Pilgrims Page 12

  Utz flinched but allowed the hug. He tried not to remember when he’d sailed with Ancel. But it was hard to forget. He’d been thirteen and a half, and Father had insisted that since Fritz was gone, Utz had to learn everything about the Bo-See.

  After an awful week of sailing, Ancel had hauled him into the palace and threw him onto the floor in front of his father. Fortunately, they were alone in father’s library.

  With disgust, Ancel said, “He’s a Seehafer through and through. Are you sure you have any Boada blood in you?”

  Father’s face was cold marble, masking his fury. “What happened?”

  Ancel laid it on thick: “First, this crybaby got seasick. A Boada getting seasick? Never.”

  Utz cowered on the rugs in shame.

  Ancel continued smoothly, “And then, when we ran down to the south pole, he stood watch and almost got us killed by an iceberg that he didn’t see. Then he had the gall to complain about guard duty because his fingers were frozen, and when the doc checked, the silly boy had let frost bite set in.”

  Utz climbed awkwardly to his feet and tried to speak, hoping to explain that he was trying to do his duty as watchman, and if he’d gone in to tend to his fingers, the sailors would’ve just laughed.

  But the King motioned him to silence.

  Ancel’s voice boomed as he continued, “With great joy, we did our annual hunt of the mighty kyrra and found a massive one, twice the size of our boat! I’ve not seen the like in years. Still, we gave your son the honor of the lead harpoon. Not only did he miss, but he hadn’t strapped the harpoon to his wrist, and he lost it. My best harpoon! Gone! Because of this incompetent imbecile.”

  “Enough!” roared Father, suddenly transforming to King Pharomond Seehafer writ large. “Say no more, or—”

  Ancel nodded with satisfaction. “Now I have your attention. I’ll take 2500 nobbles for the equipment lost and for the catch that he cost us.”

  With barely controlled fury, the King nodded curtly. He grabbed a small paper from his desk, scribbled on it, and handed the chit to Ancel. “You’re a bloody thief,” he said. “Hand that to the exchequer at the royal treasury, and he’ll pay you. On your way out.”

  Suddenly, everything was calm again. How did Father do that? Utz wondered. He went from absolute fury to good-natured teasing in an instant.

  When the door closed behind Ancel, the King rounded on Utz, arm raised ready to back-hand him. But there was a flash of something in his eye, and the hand dropped.

  Fritz. He’s thinking of Fritz, Utz realized. He wants to punish me, but I look too much like my dead brother. So he couldn’t do it.

  Father would never say the words to Utz, but they both knew. That Fritz would never have been seasick. That Fritz would’ve buried that hideous sharp harpoon into the great beast. That Fritz would have made Father proud.

  Utz felt like a harpoon had pierced his heart. He was supposed to learn from his Boadan kin, and instead, he’d embarrassed his father and cost him 2500 nobbles. He was a failure.

  Gently removing Ancel’s arms from his shoulders, Utz straightened and defiantly faced his cousin.

  I’m trying, he called silently to Fritz’s spirit. I’m trying.

  Utz had to make one more effort, though. He didn’t know what the future would hold, but he knew that he wanted a future. He’d do everything he could to get off planet, and once on Earth, do everything he could to help his people. Utz was going to Earth, and somehow he’d do something that would make his father proud. Father wouldn’t go to Earth, that was clear. Utz knew, though, that with every task, every decision, he’d always be evaluating whether Father would approve.

  Now, Ancel pulled him up the gangplank and into his cabin. “To what do I owe the honor of this visit, young prince? We thought you were busy entertaining the Earthlings.”

  With an inward moan, he realized that he should have expected that comment. Ancel and his father’s other counselors had agreed to allowing the aliens to visit the Jewel Islands.

  “Earthlings entertain themselves,” Utz said curtly.

  Looking around the captain’s cabin, Utz was impressed. The luxuries of a hundred cultures had wound up here in a jumble of color and textures: rugs, paintings, objects such as vases and candlesticks, and much more. Apparently, Ancel was a collector.

  Ancel said, “How are the Earthlings doing on their search for umjaadi?”

