Winter in Eden

one more fargi, unknown and unwanted, despite her skill at speaking. Vaintè had changed that, letting Melikelè rise in her service as fast as she was able. Vaintè destroyed failure—but amply rewarded those followers with intelligence. And obedience. Melikelè was obedient, stayed obedient, wanted nothing more than to serve Vaintè in any way that she was able.
    "All is in readiness," she said in response to the signed inquiry. Vaintè slid gracefully down from her mount and looked about at the ordered turmoil of the work parties of fargi.
    "You do well, Melikelè," she said with amplification gestures.
    "I do what I am ordered, Vaintè highest. My life is between your thumbs."
    Vaintè accepted her due for Melikelè spoke with affirmations of strength of duty. How she wished she had more like this stalwart one. Loyalty and intelligence were hard to come by now, even with the pick of Lanefenuu's followers. In truth they were a toadying lot, selected more for their adulation of the eistaa Winter in Eden - Harry Harrison
    than the possession of any ability. Lanefenuu was too strong and independent to permit any competition from her retinue. In the back of her mind Vaintè knew that one day there could be a problem between them. But that day was far distant. As long as Vaintè exercised all of her strength and abilities in destroying ustuzou Lanefenuu's rule of the city would not be threatened. Destruction; her limbs moved with the strength of her feelings and she spoke them aloud.
    "Go now, strong Melikelè, take your fargi and I will follow with the main body one day's march behind you. The advance scouts are a single day's march ahead of you. They are all mounted on tarakast so they will be able to search on both sides of our route as they go. If they see any sight of the ustuzou they will stop and wait for your stronger party to catch up with them. Do you know the sites for your next laager?"
    "I have studied the pictures over and over, but will not be sure until I see the site on the ground. If in doubt I will rely on the two guides."
    "Do that, for they came this way with me before." Vaintè appreciated Melikelè's honesty in admitting a weakness or lack of knowledge—she knew her own strengths, knew as well when it was necessary to rely upon others. "Do you know where you will wait for us?"
    "I do. On the banks of the yellow-twisted river." She held up the thumbs and fingers of both hands. "It will be the tenth laager from here and I will remember the count of days."
    "Be alert at all times. The ustuzou have an animal cunning when it comes to killing. Be prepared for traps and ruses, remember how they attacked us on the island, then escaped during the night of the heavy rain.
    They must not escape again. We must find them and kill them—but be aware of danger at all times lest we die ourselves."
    "Eat or be eaten," Melikelè said grimly, then locked strong hands into fists and signed infinite-aggression.
    "My appetite is of the greatest!"
    "Well spoken. We meet in ten days."
    Vaintè raked her claws into her mount's flank; it reared and hissed in anger and moved off at a fast run.
    Melikelè turned back to her work. Once the defenses were disassembled the uruktop were quickly loaded.
    The fargi stood ready, their weapons held out to her as she made a final inspection. On the long march from the city she had appointed those who showed any signs of intelligence and ability to speak. This enabled her to be sure that on each uruktop there was one whose responsibility it was to see that all was in order. The correct supplies in the correct places. Now everything was as it should be; she waddled swiftly to the lead uruktop and climbed up onto it, then signalled the scouting terakast to go ahead. Vaintè had offered her one to ride, but she had not the skill. This did not bother her at all. She had the ability to lead others and to follow Vaintè's orders; was supremely happy in this role. At her signal the march began.
    The uruktop plodded along slowly but steadily on their eight strong and heavily muscled legs. They were Winter in Eden - Harry Harrison
    not fast—but they could march from dawn to dusk without rest. They had almost no intelligence and if they were not instructed to stop they would march until they died. Melikelè knew this and watched after the great creatures' health making sure they were driven to the water at the day's end, that there was a swamp or stands of young trees for them to graze.