earth.”
“When, Doctor?” Owen said. “How long have we got?”
“I don't know exactly,” Dr. Diamond said, “but I think it is only a matter of days.”
D r. Diamond equipped Owen and Cati with magno torches, almost like lanterns with handles. He fetched warm leather flying jackets for both of them and flying hats with flaps that went down over their ears. Cati already wore a pair of leather boots and the doctor sent her to get a pair for Owen.
When Owen was dressed he looked up and saw Cati and Wesley grinning at him. “I feel ridiculous!”
“You look … wonderful,” Cati said, choking back a giggle.
“Put your own hat on,” Dr. Diamond said. “From what little I've learned about where we're going, we'll need warm clothing.” He was wearing the biggest flying jacket that Owen had ever seen, and his flying hat had goggles attached. “Pieta …”
“I was wondering when you'd get around to me,” the tall woman said.
“I want you and Wesley—”
“To guard the Starry and the Raggies, and to poke the moon away with sticks if it gets too close.”
“If you can, yes. And watch out for Johnston.”
“Wait,” Pieta said. She took the doctor aside, her face serious. “This is too sudden. Do you know where you are going and what you are going into? The old stories describe Hadima as a dangerous place.”
“It's not like you to be cautious, Pieta.”
“There is a difference between taking a risk and being foolhardy. You have told me nothing of what you intend.”
“I'm sorry, Pieta. Things have happened so fast.” And he told her about the Sub-Commandant's message.
“I see,” she said, frowning. “You have to find this tempod and release the time from it. But even if you find it, how will you know what to do?”
“We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,” the doctor said.
“I shouldn't be going. I am the Watcher,” Cati suddenly burst out. “I should stay and watch.”
“Your watch here is over for now, Cati,” Dr. Diamond said gently, “and you cannot defend the Sleepers as Pieta can. We need you with us. And Owen—”
“Is the Navigator,” Pieta finished his sentence. “But you don't have anyone who can defend you.”
“I don't think our task will be resolved by fighting,” said the doctor softly. “There is no choice. Guard this place for us, Pieta, so that we have somewhere to come back to. I am sure Johnston is up to some mischief.”
Pieta looked at him long and hard. “I don't know if you're right, but I don't know that you're wrong either. If there was more time …”
“If there was …” Dr. Diamond nodded and let the sentence hang in the air.
Pieta sighed and nodded too. She stepped back and put her strong arm around Wesley's thin shoulders. He looked surprised at the gesture. “Well, fish boy, looks like you and me holding the fort.”
“I wish I knew what they mean when they call me the Navigator like that,” Owen whispered to Cati.
“Why don't you ask?” she whispered back.
But Owen stayed silent. The title had some connection with his father and he was never sure whether this was a good or bad thing.
“We must go,” Dr. Diamond called softly. “Look!” At first Owen couldn't see what he was pointing at. Then he saw the way the river seemed to be flowing the wrong way in the moonlight.
“It's the tide!” Wesley exclaimed. “The moon made it do another surge.”
They stared in silence at the gushing threads of water that shone silvery in the moonlight, spilling into the hoofprints where cattle drank at the river.
“The surge is dying,” Wesley said. “You'd best be off before it comes up again.”
They set off in single file walking downriver, away from the Workhouse and Owen's house, Dr. Diamond burdened under his huge rucksack and attaché case, Owen and Cati carrying the magno torches, although they didn't need them yet.
Owen turned back and saw Pieta and Wesley silhouetted in the moonlight. Wesley raised a hand in the
“When, Doctor?” Owen said. “How long have we got?”
“I don't know exactly,” Dr. Diamond said, “but I think it is only a matter of days.”
D r. Diamond equipped Owen and Cati with magno torches, almost like lanterns with handles. He fetched warm leather flying jackets for both of them and flying hats with flaps that went down over their ears. Cati already wore a pair of leather boots and the doctor sent her to get a pair for Owen.
When Owen was dressed he looked up and saw Cati and Wesley grinning at him. “I feel ridiculous!”
“You look … wonderful,” Cati said, choking back a giggle.
“Put your own hat on,” Dr. Diamond said. “From what little I've learned about where we're going, we'll need warm clothing.” He was wearing the biggest flying jacket that Owen had ever seen, and his flying hat had goggles attached. “Pieta …”
“I was wondering when you'd get around to me,” the tall woman said.
“I want you and Wesley—”
“To guard the Starry and the Raggies, and to poke the moon away with sticks if it gets too close.”
“If you can, yes. And watch out for Johnston.”
“Wait,” Pieta said. She took the doctor aside, her face serious. “This is too sudden. Do you know where you are going and what you are going into? The old stories describe Hadima as a dangerous place.”
“It's not like you to be cautious, Pieta.”
“There is a difference between taking a risk and being foolhardy. You have told me nothing of what you intend.”
“I'm sorry, Pieta. Things have happened so fast.” And he told her about the Sub-Commandant's message.
“I see,” she said, frowning. “You have to find this tempod and release the time from it. But even if you find it, how will you know what to do?”
“We'll cross that bridge when we come to it,” the doctor said.
“I shouldn't be going. I am the Watcher,” Cati suddenly burst out. “I should stay and watch.”
“Your watch here is over for now, Cati,” Dr. Diamond said gently, “and you cannot defend the Sleepers as Pieta can. We need you with us. And Owen—”
“Is the Navigator,” Pieta finished his sentence. “But you don't have anyone who can defend you.”
“I don't think our task will be resolved by fighting,” said the doctor softly. “There is no choice. Guard this place for us, Pieta, so that we have somewhere to come back to. I am sure Johnston is up to some mischief.”
Pieta looked at him long and hard. “I don't know if you're right, but I don't know that you're wrong either. If there was more time …”
“If there was …” Dr. Diamond nodded and let the sentence hang in the air.
Pieta sighed and nodded too. She stepped back and put her strong arm around Wesley's thin shoulders. He looked surprised at the gesture. “Well, fish boy, looks like you and me holding the fort.”
“I wish I knew what they mean when they call me the Navigator like that,” Owen whispered to Cati.
“Why don't you ask?” she whispered back.
But Owen stayed silent. The title had some connection with his father and he was never sure whether this was a good or bad thing.
“We must go,” Dr. Diamond called softly. “Look!” At first Owen couldn't see what he was pointing at. Then he saw the way the river seemed to be flowing the wrong way in the moonlight.
“It's the tide!” Wesley exclaimed. “The moon made it do another surge.”
They stared in silence at the gushing threads of water that shone silvery in the moonlight, spilling into the hoofprints where cattle drank at the river.
“The surge is dying,” Wesley said. “You'd best be off before it comes up again.”
They set off in single file walking downriver, away from the Workhouse and Owen's house, Dr. Diamond burdened under his huge rucksack and attaché case, Owen and Cati carrying the magno torches, although they didn't need them yet.
Owen turned back and saw Pieta and Wesley silhouetted in the moonlight. Wesley raised a hand in the
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