the lines fore and aft, then went leisurely to the large wheel located in the rear.
As he said, he didn't even bother to set any sail at this point, although it was clear from the look of a forward line that something or someone was pulling the ship away from the dock and pointing it in the right direction.
As soon as they got into the main channel of the Rossignol, the line went suddenly slack, and Tura hauled herself back aboard, looking a little winded. She glanced over, saw Joe and Marge sitting on deck, and smiled.
"In main ports they have trained hippocampus to do the tug work, but out here it's just little old me," the mermaid said, between deep breaths.
She didn't look that strong, but Joe reminded himself not to underestimate a mermaid's strength or power in the water again.
Tura was well accustomed to moving along the ship, using the rails and other projections. She sat down near them and stretched out her long tail. "Fish out of water,.
she commented apologetically.
"You stay on board when not working?" Marge asked her.
"Sometimes, yes. Everybody thinks of us as related 70 JACK L. CHALKER 71 VENGEANCE OF THE DANCING GODS to the fish, but we're air-breathing mammals, just as humans are..
"But don't you—dry out—after a while?" the Kauri asked.
"Oh, sure. Don't you? But this is skin, not fish. I've got layers of protection underneath it that you don't, so I don't have to worry about water temperatures and the like, at least not much, but the skin's the same. I'm pretty awkward out of the water, but there's no harm in it any Page 53 Chalker, Jack L - Vengeance of the Dancing Gods more than with Joe, say. Worst problem up here in bright sunlight is that it's so bright I don't see as well..
Marge, who had her goggles on, chuckled. "I know what you mean. Maybe you ought to get a pair of these made. Without them, I'm totally blind and out like a light up here in the day..
"Say! What are you, anyway? I don't think I ever saw somebody of your race before..
"I'm a Kauri..
The mermaid stared at Marge, then looked at Joe, and gave a knowing smirk. "Oh.....
"Hey! It's not that way!" Joe protested. "We're old friends and partners, that's all..
The mermaid looked startled. "Why not?.
"Huh? What do you mean?.
"Why not that way? You one of them muscle boys who only likes other muscle boys or something?.
Joe flushed. "Of course not! I'm happily married!.
Realizing that the mermaid would never let Joe off her hook and that he was incapable of getting off it gracefully himself. Marge intervened. "I'm a changeling. We're from the same place and knew each other before I changed..
Tura sighed, and Marge knew that she'd put it down as a case of fate stepping between two old lovers. Wrong, of course, but unrequited love was a more convenient explanation than the truth.
They were now well past Castle Terindell and out into the River of Dancing Gods. The Rossignol and the Dancing Gods met rather gently, but did not immediately mix.
It was fascinating to see the difference in coloration as the two rivers flowed side by side without any barrier between them except speed and density. When these finally equaled out, perhaps a few miles south of the junction, there was a gradual merging into one body.
Marge yawned as the sun took its toll on her. Finally she said, "I'm going to go down and get some rest. Considering everything, I think it'll be a good idea if I keep my usual schedule for this trip. Somebody with good night vision should be awake while we're tied up..
He nodded. "Go ahead." In point of fact, he thought, it was a very good idea all around. He wondered if the crew had been told anything about the possible dangers, and, if so, just how much of a fight they would put up.
He decided not to press the question now, but to ease into it. Marge went below, and he and the mermaid just sat there and enjoyed the
As he said, he didn't even bother to set any sail at this point, although it was clear from the look of a forward line that something or someone was pulling the ship away from the dock and pointing it in the right direction.
As soon as they got into the main channel of the Rossignol, the line went suddenly slack, and Tura hauled herself back aboard, looking a little winded. She glanced over, saw Joe and Marge sitting on deck, and smiled.
"In main ports they have trained hippocampus to do the tug work, but out here it's just little old me," the mermaid said, between deep breaths.
She didn't look that strong, but Joe reminded himself not to underestimate a mermaid's strength or power in the water again.
Tura was well accustomed to moving along the ship, using the rails and other projections. She sat down near them and stretched out her long tail. "Fish out of water,.
she commented apologetically.
"You stay on board when not working?" Marge asked her.
"Sometimes, yes. Everybody thinks of us as related 70 JACK L. CHALKER 71 VENGEANCE OF THE DANCING GODS to the fish, but we're air-breathing mammals, just as humans are..
"But don't you—dry out—after a while?" the Kauri asked.
"Oh, sure. Don't you? But this is skin, not fish. I've got layers of protection underneath it that you don't, so I don't have to worry about water temperatures and the like, at least not much, but the skin's the same. I'm pretty awkward out of the water, but there's no harm in it any Page 53 Chalker, Jack L - Vengeance of the Dancing Gods more than with Joe, say. Worst problem up here in bright sunlight is that it's so bright I don't see as well..
Marge, who had her goggles on, chuckled. "I know what you mean. Maybe you ought to get a pair of these made. Without them, I'm totally blind and out like a light up here in the day..
"Say! What are you, anyway? I don't think I ever saw somebody of your race before..
"I'm a Kauri..
The mermaid stared at Marge, then looked at Joe, and gave a knowing smirk. "Oh.....
"Hey! It's not that way!" Joe protested. "We're old friends and partners, that's all..
The mermaid looked startled. "Why not?.
"Huh? What do you mean?.
"Why not that way? You one of them muscle boys who only likes other muscle boys or something?.
Joe flushed. "Of course not! I'm happily married!.
Realizing that the mermaid would never let Joe off her hook and that he was incapable of getting off it gracefully himself. Marge intervened. "I'm a changeling. We're from the same place and knew each other before I changed..
Tura sighed, and Marge knew that she'd put it down as a case of fate stepping between two old lovers. Wrong, of course, but unrequited love was a more convenient explanation than the truth.
They were now well past Castle Terindell and out into the River of Dancing Gods. The Rossignol and the Dancing Gods met rather gently, but did not immediately mix.
It was fascinating to see the difference in coloration as the two rivers flowed side by side without any barrier between them except speed and density. When these finally equaled out, perhaps a few miles south of the junction, there was a gradual merging into one body.
Marge yawned as the sun took its toll on her. Finally she said, "I'm going to go down and get some rest. Considering everything, I think it'll be a good idea if I keep my usual schedule for this trip. Somebody with good night vision should be awake while we're tied up..
He nodded. "Go ahead." In point of fact, he thought, it was a very good idea all around. He wondered if the crew had been told anything about the possible dangers, and, if so, just how much of a fight they would put up.
He decided not to press the question now, but to ease into it. Marge went below, and he and the mermaid just sat there and enjoyed the
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