Goo da wa, "if the cave is close to a town I can set up my bar there, if it’s big enough. Maybe we call it, "The Poetic Drink." After I learned to read I can tell people the stories on the walls. They will come for the poems and stay for a drink."
Owsee, "that's a good idea, and I know of some large caves near a town I lived close to. They are not far, there’s lots of water nearby, fruit trees, and the soil is so rich you can grow just about anything. At least that's how it was 35 years ago, things may have changed, we will soon know."
Then I said, "if your planet has so much water, why hasn’t the corporate mining company tried to take it over?"
Owsee, "they tried that one. They came down with their big ships and started to drain our rivers and lakes. Then we got some weapons and started to blast anything with a CM emblem on it. They try to negotiate with us from time to time and we send their CMA’s home in a box, a very small box. Most of my people still feel the same way. However, enough talk about the CM, it brings me down. Let’s smoke some of the weed buds."
And I said, "have you been saving the seeds?"
Owsee, "no, we have a good quality of it on my world."
Goo da wa, "I've been saving seeds."
Owsee, "see, he is a better farmer than I am. By the way, how does that fancy pipe of yours smoke? You have had it long enough to tell."
I said, "it stays cool, the metal does not get hot and the top snaps back down after lightning so I can let go of it; and let it hang down next to my shirt without burning it. But I am wondered how long before the dragon fire runs out."
Goo da wa, "it will never run out, it works with the static electricity it gets from you."
I said, "well every time I use it I will think of you."
Goo da wa, "and every time I think about what that big purple thing could have done to me, I will remember what you did for me. A life debt is hard to repay."
Owsee said, "I owe him one as well."
I said, "maybe the three of us have just been tied together by the fates for a reason."
Owsee, "the four of us, with Kitty, and more on the way."
I said, "how many do you think she will have?"
Owsee, "these are her first, so most likely she will have two, I can scan her when they get bigger."
I said, "am I out of my head for taking a mate I hardly know?"
"No," said Goo da wa, "you could not find a better mate than Kitty."
Owsee, "that's right, she would die for you. Catalacks are very loyal and hard workers. As soon as she has the children you will see how well she takes care of them and you. You are a lucky man, in more ways than one."
A moment later kitty walking in with another pitcher of milk, and standing by the large window of a front end, she looked out into hyperspace and said, "it sure is a beautiful sight."
Owsee said, "it will not last much longer, we are almost there. I must admit I didn't think this ship could make the trip so fast, and I’m not even pushing her."
Kitty, "are you all still as high as a moon?"
Owsee, "no, I’m only as high as a satellite."
Goo da wa, "me too."
I said, "I'm only as high as a bird, because I’m a nibor."
Everyone started laughing, including Kitty. Then she said, "okay, Bird Man, are you straight enough to fly the ship into orbit?"
I said, "no problem, it's just point and click. As long as I don't hit the waste purge button over some city we should be fine."
There was a bit of laughing and a “let’s not” from Owsee. Kitty kind of shook her head and smiled.
We soon dropped out of hyperspace, as we went through the gate, and it was time for me to show I could still fly the ship. Owsee showed me on the screen which planet we were going to. I set a course and plotted an orbit.
Kitty seemed a little nervous to see me at the controls. But a, "very good, you got it," from Owsee put her at ease.
We all just stared at the world we were coming up on. As if words could not express what we were feeling. Owsee pointed out different landmasses he recognized and adjusted the final orbit to put us above a place he knew well.
It was night below us, and Owsee said we should get some rest and we would go down when the sun was up on this side of the planet again.
Owsee and Goo da wa stretched out in the lounge while Kitty and I went to my room below. We both laid down together and she began to purr. It was very soothing and I was quickly asleep.
“Dawn on a new world”
Day 3
I don't know how long we slept. But it was one of the most peaceful sleeps, in a long time. When I got up, Kitty was still asleep. Or at least pretending to be. I gave her a light kiss, a brush of the cheek, and got a sweet purr in response. Then I went to the cargo bay to check on the ship we would take down to the planet.
Owsee was already there, taking out the memory chips from the other ship. He had already pulled out the small solar sail ship and secured it to the wall. I asked him if he needed any help. He said he had taken out the chips from the medical equipment in storage, and the other equipment that we would not need right away, but would leave the chips in the food banks until after we landed. We installed the tuner in the ship, next to the main computer, and I said, "I hope this thing works. The ship is too big to fly without the computer. We took the other chips to the protective vault; which was not much more than a safe that was suspended in a large tank of water, but Owsee said it would do the trick.
After we got something to eat, we went back up to the bridge. Kitty was already there with Goo da wa, and they were watching the sun that was just coming up over the planet below, and it was beautiful. You could see oceans and lakes as well as cloud formations.
Owsee pointed out an area he wanted to go to first. It was clear there, no rain today. Kitty asked if we were going to take the bridge down by itself. Owsee said the atmosphere was too dense, there would be too much heat to take it down by itself. We would have to use the other ship. So we all went down to the cargo bay and got on my new ship.
