Legend
Chapter 04
Astronomers have discovered that the incredible gravitational strength of supermassive black holes can tear planets away from their star systems and hurl them through space at incredible speeds—as fast as 30 million mph.
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The story is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced by any means without the express, written permission of the author.
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From Book 3; When the Flyers returned, the Pilot Leader, Gosh, reported that there were more Arab communities further up the coast. After Paul, Met, Odun and Toland discussed the matter, it was decided that they would build a base near Odun’s village and station a flight of Flyers and crews there permanently.
This story is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The story is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced by any means without the express, written permission of the author.
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From Book 3; When the Flyers returned, the Pilot Leader, Gosh, reported that there were more Arab communities further up the coast. After Paul, Met, Odun and Toland discussed the matter, it was decided that they would build a base near Odun’s village and station a flight of Flyers and crews there permanently.
THE MED
The Flyers spent several days ferrying survivors back from the slave pens of the Pirate Town to the town near Malaga. Among the survivors were Odun’s woman and their small son, Toran. Odun gathered his small family and went in search of Toland, the new leader of the Crews.
The young family stood before Toland and Odun asked, “Is it possible for you to marry us, I no want my son to be bastardo!”
Toland reached down and picked up the child, “I can say the words, but I tell you, NO CHILD IS SUCH! Any child here who is not wanted, I will take them and make them mine own!”
So it was that Toland did marry Odun and his woman, Lania and there were children among those rescued from the Pirate town whose parents had not survived. Toland became the proud parent of a ten year old boy, Haen, and a baby girl, whom he named Jill. Toland and his Family would become permanent residents of Nueva Alcaidesa, the name they finally decided upon for their new town.
Toland and his family would live there for their long lifetimes. They supervised construction of a base for the Flyer Group and a hospital for the Caregivers before they settled down to raise vegetables and children!
The land was fertile and the town grew rapidly, attracting residents from all over the area. While attracting new residents, the prosperity of Nueva Alcaidesa also attracted interest from those who would enslave its people and steal its growing wealth.
Odun had observed how those who had rescued them behaved and he took a page from their book, he called for volunteers to be Warriors of Nueva Alcaidesa.
The teens and young adults had already tasted slavery and wanted no part of it for themselves or their new families, the day Odun put out the call for volunteers, he had one hundred Warriors! He divided them into four groups and allowed them to select their own sergeants and captains. Each group was responsible for a five day, however they chose to split it internally for each group.
They had found several old bells in the remains of the town and they set them up at strategic locations around Nuevo Alcaidesa. He had begged some weapons from Toland, who gave them to him reluctantly, only after Odun had solemnly promised they would be used only in an emergency and NEVER on their own people.
The Warriors took their duties seriously, when a sail was spotted headed in their direction from the sea, alarm bells all over the town began to clang. The off duty Warriors mustered with their spears and The People weapons in their hands, ready for trouble.
As the small sailing craft came closer, they saw it was manned by teen boys and there were smaller children peeking over the bulwarks of the vessel. The boat was inexpertly handled and it drove straight for the beach, hitting it with a crunch. A teen boy jumped over the side, waving a club wildly in all directions as he screamed, words none of them understood.
Odun walked up to the wild acting boy and held both his hands out to show he carried no weapon. The boy spoke no language he could understand, so he tried what his friends, Met and Paul had done with him, he waved his fingers to look like a mouth opening and closing; then patted the side of his head and pointed to the boy’s head.
He thought hard, “We will help you and your children. We have food and shelter, medicines and Caregivers to fix the hurts of your children.”
The boy blinked and suddenly sat down in the damp sand, “uuuuughh, who you, what say how me?”
Odun walked closer to the boy and sent, “I Odun, this my people here live. Us help yous.”
That set a flood of tears washing down the boy’s face, Odun waved his people to come forward and give care to the people in the boat. They learned the teen boy was Gotal and he had stolen the boat from the pirates. He had collected children the pirates were holding as slaves. He had no idea how to sail a boat, but they just had to get away from the pirates.
He had thirty children in the boat, ages from infant to himself, he had sixteen summers. Odun held Gotal as he relieved himself of the burden he had carried, his tears soaked them both.
They determined the boy had sailed the boat, filled with small children, across the open sea from Leghorn, Italy and none had died or even been hurt. Odun sent a runner to Toland, asking for Caregivers and to tell him of the Pirate Base at Leghorn.
Toland came himself, leading a group of Flyer Pilots and Caregivers. The Flyer Pilots questioned Gotal and the few older boys about the place they called Leghorn and before the Caregivers had finished emergency care to the children, a squadron of Flyers screamed overhead at maximum thrust, headed east. When they returned, the pilots reported there was a sizeable ruin of a once great city there, but there were no pirates living there, ANYMORE!
They had destroyed the pirate camp and burned their fleet of boats with their flyer thruster emitters set on overload.
They showed Gotal a mind-picture one of them had seen, all the pirate ships were smoking ruins and piles of burned timbers. If there were any survivors, the only way home for them was a very long swim!
Gotal and his brood of rescued children asked sanctuary among Toland’s people and Gotal himself proved an adept learner of mind-speech, he also had been taught some mathematics. He had some limited knowledge of the stars and could navigate by them using the mathematics he had learned.
They determined that Gotal himself had come from a place to the north of Leghorn, they suspected the German states and flyers were dispatched to investigate. He spoke of cold winters and harsh climate, Gotal had no desire to return to his native lands.
He was perfectly content to stay among Odun’s folk and become part of the people of Nueva Alcaidesa. Gotal had mechanical skills not known among Odun’s people, he was able to contrive an irrigation system that greatly increased food production and he knew how to graft trees to increase fruit harvest. Odun considered the teen a treasure and was pleased he wanted to remain among them.
The first harvest after Gotal was with them, they had sufficient food for everyone and never again would they go hungry before the next season’s crops came in.
