Unnoticed I left the room, threading past some empty rooms until I’d escaped to the open air. Feeling the draw of obligation, I hastened my pace. Hurrying past the party, I saw Nine-bot lending an ear to Saul. Carla was laughing, while Frances looked on. When I cut through a corner, Frances turned my way. She called out to me. But alas, I had no time for delay. On arriving to the stern, I dove without pausing.
CHAPTER 47
Carla pulled off her hat and wind glasses. Nestling the glasses in the hat on a corner of the table, she sat down opposite Joud. They considered each other with questioning faces.
“Did Chance come back?” she asked.
“Yes, pretty much right away,” he said. “They were already gone, so….”
“And Alex? What about Alex?” she asked.
“Alex is Alex,” he said with an unexpected scowl, “This doesn’t have anything to do with him. Not really. I mean...whatever. He and Danel are friends. But let’s not talk about Alex,” Joud said, “How about you? What’s going to happen, now?”
Carla didn't immediately answer. Joud could see she was carefully considering her response. It was a windy day in Kamarong City. The Double Moon Cafe was abuzz; as was often the case on days when the wind whipped the black sand up into the air. Through the glass facade, Joud watched the people passing by. With heads bowed, their movements bespoke a quick determination.
“The truth is I feel relieved,” Carla said, startling him back to attentiveness.
He blinked. “Really?” He grinned. “Care to explain?”
Her laugh was a single note, “Ha. Well, it just so happens, I agree with the Levihopi. And, you know what else? I’m glad we have to start all over again.”
Raising his eyebrows, Joud said, “I bet you didn’t say that to Danel. When I saw him yesterday, he was fit to be tied.”
“You wait and see,” she said, “This will be the best thing ever for Danel. He’s very talented; but he was too comfortable...too complacent with success.”
“He’s really angry, from what I saw,” Joud cautioned.
“So what!” Carla said, “Adrenaline is good for creativity. It’s no different than having your heart race when you walk onto a stage. Danel’s going to have to up his game, now. You’ll see; he’ll rise to the challenge.”
“So you do respect him then.” Joud said.
“Sure I do. Of course! That’s why I was excited to work with him. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I also think he’s arrogant. Sadly, arrogance was making him sort of lazy. I don’t know,” she said, stretching, “I was just very disappointed. I didn’t follow him across the cosmos to do mediocre work.”
Joud cringed. Mouthing the words, “Mediocre work,” he smirked.
Carla blushed, and said, “I didn’t mean to…I mean…I know you two are friends….”
“When do you restart the project,” Joud said, to change directions.
“I’m not sure. Danel gave us the week off; but said it might be longer. He still has to meet with the Coalition.”
“So, you definitely have a week off. I don’t suppose I could entice you to take a cruise out to the Seaweed Plain.” Looking at her hopefully, he implored, “You want to, Carla?”
“There is nothing I’d rather do, Joud.”
The morning fog was thick; visibility limited to three meters. Navigating the beach on foot, Carla traveled in a muffled bubble of solitude. Feeling lost, she stopped beside a disembodied ski. Consulting her arm device, she saw the beacon, and decided Joud’s h-liner must be one or…maybe two ships over…? Since there were no streets or permanent structures on the beach, the GPS could give no advice; only indicate distance and bearing of her target. A comm-link request tapped her ear.
“Hello, Joud,” she answered.
“There you are,” he said.
Searching the mist, she asked, “You can see me?”
“Just your geo-position when you answered, silly,” he teased.
Embarrassment warming her face, she dropped her eyes. “Right,” she said.
“I was going to tell you to wait, and come later. The fog should lift in less than an hour,” he explained. “But since you’re so close, just stay where you are; and I’ll come get you,” he advised, “since I know my way through the tangle of boats.”
“Are you sure?” she said, “I’m only a couple of ships away.”
“Trust me,” Joud said, “You’ll end up walking in circles.”
CHAPTER 48
Huddled without comfort in his bed, Danel, let his eyes fall open, again; but declined to move any another muscle. The primordial darkness, told him morning was nowhere near. By the dim light of the cloaked moon, lying on his side, he brushed his sight over the lonely lumps peopling the room; and assigned them proper identities: chair, desk, bin, rumpled shirt….
