Working his way fully out of the burrow, Kevin crawled part way around the boulder until he could look up toward the pass, but could see nothing. There was no sign of life or fresh tracks, only gusts of wind driving snow across the mostly bare surface.
Kevin dropped back into the burrow to think. They could wait here and try to signal any scoutplanes sent to investigate, but that could be very dangerous. While he had seen no sign of Kraa there were still likely to packs waiting for the storms end to cross, and once the weather cleared they could be rapidly sniffed out in their hiding place. He didn't even have a laser rifle for protection, having exhausted the charge during the attack.
After a brief discussion with Cormo the decision was made to attempt to make the tree line now, and get as far from the area as they could before dark. With luck the crust would support their weight until reached the tree line, with the still falling snow and gusts of wind covering any tracks they made. Once in the trees it might become more difficult, however. There, with the wind broken by the tree-cover, they could end up struggling in snow up to their waists.
But to stay here would result in almost certain discovery, and at least in the wooded area they could make make-shift weapons for defense. Making a fast decision, Kevin started back out the tunnel. They would make for the tree line.
Days later . . . ,
Kraa-Kuk-T struggled to raise himself from the prone position where he had fallen, his face covered with mud. It was difficult with his hands tied behind his back, but then he felt himself being pulled to his feet by the strong hands of the flat-face. On his feet, he again started down the slope made slippery by the melting snow, following several lengths behind the Torgai who led the way. The short rope connecting his ankles kept him from making a running stride, and with his arms loosely tied behind his back keeping his balance was difficult. Soon, however, he reached the bottom of the slope where the Torgai had stopped to wait.
Communicating with the Torgai who held him captive had been difficult, since his accent had been strange, and some of the gestures he used were unfamiliar. But now, if they restricted themselves to simple phrases, they could at least understand each other. The flat-face seemed to speak a totally different language, and, although it was interspersed with some Torgai words and gestures, except for simple commands it was largely unintelligible. His Torgai captor, however, seemed to understand what the flat-face said, and was able to converse slowly with it.
The last week or so had been difficult for Kraa-Kuk-T. Fatigue, hunger, coupled with the knowledge that he was a captive, had destroyed his past confidence. While he had been treated roughly at times, and ached from his frequent falls, he had not been deliberately mistreated; and when his captors had food, they shared it with him. The separation from his pack and pack-mother was the first he had ever experienced, and he longed for their company. He had lived his life closely tied to his pack, and the loss of that connection was difficult to accept. While his Torgai captor had tried to be kind, the strange flat-face seldom paid attention to him except to make sure he kept up with them and that his bonds were securely tied. In manner it seemed gruff and distant.
Kraa-Kuk-T had never seen a flat-face close up before this one, and why the Kraa called these creatures 'flat-faces' was immediately evident; they were much stranger in appearance than he could have imagined, with little resemblance to either Kraa or Torgai. Short and squat by Torgai standards, and with a face without any appreciable snout. Plus its face was largely hairless, a very strange sight, since the face of both Kraa and Torgai was covered with short hair. And the smell; the odor emanating from the flat-face was strong and alien. It had been almost overpowering during those days and nights when they were hidden in the borrow, and even now in the open it was enveloped with the odor.
The flat-face was also always the first to tire and need rest, and seemed to lack the endurance of either the Kraa or the Torgai. This obvious weakness, coupled with its awkward movements, made it difficult to understand why it was so much feared by the Kraa-mothers.
It was clear, however, that of the two, the Torgai and the flat-face, the flat-face was the pack leader. It gave the orders in its strange sounding voice, and the Torgai obeyed. This was even though the Torgai was much taller, seemed stronger and faster, and didn't have to stop for rest like the flat-face. Among the Kraa the strongest female would have become pack leader, killing the old pack leader if necessary. He had never seen a male pack leader before, particularly one that was apparently weaker than its pack member.
Kraa-Kuk-T still wasn't sure what had happened that caused him to be captured. He had been firing down into the turmoil below with the flat-face weapon, but had stopped when the area was overrun by the Kraa and stood up from behind the boulder in an attempt to see the battle through the swirling snow. Then something had hit him, and that's all he had remembered until he regained consciousness in the dark, cramped confines of the burrow beneath the boulder.
The first thing he could remember were the two bodies tightly pressed against his, the total darkness, and the strange alien smell. That smell, in the close confines of the burrow, was almost overpowering, and it was some time before he understood its source. While hidden above the pass a similar odor had been detectable when the wind stilled, and he had then realized it was the unpleasant odor of the flat-faces. That, he realized, was what was pressed against him; a flat-face on one side, a Torgai on the other.
Day's later, late afternoon . . . .
The thinning of the trees in the last couple of hours had been dramatic; the evergreens replaced with scraggly brush. Each time they came to the top of a rise the open savanna in the distance seemed ever nearer.
They had made the tree line from their burrow without a problem, although slowed by the captive Torgai. The windswept crust easily held their weight; but once within the trees it was a different story. At first they would only occasionally break through, but as the trees thickened it became a constant struggle. By nightfall they were too exhausted to go on and had found partial shelter under the roots of an uptorn tree. Traveling was so difficult Kevin was beginning to doubt their ability to make it out of the snows before they starved or froze.
