*****Audio File***** "Chapter 28 - Equilibrium - Audio File" [The White Raven, Chapter 28, Equilibrium] [Eagle Province, Shipyard, Planet Darai] “Hard to imagine there is a science we know that Daraians do not,” says Master Savage, the Head of Demonia Metal Works, his tail quivering in amusement. “It’s made out of metal,” replies Clap. “I just don’t see how it won’t sink.” Clap spreads his feet a little wider apart to balance himself on the rocking boat dock, certain that the next wave is going to tip the whole thing over, and him, into the ocean. “I told you, the hull displaces the water,” explains Master Savage. “As long as the density and volume of the displaced water equals the gravity acceleration of the boat, it will float.” “Are you sure that’s real science and not something you just made up? Asks Clap. “Say it in Daraian.” “FB = ?f Vf g,” says Master Savage, reciting the formula for buoyancy. “Is that better?” “Not really,” says Clap. “Buoyancy is among one of the first scientific discoveries every species makes,” says Master Savage. “Daraians don’t have boats,” says Clap. “With your species fear of water, how did you even learn to build bridges?” asks Master Savage. “We didn’t” says Clap. “We built tunnels under the rivers. The first bridge wasn’t built until after we discovered Raunu Major and saw them there. Even today most Daraians refuse to use a bridge, I guess that’s why there aren’t very many of them.” “You ready to do this?” asks Master Savage. Clap sighs. He can’t put it off any longer, someone has to prove these boats aren’t witchcraft. The Daraians might be the most advanced species of the known worlds, but they are also extremely superstitious. Darai is a feudal Theocracy, and anything that might be deemed as heresy could easily attract the wrong kind of attention. Clap glances back at the shore, the Eagle High Priestess was standing a safe distance back from the shoreline watching. If anything were to go wrong with the maiden voyage of this first fishing boat, she had the power to shutdown the shipyards. There is a small gap between the dock and the boat, and Clap can see the water below. He takes a deep breath, then runs and leaps over the gap and into the fishing boat. Clap’s reflex’s cause him to spread his wings out for balance while he kneels and fights the panic aside. “Good luck,” shouts Master Savage from the dock. Master Savage is a metal worker and builds the ships, another Demonian will be sailing the vessel. Clap forces himself to stand and looks up at the wheelhouse. “Cast off lines,” shouts the Captain. Clap met the Captain for a moment several days ago and discussed the maiden voyage. The Captain spoke very few words and may be the most terrifying Demonian Clap has ever seen. The Captain was small for a Demonian, but his face was covered in vicious scars, and his right eye was missing. Master Savage said the Captain was one of the few surviving Demonians that began the Charge of Denamaus with the first wave. The Captain charged the entire distance in the front of the Demonian army - even after losing an eye when they hit the first rank of the Kitsune forces. The deck of the fishing boat vibrated as the engines came on and turned the water at the stern of the boat as the propeller began to spin. The boat pulled away from the dock and headed towards open sea. Clap was surrounded by ocean and began to panic, opening his wings in search of an air current to take him away from this horror. “Hold your ground, Master Raven,” roars the Captain. “The course you sail here today will set your people free of their fears.” Clap turns and looks back at the shore, the High Priestess is no longer alone. Raen and Moeth are there, and the others, and hundreds of eagle hatchlings are arriving and lining the shore, watching. A Grackle News Ship appears over the shoreline and follows the fishing boat out to sea. Clap knows the significance of what he’s doing, and deliberately walks to the bow and grasps the railing. The Captain pushes the boat faster and it rises and falls on the waves, water splashing over the bow and drenching Clap. He spreads his wings but keeps them tipped down so they don’t catch the wind and pull him off the boat. The Grackle News Ship is only several hundred feet above him, and Clap knows that he is being watched by every Daraian on the planet, and within a few hours every Daraian off-world will also see the Special News Broadcast. Clap is the first Daraian in the history of the Daraian species to sail on a Darai ocean. Clap twists around and shouts to the Captain. “Now!” The Captain shouts an order to one of the deck hands and the Demonian begins pulling on a rope attached to the main mast. The House Eagle flag unrolls as it is raised up the mast and catches the wind. The fishing vessel is sailing under the House Eagle flag. Clap was warned what might happen next, and was waiting for it. A creature larger than the fishing boat