by Joe Zeigler
“Try to keep it to the inside of the turns,” Micaela shouted. “It’s deeper there.”
The raft hit something, stopped, and bounced back, almost throwing them off. Then it moved forward again and shifted onto the rock. The water backed up under the raft lifting it, and the first log pushed up and over the rock, followed by the second and the third. The foremost logs started pulling the rest over the rock as the raft performed just as Micaela had envisioned. But now they were cold and wet. Eijá shivered uncontrollably. They would have to stop at the first opportunity and dry.
Over the next half mile, the canyon widened, allowing the river to fill it. The flow slowed at first, and then suddenly the river became shallower, and its speed increased. Despite desperate poling, they were pushed to the outside of the next bend in the river, heading straight for a fallen tree laying thirty feet into the river. Disregarding their best efforts, the raft glanced off a large boulder on the edge of the shore, causing the bow to dip and slide under the log. Instantly the water piled up behind the raft, lifting the stern, threatening to overturn it. Only Lofn’s ingenious bindings kept the load from sliding overboard.
Eijá screamed, and Micaela yelled, “Push!” as she put all of her weight on the pole, trying to push them off to no avail.
Lofn untied herself, jumped into the water on the shore side of the raft, set her pole in the river bottom, and pushed against the stern of the raft, trying to lever the stern around and spin it off the snag. Seeing it was their only chance, Eijá jumped in to help. The current shoved against them, but the water was shallow, not even reaching to their knees. Eijá set her pole and pushed with a three-to-one advantage from the lever, and the stern of the raft began to move very slowly.
“Hold!” Lofn cried over the sound of the rushing water. Eijá put all of her weight on her pole and held what they had gained while Lofn reset her pole. “I’ve got it,” Lofn said as she held the raft while Eijá got new purchase. They repeated this maneuver, gaining just inches each time, while Ixchel and Micaela stood on the stern of the raft, hanging on to the ropes and trying to keep the stern from rising further.
Finally, the current caught the end of the raft, spinning it around and away from the snag, jerking it away from Eijá and Lofn, who both fell flat into the cold water. The raft continued to spin around and around as it reentered the river and shot downstream, while Ixchel and Micaela tried to gain control. Eijá and Lofn, thoroughly soaked, had no choice but to wade to deeper water and let the cold river carry them in pursuit of the raft.
“Beach it there,” Micaela cried, seeing a narrow piece of dry land between the river and the enclosing cliff.
Fortunately, the river had deepened and slowed. It allowed them to divert their path and reach the shore. As they touched, Micaela dropped her pole and ran ashore with a rope to secure the raft to a tree. Ixchel left the raft. They both turned to try to see the other two girls in the river. Lofn and Eijá, numb from the cold, were just keeping afloat. They didn’t think they could last much longer when they heard the shouting from the shore.
“Swim this way,” Micaela was yelling, not realizing they were long past swimming. “Quickly,” she ordered Ixchel, “get a rope.” She selected a piece of driftwood from the beach and quickly tied it onto the end of the line. First swinging it around and around her head to gain momentum, she let loose, and it arched out over the river, laying the rope neatly in the stricken girls’ path. Now, if they only have the strength to grasp it.
Lofn got it and was able to wrap the rope around her arm. But Eijá missed it, and Micaela gasped. Then she saw that Lofn’s body was causing the line to move downstream faster than Eijá was moving. She caught it on the second try, and the river swung them into shore.
“Quickly, Ixchel,” Micaela ordered, “build a fire. We must get them warm.”
“Yeah, a big one,” Lofn whispered with a small forced smile.
As Ixchel built a fire, Micaela dug frantically through the cargo for dry furs to wrap them in.
Two days later, they floated triumphantly into the great lake just north of the city. “We made it!” Micaela exclaimed with a broad smile.
“Yes,” Eijá replied, “and faster than that journey has ever been accomplished.”
“Except for by the Raiders,” Lofn said.
There was no current at all in the lake, so it was a long paddle to the city. Gedeon and some of his people in five canoes met them in the middle of the lake, having seen them coming from the heights of the city.
Micaela’s Return
Gedeon came aboard and enveloped Micaela in his big arms. Despite herself, she melted into him and sighed. Over her head, he addressed the other three girls. “You relax. We’ll pass you lines and tow you the rest of the way.” And they did.
Gedeon examined their load and shook his head in amazement; he smiled. He and all of his people had not brought so many trade goods down from the high country. These young girls have accomplished a game-changing feat, he thought to himself. Now if only they can move trade goods in the other direction as well. The challenges never end.
The news of their arrival had spread like oil on water, and people, seemingly everyone, lined the shore, anxious to see them and the goods they had brought down. As the girls stepped ashore, the People cheered and pressed forward, wanting to touch them.
“Last week I arranged for you to take the buildings at the opposite end of the plaza from us,” Gedeon was saying as they walked, holding hands, up to the Plaza level. “I hope that is all right with you, as I believe you will need it.” Looking at Lofn, he said, “I’m very sorry for your loss and wish I had been there to help.”
Lofn squeezed his hand and nodded.
