Yuen-Mong's Revenge (58 page)

 
     
"Yuen-mong, people are strange. They always want to copy those they
admire."

 
     
"But that would be horrible. That could convince me to have
corrective surgery."

 
     
"No, don’t. I like the way your bottom wiggles when you walk. It’s
very sexy. Especially in tight pants, like the ones you wore on Aros.
Come, let’s go." He put an arm around her back and then let go. "No, I
don’t think it’s on if somebody sees me holding the boss like this."

 
     
"If you’re embarrassed, then
I will
hold you. Actually, I think anybody
seeing us will like us all that more. We show them that we are human
too."

 
     
As they walked arm in arm through the still crowded entrance lobby
to their waiting car, she was aware of lots of smiles following them.

* * *

Next morning, she finally got the message from the young mechanic in
the shuttle garage whom Atun had promised a big reward if he would let
them know when Chen Young ordered an air shuttle for an extended
outing. He was scheduled to be picked up at his home at noon, 13:00
hours. Twenty minutes prior to that they got out their new space shuttle
and went to an altitude of 15,000 meters. From there they tracked Chen
Young’s air shuttle on their radar as it took off from the Young mansion,
staying always a bit behind at that altitude.

     
"This is a dream," exclaimed Atun, trying out various maneuvers
using AI control. "Much better than the shuttle I crashed. If it works even
half as well on manual control, I would have no fear taking it to Aros."

 
     
"We can test the manual control later. Right now I want us to focus
on our target. Where is it?"

 
     
The moving dot on the screen had suddenly disappeared.

     
"They must have landed," said Atun. "I have the coordinates where
it happened."

 
     
He turned the craft back. Below them was an expansive mountain
chain, the whole area covered by dense forests except for the rocky tops
and a few small lakes, nestled in between. It extended at least one
hundred kilometers in all directions. They saw no roads, no buildings, no
signs of civilization.

     
"Shall I go down? Although our flight plan says that we’ll be staying
at this altitude."

 
     
"Does space control track each vehicle?"

 
     
"They’re supposed to."

 
     
"Do they also use radar? We could go sufficiently over the horizon so
that they lose us and then go down."

 
     
"No, the shuttle’s control system sends out radio pulses… So if we
switch to manual control, then no pulses will be emitted."

 
     
"But we also lose all navigational aids."

 
     
"We’ll have to search visually. Look, I’ll stay at an altitude of about
3000 meters, that’s about 1000 meters above the tallest peaks and we’ll
do a few sweeps. OK… Here we go."

 
     
He shut off the AI system. All engines cut and the craft began to drift
down. When he finished turning on the manual system, it took a sharp
left turn, but he quickly corrected with his two control sticks and it
righted itself again. Then he let it drift down in wide circles above the
approximate area of the coordinates. Initially, he needed to make frequent
manual corrections before he had the craft fully under control.

     
As they got closer, the scenery revealed a majestic ruggedness. Deep
valleys plunged in dark shade, trees clinging precariously to the steep
sides, the lower slopes a mixture of conifers and deciduous trees that
glowed in brilliant yellow if caught by the sun, glimpses of wild rivers,
waterfalls tumbling over high bluffs and vertical rock walls, the north
facing tops of the mountains still showing remnants of dirty snow. A
wilderness seemingly untouched by humans.

     
"It’s no use," she said. "Let’s go back up again and wait until they
return. Do we have enough fuel for that?"

 
     
"Yes." He started climbing steeply. "But this is spectacular country.
It must be the famous Blue Mountains Wilderness, supposedly out of
limits to everybody, except special research teams and they only go in to
observe and leave no traces. Surely your uncle isn’t a hermit, living illegally in there?"

 
     
"I don’t think so. Maybe we lost them before they were over the park.
Stay closer to where we entered."

 
     
At 10,000 meters he switched back to AI control.

     
"You remember when we went to the eastern mountains on Aros,"
asked Atun. "It was so beautiful."

 
     
"Yes, I loved it too. I was happy to be there with you, to show you that
other side of Aros… You thought I was silly, calling the echo."

 
     
"But at the same time, I loved it. I learned another side of you, and I
fell ever more deeply in love with you."

 
     
"Atun, look at me. I want to tell you something important." She
waited for him to turn his head. "I think I love you, really love you."

 
     
The craft made a sharp dive to the right when Atun let go of the
controls before he steadied it again. "Oh, Yuen-mong, you tell me that up
here when I can’t take you into my arms."

 
     
She smiled.

     
"You’re cruel."

 
     
"Atun, I said I love you. Is that all you tell me? … Shouldn’t you tell
me something too?"

 
     
"Yes, but you let me wait six months, so I’ll now let you wait a while
too."

