Chapter 38
Calla Donia Linwood leaned forward to inspect the repairs made to the keel of her yacht. At first she was worried by all the cutting and repairing that had been done to the Star Runner, but the work looked sound and there was no doubt she was still seaworthy.
"Sorry about cutting up your boat" Blue said as he approached.
"Oh well... it was just a bit of the stabiliser, and I suppose you did need it to make that flight board."
"Yeah... but I still didn't rescue you in time."
Calla touched the side of her face and felt the rough surface of her burn scar. She was slowly getting used to it and most people had stopped staring, but it was still a constant reminder of her time in Gran's mountain camp.
"I suppose I should have known better than to get angry with such an unstable personality" Calla smiled and shrugged.
"Whatever you do, don't take the blame for this" Blue said as he took a light hold of her shoulders.
"I won't, as long as you don't blame yourself either" Calla replied and rested her head on his chest.
The slight rocking motion of the Striker made the pair feel like they were dancing with no music, and they may have stayed that way for quite a while if somebody else had not come along and disturbed them.
"Oh... I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?" Professor Adisa asked.
"Yes; go away" Calla said bluntly.
"Very well" Linton nodded as he turned around.
"I'm kidding Professor" Calla laughed as she reached out and grabbed the old man's arm.
"Ah... at my age it can be hard to tell" he smiled.
At that very moment, the ship moved ever so slightly to starboard as the crew made a simple course correction. Most people on board did not even notice but the brief yaw movement was enough to make the Professor stumble.
"Whoa... careful sir" Blue declared as he took the man's other arm in assistance.
"Good heavens, I've been like this all day; perhaps I'd better sit down while I tell you something important."
"Certainly; what can we do for you sir" Blue asked as they all sat down on a convenient hatch cover.
"Well my boy, I hear rumours that you and Calla are planning to leave us."
"Yes sir, and Abigail too; the fishing boat we're going to rescue is from the Shetland Islands so I'm taking a guess that the dragons who attacked them could be from the Faroe Islands. So after we have reached the boat and made sure all the crew are safe, Calla and I are going to take the Star Runner on a little trip to the north and find out if I'm right. If there are any people living there, they could be in danger with large dragons lurking about. Captain Debar says she'll follow us there once the Striker has taken the men home to their families on Shetland. I'm hoping by the time she gets there, we'll know for sure."
"I see... well... I can't argue with your logic" the Professor nodded "Then while we still have some time together, I wanted to give you this."
From his left jacket pocket, Professor Adisa removed a small USB memory stick and handed it to Blue.
"When I was a guest of Prime Governor Redding, he made the mistake of briefly leaving me alone with his personal computer. Not having much time to spare, I simply copied a section of files onto this and placed it in my shoe. Now I think it would be best if you took it and gave it to Doctor Spencer when you eventually return to the Railgun Complex; there could be important things to be learnt here."
"But shouldn't you keep it? We're not really sure when we're going back" Blue argued.
"Who knows if or when any of us are going back? I just figured you were more likely to get there eventually, while I am enjoying all these new discoveries far too much to even consider returning to Sumatra."
"Well... okay if you say so sir" he agreed.
"Thank you Blue" the Professor smiled as he patted the young man's shoulder "Now I think I'll return to my cabin for a rest; take good care of him Miss Calla."
"I will Professor" she nodded.
'
'
Conversations currently going on back in Canada were nowhere near as cordial. One in particular was more like an interrogation.
"WHERE IS HE?" Gran demanded to know.
"How should I know?" Doom shrugged in reply.
"He's your husband, you should know" Gran countered with.
"True, but his leash is in the wash."
"Don't get smart with me girl; you two have been nothing but trouble since the day you arrived."
"Trouble!? We've been model citizens" Doom insisted.
"Then why won't you take the room we prepared for you in the tunnel system?"
"We like living in the Bull Ant" Doom shrugged "And we do join you inside whenever there is a Meteor Safety Drill."
"How can I be sure you won't just decide to unexpectedly drive away one day?" Gran said accusingly.
