Tara

by J G Possum

  Andy had the small boat trailer hooked up to an ATV. Lance and Ashley climbed aboard, and Andy headed toward the river. He drove down River Road and turned off onto a dirt road that went to the river. He found a cleared area on the riverbank.

  Andy said “Commander, I believe you can launch the boat here.”

  Lance said, “Thank you, Andy. You can pick us up at the river landing at 1600 on Oceanfront Drive.”

  Andy replied, “Affirmative, Commander,” as he backed the trailer into the water.

  The inflatable boat slipped easily into the river. Lance held the bow line as Andy drove away, heading back to the government center. The river was about three hundred feet across at this point. Ashley looked at the water. It was clear and warm with the sun glistening off the gentle waves--very peaceful.

  She said, “This is the first time I’ve had a chance to really be away from the ship since we arrived on this planet.”

  Lance smiled and replied, “That’s right. We both have been so busy that we lost track of time.”

  They looked around, visually surveying the area. Andy had driven back up the trail and disappeared out of sight; they were all alone. Across the river, the jungle was thick with growth and larger trees. This side of the river had less foliage and a few sandy areas near the bank. Ashley smelled the air; it was fresh, with the odor of flowers.

  Ashley could see the northern mountain range in the distance where it dropped down into the valley. She remarked, “Just beautiful.” The river had a sound of its own; it looked calm, but you could tell it was running deep, with a strong current. Ashley took Lance by the hand and said, “This is beautiful. I’m ready when you are--let’s get out on the water.”

  Lance pulled the bow up to the bank and said, “Jump in.” She picked up their lunch and climbed in. She seated herself in the front section of the boat. Lance pushed the boat into the water and started the small engine. He positioned himself in the stern. He turned the bow around and headed out toward the center of the river. The current picked them up and Lance centered the boat and set the engine to idle. They floated down the river and the only sounds that could be heard were from the tree creatures and the wild birds that lived along the river shoreline. They both were at peace.

  Lance said, “Honey, it doesn’t get any better than this.”

  Ashley replied, “I feel the same; we need to do this more often.”

  A flight of large birds passed above them, heading toward the ocean. They flew in a V-shaped formation, looking like an invasion. Ashley commented, “Those are really big birds--there must be at least two dozen-- and look, there are large lizards or alligators with long snouts, along the riverbanks.”

  Lance replied, “I’ll make sure we stay out here.” He noticed that the boat was moving faster; the current was stronger. Up ahead, he could see what looked like rocks and some white water. Suddenly, there was a loud bang and the boat lurched to one side as the engine quit. Lance tried to restart it with no luck.

  He said, “Ashley grab a paddle--we must have hit a rock. The engine is dead. We need to stay in the middle of the river, and I think we may have some rapids up ahead.”

  Ashley quickly got her paddle in the water and guided the front while Lance handled the stern on each side. The current seemed stronger, but the water was dead flat straight in front of them. They were in the center of the river.

  Ashley said, “Lance, I can hear a roar that’s getting louder.”

  Lance knew what that meant. He had a sick feeling as he said, “Ashley, we have a waterfall up ahead. The engine is gone, and the current is too strong to paddle to the bank. Keep the front of the boat pointing straight ahead. We’ll have to take our chances.”

  Ashley said, “How big a drop do you think it is?”

  Lance, looking ahead, responded, “I can see rapids in the distance. I’m hoping it’s a short fall.”

  She replied, “I sure hope it is.” She noticed there were large rocks just below the surface and tried to steer between them. The current was swift now and they were moving fast.

  Lance yelled, “Hang on tight.”

  All at once, they shot into space. The river disappeared beneath them, and the inflatable boat went nose down. They dropped about eight feet. When they hit the churning water at the base of the falls, the starboard side slammed into a large rock and the boat flipped over, throwing both of them into the water.

  Ashley came to the surface. Her head was hurting, but she knew what had happened. She bounced along the surface in the rapids. Moving quickly, she looked for Lance but didn’t see him.

  Lance surfaced and could see the boat near him. He swam toward it and managed to get a grip on one of the side ropes. He realized he had traveled a distance downstream. He searched the surface, looking for Ashley--he felt sick to his stomach. He could see the falls upriver, but the rapids made it impossible to see anyone in the water. He knew if Ashley was not hurt, she could survive, but where was she? He felt responsible. He had been careless, and he thought, If anything happens to her, I will never forgive myself.

  Ashley felt dizzy and decided she had to swim and get to shore fast. She thought, Lance will be alright, but he will be worried about me. She could just make out the boat way down the river, too far to swim and try to reach. She kept swimming on her side moving closer and closer to the south bank of the river. The rapids were becoming smaller. Her biggest problem was avoiding the big rocks and not hitting one straight on. She moved closer to the river’s south bank. Exhausted, with one last effort she managed to pull herself out of the water and crawl up on a sandy spot on the riverbank.

  She rolled over on her side, out of breath, and looked directly into the face of a large alligator-type creature. She froze, afraid to make a move. She was terrified. She thought, Maybe if I don’t move, he may not notice me.

