The Colony Ship Conestoga : The Complete Series: All Eight Books

by John Thornton

  “Then just get us there, and shut up about it. If I need an answer I will ask Sandie when I find a way to reconnect to my own AI.” Jerome walked forward to the bow of the boat, stepping over the loose planks. “Finding Cammarry is the priority. You and I both know what we saw. I am being realistic about it. You are just ignoring what we saw, and I think that is foolishness.”

  Bigelow watched him go to the bow, but said nothing more. He pondered the anger Jerome had shone, so he hesitated to say anything else. Especially since Jerome’s hand remained on his holstered weapon. Drumming his fingers along the side of the control board, he licked his lips, then again satisfied his thirst. He was convinced to leave at the first safe moment.

  The river was widening out as they moved along with the current. Its muddy color as becoming more dilute, as water from occasional streams was pouring in to add to the flow. At once such juncture, Jerome spotted an animal he thought he recognized. It was crouching low, nearly hidden in some weeds, its head down, tongue lapping the water, eyes wary. His mind went back to the incidents inside Habitat Alpha, and the statue of a beast. It was near Wolf City, and an inscription was under it. Jerome recited that label: ‘Ville Loup’ and ‘Miasto Wilk’ and ‘Lupus Oppidum’. As the boat passed, the animal remained still as the statue he remembered, but this living specimen was a furry, creamy gold color. The fur on its back consisted of a mixture of black, brown and white hairs, giving it a golden tone, which almost perfectly matched the weeds and brush where it was hiding. Finished drinking, only its bright eyes move at all, as they remained fixed on Jerome and the boat.

  “A predator animal, wolf,” Jerome remarked. “Beautiful beast, just majestic.”

  “Golden Jackal, that one, but perhaps I should remain quiet so as to not offend your sensibilities,” Bigelow stated. “Or are you over your tantrum?” He immediately regretted taunting Jerome, and prepared to leap overboard should the need arise.

  Jerome clenched his fists, and dug his short nails into his palms. “I never had a tantrum against you, not like in the tunnel.”

  Bigelow looked to the holster on Jerome’s waist and refrained from what he was about to say. When he turned his attention back to the riverbank where the jackal had been, it was now gone. The jackal had slipped away ever so quietly.

  “Jerome?” Bigelow asked.

  Hearing his actual name, Jerome turned and looked at Bigelow. “What?” His words were less harsh that he thought they might be. His fingers were now flexing. His hand away from the holster.

  “I can see some horses up ahead in the distance, along the opposite bank. Our latest encounters with people have been, how shall I say it? Well, except for the elderly folks, our meeting people has been problematic. I cannot see from here who those horseback riders are, but we may need to be on our guard.”

  Jerome looked, and sure enough there were some people mounted on horses, far away across the river and on the grassy area beyond it.

  “There is no security here. You have taught me that much. So I am prepared to take appropriate action,” Jerome said.

  “But will you know what legitimately appropriate action is?” Bigelow asked. “I can offer my best advice, but if you do not listen, I am not sure what might happen.”

  Jerome walked back toward the pedestal, kicking a loose plank of permalloy out of his way. When he got next to Bigelow he said, “I will be fine. Will you?”

  Eye to eye, the two men stared at each other. Then Bigelow smiled and nodded. “Shall we just wait and see if it is a problem? Those riders may only be coming to the river to water their steeds. No need to borrow trouble unless it is warranted.”

  “I apologize,” Jerome said, but with an edge in his voice. “A person is not punished for being angry, but anger itself punishes a person.” He looked again trying to assess the riders. Both they and the boat were moving toward the same spot in the river. “I should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Anger does not produce positive results.”

  “You have gotten results, yes you have, rube. I will let fate decide if it is positive or negative. I accept your apology, and offer my own as well. Our ways are not well understood by you, or by your lost friend Cammarry. It was wrong of me to presume. I can be a difficult sort, so I too am sorry.”

