//------------------------------//
// Chapter 16- When you come to the fork in the river, take it! 
// Story: Tidalverse: The Fearsome Foursome 
// by Alden MacManx 
//------------------------------//

“Ship’s log, stardate 1604.16, 0900 hours, Tech Officer Fran recording.

“We pulled out of Natchez an hour ago, heading downriver to our hopefully well-received meeting with the pony in charge of Marie Laveau’s guard detachment here on the river, where it forks, the Mississippi now flowing down the Atchafalaya drainage, like it has wanted to do for decades now. Of course, that means the current flow past Baton Rouge and New Orleans is damn near nonexistent, which for all I have learned would make those cities uninhabitable. 

“With the junction being about thirty miles south of Natchez, give or take the odd furlong or two, we should be there by noon. If we don’t send a log recording for a few days, it’s because we’ll be in negotiations, and we are NOT going to transmit while we are talking. It can and will wait.

“We spent two days in Natchez, getting everything rigged up for extended cruising. The barrels are on the swim deck, firmly strapped down, with hoses and check valves going into the fuel tank. The extra eighty-plus gallons should be of help. Plus, we raided a granary and a Wal-Mart. We have the equivalent of another barrel of mixed grains stashed here and there throughout the boat. We spent half the night grinding grain to flour for better storage. We also refilled the four bins forward with wheat, corn, oats and barley. We’ll be good for a while, I hope. I also hope Freida bags another deer soon. Not much left of the last one, and as much as I like beef, no way are we going to take down a cow or bull, because there’s just too much waste if we tried. Deer are smaller, plentiful, and we don’t waste much. Our deerskins may not be of the best quality, but we learn more every time we try to tan the hides. Haven’t seen a deer since Vicksburg.

“Back to paying attention to my piloting. At least it’s not raining. Frack says no rain for a while. I believe him. End log entry.” Quickly, Fran saved the log file and sent it off to Rotterdam before turning up the radio, on the WSU station, of course. Five minutes later, she heard Sandra, or DJ WSU as she was known as, say that she has a new email from the Deliverance, and she would have an edited version included in the daily review of those who had checked in with her later on that evening. “She never wastes time announcing new communications from anywhere,” Fran said to herself as the DJ put on some music, which while it had a good sound, was in German, and that was one language Fran barely understood more than a few words of.






As noon approached, Frick and Fred joined Fran on the fly bridge, Freida was up scouting by air, while Frack was in the galley, preparing a large pot of onion soup, some rolls, and home-made croutons. Frack assured everyone he could handle such a meal without burning anything. Freida believed him enough to let him try. Frack also knew that if he botched it, Freida would give his entire supply of Vanilla Coke a float test in the river. Frack knew she was serious.

“From here south, I would have to say the maps would be pretty much useless,” Fred observed from where he sat, looking out over the river. The map displays showed the river making a curve more southeasterly, but the river itself was heading southwest. A fork did lead southeast, but that water looked stagnant. The current was definitely favoring the southwest.

“The Mighty Mississippi is carving its own course, despite what Man had done to it to keep it on its old course,” Frick said as he looked from the river to his tablet and back again. “What I’m wondering is, where’s this outpost?”

“Can’t be too far off,” Fred said. “Landry and Caleb came up the old river, and they found the outpost. Thing is, I can’t find anything that would show a campground.”

Frick picked up his radio. “Main Mission to Eagle Three. See the camp site?” he asked.

“Eagle Three to Main Mission. No, I don’t see anything but swampland and water. Think we could have missed it?” Freida answered.

“Anything’s possible, Eagle Three. Go past the fork a ways, and if you don’t see anything, turn back. I’m going to stop the boat right here and wait for more observations,” Frick told her.

“Sounds like a plan, Commander Koenig. I’ll keep scouting. Eagle Three out.”

“Main Mission clear,” Frick said before putting the radio down. “Fran, come to all stop, then drop the anchor. We need to recheck matters before we go any farther.”

“Right, Captain. Coming to all stop,” Fran said as she brought the throttles to zero, then gently into reverse to bring Deliverance almost to a halt. Then she released the anchor, which dropped straight to the bottom and embedded itself into the mud. Gently, the boat pivoted on the anchor chain to point upstream. She put the engines into idle mode then. “All stop, anchor deployed, Frick.”

