Across the Sea, Somewhere

“You have a budget. You have a budget. You have a budget. You need to keep to your budget or this will be a two week trip that accomplishes nothing, You have a budget.”

As far as mantras went, it wasn’t especially profound, but it had the advantage of being extremely true and very needed. Adelaide was always the kind of person who struggled with discipline when she went shopping, and this was the most interesting shopping spree she’d ever been on.

“Wow, these drones can see in infrared and ultraviolet! And they transmit audio as well, including up or downshifting frequencies humans can’t hear! That seems incredibly useful!”

Myrna, the store’s owner, came over and smiled. “You have a good eye! Those are brand new, but I think everyone going through the Triangle will be carrying them soon. It’s worth picking a few up.”

Ray rolled his eyes. “You’re getting scammed, Professor. I doubt those things have a battery life of more than two hours, and I don’t think Captain Mattson’s going to be eager to divert the power it takes to recharge them. You can’t listen to Myrna — she’s a snake who will take every Hour you have if you’re not careful.”

Myrna didn’t seem offended and didn’t bother to deny it.

“You’re the one who brought us here, Ray,” Adelaide said.

“Yeah, because the Top Drawer has a solid supply and all the other owners are even worse than Myrna.”

Myrna actually smiled at that. “You old flatterer.” She was a tall woman, and lean, with short hair and an aquiline nose. “You just want back in my pants.”

“You say that like I ever left!”

“Psh, you barely come by anymore. And I can see you’re all business today. So what are you gearing up for?”

“A disaster, I suspect. A two week voyage with the intention of going back out there for longer, a few times over.”

“What are you doing out there? Fishing for something really exotic?”

“Some science thing I refuse to understand. So we’re just going to be sailing aimlessly with a bunch of passengers with no experience at all. You see that we’re destined for fame and fortune.”

Adelaide let the two of them catch up, and continued her exploration of the store. The Top Drawer was not exactly bustling, but a few people were moving from shelf to shelf. And the shelves were absolutely stuffed and there was no discernable organization to any of it. That probably got annoying for regulars, but, for Adelaide, it just added a bit of surprise to the experience.

It was amazing what you could buy if you actually had some money. There were miniature forges that purported to be able to heat themselves to nearly a thousand degrees when needed, designed to allow the forging of alloys while at sea. And there were similar portable chemistry sets that claimed to have an internal stabilization feature that would keep glasses from breaking even in rough seas. Needless to say, there was enough fishing equipment to drain the ocean: nets and rods, of course, as well as exotic tackle and bait that promised to attract even creatures that had never before been seen. But there were stranger approaches - Adelaide was particularly drawn to a large, robotic whale that was piloted remotely and designed to swallow up some exotic find as some ancient whale had supposedly done to Jonah, so that it could be safely transported without exposing it to the crew or vice versa.

There was also a lot of garbage. Not that anything was obviously of low quality — Adelaide didn’t doubt that there was plenty of junk, but she didn’t have the eye to identify it. But there were so many things that, even if perfectly functional, seemed insane to bring through the Triangle. Elaborate closets that promised to be able to store and even launder silks and formalwear, frozen yogurt machines that claimed their ingredients would last for weeks without spoiling, and carpets that were apparently intended to prevent splinters within one’s cabin. But even those seemed like valuable investments relative to the virtual reality helmet Adelaide came across — who would go into a completely unknown sea and pretend to be somewhere else?

When Ray approached her again, she was examining a box that claimed to hold an unfolding baby grand piano. “You play?”, he asked.

“Not since my mother let me quit my piano lessons after I threatened to bite the teacher. I had told her I wanted to play guitar but … well, anyway. I was just wondering who would ever bring a piano through the Triangle.”

“You’d be surprised — instruments help a lot. There are plenty of slow nights and it’s often too dark to do much. More importantly, there are sounds in the dark that it’s better not to contemplate. We’ll have more sing-alongs then you’d expect.”

“You sing?”

“You’ll find out. You get what you came here for?”