 
     
"But not too long. You know that I’m not a patient person. I want
things to happen right away. Please, relent."

 
     
"I love you, Yuen-mong. You made my dream come true. I knew that
you were fond of me, but I was hoping for this."

 
     
"Shouldn’t you watch the radar?"

 
     
"How can you be so businesslike and focused at a moment like this?"

 
     
"Is that not one of the qualities you admire me for? … How much
longer do I have to wait before you ask me to marry you?"

 
     
"Oh, that’s a new trait in you. I’ve never seen you hesitate taking
control when it comes to ask the important question."

 
     
"Will you marry me, Atun?"

 
     
"Will you marry me, Yuen-mong?"

 
     
They said it at the same time, and both smiled and replied "yes".

     
While waiting and watching the radar screen, they occasionally
looked at each other, beaming each time. They spotted half a dozen
vehicles flying in straight lines over parts of the park. After more than an
hour, a dot suddenly appeared, made several turns as if following a
winding valley and then took a course toward Androma. It was several
kilometers farther south than where they had searched, although one of
their first passes must have gone partially over it. Atun saved the exact
coordinates in the system.

     
"Let’s go down," she said.

     
"I’ll first report a change of course. I prefer using automatic control
in difficult terrain such as like this."

 
     
A few minutes later they hovered over the valley. It formed a small
south facing round basin at its very end, with a waterfall that fanned like
a veil. Windows and narrow paths were hewn into its south-facing
overhanging rock wall. At its base was a sizable terrace and the only
visible building, a wooden structure that looked like a temple. A couple
of men in orange monk’s robes were at its entrance, gazing at the shuttle,
shading their eyes. The river fed from the waterfall formed several small
pools with adjacent meadows. An air shuttle landing site was in one of
them.

     
"Shall I land?"

 
     
"Yes, but you remain in the craft. I will go alone."

 
     
He nodded and descended into the basin, the noise of the craft
amplifying manifold.

     
Yuen-mong took the path that led to the terrace. She sensed many
serene minds and a few unsettled, questioning ones. As she climbed up,
she removed her sling and picked up several flat, round stones. When she
entered the terrace, a group of six monks was standing in a row at the
bottom of the stairs that led up to the temple entrance, their orange robes
a sharp contrast to the grey of the rock face behind. A seventh, in a more
elaborate robe, stood at the top.
The abbot?
All their minds were closed
off and unfriendly. She approached and stopped at the bottom of the
steps.

     
"Stranger, leave. This is sacred ground, forbidden to women." The
abbot’s voice was rich and full. A faint echo returned from behind her.

     
"I have come to talk to Kwong Fook who has lived here for twenty
years. I will not leave before I have spoken to him."

 
     
"I know of no Kwong Fook among my holy brothers. Leave stranger,
you are despoiling these sacred grounds."

 
     
"It is the man who has just been visited by Chen Young."

 
     
"We receive no visitors. You must leave now, or I will have you
punished and forcibly removed."

 
     
"You are lying and if one of your monks takes a step toward me I will
punish him."

 
     
"Idle threats, stranger. You are unarmed."

 
     
At that moment, she sensed that somebody was noiselessly approaching her from the back. She whipped her sling into motion, quickly turned
and let fly. The man swayed and then fell sideways without uttering a
sound. Two of the monks at the bottom of the steps made a move as if to
rush her, but were checked by the abbot’s call.

     
"Stranger, you are only one. We are many. Leave."

 
     
"I have eight more stones and can let them fly faster than you can
count. I have not come here to quarrel with you, but to offer my uncle a
new life among those who love him. I will leave immediately after I have
spoken to him. Now bring him here and warn your brothers that I can
read their minds."

 
     
"Only I give orders here, stranger."

 
     
"Before I came, yes, and tell that other brother behind me to stay
where he is."

 
     
A first hint of a smile appeared around his eyes. He held up his hand.
The second man behind stopped.

     
"First One, fetch No Name."

 
     
She sensed the man leave. "Order your brothers to look after the
unconscious one."

 
     
Again, the abbot smiled and nodded. Two of the monks cautiously
walked around her and carried their brother away. The abbot scrutinized
her. It felt like he was reaching into her mind. She could feel his intense
curiosity, and she met his gaze firmly. He was the first to avert his eyes.
Then, she sensed another being approaching from behind. His mind was
filled with sadness and remorse. She turned. Before her was a grey-haired
man, head bowed, looking to the ground. His resemblance to Ko Young
left no doubt that this was her other uncle.

     
"Kwong Fook, please look at me."

 
     
He raised his head slowly, and then his eyes opened wide. He took a
step toward her. "Zoshan, is it you?" he murmured.

     
"No, uncle. I’m Yuen-mong, Zoshan’s daughter."

 
     
"And Zoshan?"