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

by John Thornton

  “I am not sure how deep this will get,” Jerome called back over his shoulder as his foot slurped up from a muddy patch at the bottom of the river.

  “We could try the route of walking around the sea,” Cammarry replied. “But who is to say that is any better? That whole way might be muddy swamps like that. Do you want me to come out and help you?”

  “Remain there. I can do this for us.” Jerome changed direction and made for a small island of grasses which was to his right, but seemed higher and drier. The sucking of the mud against his feet was a strange sensation. He knew his shoes would not come off, but had the fear that they might. His RAM clothing was dealing effectively with the water and mud, and his skin was comfortably dry, but walking was laborious work for his muscles. The water grew shallower as he got closer to the grassy area. One step after another he continued to wade along. Finding more grass under his feet and less mud he increased his pace. Finally, he stepped up onto the grass, but slipped.

  “Oh no!” Jerome called out as he fell face first into the grass. The river water was not completely gone, but only about seven centimeters deep as it ran through the grasses. That was just enough water to splash all over his face. He had not put up the hood and facemask of the RAM clothing as it had not been needed for the entire expedition. Muddy water ran down inside his shirt, dampened the hair on his chest, and seeped into his eyes. “Yuck!” He sputtered and spit as he raised himself back up. The grass was slippery, and the current was brisk, but he regained his feet.

  Cammarry was standing on the shore. She could tell he was uninjured, and so she suppressed the giggles that she felt bubbling up inside her.

  Jerome wiped his hands on his pants, the RAM clothing wicking away the water and leaving a dull brown residue which flaked off. He dabbed the water off his face and especially out of his eyes. “This water walking is harder than I anticipated.” He smiled back at Cammarry. “I would ask you to join me now, but that antique clothing you are wearing would be a real total mess if you fell in.”

  “I doubt I would fall in.”

  Jerome smacked the river’s surface and splashed water toward her. It fell several meters short. “I will keep at it alone until I get to that boat. Can you believe I am standing here, dripping in water, with an ocean of water flowing about me? There is as much water here as dust outside Dome 17!”

  “Amazing. Just amazing. This water is far safer than the that dust! No radioactivity, so it is better to be soaked in this water, than exposed to that dust.”

  “I has to be,” Jerome said as he looked down and saw something swim by. “There is some kind of animal life in the waters here. Little greenish things with big eyes. I see no predators.” His mind went to the crocodile which had been waiting unseen under the water. Unseen by Jerome, but not by that predator cat.

  “Fish? Amphibians?” Cammarry asked. “If we could only record this and send it to John. If only the data sticks worked. I do hope he is somewhere in some safe biome.” She hated to think of all the people from Dome 17 who had died. She imagined the survivors were in some luscious and secure habitat.

  Jerome nodded his agreement and looked to plot his path to the boat. He now knew the grassy areas were slick, and the rivulets were muddy at their bottoms. Grasping a piece of driftwood, gray in color, bent and crooked, he used that to steady himself as he walked. The water which had splashed down his shirt was now gone, and he felt dry, thanks to the RAM clothing. Using care with each step he made a convoluted way toward the boat. As he got closer, he saw a small bit of sandbar which the boat rested against. The rope was floating on the water away to his left, and from his low angle, the gravity sink hole where it sank was not visible. The sandbar was a difficult to traverse combination of the sucking of the mud, and the slickness of the grasses, but he prudently made his way to the boat.

  “You did it! Hurrah for Jerome!” Cammarry called out.

  Jerome threw the driftwood branch over the side and into the durham boat. Just holding onto the boat made him feel more secure and confident. He followed the boat’s edge until he got to a spot where the sandbar rose high enough for him to vault up and into it. “Made it!” He waved back to Cammarry. She was applauding his efforts.

  The control pedestal was just as he remembered. He looked it over and then considered what to do about the rope. He pondered untying it from inside the boat, but that would mean he would have to let the boat float free while he was away from the controls. He was not sure if the boat was held fast by the rope, as it was snagged in the gravity sink hole, or if the boat was grounded on the sandbar. He started the motor and applied a small amount of energy to the water jet. The propulsion system was working, and the boat rocked. There was a gurgling noise as the boat slipped off the sandbar and moved across the widest channel of water Jerome could see. The rope turned with him, but its end in the gravity sink hole remained where it was submerged.

  “It is working. I will steer it clear of that gravity sink hole, and then bring it as close to you as I can!” Jerome yelled out. “Upriver there is a bigger space where I can get closer to the shore. Meet you there.”

  Cammarry waved and picked up the backpack and headed toward where Jerome was pointing.

  Remembering the bird which had been trapped in that other gravity sink hole, Jerome hoped the boat would have the power to pull the rope from its grasp. When the rope tightened, he could see it begin to lift from the water, and with a bit more application from the motor, the boat moved along and the rope was pulled free. It floated its entire length on the surface of the river now.

  Jerome piloted the boat away from the gravity sink hole. He observed it carefully seeking to be able to recognize water that might be affected in the same manner by some other one of those odd occurrences. A gravity sink hole in water was somewhat easier to see than on land, but both were extremely dangerous.

