Interstellar Ruse

by Gregoire, Cil;

  Kiril didn’t know it, but the answer was coming toward them. Soon after he called for a pause to take a short rest; Rojaire, Kaylya, Traevus, Ilene, and Thayla appeared around a curve in the riverbed. Kiril walked out to meet them.

  “Greetings, Kiril, I see you made it this far without losing anyone,” Rojaire said after taking a quick distant head count.

  Kiril was about to point out that Rojaire was short one person when Zaloka came running up behind him.

  “Where’s Wessid?” she asked worriedly.

  “We left him back at the shelter with a slightly sprained ankle. He’s fine; he just needed to rest.” He didn’t tell her Ilene had drawn on healing energy while examining Wessid’s ankle using her star stone.

  “Hello, Kiril,” Ilene said sidling up to him along the way. “Good to see you. We made it to the shelter. This Ollen fellow did a good job,” she said excitedly.

  “Hello…” Again Kiril searched for words, furious over his failure.

  “Hello, Kiril,” Thayla said coyly imitating Ilene, coming up on his other side. She gave him a teasing wink. “Good to see you.”

  “You speak English, too?” Kiril said surprising himself.

  “We have been speaking English all the way back from the shelter,” Ilene explained. “Rojaire and Kaylya already have a grasp of the language and Thayla and Traevus wanted to learn it. Thayla is really doing great!”

  “I fast learn,” Thayla said proudly, which made Kiril feel even worse.

  “Traevus and Ilene have volunteered to relieve you, Kiril,” Rojaire said when they joined the others resting on rocks along the stream bed. “They will lead your group across the hills and you can help Kaylya, Thayla, and I take in another load.”

  “We’ll trade packs,” Traevus said offering Kiril his empty one. “And I’ll need the star stone.”

  “Ilene also has a star stone,” Traevus whispered to Kiril. “We will help Captain Setas and Inventor Sulyan over the highlands.”

  Kiril couldn’t believe his luck. He took the empty pack and handed Traevus the star stone. There was only one thing wrong with this arrangement; once again he and Ilene were in opposite groups.

  “Why haven’t Ollen and Caleeza returned yet?” Edty asked Tassyn.

  It was a question Tassyn had been asking in his own mind for quite some time. He had his back toward Edty as he stoked the fire in the outdoor cooking pit, a good thing since he didn’t want Edty to see the concern in his face. Edty may be slow with concepts, but he read emotions well.

  “Perhaps the valley is larger than we thought,” Tassyn said as nonchalantly as he could. He thought of searching for them, but he couldn’t leave Edty and Theon to survive on their own for such an unknown length of time.

  The colony had seemed so sustainable when they had been together. Even after Rojaire, Traevus, and Kiril left, although the valley was lonelier, the remaining five continued to survive comfortably. But their survival seemed far more tenuous without Ollen and Caleeza. When Theon was gone, it would be just Edty and him, alone in a big empty valley on a big empty continent.

  “But why aren’t they back?” Edty whined. He wasn’t willing to give up the topic that easily. “They said they would be back by now.” His voice quivered and his thin shoulders slumped forward. “The bear monster might have eaten them.” Ever since they found clawed prints in moist soil and Theon described the bears in a territory on Earth he called Alaska, Edty has dreadfully feared the bear monsters.

  “They haven’t been eaten,” Tassyn said simply.

  “How do you know?”

  “Because one of them would have gotten away to tell us about it,” Theon said in aggravation. Tassyn and Edty turned and watched Theon’s slow aching progress forward to his favorite cushioned seat by the fire. Edty jumped up to offer assistance, but Theon fought him off with his walking staff.

  “Out of my way!” he bellowed. With proud determination he pushed himself even harder, then eased into his seat with a suppressed sigh. Tassyn poured a cup of the tea Caleeza had instructed him to steep to ease the pain in Theon’s joints and served it to him. “I don’t want tea. Give me some food.”

  “Drink it anyway,” Tassyn ordered. Then he ladled up a bowl of hearty soup made with wild grains and vegetables. “Try this,” he said, taking it to him.

