by Paul Kater
"Okay... what's the game and what's the problem?" The Bull, who had come to help Daniel shook his victim slightly.
The two men held under control explained that the loser had promised, when losing the game of cards they had been playing, to work at the other man's workplace for a day. It was quite a strange deal they had cut, but things were the way they were. The loser claimed that he had not known up front that the ante would be working a day at the shipyard, working on building new boats and ships. "I am not cut out for that kind of work!" he raised to his defence.
"No, you're cut out to take other people's wages," the winner growled, "and running off as soon as there's trouble!" He tried to struggle himself free, but Daniel's grip on him was beyond his might.
"I'll give you all your money back," the loser attempted, "just let me go..." The man's words ended in a whimper.
The man in Daniel's grip growled again. "The money is mine to start with, that won't buy you off, you scum. You'll hold your end of the deal, or I'll-" He attempted another go at the man, in vain.
"Hey, calm down," Daniel said, holding the man back again. "I agree that the loser has to pay up for whatever it was the deal was." He suddenly had a crazy idea. "Bull, can you keep these guys stay put here for a moment? I'm going with them to see to things."
"You're crazy, man, but sure, hand 'm over."
"I'm awake now anyway," Daniel shrugged.
The Bull kept the two men where he wanted them, while Daniel got dressed.
"Right, gentlemen. Let's go," he said as he reappeared. He wore simple grey workman's clothing, nobody would know him except perhaps for his height.
Crissom grunted. The loser refused to say a word. They walked towards the shipyard, which was conveniently located next to the harbour. Crissom's mood seemed to improve as they came closer. "It is easy to get you inside. You're just hired hands for the day," he said, "lemme do the talks."
It was indeed very simple to get onto the shipyard. Nobody asked papers or any form of identification, they were through the gate in a matter of seconds. Daniel and Crissom both held on to the still unwilling card game loser, who by now had shared his name was Purliss. The man actually looked around, curious what all was going on.
"Over here," Crissom said, pointing at a small shack in a wooden fence that allowed access to 'Garmo ko Stirrish Ship Building'.
Daniel grinned. "Is there a way for me to go in and peek around without doing anything else?"
"Oh, sure," said Crissom, "inspectors do that all the time."
Daniel was curious what was going about, so he let Crissom arrange access to the yard for him as well, as he kept Purliss close. "You are going to give it your best, Purliss," he said. "I'll be around and keep an eye on you. Even if you don't see me."
Purliss' enthusiasm was barely able to look out of the gutter, but he followed Crissom without the need for further physical encouragement.
Daniel slipped away between enormous stacks of Polychlon that would be turned into ships. He wandered around over the enormous area, where many men were hauling the large pieces around on carts drawn by small horses. Somewhere on a stack of smaller beams, he found what looked like a crude clipboard with some papers still attached to it. He picked it up and walked around as if he was checking things. Nobody bothered him. In fact, whenever he came near people, they seemed to evade him. Inspectors were treated and loved the same way everywhere, he grinned to himself.
Clipboard in hand, he made his way over the yard to where the ship was being built. It was a smaller one, he saw, with only three masts. It had a very sleek design, the ship was obviously made for speed. Someone was in for some fast trading. He walked off to see the ship more directly from the front side, when he noticed another ship being built 'next door'. He stopped and stared at the high and proud stern that was towering over the fence. A shudder ran down his spine. The ship looked like the twin of the Pricosine.
Daniel looked around. There was no one near him. Hopefully nobody was watching him from some spot. He put the clipboard on a discarded, broken piece of Polychlon and pulled himself up on the fence. The other side was littered with material, with only narrow paths between the piles. If all that had to go into the ship, Daniel thought, it was a miracle that these things actually floated. He jumped back down, picked up the clipboard and made his way over the fence.
The makebelief inspector sauntered over to the immense ship that was half in the water and half supported on blocks of incredible size. This ship and everything that was connected to it surpassed anything he had ever considered big. There were three gangways leading up to it, each to another level. Two went up to hatches further below, and the main gangway led up to the deck. Looking busy, Daniel walked up one of the lower gangways, that got him inside one of the large cargo bays.
The bays were still being built. As Daniel got into the hull, even the floor wasn't entirely finished, so he had to pay attention where he was going. The giant space that was around him left a deep impression with him. He knew that the Pricosine was large, he had patrolled over it many a time, but to see its size this way was stupefying.
After faking some checking, he walked along the bay to the opening where an access door would be. The stairs up were already there, so he boldly walked up and kept going until he reached the upper deck.
The large station where the bridge was going to be was only outlined. A pain jabbed deep inside him. The bridge. Immediately Ulaman, Xandree, Lidrin and all the others were in his head. A flow of powerless rage came and went. Then he froze. A voice was coming from somewhere and it belonged to someone he very much did not want to engage. It was the voice of Clelem Dandra ko Galem.
