by S D Taylor
Dara was in a happy mood and greeted Doug and Erin with a hug for each of them. Her thoughts were just a brief “Thank you for trusting me.”
Doug looked at her as normally as possible, but he was sure that someone studying his face could have detected the brief sense of fear and disbelief as this woman he had been told was the embodiment of evil hugged him. Above all, Doug was a pro. He got over it quickly and smiled at her. “It is good to see you, Dara. Can you introduce me to your boys?” He said it out loud and she answered simply, “Sure. This is Jontu. And this is Larn.”
While Doug was talking to Dara’s boys, Jelk came into the lobby from the opposite side accompanied by a beautiful young woman and child. Erin assumed that this was Jelk’s wife and young daughter. She walked across to meet them.
“Hello, Jelk. This must be your family.”
Jelk walked across the lobby with his vaguely insect-like stride. It never failed to produce a visceral reaction of horror from Erin but she managed to contain her emotions and keep the bright smile in place. Jelk smiled as he introduced his wife and daughter. “This is Olunda and our daughter Jinnee.”
Olunda was striking in appearance, with short black hair, very dark skin, large expressive eyes and a bright happy smile. “I am very pleased to meet you, Erin. Jelk has told me about you and Doug. I am glad the two of you have found each other. It is a wonderful thing to fall in love.”
Erin smiled back at her, finding it hard to imagine anyone could fail to smile back at Olunda. Her smile was infectious and she seemed just as nice as her appearance indicated. Erin bent down and offered her hand to little Jinnee, who was half hiding behind Olunda’s flowing white garment. “Hi, Jinnee. I’m Erin.”
Jinnee was timid, but she took Erin’s hand in her tiny little hand and gave it a single firm shake. “Nice to meet you.”
Erin was surprised at how clearly she spoke but she decided Jinnee must be slightly older than she looked. Erin had taken her to be around three years old at first glance.
“Did you see the fish over there, Jinnee?”
“Yes, but my poppa told me that if I got too close, they might eat me.”
The little girl smiled her mother’s smile, indicating that she knew this was a joke from her poppa, but a joke that she liked very much.
Erin smiled and nodded. “You must be careful when the fish are that big.”
The older Doug had joined them and Erin realized why everyone seemed focused on the time. They were not eating at the hotel. A shuttle bus pulled up in the circle drive in front of Ponder and with Dara’s prompting, they all loaded into it along with an equal number of strangers who were staying at the hotel. Erin assumed that the dinner arrangements were not unique to her party and she had that confirmed when the shuttle pulled onto the main road and joined three other shuttles that were all heading down the coast.
“Where are we going?” Without intending to, Erin ended up sitting next to Dara on the small schoolbus size seats.
“There is a nice restaurant on top of that mountain. The one to the left up ahead. My late husband and I used to go there and I thought all of us would enjoy it. And I get a discount since I am a frequent visitor.”
Erin turned and looked at her with surprise but Dara only smiled.
“Is it so very hard for you to realize that down deep inside, I am just a normal person with a family, a dog and a house. And yes, the occasional discount. I am not defined by my work, despite what you may think of me.”
“You surprise me, Dara. But I appreciate your complexities better now. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us.”
Dara looked at Erin and held her glance for a moment. “You’re welcome. I am glad to share our country with you as well. I hope you are enjoying some aspects of it.”
“Absolutely. It is interesting to me on so many levels. I am enjoying the chance to see it all and experience it. Too bad it wasn’t under different circumstances.”
“I understand. I hope you enjoy the dinner.”
The shuttles were moving slowly around the curving road as it turned inland and started to climb slightly. Before long they reached the entrance for an aerial tram. They all got off the bus and headed into a large silver A-frame building. It was similar to a ski resort lodge and had a similar look and feel. The tram was one of the larger ones that Erin had seen and held nearly forty people. They were soon loaded on board and it sped up the mountain on an overhead track.
The three children gathered by the railing and looked at the ground receding below them as Erin stood nearby leaning against Doug as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"Penny for your thoughts." He thought to her through their link.
She smiled at the joke. "What happened at home since I have been visiting this charming world?"
"I spent a lot of time being very angry about losing you. The zap from our mechanical dinner companion left me paralyzed for a day. Tom and Megan ended up in a fight with the hover vehicle and lost. But the Haida picked them up and they made it back to camp. That's about when the girls showed up and captured me."
"Captured you? This has to be a story worth hearing."
"I was paralyzed. Ying was taking care of me. Alannah and Katelyn burst through the tent flap waving their AK-47s and spitting out orders."
"Wow, the girls sound like chips off the old block. It must have been a proud moment in a future dad kind of way."
"You would love them. They are tough little versions of you, raised out in a wild place and ready to wrestle bears if needed. But they have a fundamental sweetness in them. They got their good looks from you. No doubt about that."
Erin felt the same old emotions tugging at her as she considered the life she would miss out on and how she kept wishing things had gone differently. She would have liked to have seen the girls growing up. But that was the life of the other Doug and Erin. The life they had lived already before they were pulled back in time. She had to stop dwelling on her what might have been.
