//------------------------------// // Chapter 14- Vicksburg, arriving. // Story: Tidalverse: The Fearsome Foursome // by Alden MacManx //------------------------------// Two weeks of steady labor from both the crew of the Deliverance and the Memphis contingent had the Graceland area habitable again. Four houses to the south of the mansion were refitted to habitability, with power restored and running water re-established, the latter by way of damming a small stream. From the resultant pond, they pumped water up to a holding tank erected on top of the house closest to the dam, the water going through a filtration unit Frick and Frack cobbled together, removing stray bits and mud, while adding chlorine to kill germs. Not that they were harmed by germs before, but they thought it was a sensible idea. The water tower was filled at need, with someone operating the pump and filter while the filling process was in use. Not perfect, but better than nothing. On the fourteenth of March, the colony greeted the arrival of the Tereshkovs, five diamond dogs the crew first met in Saint Louis. After the initial meet and greet, Gregory managed to get with Frick and Fred. “To be honest, we were damn lucky to get this far,” Greg said sadly. “The boat’s too small for the five of us, and we’re getting on each other’s nerves. If this colony would have us, I think we’re going to stay here and put the boat at the disposal of the colony. Think they would go along with it?” “Plus, you have one other thing going for you here- a rabbi you can chat with,” Fred observed. “That is true. Anna is happy to be able to speak Yiddish and Hebrew with Moe at length. She’s better at it than I am,” Greg muttered. “I’m sure Stella will take to you joining the colony. Five big smart diamond dogs would be an asset anywhere,” Frick said. “I’ve been putting in good words about you now for two weeks, planning on you folk to stop here for at least a week, to help out.” “Well, we plan on staying longer than that, IF they will have us,” Greg said in quiet tones. “No more sailing.” “You never mentioned any trouble when we talked by radio, Greg. How long has this been simmering?” Fred asked. “We almost stopped in Cape Girardeau, but by then you had arrived here and told us what lay ahead. Even hurrying, it took us almost three weeks to get here, reprovisioning being what slowed us up a lot,” Greg admitted. “I’ll bring this up with Stella. If you’re willing to pitch in and help, she’ll be glad to have you,” Frick said, sounding optimistic. “That’s why we took so long leaving Saint Louis,” Greg said, hope coming into his tones. “We were one big happy family, all living together. We didn’t want to leave, but Anna talked us into moving on.” “Well, here you are, here you remain, right?” Fred asked. “Right!” Ten more days went by as the Tereshkovs merged with the Memphis colony, Doctor Moe moving in with them into a house south of Graceland, next to the others, tying in to the power and water systems. They were all glad the drains worked. The evening before they were set to leave, Stella and Frick sat down to run a final checklist of everything that was done and what needed to be done. “We’ve got the radio link working properly, steady electrics with backups installed, houses refitted to habitability, and farms started in the Graceland lots. Plowing under the glyphs should have destroyed them, or so say the pros in Rotterdam,” Stella said, putting down her pen and shaking her wing out. “Have you decided how you’re going to join the WSU’s economic community?” Frick asked. “Tucker Rampoe gave me the idea. He used to work for Union Pacific, and there’s a big rail maintenance yard east of here. She thinks she can get one of the track maintenance trains going, and inspect tracks, beds and bridges initially between Kansas City, Saint Louis and here. If it’s not too bad, we can expand operations south and east,” Stella told Frick. “Right now, we don’t know anything for certain. Once our first and second crops come in, I’ll allow an expedition. Until then, we have our own nest to feather first before leaving.” “Sensible idea, Stella. Right now, my main problem is getting downriver. Next good stopping place is Vicksburg, and that’s quite a ways off by river. Hope we can find places to fuel along the way,” Frick sighed, fiddling a pencil in his glow. “There’s the town of Helena, Arkansas. That’s about thirty miles downstream, as the crow flies. I know of it because of a casino near there I’ve been to a few times,” Stella told