Final Voyage of the Remora

by Richard S. Tuttle

  "What if you stopped at the edge of the swamp then?" posed Kalina. "I will have the men gather the flamorweed and transport it through the jungle to the swamp."

  "Then your men will die to the Rhodans," Haditha shook her head, "and I would feel responsible because I refused to fully help you."

  "They will not die," countered the Knight of Alcea. "I will use my magic to protect them."

  "There is strong magic in Atule's Maze as well," cautioned the water witch. "It is a type of magic that I do not understand, but it is every bit as powerful as mine, if not more so. The Rhodans are not friendly, and I do not blame them."

  "Then you will not help?" Kalina asked with obvious disappointment.

  "Oh bother," Haditha sighed heavily. "Please don't do that to me. You know that I have taken a liking to you, but you really are imposing on that friendship. You force me to either leave my swamp or feel guilty that I have ignored the needs of a friend. You leave me no path to feel good about this encounter."

  "I am truly sorry," Kalina apologized. "I did not mean to bring trouble to you. I thought you sought a chance to take revenge upon the Federation for all the ills they have brought upon your kind. I will find another way to accomplish my task that does not drag you into our fight against the Federation."

  Kalina rose from her seat and started to walk towards the door. The water witch stared at her and moved quickly to seize Kalina's arm before she exited the small hut.

  "Just a minute," the water witch said gruffly. "I didn't say that I wouldn't help. I just cannot afford to make enemies of the Rhodans. If you truly want to do this the proper way, get permission from the Rhodans to enter Atule's Maze. Do that and I will help you."

  "Do they ever give such permission?" frowned Kalina.

  "I have never known them to," answered Haditha, "but then again I have never met anyone like you. I suspect that you can defend yourself fairly well, even against strong magics. Am I correct?"

  "You are correct," admitted Kalina. "How do I get to talk to the Rhodans?"

  "Just enter the jungle," replied Haditha. "They will surround you soon enough."

  "And you will then help us?" asked the Knight of Alcea.

  "I will," promised the water witch, "but I won't go deep into the jungle. Just far enough for your men to gather the plants that they need."

  "Thank you," Kalina smiled warmly. "I will go talk to the Rhodans."

  Kalina walked out of the hut and the water witch followed. She stared at Kalina as the Knight of Alcea's form shimmered, and Haditha grinned broadly as the eagle leaped into the air.

  The eagle followed the Endless River until it found the closest approach to Atule's Maze. Breaking away from the river, the eagle soared into the jungle and spiraled in ever widening loops as she gazed downward for any sign of the Rhodans. There didn't appear to be any intelligent life below, and the bird wondered if the Rhodans even bothered to patrol the border with the swamp. It certainly was not a border that was likely to be breached by the Federation or anyone else. Eventually the eagle saw two women dressed in brown leather and she glided downward for a closer look. One of the women saw the eagle and pointed up at it, her words unintelligible to the bird. The eagle promptly dove through the jungle canopy.

  "It came down around here somewhere," one of the women said as the two Rhodans searched for the eagle.

  "We are not tasked with searching for eagles," scowled the other woman. "Let's keep our mind on the task at hand."

  "As if anyone is going to be found in this sector," retorted the first woman. "Lighten up."

  Kalina cast spells to erect magical and physical shields before stepping out of concealment. When she did step out in front of the two women, they were quick to react. One nocked an arrow and aimed at Kalina while the other drew her sword and quickly moved to one side.

  "Who are you?" demanded the woman with the sword. "Answer or die."

  "I am Kalina," answered the Knight of Alcea. "I have come to speak to the Rhodans."

  "Trespassing is forbidden," declared the archer. "How did you get in here?"

  "I do not wish to trespass," smiled Kalina. "That is precisely why I came to speak with the Rhodans. Do you know where I might find them?"

