Grantville Gazette 45

Second Chance Bird, Episode Thirteen

Port Looking Glass, December 15th, 1635

"They what?" Pam shouted, her voice like sharp metal.

Ulf, the Swedish marine who had brought her the bad news flinched, hoping that the American saying about "shooting the messenger" really was just a saying.

"They escaped, Captain Pam, in the night. They all got away, including the officers and that brute who had helped kidnap you." Ulf's voice was heavy with professional embarrassment. Even though the strapping young soldier had a full foot and a hundred pounds on her, he shrank back as Pam began pacing around her cabin in the grip of rage.

"How?" Pam tried not to shriek at the poor fellow, fighting to keep her voice even. Gerbald, Doctor Durand, and Lundkvist, the newly-minted captain of their captured French warship, Effrayant, looked on, all staying sensibly near the door.

"One of the French trustees did it. We haven't been watching them that closely since the doctor vouched for them." This made the good doctor wince painfully. Ulf gave him an apologetic shrug before continuing. "It turns out this one was still loyal to that Toulon bastard. He snuck up to the prison and cut a hole in the back wall. It was only made of bamboo. The civilians on guard duty were all asleep." At least he had managed to get that particular buck passed. Incompetent farmers trying to do a soldier's work, and failing completely!

Pam scowled mightily. Hot, stinking DAMN! Their real military guys were stretched pretty thin right now, with a harbor full of ships and a town to attend to, so it wasn't that big a surprise; even seasoned soldiers were known to fall asleep on guard duty, and it wasn't exactly a Sing Sing they had been running. Two more days and that evil bastard would have been hanging high. She had intended to pull the lever herself!

Doctor Durand looked miserable, his long mustache drooping tragically. "Captain Pam, I am most terribly embarrassed. I hold myself completely responsible. It was I who thought we could trust the man who did this. He appeared to be an honest young sailor to my eyes, pressed into service against his will as I was."

"It isn't your fault, Doc. You're not a mind reader. That snake Toulon must havemade the kid an offer he couldn't refuse." She turned back to the sweating Marine, who looked somewhat relieved that his captain had grown calmer. "What happened next, Ulf?" she asked him, patting his hand in a comforting manner. He breathed out a nervous breath, and continued.

"They made their way down to the beach where the traitor had a longboat waiting, one of Ide's tenders. It was big enough to hold them, and seaworthy enough. We figure they're heading to Isle Saint Marie, that's where they say Toulon has his pirate base."

Captain Lundkvist stepped forward, his new polished wood peg leg giving him a very maritime air.

"The Effrayant can be ready to pursue within the hour. We can still catch them!"

Pam shook her head. "I appreciate your gumption, but it would be searching for a needle in a hay stack. We need Effrayant here to protect us. If Toulon is foolish enough to come try us, we'll finish him for good. One day, when Swedish power has grown strong enough here, I intend to go burn their little pirate paradise to the ground, and you and your ship will be leading the way, I promise! All I ask is that you save Capitaine Toulon de Aquitane for me.I intend to kill that fucker with my own hands, for Bengta and all the others. His ass is mine."

Pam glared so fiercely into the distance that Gerbald was pretty sure the escaped pirate would feel a tingling at the nape of his neck, wherever he was.

After a long, glowering silence, Pam shrugged, shaking off her frustration and anger.

"Well, that's that, business for another day. Now, we need to get ready for the town meeting, and before noon or not, I need a drink. Any takers?

All the men breathed a collective sigh of relief to see the storm had passed. They gathered around the big, red-lacquered table while Pam uncorked a jug of rice wine, pouring it into the small ceramic cups the Chinese used for such occasions.

"To our enemies!" Pam raised her drink in salute "May they lose sleep wondering when we will come for them."

The meeting hall wasn't finished yet, so that balmy afternoon the entire colony gathered in the great meadow above town. A podium had been erected, on which Pam, and various other luminaries of the colony, stood smiling at the people, who smiled encouragingly back. Pam usually got the butterflies when facing a crowd, but today she felt confident; these were friends, and they had all been through much together. "People of Port Looking Glass, thank you for coming today!" She spoke in Swedish, which she had become close to fluent in over the course of their journey. Her voice came out clear, and was aided in its course over the crowd by a light breeze off the Indian Ocean. The new Dutch members of the colony looked on politely. They would be provided with a full translation later.

She opened up the small plastic container that she had guarded so carefully through shipwreck and battle, carefully pulling out the rolled-up paper within.

"I have here a proclamation written in Princess Kristina's own hand, and signed by her father, King Gustav Adolph the Second. It reads: 'I, Princess Kristina Augusta, do hereby, and with my father's blessings, claim the islands known up-time as the Mascarenes for the crown of Sweden. They shall henceforth be called the Wonderland Isles. Mauritius, Rodriguez, and Reunion, are renamed, respectively, Dodo, Jabberwocky, and Bandersnatch, in honor of the works of Lewis Carroll, from whence the inspiration for this colony came.'"

Pam paused, having expected the confused blinks from the crowd. "Folks, I know the names sound strange, but they are from one of the princess' favorite storybooks. As brilliant as she is, she is still a child, so let's humor her, all right?"

Good-natured laughter emanated from the crowd along with murmurs of approval. Pam shared a smile with them and continued on.

