Free Trader Complete Omnibus

by Craig Martelle

  He shook it off and continued into the bowels of the ship, noticing that the motion of the sea was much less down here. He found where the scientists had stayed, only because their clothes were clean and neatly piled outside their doors and the space was labeled, “Technical Staff Billeting.”

  “Of course, there is a Server Bot to take care of the absent-minded scientists,” Braden said out loud to himself as he walked away, making no noise in his bare feet. The material on the deck was soft and non-slip. He enjoyed walking on it. He wondered if the ancients also walked barefoot. Probably not, Braden thought. The ancients seemed to take everything for granted.

  Braden made it to the lowest deck, five levels below the sea. It was dark. A row of viewing cubicles with clear windows made up the sides of the level. There were mechanical systems down there that launched the scavengers to pick the materials used by the fabricator, Bots to clean the hull, and the empty bays where the mini-subs were located. One could dive into the water of those docking bays, and swim straight down to get outside the ship. Braden had no idea why the water didn’t flood into the deck, and he refused to ask Holly. He didn’t care how the ancients’ technology worked. He simply accepted that it did.

  That didn’t mean he couldn’t be amazed by it. He found the elevator and took it as high as it would go, to the second level in the sail. He climbed the three remaining flights of stairs so he could sit in the captain’s chair as the sun rose behind the ship, lighting the endless ocean before them. He felt a quiver in his stomach as the immensity of it all momentarily overwhelmed him. He couldn’t fathom the distances involved.

  When they were on board the RV Traveler, he didn’t feel like he was in space. It felt more foreign and vast on the Western Ocean as the ship ventured far from shore.

  He heard the padding of feet behind and saw Micah, dressed in a bathrobe and also barefoot. He turned to get up, but she held him down, letting her robe drop.

  “Again?” he asked hopefully. Micah nodded as she helped him out of his pants. They christened the captain’s chair appropriately, expecting that the stodgy ancients would have been appalled.

  A sunrise at sea was a magnificent affair as the waves radiated with the new dawn, sparkling far and wide below the rising orb. As it transitioned from a dark orange through yellow to a blinding white, the sea changed from black to a deep blue.

  Braden no longer felt overwhelmed. Maybe Micah had sensed something from him and helped him past his anxieties and insecurities. She made him more aware of everything around them.

  Such as, he had coffee and she did not. They went to the galley where they found three hungry ‘cats. Braden ordered coffee for Micah, and they all waited until the familiar ding signaled the cup was ready. G-War’s patience was wearing thin, which signaled that the seasickness was only temporary. Braden wondered why the ‘cats had gotten up. They seemed to be sleeping so peacefully only a short time ago.

  ‘Really? You have no idea, do you? Now get us food,’ G-War demanded.

  “I have just the thing. I found this yesterday. Mr. Fabricator, one salmon tartare, please.” When Braden pulled the small plate from the fabricator, G-War’s ears perked up. When the dish was on the floor, Treetis dove toward it, only to get slapped away by the Golden Warrior. Fea stepped between them, hissing at each, then casually settled in to eat her breakfast.

  Braden ordered two more and the fabricator delivered. Treetis was standing, pawing at the door of the ancients’ device. “That doesn’t make it go any faster,” Braden told the young ‘cat. He hip-checked the orange creature out of the way so he could retrieve the two dishes and set them on the floor. G-War and Treetis dug in like the ravenous carnivores that they were.

  ‘Hungry,’ G-War told Braden after inhaling the first dish. Braden put the three dishes back into the fabricator, then ordered three more. Treetis pawed at the door again.

  Braden turned to Micah, holding his hands up and shaking his head. “Did your mother drop you on your head too many times?” he asked the ‘cat. “If you want to hunt, maybe the Dolphins can help you, but you might get wet.” Treetis hesitated for a moment, then pawed afresh at the fabricator.

  “Hungry,” Micah said with a smile. G-War held up a furry paw, giving her the ‘cat finger. Braden delivered the plates to the floor and ordered the human favorite, omelets with ham and cheese.

  They tasted like omelets with fish and seaweed.

