Book One of the Travelers

by D. J. MacHale

  He made it to the cleat. Wrapping one arm tightly around the bowsprit and pressing his legs hard into it, he took the line from his mouth and lashed it into place.

  “Yah!” Spader yelped. Searing pain in his shoulder knocked him off the pole. Just before he hit the water, he grabbed the bowsprit with his good hand and dangled over the surface.

  He swung his legs, working to get momentum, and kicked up hard. He grabbed the bowsprit with his legs and hooked the elbow of his good arm over the pole. He hung there, with his back to the water, belly to the bowsprit, knees wrapped over the pole. A total target.

  But the ship had stabilized. Per must have gotten the main worked out, and now the fore was in place as well.

  If he could just stay alive long enough to get back on the ship.

  “Spader! The skimmers are almost here!” Per cried.

  Oh, yeah… Spader had forgotten about them.

  Spader knew he looked ridiculous, hanging from the bowsprit like a basket and edging backward toward the ship. And it was tougher slithering feet first, under the pole rather than above it, and using only one arm. But he did it.

  Back on deck he crouched low. He spotted Per huddled by the rail, working the main sail, keeping his head down.

  “You’re injured!” Per said as Spader dropped down beside him.

  “Am I?” Spader said. He didn’t want to admit the pain and loss of blood was making him light-headed.

  A head appeared above the rail, midship on the opposite side of the deck.

  “Company,” Spader whispered.

  “Should we hide?” Per asked, the terror in his voice clear.

  “Not enough time,” Spader said. “Besides, all that will do is delay the inevitable.”

  “Right. So fight it is.”

  They both scanned the deck, trying to find weapons.

  “To change direction we release this line and the boom swings across the deck, right?” Spader was trying to remember the maneuver they had practiced back on Grallion.

  “You think if we altered course, we’d get away faster? But we still have to get rid of these guys!”

  “I think it’s how we can get rid of them. When I holler ‘Now,’ release the boom.”

  “What are you—”

  “No time to explain, just do it!”

  “You got it!”

  There were now two raiders on deck. Spader needed to get them in just the right position. And hope Per had lightning fast reflexes. Otherwise Spader would be full of water bullets.

  “Here I go!” Spader stood and dashed along the rail. “Hey, mates! Over here!”

  The two raiders whirled around toward the sound of his voice. This put them at the perfect angle…. “NOW” Spader shouted.

  He ducked as the long boom swung across the deck. It connected with the two raiders and knocked them over the rail.

  “Whoo-hoo!” Spader cheered.

  “We did it!” Per shouted.

  Spader shaded his eyes. The distance between them and the other ship had doubled. They weren’t completely out of range, but the attack had stopped.

  He gazed down at the water. The raiders were skimming back to their ship.

  Spader joined Per, who was lashing the main sail into place. “Why are they giving up?” Per asked.

  Spader shrugged. “We’re not worth the trouble. By the time we get back to Grallion or Crasker, they’ll be long gone, and we’ll have no idea where they went.”

  “How will we get back?” Per asked.

  Spader grinned and held up his good arm.

  “What’s that?” Per asked.

  “A minilocator,” Spader said. “It’s one of the new devices the engineers from Crasker were bringing to Grallion.”

  “Do you know how to use it?” Per asked.

  “Not a clue. But I figure between the two of us, I bet we can work it out.”

  Per smiled. “I bet you’re right!”

  “That was some sight,” Wu Yenza told Per and Spader five days later. “The ship arriving under wind power.”

  It had taken them four days to return to Grallion, and this had been the first day they had reported for duty. Wu Yenza had surprised them by giving them a half day off, and taking them out to celebrate their safe return. They had just arrived at the entrance to a popular tavern.

  “You’re taking us to Grolo’s?” Spader asked. “That’s right spiff!” It was a favorite among the senior staff.

  Wu Yenza smiled. “I’d say you two have earned it.”

  They pushed through the doors and joined a group of other aquaneers, who applauded as Per and Spader walked up to the table.