Desperate in his desire for sleep, he closed his eyes; but his restive mind began once more to harass him. Defeated by giant fish, his mind taunted. What would he tell the Coalition? Defeated by giant fish, his mind berated. What would he tell the Coalition? Defeated by giant fish, his mind excoriated. What would he tell the Coalition? Trepidation made him squirm; and the bed refused to gratify. To halt the circuit of thoughts, Danel opened his eyes for the umpteenth time.
Staring at the dark, he tried to sooth himself. Just breathe, he said. Empty the mind, he commanded. Zero the mind with breath, he instructed. Okay…okay…a-a-a-ah-huh, he sighed. His breathing slowed; became measured, as he sought to create an even tempo, a pattern of breath, a parody of sleep. Into the arms of oblivion, he implored. Sleep…let me sleep, he prayed.
Again…he closed his eyes. He pulled another…slow…breath…. The Levihopi were no mere fish. He was finding it hard to wrap his mind around that one. If he hadn’t been there, he would not have believed it. What if the Coalition thought he was making excuses for shoddy construction? With a grunt, Danel flipped to his stomach.
Sapient fish.
Danel sat up. The lights flashed on with this action. He sat there in his bed, blinking his eyes against the light. He looked around the room…and sighed. Slowly, Danel lay back down. After a few minutes, the lights dimmed away. If only he could do the same, he thought; if only.
CHAPTER 49
“Kong,” Alex announced. He showed the four tiles; drew a tile and discarded one.
“Chow,” I said, taking the discard.
“Be careful, Chance. I know it seems counter intuitive; but you want to be careful about which sets to meld,” Carla advised; adding, “I hope you don’t mind my asking, Chance; but why are you so terrible at this game?”
“I’ve never played before,” I said.
Alex explained, “I printed the tiles after I heard you were coming, Carla. Since bonehead Joud has been obsessed with showing you he’s a real seasteader, he was rather neglectful in other areas. Therefor, I decided to take it upon myself to organize activities and model the behavior of a proper host, for the young man.”
Joud ignored the jibe while Carla looked down, embarrassed.
Alex smiled warmly. Adding a wink, he joked, “Although, I confess if I’d known you were so good at this particular game….”
We continued to click through the tiles until Carla called out, “Mahjong!” for the final time.
The next morning Joud awoke to an acute awareness of the briny tang of the open sea. When he peeked open an eye, he saw the boat, the sky, the water; all of it aglow in the silver cast of almost dawn. He readjusted himself in the hammock and pulled the light blanket more tightly to his body. He thought about Carla tucked cozy in his bed. Sighing contentedly, he drift back into sleep. When next he lifted his eyes, he saw the thin horizon tinged a ruby red. When he sat up, the hammock lurched in accord with his motion. Dropping his feet over the side, he was gently dumped to his feet. Joud stood there for a moment, looking over the aft deck from the cozy alcove. While the air stirred gentle across his skin, the kaleidoscopic sunrise commenced. Feeling grateful, he pulled the fresh cocktai
l of sea air deep into his lungs. That was when he decided, today was the best day of his life.
Stepping over the heap of his clothes, he felt himself strong and free. Naked he sauntered to the middeck ladder. When only halfway down the rungs, he leaped clear of it, to plunge the final distance into the dancing waves. The revelation of water slipping against skin filled him with an uncanny pleasure. Exhilarated, he returned dripping to the deck. Without drying off, he pulled on his water pants and shoes and slipped the blouse over his head. Stretching with arms held wide and palms facing the rising sun, he consciously sought to receive the beauty of the day. He felt himself exalted by the recognized perfection. Tiptoeing in to the galley, he was met by the robust scent of coffee brewing.
“Good morning, Chance,” he said, slipping into a chair.
“Good morning, Joud.”