The constant worry about raiders and pirates kept Odun from sleeping many nights. He would roam among his people, watching the sea for any danger.
One of the older teens who had come with Gotal had been a slave in the pirate city of Alg. He had been forced to work in a boatyard, building and repairing the pirates’ boats. Gotal had the watch as Odun roamed, restless and worried when several teen boys, who had come with Gotal, approached the two of them. Gotal brought the boys to Odun immediately.
The oldest boy said to Odun, “Master, me un Lat, us make boats un war un pirates.” Odun sat with the boys, “Gotal, Lat, us not master, yous be free mins.” Odun asked, “Yous make boats know?”
Gotal replied, “Us make boats know” Odun jumped up and grabbed Lat and Gotal’s hands, “Come yous, us spek council!”
Gotal and Lat told the Village Council that they knew how to build small boats with sails that could be used to patrol the sea offshore of their town. The Council was as excited as Odun and they gave a place for the two young men to work, any materials they needed and all the labor help so that he could build them a small boat fleet. They chose a small canal that had originally served the old town, for his boat building place.
The first month, they constructed only one boat, the Council was disappointed, but Odun continued to support Gotal and Lat.
Another refugee came straggling in from the sea, Gan had been held captive on a pirate ship and had taken a chance to escape by jumping overboard. He was near death by the time he washed up on the beach near Odun’s camp. As he was recovering, he saw Gotal training the crew on his new ship and he told Gotal that he knew about ships and could help build them as well as sail them.
The next month three more boats were finished and the third month saw five boats were completed. When a total of twenty boats were ready, Gan, Lat and Gotal began instructing the new sailors in sailing, simple navigation and observation techniques. Gotal had designed and built a small fleet of twenty foot long boats that could be handled by three men.
Odun asked him if they could construct a boat that would carry thirty men, warriors that could take the fight to the pirate’s home base.
Gotal replied, “Us build can yous bots. Ned us ok un irn met un big bot.”
Odun sent men out looking for oak trees and scavengers into the old city to recover iron metal that could be forged into nails and bolts to build a larger boat.
Gotal, Lat and Gan worked together and before long a boat began to take shape on log rollers beside the canal. It was a two mast, lateen rigged sailing schooner that would be seventy feet long and have a covered hold to carry freight.
The folk of Odun had never seen such a vessel, the men would check on its progress daily and a group of older teens had decided they were going to be part of the crew.
Every day they checked the progress and, when it looked like the ship was nearing completion, they descended on Odun, asking to be part of the crew. Their spokesman, a tall and lanky red haired teen of eighteen summers, Ned, impressed Odun with his well thought out arguments on why they should be part of the crew that Odun made the young man the ship’s Captain. Ned was stunned, he stood before Odun with eyes slightly squirrely and his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out.
Finally Odun mind-spoke to the New Ship Captain, “Go, Captain Ned and collect your crew, start training them now, for I wish to make war on the pirates and I need goods and materials from others who live along this coast, to support our war.”
The young family stood before Toland and Odun asked, “Is it possible for you to marry us, I no want my son to be bastardo!”
Toland reached down and picked up the child, “I can say the words, but I tell you, NO CHILD IS SUCH! Any child here who is not wanted, I will take them and make them mine own!”
So it was that Toland did marry Odun and his woman, Lania and there were children among those rescued from the Pirate town whose parents had not survived. Toland became the proud parent of a ten year old boy, Haen, and a baby girl, whom he named Jill. Toland and his Family would become permanent residents of Nueva Alcaidesa, the name they finally decided upon for their new town.
Toland and his family would live there for their long lifetimes. They supervised construction of a base for the Flyer Group and a hospital for the Caregivers before they settled down to raise vegetables and children!
The land was fertile and the town grew rapidly, attracting residents from all over the area. While attracting new residents, the prosperity of Nueva Alcaidesa also attracted interest from those who would enslave its people and steal its growing wealth.
Odun had observed how those who had rescued them behaved and he took a page from their book, he called for volunteers to be Warriors of Nueva Alcaidesa.
The teens and young adults had already tasted slavery and wanted no part of it for themselves or their new families, the day Odun put out the call for volunteers, he had one hundred Warriors! He divided them into four groups and allowed them to select their own sergeants and captains. Each group was responsible for a five day, however they chose to split it internally for each group.
They had found several old bells in the remains of the town and they set them up at strategic locations around Nuevo Alcaidesa. He had begged some weapons from Toland, who gave them to him reluctantly, only after Odun had solemnly promised they would be used only in an emergency and NEVER on their own people.
The Warriors took their duties seriously, when a sail was spotted headed in their direction from the sea, alarm bells all over the town began to clang. The off duty Warriors mustered with their spears and The People weapons in their hands, ready for trouble.
As the small sailing craft came closer, they saw it was manned by teen boys and there were smaller children peeking over the bulwarks of the vessel. The boat was inexpertly handled and it drove straight for the beach, hitting it with a crunch. A teen boy jumped over the side, waving a club wildly in all directions as he screamed, words none of them understood.
Odun walked up to the wild acting boy and held both his hands out to show he carried no weapon. The boy spoke no language he could understand, so he tried what his friends, Met and Paul had done with him, he waved his fingers to look like a mouth opening and closing; then patted the side of his head and pointed to the boy’s head.
He thought hard, “We will help you and your children. We have food and shelter, medicines and Caregivers to fix the hurts of your children.”
The boy blinked and suddenly sat down in the damp sand, “uuuuughh, who you, what say how me?”
Odun walked closer to the boy and sent, “I Odun, this my people here live. Us help yous.”
That set a flood of tears washing down the boy’s face, Odun waved his people to come forward and give care to the people in the boat. They learned the teen boy was Gotal and he had stolen the boat from the pirates. He had collected children the pirates were holding as slaves. He had no idea how to sail a boat, but they just had to get away from the pirates.
