Flight of the Golden Harpy (27 page)

“I thank you.”

*   *   *

The next few days they never left one another’s side. Kari taught him about the human objects, and she was amazed how quickly Shail learned. She wasn’t sure if he could use the information, but he craved the knowledge of hovercrafts, communicators, and vehicles.

Under a torch, she sat on the floor and drew a laser gun in the dust. “I have to talk. It’s mentally too hard for me to explain this, and you know the human language.” She pointed to the image of the weapon. “This is the trigger. You pull it back, and the laser fires a blast.”

Shail knelt and examined the drawing. “Pull where?”

“Okay, you hold it on the grip. Here. You pull the trigger toward you. It’s too bad male harpies can’t talk. I could teach you faster, rather than trying to communicate with telepathy.”

“What makes you think I cannot?” he said, using the same soft voice that had entered her subconscious, but now it was a gentle whisper.

Kari’s mouth fell open. “You can speak. Why didn’t you talk sooner?”

Shail returned to using telepathy. “Males choose not to speak. The sound can be dangerous in the jungle. We once spoke like our females, but stopped when men came and hunted us. Our females kept the noisy talk to mingle among humans. Also when we met, I did not know your words as I do now.”

“Say something else.”

He pulled back, puzzled and relayed, “You like hearing my harsh sound?”

Kari ran her finger over his lips. “Your voice is soft and sensuous. I love it.”

“What do you want to hear?” he asked with his low, silky voice.

She leaped up and kissed him. “My God, you’re sexy.”

“I should speak sooner.”

*   *   *

Since it pleased her, Shail continued to speak human words. His sentences were initially broken and foreign sounding, but soon his speech resembled a soft-spoken man. He felt no less of a harpy, using the harmless talk, but he had broken another ancient harpy rule, the male vow of silence.

Kari taught him during the day, and their nights were filled with the passion of the bond. In between, his curious mate was determined to discover the secrets of the old spaceship. They strolled down the corridors, finding what Kari called primitive artifacts. He lacked the interest, but going along made her happy.

“I think this is the helm where they steered the ship,” she said and pushed against the crushed doorway. Shail ripped at the dilapidated door, creating a crawl-through opening. With a torch, he entered and she followed. “Yes, this is it. Here’s the guidance system.” She rushed to a large center chair. “It’s the captain’s log. I can install the power pack from Doc’s com. We’ll finally learn who piloted this ship.”

Shail was less enthusiastic. His mind too occupied by what he must face in few days. They retrieved the communicator, and for hours Kari worked restoring and cleaning the log while he curled up on the floor and napped.

“I think it’s ready,” she said, connecting a few wires.

Lying on his side, Shail glanced at her through his locks and feathers. A gravelly and broken man’s voice filled the room. Alarmed, Shail jumped to his feet and spread his wings.

“It’s okay.” She giggled. “Come over here and look at the screen.” Shail folded his wings and looked at the square box. After she made a few adjustments, the screen held a yellow-haired man. “It’s a human ship. He must be the captain, but look at the date.” She read the bottom of the screen. “The ship is over three hundred years old.”

“I know not your amounts.”

“It means the ship was here long before the Dorian explorers and settlers.”

“I have said the harpies were here before those men.”

On the screen the man talked about the cargo to be picked up on the next planet. Kari pushed the keys. “I’m going to fast-forward it and find out if anyone survived the crash.” The screen flashed, and she briefly stopped the movement to check the dates.

“Logged star year twenty-eight hundred, forty-seven,” said the middle-aged captain. “After the fire, the head mechanic reported the engines and communication are beyond repair. We’re adrift in space with only boosters and missed the worm hole to the Oden system. The closest star is called Duran. We’re hoping one of its planets holds oxygen, but we’re too far out for the sensors, and the journey will take five years. We’re heading for an unexplored section in the galaxy and morale among the fifty surviving men is low. Captain James of
The Princess,
star freighter, out.”

Kari pushed in a sequence of numbers, adjusting the log ahead five years.

“We are approaching Duran. The food is low, and I daily break up fights among the men. I’m at a point I don’t care if they kill one another. Our sensor did detect oxygen and life on the third planet, so we’re heading for it. By the calculations, it’ll take another six months. Captain James of
The Princess,
out.”