The portal opened and Alex entered in. Sitting across from Joud, he stretched his hands dramatically overhead as a yawn swallowed his face. Blinking his watery eyes and taking in his surroundings, Alex said, “Good morning, Joud…Chance.” After yawning once more, he said, “Carla not up yet?”
“Not yet,” Joud agreed.
They were silent while I served them their coffee. I began to prepare breakfast. The men seemed comradely in their silence. Coming more awake, Alex laid his eyes on Joud and stated as a matter of fact, “We can make it to the Seaweed plain today; and I’ve decided, I should pilot. I guarantee you want to be standing right beside Carla when she sees it for the first time.”
Recognizing the offer as the gift that it was, Joud nodded, and said, “Okay, Alex. Thank you.”
Joud took Carla’s hand. There was nothing to say…or maybe too much to say. The Seaweed Plain defied commentary. The rolling emerald beauty of it was too obvious to declare. When his comm-link tapped his ear, Joud squeezed Carla’s hand to let go; and tapped acceptance of the call. “Hey, Alex. Are we parked?” he asked.
“Almost. Sorry to interfere; but….”
Joud turned around to see Alex standing at the pilot room window.
“I thought I better give you a heads up. H-liner approaching from the south,” Alex said. To date, they had never encountered another ship on the open waters. Shifting his focus, Joud scanned the horizon to the south; but the view was largely obscured by the cabin.
“I can't see it,” Joud told Alex.
“Don't see what?” Carla asked.
“Alex says there's another h-liner coming this way. Alex?”
“Yes?” Alex responded.
“Alex, I'm going to tap off, and walk to the stern.”
“Okay, I’ll be out as soon as we’re set,” Alex advised.
Joud tapped off. “Come on, Carla,” he said, “Let's go check this out.” Then with a jolt of joy, he remembered to scoop up her hand. Enjoying the comfort of her palm, he pulled her along.
When they came around the cabin, Carla saw it first. “Oh, there…there it is. It seems to be coming straight at us,” she said.
“Indeed, it does,” he said.
At sight of the boat, Joud experienced a rush of anxiety. He gripped Carla's hand more ardently, linking his fingers between hers. It was one of those days when the atmosphere felt less sodden. A light breeze buffeted the air. The day was lovely. Feeling Carla’s palm against his own, he resolved he must always have loved her.
When the boat drew close enough, Joud could see there were two figures standing at the foredeck, one of them was waving an arm in a large, body swaying, arc. Expertly, the craft performed a tight turn. The two of them proceeded aft from the foredeck. When their h-liner coast smoothly to a stop, the strangers were brought within speaking distance. Joud dropped Carla’s hand; he pulled himself to his full height, and protectively placed his arm across her shoulders.
“Ahoy!” said the taller man of the two. He was lean but well muscled. His head, jaw and throat were dark with stubble.
“Ahoy.” Joud answered back.
“Hope you don’t mind,” said the second man. He was exceptionally good looking with pretty doe eyes. The fuzz on his head was strawberry blonde. His jaw was clean shaven. The pretty man said, “We've been on the waters for a very long stint. It’s been awhile since we had anyone new to talk to.” Turning to the taller man, he added with a beatific smile, “Offense intended.” The two laughed merrily.
“We'll shove off, if you want,” offered the first man. “It’s just...we thought it couldn't hurt to check.”
“Ahoy, mates,” said Alex, approaching from behind. Stepping forward he stood close beside Joud. To Joud, he whispered, “I wanted to make certain these drifters didn’t run into us; or I’d have come out sooner. So…what do you think? Should we tell them to shove off?”
Ignoring the flutter in his gut, Joud answered indecisively, “I’m…not sure. What do you think?”
“I'll go over to them,” Alex said, “See what type they are. Find out what they're about.” Looking to the men across the way, Alex yelled, “Permission to board!”
“There's a good man,” the two said in unison then erupted to a fresh bout of laughter. The taller one answered, “Permission granted.”
“If I don’t come right back,” Alex murmured to Joud, “I'll call. Okay? You don't hear from me, we have a problem. Got that?”
“You think it might be dangerous?” Joud's stomach tumbled.