  They stood watching as the riders drew up to the river’s edge. There were four of them riding, and behind the people on horseback, there were two saddled horses in tow.

  Bigelow hit the controls and the motor cut in. A jet of water pushed the boat toward the far side of the river as the rudder spun the bow toward that side was well. “Relax rube! I know those horses! They are from the roustabouts, and I am pretty certain that lead rider is Jenna! These are friends.”

  Jerome stared, but he could hardly make out the figures. “Why would Jenna he here?”

  “We are about to find out,” Bigelow replied with relief. He saw his chance to escape.

  The boat moved faster than Jerome had thought it was capable. The bow lifted slightly as the water jet whirred and projected the jet of water from the stern. Momentarily, they were pulling into the weeds and scrubs which were partially submerged.

  “Hello Jenna!” Bigelow called out. “What a fantastic surprise!”

  “How did they know where we would be?” Jerome asked.

  Bigelow’s smile dropped like a dry leaf falling from a drought stricken tree. He pushed the controls and the motor surged the durham boat ran up onto the shore and into the grass, crushing it down. The boat stuck, and Bigelow shut down the motor. “Jenna, what has happened? Tell me what has happened.” He climbed over the front of the bow and dropped down to the grass.

  Jenna swung her leg over the back of the bay horse she had been riding. Her face was severely strained, lips taunt, and dark shadows under her eyes. “Bigelow, I am glad to find you. There is trouble.”

  “I can tell,” Bigelow answered. “You forced yourself, I can tell. Forced it.”

  “Had to,” Jenna replied. Her black, straight, shoulder length hair was matted with sweat. Her brown roustabout clothing dusty from travel.

  “Had to do what?” Jerome asked.

  “Jerome, she had to find Bigelow,” Monika said as she too dismounted. She placed her fingers to her lips in a gesture of silence, and commented “We have come from the carousel building site.” Monika’s usually happy face was drawn, her pale skin lighter than usual.

  Bigelow wrapped Jenna in his arms. “You should not have forced it. Nothing good can come from stressing a gift, nothing.”

  “I do not understand. What do you mean?” Jerome began as he hopped down from the bow of the boat.

  Monika intercepted him and took him aside. Looking at her, because of the countenance on her face, Jerome stopped his further questioning and just watched Jenna speaking to Bigelow.

  “Dewi and Nabila are gone,” Jenna said. Her words landed like punches to Bigelow’s gut. “They snuck off and heard the Ferryman, or one of his representatives. One of the other children said they went to see a Mister Tate Willman. I am not certain which person they met. The other children did not know. Scuttlebutt does say that the Ferryman’s latest pitch is to the leftovers.”

  “They are smarter than that. They would never listen to his patter.” Bigelow looked at Jenna, then to Monika, and then to the two men, Chired, and Tamrin, who were holding the reins for all the horses. He nodded briefly to them. Their looks confirmed his fears. “But why? Why would they listen to the anyone else? There is plenty of water now.”

  “It is not about water, not this time. Like I said, he changed his spiel. This time he is invoking revenge,” Jenna explained. “He apparently set up a stand near Carousel Seven, and was telling the leftovers that now they can get revenge for being abandoned by their parents. Several leftovers from the farms heard the pitch, and they sought out Dewi and Nabila at the building site. Pretended they needed our help, and then in the night snuck off. The younger children told us they had left, but by the time w
e got there, the whole lot of them were missing.”

  “All the children?” Bigelow spit.

  Jenna shook her head. “Sorry, I am tired. No, not all our children, just Dewi and Nabila. Being the oldest, they were the most susceptible to his spiel.” Jenna’s face hardened. “Those newcomers snuck off with Dewi and Nabila. The younger children said they went freely.”

  Bigelow shook his head, “That Ferryman is a bad one. Nasty to the bone. I did hear something about Mister Tate Willman….”

