Chapter 21

April. Just over a month to go, according to Grandfather’s reckoning. We didn’t know exactly what the Travelers were up to out on the edge of the solar system, so it was possible that the signal to begin final preparations could come at any time.

As nearly as I could figure from searching around on the Web, they had to be at least thirty astronomical units (AU’s) out, and even with some incredible acceleration, it would probably take days to get here. But then, what did I know about space travel and fusion drives?

Our last e-mail was ready to fire off to the three hundred (including Anna Belle), the moment we got the alert. All Rosa had to do was bring it up on her computer and click ‘SEND’. Steve had arranged for the use of an empty warehouse near the airport as a gathering place for their arrival, as well as the use of two tourist busses to shuttle them to the house and cave.

Spencer had personally spoken by telephone to most of the Ennahai Elders around the world, Grandfather or Hithfaeron serving as interpreter. So far, they all seemed to accept the idea of his acting as public spokesperson for the remaining clans. After we were gone, the house and cave would be occupied by some of the remnants of the North American clans. The grounds would also be the designated international home of the Ennahai people. Spencer was already setting up an office in my study.

There really wasn’t all that much to do around the house until we got notification from the Travelers that they were on the way. That being the case, I spent most of my days with Steve and Rosa helping them with the plowing and soil preparation for their new crops. It was hard work, as farming always is, and we divided our labors, working independently and getting together for lunch at the house.

The day we finished the plowing, we were sitting in their kitchen enjoying some wonderful freshly baked cannoli and strong, sweet Italian coffee.

I took a big bite of my second one and pronounced, “Rosa, you’ve outdone yourself! It’s a damn good thing we’re working our butts off out in the fields, or we’d be packing on the pounds with your cooking.”

“I’m glad you like them, Jesse - or do you prefer to be called Aelrindel now?

“Use what you’re comfortable with. I can’t sign any documents with that name, so there’s nothing official about it. I guess it only means something to the Ennahai and to me. I still haven’t really gotten used to it yet, and half the time, I don’t even catch on when I’m being addressed. I like the name Aelrindel, though, because it really sounds Elvish, doesn’t it.”

Steve sipped his coffee and leaned back in his chair. “Are you ready for the trip?”

“As ready as I can be, I guess, except for bringing in our selected passengers. I sure hope we get at least a hundred out of the group.”

“I can’t imagine that will be a problem. The way you’ve been able to rope in the adventurous spirits with your blogs and e-mails, I doubt all that many of them will balk at the opportunity to be a part of such an epic event. Those that don’t go will probably spend their lives regretting it.” He cast a quick sideways glance at his wife to see if she got his meaning.

Rosa caught the innuendo, and looked away, knowing she was the only thing that kept her husband from being aboard that ship. It broke her heart that he had to make such a personal sacrifice, but she just couldn’t walk away from the farm. She hoped against hope that his melancholy would dissipate once the ship had departed.

I felt uncomfortable, wishing I had something to offer that would help them over this big stumbling block in their marriage, but anything I said would just make it worse for one or the other. Besides, they both knew my feelings.

I made a stab at changing the subject. “Rosa, any chance you could give the recipe for these cannoli to Ellana or Chiam? They’d sure be a big hit at the dinner table.”

“I’d be happy to. Just have one of them give me a call. Or better yet, how about if I come over one afternoon and show them how it’s done? More coffee?”

“Um, no thanks. I think I’ll be heading back.”

I stood and asked Steve, “Would you be interested in going with Remy and me to bag one last deer for the clan?” The beginning of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth, and I conceded, “Yeah, yeah, I know it’s illegal, but we promise we won’t rat you out to Eddy.”

He laughed and said, “I saw old Eddy a few days ago, and he’s still obsessed with catching you in the act someday. It’ll probably leave a big hole in his life when you’re gone and the poaching stops, because I don’t think an old curmudgeon like him has all that much to keep himself entertained. Sure, I’d love to go with you. I bought a new crossbow, and that’ll give me chance to try it out; not that I’ll be any real competition for you or Remy. When did you have in mind?”

“Tomorrow morning. You can either come to the house or meet us at the birch tree by the back fence around six in the morning before it gets light. I’ll ask Remy if you can take the first shot, OK?”

“It’s a date! See you at the fence. And thanks again for helping with the plowing.”

“You know I enjoy working on the farm. See ya, Rosa. Loved the cannoli.”

“Here,” she said, wrapping two of them in a napkin, “Take these for your Gilleena.”

Things can happen so fast, sometimes. Before you can even figure out what’s going on, everything has changed.

The morning was crisp, the temperature in the low forties when Remy and I climbed out of the hole and set the birch tree back in place. The sky was just starting to fade to gray with first light. I looked around for Steve but didn’t see any sign of him.

