Flight of the Golden Harpy

by Susan Klaus

Gus continued to tap the rod against the bars. “He’s making a racket. You better knock him out, or I’ll be happy to do it.”

  “He’s only excited to see the night sky,” Mollie said to Gus. “Be quiet, now, prince.” She gave Shail another sedative, and he quickly fell asleep for his journey to the hunting range.

  15

  The day wore on as Kari and her father milled around the house and waited for the important call from the Hampton shipping clerk, but the call never came. As evening approached, they ate a solemn dinner with Charlie.

  “Is your harpy guardian coming back tonight?” John asked.

  “Aron is searching for Shail,” Kari said. “I’m not sure if he’ll be back.”

  The com buzzed in the den, and they jumped out of their seats. John rushed into the room and pressed the key.

  A young man appeared on the screen. “Did Kari come back?”

  “She’s here,” John said, and turned to Kari. “This guy called before when you were gone.”

  Kari sat down behind her father’s desk. John and Charlie left the room to finish dinner and give her some privacy. “Hi, Ted.”

  “Boy, I’ve missed you.” Ted grinned. “How are you?”

  “Things aren’t going well.”

  “Your father sure wasn’t happy when I talked to him a few weeks ago and you were with the golden harpy. Do you still have the harpy?”

  She wearily rubbed her forehead. “No.”

  “I didn’t think so. That’s why I’m calling. A little while ago some hunters landed in a freighter outside the spaceport. The hover was loaded with wild animals. I’m working all hours, due to the swarm threat, but I took a break and walked over to see them. One cage had a golden harpy. I didn’t think he was yours until I mentioned your name. He yanked on his chains and looked like he was pleading for my help.”

  “Chains!” she cried. “Oh God, Ted, that is my harpy. That’s Shail. We’ve been searching for him. Where did they take him?”

  “I got chased out of there by some big guy, but I asked another man where the harpy was going. He said they were taking him to new hunting range on the outskirts of Hampton, and the harpy would be auctioned off to the highest bidder. He wasn’t sure of the auction date, sometime next week.”

  “Thank you, Ted, thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me. I’ll be coming to Hampton as soon as I can.”

  “Great. I owe you a dinner.”

  “Listen, Ted. Don’t wait for me. Catch the next space flight off the planet. The swarms will move east soon, and Hampton could fall.”

  “Kari, the swarms are mostly in the outback. Hampton is safe for at least another year.”

  “No town is safe. Please believe me.”

  “I have to get back to work. We’ll talk about it over dinner. I can’t wait to see you,” he said and disconnected.

  Kari turned off the com and stood. Do all humans think like Ted? The east is safe? She hurried through the house and found her father in the living room. He rose out of a large stuffed chair. “Shail is in Hampton,” she said. “He’s going to a hunting range there where he’ll be auctioned. I need to go to Terrance and catch the next eastern commercial flight.”

  “Let’s see if there’s any room on a flight.” John briskly walked into the den and placed a call to Terrance.

  “All flights are overbooked,” said a woman on the screen, “and there are several hundred people on standby.”

  John thanked her and turned off the com. “Kari, let’s think about this. Shail wants you here, and the mill room is reinforced against a swarm strike. Flying in my little hover is dangerous, with the stormy weather, and my hover can’t out fly a swarm. I’ll risk it, go to Hampton, and buy Shail’s freedom. I’d like you to stay here.”

  Kari’s eyes narrowed. “I’m going.”

  John’s face was grim. “Okay, but I had to try. If we fly day and night, it’ll take three days to reach Hampton. When is the auction?” he asked.

  “Next week. Ted didn’t know the date.”

  “That’s good. I’ll have time to go to the Hampton bank for a credit voucher. These hunters know what they’re doing. An auction will draw some high bidders. Your golden’s price could skyrocket.”

  “How high?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. If it’s just the locals, I can outbid them, but if the auction is on the universal Web, I’ll be up against zoos, big hunting ranges, and sports hunters across the galaxy, and to make matter worse, Shail is one of a kind, making him priceless. Caught up in bidding, people tend to overpay.”

