Alan Dean Foster - Icerigger 3 - Deluge Drivers

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deluge

The worst part of it wasn't that Ethan Fortune was freezing to death. The worst part

of it was that he was doing so voluntarily.

Nudity was not favored by the heavily furred native Tran. For a human being to be

standing naked on Tran-ky-ky verged on insanity. Despite this Ethan was not trying

to commit suicide. He was supposed to be celebrating, though it was hard to

pretend you were having a good time when you were turning blue and the goose

bumps dotting arms, legs, and other sections of your anatomy were well on then-

way to settling in as permanent features of the epidermal topography.

That he had company in misery was no consolation. Skua September was just as

cold, except for those portions of his face and neck that were covered by a heavy

brown and gray beard. The old giant had both arms clapped tightly to his ribs.

There was also the matter of exposure to curious eyes as well as to the elements.

Foolish to be embarrassed, Ethan told himself. He and Skua were the only the

human beings in the royal hall of Arsudun. It was only natural their nude forms

would draw attention, with their flat feet devoid of skatelike chiv, their dan-less

arms, and their largely furless bodies.

Mousokka, who was second mate on the icerigger Slander scree, commented that

he found the subtle change in color of their skin very becoming. The glares this

observation drew quickly convinced him that the change was other than voluntary

and he did not mention it again.

The hardest thing to do was simply to be quiet. Shivering was permissible:

muttering and making other noise was not. Skua leaned over to whisper to his

companion anyway.

"It's not so bad, young feller-me-lad. After a while the numbness kind of

overwhelms the cold. "

"Shut up. Just shut up, will you?" Ethan leaned forward around the nearest

member of the honor guard and looked toward the cupola. "Surely they're almost

through?"

Beneath an intricately carved dome of stavanzer ivory, a trio of elderly Arsudunian

scholars were intoning the traditional marriage ritual. Overhead arched the stone

walls and ceiling of the royal hall of Arsudun, the island-state whose corrupt

Landgrave Ethan, Skua, and their Tran friends had recently overthrown. The new

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young Landgrave, Sev Gorin-Vloga, had given his blessings to the newlyweds-to-be

and insisted they take their vows in Arsudun's ancient castle. Ancient, unheated

castle, Ethan reflected as he tried to keep his teeth from chattering.

The two principles in this frigid romantic drama were Sir Hunnar Redbeard and Elfa

Kurdagh-Vlata. Elfa was the daughter and heir of the Landgrave of Sofold, Hunnar

the first Tran Ethan and Skua had dealt with after surviving their crash landing on

this world eons ago. Ethan was delighted to share in their happiness^ He would

have given anything not to have agreed to share in the actual ceremony.

Not that he and Skua were alone in their nakedness. Guards and spectators alike

had disrobed for the ceremony.

Only the bride and groom were dressed. But the feline-ursine Tran were clad in

thick fur. They didn't notice the chill in the castle. Ethan and Skua had no such

natural protection.

"Look, Ethan, " Skua whispered, "when I accepted the invitation to this little soiree

on our behalf I had no idea stripping down was part of the tradition. The way that

guard captain explained it, by appearing without raiment in the presence of the

beloveds we indicate that we're giving of our friendship and affection without any

constraints. One holds nothing back. It's a sign of respect for the lucky couple. One

hides nothing in their presence. "

"That's for damn sure, " Ethan growled.

Skua looked thoughtful. "Got its practical aspects besides. Hunnar there's going to

be Landgrave someday, ruler of Wannome. When everybody's in a happy mood

and celebrating would be a good time for a potential assassin to strike, but it's

tough to sneak in a weapon when you've nothing to hide it behind. "

"Damn shame, too. If I had one, I know who I'd use it on. "

September spread his huge hands. "Now what could I have done, feller-me-lad?

