Liaden Universe 20: The Gathering Edge by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

Author:Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Tags: Science Fiction
ISBN: 9781476782188
Publisher: Baen
Published: 2017-05-01T17:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Bechimo

The pathfinders had fallen quickly into routine. It was, after all, a known routine, even a soothing one. Mission prep, that was it. They were quick studies, and they studied to good effect. As much as Ms loved battle, so did pathfinders find joy and purpose in study. Immediately, they had shortened their sleep shift; one read or compiled their notes while the other took learning in the device, which they had decided must be an acceptable risk. It would have been better to reserve one, and not risk both and the mission itself, on a device of which they must, by policy, be wary.

In the end, they must trust the device provisionally, for both needed language and information, and above all else, context. And information was more quickly gathered—and understood—when two harvested together.

Language learned in the manner of the device required periods of active practice or the learning would fall out of memory. They therefore spoke the Trade tongue to each other and read the texts provided by Joyita, reinforcing their ability to communicate.

Willingly would they have added another—or all!—of the several tongues spoken shipboard, but that had not been allowed.

One language at a time learned from the device, to avoid confusions, that was Joyita’s advice, which the captain accepted, so they learned Trade with a ferocity that might have given even an M pause.

In addition to language, the device was able to impart history. The process was finicky, but they quickly developed a system whereby one would, with assistance from Joyita most often, though Win Ton and even Clarence sometimes had suggestions to make—one would learn a particular event, or period, in broad outline and, after, read in more detail, thus reinforcing history and their grasp of the written form.

In truth, it was exhilarating, even as they learned the shape of a universe that was at once strange and dismaying.

There seemed, indeed, to be no ascendant civilian authority at the feet of which they might place their knives. Nor yet did there seem to be Troop. There was what they must suppose to be a splinter group, which named itself Troop, and held a so-called Temporary Headquarters. Those not of the group referred to them as Yxtrang, which was not a Troop designation—but no matter the name, it was apparent from the histories that they were not Troop, but pirates and marauders.

The pathfinders’ routine included walks about the ship and time in the galley with whomever they found there, or only themselves, if they were askance the shifts. Though in truth, they rarely found themselves alone for the whole of a walkabout. Most often, they were joined by Win Ton or Clarence, less by Kara, and least often, the captain.

They never met Joyita during these small outings, though he was their frequent partner at study, available at the speaking of his name to suggest a text, a word, or an approach to further research. They would from time to time invite him to meet them in the galley, or to join them in walking about Bechimo’s few corridors, but always he declined.

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