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1996-01-29
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Path: usenet.ee.pdx.edu!cs.uoregon.edu!reuter.cse.ogi.edu!qiclab.scn.rain.com!psgrain!usenet.eel.ufl.edu!newsfeed.internetmci.com!in1.uu.net!not-for-mail
From: alansz@mellers1.psych.berkeley.edu (Alan Schwartz)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.archives
Subject: STORY: Riverworld, Chapter 14: Whither now?
Followup-To: rec.games.frp.misc
Date: 26 Jan 1996 14:13:33 -0500
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Riverworld Turn #14: Whither now?
Day 33
* * * *
At Charles' words, Tjar nodded and looks at each of the others.
His voice echoed his agreement. Florence too seemed to favor the
idea.
Tjar: "I agree, let's hear the thoughts of everyone else on this
matter, before we make any decisions."
When Jeanne spoke, she seemed puzzled.
Jeanne: "The prospect of founding a community here holds little appeal
for me. Certainly I could settle down and farm as my parents
did, but I do not believe that this is what God has intended
for His servant."
She gestured at Charles and Tjar.
Jeanne: "You wish to rule, perhaps that is your place in His plan. My
place is not to rule, and I have no ambitions in that
direction so you need not fear that I will oppose you."
Her face turned down slightly.
Jeanne: "But I am done with King-making, unless He commands me -- then
I will obey His will for me, as is right. Until that time, I
have decided that I will not put myself forward, but I will
be His humble servant, and not yours. You may build your city
if you wish, but I will not stay. I leave on the morrow, on a
pilgrimage of sorts. For if it is true that people from all
times and all lands are brought together as we are, it is
also possible that people from other times and other lands
are deposited elsewhere along the River. So I go to seek the
holy men and saints that listened to my prayers and
interceded on my behalf. If nothing else I owe them gratitude
and homage for the good they did me in life. Perhaps they
will even have words of guidance for me in this life, and
teach me their path."
Jeanne looked around at the others in the group, and pointed out
toward the River, and then held open her hands inclusively as she
spoke of leaving the group.
Jeanne: "I would be happy to have any of you as traveling companions.
I will leave in the morning, after filling my grail."
Tjar, listening, bit his lip silently as Jeanne turned to Shaka and
spoke slowly in clumsy Bantu.
Jeanne: "Sun comes up. I go. Not stay here, build hut."
Shaka said little, and seemed to listen only distractedly. He
scratched out the map of a small village with guard posts in the
dirt. Shaw seemed interested in Shaka's drawings. Glenn and Cleopatra
said nothing, and the two seemed to be sharing a reticence the others
might have found almost morose in nature were it not for the utter
lack of expression by either.
Freud cleared his throat and took his turn before the others. He
addressed his words first to Jeanne and then to rest of the group.
Freud: "Frau Jeanne, I make no secret: your quest for the holy men,
and you yourself are of great interest to me. It is a drive I
would witness, and to discuss your undertaking would be a
great pleasure to me."
Freud: "I regret having to leave the rest of you for this; you have
been fascinating companions, and there is more about you than
meets the eye. But I also fear that your efforts to build a
new civilization will be difficult, for you will have to
contend with far more than the cruelty or scorn of other men.
You will have to face your own fears, wider than the River,
your conscience, sharper than any spear, your imprisoned
wills, and your secret passions."
Freud fell silent, amid strange looks from the others. Florence,
shrugging, spoke next, nodding at Charles and Tjar.
Florence: "There is little that I can add to what Charles and Tjar
have said, except to say that I stand with them. We must
keep the future of civilization in mind."
Josephine's attention wandered, and she seemed less and less inclined
to continue the discussion. Finally, she spoke.
Josephine: "I grow weary of this speech-making. If we are going to do
something as a group, let us commence. If we aren't, let
us split."
Lowering an exaggeratedly bland look at Tjar she mumbled derisively.
Josephine: "Build a nation, fight a war, make a committee. Blah."