  “How did you know where we were?” Jerome interrupted. “Do you have word on Cammarry? How did you find us?” Monika squeezed his arm, but he shook free and stepped toward Jenna. “How did you know? Why not chase down those children instead? Why come here?

  Jenna turned to Jerome. “The water told me where you would be,” Jenna said with a slight grin.

  “So where is Cammarry? Or Khin?” Jerome barked in anger. “Tell me that!”

  “They are not on the water, of that I am certain.” Jenna crossed her arms, her weary body shaking a bit, but her eyes were still kind. “I understand your concern, but I know nothing about the location of your friends. Siva is leading some of the other roustabouts who are trying to track down the Ferryman right now.” Jenna looked away from Jerome. “I sensed that you, Bigelow, were needed. We must get them back. They are off to kill the chosen siblings of their families. Rumor has it that the Ferryman says that is to make the parents pay for their sins. A twisted atonement. The Ferryman claims to know where all the chosen siblings are, and he is assembling the leftovers to seek retribution. I cannot get a read on who or what this Mister Tate Willman is.”

  “Bigelow is leading me to find Cammarry,” Jerome stated. His words were harsh.

  “Not anymore, rube. Not anymore,” Bigelow stepped away.

  “What?” Jerome yelled. “You know Cammarry is lost!”

  The two roustabout men stepped forward. The horses brayed and stomped their feet. The air was thick with tension.

  “Jerome, stop,” Monika said and laid a gentle hand on his chest. “Please calm your anger.”

  Jerome knocked her hand away. “Fine! I will go on alone.”

  “We brought a horse for you as well,” one of the men called. “You are welcome to assist us in finding those children.”

  “And give up on Cammarry?” The words flamed from Jerome’s lips. They were hotter than the sky tube at its brightest time of day.

  Chired’s eyebrows went up and his fists clenched. He handed the reins to the other man. He stepped toward Jerome, his muscles bulging under the brown roustabout clothing.

  “Halt!” Jenna commanded. “No one will fight over this. No one!” She turned and stared hard at Chired, and then at Tamrin. With kindness she looked toward Jerome. “We all have known Dewi and Nabila for years, since we rescued them. Jerome, you have not known them like we do. We love them like family. They are our family. I do not expect you to understand. You have only known them briefly, to us they are family, clan, our people.”

  “That is right!” Tamrin snarled. “Those children are roustabouts. You are a rube, only a rube.”

  Jenna turned back and glared until he looked away. “Do not rage at Jerome. He is in a strange place, and seeking to find his friends, his clan, his family. They are just as valuable as our children Dewi and Nabila are. Our enemy is not each other. It is the Ferryman, and the situation, and whatever Mister Tate Willman is. Be angry at them, not at each other. No more of this!”

  Jerome relaxed. As he did, so did the two roustabout men. Monika touched Jerome’s shoulder. He allowed it this time.

  Bigelow said, “Rube, I am sorry. My loyalty must be with Jenna and finding those children. You yourself have said your friend was lost to a scheme of the Ferryman. How will our children fare against him?”

  “Khin may have died, I am just not sure. I understand about those children. I do, but how will Cammarry fare being alone? Who else will help her?” Jerome said, but he trailed off the words. “She will not be alone for long. I will find her myself.”

  “I am sorry,” Tamrin said. “We do have a horse for you, if that will help.”

  Jerome shook his head, he looked back at the durham boat. “I have no skill with riding some animal. I do have skills with machines. I will take the boat. You said that Special Care Unit is near the river, right?”

  Bigelow replied, “It is on a small hill, wall side of the river, right before you get to the sea. You cannot miss it. But, rube, there is no guarantee she is there. It was a rumor that people were taken there. That medical cubie may have been mistaken.”

  Jerome glared at Bigelow with open hostility. “It is the only lead I have to follow. The only hints of where Cammarry is located.” Jerome turned and looked again at Jenna. He blinked to soften his eyes and expression. “You knew where we were, from the water? You honestly have no idea where Cammarry is located?”

