THEBLUEWORLD

JackVance

Chapter1

Among the people of theFloats castedistinctionswerefast losing their old-timeimportance. The Anarchistsand Procurers haddisappeared altogether;intercaste marriages were byno means uncommon,

especially when theyinvolved castes ofapproximately the samesocial status. Society, ofcourse, was not falling intochaos; the Bezzlers and theIncendiaries still maintainedtheirtraditionalaloofness;theAdvertisermen still could notevade a subtle butnonetheless generaldisesteem, and where thecasteswereassociatedwithacraftortrade,theyfunctioned

with undiminishedeffectiveness. The Swindlerscomprised the vast majorityof those who fished fromcoracles,andthoughtheoncenumerous Peculators haddwindled to a handful, theystilldominatedthedyeworkson Fay Float. Smugglersboiled varnish, Malpractorspulled teeth. Blackguardsconstructedthesponge-arborsin every lagoon; theHoodwinks completely

monopolized the field ofhood-winking. This lastrelationship always excitedthe curiosity of the young,who would inquire, “Whichfirst:theHoodwinksorhood-winking?” To which theelders customarily replied:“When the Ship of Spacedischarged the Firsts uponthese blessed floats, therewere fourHoodwinks amongthe Two Hundred. Later,when the towers were built

and the lamps established,therewerehoodstowink,andit seemed only appropriatethat the Hoodwinks shouldoccupy themselves at thetrade. It may well be thatmatters stoodso in theOuterWildness, before the Escape.It seems likely. There wereundoubtedly lamps to beflashed and hoods to bewinked. Of course there ismuchwedonotknow,muchconcerning which the

Memoria are either silent orambiguous.”

Whether or not theHoodwinks had been drawnto the trade by virtue ofancient use, it was now therarehoodwinkwhodidnotinsome measure find hisvocation upon the towers,either as a rigger, a lamp-tender, or as a full-fledgedhoodwink.

Another caste, theLarceners, constructed the

towers, which customarilystoodsixtytoninetyfeethighat the center of the float,directly above the primarystalk of the sea-plant. Therewere usually four legs ofwoven or laminated withe,which passed through holesinthepadtojoinastoutstalktwenty or thirty feet belowthesurface.At the topof thetower was a cupola, withwallsofsplitwithe,aroofofvarnishedand laminatedpad-

skin. Yardarms extending toeither side supported lattices,each carrying nine lampsarrangedinasquare,togetherwith the hoods and trip-mechanisms. Within thecupola, windows afforded aview across the water to theneighboring floats—adistance as much as the twomiles between Green Lampand Adelvine, or as little asthe quarter-mile betweenLeumarandPopulousEquity.

TheMasterHoodwinksatat a panel. At his left handwere nine tap-rods, cross-coupledtolamp-hoodsonthelattice to his right. Similarlythe tap-rods at his righthandcontrolled the hoods to hisleft. By this means theconfigurationsheformedandthose he received, from hispoint of view, were ofidentical aspect and causedhimnoconfusion.Duringthedaytime the lamps were not

lit and white targets servedthe same function. Thehoodwink set hisconfiguration with quickstrokes of right and lefthands, kicked the release,which there-upon flicked thehoods, or shutters, at therespective lamps or targets.Eachconfigurationsignifiedaword; the mastery of alexicon and a sometimesremarkabledexterityweretheMaster Hoodwink’s stock in

trade. All could send atspeedsalmost thatofspeech;all knew at least fivethousand, and some six,seven, eight, or even ninethousand configurations. Thefolk of the floats could invarying degrees read theconfigurations, which werealsoemployedinthekeepingof the archives (against thevehement protests of theScriveners), and in variousothercommunications,public

announcements, andmessages[1].

On Tranque Float, at theextremeeastofthegroup,theMaster Hoodwink was oneZanderRohan,arigorousandexacting old man with amastery of over seventhousand configurations. Hisfirstassistant,SklarHast,hadwell over five thousandconfigurationsathisdisposal;precisely howmanymore hehad never publicized. There

weretwofurtherassistants,aswellasthreeapprentices,tworiggers, a lamp-tender, and amaintenance withe-weaver,this latter aLarcener.ZanderRohantendedthetowerfromdusk until middle evening:the busy hours during whichgossip,announcements,news,and notifications regardingKingKragenflickeredupanddownthefifty-milelineofthefloats.

Sklar Hast winked hoods

during the afternoon; then,whenZanderRohanappearedin the cupola, he looked tomaintenance and supervisedthe apprentices. A relativelyyoung man, Sklar Hast hadachieved his status by thesimplest and mostuncomplicated policyimaginable: With greattenacity he strove forexcellence and sought toinstillthesamestandardsintothe apprentices. He was a

positive and direct man,without any great affability,knowingnothingofmaliceorguile and little of tact orpatience. The apprenticesresented his brusqueness butrespectedhim;ZanderRohanconsidered himoverpragmatic and deficientin reverenceforhisbetters—which was to say, himself.SklarHast carednothingoneway or the other. ZanderRohan must soon retire; in

due course SklarHastwouldbecome Master Hoodwink.He was in no hurry; on thisplacid, limpid, changelessworld, where time driftedrather than throbbed, therewas little to be gained byurgency.

SklarHastownedasmallpadofwhichhewasthesoleoccupant. The pad, a heart-shapedwad of spongy tissuea hundred feet in diameter,floated at the north of the

lagoon. SklarHast’s hutwasof standard construction:withe bent and lashed, thensheathed with sheets of pad-skin, the tough near-transparentmembrane peeledfrom the bottom of the sea-plant pad. All was thencoated with well-agedvarnish, prepared by boilingsea-plant sap until the waterwas driven oil and the resinsamalgamated.

Other vegetation grew in

the spongy tissue of the pad:shrubs, a thicket ofbamboolike rods yieldinggood-qualitywithe,epiphyteshanging from the centralspike of the sea-plant. Onotherpadstheplantsmightbeorderedaccordingtoaesthetictheory, but Sklar Hast hadsmall taste in these matters,andthecenterofhispadwaslittle more than an untidycopse of various stalks,fronds,tendrils,andleaves,in

various shades of black,green,andrustyorange.SklarHast knew himself for afortunate man. There was,unfortunately, an obverse tothepicture,forthosequalitieswhichhadwonhimprestige,position,aprivatefloat,werenot those calculated to easehim through the carefulroutinesoffloatsociety.Onlythisafternoonhehadbecomeinvolved in a disputeinvolvingawholecomplexof

basic float principles. Sittingnow on the bench before hishut, sipping a cup of wine,Sklar Hast watched lavenderdusksettleovertheoceanandbrooded upon the headstrongfolly of Meril Rohan,daughter toZanderRohan.Abreeze milled the water,movedthefoliage;drawingadeep breath, Sklar Hast felthis anger loosen and drainaway.Meril Rohan could doasshepleased;itwasfollyto

exercise himself-either inconnectionwithherorSemmVoiderveg or anything else.Conditions were as theywere;ifnooneelseobjected,why should he? With this,Sklar Hast smiled a faint,rather bitter, smile, knowingthat he could not fullysubscribetothisdoctrine…

But the evening was fartoo soft and soothing forcontentiousness. In duecourse events would right

themselves,andlookingawaytoward the horizon, SklarHast, in amomentof clarity,thought to see the future, aswide and lucid as thedreaming expanse of waterand sky. Presently he wouldespouse one of the girlswhom he currently tested—and forever abandonprivacy,he reflected wistfully. Therewasnoneedforhaste. In thecase of Meril Rohan… Butno.Sheoccupiedhisthoughts

merely because of herperverseandheadstrongplansinregardtoSemmVoiderveg—whichdidnotbearthinkingabout.

SklarHastdrainedhiscupofwine.Follytoworry,follyto fret.Lifewasgood. In thelagoonhungarborsonwhichgrewthesucculentspongelikeorganisms which, whencleaned, plucked and boiled,formed thestaple foodof theFloatfolk.Thelagoonteemed

with edible fish, separatedfrom the predators of theocean by an enormous net.Much other food wasavailable: spores from thesea-plant fruiting organ,various tendrils andbulbs, aswellastheprizedfleshofthegray-fishwhichtheswindlerstookfromtheocean.

SklarHastpouredhimselfa second cup of wine and,leaning back, looked up towhere the constellations

already blazed. Halfway upthe southern sky hung acluster of twenty-five brightstars,fromwhich,sotraditionasserted, his ancestors hadcome, fleeing thepersecutionof megalomaniac tyrants.Two hundred persons, ofvarious castes, managed todisembarkbefore theShipofSpacefounderedintheoceanwhich spread unbrokenaround the world. Now,twelve generations later, the

two hundred were twentythousand, scattered alongfifty miles of floating sea-plant.Thecastes,sojealouslydifferentiated during the firstfew generations, hadgradually accommodatedthemselves to one anotherand now were evenintermingling. There waslittle todisturb the easy flowof life, nothing harsh orunpleasant—except, perhaps,KingKragen.

SklarHastrose,walkedtothe edge of the float, whereonly two days before KingKragen had plucked three ofhis arbors clean. KingKragen’s appetite as well ashisbulkgrewbytheyear,andSklar Hast wondered howlarge King Kragen mighteventuallybecome.Wasthereany limit? During his ownlifetime King Kragen hadgrown perceptibly and nowmeasured perhaps sixty feet

inlength.SklarHastscowledwestwardacrosstheocean,inthe direction from whichKing Kragen customarilyappeared, moving with longstrokesofhisfourpropulsivevanes inamanner to suggestsome vast, grotesquely uglyanthropoid swimming thebreast-stroke. There, ofcourse, the resemblance toman ended. King Kragen’sbody was tough blackcartilage, a long cylinder

ridingaheavyrectangle,fromthecornersofwhichextendedthe vanes. The cylindercomprising King Kragen’smainbulkopened forward ina maw fringed with fourmandiblesandeightpalps,aftinananus.Atopthiscylinder,somewhat tothefront,roseaturret from which the foureyes protruded: two peeringforward, two aft. KingKragen was a terrible forcefor destruction, but luckily

could be placated. KingKragen enjoyed copiousquantities of sponges, andwhen his appetite wasappeased, he injured no oneanddidnodamage;indeedhekept the area clear of othermarauding kragen, whicheither he killed or sentflapping and skipping in apanicacrosstheocean.

SklarHastreturnedtothebench, swung sidewise towhere he could watch the

winks from Tranque Tower.Zander Rohan was at thehoods; SklarHastwell knewhistouch.Itwasmarkedbyacertain measured crispness,which very gradually wasbecoming wooden. To thecasual eye Zander Rohan’sstyle was clean and deft; hisprecisionand flexibilitywerethoseofaMasterHoodwink.But almost insensibly hisspeed was falling off, hissense of time was failing;

there was a brittle quality tohis winking, rather than thesupplerhythmofahoodwinkat the height of his powers.Zander Rohan was growingold. SklarHast knew that hecould outwinkZanderRohanatanytime,shouldhechooseto humiliate the old man.This, for all Sklar Hast’sbluntness and lack of tact,was the last thing he wishedto do. But how long wouldthe old man persist in

fulfilling his duties? Evennow Zander Rohan hadunreasonably delayed hisretirement—from jealousyand rancor, Sklar Hastsuspected.

The antipathy derivedfrom a whole set ofcircumstances: Sklar Hast’suncompromising manner, hisself-confidence, hisprofessionalcompetence;andthen there was the matter ofMeril, Zander Rohan’s

daughter. Five years before,when relations between thetwo men had been easier,Rohan had extended anumberofnottoosubtlehintsthat Sklar Hast might wellconsider Meril as a possiblespouse. By every objectivestandpoint, the prospectshould have aroused SklarHast’senthusiasm.Merilwasofhisowncaste,thedaughterof a guild-master; SklarHast’s career could not help

but be furthered. They wereof the same generation, bothElevenths, a matter of noformal importance butwhichpopularly was regarded asdesirable and advantageous.And,finally,Merilwasbynomeans uncomely, thoughsomewhatleggyandboyishlyabruptofmovement.

What had given SklarHast pause was MerilRohan’s unpredictability andperverse behavior.Likemost

folk of the floats. she couldreadwinks, but she also hadlearned the cursive script ofthe Firsts. Sklar Hast, witheyes conditioned by theprecisionandeleganceof thehoodwink configurations,consideredthescriptcrabbed,sinuous, and cryptic; he wasannoyed by its, lack ofuniformity, even though herecognized and was aconnoisseuroftheuniqueandindividual style that

distinguished each MasterHoodwink. On one occasionhe had inquired MerilRohan’s motive for learningthescript.“BecauseIwanttoread the Memoria,” she toldhim. “Because I wish tobecomeascrivener.”

SklarHasthadnofaulttofind with her ambition—hewas quite willing thateveryone should pursue hisown dream—but he waspuzzled. “Why go to such

effort? The Analects aregiveninwinks.TheyteachusthesubstanceoftheMemoriaand eliminate theabsurdities.”

MerilRohanlaughedinamanner Sklar Hast foundsomewhat strange. “But it isexactlythisthat interestsme!The absurdities, thecontradictions, the allusions—I wonder what they allmean!”

“They mean that the

Firsts were a confused anddiscouraged set of men andwomen.”

“WhatIwanttodo,”saidMeril, “is to make a carefulnew study of theMemoria. Iwant to note each of theabsurdities and try tounderstand it, try to relate itto all the other absurdities—because I can’t believe thatthe men who wrote theMemoria considered thesepassagesabsurdities.”

SklarHastgaveashrugofindifference. “Incidentally,your father suggested thatyoumightcaretobetested.Ifyoulike,youcancometomyfloatanytimeaftertomorrowmorning—Coralie Vozellewillthenbeleaving.”

Meril Rohan compressedher lips in mingledamusement and vexation.“Myfather is tryingtomarryme off long before I care tobesodealtwith.Thankyou,I

do not care to be tested.Coralie may exert herself onyourbehalfyetanotherweek,for all of me. Or anothermonth.Orayear.”

“Asyouwish,”saidSklarHast. “It probably would betime wasted, since weobviously have nocommunityofsoul.”

Shortly thereafter MerilRohan departed TranqueFloat for the Scriveners’AcademyonQuatrefoil.Sklar

Hast had no idea whether ornot Meril had mentioned hissolicitation to her father, butthereafter the relationshipcongealed. In due courseMeril Rohan returned toTranquewithherowncopiesoftheMemoria.TheyearsonQuatrefoil had changed her.She was less careless, lessflamboyant,lessfreewithheropinions, and had becomealmost beautiful, though shestill ran to leg and a certain

indefinable informality ofdressandconduct.SklarHasttwice had offered to test her.Onthefirstoccasionshegavehim an absent-mindednegative; on the second—only a day or two before—she had informed him thatSemm Voiderveg wasplanning to espouse herwithoutbenefitoftesting.

SklarHastfoundthenewsincredible, disturbing,unacceptable. Semm

Voiderveg, a Hooligan bycaste, was TranqueIntercessor, with a prestigesecond only to that of IxonMyrex, the Float Arbiter.Nevertheless Sklar Hastfound a dozen reasons whyMeril Rohan should notbecome spouse to SemmVoiderveg,andhewasnotatall diffident in impartingthem.

“He’sanoldman!You’rehardlymorethanagirl!He’s

probablyanEighth!MaybeaNinth.”

“He’s not so old. Tenyears older than you, or so Ishould guess. Also he’s aTenth.”

“Well, you’re anEleventh, and I’m anEleventh!”

Meril Rohan looked athim, head at a sidelong tilt,and Sklar Hast suddenlybecame aware of matters hehadnevernoticedbefore: the

clear luminosity of her skin,therichnessofherdarkcurls,the provocative quality thatonce had seemed boyishabruptness but now was—somethingelse.

“Bah,” muttered SklarHast. “You’re both insane,thepairofyou.Heforwivingwithout a test, you forRinging yourself into thehouseholdofakragen-feeder.You know his caste? He’sonlyaHooligan.”

“What a disrespectfulattitude!” she exclaimed.“Semm Voiderveg isIntercessor!”

Sklar Hast peeredfrowningly at her in anattempt to learn if she wasserious.Thereseemedtobealightness to her voice, asuppressed levity which hewas unable to interpret.“What of it?” he asked.“When you add everythingtogether, thekragenisonlya

fish.Alargefish,true.Still,itseems foolish making somuchceremonyoverafish.”

“If he were an ordinaryfish, your words would havemeaning,” saidMeril Rohan.“King Kragen is not a fish,andheis—extraordinary.”

Sklar Hast made a bittersound. “And you’re the onewho went to Quatrefoil tobecome a scrivener!How doyouthinkVoidervegwilltaketoyourunorthodoxideas?”

“I don’t know.” MerilRohan gave her head afrivolous toss. “My fatherwantsmemarried.Asspouseto the Intercessor I’ll havetimetoworkonmyanalysis.”

“Disgusting,” said SklarHast,andwalkedaway.MerilRohan gave her shoulders ashrugandwentherownway.

SklarHastbroodedonthematter during the morningand later in the dayapproached Zander Rohan: a

manastallashimself,withagreat mop of white hair, aneat white beard, a pair ofpiercing gray eyes, a pinkishcomplexion,andamannerofconstant irascible truculence.InnorespectdidMerilRohanresemble her father save inthecolorofhereyes.

Sklar Hast, who had theleast possible facility withtact or subtlety, said, “I’vebeen speaking to Meril. Shetells me you want her to

espouseVoiderveg.”“Yes,” said Zander

Rohan.“Whatofit‘?”“It’s a poor match. You

knowVoiderveg:he’sportly,pompous, complacent,obstinate,stupid—“

“Here, here!” exclaimedRohan. “He’s Intercessor toTranque Float! He does mydaughter great honor byagreeingtotesther!”

“Hmm.”SklarHastraisedhis eyebrows. “She told me

he’dwaivedtesting.”“Astothat,Ican’tsay.If

so,thehonorisevengreater.”Sklar Hast drew a deep

breath and made a harddecision. “I’llmarry her,” hegrowled. “I’ll waive testing.It would be a much bettermatchforher.”

Rohan drew back, lipspartedinanunpleasantgrin.

“WhyshouldIgivehertoan assistant hoodwink whenshecanhave theIntercessor?

Especially amanwho thinkshe’s too good for her, tobeginwith!”

Sklar Hast held back hisanger. “I amaHoodwink, asis she. Do you want herattachedtoaHooligan?”

“What difference does itmake?HeisIntercessor!”

“I’ll tell you whatdifference it makes,” saidSklar Hast. “He can’t doanythingexceptcaper for thebenefit of a fish. I am

Assistant Master Hoodwink,not just an assistanthoodwink. You know myquality.”

Zander Rohancompressedhis lips,gavehishead a pair of short sharpjerks.“Iknowyourquality—andit’snotallitshouldbe.Ifyou expect to master yourcraft, you had best strike thekeyswithmoreaccuracyanduse fewerparaphrases.Whenyou meet a word you can’t

wink, letmeknowandIwillinstructyou.”

Sklar Hast clamped histhroat upon the words thatstruggled to come forth. Forall his bluntness, he had nolack of self-control whencircumstances warranted, asthey did now. Staring eye toeye with Zander Rohan, heweighedthesituation.Shouldhe choose, he might requireZander Rohan to defend hisrank, and it almost seemed

that Rohan were daring himto challenge: for the life ofhim Sklar Hast could notunderstand why—except onthe basis of sheer personalantipathy.Suchcontests,oncenumerous, now were rare,inasmuch as consideration ofdignity made resignation ofstatus incumbent upon theloser. SklarHast had no realwish to drive Zander Rohanfromhisposition, andhedidnot care to be driven forth

himself…Heturnedhisbackand walked away from theMaster Hoodwink, ignoringthe contemptuous snort thatcameafterhim.

At the foot of the towerhe stood staring bleakly andunseeingly through thefoliage. A few yards awaywas Zander Rohan’s amplethree-dome cottage, where,under a pergola draped withsweet-tassel,MerilRohansatweaving white cloth at the

loom—the spare-timeoccupation of every femalefrom childhood to old age.Sklar Hast went to stand bythelowfenceofwovenwithewhichseparatedRohan’splotfrom the public way. Merilacknowledged his presencewith a faint smile andcontinuedwithherweaving.

Sklar Hast spoke withmeasured dignity. “I havebeentalkingwithyourfather.I protested the idea of your

espousal toVoiderveg. I toldhim I would marry youmyself.” And he turned tolook out across the lagoon.“Withouttesting.”

“Indeed.Andwhatdidhesay?”

“Hesaidno.”Meril, making no

comment, continuedwithherweaving.

“Thesituationasitstandsis ridiculous,” said SklarHast. “Typical of this

outlying and backward float.Youwouldbelaughedoutofcountenance on Apprise orevenSumber.”

“Ifyouareunhappyhere,why do you not goelsewhere?”askedMeril inavoiceofgentlemalice.

“I would if I could—I’dleave these insipid floats intheirentirety!I’dflytothefarworlds! If I thought theyweren’tallmadhouses.”

“Read the Memoria and

findout.”“Hmm. After twelve

generations all may bechanged. TheMemoria are apedant’s preserve. Why rakearound among the ashes ofthe past? The scriveners areof no more utility than theintercessors. On secondthought, you and SemmVoiderveg will make a goodpair. While he invokesblessings uponKingKragen,you can compile a startling

newsetofAnalects.”Merilhaltedherweaving,

frowned down at her hands.“Doyouknow, I think Iwilldo exactly this?”She rose toher feet, came over to thefence. “Thank you, SklarHast!”

Sklar Hast inspected herwith suspicion. “Are youserious?”

“Certainly.Haveyoueverknownmeotherwise?”

“I’ve never been sure…

How will a new set ofAnalects be useful? What’swrongwiththeoldones?”

“When sixty-one booksare condensed into three, agreat deal of information isleftout.”

“Vagueness, ambiguity,introspection: is any of itprofitable?”

Meril Rohan pursed herlips. “The inconsistencies areinteresting. In spite of thepersecutions the Firsts

suffered, all express regret atleavingtheHomeWorlds.”

“There must have beenother sane folk among themadmen,” said Sklar Hastreflectively. “But what ofthat? Twelve generations aregone; all may be changed.We ourselves have changed,andnotforthebetter.Allwecare about is comfort andease. Appease, assuage,compromise. Do you thinktheFirstswouldhavecapered

anddancedtoanocean-beastas is the habit of yourprospectivespouse?”

Meril glanced over SklarHast’s shoulder; Sklar Hastturned to see SemmVoiderveg the Intercessor,standing by with armsclaspedbehindhisback,headthrust forward: a man ofmaturity, portly, but by nomeans ill-favored, withregular features in asomewhat round face. His

skin was clear and fresh, hiseyesadarkmagneticbrown.

“These are impertinentremarks to make of theIntercessor!” said SemmVoidervegreproachfully.“Nomatterwhatyouthinkofhimas an individual, the officedeservesrespect!”

“What office? What doyoudo?”

“IintercedeforthefolkofTranqueFloat;Isecureforusall the benevolence of King

Kragen.”Sklar Hast gave an

offensive laugh. “I wonderalwaysifyouactuallybelieveyourowntheories.”

“‘Theory’ is an incorrectword,” stated SemmVoiderveg. “‘Science’ or‘doxology’ ispreferable.”Hewentoninacoldvoice.“Thefacts are incontrovertible.KingKragenrules theocean,he lends us protection; inreturnwegladlytenderhima

portion of our bounty. Theseare the terms of theCovenant.”

The discussion wasattracting attention amongothers of the float; already adozen folk had halted tolisten. “In all certainty wehave become soft andfearful,” said Sklar Hast.“The Firsts would turn awayin disgust. Instead ofprotectingourselves,webribeabeasttodothejob.”

“Enough!” barked SemmVoiderveg in a sudden coldfury. He turned to Meril,pointed toward the cottage.“Within—that you need nothearthewildtalkofthisman!An Assistant MasterHoodwink! Astonishing thathe has risen so high in theguild!”

WitharathervaguesmileMeril turned and went intothe cottage. Her submissionnot only irked Sklar Hast; it

astoundedhim.With a final indignant

glance of admonition SemmVoiderveg followed herwithin.

Sklar Hast turned awaytoward the lagoon and hisownpad.Oneofthemenwhohad halted called out. “Amoment, Sklar Hast! Youseriously believe that wecould protect our own if.King Kragen decided todepart?”

“Certainly,” snappedSklarHast.“Wecouldatleastmake the effort! Theintercessorswant no changes—whyshouldthey?”

“You’re a troublemaker,Sklar Hast!” called a shrillfemalevoicefromthebackofthe group. “I’ve known yousinceyouwereaninfant;younever were less thanperverse!”

Sklar Hast pushedthrough the group, walked

throughthegatheringdusktothelagoon,ferriedhimselfbycoracletohispad.Heenteredthehut,pouredhimselfacupof wine, and went out to siton the bench. The halcyonsky and the calm watersoothedhim,andhewasableto summon a grin ofamusement for his ownvehemence—untilhewent tolook at the arbors pluckedbare by King Kragen,whereupon his ill-humor

returned.He watched winks for a

few moments, moreconsciousthaneverofZanderRohan’s brittle mannerisms.As he turned away, henoticed a dark swirl in thewaterattheedgeofthenet:ablack bulk surrounded byglistening cusps and festoonsof starlit water. He went tothe edge of his float andstrained his eyes through thedarkness. No question about

it: a lesser kragen wasprobing the net whichenclosedTranqueLagoon!

Chapter2

SklarHastranacrossthepad,jumped into his coracle,thrust himself to the centralfloat. He delayed only longenoughtotie thecoracle toastake formed of a humanfemur, then ran at top speedto the hoodwink tower. A

miletothewestflickeredtheThrasneck lamps, theconfigurations coming in theunmistakablestyleofDurdanFarr, the Thrasneck MasterHoodwink: “… thirteen …bushels…of…salt…lost…when…a…barge…took…water… between… Sumber…and…Adelvine…”

Sklar Hast climbed theladder, burst into the cupola.ZanderRohanswungaboutina surprise that became

truculencewhenhesawSklarHast. The pale pink of hisfacedeepenedtorose;hislipsthrust out; his white hairpuffed and glistened as ifangry in its own right. Itoccurred fleetingly to SklarHast that Zander Rohan hadbeen in communication withSemmVoiderveg,thesubjectunder discussion doubtlessbeing himself. But now hepointed to the lagoon. “Arogue, breaking the nets. I

just saw him. Call KingKragen!”

Zander Rohan instantlyforgothis resentment,dashedthe cut-in signal. His fingersjammeddownrods;hekickedthe release. “Call…King…Kragen!”hesignaled.“Rogue…in…Tranque…Lagoon!”

On Thrasneck FloatDurdan Farr relayed themessage to the tower onBickleFloat,andsoalongthelineof floats toScionaat the

far west, which thereuponreturned the signal: “King…Kragen…is…nowhere…at…hand.”Backdownthelineof towers flickered themessage, returning toTranque Float in somethingshortoftwelveminutes.

Sklar Hast had notawaited the return message.Descendingtheladder,heranback to the lagoon. Thekragenhadcutopenasectionof the net and now hung in

the gap, plucking spongesfrom a nearby arbor. SklarHast pushed through thecrowd which stood watchinginawe.“Ha!Ho!”criedSklarHast, flapping his arms.“Leave us, you dismal blackbeast!”

The kragen ignored himand with insulting assurancecontinued to pluck spongesandconvey them to itsmaw.SklarHastpickedupaheavyknurledjointfromasea-plant

stem, hurled it at the turret,strikingtheforwardeye-tube.The kragen recoiled, workeditsvanesangrily.Thefolkonthe float muttered uneasily;thoughafewlaughedingreatgratification. “There’s theway to deal with kragen!”exulted Irvin Belrod, awizened old Advertiserman.“Strikeanotherblow!”

Sklar Hast picked up asecond joint, but someonegrabbed his arm—Semm

Voiderveg, who spoke in asharp voice. “What ill-conceived acts are youcommitting?”

Sklar Hast jerked free.“Watch and you’ll see.” Heturnedtowardthekragen,butVoiderveg stepped in hisway. “This is arrogance!Have you forgotten theCovenant? King Kragen hasbeen notified; let him dealwiththenuisance.This ishisprerogative!”

“While thebeastdestroysour net? Look!” Sklar Hastpointed across the water toThrasneck Tower, where thereturnmessagenowflickered:“King … Kragen … is …nowhere…to…be…seen.”

Semm Voiderveg gave astiffnod.“Iwillissueanoticeto all intercessors and KingKragenwillbesummoned.”

“Summoned how? Bycalling into the night withlampsheldaloft?”

“Concern yourself withhoodwinking,” said SemmVoiderveg in the coldest ofvoices.“TheintercessorswilldealwithKingKragen.”

Sklar Hast turned, hurledthesecondjoint,whichstruckthe beast in the maw. Itemitted a hiss of annoyance,thrashed with vanes, andbreakingwidethenet,surgedinto the lagoon. Here itfloated,rumblingandhissing,abeastperhapsfifteenfeetin

length.“Observe what you have

accomplished!” cried SemmVoiderveginaringingvoice.“Areyousatisfied?Thenetisnowbrokenandnomistake.”

All turned to watch thekragen, which swung itsvanesandsurgedthroughthewater, a caricature of a manperforming the breast-stroke.Starlight danced and dartedalong the disturbed water,outlining the gliding black

bulk. Sklar Hast cried out infury:thebrutewasheadedforhis arbors, so recentlydevastated by the appetite ofKing Kragen! He ran to hiscoracle, thrust himself to hispad. Already the kragen hadextended its palps and wasfeeling for sponges. SklarHastsoughtforanimplementwhich might serve as aweapon;therewasnothingtohand:afewarticlesfashionedfrom human bones and fish

cartilage,awoodenbucket,amat of woven fiber. Leaningagainst the hut was a float-hook, a stalk ten feet long,carefully straightened,scraped, and seasoned, towhich a hook-shaped humanrib had been lashed.He tookit up and now from thecentral pad came SemmVoiderveg’s cry ofremonstrance. “Sklar Hast!Whatdoyoudo?”

Sklar Hast paid no heed.

Herantotheedgeofthepad,jabbed the float-hook at thekragen’s turret. It scrapedfutilely along the resilientcartilage. The kragen swungup a palp, knocked the poleaside. Sklar Hast jabbed thepole with all his strength atwhat he considered thekragen’s most vulnerablearea: a soft pad of receptor-endings directly above themaw.Behind,heheardSemmVoiderveg’soutragedprotest:

“This is not to be done!Desist!Desist!”

The kragen quivered atthe blow, twisted itsmassiveturrettogazeatSklarHast.Itswung up its fore-vane,slashing at Sklar Hast, wholeaped back with inches tospare. From the central padSemm Voiderveg bawled,“By no means molest thekragen; it is amatter for theKing! We must respect theKing’sauthority!”

Sklar Hast stood back infuryasthekragenresumeditsfeeding.AsiftopunishSklarHast for his assault, it .passed close beside thearbors,worked itsvanes,andthe arbors—sea-plant stalklashedwithfiber—collapsed.

Sklar Hast groaned. “Nomore than you deserve,”called out Semm Voidervegwith odious complacence.“You interfered with theduties ofKingKragen—now

your arbors are destroyed.Thisisjustice.”

“Justice? Bah!” bellowedSklar Hast. “Where is KingKragen? We feed thegluttonousbeast;whyisn’theathandwhenweneedhim?”

“Come, come,”admonished SemmVoiderveg. “This is hardlythetoneinwhichtospeakofKingKragen!”

SklarHastgropedthroughthe shadows, retrieved the

float-hook, to find that thebone had broken, leaving asharp point. With all hispower, Sklar Hast thrust thisatthekragen’seye.Thepointslid off the hemisphericallens, plunged into thesurrounding tissue. Thekragen humped almostdouble, thrust itself clear ofthe water, fell with a greatsplash and, sounding, sankfromsight.Wavescrossedthelagoon, reflected from the

surrounding floats, subsided.Thelagoonwasquiet.

Sklar Hast went to hiscoracle,pushedhimselftothemainland, joined the groupwhich stood peering downintothewater.

“Isitdead?”inquiredoneMorganResly, aSwindler ofgoodreputation.

“No such luck,” growledSklarHast.“Nexttime—“

“Next time—what?”demandedSemmVoiderveg.

“Nexttime,I’llkillit”“And what of King

Kragen, who reserves suchaffairstohimself?”

“King Kragen doesn’tcare a fig one way or theother,” said Sklar Hast.“Exceptforonematter:ifwetook to the habit of killingkragen, we might begin tolookhimoverwithsomethingofthesortinmind.”

SemmVoidervegmade aguttural sound, threw up his

hands,turned,walkedrapidlyaway.

Poe Belrod, nominalElderoftheBelrodclaneventhoughIrvinsurpassedhiminactual age, asked SklarHast,“Can you really kill akragen?”

“Idon’tknow,”saidSklarHast. “I haven’t given thenotionanythought—sofar.”

“They’re a tough beast.”Poe Belrod shook his big,crafty head in doubt. “And

then we’d have the wrath ofKingKragentofear.”

“It’s a matter to thinkabout,”saidSklarHast.

Timmons Valby, anExtorter, spoke. “How isKing Kragen to know? Hecan’tbeeverywhereatonce.”

“He knows, he knowsall!” stated a nervous oldIncendiary. “All goes wellalong thefloats;wemustnotcause grief and woe frompride; remember Kilborn’s

Dictum from the Analects:‘Pridegoethbeforeafall?”

“Yes, indeed, but recallBaxter’sDictum:“Thereshallnoevilhappentothejust,butthewickedshallbefilledwithmischief?”

The group stood silent amoment, lookingover the la-goon, but the kragen did notreappear.

“He’s broken through thebottom and departed,” saidMorganResly,theSwindler.

The group graduallydispersed,somegoingtotheirhuts,otherstoTranqueInn—a long structure furnishedwith tables, benches, and acounterwherewines, syrups,spice-cake, and pepperfishwere to be laid. Sklar Hastjoined this latter group, butsatmoroselytothesidewhileeveryaspectof theevening’sevents was discussed.Everyone was vehement inhis detestation of the rogue

kragen but some questionedthe method used by SklarHast. Jonas Serbano, aBezzler, felt that Sklar Hasthad acted somewhat tooprecipitously. “In matters ofthis sort,whereKingKragenis concerned, all mustconsult.Thewisdomofmanyis preferable to the headlongrashness of one, no matterhowgreattheprovocation.”

Eyes went to Sklar Hast,buthemadenoresponse,and

it remained for one of theyounger Belrods to remark,“That’s all very well, but bythetimeeveryonearguesanddebates,thespongesareeatenandgone.”

“Better lose an arbor ofsponges than risk thedispleasureofKingKragen!”replied Jonas Serbano tartly.“The sea and all thattranspiresthereinishisrealm;wetrespassatourperil!”

Young Garth Gasselton,

anExtorterbycastethoughapad-stripper by trade, spokewith the idealistic fervor ofyouth. “If conditionswere asthey should be,wewould bemasters of all: float, lagoon,and sea alike! The spongeswould then be our own; wewouldneedbowourheadstonoone!”

Atatableacrosstheroomsat IxonMyrex, the TranqueArbiter, a Bezzler of greatphysical presence and moral

conviction. To this momenthe had taken no part in theconversation, sitting with hismassive head averted, thussignifying a desire forprivacy. Now he slowlyturned and fixed a somewhatbaleful stare upon youngGarthGasselton. “You speakwithout reflection. Are wethen so omnipotent that wecan simply wave our handsacross the sea and commandall to our sway? You must

recognize that comfort andplenty are neither naturalendowments nor our rightfuldue, but benefits of themosttentative nature imaginable.In short, we exist by theindulgence of King Kragen,andnevermustwe losesightofthefact!”

Young Gasselton blinkeddownathiscupofsyrup,butold Irvin Belrod was not soeasily abashed. “I’ll tell youone thing that you’re

forgetting, Arbiter Myrex.King Kragen is as he isbecausewemade him so.Atthe beginning he was anormal kragen, maybe a bitbigger and smarter than theothers.He’swhatheis todaybecause somebody made themistake of truckling to him.Now the mistake has beenmade, and I’ll grant you thatKing Kragen is wise andclever and occasionallyservesusbyscaringawaythe

rogues—but where will itend?”

Wall Bunce, an oldLarcener crippled by a fallfrom the Tranque toweryardarms, held up anemphatic finger, “Neverforget Cardinal’s Dictumfrom theAnalects: ‘Whoeveris willing to give will neverlacksomeonetotake!’”

Into the inn came SemmVoiderveg and ZanderRohan. They seated

themselves beside IxonMyrex: the three mostinfluential men of the float.After giving Voiderveg andRohan greeting, Ixon Myrexreturned to Wall Bunce:“Don’t go quoting theAnalectstome,becauseIcanquote in return: ‘The mostflagrant fool is themanwhodoesn’tknowwhenhe’swelloff!’”

“Igiveyou,‘Ifyoustartafightwithyourhandsinyour

pockets, you’ll have warmhands but a bloody nose!’“`calledWallBunce.

IxonMyrexthrustouthischin.“Idon’t intendtoquoteDictaatyouallevening,WallBunce.”

“It’sapoorwaytowinanargument,” Irvin Belrodremarked.

“I am by no manner ofmeans conducting anargument,”statedIxonMyrexponderously. “The subject is

too basic; it affects thewelfareofTranqueandofallthe floats. There certainlycannot be two sides to amatter as fundamental asthis!”

“Here, now,” protested ayoung scrivener. “You begthe question! All of us favorcontinued prosperity andwelfare. We’re at oddsbecause we define ‘welfare’differently.”

IxonMyrex looked down

the bridge of his nose. “Thewelfare of Tranque Float isnot so abstruse amatter,” hesaid. “We require merely anamplitude of food and arespect for institutionsestablished by wise men ofthepast.”

SemmVoiderveg,lookingon into mid-air, spoke inmeasured minatory voice.“Tonightanexceedinglyrashactwasperformed,byamanwho should know better. I

simply cannot understand amentalitywhichsoarrogantlypreempts to itself a decisionconcerningthewelfareofthewholefloat.”

Sklar Hast at last wasstung. He gave a sarcasticchuckle. “I understand yourmentality well enough. If itweren’t for King Kragen,you’d have to work likeeveryone else. You’veachieved a sinecure, and youdon’t want a detail changed,

nomatterhowmuchhardshipand degradation areinvolved.”

“Hardship? There isplenty for all! Anddegradation?Doyoudareusethe word in connection withmyself or Arbiter Myrex orMaster Hoodwink Rohan? Iassureyouthatthesemenarebynomeansdegraded. and Ibelieve that they resent theimputation as keenly as I domyself!”

Sklar Hast grinned.“There’sadictumtocoverallthat:‘Iftheshoefits,wearit.”

Zander Rohan burst out,“This caps all! Sklar Hast,you disgrace your caste andyourcalling!Ihavenomeansof altering the circumstancesofyourbirth,butthankfully,Iam Guild-Master. I assureyou that your career as ahoodwinkisatanend!”

“Bah,” sneered SklarHast.“Onwhatgrounds?”

“Turpitude of thecharacter!” roared ZanderRohan.“‘Thisisapassageofthe bylaws, as well youknow!”

Sklar Hast gave ZanderRohan a long, slowinspection, as before. Hesighedandmadehisdecision.“There’salsoapassagetotheeffect that a man shall beGuild-Masteronlyso longashe maintains a paramountproficiency. I challenge not

only your right to passjudgment but your rank asGuild-Masteraswell.”

Silence held the inn.Zander Rohan spoke in achokedvoice.“Youthinkyoucanoutwinkme?”

“Atanyhourofthedayornight.”

“Whyhaveyounotmadethis vaunted ability manifestbefore?”

“Ifyouwant toknow thetruth, I did not wish to

humiliateyou.”Zander Rohan slammed

his list upon the table. “Verywell.We shall seewho is tobe humiliated. Come: to thetower!”

Sklar Hast raised hiseyebrows in surprise. “Youareinhaste?”

“You said, ‘Any hour ofthedayornight.’”

“As you wish. Who willjudge?”

“Arbiter Myrex, of

course.Whoelse?”“ArbiterMyrexwillserve

well enough, provided wehaveothers tokeep timeandnoteerrors.”

“I appoint SemmVoiderveg; he reads withgreatfacility.”