  The Hawkoids snoozed on deck, perched on a railing. They’d had great luck catching fish that the ship seemed to readily attract. They shared a number with Pik, who reveled in the taste of the fresh catch. Pik had gone to the well deck to chat with the Dolphins. He enjoyed their company, considering them to be his wet brothers, even though they had nothing in common besides both being genetically engineered by the ancients.

  Brandt was lying down, sleeping peacefully until Bounder poked him with his spear, chuckling as the Aurochs leapt forward, sliding on the deck. The King turned and appeared ready to charge, but Bounder surrendered.

  ‘Do you think you can eat, my big friend?’ the Wolfoid asked. Brandt thought it over, took a few steps, then nodded, waving his horns dangerously.

  The two Wolfoids disappeared down the stairwell and returned with armloads of greens, followed by two Rabbits with more freshly picked from the garden. The King of the Aurochs ate tentatively, not wanting to devour the offerings in two gulps.

  Bounder and Gray Strider joined the others in the galley, where Braden worked the fabricator while Micah retired to her quarters to get dressed.

  Bronwyn finally made it to the galley, looking shriveled from having spent so much time in the water. She wore a broad smile, happy to be with all her friends, both old and new. She greeted each warmly and hugged them tightly, even the ‘cats, who tolerated her doing so. Even Micah didn’t enjoy such a privilege.

  Braden wondered where Aadi had gone. “Aadi?” he shouted through the hatch to the outdoors. An outside deck circled this level, so Braden stepped through and looked around. He saw Aadi at the very back of the deck at sea level, trying to walk forward. Braden ran, taking the steps down three at a time, hitting the deck hard and racing to his old friend’s side.

  “What’s wrong, Aadi?” Braden asked, concerned for the Tortoid, believing that there was something amiss as part of the pregnancy.

  ‘I’m afraid that the ship is moving faster than I can swim. Get behind me and I’ll show you. Be ready now,’ the Tortoid said mysteriously. When Braden stood at the edge of the deck, the ocean close behind him, Aadi floated upward and was instantly swept into Braden, nearly knocking him down. One leg went into the sea as the human pushed Aadi forward and crawled back aboard.

  “I see,” Braden said. He jogged back into the sail, dripping from his wet pant leg, and returned with a short length of rope. Aadi held it in his beaklike mouth as Braden pulled him back toward the sail where they could secure the Tortoid inside, make sure he didn’t float away. The ocean was a big place.

  They made their way up the stairs to the galley where Bronwyn tapped his shell. ‘There was nothing to worry about. Rexalita is with us. She would have saved you and brought you back to us,’ the girl told them all over the mindlink while she enjoyed her omelet. Braden was surprised that she didn’t question the taste.

  With the companions together and chatting, Braden opened his neural implant to check in with Holly.

  ‘Good morning, Master Braden!’ the AI said cheerfully. ‘I am following your progress closely. Current projections show that you won’t arrive until tomorrow. I am re-routing you to the south to avoid a nasty storm that seems to be brewing. You will miss the weather, but the seas could get rough.’

  ‘I won’t share that part with the others. It seems they’ve only just recovered from the pukes that equally affect both the strong and the weak,’ Braden replied. ‘We think that the island and the undersea facility must be connected. Is there any way you can confirm that? Find us a way in that doesn’t requires the mini-submar
ines?’ Braden stood at the railing, watching the undulating ocean. He understood why Caleb kept going back to sea, even though his people were doing most of the fishing while he managed the trade and the village. The sea called people to it, so they would know how small they were in comparison, and then learn how to work with it, but never dominate it.

  ‘That is a most logical conclusion, Master Braden. I have redirected available sensor systems. At this time, I don’t have any additional information, but we won’t have all the data until later today. Before you arrive, I will have everything I’m going to get and will share it before you go ashore,’ Holly stated.

  ‘Thanks, Holly. No surprises please.’ Braden closed the link, certain that Holly kept information from them until they had no choice but to continue. Braden wondered if there would be Androids.

  He hated Androids.

  G-War also hated them because he couldn’t sense them. Pik said he harbored no ill will toward the biomechanical creations, but Braden doubted his sincerity. Micah was merciless when it came to Androids, despite Holly’s protests.

