Adrift
Copyright© 2025 by Gina Marie Wylie
Chapter 16
Much later, after the scant evening meal, the work details for the next day were given out.
All of the cargo was off the aircraft, and the latest project was pulling the seats out. There were three sets of tools for that, but the work of detaching them was going much faster than the work of hauling them to the caves.
Sandy had been with Mei Lei and Lieutenant Riley as they bossed the work at the aircraft. There was quite a stack of seats on the beach.
Still, the airliner seats were far more comfortable -- and warmer -- than rocks to sit on and were in great demand.
No one had said anything to Harry about where she slept, so she slept next to Jack in the Marine area. There was always someone awake there, and really, Harry thought, there was zero chance of any hanky-panky.
At dawn the next morning, Harry got up right after Jack, and shortly thereafter, the party formed up. This time there were three Marines, counting Jack, Owen, Roman, and Harry.
They stopped, like they had before at the forest verge. Jack had binoculars and used them. After a minute, he grunted and said, “Now, this is interesting! The boat is back.”
“And, lo and behold, there’s a bird out there near the boat with the Atief woman on her knees. No sign of Pugh or the other guy.”
“There are three birds closer to us and a group of a half dozen Fuzzies.”
Harry spoke up, “Jack, look up at the sky.”
He promptly turned his attention to the moon, still low on the horizon. Even the first glance showed hundreds of birds circling overhead.
“I must be going blind,” he whispered.
“We were under the trees, Jack,” Harry told him.
Owen spoke as well. “There is an obvious welcoming party. We will look like we don’t trust them if one or two of us go out there to greet them.”
Jack nodded, “You, me, Harry, Roman, and Smith will go out. Gonzales, you stay back out of sight. You are to do absolutely nothing, whatever happens to us. Get back to the caves and report. Your only mission is to return and report, do you understand?”
“Aye, aye, Sarge.”
Owen said, “Harry goes first, then you and I, then Roman and your other Marine coming last. You should sling arms. Roman, that pig sticker stays on your back.”
“I’ve got the bow cocked, but no quarrel, Owen.”
“That’s fine. Harry, step out.”
Harry stepped out, ignoring the men who came behind her aiming for the trio of birds. One of the Fuzzies detached from the rest and came to stand next to the birds.
Harry stopped about six steps in front of the birds. She bowed to them and nodded in the direction of the hominid. She was pretty sure it was the one she had met before -- she was wearing Harry’s blouse.
The bird in front turned and looked behind it and skreed. The bird standing behind Debra Atief dipped its head and pushed her forward. The woman looked back at the bird, then jumped to her feet and ran as fast as she could to Harry and the others.
“Oh God! Oh God! I thought I was dead!” she was crying, tears streaming down her face.
“Where are Pugh and Reed?” Jack asked.
“Dead! Those beasts killed them! I thought they were saving me for a snack!”
“What happened?” Jack asked, sounding reasonable.
“We made it to shore -- we were all tired, but Kit made us carry everything we’d brought with us up a small hill. I was totally bushed, and just dropped on my sleeping bag.
“I swear, that Kit was a monster! He walked up to me and said, ‘It’s time to start earning your keep. Out of those clothes!’ I asked him what he meant and he said I was the public comfort station, get on my back and let him fuck me. I told him to go to hell; I don’t come with them to be a fuck toy shared by two guys.
“He hit me with his fist in my stomach; I think he had brass knuckles. It doubled me over. That saved my life the first time, I think. Out of nowhere one of those birds swooped down and killed Kit. Just picked him up and threw him forty feet into some little trees.
“That Pugh guy went for his rifle, but that was ghastly. The bird turned around and reached out for him. They have two front-facing claws; it hooked them both at the top of Pugh’s rib cage and jerked down. It gutted him! Blood, guts, and bone all at once -- there was nothing left of his insides.
“I tried to get away, and it hit me with its wing. In a little bit, one of the monkeys came up and tied my hands. They took me back to a nest or something. Last night, the monkeys led me back to the raft.
“They hitched dinosaurs to it! They brought me out here, and I slept in the middle of this meadow overnight. I thought they were going to kill me at dawn.”
Harry couldn’t stand it. “They are not monkeys; they are people! So are the birds!”