  “Where’s the meat?” Theon asked eyeing it suspiciously. Tassyn didn’t bother to answer. The herds of kurpers were no longer around. Where they had gone was unknown. Theon ate without further complaint. The soup was actually pretty good, but he didn’t say so out loud. “Now what are you doing?” he asked.

  “I’m making flatbread,” Tassyn said. “Edty, how about gathering some more dry branches for firewood? I will need a hot fire to bake bread.”

  “Sure, anything for hot bread,” he said, cheered by the prospect.

  Tassyn knew Edty would have to forage wide of their camp to gather deadwood, the easy close pickings now long gone. “I’m worried about Ollen and Caleeza,” Tassyn said to Theon as soon as Edty was out of hearing.

  “So am I,” Theon admitted, switching from a grouchy tone to a serious one. “They should have been back by now.”

  “Should I go looking for them? I hate the thought of leaving you alone with Edty.”

  Theon sighed. “You should do what your heart tells you to do. And don’t worry about me; I can take care of myself. But maybe you should wait until after the period of darkness,” he said indicating the sun ready to dip below the western mountain ridge. “You will be less likely to miss something in full light.”

  There was a long quiet during which neither man spoke. Tassyn knew Theon’s advice was sound.

  “Then I will set out when the sun rises again,” Tassyn said.

  Theon nodded his head in agreement.

  CHAPTER 12

  Earth

  Standing on the deck of the Alaska Marine Highway ferry Columbia as it pulled away from the dock, Melinda could just make out Greg’s thin, lithe form covered in rain gear against the persistent rainy mist. He was still waving farewell when a creeping tendril of fog obscured him from her view. She would miss her cousin’s humor and support. The farewell she had received from Aunt Adele had been quite different.

  “Don’t forget to call from time to time…” then remembering Melinda didn’t talk… “Well, get a message to us, somehow, if you have problems. I packed you a lunch and some snacks to take with you. You know the food on the ferry will be outrageously expensive.”

  Thank you.

  Melinda’s silent, yet “heard” thanks, spooked her aunt a bit. It always did. Even though they had gotten closer, she could sense Aunt Adele’s somewhat relief that her unusual niece was leaving. But she sensed a little sadness too.

  Like a dreamscape, Ketchikan faded into the mist until only water and cloud-shrouded mountains surrounded them. Melinda was headed into the unknown. Her ticket would take her all the way to Bellingham, Washington …beyond Alaska …even beyond Canada. Alaskans would say she was going “outside.” The local colloquialism suggested another world, something vastly different from what she was used to. She was going south. Soon she would be further south than she has ever been before. What she would find when she got there she did not know. But it was the direction the key wanted her to go.

  Melinda remained standing at the deck railing long after most of the other nearly six hundred passengers had already dispersed to deck chairs in the solarium, private state rooms, or public lounges to pass the time. The trip to Bellingham would take thirty-seven hours and there was no port of call in between. Most of the passengers were tourists at the end of their Alaska trip. Ketchikan had been their last stop and now their thoughts turned toward home.

  With her back pack still on her back, Melinda continued to grip the railing, forcing herself to awareness of the significance of the moment as she stared out at the misty mountains. She was leaving her homeland, leaving the Great Northland behind. I hope the spirits of my people will unders
tand. She continued to grip the rail long after the ship left the protected channel and churned out into open water. The land disappeared in the fog and fine sea spray, blown off the chop, misted her face. Not until she could taste the salt of the sea on her lips, did she finally move.

  Lacking a state room, she searched out an empty deck chair in the solarium, as far from others as possible, and stowed her pack beside her. The warmth and glow of the lights was a welcomed change from the chilly, damp outer deck. Pulling out a book and pretending to read to discourage unwanted dialogue with strangers, she contemplated her future.

  For two months she had studied the map tucked away now in an easy to reach outer pouch of her pack. She had located every vestige of remaining wilderness in the northwest corner of the continental United States, planning on avoiding heavily populated areas as much as she could. She had enough money on her to survive for quite a while as long as she camped and ate simply. But soon she would have to decide where to go. Would the mysterious key she carried direct her to a specific destination? She felt certain she would know when she arrived there.

