A World for the Taking Ch. 05

Just a reminder - Whenever you see an asterisk (*) after a word it means there is a definition or description at the end of the chapter.

*****

It was well before dawn when Bob, Deborah and Mike rode out. Bob admonished the teens remaining behind to be vigilant and made Yoshi promise not to follow. When the boy gave his word he would look after Jean, Bob handed him Mike's shotgun and a bandolier of magazines. The three riders disappeared down the trail leaving the little group feeling uncertain and helpless.

F`reet `du Hom clearly did not like being left behind. She asked Tammy several unintelligible questions to which the girl could only respond with shrugs and shakes of her head. Oddly, Yoshi pulled the jZav`Etch pilot aside and sat with her near the camp heater. He showed her things on his data pad and she looked with great interest, occasionally nodding and making gestures for him to continue. Jean joined them and quietly watched.

"What do you think he's up to?" Roy asked, getting packets of food out for their breakfast. These were not the emergency rations they had eaten the day before. Rather, this food was dehydrated or reconstituted. There was even vacuum sealed bacon Bob had processed from some of the wild boar he had culled the previous autumn.

"Maybe he thinks he can learn enough of her language to get some information out of her," she said, adding a measure of water to the eggs and mixing them in a pouch. "He's pretty smart, you know."

"Yeah," sighed Roy. "I feel bad for him. I know I want to go help with the rescue, and my family isn't even in town. Here, add some of these peppers to that."

"What do we do if they don't come back?" Tammy asked seriously, sprinkling a liberal amount of the diced bell peppers into the skillet to toast them before pouring in the eggs.

"There are enough rations in the cave back there to last a year," he said. "Spare saddles and ammunition, too. Your father really thought ahead about this place. And it's hard to find. I've been by here at least a dozen times hunting and never saw it. Water could be closer, but there are two purifiers with the supplies and a big bladder. Fill that up and we won't need to go to the stream more than once a week."

"That's not what I mean," she said, placing her hand on his arm. "What if the Dusig take over?"

"I don't know," he said. "Whatever happens, Tammy, I'll take care of you."

"Or I'll take care of you, you clumsy dolt."

"Dolt? Been reading ancient fantasy again?"

She smiled and then leaned in and kissed him. They held each other for a brief moment and then focused on making breakfast. It took them a while to get the food ready and when they brought it to the ring of logs around the camp heater Yoshi was looking intently at F`reet `du Hom, nodding and pointing at the screen of his pad. The pilot was nodding firmly in reply.

"What's going on?" Tammy asked, passing a plate to the pilot.

"I've got a plan!" Yoshi said excitedly.

"Mr. Mackey told us to stay here," Roy said crossly, passing out two more plates.

"But he didn't know what I just found out, Roy!" Yoshi said firmly. There was a fire in his eyes that none of them had ever seen.

"Just hear him out, Roy," Jean said in support of her boyfriend.

F`reet `du Hom said something to Tammy and looked at both of them insistently.

"Let's listen, Roy," Tammy said, pulling him gently down beside her.

"The uplink tower down by Big Lake is probably still standing," Yoshi began. "If we climb this hill when the sun comes up we should be able to see it. If it's still there I want to go and get it working."

"But your dad hasn't installed the communications gear," Roy countered.

"It hasn't come in yet," said Yoshi. "But he and I spent three days there getting the tower ready for it. Everything aside from the transceiver is installed."

"Wait a second," Tammy cut in. "You were with him?"

"Sure," said Yoshi with a shrug. "I'm his apprentice. Communications Guild. I have to learn somehow, don't I?"

"No transceiver, no transmissions," said Roy. "So it won't work."

"And it's not like we can kit-bash one of our pads to make it work, Yoshi," added Tammy.

"We have a transceiver!" the off-world boy replied and showed them an image on his screen.

"Her ship?" said Roy dismissively. "She already told us the communications won't work."

"I know she did," said the younger teen. "That's why I've been talking to her. I thought maybe she didn't understand the questions yesterday."

"So her communications gear does work?" Tammy asked hopefully.

"No. But that's because the controls are gone!" said Yoshi in triumph.

Roy frowned thoughtfully and leaned forward, making a rolling gesture with his hand indicating Yoshi should continue.

"All we need to do is get her transceiver out and hook it up to the tower's equipment and presto! We can send a distress call!" Yoshi was clearly excited and F`reet `du Hom looked as if she was in agreement.

