An Island Near the Pole, the North Channel…
Megal was not happy about the delay in getting back to Amaurot, but he was beginning to accept that the men looked to him as the leader. He was glad that he and Sarita were able to connect psychically, but he worried it would endanger the baby she carried. He also missed their long conversations. It was just too physically draining to talk that much via the brain connection. He had been watching the sea from the bow of the ship and enjoying the breeze when Blackie called to him.
“Megal, I got a message from Julie with some directions. We need to decide which way to go.” He motioned to join him in the captain’s cabin. Captain Murphy, Joe Marine, and Captain O’Malley were gathered around a table in the center of the cabin. “Captain O’Malley, Julie said the maps show that the third land mass is much farther to the east the closer to the level of Port you go. She said it’s much closer if we head to the northeast.”
“That keeps with what some of the renegades said,” O’Malley said. “They had ventured out hopping from one island to another and thought they may have come close to the mainland. I’d rather not leave this bunch where they can hop back towards Utopia.”
“Agreed, Redmond,” Murphy said. “I suggest we make to the northeast and then drop them off on the largest island we can find, one that has some distance between it and the next. It will take a while to get a boat built or even a raft. Slow them down if nothing else.”
“Excellent idea, Captain,” Megal said. “Blackie does that match what Julie said?”
“She wished she had a way to send us a copy of the map, but that is what she suggested.” The men left to help trim the sails and the ship began turning to the right. The setting sun cast the ships shadow across the gently surging waves. The wind cooperated and they began making better time. Early morning brought the rising sun directly in front of the ship.
“Those are land birds so we must not be too far from something,” Captain O’Malley said as he joined Megal on the deck with his bowl of swamp root. “Never have understood why some folks won’t eat this stuff. Fills you up and you can season it anyway you want.”
“I think my wife said it best, Captain. When that is all, you have, it gives you something to fuss about.” O’Malley laughed.
***
Captain O’Malley was correct. They saw a haze on the horizon that quickly grew into land covered with trees. Unlike the islands where the renegades had camped, these were lower with beaches where they could land the small boat.
The healers had given the prisoners an extra dose of drugging tincture with their food that morning. Joe Marine had suggested it would be easier to get them onto any land they found and easier to get away. “Blackie can tell you. That is the way they kept any people they brought to Port.” He realized after he spoke that the others did not view the capture as something normal and looked a bit embarrassed. “Well, it works.” The look on the big man’s face caused the rest of the crew standing by him to laugh.
“That’s a true story, Ser Marine,” Megal slapped the big man on his back and grinned. Joe began laughing with the rest.
“The less said the better as my granny used to say,” Joe went to help lower the groggy captives into the small boat. The oldest female healer approached Megal.
“Lord Morales, I must object to putting the woman we rescued off with the rest. She is several months pregnant, so it is the child of her partner who was killed not any one she was captured with. This would not be safe for her or the child.”
“One of the renegades we left at the farm said she had been driven out by her family in Utopia. I am not sure what we can do with her.”
“I will take her back to Port if you will allow. Her illness is treatable and has nothing to do with her manifestation. She has latent psy powers but has been badly treated. Will you allow it?”
“If you will be responsible for her, it seems the kindest thing to do.”
Captain Murphy shook his head. “You are far to kind for this business, Megal, far too kind.”
“Captain, would you leave her and her unborn child to the mercy of El Canalla?” The healer said angrily. “He raped her on the boat in full view of the other man who he had beaten. It was her reaction to his attention that caused the boat to capsize. He tried several times to drown her. She would rather die than be left with him.” The healer turned and stalked away. Captain Murphy started to speak but it was time to row the small boat to the island.
“A moment, Captain Murphy,” Megal confronted the security head. “My family has long held that kindness and mercy are more powerful than being harsh and punitive. I have seen my father deal with many incidents where his reasonable suggestions have gained him much faster solutions. It is not weakness, but empathy. Please consider it.” Murphy turned without answering and began helping to lower the drugged renegades into the row boats. Megal went below to help the healer with the woman who would be staying aboard.
