Chapter 6 Part 1

THE SAILOR AND THE HORSEMAN

Armegon woke later that night. He insisted that he was strong enough to be up and around, but Avery demanded that he stay in bed. Calista brought him a hot bowl of soup, and kept him company until her turn at the helm started. Armegon promptly fell back to sleep.

Ultrecht urgently spoke to Avery on a serious matter. "Armegon and I have managed to disguise our powers from the warlocks on this planet," he told Avery. "You said that you haven’t used magic in over a year, but it hadn’t occurred to me until this moment that your healing ability might also be traceable by the warlocks."

"I’ve only done minor healing since meeting Nikki," Avery said. "We haven't had any problem with it at all."

"Well just the same, I suggest you refrain from any major healing like that regeneration you did on Armegon; at least until I can speak to a warlock about you."

"It’s a shame your girlfriend was killed," Avery said sympathetically. "She might’ve been able to tell us."

"Yes," Ultrecht agreed. "Tyson will pay for that too."

Heiniken and Ultrecht stood at the bow of the Cutter late that afternoon. "About four more days," the dwarf estimated, "and we will see Midway."

"In the meantime," Ultrecht suggested, "we found a box back at the wreck. What do you think might be in it?"

"Are you going to open it?" Avery joined them.

"Not right now," Ultrecht replied quickly. "It could be trapped."

"Tyson would’ve been useful right about now," Avery observed.

"He wouldn't be alive right about now," Ultrecht assured him coolly.

"Woo," Heiniken exclaimed. "I don't know this Tyson very well since he didn’t travel with us the last time, but I’m sure glad I’m not in his shoes. I don’t think I’d ever want Mr. Ultrecht, here, that mad at me."

Avery laughed. "Me neither," he agreed. "But Tyson was a man who was very good at traps."

"Skimmer was like that too," Heiniken muttered. "I often wondered what he did with his shore leave, and why he was usually so anxious to get back out on the ice."

"The mind boggles," Ultrecht commented thoughtfully. "I guess we’ll have to lug that box around until we find a. . ." He almost said, "thief," but considering the company he was in, Ultrecht tactfully changed his mind. "Find a locksmith," he concluded.

The next morning, Armegon was at the helm again. No one had been successful at keeping him in bed another day, so Heiniken suggested letting him do as he pleased. Avery had replied that it had never been otherwise.

When Ultrecht and Calista joined the others on deck, they were treated to what Ultrecht referred to as an ongoing battle of wit and pigheadedness. In short, Armegon and Avery were arguing again.

"So what you are saying is that logic as we know it may not be absolute?" Avery asked Armegon.

"That’s it," Armegon confirmed. "That which we call logic is a tool that we use to seek out truth. Like rats in a maze we can take many paths to the end, and from within they all look like the correct one until you reach a barrier. The present form of logic that we use may simply be a wrong turn, and we may not discover it for a long time."

"Now logic holds," Avery redirected, "that given the premise: if 'P' then 'Q', and an argument 'P' then the conclusion must be 'Q'. And now you say that this may not be true?"

"I’m simply saying that the conclusion, 'P' therefore 'Q' is based on the logic that we use. If that logic is ultimately fallible, then the conclusion is suspect."

Avery raised a point. "Now one moment," he said. "By your very argument, you have no right to suspect 'Q' because of faulty logic. After all, you’re using that very same logic to conclude that 'Q' is suspect."

"I’m not denying the possibility of 'Q'," Armegon pointed out; "just the validity of its absolution."

"You mean, 'P' therefore maybe 'Q'."

"Exactly," Armegon said proudly.

"But if you deny the present logic," Avery pointed out, "then you deny all the results of that logic."

"No," Armegon replied.

"No?"

"Your conclusion about the denial of the results is based upon the faulty logic. Let us say rather that the validity of those results must be questioned; however, they may still be true."

Avery leaned closer to Armegon and made like he was inspecting the taller half elf's brow. "What is it?" Armegon asked.

"I just wanted to see if that monster cracked your skull," Avery replied in jest.

"I'm fine," Armegon assured him. "Now about the logic..."

"You want to introduce the possibility of an alternate logic with different rules of validity; and yet, it’s still workable."

Armegon concurred. "If we assume that the present form of logic is faulty..."

