The Culture 6 - Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks

Author:Iain M. Banks
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Space Opera, Revenge, Fiction, Science Fiction, Human-Alien Encounters, General
ISBN: 9781451621686
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2000-07-26T07:26:09+00:00

The Seastacks of Youmier

‘And was Tersono equal to the task?’

‘More than equal physically, Hub tells me, despite its protestations that it risked tearing itself apart. However I think that whatever empowers its will is also charged with maintaining its dignity and so is normally pretty much fully occupied with that.’

‘But was it able to free your car from the tree?’

‘Yes, finally, though it took its time and it made a terrible mess of things. It shredded the car’s mainsail, broke the mast and cut away half the tree.’

‘And what of Ziller’s pipe?’

‘Bitten in half. Hub repaired it for him.’

‘Ah. I was wondering if I might have made him a present of a replacement.’

‘I’m not sure he’d take it in the spirit it was meant, Quil. Especially as it’s something he would be putting in his mouth.’

‘You suspect he might think I was trying to poison him?’

‘It might occur to him.’

‘I see. I still have a way to go, don’t I?’

‘Yes, you do.’

‘And how much further do we have to go here, on our walk?’

‘Another three or four kilometres.’ Kabe looked up at the sun. ‘We should be there nicely in time for lunch.’

Kabe and Quilan were walking along the cliff tops of the Vilster Peninsula on Fzan Plate. To their right, thirty metres below, Fzan Ocean beat against the rocks. The haze horizon swam with scattered islands. Closer in, a few sailboats and larger craft cut through the spreading patterns of the waves.

A cool wind came off the sea. It whipped Kabe’s coat about his legs and Quilan’s robes snapped and fluttered about him as he led the way along the narrow path though the tall grass. To their left the ground sloped away to deep grassland and then a forest of tall cloudtrees. Ahead, the land rose to a modest headland and a ridge heading inland notched with a cleft for one branch of the path they were on. They were taking the more strenuous and exposed route along the cliff top.

Quilan turned his head to look down towards the waves falling against tumbled rocks at the cliff’s base. The smell of brine was the same here.

~ Remembering again, Quil?

~ Yes.

~ You’re close to the edge. Mind you don’t fall.

~ I will.

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