The next afternoon everyone heard the forgotten but distinctive sound of an approaching helicopter. Any surprise alarmed Jack and Tony, who grabbed their rifles and climbed to the roof deck. The rest stood gawking as the craft circled the lake. The helicopter looked rather like a giant red-orange mosquito with a projecting dark canopy and a single diagonal white stripe on the tail of its long fuselage. As it drew near, Mac could see that it bore markings of the United States Coast Guard. Could the Coast Guard be back in action, he wondered?
Circling again, the craft approached the helipad behind the lodge. As it settled, a cloud of vegetation spread in all directions and the air shook with downwash. The blast provided testament to the miner’s ability at solid greenhouse construction. Only flapping plastic fabric marred the landing.
As the helicopter blades spooled down, two heavily bearded, scruffy looking men climbed out of the side door. Neither was armed and both casually waived moving intently toward them. Even so, long moments passed before anyone recognized Pappy and Hirsh! Rushing to them, everyone jostled for hugs and hearty back-slapping, laughing and fervently enjoying their joyful reunion.
All tasks were put on hold while the renewed band gathered in the breakfast lounge welcoming their companions return in obvious good health. The Captain gave them an emotional embrace, “Sit down while we bring food and then tell us your story.”
“Any chance for a hot shower, first? asked Pappy. “I’ve been looking forward to one for months. I feel like a grunge.” Hirsh nodded enthusiastically.
“Sure! In the meantime, we’ll make an early dinner,” said Judy. “Your rooms and your gear are now upstairs with the guys. Cap will show you.”
“No kidding… you had more confidence of our return than we did. Jack and Tony, you’ll find a few goodies in the chopper. Will you fetch them while we shower? They’ll be a nice addition to dinner. And Hirsh brought more books.”
Indeed, the food was perfect for a festive reunion dinner. The pair brought boxes of canned fruit and raisins, forty kilogram bags of rice and flour, cases of brandy, a dozen tins of tea and a twenty pound bag of sugar. The sugar, slightly weevil infested, nevertheless made a delicious raisin cobbler.
With Onita’s help, Pappy and Hirsh were transformed men by dinner, trim, clean shaven and pink faced from long luxurious showers. Neither had eaten all day, so everybody opted to savor dinner first, then listen to their adventures.
“Damn, that dinner was marvelous after so many months of canned fare,” said Pappy. The brandy flowed liberally. “Hirsh and I will relate all that happened, but please hear us out because I’ve got something important to tell you, okay?”
Taking up the story from their sudden departure, Pappy described their anxiety over selecting a respectful place to bury the Fowlers. They decided to take them to the memorial cemetery in Valdez. While they crossed over the Chugach Mountains, weather turned ugly and a considerable chop blew up around the bay making conditions unsafe to land. Pappy decided to land at Robe Lake Seaplane Base…a shallow lake without accommodations and far from town. Since the fierce wind required anchoring the airplane to shore, they changed plans for interring the Fowlers.
“Ahtna, I’m sorry to say we took the easy way out,” said Hirsh. “If we were going to be sick, we thought we ought to bury the Fowlers while we still had the strength. We found a suitable place in a protected cove not far ashore from the seaplane dock. We marked their graves if you ever want to visit.”
“If you thought burying them was your last deed before you died, that was the best respect you could pay them. I thank you,” Ahtna replied.
“Well, obviously, we didn’t get sick,” said Pappy. “By the time we finished, it was dark. We spent the night in the airplane. The seaplane base was a long walk from town on the highway, so we stayed two more nights in the airplane waiting for better weather.
“But then we did something really, really stupid. We ran the batteries down using cabin lights and searching radio bands. When weather improved enough to fly, I couldn’t wind up the turbo fast enough to get it started. Then I ran the batteries completely dead trying.
“Things went downhill from there. Another fierce wind came up during the night, blew the floatplane across the lake into a cove where the rocky shore cracked a float. Fixing the float was hopeless. By then, we were out of food.”
Pappy and Hirsh described life thereafter as scavengers about town. Valdez had been plundered but not as thoroughly as Talkeetna. They found a safe house high above town with an untouched supply of food. They remained for months assembling provisions for a spring trip home. Pappy found a working Coast Guard humvee, a perfect taxi to take over Thompson Pass.
“Then one day, our humvee disappeared. We left it running while checking out another plundered home for food and when we came back a few minutes later empty handed, it was gone. Stolen! We realized another survivor must be living in town. But what bastard would leave a fellow wretch stranded on foot?
“So, we filled back packs with food, and hiked over to the Alyeska Terminal.”
Hirsh continued, “I didn’t want to return to my troubled company dormitory. Three tanker ships were moored nearby, so we thought they might have stocked up while preparing to sail. Sure enough, we found a bonanza…all the food we brought back came from that one ship.
“That tanker turned out to be an ideal place to hide… modern, great quarters, a big kitchen, even with bottled water. Best of all, we were protected by a big sign… We shoot to kill… with the fateful warning inspired by a withered corpse lying on the dock right beneath the sign.
