How Teddy Roosevelt Slew the Last Mighty T-Rex (28 page)

Lenna cackled like a crazed madman.

Quintar could see anger in the Innkeeper's face, but deep within Farissa's eyes Quintar noticed a touch of deep sorrow. Quintar nodded dutifully and grasped Lenna's arm. With a bit of firmness, he began leading Lenna away.

Lenna burst violently from Quintar's grip, turning and glaring at the Yaakleader with a fury Quintar rarely saw in his lifelong friend.

Lenna paused for a moment and then staggered toward the door.

CHAPTER
 
3 (The Yaakmen of Tyrie)

B
arrazan braced against the ship’s creaking planks drawing warm sunlight to his bronzed face. He inhaled deeply the cool moist air, opening his eyes to an infinite horizon and fluttering lakebirds dodging Lake Adair’s gentle swells.

Barrazan lived and breathed the lake’s calm serenity, yet he also reveled in its shuttering fury, when the northwest gales gathered the waters into towering monsters, enough to swallow any ship regardless its size. He recalled gazing outward from Adair’s docks in his youth, dreaming of the day he would gain freedom from the land and conquer the lake's mystique— dreaming of escape from the drunken shell of a man he so loathsomely called father and a series of lazy, Jenna-swilling step-mothers, Barrazan could barely recall or even wish to remember.

And yet his fortunes turned on the day he lay, bloodied and close to death by his father's whip, in Adair's gutter— barely able to move or walk; his arm shattered, the cursed words 'worthless' and 'vermin' swirling through his confused head— a young boy begging passersby for a sharp knife to relieve his pain and rescue him from his world, his dream of life on the lake abruptly in ruins.

But instead, Barrazan was found by a ship-owner named Cariak, who took the boy into his home and nursed him slowly back to health. Upon which the Chief granted him the position of cabin boy, assigned to Cariak’s modest vessel; although admittedly, even young Barrazan understood there was little need for such a position.

Barrazan smiled inwardly, eying Chief Cariak climbing upon the mainsail's mast. He thought little of his past life, ensnared by the challenges of the present. But Barrazan’s gut warmed knowing good men like Cariak strode this world— honorable men. And he thought many times of offering his gratitude to the man who saved his life yet always deferred to Cariak’s pride and stubborn self-deprecation.

Now under a slight breeze and upon a wavering mast, Cariak secured himself to a high lookout. Holding his hand to his leathery brow, Cariak scanned the blue waters surrounding him.

“Interesting,” Barrazan muttered, shaking his head slightly.

Demprias baited the last of a series of equally spaced hooks. He leaned close to Barrazan's ear. “What do suppose the old man's after? You know him better than most.”

“Big game.”

Demprias’s face soured. “Kalsh?”

“Late spawn.”

Demprias spat. “Kalsh is a waste of my time. But more importantly, it also portends a lessening of my share.”

“Tradition,” Barrazan replied brusquely, securing the line's end to a hollowed wooden float.

Demprias hissed. “Adair's superstitions do not interest me.”

“Sometime I wonder what does interests you, Demprias… other than credits and women.”

“Aye, I have many interests, dear Barrazan. Have you considered my latest proposition?”

Barrazan shook his head and glanced around uneasily. “Chief Cariak has always treated me fairly. Most men of the lake would kill to be Cariak’s Firstmate.”

Demprias smiled wryly, moving even closer. “Loyalty can only get you so far, my friend. Everyone in Adair knows the conglomerates have offered you Chief on most any ship. You have nothing here to prove.”

“The conglomerates have many ships and countless bosses. Here, I’m beholden to one man and myself. I'm content.”

Demprias tossed the line into the frothing water. Barrazan shoved the float off the deck.

“But you are still Firstmate Barrazan, not Chief. You are no longer a young deckhand, and I needn’t remind you that another season has passed. You must think of the future.”

Barrazan sighed. “I can only speculate for whose future you speak?”

A wry smile creased Demprias's sun-touched face. “Your future, of course... Yet I’d only expect to follow your humble footsteps. We are a team, are we not?” He bowed mockingly.

“I see...”

“So tell me,” Demprias continued, “what are your plans after season? Ice fishing? Laboring in the warehouses?”