  Utz shrugged. “Females were easy to catch. But the males are nocturnal and live quite deep. Besides, there are a couple new lava vents near Onyx Island, so the water temperature has killed off some areas. But I’m here on business,” Utz said. “I want something smuggled to Earth.”

  Ancel’s eyes lit up. “Business!” He clapped his hands and a young girl appeared. He gestured to her and said, “This is my daughter Diamond. She’s learning the trade and will negotiate for me.”

  Diamond was a fiery young thing, maybe ten years old. She hadn’t yet started growing into womanhood, so she almost looked like a boy. Red-headed, like everyone in their family, she wore a single braid down her back. Ancel’s daughters were named for jewel stones: Sapphire, Ruby, Onyx, Emerald, and Diamond.

  Utz frowned. This wasn’t the time to train a smuggler how to negotiate. It was time to evacuate this planet.

  Diamond squeaked, “We smuggle anything, anywhere in the universe. What did you have in mind?”

  Now Utz laughed. “When did you start smuggling to ‘anywhere in the universe’?”

  Ancel’s eyes wrinkled in mirth. Utz frowned. He hadn’t remembered those wrinkles in his cousin’s face. The last few years had aged him, as it had all their leaders.

  “We’ve been smuggling across the universe since my daughters started wearing red,” Ancel said, “and making regular runs back and forth to Earth.”

  That startled Utz. “Your daughters are piloting their shuttles to and from Earth?” When they’d appeared at the negotiations at the Quad-de estate, they’d worn the Fallstar scarlet, too. He shot a glance at Diamond, who also wore the Fallstar scarlet. “Does she fly spaceships?”

  Diamond stepped forward now and put her hands on her slim hips. Boldly, she declared, “I am the negotiator for this transaction. Now, what do you want smuggled.”

  With a sign, Utz described what he wanted. “Last year, your father smuggled two great white sharks from Earth. Do you remember? Well, they bred and have a pup. I want that pup taken back to Earth, along with its caretaker.”

  “Why?” Diamond asked.

  The question startled Utz. She should only care about the exchange of money—which he still didn’t have—not about his reasons for shipping a baby shark across the galaxy. He thought for a moment about how to explain it in a way she could understand.

  Finally, he said, “The Phoke, Earth’s aquatic people, are getting sick from the umjaadi starfish. But the sharks and their pup aren’t sick, even though there are umjaadi starfish in their enclosed bay. The pup is unique because he’s an Earth creature, but he was born on Rison. He’s a living petri dish of our oceans, their doctor would say.” He shrugged. “Who knows? He might be an advantageous specimen in their research.”

  Utz didn’t say it, but he also thought the pup might be a good surprise to have in reserve. It might be very valuable to someone whose son or daughter was sick. Utz might not have learned to sail from Ancel, but he had learned how to twist something to an advantage. It was far-fetched, but right now all he had were long shots. He certainly couldn’t say he wanted the shark pup so Derry would have a good excuse to go to Earth.

  Diamond absently rubbed her thumb and forefinger together. “Two passengers and one of them takes up almost all the room on one of our ships. People are desperate to get off Cadee and on their way to Earth. We could sell that space ten times over.” She looked up and smiled easily, giving Utz a glimpse of the beauty that would come when she matured. She continued, “But you’re family. Of course, we can do it for you. There’s just the matter of price.”

&n
bsp; Utz tried to keep his face calm and neutral. “My Father has agreed to pay whatever you ask.”

  Ancel interrupted and held out his hand, “You have his chit, his note promising to pay?”

  Utz grimly shook his head.

  Ancel frowned. “No chit and only your word? No. Get us that chit or there’s no deal.”

  Utz glared back at Ancel. “There’s no time.”

  “So, Pharomond didn’t agree. Then what do you have to bargain with?” He waved at Diamond to continue.

  Utz’s shoulders seized up in frustration, and he had to roll his shoulders to loosen them. Fury threatened to overwhelm him. He must get Derry up to the moon. At any price.

  Diamond took a step closer and said, “Let me make this easy for you. Instead of our usual fees, I want that space ship you’re flying.”

  “No!” This little girl wanted his spaceship? Impossible!

  Diamond’s grin spread, and she could barely stay still. “Very well. I’m sorry to say that our ships are full at the moment. We can’t do business after all.”

