The Gates of Creation

"I know that well, brother," Wolff said. "Better than you, per­haps, since I was once as selfish and vicious as those others. Yet I underwent an experience which I will tell you about sometime. It changed me into a human being-I hope-into a being only you have the ability to appreciate."

The Ilmawir had dropped great balloon-like ladders with weights on them from the abuta. The loot was tied to these and floated back up along guideropes into the hatches in the bottom of the island. Those gliders worth repairing were also returned to the floater. When the stripping of the Friiqan was done, the abutal ascended. Wolff rode up in a harness attached to a pair of bladders. He held his beamer ready, since now the abutal had him in a position where they could attempt murder and have some hope of success. However, no moves were made. He rose through the opening and was seized by two gri

When all the Lords were landed, they were led by Dugar

The stairwell was a shaft cut through a hard tangle of roots. On coming out at its top, he found himself on the floor of a sort of am­phitheater. The floor was made of broad strips of bladder-covering, and the sloping walls were composed of huge bladders tied together with roots. There was only one building on the great deck, a thatch-roofed opensided longhouse. This was the social and recreational building. It had flat stones on which each family cooked the meals. Domestic fowl and sea-rats ran loose, and meat-seals played in an inch-deep pool of water near the center.

Sythaz, the commander's wife, showed them where they would live. These quarters consisted of cubicles cut out of the roots and floored and walled with bladder-shells. Openings were cut in the floor and descent was made by a portable ladder. The only light came from through the hatch or from small fish-oil lamps. There was just enough room to take two steps one way and two another. The beds were coffin-shaped holes in the wall in which were mattresses of feathers stuffed into sealskin. Most of the daily and nightly activity took place on the "maindeck." There was absolutely no privacy ex­cept in the chief's bridge.

Wolff had expected the abutal to hoist anchor and sail off at once. Dugar

Secondly, the invasion had cost the abutal a relatively staggering number of casualties. There were just not enough people to work the island efficiently. So, Dugar

Dugar

Dugar

In emergencies, such as now, the torture was only token.

Later, after the island had set sail, the initiates would go through a ceremony in which each would mingle his blood with that of an Ilmawir. This prevented revenge from the surface-people, since blood-brotherhood was sacred.

"There's another reason besides needing more crew," Vala said. "The abutal-in fact both surface and air islanders-have a tendency to inbreed. To avoid this, prisoners are sometimes adopted into the tribe."

She was very friendly with Wolff now and insisted on being with him every moment. She had even resumed calling him wivkrath, the Lords' term for "darling." She leaned against him every time she had a chance and once even gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Wolff did not respond. He had not forgotten, even after 500 years, that they had been lovers and yet she had tried to kill him.

Wolff set out for the area of the gate through which he had en­tered. Vala went with him. To her questions, he answered that he wanted to talk to Theotormon once more.

"That sea-slug! What can he have that you would want?"

"Information, perhaps."

They came to the gate. Theotormon was not in sight. Wolff walked along the edge of the island, noting that here and there the land sank slightly under his weight. Apparently, the bladders were not so thick in these places.

"How many of these islands are there on this planet and what is the maximum size?" he said.

"I do not know. We have sighted two since we've been here, and the Friiqan say that there are many more. They speak of the Mother of Islands, a relatively huge island that they claim to have heard of. There are many aerial islands, too, but none larger than the Ilma-wirs'. Why do you want to talk of boring things like that, when we have ourselves to discuss?"

"Like what?" he said.

She faced him, so close that her upraised lips almost touched his chin. "Why can't we forget what happened to us? After all, that was a long time ago, when we were much younger and therefore not so wise."

"I doubt that you've changed," he said.

She smiled and said, "How would you know? Let me prove that I am different now."

She put her arms around him and placed her head on his chest.

"Different in everything but one. I loved you once, and now that I see you again, I realize I've never really stopped loving you."

"Even when you tried to murder me in my bed?" he said.

"Oh, that! Darling, I thought you were with that loathsome and co

"I know only too well." He pushed her away and said, "Even as a child, you were selfish. All Lords are selfish, but few to the degree to which you were. I ca

"You toad!" she cried. "You loved me because I am Vala. That's all, just that I am Vala."