Arthur and the Andarran Rescue

by Craig Speakes

  ‘Oh. Well, I don’t,’ he said.

  ‘Just a feeling?’

  ‘Yes, just a feeling.’

  ‘Like it’s just a feeling that you should be helping it?’

  ‘Yes, what of it?’

  ‘It’s just that the Andarrans seem to think that you might be losing it.’

  ‘Losing it – why?’ He asked.

  ‘Because they don’t understand why you would want to help him.’

  The merlock nudged him with its beak. It reminded him of the way the cat would nudge him when he wanted to be stroked. Arthur stroked the merlock’s head. Sky smiled at the two of them.

  ‘Do you think I’m mad to be doing it?’ He asked at length.

  ‘Me? No, not at all. If you think you can help it, then you should try,’ she said, stepping forwards cautiously and tenderly touching the giant creature’s beak.

  ‘I think he likes you,’ said Arthur.

  That day the group remained camped inside the caves. A number of Char’s fighters grumbled at the fact that they were having to wait for the sake of a lame beast, but on the whole, everyone tried to make the best of it. Arthur had done his utmost to explain to the Major and the others why he felt so strongly about helping the merlock, and although he couldn’t give them anything better than it was because he felt that he had to do it, the rest of the Earth group nevertheless agreed that it was the right thing to do, to help if they could.

  It was close to evening when Char called Arthur over and told him that a heavy storm front moving in from the east of Andarra was due to reach them within the next few days.

  ‘We have not more than two days to get out of these mountains and reach Sa. If we do not make it before the storm reaches us, then we may never make it!’

  ‘And the merlock?’ asked Arthur.

  ‘We have done all that we can for the creature. It stands a better chance in this storm than we do.’

  Arthur listened grimly to what Char was saying. He felt torn between Char’s concerns and his feelings about helping the merlock.

  ‘We will wait no longer, Keeper. At first light tomorrow we go! If you insist on staying behind, then you will be left to perish.’

  With that, Char walked away, leaving Arthur by the cave entrance watching the snow falling. It had been falling heavily all day. He knew he would have to leave with the others. What chance would he have by himself, and what more could they really do? Was he fooling himself into thinking that he needed to save the merlock? He went and sat next to the cat, who was stretched out by the heating device.

  ‘I see you haven’t got very far today, Cat,’ he said.

  The cat opened his eyes and yawned.

  ‘Where would I go? We’re stuck here because you are having fun playing with dragons.’

  ‘It’s not a dragon, it’s a merlock, and that’s a type of large bird.’

  ‘Large bird indeed,’ he purred. ‘The only good birds are the ones you can hold down between your claws and eat. From what I’ve heard, it sounds like a dragon.’

  Arthur slept badly that night – not least because Margot kept snoring, which she often did but never admitted to. ‘Girls don’t snore!’ was all she would say if it was ever mentioned.

  In between fractured dreams, in which he arrived back home only to find out that he was going to have to sit a year’s worth of maths exams the very next day, he kept waking up thinking about the merlock. Each time, he had the feeling something had changed. After waking several times, he gave up trying to sleep and got up to check on it. He tiptoed quietly over to the cave entrance. Elsma was on guard and watched him as he came over.

  ‘Where are you going, Keeper?’ She asked.

  ‘To check on the merlock,’ he replied and stepped outside of the cave. In the far distance, the morning sun was edging its way over the highest peaks, but for now his valley was still dark. Putting on his night vision, he carefully picked his way down the slope and across to the merlock. Seeing him coming, the merlock let out a low caw and began snorting. The giant bird seemed to be much more energetic and Arthur had the distinct impression that he was not in the same place he had been when they’d parted.

