Civilization

by Stephen Drake

  The night passed quickly and without incident for the four men. At daylight, they started packing and cleaning their campsite. When that was finished, they walked downriver to find a place that would be easier to cross.

  “If we run into anyone, let me do the talking and just agree with me,” Palmer told the other three.

  It wasn’t long before they found the same place that those who had crossed the river had used. After crossing, they headed upriver because Palmer wanted to investigate the campsite he’d seen the night before.

  “What are you doing here?” a stern voice asked from inside the tree-line when they had traveled half the distance back upriver. They all reflexively grabbed for their twelve-inch machetes.

  “We’re looking for that bitch Phylicia,” Palmer responded cordially. “Have you seen her? The last time we saw her, she was traveling with those other two twits Heather and Kimberly.”

  “They’re not here. Like you, they wouldn’t be welcomed here!” the voice said with anger. “You need to leave. Go back the way you came and don’t ever return!”

  Palmer shrugged and turned to leave the way they’d come. After they’d all left and crossed the river, they stopped. They had decided to eat before continuing on downriver. When they got to the next cliff-face, they could see that the trees were fewer and they saw a small encampment close to the cliff and on their side of the river.

  “What do we do now?” Osterlund asked standing at the edge. “If we descend the cliff-face, we’ll be inside their encampment.”

  “I’d suggest we move toward the stream and see if it comes this far downriver,” Hornsby added. “It may afford a safer way down the cliff, if you still want to head downriver.”

  “Or we could re-cross the river and see if there is a way down on the other side,” Palmer offered. “It wouldn’t delay us as much.”

  “What about being told to leave?” Wagner asked. “If they catch us on the other side of the river, they could kill us out-right.”

  “Based on where the river was crossed, back there, I’d say that the group that crossed it is located against the cliff upriver. I doubt they patrol this far downriver,” Palmer posited. “I think we’d be better off gathering more information on them before making a decision about moving on. I doubt they patrol at all. We ran into that guy because he was probably going to catch some fish. I didn’t hear or see anyone else with him.”

  “Doesn’t mean there weren’t others with him,” Hornsby speculated. “They could have just been waiting for us because they saw us heading downriver.”

  “Since you seem to be so skeptical, Hornsby, I think you should scout the area across the river first,” Palmer said. “You’d be the quieter of us,” he said after Hornsby blanched, “and less likely to get caught. Just go over and be stealthy. See if there’s anyone else over there. You don’t need to go far.”

  #

  When Murdock reached the spot that had once been occupied by the pod, he scrutinized the ground looking for anything that was left behind. The few things he did find, he placed inside the incomplete log building and started to levitate the structure and move it closer to the pod. As he proceeded, he found it to be effortless to levitate. In short order, he had the partial structure within a mile of the pod.

  “Declan, get the guests inside the pod,” he flashed to Declan.

  “Will do,” he received the telepathic response. A short time later came, “Done.”

  As Murdock came within sight of the transport pod, he could see Declan, Irene, and Annie watching his approach. One hundred feet above him was the common house that the others had started and abandoned, floating. He could see their mouths agape. After setting the building down gently a short distance from the pod, they all came over to him.

  “How did you do that?” Annie asked.

  “Can you teach us to do that?” Declan asked.

  “That’s impossible!” Irene stated her disbelief evident on her face.

  “We can discuss this later, when we’re alone,” Murdock said. “It’s one of those things that stay within the family. Since we have outsiders, we need to be aware of what we say and who is around to hear it.” Annie, Declan, Irene, and Emily nodded their head in agreement. “You can let the others out.”

  Declan went over to the pod and dropped the ramp. “You can come out now, if you want,” he shouted into the interior and returned to the campfire.

  “Thieves!” Phylicia shouted as she slowly made her way down the ramp shortly after Declan opened it. “Robbers! Larcenous scoundrels!”

  “What is your problem, now?” Murdock asked Phylicia in all seriousness and with irritation. “Nothing has been taken!”

  “You had no right to steal the hard work of the others who built the Meeting Hall!” Phylicia fumed.

  “It’s an unfinished building with no one to finish it. No one was working on it and there are some here that are going to need it,” Murdock defended. “Now, you three,” Murdock said looking to Heather, paused, then to Kimberly, paused, and then to Phylicia, “need to understand a few things. Phylicia, you are here because you’ve been injured to the point that you need to be taken care of, for the time being. Your escape to Reyes’ domain has left you vulnerable. Her security people were going to either kill you, or have their way with you and leave you to die in the wilderness, all with Reyes’ blessing.

  “Kimberly and Heather, since you chose to back Phylicia, you were a target for their wrath as well. Your purpose here is to care for Phylicia under Doctor Harris’, or Annie’s, tutelage. There is no other reason for you to be here.

  “While you three are here, you are to conduct yourselves in a civilized manner. You are to treat everyone with respect and appreciation. In other words, continue to disrespect us and make yourselves major pains in our asses, then you can’t expect us to treat you with respect. Too much of it and I’ll put all three of you right back where you landed.

