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Authors: William R. Forstchen
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Their angles were like razor edges against the late afternoon sky, presenting a vivid contrast of dark blue against brown and gray.
"Not as pretty, though, as Homefree." Storm reached over to squeeze Mark's hand.
How lucky he truly was, he thought, letting the warmer thoughts push aside the nightmare images. It was still hard to believe that he lived in luxury far surpassing even the most palatial mansions he had visited back in England. In fact the gently rolling countryside and the orderly villages and formal gardens around his new estate of Homefree did remind him of England in the springtime.
In many ways he was now like a baron, living in splendor.
But it was a position that matched more into his American sensibilities than the old feudal system of Europe. There were eight villages in his fiefdom, each ruled by an elected town council. He could advise, and act as a judge to settle disputes, but if his decision was not satisfactory it was within the villagers' rights to go straight over his head to Allic. Though they paid him the respect he was entitled to as a warrior and sorcerer, he was expected to serve in turn. Allic had made it clear that any behavior disrupting the orderly management of his province, or any mistreatment of the people, would not be tolerated.
"We'll be home before you know it," Storm said, as if reading his thoughts. "Assimilating Sarnak's realm and following through on this latest incident will take some time, but I dare say you'll be rotated back in a couple of months and we'll have plenty of time to be together again."
Mark sat back without comment. Storm laid down alongside of him, her eyes filled with concern. But he didn't want to talk about the turmoil inside him, the gnawing fear that the hell he had glimpsed was the fate awaiting him.
"You folks care for a swim?"
Mark looked up to see Leti and Ikawa standing hand in hand before him.
"A splendid idea," Storm cried, coming to her feet and pulling Mark up alongside her.
Mark looked over the edge of the cliff to the vast lake below. It was hot; perhaps a good swim would be just the thing to cool him off.
"Let's do a little underwater exploring while we're at it," Leti suggested.
Surprised, Mark said, "That lake is sheer-walled and looks to be a couple of hundred feet deep."
"Silly, you can fly through the air, why not underwater?"
Now this was a twist, and the idea certainly was appealing. There had been reports that the Italians had perfected a method of underwater breathing learned from some Frenchman. They had used it to remarkable effect in sinking several British ships. He had always wanted to try it out, and now he realized there was nothing to stop him from doing it on this world.
"It's simple enough," Leti explained. "Compress your shield in tight to your body, and allow it to be porous enough for air to get through, but for the water to stay out. Your shield will act as the gills on a fish, and your creativity will automatically make oxygen for you to breath."
"How deep can we go?" Ikawa asked excitedly.
"For now, keep it at several hundred feet. Every thirty feet is roughly equal to one atmosphere. Until you've mastered the skill you might have a leak break through when you go much above ten atmospheres. And don't let your shield rupture. Your pressure inside the shield is the same as on the surface; the sudden change would kill you. After some practice you should be able to reach five, even six hundred feet deep. Just imagine you're flying. The principle is the same."
The two men looked at each other excitedly.
"Well, let's get in the water," Storm announced.
Without hesitation she untied the simple belt around her waist and pulled her shift up over her head with Leti following suit. A moment later both were naked except for the crystal belts around their wrists and waists.
Mark and Ikawa looked at each other nervously. They had grown accustomed to the relaxed sexual mores on Haven, but since their involvements
"Not as pretty, though, as Homefree." Storm reached over to squeeze Mark's hand.
How lucky he truly was, he thought, letting the warmer thoughts push aside the nightmare images. It was still hard to believe that he lived in luxury far surpassing even the most palatial mansions he had visited back in England. In fact the gently rolling countryside and the orderly villages and formal gardens around his new estate of Homefree did remind him of England in the springtime.
In many ways he was now like a baron, living in splendor.
But it was a position that matched more into his American sensibilities than the old feudal system of Europe. There were eight villages in his fiefdom, each ruled by an elected town council. He could advise, and act as a judge to settle disputes, but if his decision was not satisfactory it was within the villagers' rights to go straight over his head to Allic. Though they paid him the respect he was entitled to as a warrior and sorcerer, he was expected to serve in turn. Allic had made it clear that any behavior disrupting the orderly management of his province, or any mistreatment of the people, would not be tolerated.
"We'll be home before you know it," Storm said, as if reading his thoughts. "Assimilating Sarnak's realm and following through on this latest incident will take some time, but I dare say you'll be rotated back in a couple of months and we'll have plenty of time to be together again."
Mark sat back without comment. Storm laid down alongside of him, her eyes filled with concern. But he didn't want to talk about the turmoil inside him, the gnawing fear that the hell he had glimpsed was the fate awaiting him.
"You folks care for a swim?"
Mark looked up to see Leti and Ikawa standing hand in hand before him.
"A splendid idea," Storm cried, coming to her feet and pulling Mark up alongside her.
Mark looked over the edge of the cliff to the vast lake below. It was hot; perhaps a good swim would be just the thing to cool him off.
"Let's do a little underwater exploring while we're at it," Leti suggested.
Surprised, Mark said, "That lake is sheer-walled and looks to be a couple of hundred feet deep."
"Silly, you can fly through the air, why not underwater?"
Now this was a twist, and the idea certainly was appealing. There had been reports that the Italians had perfected a method of underwater breathing learned from some Frenchman. They had used it to remarkable effect in sinking several British ships. He had always wanted to try it out, and now he realized there was nothing to stop him from doing it on this world.
"It's simple enough," Leti explained. "Compress your shield in tight to your body, and allow it to be porous enough for air to get through, but for the water to stay out. Your shield will act as the gills on a fish, and your creativity will automatically make oxygen for you to breath."
"How deep can we go?" Ikawa asked excitedly.
"For now, keep it at several hundred feet. Every thirty feet is roughly equal to one atmosphere. Until you've mastered the skill you might have a leak break through when you go much above ten atmospheres. And don't let your shield rupture. Your pressure inside the shield is the same as on the surface; the sudden change would kill you. After some practice you should be able to reach five, even six hundred feet deep. Just imagine you're flying. The principle is the same."
The two men looked at each other excitedly.
"Well, let's get in the water," Storm announced.
Without hesitation she untied the simple belt around her waist and pulled her shift up over her head with Leti following suit. A moment later both were naked except for the crystal belts around their wrists and waists.
Mark and Ikawa looked at each other nervously. They had grown accustomed to the relaxed sexual mores on Haven, but since their involvements
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