“Without Enge’s guidance you are stupid as fargi,” said Ambalasi unappreciatively. “I need five of you to carry and assist in planting.” She looked them up and down critically for many were thin and cerebral; selected the ones who looked the strongest and sent them off with her assistant for the supplies.

“You must excuse them,” Enge said. “In their excitement of seeking knowledge they forget the labors of the day.”

“Time-wasters, the lot. Walk with me, there are things we must discuss.”

“Pleasure in obedience to desires.”

“That is true, you sincerely feel that way. But you alone, Enge, you alone. I have never tried to work with creatures as resistant to orders as your Daughters of Lassitude.”

Enge signed understanding and apologies. “There is a reason for this—as there is for everything. Pleasures of association and mutual discovery, without persecution for beliefs, is a strong mixture. It is hard to descend from the heights of cerebration to the depths of manual labor.”

“Perhaps. But it must be done. To eat we must work; I wish you would tell them that with strength-of-argument. Did not Ugunenapsa once say that?”

“Never!”

“Better for all of us if she had. Now come to the shore here and look outward. Can you see the peninsula over there?”

“Not too clearly,” Enge said, peering across the muddy rush of the river. This island was low and flat, as were all the islands of the estuary. Ambalasi made gestures of distaste then indicated the uruketo nearby.

“We can see better from the top of the fin.”

Since there was no dock on this ready shore, the uruketo had been encouraged, by tempting it with fresh fish, to push channel into the mud with its toothed beak. Now that it was well fed it kept its head wedged into the opening it had made. They stepped carefully onto its slippery, muddy hide and clambered toward the dorsal fin above. The uruketo’s round, bone-reinforced eye moved slightly when they passed, but this was the creature’s only response. They hooked thumbs and toe-claws into the rough skin and climbed. Enge going very slow to match the efforts of the elderly scientist.

“At times . . . I am that sorry I ever decided to leave Yebèisk . . .” Ambalasi said, gasping with the effort. “But no sacrifice is too great to advance knowledge. You and I know that, but this intelligence is lost upon your followers.”

Enge made no response, other than signing agreement, respecting Ambalasi’s age and intelligence—and knowing from experience that if anything were to be accomplished, other than interminable arguments, it was better to agree with her most of the time. Ambalasi gaped in air, looked about and registered displeasure, finally recovered enough breath to enable her to talk clearly.

“Look there, you can make it out from up here, on the peninsula, the green patch.”