50 in 50

Surely they would — for when they were closer they saw that hidden behind the rubble was the sturdy trunk of the city-tree, some of its thick branches still intact.

And — wonder of wonders! — standing at its base was the solid form of the Eistaa. The fargi hurried forward, bodies and limbs writhing with pleasure and great awe at her presence. They signed gratitude and happiness as well. Pushed close, then moved back when she signed them this order, parted to let Akotolp through to join her.

"You have survived, Eistaa, and therefore the city shall survive as well."

"There has been great damage, many deaths." She signed the fargi away so that they could speak without being heard.

"Two out of three, possibly more, are dead. Others badly injured will die as well." With quieter words and smaller motions she revealed an even more terrible fact.

"The males are gone. Every one. The eggs they carried will never hatch*'

Akotolp swayed with agony, fought for control, spoke calmly and wisely. "It is not the end. We are only one city. There are other Yilane cities inland along the great rivers to the north. One even on the inland sea of Isegnet. When the time comes I will visit them and return with males. Yilane are as one when facing disaster. The city will be grown again."

The Eistaa moved with pleasure when she heard this and took Akotolp's upper arms between her opposed thumbs in the gesture of greatest happiness, highest respect. The fargi murmured with pleasure at this happy sight, pain and despair forgotten for the moment. The city would grow again.

They set to work, under the Eistaa's instruction, clearing away the mud-caked debris. The rain never stopped, pouring darkly from a muddy sky. By nightfall much had been done. They discovered that fish that had been washed in from the sea were still alive in the remaining pools of water. These were gathered and shared out. In the end, tired and wounded, they slept.

The flood of water that had destroyed the coastal plain had also destroyed the civilized, formal way of life of the city. The fish vats were gone, along with the enzyme vats that cured and preserved the flesh of the animals. These creatures were gone too for the most part, the thorn barriers between the fields wiped away, the penned animals drowned or fled. Only a single hunter had survived — though all her weapons had drowned. With teeth and claws alone she could not supply the city with meat. Therefore it was the sea they turned to, the sea they had emerged from, renewing ancient swimming skills, seeking out the schools of fish and herding them into the shallows. Then the ocean churned with silver bodies seeking escape and reddened quickly with blood. It was crude but effective, — they would survive.

Many days passed before Akotolp approached the Eistaa where she sat in the newly-cleaned ambesed. All had worked hard. The dead had been cast into the sea, the lightly injured had recovered. The badly injured were dead, for all of Akotolp's healing creatures were gone and she could not aid them.

"Everything is gone," she told the Eistaa. "You must remember that all of the creatures bred by our science are mutations and most cannot survive on their own. Our weapons, the hesotsan, lose mobility with maturity and must be fed. We need more of them — as well as all the other forms of life that enable Yilane civilization to survive. I have now done all that I can within the limitations forced upon me. I have taken fargi inland and returned with sharp-thorned vines that have been planted to once again form our fields. I have examined every fargi; the badly wounded are all dead. There is a sufficient supply of fish."

She acknowledged the Eistaa's motions of common-place and boring food. "I agree, Eistaa. But it enables us to live. To improve our situation I must take fargi with me to Teskhets, the city on the great river beyond the hills. I know all of the things we need, hesotsan and string-knives, nefmakel — the list is very long. I will return with breeding stock and our city and our lives will be regrown. I ask only your permission to leave."

The Eistaa moved tail and thumbs in the sign of doubt magnified. "Your presence is needed here."

"Was needed. I guided and explained, you ordered. My work is done — unless I get those things that make science possible. Fargi are training as hunters, the meat supply grows. The fishers grow more proficient. Under your supervision the Yilane will eat, the city live."

The Eistaa radiated displeasure, looked out at the dark and ceaseless rain. "We live, but barely. More like wild creatures than Yilane."

"But we live, Eistaa, that is what is important. In order to live once again the rich life of Yilane you must permit this expedition."

"I will consider it. The meat supply must be greater before you go. You must find a way to bring that about."