Outlanders

Chapter 15: Landfall

On the seventeenth day of the voyage, the crew of the steamship sat on the deck at the bow, looking ahead. Eva, Leif and Zoltána stood behind them, with the children around their feet or perched on their shoulders. Caldus and Astrapi sat to one side, lost in their own thoughts. Qasikay stood in front of everyone, gripping the railing and staring straight ahead, her eyes wide open.

"They told us we'd find a port here," said the captain. "Didn't tell us anything else, but we ought to see shore. Any minute now..."

"It's been so long," Qasikay breathed. "Munapakuyki, wañurikusani qamrayku, wasi ayllu."

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Qasikay stared into the uncaring fog, and her patience ran out. Dropping her voice, she whispered a spell, then cast it, flicking her hands with the grandest gesture she dared to make. The mist parted.

"I think I see it," said Caldus, getting to her feet.

"There it is!" cried Qasikay. She pointed ahead, bouncing on her toes. "I see it! I see it! Mountains!"

"Mountains?" said the captain. "What in the world...?"

"I see it too," said Astrapi. "That's a mountain range. Never seen them that big."

Leif stepped up to Zoltána and whispered, "Should we make ourselves scarce? Whoever owns that port won't be friendly to us."

"Get the others behind the cabin, please," she replied. "We need to decide what to do."

"Alright."

Zoltána motioned Eva to a nook behind the cabin while Leif found the bounty hunters and whispered for them to join her. He then walked up to Qasikay.

"Qasikay," he said, "we need to decide how to sneak onto the shore."

"Yes," Qasikay whispered back. "We were lucky. These ship mates do not know that we are their enemy. But the invaders on the ground will." With a sharp little sigh, Qasikay turned away from the faint image of the mountainous shore. The mist closed behind her as she walked astern.

"What's the plan?" asked Astrapi, as Leif and Qasikay joined the group.

"We should steal a lifeboat so we don't have to hide in crates again," said Zoltána.

"Do we have to steal from this crew?" asked Leif. "They've done right by us."

"Wait..." said Eva, "Zoltána... what if we gave it back? There's a current in this water. A current that runs down the shore. What if we went up the current and landed, then let the boat drift back? They wouldn't see us, Zoltána. It would be perfect."

"I like it," said Astrapi. "Even if they wanted to, they wouldn't be able to track us."

"Momma, you're a genius!" said László.

Eva beamed to herself.

"Alright," said Astrapi, clapping his palms. "Let's get moving. If we want to steal a boat, we'd better do it soon."

"I agree," said Caldus. "But there is something I want to do first. This should only take a few minutes."

On that, Caldus ducked away from the group and slipped around to the stairs that led below deck. Her feet made light, even taps on the hollow steps as she walked into a recession where a lone figure sat in the dark. Caldus knocked on the wooden wall, and the figure stood up.

"What do you want?" said Nabina.

"My friends and I are leaving this ship. If you want to join us, this is your last chance."