James Scotson - Planets Falling

The following day, the storm passes and the weather turns cool. We pack our things and begin struggling up the mountain. We debate whether we should follow Thresh’s trail but eventually agree that we need to wait and engage her at the portal. Surprisingly, the one dissenter in our group is Wenn, who wants to pursue Thresh directly through the treacherous forest. Even I realize this is hopeless with the horrible conditions and no horses.

We return to the lodge cold, caked in mud, and exhausted to our core. Father greets us at the front door, which he’s sealed with small logs. “Thank gods, you’ve returned. We was worried sick. No telling what could’ve happened in this wicked weather.” He rushes to me and wraps a blanket around my shivering shoulders.

“Fromer?” I ask. He shakes his head no.

We crouch through a makeshift door. Sam says, “Welcome back. I am sorry you did not catch Thresh. I will fashion some hot chocolate for you.” Gorian and Iggy have been busy bringing Sam’s systems back from the brink of disaster. Father also has kept occupied. The main room of the lodge is clean, although scratches on the walls, burn marks, and a huge gouge in the stone floor betray the mayhem that occurred a couple of days ago. Most of the furniture’s gone — the shattered wood used to help broil the bodies outside.

As we warm ourselves, Wenn announces, “I’m leaving for Yellow Stone at morning’s light. We need to warn them that Thresh is coming.”

Father sighs. “It were one thing to have Fromer with us. Be suicide to try it alone until the spring thaw. Those wild animals helped us survive the bad times. Poor horses didn’t make it. I fear we’d see the same fate. We ain’t wild enough for the woods.”

“Amy, Theo. You’ve got to come.” Wenn’s pleading. My insides twist. Two days I’d have left with him immediately. After finding the empty camp and battling the mountainside to get back, I’m fairly sure I’d do Eliza no good as a corpse wandering the wilderness for Thresh.

Theo hugs Wenn. “Mate, you’ve got to stay with us. Be patient. Maybe Fromer will come return and lead us all back.”

“Ansam and I both know — Fromer doesn’t work that way. We’re treading our own water for now.”

Theo sits. “Just can’t risk it right now my friend. Weather’s too touchy.”

Wenn doesn’t look at me and barges into the back room. He doesn’t re-emerge.

By dawn, Wenn’s gone. He’s taken minimal supplies and the snow’s falling again. None of us speaks of him again.

A couple of weeks pass. During that time, more than two feet of snow’s fallen and melted. During each thaw, mud flows freely down the slopes. The erratic weather finally settles. A warm breeze saunters in from the ocean and the first wildflowers peek up from the sloppy soil. I’m thinking of spring planting — something I’d be doing in my past life — and wondering when we might get moving again.

Gorian gives birth to a perfect girl, with pink hands and a shock of white hair. I expect to see the kid holding a computer instead of her birth cord. Gorian’s relieved, exhausted, and jubilant. She’s also mighty annoyed that Grey’s not here to help her out.

We decide to journey to Yellow Stone within a week. Bets, father, Theo, and I will travel. I’ve called my trusty caribou buck to our side. I’ve been trying to conjure more animals, seeing through their eyes collectively. Fromer was right. I can sense them, but I’m not ready yet. The buck will help me get there.

Gorian and her child, Ferris, will remain at the lodge with Iggy. With Sam’s assistance, they should be comfortable and safe. We hold hope that the Fuerst will arrive soon. I risk opening my mind each night, hoping to see Etch in my dreams. But only the same musty, disturbing dreams assault me.

I wonder why Fromer didn’t stay with us. He could have helped us convince Wenn to remain at the lodge. With the help of his animals, we might have been able to pursue Thresh and save Eliza. Fromer told me that he can’t interfere in the course of things, but he’s done plenty so far. I wonder whether he’s guiding events to some critical point. The idea that he’s controlling our fate — my destiny — is infuriating.

On the eve of our journey north and east over the mountains, we’re enjoying some wintergreen tea under the tender green leaves of a willow when the rush of the ocean shakes us. Gorian pats baby Ferris, “Well, I’ll be. They’ve found us.”

The Fuerst pokes out of the low clouds, gleaming silver and grey in the speckled sunlight. The ship lands on the pile of ashes left by the remains of Thresh’s army and the hatch drops. Grey leaps out of the door before it’s completely open, falling on his side. Gorian laughs and they embrace, squeezing the baby between them. I feel happy for them, but a twinge of envy belches from deep inside my gut. Wenn, Eliza, and I should have — deserve — such a wonderful homecoming.

Samuel and Minns tumble out next. Samuel’s beard is longer and glows ivory in the shimmering daylight. He looks wiser. Minns runs to Bets, hugging her. Bets looks confused and strangely happy at the attention. Iggy’s children, nearly fully grown, scurry out and jump on their father or mother or whatever he’s considered by them. They’re nearly identical to him and now wear uniforms similar to the others. We wait, but Etch doesn’t emerge.

“Where’s the pilot?” I ask.

Minns replies, “He’ll be out soon, after he’s done battening down the vessel. Where’s English?” She can tell from our faces that the news is grim. She takes a long look around and shakes her head. “What the hell happened around here?”

Etch steps out, stretching his long, grey arms. “Hello my friends. It appears that we missed a little excitement. We have much to talk about.”

“We got to see space. Ah, it were magnificent.” Samuel slaps his forehead. “Amy, you’d never believe how pretty earth is. Like a big ball of blue and white. The stars — they was so bright and so many.”

We settle down to tell our stories. Etch rubs his hard chin. “Hmmm. You were lucky that Fromer stormed Thresh. He can communicate with animals? Very interesting. Thresh is a coward and would be a terrible pilot.”

Ansam rips a piece of bread from a fresh loaf. “Fromer always comes in the knick of time. Did he save your arses too?”

“I am afraid we were on our own on the bottom of the ocean. Repairs took much longer than expected. The grubs did more damage to the hull than we thought.” Etch eats a roasted rabbit in a single bite. He hums in satisfaction. “Iggy’s children helped tremendously. I was able to spend time out there with my pressure suit but was far clumsier than they were with the detail work. A week ago we finally lifted off the sea bottom and saw the sweet sky after much too long. We rose into high orbit to test the repairs and to scan for your shuttle. The repairs held, but the shuttle was difficult to find. We knew the former location of the Raven and started there. We finally found the remains of your shuttle under a pool of mud and ice. There were scorched trees everywhere. We thought that you had perished. However, after some clearing of the brush, Iggy’s coordinates appeared. They were still legible and led us here.”

Gorian puts Ferris on Grey’s lap. “Etch, did you find any sign of the Raven in the neighborhood?” She looks up at the sky.

“No, I did not. It is very peculiar for a ship to become completely sentient to the point where it makes its own decisions. I am glad it eliminated Melat. However, its passage through space likely alerted both the Institute forces and the FRT resistance. If they haven’t come to earth, they will soon. The portal will tempt them both and further deepen their conflict.”