Children of a New Earth

by Eliason, R. J.

  By late afternoon, they would have no choice but to cross the river again. They couldn’t run the risk of missing the next station.

  The day passed with agonizing slowness. They saw nothing but jumped at every shadow. Weighing in the back of everyone’s mind was the thought that the scavengers might reach the station ahead of them. Then what would they do?

  As they disembarked at the next fueling station, Amy noted the signs of stress and fatigue in every face. They set a guard and stayed close to the trucks while they charged.

  “We need at least one more night run before we can assume we are safely ahead of them,” Lorn said. “Is that feasible?”

  “Should be,” Lexa answered. “The route from here on is pretty clear, mostly old highways.”

  “Now that we have passed them, they will probably push on through the night as well,” Luke pointed out.

  “They don’t know who we are or where we are going,” Patrick offered.

  “Or that we know what they are up to,” Mark agreed.

  “In a situation like this, we can’t afford to assume,” Luke countered. “They may have guessed.”

  “They will at least have guessed that we are headed in the right direction to run into the Stewards. They will not want any warning of their presence,” Lorn said then sighed. “I agree . . . we assume the worst.”

  Lexa sighed too. “Three days and nights, and we are there, if we can maintain the pace that is.”

  “Tonight then, at least. We drive through the night, and we decide after,” Lorn said. Everyone nodded. As tired as they all were, nobody wanted to stay there longer than necessary.

  The next four days were a blur. In the end, they compromised. They had driven all night the first night and at least half the night for the next three. That put them in Steward territory by noon the fourth day.

  They knew the instant they reached it. They passed over a hill and found a high metal fence that stretched from one horizon to the other.

  Chapter 13

  THE STEWARDS

  “Everything beyond that fence is uninhabitable,” Owl said, “due to radiation and toxins. It’s not deadly all at once; you can cross the fence, but you do so at your own risk.”

  They left the woods behind and entered a vast land of rolling hills and tall grasses. Except for the fence, there was no indication that the land beyond was dangerous.

  Perched on a low hill on the distant horizon was an immense building of concrete and brick. “Almost there,” Lexa breathed in relief.

  The buildings were contained in their own fence. There was a gatehouse on the north side. They drove straight for it. A well-muscled black man wearing denim overalls and a wide-brimmed straw hat greeted them at the gate. Gray hair at his temples seemed to accent his worried look. He was tall, well over six feet, and had the easy grace of someone accustomed to hard labor.

  Amy tried not to stare. She had never seen a black person before.

  “Something is wrong, very wrong,” Lexa said.

  “Why?” Amy asked.

  “Look at his belt.”

  Amy noticed for the first time the heavy black pistol. The man swung himself onto the running board and peered through Lexa’s open window.

  “Lexa Greenbowe and company,” he said, trying to sound casual. “And I see you’ve picked up an aborigine.”

  Owl smiled. “Joseph,” he said. And to Amy, “Joseph thinks we are all nuts for living in the woods.”

  “We got trouble,” Lexa said.

  “So do we,” Joseph answered. “And I am guessing it’s the same trouble. Let’s get inside and we’ll discuss it.

  He waved them through. In the rearview mirror, Amy saw a woman close the gate behind the last truck. She could not tell if the woman was armed or not.

  They pulled into a huge garage on one side of the building. Joseph indicated where to park and jumped off the running board.

  Amy couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for the expedition, yet again. She had at least made an effort not to stare. None of the men had ever seen a black person before either. They had been raised to believe them lesser. That didn’t mean they had to stare at this guy like he was a bug or something.

  If Joseph noticed the extra attention, he made no sign. He saw Lorn and went straight to him. “Lorn,” he cried happily.

  “It has been a long time,” Lorn answered.

  “Years,” Joseph agreed. He patted Lorn’s belly, “What happened to the scrawny little kid the Greenbowes adopted?”

  “They have fed me well, that’s all.”