  Both of the jungle women looked at each other questioningly before the one with the sword produced a whistle and blew into it. A shrill whistle screamed through the air, and Kalina knew that more warriors would soon surround her. Kalina tried to engage the warrior women in conversation, but they refused to speak other than to warn her not to move. Within minutes Kalina detected others moving in the jungle around her. She could not see the new arrivals, but she hoped that none of them were strong mages. While her shields were powerful, no mage could stand up to constant bombardment, and physical shields were strenuous to maintain for long periods of time. She began to get worried as she sensed more people arriving, but not stepping into the clearing where she could see them. Eventually a tall warrior stepped out of the growth and stood before her.

  "I have seen you before," she declared. "This is not the first time you have been to Atule's Maze. Why have you returned?"

  "The last time was on a raft down the river," admitted Kalina. "We merely sought a way to get to Calusa, and we did not go ashore. This time I came alone specifically to speak to someone about entering the jungle."

  "You have already entered Atule's Maze," the tall woman responded. "It is a little late to be asking permission."

  "I told you they would return, Yortana," scowled another newcomer as she stepped into the clearing. "You should have killed them when you first saw them."

  "Even Tsarana agreed with me, Marfor," the tall one replied. "There was no violation of our laws."

  "Well there certainly is now," snapped Marfor. "Kill her."

  "No," Yortana said defiantly. "I am the first officer on the scene. I will give the orders for disposition of the trespasser. Atule's Maze is a sanctuary for women, not their graveyard."

  "But she is trespassing," snarled Marfor. "You have no excuse this time."

  "I have the option of taking her to Tsarana," corrected Yortana, "and that is exactly what I plan to do. Bind her hands."

  "There is no need to bind my hands," Kalina said softly. "I have come to speak to your leader, and I suspect that is the Tsarana person you are referring to. I will go with you freely and willingly. Shall we go?"

  Even Yortana's eyes widened in surprise at Kalina's words, but the tall women nodded in acceptance.

  "You will not be bound," agreed Yortana, "but if you make any attempt to flee, even I will give the order to kill you. Do you understand?"

  "I do," nodded Kalina. "Thank you for the courtesy."

  Yortana gave a signal to move out and a dozen warrior women stepped into the clearing and formed a guard around Kalina. Yortana led the group and Marfor brought up the rear. Kalina was not happy to have the angry woman behind her, but she had little say in the matter. Another blast of the whistle shrieked and soon it was replicated in the distance. A moment later an even more distant whistle replicated the sound, and Kalina understood that a message was being relayed far into the jungle's innermost regions.

  Yortana set a very brisk pace, and by high sun Kalina was beginning to feel the strain of the journey. She allowed her physical shield to drop first, but her magical shield was also abandoned after a while. As the sky began to darken, Yortana led the group into a small village. Kalina was curious about the village and the way the Rhodans lived, but she was too tired to dwell upon it. She was given a bowl of fruit and led to a small windowless hut. A simple grass mat covered the doorway, but she could hear guards being stationed outside the door. She didn't care. The strain of the day had caught up with the mage. Between the aerial journey to the swamp and then the jungle, the prolonged holding of shields, and the forced march through the jungle, Kalina was dead tired. She reclined on the mat on the floor and promptly fell asleep.

  When Kalina awoke, it was totally dark inside the hut. Sh
e could not tell if it was day or night, but she managed to find the bowl of fruit they had given her the night before. She ate greedily until the bowl was empty. As she set the bowl down on the floor, her head began to swim. Finding the mat with her hands, Kalina just managed to get back onto it before she passed out.

  Harsh bright light flooded Kalina's eyes and she opened them just enough to realize that people had entered her hut. She closed her eyes again and brought an arm up over them to ease the pain.

  "She must not be used to traveling," Yortana said. "The effects of the fruit should have worn off by now. I apologize."

  "It is alright," replied an unknown voice. "It has been some time since I visited this village. I have been meaning to, but something always interrupts my plans. I will go talk with the village leaders while you waken her."

  "Wake up, Kalina," Yortana said softly as she gently shook the Knight of Alcea. "Tsarana has come to speak to you."

  Kalina moaned groggily as she slowly moved her arm away from her eyes. The mat was covering the doorway again, and it filtered out most of the light. She managed to open her eyes and sit up.

