Angelika Queen Of Mars

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten A Close Run Thing

Robarik wasn't fooling; conditions did get rather uncomfortable aboard ship. Besides less oxygen, the temperature dropped as well. Both Draaka's monitored the fuel and life support very closely. Finally, the fuel indicator stayed right on the empty mark,

"It's because the gravitic generator is only operating at one quarter output combined with the miniscule amount coming from life support that's keeping that indicator from dropping any further," said Mokora. The reduced conditions they were all suffering made Jake think of several submarine pictures he'd seen over the years, hoping desperately for the computer to tell them it was time to leave the ship.

Finally the time came,

"Everybody to the life pod," gasped Robarik. We kept the medical supplies, Transnanno patches, along with the photon pistols Robarik and Branak carried. As everyone crawled into the tiny pod Mokora set the ship's navigation computer on a course that would send it dropping into the Pacific Ocean. She was the last one in gasping,

"Eject us!" With her father at the controls, the pod quickly dropped away headed for a destination in the United States not even visible from their position above the earth. Most of the pod's navigation was done by the computer following the coordinates Robarik had programmed in. Passing into the earth's atmosphere caused it to get very warm inside the pod, although the oxygen level came up to a passable level. The repulsor motors activated the atmospheric breaking along with the ballistic calculator bringing them over the state of Montana.

The trip seemed to last an eternity but in reality slightly less than a shon.

"Well here's where we find out how accurate my great grandfather's coordinates were," whispered Robarik. "It must be dark as I see nothing, we're almost down. There's the river, that must be the cave but I can't really see it. I'm tapping the control over just slightly to… We're down, everyone out, but stay close. I'm turning on the exterior light."

As everyone stepped out of the craft rushing water could be heard. Indeed, the feeble light cast an eerie glow on the beach and dark foreboding of the snow covered pines. The air was cold and damp; signs of snow could be seen on the nearby river rocks. Drawing their pistols, Robarik and Branak went to investigate the cave. Shining an electric torch inside they could see that although the cave mouth had partially collapsed, the cave looked empty, and it looked like there was just enough room to move the pod inside. Jake took charge of clearing the limbs and brush which had built up around the opening. Exploring deeper inside, he could see the cave was empty although bones indicated that animals had recently occupied it.

"Come on everyone, called Robarik, let's get this pod inside. I'm going to tap the engine lift switch. Hopefully it will be just enough to help move the pod inside." There wasn't much fuel left, but the slight lift the engine was capable of helped to ease it into the cave.

"I wonder if anyone's even been here since the Dekken's hid out here all those dorns ago." speculated Robarik. "Branak, I think you had an ancestor involved in this?"

Branak grinned,

"Colin and one of the other contractor's wives found them hiding in this very cave. I believe her name was Weeko Tergis, she had apparently lived around these parts, it certainly is thought provoking standing where your ancestors made history."

Once the pod was up against an inside wall and a warn fire was going everybody could take stock of the situation.

"Well Mr. Gandrigg, seeing as how this is your home how do you purpose to get out of

here, and where should we go?" Asked Robarik

"Well we certainly don't want to stick around here," he replied. "Winter is here it's going to get damn cold. First off, we need to get this pod stripped of everything we can possibly use, then rig up some sort of explosive charge to bring the whole roof on it." Robarik then said,

"That should be easy enough. I think there's just enough fuel left to do the job. I'll simply disable the lift damper so when I engage the engine there won't be anyplace for the power to go, at which point it will explode. We certainly don't want to be anywhere around when it does either." They spent the rest of the una moving and stripping the pod. Branak devised a bomb to blow the cave roof down on top of the pod. Jake and Branak fabricated crude rucksacks, canteens and walking sticks.

"I've got a good idea of where we are at, but it's going to be a long hike out of here. It's going to get very cold at night, and probably even snow. I'm hoping we can find a cabin or something. Thank God I brought my cell phone but it won't work until we get near a tower, I can try calling my dad or one of my friends, so in the morning, we destroy the pod, and get out of here."

