Spindrift
Chapter 5: Cold Comfort

As quietly as I could, I pulled the cover aside. A humid draft rose from below.

Ari leaned forward. “Ah, sweet heaven! Cleanwater!” Her eyes were eager, almostdesperate.

“Well! I can see there’llbe no fitting my chair through that.” She opened a small panel, pushed a button and pulled some wires loose. There was a spark and a small puff of smokefrom burning circuitry. The hover-chairsettled to the floor with a gentle thump. “No need to gift the latest repulsor-lift tech to Edgar’s engineers.” She slid off the chair, sat on the edge ofthe well and pulled off her dress. Shethen tied her sash with the pistol around her middle. “You’d best do the same, sweetie. The water smells deep. And get rid of those boots!”

Trying to ignore her bare breasts, I did as she said. Then I took the rifle, which was too heavy toswim with, removed and broke the firing pin.

Ari wiggled her tail and flexed her fin. “I’m gonna love this!” Then she slipped off the edge and plunged intothe darkness. There was a splashfollowed by a giggle. “What are youwaiting for, Dri? The water’sdelicious!”

I sat down, slid off and dangled by my fingers for a fewmoments. I steeled myself for the coldand let go. The surface of the water wasless than a meter below my toes. Isplashed in. It must have been at leastfour meters deep and was every bit as cold as expected. It took my breath away. I surfaced and sucked in air. Ari was swimming on the top, her tailscattering droplets like small diamonds in the dim light. Then she dove, her fin flipping as it wentunder. A moment later she reemergedright next to me.

“This is wonderful! Isn’t it, Dri?”

“Oooff!” I said, andmy teeth began to chatter.

“Oh dear, you’re cold aren’t you. We’ll have to get swimming then. It’ll warm you up. Come on.”

I’d always fancied myself a good swimmer and, by main-linehuman standards, I was. But I was wayout of my league swimming with Ari. Shewas patient with me, however. Like amother strolling with a toddler, she would go a little ways ahead and stop,then turn and circle me, all the while giving encouragement. Eventually, she gave up and had me hang on toher shoulders while she towed me.

There was very little light, but it should have been totaldarkness. High on the gray brick walls,however, and at regular intervals, were small rectangular, glowing panels. I pointed them out to Ari.

“That can’t be current Rii technology,” she said. “They must date to the founding of thiscolony.”

“It’s amazing that they’ve kept all this operational for somany centuries.”

“It’s because theirvery existence depends on it.”

It’s not unusual on dry worlds and dry regions on wet worldsto replace cisterns, aqueducts and other means of collecting, storing ordistributing precious water. Never had Iseen anything as extensive or sophisticated as what was under the Riicapital. According to the map Jen showedus, no Rii household was more than a few dozen meters from a well opening. The tunnels were uniformly seven meters inwidth and five in height. The masonrywas finely laid and proof against leakage. Also, though I couldn’t feel it, Ari assured me that there was a slightcurrent, just enough to prevent stagnation.

After a while, we moved beyond where the palace walls wouldbe. The brickwork gave way to roughstone and the light panels ceased, but just enough starlight came down from theopen wells for Ari’s sensitive eyes. These open wells were placed at intervals of seventy-five to two hundredmeters along either side of the tunnel. There were no ladders.

The water level remained the same, but silt and gravel hadpartly filled some stretches of tunnel. Eventuallywe came to an area too shallow for a mermaid to swim. We decided to take a rest. I stood up and tried to rub some life backinto my limbs. Ari sat running herfingers through her hair and humming to herself.

“Drat!” she finally said. “I shouldn’t have left my comb in the chair. I could have stuck it in this sash! I must look like some evil sea-witch.”

I sat on a ledge near her. “You look wonderful!” My opinion was based on affection alone sinceI could barely see her outline.

She smiled and looked down modestly. “Thank you. You’ve got it bad, Dri, and I’ve not even sung to you yet!”

“Yes, I suppose I do,” I chuckled. “I can’t seem to help it.”

She was quiet and seemed thoughtful for a while after that. Finally, she said, “Careful what you awaken,Mister Morgan. My people fall in lovequickly but very deeply.”

“My father proposed to my mother on their first meeting.”

“Oh? I presume shesaid yes.”

“Not ‘til months later, but she told me years afterward thatfrom that very day, her fate was sealed.”

“Is my fate sealed then?” Ari laughed.

“I can’t say. But Iknow that mine is.”

She became serious again, and said nothing more.

We continued on. Icarried her until the water got past knee-deep and she could swim. When it got past waist-deep, she towed meagain. The water remained that depth anddeeper until she stopped beneath one of the wells.

This is it. She thought, for fear of being overheard. Assumingthat map was accurate and I’ve counted right.

I looked up at the circle of brighter dimness. It was about ten meters up and narrow, withno way to climb except roughly laid stones. I could do it easily. But…

It doesn’t look goodfor me does it? It was more astatement than a question. Shesighed. If there were wide enough ledges, I could push up with my tail or restmy weight on them while pulling myself up…I just can’t do it.

You could hang on tomy shoulders while I climb up.

She shook her head sadly. The way’s too narrow. Look, I’ll be safe down here, at least forthe time-being. You go ahead.

I can’t just leave youhere!

Of course youcan! Don’t be silly. You have to get in contact with Windridge andChang!

Maybe one of the otheropenings…

I looked at each ofthe ones we passed. They’re all likethis. You’ll need a rope to haul me up!

She was right. Add tothat the fact that the well would be in the middle of the street. Getting from there to Chang’s door could bevery dangerous.

Alright. But, ifone or the other of us has to move, how will we replace each other again? There are hundreds of these openings!

Try whistling this! As she softly sang a four note tune intomy ear, her mouth brushed my cheek. Iturned slightly and our lips met. Aftera moment, she responded. We clung toeach other as we kissed.

“I guess I can’t help it either. Perhaps my fate is indeed sealed,” shewhispered. Now, no heroics, Dri! I don’tfancy growing old down here, especially without you!

Don’t worry. I just found another reason to want to live.

We parted. I wished Icould see her face, but it was still too dark. I then began the long climb to the street above.