Daniel scanned the deck and saw a large stack of Polychlon parts, neatly placed. He ran for it and climbed onto it. It was so high that nobody would be able to see him from the deck. He lay on his back for a while, long enough to make his breath calm down and verify there were no people working on the masts who could give him away, even by accident. It then dawned on him that this check was somewhat too late. Luckily there were no people working up high yet.
"I do wonder, my dear husband, why you are insisting on bringing us here at this unholy hour."
Daniel recognised the voice of Clelem's wife Ugidra. Us? He crawled forward and glanced over the edge for a second. Clelem was coming on deck, as was his wife.
"Do not start that litany again, Ugidra," Clelem commented. "This will be the pride of my fleet and I want you to see it."
"Father, you could have asked an artist to make a sketch," Warlem's voice sounded, mixed with sighs and heavy breathing. "It's not even finished yet!" The young man sounded very disappointed.
Daniel grinned at all that, but also wondered about the total lack of thought that seemed to be with the lost crew and the lost ship. Another thought came to him, and as if Warlem was picking up on that, he heard him say: "And why was Rayko allowed to stay in and skip this ordeal..."
"Stop your whining, Warlem," Clelem said in a harsh voice. "You are taking over some day and I want you to toughen up for that. All your poetry and art and what not is making me nauseous, and ashamed that you are in anyway in this family!" The man did not seem to care who could hear him. "This is the Pricosine 2, and it will be better than... just a lot better."
The three people passed the stack that Daniel was hiding on. "It's just another big boat, father, and it's cold and windy here."
"It's a ship. When will you ever learn? Even your sister knows the difference." Clelem started to sound ticked off at his son. "I sometimes seriously wonder if I am insane for thinking you will take over one day, Warlem."
"My sister... my sister... it's not as if you like her any better, father. The way you yelled at her yesterday when she-"
"She has no business showing up so muddy and bedraggled every time she has been away for that stupid game! And now I want you to be silent and pay attention." The man's voice had gone subzero.
Daniel frowned. Clelem had clearly been
performing a great act when they had met. This was clearly the real man speaking now. Slowly the family was moving away to another part of the ship. Daniel raised himself up a bit and waited until they were far away, so he could get off the stack of material. Quickly he found his way back to the cargo bay, and from there he left the ship the way he had gotten on it.
Getting off this shipyard was close to impossible, Daniel noticed. There were two men at the gate who checked every last fly that tried to come in. As he made his way back to the fence where he had climbed over, he remembered the clipboard. It was still on the stack of material on the new Pricosine. For several long moments he stood still, debating with himself if he should go back for it. The dark clouds that had been overhead for a while convinced him to leave it there. The clouds then donated a sudden wash of rain that made everyone run for cover. Daniel took that opportunity to quickly go over the fence and run along with people. Many of them were on their way to one of the large sheds that were meant to keep special material safe. Daniel ran towards the other gate that was wide open and unguarded.
34. Strange Aldrick
Daniel arrived at his apartment, wet and cold. And also excited, exhilarated. He had been somewhere new again, snooped around in places he should not be. He had heard things he should not have heard. And he had not been caught. The whole thing came down to a giant trip.
It was all completely against everything his military training had taught him; they had spies for things like that. And he couldn't care less. He had done this. He had learnt things about Clelem Dandra ko Galem that apparently not many people knew.
He treated himself to a hot shower and dry clothes. After locating some rations he kept for special occasions, and the lasting rain was one of those, he sat at the table and stared out the window. The painful open spot of the Pricosine stung him.
Daniel had tried to see the shipyard from his room, but that was just out of visual range. Maybe that was just as well.
He flipped open the hydger, wondering if that needed drying out with all the rain, but miraculously that did not show any problems.
No one had tried to call him. The clouds overhead did not show any sign of wanting to leave soon. This was going to be a dreary day, Daniel was rather certain of that.
As his thoughts rolled on, he suddenly found himself composing what could be a letter to someone, in his head. He decided that he might as well make it a real one. Yes, he would write a letter to his sister.
He wrote to her, about how he had been transferred to NGC6637-VIII ('a really very far-away planet') and how he had been stationed here to do security on ships, because of pirates. He did not hide from her the fact that they had been outnumbered, and that his life had almost been forfeit.
'I do at times think of you, Cynthia,' he wrote. 'I hope you're doing well and I would really like to hear from you.'
Daniel read his letter over a few times. Then he sent it off, through the star base relay address. The white blip on the screen told him it had been delivered, and that was all he could do.
As he was staring through the window again, the hydger rattled. He picked it up. A black triangle was there, and he didn't even frown anymore.
"Hello, mysterious person."
"Mr. Zacharias," the distorted voice said, through the by now familiar brushing sound. "Have you seen the boat?"
