ifficult if not handled properly。 So； grant that the Optherians would be searching for her； would they think to search on the islands？ Would the islanders be in contact with the Ruling Elders about the terms of her ransom？ If so； would the extortion be successful？
Probably not； Killashandra thought； until the Ruling Elders had abandoned any hope of finding her within the next two months。 Of course； that could throw their timetable off。 It would take nearly three months for a replacement Guild Member to reach Optheria； even if the Optherians admitted the loss of the one already dispatched to them。 On her own part； she'd be stark raving lunatic if she was left on this island for several months。 And if the Optherians acquired another singer to install their wretched white crystal； that didn't mean that they'd continue their efforts to find her！
After much deliberation； silent as well as vocal； Killashandra decided that the smart thing to do was rescue herself。 Her kidnapper had overlooked a few small points； the most important of which was that she happened to be a very strong swimmer with lungs well developed from singing opera and crystal。 Physically； too； she was immensely fit。 She could swim from island to island until she found one that was inhabited； one from which she could be rescued。 Unless all the islanders were in on this insidious kidnap scheme。
The hazards that she must overe were only two： lack of water was one； but she felt that she could refresh herself sufficiently from the polly fruit … the tree flourished on all the islands she could see。 Too； the larger denizens of the sea constituted a real problem。 Some of them； cruising beyond her lagoons； looked deadly dangerous； with their pointed； toothy snouts； or their many wire…fine tentacles which seemed to have an affinity for the same yellowback fish she favored。 She had spent enough time watching them to know that they generally fed at dawn and dusk。 So； if she made her crossings at midday； when they were dormant； she thought she had a fairly good chance to avoid adding herself to their diet。
Three weeks on the island was long enough！ She had a few of the emergency food packets left and they would be unharmed by a long immersion。
Following the directions in her useful little pamphlet； she had made several sturdy lengths of rope from the coarse fiber of the polly tree； with which she could secure the hatchet to her body。 Her original clothing was down to shreds which she sewed with lengths of the tough stem into a halter and a loin cloth。 By then she had bee as tan as her abductor and was forced to use some of the oilier fishes to grease her hide for protection。 She would coat herself thoroughly before each leg of her swim to freedom。
Having made her decision； Killashandra implemented it the next day at noon； swimming to her first destination in less than an hour's time。 She rested while she made up her mind which island of the seven visible would be next。 She found herself constantly returning to the one farthest north。 Well； once there； none were far away if she decided she'd overshot the right line to take。
She made that island by mid…afternoon； dragging herself up onto the narrow shore； exhausted。 Then she discovered some of the weak points in her plans： there weren't many ripe polly fruits on the island； and fish wouldn't bite on her hook that evening。
Because she found too few fruits； she was exceedingly thirsty by morning and chose her next point of call by the polly population。 The channel between was dark blue； deep water； and twice she was startled by dimly seen large shapes moving beneath her。 Both times she floated face down； arms and legs motionless； until the danger summoned by her flailing limbs had passed。
She rested on this fourth island all the rest of that day and the next one； replenishing her dehydrated tissues and trying to catch an oily fish。 To her dismay； she could only attract the yellowbacks。 Eventually she had enough of them to provide some oil for her raddled skin。
On her voyage to the fifth island； a fair sized one； she had her worst fright。 Despite the sun's being at high noon； she found herself in the midst of a school of tiny fish that was being harvested by several mammoth denizens。 At one point she was briefly stranded on a creature's flank when it unexpectedly surfaced under her。 She didn't know whether to swim furiously for the distant shore or lie motionless； but before she could make a decision the immense body swirled its torpedo tail in the air and sounded。 Killashandra was pulled under by the fierce turbulence of its passage； and she swallowed a good deal more water than she liked before she returned to the surface。
As soon as she clambered up on the fifth island； she headed for the nearest ripe polly fruit only to discover that she had lost her hatchet； the last packets of emergency rations； and the fish hooks。 She slaked her thirst on overripe polly fruit； ignoring the rank taste for the sake of the moisture。 That need attended to； she gathered up enough dry fronds to cushion her body； and went to sleep。
She woke sometime in the night； thirsting for more of the overripe fruit which she hunted in the dark； cursing as she tripped over debris and fell into bushes； staggering about in her search until she had to admit to herself that her behavior was somewhat bizarre。 About the same time she realized that she was drunk！ The innocent polly fruit had been fermenting！ Given her Ballybran adaptation； the state could only have been allowed by her weakened constitution。 Giggling； she lay down on the ground； impervious to sand or disfort and fell into a second drunken sleep。
Much the worse for her various excesses； Killashandra awoke with a ghastly headache and a terrible need for water。 Number five was a much larger island than her other way stops and she was searching so diligently to relieve her thirst that she almost passed the little canoe without its registering on her consciousness。
It was only a small canoe； pulled up beyond the high tide mark； a paddle angling from the narrow prow。 At another time and without her urgent need； Killashandra would not have ventured out on the open sea in such a flimsy craft。 But someone had already brought it from wherever they came so it could as easily convey her elsewhere； too。 Her need for water diminished by this happy discovery； Killashandra climbed the nearest polly tree and； hanging precariously to the ridged trunk； managed to saw through several stems with her short knife blade。
She didn't waste time then； but threw the fruit into the small craft； slid it into the gentle waves； and paddled down the coast as fast as she could； just in case the owner should return and demand the return of his canoe。
While she no longer needed to wait until noon to cross to the next island in her northern course； Killashandra's previous day's fright made her cautious。 She keenly felt the loss of her hatchet。 But good fortune continued to surprise her for； as she paddled around a narrow headland； she spotted the unmistakable sign of a small stream draining into the sea。 She could even paddle a short way up its mouth and did so； pausing to scoop up a handful of sweet water before she jumped out of the canoe and pulled it out of sight under the bushes。 Then she lay down by the water and drank until she was pletely sated。
By evening； just before the sun suddenly settled below the horizon in the manner characteristic of tropical latitudes； she stood out on the headland； deciding which of the island masses she would attempt to reach the next day。 The nearest ones were large； by parison； but the distant smudge lay long against the horizon。 The water lapped seductively over her toes and she decided that she had fooled around with the minor stuff long enough。 With the canoe； a fair start in the morning； and plenty of fruit in her little craft； she could certainly make the big island； however distant。
She had the foresight to weave herself a sun hat； with a fishtail down her back to prevent sunstroke； for she wouldn't have the cooling water about her as she had while swimming。 She had no experience with currents or riptides； nor had she considered the possibility of su