Part 32 (1/2)

Now we have something else to alert the towns to.”

”Two thousand . . . that doesn't exactly pin them down.”

”There are only a dozen or so towns within that region now, and another dozen bordering it. Of the two dozen, the ones that will have to be extra careful are those that will be subject to bad weather. That reduces potential trouble spots somewhat,” he insisted.

”We still have no idea what kind of weaponry they're using.”

He looked helpless. ”No, we don't.” There was a yell from below. He and Merced exchanged words.

The report he had requested had been provided.

For the next five days only three towns were likely to be subject to storm conditions.

”What were the time intervals between the previ- ous attacks?” she asked.

”That's just it. There weren't any. Two of the towns were destroyed within days of one another, and then it was weeks before the third attack. There doesn't seem to be any predictability to it.”

”So all we know,” she murmured, ”is that three towns might possibly be attacked within the next week.”

”I'm afraid so. We'll travel to one of them. Vai'oire is closer to us than Mou'anui, and I want to talk to the town council in person about what we've learned.

Certainly Wenkoseemansa and Latehoht ought to be available at one town for sentry duty.”

135.

”Why Vai'oire, other than its proximity?”

”No reason. It's as likely a target as Hydros or Wa.s.ser. But there is another reason for our going to a town, and it's because of you, not me.”

”What's that?”

”After weeks on this boat I suspect you'd all enjoy sleeping on something that doesn't rock quite so much.”

”Amen!” Rachael was coming up from below, with Merced behind.

”Speaking for myself, I could certainly do with a change,” Merced admitted.

But Cora added nothing, instead turned silently to gaze back down at the crystal reef. The rocking mo- tion never troubled her. She was as at home in the arms of Mother Ocean as ever she was on any stable land.

x

Vai'oire was not land, of course, but it certainly was stable. Cora could not see any motion when the Caribe slid into one of the several docks that extended

into the ocean.

It was a quiet morning. Only a freshening breeze hinted at any possibility of the predicted storm. A few sooty clouds scudded past overhead, uncertain as yet whether to retain their independence or to join to- gether to bleed life.

As the craft entered the dock it pa.s.sed above the outskirts of the reef Vai'oire was exploiting. Sonarizers kept the suprafoil well apprised of any dangerously high hexalate formations.

”A coincidence,” Sam a.s.sured her as they prepared to link to the dock. ”True, Rorqual was anch.o.r.ed off a reef when it was. .h.i.t. So was Warmouth. But the other two were over open ocean, moving or following schools. Sure, if they'd all been attacked when sitting off a reef, we could predict exactly which town would be struck next. Unfortunately, that's another common denominator that doesn't exist, except as wishful think- ing.”

The Caribe gently touched the starboard dock. A click sounded from bow and then stem as the suprafoil locked into the dock. Then the boarding ramp slipped into place. They descended, standing