Alice: The Girl From Earth

Chapter Fifteen The Crockadee’s Nest

Four suns rose and set quickly in the fast spinning planet’s sky, and nights were scarce and short; without some complicated calculations no one could determine at which moment it might suddenly become dark, the short twilight flash past and a short night settle over that part of the planet. Half an hour would pass, sometimes less, and another close star rose above the thorny bushes and temporarily rose into the sky.

The planet was overgrown with forests and underbrush. At the poles the forests were low and huddled close to the ground; in the tropics they rose to unbelievable heights.

The world turned out to be heaven for a biologist. What didn’t this planet have! The oceans overflowed with fish, jelly fish, crustaceans, sea snakes, the forests were filled with every imaginable kind of animal and butterflies with wings a meter long; different kinds of birds flew over our heads, to the jagged crags of the mountains and the endless hills.

“We can stay here a while.” I said when we climbed to the top of a hill overgrown with bushes. “One planet like this could fill fifty zoos.”

“Great.” Poloskov said. “First thing we can do is carry out some repairs to the ship.”

“That’s fine.” Alice said. “But for starters we have to find the Second Captain. I’m certain he’s around here somewhere.”

“Just don’t go off in search of him on your own.” I warned Alice. “There are some very dangerous animals around here.”

“But I’m the Queen of the Natural World.” Alice said.

“The animals here might not know about that.” I said. “It might not be something covered in their educational system.”

“Then how are we going to find the Second Captain?” Alice asked.

“First thing we’ll do is orbit a scanning satellite over the planet.” Poloskov said. “And have it hunt for metal concentrations.”

“Why?”

“As soon as it locates the traces of metals used in space ships it will let us know.”

“How long will that take?”

“To do a thorough job, about two weeks.”

“That long!”

“And in the mean time you can help me.” I said. “I dub thee Feeder of Animals.”

“And Waterer of Bushes.” Alice added. “Except they’ve run all over the place and I can’t find them.”

At that moment the youngest of the wanderbushes pushed his way into the crew’s lounge and timidly stopped in the doorway. He shook his branches and began to sing, trying to make us understand that he wanted fruit juice.

“Here he is now.” Zeleny the engineer aid. “It’s all your fault for spoiling him. Soon he’ll be old enough to bite. Give him his fruit juice, God love ‘im.”

The next day we rose early, at the break of dawn. Poloskov unpacked and programmed the metal detector while I loaded nets and the survey camera into the all terrain vehicle.

We were so occupied with our own work that we missed the moment the Crockadee bird put in its appearance. All I saw was that some sort of shadow had fallen on me and I heard the beating of wings that sounded more like beaten sails.

“Down!” Poloskov shouted.

I fell onto the grass.

The claws snapped shut right over my head and the Crockadee, having missed me, beat its wings to gain altitude in order to make another run.

It was only then that I managed to get a look at it.

It was an enormous monster about the same size as a small passenger flyer. It had very narrow, long wings, a short tail and powerful, clenched claws, like the claw of a steam shovel. The bird made a narrow circle, and, like a dive bomber, headed back down out of the sky towards me.

I tried to crawl away but realized I would never make it.

I closed my eyes shut and clung tightly to the ATV’s wheel. At that moment a shot rang out.

As it happened the engineer Zeleny was able to run to the airlock, grab a pistol and shoot at the bird when it was all of three meters from me.

The bird beat its wings and rose higher and higher into the air. One of its feathers fell and landed beside me. The feather was about a meter long and so hard that its end was driven into the dry ground to stand upright like a knight’s sword.

I pulled the feather out of the ground and showed it to Alice.

“Listen,” I told her, “the owner of this feather is extremely angry and would really like to have one of us over for dinner. You know what I mean?”

“I understand. But it can’t carry away the ATV, can it?”

“No, it can’t/”

So I’ll go with you in the ATV.”

“No, Alice.” I told her. “I’m going out on a reconnaissance now and I’ll be back around supper time. All of us, other than you, are very busy. No one else even to prepare supper and feed the animals. And don’t forget that the Sewing Spider is going to run out of silk.”

“Oh, all right.” Alice agreed.

“How’s it coming with the metal detector?” I asked Poloskov, who was sitting in the ATV.

“I don’t understand it..” He answered. “For some reason its not working. It’s never misbehaved before, now it’s not working.”

The All Terrain Vehicle drove slowly through the mass of bushes, bouncing through the rough spots and easily rolling down the hills. The bushes vanished in front of the ATV and popped up again behind us after we had passed. I was thinking how fine it would be to catch one of those birds. I had learned they were called Crockadees back in Palaputra. I really wanted to get one of those monsters for the Zoo, but I understood we would hardly be able to transport it back to Earth on the Pegasus. On the other hand, if we could find one of their nests, I could obtain a fledgling. The nests must be somewhere off in the high mountains none of the trees could withstand the weight of that bird!.