After flying a ship the size of a mountain, you would think that flying a ship the size of a three-story house would be no big deal, but it was. The controls were not point-and-click, they were buttons, levers and a joystick. I would have to be very gentle on the controls until I got the hang of it.
As soon as I was ready, Owsee used his remote control to decompress the bay and released the clamps that held us in place. The big door opened and a lot of dust floated out. Kitty was not at all at ease, but well strapped in; as were we all. After a few moments, I flew us into open space without hitting anything, but it was close. Owsee help me to plot a course of spiral maneuvers that would keep us from burning up on the way down.
The thin cloud cover broke at around 1200 feet. I increased the retro’s until we were hovering at 500 feet from the ground.
Owsee pointed to some mountains and we headed that way, as he tuned in the transceiver in case anyone was trying to hail us. We passed over a small town on our way, no tall buildings and it blended in well with its surroundings. It was about 2 miles from the mountain and there was a river that ran next to it. We could see that there was a desert on the other side of the mountains, and a green meadow on this side by a lake. We landed next to the lake. There was no computer assist for final landing on this ship, so I had to adjust the retro’s as we went. Still all in all it went rather well, and we landed about as smooth as you would expect for a three story house.
“Ancestral ground”
Owsee was the first one out of the ship. The rest of us followed as he ran up to the water and splashed his face; cupping his hands he took a drink, then said, "just as fresh as I remember it. What do you think? Can we find a better place? There are trees over there, lots of room for gardening and some large caves on the side of the mountain; and I could land the big ship in the desert, on the other side. Also the town is just a 2 mile walk from here. Does anyone have anything bad to say about the spot?"
I said, "Will the townsfolk mind us just showing up and moving onto this place like this?"
Owsee, "they have no choice, I own it!"
I said, "you own it?"
Owsee, "yes, from the other side of the desert to the other side of the lake, from the other side of the mountains to the first house in town. It was my fathers, the house that is. The rest I bought about 10 years ago when I got the ship ready to fly. It just took me until now to sell the mine and leave. Yes, it's all mine, and yours if you will let me share it with you. But before you make up your minds let me show you my father's house and the town."
He was very excited as he beckoned us to follow him across the field. There was a fruit tree on our way and we picked one for each of us. It had a thin skin and a sweet flavor.
“Meet the Mayor”
In the distance we could see an elderly man, with a long white beard, walking toward us. He had a long rod in one hand that he used as he walked. Owsee yelled out to him and he waved back, then stopped and waited for us to come to him.
"This is an old friend of the family," Owsee said, "he will have many stories to tell us, and he is Mayor of the town."
"Owsee Wa sphere," the man said as we get close, "I thought that maybe you. Why didn't you tell us you were coming?"
Owsee, "I couldn’t send a message because I didn't even know the name of the planet anymore."
The Mayor said, "we named it Lor re et."
Owsee, "we were thinking it may have been named Lore, as in folklore."
Mayor, "that name was highly suggested but it just didn't get the votes. And who are these with you?"
Owsee introduced each of us, one by one, and the Mayor said hello, you are welcome in my town. Then we all started toward the town with Owsee and the Mayor in the lead.
Mayor, "so tell me Owsee, are you here for good or are you still looking for stories?"
Owsee, "here for good I hope. And I think I have enough stories to last a lifetime."
Mayor, "good, I look forward to hearing your stories."
Owsee, "my teacher here has shown me how to write stories."
Mayor, "write you say, interested. I can't recall ever having a master storyteller on the planet, we are honored. And your other friends, what do they do?"
Owsee, "Kitty ran a clothing shop, we thought she could open one here."
Mayor, "yes, we could use another shop."
Owsee, "and Goo da wa had a bar."
Mayor, "we need a bar. The last one closed a year ago when the owner moved to a big city. It has not been the same without the bar."
Owsee, "Goo da wa has plans to open a bar and story room."
Mayor, "very good, we need such a place. You are just the shot in the arm we need around here Owsee. If you're not too busy I would like all of you to come by the restaurant at sunset, and enjoy some new beer with me. Until then I bid you welcome and safe way."
Owsee then lead us to the farmhouse as the Mayor keep on the path toward town.
The house was a large one, 2 stories. The first all stone and the rest log. There were many windows and a large wraparound porch with chairs on it. Inside was a living room with a large fireplace, and a small bar on one side that had an opening to the kitchen next to it. It was a nice little kitchen, that also had an opening to the dining room next to it; on that side of the house. The other side of that floor had two bedrooms, and there were three bedrooms upstairs; and a large room for storage.
All the furniture was handmade of the best quality woods but covered with dust, still the workmanship showed through it.
Kitty asked if we were going to stay here or on the ship tonight.
Owsee said we might as well stay here, because he would be parking the big ship in the desert; on the other side of the mountain.
Kitty said, "I'll have this place cleaned up in no time."
Owsee, "so what do you think teacher, is it big enough to raise a family in?"
I said, "oh it's big enough all right."
Owsee, "I'm glad to hear you say so because I'm giving it to you."
I said, "to me, why would you do that?"