  “To me, none of you have any standing whatsoever. Declan, Annie, Irene, and Emily have all earned my respect and appreciation. If you want respect or appreciation, you have to earn it.”

  “I neither need nor want respect from any of you,” Phylicia fired back. If Heather and Kimberly are to care for me, why do I need Declan and that . . . that amazon?”

  “Declan and Emily are here for security,” Murdock explained.

  “Who do we need protection from?” Phylicia asked snidely.

  Murdock chuckled. “They aren’t here as security for you. They are here for security from you.” Murdock could see Emily’s wicked grin starting to form and he saw Phylicia blanch as his words sunk in.

  20

  On one of his return trips to the pod, seven days later, Murdock called Declan, Irene, Annie, and Emily together for a private conversation.

  “How’s Phylicia?” he asked as the other four trickled in toward the fire.

  “She’ll recover most of the function in her hips,” Irene stated. “It’ll be some time before I’d say she has recovered it all.”

  “Heather, Kimberly, and Phylicia have been secretive since you laid down the law,” Declan said as Emily came over.

  “They may be planning something,” Emily reported. “In fact, I think it likely. None has given us any grief, though. I think it was a combination of you setting them straight and me not taking their crap.”

  “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s close to the end of summer,” Murdock informed them. “The weather is going to keep getting colder and wetter from here on out.”

  “Are we keeping them any longer?” Annie asked. “Phylicia can walk pretty well. Maybe not perfect, but better than when we brought her here. I, for one, would like them gone.”

  “I’ll bow to you and Irene’s recommendations,” Murdock answered. “What concerns me is the winter and who will be staying in this building?” he asked looking over the unfinished meeting hall. “I don’t want to waste the effort if none of you is going to stay in it.”

  “
Speaking as someone who started it, this thing is going to be too big for just a few people,” Declan explained. “It was designed to be both offices and meeting hall for the three council members and to function as a place for everyone else in case of emergency or group meetings. It was supposed to be two stories tall.”

  “If it’s only one story tall,” Murdock started, “it can still be used as a longhouse for everyone on this side of the border. All we need to make it suitable is a couple more courses and then roof it. To preserve it, we’ll have to roof it anyway. I’m open to thoughts and suggestions.”

  “Do we have the time? Annie asked. “If we do, I’d say stay in the longhouse this winter. I think it will be warmer and cozier than the pod.”

  “I agree with Annie,” Irene said. “I’ll stay here if she will. I wouldn’t want to be here all alone.”

  Emily had been sitting and apparently thinking, as she hadn’t added her ideas to the discussion. “What do you think, Em?” Murdock asked finally.

  “Well, from my point of view,” Emily started finally, “the pod is being used, right now, as a way to control the petulant children. It gives us a way to lock them in. I, for one, don’t like the idea of being without a bath all winter, or not having the company of my family for as long as you say winter lasts. If it were up to me, I’d put it in the pasture downriver from the house and finish it there. It would make things a lot easier and it will make everyone available to help with the stocking up for winter. It would mean that only one person is needed to watch the spoiled brats instead of four.”

  “I agree with Em,” Declan piped in. “It would also allow room for projects that are too big to be enclosed in the house or the transport pod.”

  “What kind of projects are you thinking about?” Murdock asked.

  “As an example, making some crockery,” Declan responded. “We’ll all need some, but now, we’d have to do it outside. When it’s nice outside, we don’t have time to work on them and in the winter, the weather would become an issue.”

  “You know how to work clay?” Murdock asked Declan, clearly surprised.

  “I’m not an expert and the firing process would be a challenge,” Declan responded, “but I think I could figure something out.”

  “I, for one,” Irene started, “feel, as medical personnel, we need to stay out of the political machinations. Personal issues with the Leaders of the other factions shouldn’t make a difference, when it comes to giving care. Annie’s treatment by Reyes’ group, to me, was unacceptable.

  “That being said, we, as humans, have a deep-seeded need for friends and family. That doesn’t mean we all have to live in the same house. I think Murdock, Mei Lee, and their kids need to have their house back. Moving the meeting hall and finishing it would allow the rest of us an alternative to our imposing on them further. It would also have the effect of helping the four of us to be more self-reliant.”

  Murdock sat and listened to all input from the others, nodding his head periodically.

  “Annie, can you check on our charges?” Murdock asked finally. Annie nodded and went to check on Phylicia. “What do you think of letting Annie into our little group?” he asked after she left.

  “That is up to her, of course,” Irene said. ” I have no problem with her and she has proven her worth many times.”

  “I agree with Irene,” Declan piped up. “She has helped tremendously. I’d welcome it!”

  “I don’t know her,” Emily added, “so I have no opinion one way or the other and so will accept what the rest of you suggest.”

  “Mei Lee and I have had this discussion and have accepted her into our family,” Murdock said. He saw Annie approaching and motioned for her to join them. “Just so you know, we have been discussing you,” he said once she was in earshot.

  “What about me?” Annie asked guardedly.

  “If you’re interested, we would like you to join our little group,” Murdock said. “It does come with some restrictions, though, that you need to be aware of.”

  “What kind of restrictions?” Annie asked.

