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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5b1aa16 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #51344 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/51344) diff --git a/old/51344-h.zip b/old/51344-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index a98f542..0000000 --- a/old/51344-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/51344-h/51344-h.htm b/old/51344-h/51344-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 724c866..0000000 --- a/old/51344-h/51344-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2765 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" - "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> - <head> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=us-ascii" /> - <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> - <title> - The Project Gutenberg eBook of Voyage to Far N'jurd, by Kris Neville. - </title> - <link rel="coverpage" href="images/cover.jpg" /> - - <style type="text/css"> - -body { - margin-left: 10%; - margin-right: 10%; -} - - h1,h2 { - text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ - clear: both; -} - -p { - margin-top: .51em; - text-align: justify; - margin-bottom: .49em; -} - -hr { - width: 33%; - margin-top: 2em; - margin-bottom: 2em; - margin-left: 33.5%; - margin-right: 33.5%; - clear: both; -} - -hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} -hr.tb {width: 45%; margin-left: 27.5%; margin-right: 27.5%;} - -.center {text-align: center;} - -.right {text-align: right;} - -.caption {font-weight: bold;} - -/* Images */ -.figcenter { - margin: auto; - text-align: center; -} - -div.titlepage { - text-align: center; - page-break-before: always; - page-break-after: always; -} - -div.titlepage p { - text-align: center; - text-indent: 0em; - font-weight: bold; - line-height: 1.5; - margin-top: 3em; -} - -.ph1, .ph2, .ph3, .ph4 { text-align: center; text-indent: 0em; font-weight: bold; } -.ph1 { font-size: xx-large; margin: .67em auto; } -.ph2 { font-size: x-large; margin: .75em auto; } -.ph3 { font-size: large; margin: .83em auto; } -.ph4 { font-size: medium; margin: 1.12em auto; } - - - </style> - </head> -<body> - - -<pre> - -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyage to Far N'jurd, by Kris Neville - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Voyage to Far N'jurd - -Author: Kris Neville - -Release Date: March 2, 2016 [EBook #51344] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO FAR N'JURD *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="385" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> -<h1>VOYAGE TO FAR N'JURD</h1> - -<p>By KRIS NEVILLE</p> - -<p>Illustrated by MACK</p> - -<p>[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from<br /> -Galaxy Magazine April 1963.<br /> -Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that<br /> -the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]</p> - -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph3"><i>They would never live to see the trip's<br /> -end. So they made a few changes in their way<br /> -of life—and many in their way of death!</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">I</p> - -<p>"I don't see why we have to be here," a crewman said. "He ain't liable -to say anything."</p> - -<p>"He shore better," the man in front of him said loudly.</p> - -<p>"Be still," his wife said. "People's lookin' at ya."</p> - -<p>"I don't care a smidgen," he said, "if en they ayre."</p> - -<p>"Please," she said.</p> - -<p>"Joanne Marie," he said, "you know that when I aims ta do somethin', -I'm jest natcher'lly bound to do hit. An' iffen I aims ta talk...."</p> - -<p>"Here comes the priest. Now, be still."</p> - -<p>The man looked up. "So he do; an' I'll tell ya, hit shore is time he's -a-gittin' hyere. I ain't got no all night fer ta sit."</p> - -<p>The crewman to his left bent over and whispered, "I'll bet he's gonna -tell us it's gonna be another postponement."</p> - -<p>"Iffen he does, I'm jest a-gonna stand up an' yell right out that I -ain't gonna stand fer hit no longer."</p> - -<p>"Now, dear," said Joanne Marie, "the captain can hear ya, if you're -gonna talk so loud."</p> - -<p>"I hope he does; I jest hope he does. He's th' one that's a-keepin' us -all from our Reward, an' I jest hope he does heyar me, so he'll know -I'm a-gittin' mighty tyird uv waitin'."</p> - -<p>"You tell 'im!" someone said from two rows behind him.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The captain, in the officer's section, sat very straight and tall. He -was studiously ignoring the crew. This confined his field of vision to -the left half of the recreation area. While the priest stood before the -speaker's rostrum waiting for silence, the captain reached back with -great dignity and scratched his right shoulder blade.</p> - -<p>Nestir, the priest, was dressed out in the full ceremonial costume -of office. His high, strapless boots glistened with polish. His fez -perched jauntily on his shiny, shaven head. The baldness was symbolic -of diligent mental application to abstruse points of doctrine. <i>Cotian -exentiati pablum re overum est</i>: "Grass grows not in the middle of -a busy thoroughfare." The baldness was the result of the diligent -application of an effective depilatory. His blood-red cloak had been -freshly cleaned for the occasion, and it rustled around him in silky -sibilants.</p> - -<p>"Men," he said. And then, more loudly, "Men!"</p> - -<p>The hiss and sputter of conversation guttered away.</p> - -<p>"Men," he said.</p> - -<p>"The other evening," he said, "—Gelday it was, to be exact—one of the -crew came to me with a complaint."</p> - -<p>"Well, I'll be damned," Joanne Marie's husband said loudly.</p> - -<p>Nestir cleared his throat. "It was about the Casting Off. That's why -I called you all together today." He stared away, at a point over the -head and to the rear of the audience.</p> - -<p>"It puts me in mind of the parable of the six Vergios."</p> - -<p>Joanne Marie's husband sighed deeply.</p> - -<p>"Three, you will recall, were wise. When Prophet was at Meizque, they -came to him and said, 'Prophet, we are afflicted. We have great sores -upon our bodies.' The Prophet looked at them and did see that it <i>was</i> -true. Then he blessed them and took out His knife and lay open their -sores. For which the three wise Vergios were passing grateful. And -within the last week, they were dead of infection. But three were -foolish and hid their sores; and these three did live."</p> - -<p>The captain rubbed his nose.</p> - -<p>"<i>Calex i pundendem hoy</i>, my children. 'Secrecy makes for a long life,' -as it says in the <i>Jarcon</i>." Nestir tugged behind him at his cloak.</p> - -<p>"I want you all to remember that little story. I want you all to take -it away from here with you and think about it, tonight, in the privacy -of your cabins.</p> - -<p>"And like the three wise Vergios who went to the Prophet, one of the -crewmen came to me. He came to me, and he said: 'Father, I am weary of -sailing.'</p> - -<p>"Yes, he said, 'I am weary of sailing.'</p> - -<p>"Now, don't you think I don't know that. Every one of you—every -blessed one of you—is weary of sailing. I know that as well as I know -my own name, yes.</p> - -<p>"But because he came to me and said, 'Father, I am weary of sailing,' -I went to the captain, and I said, 'Captain, the men are weary of -sailing.'</p> - -<p>"And then the captain said: 'All right, Father,' he said, 'I will set -the day for the Festival of the Casting Off!'"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The little fellow was pleased by the rustle of approval from the -audience. "God damn, hit's about time!" Joanne Marie's husband said.</p> - -<p>Nestir cleared his throat again.</p> - -<p>"Hummm. Uh. And the day is not very far distant," said Nestir.</p> - -<p>"I knowed there was a catch to hit," Joanne Marie's husband said.</p> - -<p>"I know you will have many questions; yes, I know you will have—ah, -ah—well, many questions. You are thinking: 'What kind of a Festival -can we have here on this ship?' You are thinking: 'What a fine -thing—ah, what a good thing, that is—ah, how nice it would be to have -the Casting Off at home, among friends.'"</p> - -<p>Nestir waved his hands. "Well, I just want to tell you: I come from -Koltah. And you know that Koltah never let any city state outdo her in -a Festival, uh-huh.</p> - -<p>"The arena in Koltah is the greatest arena in the whole system. We have -as many as sixty thousand accepted applicants. All of them together in -the arena is a—uh, uh, well—a sight to behold. People come from all -over to behold it. I never will forget the Festival at which my father -was accepted. He....</p> - -<p>"Well, the point I want to make is this: I just wanted to tell you -that I know what a Festival should be, and the captain and I will do -everything in our power to make our Casting Off as wonderful as any -anywhere.</p> - -<p>"And I want to tell you that if you'll come to me with your -suggestions, I'll do all I can to see that we do this thing just the -way you want it done. I want you to be proud of this Casting Off -Festival, so you can look back on it and say, uh, uh—this day was the -real high point of your whole life!"</p> - -<p>Everyone but Joanne Marie's husband cheered. He sat glumly muttering to -himself.</p> - -<p>Nestir bobbed his shiny head at them and beamed his cherubic smile. And -noticed that there was a little blonde, one of the crewmen's wives, in -the front row that had very cute ankles.</p> - -<p>While they were still cheering and stomping and otherwise expressing -their enthusiasm and approval, Nestir walked off the speaker's platform -and into the officer's corridor. He wiped his forehead indecorously on -the hem of his cloak and felt quite relieved that the announcement was -over with and the public speaking done.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">II</p> - -<p>Dinner that evening was a gala occasion aboard the ship. The steward -ordered the holiday feast prepared in celebration of Nestir's -announcement. And, for the officers, he broke out of the special cellar -the last case allotment for Crew One of the delicate Colta Barauche -('94). He ordered the messman to put a bottle of it to the right of -each plate.</p> - -<p>The captain came down from his stateroom after the meal had begun. He -nodded curtly to the officers when he entered the mess hall, walked -directly to his place at the head of the table, sat down and morosely -began to work the cork out of his wine bottle with his teeth.</p> - -<p>"You'll spoil the flavor, shaking it that way," the third mate -cautioned. He was particularly fond of that year.</p> - -<p>The captain twisted the bottle savagely, and the cork came free with a -little pop. He removed the cork from between his teeth, placed it very -carefully beside his fork, and poured himself a full glass of the wine.</p> - -<p>"Very probably," he said sadly.</p> - -<p>"I don't think hit'll do hit," the first mate said. "He hain't shook -hard enough to matter."</p> - -<p>The captain picked up the glass, brought it toward his lips—then, -suddenly having thought of something, he put it back down and turned to -Nestir.</p> - -<p>"I say. Have you decided on this Carstar thing yet, Father?"</p> - -<p>The little priest looked up. He laid his knife across the rim of his -plate. "It has ramifications," he said.</p> - -<p>When the third mate saw that his opinion on the wine was not -immediately to be justified, he settled back in his chair with a little -sigh of disapproval.</p> - -<p>"Well, what do you <i>think</i> your decision will be, Father?" the steward -asked.</p> - -<p>Nestir picked up his knife and fork and cut off a piece of meat. -"Hummmm," he said. "It's hard to say. The whole issue involves, as a -core point, the principle of <i>casta cum mae stotiti</i>."</p> - -<p>The first mate nodded sagely.</p> - -<p>"The intent, of course, could actually be—ah—<i>sub mailloux</i>; and in -that event, naturally, the decision would be even more difficult. I -wish I could talk to higher authority about it; but of course I haven't -the time. I'll have to decide something."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"He had a very pretty wife," the third mate said.</p> - -<p>"Yes, very." Nestir agreed. "But as I was saying, if it could be -proven that the culstem fell due to no negligence on his part, either -consciously or subconsciously, then the obvious conclusion would be -that no stigma would be attached." He speared his meat and chewed it -thoughtfully.</p> - -<p>"But it wasn't at all bloody," the wife of the second mate said. "I -scarcely think he felt it at all. It happened too fast."</p> - -<p>Nestir swallowed the mouthful of food and washed it down with a gulp of -wine.</p> - -<p>"The problem, my dear Helen," he said, "is one of intent. To raise -the issue of concomitant agonies is to confuse the whole matter. For -instance. Take Wilson, in my home state of Koltah. Certainly <i>he</i> died -as miserable a death as anyone could desire."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the second mate's wife. "I remember that. I read about it -in the newspapers."</p> - -<p>"But it was a case of obvious <i>intent</i>," continued Nestir, "and -therefore constituted a clear out attempt to avoid his duty by -hastening to his Reward."</p> - -<p>Upon hearing the word duty, the captain brightened.</p> - -<p>"That," he said to Nestir, "my dear Father, is the cardinal point of -the whole game, y'know." He scratched the back of his left hand. "Duty. -And I must say, I think you're being quite short-sighted about the -Casting Off date. After all, it's not only a question of <i>how</i> we go, -but also a question of leaving only after having done our duty. And -that's equally important."</p> - -<p>"The Synod of Cathau—" Nestir began.</p> - -<p>"Plague take it, Father! Really, now, I must say. The Synod of Cathau! -Certainly you've misinterpreted that. Anticipation can be a joy, -y'know: almost equal to the very Reward. Anticipation should spur man -in duty. It's all noble and self sacrificing." He scratched the back of -his right hand.</p> - -<p>The second mate had been trying to get a word in edgewise for several -minutes; he finally succeeded by utilizing the temporary silence -following the captain's outburst.</p> - -<p>"You don't need to worry about <i>your</i> Casting Off, Captain. You can -leave that to me. I assure you, I have in mind a most ingenious -method."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The captain was not visibly cheered; he was still brooding about the -sad absence of a sense of duty on the part of Nestir. "I will welcome -it," he said, "at the proper time, sir. And I certainly hope—" His -eyes swept the table. "I <i>certainly</i> hope to be Cast Off by an officer. -It would be very humiliating, y'know, to have a crew member do it."</p> - -<p>"Oh, very," said the steward.</p> - -<p>"I don't know," the second mate's wife said, "whether you better count -on my husband or not. I have my own plans for him."</p> - -<p>"This problem of Carstar interests me," the third mate said. "Did I -ever tell you about my wife? She strangled our second baby."</p> - -<p>"He was a very annoying child," his wife said.</p> - -<p>"He probably wouldn't have lived, anyway," the third mate said. "Puny -baby."</p> - -<p>"That," said Nestir, "is not at all like the Carstar case. Not at all. -Yours is a question of <i>saliex y cuminzund</i>."</p> - -<p>The first mate nodded.</p> - -<p>"It seems to me that the whole thing would depend on the intent of the -strangler."</p> - -<p>"Captain," the steward said, "you really must let me give you some of -that salve."</p> - -<p>"That's very kind of you, but I...."</p> - -<p>"No bother at all," the steward said.</p> - -<p>"As I see it," Nestir said, "if the intent was the natural maternal -instinct of the mother to release her child from its duty, then...."</p> - -<p>"Oh, not at all," the third mate's wife said. "I did it to make him -stop crying."</p> - -<p>"Well, in that case, I see no reason why he shouldn't get his Reward."</p> - -<p>"I certainly hope so," the third mate said. "Jane worries about it all -the time."</p> - -<p>"I do not," Jane contradicted.</p> - -<p>"Now, honey, you know you do so."</p> - -<p>At that moment, he lost interest in his wife and leaned across the -table toward the captain, "Well?" he asked.</p> - -<p>The captain rolled the wine over his tongue. "You were right, of -course."</p> - -<p>The third mate turned triumphantly to the first mate. "There, I told -you so."</p> - -<p>The first mate shrugged. "I never do say nothin' right," he said. "I -hain't got no luck. I've spent more years un all ya, carpenterin' up a -duty log that's better un even th' captain's. An' hit's Martha an' me -that gotta wait an' help th' next crew. Lord above knows how long time -hit'll be afore we uns'll got ta have a Festival."</p> - -<p>"Oh, really, now. Now. Duty, duty," the captain reprimanded him mildly.</p> - -<p>"Duty! Duty! Duty! You all ur in a conspiracy. You all want me ta die -uv old age."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," said the steward. "We don't want anything of the sort. -After all, someone has to orient the new crew."</p> - -<p>"Quite right," said the captain. "You ought to be proud."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The first mate slammed his napkin in the middle of his food and stalked -out of the mess hall.</p> - -<p>"Quite touchy today," Nestir observed.</p> - -<p>"By the way," the third mate said. "Wanda gave me a petition to give to -you, Father."</p> - -<p>"Wanda?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. She's sixteen, now."</p> - -<p>"Wanda who?" the steward asked.</p> - -<p>"Wanda Miller, the bosun's daughter."</p> - -<p>"I know her," Helen said.</p> - -<p>"She's the oldest child on the ship, and she wants you to sign her -adult petition so she can be in the Festival, Father."</p> - -<p>"She's so young...."</p> - -<p>"Sixteen, Father."</p> - -<p>"After all, one must have done some duty," the captain said.</p> - -<p>"He wants you to sign it so he can take her in the Changing of the -Wives," Jane said.</p> - -<p>Nestir fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well, I'll look at her record," he -said.</p> - -<p>"It's an idea," the second mate said. "Otherwise, we'll be short one -woman."</p> - -<p>"There wouldn't be one short if <i>he</i> had brought a wife," the first -mate's wife said, looking squarely at the captain.</p> - -<p>"Now, Martha. I place duty above pleasure. You're just angry, y'know, -because you have to stay with your husband."</p> - -<p>"All right, so I am. But it's true. And if Carstar hadn't been killed, -there would have been two short." She shot a wicked glance at Nestir. -"Why don't you and him share a woman—"</p> - -<p>"Martha!"</p> - -<p>"Although the Prophet knows what woman in her right mind would consent -to...."</p> - -<p>"Well," said Nestir hesitantly.</p> - -<p>"Listen," the third mate said, "the second's right. If you don't sign -it, someone will have to do without a woman."