The Amelioration Expedition
Chapter 17
Donte walked away from the fire. They did need more wood, but he needed to be alone. Marlin didn't need to hear his problems. She had enough problems of her own. As she was beginning to have hope that they would be rescued, he was losing faith. It had been over two weeks. If they didn't show up in another week, they could assume they had been abandoned on Opus. They were probably presumed dead; and why not?
Dr. Oriana had brought him along to make their expedition safer. Instead, he had caused the collapse of the ground Marlin was standing on and abandoned the other members of the expedition in one swift fall.
The team would probably have been better off without him. By now they might have met the…apes…as Marlin called them. He still wasn't sure what an ape was, but these were people. He knew it when he looked into the woman's eyes. She spoke to him. The fact that he didn't understand her language certainly didn't indicate that she was less intelligent. She said no, and she used the word correctly. He was certain he could learn their language. It had always been easy for him to learn languages. At first, he thought it had something to do with the prophesy, but….
He frowned. Marlin knew what the word Gezant meant. She said it was a Dutch word. Of course, all the languages of Purlieu had originated on Oriel. Marlin spoke what the people of Purlieu referred to as the old language, but did she speak other languages? Could Marlin learn the language of the Opus people? Would she try?
Two days later, when they had reached the point that Donte was certain they would all starve, the apes returned. Donte used the rope he had made to help him cross the river. The current wasn't as strong because it had been a while since it rained, but he was much weaker.
He checked his laser weapon and instructed Marlin to wait by the fire with Gezant. He wanted the apes to see her. He was going to beg for food. He hoped they would feel compassion for Marlin and the baby.
He swam the river, ending up closer to the whirlpool than he intended, but he made it to the bank as the female came down the ladder. She saw him and paused. This time he didn't kneel. He wasn't certain he could get up fast enough to defend himself if necessary. He stood quietly watching her. He studied her face, once again thinking that she looked human. Her eyes were large and an amber color with oblong pupils. She had a short forehead and pronounced bones at her eyebrows. Her nose was wide, with large nostrils and the length between her nose and upper lip was much longer than any human he had seen. She had a thin upper lip, but her lower lip was full. Her chin was receded and her neck was thick. Her skin was darker than the golden color of people from Libertad, but lighter than that of the people of Nyumbani. She had narrow shoulders that were covered with short dark hair. The hair on her head was black and pulled back from her face with a knot at the nape of her neck.
As he studied the female, she studied him. She finally took her attention from him long enough to look at the fire. When she saw Marlin holding the baby, she gasped and jerked her head back to look at Donte. Her eyes were wide. For a moment Donte thought she would climb back up the ladder, but she finally continued down.
Donte pointed at Marlin and lifted a hand to his mouth as if he was eating something. "Food." He said.
Her amber gaze followed his hand and rested on his lips before lifting to his eyes. She turned her back on him, dismissing him as she walked to the rope lowering the water container.
If he had thought the ladder would hold his weight, he would have run to it and climbed up, but he was certain it would break the moment his full weight was on it. He had no idea how it was being anchored, either. Possibly other apes were holding the other end. If that were the case, his unexpected weight would likely pull them into the cavern. The fall might badly injure or kill them.
He watched as the woman filled several pots. She looked at him occasionally, and at Marlin, but didn't appear to be concerned by their presence. That was good, wasn't it?
When she started for the ladder, he was desperate enough to approach her again. She stopped, watching him with a wary expression. He patted the hollow of his stomach and put a hand to his mouth again.
"Food," he repeated.
She gripped the ladder and started to climb. He waited until her head was slightly above his before he gripped her arm and looked into her eyes.
"We are starving. Please help us."
Of course she wouldn't understand his words, but the greatest emotions were not expressed in words anyway. He let his eyes do the pleading.
She didn't push him away as she had done before. She studied his lips again before touching them. For some reason she appeared to be fascinated with his mouth – maybe because he kept pointing at it. Did she understand that he was asking for food?
She touched his shoulder and pointed at the cavern wall, saying something. He didn't understand her words either, but he was pretty sure she was telling him to go stand against the wall. He complied and she nodded. She climbed the ladder and it was drawn up after her. Apparently, she merely wanted him to get out of the way while she climbed the ladder.
