The Days of Peleg (39 page)

Within two days they were traveling through an ocean of fresh, cold water, and Enmerkar completed the process of refilling their stores.

The sun maintained its daily circuit around the horizon, and speculation grew concerning the source of such cold water. Many men thought they might see samples of
šeg
, which could theoretically form in such cool environments.

Most metals could be heated to a point where they became liquid, and (in theory)
anything
could be turned into a liquid given enough heat. By the same line of reasoning, it was theorized that water (which was already a liquid) would coalesce and solidify, if cooled enough.

Šeg
was the name given to this hypothetical substance, but since no one knew how low the temperature had to be, and there were no known climates that were cold enough, it was the subject of much speculation.

Top chemists at the Citadel were confident that someday they would develop the ability to produce the necessary cold temperatures, and when they did, they positively proclaimed that water would solidify into heavy, blue-black, amorphous globules of solid
šeg
, and would probably be very dangerous to the touch. Of course, as with any molten substance, it would certainly thicken prior to hardening.

There was now plenty of fresh water on board, but Captain Phaxâd wanted to continue their southern route, and he made the following announcement.

“It may be that we are simply entering an enormous bay, but I am hoping that this course may lead to a trans-polar shipping route. This was the sort of discovery that the
Parsu
was commissioned to find, but since we find ourselves in her territory, this is an opportunity that is too important to miss.”

He glanced around at the crewmen who reluctantly agreed, and continued.

“For those who are concerned that we are hopelessly lost, I want to assure you that, in fact, the exact opposite is true.”

Peleg started at this blatant lie, and waited to see what kind of verbal manipulation the Captain was going to use to turn their fate into a word of encouragement.

“Soon, I believe we will reach a point where
all
directions will be north, and once we emerge from this continent, we should be directly south of our homeland.

“At that point, we will be able to head due north, and within two years, we should be able to arrive home ahead of schedule.”

Some cautious approval spread throughout the men, while a few remained skeptical.

“The importance of a trans-polar route cannot be overestimated. It allows faster and shorter travel, and promotes commercial shipping which will certainly increase, using the routes and discoveries we are making for many years to come!”

He paused, and everyone knew it was for applause, which they obligingly gave.

“If anyone needs help understanding what I just said, they can ask Chief Navigator Peleg.”

All eyes turned to Peleg, who attempted an approving smile.

For the next three days, Peleg found himself giving refresher courses in spherical geometry.

“It’s cold!” exclaimed Serug. He shook the powdery white substance off of his hands.

Peleg had accompanied Thaxad and Serug on a short expedition to the base of one of the white-topped ridges nearby. The
Urbat
had anchored while men scoured the area for grains, roots, and whatever else could be found to increase their edible stores in this desolate land. There was some momentary excitement when someone had found some skeletal remains of a very large animal while digging for roots. The possibility of fresh animal meat meant that the dwindling stores of dried monkey and boar could be replenished. Plus, a good mammoth-roast would do wonders for morale. Unfortunately, it was soon determined that this poor beast had lost its life more than two hundred years ago—most certainly a victim of the Great Calamity.

Thaxad was determined to examine the white substance covering the distant mountains, and when this nearby ridge had presented itself, the three had set out to investigate.

They had taken extra blankets, and by the time they arrived at the foothills, they were all wearing them. Patches of the white substance could be seen covering the ground, increasing in frequency until the entire landscape in the distance was completely covered with brilliant whiteness and even difficult to look at.

“Of course it’s cold,” Peleg taunted. “Everything is cold, here.”

“I believe he means that it is even colder than the surrounding area,” offered Thaxad. “It must have properties, due to its color and obvious light density, that actually conducts heat from his hand.”

Serug nodded incomprehensibly. “Yes, I think that’s it.”

After a moments thought, he then proclaimed, “I think this stuff is
šeg
.”

“Nonsense,” said Thaxad. “Water congeals into a dense, dark blue form. Everyone knows that. Just like solidified iron—except in this case
šeg
would be solidified water.”

Serug grabbed another handful and closed his fingers around it, clenching the substance into his fist. His face contorted as the cold pierced his inner palms, ironically creating a burning sensation. With his eyes closed, he forced himself through the pain, refusing to let his fingers part.

Eventually, Serug opened his eyes and released his hand. Looking into his palm, they saw that the white material had disappeared—and it its place was a small puddle of clear liquid.

He tipped his head down and stuck his tongue into the liquid as Peleg shouted, “Serug!”

It was too late. The impetuous Serug smacked his lips and looked up at Thaxad.

“It’s water,” he declared, raising his eyebrows.

“Impossible,” Thaxad insisted. “If that were
šeg
, it would have melted into a much larger amount of water. This white material appears to have even
less
density than water, which completely disqualifies it as
šeg
.”

He looked at Serug patronizingly.

“Besides, how would all that water get to the top of mountains and just sit there? This material is certainly something else—and I would suggest you not taste any more of it.”

Serug lapped up what remained in his hand and looked at Peleg and grinned.

“Tasting is believing,” he intoned, with a quick look at Thaxad.

The tall Mentor grunted and glared at Serug.

“You
know
where you can go.”

That night was colder than any they had ever experienced. The scouts had discovered several patches of wild wheat, and had excitedly collected the kernels and brought them into the hold. Most men discovered the need for a third blanket, and since the only fire on board was in the galley, much of the crew spent the night drinking warm broth made from the recently discovered grain.

The next morning, the men returned to the shore in the dinghy, only to discover that there was a thin, crystalline film covering the water in the shallower areas, and it had to be broken with repeated blows from the oars before the men could pass through.