I turned toward the distant mountains. My road was crossed by procession of long-legged, yellow reptiles. In front, picking his way slowly, came the tallest; each succeeding reptile was shorter and shorter…. I counted all of twenty three. The last of the reptiles was very tiny. I could have caught him, but did not bother. First we would have to determine just what, exactly, they, and see if it was possible to transport them back to

A crockadee bird fly overhead, far high above us. It had set course for the mountains. Most likely the birds nested there.

I launched an automatic net and caught a blue butterfly with meter long wings with it. While I was using the robot arms to free the butterfly and place it in the ATV’s lockers without damaging its wings the videophone’s screen lit up showing Poloskov, a look of concern on his face.

“Listen,” he said. I just launched the metal detector satellite.”

“Great.” I said. “Give me a moment. I’m trying to disentangle this butterfly..”

“But the link with it has been cut off.”

“With the metal detector?”

“Yes. This has never happened before. I checked everything out myself. There minutes after launch, the metal detector went dead.”

“Which means you’ll have to go up in the cutter, catch the darned thing, and fix it.” I said, carefully placing the butterfly into a container.

“That was what I wanted to tell you. I’m setting off now; you should return to the ship. I really don’t like this planet.”

“You’re wrong, Gena.” I said. “The planet is tremendous. I’m glad we came here.”

“And what if the Second Captain really died here?”

“You believe that?”

“I don’t know. But if such an experienced explorer could be killed here, that means this planet is hiding some truly horrendous danger about which we do not even suspect.”

“And what if his engines just failed. That happens with even the best of ships. Or what if he was killed by one of the local animals. For example, the Crockadee. Did you get a look at the claws on that thing?”

“I most certainly have.”.

Poloskov turned off the screen.

Still another bird flew past overhead, headed for the mountains, and I committed its line of flight to my memory. Most certainly that was where they nested. We would most definitely have to visit there. Sunset came quickly. I headed back to the ship.

I parked the ATV right at the base of the steps and, in darkness and went up the steps to the bridge. The first thing I did was determine where my companions were. Zeleny was in the machine ship performing miracles with his tools. Alice called out from her cabin. She said she was reading. Then I contacted Poloskov.

“How’s it going.” I asked.

“I’’ve finally located where the recognizance satellite is.” Poloskov said. “I’ll catch up with it momentarily. Don’t go off-line.”

I sat down by the port and listened while Poloskov kept muttering things to himself while trying to corner the errant machine. The short night came to an end. I looked outside at the forest, the mountains, and considered what route I would take tomorrow. Along the river for a while, then up into the hills… I would hae to take Alice. Nothing could threaten her in the ATV…

“Caught it!” Poloskov declared victory. “Putting it into the hold and coming back now.”

At that moment I saw Alice and go out onto the field in front of the Pegasus. She was walking carefully, on tiptoe, looking up at the ports, but she did not notice me.

It was cool and humid and Alice had put on her fluffy yellow jumper. It was evident she was planning to go somewhere far off. But more remarkable was the Blabberyap bird pacing back and forth in front of her on the grass. He was tied to a long chain; Alice kept the other end of the chain in her hands. She said something to the Blabberyap bird and the bird bounded into the air. Alice let the chain out as far as she could so as not to interfere with the bird’s flight. He beat his wings slowly, as though he understood that Alice could not fly, and headed toward the forest.

At that point I came to my senses.

I turned on the loud-speaker and shouted to the entire forest:

“Alice, have you gone out of your mind? Come back at once!”

But then I was afraid she could not hear me and I ran down the landing steps to grab her and return her to the ship.

When I made it to the airlocks Alice was already at the edge of the forest.

And cruising overhead was an enormous Crockadee.

“Alice!” I shouted.

But she was too far off and did not hear my cries.

I was unarmed; I didn’t have anything at all in my hands.

What can I do?

Without any real thoughts or plans in my head I ran down the steps.

Alice had caught sight of the descending bird and, from terror, let go of the chain. The frightened Blabberyap bird darted for the trees.

I ran toward Alice and saw the Crockadee reach out with its white claws, catch hold of the fluffy yellow figure, and, gaining speed, beat its wings back into the sky.

I kept running, watching them grow smaller and smaller, the ascending bird beat its wings in giant sail sweeps…

Ten minutes later Poloskov landed beside the Pegasus. By then Zeleny ad I were ready to go on the chase. We were unloading the smaller landing boat.

“Where are you off to?”

“A Crockadee took Alice!” Zeleny shouted. I said nothing. The fear and pain had taken away my gift of speech.

“Jump up here!” Poloskov ordered. He brought his cutter down low enough for me.

I jumped up, caught the lower edge of the opened lock, and climbed aboard.

Poloskov immediately shot the boat into the sky.

“Which way did it go?” He shouted over the hum of the motors.

“That way, toward the mountains.” I answered. “That’s where the nest will be.”

It only took a few minutes for us to reach the mountains, but finding the right nest wold not be so easy. Thousands of single, sharply pointed peaks rose over the plateau, and we spent more than an hour cruising overhead, finding nothing. And with every minute that passed there were fewer and fewer chances we would find Alice alive

It was the Crockadee bird itself that helped us. We caught sight of it cruising over the mountains.

