by Hoover, Gary
There was a moment of silence as both considered their situation.
“It also seems… ” Jeff paused and looked at him. “They really love big, juicy fat guys like you.” Jeff’s face broke into a broad smile.
Dave looked at him and tried to understand what he was missing. “So wait. Are you plooching me?”
Jeff nodded and continued to smile stupidly.
Dave was still confused. “Where you plooching me about them liking fat guys, or were you plooching me about the whole thing?”
Jeff laughed and turned toward others. “The whole thing. At least as far as I know. There could still be more of them, but if so, the cat didn’t let on.”
Jeff joined up with the main group.
“What are you smiling about?” Nahima asked.
Jeff’s smile broadened, but he didn’t answer as they regrouped to move on.
The remainder of the morning was uneventful. They stopped for some lunch and then continued.
While Jeff was glad they hadn’t encountered any more problems, he found the dull monotony of the walk allowed his mind to wander and dwell on unpleasant thoughts. What will the pheerions be like? Will they help? Will they be a bigger threat than Pheerion Rex? Will they just turn us over to him? Even if they help, what’s my plan from there? I feel like I’m moving in the right direction, and I feel nearly certain that my father’s there. But if he has been captured, what chance do I have to avoid the same fate?
He shook his head and tried to replace the questions and uncertainty with more positive thoughts. I’m going to find my father, I’m going to go home…
Jeff realized the others had stopped. Nahima was pointing, and he looked in that direction.
He didn’t see anything.
After a few moments, a figure emerged from behind a tree. It was a small pheerion wearing a long, simple, tan tunic.
The pheerion took off at a run, and John raised his gun.
Jeff jumped at him and knocked the gun down. “What are you doing?!”
John shrugged. “Instinct. We shouldn’t let a scout get back to tell our position should we?”
Jeff looked at Rasp for guidance.
“Itzz good. He will allow them to prepare for our arrival.”
Jeff looked back toward what he presumed to be a boy pheerion as he fished for his magnifying viewer. He focused and saw the pheerion climbing onto a large, white elk-like animal. The pheerion and elk were soon out of sight.
Chapter 67:
They had been walking for several more hours, and while the trees were more sparse, the going was getting tough. The group made its way through the foothills of a mountain range that rose majestically to their left.
As they came over a small ridge, everyone stopped.
A grand valley spread in front of them, and there was a very large, sprawling village next to a river. From their vantage point, they could see it clearly though it was still a mile or two away.
Jeff removed his magnifying viewer from its pouch and focused on the village. There was a large wooden wall enclosing the whole area. Within the wall, there was farmland and clusters of simple buildings. The buildings reminded Jeff of early Japanese architecture – not because they matched the specific lines or unique details but because they had a simple elegance, attention to detail and unfamiliar design that contrasted dramatically with the surrounding wilderness. They seemed similar in size and technology to western frontier buildings of the 1800’s, but they were much more precise in their lines and textures. They had a feel that illustrated a certain sense of pride and craftsmanship that went far beyond the rough, functional look of those frontier communities.
Jeff used the viewer to zoom in on a farmer. The farmer wore a simple tunic – similar to the one the young pheerion in the forest had been wearing. Two of the elk-like animals were pulling a plow the farmer guided.
There were animals in pens that appeared to be goats, sheep or some other similar animal. There was a large wooden slatted bin filled with hay near what appeared to be a small house with a thin trail of smoke coming from its chimney.
Jeff panned past similar farms and then focused on a cluster of buildings in the center of the village that seemed to be a town area. There were pheerions of all shapes and sizes going about their daily business. He saw a tall, thin pheerion open a door just as a much shorter pheerion exited. A juvenile probably, Jeff thought. The two pheerions paused and spoke for a few minutes. Then the taller one entered the building and the smaller one gestured and quickly crossed the street with an odd hopping gait Jeff took to be playfulness. Like a skipping?
The streets were paved with neatly placed flat stones, and there were wooden walkways that ran in front of the buildings. Jeff couldn’t see any powered vehicles, but pheerions rode the elk-like animals through town and all around the outskirts. There were carts and carriages being pulled by the same elks.
Nearly all of the pheerions wore tunics similar to the one the boy in the forest had worn. About half were the same tan shade as the boys and about half were a dark blue.
The males wear tan, and the females wear blue?
Jeff tucked his viewer into its pouch as the group began their descent toward the village. Jeff was surprised by what he had seen. Up until that point, all the pheerions he had encountered had been soldiers. They had been armed and dressed in leather battle-armor. He had imagined a much tougher, warring society.
I guess that was naïve, wasn’t it? Of course all the ones I’ve seen were soldiers. They were part of an invading force.
A feeling of relief washed over him. Throughout the trip, he had been imagining he would be coming to talk to a rigid, humorless, militaristic society rather than a group of simple farmers and villagers. It always feels good when a light is shone on the frightening unknown to reveal it to be less threatening than our minds would conjure.