  Kari put her hands to her face, overwhelmed.

  John put his arms around her. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I promised I’d get Shail back and I will. Go pack, and I’ll tell Charlie. I know he’ll want to come. The old guy has been in torment and blames himself for not stepping up and stopping me. He did his damnedest to persuade me to leave you and Shail alone. If you can, be kind to him. This whole mess is totally my fault.”

  “I’ll go pack,” she said quietly.

  When Kari came downstairs, Charlie was waiting in the foyer, his eyes downcast.

  “Can I take your bag?” he asked.

  “Yes, Charlie.” She handed the small sack to him. “I’m glad you’re coming with us.”

  They went outside into the dark lawn, and the rain had let up. John slammed the hood on the hover. “It’s fully charged and ready,” he said.

  “I have to do something before we go.” Kari walked across the meadow toward the jungle.

  Lit by the outside lights, John and Charlie waited while she approached the edge of the trees.

  Kari called telepathically toward the dark jungle, and a male harpy flew down, landed beside her, and bowed his head. “Find Aron,” she relayed. “Tell him Shail is in the big eastern city on the coast. Hunters have him. I am going there to try to save him.”

  “I am Reaf, Lea’s mate,” the harpy relayed. “She said you were fearless, but our golden ruler and Aron ordered me to stay here and guard you and the structure from swarms, hunters, and all threats. You must remain here.”

  “How dare you, Reaf?” she said, and flung her long blond hair. “See my yellow hairs? They are as golden as Shail’s. A brown does not tell a golden what she can or cannot do. Heed my wishes and find Aron.”

  Reaf dropped to his knees, his face by her feet. “Forgive me. I shall go with great haste.” He jumped up and disappeared into the black sky.

  Kari swiftly walked back toward the hovercraft. “Let’s go.” She hopped into the hover backseat. John and Charlie also climbed in.

  John started the engine. “What did you say to the harpy, Kari?” John asked. “He looked like he was scared of you.”

  “He should be scared. After all, I’m a golden harpy, and worse, your daughter.”

  * * *

  The jungle flew rapidly past as Aron flapped his long wings toward the east and the harpy rendezvous. He feared the harpy gathering would be the last, worry consumed him. All his life he had loved and protected his younger adopted brother, Shail, but it was likely that he was dead. The flocks had frantically searched for him with no luck, and his loss also meant the loss of all life. Even the beetles would die of starvation once everything was gone.

  Reaching the river savannah and island, he fluttered before landing among the massive clutch of harpies. Seth was the first to brazenly approach him.

  “Is he found?” Seth asked.

  Aron lowered his head and shook it. “None in my flock have seen him.”

  “And none here,” Seth said. “He is dead, then.” Seth moved closer and placed his hands on Aron’s shoulders. “I sense your heavy heart. You truly were raised in the same nest with him.”

  “Yes, I love Shail, but I refuse to grieve his death. He was unlike all harpies and lived with reckless luck. Captivity would not easily destroy him.”

  “Perhaps he might survive the cage, but not a human weapon. The hunters would be quick to take his precious w
ings.” Seth turned to the other harpies. “We came here, each holding a golden feather to honor our ruler and follow his words, but he has fallen. We mourn the loss of the golden line and pray for the light when his son rules. These are dangerous times, and I return to the east to protect my family and flock. The harpies shall no longer hold back the swarm. The humans made a destructive traveling path from east to west through our jungle, devastating the trees and animals. It is now ironic that the swarms shall follow the same doomed path, killing the humans as they go. The humans spoil what they touch, and now nature takes its rightful revenge.” He extended his wings to fly.

  “Seth, when the humans are dead, what of the animals and trees?” Aron asked. “Shall you allow them to die next under the swarms? We must keep this gathering, for only with numbers shall we defeat the beetles, and we must strike before the rise of the next round moons. Afterwards, there shall be too many swarms.”