Kari adjusted the log to jump ahead again.

“The planet is very close and the men are excited. Honestly, I’m nervous as the devil, since I’ve never landed a freighter this size using only the boosters. I pray we survive the crash. The planet has one large continent, and I’m steering for it. I have to say, the planet looks like a little jewel. It’s so darn colorful. The food has been gone, so we’re all just hanging on. Captain James of
The Princess,
out.”

“We made it to the planet surface, crashing into the side of a northwestern mountain, barely missing the ocean. When the ship hit, it caused a mountain avalanche, and we’re working in shifts, slicing through the rocks to get out. The crash claimed the lives of four good men and injured eight. Food is our main concern. I’ll organize a food search party made up of my strongest men. Captain James out.”

Shail saw the tall blond man was gaunt, his blue eyes sunken and his voice weary. Starvation was a terrible way to die. Was Captain James the creator, the one the harpies revered? It seemed unrealistic that his flock could have honored such a man.

“Star year twenty-eight-fifty-four. I lost another man today. Joe Mahan was a good young man and succumbed to his crash injuries. The crew cut through the black mountain rocks, and with ropes, five of my best men have descended to the jungle. As captain, I’ll be the last to leave my ship and have chosen to stand by my injured men, but I can’t wait to explore the planet. Looking out the crevice we made in the mountain, I can hardly catch my breath. The landscape is beautiful. I’m wondering if we have discovered paradise. Captain James out.”

“The men returned with loads of food. Scanning the fruit, we found it’s edible. They managed to bring back two large flying reptiles. They were greasy, but tasted like pork. The men said the hunting was easy, since the animals have no fear of us. The injured men are making progress, and we are all thankful for our lives. Captain James of
The Princess,
out.

“I’ve decided to leave the ship for an expedition into the jungle with twenty men. My chief mechanic and I are eager to check the mineral content of the planet. The ship is unsalvageable, since a portion of the mountain rests on it, but we’re hoping to repair the com and be rescued. Captain James, out.

“After a week in the jungle, we returned to the ship. I lost one man to giant reptiles. We fired on a herd of the creatures, and when one fell, the lizards attacked. We had to kill half the herd before the rest turned and fled. I may have spoken too soon when I said the planet was paradise. It’s similar to Earth during the dinosaur period; giant ferns, trees, and reptiles. I’m making plans to evacuate the ship. It’s too much of a climb to come and go. We found a place on the coast with ample food and water, and I’ll send half the men to build shelters. My logs will be limited, since it’s a heck of a climb up the mountain, but I want to keep a record. In case we’re never rescued, there’ll be some information on what became of
The Princess
and her crew. Captain James, out.”

Kari pressed the hold key. “There’re a lot of logs. I’m skipping ahead to the end.”

Shail nodded.

“Star date twenty-two-sixty. Today is the sixth anniversary of the crash, and we pretty much have given up hope of a rescue. To date we lost two more men to animals and another to a fall. Without women, we’re very lonely, but our cook, Sam Wise, found a root and made spirits. This pleased the men. A young man named Jack Harper made a pet out of a tall flying monkey. One of the Spanish boys named them loco eagles, since the creatures are so crazy they fly right to us. I’m concerned with Harper, and afraid the boy is losing it here. After the loco eagle was shot and wounded, he refused to let the cook have it. Oddly enough, the loco eagle is rather affectionate. I believe it thinks Harper is its mate. There is nothing else to report. Captain James, out.

“This is the seventh anniversary since the crash. It’s been a rather strange year. The female loca eagle had a baby a few months ago. Except for a tail and some feathers on her shoulders, the baby looks like a little girl. Now every guy in camp wants his own female loca. It shows how desperate they’ve become. Captain James, out.”

Shail glared at the screen. “Turn it off.” He paced the helm and finally stopped. “Is this how we were made, Kari? Men made us?”

Kari bit her bottom lip and didn’t answer.

“We are better than humans.” He shook his head. “Go on. I must know this truth.” Kari hit the key, and the next log entry popped on the screen.