Sklar Hast pointed toothersintheroom,personsheknew to be keen of eye anddeftatreadingwinks.“RubalGallager—Freeheart Noe—Herlinger Showalter. I

appoint these to read winksandnoteerrors.”

Zander Rohan made noobjection;all in theinnaroseandcrossedtothetower.Thespace under the tower wasenclosed by a wall of witheand varnished pad-skin. Onthe first level was a shedgiven over to practicemechanisms; on the secondwere stores: spare hoods, oilfor the lamps, connectioncords, and records; the third

and fourth levels housedapprentices, assistanthoodwinks on duty, andmaintenancelarceners.

IntothefirstleveltroopedZanderRohanandSklarHast,followedbythosewhomtheyhadappointedjudges,andtenortwelveothers—asmanyasthe shed could contain.Lamps were turned up,benches pushed back,window shutters raised forventilation.

ZanderRohanwenttothenewest of the two practicemachines,ranhisfingersoverthe keys, kicked the release.Hefrowned,thrustouthislip,went to the older of themachines, which was looserand easier but withconsiderably more backlash.The tightermachine requiredmoreeffortbutallowedmorespeed. He signaled to theapprentices, who stoodlooking down from the

second level. “Oil. Lubricatethe connections. Is this howyoumaintaintheequipment?”

The apprentices hastenedtoobey.

SklarHast ranhis fingersover the keys of bothmachines and decided to usethe newer, if the choice washis.ZanderRohanwenttotheend of the room where heconferred in quiet toneswithIxon Myrex and SemmVoiderveg. All three turned,

glanced at Sklar Hast, whostood waiting impassively.Antagonism hung heavy intheroom.

Ixon Myrex and SemmVoidervegcametowardSklarHast. “Do you have anyconditions or exceptions tomake?”

“Tell me what youpropose,” said Sklar Hast.“Then I’ll tell you myconditionsorexceptions.”

“We propose nothing

unusual—in fact, a testsimilar to those at theAumerge Tournament duringthe Year of Waldemar’sDive.”

Sklar Hast gave a curtnod, “Four selections fromtheAnalects?”

“Precisely.”“Whatselections?”“Apprentice exercises

might be most convenient,but I don’t think MasterRohan is particular in this

case.”“Nor I. Apprentice

exercises will be wellenough.”

“I propose we usetournament weighing: thebest score is multiplied byfifty, the next by thirty, thenext by twenty, theworst byten. This ensures that yourbest effort will receive thegreatestweight.”

Sklar Hast reflected. Thesystemofweightingtendedto

favor the efforts of thenervous or erratic operator,while the steadier and moreconsistent operator washandicapped. Still, under thepresent circumstances, itmade small difference:neither he nor Zander Rohanwere typically given toeffulgent bursts of speed. “Iagree.Whatofmiswinks?”

“Eacherrorormiswinktoadd three seconds to thescore.”

Sklar Hast acquiesced.There was further discussionof a technical nature, as towhat constituted an error,how the errors should benotedandreckoned in regardtotheoperationoftheclock.

Finally all possiblecontingencies had beendiscussed.

The texts were selected:Exercises 61, 62, 63, 64, allexcerpts from the Analects,which in turn had been

derived from the sixty-onevolumes ofMemoria. Beforeassenting to the exercises,Zander Rohan donned thespectacles which he recentlyhad taken to using—twolenses of clear gum, melted,cast and held in frames oflaminated withe—andcarefully read the exercises.Sklar Hast followed suit,thoughthroughhisworkwiththe apprentices he wasintimately acquainted with

them. The contestants mightuse eithermachine, and bothelected to use the newmachine. Each man wouldwinkanexercise in turn,andZander Rohan signified thathewishedSklarHasttowinkfirst.

Sklar Hast went to themachine, arranged Exercise61 in front of him, stretchedhis brown fingers, tested theactionof keys andkick-rods.Across the room sat the

judges, while Arbiter Myrexcontrolled the clock. At thismoment the door slid back,andintotheshedcameMerilRohan.

Zander Rohan made aperemptory motion, whichshe ignored. IntercessorVoiderveg frowned and heldup an admonitory finger,which she heeded even less.SklarHastlookedonceinherdirection, meeting her brightgaze,andcouldnotdecideon

its emotional content: Scorn?Detestation? Amusement? Itmadenogreatdifference.

“Ready!” called IxonMyrex. Sklar Hast bentslightlyforward,stronghandsand tense fingers poised.“Set!Wink!”

SklarHast’s hands struckdown at the keys; his footkicked the release. The firstconfiguration,thesecond,thethird. Sklar Hast winkeddeliberately, gradually

loosening, letting his naturalmuscularrhythmaugmenthisspeed.

“—even were weable tocommunicate withtheHomeWorlds,Iwonderifwewouldnow choose to doso. Ignoring theinevitableprosecution whichwould ensue owing

to our uniquebackground—as Isay, not evenconsidering this—we have gainedhere somethingwhich none of ushave ever knownbefore: a sense ofachievement on alevel other thanwhat I will call‘socialmanipulation’. We

are, by and large,happyonthefloats.There is naturallymuchhomesickness,nostalgia, vainregrets—how couldthis be avoided?Would they be lesspoignant on NewOssining?This is aquestion all of ushave argued atlength, to no

decision. The factsarethatweallseemto be facing therealitiesofournewlifewith a fortitudeand equanimity ofwhich we probablydid not suspectourselvescapable.”

“End!” called Sklar Hast.Ixon Myrex checked theclock.“Onehundredforty-sixseconds.”

Sklar Hast moved backfrom the machine. A goodtime, though not dazzling,and by no means his bestspeed. “Mistakes?” heinquired.

“No mistakes,” statedRubalGallager.

Norm time was onehundred fifty-two seconds,which gave him a percentumpart score of 6/162, or 3.95minus.

Zander Rohan poised

himself before the machineandatthesignalwinkedforththe message in his usualsomewhat brittle style. SklarHast listenedcarefully,anditseemed as if the MasterHoodwink were winkingsomewhat more deliberatelythanusual.

ZanderRohan’s timewasone hundred forty-fiveseconds; he made nomistakes, and his score was4.21minus.Hesteppedtothe

sidewiththetraceofasmile.Sklar Hast glanced from

thecornerofhiseyetoMerilRohan, for no other reasonthan idle curiosity—or so hetold himself. Her facerevealednothing.

HesetExercise62beforehim. Ixon Myrex gave thesignal; Sklar Hast’s handsstruckoutthefirstwink.Nowhe was easy and loose, andhis lingers worked likepistons.

Exercise 62, like 61,wasan excerpt from theMemoriumofEleanorMorse:

“A hundred timeswe have discussedwhat tomymind isperhaps the mostastonishing aspectof our newcommunity on thefloat: the sense oftrust,ofinteraction,of mutual

responsibility. Whocould haveimagined from agroup of suchdiversebackgrounds, withsuch initialhandicaps (whetherinnateoracquiredIwill not presume tospeculate), theremight arise soplacid, so ordered,and so cheerful a

society.Ourelectedleader, like myself,is an embezzler.Some of our mosttireless and self-sacrificing workerswere previouslypeculators,hooligans, goons:One could nevermatch theindividuals withtheirpastlives.Thesituation,ofcourse,

is not unanimous,but to an amazingextent old habitsand attitudes havebeen supersededbya positive sense ofparticipation in thelife of somethinglarger than self.Tomostofusitisasifwe had regained alost youth or,indeed a youth weneverhadknown.”

“End!”calledSklarHast.Ixon Myrex stopped the

clock. “Time: one hundredeighty-two seconds. Norm:two hundred seconds.Mistakes?None.”

Sklar Hast’s score was asolid 9minus.ZanderRohanwinked a blazing-fast butnervous and staccato onehundred seventy-nineseconds, but made at leasttwomistakes.RubalGallagerand Herlinger Showalter

claimed to have detectedenough of awaver in one ofthecornerhoodstoqualifyasa third error, but FreeheartNoehadnotnoticed,andbothSemm Voiderveg and IxonMyrex insisted that theconfiguration had beenclearlywinked.Nevertheless,withapenaltyofsixseconds,his time became a hundredeighty-five with a score of15/200or7.5percentminus.

Sklar Hast-approached

the third exercisethoughtfully. If he couldmake a high score on thisthirdexercise,ZanderRohan,already tense, might wellpress and blow the exercisecompletely.

He poised himself.“Wink!” cried Ixon Myrex.And again Sklar Hast’sfingers struck the tabs. Theexercise was from theMemoriumofWilsonSnyder,amanofunstatedcaste:

“Almost two yearshave elapsed, andthereisnoquestionbutwhatweareaningenious group.Alertness,ingenuity, skill atimprovisation:these are ourcharacteristics. Or,as our detractorswould put it, a lowsimian cunning.Well, so be it.

Another traitluckily common toall of us (more orless) is a well-developed sense ofresignation, orperhaps fatalism isthe word, towardcircumstancesbeyondourcontrol.Hencewearea farhappier group thanmight be acorresponding

number of, say,musicians orscientists or evenlaw-enforcementofficers. Not thatthese professionsgo unrepresentedamong our little,band. JoraAlvan—an accomplishedflautist. JamesBrunet—professorof physical scienceat Southwestern

University.HowardGallagher—a high-ranking policeofficial. And myself—but no! I adhereto my resolution,andI’llsaynothingof my past life.Modesty? I wish Icould claim asmuch!”

“End!” Sklar Hast drew adeepbreathandsteppedback

fromthemachine.HedidnotlooktowardZanderRohan;itwould have been an act ofmalignant gloating to havedone so. For he had driventhe machine as fast as itsmechanism permitted. Nomanalivecouldhavewinkedfaster, with a more powerfuldriving rhythm. Ixon Myrexexamined the clock. “Time:one hundred seventy-twoseconds,” he said reluctantly.“Norm … This seems

incorrect. Two hundredeight?”

“Two hundred eight iscorrect,” saidRubalGallagerdryly. “There were nomistakes.”

Ixon Myrex and SemmVoiderveg chewed their lipsglumly. Freeheart Noecalculated the score: 36/208,oraremarkable17.3minus!

Zander Rohan steppedforward bravely enough andpoised himself before the

machine. “Wink!” cried IxonMyrexinavoicethatcrackedfrom tension. And ZanderRohan’s once precise fingersstiffened with his own fearsand tension, and his carefulrhythm faltered. All in theroom stood stiff andembarrassed.

Finallyhecalled:“End!”Ixon Myrex read the

clock.“Twohundredandoneseconds.”

“There were two

mistakes,” said SemmVoiderveg.

Rubal Gallager started tospeak,thenheldhistongue.

Hehadnotedatleastfiveinstances which an exactingobserver—such as ZanderRohan himself—might havecharacterizedaserror.Butthecontestwasclearlyone-sided.Two hundred and oneseconds, plus six penaltysecondsgaveZanderRohanascoreof1/208or0.48minus.

The fourth exercise wasfrom the Memorium ofHedwig Swin, who, likeWilson Snyder, maintainedreserveinregardtohercaste.

IxonMyrex set the clockwithunwilling lingers, calledout the starting signal. SklarHast winked easily, withouteffort, and the configurationsspilledforthinaswiftflow:

“A soft, beautifulworld! A world of

matchless climate,indescribablebeauty, a world ofwaterandsky,with,to the best of myknowledge, not onesquareinchofsolidground. Along theequator where thesea-plants grow,the ocean must becomparativelyshallow, though noone has plumbed

the bottom. Quitecertainly thisworldwill never bescarred and soiledby an industrialcivilization, which,of course, is allvery well Still,speakingformyself,I would havewelcomed a jut oflandortwo:agoodhonest mountain,withrocksandtrees

with roots grippingthesoil,astretchofbeach, a fewmeadows, fields,and orchards. Butbeggars can’t bechoosers, andcompared with ouroriginal destinationthis world isheaven.”

“End!”IxonMyrexspoketersely.

“Time: one hundred forty-one. Norm: one hundredsixty.”

All was lost for ZanderRohan.Towinhewouldhavetowinkforascoreoftwenty-fiveorthirty,orperhapsevenhigher.Heknewhecouldnotachievethisscoreandwinkedwithout hope and withouttension and achieved hishighest score of the test: astrong 12.05 minus.Nonetheless he had lost, and

now,bytheguildcustom.,hemustresignhispostandgiveway to Sklar Hast. He couldnotbringhimselftospeakthewords.

Meril turned on her heel,departedthebuilding.

Zander Rohan finallyturned to SklarHast.He hadstarted to croak a formaladmission of defeat whenSemm Voiderveg steppedquicklyforward, tookZanderRohan’s arm, pulled him

aside.He spoke in urgent tones

while Sklar Hast looked onwith a sardonic grin. IronMyrex joined theconversation and pulled hischin doubtfully. ZanderRohan stood less erect thanusual, his fine bush of whitehair limp and his beardtwisted askew. From time totime he shook his head inforlorn but unemphaticobjection to Semm

Voiderveg’surgings.ButSemmVoiderveghad

his way and turned towardSklarHast. “Aseriousdefectinthetesthascometolight.Ifearitcannotbevalidated.”‘

“Indeed?” asked SklarHast.“Andhowisthis?”

“Itappears thatyouworkdaily with these exercises,duringyourinstructionoftheapprentices. In short, youhavepracticedtheseexercisesintensively, and the contest

therebyisnotafairone.”“You selected the

exercisesyourself.”“Possibly true. It was

nevertheless` your duty toinform us of your familiaritywiththematter.”

“In sheer point of fact,”said Sklar Hast, “I am notfamiliar with the exercisesand had not winked themsince I was an apprenticemyself.”

Semm Voiderveg shook

his head. “I find thisimpossible to believe. I, forone, refuse to validate theresults of this so-calledcontest, and I believe thatArbiterMyrexfeelsmuchthesame disgust and indignationasIdomyself.”

Zander Rohan had thegracetocroakaprotest.“Letthe results stand. I cannotexplainawaythescore.”

“By no means!”exclaimed Semm Voiderveg.

“AMasterHoodwinkmustbeamanofutterprobity.Dowewish in this august positiononewho—“

SklarHastsaidinagentlevoice, “Be careful of yourwords, Intercessor. Thepenaltiesforslanderarestrict,asArbiterMyrex can informyou.”

“Slander exists if truth isabsent or malice is themotivation. I am concernedonly for the well-being of

Tranque Float, and theconservation of traditionalmorality.Isitslander;then,ifI denounce you as a near-approach to a commoncheat?”

Sklar Hast took a slowstep forward, but RubalGallager, took his arm. SklarHastturnedtoArbiterMyrex.“Andwhat do you say to allthis,youwhoareArbiter?”

Ixon Myrex’s foreheadwas damp. “Perhaps we

should have used other textsfor thetest.Eventhoughyouhadnohandintheselection?”

To the side stood two orthreemembers of the Belrodclan,deep-diversforstalkandwithe, of the Advertisermancaste, generally prone to arudeandsurlyvulgarity.

Now Poe Belrod, theCaste Elder, a squat, large-featured man, slapped hishand to his thigh inindignation.

“Surely, Arbiter Myrex,you cannot subscribe to, aposition so obviouslyarbitrary and contrived?Remember,youareelectedtodecide issues on the basis ofjusticeandnotorthodoxy!”

Ixon Myrex Hew into arage. “Do you question myintegrity? An abuse wasbrought to my attention bytheIntercessor;itseemsarealifunfortunateobjection,andIdeclare the test invalid.

Zander Rohan remainsMasterHoodwink.”

Sklar Hast started tospeak, but now there was acry from outside the shed:“The kragen has returned!The kragen swims in thelagoon!”

Chapter3

Sklar Hast pushed outside,went at a run to the lagoon,followedbyallthosewhohadwitnessedthetest.

Floating in the center ofthelagoonwastheblackhulkofthekragen,vanesrestlesslyswirling the water. For a

moment the forward lookingeyes surveyed the crowd onthemain float; then it surgedslowly forward, mandiblesclicking with a significantemphasis. Whether or not itrecognized Sklar Hast wasuncertain; nevertheless itswamtowardwherehestood,then suddenly gave a greatthrust of the vanes, plungedfull speed ahead to throw awaveupover theedgeof thepad.As it struck the edge, it

flungoutavane,and theflatend splashed past SklarHast’s chest. He staggeredbackinsurpriseandshock,totriponashrubandfall.

FromnearbycameSemmVoiderveg’s chuckle. “Is thisthe kragen you spoke soconfidentlyofkilling?”

Sklar Hast regained hisfeet and stood lookingsilently at the kragen.Starlightglintedfromtheoilyblack back as if it were

covered with satin. It swungto the side and beganpluckingwithgreatenergyata set of convenient spongearbors,which, as luckwouldhave it, were the property ofthe Belrods, and Poe Belrodcalled out a series of bittercurses.

Sklar Hast looked abouthim. At least a hundred folkof Tranque Float stoodnearby. Sklar Hast pointed.“The vile beast of the sea

plunders us. I saywe shouldkill it, and all other kragenwho seek to devour oursponges!”

SemmVoiderveg emitteda high-pitched croak. “Areyou insane? Someone, pourwater on this maniachoodwink,who has too longfocused his eyes on flashinglights!”

In the lagoon the kragentore voraciously at thechoicestBelrod sponges, and

the Belrods emitted a seriesofanguishedhoots.

“I say, kill the beast!”cried Sklar Hast. “The kingdespoilsus;mustwelikewisefeed all the kragen of theocean?”

“Kill the beast!” echoedtheyoungerBelrods.

Semm Voiderveggesticulated in vastexcitement, but Poe Belrodshoved him roughly aside.“Quiet, let us listen to the

hoodwink.Howcouldwethekragen?Isitpossible?”

“No!” cried SemmVoiderveg. “Of course it isnotpossible!Norisitwiseorproper!WhatofourcovenantwithKingKragen?”

“King Kragen bedamned!” cried Poe Belrodroughly. “Let us hear thehoodwink. Come then: doyouhaveanymethodinmindby which the kragen can bedestroyed?”

Sklar Hast lookeddubiously through the darktoward the great black hulk.“I think yes. A method thatrequiresthestrengthofmanymen.”

Poe Belrod waved hishand toward those who hadcome to watch the kragen.“Heretheystand.”

“Come,” said Sklar Hast.He walked back toward thecenter of the float. Thirty orforty men followed him,

mostly Swindlers,Advertisermen, Blackguards,Extorters and Larceners. Theremainder hung dubiouslyback.

SklarHast led theway toapileofpolesstackedfortheconstruction of a newstorehouse. Each pole,fabricated from withes laidlengthwiseandboundinglue,wastwentyfeetlongbyeightinches in diameter andcombined great strengthwith

lightness.SklarHast selectedapoleevenflicker—theridgebeam. “Pull this pole forth,layitontrestle!”

While this was beingaccomplished, he lookedabout and signaled RudolfSnyder, a Ninth, though amannoolder thanhimselfofthe long-lived IncendiaryCaste, which nowmonopolized the preparationof fiber, the laying of ropeand plaits. “I need two

hundred feetofhawser, stoutenough to lift the kragen. Ifthere isnoneof this, thenwemust double or redoublesmaller rope to the sameeffect.”

Rudolf Snyder took fourmen tohelphimandbroughtropefromthewarehouse.

Sklar Hast worked withgreatenergy,riggingthepolein accordancewithhis plans.“Now lift! Carry all to theedgeofthepad!”

Excited by his urgency,themen shouldered the pole,carrieditclosetothelagoon,and at Sklar Hast’s directionset it down with one endrestingon thehard fiberof arib. The other end, to whichtwo lengths of hawser weretied, rested on a trestle andalmost overhung the water.“Now,”saidSklarHast,“nowwekillthekragen.”Hemadea noose at the end of ahawser, advanced toward the

kragen, which watched himthroughtherear-pointingeyesof its turret. Sklar Hastmoved slowly, so as not toalarm the creature, whichcontinued to pluck spongeswith a contemptuousdisregard.

SklarHastapproachedtheedge of the pad. “Come,beast!” he called. “Oceanbrute! Come closer. Come.”Hebent,splashedwateratthekragen. Provoked, it surged

toward him. Sklar Hastwaited, and just before itswungitsvane,hetossedthenoose over its turret. Hesignaled his men. “Now!”They heaved on the line,dragged the thrashing kragenthroughthewater.SklarHastguided the line to the end ofthe pole. The kragen surgedsuddenly forward; in theconfusion and the dark themenheavingon the rope fellbackward. Sklar Hast seized

the slack and, dodging amurderous slash of thekragen’s fore-vane, flung ahitch around the end of thepole,hedancedback.“Now!”he called. “Pull, pull! Bothlines!Thebeastisasgoodasdead!”

On each of the pair ofhawsers tied to the head ofthe pole twentymen heaved.The pole raised on its base;the line tautened around thekragen’s turret; the men dug

in theirheels; thebaseof thepolebitintothehardrib.Thepole raisedfarther,bracedbythe angle of the ropes. Withmajestic deliberation thethrashing kragen was liftedfromthewaterandswungupinto the air. From the otherswhowatched passively camea murmurous moan offascination. SemmVoiderveg, who had beenstanding somewhat apart,madeagestureofhorrorand

walkedswiftlyaway.”Ixon Myrex, the Arbiter,

for reasons best known tohimself, was nowhere to beseen,norwasZanderRohan.The kragen made gulpingnoises, reached its vanes thisway and that, to no avail.Sklar Hast surveyed thecreature, somewhat at a lossas to how next to proceed.His helpers were looking atthe kragen in awe,uncomfortable at their own

daring. Already they stolefurtive glances out over theocean,which,perfectlycalm,glistened with the reflectionsoftheblazingconstellations.

Sklar Hast thought todivert their attention. “Thenets!” he called out to thosewhowatched.“Wherearethehooligans? Repair the netsbefore we lose all our fish!Areyouhelpless?”

Certain net-makers, atrade dominated by the

Hooligans, detachedthemselves from the groupand went out to repair thebrokennet.

Sklar Hast returned to aconsideration of the danglingkragen. At his orders thehawsers supporting the tiltedpoleweremadefasttoribsonthe surface of the pad; themen now gathered gingerlyabout the dangling kragenand speculated as to the bestmeans to kill the creature.

Perhaps it was already dead.To test this theory, a lad ofthe Belrods prodded thekragenwith a length of stalkand suffered a brokencollarbonefromaquickblowofthefore-vane.

Sklar Hast stoodsomewhat apart, studying thecreature. Its hide was tough;its cartilaginous tissue eventougher.Hesentonemanfora float-hook, another for asharp femur-stake, and from

thetwofashionedaspear.Thekragenhunglimp,the

vanes swaying, occasionallytwitching. Sklar Hast movedforward cautiously, touchedthe point of the spear to theside of the turret, thrustwithall his weight. The pointentered the tough hideperhaps half an inch, thenbroke. The kragen jerked,snorted, a vane slashed out.Sklar Hast sensed the darkflicker of motion, dodged;

and felt the air move besidehis face. The spear shafthurtledoutoverthepond;thevanestruckthepoleonwhichthekragenhung,bruising thefibers.

“What a quarrelsomebeast!” muttered Sklar Hast.“Bring more rope; we mustprevent suchdemonstrations.”

From the side came aharsh command: “You aremadmen;whydoyouriskthe

displeasureofKingKragen?Idecree that you desist fromyourrashacts!”

This was the voice ofIxon Myrex, who now hadappeared on the scene. SklarHast could not ignore IxonMyrex as he had SemmVoiderveg.Heconsideredthedangling kragen, lookedabout at the faces of hiscomrades. Some werehesitating; Ixon Myrex wasnotamantobetrifledwith.

Sklar Hast spoke in avoice which he felt to, becalm and reasonable. “Thekragen is destroying ourarbors.If theKingisslothfulabout his duties, why shouldwepermit—“

IxonMyrex’svoiceshookwith wrath. “That is no wayto speak! You violate theCovenant!”

Sklar Hast spoke evenmore politely than before.“King Kragen is nowhere to

beseen.Theintercessorswhoclaim such large power runbackandforthinfutility.Wemustact forourselves; isnotthis the free will andindependence men claim astheirbasicright?Sojoinusinkillingthisravenousbeast.”

Ixon Myrex held up hishands, which trembled withindignation. “Return thekragen to the lagoon, thatthere—“

“That thereby it may

destroy more arbors?”demanded Sklar Hast. “Thisis not the result I hope for.Nordoyouorder thesupportyou might. Who is moreimportant—the men of theFloatsorthekragen?”

This argument struck achord in his comrades, andtheyallshouted:“Yes,whoismore important—men orkragen?”

“Menrulethefloats,KingKragen rules the ocean,”

stated IxonMyrex. “There isno question of comparingimportances.”

“Thelagoonisalsounderthe jurisdictionofman,” saidSklar Hast. “This particularkragen is now on the float.Whereistherope?”

Arbiter Myrex called outinhis sternest tones:“This ishowIinterpretthecustomsofTranque Float: The kragenmustberestoredtothewater,with all haste. No other

course is consistent withcustom.”

There was a stirringamong the men who hadhelped snare the sea-beast.Sklar Hast said nothing, buttaking up the rope, formed anoose. He crawled forward,flippedup thenoose tocatcha dangling vane, thencrawling back and rising tohis feet, he circled thecreature,bindingthedanglingvanes. The kragen’s motions

became increasinglyconstricted and finally werereduced to spasmodicshudders. Sklar Hastapproached thecreature fromtherear,carefultoremainoutof reach of mandibles andpalps, and made the bondssecure. “Now the vile beastcan only squirm.Lower it tothe pad, and we will find ameanstomakeitsend.”

The guy ropes wereshifted; the pole tilted and

swung; the kragen fell to thesurface of the pad, where itlay, passive, palps andmandiblesmoving slightly inand out. It showed noagitation or discomfort;perhaps it felt none. Theexact degree of the kragen’ssensitivity and ratiocinativepowers had never beendetermined.

In the east the sky waslightening where the clusterofflaringblueandwhitesuns

known as Phocan’sCauldronbegan to rise. The oceanglimmered with a leadensheen,andthefolkwhostoodon the central pad began toglance furtively along theobscure horizon, mutteringand complaining. Some fewcalled out encouragement toSklar Hast, recommendingthe most violent measuresagainst the kragen. Betweenthese and others furiousarguments raged. Zander

Rohan stood by IxonMyrex,both obviously disapprovingof Sklar Hast’s activity. Ofthe Caste Elders only PoeBelrod and Elmar Pronave,Jackleg and MasterWitheweaver,defendedSklarHast and his unconventionalacts.

SklarHastignoredall.Hesat watching the black hulkwith vast distaste, furiouswith himself as well forhavingbecomeinvolvedinso

perilousaproject.What,afterall, had been gained? Thekragenhadbrokenhisarbors;he had revenged himself andprevented more destruction;well enough, but he had alsoincurred the ill will of themost influential folk of thefloat.More seriously, he hadinvolved those others whohadtrustedhimandlookedtohimforleadershipandtowardwhom he now feltresponsibility.

Herosetohisfeet.Therewasnohelpforit;thesoonerthebeastwasdisposedof,themore quickly life wouldreturn to normal. Heapproached the kragen,examined it gingerly. Themandibles quivered in theiranxiety to sever SklarHast’storso; Sklar stayed warily tothe side. How to kill thebeast?

Elmar Pronaveapproached, the better to

examinethecreature.Hewasatallmanwithahigh-bridgedbroken nose and black hairworninthetwoear-plumesofthe old Procurer Caste, nowno longer in existence saveforafewaggressivelyuniqueindividuals scattered throughthefloats,whousedthecaste-marks to emphasize theiremotionaldetachment.

Pronave circled the hulk,kicked at the rear vane, benttopeerintooneofthestaring

eyes. “If we could cut it up,the parts might be of someuse.”

“Thehideistootoughforour knives,” growled SklarHast. “There’s no neck to bestrangled.”

“There are other ways tokill.”

Sklar Hast nodded. “Wecould sink the beast into thedepths of the ocean—butwhat to use for weight?Bones?Far toovaluable.We

couldloadbagswithash,butthere is not thatmuch ash tohand. We could burn everyhutonthefloat,aswellasthehoodwinktower,andstillnotsecuresufficient.Toburnthekragen would require a likemountainoffuel.”

A young Larcener whohad worked with greatenthusiasm during thetrapping of the kragen spokeforth:“Poisonexists!Findmepoison,Iwillfixacapsuleto

a stick and push it into thecreature’smaw!”

Elmar Pronave gave asardonic bark of laughter.“Agreed; poisons exist,hundreds of them, derivedfrom various sea-plants andanimals—but which aresufficiently acrid to destroythisbeast?Andwhereisittobehad?Idoubtifthereisthatmuch poison nearer thanLampFloat.”

Phocan’sCauldron,rising

into the sky, revealed thekragen in fuller detail. SklarHastexaminedthefourblind-seemingeyesintheturret,theintricate construction of themandiblesandtentaclesatthemaw. He touched the turret;peered at the dome-shapedcap of chitin that covered it.The turret itself seemedlaminated,asifconstructedofsacked rings of cartilage, theeyes protruding fore and aftin inflexible tubes of rugose

harshsubstance.Othersinthegroupbegan

to crowd close; Sklar Hastjumped forward, thrust at ayoungFelonfloat-builder,buttoolate:Thekragenflungouta palp, seized the youtharound the neck. Sklar Hastcursed, heaved, tore; theclenched palp wasunyielding. Another curledout for his leg; Sklar Hastkicked, danced back, stillheaving upon the felon’s

writhing form. The kragendrew the felon slowlyforward, hoping, so SklarHast realized, to pull himwithin easier reach. Heloosened his grip, but thekragen allowed its palp toswaybacktoencourageSklarHast, who oncemore tore attheconstrictingmember.

Again the kragen craftilydrew its captive and SklarHastforward;thesecondpalpsnapped out once more and

this time coiled aroundSklarHast’s leg. Sklar Hastdropped to the ground,twisted himself around andbrokethehold, thoughlosingskin. The kragen petulantlyjerked the felon to withinreachofitsmandible,snippedoff the young man’s head,tossedbodyandheadaside.

A horrified gasp camefrom the watching crowd.IxonMyrexbellowed, “SklarHast, a man’s life is gone,

duetoyoursavageobstinacy!You have much to answerfor!Woetoyou!”

Sklar Hast ignored theimprecation. He ran to thewarehouse, foundchiselsandamalletwithaheadofdensesea-plant stem brought upfromadepthof twohundredfeet[2].

Thechiselshadbladesofpelvic bone ground sharpagainst a board gritted withthe silica husks of

foraminifera. Sklar Hastreturnedtothekragen,putthechisel against the palelamellum between the chitindomeandthefoliationsoftheturret. He tapped; the chiselpenetrated;this,thesubstanceofanewlayerbeingaddedtotheturret,wasrelativelysoft,the consistency of cookedgristle. Sklar Hast struckagain; the chisel cut deep.The kragen squirmed. SklarHast worked the chisel back

out, made a new incisionbeside the first, then anotherand another, working aroundthe periphery of the chitindome, which wasapproximately two feet indiameter. The kragensquirmed and shuddered,whether in pain orapprehension it alone knew.AsSklarHastworkedaroundto the front, thepalpsgropedbackforhim,butheshieldedhimself behind the turret and

finally gouged out thelamellum completely aroundthe circumference of theturret.

His followers watched inawe and silence; from theothers who watched camesomber mutters, andoccasional whimpers ofsuperstitious dread from thechildren.

The channel was cut;SklarHasthandedchisel andmallet back to Elmar

Pronave. He mounted thebody of the kragen, bent hisknees, hooked fingers underthe edge of the chitin dome,heaved. The dome ripped upand off, almost unbalancingSklar Hast. The dome rolleddown to the pad, the turretstood like an open-toppedcylinder; within were coilsand loops of something likedirty gray string. Therewereknots here, nodes there, oneach side a pair of kinks, to

the front a great tangle ofkinksandloops.

Sklar Hast looked downin interest.Hewas joined byElmar Pronave. “Thecreature’s brain, evidently,”said Sklar Hast. “Here theganglions terminate. Orperhaps they are merely theterminiofmuscles.”

Elmar Pronave took themallet and with the handleprodded at a node. Thekragengaveafuriousjerk.

“Well, well,” saidPronave. “Interestingindeed.” He prodded further,here, there. Every time hetouched the exposedganglions, the kragen jerked.Sklar Hast suddenly put outhishandtohalthim.“Notice.On the right, those two longloops; likewise on the left.When you touched this onehere, the fore-vane jerked.”He took the mallet, proddedeachoftheloopsinturn,and

in turn each of the vanesjerked.

“Aha!” declared ElmarPronave. “Should we persist,wecould teach thekragen tojig.”

“‘Best we should kill thebeast,” said Sklar Hast.“Dawn is approaching, andwho knows but what … ”From the float sounded asudden lowwail, quickly cutoff as by the constriction ofbreath.Thegrouparound the

kragen stirred; someonevented a deep sound ofdismay.SklarHastjumpeduponthekragen,lookedaround.The population on the floatwere staring out to sea; helooked likewise, to see KingKragen.

King Kragen floatedunder the surface, only histurret above water. The eyesstared forward, each a footacross:lensesoftoughcrystalbehindwhichflickeredmilky

films and a pale blue sheen.King Kragen had eitherdriftedclosedownthetrailofPhocan’s Cauldron on thewater or had approachedsubsurface. Fifty feet fromthelagoonnetshelethisbulkcome to the surface: first thewhole of his turret, then theblack cylinder housing themaw and the digestiveprocess, finally the great flatsub-body:this,fivefeetthick,thirty feet wide, sixty feet

long. To the sides protrudedpropulsivevanes,thickasthegirth of three men. Viewedfrom dead ahead, KingKragen appeared a deformedogre swimming the breast-stroke. His forward eyes, intheir horn tubes,were turnedtowardthefloatofSklarHastand seemed fixed upon thehulkof themutilatedkragen.Themenstaredback,musclesstiff as sea-plant stalk. Thekragen which they had.

captured, once so huge andformidable, now seemed aminiature, a doll, a toy.Through its after-eyes it sawKing Kragen and gave afluting whistle, a soundcompletelylostanddesolate.

Sklar Hast suddenlyfoundhistongue.Hespokeina husky, urgent tone. “Back.Tothebackofthefloat.”

Now rose the voice ofSemm Voiderveg theIntercessor. In quavering

toneshecalledoutacrossthewater.“Behold;KingKragen,the men of Tranque Float!Now we denounce thepresumptuous bravado ofthese few heretics! Behold,this pleasant lagoon, with itssucculentsponges,devotedtothe well-being of themagnanimous King Kragen—” The reedy voice falteredas King Kragen twitched hisgreat vanes and easedforward. The great eyes

stared without discernible,expression, but behind thereseemed to be a leaping andshiftingofpalepinkandbluelights. The folk on the floatdrew back as King Kragenbreasted close to the net.Withatwitchofhisvanes,heripped the net; two moretwitches shredded it. Fromthe folk on the float came amoan of dread;KingKragenhadnotbeenmollified.

King Kragen eased into

the lagoon, approached thehelpless kragen. The boundbeast thrashed feebly,sounded its fluting whistle.KingKragen reached forth apalp, seized it, lifted it intothe air, where it dangledhelplessly.KingKragendrewitcontemptuouslyclosetohisgreat mandibles, chopped itquicklyintoslicesofgrayandblackgristle.Thesehetossedaway, out into the ocean.Hepaused to drift amoment, to

consider. Then he surged onSklar Hast’s pad. One blowof his fore-vane demolishedthe hut, another cut a greatgouge in the pad. The after-vanes thrashed among thearbors; water, debris, brokensponges boiled up frombelow. King Kragen thrustagain, wallowed completelyupon thepad.,whichslowlycrumpled and sank beneathhisweight.

King Kragen pulled

himselfback into the lagoon,cruised back and forthdestroying arbors, shreddingthe net, smashing huts of allthe pads of the lagoon. Thenhe turned his attention to themainfloat,breastinguptotheedge. For amoment he eyedthe population,which startedto set up a terrified keeningsound, then thrust himselfforward,wallowed up on thefloat,andthekeeningbecamea series of hoarse cries and

screams. The folk ran backand forth with jerky,scurryingsteps.

King Kragen bulked onthe float like a toadon a lilypad.Hestruckwithhisvanes;the float split.Thehoodwinktower, the great structure socunningly woven, socarefully contrived, tottered.King Kragen lunged again,thetowertoppled,fallingintothehutsalong thenorthedgeofthefloat.

King Kragen flounderedacrossthefloat.Hedestroyedthe granary, and bushels ofyellow meal laboriouslyscraped fromsea-plantpistilsstreamed into the water. Hecrushedtherackswherestalk,withe, and fiber werestretchedandflexed;hedealtlikewise with the rope-walk.Then, as if suddenly in ahurry, he swung about,heaved himself to thesouthern edge of the float.A

numberofhutsandthirty-twoof the folk, mostly aged orvery young, were crushed orthrust into the water anddrowned.

KingKragenregainedtheopensea.Hefloatedquietlyamoment or two, palpstwitchingintheexpressionofsome unknowable emotion.Thenhemovedhisvanesandslid off across the calmocean.

Tranque Float was a

devastation, a tangle, a sceneof wrath and grief. Thelagoon had returned to theocean, with the arborsreduced to rubbish and theshoals of food-fish scattered.Manyhutshadbeencrushed.The hoodwink tower laytoppled. Of a population offour-hundred and eighty,forty-threeweredead,withasmany more injured Thesurvivors stood blank-eyedand limp, unable to

comprehendthefullextentofthe disaster that had comeuponthem.

Presently they rousedthemselves and gathered atthe far western edge, wherethe damage had been theleast; Ixon Myrex soughtthrough the faces, eventuallyspied Sklar Hast sitting on afragment of the fallenhoodwink tower. He raisedhis hand slowly, pointed.“SklarHast!Idenounceyou!

The evil you have done toTranque Float cannot beuttered in words. Yourarrogance, your callousindifferencetoourpleas,yourcruel and audacious villainy—how can you hope toexpiatethem?”

Sklar Hast paid no heed.His attentionwas fixed uponMerilRohan,whereshekneltbeside the body of ZanderRohan, his tine briskmop ofwhite hair dark with blood.

IxonMyrexcalled inaharshvoice: “In my capacity asArbiter of Tranque Float, Ideclareyoua criminalof thebasest sort, together with allthose who served you asaccomplices, and mostnoteworthy Elmar Pronave!Elmar Pronave, show yourshamefulface!Wheredoyouhide?”

But Elmar Pronave hadbeen drowned and did notanswer.

Ixon Myrex returned toSklar Hast. “The MasterHoodwinkisdeadandcannotdenounce you in his ownterms. I will speak for him:you are Assistant MasterHoodwinknolonger.Youareejected from your caste andyourcalling!”

Sklar Hast wearily gavehis attention to Ixon Myrex.“Do not bellow nonsense.You can eject me fromnothing. I am Master

Hoodwinknow.IwasMasterHoodwinkassoonasIbestedZanderRohan;evenhadInotdone so, I became MasterHoodwink upon his death.You outrankme not an iota;youcandenounce—butdonomore.”

Semm Voiderveg theIntercessor spoke forth.“Denunciations are notenough! Argument in regardto rank is footling! KingKragen, in wreaking his

terrible but just, vengeance,intended that the primes ofthe deed should die. I nowdeclare the will of KingKragentobedeath,byeitherstrangulation or bludgeoning,for Sklar Hast and all hisaccomplices.”

“Not so fast,” said SklarHast.“Itappearstomethatacertain confusion is upon us.Twokragen,alargeoneandasmallone,have injuredus. I,Sklar Hast, and my friends,

are those who hoped toprotect the float fromdepredation. We failed. Weare not criminals; we aresimply not as strong or aswickedasKingKragen.”

“Are you aware,”thundered Semm Voiderveg,“thatKingKragenreservestohimself the duty of guardingus from the lesser kragen?Are you aware that inassaulting the kragen, you ineffect assaulted King

Kragen?”Sklar Hast considered; “I

am aware that we will needmore powerful tools thanropesandchiselstokillKingKragen.”

Semm Voiderveg turnedaway,speechless.Thepeoplelooked apathetically towardSklar Hast. Few seemed toshare the indignation of theelders.

