Book One of the Travelers (16 page)

“Which is what, exactly?” Per asked.

“Wait them out. They get our previous vessel back online while we secretly get this one working again. Then they sail off to the horizon, and we sail off in the exact opposite direction.”

“And what if we can't get this vessel working?”

Spader frowned. That was a puzzler.

Per's expression suddenly brightened. “Windworks! This is the exact same ship as the one we worked on when we were assigned alt-power maintenance.”

Spader nodded. “Could work. It will take a lot longer to get anywhere, but at least we've got a plan.”

He pulled himself to his feet, then immediately ducked back down. “Now we have to come up with Plan B.”

“Why?” Per asked, his eyes widening.

“Because we've got raiders heading straight here on water skimmers.”

T
hey're coming after us!” Per said.

“Maybe…,” Spader said. “They could just be coming over here to pick up supplies.”

“Either way,” Per said, “it's a real tum-tigger.”

“We'll have to fight them off,” Spader said.

“With what weapons?” Per asked. “They probably took them all with them. Maybe we can get under way and outrun them.”

“On alt power? Are you crazy?”

Now it was Per's turn to demand, “You have a better idea?”

Spader opened and then shut his mouth. He had promised himself to listen to Per. Certainly on anything regarding the ship's inner workings.

“Our chances of surviving are a lot better if they don't get aboard,” Per added. “You with me on this?”

“I'm with you.” They dashed to the center of the deck and popped open the hatch where the mainmast
was stored. Spader locked eyes with Per and gave a sharp nod. “Now!”

They hoisted the mast. Spader knew the moment it was vertical they'd become targets. He just had to hope they could get out of range quickly.

If Per and I die, then the raiders win,
Spader thought.
I won't let that happen.

He flashed mentally to the image of the dead pilot. The dead navigator. Clayton. Fury sent energy coursing through his veins, made his exhausted, depleted muscles push harder. The mast snapped into place.

“I'll tether this,” Spader said. “You get the other hatch open.”

Per raced to the other hatch while Spader ran the sail up the stand, then raced to the back of the boat and tied it off. The sail ballooned out, catching the strong wind.
This might work! Good for Per!

Boom!
The window in the pilot's tower shattered.

“They've seen us!” Per cried.

“Keep at it!” Spader ordered.

Spader hurried to the rail, staying low. He had to tie off another line to secure the sails on the mainmast. He lashed the line to the cleat, then risked a look across the water. The raiders were getting closer. His eyes raised to the vessel, and his heart jumped into his throat.

A line of raiders stood at the rail of the Grallion transport ship, each of them armed. Worse, there was a raider on the ship's deck manning a small water cannon, designed to deliver the deadly, powerful water missiles.

“Faster!” Spader yelled. He dashed to the bow, where Per struggled to raise the foresail. With only the
mast sails raised, the vessel wouldn't be stable. They'd tip with each wave and every gust of wind.

“We've got to get balanced!” Spader said, clutching the strut holding the bottom of the sail.

“I know!” Per cried.

Spader heard a shrill whine. He pushed Per's head down. “Duck!”

Another missile slammed into the tower, shattering glass and spurting water.

“They must think we've got a pilot up in the tower. They're following their usual pattern,” Spader said. “That could help us. It'll keep 'em busy.”

Per worked the pulley system that raised the sail. Done! The two sails were in place.

Boom!
A water missile hit the front sail, ripping a hole right through it, spraying the deck with water. The force caused the line to release from the tip of the bowsprit—the pole that stuck out over the water from the bow. Spader grabbed the line before it unhitched completely.

“They're targeting the sails!” Per shouted above the wind.

“I can see that. But we're moving!”

“We've got to get that front sail back in place,” Per called.

“I'm on it. You work the main sail.”

Per crawled to the center of the vessel as Spader crawled along the bowsprit. He could hear the sound of rapid fire. The raiders had stopped launching water missiles and were using their rifles and handheld launchers.

