“Oh, it’s no big. I was just wondering why most of you didn’t stay where you were when the moon orbits.”
He shrugged. “We can move, so we do. As you have seen, we can move our buildings with us. This is done all over Cradus. Other than the area where the Orange Scourge has taken . . . root, is that right?”
“Yes, taken root would be the right term. Was that area inhabited before?”
“It was, which is how we know that the Orange Scourge is deadly to us. And our world.”
“And yet, it’s thriving here . . .”
Because Feoren didn’t know me, he didn’t ask what I was thinking. Instead he nodded. “Yes, which is our dilemma. I will leave you to relax. Call for me when you’re ready.”
Went inside and Feoren closed the door behind me. Suggested that we only remove the parts of the Moon Suits covering our heads, and everyone agreed.
Algar was here with the Royal Hatbox, meaning he’d collected the least weasels since I’d talked to SuperBun. He hadn’t gone with us to the forest, but I only realized that now. Figured no one else had noticed either way, other than maybe Gower and White. Had no idea what his game was, just that it was a long one and one he expected me to win for him, somehow. Always the way. Literally, as I was fast finding out on this trip.
We ate, drank, and rested. While we did so—and Jeff talked with Christopher, Gower, White, and his brothers-in-law, TCC and Jonathan Price, about how this world was the perfect example of life as we didn’t know it but was still amazingly familiar, and I chatted with Amy and Jeff’s sisters, Sylvia and Marianne, about how the rest of the Martini clan was missing all this amazing stuff that was almost too good to be true—let my mind work on the Orange Scourge Issue.
Came up with some ideas, but couldn’t put them into action until Reader’s team was back. So, thought about why Naomi had brought us here. The why of our arrival was obvious—we needed to see what this world was doing to protect itself so we’d feel protective of them. Achievement unlocked.
But why bring the people she’d had Jamie bring? So few of them made sense—Jeff’s Cabinet in particular, the Valentino and Price families in the other particular. There had to be a reason. But damned if I could figure out what it was. Maybe it had to do with things on Earth. Meaning I’d find out when we got back. Bottom line—I’d know why they were along when I had to and likely not a moment before.
Back to this situation, then. Clearly, Naomi wanted this world saved, and I couldn’t blame her. Also clearly, these people had been, if not truly harmed, at least menaced by Mephistopheles’ people. Figured that at least one of the several plans I’d come up with would probably solve the Orange Scourge problem. Figured also that we’d come up with a good way to protect Cradus, since they knew where in the galaxy they were and we could call in help from one or more of our allies.
But there was a pattern, the Utopia Pattern. We now had two solar systems we planned to put under our protection. From what Kreaving had said, was willing to bet that the system his ship had stranded in was also going to somehow be utopian, or at least peaceful. He hadn’t been afraid of the locals and, greater firepower or not, if there were enough angry people with spears and rocks, you and your spaceship could be toast.
Maybe the pattern was simple—that utopian worlds were at risk from less than ideal ones. But that seemed too simplistic. Maybe I just didn’t have enough intel yet. Three utopian worlds, yes, but Tropea was destroyed and we’d only made two stops. Perhaps the answer lay with the system Kreaving was in. If we could find it.
So, no answers for any of my questions. I was batting a thousand on thinking failure.
Stopped the Debbie Downer mindset. We’d find it. Period. Not just to keep Mother from potentially slagging, but because I refused to believe we’d be too late. Maybe we’d cut it close, but we’d get there and we’d save them. Somehow.
Could have pondered Mephistopheles’ message about what was in that system’s sun, but didn’t have the oomph. Meaning my next steps were clear—right now, I had to continue vacationing.
Realized I wasn’t used to it anymore. Back in the day, Jeff and I would escape to Cabo as often as we could manage. Once we’d been sent to D.C., though, those times were fewer and farther between, and once Jeff had become the President our vacations were nonexistent. Due to how our first trip to Camp David had been, thanks to Operation Madhouse, none of us wanted to go back there, and we’d managed not to return.
During a pause in both conversations, leaned over to Jeff. “You’re done helping Chuckie, Mister Amateur Astrogator. Your family needs your attention.”
“Why? Is something wrong?”
“Yeah. Our kids haven’t seen their father relax in, for Charlie, his entire lifetime. Jamie probably can’t remember the last time you weren’t stressed out of your mind. Lizzie’s only known us through stress and strife. It’s time to take the vacation we haven’t had that all the kids have been asking for. Whether it’s a day or a week, until we know where we’re going next, you’re on Fun Dad Duty.”
Jeff grinned. “Okay. Chuck was doing his best not to ask me why I’d insisted on helping.” His smile faded. “And we’re no closer to figuring out where to go anyway.”
“Then we’ll relax. I want the guys each taking time to relax, too, Chuckie and Brian especially. This is their only vacation time, too.”
“I agree,” Amy said. “Not that you asked. But I think we all need the break this amazing world has offered to us. Oh, and I know what I want to do after dinner. Well, twenty minutes after, at least.”
“What’s that?” Jeff asked.
Amy winked at me. “I want to go swimming in the ocean made of mercury.”
CHAPTER 66
TURNED OUT THAT SWIMMING in the oceans of mercury was something the Cradi did for fun. And the Moon Suits would allow us to do so safely, too.
Being from or around Earth, all of us wanted to be in bathing suits, not our clothes, to do this excursion. The Moon Suits would protect us either way, but everyone was weirded out thinking about going to the beach in, say, a business suit, so we all changed in the Distant Voyager. We were able to go barefoot due to the Moon Suits, too.