  “My eastern flock shall destroy the swarms that threaten the northern mountains where our females and fledglings dwell, and the river harpies shall drive the swarms from the north, and you, my young brother, shall defend your islands and our pregnant golden queen. We shall do as we always have done: protect our own land and flocks.”

  Aron sadly gazed at him. “Then all your males shall die with this suicide, for there are not enough males in your flock, and the swarms shall sweep through the mountains, killing your mates and young.”

  Seth leaned over and nuzzled Aron’s neck. “The gathering is over.” He glanced at the crowd of harpies. “Look into the eyes of these proud flock leaders. They would not follow your brown wings nor mine in an attack against the swarms. You know this.” He patted Aron’s shoulder. “I would be pleased if my sons grew like you. You have great courage. I shall continue to have my flock search for the golden in the east, and hope he is alive and found.”

  Aron nodded. “It is also my hope that we survive.” He dismally watched Seth and the huge gathering take flight. He stood among a few of his males, realizing that Seth was right. The flock leaders would respect and follow only a yellow-winged male.

  His males moved closer. “What do you wish of us, Aron?” one asked.

  “We follow Shail’s wishes as best we can. Pull our males from the swarms. We can no longer hold them and protect the human women and children. Their fate is no longer our concern. We shall line the borders of the Turner Estate and make our stand, destroying any swarm that threatens the land. The battle against humans is over, and we now face a war against nature. Pray we endure.”

  Aron slowly flew back in the dark toward Kari, dreading telling her of the terrible news and worrying if she would live without Shail, and worse, he would have to persuade her to leave the jungle and live in the stars. His faith that Shail was alive was wavering; his harpies had risked checking all human dwellings. Tears ran down his cheek as he tried to imagine life without his carefree blond brother.

  Late at night he reached the Turner Estate border. As he flew over the tree canopy, he saw a shadow racing toward him. He frantically tilted and flapped his wings to avoid a midair collision. “Watch out!” he relayed. The harpy banked and turned back to him.

  “I found you!” Reaf panted as they fluttered. “It’s Shail! He is alive, Aron! He lives!”

  They landed on a large tree limb. “Tell me all.”

  “Our golden female says Shail is held by hunters in the large eastern city on the coast. She left the Turner Estate and journeys to save him.”

  “You let her leave?” Aron fumed. “You let her risk her life and the life of our future ruler?” He raised his wing to strike Reaf.

  Reaf cowered his head. “Aron, I could not stop her nor could any harpy. I told her to stay, but she does not respect a male’s wishes.”

  Aron lowered his wing and breathed deeply. “I am glad to learn of Shail, but now must worry for both goldens and their unborn. I shall die of stress, fretting over these rash yellow-haired harpies.” He ruffled his feathers and considered his next move. “Gather my flock and leave only the small number to guard the land and islands from swarms. Shail must be saved and his mate protected. We meet at the swamp island with the river harpies. Then we all fly east.”

  * * *

  Traveling toward Terrance in the dark, Kari sat silently while John flew the hover low over the narrow highway with one of its flood lights aimed below. Forced to land, he knew the only safe place was the road.

  Unknown to him and all humans, the safe highway would become a path of destruction and death. Like bread crumbs, the scent of humans and cut wood buildings would attract massive swarms, and with no harpies to stop them, they would rapidly march east along the highway and straight into Hampton, as the flock leader Seth had predicted.

  “It’ll be light in a few hours, and we’ll be in Terrance. We’ll stop and get some food,” John said.

  At dawn they approached the town of Terrance, and John flew the hover toward the airport.

  Kari looked down at colorful, ornate buildings trimmed with white lattice and hand-carved wooden arches and doorways. The town purposely resembled the graceful Victorian period on Earth. Beyond the town was the river, several miles wide. She noticed there was no movement; no people, no traveling vehicles. “It seems deserted.”

  “Something must have happened. Looks like everyone left in a hurry,” John said and landed at the vacant airport. Every hovercraft was gone. A man ran out of the large airport building and frantically waved and yelled to them. A woman holding a small child followed him as they raced toward John’s hovercraft.