</p> - -<p>Nestir blushed. "I'll look it over very carefully, but you must realize -that the priestcraft...."</p> - -<p>"Actually, in a way, it would be her duty to, you see. Think of it like -that: as her way to do her duty."</p> - -<p>"She's too young for you, dear," Jane said to her husband.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I don't know," the steward said. "Sometimes they're the best, I -hear."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">III</p> - -<p>The third mate, whose name was Harry, stood before the mirror combing -his hair. He had been combing his hair for the last fifteen minutes.</p> - -<p>"I suppose the crew is celebrating?" his wife said.</p> - -<p>"I suppose."</p> - -<p>She stood up and walked over to the dresser. Absently she began to -finger the articles on it.</p> - -<p>"You really shouldn't have told them about little Glenn tonight."</p> - -<p>"Pish-tush."</p> - -<p>"No, Harry. I mean it. Helen looked at me strangely all through dinner. -She has three children, you know."</p> - -<p>"You're imagining things."</p> - -<p>"But she <i>does</i> have three children."</p> - -<p>"I mean about her looking at you."</p> - -<p>"Oh."</p> - -<p>Harry fiddled with his tie without speaking.</p> - -<p>"I mean, as much as to say: 'Well, I raised all of mine.'"</p> - -<p>"But honey, about little Glenn. That was an accident, almost. You -didn't really mean to choke him that hard."</p> - -<p>"But still ... it ... I mean, there was Helen, looking at me like I -wasn't doing my duty. You know."</p> - -<p>"No," he said. "That's nonsense, Jane. Sheer nonsense. You know what -the priest said."</p> - -<p>He polished one of his brass buttons with the sleeve of his coat.</p> - -<p>"Harry?"</p> - -<p>"Yes?"</p> - -<p>"I don't think all that is necessary just to go on duty."</p> - -<p>"Probably not."</p> - -<p>She walked to the bed and sat down. "Harry?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, dear?"</p> - -<p>"Don't you really think she's awful young?"</p> - -<p>"Huh-uh."</p> - -<p>"I mean, why don't you pick someone else? Like Mary? She's awful sweet. -I'll bet she'd be better."</p> - -<p>"Probably."</p> - -<p>"She's a lot of fun."</p> - -<p>He brushed at his hair again. "Who do you want, Jane?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, I don't know." She looked down at her legs, raised them up from -the floor and held them out in front of her. "I think I'd kind of like -Nestir. With his funny bald head. I hope he asks me."</p> - -<p>"I'll mention it to him."</p> - -<p>"Would you really, Harry? That would be sweet."</p> - -<p>"Sure, honey." He looked down at his watch.</p> - -<p>"Harry? Are you going to meet Wanda in the control room?"</p> - -<p>"Uh-huh."</p> - -<p>"I thought so. Well, remember this, dear: It isn't the day of the -Changing of the Wives yet. Don't forget."</p> - -<p>"Honey! You don't think for a minute that...."</p> - -<p>"No, dear. I know you wouldn't. But just <i>don't</i>, I mean."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He walked over and kissed her forehead and patted her cheek. "Course -not," he said, comfortingly.</p> - -<p>He left her sitting on the bed and strolled down the officers' -corridor, whistling.</p> - -<p>He made a mental note to have the bosun send some of the crew in -tomorrow to wash down these bulkheads. They needed it. In one corner a -spider spun its silver web.</p> - -<p>He jogged up the companionway, turned left and felt the air as fresh as -spring when he stepped under the great ventilator.</p> - -<p>And beneath it lay one of the crew.</p> - -<p>He kicked the man several times in the ribs until he came to -consciousness.</p> - -<p>"Can't sleep here, my man," Harry explained.</p> - -<p>"Awww. Go way an' le' me 'lone, huh?"</p> - -<p>"Here. Here." He pulled the fellow erect and slapped him in the face -briskly. "This is the officers' corridor."</p> - -<p>"Oh? Ish it? Schorry. Shore schorry, shir. So schorry."</p> - -<p>Harry assisted him to the crew's corridor where he sank to the floor -and relapsed once more into a profound slumber.</p> - -<p>Harry continued on to the control room.</p> - -<p>When he entered it, the second mate was yawning.</p> - -<p>"Hi, John. Sleepy?"</p> - -<p>"Uh-huh. You're early."</p> - -<p>"Don't mind, do you?"</p> - -<p>"No ... Quiet tonight. Had to cut the motors an hour ago. Control -technician passed out."</p> - -<p>"Oh?"</p> - -<p>The second mate took out a cigarette and lit it. "Can't blow the ship -up, you know. Look like hell on the record. Hope the captain don't find -out about it, though. He'll figure the man was neglecting his duty."</p> - -<p>He blew a smoke ring.</p> - -<p>"Might even bar him from the Festival."</p> - -<p>"Yeah," said Harry, "the captain's funny that way."</p> - -<p>The second mate blew another smoke ring.</p> - -<p>"Well," Harry said.</p> - -<p>"Uh. Harry? Are you really going to take that Wanda girl?"</p> - -<p>"If Nestir lets me."</p> - -<p>"Say. Harry. Do you suppose your wife would...?"</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Harry crossed to the second mate and put a hand on his shoulder. -"Sorry, old fellow. She's got it in her head to take Nestir." He -shrugged. "I don't exactly approve, of course, but ... I'm sure if he -doesn't want her, she'd be glad to hear your offer."</p> - -<p>"Aw, that's all right," John said. "Don't really matter. Say. By the -way. Have I told you what I intend to do to the captain? I've got it -all thought out. You know that saber I picked up on Queglat? Well...."</p> - -<p>"Look. How about telling me another time?"</p> - -<p>"Uh, Sure. If you say so. Uh?"</p> - -<p>"I'm kind of expecting Wanda."</p> - -<p>"Oh. Sure. I should have known you weren't here early for nothing. In -that case, I better be shoving off. Luck."</p> - -<p>"Thanks. See you at breakfast."</p> - -<p>"Right-o."</p> - -<p>After the second mate left, Harry walked over to the control panel. -The jet lights were dead. He picked up the intercom and switched over -the engine call bell. "'Lo," he said into the microphone. "This is -the bridge.... Oh, hi, Barney. Harry.... Have you got a sober control -technician down there yet...? Fine. We'll start the jets again. If the -captain comes in now—well, you know how he is.... Okay, thanks. Night."</p> - -<p>He replaced the microphone. He reached over and threw the forward -firing lever. The jet lights came on and the ship began to brake -acceleration again.</p> - -<p>Having done that, he switched on the space viewer. The steady buzz of -the equipment warming sounded in his ears. Wanda would be sure to want -to look at the stars. She was simple minded.</p> - -<p>"Hello."</p> - -<p>He swiveled around. "Oh, hello, Wanda, honey."</p> - -<p>"Hello, Haireee. Are you glad little ol' me could come, huh?"</p> - -<p>"Sure am."</p> - -<p>"Me, too. Can I look at the—oh. It's already on."</p> - -<p>"Uh-huh. Look. Wanda."</p> - -<p>"Hum?"</p> - -<p>"I talked to Nestir today."</p> - -<p>"Goody. What did he say, huh? I can be an adult and get to play in the -Festival, can I?"</p> - -<p>"I don't know, yet. He's thinking about it. That's why I want to see -you. He's going to check your record. And Wanda?"</p> - -<p>"Them stars shore are purty."</p> - -<p>"Wanda, listen to me."</p> - -<p>"I'm a-listenin', Haireee."</p> - -<p>"You're simply going to have to stop carrying that doll around with you -if you want to be an adult."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In Nestir's cabin the next morning, the captain and the priest held a -conference.</p> - -<p>"No, Captain. I'm afraid I can't agree to that," Nestir said.</p> - -<p>The captain said, "Oh, don't be unreasonable, Father. After all, this -is a ship, y'know. And I am, after all, the captain."</p> - -<p>Nestir shook his head. "The crew and the officers will participate -together in the Festival. I will not put the officers' corridor off -limits, and—Oh! Yes? Come in!"</p> - -<p>The door opened. "Father?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, my son? Come in."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Father. Good morning, Captain, sir."</p> - -<p>"Sit down, my son. Now, Captain, as I was saying: no segregation. It's -contrary to the spirit, if not the wording, of the <i>Jarcon</i>."</p> - -<p>"But Father! A crewman! In the officers' corridor! Think!"</p> - -<p>"Before the Prophet, we are all equal. I'm sorry, Captain. Now on -Koltah, we practiced it with very good results, and...."</p> - -<p>"I say, really—"</p> - -<p>"Father?" said the crewman who had just entered.</p> - -<p>"Yes, my son. In one moment. Now, Captain. As I have been explaining: -The arena method has advantages. In Koltah we always used it. But -here—due to the—ah—exigencies of deep space—I feel convinced that -a departure from normal procedure is warranted. It is not without -precedent. Such things were fairly common, <i>in astoli tavoro</i>, up -until centralization, three hundred years before Allth. Indeed, in my -home city—Koltah—in the year of the seventh plague, a most unusual -expedient was adopted. It seems...."</p> - -<p>"You're perfectly correct, of course," the captain said.</p> - -<p>"That's just what I wanted to see you about, Father," the crewman said. -"Now, in my city state of Ni, for the Festivals, we...."</p> - -<p>"Shut up," said the captain softly.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<p>"Now, as I was saying, Captain, when the methods used in...."</p> - -<p>"If you'll excuse me, Father, I really should return to duty," said the -crewman.</p> - -<p>"Quite all right, my son. Close the door after you."</p> - -<p>"I must say, fellow, your sense of duty is commendable."</p> - -<p>"Well, uh, thank you, sir. And thank you, Father, for your time."</p> - -<p>"Quite all right, my son. That's what I'm here for. Come in as often as -you like."</p> - -<p>The crewman closed the door after him.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He had been gone only a moment, scarcely time for Nestir to get -properly launched on his account, when Harry, the third mate, knocked -on the door and was admitted.</p> - -<p>"Oh? Good morning, Captain. I didn't know you were here." Then, to the -priest: "I'll come back later, Father."</p> - -<p>"Nonsense," said the captain. "Come in."</p> - -<p>"Well, I had hoped to see the Father for a minute on ... private -business."</p> - -<p>"I have to be toddling along," said the captain.</p> - -<p>"But Captain! I haven't finished telling you about...."</p> - -<p>"I'll just go down and get a cup of coffee," the captain said.</p> - -<p>"I'll call you when I'm through," said Harry.</p> - -<p>The captain left the room.</p> - -<p>"It's about Wanda, Father," said the third mate.</p> - -<p>The priest studied the table top. He rearranged some papers. "Ah, yes. -The young girl."</p> - -<p>"Well, I mean, it's not only about Wanda," said Harry. "You see, my -wife, Jane, that is...."</p> - -<p>"Yes?" said the priest. He took his pen out of the holder.</p> - -<p>"I think, with the proper ... ah ... you know. What I mean is, I think -she might look with favor on you in the Changing of the Wives, if I -said a few well chosen words in your behalf."</p> - -<p>"That is very flattering, my son." He returned the pen to the holder. -"Such bounty, as it says in the <i>Jarcon</i>, is <i>cull tensio</i>."</p> - -<p>"And with your permission, Father...."</p> - -<p>"Ah...."</p> - -<p>"She's a very pretty woman."</p> - -<p>"Ah.... Quite so."</p> - -<p>"Well, about Wanda. I really shouldn't mention this. But Father, if we -<i>are</i> short one woman...."</p> - -<p>"Hummmm."</p> - -<p>"I mean, the girls might think a man gets rusty."</p> - -<p>"I see what you mean." Nestir blinked his eyes. "It wouldn't be fair, -all things considered."</p> - -<p>He stood up.</p> - -<p>"I may tell you, my son, that, in thinking this matter over last night, -I decided that Wanda—ah—Miller, yes, has had sufficient duty to merit -participation in the Festival."</p> - -<p>"Justice is a priestly virtue," Harry said.</p> - -<p>"And you really think your wife would...?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes, Father."</p> - -<p>"Well, ahem. But...."</p> - -<p>"Yes, Father?"</p> - -<p>"<i>Ad dulce verboten.</i>"</p> - -<p>"Uh?"</p> - -<p>"That is to say, in order for a woman to join in the ritual of the -Changing of the Wives, she must, ahem, be married."</p> - -<p>"I never thought of that," said the third mate disconsolately.</p> - -<p>"I think that can be arranged, however," said Nestir. "If you go by the -mess hall on your way out, please tell the captain we can continue our -discussion at his pleasure."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">IV</p> - -<p>"Sit down, Captain," said Nestir, when the captain entered. "No. Over -there, in the comfortable chair. There. Are you comfortable, Captain?"</p> - -<p>"Of course I am."</p> - -<p>"Good. I have a question to ask you, Captain."</p> - -<p>"I say?"</p> - -<p>Nestir rubbed his bald head. "Sir," he said by way of preamble, "I know -you have the greatest sensibility in questions of duty."</p> - -<p>"That's quite so, y'know. I pride myself upon it, if I do say so."</p> - -<p>"Exactly. <i>Argot y calpex.</i> No sacrifice is too great."</p> - -<p>"True; true."</p> - -<p>"Well, then, say the first day of Wenslaus, that would be—ah, a -Zentahday—I may depend upon you to wed Wanda Miller, the bosun's -daughter, yes?"</p> - -<p>"No," said the captain.</p> - -<p>"Come now, sir. I realize she is the daughter of a crewman, but—"</p> - -<p>"Father," said the captain, "did I ever tell you about the time I led -an expeditionary force against Zelthalta?"</p> - -<p>"I don't believe you have."</p> - -<p>"Then I will tell you. Came about this way. I was given command of -fifty-three thousand Barains. Savage devils. Uncivilized, but fine -fighters. I was to march them ninety-seven miles across the desert -that...."</p> - -<p>"Captain! I fear I must be very severe with you. I will be forced to -announce in the mess hall this evening that you have refused to do -your duty when it was plainly and properly called to your attention."</p> - -<p>"Very well, Father," the captain said after several minutes. "I will do -it."</p> - -<p>He was trembling slightly.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>That morning was to be the time of the captain's wedding. He had -insisted that it be done in privacy. For the ceremony, he refused to -make the slightest change in his everyday uniform; nor would he consent -to Nestir's suggestion that he carry a nosegay of hydroponic flowers. -He had intended, after the ceremony, to go about his duty as if nothing -out of the ordinary had happened; but after it was done with, the vast -indignity of it came home to him even more poignantly than he had -imagined it would.</p> - -<p>Without a word, he left the priest's stateroom and walked slowly, -ponderously, with great dignity, to his own.</p> - -<p>It was a very fine stateroom. The finest, but for Nestir's, in the -whole ship. The velvet and gold drapes (his single esthetic joy) were -scented with exotic perfume. The carpet was an inch and a half thick.</p> - -<p>He walked through his office without breaking his stride.</p> - -<p>The bed was large and fluffy. An unbroken expanse of white coverlette -jutting out from the far bulkhead. It looked as soft as feather down.</p> - -<p>Without even a sigh, he threw himself upon the bed and lay very, very -quiet. His left leg was suspended in the air, intersecting, at the -thigh, the plane of the coverlet at forty-five degrees; the number of -degrees remained stiffly, unrelaxingly forty-five.</p> - -<p>Only after a long, long time did he roll over on his back and then it -was merely to stare fixedly at the ceiling.</p> - -<p>It is entirely possible that he would have lain there until Doomsday -had not his introspection been, around noon, interrupted by an -apologetic tap on the door.</p> - -<p>"Come in," he whispered, hoping she would not hear him and go away.</p> - -<p>But she heard him.</p> - -<p>"Husband," Wanda said simply. She closed the door behind her and stood -staring at him.</p> - -<p>"Madam," he said, "I hope you will have the kindness not to refer to me -by that indecent appelation a second time."</p> - -<p>"Gee. You say the cutest things. I'm awful glad you had to marry me, -huh."</p> - -<p>The captain stood up, adjusted his coat and his shoulders, and walked -across the room to the dressing table. He opened the left-hand drawer, -removed a bottle, poured himself half a water-glass full and drank it -off.</p> - -<p>"Ah," he said.</p> - -<p>He returned to the bed and sat down.</p> - -<p>"Can'tcha even say hello ta little ol' me, huh?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Hello," he said. "Madam, sit down. I intend to give you an instructive -lecture in the natural order of...."</p> - -<p>"Huh?"</p> - -<p>"Ah," he said. "Quite true, of course."</p> - -<p>She walked over to the chair and sat down. "I don't like them," she -said. "Them cloth things over there."</p> - -<p>"Those, Madam," he said, "are priceless drapes I had imported from the -province of San Xalthan. They have a long, strange history.</p> - -<p>"About three thousand years ago, a family by the name of Soong was -forced to flee from the city of Xan because the eldest son of the -family had become involved in a conspiracy against the illustrious King -Fod. As the Soong family was traveling...."</p> - -<p>"I don't like 'em anyway," said Wanda.</p> - -<p>"Madam," said the captain, "kindly bring me that."</p> - -<p>"This?"</p> - -<p>"Yes. Thank you."</p> - -<p>He took the doll from her. He got up again, walked to the chest of -drawers, searched around for a penknife. Finally he located it under a -stack of socks.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus1.jpg" width="356" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>He returned to the bed. Sitting on the edge, he began to rip the doll -along the seams with the penknife. Very carefully he emptied the -sawdust out upon the carpet, and with equal deliberation, he cut up -the canvas covering into small patches. Within fifteen minutes, for he -worked very slowly, the doll was completely destroyed.</p> - -<p>He laid the penknife on the night stand by his bed. He took out a match -and struck it across the bottom of his shoe; he bent over and ignited -the remains of the doll.</p> - -<p>"You'll burn yer rug," Wanda said.</p> - -<p>"Yes," the captain said, "I will. Be so kind as to close the door when -you leave."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">V</p> - -<p>The next day the captain appeared at mess.</p> - -<p>The third mate said, "I want to thank you for what you done for me, -Captain."</p> - -<p>"Don't mention it," the captain said, bisecting a pilchard with his -fork.</p> - -<p>"It's nice Wanda gets to be in the Festival," Jane said. "It pleases my -husband so."</p> - -<p>"I'm very excited about it all," the steward said.</p> - -<p>The first mate turned his egg over with his fork and peered -suspiciously at the underside of it. "Hit's all right fur you uns ta -feel excited. Martha an' me are still purty bitter."