Taming a Planet (Trapped in Time Book 2) (17 page)

John’s eyes narrowed, “Why did you come here?”

Derek looked at Dottie, “Mark wants you to fly back and take Harmony’s body back to the community.”

Dottie did a double take and said, “Is he crazy? Just how will I be able to do that?”

“Mark is of the opinion that you and Harmony together weigh just a little more than a single male flier. He feels you can do it.”

“I’ve never flown with that much weight. I won’t…”

John put his hand over her mouth and said, “What if it was me?”

Dottie looked at John and closed her eyes. She shook her head and said, “Get the ship close to shore and then turn into the wind. I’m going to need the temperature difference to get the lift I’ll need to make the trip.”

Derek said, “I’ll go with you.”

Dottie shook her head, “No, you’ll only slow me down. Besides, John can use your help here.” Dottie hugged John and then kissed him tenderly. She walked to the bow, lifted her glider pack, and buttoned the harness around her. John stared at her and said, “Please be careful.”

Dottie smiled, “Now you’re sounding like me.” Dottie waited and as the ship turned away from the shore she climbed the rail at the bow as John held her legs. She felt the wind in her face as she pulled the release chord and the glider popped out on her back. The control arms fell in front of her and she jumped to the side of the ship.

The former slaves had all rushed over and watched as she quickly fell toward the water but the wings caught the breeze and she rose slightly. She turned into the wind and lifted the front edge of the wings and began a slight climb. She was a hundred feet up when she turned toward shore and flew at her fastest speed. John was worried that she would end up in the water but she arrived over the warm land about ten feet off the ground. The sea breeze blowing in under the hot air over land immediately lifted her. She circles about eight times over the beach getting higher and higher with each turn and then she flew over the trees and headed south.

John sighed and went back to the stern of the ship. The young woman looked at Derek and said, “Are you taken?”

Derek looked at her and was impressed with the woman’s beauty, “What do you mean?”

“Are you attached to a female?”

Derek shrugged, “Not really.”

“Then what about you and I getting to know each other. Is it possible that you could teach me how to use that flying device?”

Derek smiled, “I could do that without you having to attach yourself to me.”

“You just gave me all the reason I need to want you by what you just said. We have some time before we arrive at your home. All I ask is that you take some time to talk with me.”

“Will you teach me how to sail this ship?”

The woman smiled and said, “Come over here.” Derek walked over and she took his hands and put them on the steering wheel. She stood behind him with her hands on top of his and said, “Can you feel the way she pulls strongly and smoothly as she rides the wind?”

“Yes, I can.”

The woman moved the wheel slightly and said, “Did you feel the power get weaker?” Derek nodded.

She moved the wheel slightly again and Derek said, “It’s back.”

“That is the feeling you seek when you’re steering the ship. We’ll work on this, you and I.”

Derek said, “My name is Derek.”

“I’m Annelise.”

John listened to the two converse and shook his head. This woman was something special and he knew Derek could see it as well. He looked to the south and worried about Dottie. What Mark was asking was not impossible but pretty close to it.

• • •

Andy sat on the ground and held Harmony in his arms. He couldn’t force himself to let her go. Mark sat next to him in silence. He had said all he could to change Andy’s mind and now his only hope was for Dottie to arrive. He heard a commotion and saw Gerrod walking up escorting a Destroyer Warrior. The gathered Archers began murmuring among themselves, Mark said, “What have you brought me, Gerrod?”

“A Destroyer scum and a coward as well.” Mark’s eyes narrowed and Gerrod said, “He was crawling away into the forest; he hasn’t even fired his weapon.”

Mark looked at the Destroyer and said in English, “So you left your friends behind to die?”

The warrior looked at Mark and said, “They are not and have never been my friends.” Andy took his eyes off Harmony and looked up at the Destroyer.

Mark sneered, “You wear their uniform, you carry their weapons, you live with them; how can they not be your friends?”

“They killed my family when I was seven years old. I’ve never forgiven them for that act.” The Destroyer looked at Andy holding Harmony and his expression changed, “She looks just like the woman they are bringing to torture on the beach.”

Andy’s eyes narrowed and he jumped up and grabbed the warrior by the front of his shirt, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN, TORTURE!?”

