There was no need for papers to get aboard a boat to the island where Jane told them they should go. No one asked them for identification. But then, no one was willing to take them as passengers, either.
“Why you going there?” asked one huge Samoan boatman. “What business you got?”
“We want to speak to Malu on Atatua.”
“Don’t know him,” said the boatman. “Don’t know nothing about him. Maybe you try somebody else who knows what island he’s on.”
“We told you the island,” said Peter. “Atatua. According to the atlas it isn’t far from here.”
“I heard of it but I never went there. Go ask somebody else.”
That’s how it was, time and again.
“You get the idea that papalagis aren’t wanted there?” said Peter to Wang-mu back on the porch of Peter’s room. “These people are so primitive they don’t just reject ramen, framlings, and utlannings. I’m betting even a Tongan or a Hawaiian can’t get to Atatua.”
“I don’t think it’s a racial thing,” said Wang-mu. “I think it’s religious. I think it’s protection of a holy place.”
“What’s your evidence for that?” asked Peter.
“Because there’s no hatred or fear of us, no veiled anger. Just cheerful ignorance. They don’t mind our existence, they just don’t think we belong in the holy place. You know they’d take us anywhere else.”
“Maybe,” said Peter. “But they can’t be that xenophobic, or Aimaina wouldn’t have become good enough friends with Malu to send a message to him.”
At that, Peter cocked his head a bit to listen as Jane apparently spoke in his ear.
“Oh,” said Peter. “Jane was skipping a step for us. Aimaina didn’t send a message directly to Malu. He messaged a woman named Grace. But Grace immediately went to Malu and so Jane figured we might as well go straight to the source. Thanks Jane. Love how your intuition always works out.”
“Don’t be snide to her,” said Wang-mu. “She’s coming up against a deadline. The order to shut down could come any day. Naturally she wants to hurry.”
“I think she should just kill any such order before anyone receives it and take over all the damn computers in the universe,” said Peter. “Thumb her nose at them.”
“That wouldn’t stop them,” said Wang-mu. “It would only terrify them more.”
“In the meantime, we’re not going to get to Malu by boarding a boat.”
“So let’s find this Grace,” said Wang-mu. “If she can do it, then it is possible for an outsider to get access to Malu.”
“She’s not an outsider, she’s Samoan,” said Peter. “She has a Samoan name as well — Teu ‘Ona — but she’s worked in the academic world and it’s easier to have a Christian name, as they call it. A Western name. Grace is the name she’ll expect us to use. Says Jane.”
“If she had a message from Aimaina, she’ll know at once who we are.”
“I don’t think so,” said Peter. “Even if he mentioned us, how could she possibly believe that the same people could be on his world yesterday and on her world today?”
“Peter, you are the consummate positivist. Your trust in rationality makes you irrational. Of course she’ll believe we’re the same people. Aimaina will also be sure. The fact that we traveled world-to-world in a single day will merely confirm to them what they already believe — that the gods sent us.”
Peter sighed. “Well, as long as they don’t try to sacrifice us to a volcano or anything, I suppose it doesn’t hurt to be gods.”
“Don’t trifle with this, Peter,” said Wang-mu. “Religion is tied to the deepest feelings people have. The love that arises from that stewing pot is the sweetest and strongest, but the hate is the hottest, and the anger is the most violent. As long as outsiders stay away from their holy places, the Polynesians are the peacefullest people. But when you penetrate within the light of the sacred fire, watch your step, because no enemy is more ruthless or brutal or thorough.”
“Have you been watching vids again?” asked Peter.
“Reading,” said Wang-mu. “In fact, I was reading some articles written by Grace Drinker.”