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Martha said, "I don't see why the children couldn't take care of -themselves."</p> - -<p>"Who'd get the new crew out of ice?" John, the second mate, said.</p> - -<p>"That," the first mate admitted, "is th' problem. Can'tcha even cook an -aig?" he asked the steward.</p> - -<p>"What's the matter with the egg?" the third mate asked.</p> - -<p>"Hit hain't cooked right," the first mate insisted.</p> - -<p>"Helen," the captain said, "may I see you after the meal?"</p> - -<p>Helen looked demurely into her plate. "Certainly, captain. But if it's -about the Changing of the Wives, I've already been asked for."</p> - -<p>"And," John said proudly, "I'll bet she was one of the first ones -asked."</p> - -<p>"Nestir asked my wife almost a month ago," said Harry. "She was the -very first."</p> - -<p>"Well," the captain said, "that's what I had in mind." He turned to -survey the table. His eyes lit upon Mary, the steward's wife.</p> - -<p>She looked at him and shook her head. "John already asked me."</p> - -<p>"Well," the captain said, "I must say, this is a very fine breakfast, -steward. I dearly love pilchards for breakfast. Convey my compliments -to the cook."</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Captain," said Nestir, "I was telling the men ... just before you -came ... in about the great pageant of Koltah in the year of '93. At -the time, in a special celebration—<i>annum mirabelei</i>—we decided -to observe the ancient customs of Meizque. The customs are of some -interest, and I thought we might apply several of them to our own -Festival."</p> - -<p>"Whatever you wish," said the captain tiredly, stirring his coffee.</p> - -<p>Before Nestir could resume his account, John interrupted. "I want to -mention this again. I have a very special treatment for you, Captain. -You should be encouraged by that. No one will ever have a better -Casting Off than you."</p> - -<p>"Thank you," said the captain. "I shall look forward to it." He laid -down his spoon. "Oh, Anne. May I see you?"</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry," said the wife of Barney, the engineer. "Really and truly I -am, but I've already been asked, too."</p> - -<p>"Oh," said the captain.</p> - -<p>He looked over at the last officer's wife, Leota. But he quickly looked -away.</p> - -<p>"Well," he said, "this is a fine breakfast we have this morning -steward."</p> - -<p>"Thank you, sir. I'll tell the cook."</p> - -<p>Jane said, in order to stave off the encroaching silence, "Nestir, how -old are you?"</p> - -<p>"Going on forty—Jane."</p> - -<p>"The prime of life," the steward said.</p> - -<p>"Ah," the captain said thoughtfully. "Leota...."</p> - -<p>She looked up and soundlessly her mouth formed the words, "Too late."</p> - -<p>The captain dropped the spoon to his plate.</p> - -<p>Silence fell. It grew prolonged and uncomfortable. Finally the first -mate said, "Hit hain't the right way to cook aigs, damn hit."</p> - -<p>The captain said, "Father, I say. All the officers' wives have been -asked."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said Nestir. "They have, haven't they?"</p> - -<p>"Do you suppose it would be all right if I just...."</p> - -<p>"You know the rules," Nestir said sternly.</p> - -<p>"That's what I was afraid you'd say," said the captain. He looked up -at the ceiling; his face was placid. He reached up with his right hand -and began to scratch his chin. He scratched his chin for a long time, -scarcely breathing.</p> - -<p>The officers and their wives were silent, waiting for him to speak.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"I believe I'll have another cup of coffee," he said at last.</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir," said the steward, snapping his fingers for the waiter.</p> - -<p>Martha said: "You should have asked earlier."</p> - -<p>"I know," the captain said. "Father, I really don't see why I have to -Change Wives."</p> - -<p>"But Harry will have yours that day. And you know the rules."</p> - -<p>"There are a lot of good-looking women in the crew," the steward said.</p> - -<p>"Quite a number," said the captain.</p> - -<p>He arose from the table and steadied himself a moment. "Never mind the -coffee," he said. "I shouldn't drink over one cup for breakfast. I -believe it aggravates my scrofula."</p> - -<p>He turned, and walked out of the mess hall.</p> - -<p>He walked very straight and tall. He walked down the crew's corridor -toward their quarters.</p> - -<p>Shortly he saw a woman coming out of one of the cabins.</p> - -<p>"Madam," he said.</p> - -<p>She came over to him. "Yes, sir?"</p> - -<p>"Madam," he said, "Madam, I...."</p> - -<p>"Would ja like to have a drink of water? It's right down this way, an' -then ya turn ta the left."</p> - -<p>"No ... uh. I.... Madam, would you honor me by becoming my partner for -the night of the Changing of the Wives?"</p> - -<p>She balanced on the balls of her feet and looked up at him. "Yur th' -captain, ain'tcha?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," he said. "I am."</p> - -<p>"Sure, I'll do hit," she said. "I'd be mighty proud ta."</p> - -<p>The captain turned away and then turned back. "Madam," he said, "what -is your name?"</p> - -<p>"Joanne Marie. Jest ask for me. Everybody down here knows me."</p> - -<p>"Joanne Marie, Joanne Marie," he repeated under his breath. He -shuddered and turned to go.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">VI</p> - -<p>The day of the Changing of the Wives came to the ship. It was a very -important ritualistic day, held, always, three weeks and one day before -the Festival of the Casting Off.</p> - -<p>The morning of the day, Nestir spoke to the assembled complement. -He explained its symbolic importance: he explained its historic -development; he delivered, <i>in cretia ultimatum est</i>, an exegesis on -the <i>Jarcon</i>. And then he took off the cloak of priestcraft and cast it -to the floor. "For I am," he said, "Ah, a man as you are men."</p> - -<p>Then, being no longer empowered to pronounce a benediction (under -normal conditions, the function of a younger priest), he left the -cheering members of Flight Seventeen A and sped directly to his -stateroom.</p> - -<p>The afternoon passed uneventfully. The complement of the ship moved -about their routine chores tingling in anticipation of the evening.</p> - -<p>At the evening meal, a new seating arrangement was instituted at the -insistence of the steward and the third mate. The newly formed couples -were to sit side by side.</p> - -<p>To accomplish this, it was necessary to set two extra plates in the -officers' mess. One, for Wanda, next to the third mate; and one, for -Joanne Marie, beside the captain.</p> - -<p>"Please pass the meat," the third mate said.</p> - -<p>Nestir handed it across to him.</p> - -<p>"Thank you, Father."</p> - -<p>"Today, <i>in culpa res</i>, I no longer have that honor," Nestir reminded -him. "The blood-red cloak of priestcraft will never again touch my -shoulders this side of the Reward."</p> - -<p>"I'd be a little sad," said the steward.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I don't know," the third mate said.</p> - -<p>"It probably all depends," Helen, the wife of the second mate, agreed.</p> - -<p>"Hit's a far, far better thing <i>I</i> do," the first mate said sonorously. -He was a little drunk.</p> - -<p>The captain speared one pea and ate it. "I envy you," he said, looking -over at Joanne Marie.</p> - -<p>Wanda Miller, who had already upset her glass of water in the third -mate's lap, said, "Pass the biscuits, hey.... You uns have better'n we -do."</p> - -<p>"No," said the steward, "not at all, my dear. We eat the same as the -crew."</p> - -<p>"Yes; precisely so," the third mate said.</p> - -<p>"Except ours is fixed up a little differently," said Jane.</p> - -<p>"An' our cook can't fry an aig," the first mate said.</p> - -<p>"I wouldn't say that," said the captain.</p> - -<p>"Shucks," Joanne Marie said, "anybody can fry an aig."</p> - -<p>"On the contrary, Madam. I recall once, when I was a political adviser -for the Kong regime...."</p> - -<p>"Do you mean mea-Kong?" the steward asked.</p> - -<p>"No, that was in Koltah."</p> - -<p>"Yes," Nestir said. "I am very familiar with them. They...."</p> - -<p>"That's not the one I meant," the captain snapped.</p> - -<p>Nestir leaped to his feet. "Well!" he said loudly. "I'm through -eating."</p> - -<p>"Oh, come now, old man. There's no hurry, really, y'know," the captain -insisted gently.</p> - -<p>"Ain't there?" Joanne Marie asked. "Gee. I can see you sure ain't like -my husband. I mean my ex." She giggled.</p> - -<p>"Well, I guess I'm finished, too," Jane said. "Well. Good night, Harry."</p> - -<p>"Good night, dear."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>In the mess hall, the lights were out. The figure of the captain loomed -like a stark obelisk in the gloom.</p> - -<p>"Captain, sir, we uns uv been sittin' here at this table fur hours an' -hours. I'm gettin' purty tired us sittin'."</p> - -<p>"It's not long until the Festival," he said.</p> - -<p>"When the mess boy cleared away all them dishes, I thought shore you'd -leave, then."</p> - -<p>"Oh, no," said the captain. "This is very exciting."</p> - -<p>"It ain't, the way I see it," Joanne Marie said.</p> - -<p>"Different perspective, Madam. Doubtless you would not have considered -it very exciting either, the time I ran a wagon train from Tamask-Cha. -You see, the material was to be delivered on a mining contract. Madam, -I can assure you it was hot. The only road was a narrow line across the -Ubiq desert. And late the first evening...."</p> - -<p>"I can see it warn't very exciting," Joanne Marie said.</p> - -<p>Silence returned.</p> - -<p>"I am getting sleepy," the captain said at length.</p> - -<p>"Oh, I'm usually awake this late. Shucks, I'm used to it. Sometimes I -jest get ta sleep when it's time ta get up. But I do wish we'd go to -bed."</p> - -<p>"Madam, your language!"</p> - -<p>"All I said was...."</p> - -<p>"I know; I know," the captain said. "Madam, come to my stateroom. You -may sleep on the sofa."</p> - -<p>"Weeeel," Joanne Marie said, "I ain't a-sayin' that. I know my rights."</p> - -<p>"Let us not be difficult. I am certain, when I explain to you in a -logical fashion the obvious impossibility of—of—"</p> - -<p>"You got no wife?"</p> - -<p>"No," he said.</p> - -<p>"Yeah. I thought not. That sure is swell."</p> - -<p>"Madam. Perhaps I can say it this way. I have certain perturbations, -but I can assure you, whatever you attempt my aim is inflexible. For -me, the Captain, to—ah—consort with a crew woman is preposterous."</p> - -<p>"Is that what you call it? Now that's a funny word. My husband calls -it—"</p> - -<p>"<i>Madam!</i>"</p> - -<p>Joanne Marie was cowed into silence. They walked directly to his -stateroom.</p> - -<p>Once inside, Joanne Marie said, "Now ya jest sit down, comfortable -like. I got somethin' I want to tell ya."</p> - -<p>"No," the captain said.</p> - -<p>"I ain't even told ja yet."</p> - -<p>"It won't matter," the captain said.</p> - -<p>"My husband don't like me," she said.</p> - -<p>He dropped his head into his hands and sighed deeply. Then he looked -up, his face set in icy resignation.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">VII</p> - -<p>John, the second mate, awoke early the morning of the Festival.</p> - -<p>"Helen, honey," he said. "Wake up."</p> - -<p>She murmured sleepily.</p> - -<p>"Come on, now, wake up."</p> - -<p>She rolled over to her side of the bed.</p> - -<p>"All right," he said. He reached out, fumbled for and found his -cigarettes.</p> - -<p>"You know what I'm going to do to the captain?" he asked. He lit a -cigarette and lying on his back blew smoke rings at the ceiling.</p> - -<p>"Yes," his wife said, "you told me."</p> - -<p>"First, I'm going to take that saber I got on Queglat and scrape open -his scrofula. Then, when he's bleeding nicely, all I have to do is -pour a bottle of alcohol on him. Don't you think that will be nice?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, dear."</p> - -<p>"You know, I'm kinda sorry I went to all the trouble sharpening that -saber. After all, it might be more painful if the saber was dull."</p> - -<p>"Yes, dear."</p> - -<p>"But then, on the other hand...."</p> - -<p>"Dear, will you hand me a cigarette?"</p> - -<p>"Sure."</p> - -<p>He shook out a cigarette, lit it off his and handed it to her.</p> - -<p>"So what do you think?"</p> - -<p>"It doesn't matter, dear," she said.</p> - -<p>"Oh, but it does matter," John insisted. "I think it's very important." -He snubbed out his cigarette. "It's all the little details that one -should take into account. Can't be too careful about something like -that."</p> - -<p>He rolled over on his back again. "I'm hungry," he said.</p> - -<p>"I really thought they should have served breakfast," Helen said.</p> - -<p>"Well, it wouldn't be right to leave all those dirty dishes for the -second crew."</p> - -<p>"I mean just sandwiches."</p> - -<p>"Yes," he said, "they could have made up some sandwiches. I think, -though, I'd settle for a cup of tea."</p> - -<p>"I could brew you some on the hot plate."</p> - -<p>"It's too much bother," John said. "Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"</p> - -<p>"No. If you'll get up and put the water on."</p> - -<p>"All right," he said.</p> - -<p>He threw his legs over the side, fumbled with his feet for the house -slippers, padded to the hot plate, put the water on, and came back to -bed.</p> - -<p>"We've still got an hour before the bell," he said.</p> - -<p>"Are you going to shave?"</p> - -<p>"I don't think so; not today," he said.</p> - -<p>"By the way, honey; what's in that can over there?"</p> - -<p>"Fuel oil," she said.</p> - -<p>"What's it for?"</p> - -<p>"You'd be surprised," she said.</p> - -<p>After a while, the water began to sizzle against the sides of the pan.</p> - -<p>"Time to get up," she said. She crawled over her husband, slipped into -a robe, and proceeded to brew the tea.</p> - -<p>"It's not much of a breakfast, John."</p> - -<p>"Say," he said, "where's my bottle of alcohol for the captain."</p> - -<p>"I set it over by the medicine cabinet, out of the way."</p> - -<p>"I wonder if it'll be enough?" he mused.</p> - -<p>"I hope so," she said. "Are you going to get up, or must I serve you -this tea in bed? I will if you want me to."</p> - -<p>"I'll get up," he said. He got up.</p> - -<p>"Let's take it in the nook to drink," he said.</p> - -<p>"Can't."</p> - -<p>"Oh? Why not?"</p> - -<p>"One of the legs is off the table."</p> - -<p>"If you'd told me, I'd fixed it."</p> - -<p>"Never mind," she said.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>They each drank two cups of tea; and then each dressed for the Festival.</p> - -<p>After that, they sat in silence, awaiting the bell to signal the start -of the Festival.</p> - -<p>"I'm going to hurry out," John said at length, "as soon as the bell -rings, so I can stand outside the captain's door and get him when he -comes out."</p> - -<p>"That's not fair, John," she said. "You're supposed to wait for the -second bell before you can even start to Cast anyone Off."</p> - -<p>"I know," said John, "but this way, I'll be sure to get the captain."</p> - -<p>"Well," she said, "I'm certainly glad you have that attitude."</p> - -<p>He asked, after more silence, "What are you going to do?"</p> - -<p>"I think I'll stay here for a little while," she said.</p> - -<p>"Yes, that might—"</p> - -<p>The bell rang soundingly throughout the ship.</p> - -<p>"Time to go," John said. He grabbed his saber. "Where's the alcohol?"</p> - -<p>"In there," she said.</p> - -<p>He skidded into the bathroom, pocketed the alcohol, and started for the -door.</p> - -<p>"John!"</p> - -<p>"Huh?"</p> - -<p>"Aren't you even going to kiss me good-by?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, sure. Forgot." He crossed to her, bent down and kissed her. She -put her left arm around his neck. With her right hand, she located the -table leg she had placed behind her pillow.</p> - -<p>John drew away and half turned. "Good—"</p> - -<p>She hit him in the left temple with the table leg. He went down like a -poleaxed steer.</p> - -<p>She laughed happily.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">VIII</p> - -<p>When the bell sounded for the people to separate, preparatory to the -hunt proper, the captain got up and buckled on his huge infantry sword. -He had spent most of the night sharpening it.</p> - -<p>He had after long hours of considering, decided that there was only one -honorable course left to him. He would defend himself.</p> - -<p>For if he were the Sole Survivor of the hunt, he would be Cast Off -properly by the first mate. Otherwise....</p> - -<p>The possibility that it might be done by a crewman was staggeringly -humiliating. He would salvage his honor from that final indignity at -all costs.</p> - -<p>Of course, if he were captured by an officer, it would be a different -matter entirely; he would surrender and submit like the gentleman he -was. But a crewman....</p> - -<p>He took the sword out of the scabbard and rubbed his thumb along the -side of it.</p> - -<p>He swung it, and it whistled in the air crisply, pleasingly.</p> - -<p>He grasped it firmly in his right hand and walked to the door. He threw -open the door and jumped back and away.</p> - -<p>But it was safe; there was no one outside.</p> - -<p>He stepped into the corridor.</p> - -<p>Empty.</p> - -<p>He looked both ways. He listened.</p> - -<p>Then he began to run, swiftly, silently, on his toes.</p> - -<p>At the first intersection, he stopped and surveyed the crossing -corridor.</p> - -<p>To his left, almost at the far bend, he saw a crewman; however, the man -was not looking in his direction, and the captain felt that he could -be reasonably safe from detection if he crossed quickly enough. He -sprinted across the open space.</p> - -<p>On the other side, he stopped and waited. After several minutes of -silence, he knew that he could safely continue.</p> - -<p>He ran for a long distance.</p> - -<p>Finally, safely down in the second level, he slowed to a walk. He was -breathing heavily; it was very loud, and his footsteps echoed hollowly.</p> - -<p>He was alone down there. He could tell that.</p> - -<p>At the Jonson bend, he breathed a sigh of relief. Ahead was the empty -corridor that led to the dead end, Forward. He could see down it, clear -to the bulkhead. And as he knew it would be, it was devoid of life and -movement.</p> - -<p>He sat down to wait out the long day.</p> - -<p>He scratched his chin.</p> - -<p>He would have nothing to do until the closing bell. At which time he -would be forced to go to the assembly area.</p> - -<p>As would anyone else, according to the rules of the Festival as laid -down by Nestir, who had not yet been sent to his Reward.</p> - -<p>That would be a dangerous time. For then there would be no esthetic -consideration. It would be a fight amongst all assembling for the final -honor of Sole Survivor. One could expect no mercy: clean, quick sword -stroke, no more. No suffering at all.