The Finger of God: a Thalassia novel

by Patrick McClafferty

  He wanted to wail.

 

  Beside him, Alexandra was quietly crying.

  “I’m sorry, sir.” The coachman was saying through a small window that separated the driver’s seat from the compartment below. “It appears that the other carriage has already departed, and the colonel and his household have retired for the night.”

  Hedric glanced out of the window to the darkened estate below. “Can you drop us at the quay, in front of the Golden Fleece?”

  “Yes, sir. The Golden Fleece it is.” The strangely accented voice called back.

  The answer struck him as his foot touched the cold dark stones of the quay. He restrained himself, however, and stood with Alexandra as the dark carriage with its mysterious drivers arched up and into the night sky.

  “Answer me this, Lexi.” He held her hands tightly, and stared into the limitless depths of her midnight blue eyes. “Who is it that has been behind everything since we’ve gotten into this mess? Who is it that is rigging things so that we will get saddled with the management of this world? Who knows most about the bodies we now wear, and the creature we know as Selene?”

  Alexandra’s eyes were large. “Medin.” She almost whispered.

  “Medin.” He agreed, tonelessly. “Medin.” He said to the air. “Is the observatory free from monitoring?”

  “Yes, Hedric.” The quiet baritone murmured. “Quite free from all surveillance.”

  “Good. Will you bring us there, please? There are a few things we need to discuss.”

  “Very good, Hedric, but perhaps you and Miss Alexandra would prefer more comfortable clothing? Formal dinner fashions aren’t usually meant to put you at ease.”

  He glanced at Lexi, and received a curt nod. “That would be fine, Medin. Just save the clothes, if you would. They are much too fine to lose.”

  “Very good.” There was a flicker, and the two were standing under the silent stars in the observatory. Hedric was wearing a belted tunic and hose in a soft blue material, while Lexi had a long belted dress, of the same soft material in dark navy.

  “Well!” She fingered the material as a wide smile split her face. “This is nice.”

  “Thank you, Miss Lexi.”

  Hedric dropped into a couch and propped his slippered feet on a low table. “Is there some form you could take, so that we don’t have to talk to thin air?”

  “Yes, sir.” A man stepped out of the shadow. Tall and almost painfully thin, he wore a severe black uniform with a tight, high collared white shirt. Hedric saw Lexi grimace.

  “A butler, Medin?”

  “It is how Selene and Rhiannon prefer to see me, sir. The good and humble servant.”

  The young man sighed. “Medin, please appear to us as YOU would wish to be seen.”

  “Thank you, Hedric.” The form wavered, and was replaced by a moderately tall, well-proportioned older man. His graying hair was cut short, and a neatly trimmed Van Dyke accented his already long face. His eyes were a glacial gray.

  “Very good.” Lexi murmured approvingly.

  “Thank you, Alexandra.” Medin’s face turned to Hedric. “Now, what can I do for you?”

  “Selene took Alexandra and me to see my father and Anya tonight.”

  “Ah.” The baritone of Medin commented dryly. “That’s why you dropped off the grid. I was looking in the wrong place.”

  “Do you know where they are, then?”

  “Yes sir. They have a residence elsewhere, and only appear in Thalassia when needed. They exist, more or less, at Selene’s sufferance.”

  “Could you remove my father and Anya from Selene’s influence, make them truly independent agents?”

  “Hmmm.” The deep voice mused. “I’ll have to think about that.” There was the briefest of pauses. “I can do it.”

  “I thought you said you were going to think about it.”

  “I did, Hedric. I spent four point seven two zero seconds thinking about it. It was a complex problem, you see.”

  “I don’t see, but I trust you. So, you can remove Jorse and Anya from Selene’s grasp?”

  “No, but I will get Thallia to do it the very next time Selene asks Thallia to transport her somewhere.”

  “And she can do so without Selene knowing it?”

  Medin looked shocked. “Of course. And then what, sir?”

  “Not my call, Medin. Once you free my dad, ask him what he wants to do.”

  Medin was quiet for several minutes. “You’ve grown up in many ways, young Hedric. The planet will flourish under your stewardship. Yours and Miss Alexandra’s.” Lexi stifled a yawn. “Now, if I might suggest, bed for you both, and a good night’s sleep. I will return you during the day tomorrow, and people will be none the wiser.”