***
The uncooperative renegades were quickly rowed to the island and carried up into the trees to insure they were above the surf. Some would revive more slowly than others and might drown if the water came up too high. The supplies were placed in fish skin lined hampers to keep them dry, and the tools arranged close. The crew quickly returned to the ship and Captain O’Malley gave the order to lift anchor. He used the small electric motor to back the ship away from the island and head off to the northwest.
“Redmond, where the heck are you going?” Murphy called him.
“We have the directions for the deep channel across the top of Utopia, Brendon, we are going to use it. Might as well trace where these bandits were sailing.” O’Malley grinned at his old friend. “Been talking to some renegades and especially one who sailed with the Regal bandits. She was a sailor before she got in trouble. We’ll be fine.” For the second time in a day, the head of Utopian security was publicly put down, and his opinion dismissed. Megal could sense his frustration. He needed the man’s expertise. There had to be something he could say or do to encourage him. He would discuss it with Sarita. She had grown up here and could help him.
The ship sailed to the west and the setting sun lit up the upper sails. Because it was a new passage, O’Malley chose a small island with a stream flowing onto a beach to anchor and spend the night. “We’ve been told it is safe, but I’d rather do the passage past the ice fields in the daylight. Those blocks of ice that break off can sink a wooden ship and as much as I’d enjoy a bath right now, I don’t want a cold one.” He ordered the crew to take the rest of the water barrels to the beach and replenish the drinking water. They asked if they could explore the island. They were told to get the barrels back on board and then take a look around. After the barrels were loaded, a basket of food was carried to the beach and supper was held on the warm sand around a driftwood fire. A couple of the Port security decided to try for a swim and were quickly back by the fire. “That is close to solid cold, as close to ice as liquid water can be,” one man said. He was quickly putting his clothes back on and getting close to the fire and the other people.
“Take care you don’t fall overboard up here,” O’Malley said. “We’ve seen the same to the south of Port. There are some islands down there but bitter cold just like here in the north. I’ve read that is the way it is on Terra.”
“It was one reason Captain Higgins’ approved it for human settlement,” Megal said. “She wrote in her report that it was so close to Terra only the debris field kept it from being a class 1A planet.”
“You have read the report?” Murphy was shocked. In Utopia, it was believed that it was lost.
“Only part of it. It was found in the material they are sorting now in Amaurot. I only had time to glance at it. Lord Johnson said he wanted to have copies made for each settlement so we would all know about what is here.”
“What I don’t understand is why all that material was locked up?” Murphy said.
“Come on now, Brendon,” O’Malley said, “You’ve had to deal with the backward three, Muldoon, Murphy, and Ludden. In fact, you are part of one of those founder families. They keep saying ‘Get rid of the electricity. Get rid of the machines. Do everything by hand.’ Drove me crazy for years when they were assigned to Southmost. They follow each other. Put them to work hand sawing beams for a new barn and it was pretty quickly, ‘the Lord is gone to see the prince, can we have the power saw please?’ I had to put my foot down when they wanted to stop using the sewage plant.”
“You’re joking, Captain O’Malley?” Megal said.
“He is not Megal,” Murphy said. “We have three families including mine, that still believe we can survive living like they think they did in More’s book. It would be like living at the renegade camp all the time.”
“I hope that the prince is successful in getting the full translation of the book to everyone,” Megal shook his head. “After reading the book, I can’t imagine anyone believing More intended that to be a plan for a county. His Utopia had extensive trade with the mainland and practiced human slavery.”
“You have read the whole thing?” O’Malley said. “I know some of my grandchildren have read it, but I haven’t had the time. From what they have told me, it was never supposed to be a plan for a country, but our founders believed it was.”
“My grandfather wanted to understand how Utopia worked and found a copy of the original with a translation. He said he had to believe they only had part of the book, or they would never have suggested it.”
“I have been told that is the case, Megal,” Murphy said.
“Brendon, you and I have been friends for many years. I don’t understand why you suddenly are not using Ser Morales’ title. Seems a bit disrespectful, old friend.” O’Malley had a different tone to his voice, and he had dropped his usual smile. A quiet settled over the group, an ominous quiet Megal realized. He also realized he should not speak.
“What say you, Captain Murphy?” O’Malley spoke softly but could be heard clearly even over the noises of the island night.
