A Raining Day

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

An Alpha Rote Tale

“I am dead” Elizabeth Juniper groaned as she collapsed onto her bed. “Climb that radio tower. Climb down tha damn radio tower. Seven times.” With a moan of aching muscles the nutria rolled slowly over on her back, blinking as the many times painted wooden ceiling came into her view. “My paws are ruined” she continued, making the effort to bring her swollen paws up high enough to look at. “I will never hold a camera again.”

Her roommates Katrina and Megan stagged in a few seconds later, stared at the prone girl currently contemplating her paws and shrugged. Dinner was in less than an hour, if they showed up smelling and looking as they did right now there would be no dinner. Wet was one thing, filthy another. Grabbing their sleeping smocks both headed out to the showers. Exhausted they might be, but hungry they certainly were. Lunch had been rice cakes, totally unappealing even if they did fill the stomach.

A dull scraping sound caught Elizabeth’s attention. Dragging herself through the door was her fourth roommate. Alpha Rote had barely made the seventh climb, falling more than climbing down that last time. Still their performance had been acceptable as Miss Nordlingen placed it ‘A fairly good first attempt.’ She watched in disinterest as the shrew made her way next to her own bed, collapsing into a sitting position against her bed. A heavy pop filled the room as she sat.

“Ow” was all the shrew said.

“Ow?” Elizabeth asked.

“My back. It has shattered. Never to walk again” Alpha reported.

A knock on the doorjamb pulled their attention from each other. Standing there in completely clean Songmark uniform, two notes sewn perfectly upon her jacket was the fluffiest, most cheerful vixen alive. “Mail” she announced, setting her burden on their floor. “Since you are awake I’ll jus leave it here. Ta-tah.” With a wave and a smile she bounced off.

“She bounced” Elizabeth observed, her paws still held up in the air.

“I well keel her” Alpha announced, copying well the accent of an American Cowboy bit actor. “An serve her with bar-bee-quee sauce.”

“You don’t even know what it tastes like.” Elizabeth laughed, watching as Alpha staggered to her feet to recover their mail.

“Lucy promised me a bottle next week” the shrew reminded her friend. Bending over she gathered up the materials, taking them over to one of the rooms two desks. “If as good as Jalapeno pepper is worth trade.”

“What this time. A radio?”

“Yes. Nice radio. Special package.” Splitting the mail into four piles Alpha sat two letters on Elizabeth’s stomach. “Paula send another perfumed letter, when are going to marry her. Make her honest woman?”

Elizabeth stuck her tongue out at the curious shrew, carefully opening the perfumed letter while she turned her back to the room.

Alpha shrugged. Elizabeth had her secrets as did everyone else. Funny though the shrew thought. Though Elizabeth talked being bi, she certainly never acted it. Opening her own letter she started to read in silence. She and Nancy had been forbidden to speak together on Songmark property. Letters though were a completely different type of communication. Soon she was in her own fantasy world, her love now standing beside her speaking of her day, her plans, her dreams. Dreams that still included a certain zebra, even after Alpha’s best efforts to help her forget him. She would just have to redouble those efforts the shrew decided.

Eventually their missing roommates returned. Freshly showered both were wearing clean sleeping smocks, their dirty but carefully folded school uniforms soon placed in the laundry hamper where they belonged. Spotting the waiting mail both hurried over, each grabbing their own pile before retiring to a place to read. To no ones surprise Katrina stole Alpha’s bed in which to read. Alpha though was busy going through a box that had arrived. Her parents had sent things from home, good scientifically balanced meals in compressed bars, a large box of various crystals and strange bits of metal, a heavy bottle containing some strange grey-green liquid and several small golden rectangular packages. Along with that was a letter from her mother, a very long letter.

“Everyone UP!” a well known and dreaded voice ordered. Miss Nordlingen was standing in their doorway, a walking stick in one paw. As the four girls rose to comply Alpha made a grab to quickly shove some of her small food packets into one pocket. Nancy had warned her to always be prepared and if this was going to be another long march Alpha was going to have something to eat this time.

“Well ladies, and here I use such a term very lightly. Your ship has just experienced a rather catastrophic accident. It is sinking. You have exactly thirty seconds to grab something. Anything. Then we leave for a rather interesting experience.”