Turned down the invitation to our friends' wedding? A royal invitation at that, and

what with us getting ready to leave this ball of ice once and for all. No reason for

us to hang around. With Sofold and Arsudun in the north and Poyolavomaar and

Moulokin in the south the Tran are pretty well on their way to breaking out of their

feudal city-state cycle and establishing a planetary government. The rest of the

independent states will have to join up because there's no way they can stand

against that kind of strength. "

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One of the other spectators, an Arsudunian noble by the look of him, admonished

them to be silent. It was disrespectful to converse during the sacred moments of

the cere-mony whether one be hero or commoner—or alien. Were they not

conscious of the singular honor which had been bestowed upon them? Despite the

presence of the human scientific outpost on the western shore of Arsudun this was

the first time non-Tran had been allowed to witness the solemn, traditional rites

which united male and female Tran in wedlock.

It was a delight Ethan could have forgone.

He kept quiet for Hunnar and Elfa's sake. The business of betrothing consisted of a

lot of twitching and moaning and entirely too much talk. If not for the fact that the

two principals were close friends he would have declaimed his discomfort to all and

sundry and damn the consequences. He tried to tell himself he wasn't freezing, but

his body wouldn't buy it. So he concentrated instead on the more enjoyable

activities which had led up to this prolonged session of discomfort: the procession

through the town, the entrance into the castle, the swearing of the nobles, even

the formal divestiture of garments which had taken place outside the hall, the

clothing heaped into two piles between which the wedding procession had passed.

Would he truly have blasphemed if he'd kept his underwear?

He should have been grateful. What if tradition had called for the ceremony to have

taken place not within the castle but out on the bare plains of Arsudun? Inside the

temperature hovered close to freezing. Out on the plains it sank far below the point

where water moved in comfort. Only fires in a few stone basins held back the arctic

climate. One blazed not far away. Sticking his naked backside, or for that matter

any portion of his anatomy, close to the hot stone would have constituted an

unforgivable breach of etiquette. But he was going to have to do something soon.

Shivering and goose bumps were half funny. Frostbite was not.

"I can't take much more of this. "

"Concentrate on the ceremony, on the movements. Ain't it beautiful?"

"What I can hear of it between my chattering teeth, " Ethan replied.

"And ain't it great to see those two finally pledging their lives to each other?"

"Yes, yes, of course. " Maybe marrying Elfa would at last put to rest Hunnar's

groundless suspicions that she held some kind of perverse attraction for Ethan.

"That warms my thoughts but not my tail. "

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"Think warmth, then. "

"Easy for you to say. "

Skua eyed him reproachfully. "No it ain't easy for me to say, feller-me-lad. I'm as

cold as you are. You just ain't trying hard enough is all. Think about something

else. Think about"— he grew suddenly wistful—"think about next week when the

next supply ship will arrive and we'll be able to quit this world. "

That was something to think about, Ethan told himself. Think about returning to

civilization after spending almost two years living with well-meaning alien

barbarians. Think about a modem, clean, warm stateroom on a new KK-drive ship.

Think even about getting back to work. Time to put adventure behind him and get

on with the business of everyday life. The ordinary was long overdue.

September gestured toward the chanting elders. "I think she's coming to a close,

feller-me-lad. "

"What makes you think so?"

He pointed across the open central aisle. "See those old Tran over there? The

senior ladies of the court, I believe. They've been standing like trees for the last

thirty minutes and now they're starting to gossip. "

September's surmise was correct. As a final soliloquy crashed to a guttural close on

a rising intonation, the as-sembled nobles gave out three loud shouts. Paws thrust

ceilingward, they began to wave to and fro. This action caused their dan, the

winglike membranes that grew from arm and sides, to move back and forth. The

effect was to shower the happy couple with wind and words. Fortunately Ethan and

Skua stood off to the side and so missed the brunt of the artificial gale.

The elders bowed out as the crowd surged forward to congratulate the newly

joined. Hunnar raised both paws for silence.

"Newfound friends and allies: I thank you for your kindnesses and for your

hospitality. " He nodded toward the elders. "I thank you also for the splendid

ceremony which you have made for us. " Now he turned to face young Gorin-Volga.

"Be assured that, pursuant to the new treaty made between our peoples, the

citizens of Arsudun will be welcome in our home of Sofold as well as in the harbors

of our fellow allies Poyolavomaar and Moulokin. " He stepped back and Elfa moved

forward.