</p> - -<p>It was not a pleasant prospect. But to be the coveted Sole Survivor -compensated for the risk.</p> - -<p>The captain laid the sword across his lap and petted it.</p> - -<p>He would fight. And no crew member need expect to be the man Cast Off -by the first mate; that was to be the captain's fate.</p> - -<p>The second bell called to the ship shrilly.</p> - -<p>The hunt was on!</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Martha and the first mate assembled the children in the large, -comfortable hospital. The steward's department had fixed them all a -lunch. The children were silent, for the angry brow of the first mate -was a complete damper on their usual animal spirits. There was no -holiday happiness.</p> - -<p>The children moved around and fell into little, shifting groups. -Several of them began to game at marbles, but the first mate broke it -up before it degenerated into a fist fight.</p> - -<p>"Well, there goes the hunting bell," Martha said.</p> - -<p>"Yes," the mate said, "hit do, don't hit."</p> - -<p>"I think they could have a regular nurse for this sort of thing," -Martha said.</p> - -<p>The mate grunted. "Humph. I shore hope they uns don't raise no ruckus. -I've got me a splittin' haidache."</p> - -<p>"Shhhh. Listen. I thought I heard someone scream."</p> - -<p>"Yep," the mate said. "I was sure afraid uv hit; won't be able to -heyar myself think all day long. I'm a-tellin' ya, Martha, if these -young uns start a-actin' up, too, I'm jest a-gonna take a knife an' -split this here haid open, Reward or no Reward."</p> - -<p>"That's not a nice way to talk," Martha said.</p> - -<p>"No, hit hain't. But I'm a-sayin' hit."</p> - -<p>"I'll tell you what I'll do," Martha said. "I'll call all the children -together and tell them nursery stories. That oughta keep them quiet. -And you go over there and lay down where there won't be anyone to -bother you."</p> - -<p>"All right, Martha, an' I shore do thankee."</p> - -<p>The first mate made his way to the farthest bed, sat down, took off -his shoes, and stretched out on it. He reached up and felt his head -tenderly.</p> - -<p>"Children," Martha called. "Oh, children! I want you all to come over -here."</p> - -<p>Reluctantly, the children obeyed her.</p> - -<p>"That's right," she said. "Now. You all sit down and make yourselves -comfortable, and be still as mice so my husband can sleep, and I'll -tell you stories. And then, after a while, we'll eat the nice lunch the -steward fixed for us, and we'll all have the bestest time."</p> - -<p>"I don't like you," one of the little boys said.</p> - -<p>"Little boy," Martha said, "I don't like you, either."</p> - -<p>"Oh," the little boy said.</p> - -<p>"Now," Martha said, "I'm going to tell you the wonderful story about a -very pretty Princess and a very pretty Prince: Once upon a time, there -was a land called Zont. It sank long ago under the big, salty sea of -Zub...."</p> - -<p>"My name's Joey," the little boy said.</p> - -<p>"Well, Joey," Martha said, "do you see that long, steel rod over there, -where we hang clothing from?"</p> - -<p>"Uh-huh."</p> - -<p>"If you don't shut your little mouth, I'll hang you on it by your -thumbs."</p> - -<p>"Betcha ya won't," one of the little girls said.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>"Once upon a time," Martha said, "there was this handsome Prince and -pretty Princess. But the father of the Princess, King Exaltanta, was a -heathen and did not believe in the Prophet. Now. When a true believer, -kind King Farko, captured King Exaltanta's kingdom, the deposed king -hid his daughter in the deepest dungeon.</p> - -<p>"Now when the fair Prince, who was the son of King Farko, and whose -name was William, heard of the Princess in the dungeon, he decided that -he would rescue her and marry her. And after she had had one child -by him, the two of them would travel to the Holy City of Meizque to -participate in the Changing of the Wives and the Festival there.</p> - -<p>"Well, it so happened that King Farko got a special dispensation from -the Great Priest to send the members of Exaltanta's family to their -Reward without their consent. As he prepared the ceremonies—they were -to be very simple: for, after all, the royal household members weren't -true believers, and would consequently need to spend a million years -(at least) as Outcasts before entering into their Reward, anyhow—as he -prepared the ceremonies...."</p> - -<p>"But does everyone get a Reward? Even people who don't believe?" a -little girl asked, wide eyed.</p> - -<p>"Nearly everyone, my child. The Prophet was not a cruel man. Of course, -people who try to Cast themselves Off never, never, never get a Reward. -But others, everybody else, all get theirs. It's only a question of how -long they have to wait. Sometimes, as when they're unbelievers, it may -be a long, long, long time, but...."</p> - -<p>"I know that," Joey said.</p> - -<p>Martha looked up at him and sighed; she stood up. "Come with me, dear," -she said.</p> - -<p>At that moment, the door flew open with a loud bang.</p> - -<p>The first mate, who had been asleep, sat bolt upright on the bed. "God -damn hit!" he screamed. "My haid!"</p> - -<p>"Oh," said a crew member, who was dragging a woman by the hair, "I'm -terribly sorry. I didn't know you were in here. I just came in to Cast -Mary Jane Off in privacy." He waved an odd-looking instrument at Martha -by way of amplification.</p> - -<p>"Hello, mummy," one of the smaller girls said to the woman.</p> - -<p>"Oh, why, hello, honey. Are you having fun?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes, mummy."</p> - -<p>Mary Jane looked at the crewman. "Well, Bob," she said, "I guess we'll -just have to go some place else."</p> - -<p>"Well, git hout er come in, but shut that door! That noise out there is -a-tearin' off my haid!"</p> - -<p>The crewman called Bob dragged the woman called Mary Jane out of the -room. She pulled the door closed behind her.</p> - -<p>"Well, children," Martha said, "we ought to get back to my story. Now, -King Farko, as you will remember, received a special dispensation...."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Nestir locked his door when the separation bell sounded.</p> - -<p>Having done that, he proceeded to fix himself a meal. It was a simple -one, consisting only of what material he had been able to steal from -the steward's department the previous night.</p> - -<p>As he ate, he reflected upon his course of action. It was, he could -see, going to be difficult to justify at the Reward. But he had been -a priest, and because of that he was reasonably well grounded in -theological dialectics.</p> - -<p>The Festival, of course, was a fine thing. But it had its weak points. -Chief among them being that the Casting Off was left to inexperienced -hands, and certainly, if there was ever a time when experience was -required, then the Casting Off was that time. One should be Cast Off at -leisure; suffering long and deliciously. A state hero, for instance, -honored by being Cast Off by one of the King's Guards, certainly died -the best death imaginable.</p> - -<p>In the present case, although the death as Sole Survivor was to come at -the hands of the first mate (who really lacked the training for such -a position of trust), it would be the best Casting Off available. For -the first mate could follow instructions, and Nestir had written the -instructions.</p> - -<p>Nestir intended to remain in the stateroom all day; the hunt would go -merrily along without him.</p> - -<p>When the assembly bell rang, he would still remain in his stateroom.</p> - -<p>Then, late at night, he would leave. He would slip down to the first -mate's stateroom and determine from him where the premature Sole -Survivor slept. Then he would find him and Cast him Off in his sleep. -And Nestir would be the actual Sole Survivor.</p> - -<p>Nestir could justify his conduct by virtue of the little known -theological clause: <i>ego bestum alpha todas</i>. A decision handed down by -the High Court of the Prophet (Malin vs the Estate of Kattoa: T & C, -'98) nearly a hundred years previously.</p> - -<p>Nestir had, in his hip pocket, a small vial of slow-acting poison. -He would drink it just before Casting the man Off. Then were he not -handled the next day by the first mate, he would die the Outcast death, -by his own hand.</p> - -<p>He did not doubt his ability to convince Them at the Reward. It would -be difficult, but it was not beyond his ability. Certainly, if no one -took the opportunity of Casting him Off as he sat behind the locked -door of his room, it wasn't Nestir's fault.</p> - -<p>The bosun pushed the ventilator grill away and jumped out of the shaft -even before it hit the carpet.</p> - -<p>He landed catlike, his knees bending springily to absorb the shock. He -landed directly behind Nestir and pushed the little man against the -wall.</p> - -<p>Nestir struggled out of the wreckage of the chair.</p> - -<p>"How ... why ... why...?" he said.</p> - -<p>"Ah-ha," the bosun said. "Fooled ja, didn't I?"</p> - -<p>The bosun was carrying a thin rapier.</p> - -<p>"Let's discuss this," Nestir said. "One must go about these things -slowly."</p> - -<p>"Sorry," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>"My God," said Nestir, "you can't Cast me Off just like that: without -any suffering!"</p> - -<p>"Sorry," the bosun said. "Don't have all day. Spend all day with you, -and then what? The more people I can Cast Off before the assembly bell, -the better chance I'll have to be the Sole Survivor."</p> - -<p>"Have you no compassion, man? Can you turn aside from the course of the -gentle Prophet?"</p> - -<p>"Sorry," the bosun said again, sincerely. "I can't stand here all day -discussing it."</p> - -<p>"Ah, me," said Nestir as the bosun drew back from the thrust, "who -would have thought that I would be trapped by a religious fanatic?"</p> - -<p>"Must look out for myself, you know," said the bosun.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">IX</p> - -<p>Helen said, "I thought maybe I hit you too hard."</p> - -<p>"No," John said. "Fortunately not." He had just opened his eyes.</p> - -<p>He was strapped tightly to the bed. "I appreciate what you're doing," -he said. "I know you want to be sure I'm Cast Off right. But honey, do -you think it was fair to jump the bell on me like that?"</p> - -<p>"Well," she said, "that's what you intended to do to the captain."</p> - -<p>He grinned ruefully. "Darn it. I did look forward to Casting him Off."</p> - -<p>"Oh, well," his wife said, "I guess we can't have everything."</p> - -<p>"True, my dear," said John. "It was very thoughtful of you."</p> - -<p>"I wanted to be sure that my husband had the best."</p> - -<p>"I know you did."</p> - -<p>"Well," she said. "I guess I may as well begin."</p> - -<p>"Yes," he said.</p> - -<p>"Have you any suggestions, honey?"</p> - -<p>"No," he said. "I'll leave it all up to you."</p> - -<p>"All right." She walked to the dresser and picked up a pair of pliers. -She crossed to him.</p> - -<p>She had already removed his shoes while he was unconscious.</p> - -<p>"I think," she said, "I'll take the big toe first."</p> - -<p>"Whatever you like, my dear."</p> - -<p>After a moment, she said, "My, I didn't know it was going to be so hard -to pull a few little old toenails."</p> - -<p>After she had finished with his left foot, she poured alcohol over it.</p> - -<p>Then she had to wait for him to regain consciousness.</p> - -<p>"Honey?" she asked.</p> - -<p>"Yes?"</p> - -<p>"You didn't scream very much."</p> - -<p>"That's all right," he said. "You're doing fine."</p> - -<p>"All right," she said. "If you're satisfied. I guess I may as well -start on the other foot.... Oh, John?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, dear?"</p> - -<p>"Would you like for me to fix you a cup of tea before we go on?"</p> - -<p>"I don't think so. But it's a nice thought."</p> - -<p>"Honey?"</p> - -<p>"Yes?"</p> - -<p>"You asked what that fuel oil was for, remember?"</p> - -<p>"Yes."</p> - -<p>"Well, when I finish this," she said, "I'm going to pour it over you -and light it."</p> - -<p>"Helen," he said, "I married one of the ... cleverest ... women ... in -the ... system."</p> - -<p>"There," she said, "I thought I'd <i>never</i> get that one."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The captain got very cramped, sitting there. It was late. He expected -it was about time for the assembly bell to ring.</p> - -<p>He stood up.</p> - -<p>No one had come down his corridor all day, and he felt very pleased -with his acumen in selecting it.</p> - -<p>There wasn't nearly as much noise as there had been earlier; people -were thinning out. He hoped there wouldn't be many left in the fight -for the assembly.</p> - -<p>He heard, interrupting his reverie, a thin, shrill shriek, drifting -down the corridor from his left. Then, looking, he saw a crewman -running toward him.</p> - -<p>He tightened his grip on his infantry sword.</p> - -<p>Then he relaxed. It was all right.</p> - -<p>The man had no arms.</p> - -<p>The crewman came to a stop in front of him.</p> - -<p>"Oh? Captain. Good afternoon, sir."</p> - -<p>"Good afternoon. Careful there. You'll get blood on my uniform."</p> - -<p>"Sorry, sir."</p> - -<p>"How are things going, back there?"</p> - -<p>"Pretty slow ... last ... couple hours."</p> - -<p>"Getting pretty weak, eh?"</p> - -<p>"Yes, sir. Mind if ... I ... sit down?"</p> - -<p>"Not at all. Make yourself at home."</p> - -<p>"Thank ... you, sir." He sat down. "My," he said, "I'm tired."</p> - -<p>"Loss of blood, probably. Listen, old fellow. Do you think you've about -quit suffering, now?"</p> - -<p>"Oh, yes," the crewman said. "Scarcely feel ... a thing any more. -Numb."</p> - -<p>"Well, in that case, no sense in keeping you from your Reward."</p> - -<p>"Not ... a bit."</p> - -<p>The captain drew back his huge sword.</p> - -<p>"See ... you ... around," the crewman said.</p> - -<p>The sword whistled down.</p> - -<p>The captain wiped the sword on the crewman's blouse. His legs were -still stiff. He needed a little exercise. He began to walk toward the -dead end of the corridor, keeping a weather eye behind him.</p> - -<p>"... Bombs away!"</p> - -<p>The crewman hurtled onto his shoulders from the steampipe above.</p> - -<p>The captain fell flat, and his sword went skittering away, rattling -loudly on the steel deck.</p> - -<p>"Umph!" he said.</p> - -<p>"Boy!" the crewman said, "I shore thought you'd <i>never</i> come back down -here."</p> - -<p>The captain was stunned. He could feel the crewman lashing his hands -together behind him.</p> - -<p>"What were you doing up there?" the captain said at length.</p> - -<p>"I clumb up there when I a-hyeared ya a-comin' like a herd o' -elephants. I thought ta come down here an' wait hit out 'til th' -assembly bell."</p> - -<p>"My intentions exactly," the captain said, testing his bonds. There -was no escape from them. "Your voice sounds familiar."</p> - -<p>"Yeah. Hit should. I'm Henderson, th' officers' messman."</p> - -<p>"Lord give me strength," the captain said.</p> - -<p>"Now, iffen you'll jest roll over on yer back, Captain."</p> - -<p>"What for, my boy?"</p> - -<p>"I kinda thought that first off I'd like ta pour this little bottle of -hydrofluoric acid on ya."</p> - -<p>"That's very clever," the captain said. Then he reconsidered. "For a -crewman, that is."</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="ph4">X</p> - -<p>The first mate looked over at the bosun.</p> - -<p>"Uncomfortable?"</p> - -<p>"Yes," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>"Fine, I thought you'd be." He took out his penknife and began to -whittle on a piece of wood.</p> - -<p>After a while he said, "You haint mindin' me puttin' hit off this away?"</p> - -<p>"No," the bosun said, "suit yourself."</p> - -<p>The first mate sent a shaving skittering with his knife blade. -"Shucks," he said, "there hain't really no hurry."</p> - -<p>The bosun raised his head from his chest and shook the hair out of his -face. "Not really, when you consider it," he said.</p> - -<p>"Yep, that's right." The first mate began to work on the point of the -stick; he sharpened it down to needle fineness, and then he carefully -cut in the barb. "Hain't very strong wood; them barbs are cut against -the grain, an' they're liable ta split off when I try ta pull 'em out."</p> - -<p>"I hope not," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>The first mate said, "Yep, I'm shore afraid they're a-gonna do jest -that little trick."</p> - -<p>"Look," said the bosun, "this hair's gettin' in my eyes. I wunder if -you'd mind kinda snippin' it off?"</p> - -<p>"Not a-tall," the first mate said.</p> - -<p>He walked over to the bosun, grabbed a handful of hair and sawed it off -with the penknife.</p> - -<p>"That better?"</p> - -<p>"It shore is. Thanks."</p> - -<p>"Not a-tall."</p> - -<p>The first mate threw down the stick on the table. "Really should uv cut -that before."</p> - -<p>"I suppose so," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>"'Course I warn't hable to see what uz in th' priest's mind."</p> - -<p>"No, that's true," the bosun agreed.</p> - -<p>The first mate walked over and picked up the typewritten instructions.</p> - -<p>"You're a-gonna get a fine Castin' Off," he said.</p> - -<p>"I should," the bosun said. "It ain't everybody can be th' Sole -Survivor."</p> - -<p>"That's true," the first mate said. "Well," he said after a minute, "I -jest guess I know them there instructions fine as anything. I suspect -we may as well start, iffen hits agreeable ta you."</p> - -<p>"I'm ready," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>The first mate took his penknife and tested the edge with his thumb. -"Shore is sharp," he said. "Ought ta be. I jest got done a-honin' hit."</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>He walked over to where the bosun was hanging.</p> - -<p>"Well," he said. "No time like the present."</p> - -<p>He raised the knife.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="figcenter"> - <img src="images/illus2.jpg" width="346" height="500" alt=""/> -</div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p>"Jest a minute," he said. "I think I'll get me some music on the radio. -You don't mind?"</p> - -<p>"No," said the bosun. "Not a bit."</p> - -<p>The first mate walked to the hyperspace radio and flicked on the dial. -After fiddling with it for some time, he picked up a symphony being -broadcast from Kque. "There," he said, "that's th' kind uv music I -shore do like ta hear."</p> - -<p>The music welled out and filled the room with sound.</p> - -<p>"Shore is purty," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>The first mate walked back to him.</p> - -<p>"Guess I'll start on your back," he said. He reached up and ripped the -bosun's shirt off.</p> - -<p>Then, when the back was laid bare, he made a very shallow cut running -the length of the shoulders from armpit to armpit.</p> - -<p>"Be kinda hard ta get started," he said.