The Mississippi Voyager

by Alden MacManx

Chapter 9: The Pieces Assemble

3 April 2017, 1900 hours, Medford, Oklahoma

Four ponies sat in the yard of their house, still looking to the northeast, where the column of smoke still hung, lit by the sun in the northwestern sky. Three were earth ponies – a black stallion with lime-green mane and tail and grass-green forelegs and hooves; a white mare with a navy blue mane and tail, also with grass-green forelegs and hooves; and a young filly, a pale pink in color with a dark pink mane with one wide white stripe, a purple tail and black hooves. The fourth was a unicorn colt, about the same age as the filly, with a sky-blue coat, gold mane and tail, and snowy-white horn and hooves.

“It’s a sign, Pa. A sign to go where that column rose from. The Lord would not send such a sign if he did not mean us to heed it,” the mare said.

“I agree, Ma. At least I know where to go. One good thing about being a cross-country driver, I’ve been everywhere in this country, and I know roughly where it rose from. Somewhere east of Topeka, north of Forty. I’ll know better as we get closer,” Pa said in a thick Okie accent.

“That’s gonna be a long walk, Grampa. How are we going to have enough supplies to make it there, and how are we going to make transport?” the colt asked.

“The half-truck should hold all we need, and we can push this crop here to ripeness in a couple of days. As needed, we can either forage or stop for a time and grow some more,” Pa said in a voice that would not be denied.

“We’re going to need to find more camping gear than you have here, Grampa,” the filly said.

“I know where to find some, Pepper,” Pa said. “I, for one, am still thanking the Lord your flight got delayed and didn’t arrive until three in the morning.”

Pa looked at the slowly-dissipating column. “When the Lord sends a message like this, we would be foolish not to follow it. We’re not fools, none of us. Let’s go in and finish making dinner, okay?”

“Good idea, Pa,” Ma said as she got up to head inside the farmhouse, the others following her.

3 May 2017, 1600 hours, Nashville Street Pier, New Orleans, Louisianne

The Mississippi Voyager sat at the dock, having arrived not two hours before after a speed run from Kansas City, with stops at Saint Louis, Memphis, Natchez and North Point, only overnighting to drop off cases of potions of mixed types to each colony. Going downstream at full speed still took over two weeks to do, and going back would take even longer. They had come back to Louisianne on Queen Marie’s orders, to pick up a team of scientists and miners to find samples of the meteor that landed in Kansas. They were also going to haul up two trucks with trailers to find a site or three. Diesel trucks, so they could refuel from the boat.

The crew was waiting for Her Majesty to come by, with mission orders, gems for the rest of the crew, and information on just who will be coming along. Not to mention a cargo crew to take the five percent of potions loaded in Kansas City, as specified in The Agreement. All they knew was that it would be ‘after four in the afternoon’, so the crew were busy, many transferring cargo out of bays one and two to allow for conversion into a garage for the trucks and trailers. The Third Officer, Harry Bell, being the Cargo Officer, was in Bay Six, the refrigerated can, arranging the potions for offloading, X amount for Louisianne, the rest for the next transport to Maasvlakte and other points. Maasvlakte had its own potion-producing capability, Kansas City adding much-desired additional capacity.

It wasn’t until five-thirty that the Queen let Captain Crane know she would be arriving within fifteen minutes. He let the crew know to gather on the mess deck, and once all were there, Her Majesty teleported in. Those who were citizens bowed, the non-citizens did also, but not as deep.

“Good to see you all,” Marie said in greeting. “I could be all formal, but not today. Bartender, could you make me a mint…” she trailed off as the cook, Jason McTerry, came out from behind the bar to present her with a freshly made mint julep. “Thank you,” Jason just bowed to her before going back behind the bar, pouring and mixing drinks. As Doctor Macombe is talkative, Jason is silent. Unheard, but always there when needed.

