MAYFLOWER

CHAPTER SIX

The cohort swore, smoked tobacco, made rude jokes, mercilessly ridiculed one another, swore some more, and were not what she expected. She tried to fit in and make a rapport because she had an overwhelming desire to return to Branston. She had recognized the Witch Mountains on their flank. The same mountains that could be seen from the village. The cohort was idle, waiting for Font to come back from one of his excursions. They were not far from her village, maybe only hours in the vehicle.

She opened her mouth.

"Don't say it," Ringo said before she could say anything. "The captain said no."

"The captain said nothing." She sat alone with Ringo, between chores, each on a fallen log, behind the main camp.

"Well, the captain doesn't need to, because Font said no." He talked to her with the most ease of any of the cohort, maybe because he had found her. The others shrunk when she was near.

"I know, nothing can break his schedule. But, but it's important. There could be people needing help. Doesn't he want to know how this happened? Who did it? Doesn't he want to help others?"

"Not if it ain't on his schedule."

She frowned. They were all scared of Font as if he was the King or Queen. She was sure that they had not even asked.

"I will ask him myself."

"Don't you dare do that."

She seethed for a moment. "Don't you think about him?"

"Think what?"

"Why everyone is so scared of him – especially you."

"Me! I'm not, others are, not me."

"Well then, let's go see him."

"Wait. You know about him, don't you? Why he is who he is."

"I don't"

"You should know that before you have crazy ideas. He is the man famous for the success of mixing old-Earth animals among the natives without upsetting the natural balance so humans could thrive."

"Rabbits?"

"They're not so bad."

"That was a long time ago. When the planet was settled. How old is Font? He can't be that old. He doesn't look it."

"Well, there is science – they can do things to make people younger. Like him. Some say he is ageless."

She laughed and shook her head. "I don't believe it. He's another one of those full-of-oneself big talkers."

"Shush and don't be so disrespectful. He's a great scientist. They reckon he's the one that knows the true problems of this world and is likely the only one that can fix them."

"Why so mysterious then?"

"It's not mysterious – it's only that we don't understand."

"Why don't we find out what he's doing?"

"Huh? Are you saying to spy on him? He's gone anyway. I don't know where he's gone. The motor transport is not here."

"Follow the tracks."

"That's too hard."

"I can do it."

"Ah, no ... it's not right."

"I thought you weren't scared of him. There is a motorcycle and the others are busy playing sport."

Ringo followed her reluctantly. Yet, shortly was creeping and looking behind to make sure they were not seen. The motorcycle was among the tents which had been left unguarded. They rolled it so that they were behind a thicket and well away from the camp. Ringo sat at the front and Gilda settled behind him. He started the machine. It made a purring sound. They set off in the direction that Font's motor vehicle had gone in hours ago.