Ellis could smell the sweet fragrance of her hair. He felt the supple lines of her body molded against his. "Suki, this is very sudden." The cliché was the only phrase that came to his mind.
"No," she said softly into his shoulder. "It's taken twentyone years." She looked up into his eyes. "I don't know if I love you. I do know you are the most attractive man I've ever met. Hold me."
Ellis' stomach was queasy. He was suddenly well aware of his own groin as he returned the embrace. Though he was hardly a naive man, he was not used to a woman being so forward. He kissed her hair. "What about your father?"
"My life is my own," she whispered. Though Ellison Firebrandt was concerned and often times overly protective, he held true to his lifetime principle that he would not rule the personal life of another not serving under his command. Fire had taken advantage of that fact. She and Manuel Raton had played what now seemed silly sexual games. There had been neither love nor chemistry between them. There simply had been hormones. Her father never said anything about it. She wasn't sure if he knew, but was sure he wouldn't interfere.
Fire stepped back and unbuttoned his uniform jacket, slipping it off his back. Her fingers worked his neck muscles. He was surprised how strong her hands were. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want," she said. "I really do respect your feelings." Ellis smiled lopsidedly, knowing what he wanted, but unsure of the circumstances.
"You're intelligent and beautiful. I can't help but be attracted to you," he said at last. He turned around and held her. As he kissed her, her tongue darted into his mouth. Hungrily, he responded in kind then turned his attentions to her earlobes followed by the soft curve of her neck. Meanwhile, his hands began explorations of their own. A short time later, he found himself on the bed, his shirt off, her dress gone. Fire straddled his legs and arched her back. For their size, her breasts were surprisingly firm. He fondled them appreciatively. To her, his touch was self-assured and confident. She moaned as a shiver of gentle pleasure wandered up her spine. She undid his pants and pulled them down to his knees.
Fire slid herself onto him. Both sighed with electrified ecstasy. They rocked back and forth, euphoric. She knew the thrill of traveling the far reaches of space. He felt the joy and love of growing up on a small farm world. Finally, his passion reached its climax. She shivered and sighed with her own orgasm. She lay down beside him, her unconstrained breasts aching from gravity's pull. Fire and Ellis were drowsy, but comfortably happy. They talked about space and the joys of exploration until both were sound asleep.
* * * *
The next morning, Peter Stone found Espedie Raton out in the field, finishing the plowing he had begun three days before. When Raton saw Stone crossing the field, he cut the engine on the hover-tractor. As Stone heard the engine die, he raised a hand in greeting. Raton waved back. Stone arrived at the tractor, panting from the exertion of the walk.
"This gravity's not easy to get used to," Stone said between breaths. He bent over, hands on his knees, for a moment.
Raton poured him a glass of iced tea from his cooler. "Here, this will help," he said.
Stone drained the glass and Raton refilled it. "That's better." He looked up at Raton. "Have you had a chance to think about the Erdonium."
"I've been out here on this tractor busting my butt ever since the sun came up," said Espedie. "I've been thinking about how hard a living this is." He shook his head. "This is a poor planet Señor Stone. If my children want to be more than farmers they have to leave this planet. I'm surprised Manuel hasn't left already."
"There's nothing dishonorable about farming," said Stone, playing devil's advocate.
"No," said Raton. "There isn't anything dishonorable at all. But not everyone wants to be a farmer. This planet and my family have a lot." He looked around at the horizon and the river. He saw the mountains and he looked at his field. "This planet has a lot, but it could have so much more."
"Does that mean you want to help me search for Erdonium on the other continent?" asked Stone, hopefully.
"It would be a great adventure, but it would be hard work." Espedie sat back on the tractor. "It would be a great gamble and that's what my wife is afraid of."
"But the map..." protested Stone.
"I have no evidence that the map is real," countered Raton.
"Do any treasure hunters have evidence that the treasure is real?" asked Stone. He looked around. "This place is beautiful, but there are sure to be other beautiful places on this planet. Does it really matter if we find anything? Think about the adventure."
