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hen we use our position to plete the triangle。〃
〃But if you know where we are why do you have to do all this？〃 Rosa asked。
〃Yeah；〃 Chris echoed his new sister。 〃If we know where we are why do we have to do this？〃
〃We don't know exactly where we are； we estimate it based on course and speed from our last position。 But an approximate position isn't good enough。 We have to know exactly where we are。 This is where the sextant es in。〃 Ron lifted it out of its box。 Chris made a grab again； but Ron held it up high。 〃I use the sextant。 Maybe I'll show Rosa how to use it if she wants。〃
〃What about me？〃 Chris whined。
〃Well； maybe；〃 Ron said doubtfully。 He looked to Carmen for help； but the look on her face said she was enjoying his predicament。
〃We know the three points of our triangle； and based on that we know； at a certain time； how high the star should be above the horizon。 We use the sextant to read the exact height of the star above the horizon； and mark the time of the reading。 Then； since we know for sure two points of the triangle； we can adjust the position of the third point based on the difference between our estimated altitude of the star and the actual altitude。〃
Ron looked around at his miniaudience。 Carmen was still grinning； Chris was staring blankly； and Rosa glared angrily at him。 Ron couldn't imagine why his navigation lesson would make her mad。 Then Rosa blurted it out。
〃This is geometry； isn't it？ This is some sort of trick to get me to do homework； isn't it？〃
〃No； it's not a trick。 It is geometry； but I thought you would be interested。 。。。 I mean； you have to do this to sail offshore。〃
〃Just what I want to do； float around the ocean doing geometry。 Just how often do you have to do these calculations？〃
〃Seven or eight times a day。 You do the first before sunrise； a couple of sun sights in the morning； a noon sight。 。 。〃
Ron stopped talking。 He knew he was making Rosa's hostility worse。
〃Eight times a day？ You have to do the calculations eight times a day？ And you get to get up early to do them？ What a sweet deal〃
〃Well； it's not that bad。 Most of the calculations are done for you； you just use the tables； or the electronic navigator in the cabin。〃
〃I know if I tried to pay someone to do my geometry homework you would ground me forever。 And now I'm supposed to do yours？ Well； if I have to do geometry to sail； it's another good reason to stay on land。 There all you have to do is read the signs； or a map。〃
〃But the stars are the map out here。〃
〃Yeah；〃 Chris cut in； 〃the stars are a map。 Kind of a connect the dots。〃
Ron scowled at Chris while Rosa got up and stomped down the deck to the bow。 Carmen gave Ron a look that said 〃You should have known better。〃 Ron thought about Rosa and then he thought of Bermuda； and then he got depressed； Chris was still sitting there with him； looking at the sextant。 Maybe； Ron thought； if I get Chris interested Rosa will e back。
〃You want to see how the sextant works； Chris？〃
Chris lit up like a kid on Christmas morning。
〃Yeah； sure。 Can I hold it too？〃
Ron spent a few minutes with Chris； showing him how to sight the sun and the horizon and make the readings。 It was clear Chris mostly wanted to look through the sextant's telescopic sight； so Ron gave up and let him。 Rosa never came back。 Instead she was sunbathing on the bow。 Finally； Ron set Chris up with a fishing pole and then settled in next to Carmen at the helm。
The Entrepreneur sailed southwest into the afternoon。 When Ron dropped the sea anchor they ate。 Carmen had cooked crab in the icebox； and they cracked and ate it with salad； and soft bread sticks。 The lunch warmed Rosa's heart enough to get her talking to Ron again。 After lunch Chris talked them into playing spoons； his favorite card game。 Carmen had never played； and Chris expertly explained how the cards are passed in a circle until a player gets four of a kind； and then picks up one of the three spoons on the table。 Then； in a race； the other players try to grab the remaining spoons。 Chris cautioned her not to get faked into grabbing one too soon but in the first round feigned a grab and tricked her。 Laughing as they played； they shared a good feeling。 Finally； Carmen announced it was time for swimming。
They spent the next hour jumping off the stern into the warm blue waters。 Finally； exhausted； the kids stretched out on the bow to warm themselves while Ron and Carmen settled in the stern。
〃You're being too obvious； you know？〃 Carmen said。 〃About Rosa； I mean。 You can't force her to want to go to Bermuda。〃
