REDEMPTION
— by Jeff Karamales
Chapter 20
Visitors
Three days after the bear
incident, Sofiya woke when a soft knock sounded on the frame for the door of
the dome she and Richard shared. To say that she was still recovering from
the battle was an understatement and every inch of her hybrid body ached as
if she’d been thoroughly beaten, which was an appropriate description of
what had happened. With a slight grunt of discomfort, the red fox lifted her
head from the pillow to see Maria Paccini enter with a tray of food and
small dispensary cup with her medications.
“How are you feeling today?” the fennec inquired with a concerned smile.
“I cannot say as I am trying to not use bad language,” Sofiya joked weakly.
“I am also needing help sitting up, I think.”
The other vixen ‘Tsked’ and
set the tray down on the floor before moving to help her friend. “And it is
no wonder. I don’t know if even Richard would have been able to do what you
did!”
The red fox winced as several joints popped and her muscles creaked, though
getting into a sitting position was enough of a small victory to make her
tail twitch a few times in an attempt to wag. “No, Richard would have done
much better. He is very brave and strong.”
“But he didn’t fight a bear and win!” Maria pointed out with a grin.
“It was a small bear.”
The first thing that Sofiya took from the tray was a cup of coffee, knowing
that her mate had prepared it for her as there was the proper amount of
cream and the slightest hint of honey sweetening the hot drink. She sipped
appreciatively through the straw and smiled. It seemed that no matter how
often she brushed her teeth, she could sometimes still taste the bear’s pelt
and blood and the coffee drove the memory of the taste away. When she looked
down at the rest of the tray she was amazed to see a plate full of strips of
seared meat and what looked like mushrooms.
“Where did this come from?”
Maria chuckled. “Daniel has been finding the mushrooms all through the woods
surrounding the colony. Riva has tested them and ensured that they are safe
to eat.”
“And the meat? Where did it come from? Did we lose one of the goats or
cows?” Sofiya asked in alarm.
The fennec shook her head. “You,” the former librarian said brightly. “It’s
bear meat! Richard showed all of us what was edible and what parts weren’t
as he used to hunt them. It’s very good, too!”
Without hesitation, the red fox vixen popped one of the strips into her
mouth. As she chewed, her eyes almost rolled back into her head with the
sheer bliss of real, red meat and not something processed or freeze dried
from their store of rations. That she had been the reason for the windfall
wasn’t really something she considered, but there was a certain satisfaction
that did enhance the
flavor.
“I am thinking that it is very good that no Ursis are with us,” Sofiya
commented wryly. “I do not think I would like another fight after being
accused of killing a cousin!”
Maria laughed at the sally, pleased that her friend was doing so much better
and told her as much accompanied by an impulsive hug. “When you are done
with your breakfast I’m supposed to show you all of the things that have
been accomplished. Riva and Valerie both have said that while you are to
rest, you should get a little exercise.”
As if speaking their names had summoned them, the two Vulps physicians
entered the dome, Riva pulling a syringe from the pocket of her robe top
along with a vial of clear liquid.
“What is this?” Sofiya asked as she eyed the vial suspiciously.
“It’s for any pain and lingering soreness,” Riva said with a curious look as
if the red fox female had just asked why the sky is blue.
Sofiya shook her head. “Just standard pain relievers. When we are living on
Bastien, we will have a very limited supply. I do not feel any more
discomfort now than when the transformation was at the worse part and I am
getting better. Pain and some discomfort is something that will have to be
dealt with by all. We are not going to be able to replenish what is used and
that might mean we will not have it when it is truly important.”
Riva and Valerie looked at each other.
“You’re right,” the fennec said. “We will have a finite supply.” The female
shook her head. “I’m so used to being able to order what I’m running low on
that I never really thought about that.” She sighed. “It doesn’t mean that I
have to like it, though.”
Sofiya nodded. “We must learn to conserve and recycle almost everything
possible. We must also learn to be stronger and accept that not all will be
happiness and good times.”
“I think you’ve proved that quite well,” Riva said earnestly. “I would,
however, like to look at your wounds.”
“Of course,” Sofiya said with a smile as she resumed her breakfast. “Then
the three of you may help me get out of bed and get dressed! I think it
would not do for me to limp around without any clothing!”
Richard had been working with Rupert and Matthew to coordinate the building
of a wall of brambles, branches and other obstacles around the entirety of
the simulated colony site after explaining to Hector why a palisade would be
a prudent idea. There were what essentially equaled two gates with one that
let out directly in the direction of the river and the other to the animal
pens. A third opening, but far smaller was set on the far side, the silver
fox saying that it wouldn’t be wise to trap themselves if something
happened.
When Hector asked what kind of event could prompt an evacuation of the
colony, Richard only shrugged. “I don’t know, but after seeing Sofiya
fighting a bear, I don’t want to take any chances!”
