Civilization

Chapter 3-1

3

While Murdock had been making preparations to head home, the sun had gone down. After stoking the fire, Murdock stretched out on the soft grass to sleep a little before the long trek home.

“Home soon?” Beron flashed.

“Yes, home tomorrow,” Murdock responded. “We having company.” Murdock pictured the practical nurse in his mind.

“Why?” responded Beron.

“Mei Lee soon have cub. Less worried if human healer looks at her.” Murdock often did his best to explain things to Beron, who, in turn, did his best to understand his, often incomprehensible, human friends.

“Shouldn’t someone ask me if I want to be inspected?” Mei Lee chimed into the telepathic conversation and it made Murdock smile.

“I would feel better if the practical nurse looked at you,” Murdock explained, trying to smooth any of his wife’s ruffled feathers.

“I thought you were bringing the doctor?” Mei Lee asked testily.

“The doctor needs to be re-educated. She brought her modern ideas to our backward world,” Murdock explained.

“I happen to like our backward world,” Mei Lee added.

“As do I,” Murdock responded.

“Show me what has been happening,” Mei Lee requested.

Murdock relaxed and, with Beron’s help, entered the sharing state with Mei Lee over the distance that separated them. It only took a few seconds to show Mei Lee everything that was said and done over the last couple of days. Beron, who had also been watching, added his perspective to the situation.

“You certainly have a way with people,” Mei Lee good-naturedly chided her husband.

“It’s a gift,” he chuckled.

Murdock broke the telepathic link to his wife, leaving her chuckling, with the promise to reconnect before he went to sleep.

“Can I telepathically connect with someone specific in the pod?” Murdock asked Beron.

“Difficult. Much practice,” Beron responded after a small pause.

“But it can be done?” Murdock asked, but it was more of a statement than a question. He got an affirmative from Beron.

While Murdock was thinking about the approach to connecting to Annie Cooper, he decided to astrally project himself to look around the underside of the pod. It seemed to take no effort and he was able to see and hear everything that was going on. He saw a nice-sized pile of supplies, but saw no modern weapons. I’m most worried about firearms, he thought. In my opinion, firearms would destroy all the Oomah.

The supplies did contain numerous crop seeds and starts. He did see some equipment that caused him some immediate concern. He didn’t identify all the equipment, but he did recognize some metal smelting equipment. He made a vow to himself to do what he could to dissuade the manufacture of firearms.

As he continued to look around, he overheard Palmer giving orders to an underling. The man appeared to be guarding the supplies.

“We have reason to believe that Annie Cooper is planning on leaving the pod soon for an extended period of time. We don’t want that to happen. We don’t want her hurt, but we don’t want her to leave either,” Palmer was whispering to his confederate. The man was nodding that he understood the instructions. “If these instructions aren’t followed, you will be held responsible.” Palmer gripped the man’s trapezius muscle in the hollow between muscle and collar bone. The man’s knees buckled in pain.

“Okay, I’ll do it,” the man said quietly through clenched teeth, in obvious pain.

“Glad we understand each other,” Palmer said, clapping the man’s shoulder as he walked away.

As Murdock pulled back his astral self, he was trying to figure a way out for Annie that would afford her the most leeway.

“Before I met you, I had disturbing dreams,” Murdock asked Beron telepathically. “Were they from you?”

“You unknown element, most apologies,” the large bear responded.

“It’s okay, I just want to know if it was you,” Murdock pressed and received an affirmative from Beron.

“Plan?” Beron asked telepathically.

Murdock quickly showed Beron the conversation he had overheard. “Human healer needs go where needed when needed without restriction. Can Palmer be made fear restricting her?”

“May not. Did not for you,” Beron responded. “Will take many participating.”