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To use even a peep-probe indiscreetly near one of their outposts might bring swift and terrible retribution. The Ancient Mariners Another map spread out and this time pinned down with small stones on beach gravel. "Here, here, and here " Ashe's finger indicated the points marked in a pattern which flared out from three sides of Finger Island.
Torches to the fore, they entered its shadow, only to remain baffled. Here and there were patches of the same gray showing in its interior. Ashe dug the butt of his spear-gun into the sand on the flooring to uncover another oval depression. But what it all signified or what had been its purpose, they could not guess. "Set up the peep-probe here?" Ross asked. Ashe's head moved in a slow negative.
"You learned the language, the customs, everything you could about your time and your cover. You were letter perfect before you took even a trial run!" "And here you would have no guides," Karara said, nodding. "Yes, I can see the difficulty. Then you will just use the peep-probe?" "Probably. Oh, maybe later on we can scout through a gate. We have the material to set one up.
Whether they were originally in the water, or the land sank, that we don't know either. But now we have a site to set up the peep-probe." "We do that right away?" Ross wanted to know. Impatience bit at him. But Ashe still had a trace of frown. He shook his head. "Have to make sure of our site, very sure. I don't want to start any chain reaction on the other side of the time wall."
"No luck, as usual?" "As usual," Karara conceded. "If there ever was a civilization here, it's been gone so long we'll probably never find any traces. Why don't you just pick out a good place to set up that time-probe and try it blind?" Ross scowled. "Because" his patience was exaggerated to the point of insult "we have only one peep-probe.
Yes, dusk was the proper time for using a peep-probe. To see without risk of being sighted in return was their safeguard. Here Ashe had no historical data to guide him. Their search for the former inhabitants might be a long drawn-out process skipping across centuries as the machine was adjusted to Terran time eras. "When were they here?"
And once that decision was made, the Terrans went into action. Two days to go, to install the peep-probe and take some shots before the ship had to clear with or without their evidence. Together Ross and Ashe floated the installation out to the reef, Ui and Karara helping to tow the equipment and parts, the dolphins lending pushing noses on occasion.
All they needed was the brick of discovery; then they could build their wall. But they must find some remainder of the past, the smallest trace of ancient ruin upon which to center their peep-probe. And since landing here the long days had flowed into weeks with no such discovery made.
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