  "The fruit," she said groggily. "It was tainted?"

  "No," answered Yortana. "There is a fruit here in the jungle that we use as a sleep aid. You were given a generous portion of it, but it was not poisoned. It was just to help you to sleep."

  "I had no trouble sleeping after the march through the jungle," Kalina declared. "It was not until I woke that I ate the fruit."

  "That explains a lot," smiled Yortana. "It is nearly high sun. I probably should have told you to eat before sleeping. Tsarana has traveled the extra distance to come to this village, so you will get to meet her soon. Make yourself presentable."

  Yortana turned and left the hut. Kalina rose to her feet. She felt unsteady and worried that her grogginess might interfere with her magical abilities. She concentrated on regaining her mental clarity as she prepared to meet Tsarana. As a final step of preparation, she called forth a small spell to remove the creases from her clothes. Within minutes the mat was pulled away from the doorway and a short, older woman stormed into the hut.

  "You are a mage?" the woman asked accusingly.

  Kalina recognized the voice as belonging to the woman who had been in the hut earlier with Yortana. She stared at Tsarana and nodded slightly.

  "I do have some abilities," she admitted. "I was merely making myself presentable. Is that also forbidden?"

  "Bind her hands," commanded Tsarana, "and bring her outside."

  Two female guards rushed into the hut and swiftly tied Kalina's hands behind her back while Tsarana exited the hut. The guards grabbed Kalina's arms and marched her outside.

  "You did not mention that she was mage," Tsarana scowled at Yortana.

  "She didn't know," smirked Marfor. "Yortana thinks that anyone without a weapon is harmless. I told her to kill them all."

  "She has not resisted," stated Yortana. "While it is true that I was unaware of her abilities, I still feel that I am a good judge of character. This woman means us no harm."

  "That is for me to judge," retorted Tsarana.

  "It is," countered Yortana, "but if Marfor had her way, you would never have had the chance to make that decision. Atule's Maze is meant to be a sanctuary for women. I will not kill a woman who does not threaten us. That goes against everything we believe in."

  "Quiet!" demanded Tsarana. "We can deal later with the problems between you two."

  Marfor's lips curled up in defiance, but she closed her mouth. Yortana meekly nodded and stared at the ground.

  "Who are you, Kalina, and why have you come here?" asked Tsarana.

  "I am a woman who seeks no harm to you or anyone else in Atule's Maze," Kalina declared. "I came here to speak to the leader of the Rhodans. Is that who you are, Tsarana?"

  "I am Tsarana," replied the old woman, "and I lead the Rhodans. What did you wish to speak to me about?"

  "I have need of a large quantity of flamorweed," stated Kalina. "The only place that I can find it is in this jungle, but I did not want my friends to enter without permission. That is the reason that I came."

  "Your friends?" Tsarana asked suspiciously. "And where are these friends now?"

  "They are not in the jungle," answered Kalina. "I have instructed them to remain outside the jungle because I have heard that you do not wish outsiders to trespass."

  "You have heard correctly," Tsarana responded. "As to the flamorweed, we will not allow you to take any. Outsiders are not welcome in Atule's Maze regardless of their wants or desires. Unless there is some other reason for your being here, I will now make my determination on what is to be done with you."

  Kalina glanced around at all the people staring at her. She noticed right away that everyone was female. There was not a male in sight. She also saw three familiar faces in the crowd and suddenly many things became clear to her.

  "Why the hurry?" asked Kalina. "Atule's Maze is supposed to be a sanctuary for women, is it not? I am a woman. Will you refuse me sanctuary?"

  Tsarana raised an eyebrow as she stared at Kalina. "Are you formally seeking admittance to the order?"

  "Which order?" asked Kalina. "The order of Rhodans, or the Sisters of Justice?"

  Several gasps ran through the crowd, and Tsarana's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

  "I will ask you once again to explain who you are," Tsarana said sternly. "I suspect that I already know, but I will allow you to admit it with your own lips before you die."

  "I doubt that you have any idea who I am," retorted Kalina. "I am not from this land you call Zara. I am from across the sea."