  The creature slowly turned his head. His eyes rolled open; he opened his long jaws with a hiss and started to raise up on his front legs. Ashley watched in horror. She was too tired to move and paralyzed with fear.

  There was a loud roar and the sound of breaking branches. Out of the jungle, the Tarasaurus charged.

  With a lightning-fast move, the Tarasaurus grabbed the alligator with one arm and threw it to one side, onto its side. The big alligator spun around and fought back, trying to snap his long jaws on the huge creature’s legs to no avail. The alligator’s long tail slammed the ground next to Ashley with a loud thud, just missing her. The Tarasaurus stepped to one side and with one quick move, reached down and snapped the alligator almost in half with his huge jaws. He then dragged the carcass up into the edge of the jungle and let out another roar. Ashley stared straight ahead. She thought, My God—they’re fighting over me. It’s all over. I hope Lance is alright. She prayed for a quick death. The Tarasaurus looked at her for a long time, then turned around and went back into the jungle. She could hear it crashing through the foliage as it went. Ashley, in shock remained frozen. She noticed it had scars on the back of its neck, probably from an old battle. She said out loud, “Thank you, God; thank you so much.”

  She rested for a while, regaining her strength; she felt sick and weak. She looked down the river, but the boat was now out of sight. She wondered what happened to Lance. Then she thought, How will anyone find me? No one knows where I am.

  Lance made a decision. The boat was being pulled by the current, taking him farther away from the falls. He let go of the boat and swam toward the south bank of the river. Lance knew if Ashley survived the falls, she would swim to the shore. He felt he must not leave the area, or he would have no chance of finding her. He swam like never before and finally pulled himself up onto the south bank. Out of breath, he looked up the river for any signs. There was nothing to see but the rushing water. He decided he would follow the shoreline up to the falls.

  He checked his hand laser. It looked alright, and he might need it. He checked his com phone and immediately called Walter and told him what had happened. He was elated tha
t he had brought his phone with him. If only Ashley had taken hers. They didn’t plan on being separated. They weren’t prepared.

  Walter said, “Andy and I will take the shuttle and fly down the river to the falls. We’ll find her.”

  Lance said, “I’m on the south bank of the river--check below the falls. I’ll work my way upstream to the falls. You cover the river in case she is still in the water.”

  Lance used his hand laser to cut away at the heavy growth along the riverbank, moving as fast as he could. He knew if it got dark, his chance of finding her would be slim. He pushed forward, blasting any creature that was in his way. He felt desperate. He thought, What if she was taken by one of those big Alligators? NO, I can’t let that thought enter my mind.

  Ashley knew if Lance was alive, he would find her somehow. She needed to stay alive. Several small creatures showed up and decided to feed on the alligator carcass, growling away. She kept her back to the river and looking around, found a broken branch that she trimmed into a makeshift spear to protect herself. She also piled up a few small stones, thinking they might help.

  She was worried that it would get dark before she could be found. If only there were a fire. She thought about going back into the river, but that wasn’t safe, either. She should have been better prepared. She thought, Where is Lance? What happened to him?

  Lance moved forward, blasting his path as he went. He estimated he was about halfway back to the falls. He was exhausted, but he had to find her. He approached a small cleared area, and as he climbed out of the heavy growth he saw a huge alligator-type creature blocking his path. Without hesitation, he blasted away with his laser. The creature made a loud guttural sound as he cut it to pieces.

  Ashley heard strange noises coming toward her from the lower part of the river; it sounded like something in pain, as well as brush being crushed, mixed with the sound of the falls. She crouched low to the ground and faced the sounds, her spear raised high. The dark-green foliage parted, and Lance stepped out into her clearing.

  She dropped her spear and ran into his arms, tears streaming down her face. He picked her up in his arms and held her close. “It’s alright, baby. I have you now.”

  They kissed passionately. Ashley told him all that happened in detail; she couldn’t stop talking. Lance said, “I think the Tarasaurus that saved you could be the same one that Mike defended a week ago. It’s hard to believe. Wait until Mike finds out—it’s incredible. I am in its debt forever.”

  They looked up and saw the shuttle low over the river. Lance called Walter on his com phone and said, “Walt, I found her she’s alright. Pick us up. We’re on the south bank, almost parallel with you now.”

  Andy maneuvered the shuttle directly over them. Walter dropped them a cable chair, Lance climbed on and held Ashley on his lap. Back at the ship, everyone in the government center gathered around while Ashley told her story; they had all been worried about her. The women were extremely compassionate and understanding.

  Lance said, “From now on anyone outside the ship must carry a personal com phone, and if you plan to enter the jungle, you must be armed. The Tarasaurus are more intelligent than we realized. We must find a way to communicate with them.”

  Walter suggested, “We could develop a system using selected hand signs. Andy, do we have an expert on communications?”

  Andy replied, “We have, and I will work on it.”

  Lance remarked, “We can have a series of hand gestures that everyone can learn. We can use them whenever we encounter a Tarasaurus. It would be a great start for understanding each other.”

  Lance and Ashley left the room. The sun was going down, and they were worn out and needed rest. The sky was a gorgeous mix of yellow, red, and light-blue streaks. Ashley and Lance were overjoyed they had survived their river trip. They just wanted to be alone for a while.

