*  *  *  *

Shaka listened to Charles' arguments, but shakes his head firmly,
speaking in Bantu.

Shaka: "No.  All men fight."

As Shaw began to walk toward his boat, Shaka drew himself to his full
height. Moving toward the River, brandishing his metal scythe
threateningly, he interposed himself. Shaw stopped and sighed.

Shaw: "As for Glenn and Cleopatra, they could very well have been
       taken by those slavers while we were busy arguing among our
       selves."

Jeanne waved her hands impatiently.

Jeanne: "We must find them! What if they have been taken as slaves?"

Josephine shrugged.

Josephine: "We find them, then what? This... Shaka forces them to
	    stay? I don't think our friend there seems to understand
	    the idea of free will."

She smiled brilliantly at the rest of the group, unconcerned.

Josephine: "As long as I have food, shelter, and..."

She smiled winningly at Shaw.

Josephine: "good company, I'm happy enough."

Shaw tightened his grip on his spears.

Since his rebirth he had been caught up in the mystery of the
Riverworld. True to his nature, he had to know how the resurrection
worked, and who or what was behind it. Too many were ready to blindly
accept the "miracle", and to credit it to their own religions and
gods. But this wasn't heaven. Swords weren't beaten into plowshares;
in fact, Shaka's metal scythe was the most potent weapon he'd seen,
clearly not meant for farming. The grail slavers weren't angels
either.

He had thought the group he had fallen in with were nearly ideal for
his purposes. He knew the River would be a unique opportunity to meet
people he had only known through histories. But he craved action more
than talk, particularly talk of states and leaders. He hoped he would
be able to learn more about his companions before he decided to leave
them and continue alone. He steeled his nerve for what he feared was
an inevitably confrontation.

Shaka paused, seeming to think for a moment.

Shaka gestured around at the land around them... and then back up the
river toward Temuchin's domain.  He pointed to the muscles of his
arms, and back toward Temuchin's fort. He counted the members of the
group, and then made the same motions toward the other side of the
River, counting higher. Then he returned to defiant waiting.

Tjar looked around the group.

Tjar: "If we do not take a vote now, I will assume that we have
       decided to splinter. Once again, any who choose to go with me,
       can do so."

Shaw: "I'll stay for now...if we're to find the others."

Turning to Shaka, Shaw pointed to himself and toward the group, and
then toward Temuchin's encampment. He indicated the missing couple,
and nodded at Jeanne. Finally, he pointed to his boat, and himself,
and stood very straight.

Shaw walked to stand by Tjar. Jeanne followed, her gaze fierce and
slightly accusatory, excepting only Josephine, Florence and Shaw. Her
tone was harsh.

Jeanne: "We came to your aid when Temuchin had captured you, we can do
	 no less for our missing companions. This would not have
	 happened had we attacked him immediately as I suggested!"

Charles spoke in Bantu.

Charles: "All will find man and woman. All will fight."

Shaka nodded approvingly, and as Jeanne took up her spear and headed
off in the direction in which the missing pair were last seen, he and
Charles joined the group.

The trail did not lead the group far. Glenn's tracks stopped abruptly
not far to the south of their camp. In the grass by the side of the
trail, Hypatia found Glenn's grail. Cleopatra's path continued
further, turned east, and led directly into the River. Puzzled, the
group began to trek back upRiver for their evening meal.

Walking with obviously pent up energy along the river, Josephine sped
up her pace until she was almost jogging. She added a few leaps and
turns, stretching her stride and body as she moved.  She wore her
usual deprecating smile.

Josephine: "I guess some things from my past life still hold true."  

She grinned.

Josephine: "But having more energy than I can use is a little more
 	    frustrating here than in Paris, I'm afraid."

Shaw: "I had heard of you on earth, I also lived during that time. You
       have probably heard of me also. I born T. E. Lawrence, but had
       to change my name to avoid all the effects of those awful
       cinema adaptations of my life."

Josephine: "You must tell me about it. We've got all night."

The evening repast was another quiet one, tense with the events of the
morning. With the exception of Josephine and Shaw, who regaled one
another with whispered tales, the company wore frowns that lengthened
as the night waxed. The heavy stew and dark bread that they found in
their grails seemed to linger like stones in their stomachs. Few
refused even the cup of sour fermented corn mash. 

But then Josephine's eyes widened, and her body shook, as all her muscles
tensed. Shaw cried out in alarm as she rolled her head, and the others
snapped out of their torpor and came to her. Florence held her steady,
murmuring as Freud looked into her dilated eyes.

Florence: "Seizure?"

Freud shook his head at her and turned to Shaw.

Freud: "Did she chew the gum?"

Shaw nodded.
Shaw: "I think so, yes."

Freud: "I have seen this before, but usually only on those who have
        been able to chew it and chew it...many times daily. It may be
        an allergic reaction, but it doesn't seem to happen every
        time."

Freud looked into Josephine's eyes, and whispered to her very quietly.

Freud: "Wake up my dear, all will be well. Wake it, it's all right."

After a few moments, Josephine's muscles relaxed at once, and she
seemed to collapse in on herself, panting. A half-sob escaped her lips
as she struggled to straighten up. She slurred as she spoke, in a
tired voice.

Josephine: "I saw strange beasts, with claws. They were on our
	    backs. And I saw Glenn, and shadows in a bright white
	    light, touching the beast on his back. And I remembered
	    ... something from before, men and death."

She sank down into a deep slumber.

Freud held up the piece of dreamgum he had found in his grail, and
then tossed it into the grass, frowning.

Freud: "These drugs, they are very dangerous. I wonder why they are
        given to us."