But while the exhausted Kevin slept Cormo was busy. Breaking branches from the surrounding evergreen trees he wove and fashioned crude snowshoes, and by the time morning arrived he was finished. These had proved invaluable. While making headway was still difficult, at least they were able to make progress. He had also fashioned rough spears for use if they encountered any Kraa or game for food.
Kevin estimated they had gone no more than 50 kilometers in the first three days, even aided by the snowshoes, but by the end of the third day only patches of snow remained and progress improved until they were able to throw their snowshoes away. Now they were mainly impeded by the ravines swollen by snow melt and the slick mud on many of the slopes.
After the sixth day, exhausted from the struggle and half starved from lack of food, they stopped for a full day to rest and a search for food. From the beginning they had seen no sign of Kraa; no tracks in the snow near the pass or at the higher altitudes, and no encounters during their descent. Kevin had concluded they had either moved north or crossed the pass already so had chanced a fire for the first time; a nearly smokeless fire in a well protected ravine.
Kevin realized that, without Cormo, he couldn't have survived. Cormo showed them how to find edible tubers in the lightly-frozen ground, and they collected nuts left over from the fall. Strengthened, progress the next few days had been rapid, allowing Cormo, capable of traveling much faster than Kevin and the bound captive, to range ahead and to the sides in search of game. At first he downed game by well aimed rocks, but had recently fashioned a spear-thrower, resulting in the ability to down more sizable quarry. Each night they set their snares and deadfalls again, with varying success.
By Kevin's reckoning they were at least 300 kilometers southwest of the pass, maybe closer to 400, and approaching the area w
here the forest merged into the savanna. Unless sighted by a scoutplane it could take weeks to reach New Athens from here, and, while the makeshift weapons Cormo had been able to improvise while suitable for small game, they would be useless against large predators or Kraa packs if encountered. With luck, however, that wouldn't be necessary if they could only signal a scoutplane.
2 days later . . .
Kevin came running, Kraa-Kuk-T following behind, a rope around his neck and his hands tied in front of him. At the top of the rise Cormo was waving for them to hurry. Reaching Cormo, Kevin dropped to one knee to regain his breath, and watched where Cormo was pointing. In the distance, heading in their direction, Kevin could see a scoutplane approaching about a kilometer out over the savanna at an elevation of about 500 meters; their first scoutplane sighting.
Kevin nodded to Cormo, who had already lit the bundle of dry brush and grass he carried with the coal they carried in a protected bundle, and started to add green leaves to the flames to cause smoke. Shortening the rope around Kraa-Kuk-T's neck Kevin moved over next to Cormo. He wanted as large and concentrated a thermal pattern for the detectors aboard the plane as possible. As the plane approached he and Cormo started waving and jumping.
CHAPTER 11: Peace and Progress
(July 14, Year 22): Kevin leaned over the rail watching the route ahead, his eyes straying over the broad reed-covered delta on each side of the channel, the sound of the throbbing engines a constant refrain. The reeds blocked most of the view, growing to a height well over the Sea Witch's deck, although in places where they thinned the broad sweep of the delta could be seen continuing to the horizon, only interrupted by the distant jungle. The only signs of civilization they had seen were the occasional dredges occupied in straightening and deepening the main channel.
They had arrived at the delta yesterday about noon, and with dark had anchored for the night. Today they were still in that part of the delta that was inundated daily by the high tides, but now the tide was at its lowest, making the trip up the channel treacherous.
It was more than two hours before the vegetation began to change, the tall reeds of the salty tidal plain giving way to tall grass interspersed with low bushes, with occasional hummocks of dry land standing out with their forlorn clusters of trees. Above the tidal plain, but still subject to flooding by the river during each rainy season, only the hardiest vegetation could survive.
Kevin glanced over as Jose Ortega came over and stood beside him. Jose had hitched a ride on the Sea Witch and was scheduled to leave when the drilling supplies were unloaded; somewhere ahead an airboat should be waiting to take Jose and the supplies to the drilling rig on the northern edge of the delta.
Under the delta sat the only significant pool of petroleum the colonists had so far located. They knew it was large, but also very deep. Now the first well was being drilled on a hummock near where the delta and the tree-covered forest lands merged.
Developing the well site was a major effort for the colony, and drained resources from other needed projects; but a source of hydrocarbons was necessary for many of the products they were able to manufacture; and its absence was a drag on their progress. Unfortunately, the only suitable well site was a large hummock of land at the edge of the delta still subject to spring floods, making it necessary to construct barriers before drilling could proceed.
Now the first stages of preparation were complete, and drilling was finally underway. Meanwhile the well site was being connected to the mainland with a narrow causeway nearly a kilometer in length to allow a temporary roadway usable except during the period of spring floods; making it an all-weather road was still far in the future when the increase in production called for more efficient transport. For now all supplies required the long trip by sea and through the delta, as was shipment of any petroleum.
