Peta had been invited along as well. She would soon be Jake’s sister-in-law, as Dwight had decided to adopt the girl. Peta had gotten along well enough with Mrs. Riley, her employees, and the children, and even Jake’s mother, but not so well with some of the locals.
Peta had been raised by a couple that had never been shy about having sex while she was around. While Peta’s mother had been kidnapped by a Blackfoot Indian and taken against her will, she had made the best of the situation, especially once she got pregnant. She was happy with Gray Wolf and made no secret of showing her affection, nor did he. Add to that what Peta had observed in Jennifer’s cabin, as well as the raging hormones of a teenager, and you had a recipe for disaster.
To make matters worse, Luke Barns, the object of her attention, was the sixteen-year-old son of the local Baptist minister in Omaha. The story went that while they hadn’t actually had intercourse, the boy had hardly been able to walk when Peta got through with him.
The next morning Luke’s mother noticed the scratches on his back and managed to wring the truth out of him. Later that day, the minster paid a visit to Mrs. Riley. His outrage, coupled with the incident at the store, led Mrs. Riley to a decision. When Roger Volant showed up with the next consignment of goods, Peta returned to Happy Valley with him.
Dwight decided that she should be sent to the Republic for schooling and socializing. To do so, she had to be adopted by one of the Republic’s citizens, so he’d adopted her. While she was in the Republic, she would live in the old Carver home with Jennifer and Jake.
***
Republic of Indian Stream, Thursday, September 4, 1856
The first thing Jennifer did, once they were back in the Republic, was take Jake flying. For his part, Jake was less than enthusiastic.
“Are you sure these things are safe?” he asked as she showed him how to fasten the buckles on his harness. They were going up in the AW-139JEP Life-flight helicopter she flew in her civilian job. It was smaller than anything he’d flown in before.
“A lot safer than galloping on a horse,” she replied. “And much faster.” Once Jake was safely buckled in, along with her co-pilot and two paramedics, Jennifer started up the engines. After the engine was fully spun-up, Jennifer signaled the crew chief to jump on board, pull the door closed, and buckle in next to Jake.
“Here we go.” Jennifer pulled up on the collective and the aircraft rose into the air. Jake got an hour-long bird’s eye tour of the Republic, the aircraft flying high and easy over the beautiful landscape.
As she flew Jennifer gave him a brief history of the growth of the Republic. “When Corcoran Fallon was first elected in 1834 there were fewer than three hundred and fifty people in the Republic. Growth has come primarily from immigration, mostly from Ireland. The vast majority of immigrants were put to work immediately, clearing farmland or constructing infrastructure, including a greatly expanded network of roads and underground utilities.”
She pointed out the three distinct villages that had emerged: Pittsburg in the southwest, Idlewilde in the northeast, and Lakeview in the center of the Republic.
“Each village now has its own markets, shops, credit union, library, schools, and church. The Archdiocese of Boston assigned an Irish Catholic priest to the Republic in 1848. Pittsburg is the seat of government and has the final assembly plants. Raw material refining is done in Idlewilde, and parts manufacturing is centered in Lakeview. Everything floats from one plant to the next down the Connecticut.” She pointed out the system of dams and locks as they soared above, explaining that the river had also been widened and deepened since 1834.
“Here’s where my Dad and Mack fought the Battle of Third Connecticut Lake.” Jake looked at the terrain carefully. He could well appreciate why they had chosen that particular spot to engage a much larger force.
The tour complete, Jennifer settled the aircraft back down on one of the hospital helipads and turned the controls over to the duty pilot, thanking him and the crew profusely for letting her and Jake take the ride.
“Well, that was interesting, but I’m glad it’s over,” Jake said with relief as they walked away from the aircraft.
“Hah. You’re not getting off that easy,” Jennifer replied. “Now we’re going for a fun ride!”
She led Jake down the road to another helipad, where another, much more wicked-looking helicopter sat. Roger Volant and Harlan Wasser were waiting there, along with Jennifer’s military flight crew.