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"Great times are upon us, my friends, " she began, her strong voice echoing

through the hall. "Wonderful things are happening thanks to our friends the

skypeople. " She gestured in the direction of the two shivering humans, and a

startled Ethan fought to look as dignified as possible under the circumstances.

"We have learned that there are worlds other than our own, worlds as numerous as

the city-states of Tran-ky-ky. To share in their greatest glory and power we must

give up some of our ancient ways. No longer can the Tran live apart from one

another, fighting to settle the simplest of differences and disagreements. We must

come together in peace, for strength, so that when we join our friends the

skypeople among the stars, as they assure us we must someday do, we can do this

thing with our heads held high and dans spread wide. As warriors and as a people

proud of what we are and not as wards of a greater state. We join together seeking

parity and equality. Charity is not for Tran!"

A rousing cheer rose from the assembly and reverberated around the royal hall.

Elfa and Hunnar were all but overwhelmed by hugs and embraces. To Ethan it

sounded unflatteringly like feeding time at the zoo. He followed Skua as the giant

used his bulk to shove his way through the crowd.

"I, too, have something to say, Sir Hunnar, " Ethan heard him ask.

"What is it, friend Skua?"

Ethan felt dwarfed by the mob of taller, wider Tran but not intimidated. He knew

them too well for that. Besides, with all those furry bodies pressing close around

him he began to warm up.

"It's about our clothes. "

"Ah, in the emotion of the moment I did not think. You have lived with us for so

long I sometimes forget you find our climate not to your liking. The ceremony must

have been a strain for you and Ethan. " He pointed to the small mountain of

clothing stacked to the right of the entryway. "I think you will find your dress there.

Attire of close friends and relatives is always stacked to starboard. Come, we'll help

you. " Taking Elfa's hand in his, he led them through the congratulatory crowd.

"I fear your strange clothing lies near the bottom, " Elfa observed.

Ethan eyed the mound of alien attire. "Doesn't matter. I won't mind hunting for it.

It has to be warmer under there than it is out here. "

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By the time he and Skua had recovered and donned their underwear and silvery

survival suits, many of the chief nobles and knights of Arsudun had already

presented their compliments to the newlyweds and made their exit. In an-other

part of the castle the official feasting had begun. Shouts and snatches of half-sung,

half-hissed song drifted into the royal hall.

He hung back while Skua joyfully participated in the raucous celebration. They

couldn't return to the humanx settlement of Brass Monkey until Hunnar's crew, the

sailors and soldiers of the icerigger Slanderscree, finished their reveling. This ended

sooner than he'd expected. Not that it should have surprised him. The Sofoldians

had been away from their home city of Wannome for more than a year. By now

their many friends and relatives must be wondering if the great ice ship had come

to grief and its crew of loved ones were no more than bones scattered on the ice.

Ethan and Skua were not the only ones overdue at home.

Later that evening as the feasting was drawing to a close, Hunnar drew Ethan and

Skua aside. They settled around a small table away from the noise of the main

celebration.

"I wish that we could persuade you and your friend Williams to remain awhile

longer among us. There is still so much we must learn. "

"Milliken's sorry he was unable to attend, " Ethan replied, simultaneously envying

their schoolteacher friend his decision to skip the wedding and remain behind in

Brass Monkey. "I'm sure he's as sorry as the two of us are that we have to leave,

but we're just not designed to survive on a world like Tran-ky-ky. "

"I would say you have survived well. You are as resourceful as any Tran. "

September sipped at his tankard of brew, letting Ethan do most of the talking.

"You're flattering us, " Ethan told Hunnar, "but even if we could survive here, we

want to return to our homes, even as your people want to return to Wannome. It's

time. I'm not an explorer and adventurer by trade, you know. This whole business

of Skua and Milliken and I coming to your world, landing among you—it was all an

accident. "

"Aye, that's a fact, " said Skua. "He's a salesman, he is, and that's about as

unadventurous a profession as a skyper-son can pursue. "

"You would give up all you have gained among us?" Hunnar stared at Ethan out of

wide yellow eyes. "I could see you made a noble among my people. Vast tracts of

land could be yours. The Slanderscree would be at your beck and call to carry you

whence and whither you wished."