This created more conversations about ‘
šeg
’, but when Thaxad came to investigate, he again scoffed.

“If there
is
to be any
šeg
found here, it will be laying on the seabed where the cold and pressure are greatest. Like any solid, it would sink to the bottom due to its greater concentration.”

He glared at all of them.

“Leave chemistry to the chemists! When molten matter becomes solid, its density
increases
.”

Thaxad reached over the edge of the dinghy and punched through a small section of the frosty film. It cracked and he retrieved a jagged slice which he flung out over the water where it bobbed and floated along the contours of the gentle waves.

“Solid
water
would sink instantly!” He pointed triumphantly. “This material is certainly some kind of silicate or crystallized saline runoff caused by the cold climate.”

He thought for a second.

“It probably is leeched out of the soil.”

With that he nodded and demanded to be returned to the
Urbat
.

Three days later there was a thick cloud cover, but since the winds were still calm, Peleg was able to take a short survey in
Zini
.

Their passage was still taking them almost due south (according to his compass), but from his vantage point he could now see some land to the west. Towering red cliffs appeared along the far shore, but there was no way to determine their true height or distance. This helped confirm his belief that this was truly an enormous river or bay, and that he was viewing the opposite side.

He was concerned that this span might become narrower and eventually they would be forced to return the way they had come, but Captain Phaxâd was adamant in his hope of finding a route across the pole. The fact they were sailing through fresh water implied to Peleg that this would not be the case.

The next morning a fine white ash covered the
Urbat
and everything on board, much the same as the black volcanic soot which had blanketed the ship during the weeks of darkness.

Upon further investigation, it was clear that it was the same cold, white material which Serug and the others had discovered in the foothills, and the men began playing with it by melting it in their hands or forming it into small balls which they playfully hurled at one another.

Serug and some of the other men brushed a small sample onto a blanket and called for Thaxad, again, to get his opinion.

In the foothills, this substance had been compacted, but Thaxad could now see the individual particles which comprised it. He stared long and hard at the sparkling powder, but he could see that it would soon turn into the same liquid which stubbornly insisted on displaying all the properties of water.

He yelled for Peleg, who had just arrived.

“Do you still have that remaining refraction disc?” Thaxad demanded.

Peleg nodded.

“Go fetch it!”

Peleg returned to see that there was a fresh sample on the blanket. Thaxad grabbed the disc and peered at individual flakes for several minutes. Periodically he would mutter words like “amazing” and “unimaginable”, and eventually, as the substance started to melt on the cloth, he straightened.

“It is
šeg
,” he finally declared in a confident voice that was absent any embarrassment or bewilderment. Initial cheers were muted out of respect for the Chief Chemist.

He scowled at them.

“It is not often that I am wrong,” he stated, waiting for the hurried nods from the surrounding men.

“Incidentally, I began to have my own doubts last night as I thought it through. I realized that if
šeg
did exist only in the cold, pressurized depths of bodies of water, it would cool and harden the surrounding water, slowly filling the waterways and oceans with solid water from the bottom up. Eventually all life in the oceans would die, and the planet itself would be covered with
šeg
. So—if it
did
exist, all life would soon be destroyed by it.

“The other possibility was that when water solidified, it formed a sparse crystalline pattern which actually expanded and
decreased
its density, allowing it to cool and harden only on the surface. Upon examining the individual flakes, I am able to confirm this.

“Each piece of
šeg
has been formed into a beautiful six-sided crystalline structure, which appears to be unique to each flake. Apparently, when water cools, it
expands
into this hexagonal pattern! Very unique. And very fortunate.”

He looked intently into their eyes and almost smiled.

“Considering the alternative, I am glad to say I was wrong.”

With that he passed the cloth and disc around for them to examine, turned, and retreated to his cabin.

The small group broke up and the crew returned to find additional artistic and entertaining uses for the newly discovered
šeg
.

The far shore could now be seen by everyone, and it was clear that this river (or bay) was slowly narrowing. There had been additional occurrences of
šeg
falling from the sky, and both coastlines were now covered in white.

Moisture was also crystallizing in the sails where it weighed them down and threatened to destroy their shape. The wind kept them flexible, but soon they would become too stiff for tacking and eventually would have to be lowered.

A concerted effort to catch fish had begun, since meat reserves were quickly disappearing. Fish normally didn’t store well, but in this cold climate, they could be stored for several days in nets hanging from the ship. Also, there appeared to be no place to renew their supply of firewood for the galley, so fish-oil was needed to heat the bare essentials for the broth which they might soon be consuming exclusively.

“I’m moving my birds below-deck,” said Serug. “I think it’s getting too cold for them.”

“They seem to be handling it better than we are,” said Peleg, watching as a puff of condensed vapor escaped his mouth.

The crew now wore full pants and jackets made from blankets at all times, and some had even fashioned headbands to cover their ears. The sun continued its nodding circuit around the horizon, but Peleg had the impression that it was lower now, since, for more than two weeks, they had been plunging further into the south. Occasionally a few stars were visible in the darkened zenith, but only landmarks along the horizon made it possible to estimate the days.

Attention had turned to Serug’s
tum
-birds for alternative provisions. They had been growing well, but the grains which were used to feed them would soon be needed by the crew. Eventually, they would have to be sacrificed if the sparse conditions continued. Until such time, however, Serug wanted them moved to the warmer interior of the ship.

“Look at that one,” Serug indicated a small male huddling in the corner of the wooden cage. “I think he’s shivering.”