He had thirty children in the boat, ages from infant to himself, he had sixteen summers. Odun held Gotal as he relieved himself of the burden he had carried, his tears soaked them both.
They determined the boy had sailed the boat, filled with small children, across the open sea from Leghorn, Italy and none had died or even been hurt. Odun sent a runner to Toland, asking for Caregivers and to tell him of the Pirate Base at Leghorn.
Toland came himself, leading a group of Flyer Pilots and Caregivers. The Flyer Pilots questioned Gotal and the few older boys about the place they called Leghorn and before the Caregivers had finished emergency care to the children, a squadron of Flyers screamed overhead at maximum thrust, headed east. When they returned, the pilots reported there was a sizeable ruin of a once great city there, but there were no pirates living there, ANYMORE!
They had destroyed the pirate camp and burned their fleet of boats with their flyer thruster emitters set on overload.
They showed Gotal a mind-picture one of them had seen, all the pirate ships were smoking ruins and piles of burned timbers. If there were any survivors, the only way home for them was a very long swim!
Gotal and his brood of rescued children asked sanctuary among Toland’s people and Gotal himself proved an adept learner of mind-speech, he also had been taught some mathematics. He had some limited knowledge of the stars and could navigate by them using the mathematics he had learned.
They determined that Gotal himself had come from a place to the north of Leghorn, they suspected the German states and flyers were dispatched to investigate. He spoke of cold winters and harsh climate, Gotal had no desire to return to his native lands.
He was perfectly content to stay among Odun’s folk and become part of the people of Nueva Alcaidesa. Gotal had mechanical skills not known among Odun’s people, he was able to contrive an irrigation system that greatly increased food production and he knew how to graft trees to increase fruit harvest. Odun considered the teen a treasure and was pleased he wanted to remain among them.
The first harvest after Gotal was with them, they had sufficient food for everyone and never again would they go hungry before the next season’s crops came in.
The constant worry about raiders and pirates kept Odun from sleeping many nights. He would roam among his people, watching the sea for any danger.
One of the older teens who had come with Gotal had been a slave in the pirate city of Alg. He had been forced to work in a boatyard, building and repairing the pirates’ boats. Gotal had the watch as Odun roamed, restless and worried when several teen boys, who had come with Gotal, approached the two of them. Gotal brought the boys to Odun immediately.
The oldest boy said to Odun, “Master, me un Lat, us make boats un war un pirates.” Odun sat with the boys, “Gotal, Lat, us not master, yous be free mins.” Odun asked, “Yous make boats know?”
Gotal replied, “Us make boats know” Odun jumped up and grabbed Lat and Gotal’s hands, “Come yous, us spek council!”
Gotal and Lat told the Village Council that they knew how to build small boats with sails that could be used to patrol the sea offshore of their town. The Council was as excited as Odun and they gave a place for the two young men to work, any materials they needed and all the labor help so that he could build them a small boat fleet. They chose a small canal that had originally served the old town, for his boat building place.
The first month, they constructed only one boat, the Council was disappointed, but Odun continued to support Gotal and Lat.
Another refugee came straggling in from the sea, Gan had been held captive on a pirate ship and had taken a chance to escape by jumping overboard. He was near death by the time he washed up on the beach near Odun’s camp. As he was recovering, he saw Gotal training the crew on his new ship and he told Gotal that he knew about ships and could help build them as well as sail them.
The next month three more boats were finished and the third month saw five boats were completed. When a total of twenty boats were ready, Gan, Lat and Gotal began instructing the new sailors in sailing, simple navigation and observation techniques. Gotal had designed and built a small fleet of twenty foot long boats that could be handled by three men.
Odun asked him if they could construct a boat that would carry thirty men, warriors that could take the fight to the pirate’s home base.
Gotal replied, “Us build can yous bots. Ned us ok un irn met un big bot.”
Odun sent men out looking for oak trees and scavengers into the old city to recover iron metal that could be forged into nails and bolts to build a larger boat.
Gotal, Lat and Gan worked together and before long a boat began to take shape on log rollers beside the canal. It was a two mast, lateen rigged sailing schooner that would be seventy feet long and have a covered hold to carry freight.
The folk of Odun had never seen such a vessel, the men would check on its progress daily and a group of older teens had decided they were going to be part of the crew.
Every day they checked the progress and, when it looked like the ship was nearing completion, they descended on Odun, asking to be part of the crew. Their spokesman, a tall and lanky red haired teen of eighteen summers, Ned, impressed Odun with his well thought out arguments on why they should be part of the crew that Odun made the young man the ship’s Captain. Ned was stunned, he stood before Odun with eyes slightly squirrely and his mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out.
Finally Odun mind-spoke to the New Ship Captain, “Go, Captain Ned and collect your crew, start training them now, for I wish to make war on the pirates and I need goods and materials from others who live along this coast, to support our war.”
PIRATE WARS
Ned and his crew started learning how to handle their new ship as soon as Gotal and his men had launched a new vessel from the builder’s rollers. Gan took over the security patrol boats and learned how to control the spears that had been placed on the bows of the little warships. Gotal and Lat continued to build more ships for the young fleet.
The pirates gave Nueva Alcaidesa a wide berth, they had learned to fear those iron spears that had been placed on the bows. As the larger ship came out of the builder’s docks, the women had woven linen sails and Ned insisted on calling the new ship the “ODUN”. They had woven the ship’s name in red dyed linen threads right into the sail. The ship soon became a common sight cruising offshore from Nueva Alcaidesa.
The pirates gave Nueva Alcaidesa an even wider area, if the smaller ships were such a risk to them, they figured the larger vessel would be sure death.