Ixon Myrex sensed thegeneralfeelingofmiseryand

fatigue. “This is no time forrecrimination. There is workto be done.”His voice brokewithhisowndeepandsinceregrief. “Allour fine structuresmust be rebuilt, our towerrendered operative, our netrewoven.”Hestoodquiet foramoment, and something ofhis rage returned. “SklarHast’s crime must not gowithout appropriatepunishment.IordainaGrandConvocation to take place in

three days, onApprise Float.ThefateofSklarHastandhisgang will he decided by aCouncilofElders.”

Sklar Hast walked away.He approachedMeril Rohan,who sat with her face in herhands, tears streaming downhercheeks.

“I’m sorry that yourfather died,” said Sklar Hastawkwardly. “I’m sorryanyone died—but I’mespecially sorry that you

shouldbehurt.”Meril Rohan surveyed

him with an expression hewas unable to decipher. Hespoke inavoicehardlymorethan a husky mutter.“Someday the sufferings oftheTranquefolkmustleadtoa happier future for all thefolk,ofall thefloats…Iseeit is my destiny to kill KingKragen. I care for nothingelse.”

Meril Rohan spoke in a

clear,quietvoice.“Iwishmyduty were as plain to me. I,too, must do something. Imust expunge or help toexpungewhateverhascausedthis evil that today has comeuponus.IsitKingKragen?Isit Sklar Hast? Or somethingelse altogether?” She wasmusing now, her eyesunfocused, almost as if shewere unaware of her father’scorpse,ofSklarHaststandingbefore her. “It is a fact that

theevilexists.Theevilhasasource. So my problem is tolocate the source of the evil,tolearnitsnature.Onlywhenwe know our enemy can wedefeatit.”

Chapter4

The ocean had never beenplumbed.Attwohundredfeetthe maximum depthattemptedbystalk-cuttersandpod-gatherers, the sea-plantstemswerestillatangle.OneBen Murmen, Sixth, anAdvertiserman, half-

daredevil, half-maniac, haddescended to three hundredfeet, and in the indigogloomnoted the stalks merging todisappear into the murk as asingle great trunk. Butattemptstosoundthebottom,bymeans of a line weightedwithabagofbonechippings,were unsuccessful. How,then, had the seaplantsmanaged to anchorthemselves? Some supposedthat the plants were of great

antiquity and had developedduringatimewhenthewaterwas much lower. Othersconjectured a sinking of theocean bottom; still otherswere content to ascribe thefeat to an innate tendency ofthesea-plants.

Of all the floats, Apprisewasthelargestandoneofthefirsttobesettled.Thecentralagglomeration was perhapsnine acres in extent; thelagoonwasboundedbythirty

orfortysmallerpads.AppriseFloat was the traditional siteof the convocations, whichoccurred at approximatelyyearly intervals and whichwere attended by the activeand responsible adults of thesystem, who seldomotherwise ventured far fromhome, since it was widelybelieved that King Kragendisapproved of travel. Heignored the coracles ofswindlers, and also the rafts

of withe or stalk whichoccasionally passed betweenthe floats, but on otheroccasions he had demolishedfloatsorcoracles thathadnoostensible business orpurpose.

Coracles conveying folkto a convocation had neverbeenmolested,however,eventhough King Kragen alwaysseemed aware that aconvocationwas in progress,and often watched

proceedings from a distanceof a quarter-mile or so.HowKing Kragen gained hisknowledge was a matter ofgreatmystery;someasserted,that on every float lived aman who was a man insemblance only, whoinwardlywasamanifestationof King Kragen. It wasthrough this man, accordingto the superstition, that KingKragenknewwhat transpiredonthefloats.

For three days precedingthe convocation there wasincessant flickeringalong theline of the hoodwink towers;the destruction of TranqueFloat was reported in fulldetail, together with IxonMyrex’s denunciation ofSklar Hast and Sklar Hast’srebuttal.Oneachofthefloatsthere was intense discussionand a certain degree ofdebate. Since, inmost cases,thearbiterandtheintercessor

of each float inveighedagainstSklarHast, therewaslittle organized sentiment inhisfavor.

On the morning of theconvocation,early,beforethemorning sky showed blue,coracles full of folk movedbetween the floats. Thesurvivors of the TranqueFloat disaster, who for themost part had sought refugeon Thrasneck and Bickle,were among the first under

way, as were the folk fromAlmackandSciona,inthefarwest.

All morning the coraclesshuttled back and forthbetween the floats; shortlybefore noon the first groupsbegan to arrive on Apprise.Each group wore thedistinctive emblems of itsfloat,andthosewhofeltcastedistinctionimportantlikewisewore the traditional hair-stylings, forehead plaques,

anddorsal ribbons;otherwisealldressed inmuch the samefashion: shirts and pantaletsof coarse linen woven fromsea-plantfiber,sandalsofrugfish leather, ceremonialgauntlets and epaulettes ofsequins cut from the kernelsofacertainhalf-animal,half-vegetablemollusk.

As the folk arrived, theytrooped to the famous oldApprise Inn where theyrefreshed themselves at a

tableonwhichwassetforthacollation of beer, pod-cakes,pepperfish, and pickledfingerlings, after which thenewcomers separated tovarious quarters of the float,inaccordancewithtraditionalcaste distinctions. In thecenter of the float was arostrum. On surroundingbenches the notables tooktheir places: craft-masters,caste-elders, arbiters andintercessors.Therostrumwas

at all times open to anypersonwhowished to speak,so long as he gained thesponsorship of one of thenotables.

The first speakers at theconvocations customarilywere elders intent onexhortingtheyoungerfolktoexcellence and virtue; so itwas today.An hour after thesun had reached the zenith,the first speaker made hisway to the rostrum—aportly

old Incendiary fromMaudelindaFloatwhohadinjustsuchafashionopenedthespeaking at the last fiveconvocations. He sought andwas perfunctorily grantedsponsorship. By now hisspeeches were regarded as anecessary evil. He mountedthe rostrum and began tospeak. His voice was rich,throbbing, voluminous; hisperiods were long, hissentiments well-used, his

illuminationsunremarkable.“We meet again. I am

pleasedtoseesomanyofthefaces which over the yearshave become familiar andwell-beloved, and alas thereare certain faces no more tohe seen, those who haveslipped away to the Bourne,manyuntimely,as thosewhosuffered punishment onlythesefewdayspastbeforethewrath of King Kragen, ofwhomweallstandinawe.A

dreadfulcircumstance thus toprovoke the majesty of thisElemental Reality; it shouldneverhaveoccurred;itwouldnever have occurred if allabided by the ancientdisciplines. Why must wescorn the wisdom of ourancestors? Those noble andmost heroic of men whodared revolt against thetyranny of the mindlesshelots, to seize the Ship ofSpacewhichwastakingthem

to brutal confinement, and toseek a haven here on thisblessedworld!Our ancestorsknew the benefits of orderandrigor;theydesignatedthecastes and set them to tasksfor which they presumablyhad received training on theHome World. In such afashion the Swindlers wereassignedthetaskofswindlingfish; theHoodwinksweresetto winking hoods; theIncendiaries, among whom I

am proud to number myself,wove ropes; while theBezzlersgaveusmanyoftheintercessors who haveprocured the favor andbenevolent guardianship ofKingKragen.

“Like begets like;characteristics persist anddistill. Why, then, are thecastes crumbling and givingway to helter-skelterdisorder? I appeal to theyouth of today: read the

Analects; study the artifactsin the Museum; renew yourdedication to the systemformulatedbyourforefathers.You have no heritage moreprecious than your casteidentity!”

The old Incendiary spokeon in such a vein for severalminutes further and wassucceeded by another oldman, a former Hoodwink ofgoodreputation,whoworkeduntilfilmsuponhiseyesgave

one configuration much thelookof another.Like the oldIncendiary, he, too, urged amore fervent dedication, totheold-timevalues.

“I deplore the sloth oftoday’s youth! We arebecomingaraceofsluggards!It is sheer good fortune thatKingKragenprotectsusfromthe gluttony of the lesserkragen. And what if thetyrants of out-spacediscovered our haven and

sought once more to enslaveus? How would we defendourselves? By hurling fish-heads? By diving under thefloats in the hope that ouradversarieswouldfollowanddrown themselves? I proposethateachfloatformamilitia,well-trained and equippedwith darts and spears,fashioned from the hardestand most durable stalkobtainable!”

The old Hoodwink was

followedbytheSumberFloatIntercessor, who courteouslysuggestedthatshouldtheout-space tyrants appear, KingKragenwouldbesuretovisitupon themthemostpoignantpunishments, the mostabsolute of rebuffs, so thatthe tyrants would flee interror, never to return. “KingKragen is mighty, KingKragen is wise andbenevolent,unlesshisdignityis impugned, as in the

detestableincidentatTranqueFloat, where the willfulnessof a bigoted freethinkercausedagonytomany.”Nowhemodestly turneddownhishead.“It. isneithermyplacenormyprivilegetoproposeapunishment suitable to soheinousanoffenseastheoneunderdiscussion.ButIwouldgo beyond this particularcrime to dwell upon theunderlying causes; namelythe bravado of certain folk,

who ordain themselves equalor superior to the acceptedways of life which haveservedussowellsolong…“

Presentlyhedescendedtothefloat.Hisplacewastakenby a somberman of stalwartphysique, wearing theplainest of garments. “Myname isSklarHast,”he said.“I am that so-called bigotedfreethinker just referred to. Ihave much to say, but Ihardly know how to say it. I

willbeblunt.KingKragenisnot the wise, beneficentguardian the intercessors liketo pretend.KingKragen is agluttonous beast who everyyearbecomesmoreenormousandmoregluttonous.Isoughttokillalesser

kragen which I founddestroying my arbors; bysome means King Kragenlearned of this attempt andreactedwithinsanemalice.”

“Hist! Hist!” cried the

intercessors from below.“Shame!Outrage!”

“Why does King Kragenresentmyeffort?Afterall,hekills any lesser kragen hediscoversinthevicinity.It issimpleandself-evident.KingKragendoesnotwantmentothinkaboutkillingkragenforfear they will attempt to killhim. I propose that this iswhatwedo.Letusputasidethis ignoble servility, thisgroveling to a sea-beast, let

usturnourbestefforts to thedestructionofKingKragen.

“Irresponsible maniac!”“Fool!” “Vile-mindedingrate!” called theintercessors.

SklarHastwaited,buttheinvective increased involume. Finally PhyralBerwick,theAppriseArbiter,

mounted the rostrum andhelduphishands.“Quiet!LetSklar Hast speak! He standson the rostrum; it is his

privilege to say what hewishes.”

“Must we listen togarbage and filth?” calledSemmVoiderveg. “Thismanhas destroyed Tranque Float;now he urges his franticlunacyuponeveryoneelse.”

“Let him urge,” declaredPhyral Berwick. “You areunder no obligation tocomply.”

Sklar Hast said, “Theintercessors naturally resist

these ideas; they are boundclosely to King Kragen andclaimtohavesomemeansofcommunicating with him.Possibly this is so.Why elseshouldKingKragenarrivesoopportunely at TranqueFloat? Now here is a verycogentpoint: ifwecanagreeto liberate ourselves fromKing Kragen, we mustprevent the intercessors frommaking known our plans tohim—otherwise we shall

suffer more than necessary.Most of you know in yourheartsthatIspeaktruth.KingKragen is a craftybeastwithaninsatiableappetite,andwearehisslaves.Youknowthis

truth, but you fear toacknowledge it. Those whospoke before me havementioned our forefathers:themenwhocaptured a shipfrom the tyrants who soughtto immure them on a penalplanet. What would-our

forefathershavedone?Wouldthey have submitted to thisgluttonous ogre? Of coursenot.

“How can we kill KingKragen?Theplansmustwaitupon agreement, upon theconcerted will to act, and inany event must not be toldbefore the intercessors. Ifthere are any here whobelieve as I do, now is thetime for them to makethemselvesheard.”

He stepped down fromthe rostrum. Across the floatwas silence. Men’s faceswere frozen. Sklar Hastlookedtorightandtoleft.Noonemethiseye.

The portly SemmVoiderveg mounted therostrum. “You have listenedtothemurderer.Heknowsnoshame.OnTranqueFloatwecondemned him to death forhis malevolent acts.According to custom he

demanded the right to speakbeforeaconvocation;nowhehas done so. Has heconfessed his great crime?Has he wept for the evil hehas visited upon TranqueFloat? No! He gibbers hisplans for further enormities;he outrages decency bymentioning our ancestors inthesamebreathwithhis foulproposals! Let theconvocation endorse theverdict of Tranque Float; let

all those who respect KingKragen and benefit from hisceaseless vigilance raise nowtheir hands in the clenchedfistofdeath!”

“Death!” roared theintercessors and raised theirfists. But elsewhere throughthe crowd there washesitation and uneasiness.Eyes shifted backward andforward; there were furtiveglances,outtosea.

Semm Voiderveg looked

back and forth across thecrowd in disappointment. “Iwell understand yourreluctance to visit violenceuponafellowman,butinthiscase any squeamishnesswhatever is misplaced.” Hepointed a long,pale finger atSklar Hast. “Do youunderstand the pure,concentrated villainyembodied in thisman? Iwillexpatiate. Just prior to theoffense for which he is on

trial, he committed another,against his benefactor andsuperior, Master HoodwinkZander Rohan. But thisfurtive act, this attempt tocheat the Master Hoodwinkinawinkingcontestandthusdislodge the noble Rohanfromhis office,wasdetectedby Tranque Arbiter IxonMyrex and myself, and sofailedtosucceed.”

SklarHastroared:“What?Is there no protection from

slander here? Must I submittovenomofthissort?”

Phyral Berwick told him,“Your recourse is simple.You may let the man speak,thenifyoucanproveslander,the slanderer must face anappropriatepenalty.”

Semm Voiderveg spokewithgreatearnestness.“Mindyou, a harsh truth is notslander.Personalmalicemustbe proved as a motive. Andthere is no reason why I

should feel malice. Tocontinue—“

But Sklar Hast appealedto Phyral Berwick. “Beforehe continues, I feel that thematter of slander should beclarified.Iwishtoprovethatthis man accuses me fromspite.”

“Canyoudoso?”“Yes.”“Very well.” Phyral

Berwick motioned to SemmVoiderveg. “You must delay

the balance of your remarksuntil the matter of slander issettled.”

“You need only requestinformation of ArbiterMyrex,” protested SemmVoiderveg. “He will assureyou that the facts are as Ihavestated.”

PhyralBerwicknoddedtoSklar Hast. “Proceed: proveslander,ifyoucan.”

Sklar Hast pointed toSecond Assistant Hoodwink

VickCaverbee.“Pleasestandforth.”

Caverbee, a small sandy-haired man with a wry face,his nose slanted in onedirection, mouth in another,steppedsomewhat reluctantlyforward. Sklar Hast said,“Voiderveg claims that IoutwinkedMaster HoodwinkRohan by means of diligentpractice of the test exercises.Isthistrue?”

“No.It’snottrue.Itcan’t

possibly be true. Theapprentices have beentraining on Exercises onethrough fifty. When ArbiterMyrex asked for exercises tobe used for the contest, Ibrought the advancedexercisesfromthelocker.He,and Intercessor Voidervegmade the selectionthemselves.”

Sklar Hast pointed toArbiter Myrex. “True orfalse?”

Arbiter Myrex drew adeep breath. “True, in atechnicalsense.Still,youhadanopportunitytopracticetheexercises.”

` “So did MasterHoodwinkRohan,”saidSklarHast with a grim smile.“Needless to say, I didnothingofthesort.”

“So much is clear,” saidPhyral Berwick curtly. “Butasforslander—“

SklarHastnoddedtoward

Caverbee.“Hehastheanswerforthatalso.”

Caverbee spoke evenmore reluctantly than before.“Intercessor VoidervegwishedtoespousetheMasterHoodwink’s daughter. HespokeofthematterfirsttotheMaster Hoodwink, then toMerilRohan.Icouldnothelpbut overhear the matter. Shegave him a flat refusal. TheIntercessor asked the reason,andMerilRohansaidthatshe

planned to espouse theAssistant Hoodwink SklarHast, it ever he approachedher as if shewere somethingotherthanakick-releaseonawink machine. IntercessorVoidervegseemedverymuchannoyed.”

“Bah!” called Voiderveg,his face flamingpink. “Whatofslandernow?”

SklarHastlookedthroughthecrowd.HiseyesmetthoseofMerilRohan,.Shedidnot

waittoberequestedtospeak.She rose to her feet. “Iam,Meril Rohan. Theevidence of the SecondAssistantHoodwinkisbyandlarge accurate.At that time Iplanned to espouse SklarHast.”

SklarHast turnedback toPhyralBerwick.“Thereistheevidence.”

“You have made areasonable case. I adjudicatethat Intercessor Semm

Voiderveg is guilty ofslander.Whatpenaltydoyoudemand?”

“None. It is a trivialmatter. I merely want theissues judged on the merits,withouttheextraneousfactorsbrought forward byIntercessorVoiderveg.”

Phyral Berwick turned toVoiderveg. “You maycontinue speaking, but youmust refrain from furtherslander.”

“Iwillsaynomore,”saidVoiderveg in a thick voice.“Eventually I will bevindicated.”Hesteppeddownfrom the rostrum, marchedover to sit beside ArbiterMyrex, who somewhatpointedlyignoredhim.

A tall dark-haired manwearing a richly detailedgown of white, scarlet, andblack, asked for the rostrum.This was Barquan Blasdel,AppriseIntercessor.Hehada

sobriety,anease,adignityofmanner that lent him vastlymore conviction than thatexercised by the somewhatover-fervidSemmVoiderveg.

“As the accused admits;the matter of slander isremote to the case, and Isuggest that we dismiss itutterly whom our minds.Aside from this particularuncertaintynoneotherexists.The issues are stark—almostembarrassingly clear. The

Covenant requires that KingKragen be accorded thejustice of the sea. SklarHastwantonly, deliberately, andknowingly violated theCovenant and brought aboutthe death of forty-three menandwomen.Therecanbenoargument.” Barquan Blasdelshrugged in a deprecatorymanner.“MuchasIdisliketoaskthedeathpenalty,Imust.So fists high then! Death toSklarHast!”

“Death!” roared theintercessors once again,holding high their fists,turning around and gesturingtoothersinthethrongtojointhem. Barquan Blasdel’stemperate exposition swayedmore folk than Voiderveg’saccusations,. but still therewas a sense of hesitation, ofuncertainty,asifallsuspectedthat

there was yetmore to besaid.

Barquan Blasdel leanedquizzically forward over therostrum. “What? You arereluctant insoclearacase?Icannot prove more than Ihave.”

Phyral Berwick, theApprise Arbiter, rose to hisfeet. “I remind BarquanBlasdel that he has nowcalled twice for the death ofSklar Hast. If he calls oncemore and fails to achieve anaffirmativevote,SklarHastis

vindicated.”Barquan Blasdel smiled

outoverthecrowd.Heturnedaswift,almostfurtivelookofappraisal toward Sklar Hastandwithout furtherstatementdescended to the float. Therostrum was empty. No onesought to speak. FinallyPhyral Berwick himselfmounted the steps: a stocky,square-faced man with grayhair, ice-blue eyes, a shortgraybeard.Hespokeslowly.

“SklarHastcallsforthedeathof King Kragen. SemmVoiderveg and BarquanBlasdel call for the death ofSklarHast.Iwilltellyoumyfeelings. I have great fear inthe first case and greatdisinclinationinthesecond.IhavenoclearsenseofwhatIshoulddo.SklarHast,rightlyorwrongly,hasforcedustoadecision.Weshouldconsiderwithcareandmakenoinstantjudgements.”

Barquan Blasdel jumpedto his feet. “Respectfully Imusturgethatweholdtotheissue under consideration,andthisisthedegreeofSklarHast’s guilt in connectionwith the Tranque Floattragedy.”

Phyral Berwick gave acurtnod,“Wewill recess foranhour.”

Chapter5

Sklar Hast pushed throughthe crowd to where he hadseen Meril Rohan, but whenhe reached the spot, she hadmoved away. As he stoodsearching for her, men andwomen of various floats,castes, guilds, and

generations pressed forwardto stare at him, to speak tohim, tentatively, curiously.Afew, motivated by a psychicmorbidity, reached out totouchhim;a fewreviledhimin hoarse, choked voices. Atall red-haired man, of thePeculatorcastebyhisartfullydyed emblem of five colors,thrust forward an excitedface. “You speak of killingKing Kragen—howmay thisbedone?”

Sklar Hast said in acareful voice, “I don’t know.ButIhopetolearn.”

“And if King Kragenbecomes infuriated by yourhostility and ravages each ofthefloatsintum?”

“There might betemporary suffering, but ourchildren and their childrenwouldbenefit.”

Another spoke: a shortclench-jawed woman. “If itmeans my toil and my

suffering and my death, Iwould as soon that thesemisfortunes be shared bythosewhowouldbenefit.”

“All this is a personalmatter,ofcourse,”saidSklarHastpolitely.Heattemptedtosidleaway,butwashaltedbyanother woman, this onewearing the blue and whitesashofHooliganPreceptress,who shook her finger underthe first woman’s nose.“What of the Two Hundred

whofledthetyrants?Doyouthinktheyworriedaboutrisk?No! They sacrificed all, toavoid slavery, and we havebenefited. Are we immunethen from danger andsacrifice?”

“No!” shouted the firstwoman. “But we need noturgeituponourselves!”

An intercessor from oneof the outer floats steppedforward.“KingKragenisourbenefactor! What is this

foolish talk of risk andslaveryandsacrifice?Insteadwe should speak of gratitudeandpraiseandworship.”

The red-haired Peculator,leaninginfrontofSklarHast,wavedhisarmsimpatientlyatthe intercessor: “Why don’ttheintercessorsandalloflikemind take King Kragen andvoyage to a far float andservehimas theyplease, butleave the remainder of us inpeace?”

“King Kragen serves usall,” declared the intercessorwith great dignity. “Wewould be performing,anignoble act to depriveeveryone else of hisbeneficentguardian-ship.”

TheHooliganPreceptresshad a countering remark, butSklar Hast managed to stepaside, and nowhe sawMerilRohan at a nearby booth,where she sipped tea from amug. He edged through the

crowd and joined her. Sheacknowledged his presencewiththecoolestofnods.

“Come,” said Sklar Hast,takingherarm.“Letusmovetotheside,wherethefolkdonot crush in on us. I havemuchtosaytoyou.”

“I don’t care to talkwithyou. A display of childishpetulanceperhaps, but this isthesituation.”

“AnditispreciselywhatIwish to discuss with you,”

declaredSklarHast.Meril Rohan smiled

faintly. “Better that you becontriving arguments to saveyour neck. The convocationmaywelldecidethatyourlifehas continued as long as isdesirable.”

Sklar Hast winced. “Andhowwillyouvote?”

“I am bored with theentire proceedings. I willprobably return toQuatrefoil.”

Perceivingthesituationtobe awkward, Sklar Hastdeparted with as good graceashecouldmuster.

He went to join RubalGallager, who sat under theApprise Inn pergola. “Thefloat is in ruins, you havemadeenemies—stillyourlifeis no longer in danger,“‘saidRubalGallager.”Atleastthisismyopinion.”

Sklar Hast gave a sourgrunt. “Sometimes I wonder

if the effort is worthwhile.Still, there is much to do. Ifnothing else, the hoodwinktowermust be rebuilt. And Ihavemyofficetoconsider.”

Rubal Gallager gave aripe chuckle. “With SemmVoiderveg as Intercessor andIxon Myrex as Arbiter, yourtenure will hardly be one ofsheerharmony.”’

“The least of myworries,” said Sklar Hast.“Assuming, of course, that I

leavetheconvocationalive.”“I think you may count

upon this,” said RubalGallager with a somewhatgrim overtone to his voice.“There are many who wishyou dead, doubtless—buttherearemanywhodonot.”

Sklar Hast considered amoment and gave his head adubious shake. “I hardlyknowwhattosay.Fortwelvegenerations the folk of thefloatshave lived inharmony,

and we think it savage if aman so much as threatensanother man with his fist…Would Iwant tobe thenodeof contention?Would Iwantthe name Sklar Hast to beechoed down the generationsasthemanwhobroughtstrifetothefloats?”

Rubal Gallager regardedhim in quizzical amusement.“I have never known youpreviously to waxphilosophical.”

“It is not an occupation Ienjoy,” said Sklar Hast,“though it seems as if moreand more it is to be forcedupon me.” He looked acrossthe float to the refreshmentboothwhereMerilRohansatspeakingacrossabenchwithone who was a stranger toSklarHast:athinyoungmanwith an intense, abrupt,angled face and a habit ofnervous gesticulation. Hewore neither caste nor guild

emblems, but from the greenpiping at the throat of hissmock Sklar Hast deducedhim to be from SankstonFloat.

His thoughts wereinterrupted by the return ofPhyral Berwick to therostrum.

“Wewillnowresumeourconsiderations.Ihopethatallwhospeakeschewexcitementand emotion. This is adeliberative assembly of

reasonable and calm beings,not a mob of fanatics to beincited, and I wish all toremember this. If angrymenshout at each other, thepurposeoftheconvocationisdefeated,andIwillagaincallarecess.Sonow,whowishestospeak?”

From theaudienceamancalled:“Question!”

Phyral Berwick pointedhis finger. “Step forward,state your name, caste, craft,

andpropoundyourquestion.”It was the thin-faced

young man with the intenseexpression whom Sklar Hasthad observed speaking withMeril Rohan. He said, “Myname is Roger Kelso. Mylineage is Larcener, althoughI have departed from castecustom and my craft now isscrivener. My question hasthisbackground:SklarHastisaccused of responsibility forthe Tranque Float disaster,

and it is the duty of theconvocation to measure thisresponsibility. To do this wefirst must measure theproximate cause of tragedy.Thisisanessentialelementoftraditional jurisprudence, andif any think otherwise, IwillquotetheMemoriumof

Lester McManus, wherehe describes the theoreticalelementsofHomeWorldlaw.Thisisapassagenotincludedin the Analects and is not

widely known. Suffice it tosay, themanwho establishesa precursory condition for acrime is not necessarilyguilty; he must actually,immediately, and decisivelycausetheevent.”

Barquan Blasdel, in hiseasy, almost patronizingvoice,interrupted:“ButthisispreciselySklarHast’sact;hedisobeyed King Kragen’sstatute, and this precipitatedhisterriblejustice.”

RogerKelsolistenedwitha patience obviously foreigntohisnature;hefidgeted,andhis dark eyes glittered. Hesaid, “If the worthyIntercessor allows, I willcontinue.”

Barquan Blasdel noddedpolitelyandsatdown.“WhenSklarHastspoke,heputforthaconjecturewhichabsolutelymustberesolved:namely,didSemm Voiderveg, theTranque Intercessor, call

King Kragen to TranqueFloat? This is a subtlequestion.Muchdependsuponnot only if SemmVoidervegissued the call, but when. Ifhe did so when the roguekragen was first discovered,well and good. If he calledafter Sklar Hast made hisattempt to kill the kragen,then Semm Voidervegbecomes more guilty of theTranque disaster than SklarHast, because he certainly

must have foreseen theconsequences. What is thetrue state of affairs? Do theintercessors secretlycommunicate with KingKragen? And my specificquestion: did SemmVoiderveg call Kragen toTranque Float in order thatSklarHastandhishelpersbepunished?”

“Bah!” called BarquanBlasdel. “This is a diversion,adialectictrick!”

Phyral Berwickdeliberated a moment. “Thequestion seems definiteenough. I personally cannotsupplyananswer,butI thinkthatitdeservesone,ifonlytoclarify matters. SemmVoiderveg: what do yousay?”

“Isaynothing.”“Come,” said Phyral

Berwick reasonably. “Yourcraft is Intercessor; yourresponsibility lies to themen

whom you represent and forwhom you intercede;certainlynottoKingKragen,no matter how fervent yourrespect. Evasion, secrecy, orstubborn silence can onlyarouse our distrust and leadawayfromjustice.Surelyyourecognizethismuch.”

“It is to be understood,”said Semm Voiderveg tartly,“that even if I did summonKing Kragen—and it wouldviolateguildpolicytomakea

definite statement in thisregard—my motives were ofthehighestorder.”

“Well, then, did you doso?”

Semm Voiderveg lookedtoward Barquan Blasdel forsupport, and the AppriseIntercessoroncemorerosetohis feet. “Arbiter Berwick, Imust insist that we arepursuing a blind alley, farfromourbasicpurpose.”

“What then is our basic

purpose?” asked PhyralBerwick.

BarquanBlasdel held outhis arms in a gesture ofsurprise.“Isthereanydoubt?By Sklar Hast’s ownadmission he has violatedKing Kragen’s laws and theorthodoxcustomofthefloats.It only remains to us—thisand no more—to establish acommensuratepunishment.”

PhyralBerwick started tospeak, but yielded to Roger

Kelso, who had leapedquickly to his feet. “I mustpoint out an elementalconfusion in the worthyIntercessor’s thinking. KingKragen’slawsarenothumanlaws, and is unorthodoxy acrime?Itso,thenmanymorebesideSklarHastareguilty.”

Barquan Blasdelremained unruffled. “Theconfusion lies in anotherquarter. The laws I refer tostem from the Covenant

between ourselves and KingKragen: he protects us fromthe terrors of the sea; inreturn he insists that weacknowledge his sovereigntyof the sea. And as fororthodoxy, this is no moreand no less than respect forthe opinions of the arbitersand intercessors of all thefloats, who are trained tojudiciousness, foresight, anddecorum. So now we mustweigh the exact degree of

SklarHast’stransgressions.”“Precisely,” said Roger

Kelso. “And to do this, weneed toknowwhetherSemmVoiderveg summoned KingKragentoTranqueFloat.”

Barquan Blasdel’s voiceat last took on a harsh edge.“We must not question theacts of any man when heperforms in the role ofintercessor! Nor is itpermitted to probe the guildsecretsoftheintercessors!”

Phyral Berwick signaledBarquan Blasdel to silence.“Inasituationlikethis,whenfundamental questions areunder consideration, guildsecrecy becomes ofsecondary importance. NotonlyIbutalltheotherfolkofthe floats wish to know thetruth, with a minimum ofobscurantism.Secrecyofanysortmaynotbeallowed: thisismy ruling. So then, SemmVoiderveg, you were asked:

did you summon KingKragen to Tranque Float onthenightinquestion?”

The very air seemed tocongeal; every eye turned onSemmVoiderveg.Heclearedhis throat, raised his eyes tothe sky. But he showed noembarrassment in his reply.“The question seems nothingless than ingenuous. HowcouldIfunctionasintercessorwithout some means ofconveying to King Kragen

both the extent of our trustand fidelity, likewise thenews of emergency whensuchexisted?Whentherogueappeared, itwas no less thanmy duty to summon KingKragen. I did so. Themeansareirrelevant.”

Barquan Blasdel noddedin profound approval, almostrelief. Phyral Berwickdrummed his fingers, on therostrum. Several times heopened his mouth to speak,

and each time closed it.Finally he asked, ratherlamely, “Are these the onlyoccasions upon which yousummonKingKragen?”

SemmVoidervegmade ashow of indignation. “Whydo you question me? I amIntercessor; the criminal isSklarHast!”

“Easy,then;thequestionsilluminate the extent of thealleged crime. For instance,let me ask this: do you ever

summonKingKragentofeedfromyour lagoon in order tovisit a punishment or awarninguponthefolkofyourfloat?”

SemmVoidervegblinked.“ThewisdomofKingKragenis inordinate. He can detectdelinquencies; he makes hispresenceknown—“

“Specifically, then, yousummoned King Kragen toTranque Float when SklarHast sought to kill the

rogue?”“My acts are not in the

balance. I see no reason toanswerthequestion.”

Barquan Blasdel rosemajesticallytohisfeet.“Iwasabouttoremarkasmuch.”

“And I!” “And I!” Camefrom various otherintercessors.

Phyral Berwick spoke tothecrowdinatroubledvoice.“There seems no practicalway to determine exactly

whenSemmVoidervegcalledKing Kragen. If he did soafterSklarHasthadbegunhisattackupontherogue,theninmy opinion SemmVoiderveg, the Intercessor, ismore immediatelyresponsible for the Tranquedisaster than Sklar Hast, andit becomes a travesty to visitanysortofpenaltyuponSklarHast. Unfortunately thereseemsnowayofsettling thisquestion.”

Poe Belrod, theAdvertiserman Elder, rose tohis feet and stood lookingsidelong toward SemmVoiderveg. “I can shed somelightonthesituation.Iwasawitness to all that occurred.When the rogue appeared inthe lagoon,SemmVoidervegwenttowatchwiththeothers.HedidnotgoapartuntilafterSklarHastbegantothebeast.I am sure others will bewitness to this; Semm

Voiderveg made no attempttoconcealhispresence.”

Several others who hadbeen at the scenecorroboratedthetestimonyofPoeBelrod.

The Apprise Intercessor,Barquan Blasdel, againgained the rostrum. “ArbiterBerwick, I beg that yousedulously keep to theparamount issue. The factsare these: SklarHast and hisgang committed an act

knowinglyproscribedbothbyTranque Arbiter Ixon Myrexand by Tranque IntercessorSemm Voiderveg. Theconsequences stemmed fromthis act; Sklar Hast isinevitablyguilty.”

“Barquan Blasdel,” saidPhyral Berwick, “you areApprise Intercessor. Haveyou ever summoned KingKragentoAppriseFloat?”

“AsSemmVoidervegandI have incessantly pointed

out,SklarHastisthecriminalat the bar, not theconscientious intercessors ofthe various floats. By nomeans may Sklar Hast beallowed to evade hispunishment. King Kragen isnotlightlytobedefied!Eventhough the convocation willnot raise their collective listtosmiteSklarHast,Isaythathemustdie.Itisamatterthisserious.”

Phyral Berwick fixed his

pale blue eyes uponBarquanBlasdel. “If the convocationgives Sklar Hast his life, hewill not die unless I diebeforehim.”

“Nor I!” called PoeBelrod. “Nor I!” This wasfromRoger Kelso. And nowall those men of TranqueFloat who had joined SklarHast in the killing of therogue kragen came towardthe rostrum, shouting theirintention of joining Sklar

Hast either in life or death,and with them came others,fromvariousfloats.

Barquan Blasdelscrambled up onto therostrum, held his arms wide,and finallywas able tomakehimselfheard.“Beforeothersdeclare themselves—lookouttosea!KingKragenwatches,attentivetolearnwhoisloyalandwhoisfaithless!”

The crowd swung aboutas it one individual. A

hundred yards off the floatthe water swirled lazilyaround King Kragen’s greatturret. The crystal eyespointed like telescopestoward Apprise Float.Presently the turret sankbeneaththesurface.Thebluewater roiled, then flowedsmoothandfeatureless.

Sklar Hast steppedforward, started to mount tothe rostrum.BarquanBlasdelthe Intercessor halted him.

“The rostrum must notbecome a shouting place.Staytillyouaresummoned!”

But Sklar Hast pushedhim aside, went to face thecrowd.Hepointedtowardthesmooth ocean. “There youhave seen the vile beast, ourenemy! Why should wedeceive ourselves?Intercessors,arbiters,allofus—let us forget ourdifferences, let us join ourcrafts and our resources! If

we do so, we can evolve amethod to kill King Kragen!We aremen;why shouldweabase ourselves beforeanythingwhatever?”

Barquan Blasdel threwback his head, aghast. HetookasteptowardSklarHast,asiftoseizehim,thenturnedto the audience; “You haveheard this madman—twiceyouhaveheardhim!Andalsoyou have observed thevigilance of King Kragen

whose force is known to all!Choose therefore—obeyeither the exhortations of atwitchinglunaticorbeguidedby our ancient trust in thebenevolence of mighty KingKragen. There must be adefinite resolution to thismatter.We can have no halfmeasures! Sklar Hast mustdie! So now hold high yourfistseachandall!Silencethefrantic screamings of SklarHast!KingKragen isnear at

hand!DeathtoSklarHast!”HethrusthisEsthighinto

the air. The intercessorsfollowedsuit.“DeathtoSklarHast!”

Hesitantly, indecisively,other fists raised, then othersand others. Some changedtheir minds and drew downtheirfistsorthrustthemhigh;someraisedtheirfistsonlytohave others pull them down.Altercationssprangupacrossthefloat; thehoarsesoundof

contention began to makeitselfheard.

Barquan Blasdel leanedforward in sudden concern,calling for calm. Sklar Hastlikewise started to speak, buthe desisted—becausesuddenly words were of noavail. In a bewildering,almost magical shift theplacid convocation hadbecome a melée. Men andwomen tore savagely at eachother, screaming, cursing,

raging, squealing, emotionaccumulated from childhood,stored and constrained, nowexploded; identical fear andhate prompted oppositereactions.

Luckily few weaponswereavailable:clubsofstalk,aboneaxortwo,ahalfdozenstakes, as many knives.Across the float the tide ofbattle surged, out into thewater. Staid Jacklegs andresponsible Malpractors

sought to drown each other;Advertisermen ignored theirlow estate and belaboredBezzlers; orthodoxIncendiaries kicked, clawed,tore, and bit as furiously asany varnish-besottedSmuggler.While thestrugglewas at itsmost intense,KingKragen once more surfaced,thistimeaquarter-miletothenorth, whence he turned hisvast, incuriousgazeupon thefloat.

The fighting slowed anddwindled, partly from sheerexhaustion, partly from theefforts of the mostresponsible, and thecombatantswere thrustapart.In the lagoon floated half adozen corpses; on the floatlay as many more. Now forthefirsttimeitcouldbeseenthatthosewhostoodbySklarHast were considerablyoutnumbered, by almost twoto one, and also that this

group included for the mostpart the most vigorous andableof thecraftsmen, thoughfewoftheMasters.

Barquan Blasdel, still onthe rostrum, cried out, “Asorry,dayindeed,asorryday!Sklar Hast, see the anguishyou have brought to thefloats!”

SklarHast lookedathim,panting and haggard withgrief.Bloodcourseddownhisfacefromtheslashofaknife;

the garments were rippedfrom his chest. IgnoringBlasdel, he mounted therostrum and addressed thetwo groups. “I agree withBarquan Blasdel: this is asorryday—butlettherebenomistake: Men must rule theocean beast or be ruled! Inow return toTranque Float,wherethegreatdamagemustbe repaired. As Blasdel theIntercessor has said, there isnoturningbacknow.Sobeit.

Letthosewhowantfreelivescome to Tranque, where wewill take counsel on what todonext.”

“BarquanBlasdelmade ahoarse,peculiarlyuglysound:an ejaculation of bitteramusement rendered glottalandgutturalbyhate.Hiseaseand facility of manner haddeserted him; he crouchedtenselyovertherailingoftherostrum. “Go then to ruinedTranque! All you faithless,

you irreverent ones—gethenceandgoodriddance!LetTranque be your home, andlet Tranque become a nameaccused, an evil odor, a viledisease! Only do not screamtoKingKragen foraidwhenthe rogues, unchided by thegreat King, devour yoursponges,tearyournets,crushyourcoracles!”

“The many cannot be asrapacious as the one,” saidSklarHast.“Nevertheless,do

not be persuaded by theranting of the Intercessor.Tranque Float is ruined andwillsupportbutfewfolkuntilthenetsarerepairedandnewarbors seeded. For thepresent, a migration such asBlasdel suggests isimpractical.”

From the red-hairedPeculator came a call: “Letthe intercessors take KingKragen and migrate to somefar line of floats; then all of

uswillhesuited!”Blasdel, making no

response, jumped down fromthe rostrum and marchedacross the float tohisprivatepad.

Chapter6

In spite of the strife, orperhaps because it did notseemreal,and inspiteof thedevastation, almost all of theTranquefolkelectedtoreturnto their home float. A few,appalled by thecircumstances, took up

temporary habitationelsewhere, perhaps at thehutof a caste cousin or guild-fellow, but most decided forbetter or worse to return toTranque.Sotheydid,silentlyrowingtheircoracles,nursingsuch aches, bruises, orwoundsas theyhad incurred,looking neither left nor rightfor fear of staring across thewater into the face of friendor neighbor whom they hadonly just desisted from

belaboring.It was a melancholy

voyage through the gray-violet evening, down alongthelineoffloats,eachwithitscharacteristic silhouette, eachwith itspeculiar ambienceorquirkofpersonality,sothataturnofphrasemightbenotedastypicallyAumergeorabitof carved wood identifiedimmediately andunmistakablyastheworkofaLeumar Niggler. And now

Tranque,ofallthefloats,wasdevastated, Tranque alone. Itwas enough tomake tears ofgriefandbitternesswellfromtheeyesof theTranque folk.Forthemallwaschanged;theold life would never return.The resentments andbitterness might numb andsoarover,but the friendshipswould never again be easy,the trusts whole. Still,Tranque was home. Therewasnootherplacetogo.