  Eventually her mind relaxed to the low strumming of the ship’s engine and she actually read the book she held, until her stomach began to growl. Melinda had stuffed a couple of apples and oranges, dried fruit and nuts in her pack, but she would see what Aunt Adele had packed for her first. Upon opening the package she found a small container of sliced ham, some carefully wrapped cheese, bread packed separately in a sandwich bag to keep it from getting soggy, and packets of mustard and mayonnaise. Napkins and a plastic knife were provided to put it all together. There was also a bag of chips which looked to be a little smashed and a bag of chocolate kisses. Melinda couldn’t help but smile.

  The first twenty-four hours of the cruise went by fairly fast, the last thirteen were painfully slow. She slept, read, and walked the decks. On the second day of the voyage she even treated herself to a cheeseburger and fries in the cafeteria. For the most part people left her alone and the few times someone tried to engage her in conversation, she shrugged, smiled, and pretended not to understand. That doesn’t mean she didn’t observe others; people-watching helped pass the time. It was fun guessing the relationships among the individuals traveling as a group. Parents with their children were particularly interesting to watch.

  As darkness descended …and it actually grew dark… Melinda tried to catch one more nap before the Columbia reached the dock in Bellingham in the morning and she, along with the other passengers, would disembark. The effort was futile. A tight knot of anxiety kept her awake. What am I going to do when we arrive in Bellingham? What should I do? She reached into her jean pocket and cupped the key in her hand.

  To her surprise she must have slept after all. Her hand was still gripping the key in her pocket, but daylight brightened the morning. A yellow glow reaching above the eastern hills promised a day of clear skies. On the ferry there was increasing activity around her.

  “We dock in thirty minutes,” a purser announced, strolling among the passengers.

  Melinda jumped up, excitement mounting, as she secured the closures on her pack and headed for the outer deck to watch the approach of their destination. She was not alone. An increasing number of passengers, ready to depart, crowded the railing. A large coastal city spread out along the water’s edge like the terminus of a glacier, with Mount Baker’s snow-covered peak standing guard in the rear. Between the city and the distant volcanic peak low forested mountains beckoned. Hundreds of colorful boats filled the harbor. With expert skill the huge ferry was piloted to a long pier. Quickly the crew tied up and a gangplank was put in place. The passengers were free to go.

  With her pack on her back Melinda disembarked. She moved away from the pier to avoid being trampled and headed aimlessly away from the docks. Soon she was walking down sidewalks past restaurants, hotels, and shops that catered to the busy port area. Shade trees as tall as the buildings lined the streets. She paused in front of a red brick building that looked to be very old.

  I need to get out of the city.

  The tug of the key felt stronger than it did before. Did that mean she was getting close to her target? Or only closer with still a long way to go? She pulled the mysterious key from her pocket rubbing her fingers over the flat curlicues that formed its unusual shape. Besides the key’s pull becoming stronger, it seemed to have also shifted direction a little. The key’s pull wasn’t directly toward the south, but more toward the southeast. That was good. She didn’t want to follow the heavily populated coastline. She would head inland toward the mountains.

  Maggie brought the children to the garden to harvest a fresh salad for dinner and to give Vince a bit of peace and quiet to write. It was another beautiful day in an unusually warm Alaska summer. The garden was thriving in so much unexpected sunshine.

  “Aaaarrrk!”

  “Raven!” Leaf called out in greeting to his feathered friend, abandoning the growth of chickweed his mother had him pulling for the chickens. Raven circled and dive bombed for the children’s amusement.

  Little brother Rock gazed up at the raven circling overhead, twisting his body to follow its antics. He took a step forward while still looking up, tripped over a row of beans, and fell face down in the dirt.

  “Watch where you’re going,” Maggie sang. She helped her little son up gently dusting him off. Rock was tempted to cry over the injustice of it all, but the situation resolved so fast he managed to contain his protest.

