“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.”