All four exploded into action, Alpha grabbing two of the golden packets before diving with Elizabeth for clean socks and underwear. Elizabeth managed to grab a ready canteen of water she kept, shoving it into Alpha’s paws even as she pulled a second one from hiding just in time. Megan and Katerina barely managed to get their boots back on and laced, not quite making their closets and hanging clothing before Miss Nordlingen announced time.

“What you have now is all you have managed grab while escaping with your lives. Megan. Katrina. I am very disappointed in your choices. I did state a ship which means the ocean. Shoes will be of little value to you in the ocean. Thank your lucky stars that THIS TIME you are being tested at night. Next time that either of you make such poor selections you will automatically fail the entire course and be sent home. Now follow me.”

All four found themselves being lead out of Songmark and to a dock somewhat away from the bustling business area of Eastern Island. Still the two smock wearing girls simply glowed with embarrassment at the cat calls and whistles of men they passed. Soon though they were in a covered water taxi and Miss Nordlingen gently placed black bags over their faces, though not cinching them tight.

“It is night therefore you cannot see, you can only hear. We are assuming this time that the four of you manage to find a lifeboat. Your test will be survival until sunrise whereupon you will be marched back to Songmark, given time to wash, dress and perhaps if there is time left have breakfast before classes.”

Nothing else was said for some time while their water taxi rumbled through the waters in an apparently random fashion, for what later Megan announced was about forty minutes. Finally they stopped, or as much as a boat in a current could stop. “Your safety is twenty yards away. You have only to gain that safety. Failing to do so means certain death, which of course means you fail this course. Your bodies will be carefully iced and shipped home as your contract demands. Now you may ask one question or make one statement each before I order you to remove your masks and jump in.”

“Alpha can’t swim” Katrina announced.

“A pity. I will inform her wife of her demise as I walk that nosey squirrel out the gates to return her to Creekside. Next?”

“Alpha, grab my tale. I’ll get you there” Elizabeth ordered.

“Next?” Miss Nordlingen waited but nothing else was said. “Very well, go.” She watched carefully as all four girls pulled off their masks, looked around in the near darkness until they spotted the waiting longboat then jumped in. Well the feline admitted, three jumped. Elizabeth had been forced to grab the shrew and drag her in with her. There was nothing to do now but wait and she so loved this particular test. It cemented dorms as a whole or shattered them beyond recovery. Yet it honestly wasn’t that dangerous. Danger was held for later months. True life threatening danger was left for the third years who could survive it. Though a storm was due Weather had promised it would be nothing more than heavy rain. Her students would not be getting any sleep tonight, not with that leaky boat to ride in.

Alpha Rote gasped air as deeply as her lungs would allow after being unceremoniously dumped into the longboat by Elizabeth. “That’s it shrew” the nutra announced. “You star’ learning to swim tahnigh.”

Alpha just ignored her larger roommate, fighting to slow the screaming generator that was her heart. They had crossed so much water yet nothing had risen to swallow them as food. Could Nancy really be right. Was Cranium Island that much different from the rest of the world?

“I’m am freezing” Katrina announced, her arms wrapped around her ample chest as she shivered in the late evening wind.

“So am I” Megan admitted. “Sleep smocks. Why didn’t we at least grab a blouse?”

From her position near the stern Elizabeth was carefully assaying what they had. “No oars, no food. An emergency medical kit. No water, girls, we are in for it and this boat leaks.” She pointed towards the center of their keel where sea water was slowly bubbling up.

“Do we have anything to bail with” Katrina asked.

“Shoes” Megan announced. “Get ‘em off girls, we need tah keep this ship afloat.”

By now Alpha had managed to gain control over her fright. Following orders she dragged her boots off, feeding her laces together to help keep the tops open. Right now they didn’t have much water coming in but it was steady.

“Its been drilled” Katrina announced after studying the problem. “Alpha, you grabbed socks right?”

“As did Elizabeth. Yes” the shrew admitted.

“As you are smallest among us, one for the cause dear child” the rabbit ordered, holding out a paw. “One for the cause. At least they are grey, not that hated blue.”

Passing over one of her once dry socks Alpha watched in interest as the Southern raised woman first rolled the sock into a tight tube, then pressed it firmly into that nasty little hole. Though she had to force the cloth, eventually their leak became nothing more than a slight annoyance. “One difficulty defeated” Katrina announced. “With sufficient illumination remaining to search for our other surprises. Shall we ladies?”

