Thunderbird (35 page)

Once more, farewell!

If e'er we meet hereafter, we shall meet

In happier climes, and on a safer shore.

—Joseph Addison,
Cato
, IV, 1713

M
ORKIM
WAS
OUT
somewhere. They'd had visitors earlier, people from a town Dolly hadn't heard of before. Its name was Akar, which, in the native language, translated to
Oceanside
. There was a constant stream of visitors now, all coming to see Dolly and to look at the lamps and books. They were friendly but occasionally condescending. They asked all kinds of questions about North Dakota, and inevitably explained that they wouldn't want to live in a place much colder than Arkonik. Solya didn't complain, but it was clear she was getting tired of the traffic. She apologized to Dolly. “They mean well,” she said.

They were beginning to show up at the Cupola, as well. That made the security people unhappy, but the Arkons were keeping their distance and giving the Sioux guards no trouble. Dolly regretted having admitted to any knowledge about the Cupola, but she'd been trying to win the confidence of her hosts, and lying to them wasn't a good way to do that.

“The City Council,” said Solya, “has asked us to take you to Akar. They would welcome you appropriately.”

Dolly had been debating how to ask Solya whether it would be possible for her to visit the place. So she accepted without hesitation. She'd run the possibility by the security people. They'd recommended she decline any such invitation, but it was simply not an offer she could refuse.

“It would be very nice,” Solya said. “You would have an opportunity to meet some of our most notable citizens. And I think I can promise you an evening you'll never forget.”

“Marvelous. They won't be put off by someone who looks so different?”

Solya laughed. “That is where your charm lies, Dolly.” Something outside caught her eye. “Your companion is coming.” She frowned. “I do wish you would make it clear to him that he is welcome to stay with us.”

It was George. “He's part of a security detail. The people back home won't let him do that.”

“Because they do not trust us.”

“They don't know you as I do, Solya.”

“All the more reason their attitude is so odd. What reason have we given them to think we could be capable of rudeness?”

“It's a cultural thing.” She was rising from her chair when George knocked. “We tend to be very cautious.” She went over to the door and opened it. He looked upset.

“Dolly,” he said. “We're being cut short. We have to leave.”

“What do you mean, George? Cut short how?”

“The chairman's going to shut down the transport system. Tonight.”

“Why? He can't do that. Why don't you come in for a minute?” Solya couldn't understand, but she realized something was wrong. Dolly switched languages: “Solya,” she said, “you know George.”

Solya extended a hand. “
Shalay
, George.” And said how it was good to see him again. George got the gist of it without translation.

“We can't leave now,” said Dolly. “I'm invited to be a guest at Oceanside tomorrow.” She turned back to Solya and asked whether the invitation extended to George.

She said they would be delighted to have him come.

George shook his head. “I don't think you were listening to me. The chairman wants you back
now
.” He checked his watch. “Listen, Dolly, I'm not clear on exactly what happened, but he's indicating events are not completely under his control, that if we don't get back quickly, we may be stranded here. Permanently.”

“And you don't know why?”

“No.”

Dolly lowered herself slowly back into her chair. “Solya,” she said, “I'm being called home.”

Solya's eyes widened. “I'm sorry to hear it. Is there a problem?” She could certainly see that both Dolly and George were upset.

“Apparently. It has nothing to do with you and Morkim. But I may not be able to get back for a long time. Maybe not at all.”

Solya made a noise deep in her throat. “I am sorry. We have grown very fond of you, Dolly.”

Dolly got back on her feet, crossed the room, and embraced her host. “I don't want to lose you, Solya.”

“You understand, if you wish to stay, we will welcome you as a permanent member of our family.”

“Thank you. That's very kind. But I have obligations at home. Whatever the problem is, maybe we'll be able to fix it somehow.”

“I would like that very much.”

She started toward her room. “I'd better pack. If we can set this operation back up, I'd like to have you come visit the Dakotas.”

“Marvelous,” she said. “I'd love to do that.”

The happiness of the domestic fireside is the first boon of Heaven; and it is well it is so. Since it is that which is the lot of the mass of mankind.

—Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Armstrong, February 1813

T
HE
SECURITY
PEOPLE
were not happy about the impending shutdown, but they kept quiet about it. Instructions had also been passed on to Dolly to say nothing. Walker was present at the Roundhouse when she arrived. She performed at her usual high level, taking questions from the media and entertaining them with stories about the Arkons and their new lamps. And she had pictures. When she left, all but a handful followed her out.

Walker sat casually and talked with the remaining journalists until Jack notified him that Ivy's car had pulled into the parking lot. He then explained they were going to be doing some work on the electrical system, and suggested that anyone who was staying should retire to the pressroom.

But he'd made it clear he had nothing to add to Dolly's comments, so the place cleared out. Ivy Banner arrived moments later, carried her toolbox in, said hello to the security people, smiled, and made for the grid. Andrea Hawk had probably been the most upset among the Sioux. She watched with obvious concern as Ivy opened a panel in the wall.

She walked over and sat down beside the chairman. “When,” she said, “are we planning to make the announcement?”

“Why don't you leave that to me, Andrea?” If it got out, Walker knew he'd be overwhelmed with demands to back off.

Her eyes narrowed. “Sure.” Ivy was pointing a flashlight into the panel. “What is she doing?”

“She's going to remove some parts.”

“It won't work without them?”

“That's correct.”

“What are you going to do with them? With the parts?”

“Andrea, don't you have some preparations to make for your show this evening?”

“This is a mistake, Mr. Chairman.”

Walker had to smother his anger. What the hell did
she
know about what he'd gone through these last few months. “I appreciate your opinion,” he said.

Ivy needed about twenty minutes to remove the gray device that she'd called a collector. She also detached the control unit and the black apparatus whose purpose he'd forgotten. She wrapped each in a plastic bag, put the bags into a cardboard box, and handed the box to the chairman. “That's it,” she said.

“Thank you, Ivy.” He gave her the check he'd been carrying in his pocket. “Don't know what we'd have done without you.”

“I'm glad to help, Mr. Chairman. Will you need me later?”

“Probably not.” He instructed the security people to remain on duty, took the box outside, put it in the trunk of his car, and returned to Fort Totten, where he went back to working on the statement he would make after he got back from Lake Superior, announcing the Roundhouse shutdown. “We do this,” he would say, “for the benefit of the human race.”

•   •   •

H
E
WAS
JUST
walking into the Devils Lake Regional Airport when Jack called. “Been working,” he said. “I'm about twenty minutes out. I assume this has something to do with the devils?”

“Not really,” he said.

“You're shutting down the Roundhouse?”

“I'll explain when you get here, Jack.”

“Fair enough. I've arranged an escort to bring you out to the plane when I get in. Where are you now?”

“Just coming in the front door.”

“Okay. Good. Clear security and then just take a seat and stay in the area. They'll pick you up. They know what you look like.”

“I hadn't thought of this earlier, Jack. I have some equipment with me that I probably won't be able to get through TSA.”

“Okay, sir. Stay out in the lobby. I'll let them know you're bringing in some electronic stuff. Can you tell me what it is?”

“Roundhouse gear,” he said, reluctantly.

“Oh. How many pieces?”

“Three.”

“Okay. Wait for your escort. He'll take you through.”

The airport televisions were showing Roundhouse pictures and journalists talking to the Sioux guards. Banners were running stating that no one would confirm that a shutdown was imminent. Actually, the story had been contained longer than he'd expected.

A short, official-looking man in a brown suit arrived. “Chief Walker?” he asked.

“I'm a chairman. But yes. That's me.”

He smiled. “Good. May I take a look at what's in the box?”

Walker showed him. He studied the equipment, frowned, and shrugged. “What is it?”

“It's electronic gear. Part of a transportation system.”

“Looks okay, I guess. Come with me, please.”

•   •   •

H
E
WAS
TURNED
over to a different escort, a young woman, who accompanied him out onto the airfield and took him to a blue-and-white Cessna waiting just outside the terminal. Jack was getting out of it.

“Good to see you, Mr. Chairman,” he said. “I'm sorry this hasn't turned out better.”

“Me, too, Jack. Are we ready to leave?”

“Whenever you are, sir.”

“Good. Let's go.” He thanked the young lady who'd come outside with him and climbed into the cabin.

