Chapter 4:

"Didn't you see Gen a week ago?" Jim held a small stack of crisp white envelopes in his hand, referring to a certain one as he gave Zarabeth a questioning look.

"No, it's been a week and four days. I promised to write her every week, just like I did last summer." The girl scrunched her nose at Jim in mock irritation, adjusting the weight of the basket of groceries to her other arm as they walked through the busy streets of the Benbow marketplace.

The boy simply chuckled as he put the letter back with the stack, tapping them in his hand as he shook his head. "Teh, girls. You don't see me writing Talyn or Cane, and even if I did it sure wouldn't be once a week. Here we are. Stay out here, if you want. I'll only be a minute."

Leaning up against the brick wall of the post-office, Zara nodded as she relaxed, setting the heavy basket by her feet to let her arm rest. "I can wait."

Looking down, the girl couldn't help but smile as her eyes fell upon the necklace lying against her chest. She hadn't taken it off since the day Jim had given it to her. It was still hard for Zara to believe that Jim had made it, and that made the pendant all the more precious to her.

Glancing idly about the hectic street, the girl suddenly stopped, her attention directed toward the police headquarters as she watched one of the robo-cops hang the new wanted posters beside the door. Curiosity getting the best of her, Zarabeth waited until the officer was finished before making her way across the alley to look at the signs. Scanning the unfamiliar faces, the girl couldn't help but smile as one picture became distinguishable to her.

From behind her, Zara heard Jim speak up as he left the post-office, walking over to where she stood. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

Motioning toward the poster in the far right corner, the girl chuckled quietly as she kept her eyes on the paper. "They changed Silver's picture. Looks even less like him, now. His reward went up too."

Jim's eyes went wide in astonishment as he read the numbers, whistling low. "Impressive. Hey, if we could find him, we'd be set for life."

Zara knew he was only joking, but was still put off by the statement as she shoved his shoulder playfully. "James Hawkins, don't even joke about it. Do you know what they'd do if they got ahold of Silver?"

Even thinking about it made Jim uncomfortable as he unconsciously began rubbing his throat. "Not exactly my first choice of how to die."

"Amen to that. Well, we'd better be heading back, your mom's waiting for us to help with dinner. Any letters to bring back?"

Holding up an even thicker stack than they'd brought, the boy smiled as he began to walk back with Zarabeth toward the inn. "I'm sure they're mostly for mom, but we can go through them when we get there."

Once back in the inn, Zara was instantly busy as she helped Mrs. Hawkins prepare for that night's crowd of customers. Between baking, cooking, and tidying up the dining room, Zarabeth had more than enough to do as the evening wore on.

"There you are, Mrs. Dunwiddie. One glass of perp juice, one order of Bonzabeast stew, and two freshly baked dinner rolls. That right?"

The shriveled alien woman's metallic voice rose above the din of the room as she replied. "Perfect, as always. Thank you, deary."

A tray full of dirty dishes in hand, Zara carefully backed into the kitchen, pushing past the swinging double doors toward a counter near the sink as she added the mess to the already present pile of dishes. Hands on hips, the girl looked over the growing mountain as she felt a hand against her shoulder.

With an understanding smile, Sarah glanced over toward the sink as she spoke. "Would you mind getting a start on the dishes? B.E.N. and I can run the dining room for a while."

"Of course. Say, do you know where Jim is? I haven't seen him in a while."

"I sent him upstairs to look over the mail. You know, sorting through all the bills and junk is a lot of brain power."

Finally gaining victory over a particularly tough food-stain, Zarabeth couldn't help but feel pleased with her work as she gradually washed the pile of pots, pans, and plates into extinction. She didn't mind doing dishes. It was more fulfilling than some chores. You start with an absolute mess and come out with sparkling glass and metal, waiting until they can be useful again.

Having just finished the last of the pile, Zara was drying her hands of the water and soap suds when the door to the pavement behind the inn suddenly opened. Turning to see who it was, Zarabeth let a look of mock irritation dawn on her face as she joked. "And where have you been slacking off?"

Jim swallowed hard as he made his way toward the girl, a single piece of paper firmly gripped in his hands.

Noticing how pale he looked, worry instantly filled the girl's stomach as she tried to read his face. "Jim? What's wrong?"

Looking back toward the swinging doors, the boy's voice shook slightly as he hesitated to ask something. "D-do you think you could get off for a little while?"

Immediately picking up on the seriousness in his tone, Zara also looked toward the doors as she finished wiping her hands dry. "I'm not sure, but I'll ask. Just a second."

