//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Idiots Deluxe // Story: The Mississippi Voyager // by Alden MacManx //------------------------------// Saturday, 25 March 2017 0445 hours Bernie stood in Control with Carroll, saddlebags packed, ready for some early-morning scouting. “I’ll be here listening to anything you say,” Carroll told the thestral. “Sunrise is about seven-thirty, so try to be back here about then. The second wave will go out about eight or so. Any questions?” “Quite a few, but nothing that pertains to the search. Keep an ear open for me, okay? I’ll just go down the 70 and start looking. Don’t doze off now!” Bernie said with a little laugh, patting Carroll with a wing before leaving Control to head out. Carroll fumed a little, but kept her peace. Bernie flew south, picking up I-70 as it crossed the Missouri River. When she got to the northernmost part of the runway, she caught a string of dim lights that slowly grew longer as she watched. The fingernail moon in the east didn’t help much to light up the ground, especially on the west side of the runway, where the lights were. Slowly, quietly, Bernie flew along the line of lights, from north to south. The lights resolved into a line of flashlights mixed with the lights cast from several unicorn horns. She turned around after passing the south end and flew back along the line, lower and slower, trying for a count. She saw a zebra leading, wearing a headlamp. There were five unicorns with horns lit, four pegasi with headlamps, five earth ponies with saddlebags, a tall Abyssinian with a diver’s lamp, a griffon and what appeared to be a hippogriff, but Bernie could not be sure. She noticed that when she got to the back (north) end of the line, she found herself veering off. She turned all the way around to try again, and she had the feeling of leaving this be, go away, nothing here, DON’T LOOK!  Bernie zoomed off northbound until the feeling faded. Confused, she called in to Carroll to report her finds. “Make one more pass on that strange area. If the same thing happens again, forget about it and wait for daylight. Follow the others and see where they go,” the Second ordered. “Welder Seven copies, Voyager,” Bernie replied. The second pass having the same results as the first, she pursued the chain of lights, catching up with them as the line went through a hole in the fence and started across the runways. She tracked them as they made their way back to the Amazon hangar, where the group started going through the boxes, opening and discarding much, only seldom putting something in a saddlebag. Bernie watched until dawn started coloring the eastern sky. When it became bright enough for her to see colors, she took wing back to the Voyager, arcing high and avoiding the area that made her nervous before. Over breakfast, she reported her findings to the rest of the crew. “If’n ah might ask, Bernie, just how did everyone look to yuh?” Lucien asked. “Were they eager, resigned, or just what?” “I really can’t say, it being too dark for me to truly read expressions,” Bernie said after half a mango. “They didn’t seem too eager, but more resigned than anything else.” “Were they all movin’ in unison, all together?” Lucien asked. Bernie thought about it. She sipped some coffee as she recalled how they were moving across the runway. “They WERE moving in step! Like in a parade!” she exclaimed. Lucien looked around the table, finishing at those who had spent more time in Louisianne, especially the Captain and First. “Now, just what does that remahnd yuh about?” he asked. Howard and Julia looked at each other and nodded. “Zombies,” they said together. “Eyep,” Lucien agreed. “Zombies. Looks to me that someone’s gonna have to call up the lahn and fahnd out how one can jam or remove the zombie-makin’ spell. Either that, or someone fahnd me a way to trace the spell back to the source an’ convince who put it on to take it off!” “Better you than me, Doctor,” Arnie Van Dyke, the other unicorn aboard, said in reply after a bite of waffle. “Ah’m more of a tinker, not a woo-woo fella.” “Okay, then. The Third and I, along with Zach, will fly down and take a look at what’s going on. If we can agree that some sort of zombie spell is on them, I’ll call Colonel Forest and see what advice we can get,” Howard said, brushing his sapphire pendant with a wing. “You do that, and I will ask Apito for guidance,” Mary Sue said quietly. “Apito?” Julia asked. “The deity I follow, Julia. If she can guide me, good. If not, we’re no worse off, right?” Mary Sue replied. “You do have a point,” Julia grumbled. She’s convinced Queen Marie Laveau is as real as a slap in the face, but other deities, she’s not so sure. “Hey, wait a minute…” Bernie said. “I’ve felt that ‘go away’ bit before.” “Where at?” Howard asked. “Fort Myers, at the hangar the Fly Lord lived in. I only got a ‘taste’ of it, but once is enough,” Bernie told the group, having a piece of mango. “I caught it full force,” Frack said. “By the time sense and sensibility returned to me, I was far enough over the Gulf to be out of sight of land. Took Bernie here to guide me back.” “But here, I didn’t feel frightened. Look away, go away, nothing here I did feel, but I didn’t feel that going closer would be the death of