Riverworld Page #4

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I'm sorry.

I'm coming, baby.

You.

Where's Jessie?

She's still

waiting for you, Matt.

She needs you.

Get to the river and find Sam.

He'll help you,

but you must find Sam.

Sam.

What do you know about Sam?

What do you know about Sam?

What do you know

about Sam?

Run!

Run free!

No!

No!

Risoner escaped!

Prisoner e escaped!

Sword.

Get out of my way!

Fire!

Fall back!

Stop!

No grailband.

Are you Sam?

Launch ahead.

Dead slow.

Linesmen to starboard.

Youseff, how many times

do we have to tell you,

No strays.

Hold up your wrist.

No grailband.

Like me.

Are you "Sam?"

I'm Matt Ellman.

A caretaker told me to find you.

Male or female?

A woman,

While I was in Pizarro's camp.

Pizarro.

So he is waiting for us.

We ambushed

some conquistadors upstream.

They were chasing him.

They say the enemy

of my enemy

Is my friend.

Are you my friend,

Mr. Ellman?

Maybe,

Once I get to know you.

My apologies.

I have been remiss

in my introductions.

Well, you've met

our chief of marines,

Youseff mbaye.

Mademoiselle fabarge,

My chief

engineer,

And this lovely

creature,

This is

Allegra Braccioforte...

My diplomatic liaison.

And I am the owner and operator

of this fabulous riverboat,

The not-for-hire.

Captain Samuel Clemens,

at your service.

Samuel Clemens?

As in Mark Twain?

Guilty as charged.

Impressive.

You don't look impressed.

Frankly, you remind me

of a dyspeptic cat,

Like you swallowed

somethin',

And you're about to

cough it back up.

I think, meeting you,

it's made it all hit home...

Mark Twain giving me

a tour of his riverboat.

This place...

It's not just a dream,

is it?

We really are dead.

Dead and reborn.

I woke up here

five years ago.

If I am dead,

Then this is

the longest dream ever.

Millions,

Or perhaps billions

of people

From every epoch

of human history,

Reborn along the banks

of a seemingly endless river.

Basic needs all provided for...

But no children...

No old people...

No civilization.

The question,

Mr. Ellman, is, why?

What is the point

of it all?

Is it a chance to atone?

For what we screwed up

in life?

Life is

a considerable test.

Having endured

its random cruelties

For 75 years,

I see no reason

for a make-up exam.

Do you have

a better explanation?

Nope.

But I do intend to find one.

That's why I built

the not-for-hire

In the first place.

You didn't build it.

You stole it!

I earned this ship.

I found

the raw materials,

The engineers,

Convinced Pizarro

to provide the labour.

Yeah, by telling him

he could use it

To conquer the world.

That was a good trick, huh?

The ship and the girl

all at once.

"the girl?"

Allegra.

She used to be

Pizarro's woman,

Until Sam...

Won her heart.

Pizarro was not happy.

The man takes his grudges

very seriously.

So, why are we

on this journey?

Every river has its source.

I'm convinced

That, at the source of

this particular river,

We shall find its creators,

And, hence, those responsible

for our new existence.

So, you're going to go

to the "source,"

Find the gods, or God,

Or little green men

that made this place,

And force them to give you

an explanation?

That's the plan.

And, you, my friend,

you're gonna make it possible.

They've spotted the ship!

It's coming upriver!

It won't be long now.

El Adelantado,

they are 10 miles out,

Moving dead slow

in deep water.

Does he think

he can just steam past?

Well, let's hope

he tries.

He can't get by

Without coming in range

of our weapons.

You're surprisingly

self-confident

For a man who was

just defeated

By an aboriginal army

And a man on foot.

It wasn't my men who turned

and ran like little girls,

I can assure you

of that.

That's the channel where

Youseff saved my butt.

It had a strong current,

So it probably joins

back up to the main river

Somewhere here...

Above the fort.

Well, it's a riverboat...

Only draws three feet.

Just might work.

So now, if I do this,

How do I know you'll keep

your end of the bargain

And help me find Jessie?

You don't.

It's a quandary,

I know,

But... Look

at this face.

Would this face

lie to you?

In a heartbeat.

It's true...

I am a habitual mendicant,

But I pay my debts,

Not because I'm honest,

But because I dislike intensely

being obliged to another man.

So, if you give me

your assistance

You will have my help

in return,

Measure for measure.

And the others?

The ones back in Pizarro's camp?

What about them?

I'm afraid they will have to

look out for themselves.

It strikes me, Burton,

That trusting you

could be a serious error.

That so?

How can I be certain

That you're not

an agent of the enemy?

Certainty is a luxury,

my friend,

Along with clarity,

faith, sanity...

All those

other foolish notions

We clung to in

our previous existence.

Do not tempt fate,

my friend...

Look out!

You are a mad woman.

Why do you

throw your life away?

You killed her husband

the day you rode in.

Ah, si, si...

I'd forgotten.

It was of such

little significance.

Burn her at the stake.

No!

Youseff?

When you were alive,

you were a soldier, right?

I was a taxi driver.

In Dakar.

My brother

was the soldier.

He was a sergeant

in the tirailleurs senegalais,

But I had a family,

so I stayed home.

Then what's with the hat?

Allah gave me a second life.

What is the point living it

the same way I did my first?

So I am a soldier...

Now,

And I've been one

for six years.

Why?

Tell me,

Does Sam's plan have

a chance in hell of working?

Insha'Allah...

It is in the hands of Allah,

Or whatever he is called

in this place.

Three years

to build this boat...

Another two years of runnin'...

It all comes down to this.

It's not good

to worry so much.

The rich and powerful

of venice

Must've lined the grand

canal outside your door.

Too bourgeois.

I had an apprentice

arrange it

So my lovers

never saw each other.

Each could

delude himself

Into believing

I was his...

And his alone.

I suffer no such delusions,

my dear.

I'm content to be among

the unwashed multitudes.

I was thinking...

Perhaps I should

get closer

To our new friend,

senor Ellman.

Take a peek,

See if he has

something to hide.

Are you trying

to make me jealous?

Are you trying

to pretend

It's not working?

Let us endeavor to get past

the spaniard first.

And then we can discuss

your machiavellian designs

On young Mr. Ellman.

Machiavelli...

Now, there was a man

who knew how to treat a lady.

Incorrigible.

Matthew?

Matthew.

Matthew...

Matt... Matthew!

Matthew.

What do you want?

Burton is still alive.

You have to stop him.

I'm not good at taking orders,

never have been.

Kill Burton.

It is the only way

To save Jessica.

Look.

You want me to kill someone?

I'm going to need

A little more

information.

Great.

Really helpful.

What is that?

That...

Is none of

your damn business.

The engine room was locked,

But there he was,

nosing around.

You have to forgive

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