The glider pilot wasted no time, but began speaking as soon as Barlennan stopped in front of him. The captain failed to understand a word. After a few sentences the speaker appeared to realize this; he paused and after a moment continued at somewhat slower speed in what Barlennan judged to be a different language. To save the time that a random search through the tongues known to the other would consume, Barlennan this time indicated his lack of comprehension verbally. The other shifted languages once more, and rather to his surprise Barlennan heard his own speech, uttered slowly and badly pronounced, but quite comprehensible.
„It is long since I have heard your tongue spoken,” the other said. „I trust I can still be understood when I use it. Do you follow me?”
„I can understand you perfectly well,” replied Barlennan.
„Good. I am Reejaaren, linguist for Marreni, who is Officer of the Outer Ports. I am ordered to find out who you are and where you are from, and your purpose in sailing the seas about these islands.”
„We are on a trading journey, with no particular destination.” Barlennan had no intention of talking about his connection with the creatures of another world. „We did not know of the existence of these islands; we simply were heading away from the Rim, of which we had had enough. If you wish to trade with us we are willing to do business; if not, we ask only to be allowed to continue our journey.”
„Our ships and gliders trade on these seas — we have never seen others,” replied Reejaaren. „I fail to understand one point. The trader far to the south from whom I learned your language said that he came from a country that lay on the farther side of a sea across the western continent. We know that there is no sea passage from that ocean to this between here and the ice; yet you were sailing from the north when we first sighted you. That would suggest that you were quartering back and forth through these seas in deliberate search of land. How does that square with your story? We do not like spies.”
„We came from the north, after crossing the land between this ocean and ours.” Barlennan had no time to think up a convincing lie, though he realized that the truth was likely to be unbelievable. Reejaaren’s expression showed that he was right.
„Your ship was obviously built with large tools, which
you do not have. That means a shipyard, and there is none to the north on this ocean. Do you want me to believe you took her apart and dragged her across that much land?”
„Yes.” Barlennan felt that he saw his way out.
„How?”
„How do you fly? Some would find that much harder to believe.” The question was not quite as good a one as Barlennan had hoped, judging by the interpreter’s reaction.
„I am sure you do not expect me to tell you that. Mere trespassers we may tolerate; but spies receive much harder treatment.”
The captain covered up as well as he could. „I did not expect you to tell me. I was simply pointing out as tactfully as possible that perhaps you should not have asked me how we crossed the land barrier.”
„Oh, but I should — and must. You do not yet seem to realize your position, stranger. What you think of me is unimportant; but what I think of you counts a great deal. To put it simply, to leave here as you desire you will have to convince me that you are harmless.”
„But what harm could we do you — the crew of a single ship? Why should you fear us so?”
„We do not fear you” The answer was sharp and emphatic. „The damage you could do is obvious — one person, let alone a shipload, could take away information which we do not wish to give. We realize, of course, that the barbarians could not learn the secret of flight unless it were very carefully explained to them; that is why I laughed at your question. Still, you should be more careful.”
Barlennan had not heard any laughter, and began to suspect a good deal about the interpreter and his people. A half-truth that seemed like yielding on Barlennan’s part would probably be the best move.
„We had much help pulling the ship across the land,” he said, putting a little sulleness in his tone.
„From the rock-rollers and river-dwellers? You must have a remarkably persuasive tongue. We have never received anything but missiles from them.” To Barlennan’s relief, Reejaaren did not pursue the subject any farther. He returned to more immediate matters.
„So you desire to bade with us, now that you are here. What have you to trade? And I suppose you wish to go to one of our cities?” Barlennan sensed the trap, and answered accordingly.
„We will trade here, or anywhere else you desire, though we would rather not go any farther from the sea. All we have to trade at the moment is a load of foods from the
isthmus, which you doubtless have in great quantity already because of your flying machines.”
„Food can usually be sold,” the interpreter replied non-committally. „Would you be willing to do your trading before you got any closer to the sea?”
„If necessary, as I said, though I don’t see why it should be necessary. Your flying machines could catch us before we got very far, if we tried to leave the coast before you wanted, couldn’t they?” Reejaaren might have been losing his suspicions up to this point, but the last question restored them in full force.
„Perhaps we could, but that is not for me to say. Marreni will decide, of course, but I suspect you might as well plan on lightening your ship here. There will be port fees, of course, in any case.”
„Port fees? This is no port, and I didn’t land here; I was washed up.”
„Nevertheless, foreign ships must pay port fees. I might point out that the amount is determined by ‘the Officer of the Outer Ports, and he will get much of his impression of you through me. A little more courtesy might be in order.” Bar-lennan restrained his temper with difficulty, but agreed aloud that the interpreter spoke the clearest truth. He said it at some length, and apparently moDified that individual to some extent. At any rate he departed without further threats, overt or implied.
Two of his fellows accompanied him; the other remained behind. Men from the other gliders hastily seized the two ropes attached to the collapsible framework and pulled. The cords stretched unbelievably, until their hooks were finally fastened to an attachment in the glider’s nose. The aircraft was then released and the ropes contracted to their original length, hurling the glider into the air. Barlennan instantly formed a heartfelt desire for some of that stretching rope. He said so, and Dondragmer sympathized. He had heard the entire conversation, and sympathized also with his captain’s feelings toward the linguist for the Officer of the Outer Ports.
„You know, Barl, I think we could put.that lad in his place. Want to try it?”
„I’d love to, but I don’t think we can afford to let him get mad at us until we’re good and far away. I don’t want him and his friends dropping their spears on the Bree now or any other time.”
„I don’t mean to make him angry, but afraid of us. ‘Barbarians’ — hell eat that word if I have to cook it personally for him. It all depends on certain things: do the Flyers know how — these gliders work, and will they tell us?”
„They probably know, unless they’ve had better ones for so long they’ve forgotten — ”
„So much the better, for what I have in mind.”
„— but I’m not sure whether they’ll tell. I think you know by now what I’m really hoping to get out of this trip; I want to learn everything I possibly can of the Flyers’ science. That’s why I want to get to that rocket of theirs near the Center; Charles himself said that it contained much of the most advanced scientific equipment they have. When we have that, there won’t be a pirate afloat or ashore who’ll be able to touch the Bree, and we’ll have paid our last port dues — we’ll be able to write our own menus from then on.”