There was small comfortto be found on Tranque. Athirdofthehutswereinruins.The granary and all theprecious flour had beenwasted; the proud tower layin a tangle of splinters andwreckage.Directlyacrossthefloat, in a great avenue ofdestruction, could be tracedthecourseofKingKragen.

On the morning after theconvocation the folk stoodaboutingroups,workingina

desultory fashion, glancingsidewise in surly silencetoward persons whom theyhad known all their lives.Somewhat to Sklar Hast’ssurprise Semm Voiderveghad returned to the float,though his own cottage hadbeencrushedbyKingKragenandnowwasonlyatangleofcrushed withe and tatteredpad-skin. Semm Voidervegwenttolookdisconsolatelyatthe mess, poking and

prodding here and there,extracting

an implement, a pot, abucket,anarticleofclothing,avolumeofAnalects soddenfromwaterwhichhadgushedupfromabrokenplaceinthefloat. Feeling Sklar Hast’sgaze upon him, he gave anangry shrug and marchedaway to the undamagedcottage of Arbiter Myrex,withwhomhewaslodged.

Sklar Hast continued

toward his own destination:the hut of the formerMasterHoodwink, which also hadsuffered destruction, thoughperhaps in lesser degree.Meril Rohan was hard atwork, cuttingup the rubbish,stacking usable withe andsuch varnished pad-skin asmight feasibly be reused.Sklar Hast silently began tohelp her, and she made noobjection.

At last, protected by a

toppled cupboard, she foundwhat she sought: sixty-onefolios bound in supple gray-fish leather. Sklar Hastcarried the volumes to abench, covered them with asheet of pad-skin against thepossibility of a suddenshower.Meril turnedback totheruinedhut,butSklarHasttook her hand and led her tothebench.She seatedherselfwithout, argument, and SklarHast sat beside her. “I have

beenanxioustotalktoyou.”“Iexpectedasmuch.”Sklar Hast found her

composurebaffling.Whatdidit signify? Love? Hate?Indifference?Frigidity?

She went on to enlightenhim. “I’ve always hadcontradicting impulses inregard to you. I admire yourenergy. Your decisiveness—some call it ruthlessness—makes me uneasy. Yourmotives are transparent and

doyounodiscredit,althoughyour recklessness andheedlessnessdo.”

SklarHastwasmoved toprotest.“Iamneitheronenortheother!Inemergenciesonemust act without vacillation.Indecisivenessandfailurearethesame.”

Meril nodded toward theruins. “What do you callthis?”

“Not failure. It is asetback, a misfortune, a

tragedy—but how could ithave been avoided?Assuming,ofcourse, thatweintended to free ourselvesfromKingKragen.”

MerilRohanshrugged.“Idon’t know the answer. Butthedecisionswhichyou tookaloneshouldhavebeentakenjointlybyeveryone.”

“No,” said Sklar Haststubbornly. “How far wouldweget,howfastwouldwebeabletoreact, ifateveryneed

for actionwewere forced tocounsel? Think of theoutcries and the delay fromMyrex and Voiderveg andeven your father! Nothingwould be accomplished; wewouldbemired!”

Meril Rohan maderestless movements with herhands.Finallyshesaid,“Verywell. This is clear. Also itechoes the Memorium ofLesterMcManus. I forgethisexact phrasing, but he

remarks that since we aremen, and since most of usprefer to be good, we areconstantly looking forabsolutes. We want no taintonanyofouractions,andwecan’t reconcile ourselves toactions which are in anyaspectimmoral.”

“Unfortunately,” saidSklar Hast, “there are veryfew absolutely moral deeds,exceptpossiblypurepassivity—and I am uncertain as to

this. It may be there is nocompletely moral act. Themore decisive and energeticanyactis,themoreuncertainwillbecomethechancesofitsbeingabsolutelymoral.”

MerilRohanwasamused.“This sounds like a certainprincipleofuncertaintyJamesBrunet, the scientist,mentions in his Memorium,but which seems quiteincomprehensible to me …Youmayberight—fromyour

point of view. Certainly notfromSemmVoiderveg’s.”

“NorKingKragen’s.”Meril nodded, a faint

smileonherlips,andlookingat her, Sklar Hast wonderedwhy he ever had thought totest other girls of the floatwhensurely thiswas theonehe wanted. He studied her amoment, trying to decidewherein lay her charm. Herfigure was by no meansvoluptuous, though it was

unmistakably feminine. Hehad seen prettier faces,thoughMeril’s face,with, itssubtle irregularities andunexpected delicacies ofmodeling and quick, almostimperceptible quirks andflexibilities, was fascinationitself.

Nowshewaspensiveandsat looking east across thewater, where the whole lineoffloatsextended,onebehindtheother,curvingtothenorth

justsufficientlytoallowalltobe seen: Thrasneck, Bickle,Sumber, Adelvine, GreenLamp, Fleurnoy, Aumerge,Quincunx, Fay, all these lastmerging into the horizonhaze, all the others no morethan lavender-gray smudgeson the dark blue ocean.Above all towered a greatbillowing white cloud. SklarHastsensedsomethingofherthoughts and drew a deepbreath.“Yes…It’sabeautiful

world. If only there were noKingKragen.”

She turned impulsively tohim,tookhisarm.“Thereareotherfloats, toeastandwest.Whydon’twego,leaveKingKragenbehind?”

Sklar Hast gloomilyshookhishead.“KingKragenwouldn’tletusgo.”

“We could wait until hewasatthefarwest,atAlmackorSciona,andsaileast.He’dneverknow.”

“We could do that—andleave King Kragen supreme.Do you think this would bethewayoftheFirsts?”

Meril reflected. “I don’tknow… After all, they fledthe tyrants; they did notreturntoattackthem.”`

“Theyhadnochoice!TheShip of Space sank in theocean.”

Meril shook her head.“They had no intention ofattacking anyone. They

considered themselves luckytoescape…Frankly,thereismuch in the Memoria thatpuzzlesme, allusions I don’tcomprehend, especially inregardtothetyrants.”

Sklar Hast picked upMeril’s concordance to theMemoria, opened the pages.Spelling out the letters withdifficulty, for his eyes andmind were attuned tohoodwink configurations, hefound the entry entitled

“Kragen.”Meril, noticing what he

read, said, “The referencesaren’t very explicit.”She ranher finger swiftly along thereferences,openedbooks.

“This is Eleanor Morse:‘Allispeace,allisideal,saveonly for one rather horribleaquatic beast: fish? Insect?Echinoderm? Theclassifications aremeaningless, of course;we’ve decided to call them

kragen,’ And Paul van Bleewrites: ‘About our onlyspectator sport is watchingthekragenandbettingwhichone of us gets eaten first.We’ve seen some monstrousspecimens, up to twenty feetin length. Certainly noencouragement for aquaticsports!’ James Brunet, thescientist;says:‘TheotherdayJoe Kamy stuck a tenderyoung kragen, scarcely fourfeet long, with a sharp stick.

Blood—orwhateveryouwishtocallit—ranblue,likesomeof the terrestrial lobsters andcrabs. I wonder if thatindicates a similar internalchemistry. Hemoglobincontains iron, chlorophyll,magnesium; hemocyanin, asinbluelobsterblood,copper.It’s a powerful beast, thiskragen, and I’d swearintelligent.’ That’s about allanyone says about thekragen.”

Sklar Hast nodded.“Something that puzzles meand that I can’t get awayfrom: if the intercessors areabletocommunicatewiththekragen, even to the extent ofsummoning it—how do theydo it? Through the MasterHoodwink? Does he flashsome particular signal? I’venever heard of any suchsystem.”

“NorI,”saidMeril,ratherstiffly.

“You can’t know,” saidSklar Hast, “because you’renotahoodwink.”

“I know my father nevercalled King Kragen toTranqueFloat.”

“Voiderveg admitted thathedidso.Buthow?”Heroseto his feet and stood lookingoffacross thefloat.“Well—Imust work with the others.”He hesitated a moment, butMeril Rohan offered him noencouragement. “Is there

anythingyouneed?”heaskedpresently. “Remember, I amGuild-Master now and youare under my protection, soyou must call me if there isanylack.”

MerilRohan gave a tersenod.

“Will you bemy spouse,untested?” asked Sklar Hast,ratherlamely.

“No.” Her mood hadchanged once more, and shehad become remote. Sklar

Hast wondered why. “I neednothing,” she said. “Thankyou.”

Sklar Hast turned awayand went to join those whodisassembled the oldhoodwink tower. He hadacted too precipitously, tooawkwardly, he told himself.WithZanderRohanonlydaysdead,Meril undoubtedly stillgrieved and could hardly beinterested in offers ofespousal.

Heputherfromhismind,andjoinedthehoodwinksandlarcenerswhoweresalvagingsuch of the old structure aswas useful. Broken withe,fragments of torn pad-skintrash,weretakentoafire-raftfloating on the lagoon andburned,andinshortorderthelook of devastationdisappeared.

Hooligansmeanwhilehadraised the net and wererepairing the damage. Sklar

Hast paused to watch them,then spoke to Roger Kelso,thescrivener,whoforreasonsof his own had come toTranqueFloat.“Imagineanetofheavyhawserhangingoverthe lagoon. King Kragenswims into the lagoon,anxious to glut himself. Thenet drops; King Kragen isentangled…”Hepaused.

“And then?” inquiredRogerKelsowithasaturninegrin.

“Then we bind himsecurely, tow him out to seaandbidhimfarewell.”

Roger Kelso nodded.“Possible—under optimumconditions. I have twoobjections. First, hismandibles.Hemightwellcutthenetintroutofhim,extendhis palps, draw around moreof the net, and cut himselffree. Secondly, theintercessors. They wouldobserve the suspended net,

guess its purpose, and eitherwarn King Kragen away orinvite him to come andpunish the criminals whosoughttokillhim.”

Sklar Hast sadly agreed.“Whatever means weultimately fix upon, theintercessorsmust never learnofit.”

The Master LarcenerRolloBarnack,hadheard theconversation.Nowhesaid,“Ihavealsogiventhoughttothe

problem of King Kragen. Asolutionhasoccurredtome:adevice of innocentappearancewhich, if allgoeswell—andmindyou, there isnoguaranteeofthis—butasIsay, if all goes precisely,King Kragen might well bekilled. Best of all, thevigilanceofSemmVoidervegneednotbearoused.”

“You interest meextremely,” said Sklar Hast.“Describe this ingenious

device.”Rollo Barnack started to

speak, but,noting theapproach of Arbiter IxonMyrex, Intercessor SemmVoiderveg,andseveralothersof like conviction, held histongue. Arbiter Myrex wasspokesmanforthegroup.Hisvoice was clear, firm, andunemotional; clearly theconfrontation had beendiscussed and rehearsed.“SklarHast,wespeaktoyou

nowinaspiritnotnecessarilyof amity, but at least one ofcompromise?

SklarHastnoddedwarily.“Speakon.”

“You will agree thatchaos, disorder, destruction,and contention must behalted, absolutely anddefinitely; thatTranqueFloatmustberestoredtoitsformerhigh status and reputation.”He looked at Sklar Hastexpectantly.

“Continue,” said SklarHast.

“Youmakenoresponse,”complainedIxonMyrex.

“Youaskednoquestion,”saidSklarHast.“Youmerelyutteredanassertion.”

Ixon Myrex made apetulant gesture. “Do you soagree?”

“Certainly,” said SklarHast. “Do you expect me toargueotherwise?”

ArbiterMyrexignoredthe

question. “We mustnecessarily cooperate. It isimpossible that conditionscan return to normal unlessall of us exert ourselves tothis end, and—er—makecertain sacrifices.” Hepaused, but Sklar Hast madeno remark. “Essentially, itseemsabsurdandparadoxicalthatyou,withyourfanaticallyunorthodox views, shouldcontinue in an office whichcarries great weight and

prestige.Thebest interestsofthe float are served by yourvoluntary relinquishment oftheoffice.”

“Indeed. And whatsacrifices do you propose tomake?”

“Weareagreedthatifyoudisplay a sense ofresponsibility, relinquish theguild-mastership, make asober, sincere profession oforthodoxy,wewillremityourdelinquencies and hold them

nolonger,toyourdiscredit.”“This is magnanimity

indeed,”sneeredSklarHast.“What sort of blubbering

water-sheep do you take mefor?”

Ixon Myrex noddedcurtly. “We feared that thismightbeyourresponse.Nowviolenceisasabhorrent tousas it is to every man andwoman of the floats, andthereforewemakenothreats.Neverthelesswerequirefrom

you a solemn undertakingnever again to engage inunorthodox activities, orthose which challenge theauthorityofKingKragen.”

“AndifIdon’t?”“Then we will ask that

youdepartTranqueFloat.”“And where do you

suggestthatIgo?”Semm Voiderveg could

containhispassionnolonger.Hepointedawhitequiveringfingertothesea.“Wesuggest

that you and others of yourilk depart! There are otherfloats; they arementioned inthe Analects; the Firsts sawthemwhentheShipofSpacecamedown.Go forth then tosomeotherfloatandallowuswhowishpeacetoliveaswealwayshave.”

Sklar Hast’s lip curled.“What of King Kragen? ItseemsthatyoucontravenetheCovenant, suggesting that Itrespassuponhisocean.What

ofthat?”“The trespass then

becomes an issue betweenyou and King Kragen! Theaffairisnoneofmine.”

“And if King Kragenfollows us to our newdomicile,desertingtheHomeFloats? What would theintercessorsdothen?”

SemmVoidervegblinked.Theconceptclearlytookhimby surprise. “If such anexigency arises, be assured

that we will know how todealwithit.”

Sklar Hast prepared toreturntohiswork.“Iwillnotresign my rightful guild-mastership; I promise nofidelity to you or KingKragen; I will not set forthacrosstheocean.”

Semm Voiderveg startedtospeak;butIxonMyrexheldup his hand. “What then doyouplan?”heaskedcannily.

SklarHaststaredathima

long moment, withconflicting impulsesstruggling inside his brain.All prudence and sagacityurged him to dissemble, tofeign orthodoxy or at leastdisinterest,whilehearrivedatsome method to kill KingKragen.Butwhatifhefailedin the attempt? Then onceagainTranqueFloatwouldbedevastated and people whowantednothingtodowiththeproject would be injured,

even killed. It seemed onlyjust that he announce hisintentions, in order to givethose who disapproved achancetoremovethemselves.But by so warning IxonMyrex and SemmVoidervegheguaranteedhimselfoftheirvigilance, their antagonism,and possibly theirinterference. It was simplecommon sense and goodgeneralship to dissemble, tocalm IxonMyrex and Semm

Voiderveg and blunt theirsuspicions. What if a fewinnocent persons did getkilled? No battles were wonwithoutcasualties.AndSklarHast tried to twisthis tongueto speak evasion andreassurance,buthecouldnotdo it; he was physicallyunabletoputonthenecessarymask, and felt a great angerforhisownweakness.

“If I were you,” he saidroughly, “I’d depart Tranque

Floatandstayaway.Becausethere might well be furtherunorthodoxy,asyoucallit.”

“Exactlyinwhatdegree?”askedIxonMyrexcrisply.

“I’ve made no plans. Iwouldn’t tell you in anyevent. But now, against mybetter judgment, I’vewarnedyou.”

Semm Voiderveg oncemore began to speak, butonce more Ixon Myrexsilenced him. “I see that our

attempt at a harmonioussolution is in vain. Youwarnedme; Iwillwarn you.Any attempt to offend KingKragen,anyattemptuponhisdignitywill be regarded as acapital crime. That is myjudgment as Arbiter ofTranque Float! You havechallenged authority and themajesty of tradition. Bewarethatyourimpudencedoesnotbringyoutogrief!”

One of the others spoke:

Gian Recargo, the BezzlerElder, a man of greatgentility, rectitude, andpresence. “Sklar Hast, areyou aware of yourirresponsibility?Youthreatenthe lives and properties ofothers who wish no part ofyour mad antics; do you notfeelshame?”

“I have thought at lengthabout the situation,” saidSklarHast.“Ihaveconcludedthat a great evil exists, that

inertia and fear press soheavily upon otherwiseworthyfolklikeyourself thatyou abide this evil. Someonemust bewilling to take greatrisks, even with the lives ofother people. This is notirresponsibility; it isfarmoreresponsibility than I relish.The judgment is not solelymy own; I am nomonomaniac. Many othersane and responsible folkagree with me that King

Kragen must be defeated.Why do you not join us?Once the sea-beast isdestroyed,weare free. Isnotthis worth the risk? We canuse the ocean as we please!We need feed the gluttonousmaw no longer! Theintercessors will be deprivedof their sinecures and mustthenwork like the restofus,which appalls them; hencetheir antagonism. This is thewaythefuturemustgo!”

Gian Recargo was silent.Ixon Myrex tugged irritablyon his beard. A heavy halfmoment went by. SemmVoiderveg looked at themimpatiently.“Whydoyounotrefute this incrediblediatribe?”

Gian Recargo turnedaway to look out over thelagoon; “I must think atlength,” he muttered. “I donot care to hear such achallengetomycourage.”

“Bah,” said Ixon Myrexuneasily. “Conditions werewellenoughinthepast.Whowants to sail theocean?Andthe sponges consumed byKing Kragen are not astaggeringtaxuponus.”

Semm Voiderveg smotethe air with his fist. “This issuperficial!TheissueisSklarHast’sabominablearrogance,hisdisrespectandirreverencetoward our great KingKragen!”

Gian Recargo turned onhis heel and walked slowlyoff across the float, SemmVoiderveg made anotherangry gesticulation. IxonMyrex held his ground amoment longer, turned asearching gaze upon ruinedtower,lagoon,SklarHast,theothers who stood attentivelyabout, then made anondescript sound andmarchedaway.

The hoodwinks and

larceners returned to work.SklarHast,withRogerKelso,wentofftoconferwithRolloBarnack, to hear his plan forkilling King Kragen. Bothagreedthatifconditionswereright, if timing were precise,if the materials weresufficiently tough, KingKragenmightwellbekilled.

Chapter7

Gradually the evidence ofdisaster disappeared;gradually Tranque Floatresumed its normal aspect.Thebrokenhutsandshatteredtimbers were burned on thefire-raft, and the ashescarefully stored for later use

in the manufacture, of soap,whitewash, fire-brick, themordanting of cloth, theweighting of sinkers, theclarification of varnish. Thecorpses, after two weeks’submersion in specialreceptacles, during whichtime certain small finnedwormsstrippedthefleshfromthebones,wereconveyedtoaremotepartofthefloatwherethe hardest bones wereremoved, and the remainder

calcined for lime: a workwhich traditionally had beenthe exclusive domain ofadvertisermen.

Withe had been cut,seasoned, formed into newhuts, covered with pad-skinand varnished; new spongearborshadbeenbuilt, seededwith floss and lowered intothebrightbluewater.

The hoodwink tower, themost massive andcomplicated object of the

float,wasthelaststructuretohe rebuilt. The new towerwas even taller than the old,moremassive indesign,withasite somewhatcloser to thelagoon.

The method ofconstruction was alsodifferent from the old andelicited considerablecomment among the folk ofTranque Float. Customarilyeachlegdescendedthroughahole in the float to be

anchored in the crotch of asturdy underwater stem. Inthenew tower these supportsterminated in a low platformtwenty-five feet square, andfrom this platform rose thefour legs: great poles ahundred feet long fabricatedfrom lengths ofwithe laid invarnish and whipped. Thelegs, held rigid by spreaders,gradually converged, toterminate in a frame six feetsquare.

The proportions of thetower, themass of the poles,and the comparatively smallarea of the base platform,aroused as much curiosityand criticism as theunconventional method ofconstruction. Ixon Myrex onone occasion taxed RolloBarnack, the MasterLarcener,withunorthodoxy.

“Never have I seen atowerof thissortbefore!”hecomplained. “I see no need

for such heavy construction.The posts are as staunchaboveastheyarebelow:whyisthis?”

“It lends an addedsolidity,” declared RolloBarnackwithawisewink.

“Solid perhaps, but soprecariously narrow at thebasethatagoodgustofwindwilltipitoverandhurlitintothelagoon!”

“Doyoureallythinkso?”Rollo Barnack asked

earnestly, standing back andinspectingthetowerasifthiswerehisfirstclearviewofit.

“I am no larcener,” IxonMyrexwenton,“andIknowlittle enough of construction,but this is how it appears to.me. Especially when thetowerhouseisbuiltaloftandthelampsandhoodshungonthe cross-arm! Think of theforce,theleverage!”

“Youarequiteright,”saidRollo Barnack, “To

counteract this force weproposetorunguy-lines.”

The Arbiter shook hishead in puzzlement. “Whydid you not build in the oldmanner,withlegssufficientlyoutspread so that the guy-lines were not needed? Thisseems overcomplicated tome.”

“We use much less floatarea,”RolloBarnack pointedout. “This is a significantconsideration.”

Ixon Myrex shook hishead without conviction, butmadenofurtherprotest.

So the guy-lines wereextended. Next the controlhouse was added, then thegreat yardarm on which thehoods and lamps hung. Thislastwas constructedwith themost meticulous care, fromsections of the densest stemobtainable. IxonMyrex,onceagain inspecting theconstruction, was astounded

by the mass of the yardarm.Inexplanation,RolloBarnackreferred to the consequentlack of vibration and thegreater control thus affordedthe hoodwinks. “Have nofear, Arbiter. Every detail intheconstructionofthistowerhas been carefully thoughtout.”

“Like the guy-ropes, Isuppose?” Ixon Myrexinquired sarcastically. “Andthemanner inwhich the legs

are affixed to the baseplatform—bound,noless!Byropes! Is this a solidmannerinwhichtobuildahoodwinktower?”

“Wehopeitwillfulfillitspurpose,”RolloBarnacksaid.“If it does this, we shall asknomoreofit.”

And again Ixon Myrexdeparted,shakinghishead.

During this time KingKragen had not appeared inthevicinityofTranqueFloat.

From the Thrasneckhoodwink tower cameoccasional news of hiswhereabouts: he had beenseen cruising to the south ofSankston heading west; hehadputinatPopulousEquityto feed; he had fed again atParnassus,thefloatnextwest.Thereafterhesubmerged,andfor two days nothing washeardofhim.

Tranquewas almost backtonormal.The spongeswere

growing large and beginningtoburst fromtheirhusks; thehuts had all been rebuilt; thenew hoodwink tower, ifsomewhatponderousandtop-heavy, stood tall andimpressive.

The yardarm had been along time in preparation.Each end was tapered to apoint and boiled in varnishfor three days, then bakedover a slow fire, until thestem was hard and dense.

Along the lengthswere fixedreinforcing struts; and allscraped and buffed and oiledso it shone smooth andglossy.

Finally the yardarm washoistedtothetopofthetowerand secured in place, andagain no precaution seemedtoogreat;firstitwasseatedina socket, then glued, lashed,andpegged.

Once more Ixon Myrexwas baffled. “The tower

standsaskew!”“How so?” asked Rollo

Barnackmildly.“Notice how it fronts—

not directly upon theThrasneckTowerasitshould,but considerably to the side.The folk on Thrasneck willread all our winks with asquint,sidelong.”

Rollo Barnack noddedjudiciously. “We are notunaware of this condition. Itwas planned in this manner,

for the following reasons.First, it is rumored that theThrasneckfolkareplanninganew tower, to be constructedsomewhere along the line inwhich we now face. Second,the configuration of theunderwaterstemshasmadeitdifficulttofixthepostsatanyother angle than as you see,and we believe that in timetherebeagradualturningandtwisting,whichwillbringthetower more directly to bear

upon the current Thrasnecktower.”

Intercessor SemmVoiderveg,whohadregainedsomething of his formerpoise, joined Ixon Myrex’scriticisms.

“This seems the leastgracefulandefficient tower Ihave ever seen! Notice thatlong, heavy, pointed yard-arm, and that narrow,elongated cabin below; Hasanyone ever seen the like

before?”Rollo Barnack repeated

his former remark. “It looksmorethanefficienttome.Ifitfulfillsitspurpose,wewillbemorethanhappy.”

Ixon Myrex shook hisheadsadly.“Thefolkofotherfloatsbelieveuseccentricandperverse as it is; with newtower staring blankly to sea,they will consider uslunatics.”

“Correctly,perhaps,”said

SklarHastwithagrin.“Whydon’t you and Voidervegdepart?”

“Let us not talk aboutmattersofthepast!”mutteredIxon Myrex. “It all seems abad dream, as if it neverhappened.”

“Unfortunately it did,”said Sklar Hast, “and KingKragenstillswimsthesea.Ifonly he would die of naturalcauses, or choke on a surfeitofsponges,ordrown!”

Semm Voiderveg studiedhim levelly. “You are amanwithout reverence, withoutfidelity.”

Ixon Myrex and SemmVoidervegpresentlydeparted.

Sklar Hast watched themgo. “What a situation!” hecomplained to Roger Kelso.“We cannot act likehonorable men; we cannotdeclare ourselves—insteadwe must skulk about in thishalf-brazen, half-furtive

pretense.”“It is pointless to worry

aboutthematter,”saidKelso.“The choice long since wasmade; we are now ready toact.”

“Andifwefail?”RogerKelso shrugged. “I

putourchancesofsuccessasoneinthree.Allmustgowithsuch exactness, suchprecision of timing as tomake optimism out of thequestion.”

SklarHastsaid,“Wemustwarn the folk of the float.This is thevery leastwe cando.”

RolloBarnack andRogerKelso argued but withoutsuccess. Sklar Hast finallyhadhisway,and in theearlypartoftheeveninghecalledameetingofall the folkof thefloat.

He spoke briefly and tothe point. “Tranque Float isoncemorewhole.Lifeseems

to be placid and even. It isonlyfairtoannouncethatthisisillusory.Manyofusarenotreconciledtotheoverlordshipof King Kragen, and weproposetoendit.Wemaybeunsuccessful; theremay be anewandevenmoredisastrousset of circumstances in thefuture.Soallarewarned,andarewelcometoleaveTranquefor other more orthodoxfloats.”

IxonMyrexjumpedtohis

feet. “Sklar Hast—you maynot involve the rest of us inyour scheme! It is not right!This is my judgment asArbiter.”

Sklar Hast made noresponse.

Semm Voiderveg spoke.“Naturally I endorse thearbiter’s views! And may Iask how you propose toimplement your preposterousschemes?”

“Weareevolvingastrain

ofpoisonoussponges,”RogerKelso told him. “WhenKingKragen eats, he will becomewaterloggedandsink.”

Sklar Hast turned away,walked to the edge of thefloat to look off across thewater. Behind him wasfurther wrangling; then bytwosandthreesandfours,thefolkwentoff to theirvarioushuts.

MerilRohancametojoinSklarHastand foramoment

both looked off across thetwilight. Meril Rohan said,“This is a difficult time welive in, without clear-cutrights and wrongs, and it ishardtoknowhowtoact.”

“An era has come to anend,” said Sklar Hast. “AGolden Age, an Age ofInnocence—it is ended.Violence, hate, turbulencehave come to the floats. Theworldwillneverbe thesameagain.”

“A new and better worldmaycomeofitall.”

Sklar Hast shook hishead. “I doubt it. If KingKragenfounderedandsankatthismoment,therewouldstillbe changes. It seems as ifsuddenly the time were ripefor change. We must goforward—orgoback.”

Meril Rohan was silent.Then she pointed towardThrasneck. “Watch thewinks.”

“…King…Kragen…seen…to…the…north…of…Quincunx…proceeding…in…an…easterly…direction…”

“Thetimeisnotyet,”saidSklarHast.“Wearenotquiteready.”

The next day KingKragenwasseentothenorthofTranqueFloat,driftingidlywithoutapparentpurpose.Foran hour he floated placidly,eye-tubes fixed on Tranque,

then veered close as if. incuriosity,andgaveTranqueabrief inspection. SemmVoiderveg, arrayed in hisceremonial robes, came forthto stand at the edge of thefloat,whereheperformedhisritual postures andbeckonings. King Kragenwatched a moment or two,then, reacting to someunknowable emotion, gave aquickjerkandwithasurgeofhis vanes swung about and

swam to thewest,mandiblesscissoring, palps pushing inandout.

SemmVoidervegmade afinal genuflection, andwatched King Kragen’sdeparture.

Nearby stood Sklar Hast,and as Semm Voidervegturned to go back to his hut,his gaze met that of SklarHast.Forabriefmoment thetwo men studied each other,withahostilityinwhichthere

existednounderstanding.SklarHastfeltanemotion

far different from the simplecontempt he felt for IxonMyrex. It was as if SemmVoiderveg were himself partkragen, as if in his veinsflowed a thick indigo oozeinsteadofredhumanblood.

A week later King Kragenfeasted on Bickle sponges,andthenextdaydidlikewiseat Thrasneck. On the day

following, a hundred yardsfromtheentrance toTranquelagoon, he slowly surfacedandoncemoregaveTranqueFloat a deliberate, almostsuspiciousscrutiny.AsSemmVoiderveg ran forth in hisceremonial robes, Sklar Hastmounted the ladder to thehoodwink house, but KingKragen slowly submerged.The water swirled over hisdomed black turret; the sealaycalmandblueasbefore.

Sklar Hast came downfromthetowertomeetSemmVoiderveg returning to hishut.“KingKragenisvigilant!He knows Tranque Float forthe haunt of evil that it is!Beware!” And SemmVoiderveg strode off in aflutterofblack.

Sklar Hast looked afterhim, wondering if SemmVoidervegwereperhapsmad.Returning to the open-sidedshed,wherewithanumberof

apprentices and assistanthoodwinks he wasconstructingapairofwhathereferred to as “practicemechanisms,” he discussedthepossibilitywithBenKell,the Assistant MasterHoodwink, who had noopinion.

“In Voiderveg’s opinionyou are mad,” said Kelso.“Thesearedifficultmatterstodefine. In the context of ayear ago, Voiderveg is saner

thansane.Withconditionsastheyarenow,thequestionofwho is most sane wavers onanedge.”

SklarHastgrinnedsourly.He had lost weight; hischeeks had become a trifleconcave, and there was asprinkleofgrayinthehairathistemples.“Let’stakethesethings outside and giveMyrex something new toworryover.”

The mechanisms were

carried out and set on thefloat halfway between thetower and the lagoon, one tothe right, one to the left. Inthe lagoon, broad on thetower, hung a large arboralready ripe with sponges.Twenty feet beyond,apparently by sheer chance,floated a chip of of wood.The chip, the two practicemechanisms, and the towerformed a rough squareseventyfeetonaside.

Stakes were driven intothesubstanceofthefloat;themechanisms were anchoredfirmly. Upon each was asighting device, similar to anavigator’s pelorus, whichSklarHastadjustedtobearonthefloatingchip.

He had prophesiedcorrectly. Almostimmediately the Arbiterappeared with his nowfamiliar doubts andcriticisms.Hebeganinatone

ofwearypatience,“Whataretheseobjects?”

“These are practicemachines for the apprentices.Wewillleavethemhereuntilsuitable accommodation isarrangedunderthetower.”

“Seemingly you wouldequip the towerwith frames,hoods, and lamps beforeconstructing practicemachines.”

“Normally we would doso.Butwe are testing a new

typeof linkage, and itwouldnot be well to allow theapprentices to scamp theirpractice.”

“In themeantimewe cansend no messages. We areisolated.”

Sklar Hast pointed to theThrasneck tower. “We canread all that transpireselsewhere. Nothing ofconsequenceoccurshere.”

“Nevertheless, we shouldput our system into working

order as rapidly as possible.”And he gave the tower ablack look. “Awkward, top-heavy,andaskewasitis.”

“If it achieves itspurpose,” said Sklar Hast, itwill be the most beautifulobject the world has yetseen.”

ArbiterMyrexgavehimasharp glance. “What is themeaningofthatremark?”

Sklar Hast saw that hehadgone too far. Ixonwasa

slow and rigid man, but notstupid. “Sheer exuberance,sheerhyperbole.”

IxonMyrexgrunted.“Thestructure is a disgrace.Already we are thelaughingstock of the wholeline.When the folk speak ofQuatrefoil and Sankston forextravagance andeccentricity, now they willadd Tranque. Iwould not besorry to see it destroyed andanothererectedinitsplace.”

“This one will serve,”saidSklarHastcarelessly.

Furtherdayspassed.KingKragendinedatGreenLamp,at Fleurnoy, and at Adelvinethree days running, thenswamfarwesttoGranolt.Fortwo days he was seen nomore, then appeared far outon the horizon to the southAumerge, coasting east. Thefollowing day he dined oncemoreatAdelvine,totheneardepletion of the Adelvine

lagoon,andthefollowingdayat Sumber, the third floatnorth from Tranque, withonly Thrasneck and Bicklebetween.OnTranqueFloat amood of uneasiness andforeboding manifested itself.People spoke in hushedvoices and looked constantlysidelong toward the sea. Bysomesortofpsychicosmosisall knew that a great projectwas afoot, even though thenature of the project was

unknown—to all but aboutthirty or so of the mostsecretivemenofthefloat.

Two days after KingKragen dined at Sumber, heappeared in the ocean to thenorth of Tranque and layfloating for half an hour,twitching his great vanes.Atthis, certain of the moretimorous departed Tranqueconveying themselves, theirwomen and children toThrasneck.

SemmVoidervegstormedup to Sklar Hast. “What isgoing on? What do youplan?”

“More to the point,” saidSklar Hast, “what do youplan?”

“What do I plan?”bellowed the portlyIntercessor. “What else do Iplan but rectitude? It is youand your accomplices whothreaten the fabric of ourexistence!”

“Calm yourself,Voiderveg,”saidWallBuncewith an insensitive grin.“Yonder floats the kragen towhich you pledged yourself.If you appear at adisadvantage you forfeit hisrespect.”

RudolfSnydergageacryof warning. “He moves! Heswimsforward!”

Voiderveg made a wildgesture. “I must go towelcome him. Sklar Hast, I

warn you, I implore you, donothing contrary to theCovenant!”

SklarHastmadenoreply.With a final desperate glareofadmonition,theIntercessormarched to the edge of thefloat and began his ritualgesticulations.

King Kragen movedslowly forward, by smalltwitches and flicks of thevanes. The eye-tubes studiedthe float carefully, as if

something of the tension andemotionof thoseon the floathadreachedhim.

King Kragen approachedthe mouth of the lagoon.SemmVoidervegsignaledhisassistants,whodrewbackthenet to allow King Kragenaccessintothelagoon.

The great black bulkapproached. Sklar Hastbecame conscious of thecloseattentionofIxonMyrexand several others. It was

clear that counsel had beentaken and plans made toforestall any action on hispart.SklarHasthadexpectedsomethingofthesortandwasnot perturbed. He went to abench and seated himself, asif contemptuouslydisassociating himself fromthe entire affair. Lookingaround,he saw thatothersoforthodoxpersuasionsimilarlystood near Roger Kelso andRubal Gallager, apparently

ready to employ forciblerestraint, if the necessityarose. Elsewhere about thefloat,othersoftheconspiracywere casually going to theirplaces. To Sklar Hast itseemed that theprogramwasblatantly obvious, and hewondered that neither SemmVoiderveg, Ixon Myrex, norany of those who supportedthemhadperceivedit.

_Therewasonewhohad:Gian Recargo, Elder of the

Bezzlers.Hecamenowtothebench and seated himselfbeside SklarHast. “This is aprecarioushour.”Heglancedup toward the hoodwinktower. “I hope, for all oursakesthatallgoeswell.”

SklarHastnoddedgrimly.“SodoI.”

Time moved with nerve-racking slowness. The sunshone almost perpendicularlyupon the ultramarine water.The foliage—black, orange,

green, purple, tawny yellow—swayed in the faintest ofwarmbreezes.Into

the lagoon swam KingKragen.SemmVoidervegranto the edge of the float andperformed his gestures ofreverenceandinvitation.

Sklar Hast frowned,rubbed his chin. GianRecargo glanced at himsidewise. “What of SemmVoiderveg?” he asked in thedriestofvoices.

“I had not consideredhim,” muttered Sklar Hast.“Aflawinmythinking.Iwilldomybestforhim.”Heroseto his feet, joined RolloBarnack who lounged besideone of the practicemechanisms.AttheotheronestoodBenKell, theAssistantMaster Hoodwink, both in aposition where they couldsight across their peloruses.“TheIntercessorstandsintheway,” Sklar Hast muttered.

“Pay him no heed. I will trytosavehim.”

“It will be dangerous foryouaswell.”

Sklar Hast nodded.“Unfortunately this is so.Allofusarerunninggraverisks.Heed neither SemmVoiderveg nor myself.Proceed as if neither of uswereimperiled.Wewillbothescape.”

Rollo Barnack nodded.“As you wish.” And he

looked across the pelorus, tosee a twitching tip of KingKragen’sforwardvane.

King Kragen floatedquietlytenortwentyseconds,studying Semm Voiderveg.Onceagainheeasedforward,thrust forth his palps, andgave himself a last thrustwhich pushed him close tothearbor.

King Kragen began tofeed.

Rollo Barnack, looking

along the points of hispelorus, found the turretslightly to the right of his,lineofsight.Hewaited.KingKragen floated a trifle to theleft. Rollo Barnack gave aprearrangedsignal,raisinghishand, running his fingersthroughhishair.BenKell,attheotherpelorus,wasalreadydoinglikewise.

At the back of the towerPoe Belrod and Wall Buncealready had cut the bindings

that lashed the two rear legsto the stubs rising from thebaseplatform.RudolfSnyderand Garth Gasselton loosedthe rear guy-lines. At one ofthe fore guy-lines—thoseleading toward the lagoon—five men pulled as casuallyandnonchalantlyaspossible.

The great tower, tall,heavy, narrow-based, pivotedover on the two legs yetbound. The great pointedyard-armbegan to sweepout

a great arc that wouldterminate upon KingKragen’sturret.

Directlyinthepathofthefalling tower stood SemmVoiderveg, intent at hisrituals. Sklar Hast strodeforward to thrust theIntercessor out of the way.Othersrealizedthatthetowerwas falling. There camesudden startled screams.SemmVoiderveglookedoverhis shoulder to see the

toppling structure andlikewise sensed Sklar Hastlunging at him. He gave astrangledcroak,and,tryingtorun, stumbled with flappingarms.Bothmen

rolled clear. TheastoundedKingKragen gavea twitch of the vanes. Downlike an enormous pickaxcame the tower, and thepointed yardarm missed theturretdeadcenter,onlybytheamount of King Kragen’s

twitch of alarm. Down uponthe black barrel came thepoint, glancing away andburying itself in the blackrectangularpadbelow.

From Rollo Barnack andRoger Kelso came groans ofdisappointment; othersscreamedinhorrorandfright.KingKragen himself emitteda fierce, whistling hiss andthrashed out with all fourvanes. The yardarm snappedfromthe tower;KingKragen

surged struggling back intothe lagoon. With two of thepalps it seized thestumpstillprotruding from its flesh,snatched it forth andbrandished it high in the air.Semm Voiderveg, strugglingto his feet, called out in ashrill,sobbingvoice,“Mercy,King Kragen, a terriblemistake! Mercy, havemercy!”

KingKragensurgedcloseand brought the length of

timber vindictively down onSemm Voiderveg, crushinghim to the pad. Again hestruck, then roaring andhissing hurled the object atSklarHast.Then,backingupand accelerating forward, hechargedthefloat.

“Run,” cried RolloBarnack hoarsely. “Run foryourlives!”

King Kragen was notcontent with the devastationof Tranque. He likewise

wrought havoc uponThrasneck and Bickle; then,fatigued or perhaps in pain,the propelled himself to seaanddisappeared.

Chapter8

A Grand Convocation wascalled on Apprise Float.BarquanBlasdel, theAppriseIntercessor, was the first tospeak. His remarks werepredictablybitter,hismannergrim. He eulogized SemmVoiderveg at length; he

lamented the dead ofTranque, Thrasneck, andBickle; he described thehavoc and disaster; hespeculated pessimisticallyregarding the status of thebroken Covenant. “Hiscomprehensible fury is notyet assuaged, but do theguilty suffer? No. Thismorning King Kragenattacked and demolished thecoracles of four Vidmarswindlers. Who can blame

him?To come in good faith,under the terms of theCovenant, to receive his justdue, encouraged andwelcomed by the Intercessor—andthentoexperiencethismurderous attack! KingKragen has demonstratedrestraint in not destroyingeveryfloatofthechain!