"I don't know," grumbled Roy. He rested his elbows on his knees and forked eggs into his mouth while he considered. Swallowing, he said, "We're supposed to stay and wait for the kids to get here."

"And have you considered whether or not the jZav`Etch hardware will match up with ours?" asked Tammy. "We don't even know what kind of power source her ship had. And how long will it take to get the stuff unhooked? How are we supposed to transport it?"

"We can put it in the carry pack," Jean said. "Just unload the stuff that's in it now and leave it here."

"The jZav`Etch equipment runs off electricity, just like ours," said Yoshi. "And dad and I left all the tools we'll need to install it. There's a power transformer and everything at the tower. There's even a fabricator. I can make plugs, sockets, tabs, patches, and cables. Whatever we need. Hell, I could make welding rods if we needed them."

"What about tools to get the transceiver out of the ship?" asked Roy, seeming more interested.

"I think she has a toolkit onboard," said Yoshi. "I showed her pictures and she nodded."

"Maybe she was trying to tell you she needed those tools," countered Roy.

"No." Yoshi shook his head firmly. "I'm sure she knew what I was asking."

"It's a good idea," Jean said.

"Maybe," hedged Tammy, biting her lip in thought. Her tail flicked and her whiskers vibrated. "It might be worth a try. Who would we call?"

"Tyne & Harper has a quick reaction force that could be here in a day," said Roy thoughtfully. "Maybe thirty hours at most."

"Then let's get going!" Yoshi sprang up, tipping his food on the ground.

"Hold on!" Roy snapped and grabbed the smaller teen's jacket. "Just slow down."

"But..." Yoshi began to object.

"Listen to me!" snapped Roy. "I heard you out. Hear me out."

Yoshi frowned but he settled back on his log.

"I think it's worth a try," Roy said calmly. "But we can't leave here unless there's someone to take care of the kids that are coming. We don't even know for sure who is coming. If there are a bunch of toddlers and some younger teens, they'll need looking after."

"They wouldn't let a bunch of little kids wander through the forest without somebody to watch them," argued Yoshi.

"I don't think so either," said Roy. "Not likely. But we are going to wait for them. Get another plate of food and let's think this through."

At a little before nine in the morning the first group of kids showed up at the rock shelter. Steve Yamato, Mike's friend and rival for the affections of Susan Watts, led a long legged steelie mare with three children on its back. The children looked around with wide eyes as they came down the deer trail into the lee of the hanging stone face. Behind them came several kids in their mid-teens, boys and girls, all with packs on their backs and hunting rifles in their hands. Two more steelies followed with even younger children on their backs, and a young woman not much older than Steve, Mary-Belle Astor, brought up the rear. She carried a Buller 30 with an expanded magazine and on her back in a papoose was her eight month old baby.

Tall and blonde with a day's growth of stubble, Steve looked out of place in the group. Roy shook his hand and he and Tammy took him aside while the rest of the refugees sorted things out with Jean and Yoshi. All the newcomers stared at F`reet `du Hom. Many looked back and forth between the pilot and Tammy in wonder. One little boy rushed to the jZav`Etch pilot and embraced her before F`reet `du Hom had a chance to react. Her tail shot straight back and her ears stood up in surprise, but she gently patted the boy on the back and smiled bemusedly.

"Benjamin!" cried Mary-Belle. "That's not Tammy! Sorry. He doesn't know any better. Sorry."

Mary-Belle continued to apologize as she led the boy away. F`reet `du Hom blinked and returned the little wave Benjamin gave her as he was bundled off to get some food.

"Good to see you, Steve," said Roy when they were out of earshot.

"Good to be here. We've been walking most of the night. Where the hell did she come from?" the young man asked, pointing at the jZav`Etch pilot.

"From the ship that crashed the other night," Roy explained. He briefly told Steve about their adventures and listened as Steve added what he knew of the crisis.

"So no one has been killed since the first night?" Tammy asked, sounding relieved.

"We aren't sure, but I don't think so," replied Steve. "I wanted to go on the rescue mission or whatever your father is planning, but my mom and dad said I had to look after my little sister. My mom and her are bringing another group. Your sister is going to be in that one, Roy."

"Angel is okay?" Roy asked, sounding hopeful. "My folks, too?"