"Oh come on" Doom snickered "a three legged turtle with asthma could easily catch this thing."
"That doesn't excuse the fact that your husband keeps disappearing for hours on end when he should be working."
"Hey... we both do our fair share of work here and besides, if you had to live with me, wouldn't feel the need to get away once in a while?"
This last comment was directed at the two Gate Guards standing behind Gran and trying to be intimidating.
"Uh... no, I think you're quite nice and very prett..." one started to say until Stan dug his elbow in the man's ribs.
Ever since Oliver and Stan had fallen out over the way Calla and Abigail were treated after their attempted escape, Stan had found it very difficult to find a new work partner who did not make him want to stick his head into a bucket of water and scream away his frustrations.
"Hello!" Emerson's familiar voice called out from the ground.
"LEVEL ONE HONEY" Doom replied "AND WE HAVE GUESTS."
"Am I in trouble again?" Emerson asked as he climbed through the rear side door.
"Aren't you always?" Doom replied.
"How many times do I have to tell you NOT to go sneaking off by yourself?" Gran barked.
"And how many times do I have to tell you that I am not going to run away? This is our home now" Emerson insisted.
"I – I wasn't worried you were escaping" Gran lied "but while you were out on your little nature walk, everyone one else was working their tails off."
"Hey be fair; I never go on the days I am rostered on for heavy work, only during my allocated rest periods. And I wasn't being lazy either because I brought back a barrow full of cut wood as well as five trout, two mountain pheasant and a rabbit. I'm sure your kitchen staff will be glad to have them."
"Yes... but I still don't want you to just wander off whenever the mood takes you."
"Why not; I used to do it all the time back in New Zealand."
"THEY DON'T HAVE BEARS IN NEW ZEALAND!" Gran fumed.
"Alright alright" Emerson relented "I won't go off without letting anyone know, and I won't go alone. Will that make you happy?"
Doom could still see the anger in Gran's eyes, but she had to admit her wishes had been granted.
"That's all I ask" the older woman admitted.
"Good; you'll find the game I caught outside on the barrow. We'll see you later at dinner."
"Yes... um... thanks... for the extra ingredients" Gran nodded as she started for the door.
"I'll be keeping an eye on you" Stan warned as he followed.
"Sorry but I'm spoken for" Emerson said, making Doom giggle and Stanley fume.
Finally alone again, the young couple desperately tried to keep themselves from laughing until they were sure the others were out of earshot.
"So... how did it go?" Doom asked.
"I've got everything I'll need for the climb stashed part way up the mountain, so I'm finally ready to go."
"But when?"
Emerson sat down on their only couch, which was really nothing more than a day seat left from when the Bull Ant was still a railway passenger car. As he took a deep breath, Doom sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.
"I think I'd better leave it for a while and just do as I promised for a few weeks. After I've been out with one of the forest teams a few times, I'll sneak off and make the climb. I'm just glad this is more of a hiking mountain, and not a climbing type of mountain."
"I still want you to be careful though" Doom shook her fist in a mock threat "I don't want to be an early widow, especially before junior comes into the world."
"Oh I'll be fine. And once I've got the information for Doctor Spencer and the Professor, we really can settle down here until the time to go comes."
"But that could be years away" Doom sighed.
"Yeah it may be cold and remote here, but the forest really is a beautiful place to raise a young family. You never know, if the time does come to leave, you may not want to go."
"Don't count on it" Doom replied "I still wanna see what your sister saw; I wanna go to space."
'
'
Early the next morning, Blue woke up with a start. He soon realised he had made some kind of audible gasp when he heard one of the two crew men he shared the cabin with, give an annoyed groan. They both had hit their bunks only a few hours ago after working the graveyard shift, so Blue made a point of being very quiet as he rose and got dressed for the day.
Based on the navigators calculations made the previous evening, the Captain of the Striker believed they would find the stricken fishing boat before mid morning and Blue wanted to be on hand during the rescue. As he got ready, the young man could not shake the feeling of dread that had woken him so suddenly. He could not remember having any kind of dream or nightmare, but the pit of his stomach told him he had experienced something very stressful. It was as if he knew something was wrong, but he did not know what it was. On his way up to the bridge, Blue stopped briefly on the gantry behind the port fly bridge to scan the horizon before entering the ships command centre.