But wait… I came here to try to recruit them to help me overthrown their ruthless king. How much help will these simple villagers be?
Chapter 68:
Jeff marveled at the intricate carvings covering the twenty-foot tall wooden wall surrounding the village. They were abstract designs and shapes – nothing recognizable.
Jeff found it odd that anybody would spend the time required to create such intricate designs on a structure that otherwise seemed so imposing and utilitarian.
The group headed toward a large gate.
“Do we… knock or something?” Jeff asked.
“Some will be here. They know we are coming,” Rasp said as he scanned the top of the wall.
Jeff fidgeted nervously as the wait seemed to go on and on. “Is this right? Should it be taking this long?”
He was startled by harsh pheerion voices from above. He looked up and saw three pheerions peering down at them.
Rasp took a few steps away from the wall so he could see them better. He introduced himself in his native language and requested to speak with the city manager to explain why they were there.
The pheerions spoke amongst themselves – too quietly for Jeff to hear. There was a long, tense pause as they considered Rasp’s request. After a minute or two, they lowered a large, sturdy basket.
“I will go alone for now,” Rasp explained to the others as he climbed into the basket.
At the top of the wall, Rasp climbed out of the basket and spoke quietly to the other pheerions.
After the brief conference, Rasp spoke to his friends below. “You need to put your weaponzz in the basket,” he said as the basket came back down.
Jeff looked at the others. Dave seemed reluctant. “Can we trust them?” Dave asked.
Jeff shrugged. “Do we have a choice?”
Dave looked back in the direction they had come. “We’d at least have a fighting chance to get back to the boat if we still have our weapons.”
Jeff wasn’t sure, but the thought of turning back didn’t even seem like an option to him. The basket had reached the ground, and the pheerions were waiting.
Nahima followed John’s lead, then Dave and finally Jeff. After he had tossed his two guns, Jeff reached for his bat then stopped. Will they think this is a weapon? He stepped back from the basket. I notice for his talk, John didn’t throw in his blade.
The basket began to rise. Jeff watched it reach the top, and then all the pheerions – including Rasp – disappeared.
Doubts swirled in Jeff’s mind and multiplied. Should I be nervous about Rasp? Could turning us in help him redeem himself? No! Stop thinking that way. He’s our friend, and he’s done far too much. He hasn’t done anything to earn my doubt, and it’s wrong for me even to think anything like that.
However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t push the doubts out of his mind. He closed his eyes and tried to relax. We’re on track. This feels right. This is the way. A sense of relief washed over him as he had a clear and unambiguous feeling that they were doing exactly what they were supposed to do.
He opened his eyes, looked at the wall… and all the doubts came flooding back.
Chapter 69:
After about thirty minutes, there was a sound on the other side of the gate as locks and latches were opened. The large gate began to sweep open, and Jeff could see a small group of pheerions on the other side. They were dressed in the same tan and blue tunics Jeff had seen through his viewer. They didn’t have any visible weapons.
Jeff and his friends entered cautiously. Rasp greeted them and gestured. “The village council would like to meet Jeff.”
Rasp turned to walk in the direction he had gestured, and the others followed. The pheerions who had greeted them at the gate surrounded them in a loose formation. They didn’t have the precision of a military or police force. Jeff inferred they were a group who had been gathered quickly for the task. That put Jeff at a higher comfort level than he would have experienced with a more regimented military detail, but again, it gnawed at him to think he relied on those farmers and simple villagers to back him up in the assault against the castle.
As they walked, the other villagers stopped whatever they were doing and watched. Many huddled together in small groups and spoke quietly. Jeff found it hard to read their faces, which weren’t nearly as expressive as a human’s.
Jeff could see similar carvings on the buildings as he had seen on the wall. Everything was clean and well maintained. There were no worn or weathered features in need of repair. It seemed as if everything was either very new or frequently and carefully maintained with an attention to detail. Since it would have been very difficult to build everything in a short period, he assumed it was the latter.
It’s an odd feeling to be unsure if we’re honored guests… or prisoners. Maybe we’re a little of both – like Schrödinger’s cat, just waiting for the pheerions to lift the lid and see for themselves.
Rasp and the other pheerions led them to a small building that didn’t have any special markings or designations to set it apart from the other nearly identical structures, at least as far as Jeff could tell.
Rasp entered, and Jeff followed him as the other pheerions split off and found spots to wait outside. Jeff turned and watched his friends enter as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. He was curious if they would treat Benji differently than the rest of them and keep him outside, but he came in just behind Dave and looked curiously around the dark room.
There were wooden benches against the walls of the room they had entered, and Rasp indicated for them to sit.
When Jeff began to sit, Rasp stopped him. “You come with me.” He opened a door to an adjoining room, and Jeff followed him.
There was a long table with six pheerions seated at the far side facing Jeff and Rasp.
As he closed the door behind them, Rasp indicated Jeff should take a seat.
