Paul slowed his own pace a bit and allowed the two hunters to get a distance ahead. He then clicked on the communication system, “Tiffany? Please respond.”
“I am here Paul. I am monitoring your progress. I have audio and visual links with all three of you.”
“Excellent. We will need your help. They wanted us to swim!” Paul complained.
“Yes, I heard. I will continue to monitor the conversations,” Tiffany responded.
The river was not far, and a well utilized trail was between the river and the town. In the dim night-time light Brinley barely noted that the river ran diagonally to the dim sky tube overhead. The river was very straight and the water flowed at a gentle pace, and had a different smell than the waters around Inaccessible Island. They continued to follow the pathway as it ran parallel to the riverbank.
As they followed the river away from the town, the sky tube began to gradually light up the entire habitat. From one end of the sky to the other the sky tube grew in brightness. The sounds of the habitat’s day awakening were myriad and diverse. Birds flew up and around and then dove to barely skim the surface of the river waters. Small animals ran across the pathway and into the grasses. Other things climbed up or down the trees which were clumped at intervals.
“Up ahead is something interesting for you who do not know animals,” Sibat teased. “Watch that open area of ground near the river.”
Moving slowly from the water to the land was a long and low animal of some kind. It was about four meters long and less than a meter tall. It was brownish color with deeper brown, almost gray colored blotchy spots. Its skin was hard looking with multiple ridges and bumps all over its body from its long blunt nose to its tapering tail. Its belly was a lighter buff color. Its four legs were stubby and set out to the sides more than underneath.
“It is not purple, but it looks like a mugger,” Gretchen said, recalling the display she had seen in front of the Purple Mugger Tavern.
“Is that the hippo thing we are searching for?” Paul asked.
The Longinus and Sibat both began to laugh.
Tiffany then made contact with Brinley, Paul, and Gretchen, “That is a carnivore, either of the crocodilians type or the alligatoridae type. From this distance, and the limited historical records from before the Great Event, I cannot determine the exact species. It is highly dangerous, but moves at a slow speed on land. It is probably more of a water hunter, as they were reported to be very good swimmers.”
“That is a crocodile, also called an alligator. I have traded sometimes for items made from that,” Brinley stated. “We best keep our distance.”
The Longinus and Sibat quit laughing and looked at Brinley with better respect.
“Yes, you are correct,” the Longinus admitted. “There are usually several along this way. I see only this one today. The others must be in the water, hunting. They are excellent hunters and to be admired for their skills. The others will probably come out to this beach to bask in the warmth of the sky tube later.”
“That was well done, Brinley,” Tiffany stated over a private channel.
“I have known about these animals for a while, but never seen one before,” Brinley stated both for the hunters’ and for Tiffany’s benefit.
Tiffany then shifted back to a channel for all three and said into their ears, “I have been researching the term ‘hippo’ that the hunters are discussing. The records are limited, and I conjecture that they are referring to hippopotamus amphibious. Those animals were reported as having large heads, enormous mouths with tusk like teeth which were reported at being one half meter long, fat and barrel-shaped torsos, and short legs. Their weight was reported at 1,500 kilograms. They stood about one and one half meters tall. They may appear as dark taupe to deep brownish color. Again, this is a conjecture, and may not reflect the animal which the hunters are describing. I am sorry that I am lacking in more information.”
“You are doing fine,” Gretchen said aloud.
“Thank you!” Sibat answered. “Our hunt is progressing well. We will be at the fisherman’s pier soon and acquire our boat.”
They walked on without further comment. The land started to have some small grassy covered rolling hills, along with the occasional copse of trees. The birds were flying high on the air, and the river was flowing by near them. The light from the sky tube was warm and soothing, but there was a certain foul odor which was wafting around them. It started as barely noticeable, but then progressed to be a constant annoyance.
“What is that smell?” Paul asked.
“We will find out soon enough. The fisherman’s pier is up ahead,” the Longinus stated.
“Longinus?” Sibat asked. “Where are the animals?”
“What animals? More chimpanzees? Or those superbly tall things you said were not a threat?” Paul looked around and around. The grasses on all sides of him showed no visible animals. The clumps of trees did not have jumping black forms. The ground underfoot felt the same. He did look more carefully at the hills which offered some places for animals to hide, but saw no motion of any animal.
“I too am asking myself that question,” the Longinus responded. “It has been many paces since I have seen the normal levels of faunal activity.” She gripped her spear in a more utilitarian way, rather than the transport manner she had used.
The fisherman’s pier was pair of permalloy houses, very similar to those in the town of Barnaul, set very close to each bank of the river. A narrow walkway made from ropes passed between the two roofs some four or five meters above the river. There were doors on each roof which opened to where the rope walkway connected. There were also small docks where boats could be tied in place. However, there were no boats anywhere to be seen.
