Thera (13 page)

“Go ahead and open it up. Let’s see what she will do,” suggested Edward.

Chris was waiting for just such an order and pushed the throttle bar all the way forward. The boat surged ahead, leaving a turbulent wake behind it and everyone aboard grabbed something to keep from falling. The wind whistled across the bow.

There was a gleam in Edward’s eye when he asked, “How fast do you think we are going?”

Chris glanced at him and replied, “Judging by the movement of the shore, I would guess about twenty miles an hour.”

“Want to see something cool?”

“Sure,” said Chris, puzzled by the question.

Edward smiled, anxious to reveal his surprise. “See that little knob at the bottom of the controller? Turn it all the way to the right.”

Chris did as Edward asked and something changed. The boat lifted out of the water and began to skip over the waves, smoothing out the ride and increasing their speed. Before long they were flying over the water at speeds he hadn’t imagined.

“What just happened?”

“That control turns the discharge nozzle downward. When it is only the three of you, the boat will ride higher and go even faster. “What do you think?”

“I believe we have a winner. That’s what I think.”

They could not hear the crowd on the beach over the sound of the drive, but they could see them jumping up and down and throwing things into the air as they sped out of sight; riding the tops of the waves.

After their successful trial run, the crowd dissipated and most returned to their labors. The people close to the project formed a line to load the craft with supplies. When the sun sank below the horizon, the boat was anchored to the dock, the power cell charged and ready, and everything they needed stored and lashed down. The teleporter components were safely stowed down below in the hold and strapped in place. Weather permitting, they would be departing in the morning.

Elizabeth and Al were having a late dinner in their cubicle and talking. The topic was the journey he was about to undertake. She had some things she wanted to say.

“I know why
you
are going. You have to be the great savior. I know why Kira is going. She has robotic legs and can swim better than anybody. But why does my son have to go? Can’t you find someone else to complete the crew?”

Chris was the first person he found when he awoke on the Excalibur. Together they revived the colony. But every time they were about to go into danger, she was the voice of reason, trying to keep both her husband and her son reigned in and safe. But Al had thought this through, and had an answer ready. “I trust Chris. He is young and bright, and I can count on him to have my back.”

“Yeah, but if anything were to happen, I would lose you both. I don’t know if I could take that.”

Al cupped his hand under her chin, looked her straight in the eyes, and said, “Having Chris with us gives us the best chance of success. I need him.”

“I know, but—.”

Al tried another strategy, “Liz, if you really want him to stay behind, I’ll find someone else. But you have to be the one to tell him he can’t go.”

She sat back and frowned, shaking her head. “You know that is not going to happen. I don’t think anybody can talk him out of it. You will be careful, though—right?”

“You know me. I’m mister safety.”

She knew he tried to stay out of trouble, but his past record left her with doubts.

They slipped down to the dock before daylight, dressed in bright orange coveralls with matching life vests. The captain was proud of his success in mastering the replicator and produced the uniforms in the little spare time he had. “If anyone falls from the boat, you’ll float and be seen for miles. Plus they are insulated and waterproof to keep you warm and dry.”

“And fashionable too,” a smiling Chris retorted.

The captain acted offended. “To tell you the truth, they fit better than I thought—and you
look
like travelers.”

Al grimaced at the reference to travelers while Kira twirled around, testing the fit, her long hair swinging behind her. She declared, “I like them. It makes me feel like an explorer and is very comfortable.”

“Thank you, Kira, at least someone appreciates me.”

They stood at the bottom of the gangway. The party boarding the Argo and the people they were leaving behind were aware this mission could fail, and they might never see each other again. Their farewells were made earlier. Now it was just an awkward goodbye. Tammy kissed Chris; Elizabeth kissed Al, and the captain gave Kira a peck on the cheek. He put his hands on her shoulders and said, “Take care of these two. They have a tendency to get into trouble.”

Kira gave him a crooked smile, and replied, “I share their problem, but do not worry Captain. We will find our way to this new land, and make it so everyone can join us.”

“There is an old Earth custom of putting a lamp in the window for seafarers. I will do that for you.”

“A lamp?”

“Yes. So you can find your way home.”

“Captain, we will never see this island again,” declared Kira, “You will be joining us in the new land.”

The three seafarers walked up the ramp and boarded the boat with mixed feelings. Their misgivings, however, did not stop them from securing the gear they carried, firing up the drive, and slowly making their way out to sea.

