THE GUARDIANS HAD WIDENED the opening in the side of the Nova Fortuna and fixed a permanent winch system to it to aid with the removal of food supplies, building materials, and other equipment from the ship. They had also set up a simple hand-operated pulley system for people entering and leaving the ship. As Garwin flew the flitter across the ocean toward the vessel, Cariad noticed Guardians examining another place on the hull close to the water line. It was the entrance to one of the airlocks, just above the waves.
“Why didn’t you break through down there?” Cariad asked Garwin.
“That wasn’t visible when we first came here,” Garwin replied. “The ship’s risen higher since then.”He drew up at the opening, and an idea occurred to Cariad as she watched the movement of the Guardians at the a
