Riverworld, Day 43, Night

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Benjamin almost spoke when Jeanne commented about feeling the touch of
God in his life, but didn't interrupt, and thought better of it by the
time he had a chance.  So, too, did he hold his tongue when Jeanne
announced to Charles that he had 'turned to God' and 'offered to lead
us in a prayer', but privately, he rolled his eyes a bit and winced.
And winced all the more at Josephine's reaction.  But he had struggled
to do the best job he could at leading a prayer, uncomfortable as he
was with the task.

Josephine's sarcastic comment after the prayer only left Benjamin even
more uncomfortable.  Still, he had worked to regain his composure
enough to ask his questions of Father Gregory.  After the entirely
unsatisfactory and unilluminating series of answers, he was heard to
mutter wryly under his breath, out of Father Gregory's hearing, "I
spoke too soon; we have not found what we sought here at all."

Finally, Benjamin looked back and forth between Jeanne and the door of
the church a few times, then said, "Methinks we should press on.  Time
flows northward along with the River and so must we."

Jeanne, unsurprisingly, did not wish to press on that night.  "Will
this Industry you seek disappear overnight?"

"Perhaps." Benjamin replied. "It may already have disappeared.  More
likely, Shaka, or his Lion God, may have already reached it."

Jeanne continued as if she had not heard him. "What harm would it be
to stay one night in a place of refuge before continuing our journey?
Very little harm, for I believe 'dying of boredom' is simply an
expression and not an actual malady."  She cast a pointed look at
Josephine.  "But it might do our souls good to stay even one night in
the Lord's house."

She reached out and touched Josephine's arm, murmuring to the other
woman.

"Truly, there is nothing to fear here. God loves all His children,
saint and sinner alike."

Ehrich nodded. "A change of pace will do us good.  Some of us may
find spiritual rest as well.  Whether or not we all can make use of
such rest, some of us will.  And having one's companions fit is of
benefit to all.  It will not hurt to spend the night here rather than
on a boat, and we can be off in the morning."

Charles looked about at his companions.  "I think it is safe to stay
here, over the night.  We still have yet to learn much from the
villagers here.  We should question them about the lands around here.
Father Gregory seems to be tied to his abbey, and to travel little.
News travels slowest to the stationary."

"The villagers don't speak any language I can recognize," Shaw
reported. "We've gotten precious little from them."

"I think it best that we stay here tonight," Charles continued, "and
set off in the morning, after the Grailstone has discharged the meal.
We should find the fifth Grailstone to meet with Shaka and his people
tomorrow."

"You must know that Religion was an important part of my .. umm ,
previous life.  It is ... Comforting,.... to slip into this mode.  It
fulfills part of my needs..."  He smiled and returned to the church
for a short evening Prayer.

With a sigh, Josephine shook her head slightly, muttering softly to Shaw.

"The crutch of religion has managed to find it's way here, too, I see."

Shaw shrugged in return.  "Leave now or in the morning, it really
makes no difference and long as we get moving soon."

Taking a moment to look at each person, Josephine spoke in a melodic
voice.  "I think we each need to look at what is really happening.  Is
this really just a convenience of sleeping here or it is perhaps a
fear of facing what is to come?  If religion fortifies your soul and
allows you to move ahead with your goals, more power to it. If it
encourages you to retreat from the world and hide from tomorrow...."
She looks pointedly at those who argue to stay for more than comfort's
sake. She shrugs slightly, her meaning apparent in her tone of voice.

Pausing semi-dramatically for a long moment, she then adds, "I'm
sleeping on the boat tonight. Whether you all are with me or not."
She gave a long look to Shaw and turned to the Riverbank. While the
others made themselves comfortable in the Church, she and Shaw boarded
the boat.

Despite the well-regulated sameness of some aspects of the Riverworld,
morning in the Valley was as variable as the inhabitants. Some
mornings began slowly, stretching sullenly into noon. Others seemed
to pass almost too quickly, the sun rapidly rising to its zenith. That
morning fell somewhere in between; neither creeping nor bounding, the
sun emerged in an ordered and stately fashion.

As the grailstones fired, the group gathered for breakfast with Father
Gregory. 

"So," Shaw began, addressing the priest, "what of this voice you
mentioned, the one that told you we were coming, did it tell you
anything else?"

Father Gregory nodded. "The voice said that I should await your
coming, and then take leave of my church and travel with you until..."
He stopped, and smiled apologetically. "I can not reveal some of the
details. Until...it is time for me to stop traveling with you," he
concluded.

Jeanne looked very pleased.  "It would ease my mind greatly to have
you near. We have been without guidance too long, Father."

"Do you think this voice was belonged to god," Shaw asked, "or
possibly something else?"

"I do not know; God has never spoken to me directly before. He has
only manifested through his actions in the world."

"Very interesting," Shaw agreed.

Josephine looked skeptical, but the group boarded the boat and
launched it into the water, setting course for what would be the fifth
grailstone on the opposite side of the River. As noon neared and they
approached, two boats moved heavily in the water from the other bank
to intercept them. The men in the boats, their faces painted blue,
shouted angrily at them, warning them away from the grailstone.  Shaw
suggested that they might be Celts. "Fierce fighters," he added.

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Louis' eyes narrowed as he fought to control the violence that threatened
to come raging out of him.

"What is the meaning of this Pala?" he shouted. "Your treachery will
accomplish you nothing!"

Pala shook his head, not comprehending the Frenchman's speech. He
pointed to Shaka and made a fierce-looking face, then lifted up a
twig. He used the twig to indicate Shaka, and then held up four
branches. One he pointed at Louis, one at Sly, one at
Mandragola's body, and, holding the last, he pulled back the skin at
the corners of his eye. Then he dropped the last stick, and shook his
head, and made the fierce face again.

Pala signaled the Zulu who encircled the two. They opened up their
circle into a pair of lines, one end open at the pit, the other away
from it. Pala pointed with the scythe in each direction, and waited
for the Louis and Sly to decide.

Louis shook his head with disgust. "You honorless coward," he hissed.

He turned to Sly. "Do not do anything stupid or brash."

Sly seemed to be aroused out of his haze slightly as he watched the
events with bemusement; this turned into shock as he was addressed by
Louis. He turned to Louis and spat his dreamgum in his direction.

"F*** you, bugger!"

He bolted and ran towards the hole, swinging his fists wildly.  With a
loud, mad shout, he leapt into the 'iron mine' after Shaka. Louis
sighed and, more carefully, joined the two in the pit.

			      *  *  *  *

The pit, 3 feet across, was an uncomfortable fit for the three men. It
was only about 15 feet deep, but the movement of the shadows overhead
suggested that they were being watched, and escape would be
difficult.

By the time the morning grailstone had fired and the sun was high in
the sky, each man had had ample opportunity to memorize the oaths of
the others.