Skyside: Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

Elena guided the launch across the bay, pleased that it had a motor and she would not need to row. Thompson looked out across the open water towards the ship yard.  While on Earth, the few channel riding shipyards looked like large warehouses, with all of the operations taking place indoors. Here there was no need for the extensive cover. 

 

The side facing the settlement of Elena’s people appeared to be untouched jungle. It was only after they rounded the edge of the island that the yard came into view. To Elena it looked like something out of a nineteenth century engraving. Men worked using hand tools, the hulls of new ships slowly forming around them. Several of the men wore only wide canvas pants, their bare chests glistening with the sweat of their efforts.  Their approach was noticed and by the time Elena pulled to shore, Akashi was waiting.

 

“Captain, a pleasant surprise,” he said offering her a hand to help her step onto the sandy shore. “Does your arrival have something to do with the increased activity we have been seeing?”

 

“It does actually. Do you have the time to speak with me?” Elena asked.

 

“Of course,” he said.  “Please, come with me.” Akashi led them to a small tent set up with a table and chairs.  There were rolls of paper that Elena guessed to be ship designs and she could almost feel Thompson’s eyes watching the pages as Akashi gathered them and set them off to the side. He offered Elena a seat while he took the other.  Thompson stood behind Elena’s chair and as she sat she realized that Akashi was treating Thompson the same way she would treat her grandfather’s bodyguard Marcus.  She shook the thought away and smiled at Akashi.

 

“Some of my people needed a quick relocation at the end of the season,” Elena began. “We brought them here.”

 

Akashi nodded. “I had heard that your people were being watched by the government because the Council asked you to be the liaison for the Guild.”

 

“Yes,” Elena said, letting the explanation stand.  She had no desire to further expose Kiera’s people to view. “Unfortunately many of my ships are in need of off season repairs. We will be ferrying goods between the DF and here during the off season.  I was wondering if we could come to an arrangement.”

 

“We would assist with your repairs and you would assist with our supplies?” Akashi asked.

 

“Yes,” Elena told him.  “I know that you are probably well stocked for the season already…”

 

“But more would not hurt,” Akashi finished for her.  He smiled. “Because we have no pilots who can open and close the new channel, we have limited supplies to last the season.  An agreement would be of great benefit.”

 

“That would be great,” Elena said.  “We have established a harbor master at port.  His name is Sam Harris. You can drop lists of requested supplies with him when you are ready.  And for the future, if you don’t have enough ships to bring you supplies, let me know.  We can easily help you out. There is no need to run on starvation rations.”

 

Akashi laughed. “I will remember that. Do you have a list of ships needing repairs?”  Elena pulled out the list she had compiled and handed it to him. Akashi took out a notepad and began copying the information down. He nodded and muttered to himself in Japanese as he worked. Elena remained silent.

 

“Okay,” he said when he was finished, returning to English for her benefit.  “We can accommodate all of these.  We will get a schedule to your Harbor Master as soon as possible. We will drop off the supply list at the same time.”

 

“Excellent,” Elena said, relieved that her ships would be taken care of.  As she knew Akashi had work to do and she didn’t want Thompson to linger any longer than necessary at the ship yard, Elena said her farewells and returned to the launch.  As they headed for open water Thompson turned to her.

 

“They do not have pilots to open the channel?” he asked.

 

“They focus on building the ships not piloting them,” Elena hedged.

 

In truth most pilots couldn’t open or even see the new channel.  Only pilots afflicted with the Calling could do so.  Since the Calling tended to ground pilots making them of limited use to the Guild, many families shunned the afflicted pilots.  When Elena, herself a pilot grounded by the Calling, found ways to return to the ship and started to form her own House, a large number of the similarly afflicted pilots joined her hoping for a cure. That the Calling turned out to be less a disease and more of an evolution in abilities was something that required an adjustment from the entire Guild.

 

While she had arranged escorts for several of the supply ships Riko sent to the yard, Elena had not taken into account that they had no pilots of their own who could open the channel for emergencies.  The elderly councilor had not mentioned it and until Akashi mentioned it, Elena had not realized how cut off they were.

 

“We should probably set up a schedule,” Elena muttered to herself.  “No sense in starving them out.” Thompson seemed satisfied with her answer and remained quiet for the remainder of the trip.