“Very well, Fran. Nicely done,” Frick complimented his shipmate. Fran has always been better at boat handling than anyone else, having used boats of this size and style since she was a child. It handled differently from the pontoon boats like the Juliana. Even after over four months sailing downriver, Frick has to say she was the best at it.

Frick picked up the larger of the ship’s two sets of binoculars and started scanning the east bank. “They have to be around here somewhere. Where can they be?” he muttered as he looked.

“Captain,” Fred said sharply, “Look at the bows.” Frick did, as well as Fran. Hanging on to the anchor chain is a light red hippogriff with a yellow mane.

“Howdy, y’all!” a voice called up to them. “Y’all missed the turn ‘bout a quarter-mile back. Follow me an’ ah’ll bring yuh to Captain Hardegan, okay?”

“Sounds like a plan!” Frick called down. “Once you’re clear, we’ll weigh anchor and follow!” The red hippogriff flipped backwards off the anchor chain and into the water. Once the yellow mane was well clear, Fran raised the anchor and followed the hippogriff upstream.

“Main Mission to Eagle Three. Turn around, we missed it,” Frick called to Freida over the radio.

“Eagle Three to Main Mission. How do you know that?” Freida asked.

“They sent out a guide, Freida. Just follow us.”

“Eagle Three copies.”







It was only a short way upriver before the hippogriff led the boat into a small creek inlet, but still deep enough to pose no problem. Going up the creek about a hundred yards, it took a sharp hook to the left, where a house sat, one that looked old, but not antebellum. Behind it, higher on a grassy slope, are two long, low row houses. A short pier led to the house on the water. The hippogriff clambered up to the pier, shifting to land form. “Moor here on the one side, please!” the hippogriff called up to the fly bridge. “Send me your lines!” On the other side of the pier was tied a motorboat, with an outboard motor in the water.

Fran extended the two starboard side winches and Frick used his aura to send first one line, then the other to the waiting hippogriff, who tied the lines to cleats on the pier. “Ah’ll go get the Captain!” the hippogriff called out before heading into the house.

“Fran, start the generator and secure the mains. Looks like we’ll be here a while. I’ll relieve you after lunch. Until then, stay up here. Switch control below only when I say to. Got it?” Frick ordered.

“Got it, Captain! I’ll wait here for a while. Call me when it’s okay to come down,” Fran replied before smiling. “I’ll have some venison jerky while I wait.”

“Good idea. We don’t know how the residents here would react to it,” Frick said before he and Fred headed to the aft deck.

They were met by the red and yellow hippogriff, who was leading a rather large unicorn, white in color with golden mane, tail, hooves and horn, a gold a bit brighter than Frack’s. “Howdy, folks! I’m Captain Hardegan, the sheriff here, as well as the North Point commander. With me is Lieutenant Parker, River patrol. Did those two travellers find you?” he asked, in a not unpleasant voice. Around both his neck and Parker’s were shiny red gems attached to a fine gold chain. Hardegan’s gem was easily twice the size of Parker’s.

“That they did, in Natchez. They’re heading north now, to another colony we found in Memphis. We built them a little cart so they would not have to drag everything, plus have some shelter from the wet,” Frick said. “Would you like to come aboard and join us for lunch?”

Hardegan and Parker looked at each other for a second, then both eagerly nodded. “Think y’all have enough for our sergeants? One’s up in the Z house, while the other is at the field with a squad,” Parker asked.

“I think we have enough onion soup mix for them,” Frick replied. “We also have real coffee. Fake milk, but real coffee. Interested?”

Hardegan’s face lit up with a bright smile. “For real coffee, I’ll put up with fake milk. All we got around here is chicory or tea. We don’t get a whole lot of supplies from New Orleans,” he explained.

“What about your squads? I don’t think we’ll have enough for them,” Frack said from the galley.

“They’re just Z’s. They forage, which is why we settled here. Lots of good forage, plus what they can glean from the fields,” Parker explained.

“Just Z’s?” Fred asked, his face going into a frown that would (and has) cowed altar boys and mad dogs.

“Zombies,” Hardegan told the crew. “We have thirty-two up here, ten hippogriffs, ten unicorns, eight earth ponies, a griffon and three pegasi. My job is to keep an eye open up here for anyone coming downriver and let them know what to expect heading south. The zombies help.”

Hardegan was about to say more, but Freida chose that time to land on the pier with an audible thud. “You all right out there, Maw?” Fred called out, opening the back saloon door.

“I will be, Paw,” Freida answered back. “Got a claw hung up in the wood. The dock can use some maintenance!”