emerges from the water and follows along side the fishing vessel. Clap grins as the Grackle News Ship jerks up and gains altitude to get away from the terrifying sea monster. The Captain said there were whales spotted off-shore and had hoped one would show itself. The whale was terrifying to see, and was the very thing of Daraian nightmares. Clap was terrified, but he knew what he had to do, this was the moment. Clap let go of the railing and tipped his wings upward and caught the wind. He didn’t allow the wind to take him into the sky, but instead banked towards the whale until he was gliding over the creature. Clap followed over top the whale for a short distance and then banked down and landed on top of the massive whales back. He didn’t attempt to stand but stayed on his hands and knees with his wings spread out. Clap almost lost his nerve when the whale sprayed water from a hole in it’s back - Clap hoped that was normal and didn’t mean the monster was angry. The Grackle News Ship came back down and Clap raised an arm in triumph until the creature started to submerge. Clap caught the wind again and banked up and back to the deck of the fishing boat and neatly landed back where he had been. The crew had been busy while Clap was pulling his stunt with the whale. Two crane-like beams were over the sides of the fishing boat and nets had been lowered into the water. Clap pulled himself around the railing to watch over the side. The Captain had said this part of the first voyage wouldn’t take long. The oceans of Darai had never been fished before and were abundant with fish. The nets were pulled back up and were full of wiggling fish. The deck crew pulled the nets in and dumped the catch on the deck. The Captain performed the maneuver three more times until Clap was standing to his knees in squirming fish. The fishing boat headed back to the docks, and none too soon. Clap wasn’t sure why, but he was starting to feel sick. The boat pulled next to the dock and the deck crew secured the lines. Other Demonians brought crates with ice in them and they started transferring the fish. Clap grabbed one of the fish and headed towards the waiting eagles on the shore. The hatchlings cheered and shouted, but Raen and Moeth were more subdued. “We have fish,” says Clap showing Raen the fish. “The Demonians have fish,” corrects Moeth. “We have to purchase the fish, and we still don’t have an income.” “You’re still thinking the Demonians tricked Mergan during the negotiations and got the better deal,” says Clap. “Clap, I’m not so petty,” scolds Moeth. “The Demonians found their industry and can support themselves now, I am happy for them, and that was an amazing thing you just did.” “We gave them exclusive fishing rights,” says Clap. “But that only means no outsiders can fish here, it doesn’t mean we can’t fish our own waters with them.” “I’m not so sure they will see it that way,” says Raen. “I spoke with Master Savage about it,” says Clap. “He was shocked we misunderstood the negotiations.” “Still, Daraians don’t go near the water,” says Moeth. “I just proved we can get over our fear of water, and look at the hatchlings,” says Clap. The hundreds of hatchlings that had come to watch the first Daraian sail were now daring each other to run down to the waves breaking on the beach. They were running down to the edge of the shore, and then turned around screaming and ran back as the waves chased them back up the beach. “You see, they are already starting,” says Clap. “Here comes Master Savage, he has a surprise for everyone.” Master Savage was walking down the beach leading a large group of Demonians carrying long boxes. The Demonians dropped the boxes on the beach and Master Savage greeted Raen. “Has Master Clap told you yet?” asks Master Savage. “Told us what?” asks Raen. “Raen, the Demonians have to sell their fish to us first at a fair price, but they can sell their fish for five times more on the mainland,” says Clap. “Their going to build us our own fishing boats and teach us to use them.” “Are you insane?” asks Moeth. “One step at a time,” says Master Savage, opening one of the long boxes and retrieving a long metal pole about fifteen feet long. The metal pole had a crank at one end and a thin string dangling off the other end. “You’re not ready to start using fishing boats yet, but we will teach you in time.” “What’s that thing?” asks Raen. “How much food do you have left?” asks Master Savage. “We’re down to about a week of oatmeal left,” says Moeth. “But we will buy half the fish you just brought in, you need to feed your people too.” “Lets hold off on that,” says Master Savage. “I’m going to teach you how to feed yourselves, little cousins.” Some of the hatchlings, curious about what’s going on, gather around and watch Master Savage take the fish from Clap and kneel on the ground. Master Savage uses a knife from his belt, and to the squeals of the hatchlings, cuts the fish