me,” Bernie said, thinking out loud. Lucien snorted. “It appeahs to me that theah is a powerful mage or somethin’ else neahby, Now, speakin’ as the closest thing to a mage we has got, ah don’t mind tellin’ you all that the prospect of goin’ up against whatever-it-is is not exactly the most appealin’ thought ah have had in the past year or so aftah comin’ back as a unicorn,” he told the group. Howard nodded his head slowly as he thought over what Doctor Macombe had just said, translating Lucien’s windbag words into plainer language. “I don’t like the thought myself, Doctor, but, whatever-it-is has taken the residents here away from their homes and doing something else. Let’s see what is going on at Amazon Air, and figure out our next step from there,” he said to the group. “Third, Zach, let’s grab our bags and head out. Sooner started, sooner finished.” “Can you bring my daddy back home?” Rosa asked. “And my mother?” Sparky asked as well. “That’s why we’re going, kids. To see what it will take to bring them home. Air Team Two, let’s go!” Howard said, standing up and heading to the deck of the Voyager, followed by Harry and Zach. Together, the three took wing, heading south. Together, the three fliers found the Amazon Air facility, where they did find the missing Saint Louis folk working away, opening packages, inspecting the contents, and for the most part discarding them, only occasionally putting something into the capacious saddlebags that Bitumen, Exeter and one of the Saint Louis earth ponies wore. Each of the ponies and others had a vacant look on their faces, going through the motions like they had a purpose in mind, but sleepwalking through it all. More than once, a pony looked right at one of the away team members, but no sign of recognition flickered across their faces. With a couple of gestures, Howard led Harry and Zach outside, then flew a little ways north and over the building, to the far side. “Zombies, all of them,” Howard said once they had gathered together. “Does anyone with us know how to break the spell?” Harry asked. “No, BUT, we have an ace up our sleeves, or around our necks,” Howard replied, brushing his sapphire pendant with a wing. “I can call Colonel Forest, fill him in on the situation, and he can get advice on what to do.” “Sounds like a good plan to me,” Harry agreed. “Want me to keep an eye on them?” “No. If they are zombies, then anything they do is up to their controller, whoever it may be. Let’s head back to the boat. Let’s get some advice before we take the next step. At least we can report that all appear to be in good health,” Howard replied. “I’ll buy that for a buck,” Harry said. “Buck… did you notice that one saddlebag that had some green sticking out of it?” Zach asked. “I did. Why would anyone want a saddlebag full of cash for?” Howard wondered. “Stuff the cash into a pillowcase?” Harry suggested. “Hasn’t everyone dreamed of owning a mattress and pillow full of money? True, it ain’t any good now EXCEPT as mattress filling, but some people can live out their dreams now.” “A dragon could want to nest on a pile of change, but it will take a lot of change to fit under a dragon,” Harry ventured. “Plenty of banks nearby to raid.” “True, but where can you hide a dragon?” Howard asked rhetorically. “All the buildings here have been checked.” “Let’s get back and check Rosa’s pictures. We may get another clue,” Harry said.  “Yeah, let’s do that,” Howard said as he pulled his radio out of its sling. “Victor One to Victor Base,” “Victor Base. Go ahead, Victor One,” Julia’s voice came from the speaker. “Returning to base. Will be back soon. Have news to report.” “Ten-four, Victor One, we’ll be waiting. Victor Base out.”  At lunchtime, everyone aboard the Voyager gathered in the Lounge for lunch and to talk. Since the boat was tied up, both Control and Engine watches gathered as well. The Saint Louis team remnants were there too. Captain Crane was first to speak.  “I’ve reported our findings to Colonel Forest. He, in turn, notified Her Majesty. She agrees that someone has all the adults here in Saint Louis under a zombie spell. However, since none of us here that has a sapphire is a unicorn, she cannot craft a counterspell. Fortunately, she has come up with a workaround. “Lucien, after lunch, you and the First are going to go to the airport, along with Mary Sue. You will be wearing my gem, so that Her Majesty can see through your senses and craft a spell that should break the hold whoever-it-is has over the ponies and bring them home. Any questions, anyone?” Howard asked after his speech. “Ah do,” Lucien drawled. “That’s one helluva walk, from here to there and back. Even longer when we is going to be herdin’ the herd back. For a while after being freed of the zombie spell, ponies are very suggestable, and will tend to do as told until theah wills reassert themselves. Ah’m willin to bet whoever-it-is that put the spell on will know when the spell comes off. What in tarnation are we gonna do about it?”  “Right now, Doctor Macombe, I don’t have a single solitary idea on what. Today, you are to go down and look, the three of you,” Captain Crane snapped back. Personally, he was tired of listening to Lucien say ten words when two would do. “You are to go down today and let Her Majesty look, because she is a much better unicorn spellcrafter than you could ever hope to be. She will come up with a counterspell, and here’s hoping for all our sakes you are unicorn enough to cast it without crapping out on us!” Most everyone around the table took a step back when Howard yelled at Lucien. He just doesn’t DO that to anyone. The only ones who did not were Lucien, Rose, and Mary Sue. Jason the cook didn’t, but he wasn’t at the table, he was in the kitchen getting fresh cornbread out of the oven. Lucien thumped a hoof on the thick wooden table top. “Howard, I will never back down from a challenge, especially when the lives and health of others is involved! If Her Majesty says that’s what's needed to be done did, then I’ll be the unicorn that will done do it, no matter what the cost to me! Ah just have one question ah have to ask of you, and that’s what is it like to wear one of those gems? Ah know Her Majesty just doesn’t give them out to every Tom, Dick and Harry in Louisianne,” he first declared before asking the question. “You really won’t notice anything, Lucien. It’s just that if someone wanted to call any of us who has a gem, we will hear them in our heads between our ears. You don’t even have to talk to answer, just think. I would just suggest you don’t call anyone. Wait until Her Majesty or the Colonel decides to call you. It’s strange at first, I’ll admit,” Howard said as he took his necklace off and passed it across the table to Lucien, who slipped it on. “Hello, Doctor Macombe. Allow me to apologize for the oversight of not issuing you a gem of contact. A queen’s time is not always her own. Now, some instructions…” Lucien plainly heard the ‘voice’ of Queen Marie Laveau between his ears. The group watched as his ears swiveled to point straight up as he ‘listened’ to the Queen. Rosa giggled at his startled expression. Meanwhile, in Cincinnati: Vladimir was woken from a sound sleep by the voice of his executive assistant, Nebulous Nimbus, coming from the intercom speaker. “Boss, ball call for you, line five. Want to take it?” “Yeah, go ahead and send it to me. It better not be idle chat, or else I’m going to get angry,” Vlad growled, waking up, shaking his head to clear it as he reached for a crystal ball about twice the size of a human head. When the image of a red-scaled dragon formed in the ball, Vlad grumbled, “This better be good, Casimir!” “Oh, it is, Vlad. Remember that spell you sent me? I just wanted to let you know that it’s working great! I got fourteen ponies and some others working for me to get my hoard built! Give me another couple of weeks and I’ll have a pretty good mound built up. Too bad there aren’t as many gems here as there are back home, but this green paper stuff the humans used do make a good mattress!” Casimir reported, looking and sounding quite pleased with himself. “You did make Coronavirus cast the spell, right?” Vlad asked. “I did, but after he botched it three times in a row, I did it myself. I got it right the first time!” Casimir bragged, looking smug. Vladimir sighed. “Casimir, you did leave some pony to maintain the illusion that all is well, right? I’ve noticed on the WSU broadcasts that there has been no news from Saint Louis since Monday, and it’s now Saturday! Tell me you left someone in charge!” Casimir looked thoughtful. “I left the children alone. The one teenager is so unsure of himself, he wouldn’t call out if his life depended on it. Besides, how long will it take for anyone to get here to look? I’ll have phase one done and the ponies freed before anyone can get here!” The news did not make Vladimir happy. “I always thought you were an idiot, Casimir. Did you have to go and prove it?” “Why do you say that, Vlad? I’m just as loyal as the others, yet was the last to be allowed to go out on my own! Nikolai, Yuri and Zvezda have been running their cities for months! Now I have added to your network! Now you have five cities under your claws!” Casimir said innocently. “I would say you’re dumber than a box of rocks, but that’s insulting the rocks! Now, you listen to me and listen good! Tonight, you send the ponies back to their camp, telling them not to remember what they have been doing. You will start drilling Coronavirus on how to cast the spell, because if anyone tries to trace it, it will lead directly back to the caster, namely, YOU!” Vladimir roared, clearly upset with his subordinate. “If any trouble comes out of this, you’re on your own! Don’t call on me to bail you out, got it?” There was a long pause as Casimir took in the information. “Yes, Vladimir. When I next call you, it will be to report success and the shipping of your tithe,” the red dragon said humbly to his superior. “I swear you won’t regret bringing me here from Equestria!” “Too late, Casimir. I already do. If I could send you back, I would, but I can’t. You better learn to cover your ass before the locals remove it! End call!” Vlad barked before the crystal went blank.  He sprawled on his bed for a couple of minutes before pushing his intercom switch. “Neb, send down some tranquilizer. Casimir did Casimir again, and so did Corona.” “Fifteen minutes, Vlad. I’ll mix a fresh batch. Sounds like you need it,” Neb told his boss. “I do. Make it a double.” “Gotcha, Vladimir.”