also help them move away from the belief that their isolation is a good thing.” Which might help to end Colm’s tenure as undisputed leader of Dunnett — though that’s a goal I don’t intend sharing with Vidya’s governors.
Marta nods. “Both proposals appear manageable. Any further suggestions, Ness?”
I straighten in my chair. “Once trade is established, I think we should invite them to send people to Vidya, and to take what they learn back to Dunnett Island.”
There’s a moment’s silence. I hurry on. “If they could see for themselves that all technology isn’t bad, it would help the island — as well as making them a stronger trading partner,” I add.
“What they see might not impress them.” It’s the first time Brenon’s spoken.
“Some of it won’t,” I agree. “But there’s more potential for trade if the island decides to accept technology.”
“And if they want weapons?” Brenon asks.
“I would hope, in the early stages at least, that weapons won’t come up,” Marta says.
“They will,” Dev says. He doesn’t look at me. Dev’s knowledge of the island came largely from me — and from the islanders’ efforts to kill him once they learned of his existence. My resolve quails slightly as I remember the strength of Jed’s hate.
“Perhaps we’ll deal with that later,” Marta says. “For now, the practicalities.”
Dev is not alone in his reservations about my inclusion on the trip. One of the governors suggests I’m too young for such a weight of risk and responsibility. I don’t remind her that I carried my share of both when Ebony Hill was attacked. It strikes me that the governors don’t really understand what it was like. Perhaps they can’t — or perhaps the intervening year has allowed them to forget.
It makes no difference. Marta’s will carries the discussion. “We’re agreed then. Lara will captain Explorer with her usual crew; Ness and Ronan are included for their knowledge of the islands; and on Brenon’s recommendation, Farra heads the mission.”
“It’ll be cramped with three extra bodies on board,” Lara says, “especially if you expect us to bring back a catch of fish as well.”
“As Ness is a medic, perhaps Kush could stand down. There’s no need to have two,” someone suggests.
“Kush is a sailor as well as a medic,” Lara replies, in a voice like cold water. “And as captain, I believe I choose my crew, if not my passengers.”
Marta quells her with a look. “Certainly you choose your crew. As Explorer ’s captain, you have complete authority regarding sea-sci work undertaken after the mission to Dunnett is complete. But assessing the potential for trade with the islands is the key priority of the trip, and responsibility for that rests with Farra. I trust that’s understood?”
Lara’s nod is terse, her expression leaving no doubt that she resents her research voyage being subverted.
As we walk back through the courtyard, I make the observation to Ronan that Marta and Lara share stubbornness as a trait. He laughs, though he refuses to tell me why.
CHAPTER 7
The breeze bites sharp in my face, swelling the sail above till it seems it must tear and spill the wind it’s caught. Dev, salt dried in pale whorls across his cheeks, pauses beside me. “Dunnett lies west of those skerries — see the smudge on the horizon?”
“It looks like cloud.”
“It is: cloud around the island’s hills.” He hesitates. “Ness, you don’t have to do this. Farra or I could go first and you can land later, once we know where things stand.”
“No.” We’ve been over this often enough, always coming back to the same point: I alone know Dunnett Island. “It’s definitely tonight?”
He nods, reluctance scrawled across his face. “If anything goes wrong, get off-shore straight away. If there’s trouble, you’ll be safer in the boat than on land.”
Of that, I’m unconvinced. Our departure from Dunnett, in the dark, in a
Marta nods. “Both proposals appear manageable. Any further suggestions, Ness?”
I straighten in my chair. “Once trade is established, I think we should invite them to send people to Vidya, and to take what they learn back to Dunnett Island.”
There’s a moment’s silence. I hurry on. “If they could see for themselves that all technology isn’t bad, it would help the island — as well as making them a stronger trading partner,” I add.
“What they see might not impress them.” It’s the first time Brenon’s spoken.
“Some of it won’t,” I agree. “But there’s more potential for trade if the island decides to accept technology.”
“And if they want weapons?” Brenon asks.
“I would hope, in the early stages at least, that weapons won’t come up,” Marta says.
“They will,” Dev says. He doesn’t look at me. Dev’s knowledge of the island came largely from me — and from the islanders’ efforts to kill him once they learned of his existence. My resolve quails slightly as I remember the strength of Jed’s hate.
“Perhaps we’ll deal with that later,” Marta says. “For now, the practicalities.”
Dev is not alone in his reservations about my inclusion on the trip. One of the governors suggests I’m too young for such a weight of risk and responsibility. I don’t remind her that I carried my share of both when Ebony Hill was attacked. It strikes me that the governors don’t really understand what it was like. Perhaps they can’t — or perhaps the intervening year has allowed them to forget.
It makes no difference. Marta’s will carries the discussion. “We’re agreed then. Lara will captain Explorer with her usual crew; Ness and Ronan are included for their knowledge of the islands; and on Brenon’s recommendation, Farra heads the mission.”
“It’ll be cramped with three extra bodies on board,” Lara says, “especially if you expect us to bring back a catch of fish as well.”
“As Ness is a medic, perhaps Kush could stand down. There’s no need to have two,” someone suggests.
“Kush is a sailor as well as a medic,” Lara replies, in a voice like cold water. “And as captain, I believe I choose my crew, if not my passengers.”
Marta quells her with a look. “Certainly you choose your crew. As Explorer ’s captain, you have complete authority regarding sea-sci work undertaken after the mission to Dunnett is complete. But assessing the potential for trade with the islands is the key priority of the trip, and responsibility for that rests with Farra. I trust that’s understood?”
Lara’s nod is terse, her expression leaving no doubt that she resents her research voyage being subverted.
As we walk back through the courtyard, I make the observation to Ronan that Marta and Lara share stubbornness as a trait. He laughs, though he refuses to tell me why.
CHAPTER 7
The breeze bites sharp in my face, swelling the sail above till it seems it must tear and spill the wind it’s caught. Dev, salt dried in pale whorls across his cheeks, pauses beside me. “Dunnett lies west of those skerries — see the smudge on the horizon?”
“It looks like cloud.”
“It is: cloud around the island’s hills.” He hesitates. “Ness, you don’t have to do this. Farra or I could go first and you can land later, once we know where things stand.”
“No.” We’ve been over this often enough, always coming back to the same point: I alone know Dunnett Island. “It’s definitely tonight?”
He nods, reluctance scrawled across his face. “If anything goes wrong, get off-shore straight away. If there’s trouble, you’ll be safer in the boat than on land.”
Of that, I’m unconvinced. Our departure from Dunnett, in the dark, in a
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