into small pieces. Raen watches intently as the Demonian attaches a piece of the fish to a hook at the end of the string on the pole, and then walks down to the edge of the surf. “Come on,” calls Master Savage. “You might not be ready to go to sea, but you can get this close.” Raen walks down to stand next to Master Savage, the surf laps over Raen’s feet. Raen doesn’t like that very much but stands his ground against the offending waves. “The fish I cut up is bait, and this is called a fishing pole,” says Master Savage, swinging the pole and with a snap the string with the bait arcs out and plops into the water. Master Savage pulls the slack out of the string with the crank on the handle of the pole, and less than a minute later the pole bends violently. The watching hatchlings, and even Raen, jumps back. Master Savage snaps back on the pole and starts winding in the string with the crank. A moment later a wiggling fish emerges from the ocean, dangling on the end of the string. “Now you try,” says Master Savage, handing the fishing pole to Raen. A hatchling brings another piece of bait to Master Savage and he demonstrates how to attach it. Raen has a few false starts with the fishing pole, but after a bit of laughter from the hatchlings, and two lost pieces of bait, he manages to get the string with the bait into the water. It takes Raen longer than it took Master Savage, but several minutes later Raen is holding a fish in his hands. “We made enough poles for everyone,” says Master Savage. “This is our gift to House Eagle for everything you’ve done for us.” The hatchlings need no further coaxing and rip open the boxes to claim their fishing poles. Master Savage and the other Demonians walk up and down the beach showing the eagles how to fish. The bait goes quickly and Raen has to give up his fish for new bait. Raen turns to Moeth, tears are streaming down her face - crying. “What’s wrong?” asks Raen, concerned. “Don’t you see,” says Moeth. “They didn’t give us fishing poles, they gave us our freedom, we will never go hungry again.” Raen looks down the beach at the hundreds of hatchlings, their fear of the water melting away. “Do you know how to cook fish?” asks Raen. “No idea whatsoever,” says Moeth, laughing. ***** [Gaevin Farm, Hawk Province, Planet Darai] Cody dragged the basket of charred wood across the orchard to the waiting trucks. The farm was in terrible shape when they returned, someone had broken into the house and stole a lot of stuff. Windows had been broken out, walls inside the house damaged, and one section of the orchard burned down along with the barn. It had only been pure luck that the house hadn’t burned. Gaevin found footprints in the dirt that were too small for adults but too large for a hatchling. He thought a gang of older orphans had used the opportunity to seek revenge against the Gaevin farm - none of the neighboring farms had been bothered while everyone was gone on the Red Feather, and over the years Gaevin had put down more than a few orphans to save them from starving or freezing to death during the winters. Cody dragged his basket back to the edge of the orchard to gather another load of burned branches from the fire. His basket was nearly full again when he sensed someone standing behind him. He turned around thinking maybe Mae had come to get him for his lessons. Mae said he wouldn’t be going to school, and that she would teach him. Cody missed having all the eagle hatchlings to play with. “Well, if it isn’t the traitor.” “Hello, Daeger,” says Cody. Daeger was leaning against the charred remains of an apple tree, and seven other older boys were circling around Cody. “You came back too soon, I was going to burn down this whole farm,” says Daeger. “That isn’t very nice,” says Cody. “Got yourself a sweet little deal here, don’t ya?” says Daeger. “You the farmers special boy now?” Cody tipped his head to the side, he was Gaevin’s special boy, but the way Daeger said it sounded like it was something bad. “That farmer killed my gang, and after everything I did for you,” says Daeger. “But I got new boys now, and I’m going to make you pay.” “I don’t have any money,” says Cody. Daeger pushes away from the tree and starts walking towards Cody. Cody glances at the other boys closing in on him, and thinks maybe Daeger isn’t talking about money. “Get him,” yells Daeger, charging towards Cody. Cody bends his knees slightly, spreads his wings out and leaps into the air. “How’s he doing that?” shouts one of the boys. Cody hovers above the trees and lets out a screech that causes the boys to jump back, then tips his wings and dives at Daeger. The older boy is caught of guard by the unusual attack as Cody grabs him and claws at Daeger’s face. A hail of Needle Gun fire erupts and one of the boys falls to the ground. The other boys see armed farmers running towards them and flee into the forest. Daeger punches wildly at the small boy attacking him, but