Torl's Journey

They sat around the dinner table, after another fine meal, discussing the same old farming issues. Seala noticed that Torl was getting bored with the conversation again. And why not, this was their forth evening there, rehashing the same issues. Obviously, he had never had to worry about the intricacies of setting a drizzle system for peak performance. But then he was a comp spec by trade, he probably didn’t even know what a drizzle system was.

She had grown to respect him for his skills with the power colors, or at least what he seemed to know about the power colors. After all, they could not risk actually doing the things he told her about each evening. But she could tell that he was true speaking when he talked.

He had drilled into her that she must remember every word he said about the power, because they were trying to get to a place where these powers could be used. He was not sure that they could get there without the possibility that one or both of them would get caught. If they got separated, he wanted her to know how to protect herself.

Seala was young but old enough to think that she was in love with this wonderful man. He knew absolutely everything....except farming. When Jelru would begin to talk about her problems at the farm, he would always begin to slip off into other thoughts.

And it had not gone beyond Seala’s notice that Jelru was trying to learn what Torl knew about comp systems, and the power, too. But he was very careful about what he taught her. He told her just enough to keep her happy, and then he would change the subject to when they would be able to leave Earth. Seala smiled because Torl could not be used unless he wanted to be. And Jelru needed him for something, just as much as they needed her for their escape. It was fun to watch them joust.

This evening, when dinner was finished, Jelru rushed them off to the meeting room, near their private rooms, that had been adopted for their conversations. Tonight, Jelru seemed much more impatient than usual.

What was wrong? If Jelru was upset, it must be really bad. Seala could not remember when Jelru had ever been upset. Even when Seala had walked outside and talked to the farm worker with the big moustache. Jelru had just calmly walked her back inside and explained how dangerous it was to reveal herself to anyone.

But now she seemed genuinely upset. They moved quickly toward the room, Torl slowing them down and appearing not to notice that Jelru was in such a hurry. Across the long dining room to the transport, then the seemingly endless transport ride to the long east wing of the house. Finally, down the long hall to the conversation room.

When they entered, Seala was just about to bust with excitement, but Torl clamped his hand over her mouth to prevent her from speaking. Seala began to squirm, a little afraid at the strange turn of events. Then she saw Jelru pull out a small box that looked like the one that she had used in the Limo. Torl had told Seala that this was a box for making sure that no one could tell that they were there, or what they said while they were.

This was very curious; after all they had talked freely in this room before without the use of the box. Jelru adjusted the box, and then set it down on the large table that Seala had seen filled with papers when Jelru and Torl worked out problems with the comp system. When Torl released her, Seala almost fell down; she had been so consumed with what Jelru was doing.

She caught her balance and then noticed that the two were just looking at one another. Why doesn’t he ask her what’s the matter? Seala wondered. After a few fractions of a second, Seala decided that she needed to ask if she were going to find out.

“What’s the deal? Why are you two acting so strange? ...Quit it! You’re scaring me.”

Suddenly the silence was broken by Jelru who began to speak so rapidly that Seala had to listen very closely to hear what she said.

“You must leave...now. Have you completed the comp changes? The Master Hunter arrived yesterday and may already be scanning the planet. He was not supposed to arrive for several days but he is already here.”

“Yes, I completed the changes earlier today. What about our transport? Has that been arranged? How about the financials?”

“You will depart at 22.5 this evening, aboard a Freight ship, totally Android, for Sinale Seven. There my people will meet you. They don’t know you, what you look like, or even when or how you will arrive.

When you do arrive, put in a message ad for living furniture class One, at this address. Then check into the outsider’s quarters, room 112303. This room has been reserved and can only be requested by number. My people will contact you there as soon as they can.”

Jelru was obviously flustered but continued. “You do have the ID’s done, don’t you? You did say that you had worked them up, didn’t you? I probably shouldn’t know what they are. But you do need to have them.”

“Yes, Jelru, we have the ID’s.“, he answered impatiently. “But we have very little in the way of credits. Your friends will have to be quick. I will only be able to afford ten or twelve days at the outsider’s quarters.”

“They will be.” she smoothed her hair back from her face. “Also, they will bring your payment in cash credits and debt marks. We have scattered the debt marks so that they will be very hard to trace. If you get into trouble, use them. Otherwise, use the cash credits. My friends will help you make arrangements to resume your journey from there.”

She turned towards Seala. “Also, Seala, we have located Lia.” Jelru took in a breath. “She is living on the free planet, Sharing Six, and is a very important Bureaucrat with the Free Colonial System. She was very happy to hear you were alive and coming, but very concerned that you had been identified as a witch.

Seala was completely taken by surprise. Lia? Lia found? Could this really be true? Was Lia really waiting for her? How could this be? Lia, if she were really that important, would surely have come to get her daughter when she knew that Mala had died. Or was it that she really didn’t want a daughter? After all, she had left her daughter on Earth for all these years

“Torl, Lia wants me to thank you for taking care of her daughter and said that there is definitely a place for you in their system, with full extradition protection. I believe that she really can guarantee this.”

Soon, too soon for Seala, they were standing at the freight star port. Jelru handed Torl a credit pouch and told him that this would get them by in an emergency. Then the bags were loaded and it was time to prepare them for sleep as there were no normal facilities for human travel on this starship.

This was what Jelru had meant when she said that she could get them transportation without the use of pirates. This mode of travel was normally only used for the transport of prisoners, sick people, or those who could not afford the normal modes of travel. Since the truly poor normally did not travel away from farming planets, no one here had thought of the possibility of escape using this mode. It was not uncommon on industrial planets, but clearly unheard of on farming planets.

Seala was more than a little concerned about what would happen when they arrived at Sinale Seven. What if no one discovered them? Would they be left sleeping forever on this Freight ship? Then Jelru spoke up and put Seala’s fears a little behind her.

“Torl, you will receive a minimal dose and should awaken naturally within a few minutes of arrival. Then you will need to give this first to yourself, then Seala. Within a minute, you will both be fully conscious. Just stand up, get out of the ship and head for the outsider’s quarters. Have your belongings delivered to your room. Then act like tourists until my friends contact you.”

With that, Jelru gave Torl and Seala hugs and kisses, tucked the Wake Juice into Torl’s pocket, and left.