Two loose boards and a rather nasty nest of insects later (dealt with by using Alpha’s carefully water soaked extra sock) and the ship was declared habitable.

“Ah am still cold” Katrina admitted. “Hungry ahn now with a rather discomforting thirst.”

“Water we have” Elizabeth announced. “Go sparingly, it has to last all night.” She passed around one of the two canteens. At the same time Alpha gave her second blouse to Megan.

“Why her” Katrina asked with a hurt sound in her voice.

“She can wear it, obviously you cant” Elizabeth observed. “You have such endless tracks of virgin land, while Megan is more like our boy wannabe Alpha.”

“Boy wannabe?” Alpha asked with confusion.

“Hon” Katrina laughed. “Yah walk like ah boy. Yah talk like ah boy. Yah think like ah boy. Yah even chased down ahn married yer sweet Nancy like ah boy. Its obvious to everyone hon tha you should have been born ah boy.”

“I am not male” Alpha nearly spat. “I am female. I am woman.” She glared at Katrina. “I do not wish to be male. You will please to teach me how to act like a woman.”

“After you learn to swim” Elizabeth agreed. “You learn how to swim, we’ll teach yah how to be ah woman. Deal?”

Stripping off her blouse and pants Alpha stood carefully in the rocking boat clad only in panties and a thin undershirt. “I will learn now. You will teach me?”

“Over the side then. Grasp the boat carefully and try to float” Elizabeth instructed. “Don’t worry, if you sink I’ll be in after you in a second. We need you too much to let you fail.” Slowly she began to instruct the shew in a basic dead man float.

It was late at night and Alpha’s shift when she spotted the first whitecap just breaking in sight. Though her arms and legs already ached Elizabeth had warned her they she would ache the worse in the morning if she didn’t keep moving. Right now she was carefully pouring out water that had wicked through her sock. It had become surprisingly calm, a calm that worried Katrina who spoke fearfully of something called a hurricane. Less than a hundred yards away on dry land was a tent. That tent held Miss Nordlingen and a friend. From the backlit show the four had watched earlier it was a very, very close friend. After that light had been doused the four had spent almost an hour discussing what they had just observed, then each had fallen asleep after setting watch times. Of course without watches they would have to guess at the time, still any sleep was better than none.

Alpha felt the boat slew about as a wind came from the South. Cooling to her face it brought a smell of rain. Rain? Would they be left out here in the rain? She had shared some of her Cranium Island food with her roommates already, they had all declared it tasteless but filling and had thanked her. Other than Nancy it was the first time anyone had thanked her for doing anything and had given the shrew a rare warm feeling. An abrupt wave hit the boat, waking her three friends.

“Rain” Elizabeth announced after sniffing the sky. “Now we really get wet.”

“Think not” Alpha corrected. “Have something special. Doctor Heimdale send these. Birthday present.” She opened one of her pockets, withdrawing a fat golden rectangle that glittered even in the darkness of an approaching storm. Carefully opening the glued shut package Alpha withdrew a golden object. Soon a sound like electrical discharge filled all four girls ears.

“What is that” Megan asked.

“Heavy duty cellophane” Alpha explained. “Waterproof, double layer.”

Elizabeth leaned forward, feeling the thin material that crackled under her touch. “So. What is it useful for, and why is it gold?”

“Doctor Heimdale calls it a Heat Blanket. I do not know how she binds gold to cellophane” she admitted. “Gold reflects heat. I have two with me. Each is two hundred centimeters square. Very light, so hold tightly. A strong wind will steal them.” She pressed the material into Megan’s paws. “Only hold two, so you and Katrina first.”

“Elizabeth” Megan corrected with a glance towards Katrina. “If you do not mind?”

A shrug of indifference was the Martins answer as Alpha reached for her second packet.

“No” Elizabeth ordered. “You said a heavy wind might rip this away from us yes?”

“Yes.”

“Then save that other one in case we lose this one. Its going to rain hard so we might as well take turns bailing. You and Katrina first, then we switch after an hour. Deal?”

Only Alpha missed to look Katrina gave her when she agreed.