Debra looked at Harry and then at Jack. “Who is the brat?”
Harry kicked her, and Debra hauled her hand back to slap her -- only to be frozen by a loud “SKREEEEE!”
Jack was brusque. “The reason that you are still alive is that Harriet Fredericks has treated with both the birds and the hominids. We are well on our way to being friends.
“Debra Atief, you are under arrest for mutiny and theft of community property. You will be tried by a court of your peers.”
“What?”
“If you attempt to escape, we are authorized deadly force to stop you. If you run, we’ll kill you ourselves. Lance Corporal Smith, you watch over her.”
“Aye, aye, Sergeant!”
Harry looked back at the birds and bowed again. There was a soft “Skree!” that sounded like a question.
“Jack, I’m going to engage in a pantomime, don’t wig out,” Harry said.
She crouched down and approached the lead bird. It looked a lot older than the rest, and Harry mimed detaching a gold band from the bird’s leg, stuffing the fake band in her jacket, and backing away looking in every direction.
One of the two birds behind the leader skreed a question, and the leader made a very short skree in return.
Owen laughed. “Junior asked, ‘What is that stupid girl doing?’ and Big Momma said, ‘Pretending to be a thief in the night.’”
The bird in the back spread its wings and then folded them back up.
Harry saw that the leader was eying Owen with interest. “Owen, he didn’t like being called a name,” Harry said.
Owen froze for a second, and then looked at the leader. “Sorry,” he said apologetically.
The leader shook her head, staring at them.
Harry gulped, and Owen whispered, “Sweet Mother Mary, holy Jesus!”
Jack said, “What?”
“They are telepathic! They can read our thoughts, and we can read theirs,” Owen replied.
“It shook her head,” Roman said.
“Their gestures are the opposite of ours. Nodding is ‘no,’ and shaking their head is ‘yes,’” Harry said.
Roman started laughing.
“What’s funny?” Jack asked.
“All those science fiction stories about first contact with intelligent aliens -- who would have thought that it would go to a thirteen-year-old girl and a retread Marine?”
“Owen helped,” Harry said defensively.
“Girl, you are young yet. Let me tell you that there’s a big difference between ‘doing’ and ‘helping,’” Roman declared.
Harry turned and looked at the leader. “Do you really understand me?”
The word formed in her head. “Indeed.”
There was a short pause, and the bird sent, “You have made friends with the other two-arms. They help us, do you understand? They keep our nests clean; raise our eggs, farm, herd -- that and more. We protect them from the Fast Runners and the White Bands. Alas, they do not talk with their minds. Only the White Bands do so.”
Harry turned to Owen, who had Roman’s sketches. “I need the raptor picture.”
Owen produced it and handed it to Harry. Harry, in turn, showed it to the bird leader. “This is a Fast Runner?”
There was a hiss from the birds. “You have seen such?”
Harry nodded. “Two attacked us; we killed them, but not before two of us were hurt, one who may yet die.”
“Where did this happen? On the mainland?”
“No, here.” Harry turned and got the map from Owen and showed the bird where they had found them.
“Fast Runners eat eggs and the young of the two-arms. They are allies, not pets, of the White Bands. They have the most rudimentary intelligence.”
The leader raised her head and gave an awesome “Skree!”
Instantly, more than a hundred birds, circling overhead, peeled off and headed north.
Jack grimaced. “I wish we could tell the bosses not to panic!”
“My children will stay high unless they see something. The White Bands fly at night and drop Fast Runners here, although we think they are aiming for the mainland,” the bird said. “We patrol widely and have killed many of the Fast Runners. We think they are trying to move west as we are moving east.”
“Our people are from far to the west, over the Shining Mountains. We are explorers and settlers; this lake has stopped us. Only recently have we met the White Bands and learned how wide the lake is. We have sent home for more to come, but it is very far, and few are willing to come all this way and with a fight at the end.”
The bird jerked her head to the raft. “We had the two-arms fetch everything that those took.”
“Can I ask why you killed them?” Harry asked.
“One of my sons saw the male strike a female. That is not permitted in my people. Females lead flocks among us. Then my son looked in her head and saw it was twisted and, being a good son, reported it to me. I came and looked and was thinking about killing her, two-arm or not.”