  “As will we, I promise,” Joseph replied. “And we will provide hospitality as tradition demands. But today, events dictate news first.”

  “I agree,” Lorn said, introducing the others.

  They were led to a small conference room. Amy marveled as she went. She didn’t know exactly what she expected of the Stewards, but it wasn’t this.

  No, wait. I do know what I’d expected.

  The outside of the building had more or less confirmed it. The Stewards were a monastic order. All the books she had read showed solemn monks in drab robes wandering around dim stone corridors. Instead, the whole inside of the building overflowed with life. Giant pools were overgrown with reeds. Vast glass tanks revealed fish and other underwater life. It was like the pictures she had seen of the botanical center where her grandmother had been married.

  The people here defied the usual idea of a monk as well. Many wore loose, flowing robes but no uniforms seemed to be in effect. The closest thing was that those going out of doors seemed to favor denim overalls and wide brimmed hats, like Joseph wore. The clothes were often of bright colors that did not put the word “monk” into mind.

  All around was a bustle of quiet activity. Few showed it outwardly, but tension hung in the air. Amy thought she spied one woman crying as she tended to the plants in a tank.

  The conference room was drab only in comparison to the rest of the place. An aquarium some twenty feet long took up most of one wall. Plants in stands grew in each corner.

  The center of the room was made up of a long wooden table filled with refreshments: water, bread, and raw vegetables. Tired and hungry, they all fell to eating while Joseph, Lorn, and Luke talked.

  “We tried to send a warning over the satellite,” Joseph told them after they had explained about the scavengers, “but you had left.”

  “Then you already knew?” Lorn said.

  Joseph nodded. “We did not know their location or that you would meet them, but we knew they were in the area. Another monastery in our order sent us warning. They did not want us to get caught unawares. They had already been accosted by these people.”

  “What nonsense is this anyway?” Lorn scoffed. “Everyone knows that the Stewards don’t gather material wealth. Why would anyone try to rob you?”

  “You do have a stash of precious metals though, don’t you?” Luke said.

  “Yes,” Joseph admitted. “We do.”

  “What?” Lorn almost jumped to his feet. “Since when? You are the Stewards. Have you forsaken your vows to protect humanity?”

  “That’s why you have the metals, isn’t it?” Luke said.

  “Exactly,” Joseph said. “We have not forsaken our vows.”

  “I am sorry,” Lorn said. “I spoke rashly. Of course you would not. I don’t understand though. It seems so incomprehensible.”

  “Is it?” Joseph asked. “There was much wealth in the cities of old. Chicago was a wealthy city once.”

  “Is that where it is from?” Amy asked.

  “Yes.”

  “So it’s radioactive?”

  “The bomb used in the Chicago attack was a neutron bomb. In the early days of our order they brought us a number of valuable artifacts removed from the inner part of the city. Even now, the incidental radiation coming off them would kill these men in a matter of days,” Joseph said, rubbing his head. “It is not just ourselves we are worried about. We are trying to protect them as
well.”

  “What do you intend to do?” Luke asked.

  “They are still a few days away, at least,” he replied. “We hope to end this peacefully yet. We must at least warn them of their danger. Likely, they won’t listen or believe, but we must try.”

  “That’s more than fair, considering they are trying to rob you,” Spider said.

  “The council decided last night,” Joseph went on. “They will be given three warnings. The first will be in writing, placed on their route. The second will be audio, left on a continuous tape at the last fueling station before they arrive.

  “The third was the hardest. We are peaceful people, devoted to serving the good of humanity. We have to be certain they hear and understand, even if it means sacrificing our own lives. One of us will try to talk to them in person.”

  “And the rest of you?” Owl asked.

  “Will go into hiding,” Joseph said. “And let them take what they will. We can fight if need be, but we are not warriors.”

  “But you said the metal would kill them,” Lexa gasped.

  “Yes, it will. What else can we do? Owl here can tell you what these people are like. They will hurt or kill us if we try to stop them. I will not let my people die over this.”