Rainstorm was a misnomer. Within minutes the small firelight of Miss Nordlingen’s campsite was invisible. Waves built even in Spontoon’s guarded harbor, for they were anchored just off Eastern Island. So hard were the two working to bail that when Elizabeth called to them to switch they were surprised. Soon they were under that amazing thin blanket. Though they could feel the rain on their backs they were soon warm.

“Your nation is amazing” Katrina admitted. “I really must visit.”

“You should not” Alpha answered. “My nation is very dangerous. Even a swim or walk through the forest will lead to certain horrible death. Certainly leaving open a window at night.”

“But you are from there, if you grew up there I should be safe.”

“Even I am not safe there” Alpha admitted. “Only by following strict rules did I live this long. I think I will not return. I find like being able to walk under the stars at night. Now we must sleep.” She leaned against the rabbit, thankful that her companion didn’t pull away as Megan had several nights ago. Soon both were asleep.

They awoke to even harsher conditions before as Elizabeth and Megan joined them. Not meant for so many the crackling golden blanket let in a great deal of wind and water. “We are very much in danger” Megan announced. “Our anchor rope broke sometime early during the storm. Though it may already be too late we must watch for land, any land.”

Accepting that comfort was no longer an option Alpha wadded up the golden cellophane, stuffing it into her blouse. The results were comical though at the time though no one laughed. Alpha Rote now, at least for the time had a bigger chest measurement than any of her companions. Yet it was the only way to store the blanket in such winds.

“We need a sea anchor” Elizabeth decided. “Girls, your bras please.”

Quickly stripping away the required clothing soon three bras of various size and design were in Elizabeth’s paws. Pointedly she looked at Alpha, who held up her paws in defeat. “I do not wear such” she admitted.

“Boys” Megan laughed. Not realizing how her single word hurt Alpha.

Using the three articles of clothing and boot laces attached to the remaining, and carefully tested rope Elizabeth soon tossed out her makeshift sea anchor. Almost immediately it had an effect as their makeshift rope pulled to the right. Soon their boat answered, its bow now facing the incoming waves instead of simply wallowing in them. “Spontoon is that way” Elizabeth announced, pointing over their bow.

“No” Alpha corrected, pointing a full twenty degrees to port. “That way.”

“Are you certain?” Elizabeth asked.

Holding up her paw Alpha let the three girls see her glowing wedding ring. Then holding her arm out she swung it slowly through an arc. At one point it brightened dramatically. “That way is woman I love” she explained. “My wife.” Had she been able to see Katrina’s shattered face all would have been known to the shrew.

“Then that way we must go when this wind no longer blows” Megan agreed. “Though I much fear it is already daylight. They will send search parties of course.”

“After this storms over” Elizabeth agreed. “Before then, your talking useless attempt ahn ah lot of dead third years. We just need tah survive. Now bail, cause this boats still sinkin.”

All four spent the day bailing, using their water soaked boots as makeshift buckets. Even with all four working they barely kept afloat until the wind slackened and the rain simply became a battering vertical downpour. Around them the grey sea was soon pounded flat.

“Now what” Katrina asked.

“Any food left Alpha?”

“One bar” the shrew reported, taking it out.

“Katrina, you and Alpha hold that golden blanket. Let this rain wash it off then Megan and I will fill our canteens with fresh water. After that we eat, then bail again.”

“Yes Empress” Katrina answered, standing carefully in the old longboat. Following Elizabeth’s orders the two pulled that miracle blanket out, letting the rain wash it clean of Alpha’s scent before Elizabeth pulled one end down, causing a steady stream of water to fill first one canteen, then the other. Done the two carefully refolded their life saving device, Katerina carefully packing it back into Alpha’s blouse.

A bit too carefully Elizabeth decided as she watched.

“I will be requesting a transfer when we return” Megan whispered to Elizabeth.

“Why?”

“It is obvious is it not? They are of a kind, you walk both paths. Only I am alone in this group. Sometimes I wake in fear that you three have decided to convert me.”

Elizabeth took a moment to think things over. “You want the truth Megan? The real truth about me?”

“If you wish, I will listen.”

