021 - Acclimation, Orientation, Initial Goals

Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 1

Retrospectively, my first complete day on a different planet – I am farther away than any of the NASA boys ever got.

Waking first, Caspian took opportunity to do for Steven what he had not done for himself before leaving for Terra. He had to use himself for a source, but then asking anyone else to stand still would have been potentially problematic. Caspian then cast a spell that copied Caspian’s knowledge of his native language and implanted it into Steven’s mind. It would take several days to work out and for Steven to get to fluency, but once done he could then communicate with at least some of the natives.

Steven slept until lunch. He had not slept this long in a long time, but felt fully refreshed. The language had not yet taken hold, but Caspian did not expect it to yet; Steven could only try to gesture what he wanted, as there were no common words between what Steven could speak and what the locals could. The refreshment did not last, as he collapsed just after dinner and did not wake until a little before dawn.

This village being little more than a way point for the local high mountain herders and trappers, there was little for Steven to equip with. Also they mentioned that the Krogg Caravan had kept to itself, and had left before afternoon the day before; there were no extra women with them when they left.

This bothered Caspian as it meant that they probably had already disposed of Roxanne, and he had to find her first, before trying to go after the children. He tried to explain this to Steven the next morning as they hiked out from the village.

Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 2

What have I gotten into?

Steven called him on that. “What do you mean by that?”

Caspian responded, thinking carefully. “Your children are safe enough while they are in the caravan’s care. They are two days or so south of us now. They have most of a season’s travel south to their destination. We can catch them by sea with relative ease. But your wife could be in greater trouble. She can’t communicate with any of the locals, and there are some who would kill her or worse, should they discover her heritage.”

Steven was slightly puzzled. “Kill her just because she is not from around here?”

Caspian shook his head. “No. Kill her because she is descended from an elf. She is a half-elf. Her mother and grandmother were only children, and only bore daughters. Her grandmother is too youthful for her age; all three of them look almost identical. Her great-grandmother died within days of her husband. That is because that great-grand was an elf, from one of the clans’ local to this planet. There are some who think that kind of interbreeding should not happen and will kill the offspring out of hand, if they can.”

Steven had to think about this. “How do you know so much about my wife’s family?”

Caspian waved this off. “Alistare Kevan is the contact for all who travel to your planet from this one, at least for those who know about him. It is part of his job to keep tabs on all the immigrants and their families, and to keep the new arrivals out of trouble. He has a chart with your wife’s pedigree, and where you all live.”

Steven bristled at this. “That’s an invasion of privacy.”

Caspian just continued. “If he used it for nefarious purposes, yes. To keep people out of trouble, well, that’s his job. As for some of what I said, that is common knowledge about half-breeds, to those who know. Their lifespan links to their mates; so they die near the same time, while aging inwardly almost as slow as a full elf does. They only breed to their own sex, and only once. That you have two is truly rare, and marks your family as special.”

Caspian had to bite his tongue from saying any more. He wanted to tell more, but did not think Steven would be able to absorb any more, for now. As it was, he would have Steven’s acclimation to mana to watch for, on top of everything else.

They were hiking through a forest with dense enough cover that Steven could not clearly see the sky. They walked through the early spring forest, with buds and blooms around them, and patches of snow not yet melted. The trees were larger than Steven had seen in most of the forests he had been in. They also looked to have survived several fires, with few low hanging branches, and little accumulation on the floor. The air seemed both heavier and more energizing. Steven had also noticed that everything seemed to be a bit heavier. At first he though it was just fatigue. Once he could march forty miles and still have energy to make a sniper hide; now he was acknowledging to himself that he was not in as good shape as he once had been. He did spot tracks of several different critters, but while they looked patterned, he could not put specific animals to the tracks from memory.

Steven hiked a bit in silence, then stopped and looked around, and at the tracks on the trail they were following. “You say that this caravan is heading south. You said that Rox is probably not with them. Which way are we headed?”

Caspian had not stopped. “West. To find the right trees to make the replacement trackers, I need to get to a lower elevation. The fastest way is west. New trackers, and then we can see where to go to find Roxanne and your kids.”

Steven caught up. “Why not just teleport?”

Caspian remembered asking this question as a child to his own father. “To teleport safely, by any of the known methods, one needs to know where he is going. To open a gate, one usually needs a known object to focus on. For what I need, I don’t know exactly where I need to go. Just teleporting a straight line distance has the danger of damaging either the caster, or whatever the caster has his spell shunt out of his way. No, ethical and polite teleporter’s don’t do that.”

Steven had one last important question, to Caspian’s judgment, at the moment.

