Chapter 7
Chinese Friends
Quickening urgency accompanied Inocente, Eddy, and Erica as they hastily walked out of the dome, through the new headquarters building, and out the back door, toward Eddy's ship. They were walking in single file on the trail to the old colonial fort site, where the spaceship was parked, when they heard Kevin and Scott calling from behind.
"Two warships are approaching the cove near the the submerged submarine," Scott shouted as he and Kevin ran to catch up.
"Grace and Leona are riding out on orcas to warn ocean people and the delfinian scouts," Kevin exclaimed breathlessly, as he and Scott skidded to a stop next to the Admiral. Both were breathing heavily after their sprint from the building.
"How could that ship have made it so close?" Eddy asked, smacking a fist into his palm.
"USE is tricky," the Admiral responded with a thoughtful expression on his face. "They must have been hiding below the horizon and risked a full-speed run to us from the Southeast, I shouldn't have been so self-assured and shown them the delfinian ship had moved Northwest. They gambled under cover of the missile attack."
"I'm going after Leona and Grace," Kevin said, sprinting back the way he came.
Scott didn't move. He raised his eyebrows and smiled broadly at the Admiral, who quickly guessed at the meaning of Scott's expression. "Would you prefer to come with us?" he asked.
Scott's grin widened. He reached out and shook Inocente's hand.
"We're bound for China," said the Admiral, "as soon as Walker lands. Let's get aboard the spaceship. Scott and I will ride in two of the passenger seats. Lift us just high enough to clear the trees. This is an important trip, Eddy, stay back unless Leona and Grace are in real trouble. I'll call Walker on the radio."
Kevin reached the beach running full-speed at about the same time the frigate began warming up for flight. He noticed that Leona and Grace had stopped and changed into their bathing suits next to where the surfboards were kept. He did the same, also taking a long surfboard in case there weren't any orcas nearby.
The two USE ships were a little more than three kilometers from shore, which put them about two kilometers further out than the still submerged submarine. Grace, Leona, and the two orcas they rode were headed toward the surfing point, moving out of the bay and away from the warships. They were joined by Pito and his mother as they left the bay and approached the river mouth. Perko and Landra were not far behind the sperm whales, several thousand ocean people and the delfinian scouts were gathered, just ahead, toward the river.
"We are on our way to try and reason with the warship crews," Perko said, a mischievous grin played across his face.
"But those ships have guns, big ones," Leona pointed out.
"They've been watching us and haven't done anything yet," Landra said.
Orcas are quick thinkers, those Leona and Grace were riding turned around to follow along with the others, toward the warships.
"You would be better able to talk to them than us," said Pito's mother, Ballena, swimming on the shore side of the group, next to Grace. "What's your name?" Ballena asked the orca.
"I am Dasaye," the orca chuckled. "Don't you recognize me? I have traveled far with Mist, she showed me the shortest way to the next helping current."
"Dasaye is back!" Perko exclaimed. "We were so intent on the warships nobody even looked to see who is who. Perko swam in close and nudged Dasaye with his shoulder, then he did a diving twist and popped up between Dasaye and Mist. "I'm happy to meet you, Mist."
"Likewise," she sang.
"What are we doing?" Leona asked, mostly to herself but loudly enough for every one to hear.
Pito, swimming in front, rolled his head sideways. He plowed along on what would be a shoulder for a human, talking over his other shoulder.
"We are going to demonstrate our desire for Peace on Earth. We want the warship crews to see how many we are and to know there are a lot more ocean people who have the same idea." Talking with his head raised and twisted over one shoulder didn't slow Pito at all.
"That about sums it up," Perko agreed. "The armed delfinians will stop near here and we will go forward to talk. We have extra translation collars in our packs."
"Would you rather not go nearer the warships?" Dasaye asked Leona and Grace. "This could be dangerous, especially for Humans."
"No way am I going to miss this," said Grace. "We should give them a show of friendship, though," she continued, laughing and hooting to psyche herself up for an exciting ride with Dasaye, strongest and fastest of all the orcas.
"Kevin is coming out on a surfboard," Leona said, pointing to the beach. They watched him jump in the water and start paddling.