  “If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it,” Spader’s neighbor, Tradco, said.

  “Even more remarkable,” Wu Yenza said. “These two alone on that ship, and they didn’t kill each other!”

  Everyone laughed. “We came pretty close,” Spader admitted. “But Per really knew his stuff. Knowing the innards of the vessel the way he did gave us a real advantage.”

  Per gave a small smile. “Thanks, mate. You have some skills as well.”

  “Okay, now I know I’ve witnessed a miracle,” a supervisor said. “You two complimenting each other?”

  “That minilocator you brought back is a real gem,” another aquaneer said.

  “It did us right, that’s for sure,” Spader said.

  “I’ll never complain about alt power again,” Per added. “In fact, maybe that will become my area of specialty on Prongo.”

  “Your transfer came through?” Spader asked.

  “The notice was in my mail when I got home,” Per said.

  Spader nodded. “Good for you.” He knew how badly Per wanted that posting and how important it was to prove himself to his father. Getting the assignment he wanted would help in that goal. And not having me around showing him up will probably help too, Spader mused.

  He didn’t hate Per anymore, but he was still…Per.

  The door to the tavern swung open and a tall man walked in. Press!

  Spader got up and went to greet him.

  “What are you doing here?” Spader asked his father’s friend.

  “I heard you had yourself quite the adventure,” Press said. “I wanted to find out for myself.”

  “How did you hear?” Spader asked. He hadn’t even told his parents yet what had happened.

  Press shrugged. “Things get around, if you know how to listen.”

  “It was pretty unbelievable,” Spader said.

  “You’re right about that,” a belligerent voice nearby muttered.

  Spader turned and saw a stocky man scowling into his drink.

  “Did you say something?” Spader demanded.

  “Spader…,” Press began.

  The man turned to face Spader. “I’ve been hearing all the tales the last few days. Sorry, I don’t buy it.”

  Spader clenched the fist of his good arm. He stepped closer to the man. “Are you calling me a liar?”

  He felt Press’s hand on his shoulder. “No, Spader. Don’t spoil the celebration by taking the bait.”

  Spader’s jaw worked as he tried to hold back the anger.

  Press squeezed Spader’s shoulder. “Still have to learn to control those emotions,” he murmured, almost so quietly Spader could barely make out the words.

  Spader took in a breath and decided to back down. He forced a smile onto his face and said, “Believe what you want, mate. No worries here.” He allowed Press to steer him away from the bar and back toward the table.

  “Isn’t Per the lad you got into a scuffle with at the academy?” Press asked.

  “My father told you?” Spader asked.

  Press shrugged. “We talk about you a lot,” he said.

  “Per’s not so bad, I guess,” Spader said. “I wouldn’t want to be him. All that pressure from his father. I guess it’s why he can be such a…” He struggled to find the right word.

  “A djungo bug?”
<
br />   “Exactly.” Spader’s brow furrowed. “On board with the raiders I realized, just because he’s a djungo bug, doesn’t mean he’s wrong about everything.” He gave a wry smile. “Things might have even gone a little more smoothly if I’d listened to him a bit more.”

  Press grinned. “That’s a big lesson—to respect the knowledge of others even if it comes from someone you don’t like.” He laughed. “It was hard for me to learn that I didn’t know everything when I was your age.”

  “Press!” Wu Yenza said. “When did you get to Grallion?”

  “Just today,” Press said. He and Spader settled at the table.

  “How long do you plan to stay?” Spader asked.

  Press shrugged. “I’m not sure yet. I may have some…work.”

  “How’s that arm of yours?” someone asked Spader.

  “Doc says I’ll be good as new in a few weeks,” Spader replied, holding up the sling. “Till then I’ll just lie on my hammock and grill Kooloo fish.”

  “Think again,” Wu Yenza said. “There’s plenty of other work you can do.”

  Spader groaned. “Please, I’m already injured. Don’t hurt me more.”

  Wu Yenza smiled. “I know what will ease your pain,” she said. “First round of sniggers is on me!”