He was also glad they added the outriggers. They gave the boat stability and allowed them to skim the surface, resulting in a relatively smooth ride. Also, it would be very hard to roll the ship, which increased his confidence.
Falkor turned out to be in his element. They discovered he was not a total vegetarian, but also enjoyed catching and eating fish, and was quite adept at it. He would stand at the bow, raise his wings, and let the wind lift him into the air. Then he would circle the surface fifty feet off the water and suddenly dive, bringing a wriggling fish out of the water clutched in his talons.
He always brought the fish to Al before eating them, to see if his master wanted it. A few times Al accepted the offering, which made Falkor hop with pleasure. The fish was cooked and provided a nice change from the survival food that sustained them.
When the sun became a problem, they stopped long enough to erect a sun shade. Chris had incorporated a design of his own and installed supports that could be quickly raised. He then unrolled a sturdy cloth from front to back and tied the sides to the supports. The screen provided instant shade that the wind wouldn’t harm and did not block the elevated solar panel.
With the boat stopped, they were surprised by the stillness around them. There was no wind, and the surface was as close to glass as it was going to get. The water was clear, and the seafarers noticed occasional movement below the boat. There was life here, avoiding the noise and movements of the craft bobbing above them. Al panned the horizon looking for birds, or anything resembling land and saw blue sky and a bluer ocean that became one in the distance.
“Times a wasting. Let’s get underway again,” declared Al.
Chris headed for the controller. “Good idea. This quiet is a little weird. But if it is all like this, this trip will be a breeze!”
Al sighed, considering the odds, “We can only hope. It might be a good idea to make the best of it.” He said to Chris, “Full speed ahead, Captain.”
****
The day turned to night, and the weather held. It gave them time to talk as the boat sped westward. Kira and Al were leaning against the railing, watching the water pass. Clouds were gathering to the East, and the sun was setting before them, lighting the clouds with a warm glow.
He said, “I haven’t seen much of you, Kira, how are your people handling all this?”
She was silent for a moment, watching something without focusing.
“They miss the safety of the caves. Living in the open as your people do is new to them, and a little frightening. If we could find a place where they have nothing to fear, and they spend some time in the open, I think they will feel better.”
“Do you think they would be happier if we found some caves they could live in?”
“No. The Sansi have tasted the night air and fallen in love with the stars. My father believes we must learn to live with our neighbors—and not hide in caves.”
“Your father is a wise man. I have a lot of respect for him.”
“He will be glad to hear that. He has much respect for you.”
Al became uncomfortable when the conversation turned to him, so he asked, “A lot has changed for you too. How are you doing?”
“I cannot explain how I feel because I am still trying to understand. I miss Toji. He was to be my prince, and I rejected him for Jesse. If I had stayed with my people, I would probably still have my legs, and I would have Toji. But I like my new legs, and I like Jesse. It is all very confusing.”
“What happened to Toji was not your fault.”
“If I had stayed at home, he would not have thought I needed saving.”
“He was a good man, and would probably have come to help us even if you weren’t there.”
“I just wish I had been kinder to him.”
Al was unsure what to say. This poor girl’s life had changed so drastically, as had his, that he could understand her feelings. There were moments in his short life he would like to change. Decisions he made that could have been better.
He told her something the captain once said to him, “The past cannot be changed. We must concentrate on the future. The future is what we are doing right now—on this boat. I think Toji would be proud.”
It was a small boat, and Chris could not help out overhear. He added to Al’s statement. “Al is right Kira. Toji would be proud of you, and we can’t go back—only forward. I for one, am anxious to see what lies ahead.”
All three agreed.
****
It seemed that one minute it was dark, and then it was not. As soon as the sun peeked above the horizon, night time was vanquished. The Mariners experienced a sunrise to remember that exploded with color before them. The water was tranquil, and the little craft moved without effort, eating away the distance to their destination.
Thin waterlogged clouds hugged the skyline, and diffused the light of the rising sun into bands of red, orange, and yellow, with every combination in-between.
It was a glorious spectacle of Mother Nature’s splendor. One of those experiences that remain in memory for the rest of your life.
“This alone makes our journey worthwhile,” remarked Chris. “I think we need a short video.”
Chris and Al took a moment to capture the view with their data pads. The smells, the taste of the salty air or the feelings associated with being in the moment could not be recorded, but they would have the images to help them remember.
“That is the best sunrise I have ever seen. It means this will be a good day,” said Kira.
She was half right.
The clouds increased as the morning progressed, and then grew dark. By late afternoon, it was evident they were headed into the middle of a storm. They double checked their stores were properly lashed down, and executed the preparations necessary for rough weather. Lightning began to flash between clouds as the sun went down, and the wind picked up making the water choppy.
Al peered ahead with concern, as the waves got taller and pounded at the bow, causing a dramatic slowdown in their progress. He said, “I don’t like the looks of this.”