Jack followed him and shut the door. There were four seats. “You can sit up front with me if you like.”

“Sounds good.” Walker put the box down and joined the pilot.

“You have any particular destination in mind, Mr. Chairman?”

“Just the middle of the lake.”

“Yes, sir.”

They waited several minutes for clearance while Walker thought about what he was doing. He'd considered just trying to hide the equipment, but he had no place available that wouldn't eventually be found. Best was to settle the issue.

He should probably alert the president, but if he did that, he would in effect be turning the decision over to him. And there was no way to know how that might go. Taylor had an election coming up next year, and whatever he did would cost him politically. By giving him deniability, Walker could also provide a shield.

Jack asked how the Tribal Council had reacted to his decision.

“I haven't told them yet,” he said. “They know I've been thinking about it. And I guess they deserved a say in the matter, but to tell the truth, I'm tired of the argument. I'm going to get it done and end it.”

“Good luck, James. I suspect you'll take some criticism.”

•   •   •

T
HREE
HOURS
LATER
, they landed in Duluth to refuel. Then they were back in the air, over Lake Superior. Gradually, the shoreline behind them disappeared, and they could have been out over an ocean.

“When did you decide to do this?” Jack asked.

“I'm not sure. I think probably when I looked up and saw the Moon.”

Jack looked puzzled. “How do you mean, sir?”

“The one at Brimstone. The future Earth.”

“Oh. I was surprised. How could you be sure that was
our
moon? There are probably a lot of moons that look like ours.” It was a clear, bright afternoon. A few white clouds drifted below them. “I don't think you could really be certain about it.”

“You wouldn't feel that way, Jack, if you'd been there.”

His phone sounded.

It was probably the tenth or eleventh call he'd gotten since leaving Devils Lake. The calls were mostly from people with political connections to the tribe. He'd let them ring. But he couldn't ignore this one. “Hello, April.”

“James,” she said, “where are you?”

“Not sure.”

“You shut down the Roundhouse.” He couldn't miss the accusing tone.

“That's correct. And I'm about to destroy the transporter.”

“Please don't,” she said.

“I've no choice, April. We have to get rid of this thing. Everybody's worried about the economy. The president's scared of military implications after the technology gets out. And now we've got a dead Earth on our hands. And some people trying to move onto Eden. It's enough.” He could sense Jack watching him.

“James, I've never known you to be so negative. You've been watching too much cable news. We have potential access to all kinds of technology here. Look, we're living in a seriously overcrowded world. We're up to our ears in fanatics. The climate's going to hell. Maybe we need to find out that the human race comes through okay. Patrick thinks that's what we'll discover if we go into Riverworld.

“Don't shut it all down, James. Please. Have a little faith. We've had problems before and gotten through them. Who knows what we might get from the transporter? Just give it a chance.”

He glanced over at Jack, who was looking straight ahead. “Talk to you later, April,” he said. “I have to go.”

Below them, there was only water. “We're pretty far out,” Jack said. “I doubt going farther would make much difference.”

“Okay.”

“You ready to do it?”

“Yes.” Walker started to release his seat belt.

“Not yet. Let me lose a little altitude.”

“Okay.”

The plane slowed gradually. Dropped lower. Finally, Jack said, “All right. We're good now.”

Walker got out of his seat and went back into the cabin.

“Let me do it,” said Jack. He put the plane on autopilot and followed the chairman.

Walker removed the lid from the box.

Jack looked down at the three pieces. “Stay clear of the door, Mr. Chairman.” He opened it. A blast of wind came in and almost knocked Walker into one of the seats.

He pulled himself up and offered to help, but Jack indicated he should stand clear. He reached into the box and brought out the collector. Just a gray cube with its wires removed. He looked at it and then back at the chairman. “You sure you want to do this, sir?” He had to raise his voice to be heard over the wind. “That might be the future in that box.”

“The future is ours to take, Jack. We don't need anybody to give it to us.” Walker looked out through one of the windows at the lake. It was immense.

Jack let go of the collector. The chairman could not see it once it left his hands. Next went the black metal device. And finally the control unit.

“Okay, Jack,” he said. “Let's go home.”