Three more vessels joined the Odun, the Toland, the Globe and the Savior. Captain Ned was elected Commodore of the small fleet of war boats. He had the Odun fitted with a forged large iron beak on the bow. When it proved to be fatal to any pirate ship it came near, he had of all the ships in the small fleet, replacing the spears. They practiced ramming log rafts until they perfected the art of smashing them.
Lat had experimented with clay pots filled with tar from a local oil seep. By setting the tar on fire and using a small catapult to toss them at the pirates’ ship, they could burn their vessel down around their ears!
With four large ships, Ned could assign one ship to protect Nueva Alcaidesa Harbor and send the other three to combat the roving pirates who were preventing the free exchange of trade between the newly emerging city-states that surrounded the inland sea.
By the time the newcomers arrived to establish a permanent trade compound, the boats of Alcaidesa were bringing trade goods from all over the basin of the inland sea.
The small ships were struggling to meet the demands to carry freight and trade goods, each new larger ship had freight consigned to it before it was ever floated free of the builder’s blocks upon which it had been constructed.
The Harbor of Nueva Alcaidesa hummed with commercial and military activity. Trade routes were opening up between the city-states along the northern shore of the inland sea.
The Naval Vessels of Nueva Alcaidesa were greatly feared by those who had taken up the profession of piracy, the pirates attempted to copy the iron beak that Captain Ned had designed, but they never learned how to fasten it to their ships and every time they attempted to use it, their crews had to dodge sharks in order to swim home.
The pirates were beginning to panic, their families and children were starving! All they had ever know was stealing and pillaging.
Finally, a tattered and grimy pirate ship, waving a huge white flag, appeared at the entrance to Nueva Alcaidesa Harbor asking permission to enter the port to parley with the town’s leaders.
A tall tanned and weather beaten man climbed over the side and was rowed ashore. He called himself The Bey of Rocco and asked to meet with the leaders of Nueva Alcaidesa.
The Bey told them his town had two tens of tens people and they had no food, their children were sick and dying.
Odun asked, “How many children are sick and dying?”
The man held up both hands and said, “This many tens of children, please help us. We will make peace with you, if only you will save our people!”
Before the Bey could finish his plea, a flight of twenty Flyers went screeching overhead, their thrusters glowing bright red as the repulser emitters went into overload. The flyers were loaded with Caregivers, food and medicines for the people of Rocco. They had all looked up when the flyers screamed overhead and the Bey asked what was happening.
“Odun replied, “They take food and medicines to your people, we would let none starve, no children must die or be hurt.”
The Bey was stunned and had to sit down. His mind was racing, would his people become slaves, his children taken from them………..
Odun took the old man’s hand gently and sent mind pictures to him, “No, Ruler of Rocco, we make none our slaves nor do we steal children from their parents. We ask only that you join us in peace and assist us in helping all the folk living around this inland sea.”
So it was the Alliance of Med was formed and trade throughout the region exploded in goods and food. The Bey’s people were skilled navigators and had made maps of the entire inland sea. Even the mile-wide channel that opened into the Blak Sea beyond the Kingdom of the Terks had been mapped by them.
He told them of a fabled sea route through the Land of the Gypts that led to the Southern Ocean, but he had never been able to find it. He told them that he knew it existed because he had captured a ship manned by Jinds and was loaded with brass goods from their Land of Jinda.
With the help of the Bey and his fleet, the Great Inland Sea was cleared of pirates. Some fought them and died, but most were hungry and welcomed the assistance of the people from Nueva Alcaidesa. Trade and commerce flourished and strange, new goods trickled in from Jinda. Wondrous fabrics, spices and strange machines made from forged brass.
Captain Mod of the newly launched Trade Ship, Pride of Flor, proposed a search be made for the passage through the Land of the Gypts and on to Jinda. The Trade Council agreed and assigned two war ships to protect the Trade ship on its voyage.
The pirates gave Nueva Alcaidesa a wide berth, they had learned to fear those iron spears that had been placed on the bows. As the larger ship came out of the builder’s docks, the women had woven linen sails and Ned insisted on calling the new ship the “ODUN”. They had woven the ship’s name in red dyed linen threads right into the sail. The ship soon became a common sight cruising offshore from Nueva Alcaidesa.
The pirates gave Nueva Alcaidesa an even wider area, if the smaller ships were such a risk to them, they figured the larger vessel would be sure death.
Three more vessels joined the Odun, the Toland, the Globe and the Savior. Captain Ned was elected Commodore of the small fleet of war boats. He had the Odun fitted with a forged large iron beak on the bow. When it proved to be fatal to any pirate ship it came near, he had of all the ships in the small fleet, replacing the spears. They practiced ramming log rafts until they perfected the art of smashing them.
Lat had experimented with clay pots filled with tar from a local oil seep. By setting the tar on fire and using a small catapult to toss them at the pirates’ ship, they could burn their vessel down around their ears!
With four large ships, Ned could assign one ship to protect Nueva Alcaidesa Harbor and send the other three to combat the roving pirates who were preventing the free exchange of trade between the newly emerging city-states that surrounded the inland sea.
By the time the newcomers arrived to establish a permanent trade compound, the boats of Alcaidesa were bringing trade goods from all over the basin of the inland sea.
The small ships were struggling to meet the demands to carry freight and trade goods, each new larger ship had freight consigned to it before it was ever floated free of the builder’s blocks upon which it had been constructed.
The Harbor of Nueva Alcaidesa hummed with commercial and military activity. Trade routes were opening up between the city-states along the northern shore of the inland sea.
The Naval Vessels of Nueva Alcaidesa were greatly feared by those who had taken up the profession of piracy, the pirates attempted to copy the iron beak that Captain Ned had designed, but they never learned how to fasten it to their ships and every time they attempted to use it, their crews had to dodge sharks in order to swim home.
The pirates were beginning to panic, their families and children were starving! All they had ever know was stealing and pillaging.