  With a dignity beyond her years, she stomped off to stand on tiptoe at a porthole and pretend she was watching something.

  Utz appealed wordlessly to Ancel, but he just grinned and waved Utz back to Diamond.

  Utz fumed at himself. His outburst had cost him any bargaining position. Diamond had guessed correctly that the spaceship would be his pain point. Now, he could bargain all day and night, and Diamond wouldn’t budge. After all, she’d learned negotiation from a master.

  He didn’t want to give up that ship because it was his backup evacuation plan. He couldn’t carry much, but he and Derry could escape on it. It was large enough and sturdy enough to make it to the Cadee Moon Base anyway. Without it, he would have to depend on the Tizzalurian, Swann Quad-de, to keep his promise to send a spaceship to rescue the Earth crew.

  “I have to get back to the Onyx Islands,” Utz protested.

  Diamond turned back slightly and shrugged. “Of course, I can drop you off.”

  “The ship is called the Tokyo. I named her after an Earth myth about large creatures in Japan. The most famous monster was Godzilla, and it lived near Tokyo. Her spirit inhabits our spaceship. You wouldn’t want a cursed spaceship.”

  “Tokyo! How quaint! I like it.”

  Utz screwed up his face at Diamond’s enthusiasm.

  She came to pat Utz’s shoulder. “I’ll take good care of her, you know.”

  “How old is Diamond?” Utz asked Ancel. He couldn’t keep the anger from his voice.

  “Twelve.” Ancel smiled, his white teeth gleaming. “We start our smugglers young. Ah, if only I’d had you when you were twelve instead of thirteen.”

  Frustration made Utz’s head feel like it was bursting at the seams. Disgusted with himself, Utz gave in. It would save him a couple hours of futile arguments. “Fine. Take the spaceship, but I need a ride back to the Onyx Islands. Tomorrow at noon.”

  Diamond swiveled and stuck out a bony hand.

  Reluctantly, Utz shook it.

  “Done,” they both said together.

  Diamond threw back her head and laughed. She pranced to her father and started beating on his shoulders, saying, “Daddy, I’m a ship captain!”

  Ancel laughed, too, and said. “It has a nice ring to it, Captain Diamond Fallstar.”

  A New Captain

  The next day, about mid-afternoon, Mitzi rushed into their clearing and cried, “Utz is coming back. He just radioed ahead to say that he’ll need help unloading the ship. Can you be at the port in an hour?”

  Dr. Mangot was still sick, so Captain Bulmer stayed with her while Blake and Jake walked through the jungle to the heliport. The path was shaded, and they walked slowly. Still, by the time they reached the heliport, Jake was sweating profusely. The planet was getting hotter and hotter.

  They found a shady spot and half dozed as they waited. Jake was curious what Utz’s urgent business had been. He didn’t really care what it was so long as their escape route came back intact.

  Finally, the spaceship came in with a roar. Utz was a careful pilot, but this time, the spaceship wobbled and almost missed the pad.

  The hatch opened and Utz appeared in the doorway, followed by a skinny red-headed boy. No, a young girl. Her hair was braided in back, and she wore the Fallstar’s red. Where had Utz picked her up? And why?

  Blake was there first with his hand extended. “I’m Commander Blake Rose of the U.S. Navy.”

  The girl drew herself up straight. Jake wasn’t surprised when she announced, “I am Captain Diamond Fallstar, Captain of the Tokyo, and soon to be Admiral of the Bo-See Fleet.”

  Jake could barely stifle his laugh. She was a Fallstar, all right, so pompous and overly impressed with her own importance. On Earth—if she made it there—she’d be the one to splash photos all over social media. That thought made Jake think of Jillian, his friend who also loved social media. But they weren’t alike. Jillian posted photos for fun; Diamond would do it to be noticed.

  Suddenly, Jake sobered. Had Diamond said that she was the Captain of the Tokyo? He nodded his head at Utz and asked, “What’s going on?”

  Utz just jerked at a heavy load, pulling it to the gangplank. “A little help here,” he grunted.

  Jake stepped up and bent to heave the boxes. “What’s in here?”

  Utz straightened and frowned. “My stuff. I’ve sold the ship to Diamond.”