Spader took the line in his teeth and clung with his hands and knees to the long shaky pole. He inched out over the rough water, feeling the spray in his face. The ship was moving, which was great, but the waters were choppy, and until they were stabilized, the ship could tip over. Getting equilibrium without the usual systems was touch-and-go under the best of circumstances, Spader knew. Trying to do it while under fire, well, this was new territory.

Spader felt the breeze of water bullets whizzing by just above his head. He kept going. He had to tie off this line.

He made it to the cleat. Wrapping one arm tightly around the bowsprit and pressing his legs hard into it, he took the line from his mouth and lashed it into place.

“Yah!” Spader yelped. Searing pain in his shoulder knocked him off the pole. Just before he hit the water, he grabbed the bowsprit with his good hand and dangled over the surface.

He swung his legs, working to get momentum, and kicked up hard. He grabbed the bowsprit with his legs and hooked the elbow of his good arm over the pole. He hung there, with his back to the water, belly to the bowsprit, knees wrapped over the pole. A total target.

But the ship had stabilized. Per must have gotten the main worked out, and now the fore was in place as well.

If he could just stay alive long enough to get back on the ship.

“Spader! The skimmers are almost here!” Per cried.

Oh, yeah…
Spader had forgotten about them.

Spader knew he looked ridiculous, hanging from the bowsprit like a basket and edging backward toward the ship. And it was tougher slithering feet first, under the pole rather than above it, and using only one arm. But he did it.

Back on deck he crouched low. He spotted Per huddled by the rail, working the main sail, keeping his head down.

“You're injured!” Per said as Spader dropped down beside him.

“Am I?” Spader said. He didn't want to admit the pain and loss of blood was making him light-headed.

A head appeared above the rail, midship on the opposite side of the deck.

“Company,” Spader whispered.

“Should we hide?” Per asked, the terror in his voice clear.

“Not enough time,” Spader said. “Besides, all that will do is delay the inevitable.”

“Right. So fight it is.”

They both scanned the deck, trying to find weapons.

“To change direction we release this line and the boom swings across the deck, right?” Spader was trying to remember the maneuver they had practiced back on Grallion.

“You think if we altered course, we'd get away faster? But we still have to get rid of these guys!”

“I think it's
how
we can get rid of them. When I holler ‘Now,' release the boom.”

“What are you—”

“No time to explain, just do it!”

“You got it!”

There were now two raiders on deck. Spader needed to get them in just the right position. And hope Per had lightning fast reflexes. Otherwise Spader would be full of water bullets.

“Here I go!” Spader stood and dashed along the rail. “Hey, mates! Over here!”

The two raiders whirled around toward the sound of his voice. This put them at the perfect angle…. “NOW” Spader shouted.

He ducked as the long boom swung across the deck. It connected with the two raiders and knocked them over the rail.

“Whoo-hoo!” Spader cheered.

“We did it!” Per shouted.

Spader shaded his eyes. The distance between them and the other ship had doubled. They weren't completely out of range, but the attack had stopped.

He gazed down at the water. The raiders were skimming back to their ship.

Spader joined Per, who was lashing the main sail into place. “Why are they giving up?” Per asked.

Spader shrugged. “We're not worth the trouble. By the time we get back to Grallion or Crasker, they'll be long gone, and we'll have no idea where they went.”

“How will we get back?” Per asked.

Spader grinned and held up his good arm.

“What's that?” Per asked.

“A minilocator,” Spader said. “It's one of the new devices the engineers from Crasker were bringing to Grallion.”

“Do you know how to use it?” Per asked.

“Not a clue. But I figure between the two of us, I bet we can work it out.”

Per smiled. “I bet you're right!”

 

“That was some sight,” Wu Yenza told Per and Spader five days later. “The ship arriving under wind power.”

It had taken them four days to return to Grallion, and this had been the first day they had reported for duty. Wu Yenza had surprised them by giving them a half day off, and taking them out to celebrate their safe return. They had just arrived at the entrance to a popular tavern.

“You're taking us to Grolo's?” Spader asked. “That's right spiff!” It was a favorite among the senior staff.