“Hey, boss, how’d you enjoy the ride?” Roger asked.
“I don’t think I’m cut out to be a pilot,” Jake replied. “But I did enjoy the view. Not sure I like the looks of this thing, though,” he nodded toward the waiting helicopter.
“Don’t be such a baby,” Jennifer teased. “This is an MH-60JEP Pave Hawk combat search and rescue helicopter. It’s what I usually fly for the ISRM. My platoon also flies those two HH-60JEP Rescue Hawk air ambulances.” She pointed to the next two helicopters in line. “But this one is more fun.”
Jake was about to learn that her idea of fun was flying nap-of-the-earth at nearly two hundred knots. Harlan thought it was great fun as well, while Roger tended to side with Jake on the matter.
An hour later Jake stumbled from the aircraft, swearing never to set foot in one again. It was a promise he would be unable to keep.
36 - ANNA & JENNIFER
Republic of Indian Stream, Sunday, September 7, 1856
The Sunday before the wedding, there was a rehearsal dinner at the Hotel LeClerc in Pittsburg Village. It was a festive affair, with booze flowing freely. Both Jake and Jennifer had apparently recovered from the massive hangovers they’d suffered from the previous day, the result of overindulgence at their respective bachelor and bachelorette parties. Peta, well under the Republic’s nineteen-year-old public drinking age, was still pouting about not being included.
They were seated in an opulent private dining room in the hotel, just a short walk from the large banquet room where the wedding reception would be held. The hotel and all its furnishings were reminiscent of a fine old hotel in Paris that Anna and Mike had once visited up in the 20th Century. Chandeliers, hand-carved furniture, sterling silver utensils, fine china, and even finer crystal glassware gave the place an aura of wealth.
Anna had been pleased to discover that Republican fashion was thoroughly late 20th Century, so she was wearing a form-fitting blue flared dress that showed off her figure and a pair of matching high-heels that showed off her legs, the first heels she’d worn in two decades. Jake and Paul had been shocked at her appearance, Miriam horrified, and Dwight visibly pleased.
Miriam wore her own second best outfit, a green and white Victorian dress Anna had made, including corset and crinolines. It was quite a contrast to Jennifer’s quintessential little black dress.
Jennifer had succeeded in getting Peta into a purple sheath dress, although she looked about as natural as an orangutan in a tuxedo. Strappy flat sandals served in place of heels, but she was still taller than most of the women in the room, and some of the men, even though she was only fourteen years old.
Jake, Paul, and Dwight were dressed in the current Republican men’s semi-formal style, the skinny suit, which Anna disliked. None of them looked comfortable in the suits. But, when in Rome…
The process of finding appropriate clothing had emphasized to Anna, Jake, and Paul just how different the Republic was from the rest of the world. Miriam considered the place otherworldly.
An excellent meal of Gruyere-style cheeses, roast duck breasts, grilled ratatouille, strawberries in whipped cream, and chocolate mousse, served along with several bottles of excellent French wine, made for a most enjoyable evening. Anna spent most of the night talking to Jennifer’s bridesmaids, trying to glean as much information about Jennifer and life in the Republic as she could. She was out of practice, but found the techniques the Stasi had taught her were just as useful as ever.
Identical twins Nancy and Susan O’Brien had gone to scho
ol with Jennifer, and like her, gone into medicine. Nancy was an anesthesiologist and Susan was a radiologist at St. Patrick’s Hospital. Like all of the hospital’s professional staff, they spent as much time teaching foreign students as they did caring for patients.
“I think Jennifer went into nursing instead of becoming a doctor because she’s more interested in leading the teams than diagnosing patients,” Susan opined.
“Maybe, but I think nursing gave her the avenue to fly the Lifeflight chopper and do the search and rescue work she loves,” Nancy said. “She can wield a catheter with the best of them, but flying is what she lives for. At least it was before she ran off to the Wild West and met Jake.”
“Any idea why she decided to go west?” Anna asked.