"Which it may or may not be," Avery reminded.

Armegon continued. "Then it only stands to reason that a correct form of logic exists and should be sought out."

"Why must there be a correct form of logic?" Avery asked. "Assuming that there is doesn’t make it so; just as assuming the flaw in present logic doesn’t make that so either. It would appear to me that if we call logic into question, we can’t solve this riddle."

"That too is a logical deduction made by the logic we are questioning," Armegon reminded. "It would seem that the more we analyze it the more we must question as valid."

"Chaos theory?" Avery suggested.

"It would seem so."

Avery looked thoughtful. "If 'P' then 'Q'. 'P' therefore 'P'. We have defined faith?"

"Why not," Armegon conceded. "It is reflexive and valid, yet unexpected. If you simply accept without question, you use no logic and therefore are not susceptible to its possible flaw."

Avery rubbed his chin. "Acceptance in itself, faith, is an alternate form of logic. Things happen. If you attribute them to faith or fate for that matter, then it holds true just the same as a correct logic."

Calista listened to the two carry on for a few moments, then she returned to where Ultrecht was standing at the bow. "I don't understand all that," she complained.

Ultrecht smiled. "Don't let it worry you," he replied reassuringly. "Let them mind the 'P's and 'Q's."

"But what are they talking about?"

Ultrecht glanced back at the two philosophers. "They are just passing time by talking nonsense," he said to satisfy her curiosity. In reality the subject was very difficult. It questioned the validity of logic with which all deductions were made. Then assuming logic was faulty what could be said of all those deductions? The problem was that logic was so ingrained into life that it was practically impossible to deal without it. They had been discussing this subject off and on for years.

"How far from land are we," Calista asked sensing a change in the subject.

"I would guess about two or three days," Ultrecht estimated, and they watched the suns sink low in the west.

It was in fact two and a half days later when they spotted the line of rolling hills on the western horizon. Heiniken had told them that Midway was an island whose northern shore was in the ice, but the southern shore was open to the water. The trip to the sea port on the south side would only take about two days, and the road was very well kept. "This is a major crossroads," he said. "In fact, it’s probably the most traveled port in the world."

Ultrecht noticed a pair of small craft moving very fast across the ice south of them. "What are those?" he asked.

"Those are either couriers," Heiniken said, "or they are patrol craft. The couriers carry messages of various heads of state very fast from one point to another. The couriers are small two man catamarans that travel at speeds much faster than any sailor with any sense would even consider going. The Open Patrol," he went on to explain, "is a military budgeted law enforcement organization. They do not engage in combat, but can outrun any ship. They can locate pirates, and warn possible victims long before the pirates can attack. They also can be in a port with local militia awaiting the arrival of smugglers, or can set out in pursuit of hijackers. They need only locate. The local militia of a port is obliged to follow their orders."

"That's smart," Avery noted from Heiniken's left. He and Heinikin watched with the others as one of the small ships approached. It was beautifully streamlined.

"Ahoy there," the smaller craft's commander, a human with yellow shoulder length hair and dark eyes yelled. "This is Commander Deranel of the Open Patrol. Where are you bound?"

Heinikin stepped forward and answered. "I am Captain Heinikin Thundersledge of the Westwind Cutter operating out of the Twin Cities."

"Welcome to Midway, Captain." the commander of the other ship returned. "What do you carry?"

"We have a shipment of wheat for the port," Heinikin answered. Midway was an island in a cold climate. It had few indigenous crops so foodstuffs were constantly being shipped in.

"May we board?" Heinikin agreed. They had nothing to hide, and to refuse would most certainly insure problems when they docked.

The smaller craft was specially designed to work in this matter, and it was no surprise when it used a pair of side mounted clamps to attach itself to the Cutter's port aft runner. Avery, at Heiniken's direction lowered a rope ladder, and the tall, thin commander of the patrol craft boarded the Cutter.

"Good day," the polite man greeted Heinikin. "We’ll be very short so that you can be on your way. May I see your hold?"

At Heiniken's direction, Calista escorted the man to the ship's cargo area where the two tons of wheat they had loaded before departing was stored. The man returned shortly, announced that everything was in order and presented Heinikin with a customs ticket that would certify them as previously inspected. The man then returned to his craft and the small patrol boat was soon out of sight across the horizon.

