Austin thanked the guide and trailed the guests into the special ex- hibit area. The well-lit display cases were filled with Eskimo art- work and ivory carvings, tools for hunting and fishing, cleverly fashioned skin suits and boots that would keep their owners warm and dry in the coldest of Arctic temperatures, driftwood sleds, canoes and whaleboats. A doleful chant backed by the beat of a tom-tom came from speakers scattered around the hall.

The chattering crowd was the usual combination of Washington politicians, bureaucrats and press. For all its importance in the world, Washington was still a small town, and Austin recognized a number of familiar faces. He was talking to a historian from the Navy Mu- seum who was a kayak enthusiast, when he heard his name called. Angus MacDougal from the Air and Space Museum was making his way through the milling guests. He took Austin's arm.

“Come over here, Kurt, there's someone I want you to meet.” He led Austin to a dignified-looking gray-haired man and intro- duced him as Charles Gleason, the curator of the exhibition.

“I told Chuck that you were interested in Eskimos,” MacDougal said.

“Actually, they prefer to be called 'Inuit; which means, 'the Peo- ple,' ” Gleason said. “ 'Eskimo was a name the Indians gave them. It means 'eaters of raw flesh.' Their name for themselves is 'Nakooruk; which means 'good.' ” He smiled. “Sorry for the lec- ture. I taught college for many years, and the pedagogue in me keeps reasserting itself.”

“No apology necessary,” Austin said. “I never resist the opportu- nity to learn something new.”

“That's very kind of you. Do you have any questions on the exhi- bition?”

“I was wondering about the sponsor,” Austin said. He read the placard stating that items in the case were on loan from Oceanus, and he decided to take a long shot. “I've heard the head of Oceanus is a man named Toonook.”

Toonook?

“That's right.”

Gleason gave him a wary look. “You're serious?”

“Very. I'd like to meet the gentleman.”

Gleason replied with a strange half smile and made a sound be- tween a chortle and a snicker. Unable to contain himself, he burst forth with a loud guffaw. “Sorry,” he said, “but I'd hardly call Toonook a gentleman. Toonook is the Inuit name of an evil spirit. He's considered to be the creator and destroyer.”

“You're saying Toonook is a mythological name?”

“That's right. The Inuit say he's in the sea, the earth and the air. Every time there's an unexpected noise, like the ice cracking under- foot, it's Toonook, looking for a victim. When the wind howls like a pack of hungry wolves, it's Toonook.”

Austin was confused. Toonook was the name Therri had given him as the head of Oceanus. “I can see why my question made you laugh,” Austin said, with an embarrassed smile. “I must have mis- understood.”