Because none of his friends are free to accompany him, Jack Birnam hikes alone into the Weathermother where, as often on rapidly spinning Avalon, there is a sudden storm. His sleeping bag with hood and breathing mask can keep him warm at lower than Avalonian temperatures. A duraplast sheet keeps off hail and debris. Explosive pegs hold the collapsible alloy frame firm in the bedrock. His pocket transceiver can summon an aircar from a nearby rescue station if necessary - as long as the storm does not prevent air travel. Thus, technology more or less keeps a lone individual safe in a wilderness.
Ayan, Wyvan of Stormgate, flies into the Weathermother, wearing only belt, pouch and dagger. Ythrians, unclothed and able to hunt live prey, are considerably closer to nature than their fellow Avalonians of human stock.
Ivar Holm points out to Jack that, in an inter-species exchange, human beings gained fertile prairies and lost only mountains which are humanly useful only for recreation and then only by a few. This is an excellent story of inter-species cooperation.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Technological advances are fine, as far as they go. But I don't think it was very smart of Jack Birnam to go trekking alone into virtually uncharted wilderness. Because I remember reading somewhere that campers should never travel alone into such areas--because no matter how well equipped they might be, they could still come to fatal grief if alone.
Humans might still desire mountainous regions for reasons other than the merely sentimental. Some might have valuable deposits of useful ores--hence desired for mines.
Ad astra! Sean
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