Read Watson, Ian - Black Current 03 for Free Online Page A

think she had thought of it herself.
                 "Yes indeed! And we'll start
putting men on the temple rolls. They'll accept the new set-up. We'll say it
was the only way we could negotiate them a safe conduct into the Ka-store. By
the way, the Worm's spot-on about balloon experiments. I think I'll slip news
of those to the Pecawar Puhlicizer —"
                 "Including how you can fall out
of them?"
                 "We'll have to tighten our grip
on balloons. Invest in them; that's best. Hmm, which leaves us with one little
problem: the black current only stretching just north of Aladalia.
. . . Never mind, never mind! You can have your dikes, Yaleen; rest
easy. And / have signals to send."
                 Departure of one
satisfied customer. Or so I thought; she was back within a minute.
                 "Entirely forgot! This all drove
it right out of my head. Double benefit, though, Yaleen! Recently a savant in
Ajelobo approached the Guild. He's done a couple of services for us before.
Sees things our way, he does. Well, he's been trying to analyse the nature of
the current and the Godmind, based on what's been published already. So, what
with the river being open to everyone for a while, we can sail him down
here—"
                 "I'm not having anyone kibitzing
over my shoulder!"
                 "Of course not, dear girl. He
won't bother you. But if he's on hand when you finish The Book of the Stars —which I shan't even enquire about, so as not
to irk you—how utterly convenient! Meantime, you could possibly bring yourself
to iron out a few earlier points which puzzle him."
                 "Such as how
he's going to travel home afterwards? It's nigh on four hundred leagues
to Ajelobo."
                 "Not
quite."
                "He
won't be able to sail home."
                 "Nor could the army, till
now—and look how that problem's been solved. This fellow will probably return
by balloon. Mind you —" and
Chanoose smartly changed the subject—"if the Sons mount another invasion
while the river's open, we could be in a mess— supposing the current let them
plough through it on rafts. Which I doubt! Rafts haven't the draught of a boat,
and the current's substance isn't ordinary. But even so! We'd better send all
prisoners north securely battened under hatches in their chains, so that no
westerners spy what's going on. We'll ferry them across at the last possible
moment."
                 "If the Sons wanted to invade,
they could do it now—up north of Aladalia."
                 "And doesn't every last jill and
'jack from Firsthome to Umdala know that, Yaleen, thanks to you! But really,
that's way beyond the other enemy capital at Manhome North; so presumably the
logistics forbid. That was your
reasoning in leaving the far north unprotected, I take it?" (To which I
said nothing.) Chanoose rubbed her hands. "Fine, that's settled
then."
                 Off she went again. Five minutes
later she was back, whistling
                 Masts
High! Breezes Fly!
     
                 "While the river's open to
everyone, we'll hold a Grand Regatta here, that's what. We'll bring the date
forward from the autumn. We'll invite men from Verrino and Gangee. There'll be
a grand initiation ceremony, with flags and bunting and masquerades and dances
aboard the boats. It'll be a sort of official opening of the Ka- store to men—though obviously
Pecawar men can join in earlier, and the 'jack army will be passing through
beforehand."
                 "Hang on! Aren't all our boats
going to be full up with prisoners and armies?"
                 "I'm sure we can spare a few
more vessels—if we suspend ordinary trade for a while, and cram those
prisoners in tight."
                 "Poor
sods."
                 "You don't mean that."