Owsee, "you have a family on the way. Don't worry, you can pay for it with the stories you will tell me. But I also want to keep you around, you’re a good man to have in a tight spot, so let's call it a wedding present."
I said, "well all I can say is thank you, thank you very much."
Owsee, "we need to celebrate, let's see what’s in dad’s old bar. Here is a towel, we can put that to work on the glasses and the stools. A bottle of wine and a bottle of Dew Mist. I think you will like this, it's a liqueur."
And he handed the bottle to Goo da wa to clean and pour.
Goo da wa, "my pleasure," as he wiped off the top of the bottle and poured each of us a drink.
Owsee, "to a new start." To a new start, we said and drink.
Kitty came into the room and asked what we were drinking to this time? We all said to a new start, then I added, "and Owsee just gave us this house."
Kitty, "really? Oh Owsee you're the best," and she gave him a big hug.
Owsee, "it's my wedding present to the both of you and the children to come."
Kitty, "I want to make a toast. Will you pour me just a small one."
Owsee said of course I will, and poured all of us one.
Then Kitty said, "to the best friend anyone could ever have."
We drink and Owsee said, "thank you one and all. And as long as we are staying I may as will bring the big ship down before some space pirate gets to it first."
Kitty, "do we need to go with you?"
Owsee, "no one needs to go anywhere, I have the remote control on me. And dad used to talk to nearby ships on the transceiver over the bar. I can just uplink with it and call the ship down.”
The screen came on, and the ship's control display showed on it. Owsee put in a few commands and the ship was on its way.
I tried not to show concern about a mountain of a ship on its way down toward us, so I said, "I have a poem about friends."
"Conversation heard in time, ponderous questions of life's rhyme.
Out loud do I answer them, though no one else hears my past friends.
Daydream visions and debates, a turning point still awaits.
Some memories are my best friends, so why should I not speak to them.
Some say, it's just plain said others say, he has -- gone quite mad.
For thoughts, we have throughout the day, of souls we've touched that passed our way.
Caught up admit I must agree, in some reflection or degree. So pardon me if time to time, past conversation cross my mind."
Owsee, "thank you my dear friend. Unless I am wrong, that one was about talking to oneself. I like the way you put it, well done."
Kitty, "yes that was a very nice poem."
Goo da wa, "After all the years I have known Owsee I am well acquainted with the need to talk to one’s self, and I liked it very much. Maybe we can put it up in my new bar."
I said, "when are you going to look at the caves?"
Owsee said, "we can look at them on our way back from pulling the chips from the big ship and putting them in storage. Let's go to the backyard and watch the ship come down."
So we went to the backyard and started to look for the ship as Owsee said, "these berries on the bush are good to eat, and there are many kinds of fruit in this overgrown orchard out here. It needs a lot of work but the trees still look healthy."
Then we saw the ship come down high above the town and slide over the mountain."
Goo da wa, "well, we better get to it."
Owsee told Kitty she could stay and clean if she liked, and that she could get fresh milk in town. He said we would be back before dark.
Then the three of us went back to my ship to fly over the mountains.
We picked some more fruit on our way, from the same tree we passed before. I asked Owsee what kind it was, and he said he didn’t know; that he nor his father plant
ed that one.
After flying to Owsee’s ship he said it looked as if it had made a soft landing. We went in and started to pull out the computer chips in the mess hall, and the main computer in the bridge. We put them in storage, and loaded my ship with things we thought we might need in the next few days. We then flew low around the mountain, on the town side, where there were some large caves. The entrance to one was so large I could almost fly my ship into it. Owsee said this one was called, "The grand Hall," because just inside the mouth it opens up to 100 feet high and about that much wide and long.
We had taken a long time to load my ship and it was starting to get dark. So we decided to come back on foot tomorrow when there was more light. I then flew over to the house and set the ship down not far off. It kicked up a bit more dust than I wanted to so close to the house. We then started to bring in some things from the ship, mainly the rum, the bag of fire powder, the ale and the two boxes from Goo da wa's bar.
By this time, it was dark indeed and we all walked into town for dinner. The Mayor was sitting at a large table by the fireplace and beckoned us to come over the moment we walked in. People at the counter, and others smiled at us and said hello as we walked by them. It felt very friendly.
We sat down at the Mayor's table and he said the brew is on me. A waitress brought all of us mugs of fresh cold brew. Kitty drink half of hers right down before saying, "I didn't know I was so thirsty."
Mayor, "did Owsee ever tell you he was the last of four brothers? They all went off to find their fortune, but he is the only one to make it back alive. I hope you have some good stories to tell us, it has been a long time since anyone around here has had a new one."
Owsee asked me if any new pomes came to mind.
I said, "I have one that you may like."
“Behold all men that breath do take, even the brave one day shall quake. Be rich or poor most still would walk, poet or not each would still talk. Be food of the gods or plain fare be, each body still does wish to see. Two cool when hot and warm when cold, is base of need for all I'm told. To breathe the air and think of rain, each hopes life will give not much pain. With all that's base we are the same, for life is all that we must tame."
New Title 1 (The traveler) Page 10