  Murmurs ran through the Rhodans, but Tsarana held up her hand for silence.

  "You were brought by the slave ships?" asked Tsarana.

  "No," answered Kalina. "The Federation seeks to invade my homeland. I came here with a group of my fellow citizens to learn about our enemy and try to do what we could to stop them."

  "Then how do you know about the Sisters of Justice?" asked Tsarana.

  "I was in Olansk recently," answered Kalina, "when a man was murdered. I saw those two fleeing the scene," she continued as she pointed at the two women she had seen leaving the alley. "My husband was accused of the crime because he had earlier assaulted the same man that they killed."

  Tsarana turned to the two women with a questioning gaze.

  "She is telling the truth as far as we know," answered one of the women as she pointed to a frail woman next to her. "The stranger was with two men and another woman when this woman was assaulted. One of the men intervened and assaulted her husband. The same man entered the alley as we were leaving. I suppose he could have been accused of the crime."

  Tsarana nodded and looked back at Kalina. "Why did your husband intervene? If you are foreigners to this land, you could not have known the assaulted woman."

  "We do not stand for men abusing women any more than you do," replied Kalina. "My husband is the type of man who feels compelled to intervene in such situations, and that is what he did. He learned about the Sisters of Justice while the Federation soldiers were holding him. Once the man's wife was discovered to be missing, they realized that my husband was not the killer."

  Tsarana nodded thoughtfully. "Unbind her," commanded the leader of the Rhodans. "She will be taken to the edge of the jungle and expelled."

  A guard moved quickly to obey and Kalina's hands were untied. She rubbed her wrists to restore feeling to them, but she kept her eyes on Tsarana.

  "The Federation brings much misery to women," Kalina declared. "Why will you not help me deliver some justice to them?"

  "The Federation is not our concern," answered Tsarana. "If they try to enter Atule's Maze then we will be concerned with them."

  "They have already taken over neighboring Karamin," noted Kalina. "Do you not think they will seek to expand their power into the jungle? It is the way with empires such as the Federation. They cannot halt their own lust for power."


  "There is some truth in her words," offered one of the women from Olansk. "Even Vinafor has now fallen to the Federation. They will not stop until they control the whole world."

  Tsarana seemed to consider the words of the woman. She looked Kalina in the eyes and asked, "What do you require flamorweed for?"

  "There is a huge fleet of Federation ships in the Sea of Tears," answered Kalina. "We need the flamorweed to burn the entire fleet."

  "The Sea of Tears is a long way from here," frowned Tsarana. "I doubt that you could cart it that far without burning your wagons to ashes."

  "We plan on taking it by ship," replied Kalina. "The ship we came over on is in the Endless Swamp. We plan to make barrels and fill them with flamorweed and then sail around the Boot and enter the Sea of Tears from the ocean."

  "An incredible journey if it were possible," mused Tsarana, "but it is a child's dream. You would never make it alive."

  "Then we will die," Kalina stated seriously. "At least we will have died trying to strike out at the evil empire that wants to consume us."

  Tsarana's eyebrows rose. The taunt had not gone over her head, and she smiled thinly.

  "How much flamorweed do you require?" she asked.

  "Enough to fill more than a hundred barrels," answered Kalina. "My men will make the barrels, harvest the plants, and transport it to the swamp. All I ask is permission to do so. We want very much to obey your rules, but we need the plants."

  "Your people will not be allowed to enter Atule's Maze," declared Tsarana. "That is final."

  Kalina nodded sadly, but she knew that continuing to argue would accomplish nothing.

  "We will however supply you with more than a hundred barrels of flamorweed," smiled Tsarana. "My people will deliver the barrels to the edge of the jungle. Where would you want it to be given to you?"

  "I am indebted to you, Tsarana," smiled Kalina. "Where I was discovered would be the perfect place for the delivery. The Endless River flows close to the jungle at that point."

  "You will indeed be indebted to the Rhodans," smiled Tsarana. "Perhaps when you see Sisters of Justice in trouble in the cities of Zara, you can aid them."