“Needless to say, thewretched conspirators whohatched this plot must bepunished. The last

convocationendedinriotandbloodshed.Wemustbemorecontrolled,moresagaciousonthis occasion, but we mustdefinitely act. Theconspiratorsmustdie.”

Barquan Blasdel did notcall forashowof fists, sincethe accused had not yetspokenintheirbehalf.

Phyral Berwick, theApprise Arbiter, henceconvocation moderator,looked around the float.

“Whocarestospeak?”“I.” Gian Recargo, Elder

of the Tranque Bezzlers,came forward. “Iwas not anactive conspirator. Initially Iwas of the orthodox view;then I changed my thinking.It is still changed. The so-called conspirators indeedhave brought damage andlossoflifetothefloats.Theygrieve for this as much asanyone else. But the damageand thedeathsare inevitable,

becauseIhavecometoagreewithSklarHast.KingKragenmust be killed. So let us notrevile thesemenwhobydintofgreat ingenuityanddaringalmost killed King Kragen.Theydidaswellastheywereable to.SklarHast riskedhisown life to save the life ofSemm Voiderveg. KingKragen killed theIntercessor.”

BarquanBlasdelleapedtohis feet and ridiculed Gian

Recargo’sdefenseofwhathecalled the “blasphemousirresponsibility of theconspirators.” After spokeArchibel Verack, QuincunxIntercessor; then ParensicMole, the Wyebolt Arbiter;then in succession otherarbiters, intercessors, eldersandguild-masters.

There was clearly noconsensus. It seemed as ifapproximatelyathirdofthosepresent favored the most

drastic penalties for theconspirators; another third,while regretting thedestruction and death toll,regretted even more stronglythe failure of the plot; whilethe final third were personsconfused, indecisive, andfearful, who swayed first inonedirection,thenanother.

Sklar Hast, advised byGianRecargo,didnot speak,and only watched andlistened stonily as Barquan

Blasdel and others heapedopprobriumuponhim.

The afternoon drew on,and tempers began to growshort.BarquanBlasdelfinallydecided to bringmatters to ahead. In a voice deadly calmhe again enumerated the sinsofSklarHastandhisfellows,then pitching his voice at acompelling level,calledforashowof fists. “Peaceand theCovenant!Allwhofavorthis,raise their fists! We must

purge the evil that threatensus! And I say”—he leanedforward, looked menacinglyacross the float—“that if theconvocation does notcorrectly vote death to themurderers, we right-thinkersand true-believers mustorganize ourselves into adisciplined group, to makesure that justice isdone!Thematter is this serious, thisbasic, this important! Crimemay not go unpunished!We

vacillated before—see whereit took us! So I say to you,vote death to the murderers;orseejusticesternlyimposedby the mighty force oforthodoxanger.Sonow:fistshigh against Sklar Hast andthe

conspirators!”Fists thrust into the air.

An equal number stayeddown, though many of thesebelongedtotheconfusedandundecided. Now began the

ominous mutter of argumentthat had preceded thebloodshed at the lastconvocation.

Sklar Hast jumped to hisfeet, strode to the rostrum.“Clearly we are divided.Some wish to serve KingKragen, others prefer not todoso.Weareonthevergeofa terrible experience, whichby all means must beprevented. There is onesimpleway to do this.Other

floatsasfertileastheseexist.I propose to depart thesebeloved Home Floats andmake a new life elsewhere. Inaturally will welcome allwhowishtojoinme,thoughIurgethiscourseuponnoone.We will gain freedom. Wewill serve no King Kragen.Our life will be our own.Undoubtedly there will beinitial deprivations, but weshall overcome them andbuildalifeaspleasantasthat

of Home—perhaps morepleasantbecausetherewillbeno tyrannical King Kragen.Whothenwishestosailawaytoanewhome?”

A few hands raised, thenothers, and others still, torepresent perhaps a third ofthose present. “This is morethan I expected,” said SklarHast.“Gothentoyourfloats,loadyourcoracleswithtools,pots, varnish, cordage—allyourutilegoods.Thenreturn

here, toAppriseLagoon.Wewillawaitapropitioustimetodepart, when the sea-beast isknowntobeatSciona,shouldwe choose to sail east, or atTranque,shouldwesailwest.Needlesstosay, thedirectionand hour of departure mustremain secret. There is noreason to explain why.” Hecast an ironic glance towardBarquanBlasdel,whosatlikea carved image. “It is a sadthing to leave an ancestral

home, but it is worse toremainandsubmittotyranny.The Firsts made this samedecision,anditisclearthatatleast some of us still retaintheidealsofourforefathers.”

Barquan Blasdel spokewithout rising to his feet: acrass act. “Don’t talk ofideals—merelygo.Gogladly.Gowithallgoodwill;wewillnotmissyou.Andneverseekto return when the teemingrogues,unchidedbythegreat

king, devour your poorsponges,tearyournets,crushyourcoracles!”

Sklar Hast ignored him.“All then who will departthese sad Home Floats, wemeet here in two days’ time.We will then secretly decideourhourofdeparture.

BarquanBlasdel laughed.“You need not fear ourinterference. Departwhenever you desire; indeedwewillfacilitateyourgoing.”

Sklar Hast reflected amoment. “You will notinform King Kragen of ourgoing?”

“No. Of course, he maylearn of the fact through hisownobservation.”

“This will be our planthen. On the evening of thethird day, when the windblows fair to the west, wedepart—provided, of course,that King Kragen cruises totheeast.”

Chapter9

Barquan Blasdel the AppriseIntercessor, his spouse andsix daughters occupied a padon the ocean to the north ofthe main Apprise float,somewhat isolated and apart.It was perhaps the choicestandmost pleasant pad of the

Apprise complex, situatedwhereBlasdelcould read thehoodwink towers ofApprise,of Quatrefoil and TheBandings to the east, ofGranolt to thewest. The padwas delightfully overgrownwith a hundred differentplants and vines, someyieldingresinouspods,otherscapsules of fragrant sap,others crisp tendrils andshoots. Certain shrubsproduced stains andpigment;

a purple-leaved epiphyteyielded a rich-flavored pith.Other growths were entirelyornamental—a situation nottoo usual along the floats,where space was at apremium and every growingobjectweighed for its utility.Alongtheentirelineoffloatsfew pads could compare tothat of Barquan Blasdel forbeauty, variety of plantings,isolation,andcalm.

In late afternoon of the

second day after theconvocation,BarquanBlasdelreturned to his pad. Hedropped the painter of hiscoracleoverastakeofcarvedbone, gazed appreciativelyinto the west. The sun hadjust departed the sky, whichnow glowed with effulgentgreens, blues, and, at thezenith, a purple of exquisitepurity.Theocean,ripplingtothe first whispers of theevening breeze, reflected the

sky. Blasdel felt surrounded,immersedincolor…

Heturnedaway,marchedto his house, whistlingbetween his teeth. In thelagoon were several hundredcoracles, perhaps asmany assix hundred, loaded withgoods: the property of themost perverse andtroublesome elements of thefloats. On the morrow theywould depart, and no morewould be heard from them.

Ever again. And Blasdel’swhistling became slow andthoughtful.

Although life seeminglyflowed smoothly, he hadsensed recently theawakeningofanuneasiness,adissatisfaction, which hadmade itself felt in a hundreddifferent ways. BarquanBlasdelhadnotbeenquitesosurprisedbytheattemptuponKing Kragen’s life as heprofessed to be, though for a

fact the attempt hadapproached success morenearly than he would haveexpected. A clever,unscrupulous fellow, thatSklar Hast. An obstreperous,recalcitrant, skeptical man ofgreat energy,whomBarquanBlasdelwasmorethanhappytohaveoutoftheway.

All was working out forthe best. Indeed, indeed,indeed! The affair could nothave resolved itself more

smoothlyifhehadpersonallyarranged the entire sequenceof events! At one stroke allthe grumblers, ne’er-do-wells, the covertly insolent,the obstinate hardheads—atone stroke all woulddisappear, never again totrouble easy and orthodoxwayoflife!

Almost jauntily BarquanBlasdelambledupthepathtohisresidence:agroupoffivesemidetached huts, screened

by the garden from themainfloat, and so providing amaximum of privacy forBlasdel, his spouse, and sixdaughters.Blasdelhalted.Onabenchbeside thedoorsataman. Twilight murkconcealed his face. Blasdelfrowned, peered. Intrudersuponhisprivatepadwerenotwelcome.

Blasdelmarchedforward.Themanrosefrombenchandbowed; it was Phyral

Berwick,theAppriseArbiter.“Good evening,” saidBerwick. “I trust I did notstartleyou.”

“By no means,” saidBlasdel shortly. With rankequal to his own, Berwickcould not be ignored,although after hisextraordinary and equivocalconduct at the twoconvocations, Blasdel couldnot bring himself to displaymore than a minimum of

formal courtesy. He said,“Unfortunately I was notexpecting callers and canofferyounorefreshment.”

“A circumstance of nomoment,” declared Berwick.“I desire neither food nordrink.” He waved his handaroundthepad.“Youliveona pad of surpassing beauty,BarquanBlasdel.Many envyyou.”

Blasdel shrugged. “Myconduct is orthodox; I am

armored against adverseopinion. But what urgencybringsyouhere? I fear that Imust be less thanceremonious; I am shortlyclueatthehoodwinktowertoparticipateinacodedall-floatconference.”

Berwick made a gestureof polite acquiescence. “Mybusiness is of smallmoment.But I would not keep youstandingouthereinthedusk.Shallweenter?”

Blasdel grunted, openedthedoor, allowedBerwick topass into the hut. From acupboardhebroughtluminantfiber,whichhesetaglowandarrangedinaholder.Turninga quick side glance towardBerwick, he said, “In allcandor, I am somewhatsurprised to see you.Apparently you were amongthe most vehement of thosedissidents who planned todepart.”

“I may well have giventhat impression,” Berwickagreed.“Butyoumustrealizethat declarations uttered inthe heat of emotion areoccasionally amended in thelightofsoberreason.”

Blasdel nodded curtly.“True enough. I suspect thatmany other of the ingrateswill think twice beforejoining this harebrainedexpedition.” Though hehopednot.

“This is partly the reasonfor my presence here,” saidBerwick. He looked aroundthe room. “An interestingchamber.Youowndozensofvaluable artifacts. Where aretheothersofyourfamily?”

“In the domestic area.This is my sanctum, myworkroom, my place ofmeditation.”

“Indeed.” Berwickinspected the walls. “Indeed,indeed! I believe I notice

certain relics of theforefathers!”

“True,” said Blasdel.“This small flat object is ofthe substance called ‘metal’and is extremely hard. Thebest knifewill not scratch it.Thepurposeofthisparticularobject I cannot conjecture. Itis an heirloom. These booksare exact copies of theMemoria. Alas! I find muchin them beyond mycomprehension. There is

nothing more of any greatinterest. On the shelf—myceremonial headdresses; youhave seen them before. Hereismy telescope. It isold; thecase is warped, the gum ofthe lenses has bulged andcracked. Itwas poor gum, tobegin with, but I have littleneed for a better instrument.My possessions are few.UnlikemanyIntercessorsandcertain arbiters”—here hecast a meaningful eye at

Phyral Berwick—“I do notchoose to surround myselfwith sybaritic cushions andbasketsofsweetmeats.”

Berwicklaughedruefully.“You have touched uponmyweaknesses. Perhaps the fearofdeprivationhasoccasionedsecondthoughtsinme.”

“Ha,ha!”Blasdelbecamejovial.“Ibegintounderstand.Thescalawagswhosetoff towild new floats can expectnothing but hardship: wild

fish, horny sponges, newvarnishwith littlemorebodythanwater; in short theywillbe returning to the life ofsavages.Theymustexpecttosuffer the depredations oflesser kragen, who willswiftly gather. Perhaps intime…”Hisvoicedwindled;his face tookon a thoughtfullook.

“Youwereabouttosay?”promptedPhyralBerwick.

Blasdel gave a

noncommittal laugh. “Anamusing, far-fetched conceitcrossedmymind. Perhaps intime one of these lesserkragen will vanquish theothers

and drive them away.When this occurs, thosewhofleeKingKragenwillhaveaking of their own, who mayeventually … ” Again hisvoicepaused.

“Who may eventuallyrival King Kragen in force?

The concept is notunreasonable—althoughKingKragen is already enormousfromlongfeastingandshowsno signs of halting hisgrowth.”

An almost imperceptibletremor moved the floor ofhut.Blasdelwent to lookoutthedoor.“I thoughtIfelt thearrivalofacoracle.”

“Conceivably a gust ofwind,” said Berwick. “Well,to my errand. As you have

guessed, I did not come toexamine your relicts orcommentuponthecomfortofyour cottage.My business isthis.More than two thousandfolk are leaving the HomeFloats,andIfeelthatnoone,not even the most violentlyfanatic intercessor, wouldwishthisgrouptomeetKingKragenupontheocean.KingKragen, as you are aware,becomes petulant, evenwrathful, when he findsmen

trespassing upon his realm.Nowheismoreirasciblethanever. Perhaps he fears thepossibilityofthesecondKingKragen,concerningwhichwespeculated. Hence I came toinquire the whereabouts ofKingKragen. In the eveningthewindblowswest,andtheoptimum location for KingKragenwould be at TranqueorThrasneck.”

Blasdel nodded sagely.“This,ofcourse,isaquestion

of fortuity and luck, andcertainly the emigrants areputting their luck to the test.Should King Kragen chanceto be waiting in the westtomorrow evening, andshouldhe spy the flotilla,hiswrathmight well be excited,to the detriment of theexpedition.”

“And where,” inquiredBerwick, “was King Kragenatlastnotification?”

Barquan Blasdel knit his

heavy black eyebrows. “IbelievethatIsawsomewinkstotheeffect thathehadbeenobserved cruising easterlybelow Adelvine towardSumber. I might have wellmisread the flicker—I onlynoted the configuration fromthe corner of my eye—butsuchwasmyunderstanding.”

“Excellent,” declaredBerwick.“Thisisgoodnews.Theemigrantsshouldthenbeable to make their departure

safely and withoutinterference.”

“So we hope,” saidBlasdel. “King Kragen, ofcourse, is subject tounpredictable whims andquirks.”

Berwick made aconfidentialsign.“Sometimes—so it is rumored—heresponds to signalstransmitted in somemysterious manner by theintercessors. Tell me,

Barquan Blasdel, is this thecase? We are both notablesand together shareresponsibility for the welfareof Apprise Float; is it truethen that the intercessorscommunicate with KingKragen,ashasbeenalleged?”

“Now, then, ArbiterBerwick,”saidBlasdel,“‘thisishardlyapertinentquestion.Should I answer yes, then Iwould be divulging a craftsecret. Should I answer no,

then it would seem that weintercessors boast ofnonexistent capabilities. Soyou must satisfy yourselfwith those hypotheses thatseemthemostprofitable.”

“Fairly answered,” saidPhyralBerwick.“However—andinthestrictestconfidence—I will report to you anamusing circumstance. Asyou know, at, bothconvocations, I more or lessalignedmyselfwiththeparty

of Sklar Hast. I wassubsequently accepted intotheirmostintimatecounsels.Icaninformyouwithauthority—but first, you will assuremeofyoursilence?Asunderno circumstances would Ibetray Sklar Hast, orcompromise the safetyof theexpedition.”

“Certainly, indeed; mylips are sealed as withfourteen-year-oldvarnish.”

“You will under no

circumstances communicate,signal, hint, or imply anyelementofwhatIamabouttoconfide, to any person oranything, the prohibition toinclude written messages,winks,oranyothermethodofcommunication?”

Barquan Blasdel gave anuneasy, high-pitched laugh—almostagiggle.“Yourchargeuponmeisnotonlylegalistic—it is portentous in theextreme.”

“Do you agree to theprovisions?”

“Certainly!Ihavealreadyassuredyouofmyreticence.”

“Well, then, I takeyouatyour word. This is SklarHast’samusing tactic:hehasarranged that a group ofinfluential intercessors shallaccompany the group. If allgoes well, the intercessorslive. If not, like all the rest,they will be crushed in themandibles of King Kragen.”

And Phyral Berwick,standing back, watchedBarquan Blasdel with anattentivegaze. “Whatdoyoumakeofthat?”

Blasdel stood rigid,fingering his fringe of blackbeard. He darted a quickglance toward Berwick;“Whichintercessorsaretobekidnapped?”

“Aha!” said Berwick.“That, like your response tothequestionIputtoyou,isin

the nature of a craft secret. Idoubt if lesser men will betroubled, but if I wereintercessor for Aumerge orSumberorQuatrefoilorevenApprise,IbelievethatImighthavecauseforcaution.”

Blasdel staredatBerwickwith mingled suspicion anduneasiness.“Doyoutakethismeans to warn me? If so, Iwouldthankyoutospeaklessambiguously. Personally Ifearno suchattack.Within a

hundred feet are threestalwarts, testing mydaughters for marriage. Aloud callwould bring instanthelp from the float, which isscarcely a stick’s throwbeyondthegarden.”

Berwick nodded sagely.“It seems then that you arequitesecure.”

“Still,Imustnowhurrytothemain float,” saidBlasdel.“I am expected at thehoodwink tower for an all-

float conference, and theeveninggrowsnoyounger.”

Berwickbowedandstoodaside. “You will naturallyremember to reveal nothingof what I told you, to putforth no oblique warning, tohintnothing—infact,tomakeno reference to thematter inanywaywhatever.”

Blasdel made animpatient gesture. “Iwill saynothing beyond my originalintention,totheeffectthatthe

villain Sklar Hast obviouslyknows no moderation andthat it behooves all notablesand craft masters to guardthemselvesagainstsomeformoffinalvengeance.”

Berwick frowned. “Ihardly think you need goquite so far. Perhaps youcould phrase it somewhatdifferently.Inthiswise:SklarHastandhissturdybandtaketheir leave in the morning;now is the last chance for

personsso inclined tocast intheir lot with the group;however, you hope that allintercessors will remain attheirposts.”

“Pah!” cried BarquanBlasdel indignantly. “Thatconveys no sense ofimminence! I will say SklarHast is desperate; should hedecide to take hostages, hisdiseased mind would selectintercessors as the mostappropriatepersons!”

Berwick made a firmdissent. “This, I believe,transcends the line I havedrawn.Myhonor is at stake,and I can agree to noannouncement which baldlystates the certainty as aprobability. It you choose tomake a jocular reference orperhaps urge that not toomany intercessors join theexpedition,thenalliswell.Asubtle germ of suspicion hasbeen planted, you have done

yourduty, andmyhonorhasnotbeencompromised.”

“Yes,yes,”criedBlasdel.“I agree to anything! But Imust hurry to the hoodwinktower. While we quibbleSklarHastandhisbanditsarecapturingintercessors!”

“And what is the harmthere?” inquired Berwickmildly.

“You state that KingKragen has been observedfrom Adelvine proceeding

west; hence the intercessorsare in no danger andpresumably will be allowedto return once Sklar Hast isassured that King Kragen isno longer a danger.Conversely, if theintercessors have betrayedSklar Hast and and giveninformation to King Kragensothathewaitsatthefarwestoff Sciona Float, then theydeservetodiewiththerest.Itis justice of themost precise

andexquisitebalance.”“That is the difficulty,”

muttered Blasdel, trying topush past Berwick to thedoor.“Icannotanswerforthesilence of the otherintercessors. Suppose oneamong them has notifiedKing Kragen? Then a greattragedyensues.”

“Interesting! So you canindeedsummonKingKragenwhenyousodesire?”

“Yes,yes,but,mindyou,

thisisasecret,Andnow—““It follows then that you

alwaysknowthewhereaboutsofKingKragen.Howdoyouachievethis?”

“There is no time toexplain;sufficeittosaythatameansisathand.”

“Right here? In yourworkroom?”

“Yes indeed. Now standaside.After I have broadcastthe warning, I will make allclear.Standasidethen!”

Berwick shrugged andallowed Blasdel to run fromthe cottage, through thegardentotheedgeofthepad.Blasdel stopped short at thewater’sedge.Thecoraclehaddisappeared. WherepreviouslyApprise Float hadraised its foliage and itshoodwink tower against thedusk, there was now onlyblank water and blank sky.The pad floated free; urgedby the west wind of evening

it already had left AppriseFloatbehind.Blasdelgaveaninarticulatesoundoffuryandwoe. He turned to findBerwickstandingbehindhim.“What has happened?”Blasdelasked.

“It seems that while wetalked, advertisermen cutthroughthestemofyourpad.At least this is mypresumption.”

“Yes, yes,” gratedBlasdel.“Somuchisobvious.

Whatelse?”Berwick shrugged. “It

appears that, willy-nilly,whetherwe like itornot,weare part of the greatemigration.Now that such isthe case, I am relieved toknow that you have ameanstodetermine thewhereaboutsof King Kragen. Come. Letus make use of this deviceandreassureourselves.”

Blasdel made a harsh,throaty sound. He crouched

andforamomentseemedonthepointofhurlinghimselfatPhyral Berwick. From theshadows of the verdureappeared another man.Berwick pointed. “I believeSklar Hast himself is athand.”

“You tricked me,”groaned Barquan Blasdelbetweenclenchedteeth.“Youhave performed an infamousact,whichyoushallregret.”

“I have done no such

deed,althoughitappearsthatyou may well havemisunderstood my position.Butthetimeforrecriminationis not now. We share asimilar problem, which ishow to escape themalevolenceofKingKragen.I suggest that you nowproceedtolocatehim.”

Without a word Blasdelturned, proceeded to hiscottage.He entered themainroom,withBerwickandSklar

Hastclosebehind.Hecrossedto the wall, lifted a panel toreveal an inner room. Hebrought more lights; allentered.Ahole had been cutin the floor and through thepad,thespongytissuehavingbeen painted with a blackvarnishtopreventitsgrowingtogether. A tube fashionedfrom fine yellow stalkperhaps four inches indiameter led down into thewater. “At the bottom,” said

Blasdelcurtly,“isacarefullydevised horn of exact shapeand quality. The end is fourfeet in diameter and coveredwithadiaphragmofseasonedandvarnishedpad-skin.KingKragen emits a sound towhich this horn is highlysensitive.” He went to thetube, put down his ear,listened, slowly turned thetube around a vertical axis.He shook his head. “I hearnothing. This means that

King Kragen is at least tenmilesdistant.IfheiscloserIcan detect him.Hepassed tothe west early today;presumably he swimssomewhere near Vidmar orLeumarorPopulousEquity.”

Sklar Hast laughedquietly. “Urged there by theintercessors?”

Blasdelgaveasourshrug.“As to that Ihavenothing tosay.”

“How, then, do you

summonKingKragen?”Blasdel pointed to a rod

rising from the door, the topof which terminated in acrank.“In thewaterbelow isadrum.Insidethisdrumfitsawheel. When the crank isturned,thewheel,workinginresin, rubs against the drumand emits a signal. KingKragen can sense this soundfrom a great distance—onceagain about ten miles.Assume he is at, say,

Sankston, and is needed atBickle.TheintercessoratTheBandings calls him, until thehornrevealshimtobefourorfive miles distant, where-upon the intercessor atQuatrefoilcallshim, then theHastings intercessor, and soforth until he iswithin rangeof the intercessor at BickleFloat.”

“I see,” said Sklar Hast.“In this fashion SemmVoiderveg called King

Kragen to Tranque.Whereupon King Kragendestroyed Tranque Float andkilledforty-threepersons.”

“Thatisthecase.”“And you have the

hypocrisy to call usmurderers!”

Blasdel once moreshruggedandsaidnothing.

Phyral Berwick said,“Perhaps it is fortunate thatSemm Voiderveg is alreadydead. He would have been

selected to accompany theemigration,andhislotwouldnothavebeenahappyone.”

“This is unreasonable!”Barquan Blasdel declaredheatedly. “Hewas as faithfulto his convictions as SklarHast is tohisown!After all,Voiderveg did not enjoy thedevastationofTranqueFloat.It was his home. Many ofthose who were killed werehis friends.Hegavehis faithand his trust utterly to King

Kragen. And, in return, waskilled.”

SklarHastswungaround.“Andwhatofyou?”

Blasdel shook his headsadly. “I am a man whothinksatmanylevels.”

SklarHastturnedawayindisgust.HespoketoBerwick.“Whatshouldwedowiththisapparatus? Destroy it? Orpreserveit?”

Berwick considered. “Wemightonsomeoccasionwish

to listen for King Kragen. Idoubtifwewilleverdesiretosummonhim.”

Sklar Hast gave asardonic jerk of his head.“Who knows? To his deathperhaps? He turned toBlasdel. “What persons areaboardthefloatinadditiontous?”

“My spouse—in thecottage two roofs along.Three young daughters whoweaveornamentsfortheStar-

cursing Festival. Three olderdaughters who provethemselves to threestalwarts.Allareunawarethattheirpadfloatsonthedeepocean.”Hisvoice quavered. “None wishto become emigrants to astrangelineoffloats.”

SklarHastsaid,“Nomoredoanyof the restofus—butwe were forced to choose. Ifeel no pity for them, or foryou. There will be work forall hands. Indeed, we may

formulate a new guild: theKragen-killers. If rumor isaccurate, they infest theocean.”

Helefttheroomandwentout into the night. Blasdelstood rigid, numbed by thealteration in hiscircumstances. He slowlyturned,castarancorousglareat Phyral Berwick, whostolidly returned the gaze.Blasdel gave an angry snortof sheer frustration.Hewent

to listen once more at thedetecting horn. Then he alsolefttheroom.

Berwick followed andlowered the panel. BothjoinedSklarHastat theedgeofthepad,wherenowseveralcoracles were tied. A dozenmen stood in the garden.SklarHast turned toBlasdel.“Summon your spouse, yourdaughters,andthosewhotestthem. Explain thecircumstances, and gather

yourbelongings.Theeveningbreeze is at hand and blowsuswest.Wejourneyeast.”

Blasdel departed,accompanied by Berwick.Sklar Hast and the othersentered the workroom,carriedeverythingofvalueorutility to the coracles,including the small metalrelict, the sixty-one books,the listening horn, and thesummoning drum. Then allembarkedinthecoracles,and

Barquan Blasdel’s beautifulpad was left to drift solitaryupontheocean.

Chapter10

Morning came to the oceanand with it the breeze fromthe west. Sails were riggedand the oarsmen rested. Thefloats could no longer beseen; theoceanwasa ruffledblue mirror in all directions.SklarHast loweredBlasdel’s

horn into the water, listened.Nothing could be heard.BarquanBlasdeldidthesameand agreed thatKingKragenwasnowherenear.

There were perhaps sixhundred coracles in theflotilla, each carrying fromthree to six persons, with asmuch gear, householdequipment, and tools aspossible, together with sacksoffoodandwater.

Two or three hours after

sunrise the breeze died. Thesails were lowered and oarsalone propelled the coracles.At noon the sun burnedbrightly down, and awningswereriggedoverheadtofendawaytheglare.

Late in the day severalmedium-sized floats wereseenaheadandslightlytothenorth. The Home Floats andKing Kragen were still toocloseathandtomaketheideaof permanent habitation

attractive or feasible, but asthe evening breeze wouldsoon be rising, to blow thecoraclesbacktothewest,theflotilla headed toward thefloats in order to tie up andsavetheoarsmentheeffortofrowing into the wind. Aftertwenty-four hours in thecoracles, a chance todisembark, tostretch the legsand walk back and forthwouldbemorethanwelcome.

With the sun low in the

west, shining over the backsof the voyagers, the coraclesapproachedthestrangefloats.They were in generalappearance to the HomeFloats, but wild and lessordered, with vegetationrampant, so that the centralspike was almost a pyramidof foliage. The breeze,blowing from the floats,brought an odor thatastonished Sklar Hast. Hecalled to Roger Kelso, who

rowedinanearbycoracle.“Do you smell what I

thinkIsmell?”Roger Kelso tested the

air,raisedhiseyebrows.“I’mnotsure.Ismellsomething…Perhaps just rubbish, or adeadfish.”

“Perhaps.” Sklar Hast,standing in the coracle,looked carefully through thetangle,butcouldseenothing.Other folk in other coracleslikewise had scented the

stench from the float andwere likewise lookinguneasily into the foliage.Butnothingmovedandnosoundswere to be heard. The firstcoracle nosed up to the edgeof the float; the youth in thebow jumped ashore with astake and painter; others didlikewise,andpresentlyallthecoracles were tied up, eithertothefloatortooneanother.

Not everyone alighted,and those who did remained

close to the coracles.Presently one of the youngmencameuponthesourceoftheodor:anarealitteredwithrefuse.Nearbywasacharredarea,wherecoalsstillglowedamong ashes and smolderingspongehusks.Thefloatswereinhabited.

“By whom?” whisperedMerilRohan. “Whocan theybe?”

Sklar Hast called out tothe jungle: “Come forth!

Show yourselves! We meannoharm!”

Therewassilence,exceptfor the rustle of the wind inthefoliage.Thesunwasnowgone,andtheafterglowbegantodarkenoverthefloat.

“Look here!” This wasthe call of a young nigglerwho had ventured a fewhundred yards around theedge of the float. He camerunning back, holding anobject which he gave to

Phyral Berwick: a necklace,oratleastacircularcordfromwhich was suspended anumber of glossy reddishchunksofmetal.

Sklar Hast looked withawe toward the foliage.“Come forth! We wish tospeakwithyou!”

Hereceivednoanswer.“Savages, probably filthy

and naked,” muttered PhyralBerwick.“Buttheyhavewhatwedon’thave—metal.Where

dotheygetit?”From the tangle now

came a screech, a terriblequavering sound full of rageandmenace, and atme sametimeanumberofstickscamehurtlingdownfromthesky.

“We’re not welcome,”said Sklar Hast. “This isclear.Backtoourfloats.”

The voyagersreembarked,withmuchmorecelerity than they had goneashore. From the foliage

came another screech, thistime of exultation andmirth,and a series of mad hoots,which raised the hair on thenecks,ofthevoyagers.

Thecoracleswerecastoffanddriftedintotheleeofthefloats, a hundred yardsoffshore, In the dusk thevoyagers saw a number ofpallidshapesemergefromthefoliage to run back and forthalongtheshore,prancingandcapering. Their faces and

physiognomy could not bediscerned.

Sklar Hast rowed histcoracle a cautious few yardscloser, but was greeted by anew shower of sticks andonceagainretreated.

Darkness fell, and thecoracles waited out theeveningbreeze.Onthefloatafire was kindled, and two orthreedozenmanlikecreaturesemerged to stand in theflicker.RogerKelsocalledto

Sklar Hast across the water:“SomewhereIhavereadofagroupofSecondorThirdfolkwho committed unorthodoxacts and were ‘banished’—aword that well may mean‘sentaway’.Ifso,andiftheycame in this direction, thesemustbetheirdescendants.”

“It is chilling tocontemplate how little is thedistance between us andsavagery,” said Sklar Hast.“Still—theyhavecopper,and

wedonot.”“How is this?”demanded

RubalGallager.“Wheredoesitcomefrom?”

No one made response,andalllookedbackacrossthedarkwater at the floats, nowsilhouetted against the sky.Withtheendofduskandthecoming of the constellationsthewinddied,andoncemorethe flotilla proceeded east,across water calm andsmooth. All night some

rowed while others slept,until finally the first amberflashtotheeastbroughtwithit a whisper of the welcomewind from the west. Sailswere raised; into the dawnscudded the coracles, over abright,emptysea.

The second day was likethe first, with a brief rainsquall halfway through theafternoon, which served toreplenish the jugs. Swindlersnetted various edible sea-

creatures, and while thecoracles carried ample food,this demonstrated ability tosubsist,ifnecessary,fromtheocean was reassuring, andthere was singing andbadinage between thecoracles.

On the morning of thethirdday a small kragenwasobserved. Itapproachedfromthe north, swimming itslunging breast-stroke, andhaltedahundredyardsdistant

to watch the flotilla pass. Ittwitched its vanes, dartedforward, almost as if in aneffort to alarm the voyagers,then sank abruptly below thesurface. A moment latercertain of the swindlersgazingdownthroughawater-box saw it pass below—agreat sprawling, writhingshadow.Aquarter-miletothesouth it surfaced and layfloating quietly, thenpresentlydisappeared.

Toward the end of thefourthdayalineoffloatswasobserved ahead, as rich andbeautifulastheHomeFloats,though perhaps half asnumerous.Fromthevoyagerscame rapturous murmurs.Sklar Hast stood up in hiscoracle, signaled for aconference, and all the othercoraclesdrewclose,toformagreatraftdriftingandrockingonthewater.

SklarHastsaid,“Hereare

the first floats we haveencountered, aside from thefloats of the savages. Wemove slowly. King Kragencan swim three times ourspeed. In a single day andnight—if he so chose, and ifhe knew our whereabouts—he could come to find us. Ifeel that we should notconsider landing here, butshould proceed till we cometo at least one other line offloats.”

Murmurs ofdisappointment arose, forthese floats, lush and heavywithblack,green,orange,andgold vegetation, after fourdaysontheocean,seemedanArcadianvision.

There was discussion, acertain amount of argument,and some grumbling to theeffect that King Kragenwould never see fit to swimthis far, either from curiosityor vindictive rage. Phyral

Berwick sided with SklarHast,asdidmostofthecaste-elders andguild-masters; andfinally amid soft cries ofregret the floats were leftbehind. Again the flotillasailed out upon the emptysea.

At noon on the sixth dayanother line of floats wassighted, and all knew thatherewastobethenewhome.Allwere now happy that thefirst line had been passed.

These were as extensive, asspacious, and even morenumerous than the HomeFloats, with myriads of theprizedsmallpadsuponwhicha family could build andcultivatetoitsowntaste.

The flotilla landed at alarge float near the center ofthe line. There were noevidence of occupation, bysavages or otherwise. Thecoracles were unloaded andmoved to a cove where they

could not be seen from thesea. In the evening, after afestive supper, there was aninformalcounciloftheguild-mastersandcaste-elders.

“Our two immediateproblems,” said PhyralBerwick, “aside from theinevitable toil of establishingourselves in comfort andsecurity,arethedispositionofour hostages, and ourorganization. These are bothproblems of some

complexity. The matter oforganizing ourselves into aresponsible group is perhapsthe simplest. The problem isthis: Looking around me, Isee eightMasterHoodwinks,sixMasterLarceners, sixteenMaster Advertisers, and soon. Naturally all cannot bemasters. My suggestion isthatthevariousguild-mastersconferandselectoneof theirnumber as grand-master, bylot, by seniority, or by any

other means. Then we canfunction with moredecisiveness. This can be atemporary arrangement atleast, until we settle other ofthefloats.

“Secondly—whatofthosewhomwehavewithus?Whatof them? They have servedtheirpurpose,butnowwhat?We can’t kill them,we can’tkeep theminapen,wecan’tlet them return to the HomeFloats—at least not yet. We

must consider the mattercarefully?”

All turned to look towardthegroupofintercessorswhosat with their familiessomewhat to the side. Theintercessors themselvesevinced glumness anddissatisfaction in varyingdegrees. The spouses andolder children appeared lessconcerned, while the veryyoung, romping with othersof theirownage,were in the

bestofspirits.BarquanBlasdel,noticing

that his case was underdiscussion, scowled, startedtorise, thenthoughtbetterofit andmuttered something tothe Parnassus IntercessorLukeRobinet.

Roger Kelso said, “If wecouldtrustthemtoleaveusinpeace,thentherewouldbenoproblem.Wecouldgivethemcoracles, stores, and wishthemwell.Butas sureaswe

sit here, as soon as theyreturned to theHome Floats,there would be plots andschemes. Blasdel, for one,wouldlikenothingbetterthanto bring King Kragen acrossthewatertopunishus.”

“We must destroy thebeast,” said Sklar Hast in avoiceofabsolutededication.

“Easier said than done.Though I expect that longyears will pass before KingKragenagainventures,neara

hoodwinktower.”“In the meantime—the

intercessors may not return,”saidPhyralBerwick.“Thisisadistastefulsituation.Theactof placing restraints uponanyone violates our mostcherished traditions—but itmust be. The questionbecomes: how to enforcethese restraints withoutinflictingharshness?”

Theproblemwasdebatedat length, and finally a

solution was achieved. Mostof the coracles were to-betaken to a distant float andhidden, where theintercessors could not findthem.Onlysufficientcoraclesto serve the needs ofswindlers and blackguardsand hooligans, at theirrespective tasks of fish-swindling,arbor-buildingandnet-emplacement, would beretained. These would bemovedtoalocationforbidden

to the intercessorsonpainofincarcerationinawithecage.To guarantee that coracleswouldnotbestolenbynight,oars and sails would beimpounded, in a locked andguardedcase.Also—and thisstratagemwaspropounded ina low voice byRogerKelso,so that the intercessorsmightnothear—to thekeelofeachcoracle, below the waterline,alinewouldbeattached.Thislinewouldrununderneaththe

float and communicate withanalarmofsomekind.Whenthe swindlers used a coracle,they would discreetly detachthe line, and restore it whenthey returned. Sklar Hastsuggested that four or fiveyoungswindlersbeappointedto guard the coracles and tomakesurethatthealarmlineswere at all times attachedwhenthecoracleswerenotinuse.

The systemwas accepted

as that which imposed theleast rigor upon theintercessors. BarquanBlasdel, when theprohibitions were explained,waxed indignant. “First youkidnap us and bundle usacrossperilousseas,thenyouperform the infamy ofproscribingtoourfeetcertainportionsofthefloat!Whatdoyouexpectofus?”

“Weexpectcooperation,”said Sklar Hast in the driest

of voices. “Alsowork.Here,on theNew Floats, everyoneworks,includingintercessors,becauseherethereisnoneedforintercession.”

“You show no morehumility or spiritual sensethan a six-barb conger,” saidBarquanBlasdelevenly.

Sklar Hast shrugged.“EventuallywewillkillKingKragen, then you may walkwhere you will and behumble where you will—but

until the loathsome beastsettles dead to the ocean’sfloor, you must keep acircumspectdistancebetweenyourselfandourcoracles.”

BarquanBlasdel staredatSklarHastafulltenseconds.“You have further designsupon the life of KingKragen?”

“Who knows what thefuture holds?” said SklarHast.

On the following day thegreattaskofalteringthewildnew float began. Pads at thecenter of the float weredesignated for removal, inorder to form a lagoon.Nigglers stripped away thesurface skin, which wouldserve a great variety ofpurposes. The pulp belowwas cut into strips, whichwhen dry and stiff wouldserve as insulation andplanking, or when plucked

and shredded becamecushioning, fuel, or aningredientofthecoarsepaperproduced by scriveners. Theribs and tubes of the padswereputasidetoseason,andthe lower membrane, this ofthe fine transparent qualitysuitable for windows, wastaken. Below were the greatcantilever ribs, from whichcoracle keels and spongearbors were constructed, andbelow this the stems, over

which sleeves were nowfitted to extend above thewater level.Sapexudingwascollected in buckets, boiledand aged to make varnish.Later, perhaps in amonth ortwowhenthesaphadstoppedflowing, the stem would becut by advertisermen,strippedoffiberforropesandcordage,andwoodystripsforwithe.

The aperture thus leftvacant would become the

floatlagoon:ananchorageforcoracles, a pond for captivefood-fish, a source of scenicdelight,andalocaleforwatersports.

While the nigglersstripped pad-skin from thefuture lagoon, others clearedawaywastevegetation,whichwas burned for ash; boysclimbed the central spikeswithbuckets,tocollectpollenfrom the great fruiting pods,and this when tested proved

tobeaqualityevenfinerandmorefragrant than thefamedMaudelinda yield, it whichwas a cause for greatpleasure.

As soon as withes hadbeen seasoned, larceners andfelons set to workconstructing huts, while thebezzlers, traditionally themonitors of sanitation,cleanliness, and the purity ofthewater supply, constructedreservoirs to store the

afternoonrainfall.Atallthesetasks the intercessors, theirspousesandchildren,assistedwithmoreor lessgoodgraceandgraduallybecamedividedinto two groups: those whogave over their initialresentment and began toadapt themselves Ito thenewlife, and those others—abouthalf—who would not bereconciled and heldthemselves dourly aloof. Ofthe latter group Barquan

Blasdelwas themostnotablerepresentative, he made nosecret of his continuingresentment. All were carefulto observe the restraints putupon their movements, andnight after night the coraclealarmremainedundisturbed.

