Icefall

by Hallowes, Guy

  Susan started to cry and nodded.

  'I know who the father is, but I would like you to tell me please.'

  'Mark,' was the tearful response.

  'I should be angry, but I'm not. Just tell me why.'

  'When Barry was killed, Mark was so sweet to me and his mother. He came here a lot and it helped. One day, Chloe was out, and it just happened. It's all stopped now. Before Jason's wedding, Chloe confronted me. We had a discussion and then I put a stop to it. I'm so sorry.'

  'About two months?' asked Tanya.

  Susan nodded.

  Tanya held her for a minute and then said, 'How well do you know Hercules? I saw you talking to him a bit at the wedding.'

  Susan smiled through her tears. 'He's okay actually, once one gets over all the bluster and he's away from his father.' She looked at Tanya suspiciously. 'Why do you ask?'

  'He has asked permission to marry you.'

  'Marry?' said Susan uncomprehendingly.

  'Yes. You'll have to agree of course, and maybe you should talk it over with Chloe, who, I might add, is aware that I'm here talking to you about this.'

  Susan burst into tears again.

  Ten minutes later, Chloe appeared. Susan, still red eyed but quite calm, was sitting holding hands with Tanya.

  Tanya nodded at Chloe. 'I'll see you later.'

  Susan started crying again and clung to Chloe for a few minutes.

  'What happened?' asked Chloe.

  Susan told her and said, 'She was quite sweet actually, not angry. She wants me to marry Hercules.'

  'Tanya has been aware of your relationship with Mark almost from the beginning. She came to talk to me about it months ago. The marriage proposal is all Hercules' idea though. Nobody is going to force you into anything you don't want to do, least of all Tanya. You have to want to do it for yourself. The arrangements can be put into place very quickly, if you agree.'

  'I see,' said Susan. 'It solves a lot of problems like the paternity of the child and my presence here. I can also be very useful at The Vikings. Maybe it's not such a bad idea.' She shed a few more tears as Chloe held her tight.

  'Are you in love with Hercules?'

  'Love! Don't be daft. He's not as bad as everyone makes out though, but I hardly know him.'

  'Did you sleep with him at Jason's wedding?'

  Susan smiled through her tears. 'No, but he wanted to.'

  Chloe found Tanya in her office, busy tidying up.

  'She'll certainly agree,' Chloe announced. 'She just needs a few days to get used to the idea. We should put everything in place now—a wedding here and some dowry discussions. I will be going with her, but you probably guessed that.'

  'Going with her? That is a surprise.'

  'She's like a daughter to me. Moving over there will make a clean break from the memories here. I might even be able to help civilise Thor and his mob a bit.'

  'It's a surprise, but the whole project would welcome your presence over there. It'll make a big difference.'

  'I'm not going there for "the project" as you call it. I've never really felt part of it and won't be sorry to leave here. Susan and Barry gave me something to live for and I hope to recreate that at The Vikings.'

  Tanya walked around the desk and put her arms around her mother-in-law. 'I know, I really do understand.'

  'What are you going to do about Mark? I've told him what he did was the worst possible thing from all our points of view,' said Chloe. 'Stupid bugger.'

  'I'm dealing with him, but I expect it will be alright in time. The project needs him badly and so I need him.'

  'Do you still love him?'

  'Probably.' She shrugged.

  'There is one other personal thing,' said Chloe.

  'Yes, anything.'

  'When I die, I'm not to be buried here. I've told Susan that I want to be buried on the headland to the north of Manly Beach, looking out to sea.'

  'Buried?' Tanya looked surprised, but seeing the faraway look on her mother-in-law's face, said quickly, 'I'm not expecting to have to bury you any time soon, but I'll certainly make sure that happens when the time comes.' She hugged Chloe.

  'I'm seventy-five, it'll happen sooner or later,'

  'Later; you're still very fit.'

  The wedding was arranged with indecent haste and a very elaborate ceremony took place within a month at The Settlement.