“Everyone, get a drink while I set up,” the Queen said, opening her saddlebags with her white glow, removing a velvet pouch, a large binder, and a small box. When everyone sat back down with the drink of their choice, she began.

“First off, I want everyone to come up here one at a time. If you have a contact gem, I will replace it with another, updated as to whom you can contact. For those who do not, the unicorns will have gems that could reach me, so I can look through if needed, like with the dragons in Saint Louis. The others will have gems that will let you talk silently to the rest of the crew, but that’s about it. I could look through, but it is a peephole compared to a window.”

Once everyone was given their gems, a quick telepathic consultation with Her Majesty taught them all what they needed to know to use the gems properly. The Captain’s gem was a diamond, the First and Second officer’s rubies, the unicorns got emeralds and the rest were sapphires. “The remaining contents go in your safe, Captain. I will let you know when to open the bag.

“Now, for the real reasons I called you down here. Tomorrow, you will be receiving a survey party that has the mission of retrieving some of the meteoric iron that landed in Kansas last month. Of what will be recovered, half will be brought to me, a third will go to the WSU and the remaining sixth for the Kansas City tribe. I do not expect other parties to be there, but the possibility exists. I will trust your judgment on how to handle matters, should the need arise.

“You will also be bringing an ambassador to Saint Louis. I absolutely do NOT trust the two dragons, and the Ambassador will have the primary mission of keeping those two under her foot.

“You are to proceed at best possible speed back to Kansas City, with stops authorized at Memphis and Saint Louis for a day and a night each, for maintenance and rest. You may dragoon the survey team to assist you as needed. Any problems, let me know.

“You are to leave within three days at the latest to head north, depending on how long it takes to stow gear. One vehicle is for you, the other to the survey party.

“The Mississippi Ranger will be ready by the end of the month, and they can handle any outbound cargo for the summer. The Mississippi Star is being built, and should be ready by September, staffing being the main issue. Your job is to get the meteoric iron, as much as you can find, and get it either back here or to those who can work it. Your reports did say Kansas City has a metal worker. Let’s see how good she is.

“Now, let’s have dinner, shall we? I know Mister McTerry has something exquisite prepared, and I am eager to have a real dinner with real ponies who are not trying to curry favor!” Her Majesty said with a laugh, which was echoed by everyone. “Q and A session has started. Mister Frack, I have to say your play by play of the meteor fall was interesting. It was like I could see it!”

The dinner and talk with Queen Marie lasted an hour before she took her leave and teleported out. The crew, after cleanup, went back to work, prepping as much as they could before the next day, all the while practicing silent communication, under the tutelage of the top three officers, who were already trained.

---

Early the next morning, the crew met the survey team destined for Kansas, led by a rather young-looking yellow and red unicorn mare who wore a lab coat and glasses, whose cutie mark was a telescope on top of a pick. She introduced herself as Doctor Laura Van Hoosen, formerly Professor of Astrogeology at Tulane University. The rest of her party consisted of three earth ponies, a diamond dog and a griffin, all pulling collapsible carts loaded with metal-detection equipment, analysis gear, and tools. They immediately took over Bay Five, loading and arranging to their benefit.

Later in the day, two long-bed pickup trucks arrived, each towing trailers partially loaded with camp gear. There was a bit of a kerfluffle when it was realized that while the truck and trailer combo would each fit into a cargo bay, they could not be loaded and unloaded from the bays together. They would have to be taken apart and loaded into the bays separately, and unloaded the same way. Hitch the two together on the deck and drive off the forward gangplank. Loading and unloading was going to take the unicorns, diamond dogs and a whole lot of Armstrong Patent to get in and out.

