Gwann frowned and studied the five symbols: O-C-E-A-N.
"Seems to suggest a similarity between all of them," said Jorik. "Perhaps the first symbol only means that the section is in a different place."
All five Venusians studied A-R-C-T-I-C, A-N-T-A-R-C-T-I-C, I-N-D-I-A-N, and the other symbols that were used in conjunction with the mysterious O-C-E-A-N.
"A tribal tabu!" exclaimed Jorik.
"What are you talking about, Jorik?" said Gwann impatiently.
"You recall I said there seemed something strange about the consolidation of the populace in certain areas? The wasted land space?"
"Yes, yes. What about it?"
"All these sections marked O-C-E-A-N are the unused areas. There must have been some sort of tribal superstition about dwelling in those areas. That would explain why all the people lived on the higher ground here."
"I—I would have expected to find something blue in that area," said Gwann uncertainly. "Or else why is it so marked?"
"Sir," said Jorik respectfully, "some sections are colored very oddly—even in red. Yet no such colors were found anywhere on the planet by our telescopes, were they? And none of these large blue areas shows population centers. Tabu areas, obviously—not to be inhabited."