Barrazan shrugged.

“Ah, I figured as much. You are wise in the ways of the water, my friend, yet ignorant in the ways of land. The warehouses pay nothing, and the settlement’s prospects are no better.”

“Then what do you suggest, my suddenly ambitious friend?”

Demprias eyes danced, his voice lowered. “Listen, during winter we could build our own boat and split the profits. There are real credits in ownership.”

Barrazan snickered. “You have a history of big dreams and little action, my friend. I recall just this past spring you also had elaborate plans to—”

“It’ll be different this time.”

Barrazan laughed.

“I give you my word.”

Barrazan sighed with resignation. “So, where do we rent the tools, and where do we find a shed large enough for construction? And who can we contract for the lumber?”

Demprias grasped Barrazan’s shoulder. “I’m glad you’ve finally come to your senses, good man. I have a cousin in—”

“Prepare to retrieve all lines,” Chief Cariak shouted, thrusting his gnarled fingers toward a mid-lake shoal. “Repus, Aremia... tend the sails.”

Demprias grunted loudly.

Barrazan rushed aft and loosened the rudder. Gathering his strength, he pulled the ship starboard. Demprias grudgingly snatched a long pole with a hooked tip. Repus and Aremia leaped to mid-ship and began to free the mainsail’s ropes.

The ship turned slowly. Demprias caught Barrazan’s eye, aiming the pole toward the bobbing floats. Barrazan nodded, adjusting the rudder. Demprias thrust the pole into the waves and hooked the line. He pulled inward until the float was within arm’s reach.

Barrazan secured the rudder and then rushed to Demprias’s side. The two men hurriedly tugged the lines from the water. Occasionally, a silver-scaled Quidida flopped to the deck, and the men kicked the fish toward the hold. Several of the glistening fish slithered off the planks and flashed back into the lake. Demprias shook his head disapprovingly.

Barrazan glanced amongst the waves. He noticed sharp rocks jutting from the rippling surface several hundred meters to the ship’s left. Barrazan caught Cariak's eye and pointed toward the shallows. Cariak acknowledged with a swift nod.

Cariak cupped his hands to wafer-thin lips. “Men—”

Barrazan waved his hand. Repus and Aremia dropped the mainsail, flushing lakebirds to the breeze.

The ship staggered, gripped by the lake’s swells. Aremia, Repus, and Demprias fanned out along the ship’s rail. The three men stood motionless, casting their eyes upon the undulating waves. Barrazan clambered to mid-ship. He grasped the rail and stared deep into the crystal-clear water.

Several breaths later, Barrazan noticed the murky depths transform into huge boulders, passing like huge monoliths, four or five meters beneath the hull.

“Give me signs,” Cariak said. “Anything.”

Suddenly, Barrazan eyes were drawn to the lake’s surface. A small silver fish thrashed amongst the swells several meters to port. A heartbeat later, a school of fish churned the water and then disappeared. Barrazan pointed. “Chief—”

Cariak nodded. “They’re feeding atop the reef.” A smile creased the Chief’s coarse face. “Repus, Aremia, get the harpoons ready.”

Barrazan grabbed his gloves and hurried across the slick deck from mid to starboard. Aremia and Repus returned to the rail carrying wooden rods tipped with barbed spears; each rod trailed coils of rope. Cariak climbed down off the mast.

“Demprias, help Repus,” Barrazan commanded.

A chill wind brushed Barrazan’s face, and the lake’s surface rippled. Barrazan grasped the starboard rail as the ship creaked sideways to the wind. Barrazan noticed a cluster of dark clouds swirl across the windward horizon.

Suddenly, Barrazan saw a huge, white form roll over the surface. Within a blink of his eye, it sank beneath the waves. A second creature emerged to Barrazan’s right. Barrazan studied its massive outline against the shallow reef below. The creature flashed over the rocks and then swooshed away into deeper water. “A big pair,” Barrazan shouted. “And the female’s belly is full.”

“They’re too big to net,” Cariak hollered, “and too quick to chase. Prepare the bait.”

Barrazan nodded. “Demprias—”

Demprias grabbed two huge buckets of fish guts. He struggled to the rail and dumped the contents overboard. Barrazan watched as the water beneath them turned a ghastly green-purple.