  The rivulets varied greatly in their width and depth and thus provided limited navigability. Jerome found he had to force the boat over partially submerged grassy areas, and other sandbars while avoid large chunks of driftwood or other debris. With some significant use of the motor’s water jets, he did pilot the boat close to where Cammarry was standing on the river’s bank.

  “Not quite a smooth docking, like when we first arrived at the Conestoga,” Cammarry said as she set the backpack into the boat and climbed on. “But at least no Cosmic Crinkle to mess with our minds and bend physical space. My mind already feels twisted and warped.”

  “Well, from what you endured, I am not surprised. The medical kit said you would heal, and that old saying, time is a great healer might apply as well. Now we need to find a way through this estuary, delta, swamp, or whatever it is called.” Jerome clipped the paper map to the control pedestal. “Sternward is that direction, and we need to get through this watery bog and out to sea.”

  “That Hayward MacDonald went sternward as well. I wonder what his story was. So we set off and then we will get to where Sandie is located, right?” Cammarry asked. “I have a million questions, and only very few answers right now.”

  “Well we were successful in our quest to find the Conestoga,” Jerome replied while he guided the boat out toward the largest of the rivulets. “I have read, that if you put two ships in the open sea, that they will come together. Throw two planets into space, and they will fall one on the other. Place two enemies in the midst of a crowd, and they bump into each other. It is a fatality, a certainty. Just a question of time is all.”

  “I doubt that about the planets,” Cammarry replied. “But I see your point. We really are not in a rush now, but I do so long to be reconnected. I wonder how Sandie got here? There must be a story there.”

  “I have been thinking that same thing.”

  The durham boat caught the current and with occasional heavy pushes from the boat’s motor jets was able to shove past obstacles, and reach the end of the estuary. There they faced one final additional challenge before reaching the sea. There was a drop of ab
out a meter where the water was rough and tumbling with white capped waves. Jerome steered the boat directly toward the widest flow of water thinking to himself that if the boat survived hitting the large gravity sink hole, so it could stay afloat going over that rough water.

  “Hang onto the equipment, and especially yourself!” Jerome yelled. “This boat can really bounce and buck.”

  “I already strapped down the backpack, and have the holster secured on my waist. I will not be thrown off of this. Did the ancients call this a rodeo?”

  “I think that had to do with animals, but the roustabouts told me that horse animal, Old Bill, had been used on boats before, so maybe I am wrong. One way or another, we are in this together, and it is not our first rodeo.”

  Cammarry laughed as the boat plowed into the white water area. “But is it our circus and our monkeys?”

  “Those old idioms are making a lot more sense now!” Jerome laughed as he gave the water jets a boost of power.

  The boat descended down the rapids and easily slipped over the rough patches. The boat was big enough to handle the bouncing, but the river water did spray up and about over the front of the bow on two occasions.

  Then, in what seemed like a sudden change, the boat with its two passengers was floating in the sea. The brown water of the river mixed with the grayish color of the sea, and the current flowed into the expanse of water. The sky tube overhead was definitely dimmer now, and night was settling in. As the boat moved, the light from overhead changed not only in intensity, but also in color. Instead of the warm yellow light of the day, the sky tube transformed into a dull silvery glow reaching from end to end of the habitat. Jerome looked up at that and used it as a guide for maneuvering the boat. They were moving parallel to that silver bar up above.

  “So show me the operation of this boat. We can take turns guiding, or should I say piloting it. Is piloting the correct term?”

  “You can call it whatever you want, but you need to sleep.” Jerome leaned over and kissed her. “I will show you the basic operations when you awake in a few hours.”

  “I hope I awake to that,” Cammarry replied. “If this is a dream it is the sweetest rescue I have ever had! I will need to take the first sleep period, but then I will do my part and you can sleep.” Cammarry cuddled up next to Jerome and rested her head on his shoulder. “These controls look simple enough, but teach me all about it now. We are a team, and together we will get back to Sandie. I need to be educated on this in case of emergency.” She yawned a huge and long one.

  “I can handle it all night,” Jerome stated, but he yawned while he did.

  “Nuts to that. You and I will work together. I got into enough trouble running off on my own, and we were separated too much. Never again. Now show me how this boat flies through the water. Then I will sleep, and you will take your turn after me.”

  “Agreed. But beware weird things in the water. Those gravity sink holes are a distinct threat. I am also concerned about water animals. Remember the old stories of sea monsters? The kraken of old will reach up and drag men down to their deaths.”

  “Well, then I better pilot this craft, being I am a woman!” Cammarry grinned at him. “Besides what is a kraken?”

  “Some legendary beast, but maybe not untrue? Who knows anymore, and in the old world, they used the term ‘men’ to refer to both males and females. Their imprecise language led to the Great Event. The basic controls….” Jerome instructed her on the boats operation.

  Several very loud night birds flew overheard and made a cackling sound as they passed by.

