Bill thought the sea survival training would be mostly about how to catch fish and eat them raw, but it turned out to be far more. While the Probies did learn how to fish using a plastic circular reel called a Cuban Yo-Yo reel, they also built an outrigger canoe, just like the ancient Polynesians used to, using only an adze and an ax. They learned how to distill sea water with a poncho. They learned about the various sea plants and how to utilize them for food. They were taught, and were forced to memorize, the global wind patterns, particularly the Trades and the Westerlies. They also learned how to prepare meals without the benefit of fire (”you do not want fire on a boat in the middle of the ocean,” one instructor explained).
Salish Base was also where they learned the various methods of preserving food for long treks. They learned how to smoke various meats, how to make pemmican, the best ways to dry fruits and berries, and how to turn otherwise inedible foods into edible ones. Bill had heard that Native Americans used to live on the otherwise inedible acorn by leaching them, but he didn’t understand what that meant until he was actually required to do so: shelling the acorns and boiling them several times until the water no long turned dark with the tannins. Only then could the acorns be ground into flour for use.
Making clothing out of animal skins was a new one for Bill and many of the Probies. Along with hunting game for several of their meals, they were required to turn the skin of whatever they killed into leather suitable for clothing. This was tied into the food preservation training, in that the fat and meat from the game was used in making the pemmican, while the brains were used in tanning the hides. They also learned how to turn sinew and skin into rawhide for bow strings and other implements that required rope or twine. Of course, they learned how to make rope and twine from plants, too.
It was at Salish Base that the Probies learned how to make useful tools from simple sticks and stones. Naturally, a spear, along with a bow and arrow, were among the first tools they produced. They even got to build their first boat, a simple outrigger dugout canoe.
And for the first time, the Probies got to see some of the megafauna that Hayek was famous for. They not only saw a small herd of mastodons, but they saw several giant beaver, and one Probie claimed he caught a glimpse of a lion. Of course, nobody believed him.
Having lived in Washington, Bill was aware of the difference between the two sides of the Salish Mountains, with a rainforest on one side and the rain shadow effect on the other, practically creating a desert. Many of the Probies, new to that part of the world, were not only unaware of this geographic phenomenon but were quite shocked when they had to spend part of a week on the beach on the rainforest side. It seemed nobody ever truly dried out.
Another weekend at Sacajawea with Meri, and then off for the final week of survival training in the tropics. The Probies boarded a C-123 Provider for a two-day, very long, very noisy flight to Maya Base deep in the Yucatan Peninsula. They were told it was part of their training, and to learn to get used to riding in the Provider.
While training in the tropical climate of the Yucatan, Bill decided, Maybe the temps aren’t too bad in Yakama. Along with high temperatures, the Probies had to deal with the high humidity. And bugs. Lots of bugs. Nasty, biting bugs. Lots of nasty, biting, blood-sucking bugs. Of course, the Probies got their revenge by eating several of the bugs as part of their training. Turnabout’s fair play, Bill thought as he crunched into some grubs cooked on a rock over a fire.
Bill discovered a deep, profound respect for his hammock during tropical survival training. This respect was most especially for the bug netting and the double bottom that prevented some of said nasty, biting, blood-sucking bugs from getting to him while he slept. He was also most grateful to the designers who decided to make the uniforms, and particularly the underwear, lightweight, sturdy, and quick-drying. He also found out just how useful his handheld shower and towel were, as compared to several other male Probies, who failed to use theirs daily. Bill winced just watching them walk during the final days. Bill still didn’t feel totally comfortable stripping down in front of women he wasn’t about to enjoy the company of in the carnal sense, but he was starting to get used to doing so.
Halfway through that week’s training, Bill heard a loud commotion followed by several gunshots. Whipping his rifle up, he pivoted his head around, looking for threats. More shouting, and Bill, along with the other Probies, made their way to the uproar. They found several Probies surrounding what appeared to be a very dead, very large bird. One Probie was practically yelling, “Did you see him attack me? Huh? Did you? Did you? I had to shoot him. The fucker was gonna kill me!”
One of the survival instructors arrived, and told the assembled Probies, “Threat analysis, what should you be doing?” at which point many of the Probies remembered that they weren’t in Kansas anymore and resumed their watchful vigilance.
The instructor identified the bird as a terror bird, one of the largest flightless predators of the avian family.
“You got lucky,” he told the Probie. “These things’ll usually tear you apart before you even see or hear him.”
The Probie was still in shock but seemed to appreciate hearing this. The instructor then looked down at the bird and said with a grin, “Guess it’ll be fowl for supper.”
Bill had thought some of the instructors were joking about terror birds because he had read they ceased to exist over a million years ago. I guess that’s just on our timeline, he thought. This led to another train of thought: I wonder what else survived on this timeline? to I wonder what’s survived on other timelines? Then the thought of encountering dinosaurs kicked in. Man, I hope I don’t see any of those as images from Jurassic Park passed through his mind.
Finally, survival training was complete and the Probies returned to Sacajawea Base on board the same Provider. The long flight, which only took one day this time with stops for fuel, made it back to base early Tuesday morning. Unfortunately for Bill, Meri was at Salish Base for her third week of survival training.