  Jenna walked over to him. He saw that her eyes were sunken even more than he thought at first. She looked drained, beyond exhausted. “Jerome, I tried. I did try. I could only locate Bigelow, I did not know for sure you were even with him. I have trouble reading you. I could tell someone was with Bigelow, but I could not identify who. I hoped it was you. We brought the horse for you, just in case. You may take him, Old Bill the horse is a mature and gentle animal.”

  Jerome felt blood rush to his face, but he wrestled that anger back. He knew Jenna was trying to be helpful, but he also knew he had to find Cammarry. “Thank you, but I will take the mechanical ride instead. I have been around machines my whole life, animals not at all.”

  “Jerome? We are going after the Ferryman,” Jenna interjected, but a weariness in her words. “You said your friend Khin was lost due to the Ferryman. Come with us. We may find this Khin who is also lost, and you could help us to find the children, Nabila and Dewi.”

  Jerome swallowed hard. He swallowed down his rage and licked his lips before answering. “No. Cammarry must come first. She is above all else. Sorry, I do hope the children can be found. Someone said Siva is looking too? Well, I am the only one who cares at all about Cammarry. I will take this boat to the Special Care Unit and find her.” He realized his fists were clenched, so he released them and cracked his knuckles. Then he rubbed his hair. “I do feel for those children, and I hope to someday find Khin. I wish you the very best in your own search.”

  Bigelow walked over and reached to clasp Jerome on both shoulders. When he saw Jerome’s face he pulled back. “We part ways, but I too wish you every success.”

  “Thank you.” Jerome barely got the words out. He turned to leave.

  “Wait!” Monika said. “That motor on the boat is not running as smoothly as it should. I can tell from the sound. Let me look it over quickly, and I will instruct you on its operation while I do so.”

  “I can figure out some old technology,” Jerome replied. “How hard can it be?”

  Monika ignore the jibe and climbed up into the boat. “I can get you a lot better performance to save you time. Let me at least offer that much help. I do care about you and Cammarry.”

  “Tamrin? Chired? Put one sixth of our supplies into the boat for Jerome.” Jenna issue the command as she walked back toward her horse. “We will take a break and eat before we head onward. The horses need water, see to it.”

  The two male roustabouts quickly unloaded the saddlebags of the horses and divided up the supplies. Bigelow talked quietly to Jenna while Jerome climbed back into the boat and walked over to where Monika had squatted down by the pedestal.

  “As I thought, the energy converter is misaligned. The power flow from the collectors is only at 78%. It would be adequate for typical use, but you need peak performance,” Monika stated. “I know this is old technology to you, but let me show you the tricks I have learned. Think of it as my way to help. Please. I want you to succeed in finding Cammarry. No one should ride a carousel alone.”

  Jerome looked at her pretty brown eyes, and the sincerity i
n her expression. Those washed out some of Jerome’s anger. “Thank you.”

  “Think of it this way,” Monika stated. “I am confident I could figure out an ancient internal combustion engine. There are even some in storage crates in Beta, but it would take me time. I would have to do a slow and methodical labor of understanding. So too, I am sure you could puzzle out this technology, but why waste the time when I can give you a crash course in its operation.”

  “Agreed. You did help me once get reconnected to Sandie the AI,” Jerome conceded. “So where do I start?”

  “Great. This is the main control panel….” Monika went on and gave Jerome a concise but very helpful overview of the durham boat’s motor and navigational controls.

  “Monika? Look at the permalloy hull here,” Jerome said as she finished and was closing up the access panel on the pedestal. He cleared a few of the loose planks away to expose the crease.

  Monika looked closely at it. “That is a strange mark. The permalloy was bent and then straightened. Must have been a defect when the hull was spun, but why not correct it while the permalloy was malleable?”