"I hope this next part won't be too shocking for you! The princess goes on to say 'I also hereby proclaim expedition leader Pamela Grace Miller of Grantville as Governor of the Wonderland Isles for a period of two years, after which you may hold elections in the American style, and choose your own leaders.'"

Pam paused, giving the crowd a long, serious look.

"I will not hold you to this, but if you will have me, I will serve," she told them. The crowd sent up a great cheer, hailing their new governor with unmistakable enthusiasm. Pam nodded her thanks, then continued on once the hubbub calmed down.

"There is a bit more here, and it's important: 'Please be good to the wildlife of these islands, especially the dodo. As a Wonderland citizen it is your duty to preserve and protect nature; including all native plants and creatures. By living in harmony with the good, green Earth I believe you shall become the healthiest, and hopefully, the wealthiest of all people. Good luck to you all, and God bless you, I pray that you are successful in this great endeavor, and wish you all the best.'" Pam looked back at the crowd, who applauded with vigor.

Pam spoke again, moving on to the brief speech she herself had prepared.

"My fellow Wonderlanders!" The crowd clapped at this, and more cheers went up."My first act as governor is to ask you to select a deputy governor from amongst yourselves to join me." This was met with more applause.

"You have suffered much, and weathered great hardship! You are the bravest of the brave! The scoundrels who held us hostage have forced us to change our plans somewhat, but we are adapting. We have sugar cane and potatoes in abundance already, and that is just the beginning! By this time next year we willbe the 'Spice Basket of Europe,' which will make us all very rich indeed! We are a free people, we work for ourselves, and each other! Together, we will build the most successful colony the world has ever seen! Thank you all!"

Pam bowed, smiled, and waved at the exuberant crowd in what she hoped was proper public official style, hoping that their pleasure would last when it came time to enforce certain laws protecting the island's unique natural heritage. Hopefully, her plans for relatively non-invasive agriculture and forest management would indeed be as lucrative as she thought they would. She sighed and thought, We will just have to cross that bridge when we come to it.

One Year Later

Pam came out of her office/laboratory, a very functional, peaked roofed, rectangular building on the edge of the forest, painted the same deep red as nearly everything else in Port Looking Glass. Gerbald had soon dubbed it "Pam's Bird Barn." The moniker had stuck to the point where she had given in, and neatly painted it over the door.

Pam was on her way to check on the new rice paddies, part of the agricultural bounty they had traded for with a group of Japanese refugees on their way to Grantville. The very unexpected visitors had stopped for supplies four months before, fleeing an unfriendly situation in Cambodia. She shook her head in amazement at the memory; this really was a Wonderland. There she had been,pow-wowing with real live samurai straight out of Clavell! That unexpected visit was quite a story, but one for another day. There was no time to reminisce at the moment, she was just too damn busy. She often wished that there were two of her, one to play governor, the other to be the scientist.

The rice paddies were terraced along a stream that ran out into the placid waters of Looking Glass Bay. A few of the Japanese families had elected to stay at her invitation, and Pam was pleased that her colony was becoming truly multicultural. The "American Way" they had brought back through the centuries was alive and well here in the Indian Ocean, of all places. Pam was damn proud, her plans were literally bearing fruit, far more than she had even hoped for. An older fellow named Hironaka, their designated rice expert, hailed her from the low, earthen wall that held the paddy's water in. Pam waved at him, then realized he was pointing emphatically, motioning for her to look to the harbor. Just then the town alarm bells sounded. Pam turned to see Effrayant leaving her moorage, hurrying out to meet the small fleet of unknown sailing vessels heading their way. Muskijl and Second Chance Bird followed, entering into a defensive formation with Effrayant, implementing their oft-practiced plan for unexpected sea invasion. Pam gave Hironaka a quick bow. It was impossible not to pick up the habit from her congenial new Japanese friends, and began running up the beach toward the pier.

There were at least nine ships, the one in the lead looked to be a warship large enough to give even fearsome Effrayant trouble. Pam paused to catch her breath, breaking out the small birding scope she kept on a leather thong around her neck. Forcing herself to breathe slowly and deeply, she focused on the big ship. Yes, banks of guns, but no sign of firing crews making ready. She caught a glimpse of gold and blue, biting her lip, she scanned the rigging. There! Pam laughed aloud with delight. The ship was flying the Swedish colors! She began running again, her nerves buzzing with excitement. They had been visited by merchant ships from several nations over the last year, but this was the first time a ship from home had come!

The waterfront was filling up with interested colonists. They made way for her, and as she hurried out onto the pier, Pers came running to meet her.

"They're friendly, right?" she called out. One never could be too sure.

"Pam! They are from Sweden!" Pers replied, a gleeful expression on his youthful face. He would turn nineteen soon. To further reassure her, the "all's well" bell rang on Effrayant.

"Not all of them. Recognize that flag?" Pam pointed at one of the five ships making their way carefully into the harbor under escort from their defenders.

"She is flying what looks to be a naval ensign, red with a black saltire cross bearing gold stars. That's a ship from the United States of Europe!"

"Well, howdy doody. I wondered when someone might come to check on us." She took Pers by the arm and said, "Shall we go say hello?"

"Yes, ma'am, t'would be a pleasure!" Pers answered in his best West Virginia drawl; he was almost as good as Gerbald now, who surpassed even most hillbillies in his mastery of the accent.