“Two reasons, I think.” Breanna Sullivan, another classmate and Jennifer’s Maid of Honor joined the conversation. “She had just broken up with that pig, Steve Brown, when her father left to start Happy Valley Ranch, which was good enough in and of itself. She’s always been very close to her father, especially since her mother died in the event. It was very hard on Jennifer when he went away once for three months on BLE business.”
“What did he go away for?” Anna tried for a tone of innocence. But it didn’t work.
“Who knows what goes on in the BLE corporate offices at Fort Evergreen?” Nancy said.
Anna easily saw the silent agreement between the three women not to tell her the truth about Dwight’s trip. “Fort Evergreen? I don’t remember that on Dwight’s tour of the Republic.”
“It’s where the Fallon Party first settled when they arrived in the Republic, up near Back Lake. The BLE has its offices there.”
“Fallon Party?” Anna asked.
“The twelve families that came over together from Ireland in 1832 and established Back Lake Enterprises, our parents included,” Nancy explained.
“Was the Carver family one of those families?”
“No, Jennifer’s family has been in the Great White North since before the American Revolution.” That made Anna wonder just how much Dwight knew about time travel. Under other circumstances, Dwight might make a good ally, but it was out of the question. If he ever found out she was responsible for his wife’s death, he’d betray her in an instant. Too bad; he was such a good looking man.
“Oh dear! Allen, did you really have to do that to mommy’s pretty dress?” Miriam’s voice penetrated from the far end of the table. Anna turned to see that little Allen had puked all over the front of his mother’s dress.
“Excuse me,” Anna said to the girls as she went to help her daughter-in-law with the mess. She glanced at a wall clock as she made her way to Miriam. A waiter had already come forward with a handful of cloth napkins. She took them from him and began wiping up the mess.
Peta took Allen from Miriam and cradled him in her arms. Miraculously, the baby had managed not to despoil his own little outfit, so Anna led Miriam off to the nearest restroom. Jennifer followed a few steps behind.
Together they managed to get most of the mess off the dress, but it was soaking wet as a result. At one point Jennifer had to move Anna’s purse, which Anna had placed on the counter near the sink. Jennifer seemed momentarily puzzled by the weight of it, but said nothing. Anna hoped she hadn’t figured out that it held the Glock.
“It’s time to put Allen to bed, so I’ll just head up to the room after I retrieve him from Peta’s clutches,” Miriam said.
“She really seems to get on well with him,” Jennifer said. “Better than she does with most people, actually.”
“I know. Whenever I’d take him with me to Mrs. Riley’s store, she’d play with him while I did the shopping. She’s gentle as a lamb with him. Not so much with boys her own age,” she added, sotto voce.
They all laughed, recalling poor Luke Barns, the preacher’s son. Not to mention the idiot red neck she’d nearly killed.
They returned to the party, where Miriam scooped up Allen and announced her intention to retire for the evening.
“I think I’ll go up too,” Anna said. “It’s been a delightful evening, but I’m still a bit weary from the journey. Paul, please stay and enjoy yourself. I’ll see Miriam and Allen safely to their room. Gute Nacht.”
Dwight rose and thanked her for coming, then kissed her hand in farewell.
In order to avoid any accidents after the dinner, Dwight had arranged for everyone at the dinner to have a room at the hotel that night, and the night after the wedding reception as well. Anna was staying in a very nice room, but she didn’t intend to spend the night in it.
* * *
Jennifer watched as Anna and Miriam walked into the elevator, little Allen resting on his mother’s breast. Anna hit the button for their floor. Jennifer noted the apprehension on Miriam’s face. Anna looked no more concerned than Allen. Jennifer caught her father watching as well.
“Anna looks good in that dress,” Jennifer observed. They were alone at the end of the table.
“I hadn’t noticed,” her father replied dryly.
“Right. Heels look good on her too. Maybe a little too good.”
“What do you mean by that?” he asked.
“She was a little unsteady in them at first, but now she’s waltzing around in them better than me. She got steadier as the evening went on, despite the booze. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”
“You seem to be paying a lot of attention to her. Something bothering you?”