Finally, a tattered and grimy pirate ship, waving a huge white flag, appeared at the entrance to Nueva Alcaidesa Harbor asking permission to enter the port to parley with the town’s leaders.
A tall tanned and weather beaten man climbed over the side and was rowed ashore. He called himself The Bey of Rocco and asked to meet with the leaders of Nueva Alcaidesa.
The Bey told them his town had two tens of tens people and they had no food, their children were sick and dying.
Odun asked, “How many children are sick and dying?”
The man held up both hands and said, “This many tens of children, please help us. We will make peace with you, if only you will save our people!”
Before the Bey could finish his plea, a flight of twenty Flyers went screeching overhead, their thrusters glowing bright red as the repulser emitters went into overload. The flyers were loaded with Caregivers, food and medicines for the people of Rocco. They had all looked up when the flyers screamed overhead and the Bey asked what was happening.
“Odun replied, “They take food and medicines to your people, we would let none starve, no children must die or be hurt.”
The Bey was stunned and had to sit down. His mind was racing, would his people become slaves, his children taken from them………..
Odun took the old man’s hand gently and sent mind pictures to him, “No, Ruler of Rocco, we make none our slaves nor do we steal children from their parents. We ask only that you join us in peace and assist us in helping all the folk living around this inland sea.”
So it was the Alliance of Med was formed and trade throughout the region exploded in goods and food. The Bey’s people were skilled navigators and had made maps of the entire inland sea. Even the mile-wide channel that opened into the Blak Sea beyond the Kingdom of the Terks had been mapped by them.
He told them of a fabled sea route through the Land of the Gypts that led to the Southern Ocean, but he had never been able to find it. He told them that he knew it existed because he had captured a ship manned by Jinds and was loaded with brass goods from their Land of Jinda.
With the help of the Bey and his fleet, the Great Inland Sea was cleared of pirates. Some fought them and died, but most were hungry and welcomed the assistance of the people from Nueva Alcaidesa. Trade and commerce flourished and strange, new goods trickled in from Jinda. Wondrous fabrics, spices and strange machines made from forged brass.
Captain Mod of the newly launched Trade Ship, Pride of Flor, proposed a search be made for the passage through the Land of the Gypts and on to Jinda. The Trade Council agreed and assigned two war ships to protect the Trade ship on its voyage.
THE TRADERS
Captain Hay of the Great Vessel of The People sent word to all the communities that they were running low on metals. They needed iron, brass and copper. Trade Captain Mod sensed a profit to be made, surely these folk who could make machines that flew in the sky would have things they would trade for irn, brus and cpr. He wasn’t greedy, but he could likely have another ship built with the profits of such a trade.
The Bey was a crafty trader also and he offered Captain Mod his best navigator and his secret maps of the coast of Gyptia for a share of the voyage profits.
Captain Mod wisely insisted that the Bey accompany him on The Pride of Flor as an advisor. The small merchant fleet made ready and soon departed with two war ships supplied by the Trade Council.
They made their way slowly along the northern coast of the huge continent that formed the southern shore of the Inland Sea. They carefully explored every bay and inlet, looking for the legendary passage to the Southern Sea.
They found a great river that flowed into the Inland Sea and followed it many miles until they came to the ruins of a huge city. There were a few villages nearby, inhabited by farmers, who used strange animals they called kemls. The farmers told them the old city was called k’Ro and the river started in high mountains far to the south.
They had heard of the passage, but knew only that it was further east at a place called Suz. They traded for quantities of fresh vegetables and fruits before they headed back the way they had come. When they had returned to the Inland Sea, they again headed east, checking every possibility.
At last, they reached a small village on a point of land that jutted out into the Inland Sea. The villagers called their place, Suz. It was what they were looking for.
The local people pointed to a narrow body of water, calling it Suzgut and told them it would take them through the desert to a large bay that would lead to the Southern Ocean. There was a ruined town at the other end also called Suz, but it was inhabited by bandits and those people who ate other people for food.
When asked how far it was, the village headman held up both hands and spread his fingers, telling them it was that many days travel. The people there had no mind-speech, but their Navigator, Tok, was able to get some primitive mind pictures from a ragged little beggar boy standing there on a crutch and holding a begging bowl.
Tok knelt down beside the child and thought very hard, “Will you help us, we will take you from this place and give you food and help you.”
The child looked at Tok in wonder and then fell into the man’s arms, hugging him as tightly as his little pipe stem arms could.
Tok picked up the child, daring any of the town people to challenge him. They could not have cared less, the boy’s life was of no interest to them.
Tok took the boy onboard the ship and cleaned him up. He was appalled at the sore on the child’s leg that prevented him from being able to walk without the crutch.
He carefully lanced the terrible boil and drained it before treating it with medicines and wrapping it loosely in a clean bandage.
Just draining the awful sore made the boy’s leg feel better, he hugged Tok and was able to send to him, “me name Zel, no mama, no papa have. U me Papa be?”
With tears running down his own face, Tok agreed to be Zel’s Papa.
Tok carried the boy out on deck and Zel pointed south along the waterway. He sent a ragged message to his new Papa, “Much days go way that, stay side of morning sun, away bad piples from. Me from come Jinda, me Papa un Moma kill here be. New Papa got me!”
Captain Mod ordered the sails raised and they sailed south through the Suzgut. Tok drawing in every turn and feature on his maps as they went.
They finally exited the narrow waterway into a narrow sea that continued southward. The few towns they spotted were all in ruins and no people were seen at all until they reached the mouth of the narrow sea and found the Southern Ocean.
By now, Zel was becoming more proficient in both his spoken words and his mind-speech, He was small for his age, he told them that he had 15 summers and that he could read and write his home language of Jinda. He told Captain Mod to sail straight East as they left the narrow inland sea.
The Captain was hesitant to do so, but Navigator Tok convinced him that the boy had been right about everything else, so they should trust him on this, also.