</p> - -<p>He put the penknife in the incision and began to pry the skin loose. -"Gonna take me a long time ta get a hand holt," he said. "Course onct I -do, hit'll be as easy as skinnin' a skunk."</p> - -<p>"Take yer time," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>"Aim to."</p> - -<p>The music turned quiet and sounded of the rippling brooks on far -Corazon; it reflected the vast meadows of Nid and the giant, -silver-capped mountains of Muri. A cello picked up the theme and ran -it, in rich notes, over the whole surface of the dead world, Astolath. -A whining oboe piped of the sweet winds from Zoltah; and the brass beat -out the finny rhythm of the water world of Du.</p> - -<p>"'Scuse me," the first mate said. He laid down the penknife and walked -to the radio. With a flick of his wrist, he cut it off.</p> - -<p>"What uz th' matter with hit?" the bosun asked.</p> - -<p>"Didn't ja notice?" said the first mate. "Th' third fiddle was sour."</p> - -<p>"Guess I wasn't listenin' close enough," said the bosun.</p> - -<p>The first mate returned to his work. "May as well get on with it," he -said.</p> - -<p>He raised the penknife again.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>Martha threw the door open. "Here!" she said. She swung Joey around in -front of her by the left ear. "I'm going to have to leave him in here -with you, where he won't get into trouble."</p> - -<p>The first mate laid aside the penknife.</p> - -<p>"Martha," he said, "I jest plain don't like kids."</p> - -<p>"I'm sorry," she said, "But I just can't keep him with the rest of the -children. I just can't."</p> - -<p>"Whatud he do?" the bosun asked.</p> - -<p>"Do? Let me tell you," Martha said. "First, he...."</p> - -<p>"I didn't," Joey said.</p> - -<p>"I haint got no all day ta listen ta ya, woman," the first mate said.</p> - -<p>"Well. The worst of it was with little Jane. Do you know what he tried -to do to her?"</p> - -<p>"No, and I shore don't care," said the first mate testily.</p> - -<p>"Well, first he got her down under the table; and then he sat on her; -and if I hadn't stopped him, he would have pounded her brains out -against the deck."</p> - -<p>"My, my," said the bosun.</p> - -<p>"That hain't a-tall nice."</p> - -<p>"Grownups do it," Joey said.</p> - -<p>"That's entirely different," the bosun said.</p> - -<p>"No, it ain't. You just don't like me, that's all."</p> - -<p>"Little Jane wasn't ready," Martha said. "She hasn't had a chance to do -her duty."</p> - -<p>"It don't matter," Joey said.</p> - -<p>"Little boy," said the bosun, "do you know where people go who talk -that way?"</p> - -<p>"I don't care," Joey said.</p> - -<p>"You see? I'll simply have to leave him in here with you."</p> - -<p>"All right," the first mate agreed reluctantly. "Now, little boy," he -said, "you hain't a-gonna bother me, hear? I'm very busy. You jest go -over there and watch."</p> - -<p>"Yes," said the bosun.</p> - -<p>Martha said, "Well, I better get back to the other children."</p> - -<p>She left and the first mate turned back to his job.</p> - -<p>"What's he crying for?" Joey asked.</p> - -<p>"'Cause it hurts," the first mate explained.</p> - -<p>"You missed somethin' there in th' back," Joey said.</p> - -<p>"Why did you try to choke that little girl?" the mate asked.</p> - -<p>"'Cause I wanted to."</p> - -<p>"Well," the first mate said, "that's why I left that little patch o' -skin."</p> - -<p>"Oh," said Joey.</p> - -<p>He stood up and walked around the bosun.</p> - -<p>"What're ya gonna do next?" he asked.</p> - -<p>"Be still," said the bosun.</p> - -<p>"I bet I know," Joey said. "I'll bet you're gonna take that little -stick over there an' stick it in him."</p> - -<p>"That shore ... is right," the bosun said proudly.</p> - -<p>"Can I, huh?"</p> - -<p>"No," the first mate said.</p> - -<p>"Why not? All ya gotta do is...." He picked up the stick and lunged at -the bosun.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p>The first mate tripped him and took the stick away from him.</p> - -<p>"Let him alone," the bosun said to Joey. "He's doin' jest fine."</p> - -<p>"Thankee," said the first mate.</p> - -<p>Martha came back.</p> - -<p>"Is he bothering you? We could put him in the ice with the new crew," -she said.</p> - -<p>"Fine," the first mate said.</p> - -<p>"Oh, no," Joey said. "You gotta catch me first." He began to back away -from Martha.</p> - -<p>She took a step toward him.</p> - -<p>He turned and started to run.</p> - -<p>"Thought so," she said. She had been holding one hand behind her. It -contained a plastic ash-tray. She caught him squarely between the ears -with it, and he went down.</p> - -<p>"Good heave, Martha!" the first mate said.</p> - -<p>She walked over to Joey, picked him up and started to the door.</p> - -<p>At the door she paused.</p> - -<p>"What did you say you wanted for supper, Fontelroy?"</p> - -<p>"Two aigs," he said.</p> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyage to Far N'jurd, by Kris Neville - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO FAR N'JURD *** - -***** This file should be named 51344-h.htm or 51344-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/3/4/51344/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Voyage to Far N'jurd - -Author: Kris Neville - -Release Date: March 2, 2016 [EBook #51344] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO FAR N'JURD *** - - - - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - VOYAGE TO FAR N'JURD - - By KRIS NEVILLE - - Illustrated by MACK - - [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from - Galaxy Magazine April 1963. - Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that - the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] - - - - - They would never live to see the trip's - end. So they made a few changes in their way - of life--and many in their way of death! - - -I - - -"I don't see why we have to be here," a crewman said. "He ain't liable -to say anything." - -"He shore better," the man in front of him said loudly. - -"Be still," his wife said. "People's lookin' at ya." - -"I don't care a smidgen," he said, "if en they ayre." - -"Please," she said. - -"Joanne Marie," he said, "you know that when I aims ta do somethin', -I'm jest natcher'lly bound to do hit. An' iffen I aims ta talk...." - -"Here comes the priest. Now, be still." - -The man looked up. "So he do; an' I'll tell ya, hit shore is time he's -a-gittin' hyere. I ain't got no all night fer ta sit." - -The crewman to his left bent over and whispered, "I'll bet he's gonna -tell us it's gonna be another postponement." - -"Iffen he does, I'm jest a-gonna stand up an' yell right out that I -ain't gonna stand fer hit no longer." - -"Now, dear," said Joanne Marie, "the captain can hear ya, if you're -gonna talk so loud." - -"I hope he does; I jest hope he does. He's th' one that's a-keepin' us -all from our Reward, an' I jest hope he does heyar me, so he'll know -I'm a-gittin' mighty tyird uv waitin'." - -"You tell 'im!" someone said from two rows behind him. - - * * * * * - -The captain, in the officer's section, sat very straight and tall. He -was studiously ignoring the crew. This confined his field of vision to -the left half of the recreation area. While the priest stood before the -speaker's rostrum waiting for silence, the captain reached back with -great dignity and scratched his right shoulder blade. - -Nestir, the priest, was dressed out in the full ceremonial costume -of office. His high, strapless boots glistened with polish. His fez -perched jauntily on his shiny, shaven head. The baldness was symbolic -of diligent mental application to abstruse points of doctrine. _Cotian -exentiati pablum re overum est_: "Grass grows not in the middle of -a busy thoroughfare." The baldness was the result of the diligent -application of an effective depilatory. His blood-red cloak had been -freshly cleaned for the occasion, and it rustled around him in silky -sibilants. - -"Men," he said. And then, more loudly, "Men!" - -The hiss and sputter of conversation guttered away. - -"Men," he said. - -"The other evening," he said, "--Gelday it was, to be exact--one of the -crew came to me with a complaint." - -"Well, I'll be damned," Joanne Marie's husband said loudly. - -Nestir cleared his throat. "It was about the Casting Off. That's why -I called you all together today." He stared away, at a point over the -head and to the rear of the audience. - -"It puts me in mind of the parable of the six Vergios." - -Joanne Marie's husband sighed deeply. - -"Three, you will recall, were wise. When Prophet was at Meizque, they -came to him and said, 'Prophet, we are afflicted. We have great sores -upon our bodies.' The Prophet looked at them and did see that it _was_ -true. Then he blessed them and took out His knife and lay open their -sores. For which the three wise Vergios were passing grateful. And -within the last week, they were dead of infection. But three were -foolish and hid their sores; and these three did live." - -The captain rubbed his nose. - -"_Calex i pundendem hoy_, my children. 'Secrecy makes for a long life,' -as it says in the _Jarcon_." Nestir tugged behind him at his cloak. - -"I want you all to remember that little story. I want you all to take -it away from here with you and think about it, tonight, in the privacy -of your cabins. - -"And like the three wise Vergios who went to the Prophet, one of the -crewmen came to me. He came to me, and he said: 'Father, I am weary of -sailing.' - -"Yes, he said, 'I am weary of sailing.' - -"Now, don't you think I don't know that. Every one of you--every -blessed one of you--is weary of sailing. I know that as well as I know -my own name, yes. - -"But because he came to me and said, 'Father, I am weary of sailing,' -I went to the captain, and I said, 'Captain, the men are weary of -sailing.' - -"And then the captain said: 'All right, Father,' he said, 'I will set -the day for the Festival of the Casting Off!'" - - * * * * * - -The little fellow was pleased by the rustle of approval from the -audience. "God damn, hit's about time!" Joanne Marie's husband said. - -Nestir cleared his throat again. - -"Hummm. Uh. And the day is not very far distant," said Nestir. - -"I knowed there was a catch to hit," Joanne Marie's husband said. - -"I know you will have many questions; yes, I know you will have--ah, -ah--well, many questions. You are thinking: 'What kind of a Festival -can we have here on this ship?' You are thinking: 'What a fine -thing--ah, what a good thing, that is--ah, how nice it would be to have -the Casting Off at home, among friends.'" - -Nestir waved his hands. "Well, I just want to tell you: I come from -Koltah. And you know that Koltah never let any city state outdo her in -a Festival, uh-huh. - -"The arena in Koltah is the greatest arena in the whole system. We have -as many as sixty thousand accepted applicants. All of them together in -the arena is a--uh, uh, well--a sight to behold. People come from all -over to behold it. I never will forget the Festival at which my father -was accepted. He.... - -"Well, the point I want to make is this: I just wanted to tell you -that I know what a Festival should be, and the captain and I will do -everything in our power to make our Casting Off as wonderful as any -anywhere. - -"And I want to tell you that if you'll come to me with your -suggestions, I'll do all I can to see that we do this thing just the -way you want it done. I want you to be proud of this Casting Off -Festival, so you can look back on it and say, uh, uh--this day was the -real high point of your whole life!" - -Everyone but Joanne Marie's husband cheered. He sat glumly muttering to -himself. - -Nestir bobbed his shiny head at them and beamed his cherubic smile. And -noticed that there was a little blonde, one of the crewmen's wives, in -the front row that had very cute ankles. - -While they were still cheering and stomping and otherwise expressing -their enthusiasm and approval, Nestir walked off the speaker's platform -and into the officer's corridor. He wiped his forehead indecorously on -the hem of his cloak and felt quite relieved that the announcement was -over with and the public speaking done. - - -II - -Dinner that evening was a gala occasion aboard the ship. The steward -ordered the holiday feast prepared in celebration of Nestir's -announcement. And, for the officers, he broke out of the special cellar -the last case allotment for Crew One of the delicate Colta Barauche -('94). He ordered the messman to put a bottle of it to the right of -each plate. - -The captain came down from his stateroom after the meal had begun. He -nodded curtly to the officers when he entered the mess hall, walked -directly to his place at the head of the table, sat down and morosely -began to work the cork out of his wine bottle with his teeth. - -"You'll spoil the flavor, shaking it that way," the third mate -cautioned. He was particularly fond of that year. - -The captain twisted the bottle savagely, and the cork came free with a -little pop. He removed the cork from between his teeth, placed it very -carefully beside his fork, and poured himself a full glass of the wine. - -"Very probably," he said sadly. - -"I don't think hit'll do hit," the first mate said. "He hain't shook -hard enough to matter." - -The captain picked up the glass, brought it toward his lips--then, -suddenly having thought of something, he put it back down and turned to -Nestir. - -"I say. Have you decided on this Carstar thing yet, Father?" - -The little priest looked up. He laid his knife across the rim of his -plate. "It has ramifications," he said. - -When the third mate saw that his opinion on the wine was not -immediately to be justified, he settled back in his chair with a little -sigh of disapproval. - -"Well, what do you _think_ your decision will be, Father?" the steward -asked. - -Nestir picked up his knife and fork and cut off a piece of meat. -"Hummmm," he said. "It's hard to say. The whole issue involves, as a -core point, the principle of _casta cum mae stotiti_." - -The first mate nodded sagely. - -"The intent, of course, could actually be--ah--_sub mailloux_; and in -that event, naturally, the decision would be even more difficult. I -wish I could talk to higher authority about it; but of course I haven't -the time. I'll have to decide something." - - * * * * * - -"He had a very pretty wife," the third mate said. - -"Yes, very." Nestir agreed. "But as I was saying, if it could be -proven that the culstem fell due to no negligence on his part, either -consciously or subconsciously, then the obvious conclusion would be -that no stigma would be attached." He speared his meat and chewed it -thoughtfully. - -"But it wasn't at all bloody," the wife of the second mate said. "I -scarcely think he felt it at all. It happened too fast." - -Nestir swallowed the mouthful of food and washed it down with a gulp of -wine. - -"The problem, my dear Helen," he said, "is one of intent. To raise -the issue of concomitant agonies is to confuse the whole matter. For -instance. Take Wilson, in my home state of Koltah. Certainly _he_ died -as miserable a death as anyone could desire." - -"Yes," said the second mate's wife. "I remember that. I read about it -in the newspapers." - -"But it was a case of obvious _intent_," continued Nestir, "and -therefore constituted a clear out attempt to avoid his duty by -hastening to his Reward." - -Upon hearing the word duty, the captain brightened. - -"That," he said to Nestir, "my dear Father, is the cardinal point of -the whole game, y'know." He scratched the back of his left hand. "Duty. -And I must say, I think you're being quite short-sighted about the -Casting Off date. After all, it's not only a question of _how_ we go, -but also a question of leaving only after having done our duty. And -that's equally important." - -"The Synod of Cathau--" Nestir began. - -"Plague take it, Father! Really, now, I must say. The Synod of Cathau! -Certainly you've misinterpreted that. Anticipation can be a joy, -y'know: almost equal to the very Reward. Anticipation should spur man -in duty. It's all noble and self sacrificing." He scratched the back of -his right hand. - -The second mate had been trying to get a word in edgewise for several -minutes; he finally succeeded by utilizing the temporary silence -following the captain's outburst. - -"You don't need to worry about _your_ Casting Off, Captain. You can -leave that to me. I assure you, I have in mind a most ingenious -method." - - * * * * * - -The captain was not visibly cheered; he was still brooding about the -sad absence of a sense of duty on the part of Nestir. "I will welcome -it," he said, "at the proper time, sir. And I certainly hope--" His -eyes swept the table. "I _certainly_ hope to be Cast Off by an officer. -It would be very humiliating, y'know, to have a crew member do it." - -"Oh, very," said the steward. - -"I don't know," the second mate's wife said, "whether you better count -on my husband or not. I have my own plans for him." - -"This problem of Carstar interests me," the third mate said. "Did I -ever tell you about my wife? She strangled our second baby." - -"He was a very annoying child," his wife said. - -"He probably wouldn't have lived, anyway," the third mate said. "Puny -baby." - -"That," said Nestir, "is not at all like the Carstar case. Not at all. -Yours is a question of _saliex y cuminzund_." - -The first mate nodded. - -"It seems to me that the whole thing would depend on the intent of the -strangler." - -"Captain," the steward said, "you really must let me give you some of -that salve." - -"That's very kind of you, but I...." - -"No bother at all," the steward said. - -"As I see it," Nestir said, "if the intent was the natural maternal -instinct of the mother to release her child from its duty, then...." - -"Oh, not at all," the third mate's wife said. "I did it to make him -stop crying." - -"Well, in that case, I see no reason why he shouldn't get his Reward." - -"I certainly hope so," the third mate said. "Jane worries about it all -the time." - -"I do not," Jane contradicted. - -"Now, honey, you know you do so." - -At that moment, he lost interest in his wife and leaned across the -table toward the captain, "Well?" he asked. - -The captain rolled the wine over his tongue. "You were right, of -course." - -The third mate turned triumphantly to the first mate. "There, I told -you so." - -The first mate shrugged. "I never do say nothin' right," he said. "I -hain't got no luck. I've spent more years un all ya, carpenterin' up a -duty log that's better un even th' captain's. An' hit's Martha an' me -that gotta wait an' help th' next crew. Lord above knows how long time -hit'll be afore we uns'll got ta have a Festival." - -"Oh, really, now. Now. Duty, duty," the captain reprimanded him mildly. - -"Duty! Duty! Duty! You all ur in a conspiracy. You all want me ta die -uv old age." - -"Nonsense," said the steward. "We don't want anything of the sort. -After all, someone has to orient the new crew." - -"Quite right," said the captain. "You ought to be proud." - - * * * * * - -The first mate slammed his napkin in