“Now that you mention it, yes. First it was the weapons she had when I met her; a semi-automatic pistol and a fully automatic sub-machine gun.”
“Jake said his fathah made them, and that she’s had ‘em for as long as he can remembah.”
“If that’s the case, why not sell the design to the U.S. Army? They could have made a fortune. Why keep it secret?”
“Maybe for the same reason the BLE won’t sell them any weapons, either. Corcoran believes that when civil war breaks out between the Americans, half the weapons will fall into the hands of the breakaway states. You said she was heavily involved in the Underground Railroad before they moved to Omaha. She knows the war is coming as well as you do.”
“I know, but it’s more than that. She doesn’t seem to be at all phased by our technology, like every other newcomer. Even Jake, who spent the last year-and-a-half using a lot of our gadgets, is still freaked out by automatic opening doors and the like. She acts surprised sometimes, but I can tell she really isn’t. It’s almost like she grew up here, then moved away.”
Dwight frowned. “I’m sure that’s not the case. I would know anyone her age that lived here for any time. She wasn’t here before the Fallon Party came from Ireland, and she wasn’t with them when they arrived. I would remembah. She doesn’t fit into the immigration program profile, either.”
“So why would she be carrying the pistol in her purse to dinner tonight?”
“Was she?”
Jennifer nodded. “I felt it when I had to move her purse in the ladies’ room.”
“Interesting. Tell you what, if it makes you feel any bettah, I’ll have a chat with Brian O’Rourke tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Dad. I want to be able to trust my mother-in-law.”
“Trust me, that’s not natural, regardless of the circumstances.” Dwight grinned.
37 - ANNA
Great Cancun Plague: a pandemic pneumonic plague originating in Cancun, Mexico in the year 2030 (original history). The plague was due to a genetically-modified strain of Thunder pestis, which was released by the terrorist group Animal Justice Brigade in an attempt to exterminate the human species. Nearly six billion people died by the time the plague was brought under control. Stopping the plague was the primary motivation for development of time travel technology. Glossary, An Illustrated History of the Republic, Helen O’Shea, Ed.
Republic of Indian Stream, Monday, September 8, 1856
Anna took a two hour nap, then woke just after midnight to the softly beeping alarm. She took a hot shower
and finished it off with a cold rinse, which brought her fully awake.
Dressed in blue jeans, a light black sweater and a pair of comfortable walking shoes, she hung a Do Not Disturb sign on her door, then double locked it from the inside. She drew the heavy drapes, activated the portal generator, opened it to a twelve-hour-old temporal artifact of the previous night, and stepped through.
Prior to this night, she’d made three other exploration trips around the Republic, but those had been of necessity brief, since she’d been staying at Dwight’s large house.
Tonight, she intended to spend close to the full six hours allowed in the artifact, with a particular emphasis on BLE headquarters at Fort Evergreen.
She was puzzled by the Republic’s dichotomous technology. Durable goods, stuff that was manufactured to last, were of the highest quality and most efficient designs, some of it beyond her understanding. That was to be expected, since the time-travelling Fallon Party had come from the early 21st Century. But consumables, things that got used up, were of much lower quality or design. For example, while the dress she wore to the rehearsal dinner was very modern in design, the stitching had been coarse. And the cosmetics were decidedly second rate. Additionally, there were limited choices available. Except for clothing, there was seldom more than one design available for each thing.
There were a lot more imported luxury goods than she’d expected, like the furnishings at the Hotel LeClerc. And there was an extreme emphasis on recycling. It wasn’t what she’d imagined for a society with easy access to temporal artifacts of the early 21st Century.
She hoped to find answers to that question and more at BLE headquarters. Not trusting elevators in a dead universe, she walked down the stairs to the lobby and found a map of the Republic at the concierge’s desk. The sun was high in the sky when she walked out the door and saw the first body. It was an artifact of the night bellman. She scanned the horizon and didn’t see signs of any massive fires, so she checked the bellman’s station and found the box of keys, then headed to the valet parking area.
The Legend of Indian Stream Page 19