“Mostly, but I wanted to ask Myrna about miniature generators. Do you know where she is?”

Before RayZach could even answer, Myrna stuck her head around a nearby corner. “You say you need to charge something? I’m always happy to make a sale, but most ships will provide at least some electricity. Unless you have something elaborate that needs charging.”

“I do, and I doubt anything on the Foam Strider can help. I need to be able to power something that draws 5 kilowatts, and I need to make sure it will last.”

“What, are you bringing your house with you? What could possibly be pulling that much power?”

Adelaide reached into her backpack and pulled out her IRAC unit. Even unpowered, it was exciting just to hold — she couldn’t wait to get it hooked up. “Do you know what this is?”

Myrna looked closer, and then pulled back. “I do. Do you? Are you sure you wouldn’t rather sell it? I’ll give you a fleet of drones to start with.”

“Sorry, non-negotiable. Can’t do anything without it.”

Ray looked at the device. “Is that a computer?”

Myrna and Adelaide exchanged a look. “It is, in the sense that a space shuttle is a bottle rocket,” Adelaide explained.

Myrna smiled. “Well, if you’re not selling it, I don’t see any way to power it that isn’t nuclear. I do have a few models that can handle it, but they aren’t cheap.”

“I understand. It’s unavoidable.”

“If you’re rolling with such deep pockets, I can’t imagine what you’re doing with Ray. But, can I show you the coolest thing I’ve gotten in months?”

Unable to resist a pitch like that, Adelaide allowed herself to be led to the back of the store, where Myrna presented a dim, empty room. “Where is it?”Adelaide asked.

Myrna smiled. “It’s here! It’s a cloaking device!”

“What?”

Ray scoffed. “Myrna, that’s the oldest trick on the island. I know she’s new, but she’s with me and I’d appreciate it if you’d lay off such cheap jokes.”

“Watch!” Myrna pulled out a blacklight and shined it in the room. As she did, it revealed a cube about a meter wide and covered in a cloth, which neither Adelaide nor Ray had noticed before. Once the blacklight was gone, the object was barely visible, but only because Adelaide now knew where it was supposed to have been.

“How does that work?”

“The cloth is apparently some material someone found in the Triangle that refracts light in a strange way, coupled with a series of small projectors that help create uniform lighting that matches the surroundings. It’s not perfect, but it’ll help you hide. It’s insanely expensive, but since you apparently can afford an IRAC…”

“The IRAC was the only thing at that level I could even pretend to afford, and only because it was an absolute necessity for me. And, besides, who would I be hiding from in the Triangle?”

Myrna led them back to the main shelves. “Well, that’s the thing, right? The people who find out the answer to that question never come back to tell us.”

***

Adelaide had been hungry, but it was Ray who suggested they stop for the day and have an early dinner. He’d driven her here, and she hadn’t asked where he was taking her. She’d figured it would be some little shack the locals loved. Instead, they were at one of the new Marriotts, in a rooftop restaurant called “Salt and Water” that overlooked the ocean with a view of the Triangle itself from her seat. Adelaide had developed a suspicion that she confirmed after she looked at the menu.

“Are you just trying to get me to buy you the most expensive meal in Bermuda?”

“You don’t know how expensive meals get in Bermuda. And you misjudge me - I’m buying you the best meal in Bermuda.”

“Really? You’re paying?”

“Yep.”

“What’s the catch?”

Ray looked at her. “Just enjoy the food - you’ll see that it’s a unique menu.”

Now that she could draw her eyes away from the prices, Adelaide realized she couldn’t place the fare. She wondered for a moment if she was just insufficiently sophisticated, but even she would recognize something. “Ray, is everything on this menu from the Triangle?”

“Yeah, that’s the idea. The chef here is committed to serving only Triangle imports. He says he values the sustainability, as no Earth fish are harmed and no Earth waters are polluted. I think it’s mostly marketing: it’s not like he was running a vegan joint before the Triangle opened. But the food is really something, and I like to eat here before a trip out. It’s good luck.”