  Mike and Frank returned to the ship and were brought up to date on all that happened.

  Mike said, “I’m really pleased I helped that Tarasaurus. They really are intelligent creatures, even if they look so terrifying. Never judge a book by its cover.”

  Walter said, “Andy, consult with the mission support team to prepare a list of hand gestures they can agree on, and print them on small cards for everyone to use. We’re going to try using them.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Mike and Frank completed Oceanfront Drive from the river south two miles along the shore. They buried a two-foot-diameter conduit along the west side of the road with access every two hundred feet. They poured the foundation for a large building located at the intersection of River Road and Oceanfront Drive to be used as a warehouse also a garage, equipment storage, building materials storage, shelter and a power distribution station. They also established a riverfront dock at the beginning of Oceanfront Drive. They found the inflatable boat washed up on the beach. It seemed none the worse for its wild river trip.

  Back at the stone quarry, Sue had a concrete operation working full time--mixing, delivering, pouring, and spreading as fast as time would allow. The lumber mill was in operation, and Kyrex building blocks and expansion trusses were being manufactured continuously, every day. Sue sent materials to Mike every day to start construction of the warehouse and power station.

  Lois designed the central bank and the vault for the government treasury. The area beneath the ship was now completely paved, and a Kyrex wall with windows and doors was being constructed around the circumference of the ship; various rooms would be designed for commercial use, shopping, restaurants, and the central bank.

  Walter, after careful consideration, decided to establish a central power station in the new warehouse. He designed a generator using some of the power cells from the ship’s hyperdrive. He would run a power line in the conduit along Oceanfront Drive giving all individual lots access to power. He also wanted each structure to have sun power panels. This power system would keep them operational for years.

  It was 06/01/502 when Hikaru Moto sat down with Walter and Lance. He said, “I’m in the process of harvesting our early vegetables. We have an abundant crop of tomatoes, lettuce, onions, and beans.”

  Lance replied, “Walt, would you contact Ambassador Tron and let him know we have produce for the Eron.”

  Walter replied, “Yes, sir.”

  Tron was pleased to hear the news. He said, “I will tell Zor and call you back this afternoon.”

  Later in the day, Walter called a meeting with Lance and Ashley and said, “I just heard back from Ambassador Tron. He told me that Zor would like to visit Earthland.”

  Lance said, “We of course welcome him.”

  Ashley replied, “This is a good opportunity to strengthen our bond. I look forward to meeting him. Walter, does he have a wife?”

  Walter replied, “I believe so, but I never met her.”

  Lance replied, “Ambassador Walker, please make the arrangements and consult with Ashley on protocol. We should go all out and celebrate his nation with full honors. I would like everyone involved.”

  Walter called Tron. “Commander Roberts welcomes Leader Zor. Earthland looks forward to his visit with great anticipation. Will his wife be joining him?”

  Tron replied, “Thank you, and yes his wife Ora will be with him as well as myself and Chief Engineer Ross.”

  Walter replied, “That will be fine. In order to prepare, we would like the date set for 06/20/502.”

  Tron said, “Allow me a few time segments,” then replied, “The date is set.”

  Walter answered, “As you know, we have our early harvest and would like to give you a share, as agreed.”

  Tron replied, “We are pleased and will make arrangements to receive the produce during our visit. We will arrive in one of our larger aircraft. I look forward to seeing you.”

  Walter answered, “I look forward to seeing you as well.”

  Ashley notified all the directors of the coming visit, and they informed their people and scheduled work to complete as much as pos
sible. During the following days, Mike and Sue put maximum effort into completing the area around the ship and expanded the fence out another fifty feet. They also doubled the size of the landing pad. They ensured that the government center looked presentable. In Erona, Tron was busy helping Zor prepare for his visit. This was something new for him; he never expected there would be another race of people living on this planet. General Urgon seemed extra nervous. He kept checking on all aspects of the airship that would be used. Zor noticed his thoughts seemed strangely mixed and hard to understand; sometimes it was like he had no thoughts.

  Zor’s wife, Ora, was excited to take the trip. She wanted to meet the Earth people; she knew Zor was impressed with them. This was the first time she would see the other landmass and cross over the great water. She heard about Commander Roberts but never about his wife--what would she be like?

  Martha Holmes talked with Lois. “I have a plan for the monetary system for your approval. I think you will like it. I believe we should issue a combination identity and banking card to everyone, including ourselves. This card would be known as the IDB card and would have the owner’s picture and all vital information. It would serve to identify a person.

  “The IDB card would also enable the transfer of money in and out of his or her bank account. Everyone would receive fifty thousand dollars in a bank account at the Central Bank. Government salaries would be directly deposited in each applicable account every two weeks. Rather than credits, we should print money and mint coins backed by the government, known as fiat money. People need to have some money in their pocket for small purchases and food or drink.”

  Lois replied, “I totally approve. All large transactions would use the IDB card. I never liked the idea of credits. How soon can we design and print money? We’ll need to mint various coins, probably a half dollar and a quarter dollar. We don’t need more than that.”