  “But where…” The couch they were sitting on stretched and morphed into a huge bed. Lexi grabbed a convenient pillow and shut her eyes with a contented little sigh. Hedric reached out a hand and stroked her fine hair, spread out on the white satin pillowcase. He looked up. “Thank you, Medin. We’ll see you in the morning.” Then he too shut his eyes. Medin stood for a long time, watching the two young people sleep. Finally, he shook out a soft blanket and covered them both, before lowering the fires and finally vanishing.

  Chapter 11

  “Eeeeep!” It was the shrill sound of Lexi’s voice that roused Hedric from his sound sleep. He rolled over and managed to open one eye. The girl sat next to him in the massive bed, blanket pulled up to her chin, staring alternately at Hedric and the sky overhead. Hedric turned his head—and opened his other eye. There hanging in the morning sun was the vast ringed world of Thalassia, in all its splendor. “Eeeeep!” Alexandra repeated. “I wake up to find YOU in bed with me and THAT.” She pointed her nose at the offending planet. “Overhead.”

  “Oh gods…” Hedric pulled the blanket back over his head and rolled over.

  “Oh no, you don’t.” The blanket was torn off of him, and he curled up, shivering. “First of all, how did I wind up in bed with you? I remember leaving…” She paused. “Was that really your father?”

  “Yes.” Hedric said simply.

  She shook her head in wonder. “Answer my question.”

  “I needed to ask Medin a few questions, so we came here. While we were talking you fell asleep. Since I was tired too, Medin made us a bed and this is where we slept.” He put his hands behind his head and stared upward. “Nice view.”

  “The most magnificent view in all creation, and he says ‘nice view.’ ” Her voice dripped sarcasm, but then she too leaned back to admire the view.

  “Tad, wake up!” Someone was shaking him, and he muttered a curse. “Wake up, Tad. The Captain wants to see you, right now.”

  He groaned. “Did you tell her that I worked all night on a bearing shaft, and only got to bed an hour ago?”

  “I did.” Young Doander Feltz looked flustered. “She said to get your ass to her office now. I think you’re in trouble, again.”

  “It won’t be the first time.” Hedric swung his feet to the floor and began trying to find his boots. He wondered what had put the bee in the Captain’s bonnet, this time. He slipped his shoes on, ran his fingers through his hair, and looked at his reflection in his cheap mirror. He needed a shave, but the Captain could take him like he was. “All right Doander. Lead on.” He stumbled out of the room, wondering which possible ass-chewing he was due.

  The young apprentice engineer knocked on the Captain’s door. “The chief engineer is here, ma’am. Just as you asked.”

  “Get your ass in here, Swimming.” Hedric slid into the room, past the Captain’s towering figure, and slipped into a chair. Lexi was already seated on the bed, eyes wide. The Captain glared at the young man in the hallway. “Don’t you have something better to do, Apprentice Engineer Feltz, because if you don’t…”

  “Ah, I do, Captain. I just remembered.” The frightened face turned, and the boy bol
ted down the corridor.

  The door closed slowly, and Captain Isenhart rounded on Hedric. There was a dangerous fire in her eyes. “Tell me what you did with my daughter the other night.”

  Ohhh, it was going to be THAT ass-chewing.

  “I told you that we didn’t do…” Lexi began, in strained voice.

  “Be quiet, Alexandra.” Dolores voice had the force of a whip and the girl shrank back on the bed, spots of red blossoming on her cheeks. “Talk, Hedric.”

  “Selene and Rhiannon dragged us away from the party, because we’d been summoned to meet my father.”

  The Captain looked shocked. “But your father is dead. He died the night you were born. I’ve heard the history.”

  “A fiction, Captain Isenhart, and we met him anyway. Once he shushed the goddesses out of the way, he imparted certain truths to us.”

  “He actually shushed the goddesses away?” There was a trace of awe in her voice.