Coming back into the kitchen, Mrs. Hawkins had given Zarabeth some time to talk with Jim.

Walking outside, Jim looked cautiously around the side of the building before making his way toward the storage shed behind the inn.

All Zara could do was follow the boy as she wondered at what could be wrong. Jim seemed on-edge and nervous; no, not just nervous, afraid almost. Her mind reeling in worry, the girl did as Jim asked her, sitting with him inside the storage shed, closing the door behind her while he turned on a single light hanging from the wooden ceiling. Zarabeth tried to be patient as she waited for Jim to speak, knowing that it would be wrong to push him to words before he was ready.

Releasing a heavy breath, the boy pushed the hair up from his forehead with a shaking hand as he looked from the paper in his other hand to the girl sitting in front of him. "This came today with the other letters. It's addressed to us."

Accepting the paper, Zara tried to make out the words scrawled across it, her eyes adjusting to the dim light as she read in growing confusion. Written on the page was a series of sentences, no two having anything in common, as far as subject, a word or part of a word underlined here and there. "We need to get flowers before the summer ends. If your mother is tired, help her. Keep flying and don't stop running. Make sure to take the roast out of the oven when it's time. If the packages come, send them back to the owner. She had her hair is long tresses. The stellar formation is soon to be gone... What is this?"

Jim bit down hard on his lip as he helped the girl to understand. "I didn't get it either, not until I got to the name at the bottom."

Shifting her gaze to the end of the letter, the words, "Not gold but..." were signed in place of a name. "Silver." The girl unconsciously said the single name that came to mind as she looked back up at Jim. "Silver wrote this."

The boy nodded, continuing to explain as he leaned his elbows against his knees, his hands tightly clasped together. "Now read only the words that are underlined."

Taking a moment to get her concentration back, Zarabeth jumped from word to word as things slowly began to come together to make sense. "Need your help. Running out of time. Come to tress...Tresslar soon. All my love, not gold but...Silver." Below the last line was a single sentence, straightforward and clear. "We are the Caliban."
Suddenly understanding, the girl unconsciously took in a sharp breath, covering her mouth with her hand as she faced Jim again, her voice trembling. "The Caliban, like the fever? You don't think..."

Running his hand along the back of his neck, Jim shook his head as he released a heavy breath. "That's what it looks like."

"I-I thought only babies got Caliban Fever. Why would Silver have it?"

"No, only babies are immunized for it. They're given a mild form of it to keep them from getting it later. I know I was immunized, when I was like two. Have you had it?"

"I'm sure I have. Not that I'd remember, but I must have." Sitting in silence for a moment, Zarabeth looked back down at the paper in her hands. "H-he said, 'We are the Caliban.' He must not be the only one."

"If they don't get it as kids, it's worse to have the fever as an adult. It can kill you. If Tresslar hadn't ever been exposed to it before, it'll spread like a plague."

"What are we gonna do? Silver wouldn't write to us if it weren't serious."

Pinching the bridge of his nose in concentration, Jim kept his eyes firmly shut as he replied. "I know. Tresslar's only about a day's flight, so distance isn't the problem."

"It's one of those nomad colonies right?"

"Them and Risona, they're the only planets in this system that the government doesn't have power over. They're their own deal. Good hiding spot for a wanted pirate."

"We're gonna go aren't we?"

Meeting the girl's eyes, Jim tried to think through the situation as he formed a plan in his mind. "We can't ignore it. Silver obviously needs us, he wouldn't risk his life otherwise." The boy ran his hand nervously through his hair as he continued. "Mom can't know anything until we get back. Better to apologize late than ask permission now."

Zarabeth simply nodded, agreeing with him. Sarah would never let them go if she knew what was happening. Of anyone who knew the truth about Silver, Mrs. Hawkins was the only one, but she'd never agree to it. Not even Amelia or Delbert knew what really happened aboard the Legacy three years ago, that Jim and Zara had let Silver escape.

"It's settled then." Jim slowly rose, retrieving the paper back from the girl as he hid it in his pocket. "If he's on Tresslar, then we can't get to him on any of the commercial ships. We'll have to find a trade ship or rent a small boat ourselves. I'll figure it out. We can decide what to do about Silver once we get there, after we size-up the situation. Can you be ready to leave as early as tomorrow night? We'll have to sneak out of here after dark."

"I could be ready tonight if we needed."

"Ok. Not a word to my mom."

Zara shook her head as she also stood. "Not a sound."