The commander of the port shore guard, Lieutenant Jarv, one of the Muskijl's Marines who had helped rescue her from the kidnappers, were waiting at the end of the pier with some of his men. They took up a protective position around Pam, who was embarrassed at the fuss but thanked them politely. The ship came closer, a three-masted caravel. It was quite well-armed, and even boasted the same kind of carronade that perched menacingly on Second Chance Bird's deck. Anyone trying to board her might not live long enough to regret it.

Dore had been left ashore when the big, comfortable junk that served as their home headed out to meet the newcomers, captained by Pam's paramour, Captain Torbjorn and their faithful bosun, Nils. Dore joined Pam, eyes squinting in the tropical sunlight. She spent most of her time cooking for the sailors in the domain that she ruled with an iron fist, the ship's galley.

"All this fuss! I was about to bake potato flour biscuits!" Dore was always certain to be put out at being separated from her work, which she treated with a profound sense of duty and dignity, as if it were a holy calling.

"Visitors from the old country," Pam said, without as much enthusiasm as she might have expected. Now that the initial excitement had worn off, she knew she must put on her governor hat. It would be a shame having to deal with a bunch of nosy officials on such a nice day; she was behind in organizing her field notes on the dodos, and their island's unique eco-system, and resented an unannounced distraction. Even so, she put on her best official smile, and waved to the ships now tying up to the pier.

Aboard the caravel, which she could now see bore the name Linn?us, a crowd of around twelve eager-looking young people in their late teens gathered at the rail, their faces bright and excited. A pert young woman with a magnificent head of curly brown hair and an air of confidence organized them all into a line. She then marched them down the gangway to stand before Pam and her guard. Out of the corner of her eye, Pam noticed that her adopted son Pers was staring at the attractive leader of their visitors as if she were Helena of Troy come to life before his very eyes. Oh, brother, I know that look, and they call it puppy love!

"Welcome to Port Looking Glass and the Wonderland Colony," Pam said to the young lady, who might be as old as twenty, and who was obviously the one in charge of this gang. "I'm Governor Pam Miller."

The young woman's large, hazel eyes widened as if she was meeting a movie star. "The Bird Lady of Grantville! I've been looking so forward to meeting you, you are our inspiration!" The girl's English was slightly accented, but otherwise quite clear.

"That's me, I guess." Pam rolled her eyes at that damned "bird lady" moniker as she always did. Apparently she wasn't ever going to be able to shake it, no matter what her current title and station. The young woman, now looking a bit embarrassed at her initial starstruck reaction, straightened up and stuck her hand out in the American style, which Pam took. They shook vigorously, the kid had a good, strong grip, and Pam felt herself beginning to like her already, despite her secret wish that they would all haul anchor and go back to where they had come from.

"I am very honored to meet you, Governor Pam! I am Dorothea Weise, a student from the Katharina von Bora College in Quedlinburg. My companions come from various higher learning institutions around Europe, and we represent a variety of subjects we thought might be useful to your efforts-botany, geology, animal husbandry, biology, just to name a few! We have all come to assist you in your work here!"

It was Pam's turn to look goggle-eyed. Assistants? Someone to help with the mountain of scientific work she faced? Even so, they were all so young!

"Pardon me for saying so, but don't you have a teacher, or someone older with you?"

"Oh, of course! We are led by Professor Horst Altmann of the University of Jena."

"Well, where is he?"

"Unfortunately, the sea voyage did not agree with him. He is quite ill and abed in his cabin. We are very worried about him."

"I'll send our doctor to check on him right away."

Pam felt a bit flummoxed by this unexpected development. A helpful boon? A potential huge pain in the ass? Taking a deep breath, she regained her composure and managed to ask, "Who sent you?"

"Princess Kristina! She is our main sponsor!"

Pam looked northwest-ward in roughly the direction the USE might lie, and muttered "Thanks, Princess! Just what I need is a bunch of kids to look after!" The students, none a day over twenty-one, blinked at her like a pack of confused puppies, unsure and eager to please. She turned back to them and regarded them skeptically for a moment, but then her stern expression softened to a smile.

"Oh well, you may just prove to be useful. Ms. Weise, you and your group are now the Wonderland Colonial Natural Resource and Wildlife Service." She handed the stack of field notes she had been carrying to the erstwhile brunette. "You are obviously a natural leader, so I'm making you the director of said service. You shall report directly to me."

The young woman looked stunned, then a bit embarrassed. "Shouldn't such a high office go to Professor Altman? That would surely be the proper thing."

"On this island, I'm the one who decides what's proper. First, I have to see if I like him or not. Don't worry, I'll give him a title too, and hope he proves useful. But, since he's sick, and you are very plainly bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I'll start with you. Your offices and laboratories are over there." She pointed to her labs up on the hill behind town, backed by tall, graceful native trees. "We will have to build some expansions. We can get started on that tomorrow. Read those notes, it's a good place to start." All the students and their newly-designated director nodded enthusiastically, murmuring their thanks.

Pam realized that Pers was still standing beside her with his eyes only for the fetching Dorothea Weise, and gave him a quick elbow before he started drooling. A really wonderful idea occurred to her then.

"Director Weise, this is my adopted son and personal assistant, Second Mate Pers of the Royal Swedish Navy, serving in Wonderland's defensive squadron."

