Julia had been studying another portion of the map. With a fingertip, she traced another set of lines leading from the vicinity of Heartspace right across to the other side of the parchment. "Then what's this?" she asked. "If you've got the width right, it's almost as fast as the Krynnspace-Heartspace channel, which makes it a major potential trade route. But I've never heard of it before." She looked an unspoken question at Djan, who shook his head as well.
"I got the width right," Teldin said quietly. "If the book's right, it is one of the largest phlogiston rivers in the universe."
"And it leads right here." Djan tapped a circle on the far side of the chart. "To this crystal sphere." He looked closer. "What's this symbol? A flower of some kind?"
Teldin smiled. "You could say that." He caressed the three-petaled flower-which he'd drawn a lot more carefully than anything else on the map-with a calloused forefinger. "That's our destination. Nex."
"Nex?" Djan echoed. "It's a crystal sphere? I've never heard of it."
"I'm not surprised," Teldin agreed. "According to all of the other charts I looked at, it doesn't exist. Neither does the phlogiston river leading to it. But this chart claims it does."
Julia was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "You have to have some good reason to chase wild spacefarers' tales."
"I do," Teldin agreed. "Several of them. First, this symbol. I didn't choose it. It appeared on the chart I copied, and elsewhere in the book as well. Where have you seen it before, Julia?"
She didn't say anything, but Teldin saw her eyes widen, and her gaze drifted to the cloak around his shoulders. She nodded slowly.
"There's more," the Cloakmaster continued. "According to the book, Nex-that's the name of the crystal sphere and the major world inside it-is associated with an ancient race of immense power, capable of reforming entire planets, even entire systems, to suit their needs."
"That sounds like Stardust to me," Djan broke in. "I'm sorry, Captain," he went on apologetically, "but I've heard many myths like that, about some godlike race or other, and I can't bring myself to believe any of them."
"I can," Julia rebutted. "When I was on Radole, I saw the Barrier Mountains and walked through one of the great caverns. They were built by an ancient race, Djan. And 'godlike' is an appropriate description."
The first mate gave her a half bow. "Then I withdraw my objection," he said equably, "having not seen those wonders myself."
"According to the book," Teldin continued, "the race-it called them the 'First Voyagers'-long ago left the universe as we know it. Maybe they died out, maybe they went"-he shrugged-"somewhere else, it didn't say." He glanced at Julia again. "Does that remind you of anything?" he asked.
"Those myths Estriss was always talking about," she said quietly. "The Juna."
Djan cleared his throat quietly. "Perhaps there are some things I need to know if I'm to participate in this discussion," he suggested, his voice dry.
Teldin couldn't help but smile. He clapped his half-elven mate on the shoulder. "You're right, of course. It's rather a long story."
Djan spread his hands. "We have about twenty days until we reach the crystal sphere," he said. "I think I have the time."
Without preamble, Teldin launched into a rendition of what he'd come to think of as the "Saga of the Cloak"-from the night the reigar's spelljamming vessel had crashed on his farm, to his arrival on Crescent in the Ship of Fools. His audience of two remained silent throughout, though he could tell from their expressions when he needed to elaborate on a particular point.
He watched Julia particularly; he knew she already grasped some of the story but not all, though he figured she'd made some informed guesses. He interpreted her occasional slow nod as indication that her guesses had been close to the mark.
At the end, his throat was dry. "Any comments?" he asked.
A slow smile spread over Djan's face. "Verenthestae," he pronounced, "as I'd guessed." He chuckled. "Oh, you don't have to believe me now, but you'll see I'm right." He shook his head in amazement. "Teldin Moore, Cloakmaster. I remember telling you I was looking for a berth on an interesting voyage. I'll have to remember the old saying, 'Be careful what you wish for, lest you receive it.'"
Julia was looking fixedly at the three-petaled flower drawn on the chart. "So the symbol of the Juna is associated with this sphere-what did you call it? Nex?" she mused. "Do you think the Juna are still there?"
"I don't know," he said honestly. "I'd like to think so, and there's some evidence that they might be. But even if they aren't, I might find the answers to a lot of questions."
"Evidence?" Djan picked up on the word, just as Teldin had expected he would. "What evidence would that be?" He Mused. "Something to do with why Nex and this phlogiston river don't appear on other charts?" he surmised. "Am I right?"
"I think so," Teldin allowed. "It has something to do with the sphere's name, too. 'Nex' comes from an ancient language. It means 'violent death.'
"According to the book," he went on quietly, "Nex is a forbidden sphere-or maybe 'proscribed' is a better word. Ships tried to visit it long ago, using the phlogiston river. Few explorers returned, and those that did spoke of being attacked by magic of such titanic power that it could… well…"
" 'Reform entire planets, even entire systems,' " Djan suggested dryly. "Is that the phrase you're looking for?" Teldin simply nodded.
"And Nex was eliminated from all more recent charts because it's proscribed, because to visit it courts violent death, is that what you're saying?" Djan continued.
"It's one possibility," Teldin said.
"Another is that these are all rumors," the half-elf countered calmly, "that neither Nex nor the river in the phlogiston exists."
"Maybe," the Cloakmaster had to admit.
"If you are right, Teldin," Julia started, "what's to say we won't get ourselves blasted out of space?"
He was silent for a few seconds, looking sightlessly at the chart. Then he raised his eyes, met her gaze steadily. "Nothing. If the Juna still exist, and if they created the cloak, I'm betting they'll be able to sense its approach."
"A lot of 'ifs,' " Djan pointed out.
"Granted. But think it through." Teldin ticked off points on his fingers. "First, if Nex doesn't exist, we've lost nothing but time trying to find it. Second, if Nex does exist, but the Juna aren't there, we've lost nothing. Third, if the Juna are still there and they sense the approach of the cloak, we might not have lost anything. Only if the Juna still exist and they attack on sight are we in any danger."
The Cloakmaster drew himself up to his full height. "I want to search for Nex," he said, his voice firm. "I'd like you to sail with me, but it's your choice. If you want, I'll take you back to Crescent.
"Are you with me?" He turned to Djan.
The half-elf was silent for a moment, his face expressionless, then he smiled broadly. "I said I was looking for an interesting voyage. I think I've found it. I'm with you."
"Julia?"
"You know my answer."
Teldin smiled. "All right," he said. "We need to tell the crew. Not everything, obviously, but that this may be a dangerous voyage. Anyone who wants off, they get paid what I promised them. Anyone who stays, they get a bonus equal to their current pay." He looked questioningly at Djan. "Does that make sense?"