One evening Sklar Hastjoined Roger Kelso andRohanatabenchwhere theywere comparing the oneMemoria which had beenconfiscated from Barquan

Blasdelwith those thatMerilRohanhadcopiedforherself.“I presume there aredifferences?” Sklar Hastasked.

“Indeed,”saidKelso.“It’sinevitable. The Firsts,whatever their other talents,had few literary skills; someof the books contain muchrepetitionanddullness,

others are vaingloriousand devote pages to self-encomium. Others are

anxious to explain in greatdetailthevicissitudesthatledto their presence on theShipof Space. Some of this,inevitably, is omitted in thecopying so that every newedition,inasense,becomesaset of analects.” He tappedBarquan Blasdel’s books.“These are very old and arethe most complete of myexperience.” He opened oneof the books, looked alongthe pages. “The Firsts were,

of course, a very mixedgroup, derived from a socialstructure far morecomplicated than our own.Apparently, they mightbelong to several differentcastesatonce.Therearehintsof this situation that I donotevenprofesstounderstand.”

“Accordingtomyreadingof the Analects,” said SklarHast, “all describe theHomeWorlds as a place ofmaniacs.”

“Wehavetotakesomeofthis with caution. Neverforget that the Firsts werehuman beings very littledifferent from ourselves.Some were of the mostrespectedcastesof theHomeWorld society, until, as theyexplain it, persons inauthority turnedon themandinstituted a savagepersecution, ending, as weknow, in our ancestorsseizingcontrolof theShipof

Spaceandfleeinghere.”“It is allveryconfusing,”

saidSklarHast.“Noneseemsto have much contemporaryapplication.Forinstance,theydonottellushowtheyboiledvarnish on the HomeWorld,or how they propelled theircoracles.Docreatureslikethekragen infest the HomeWorlds? If so, how do theHome Folk deal with them?Do they kill them or feedthem sponges? The Firsts, to

my knowledge, are silent onthesepoints.”

“Evidently they are notoverly concerned,” said,Kelso reflectively.“Otherwise they would havedealt with these matters atlength. There is much thattheyfail tomakeclear.Asinour own case, the variouscastes seemed trained toexplicit trades. EspeciallyinterestingarethememoirsofJames Brunet. Like the

others, he professes severalcastes: Scientist, Forger,Caucasoid. All are extinctamong us, as the Forgershaveallbecomescriveners.Apart of his Memoriumconsists of ratherconventional exhortations tovirtue.Butatthebeginningofthe book he says this.” HereKelso opened a book andread:

“To those who

follow us, to ourchildrenandgrand-children, we canleave no tangibleobjectsofvalue.Webrought nothing tothe world butourselves and thewreckage of ourlives. We willundoubtedly diehere—a fateprobablypreferableto New Ossining,

butbynomeansthedestiny any of ushad planned forourselves. There isno way to escape.Of the entire groupI alone have atechnicaleducation, most ofwhich I haveforgotten. And towhat end could Iturn it? This is asoft world. It

consists of ocean,air, sunlight, andseaweed. There island nowhere. Toescape—even if wehad the craft tobuild a new ship,which we do not—weneedmetal, andmetalthereisnone.Eventobroadcastaradio signal weneed metal. None… no clay to make

pottery, no silicafor glass, nolimestone forconcrete, no orefromwhichtosmeltmetal. Still, onreflection,allisnothopeless. Ash issimilar chemicallyto fire clay. Theshells offoraminifera aresilica. Our ownbones become a

source of lime. Avery high-melt, iflow-quality, glasscould result if thethreewere fused inthe properproportion.Presumably theocean carriesvarious salts, buthow to extract themetal withoutelectricity?Thereisiron in our blood:

howtoextractit?Astrange helplesssensation to liveonthis world wherethe hardestsubstance is ourown bone! Wehave, during ourlives,takensomanythings for granted,and now it seemsthat no one canevoke somethingfrom nothing …

This is a problemon which I mustthink. An ingeniousman can workwonders, and I, asuccessful forger—or rather, almostsuccessful—amcertainlyingenious.”

Roger Kelso paused in hisreading. “This is the end ofthechapter.”

“Heseemstohavebeenaman of no great force,”mused SklarHast. “It is truethat metal can be foundnowhere, except where thesavages contemptuouslydiscard it.” On the benchbefore them was the bit ofmetalwhichhadoncegracedthe workroom of BarquanBlasdel. Sklar Hast lifted it,hefted it. “Obdurate stuffindeed.” He reached for thecrude copper necklace that

they had found on the wildfloats. “Here is the greatmystery:Where, how do thesavagesderivethis?”

Roger Kelso heaved adeep sigh, shook his head inperplexity. “Eventually wewilllearn.”Hereturnedtothebook. “He writes his nextchapter after a lapse ofmonths:

“BeforeIproceed,Imust provide as

bestIcanapictureof the way theuniverse works, foritisclearthatnoneof my colleaguesare in any positionto do so, excellentfellows though theyare. Please do notsuspect me ofwhimsy: ourpersonalities andsocial worthundoubtedly vary

with the context inwhichwelive.”HereKelso looked up. “I

don’t quite understand all ofhis implications. Does hemean that his colleagues areexcellent fellows? Or werenot?Whyshouldhesaythis?His own caste doesn’t seemtobethehighest…Isupposethat the matter isunimportant.” He turned thepages. “Henowgoes into anelaborate set of theorizations

regarding the nature of theworld,which,Iconfess,Ifindover complex, evenartificial.Thereisnoconsistencytohisbeliefs. Either he knowsnothing,orisconfused,ortheworld essentially isinconsistent. He claims thatallmatteriscomposedoflessthan a hundred ‘elements,’joined together in‘compounds.’ The elementsare constructed of smallerentities: ‘electrons,’

‘protons,’ ‘neutrons,’ andothers, which are notnecessarilymatter,butforces,depending on your point oftview; when electrons move,the result is an electriccurrent: a substance orcondition—he is not clearhere—of great energy andmany capabilities. Toomuchelectricity is fatal; in smallerquantitiesweuseittocontrolour bodies. According toBrunet, all sorts of

remarkable things can beachievedwithelectricity.”

“Letusprovideourselvesanelectriccurrentthen,”saidSklar Hast. “This maybecome our weapon againstthekragen.”

“The matter is not sosimple. In the first place, theelectricitymust be channeledthroughmetalwires.”

“Here is metal,” saidSklar Hast, examining thefragments before him,

“though this is hardly likelytobesufficient.”

“Theelectricitymustalsobe generated,” said Kelso.“On the Home Planet thisseems to be a complicatedprocess,requiringagreatdealofmetal.”

“Then how do we getmetal? Are we so backwardthat, while even the savagesstrew it around like sponge-husk,wehavenone?”

Kelso tilted his head

dubiously sidewise. “Onother planets there seems tobenoproblem.Oreisrefinedand shaped into a greatvarietyoftools.Herewehavenoore.Inothercases,metalsare extracted from the sea,onceagainusingelectricity.”

Sklar Hast made a soundof disgust. “This is likechasing oneself around apole. To procure metal, weneed electricity. To obtainelectricity, metal is required.

Howdoesonebreakintothisclosedcircle?Thesavagesaremoreadept thanwe.Do theyalso wield electricity?Perhaps we should sendsomeonetolearnfromthem.”

“Not I,” said Kelso. Hereturnedtothebook.“Brunetmentions various means togenerate electricity..,There isthe ‘voltaic cell,’ where twometalsareimmersedacid.Hedescribes a means to derivethe acid, using rain-water,

sea-brine, and electricity.Then there isthermoelectricity,photoelectricity, chemicalelectricity, electricityproduced by cataphoresis,electricity generated bymoving a wire near anotherwire in which electricityflows.Hestatesthatalllivingcreatures produce smallquantitiesofelectricity.”

“What of metal?” askedSklarHast.“Doesheindicate

anysimplemethodstosecuremetal?”

Kelso turned pages,pausedtoread.“Hementionsthat blood contains a smallquantity of iron.He suggestsamethodforextractingit,byusing a high degree of heat.But he also points out thatthere is at handno substancecapable of serving as areceptacle under suchextremes of heat. He statesthat on the Home World

many plants concentratemetallic compounds, andsuggests that certain of ourown sea-plants might do thesame.Butagaineitherheatorelectricityisneededtosecurethepuremetal.”

Sklar Hast ruminated.“Ourfirstandbasicproblem,as I see it, is self-protection.We need a weapon to killKingKragenintheeventthathetracksusacrossthesea.Itmightbeadeviceofmetal—

or it might be a larger andmore savage kragen, if suchexist … ” He considered.“Perhaps you should makeproduction of metal andelectricity your goal, and letnootherpursuitsdistract

you. I am sure that thecouncilwill agree and put atyourdisposalsuchhelpersasyoumayneed.”

“Iwouldbepleasedtodomybest.”

“And I,” said SklarHast,

“I will reflect upon thekragen.”

Chapter11

Threedayslaterakragenwasseen, a beast of notinconsiderable size, perhapstwentyfeetinlength.Itcamecruisingalongtheedgeofthefloatand,observing themen,stopped short. For twentyminutes it floated placidly,

swirlingwaterbackandforthwithitsvanes.Thenslowlyitswung about and continuedalongthelineoffloats.

A month passed, duringwhich the communityachieved a rude measure ofcomfort. A large quantity ofstalkandwithehadbeencut,scraped and racked. A rope-walk had been rigged, androot-wisp was being twistedinto rope. Three large padshad been cut from the side

and center of the float,creatingalargelagoonwitharelatively narrow mouth—this at the request of SklarHast. Arbors wereconstructed, seeded withsponge-floss, and loweredintothewater.

During this period fourkragen had passed by. Thefourth occurrence seemed tobe a return visit of the first.Onthisfourthvisitthekragenpaused, inspected the lagoon

with care. It tentativelynudged the net, which hadjust been set in place, thenbacked away and presentlyfloatedoff.

Sklar Hast watched theoccurrence. Then he went toinspect the new-cut stalk,which now was sufficientlycured. He laid out a pattern,andworkbegan.Firstawidebase was built near thenarrowmouth of the lagoon,withasubstructureextending

downtothemainstemofthefloat. On this base waserectedanA-framederrickofgluedwithe,seventyfeettall,with integral braces, theentire structure whippedtightly with strong line andvarnished. Another identicalderrickwasbuilttoover-hangthe ocean. Before either ofthe derricks were completed,asmallkragenbrokethroughthe net to feast upon the yetunripesponges.“Atyournext

visit, you will not fare sowell,”SklarHastcalledtothebeast. “May the sponges rotinyourstomach!”

The kragen swam lazilyoff down the line of floats,unperturbed by the threat. Itreturned two days later. Thistime thederrickswereguyedandinplace,butnotyetfittedwithtackle.AgainSklarHastreviled the beast, which thistime ate with greaterfastidiousness, plucking only

those sponges which likepopcorn had overgrown theirhusks. The men worked farinto the night installing thestrutwhich,when thederricktilted out over the water,thrust high the topping-halyard to provide greaterleverage.

On the next day thekragen returned and enteredthe lagoon with insultingassurance, a beast somewhatsmallerthanthatwhichSklar

HasthadcapturedonTranqueFloat, but nonetheless acreature of respectable size.Standing on the float, astalwart old swindler flung anoose around the creature’sturretandonthepadalineoffiftymenmarchedawaywithaheavy rope.Theastonishedkragen was towed to theoutward-leaning derrick,swung up and in. Thedangling vanes were lashed;itwasloweredtothefloat.As

soon as the bulk collapsed,thewatching folk, cryingoutin glee, shoved forward,almost dancing into thegnashing mandibles. “Back,fools!”roaredSklarHast.

“Doyouwanttobecutinhalf? Back!” He was largelyignored. A dozen chiselshacked at the horny hide;clubs battered at the eyes.“Back!” raged Sklar Hast.“Back!What do you achievebyanticssuchasthis?Back!”

Daunted, the vengefulfolkmoved aside.SklarHasttookchiselandmalletand,ashe had done on Tranque eFloat, cut at the membranejoining dome to turret. Hewasjoinedbyfourothers;thechannelwasswiftlycut,andadozenhands rippedaway thedome. Again, with pitilessoutcry, the crowd surgedforward. Sklar Hast’s effortsto halt them were fruitless.The nerves and cords of the

creature’s ganglionic centerwere torn from the turret,while the kragen jerked andflutteredandmadeabuzzingsoundwithitsmandibles.Theturret was plucked clean ofthe wet-string fibers as wellas other organs, and thekragenlaylimp.

SklarHastmovedawayindisgust. Rollo Barnackjumpeduponthehulk.“Haltnow! No more senselesshacking! If the kragen has

bones harder than our own,wewillwanttopreservethemforuse.Whoknowswhatusecan be made of a kragen’scadaver? The hide is tough;themandiblesareharderthanthe deepest stalk. Let usproceedintelligently!”

Sklar Hast watched fromalittledistanceasthecrowd;examined the dead beast. Hehad no further interest in thekragen. A plannedexperiment had been foiled

almost as soon as the hate-driven mob had rushedforward. But there would bemorekragen forhisderricks;hopefully they could benoosed by the sea-derrickbefore they broke into thelagoon. In years to come,strong-boats or bargesequippedwithderricksmighteven go forth to hunt thekragen…Heapproachedthekragen once again, peeredinto the empty turret, where

nowwelledpuddleofviscousdark blue blood. The sightsomethingdeepinhisbrain;aresponse, a recollection, areference. In theAnalects? Itcame to him: The blood ofcertain sea-creatures ofEarthalso ran blue: lobsters andking crab, whatever thesemightbe.

Kelso shared a similarinterestinthedarkbluefluid.He brought buckets withwhichhehailedouttheblood

and conveyed it to a barrel.Sklar Hast watched interest.“Whatdoyoupropose?”

“Nothing definite. I amcollecting substances. Thesavages found metalsomewhere. If I collectenough materials and tryvariousmethodsofextractionon all, I will be able toachieve what the savageshavealreadydone.”

“The savages are provinga great inspiration,” said

Sklar Hast. “I wonder whatother wonders andaccomplishments they couldteach?”

“Here would be a gooduse to make of theintercessors,” observed RolloBarnack. “So far they haveshowed little enthusiasm forthenewlife.”

“The death of the kragenhas made them very glum,”said Wall Bunce jocularly.“Hey, intercessors! What do

youthinknow?”Theintercessors,whohad

watched the killing of thekragen from a distance,turnedaway incontemptanddisgust. Sklar Hast strolledover to where they stoodtalking in low voices. “Doyou still think that we needfear harassment by thekragen?” he asked. LukeRobinet spoke in a voicequivering with detestation.“These are small fry and not

King Kragen. Someday hewill findyouandpunishyoufor breaking the Covenant.Then all your ropes andpulleys and derricks will beofnoavailwhatever!”

Sklar Hast noddeddolefully. “Itwould be a sadaffair. King Kragen shouldhavebeenkilledwhenhefirstappeared, as we have killedthe sea-beast today. Thinkhow much easier life wouldhave been for all of us!

Instead he was fed andfawned upon, and now heloomsoverallourlives.”

Barquan Blasdel said inhis even, easy voice: “Youare an insensitiveman, SklarHast. You see only what isbefore your nose; you areignorant of the spiritualbenefits to be derived fromself-abasement.”

“Absolutely true,” saidSklar Hast. “I fear I havesuffered serious

disadvantages in thisrespect.”

The Wyebolt Intercessor,athin,hot-eyedoldmanwithan undisciplined mop ofwhite hair, rasped: “Yoursarcastic fleers and flauntswill avail little when KingKragen at last demands anaccounting!”

Sklar Hast noted certainuneasy movements andgrimaces among theintercessors. “How do you

expect that will come topass?”

The Wyebolt Intercessorignored the wry looks of hisfellows, or perhaps, sensingthem, he modified his reply.“What will be, will be. Itcertainly must be assumedthat King Kragen will notallowhisintercessorstobesomisused.”

“The beast neither knowsnor cares,” scoffed SklarHast, hoping to infuriate the

Wyebolt Intercessor to thepoint where he might makean indiscreet revelation.BarquanBlasdelperformedalarge, almost indulgentgesture.“Thisconversationisbootless. You have us at adisadvantage. Eventuallythese poor folk will tire ofyour crass materialism andreject all that you represent.Until then we must bepatient.” With a quick butmonitory glance around the

circle of intercessors, hecrossed to his hut anddisappearedwithin.

Sklar Hast moved on,across the float to whereMeril Rohan had establishedwhatshecalleda“school”forthe instruction of children.This was an institution notabsolutely unknown on theHome Floats—in fact, theQuatrefoil Academy for thetraining of scriveners wasnotable—butchildrenusually

were educated through guildagencies.

Meril had watched thelandingofthekragenbuthadtaken no part in the frenzieddeath-rite. Instead, turningherback,shehadgonetoher“school”, which, of course,hadbeenvacatedbyreasonofthe excitement at the othersideofthefloat.

Here Sklar Hast, comingthrough thestillheavy tangleofvines,foundher,sittingon

a bench looking out acrossthe blue water. Heapproached and sat besideher. “What are you thinkingabout?”

Shewassilentamoment.“I was thinking about thetimestocome,andwonderingwhatistobefallus.”

Sklar Hast laughed; “Ican’tallowmyselftowonder.TheproblemsofNowaretoogreat.IfIwonderedwhereallwastolead,I’dbehalted.”

Meril making no reply,nodded slowly as if at someprofoundinnerdiscovery.

“Andwheredoesallyourwondering take you‘2” SklarHastasked.

“No single place.We areof the Eleventh generation;already there are TwelfthsandThirteenths;Itseemsthatover all these years we havebeen living dreams. TheFloats were so easy andfertile that he one has ever

been forced towork or thinkorsuffer.Orfight.”

Sklar Hast noddedgloomily. “Undoubtedly youare right—but now we havebeen forced, and we arefighting. Today we won ourfirstvictory.”

“Butsuchacheapvictory.And what is the fight for?Merelythatthekragenshouldnot eat our sponges, that weshouldbeallowedtocontinuethisdreamingplacidlife;that

it might go on forever!… Iamnotproudofmyself.Iwassickened by the death of thekragen. We fled the HomeFloats. It was the right thingto do—but is this the end ofour ambitions? A life oflagoonsandsunlight,withouteven King Kragen to worryus?Itfrightensmesomehow,andIwonderifthisisallmylife is to be: somethingwithout achievement orvictory or meaning of any

kindwhatever.”Sklar Hast frowned. “I

haveneverthoughtexactlyinthese terms. Always theimmediate problems seemurgent.

“Iimaginethatthiswouldalwaysbethecase,nomatterhow trivial the problems. Inher Memorium EleanorMorse speaks of her ‘goals,’and how they moved furtherand further into the distance,and so to achieve them she

forced herself to become aBezzler. This has noparticular meaning for us,except that it illustrates howambitionforces folk tobetterthemselves. So I have beentryingtoformsomegoalsformyself, that I might justpossiblyhopetoachieve.”

“Whatarethey?”“Youwon’tmockme?Or

laugh?” Meril turned graveeyesuponhim.

“No.”SklarHasttookher

hand,heldit.Meril looked around the

array of crude benches, “Iattended the Scriveners’Academy on Quatrefoil.Therearefourlargestructuresfurnished for study, arefectory, and twodormitories. I want to bringsuch an academy into beinghere. Not just a place forscriveners, but an academyfor the advancement of allknowledge.Therearehintsof

what is to be learned in theMemoria… it ismy goal toestablishthisacademy,wherethe young people learn theirguild skills, learn theMemoria, but, mostimportant, learn the samedissatisfaction that I feel, sothat they, too, shall havegoals.”

Sklar Hast was silent.Then he said, “You shallcertainlyhaveallmyhelp…And you shame me. I ask

myself, what are my owngoals? I am sorry to say thattheyweresatisfied,atleastinpart, when the derrick liftedthe kragen from the water; Ihadthoughtnofartherahead.True, I want this float to beprosperous and happy … ”He frowned. “I have a goal.Two goals. First: I want youfor my spouse. I want noother. Second: I Want todestroy King Kragen.” Hetook her other hand. “What

doyousaytothis?”“DestroyKingKragen,by

allmeans.”“And what of the first

goal?”“I would think it is—

attainable.”

AhandshookSklarHast.Heawoke to see a dark formstanding above him, blackagainst the stars. “Who is it?Whatdoyouwant?”

“I am Julio Rile; I guard

the coracles. I want you tocomewithme.”

Sklar Hast lurched to hisfeet, pulled on a cloak,slipped his feet into sandals.“What happens? Are theystealingourfloats?”

“No. There is a strangenoise coming from thewater.”

Sklar Hast went with theyouthtotheedgeofthefloat.Kneeling, putting his headclosetothewater,hehearda

groaning, scraping,wheezingsound,unlikeanythathehadeverheardbefore.Therewasone that had been similar…Sklar Hast turned, went at alopetothehutthathousedthehorn taken from BarquanBlasdel’s pad at AppriseFloat. He brought it forth,carried it to the edge of thefloat, lowered it into thewater. The sound wasstartlingly loud. Sklar Hastturned the horn, noted the

direction from which thesound reached a maximumintensity. He grinned asuddenangrygrin.“Go,wakePhyral Berwick and RolloBarnack andRubalGallager.Make haste. Bring themhere.”

Sklar Hast awoke PoeBelrodandRogerKelso.Thewhole group listened at thehorn and looked in thedirection from which thesoundseemedtoemanate:the

hut occupied by BarquanBlasdel.

Sklar Hast whispered:“Someonewillbewatchingatthe front; let us approachfromtheback.”

They moved quietlythrough the shadows, aroundtherearofBarquanBlasdel’shut.SklarHastbroughtoutaknife. He slit the pad-skin,pushed through into theinterior.

A lamp on a shelf lit the

roomdimly.Kneelingarounda hole in the floor wereBarquan Blasdel and LukeRobinet. Theymanipulated acontrivance of wood, leatherand cord, which extendedthroughtheholeintothebluewater.Tothesidewasaplugtofilltheholeduringtheday.

Barquan Blasdel slowlyrose to his feet, as did LukeRobinet. Into the room camePhyralBerwick,RogerKelso,andtheothers.

Noone spoke.Therewasclearly nothing to be said.Sklar Hast went to the hole,lifted out the sound-producing mechanism,replacedtheplug.

There were hurriedfootstepsintheouterroom.Avoicespokethroughthedoor.“Caution; halt the sounds.Folkareastir.”

SklarHastflungwidethedoor,seizedthespeaker,VidaReach, formerly Sumber

Intercessor, and drew himinto the room. Quietly hewent to the front door. No-oneelsecouldbeseen.Inalllikelihoodtheentiregroupofintercessors were concernedwith the plot, but only thesethree could be directlycharged.

From the first BarquanBlasdelhadmadenopretenseofsatisfactionwithhisalteredcircumstances. His former

rank counted nothing, and infact aroused antagonismamong his float-fellows.Blasdel grudgingly adaptedhimself to his new life,building sponge-arbors andscraping withe. His spouse,who on Apprise Float hadcommanded a corps of fourmaidens and three garden-men, at first rebelled whenBlasdel required her to bakepangolay, as the bread-stuffbaked from pollen was

known, and core sponges“like any low-caste slut,” asshe put it. Finally shesurrendered to theprotestsofher empty stomach. Herdaughtersadaptedthemselveswithbetter grace, and indeedthefouryoungestparticipatedwith great glee at theslaughter of the kragen. Theremaining two stayed in thebackground, eyebrows raisedat the vulgar fervor of theirsisters.

These then were thecircumstances of BarquanBlasdel’s existence at thetime of his ill-foundedconcept of summoning KingKragen; Luke Robinet andVidal Reach lived undersimilar conditions, with norestraints except in regard tothe coracles.On themorningafter their apprehension, thethree conspirators werebrought before a judicialassembly of guild-masters

andcaste-elders.InasmuchasPhyral Berwick hadparticipated in the actualapprehension of the personsaccused,GianRecargoservedas Arbiter. The morning sunshone bright on the float. Attheentrancetothelagoonlaythebulkof thekragenstill inthe process of being flensedby apprentice nigglers andadvertisers.Theassembly satinnearsilence,conversing inwhispers.

From the hut where theyhad spent the night cameBarquan Blasdel, LukeRobinet, and Vidal Reach,blinking in the glare of thesun;inuttersilencetheyweremarched to a bench andorderedtosit.

PhyralBerwickaroseanddescribed the circumstancesof the previous night. “It isevident that they intended toattract the attention of KingKragen,ifbysomechancehe

wascruisingnear.”Gian Recargo leaned

forward.“Havetheyadmittedasmuch?”

TheArbiter lookedat theaccused. “What have you tosay?”

“So far as I amconcerned, nothing,” saidBarquanBlasdel.

“Youadmitthecharges?”“I have no statement to

make. Things are as theyare.”

“Do you deny orrepudiate any of PhyralBerwick’stestimony?”

“No.”“Youmust be aware that

this is an extremely seriouscharge.”

“From your point ofview.”

“Did you have reason tobelieve that King Kragen is,orwas,inthevicinity?Ordidyouproducethisnoisemerelyin the hope of attracting his

attention if he should chancetobenearby?”

“I repeat, I have nostatementtomake.”

“You put forward nodefense?”

“It would obviously befutile.”

“You do not deny theacts?”

“I have no statement tomake. Things are as theyare.”

Luke Robinet and Vidal

Reachweresimilarlytaciturn.The Arbiter took statementsfrom Sklar Hast, Julio Rile,and Rollo Barnack. He said,“Clearly the accused areguilty of the most vindictiveintentions.Iamatalossastowhat penalty to impose.There is absolutely noprecedent,tomyknowledge.”

Phyral Berwick spoke.“Ourproblemishowtomakeourselvessecure.Wecankillthesemen.Wemightmaroon

them on a lonely float, eventheSavageFloats, orwe canguard themmore carefully. Ieven feel a certain sympathyfor them. If I shared thefervor of their convictions, Imight act similarly in asimilar situation. I say, givethemthesternestofwarnings,butgivethemtheirlives.”

No one dissented. GianRecargo turned to the threecriminals.“Wegiveyouyourlives.Allshallbeasbefore.I

suspect that this ismore thanyou would do for us, but nomatter. We are not you. Butremember, for our ownsecurity, we can show nomore mercy! Consider thatyouarenowlivinganewlife,and make the best possibleuse of it.Go.Return to yourwork.Trytomakeyourselvesdeservingofthetrustwehaveplacedinyou.”

“We did not ask to bebrought here,” said Barquan

Blasdelinhiseasyvoice.“Your presence here is a

direct consequence of youroriginal treachery, when youattempted to arrange thatKingKragenshouldinterceptour flotilla. In retrospect, itseems that we areunreasonably merciful. Still,this is the nature of the lifewe hope to lead and you arethe unworthy beneficiaries.Go,andrememberthatmercywill not be extended a third

time.”Luke Robinet and Vidal

Reach were somewhatsubdued,butBarquanBlasdelsaunteredawayundaunted.

Sklar Hast and RogerKelso watched him depart.“There is a man who knowsonly hate,” said Sklar Hast.“Forbearancehasnotwonhisgratitude. He will bear themostvigilantwatch!”

“We are not preparingourselves fast enough,” said

Kelso.“Forwhat?”“For the inevitable

confrontation.SoonerorlaterKingKragenwillfindus.Theintercessors seem to feel heswims this far afield. If hecomes,wehavenomeansofescape, and certainly nomeanstorepelhim.”

Sklar Hast somberlyagreed. “All too true.We donot feelenoughurgency; thisis indeeda false security.By

some means we mustformulate a systembywhichwe can protect ourselves.Weapons! Think of a greatharpoon, launched by ahundred men, tipped withhardmetal…Butwehavenometal.”

“But we do,” said Kelso.Hebroughtforthagraypelletthe size of a baby‘s tooth.“Thisisiron.”

SklarHast took it, turnedit back and forth in his

fingers. “Iron! From wherediditcome?”

“Iproducedit.”“By the system the

savagesuse?”“Astothat,Ican’tsay.”“But how? What is its

source? The air? The sea?Thefruitofthefloat?”

“Come to Outcry Floattomorrow, somewhat beforenoon.Iwillexplainall.”

“Including theprovenance of the name

‘Outcry’?”“Allwillbeexplained.”

Chapter12

Inordertoworkundisturbed,with a minimum ofinterference from casualpassers-by and elderly guild-masters with well-meantadvice,Kelso had preemptedforhisinvestigationsthefloatnexttothewest,andthis,for

reasons arising from hisactivities, became known asOutcryFloat.Forhelpersandassistants and fellowresearchers, Kelso hadrecruitedseveraldozenofthemost alert young men andwomen available, whoworked with energy andenthusiasmsurprisingeventothemselves.

Only three hundred yardsseparated the two floats, andSklar Hast paddled the

intervening distance, healready envisaged hoodwinktowers transmittingmessagesbetween the two. A vagrantthoughtcametohim:bestsetuppracticemachines, so thatold hoodwinks should notlose their reflexes, thatapprentices might beinstructed,thatthecraftmightbekeptalive.

Arriving at Outcry Float,hetiedthecoracletotherudedockwhichKelsohadcaused

tobebuilt.Apathledarounda tall clump of banner-bushinto a central area beside thecentralspike,whichwasnowscrupulously cleared ofvegetation,andasaresultthepad surface had become aliverishpurple-brown.

Kelso was hard at workon an intricate contrivance,the purpose of which SklarHast could not fathom. Arectangular frame of stalkrose ten feet in the air,

supportingasix-foothoopofwoven withe in a planeparallel to the surface of thefloat.To the hoopwas glueda large sheet of first-qualitypad-skin, which had beenscraped, rubbed, and oileduntil it was almost perfectlytransparent. Below, Kelsonow arranged a boxcontaining ashes. As SklarHastwatched, hemixed in aquantity of water and somegum, enough tomake a gray

dough,whichheworkedwithhis fingers and knuckles, toleave a saucer-shapeddepression.

Thesunnearedthezenith;Kelso signaled two of hishelpers. One climbed thestaging; the other passed upbuckets of water. The firstpoured these upon thetransparentmembrane,whichsaggedundertheweight.

Sklar Hast watchedsilently, giving no voice to

his perplexity. Themembrane, now brimming,seemed to bulged perilously.Kelso, at last satisfied withhis arrangements, joinedSklarHast.“Youarepuzzledbythisdevice;neverthelessitis very simple. You own atelescope?”

“Ido.Anadequatelygoodinstrument,thoughthegumisclouded.”

“The purest and mosthighlyrefinedgumdiscolors,

and even with the mostcareful craftsmanship lensesformedofgumyielddistortedimages, of poormagnification. On the HomeWorld, according to Brunet,lenses are formed of amaterialcalledglass.”

The sun reached thezenith; SklarHast’s attentionwas caught by a peculiaroccurrence in the box ofdamp ash. A white-hot spothad appeared; the ash, began

to hiss and smoke. He drewnear in wonderment. “Glasswould seem a usefulmaterial,” Kelso was saying.“Brunet describes it as amixture of substancesoccurring in ash which hecalls ‘fluxes,’ togetherwithacompound called ‘silica’which is found in ash, butalso occurs husks of sea-ooze: ‘plankton,’ as Brunetcalls it. Here I have mixedash and sea-ooze; I have

constructed a water-lens tocondense sunlight. I amtryingtomakeglass…”

He peered into the box,thenlifteditatrifle,bringingthe image of the sun to itssharpest focus. The ashglowed red, orange, yellow;suddenly it seemed to slump.With a rod Kelso pushedmoreashintothecenter,untilthe wooden box gave offsmoke, whereupon Kelsopulled it aside and gazed

anxiously at the moltenmatter in the center.“Something has happened;exactly what we willdetermine when the stuff iscool.”

He turned to his bench,brought forwardanotherbox,this half-full of powderedcharcoal. In a centerdepression rested a cake ofblack-brownpaste.

“And what do you havethere?” asked Sklar Hast,

already marveling at Kelso’singenuity.

“Dried blood. I and mymen have drained ourselvespale. It is an operationconducive of woe, hence‘Outcry’.

“But why should youbleed yourself?” demandedSklarHast.

“AgainImustreferyoutothe scientist Brunet. Hereveals that human blood iscolored red by a substance

called ‘hemoglobin.’ This iscomposed of much carbon,oxygen, and hydrogen and asingleparticleofiron.

Carbon is the mainingredient of char; oxygengives to air its invigoratingquality; with hydrogenoxygen makes water. Buttoday we seek only thatextremely small quantity ofiron, so here is blood. I willburn away the variousunstable fluids, gases, and

oozes, to discover whatremains. If all goes well, wewill again find unyieldingiron.” Kelso thrust the boxunder the lens. The driedbloodsmolderedandsmoked,then burst into flame whichgave off a nauseous odor.Kelsosquintedupat thesun.“The lens burns well onlywhen the sun is overhead, soour time is necessarilylimited.”

“Rather than water,

transparent gum might beused, which then wouldharden, and the sun could befollowedacrossthesky.”

“Unfortunatelynogum issoclearaswater,”saidKelsoregretfully.“Candle-plantsapis yellow. Bindle-bane seepholdsabluefog.”

“What if,the two weremixed, so that the bluedefeated the yellow? Andthenthetwomightbefilteredandboiled.Orperhapswater

can be coagulated withtinctureofbone.”

Kelso assented. “Possiblyfeasible,both.”

They turned towatch theblood,nowaglowingspongetumbled into cinders andthen, apparently consumed,vanished upon the surface ofthe blazing charcoal. Kelsosnatched the crucible outfromunderthelens.

Your blood seems notoverrich,” Sklar Hast noted

critically.“Itmightbewisetotap Barquan Blasdel and theintercessors; they appear aheartylot.”

Kelso clapped a coveruponthebox.“Wewillknowbetterwhenthecharcoalgoesblack.”Hewenttohisbench,brought back another box. Inpowdered charcoal stoodanother tablet, this of blackpaste.“Andwhatsubstanceisthis?”inquiredSklarHast.

“This,” said Kelso, “is

kragen blood, which weboiled last night. It man’sblood carries iron, what willkragen blood yield?Nowwediscover.” He thrust it underthe lens. Like the humanblood, it began to smolderand burn, discharging asmoke even more vile thanbefore . Gradually the tabletflaked and tumbled to thesurface of the charcoal; asbefore,Kelso removed it andcovereditwithalid.Goingto

his first box, he proddedamong the cinderswith a bitof sharp bone, scoopedout acongealed puddle of fusedmaterialwhichhelaidonthebench. “Glass. Beware. It isyethot.”

Sklar Hast, using twopieces of bone, lifted theobject. “So this is glass.Hmm. It hardly seemssuitableforuseasatelescopelens. But it may well proveuseful otherwise. It seems

denseandhardindeed,almostmetallic.”

Kelso shook his head indeprecation.“Ihadhopedforgreater transparency. Thereare probably numerousimpuritiesintheashandsea-ooze. Perhaps they can beremoved by washing the ashor treating it with acid, orsomethingofthesort.”

“But to produce acid,electricity is necessary, or soyoutellme.”

“ImerelyquoteBrunet.”“And electricity is

impossible?”Kelso pursed his lips.

“That we will see. I havehopes. One might well thinkit impossible to generateelectricity, using only ash,wood, water, and sea-stuff—butweshallsee.Brunetofferahint or two.But first, as toouriron…“

The yield was small: anodule of pitted gray metal

likethefirst,halfthesizeofapea.“Thatbitrepresentsthreeflasks of blood,” Kelsoremarkedglumly.“Ifwebledevery vein on the float, wemightwinsufficientironforasmallpot.”

“This is not intrinsicallyan unreasonable proposal,”said Sklar Hast. “We can allaffordaflaskofbloodortwo,or even more, during thecourse of months. To thinkwe have produced metal

entirely on our ownresources!”

Kelsowrylyinspectedtheiron nodule. “There is noproblemtoburningthebloodunder the lens. If every dayten of the folk come to bebled, eventuallywewill sinkthe pad under theaccumulated weight of theiron.” He removed the lidfrom the third box. “Butobserve here! We havemisused our curses! The

kragen is by no means acreaturetobedespised!”

On the charcoal rested asmall puddle of reddish-golden metal, three times aslarge as the iron nodule.“This metal must be copper,or one of its alloys. Brunetdescribescopperasadarkredmetal, very useful for thepurpose of conductingelectricity.”

Sklar Hast lifted thecopper fromthecoals, tossed

it back and forth till it wascool. “The savages havecopper, inchunks larger thanthis.Do they kill kragen andburn their blood? It seemsincredible! Those distortedfurtivehalf-men!”

Kelsochewedreflectivelyat his lip. “The kragen mustingest its copper from somesource. Perhaps the savagesknowthesource.”

“Metal!”murmuredSklarHast reverently. “Metal

everywhere!NicklasRilehasbeenhackingapartthekragenforitsbones.Heisdiscardingtheinternalorgans,whichareblack as snuff-flower.Perhaps they should also beburnedunderthelens.”

“Convey them here—Iwill burn them. And then,after we burn the kragen’sliver or whatever the organ,we might attempt to burnsnuff-flower as well. Whoknows? Perhaps all black

substances yield copper, allred substances iron. ThoughBrunet never makes soinclusiveageneralization.”

The kragen’s internalorgansyieldedfurthercopper.Snuff-flowers produced onlya whitish-yellow ash whichKelso conscientiously storedin a tube labeled: “Ash of aSnuff-flower.”

Four days later the largestkragen seen so far appeared.

It came swimming in fromthe west, paralleling the lineoffloats.Apairofswindlers,returning to the float with acatch of gray-fish, were thefirst to spy the great blackcylinder surmounted by itsfour-eyedturret.Theybenttotheir oars, shouting the newsahead.

A well-rehearsed plannowwentintoeffect.Ateamof four young swindlers ranto a lightweight-coracle,

shoved off, paddled out tointercept the kragen. Behindthe coracle trailed two ropes,each controlled by a gang ofmen. The kragen, lungingeasily through the water,approached, swimming fiftyyards off the float. Thecoracleeasedforward, rowedby two of themen,with onenamed Bade Beach goingforward to stand on thegunwales.

The kragen stopped the

motion of its vanes, to driftand eye the coracle and thederrickswithflintysuspicion.Thetwoswindlersattheoarsthrustthecoraclecloser.

BadeBeachstoodtensely,twitchinganoose.Thefourthman controlled the lines tothe float. The kragen,contemptuous of attack,issued a few nonplussedclicks the mandibles,twitchedthetipsofitsvanes,tocreatefourwhirlpools.The

coracleeasedcloser,towithin100 feet—80—60 feet. BadeBeachbentforward.

The kragen decided topunish the men for theirprovocative actions. It thrustsharplyforward.Whenitwasbut 30 feet distant, BadeBeach tossed a noose towardturret and missed. From thefloat came groans ofdisappointment. One of thegangs hastily jerked thecoracle back. The kragen

swerved, turned, made asecond furious charge whichbrought it momentarily towithinfivefeetofthecoracle,whereupon Bade Beachdropped the noose over itsturret. From the float came acheer; both gangs hauled ontheir lines, one snatching thecoracle back to safety, theother tightening the noosepulling the kragen aside,almost as it touched thecoracle. Thrashing and

jerking, the kragen wasdragged to the sea-leaningderrick and hoisted from thewater in the same fashion asthe first. This was a largebeast;thederrickcreaked,thefloat sagged before thekragenheavedclear fromthewater, 65 men were tuggingon the end of the lift. Thederricktiltedback;thekragenswung in over the float. Thevanes were lashed, the beastlowered.Againtheonlookers

surged forward, laughing,shouting, but no longermanifesting the fury withwhich they had attacked thefirstkragen.

Chisels and mallets wereplied against the kragenturret; the dome was priedloose, the nerve-nodesdestroyed.Fiberbucketswerebrought;thebodyfluidswerescoopedoutandcarriedofftoevaporationtrays.

