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Vesh didn't wait to hear further explanations about the Olympiad. She wanted to see the other athletes and the extraordinary things that Shaun said they were doing. After all, throwing something for your animal to chase___she could understand that. But running just to run! And jumping just to jump!
"Where does he jump to?" she demanded as she followed Shaun up the dunes and away from the sea.
Merl and Jan-o were no longer practicing when the two arrived at their improvised track. They were relaxing in the shade of a scrubby tree, and when they saw Shaun and Vesh, they came running down to meet them.
"Hey, Shaun! Thought we heard voices! Who's this? What happened to the training?"
"You're supposed to be doing it, too?" Shaun replied.
"Ever hear of taking a break? You caught us in a rest period."
"And we were resting. Not chasing girls!"
"Only 'cause you didn't have any to chase," Shaun defended himself. "This is Vesh, "but he says you boys are running. Where do you run to? We don't have much space for running on this planet. Everything is swimming. You understand?"
Merl and Jan-o exchanged glances.
"It's not where you run to," Merl explained. "It's the time you do it in. Here, you see, I've marked out 100 meters. Jan-o has a stopwatch and he checks my time. If I want to do more, say 200 meters, I go around the post and come back again."
As a demonstration, Merl broke into a fast sprint while Jan-o clicked the stopwatch, holding it out so the girl could watch the moving second sweep.
"This'll be about average," he told her, "but it gives you the idea."
"But what for? " demanded Vesh, as the young man rounded the farther post and came panting up to them. "It seems kinda silly on this world where there really isn't any distance anybody can run."
"You don't ever run here?" cried Merl and Jan-o together.
"Well, if you're in a dreadful hurry. But you get there just as soon walking."
The boys glanced around the vistas of the island as this idea sank in.
"You must be good at swimming," said Merl.
"She said she swam two miles in from her boat," Shaun told them.
"Two miles!" Jan-o exclaimed. "How fast can you do one mile?"
"Do you have swimming races, then?" Merl asked her.
The girl was bent over Worf, playing with the soft ruff around his neck. The dog had been sniffing around her legs and now he settled down almost atop her feet.
"He likes you," Shaun told her. "He's not that friendly with everybody."
Vesh smiled and gave Worf an extra pat on the head.
"Some kids do go in for water races," she answered Merl. "But I find it boring. After all, you know how fast most people can swim. What's fun is racing the animals. The sea serpents, for example, are terribly fast. I hardly ever get ahead of them. The water fairies aren't so quick. I can usually catch them, but they go down so deep. If you start going down after them and don't watch out....."
She stopped as she saw the expressions on the faces of the 3 young men.
"Oh, I forgot. You're all off-worlders. You're new here. Would you like to see a water fairy?"
At the general chorus of assent, she turned and started back towards the sea. "Wait here. I'll have Skem bring the flota in closer. You can swim, can't you? All of you?"
Again there was general agreement, which Shaun thought best to modify. "Probably none of us swims the way you do here."
"Oh, that's okay," she cried gaily. "We're used to aliens. As long as you understand the ocean and won't panic...."
"Wait a minute!" Merl stopped her. "Where are you going? You don't expect us to go out there with you?"
"Well, you don't except me to bring a water fairy in here, do you? You only find them in deep water. I told you, we have a flota. You can come for a ride. In fact, why don't you all come and visit for a few days?"
"No!" Merl ordered, as Vesh's ideas seemed to be exploding in all directions. "We can't go anywhere. We're here in charge of the ship. What's more, we're supposed to be practicing for the Games. That's the main reason we came on this trip, and if Zeth Tristotha comes back and finds us all gone....!"
"But aren't you going to see our world now that you're here?" Vesh was immediately concerned. "Surely your boss is going to let you have a little time for fun!"
"That's exactly what he won't let us do," Jan-o complained.
"He's scared we'll get into trouble here," Shaun added.
"We've got to be fit when we get to the Games, and this planet's got health hazards, he said.
In a chorus of explanations, the boys gave Vesh a vivid picture of how Tris had laid down the law. Her eyes opened wide in astonishment and sympathy.
"And I guess he's having a wonderful time, wherever he went."
"Puralina," Merl told her.
"Oh. Well, that's going to take him awhile. They're very hospitable down there. No offworlder leaves in less than a week. You could spend a few days with us, have rest and fun and he'd never be the wiser.
Shaun found himself torn between anticipation of these delights and the dreadful prospect of disloyalty to Tris. He could see that Jan-o was on the verge of quick agreement, and to his relief Merl put a firm damper on the idea.
"We really couldn't do that," he said. "Although we do appreciate your asking us. We can't leave the ship. We're responsible for it in Tris's absence. And if someone came to trade..."
