When the Tangent reached Urv, they found a huge gathering of citizens waiting for them at the base of the main air tower. A new system of airlocks had been installed, larger, to allow cargo transfer, like those at The Outpost, and modified for the Tangent's locks so that the much larger ship could moor at a slightly greater height than the smaller ships. The changes represented a lot of work, and Euphrankes was impressed.
The difference in Urv was astonishing. Things that had seemed grimy, forgotten, and on the short track to entropy were clean, polished, and gleamed in the morning light. The streets were cleared, and there were even a few vehicles moving about them.
"Word has it," Zins said, staring down at those gathered below, "that the main road to Bethes has been cleared. They've made it through with a large cargo of food, and the priests in Bethes are working with Cyril's ambassadors to strengthen their pumps. The air is a little better all along, and people are coming outside to enjoy it."
"It's surreal," Euphrankes said. "I feel like it's only been days since I climbed down from this same platform, only to be banished for daring to dream about the ship I'm standing in now."
"That's the way life works," Zins said with a shrug. "When things happen, they tend to happen suddenly. It could have been a lot different outcome…I'd say we did pretty good."
Euphrankes smiled.
"You're right, of course. Doesn't change how it feels, though. I still can't get used to the idea of High Councilor Cumby smiling."
Both men laughed, and then, as the final lock was clamped in place, they preceded the crew down through the airlocks and onto the platform. As he climbed down, Euprhankes heard something odd. The lower he got, the louder the sound grew, and then very suddenly he recognized it. It was music. Live music.
He stopped and glanced down. Zins, who was descending directly behind him, nearly stepped on his head.
"What is it?" Zins asked, irritated.
"Listen," Euphrankes said.
And they did. All of them, up and down the ladder. They stood very still, and they listened, and then, suddenly someone laughed. It wasn't a laugh of mirth, but of delight.
"Where is it coming from?" Zins asked.
"I'm not sure," Euphrankes said. "Let's get down there and find out."
At the base of the tower, they found their answer. Cyril was there, and with him was a small contingent of priests. Each of them held a different instrument. Euphrankes had heard the music before, of course. They played it in The Temple nightly. None of them, however, had ever seen the men with the instruments – and, in his memory, the music had never been played in the streets.
High Councilor Cumby stepped forward with Cyril by his side. The old priest was smiling.
"Don't look so shocked," he said. "When I was a boy – and granted, that was a very long time ago – there was often music in the streets. We've been playing as often as we can, even working on some new songs. The sound seems to help the workers, and the air…it's been a long time since it was better to breathe outside The Temple than it is inside. Since we have you to thank…"
Euphrankes held up a hand.
"Stop that," he said. "There were a lot of people involved in bringing about these changes. I may have helped to set it all in motion but without the two of you supporting me, and my crew, and Zins' crew, and…well…let's say it's been a group effort. The music is lovely."
They all stood for a while and listened. Finally, High Councilor Cumby broke the silence.
"They have a small ceremony planned in your honor," he said, "all of you. The citizenry and The Council and even The Temple have a few things to gift you. I know you can't carry much, but I think you'll find that what we have will be of use. Then we'll settle you all in for a good night's rest to be ready for tomorrow's launch."
Euphrankes nodded. He couldn't resist glancing up over his shoulder into the sky.
They walked back toward Urv as a group. Some things had not changed. They still didn't use mechanized transport lightly. Cumby explained that they wanted to maintain as much order as possible, so they were not changing the rules en masse. Also, they felt that the revitalized atmosphere didn't need to be challenged so soon. The attitude of the citizens, and The Council, was that the improvements were a blessing, and to be treated as such.
The walk seemed somehow shorter than the last time they’d made it. The way was lined with waving, cheering citizens, and the priests and their instruments followed along behind. Before they knew it, they were in the city proper, where they saw that tables had been set up in the street outside The Council Hall. There were banners and baskets, food and drink.
On the central table there was a pile of packages. The rest of The Council sat behind in chairs behind that table, arranged in a semi-circle. There was a podium fronting the chairs, and High Councilor Cumby made his way to it slowly. Euphrankes and the others stood, uncertain what to expect, waiting.
“This is too weird,” Aria whispered. “Has The Council ever met outside the chamber before this?”
“There were times, long ago, when they did,” Euphrankes said. “I’ve never seen it, but my father told me they used to hold ceremonies where they honored those who accomplished great things, and made presentations. When Myril became High Priest there was such a ceremony.