“Eh!” Alex grunted, “I'm sure it'll be fine.” Turning away, he added, “Still. It doesn't hurt to be cautious.”
Walking decisively, Alex disappeared beyond the cabin. A loud splash marked his disembarkation. When he reappeared, he was climbing the middeck ladder on the neighboring h-liner. Sans fins and fully dressed, water sloughed from his clothing.
When the call came, a few minutes later, Joud anxiously punched acceptance harder than usual. “What do you think?” he said.
Carla surveyed his features, attempting to extract the story from his eyes. When he tapped off, she blurted, “Well? What did he say? Is he alright? Are they good guys, or bad guys?”
Joud shrugged and visibly relaxed. “He says they just seem like regular guys. Says he's going to stay and drink some brews with them; says he'll be back in time for dinner.” Grinning he added, “I guess we might as well go swimming.”
CHAPTER 50
Alex was still visiting the neighboring h-liner; Carla and Joud were swimming. Assigned the role of captain, I made the rounds. There were no pressing duties to perform since the h-liner was parked with the forward part of the skis settled securely in the weed; and plenty of time remained in the day before I commenced preparing the evening meal. Reaching the bow, I came to a stop. Another blast of male hilarity drifted over from the other h-liner. My vision caressed the emerald field before I turned from the bow and continued my stroll. At the stern, I stopped to await the return of Carla and Joud.
They popped up from the water at the center of my view. They began to playfully splash each other, to actually screech in delight. Observing them, it occurred to me, they were chipper as dolphins. When they climbed up the ladder, I gathered by the languor of their movements, they must be ready to relax.
“Pardon me,” I said, “may I offer you some chilled pineapple juice. I could bring it to the center deck, if you like.”
“Chance, you are a mind reader,” Carla proclaimed.
Rejecting the lounge chairs, Joud and Carla lay side by side on towels drawn so close together, they could have been a single piece of cloth. I placed tall glasses of the golden liquid on the nearest table and withdrew.
After observing the delivery through the slits of his eyes, Joud hopped up, to retrieve the drinks. “Shall I bring this to you?” he asked, “or would you rather move to a chair?”
“Why don't we share a chair,” she answered, to his delight.
Legs straddling the seat of the lounge, Joud leaned back and made a gesture of invitation. Placing herself between his legs, Carla leaned back against him. To pull her even closer, he wrapped an arm around he
r waist, and draped a hand across her thigh. Thus merged, they occasionally sipped on their drinks.
The wallop of a sizable splash presaged a renewed bout of drunken guffaws. Neither of these noises was sufficient to elicit interest; but the belligerent shouting was. Joud stood, and in the process lifted Carla also to her feet. Ignoring his erection, he hastened to the side deck with Carla trailing close on his heals. They arrived in time to see the tall stranger on the adjacent boat doubled over in a fit of mirthful glee. At the top of the middeck ladder, a different man was bellowing insults; wearing a dark stubble, he could have been the tall man's brother.
“I'm telling you,” the man hollered, “we had nothing to do with it!”
Likewise drawn out by the aggressive tone, I hurried over stand beside Joud.
“You’re a lying shrimp dong!” Alex roared.
At the sound of his voice, Carla, Joud and I leaned over the handrail, to discover Alex, somehow managing to stay afloat by drunkenly chopping at the water.
“What’s going on, Alex?” Joud shouted.
“These, oh so funny fellows, knocked me off the ladder!” Alex complained.
“He just forgot which end goes up!” the man by the ladder amended. Whereon, the two men fell about in a renewed seizure of levity. Meanwhile, their pretty blonde shipmate was nowhere in evidence.
“Up yours!” Alex bawled. Then gracelessly slapping and kicking, he disappeared from sight. We met him at our own middeck ladder; where he contrived an unsteady ascent, his limbs he hurled upward while his feet repeatedly slipped. Finally managing to arrive to the deck, Alex staggered not so many steps before he performed a defining collapse into a comatose pile.
Joud and I shared a glance of practiced resignation. “All right, let's do it,” Joud acceded. I gripped Alex at his armpits and Joud grasped him beneath his knees.
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