"I'll go get him," Pito volunteered. Grace, world champion surfer, pressed her fingertips to Dasaye's dorsal-tip. He felt her feet roll into a ready stance and leaped into a twisting turn, in playful pursuit of Pito. Leona and Mist practiced their new relationship and went slower, though they headed straight for the warships.
Dasaye and Grace caught Pito, then turned and swam full-speed to catch the others on the way to the ships. Mist and Leona turned into a playful circle when Grace and Dasaye caught up with them. Leona leaned far inward, into the turn, as Mist circled again and again. Leona was leaning so far into the turn she reached down and touched the water, like her ballerina self on a wave. Each circle brought Leona and Mist closer to the ships.
Eddy flew the pioneer frigate to tree top level so everyone could watch the gathered ocean people, just as Landra and Perko joined with the performing orca/human teams. Thousands of ocean people were soon wave dancing and singing. And two rescue ship captains were talking to each other on the radio, both were so excited they were speaking at the same time.
"That one on the bigger orca looks like my granddaughter," said the older of the two captains. "I retire next year. I'm not even thinking about shooting a girl riding a whale."
"Your granddaughter... my daughter... same difference. I'm not shooting either," said the second ship captain.
"What should we do, then?"
"I suppose we should talk to them."
"Wow! Have you ever heard of a beautiful surfer girl leaping off the top of a wave on an orca and then both of them doing a three-sixty? How could she do that?"
"Amazing. How did either of them do it?"
"Surf Zen, I'd guess. And look at our crews! Everybody's on deck and crowded to the rails."
The rescue ships were armed search and rescue vessels; true warships of the smaller, faster variety. Their crews were lined up on deck less then two meters above the water line. Two orcas, two humans, and two delfinians swooped in next to the nearest warship in a grand acrobatic finale. Their resulting wave drenched almost the entire crew, many of whom immediately jumped ship to meet Ocean People close up.
Not far off, the second crew was screaming for an encore at their ship. The repeat grand finale definitely drenched everybody on the second ship, except the captain, who, alone, stayed high and dry at the helm.
The Admiral was able film the greeting with the second warship. Eddy had flown slowly and smoothly out into the bay for best filming, still only a little above tree top height, quite low.
Both warships were surrounded by thousands of ocean people, many humans had stripped off shirts and shoes to join them in the warm, tropical ocean. To Admiral Castro's photographic delight, the submarine commander chose that moment to surface. Eddy brought the spacecraft around for a closer look.
Commander Gray hadn't violated his pioneer oath to keep voluntary radio silence, but his ship still had all submarine listening devices turned on. He had had a fairly accurate idea of what was going on before the sub surfaced. Once above water, he watched through his binoculars as Kevin and Pito arrived at the rescue ships.
Leona jumped to Pito's back, joining Kevin, while Mist sped off to the submarine with an offer to pick up Commander Gray. "Don't worry." She told herself, "The worst that can happen is he'll say no."
The sub commander said yes. Mist knew in her heart he would. Inocente was able to photograph Commander Gray stepping from the submarine onto Mist's back, as well as the greeting around the second warship. He videoed the beginning of conversation with the ship captain, Grace standing regally on Dasaye, and Kevin and Leona standing on Pito, who was shyly cuddled next to his mother, Ballena.
The Admiral sent the movie clip to Earth Base One, "Please forward the video to China, Nation Pacifica, and the USE National Media Monopoly. We leave for China as soon as Walker arrives. Scott is with us."
The greeting around the warships subsided enough for the captain to reach the ship railing. "We've come to welcome you," Grace said, bowing to captain and crew.
"Well, that's mighty nice to hear, the captain who could be her grandfather replied. "I'm Captain Enloe," he smiled at her, and what he saw behind Grace made him smile doubly; Commander Gray, obviously well practiced and relaxed, approaching them on an orca, fingertips to dorsal-tip.
"As you can see," Kevin said, following the captain's gaze, "the submarine and crew are alive and well. Pioneers really are peaceful, Captain."
"He's telling you the truth," said Commander Gray, upon joining the gathering next to the rescue ship.
"You are wearing one of those neck things, too?" said Captain Enloe. "What is it?"
"It's a translation devise worn like a collar," Perko said, pulling one from his pack and tossing it up to the Captain, who deftly snatched it from the air with one hand.