"Yeah," confirmed Steve. "Your dad was going to fly out when Mike sent that emergency broadcast, but he saw one of the other flyers get shot down. He stayed home and tried calling my folks. In the middle of the conversation the coms went down."

"Good to know they're okay," Roy said, relieved. "Look, Steve, as soon as you're all settled in and the kids get some food, we're heading out."

"What?" Steve asked, surprised.

Roy and Tammy outlined Yoshi's plan while Steve listened. By the time they were done he was frowning and shaking his head.

"Is the tower even still standing?" he asked.

"We saw it less than an hour ago," Tammy said.

"I'm older than you, Roy," Steve said. "I should go along. Leave Tammy and Jean here with Mary-Belle. I mean, we have to take that Yoshi kid, but the girls should stay."

"No," said Roy.

"We're going," added Tammy.

"You need to stay and look after all these kids and the women," Roy said. "You're a better shot than I am and you know this part of the valley almost as well as I do. Tammy and Jean know the lower valley down by the lake better than either of us. They've been camping there quite a few times over the years."

"Besides," said Tammy, "I need to go along because F`reet `du Hom will be more comfortable with me around."

"Furry what?" Steve said, confused.

"F`reet `du Hom," repeated Tammy. "That's her name. She doesn't speak any English or Spanish or any other Human language as far as we know. Anyway, she seems okay with me and I think it would be better if I went to help."

"You guys are putting me in a bad spot," he grumbled. "What am I going to tell your dad if he shows up asking about you?"

"Just tell him the truth," Tammy said.

"And when he gets done kicking my ass across the valley, what do I do?"

"Help him find us," said Roy with a shrug.

*****

F`reet `du Hom could not decide whether she should get up and move to the edge of the rock shelter out of sight or try to stay inconspicuously still. After the male child hugged her and the adult female had chivied him away, no others made any attempt to interact. They milled about in a disorderly mass while jZeen` and Yo`Shii distributed food. To be honest, she really wanted another cup of `Kof `Fee. That stuff was amazing! She absently wondered if she could arrange some sort of trade deal somehow.

Thoughts of `Kof `Fee disappeared when she noticed T` Emmi and Rddoy speaking intently with the leader of this new group. The newcomer was listening carefully, but his expression was one of disapproval. With the few gestures she could interpret and the direction in which T` Emmi pointed, F`reet `du Hom decided they must be telling him their plan and he seemed to be trying to dissuade them. From what she had learned of Rddoy, an especially strong and handsome male among these Humans, she suspected this unscarred and visibly untried male would not succeed. After all, Bob had left Rddoy to protect T` Emmi and the two adolescent Humans, presumably because he was tougher than the dark skinned, black haired Mike.

Finally, their discussion broke up and T` Emmi came to her and held out a hand. F`reet `du Hom took it and rose. She allowed the young female to lead her to the cave where the animals had spent the night. It was heavy with the scent of fodder and animal droppings, but not in an unpleasant way. T` Emmi spoke as she lifted one of the saddles and handed it to her. The saddle was considerably lighter than it looked. Made with some sort of synthetic, woven fabric and what must have been a composite frame underneath, the saddle was sturdy and well padded. T` Emmi took a set of straps of the kind fastened to the riding animals' heads and waved her to follow.

"Duchess," T` Emmi said, stopping beside the animal that had carried the packs and towed the hovering cargo platform in which F`reet `du Hom had ridden the previous day. T` Emmi placed her hand gently on the animal's shoulder and repeated the word.

Uncertainly, F`reet `du Hom extended her hand and placed it next to T` Emmi's, saying, "dTu `Qehss."

"Duchess," T` Emmi said again, enunciating the English word carefully.

"dTuh` chiz," F`reet `du Hom said. Was this what they called the animals? No. T` Emmi referred to her animal as Booti or something like it. F`reet `du Hom spun and touched the large animal Rddoy had ridden and said, "dTuh` chiz?"

T` Emmi laughed and shook her head. Placing her hand on the beast's flank she said, "Gamble."

These were the animals' names. They had to be. Just to be sure, F`reet `du Hom went to the one jZeen` had ridden and waited.

T` Emmi pointed at it and said, "Tinkerbelle."

The animals swung their long forked tails and shifted from foot to foot but did not otherwise stir. They watched her no matter where she stood. Some used the two eyes on the backs of their heads. Others watched with the four on their faces. With a breed so large and well-armed, their feet sported hooked claws as long as one her fingers, she should have felt threatened, but she did not. They were gentle or perhaps passive and seemed to like the beings who rode them.