“I heard my Commander talking with the Admiral that is bringing the follow up fleet. He’s been ordered by the Commandant to bring a blonde woman to where her sister escaped with his brother and yell ultimatums that if she doesn’t turn herself in, her sister will be slowly killed. I saw the woman tied up and taken aboard the Admiral’s ship.” The Destroyer hesitated, “That’s her sister, isn’t it?” Andy stared into the warriors eyes and saw his sympathy. Andy nodded and the warrior said, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

Andy released the warrior’s shirt and looked at Mark, “He’s not one of them. Give him something to eat and see what you can learn from him.”

“But Andy!”

“He’s just like Harmony was Mark! The slaves have been forced to join them. Take him and talk with him about what he knows.” Andy sat down and took Harmony in his arms again and closed his eyes.

Mark shook his head and said, “Come with me.” The two walked off and the archers moved away to give Andy his privacy.

• • •

Mark gave the Destroyer a food pouch and watched him gobble the contents. “Hey, Hey, slow down. Don’t they feed you?”

The warrior looked at Mark and said, “I’ve been sharing my meals with a slave on the ship. I’ve been living on half rations.”

Mark nodded slowly and said, “What’s your name?”

“Paul.”

Ten other archers strolled up and sat down. Mark looked at them and saw they wanted to hear what the Destroyer had to say. He looked at Paul, “What can you tell me about the follow up fleet?”

“There are fifty six ships and each of them carry two hundred warriors. They’ll be setting sale in about four weeks to follow the ship I came on. They should arrive in about eight weeks. By the way, you should do something about that ship before it goes to warn the fleet.” Mark shrugged and Paul said, “You’ve already taken the ship.” Mark smiled and Paul shook his head, “I’ve got to imagine that was not an easy task to accomplish.”

“Why do you say that?”

“The only way to get at the ship is in boats and the ship has cannons that could blow them out of the water.”

“What if we flew in on it?”

“Say what?”

“What if we flew in on the ship?”

“You can fly?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

“How would you land on it?”

“How would you land on it?”

Paul thought for a moment and said, “The widest place for a landing is at the stern of the ship where there aren’t a lot of ropes.”

“Isn’t that where the guards usually gather?”

Paul smiled, “I can see you’ve done some homework. I’ve seen what those red beams of yours can do. The only ones on the deck at night are the Deck Guards. If you can fly, you could just fly over the ship and sweep the decks with your beams. You could then land at your leisure on the wide stern deck next to the steering wheel. How big are your flying devices?”

“You think we need a device to fly?”

“I don’t see wings sprouting on your back.”

Mark smiled and, though he didn’t want to, he began to like him. “ We’re able to fold it up just before we land.”

“I’d like to see that.”

Suddenly, Mark shook his head. One of the archers said, “What’s wrong?”

Mark looked at the Archer still shaking his head, “How are we going to get him out of here?”

The Archers looked at each other and Paul said, “Your devices will only carry one person?” Mark nodded. Paul sighed and said, “You can’t blame yourself for what happens to me. This is not your fault.”

Mark looked at Paul and knew what Andy was feeling. He did not want to leave the Destroyer behind to die. “We’ll work on it.” The Archers looked at Mark and they knew there wasn’t much hope for the likeable Destroyer Warrior.

An archer came running up, “Dottie is flying in.” Mark looked at Paul and said, “Come with me.” Mark ran toward the east edge of the clearing and saw the glider circling as it struggled to come down. The heat from the trees made it difficult to spill the air from the wings and land. After thirty minutes, Dottie landed and folded the wings of her glider. Paul watched her and knew there was no way his new friends would be able to take him out.

• • •

Dottie sat by Andy and Mark said, “I think the only way to get Harmony back to the Community is for you to fly her back.”

Dottie and Andy looked at Mark and Dottie said, “And just how do you see me getting airborne?”

“I’m working on it.”

Dottie shook her head, “I’m going to assume that you are going to tie her to me.”

“Well, yes.”

“And I’m going to run with a hundred and ten pounds and get airborne?”

“The heat from the fire should give enough lift.”