the pair. “After that, there’s Greenville, Mississippi. I’m just not sure if that’s a good stop or not. After that, Vicksburg.” “One thing for sure, the farther south we go, the slower we’re going to have to take things,” Fred observed. “Not only is the river taking more loops and meanders, it’s warming. I’m sure we’re going to see critters that will put what we have encountered to shame.” “Good point,” Frick said. “Looks like we can post someone on the fly bridge with a couple of guns, as a lookout. We’re going to have to brainstorm how you and Frack can fire a gun without becoming a contortionist or going ass over teakettle from recoil.” “I got an idea about that,” Stella said. “It will take putting a rifle on a swivel mount, coming up with some sort of remote trigger operation, and figuring out how to aim the thing from an odd position.” “Swivel mount? How so?” Frick asked. “I have an idea, Frick. I saw an episode of Mythbusters where they rigged a rifle on a mount made out of an old office chair,” Fred said. Stella shook her head in agreement, her mane tossing about some. “That’s the one I was thinking about. I can see how to mount the thing, and I have some ideas on a trigger operation, namely a knob on a spinning disc powered by an electric motor.” “I can see it too, Stella,” Frick replied. “Won’t be easy, but life is not, especially now. Maybe we can find some tools and parts in Vicksburg. Give us time to think.” “You don’t want to search here in Memphis?” Fred asked. “No, I want to get moving again. Our goal is Rotterdam, and we’ve been here for about a month now. We won’t get anywhere sitting here, much as we would not mind it,” Frick said with a sigh. “With the Tereshkovs here, Memphis has enough help to get by. We leave in the morning tomorrow early. I want to avoid any more of Anna’s blintzes.” “Lucky you…” Stella muttered. “Captain’s log, Stardate 0/1604.03 1100 hours, Captain Frick recording. We should be coming within sight of Vicksburg soon. It’s been a week after leaving Memphis, and after bypassing Helena and an overnight stop at Greenville to scavenge and top up the fuel tanks, we’re finally at our next pit stop. We plan on taking several days here to rest, refuel, restock and refresh ourselves before heading on to Natchez and Baton Rouge.  “Wildlife is getting more abundant the farther south we go. The most disturbing thing we have found has to have been some sort of crocodile-like being that takes high-caliber ammunition or dynamite wrapped in bait to kill. Being curious is one thing, but when they bump the boat with their tails and leave a mark, that’s something else. That one we killed. Others, we leave alone. But, when we go hunting, they seem appreciative of the offal and other bits we don’t take. “We’ve seen several storm bird flocks, manticores, and other wildlife that I would not have believed, had I not read about them in books. One thing to do in Vicksburg is to rearm ourselves. Ammo is getting low. At least it’s getting warm enough to use the fly bridge as a control room and as an observation tower. The left and right gun mounts are working, it’s just that it takes me, Freida or Fran to change the clips. One problem at a time, right? “Time to start getting ready to moor. We can use some dry land time. Captain Frick out.” Frick saved and sent the log as usual to the WSU. He knows Sandra puts together a ‘clip reel’ from all her correspondents and makes it into a podcast she sends four times a day, so ponies have an idea what other ponies elsewhere are doing. He tried to listen at least twice a day. “Cornhusker Four to Cornhusker Base!” Frick picked up the radio mic. For Frack to use the Cornhusker call sign meant he does have something to say. “Cornhusker Base. Go ahead, Four.” “Two pieces of news, Base. One, I can confirm the presence of the oil tankage complex up the Yazoo from Vicksburg. Go upriver and take the right-hoof fork. The river will curve to the left, and there it is. But wait, there’s more!” “What’s not sold in any store, bro?” Frick asked. “I’ve found some other ponies here, trying to meet us. They have news from downriver, and it’s not good. Tell Chop-in she won’t be alone any more!” “Where can I find them?” Frick asked. “You’re not going to like this, bro. At the Ameristar south of town. When you see the bridge, you’ll understand why it got my attention. I’m going to wait here and keep chatting with them. Put the coffee on and cool down one of my bottles, bro!” “I think I can do that. Then I’m going to go to higher