Read Shaman for Free Online

their efforts. Very simple.”
    Rick ogled. “You don’t really believe that stuff.”
    â€œWhy not? The rulurulu worked on you—twice.”
    â€œI was exhausted and the melody was soothing. Big deal.”
    Yoshi shrugged. “So, don’t believe. Laugh at your ancestors. I’m sure they don’t care.”
    Rhys watched the exchange with quiet amusement. For all his study of the cultural lore of a thousand civilizations, both major and minor, he’d never come to a definite belief about magic. His own ethnic history was saturated with it—tales of the Druids, the Ancient Ones, the Elements; legends of Merlin (Myrddin to his Gaelic and Welsh speaking forebears), tales of stone circles and moonlit rites of power-dark sorcery. Yet his beliefs were nebulous—much less studied than the dry-paper facts and academic theories that were the meat of the twin fields of Anthropology and Archaeology.
    Belief. He believed in a Deity, he knew that. And he’d always supposed that Deity communicated with Its myriad creatures in whatever way was comprehensible to each kind. Magic, spells, prayers (curses, even) could certainly qualify as the creatures’ response to that communication. He tried to keep an open mind into which evidence like the effects of the rulurulu could freely fall. And, when the evidence hit bottom...
    â€œCome on, Professor. Tell her she’s being brain-washed,” Rick was insisting. “She thinks you’re going to put a curse on this guy.”
    Rhys shook his head. “No, I’m surely not going to do that. That would be... unethical, un-Shamanly... downright scroundrelly. I don’t believe in putting curses on people, Yoshi. But I do appreciate the thought.” He stood and stretched. “Okay. Everybody up. We’ve got work to do.”
    o0o
    Danetta Price’s shuttle arrived about two hours before sunset, setting down gracefully next to the other Tanaka vessel. The first thing she noticed about the small camp set up by the negotiating team was the colorful banner that flapped in the breeze, suspended on the crosspiece of a tall metal pole. It was emblazoned with the same stylized rendering of the Tanaka logo that adorned the two TAS shuttle craft. She admired it briefly, then went to the neighboring shuttle to find Rhys. She didn’t find him, but she did find Yoshi Umeki and Rick Halfax going over the Environmental Impact reports in the passenger lounge.
    â€œMs. Price!” Rick saw her first and rose quickly to greet her. Yoshi followed suit shyly.
    â€œHello, Roderick, Yoshi.” Danetta shook their hands firmly. “Where’s the Professor?”
    Rick nodded toward the airlock. “He went over to the village to visit with his buddy, Pa-Lili, and make some last minute arrangements for the feast tonight.”
    â€œHis buddy, Pa-Lili?” echoed Danetta.
    â€œThe Pa-Kai tribal Shaman and head negotiator,” explained Yoshi.
    â€œAh, yes. Of course.” Danetta nodded, her eyes falling on a bright pile of fabric draped over one of the loungers. “What are those?”
    â€œAh, well...” Rick eyed the robes dubiously. “I think we’d better let Dr. Llewellyn explain—”
    â€œWell, speak of the devil—” said Danetta, staring over Rick’s shoulder. Then she broke into peals of laughter.
    Rhys watched her paroxysms silently from under his crown of orange fingers, his splendid green cape clashing eloquently with purple unitard and multi-hued tartan plaid. “Hello, to you to,” he said cheerfully. “You’re just in time for a briefing before the cielidh .”
    â€œThe what?”
    â€œThe party tonight. Ah, well, banquet, I suppose you’d call it, except it’s a good deal more than that. There’ll be food and song and storytelling—the Pa-Kai are quite good at all that. As good as the old Celts, come to it. But, excuse me for a