Pers turned to her, stunned at his own sudden promotion. Pam gave him a quick grin and whispered in Swedish "You earned it, sweetie." Turning back to her new helpers, she continued in English, "I am now assigning Pers to be my liaison to your department. To start with, he can escort you to temporary quarters. If you don't speak Swedish, you will need to learn it. Pers will see to your instruction,he speaks fluent English, Thuringian-style German, and a bit of French."

Dorothea was visibly impressed by this, which made Pers look as if he might faint. He stood frozen in place until Dore gave him a gentle shove from behind. Blushing uncontrollably, he stepped forward and bowed to the pretty new director. The young woman shook his hand while favoring him with a bright smile, which made him turn an even brighter shade of scarlet. The smitten lad managed to find his voice, asking them in English, "Follow me, please," before turning on his heels and marching up the pier toward shore at a considerable speed.

Despite her natural confidence, Dorothea was looking a bit overcome by all this. She paused to thank Pam breathlessly for her kind welcome before leading her group in pursuit of Pers lengthy stride. Pam watched them as they went, grinning like a fool. Well, this may turn out to be a good thing indeed.

Lieutenant Jarv and his men were all chuckling amongst themselves, making bets on how long it would take the new second mate to raise his flag on that piece of lovely German territory he had found. Pam couldn't help but chuckle herself, then saw Captain Lundkvist leading a group from the Swedish warship toward her.

"Straighten up, you degenerates," she growled good-naturedly at her guard, "here comes the official delegation. Pretend you still have some proper military discipline."

"Yes, ma'am!" Pam laughed as they all stood up ramrod straight and saluted her in the snappy American naval style they had adopted.

"Governor Pam!" Captain Lundkvist called out to her, his voice full of excitement, his peg leg tapping a jaunty beat as he came rushing ahead of the rest of the contingent. "These people have come from Sweden to re-supply us, and more!"

Pam nodded, and raised her arms wide in a gesture of welcome to all the newcomers as Lundkvist saluted her and fell into place at her side opposite Jarv. "It is lovely to have you all here!" she told them in their own language. "Let's get out of the sun before we make our introductions, it will melt you like wax if you let it! Right this way!" She turned and marched for shore, head held high in what she hoped was suitable gubernatorial bearing.

"To the meeting hall, Governor Pam?" Lundkvist asked her. She was excited now, her mind racing with thoughts of how to make the best of these new developments. She wanted to hurry, but was careful to match the top speed her chief military officer could manage on his prosthesis.

"No, I have a better idea, gentlemen," she replied with a wide grin. Reaching shore, she turned left and led them down the freshly-constructed boardwalk toward the Dodo's Nest. This was a spacious saloon that had sprung up on the waterfront like a volunteer potato in a backyard garden, an inevitable occurrence in an environment like this. It was definitely time for a mug of cool beer and a shot of that Swedish akvavit, most likely followed by a few more rounds of the same. "Official business is thirsty work, soldiers. Here we do things the Wonderland way." They all shared a conspiratorial grin, knowing full well that good old Captain Pam could hold her liquor with the best of them. These muckity-mucks from back home wouldn't stand a chance.

****

The leader of the fleet from home was Flotilj-amiralGunvald Engstrom, an accomplished and highly-decorated career military man in his late fifties and, as a "flotilla admiral," currently the highest-ranking Swedish officer in the Indian Ocean. He had been as cool as a Scandinavian winter wind until Pam had gotten some of her private reserve of Chinese rice wine down him. Now he was just "Gun," and was laughing at her jokes as if he were a favorite uncle doting over a clever niece. Torbjorn, Gerbald and the rest of her men present were all biting back their laughter as they watched Pam work the stern old sea salt, playing him like a hooked salmon ready to jump right into the net.

One of Dear Gun's orders was to determine if the colony was being adequately governed by "that American woman," and it was the first to be crossed off the list. He and Pam were already thick as thieves, and he clapped and cheered as the men who had followed her through various dangers regaled him with tales of her courage and prowess in battle.

"Pam, you are like a warrior-woman from the old times, you have a heart of steel!" he proclaimed as she handed him another stein of beer, his ninth or tenth. "I can see that Wonderland is in good hands!"

Pam put on a modest look, and patted her new best friend amiably on the back of his wind-burned hand. "Oh, Gun, you flatterer! I just do what I have to do for our people, and for the glory of the crown. Remember, as a citizen of the United States of Europe, your king is my emperor, long may he live! Skol!" she raised her glass in toast. Mugs clacked noisily around the room. "Now, Gun, tell me more about what you have brought us!"

As it turned out, it was a lot more than she had expected. The emperor had apparently listened to her regarding Sweden missing out entirely on becoming an Asian power in the up-time world. Engstrom's fleet included six fluyts full of colonists and their needed supplies, three for each of the remaining Wonderland Islands. Looking Glass Bay currently resembled a crowded parking lot. It had been decided that if they meant to make their claims to the Mascarenes stick, they had better have boots on the ground, possession being nine tenths of the law. Pam was reassured that she would be in charge of the operation, and that the new colonies would follow the same eco-friendly farming methods as Port Looking Glass, which made Pam breathe a big sigh of relief. Three more fluyts carried supplies for Port Looking Glass, including ammunition (Praise the Lord!), new varieties of tropical seeds and starts gathered from the Americas donated by several interested botanical societies, more scientific apparatus, and a small library of books. Pam was practically beside herself with joy at all the new toys.