They sailed many days, the Captain and the Crew were becoming nervous, they had spotted no land since they had left the narrow sea. On the twenty-first day the lookout spotted land debris floating on the water, tree branches and some large nuts. Shore birds became numerous as the day progressed and, just before dark, the lookout shouted, “LAND”
Captain Mod had the sails shortened, he did not wish to ground his ship in the dark on a strange coast. At sunrise, they raised the sails and slowly made their way towards the coastline. It appeared to be uninhabited. Zel seemed to be looking for something.
Tok asked him, “What are you searching for, my son?”
The boy grinned, “I search for my old home, Papa, it is beside a great river and is called, Manga”.
He asked Tok to tell the Captain to go south, the other direction. Captain Mod had no reason to deny the boy’s request, so he ordered the ship to come about and sail in the opposite direction.
As they were sitting to their mid-day meal, the lookout called, “TOWN ON THE PORT BOW!”
Zel grinned, “It is Manga, Papa!”
The Captain ordered the sail shortened and the ship slowed to a crawl as it approached the entrance to a large harbor. A small sailing cutter came out to greet them and Zel translated, “Honored Captain, they ask from where do we come and what is our purpose, sir.”
Captain Mod said, “Tell them we come from the Great Inland Sea and we wish to trade for metals. Irn, Bris and Cupr. We have Silvr and Gol to trade for these items. We search as well for sail cloth, rope and forest nuts. We also have a small quantity of wheat flour and preserved meats for our own use, but we will trade them as well.”
The Harbor Master was impressed with the willingness of the man to trade precious silvr and gol for such ordinary items as irn, bris and cupr. He kept looking closely at Zel, finally he asked, “Are you not the son of Ras and Aba?”
Zel was shaken and he replied unsteadily, “Sir, Ras and Aba are dead now and this man, Tok, took me in and cared for me. He is my Papa now.”
The Harbor Master ran to Tok and flung his arms around him, “Sir, Zel is the son of my sister, you have my gratitude for saving him.”
Before Tok could reply, Zel spoke up, “Brother of my Mother, Tok is my Papa now and I would not leave him, nor would he leave me.”
The Harbor Master said, “No, No, I mean that I have your inheritance, your Father, Ras, was a very wealthy man and it is all yours now.”
The Harbor Master bowed to Tok and said, “Sir, I am Porb, this boy’s Uncle. He is a very rich boy.”
Tok smiled at the man and replied, “Rich or poor, he is my son and I will care for him for so long as he will let me.”
Porb replied, “I sorry me not tell well, Boy is also nephew to The Pasha, er Ruler of Manga-lor.”
Zel sent to his Papa, “That means Ruler of Manga Land.”
Zel held Tok’s hand, he had thrown his crutch away after Tok had healed his terrible sore on his leg and he could walk with only the slightest limp still.
He continued, “Let us see if this Pasha remembers me and we can do trade with him?” Tok relayed what had been said to the Captain and he told Tok to work with Zel and take over the trade negotiations. Tok was just beginning to discover mind talk.
Tok and Zel went with the Harbor Master to be introduced to the Trade Commissioner and his staff. When the Commissioner discovered who Zel was, he immediately took the two visitors to speak with the Pasha’s Chief Advisor.
Before the day was out, stevedores had emptied the cargo hold of their ship and had started filling it with irn, brs and cupr trade goods. When they had finished, Captain Mod looked at the side of his ship and prayed to whatever sea gods there were, for a smooth trip and good weather going back home, their ship sat deep in the water and was heavily laden.
Just before they left for their return voyage Porb came to them with his wife and a small boy child. He bowed to the Captain as said, “Honored sir, I have been appointed Ambassador to your people and ask if you will carry us to your homeland?”
Tok sent to the Captain, “Nothing like keeping it all in the family, sir. Zel is that woman’s nephew!”
Captain Mod gave the Ambassador and his family his own cabin as they began their return voyage. It was a slow trip, the winds were contrary as they beat their way north through the narrow waterway, they were sixty days out from Manga Lor before they finally reached Suz at last, they were short of everything, water, breads and meats.
It took the last of the Captain’s trade slvr to replenish the ship.
The heavily laden ship struggled westward through the Great Inland Sea towards home, when the old tower at Alcaidesa Antigo was spotted, they knew they were almost there, they laid off the coast for the night, the security boats had come out and surrounded them, more out of friendship than need as there were no more pirates.
The next morning, the Captain himself steered the massive steering sweep as the cargo ship entered the port and tied up at their only dock. Odun and all his counselors came down to greet the new Ambassador and they spirited him away while the ship was off-loaded.
The local smiths and irn workers marveled at the quality and fineness of the metals Captain Mod had brought them.
The forges were fired up that very day.
The Bey was a crafty trader also and he offered Captain Mod his best navigator and his secret maps of the coast of Gyptia for a share of the voyage profits.
Captain Mod wisely insisted that the Bey accompany him on The Pride of Flor as an advisor. The small merchant fleet made ready and soon departed with two war ships supplied by the Trade Council.
They made their way slowly along the northern coast of the huge continent that formed the southern shore of the Inland Sea. They carefully explored every bay and inlet, looking for the legendary passage to the Southern Sea.
They found a great river that flowed into the Inland Sea and followed it many miles until they came to the ruins of a huge city. There were a few villages nearby, inhabited by farmers, who used strange animals they called kemls. The farmers told them the old city was called k’Ro and the river started in high mountains far to the south.
They had heard of the passage, but knew only that it was further east at a place called Suz. They traded for quantities of fresh vegetables and fruits before they headed back the way they had come. When they had returned to the Inland Sea, they again headed east, checking every possibility.
At last, they reached a small village on a point of land that jutted out into the Inland Sea. The villagers called their place, Suz. It was what they were looking for.