The night was cold and uncomfortable, the fire just barely keeping the cold at bay. Before they left Branak rigged up the remaining fuel cell, then set the thrust control at mid point. Stopping to watch at a point far enough away, they witnessed an incredible explosion erupt from the mouth of the cave and the whole face fall in.

"I certainly hope that did the job," said Robarik. Jake and Branak were the only ones able to move right along; Robarik seemed to have the most trouble, although he still was able to keep up. Jake was trying to get everyone up to higher ground but as they did so it was evident there was more snow than he had figured on. Dori and Mokora had the lightest clothing on and weren't used to snow or the cold. Even with capes fashioned from the pod's padding the chill crept in. Along with all their problems Jake was very worried about hypothermia setting in. Stopping to build a fire, he and Branak discussed their situation.

"I'm very worried about the women and even Robarik," said Jake, "One more night of this and we're looking at hypothermia and frostbite." The fire temporarily offset their problems especially since it looked like more snow was on its way.

As we trudged along, I happened to look down to our right where a small creek now frozen passed through. It was like the perfect box canyon nicely shielded, and no doubt a beautiful green meadow come spring. Stopping Robarik, I pointed to the place and mentioned my thoughts to him. Taking a small instrument akin to a sextant, he focused one end towards the dim sun and made note of the reading.

"I recorded the spot Jake; we'll copy it to a scanner chart later on."

By the next day, things had become critical. It had started to snow again with the temperature dropping. It was then that Robarik spotted something through the trees.

"What's that?" he asked pointing to what looked like a structure. It was a ranger station closed for the winter although a sign indicated the key was hidden in a metal box on the outside wall. Getting everyone inside and building a fire in the fireplace as well as the stove disaster had been averted, before long water was on the boil, and heat was starting to circulate through the cabin. There was a telephone and computer but they seemed to be connected to a dish which either didn't work or was shut off. For now our problems were over, we found some canned goods in the cupboard including soup. Be late that evening everyone was warm and feeling much better.

"This is certainly some incredible weather," commented Branak, the Kagorians who live in climes such as this must be awfully tough."

"You've got to be," I replied, "However this country hosts all types of climates."

Both women were warming under blankets sipping hot soup.

"On Grocyra there is what you call snow in the Peakstar Mountains but it's all gone come the spring." Mokora looked up and me and weakly smiled,

"Thank you Jake thank you very much. I've made a terrible mistake in pre-judging you; it is one I won't make again." That night Dori and I snuggled in one of the beds as we listened to the wind howl around the eves, thank god for Robarik's sharp eyesight.

The next day, Branak and I chopped more firewood while Dori and Mokora tailored some worn ranger uniforms to their size. We listened to a regular radio for weather reports stating that the storm was expected to last for another two days. There wasn't a whole lot of food in the cabin, but it was enough for us in the next couple of days. Before we left, I carefully placed a one ounce bar of pure gold in an envelope along with a note stating our situation. I also mentioned that we had been driving a 2011 Ford Escape and had gone off the road somewhere south of here and that I would return later to pick it up.

The nearest town was a little crossroads named Judith about five or six miles north of here, hopefully I'd be able to phone my dad from there. While we waited for the storm to break I taught everyone how to play Texas Hold-em with a pack of cards we found. By the third day the sun was out and the temperature had started to climb a bit. Around ten in the morning we said goodbye to our shelter and began the long walk to Judith. It was about a quarter mile down to the highway but it didn't look as though the plows had been through as yet. Roughly three miles into our walk several people on snowmobiles came roaring down the snow covered road and picked us up. Before we had set out on our hike, I had cautioned everybody to wear sunglasses not only to hide their eyes, but to avoid snow-blindness from the bright snow. Since she had a rough command of English, I told Dori that I would claim that she and the others were friends from Finland even giving her a town to remember.

The ride to town was quite an unusual experience for my friends just trying their hardest not to say anything; however their frowns and suspicious looks just begged more questions. Obviously nothing much happens in Judith so when a bunch of "Furriner's" show up dressed in what appear to be Forest Service uniforms and barely speaking English…Well, people are going to talk While everybody stood around in the grocery/deli' and gas station drinking coffee and trying not to look overly suspicious, I called my dad.