Espedie sighed. One of things he had done for money on Earth was to con people out of money, selling them things for many times their value. He recognized the technique Stone was using. He knew from the night before that Stone was devious, but he could turn on a part of himself to sell something. At last, he looked Stone in the eye. "Okay, what I really want to know is why me? There's a whole planet full of people you could get to help you. There are hangers-on in New Des Moines that would leap at the opportunity to go with you to the other continent. Why me?"
"Because I need you," Stone said firmly. "You are respected here. Last night, I found out that you were one of the first legitimate settlers here. When I find the Erdonium, I'm going to need local clout to push my claim."
"Your claim?" asked Raton. "Why do you need clout? Why not just claim it?"
"If I'm not careful, the Mao Corporation might just walk in and make their own claim."
"Ah," said Raton. His smile broadened. "I see now. You found out about the Erdonium while you were aboard the Nantucket."
Stone swore at himself. He had not meant Raton to figure out how he got the information. Now he had to think fast to make sure no one else would find out. "I may have," he said rapidly. "The reality is if Mao finds out how I learned about the Erdonium, my claims will be forfeit."
"Our claim," said Raton, grinning. He got off the tractor and put his hands on Stone's shoulders. "Never forget that, partner. It's our claim. I get fifty percent of what we find. You renege on our deal, I go to Mao."
Stone's feelings were mixed. At once he cursed and congratulated himself. He now had Raton on his side meaning the expedition would come together and his claim would be legitimized. On the other hand, Raton had leverage against him. Raton also had mixed thoughts. He came to New Granada to get away from the corrupt, dishonest life he had lived on Earth. He came to raise children with the wife he loved. Now, he found himself going back to the old ways. He had a momentary vision of himself standing at the side of a crowded, claustrophobic street trying to unload a plastic bag filled with tobacco so he could have enough money for dinner and the day's taxes. Yet, now that he knew where Stone got his information about the Erdonium, he knew he wasn't gambling with anything other than his own soul. Stone held out his plump hand. Raton took it.
"Partner," said Stone.
"Partner," replied Raton.
"What about your wife?"
"Carmen?" Raton smiled. "She'll understand." * * * *
During the next week, the sleepy farming town of Succor erupted with activity. Over a hundred people from all over New Granada sought Espedie Raton, looking for a job. Espedie put an ad in the small New Des Moines newspaper advertising for people to go to the eastern continent. He announced that it would be hard work with, most likely, little or no reward. However, if there were rewards, they would be enormous. Stone told Espedie that the advertisement would not work. "No one works for nothing," he said.
"This is true." Espedie smiled, knowing that fact all too well. "But the type of people who come to Sufiro will work for adventure. That's why they're here. If they get money out of the deal, that's good too."
In fact, that is how Espedie sold Carmen on the idea of pulling up stakes for a time and searching for Erdonium. Espedie's son Manuel decided to go along. His other son, Juan, decided to stay home and help Firebrandt and Roberts tend the farm. That helped offset some of the feelings Firebrandt had about his daughter
leaving.
Suki Firebrandt spent much of the week packing to go aboard the Nantucket. She was so excited that it was difficult to eat or sleep for the week. Ellis mentioned again that Pfister was mildly annoyed at having her quarters taken. Firebrandt sent up some extra gold to help alleviate her loss. Neither Fire nor Ellis mentioned that she would have the privilege of sharing the captain's quarters. Still, Fire got the impression that her father knew, but wasn't saying anything. Actually, Firebrandt spent most afternoons in his office, smoking his pipe and looking out at Succor. He considered how rapidly twenty-one years had passed and wondered if his own mother missed him like he was going to miss Fire.
One week after the arrival of Jerome Ellis and the Nantucket, most of Fire's things were out of the house. She returned to the planet to bid her father farewell. They stood holding each other for a long time. They were both in tears and neither wanted to show it. Finally, the captain released her, kissing her on the forehead. "Remember," he said, "your life is your own. Never do anything because someone else wants you to do it."
"I'll remember," she managed to say. She then hugged Roberts and returned to kiss her father. She stepped into the Nantucket's launch, waving good-bye.