Just before dinner, the Ambassador to Saint Louis arrived, a hulking gargoyle who gave his name as Ivan Pestov. Ivan stood over six feet tall and four feet wide, muscles on muscles, who spoke in a slow, deep Slavic-accented voice. His looks were quite intimidating indeed, but he readily admitted that while he could play a rough, tough meanie, he really preferred gardening, cooking, and teaching. His job was more of intimidating a dragon and helping clear monsters than to doing any actual official business with the Saint Louis team. “Her Majesty insists they make their own decision if they want to join Louisianne, WSU, or none. I’m there just to watch the dragon, not so much the colony,” he explained. He tapped the gem he wore, a rather large emerald. “The Tsarina, she no trust Casimir.”

Early morning of the 6th of May, 2017, the Mississippi Voyager pulled out of New Orleans, destination: the meteor strike, dreams of fame, fortune and magic dancing in their heads as they headed northbound.

---

3 June 2017, 0600, Cincinnati, Ohio

Two dragons, about twenty ponies of all different types, two diamond dogs and a yak all gathered in Vladimir’s subway station lair. Vladimir himself was up on a platform, overlooking the crowd. Nebulous Nimbus projected a large map of the area into the air next to Vladimir.

“We know the meteor fell here two months ago,” Vladimir said, pointing to the area of the map between Topeka and Lawrence, Neb highlighting it. “By now, the ground should be safe to investigate. Zvezda, you’re in charge of the expedition, Genghis, you’re her second. Your mission is simple, go in, find as much metal as you can, then get back out. All metal will go to Zvezda’s city for refining and forging,” as Pittsburgh was highlighted.

Zvezda, a large dragon with scales of varying shades of a brilliant blue and yellow, spoke up. “We are to raft down from here to where the big river links up, moor where the two big rivers meet, then cross land and approach from the south, the better to avoid the pony colonies,” she said, the route highlighting on the projected map, going down the Ohio River, across the Mississippi, then overlanding across central Missouri to Kansas, then going north between Topeka and Lawrence to the impact site.

“If anyone else is there looking for metal, we are to get the metal from them, preferably not by killing, but by conquering and placing into servitude,” growled Genghis, a very large black earth pony stallion with a cutie mark of a bow crossed by a sword.

“Correct, Genghis. If multiple groups are gathering there, and we know that Louisianne and the WSU are, killing will only anger the communities, and they may want to strike back. Why don’t we want that to happen?” Vladimir asked the crowd.

Zvezda’s aide, a unicorn mare named Impedimenta, who had a rather shaggy gray coat with a brilliant red mane and tail and a black horn, answered the question. “Always make the assumption in planning that those who you can piss off are at least as powerful as you are, until proven otherwise!” she called from her place alongside Zvezda.

“Correct, Impedimenta. Let us find out their true capability before we start killing. Besides, we can always use more workers, da? Corpses are a drag until disposed of,” Vladimir said calmly. All the ponies in the crowd nodded in agreement.

Genghis then spoke up. “The rafts are ready to go, Vladimir. All we are waiting for is your command to depart.”

“The command is given. Nikolai and Yuri have been informed to complete your provision stocks as you reach their cities. With provisions, they will also add a specialist to assist in the finding and excavating of the metal. Now, go and return with the metal, or not at all!” Vladimir said forcefully.

“Yes, sir!” The group chorused before filing out of the subway station, heading for the river and the flatboats.

---

4 June 2017, 1200 hours, near the impact site

Seven buffalo stood at the shore of a lake that was not there before, looking at the calm waters and the silt-splashed surroundings. Plant life, like grasses and such, had sent some shoots out, but the area around the lake was not nearly as lush as it is farther out. A small river made its way out of one end of the lake, through a channel that was much too big for it. Farther off, a hill which was easily several hundred feet high rose from the lake shore, with little plant life and a lot of erosion channels visible on the side they could see.

“Much magic here now. Very much under the lake, not so much under the hill, less on either side. Easy to feel, not easy to reach,” Chief Twogogglehat proclaimed.

“Some in stream, too. Would be like panning for gold, collecting nuggets and dust,” commented one of the cows, who had taken the name Cunning Stratagem, or ‘Strat’ for short.

