We have a short section today. It's the wrap-up of this chapter-episode. I would have appended it to last week's installment, but in my mind it makes for a nice narrative chunk by itself to just sit and absorb and place into the story so far.
Just in case you don't want to go back and read last week's install, Clete had been sent out to retrieve Nu who had been kidnapped by the supply ship crew that had just made a delivery to the Island. Clete learns that the crew is from a clan that used to be residents of Dog Island before the Great Surge of 1988 that forced nearly everyone to abandon the Island, and that the reason Nu was taken is that she is of the bloodline of that clan as well of the royal house, and a misguided half-sibling of hers thought it would be heroic to liberate her.
Luckily Clete manages to resolve the situation only at the cost of some time, fuel, some personal dignity by being forced to wear funny clothes, being punctured, and beaten into unconsciousness. But he takes it all in stride. His biggest revelation was learning of Nu's conception by her mother accepting a prearranged sperm donation via a time-tested means of non-artificial insemination, provided by the captain of the pirate, ahem, supply ship, Skipper Andou.
There's more to it than that, of course, but we pick the story up as Andou is towing Clete and Nu back to Dog Island. Clete is thinking Nu looks a little depressed, so after talking to Andou, he figures it's time to chat with Nu. Let's listen in.
... as the story continues ...
“Penny for your thoughts,” I said as I sat
down next to Newton.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’d like to know what you’re
thinking.”
“It will cost you more than a penny since
I know you have a gold coin on you.”
“DON’T remind me. Damn pirates. My
students are going to laugh their skinny little asses off.”
“Show you something. When they got underway
and removed the ties and the gag they had on me I asked for a pen and I wrote
something on the palm of my hand.” She showed me the numbers “14:30.”
“Should that be significant?”
“What time did you get to me? When you
called the Protectorate and told them to stand by?”
I got out my cell phone. It had a feature where I could look
up the times of calls placed.
“14:36,” I said. “What?”
“Do you remember the word problems you
gave us when you set up the tutoring sessions? There was one about two boats
leaving at different times and at different speeds. I got it wrong then.”
“But . . .”
“You taught us about solving problems with
multiple variables. This had many. So I had a range. But I calculate a time
certain because I knew 1) you would come for me and 2) you would do it as soon
as possible. I had to do all in my head though. That’s probably why I’m off.
But pretty close isn’t it?”
“Newton!” I said. I think I had tears in
my eyes. “GOD. That’s the best present a math teacher can get. My teaching
career has not been in vain.” She was smiling, almost laughing, seeming to hold
back. “You know,” I continued, “this was your big chance to get off that damn
island and start something new. If you want, there’s still time, I’ll ask Skipper
to disconnect the tow and I’ll take you myself . . .”
“OH DR. WONG!” Apparently the little girl
had been holding in a lot of stress. She decided now was a good and safe time
to let it go. She broke down and cried into my shoulder. “A maiden princess of
Dog Island in waiting … has NEVER, EVER put her foot on foreign soil. … I did
not want … the first one … to be mine.
Xiao Mei … doesn’t want to be it … either!”
I just held her for the longest time.
“Oh Newton, Newton, Newton. What am I going
to do with you? I really don’t want to take you back.”
“Why not?”
“I just hate proving your mother right and
that I’m wrong.”
“I’ll be back,” she said rising and
disappearing into the covered area.
She returned with a cloth bag that had held some appliance.
On her belt was pouch that she opened up and pulled out a pair of scissors—one
of the ceremonial set that Da Mei had been sharpening when I dropped her
workshop. She handed them to me. She turned her back to me, standing.
“It would please me greatly if you would
cut my hair. Put the cut hair in the bag.”
“I don’t do this kind of thing,” I said.
“Your mother or cousins need to take care of this.”
“It’s important to me that you do it.
Please, Dr. Wong.”
“It’ll be choppy and uneven.”
“So much the better. They’ll know it was
you who did it.”
“THANKS FOR NOTHING! How long do you want
it?”
“It’s up to you. Cut off enough so it
looks like it was cut.”
So I snipped it off at the bottom of her shoulder blades.
That seemed about the length that girls who looked like her were wearing their
hair around campus. I stored the waste as directed. After that she leaned over
and gave me a kiss on my cheek and hug.
“I don’t know what I just did. It’s more
than a haircut isn’t it? Does it matter?”
“Right now? It only matters to me, you
brought the circle together enough that I could close it for myself. And I am
at rest.”
“I have this sinking feeling your mother
will be very angry at me for this.”
“Perhaps,
but she is the one who sent you and she is the one who gave me my scissors. And
now, Baba, if it is YOUR wish that I leave the Island today, I will happily
comply.”