“How do I order from a menu of things that have never appeared on Earth before? How does he know how to cook them?”

“It’s not like the same species never recur, you know. And he’s a natural. In terms of ordering, the menu gives you the general flavor profile, but I think we just do the prix fixe. It’s worth it, especially to you since I’m paying.”

The food was spectacular. The salad course featured lightly dressed blue leaves that had the consistency of spinach but with a flavor more like slices of apple. Just the experience of eating something naturally blue was strange, but Adelaide found she took to it quickly. The part of her brain that told her that food didn’t look or taste like this was quickly overwhelmed by the raw fact of the dish in front of her.

The salad was followed by a small plate featuring what appeared to be like an octopus tentacle, but branching off from itself and with suckers all around. The dish had been cooked until it almost dissolved on her tongue, and it was appealingly bitter after the salad. The bitterness in turn proved a pleasant contrast for the pasta that followed, long noodles cooked in a red sauce with a meat that she couldn’t identify with the consistency of hamburger but much sweeter.

And then there was the entree: Adelaide and Ray were each served an eel that was about eighteen inches long but with fins every few inches. Adelaide spent some time cutting around the bones before Ray told her that the bones were actually edible and part of the meal. Adelaide assumed this was a prank until Ray cut into his eel’s spinal column and took a bite. When she warily followed, she found that it was surprisingly soft, almost like the fondant of a cake. How such bones functioned Adelaide could only begin to imagine, but she was too busy enjoying the experience to dwell on the biology.

As she made her way through a slice of pie filled with fruit that was slightly phosphorescent, Adelaide had to ask Ray a question that had been nagging her since their first course. “If all of this food is from the Triangle, how does the chef get more? And how does he know if he’ll ever get it again?”

“He buys it, from people just like us. That’s part of why I wanted to bring you here, so that you could see that ingredients are valuable cargo to the right buyer. Not that we are operating a commercial fishing operation or anything, but it’s worth keeping in mind. And, as for the menu, he doesn’t actually know what’s going to be available. Oh, sure, some things are more common than others: those blue leaves in the salad have been on several islands I’ve visited myself, so they can’t be that rare. But some meals here are literally once in a lifetime.”

“I can’t decide if that’s exciting or deeply sad.”

“I think it’s just the way it works. It’s always good, that’s the important thing. You want to meet the chef?”

“How would we do that?”

“He’s an old friend, and I’ve done him a few favors over the years. That’s why he lets me eat here on the house, as long as I come before the dinner rush.”

“I thought you said you were paying for dinner?”

“Look, you didn’t pay, so what do you care? Do you want to meet him or not?”

Adelaide couldn’t figure out a sensible complaint, given that she’d received a delicious meal for free, and she was eager to see the kitchen. So, when they finished the oddly-spiced teas that were offered instead of an after-dinner coffee, they made their way to the back of the restaurant and through the doors into the kitchen.

It was actually hard to distinguish this kitchen from that of any high-end American restaurant. Adelaide looked at the various cuts of meat being prepared, but, now that she thought about it, she didn’t actually know what a cow or pig looked like between when it arrived at a restaurant and when it landed on her plate. But the bustle of chefs preparing one dish after another was stimulation enough, until a tall, thin man in a stained apron emerged and shook Ray’s hand quickly. “Ray, I hadn’t realized you were here. Have you already eaten? It’s a good menu today. The jelly eels are of particularly high quality.”

“We did, and they were. This is Adelaide. She’s retained me for a new voyage. Adelaide, this is my old friend Chris.”

Adelaide shook his hand. “It’s an honor — I’ve never had a meal like it.”

“I hope that was a compliment. But thank you. And not just for that. Anyone who gets Ray back on the water is doing the world a service. BeErmuda is getting sick of him anyway. I trust Ray has explained that I am always a potential buyer. How long are you going out for?”

“Two weeks.”

“Oh, that’s too bad — almost anything will spoil in that time. Why so long? Fishing ships rarely do more than a day or two — there’s no need to travel to get to deep water, of course.”