“Do you want to try and go around?” asked Chris.
“Look how big this thing is. I don’t think we can get out of its way.”
Al decided to play it safe.
“Shut down the engine, and everybody get below. We are going to ride it out.”
They grabbed their data pads, and the few items not tied down and turned to the hatch. Falkor stood on the deck watching and did not seem to agree with their decision. He squawked, walked in a circle, and turned to peer again at his fellow travelers. He was trying to tell them something, but what?
“Come on Falkor, let’s get below,” said Al.
The little dragon made it obvious he did not want to go below. For a long moment, he looked for signs of their understanding and saw none. Then he spread his wings and took to the sky, heading up until he became lost in the clouds. All their cries did not convince him to return.
They waited until the combination of wind and waves made it hard to stand, and Al called it. “We have to go—and now. Maybe he figures he’s safer in the air. Disconnect the drive controller and bring it with us, Chris. If we lose control of the drive, we are done,” said Al.
When they were all in the hold, Al closed the hatch and latched it. He placed lanterns at both ends, and they lashed themselves into their hammocks. All the things that made his dream so traumatic, he had changed, hoping they could get through this with their skins intact.
The storm quickly grew stronger, and the boat rose and fell with the ocean; fighting to stay above the churning sea. The wind howled and roared as if alive and screamed at the vessel to succumb to its fury.
They made no attempt to talk, the tumult outside overriding any form of speech. Gigantic waves lifted the tiny craft higher and higher until it reached the peak, and then it would drop, crashing into the arms of the furious ocean. Everything shook, and ropes came loose. A portion of the supplies stored in the hold broke
loose, and bounced around following the movements of the boat, at times becoming missiles to be avoided.
There was no sleeping. Most of the night the three mariners lay in their bunks, listening to the sounds of their craft being ravaged by the tempest, and hoped it would soon be over.
As quickly as the storm overtook them, it let them go. The sea settled, and grew calm, the angry wind and towering waves following the storm, leaving an ominous quiet.
“I do not feel so good. My insides are all mixed up,” remarked Kira.
Chris was undoing the restraints that held him in his hammock and replied, “I don’t feel so good myself. That was some storm.”
Al said, “I’ll know better how I feel once we get up top and assess the damage.”
The high-tech hull coating that Chris applied had done its job, and only a few inches of water sloshed around in the hold. The boxes that contained the components of the teleporter were still secure and undamaged, waiting for the conclusion of their journey. Chris undogged the hatch and threw it open, and water splashed on his head. He hardly noticed. Climbing the ladder one by one, they learned the truth of their situation.
Even in the dark, they could see the supplies stored above were gone. The net between the outriggers was no longer there, lost sometime during the storm. The pilot house was missing, ripped from the deck with only broken scraps of wood left where the screws once held it down.
“It’s all gone!” cried Chris.
Circles of light from their flashlights shone around the wet deck and revealed more.
Al added, “The solar panel is gone. We won’t be able to re-charge the power cell.”
Kira sat down; finding it difficult to stand, unconscious of the water she sat in. “We cannot go on?” she asked.
Time was passing, and Al wanted to get underway again. “Yes, we can. We’re not done yet. The ship appears to be sound—so, get us pointed west again Chris, and we’ll go until we run out of juice. The cell had a full charge when we shut the drive down and should last for a while. The next time we have to stop we can discuss our options.
****
The boat was lighter, which allowed them to go faster, and the sea remained calm. The wind in their hair and the speed of the water going by made it seem they were just short of flying. The sun came up, with no sign of Falkor, and the three of them grew progressively more concerned. They spent the morning searching the water below and the skies above, looking for any sign of their lost companion.
Just before noon, Al noticed a dot far in the distance ahead. He pointed it out to Kira and Chris, but it was a minute before they spotted it. The dot gradually flattened out, and changed to a short, thin line, horizontal to the horizon; waving in the wind. The line grew, and the ends began to flap until it morphed into a flying creature, heading out of the West in their direction.
Faster than Al would have thought possible, the creature buzzed by overhead, and screamed in delight. It was a bright green lizard with wings, and he was making no attempt to hide. His wing strokes were powerful, and he navigated the sky with little effort. Falkor had returned, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Cheers rose from the relieved seafarers, as the dragon made a wide circle to get behind them, matched their speed, and landed lightly on the speeding deck. They gathered around him and petted his head, telling him what a great dragon he was. He was as happy as they were and bounced up and down to lick their faces, forcing them to stand back while they laughed.
Kira, the person closest to him, noticed something different. “He has dried mud on his feet.”
Caked mud covered his claws, clear up to the ankles. Pieces were flaking off, turning again to wet dirt as the water on deck washed over them.
Realization dawned on them, and Al stated the unmistakable. “There is land ahead. We are almost there!”