By sunset they were pulling into the docking port of a thriving village wharf. Heinikin told them that they would disembark and stay in an inn that night. The next morning he would sell the cargo and meet them for breakfast.

That suited Calista and Avery just fine, but Armegon and Ultrecht sensing a chance to make a profit expressed their desires to accompany him on his business errands. Heinikin submitted and Avery and Calista went on to the inn Heinikin had suggested, the "Rising Ice Grill and Rooms Tavern" leaving Armegon and Ultrecht to haggle with Heinikin.

It was much later while Avery and Calista were dining that the two mages came in. They pulled up to the table and announced that they had persuaded Heinikin to undersell the local market by a slim margin. "We may not make as much on the early profits," Ultrecht commented, "but we’ll get our names into circulation as being fair and economical. After a few shipments like this we should be able to make some contracts with enough buyers to more than make up for what we might be missing this trip."

Avery offered Ultrecht some ale. "That’s good, because in case you have forgotten we need to go south, and then book passage back to the mainland."

Ultrecht frowned and turned to address Armegon. "Have you noticed that he seems to spend money as fast as we make it?"

Armegon winked at Avery and replied. "I think he feels that if he lets you get too rich you’ll get fat and lazy."

Avery pushed a plate of pork and beans in front of Ultrecht. "Here," he said. "Have something to eat."

Calista watched the whole fiasco for several long moments. She was getting used to Armegon, Avery and Ultrecht. They were really fun people to be with if you understood their humor.

They departed the township on the northern tip of the island the next morning. Traveling by the common road, Heinikin had said they would reach the sea in two days. Armegon and Heinikin had discussed at some length their arrangements and vowed to return to the Twin Cities by the end of the summer year.

By midday they could already see signs of warming climate. Ultrecht expressed his fascination with the suddenness of the change. "It is really amazing how fast the greenery suddenly jumps out of the snow banks."

"For this island that is probably normal," Armegon suggested. "I would think that the ocean, however is a little more gradual in its change. What do you think Avery?"

Avery was not listening. He and Calista were inspecting the piece of wood they had been carrying along for the last few weeks. "It is almost ready to trim down," he told her. "Then we will have to make a string. Keeneye used to use the silk of a giant phase spider, but we will have to settle for braided horse hair for now."

"When will you carve it?" Calista asked.

"Probably on the ship south," Avery answered. "I think we will have plenty of time to do it there. When we get back to the mainland, we will get you some good arrows and work on your aim."

Ultrecht watched the two for a moment as they walked on. "He's trying to turn her into a barbarian," he said to Armegon as Avery and Calista examined the soon to be longbow.
"Let him," Armegon advised. "She’s a nice girl and I like her, but she doesn't have the intellect for magic."

"Most barbarians hate magic," Ultrecht warned. "And worse, they hate magic users."

"Most barbarians weren't trained by a ranger while traveling with a pair of arch mages," Armegon pointed out.

"I hope your right," Ultrecht said worriedly. "There may come a time when she’ll need to trust our magic. It won't do to have her second guessing it." Armegon agreed, and they discussed the issue a little longer until the sky began to darken and the duet returned.

That night they settled down under a broad oak tree, wrapped in their blankets and huddled around a small fire. Due to the excessive travel on this trail, firewood was scarce. The night was cool and by morning they were all huddled up.

It was slightly before sunrise when a buzzing sound woke Calista from her sleep. She sat up to see Avery sitting against a tree. His eerie amber eyes sent shills down her spine. Armegon stirred to her left and sat up as well, apparently disturbed by the noise as well. It was a sound like that of wood grating. Calista looked at Armegon questioningly. The halfelf responded by kicking a loudly snoring Ultrecht in the shin. The mage responded by rolling over and going silent. Avery smiled and Armegon lay back down. Calista also took some minor enjoyment in the episode before returning to sleep.

About an hour after dawn she woke to the smell of coffee being cooked on the open fire by Ultrecht. Avery was nowhere to be seen. After about ten minutes, he came shuffling out of the woods with a raccoon riding on his shoulder. They were both eating raw fish. Avery handed the animal to Calista and offered her a fish tail. "Hungry?"