Whistle Stop

[smelltheashes]

Thirty seconds ago White Forest was being destroyed with unthinkable thunder and fire from the skies.

That was then.

WHOMP!

This is now. And it has gone very, very quiet.

Comments

[smelltheashes]

"No Combine," says Dan simply.

[vance_prime]

"No Combine yet," Alyx corrects him. "The ship's pretty fucking hard to hide."

[smelltheashes]

"Yeah, I know," says Dan. "I mentioned the caves for a reason. That hill there?"

It'd be a moderately respectable mountain in most of the rest of the Eastern Seaboard.

"That sucker's shot full of more caves'n tunnels than you could shake a shotgun at. Couple of 'em're big enough to hide a boat that size in, if she's good enough at pinpointing and she don't mind bein' indoors."

[vance_prime]

Alyx isn't looking forward to explaining that to PIaDOS.

"Okay. We need to contact the locals, explain the situation..."

[smelltheashes]

"Ain't gonna be a problem. Momma's bound to have patrols out." He steps up to the railing, cups his hands around his mouth, and lets out a very credible imitation of a barn owl's screech.

Despite it being full daylight, at least three or four other 'owls' answer back from the hillside.

[vance_prime]

"Nice," murmurs Alyx. She watches the hillside for signs of movement.

[smelltheashes]

Dan beams, but says nothing. Moments later the first grey-clad figure slips out from behind the trees; then another, and another, and another. The last one calls out, "Identify yourselves."

"Bet you a bottle of beer there's at least five more where we can't see 'em," Dan murmurs. "You wanna say hi or do I go first?"

[vance_prime]

Alyx steps forward. "Alyx Vance, leader of the Resistance. We're carrying refugees from the base at White Forest."

[smelltheashes]

There's a silent moment before the speaker asks, "Then who-"

"Dan Shephard," Dan calls back. "Jerry, we got some serious problems away up north. You got to go send someone'n tell my momma we're about doublin' in size, and then you got to find somewheres Ms. Vance can fit the boat."

There's a moment's unheard discussion between the figures on the hillside. Then two of them run off, upward through the trees, and vanish somewhere between one clump of brush and the next.

"Thanks, Jer'."

Jerry comes a little further down the slope towards the boat. He's bundled up against the cold, but he's got a lot of lines to his face, a chapped-looking beak of a nose, and a pair of bright blue eyes. "No problem," he says to Dan. To Alyx he says, "Welcome to West Virginia, Ms. Vance. Sorry 'bout the introduction, but we weren't exactly expectin' guests."

[vance_prime]

"Neither were we. The Combine jammed our radios so we couldn't tell they were coming..." Alyx trails off. "Shit. Please tell me your radios are still picking up signals."

[smelltheashes]

"Last I checked they were, sure," says Jerry. "We got a sentry post out Mannheim way, 'n he reports in 'bout every hour or so. Last we heard from him was ten minute back."

[vance_prime]

"OhthankGod." Alyx visibly relaxes. "Piece of advice: If you suddenly start getting nothing but static on every frequency, run."

[smelltheashes]

"Yeah, that sort of thing don't mean anything good," Jerry agrees. "Say, uh, you folks need any help with anything in the meantime? I figure we got a couple minutes before my runners git back. Katie's a good ways back in the caves this time of day."

[vance_prime]

"I think we're okay," says Alyx. She glances back at the door into the ship. "We're okay, right?"

[smelltheashes]

"A few panic attacks belowdeck," calls the voice of Arnie the medic. "Nothing I can't handle."

A little while later there's motion up the slope, and a few more figures scramble out into the wintry landscape. One's a little shorter and rounder than the others, and dressed in brown.

[vance_prime]

Alyx leans out over the railing and waves to them. "Ahoy!"

[smelltheashes]

The brown figure waves back and comes trotting forward before pushing back its hood. She's grayer-haired and more lined in the face than the picture would indicate, but the woman's smile is still the same as she calls out, "Hello the boat! I hear all y'all're lookin' for a place to stay. Name's Kate Shephard, 'n I'm the mayor 'round here."

[vance_prime]

"Shephard?" echoes Alyx, blinking in surprise. She turns to look at Dan, her expression saying 'You neglected to mention something.'

[smelltheashes]

Dan shrugs. "Didn't think there'd be enough contact for it to matter," he says. "No point sayin' I'm related to anyone if you don't know who they are or how to reach 'em."

"You folks gonna need parking space for that boat of yours?" comes Kate's voice. "There's a sheltered spot up stream a ways if you c'n clear the riverbottom. Should be good for a day or two."

[vance_prime]

"How sheltered? If the Combine spot her at all, we're screwed."

[smelltheashes]

"Good-sized overhang on the western bank," says Kate. "The river carved through a band of real soft rock 'bout there so all that's left is the strong stuff. Real popular place with folks who didn't want to be seen, once."

[vance_prime]

"I think we'd better get everyone debarked before we worry about that," says Alyx. "We're gonna need something to use as a gangplank..."

[smelltheashes]

"Won't be a problem," says Kate. "Jerry, go see what's takin' those boys so long to git out here, would you?"

Jerry nods and heads off. He eventually returns with the rest of the grey-clad patrol and what might've once been some form of ramp or something used in mining. "This ought to do it," he says. "Let's get you folks set up now..."

[vance_prime]

"Alright people, keep it orderly, pregnant women to the front of the line--" Alyx starts ushering people toward the gangplank.

[smelltheashes]

Kate nods and steps back and smiles, but her expression starts to fade after a bit. "Dan?" she says as the line starts growing in earnest.

"Yeah, Mom?"

"Thought you said you were gonna double the population 'round here." She gestures towards the disembarking crowd. "I might need glasses at my age but I can still see this is one hell of a lot more than double a hundred'n forty-seven."

"More like triple," Dan concedes. "Sorry, Momma. Wanted to ease you into it-"

"That ain't the point, Dan. You thought I'd turn folks away in a time of need just 'cause there were too many?" She shakes her head. "You'n me, we're gonna have us a little talk first chance we get... Sorry 'bout that, Ms. Vance. Hope your folks don't have a problem with close quarters."