“Star year twenty-eight seventy-two. Tomorrow is my birthday, and I’ll be sixty-five years old. Don’t know how many more times I can climb the mountain, and…” He glanced at the panel. “The power pack is low. Well, I broke down and, like the rest of my crew, took a loca eagle for a wife. My crew made a gift of a rare yellow-winged loca. It may be sick, but she won my heart. I’ve never been happier with a female. She’s affectionate and constantly nuzzles me. We have created a whole new race by procreating with these loving animals. My two sons and four daughters make my life complete. The boys have yellow wings like their mother and can fly, and they taunt my little girls, but they are intelligent and the gentlest of beings. Every morning the village is filled with their chatter. My blond fledglings stand out from the other brown-haired and winged fledglings. My oldest boy rules the roost.” Captain James chuckled. “He takes after his old man; won’t back down to anyone or anything. God help me, I love him more than my life. We named them harpies after Jack Harper. He started this all. Captain James, out.”

Kari stopped the log and looked at Shail. “We were named after a man, Jack Harper, not the ugly thieving monsters from ancient Greek mythology. There’s one more,” she said, and an old man appeared on the screen.

“Star year, hell I don’t know the date, but I think I’m eighty-five years old. I figure I haven’t been to
The Princess
in twenty years. My son flew me up here. Before I died, I wanted to make this final log for the harpies. I’m a grandfather with seventeen beautiful grandchildren, and every generation they grow more handsome. My son rules the others. He was chosen because he’s wise and defends his flock with his life, and his compassion is beyond reproach. He’s a better leader than I ever was. I brought him to the old spaceship to tell him that this is where the harpies began.

“Besides me and three others, all of the ship’s crew is dead. We sit and talk about our offspring and what the future holds for them. If someday other men come to the planet, I’m sure they’ll be impressed with the harpies. They have mankind’s best qualities; gentleness, honor, and they’re smart.” James sighed. “Thank God they didn’t take after us men. We came here, killed the animals, and cut down the trees, but it was our kids who taught us to respect one another and all life. They’re a fine race without a malicious bone in them.”

“Father, it grows late, and I fear the mountain wind shall be too cold for you,” said a soft male voice beyond the screen.

“I’m almost finished, son,” James said.

“Anyway, I’m leaving the log as a record so the harpies know how they were created, and if men find it, they’ll know the harpies are their brothers and should be treated with equal respect. I guess that’s all. I’m ready, son. I want to be home before my great-grandson is born. Do you think…?” James’ voice trailed off, forgetting to shut down the equipment.

Shail placed his hand against the blank screen. “I wish all men were like this one. He was kind and loved us.”

Kari pulled the disc out and held it to his face. “Shail, do you know what this means?”

“It means you and I carry the man’s blood.”

“Yes, but it’s solid proof we’re related to humans, and better yet, it exonerates the male harpies. We didn’t become related to humans because male harpies stole and raped women. The disc tells us we have the human DNA because men mated with the loca eagles. The captain’s log could put a stop to the hunting. Harpies are not animals, but another race of mortals. Captain James left the log so humans would respect the harpies.”

“It comes too late to be of use. Tomorrow the moons shall be round, and I must fly to the gathering. We shall hold the swarms back so the innocent humans can flee to the stars, but after seven lights, my flock loses this control, and the swarm shall descend on all towns, craving human flesh. Kari, I shall not risk my males to save foolish humans who refuse to go. Once the humans escape, we shall attack the swarm. To destroy a swarm, a male harpy must out-fly and guide it. Some harpies shall die. The swarm amounts must be down before the next rise of the round moons. If we have failed, the land may be lost.”

“I understand the deadline, but if I took the log to the humans, and you were convinced that they would stop hunting harpies, couldn’t you destroy the swarms before they reached the towns? You intend to destroy the beetles anyway.”

Shail paced the room. “I am not sure I could be convinced, and there is no trust. Once the swarms are gone, it is more likely the men shall continue the hunt. The greed for our valuable wings leans toward this choice. Letting the humans live and flee is more than fair when they have killed many in the flocks. You ask a lot of me.”