Chapter 18

            Throughout the long trip to Ricky's village, they passed several "towns" made up of prefabricated buildings along the red plains.  These were designed to be picked up and moved with little notice by some of the tribes who insisted on living in the old nomadic fashion.  Ricky pointed out the red scarves worn by one tribe.  "They're led by a cur who calls himself the Dodger.  The Mutt family views him as an outlaw, but a benign enough one that they don't pursue him," Ricky said.

            "What did he do?" Will asked.

            "Sometimes he and some of his tribe steal supplies from convoys between our lands and Terriertown.  No one has ever been killed or seriously wounded and it prevents unrest, which is why the Mutts allow it to go on."

            The plains gradually gave way to prairies and then forests of scrub pines.  The forests became larger and more dense until they had to stop the hovercar in the roadway.  "We're here," Ricky said.

            "We're where?" Tom asked.

            "My village."

            "I don't see anything," Will said.

            Jessie craned her neck up, pointing towards the higher branches.  "It's up there.  Like Swiss Family Robinson," she said.

            "How are we supposed to get up there?  Climb?"

            "In the old days that would have been necessary, but we've adapted with the times."  Ricky led them over to a tree at least ten feet wide.  Will wondered if the tree was cut open how many rings he would be able to count.    As it turned out, though, the tree had already been cut open to make room for an elevator.  It was a simple affair, merely a wooden platform powered by the same cushion of energy as the hovercar.  There were no buttons to tap as the elevator had only one destination.

            "You're sure this is safe?" Tom asked.

            "What are you, chicken?" Jessie said.

            "No.  I just don't want to trust my life to a flimsy piece of wood."

            Will stamped on the wooden platform.  "Seems solid to me."

            "I just hope you guys have checked for termites," Tom grumbled as the platform began to rise through the trunk.

            "Don't worry, there are safety protocols built in to make certain no one is injured.  In the old days you would have to rely on the sharpness of your claws, but those days are gone now, at least in my village.  Some of the others still cling to the old ways, cutting themselves off from the modern world."

            The platform went up the dark trunk for what seemed like forever.  Will tried to imagine making the climb with only claws to keep from falling to oblivion.  Maybe there was something to be said for modern technology.

            The elevator came to an abrupt halt that would have thrown Will from his feet if Ricky had not reached out to catch him.  Part of the trunk peeled back, opening onto the village.  Except there were no buildings that Will could see.  It was only when he looked closer that he saw the doors and windows carved into the trees.  A sidewalk woven from branches connected the buildings.  Will stepped on one of these sidewalks tentatively, worrying that the branches might give way.  The branches sagged a bit, but held together.  Then Will noticed the cables knitted among the branches to strengthen them.

            What he didn't see as they walked through the village were other raccoons.  He tried to peer through some of the windows of the houses, but the curtains were all closed.  "Are they afraid of us?" Jessie asked quietly.

            "Many are still sleeping until it gets dark," Rick said.  "Others simply fear strangers."

            "And I was hoping for a brass band and ticker tape," Tom said.

            Ricky stopped them at a tree that looked like any other tree except for a knot above the door.  He waved a hand in front of the knot and waited a moment for sensors to recognize him.  The door hissed open to let them into the empty house.

            It was apparent when the lights went on that no one had occupied the house in quite some time.  Dust covered the chairs, table, and other furniture.  A spider had taken up residence in one corner, spinning itself an impressive home.  Ricky made no attempt to disturb the spider, though his tail worked as an impromptu duster around the rest of the house.

            The house was composed of concentric circular rooms, one piled on top of the other and connected with a central flight of stairs.  Ricky led them up the stairs from the living room, up to the dining room, and then to a study.  Instead of books there were piles of what looked like pieces of bark with words carved on them as well as the more modern mini-computers.

            "I'm sorry no one could be here to welcome you.  My grandmother lives in one of the traditional villages.  She never forgave my mother for embracing the new ways."

            "That's terrible," Jessie said.  There was no need to mention what had happened to Ricky's mother or his other brother, both killed in a Black Ships raid.

            "My father is captain of a cruiser.  The only Raccoon ever given a command of his own."

            "At least until you get one, right?"

            "Perhaps.  If any of us survive that long."  With a sigh Ricky settled onto a chair, wrapping his tail around himself.  "I hope you forgive me, but later I must leave you here to attend to some personal business.  In the meantime, make yourselves at home."

            There were enough beds to go around, or at least what passed as beds for raccoons.  They were more like nests of pillows and blankets on which the raccoons would curl up.  Will fashioned himself a bed in what must have been Vern's bedroom from the uniforms left in the closet.  On a cabinet was a holograph of a raccoon with light brown fur wearing a green uniform.  The uniform's skirt indicated it was a female raccoon.  Will wondered if this had been Vern's girlfriend and what she must be feeling now that her boyfriend was dead.

            We've got to do something to stop this, Will thought to himself.  Then he put the picture back to curl up on the impromptu bed.

#

            He awoke later, feeling a presence in the room.  He crawled back against the wall at the sight of white cheeks standing over his bed.  "Ricky?" he whispered.

            "Forgive me, Will Denton.  There is something I need to do.  I promise to leave quickly."

            "What is it?"  Will fumbled around for a light switch until Ricky grabbed his hand.

            "There's no need for lights.  I can see in the dark."

            "What are you looking for?"

            "An item of my brother's."  Ricky's voice turned sad as he explained, "When a raccoon dies, a member of the family takes a cherished possession to hang from the highest limb in the village, so as to attract the notice of the departed's spirit."

            "That's beautiful.  So you're going to take some of Vern's up there?"