"Oh, don't worry about the ship," she said impatiently. "Nothing can happen to it here. And nobody's coming to trade for the next 72 hours. I guess he didn't tell you the holiday time's just beginning. The year-end extra days. He won't be able to finish trading in Puralina till that's over. Everything closes up and we have fun!"
"Why, the big bum!" cried Jan-o. "No, he never told us."
"Nevertheless, we're responsible for the ship," Merl warned.
"Nothing will happen to the ship," the girl insisted. "You can lock it up, I assume? We'll tell the port officer you've gone for the 3-day holiday. They'll put a force-field around the ship if you'd like. Nothing can get it to them. When you come back, they'll release it. And you'll be here days before your boss even leaves Puralina. You'll have lots of time for practice then. How long has he planned to stay?"
"Two weeks, he said, "Merl admitted.
"So you see. He won't be back for at least a week. And you come with me for only three days!"
"Sounds like a plan!" cried Jan-o.
"I don't think...." began Merl, and he looked to Shaun for encouragement.
Shaun was torn by indecision. "It sounds okay, Merl," he said hesitantly. "Why don't we see the port office. If they'll put off a force-field...."
"And if everybody else is on holiday..." Jan-o added.
"You go along and lock up." Vesh turned, skipping down over the dunes to the sea. "I'll meet you here in an hour. I'm going to get Skem and the flota!"
Without waiting for an answer, she ran out among the waves and dove into the deeper water. Worf chased her to the shoreline, where he stood on the sand barking in frustration. The 3 boys started after her.
"Did you see that form?" cried Jan-o. "I'll bet she could beat any swimmer from any other planet!"
"Do they have swimming at the Games?" asked Shaun, starting where the girl had vanished beneath the waves. Try as he would, he did not see her come up.
"Of course, they've got swimming competitions. Very important, too," Merl said. "I would think it'd be smart for Tris to pick up someone like her."
"There you go!" said Jan-o. "We'll persuade her to join us. We won't be letting Tris down. We'll be getting him another athlete!"
"Maybe he doesn't want a girl," the runner objected.
"Then we'll find a boy....this Skem she's been talking about."
Merl still didn't like it. "You go. You two. I'll stay with the ship."
"Oh, don't be so brave! We'll come back in three days. Sooner, if you want. Let's lock the ship up. Come along, we can check things at the port office. About this holiday and the force-field."
Merl glanced at Shaun and saw that his friend had gone over to the opposition. Reluctantly, he let himself be led away towards the port office.
The talk with the officer on duty proved that Vesh had been right in everything she told them. There was only a skeleton crew on duty at the port. Everyone else was off enjoying the holidays. The officer seemed to think there was nothing strange in the idea of locking up the ship and raising a protective force-field. There was a slight charge for this service, though, but when the boys put together the newdollars Tris had doled out to them, they had enough to pay for it.
"I'd like to see anyone get past that!' laughed the officer, when the shield was installed. "But don't forget to come to the office and get it turned off before you try to enter your ship. Otherwise, you'll get a little surprise."
He collected their money and their signatures, and assuring them that their ship was now perfectly safe, he turned back to other duties. The three young men walked out of the office and paused a moment in the bright sunlight.
Jan-o picked up the bag which they'd crammed with their few belongings before they'd locked up the ship.
"I suppose he thinks we're going to check out on the next shuttle," he said. "He'll be a bit surprised if he tries figuring out just where we've gone."
"We've got to be sure to be back before Tris returns," said Merl, still worrying. "What if he tries to get into the ship and runs into that shield?"
"Then he'll just get a little surprise!" Jan-o chortled as he thought about it. "Stop worrying, Merl. We're going to have fun!"
Shaun echoed Jan-o's sentiments. For once he was more in tune with him than with Merl. The three made their way to the farthest corner of the airport and then started down over the dunes. Before they reached the shore they saw the ship out beyond the breakers and Vesh standing on the sands, waving to them.
The flota, as Vesh had called it, was unlike anything Shaun had ever seen before. His experience with water craft was limited to river ferries and fishing launches on the small lake where he'd learned to swim. His whole life had been passed in the vast expanse of Sobillon's grasslands and he had never seen that planet's seas. Now the heaving, surging ocean of this new world awed and frightened him a little.
His two friends, however, were used to ocean swimming. Already clad in swimming trunks, they dashed down to the water, shouting their amazed reactions to Vesh's boat.
"How do we get to it? Can't you bring her in closer? Beach her? Got a dinghy or something?"
"Oh, you mean a shuttle boat? Nobody bothers with those. It's much easier to swim out." The slight edge of scorn was evident in her voice.