Once Cumby was in place, the group was ushered up to stand across the table from him, turned so that they faced out into the crowd. Hundreds of faces smiled back at them, some that they knew, others they’d never seen. There were children clinging to their parent’s legs and couples, arm-in-arm. They stood and waited as Cumby turned on the amplifier on his podium and cleared his throat.
“It has been too long since we have gathered like this,” he said. “The last time, I was a much younger man, and the occasion was less auspicious. I hope that in the future we’ll have occasion to do this often. With the roads opening, and new breakthroughs in the pumps, patches, and airlocks daily, I suspect it won’t be a problem to find those worthy of reward.
“Today, there is no doubt of the occasion. By this time tomorrow, some of our best and brightest will be launched on a new adventure. I can’t begin to tell you all that may be riding on their success, and I don’t believe I have to tell you the danger they face. It is a courageous mission, and one worthy of The Protectors, who made it possible for us to survive and progress to this point…often against our will.”
There was a polite smattering of applause, but it was subdued. None of them was quite comfortable with the new order, and laughing at the way they’d lived their lives for decades did not come easily.
“Before we send them off,” Cumby continued, “The Council, some of our engineers, and the priests of The Temple have gathered a few items to send along with them. We realize that space is limited, so we have prepared nothing to large or ungainly, but I believe what we have will be of some use, and possibly some comfort before all is said and done.
“Euphrankes, Zins, Aria, would the three of you step up here please?”
They did as they were asked, standing at the table. There were five packages, neatly wrapped. They were not marked for any particular person. The labels read:
To the Officers and Crew of the Tangent .
Farscinian, a thin, darkly mustached Councilor, rose from his seat and stepped up to face them across the table. He picked up the first of the packages and presented it to Euphrankes.
“This first is my personal gift to you, Euphrankes,” High Councilor Cumby said. “It is addressed to the entire crew, because I trust you will display it in a place where it can provide inspiration and hope. It was presented to The Council by your father, long, long ago. I believe you may recognize it, or, at least what it represents.”
Euphrankes opened the package carefully. When the paper fell to the table, he held a small, transparent case. Inside, resting on delicately constructed metal blocks, was a model of an airship. The lines were much older than those of the Vector, very similar to those of the Axis. Euphrankes stared at it for a long time, then glanced up sharply.
“This is the model he brought before The Council? The one he used…”
“To convince us that he should be allowed to put an airlock in the First Veil and build an airship. Yes, Euphrankes…that is the prototype model for the Alexis…sister ship to Maester Zins’ Axis.”
Euprhankes held the case very carefully. He studied the tiny airship, and a tear formed at the corner of one of his eyes. He didn’t wipe it away, and eventually it trickled down his cheek and dropped to the ground.
“Thank you,” he said at last. “I will mount this on the bridge of the Tangent in a place where all who pass will see it.”
Cumby nodded, and smiled. Next, Councilor Farscinian picked up a longer, flatter package and held it out to Maester Zins, who took it with a small bow.
“As Navigator,” Cumby said, “you will be responsible for the charts. We weren’t sure what you had available, or how accurate they might be, so we’ve had the priests on watch in The Chamber of Stars kept busy This package contains charts of the stars as we know them, and duplicate copies so you will be able to record your travels more accurately. They are bound for protection, and we would be honored if, upon your return, you would return them to the library in that chamber for study.”
“I will keep them carefully,” Zins said, bowing again, “and I will return them gladly. It would be an honor to have my words kept in so important a collection.”
The next package was much smaller, and Farscinian offered it to Aria.
“I know that as First Officer, you won’t be spending a lot of time in the gardens,” Cumby said, “but it will be your job to interface with the crew, and to help keep morale as high as possible. With the opening of the road to Bethes, we’ve been able to renew certain stores that have been lacking for a long time. This package contains several varieties of seeds. If used properly, and tended well, they will help add variety to your meals, and help to bring a few smiles. I hear that you have a rather remarkable gardening setup on board. I trust you can make good use of them.”
“I will carry these to Bonymede, who designed the gardens and lighting system,” Aria said. “I will personally see that they are cared for properly, and I thank you. On such a long journey, any distraction will be important, and a variety in the menu will be perfect.”
There were two packages left. Farscinian picked the first and handed it to Euphrankes.