“Fine. Where I am from women can’t get flight training. Its bed, kitchen, babymaker. Period. The only way tah get anywhere is be Sapphic or open tah it. Okay, I’m not either but I’m pretty good at actin like it. Women trained me how tah fly. Women gave me sailing experience. Women got me outta my fathers home, away from ah arranged marriage. Yeah, ah paid mah dues but ahm no lover of female fur. Wasn’t till ah applied tah Songmark that my dad admitted he knew and was proud of me for findin ah way out. Proud of me. You know how many men are proud of their daughters in my homeland? Not many. So no Megs I’m not gonna be joinin you in bed. Ahm not interested.”

“It is about time that you admitted that truth child” Katrina announced.

“You knew?” the nutria gasped.

“Why of course I knew dear child. Your attempts were so serious, yet your eyes tell the story. Certainly you know our code words, know our haunts. But share our meals? Please my friend, you have much to learn. As does dear sweet Alpha here.” She turned suddenly, pulling the shrew sitting next to her tightly against her. “Such as how to know when a woman wants her. Wants her not for her body, but her heart.”

“What?” Alpha gasped. “I am married.”

“Three years my sweet. I will wait those three years when your current wife no longer has need of you be very aware that I will. For you see dear Alpha, I do love you.” She released the shrew without even kissing her. “Remember that I am waiting.”

“Oookay...” Megan managed, her words pulled from her as by a body blow. “So now everyone knows. What now?”

Alpha poured another boot full of water over the side. “Eat. Bail. Drink water. Refill canteen. Absorb truths. Go mad.” She poured another boot of water overboard. “Yes. Madness. I think...” She abruptly wavered. “So much to absorb” were her last words before she passed out.

“Too much for tha girl” Elizabeth laughed. “Eat first.” Taking out her school utility knife she started cutting the strange bar into quarters, passing them out. Alpha’s head now lay in Katrina’s lap she noticed. “Drink water. Then bail. Katrina, Nancy is gonna cut your liver out.”

“I certainly hope that she will not” the rabbit admitted. “She does not really want Alpha. I do. She wants her zebra. Certainly she cannot be angry simply because I gather in her discard.” Carefully she dropped the quarter of food for Alpha into the shrews mouth giggling as the now awakened woman struggled to a sitting position while trying not to lose her food. “A last meal together my dearest love” she announced. “We shall stand against the North together, to fall in defense of those we love.”

“Kay” the shrew managed, gulping down a drink of water after her tasteless meal. “Whatever.”

“You have quite short circuited her mind” Elizabeth noted. “Now my friends, as the sea is only two fingers below the gunnels I suggest that we bail.”

Hours later the rain slacked off, leaving all four soaked to the bone and still bailing. Yet they were afloat, their two canteens were full and for once no one was thirsty. “Shower. Food. Bed” Elizabeth chanted as she poured her last boot of water overboard. It was still calm but that could change any moment. Soft swells lifted the little boat up and down, creating a mesmerizing rocking motion that threatened to push everyone into sleep.

“Ah am much afraid” Katrina admitted. “That I must wander off to tha little girls room.”

Her three companions looked at her, then around them. “This will prove embarrassing” Elizabeth admitted with a chuckle. “If I remember, the water here is over two miles deep. Awful long walk to ah water closet.”

Without another word Katrina slipped off her smock, then her remaining unders. “Ah do not care how far I must walk” she announced. “Current goes which way please?” She noted the way Elizabeth pointed, stood with all the grace a lifetime of upper class Southern training could give and simply walked off the stern. Moments later her head popped up still facing away from their craft. “Two miles? Dear me, ah simply cannot wait that long.”

Sometime later the last of their group climbed back aboard, having relieved her uncomfortable pressure. “That... was educational” Alpha admitted. She had been forced to hold on to the crafts side, at the moment barely able to manage what was popularly called a dead mans float. Now their clothing was spread over the craft, slowly drying in the air as the fog had lifted. Lifted much too late for any sunshine unfortunately.

“Survival is educational” Elizabeth added. “So. We now know I’m not bi and that Katrina is in love with Alpha. Since there is a real possibility that one or more of us will not survive, which of you two are going to admit a secret next?”

Megan blinked, looked to Alpha who was apparently deep in thought. “Myself I suppose” she decided. “I murdered my brother.”

“You what” all three announced at the same moment.