  “I agree,” Owl said. “Serves them right. I wouldn’t even have warned them.”

  “Do you really think it will come to that?” Luke asked.

  “Count on it,” Owl growled.

  “We have already begun to prepare for evacuation,” Joseph said. “We will get your trucks unloaded as fast as we can. We do not want to leave you stranded.”

  “We thank you,” Lorn said. “But will that slow you down?”

  “It shouldn’t,” he replied. “We are nearly ready. We will not be able to take much anyway.”

  “We will help any way we can,” Luke said.

  “That is a generous offer,” Joseph replied. “But today you must rest. We will prepare a bath and food for you. Tomorrow, if you’re still willing, I may take you up on the offer.”

  “How are we going to get anywhere, if we keep stopping to help people?” Mark muttered.

  An elderly lady named Jes took them to the bathing area. Lorn explained the ranch member’s customs and ideas about bathing. She waved him off. She was old enough to remember the old views on modesty.

  The bathing facility here was quite different than at Tir-Na-Nog. The pool area was huge with water plants growing along three sides, tall reeds in front of the windows shielded the bathers from view. Lilly pads grew over almost half the surface.

  The men were left to bathe by one pool, and the women were led to a second. The pool was cool. Large south-facing windows let the sun’s heat in, and the dark bottom helped to retain it, but it came nowhere close to a thermal well.

  Amy found it refreshing. Lexa swam to the middle, splashing gracefully. Amy watched her go enviously, wishing she knew how to swim.

  Jes joined them in the pool. She was a mass of wrinkles from head to toe, it seemed to Amy, who had never met anyone so old before.

  The old woman swam after Lexa with a strength that belied her age. The two swam a lap and came back to Amy and Spider. They all sat soaking for a long while.

  “I will miss this place,” Jes said.

  “Surely, you will come back as soon as the scavengers are gone,” Lexa said.

  “The others will come back, yes,” the old woman replied. “I fear that they will have much work to do. The scavengers will destroy as much as they can from sheer spite. Still, I guess it is better than fighting and dying.”

  “What do you mean, the others?” Amy asked. “Aren’t you coming back?”

  “I am not leaving, child,” Jes replied.

  “What?” the three younger women said as one.

  “Someone has to stay, to try to persuade the scavengers not to do what we know they will do anyway.”

  “That’s crazy,” Amy said.

  “No, we all agreed that they should be given one last chance,” Jes replied.

  “I know but why you? Shouldn’t it be Joseph?” Amy asked.

  “What, a man?” Jes said pointing her finger at Amy, “I’ll have you know that I was fighting for women’s rights before you were a twinkling in your daddy’s eye, child. Don’t be giving me that nonsense.”

  “Of course not,” Spider said firmly. “But shouldn’t it be someone younger? A warrior maybe, like me or Owl?”

  “No, we will not allow anyone else to risk their lives on our behalf. It must be one of our order. And we can’t afford to lose Joseph, so don’t go putting ideas in his head,” she warned.

  “From what we have heard, this could well be a suicide mission,” Lexa said.

  Jes sighed. “Yes, I have thought of that. That’s why I volunteered.”

  “You volunteered?”

  “Joseph and several of the others wanted to stay. I forced them to accept me.”

  “How?”

  “Told them I would stay anyway. Besides, as much as they hated it, they saw my logic.”

  “What logic is that?” Spider asked skeptically.

  Jes turned partially away from them. With one hand, she stretched the skin on her shoulder. The shoulder was a mass of little white scars and more moles than Amy had ever seen.

  “They choose you for your moles?” Lexa asked.

  “That’s skin cancer,” Jes replied. Amy gasped. “It’s nothing, child,” Jes said. “I’ve been having pre-cancerous moles removed since before you were born. I am seventy-nine. That’s ten years older than anyone else here. The only thing I care about that hasn’t died on me is this place.”