He sighed. So much for communication. He retrieved the rope and walked it along the river, gathering the extra rope in his hands as he went. He wasn't looking forward to getting into that cold water again. He tied the rope under his arms so that he at least wouldn't be sucked down the whirlpool if he lost his grip on it. He walked into the water, gathering the rope tight as he moved toward the other bank. When he hit the strong current, it pulled his feet out from under him. He didn't fight the current, letting the rope pull him in an arc so that he reached the other side below their camp. He walked out of the water and leaned over, supporting his upper torso with his hands on his knees. He was exhausted.
***
Marlin watched Donte attempt to get food from the female ape. She wasn't as interested in him this time, but then, she didn't appear to be as concerned about him either. After the ladder was withdrawn, Donte turned to cross the river. His shoulders were slumped. He was starving. He hadn't been able to spear enough fish for both of them, so he refused to eat.
He tied the rope under his arms and let the current help him across the river. He was getting too weak to swim. When he emerged from the water, he leaned over with his hands on his knees for a few minutes, recovering from the effort.
They had to do something. She had to do something. If they could make it for one more week, the ship from Purlieu might arrive. She had no doubt that they would come looking for Donte, but Donte was slowly giving up. Donte was dying. That was why he was revealing so much to her. He wanted her to live. She wanted him to live too. He was no longer a Mascot to her. He was a brave and kind person – nothing like the creature she had created in her mind.
She placed Gezant in the basket she had made. The hide she had cured was wrinkled and looked awful, but it protected Gezant from the rough basket. She tossed more wood on the fire. Donte would be cold, but he wouldn't let on.
When Donte approached the fire, she met him and put her arms around him, resting her cheek against his bare chest. He wrapped her in comforting arms.
"It's going to be all right," he said. "We'll make it, somehow."
Marlin sighed. "I think I'm falling in love with you."
He didn't respond. She lifted her head and met his searching gaze. "I think you're falling a little bit in love with me too."
He looked reflective for a moment. Humor invaded his eyes before forcing his lips into a smile. "I think maybe you're a little bit right."
She captured his neck in the noose of her arms. If they were going to die, she wanted to kiss those beautiful lips. She stretched up and stood on her toes. He leaned his head down to meet her.
His lips were warm; almost hot. They were soft, yet firm. He pulled her close and kissed her. Finally, she pushed away.
He looked down at her, humor in his eyes. "How does it feel to kiss an animal?"
She stroked his cheek. "You aren't an animal any more than I am. You're a Mascot – an improvement on the human race."
He sobered and shook his head. "No Marlin. I'm a modified human. I know that. I've always known that. I'm not ashamed of it. I'm not proud of it. A Mascot is what I am, not who I am. A human is what you are, not who you are. I like you for who you are."
She stepped away from him. "Have you ever been romantically attracted to anyone who wasn't a Mascot?"
He shook his head. "No, but I've never been romantically attracted to an animal either."
She grimaced. "I guess that sounded pretty bad. I just wondered if Mascots could…if they would…."
Donte lifted a brow. "Mate with a human? Yes. That happens sometimes. The genetic structure isn't the same, so there can be no offspring, but that doesn't mean we can't…enjoy one another."
Warmth ran up her neck. It was more information than she was seeking, but at least he had answered her question.
"You have so many people who will miss you when you're gone. I think most people will merely feel relieved by my absence."
He smiled. "You haven't given them much of a chance to know you yet. Not like I do. It's not too late. Your life is just getting started."
Whether he was actually still certain that they would be rescued or merely trying to keep her hopes up wasn't clear. She suspected the latter, but maybe he was right. The man who bowed to him and the way Gerritt instructed them to give him anything he wanted – those were the people who wouldn't easily give up. They would come looking for Donte – but she was equally certain that the expedition had given up on her.
***
Lori watched as the search party returned yet another time without Marlin or Donte. They were exhausted and they probably felt their effort was wasted. She couldn't blame them for that. They had searched for weeks all the way from the scene of the accident to the ocean, following the path of what must at one time have been a river bed.
After two weeks, the search felt futile, but it wasn't pointless. Help was on the way and Purlieu wouldn't be happy if they discovered everyone had given up on Donte. Lori felt sorry for Captain McKillum. When the cargo ship from Oriel arrived, he'd probably be fired. At this point, maybe it would be a relief. It wasn't his fault, but he was accepting the blame. It wasn't anyone's fault. It was an accident. They expected the ship from Purlieu to arrive any day now. Even if they found Donte alive, which was highly unlikely, Captain McKillum would probably lose his job.
