The zuta watchers lined up. They were Terrans of both sexes and a wide spread of ages, with a slight preponderance of women and a tendency toward mature years, getting on but still fit. At that period, modern medicine had more than doubled the normal human life span, so that human beings far into their second century were still active and two-hundred-year-oldsters were not uncommon. The common cliché was that legends promised eternal youth, but in fact medicine had given eternal middle age.
The Terran population of Kukulcan was dominated by three ethnic groups—the Chinese, the Russians, and the Anglophones—but other strains, much mixed, were also common. This group of zuta watchers was mainly Anglophone with a sprinkling of others.
Kirk Salazar found himself behind the Ritters in line. The Ritters advanced, bowed, and shook the chief's scaly, clawed, four-digit hand. Ritter introduced "Dr. Suzette Ritter, my wife."
Salazar in turn stepped forward, saying: "I am Kirk Sheffield Salazar of Henderson." He switched to Sungao. "If I may take the liberty, knows your Highness aught of what befell my colleague, Jean-Pierre Latour?"
The spines on the Kook chief's neck rippled in a way that signified startle. An experienced Terran could infer a Kook's emotions from the movement of those cervical bristles. Since each Kook thus bore a built-in lie detector, this feature might have accounted for their unhuman honesty. Yaamo replied:
"Nay indeed, honorable Sarasara. Naught beyond the fact that this Ratoo went up Mount Sungara and failed to come down again. Belike he remains with the wiseman Seisen."
"Permit me to ask: Who is the wiseman Seisen?"
"He was a teacher in that advanced school which Empress Gariko established in Machura. On retirement he came to Sunga, ascended the mountain, and settled himself to think."
"Do people consult him?"
"We human beings do, aye, but Terrans think they know everything already." For "human being" the chief used the Sungao word konohto, with the "h" pronounced, which Kukulcanians employed about their own kind in exactly the same sense that Terrans referred to themselves as "human beings."
"How does one consult him? By bringing an offering of food?"
Yaamo's neck spines rippled in the Kookish equivalent of a chuckle. "Nay, he raises his own. The needed tribute, to hear his wisdom, is a book, either human—a boxed scroll—or the Terran kind, with all pages bound together at one edge." Yaamo fiddled with his golden disk of office. "Tell me, pray, are you kin to the Terran Sarasara who digs up the remains of ancient cities and burial places?"
"My father."
"He is well regarded here. Are you, like him, connected with one of your institutions of Terran learning?"
"Aye, sir. I am a candidate for the degree of doctor."
"Then you will, certes, find Seisen of interest."
"I thank your Highness and will pursue the matter further."
"That were a worthy course. I congratulate you on your mastery of human speech. Not once have I had to ask you to repeat!"
Salazar made a self-deprecating motion. "Just a quirk of mine, but it is useful in my work."
"May your health continue good!"
"And may your Highness's health surpass even mine!"
"May your ancestral spirits preserve you ..."
Yaamo finally broke off the exchange of formalities to speak to the next Terran in line. Salazar hurried after the Ritters, who walked leisurely toward the exit. Alexis Ritter had rejoined her parents. As a permanent resident, she did not have to go through the formalities that had greeted them.
When Yaamo had disposed of the last Patelian, he said: "And now farewell. Take utmost care of your health!"
Tchitchagov replied: "And may your Highness take utmost care of his health also!"
"May all your lives be tranquil!"
"May your Highness's life be as smooth as a mill-pond!"
"May your ancestral spirits be well disposed toward you!"
"And may your Highness's ancestral spirits sustain him in all ways!"
The Kukulcanian formalities continued as Tchitchagov and the high chief piled good wishes on each other. Then the chief stalked off, surrounded by bodyguards and followed by the musician playing a martial-sounding tune.
Outside on the cobblestones, members of the Patel Society stared at the slatternly town, more Terran than Kukulcanian. As a zuta fluttered overhead in pursuit of insectoid life, a Patelian exclaimed and pointed. At once a dozen pairs of binoculars swung up like the guns of a battery. Terrans across the avenue halted to stare at the zuta watchers.
The zuta looked like a small flying lizard or perhaps like one of the smaller Mesozoic pterosaurs. But its batlike wings bore a colorful pattern like those of a Terran butterfly: gold, ruby, and emerald flashing in the light of Epsilon Eridani.
Salazar pulled out his glasses and followed the example of the others. Although the zuta was in plain sight, he could not seem to find it in the narrow field of the glasses. Mrs. Ramos cried:
"That's a Nicterophis jacksoni, I'll swear!" She marked a tally sheet.
"Right genus, wrong species," said Mr. ben-Yahya. "That's the orlovi."
"No, I'm sure of my identification."
The argument died as the zuta fluttered away and disappeared. Then another took its place, and again the binoculars swung. Beside Salazar, Hilbert Ritter murmured:
"On these field trips, Kirk, the one thing you can count on is a sore neck from staring up."
Tchitchagov puffed up with the mannerisms of a mother hen trying to govern a fractious brood of chicks. When he had caught his breath, he said:
"I—I have obtained transportation. We shall go to Levontin's Paradise Palace, down the main street beyond that mushroom-shaped tower." Tchitchagov pointed. "Do not, from the name, get exaggerated ideas of the quarters. But it is still the best in Sungecho, having what I believe are the only flush toilets on Sunga."
A pair of Kooks—rustics from the symbols spangling their hides—trotted past on jutens. The common riding animal of Kukulcan looked something between a medium-sized bipedal dinosaur and a featherless ostrich. Their large heads ended in hooked beaks like those of Terran birds of prey, and their coppery scales reflected the blazing sun.
The animals bore saddles but no stirrups or bridles. The riders held on with their clawed feet and controlled their mounts by voice, although each juten had a leading rope dangling from its neck. When a juten had been specially trained to carry Terrans, on command the animal grasped its rider's ankles in its handlike forefeet, obviating the need for stirrups. Salazar's father, Keith Salazar, had devised this system many years ago, before Kirk's birth. At that time, the older Salazar was courting his ex-wife, Kara Sheffield, who after their remarriage became Kirk's mother.
A pair of wagons driven by Kooks, each drawn by a kyuumei, a large, horned, reptilian, purplish-brown quadruped, called a "buffalo-lizard" by many Terrans, rumbled up. One wagon bore benches, while Kook porters loaded baggage on the other. Mrs. Eagleton said:
"Igor, why must we ride in these primitive vehicles when the Kooks have perfectly good steam cars?"
Tchitchagov said: "Because the only steam car on Sunga is High Chief Yaamo's personal auto. The Council of Chiefs argues furiously over letting more in. Opponents cite noise and smoke and have so far carried the day."
Salazar said: "Don't think there'll be room for all of us."
"How did you figure that out so quickly?" asked Alexis Ritter.
"We have twenty-three Terrans, counting Igor. The wagon has four benches with space for five butts each, provided none is so fat as the Reverend Dumfries. That's twenty places."
"Let's walk!" said Alexis. "You need the exercise after being cooped up on that little ship. Besides, there wouldn't be room for Hatsa and Hagii. Come on!"