She suddenly realized that Doug was “hearing” her thoughts. "Did you hear my angst?"
"More felt it than heard it. This link seems to convey feelings even if we don't put them in words. It is pretty scary to think they could create this technology. However it works. If they ever thoughtlinked to you and didn't have good intentions, they could mess up your mind pretty easily."
Erin wondered even now. "How can we be certain that all this vacation stuff is on the level?"
"We can't, but what choice do we have? Their technology completely removes my usual tricks to elude, confuse or fight. You are monitored and stopped the minute you try anything. So without their help, we would have no chance. If they turn on us and this is all sham, then we are no worse off than before." Doug left out Jelk's and Dara's names, just in case.
"But now that you are here, I am worried for you."
"Can't you see that this is exactly where I want to be? Here with you? To face whatever comes, even if it turns out to be death?"
"I am glad you are here, but I would rather you were safe back home."
"Well remember I wasn't 'home' anyway and the past two weeks have been anything but safe. Hoping to find a way to save you is the only thing that kept me going."
Erin let her feelings respond rather than think anything further. Doug could feel the love she had for him. And her joy and relief at his commitment to saving her.
He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips. Then they looked at the spectacular view of the bay with the mountains all around for the remainder of the short tram ride.
Jelk and the older, bearded Doug had been standing at the front of the tram discussing Lopfa.
"How long has it been here?" Doug knew there were towns in this area in his time but he wondered if the area had been depopulated during the difficult times over the past three hundred years.
"The town was revived about one hundred years ago. It was abandoned for a long time after the great plagues and it took some l
and developers to realize that it had potential as a vacation spot for people in Transarctica. The weather moderation really sealed the deal. But most of the hotels and this tram are part of a development plan from five years ago." Jelk was an excellent source of knowledge. If the kidnap and torture gig ever dried up, he might want to consider being a tour guide.
Doug looked out over the panoramic views in all directions. "It seems like they have succeeded in creating a popular destination. And the short travel time from Selenton makes it an easy decision. Is the cost reasonable for the local people from Selenton?"
"It is moderately expensive. Probably forty percent of the people in Transarctica could vacation here without having to save credits ahead of time. That is enough to keep most of the hotels full in the summer season."
Doug wondered if this stream of small talk was helping with their overall cover story. He noticed Erin and Doug making eyes at each other but not talking and he was concerned the watchers would somehow figure out about the thoughtlink. He still wasn't comfortable with Dara's explanation of how the technology had been developed and kept hidden. Every time he thoughtlinked he had a feeling that he was on the verge of being discovered. He felt like the guy in the prison camp movie who is digging a tunnel. He knew that discovery would probably lead to summary execution and he had seen enough of those to last him the rest of his life.
Dara came up and put her hand briefly on his shoulder and sent him a quick thought. "Be sure those two don't overdo the link."
"Don't worry. They need to catch up, but I will tell them to cool it a bit."
"Thanks. All our lives depend on keeping the telepathic technology secret. All our lives. Even the little ones."
They were nearly at the end of the tram ride and she went to collect the children. Doug stared at this woman who was such an unbelievable mixture of contradictions. She would have been a great spy he thought to himself.
Olunda looked at Doug with a smile, but said nothing.
"What is it, Dear?" Jelk asked softly.
"Oh, I am sorry to be so obvious, but I am fascinated by Doug's beard and gray hair. The legends we hear talk about the wisdom of those with many years, but I have never been around those who possess such age and such wisdom."
Doug laughed out loud at that comment, then regretted it immediately when he saw that he was suddenly the center of everyone's attention on the small tram car. But he kept smiling and Jelk chuckled along with him.
Olunda look puzzled. "Did I say something inappropriate?"
"Not at all, Olunda. I just wish my wife could have heard the comment about my wisdom. She would have found it amusing."
Erin turned to the younger version of Doug and said, "I just can't wait for that level of wisdom to set in with you."
He winked at her. "With you to steer me in the right direction, it could happen any day now."
Chapter 40
The tram made a dramatic arrival at the top of sheer rock face, entering into an opening that had been carved out of the rock. The tram technology was similar in appearance to what Erin had seen before, but there was a rigid track that the tram rode along on rather than a moving cable. It slid along without any obvious gears or rollers so she assumed it must be powered and controlled by magnetism. They had passed the twin tram halfway up as it carried an earlier group back to the base.
The restaurant was called “Eagle Flight” and featured a view to match the name. It was shaped like a giant silver and glass mushroom sitting right on top of a ridge that commanded a view in nearly every direction. The entire upper section rotated slowly, making a complete circle every thirty minutes. The rotation ensured that all the tables had an equal and outstanding view.
There was a long moving stairway from the tram plaza to the entrance to the restaurant. The two Doug’s stood next to each other and made a brief link. “Ease up on the links with Erin. Dara is worried we are going to be discovered and killed.”