 

Once back at the docks, Elena talked to Sam, told the pilots that he would be the point of contact for the schedules and made sure that everything she was responsible for was settled.  The entire time, Thompson followed her around as though he were her shadow, never straying more than three paces behind her.  Mateo found it amusing.

 

“You know it’s a good thing we are shipping out soon,” Elena told Thompson as they settled in the mess hall for dinner.

 

“Leaving so soon then?” Benjamin asked, joining them at the table.  Elena nodded and looked around.  Jennifer had also joined them, looking much better for her long rest. Mateo, Kiera, Lucas and Melanie filled out the rest of the table.  Both doctors had been relieved when her symptoms faded on their own and she had been asked to write up a detailed account for their records on the off chance it recurred, either with her or another pilot.

 

While Elena had no intention of ever trying that trick again, she knew there was the possibility that someone else might so she had agreed to write down what she knew and hope it was never needed. Since everyone who needed to hear the conversation was present, Elena continued.

 

“Tomorrow we’ll settle the last few things and get a bit more rest.  The following day we will be shipping out with the morning tide,” She announced.  “I want to try to get some trade agreements in place before the others arrive at the DF.  I think it will be easier that way. Will you be coming or staying here?” she asked Benjamin.

 

“I’ll be shipping out with you,” he told her.  “Consuelo has already taken control of the kitchens and doesn’t need another minion.”

 

“I will be going too,” Thompson said.  “So don’t try to leave me behind.” Elena shook her head.

 

“The only time I’ve been out of your sight today has been when I went to the latrines,” she told him.

 

“I’ll get the list I made for supplies to you after dinner,” Kiera said, cutting off whatever comment Thompson was about to make.  “Will you be sleeping on the ship tonight?”

 

“I’m going to let the ship air out another day but tomorrow night I want everyone shipping out with me sleeping on the Storm Chaser,” Elena said. “That way we’ll be up on time and be saved the morning hike. Are there a lot of emergency requests?”

 

“It’s mostly basics that are needed,” Kiera told her. “Very few people grabbed a change of clothes.  And if they did, they didn’t grab more than one.”

 

“And people get dirty fast out here,” Mateo commented.

 

“How are we doing on space for people?” Elena asked.

 

“Still have plenty of room,” Kiera said.  “We still haven’t filled up all of the worker’s houses let alone touched any of the larger homes.”

 

“So plenty of magical gumdrops to go around?” Elena said.

 

“I am so glad I am not the only one who thinks they look like gumdrops,” Mateo said. “I was beginning to think I was just candy deprived. Oh speaking of which. I wouldn’t say no to something heavily featuring refined sugar if you want to bring me back a treat.”

 

“We have sweet things,” Kiera told him.

 

“I know,” he replied.  “We have fruit and honey and sometimes we even put the honey on the fruit. What we don’t have are chocolate bars. I’m starting to have fantasies about Willy Wonka.”

 

“You can keep your oompa loompa fetish to yourself,” Elena said with a laugh. “I’ll see what I can find, but no promises.”

 

“Excellent,” Mateo said.  “Try for something with a caramel center.”

 

After dinner Elena retrieved the list from Kiera and gathered her gear. By the time she exited their quarters, Elena found she was more than ready to go to bed. As much as she needed the extra day of rest, Elena found herself moving around the small village, checking on her pilots and making sure everyone was settled.  Word had spread through the group of her stretching the Marta and Elena had given a detailed explanation of events. Despite the fact that soon, many of them might be able to pull the same sort of trick off, they all stared at her with barely concealed awe.

 

As she packed up the few things she had removed from her bag and readied herself to head back to the ship, she found herself eager to escape.  The starry-eyed looks they had given her when she first told them how to deal with The Calling, giving them back the ability to pilot, had faded and she was not thrilled to see it return.

 

She picked up Akashi’s supply list from Sam Harris and led her small group, consisting of Benjamin, Thompson and Jennifer back to the ship. Once on board, any window that could be opened was, allowing the ship to air out from the smell of too many passengers. Elena pulled fresh sheets from the cabinet and re-made her bed as the fresh wind blew through her cabin. On the trip out she had given her cabin over to a large family and camped out with Jennifer in the pilot house.  She was pleased to once again claim her own bed. Spin likewise seemed pleased that things were back to normal and settled herself on Elena’s spare pillow.