“A scout had reported your machine, and we flew high to look. We saw some of you ascending a hill. My youngest daughter is headstrong and seeks to lead, and she ordered a husband to attack. I see you were there.”
“Yes, I was.”
“My daughter lost much status, and made it worse when she called for help. I could see into your minds. It is hard, do you understand? There are many things there that make no sense, many things that are incomprehensible. I have to think slowly and concentrate on just one of you.”
“And the noise you make?”
She could sense confusion in the other. Then it was clear. “We are different. You convey meaning with sound like the two-arms. You also convey emotion with the sound, while the other two-arms do it with tones. We also use sound to convey emotion. You think I am talking to you, but that’s because your mind is fooling you. Concepts and patterns -- but not emotion.”
Harry turned to Jack. “The Fuzzies brought us back everything they could find. Would you go down to the raft and check it?”
“Owen said you were talking to them.”
“I was. The Fuzzies aren’t telepaths. The boss lady here sent her flock to see if there are more raptors in the north. They will stay high unless they see anything.”
Jack thought for a second and turned to the forest and cupped his hands. “Gonzales, hustle back to the others. Tell them we made a breakthrough talking to the birds. We got Debra Atief back, but the LT and Reed are dead. Tell them not to freak at the dawn patrol -- they are hunting raptors.
“Tell the gunny we need a detail of three to carry back the stuff the LT took. I’m going to inventory it. Get going. Start with the raptor hunt. And remember to hustle!”
“Aye, aye, Sergeant.”
Harry thought at the bird. “Can you tell a two-arm to take my man to the raft?”
The Skree was more of a chuckle. “Your man?” But she signaled the Fuzzies and one came and took Jack by the hand and led him towards the raft.
“Harry,” Owen said, “you are doing just great. I’ve been talking to the two males. When we get back, first thing is we have to compare notes. Even before we report.”
“Sure, Owen.”
Roman pointed with his chin. “See that male over there?” He indicated a male standing to one side, by himself.
“He’s the First Husband and a born fighter. He’s gotten too old to be much good anymore in a fight, and his Queen only lets him come along when it’s safe. Of course, she doesn’t go when it’s dangerous either. He and I have been comparing war stories.”
“Heh!” Owen chortled. “They are pumping us for information as we are them!”
There was a distant “Skree!” that seemed to be an imperative.
The bird Queen thought at Harry. “There is a flock of ten White Bands approaching. This is very odd. They have to see how many we have up! Ten times their number!”
Roman spoke, “I’m trying to get them to look low. This was a favorite trick of those guys who flew that Soviet crap in Iraq, about the only thing that worked. Fly a bird on the deck and one at altitude. Noobs always would go for the high guy -- and the low man would pick the noob off. Veteran pilots were more careful -- and of course it was tough on the high flight because even noobs were better than their best. And if the low guy ever stuck his nose out of the weeds, we’d nail him too.”
There was a pause and then Roman said, “Yep! That’s it! A low flight of about five hundred. These guys are going to beat feet. They fly to the west for a few hours and the White Bars can’t go any further and head back home. The White Bars keep trying to find their nest, but they haven’t found it yet.”
The birds, all of them, had launched themselves into the air. A parting thought from the queen reached Harry. “Please shelter our two-arms with you. You have a half hour to reach safety.”
“Roman, call Jack back,” Harry said.
The other Fuzzies were already marching north, and Jack understood when told, “I hope we’re not too far behind Gonzales. I heard the air raid warning earlier; everyone should head back to the caves. The only work party far away from the caves is at the aircraft, and if necessary, they can shelter in place,” Jack said as they started off, stepping right out.
“You jog, Harry?” Jack asked.
“I work out, but I don’t run.”
“In order to get back in time, we have to run eight-minute miles. That’s a very fast walk or a slow jog. The Fuzzies, I think, can run a lot faster than we can.”
In twenty-five minutes, they were back at the caves, having met a party headed back to the aircraft. They had only time to get everyone into the caves when the first “SKREE!” sounded.
Commander Shumway ordered a headcount to verify that everyone was back, then the command group turned to the contact party, starting with Jack reporting on Debra Atief’s story. Twice Atief tried to interrupt, the second time earning a warning that if she wasn’t silent, she would be gagged.
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