The local people pointed to a narrow body of water, calling it Suzgut and told them it would take them through the desert to a large bay that would lead to the Southern Ocean. There was a ruined town at the other end also called Suz, but it was inhabited by bandits and those people who ate other people for food.
When asked how far it was, the village headman held up both hands and spread his fingers, telling them it was that many days travel. The people there had no mind-speech, but their Navigator, Tok, was able to get some primitive mind pictures from a ragged little beggar boy standing there on a crutch and holding a begging bowl.
Tok knelt down beside the child and thought very hard, “Will you help us, we will take you from this place and give you food and help you.”
The child looked at Tok in wonder and then fell into the man’s arms, hugging him as tightly as his little pipe stem arms could.
Tok picked up the child, daring any of the town people to challenge him. They could not have cared less, the boy’s life was of no interest to them.
Tok took the boy onboard the ship and cleaned him up. He was appalled at the sore on the child’s leg that prevented him from being able to walk without the crutch.
He carefully lanced the terrible boil and drained it before treating it with medicines and wrapping it loosely in a clean bandage.
Just draining the awful sore made the boy’s leg feel better, he hugged Tok and was able to send to him, “me name Zel, no mama, no papa have. U me Papa be?”
With tears running down his own face, Tok agreed to be Zel’s Papa.
Tok carried the boy out on deck and Zel pointed south along the waterway. He sent a ragged message to his new Papa, “Much days go way that, stay side of morning sun, away bad piples from. Me from come Jinda, me Papa un Moma kill here be. New Papa got me!”
Captain Mod ordered the sails raised and they sailed south through the Suzgut. Tok drawing in every turn and feature on his maps as they went.
They finally exited the narrow waterway into a narrow sea that continued southward. The few towns they spotted were all in ruins and no people were seen at all until they reached the mouth of the narrow sea and found the Southern Ocean.
By now, Zel was becoming more proficient in both his spoken words and his mind-speech, He was small for his age, he told them that he had 15 summers and that he could read and write his home language of Jinda. He told Captain Mod to sail straight East as they left the narrow inland sea.
The Captain was hesitant to do so, but Navigator Tok convinced him that the boy had been right about everything else, so they should trust him on this, also.
They sailed many days, the Captain and the Crew were becoming nervous, they had spotted no land since they had left the narrow sea. On the twenty-first day the lookout spotted land debris floating on the water, tree branches and some large nuts. Shore birds became numerous as the day progressed and, just before dark, the lookout shouted, “LAND”
Captain Mod had the sails shortened, he did not wish to ground his ship in the dark on a strange coast. At sunrise, they raised the sails and slowly made their way towards the coastline. It appeared to be uninhabited. Zel seemed to be looking for something.
Tok asked him, “What are you searching for, my son?”
The boy grinned, “I search for my old home, Papa, it is beside a great river and is called, Manga”.
He asked Tok to tell the Captain to go south, the other direction. Captain Mod had no reason to deny the boy’s request, so he ordered the ship to come about and sail in the opposite direction.
As they were sitting to their mid-day meal, the lookout called, “TOWN ON THE PORT BOW!”
Zel grinned, “It is Manga, Papa!”
The Captain ordered the sail shortened and the ship slowed to a crawl as it approached the entrance to a large harbor. A small sailing cutter came out to greet them and Zel translated, “Honored Captain, they ask from where do we come and what is our purpose, sir.”
Captain Mod said, “Tell them we come from the Great Inland Sea and we wish to trade for metals. Irn, Bris and Cupr. We have Silvr and Gol to trade for these items. We search as well for sail cloth, rope and forest nuts. We also have a small quantity of wheat flour and preserved meats for our own use, but we will trade them as well.”
The Harbor Master was impressed with the willingness of the man to trade precious silvr and gol for such ordinary items as irn, bris and cupr. He kept looking closely at Zel, finally he asked, “Are you not the son of Ras and Aba?”
Zel was shaken and he replied unsteadily, “Sir, Ras and Aba are dead now and this man, Tok, took me in and cared for me. He is my Papa now.”
The Harbor Master ran to Tok and flung his arms around him, “Sir, Zel is the son of my sister, you have my gratitude for saving him.”
Before Tok could reply, Zel spoke up, “Brother of my Mother, Tok is my Papa now and I would not leave him, nor would he leave me.”
The Harbor Master said, “No, No, I mean that I have your inheritance, your Father, Ras, was a very wealthy man and it is all yours now.”
The Harbor Master bowed to Tok and said, “Sir, I am Porb, this boy’s Uncle. He is a very rich boy.”
Tok smiled at the man and replied, “Rich or poor, he is my son and I will care for him for so long as he will let me.”
Porb replied, “I sorry me not tell well, Boy is also nephew to The Pasha, er Ruler of Manga-lor.”
Zel sent to his Papa, “That means Ruler of Manga Land.”
Zel held Tok’s hand, he had thrown his crutch away after Tok had healed his terrible sore on his leg and he could walk with only the slightest limp still.
He continued, “Let us see if this Pasha remembers me and we can do trade with him?” Tok relayed what had been said to the Captain and he told Tok to work with Zel and take over the trade negotiations. Tok was just beginning to discover mind talk.
Tok and Zel went with the Harbor Master to be introduced to the Trade Commissioner and his staff. When the Commissioner discovered who Zel was, he immediately took the two visitors to speak with the Pasha’s Chief Advisor.
Before the day was out, stevedores had emptied the cargo hold of their ship and had started filling it with irn, brs and cupr trade goods. When they had finished, Captain Mod looked at the side of his ship and prayed to whatever sea gods there were, for a smooth trip and good weather going back home, their ship sat deep in the water and was heavily laden.
Just before they left for their return voyage Porb came to them with his wife and a small boy child. He bowed to the Captain as said, “Honored sir, I have been appointed Ambassador to your people and ask if you will carry us to your homeland?”