  ‘Are you feeling better, boy?’ He asked, stroking his neck. The merlock nuzzled him affectionately before pushing him gently away with his beak. Rising up to its full height, it took several large steps backwards, turned and took off in a blizzard of snow. The huge dragon-like bird flapped its wings and rose briskly into the air before disappearing into the darkness. Only the sound of his powerful wings remained. With a swoosh, the merlock reappeared and landed a short distance away. This was the first time that Arthur had really registered just how big the bird was; its thick legs and giant body lifted him up higher than a bus. For a moment, Arthur felt unsure as the bird turned and stomped towards him. He began to edge backwards. Appearing to sense Arthur’s fear, the merlock stopped, shook its head and cawed softly. Arthur took a deep breath and exhaled.

  ‘I’m glad you’re feeling better,’ he said. ‘I’m going to have to go in the morning. I hope that you’ll be okay.’

  The bird leaned forwards and nudged him in the stomach with its beak.

  ‘It’s a shame we can’t talk to each other. I’d have liked to know more about your life, and maybe even tell you about mine. I’m not from this planet, I’m from Earth – it’s a very long way away. I’m here searching for my father. I mean, he was brought here by the Solarians with other members of our crew and we are looking for them… But I guess you don’t really understand what I’m saying, do you?’

  He reached out and hugged the merlock’s neck. ‘I guess this is goodbye then,’ he said.

  The merlock nudged him in the stomach again and then moved away. Arthur smiled.

  ‘Goodbye, my friend!’

  Letting out a mighty screech, which broke the stillness of the mountains, the bird took off, rising swiftly into the early dawn. Arthur watched him for as long as he could and then a bit longer before slowly returning to the cave. He felt happy and sad in equal measure. Happy that the bird was all right, but sad as if he had just gained and then lost a friend.

  The others were already starting to wake up when he got back.

  ‘Is he all right?’ asked Sky, seeing him already dressed and covered in snow.

  ‘Yes, he’s fine… he’s gone.’

  Sky sat up. ‘Really? Gone?’

  ‘Yes, just now.’

  ‘Well, that’s great, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes,’ replied Arthur, sorting out his pack. ‘It’s great.’

  5

  Sa

  The journey to Sa became a race against the weather and Char pushed them hard to get out of the mountains. After hours of climbing, the group began to gradually descend as the mountain slopes levelled off. Arthur found himself frequently gazing into the distant sky, hoping to catch a glimpse of the merlock, but he was nowhere to be seen.

  ‘Did you ever give him a name?’ asked Margot, spotting him gazing skywards.

  ‘No, I never thought about it.’

  ‘Shame – I would have called him George,’ she said, and laughed as both Captain Schmidt and the Major turned to her. ‘What?’ She said, seeing the looks on their faces ‘You know, as in George and the dragon!’

  Arthur rolled his eyes at the Captain and they both smiled.

  ‘See! I told you it was a dragon,’ called out the cat from inside his pack.

  ‘Right you are!’ said Margot.

  Towards the middle of the afternoon, the mountains began to part, revealing a vast expanse of grey-blue ice in the distance. Smooth and flat, it spread out in every direction as far as the horizon.

  ‘The Spice Sea lies under that,’ said Sky as they rested for a while. It was the first rest they’d had for over five hours. ‘Sava told me that the ice shelf sits two to three hundred met
res above the sea, like a giant roof. She said that the light filters through the ice and makes it very beautiful…’

  Arthur tried to picture what it might look like.

  ‘Doesn’t the roof ever collapse?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Sava, who had just come and sat behind them. ‘The spice miners and traders who live there know that when the roof starts to pour water on to them, then it is time to go.’

  ‘Sounds frightening,’ said Margot.

  ‘It is their way of life. The spices that they mine are very valuable.’

  ‘What can you tell us about the pirates there?’ asked Sky, hardly trying to conceal her excitement. Arthur glanced at her in surprise.

  ‘I don’t know much,’ said Sava. ‘The pirates take what they can from the traders, who protect the miners, and sell what they plunder to the highest bidder. Sometimes that’s us, sometimes the Solarians, and before the war, other off-worlders came here to buy the spices.’

  ‘Why do the Andarrans trade with the pirates?’ asked Arthur, thinking that it sounded strange somehow.