"Put it on like we are wearing ours," Leona instructed, "then you can talk with ocean people. The translation collar works both ways; you understand them, and they understand you."
"So is this what happened to you?" Captain Enloe asked Commander Gray. "Were you surrounded by a bunch of people you couldn't shoot?"
The commander laughed, "No. You appear to be seeing the true picture quicker than I did. My first few weeks in captivity were very uptight, for me."
"Are you saying my ship has been captured?" Captain Enloe couldn't hold back a chuckle at the thought. Though he wasn't about to shoot anybody, he had guns big enough to blow a hole through just about anything afloat.
"I'd say you are musclebound, just like us," Kevin said. "Too many nice people are in the way for you to use your weapons."
"Since you don't carry weapons of mass destruction, I imagine these folks would let you turn around and go home, if that's what you want," Commander Gray said to Captain Enloe. "But there is one thing you should know, first."
Captain Enloe didn't say anything. He raised his eyebrows, stuck his hands in his pockets, and waited to hear what Commander Grey had on his mind. The answer was quick.
"I saw somebody taking a movie of all this from the spaceship. The Admiral will undoubtedly distribute your meeting here to world-wide news."
"Hmm," pondered Captain Enloe. Cetaceans, Delfinians, and Humans could clearly see him thinking deeply. He had a vaguely uncomfortable feeling that, upon his return to USE, he might be considered guilty of something, for not shooting anybody. "Maybe I should surrender and sit this out for awhile," he decided.
"That's exactly what I chose to do, after much thought on the subject," Commander Grey said. "If we go home, the system won't understand. We will be ground down trying to explain and end up as numbers on the National Prison Monopoly bank statement. I'm staying out of that witch hunt."
Captain Enloe flinched, he visualized a baying bureaucratic witch hunt. He scowled thinking of fifty or a hundred people trying to build up their careers by destroying his life-long reputation as a clean-cut, rock-solid naval officer.
Then the captain truly flinched, his body involuntarily dropped to a crouch as thunder from Walker's arriving spaceship boomed across the bay. He was temporarily struck dumfounded, yet remained clear thinking enough to marvel at how suddenly the ocean emptied. Where a moment before had been thousands of ocean people, all that remained visible were knee-deep humans and the dorsals of those carrying them. Curious faces of all sorts popped back up as the spaceship thunder rolled on into the distance.
The Admiral spoke to Walker as soon as radio communication was possible.
"You are to take full command of the pioneer fleet," the Admiral said. "Eddy remains Earth Fleet Commander but he is back down to two ships, Pioneer Frigate and Will's heavy fighter, piloted by Liz Yomtov." That leaves you with forty ships and one hundred ninety-two fighters. Am I correct?"
"Sir," Walker responded somberly. "Two of our fighters were overwhelmed in the missile attack, both pilots are lost."
Eddy looked back from the pilot seat and saw Inocente's body slump and then stiffen, it reminded him of Erica's rebound from black lightning. 'Is fertile field energy part of these clothes?' He wondered, studying both Inocente and Erica. 'Do the Melodians somehow farm fertile field?' That idea intrigued Eddy. Though his mind was racing, here and now brought him back to Earth. What would Inocente do?
"Earth Base One is to file a grand jury complaint of wrongful death against those responsible s soon as posible," the Admiral said, in a barely audible voice. "That premeditated act will bring non-violence laws to land people just as delfinians did for ocean people. War will stop." he concluded, gritting his teeth.
"We are listening, Grandfather; Justice will not be put off," Rima's voice cracked slightly. "One of the pilots we lost was a school friend."
"Awful bad," the Admiral muttered angrily.
"The news clippings you photographed have been sent," Rose offered, helpfully changing the subject.
"Thanks, Rose. Can you still hear me? Walker?"
"Loud and clear."
"Okay. Stay on the ground at least until you've organized the new ships offshore. And finish the plan with Captain Strong; she is carrying a large number of delfinians who wish to be dropped off as soon as possible. Keep the most cruisers in near earth orbit as you are able. If somebody launches an intercontinental atomic bomb missile, vaporize it. That's your job, Commander, Good luck. Oh, one more thing, coordinate with Captain Pearl so he can let the delfinian colonists off his ship, too. Maybe he could switch places with Captain Strong for awhile."