Remy cocked and ear and said, “He coming up the hill now.”

I’d heard nothing, but a few seconds later, Steve came into view, trudging up the hill with his new crossbow over his shoulder and his service weapon on his hip. We spent a couple of minutes looking over the new toy, and Remy had to give it a try. He loaded a bolt and took aim at a small tree, just barely visible in the dim light about twenty-five yards away. The bolt missed by no more than an inch, and hit another tree a few yards behind the target.

“Hmm!” Remy grunted through his HEPA mask. He handed the crossbow back to Steve and grumbled, “Seems like a lot of technology to do exactly what my longbow does.”

He nocked an arrow and fired at the same small tree, driving the arrowhead all the way through the two-inch trunk.

“Damn!” Steve uttered, shaking his head, “I see it with my own eyes, and I still can’t believe how good you are!” He grinned and looked at me. “Think you can hit it, Jesse?”

I couldn’t pass up a challenge, so I nocked an arrow to test my own skill. I hit just below Remy’s arrow, but my mine didn’t penetrate the tree.

Steve just looked at us, shook his head again and said, “Amazing!”

We retrieved our arrows and followed Remy to the trail. Within a few minutes, I spotted fresh deer droppings and pointed in the direction I thought it might be headed. Remy agreed. Within a couple hundred yards, we spotted the young buck down the hill drinking from a small pond. It was light enough to get a clear shot, so we crouched down and signaled Steve to go for it. Downhill shots can be tricky, so I had an arrow nocked in case we needed a quick kill shot.

He knelt, took careful aim, and squeezed the release trigger. The bolt struck too far behind the foreleg to have hit the heart, so I loosed my arrow for the kill shot. It did the job.

Remy stood and announced, “Good work, both of you! Let’s get it dressed out and get back to the cave.”

We hadn’t taken ten steps toward the deer when Remy stopped dead still and turned his head to listen. “There’s someone here!” he whispered and disappeared behind a large oak.

I heard a noise and turned in time to see Eddy step out from behind a boulder and raise his rifle to take aim at me. “Got ya this time, didn’t I, ya smart ass sonofabitch!”

Then he recognized Steve standing there with his crossbow. “Deputy? Deputy Winters? Well I’ll be goddammed! Got me a two-bagger! I knew if I haunted these woods long enough, I’d nail me a poacher, but I sure as hell didn’t ever think it’d be an officer of the law. You know this is gonna cost ya your job, don’t ya? That n’ a lotta money! Too bad for that pretty little wife of yours, though.”

Remy stepped from behind the tree with his bow drawn and said evenly, “Mister, you need to lower your rifle.”

Eddy was startled, and whirled to point at Remy. “Who or what the hell are you, that you gotta cover up your ugly face? I’m the law, n’ you ain’t about to tell me what to do!”

Remy, still speaking quietly, disagreed, “For reasons I don’t have time to explain, I can’t let this happen. Now lower your rifle and walk away. I know you have to report it, but it will be your word against Steve’s and Aelrindel’s. Given your history, I believe a case can be made for prejudice and false accusation. Now I strongly suggest you leave while you can do it under your own power.”

Then Eddy did a stupid thing. He shouted, “I ain’t goin’ nowhere, pal!” and fired off a quick shot. He never had a chance. His shot went wide, chipping the bark of the tree two feet from Remy’s head, but the arrow struck dead center in his chest; a perfect kill shot.

Eddy dropped his rifle, looked down at the arrow shaft sticking out of his chest, looked back at Remy, and keeled over, dead as he hit the ground.

Steve and I stood there stunned, wondering what the hell had just happened. Remy walked calmly over to look down on Eddy’s body. He took a deep breath and sighed, “Why would he do such a stupid thing?”

He rolled the body onto its side and saw the arrow point sticking out the back of Eddy’s down vest. He snapped it off below the fletching and pulled it through, dropping the two pieces into his quiver.

Steve and I had been mute up until that moment, then we looked at each other and said, “Holy Fuck!” at the same time.

I ran up the hill and knelt beside Eddy’s body to check for a pulse in his neck. I knew there wouldn’t be one, but I felt obligated to check anyhow. Steve, walking up to stand beside me, looked at Remy and said, “He didn’t leave you any choice. Now the question is what do we do with him?”

Remy, always supremely practical in all things, had already worked out a plan of action. “My clan cannot alter its plans to accommodate an inquiry by the law. The man was given an opportunity to walk away and chose to fight instead. I don’t fault his courage, but his judgment and his aim were poor. And fatal. Now we must erase this incident and get on with our lives.”