William had never thought of stories in that way, but it made sense. Each interpretation was right in its own way, but escape from a life of drudgery for one of heroism was what really touched him. But he also understood Charlie’s point of view.
Back in their den, preparing for sleep, they discussed the evening’s results. The Elder had agreed books would be suitable for trade. He was anxious to learn more about stories, but he desired most to learn what knowledge humans had. For this he promised immense quantities of metal, especially iron, the one thing they had in abundance.
“Well, you got what you wanted,” said William. “This is the closest anyone could get to finding a dragon’s treasure.”
“I know,” said Jack. “I’m still in shock. This is more than I was hoping for.”
“What about you, Will?” asked Maya. “Did you get what you hoped for? Have you learned enough about the dragons?”
He thought for a moment, deciding whether or not to ask her unstated question. “I could probably stay here a lot longer, honestly,” he said. “But we’ve been here long enough, and we’ve learned enough about them to establish trade. There’s nothing stopping us from coming back and learning more later. Besides…” His mind drifted, picturing the people back home. Cairns, his mother, Sir Kevin…especially Melissa. Where that romance would lead he was unsure, but that uncertainty made him less nervous than it had before. All paths lead somewhere, he thought, but only if you walk them. He vowed never again to fear trying something simply because he didn’t know what the results would be.
“Besides what?” asked Jack, yanking him back to reality.
“Oh—nothing. It’s time to go back, is all.” Jack knew where his thoughts had been, of that he was certain. He also knew his friend was in a generous mood on this night of triumph, and would keep it to himself this once instead of mocking him.
“Uh…we still have to get past the bandits,” Rachel said.
William slapped his forehead. “King’s boots, I’d forgotten about them. Again. Well…I suggest we start as early as possible tomorrow, preferably before light, so we can sneak past them.”
“Should we take the north exit, or the river exit?” asked Jack.
Before anyone answered, the Ambassador stuck his head into their den. “I am sorry to disturb you. I trust I have not woken you. The Elder asked me to deliver a message, and he was most eager that you receive it tonight.”
“Not at all, Hermes, you aren’t disturbing us,” said William. “What is the Elder’s message?”
“The Elder is aware of your plans to leave soon, but he asks that you delay for a short time.”
Maya’s sigh came loud and clear across the den. Neither she nor the others would be happy waiting longer than necessary. “How much time?” William asked anyway.
“Half a day only. He advised me to tell you he will make certain it is worth your time.”
This was unexpected. The toxic dump was being moved; trade had been established…what more could the Elder offer? He didn’t want to risk a mutiny, but no matter everyone else’s eagerness to leave, it was worth half a day to find out.
Basic steel was smelted from the earliest days of Colonization, the method being no more complicated than smelting iron ore with charcoal. Carbon ratios became easier to control with practice, producing compositions of varying strength and ductility. However, grades of steel previously available on Earth were never duplicated, as the technology to isolate the desired alloy metals was out of reach.
Some sources of iron ore produced superior quality steel, suggesting trace amounts of other metals were present. Tredwick blades were once renowned for their hardness, and recent analysis of those that have survived indicate the presence of manganese and nickel. After the Tredwick mines ran out, no source was found to equal it.
Planet of Hope: A History of Esperanza
“What on Esper do they want now?” asked Rachel. William was thankful she wasn’t throwing things, but he still gave her plenty of room to pace.
Jack slouched against the rock wall, following Rachel’s tirade with a look of amusement. “You were fine with staying before. Why the sudden change?”
“I was fine with staying if it was our choice, not theirs, stupid.” She turned to William. “So what’s the hold up now?”
William shrugged. “I don’t know. Hermes wouldn’t elaborate. It was the Elder’s decision. I’m not even sure Hermes knows what he’s up to.”
Rachel flopped onto her bedroll and pulled her hair in frustration. “I’m tired of this place. I’m sick of the dark and the cold. I’m tired of not feeling the wind or hearing birds. I want to get out of here!”
Jack nodded with a hint of a grin. “That, and we’re all packed already.”
“You aren’t funny, Jack,” she said.
“Look, we all want to leave, Rachel,” said Maya. “It won’t be much longer. And it’s not Will’s fault.”
Rachel took a deep breath and released it slowly. “I don’t blame Will. Really, Will, I don’t. We’ve been stuck here for so long now, and I’ve lost my patience. How long has it been anyway?”
“I don’t even know what day it is,” said Jack. “We’ve been underground for so long I’ve lost track of time.”
“We’ll figure it out when we see the night sky,” said Rachel. Maya nodded.
“Huh? How?” asked William.
Rachel stared at William with a look of disbelief, then broke out in laughter. “Don’t tell me they didn’t teach you that at school.”
“Well, sure, in theory. But I’ve never done it for real.”
Rachel crossed her arms and looked at him with a slight grin. “Then explain the theory to me. If we’re stuck here, you may as well amuse me. Come on, show me how smart you are, bookworm.”