  ‘Why are you thinking about Androids?’ Micah asked over the mindlink. He wondered where she was. ‘Our room, I’ll be out in just a couple heartbeats.’

  ‘It just feels like the work of Androids,’ he told her.

  ‘We have our blasters. If we see an Android, we kill it first, no matter what. Holly will want to have a conversation, but I’m not good with that. We kill it and all of its Android buddies except for one which we’ll turn over to Holly, then we go find my father.’

  ‘Sounds like you’ve already thought about this. What if they have Security Bots with them?’ Braden asked.

  ‘Then we use Holly’s devices to finish them off,’ she declared. ‘So, we won’t get there until after tomorrow’s sunrise. I’m looking forward to another night in that bed,’ she told him, sharing an image of naked, sweating skin.

  ‘I don’t know what’s happened to you, but I like it!’ Braden exclaimed. ‘Maybe we should make trips on the Warden a regular thing. Next time I talk with Holly, we’ll see what we can arrange. We need a harbor closer to New Sanctuary, though. Yes, I think a survey of the areas in the south are in order!’

  “Once we have my father in hand, then we’ll take a look at what’s next,” she said aloud, startling him. Her mood darkened, but only for an instant. “I like the motion of the ship, the sound of the sea slapping against the hull. There’s something magical about it all, reminds me of growing up. My father was always there, ready to go to sea, he said for fishing, but I suspected it was more than that. Much more. He loves the ocean.”

  “We’ll get him back. We’re on our way to the ends of Vii for him, and we’ll go farther if we have to. Whatever it takes, because I want to take you to sea on a vacation where there’s nothing to worry about except what we’re going to eat next!” Braden hugged his partner tightly, enjoying the smell of her hair, the curve of her neck. He liked how the sea drew him in, too.

  The Storm

  Clouds darkened the daytime sky and despite the ship’s increasing speed, the storm was faster. It circled the ship and as the evening dark approached, the sea started to rage. Braden wasn’t sure what to do. Micah had been through storms at sea, but they had no control over the ship. Micah contacted Holly.

  ‘The ship has survived over four-hundred years of storms at sea without a scratch. It will be fine, but you, on the other hand, I suggest you find someplace to strap yourselves in. It could get rough. I suggest the garden deck or one deck lower. If you’ve put anything out, I suggest you tie it down. Good luck!’ Holly signed off before Micah could ask any more questions.

  ‘We need everybody down below. Brandt, I’m sorry, but we’re going to have to tie you down up here so you aren’t swept overboard.’ While Micah and Pik positioned Brandt next to the sail and started running ropes and straps, conveniently provided by a Maintenance Bot, around his body, Braden went below to find the scientists. He yelled at them to secure their gear, which they had just finished unpacking and set up. They started to argue, but he waved them off and told them when the equipment was destroyed, they weren’t going back for more. Then he stormed off, trying to slam the door on his way out, but ancient technology wouldn’t allow such a demonstration.

  He bounded up the steps, past the garden deck where the Rabbits hopped to and fro, securing both plants and equipment.

  “Less than two nights. We’ve been here for less than two nights. How much stuff do we have?” Braden yelled at the bulkhead as he kept running, holding the railing as the ship started to gyrate unpredictably. Brandt was strapped in and miserable. Pik took a position next to the great King and stood, holding a hand grip on the bulkhead, the other wrapped around one of Brandt’s straps.

  ‘The girl,’ Pik told Braden without elaboration. The whitecaps of the waves rose high above the deck, crashing across at irregular intervals. Brandt stood tall to keep his head above water, while Pik remained stalwart, unmoving as he was pounded by the ocean. Braden went hand over hand along a railing that led to the well deck, where he found Bronwyn hanging on to the Dolphins as they fought to keep her head above the water.

  Braden dove in and breast-stroked hard to get to Chlora and Rhodi. He gripped a dorsal fin and tried to talk, but the waves kept overwhelming him. The Dolphins kept swimming just to stay somewhat within the confines of the well, which was now a full body length under the water.