  “Yup. I thought Selene was going to explode, but she went. An hour later the carriage returned, without the goddesses this time, and we left. By the time we reached the colonel’s estate, all the lights were out and the coach we’d arrived in was gone. We had our own coach drop us at the quay. During the ride I had a few ideas that only Medin could resolve, so we went there and talked with him for a while. Lexi fell asleep on the couch and Medin suggested that we sleep there and come back in the daytime. It sounded like a good plan to me. I was pretty tired too. Medin turned a couch into this absolutely huge bed and we went to sleep in front of the fire, under the stars. I never touched your daughter.”

  “Look at all that good fooling around time we missed.” Lexi grumbled angrily.

  “Alexandra!” Dolores sounded shocked.

  “Well, it’s true. You chewed us out for something we didn’t do. Next time we’ll just do it. You’ll have something to chew us out about, then.” Hedric could almost sense the lightning flashing between mother and daughter.

  Finally Dolores sighed, and lowered her eyes. “You’re not a child any more, Alexandra. You are too old now for me to forbid this to you, so I guess I’ll just have to give you both my blessing, and a warning to be careful. I’ve thought a lot about this since we left New Boston four days ago. Children grow up. Things change.”

  “I noticed one of those changes too.” Hedric said softly, as he rose to sit beside Lexi on the bed. “Wasn’t that Colonel Harrison, seeing you off when we left?” Two spots of color blossomed on the Captain’s cheeks. Hedric chuckled, and turned to Alexandra, taking her hand. “And do you know that you snore at night, my lovely dear?”

  She jerked her hand away. “I do not!” she replied hotly.

  Hedric’s smile was wider. “Oh, but you do. I don’t mind, though; it’s such a warm, comfortable sound.” He reached out and stroked her glossy dark hair. “Your hair was so beautiful that night, under the starlight, spread out on the satin pillow, your face relaxed, defenseless in sleep.” The Captain politely cleared her throat. Hedric tore his gaze from the rapt girl by his side and could feel the flush climbing up his cheeks, heating his ears.

  A warm smile replaced Dolores Isenhart’s icy glower. “I shouldn’t have doubted you, Hedric. You were that close to my sleeping daughter, and you didn’t take advantage of her.”

  “Well, HE may be a gentleman, but I’m sure no lady.” Lexi declared with feeling. “Your pardon, mother; I need to kiss my betrothed.” And she did just that.

  The further south they went, the warmer it got. After three weeks of steady steaming, they arrived at the thriving metropolis of eight thousand. New Atlanta, on the west side of the river, was a gracious city, built in the sweep of a large bay cut out of the bank of the Mississippi by some long forgotten flood and overhung with huge trees dripping green mosses into the water. Scores of small, white hulled fishing boats darted dangerously close to the steamer; fishermen waved madly, idiot grins on their faces. The air was sweet with the scent of flowering plants.

  “They seem very glad to see us, Mister Paul.” Captain Isenhart observed dryly, looking down from the wheelhouse window.

  “They do that, ma’am.” Roland Paul’s deep sonorous voice replied. Originally the ship’s sailing master, Rollie Paul, as he was known to the crew, was now first mate, taking Zebediah Gralt’s place. He pointed a well-muscled arm at the approaching quay. “Looks as if alf the bloody cities out ter greet us, capin.” He grinned widely, showing his brown, tobacco stained teeth. “Should make ourselves a good profit here, by the looks.”

  “I certainly hope so.” She turned her head to regard her chief engineer. “We should be here for three or four days, Mister Swimming. You mentioned that you needed to do work on the starboard side-wheel. You may begin as soon as we dock.”

  Hedric frowned. “We might be able to finish in four days, ma’am. It will probably be a little longer. I wouldn’t want to hold up your schedule.”

  “Begin the work, Mister Swimming. It will take as long as it will take.”

  The boy knuckled his forehead. “Aye, Captain. I’ll notify the engine crew. We’ll begin as soon as you ring the engines off.”

  Under the dazzling morning sun a straining loading crane held the starboard side-wheel suspended several inches above its normal mount, while the three engineers struggled to replace a worn bearing race. It was awkward, difficult and often dangerous work. Right then the Chief Engineer was suspended, head down, in the dark abyss at the center of the side-wheel. And he was swearing…

  “Uh, Tad?”