Believing she understood well enough about the names, F`reet `du Hom returned to dTuh` chiz's side and waited for instructions. It was obvious T` Emmi intended for her to learn something and she suspected this animal would bear her on their mission to restore the communications the Dusig had disrupted.

After the saddle and head straps were secured to T` Emmi's satisfaction they repeated the process with Boudi and T` Emmi led the animals out into the clear area where the animal trail met the shelter. She demonstrated the proper manner to mount and waited for F`reet `du Hom to imitate her. A little nervously the pilot did her best and found it was not so very difficult. Rddoy came over with a focused expression, staring at her feet in the oddly shaped hoops. He shook his head and made sure she was looking when he carefully took her ankle and pulled her foot from the hoop. He then opened a buckle and lengthened the strap before refastening it. Roy repeated this on the other strap and then carefully positioned her feet in the hoops once more. Though she was not precisely comfortable, these adjustments did give her a better feel for the saddle and centered her weight over her mount. T` Emmi used gestures and a few words to instruct her on her posture. F`reet `du Hom imitated her and waited with great interest. Rddoy said something to T` Emmi and then called jZeen` and Yo`Shii to follow him into the cave.

While they were gone T` Emmi patiently instructed F`reet `du Hom in riding. They walked their animals in a tight circle while the group of new Humans watched. Snickers and whispering could be heard from the younger ones, but the older adolescents and the two adults were mostly quiet. It seemed probable these people had never seen two jZav`Etch on the backs of their riding animals before. Of course that was true. They had only ever seen T` Emmi and most of them had probably not seen her very often.

Soon the three others of their original party emerged leading their mounts. Floating behind was the cargo platform, now mostly empty. Roy exchanged a few brief words with the light haired male they were leaving behind and then mounted. He guided his animal up next to T` Emmi's, said a few words and rubbed his lips on hers. T` Emmi grinned, her tail flicking from side to side and her ears lying out to the sides of her head, an obvious sign of embarrassed delight, and then motioned for F`reet `du Hom to follow.

They took a winding, oblique course down the hill which was just as well. Had they attempted a more direct descent F`reet `du Hom would certainly have fallen. Probably more than once. It rattled her nerves when dTuh` chiz leapt onto a fallen tree and proceeded along its length while the other animals remained on the ground. However, when the trunk became too narrow for dTuh` chiz's liking she hopped down rather gracefully and continued to follow the leaders. T` Emmi smiled and nodded approvingly at F`reet `du Hom. The pilot sighed in relief. She had done well apparently.

The two suns were high, nearly directly over the valley, when Rddoy drew to a stop in a small clearing. From his pocket he took one of the small devices all of these Humans carried. After examining it for a time he spoke with T` Emmi and pointed down into the valley. Looking, F`reet `du Hom saw broken trees. This was clearly not the site where her scout ship had crashed and she did not know why the tall, red haired male was remarking upon it.

From behind her the young male spoke. It sounded as if he was disagreeing about something. Rddoy calmly replied and thumped his animal in the sides to set it in motion again. She followed.

Hours passed. They took more winding, narrow trails and F`reet `du Hom grew hungry. Not as hungry as she had been while a prisoner of the Dusig aboard B`hag`Geera's Thumb*, but hungrier than she liked. Things had begun to come back to her. She could recall the mutiny. The Dusig of one clan had slain all the others aboard and taken control, locking the few jZav`Etch officers in the captain's cabin. At some point they had rendezvoused with another vessel, probably a Dusig interplanetary ship, and more Dusig had joined them. A young matriarch, larger and more domineering than the males, had visited the prisoners and made certain they were given rations. The navigator, a Pah`Tht male named Qel'ta Nhem, had been dragged out under protest. When next the cabin's door opened the captain had led an escape. The chief engineer had been killed but F`reet `du Hom and Captain Del `uTrect had killed the guards and made a break for the hangar bay. She recalled they had been briefly recaptured and the captain had been beheaded. She still could not recall how she had gotten away from the rebels. She shook her head in frustration. Everything after the beheading was foggy until she woke up on the stretcher among the Humans and she still could not remember why she had come this way. Why had she chosen this system instead of steering a course back towards Hegemony territory?