Cody doesn’t let go and continues screeching and clawing Daeger’s face. Gaevin and the farmhands arrive. Gaevin grabs Daeger and pulls him away from Cody while the farmhands continue the chase for the boys running into the forest. Cody continues beating his wings and screeching at Daeger. The older boy has his hands over his bloody face now, the fight gone out of him. Cody lands and tries to rush past Gaevin to get at Daeger. “That’s enough, Cody,” shouts Gaevin. Cody doesn’t stop. Gaevin can see the blood tinged around the edges of Cody’s eyes, and knows what it is. Cody is normally a gentle and kind boy, but it’s always the gentle Hawks that become the berserkers when finally pushed to anger, and Cody is an Eagle - his race are the Lords of the Raptors. Gaevin has no choice but to let go of the older boy and grab Cody until he calms down. Daeger uses the opportunity to escape and runs across the orchard and disappears into the forest. Gaevin struggles to hold Cody, in a few years there won’t be anyone strong enough to hold the boy’s anger back. Cody finally calms down and looks at his adopted father. “That was Daeger,” says Cody. “He isn’t very nice, he said he was the one that burned the farm.” “It’s okay now,” says Gaevin. “He won’t be back.” Gaevin takes Cody by the hand and walks him to one of the trucks and opens the door. Cody crawls inside, and Gaevin with him. Cody watches out the window as Gaevin drives past the farmhouse and out onto the road. “Did I do bad, are you taking me to the bridge,” asks Cody softly. “No, son,” says Gaevin. “But from what I just saw, we have no choice. But, you will be permitted to come home on weekends.” “Are you mad at me, is that why you’re sending me away?” asks Cody. “No, I am very proud of you,” says Gaevin. “You defended your home.” The trip isn’t far, and Gaevin pulls off the road and stops in front of the massive Fortress Temple of the Hawks. Gaevin gets out and leads Cody to the gates of the Temple. Cody looks up at the statute of two hawks locked in eternal combat. The gates swing open and Gaevin takes Cody into the Fortress. Cody gasps a breath and grins, there are hundreds of other boys, paired together on the practice sands of the Temple practicing armed and unarmed combat. “There’s other boys,” says Cody happily. “I won’t be lonely anymore.” A large and muscled Hawk Priest approaches Gaevin and bows. “Master Chief Gaevin, it is an honor,” says the Hawk Priest. “What have you brought us?” “This boy is as my son,” says Gaevin. “He was attacked and I watched him nearly rip a boy three times his size apart.” “I would expect nothing less from the son of Gaevin, the greatest Hawk to ever pass through the Temple Gates,” says the Hawk Priest. “He is not a Hawk,” says Gaevin. “I ask two things, the first being that all within the Temple are sworn to keep the secret I will reveal, and the second to never give him special treatment.” “I would not dishonor you by giving him special treatment,” says the Hawk Priest. Gaevin unbuckles the false harness from Cody and steps back. “Son, lift into the air and reveal yourself,” orders Gaevin. Cody spreads his wings and lifts several feet into the air, and then screeches the battle cry of an eagle. Not a single boy anywhere on the practice field turns a head or stops his practice, the Hawk boys of the Temple are too disciplined to risk such dishonor. The Hawk Priest motions Cody back to the ground. “The Goddess has given the care of the Eagle to you Master Chief Gaevin,” says the Hawk Priest. If the Priest is surprised, he shows no sign of it. “You are blessed among all Hawks to be permitted such an honor.” The Hawk Priest exams Cody closely, assessing what natural strengths the boy already possesses, and what weakness will need to be purged. “What is your name, boy?” asks the Hawk Priest. “Cody, sir.” “A Gunslinger name?” asks the Hawk Priest, showing the very slightest bit of surprise at this. “That would explain why we could never find you, we would never have thought to look among them.” Cody shrugs. “Do not shrug like that again,” says the Hawk Priest. “When you wish to convey a thought, you will speak it plainly and clearly.” “Yes, sir.” “If you wish your secret kept, it will not do to have a Gunslinger name among us,” says the Hawk Priest. “You will be known by the Daraian version of your name from now on - Your name is Codae.” “Yes, sir.” “You will call me Master or Master Solae.” “Yes, Master Solae,” replies Cody. “Umm… do I have to do math here?” “Leave math to the Sparrow and a keen wit to the Hawk,” says Master Solae. “But I’m an eagle.” “I see, and what is in the heart of an eagle?” asks Master Solae. Cody tips his head to the side and thinks a moment before replying. “Honor and Sacrifice,” says Cody. “Your father has been teaching you well,” says Master Solae. “Those words are engraved over the inner doors of the Temple.” “I think I’m going to like it here,” says Cody.