“In the way of distractions, we don’t have all that much to offer,” Cumby said. “What we have, though, is yours. This gift is also from the priests. They have copied several volumes from their library – a history of Urv, an observation log of the stars, which you will find also includes notes, thoughts, and writings by priests stretching back a very great amount of time into the city’s past. Many of them are inspirational. Also included is a collection of stories written by citizens of Urv over the years. Many such have been penned, as you know, but these, over time, were gathered and deemed worthy of preservation. I hope they will remind you of family, and home.”
It was Euphrankes turn to bow. It was a great honor. Books were simply not lent from the library of The Temple. They were kept as the private provenance of the priests, studied and meditated on – often read aloud in The Temple. The act of copying such a work involved many long hours of labor, and it was a great gift.
“Finally,” Cumby said, “I have something we promised you earlier – something more practical. It is our hope that you will pass this on to young Ozymandes for safekeeping and study. In this package you will find copies of all the manuals associated with the pumps. Since you will be transmitting to us regularly, it is our hope that, should you discover anything of significance, you will pass that along to us as well. In the meantime, we thought the diagrams and rituals might aid you in improving your own systems and keep you that much safer until you return.”
Euphrankes placed the packages safely on the table, and turned to face the crowd. He didn’t have a microphone, so he spoke loudly and as clearly as he could. He found it difficult at first because of the odd lump that had formed in his throat.
“Tomorrow,” he said, “we’ll launch into an unknown future. Not that many years in the past, though it seems lifetimes, my father took such a leap of faith, and because of that, we have the airships. I would like to think that, were he here, he’d approve of what we’re doing.
“There is a lot of work to be done right here in Urv, in the roads, and in neighboring cities. This is a great time for all of us – a coming together. For too many years we’ve allowed our world, our families, our cities – to grow farther apart. We’ve accepted things as they came, rather than working toward change.
“Now change of a higher magnitude has been thrust upon us. We have come to levels of understanding that serve only to show us how little we actually understand. It’s a frightening, glorious, intriguing, wonderful time to be alive. We will think of each and every one of you as we launch, and we will send back what we can. We will find new answers – probably to questions we haven’t even thought of yet.
“The future is a place worth going,” he concluded. “We thank you for the thoughts, and the gifts. I only hope we prove worth of all the hope, gifts, and good wishes.”
There was scattered applause, and Euphrankes waved, smiling.
“That concludes the presentations,” Cumby said. “We have refreshments available, and we hope our enterprising voyagers will mingle, speak to us and answer questions for a time. We don’t want to keep them too late. I’ve arranged good, comfortable quarters for the entire crew so they can leave refreshed, rested, and as comfortable as possible.”
There was a light squeal of feedback from the amplifier, and then the crowd began milling nervously forward. Euphrankes, Zins, and Aria greeted them, talking, laughing, listening to the thoughts and dreams of each crowd member and doing their best to make the moment as memorable for those gathered as it had been for them.
Finally things began to break up, and Euphrankes gathered his companions. They scooped up the gifts they’d been presented. Cumby directed them to follow him, into The Council building.
“We have arranged quarters here,” he said. “We have rooms that, in the past, were used by visiting dignitaries from distant cities. We hope to make use of them again in the near future, and this was a good opportunity to freshen them and get them ready.”
“We appreciate every bit of this,” Euphrankes said. “We would have been fine on board, of course, but this will be more comfortable, and will give us a solid, final memory of the city.”
“We’ll see you in the morning,” Cumby said with a smile. “I’ll escort you back to the tower. I think most of The Council will be gathered with Cyril in the Chamber of Stars to watch your departure. They have a young artist who will be present, as well…they hope he’ll be able to record the moment with more clarity than memory alone could manage.”
The men all shook hands, and in a completely unexpected gesture, Cumby gave Aria a quick, tight hug.
“Sleep well,” he said. “And Euphrankes, your words will be remembered. ‘The future is, indeed, a place worth visiting.’ I will not forget you said that.”
Cumby turned then and walked away, leaving them with two of the guards, who escorted them to their rooms for the night. It was not long before they separated into their quarters and climbed into bed.
Euphrankes and Aria took advantage of the spacious quarter afforded them. They wrapped themselves in one another’s arms and made slow, careful love until they fell asleep in a jumble of arms, legs and dreams. They slept deeply, well, and long, awakening only when a soft beeping from the room’s communicator summoned them to their morning meal.
“What do you think?” Aria asked sleepily. “Ready to meet the future?”
“As long as it’s with you,” Euphrankes answered, rolling off the bed and dressing quickly. “Anywhere, as long as it’s with you.”