To Shaw, however, who sat listening and sharpening his bamboo spear,
she smiled as she addressed him.
Josephine: "I'll bet you've seen many things on your boat here.
Anything to share with a girl who's far from home?"
Shaw smiled back.
Shaw: "Not as much as you would think, this is by far the most
interesting stop I have had. I'd like to hear about your home,
though."
Josephine nodded and her smile broadened. Tjar glowered and bristled,
remaining quiet only with some effort. Hypatia gave him a strange
look before speaking in soft, measured tones.
Hypatia: "I must agree. There are necessities of life in _this_ world
which we may not ignore. Chiefest among these are
sustenance and shelter."
She favored Tjar with a kind, if wry, smile and continued.
Hypatia: "Security is rightfully a third, but cannot be pursued until
we have given to ourselves the first two."
Her hand rested on her breast lightly as she pointed to herself.
Hypatia: "And once we have established those three, the fourth pillar
and most important pillar is that of Truth. I await eagerly
the time when we may all turn our thoughts to this pursuit."
After listening carefully to the others, Charles addressed the group again.
Charles: "Jeanne, your search for Holy men is most noble. I bless you
and hope that God makes your journey a swift and successful
one. Perhaps you would think of yourself as an Envoy of
God. If you can Find Holy Men, persuade them to come to our
fledgling city and grant us the wisdom of their sage ways --
we are all willing, I believe, to listen to advice from a
Holy source. If the Holy men have a purpose and destination
different from ours, and you wish to return to us, Jeanne,
any wisdom they would bestow upon us, would be a great
boon."
Charles: "Tjar (as you will always be known to me), Our views on
government have much to learn from each other - -the first
lesson, though is in survival. It is perhaps best if I lead
for the time being. Know you, that I am not taking control
of a group such as this -- so full of free spirits, and so
small in number, and so directed of purpose. I merely have a
lifetime of experience in making a town, and organized
people where once only stood grass and stones."
Charles: "Know all of you, that at the slightest question of our
purpose, I will bow down and yield authority to a higher
cause. Be it this 'Demon-cracy' that Tjar proposes, or
something more fundamental."
Charles: "I submit, that foremost and first, we build a shelter and
weapons to arm ourselves. Second, in the coming days, we
scout the surrounding land and learn of both friends and
foes that exist here in this region. Those that are friends
can be recruited, if they are willing, and those that are
foe, will need to be watched and dealt with as necessary."
Charles: "Shaw, Friend and collaborator, We offer you a place of
refuge amongst us, or a port in time of landing. It would
be most valuable to have a man of your skills and with your
water craft, with our number -- It would honor us for you to
join."
Charles: "Hypatia -- Truth is the grandest goal of all, and yet the
hardest to achieve. I beg your patience in the search for
truth -- However, I give you my world as Lord Charlemagne,
that I will speak the truth on all occasions, so that my
intentions be known to all."
Charles: "Josephine....Your direction to future events is focused and
direct -- I honor you and accept your challenge to commit
and finish the tasks that we 'talk' about."
Charles: "Let us continue to discuss the nature of our life here, and
our duty to ourselves and God -- While we struggle for
survival. Let us prepare defense and offense so that we may
surmount any challenge that meets our purpose. Those that
stay here shall work and prepare, those that leave, we beg
only that you carry the message of the work that we do here,
the message of Freedom, and perhaps truth, and a place of
refuge for all that escape barbarism and tyranny. -- Tell the
tale of a great City forming."
After his lengthy speech, Charles spoke more briefly to Shaka.
Charles: "Shaka - Good Defense, Build Weapons, Build Now -- take Men,
Take Bamboo, all will help."
Shaka: "Yes, Charles-friend. Warriors to protect dwellings."
By unspoken consensus the group moved apart, each occupied with their
own thoughts, some in quiet conversation, as they refilled their
grails for dinner and settled in for the night. Charles assigned Shaka
and Jeanne to stand watch first, followed by Shaw and Charles, and
finally Tjar and Florence. He sat down and began to pray quietly.