Steven asked it. “How many days march to where you can get your stuff?”

Caspian was quick to respond. “Five days. Maybe six, depending on the pace you can keep.”

They continued hiking west all day. Steven kept wavering between this being all some kind of hoax, and taking it at face value.

The forest continued to have a sparse tree population compared to what he knew in the Tahoe Basin and Sierra Nevada area, with few low hanging branches, but the upper canopy was thick enough that the sky could not clearly be seen. It reminded Steven of some of the forests he had seen in Washington and Oregon, and some few parts of Germany. It rained from time to time, but with the canopy of trees, it only drizzled on Steven and Caspian as they marched through the forest.

*          *          *

Margot Winslow always enjoyed going to visit her daughter, and grandkids. The cleaner air and altitude of Carson Valley agreed with her. Her husband, Mike, on the other hand despised any gain in altitude, equating that with getting cold. He refused to travel to Tahoe in the winter. In lighter moments he claimed to be allergic to snow. Margot, on the other hand, enjoyed snow, so long as it was not moving sideways. She had seen enough of that growing up in Nebraska. For her purposes she was well enough off in Santa Cruz, California.

Now events happened that had left her wondering a few things. First were the strange dreams, about flying through space. Then there was the phone call. She had heard of Judge Kevan; that he was a good judge to go before, and a stern man personally.

When he called Thursday evening to report that Roxanne and the kids had been abducted, Margot was devastated. Then when he said that his best investigator was on the case, and to call Steven and tell him to trust the investigator, and go with him, that had been strange. More so was that he had only given a single name, “Detective Caspian.” That was different. But her instincts said that this was all right. Last he said that Roxanne and the kids had been taken back to Margot’s grandmother’s home world, Tywacomb. That was something she had not ever told Roxanne, or Mike. Her grandmother had said that if that name was invoked, to follow her instincts. So she called, and relayed the message.

She then told of this to Mike.

The next day, Friday, Margot had gone to Sacramento, and found this Judge Kevan, and taken him to lunch. The information they shared was quite startling, to both of them. He had been surprised that she had known that her grandmother was an elf from another planet. When he had told her of the origin of the kidnappers, she quickly put together that Rox and the kids had been taken to her grandmother’s home world. Then he mentioned that Caspian and Steven had already left in pursuit. Margot was a bit dumbfounded by this. She left lunch promising to keep in touch.

She drove to her husband’s work place, and told him everything she knew, start to finish. And also why there was no good reason that Roxanne had not been told of her half-breed status. They decided to do what ever they could to keep things in order.

When she finally got back to her office, for the last 20 minutes of the day, she found two messages from a Sheriff Deputy investigating the abduction, one from Judge Kevan, and a handful from her work she had neglected that day. She told her secretary, partners, and boss generally what she had been up to. Also that this might take up unexpected time in the next while.

She then planned to drive up to Roxanne’s place on Sunday, see the deputy then, and take care of the house. Mike begged off the trip, having other things he wanted to do. Margot recognized it as his dislike for traveling, for personal not being the same as important, his recognition of her abilities, and let it go.

So here she was taking a Sunday drive from Santa Cruz through Tahoe, going to her daughter’s house to finish cleaning it up and to close it up until Roxanne and Steven returned. She arrived just after ten a.m. and let herself in.

022 - Margot Crosses Swords

Doris Winchel watched a strange car pull up in front of the Caplan house. A Toyota Corolla with California plates and what looked like some extra fancy work done to it. After a moment, a woman got out. Doris almost jumped, thinking for a moment that this was Roxanne. But this woman was dressed in slacks and a nice blouse, where Roxanne would wear jeans and a tee-shirt. Also her hair was snow-white in color, but pulled back in the same kind of tail that Roxanne routinely wore, if a bit longer. And Roxanne never carried a purse like that one.

Doris watched the woman walk up the driveway at the Caplan’s and decided that she had better go see what she was about. Especially after Steven’s call asking her to watch the place. She put her current project down, wiped her hands on her apron, and picked up the ring of keys that she had been given. She walked next door, and found the door closed, the strange woman evidently having gone inside. Doris knocked, and waited. After a moment the strange woman opened the door. Again for a brief moment she thought she this was Roxanne. But this woman, while almost a physical match, was visibly older.

“I’m from next door. Are you here to visit Roxanne and Steven?”

The woman looked Doris over, and then pointed at her. “Mrs. Duncan, right?”

“Mrs. Winchel, dear; how can I help you?”

“I’m Roxanne’s mother, Margot. Steven asked me to come and take care of whatever I found. But he didn’t mention you.” Margot looked a bit puzzled.

