Chapter 3

So it was that day turned into day, which turned into weeks. Eric got used to his new job as healer. The aches and pains he had experienced the first few days, had disappeared. He was now used to the pace he set himself. It was just that he was now on roads and in areas that were so heavily traveled, that his pace was slowing.

Eric was feeling rather annoyed. His combat car was being leap-frogged up, as hiding spots were found for it. But this last time, something had gone wrong. Some men were hiding in a cave. The cave had totally hidden the men from his ship's sensors, and from the SNARK'S sensors, also. They were not revealed until the combat car had landed a short distance from the cave. Eric had been forced to kill them.

Eric regretted their deaths. His mission was surveillance, and total secrecy had to be maintained. He took samples from the interior of the cave afterwards, and sent it up to the ship via SNARK for analysis. He buried the two men in the cave, along with their equipment.

While it was possible these men had a legitimate reason for hiding in the cave, he had already been attacked twice on the trip north by robbers. He just could not afford to take any chances. What really pissed him off the most, was that his ship had activated his combat capabilities, taking the decision from him.

Eric could not get them to agree to be quiet about the combat car's existence, and in less time than it takes to tell it, the two men were dead at Eric's feet. While Eric understood the reason the ship cited, it still bothered him.

Eric was thinking of buying a horse. He had seen a lot of these animals, and they appeared to be a good mode of transport. While he was not experienced with riding these beasts, he knew he could learn quickly.

He had also made a lot of money on the way north, stopping frequently to heal. He turned his coppers into silvers, which in turn, he turned into golds. He was accumulating a lot of coppers and silvers. He still kept 10 coppers on him, and a couple of silvers, but the golds were weighing on him. He had to find something to do with them!

Keldema was only another week's march up the road, according to the ship. Perhaps he could invest his gold there. He was going to settle in that city for the foreseeable future, and it would be nice to have a cushion of money to fall back on.

Also, the weather was definitely turning colder. It had snowed lightly the night before, and Eric definitely wanted to be in the city before winter set in. So he started pushing himself as hard as he could, while maintaining the fiction that he was a normal man.

Eric was even considering paying for a ride in one of the coaches that seemed to ply the roads. Now that he was farther north, the towns were apparently large enough to support something as expensive as a coach service.

The coaches were heavily built. They were very solid wooden boxes on wheels. Not only were there these coaches you could rent space in, but Eric saw private coaches, too. Still, only the affluent seemed to own them. They must be expensive to build. They also had to have at least four horses pulling them.

During the last couple of weeks, the ship had informed Eric that a radio transmission had been picked up from outside of Keldema city. So far this had happened twice. It was on a low frequency, but would carry to anywhere on the continent.

The first time had been an accident. A SNARK happened to be in direct line with a tight beam signal directed southwards. No responding signal had been picked up. Eric found this interesting and exciting!

The ship had been decoding the transmissions it had intercepted, and was sure it was an automated signal of some sort. According to the ship, it had the, 'feel', of a house keeping signal. Well, the ship should know, shouldn't it?

So there was some hi-tech on this planet. It now fell to Eric to investigate, once he got to the Keldema area. Of course the ship would help out, but ground forces were needed, and that was Eric.

Eric was firmly ensconced in a good Inn. It was called the Silver Chalice, and he was fortunate to get the deal he had. He paid 5 silver a month which included two meals, breakfast, and the evening meal. Lunch was up to him.

Eric made a deal with the inn keeper to allow him to work out of his room. After seeing the success Eric had with his healing, the inn keeper changed the arrangement. In addition to the 5 silver a month (which was cheaper than the normal price of a months stay at an inn of this sort), Eric paid 1 copper per person, who was sent up to his room for healing.

Eric's fame as a healer was growing. Everyday found people crowding into the inn, which also put money into the innkeeper's coffers, as people who were waiting bought drinks or meals.

Still, Eric found time to explore the city. He also bought herbs which he sent up to the ship via a SNARK, and the ship started making medications from the ones that were actually useful. The ship supplemented his supplies, via a SNARK, also.

Eric had some free time and was down in the main room of the inn, when he was approached by the inn keeper with a woman in tow.

"Eric? This is the lady Kalea Devon. She has a request of you," with that, the inn keeper bowed to the lady and withdrew.

Eric stood. "Lady? How may I help you?" Eric asked curiously.

"I have heard good, no... great things, about you. My son is ill, and the other healers who have seen him can do nothing for him. The, 'separate ones' came, but refused to help him. Please, will you come and help us? Help him?" she asked somewhat desperately.

"I don't know that I can do anything, but I will at least look," Eric responded.

He went upstairs, made sure his bag was full, and that everything he might need was in place. He returned to the Lady, and she took him outside. They entered a small coach, which in turn took them to a rather rich part of the city.

He was curious about the 'separate ones', but could find no way to ask about them, without arousing undue attention to himself. They drove through a gate and up a long paved lane, to a large manor house.