“Sam, what do you think of that?” Gorian asks the lodge.
“I would miss you terribly. Would you visit me?”
“Of course Sam. This is as close to a home as I’ve ever had. This will be a cherished holiday spot.”
“To more serious issues.” Grey sits forward. “You mentioned that the Fuerst chased off an Institute vessel. I’m surprised that you haven’t been bothered further.”
“Oh, they are coming.” Etch shifts in his chair. “The Institute is being cautious, particularly given our response and the presence of the FRT outpost on the moon. Their resources are spread thin and they do not want to raise suspicion by sending an armada to harmless earth.” He chuckles. “I am unsure whether the FRT knows about the portal. The Yellow Stone villagers think so, but I suspect they were misled by the Institute. The FRT forces probably still avoid earth because of the quarantine and have no knowledge of the richness in their territory. Fear of that doomsday substance is a powerful ally for us.”
“So, we need to reach Yellow Stone and protect it from encroachment by the two warring factions? Sounds easy.” Gorian’s fidgeting with some mechanical toy she’s built for Ferris.
“Fromer’s convinced that Amy holds the key to the portal in the lake.” Iggy suggests.
I clarify. “Actually, Iggy, to be more correct, the lake contains a froth of portals winking in and out of our reality.” I look around nervously considering all I’ve learned from Fromer.
“She’s starting to talk like us.” Gorian chortles.
Samuel walks in with a bundle of logs. “Sounds to me that you intend to use Amy as a gambling chip. They’ll need her to use the holes or whatever you call them in the lake. With no Amy, there be no travel. Amy darling, how’s that make you feel?”
“Self-important and cheap at the same time,” I laugh. “I guess I’ll be whoring myself to the highest bidder.”
Grey isn’t smiling. “This is deadly serious folks. Thresh had some scary monsters, dead walkers, and stone-age weapons to do her bidding. The Institute and the FRT have nuclear weapons and lots of well-armed soldiers — not to mention ships. They can take Amy by force if they want to.”
Etch turns to me. “What do you want my fellow pilot? This is your life we are discussing. You could simply walk into these woods and vanish from our sight. You would have no more worries about threats from beyond.”
“Etch, I have responsibilities whether I want them or not. My first goes to Eliza. She’s confused and lost. I always had my mother and the xyn to accompany me.” I look at my vacant father. “You too, father.” He mumbles something. “So, I need to help her come back to me and find a way for her to harness her abilities. After that, I’ve only begun to explore the possibilities of the lake for all of us, including those brutes in space.”
“We will defend you. But I cannot guarantee your safety. I propose that we deal with the Institute and FRT directly. In fact, we should pre-empt them. This will give us bargaining power. And the ability to set the terms to our liking.”
“What exactly do we plan to offer them?” I’m feeling slightly sick at the thought of being the keeper. “I can see the portals but I can’t begin to show pilots how to navigate them. For that matter, I’d have no idea how to get them back.”
Etch stretches. “I suggest that the first course of action is for you to propose developing a map. The Institute — and the FRT if they decide to play — will need to work with you to explore these areas. They can send probes to gather information. You provide your visions in bits and the bastards will grow dependent on you.”
Iggy spritzes his skin, his eyes half-closed in amphibious pleasure. “Etch, this is a brilliant idea. We must act quickly. How will we transmit the message?”
Gorian smiles. “I’m on it.”
Within a day, we’ve packed up our things and walk through the make-shift front door of the lodge for a final time, trying to suppress the memories of the horrors that occurred there. “I will miss you,” Sam says quietly.
Gorian cradles Ferris in her arms. “I’m going to put you to sleep, Sam. When you wake up, it’ll be like no time has passed.”
“Let’s hope it won’t be centuries like before.”
“Of course not, my dear machine. Sweet dreams.”
The Fuerst and Raven streak through the sky, taking us to our new home. Gorian has broadcasted our message via universal transmission throughout known space:
DEAR CITIZENS, A WONDERFUL EVENT HAS OCCURRED ON PLANET EARTH. A STABLE PORTAL THROUGH SPACE-TIME HAS OPENED, ALLOWING ACCESS TO INFINITE NEW FRONTIERS. EARTH REMAINS DANGEROUS TO VESSELS AND THE QUARANTINE FOR THE POTENTIALLY INFECTIOUS MATERIAL ON THE PLANET IS NOT LIFTED. HOWEVER, SAFE PASSAGE MAY BE NEGOTIATED VIA CONTACT WITH US. TRANSMIT QUERIES TO THESE COORDINATES: 9008-A-8567.
“That will get their attention,” Grey mutters.
“Greed always does.” Etch responds.
We land the ships near the east wall of Yellow Stone at dusk. Bright bursts of colorful fire, like suspended falling stars, appear and fade in the sky above us.
Etch slaps the hull of his ship. “It appears that our Institute and FRT friends have engaged in battle over access to the portal. Gorian, you are quite the trouble maker.”
“Who’ll win?” I ask.
“Depends on who wants to rule the universe.” Grey shrugs, carrying Ferris toward the town gate.
Samuel helps father walk up the path. I marvel how those cousins have diverged over the past year. Father wilted while Samuel blossomed. Iggy and his spawn are surrounded by village children. The Yellow Stone kids have seen strange things during their short lives, but the naurons are a special novelty. I wonder how Iggy’s babies will like the lake and playing with their new human friends.
I’m feeling guilty. Part of me doesn’t want to reunite with Eliza. Perhaps she’d be better off with Magarat and forget me. That’s silly of course. I can’t let Thresh take her away. I approach the small house that’s been given to me by the village and swallow hard. I enter to find Magarat and Eliza playing on a table. Eliza looks up indifferently and goes back to drawing.
“Welcome back, Amy. We’ve been drawing pictures. Eliza, show your mommy what you’ve done.”
“My mommy isn’t here.”
My heart shatters. I want to run away, more so than during any other time in my life. “I’m your mommy Eliza. We’ve got lots of time to get to know each other again. See my eyes?” She looks up. “They look just like yours.”
Interest flashes briefly by Eliza’s face and then she resumes her drawing. I look to see what she’s creating: a woman in a red dress.
I run outside and vomit.
Magarat peeks out. “Amy. It will take time for her to adjust. She’s a good, smart girl. She’ll warm up to you. I do promise. I’m gonna leave now for a while.”
I want to plead for her to stay but know better. I join my daughter. “Eliza, let’s draw pictures together.”
The images that appear on the paper are vivid, beautiful, and often disturbing. Grubs, bleeding bodies, and flames are mixed with glorious, detailed pictures of flowers and animals. I hope, through time, that the gentle visions overcome the gruesome ones. For now, she needs to let both flow out of her.
I draw a picture of my mother. It’s been so long since I last put ink to paper at the lodge. My nerves calm. Eliza looks at the picture. “She’s pretty. Who is she?”
“That’s your grandma, sweetie.”
I spend the rest of the glorious evening with my daughter on my lap as I tell her stories of the garden, the xyn, and the wonders of the natural world.