  Thor was pleased and said to David, 'We're now joined at the head and the hip, it's almost one family.'

  Six months later Susan gave birth to a big bouncing boy, 'A few weeks premature,' Chloe told Thor. Thor was thrilled with his new grandchild and whatever thoughts people may have had on the subject, no questions were asked.

  'He'll be called Mars,' announced Thor, consulting nobody, 'after the God of War.'

  Round one to The Vikings, thought Chloe, or perhaps round two. I suppose marrying Susan off to Hercules was round one, with The Settlement edging out The Vikings.

  During one of her trips to The Vikings, Tanya had asked Thor what surname Mars would have.

  'Surname?' answered Thor. 'If your name is Mars, there is no need for a surname.'

  Round three to The Vikings, thought Chloe.

  Chapter Forty-two

  Vale David 2036

  2036

  Tanya now shared her time between the orderly, civilised place that The Settlement had become and the chaos of Newcastle, where Kim was happily in charge of the developments. Tanya tried to ensure people working there returned to The Settlement periodically, and were replaced if that was what was wanted. Within another year, the achievements were considerable and she was able to tick them off on her fingers Newcastle had become partially self-sufficient. Another year, and it would be almost totally so.

  All three Newcastle helicopters were now functioning. Eustace had advised that one machine should always be on the ground being serviced while the other two were working. 'For all sorts of reasons,' he explained, 'not the least of which is if we have an accident there will be a rescue helicopter available.'

  They had reconditioned twenty houses around the new Newcastle base. Tanya herself had the use of one small cottage.

  A large mass grave had been dug where any bones were laid. Where possible, names of the deceased were entered in a register together with their addresses.

  A dozen, conventionally-fuelled, four wheel drive trucks and six larger trucks had been made serviceable.

  Many roads in the area had been cleared. Again trouble was taken trying to identify the remains of people found in vehicles on the roads.

  Jonathan had confidentially told her of a fuel dump in the Newcastle area. It had not been touched since the time of the flood. The site was unmarked and all the storage tanks were underground. Joe had reconditioned pumps on the site.

  All their vehicles used on the ever-expanding farms were, as a policy, powered by solar.

  A plan had been devised to build a port in Newcastle. Some equipment was needed to start the project.

  Most of the land between the Blue Mountain stronghold and Newcastle was now occupied by New Settlement. Settlement people had moved to Wollombi and Kurri-Kurri.

  Derain and his people were happy. They had free access to all the lands that New Settlement occupied as well as the Blue Mountain range. They were always welcome and they continued to conduct bush craft lessons for all the settlers as well as advising at times of crisis.

  Tanya consulted David constantly, but at eighty-one he travelled little and was content to remain at The Bandstand, now comfortably prosperous. Jonathan, now he had the time, also made contact once every two or three months. Sometimes he visited, but often Mark or Tanya flew to the military base near Canberra.

  'Most of the settlements you've uncovered,' Jonathan said, 'except The Bandstand, seem either to be very small or their survival is based on what I think of as fringe beliefs. I have now unearthed another place that have kept themselves well hidden all these years in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park, in th
e southern Blue Mountains, west of the Warragamba Dam. They are smaller than The Settlement, but have similar beliefs to you. Access is very difficult, either on foot or horseback, although we've visited there a couple of times with a helicopter. An association between them and you would create a reasonable base for a renewal of a democratic government in New South Wales at least. I will try to arrange a visit.'

  Mark and Tanya nodded, but said nothing.

  'Also I have, now, after four or five years of silence, had word of Evan,' he said, 'from Jakarta. I wasn't able to speak to him, but I understand that he and Beryl are both still alive. I'm not sure how well they are. It's almost ten years since the flood. If he ever gets back here, he will certainly have a story to tell. They were trying to find some sort of fishing boat off the coast of Java, to bring them back here.'