“It was an accident. I assure you. In fact no one really knows all the facts but I. You see we were playing Roman against Pict. I was Pict of course, as Gilbert’s armor simply could not fit over my chest even then. He was searching for me and, as a True Barbarian I was in a tree. As he passed under me I dropped upon him. He fell, his own sword cutting his throat.” She looked away. “I tried so very hard to stop the bleeding, but it wouldn’t stop. It simply ran over my paws, it was so hot that it still burns my paws. At least he was unconscious. It was only a few moments then he was gone. Horrified I ran home. No one would believe I killed him. They called it a terrible accident but I was intending to kill him. He was a Roman invading my lands. Father claimed he found evidence that Gilbert tripped before I could have jumped. But he didn’t. I fully remember my knees striking his back as he fell to the ground.”

“Wheredidyouhithim” Alpha asked, then realizing how she had spoken tried again. “Where did you hit him?”

“On his back” Megan repeated.

“Nono. Where on his back?”

“Here” the martin explained, bringing her left arm around to a point well below her shoulder blades.

“And you fell where?”

“Why. On top of him of course. It was only when I reached around to falsely cut his neck with my wooden blade that I felt the blood.”

“And you dropped from directly above him?”

“Yes. I have stated as much.”

Alpha leaned forward, turning her clothing over before answering. “Physics do not change. Cranium Island. Spontoon. Britain. Had you struck him as he stood. Yes, he would have fallen under you.” She picked up her unders, slipping them on. “Where you struck him is physically impossible from directly above.” Snapping the tiny strap above her tail Alpha looked up into the star filled sky. Had this been Cranium Island, or even within ten kilometers of Cranium Island all four of them would long ago have been eaten alive. Yes, Nancy was correct. Cranium Island was true madness. Returning there with Nancy would only be sealing the death warrant of a woman she loved and she could never do that. “You could not have killed him.”

As the rest of her companions followed her lead Elizabeth sucked in a breath. “Wanna explain yourself? Alpha, we know your tah scientist among us. But how could you be so certain this far away from ah event so long ago.”

“Physics” the shrew repeated. “If Megan fell from above with bent legs, her knees would hit upper back. Unless she hits on collarbones her brother staggers forward. Simple physics I could prove on land. To hit that low only two possibilities. She ran and jumped from behind. In such case he would stagger even further forward. Megan landing on ground.”

“And the only other way was if he was already falling” Katrina filled in. “You couldn’t have killed him.”

Megan looked to her friends, gasped, then closed her eyes as she followed those words as images in her mind. Everyone remained silent as the young martin worked out the truth. The real truth. “So many years” she whispered, her eyes still closed. “So many years. I did not murder my brother. Alpha, I thank you.”

“It is simple physics” the shrew admitted. “Anyone made make this experiment with like results.” Leaning back against Katrina’s wonderfully plump form the shrew grinned. “Now have soft toy on and off Spontoon property.”

Her answer was the rabbit twisting, dumping her on the boats damp wood. “Not until Nancy turns away from you my dear” she corrected. “I shall not be known as a petty little home wrecker. Now what is your secret?”

“My secret?” Alpha struggled up into a sitting position, looking back the way her ring glowed strongest to. “My secret. All right. My secret. I am not really a scientist. I am a glorified assistant. Igor to their Mad Scientist.”

Elizabeth leaned forward, studying her roommate. “You will ah course explain this? Your smarter than us. Yah know things we don’t.”

“Certainly I do. But I was not smart enough to be inducted to full Mad Scientist. My test scores were three points too low. So I had choice. I could leave, become a laboratory assistant or experimental animal. I decided on assistant.”

“But your ah card...”

“A present from my parents. They um, pulled strings. I’m an Honorary Mad Scientist. Marrying Nancy, that impressed them all but it not change my test scores. On Cranium Island you only get one chance. I was sent Songmark become a pilot. Nothing more. Being able understand the equipment, to build it, to even correct design errors not make me a scientist. Just a talented spanner twister. When I have graduated I am supposed return, be available every scientist who needs pilot. Boat, aircraft, ground borer or other. I am nothing. I lied to Nancy.”

“All this stuff they send?” Megan asked.

“I am tester. Field testing equipment. I have send detailed reports back each test. That, or they stop paying for classes. I don’t want go back to Cranium Island. Between you four and Nancy. Let me say my survivability would be measured in minutes now. One mistake be fatal. More importantly, I don’t want be a scientist anyway. Not really. I want be a Sorceress like the Priestess’s here.”