The flotilla admiral's personal vessel was a refurbished warship, the Vaksamhet, or Vigilance,employing a variety of up-time inspired improvements; it was big, fast and deadly, and would patrol the seas around the colonies. Together with Effrayant and Muskijl, Wonderland would be well guarded. Even better, all the ships and towns would be provided with radios, giving them a huge advantage over any would-be threat to their safety. Pam grinned like the Cheshire cat. It was almost Christmas, and for once she was getting everything she wanted. Pam was on top of the world until Gun said something that let all the air out of her elation.

"Pam, our dear sponsor, Princess Kristina, has personally requested that I ask you when you intend to bring dodos back to Europe? She knows you have a great deal of work to do here, but she is hoping perhaps next year? We will help you accomplish this in any way we can, she stressed that it's very important to her. She is having some kind of a special dodo building made of glass constructed near the University of Jena, I'm sure Professor Altman and his students can give you the details. "

Pam smiled, and nodded politely. The truth was, she hadn't really intended to go back to Europe, although she knew she must at some point see her family, which now included a new grandson.

"Yes, Gun, another year at best. It will take that long to start the new colonies, and make ready for the voyage." Pam hid her frown by emptying her freshly-poured mug, and motioned to the barman for another. Back to Grantville. Bah humbug!

Early October 1637

It wouldn't be a full year before Pam would make the dreaded journey back to Europe. It was decided they should leave before the end of October for the best weather. Second Chance Bird, Annalise and three of the second wave's cargo fluyts laden with goods both grown on the islands and traded for with visiting foreign merchants, would convoy along the coast of Africa, hoping to arrive in the northern spring or summer. Pam's junk was already well-armed, and all the fluyts were fitted with guns, so there wasn't need of a warship escort. Effrayant, Muskijl and Vaksamhet had tangled with pirates of various ilk several times in the last year, and needed to stay to watch over the young colonies. Pam assured Engstrom that her ship and crew could handle just about anything, and if they couldn't, they still had the benefit of speed.

The good-byes were the hardest part. Gerbald and Dore would go with her, of course, as would Torbjorn, Nils the bosun, and most of their original crew. Pers had elected to stay, in part because Dorothea turned out to be just as interested in the tall young Swede as he was in her, and wedding bells would likely ring at some point. She hoped she would be there for her adopted son's special day.

The arrival of the students had been a great boon after all. Professor Altman, upon recovering from the voyage, turned out to be a pretty nice old guy, not too stuffy for a down-timer scholar. He was a horticulturist, so Pam put him in charge of their experimental agriculture projects. The colonies were now growing around fifty percent of the spices and fruits she had planned for, with more to come. They were still having trouble figuring out how to get the vanilla pollinated without bees, but it had been done in the 1800s up-time, in that world's version of the Wonderland Islands as it happened, so at some point they would solve the mystery. The native coffee now grew in abundance on the mountainsides, and cinnamon trees from Ceylon were thriving in the island's gentle climate. Her kindness to the joint Dutch and Japanese merchant fleet carrying the Ayutthaya refugees to Europe had ensured Wonderland a place on the trade maps. Now it wasn't unusual to see more than one junk in Port Looking Glass's harbor.

Their understanding of the island's unique ecologies grew daily, and Pam now had a variety of medicinal plants to bring back to the Grantville Research Center's associate laboratories. She also had half an encyclopedia's worth of information on the climate, ecologies and cultures of the Indian Ocean. Without feeling quite like Charles Darwin, she was proud of her scientific achievements, and it made her feel a lot better about the center continuing to pay her a small salary while she was gone. She had earned her keep, after all. Money would not be a problem in her future, even without her share of the junk's treasure. Pam had now joined the Grantville rich. And so, resigned to the fact that she really must make the trip, she went about putting her life in Wonderland on hold, vowing to all that she would be back again as soon as she could manage it.

Inevitably the day to leave came. The entire town turned out, lining the shore, the soldiers had to keep them off the pier for fear it would collapse beneath their weight. Pam made a point of walking slowly down the boardwalk, shaking every hand offered. Swedish, Dutch, German, French, Japanese-they had come from many lands, but now they were all Wonderlanders, just like her. At the end of the line Harmannus and Lijss waited, their eyes full of tears as they said their farewells. Pam was having a hard time maintaining her composure, the out-flowing of love from her people was overwhelming, like too much of a fine wine; she felt dizzy. At last, she stepped onto the pier and was escorted by the town guard, wearing spiffy new blue uniforms, out to her waiting ship. Pers and Dorothea waited there, Pam hugged them both and gave them her blessings. They were as much her children as those she had left in Grantville.

"Come back, Momma Pam, okay?" Pers said to her softly, embracing her in his strong arms without any of his former shyness.

"I will, Pers, I promise. I love you, son, and I will think of you every day. I expect you and Dorothea to take care of things for me while I'm gone, right?"

"You got it." Pers wanted to say more, but the words were tangled in his throat.Pam shushed him, and pulled him down to a height where she could kiss him on the cheek, then gently pushed him back into the waiting arms of his lover.

Doctor Durand stepped up to her, his face as long as a bloodhound's.

"So, have you decided, Doctor? Are you staying or coming with me?"

"Yes Pam, I intend to stay. These people need me."