“Now THAT will definitely make your mother
want to kill me. No deal. We’re going home.”
* * *
Andou towed us into harbor after which I moved the ship to
the dock. Everyone was waiting (except the Sea Witches of course). The Cousins
threw out the ropes and secured us to the dock. They lined up to receive us. Newton
had chosen to sit inside the cabin until I cut the engine and advised her to
disembark. She stepped off first and I was close behind. She had put her hair
up, but after stepping on the dock, she paused, pulled out her pins and let her
hair fall down loose and short. She strode confidently and briskly down the
dock to her mother.
As she passed The Daughters, she made a point to shake her
head and toss her shorn hair, and they gasped. Without saying a word she stood
before her mother, bowed three times, went down on one knee and presented her
the bag with her hair. Her mother accepted the bag, took her hand raised her
up. They stood side by side to face me. They both bowed to me three times and
each went down on a knee. I took Mu’s cue and took their hands and raised them
back up.
“At ease,” I said.
Nu and Mu then fell all over each other and everyone
gathered around them. I heard Qin Qin say, probably to Eight, “And so it
begins.” As I tried to make sense of that comment, Lee came forward to take the
duffle I had brought off the boat.
“Good work. I have been authorized to
extend your contract another day to make up for your lost day if you like.”
“Hell with that. You better get me outta
here before Mu notices Newton’s hair. She’s gonna be pissed.”
“She notices. First thing she whispered to
me when Nu stepped into view. But she is VERY happy with you right now. My
advice? You ask anything you want from her, right now! Not tomorrow. You will
get it.”
“You’re a devil. You’ve been hanging around
me too long. But that reminds me. I need to settle up something with the
Skipper. Try to keep everybody occupied so that I’m not missed.”
While Andou was waiting for his crew to stow the towing
lines and send a lighter in for him. I went to fetch something for him to take
with him. I brought a small crate I had put together.
“Skipper. I got a favor to ask. Is there
any way you can figure out how to get this to a certain biology professor at
this university in Los Angeles?”
“Los Angeles? One Dr. Laura Ehrenbock.”
“The challenge is that I do not have any
proper permits for this shipment.”
“You are not asking me to smuggle
contraband into the U.S. are you?”
“I’m sorry. I guess it’s too difficult or
dangerous …”
“We need a budget of $14,750 U.S. to do
it.”
“What?”
“It would normally be a lot more, but my
labor for you, as Raja, is free. This is an assignment, not a contract. But we
do need to give cooperation money to our associates. And there are some fixed
expenses. Those rates are current. I just confirmed something a month ago to a
museum there.”
“A museum in L.A.? Which one?”
“Raja! I’m surprised at you. Discretion is
everything in this business. Only if you are part of the mission crew and then only
if you need to know.”
“Understood, but let me guess.
Wickenham-Fusco.”
“His code name is ‘Curly,’ but no,
different customer.”
“I can see I’m in good hands. Do it. Call
my assistant Sally, she’ll advance what you need. Tell you what, you send me a
photo of you making the delivery to Laura, contents unbroken, and I’ll give you
a $10,000 completion bonus.”
“What is this thing?”
“A bird egg. With a battery-operated
warming element I devised. Sort of a pet project I was fooling with here. Didn’t
think I’d get to put it into use. It’s a live egg. You will probably need to
change the batteries once. I strapped spares on the side.”
“So, this is a research animal?”
“Andou! You seem to be quite experienced
at academic work. Personally, I think it’ll wind up being a pet since this
method of acquisition will violate IRB rules big time. But, … if it’s a new
species? I can just hear Academics and PR arguing with Admin right now. Well,
if we’re caught, no worries. I’m certainly not on the tenure track. Tell her to
feed it overripe fruit and table scraps and she’ll be good to go. Dead walrus tartare
will be a special treat for that guy too.”
© Copyright 2012 by Vincent Way, all rights reserved.
PS: We are getting close to the end. I know you keep hearing that from me, but remember you only get 10-15 minutes chunks from me each week. The next chapter picks up on a conversation between Nu and Clete the next day, a storm hits the next day and lasts into the next causing all sorts of trouble, and that's it ... (heh heh heh). You will get 2 or 3 epilogues that will give some context and perspective. I tell you all of this because you are my faithful Alpha Readers.
I haven't spoiled anything either. Remember that the supply guys had to leave immediately to beat oncoming bad weather?
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Be truthful and frank, but be polite. If you use excessive profanity, I'll assume you have some kind of character flaw like Dr. Wong. Tks!