by Dan Glover
"Lady Lily... I just received a call from Natalia and Lauren. They are trapped in the north of old France. What should we do?"
The radio only crackled with static.
"Lady Lily... are you there?"
Ginger waited a few minutes before rising from her chair and going to find Amanda. She was in the kitchen boiling up some water for tea. For just a second, Ginger hesitated, wondering if she should say anything about her old lover, Alpin, to Amanda. The girl seemed to anticipate her other question.
"Do you think we should ask Pete to fly us north to where Lady Lauren and Natalia are trapped?"
"Oh I think we should, sweet Amanda. Joshua has already agreed to accompany us. I have other news too."
"It's not good, is it, darling Ginger. I hear it in your voice."
"Lady Lily contacted me on the short wave. She could only talk a moment. Alpin is in old America. She asked me to try to get in touch with him."
"How did Alpin get to old America, sweet Ginger? I thought he was still on the Isle of Skye."
"I heard from Karen that one of Pete's jets is missing, my precious Amanda. They believe he flew it across the ocean when he learned Ena had gone there."
"I didn’t realize Alpin knew how to fly. I guess there were a lot of secrets he kept."
"I'm going to find Karen right away, my sweet Amanda. We should go to Lady Lauren's aid immediately. Let's bring Chester with us too."
The phone didn’t work.
The old cell towers had a habit of toppling from both age and neglect. Though Nate and the three scientists worked several months each year to repair the towers to keep the signal strong it was fast becoming a losing battle.
"The power stations and the grids are going to deteriorate too, darling Ginger. Within fifty years we'll need to acquire new sources of electricity or go without."
"Is your new invention something that might prove useful, my lovely Nate?"
She missed their long conversations and how he always listened to each word she spoke no matter how inconsequential. The men she knew before Nate only talked to her until they got what they wanted and then promptly ignored anything she had to say.
"It's possible but unlikely, my precious Ginger. I remember seeing something intriguing when we were in old America. Micah had a generator in one of the basement rooms. I didn’t get a chance to examine it, however. If only I could go back and see it again I might be able to copy it here."
Now, Nate had his chance, thanks to Lady Lily. Ginger alternately loved the Lady and hated her... Lily was a harbinger of all the suffering to come... she took no heed of the feelings of others but did only as she desired.
The way Lily had forsaken Nate still galled Ginger. It reminded her of how Kāne had left her as well, without even a goodbye. Perhaps all the people of the Lake acted in a propitious manner when the times were good but reverted to their animalistic instincts when the world turned sour.
She supposed it wasn’t their fault rather than it was their nature. She was wrong to blame the Ladies for her troubles... they had been nothing but good to her... and she had loved Kāne greedily, like a child might. Perhaps it was her own doing that drove him away from her and into the arms of others.
Ginger grew up without electricity. She remembered having to draw up buckets of water by hand from a well dug by hand out back of the castle and having to fill toilets in order to flush the waste. It was either that or make use the outhouses. She had no desire to return to those days.
She heard Amanda talking on the short wave and from the tenderness in her voice she knew it was Alpin she was speaking with. While Amanda was occupied with that conversation, Ginger went outside to find a suitable vehicle for the trip to the north.
Chester was waiting for her as if he somehow knew his presence was requested.
He looked older around the eyes and though he was still a magnificent beast his muscles no longer rippled as they once did when he walked, his teeth were worn, and his bones showed through his fur as if he hadn’t been eating his fill.
Ginger felt a pang of regret at not watching after him as well as she should have been doing. She forgot that the Ladies did not confer their immortality upon other animals the way they did upon human beings... or did they?
Chester had to be a couple of centuries old now... perhaps it was the nanobots that still circulated in his bloodstream that lent him an air of youth though she had heard it said that the presence of the Ladies negated their energy.
Going into the storeroom she brought out all their fresh meat to proffer to the big cat but he merely sniffed at it before sitting down on his haunches to stare at her.
"Are you sick, big guy?"
When she began to pet him his mouth dropped open the way it always did and she saw a large abscess on his gum line.
"Oh... you have a bad tooth."
Knowing Amanda was trained in medicine she went into the house to find her. Ginger had no idea what they could do to help Chester but perhaps Amanda would have an idea.
"What is it, mother? Is Chester ill?"
"Oh! You startled me, son... I was so absorbed I did not hear your approach."
Her son Joshua and his family lived in the village a stone's throw from Toulon Castle, near enough that his presence protected both Ginger and Amanda while Nate was away.
He had grown into a clone of his father yet Joshua's human side seemed to have mellowed the wild impulses raging through Kāne's psyche. Joshua was still the only person ever conceived of both human and those of the Lake and though Karen had examined him extensively she could never determine what made him so special.
Ginger knew that without even thinking about it, though of course her explanation did not register with a woman of science like Karen.
Chapter 45—Surprises
He planned on surprising Grandfather Nate.
"The old vines are thriving for now, Niall... but in another century or two they'll begin to exhibit signs of deterioration. We need new stock to cross-breed with the old. That way, our breeding program will result in a finer variety of grapes and a smoother wine."
