Eoeun lived contentedly in the temporal belt of Eoe whose villages were
also called by that name and whose lot seat was called Community.
North
it grew rapidly more cold to the magnetic pole. Now and then an odd Eoeun
had crossed the river and disappeared north into the trees. Sometimes
they had returned with stories of rime-crusted steppes, frozen seas, chunks
of ice bigger than all the houses in a village tumbled together, and great
birds whose eyes pierced the spirit like their
talons pierced the skin.
But
it took a rare strange Eoeun to do that.
Not
as strange as the 1s who abode in the Long Rift, but different-eyed.
The
Rift cut deeply into the planet’s surface to the south. No 1 had ever been
south of that because no 1 wanted to go near to the Rift, which, anyone
could see, prevented going beyond it. Eoeun laughed at that for it explained
how things were in life as well as anything.
Eoe's
Community was situated at a reasonable distance from the intersection of
3 major trade routes in the free band outside of any designated lot and
so the 5 families who regulated life there had paid to have a beacon set
at the cross routes. No risk, they laughed, rubbing their chubby hands
together and winking boldly in anticipation. They expected, life being
what it was, that many vehicles, ships, and caravans of all sorts would
detour to Eoe's biggest for relaxation and refreshment along a barren stretch.
They hired outlanders to construct and manage refueling, care and repair
bays. They sponsored dance contests and also, for the last 5 cycles,
the carc race.
Village
Eoeun marveled at this different spirit prevailing in their seat but rarely
did any journey to see it for themselves.