Quest for the Well of Souls - Jack L. Chalker [70]
The horses started doing the math in their heads, but Wooley cut them off. "It's about 2,400 kilometers, all told. A huge distance."
Joshi was shocked. "That far in the North? Without air, without any food or water we don't take with us? It's impossible!"
"Not impossible," the Yaxa responded. "Difficult. You forget we have had a great deal of time to prepare for this mission, both diplomatically and logistically. A thousand or so of those kilometers will be hard traveling. In others we will obtain transport and be resupplied from established caches. Still, the going will be difficult, and dangerous."
"What about us?" Mavra asked. "How will we breathe and be protected?"
"I told you there were several reasons for your being horses. Well, the Dillians—you might remember them, they are centaurs—in whatever part of space their colony began, also attained space flight. We have obtained two of the suits and a spare from off-planet Dillian Entries and easily modified them," the Yaxa explained. "They are made for an equine shape, yet operate in the main as yours do—they are form-fitting when pressurized. It is all arranged."
"And when do we start this great expedition?" Mavra prodded, excited.
"Tomorrow. Early tomorrow," the Yaxa replied, and left. The door whined shut behind her.
They stood in silence for a few minutes, thinking. Suddenly Mavra became aware that Joshi was shaking his hindquarters, obviously agitated.
"What's the matter?" she asked. "Worried?"
"It's not that," he replied, certainly upset about something. "Mavra, will you look down between my hind legs and tell me what you see?"
She humored him, lowered her head, and looked carefully. "Nothing," she answered. "Why?"
"That's what I thought," he cried mournfully. "Damn it, Mavra! I think they made me a girl horse!"
Ortega's Office, South Zone
The intercom on Serge Ortega's desk buzzed and he punched it.
"Yes?"
"They're here, sir," his secretary answered.
"They?" he responded, then decided quibbling wasn't worth the trouble. "Send them in."
The door slid back, and two creatures slow-hopped in. They looked very much like meter-and-a-half-long frogs, with legs in proportion, although one was slightly smaller than the other and had a lighter green complexion. On their whitish undersides elaborate symbols were tattooed.
"Antor Trelig," Ortega nodded. "And?"
"My wife, Burodir," the larger of the two frogs responded.
"Charmed," the snake-man replied dryly. He looked around. There were spaces for Uliks to curl and some chairs and a couch for visiting humanoids, but there seemed to be nothing appropriate for frogs. "Have a seat if anything fits."
The chairs did, surprisingly. As the frogs sat, they looked almost human, curved legs slightly crossed.
"You know what's up, I assume, so I won't beat around the bush," Ortega began. "The Yaxa have Mavra Chang, and they are ready to start any moment with Chang and Yulin into the North. We have to get there—if not ahead of them, then at roughly the same time as they do. It'll be a rough trip out, and there may be a fight at the end. It's very much like a miniature replay of the Wars of the Well on neutral turf."
Trelig nodded. "I understand. You have my complete cooperation, Ambassador Ortega."
"Cooperation, yes—but I think we understand each other, Trelig," the Ulik answered pointedly. "Don't cross me. I'm sending some people with you as my representatives. One is an Agitar, and you know what kind of power he has."
Trelig nodded.
Ortega continued, "Also along will be a Lata, whose sting works on Makiem, and who will have flying speed on New Pompeii—and some male and female Dillian centaurs to help carry supplies. In addition, one of the Yaxa who's along with the other side, goes by the name Wooley, is a former sponge-addict Entry."
Trelig, former head of the sponge syndicate, gasped.
"She has sworn to kill you at any cost and has tried several times," the snake-man continued. "She'll try again up North. The Yaxa are among the most cunning and deadly creatures on the Well World, so you can