  Tanya was, unusually for her, sitting in her office savouring the stability she and David had created and wondering where it could now take them, when the phone rang.

  'Hello David,' she said cheerfully into the mouthpiece, 'everything okay?'

  'It's Caroline,' said an unhappy voice at the other end. Tanya immediately knew the worst had happened. While she had a good relationship with Caroline, they rarely spoke to each other on the phone.

  'Tell me' said Tanya quietly. 'It's about David isn't it?'

  'He died of a heart attack about an hour ago,' was the answer. 'We tried to bring him around, but he must have been dead before he hit the floor.'

  Tanya tried hard not to, but she just wept. 'I will have to call you back,' she said amidst the tears. 'Give me ten minutes.'

  Thirty minutes later, Tanya tried to be her normal, businesslike self and managed to have a sensible conversation with Caroline on the phone. 'He will have to be buried here,' she said. 'You know the little hillock he used to go and stand on, making plans and building dreams. He has to be laid to rest up there. I think that is what he would want. How are you holding up?'

  'David had slowed down a lot over the past few months, and we had conversations about his death, so it's not a complete surprise. I'm actually holding up well. I would like to come over to you for a period anyway to get away from all this. There are people here that can keep things going,' answered Caroline.

  'Okay, I'll pick you up in the chopper and bring David back here. The funeral is going to take some organising.'

  The same evening Tanya asked everyone to the community centre for an important announcement. When people saw Caroline on the platform with Tanya, and no David, they had an inkling of what was to come. Tanya managed to compose herself and said without any ceremony, 'I have to tell you all that today is one of the saddest days in the life of The Settlement. David, our founder and mentor, died this morning of a heart attack.'

  There was shock around the room, although many had guessed.

  Managing to keep her composure, she continued, 'He did not suffer. His death was sudden and painless. Deepest condolences to Caroline and the immediate Bower family. All of us will miss him deeply for his humour, his humility and counsel, and most of all his calmness.'

  There were many sniffles throughout the room, and then Tanya said in a more businesslike way, 'The funeral will take a few weeks to organise. People will want to come from all over the place, and many will have to come on horseback or on foot. All I ask is for all of us to accommodate as many as possible in our homes. Mark, do you or Patricia want to say anything?'

  Neither was able to speak and merely shook their heads.

  It took almost a month for everyone to gather for David Bower's funeral. Almost two thousand people attended. They were all assembled around the base of what became known as David's Hill. Caroline had consulted with Chloe about the arrangements and they both felt comfortable with Isaac from St. Andrews conducting the service.

  Chloe advised him, 'You have to take account of the fact that many of the people attending not only have no Christian background, but also may have altogether different beliefs.'

  'Of course,' said Isaac. 'If he taught us nothing else, David taught us tolerance, something our own religious beliefs preach, but don't always do very well.'

  Jonathan arrived in an army helicopter as everyone gathered. 'Who the hell is that man with long hair and that wild-looking woman with him?' asked Tanya as she was about to start the proceedings.

  Mark rushed off. 'I think it's Evan and Beryl!' he yelled. And it was.

  There had been much argument about who would perform the eulogy. Tanya said that one of David's children was the most appropriate, probably Mark.

  'You, Tanya, have worked closely with him for more than twenty-five years,' argued Patricia. 'This whole project is about him, David, and you as much as anyone else here. He regarded you as a friend, and if he needed advice on anything you were the first port of call.'

  'Any dissent?' asked Tanya. 'Mark?' He shook his head. 'Patricia, Joe?' Both shook their heads. 'Okay, I will prepare something and ask Chloe and Jonathan when they arrive if they think it's appropriate. I'm really not sure that it's absolutely the right thing, but if anyone else wants to say something they should feel free to do so.'

  Chloe, and all those who'd known Evan, rushed over to see him and Beryl. The funeral proceedings were delayed by an hour.

  Jonathan explained, 'We picked them up in a helicopter a few days ago at a remote community west of Darwin. Army people up there eventually believed Evan's story and alerted me.'