That afternoon, Espedie Raton walked up the grassy hill to the homestead. He remembered the first time he had made his way up the hill with Firebrandt. The green valley with its river seemed like paradise at the time. As the captain invited him inside, Raton wondered what business he had leaving this enchanted place. He sat down for a beer with Ellison Firebrandt. Raton explained that the expedition for the eastern continent was almost ready to proceed.
"A week of good-byes, compadre?" asked Firebrandt. Espedie simply nodded. "So, what are you going to name the eastern continent?"
"I don't know," said Raton, shaking his head. "Honestly, I never really thought about it."
"Neither did Roberts nor I." The captain shrugged. "There never seemed a need. But now there will be people living there. The first since the Rd'dyggians used it for a hideout all those years ago."
"That's not quite true," said Raton, sipping his beer. "What about that little colony of religious fanatics ... Roanoke."
"Ah..." said Firebrandt. "Roanoke's practically an island, separated from the main part of the continent by the great gypsum desert." Firebrandt shook his head. "I still think of the Rd'dyggians as the people who have claim to that land."
Raton lifted his glass. "The Rd'dyggians!" They both drank.
"Word has it that you're going to look for Erdonium." Firebrandt smiled. Personally, he, like many other New Granadans thought the map was a phony. Still, he wondered how Stone had convinced a pragmatist and ex-con artist like Espedie. Espedie looked suspiciously at Firebrandt. "Tell you what, if you find Erdonium, why not name the continent T'Ggo."
"Tejo?" asked Raton. "What the hell's a Tejo?"
"T'Ggo, not Tejo," corrected Firebrandt. The way Espedie shook his head, the captain realized that he didn't pick up on the difference. "T'Ggo was the Rd'dyggian who first discovered Erdonium, or T'Gganoq in her language. I think it could be a good thing politically, since this planet was first discovered by the Rd'dyggians and we rely on them for protection."
Espedie agreed. His thoughts had been along the same lines. He thought about naming the continent Erdon after Pierre Erdon of Earth or after Alrecca the Titan who was the first being in the known galaxy to discover Erdonium.
They sipped their beers for some time. Finally, Espedie stood. "I have to go, amigo."
"Take care of yourself," said Firebrandt. "Roberts and I will take care of the farm and make sure that Juan doesn't get in too much trouble." The two men embraced warmly. Firebrandt showed Espedie to the door. He watched as his friend strode down the hill, feeling strangely like he'd never see him again. It was notable only in the fact that he was somehow certain that he would see Fire again. "Good bye, amigo," said Firebrandt in a whisper. Roberts came out to enjoy the evening air with his captain. They both looked across to the river. Both of them wished Espedie Raton well. However, neither of them were certain they wanted to know what would happen if Espedie succeeded in finding Erdonium. EXPLORATION
Peter Stone, Espedie Raton and nearly a hundred other men and women chartered a ship to the eastern continent. There were only a few ocean-going ships on Sufiro. Primarily they were used to transport cargo between New Granada and the tiny island-continent of Little Sonora—the only government on Sufiro officially recognized by the Gaean Alliance. However, Little Sonora did recognize New Granada. Both agreed that all shipping should be free from either government's regulation. This had the effect of creating an independent shipping government that was run from the Gato Archipelago. This in turn meant that Sufiro had the only pirate-free waters of any planet in the known galaxy.
The eastern continent, while having neither government nor any official name, was not uninhabited. There was one small settlement on the coast known as Roanoke. Stone, Raton, and their party took the ship, Queen of Sufiro, from New Granada to Roanoke. The Queen of Sufiro was a highly efficient and fast sailing vessel. The design was one pioneered by a sea captain named Jacques Cousteau nearly a thousand years before, on Earth. The quiet rocking of the waves combined with his dreams of Erdonium quietly rocked Espedie Raton to sleep each night.
On the journey, both Espedie and Carmen Raton fell in love with the ocean. They would walk the near-silent decks, breathing the cool salt air. The views across the ocean with the stars above were like nothing they had experienced before. The tramp space freighter they had traveled to Sufiro aboard had been very different. There had been no windows and a sharp, oily smell had clung to the air. Out on the ocean, they felt more like the space travelers of romantic fiction than they had as passengers of a space ship.
