CHAPTER NINE
In my head Kazan played out the plan. We’d settle into camp, then I’d approach the meeting rock alone. If accepted back, I’d start working at bringing in other people.
Schaeffer agreed. He’d studied enough psychology to understand pack theory. Social beings were pack animals. A pack approach, with my real pack, might be what we needed.
I theorized in my head, until the lights on our arm consoles lit up. We were about to land. I turned to look out the window I shared with Remy.
As I looked down at the canopy of treetops, I remembered an art class in high school, and being criticized over my choices in greens and blues. The teacher was adamant my hues never existed in nature. She’d eat her words if she saw this. The vibrancy below was dazzling.
I looked over at Lizzy. Her nose was pressed against the portal in excitement. Schaeffer reached over and patted her knee, getting a quick but genuine smile from her, before another ‘ahhh’ sight opened up before her. Maybe there was hope after all.
I went back to my own amazements. Feathery green trees wisped in the air turbulence we created. Foliage covered the foothills of towering mountains, thinning out at higher elevations to reveal purple-hued rock formations, resource abundant mountains. There.
I pointed it out to Remy, a waterfall calculated to be at least 3000 ft. He ‘ahhh’d as the forest suddenly revealed grassy meadows and a massive lake.
Remy and Lizzy never took their eyes off the views as the shuttle circled over the lakeshore. We landed smoothly on a wide rock shelf about 100 yards from camp.
I stood up, full Kazan now. “Okay team. For you newbies, it’s the equivalent of a Northern California summer out there, which means comfortable in the daytime, cold at night, possible fogbanks in the mornings. Stay near camp and out of the forests. If you see any of our native friends, sit down. By sitting you display passive posturing. Recent info is they’re agitated. If they appear so, calmly walk back towards the camp. Do not stare at them or be confrontational. This is their home, not ours. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am!” The response was energetic. They were all excited to be back. With my nod, the back doors opened and the team filed out, lining up to wait for their gear and tent assignments.
In our group Schaeffer hit the ground first, Lizzy on his heels. He swung his arm to the view. “Welcome to Hippotigris.”
“Stop calling it that!” I stomped past him, Remy following. I heard Schaeffer snicker as he fell in too, Lizzy in tow.
As we reached the first row of tents, the camp manager trotted up to us. “Col. Kazan, Col. Schaeffer, welcome back. I have your quarters ready, as well as a tent for Ms. Salazar.”
He handed us each water bottles, giving Remy and Lizzy the speech. “Nothing is thrown away here. You refill these at the mess tent. There’s a sterilization unit there to clean them. If you need anything, stop anyone and ask. We’re fairly informal here. Think adult summer camp. If you see something you’d like to volunteer to work with, extra hands will be appreciated.”
Remy took the bottle, his eyebrow peaking. “Pretty liberal attitude for a secret base.”
The camp manager only smiled. “Not like you’re going to sneak off and tell anyone.” He turned back to me. “Ma’am, as soon as you’re available, we’re already getting increased thermals out there. It’s like they know you’ve arrived.”
“Well then, we’ll drop gear and I’ll head out to the rock.”
The manager nodded, preceding us, pointing to larger structures in the center of tent city. “Mess, showers, laundry, supply, rec. center, outside of which is a large fire-pit. Yes, we have marshmallows and hotdogs, even graham crackers and Hershey’s.”
As we reached the housing sector, a soft sound echoed from the forest. Lizzy came to stand beside me. “What is that noise?”
I’d heard it about mid-camp. “It’s them.” I stared out towards the forest line. My Batista side was a bit scared, but Kazan held the coin right now. “I’ve never heard them like this. Can we get this over with? I have work to do.”
The camp manager nodded, heading down a row of tents. “Ms. Salazar. Your quarters.” He pulled open a door, motioning her inside.
She stopped at the door, tapping the side of the tent. It was a semi-rigid plastic, not the old style canvas. “Definitely not a lean-to.” She peaked inside. “There’s two cots. Am I sharing with someone?”
“No, it was requested you be housed alone.” From the way he clamped his lips together, he was trying not to repeat what he’d really been told.
Lizzy’s mouth opened, but she looked at me and contained her snide comment. “Well, I appreciate the courtesy. Thank you. Where’s Shara’s tent?”
The man nodded down the dirt avenue. “At the end of the row. Name’s on the door. Col. Schaeffer is two lanes over.” He held his hand to gesture her inside. “An ensign will be here any moment to help you settle in.”
Lizzy looked to me and off to the forest. The keening only seemed to get louder. “You going out there now?”
I nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll catch up as soon as I can. Get acquainted with the camp and behave yourself.” I got her eye roll and she disappeared into the tent.
By the time we reached my tent, so had our duffels. The ensign carried them in and disappeared as I showed Remy the meager amenities of our new home.
He was not impressed, opening the lockers and trunks. “This is how you lived on all those TDYs?” He kicked at the cots. “No wonder it took a week to get you out of bed when you came home.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t complain.” I went to the table, picking up one of my sketch pads and a charcoal pencil. “Unpack. If you need anything before I get back, go find the camp manager.” I
