Riverworld, Day 45, Noon

			      *  *  *  *

Louis studied Moz for a long moment, considering what was appropriate.
He looked down at Sly's lifeless body and then down the river, peering
back in his mind's eye to where he first awoke and wondered where Sly
and Shaka were at this point.

He said in halting Zulu, "May the Gods have mercy on him."

Pala and the others murmured approval and cast the body into the
River.

Louis felt it to be a hollow sentiment and walked away, disgusted with
himself.  Why pretend something he didn't feel?  Ceremony held little
interest for him.  He suffered under his lack of field intelligence.
What had become of the River team?  What were the Zulu preparing for?
How did they become allied with the Celts?  Louis burned with these
questions.

After the funeral, the Zulu seemed to treat him with greater
acceptance, a barely perceptible shift. As he returned to his hut
after spear practice with the bounty of his grail, he caught sight of
one of the chief Celts, walking from the grailstone with his woman.
And saw a glint of metal at his belt.

			      *  *  *  *

Benjamin sensed the need for an ambassador, and stepped forward.
"Good fellow," he began, "We do come in Peace, and may God bring you
Peace for as long as you live.  My Companions and I visit intending
only to use your Grailstone; but we would also be glad to see your
fair City.  My name is Franklin; I am a Printer from Philadelphia.
And how shall I call you, friend?"

"Benjamin Franklin?" the man asked, breaking into a grin and holding
out his hand. "Well, I'll be. As to that, I'm Henry Ford, sir."

Ehrich stepped forward. "A pleasure to meet you sir, your industrious
nature seems quite intact even into the afterlife." Up close, he
recognized Ford from the pictures he had seen on Earth.

Henry squinted at Ehrich. "It couldn't be!" he exclaimed. "Harry
Houdini?"

When Ehrich nodded, Henry's grin broadened even further. "I'll be!" he
kept muttering, delighted.

As each member of the party gave their name, Henry grew more and more
effusive, astonished at the famous names.  Charles, in turn, was
enthralled by the level of education, and the advancements of the
people.

Benjamin took up the conversation again. "We are questing northward up
the River for something seen in a Vision, a Dream if you will, by one
of our former Companions; but I confess, I am fascinated by your
Industry in building this City.  Tell me, sir, do you have a Mayor, or
a ruling Council of some sort?  I would dearly love to speak to your
Builders and Inventors about those Conveyances we saw earlier; it
seemed to me that their Hinges must involve some kind of lubricated
Pin, but I cannot see any way to make those from Bamboo or Wood.  Or,"
he said with a chuckle masking his seriousness, "have you found the
secret of Metalworking here?"

"No," said Henry, "so far it's bamboo, and damn irregular. I'd give my
little finger for a standard number 6 iron hinge-pin. And I guess you
could call me the Mayor, though we're all basically on our own; it's
the cars that keep us together. Most of the men here are from past my
time."

"We have heard some dubious Rumours during our Travels that, not far
from here, someone has developed enough Industry to work Metal
already."  Benjamin said. "Hard to credit, surely, but I wonder, have
you heard any such thing?"

Henry became very excited.  "We must find it! And quickly, before
Toyota does."  He indicated the group on the other bank of the River.

"You compete with the others across the River?" Charles asked.

Henry nodded. "Some of my engineers told me that the U.S. and the
Japanese fought fiercely over car building in the 1970's and 1980's.
That was past my time, of course, but when we found ourselves here and
them there, I knew that my patriotic duty lay with my countrymen.  The
first car on Riverworld will make its builders famous and rich, and by
God and good American ingenuity, that car'll be the Model-R Ford!" As
he spoke, he raised his voice, and at the crescendo, the people behind
him broke into a small cheer.

Jeanne was only mildly interested in the translated conversation about
Industry and the workings of the cars.  She was also mildly concerned
about the secrecy the people of New Detroit exhibit and watches warily
for any sign that they may be more than just secretive but downright
hostile.  She cast a quick glance back at the boat, muttering sotto
voce.  "Wish I hadn't left my bow behind. Might come in handy."

The lazari were shown to the grailstone, where they refilled their
grails and ate together. Henry said that he would join them shortly,
but had to attend to some of his responsibilities first, so the group
was left alone.

Jeanne frowned thoughtfully, and asked of no one in particular, "Have
they all been stretched on the rack? Why are they all so tall?"