“Hogan?” the Longinus called out. “Hogan? Where are you?”
There was no answer.
“Longinus, Hogan the fisherman was aware we were coming. I know he is old and has a hearing problem, so I will investigate this house, and if he is not here, I will run across to the other house,” Sibat said.
“Go!” the Longinus motioned with her arm as she commanded.
Sibat, spear in hand, entered the house. A few moments later he emerged from the door on the roof. “No one is here. The home is well tended and no signs of trouble. I will cross over to the other side.”
“You three, stay together and keep watch. Something is not right here,” the Longinus crouched and was magnificently alert.
Sibat nimbly ran across the rope overpass which consisted of three horizontal main strands, one on the bottom and one on each side at waist height, connected by vertical ties. The rope overpass swayed a bit, but Sibat never missed a step as he ran. He disappeared into the doorway on the other house.
“If no one is here, what do we do?” Paul asked.
“First,” the Longinus replied, “we establish where fisherman Hogan is located. Then we take the next steps depending on what we find. Only a fool rushes into the lion’s mouth.”
“What?” Paul asked.
Tiffany connected with Paul on a private link, “She is using a local idiom which I conjecture is a warning against acting with excessive haste or impetuosity, and without due or proper consideration of the situation and implications of action.”
“Thanks,” Paul muttered.
Sibat came racing back across the rope overpass, entered through the roof door, and then exited out on the main level.
“Longinus, there is nothing at the other house either. No notices, or reports or plans of action,” Sibat reported. “No boats are here, no swimming gear, and no weapons at all. Every spear case is empty.”
“Empty?” the Longinus asked. “Every one?”
“Yes, I was surprised as well,” Sibat answered.
“Why does that matter?” Paul asked.
“Paulie, please stop asking questions and just listen to these people,” Brinley said. “This is their habitat and they know what they are doing.”
“A spear-less hous
e is an undefended house,” the Longinus stated. Her eyes were searching everywhere.
“The house we stayed in last night did not have any spears,” Paul muttered.
“That is because no one lives there,” the Longinus replied. “There is nothing to defend.”
“Without a boat, or the proper protective gear for deep water swimming, we must use our wits,” the Longinus said. “The hippos usually graze on the far side of the river. We will cross over here, and then proceed up along the bank and assess their status. I am uncertain what we will find. There are far too few animals here, and the waters of the river are murky and unsettled.”
Sibat reentered the house, followed by Brinley, Paul, Gretchen, and then the Longinus. There were furnishings much like what they had seen in the town of Barnaul, but this house also had a spiral stairway which led to the roof. By the time Brinley was at the roof door, Sibat was already across the overpass and standing at the roof door to the other house.
“Go one at a time,” the Longinus ordered. “Sibat and I will keep watch.”
Brinley started out on the rope overpass, but found it difficult to walk on the single strand of rope and carry her spear. She then set the spear perpendicular to the overpass and on top of the two side ropes. That way she was able to use her hands to both hold the rope and the spear at the same time. Her pace quickened and she passed over.
“You have a hunter’s heart in you!” Sibat said as she reached the opposite side. “Go down and wait at the exit door.”
Paul followed Brinley’s example and passed over the waters of the river by holding his spear across the overpass. He took a few steps successfully and then slipped. One of his feet slipped from the rope and dangled down beyond the overpass, but he caught himself with his arms. Looking down he was reminded of the children he had seen die in the waters off Inaccessible Island. He almost thought he could see some purplish thing moving under the waters below him, but then he shook his head and stepped back onto the rope. He carefully watched his footing until he reached the other side.
“You did not drop your spear,” Sibat said. “I give you credit for that much. Go down and wait for the rest of us.”
Gretchen easily crossed the rope overpass, using the method she had seen Brinley and Paul try.
Lastly, came the Longinus. Her steps were sure and secure and she held her spear in one hand and barely touched the supporting ropes with the other. Her agility was exceptional.
The Longinus whispered to Sibat as they stood near the roof door. “The water is gloomy and looks worse than I have ever seen it. Those strangers would not understand, but what do you think?”
Sibat pondered for a moment. “I too am troubled. There were very few of the crocodiles, and I have seen only one of the typical water birds up here. The Artemis was wise to investigate, something is very wrong here. And where is Hogan?”
“Hogan is old and he may have succumbed to his age, but one would think someone else would have known,” the Longinus said. She touched the medallion which hung around her neck. Feeling it through her tunic gave her a sense of calm. “Yes, we must uncover what is happening.”
Leaving the house behind, the Longinus lead the party along the bank of the river. There was a faint trail which wound about between the bushes and the rocks and the other larger plants. While the river was very straight, the path did twist and turn. The ground was getting more rolling with small hills and dales as they progressed.
The foul odor grew as they walked along. Gretchen coughed on occasion from the putrid smell.