“Our view from the ship’s decks was wide open so we could come and go as we pleased and gave us the perfect shelter for gathering more provisions.”
“The Chief will bring everything we assembled when they come here,” resumed Pappy, “but I’m forgetting and getting way ahead of myself. That’s where we found that helicopter which didn’t have enough fuel to get us home. But our floatplane, being a turbo, burned the same kind of fuel. We risked walking back and forth, draining the airplane with buckets and filling the chopper. When that terrible task was done, we stayed in the tanker and kept low waiting for a clear day to fly over the pass.
“That brings us up to a coupla weeks ago when an amazing thing happened. A perfectly huge submarine came into the harbor. Must have been five hundred feet long and we didn’t even see it arrive. Just glanced over at the bay one day and there it was, swarming with people. Yea… living people! A hundred of ‘em, and all healthy.
“Scared hell out of us, so we laid low and scoped it out for a couple of days. It was definitely one of ours… the U.S.S. Alaska and all of its people were in Navy uniform. And we thought nobody like that was left alive anywhere. Most of ‘em moved into motels and began scavenging town just like we’d been doing.
“I was ready to leave right then, but I was worried about firing up that chopper in case those folks would be hostile to our taking it. As you must have seen, it has Coast Guard markings all over it, an obvious message. Takes awhile to warm it up and we would be noisy and vulnerable in the meantime if they chose to move on us. I was also worried that eventually they’d find it anyway and take it from us. They’d probably claim the chopper as their own, and maybe they would be right. I didn’t want another Palmer militia thing.
“So Hirsh talked me into taking the bull by the horns. We’d go meet ‘em, say hello, but then tell ‘em ‘sorry, we were just taking our leave. Nice meeting ya.’ I think walking into their camp unannounced was a ballsy thing for Hirsh to do.
“We found some of them down at the ship terminal looking over a big auto ferry moored there all winter,” said Hirsh. “When we walked down the hill and got close, they spotted us and scattered like flies. When I thought about it later, I had to laugh. They were more frightened of us than we were of them… and they were military!
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“Well, I knew what spooked them, of course, so I called out, ‘Hey… we’re not sick. Never have been.’ That got them peeking around the corner to see what we were about. They introduced us to their Chief… a really decent, impressive leader. He was organizing everyone. Once they came to trust us, we got to know many of them over the next few days. Really decent people.”
“So here’s the upbeat news we have to tell you,” said Pappy. “About ten of ‘em want to join us… and I told them that would probably be okay with all of you. But I also told them I would have to fly back and talk to you first. They never batted an eye when I told them about the chopper.
“So… here we are. We can handle ten more here, don’t you think?”
“Pappy… that’s marvelous, but you can’t just stop there,” said the Captain. “Tell us about these people! How did you come to know them?”
“They sought us out…” began Pappy. “We’ve met each one of them. I insisted on that. I wanted to be sure they would be compatible and not just cast off malcontents. After talking for hours, I realized they were a perfect fit for us.
“They all appealed to join us instead of sailing on south with the submarine crew… eight women and two men. Two couples asked Commander Warren of the submarine to marry them, but he insisted they reconsider their plans for two weeks to be certain. The other six women want to remain together, but definitely not return to sea.
“One is a communications officer. All the others were members of the crew. I didn’t ask about military life, just personal questions. I wanted to be sure they were all committed and sensible.
“Later I talked to Commander Warren, and he vouched for them all… said they were solid, hard working people. And that’s how they came across to me… seem like sincere people who want to start a new life. Sound just like us. Everyone one of them knows more or less what happened by now. They had all been aboard their boat when that bat plague began. So what more do you want to know?”
“So… you think they’re our kinda people,” replied Tony. “Hope they realize living out here is not going to be painless. Winter in this valley has trials.”
“I think their own experiences hardened them to reality… not a slacker among them. One of ‘em grew up somewhere around here in the sticks. She was the one who persuaded the others to join us. I talked to her a long while. She’s a positive spirit and knows the score about living in Alaska. Might be of real help to us, too. Her parents were farmers up here. You’ll like ‘em all.”
“Sounds to me like you’ve already committed us,” said Jack. “I would’ve preferred to talk about it first before you encouraged them.” Jack had been silent during Pappy’s recitation. His negative opinion put a chill on the invitation.
“And just how would I have done that?” asked Pappy. “I told ‘em we’d talk. Was I supposed to encourage them to come here for an interview and then send them back to that oil smudged port if you didn’t like ‘em? They’re enthusiastic hard working people, and to be blunt, we need more women in our little band if that hasn’t occurred to you.”
Looking at Judy’s whimpering baby, Pappy added nervously, “So here’s the good news you had for me in turn. Cute little tyke. We need to think about this place as a village, not just an escape.”
“Yes, I agree. The women will be especially welcome,” said Judy, beaming.
“Just the same, it would’ve been better if we’d had a discussion first.”
“You know, Jack,” interjected Hirsh. “I hope you won’t be as churlish to these newcomers as you were when Ahtna and I arrived. Including them will be a wonderful event. They’re the best people we could have asked for even if we had a right to choose.”
