top of the cliff.”
“But how did he get there? Did you bring him with you?” Devon asked.
“No, I actually followed him. He is better than a SeekerBot. He never lost your trail.”
Devon could not believe his ears. He never thought that Sammy’s programming was that
complex. Devon made a mental note to ask his parents about the programming the next time he
saw them. There seemed to be more to Sammy than he ever imagined.
“Let me see what I can do with Sammy,” Devon said. He pulled out his datapad and
keyed in the command to open a communication channel to Sammy.
“Sammy, if you are within range please signal” Devon said into his datapad. Almost
immediately they all heard a shrill horn sounding from somewhere above.
“We are in luck,” Devon said with a smile.
He set to work having Sammy fasten a winch line to a tree op top of the cliff. They
decided to take turns riding up using Sammy’s built in winch.
Jacinda was the first up. She was puzzled when she did not see any of the creepers
around. Either they had hidden like they had earlier or they had simply left, sure that their
people were no longer in danger. Still, she would have felt better is she could have said
goodbye.
Devon was next up, followed by Burgess and then Flim.
Sammy’s electric motor strained to raise Cappy to the top, but finally got him up.
Devon reached down to check on Cappy as Sammy brought up Merrell, the last of them
left to make the trip up.
Just as Devon touched Cappy’s neck, the man lashed out, sending Devon tumbling back
into the underbrush. Cappy struggled to his feet and took a couple of awkward steps toward
freedom. He stopped short, backing toward the clearing at the edge of the cliff.
They were all puzzled by this, but understood when DeepRoot stepped out of the forest,
looming over Cappy.
“Don’t hurt me,” Cappy cried, putting his tied hands over his head.
DeepRoot reached out, placing his hand on Cappy’s arm. The big man seemed to
crumble before them, falling to his knees and weeping.
Devon had experienced DeepRoot’s touch and knew what Cappy must be seeing with his
mind’s eye. He could not imagine how much more powerful the experience must be for Cappy,
being the one responsible for the creepers’ pain.
Burgess watched in horror as his boss wept like a child.
“Is that thing gonna do that to me too?” He asked.
Devon shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it all depends on how sorry you are for what
you did. The creepers seem to be able to sense stuff like that.”
“Oh, I’m sorry…sorry I ever came here. Sorry I ever let Cappy bully me into doing any
of this. Sorry for how everything turned out. And most of all, I’m sorry for what we did to
them. It wasn’t my idea…but I didn’t stop it either. I guess I deserve whatever they do to me.”
Burgess sat down on the ground holding his head in his hands, weeping.
ClearSky emerged from the forest, walking over to Burgess. She looked down at him for
a few moments, her huge eyes reflecting the afternoon light. She gently reached down, putting
her hand on the grubby man’s shoulder. Burgess froze for a moment and then looked up in
wonder.
“They forgive me,” he cried. “How can they be so understanding?”
Devon and the others looked at each other, all smiling. Perhaps the creepers were not the
only ones who had been saved that day.
Devon though he might have seen Jacinda wipe away a few tears as well, but he decided
not to mention it.
Chapter 30
Ensign Kepler checked the control displays on the drop shuttle. The atmospheric
interference had cleared up several hours ago and the crew of the
Boadicea
had immediately
launched the drop shuttle. The captain had given the honor of commanding the ship to Ensign
Kepler. The captain had barked something about earning the privilege and Commander
Saberhagen had agreed. Kepler took it as a compliment and any praise from the captain was
hard won and meant a lot to him.
Kepler peered over his shoulder. Through the open cabin door he could see the children
they had just rescued. Their guide, Deke Jacobs, sat in the front row, a bandage around his head
and cradling the laser rifle he had used to signal the ship through the interference. The sound of
happy chatter from the children gave Kepler a proud feeling, the feeling that he had done a good
job. His only task now was to pick up the children who had been separated from the others and
trekked out into the jungle. The crew had heard some vague story about strange aliens and
bandit miners. The story seemed to Kepler very unlikely, but the captain had told him to expect
a couple of prisoners…so the story just might be true.
Peering at his sensor screen, Kepler homed in on the clearing where the children waited.
Through his cockpit window he could see four children, along with two dejected looking adults,
both men. He could have sworn that some of the trees on the edge of the clearing were moving,
but he dismissed it as a trick of the light.
Kepler set the ship down as lightly as a leaf dropped by a breeze and a cheer rose from
the kids in the cabin behind him, making him smile. It had been a couple of long days since the
kids had shut down the machines causing the atmospheric interference. The captain had ordered
the kids in the jungle to return to the crashed ship, but one very determined young lady had set
him straight. She insisted that they were fine where they were and expected rescue soon.
Kepler pressed the button to lower the rear ramp of the ship. It opened with a hiss of
pressurized air and a electric whirring. Hushed whispers of aliens and pirate miners passed
through the newly-rescued students. They craned their next toward the back of the ship hoping
to catch a glimpse of anything exotic. Instead they were greeted with a gentle surge of warm,
moist air and the sounds of the jungle outside.
Two marines leapt from the ship, rifles ready, the moment that the ramp clanged
completely open. Kepler rose from his seat and began walking toward the back of the ship. He
scolded several children for standing in the aisle and gawking. Kepler emerged just in time to
see the marines escort the two men toward the back of the ship. One, dressed in a silver,
insulated suit glared at him. The other man gave him a weak smile as the marines hustled them
past and into the ship.
Kepler approached the four waiting children. They looked dirty and tired, but otherwise
unharmed.
“Hello there,” he greeted them. “I am Ensign Kepler. Are any of you injured?” he asked.
They all shook their heads wearily.
“Well, that is good. Now which one of you is Mr. Blake?” Kepler asked.
Devon perked up. “That’s me, sir.”
“Ah, very good. If you would come with me, we have a small cabin reserved for you for
the trip back up to the ship.” He turned to the others. “We have seats for the rest of you as
well,” he said with a smile.
Jacinda began to say something, but Devon put his hand on her arm. He stood up and
approached Kepler, looking irritated.
“Excuse me, Mr. Kepler. I’m sure you are only following orders, but there is no way that
you are going to separate me from my friends. I don’t need any special treatment.” Devon’s
voice was strong and confident, but showed no trace of anger.
“Uh…I’m sorry sir, but the arrangements have already been made,” Kepler stuttered.
“Well, Mr. Kepler, this is your chance to collect a favor from someone who’s family
owns a lot of stock in the company who runs your ship,” Devon said with a grin.
Kepler relaxed when Devon smiled. “Of, course, sir, I am sure we can accommodate
you. Perhaps we could let Mr. Jacobs recuperate in the private cabin for the trip up. He was
injured” Kepler said.
“That sounds like a great plan,” Devon said as he patted Ensign Kepler on the arm.
Kepler turned on his heel and walked back up the ramp into the ship. Devon whistled
and Sammy rose on his spindly legs. He motioned for the others to join them and followed
Kepler up the ramp.
Devon and the others turned once they had boarded and watched the ramp slowly close,
sealing out the bright sunlight and early smell of Forrestal. They were filled with great joy that
everything had turned out well, but felt a bit of loss at the same time.
Their adventure had not begun or ended as they expected, but none of them would ever
regret it. They had discovered more than just bandit miners and mysterious aliens. They had
discovered friendship, and they knew deep down that this was something that would last.