“But Nancy needs your knowledge as a Scientist” Katrina reminded Alpha.

“Oh please Kat. You said yourself. School ends I am no longer Mrs. Alpha Rote. Just plain Alpha Zarahoff. Glorified lab rat. Soon to be snack for whatever ate my brother. He was the scientist. Not myself.”

Elizabeth pulled the shrew across to her, ignoring how that movement made their battered craft wobble. “You are Alpha Rote. Mrs. Alpha Rote” she instructed. “You are a Scientist. Maybe not on Cranium Island but anywhere else on this planet you are a scientist. Why Alpha, yer smarter than anyone ah know. An if Nancy does dump you Katrina is waiten eagerly tah catch yah. So stop feelin sorry for yourself. We all have problems. Heck, yah just cleared Megan’s mind of ah horrible memory. Now Miss Scientist, put tha mad brain inta gear. How do we survive till rescue comes?”

Alpha looked around, carefully studying what they had. Abruptly her eyes rolled up as she let her mind free to process that information. Had her companions not experienced this action several times before they would have been frightened. Just as suddenly she returned to them. “There are three seats. Using school issued knives we turn two into four short paddles. If we lucky and manage wind, Megan and Katrina hold the heat blanket up as sail while you instruct how to adjust. I manage a tiller out of our oars.” She paused. “If an aircraft in daylight that gold will reflect very well. A good signal. At night we must have way make a light. This I have no idea for.”

“Our resident scientist” Elizabeth announced. “Has studied our problem ahn probably just saved our lives. Katrina, kiss her. She deserves payment.”

“But...” Katrina looked at Elizabeth who was now behind Alpha. Shrugged at the look Elizabeth was giving her and complied with the order. Complied quite fully.

Morning found three of the four sound asleep. Again Alpha though was the one awake. She had taken the watch over sometime around midnight, then decided that she needed the time to think more than sleep so she had left the others to snore. At least Elizabeth snored, like a rock saw running out of lubricant. ‘Katrina is in love with me’ she thought. ‘I am in love with Nancy. Katrina and I already suspected Elizabeth wasn’t bi, but that Megan was nervous simply because of us?‘ She studied the sleeping martin, curled up with the others under their slowly disintegrating cellophane blanket. It had saved them, so for an emergency it was a life saver. Over the long run though it was obvious that another day of normal wear and tear in a survival situation would leave the thing in tatters. She thought of the second one still in her pocket. It would have to be used, there just wasn’t anything else that they could do. Doctor Heimdale was not going to be happy with her report, still that same report would insure money for her education. Oh why hadn’t she made a hundred percent on that test like her brother had? It had only been a simple one thousand question test. Then all this would have never happened.

And she would never have met Nancy.

Movement among the three caused the cellophane blanket to rustle. There were tears in its edges now while flecks of gold tinted cellophane littered the boat. A smile came to the shrews face as Megan eased closer to Elizabeth in her sleep. Last night the martin had been nursing, an action that the sleeping nutria had obviously welcomed. Elizabeth would make a wonderful mother one day. Megan? Megan still had serious emotional problems. ‘Will we be able to survive. The four of us? Leaning upon each others strengths to bolster our own weakness?’ She wasn’t sure. Such studies were Doctor Raden’s speciality. She knew she could write him but he would demand detailed reports. So detailed he would know more about her new friends than she wanted him to know. Her friends called her a scientist, even though her card was an honorary one, she knew that these three were dead certain she was one. Dead certain. She would have to use every bit of knowledge she had to insure that certain remained, while dead never happened. Alpha was aware that it would upset Nancy if she failed to measure up.

Nine hours later they were certain. Certain that their paws were raw, they had no more food and that two full canteens had dwindled to half of one. With no wind there was nothing left to do but drift. Drift and hide under that still amazing blanket even if it was chipping away at the edges. As bad of condition that it was in, Elizabeth still refused to allow Alpha to unpacked the second one. “Tomorrow if we need it” she explained. “We have to assume that they are looking for us, and that we will be found. It will jus...”

Whatever else Elizabeth was about to say died in her throat. There was a heavy rumbling of engines, far away, yet still strong. As the watched a large dark airship came into view. To their surprise it came directly towards them. “Hold up the blanket, reflect light at them” Elizabeth ordered. Quickly the others did as they were told.