Ray rolled his eyes. “Do we look like fisherman? We’re going deep. And this is just the first step: we’re planning even longer voyages next. What will you buy that keeps?”

“A few things, I suppose. Interesting salts if you find some that are accessible. If you dry peppers, I’ll consider those. Or plants, but most will wilt well before you return. Unless you have a freezer with you?”

“We weren’t planning on it.”

“A shame. Although it would take a level of expertise that you lack to make much use of one. Even valuable fish and game must be prepared appropriately before being frozen if it is to retain any value.”

At that, a short woman with dyed hair, who had been gutting a brightly colored fish, interjected. “I could go!”

“Ms. Silver, have you been eavesdropping rather than attempting to ruin less of my food?”

“I’ve been eavesdropping and preparing your food perfectly. And I can go with them! If you lend me a freezer, I’ll fill it with whatever we find that’s valuable. You know I have a good eye for it. And you can buy it off me at a price you won’t believe.”

“An intriguing proposition. I would enjoy seeing the kitchen without you in it for a few weeks. Ray, do you have room for one more?”

“We have two empty spaces, but what do we get out of this arrangement?. It’s not a pleasure cruise.”

The younger chef spoke quickly. “I can cook for you! I’m sure I can do a better job than whatever sailor manages to scramble an egg on whatever ship you’re taking. And I’m a good hunter, and you’ll all benefit from having someone who can turn food into profit. ”

Ray looked to Chris, who said, “I can’t speak to her martial prowess, but Ms. Silver has some small competence. I would say that a ship’s galley may be a perfect match for her talents.”

“Adelaide, what do you think?”

“I don’t know how else we’d fill the space before we leave, and I don’t mind the idea of eating well. Ms. Silver, what’s your first name?”

“Emma, miss.”

“Call me Adelaide. Welcome aboarroad, Emma.”

Emma gave her a hug, quickly, and then practically bounced off her to try to do the same to Ray, who sidestepped it.

“You’ll need to get ready quickly, kid. We set sail the day after tomorrow.”

“I’ll be there! You won’t regret it!”

Chris rolled his eyes, and pointed back to Emma’s station . “We shall see how they feel upon their return. In the meantime, you have fallen even farther behind. I think the time for conversation has concluded.”

Adelaide and RayChris took that as a sign and made their goodbyes. As they left the kitchen and walked past the restaurant’s bar, Ray suddenly stopped short. “Jim, is that you?”

A tan, bald man sitting at the bar turned on his barstool and nodded at Ray. “Heya, Rey. Who’s your date?”

“Not a date, a client. Adelaide, this is Jim. Jim, I’m surprised to see you on land. Adelaide, JimRay is one of the most experienced travelers you’ll find - I think he spends more time on that side of the Triangle than this one.”

“That’s the goal anyway. Nice to meet you, Adelaide. So you’re rolling the dice with Ray?”

“That’s the plan, although I’ve already begun having doubts.”

Jim smiled. “It’s good to keep your eyes open. When do you leave?”

“The day after tomorrow. We’ll be out two weeks.”

“Two weeks? You have room for one more? Ray knows the conditions.”

Adelaide paused. “We do, but I’m at a loss. Why would you want to join us? What do you do?”

“I travel. I always travel, as much as I can. I’ll offer you what I offer everyone I travel with. I’ll give you half the space in my Chest and will contribute to the voyage however I can. In exchange, if I tell you I see something I need to investigate, you’ll let me do so. Nothing that jeopardizes the voyage, but I must absolutely insist, on your honor, that you agree to investigate my request in the unlikely event that I makde one.”

Before Adelaide could even respond, Ray said, “You’re in. Like I said, Professor, Jim has experience, and that’s something we are sorely lacking.”

Adelaide paused briefly before nodding and saying, “I suppose it makes sense. I’m sure we’ll be glad to have you. Welcome to the adventure.”

Jim smiled. “You would think, that when a man has been through the Triangle enough, the adventure would fade. But no, it is always a new sea. I look forward to meeting this one.”