Dr. Oriana blamed Marlin, and in a way, she was probably right. If Marlin had obeyed Donte, they wouldn't have fallen. In Marlin's defense, Donte didn't have the authority to tell her what she should or shouldn't do. If he hadn't insisted on helping her, the ground might not have given way under Marlin's weight alone. A person could go on and on, suggesting blame. Establishing blame wasn't going to bring either of them back, though. Both had contributed honorably to the expedition. What happened was a tragedy, and replacing Captain McKillum wouldn't make it any less so.
***
Chandler was certain that Marlin and Donte were no longer alive. Dr. Oriana hadn't had any more contact from Marlin since the first week. He was beginning to believe that what she had experienced was the spirit of Marlin.
Whether they found them alive, found their bodies, or never found them, he had made up his mind. He was going to stay on Opus. His life was full again and he had new direction. It was sad that life had ended for Marlin and Donte, but he had found something intriguing on Opus. Life was looking up for him.
***
It had been a week since Reyse had had a dream about Marlin. The dreams had suddenly stopped. He didn't want to think about why they had stopped. Regardless of Marlin's fate, he was committed to the colonization of Opus. He wouldn't love her any less if he never saw her again. He wished they could have reconciled before she left, but he couldn't do anything about that, either. That was the worst of it. He couldn't do anything. They still had over four months to travel…and wonder.
Reyse used his time getting to know the colonists and taking inventory. In spite of the circumstances, he was looking forward to that part. Some of the colonists were farmers. Some had families. The Dorado human cargo ranged in ages from 10 to 45 years, male and female. They were all healthy and eager to start a new life that was simpler and more wholesome. Danger could never be avoided.
***
Rianne was thankful for the fact that the Lyra was making even better time than they expected. Commander Elimu was pushing it as hard as he safely could. It had only been a little over two weeks and they were already approaching Opus. The dreams of Donte had stopped and she hoped that didn't mean he was no longer alive. Hopefully, he had simply put his energy into survival, thinking that if his efforts to contact her had worked, a rescue from Purlieu was on its way. She had tried to contact him, but had no way of knowing if it was working. She refused to give up hope.
Quade and Akira were surprisingly supportive. When she thanked Akira for their support, she frowned.
"Why wouldn't we be supportive?"
Rianne shrugged. "Some people say that if I hadn't left Donte, he wouldn't have gone to Opus."
Quade came up behind her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Anyone who would say that doesn't know Donte very well."
Rianne glanced up at him. Donte was so much like Quade. They were both gentle and understanding – soft spoken and dependable. They were always a comfort to have around in trying times. Some people thought it was Donte's pheromones that made him so popular. Those were the people who didn't know Donte.
Quade and Akira never asked her why she left Donte. Akira was Quade's third mate. His second mate had died, but his first mate had left him. He never said why and Rianne had never asked. Donte didn't know. When she asked him, he merely shrugged and said sometimes relationships didn't work out. That was probably how he explained the fact that she left him. Donte had adjusted to their separation. She was the one who couldn't seem to get her life together after their separation. If she asked for his forgiveness, she was certain she would get it. Beyond that, she had no idea what would happen when and if they met again.
***
Dr. Oriana stayed at the permanent camp with the rest of the expedition team until Captain McKillum notified her that the spaceship from Purlieu was approaching. She hadn't had any dreams about Marlin in two weeks and she was certain that this was going to be a body retrieval operation, not a rescue. She dreaded facing Donte's family. No one had done anything wrong, but the loss of someone so adored was going to be an emotional ride through hell. They weren't going to give up easily, even though there had been no indication of life on the monitor in nearly three weeks. The medallion and light still hung into the second chamber and it was continually monitored. There had been no sound but the continual rush of water. They had followed the dry river bed all the way to the ocean, where the river emerged in a waterfall. They had combed the beaches for their bodies. In three weeks, Captain McKillum's rescue team had not left Opus – had not stopped searching. They dared not. The captain wouldn't want to face the scalding he'd get from Arlo and Gerritt if he gave up.
Even if Donte and Marlin had survived the initial fall and, assuming they were initially able to psychically contact people, that didn't mean they were still alive. Technically, they could live without food for several weeks, but neither Donte nor Marlin had any fat reserve. There might be fish – if they had any way to catch them – but if they were trapped underground, they had no source of heat or light.