“If I may ask, just who is everybody here?” Hardegan asked as Freida freed her claw from the wood.

“Okay, I’m Frick, the commander of the Deliverance. The blue pony is my first officer Fred, the red is Chief Engineer Frack, just landing is Medical officer Freida and on duty is Tech Officer Fran. She’ll remain up on the fly bridge. She likes her venison,” Frick concluded with a grimace.

“Smart of her. That coffee smells wonderful!” Hardegan said, a smile on his face, showing even perfect teeth.

“Coffee you shall have!” Frick said with a flourish as he used his glow to move first a tray containing the cream pitcher and sugar packets, followed by two mugs, and last a pot of coffee. “You know how you like it, I don’t.” 

Hardegan and Parker wasted no time pouring and mixing their coffee to their desired parameters before sipping. Their smiles were identical as they savored the real coffee flavor. “Think we can con the Colonel into sending up some real coffee?” Parker asked.

“Don’t hold your breath. Colonel Forest doesn’t really like us. Otherwise, we would not be up here in the northern reaches,” Hardegan grumbled as Frack served the french onion soup, rolls and croutons, with assorted river greens they had picked earlier that day. Hardegan’s grumble changed into a smile. “Thank you, Mister Frack!” 

“You’re welcome, Captain,” Frack said as he grabbed the second bowl and brought it to Parker, along with the side dishes. He then served Frick and Fred. Frack served himself in the galley, with the board over the sink serving as a tabletop.

After Fred said grace over the meal, followed by an explanation why, Frick and Fred got down to the first order of business. “We have been told the Mississippi River now flows down the Atchafalaya instead of the mapped course, right?” Frick asked.

“That it does. Marie induced the diversion dam to give up and crumble away not long after she woke up. She does not want traffic going past her home. Her people she looks out for. She does have a long-range plan, but I’m not senior enough to be in on that,” Hardegan explained after sampling the soup.

“We are acting as representatives of an organization that wants to restart trade around the world. One big question we have is what would Marie think of having some sort of river traffic going upstream to Memphis, Saint Louis, and Kansas City for now?” Fred asked. “We know there are ponies in each city, and river traffic is the cheapest and safest way, other than flying, and no pegasus, griffin or hippogriff can carry that much.”

Hardegan frowned as he thought, a hoof reaching up to touch the red gem around his neck. “I can put in a request to speak to her about it. Don’t know how long it will take for her to reply. Can I have some more details?” he asked.

For the next half-hour, Frick, Frack and Fred told the guardians about what they knew about the WSU and their plans to get commerce going again. Hardegan and Parker both pulled out pads and pencils, writing down a lot of what they were told. The guards revealed what they learned from Landry and Caleb about the WSU, and finding the stories matching, gave the Deliverance crew permission to remain. 

“Ah’m going to have to call the Major and fill her in, then she’ll consult with Colonel Forest, who will take the matter to Marie for resolution. We should hear from them within a couple days, at most,” Hardegan told the crew.

“How can you call your superiors?” Freida asked.

Both Hardegan and Parker tapped their gems. “These,” Hardegan said. “They allow us to order the Z’s around, and to call up and down the chain of command. Two links up, unlimited down.”

“I can call the Captain, I can call the Major, but I can’t reach the Colonel,” Parker told them. “The Colonel can call me, if he chooses to. Marie can look in on everypony.”

“If I may ask, what about the zombies? How does that work?” Frick asked.

Hardegan thought for a few seconds before answering. “The Z’s are regular ponies, like you and me, who have been sentenced to labor for their crimes. They have no independent will, other than surviving. It’s up to us,” he indicated Parker and himself, “and the Sergeants to give them direction. They can follow fairly detailed orders, but they have no will. No chance of a revolt.”

“It looks good on us to take good care of our Z’s, because the supply is limited,” Parker added. “They forage well, but we sure could use some good grains.”

“There’s a granary up by Natchez. We restocked there, and there’s lots more good grain waiting. Ever think of just going there?” Fred asked.

Both Hardegan and Parker stared into their soup bowls. “We can’t do that, Parson Fred,” Hardegan said. “Our orders are to remain here, at the northern edge of Marie’s territory, and watch for those coming downstream. We’re not permitted to go upstream much past here.”

“What if we go back up there and bring back as much grain as we can carry back? Good variety up there, it’s just there’s not much room aboard for more than a couple of barrels,” Frick suggested. 

