by Jac Eddins
A muffled cry caught his ear and he hurried on toward the sound. A figure near the rail darted away, indistinct in the darkness. On the deck lay a large bundle. Dano would have pursued the fleeing person had the bundle not moved and moaned softly. He knelt, removed the blanket covering and found Gina. She stirred and blinked up at him, for a moment uncertain.
"What happened?" he asked her.
It took a few minutes, but she managed to explain. She had been on her way to the ship's salon for a cup of warm milk to help her get to sleep. She wasn't completely sure what happened other than suddenly finding herself tangled in cloth, unable to see. A man's voice had demanded to know where it was.
"Where what was?" Dano asked. He held his breath.
"That's what I asked him," Gina replied.
Disappointment filled him. For a moment he thought they might have the answer at last.
"Then … he said if I didn't tell him he'd throw me over the side," she went on.
"But you have no idea what he meant?"
"No. I think he must have seen or heard you because he cursed and shoved me. I hit my head–"
Dano ran his fingers over her forehead and felt the swelling where she had hit it. He shouted and, when a crewman appeared, he had the fellow go for Alaro. In spite of her protests Dano picked her up and carried her back to her cabin. He placed her on the bed and sat beside her, talking to keep her occupied until Alaro arrived a few minutes later.
Gina repeated her story to Alaro while Dano went for the ship's doctor. Once the doctor, an elderly Terran, arrived, he took over. He checked the pupils of her eyes and the bump on her head before assuring them she would be fine. He gave her something to help her rest and chased Dano and Alaro from the room. The doctor told them he would remain with Gina until he was certain there was no after effect.
Alaro assigned one of his crew to keep watch on the cabin. Dano joined him in the captain's quarters where Alaro poured them both a brandy.
"She's lying," Alaro announced.
"I saw the attacker," Dano argued.
"Not about that. When she said she didn't know what he wanted."
"Then you still believe she has the notebook?"
"Or she knows where it is."
Dano didn't contradict Alaro. The Aquan had some sense about people Dano did not understand. He did know Alaro was seldom, if ever, wrong. He sipped his drink, deep in thought.
"I think I've figured it out," Alaro said. "Mason knew they were close and would have looked for a safe place. He couldn't just hide it; they would have found it before we got there. He must have passed it to the girl."
"Then why doesn't she just turn it over to us?"
"I don't think he told her everything. He must have warned her how important it was and that it must not fall into the wrong hands."
"And she doesn't know which hands are the wrong ones!"
"That's my guess."
"How will we convince her?" Dano asked with a frown.
"We take her to Dath and let her see for herself what we are – and keep her safe."
"That may be hard to do if we have a traitor aboard."
"I think we have a stowaway." Alaro sat back in his chair. "It wouldn't have been difficult to come aboard with the men loading cargo."
"Then we should search the ship–"
"I’ve already ordered it done, but I don’t think we’ll find him. If he could stay hidden this long without being spotted, he’s got a good hiding place. There are many possibilities."
"We’ll have him," Dano declared. "Once we reach Dath he's caught."
"Or dead." Alaro shook his head. "He meant to escape the ship in a lifeboat. We found one of them prepared to lower. That's what likely happened with the other longboat we had the problem with. He planned to either get the information or kidnap the girl from us. She wouldn't have found that as pleasant a captivity. From now on we'll have extra security at all the lifeboats."
They finished their brandy and Dano rose to leave. Alaro detained him a moment longer. "You're attracted to this girl."
"She's … interesting."
"Be careful."
"That's odd, coming from you. You've never warned me before."
"This one is different."
Dano grinned. "You're probably right. I consider myself warned."
* * * *
On the fifth day out, after breakfast alone, Gina stood at the ship’s rail gazing out over the sea. The cool spray from the bow cutting the water wet her face and dampened her clothing. Early morning sun promised a scorching day. The ship moved smoothly over the calm sea. Waves on the deep blue of the Pacific didn't seem to have the fury of the grey-green Atlantic.
The only thing to see, other than the ship itself, was a huge cloudbank lying ahead of them. The clouds hung low on the horizon, hovering just above the ocean. Were they really that close to the water? She had seen mountaintops crowned with clouds, but at sea level? Fog?
Dano found her and stood beside her at the rail. He pointed to the clouds. "Look closely."
A shaft of sunlight momentarily pierced the mist and reflected back in a myriad of rainbow sparks, as if some huge diamond lay beneath the billowing white.
"What is it?" Gina asked, wide-eyed.
"Home," Dano answered with a smile.
A moment later he excused himself. "There’s work to be done," he told her. "I wanted to tell you before we reached it. Just don’t be afraid. Nothing in Dath will harm you. Enjoy the sights."
The ship’s crew bustled about Gina, trimming sail and paying little heed to her. With less canvas, the ship slowed in its approach to the clouds. They entered the mist and Gina made out what appeared to be a small island encased in a transparent dome. Wind no longer propelled them forward. Instead, she heard the throb of engines when the ship veered toward the right end of the strange structure. Approaching from that direction, the island looked much smaller, not much larger than the football stadium back in her hometown. She’d gained the impression there were a fair number of Aquans, but how could so many people live on such a small island?