power. See you within half an hour!” Frick told his brother. “Sounds like a plan to me! See you then! Cornhusker Four out!” “Cornhusker One out,” Frick said before hanging the mic back up. He then used the intercom. “Who’s in the galley now?” “It’s Freida. What you need, Frick?” came from the speaker. “Freida, prepare for company. Frack found someone. Get a good lunch ready and put one of his VC bottles in the freezer. Going to higher speed,” Frick told the purser. “Will do! It’ll be good to meet some new faces. Hope they like porridge.” “Make sure there’s fresh coffee and lots of it!” Frick said as he advanced the throttles to half-speed. “On it, Frick!” Forty minutes later, Frick brought the Deliverance to the dock at the Ameristar Hotel and Casino in Vicksburg, Mississippi. His thoughts were in a bit of a knot, because just a little way south of the casino, hanging from the old railroad bridge, is a sign made out of old bedsheets crudely stitched together, that had the words ‘Danger! Deliverance! Stop Here! Danger!’ painted on it. The fact that the word ‘Danger!’ was painted on it twice, giving him pause, as it did to everyone else aboard. Frack was waiting at the dock, ready to handle lines. With the red and gold pegasus stood a yellow earth pony with a two-tone orange mane, and what Frick thought to be a blue bow between the earth pony’s ears resolved into being a blue breezie. Freida and Frack quickly had the Deliverance moored and the guests came aboard, probably attracted by the smell of lunch wafting out from the open saloon doors. “Hello, Deliverance! We’re glad we got to you before you went further south,” the breezie shrilled in his high-pitched voice. “Why do you say that, mister?” Fred asked. “How about we settle in for lunch before the questioning, Fred?” Frick asked.  “That would be a good idea!” the breezie said, antennae nodding in agreement. A few minutes later, after getting everyone seated, introducing Landry to Chopin, and quickly assembling another box for Landry to eat in, like the one Chopin has, the mixed group got to listening about the news from downstream. Before that, though, both Landry and Caleb thanked Freida for the first non-scratch meal they have had in a long time, then, the pair got to work. “First off, forget about anything on the Mississippi south of the Old River Complex. The river is now flowing down the Atchafalaya River basin. The cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans are pretty much uninhabitable,” Landry told the group before pausing for porridge. “Plus, there’s the reason WHY the river was diverted. It was done on Marie’s orders,” Caleb added. Fran started shivering at the mention of Marie. It was Fred who spoke first, though. “I take it you are talking about Marie Laveau?” “You are correct, Mister Fred,” Caleb said. “She Returned shortly after everything went to hell and back, and quickly assumed leadership of this area.” “Marie is a black unicorn with white hooves, horn, tail and mane. Space black and bone white, to be precise,” Landry added. “If you’re not from around there, or did not Return there, you get removed from her domain. At spearpoint, knifepoint, or as a corpse.” “As a corpse, you don’t leave. You get zombied and put to work with an overseer. Overseers have a limited control over the zombies they command. Enough to get the job done,” Caleb told them before finishing his coffee and holding out the cup for a refill, which was swiftly done. “This sounds like Memphis and Elvis all over again!” Frack exclaimed. “Similar, but not the same, Frack,” Fran said. “Elvis just puppetized every pony to do what he wanted- feed his ego. Marie must have something else in mind.” “She does. We don’t know it. We lived in the Baton Rouge area, while Marie tends to stay in New Orleans. We were born and raised here, so she allowed us to go back to my family’s lands. We only met Marie once, when we made our way up from Key West. After that, we have been following you by radio,” Landry told them. “By radio? How so?” Frick asked. Caleb took up the tale. “We were on a trip to Cuba when everything went down, and we Returned there. We met up with the WSU when they arrived, and we got a ride with other expatriates to Key West. From Miami, our group split, then we split off at Tallahassee going west. I’m glad they gave us a small radio with a solar battery charger.” “We heard your first contact after Christmas, and when we found out you were going to head this way, we figured we should intercept you before you