“Yes. The gods brought the star metal here. Our test is getting to it and using it properly afterward,” Twogogglehat replied.

“We could use some nuggets. Would help us focus our magics,” said the other bull buffalo, lighter brown in color with a whitish face, who had chosen the name Paleface, or ‘Paley’.

“Nuggets will help, but refined metal charms will be much better than a raw nugget,” said Wakinya, the young white buffalo, who was undergoing training with the buffalo herd, having spent over a year with the ponies. “There are some nearby. Let me find some.” He snuffled at the ground, searching for the meteor bits.

“Be careful with what you find, Wakinya,” Twogogglehat cautioned. “There could be consequences.”

“With a large lump, yes. A small nugget will not be any problem, so says the old crow,” Wakinya said as he pawed in the mud near the creek, uncovering a small blackened stone small enough to fit snugly in his hoof. “Hmm. Interesting.”

“What are you feeling, Wakinya?” Twogogglehat asked in the Sioux language.

“This is definitely a tiny piece of the star metal,” the young white buffalo stated. “I can feel something, but I am not yet certain of what it is I am feeling. Give me some time to think and feel before I speak my mind.”

All six buffalo bowed slightly to the little white one, even the Chief. “When you are ready to speak, we will listen.”

“Please, go look for more. It will help my thinking,” Wakinya said distantly, his mind more on the rock in his hoof than listening to anyone else. Silently, the buffalo scattered, looking and feeling for more pieces of meteorite.

---

4 June 2017, 1300 hours, HPI Headquarters, SOMEwhere in the United States

Ten people gathered in a meeting room, facing an eleventh at a podium. “You ten have been selected from a pool of volunteers to go out and collect samples of the meteor that fell two months ago. You will be setting out next week, on the eleventh. That will give all of you time to train on the newest variants of the exo-suits, with the man-portable thaumic shielding. Go out, get the samples, handle them very carefully, then beat fleet feet back here.

“You ten are relieved from your regular duties until one day after returning with the samples. Many of you have not been Outside since the thaumic arrival, and you’ll need the training.

“Be sure to come back alive. We’re short of manpower as it is. Your trainer will be here shortly with the first of the lessons. At least you get to go outside,” the semi-big-shot said before hurrying out of the briefing room.

Two of the people waiting were the two techs who were on duty at the time of the impact. The man, Hamilton (Ham, to everyone, because he does enjoy canned (sp)ham, said to the woman, Judy, “At last, we get to see the world!”

“Ham, Kansas is not exactly a garden spot, unless you like tall corn and sunflowers. I should know, because I grew up in Wichita. Once I went to college, I never went back. I signed up to get out of this rabbit warren for a time, is all,” she said in grumpy tones.

“While I want to get out and see someplace new. Has to be better than Las Cruces.”

“What’s worse than Las Cruces?”

“Being here for two years now,” Ham said in a quick riposte.

“You have a point,” Judy muttered as the trainer came in to start the lesson, overhead lights dimming and a projector lighting up.

Author's Note:

Apologies for taking so long, but fatigue and the quest for a new bed make heavy dents in my ability to consecrate, or something like that. Still exhausted. I'll survive.

So, all the pieces are coming together at the impact site. Not everyone is aware of any others, well, not completely. HPI and Cincinnati heard the WSU broadcast, but the WSU does not know of all who are coming. For instance, the WSU has assumed the HPI has already been there and back. Nobody knows about Ma and Pa Kettle (to use a name). What's up with them, anyhow?

That's covered in Chapter Ten. Or maybe Eleven. Let's see how things play out.

Comments

[Booster Spice]

Oh dear, Ghengis and hothead v Crows favoured and Old Man Wilson?

And then the groups trying to get things back turn up.

I really hope the big chunk doesnt do a Susan on someone. Then again, its a new lake in the middle of nowhere, how big could Silverstream the Kraken get?