Mrs. Winchel thought a moment. “Oh, I remember, you visited last summer. I watch everybody’s houses around here.” Doris stepped inside, causing Margot to step back. “Steven called me Thursday night, after everything happened and asked me to watch the place while they were gone. So, where shall we begin?” Doris turned and entered the kitchen, looking around.

Margot was a bit put off. Here was this woman in her apron barging in like she owned the place, and offering help. ‘Why not?’ she thought to herself. Shrugging, Margot closed the door. She would have to remember Mrs. Winchel’s correct name. She had always been associated with donuts in Margot’s mind, just the wrong brand.

Margot had got out her clipboard and pen and walked the house, noting damage and messes. The back doors needed to be replaced, with the glass and frames cracked and broken, currently covered in plastic. The kids’ rooms were still jumbled. From there they went into the yard and around back to the garage, still noting things.

Margot unlocked and opened the side door to the garage, turning on the lights as Mrs. Winchel followed. Not having been in here before, Mrs. Winchel was immediately scandalized by the poster of the family that hung over the main doors. Having a print of the same that was portrait sized put away in her office at home, Margot paid the poster less heed than Roxanne ever did, and went through the place as quickly as she did the house and yard.

They went back to the house. As they went back into the kitchen they saw Deputy Poulson in his car in the driveway, making notes to himself. Margot went out, and knocked on his window. He rolled it down.

“Can I help you?” Margot leaned over to look into his car.

‘Yes. Just a moment.” He finished his note, and closed his binder. Then he got out.

Deputy Poulson realized that this woman stood taller than he did, and looked a bit familiar, but could not place why.

“I am Deputy Poulson, Douglas County Sherriff. I am looking for Steven Caplan.”

”Steven is not here, just now. Would you like to come in and have a sandwich while we talk?”

After a moment, Deputy Poulson accepted the invitation.

 Mrs. Winchel had made some sandwiches and juice while Margot had been out side.

Deputy Poulson followed Margot into the kitchen and found his digital recorder on the kitchen counter. He wound it back to listen to it, and scowled a bit in disappointment. By that point, they had all gathered around the kitchen table. Mrs. Winslow had placed three plates with sandwiches and three glasses of juice around and sat down at the head of the table. Margot also sat, opposite the last empty seat for the deputy. He started by turning on the recorder.

“For the record, who are you, and how are you related to all this?” Deputy Poulson had his notebook and pen ready.

Margot smiled a slightly predatory smile. She was a corporate lawyer, not a court-room lawyer, but did enjoy the occasional word-fight. “I am Margot Winslow, mother to Roxanne Caplan, mother-in-law to Steven Caplan, and grandmother to Diana and Alexander Caplan.”

Deputy Poulson’s pen scratched, as he understood why she looked familiar. “How much do you know of what happened here, last Thursday?”

“I know that my daughter, Roxanne, and grandchildren, Diana and Alex, were kidnapped by two thugs. They broke in the back door, and evidently chased the kids to their rooms. I presume my daughter intervened, and was taken with when they left. What have you been doing to track their movements?” Margot started to lay ground for an offensive.

Deputy Poulson countered, he had not sat down yet. “I am asking the questions right now. Is there any reason that you can think of for Steven Caplan to want to do anything or have anything done to his wife and children?”

Margot held her offense at this question for later. “Yes. He loves them and would do all in his power to want to get them back in his care and protection. Is Steven a suspect?”

Deputy Poulson still held his cool, refusing to be baited. “Is there any reason you can think of that Roxanne would need to hide from Steven, or take the children and run?”

Margot took this as an insult and volleyed it back. “Is there any reason for your wife to?”

“I am not under investigation here, ma’am. A breaking and entering and possible kidnapping is.”

Margot started on the offensive. “And what have you found so far? Are there tracks leading to or from the yard? And where do they go? And what of the dogs injuries? Did they have any evidence that might identify who did this?”

Deputy Poulson had not conducted many investigations like this. Most of the crime in the area was kids getting up to trouble, or fell into the jurisdiction of the local Tribal Police. As such he was starting to feel a bit out of his depth. But having this grandmother upset was something he thought he was able to handle.

Mrs. Winchel calmly ate her sandwich, staying out of the fight.

“Ma’am, that information is still being developed. We are trying to follow up on everything. Can you tell me where Steven Caplan may have gone to on or after Thursday evening?” For some reason, he began to feel a subtle pressure on the back of his mind to leave.

Margot started to verbally maneuver in on him. “Yes, he went after the thugs who kidnapped his wife and kids.”

Deputy Poulson continued to write. “You know this how?”