  Raven landed high in a tree overlooking the garden. He was wary of getting within targeting distance of the Bradley children. Raven’s arrival did not go unnoticed by Keiluk who immediately ran to the base of the tree that kept Raven above the rest. Their four-legged friend was an even greater “must avoid.”

  Leaf ran up to Raven’s tree, joining Keiluk in greeting. Rock decided that making a salad really wasn’t his thing and left Maggie’s side to follow Leaf.

  Keiluk refrained from barking as Leaf had trained her, but kept a close eye on Raven just the same. “It’s Raven, Keiluk; he’s our friend,” Leaf said stroking her thick silky white fur in reassurance. Trusting her master’s judgment, Keiluk relaxed …some.

  “What’s this, Mommy?” Crystal asked petting the soft, green, fern-like leaves.

  “Those are carrots.” Before Maggie could react, Crystal grabbed and pulled.

  “Is this a good one?” Crystal asked her mother, her little fist full of baby carrots.

  “Oh, Crystal, the carrots need more time to grow.”

  “I’ll plant them back,” Crystal said, burying them in the dirt.

  “No, Sweetie, you can’t replant them. How about we wash the little carrots and each of you can eat one and taste how good they are.”

  “Put them in the basket?”

  “Yes, please,” Maggie said cheerfully, lowering her harvesting basket so Crystal could reach and drop the carrots in.

  “What else do we need for salad, Mommy?”

  “Well, we need lettuce, parsley, peas, and zucchini from the garden and tomatoes from the greenhouse. Maggie checked on the boys with a glance; they were playing quietly… that was unusual.

  “Is this lettuce, Mommy?” Crystal asked tugging on a young cabbage.

  “No, Sweetie, that’s cabbage. Come here; I’ll show you where the lettuce is.”

  “What are you doing?” Rock asked Leaf, joining him and Keiluk.

  “I’m talking to my friend Raven.” Then Leaf whispered secretly to Rock. “I was telling Raven to come back later when Mom wasn’t looking and I would have a treat for him.”

  Raven chortled with pleasure at the prospect.

  “What did he say?” Rock asked in all seriousness.

  “He said he would. You know, Raven is a very special bird.”

  “What’s special?” Rock asked in wonder.

  “Raven can show us pictures of the woods from the air while he flies over it.”

  “Huh?” Rock tried to imagine that.

/>   “Show him, Raven,” Leaf urged. “Show him what you can do.”

  As though in compliance, Raven flew off the branch, swooped over the garden with a squawk, then circled higher over the forested hills. Soon he was telepathing images to those below.

  “Huh….” Rock struggled to understand what he was seeing in his mind. Apparently the images also reached Maggie and Crystal.

  “Wow!” Crystal gasped. Maggie looked up startled; she knew where the images were coming from, but not why.

  “Leaf, what’s going on?” Maggie asked, knowing Leaf must be involved.

  “All is okay, Mommy, I just wanted Raven to show Rock what he can do,” Leaf explained. As though sensing Maggie’s disapproval, Raven’s telepathed images stopped.

  Vince had also received the messages. “Everything all right out here?” Vince asked rushing out the cabin to protect his family, if necessary. “Why is Raven sending pictures? Is he warning us about something?” He made his way to the garden searching the surrounding woods for an imminent threat.

  “Leaf put Raven up to it,” Maggie said in way of explanation.

  “Oh.” Disaster averted, Vince opened his senses to the wonderfully warm mid-summer day. He had been so absorbed in his work he’d failed to notice it before. “Need some help picking vegetables?” he asked, reluctant to go back indoors.

  “Sure,” Maggie said smiling. “I hope your help is an improvement over some of the help I’ve had so far,” she added for his ears only and gave him a little peck of a kiss. “You can pick sugar peas, Sugar.”

  “Do I get a kiss for every pea I pick?” Vince asked teasingly.

  “We’ll negotiate the contract later,” she said sending him on his way. “Here’s the lettuce,” she pointed out to her daughter. “We take the leaves off like this.” Maggie demonstrated bending a leaf of Romaine back, tearing it off the head and dropping it into the basket. She placed the basket down between the rows.