With Maria and Riva’s assistance, the red fox vixen took a tour of the
colony site, more than pleased with the amount of progress. Not only were
all of the personal domes up, but the Vulps had already begun improvement
efforts. There were three shower and wash points, the stalls resting on
raised platforms of logs. The runoff was collected beneath, and as they were
taking biodegradable soaps with them, the used water would be diverted to
the plot where they had already planted crops that were known to do well on
Bastien. The same was being done with the water from the two laundry
stations. Hoses had already been laid and there were four water points
around the colony besides the main location at the Great Dome that were
attached to drinking fountains and small plastic sinks and spigots like
you’d see at a fair or street festival.
Sofiya slipped up next to Richard as he was discussing another palisade
around the animal pens and put her arm around his waist with a playful pinch
to the base of his tail even as he paused to nuzzle her cheek ruff with the
end of his muzzle.
“C’mon, Rup,” Matthew said lightly with a wide smile. “Let’s let these two
have a moment while we see what we can find for this project.”
Richard and Sofiya smiled at the other two Vulps before the silver fox led
the female around the compound to show her what improvements had been made.
“I think the biggest help is that it hasn’t rained since our first night,”
Richard told his mate as they strolled around with his arm around her waist,
careful about not touching any of her injuries.
“So, I am not needed,” the vixen quipped with a grin. “I think I shall find
one or two of the younger Furs to wait on me and feed me grapes,” she said
loftily.
“Oh, no you don’t!” the silver fox said with a laugh. “If anyone feeds you
grapes it’ll be me!”
As the pair stepped around the far side of the Great Dome, Sofiya spied
something on makeshift a rack that she couldn’t identify. “What is that?”
“A little trophy,” her mate replied. “That’s the pelt of the bear. I used it
to show the others how to cure a hide and now it’s drying.”
Unable to stop herself, Sofiya approached and looked the skin over along
with the skull that had been boiled clean. “It does not look to be so big,
now.”
“Big enough, Honey. Before dressing it out, it had to weigh almost four
hundred pounds. That’s not a bad size for a black bear, and they’re not
predators to take lightly.” Richard showed her the claws on the front paws
and the vixen had to admit they were good sized, each one over an inch and a
half long. “This bear was fairly young, which means he was strong. That you
took him down without any weapons isn’t something to dismiss lightly.
They’re lethal by their third year and more than a handful at two hundred
pounds.”
Snippets of the fight came to her memory as she regarded the skin, and if
she looked closely, Sofiya could see where her own claws and teeth had
punctured the hide.
“All I ask is this,” Richard said as he turned her away from the hide and
other parts that he’d cleaned so she could have them as trophies. “Please,
don’t ever do that again.” His paws cupped her face as she looked up at him
and his warm, bronze eyes that he blinked rapidly to keep clear. “I love you
and don’t want to lose you. I…I don’t think that I could go on if something
happened to you. You…you make life worth living, Sofiya.”
Following standard procedure of weekly updates, Stockholm was made fully
aware of the incident with the bear with headquarters even going so far as
putting the monitoring station on alert for possible medical evacuation.
Sofiya and Hector clarified the situation and informed the monitoring
station that med-evac was unnecessary and that the situation was well in
hand. Headquarters was impressed with the concept of the palisade and using
available materials for defensive precautions and requested greater detail
for application in future training programs.
As she healed up, Sofiya returned to her normal level of activity and as the
colonists threw themselves into the exercise, keeping on top of the small
chores of basic maintenance and almost continuous site improvement. Those
that had skills that could prove useful began to impart that knowledge to
their fellow Vulps.
Hector was skilled in utilizing natural materials for fashioning a variety
of tools and helpful items and with some of the other Furs that had
experience in manual trades, came up with different methods of producing a
wide range of items ranging from bowls, eating utensils to hand tools for
planting and harvesting. Even Tipper and Ruiz got into the spirit of
experimenting and the two were able to carve a pleasant sounding pair of
flutes out of a few of the bones obtained from Sofiya’s bear.
The red fox was also very proud of her mate and was thrilled with Richard
imparting what he knew of hunting to the Furs that wanted to learn. Because
of his skill, and the frequent lessons that he was asked to teach it was
rare that offerings from the colony cooks didn’t include either fresh game
or fish. Apart from hunting, Richard and Hector also taught land navigation
and how to dead reckon their way through the forest to return to the
simulation site from random points in the forest.
By the start of their second month, Sofiya was confident in the abilities of
the Vulps and believed with all of her being that they were ready for life
not just on Bastien, but nearly any world that they might be sent to by the
AHCP.
Crops of different legumes and fast growing greens were already starting to
come in, and apart from game, meals were being supplemented with forage from
the surrounding woods. To further the other Vulps experience with life on
another planet, anything they found or that looked remotely like it might
provide some sort of sustenance, even the things that were known to be food,
were tested thoroughly. One of the things that they wouldn’t shortage of for
a number of years were the field testing kits. The small analyzers for field
use only weighed a few ounces, and they would be taking quite a few crates
of the kits. Of course, all findings were verified by Valerie, Riva and
Daniel when it came to possible foods.