sailed right into trouble,” Landry added. “We’ve been following you ever since.” “How did you two get this far north?” Freida asked. “By canoe to the Old River fork, then by hoof the rest of the way. We were waiting in Natchez last month, but when you said you were staying in Memphis to help, we decided to move up further north. We’ve been here since the day before you pulled out from Memphis. Making that sign was easy, putting it up yesterday was not.” “Where are you staying?” Frick asked. “Don’t tell me it’s the Ameristar.” Landry and Caleb looked at each other, then back to Frick. “That’s where we are staying, to keep a watch on the river and the sign,” Landry shrilled. Frick put on a disgusted look, “I asked you not to tell me that…” he grumbled. “What have you got against Ameristars?” Caleb asked, perplexed. “At the Kansas City Ameristar, some manticores took roost in the garage. When an RV returned in their nest, we and the Kaycee team went in and got them out. Fred got stung by one of the cubs, and we had to go back to get the venom we needed to make the antivenin. Unpleasant.” Frick described. Frack picked up the story. “Outside of Saint Louis, the Ameristar there, that’s where the Tereshkov family of Diamond Dogs took residence. They were on one side, and a crew of ponies on the other. Each suspected the other of swiping supplies. Aaron Tereshkov was up on the roof when Freida and I did a flyby. He caught me in the right wing. THAT hurt!” “I caught him and brought him back to the boat, where Fred managed to heal him,” Freida told the pair. “Heal him?” Landry squeaked. “When did he learn to do that, and can Caleb learn that trick?” “I was ‘touched by a deity’ before we got to Kansas City, because I helped a very young white buffalo calf escape from a pack of hungry dogs,” Fred explained. “For doing so, Raven judged me worthy to be his ‘emissary’ on Earth, to heal those in need, to steer ponies to the divinity that would do the most good for them, and to speak and understand any language, while in the presence of someone who can speak the language. For obvious reasons, we don’t publicize that.” “Yes, I can understand why. The WSU knows, right?” Landry asked. “Yes, they do. They agreed not to broadcast the information. They have a cleric, too. A genderbent hippogriff named Aleksei.” Fred told them. “We’ve met her, but that’s about it. She gave all us expats a checkup before sending us off to Key West. Nice person, she is,” Landry said. “Good to hear. We’ve seen pictures, and have chatted with some of the more important personnel. We’re looking forward to meeting up with them in Havana and going to Rotterdam to settle,” Frick said after some coffee. “As good a plan as any. When are you going to call them to let them know about New Orleans?” Landry asked. Frick glanced at the two clocks mounted over the aft saloon door, one set for local time, one for Rotterdam. “Seeing as it’s two p.m. here, it’s nine p.m. there. I move that we call them, let them know, but keep details until tomorrow morning our time, when they are more coherent. I have Dilip’s phone number and permission to call him on it, if I feel the need. Now seems to be a good time,” he said as he pulled out his phone, set it on the table, put it on speaker, and dialed Dilip’s number out of Contacts. When he answered, the crew gave Dilip a rundown about what they had found out, followed by a suggestion they talk again tomorrow afternoon his time, with others present, for details. Captain Pradeesh agreed to that, and they hung up, Frack and Freida cleaning up from lunch. When offered the chance to spend a night or two in some sort of comfort while the crew worked on restocking the ship, Landry and Caleb readily agreed, along with the offer of hot food and a warm bed, and for the two, companionship. Landry with Chopin and Caleb with everyone else. Caleb was very eager to chat and learn from everyone, but Fred he grew closest to. They, along with Freida riding shotgun (literally), went to the Ameristar to pick up their worldly goods, which wasn’t much, the two being good about living off what they could find. When the three arrived back at the boat, Frick and Frack undocked the vessel and proceeded straight to the refinery to refuel. They were under a hundred gallons in the tank, but they were confident about making a find here, and they were right. That evening, Landry, Caleb and Chopin slept in the saloon, Landry and Chopin quietly chatting long into the night, each enjoying the presence of the other.