  “Take us with you!” yelled the man. “Please, for God’s sake.”

  John stepped out of the hover. “What’s happened?”

  “A swarm! It’s coming from the northeast,” the man said, out of breath. “There’s not much time.”

  “Get in,” John said. “I can’t take you far. My hover won’t hold this many people.”

  The man climbed in and the woman sat on his lap. Kari reached for the child. “I’ll hold him,” she said, and the woman placed the one-year-old in her lap. The hover lifted off.

  “Can you pilot a hover?” John asked the man.

  “I’ve flown small ones,” the man answered.

  “With any luck, I’ve got a hovercraft here. We’ll be sitting ducks for a swarm with this load.” John veered his hover south along the river. After several miles, they came to a warehouse district, and John spotted his stolen orange hovercraft with TURNER written on the side. It sat in a large lot in front of a dilapidated warehouse. He landed alongside it and got out to inspect the craft. The man followed him and watched John pushed the start button. The engines fired up.

  As her father spoke to the man, Kari gave the baby back to the mother and climbed out. She walked toward the warehouse and could immediately smell death and feces. Walking inside, she choked and gasped. Her eyes watered when she stared at the two dead harpies. Their throat’s slashed, their wings and testicles sliced off, they lay in a bloody mound on the floor, no longer resembling their beautiful race. She cringed, thinking of Shail, and that he was held in the filthy place. The floor was covered in blood, rotting food, garbage, and animal waste. A large bloated lizard lay dead in one of the remaining cages. Smaller animal corpses rested against the walls. By the bunks were numerous liquor bottles and rags. The place spoke volumes about what kind of men held her beloved Shail captive. She jumped when Charlie touched her shoulder.

  “You shouldn’t be in here,” Charlie said quietly.

  She nodded and trailed him outside. The family was seated in the recovered hovercraft, and John stood by the pilot door.

  “Okay, you think you can operate it?”

  “Yes, Mr. Turner,” the man said.

  “Now follow the highway west past Westend. Ten more miles, and you’re at my estate and mill. Tell my housekeeper, Maria, I sent you and to put you up. The mill is secure from a swarm attack. You’ll be all right there.”

  Through the open hove
r window, the man grabbed John’s hand “Thank you, Mr. Turner. You saved our lives.”

  “Just get going,” John said and returned to his hover. Kari and Charlie already sat inside. John jumped in and started the engine. Simultaneously, both hovers rose from the ground. One veered west toward the protected mill while the other swung east toward the unknown.

  John forced the hover high and glanced north along the river. In the distance, he saw the giant black mass. He steered the hover to the southeast. “If they swarm, we’re in trouble,” he said nervously. He saw the beetles take to the air. “Sweet Jesus, here they come.” The swarm was heading toward their hover, but when it approached Terrance, the swarm settled on the little town; the multicolored buildings turned black.

  Kari stared out the window as the hover traveled farther and farther away from the obliteration. “I wonder how many people didn’t make it out.”

  “I think most of them got out,” John said. “The man said the large hover flights came early and evacuated the entire town. His vehicle stalled, and he and his wife had to run for it. They didn’t see other people on their way to the port.”

  * * *

  The rest of the morning, John, Charlie, and Kari traveled in silence, observing the ever-growing barren areas, the trademark symbol of a swarm attack. At noon they set down on the highway near a small bridge. From the stream flowing beneath it, John filled water containers and stretched from the tiresome journey.

  “Should have brought some food,” he said to Charlie and glanced around. “Where’s Kari?”

  “She went into the jungle,” said Charlie. “She will be okay, John.”

  A few minutes later Kari returned to the hover carrying two large roots. She broke one open with a rock and handed a piece of the fleshy orange food to Charlie and her father. “Try these.”

  The men bit into the sweet root. “This is very tasty,” Charlie said. “Your mate taught you well.”

  Kari glowed. “He did, Charlie. Shail could even teach you a few things.”

  John lowered his head and exhaled uneasily. “We need to get going.”

  * * *