Chapter 70:
Jeff sat opposite the six pheerions and tried to look calm, relaxed and friendly as they studied him silently. Rasp stood behind him and to his right. I’m glad he came with me, but I wish I could see him.
He looked around the room as he waited for someone to speak. He was tempted to say something, but he remembered Rasp’s advice to listen rather than talk.
The room was very plain. There were no decorations other than carvings in the wooden walls. There were no windows, and the only light came from several oil lamps spread around the room.
The silence was uncomfortable, and Jeff fought the urge to speak. He looked at the pheerions, not lingering too long on any of them and then looked around the room some more.
It’s so hard to read them. Their faces don’t express emotions like ours. I guess that’s why, while I respect Rasp very much and consider him a friend, I always feel a little uncomfortable around him. Is that why I’m having trouble completely trusting him now? Do I have any real reason not to trust him… or is my own insecurity and fear a weakness that has nothing to do with him?
He wanted to look over his shoulder at Rasp but resisted the urge. The silence was beginning to drive him crazy, and he was nearly ready to say something when the pheerion directly across from him spoke.
General Rasp tells us you can understand us. Is that correct, he said in his native language. Jeff could understand him clearly.
“Yes,” Jeff replied. He recognized surprise from the pheerions who could understand him even though he was speaking a foreign language. They looked at one another but didn’t say anything.
The pheerion who had spoken leaned in and examined Jeff’s face. As he looked at Jeff, he lifted a hand and absentmindedly scratched at the scaly skin on his face. Jeff focused in on the claws that were an inch long and very sharp. Rasp had dull nubs instead of sharp claws, and Jeff guessed he must file them down as some sort of personal grooming choice.
There was another long, uncomfortable period of silence as the pheerions studied Jeff. He tried to present an air of calm self-assuredness, but he wasn’t sure how well he was pulling it off. He spread his attention around the table, meeting the eyes of each pheerion but trying not to linger on any individual for too long.
Where are you from? the pheerion finally asked.
How should I answer? Will my story sound too crazy? Is he even asking what I think he’s asking or does he have something simpler in mind?
“I’m from a different world.” He said. Should I be more specific? Should I tell the whole story? No. Rasp told me to listen. I’ll let him guide me.
From across the sea? The pheerion asked.
“No. An entirely different planet or dimension. I’m not sure… I came through a hole in the sky.”
Again, the pheerions looked at one another but didn’t say anything. Jeff wished they would talk amongst themselves so he could get some feeling of what they were thinking. Their faces were unreadable.
You fell from a hole in the sky?
Jeff nodded – then realized they may not understand that gesture. “Yes.”
Explain more. How did that happen?
“My father was a scientist. He disappeared, and I found a device that seemed to be a ‘door’ from our world to this world. I went through the door in an attempt to find him and ended up in this world.”
Jeff started to sense some emotions – not directly from their expressions, but it seemed to be a strong, intuitive sense that was a facet of his powers. However, the emotions seemed so varied that it still didn’t give him anything solid to work with. There seemed to be a blend of surprise, fear, skepticism and others. It was as if a number of people were talking all at once, and he couldn’t follow any one conversation because all the others were distracting him.
Is your father here?
That was the big question.
Jeff paused before answering. He looked down at the table and observed the intricate patterns in it. The table had different types of wo
od, precisely cut so they fit perfectly together in swirling, flowing shapes. The pieces fit so perfectly and were sanded so smoothly that Jeff couldn’t feel any edges as he ran his hand across the surface.
“I believe he is. I believe he is here and a captive of Pheerion Rex. I have come here for your help. I want to try to find him and, with your help… ”
This was the big part. Everything depended on how they responded to this key detail.
“I’d like to remove Pheerion Rex from power.”
Chapter 71:
You will go out to the other room with your friends and allow us some time to talk.
Jeff rose and exited quickly. A pheerion who had been waiting in the other room closed the door behind him as he took a seat on a wooden bench.
His friends talked amongst themselves, but Jeff didn’t pay any attention to what they said as he was completely immersed in his own thoughts.
This is it. I’ve just asked them to revolt against their king with me, one of their enemies. Can they seriously consider it? They’ll be risking everything. Rasp seems to think they’ll consider it. He doesn’t think they have any love for Pheerion Rex.
But even if they don’t love him, they fear him. They haven’t revolted against him yet. Will I change the equation that much?
Rasp sat on the same bench as Jeff but several feet away. Jeff slid on his butt until he was next to him. “What do you think?” he asked quietly.
Rasp thought for a few moments before answering. “Izzz good. Izzz very good. Everything is going azzz the sacred textzzz predicted.”
“Sacred texts? What sacred texts?” Jeff asked with a puzzled expression.
Again, Rasp paused before speaking. “There are sacred textzz that predict thezzze timezzz.”
“What do they say?!”
Rasp looked at Jeff and seemed to be deep in thought. “I don’t think I should reveal… no, it wouldn’t be right. It might change something.”