“The Inflow Lake is just ahead,” the Longinus pointed out as they continued near the river. The land to the sides was hillier than they had yet encountered. It was difficult to see the ground for any great distance except down the river banks.
Looking up, Paul could tell they were approaching the corner of the habitat as he could now see the two side walls as they were coming together. They still stretched far into the sky to meet the sky tube, but the reflections from the side walls were unusual this close to the corner. The end of the sky tube was also visible as he looked high above him.
They walked on and the lake was revealed up the river.
“The lake sits right in the corner of this habitat,” Gretchen said while Paul was thinking the same thing. “It looks to be about three or four kilometers wide on each side.”
The waters of the lake were nearly black and somewhat oily looking. There were no birds, or animals, or anything else over the waters. This Inflow Lake looked vastly different than any other body of water Paul or Gretchen had seen in the Vanguard.
“Down!” The Longinus barked and squatted down.
“What?” Paul said, but he too squatted down.
“I hear hippos in combat,” the Longinus stated. “They are not in the water.”
There was a pause as the Longinus and Sibat surveyed what they could see, smell, and hear. The small rises on either side of the river prevented visualization of the grassy areas. Sibat carefully squat-walked over to the lake’s edge and dipped a finger in the black water. He shook his hand to rid the skin of the blackish liquid.
“Grief,” the Longinus stated. “So much grief. When we move, move quickly, but quietly. There has been much suffering up ahead.”
“I do not see anything,” Paul commented.
“You will,” the Longinus replied. She looked sternly into Paul’s eyes. “Are you prepared?” She placed one hand on Paul’s shoulder and held her spear in the other. “Are you ready?”
“For what?” Paul asked in surprise.
“There is death ahead. I smell it. I hear it. I can taste it,” the Longinus said. She gripped her spear in her hand firmly. “I am not trying to frighten you, only to prepare you.” She then looked and Brinley and Gretchen. “The hippos are fighting, but their call is one of anguish and sorrow, more than I have ever heard before. There is one bull and several cows, but their calls are in great distress. I am unsure of what has caused such angst in these mighty beasts.”
Gretchen and Brinley nodded, and Paul said, “I do not hear anything. Do you?”
“Listen with your heart,” the Longinus said.
Paul concentrated and could faintly hear some kind of distant grunts or sounds like ‘Uugh’ but it was hardly discernable.
“Longinus, we must protect these hippos,” Sibat said. There were tears in his eyes. “Such mourning should not be.”
“Up! Now we sprint for those trees on that hill. From there we should be able to see the hippos,” the Longinus pointed at a grove of trees not too far away.
In a low crouch, the Longinus ran ahead. She moved gracefully and reached the trees. Sibat was right behind her, moving silently through the grasses.
Brinley, Gretchen, and Paul followed. They were not nearly as skillful in running while holding a spear, but did reach the trees without incident.
“No…no…no… get away from me…” mumbled a tiny voice.
“Hogan?” the Longinus asked.
Sibat pulled back some leafy foliage and revealed where an old man was sitting and hiding. “No…take them, leave me alone!” the old man muttered. His eyes were glazed over and very wide. Fear was riddled in his wrinkles. “I will…. Go away….it cannot be.”
“He is not injured,” the Longinus said. “Not physically anyway.”
Hogan pulled the leaves around his body and pushed back into the bushes. “Rusalka take these people. Egeria they are yours. Leave me alone!” He was looking over their shoulders and to the scene blocked by the trees. “I give up… I will just leave… These strangers can feed you, just leave me alone.”
“He is raving mad,” the Longinus said, “speaking of haunts and spooks, and water demons. He has lost his mind.”
She tried to get Hogan to focus on her or anything else. “Hogan, look at me!” He kept pulling back into the leaves and babbling.
“Oda! Look!” Sibat said, forgetting to use her title as leader of the mission. Sibat had parted the bra
nches and was looking where Hogan had been gazing.
The grassland stretched down to the side of the habitat, and the dark lake’s shoreline met the side of the habitat as well. Up near that permalloy wall, wading quickly out of the water and onto the grasses, were a half dozen beasts. They were large and portly with dark brownish colored skin, which was very sleek and shinny. Around their eyes, ears, and nostrils were lighter brown colors, almost pinkish on some. The smaller ones came out first, galloping up away from the water, followed by larger ones. They moved with their bulky and rotund bodies and looked around in dismay.
“Bruunt, huuggh yooup” grunted the largest of the beasts. It turned toward the lake and opened wide its mouth. “Ooah ih eesn.” It chomped its jaws together repeatedly and quickly as it looked at the water. It defecated and the fecal matter sprayed around. The animal spread wide its mouth again and walked toward the lake.
The Colony Ship Vanguard: The entire eight book series in one bundle Page 99