  'Indonesian fishing boat,' said Evan shakily, once he had tearfully greeted everybody. 'We spent three weeks on a fishing boat and they dumped us at that community, but that is another story.'

  The family all stood on David's Hill and, once Isaac had conducted a very sensitive service, Tanya rose to her feet. 'Almost against my better judgement, I have been asked by the Bower family to talk about David. Before I do, most of you don't know Evan, here.' She hugged Evan. 'He is the third child of David and Chloe. He was in England at the time of the flood and he and Beryl, his wife, have somehow found their way back here after more than ten years.'

  There was growing and sustained applause from everyone as they tried to understand the implications of what the pair had done and must have endured.

  Once the applause had died down, Tanya continued, 'As you all know, David and I have worked together on this project since its inception, so I got to know him very well indeed.'

  She went on to describe his early life in detail. 'He was fifty-five, probably looking forward to a gentle retirement during the following ten years, when he concluded that the Ross Ice Shelf would collapse with disastrous consequences for the world at large. He found this place and we all know what happened after that. The reason that the few of us here managed to survive the flood was because of his foresight and willingness to risk everything to create this haven, despite scepticism and opposition from many people.'

  Tanya spoke for an hour, detailing the trials, achievements, and setbacks of creating The Settlement. She made no reference, at all, to her part in its creation.

  'For my part, David was a friend and mentor, and on the few occasions we disagreed on things he always came up with a creative solution to the problem. He was always the voice of calm reason and that was the atmosphere he created here in The Settlement, allowing us to develop as we have done. He listened to anyone who had anything to say.' She hesitated as a tear escaped down her cheek, 'I for one will miss him deeply and I'm certain that I speak for all of you here today.'

  Several more people stood up to speak, including Derain, and even Thor. Then, the coffin was lowered into the ground and covered up, once Caroline and Chloe had each sprinkled a handful of earth on top.

  A modest, rough stone plaque had been erected next to the grave site with its inscription.

  David Bower

  Visionary

  1955-2036

  The visitors drifted off over the next week. Evan and Beryl were installed in the cottage that had been built for him twenty years earlier.

  During t
he funeral, Tanya had noticed Chloe, although she had been totally involved in the ceremony, often stood next to Thor. When she thought nobody was looking, she'd had a half smile on her face and looked very happy.

  It can't be, thought Tanya, I'll have to follow that up.

  Thor had already told Tanya that Susan, Hercules, and Mars would be moving over to the new areas agreed upon at the time of Venus and Jason's wedding. 'You will be going with Susan, presumably,' Tanya innocently asked Chloe later.

  'Maybe, maybe not. I've found a bit of a niche at The Vikings and am helping the women there make more of themselves. I can always pop over and see the family now that the roads are being opened up.' She flushed slightly and avoided Tanya's gaze, but gave nothing further away.

  Jonathan stayed on for a few days after the funeral, partly to see Evan. The only occasion he'd seen his brother in the past twenty-five years was at Evan's wedding in England. Tanya had also asked if he'd stay on. She often bounced ideas off him when she was able and used him to discuss strategy. They had a fruitful discussion for a couple of hours which helped them both forget David's passing for a little while.

  'There is one thing I need to tell you,' Jonathan said. 'I've thought long and hard about this, but I think I have to tell you.'

  Tanya raised her eyebrows without saying anything.

  'You remember the settlement I mentioned at Kanangra-Boyd, in the southern Blue Mountains?'

  'Yes, we haven't had a chance to do anything about that yet, but we'll get to it. Don't worry.'

  'Well, I think you need to know,' he said reluctantly. 'I've just discovered that Virginia Andrews is one of the leading lights over there. I haven't told Mark.'

  She looked at him and said, 'Thank you. I'll tell Mark myself when the time is right.' An involuntary shiver went through her as she said to herself, I thought I'd left that pile of shit behind years ago.