"Good morning Captain. Any update on the fishing boat?"
Captain Georgette Debar looked a little surprised as she turned towards Blue.
"Ah, you're here; thank you for being so prompt."
"Um... huh?" Blue wondered what Debar was talking about.
At that very moment, the starboard door open and a crew member rushed in.
"He wasn't in his cabin Ma-am, so we're searching the... oh... he's here."
"Yes thank you" Debar nodded "Any word on the girls?"
"They should be here soon Captain" the man informed her.
"Good... would you come with me please Blue?"
Captain Debar led Blue into the ward room behind the bridge and asked him to have a seat while he waited. She then left but returned soon after followed by Haley, Abigail and a yawning Calla. Behind the group was a man Blue had never seen before, but that was not surprising as he had not yet met most of the Striker's crew.
"Good morning Babe" Calla gave a weary smile as she sat next to Blue.
With the whole group assembled, Georgette Debar looked at them seriously.
"What I have to tell you... will not be easy to hear... I'm very sorry but... Professor Adisa passed away in his sleep last night."
There was nothing but silence in the moments that followed as Blue and Calla squeezed each other's hands. Abigail looked at Haley, both being aware that although they knew and respected the Professor, they were not as close to him as the other two. Linton was one of the people who had raised Blue and was more like a grandfather to him than his real grandfather. The Professor had also taken on the role of protector when Calla had fallen into the Railgun Complex, separating her from the rest of her family.
"Wha... how did it happen?" Blue asked.
"This is the ships Medical Officer" Debar introduced the unknown man as he stepped forward.
"It was mostly because of his advanced years. There was probably a more specific cause but we have no way of finding out" he said.
"I wonder... if he knew?" Blue sighed as his head dropped.
"What do you mean?" Abigail asked.
"Umm... yesterday... he gave me something to take back to Doctor Spencer, so maybe he knew the end was close."
"You're half right" the medic nodded "the Professor certainly knew he did not have long, but he's known that ever since he left Sumatra."
"But that was almost a year ago!" Calla stated.
"Yes; he came to see me soon after he came on board near the Nicobar Islands. He said he'd constantly been feeling tired and commented that he was surprised he'd lasted this long. I asked him if he was in any pain and he said no, I'm just wearing out. So I don't think he knew his passing was imminent, just overdue."
"Overdue is good" Calla sniffed "he got to see the dragons before he... um... you know."
"And he got to see you again, safe and sound" Blue tried to smile as Calla held back her tears "I'm sure he was relieved to know you and Abby weren't trapped anymore."
"Um... I was wondering... what are you planning to do with him?" Haley asked.
"As he wasn't really a sailor, we thought it would be better not to bury him at sea, but to wait until we reach the Shetland Islands" Captain Debar informed them.
"Can't we take him back to Berk?" Blue wondered.
"We could, but I don't think that's a good idea."
"No... I suppose not" Blue reluctantly agreed "I suppose we should cancel our plans to search the Faroe Islands until after the ceremony."
Feeling rather melancholy, all four left the ward room but skipped breakfast for the time being; none of them really felt like eating.
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Didn't think it would happen so quick, but I've finished the last chapter (66) and have moved on to the final book in this series already.
One of my reader friends Draco38 just started his latest RWBY called Pyrrha's Choice so if you're into RWBY, tou may want to check it out.
My covid-19 test came back negative (yay!) but with all the trouble going on, there is very little work in the charter bus business so I'm sticking to writing and gardening for now.
I keep hearing on the news about what's happening in Europe and especially Italy. I know you told me not to worry Vin, but I can't help it. Here's hoping and praying we all come out safely on the other side of this as soon as possible.
In the meantime, I will try to keep you all entertained with free stories (yay, free!) to help keep your spirits up ;D
Love and health to all, Marty.