the middle of his food and stalked -out of the mess hall. - -"Quite touchy today," Nestir observed. - -"By the way," the third mate said. "Wanda gave me a petition to give to -you, Father." - -"Wanda?" - -"Yes. She's sixteen, now." - -"Wanda who?" the steward asked. - -"Wanda Miller, the bosun's daughter." - -"I know her," Helen said. - -"She's the oldest child on the ship, and she wants you to sign her -adult petition so she can be in the Festival, Father." - -"She's so young...." - -"Sixteen, Father." - -"After all, one must have done some duty," the captain said. - -"He wants you to sign it so he can take her in the Changing of the -Wives," Jane said. - -Nestir fidgeted uncomfortably. "Well, I'll look at her record," he -said. - -"It's an idea," the second mate said. "Otherwise, we'll be short one -woman." - -"There wouldn't be one short if _he_ had brought a wife," the first -mate's wife said, looking squarely at the captain. - -"Now, Martha. I place duty above pleasure. You're just angry, y'know, -because you have to stay with your husband." - -"All right, so I am. But it's true. And if Carstar hadn't been killed, -there would have been two short." She shot a wicked glance at Nestir. -"Why don't you and him share a woman--" - -"Martha!" - -"Although the Prophet knows what woman in her right mind would consent -to...." - -"Well," said Nestir hesitantly. - -"Listen," the third mate said, "the second's right. If you don't sign -it, someone will have to do without a woman." - -Nestir blushed. "I'll look it over very carefully, but you must realize -that the priestcraft...." - -"Actually, in a way, it would be her duty to, you see. Think of it like -that: as her way to do her duty." - -"She's too young for you, dear," Jane said to her husband. - -"Oh, I don't know," the steward said. "Sometimes they're the best, I -hear." - - -III - -The third mate, whose name was Harry, stood before the mirror combing -his hair. He had been combing his hair for the last fifteen minutes. - -"I suppose the crew is celebrating?" his wife said. - -"I suppose." - -She stood up and walked over to the dresser. Absently she began to -finger the articles on it. - -"You really shouldn't have told them about little Glenn tonight." - -"Pish-tush." - -"No, Harry. I mean it. Helen looked at me strangely all through dinner. -She has three children, you know." - -"You're imagining things." - -"But she _does_ have three children." - -"I mean about her looking at you." - -"Oh." - -Harry fiddled with his tie without speaking. - -"I mean, as much as to say: 'Well, I raised all of mine.'" - -"But honey, about little Glenn. That was an accident, almost. You -didn't really mean to choke him that hard." - -"But still ... it ... I mean, there was Helen, looking at me like I -wasn't doing my duty. You know." - -"No," he said. "That's nonsense, Jane. Sheer nonsense. You know what -the priest said." - -He polished one of his brass buttons with the sleeve of his coat. - -"Harry?" - -"Yes?" - -"I don't think all that is necessary just to go on duty." - -"Probably not." - -She walked to the bed and sat down. "Harry?" - -"Yes, dear?" - -"Don't you really think she's awful young?" - -"Huh-uh." - -"I mean, why don't you pick someone else? Like Mary? She's awful sweet. -I'll bet she'd be better." - -"Probably." - -"She's a lot of fun." - -He brushed at his hair again. "Who do you want, Jane?" - -"Oh, I don't know." She looked down at her legs, raised them up from -the floor and held them out in front of her. "I think I'd kind of like -Nestir. With his funny bald head. I hope he asks me." - -"I'll mention it to him." - -"Would you really, Harry? That would be sweet." - -"Sure, honey." He looked down at his watch. - -"Harry? Are you going to meet Wanda in the control room?" - -"Uh-huh." - -"I thought so. Well, remember this, dear: It isn't the day of the -Changing of the Wives yet. Don't forget." - -"Honey! You don't think for a minute that...." - -"No, dear. I know you wouldn't. But just _don't_, I mean." - - * * * * * - -He walked over and kissed her forehead and patted her cheek. "Course -not," he said, comfortingly. - -He left her sitting on the bed and strolled down the officers' -corridor, whistling. - -He made a mental note to have the bosun send some of the crew in -tomorrow to wash down these bulkheads. They needed it. In one corner a -spider spun its silver web. - -He jogged up the companionway, turned left and felt the air as fresh as -spring when he stepped under the great ventilator. - -And beneath it lay one of the crew. - -He kicked the man several times in the ribs until he came to -consciousness. - -"Can't sleep here, my man," Harry explained. - -"Awww. Go way an' le' me 'lone, huh?" - -"Here. Here." He pulled the fellow erect and slapped him in the face -briskly. "This is the officers' corridor." - -"Oh? Ish it? Schorry. Shore schorry, shir. So schorry." - -Harry assisted him to the crew's corridor where he sank to the floor -and relapsed once more into a profound slumber. - -Harry continued on to the control room. - -When he entered it, the second mate was yawning. - -"Hi, John. Sleepy?" - -"Uh-huh. You're early." - -"Don't mind, do you?" - -"No ... Quiet tonight. Had to cut the motors an hour ago. Control -technician passed out." - -"Oh?" - -The second mate took out a cigarette and lit it. "Can't blow the ship -up, you know. Look like hell on the record. Hope the captain don't find -out about it, though. He'll figure the man was neglecting his duty." - -He blew a smoke ring. - -"Might even bar him from the Festival." - -"Yeah," said Harry, "the captain's funny that way." - -The second mate blew another smoke ring. - -"Well," Harry said. - -"Uh. Harry? Are you really going to take that Wanda girl?" - -"If Nestir lets me." - -"Say. Harry. Do you suppose your wife would...?" - - * * * * * - -Harry crossed to the second mate and put a hand on his shoulder. -"Sorry, old fellow. She's got it in her head to take Nestir." He -shrugged. "I don't exactly approve, of course, but ... I'm sure if he -doesn't want her, she'd be glad to hear your offer." - -"Aw, that's all right," John said. "Don't really matter. Say. By the -way. Have I told you what I intend to do to the captain? I've got it -all thought out. You know that saber I picked up on Queglat? Well...." - -"Look. How about telling me another time?" - -"Uh, Sure. If you say so. Uh?" - -"I'm kind of expecting Wanda." - -"Oh. Sure. I should have known you weren't here early for nothing. In -that case, I better be shoving off. Luck." - -"Thanks. See you at breakfast." - -"Right-o." - -After the second mate left, Harry walked over to the control panel. -The jet lights were dead. He picked up the intercom and switched over -the engine call bell. "'Lo," he said into the microphone. "This is -the bridge.... Oh, hi, Barney. Harry.... Have you got a sober control -technician down there yet...? Fine. We'll start the jets again. If the -captain comes in now--well, you know how he is.... Okay, thanks. Night." - -He replaced the microphone. He reached over and threw the forward -firing lever. The jet lights came on and the ship began to brake -acceleration again. - -Having done that, he switched on the space viewer. The steady buzz of -the equipment warming sounded in his ears. Wanda would be sure to want -to look at the stars. She was simple minded. - -"Hello." - -He swiveled around. "Oh, hello, Wanda, honey." - -"Hello, Haireee. Are you glad little ol' me could come, huh?" - -"Sure am." - -"Me, too. Can I look at the--oh. It's already on." - -"Uh-huh. Look. Wanda." - -"Hum?" - -"I talked to Nestir today." - -"Goody. What did he say, huh? I can be an adult and get to play in the -Festival, can I?" - -"I don't know, yet. He's thinking about it. That's why I want to see -you. He's going to check your record. And Wanda?" - -"Them stars shore are purty." - -"Wanda, listen to me." - -"I'm a-listenin', Haireee." - -"You're simply going to have to stop carrying that doll around with you -if you want to be an adult." - - * * * * * - -In Nestir's cabin the next morning, the captain and the priest held a -conference. - -"No, Captain. I'm afraid I can't agree to that," Nestir said. - -The captain said, "Oh, don't be unreasonable, Father. After all, this -is a ship, y'know. And I am, after all, the captain." - -Nestir shook his head. "The crew and the officers will participate -together in the Festival. I will not put the officers' corridor off -limits, and--Oh! Yes? Come in!" - -The door opened. "Father?" - -"Yes, my son? Come in." - -"Thank you, Father. Good morning, Captain, sir." - -"Sit down, my son. Now, Captain, as I was saying: no segregation. It's -contrary to the spirit, if not the wording, of the _Jarcon_." - -"But Father! A crewman! In the officers' corridor! Think!" - -"Before the Prophet, we are all equal. I'm sorry, Captain. Now on -Koltah, we practiced it with very good results, and...." - -"I say, really--" - -"Father?" said the crewman who had just entered. - -"Yes, my son. In one moment. Now, Captain. As I have been explaining: -The arena method has advantages. In Koltah we always used it. But -here--due to the--ah--exigencies of deep space--I feel convinced that -a departure from normal procedure is warranted. It is not without -precedent. Such things were fairly common, _in astoli tavoro_, up -until centralization, three hundred years before Allth. Indeed, in my -home city--Koltah--in the year of the seventh plague, a most unusual -expedient was adopted. It seems...." - -"You're perfectly correct, of course," the captain said. - -"That's just what I wanted to see you about, Father," the crewman said. -"Now, in my city state of Ni, for the Festivals, we...." - -"Shut up," said the captain softly. - -"Yes, sir." - -"Now, as I was saying, Captain, when the methods used in...." - -"If you'll excuse me, Father, I really should return to duty," said the -crewman. - -"Quite all right, my son. Close the door after you." - -"I must say, fellow, your sense of duty is commendable." - -"Well, uh, thank you, sir. And thank you, Father, for your time." - -"Quite all right, my son. That's what I'm here for. Come in as often as -you like." - -The crewman closed the door after him. - - * * * * * - -He had been gone only a moment, scarcely time for Nestir to get -properly launched on his account, when Harry, the third mate, knocked -on the door and was admitted. - -"Oh? Good morning, Captain. I didn't know you were here." Then, to the -priest: "I'll come back later, Father." - -"Nonsense," said the captain. "Come in." - -"Well, I had hoped to see the Father for a minute on ... private -business." - -"I have to be toddling along," said the captain. - -"But Captain! I haven't finished telling you about...." - -"I'll just go down and get a cup of coffee," the captain said. - -"I'll call you when I'm through," said Harry. - -The captain left the room. - -"It's about Wanda, Father," said the third mate. - -The priest studied the table top. He rearranged some papers. "Ah, yes. -The young girl." - -"Well, I mean, it's not only about Wanda," said Harry. "You see, my -wife, Jane, that is...." - -"Yes?" said the priest. He took his pen out of the holder. - -"I think, with the proper ... ah ... you know. What I mean is, I think -she might look with favor on you in the Changing of the Wives, if I -said a few well chosen words in your behalf." - -"That is very flattering, my son." He returned the pen to the holder. -"Such bounty, as it says in the _Jarcon_, is _cull tensio_." - -"And with your permission, Father...." - -"Ah...." - -"She's a very pretty woman." - -"Ah.... Quite so." - -"Well, about Wanda. I really shouldn't mention this. But Father, if we -_are_ short one woman...." - -"Hummmm." - -"I mean, the girls might think a man gets rusty." - -"I see what you mean." Nestir blinked his eyes. "It wouldn't be fair, -all things considered." - -He stood up. - -"I may tell you, my son, that, in thinking this matter over last night, -I decided that Wanda--ah--Miller, yes, has had sufficient duty to merit -participation in the Festival." - -"Justice is a priestly virtue," Harry said. - -"And you really think your wife would...?" - -"Oh, yes, Father." - -"Well, ahem. But...." - -"Yes, Father?" - -"_Ad dulce verboten._" - -"Uh?" - -"That is to say, in order for a woman to join in the ritual of the -Changing of the Wives, she must, ahem, be married." - -"I never thought of that," said the third mate disconsolately. - -"I think that can be arranged, however," said Nestir. "If you go by the -mess hall on your way out, please tell the captain we can continue our -discussion at his pleasure." - - -IV - -"Sit down, Captain," said Nestir, when the captain entered. "No. Over -there, in the comfortable chair. There. Are you comfortable, Captain?" - -"Of course I am." - -"Good. I have a question to ask you, Captain." - -"I say?" - -Nestir rubbed his bald head. "Sir," he said by way of preamble, "I know -you have the greatest sensibility in questions of duty." - -"That's quite so, y'know. I pride myself upon it, if I do say so." - -"Exactly. _Argot y calpex._ No sacrifice is too great." - -"True; true." - -"Well, then, say the first day of Wenslaus, that would be--ah, a -Zentahday--I may depend upon you to wed Wanda Miller, the bosun's -daughter, yes?" - -"No," said the captain. - -"Come now, sir. I realize she is the daughter of a crewman, but--" - -"Father," said the captain, "did I ever tell you about the time I led -an expeditionary force against Zelthalta?" - -"I don't believe you have." - -"Then I will tell you. Came about this way. I was given command of -fifty-three thousand Barains. Savage devils. Uncivilized, but fine -fighters. I was to march them ninety-seven miles across the desert -that...." - -"Captain! I fear I must be very severe with you. I will be forced to -announce in the mess hall this evening that you have refused to do -your duty when it was plainly and properly called to your attention." - -"Very well, Father," the captain said after several minutes. "I will do -it." - -He was trembling slightly. - - * * * * * - -That morning was to be the time of the captain's wedding. He had -insisted that it be done in privacy. For the ceremony, he refused to -make the slightest change in his everyday uniform; nor would he consent -to Nestir's suggestion that he carry a nosegay of hydroponic flowers. -He had intended, after the ceremony, to go about his duty as if nothing -out of the ordinary had happened; but after it was done with, the vast -indignity of it came home to him even more poignantly than he had -imagined it would. - -Without a word, he left the priest's stateroom and walked slowly, -ponderously, with great dignity, to his own. - -It was a very fine stateroom. The finest, but for Nestir's, in the -whole ship. The velvet and gold drapes (his single esthetic joy) were -scented with exotic perfume. The carpet was an inch and a half thick. - -He walked through his office without breaking his stride. - -The bed was large and fluffy. An unbroken expanse of white coverlette -jutting out from the far bulkhead. It looked as soft as feather down. - -Without even a sigh, he threw himself upon the bed and lay very, very -quiet. His left leg was suspended in the air, intersecting, at the -thigh, the plane of the coverlet at forty-five degrees; the number of -degrees remained stiffly, unrelaxingly forty-five. - -Only after a long, long time did he roll over on his back and then it -was merely to stare fixedly at the ceiling. - -It is entirely possible that he would have lain there until Doomsday -had not his introspection been, around noon, interrupted by an -apologetic tap on the door. - -"Come in," he whispered, hoping she would not hear him and go away. - -But she heard him. - -"Husband," Wanda said simply. She closed the door behind her and stood -staring at him. - -"Madam," he said, "I hope you will have the kindness not to refer to me -by that indecent appelation a second time." - -"Gee. You say the cutest things. I'm awful glad you had to marry me, -huh." - -The captain stood up, adjusted his coat and his shoulders, and walked -across the room to the dressing table. He opened the left-hand drawer, -removed a bottle, poured himself half a water-glass full and drank it -off. - -"Ah," he said. - -He returned to the bed and sat down. - -"Can'tcha even say hello ta little ol' me, huh?" she asked. - -"Hello," he said. "Madam, sit down. I intend to give you an instructive -lecture in the natural order of...." - -"Huh?" - -"Ah," he said. "Quite true, of course." - -She walked over to the chair and sat down. "I don't like them," she -said. "Them cloth things over there." - -"Those, Madam," he said, "are priceless drapes I had imported from the -province of San Xalthan. They have a long, strange history. - -"About three thousand years ago, a family by the name of Soong was -forced to flee from the city of Xan because the eldest son of the -family had become involved in a conspiracy against the illustrious King -Fod. As the Soong family was traveling...." - -"I don't like 'em anyway," said Wanda. - -"Madam," said the captain, "kindly bring me that." - -"This?" - -"Yes. Thank you." - -He took the doll from her. He got up again, walked to the chest of -drawers, searched around for a penknife. Finally he located it under a -stack of socks. - -He returned to the bed. Sitting on the edge, he began to rip the doll -along the seams with the penknife. Very carefully he emptied the -sawdust out upon the carpet, and with equal deliberation, he cut up -the canvas covering into small patches. Within fifteen minutes, for he -worked very slowly, the doll was completely destroyed. - -He laid the penknife on the night stand by his bed. He took out a match -and struck it across the bottom of his shoe; he bent over and ignited -the remains of the doll. - -"You'll burn yer rug," Wanda said. - -"Yes," the captain said, "I will. Be so kind as to close the door when -you leave." - - -V - -The next day the captain appeared at mess. - -The third mate said, "I want to thank you for what you done for me, -Captain." - -"Don't mention it," the captain said, bisecting a pilchard with his -fork. - -"It's nice Wanda gets to be in the Festival," Jane said. "It pleases my -husband so." - -"I'm very excited about it all," the steward said. - -The first mate turned his egg over with his fork and peered -suspiciously at the underside of it. "Hit's all right fur you uns ta -feel excited. Martha an' me are still purty bitter." - -"Yes," Martha said, "I don't see why the children couldn't take care of -themselves." - -"Who'd get the new crew out of ice?" John, the second mate, said. - -"That," the first mate admitted, "is th' problem. Can'tcha even cook an -aig?" he asked the steward. - -"What's the matter with the egg?" the third mate asked. - -"Hit hain't cooked right," the first mate insisted. - -"Helen," the captain said, "may I see you after the meal?" - -Helen looked demurely into her plate. "Certainly, captain. But if it's -about the Changing of the Wives, I've already been asked for." - -"And," John said proudly, "I'll bet she was one of the first