Tok sent to the Captain, “Nothing like keeping it all in the family, sir. Zel is that woman’s nephew!”
Captain Mod gave the Ambassador and his family his own cabin as they began their return voyage. It was a slow trip, the winds were contrary as they beat their way north through the narrow waterway, they were sixty days out from Manga Lor before they finally reached Suz at last, they were short of everything, water, breads and meats.
It took the last of the Captain’s trade slvr to replenish the ship.
The heavily laden ship struggled westward through the Great Inland Sea towards home, when the old tower at Alcaidesa Antigo was spotted, they knew they were almost there, they laid off the coast for the night, the security boats had come out and surrounded them, more out of friendship than need as there were no more pirates.
The next morning, the Captain himself steered the massive steering sweep as the cargo ship entered the port and tied up at their only dock. Odun and all his counselors came down to greet the new Ambassador and they spirited him away while the ship was off-loaded.
The local smiths and irn workers marveled at the quality and fineness of the metals Captain Mod had brought them.
The forges were fired up that very day.
TRADER ZEL AND HIS PAPA
Ambassador Porb had two strong men carry a huge chest to Tok’s modest home. When Zel answered the knock at their door, Porb bowed to Zel and said, “Zel, Prince of Manga, this is but a portion of your inheritance, you also own vast lands and orchards in Manga Lor and mines in the mountains above it. I have set it up so a box like this will be delivered to you every year, unless you wish to return and then it will be delivered to you in Manga.”
Zel opened the box and it was filled with bars of gold and silver. There was a large bag of gemstones and another of gold rings and arm bands. Zel turned to Tok and said, “Now we can build our own ships, Papa and do our own trading!”
Tok replied, “Zel, my son, this is your wealth, not mine. It should be used for you.” Zel started to cry, “bBbbbBut Papa, me and you, we are FAMILY, whatever I have, you also have, just as you cared for me when I was sick and saved me. Don’t you love me anymore?”
Tok knelt beside his son and said, “Son, I love you more than life itself, if you wish me to use this wealth, then you must use it with me. We sail together, we trade together and we stay together, Father and Son forever.”
So it was that Tok and Zel became trading partners and they gradually built up a fleet of ships that traded throughout the Great Inland Sea, the Southern Ocean and the Blak Sea beyond the Kingdom of the Terks. They hired many of the Bey of Rocco’s people to sail their ships as they were intrepid seamen and incredibly loyal to their employer.
When Captain Hay next asked for metal supplies, he sent directly to Traders Zel and Tok to obtain them for The People. Zel became a strong mind-speaker and could send as far away as Manga Lor from his new home in Nueva Alcaidesa. There were times, when conditions were just right, that he could reach as far as Globe and The Ship.
He and Tok became Master Traders, the ones who could obtain that which was not obtainable. In time, their ships would reach the riches of Southeast Asia, where spices and silks were to be found. Nueva Alcaidesa became the most important trading center along the Great Inland Sea and it was from there that the exploratory expeditions to the Blak Sea Beyond the Kingdom of the Terks began and it was Zel and Tok Traders that opened up the Dark Lands to the south to trade. Ivory and gold, many types of rare woods and herbs, fruits and spices came from exotic places in the Dark Lands.
The only commodity they refused to deal in was slaves and the gunpowder cannons Tok had installed on all their ships helped enforce the “NO SLAVES” Law of Nueva Alcaidesa!
**************************************************************
Zel opened the box and it was filled with bars of gold and silver. There was a large bag of gemstones and another of gold rings and arm bands. Zel turned to Tok and said, “Now we can build our own ships, Papa and do our own trading!”
Tok replied, “Zel, my son, this is your wealth, not mine. It should be used for you.” Zel started to cry, “bBbbbBut Papa, me and you, we are FAMILY, whatever I have, you also have, just as you cared for me when I was sick and saved me. Don’t you love me anymore?”
Tok knelt beside his son and said, “Son, I love you more than life itself, if you wish me to use this wealth, then you must use it with me. We sail together, we trade together and we stay together, Father and Son forever.”
So it was that Tok and Zel became trading partners and they gradually built up a fleet of ships that traded throughout the Great Inland Sea, the Southern Ocean and the Blak Sea beyond the Kingdom of the Terks. They hired many of the Bey of Rocco’s people to sail their ships as they were intrepid seamen and incredibly loyal to their employer.
When Captain Hay next asked for metal supplies, he sent directly to Traders Zel and Tok to obtain them for The People. Zel became a strong mind-speaker and could send as far away as Manga Lor from his new home in Nueva Alcaidesa. There were times, when conditions were just right, that he could reach as far as Globe and The Ship.
He and Tok became Master Traders, the ones who could obtain that which was not obtainable. In time, their ships would reach the riches of Southeast Asia, where spices and silks were to be found. Nueva Alcaidesa became the most important trading center along the Great Inland Sea and it was from there that the exploratory expeditions to the Blak Sea Beyond the Kingdom of the Terks began and it was Zel and Tok Traders that opened up the Dark Lands to the south to trade. Ivory and gold, many types of rare woods and herbs, fruits and spices came from exotic places in the Dark Lands.
The only commodity they refused to deal in was slaves and the gunpowder cannons Tok had installed on all their ships helped enforce the “NO SLAVES” Law of Nueva Alcaidesa!
**************************************************************
TBC
Coming in Chapter 5; Civilization is beginning to reemerge, with the help provided by The People, it hopefully will be a better world than it was. Watch as growth and progress march, hand in hand as the world rebuilds.
Master Trader Zel was in the process of taking command of his first ship. He had always shared command with his Papa, Tok, but their business was increasing and it demanded that both of them sail independently
Master Trader Zel was in the process of taking command of his first ship. He had always shared command with his Papa, Tok, but their business was increasing and it demanded that both of them sail independently