“Get out of here, Mark. The only way we could launch was to run down the trunk of the tree with our gliders expanded and leap off the trunk. If I just leap off the trunk I’ll hit the ground faster than a rock. There is no way I can run with that much weight and that large a bundle.”

Mark looked at Andy, “Will you please allow us to bury her here and go back with us?”

Andy shook his head, “I will not leave her.” Mark threw his hands up in the air and said, “We won’t go without you, Andy.”

Gerrod looked at the three and said, “I have an idea.” Mark, Andy, and Dottie looked at him. Gerrod pointed to the northern end of the clearing, “How tall is that tree?”

Everyone turned and looked and Mark said, “That giant is at least a hundred to a hundred and thirty feet tall.”

Gerrod nodded and looked around, “Ropey, did you bring your ropes?”

“Sure did.”

“Do you have a two hundred footer?”

“No, but I have two one hundred footers and another fifty footer tied off to my glider.”

Mark looked at Gerrod, “What are you thinking?”

“One of us goes up that tree trimming every branch off it with a cutter. Once he gets to the top he throws a rope over the highest branch. We’ll tie the ropes together so it should reach the ground. Dottie will put her foot in a loop and we’ll pull her up to the top of the tree. Once she’s there, she’ll jump out and release her glider.”

The laughter was loud but Gerrod yelled, “It could work!”

Mark raised his arms and the Archers grew quiet. Dottie looked at Gerrod, “That’s easy for you to say. You don’t have to do it.”

“Yes I do.”

Dottie’s mouth fell open and Mark said, “Are you going insane?”

Gerrod looked at Paul and said, “We’re not going to depend on the height alone to get us airborne. We’re going to set fire to the far side of the clearing and we’re going to make it hotter than ten hells. The heat will suck the air in around the fire and generate an incredible lift.”

Andy said, “What will prevent you from being sucked in with the wind?”

Gerrod shook his head, “Come on, Andy. It will be just like circling a thunderhead.”

Dottie looked at Gerrod, “Tell me why you are going to do it?”

Gerrod looked at Paul and said, “I brought this Destroyer in and I really think I should get him out.”

Mark shook his head, “You or Dottie can’t fly all the way to the Community. You’ll have to land and then you’re stuck again.”

Gerrod shook his head, “Not really.” Gerrod looked at Dottie, “How high would you have to go to reach the cliffs?”

“What?”

“How high would you have to go to fly to the cliffs? There is always a wind blowing up the cliff walls and you wouldn’t have to run to get airborne; you just drop off.”

Dottie looked at Mark and he said, “Answer the question.”

Dottie’s eyes glazed over and she thought for a minute. She regained her focus and said, “About five thousand feet. Higher, if possible. The flight would have to be started during the hottest part of the day where the updrafts would help. Even then, it would be close with that much weight.”

Gerrod said, “What if you had larger wings?”

“Excuse me!”

Gerrod looked around and yelled, “Tubby, how much do you weigh?”

A deep voice from the back of the gathering said, “That’s none of your business.”

Mark yelled, “Answer the question, Tubby!”

“Two hundred and forty pounds.”

Gerrod looked at Dottie, “You will use his glider.”

“What about me?”

Gerrrod smiled, “Her glider’s wings are only two feet shorter. With a good up draft, you can fly it to the cliffs and then it’s a moot point. Plus, you can still run to get launched. Dottie and Harmony together don’t weight a hundred and forty pounds.”

Dottie looked at Gerrod and shook her head, “What glider are you going to use?” Gerrod shrugged. Dottie yelled, “Fats, how much do you weigh?”

“I was afraid you were going to ask. Two hundred and fifty five.”

Tubby yelled, “You weight more than I do?”

“Hey, I’m big boned.”

The archers burst out laughing and Dottie said, “You’ll take Fat’s glider.”

Andy looked at Dottie, “I can’t allow you to do this.”

Dottie looked at Andy and said, “I have no choice. We will not leave without you.” Dottie paused, “Will you come with us?”

Andy’s misery was clear and he lowered his head and nodded, “Harmony would never forgive me if something happened to you.”

Dottie stared at Andy and said, “But you will never be the same if you leave her behind?” Andy nodded without raising his head. Dottie looked at Mark, “I’m going to do this.” Andy looked up at her and Dottie said, “You’d do it for me.”