«But how can we load the tortugas if your men are tearing up the floor?»
«Well, clearly you can’t load the tortugas, Tonio.»
«But the race starts tomorrow!»
«It’s not likely Rayo will be ready for the race,” said Maquinista absently, as though the point was of little consequence to him — as, indeed, it was. He hated the yards; the panicky captains, the inadequate facilities. He looked forward only to tomorrow afternoon, when he could pack his tools into his cart, gather his mechanics about him, and return to his workshops in the delta. Engineering was a pure science and the design and production of a beautiful craft like Rayo was an end in itself. The scrambling, frantic atmosphere of the tortuga yards was a debasement of all he held dear.
«Not ready for the race! But —”
«Listen, Tonio. Would you rather a wheel had come off at the kind of speed Rayo can do?»
«The Canton Lord will be furious!»
«Refer him to me,” said Maquinista sarcastically, echoing the earlier attitude of the cai‑man. «Meanwhile, perhaps you should have the carters dump the tortugas beside the car, so we can load once the axle housing is replaced. And get out of the way of my men.»
«When will you be finished? For God’s» sake, you must have some idea!»
«Maybe by noon tomorrow.»
«The race starts at dawn!»
«You’ll be able to sail with the slow cars, probably. You’ll still get a good price, Tonio. Tortugas are a valuable commodity.»
«It’s not just a question of price.…» You will win that race, Tonio. The difficulties of the past days suddenly overwhelmed him, and he found his eyes filling with tears. He swung around and almost ran from the hold. Outside, a felino caught his arm.
«You know me, Captain Tonio — my name is Diferir. Now, I think we can do business —”
«Let go of my goddamned arm, you animal!»
«What did you call me?»
«Get away from me!» Tonio tore himself free and set off up the yards, almost running.
The big felino paced alongside. «Just what did you call me?»
«I have nothing to say to you.» Tonio turned away and ducked under the rails of a siding. Captain Herrero stood there, tall and irascible, quibbling over prices with the crafty Dozo. «Stop following me!» cried Tonio.
«Maybe you should hear what the great Captain Tonio just called me, Dozo,” said Diferir.
«Causing trouble again, Tonio?» asked Herrero, seizing his chance to put a rival down.
«Just get away from me!» Tonio was almost out of control, close to weeping. «All of you — leave me alone!»
«Well, now, this isn’t what we expect from.…» Herrero’s voice trailed away as the general hubbub of the yards was interrupted by an extraordinary commotion from the south. Beyond the convergence of tracks a crowd could be seen waving their arms, yelling and running. Rumbling along the track beside this mob came an ancient sailcar with patched sails. Swinging from the cross-trees was a bizarre one-armed figure who shouted:
«Hoooooo! Hoooooo! Make way for the Rangua express!»
«It’s that crazy Pegman,” said Diferir.
«If he doesn’t climb down and use his brake he’s going to cause an accident,” said Herrero.
But the Pegman came rocketing in with sails tight until someone, with great presence of mind, flung himself at the pivot arm of a swinging guiderail and diverted the Estrella del Oeste to a vacant siding.
Still the decrepit craft careered along, outpacing the mob apart from a couple of excited children on mule back. Then, about fifty meters before he ran out of track, Enriques de Jai’a dropped to the deck and threw himself bodily at the brake. Wood squealed on wood, smoke trailed and, as the car shuddered to a stop, flames licked around the brake shoe. The Pegman stood at the deck rail with stiff dignity, waiting for a crowd to gather.
Tonio, glad of the diversion, joined the hurrying crowd. Within seconds, most of the people in the yard — True Humans, Specialists, and quite a few inquisitive mutes — had assembled beside the Estrella. The mood was of amused impatience, but the Pegman seemed in no hurry to explain the reason for his precipitous arrival. He stood with eyes raised to heaven as though awaiting a sign. Children began to throw decaying fruit.
«That buffoon is an embarrassment to the True Human race,” said Herrero.
The Pegman held up his hand for silence. An overripe mango smacked into his palm and he frowned in sudden puzzlement, examined it, sniffed it and, amid derisive cheers, punted it across the yard.
«People!» he shouted. «I regret that the race will be delayed!»
There was a chorus of disbelief.
«No — I tell the truth. There’s been an incident south of Rangua and extensive track work will be required. I shall need twenty men — and you, Maquinista!»
«Pegman!» shouted El Tigre. «When will the work be finished?»
By now Enri had jumped down from the deck to avoid the mangoes. He leaped astride a mule and began to gallop wildly around the crowd, shouting, «Follow me, monkey‑men! Follow me to the storehouse and fetch pegs and hammers! We have work to do, monkey‑men!» He was probably the only True Human who could so describe the small, dextrous Specialists without causing a riot. Still yelling, he reined the mule in, dragging it to a halt beside Maquinista. «Bring strong took,” he said. «You know what I mean?» And he contorted his face into an exaggerated wink. «And we’re going to have to work right through the night, so we’ll need.… What’s it called again? You know — something to see by.»
Maquinista laughed aloud. «The Wrath of Agni, most people call it, as you know very well, Pegman.»
«Hush!» Wide-eyed, Enri glanced around, finger pressed to lips in theatrical fashion. «Would you have my audience faint with fear? But yes — that is the Wrath we need.»
«I’ll see to it.»
El Tigre had been pushing his way through the crowd while this was going on, followed by Tonio, Herrero and Dozo. «I said, when will you be finished, Pegman?»
«When the sun is at its zenith, when the shadows shrivel like burning flesh.»
«Noon, you mean, for God’s sake. All right, Pegman, we’ll delay the start until noon. But then the cars will roll, and if the track isn’t ready it’ll be on your own head!»
The Pegman swung his mount and galloped for his ramshackle storehouse, followed by a rabble of small Specialists.
«You can’t go,” said Tonio to Maquinista, «You have to work on Rayo! ” He clutched the Engineer’s arm as the other turned to follow the Specialists.
«My men can finish the job.» Irritably, Maquinista shook his arm free. Then he looked at Tonio and his mood seemed to change. «I probably won’t be back in time for the start. Good luck, Captain Tonio.» He gripped Tonio’s shoulder for an instant, then walked away.
«Well …» said Herrero. «So the great Captain Tonio is saved. His car isn’t ready, but the race is delayed. Quite a coincidence. And El Tigre.… You’ve come to an arrangement with the captain.»
El Tigre frowned. «All the felinos have their arrangements, Herrero. I’m sure you and Dozo have a deal.»
«We certainly have. But here is a coincidence which I find even more remarkable. I’ve just heard that your daughter is involved in the … incident which damaged the track.»
«Karina?»
«Who else? Now, some people might call that a coincidence. Others would perhaps call it opportunism. And then,” Herrero smiled coldly, «there are others who are using the word sabotage.…»
El Tigre took a quick step forward. His fingers hooked into claws.
Dozo caught his arm. «Not worth it, El Tigre.»
Herrero stopped smiling. «Meanwhile, El Tigre, I’ll leave you with a thought. If you’ve taken unusual steps to help Captain Tonio in his present difficulties, that’s your business. He will still have to beat me, to win the race. But are you sure you can trust him, this partner of yours? Will he return the favor?»