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Ethan smiled gently. By Tran standards Hunnar's offer was magnanimous, but it

was insufficient compensation for the lack of heated plumbing.

"Thanks, but right now all I want to see is a big city glowing with wasted light and

full of naive customers with deep pockets."

"What of your intentions to do commerce among us, as you once said you had been

sent here to do?"

"No offense, but I've kinda lost my taste for working this territory. I'll let some

other representative of my company have that honor. I'm assuming that I still have

a job, you see. Most companies frown on their employees' taking a couple of years

off without explanation."

"But surely once you tell your"—Elfa struggled for the proper word—"master of

what has happened he will be understanding and allow you to return."

"Not master, just employer," Ethan replied irritably, wishing he could scratch his

chin but unwilling to pop the visor on his suit. "Although if I could talk to the big

boss himself, I might be able to make him understand. I know my regional

supervisor won't."

She turned her penetrating gaze on Ethan's companion. "And what of you, friend

Skua? A warrior like yourself could command whole armies. There will be much

fighting i ahead. Not all will be persuaded to join the Union by sweet words. Your

skills would be welcomed by our generals."

"You're a darlin', Elfa." Ethan tensed but Hunnar only grinned, showing sharp

canines. September had indulged freely in the local liquor. "But you don't need me.

With your combined forces you'll be able to overwhelm the most powerful

recalcitrant city-state. Don't need me to make 'em see reason. I'd just be in the

way, stealing the glory from some ambitious Tran warrior. Don't want to step on

somebody else's career. Did that before, once, and it's never left me. Besides, I've

got business of my own to . 1 attend to."

Ethan glanced sharply at him. "What business? You never said anything to me

about having any business to get back to."

"What did you think I was about, young feller-me-lad? Retirement?" There was a

twinkle in his eye. "There's this lady friend of long standing got herself a grant to

do some studies on one of those out of the way recently discovered worlds Down-

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Arm. Fuspin—no, Alaspin the place is called. She's an archaeologist. Been after me

for years to give her a hand with one of her projects. Ought to still be out there,

poking into alien thises and thatses, getting dirt under her pretty fingernails. Told

me mis' Alaspin's a jungle world. After our little stint hereabouts why, I'm ready for

some sweat and humidity. That's where I'm bound soon as we can take passage off-

planet." He smiled at Elfa.

"Second time, nothing personal. Your world's an invigorating place, but just a mite

too much so for us human-folk. So you'll understand why we're taking our leave."

"We will strive to." She put a warm paw on September's forearm. "We can offer

you many things, but not a substitute for home."

Home, Ethan thought. Did he have a home? Different nights, different cities on

different worlds and then on again. If anyplace were home, it was the long

emptiness between stars. Nothingness is my home, he thought, trying to be flip but

finding that considering the matter seriously made him uncomfortable. Travel, sign

a contract, travel on. It was hard even to remember his world of origin.

And what if he'd lost his job and couldn't get it back? What to do then? Proceed to

the nearest civilized world and seek new employment?

No, he still had a job, was still a sales rep for the House of Malaika. He had to

proceed on that assumption. It was all the security he had left. Maybe Elfa was

right. Maybe his superiors would understand. One thing he could be sure of: they'd

never heard an excuse for extended absenteeism like his.

He was wondering if his samples still sat in the customs warehouse as the

Slanderscree docked again in the harbor of Brass Monkey. The icerigger would wait

until its honored human passengers rode back toward the stars in one of their

skyboats. There was also the matter of stocking the big ship for the long journey

homeward.

One thing Ethan had already decided. If he were out of a job, he intended to claim

his simple trade goods and give them to Hunnar and Elfa. Let the company sue him

for the cost—if they could find him. A modern inert-element space heater would be

worth a Landgrave's ransom to the 'Iran.