Chris, the only one with any experience, took the boat out where their wake would not affect the other vessels, turned it towards the West and put the throttle down. The little boat jumped forward and rose onto the outriggers. Riding high in the water, she eagerly headed out.

About a mile from shore, Al’s sensitive hearing picked up a rhythmic thumping. Coming from behind them, flapping his wings in long powerful strokes, was Falkor. He flew high and fast until he was overhead, then he dived straight down, swooped, and performed the prettiest landing Al had ever seen. When Al saw his face, he could have sworn he was grinning.

They were too far out to take him back, and time was precious. The dragon timed it perfectly and was going with them. He curled up in the front of the boat, the walls of the prow breaking the wind, secure in his stowaway status.

Now they were four. Four determined Argonauts in search of a new home. Behind them, a light but steady stream of gray smoke left the mountain peak; to be scattered by the winds. An ominous reminder of time slipping away.

The boat performed flawlessly, powering ahead mile after mile. The compass feature on their data pads kept them headed West, following the path the watcher had taken. They would be underway at full speed from now on, the power cell carrying them through the night. The island shrank in the distance, and soon they were surrounded by nothing but water. Water in every direction, as far as the eye could see.

An eight-hour rotation was established, and they took turns keeping them pointed in the right direction, while the other two prepared food, slept when they could, and watched for danger. They slept down below to get away from the wind in hammocks that followed the movements of the boat. Al did all he could to assure they would not be tossed around as they were in his dream.

He was also glad they added the outriggers. They gave the boat stability and allowed them to skim the surface, resulting in a relatively smooth ride. Also, it would be very hard to roll the ship, which increased his confidence.

Falkor turned out to be in his element. They discovered he was not a total vegetarian, but also enjoyed catching and eating fish, and was quite adept at it. He would stand at the bow, raise his wings, and let the wind lift him into the air. Then he would circle the surface fifty feet off the water and suddenly dive, bringing a wriggling fish out of the water clutched in his talons.

He always brought the fish to Al before eating them, to see if his master wanted it. A few times Al accepted the offering, which made Falkor hop with pleasure. The fish was cooked and provided a nice change from the survival food that sustained them.

When the sun became a problem, they stopped long enough to erect a sun shade. Chris had incorporated a design of his own and installed supports that could be quickly raised. He then unrolled a sturdy cloth from front to back and tied the sides to the supports. The screen provided instant shade that the wind wouldn’t harm and did not block the elevated solar panel.

With the boat stopped, they were surprised by the stillness around them. There was no wind, and the surface was as close to glass as it was going to get. The water was clear, and the seafarers noticed occasional movement below the boat. There was life here, avoiding the noise and movements of the craft bobbing above them. Al panned the horizon looking for birds, or anything resembling land and saw blue sky and a bluer ocean that became one in the distance.

“Times a wasting. Let’s get underway again,” declared Al.

Chris headed for the controller. “Good idea. This quiet is a little weird. But if it is all like this, this trip will be a breeze!”

Al sighed, considering the odds, “We can only hope. It might be a good idea to make the best of it.” He said to Chris, “Full speed ahead, Captain.”

The day turned to night, and the weather held. It gave them time to talk as the boat sped westward. Kira and Al were leaning against the railing, watching the water pass. Clouds were gathering to the East, and the sun was setting before them, lighting the clouds with a warm glow.

He said, “I haven’t seen much of you, Kira, how are your people handling all this?”

She was silent for a moment, watching something without focusing.

“They miss the safety of the caves. Living in the open as your people do is new to them, and a little frightening. If we could find a place where they have nothing to fear, and they spend some time in the open, I think they will feel better.”

“Do you think they would be happier if we found some caves they could live in?”

“No. The Sansi have tasted the night air and fallen in love with the stars. My father believes we must learn to live with our neighbors—and not hide in caves.”

“Your father is a wise man. I have a lot of respect for him.”

“He will be glad to hear that. He has much respect for you.”

Al became uncomfortable when the conversation turned to him, so he asked, “A lot has changed for you too. How are you doing?”

“I cannot explain how I feel because I am still trying to understand. I miss Toji. He was to be my prince, and I rejected him for Jesse. If I had stayed with my people, I would probably still have my legs, and I would have Toji. But I like my new legs, and I like Jesse. It is all very confusing.”

“What happened to Toji was not your fault.”

“If I had stayed at home, he would not have thought I needed saving.”

“He was a good man, and would probably have come to help us even if you weren’t there.”

“I just wish I had been kinder to him.”