Forty breaths passed, and Barrazan began to notice the rocky bottom giving way to deepening blue. Suddenly, Barrazan saw a white flash far beneath the surface— a moment later, a second flash. Barrazan waved his hand.

“Be ready, men,” Cariak cried. “They’ve caught the scent and are collecting below.”

Suddenly, a huge ugly head with two long whiskers breached the surface and rolled across the dispersing bait. Barrazan jumped back, caught in the glare of two blank eyes, each the size of a man’s waist.

Repus flung his harpoon, but it deflected off the giant’s fin. Hurriedly, Repus withdrew the harpoon and tossed again. This time, the harpoon struck the Kalsh’s flesh just below its spine and held tight.

“Good work Repus,” Barrazan shouted. “That’s the male. Let’s get the other.”

The crew cheered.

“Don’t offer congratulations yet,” Cariak cautioned. “These old dogs have plenty of fight, and the female’s always stronger. There’s still work to be done to land these beasts. Trust my words…”

Cariak shuffled over to the starboard deck just as a second huge form emerged beside the boat. Aremia eyed the beast, holding his harpoon steady. Chief Cariak jumped to his side and secured the rope. “Steady man. Look for the spot below the spine, and don’t hit her swollen belly. Don’t waste a throw. Wait, Now!”

Aremia sunk his harpoon deep into the second fish. Aremia and Cariak pulled the rope tight. The fish made a strong run toward its struggling partner and then suddenly away. Aremia fell to the deck, losing his grip. Cariak held on, bracing his heels on the deck’s lip. Aremia jumped back up and regained his hold.

The two powerful fish tugged the boat in many directions. Barrazan rushed aft and grabbed the rudder; he tried desperately to keep the ship from spinning and tangling the two ropes.

Cariak huffed and laughed. “These two are a tough old couple, probably older than Cariak. It’s a pity to take them.”

The fish harpooned by Repus began to tire, and soon the wriggling giant swam placidly beside the boat. Demprias sliced the fish’s gullet, and a dark-green blood mucked the water. Repus threaded a rope through the monster’s gaping mouth and out its undulating gill.

“Watch the other,” Cariak said. “The blood will enrage the female.”

The second fish made a violent run away from the boat and then deep into the lake. Cariak and Aremia held fast. Repus and Demprias ambled over to help. All four men struggled to control the fish as it dove into the lake’s shadowy depths. The rope strained.

In time, the creature fatigued, and the men regained most of the rope. Once again, Barrazan noticed the giant’s outline beneath the lake’s waves; this time just a meter beneath the waves. The fish made several more runs, before surrendering to the fishermen’s strength and stamina. Breathing heavily, Barrazan stooped to the water and sliced mercifully.

The crew gathered their strength and lugged the two beasts onto the deck. Green guts spilled across wooden planks while lakebirds circled overhead.

Cariak stooped and pushed the female’s massive underbelly. “She holds a full load of roe to be sure.”

Suddenly, the huge fish thrashed its tail, knocking Demprias off his feet and onto his backside.

They all laughed.

“A fiery beast,” Chief Cariak said. “Some say they make the finest feasts and bring the most fortune.”

Demprias rubbed his bruised thigh and then his reddened face. “Rest assured shipmates, I’ll be first in line for a taste.”

The afternoon turned into evening, and murky clouds rolled from the north, masking the sun. A chill breeze brushed the darkened water, and the men bundled in heavy wool coats. Cariak ordered the decks secured and the canvas, raised. Barrazan turned the ship at an angle to the wind, beginning the long tack homeward.

Cariak stepped to Barrazan’s side. “This has been a good day and an abundant season. The Kalsh will bring Adair much joy. The community will be pleased.”

“Perhaps...”

The old Chief grasped Barrazan’s shoulder. “There is more to life than filling holds with Quidida, good fisherman. None can argue our good fortune, but now we must give back and sacrifice some.” Cariak smirked. “And I have a request that you may find compelling.”

**********

“The seasons change, young Porrias,” Master Druiden said, gazing from a window high atop Adair’s Academy of Knowledge. “The broad leaf Payet withers to autumnal reds and yellows, yet our mission continues without respite.”