Micaela wondered how he had known of her success with the Cliff Dwellers. It seems strange that he would do all this without knowing—how could he have known? It is difficult to think the news could have beaten us here. And how could he have known about Dewii’s death? How does he think that he could have helped? Well, he did, and it’s done. I’ll worry about how later. I’m sure the answer to how he found out will disclose itself in time. What’s important now is for me to know what I want to happen next.
Gedeon continued to expound on his vision of her business as they gained the Plaza and entered Ohad’s dwelling. Gedeon set down Micaela’s gear that he had been carrying.
“Gedeon,” Micaela said, turning to confront him, “we haven’t seen each other for a long time. When I last saw you, I was very confused. I had feelings I’d never experienced. I did not understand what I was feeling and had to run away.”
“I’m glad you came back,” Gedeon said, with a concerned expression. “I hope you do not consider my actions on your behalf to be pressure, though I understand what you are saying and will confess to having strong feelings myself.”
Micaela took both of his hands in hers and looked up into his eyes, her expression grave. “I’m not confused anymore,” she said as she dropped to her knees before him. Minutes later, as they entered his shelter together, she knew she had done the right thing. It was wonderful. She was sure that she felt the moment they created the baby.
As they lay together afterward, they talked. Micaela enjoyed talking with him. He listened and took her seriously, and his part of the conversation was thoughtful, kind, and wise. “Gedeon,” she said, “I enjoyed the trip. I enjoyed dealing with the Cliff Dwellers. I enjoyed every moment of the experience, other than missing you.”
“I’m happy you had a good time,” he replied, wondering where this was going. She sounded like it was going somewhere unexpected. “And I’m happy about what you decided about us.”
“Yes, me too. But…”
Oh no, Gedeon thought. There’s always a “but.”
“But I don’t think I would enjoy being a vendor and running a store. When I imagine opening the place in the morning, closing in the evening, every day, day after day, I think I would feel trapped.”
“That was your dream—to be i
ndependent and free.”
“I know—it was a big dream and a big step up from where I was. But it doesn’t seem such a big step from where I am now. It seems like a step backward. Things have changed. I have changed, and what I want has changed.”
“The girls can stay and run the store. Ixchel especially has a mind for business. I had thought of enlisting her myself before she went off with you on a great adventure.”
“No, no,” she said thoughtfully, “I need them with me. We’re a team that works well together. And I will recruit more. I don’t want to run established routes myself. I want to explore and develop new ones. I’ll leave the established routes like the river route to the girls and new people whom I recruit. I was thinking you…you could run the store.”
“Ha,” he replied, smiling, “that’s how you see me? As a storekeeper? And you, you would never be here, always away on adventures?”
She sensed that she had injured him and was immediately sorry. She kissed him. “Pay no attention to me. My mind is wandering among the possibilities that have presented themselves, and I’ve not yet considered the consequences of choices. And it’s important to have you be a part of me. Anyway, I’m not going to be away on adventures all the time. There are many organizational and planning things to do here. I’m thinking one, maybe two trips a year. The rest of the time I’ll be with you.”
“This is what I can do,” he said. “As leader of the Traders, I can arrange to sell the goods you bring us and pay you seven arrowheads or the equivalent for every ten we receive. You control the river route, all the other routes you open up, and the unique goods you bring in. I will promise you the Traders will not compete with your discoveries.”
“Oh no,” she cried, “you must compete. If I cannot do it better than anyone else, I don’t want the profit. I would feel like a failure if I could not provide the best value. No, you go right ahead—do your worst. I’ll beat you. Your people may be able to get the goods, but they will cost you more than buying from me.”
Gedeon laughed and moved on. “When you build the organization you are describing, you will not have to lead every expedition and will have plenty of time to be with our children and me.”
“Children, how did you know?” she said. Touching her belly, she looked up at him with soft eyes. She reached slowly between his legs and began stroking him.
The Departure
They had made their goodbyes the evening before and left before sunrise. Each time Danijel found it harder to leave Liùsaidh. For Gedeon, leaving Micaela proved impossible. He would stay.
The early-morning fog filled the valley to the top of the mesa, hiding their movements as they climbed the precipitous slope. Less than a hundred feet above the mesa, a dense cloud cover took over. It was unseemly cold, and a light drizzle completed the discomfort of the day. Danijel and Şule helped each other over a ledge to surmount the last few feet. Danijel grunted as he made the top.
“You’re getting old, Danijel. Not many more of these tours for you,” she said. “Each of the regenerative procedures leaves you a little more damaged. And you have gone through too many.”
Quickly the rest of the Jah followed and joined them.
“Gedeon is really going to stay?” Caddarak asked.
“Yes, he is. He spoke to me, and I accepted his decision. Though what we have accomplished appears strong, a little husbanding can’t hurt and might even make the difference.”
“If you are willing to do it,” Caddarak said. “As for me, I’m ready to go home.
“Yes, it’s time for us. However, I think Gedeon is home.”
Caddarak nodded and said, “I see Ohad’s not with us.”
“No,” Danijel replied, “he appears to have gone native; lost contact with the reality of who we are and who he is. It seems he became the person he was pretending to be.”