Al was unsure what to say. This poor girl’s life had changed so drastically, as had his, that he could understand her feelings. There were moments in his short life he would like to change. Decisions he made that could have been better.

He told her something the captain once said to him, “The past cannot be changed. We must concentrate on the future. The future is what we are doing right now—on this boat. I think Toji would be proud.”

It was a small boat, and Chris could not help out overhear. He added to Al’s statement. “Al is right Kira. Toji would be proud of you, and we can’t go back—only forward. I for one, am anxious to see what lies ahead.”

All three agreed.

It seemed that one minute it was dark, and then it was not. As soon as the sun peeked above the horizon, night time was vanquished. The Mariners experienced a sunrise to remember that exploded with color before them. The water was tranquil, and the little craft moved without effort, eating away the distance to their destination.

Thin waterlogged clouds hugged the skyline, and diffused the light of the rising sun into bands of red, orange, and yellow, with every combination in-between.

It was a glorious spectacle of Mother Nature’s splendor. One of those experiences that remain in memory for the rest of your life.

“This alone makes our journey worthwhile,” remarked Chris. “I think we need a short video.”

Chris and Al took a moment to capture the view with their data pads. The smells, the taste of the salty air or the feelings associated with being in the moment could not be recorded, but they would have the images to help them remember.

“That is the best sunrise I have ever seen. It means this will be a good day,” said Kira.

She was half right.

The clouds increased as the morning progressed, and then grew dark. By late afternoon, it was evident they were headed into the middle of a storm. They double checked their stores were properly lashed down, and executed the preparations necessary for rough weather. Lightning began to flash between clouds as the sun went down, and the wind picked up making the water choppy.

Al peered ahead with concern, as the waves got taller and pounded at the bow, causing a dramatic slowdown in their progress. He said, “I don’t like the looks of this.”

“Do you want to try and go around?” asked Chris.

“Look how big this thing is. I don’t think we can get out of its way.”

Al decided to play it safe.

“Shut down the engine, and everybody get below. We are going to ride it out.”

They grabbed their data pads, and the few items not tied down and turned to the hatch. Falkor stood on the deck watching and did not seem to agree with their decision. He squawked, walked in a circle, and turned to peer again at his fellow travelers. He was trying to tell them something, but what?

“Come on Falkor, let’s get below,” said Al.

The little dragon made it obvious he did not want to go below. For a long moment, he looked for signs of their understanding and saw none. Then he spread his wings and took to the sky, heading up until he became lost in the clouds. All their cries did not convince him to return.

They waited until the combination of wind and waves made it hard to stand, and Al called it. “We have to go—and now. Maybe he figures he’s safer in the air. Disconnect the drive controller and bring it with us, Chris. If we lose control of the drive, we are done,” said Al.

When they were all in the hold, Al closed the hatch and latched it. He placed lanterns at both ends, and they lashed themselves into their hammocks. All the things that made his dream so traumatic, he had changed, hoping they could get through this with their skins intact.

The storm quickly grew stronger, and the boat rose and fell with the ocean; fighting to stay above the churning sea. The wind howled and roared as if alive and screamed at the vessel to succumb to its fury.

They made no attempt to talk, the tumult outside overriding any form of speech. Gigantic waves lifted the tiny craft higher and higher until it reached the peak, and then it would drop, crashing into the arms of the furious ocean. Everything shook, and ropes came loose. A portion of the supplies stored in the hold broke loose, and bounced around following the movements of the boat, at times becoming missiles to be avoided.

There was no sleeping. Most of the night the three mariners lay in their bunks, listening to the sounds of their craft being ravaged by the tempest, and hoped it would soon be over.

As quickly as the storm overtook them, it let them go. The sea settled, and grew calm, the angry wind and towering waves following the storm, leaving an ominous quiet.

“I do not feel so good. My insides are all mixed up,” remarked Kira.

Chris was undoing the restraints that held him in his hammock and replied, “I don’t feel so good myself. That was some storm.”

Al said, “I’ll know better how I feel once we get up top and assess the damage.”

The high-tech hull coating that Chris applied had done its job, and only a few inches of water sloshed around in the hold. The boxes that contained the components of the teleporter were still secure and undamaged, waiting for the conclusion of their journey. Chris undogged the hatch and threw it open, and water splashed on his head. He hardly noticed. Climbing the ladder one by one, they learned the truth of their situation.

Even in the dark, they could see the supplies stored above were gone. The net between the outriggers was no longer there, lost sometime during the storm. The pilot house was missing, ripped from the deck with only broken scraps of wood left where the screws once held it down.