From his travels to reach the south of old France Niall had passed through many vineyards that were nearly gone back to nature. He suspected that was where he might find a few vines that were still vigorous enough to make prime breeding stock.
Grandfather Nate had done so much for him and Niall saw this as a way of repaying him in some small fashion. He had grown used to being his own person never asking permission to go anywhere or to do anything. He ran away from his home on the Isle of Skye and drove a rickety motorcycle hundreds of kilometers to get here... he certainly wasn’t going to ask permission now if it was all right for him to take a short trip north.
His mother hadn’t even seen fit to say hello to him.
He knew he'd disappointed her the way he left without saying goodbye but he was certain she would have done her best to stop him. When he heard Ena was at Toulon Castle, he had hurried to see her but it was too late. She had already gone.
"They took my flying machine, Niall. I didn’t even know it was working. When I came into the workshop, it was gone. Now I have to get the second prototype working so I can follow them to old America. I'm afraid they won't be able to handle things on their own there."
He had wanted to help his grandfather with the work but it was clear that his presence was more of a distraction than anything else. The next day Grandfather Nate was gone.
Growing up he had learned that his presence ensured his human playmates would not fall ill should they wander too far from their villa situated at the Isle of Skye. At first he thought they simply liked to be with him but then mother explained to him that if human children were to become separated from those of the Lake, they would quickly die.
"Once, the world was brimming with humans, my lovely Niall. All the books we have were written by those People. Hundreds of years ago a Great Plague swept over the earth killing nearly all of them. The only ones who su
rvived were those who stayed with the Ladies of the Lake.
"We too have the same ability that they do... to protect human beings with our presence. You must always take care not to leave any of them alone. Even if you dislike them, death is not a fit punishment. Promise me you will practice kindness in this and watch your little playmates do not become separated from you."
Though Karen was visiting and Amanda and Ginger also required the presence of one of the Lake people, his sister Luciana was here. He thought about telling her about his plans but it didn’t seem necessary. She never went anywhere. Even when she lived at the Isle of Skye she stayed close to home.
Wearing only his shorts he felt like a vagabond setting out on a grand ride. Knowing there might be little food found along the way he packed enough jerky for three days as well as dried fruit. He loved the weather in old France compared to the hard and harsh climate where he grew up. Sunshine tingled all over his body as he drove his motorcycle along the nearly invisible highway heading into the north.
Three hours out from Toulon, Niall wondered if he should have told someone of his departure. Still, he rationalized that no one would miss him anyway. He often went days without speaking to anyone, especially since Grandfather Nate had gone away.
"Let me go with you, grandfather."
He had been a little envious upon learning that Kirk was going to old America with Grandfather. Niall thought family should come first... after all, he'd traveled here to learn everything he could from his grandfather, not only about winemaking but life in general. Now the man was favoring one of the People over him, and Kirk didn’t have the best reputation at the Isle of Skye.
"He is one man not to be trusted, darling Niall. Long ago, he colluded with a woman to try taking over Orchardton Hall. I voted to exile him but I was overruled."
It seemed strange that Karen would speak against one of the few human males left on earth but after hearing the story of how Kirk pushed Ginger into a deep dark dungeon to lure the Ladies down there so they could be trapped, Niall decided she was right. Kirk wasn’t the right choice to be traveling with Grandfather Nate to old America. The trip might prove dangerous and the man could not be relied upon in a tough situation.
"I'd love to bring you along, Niall, but I've already made plans to take Kirk with me. There isn’t enough room for anyone else. Perhaps you can come with me on a subsequent trip."
"You have four seats and only two of you are going."
"We plan on picking up at least one passenger in old America, Niall, perhaps others. I'm sorry but we can't take you along. Please promise me you'll stay close to Toulon. Amanda and Ginger might need your assistance while I'm away. I'll feel much better knowing you're here."
Niall wanted to warn his grandfather about the man he was taking with him but he'd seen the two of them together often, sitting by a campfire and talking far into the nights. He reckoned that if grandfather trusted Kirk, then perhaps Karen had misjudged the man.
"Remember, Niall... the People never change. Once they settle into a pattern, they will remain there forever."
He wondered if Karen thought he was the same way... that with him being part-human might mean that his destiny was set in stone from the moment he was born. He never noticed the people of the Lake changing either. They were as settled in their ways as any of the People.
His mother once told him how the people of the Lake believed in the music of the stars, not in any god. To them, the destiny of the world was foretold before the birth of the universe by the breathing of the waters that hummed over the darkness creating the melodies that grew into the world and the universe that surrounded it.
When the music raged out of control the world was in torment. If the music was serene the people rejoiced. Nothing occurred that the music had not foreseen. He rationalized that if everything was indeed predestined then his reconnoitering into the north had also been written in stone. No matter what he did he couldn’t avoid going on this trip.