“Because I talked to him on the phone while you were here, with the private detective. And I know my son-in-law.”

 He stopped, and turned back through his notes. “You know this Detective Caspian?” The pressure was increasing. Not anything dangerous, more like a bad smell at the back of his mind.

“Not personally, no.”

“Do you know a Judge Kevan?”

Margot smiled a bit more. She could see the Deputy was reacting to something, but was not aware it was more Caspian’s spell than her. “Have you done your homework on that yet?”

Deputy Poulson was getting tired of this woman, as his unease at being in the house increased. “Answer the question please.”

“You tell me what you already know; I will tell you if I know anything more.”

“Do you or do you not know of any persons known as Judge Kevan?”

“If you were eavesdropping on my conversation with my son-in-law, then you know the answer to that.”

Deputy Poulson tried to move this forward. “Fine; how do you know Judge Kevan, of Sacramento?”

Margot’s smile dropped. “I have done a little business before his District Court. If you had already done your homework, you either already know that, or you don’t have it back yet and are on a fishing expedition. Are you trying to pin this on my son-in-law? You have been told the truth by everyone involved. Why don’t you want to believe it?”

Deputy Poulson lost a bit of his cool, which for him on duty was a big deal. The pressure at the back of his mind to leave was increasing. “Because I am not being give the whole truth. More is going on here, than anyone is willing to tell me.”

“You have as much information as any of us has to give you. You haven’t done your homework, or are jumping ahead to find a conclusion without support. You evidently think Steven is your primary suspect, ignoring that he was out of the area, and has no motive. Go look somewhere else, and stay out of the private lives of my daughter and son-in-law.” Margot found herself moving into the tone she had sometimes used to chew out Roxanne as a child.

Deputy Poulson almost rounded on Margot. “Ma’am, I am just here trying to collect as much information as I can.”

Margot cut him off. “And you have shown that there is nothing new for me to give you, which you would not have if you had done your homework. We are done, for now. You can leave. You know where the door is.”

Margot got up, with Mrs. Winchel following, having sat and watched the duel. Margot waited a few moments longer.

“Deputy, you have been invited to leave. You will go now, before I consider preferring trespassing charges.”

“One last question. You said you did business before a court. Can you say what you profession is?”

Margot smiled. “I am a Lawyer.”

Deputy Poulson, seeing that he would not get anything farther, and the pressure at the back of his mind starting to override his discipline and come into the front of it, he picked his notebook and recorder up and left.

Margot and Mrs. Winchel finished their sandwiches and drinks, and then commenced to clean the house, starting with the lunch dishes. Josh Fitch knocked on the door as they were finishing up. He explained that he had seen people here, and wanted to know what was going on. He then told them about his truck, and Rox helping with it. Margot knew nothing about this, though Mrs. Winchel did. She asked Josh to return later, and they could talk all about what was going to happen. But first they needed to finish straightening up. So he left, promising to return.

Mrs. Winchel left just after, to finish her house work, and left Margot to the laundry. By the time things were ready to be folded and put away, Mrs. Winchel had returned, and began vacuuming the living room after moving all the furniture to one end of the room. They got everything folded, and put away. The kid’s beds were put back together.

Margot plugged the phone in, and called Leticia, to confirm with her that she was getting the mail, and tending to the bills. Finished, she unplugged the phone again.

About mid-afternoon, a stranger showed up at the door, asking for Roxanne, and about picking up the Camero. Roxanne had already arranged to sell the car to him, and finish the deal this day. Margot found the business records, and a bill of sale, and finished the deal with a note that she was a third party conducting it. She then led him around back. As he watched, she pulled the car out of the garage, and left it for him. They closed the garage again, and he drove away. Margot then looked at the various piles of truck parts, and the two trucks in process. This reminded her of Josh.

 Margot left the cashiers check with the mail and a note to Leticia what it’s about.

Mrs. Winchel was now out tending her flower beds, and simply moved on to take care of Steven’s. Margot figured they had to be Steven’s because Roxanne could not even grow mold.

Finally Mr. Winchel came home from his errands, and Mrs. Winchel called Josh and had him come over. They worked things out that Josh could work on his truck, but only when Mr. Winchel was there. And he had to clean up everything. Margot also arranged to have Mr. Winchel drive the truck with the trailer for the errands that needed to be run, again with Josh along, and only for these related errands, and they have to buy the gas. This arrangement was added to the note to Leticia.

When everything was done, Margot bid farewell to the Winchel’s and Josh, and arranged to come by every few weeks. Then just for fun, she showed off for Josh what Roxanne had done to Margot’s Toyota. The two black stripes disappeared by mid summer.