“Think you can tow a raft behind you, to load barrels on?” Hardegan asked.

“You have one?” Fred asked in return.

“Not yet, but we can by morning. Won’t be pretty, but it should last one trip up and back. Should be able to bring several barrels back with you. Do that, and I’ll put in a good word with Colonel Forest about you. It will help our Z’s perform better,” Hardegan said to everypony.

Frick looked around at his crew. “What do you all say? Yes or no?” he asked.

Freida was the first to speak up. “Let’s do this. Will build goodwill.”

“We can fill up on fuel as well up there. Just replacing what we used to get here. Now that we know what to expect, the trip will be faster,” Frack observed.

“It is always good to help one’s fellow ponies, Frick. It cannot hurt our case with Marie,” Fred advised.

“Okay, then. You have the raft ready to go by tomorrow morning, and we will undertake a trip to Natchez and back for grain for your crew. We set out early, and we should be back by sunset. Agreed, Captain Hardegan?” Frick said to the white unicorn.

Hardegan stood up, as did Parker. “Agreed. Let me get started on constructing the raft, and you have no objection if I have the sergeants come by for soup and coffee?” Hardegan asked.

“No objection. Send them down, we’ll feed them like we did you,” Freida said. Frick didn’t object, seeing as Freida was in charge of the galley and provisions.

“Then, let’s get to work. I have to get a report ready for the Major as well. Will keep me busy till dinnertime. In our continued good will and best interests, I will NOT ask you to dinner. Field rations are not the best,” Hardegan said with a sheepish smile. Parker just looked away.

“Let’s worry about that at dinnertime, Captain,” Frick assured the guard captain. “Let’s get our chores done, shall we?”

“Good idea. Thank you, everypony. Your kindness will not be forgotten,” Hardesty said as his gold glow opened the saloon door.

After Hardegan and Parker had left, and Fran came down from the fly bridge, the Deliverance crew sat down to chat. “Fran, you were listening, right?” Frick asked.

“Every word. I feel that everything they said is true, but they did not say everything,” Fran said before sipping some of the soup.

“I agree, Frick,” Fred said. “They are holding back, but not due to any malice. They have no orders on the subject. They seem honest to me, but limited on what they think they can say until they get orders.”

“We’re holding out, too. I’m sure they saw the guns up on the bridge, but they said nothing, as did we. For all we know, they don’t have any weapons other than their pony talents,” Frick observed.

“They have one we don’t have, bro,” Frack spoke up. “The Zombies. What’s to stop them from getting orders to move in and don’t stop until you’re dead, no matter what? That’ll suck up some firepower, not to mention making any victory costly.”

“Kamikazes,” Frieda said. “From what I gather, the zombies are well-cared for tools. Be good to them, but if you got to break them, go ahead.”

“One thing I wonder is, what is Marie’s endgame?” Frick asked. “What can she hope to gain by making zombies, diverting the Mississippi, and taking control of this area?”

“Only time will tell, in his own good time,” Fred said, in preacher tones. “Will we be up to the challenge?”






For dinner that night, Frack, Freida and Fran did up a nice vegetable stew, with sides of fish for the pegasi and hippogriffs. All four of the aware troops showed up on the dock, including the sergeants, Kramer, a hippogriff mare, and Longbaugh, an earth pony stallion. 

“I’ve sent a report to Major Cargill about you, and am awaiting orders. The raft will be ready by morning, and approval has been granted for you to fetch some grains for us,” Captain Hardegan told the crew. “As she said, if you do that for her, it won’t come out of her budget.”

“My, she sounds like a wonderful officer…” Frack said snidely.

All four of the hosting ponies looked at Frack with the same expressionless expression. “She is!” they chorused in expressionless voices. Lieutenant Parker then added, “She’ll do anything to replace Colonel Forest.”

Fran spoke up, holding up a piece of fried fish on a fork. “My uncle told me that he knew some officers like that when he was in the Army. Real Neidermeyers. They have as much honor as your typical vampire bat,” she said before eating.

“Ah try to avoid that, Miss Fran,” Captain Hardegan said. “I believe in being honorable. That’s why I’m up here.”

“How is that, Captain?” Freida asked.