“Ser Morales, I recognize your position in your government, but you are young, as young as my sons and many of my rangers,” Murphy paused. He seemed to be searching for the right words. “It is hard for me to accept the role you have been given as leader. Having said that, I must admit, you have done well and were I your commander, I would commend you. Please accept my apology.”
“It has long bothered me that in such close quarters, we are still using our titles. On an evening like this, off duty and relaxing, can we not just be Megal, and Brendon, and Redmond, and Blackie? Wait, Blackie, do you have a given name or is it really Blackie?”
“My name is from my father’s family on Terra. I am named for him, and I would be shocked if you used it,” Blackie said. “I’ve been Blackie since I was a little. I’d be looking for my long dead father if anyone called me Mosi.”
“Does Julie know?” Megal asked.
“Of course, but she doesn’t use it unless I’m in deep trouble,” Blackie said. “I’m all for only using our names unless we are on ship. When we hear Captain, it should be a sign of respect. We’ve tried for years to get Joe to use a title, but he says his last name is his title.”
“That’s right. I’m not an officer so the closest thing we had was chief petty officer, and my dad was second in command on the transport. The Chief was killed. He didn’t think it right to assume the title.”
“Joe, you never told me that,” Blackie said.
“Never had call to. Spacer knows.”
“I want a consensus on this,” Megal said. “Like some of the other things we need to be certain we all know what is going on and that includes our crew.”
“Speaking for the crew, we need to get back to the ship because it is getting cold, but does anyone object to just using first name on shore?” Joe said. No one else said anything. “Then let’s get this fire out and get back to the Dream. Tomorrow we’re going somewhere new.”
***
They were putting out the fire and clearing the dinner area when one of the renegades approached Captain O’Malley. “Captain, that channel you are talking about sailing in the morning, a couple of us have been through it just a few days ago and we need to do something,” The woman was obviously nervous and kept looking back at the other renegades who had agreed to sail with the Dream.
“What is the problem, Bertha?” Joe Marine knew her from when she sailed with Mack Gunson. She had jumped ship when he last sailed to Utopia and ended up being exiled by the Utopians for her behavior. He was skeptical she had reformed.
“Now, Joe, you know I been working hard to prove that I want to go straight. We need some of those skinny trees for the trip tomorrow.” She motioned to the young trees growing along the edge of the freshwater stream.
“I’m listening.” Joe crossed his arms and waited, truly not expecting much.
“When we came through the passage last month, we stopped on the other side and cut some long trees. We mounted them up front of the ship and had a watch both in the crows’ nest and on the deck. You see, there’s still ice out there and it breaks into big chunks. The watches holler out when they see some and the crew pushes it out of the way with the long poles. We need some of those poles, Captain. Joe, you can ask any of the ones who sailed with the bastard. He’d been through the passage several times.”
“Sounds like a good idea, Joe,” O’Malley said, pointing at the trees that lined the steam. “Bertha, do you see some good candidates here close?” The sailor pointed out some tall, skinny trees along the stream bank and they were quickly cut and cleared of branches. The group returned to the ship and all hands helped lash the tree trunks to the rails at the bow of the ship.
“Rather have this than a hole in the hull,” O’Malley said to Joe as they stood the first watch of the night.
“Hard to accept when someone you know as a troublemaker shows you a different side,” Joe said.
“That is what Megal keeps talking about, Joe, giving people a chance to change. Looks like in this case, it might be working.” The two men walked the rail of the ship to stay awake and watched the sparkling sky of Higgins glow overhead. The flashing lights of falling bits of debris occasionally lit up the dark night. The sky stayed sparkling until close to midnight. Dark night was when your part of the planet was directly opposite the star. It was the only time you could see stars in deep space.
***
O’Malley’s Dream was under short sail as it entered the channel between the ice and the rocky shore. The air off the ice had everyone bundled up. It was cold and Captain O’Malley’s warning to stay out of the water was really unnecessary. The tree trunks had been untied and most of the former renegades had volunteered to help push the ice. It was not long before the lookout on the mast saw the ice lurking just under the surface. Bertha had rigged safety lines for all the crew on the poles.