ones -asked." - -"Nestir asked my wife almost a month ago," said Harry. "She was the -very first." - -"Well," the captain said, "that's what I had in mind." He turned to -survey the table. His eyes lit upon Mary, the steward's wife. - -She looked at him and shook her head. "John already asked me." - -"Well," the captain said, "I must say, this is a very fine breakfast, -steward. I dearly love pilchards for breakfast. Convey my compliments -to the cook." - -"Yes, sir." - - * * * * * - -"Captain," said Nestir, "I was telling the men ... just before you -came ... in about the great pageant of Koltah in the year of '93. At -the time, in a special celebration--_annum mirabelei_--we decided -to observe the ancient customs of Meizque. The customs are of some -interest, and I thought we might apply several of them to our own -Festival." - -"Whatever you wish," said the captain tiredly, stirring his coffee. - -Before Nestir could resume his account, John interrupted. "I want to -mention this again. I have a very special treatment for you, Captain. -You should be encouraged by that. No one will ever have a better -Casting Off than you." - -"Thank you," said the captain. "I shall look forward to it." He laid -down his spoon. "Oh, Anne. May I see you?" - -"I'm sorry," said the wife of Barney, the engineer. "Really and truly I -am, but I've already been asked, too." - -"Oh," said the captain. - -He looked over at the last officer's wife, Leota. But he quickly looked -away. - -"Well," he said, "this is a fine breakfast we have this morning -steward." - -"Thank you, sir. I'll tell the cook." - -Jane said, in order to stave off the encroaching silence, "Nestir, how -old are you?" - -"Going on forty--Jane." - -"The prime of life," the steward said. - -"Ah," the captain said thoughtfully. "Leota...." - -She looked up and soundlessly her mouth formed the words, "Too late." - -The captain dropped the spoon to his plate. - -Silence fell. It grew prolonged and uncomfortable. Finally the first -mate said, "Hit hain't the right way to cook aigs, damn hit." - -The captain said, "Father, I say. All the officers' wives have been -asked." - -"Yes," said Nestir. "They have, haven't they?" - -"Do you suppose it would be all right if I just...." - -"You know the rules," Nestir said sternly. - -"That's what I was afraid you'd say," said the captain. He looked up -at the ceiling; his face was placid. He reached up with his right hand -and began to scratch his chin. He scratched his chin for a long time, -scarcely breathing. - -The officers and their wives were silent, waiting for him to speak. - - * * * * * - -"I believe I'll have another cup of coffee," he said at last. - -"Yes, sir," said the steward, snapping his fingers for the waiter. - -Martha said: "You should have asked earlier." - -"I know," the captain said. "Father, I really don't see why I have to -Change Wives." - -"But Harry will have yours that day. And you know the rules." - -"There are a lot of good-looking women in the crew," the steward said. - -"Quite a number," said the captain. - -He arose from the table and steadied himself a moment. "Never mind the -coffee," he said. "I shouldn't drink over one cup for breakfast. I -believe it aggravates my scrofula." - -He turned, and walked out of the mess hall. - -He walked very straight and tall. He walked down the crew's corridor -toward their quarters. - -Shortly he saw a woman coming out of one of the cabins. - -"Madam," he said. - -She came over to him. "Yes, sir?" - -"Madam," he said, "Madam, I...." - -"Would ja like to have a drink of water? It's right down this way, an' -then ya turn ta the left." - -"No ... uh. I.... Madam, would you honor me by becoming my partner for -the night of the Changing of the Wives?" - -She balanced on the balls of her feet and looked up at him. "Yur th' -captain, ain'tcha?" - -"Yes," he said. "I am." - -"Sure, I'll do hit," she said. "I'd be mighty proud ta." - -The captain turned away and then turned back. "Madam," he said, "what -is your name?" - -"Joanne Marie. Jest ask for me. Everybody down here knows me." - -"Joanne Marie, Joanne Marie," he repeated under his breath. He -shuddered and turned to go. - - -VI - -The day of the Changing of the Wives came to the ship. It was a very -important ritualistic day, held, always, three weeks and one day before -the Festival of the Casting Off. - -The morning of the day, Nestir spoke to the assembled complement. -He explained its symbolic importance: he explained its historic -development; he delivered, _in cretia ultimatum est_, an exegesis on -the _Jarcon_. And then he took off the cloak of priestcraft and cast it -to the floor. "For I am," he said, "Ah, a man as you are men." - -Then, being no longer empowered to pronounce a benediction (under -normal conditions, the function of a younger priest), he left the -cheering members of Flight Seventeen A and sped directly to his -stateroom. - -The afternoon passed uneventfully. The complement of the ship moved -about their routine chores tingling in anticipation of the evening. - -At the evening meal, a new seating arrangement was instituted at the -insistence of the steward and the third mate. The newly formed couples -were to sit side by side. - -To accomplish this, it was necessary to set two extra plates in the -officers' mess. One, for Wanda, next to the third mate; and one, for -Joanne Marie, beside the captain. - -"Please pass the meat," the third mate said. - -Nestir handed it across to him. - -"Thank you, Father." - -"Today, _in culpa res_, I no longer have that honor," Nestir reminded -him. "The blood-red cloak of priestcraft will never again touch my -shoulders this side of the Reward." - -"I'd be a little sad," said the steward. - -"Oh, I don't know," the third mate said. - -"It probably all depends," Helen, the wife of the second mate, agreed. - -"Hit's a far, far better thing _I_ do," the first mate said sonorously. -He was a little drunk. - -The captain speared one pea and ate it. "I envy you," he said, looking -over at Joanne Marie. - -Wanda Miller, who had already upset her glass of water in the third -mate's lap, said, "Pass the biscuits, hey.... You uns have better'n we -do." - -"No," said the steward, "not at all, my dear. We eat the same as the -crew." - -"Yes; precisely so," the third mate said. - -"Except ours is fixed up a little differently," said Jane. - -"An' our cook can't fry an aig," the first mate said. - -"I wouldn't say that," said the captain. - -"Shucks," Joanne Marie said, "anybody can fry an aig." - -"On the contrary, Madam. I recall once, when I was a political adviser -for the Kong regime...." - -"Do you mean mea-Kong?" the steward asked. - -"No, that was in Koltah." - -"Yes," Nestir said. "I am very familiar with them. They...." - -"That's not the one I meant," the captain snapped. - -Nestir leaped to his feet. "Well!" he said loudly. "I'm through -eating." - -"Oh, come now, old man. There's no hurry, really, y'know," the captain -insisted gently. - -"Ain't there?" Joanne Marie asked. "Gee. I can see you sure ain't like -my husband. I mean my ex." She giggled. - -"Well, I guess I'm finished, too," Jane said. "Well. Good night, Harry." - -"Good night, dear." - - * * * * * - -In the mess hall, the lights were out. The figure of the captain loomed -like a stark obelisk in the gloom. - -"Captain, sir, we uns uv been sittin' here at this table fur hours an' -hours. I'm gettin' purty tired us sittin'." - -"It's not long until the Festival," he said. - -"When the mess boy cleared away all them dishes, I thought shore you'd -leave, then." - -"Oh, no," said the captain. "This is very exciting." - -"It ain't, the way I see it," Joanne Marie said. - -"Different perspective, Madam. Doubtless you would not have considered -it very exciting either, the time I ran a wagon train from Tamask-Cha. -You see, the material was to be delivered on a mining contract. Madam, -I can assure you it was hot. The only road was a narrow line across the -Ubiq desert. And late the first evening...." - -"I can see it warn't very exciting," Joanne Marie said. - -Silence returned. - -"I am getting sleepy," the captain said at length. - -"Oh, I'm usually awake this late. Shucks, I'm used to it. Sometimes I -jest get ta sleep when it's time ta get up. But I do wish we'd go to -bed." - -"Madam, your language!" - -"All I said was...." - -"I know; I know," the captain said. "Madam, come to my stateroom. You -may sleep on the sofa." - -"Weeeel," Joanne Marie said, "I ain't a-sayin' that. I know my rights." - -"Let us not be difficult. I am certain, when I explain to you in a -logical fashion the obvious impossibility of--of--" - -"You got no wife?" - -"No," he said. - -"Yeah. I thought not. That sure is swell." - -"Madam. Perhaps I can say it this way. I have certain perturbations, -but I can assure you, whatever you attempt my aim is inflexible. For -me, the Captain, to--ah--consort with a crew woman is preposterous." - -"Is that what you call it? Now that's a funny word. My husband calls -it--" - -"_Madam!_" - -Joanne Marie was cowed into silence. They walked directly to his -stateroom. - -Once inside, Joanne Marie said, "Now ya jest sit down, comfortable -like. I got somethin' I want to tell ya." - -"No," the captain said. - -"I ain't even told ja yet." - -"It won't matter," the captain said. - -"My husband don't like me," she said. - -He dropped his head into his hands and sighed deeply. Then he looked -up, his face set in icy resignation. - - -VII - -John, the second mate, awoke early the morning of the Festival. - -"Helen, honey," he said. "Wake up." - -She murmured sleepily. - -"Come on, now, wake up." - -She rolled over to her side of the bed. - -"All right," he said. He reached out, fumbled for and found his -cigarettes. - -"You know what I'm going to do to the captain?" he asked. He lit a -cigarette and lying on his back blew smoke rings at the ceiling. - -"Yes," his wife said, "you told me." - -"First, I'm going to take that saber I got on Queglat and scrape open -his scrofula. Then, when he's bleeding nicely, all I have to do is -pour a bottle of alcohol on him. Don't you think that will be nice?" - -"Yes, dear." - -"You know, I'm kinda sorry I went to all the trouble sharpening that -saber. After all, it might be more painful if the saber was dull." - -"Yes, dear." - -"But then, on the other hand...." - -"Dear, will you hand me a cigarette?" - -"Sure." - -He shook out a cigarette, lit it off his and handed it to her. - -"So what do you think?" - -"It doesn't matter, dear," she said. - -"Oh, but it does matter," John insisted. "I think it's very important." -He snubbed out his cigarette. "It's all the little details that one -should take into account. Can't be too careful about something like -that." - -He rolled over on his back again. "I'm hungry," he said. - -"I really thought they should have served breakfast," Helen said. - -"Well, it wouldn't be right to leave all those dirty dishes for the -second crew." - -"I mean just sandwiches." - -"Yes," he said, "they could have made up some sandwiches. I think, -though, I'd settle for a cup of tea." - -"I could brew you some on the hot plate." - -"It's too much bother," John said. "Are you sure you wouldn't mind?" - -"No. If you'll get up and put the water on." - -"All right," he said. - -He threw his legs over the side, fumbled with his feet for the house -slippers, padded to the hot plate, put the water on, and came back to -bed. - -"We've still got an hour before the bell," he said. - -"Are you going to shave?" - -"I don't think so; not today," he said. - -"By the way, honey; what's in that can over there?" - -"Fuel oil," she said. - -"What's it for?" - -"You'd be surprised," she said. - -After a while, the water began to sizzle against the sides of the pan. - -"Time to get up," she said. She crawled over her husband, slipped into -a robe, and proceeded to brew the tea. - -"It's not much of a breakfast, John." - -"Say," he said, "where's my bottle of alcohol for the captain." - -"I set it over by the medicine cabinet, out of the way." - -"I wonder if it'll be enough?" he mused. - -"I hope so," she said. "Are you going to get up, or must I serve you -this tea in bed? I will if you want me to." - -"I'll get up," he said. He got up. - -"Let's take it in the nook to drink," he said. - -"Can't." - -"Oh? Why not?" - -"One of the legs is off the table." - -"If you'd told me, I'd fixed it." - -"Never mind," she said. - - * * * * * - -They each drank two cups of tea; and then each dressed for the Festival. - -After that, they sat in silence, awaiting the bell to signal the start -of the Festival. - -"I'm going to hurry out," John said at length, "as soon as the bell -rings, so I can stand outside the captain's door and get him when he -comes out." - -"That's not fair, John," she said. "You're supposed to wait for the -second bell before you can even start to Cast anyone Off." - -"I know," said John, "but this way, I'll be sure to get the captain." - -"Well," she said, "I'm certainly glad you have that attitude." - -He asked, after more silence, "What are you going to do?" - -"I think I'll stay here for a little while," she said. - -"Yes, that might--" - -The bell rang soundingly throughout the ship. - -"Time to go," John said. He grabbed his saber. "Where's the alcohol?" - -"In there," she said. - -He skidded into the bathroom, pocketed the alcohol, and started for the -door. - -"John!" - -"Huh?" - -"Aren't you even going to kiss me good-by?" - -"Oh, sure. Forgot." He crossed to her, bent down and kissed her. She -put her left arm around his neck. With her right hand, she located the -table leg she had placed behind her pillow. - -John drew away and half turned. "Good--" - -She hit him in the left temple with the table leg. He went down like a -poleaxed steer. - -She laughed happily. - - -VIII - -When the bell sounded for the people to separate, preparatory to the -hunt proper, the captain got up and buckled on his huge infantry sword. -He had spent most of the night sharpening it. - -He had after long hours of considering, decided that there was only one -honorable course left to him. He would defend himself. - -For if he were the Sole Survivor of the hunt, he would be Cast Off -properly by the first mate. Otherwise.... - -The possibility that it might be done by a crewman was staggeringly -humiliating. He would salvage his honor from that final indignity at -all costs. - -Of course, if he were captured by an officer, it would be a different -matter entirely; he would surrender and submit like the gentleman he -was. But a crewman.... - -He took the sword out of the scabbard and rubbed his thumb along the -side of it. - -He swung it, and it whistled in the air crisply, pleasingly. - -He grasped it firmly in his right hand and walked to the door. He threw -open the door and jumped back and away. - -But it was safe; there was no one outside. - -He stepped into the corridor. - -Empty. - -He looked both ways. He listened. - -Then he began to run, swiftly, silently, on his toes. - -At the first intersection, he stopped and surveyed the crossing -corridor. - -To his left, almost at the far bend, he saw a crewman; however, the man -was not looking in his direction, and the captain felt that he could -be reasonably safe from detection if he crossed quickly enough. He -sprinted across the open space. - -On the other side, he stopped and waited. After several minutes of -silence, he knew that he could safely continue. - -He ran for a long distance. - -Finally, safely down in the second level, he slowed to a walk. He was -breathing heavily; it was very loud, and his footsteps echoed hollowly. - -He was alone down there. He could tell that. - -At the Jonson bend, he breathed a sigh of relief. Ahead was the empty -corridor that led to the dead end, Forward. He could see down it, clear -to the bulkhead. And as he knew it would be, it was devoid of life and -movement. - -He sat down to wait out the long day. - -He scratched his chin. - -He would have nothing to do until the closing bell. At which time he -would be forced to go to the assembly area. - -As would anyone else, according to the rules of the Festival as laid -down by Nestir, who had not yet been sent to his Reward. - -That would be a dangerous time. For then there would be no esthetic -consideration. It would be a fight amongst all assembling for the final -honor of Sole Survivor. One could expect no mercy: clean, quick sword -stroke, no more. No suffering at all. - -It was not a pleasant prospect. But to be the coveted Sole Survivor -compensated for the risk. - -The captain laid the sword across his lap and petted it. - -He would fight. And no crew member need expect to be the man Cast Off -by the first mate; that was to be the captain's fate. - -The second bell called to the ship shrilly. - -The hunt was on! - - * * * * * - -Martha and the first mate assembled the children in the large, -comfortable hospital. The steward's department had fixed them all a -lunch. The children were silent, for the angry brow of the first mate -was a complete damper on their usual animal spirits. There was no -holiday happiness. - -The children moved around and fell into little, shifting groups. -Several of them began to game at marbles, but the first mate broke it -up before it degenerated into a fist fight. - -"Well, there goes the hunting bell," Martha said. - -"Yes," the mate said, "hit do, don't hit." - -"I think they could have a regular nurse for this sort of thing," -Martha said. - -The mate grunted. "Humph. I shore hope they uns don't raise no ruckus. -I've got me a splittin' haidache." - -"Shhhh. Listen. I thought I heard someone scream." - -"Yep," the mate said. "I was sure afraid uv hit; won't be able to -heyar myself think all day long. I'm a-tellin' ya, Martha, if these -young uns start a-actin' up, too, I'm jest a-gonna take a knife an' -split this here haid open, Reward or no Reward." - -"That's not a nice way to talk," Martha said. - -"No, hit hain't. But I'm a-sayin' hit." - -"I'll tell you what I'll do," Martha said. "I'll call all the children -together and tell them nursery stories. That oughta keep them quiet. -And you go over there and lay down where there won't be anyone to -bother you." - -"All right, Martha, an' I shore do thankee." - -The first mate made his way to the farthest bed, sat down, took off -his shoes, and stretched out on it. He reached up and felt his head -tenderly. - -"Children," Martha called. "Oh, children! I want you all to come over -here." - -Reluctantly, the children obeyed her. - -"That's right," she said. "Now. You all sit down and make yourselves -comfortable, and be still as mice so my husband can sleep, and I'll -tell you stories. And then, after a while, we'll eat the nice lunch the -steward fixed for us, and we'll all have the bestest time." - -"I don't like you," one of the little boys said. - -"Little boy," Martha said, "I don't like you, either." - -"Oh," the little boy said. - -"Now," Martha said, "I'm going to tell you the wonderful story about a -very pretty Princess and a very pretty Prince: Once upon a time, there -was a land called Zont. It