"I'm glad. I'll feel better knowing you are here with them. I really do consider you one of my best friends, you know."

"And I you, dear Pam." the doctor bowed deeply, perhaps hoping to hide his tears behind the wide brim of his fancy French hat. Pam grabbed him by the arms and hugged him, an embrace which he returned, patting her gingerly on the back.

Next came the sailors and marines who had been under her command, but intended to remain on duty in Wonderland, lined up at attention. Pam thanked them one by one, shaking their hands, and telling them how lucky she was to have had such brave men at her side. For a bunch of tough seamen, there was quite a bit of moisture around the eyes. At the end of the line she came to Captain Lundkvist and Flotilla Admiral Engstrom. They both saluted her, their faces stony as they tried to hide their feelings with military pride.

"You know, you guys don't have to salute me. I'm not governor any more, just crazy old Captain Pam." she told them.

"It doesn't matter," Lundkvist said. "I would follow you to the ends of the Earth if you asked it."

"I know you would, my dear, dear friend. I wouldn't go without you."

She took his hands, and held them tightly for a long moment, not wanting to embarrass her chief officer with a hug.

"As would I," Engstrom added, his voice freighted with emotion. "You have done great things here, Pam Miller, great things. The crown owes you more than it can ever pay."

"You saying so is payment enough, Gun," she said, taking his hands next. They were strong, and rough, yet trembled slightly. "I am so proud to have served with you, with you all. It has been the greatest experience of my life. I thank you."

She saluted them both, and turned to the gangway before her own tears let loose, making it hard to see where she was going. Gerbald and Dore waited for her at the rail, each taking an arm as they helped guide her up to the castle deck where the bosun and Torbjorn waited.

"Ready to go, Captain?Torbjorn asked her, taking her hand in loving support.

"Aye, First Mate, let's blow this town." She wiped her eyes on a sleeve of her favorite blue and gold Chinese coat, and turned to her waiting crew. In her best captain's voice, she bawled out, "Make sail, men, time's-a-wasting! Get the lead out!" The bosun gave her a wide, yellow-toothed grin and began barking orders, while the men of the Second Chance Bird bent to their tasks, happy to be going to sea again. Pam turned and waved at the crowd as they followed Muskijl out of the harbor-she would escort them as far as the southern tip of the island. The sound of cheering faded into the distance as Pam took one last look at Port Looking Glass, reflected perfectly in the mirror bright waters of her harbor.

"I'll be back again my friends, count on me," she whispered, then turned her face into the stiff ocean breeze that blew beyond the bay, inhaling the salt air deeply, as if it were the scent of roses on the bloom.

Pam and her crew grew somber as they sailed around the rocky headland where the Redbird had gone down. They all doffed their hats, standing in a moment of silence for those who had been lost that terrible day. Pam had brought along a bouquet of beautiful native blooms. She threw it into the aquamarine sea when she thought they might be over the final resting place of her lost ship. Pam didn't know whether to cry, or whoop with joy as they pulled into the cove that had been their castaway home for so many months. They would stop here to take on the last of their cargo, the most important export of all: live dodos.

Most of their convoy would simply wait at anchor while Pam went ashore with a group of her sailors and marines. The bosun remained on board with a skeleton crew to mind the ship. Dore stayed behind, too, having no interest in revisiting their former refuge.

"I have seen enough of that God-forsaken beach to last a life time!" she told them, arms crossed in disgust at the very sight of it.

"We will bring you back some coconuts, my dear!" Gerbald told her, which made Pam let out a very un-ladylike snorting laugh. None of the marooned would ever relish that fruit again! Dore just rolled her eyes, with her trademark disdain.

"You two go enjoy your foolishness. Just be careful, and come back soon!" She gave them both a quick peck on the cheek before descending back to her galley, head held high with pride.

When the longboat skidded onto the familiar white sands, Pam was the first to jump ashore.Torbjorn followed her, and she took his hand.

"You've never been here before, Lover. You missed out on the whole castaway experience. Come on, I have to show you something." As they walked down the strand Pam picked a few wildflowers along the way.

After a while, they came to the small hill that served as their cemetery. Pam put flowers on the graves while Torbjorn recited a sailor's prayer in Swedish. They bowed their heads for a few minutes, remembering their missing friends, then Pam led him over to one of the wooden grave markers, weathered by the elements, but still readable. She silently vowed to put up a permanent stone monument here as soon as it could be done. With a spooky grin, she pointed dramatically at the marker in grand Ghost-of-Christmas-Future-style.

"The reports of your death were somewhat exaggerated," she said with a strong drawl. "You are a regular Mark Twain."

"I'm not sure who that was, but that's my name on there! I didn't even know I was sick!" he said, bending down to marvel at the sight. They shared a short, bittersweet laugh, and embraced.

"You did a nice job, Pam, it's a lovely bit of painting."

"I missed you a lot, you big oaf. I had already fallen for you even back then. I can't tell you how glad I am to have you here, alive and well."

"I can very much say, me too! Thank you, my Pam." He pulled her gently into a passionate kiss.

After a long, blissful while they parted. Pam cocked her head at him with a sly look on her face.

"Want to see my bungalow? We could take a little rest there, if you like."

"Oh, definitely, but I have a feeling we won't be getting much rest."

"No, we'll be busy. Come on." Pam felt giddy, it was like being back at a favorite summer camp, and this time she had a hunky boyfriend, to boot!