“I thought it was pretty safe.”
“Well when your kids are involved, you raise the bar on safety.”
“Got it. Sorry.” He stepped back from where their shoulder had been touching and said, “What type of food do they serve here, Dara?”
She turned and smiled. “It is an Asian-themed restaurant with traditional Chinese and Indian dishes. Some of them are quite spicy, which is a real departure from our usual Transarctican fare. I hope you like it.”
Doug tried to envision how Chinese and Indian food he was familiar with would come together. He remembered eating at a Mexican restaurant in Munich that featured the use of Indian spices in their enchiladas. It wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t what he had expected. It would be interesting to see what three hundred years had done to the cuisine of Asia. Since both Chinese and Indian cultures went back many thousands of years, a few hundred was hardly a blip. He wished he could just order sesame chicken with fried rice and a bowl of hot and sour soup.
“Did they tell you that they have done away with eating meat?” The older Doug leaned over and spoke quietly to his younger version. “Fish and meat alternatives like tofu are the only choices we are likely to find.”
“Sounds healthy. Sort of a contradiction that they eat a healthy diet here but won’t live long enough to benefit from it.”
“It is all about the conservation of resources. But the dinner we had the other night at Fishtara was pretty good. Give it a chance.”
“I plan to, don’t worry. All that kayaking got me pretty hungry. And after the past couple of weeks, just sitting down at a table to eat is going to be a pretty welcome experience.” Doug was looking forward to eating at a restaurant of any kind. It would certainly be better than the pot luck cuisine they had been eating on the island.
Erin and Olunda were watching over the three children. Erin chatted about the weather, the town of Lopfa, and the hotel. But she stayed away from discussing Jelk out of fear of revealing her mixed emotions about him to Olunda. Or even revealing what he did for a living. Surely his wife must know such things, but with the children there it seemed best to stay on the simple, safe topics.
“Are you going to marry Doug someday? The younger one, that is?” Olunda laughed at having to make the clarification.
Erin realized she didn’t even know if Olunda knew about the vortex and how the two Dougs were really related. “I don’t know. He hasn’t asked me to marry him.”
“So you are just lovers. It must be wonderful for you to feel such love.”
“Who said we were lovers?”
“It is pretty obvious to me. The way you look at each other. The way you seem to communicate without even saying anything.”
“Holy crap,” Erin thought. Were we that obvious? She and Doug could have put everyone at risk. “You are right, of course. Doug and I are very close. We have shared a great deal of adventure together and he is a wonderful person. I owe him my life.”
“I feel the same way about Jelk. He rescued me during the war, almost ten years ago. If it wasn’t for him, I would have certainly died. I think I fell in love with him the first time I saw him.”
Erin was dumbfounded as to what to say next. The usual comments about his eyes, his muscles, his handsome face were drowned out by Erin’s thoughts of his metal arms and legs, and his insect-like manner of walking.
Olunda had heard all those comments and didn’t wait for Erin to sort it out. “I know he is different from other men. The life of a hybroman is one of service to the country and a fearless devotion to duty. But down inside, they are no different than any other men. Maybe better, really. Their devotion and courage make them wonderful partners. And I never have to worry about my safety. People see I am with Jelk and they never dare comment that I am a foreigner in Transarctica.”
“Do people worry about such things? Would they normally comment on foreigners?”
“Oh, yes. Many people here are frustrated that outsiders like us do not have the same age restrictions as the native population. The law is absolute
now based on a recent ruling that each individual is allowed thirty-six years in Transarctica but it isn’t thirty-six years of age. They want the age to be absolute if there has to be a limit. Right now, you and the Dougs could stay here for thirty-six years, regardless of your chronological age.”
“Why don’t people leave Transarctica when they are getting close to thirty-six years old?”
“None of the other five countries will allow it. It is prohibited by treaty. And besides, the Yir-Lak Command would never permit people to leave. It is not part of their plan. They like to control things. If they could set the time that the sun rises and sets they would do it.”
Erin wanted to ask her many more questions but Dara waved to them to catch up as she walked the short distance from the end of the moving steps to the restaurant entrance. The large double doors opened onto the interior of the tubular section that held up the larger mushroom-shaped upper floors. A very unique escalator curled around the tubular structure, completing a complete circle on the way up to the restaurant.
The main dining area reminded Doug of the Space Needle restaurant in Seattle. There were tables arranged on two tiers on the outside of the circle with the kitchen in the center. It took three of the tables to accommodate their party and they were soon digging in to a spicy lentil soup with nan that had garlic, onions and potatoes inside it. There was a very interesting purple dipping sauce that Doug had never tasted. It seemed to change flavors several times as you chewed your food.
“What is this, Dara? It seems to be alive.”
“That is Unhvo sauce. It is a new item that is made from a selection the new evolving chemicals combined with a plum and apple juice base. The ingredients are suspended in tiny capsules that open up at different rates once they encounter human saliva. It has a twelve second rating which means that it will continue to produce unique flavors for up to twelve seconds of chewing.”