Sklar Hast had watched

fromtheside.Thishadbeenalargebeast—aboutthesizeofKing Kragen when first hehad approached the OldFloats, a hundred and fiftyyears previously. Since theyhad successfully dealt withthis creature, they need havesmall fear of any other—except King Kragen. AndSklar Hast was forced toadmitthattheanswerwasnotyet known.No derrick couldhoist King Kragen from the

water. No line could restrainthe thrust of his vanes. Nofloat could bear his weight.Compared to King Kragen,this dead hulk was apygmy…

Frombehindcamea rushof feet; a woman tugged athis elbow, gasping andgulping in the effort to catchher breath. Sklar Hast,startled, scanning the float,couldseenothingtooccasionher distress. Finally she was

able to blurt: “BarquanBlasdel has taken to the sea,BarquanBlasdelisgone!”

“What!”criedSklarHast.

Chapter13

Barquan Blasdel, his spouse,his two older daughters andtheir lovers, together withLuke Robinet and VidalReach, weremissing, as wasa sturdy coracle. Their planshad been daring, carefullylaid and precisely executed.

For weeks they had secretedstoresinanooktothefarsideof the float, near MerilRohan’s school. Secretlyoars, a mast, and a sail hadbeen fabricated. Then theyhad awaited the capture or asecond kragen, assumingcorrectly that theattentionofeveryonewouldbediverted.

The two young men,spouses to Blasdel’sdaughters made off with thecoracle. Even with a kragen

in mid-air, the sight ofBarquanBlasdel in a coraclemight well have attractedattention. The two-youngmen were moreinconspicuous. They untiedthecoracle,paddleditaroundto thesouthsideof the float.The stores were loadedaboard, all embarked, oarswere shippedand thecoraclesent scudding away fromNew Home Float. By sheerbad luck at woman rendered

squeamish by pregnancy hadput the breadth of the floatbetween her and the landingof the kragen and had seenthe coracle disappearingaroundOutcryFloat.

Phyral Berwickdispatched ten coracles ininstant pursuit, but by thistime evening was at hand,withanunusuallybriskwind.Whatwith the sail; all handsat the oars, the dusk, anddozens of floats to hide

among there was smallchance that the fugitivecoracle be overtaken.Barquan Blasdel might evenchoosetoveernorthorsouthand so losehimself themorecompletely; search coraclesstayed out all night. Eightsearched the floats, ghostinghackandforthalongthestar-lit channels; two struck westas fast and hard as the moststalwart swindlers could takethem. When dawn came to

throw a pearl-colored lightover the sea, the new floatswere almost invisible to theeast, but the searchers werealone on the sea. BarquanBlasdel’s coracle wasnowhere to be seen. Thosesearching among the floatsfared no better. All returnedto New Home Float on thedawnwind.

A convocation of thecouncilors was called toconsider the situation. Some

bemoanedtheleniencywhichhad been extended thefugitive intercessors. “Whydid we allow our qualms toconquer us?” moaned RobinMagram. We should havemade a clean job andstrangledthelot.”

Berwicknoddedpatiently.“Youmaybe right. I foronecould not bring myself tocommit murder, though itwould have been to our bestinterests.” He jerked his

thumb toward the huts inwhich lurked the remainingintercessors. “What of them?Eachwishes us evil. Each isnow planning the samedespicable act as thatperformedbyBlasdel.Letuskill them now—quietly,without malice, but with abeautifulfinality!”

Hast made a moroseobjection.“Thiswoulddonogood. We would becomemurderersinalltruth.Thefat

isnowinthefire.Infact,wewould do better by turningthem free—giving them acoracle and sending themoff.”

“Not so fast!” protestedRollo Barnack. “Barquanmay never reach the HomeFloats!”

“He need merely sail onthe night wind and paddle,”said Sklar Hast. “But verywell, letuswaittillweknowfor sure what has

eventuated.”Robin Magram growled,

“IfBarquanBlasdelreturnstotheoldfloats,oneeventuationis sure. We must expecthostile actions. Theman is avesselofmalice.”

“Not necessarily,” arguedPhyral Berwick. “Remember—thefolkofthefloatsarebyand large sensible. They areour caste-brothers, ourfriends, our relatives. Whatdo they gain by attacking

us?”“We have escaped King

Kragen; we acknowledge nooverlord,” said Sklar Hastpessimistically. “Miserybrings jealousy andresentment. The intercessorswill whip them to a sullenfury.”Hepitchedhisvoicetoa nasal falsetto. “‘Thoseinsolent fugitives! How darethey scamp theirresponsibility to noble KingKragen? How dare they

performsuchbestialoutragesagainst lesser kragen?Everyonetothecoracles!Wegotopurifytheiconoclasts!’”

“Possibly correct,” saidKelso. “But the intercessorare by no means the onlyinfluential folk of the floats.Thearbiterswillhardlyagreetoanysuchschemes.”

“In essence,” said PhyralBerwick, “we have noinformation.We speculate inavoid.BarquanBlasdelmay

losehimselfontheoceanandneverreturntoOldFloats.Hemay be greeted with apathyor with excitement. We talkwithout knowledge. It seemsto me that we should takesteps to inform ourselves astothetruestateofaffairs—inshort, that we send spies toderive this information forus.”

Phyral Berwick’sproposal ultimately becamethe decision of all. It was

further decided that theremaining intercessors beguardedmore carefully, untilit was definitely learnedwhether or not BarquanBlasdel had returned to theOld Floats. If such were thecase, thelocationof theNewFloatswasnolongerasecret,and the consensus was thatthe remaining intercessorsshouldlikewisebeallowedtoreturn, should they choose todo so. Robin Magram

considered the decision soft-headed. “Do you think theywould warrant us liketreatment in a similarsituation? Remember, theyplanned that King Kragenshouldwaylayus!”

“Trueenough,”saidArrelSincerewearily,“butwhatofthat?Wecaneitherkillthem,hold themunder guard or letthem go their way, the lastoption being the least taxingandthemosthonorable.”

Robin Magram made nofurther protest, and thecouncil then concerned itselfwith the details of theprojectedspyoperation.Noneof the coracles at hand wereconsidered suitable, and itwasdecidedtobuildacoracleofspecialdesign—long,light,low to the water, with twosails of fine weave to catcheverywhisperofwind.Threemen were named to theoperation, all originally from

Almack Float, a smallcommunity far to the east, infactnexttoSciona,attheendof the chain. None of thethree had acquaintance onAppriseandsostoodminimalchanceofbeingrecognized.

The coracle was built atonce. A light keel oflaminated and glued withewas shaped around pegsdriven into the float; ribswere bent and lashed intoplace; diagonal ribs were

attached to these, then thewholewascoveredwith fourlayersofvarnishedpad-skin.

At mid-morning of thefourth day after BarquanBlasdel’s flight, the coracle,almost a canoe, departed tothe west, riding easily andswiftlyover the sunnywater.In its gear was included thehorn taken from BarquanBlasdel’s old workroom onAppriseFloat.Forthreehoursitslidalongthelineoffloats,

each an islet bedecked inblue, green, purple, orange,and black verdure,surmounted by the archingfronds of the prime plant,eachsurroundedbyitsfamilyof smaller pads. The coraclereached the final float of thegroup and struck out to thewest, water swirling andsparkling behind the longoars. Afternoon waned; theraincloudsformedandsweptacross the sky, with black

broomshangingbelow.Afterthe raincamesunset,makinga glorious display among thebroken clouds. The breezebegantoblow;thesailswereraised;themenpulledintheiroars and rested. The coraclethrust swiftly west, with achuckling of bow wave andwake; then came the mauvedusk with the constellationsappearing, and then nightwith the stars shining downon the glossy black water.

Themen took turns sleeping,and the night passed. Beforedawn the adverse wind rose;the men, saving theirstrength, rowed with enoughforcetomaintainheadway.

Theseconddaypassedina like manner. The first lineof floats met by the flotillafell behind, somewhat to thenorth. Another day went by.The floats of the savagesfailed to appear; presumablythey had been passed during

thenight.Justbeforedawnofthe fourth day the menlowered the horn into thewaterandlistened.

Silence.The men stood erect,

looked into the west.Allowing for the increasedspeed of their passage,TranqueFloatshouldbenearat hand. But only a blankhorizoncouldbeseen.

At noon the men,increasingly dubious, ceased

paddling and once moresearched the horizon. Asbefore, there was nothingvisible save the line dividingdark blue from bright blue.The floats by now should bewellwithinsight.

Had they veered too farnorth or too far south? Themen deliberated and decidedthat while their course hadgenerally been truewest, theoriginal direction of flightmight have been something

southofeast.Invalidationofthis view was the fact thatthey had passed theintervening line of floats tothe south. Hence Old Floatsin all probability lay behindthe northern horizon. Theyagreedtopaddlefourhourstothenorth,then,ifnothingwasseen,toreturntothesouth.

Toward the waning ofafternoon, with the raincloudspilingup,farsmudgesshowed themselves. Now

theyhalted,loweredthehorn,to hear ‘crunch crunchcrunch’ with startlingloudness. The men twistedthe tube to detect thedirection of the sound. Itissued from the north.Crouching low, they listened,ready to paddle away if thesound grew louder. But itseemed to lessen and thedirection veered to the east.Presently it reached near-inaudibility, and the men

proceeded.The floats took on

substance, extending botheast and west; soon thecharacteristic profiles couldbe seen and then thehoodwink towers. Deadahead was Aumerge, withAppriseFloatyettothewest.

So they paddled up thechain, the floats and belovednames drifting past, floatswhere their ancestors hadlived and died; Aumerge,

Quincunx,Fay,Hastings, Quatrefoil with

its curious cloverleaf shapeand then the little outergroup, The Bandings,beyond,afteragapofamile,AppriseFloat.

Thesunset,thehoodwinktowers began to flicker, butthe configurations could notberead.Themenpaddledthecoracle toward Apprise.Verdure bulked up into thesky; the sounds and odors of

the Old Floats wafted acrossthewater, inflictingnostalgicpangs upon each of themen.They landed in a secludedlittle cove which had beendescribed to them by PhyralBerwick, and covered thecoracle with leaves andrubbish. According to theplan, two remained by thecoracle, while the third, oneHenry Bastaff, went offacross the float toward thecentral common and Apprise

Market.Hundreds of people were

abroad on this pleasantevening, but Henry Bastaffthought their mood to bewearyandevena triflegrim.He went to the ancientApprise Inn, which claimedto be the oldest building ofthe floats: a long shedbeamed with twisted oldstalks, reportedly cut at theastounding depth of threehundred feet. Within was a

long buffet constructed oflaminated strips, golden-brown with wax and use.Shelves to the rear,displayedjarsandtubesofarrack,beer,and spirits of life, togetherwith various delicacies andsweetmeats.

At the front wide eavesthatched with garwort frondsshaded several dozen tablesand benches where travelersrested and lovers keptrendezvous. Henry Bastaff

seated himself where hecouldwatchboththeApprisehoodwink tower and that ofQuatrefoil to the east. Theserving maid approached; heordered beer and nut wafers.As he drank and ate, helistened to conversations atnearby tables and read themessageswhichflickeredanddownthelineoffloats.

The conversations wereuninformative; the hoodwinkmessages were the usual

compendium ofannouncements; messages,banter.Thensuddenlyinmid-message came a blaze, alleighteen lights together, tosignal views of greatimportance.HenryBastaffsatupstraightonthebench.

“Important …information! … This …afternoon…several…of…the … intercessors …kidnapped … by … the …rebels…returned…to…the

… Floats… They … are …Barquan Blasdel … of …Apprise … with … his …spouse … and … several …dependents…VidalReach…of…Sumber…LukeRobinet…of…Parnassus…They…have…a…harrowing…tale…to… tell…The…rebels…are…established…on…a…float…to…the…east… where … they … kill …kragen … with … merciless…glee…and…plan…a…

war…of…extermination…upon… the… folk… of…the…Old…Floats…The…intercessors … escaped …and … after … an …unnerving … voyage …across…the…uncharted…ocean … late … today …landed… at…Green LampFloat… Barquan Blasdel…has…called… for…an…immediate… convocation…to … consider … what …measures … to … take …

against … the … rebels …who…daily…wax…in…arrogance.”

Chapter14

Six days later Henry Bastaffreported to the council ofNew Home Float. “Ourarrivalwasprecarious,forourinitialdirectiontookusmanymiles to the southof theOldFloats. Next time we mustkeeptothenorthofthefloats

intervening, whereupon weshouldmakeaneasylandfall.Apparently the Blasdelcoracle experienced evenworse difficulties, for theyreached Green Lamp aboutthe same time we landed onApprise. Possibly theydelayed on one of our floatsuntil they felt we had givenup pursuit. I sat at the OldTavernwhen thenewscame,and I saw great excitement.The people seemed more

curious than vindictive, evensomewhatwistful. Iheardnotalk of King Kragen exceptone re-mark, somewhatambiguous, to the effect thatthe rebels were perfectlywelcome to attempt theslaughter of certain localkragen. A convocation wascalled for the following day.Since the folk of AlmackFloatwouldattend, I thoughtit best that Maible andBarway remain hidden. I

stained my face swindlercolor, shaved away most ofmyeyebrows,pulledmyhairforward, and wore aswindler‘shood.Iseemedthemost inept of swindlers: halfgoon, half advertiser. At theconvocation I looked eye toeyewithmyuncleFodor thewithe-peeler, who neverturnedasecondglance.

The convocation wasvehement and lengthy.BarquanBlasdel resumed his

rank of Apprise Intercessor,without a moment’shesitationorasmuchasaby-your-leave.

In my opinion VrinkSmathe, who had succeededto the post, found no joy inBlasdel’s return.Hesat threerowsback,bereftofhisgownand nosepiece, frowning andblinking every time Blasdelspoke, which was almostcontinually.

“With great earnestness

Blasdel called for a punitiveexpedition.Hespokeofthosewho had departed as‘iconoclasts’, ‘monsters’,‘vicious scum of the world’,which it was the duty of alldecentfolktoexpunge.

“A certain number werestimulated, mostly thosewhomIwouldcallthelowestelement:folkoflowprestige,unskilled, unknowledgeableand jealous of their betters.But these were few. In

general he aroused onlylukewarm attention. No oneof importance showed heartfor the project. The newintercessorsinparticularwerelessthanenthusiastic.Clearlythey covet their new posts,which theywould lose if theoldintercessorsreturned.

“Blasdel, seeing that hehadarousednovastsympathyforhiswrongs,almostlosthistemper,which is a rare thingtoseeinBarquanBlasdel.He

accused those who werereluctant of cowardice andcomplacence, and so arousedantagonism. Everyone knowsthe temper of EmachoFeroxibus, Elder of theQuatrefoil Bezzlers. He ishighlyorthodox;stillheisnopoltroon. Very brusquely heinstructed Blasdel to speakwith a less pointed tongue:‘No one questions your zeal,but let it be applied toconstructive purposes! What

avail is there in destroyingthese folk? They are gone;good riddance. We shallmaintain our ancient wayswithmorededicationbecausethe dissidents have departed!I,forone,donotcaretohearanyfurtherrabblerousing!’

“Imust say that BarquanBlasdelwasnotatallcowed.Hesaid,‘Itisallverywelltotemporize,andno-oneenjoysattempting an arduous anduncomfortable task such as

the one I propose.Nevertheless these areunregenerates, creatures ofthemostdepravedsort.’

“Feroxibuslaughedinhisface.‘Iftheyarethisevilhowdid they allow you to live?Why did they not drownyou?’

“Barquan Blasdel wastaken aback. But he said, ‘Itis clear enough. They feareddiscovery by King Kragenand planned that it theworst

occurred,wewouldintercedeintheirbehalf.’

“Emacho Feroxibus saidno more, nor did BarquanBlasdel, and the convocationended without any decisiveacts.

“But this was only theconvocation—the overtsituation. I doubt if BarquanBlasdel was surprised by thelack of response.His last actwas to call a meeting of allintercessors at the cottage of

VrinkSmathethatevening.“I went back to the

coracle and conferred withBarway and Maible. Barwayis a deep-diver. With thisattribute in mind, andrecalling the typicalarrangement of anintercessor’s workroom, weevolved a means to securemore information. Barwaycan tell you what occurredbetterthanI.”

Barway now made his

report.Hewasayearor twoyounger than Henry Bastaff,an expert oarsman and adeep-diver of greatendurance. He was anAdvertiser-man by caste, buthad taken as a spouse thedaughter of an Incendiary,and was generally held inhigh esteem. He spokemodestly, in a subduedmanner.

“We made our planswhilethesunwasstillhigh.I

took a bearing on Smathe’shut, put on my goggles,ducked under the float. Idon’tknowhowmanyofyouhaveswumunderafloat,butit’s a beautiful sight. Thewater is deep blue, overheadisthewhitesubskinanddownbelow go the stems untilfinallytheydisappearintothedepths. “Smathe’s hut wasaboutseventy-fiveyardsfromtheedge.This is adistance Ican swim easily. But there

andback,no.Iwouldrunoutof air and drown under thefloat, unless I could find aholeliketheonewefoundinBlasdel’shut.I trailedaropesothatIcouldbehauledbackandrevived it I failed to findthehut.

“But there was noproblem. Seventy-five yardsfrom the edge of the float Isaw the dark hole above andthen I roseand floated in thehole.Theplugwasoff.Iwas

able to breathe. No-one wasin theworkroom. In anouterchamber voices, whichseemed to be those of VrinkSmatheandhis spouse.Theywere jointly lamenting thereturnofBarquanBlasdel. Infact, Smathe’s spouse wasupbraidinghimforsubmittingso tamely to BarquanBlasdel’s resumption of hisposition, and speaking inlanguagequiteunbecomingawoman of the Bezzlers, as I

believehercastetobe.“I did not linger. I made

my rope fast to the horn, sothatafterdarkIcouldfindmywayback.Then I returned tothecoracle.

“Wewaiteduntilevening.Henry Bastaff went back toApprise Inn and listened tothetalk,butheardnothingofconsequence. As soon as weobserved intercessorsenteringSmathe’shut, I tookto the water, and guiding

myself by the rope, returnedto the hole in the Smathe’sworkroom.”

At this the members ofthe council all gave ashudder, since the under-water by night was a regionof superstitious dread,especially under the pad: thelocale of children’s horrortales.

Barwaycontinued.“Iwasearly. The intercessorscontinued to come in as I

waited. Vrink Smathe cametolistenatthehorn,andIwasforced to submerge. I hadtaken little air and began tofeelstrain.Smatheturnedthehorn about, and Iwas forcedtodrawbackwhenitpointedtowardme.Itstopped—andIrealized that Smathe couldhearmyheartbeats.Iswamtotheothersideoftheholeandlooked up through thewater.Smathewaslisteningwithhisear down and eyes turned

away. I surfaced, took air,andwent below oncemore.”Barway laughed. Thecouncilors responded withwry smiles. Barway wasunderstatingthedramaofthemoment,asallknew.

“Smathe left the horn. Isurfaced. I heard him say,‘For a moment I heard acurious pounding sound: a‘thump thump’. But it wentaway.’ Someone suggestedthat the sound was probably

due to someone jumping onthe float, and Smathe agreedto this. And then Blasdelcameintotheroom.”

Barquan Blasdel lookedaround the circle ofintercessors, all of whomworeceremonialblackgownswithfloatemblems.Hespokefirst to Vrink Smathe.“Guards are posted againsteavesdroppers?”

“Four apprentices stand

outsidethehut,withlanterns.Noonemayapproach.”

“Good, What we discussnow is of the utmost gravityandmustnotbedisclosed,bydeedoraction.

“First of all, theintercessorsnowpresentmustbe ratified in their posts.Vidal Reach, Luke Robinet,and relinquish our posts asIntercessors for Sumber,Parnassus, and Apprise, andnow become Central

Authorities. I hereby accedeto the urgent suggestionsmade by many of you andwill become SupremePresiding Intercessor for allthe floats. Luke Robinet andVidalReachwillbecomemyChiefManciples.

“Now, to our mainbusiness. In spite of thetimidity and inertia of thepopulation, we cannot allowthe rebels to continue in astate of insubordination. The

reasons for this are many.First, they dared to attackKing Kragen and to attempthis death: a deed of horror.Secondly, they kidnappedfifteen intercessors, a mostheinousact.Third, evennowthey kill kragen with evergreater facility and alreadyarepreparinganassaultuponKing Kragen. Fourthly, evenif they chose to remainquietly on their new floats,they represent a challenge to

King Kragen’s rule and thustoourauthority.Fifthly, theyhave subjected me, VidalReach,LukeRobinet,andalltheresttothemostrepugnantindignities, thusbyextensionattacking the wholeinstitution of intercessorship:whichistosayourselves.Wemust destroy them. Before Iproceed, do I have yourunanimous approval andendorsement of theviewpoints I have just

presented?”Endorsement was

somewhat cautious butunanimous.

“These, then, are myproposals.Wewillorganizeamilitia to be called ‘TheDefenders’or‘KingKragen’sAdmonitors,’ or ‘ThePeople’s Protectors’ orsomething similar. The able-bodiedmenoftheNewFloatsnumber less than a thousand.Probably not more than five

hundredwouldbefittofight.To secure absolute andoverwhelming strength wemustrecruitaforceofatleasta thousandactive, strongandzealousyoungmen.Weshalltrain them in the use ofweapons and, moreimportantly, wash from theirminds all compunction, pity,or qualms against violence,and likewise do so inourselves. I realize we thuscontradict our oldest and

most cherished tradition, butitisaworthycause.

“Whentheforceistrainedandequipped,wewillembarkinasuitablefleetofcoracles,go forth and subdue therebels. Themost vicious andrecalcitrantwemustdealwithdefinitelyandfinally;therestshall be brought back inshame to themain floats andreduced to a new and lowcaste.Thusshallthelessonbedriven home! Thus shall the

power and benevolence ofKing Kragen be asserted!Thus shall we maintain andaugmentourownprestige!”

Barway reported theexhortations of BarquanBlasdelinascarefuldetailashe was able, in addition todiscussion that followed. Noone had offered seriousopposition to BarquanBlasdel’splan;therehadonlybeenaquestioningastoways

andmeans.“Did they announce a

timeschedule?”askedPhyralBerwick.

“I gather that they willbeginimmediately?”

“I would expect asmuch.” Phyral Berwickheaved a deep sigh. “Thusfear and pain and brutalitycometothefloats.Itseemsasifeveninspiteofheritageweare little better than the folkoftheOuterWorlds.”

SklarHastsaid,“Wemustcontrive countermeasures.First,thereisnofurtherpointin keeping the intercessorscaptive.Betterifnowwegivethemacoracleandsendthemhome. In this way they willlearnnothingofourplans.”

“What are our plans?”ArrelSincereaskedbleakly.

Sklar Hast considered.“We have a number ofalternatives.Wecouldtrainamilitiaofourownandtrustto

our own skill and strength.Ultimately, after muchbloodshed, I fear we wouldbe defeated. We could packour belongings and flee onceagain,toseekanewfarsetoffloats. This is not anappealingidea.Wecantrytokill King Kragen—but theywould still attack us. Or wecan defeat our enemies by astrategy which so far I amunable to define … In themeantimewemustcontinuea

close observation of theHomeFloats.”

Chapter15

On the world which had noname there were no seasons,no variations of climateexcept those to be found bytraversing the latitudes.Along the equatorialdoldrums, where floats ofsea-plant grew in chains and

each day was like everyother, and the passage of ayear could be detected onlyby watching the night sky.Though the folk had smallneed for accurate temporaldistinctions, each day wasnumbered and each yearnamed after some significantevent. A duration of twenty-two yearswas a “surge” andwas also reckoned bynumber. Hence a given datemightbeknownas the349th

dayintheYearofMalvinon’sDeep Dive during the TenthSurge. Time reckoning wasalmost exclusively theprovinceofthescriveners.Tomost of the folk life was aspellucid and effortless as thegrassyblueseaatnoon.

King Kragen’s attackupon Tranque Float occurredtoward theyear’s end,whichthereuponbecametheYearofTranque’s Abasement, and itwas generally assumed hat

the following year would beknown as the Year of theDissenters’Going.

As the days passed andthe year approached itsmidpoint, Barquan Blasdel,instead of allowing thememoryofhiskidnapping togrow dim, revived it dailywithin unflagging virulence.Each evening sawmemorandum from BarquanBlasdel flicker up and downthe line of floats: “Vigilance

is necessary! The dissidentsareledbymenofevilenergy!They flout the majesty ofKing Kragen; they despisethe folk who maintain thetraditionsandmostespeciallythe intercessors. They mustbe punished and taughthumility.Should theydare toattack us, which is notbeyond the limits of theirmegalomaniac viciousness,they must be hurled into thesea. To this end—King

Kragen’sExemplaryCorps!”Ataconclaveofnotables

he made a speech of greatearnestness, depicting thegoalsoftherebelsinthemostseriouslight,inwhichhewassupported by thoseintercessors who had beenliberated and who had madetheir way back to the HomeFloats.

“Dowewish to see theirdetestable philosophytransplanted here?”

demanded Barquan Blasdel.“A thousand times no! KingKragen’s Exemplary Corpswillactasonemantodestroythe invading rebels, or, if apolicy of cauterization isdecidedupon,towipeoutthecentralnodeofsepsis!”

Emacho Feroxibus, Elderof the Quatrefoil Bezzlers,was not moved by BarquanBlasdel’s vehemence. “Letthembe,”hegrowled.“Ihavehad long association with

some of these folk, who arepersons of high caste andgood character. Theyobviously do not plan toinvadetheHomeFloats;sucha thought is absurd, and solongastheydonotmolestus,whyshouldwemolest them?No-one should riskdrowningforsodismalacause.”

Barquan Blasdel,containing his temper,explained carefully. “Thematter is more complex than

this. “Here is a group whohave fled in order to avoidpayingtheirjustduestoKingKragen.Iftheyareallowedtoprosper, to profit of theirdefection,thenotherfolkmaybe tempted to wonder, whydowenotdolikewise?Ifthesinofkragen-killingbecomesvulgar recreation, where isreverence? Where iscontinuity? Where isobedience to HighAuthority?”

“Thatmaybetrue,”statedProvidence Dringle, ChiefHoodwink for the PopulousEquityFloat.“Nonetheless,inmyopinion thecure isworsethan the complaint. And torisk a heretical opinion, Imust say the benefits wederive from High Authorityno longer seemcommensurate with the pricewepay.”

Barquan Blasdel swungabout in shock, as did the

other intercessors.May I askyour meaning?” Blasdelinquiredicily.

“ImeanthatKingKragenconsumes from six to sevenbushels of choice spongesdaily.Hemaintainshisruleinthe water surrounding thefloats, true, but what do weneed fear from the lesserkragen? By your owntestimony thedissidentshavedeveloped a method to killthekragenwithfacility.”

Blasdel said with frigidmenace, “I cannot overlookthefactthatyourremarksareidentical to the preposterousravingsofthedissidents,whoso rightly shall beobliterated.”

“Donotrelyonmyhelp,”saidProvidenceDringle.

“Normine,”saidEmachoFeroxibus.“Imustalsomakenote of the fact that whileheretofore each floatmaintained the establishment

of one intercessor, now thereare two, not even tomentionthis corps of uniformedruffiansyouaretraining.”

“It is a distressing sight,”said Barquan Blasdel in avoice quietly sad, “to see aman once effective andorthodoxdecline so suddenlyintoverbosesenility.EmachoFeroxibus, speakon!Be surethatwewilllistentoyouwiththerespectyouradvancedageand long career of service

deserve!Talkasyouwill!”Emacho Feroxibus’s face

was purple with rage. “Youmealy-mouthed scoundrel!I’dteachyousenilitywithmybarehands,wereitnotformydetestationofviolence!”

The conclave shortlythereafter was adjourned.King Kragen’s ExemplaryCorps was one thousandstrong. Their barracks andtraining area was Tranque

Float, which never had beenrestored to habitation. Theywore a smart uniform,consisting of a gownsomewhat like theintercessor’s formal robes,black in front and white inback, with an emblemrepresenting King Kragensewed on the chest. Theyworehelmetsofpad-skinandrug-fish leather well-varnished,with thevarnisheddorsalfinof thegray-fishfor

a crest. For weapons theycarried pikes of fine straightwithe tipped with a blade ofthe hardest stem-wood, anddaggers of similar quality.Theylackedbowsandarrowsonly because none of thematerials found on the floatsor in the sea, offered thenecessary resilience. A dartthrower, on the order of anatlatl, was tested, butaccuracy was so poor that itwasdiscarded.

The Exemplary Corps,though it included men ofevery caste and guild, wasmainly comprised of thosewhose careers were notproceeding with celerity orwho disliked toil withunusual vehemence. Theother folk of the floatsregarded the Exemplars withmixed emotions. Theyimposedsomethingofastrainupon the normal functioningoftheeconomy,fortheyatea

greatdealandproducednoneoftheirownfood.MeanwhileKingKragendailyseemedtowaxinsizeandappetite.Theneedforsuchalargecorps—or any corps at all—wascontinually questioned. Fewaccepted the intercessors’contention that the dissidentsplanned an attack on theHomeFloats.

Nevertheless the corpsmade a brave, if somewhatsinister show, parading in

platoons of twenty withlances aslant over theirshoulders, or rowing theirnew twelve-man coracles atgreat speed across the oceanwhenever King Kragen wasnot about. For theintercessors,dubiousofKingKragen’s attitude, had keptfrom him the knowledge ofthe Exemplary Corps—though no one considered itlikely that he would forbidthe organization if he knew

itsaims.Barquan Blasdel,was

commandantofthecorpsandwore a uniform even morestriking than that of theExemplars: a split black andwhite gown, tied at theankles, buttons of polishedbindle-bane,purpleepaulettesto represent kragenmandibles, a purple helmetwith a crest simulating KingKragen’s maw, with palpsand mandibles outspread: a

fearsomesight.Daily the corps drilled:

running, jumping, thrustinglances into dummies,springing in and out of theirboats. Daily they heardBarquan Blasdel discourseupontheinfamyoftherebelsand the vileness of theirhabits. Daily the corpsperformeda ritual expressinghomage devotion to KingKragen and absoluteobedience to those who

intercededwithhim.Mostofthe float notables in privateexpressed disapprobation ofthe corps, and EmachoFeroxibus began to preparean official sanction againstthe corps. Immediately KingKragen appeared atQuatrefoil Float, whereEmachoFeroxibuswascaste-elder, and remained fourdays, eating with greatappetite. The Quatrefoilarborswerebarrenofsponges

and finally the folk of thefloat in desperation prevailedupon Emacho Feroxibus tomodifyhisstand.Heventedagreat curse upon BarquanBlasdel, another upon theExemplars, and a finalobjurgation against KingKragen, to the awe of all.Then he turned, a feeble andembittered man, and walkedslowlytohishut.

King Kragen departedQuatrefoil Float. Three days

later the body of EmachoFeroxibuswas found floatingin the lagoon, an apparentsuicide, thoughmany refutedthis notion and claimed thatin his grief he must havewandered blindly into thewater. A few hinted ofcircumstances even moregrim, but made no publicassertion of their beliefs,since, if they were right, themessagewasclear.

The day arrived when inBarquan Blasdel’s opinionKing Kragen’s ExemplaryCorps was ready to performthe duty for which it wasintended. Across TranqueFloatwenttheword:“Aweekfromtoday!”

AweeklaterthesunwentdownandTranqueFloatwastaut with expectation.Barquan Blasdel, resplendentin his uniform, addressed themassed corps by torchlight.

“Brave members of theinvincible Exemplary Corps!The time has come! Thedetestable vermin who liveacrossthewaterposeathreatwe can no longer tolerate.Along these beautiful floatsof our own, voices arewhispering an envious desirefor the depraved east of therebels! We must win themback to the right way, theorthodoxway!Bypersuasionif possible, by force if

necessary! All bodes well!King Kragen has graciouslygiven us leave to trespassupon his ocean and nowrelaxesnearHelicon.Sonow—load boats! Rack pikes!Embark all! We sail to theeast!”

Agreathoarseshout rosefrom the Exemplars. With awillthecoracleswereloaded;with rehearsed agility theExemplars sprang aboard,thrust away from Tranque

Float. Oars dug the water;with another great gutturalcall the coracles surgedtowardtheeast.

Dawn came; the waterreflected the color of silverash, then milled to themorning breeze. Big plum-blue square-sails werehoisted. They bellied; oarswereshipped.TheExemplarsrested.Ninetyboatssailedthemorning ocean, long lowboats painted black and

purple, with a white-and-black kragen blazoned oneach straining sail. In eachboat crouched 12 men inblack-and-white gowns andblackhelmetswiththespinedcrest.

Directlyintothedazzleoftherisingsuntheysailed,andthe glare served to concealthe boats that waited forthem. When the breeze diedand he sun had lifted, theseboats were only a quarter-

mile to the east: ten boats ofstrange design. They weretwice as long as the twelveman coracles, and eachcarried about twenty men.They waited in a line acrossthe course of the Exemplarboats. The center boat,propelled by 16 oars,advanced. In the bow stoodSklarHast.

Hehailedtheleadingboatof the Exemplars. “Whatboats are you, andwhere are

youbound?”Barquan Blasdel rose to

his feet. “Sklar Hast! YoudarebringyourboatssoclosetotheHomeFloats?”

“We sailed forth to meetyou.”

“‘Then you have sailedyourlast.Weareboundtothenew floats, to visit justiceuponyou.”

“Turn back,” said SklarHast. “Take warning! If youcomefarther,youarealldead

men!”Barquan Blasdel made a

gesture to the other boats.“Forward! Pikes to hand!Board,kill,capture!”

“Stand back!” roaredSklar Hast. “Take warning,you fools! Do you think weare helpless? Go back to theHome Floats and save yourlives!”

The Exemplar coraclessped forward. That one inwhichBarquanBlasdel stood

moved over to the side, towherehecouldcommandthebattle. With only a hundredfeet between, men in thewaiting boats suddenly roseto their feet holding bowsfashioned from kragen-turretsplines. They aimed,discharged arrows withflaming globular tips. Thearrows struck into the blackcoracles, broke to spreadflamingoil.

In the first volley twenty

of theblack-and-purpleboatswere aflame. In the secondvolley, fortydaredup. In thethird volley sixty. The witheand varnished pad-skinburned like tinder; fear-crazedExemplars leaped intothe sea. The thirty boats yetwhole backed water, turnedaside.BarquanBlasdel’sboatalreadywasoutofrange.

Sklar Hast steeled hisheart, signaled. Anothervolley of flaming arrows set

anothertenboatsaflame,andan almost miraculousswiftness the proud blackfleet of King Kragen’sExemplary Corps wasdestroyed.

“Forward!” Sklar Hastordered. “One more volley.Wemustmakea totalend tothisbusiness!”

Reluctantly—for furtheraction now seemed sheerslaughter—thearcherslobbeda final volley of fire-arrows,

butnow,whetherbecausetherange was great or becausethe archers had nomorewillto attack, only eight boatswerestruck.

The water seethed withswimming shapes. Ascoracles burned andcollapsed, cases of storesfloated loose, and theExemplarsclungtothese.

SklarHastgaveanorder;the boats from New Floatsbacked away from the scene

ofthebattle.Cautiouslythosecoracles still afloat returned.Stores and weapons werethrown overboard to lightenship; swimming Exemplarswere taken aboard to thelimits of capacity and ropeswere thrownout to those yetfloating.

Sluggishly, towing themen still in the water, theloaded coracles returnedacross the sea towardTranqueFloat.

Of the ninety proudblack-and-purpleboatswhichsetforth,twentystillfloated.

OfathousandExemplars,fivehundredsurvived.

SklarHast listened to theunderwater horn and coulddetectnothing to indicate theproximity of King Kragen.He gave an order to hisoarsmen, and the New FloatboatsfollowedthewallowingExemplar fleet back toTranque. To complete

Barquan Blasdel’s utterhumiliation, when the blackboats were a hundred yardsfromTranque, theNewFloatboats moved in close,discharged two final volleysof fire-arrows, to destroy allthe Exemplar coracles. All,Barquan Blasdel included,were forced to swim the lasthundred yards to TranqueFloat.

The following day a

convocation was called onApprise Float. There werenone of the usual ramblingintroductory remarks. MorseSwin, the Apprise Arbiter,Phyral Berwick’s one-timeassistant, a big blond slow-spoken man, went to therostrum.“Yesterdayoccurreda great tragedy, a futileuseless tragedy, and all ourwisdom is needed to resolvethe situation. One thing iscertain: reproaches are futile.

The folly of attempting toattacktheNewFloathasbeenmadeutterlyevident,anditishightimethat theseso-calledExemplars put aside theirpretensions or ideals orvanities—whatever onewishes to call them; I haveheardeachwordused,aswellas others. In any event, it istime that these idlemendofftheir uniforms and return towork.”

Barquan Blasdel jumped

to his feet. “Do I heararight?” he called in a voiceglaciallycold.

Morse Swin looked athim in surprise. “Intercessor,if you please, I am speakingfromtherostrum.WhenIamfinished, youmay have yourturn.”

“ButIwillnotpermityouto spout arrant nonsense. Ithought to hear animpassionedurgeforallmento rededicate themselves to

whatnowmustbeour singleconcentrated goal—theabsolute destruction of therebels!”

“Intercessor, if you willrestrain yourself, I wish tocontinue my remarks. Idefinitely take a lessvehement view of thesituation. We have ourproblems to solve; let usleavethefolkofNewFloattotheirs.”

Blasdel would not be

quelled. “And what if theyattackus?”

“They have shown nodisposition to do so. Theydefended themselves anddefeatedyou. If theyplannedan attack, they would neverhaveallowedyoutoreturntoTranquewith your survivors.You should give thanks foryour life and adjust yourselfto the realities of thesituation. I for one will hearof no further such ventures.;

the Exemplars must bedisbanded and return toearning their living. This ismy feeling, and I ask theapproval of the convocation.Whoagrees?”

There was vigorousassent.

“Whodisagrees?”Inresponsecameasound

of much lesser volume butmuch greater emotion. Itissuedfromthethroatsoftheintercessors and from the

Exemplars themselves, who,wearing their uniforms andhelmets, stood in carefullyorderedgroups.

Morse Swin nodded hisbig,heavyhead.“Theverdictof the convocation seemsdefinite; still, anyone whowishesisentitledtospeak.”

Barquan Blasdel came totherostrum.Heputhishandson the rail, turned his darkbrooding gaze over theconvocation. “You people

who assented to the view ofMorseSwindidsoafteronlythemostsuperficialattention.ShortlyIwillaskyoutovoteagain.

“I wish to make threepoints.

“First, the setback ofyesterday was unimportant.Weshallwin.Ofthatthereisno doubt. Do we not haveKingKragenonourside?Wewithdrew after sustaininglosses, it is true. Do you

know why this was madenecessary? Because uponthese floats, perhaps here atthe convocation at this verymoment, there are spies.Furtive,skulkingcreaturesofthe most perverted andamoral attitudes imaginable!We expected no seriousopposition when we set sailbut the spies had sent wordahead! They prepared adastardly and cruel ambush.What fiends these rebels are,

to hurl fire at defenselessboats!Ourdrownedcomradeswill not go unavenged, Iassureyou!Do I speak truth,comradeExemplars?”

From the uniformedgroups came an impassioned“Truth!”

Barquan Blasdel lookedslowly around theconvocation. “Morse Swinspoke of realities. He is themanwhoisnotrealistic.KingKragen is benevolent, but he

is now wrathful. His is themight, his is the force! Wecannot deny him! He hasordained that his Exemplarsact, he has given them sharpweapons fashioned from thehardest stem, he has giventhem his endorsement! TheExemplars act in KingKragen’s behalf. They aremen of true faith; they areforbearingandbenevolent,asisKingKragen,butlikeKingKragen, they are terrible in

their wrath. King Kragen’sExemplaryCorpsmustnotbecontravened! They know thepath of rectitude, which isderivedfromthewillofKingKragen; they will not bedenied! When an Exemplarspeaks, he speaks with thevoice and the will of KingKragen! Do not oppose orcontradict or fail to obey!Becausefirst tobefearedarethe sharp weapons, thedaggers and pikes, and

second, the sourceofall aweand majesty, King Kragenhimself.I,hisIntercessor,andChief Exemplar, assure youof the ‘reality’ of thissituation. Who should knowbetter?

“We now enter a time ofemergency!Allmust look asif with a single gaze to theeast, toward the float of therebels. All must harden theirminds,putasidethesoftwaysof ease, until the rebels are

destroyed and the emergencyisended.

