42 Summer 519 Crylon had not been in Zeltiva long, but already he was back at the docks. Not because he was leaving. No, because he was considering choices. Things to do. To be. To see. He had spent the day before getting a job and a visa, and was properly in the city. Then he had gone by the school in the city, the big human run place. That was in part where his interest was coming from, and why he was visiting the docks. For the docks had something he was interested in, and also something he did not like. And because he did not like it, he was forcing himself to face it as best he could. By working and making and building things. He did not like the ocean. But he did like and have an interest in boats. Those large wooden things which protected oneself against the ocean, which allowed one to travel across it. Like a boot allowed one to cross rough or jagged ground, step on bits of broken metal, broken glass, a boat insulated one from the ocean. Admittedly, Crylon sighed to himself, the metaphor ended there. Boats did more than just that, also allowing one to travel faster and other things, along with allowing one to be protected from direct confrontation from the depth of water. Something boots did not allow. It was this property of boats which so appealed to Crylon, which so drew his interest. If he could better understand the beast that was a boat, what it could do and what it was.... Then perhaps he could better face his fear and enter the sea on his own terms. Heading out on the docks a bit nervously, Crylon looked about quickly, jumping several times as someone loudly ran past him. Half afraid he would be pushed in over the edge and int the water. Even though so many others seemed to be moving about without any such problems. Pushing back this fear, Crylon found a good spot to stand, and then spent a few chimes staring at the boats that were moored there. Zeltiva had many larger boats, ones unlike the smaller one he had travelled from Sunberth on. The one he was eyeing now had three great masts of varying length, which he could see when in use would have large sails across them. At port, the sails where not up, but he could see the moorings of them. Rather than focusing on the water, Crylon tried to focus his mind on the mechanics of such a ship. Of the rope and pulling and crossings and lifting and such that allowed the sails to be pulled up from the deck of the boat. Of the way the sails were moved once up, and how they caught air and pulled the boat along... He was not as familiar with the architecture of boats, but he could see the similarities and difference and natures inherent in buildings and boats. Some the same, some not, and some similar but different. He would spend the next few chimes lost in thought as such, staring at boats on the docks, running ropes through his heads, puzzling out pulley's and things and what did what. |