"Yes, Sir," Walker responded.
The Admiral changed the radio settings for China and then rummaged through a duffle bag, quickly finding four delfinian translation collars. He handed three to Erica, Scott, and Eddy. "I don't think these things will work speaking over a radio, but we should be able to understand Chinese," he said, picking up his microphone. "Set a course for Beijing, but keep the speed low enough for the radio to work. Then he called China.
"Greetings from Pioneer Frigate," he said into his handheld radiophone. "I am Admiral Inocente Castro, representing four species of intelligent Beings. My crew and I are on course for Beijing. Will you provide permission for our flight and landing?"
He pushed a button that sent the same message a second time. "You might as well go as fast as you can for fifteen minutes or so," he said to Eddy. "It might take awhile to find someone who speaks our language, then they'll need to figure out who we are."
Eddy's foot was poised to tap for more power when an answering voice came over the radio.
"We know who you are, Admiral. It has been too many years since our country has been honored by your presence, your more recent reputation precedes you. We were told about your spaceship by those you helped reach here with emergency supplies after Typhoon Terrible. You are welcome to land at the main airport or anywhere else you wish."
"You guys find a place closer to the capital buildings," said the Admiral. "I'm going to rest for awhile on one of the bunks behind these passenger seats. Work it out for Liz to meet us there with her heavy fighter, she can guard us. Remember, there are three cruisers in close orbits that cross above here and above China. Also, Beijing airspace is very busy." So saying, he laid down on the bunk.
Scott poked around in the seat pouches for something to read during the flight and found Kevin's economic reports to Nation Pacifica and the Ship Manual. Eddy and Erica checked over pictures of possible landing sites being sent to them via the radio. The Admiral didn't fall asleep, right away. He savored his anger over the loss of two young pilots, finally dozing after realizing he could issue an arrest warrant for Chairman Homespun and Vice President Chewey when the spaceship landed in China.
Eddy flew in plain sight to a top elevation of one hundred twenty-five kilometers, roughly ten times higher than commercial airline traffic. They were also the same distance below the orbiting pioneer cruisers. Erica and Scott had both agreed about the elevation, neither worried about being spotted by Use.
"Great view," said Scott, momentarily setting aside his reading.
"We are just high enough to see Earth as a planet with a moon," Erica breathed in wonder. "This is a very beautiful place."
"Yep," Eddy agreed. "And here we are over Indonesia and descending on course into China.
Chinese airport personnel worked out a course that brought them spiraling downward and approaching Beijing precisely from the North, they were to land in a large square near town center. Liz would follow their exact course and then land when she felt it was safe to do so.
Eddy had concerns about all governments, as far as he could tell, China was the only one that had been wholeheartedly helpful to the people by eliminating poverty and promoting health and fun. Even so, China had copied western capitalism and ad libbed Chinese characteristics onto it, Eddy decided he would land fully alert and on guard. Liz would be backup, barely a minute away, plus, three cruisers and twelve fighters orbited two hundred and fifty kilometers above. He confidently pulled out of the landing spiral traveling directly South, at six thousand kilometers per hour, less than three minutes to touchdown.
Leona had gained familiarity with the navigation computer during the previous flights. She was a fast learner now able to change approach maps and accompanying data bases to include physical details passing below. Her new skills made it possible for Eddy to fly with ease over the great wall of china and straight to a parking area in the middle of a huge city; Beijing, an ancient place of mysterious and opulent wonder mixed with the complexity of every large city on Earth. The national population had gradually declined to a little over five hundred million but the country was still a large population. Chinese felt fortunate to enjoy the work of their larger population past. This made it easy to care for a large older population as part of declining population.
Pioneer Frigate touched down in the exact center of a large city square built for popular gatherings. Nearby government buildings lined one side, a gardened park bordered much of the rest. Police guards waved from quite distant entry points around the square.
A group of about twenty-five people walked toward the spaceship from the direction of the government buildings as they landed, none were carrying weapons. Eddy opened the ship door and lowered the boarding steps. The Admiral jumped out of bed and combed his hair. Erica stuck her head out the door to see China with her own eyes. She felt a little push from behind, Scott motioned her out of the ship and onto the ground, he walked with her, still carrying the books.
