a Daughter of Life, has profited from Ugunenapsa’s teaching so much so that she has led us from captivity and is leading us now to a new world where we will grow a city — that will be our city. Be humble before the wonder of that thought. A city without persecution for beliefs. A city without death. A city where we can grow together and learn together — and welcome fargi to grow and learn with us. I have said, with gratitude and without a moment’s hesitation, that this new land where we will grow this city will be called Ambalasokei.”