〃I know。 I gave up after the navigation debacle。〃
〃That was pretty funny。 Trying to get a teenager to like sailing by teaching her geometry。 Did you notice things went better after you stopped trying？〃
〃Well； we did have a good time after lunch。 But we can play cards at home。 That has nothing to do with sailing；〃
〃But we don't play cards at home。 The kids have their friends and TV。 You and I have our jobs； and we tend to bring them home with us。 When was the last time we played cards？ I mean all of us； as a family？〃
Carmen was right； Ron admitted。 The isolation of offshore sailing had brought them together。 Perhaps Rosa would never love sailing； but the experience might help meld the family。 That was more important than a sail to Bermuda； Ron told himself。 He tried telling himself that again； but still a part of him wanted Bermuda； and it wasn't looking good。 Ron leaned back； looking up into the clear blue sky； and silently hoped nothing else would go wrong。
5。 HOSTAGES
I was awakened this morning by the sound of pounding on my roof。 I went to the window to see a most surprising sight。 Dried fish were pouring from the sky onto the houses ond into the street。 When the shower ended the natives collected the fish into baskets。 My aide estimated that 3000 to 4000 fish had fallen。
…Colonel Witherspoon； India ；1836
Ashland； Oregon
PREQUILT： SATURDAY； 3：40 P。M。 PST
Deputy Sheriff Robin Kyle was parked with his feet stretched out on the front seat of his patrol car。 He wasn't asleep but was only about one level of consciousness away； his eyes partially open； semialert for criminal activity。 Of course much criminal activity…or even traffic…would be rare on this particular dirt road。 That was why Kyle had picked this patrol。 He had no intention of ruining a beautiful fall day by actually catching a criminal。 He wasn't lazy； exactly； it was just that relaxation came naturally to him； and since there was very little real crime in Jackson county； he believed he was making best use of his time。
Occasional calls and assignments could be heard over his radio speaker； but he had turned the radio down low enough so it didn't distract him。 A horse clip…clopped past his cruiser； ridden by a teenage girl。 Kyle alternated between watching the rider's and horse's rears wiggle rhythmically。 He picked up his radar gun and aimed it at the retreating behinds。 Too bad； he thought； they're within the legal limit。 He was still watching the behinds when he heard his unit number。 He ignored it the first time but reluctantly answered it after the second call。
〃Sorry to bother you while you're so busy； Kyle；〃 Karon； the dispatcher said； as if she knew what he was doing。 〃But we got a call that only you can answer。 Seems they've got a hostage situation in the Oregon Caves。〃
Kyle pounded the side of his head like something was stuck in his ear。
〃You said in the Oregon Caves？ What kind of hostage situation； Karon？〃
〃The usual kind； Kyle！ Someone with a gun is holding a dozen people hostage down in the caves。 Says he won't kill them as long as no one interferes。〃
Kyle was trying to understand why someone had selected a cave to take hostages in。 Certainly it would be a difficult place to assault； and guns would be almost useless。 Any wayward shot would ricochet wildly； killing indiscriminately。 Still it wasn't like hijacking a jet。 A jet could take you somewhere。 Even a bus could do that； but not a cave。 And this particular cave was in the middle of nowhere。
〃That's mighty peculiar； Karon；〃 Kyle cut in。 〃Someone selecting a cave to hold hostages in！ I got a dollar says he wants free transportation to a worker's paradise somewhere。 Have there been any demands？〃
〃Negative； Kyle。 You ready for the strange part？ The guy with the gun says he's saving the people in the cave。 Says he doesn't want to be alone after it happens。〃
〃After what happens？〃
〃After the world ends。〃
〃What do they want me for？〃
〃They're looking for officers with cave experience。 They heard about your rescue training。〃
Kyle winced at the mention of that。 He had taken the special training as an excuse to take two weeks off； drink beer with some friends of his； and get a little extra in the paycheck each month。 In the two years since the training he had helped recover one dead body from a plane wreck； and helped pull a hiker with a broken leg up a twenty…five…foot slope。 Kyle wanted to tell Karon that his training was for rescuing people who want to be rescued； not for going in after some self…destructive nut。 Kyle didn't seem to have a choice； however。
〃Okay； Karon； tell them I'll p