The boys, Manuel Raton and Sam Stone, spent their evenings talking about their lives. Sam told Manuel how crowded Earth was and the power of the Gaean government. Manuel bragged of his sexual escapades with Suki Firebrandt, most of which were exaggerated. Still, Sam had seen her and was terribly jealous. Deep in his heart, Manuel wished Fire was with him. However, he knew she was off on an even grander adventure aboard the Nantucket with Captain Jerome Ellis.
One afternoon during the journey, Manuel was strolling around the deck of the ship, enjoying the breeze blowing across the deck when he saw Sam leaning on the deck-railing staring off into the azure waves. Manuel leaned on the railing next to his friend. "Is everything okay, man?"
Sam sighed and kicked at the deck. "Sometimes I worry about my dad."
"Why?" Manuel lifted his eyebrows.
Sam looked out toward the ocean, not really seeing anything at all. "I wonder if he's worrying enough about money." He saw the perplexed look on his friend's face. "I mean we're spending a lot to go on this expedition and what'll we get? Sore backs from camping out."
"Maybe after all those years of being vice president of a bank, your dad needs to take a break from thinking about money. Besides, we'll find the Erdonium." Manuel and Sam stared off toward the ocean a little while longer. "So, why are you so concerned about money and your dad?"
"Money's survival," explained Sam, his eyes never leaving the horizon.
Manuel shook his head. Often times he was perplexed by his new friend, who grew up on what, to him, was an alien world. "Money buys luxury," said Manuel at last. "Survival's easy. You just gotta' know the land."
* * * *
Back in New Granada, Ellison Firebrandt stared at the stars late one night. Roberts joined him in front of the homestead. "All gone," sighed Firebrandt. "It's so quiet."
"They all need to find their place in the galaxy, my friend," said Roberts. "Like us, Fire will find hers in the stars. Espedie will find his on the other continent."
"I feel left out, somehow," said Firebrandt, his gaze drifting to his feet.
"They need to find their way without being in the shadow of the famous Ellison Firebrandt." Roberts walked a few steps forward and looked up to the sta
rs. "It's been so long since we've been up there. I wonder what it's like?"
"The stars never change," said Firebrandt.
"Stars are born, they grow old and die, just like people." Roberts turned to look at his captain.
"Not as quickly, though." Firebrandt sighed and looked at Roberts. "I wish Suki was here, perhaps then, this new found emptiness wouldn't hurt as much."
Roberts clasped his captain's shoulder. "I miss her too." He led the captain to the door. "Let's go inside, have some ale and talk about the old missions."
Firebrandt nodded. "Fine, but I'd rather talk about the future." The two stepped back into the warmth of the homestead.
* * * *
After a two-week journey, the expeditionary force was deposited at the port of Roanoke. A hundred people, dozens of crates, hovers, and digging machines were all unleashed on the strangely quiet town. The inhabitants were largely of British descent from Earth. For the most part, they were a people of strong religious and moral convictions. They found the freedom of New Granada unsettling. Yet, there was no planet in the rest of the galaxy where their beliefs were so thoroughly respected. The people of Roanoke found the expeditionary party disturbing. Raton and Stone made certain that their people did not alienate Roanoke's citizens in the event the small coastal town became a necessary resource.
Manuel Raton and Sam Stone spent part of their first night on the new continent walking through the three streets of the village, eyeing the young women. Some were nearly their age. Sam found it somewhat disconcerting that most people on the expedition were much older than he was. Fortunately, he and Manuel shared many of the same interests, except that Manuel was much more enthusiastic about exploring the new continent than he was.
The next morning, the group gathered their gear. They packed the hovers and loaded the digging machines onto carryhovers, and checked their equipment, then purchased water and food from the people of Roanoke. A vast array of people and vehicles gathered on the edge of the desert just outside the settlement. The desert was a great white expanse of gypsum sand. It looked like a snow mass, but the temperature was over a hundred Fahrenheit degrees.
The Pirates of Sufiro (Book 1) (Old Star New Earth) Page 12