They drew closer and she saw a pier stretched out inside the dome. In a way, the whole thing reminded her of igloos she’d seen in pictures, with a larger rounded surface beyond the tunnel enclosing the pier. Activity onboard increased. Gina marveled at the crew's efficiency and watched the sails vanish, stowed away. The proud masts somehow disappeared like old-fashioned telescopes folding down into themselves. The graceful vessel glided smoothly through the opening and into the left berthing slip. A dozen dockhands ran to meet them.
Moments later a loud claxton startled her and a voice from a PA system announced: Clear the doors. All hands, clear the doors.
Aft of the ship, now snugly alongside the dock, a huge, transparent door slid down into place, closing the entry. A moment later a second, inner door descended. By then so many things vied for her attention she found it difficult to follow any particular event. The ship’s hands lowered the gangplank while those on the dock finished securing the ship.
The PA system blared again: Outer sea doors sealed. All hands ashore. Report to Decontamination. Ship decontamination will commence in ten minutes. Dano again appeared at her side, out of breath. "Time to disembark."
Gina nodded. "Let me get my things."
"They’ll be delivered to you. Let’s go."
"Is this all? I thought your island would be larger."
Dano laughed. "This is just the surface. Dath lies below. You’ll see."
Gina studied his face, trying to determine if he might be teasing. "Below? As in under?"
"Don’t you want to see Atlantis?" he laughed.
Gina said nothing. A city beneath the sea? He had to be joking! There wasn’t much she could object to right now; she’d have to wait and see.
They made their way down the gangplank to the dock and walked the distance to the end. An overhead door stood open to let them through to a large waiting room filled with small tables and comf
ortable looking chairs. Around them, the sailors and deckhands hurried on. The men turned to the right, through one of a pair of doors. Gina would have followed, but Dano caught her, grinning.
"You go through the other door."
"Why?"
"Just do it. Do as they tell you and I’ll see you inside."
Gina hesitated. She had come to count on having Dano with her. Each door had a small projection holding a small statue. Gina stifled a giggle. One figurine represented a male and one a female. A little less fearful, she pushed the door open and entered.
The woman seated at a desk inside stood and smiled in greeting. Gina studied the first Aquan woman she had ever seen with the time-old evaluation of females assessing the competition. Onboard, Gina noticed Alaro stood above all the rest in height, but all the Aquan males were six foot or more. This woman had to be at least five foot ten inches, dwarfing Gina’s petite five foot four inches. The Aquan woman had dark hair and eyes, like all the other Aquans Gina had seen so far. The woman was slender, had pleasant features, but very little in the way of feminine curves.
"You may go into the next chamber and undress," the woman told her. "Put on the dark glasses you find there. Keep them on until you re-dress. Leave your clothing in that space and walk through the next section. The red light will not harm you. At the other end, you may dress again. I can send your clothes ahead if you wish to use them, but other clothes will be provided for you, if you choose."
"What’s the difference?"
"In our customary dress you will not attract as much attention. Your own clothes would be sent on with your other possessions."
Gina wasn’t quite ready to accept this. "What’s this all about, anyway?"
"The process will erase any sort of bacteria or germ you might have on your person. If you remember your Terran history, many of your aboriginal people died because they were exposed to simple diseases, but ones for which they had no immunity or tolerance."
Gina sighed and nodded, acknowledging her acceptance. Did she look like a Typhoid Mary? Nonetheless, she admitted the validity of the reasoning. "I’ll wear your dress," she decided.
"Good choice." The woman smiled again. "With your coloring you’ll look good in green."
"Green?" That wouldn’t have been Gina’s first selection.
"You’ll find the colors everyone wears have great significance here. Green signifies you are an outworld Terran. You’ll have a short cape with a gold stripe at the border. That shows you are a guest of the city."
Gina took a step toward the next door and then paused. "What about–"
"Are you wearing silk or synthetic fabric?"
"Cotton."
The Aquan’s gaze went from Gina’s hips to her bust. "Both?"
"Both."
"You can keep them on, but I’d recommend you remove the top and carry it by a strap. Those little metal hooks and eyes can get hot and burn you."
"Thanks."
"You’re welcome." The Aquan woman gave her a genuine smile.
Gina went through the routine. The short walk through the corridor with the ray caused her a little embarrassment. She wasn’t used to walking about nearly naked. Anywhere. In the next small room, as the woman said, she found a neat pile of garments. The velour material slid through her fingers, soft and delightful to touch. She slipped on the trousers and found them an excellent fit. The soft plush tunic caressed her skin. Finally, someone made garments with the most pleasant surface against the body rather than outside for show!
The vee-necked tunic sported three quarter length sleeves and seemed rather heavy for the South Seas climate. Gina looked about for a mirror to judge her appearance, but found none. The short cape gave the outfit a rather dashing look and she wished she could see it on herself. The clasp at the neck had the color and weight of gold. Couldn’t be. No one gave visitors such expensive baubles.