  ‘To limit the supply of spice the Solarians can buy. We know it is a great luxury for them. We are not at war with the pirates. The affairs of the Spice Sea do not concern us.’

  By nightfall the group had reached the bottom of the mountain range. Char looked relieved to have got out of the mountains before the weather turned against them. That night they found shelter near the base of an ancient rockfall, which provided them with a natural shelter against the elements. Even though they were at the bottom of the mountains, the weather was still bitterly cold, with snow and ice lying in patches everywhere. Arthur helped to set up the cloaking shields as the group sorted themselves out. Captain Schmidt once again was happy to prepare food for everyone, which ended up tasting surprisingly good, given Andarran food was tasteless at best.

  ‘I think the Captain has found his true talent,’ joked the Major, tucking in to what he had been given. ‘He could certainly teach the Andarrans a thing or two.’

  When Arthur lay down to rest, he lay for a long while, staring up into the clear night sky. The stars look so close here, he thought to himself and remembered a time at the summer cottage when he and his father had tried their hand at stargazing. His father had got him a telescope for his tenth birthday and had stayed over one night to set it up. He smiled as he recalled how they had waited and waited until it was dark enough. In the end they had managed to see the moon up close, with its many craters, and the Milky Way. Arthur closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the wind howling way above them through the mountain passes, and for a moment he thought he heard the cry of a merlock somewhere in the distance.

  From the foothills of the Eroth mountains, which came down out of the northern ranges, it was possible to see the whole of the town of Sa. Surrounded by towering walls, Sa was located on the southern shore of the Spice Sea. Further away, beyond it, like the entrance to a colossal cave, the vast ice roof could be seen clearly, suspended as if by magic high above the water, gradually arcing away into the distance. In Sa’s harbour there were numerous vessels of different shapes and sizes. They looked different from ships back on Earth.

  One of the first things that struck Arthur about Sa was the number of towers of various sizes. He couldn’t help but wonder what they had all been built for, and then remembered hearing about a town in Italy which was famous for having a lot of them. Although not very big, the town had been built on an important pilgrimage route during the middle ages, and at one point had over seventy towers, which had been used to store things and for protection. The height of a tower was also a mark of the status of the family who owned it. If a family ever lost their status, for whatever reason, their towers would be made shorter to show their shame and loss of importance for all to see. He reasoned that maybe things might be the same in Sa.

  It had been decided that in order not to attract any unwelcome attention, the group would remain where they were in the foothills whilst Char and several of his fighters went into Sa to secure a ship.

  ‘Even neutral towns have the eyes and ears of those who do the bidding of the enemy,’ said Char before leaving.

  Arthur sat down on the hillside next to Sky, and for while they quietly watched Sa and the comings and goings of ships to and from the Spice Sea. Thinking that Sky seemed unusually distracted, at first he wondered if perhaps she was still upset with him. It wasn’t until he noticed that she was being quiet with everyone that he decided something might be wrong.

  ‘Sky, are you okay?’ He asked, trying to make it sound casual.

  ‘Fine,’ she said.

  ‘Really? You seem down.’

  ‘Do I? Yes, I suppose so… just ignore me.’

  ‘Sky, come on – what’s wrong?’

  ‘Nothing, honestly. I’m okay. It’s the time of year, I guess.’

  ‘Has something happened?’

  ‘No… it’s just that I always miss my mum at this time of year.’

  ‘Was it around this time when she died?’ He asked softly.

  ‘No… she and I shared a birthday,’ she said, clearing her throat.

  ‘Oh!’ said Arthur, not having had any idea it was her birthday. He suddenly felt guilty for not knowing.

  ‘It’s today?’

  ‘Yes, today,’ she said.

  Arthur leaned over and hugged her tenderly, ‘Happy birthday!’ He said. Sky rested her head on his shoulder. ‘Thank you… please don’t tell anyone, okay?’

  ‘Okay.’