The camp had weathered its abandonment quite well. The stranded sailors, with nothing else to do, had built to last. Now they were busy sprucing it all up again. Pers and Dorothea intended to make the place a permanent research station, and would be coming to stay in the next few weeks. While the sailors worked on that project, Gerbald and Pam went looking for their old friends, the dodos. The trails were a bit overgrown, but Gerbald's katzbalger shortsword made a fine machete, and soon they were making the gentle climb up forested slopes into the mountainous interior.

Finding the dodos was, of course, key to the mission, and they would take as long as they needed. Pam had been adamant on not capturing any of the birds living near Port Looking Glass. An effort had been made to keep those populations wild, despite their lack of natural fear, but the flock here had grown used to humans, and were accustomed to getting handouts, something Pam was counting on. She carried a hefty sack-full of treats for them, enough to lure them back to the beach and the waiting travel cages. She hated to do it, but had no choice. Besides, it was undoubtedly for the best to not keep all her dodo eggs in one basket. A population in far-away Europe would ensure the species' ongoing survival, even if the Wonderlanders somehow failed in their stewardship.

After an hour or so, they were rewarded with the sound of deep, throaty coos. Coming into a clearing, they found a small group of the birds, several mothers and their half-grown chicks. The older birds stared at Pam with their disconcerting yellow eyes. Could that be recognition? She was certain she had seen them before. There were small variations in each individual, and she knew these hens had been amongst her pets back at the beach camp.

"Hey girls, remember me? I got goodies!" She held out a handful of choice nuts. The dodos let out squawks of pleasure, and rushed over to her, nearly knocking her down with their enthusiasm. They were big birds! Gerbald rescued her, carefully shoving them back.

"They haven't forgotten their favorite food source!" he said, laughing.

Pam scattered the nuts on the ground and laughed along as the hens gobbled them up, soon joined by their children.

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing Pied Piper, moving through the forest until they had a flock of some thirty dodos following them, including enough males to ensure a breeding population.

"Come along kiddies, it's time to go down to the beach! You get to go on a boat ride!" Pam called out gaily, making Gerbald grin happily at seeing his friend acting silly for a change; it had been too long. The demands of her office had been great, now Pam was free to just be "The Bird Lady" again.

Capturing the dodos for transport was fairly easy, just a matter of leaving a trail of breadcrumbs up the gangways into the longboats parked on the beach. They were placed by twos and threes into temporary travel cages made of bamboo, from which they would be transferred to the special travel pen Pam had designed for the main cargo hold of the junk.

The very last dodo, a rather cantankerous older male, decided suddenly that he didn't want to go along with the rest, and began making a fuss, clucking his displeasure and trying to back out of the cage. Pam grimaced at him, and with as much gentleness as she could, firmly placed her leather boot in his rump just below his fluffy tail, and shoved him back in. Gerbald closed the door, and gave her a wry arching of his brow.

"Thank God, nobody's got a camera," Pam said. "Pam Miller kicking an endangered species in the ass would be just the thing for the front page of the paper."

The Second Chance Bird's dodo pen lay directly beneath the large hatch doors of the spacious hold, where the birds, and the many potted trees and plants accompanying them, would have fresh air and sunlight for at least part of the day. By midnight, the dodos were safely tucked away, and everyone caught a bit of sleep. They sailed at dawn, Pam keeping vigil on the castle deck, watching the island that had been her home for so long recede into the distance until it disappeared over the aquamarine horizon.

"I'll see to it you get back here, if you wish it," Torbjorn told her from the wheel.

"I wish that, very much," Pam answered, giving him a smile and a kiss on the cheek before going down to her cabin to catch up on lost sleep. It would be a long voyage, without much to do.

The days passed by, one slipping into the next as they headed west, Antarctica to their south, Africa to their north. They would sail as the crow flies if the winds allowed, taking the most direct route possible. No one seemed much worried about attack from the famed Barbary pirates or potentially hostile European forces, anyone taking on the Second Chance Bird would find themselves regretting it.

Pam often sat on the deck with her feet hanging down into the hold so she could watch her charges, listening to the throaty coos and clacking beaks of the dodos emanating from below. The birds had adjusted well enough to shipboard life, and seemed content to eat as many fruits and nuts as she could give them, to the point where they were actually gaining weight and beginning to resemble the fat and spoiled captive dodo that must have been the model for John Tenniel's illustration.

The thought of taking these creatures out of their natural habitat and dragging them all the way back to Europe didn't sit well with her now that she was actually doing it. But, she had promised the princess, and there was no way around that. It was better she did it herself than trust it to anyone else, if something went wrong it would be on her conscience. So, she was making the long trip "home," when she would much rather be back in Wonderland. Pam simply chocked it all up to fate, and resigned herself to it, instead of fretting the way the old Pam would have. Her actions mattered to a lot more people than she ever could have conceived of back up-time, here was a job that only she could do, a need only she could fill. Captain Pam smiled contentedly into the fading daylight over the South Atlantic as the Second Chance Bird and its precious cargo plowed on toward Europe.

There were a great many stares from the shore as the fancifully-painted junk headed toward Hamburg harbor, flying the dodo flag of the Wonderland Colonies that Dore had crafted, crewed by darkly-tanned Swedes, some with their blonde hair bleached nearly white by the tropical sun. They had accumulated a large fleet of various craft following behind them, curiosity seekers anxious to see what such an odd-looking foreign vessel was doing plying the cold waters of the North Sea.