“Major Cargill and I got in a real pissing contest about something she did which I thought was totally without honor, Miz Freida,” Hardegan said bitterly. “She had my cousin zombified and sent down to the Delta area for apparently swiping some of her stuff from her quarters. I knew damn well she didn’t, because she was with me, but her word beat mine. That’s why I got sent up here to North Point back in December. My association with my cousin kept me from taking her spot, and ah’ve been a sheriff up here in Rapides Parish now since the Nineties!”

“All good things come to those who wait, Captain,” Fred said in an attempt to comfort the unicorn.

“Ah know that, Parson, but it can be frustratin’ when ah use one playbook and mah bosses use another!” Hardegan complained.

“We’re with you, Captain. You know that,” Longbaugh said quietly. “You lead, we do.”

“Ah know that, Butch. It’s a help that mah company is a good one.”

“When can we expect a reply from your superiors, Captain?” Fred asked.

“I’d say by the time you get back tomorrow from the grain run. Cargill is not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, but she’s thorough. She’ll go over my report several times and consult with her advisors before sending it to Colonel Forest and sending me a reply.”

“And here I am hoping that some of the bad parts of the old world had passed on, like bureaucratic buck-passing and ass-covering,” Frick lamented. 

“Got news for you, sir. That’s alive and well in Marie’s lands.”






The next morning, the raft was delivered to the boat and tested by having several zombies get into it. Proving it could handle the weight, the zombies were told to get off, the raft secured to the Deliverance, and they headed upstream, back to Natchez. There, they topped off with grains and fuel, putting six barrels in the raft and two on the after deck, two each of wheat, corn, oats and barley. The trip back to the outpost went faster than the previous day. This time, Fred was at the wheel while Frack was flying overwatch.

“Cornhusker Four to Cornhusker One!” Frack called over the radio as they neared the outpost.

“Cornhusker One to Cornhusker Four. What’s going on?” Frick asked his brother.

“There’s another boat tied up at the dock, a fairly large one! There’s also some more ponies between the house and the pier, all wearing black sashes! I think we have a response to our queries from yesterday!” 

“Remain airborne until we moor and after. I’ll signal you when to come down. Keep your ears on!” Frick commanded. “Two purple flashes means plan M!”

“Cornhusker Four copies orders, One.” Frack replied, totally serious for once.

“Fred, pull alongside the pier but do not shut off the mains. Switch gun control to the bridge, I’ll run them from there. Monitor Channel One from here, I’ll do so above,” Frick said with no hesitation in his voice.

“You got a bad feeling about this, Frick?” Fred asked, not diverting his attention from the river.
“You bet your sweet bippy I do. Something’s not right here, and I would much rather be damned for being too careful than being careless,” Frick replied, his horn sparking violet.

“Give them a chance to put their hooves in their mouths before you blast away, Frick,” Fred cautioned gently.

“Right. I’ll be on the bridge.” Frick went from the pilothouse to the galley. “Freida, grab the axe and keep it ready. Something may be going on, and we may have to cut the raft lines and run like hell,” he told the griffin.

“Okay, Frick. I’ll be ready.”

Frick went to the bridge, taking the megaphone from its case and having it ready as Fred turned the boat up the inlet to the house. “Here’s hoping,” he muttered as he sat at the controls, activating the guns and checking their operation.

Fred pulled the boat alongside the pier, careful of the raft they were towing. Captain Hardegan walked up to the boat, along with a pink and white pegasus with a black mane and black eyes, wearing a black sash with three white stripes on it across her chest. “Captain Frick, I would like to introduce Major Cargill. She has a message for you!” he called up, not sounding happy.

“Captain Frick, in the name of Queen Marie, I thank you for delivering supplies to the North Point outpost. Now, you and your crew are hereby ordered to disembark and submit to interrogation and inspection,” Major Cargill called up in a hoarse, but clear voice.

“Ordered? What for and on whose command?” Frick called down from the bridge.

“Mine. Your boat will be a fine addition to my detachment!” she called back. 

Shock was evident on Captain Hardegan’s face. “That’s not what Colonel Forest said!”

“He’s not here. I am. I want it, and I’m going to take it!” Cargill said venomously as five zombies moved up to near the pair on the pier, Cargill’s gem glowing bright. “By the time Forest finds out, it will be all over!”

Not seeing any weapons, Frick said aloud, “Frack, Plan M Two! Frieda, chop! Fred, swap controls!” before taking command from the bridge and moving the Deliverance away from the pier enough to prevent anyone just leaping aboard. The starboard side rifle moved on its motorized mount to point at the Major, Fred controlling the aim.