The Sea Witch slowed well before it reached the waiting airboat and pulled in near where it sat in the side channel, its prow jutting out into the main channel. With its flat bottom and low sides the large propeller mounted at the back allowed the boat to glide over the shallow water, requiring only a few inches even when fully loaded.
Jose clambered over the side onto the low bank, carrying his pack with his spare clothes slung over one arm. The boxes of supplies soon followed to be loaded into the waiting airboat. Once free of its cargo, the Sea Witch again pulled away from the shore, and headed back up the channel.
It was several more hours, with the sun sinking towards the horizon, before the channel opened and they entered the full sweep of the broad river. Ahead, far in the distance, Kevin could make out the short pier that jutted out from the north shore where supplies were stacked before transport to New Orleans. Slowing to pull in to the dock, the Sea Witch settled gently as two seamen threw a pair of ropes to the waiting dockworkers, and within minutes was securely tied and the unloading began.
Among the first to leave was Kevin carrying a duffel and a handbag for the short walk to the waiting landrover. The driver got out to greet Kevin and shook Kevin's hand; Kevin recognizing him as a former trooper who had been demobilized and placed in the reserves, one who had often served with the various missions against the Kraa. With the Kraa gone from the area the military had been downsized with as many as possible moved to more productive pursuits. After a little joshing back and forth over each others changed status, the driver picked up Kevin's duffel and threw it in back. Kevin also tossed the smaller bag into the back, and climbed up and took a seat next to the driver.
Kevin was barely seated before the driver backed up, and then accelerated forward at nearly full throttle. Dodging workmen and other vehicles, the landrover was soon careening down the rutted road to the new colony site of New Orleans, swerving to avoid a particularly deep rut in the muddy road, Kevin hanging onto the dashboard of the speeding vehicle for support. The driver took no notice of Kevin's white knuckle grip, and continued along the rough track under the canopy of trees without any reduction in speed. The road they followed skirted the river about 300 meters inland at this point and ended in the bustle of activity at the scarred landscape at the rivers edge where the new city of New Orleans was being established. Hardly reducing speed the landrover swerved between construction vehicles before coming to a halt in front of a cluster of temporary buildings.
New Orleans was the first of the new cities being prepared in anticipation of the resupply mission. With its location at the mouth of the river, just above the delta, the name 'New Orleans' had seemed appropriate; it would grow into a major port, with transfer of some colonists from New Athens in addition to most of the new arrivals. Once dredging of the shifting channel through the delta and construction of the permanent docks was complete ocean going ships could dock directly at the New Orleans waterfront. Until then supplies were being trucked in from the temporary unloading site nearer the delta.
When building was complete they could finally begin to exploit the resources of the river valley. Eventually, as the city developed, it would also serve to extend control south of the river; that vast, unexplored southern area was still largely a mystery. In time it might well become the capital and administrative center as well, replacing New Athens because of its central location.
When he had returned to New Athens from the operation at the pass Kevin had given up his position with the military and been assigned to the Governor's staff. There he acted as a general troubleshooter, in the present instance oversight responsibility for the new city preparation.
The flexibility of his new assignment was to Kevin's liking. With the Kraa no longer a major threat the military life had lost its luster, and his new assignment allowed him to be involved in the more interesting aspects of the colonization effort. Reviewing progress at New Orleans was, however, only part of the reason for Kevin's current tour. After three or four days here he was scheduled to fly to the Torgai village for discussions with Hath, Barco, and Eric. The purpose of that part of the mission was a closely held secret, with only himself, the Governo
r, and Colonel Gardner a party to it.
Getting out of the landrover, Kevin pulled his bags from the back seat, and with a 'thanks' to the driver, started into the building, only to be greeted on the steps by Charley Tanaka, the head of construction for the site. Kevin dropped one of the bags, and took Charley's hand in greeting.
"I see you've had the privilege of being transported by the rocket," Charley said, laughing, "you trained him well."
Motioning to the receptionist as they entered the building, "see that Mr Murphy's bags are taken to his quarters." Then to Kevin, "I've arranged a private dinner for you with my construction staff to summarize their progress and their problems. After that, whatever you want to see."
Following dinner Kevin borrowed a landrover and spent about an hour touring the construction site and the road construction to the north. The road, the first 10 kilometers of which had already been cut through the heavy forest, would eventually link New Orleans with New Athens and be the first major all weather highway on the planet.
Walking the construction area near the docks the scope of the construction was readily apparent. The mucky shore had been dredged and replaced with rocks and gravel brought from further inland. Now rows of pilings for the two long piers for docking of the larger ships extended over 100 meters out into the river, with the series of smaller docks for fishing boats nearing completion. The far shore of the river, over a kilometer wide at this point, during the day would show as a verdant green border to the muddy river, but now, even with the moonlight, was only a distant shadow. Even though late, the construction site itself was still filled with round-the-clock activity as footings for warehouses and other construction made a noisy backdrop.
In Kevin's view, while looking disorganized, it was clear rapid progress was being made.
Resurrection: Book II: Settlement Chronicals Page 12