"People grew taller in the centuries after you lived," Freud
replied. "Primarily due to better medical knowledge about nutrition."

Shaw turned to Father Gregory. "Father, what was your life like on
Earth?  When did you live, what did you do? One of the best things
about being reborn here is all the different stories people have to
tell, don't you think?"

"Indeed, my son, but I am not so vain as to expect that my life would
be of great interest. I was also a man of God on Earth, in the
Orthodox Church in the late nineteenth century. No one remarkable," he
concluded.

Jeanne, sitting beside the priest, addressed him next.  "Most Holy
Father, I have for some time been uneasy in my mind... and I fear that
I commit that sin most grievous: despair. All that I have known is
taken from me, and I find my faith comforts me less than it should."

"It seems we have met people along the River from all ages and times,"
she continued. "Might it be possible that our Lord, Jesus Christ, has
also been raised to live in this strange land that is neither heaven
nor earth?"

Father Gregory stroked his chin. "This is not the promised kingdom, so
I must conclude that we have been forced to rise by some force other
than God, though perhaps that force acts as part of God's plan as
well. I do not believe that our Lord could be forced to rise again,
and doubt that he will be found along the River. But I do not know;
with faith, anything is possible."

Shaw leaned over and quietly spoke to Charles.  "You know, these
people would probably make good allies once we find the metal." Then,
at a motion from Josephine, he excused himself and the pair spoke
privately out of earshot of the others, who remained to discuss their
options.

"On the boat, earlier.." Josephine asked. "When you had trouble
waking?  Tell me about it."

			      *  *  *  *

Shaka looked at Sly with a mixture of puzzlement and apprehension.
"So, you have been cast in with me eh?  You are too strange to me.
See that you stay out of the way as we seek Pala, and then god."

Sly laughed at Shaka's comments gutterally, and muttered something
unintelligible, but followed without another word.

Shaka turned to the people of this grailstone, and gestured at them to follow
him.  He made great gestures, signifying battle and wealth. When they
did not arise, he and Shaw left them and set out alone downRiver.

By the afternoon, they had passed one grailstone and were observing
the next from concealment. The people gathered there looked like
Mishima. They seemed to be involved in building bamboo go-carts. Some
seemed to be trying to design a pedal drive for a cart.

			      *  *  *  *

The sailboat was small, but well-built, and Jean and Robbie were seated
comfortably. The two men, knight and poet, had fallen in together,
finding each other's company congenial. Robbie's command of French was
more than sufficient for them to communicate, and Jean's sailing
abilities were superb. For some days they had been traveling downRiver
in Jean's boat, looking for adventure.

"Jean," Robbie said, after they had retrieved their grails from a stop
ashore, "this is perhaps the longest river I've ever seen, though it
compares not to the lovely "Doon" nor the bonnie banks o' Clyde.
Mayhaps we can find some clue as to why God, or perhaps Lucifer, has
put us all here. Aye, I ponder on that alot these days, why a river?"

Jean kept his attention on steering the boat as he replied.  "A River?
Rivers have two ends, this has neither a beginning nor an end it would
seem.  The only explanation for why we are here is the will of God.  I
trust he knows best, as he did back home. 'Plus ca change, plus ca
rest la meme...'"

The Scotsman took out a small cup from his grail and sniffed it. He
broke into a smile, and took a large gulp.

"Aye! Tis guid whiskey!!!" he cried. He turned to Jean and offered him
the cup. "More scotch, Jean?"

"Scotch? Non, merci." Jean replied, shaking his head.

Robbie broke into doggerel."wi' ti'penny we'll fear nay evil!  wi'
usquebah we'll face th' Devil!"

When Jean looked at him quizzically, Robbie apologized. "Sorry. I tend
to slip into English accidentally now and again. I don't mean to be
rude." He finished his cup of whiskey and mumbled, "quite a River, no
end or beginning...you're right Jean...."  as he slipped off to sleep.

"Robbie!" Jean hissed an hour later, waking him up. "Look there."

They were approaching a highly populated area of the River. On either
bank, they could see groups of people. On the west bank, a score or
two of Caucasians, and one Black woman were gathered. On the east, the
people were Asian, though from the boat they could detect two men, one
White and one Black, just north of the Asian encampment, evidently
spying on them from concealment. Each shore had a few boats, and one
particularly large boat was anchored off the west bank. But the most
notable feature of the groups was the wheeled bamboo carts that each
side seemed to be building.