sank long ago under the big, salty sea of -Zub...." - -"My name's Joey," the little boy said. - -"Well, Joey," Martha said, "do you see that long, steel rod over there, -where we hang clothing from?" - -"Uh-huh." - -"If you don't shut your little mouth, I'll hang you on it by your -thumbs." - -"Betcha ya won't," one of the little girls said. - - * * * * * - -"Once upon a time," Martha said, "there was this handsome Prince and -pretty Princess. But the father of the Princess, King Exaltanta, was a -heathen and did not believe in the Prophet. Now. When a true believer, -kind King Farko, captured King Exaltanta's kingdom, the deposed king -hid his daughter in the deepest dungeon. - -"Now when the fair Prince, who was the son of King Farko, and whose -name was William, heard of the Princess in the dungeon, he decided that -he would rescue her and marry her. And after she had had one child -by him, the two of them would travel to the Holy City of Meizque to -participate in the Changing of the Wives and the Festival there. - -"Well, it so happened that King Farko got a special dispensation from -the Great Priest to send the members of Exaltanta's family to their -Reward without their consent. As he prepared the ceremonies--they were -to be very simple: for, after all, the royal household members weren't -true believers, and would consequently need to spend a million years -(at least) as Outcasts before entering into their Reward, anyhow--as he -prepared the ceremonies...." - -"But does everyone get a Reward? Even people who don't believe?" a -little girl asked, wide eyed. - -"Nearly everyone, my child. The Prophet was not a cruel man. Of course, -people who try to Cast themselves Off never, never, never get a Reward. -But others, everybody else, all get theirs. It's only a question of how -long they have to wait. Sometimes, as when they're unbelievers, it may -be a long, long, long time, but...." - -"I know that," Joey said. - -Martha looked up at him and sighed; she stood up. "Come with me, dear," -she said. - -At that moment, the door flew open with a loud bang. - -The first mate, who had been asleep, sat bolt upright on the bed. "God -damn hit!" he screamed. "My haid!" - -"Oh," said a crew member, who was dragging a woman by the hair, "I'm -terribly sorry. I didn't know you were in here. I just came in to Cast -Mary Jane Off in privacy." He waved an odd-looking instrument at Martha -by way of amplification. - -"Hello, mummy," one of the smaller girls said to the woman. - -"Oh, why, hello, honey. Are you having fun?" - -"Oh, yes, mummy." - -Mary Jane looked at the crewman. "Well, Bob," she said, "I guess we'll -just have to go some place else." - -"Well, git hout er come in, but shut that door! That noise out there is -a-tearin' off my haid!" - -The crewman called Bob dragged the woman called Mary Jane out of the -room. She pulled the door closed behind her. - -"Well, children," Martha said, "we ought to get back to my story. Now, -King Farko, as you will remember, received a special dispensation...." - - * * * * * - -Nestir locked his door when the separation bell sounded. - -Having done that, he proceeded to fix himself a meal. It was a simple -one, consisting only of what material he had been able to steal from -the steward's department the previous night. - -As he ate, he reflected upon his course of action. It was, he could -see, going to be difficult to justify at the Reward. But he had been -a priest, and because of that he was reasonably well grounded in -theological dialectics. - -The Festival, of course, was a fine thing. But it had its weak points. -Chief among them being that the Casting Off was left to inexperienced -hands, and certainly, if there was ever a time when experience was -required, then the Casting Off was that time. One should be Cast Off at -leisure; suffering long and deliciously. A state hero, for instance, -honored by being Cast Off by one of the King's Guards, certainly died -the best death imaginable. - -In the present case, although the death as Sole Survivor was to come at -the hands of the first mate (who really lacked the training for such -a position of trust), it would be the best Casting Off available. For -the first mate could follow instructions, and Nestir had written the -instructions. - -Nestir intended to remain in the stateroom all day; the hunt would go -merrily along without him. - -When the assembly bell rang, he would still remain in his stateroom. - -Then, late at night, he would leave. He would slip down to the first -mate's stateroom and determine from him where the premature Sole -Survivor slept. Then he would find him and Cast him Off in his sleep. -And Nestir would be the actual Sole Survivor. - -Nestir could justify his conduct by virtue of the little known -theological clause: _ego bestum alpha todas_. A decision handed down by -the High Court of the Prophet (Malin vs the Estate of Kattoa: T & C, -'98) nearly a hundred years previously. - -Nestir had, in his hip pocket, a small vial of slow-acting poison. -He would drink it just before Casting the man Off. Then were he not -handled the next day by the first mate, he would die the Outcast death, -by his own hand. - -He did not doubt his ability to convince Them at the Reward. It would -be difficult, but it was not beyond his ability. Certainly, if no one -took the opportunity of Casting him Off as he sat behind the locked -door of his room, it wasn't Nestir's fault. - -The bosun pushed the ventilator grill away and jumped out of the shaft -even before it hit the carpet. - -He landed catlike, his knees bending springily to absorb the shock. He -landed directly behind Nestir and pushed the little man against the -wall. - -Nestir struggled out of the wreckage of the chair. - -"How ... why ... why...?" he said. - -"Ah-ha," the bosun said. "Fooled ja, didn't I?" - -The bosun was carrying a thin rapier. - -"Let's discuss this," Nestir said. "One must go about these things -slowly." - -"Sorry," the bosun said. - -"My God," said Nestir, "you can't Cast me Off just like that: without -any suffering!" - -"Sorry," the bosun said. "Don't have all day. Spend all day with you, -and then what? The more people I can Cast Off before the assembly bell, -the better chance I'll have to be the Sole Survivor." - -"Have you no compassion, man? Can you turn aside from the course of the -gentle Prophet?" - -"Sorry," the bosun said again, sincerely. "I can't stand here all day -discussing it." - -"Ah, me," said Nestir as the bosun drew back from the thrust, "who -would have thought that I would be trapped by a religious fanatic?" - -"Must look out for myself, you know," said the bosun. - - -IX - -Helen said, "I thought maybe I hit you too hard." - -"No," John said. "Fortunately not." He had just opened his eyes. - -He was strapped tightly to the bed. "I appreciate what you're doing," -he said. "I know you want to be sure I'm Cast Off right. But honey, do -you think it was fair to jump the bell on me like that?" - -"Well," she said, "that's what you intended to do to the captain." - -He grinned ruefully. "Darn it. I did look forward to Casting him Off." - -"Oh, well," his wife said, "I guess we can't have everything." - -"True, my dear," said John. "It was very thoughtful of you." - -"I wanted to be sure that my husband had the best." - -"I know you did." - -"Well," she said. "I guess I may as well begin." - -"Yes," he said. - -"Have you any suggestions, honey?" - -"No," he said. "I'll leave it all up to you." - -"All right." She walked to the dresser and picked up a pair of pliers. -She crossed to him. - -She had already removed his shoes while he was unconscious. - -"I think," she said, "I'll take the big toe first." - -"Whatever you like, my dear." - -After a moment, she said, "My, I didn't know it was going to be so hard -to pull a few little old toenails." - -After she had finished with his left foot, she poured alcohol over it. - -Then she had to wait for him to regain consciousness. - -"Honey?" she asked. - -"Yes?" - -"You didn't scream very much." - -"That's all right," he said. "You're doing fine." - -"All right," she said. "If you're satisfied. I guess I may as well -start on the other foot.... Oh, John?" - -"Yes, dear?" - -"Would you like for me to fix you a cup of tea before we go on?" - -"I don't think so. But it's a nice thought." - -"Honey?" - -"Yes?" - -"You asked what that fuel oil was for, remember?" - -"Yes." - -"Well, when I finish this," she said, "I'm going to pour it over you -and light it." - -"Helen," he said, "I married one of the ... cleverest ... women ... in -the ... system." - -"There," she said, "I thought I'd _never_ get that one." - - * * * * * - -The captain got very cramped, sitting there. It was late. He expected -it was about time for the assembly bell to ring. - -He stood up. - -No one had come down his corridor all day, and he felt very pleased -with his acumen in selecting it. - -There wasn't nearly as much noise as there had been earlier; people -were thinning out. He hoped there wouldn't be many left in the fight -for the assembly. - -He heard, interrupting his reverie, a thin, shrill shriek, drifting -down the corridor from his left. Then, looking, he saw a crewman -running toward him. - -He tightened his grip on his infantry sword. - -Then he relaxed. It was all right. - -The man had no arms. - -The crewman came to a stop in front of him. - -"Oh? Captain. Good afternoon, sir." - -"Good afternoon. Careful there. You'll get blood on my uniform." - -"Sorry, sir." - -"How are things going, back there?" - -"Pretty slow ... last ... couple hours." - -"Getting pretty weak, eh?" - -"Yes, sir. Mind if ... I ... sit down?" - -"Not at all. Make yourself at home." - -"Thank ... you, sir." He sat down. "My," he said, "I'm tired." - -"Loss of blood, probably. Listen, old fellow. Do you think you've about -quit suffering, now?" - -"Oh, yes," the crewman said. "Scarcely feel ... a thing any more. -Numb." - -"Well, in that case, no sense in keeping you from your Reward." - -"Not ... a bit." - -The captain drew back his huge sword. - -"See ... you ... around," the crewman said. - -The sword whistled down. - -The captain wiped the sword on the crewman's blouse. His legs were -still stiff. He needed a little exercise. He began to walk toward the -dead end of the corridor, keeping a weather eye behind him. - -"... Bombs away!" - -The crewman hurtled onto his shoulders from the steampipe above. - -The captain fell flat, and his sword went skittering away, rattling -loudly on the steel deck. - -"Umph!" he said. - -"Boy!" the crewman said, "I shore thought you'd _never_ come back down -here." - -The captain was stunned. He could feel the crewman lashing his hands -together behind him. - -"What were you doing up there?" the captain said at length. - -"I clumb up there when I a-hyeared ya a-comin' like a herd o' -elephants. I thought ta come down here an' wait hit out 'til th' -assembly bell." - -"My intentions exactly," the captain said, testing his bonds. There -was no escape from them. "Your voice sounds familiar." - -"Yeah. Hit should. I'm Henderson, th' officers' messman." - -"Lord give me strength," the captain said. - -"Now, iffen you'll jest roll over on yer back, Captain." - -"What for, my boy?" - -"I kinda thought that first off I'd like ta pour this little bottle of -hydrofluoric acid on ya." - -"That's very clever," the captain said. Then he reconsidered. "For a -crewman, that is." - - -X - -The first mate looked over at the bosun. - -"Uncomfortable?" - -"Yes," the bosun said. - -"Fine, I thought you'd be." He took out his penknife and began to -whittle on a piece of wood. - -After a while he said, "You haint mindin' me puttin' hit off this away?" - -"No," the bosun said, "suit yourself." - -The first mate sent a shaving skittering with his knife blade. -"Shucks," he said, "there hain't really no hurry." - -The bosun raised his head from his chest and shook the hair out of his -face. "Not really, when you consider it," he said. - -"Yep, that's right." The first mate began to work on the point of the -stick; he sharpened it down to needle fineness, and then he carefully -cut in the barb. "Hain't very strong wood; them barbs are cut against -the grain, an' they're liable ta split off when I try ta pull 'em out." - -"I hope not," the bosun said. - -The first mate said, "Yep, I'm shore afraid they're a-gonna do jest -that little trick." - -"Look," said the bosun, "this hair's gettin' in my eyes. I wunder if -you'd mind kinda snippin' it off?" - -"Not a-tall," the first mate said. - -He walked over to the bosun, grabbed a handful of hair and sawed it off -with the penknife. - -"That better?" - -"It shore is. Thanks." - -"Not a-tall." - -The first mate threw down the stick on the table. "Really should uv cut -that before." - -"I suppose so," the bosun said. - -"'Course I warn't hable to see what uz in th' priest's mind." - -"No, that's true," the bosun agreed. - -The first mate walked over and picked up the typewritten instructions. - -"You're a-gonna get a fine Castin' Off," he said. - -"I should," the bosun said. "It ain't everybody can be th' Sole -Survivor." - -"That's true," the first mate said. "Well," he said after a minute, "I -jest guess I know them there instructions fine as anything. I suspect -we may as well start, iffen hits agreeable ta you." - -"I'm ready," the bosun said. - -The first mate took his penknife and tested the edge with his thumb. -"Shore is sharp," he said. "Ought ta be. I jest got done a-honin' hit." - - * * * * * - -He walked over to where the bosun was hanging. - -"Well," he said. "No time like the present." - -He raised the knife. - -"Jest a minute," he said. "I think I'll get me some music on the radio. -You don't mind?" - -"No," said the bosun. "Not a bit." - -The first mate walked to the hyperspace radio and flicked on the dial. -After fiddling with it for some time, he picked up a symphony being -broadcast from Kque. "There," he said, "that's th' kind uv music I -shore do like ta hear." - -The music welled out and filled the room with sound. - -"Shore is purty," the bosun said. - -The first mate walked back to him. - -"Guess I'll start on your back," he said. He reached up and ripped the -bosun's shirt off. - -Then, when the back was laid bare, he made a very shallow cut running -the length of the shoulders from armpit to armpit. - -"Be kinda hard ta get started," he said. - -He put the penknife in the incision and began to pry the skin loose. -"Gonna take me a long time ta get a hand holt," he said. "Course onct I -do, hit'll be as easy as skinnin' a skunk." - -"Take yer time," the bosun said. - -"Aim to." - -The music turned quiet and sounded of the rippling brooks on far -Corazon; it reflected the vast meadows of Nid and the giant, -silver-capped mountains of Muri. A cello picked up the theme and ran -it, in rich notes, over the whole surface of the dead world, Astolath. -A whining oboe piped of the sweet winds from Zoltah; and the brass beat -out the finny rhythm of the water world of Du. - -"'Scuse me," the first mate said. He laid down the penknife and walked -to the radio. With a flick of his wrist, he cut it off. - -"What uz th' matter with hit?" the bosun asked. - -"Didn't ja notice?" said the first mate. "Th' third fiddle was sour." - -"Guess I wasn't listenin' close enough," said the bosun. - -The first mate returned to his work. "May as well get on with it," he -said. - -He raised the penknife again. - - * * * * * - -Martha threw the door open. "Here!" she said. She swung Joey around in -front of her by the left ear. "I'm going to have to leave him in here -with you, where he won't get into trouble." - -The first mate laid aside the penknife. - -"Martha," he said, "I jest plain don't like kids." - -"I'm sorry," she said, "But I just can't keep him with the rest of the -children. I just can't." - -"Whatud he do?" the bosun asked. - -"Do? Let me tell you," Martha said. "First, he...." - -"I didn't," Joey said. - -"I haint got no all day ta listen ta ya, woman," the first mate said. - -"Well. The worst of it was with little Jane. Do you know what he tried -to do to her?" - -"No, and I shore don't care," said the first mate testily. - -"Well, first he got her down under the table; and then he sat on her; -and if I hadn't stopped him, he would have pounded her brains out -against the deck." - -"My, my," said the bosun. - -"That hain't a-tall nice." - -"Grownups do it," Joey said. - -"That's entirely different," the bosun said. - -"No, it ain't. You just don't like me, that's all." - -"Little Jane wasn't ready," Martha said. "She hasn't had a chance to do -her duty." - -"It don't matter," Joey said. - -"Little boy," said the bosun, "do you know where people go who talk -that way?" - -"I don't care," Joey said. - -"You see? I'll simply have to leave him in here with you." - -"All right," the first mate agreed reluctantly. "Now, little boy," he -said, "you hain't a-gonna bother me, hear? I'm very busy. You jest go -over there and watch." - -"Yes," said the bosun. - -Martha said, "Well, I better get back to the other children." - -She left and the first mate turned back to his job. - -"What's he crying for?" Joey asked. - -"'Cause it hurts," the first mate explained. - -"You missed somethin' there in th' back," Joey said. - -"Why did you try to choke that little girl?" the mate asked. - -"'Cause I wanted to." - -"Well," the first mate said, "that's why I left that little patch o' -skin." - -"Oh," said Joey. - -He stood up and walked around the bosun. - -"What're ya gonna do next?" he asked. - -"Be still," said the bosun. - -"I bet I know," Joey said. "I'll bet you're gonna take that little -stick over there an' stick it in him." - -"That shore ... is right," the bosun said proudly. - -"Can I, huh?" - -"No," the first mate said. - -"Why not? All ya gotta do is...." He picked up the stick and lunged at -the bosun. - - * * * * * - -The first mate tripped him and took the stick away from him. - -"Let him alone," the bosun said to Joey. "He's doin' jest fine." - -"Thankee," said the first mate. - -Martha came back. - -"Is he bothering you? We could put him in the ice with the new crew," -she said. - -"Fine," the first mate said. - -"Oh, no," Joey said. "You gotta catch me first." He began to back away -from Martha. - -She took a step toward him. - -He turned and started to run. - -"Thought so," she said. She had been holding one hand behind her. It -contained a plastic ash-tray. She caught him squarely between the ears -with it, and he went down. - -"Good heave, Martha!" the first mate said. - -She walked over to Joey, picked him up and started to the door. - -At the door she paused. - -"What did you say you wanted for supper, Fontelroy?" - -"Two aigs," he said. - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyage to Far N'jurd, by Kris Neville - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK VOYAGE TO FAR N'JURD *** - -***** This file should be named 51344.txt or 51344.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/1/3/4/51344/ - -Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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