The 3 athletes stood together and eyed the alien craft. It was bobbing up and down beyond the breakers, a round, shining, plastic bubble. It looked like some enormous jellyfish waiting for its prey.
"That's it?" asked Shaun. He was beginning to regret a little his decision to come on this junket. He remembered Tris's words about traps for the unwary. Suppose he should drown on his very first venture?
"Yes, that's it---but not all of it!" Vesh was becoming impatient. "Skem only surfaced the bubble. Don't you see him there?"
They all squinted against the sun and Shaun made out a human form moving around within.
"How do we get in?" he asked.
"From underneath, naturally. It's simple. Just follow me."
She ran into the waves, and the other splashed after her. But Shaun quickly called a halt.
"Wait a minute. What about Worf?"
The dog was running up and down, splashing through the shallow water in a frenzy of excitement at the apparent departure of all his human friends. Vesh stopped at once.
"All animals can swim. Can't they? Can't he?"
"Not underwater, not for long."
"Perhaps we should have left him with the port officers," Jan-o suggested.
"Maybe I'd better go back with him," Shaun agreed. "You all go on. You can tell me about it afterward."
Shaun turned around, calling to Worf, assuring him he wouldn't be left alone. But he had barely reached the dog when Vesh came flying back to them.
"Of course, you won't stay! And Worf won't stay behind either. You want to come, don't you Worf?" She bent down to talk to the dog, giving him fast, encouraging pats and slaps. "Come along now, Worf. Follow me. We'll take care of you. We'll have to activate the side lock."
She turned back to dive through the breakers, and to Shaun's amazement, Worf followed right along. He swam strongly behind Vesh, rising with the breaking waves to shake the water from his head, and then striking out again after the girl.
It occurred to Shaun that Vesh had a way with animals. She had practically taken over Worf, who was something of a 1-man dog. And she seemed far more concerned with the dog's aquatic problems than with any trouble the boys might have. Merl and Jan-o were already battling the breakers, and Shaun saw that if anyone got left behind, it'd probably be himself. He waded out till the water was waist high and then followed his friends with a dive through the last breakers.
All at once he was out of the angry water and swimming in comparative calm. It was just a few more strokes to reach the flota, where his friends were already clinging to handholds, and Wolf was frantically trying to climb the slippery sides.
"Take it easy, Worf!" Vesh's voice had a soothing quality, as she slipped her arms around the dog and gave him temporary support. "Here, you hold him," she told Shaun. "I'll get the lock working. Follow me, you two."
And without a backward glance, she dove down into the water, seeming to vanish beneath the vessel. Merl and Jan-o stared at each other.
"There must be something down there. Guess we'd better give it a try. Here goes!"
First Jan-o and then Merl turned head over heels and disappeared in the same direction that Vesh had taken. Shaun was left holding a wet and whining Worf and wondering where to look for the promised lock.
Then a motor inside the vessel shuddered into life. Like a great whale, the flota rose higher in the water, showing off its dripping flanks. Shaun struggled to keep a good grip on the handhold and cling to Worf as well.
As if by magic, Vesh was back beside him, and an opening appeared in the ship's side, just below the bubble dome. It was no more than a shallow niche, with water sloshing about in the bottom, but it could hold a man.
"You go first," said Vesh. "Here, give me Worf. I'll send him after and you'll be there to get him. Squeeze in, silly. It's held bigger people than you."
Shaun crawled in. He had to stand upright, and the water came up to his knees. He was just wondering how he was going to manage, when the thing began to revolve. The sea was shut out, the water drained from around his feet, and suddenly he was dumped, or fell out, rather, into the boat! He landed on a damp deck and hastily pulled his legs out of the way, for the cylinder was still revolving.
Shaun let out a shocked cry as Merl and Jan-o dragged him to his feet. 2 seconds later Worf fell out of the lock almost on top of him. The dog seemed to recover first. He was shaking himself all over the 3 athletes, while they were still marveling at their experience.
"That's the doggonedest gadget I ever saw! cried Jan-o. "But you should've seen the way we came in."
"How was that?" asked Shaun, keeping an eye on the lock for the reappearance of Vesh.
"Oh, we came in here." The two boys dragged him over to an opening in the deck of the ship. Water was sloshing up from below, and while Shaun was still wondering how and why the boat did not fill up and sink, a slim figure shot up and through the opening. Vesh sat for 1 moment on the edge. Then she reached over and pushed a button. A piece of the deck slid in to close the opening.
"All right, Skem! Drop pressure!" she cried.
There was a buzzing sound, and an unpleasant sensation in his ears. Shaun looked around for an explanation, but all he saw was Worf shaking himself. Then Vesh took his arm.
"Welcome to our humble flota," she said. "Come and meet Skem and see the rest of our home!"
ns 15.158.61.16da2