Such thoughts placated his rising sense of guilt. In a deterministic universe he had no responsibilities. If something terrible happened because of his negligence, it wasn’t his fault. He was simply following the dictates of the music played out long before he was born, before life had emerged.
Still, he couldn’t seem to get Karen off his mind. It was almost as if she was calling out to him... he even thought he saw her voice at times but when he stopped he told himself it was only the wind flowing past his auditory organs.
Karen and Pete lived on the Isle of Skye. Though they stayed in a different villa it was close enough to see out of his bedroom window. He had grown up with their youngest twin daughters named Kirra and Kelsi. They were five years his senior but he grew much more quickly. By the time he was four years old he had surpassed them both in size and intellect.
He became the de facto leader, taking the girls on adventures along the river that ran behind the villa, through a valley, and emptied into the sea
His siblings were grown. By the time he was born Luciana was eight years old and the only one still living on the Isle of Skye, the rest of them having moved off to start families of their own.
He had no father figure to speak of while coming of age. Alpin visited the villa a couple times a year and sometimes Grandfather Nate showed up to spend some time visiting at the Isle of Skye.
Those were his favorite memories. Now, he had let the man down by taking off unannounced after explicitly promising his grandfather he wouldn’t. If something happened while he was away he knew he'd be to blame.
Chapter 4 6—Static
He kept the short wave radio turned on even though he never expected anyone to contact him.
It was more out of habit than anything. Nate and Pete taught him to do a pre-flight checklist and making sure the radio was functioning was part of the ritual. He thought he was hearing things when Amanda's voice crackled through the airwaves.
He'd been lucky enough to land safely even though the runway was cracked and warped. What's more he discovered a cache of fuel hidden inside one of the hangers that sat beside the airport. It had taken hours to fill the tanks using the hand pump kept in the hold.
Now he was in the air again using the old charts he found in the control tower to make his way northeast to old New York City. As near as he could reckon he had an hour to go before reaching Cornell University.
"Are you there, Alpin?"
Being momentarily flustered at hearing the voice of his old lover, he couldn't find his voice. He was flying low to keep beneath the cloud cover lest he lost his way again. Reaching for the microphone he paused for a moment wondering why Amanda was on the radio.
"Amanda?"
He felt stupid that it was the only word that emerged from his mouth. For some reason he couldn't help but see her face the last time they made love... no, it was when last they parted in anger.
"Where are you, Alpin?"
"I'm in old America."
"Lady Lily contacted me. She needs to talk to you. They are in trouble."
"Why didn’t she contact me, Amanda?"
"She's operating on battery power. They had to shut down the power generator because the electro-magnetic pulse from it blocks radio transmissions. She said she tried to call you but got no answer."
"I landed to refuel and just took off again. I'll contact her immediately."
"They're in trouble, Alpin... and Ena is there too."
Though he suspected his wife was here having it confirmed sent a shock wave through his system. Signing off with Amanda and with trembling fingers Alpin dialed in the channel Lily requested he contact her on.
"Oh, darling Alpin... I have worrying news. Ena and Kāne have arrived here to rescue me but they've disappeared. I fear the worst. There isn’t much time so please listen: Micah's machines have overrun everything here. Their nest has been moved outside.
"From the sky, Micah tells me it will look like a crimson crack in the earth filled with cobwebs. That nest is their
nerve center. If we are able to perform a precision strike upon it, we can render all the nanobots inert. Tell me... do you know if the plane you are flying carries any bombs?"
"Of course not, Grandmother Lily... it is a passenger jet, not a fighter plane."
"You must seek out a way to destroy that nest, my precious Alpin... otherwise we will all die here. I must go now..."
"But Grandmother Lily... I don’t understand. How can I wipe out the nest of nanobots with only this jet? Grandmother Lily? Are you there?"
His only answer was static.
The landscape below was gradually evolving into a sea of gray sand undulating between valleys and rising in spiked mountains. The air had changed. Showers of particles struck the windshield as a chill began to pervade the cockpit. As far as he could see there was only a hoary desert under clouds of steel.
He sensed a kind of fear in Grandmother Lily's voice that he never heard before. She seemed desperate. The talk of bombs seemed completely out of place for her. She had always counseled peace and love above all, never violence.
He considered seeking out an old Air Force post as he remembered reading about fighter jets armed with rockets. He knew the old jets would not function, however, and worse, he hadn’t the expertise required to renovate one to flight condition. As for actually dropping a bomb, he wasn’t prepared to even go there.
An image formed in his mind of flames shooting high into the air as planes crashed into battleships. It must have an old book he read or maybe a video he watched. They had a name: Kamikaze. Once their weapons were exhausted and desperation set in, the pilots resorted to suicide missions.
He wondered what it would be like: dying. Would he feel pain? He remembered when he crashed his motorcycle in the Grampians on his way home to Orchardton Hall. He broke both his wrists and though he was in terrible agony, there toward what he thought was the end of his ordeal, the pain stopped. He felt oddly at peace even when he realized he'd be eaten alive by wild animals.
A spark of resolve began to glow in his stomach.