Ventus by Karl Schroeder

Karl Schroeder / Ventus / Page 416
he said. Calandria dropped another load of scraps at his feet
and he bent to whittle some kindling. Marya watched him
avidly.
"Pretty ironic," said Calandria as she came to sit on the
other side of Marya. She and Axel framed her; he could feel
her shudders as he whittled. "A couple of hours ago we were
nearly burned to death. Now we’re freezing. Typical."
"There." Axel had his kindling. He built a little pyramid
of small scraps over, leaving an opening, and began laying
larger blocks above and around that. Satisfied, he brought out
the lighter from the survival kit.
"I can earn my keep," said Marya. "Here, let me prove
it.” She reached for the lighter.
“Anybody can use a lighter, Marya.”
“I want to do it the old-fashioned way. Do you have a
flint and iron?”
"Yes… Have you spent time on Ventus, then?" asked
Axel.
"I’m not ground survey staff." Marya stood over them
both, still shaking but looking strangely determined. "But I am
a cultural anthropologist. I’ve studied more societies than
you’ve heard about. I know sixteen ways to start a fire. We
should save your lighter for a real emergency."
Calandria exchanged another glance with Axel. Then she
said, "Let her try."
"I don’t want to be useless," said Marya as she took the
flints from Axel. She began frantically whacking the flintstone
with her iron. She hit her own fingers and dropped it. "Ow!"
Before Axel could move she had snatched it up again and
resumed, more carefully and also more accurately. A small
spray of sparks flew into the shavings.
She bent forward to blow gently on the embers. To