Eddy remained aboard at full readiness until the others beckoned him to follow. Liz landed as he left the pioneer frigate and walked to join the others. Her ship was alert behind him, accurate enough to spray foam-stone on a building, ready to spring. None of them were really worried about their safety in China, still, times had changed; gone were the days when they were confined to Earth Base One. Planet Earth was a troubled place and they were pushed by events and on a world tour.
The Chinese were actually very much impressed by the pioneer entrance style. Side-by-side movie clips of Liz's ship lurking like a trained panther behind Eddy, and hovering to apply foam-stone over the new headquarters building at Earth Base One, were shown first by Chinese news and then picked up world-wide.
There wasn't much the Admiral could do to replace the over one hundred years of savings China had lost when the US declared bankruptcy, he did give them all he had: closer association with Luna, total protection from atomic bombs, and, he thought best of all, real-time use of Distiller, via lunar science based satellite internet and tech support from Planet Pacifica, if needed, which he doubted.
"Liz is available to take one of you to Luna. We have room for two who are willing to come with us now, at this very moment, our next stop is Nation Pacifica," he told the assembled Chinese dignitaries. "Your cetacean research center is well known to Ocean People, Delfinians will contact you there very soon. Finally, there is space for one general scientist and his or her family at Earth Base One, please contact the base for travel arrangements."
Eddy and Erica could tell by the Admiral's manner of quick speech that they were not going to remain on the ground for long. "We will be close to my people when we reach Nation Pacifica," Erica commented quietly. She locked Eyes with Leona, who in turn looked straight at the Admiral. She expected his positive answer yet wanted to hear it.
"We won't forget the braves," the Admiral said, turning to them. "Use has spent itself broke on weapons of mass destruction and big armies. Though culturally and spiritually weak, it is still militarily stronger than the rest of the world combined. Our landing at Nation Pacifica will probably be even shorter than here, we are the only ones free to travel and spread the word of peace; that's our job right now. Peace is possible."
"Native american braves are holding back the world's most powerful army with hand-held bolo slingers invented from junkyard scraps by Scott, the man I brought to meet you. Braves with cable bolo slingers are playing a key part in all this; we will join them as quickly as possible."
Several in the chinese group were wearing translation collars, they politely translated for those without them. A chinese version of Rose was speaking for them. Her name was Lin, she was clearly very intelligent and professional.
"You have shown us some interesting technology," Lin said. "Our own space program will no doubt blossom in new and exciting ways, working with pioneers. We are pleased to be closer with Luna and to know you have found a new home for Humanity on Planet Pacifica. All this is thrilling to our popular imagination. Great fun ideas spread fast. You have opened our eyes to see a better way is both possible and probable."
Lin flashed a smile to her associates, gathered her thoughts, and then grinned broadly at the pioneers. "You have given us a lot, even rekindled our hope," she continued. "Now we shall show you one of our greater achievement. We, too, represent another intelligent and organized life form and wish to introduce you." She swung herself around to present two very old people, strong and vital old people.
A man and a woman stepped away from the group, each carried a large hooded bird, riding on a wooden topped, claw-sized shoulder pad. Big birds.
Two people toward the back of the group with large black birds riding on their shoulders had intrigued all the pioneers. Now came an answer to their unasked question.
Scott spun on one foot and strode back aboard the ship. He returned the books he had absentmindedly carried with him and picked up Inocente's video camera, being careful to install a new memory chip and battery, whistling a soft tune as he did it. He put extras of everything in his pocket, turned, stepped out the spaceship door and began filming, starting with Liz's ship. Scott next recorded a view of the beautiful park surroundings, then the government buildings, behind people gathered in the park.
"As you know," Lin continued. "Our country narrowly escaped the disaster befalling those who follow the United States consumption system. We did not abandon technology. Though we realized pollution would destroy the planet. Our country has struggled to find ways to enrich the earth behind our lives, while supporting our lives for the short time we are here."
A frown of consternation crossed her face, "It is not easy to figure out how to earn a living and leave the planet more fertile while doing it. This is perhaps the most difficult of life's many puzzles."
