Chimple and Verayze exchanged glances, then indicated polite assent.
“And how say you, Master Inventor?”
Yockerbow hesitated, seeking a way to offend neither Iddromane nor Barratong, and eventually said, “Perhaps there is more than one kind of truth. Perhaps there is the kind we have always known, truth about ourselves and our relations with each other, and then maybe there’s the kind which is only gradually revealed to us because we actively seek it out by exploration and experiment.”
“Most diplomatically spoken!” said the admiral, and exploded into a roar of laughter. “But what’s your view of the origin of the universe? In Grench they hold that once all the stars were gathered right here, in the same world as ourselves, and the advent of unrighteousness caused them to retreat to the furthest heaven in shame at our behavior. In Clophical they say the departure of the stars was a natural and inevitable phenomenon, but that that was the cause of the Northern Freeze, and hence, if the ice is melting again, the stars must be drawing closer once more!”
“If only we could tell one way or the other!” sighed Arranth. “But though it’s suspected that the stars move, as well as the planets—if not so visibly—our astronomers have so far failed to demonstrate the fact. Am I not correct, Master Iddromane?”
“Not entirely,” was the judicious answer. “Careful observation does indicate that certain stars must be closer to us than others. As the world progresses around the sun, a minute difference in position—relative position, that is, of course—can be detected in a few cases. They are so few, however, that we are unable to decide whether the shift is solely due to a change of perspective, or whether part is motion proper to the stars themselves. The distances involved are so great, you know, Admiral, that if your Fleet could swim through the sky it would take a score-of-score-of-score years to pass the outermost planet Sluggard, and twenty times as long again to reach the star we have established to be nearest.”
“Hah! If means were given me, I’d do it! I’d spin a rope of spuder-web and catch the moon, and swarm up it to see what’s going on out there! But since we can’t, I must be content with my current project. You see, although you may view the rise in water-level as an unmitigated disaster, I say we shall be amply repaid by the recovery of some of our ancient lands. Already at the fringe of melting glaciers we have found frozen seeds, wingets, animal-hides and mandibles, even tools belonging to our remote ancestors. This year I purpose to venture further north than anyone since the Freeze began. It’s an ideal time. So far this season we haven’t seen a single berg in these latitudes. What’s more, there have been many fewer storms than formerly—to my surprise, I might add, because if the sun is heating up I’d expect the air to roil like water meeting hot rock … Yockerbow, I detect a hint of wistful envy.”
Yockerbow gave an embarrassed shrug. It was true he had been dreaming for a moment, picturing to himself the new lands Barratong described.
“Come with me, then,” the admiral said. “The Fleet has the ancient right to select a hostage from among the people of Ripar, exchanged against one of our own as a gage of amity. This time I choose you. And we already know your spouse fancies a sea-voyage; she may come also.”
“But—!” Iddromane burst out.
“But what?”
“But he is our most notable inventor!”
“That’s exactly why I picked him; he has the sort of open mind which permits him to see what happens, not what one might expect to happen. If you refuse, it will be a breach of our long-standing treaty, and you need not count on us when the tune comes—it will, I promise you!—when your folk find you can neither stay here nor flee inland, and require my Fleet to help in your removal to safe high ground! But in any case it will be only for this season, unless Yockerbow decides to opt for a life at sea. It has been known for people to make such a choice … Well, Yockerbow?”