Chapter Fifteen
It was not long after Falkor’s return that the drive unit quit. The energy cell powering it died, and the sound of rushing water faded. The boat sat down in the water and slowed until the ripples on each side dissipated.
They were adrift and left roasting in the sun; bobbing gently with the ocean.
“What now, Al?”
“I’m not sure—still thinking.”
Just for a second, Kira got a whiff of something. She said, “I think I smelled flowers.”
Falkor was curled up in his place at the bow, but now he got up and started acting like he had something to say. He took to the air and circled the boat. He would squawk each time he headed west, silently circle, and do it again. He did this several times and then landed on the deck; tilting his head with questioning looks.
“I think he’s telling us we are not far away,” said Al.
“That’s my guess,” replied Chris.
Kira nodded her head vigorously. “We must find a way to continue. Our paradise is not far away.”
Al had been in situations like this before, and he made some mistakes. Those mistakes, not always foreseeable or his fault, still haunted him. But he had learned some valuable lessons and used that knowledge when planning this trip to maximize the chances of success. He built in backup plans.
“Chris, do you want to know why Kira is with us?” he asked.
“Because she’s a lot of fun and laughs a lot?”
Kira smiled and lowered her head; embarrassed.
Al grinned. “Yes and no. The main reason she is here is that she is a strong swimmer. If by chance, we were left adrift and ran out of options, we have two strong swimmers aboard. I think it’s possible we can pull the boat.”
“Do you think so?”
“Do you have any other ideas?”
“None that come to mind. You will need to be careful and not overdo it. She is only a girl you know.”
He avoided the first swipe by ducking, but she got him with the second.
Al laughed and said, “I will match my speed to hers. But first, we have to find something we can use for rope. Let’s see what we can find below.”
****
Elizabeth and Tammy, when they outfitted the boat, had been thinking ahead also. When the stranded sailors opened the crates, they found a hidden treasure. In one of the first boxes they opened, Al found a note from his wife.
Just in case things go wrong, as they seem to do with you, Tammy and I have added a backup set of Emergency supplies. You will find extra rations of food, fire starters, a tent that sleeps three, a water recycler, and other assorted useful items.
Let nothing stop you from completing your mission.
We anxiously await word of your safe arrival.
Signed with Love,
Elizabeth and Tammy
P.S. Your power must be used wisely. Act accordingly!
In one box marked ‘Teleporter Cables’, Chris found two packages of Military grade parachute cord. They were small packs, but in times like these—priceless. Each package contained two hundred and fifty feet of weaved nylon line. Originally intended for parachutes, the eighth-inch all-purpose rope was durable and incredibly strong.
“That is one smart mom you have Chris,” said Al.
Chris smiled knowingly and replied, “She is, isn’t she? I have a pretty smart wife too. We are lucky men.”
“Yes Chris, we are, aren’t we?”
In another box, they found a grappling gun for ascending steep slopes, and two climbing harnesses.
“We can wear the harnesses, and fasten the Paracord to the tie-downs to pull the boat. We have everything we need. Let’s get going,” suggested Al.
A picture of the first watcher’s demise popped into Chris’ head. “What if you run into one of those sea snakes?”
“If we do, I want you to shoot it. You have your rifle. Don’t be afraid to use it.”
They grabbed the gear and headed back above deck. Al tied one end of each Paracord to the railing at the point of the bow. Kira and Al donned the harnesses, and Al looped the other end of the cord through the tie-downs on e
ach harness, and again to the bow railing.
“There, now we have a double line tying us to the ship. Are you ready Kira?”
There was no wind, and the waves were mild. She answered, “Am I ready to find land? Nothing can stop me!”
Chris and Kira had seen Al transform before, but it was still something to see. He sat on the rail, closed his eyes, and muttered the key phrase that turned on the potential of his robotic body. They watched as he changed and were again amazed.
With a quick nod, they jumped overboard. Al swam to the left, and Kira to the right. Appearing like two oversized orange bobbers, they gradually took out the slack in the lines and started the boat moving. Al had to gauge himself carefully with Kira, but soon they were once again moving forward. They weren’t skimming over the water as they had, but they were once again underway.
****
They swam for two hours, then stopped so Kira could rest. She had cybernetic legs, but the rest of her was not. Even with her extraordinary prosthetics, swimming with a forty foot boat tied to your back is tiring.
After Al had powered down, Chris asked how his power reserves were holding out. Al told him over eighty percent, which concerned the young man.
“Only eighty percent? You seem to be using your power pack faster this time around. Do you want me to try swimming for a while? I’m a decent swimmer.”
“No Chris, I don’t think you would be able to keep up with Kira. Don’t worry; we’ll be fine.”
They rested for thirty minutes and prepared themselves to return to the water. When Al effected the change from normal to enhanced, he used his advanced eyesight to scan the water ahead of them.
Thera Page 12
