CAPTAIN of the KALI By Gary Wright Sail down the wind, Kali! Victory waits across the seas--and so does death! [Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, January 1963. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.] John Ward, God Helper, hung in his chair like a damp, empty uniform. An open, four-foot port showed a circle of blazing blue sky and a regular glimpse of a high, curving topsail. The humid, hot salty flavor of a strange sea blanketed the cabin, and sparked a sudden thought: "What the hell am I doing here?" There was no prompt answer. The wind rushed and moaned. The roiling water crashed and hissed under the stern. The following ship heaved its topsail into sight again, and withdrew it. A lilting chant drifted like smoke on the wind. _We ride the wind down like sleek, skimming birds. The seething foam furrows follow true. The sky is clouded with our singing sails. We ride the wind down, down the wind._ He was Comet Colonel John Ward, Terran Confederation, Earth; he was certain of that. Age? Forty-two, more or less. Specialty? Historical Naval Tactician. If you had to call it something you might as well call it that. Hobby? Sailing. But, God, Snipes and Lightnings aren't ships-of-the-line! Reading? Well ... lyric poetry and ancient history, if you must know. Present Occupation? God Helper. No, call that Commander Advisor to the Kali, Aqua. Future? Oh, hell-yes; right up the.... _Wide shouldered, wave exploding, trim twin-hulled we come. First, the sky tall, fine first-liners. Then the seconds, flanking fast. Lean and level slide the frigates. All around us flash the corvettes. Ride the wind down, Kali seamen, down the wind to Ande-Ke._ Six months ago he had a future all outlined, but six months ago he was a shining God Helper, come in glory. Now he was simply a God Helper, and sometimes not even that. _We are the Kali. The fortunate ones. Yes! Heirs to our wind and water world. Like our ships we are tall and proud. Like our wind we are wild and restless. Like our sea we are strong and savage. This is our world, wide and lonely. Ride the wind down. Kali brothers, down the wind to Anda-Ke._ * * * * * Six months on this barely discovered, one per cent land area, behind-the-galaxy planet, with piercing Confederation insight: Aqua. Where the land was scattered about like pepper on an egg, and even the wind tried to run backwards.