Port, Trade Begins, Changes, Creative Solutions…
The workers in Port had begun collecting the finished baskets in the dock building. Those that could be filled with dried fish and tree nut meat were set high up on newly rigged shelves in case the evening wind blew the water high. They needed the meat this shipment would bring, but there was a problem.
“Spacer, what are we going to ship this on? Julie’s ship isn’t back from Southmost, and the fishing boats are busy,” the leader of the weavers said.
“Been thinking on that,” Spacer said. “See if Beth Ann is done unloading and I’ll see if she is willing to take a load to Refugio. We sure have enough fish since I saw them rigging some new drying racks. We’re going to need a lot more tree grass if we keep this up.”
“Any word on moving to the new land?” she asked.
“Last word from Blackie was they getting ready to go after those guys that raided us, so they won’t bother us or anyone else again.”
“Glad to hear it. The medic said she never wants to have casualties like we did with that raid. Hurt us all to hear them cry from the burns,” her eyes teared up and she turned away for a moment. “Glad they finally went on to their rewards.”
“All of us had it rough waiting for that. We need to find more of that fish juice that kills the pain just in case, right now, we’ve got work to do.” Spacer saw Beth Ann washing up from gutting fish and called Boats to talk to her about sailing for Refugio. He needed to visit with the medical officer about where they could get more of the pain killing solution.
***
The next morning, Spacer called Boats from the meeting area where he had just finished first meal. “I saw you meeting with all the fishing captains,” Spacer said. “What did they decide about getting this order to Refugio?”
“Two of the ships are too small so the two that are large enough had a contest,” Boats was grinning. “They decided that the one who had the largest catch of fish would get to clean up and take the stuff to Refugio.”
“I’ll bet Beth Ann came up with that,” Spacer said.
“She did but she lost!” Boats laughed and explained that Paul Jones had a larger load, so his crew was cleaning up their ship to take the trade goods. Spacer went to help with an inventory of what they hoped to receive when they fulfilled their orders. They needed that potted meat for the children this winter, so this trade was doubly important. As he crossed the main plaza, he saw Beth Ann had unloaded her fish and some of her people were helping Paul with the scrub of their hold. The baskets of dried fish would be fine with an odor of fish, but the baskets of dried nut meats and fabric needed to be protected or they would not be accepted by the Regals. The Grounders were learning what worked and what didn’t in this business of trading.
The quartermaster was checking the supplies inventory after she finished packing the baskets of trade goods. She asked if there was a chance they could get any bread meal with this load since they were running low.
“Unfortunately, no,” Spacer said. “It’s rotation year in Utopia, and everyone is going to be short. I hope that’s one of the changes they make there. I heard they had an election to change their charter, but I don’t know if that is one of the things they’re changing.”
“One of the women who came from there told me that moving every five years really gets messy until everyone one learns how to do the jobs at their new farm.”
“Weird way to run a place,” Spacer said. “You would think that after all these years, they would remember when they rotate back to a place again. I just want to get this trading thing going better. Blackie said we might get credits for being the sailors on the double masted ships, but we have to work that out.”
“You would think that, but she said they have so many farms with different things to do that you are three or four rotations before you get back to a place. Hope they get something worked out because we are going to run out of tree nuts and basket material pretty quick at the rate we are going,” she said. “We need something else or somewhere else!”
***
Paul Jones and his crew were loaded and ready to sail for Refugio. Port had been able to fulfill all the orders from Refugio. It had been hard work, but they badly needed the protein heavy meat and bread meal. The bad rainy season they had suffered three years ago had resulted in a bumper crop of littles and they were growing fast. The medic warned that they needed good food especially the meat from Refugio. They had goats in Port, but the milk and cheese needed by the whole community meant they had to limit the number slaughtered for meat.
“We’ll have to tack most of the way going but coming back’ll be fast,” Paul said. “Just hope our summer storms hold off until we get back.”
“Weather watcher says it looks calm for a while,” Spacer said. “We’re going to take the small boats over to that last island in the east. We need more fronds for the roofs and see if there are any more tree nuts. Mandy said our contact wants to raise the credits for dried nut meat. I’m not against that because we have a limit.”
“Makes sense, Spacer, when you got a lot, you don’t appreciate it. When it gets scarce that’s when you appreciate it more.” Paul laughed and hopped over the edge of the ship as his crew drew the ropes onto the ship and they pushed off on the outgoing surf.
***
“Are you sure the ‘pins will have food for us?” Joe Marine, the head of security for Port was not trusting of the other settlement. Port had a bad reputation with both of their neighbors. “The galley is not giving us much, slim rations for the sail.”
“Joe, what I hear from Captain Julie is Blackie is bringing food and don’t want us to crowd the ship with supplies for when we get there. They have a new, faster ship. They got food.” Spacer was checking lists of who was going to avenge the raid they had weeks back.
The security forces had been practicing with the longbows because they usually only worked with the shorter bows. Their duties were mainly discouraging the swamp reptiles from eating things in the settlement. That only took the short bows and some heavy clubs, but they did have long bows. They hoped to have access to the crossbows used by Utopia and Refugio. They had a shorter range but more lethal.
***
Spacer was surprised at how many volunteered to help. The result was not pleasant for him. The seaweed was ready to be harvested. Most of the swamp crew were going with Joe so the adults staying behind had to lend a hand. It was hard and nasty work, but essential if they were to have the sea silk to trade.
***
The Dream sailed into Port and caused just as much surprise and interest as it had each time it arrived at a new port. Those who were sailors on the single masted coastal sailboats gathered on the dock wanting to get on board and inspect. Captain O’Malley put them to work unloading the food and supplies brought from Utopia, much to the delight of the quartermaster. The galley chief began changing the menu for last meal as she got a look at the now ripe fresh vegetables. Port would feast tonight.
It took most of the afternoon, but by last meal, gear was all loaded and stowed. The last meal was a banquet of fresh vegetables and fish. Two of the small boats would be beached since so many of those sailors would be on the expedition. Spacer called it an early night because Blackie said they wanted to catch the dawn offshore winds to save the batteries on the small motor.
As the sun was rising, the men and women who had volunteered said their farewells, gave last minute hugs, and loaded on the Dream. The sails were quickly up, and the fresh offshore breeze took them off. The journey had begun.
***
The trip to Southmost was uneventful. Most of the Port men were experienced sailors who were fascinated with the new, double masted ship. They quickly volunteered to learn the differences from the single adjustable sail they used on their boats. Friendships quickly formed among the men and women of the two settlements. Blackie was relieved. He had been worried that because so many of the Port sailors had experience as raiders, the Utopia sailors would dislike them. The sailors traded hints and learned together. It was progress.
Should you want to read the whole story…
Book One
Book Two
Amazon.com: Surviving Higgins World: Change or Chaos? eBook : Gibson, Patricia : Kindle Store