Lin walked to the two elders being ridden by enormous hooded birds and introduced them, "Professor Huang and Professor Cho have used every aspect of science and technology to reach this point, they have learned to speak and work with Crow, an extremely intelligent specie we have only just begun to understand."
Professors Huang and Cho proceded to walk twenty meters from people and spaceships. They removed the hoods from quite large crows, who turned unblinking stares on the watching people.
Professor Cho opened a small field table with legs like a landscape artist's easel. She unrolled a computer and placed it on the table, raising an antennae out of the table top. A guard at one of the distant entrance corners waved. Both professors then jumped lightly into the air and the crows flew.
"The police at that corner have released a very small quantity of unknown pollutant from an aerosol can," said Lin, watching the crows intently.
The fast moving birds circled around the square, often riding the updraft from warm ground. The cried out a warning when they smelled the pollutant at the first corner.
"BTE," said Professor Huang, consulting the computer. "It's a gasoline additive that polluted ground water over the entire planet."
Lin handed her translation collar to Professor Huang. "The crow carry small radios," he said, after putting it on.
The great birds cried out again at the next corner. "DDT," said Professor Cho with a beaming smile, watching her precious birds fly toward the next corner. Then Dr. Huang translated the crow's warning cry, "Sulfer Dioxide".
"Their sense of smell is keen and the warnings are very precise. We now know what they are smelling by what they are saying."
"Professors Huang and Cho have trained many teachers, hundreds of young students are studying this art," Lin said.
"What about the birds?" Erica asked. "Are they tame?"
"They do not like the smells and warn about them," Professor Huang said. "They exhibit enthusiasm when we clean up a bad smell. Professor Cho and I are the second generation of people who have worked with these birds."
"The crows are cooperating with you?" the Admiral asked incredulously.
"We believe the crows think they have tamed us," Professor Huang replied. "They already knew how to describe pollution in minute detail, we simply figured out how to work with them long enough to learn their language.
"Our teacher was taught by an orphan boy who lived in the wild. He once saved a crow, then an entire crow clan brought him food and supported him through the winter, he was the original one who learned how the crow speak. He told us there are crow legends that tell of crow people living with crows right up to the modern era.
"There are still crow people living to this day?" Kevin asked.
"Not to my knowledge. Those stories are history legends the orphan boy said he was told by the crows who raised him," the old chinese scientists concluded together.
"What a wonderfully nice thing to be doing," Erica said. "Would you send some teachers for the native americans?"
"Your Admiral did say you have room for two more people on your trip," said professor Cho with twinkling eyes. We are prepared to send Martzha and Zhao with you now, if you wish. A young man and woman entered the square at that moment, they walked slowly across the pavement, each carried a crow on one shoulder.
Erica turned questioning eyes to the Admiral, who chuckled and put his arm around her shoulders. "Would you prefer we reschedule our stop at Nation Pacifica and go straight to the braves?" he asked, turning to look at Scott, who was still filming from the spaceship boarding ramp. "My main reason for stopping there first was to film another news clip, to keep the pioneer story on the news and keep pressure on USE. Scott's filming of this extraordinary welcome in China has made that quite unnecessary."
"Oh, yes!" Erica exclaimed. "I am so worried about the braves and what HUNTA might do that I am distracted from thinking clearly about anything else. "But there is danger there, should you and the crows go too? I might be wrong yet tend to think we should drop you off somewhere safer."
The Admiral didn't say anything at first. He squeezed Erica's shoulders and looked into the mysterious depth that had grown in her eyes. He glimpsed the the peace of Fertile Field and the raw terror of running from an atom bomb, thinking to himself how strange it was that she didn't seem to have the faintest notion of what other people saw when they looked in her eyes.
"I reckon our new chinese friends will be happy to meet the braves," he said in answer to her question. "And I will do my best not to get myself killed and deprive the pioneers of their senior admiral."
She looked at him questioningly. "I'm going to promote Walker to Admiral as soon as we return to Earth Base One." he whispered in her ear. "You, Eddy, and I need more time to concentrate on being Melodian Ambassadors." He then turned to their arriving guests, handing translation collars to Martzha and Zhao. "Welcome aboard," he said, "we are about to take-off."