William cringed at the nickname. He knew Rachel meant no harm; in fact, she probably meant it as a compliment. But it took effort not to react and to direct his thoughts to the problem at hand. “Well, to start with, the moon is stationary in the sky,” he said. “It orbits at the same speed as Esper spins on its axis.”
“Right. So where does that get you?”
“If you can see the moon, you should be able to tell the time of day from how full it is. But I don’t see how knowing the time of day—or night—helps.”
Rachel groaned in exasperation. “The stars, silly. All you have to do is look at the Northern Kite. If you know which way the Kite’s tail points at midnight at different times of the year, it’s simple to work out.”
“Wow, of course! That makes sense. I never thought of that.”
“Wait a second,” said Jack. “What about the fact that we’re further east? Doesn’t that mess up the calculations?”
“Oh, Jack,” she said with a smirk, patting his cheek. “It’s a good thing you’re so pretty. I’ll do the thinking from now on, okay?”
“What? What did I miss?”
“Will said it already: the moon doesn’t move. We can adjust based on how much closer it is to the western horizon.”
“King’s pants. I completely forgot. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen that while crossing the sea.”
Time passed slowly as they waited for the Elder, each of them trying to occupy themselves in their own way. Jack poked around for discarded gemstones. Charlie played for the dragons in the infirmary while Maya inspected their wounds. Rachel grumbled as she checked her bow and other equipment in preparation for the return trip. She was so grumpy that Steve preferred to follow William around rather than remain with his mistress.
William’s curiosity got the best of him, creating an itch that he had no way to scratch. He yearned to talk with the Elder again, but he knew it was too early to go see him. Instead, he wandered to the underground lake where the ore tailings had been dumped in days past. The pile was already gone, carted away to some unknown but safe destination. The water smelled less foul now, but he resisted the urge to taste it. It might be a long time before it would be safe to
drink this close to the source. Steve avoided the water too, and William took that as a sign that he had guessed right.
He walked as fast as he could on the way back to the den, testing his injured leg to see what it could endure. It was more stiff than painful, and the strength was returning rapidly. He felt ready for the long march back home, but he worried about the possibility of more attacks; he wasn’t sure whether he could run, let alone fight.
He ran into the others before he reached the den. “Hermes told us Chronos is ready,” Jack said. “We were just coming to find you.” As they approached the Elder’s den, William sensed everyone’s nervousness. He had reason enough for concern too, as the Elder had been fickle in his decisions before. Trepidations multiplied in his own mind as he considered the possibilities.
“Thank you for agreeing to delay your departure,” said the Elder as they arrived. “I thought it best to meet once more before you leave, and I needed time to think beforehand.”
“You made us wait—” William’s glance stopped Rachel in mid-sentence.
“It was no problem, Elder,” said William. He avoided Rachel’s glare by focusing on the Elder.
The Elder continued, unfazed by the outburst. “In our jubilation we agreed to trade metal for books. I am still eager to trade, both for stories and knowledge. However, I must repeat my earlier demand that you not reveal our existence to anyone else. This must remain a secret that only you six may share.”
“Five, Elder,” said Rachel, unwilling to hold her tongue any longer. “Steve is a dog. He doesn’t speak.”
“Very well,” said the Elder. “Only you five may know about us, no others.”
“Pardon me, Elder, but that’s a huge obstacle to trade,” said Jack. “Even if we make books in secret, someone will notice the increase in metal and start asking questions. We can only put them off for so long.”
“That is your problem to solve, not mine. The hive’s safety is paramount; if trade must be sacrificed to ensure it, so be it.”
The mood in the Elder’s den was hot. William’s own anger matched Jack’s and Rachel’s, although he tried to hide it. The Elder, too, seemed defensive. William needed to defuse the situation before they lost any chance of establishing a relationship with the dragons. But if the Elder could not be trusted to keep his agreements, how could trade take place? “Elder, may I suggest a compromise? You have trusted us because you found us worthy of trust, am I correct?”
“You are,” said the Elder cautiously.
“You are selective in who you trust.”
“I must be.”
“As we must,” said William. “As I told you before, all humans are not of one hive. We act independently, although we often band together for common good. If you permit us to disclose your existence to a small number of trusted people, we could trade without the danger of others discovering you. In fact, I believe it’s safer this way in the long run. We’ve been delayed in our return, and people will ask questions. With a few key people, we could cover our tracks, and leave you undetected.”
The Elder did not speak for a long time. As they waited in silence, William noted the looks of approval from the others.
“I will accept this, William Whitehall, but with great unease. This choice leaves my scales on edge. I am weighing the risk of exposure against the possible benefits of shared knowledge, and I fear this is a verdict that should not even be mine to make. Choose your colleagues with care.”
“We will, Elder. Thank you.” William’s sigh of relief was cut short.
“This is not the only matter I wished to discuss,” said the Elder.
William’s stomach tightened. What more could the Elder throw at him? This trip had taxed his strength, energy and wits; he didn’t know if he had it in him to handle another crisis.
“I am aware of the difficulties you had before arriving at our hive. You spoke of other humans who hunted you. I do not wish them to find you as that would risk the secret of our existence.”
“Not to mention our own hides,” said Jack.