“During this emergencywerequireastrongauthority,acentralcoordinatingmindtoensure that all proceeds withefficiency. I have attemptedto withdraw myself from apost of such responsibility,but all insist that I take thisterribleburdenuponmyself.Ican only, with humility,professmyreadinesstomakethis personal sacrifice, and

now so proclaim thisemergency and thisassumption of absoluteauthority.Iwillbepleasedtohear a unanimous heartyendorsement.”

From the Exemplars andthe intercessors came a greatcall. Elsewhere were frozenfacesandindignantmutters.

“Thank you,” saidBarquan Blasdel. “Theunanimityoftheendorsementwill be duly noted in the

records. The convocation isnow adjourned. Whencircumstances warrant, whentheemergency isatanend, Iwill announce the fact andcall another convocation.Allmaynowreturntoyourhomefloats. Instructions as to howyou best serve King Kragenwillbeforthcoming.”

Sputtering with anger,Morse Swin jumped to hisfeet. “Onemoment!Are youinsane?Thisisnottraditional

procedure! You did not callforadversevoices!”

Barquan Blasdel made asmall,quietsignaltoanearbygroup of Exemplars. Ten ofthese stalked forward, seizedMorse Swin by the elbows,hustled him away. Hestruggled and kicked; one ofthe Exemplars struck him onthebackof theheadwith thehaftofhisdagger.

Barquan Blasdel noddedplacidly. “I did not call for

adverse voices because therewas obvious unanimity. Theconvocationisadjourned.”

Chapter16

Henry Bastaff described theconvocation to a silentconclaveofnotablesonNewHome Float. “There was nocore of opposition, nofirmness. Old EmachoFeroxibus was dead, MorseSwin had been dragged off.

The folk were stunned. Thesituation was too fantastic tobe credible. No one knewwhethertolaughorscreamorteartheExemplarsapartwiththeir bare hands. They didnothing. They dispersed andwentbacktotheirhuts.”

“And now BarquanBlasdel rules thefloats,”saidPhyralBerwick.

“With the most exactingvigor.”

“So then wemust expect

anotherattack.”Henry Bastaff agreed.

“Without any doubtwhatever.”

“But how? Surely theywon’tattemptanotherraid!”

“As to this, I can’t say.They might build boats withshields to divert fire-arrows,or evolve a system to throwfire-arrowsoftheirown.”

“Fire-arrows we cantolerate,” said Sklar Hast.“Wecanbuildourboatswith

kragen-hide rather than pad-skin;thisisnogreatthreat…I can’t imagine how Blasdelhopes to attack us. Yetundoubtedly he does sointend.”

“We must continue oursurveillance,” said PhyralBerwick. “So much isevident.”HelookedatHenryBastaff. “Are you willing toreturn?”

Hehesitated. “The risk isgreat. Blasdel knowswe spy

on him. The Exemplars willbeverymuchonthealert…Isuspect that the bestinformation will be gainedfromunderthepad,undertheintercessor’shut.

If Barway and Maiblewill return, Iwill accompanythem.”

Phyral Berwick clappedhim on the shoulder. “Youhave the admiration andgratitude of us all! Becausenow our very lives depend

uponinformation!”

Four days later Roger Kelsotook Sklar Hast to OutcryFloat, where he pointed outanother contrivance whosefunction or purpose SklarHast couldnot fathom. “Youwill now see electricityproduced,”saidRogerKelso.

“What? In that device?”Sklar Hast inspected theclumsy apparatus. A tube ofhollow stalk five inches in

diameter, supported by ascaffold,rosetwentyfeetintothe air. The base was heldatone end of a long boxcontaining what appeared tobewet ashes. The far end oftheboxwasclosedbya slabof compressed carbon, intowhich were threaded copperwires. At the opposite end,betweenthetubeandthewetashes, was another slab ofcompressedcarbon.

“This is admittedly a

crude device, unwieldy tooperate and of no greatefficiency,” said Kelso. “Itdoes, however, meet ourpeculiar requirements: whichis to say, it produceselectricity without metal,through the agency of waterpressure. Brunet describes itinhisMemorium.Hecalls itthe ‘Rous machine’ and theprocess cataphoresis. Thetube is filled with water,which is thereby forced

through themud,which hereisamixtureofashesandsea-slime. The water carries anelectric charge which itcommunicates to the porouscarbonasitseepsthrough.Bythismeansasmallbutsteadyand quite dependable sourceof electricity is at hand. Asyou have guessed, I havealready tested thedevicesoIcanspeakwithconfidence.”

He turned, signaled hishelpers. Two clamped shut

the box of mud, othersmounted the scaffold,carrying buckets of waterwhich they poured into thetube. Kelso connected thewires to a coil of severaldozenrevolutions.

He brought forward adish.Onacorkrestedasmallrodofiron.

“I have already‘magnetized’thisiron,””saidKelso.“Notehowitpointstothe north? It is called a

‘compass’andcanbeusedasanavigationaldevice.Now—Ibring it near the endof thecoil.Seeitjerk!Electricityisflowinginthewire!”

Sklar Hast was muchimpressed. Kelso spoke on,“The process is still in acrudestate.Ihopeeventuallyto build pumps propelled bythewindtoraisethewater,orevenageneratorpropelledbythe wind, when we havemuch more metal than we

havenow.ButeventhisRousmachine implies a dramaticpossibility. With electricitywecandisassociatesea-waterto produce the acid of salt,and a caustic of counteringproperties as well. The acidcan then be used to producemore highly concentratedstreams of electricity—if weareabletosecuremoremetal.SoIaskmyself,wheredothesavagesprocuretheircopper?Do they slaughter young

kragen?IamsocuriousthatImustknow,andIplantovisitthe Savage Floats to learntheirsecret.”

“No,” said Sklar Hast.“When they killed you, whowould build another Rousmachine? No, Roger Kelso.What was MacArthur’sDictum: ‘No man isindispensable’?Itisincorrect.Youaretooimportanttorisk.Sendyourhelpers,butdonotventure yourself into danger.

Thetimesaretootroubledforyoutoindulgeyourselfintheluxuryofdying.”

Kelso gave a grudgingacquiescence. “It you reallybelievethis.”

Sklar Hast returned toNew Home Float, where hesought out Meril Rohan. Heenticed her aboard a smallcoracleand rowedeast alongthelineoffloats.Uponapadfloating somewhat to thesouth of the line, they halted

andwentashoreandsatundera thicket of wild sugar-stem.“Here,”saidMeril,“iswherewe can build our home, andthis is where we shall haveourchildren.”

Sklar Hast sighed. “It isso peaceful, so calm, sobeautiful … Think howthings must be on the HomeFloats, where that madmanrules!”

“If only all could bepeaceful…Perhaps chaos is

inournature,inthenatureofman!”

“It would seem,” saidSklar Hast, chewing on astalk of sugar-stem, “thatweof the floats should by allrationality be less prone tothesequalities.TheFirstsfledthe Outer Worlds becausethey were subjected tooppression; hence it wouldseem that their mildness andplacidity, after twelvegenerations, would be

augmentedinus.”Merilgaveamischievous

laugh. “Let me tell you mytheory regarding the Firsts.”She did, and Sklar Hast wasfirst amused, thenincredulous,finallyindignant.

“What a thing to say!These are the Firsts! Ourancestors! You are aniconoclast in all truth! Is thiswhat you teach the children?In any event, it is all soridiculous!”

“I don’t think so. Somanythingsareexplained.Somany curious passagesbecome clear, so manyambiguousmusingsandwhatwould seem irrational regretsareclarified.”

“I refuse to believe this!Why—it’s … ” Wordsdesertedhim.Thenhesaid,“Ilookatyou,andIwatchyourface, and I think you are aproduct of the Firsts, and Iknow what you say is

impossible.”Meril Rohan laughed in

greatmerriment.“ButIthink,if it’s so, then perhaps theOuter Worlds would not besuch dreadful places as wehavepreviouslybelieved.

Sklar Hast shrugged.“We’ll never be sure—because we can never leavethisworld.”

“Do you know whatsomeday we’ll do? Not youorI,butperhapsourchildren

ortheirchildren.They’llfindthe Ship of Space, they’lldive or send down grapples,and raise it to the surface.Then they’ll study it verycarefully. Perhaps there’ll bemuchtolearn,perhapsnot…But just think! Suppose theycould contrive a way to flyspace once more, or at thevery least to send some sortofmessage!”

“Anything is possible,”said Sklar Hast. “If your

violently unorthodox theoryiscorrect,iftheFirstswereasyouseemtobelieve,thenthismightbeadesirablegoal.”

He sighed once more.“You and Iwill never see it;we’llneverknowthetruthofyourtheories—whichperhapsisjustaswell.”

AcoraclemannedbyCarlSnyderandRobleBaxter,twoof Roger Kelso’s helpers,sailed west to the SavageFloats. Nine days later they

returned, gaunt, sunburnedbut triumphant. Carl Snyderreported to the counsel ofelders: “We waited offshoreuntil dark. The savages sataround a fire, and using atelescope,wecould see themclearly. They are a wretchedfolk:dirty,naked,ugly.Whenthey were asleep, weapproached and found a spotwhere we could hide thecoracle and ourselves. Threedayswewatchedthesavages.

There are only twenty or so.They do littlemore than eat,sleep, copulate, and smeltcopper. First they heat thehusks of the sponges to achar.Thischartheypulverizeandput intoapot towhichabellows is attached. As theywork the bellows, thecharcoal glows in manycolors, and finally dissipates,andthecopperremains.”

“And to think that fortwelve generations we have

thrownspongehusksintothesea!”criedKelsoinanguish.

“Itwouldseem,”reflectedSklar Hast, “that the kragenderive the copper of theirblood from sponges. Where,then, is the source of iron inour own blood? Itmust be afound in some article of ourown diet. If the source wasfound,wewould not need todrainourselvespaletoobtainpellets.”

“We test every substance

we can lay our hands on,”saidKelso.“Wehavecreatedawhitepowderandayellowpowder, but no metal.Naturally we continue withourtests.”

Several days later Kelsooncemore invitedSklarHastto Outcry Float. Under fourlong open-sided sheds 50men and women worked atretorts fashioned from ashcemented with sea-ooze.Bellows puffed, charcoal

glowed, fumes billowed upand drifted away through thefoliage.

Kelso showed Sklar Hasta container of copper pellets.SklarHast reverently trickledthe cold, clinking shapesthrough his fingers. “Metal!Allfromkragenblood?”

“From kragen blood andorgans, and from the huskssponges. And here, here isouriron!”HeshowedSklaracontainer holding a much

smaller quantity of iron—ahandful. “This represents ahundred bleedings. But wehavefoundironelsewhere:inglandsofthegray-fish,intheleaves of bindlebane, inpurple-weed pith. Smallquantities,true,butbeforewehadnone.”

SklarHastheftedtheiron.“In my imagination I see agreat engine constructed ofiron. It floats on the water,and moves faster than any

coracle.KingKragen sees it.Heisawed,heistakenaback,but in his arrogance heattacks. The engine thrustsforthanironknife;ironhooksgrip King Kragen, and theironknifehackshimintwo.”

OnceagainSklarHast letthepelletsofironsiftthroughhisfingers.Heshookhisheadruefully. “We might bleedeveryman,woman,andchilddry a hundred times, athousand times, and still lack

iron to build such a kragen-killingengine.”

“Unfortunatelytrue,”saidRoger Kelso. “The engineyou suggest is out of ourreach. Still, using our wits,perhaps we can contrivesomethingalmostasdeadly.”

“We had better makehaste. Because BarquanBlasdel and his Exemplarsthink only of bringing someterriblefatetous.”

Whatever the fate BarquanBlasdel planned for the folkofNewHomeFloat, he kepthis own counsel. Perhaps hehad not yet perfected theplan; perhaps he wished toconsolidate the authority ofthe Exemplars; perhaps hesuspected that spies gaugedhis everymove. In this latterconjecture he was accurate.Henry Bastaff, in the role ofan itinerant spice-grinder,frequented Apprise Inn with

ears angled toward theExemplars who primarilyrelaxedfromtheirdutieshere.

He learned little. TheExemplars spoke in largevoices of portentous events,but it was clear that theyknewnothing.

Occasionally BarquanBlasdelhimselfwouldappearwearinggarmentsofnewandelaborate style. Over a tightblack overall he wore ajacket, or surplice, of

broideredpurplestripsloopedaround shoulders, waist, andthighs. From his shouldersextended a pair ofextravagantly wideepaulettes,fromwhichhungablack cloak, which flappedand billowed as he walked.Hisheaddresswasevenmoreimpressive: an elaboratebonnetofpad-skincuspsandprongs,varnishedandpaintedblackandpurple—asymbolicrepresentation of King

Kragen’scountenance.Barquan Blasdel’s dark,

gaunt face was sober andharsh these days, though hisvoice,whenbespoke,wasaseasyandrelaxedasever,andgenerallyhemanagedaslightsmile, together with anearnestforwardinclinationofthe head, which gave theperson to whom he spoke asense of participation inaffairs of profoundimportance.

Barway and Maible hadtaken elaborate precautionsagainst the vigilance of theExemplars.Theircoraclewassubmerged and tucked undertheedgeofthefloat;workingfromunderwater,theyhadcutrectangularnichesupintothepulpofthefloat,withabenchabove water-level andventilation holes up throughthe top surface into theshadowof ahessianbush. Inthese niches they lay during

daylight hours, makingoccasional underwater visitstotheholeinVrinkSmathe’sworkroom. By night theycame forth to eat the foodbroughtbyHenryBastaff.

Like Henry Bastaff, theyhadlearnednothing,BarquanBlasdel and the Exemplarsseemed to be marking time.King Kragen made his usualleisurely circuit of the floats.TwiceHenryBastaffsawhimand on each occasion

marveled at his size andmight. On the evening afterthesecondoccasion,sittingathisusualplacetothebackofApprise Inn,heheard abriefsnatch of conversationwhichhe considered significantLater in the evening hereported to Barway andMaible.

“This may meansomething or nothing; it ishard to judge. I personallyfeel that something is afoot.

In any event these are thecircumstances. A pair ofblackguards had come infrom Sumber, and a FelonElder asked regardingThrasneck and Bickle. Theblackguards replied that allthe previous month they hadworkedatThrasneckLagoon,building sponge-arbors inprofusion: enough to servenot only Thrasneck butTranque, Bickle, Sumber,Adelvine,andGreenLampas

well: These arborswere of anewdesign,heavierandmoredurable, and buoyed bybundles of withe rather thanbladders. The Felon Elderthen spoke of sponge bargeshis guild brothers werebuilding on Tranque: aprojectsupposedlysecret,butwhymaintainsecrecyaboutaset of sponge barges? Itwasn’t as if theywere attackboatsfortheExemplars.Herea group of Exemplars came

into the inn and theconversationhalted.”

“Sponge arbors andbarges,” mused Maible.“Nothing immediatelysinisterhere.”

“Not unless the intent isto provision a newexpeditionaryforce.”

“Something is in thewind,” said Henry Bastaff.‘The intercessors both newand old are arriving atApprise,andthere’s talkofa

conclave,Youtwokeepyourears on Smathe’s workroom,andI’lltrytocatchawordortwoofwhat’shappening.”

Mid-morning of` thefollowing day Henry Bastaffwalked by the hessian bushunderwhich layBarway andMaible.Squatting,pretendingto tie the thongs of sandals,he muttered: “Bastaff here.Todayistheconclave,highlyimportant, beside thehoodwinktower.I’mgoingto

try to hide behind a stack ofhood-facings. I may or maynotbesuccessful.Oneofyouswim to where the towerposts go through the float.There’sagapofafewincheswhere you can breathe andpossibly hear—especially ifyou chisel away some of thepulp.”

Fromunder the frondsofthe hessian bush camemuffledvoice.“Bestthatyoukeepyourdistance;they’llbe

on the alert for spies. We’lltry to hear the proceedingsfrombelow.”

“I’ll do whatever lookssafe,” said Henry Bastaff.“I’m going. There’s anExemplarwatchingme.”

In their niche below thepad, Maible and Barwayheard his retreating footstepsand, amoment later, anotherleisurely tread, as someone,presumably the Exemplar,strolledby.

The footsteps movedaway; Barway and Maiblerelaxed.

After consultation,Barway slipped from theshelfintothewater,andaftertaking his bearings, swam towhere the poles of thehoodwink tower passedthroughthefloat.

Here, as Bastaff hadstated, were gaps at which,after a certain amount ofcuttingandchiseling,Barway

could either put his mouthand nose or his ear, but notbothatonce.

HenryBastaffwentabouthis business of spice-grinding,andafteranhourorsowalkedpast thehoodwinktower. The pile of hood-facingswas as before.HenryBastaff looked in alldirections. No one appearedto be observing him. Hesquatted, shifted the facingsthis way and that and

contrived an opening intowhichheinsertedhimself.

Time passed. The longerHenry Bastaff sat the moreuneasy he became. The pileof facings suddenly seemedoverprovident. The area hadbeen too convenientlydeserted.Could it be that thefacings had been arranged toserveasaspy-trap?HurriedlyBastaff wriggled back out,andafteraquicklookaround,tookhimselfoff.

A half hour laterintercessors began to gatheron the scene. Six ExemplarSelects came to stand guard,and to prevent unauthorizedpersons from pressing tooclose.

At last Barquan Blasdelappeared,walkingslowly,hisblack cloak drifting andbillowing behind. .ThreeExemplars of the Ferventcategorymarchedathisback.He passed near the stack of

facings and turned them aquick glance. They had beendisarranged, slightly moved.Barquan Blasdel’s lipstightened in a small, secretsmile.Heturned,spoketotheFerventExemplars,whotookuppositionsbesidethepileoffacings.

BarquanBlasdelfacedtheassembled intercessors. Heraised his hands for silence.“Todaybeginsanew,phaseofour preparations,” he said.

“We expect to achieve twopurposes: to systematize ourrelations with King Kragen,and to establish a necessaryprecondition to our greatproject. Before I go intodetails, Iwish tomake somecomments in regard toespionage. No creature is asvileasaspy,especiallyaspyfrom the dissident floats. Ifapprehended, he can expectbutsmallmercyatourhands.So now I inquire: have all

present been vigilant in thisregard?”

The assembledintercessors nodded theirheads and gave witness that,indeed, they had exercisedmeticulouscaution.

“Good!” declaredBarquan Blasdel heartily.“Still, the dissident spies areclever and viciouslymilitant.Theyknownomorefearthana spurgeon, and even lessguilt for their misdeeds. But

wearemorecleverthanthesespies.Weknowhowtosmellthem out! In fact, the rankodor of an unmitigated spyissues frombehind that stackof hood-facings. Fervents!Take the necessarymeasures!”

The Exemplar Ferventstore into the stack of hood-facings. Barquan Blasdelcame towatch. The Ferventsfound nothing. They lookedat Barquan Blasdel, who

pulledathislipinannoyance.“Well,well,”saidBlasdel.“Avigilance too extreme ispreferabletocarelessness.

Below, where the polepassed through the float,Barway, by dint of taking adeep breath and holding hisear to the crevice, had heardthe last remark.ButBarquanBlasdel returned to hisprevious place, and wordsbecame muffled andincomprehensible.

Barquan Blasdel spokefor several minutes. Alllistenedattentively, includingthe six Exemplars BarquanBlasdel had put on guard, tosuch an extent that presentlystood at the last row of theintercessors.BarquanBlasdelfinally noticed and wavedthemback.Oneofthesemorepunctilious than the others,retreatedpast theedgeof thehoodwinksupplyshed,whereaman stood listening. “Ho!”

called the Exemplar. “Whatdoyouhere?”

Themansodetectedgavea wave of all-indulgenttolerance and staggereddrunkenlyaway.

“Halt!” cried theExemplar. “Return anddeclareyourself!”Hejumpedforwardanddraggedthemaninto the open area. Allexaminedhimwithattention.His skin was dark, his facewasblandandbareofhair;he

wore the nondescript snuff-coloredsmockofaPeculatororMalpractor.

BarquanBlasdelmarchedforward.“Whoareyou?Whydoyoulurkintheseforbiddenprecincts?”

The man staggered againand made a foolish gesture.“Is this the tavern? Pour outthearrack,pourforall!IamastrangeronApprise—Iwouldknowthequalityofyourfoodanddrink.”

Vrink Smathe snorted.“The fool is a spice-grinderand

drunk. I have seen himoften.Directhimtotheinn.”

“No!” roared Blasdel,jerking forward inexcitement. “This is adissident, this is a spy! Iknow him well! He hasshavedhisheadandhisface,but never can he defeat myacuity!Heisheretolearnoursecrets!”

“The group turned theirattentionupontheman,who”blinked even morevehemently.“Aspy?NotI!Iseekonlyacupofarrack.”

Blasdel sniffed the air infront of the captive’s face.“There is no odor: neitherbeer nor arrack nor spirits oflife. Come! All must satisfythemselves as to this so thatthere will be no subsequentcontradictions andvacillations.”

“What is your name?”demanded Vogel Womack,the Adelvine Intercessor.“Your float and your caste?Identifyyourself!”

The captive took a deepbreath,castoffhispretenseofdrunkenness. “I am HenryBastaff.Iamadissident.Iamhere to find if you plan evilagainst us. That is my solepurpose.”

“A spy!” cried BarquanBlasdel in a voice of horror.

“Aself-confessedspy.”The intercessors set up a

chorus of indignant hoots.Blasdel said,“He isguiltyofatleastadoubleoffense:first,the various illegalitiesentering into his dissidence;and second, his insolentattempt to conspire againstus, the staunch, the faithful,the true!AsChiefExemplar,I am compelled to demandtheextremepenalty.”

Vogel Womack tried to

temper Barquan Blasdel’swrath. “Let us delay ourjudgment,” he remarkeduneasily. “Presently theman’s deed may not appearsograve.”

Barquan Blasdel ignoredhim. “This man is a viledissident,anagentof turmoilanda spy.Hemust sufferanextreme penalty! To thisdeclaration there will beallowednoappeal!”

Henry Bastaff was taken

to Vrink Smathe’s dwelling,which stood nearby, andconfined in the workroom,with four Exemplarssurrounding him and neverfor an instant taking awaytheirgaze.

Henry Bastaff surveyedthe surroundings. To rightand left were shelves; at theback a screen concealed theholethroughthefloat.

Henry Bastaff spoke tothe Exemplars. “I heard

Blasdel’s program. Are youmen interested in what is tohappen?”Noneresponded.

Henry Bastaff smiledwanlyand looked toward thequarterof the room inwhichwasthehole.“Blasdelintendsto lead King Kragen to thenew floats, so that KingKragen may express hispleasure against thedissidents, and may alsodestroy whatever dissidentboatsstandintheway.”

Noonespoke.“Tothisend,”saidHenry

Bastaffinaclearanddistinctvoice, “he has built floatingsponge arbors to guaranteeKingKragenanamplerationduring the voyage, togetherwithbargesformoresponges,boats for the necessaryadvertisermen and a force ofExemplars to occupy NewHomeFloat.”

The fourmen in uniformmerelystaredathim;Aftera

few minutes Henry Bastaffrepeated the information. Headded: “I may never see theNewFloatsagain,buthope Ihave helped us to freedom.Farewell to the men of theNewFloats; Iwish only thatthey could be warned of theevil which Barquan Blasdelplanstobringtothem.”

“Silence!” spoke one ofthe Exemplars. “You haverantedenough.”

Chapter17

On the following day analteration was made in themethod by which KingKragen was tendered hisoblation. Previously, whenKing Kragen approached alagoon with the intent offeasting, arbors overgrown

with spongeswere floated tothe edge of the net, forKingKragen to pluck with hispalps.Nowthespongeswereplucked by advertisermen,heapeduponagreat trayandfloated forth between a pairof coracles. When the traywasinplace,BarquanBlasdelwent to Vrink Smathe’swork-room,whereheseemednot to seeHenryBastaff.Helistened at the horn. KingKragenwascloseathand;the

scraping of his chitin armorsounded loud in theearpiece.Blasdel turned the crankwhich sent forth thesummoning rattle. KingKragen’s scraping ceased,then began once more,increasing in intensity. KingKragenwasapproaching.

He appeared from theeast, turret andmassive torsoriding above the surface, thegreat rectangular platformgliding through the ocean on

easystrokesofhisvanes.The forward eyes noted

the offering. He easedforward, inspected the tray,and with his forward palpsbegan to scoop the spongesintohismaw.

From the float folkwatched in somberspeculation. Barquan Blasdelcame forth to stand on theedge of the pad, to bow andgesticulate ritual approval asKingKragenate.

Thetraywasempty.KingKragen made no move todepart. Blasdel swung about,calledtoaFerventExemplar.“The sponges—how manywereoffered?”

“Seven bushels. KingKragen usually eats nomore.”

“Today he seems tolinger.Areothersplucked?”

“Those for the market,anotherfivebushels.”

“They had best be

tendered King Kragen; it isnotwelltostint.”

While King Kragenfloated motionless, thecoracles I were pulled to thefloat. Another five bushelswere poured upon the trayand the tray thrust backtoward King Kragen. Againhe ate, consuming all but abushel or two. Then, replete,he submerged till only histurret remained above water.And there he remained,

movingsluggishlya few feetforward,afewfeetbackward.

Nine days later MaibleandBarway,haggardasmuchfrom horror as privation,reported to the folk of NewFloat.

“On the following dayKing Kragen had not yetmoved. It was clear that thenew method of feeding hadimpressed him favorably. Soat noon the tray was againfilled, with at least ten

bushels of sponge, and againKing Kragen devoured thelot.

“During this time HenryBastaff was moved fromSmathe’s workroom, and wecould not learn of his newplace of incarceration. Thissaddened us, for we hadintendedtoattempthisrescuethroughthehornhole.

“OnthethirddayBlasdelmade an announcementwhich went across the

hoodwink towers, to theeffect that King Kragen haddemanded the privilege ofexecuting the dissident spywhohadsinnedsogrievouslyagainsthim.Atnoonthetraywent out. At the very top ifwas awide board supportinga single great sponge, andbelow the usual heap. KingKragen had not moved fiftyyards for three days. Heapproached the tray, reachedfor the topmost sponge. It

seemedfastenedtotheboard.King Kragen jerked, and sodecapitated Henry Bastaff,whose head had been stuffedinto the sponge. It was ahorrible sight,with thebloodspouting upon the pile ofsponges. King Kragenseemed to devour them withparticularrelish.

“With Henry Bastaffdead, we no longer hadreason to delay—except forcuriosity. King Kragen

showed no signs of moving,ofvisitingotherfloats.Itwasclear that he found the newfeeding system to his liking.On the fourth day his mealwas furnished by GranoltFloat and ferried to Appriseby coracle. On the fifth daythe sponges were broughtfromSankston.ItappearsthatKing Kragen is now apermanent guest at AppriseFloat—which is the essentialfirstpartofBlasdel’splan.”

There was a moment ortwo of silence; PhyralBerwick made a sound ofrevulsion. “It is a situationwhich we must alter.” Helooked at Sklar Hast. “Howfar advanced are yourpreparations?”

Sklar Hast indicatedRoger Kelso. “Ask the manwhosmeltsourmetal.”

“Our resources aremultiplying,” said Kelso.“We have bled everyone on

thefloat,twiceorthreetimes;this blood has yielded tenpounds of iron, which wehave hammered and refined.It is now hard and toughbeyond all belief—but stillthereisonlytenpounds.Thekragen and the sponge huskshave given us much morecopper: fifty or sixty poundsat a guess. Our electricaldevice has produced twenty-four flasks of acid of salt,whichwemaintain in bottles

blowninourglassshop.Thisis now an establishmentcompletely separated fromthesmelting.”

“Encouraging andinteresting,” said RobinMagram, the MasterIncendiary, a man not tooimaginative, “but howwill itavailagainstKingKragen?”

“We haven’t completedourexperiments,”saidKelso.“I can’t give you a definiteanswer—yet.We need a live

kragen, and they’ve beengiving us a wide berth.Perhapswe’llbeforcedtogohunting.”

“Meanwhile,” said SklarHast, “we can disruptBlasdel’stimetable.”

Amonthlater, in thedeadofnight, with only starlight toguidethem,sixblackcoraclesapproached Tranque Float. Itshowed a barren unfamiliarsilhouette, denuded of all

verdure save for the centralspikes and their attendantfronds.At the eastern end ofthe float were low barracksand a flat area apparentlyusedasanexerciseground;atthe western end was a bleakconstruction area, where theskeletons of sponge arborsglimmered white in thestarlight.

Thenetacrossthelagoonmouth was cut. The coraclesdriftedintothelagoon,where

were ranked long arbor afterarbor, eachbulgingwith ripesponges.Themenmadesilentplay with knives, cuttingaway the with floats and theanchor ropes; the arborssubmerged, disappeared; thewater of the lagoon rippledblankandvacant.

The coracles departed asstealthily as they had come.They circled the float. Fromthe eastern side of Tranque,toward Thrasneck Float,

extended six floating fingers,towhichweremooredtwelvedoublehulledbarges.Oilwaspouredintoeachhull,torcheswere flung; great flamesthrust high into the sky, andangry cries came from thebarracks. The black boats,with the men in blackstraining to the paddles, fledeastward across the ocean.Foranhourtheorangeflameslickedatthesky,thenslowlydwindledanddied.

Twomonthslater,ascoutcoracle, after a cautiousreconnaissance, returned toreportthatthedockshadbeenrepaired, that new bargeswere nearly complete, thatnewarborswereinplace,andthat the area was patrolledcontinuously by Exemplarsarmedwithpikesandswords.

Chapter18

Theyear,whichsubsequentlybecameknownastheYearofthe Exemplars, came to anend. Shortly after thebeginning of the new year,three swindlers, working thewater to the east of TranqueFloat, sighted a fleet

approaching from the east.The two younger swindlersmadeahurriedmotiontohaulin their lines, but the elderhaltedthem.“Ourbusinessisswindling, no more. Let theboats go by; they will notmolestus.”

So the swindlers satbackandwatched the flotillapass.There were twelve galleys,rather high of freeboard,sheathed with a dull blackmembrane. Each carried a

crew of thirty who sat lowand rowed through holes inthe hull, and thus wereprotectedfrommissiles.Theyworecasquesandcorseletsofthe same black membranethat sheathed the hulls, andbeside each was a bow, adozen arrows with fire-bulbtips,a long lancewitha tangof orangemetal. The galleysaccompanied a strangerectangular barge riding onthree hulls. Platforms fore

and aft supported a pair ofbulky objects concealed bytarpaulins,withbesideeachatub.Ineachofthethreehullswererowsofsquatglassvats,two hundred and ten in all,each of two quarts capacity,each two-thirds full of paleliquid. Like the galleys, thebarge was propelled byoarsmen sitting low in thehulls and protected fromhostilemissilesby thescreenofblackmembrane.

The Exemplars onTranque Float observed theflotilla, hoodwink towersflickered an alarm: “The …dissidents…are…returning… in … force … They …come … in … strange …black…canoes…and…an… even … more … peculiar…black…barge…They…show…no…fear.”

Returning cameinstruction in a codeunintelligible to those of the

flotilla. They could now seetheTranque dockswhere thenewbargesfloatedandwherealready the laden arbors hadbeen brought forth to beattached and towed astern.The docks swarmed withExemplars, ready to defeatany attempt to destroy thebargesasecondtime.Buttheflotilla sailed past, and thehoodwink towers flickeredonce again: “The …dissidents … proceed …west

…They…are…passing…Tranque Float … It … is …difficult…to…conjecture…their … intent.” And backcame coded instructions,evidently advising cautiousobservation, for theExemplars boarded coraclesand rowed on a courseparalleltotheflotilla,keepingacautioustwohundredyardsbetween.

The flotilla continued upthe line of floats: Thrasneck,

Bickle, Green Lamp; at lastFay, Quatrefoil, and finallyApprise.

In the water before thelagoon lolledKingKragen—a bloated monstrous KingKragen, dwarfing the entireflotilla.

King Kragen becameawareoftheboats.Heswungabout, the monstrous vanessucking whirlpools into theocean. The eyes, withopalescentfilmsshiftingback

and forth, fixed upon theblack sheathing of galleys,armor, and barge, and heseemed to recognize thesubstanceof kragenhide, forheemittedassnortofterribledispleasure. He jerked hisvanes, and the ocean suckedandswirled.

Thebargeswungsidewiseto King Kragen. Thetarpaulins were jerked awayfrom the platforms at eitherend to reveal massive

crossbow-like mechanismsfashioned from laminatedstalk and kragen chitin, withcables woven from strips ofkragen-leather.Twoteamsofmen turned a windlasshauling back the great cross-arms. Into the channelswereplaced ironharpoons smeltedfrom human blood. In theholdsothermen loweredonethousand plates of iron andcopperintotheglassvats.

King Kragen sensed

menace. Why else shouldmenbesobold?Hetwitchedhis vanes, inched forward towithin a hundred feet. Thenhe lunged. Vanes dug thewater with an ear-shatteringshriek King Kragen charged,mandiblessnapping.

Themenatthecrossbowswere pale as sea-foam; theirfingers twitched. Sklar Hastturned tocall:“Fire!”buthisvoicecaughtinhisthroatandwhat he intended for an

incisivecommandcameforthas a startled stammer. Thecommand was neverthelessunderstood. The leftcrossbow thudded, snapped;the harpoon, trailing a blackcable, sprang at KingKragen’s turret, buried itself.KingKragenhissed.

The right crossbowthudded,snapped; thesecondharpoonstabbeddeepintotheturret.SklarHastmotionedtothe men in the hold.

“Connect!” The men joinedcopper tocopper. In theholdtwo hundred and ten voltaiccells, each holding ten thin-leavedcathodesand ten thin-leavedanodes,connectedfirstinseriesofseventy,andtheseseries in parallel, poured agush of electricity along thecopper cables wrapped invarnishedpad-skin leading tothe harpoons. Into andthroughKingKragen’s turretpoured the energy, and King

Kragenwent stiff. His vanesprotruded at right angles tohis body. SklarHast laughedan explosion of nervousrelief. “King Kragen isamenable, no less than thesmallerkragen.”

“I never doubted,” saidRogerKelso.

They dove into thewateralong with 20 others. Theyswam to King Kragen,clambered up the rigidsubsurface platform; with

mallets and copper chiselsthey attacked the liningbetween dome and turretwall. On Apprise Float agreat throng had gathered.One man, running back andforth, was Barquan Blasdel.He leaped into one of thecoracles and, screamingorders, led the Exemplarsagainst the dissident flotilla.Fire-arrows cut arcs across.the sky; seven coracles burstinto flames, and the

Exemplars plunged into thewater. The others swervedaside.BarquanBlasdelissuedthe most strenuouscommands, but theExemplars made no newsorties.

King Kragen floated stiffand still—eyes staring, palpsprotruding. His turret wasthirty feet in circumference,but twenty-two men hackedwith chisels, and now theliningwasbroken.Barswere

inserted into the crack, allheaved. With a splittingsound the dome wasdislodged. It slid over and infallingpulledawayoneoftheharpoons. The circuit wasbroken; King Kragen oncemoreownedhisself-control.

For one galvanic instanthe lay quiescent, trembling.Then he gave vent to anappalling scream, a soundwhich sent the folk on thefloattotheirknees.

King Kragen hurledhimselfoutof thewater.Themen who had hacked awayhis turret were flung far andwide; all except three whohadmanagedtoreachintotheturretandclingtotheknottedgraycords.Oneof thesewasSklar Hast. While KingKragen lunged and thrashed,heslashedat thenervenodeswith his iron knife. AgainKing Kragen screamed, andthrusthimself into theocean.

Water crashed down into theturret; twomenwerewashedaway. Sklar Hast, with armsand legs clenched among thestrands, alone remained inplace. The salt water on theexposed brain caused KingKragengreatdiscomfort, andhe sprang back out of thewater, bent double; SklarHast hewed and hacked; thevanes, palps, and mandiblesjerked, contracted, twisted,snapped in accordance. King

Kragen’s vehemencelessened; he floatedmoaningwith vanes dangling limp.Some of the men who hadbeen flungawayswamback;in a ceremony both dreadfuland exalted King Kragen’snervenodesweretornoutandcastintothesea.

KingKragenfloatedlimp,a lifeless hulk. The menplunged into the sea towashthemselves,swambacktothebarge.The flotillanoweased

toward Apprise Float. SklarHast stood on the forwardplatform. Barquan Blasdelcried to the folk: “To arms!Stakes, chisels, mallets,knives, bludgeons! Smite themiscreants!”

Sklar Hast called to thethrong:“KingKragenisdead.Whatdoyousaytothis?”

Therewas silence; thenafaint cheer, and a loudercheer, and finally uproariouscelebration.

Sklar Hast pointed afinger at Barquan Blasdel.“That man must die. Heorganized the Exemplars.Hemurdered Henry Bastaff. Hehas fed your food to the vileKingKragen.HewouldhavecontinueddoingsountilKingKragen overgrew the entirefloat.”

Barquan Blasdel cried tohis Exemplars: “Weapons atthe ready!Anywhoattack—kill!”

Sklar Hast called to theExemplars: “Throw downyour weapons! You arefinished. King Kragen isdead. You are Exemplarsonly to a dead sea-beast.”Barquan Blasdel lookedquickly in all directions. HisExemplars, outnumbered bythemen of the float, showedno disposition to fight.Barquan Blasdel laughedbrassily and turned away.“Hold!” called Morse Swin,

the Apprise Arbiter.“Barquan Blasdel, return!Youmust face the verdict ofaconvocation!”

“Never! Not I!” BarquanBlasdel tried topush throughthe throng, and this was amistake, for it triggered thecounter-impulse to halt him.When he was touched, hesmote,andagainheerred,forthe blow brought a counter-blow and Barquan Blasdelwas presently torn to pieces.

The crowd now turned uponthe Exemplars, and all thosewhowereunabletoescapetothe coracles shared BarquanBlasdel’s fate. Those wholied in the coracles wereintercepted by the blackgalleys, herded into a clot,where they surrenderedthemselves.

“Comeashore,menoftheNew Floats; deliver us theExemplars, that theymay beserved like their fellows!”

criedonefromthefloat.Another voice called,

“Comegreetyouroldfriends,wholonghavebeensaddenedatyourabsence!”

And another voice cried,“Tonightthearrackwillflow;come drink your share!Tonighttheyellowlampswillburn; we will play the pipesanddance;comedanceinthelightofouryellowlamps!”

Sklar Hast considered amoment,thenhereplied,“We

willcomeashore,andwewilldeliver the prisoners. Let ushave no more franticbloodshed, however. Thosewho have committed crimes,let them face a convocationand be punished or freedaccording to our ancienttraditions. Is it agreed?Otherwise we must return toNewFloats!”

Morse Swin called out,“We agree in all respects!Enough blood has been

spilled;wewantnomore!”“Thenwecomeashore,to

rejoicewithyou!”Andtheblackboatsofthe

New Floats landed uponApprise;themenwentashoreto greet old friends, caste-fellowsandguild-brothers.

The corpse of KingKragenfloatedintheocean,adesolate hulk. Already duskhad come; the hoodwinktowersflickeredinallearnest;from Tranque in the east to

AlmackandScionainthefarwest dashed the news.Intercessors staredmournfully across the water.Exemplars divestedthemselves of their uniformsand sheepishly mingled withthose whom so recently theyhad treated with arrogance.They were derided andvilified, but none wereinjured; themoodof the folkwas too rich and full.Beforeevery hut yellow lamps

flared; the oldest arrack, themost mellow spirits of lifewere brought forth; oldfriends drank together. Allnight, under the whiteconstellations, there wasrevelry and joy and greatthanksgiving thatneveragainneed the folk of the floatsserveKingKragenoranotherlikehim.

Notes

1.Theorthographyhadbeenadoptedintheearliestdaysandwashighlysystematic.Theclusterattheleftindicatedthegenusoftheidea,theclusterattherightdenotedthespecific.Insuchafashion

attheleftsignifiedcolor;hence:

White

Black

Red

Pink

DarkRed

andsoforth.

2.Theadvertisermantakes

belowapulleywhichheattachestoasea-plantstalk.Bymeansofropes,bucketsofairarepulleddown,allowinghimtoremainunderwateraslongashechooses.Usingtwosuchsystemsalternatelylowered,thedivercandescendtoadepthoftwohundredfeet,wherethesea-plantstalksgrowdenseandrigid.