  “What? How will we get out of here?” Jake felt a huge vacuum well up inside, and fear rushed in to fill it. The Tokyo was their insurance that they’d escape this doomed planet.

  “Your stepfather said he’d be here with a big ship when it was time to evacuate. He’d better come through on that promise because we don’t have another option.”

  Jake sucked in a breath. They were left to the whims of Swann. Any other time, he would’ve sworn that Swann would come through. But these days were unpredictable. If Swann decided that some orphanage needed to evacuate first, he’d save them and let the Earth scientists die. No, no, he tried to argue with himself. Swann knew the importance of this team to those who would go to Earth. He might sacrifice Jake—after all, he was a Quad-de who would understand—but not the future of the Risonians on Earth.

  Too cynical, Jake railed against himself. Swann will be here.

  Blake said, “Do you realize that we could die here if the timing is off on anything?”

  Utz crossed his arms and glared. “Yes. Everything is risky. But it’s my ship and my decision.” He nodded to Diamond. “Take off, before I change my mind.”

  Diamond whistled and skipped back aboard. The ramp retracted.

  “Wait!” Jake called.

  He tried to reach the ship, but Utz stood in the way. His arms weren’t crossed now. Instead, he clenched and unclenched his fists, as if he was a time bomb with a lit fuse.

  Jake backed up, arms held up in a gesture of peace.

  The spaceship’s doors slid closed. A few minutes later, the spaceship lifted off and headed back across the ocean toward Marasca.

  Utz turned to glare at the disappearing spaceship.

  Jake watched it disappear with a sinking feeling. This tropical island suddenly felt like a prison. He had to call Swann and make sure they had a way off this planet.

  But he worried: would Swann make it in time?

  A Folk Tale

  The mid-afternoon sun made the beaches glaring hot. Earth’s medical team was gathered, as usual, on the shadowed porch, out of the heat.

  “What did Swann have to say?” Blake asked.

  Minutes ago, Jake had made an emergency radio call to Swann. The equipment was inside the resort’s office, so everyone gave him privacy. With so much ash in the air, the sound quality was poor, with lots of static. But he could still make it out. He had explained that Utz no longer had a spaceship, and that they needed a definite evacuation time.

  After signing off, he couldn’t sit, too upset to settle for even a minute.


  He strode back to the porch and announced, “We need to be off-planet in two days. The Brown Matter’s pull on the planetary core is increasing exponentially, which means it’s drastic changes every day. The planet might hold for a week before it collapses into a black hole, but to be safe, two days.”

  Dr. Mangot lay on one of the couches, still feverish. Her hair was limp, her clothes rumpled. “No,” she moaned. “We have to find the male starfish. We need breeding pairs.”

  Captain Bulmer sat beside her and said soothingly. “It’s OK, Bea. We’ll do what we can. We’ll dive again at dusk.”

  He held a glass of water to Dr. Mangot’s lips, and she gratefully sipped.

  Utz nodded to Jake. “Is he bringing a ship to take us up to Cadee?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Dawn, day after tomorrow. That gives us about 39 to 40 hours.”

  Looking around, he saw the same fear on the others’ faces that he felt. If they were here when the planet imploded, they’d die.

  Dr. Mangot sat up suddenly and called, “Now ye’ve gone and done it.” Her Scottish accent was strong as the fever took her off into outlandish tales. “You’ve disturbed the Ashrays.”

  Captain Bulmer said, “Now, Bea, there aren’t any such things.”

  “Water Lover, they call ‘em. Ghosts. You can see straight through them.”

  “Likely someone saw a large jellyfish and thought it was a spirit,” Captain Bulmer said soothingly. “That’s crazy talk; t’was just a jellyfish.”

  Her eyes grew large. They were rimmed red with fever, and she was sweating. “You think I’m crazy talking. But I’ve seen an Ashray.”

  “When?” Jake asked. Anything to distract him from their situation was welcome. Even a fever-crazed story.

  “I was sixteen years old and anxious to be away from Aberforth Hills. Some days, I’d make the long swim to shore, dress and dance at the get-togethers in Coldingham Bay. Ah, what fun that was. One night, I was going back home, early morning, almost dawn, and I saw her.”