  Lexa’s eyes shown with tears. Jes faced her, fixing her with two calm, brown eyes. “The others have people to live for and the strength to rebuild. I have neither. It would be harder for me to live with this place destroyed than to die. I am staying.”

  “That must have been a difficult decision,” Amy said.

  “For me, no,” Jes answered. “For everyone else, yes. They agonized over it. I had to threaten to stay anyway before they would listen to me. They know how stubborn I am. I’d do it. So they finally gave in.”

  After their baths, Jes showed them to the guest quarters. They shared one large common room. Luke and Kurt sat at a long table that was fairly laden with food for their consumption.

  “Where is everyone else?” Amy asked.

  Luke pointed to the other side of the room. The edge of room was lined in curtains. A few open curtains revealed low sleeping nooks.

  “Women over there,” Luke said pointing at another wall.

  “Sounds like a good idea to me,” Amy replied, making for the wall.

  “Top bunk,” Lexa called, racing past.

  There must be a dozen bunks, Amy thought, why is she calling it?

  Light streamed through the thin curtain. Amy wondered wearily how long she had slept and what time it was. Her stomach growled threateningly, telling her she had slept enough. All right, I’ll feed you, she thought as she climbed up.

  “Hello, sleepy head,” Lexa called. “Come get some breakfast before it gets cold.”

  “Colder,” Luke corrected.

  Almost everyone was around the table eating. Joseph was there and had brought pancakes. He seemed in good spirits.

  “The unloading is going well,” he told them. “It should be done before nightfall. By this time tomorrow, you can be on your way and out of danger.”

  “If it’s all the same to you, I think we’ll stay,” Luke said. The others looked at him.

  “Why?” Joseph asked, his head cocked.

  “I wouldn’t feel right leaving you in danger,” Luke replied. “We’ll stay and help like we offered, at least until you are evacuated. It’s the least we can do.”

  Amy saw Lorn smile. Patrick, however, scowled. “Our mission?” he growled.

  “Can wait another day or two,” Luke replied. “We will not leave innocent civilians in danger.”

  “Your
attitude is commendable,” Joseph replied. “But we really are capable. This does not concern you.”

  “It has concerned us since we encountered the scavengers,” Lorn said. “I agree; we should stay.”

  Joseph looked away, counting to himself. “I can’t say that ten more workers wouldn’t be welcomed, if that’s truly how you feel.”

  “Ten? Don’t you mean eleven?” Amy asked. Then she looked around. “Where’s Owl?”

  “He left this morning,” Lorn told her.

  Amy scrunched up her brow. He’d just left? She thought he’d be eager to help. Seeing her expression, Joseph added, “He went to place the first sign. He signed on to help last night.” Amy breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn’t misjudged him.

  After breakfast, Joseph showed them around.

  “This place is amazing,” Amy told him as they wandered around a pool larger than the one they had bathed in. “Not at all what I expected.”

  “We hear that a lot,” Joseph replied with obvious pride. “When you build a place on the edge of desolation, people expect it to be, well, desolate. In fact, we work hard to make it exactly the opposite. The whole place is a vast biological filter. These trailing plants along this wall convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, but also filter a lot of airborne pollutants out.”

  They crossed into a vast hall with many large water tanks. “For water, this is the first step in purification,” Joseph explained. “The algae and plants in these tanks are fast growing and use a lot of nitrites. But the real secret is here.” He reached his arm into one tank and came up holding a tiny snail. “As these snails grow, they use minerals to build their shells. The quality of the minerals matter little to them. A lot of heavy metals can be removed from the water in this way.”

  Amy got lost as Joseph talked about various pollutants and various levels of purification. But one thing was clear. Once again, a seemingly primitive place was, in fact, complex. By the time the contaminated water left the graywater system, it was pure enough to drink.

  Joseph left them in the garden. The Stewards were frantically harvesting as much as was edible. They did not know how long they would be gone or if any of would be left when they got back. A young woman showed them where to start, and they spent most of the day gathering small carrots and radishes.