            "And something of my mother's.  There's no one else to do it."

            "Is there anything I can do to help?"

            "No.  Go back to sleep.  We have a long way to go in the morning."  In the dim light of the room, Will saw Ricky take what looked like a slingshot.  He thought better of asking about the significance of the item, leaving Ricky to his grief.  A moment later the raccoon had gone, leaving Will alone.

            He tried to go back to sleep as Ricky had suggested, but couldn't.  He kept thinking of everything he had seen, unable to comprehend how he, Tom, and Jessie might have created such an intricate world.  Maybe it wasn't his subconscious or that of Tom and Jessie.  Maybe the creations had taken a life of their own, inventing their own rituals and customs like hanging a treasured item of a loved one from the highest limb in the village.  Maybe that was how it worked back on Earth too.  Whatever had created humans might only have outlined the basic parameters and left them to find their way from there, sort of like given them the tune but letting them write the lyrics to the song.

            After thrashing around on his bed for a few minutes, he got up and went to the living room.  There was a sort of holographic television in the room, but he didn't want to try operating it and risk waking up Tom and Jessie.  Remembering that Ricky had said most of the raccoons were nocturnal, he decided to take a brief walk to see the village.

            The moment he stepped outside, he saw that Ricky was right.  Raccoons bustled around, some walking or pushing carts along the sidewalks while others opted for the more traditional way of climbing among the limbs.  He looked up to see a fat raccoon scurry overhead; Will backed up just in time to miss the droppings that fell through the limbs.  Will made a note to ask Ricky about that later if he got a chance.

            Then he heard a laugh from nearby.  Not just any laugh, but a human laugh.  A human girl's laugh.  Jessie's laugh.  She must not have been able to sleep either.

            He followed the sidewalk behind the house to a sort of patio.  On a balcony of woven branches sat Jessie.  Next to her sat Tom.  "They're so cute," Jessie said.  "Look at that little one over there.  Isn't he adorable?"

            "They look like rats to me.  Rats with bushy tails," Tom said.

            "That's squirrels."

            "OK, squirrels with masks."

            "You're impossible," Jessie said.  She lightly slapped Tom on the arm.

            "That's why you like me," Tom said.  He leaned over to kiss her on the mouth.  Will stood frozen in place as he watched Jessie kiss his brother back.  Careful not to make a sound, Will retreated into the house.

#

            Ricky woke them up early the next morning.  Will didn't need any prompting; he hadn't been able to get back to sleep after returning to the house.  Every time he closed his eyes, the image of Jessie and Tom kissing reared up before him.  How could she? he kept asking himself.  He thought of her taking his hand in the observation lounge on the Beagle.  In that moment he'd felt so alive, but it was a lie.  She had probably meant to grab Tom's hand then.

            They ate a traditional raccoon breakfast of fruits and vegetables.  "At least it's not garbage out of a can," Tom said.  Jessie giggled at this, the laughter stabbing Will like a knife.

            He said nothing throughout breakfast, mired in his dark thoughts.  Every time he looked across the table at Jessie and Tom, he thought of the kiss again.  She had betrayed him, led him on while all the time intending to be with Tom.  Why him?  He was a felon for crying out loud.  Or maybe that explained the attraction.  Maybe she liked the bad boys, not a straight arrow like Will.  He thought of what Megan had said about boys climbing in through Jessie's window.  Why did he even care that they had kissed?  She wouldn't be any more faithful to Tom than those other boys.

            In the hovercar, he pointedly stared out the window, away from his treacherous former best friend or older brother.  They didn't seem to notice his cold shoulder, chatting amongst themselves.  Ricky didn't notice it either, but then he was essentially an alien and had far more important things on his mind.  He brought up one of these important things, saying, "We have to tread carefully once we enter Bulldog space.  Tensions between the Mutts and Bulldogs have been high since the onset of the war."

            "I thought you guys were all united," Tom said.  "Isn't that why it's called the Bloc of Planetary States?"

            "There is still a united government, but there are still rival factions within the government.  The Mutts and Bulldogs have always been suspicious of each other, ever since the rebellion led by the Mutts."

            "What about your people?" Jessie asked.

            "My people don't trust either side.  We largely try to remain neutral, so long as no one disturbs our territory."

            "And what about the Catts?"

            "The Catts mostly keep to themselves.  Even with the marriage of their leader to Buster Bulldog, many still don't trust dogs."

            "It's hard to fight an instinct," Tom said.

            "Perhaps.  It's important that you keep your comments limited.  Let Chancellor Mutt and President Bulldog work things out without any interference."

            "Why don't we just stay here then?" Tom asked.  "Wouldn't that be easier?"

            "I'm sure you two would like that," Will muttered.  If they stayed here they would have plenty more opportunities to practice their kissing.

            "That would create an incident.  The Bulldogs know you're here.  To not bring you would indicate that the Mutts are laying claim to you."

            "And I thought the Black Ships were the enemy."

            "There shouldn't be any problems.  The chancellor and President Bulldog are both level-headed and practical enough to understand the real threat.  It's just better if you don't get involved in any of the political wrangling."

            The nomad villages they had passed on the day before had disappeared, to where Ricky had no idea.  At this point Will wished he could go off with the nomads so he wouldn't have to be around Jessie and Tom.  That would be much better than being cramped aboard a ship with them.  He tried to remind himself there was more here at stake, specifically the fate of the entire Bloc.  Though he still had no idea what they were supposed to do about it.

            He hoped Dr. Ruff would have a better idea when they got aboard the ship.  If not, maybe the good doctor could invent a way for him to forget what he had seen.