  There was a bang, and then, “Owww! Owww!” Followed by a string of curses that made Simms wince.

  “Tad, the Captain wants to see you.”

  “All right!” The muffled voice came from the center of the side-wheel. “Just pull on my feet, and help me get out.” Fifteen minutes later the grease covered Chief Engineer was sitting on the deck, sucking an injured thumb.

  “Ahh, Tad, the Capin…”

  “It’s all right, Mister Simms.” Captain Isenhart’s voice was calm and unruffled. “Mister Swimming can remain seated.” A smile creased her tired face. “I think he deserves it.”

  Hedric looked at his greasy hands, and decided not to offer one to the Captain. “Thank you. ma’am. What can I do for you?”

  Her blue eyes sparkled, and Hedric knew immediately that she was up to something. “The crew is having a get together tonight at the best Inn in New Atlanta; the Saint Regis. Since you and Alexandra are both turning, or have just turned fifteen, you are the guests of honor.” The woman stood back and smiled, watching Hedric squirm.

  “It can’t be. I remember the party at the Lion when I turned fourteen. It can’t be a year already.”

  “It is,” she said gently. “Son.”

  Hedric looked up sharply, and caught her eye. There had been no mistaking what he heard, and hot tears sprang to his eyes. “Thank you, Dolores,” he whispered to the deck.

  She stood for a minute, her hand on his shoulder while Hedric Schwendau, the Duke of Dun struggled to get his emotions under control.

  Made entirely of pink granite, the Saint Regis Inn looked a structure imported from another world. Massive columns graced the stately front entrance, leading up from the wide sweep of a white cobblestone drive. As the carriages with the crew pulled up, a bevy of uniformed attendants met them, and assisted their uncomfortable guests out of their transport.

  Inside, a multitude of candles and lamps lit the inn like daylight, and the warm scents of exotic cooking greeted them as they entered the massive front door.

  “What the bloody hells is this?” Simms, sitting on Hedric’s immediate left, was holding up something gingerly in his right hand between thumb and forefinger, like it might bite him.

  Doctor Welter was grinning as he reached over, and pulled the small pink creature from Simms fingers. “This, I believe, is what they call a shrimp.” With a deft maneuver, he dipped it into a small pot of red sauce and popped it into his mouth, biting off the scaly tail he had u
sed as a handle. “Mmmmmm.” A look of bliss crossed his face as he chewed. His eyes opened and his hand moved toward Simms’s plate. “Well, if you don’t want yours…”

  “Git yer bleedin paws outa my food, ye thief!” Simms stabbed down with a fork, missing the doctor’s hand by only a hair. Hedric heard Lexi laugh.

  A cold chill ran up Hedric’s back as he sat and looked around the table at all the smiling, laughing faces. He wondered, deep in his soul, just how many would survive to the next year. A young serving girl came by with a tray of tall, mint flavored local drinks, and the sailors began to get raucous. Hedric shrugged off his melancholy, and sipped his drink. Further down the table a sailor raised his glass and called Happy Birthday. Returning the laughter, Hedric and Alexandra raised theirs.

  “I need to talk with you, Captain.” It was one day over his deadline, and the boilers were building up steam for their continued journey. Hedric wiped his dirty hands on his pants.

  Sensing his mood, Dolores asked quietly. “My office, or will the fo'c'sle do?”

  “The fo'c'sle would be fine.” Hedric waited until they were well away from other sailors before he began. “I replaced the bearing race in the starboard side-wheel, Captain. While I was at it I checked the port side-wheel as well. That race is fine.” He took a deep breath. “The problem is that the wood itself is rotting, and being eaten by worms. I fixed what I could, and that’s why it took me so long. We might have six or eight months left in the wheels.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say.”

  Dolores Isenhart stared out over the harbor, not seeing the fishing boats, or the diving gulls. “My husband, just before he died, told me that the worms had gotten into the side-wheels, and nothing short of a miracle would see us past three years. That was four years ago. You were our miracle, and now you tell me we have six or eight months left? It’s almost too good to be true. I’ve been saving our profits against this day. Six months would mean three more profitable ports. Then we can head back for New Boston and look for a new ship.”