The weather had also improved dramatically, the days warming quite nicely,
though nights were still a little cool, and while they received rain on an
average of four days out of seven, it wasn’t nearly as difficult as the
first night at the site had been. Sofiya and Richard were strolling through
the compound holding hands and looking at the equipment that would be most
important during their tenure on Bastien, such as the solar collectors and
water purifiers, when the vixen’s PBJ chimed with an alert even as the
silver fox’s head jerked up and he turned east, his ears standing erect and
swiveling in on a sound that caught his attention.
“It is from Stockholm,” the red fox said with a frown. “A helicopter is to
be arriving this morning…”
“Yeah,” Richard said lifting his arm and pointing. “It just cleared that
notch between those two peaks.”
Sofiya looked at where her mate indicated. “I don’t know why, but we’ve been
ordered to assist if we can.”
“Assist with what?”
“I am thinking we will find out.”
Other Furs stopped what they were doing or came out of their domes as the
helicopter neared. It was small enough, being a Bell Jet Ranger model, to
land outside the colony perimeter. What intrigued Sofiya and Richard was the
markings on the side identifying it as a Washington State Police aircraft.
As the engine died and the rotors slowed, a man in blue fatigues with a
badge on his left breast pocket and name strip on the right pulled a ball
cap on and trotted the edge of the palisade.
“Is there a Sofiya Talova here?”
“I’m Sofiya,” the vixen said as she kept the barrier between her and the
policeman.
“Is there somewhere we can talk, Ma’am?”
The red fox Fur nodded. “Toshiro! Would you be kind and show Mister…”
“Trooper Gibson, Ma’am.”
“Trooper Gibson to the Great Dome. Also find Hector and send him to us,
please.”
The Asian red fox Fur bowed quickly in acknowledgement and led the Trooper
to the nearest gateway through the brush and brambles before pointing to the
large dome in the center of the site.
“I wonder what this is about?” Richard commented as he filled a cup with hot
tea for his vixen and a cup of coffee for himself and another for the
visitor.
“To say that I am a little nervous is an understatement,” Sofiya admitted.
“State Police has a very different meaning in the part of the world I come
from.”
“Don’t worry, Ma’am,” the Trooper said with a slight grin. “I’m here to ask
for help, not arrest anyone.” The young man nodded in thanks at the coffee,
curious as to the straw that was incorporated into the cup until he saw the
two Furs drink and realized that it would probably be easier for them as
their lips couldn’t form a seal otherwise. “Thank you. I really need this
right about now.”
Sofiya nodded. “So what is it that we are to be helping with?”
The policeman swallowed his sip of coffee and adjusted his cap. “About
eighty miles from here, a family is out camping in the Olympic Range. Last
night their son wandered out of the camp into the woods. We’ve had a search
party out since three O’clock this morning, but we haven’t been able to find
him and we won’t be getting the search and rescue dog teams in until
tomorrow as most of them are still on site with their winter jobs in Montana
and Colorado at different resorts as ski patrol.
“I remembered reading about the AHCP setting up a training site out here for
you Furs, and contacted the company headquarters to see if you folk could
help us out. I wouldn’t have bothered you all, but the kid is only four and
the weather is still a little raw. That and apparently he’s on some kind of
medication that he needs on a regular basis.”
The State Trooper fidgeted a little.
“I know that I don’t have any right asking this of you guys, and that a lot
of people out there have been really crummy to you, but it’s a little kid
we’re looking for. I’m going out on a limb for this, and I know you’d have
not only my gratitude and that of the boy’s family, but any help you can
give would be appreciated.”
Sofiya held up her hand for the Trooper to pause and stepped to the doorway
of the Great Dome and put her sports whistle to her mouth. She let go with
three shrill blasts. Within moments every single colonist was gathered
around. “Hector, go get climbing gear for three Furs. Riva, you are with
Richard and I. Get your medical bag and a backpack.” She pointed at Mina.
“We will need extra clothing from the stores. Also rain ponchos. Victor,
find something to put some of the bear meat in. Two pounds each for four
people.” The vixen looked at her mate. “Richard, you know the rest of the
equipment we will be needing.”
The State Policeman watched as the different anthrofoxes hustled to carry
out the instructions that were given to them.
“Toshiro, you have climbing experience as well. Help Hector get what is
needed, and please hurry,” Sofiya directed, nodding at the Asian red fox as
he darted off. “We will be ready to depart in ten minutes,” she told the
officer.
“Really? You’re coming? Just like that?” the young man asked incredulously.
“Just like that,” Sofiya said with a smile. “We will need things that the
boy was wearing, or bedding…something that will have his scent.”
— NEXT CHAPTER —
Unless otherwise noted, all material © Ted R. Blasingame. All rights reserved.