“El Canalla never protected us, and we lost a couple to the water. Nobody lasts long in that water,” Bertha said as she looped the ropes from person to person. The teams balanced on the out sides of the ship’s rails to push the submerged ice out of the way of the ship. This piece of ice was large enough to be dangerous but small enough that it was quickly shoved towards the cliff side of the channel. Captain O’Malley ordered the small electric motor lowered and the sails struck. They would travel that way as long as the battery lasted. The journey through the passage took most of the day and they were glad for the sun to recharge the motor’s battery. It was cold in spite of the bright sun, and the dark basalt cliff hung ominously off to the starboard side of the ship. The captain had one of the crew throw a line over the side to gage the depth of the water. He used the full line and never hit bottom. The channel’s depth would not be an issue for ships.
“Not going to recommend this for anyone else,” he said. “I suppose a coastal ship might make it safely, but I won’t risk the Dream on it again.” Once out of the channel and into the scattered islands, he called to the man in the crow’s nest to keep an eye out for a place to stop for the night. Everyone needed a rest.
***
The next day, the sail to Trade City was easy and gave all the leaders time to relax and swap stories. Megal learned of the problems that moving from one farm to another every few years caused. He had heard from Sarita about shortages of paper and some food stuffs but was surprised to learn that other things were scarce too.
“We often don’t hold practice with the crossbow in the months before the rotations. It’s to save bolts and string because the farm where they are made has to learn how to make them,” Murphy said. “From what I heard from my grandchildren, in the original book, those people bought a lot of their stuff from the mainland close by. They didn’t have to make everything.”
“Unfortunately, the NeoUtopians didn’t have the whole book,” O’Malley said ruefully. “My grandson was working with Lady Harrah to sort all that stuff from the storage. They found a copy of what they did have.”
“Sarita’s stepfather showed it to her and it’s only a short summary of what More wrote,” Megal said. “He got the full copy of the book from Ser Tony Pesch, and I have read his translation. My grandfather’s translation was in old Spanish but the other one they found was in the original language, an even older language, Latin. He said he was certain they only had a part or else they never would have set things up like they did.
“I like the principles behind what More wrote. It is better to value people for what they do than what family they come from and that was something he stressed. It was surprising that he used the terms of a hereditary nobility but elected, but I suspect that was all he knew.” Megal continued.
“The system we use in Port is not perfect, but it has worked,” Blackie said. “Only the ones who work get fed. That copies how it was on the transport. We started out with a smaller group than either of the other settlements, so it was easier. We don’t have that anymore. We need to move to this new area. We’re willing to work, but we just don’t have enough land where we are.”
“I don’t think the new prince is going to be happy about sending the Port people to that new land mass,” O’Malley said. “He’s not one of the strict traditionalists, but he was not happy with some of the things the young people wanted to change when the Assembly dumped Prince O’Brian.”
“Your granddaughter told us some of it, Redmon, but I wondered if she knew the whole story,” Megal said. “Did they really change the prince because he drank too much?”
“That was the charge they used, however, his wife was the one they were after, right Brendon?”
“Even if she was my cousin, you’re right,” Murphy said. “That whole part of the family got it in their heads they were better than anyone else and tried to change the charter to make the prince hereditary. I think what got Sheila started was she only had the one boy and spoiled him rotten.”
“My wife had some unkind things to say about the heir to the prince,” Megal said. “Seems he tried to assault her at a meeting of some sort. She said it was one of the reasons she was willing to leave with her mother and Ser Pesch.”
“I’m not surprised,” Murphy said. “Most of us warned our females to not get caught alone with him.”
“With the large families you usually have, Brendon, why did she only have one?” Blackie asked.
“That is another problem we are having and may be one of the reasons Sean Johnson won’t want your people to go to the new land. We are having issues with women losing babies or not being able to get pregnant at all. The healers think it is something to do with us being all so close genetically. We need new folks.”
“Port in view, all hands-on deck to drop the sails.” The call from the steering deck ended the conversation, and the men went to help lower the main sails. The ship approached the harbor using its small electric motor because the offshore wind was too strong.
| ← Chapter 19 | Chapter 21 → |
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