  “By us accepting you, it means that we think you are trustworthy,” Murdock answered. “The restrictions are that things you learn or see stay within the group and are not to be discussed with outsiders or in their presence or hearing.”

  “So, nothing different from what I’ve been doing already,” Annie responded good-naturedly.

  #

  In the eight days that Palmer, Hornsby, Osterlund, and Wagner had been lurking — they called it exploring — around the area of the second terrace, they had managed to surreptitiously observe all three groups that lived there.

  One group, the one furthest from the river, seemed to them to be the more isolated and had fewer occupants.

  The four men had managed to find a roughly triangular depression that they were using for shelter, close to the edge of the third terrace.

  “It appears,” Palmer said as he looked around at the viewable scenery, “that the mountains retreat at a steep angle on the next terrace down.” He wasn’t talking to anyone in particular, just voicing his thoughts.

  “It appears so,” Jax Hornsby observed. “I’ve noticed that this group doesn’t go to the river, so there has to be a water source close by, maybe a stream from the melting mountain snow.”

  “Well, short of making contact with them,” Palmer observed, “we aren’t going to know. What are the chances of one of us being accepted?” He saw the other three men blanch at the thought.

  “You want us to approach them?” Wagner asked with apprehension. “What if they recognize us?”

  “No,” Palmer responded, “I want you to approach them. Did you recognize anyone there?”

  “No, but they may recognize me,” Wagner responded.

  “I doubt it,” Palmer stated. “Frankly, Wagner, you aren’t that memorable.”

  #

  “I agree,” Annie replied.

  “There are creatures, here, called the Oomah,” Murdock explained. Declan, Irene, and Emily nodded and patiently waited for Murdock to say something they hadn’t heard before. “If you saw one, you’d think they are bears, but that is how we perceive them. They have helped us in innumerable ways for more than five years.”

  “Were they responsible for my memory block and being transported during the night?” Annie asked.

  “Partially, I did the transporting, but they did help with making you unconscious,” Murdock explained.

  As he was talking, Annie was looking behind Murdock and saw two huge bears headed their way.

  “Do they look like that?” Annie asked as she pointed behind Murdock.

  Everyone turned to see two bears meandering toward them.

  “Don’t anyone panic. They are friends and won’t hurt you,” Murdock instructed.

  As they all watched, the smaller one had stopped some distance away and the bigger one proceeded toward them. Their mouths began to drop open as the huge bear came up to Murdock and was towering over him.

  “This is Beron,” Murdock said as he reached out to touch the huge bear’s fur without turning to look where his hand was. “He is the current leader of the Oomah, as well as my dear friend. The other one is Bridget and she is a mate of Beron’s.” Murdock saw everyone, mouth agape, clustering together to gain some strength from each other. “Respect him and you’ll be alright.”

  “Glad see you better, Dee Clan,” Declan, Emily, and Murdock heard it clearly as it flashed through their minds. Irene heard something, but was refusing to believe what was happening.

  “Nice to meet you, Beron,” Declan answered aloud. “Many thanks to you and your mate for your help.” Declan flashed telepathically to the huge bear.

  They all were stunned when the huge bear gave the slightest of nods.

  “Beron has come to help you all . . . understand,” Murdock told them. “He does this by sharing. It’s a mixing of your memories with his. He uses it to get to know you and determine if he can trust you. It isn’
t something forced and you do have some control over what is shown him. You just have to trust him and don’t hide anything from him.”

  “I’m game,” Declan said enthusiastically.

  “I’m in as well,” Emily responded.

  “I don’t believe it, but I’ll try it and see what happens,” Irene said.

  Murdock could see Annie chewing her bottom lip. “You’ve done this?” she asked, her voice trembling a little.

  “Mei Lee and I have done this many times. We’ve done this between each other even more often,” Murdock explained. “It is also a way for Beron to communicate with you personally.”

  “So, Beron gets to see all the intimate details of our lives, but what do we get out of it?” Annie asked.

  “A side benefit of the sharing is a better connection with the rest of us for telepathic communications and an increased ability in telekinesis. It has something to do with a minor realignment, a fine tuning, if you will, of the brainwaves, I think,” Murdock explained. “You also get to see some things about the Oomah. No one is forcing you to do this. You’re free to decline.”

  “Okay, I’ll trust you, Murdock. How do we start?” Annie asked finally.

  “Find a piece of turf and get comfortable,” Murdock instructed as he lay down.

  #

  Several hours later, they all started to wake from the sharing. Murdock was on his feet first and went around to each and helped them up. Each one was, in Murdock’s opinion, much more at peace.

  “Is that really what happened to the first transport pod?” Emily asked.

  “It is. That was from my perspective merged with Rose’s perspective and Mei Lee’s perspective. I don’t think you’ll get anything more accurate,” Murdock said. He was looking around at the rest and noticed Declan crying. “You okay, Declan?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. It was hard seeing my sister battered like that, but I did get to see her happy,” Declan said.

  “What did you think of the experience, Irene?” Murdock asked. “You were the skeptic, but I do value your opinion.”