Pam, knowing in advance from the radio that there would be some kind of an official welcome wagon waiting, put on her favorite black dress, a sexy, side-slitted affair, Chinese silk with a filigree of gold flowers. She nodded to herself approvingly, knowing that she looked pretty damn good in the racy little thing. Her necklace of precious "pirate pearls" went on next, and with a wry smile she strapped on her knife and pistol belt, its weight a comfort. She felt very pleased to be making herself part of the spectacle, the shy Pam of old long gone.

There was a festive gathering on the dock they were headed for, including a brightly-painted banner proclaiming "Welcome Back, Bird Lady!" which made Pam laugh aloud. If you can't beat them join them. Bird Lady I shall be. As they tied up, a USE Navy band started playing. It took her a moment to realize the song was "Country Road." Pam smiled at the choice. At this point it would be kind of nice to see their little circle of West Virginia again. She chuckled happily to see that Princess Kristina was jumping up and down waving crazily, backed by a mob of Grantville students from the old Summer Nature Program. Pam thought the girl looked quite a bit taller, and maybe a little more careworn than before, but she was definitely still a goofy kid. Suddenly, Pam realized who was standing behind her-it was her son Walt and his wife Crystal, and she was holding. the baby! Pam really had become a grandma, and while she was thrilled, she had to quell an inner voice that shrieked, But I'm much too young!

The next few minutes passed in a blur as she was engulfed in hugs from Crystal, and kissed her new grandson, who pulled her hair and laughed, which made Pam love him all the more.

"Boy oh boy, has your ole' granny got some stories to tell you my lad!" she said as she looked into his bright eyes-they were the Miller stormy gray, which was good, but thank God he had his mother's lush red hair!

Walt was quiet, as usual, but they smiled and embraced. Hopefully, she could make things right with him this time. Eventually, the initial fervor died down, and Kristina approached her, a shy smile on her face.

"I'm glad you made it home, Pam. I was worried," Kristina told her in her perfect, yet quaintly-accented, English.

Pam smiled, and replied in her perfect yet-according to her boyfriend-quaintly-accented Swedish. "It was touch and go for a while. I'll tell you the whole story when we get a chance."

Kristina raised her eyebrows, impressed with Pam's new mastery of her own native tongue, and continued in the same, "I should like very much to hear it!'

Pam's face took on a somber cast.

"Some good people died making this happen, and I need you to hear their tales. We owe them a lot."

Kristina bowed her head, her face also grown somber. "I knew that would probably happen from the start, and I'm very sorry to hear it. Even so, I still feel that the cause was worth it. Do you, Pam?"

Pam marveled at how someone so young could seem like such a wise old adult at times.

"Yes, I do, Kristina, I do. It was all worth it." Pam made her face brighten and took on a cheerier tone. "Sorry for being a downer, there will be time to mourn lost friends later. Today is for celebration, so let's cheer up!"

Kristina brightened up as well, but Pam could still see pain in her eyes. She had heard the news about the death of her mother, the queen, and knew Kristina had suffered much in the years since they first met at Cair Paravel back in Grantville. Pam reached into her trusty old rucksack, which a madly grinning Torbjorn held for her, and pulled out a finely-carved Chinese box made of teak. With a bow and a flourish, she gave it to the princess.

"I have some additions to your crown jewels for you. It's real pirate treasure!"

Kristina's eyes took on a happy sparkle, bright enough to match the jewelry and gems that waited within.

"Really? Pirate treasure? How grand, thank you!" she exclaimed with delight, hugging the box to her chest.

"I have something for you, too, Pam," she said, switching into English. She carefully handed the precious box to a guard, then raised her hand to get everyone's attention.

"The race to save the dodo is over, and just like the 'caucus race' in Lewis Carroll's wonderful book, everybody wins." With a grin that nearly split her perpetually pale face, Kristina reached into her pocket, and pulled out a silver thimble.

"'We beg your acceptance of this elegant thimble,'" Kristina quoted the Dodo as she placed it in Pam's hand. It had the Tenniel version of the bird etched on it, along with an inscription in English that read Thank you for saving us-The Dodos.

"You did it, Pam. Only you could. We are all very proud of you."

Pam laughed, her sharp gray eyes growing misty with emotion.

"Yeah, I guess I really did. And I couldn't have done it without you. You are the hero here just as much as me, kiddo." Pam felt the weight of all she had been through, all she had worked so hard for, lifting off her shoulders. It seemed like a dream already. Her hand shook, as she gazed down at the pretty thimble, shining brightly under the northern spring sun, blurring as her eyes filled with joyful tears.

Kristina saw that her friend was feeling overwhelmed, so she stepped forward and embraced her in a hug that would do any bear proud, the gawky young girl was stronger than she looked. Pam hugged her back, just as she would her own children, her heart full of pride at their accomplishment. They had changed the world for the better, a small change, perhaps, but one that would reverberate through the new centuries ahead, a second chance for a funny-looking bird that was no longer doomed to extinction, not in Pam Miller's world, anyway.

"Everybody wins," Pam whispered.

In the hold of the Second Chance Bird, a dodo squawked, wondering what was holding up feeding time.