“After her.” I said.

“Hold on.” Poloskov answered. “We’ll frighten her and she’ll never show us where her nest is.”

Poloskov cut back on the cutters speed and we hung over the mountains. The bird was flying toward the highest peaks, where he had yet to check. Once there the bird descended in circles and landed. Poloskov immediately headed for that mountain, gaining height as we went.

Once we had reached the mountains five or six birds rose into the sky. They viewed our cutter as an unknown flying enemy. The birds threw themselves at us heroically, and Poloskov was forced to remember his best fighter pilot skills in order to avoid colliding with the enraged birds.

“There’s the nest, look!” Poloskov said.

I pressed my face to the port.

I could make out the dark circle of the nest on the steep slope of the mountain. The nest was comprised of stones and trees and stuck to a flat niche in the mountainside above an enormous chasm.

As soon as we got lower we could make out any number of nests with birds sitting in them, birds with wings spread wide as if covering the fledglings or eggs from potential predators.

“Look.” I said.

There was something bright yellow in one of the nests. The cutter, as if it were alive, darted for the nest, so fast it left the bird we were following behind.

“No, that’s not Alice.” Poloskov said. “That’s a chick.”

Three fledglings covered in bright yellow down sat in the nest. Having caught sight of us, they waved their hooked beaks back and forth. Then an adult bird darted past us, landed on the nest, and spread its wings.

“Take us higher.” I said to Poloskov.

Then we saw yet another bird. It was heading toward one of the mountains, carrying a large fish in its talons.

“After her!” I said.

The bird did not notice us. She was headed toward the most distant nest.

And in that nest, between to enormous chicks, sat Alice. From afar she looked like a chick herself, the fault of her fluffy yellow overalls.

On seeing their mother the nestlings opened their maws, but the big bird had lifted the fish to Alice and was attempting to insert its catch into Alice’s mouth. Alice pushed it away, but the mother bird was insistent.

Poloskov broke out in laughter.

“What’s the matter with you?” I asked, not taking my eyes off the strange sight for a second.

“Alice was in no danger.” Poloskov smiled. “She was mistaken for a chick that fell from then nest and was due for a course of forced feeding.

Poloskov was right. What had saved Alice was her fluffy overalls.

We hung over the nest. Poloskov let down the steps and Alice climbed up into the cutter, while I frightened off the bird with sonic grenades and blaster bolts.

“Do you want to collect the nestlings?” Poloskov asked, still laughing.

“The next time, perhaps.” I answered. “How do you feel, Alice?”

“Not bad.” She answered.

She was covered in fish scales, but otherwise completely hale and hearty.

“I was just starting to get frightened.” She said. “And then, when she brought me to the nest, it was even comfortable. The chicks and I got along, but then the big bird naturally tried to get me to eat. You know, like your grandmother when she tries to put another spoonful of porrige down your throat.”

Poloskov was positively cheerful, asking Alice if she had managed to learn to fly, or if she didn’t want to return to her new family.

“But why did you leave the ship?” I asked sternly, after their levity had died away.

“I went in search of the Second Captain.”

“Why?”

“I overheard Poloskov say the surveyor satellite was working badly, and two weeks is really far too long to wait. And then I thought the Blabberyap might very well remember how to get to where he’d last heard the Second Captain’s voice. I asked him to show me the way, and he flew off.”

“And why didn’t you ask permission?”

“Would you have given it to me?”

“No, of course not. And there’s no Second Captain here. Forget about him.”

“No?” Alice asked. “He is here. It’s just too bad that the Blabberyap bird got away. We could have found him in two minutes with the bird.

“And what makes you think that?”

“What I found in the nest, of course.” Alice answered, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a piece of a porcelain saucer with “ue Gull” stamped in gold. “Blue Gull, right?” She asked me. “Or don’t you believe me?”

“Show it here.” Poloskov asked. — Nu i vezet zhe tebe.

“You don’t say.” Alice shot back. “To get this piece I had to take a flight in the Crockadee’s claws. Have you ever done that?”

“No.” Poloskov laughed.

“But the bird gave me the fragment itself. Evidently it keeps it in its nest as a toy for the chicks. So it gave it to me to play with.”

I began to think Alice might indeed be right. It did appear that the Blue Gull had, in fact, been on this planet. But how could we find it?

“Whatever happened to the probe?” I asked Poloskov. “I thought you had tested it earlier.”

“It’s very odd, but someone broke one of the connections to the metal detector.”

“Broke?”

“It was snapped. And it did not snap itself. The connection is located right in the center of the probe unit.”

“What are we going to do?” I wondered aloud.

We landed in front of the Pegasus and got out onto the grass and under the trees, looking up in the sky warily for any sign of the Crockadee.

“We’ll use the Blabberyap bird.” Alice said.

Then I noticed, hanging right in front of my nose, a thin chain that reached almost to the ground.

The blabberyap bird flew down from the trees and circled over our heads, as though inviting us to follow it in search of the Captain.