Gina emerged from the dressing room into the large waiting room. Neither Dano nor Alaro was in sight. She stood a moment, determining what she should do next.
The noisy PA system blared again: All hands accounted for. Stand clear of the inner door.
A transparent door slid down to block the way from which they had entered. Still another of those doors stood on the far side of the room, but from that direction all she could see beyond was the sea stretching away. It marked the other end of the small island. Gina’s confusion increased when the long area of the ship’s dock lit up with a red glow. None of those in the room appeared to notice or pay attention. They seated themselves in small groups and entered conversations. At one small table a group played some sort of game with dice. If it hadn't been for the sea surrounding them, she’d have taken it for the lobby of a nice hotel.
Gina moved to the inner door to watch the red-violet glow surround the ship.
"Terran?"
She turned to face the youthful blond sailor she had seen on the ship. His well freckled face gave the instant impression of a mischievous farm boy. He wore dark blue with a cape of the same hue. His cape boasted a wide border of gold at the hem. An embroidered gold sailing ship, a navy insignia of some sort decorated his left shoulder. Most of the men around them had changed into uniforms the similar to his.
Before she could reply he asked, "Your first time here?"
Gina nodded and glanced back toward the ship. "What are they doing?"
"That ray will destroy any life hitchhiking along."
"Isn’t that drastic?"
"Not when you think of the damage rats or mice could do in an environment where there’s plenty of food and nothing to check them."
"What about cats?"
"Cats aren’t allowed in Dath."
"No cats?"
"Aquans say they are worse pests than the rats would be. Cats kill for pleasure even when they aren’t hungry. Really, I think it’s one of those instinctive aversions Aquans have, like Terran women have to snakes and spiders."
"Well–" She fell silent. Alaro and Dano joined them. She hadn’t noticed them approaching, but smiled in greeting. Both had changed into the Aquan dress and looked dashing in a lustrous black. Dano wore a short cape like hers, but black with a wide gold border. Alaro’s cape was completely gold and reached to his knees.
The young man she had been speaking with gave her a curious glance, bowed his head slightly to the newcomers and left them. He joined a few other men in a group on the far side of the room. Several of them took quick glances in her direction and just as quickly looked away.
"We’d best get seated," Dano remarked. "We should be ready shortly."
"Ready?"
The glint in Dano’s dark eyes hinted of devilry. "Don’t be afraid. The first time can be a little frightening. You can hold on to me if you feel panic." He steered her to one of the nearby chairs and dropped heavily into the one beside her, like a man relaxing after a hard day.
"What’s happening?"
"We’re on our way to Gar Dath *Tor."
The last word had a clucking sound before the ‘tor’. Gina frowned. "What’s that?"
"The City of the People of Dath, in the ancient language. Don’t worry, though. Everyone in Dath speaks English."
"English?" she echoed.
"Back in the late seventeen-hundreds the Aquans rescued a sinking ship, as they had often done before with islanders. These were English colonists blown off course on their way to Australia. The Aquans knew they would eventually need to interact with Terrans and decided they should all speak an earth language. They were impressed by the English and decided on their language. Later, when they began to pick up radio messages, they were happy to have chosen the best possible language. Only a handful of scholars speak their own ancient language now."
"But, to give up their whole sense of identity–"
Alaro seated himself on the other side of her. "We are of this place now. Languages divide people. Just look at the divisions in your world. The Canadians who speak French want to separate themselves from those who spea
k English. The Irish separatists want to speak Gaelic. Israel wants Hebrew, which further distances them from the Arabic people. People who speak the same language have more trust and better understanding of what the other is saying."
Before she could answer him, a shudder ran through the entire room, jarring enough to catch her attention.
The PA blared: Beginning descent.
Dano reached to take her hand and, grateful for its reassurance, Gina grasped it. A few minutes later she appreciated it far more. She watched in fascinated horror while the sea rose around them then closed over the top of the transparent dome. A set of lights came on, illuminating the room in a warming, slightly reddish light.
They descended slowly. At first sunlight shone through the water and she saw fish swimming about them. She laughed to herself at the idea it was like an aquarium, except they were the ones on display in the habitat. The waters about them gradually darkened with the depth, until all about was black as a starless midnight. Dano continued to hold her hand, patting it gently with his other hand.
"Don’t be afraid," he repeated.
Gina shook her head slowly. "I don’t believe it!"
Dano gave a full throated chuckle. "This is only the beginning."
* * * *
After about ten minutes, the woman from the dressing room emerged pushing a large tray table. The PA announced: Refreshments are ready.
"Would you like something?" Dano asked Gina.
"No, thank you."
"It might ease your nervousness."
She started to deny her fear. Her hands, twisting the handkerchief in her lap, gave her away and she didn’t bother. Alaro gave Dano a nod. Dano stood and left them. He returned moments later with three glasses.
Gina took hers. "What is it?"
"Just a bit of brandy."
"Thanks." She sipped the amber liquid. The act of doing something so ordinary did more to relax her than the drink itself.