The Elder snorted a puff of smoke and turned his gaze on Jack. “I am not indifferent to your own danger, Jack Doran. In this matter, what helps you also aids me, no matter how I state it. May I continue?”
Jack stared at his feet. “Sorry. Go on.”
“I have had the area scouted for these bandits, as you call them. There are not many, but they return frequently, and only north of the river. They are persistent.”
“I’m not sure we should cross the river,” said William. “No matter how much safer we would be. Even if the water’s not deep we’d still be exposed, and there’s no way we can cross at night.”
“You need not cross the river above ground, William Whitehall. We have many tunnels, and some go as far as the other side. Of these, a few will also take you a good distance downstream.”
“How far downstream?” asked Maya.
“The longest would take half a day.”
The exclaims of delight echoed in the chamber. “We could get completely past the bandits!” said Jack.
“Elder, why didn’t you tell us about these tunnels before?” asked William. “Hang on, I know. You didn’t know whether you could trust us. I would do the same in your place.”
“Just so. Are you prepared to leave?”
“We will be once we collect our gear from the den,” said William.
“Then I shall not detain you, except to give you a parting gift.”
William was taken aback. While the dragons had been generous with food, it had been given more as a necessity than a courtesy. He hadn’t suspected dragons understood the concept of gifts. He wasn’t entirely sure the idea of trade was within their grasp, either.
The Elder whistled a command to a messenger dragon, who flitted away, returning soon after with a crafting dragon. “William Whitehall, I did you a grave discourtesy when I had your sword broken. I did not know you then as I do now, but even so, breaking it was not necessary. I could simply have withheld it from you until I decided your fate.”
William swallowed hard. If gifts were undragon-like, apologies were more so.
The Elder continued. “Dragons have no need of swords, but I do understand their purpose, and metal is at the very core of our existence. Would I be correct in saying your sword was of—inferior—quality?”
“It was as good as can be made today with the metal we have, but yes, it was junk.”
“As I supposed. Rather than having it repaired, I ordered a new one forged with the best alloy of metals for its purpose.” The crafting dragon came forward at the Elder’s gesture, and presented to William a longer, more slender sword than his old one. It had a dull white sheen, pale and lacking the luster of steel, but its design was both simple and elegant, and the edges straight and sharp. He grasped the hilt and found to his amazement the sword weighed less than half the broken one. “This is beyond amazing, Elder. Thank you,” he said. “Charlie, check this. You’re a soldier, and a smith’s son. What do you think of this?”
The sword whistled through the air as Charlie swung it a few times. “Good balance. Long reach, light weight. Best I’ve ever held. Even my father couldn’t make one like this.” The others crowded around, admiring the craftsmanship…or should that be craftsdragonship? Someone would have to invent new words.
“This is masterful work, Elder,” said William. “Miraculous, even. It goes well beyond replacing what was lost.”
“I hope you will accept it as a token of our friendship, William Whitehall. It is well forged, but not unbreakable. Treat it well.”
“I will.”
They left without fanfare. The Elder, while gracious, did not appear emotional. For William’s part, he found it difficult to leave but could not say why. As they wound their way down the tunnel that led under the river, following their silver drone escort, he rested his hand on the hilt of his new sword. Jack quizzed him as they walked, asking if the change in design was to his liking.
“It’s longer than I’m used to, but so much lighter. It’ll give me a reach advantage without a loss in speed. But I’ll need to practice until I get used to it.”
Jack shook his head in admiration. “It must be worth more than a Tredwick.”
“There you go again, putting a price on things. It was a gift; I’d never sell it.”
“Give me a break, Will; I know that. What I mean is, if this is what dragons are capable of, trade will be more profitable than I thought. It’s interesting how simple it looks, though, isn’t it? If people had made this, it would be decorated and engraved.”
William shrugged. “The Elder probably doesn’t want it drawing attention.” He swung the sword as they walked, marveling at how much better it felt than his old bronze one. He soon fell behind the group, and with reluctance he returned the sword to his belt and hurried to catch up. When he reached them he was surprised that everyone had stopped. “What’s going on?” he asked.
Maya pointed at the opening to a small side tunnel. The light from the lanterns revealed a dead dragon, killed by what appeared to be the same injuries that Maya had treated in the infirmary. In broken English their drone guide told them he would deal with it on the way back. No one else spoke. William understood now why he was reluctant to leave. The dragons were still in danger, and the Elder had befriended them in hopes of gaining allies against the unseen foe that attacked from the shadows. Guilt weighed on him: of what use was a sword if it never faced an enemy?
Jack crossed his arms and stared at William. “No, Will. We aren’t staying.”
William sighed. “I know. But the dragons deserve better. What if they can’t ever hatch the Queen? They’ll die off, there won’t be any trade, and…they’ll die, Jack. It isn’t right.”
“No, it isn’t. But we have our own lives to worry about. Even if this tunnel gets us past the immediate danger, there’s still plenty more we can run into.”
The Defender of Rebel Falls: A Medieval Science Fiction Adventure (The William Whitehall Adventures Book 1) Page 21