Everyone's hopes had been revolving around one person as their only chance – Donte. While Dr. Oriana had originally thought that Donte could make the difference in the safety of the expedition, she was beginning to realize they could have done it on their own. The one who made the real difference was Marlin. Her foresight in useful cargo was nothing short of incredible. Every time they needed something, they would search the cargo and find it. For a person who had never even been on Purlieu, her knowledge of starting a colony was astounding. Even her notes and sketches had been used extensively for the permanent base camp. It was now fully functional, with power and running water. They had added two rooms – one for the women and one for the men.
Apparently, Donte's concern about some kind of struggle between animals was inaccurate. They had seen no indication of any advanced life forms since they came to Opus. If they were being watched, it must be from quite a distance. They had seen equines, as they had begun calling them in memory of Donte, but they had not traveled far on field trips since the loss of the two team members.
Shortly after Dr. Oriana's shuttle docked on the Spero, a shuttle from the Lyra arrived. On it were Donte's father and his mate, Donte's son and, of all people, Rianne.
Captain McKillum took them all to a conference room. There they were informed about the accident and what they had been doing to search for them ever since.
Andras had Donte's dark hair and blue eyes, but otherwise he favored his mother. Either way, he would have been good looking – and he was. Andras quietly listened to everything they said before turning to Dr. Oriana.
"I think the idea of putting the monitor and light into the second chamber was brilliant…but what if there are more chambers?"
Dr. Oriana nodded. "I suppose that's possible, but we don't have the equipment to explore further below the surface."
Andras looked at Captain McKillum. "Do we have your permission to land a rescue team on Opus?"
Captain McKillum looked surprised. "Yes. Of course. You not only have my permission, but we will assist you in any way possible."
Andras gave him a steady look that reminded Dr. Oriana of Commander Adriaan. Andras was going to be one effective commander. "We have premier infantry troops that will be armed with lasers."
Captain McKillum looked uncertain. "Why?"
Andras smiled. "Because they insist."
Captain McKillum gave Andras a wary look. "I don't know…"
Andras sobered and folded his arms across his chest. "Who would I need to talk to?"
Captain McKillum was in over his head and he knew it. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "You have my permission. Arlo Delaney has already told me that if he had a ship close enough, he'd relieve me of command. What have I got to lose?"
Andras shook his head and dropped his arms to his sides. "Hold your ground. You haven't done anything to lose your job over and I'll be glad to tell them that after the rescue."
Dr. Oriana lifted a brow. "You sound confident about that."
Andras nodded and looked at Rianne. "I'm certain that they are alive." His gaze came back to Dr. Oriana. "I'm equally certain that we will find and retrieve them."
Dr. Oriana considered his comments. It might be arrogance, but she didn't think so. She smiled at him. "Do you have a timeframe for that?"
He nodded. "Less than 24 hours."
Captain McKillum looked skeptical. "We've been searching for three weeks."
Andras nodded again. "Suppose it had been two other members of the expedition who fell into the cavern and my father was able to help you search for them. Do you think that would have increased your odds of finding them?"
Captain McKillum gave a short humorless laugh. "I have no doubt of that, but unfortunately, Donte isn't available. That's the reality we have to face."
Andras looked around the room, his expression indicating that he wasn't sure if he wanted to share some valuable information with them. He finally sighed and turned back to Captain McKillum. "I can sense things the same way Dad does. I've never said anything about it. Dad and Mom knew – and Grandpa, I think – but I didn't want the responsibility attached to it until now. I think you can understand why I have changed my mind."
For a few minutes they were all too stunned to speak. No wonder Purlieu sent Andras. No wonder the Premier Infantry insisted on being there to protect him.
Captain McKillum smiled. "So when do you want to start?"
"Immediately," Andras said. "I have three shuttles ready to go." He looked at Rianne. "Mom, I want you to stay here."
She nodded; giving him no resistance.
Andras turned to Dr. Oriana. "You can ride with us or we can follow you."
"You can follow me. We need a shuttle from the Spero there."
Within minutes, four shuttles were on their way to Opus. Dr. Oriana led them to the area near the cavern. They only had a few more hours to work before sunset, but that only made Andras more determined. He walked to within a few feet of the opening and stood still, as they had often seen Donte do.
Finally, he turned and motioned to someone. When Dr. Oriana turned, a man in a light green uniform approached him, carrying some sort of metal case. Andras took the case from him and turned, walking carefully until he was close to the opening. At that point he tossed the case into the opening. He turned and nodded to Quade. They tapped their communication medallions and waited silently.
Soft Science Fiction