"Look dad, we were on our way to the house, had engine trouble forced to take another "vehicle," ended up several miles south of Judith Montana. Right now I'm calling from the nerve center of Judith…Their grocery store and gas station. All I've got on me is my phone, my credit card and driver's license I could really use your help right about now."

He promised to do some quick research on resources available in the area and call me right back. While I waited, I explained what we were doing in the area and why my "friends," couldn't speak English.

The lady at the counter also told me about a little inn up at the next town called the Spirit Lodge in Bates. When my dad called back I told him,

"Dad, change of plan, a couple of the local's are giving us a ride up to the next town of Bates, there's a motel there we can stay in until we get settled on our transportation out of here."

"I'll keep checking son, however I'm waiting to hear from Allen and Jason, I've even called David and Colin but they must be out at the moment. Call me when you get to this motel OK?" As it turned out a brother -in-law gave us a ride up to Bates in his huge 350 Ford, while we were on the way, I told him to keep an eye on my car a tan 2011 Ford Escape and when the road got better if he could park it next to the gas station where I'd pick it up at a later date. Of course there was no Ford Escape but he didn't need to know that. I also slipped him a twenty out of the fifty in cash I had kept in my wallet, now down to twenty dollars.

Since we were the only ones staying at the motel, we got a good rate, I paying for the two rooms with another little ounce bar of solid gold, the woman at the counter balked at first but her husband must have known gold because after closely examining it he gave me a strange look and said,

"Your realize we are going to come out way ahead on this?" I smiled, Oh yes, but we might be this way again and need a room."

We ate supper across the street at "The Glass Tap," basically burgers, prime rib, and seafood. Unfortunately the service was bad, the waitress forgot our food, forgot to fill our drinks and was generally rude. Then, if that wasn't bad enough, she tried to tack on her own tip on the final bill. I made a stink and got it removed but nonetheless, we got a crappy meal out of it all. Back at the motel I learned that everyone was constantly worried that we would be "picked up" by the authorities.

"Well you certainly didn't help things by all those suspicious looks," I said. Overall though everyone put a positive spin on their "adventure.

Later that evening my dad called again,

"Good news Jake, Colin and I will be coming to pick you folks up. We'll be leaving early tomorrow morning; it's a little over five hundred miles from here so barring bad weather we should be there by this time tomorrow. We'll be beat, so make sure we have a room with a double bed waiting for us." When the call was over I turned to Branak and said,

"Well Branak you've got a relative coming to pick us up, his name is Colin Blessing. Unfortunately not the guy who rescued his future wife and son but a descendant with his namesake, I'm sure you two will have plenty to talk about." Because I was paying for the rooms Dori and I got one room, Robarik and Branak got another, and Mokora got one to herself. I said nothing to my friends but I was eager to be away from here as soon as possible lest the cops start snooping around and ask a lot of questions. That night as Dori and I were watching TV, they started talking about Angelika. When I perked up Dori asked me what was wrong.

"They're talking about Angelika and wondering why she hasn't been saying anything lately." Then a graphic showing a grainy black and white picture of the poster of Angelika standing outside the Mars base.

"Hey! That's the poster I made of her," exclaimed Dori. I then explained further as to why the news people were concerned for the "Queen" of Mars.

"Say, I've got an idea," said Dori. "Why don't we leave a note here thanking the propitiators for letting us stay here signed by Angelika."

"What would she say about that I replied. "She's not really here and if she found out it might make her mad." Dori waived me off,

"No it won't you forget, I know her. Who knows, she might want to actually come here to actually visit sometime." Dori eventually won out so I had her write a note written in Grocyrian with a translation by me below.

"To Mr. and Mrs. Dawes;

I want to take this time to let you know what a wonderful little inn you have here. My friends and I enjoyed our stay very much, and just may stop by again. Sorry for the inconvenience of paying by gold but we don't have credit cards on Mars. Oh, one more thing. Please let all the good people down at the Judith Grocery and Deli know what wonderful coffee they have. Yes, that was us as well who came tromping in from the cold, perhaps we'll pay them a visit again as well. Again, thank you very much for your hospitality.

(signed)

Angelika, Queen of Mars

I told Dori that this might really cause a stir not only here in town but world wide.