“Too bad he was pretending to be an evil bunghole,” Caddarak replied.
“Yes, he overplayed his role. I’ve heard of it happening, though this is the first time I’ve seen it. They say it develops when the researcher feels that his life here or on one of the other Earth-type planets is better than his life would be at home,” Danijel said.
“Strange, as everyone here hates him,” Şule added. “Perhaps he is afraid of charges at home? Or he believes that he can take control in our absence.”
“Who knows what odd thoughts have overtaken him? Maybe he has a need to redeem himself here,” Danijel replied.
“That would be the day pigs fly!” Caddarak laughed. “He just likes the role too much.”
“We’ll see him next season. He may have reconsidered by then.”
“Or we’ll be ordered to arrest him,” Şule said.
“His bad behavior wasn’t entirely destructive, as it helped to spur the girls to action, especially Micaela,” Danijel said. “She is our best work here. With her new success and prestige, the subjugation of women here is waning.”
“About time,” Şule commented with an edge to her voice, “and with it all rape sanctioned by the People, God, Sun, or Ohad!”
“You are right. In the future, rape will be punished by these people, not rewarded. But we may be the ones in trouble before Ohad,” Danijel said. “We have interfered way too much in the affairs of these people. The idea is to observe and at most give them a gentle nudge in the direction of progress, not to interfere.”
“You mean Waarrar, and you are blaming Liùsaidh?” Şule snapped, and she thought, “Spur,” an interesting word choice.
“Yes, Waarrar and the others,” Danijel replied. “Damn, Eijá was walking around inside the ship! Our only salvation is that no one believes her except Liùsaidh. No, I’m not blaming her. I blame myself and my feelings for Liùsaidh. I take responsibility, though I’m not sure that’s how our superiors will see it.”
“Don’t tell them,” Şule replied. “Just leave that out of the after-action report.”
“I don’t think I can do that,” Danijel said. “I can’t hide what happened. But I can leave out some names and insignificant details.”
Şule didn’t look happy, though she nodded.
“Our superiors will not be pleased that we allowed ourselves to take leadership positions,” Caddarak said. “But, I for one could not help myself.”
“Nor I,” Danijel responded. “And, I agree they will not be happy about it.”
“You never know,” Şule observed, “on second thought perhaps we are as much an experiment as the natives.”
Danijel laughed uncomfortably.
He thought that as unusual as it was to have a stay-behind like Ohad, it was doubly so to have two—Ohad and Gedeon. He hoped that this would not further reflect on his leadership, as he would like to return. He found this world to be fascinating.
***
No one saw us climb the mesa in the fog. Danijel was relieved. He didn’t want to start a religious war about their violating this holy place on the last day. Now they stood, facing the center of the flat plain, looking up and waiting in the dim, early morning light. Regardless of current and past discomforts, Danijel thought about how much he would miss it here. As much as we effected change, he concluded, this primitive world and its people have also changed us and reminded us of the importance of basic things.
The blue-gray ship appeared silently out of the overcast sky as if being formed by the condensation of clouds, as it gradually descended, suspended by seemingly endless energy. Before the vessel entirely revealed itself, the mesa became bathed in a blinding light that masked the activity from below, illuminating the valley and reflecting off the surrounding mountains as if the Sun had risen. And that’s why the natives think their Sun God lives up here.
The ship was big, its edges extending over all sides of the mesa. It was the culmination of over twelve thousand years of civilization and progress.
They boarded quickly. The bright light snapped off, and the ship rose into the clouds and accelerated quickly. Once outside the orbit of the se
cond moon, it vanished. Space rippled as it collapsed upon itself. Simultaneously, the ship appeared just outside the orbit of Earth’s moon.
They were home.
Author’s Note
Thank you for reading my book. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to leave a review at your favorite retailer.
I would be happy to hear from you. My e-mail address is [email protected]. I promise to reply to every communication.
There are two more books planned for the series, The Plains, and Space. The Plains chronicles the further adventures of Micaela and her cohorts. Space wraps up the loose ends with a visit to Danijel’s home planet, Earth.
About the Author
What many call careers, Joe Zeigler calls interests. Beginning as a firefighter in Williamsburg, Virginia, Zeigler left to earn a degree in fire protection from Oklahoma State University, picking up a BA in business along the way.
A job as a fire-protection engineer with Kemper Insurance somehow led to a ten-year stint as a professional motorcycle racer.
In 1981, Zeigler founded the Penguin Road Racing School and wrote How to Fly, a how-to manual for motorcycle racers. In the process of writing, he discovered word processors and computers.
Intrigued by the developing world of personal computers, he became a consultant for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in his spare time. At the time, DEC was the second-largest computer in the world.
Zeigler launched six computer stores and the nation’s first computer discount warehouse—only to lose them at the hands of an arsonist. He rebounded to write FirePrograms, a software package for fire departments and the world’s first PC-based UPS shipping manifest software.
All of this interrupted Joe’s early writing career as he put two novels that he was writing on the shelf. After he retired from racing, Joe learned to fly an airplane to better reach and serve his software customers, and he accumulated over three thousand hours in the air.
