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and epaulets in the shape of lions couchant. The fabric was a green shimmering stuff with a pattern of
trefoils pierced with a bleeding lance. His shirt was electric-blue and piped with white skulls. A great belt
of leather was bossed with gold and set with diamonds, emeralds, and topazes. His baggy pants were
white-and-black striped and calf-length. The boots were of some pale soft red leather.
He made a striking and handsome figure, of which he was well aware. He nodded at Wolff's greeting,
then left. Wolff, watching him, chuckled. He said, "Palamabron never did care too much for me. I would
worry if he did."
"They won't do anything as long as we're on this aerial island," Luvah said. "At least, they won't unless
this search takes too long. I wonder how long it will take? We could float forever over these seas and
never happen across the gates."
Wolff looked at the red skies and the green-blue oceans and at the island they had left, a piece of
unattached land seemingly no larger than a penny now. White birds with enormous wings and yellow
curved beaks and orange-ringed eyes flew over them and gave forth shrill ululations. One settled down
not far from where they stood and cocked its head and fastened an unblinking green eye upon them.
Wolff remembered the ravens of his own world. Did some of these great birds have a slice of human
brain within their unbird-like-sized craniums? Were they watching and listening for Urizen? Their father
had some means of observing them, otherwise he would not be get-ting full enjoyment from this game.
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"Dugarnn told me that the abuta is pushed always by the same wind. It takes it around and around this
world of water in a spiraling path. Eventually, it covers every area."
"But the island that has the gates may always be on a different course. Always out of sight."
Wolff shrugged and said, "Then we won't find it."
"Perhaps that is the way Urizen wants it. He would like us to go mad from frustration and boredom and
slit each other's throat."
"Perhaps. However, the abuta can change course when its people so wish. It's a slow process, but it can
be done. Also. . ."
He was silent for so long that Luvah became uneasy. "Also what?"
"Our good father has placed other creatures here besides man, birds, a few animals, and fish. I
understand that some of the islands, water and air alike, are populated by rather vicious flying creatures."
Vala called from below, saying that their meals were prepared. They went down to eat at one end of the
chief's table. Here they heard what Dugarnn was planning. He was ready to thrust the abuta off course.
Somewhere to the southwest was another floating island, that of their most bitter enemies, the Waerish.
Now that the Ilmawir had Wolff and his beamer, they could join battle for the last time with the Waerish.
It would be a glorious victory for the Ilmawir; the Waerish would be swallowed up by the ocean forever.
Wolff agreed, since there was little else he could do at that mo-ment. He hoped that the Waerish would
not be found, since he wanted to conserve the power packs of the beamer for more impor-tant matters.
The bright red days and pale red nights that followed were many and unvaried. They were, at first,
however, busy for Wolff. He learned all he could about the management of the abuta. He studied the
mores of the tribe and the idiosyncrasies of each member. The other Lords, with the exception of Vala,
showed little interest in any of these. They spent their tune at the bow, looking for the island that was
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supposed to contain the gates of Urizen. Or they complained to the abutal or to each other. And always
one Lord was insulting an-other, although in a way that barely avoided an outright challenge from the
insulted.
Wolff became more disgusted with them as each day passed. Ex-cept for Luvah, none was worth
saving. They had an arrogance that displeased the abutal. Wolff warned the Lords against this many
times, saying that their lives were dependent upon the natives. Should these be too antagonized, they
were likely to dump the Lords over-board. His advice was taken for a while, and then the lifelong belief
in their near-divinity would take hold of the Lords again.
Wolff spent much time on the bridge with Dugarnn. It was neces-sary to do this to smooth out the ridges
of ill-feeling his brothers and cousins raised. He also went into the glider-training school, since the abutal
could not fully give a man admiration and respect unless he had won his wings. Wolff asked Dugarnn why
this was so. To Wolff, the gliders seemed more of a hindrance and unnecessary expense and trouble than
anything else.
Dugarnn was astonished at the question. He groped for words, then said, "Why, it's just because ... it is.
That's all. No man is a man until he makes his first solo landing. As for your implications that gliders aren't
worth the trouble, I deny those. When the day comes that we find an enemy, you will eat your words."
The next day, Wolff went up in a glider. He got into a tandem seat instruction ship, which was hauled
aloft at the end of a cable borne by two great bladders. The craft rose upward until the abuta was a small
brown oval below. Here the swifter upper winds carried them along until they were several miles ahead
of the island. Then the in-structor, Dugarnn, unlocked the Lift mechanism. The bladders were then hauled
down back to the abuta with a slim but strong cord, to be used again.
As Jadawin, Wolff had flown many types of craft. On Earth, he had gotten a private pilot's license
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