saw her lift her head, sign firmness of resolve, then speak.
“I have not been wrong — but I have perhaps been overzealous. Ambalasei has led us to the truth and for this I thank her. I will go to the fargi and speak to them so that this city may live. I thank her again for helping us.”
There were overtones of dislike behind what she said, but she still spoke with sincerity. Enge, filled with the joy of revelation, seeing the answer to this vexatious problem before her, ignored these small signs. Peace had been restored. Ugunenapsa’s great work would proceed.
“What are your commands, great Ambalasei?” Enge asked, speaking as a supplicant and not an equal. Ambalasei acknowledged this with easy acceptance.
“I will grow containers for preserved meat. When these are ready and filled we will leave. I suggest a limited number be allowed to preach so there will be room in the uruketo when it returns for those whom you have converted. When the meat is gone and the conversions made the uruketo will come back here. This city will grow, particularly with young and strong fargi to do the labors.”
“When you spoke of leaving you said when we leave,” Enge observed. “Then you intend to go in the uruketo?”
“Naturally. Who else is able to organize this better than I? And I yearn for discussions where a certain name is never mentioned. Now agree among yourselves who is to go. I suggest five as a maximum number.”
“Suggest?” Far! said, an edge of apprehension and distaste behind the question.
“Order, if you prefer that. But I am magnanimous and do not bear grudges. You and four others if that is what you want. Will you come, Enge?”
“My place must be here in the city now, readying it for the newcomers, though my strongest wish is to join you. Satsat, closest to me, will you go in my place?”
“Gladly!”
“Three more then,” Ambalasei said and stretched her stiff muscles and walked away. “I will inform you when it is time to leave,” she called back, then left the ambesed. At an easy pace went through the city that she had grown, that was named in her honor. But she walked slowly now and she knew that this was more than fatigue. She was old and often, in moments of quiet thought, she felt that she was reaching the limits of her physical powers. The end would come, not tomorrow but perhaps tomorrow’s tomorrow was waiting with its void of emptiness. There were things that must be done before that inevitable moment arrived. Setfessei was mounting specimens when she entered but instantly ceased and signed readiness for instruction.
“Containers to be grown,” Ambalasei said as she rooted through a store of dried eggs and pods. She found what she wanted and gave them to her assistant. “Nutrient fluid needed for growth, then preserved meat to be sealed in them. But first bring me the ugunkshaa and a memory creature.”
“Which memory do you seek?”
“One of no real importance for I need to make a record.”
“There are early reminders of ocean currents and winds of the south, now supplanted by observations of discovery.”
“Perfectly correct. I do not keep partial records of vagueness — only historically important successes.”
The ugunkshaa, a severely mutated creature of no intelligence, squatted before Ambalasei, its great organic molecule lens staring sightlessly up at her. Setessei placed the memory creature beside it and delicately inserted one of the tendrils above its withered eyes into a fold of flesh on the memory-speaker. As she made subtle adjustments a black and white image flickered across the lens and there were muted sounds of a voice. These stopped when the other, smaller eye, slowly opened and stared at Ambalasei.
“As you speak now, so shall it listen and remember,” Setessei said stepping back.
Ambalasei dismissed her, gathered her thoughts, then began to talk. Every motion, every sound she made was registered indelibly in the memory creature’s brain.
“I will tell you first of the rivers in the sea that led me to this new land…”
“My greatly-trusted Setessei will stay with you while I am away,” Ambalasei said. “While of course not my equal, she is skilled in the matters of the city, having helped to grow it, and is skilled also in the treatment of wounds that your clumsy sisters seem to acquire with such ease.”
“Gratitude-magnified-multifold,” Enge signed. “All is in readiness for departure?”
“Almost all. The last of the preserved meat should be ready today. As soon as it is aboard we will leave. The morning will be best since I want to make observations of the ocean currents as they flow north and diminish. The connections between my new charts and the old must be made. After that I wish to see this city you spoke to me of, Alpeasak.”
“Death and destruction by fire! All Yilane dead and ustuzou with killing stone-teeth in the streets and groves.”
“Yet you lived, Enge, and others.”
“The few surviving Daughters of Life fled in the uruketo and are here now with me. There was also the uruketo’s commander and the crewmembers. And one whose name I will not speak. There was also a male, name unknown, and the scientist Akotolp.”
“Akotolp! She who was fat and round as a river eel?”
“The same.”
“Where is she now?”
“Unknown. We left the uruketo, as I have told you, to escape persecution at the thumbs of the nameless one.”
“I must see this city. Perhaps the ustuzou have gone. In any case the currents flow in that direction and past and on to the shores of Entoban*. Observations to be made, charts to be rationalized.”
They departed soon after dawn, slipping out into the river and down to the open sea. Ambalasei had enlisted the aid of two crewmembers to trail the neskhak in the sea as they went. The neskhak swam strongly, seeking safety, but were pulled back aboard by their grossly extended tails. Since their skin color varied with the water temperature, Ambalasei would make notes on her charts and have them thrown overboard again. Freed of any labors, the missionary Daughters of course spent their waking hours in discussion of the Eight Principles — deep within the uruketo where Ambalasei could not hear them.
It was a pleasant and warm journey to be greatly enjoyed. All too soon they were passing the island of Maninle , then the jewel-like islands of Alakas-aksehent. By this time Ambalasei was fatigued by her labors and sleeping below. The charts, new and old, were joined and complete. The known world was that much bigger thanks to her genius. Having accomplished this she slept very well, wakening only at the touch on her arm. It was Elem, the commander, signing attention and obedience to commands.
“You ordered me to waken you when the mainland of Gendasi* was in sight.”
“Is it?”
“Obscured by rainclouds at the moment, but it is there certainly enough.”
“I come. Assistance in rising needed. Muscles stiffen from damp and sleep.”
Elem’s strong arms helped her to her feet and she walked slowly to the fin, climbed it laboriously, complaining continuously. The two crewmembers there came tumbling down pursued by her wrath, though she signed Elem to join her.
“Have you been here before?” Ambalasei asked.
“No, but the charts are clearly marked. We have but to follow the chain of golden islands to this swampy coastline. Alpeasak lies to the north.”
The rain had blown out to sea and the low coastline was clearly visible now. A sandy shore with forests behind. Elem glanced up at the sun. “We should be there before dark.”
“If there is any doubt, stand out to sea. Remember the ustuzou Enge told us of.”
“Horrible, beyond understanding, deadly.”
“But nevertheless there. Precautions manifold.”
“Perhaps not needed,” Elem said, shielding her eyes against the sun. “Movement near coastline, uruketo, boats.”
Ambalasei muttered and blinked but could not see them clearly at first. Only when they were closer could she make out the details.