"Yes. I did." Daniel explained about the problem of the size. The stranger on the other end was silent, apparently he had not counted on that. Then Daniel told him about the possible alternative that they were working on.
"You are venturing into options yourself?" No brushing or distortion could take away the surprise in the voice.
"Yes. I want the people from the Pricosine saved. A few people I know want to help."
"When do you know what their option is for saving the crew?"
"They told me they would get back to me in a few days. So that could even be tomorrow," Daniel said.
Another silence. "I see. Can you send word to me as soon as you know if the option is viable?"
"I can, but I'll need the identification of your hydger for that." Daniel wondered if the mysterious person would do that.
"Very well. I will hear from you. As soon as possible." Beneath the black triangle a set of numbers appeared as the connection was terminated.
Daniel stared at the numbers and could not believe it. He had a way to connect to this person now, whoever it was. Quickly he stored the call sign in the hydger, again wondering how many of those this strange box could hold.
Unfortunately, after that the day held no more excitement for Daniel.
He was appreciative of his umbrella, as the rain was still falling as he went out for dinner.
-=-=-
"Krrrrrkkk... Krrrrkkk..." went the hydger. The display told him that Tomlin tried to talk to him.
"Hey, Tomlin, what's up?"
"Good morning, Daniel. Can you come over to me?" Tomlin sounded all business. "I mean now?"
"Yes. What's the rush?" Daniel asked as he veered up from the bed.
"Strange Aldrick has agreed to see you."
"Ah. That is wonderful. I think. I should be with you in something like... half an hour?" Daniel estimated.
"That would be good. Gerolf is on his way also, he'll be here before you. We'll wait for you." Tomlin ended the call without a further word; things had to be very exciting for him, to forget that. Tomlin had become such a gentleman, Daniel grinned.
As he stood in front of the mirror, fixing his tie, he grinned again. 'Not just Tomlin, Daniel, not just Tomlin...'
A carriage took him to Tomlin's house. The roads were still wet; it had rained until early morning, but now the clouds had broken up and some sunshine was making its way down, to take care of the excess moisture.
When he arrived, Tomlin and Gerolf were already waiting outside.
"Good morning," Tomlin said as the two got in. He did the address trick with the hydger and the carriage pulled away. As they were on the road, Tomlin explained that they had visited Strange Aldrick and that the man had said he had something incredible to show them.
Daniel asked him what it was, and Tomlin just grinned. "You're going to love it, Daniel. Really. But Aldrick asked us not to tell anyone. It is all experimental and... such."
"Experimental? And... such?" Something in the way Tomlin had spoken gave Daniel a feeling that he'd rather not have. And he was not certain what worried him more, the experimental part or the bit that was not mentioned.
"It's somewhat out of the ordinary," Gerolf simply said.
"Oh. Somewhat. And experimental. And we are going to the person who devised this." Daniel sat back. "Sounds like a very good idea."
"I agree," Gerolf said. Daniel had no idea if the man was joking or if he had no grasp of sarcasm whatsoever.
The journey took them out of Skarak and into what could be called the backlands. There were many trees in shapes and colours Daniel had never seen. The road was less used and also less maintained: the carriage was shaking quite a bit, and its lack of good suspension became painfully apparent.
"How on Earth does this thing know where to go?" Daniel asked as he tried to find something to hold on to.
"We're not on Earth, Daniel," Tomlin laughed, "and I wouldn't know even if we were there!"
Gerolf just held on, stoically silent.
At the moment Daniel was afraid that the carriage would fall apart, it stopped.
"We've arrived," Tomlin said the liberating word. Their transport had not broken down. Or it had, at the right time.
They left the carriage. Daniel stepped into a puddle. Gerolf grinned.
"Come on, no fussing about dirty shoes, Daniel," Tomlin said as he started up a narrow path through hip-high grass. Daniel went after him and Gerolf closed their ranks..
The carriage did not move.
After about fifteen minutes of plowing through the grass, over a path that was not promoting progress, they reached a gate. Daniel wondered why
there was a gate without a fence.
"It's Aldrick's place. Does this give you a clue why he's called strange?" Tomlin opened the gate and let them in. Upon Daniel's frown he said: "Aldrick's strange. But that does not mean he's crazy, Daniel, remember that. If he puts up a gate, use it. Really."
The three men walked on. The track now was somewhat more friendly on their legs, and they reached a small house. Well, it was more a large cabin.
"Aldrick!" Tomlin yelled. "We're here!" He turned to Daniel. "You never know where he is, so it is smart to announce yourself as soon as possible."
"I knew you were here," a voice said. The body that came with it appeared from inside the cabin. "No need to shout." The man was dressed in white slacks held up by a wide black belt, and a red shirt. He wore black boots and a blue wool hat, despite the nice weather. His skin looked an unhealthy shade of pale.