And Dalgard gasped as the full sight of the port confronting them
burst into view.

Tiers of ledges had been cut and blasted in the native rock, extending
from the sea back into the land in a series of giant steps. Each of
them was covered with buildings, and here the ancient war had left its
mark. The rock itself had been brought to a bubbling boil and sent in
now-frozen rivers down that stairway in a half-dozen places,
overwhelming all structures in its path, and leaving crystallized
streams to reflect the sun blindingly.

"So this is your secret city!"

But Sssuri shook his round head. "This is but the sea entrance to the
country," he corrected. "Here struck the day of fire, and we need not
fear the machines which doubtless lie in wait elsewhere."

They beached the outrigger and hid it in the shell of one of the
ruined buildings on the lowest level. Dalgard sent out a questing
thought, hoping to contact a hopper or even a duck-dog. But seemingly
the ruins were bare of animal life, as was true in most of the other
towns and cities he had explored in the past. The fauna of Astra was
shy of any holding built by Those Others, no matter how long it may
have been left to the wind, and cleansing rain.

With difficulty and detours to avoid the rivers of once-molten rock,
they made their way slowly from ledge to ledge up that giant's
staircase, not stopping to explore any of the buildings as they
passed. There was a taint of alien age about the city which repelled
Dalgard, and he was eager to get out of it into the clean countryside