“Oh contraire, Hirsh. We do have a right to choose whom we live with,” replied Judy, “and we must preserve that right in the future… but I will heartily welcome them now.”
“Well, then… looks like it’s decided,” said Jack without enthusiasm.
“What would you have us do to make this a happy event for you, Jack,” asked Judy sincerely. “You must have more on your mind than you’re letting on.”
“Yea, matter fact, I do. With such a large group joining us, I hope this invitation don’t turn into a them ‘n us contest, ‘specially considering they’re military and likely us’ta to havin’ their own way… by pullin’ rank.”
“Well, perhaps we ought to make a few rules ahead of time,” said the Captain, “… so that everyone understands exactly what we’re getting into.”
“Maybe a few rules wouldn’t hurt,” said Jack, “but I’m also thinkin’ of practical things like how we’re gonna make the little greenhouse and that island farm feed twenty people ‘stead a ten.”
“These are young and energetic people… probably work even harder than this over the hill gang of ours!” said Pappy.
“Jeez, pard, you of all people. I can’t believe you agree to makin’ rules,” said Tony. “Who’s going to enforce ‘em anyway? Bring back judges, and jails? Lawyers! Just what we need out here! Why don’t we talk about how to finish that greenhouse without any glass, ‘stead ‘a this nonsense. I hope those people bring glass.”
“I’m thinkin’ we need rules, pard, not laws!” retorted Jack. “Just a commitment for living together, that’s all… sort ‘a like the Commandments.”
“Please explain the difference,” said Hirsh. “I don’t see your point.”
“And how do we make rules for the virtues that mean the most to us,” asked Judy, “… like loyalty, compassion, justice, and hope? Those are credited to us by the way we act, not by making rules for everyone else to follow.”
“How about steal, cheat and lie?” asked Jack. “Do we give wickedness a pass from now on? There’s got to be expectations of a man… rules to live by.”
“Whose rules exactly?” asked Hirsh. “We could fill the library with rules all over again. And who’s to say anyone will be able to read a generation from now? We need commitment that’s grounded in reality.”
“I’ve said so before,” said Ahtna, “No man can tell another what to do, but the other side of tradition is that every man must take responsibility for himself and his family. We don’t need rules, just a deep-seated inner voice of the People.”
“Maybe what Jack really means is tradition… customs that we all live by and teach our children,” said Judy. “That would take everything into account… and that’s the way things were done in simpler times.”
“So how would that resolve our differences?” asked Hirsh. “Nearly every society has had judges to settle disputes, and if not them, some dignitary, like a minister or a rabbi…. or even a dictator!”
“That’s definitely not what I want… someone like that awful nun!” replied Judy. “Besides, every one of us was born into a different faith. Whose would we pick to impose judgment on the rest of us? Remember all those competing religious empires?”
“This is crazy talk. We don’t need any of it!” said Tony.
“Well, I’m agnostic, anyway,” said Hirsh. “But I think it’s important to preserve an egalitarian society. So… what’s your solution?”
“Why not just continue what we’ve been doing?” replied Judy. “Put everything up to our own council… with everyone involved. If someone has an expectation or a complaint, we thrash it out… and work toward the best consensus.”
“Well, what if we can’t get consensus? Humanity has a long history of tribal disputes,” replied Hirsh.
“True enough, but no one has improved much on democracy.”
“Remember how well this country was getting along with democracy? I don’t want to open up that divide again,” countered Hirsh.
“If you’re not happy with mine, then what’s your solution, Hirsh?”
“I’ve only been testing the waters. I’m quite sure th
at no one else will buy my progressive leanings, so all I’m hoping for is reassurance that we will try to resolve our inevitable differences with the military and live in peace.
“I have confidence we will, even with adding the others,” said the Captain.
“Our trials together have been a powerful incentive to live in peace. Wild men are worse than the wild.”
“I think Ahtna is right,” Mac said. “We can’t force a man to do what he won’t do. When push comes to shove, we have only two remedies for intolerable behavior… banishment or violence. And right off the bat, we had to face both. I was grieved to record those unpleasant experiences. If we’re comfortable with our custom to resolve disputes, then we should make that the commitment to join. Simple enough?”
“So! We’ve come full circle, haven’t we? … an’ I was just insisting we honor the custom… right?” asked Jack with a snicker.
They had a month to wait while snow melted over the pass before the Navy contingent could attempt crossing. Meanwhile, everyone worked tirelessly to expand the rooftop greenhouse and prepare the island garden. Onita succeeded in sprouting every vegetable the seed packets from Palmer provided.
Growing enough food for the year for an expanded band meant enlarging the farm. Many of Onita’s vulnerable vegetables would require cultivation in the warmth of the roof deck. They borrowed every possible window pane from the north and east side of the lodge to provide glazing for the expanded roof garden. The building now displayed a patchwork of plywood glazing in their place. The borrowed panes didn’t provide nearly enough glass and the expansion exhausted their supply of fertilizer, potting mix, and mulch.
Flight To Pandemonium Page 61