As they landed at the airfield, they were met by Janice Goodland. As she shook Bill’s hand she said with a warm smile, “Glad you made it Bill. I was rooting for you.” He didn’t know why, but that comment made him feel extremely proud, like a kindergartner being told his being able to write his name legibly was a great accomplishment; but it did, and he felt his chest swell with pride.
“Thanks,” was all he could manage to say, before letting her hand go.
“Go join the group over there.” Janice pointed to a point where the disembarked Probies had gathered. “I’ll be along shortly.”
Bill and his fellow survivalists watched as Goodland greeted every disembarking Probie, then joined the group.
“This is great! Nobody died. This bodes well for y’all,” she said. “I know you’re all tired, but I want you to go back to your cabins, clean your gear, and then yourselves—in that order. Once you’ve done that you can eat or crap out, but I want you to meet me back at the Survival School for a wrap-up. I’ll see you at 1300 hours. Don’t be late!”
15
Bill was glad to finally be back in the cabin, and after getting all his equipment clean, he spent a considerable amount of time in the shower, enjoying the steaming hot water. Unlike the quick showers he had taken during training, which only rinsed him off, he was now able to soap up and rinse off numerous times. He was finally getting most of the grime out from under his fingernails, but it seemed the dirt was well and truly ground into the whorls of his fingers. After some serious scrubbing using a washcloth, he even managed to get those parts clean.
Of course, nothing feels quite as good after a shower as getting rid of a week-plus worth of facial fuzz, so off came the stubble. After rinsing the lather off, he ran his hand across his chin, marveling at the smoothness of it. Damn, this feels good to be clean. Here’s hoping I don’t have to go through that again.
Bill changed into a fresh uniform, leaving off his socks and boots, and took his dirty uniform
s and dumped them into the laundry. He had a half hour until they would be ready, so he set alarms on both his phone and on his nightstand clock, crawled onto the bed and was instantly asleep.
A moment later, it seemed, the alarm clock, immediately followed by his phone’s alarm, brought him back from the dead. Groggily, he sat up and fumbled for both devices. By this time, he was almost fully awake, well, at least enough to get moving.
Putting his socks and boots on he went downstairs and found his clothes washed. He put them in the dryer and decided he had enough time to hit the cafeteria and get some lunch, along with a healthy dose of coffee. Grabbing his now-clean pack and rifle, he headed out the door, wondering when his roommates would return.
Arriving at the cafeteria, he saw Kim Smith sitting alone at one of the tables.
“Won’t Meri get jealous?” she asked with a smile, as he slung his rifle over the chair’s notch.
Bill set his pack down on the floor. “Naw, she knows you’re not a cradle robber.”
“Cradle robber? Why, you diaper-clad youngster..,” she sputtered, as Bill laughed and headed for the food line.
Over the past several weeks the two of them had gone through most of the same training, so a friendship had evolved, much like an older sister with a younger brother. They were now comfortable together, except for the stripping in front of each other, which still caused them all a bit of nervousness, with their prudish Earth morals. The native-born Hayekers didn’t have those same issues, as Bill learned from Meri when they were talking about survival training one evening. “It’s just a body,” Meri said when Bill tried to explain his reluctance to undress in front of strangers. Of course, she didn’t strip down in front of him, saying, “That’s different” when he mentioned it.
Bill returned to the table with his tray. “Wow, real food we didn’t have to kill or dig up,” he said, setting the tray down at the table and taking a seat. Kim said nothing, as her mouth was full of food.
After they ate, Kim said, “Well, off to see what Goodland’s got planned for us this afternoon. Any idea?”
“Haven’t a clue. As a matter of fact, I haven’t a clue about anything, especially since I haven’t even checked my email or the news since before we took off for that tropical hell hole.”
Upon being reminded of such things, both Probies pulled their tablets from their cargo pockets. There was nothing from Janice indicating what the afternoon portended.
Bill did have an email from Meri letting him know how her training had gone, and that she was looking forward to seeing him soon, which made him feel good. He sent her a response saying that he was done with survival training and was awaiting word.
The walk to the Survival School was actually quite pleasant, especially after the heat and humidity of the tropics. It was just cool enough to be comfortable, but no need for a jacket. Bill suspected that within a week or two the temperatures would start to dip as November approached, but right now the mid-day sun felt good.
Bill and Kim made their way to Goodland Hall where they joined a growing body of Probies. The classroom they were directed to was set up like one of the many lecture halls Bill had sat in while attending the University of Washington. Seats were arranged in tiers with a space at the bottom for a speaker. That space was occupied by Janice and Commandant Lewis. As they filed in, they were told to fill up the first couple of rows, so they did.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” Janice greeted the Probies. “As of today, you have all completed the formal portion of your training. Congratulations.” She gave a warm smile. “I’m sure some of you wondered if you would, particularly during the past couple of weeks.
“Commandant Lewis is here to hand you your Explorer Training Graduation Certificates along with your first assignment, so when you hear your name, come on down. After you get your certificate take a seat.”
