Read Online Waking Olympus (The Singers of the Dark Book 1) by Peter Yard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Peter Yard
Tags: Science-Fiction
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and transfer the role. You should probably write that down. This is the first day of your lessons about the trade routes and Traders.”
He supposed that perhaps a Trader Ambassador was only concerned with Trade. Or maybe, he could just admit he had no clue and should ask when he had the chance.
The rest of the day was spent following Tei and listening in as she negotiated horses and camels. He had never seen either creature before coming to Bethor. Now they were everywhere. It was fascinating and appalling, as it usually is when you discover a profound ignorance in yourself. Apparently, there was a complex ritual of handing over horses or camels when the caravans arrived at a destination. The creatures would be fed and rested, taking weeks or even months to recover from the longer journeys. Then when a return caravan of the same clan was leaving, a payment would be made for the agistment and the animals would once again come under the control of the family. This way a family could build up a network of available stocks of beasts to maintain the trade routes and survive dry or difficult times. Dealing with Traders was highly ethical since anyone who wanted to live would never double-cross a Trader, and in response Traders also were highly ethical since they applied the same strict standards to each other. It was a case of mutually assured trust.
That night he did not return to the inn but stayed in the Caravanserai. He had thought they would have left today but this was also part of the leaving and Tei wanted him to experience it. The camp was like a very large tent city with lots of things going on. Noises of people laughing, arguing, drinking, lovemaking, carousing but mostly singing. Smells of smoke and cooking and animals. It was pure transience and yet the Caravanserai endured, a shimmering entity of campfires that was more than the present occupants.
Above him were the stars. It was quiet now, the various fires were barely more than embers. There was no tent. Just stars above and a bedroll. Tei was a couple of meters away. He presumed she was awake, he had seen the reflection of the dying fire on her eyes, she too was looking at the stars.
“I should take some measurements of the Constant Star.”
She rolled over, facing him, her body a silhouette of mystery. All he experienced was her disembodied voice.
“Do you mean Raytans?”
“Thaytan. Yes. I have estimated the distance I travelled by ship to Bethor, so by measuring the change in the background stars I should be able to determine the distance to Raytans, as you call it. After I correct for the latitude and longitude, change in the angular position due to parallax, and factor in motion of the background as part of the astronomical year of course. Then I can confirm our estimates.” He said, slipping now into his normal thinking even in this strange place.
“The Raymond Tans is in geostationary orbit. It isn’t that far away, as those things are measured. I presume that is what you mean by 'estimates', but we only have the hard figures not the calculation. It is about 34,000 kilometers above us.”
He said nothing for a moment. What was going on here? He knew about geostationary orbits. It was secret knowledge. But not only did she know about them she also knew the computed distance to Thaytan, and she seemed to know things that the Center itself did not know.
“The ‘Raymond Tans’?”
“The Raymond Tans is a starship. Your Master Wizard knows this. He also knows what a starship is and should have told you. I can tell you no more. Go to sleep young Wizard.”
“I’m not a Wizard,” he said softly and rather pathetically.
“Oh yes you are. Now I know why they sent you. I’m sure you’ll figure it out yourself.” She gave a wry laugh then rolled over.
Seven other Traders would accompany Tei with the caravan. The usual pattern was for each Trader to take charge of a ‘file’ of camels. There would be eight files this time and each file
He supposed that perhaps a Trader Ambassador was only concerned with Trade. Or maybe, he could just admit he had no clue and should ask when he had the chance.
The rest of the day was spent following Tei and listening in as she negotiated horses and camels. He had never seen either creature before coming to Bethor. Now they were everywhere. It was fascinating and appalling, as it usually is when you discover a profound ignorance in yourself. Apparently, there was a complex ritual of handing over horses or camels when the caravans arrived at a destination. The creatures would be fed and rested, taking weeks or even months to recover from the longer journeys. Then when a return caravan of the same clan was leaving, a payment would be made for the agistment and the animals would once again come under the control of the family. This way a family could build up a network of available stocks of beasts to maintain the trade routes and survive dry or difficult times. Dealing with Traders was highly ethical since anyone who wanted to live would never double-cross a Trader, and in response Traders also were highly ethical since they applied the same strict standards to each other. It was a case of mutually assured trust.
That night he did not return to the inn but stayed in the Caravanserai. He had thought they would have left today but this was also part of the leaving and Tei wanted him to experience it. The camp was like a very large tent city with lots of things going on. Noises of people laughing, arguing, drinking, lovemaking, carousing but mostly singing. Smells of smoke and cooking and animals. It was pure transience and yet the Caravanserai endured, a shimmering entity of campfires that was more than the present occupants.
Above him were the stars. It was quiet now, the various fires were barely more than embers. There was no tent. Just stars above and a bedroll. Tei was a couple of meters away. He presumed she was awake, he had seen the reflection of the dying fire on her eyes, she too was looking at the stars.
“I should take some measurements of the Constant Star.”
She rolled over, facing him, her body a silhouette of mystery. All he experienced was her disembodied voice.
“Do you mean Raytans?”
“Thaytan. Yes. I have estimated the distance I travelled by ship to Bethor, so by measuring the change in the background stars I should be able to determine the distance to Raytans, as you call it. After I correct for the latitude and longitude, change in the angular position due to parallax, and factor in motion of the background as part of the astronomical year of course. Then I can confirm our estimates.” He said, slipping now into his normal thinking even in this strange place.
“The Raymond Tans is in geostationary orbit. It isn’t that far away, as those things are measured. I presume that is what you mean by 'estimates', but we only have the hard figures not the calculation. It is about 34,000 kilometers above us.”
He said nothing for a moment. What was going on here? He knew about geostationary orbits. It was secret knowledge. But not only did she know about them she also knew the computed distance to Thaytan, and she seemed to know things that the Center itself did not know.
“The ‘Raymond Tans’?”
“The Raymond Tans is a starship. Your Master Wizard knows this. He also knows what a starship is and should have told you. I can tell you no more. Go to sleep young Wizard.”
“I’m not a Wizard,” he said softly and rather pathetically.
“Oh yes you are. Now I know why they sent you. I’m sure you’ll figure it out yourself.” She gave a wry laugh then rolled over.
Seven other Traders would accompany Tei with the caravan. The usual pattern was for each Trader to take charge of a ‘file’ of camels. There would be eight files this time and each file
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