During their recent long journey to Moulokin, the outpost's engineers had received

and installed a deep-space communications beam. For the first time since the

establishment of the outpost, its citizens were able to communicate directly with

the rest of the Commonwealth without having to wait for the monthly supply ship

to carry out messages. The difficulty Ethan faced in trying to contact his superiors

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was that the beam was booked up for months in advance by long-suffering, long-

silenced bureaucrats and researchers. Having been denied regular communication

via null-space with the rest of civilization, they were making up for lost years by

using the transmitter around the clock. Ostensibly it was all official business. In

reality they just wanted to talk.

The solution to the problem of availability and cost was one and the same. Without

it he couldn't so much as think of calling company headquarters.

Skua accompanied him to the gleaming underground communications center.

Together they eyed the cluster of government functionaries and scientists gathered

outside the broadcast console. The actual screen and its attendant instrumentation

were enclosed in a bubble of smoked acrylic. As soon as one concluded his or her

communication someone else entered the bubble. New hopefuls arrived in a steady

stream. The number waiting to make use of the transmitter rose and fell without

ever falling below a dozen.

September eyed the line of hopeful supplicants. "How are you going to break into

that? And if you succeed, how are you going to pay for this? Use your retirement

fund? This ain't like calling your old Aunt Tilly, you know."

Ethan smiled confidently. "You're right on both counts, but I'll manage. At least, I

think I will."

He led September forward, pushing and excusing his way past irritated, curious

members of the outpost population, until they were standing just outside the

entrance to the broadcast bubble.

"Hey, you," snapped one of those in line, "there's a queue here."

"Sorry." Ethan flashed his most convincing smile. It was a salesman's smile, a

professional smile; well practiced, endlessly rehearsed, subtly effective. "First-

priority communication."

A smirk appeared on the face of the midlevel bureaucrat next in line. "First-

priority? I don't recognize you. You're not government or research. You have any

idea what a First-priority costs? Kitchen help couldn't pay for a First if the whole

crew pooled a year's pay." He bestowed the dubious eye on both of them. Battered

by the time spent out on the ice, Ethan had to admit that he and September

probably didn't look like they could afford a short sentence between them.

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He just smiled at the man. "We'll see. If you're correct, we'll be in and out of there

in half a minute, won't we?"

The bureaucrat performed an exaggerated bow and gestured magnanimously with

his right arm. "Leave us not waste unnecessary time then, shall we?" The woman

standing behind him turned to her friend and giggled.

As soon as the functionary inside completed his business, Ethan and Skua stepped

inside. Some of those farther back in the line might have disputed Ethan's right to

try his luck even for a few seconds, but no one seemed inclined to strike up an

argument with someone the size of September, which was why Ethan had brought

him along in the first place.

The beam operator was tired, near the end of his shift, Init not too tired to regard

the newcomers uncertainly. He was blond and pale, and Ethan decided his

ancestors would have been more at home on Tran-ky-ky than any other humans.

"What department are you two with? I don't see any insignia."

"No department." Ethan slid into the broadcast chair as though he owned it, trying

to hide his nervousness. "I want to make a private call, First priority."

The middle-aged beam technician rubbed his golden crew cut. A single long, silver

earring dangled from his (H-rlorated right earlobe. "A private call? First priority?

That means clearing the lines between here and wherever you want to call to."

"I'm aware of that."

"You know what that'll cost? The amount of time and energy involved? Even if it's

Drax IV, and that's the nearest world with a receiving station, the number of relays

involved are…"

"I don't want to talk to Drax IV. I want to talk closed-beam to the House of

Malaika, which is located in the city of Drallar, on Moth. Can you set that up?"

The operator looked mildly offended. "I can set anything up—if you can pay for it.

Right through Santos V and Dis and on to Terra. You're talking a lot of parsecs,

friend."

"Devil take the parsecs. Set it up."

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delugeITheworstpartofitwasn'tthatEthanFortunewasfreezingtodeath.Th\eworstpartofitwasthathewasdoingsovoluntarily.NuditywasnotfavoredbytheheavilyfurrednativeTran.Forahumanbe\ingtobestandingnakedonTran-ky-kyvergedoninsanity.DespitethisEthanwas\nottryingtocommitsuicide.Hewassupposedtobecelebrating,thoug...

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