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

[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."

[vance_prime]

Alyx manages a faint, wry smile. "White Forest was an old military base meant for about one hundred personnel. We'll manage."

[smelltheashes]

"Different kind of close quarters," says Kate. "We don't live on the surface these days. Ain't worth the trouble of hidin' any time somethin' passes overhead."

[vance_prime]

"Again, we'll manage. We're out of other options."

Unless people want to stay on the Borealis. And given the speed at which they're leaving, that seems unlikely.

[smelltheashes]

"Figured as much," says Kate. "Okay, then. Let's get your folks movin'. Only place big enough to get 'em all inside without a tunnel crawl's Druid Cave, 'n that's a ways upstream from here."

She'll deal with the whole my son appeared out of NOWHERE with a GIANT TELEPORTING BOAT full of STRANGE PEOPLE and DROPPED THEM ALL IN MY LAP thing when she's alone. Right now, she's got an image to uphold and a lot of hospitality to live up to and she will be damned if any of these people see her being anything but up to the task.

"Dave, you'n Jerry better bring up the rear. Me'n Dan'll be up front in case Ms. Vance here's got any questions or anything."

[vance_prime]

Alyx is feeling more than a little strung out herself. It may or may not be obvious to Kate.

"I am sorry to impose on you like this, Mrs. Shephard. If there's anything we can do to help out..."

[smelltheashes]

"Don't you worry about that none," says Kate firmly. "We'll figure somethin' out in the morning. Right now you folks need somewhere safe'n secure 'fore you're good for any kind of serious thinkin'. I aim to get you that."

She glances at Alyx, eyes traveling up and down for a moment.

"You ain't tryin' to do all this alone, are you?"

[vance_prime]

She sags a little. "As opposed to what, exactly?"

[smelltheashes]

"Somebody ought t'be helpin' you take care of yourself," Kate says gently. "You got any family or anything?"

There's plenty of young women in Alyx's condition in Rowlesburg these days. Kate's aware of just how delicate male-female relations can be, with this generation of young people not really knowing how to handle anything whatsoever. Coming out and asking where is he, and why isn't he with you? isn't something she asks lightly.

[vance_prime]

Alyx looks down. "My only blood relative died four months ago," she says quietly. "My fiancé left on a field mission with your son about an hour before the Combine came."

[smelltheashes]

"Oh," says Kate. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry-"

Then the other sentence sinks in.

"Waaaaait a second. Adrian's alive?"

[vance_prime]

She looks back up. "Yeah, didn't you get the transmissions we sent out?"