connection went dead.
Daniel called Tomlin and told him about the mysterious call and the carriage that would be waiting for him later that day. Surprised that his friend was available so often lately, he asked Tomlin about that.
“I have my own company here, Daniel,” Tomlin enlightened him. “I can work when I want. And this thing we are doing now is much more interesting and challenging than yet another steam cylinder.”
“Right. I hope you don’t get into trouble with all this, Tomlin. We will be gone for a while.”
“Let that be my problem, Daniel, if at all there is a problem. Let me know when you go get the carriage and when you come here with it. I’ll get the others in a carriage then, and then we can head over to Strange Aldrick’s place.”
“Okay, Tomlin. And let me say that I am really glad with your help.”
“Don’t mention it. You coming here was the best thing in a long time. Getting back into action. Like the old days.”
“Like the old days, Tomlin,” Daniel grinned, and ended the call.
He bided his time by locating the shop that was Henlicks Cranulum. It was nothing special, he discovered. It was a shop where one could buy food. The strange name would never have made him connect that to their wares, but there were more things he wondered about on this planet. As he went around the back, which was no problem at all, he came to a backyard that was open and deserted. He noticed plenty of tracks in the earth in the yard obviously more people came here with carriages to pick up goods.
“Hello, Seigner,” a boy called out to him. Judging from his clothes he worked at Henlicks Cranulum, even if he was young. “Are you looking for something?”
“Not really,” Daniel said. “Not yet, anyway. I am supposed to collect a carriage here later today.”
The boy frowned, taking off his hat and scratching his head. “A carriage? We don’t sell carriages, Seigner.” He asked Daniel’s name. “Let me go ask, Seigner.”
Before Daniel could say a word, the boy darted off, through a door, into the dark secrets of Henlicks’. He appeared after a few minutes. “It’s all arranged, Seigner! The carriage will be loaded and waiting for you here, indeed!” He smiled as if he had arranged it himself.
“That is magnificent, young man,” Daniel grinned and waved at him. With that knowledge secured, Daniel went off for a late breakfast and then went home. He had a specific suitcase there that he would need at the moment they would engage the pirates.
As he had the suitcase on the table, ready for inspection, the hydger made its noise again.
“Well, well, aren’t we busy today,” he said to is as he opened the cover. There was a transmission. From the star base relay.
He read the header of the incoming message. It was from his sister, Cynthia. This was worth sitting down for. As he was comfortable, he started reading:
’Dear Daniel,
I am glad you found time to write to me. You do that far too little as it is, but then, I am guilty of that also. When I read your message, I was not sure if you had been in a bar and decided to cure your alcoholic state of mind by this wild story, but the words did not seem incoherent. Oh, I believe you are on this terribly far away planet. It sounds exactly like something you would do. (Did you volunteer for it?) But the story about pirates… Daniel, I am still not sure if I have to laugh about it, or worry for your safety. Whatever the situation is that you are in, please promise me that you will be careful.
I have not relayed your message to Malcolm. I suspect you will send him another message. If anything at all. It is truly too bad that you and he don’t get along, but it is something between you two.
Daniel, be careful, will you?
Your loving sister,
Cynthia’
“Yes, Cynthia, I’ll be careful. As much as I can be,” Daniel said to the message in the small screen. He felt good about that message. At least there was one woman in the universe that cared about him. He grinned.
He got to his feet and finished checking the contents of the suitcase. Good thing it was made of a hard plastic. Hopefully that, and the fact they were high over the water, would keep these toys working.
36. Airship
Daniel changed into what he still owned as a soldier’s uniform. It wasn’t exactly a proper uniform, but it would be a lot better than the local suits. He slipped the hydger in a pocket and put on a long overcoat. Then, with the suitcase in hand, he left his apartment and headed out to Henlicks Cranulum.
Packed with his strange luggage he attracted more attention than usual. He had already counted on that and ignored the curious looks. Daniel walked into the yard of the shop, where he saw two carriages, but not the boy. “Hello?” he called out.
A wrinkly man with a pipe in his mouth appeared. “Seigner?”
“My name is Zacharias. I believe there should be a carriage waiting for me.”
“Oh. Right. Gimme a moment, Seigner…” the man shuffled off.
A moment later the boy came outside. “Seigner Zacharias!” He smiled and pointed at the two carriages. “There they are.”
“They? I was supposed to have one carriage…” Daniel stared at the two deals on wheels.
“There was too much ordered, Seigner. We had to put it in two.”
“Oh. Ordered… by whom?”
“By you, Seigner. Mr. Daniel Zacharias?” The boy pulled a paper from his pocket and checked it. “Yes, sir, it is here.”
Daniel looked at the paper. On it was a long list with items, all in a very neat small handwriting, and at the bottom were indeed his name, and the number of his hydger. Whoever this mystery guest was, he was extremely well connected.
“If you could please sign here, Seigner, for receiving the goods…” The boy held up a pen and the pocket- version of an ink well.
Daniel signed the paper on a hand-made dotted line. “Can you tell me how I can move two carriages at the same time?” He had never done that. He wasn’t even sure if it could be done.
“Certainly, Seigner!” The boy first carefully blew the ink dry and tucked away the paper and the ink well. Then he showed Daniel how he could use his hydger to instruct one carriage to follow the other one. “I would advise you, Seigner, to ride in this here carriage. It is not so full,” the boy threw in a free tip.
Daniel stored his suitcase in the least loaded carriage, did the programming and linking trick and then sat down next to his suitcase. “Here goes,” he mumbled, using the hydger to make the carriages rattle off to Tomlin’s house. He checked through the window to make sure the other one was following. It did. Then he called Tomlin and informed his friend that he was on his way. “And it might be good to have an extra carriage for you guys. I’m bringing a lot of stuff.”
“Holy shit, Daniel,” Tomlin said as they inspected the crammed up carriages. “Are you planning to fly that boat around the planet?”
“No. Just to the pirate’s nest and back. But that could be on the other side,” Daniel remarked.
“Yeah. But we’re going to get him,” said one of the two rough men, the friends of the skipper. “And we’re going to wring his neck.” His large hands would certainly have no problem with that. Provided there was a neck to wring.
They loaded up the things the other men had with them. It struck Daniel that Nadinka, Tomlin’s wife, did not come outside. Perhaps this was something of the planet. Perhaps they had said goodbye already. This was not the time to ask and wonder about that. Not long after that, the three carriages went on their way. Daniel was riding alone in his carriage, as there was no space for Tomlin to squeeze in. They occasionally talked over their hydgers, until Aldrick’s place came in view. There they faced a logistical problem.
“It will take us hours to get all that stuff hauled and stowed on the airship, Daniel.”