As they watched the aircraft never wavered, flying directly towards them until with an ear aching roar it flew directly over them at less than fifty feet. From the bottom tumbled a large package, one that billowed out into a rescue raft even as it fell. Paddling for all they were worth the four made their way over, gratefully trading their battered wooden boat for the American made life raft.

“Food” Alpha cried as she spotted a well marked package. “Water.”

Elizabeth simply collapsed into the new craft, gasping for air. “Saved” she whispered. Unseen by her companions the nutria began to cry. Beside her Katrina Schmidt made a face.

“Yankees. This here boat was made by damn Yankees. I do believe that I would rather sink in our true ship rather than be beholding to Damn Yankees.”

Hearing those words Alpha made her way over to the southern rabbit while Megan continued opening the food packets. “You will wait for me” she asked.

“I have said such yes” Katrina admitted.

“Then you wait in damnyankee boat.” Sticking her tongue out the shrew returned to selecting a meal that the four could hold down.

Katrina simply watched and smiled at the view. “Oh yes my sweet Alpha” she whispered. “You are quite the rough edged child. Well worth my time. I shall wait. It shall be a delight to turn you into a true Lady. After we are married. To simply see you waiting for me, in a white wedding dress...”

A bit under an hour later a flying boat arrived. As it kissed the water all four watched in awe as the black furred mare swung easily about, ending up with her main hatch just yards away from them. Moments later that hatch opened and a beautiful Siamese cast a rope to them. As they tumbled into the aircraft carring the remaining supplies the mare stepped over them, reaching out to drag the inflatable close enough to slice open its air sacs.

“Don wan anyon tah thin someons in tha” she explained. “Geh seated.”

“Is that Nikki” Elizabeth asked the siamese. To her embarrassment the Chinese woman giggled, pointed to a collar locked about her neck. “Is my wife” a musical voice answered her. “Is my owner.” Then the woman sat quickly as their aircraft was already lifting, coming up on the step before climbing high into the sky.

Sometime later the four, now safe back on Songmark property were being examined by Mrs. Oelabe. Miss Blande watched quietly until the last examination was over. “Not too badly damaged” the nurse announced. “Two cases of mild sunburn, much less injury than I had expected considerin their clothing and training.” She gathered her things, leaving the examination room for her office.

“Very well done” the feline admitted, looking into each girls face as she talked. “Who wishes to transfer to another dorm?”

All four looked to each other, then three to one. “I think we are fine Miss Blande” Elizabeth answered.

“I see, and they have chosen you as head girl?’

“Head girl?” the nutria asked.

“In charge.”

“Oh.” Elizabeth shrugged. “Until its somrthin I don’t know about. Guess so.”

“Very good. You have the day off. You must remain on Songmark property however you may sleep, eat, walk or simply breath as you wish. Classes restart in the morning. Mrs. Rote, please remain. The rest of you, vanish please.”

When the door closed behind them Miss Blande stood, opening a second door. “We have decided. For saving your companions lives you earned this. Two hours only.” So saying she walked out and Nancy walked in. Walked in to have Alpha leap into her arms.

“They wouldn’t believe me” Nancy managed after breaking Alpha’s kiss. “It took so long. I had to beg them.”

“Forwhat” the shrew asked, taking time to nip a place she knew Nancy loved.

“Not now” the squirrel gasped, pushing her wife away. “Our rings. I had to prove to them that it showed the way to you. Miss Devinski finally brought in a local Priestess. Only when she had confirmed the truth did we take off. Oh it must have been a terrible time for you, everyone was certain that you were all dead after so long. That storm I heard Miss Devinski say something about it not being normal.”

“Storm was storm” the shrew replied. “Nancy. We have big problem.”

“Your going to have a child?”

Alpha laughed with her wife. “No” she finally managed after a good laugh. “Serious. Katrina Schmidt in love with me. But she say she wait until you discard me.”

“Discard. Oh my dear Alpha I will never discard you. I’m certain of that now. True, our marriage is only until we graduate but you will be a part of my life forever.”

“Katrina?”

Nancy sat on the examination bed, thinking. “I don’t know” she admitted. “Perhaps it is only a passing thing. By gradation we will know better. There is time to think. Time. Alpha, Miss Blande gave us two hours.”

“Yes?”

“We have wasted not quite ten minutes already.”