  “We have to go inside!” Braden finally managed to yell. Bronwyn shook her head, eyes wide in terror.

  ‘Can you get us close to the hatch? We can hold on there until the ship heaves out of the water, then we can get inside,’ Braden asked the Dolphins, finally remembering to use his thought voice.

  ‘We can and we must. We have to get into the open ocean if we are to survive, get to a place where we can dive below the fury of the waves. Listen, little one. You must go inside,’ Chlora pleaded. The Dolphins powered forward, dragging the two humans along a surging wave, riding high, then diving into a trough, only to be overwhelmed by the next massive wave. The Dolphins raced downhill, building enough momentum to fly up the next swell where they bounced off the railing of the sail’s second deck. Braden threw himself over, bracing himself behind the railing while he held on to Bronwyn with his other hand. As the wave continued past, the Dolphins disappeared into the darkness.

  Bronwyn reached futilely into the space where her friends had been before turning and letting Braden pull her onto the deck next to him. They waited for two more waves to pass before they opened the hatch and jumped inside. Bronwyn shivered as they slowly made their way down the steps, bouncing into the bulkhead as they descended. They stopped often as the steps turned from a climb to a dangerous fall and back to a level walk. The ship twisted and jerked violently.

  The crashing of the waves. The anger with which the ship was tossed. And yet, it was quiet inside. The ship rode the turbulence, became one with the motion. In the case of the Warden, it appeared that the ancients had worked with nature and not against it. The ship was built to ride out the storm, not to bully it or bend its will to that of the ancients. It didn’t need to power through the raging sea, only wait until calm returned. Then it would continue on its way.

  Braden and Bronwyn finally made it to the deck below the garden level where the mass of companions huddled in one room that looked to be specifically built as a place to weather the storm. It was well padded, without hard furniture, and with plenty of handholds and places in which a person could wedge him or herself. The ‘cats were clinging to one piece of furniture that would probably have to be replaced. Their claws had dug deeply as their bodies were yanked back and forth, although the motions there were nowhere near what they were on the second level where Braden and Bronwyn had just been.

  Brandt suffered mightily. He was thrown hard one way, then the other. The straps and ropes cut into his hide. He couldn’t maintain his balance. He puked green mash, again and again until only bile came up. He
felt weak as a kitten. Pik Ha’ar never wavered. He stood tall against the storm, seemingly immune to the deck’s constant motion. Brandt focused on the Lizard Man, taking strength from his nearness. The companions shared their support over the mindlink while they were bounced around within the padded room.

  Braden couldn’t stop thinking about the Aurochs on deck, or the Lizard Man. As he and Micah held each other, he had an overwhelming urge to check topside, but Micah wouldn’t let him. She was right. There was nothing he could do up there except be swept overboard. Aadi remained inside on the first level, keeping himself centered so he had the smoothest ride of all.

  At least they had light. On the deck, darkness seemed to surround Brandt and Pik, press in on them despite the deck lights having been turned on, blazing into the storm.

  The sea continued to rage well into the night.

  No one realized when the storm had passed as they’d fallen asleep. Braden woke first, as usual, while the others were passed out from exhaustion. Braden’s first steps were stiff and sore, his body abused from fighting with the ship against the raging sea. He left the room and jogged through the corridor, quickly climbing the steps past the garden level to the main deck.

  The King of the Aurochs was on his side, soaked through and through. Braden’s breath caught, until he saw the chest slowly rise and fall. Trying not to disturb the great King, Braden unlashed him, loosening the bonds and wincing at the raw flesh beneath, already white around the edges from constant exposure to the salt water.

  Pike Ha’ar was leaning against the bull’s leg, sound asleep, skin pale from starting to dry out. Braden ran into the sail and up to the third level above the deck where the captain’s quarters were located. He recovered his pouch of numbweed, noting that the quarters had already been straightened and cleaned.

  When he returned, Pik was up and stripping off his skin suit. There was an on-deck shower that Braden guessed was to rinse a person who had gone swimming in the ocean. Pik turned on the water, adjusted the temperature as Braden had shown him, and stood beneath the spray, turning slowly to let the fresh water bring the joy of the rainforest to him.