  As night fell, the group were called to move with all haste into Sa. Char had secured a ship that was due to leave at first light the following day. The Andarrans – whose pale white eyes, broadly uniform height and rigid bone structure set them noticeably apart from the Earthlings – were reluctant to risk drawing attention to the mixed-looking company. As a result, they chose to go not by the roads that ran into the town, but instead slowly and carefully through the marshes to avoid being seen by the town’s watchtowers. It was tough going, and several times members of the group slipped and fell in.

  ‘Don’t break the line!’ whispered the Major, after the lead scout had stepped in the wrong direction and almost vanished into the marsh.

  ‘Don’t break the line!’ repeated the cat, looking over the top of Arthur’s pack. ‘I definitely don’t like the look of that water!’

  ‘Can’t you swim, Cat?’ whispered Sky.

  ‘Well, of course I can swim… can’t you? Phh! I just choose not to, that’s all. End of story,’ he replied, and ducked back into the pack, where he stayed quietly for the several hours it took to make it across the marshes. Finally, as they neared the town wall, they were met by Sava, who had gone with Char to the town earlier.

  ‘The east gate has been cleared and will be open and left unguarded for a short time. We need to hurry!’

  Keeping to the shadows, the group ran across the last part of the marsh, up onto the road and through the open gate. Immediately they were directed down a long, narrow alleyway before being ushered through a large, battered door. Arthur could see Char and several other Andarrans that he didn’t recognise.

  ‘Is that them? The ones from Earth?’ asked the one standing opposite Char. He looked them up and down.

  ‘That’s them,’ replied Char gruffly. ‘Now you have seen them, don’t forget that our deal.’

  ‘Aye, the deals been done, there’ll be no going back on it, you have my word,’ he said, unable to take his eyes off Arthur. ‘There is something unusual about that one, he feels different to the others.’

  Char looked at Arthur and then back at the Andarran. ‘This one is not to be played with, Gravis. He might look young and foolish, but make no mistake.’

  ‘Had a bad experience, did you?’ Gravis snarled.

  ‘He’s looking at you very strangely,’ said Sky, who had also noticed Gravis.


  ‘Yes… he’s giving me the creeps.’

  ‘Me too! Come on, everyone is moving through to that room over there.’

  Arthur glanced once more at Gravis and followed Sky into the adjacent room, where an elderly-looking Andarran lady welcomed everyone and invited them to sit down at the table.

  ‘Eat, fighters of the resistance. You are always welcome here,’ she said.

  ‘You are most kind, Ama,’ replied Char. ‘Your son was a brave fighter. His memory will always be honoured in the halls of the Argon brigade.’

  Ama bowed slightly and took a place next to Char.

  ‘I could not help but overhear you have made a deal with Gravis,’ she said, without lowering her voice much. ‘I hope you understand that he is not to be trusted. I have seen him with my own eyes have dealings with the enemy.’

  ‘I know who Gravis is,’ answered Char so that all could hear him. ‘His misdeeds and treacheries are many, but he has a ship for hire and we are in need of a ship. Do not fear for us; a deal has been struck.’

  ‘I told you,’ Arthur whispered to Sky, who, along with everyone else, was listening to what Char was saying. ‘Creepy!’

  Sky nodded. ‘Very! I hope Char knows what he’s getting us into.’

  ‘What do you think, Major?’ Arthur asked quietly.

  ‘I think that, at the moment, our hands are tied and we must put our trust in Char and his fighters… as much as it pains me to say it.’

  The Major spoke in a whisper so only Arthur could hear him.

  ‘I have a bad feeling about it,’ meowed the cat, having overheard what the Major was saying.

  ‘You have a bad feeling about everything,’ said Arthur, and he turned his attention to what Ama had prepared for their arrival. This being a port, bizarre-looking creatures from the sea lay on odd serving receptacles. He looked warily at a scary fish like an eel, with one huge tooth that curved down below its mouth. There was nothing similar to the fish he might have caught at home. On Andarra they all seemed to be more menacing, with large teeth, bulging eyes and strangely shaped bodies. Luca watched Arthur studying the food and smiled at him.