Bill was one of the first to be called, right after Kim Smith. When he got to the front, Lewis extended his hand. “Congratulations Bill,” Lewis said as they shook hands. “I always figured you’d make it, even with all you’ve had to endure. I’m sure Meri would have been happy to be here to see this.” He handed Bill a large envelope. “As soon as she’s done, I’d like to have the two of you up for supper.”
“Thanks, sir. I’d like that.” Bill took the envelope.
Back at his seat, Bill sat down and opened the envelope to see what it contained. Next to him, Kim was doing the same.
The first thing he saw was a certificate, much like his university diploma which had only recently arrived on Hayek. It proclaimed to all and sundry that he had passed the Basic Explorer Training and was fully qualified to serve in the capacity of an Explorer in his area of specialty. Both his primary and secondary fields were listed. Bill decided that he’d get the certificate framed and hang it on the wall next to his university diploma. Damn, I’m getting to be like “the Colonel” with my very own “I Love Me” wall.
Sliding the certificate back in the envelope he pulled out the next piece of paper, which was his first official assignment as an Explorer. He was to assist in the secondary aerial mapping survey aboard a Bombardier CL-415 crew on Zion, a planet that had already had an initial survey, and was now in the process of the secondary survey prior to opening it for settlement. Crew CL-415-Z21 was currently on Zion and he was to join them on Monday by 0800 hours. Five whole days off, Bill thought. He was to bring all his Explorer uniforms and equipment, including the Secondary Survival Kit. Personal items could be left at his residence.
From his training, Bill knew that secondary surveys were more focused on producing accurate maps and doing ground surveys for the purposes of ensuring there were no humans or other hominids, along with identifying flora and fauna, particularly dangerous fauna. Of course, one the best things about secondary surveys was that there was more support in the event something bad happened, such as a plane going down, a ground crew getting injured, or a survey or cargo vessel getting stranded or having mechanical problems. The dangers really weren’t any less, but there was definitely more support than one would find on an initial survey.
Bill was pretty excited about this and leaned over and showed Kim his letter. She smiled and showed him hers. Aerial mapping survey aboard a CL-415 on Zion. Crew CL-415-Z21. The same crew! Bill raised his eyebrows, but neither one of them said anything as the ceremony was still in progress.
Soon, all the Probies were seated again, and Commandant Lewis gave a short speech, explaining that they were about to embark on a truly grand adventure, but that danger lurked around every corner, so they should always remember their survival training.
“Since you’ve been here, all of your communications about training have been via email, so I’m sure some of you are wondering why you got an actual paper letter for your first assignment. Simply put, it’s tradition. We found out that when we transitioned from paper to digital decades ago, people would print out their first assignment email and frame it with their diploma. A memento, if you will. So, for this one assignment, we reverted back to printing it on real paper and giving it to you with your certificate. Do with it what you will, but be sure to report to the right location at the right time,” he said with a chuckle.
“This wraps up your initial training. More will come later as we get new equipment, software, and skills. As of now, you’re no longer in training. You are now Explorers assigned to an exploration, but still on probationary status. Congratulations, and stay safe out there.”
Janice Goodland then said, “If you plan on celebrating tonight, all well and good. But don’t get carried away. The last thing you want to do if you have to report tomorrow is show up and impress your new co-workers with just how hungover you can get.” As an unexpected bonus, Janice announced, “I’ll be at the Cave Bear Cave starting at seven. The first round is on me if you want to come by. Maybe I’ll even tell a war story or two,” she finished with a dry chuckle.
As they stood, Bill said to Kim, “Damn, I hope I’
ll be able to see Meri before we leave.”
“Doesn’t she have the weekend off?” Kim asked.
“I think so.”
Better send her an email,” Kim replied. “Matter of fact, why don’t I take a picture of you and we can send that to her? That way she won’t forget what you look like.”
Once the two were outside, Kim used Bill’s tablet to take a picture of him with Mt. Tahoma rising the background. He sent it to Meri, along with the news of his assignment.
Then Kim and Bill decided that getting prepared for their upcoming assignment, despite being five whole days away, took priority over food and grog, so they said their farewells and went to their respective residences.
Back at the cabin on Jaskey Lane, Bill went upstairs and reviewed the list of all required equipment he was to bring with him. He pulled everything out of his pack and then repacked it, making sure that all the requisite equipment was enclosed. He checked all the pouches on his web belt and went through every pocket on his survival vest. He made double sure the CoD Survival Guide, now well-thumbed, was in the correct vest pocket. Finally, he went through every pocket of his uniform.
Satisfied that all his primary survival gear was in order, he then pulled out his secondary survival gear and went through the same process. Once he was happy, he set the PDW and his rifle in the gun safe and the two sets of survival equipment on the floor by the door.
What’s missing? he thought and then realized that while he had many pictures of Meri on his tablet, he didn’t have a physical one. Having one he could pin up to his workstation sounded like a great idea, and this got him looking for a way to print one out. He decided to print one from their long weekend at Lewis Landing, where she was holding up a sockeye salmon and grinning from ear to ear.
The Corps of Discovery Trilogy Box Set: Books 1-3: A multiverse series of alternate history Page 19