51

With Keimia occupied organizing the warriors against whatever killed her huntress, Chief Kothis considers his options, then offers a reluctant nod. His daughter will dispute the decision, you suspect, but probably does not have the authority to reimprison Control.

"Good," Stralchus says. "Keep your eye on Control, Mexihcatl, but having her with us is better than letting these heathens poke her with sticks."

The controllers file out of their cage, showing signs of curiosity but not relief.

"Now," Control says, "what can we offer these people?"

After the burial of the huntress, you take inventory of your modern tools. Stralchus has stood guard over them during your convalescence and appears to take a proprietary interest in the steel axes, trench shovels, and surveying equipment you brought with you. Then you explore the village and consider how to help the River People. Several possibilities present themselves.

The docks, normally used for trade as well as fishing and storage, have become neglected and snarled with lines. Fast hands could easily create a pulley system that would allow the River People to move cargo more quickly…if trade picks up again.

Or you could try something more abstract and discuss basic financial procedures. The ethical ramifications of introducing currency to the River People are confusing, but you can at least teach them how to make marks on the tops of baskets to count their fish.

Whatever killed that huntress still has easy access to the village. Dr. Sabbatine packed carpentry tools, including axes; you couldn't finish a palisade, but with enough endurance, you could demonstrate basic principles of wall construction and leave the villagers to work out the details.

But there are only a few axes. Instead, you could encourage people to clear nearby underbrush with their own tools, leading them on expeditions to create roads and remove some of the venomous creatures that are a greater danger to the hunters than huge monsters.

Finally, you could eschew the practical entirely: these people have paint and walls, and you could create murals for them, giving them hope in these troubled times.