Riverworld, Day 72, Evening

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Matoaka turned to Josephine, catching her look in Shaw's direction and
inquired, "Where did you see him last?  Was he going somewhere?"

"He went off that way," she said, pointing toward the woods.

Freud ate by himself, lost in thought.  After his meal, he nursed his
beer and smoked down by the shore of the River.  Robbie announced his
intention to spend some time writing, and went into his hut,
purposefully.

Matoaka glanced furtively at Shaw, and walked toward the River,
upstream from Freud. After a moment, Shaw joined her.

			      *  *  *  *

Matoaka sat on a large rock overseeing the river and lit up her long
pipe.  After Shaw arrived, she spoke to him undertone in the event
someone else was nearby to hear them and smiled.

"I am glad you came.  I am rather worried at Louis' disappearance this
evening.  I wonder whether he was taken away willingly from the spot
we found the towel.  Perhaps he was spying on us, but why not show up
tonight? I doubt that shame would be a compelling reason for him.  My
first day here was followed by the disappearance of Helga and I
remember hearing people murmur about others disappearing quiet
suddenly."

Shaw sat down next to Matoaka.  "I agree. I believe that who or what
ever took the other got Louis as well.  They have left behind objects
before, so the towel is no surprise. I just wish there was more light
to search now, but day will come soon enough."

She paused a moment deeply inhaling the smoke and savoring it.  She
casually looked around before returning her eyes on Shaw and worriedly
continued.  "Tonight it is too dark to search for him.  I would like
you to help me find him at day break.  I will come and get you."

Once there were no more words to be said, Matoaka removed her clothes
and walked into a shallow recess of the river's cool waters.
Tantalizingly, she beckoned Shaw to join her.

Shaw smiled, removed his towels and dived in off the rock.

			      *  *  *  *

Cixi approached Toyoda, saying, "Do you not find it odd that we have
so easily put asunder our worst enemy?"

Toyoda remained silent for some time, evaluating the woman.  "I do
not.  Paranoia serves no one."

She paused and then continued, "This man, Ford, it seems to me we
worry a lot about him.  Yet so quickly and so easily he has delivered
himself to us.  That is not the characteristic of an enemy I would
fear."

"Perhaps.  But that is twice in two sentences you have used the word
'easy' with alarm.  Why does the ease of our victory unsettle you so?"

Cixi placed a finger across her chin, her eyes directed downward, "If
Ford is wise, he would know this victory has made us soft."

"And he will capitalize on that victory?"  Toyoda pursed his lips to
hide the smile that crept across his face.

Cixi looked back up with a query on her face, "Has anyone ventured to
his village?  At what state are his people?"

"From what I saw of his village, all of his people came with him here,
and they are now citizens of our state. Ford himself is dead, and,
more importantly, those so-called lieutenants of his, who seemed to
exert great pressure on him, are also dead."

Cixi frowned.  She looked down at her hands that clasped the sticks
and then up back towards Toyoda.  "It is written by Sun Tzu that 'All
warfare is based on deception.'"

"Sun Tzu also wrote that those who use the military skillfully do not
raise troops twice and do not provide food three times," he countered.

She shook her head and turned away.  As she left the hut, her path
crossed in front of the church.  She paused and then entered.

Jeanne, within, looked up, surprised to see the other woman. From a
kneeling position, she silently nodded her head in greeting, and then
resumed her prayers quietly.

			      *  *  *  *

Benjamin settled himself down to sleep again. His new dwelling not yet
completed, he looked up at the unfamiliar stars above the
Rivervalley. The endless sky seemed to be doing nothing so much as
waiting, pensively, like a mother looking down on a child in a
crib. He had almost drifted to sleep when he felt a prickling on his
hand. He raised it to the light of his campfire, and saw a single
black ant crawling across his finger. It was the only insect he had
ever seen since the Resurrection.