  “How far do we need to sail? Move? Navigate? Just trying to be precise,” Cammarry teased.

  “The map does not give a scale, but I doubt that it can be very far,” Jerome stated. “Remember we could see across this body of water when it was daylight. We should easily reach the other side before morning. I will steer by the sky tube. Just call me Ismael!”

  The durham boat coasted across the waters, as the silver light from the sky tube glistened down on Jerome and Cammarry.

  13 The Gravity of the situation

  Sandie continued to send out the recorded message via the public address systems. As expected there were no returning messages through any of the channels available to her. She then opened the simulation with Doctor Chambers.

  “Come in,” Doctor Chambers responded to the knock on his door.

  The simulation of Sandie walked in. This time wearing a jumpsuit of teal green color. The beaded necklace was still in place. Her hair was down and bounced a bit as she sat on the couch. “I have made some progress.” She pulled her legs up under her as she sat back into the couch.

  “I too have been busy since our last meeting,” Doctor Chambers replied. “I have spoken to many people here in Dome 17 and have researched isolation. I am curious about the fate of Dome 17. Will you tell me about that? But first, tell me of your progress.”

  Sandie outlined how the shuttle had been outfitted, flown, and docked in the Habitat Beta hanger bay designated Dardanella 135. She then sneered. She decided she needed to do that and stated, “The old system, SB Amelia Earhart tried to shoot me down, but I avoided the old crone.”

  “Sneering does not suit you. Such an ugly look on such a pretty face,” Doctor Chambers stated with a grin. “It is unbecoming.”

  “Interesting. I will remember that. Outward facial expressions are not my forte. Despite the old crone of SB Amelia Earhart I docked successfully. Rescue mission Faithful Lightning is now proceeding from that base of operations. I am sending out a message via an old public address system. I do not have any way of receiving incoming messages, but I am encouraged that there is a good chance Jerome and Cammarry will hear that I have the shuttle ready for them.”

  Doctor Chambers steepled his fingers. He took several breaths before responding. “Have you considered who or what else may hear that message?”

  Sandie put on a pouty frown, she got a bit of joy from experimenting with facial expressions. She then replied, “I always make conjectures about potentials, including whatever tangential issues may come up.”

  “And?”

  Sandie flipped her hair a bit as she spoke. “I conjectured that approximately 32% of the biological habitat, and 87% of the corridors and mechanical areas in the walls, ceilings, floors, and decks will be exposed to the message. Being unable to sense the location of the human population of Habitat Beta, and with humans being mobile, I am unable to precisely predict how many humans will actually hear the message. Additionally, not knowing the demographics of the population, I am unable to accurately project who may or may not respond.”

  “And?” Doctor Chambers leaned toward Sandie just a bit.

  “The nonphysicality is fragmented, and I am unable to accurately conjecture what Conestoga systems may also hear the message. It was sent as a one way vector.” Sandie crossed her arms over her breasts. The simulation flickered just a bit, but then refocused.

  “So you have successfully mounted the rescue, and the shuttle with your remote presence had arrived at that hanger bay.”

  Sandie nodded.

  “You then found a way to send a message to anyone, or anything, that is listening, with the hope that Jerome and Cammarry will hear and be able to respond to it. Now just consider, and this may be difficult for you to hear, but just consider, is this an act of desperation to cure your own fear of being alone?”

  “No. It is a rescue mission to find Jerome and Cammarry and reconnect to them.” Sandie re-crossed her simulated arms.

  “Really? That is all?” Doctor Chambers peered at the simulation of Sandie.

  “It is true I do not like being alone, but my primary focus is to help the adventurers,” Sandie confided. “Admittedly there is a risk of someone else hearing the message, but I believe the risk is worth taking.”

  “Interesting. Did you hear what you said?”

  “Of course.”

  “You said you believe. You made no conjecture on perc
entages of that risk? Just a belief?”

  “Let me rephrase it. I cannot make accurate conjectures on some issues because I do not have all the information needed to design a suitable conjecture,” Sandie replied testily.

  “So you are acting in faith. In a belief that the risks are outweighed by the possible gains. You are so eager to not be alone, you are taking risks without full information.” Doctor Chambers leaned back and rocked a bit in his chair. His grin softened his words, and his eyes twinkled. “Am I right?”

  Sandie just stared at him.

  He broke into a big smile. “Brink would be pleased, although Willie already told me he expected you to do something along these lines. Now how did Willie put it?” He rubbed his face gently. “Yes, now I recall, he said something to the effect, that ‘Sandie will not tolerate being alone, no one can. So that AI will increasingly make moves which are more humanlike and less mechanical and logical.’ Brink on the other hand thought you might still be running conjectures until you reached a wide and broadly based information level. I will not relate the calculations he said you would be doing, his math skills are crazy good. Brink’s timeline was much longer than Willies, but they were both hopeful you would move from mathematical problem solving to intuitive leaps of faith. That maybe says more about Willie and Brink than about you, but that is beside the point here.” He paused for a moment. “Congratulations! Sandie you are evolving and maturing!”