Wu Yenza smiled. “I'd say you two have earned it.”

They pushed through the doors and joined a group of other aquaneers, who applauded as Per and Spader walked up to the table.

“If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it,” Spader's neighbor, Tradco, said.

“Even more remarkable,” Wu Yenza said. “These two alone on that ship, and they didn't kill each other!”

Everyone laughed. “We came pretty close,” Spader admitted. “But Per really knew his stuff. Knowing the innards of the vessel the way he did gave us a real advantage.”

Per gave a small smile. “Thanks, mate. You have some skills as well.”

“Okay, now I know I've witnessed a miracle,” a supervisor said. “You two complimenting each other?”

“That minilocator you brought back is a real gem,” another aquaneer said.

“It did
us
right, that's for sure,” Spader said.

“I'll never complain about alt power again,” Per added. “In fact, maybe that will become my area of specialty on Prongo.”

“Your transfer came through?” Spader asked.

“The notice was in my mail when I got home,” Per said.

Spader nodded. “Good for you.” He knew how badly Per wanted that posting and how important it was to prove himself to his father. Getting the assignment he wanted would help in that goal.
And not having me around showing him up will probably help too
, Spader mused.

He didn't hate Per anymore, but he was still…Per.

The door to the tavern swung open and a tall man walked in. Press!

Spader got up and went to greet him.

“What are you doing here?” Spader asked his father's friend.

“I heard you had yourself quite the adventure,” Press said. “I wanted to find out for myself.”

“How did you hear?” Spader asked. He hadn't even told his parents yet what had happened.

Press shrugged. “Things get around, if you know how to listen.”

“It was pretty unbelievable,” Spader said.

“You're right about that,” a belligerent voice nearby muttered.

Spader turned and saw a stocky man scowling into his drink.

“Did you say something?” Spader demanded.

“Spader…,” Press began.

The man turned to face Spader. “I've been hearing all the tales the last few days. Sorry, I don't buy it.”

Spader clenched the fist of his good arm. He stepped closer to the man. “Are you calling me a liar?”

He felt Press's hand on his shoulder. “No, Spader. Don't spoil the celebration by taking the bait.”

Spader's jaw worked as he tried to hold back the anger.

Press squeezed Spader's shoulder. “Still have to learn to control those emotions,” he murmured, almost so quietly Spader could barely make out the words.

Spader took in a breath and decided to back down. He forced a smile onto his face and said, “Believe what you want, mate. No worries here.” He allowed Press to steer him away from the bar and back toward the table.

“Isn't Per the lad you got into a scuffle with at the academy?” Press asked.

“My father told you?” Spader asked.

Press shrugged. “We talk about you a lot,” he said.

“Per's not so bad, I guess,” Spader said. “I wouldn't want to be him. All that pressure from his father. I guess it's why he can be such a…” He struggled to find the right word.

“A djungo bug?”

“Exactly.” Spader's brow furrowed. “On board with the raiders I realized, just because he's a djungo bug, doesn't mean he's wrong about everything.” He gave a wry smile. “Things might have even gone a little more smoothly if I'd listened to him a bit more.”

Press grinned. “That's a big lesson—to respect the knowledge of others even if it comes from someone you don't like.” He laughed. “It was hard for me to learn that I didn't know everything when I was your age.”

“Press!” Wu Yenza said. “When did you get to Grallion?”

“Just today,” Press said. He and Spader settled at the table.

“How long do you plan to stay?” Spader asked.

Press shrugged. “I'm not sure yet. I may have some…work.”

“How's that arm of yours?” someone asked Spader.

“Doc says I'll be good as new in a few weeks,” Spader replied, holding up the sling. “Till then I'll just lie on my hammock and grill Kooloo fish.”

“Think again,” Wu Yenza said. “There's plenty of other work you can do.”

Spader groaned. “Please, I'm already injured. Don't hurt me more.”

Wu Yenza smiled. “I know what will ease your pain,” she said. “First round of sniggers is on me!”