The Lord of the Plains

by Sarah Chapman

Chapter 47

  Vann hadn’t seen her in a week. Well, he had, at the demonstrations. Somehow she managed to disappear so fast he couldn’t catch her.

  He didn’t really try to find her though. He’d said he’d wait, so he would.

  And waiting was better than rejection. If he found her and asked her what she thought… if he saw pity in her eyes as she turned him down again.

  No. Waiting was better.

  He was sitting on the side beach now. Every day he went to the military doctor and asked if he could get his cast off. He needed to get on a sub. He felt his only two options for feeling better were either a yes from Riley or a few years on a sub. But Riley wasn’t saying yes and the doctor kept saying a few more weeks, a few more weeks.

  ‘Zap Zap, what do gemeng girls like?’ he asked as he laid back on the golden sand, more relaxed than he usually allowed himself to be on the side beach. With Zap Zap around he’d get an early warning if any leapers starting sniffing around.

  ‘Girls?’ Zap Zap said and Vann heard a splash of his tail. ‘Uh… fish people girls?’ Zap Zap asked.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Proof of strength.’

  ‘What’s that?’ Vann asked, sitting up.

  ‘Teeth from leapers. Big, dangerous, gemengs. Give to girl, knows you’re strong. Likes you.’

  Vann had fought leapers here a few times, but he’d never thought to collect any teeth. He wondered if Riley would like that.

  ‘Zap Zap has question.’

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘Can Zap Zap talk to female?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Female human come down here night time. Tries to talk to Zap Zap. Looks for leapers.’

  Vann sat bolt upright. ‘Here? At the side beach?!’ Riley! He was so surprised he missed the fact that Zap Zap had called her a human. Well, she certainly looked more human than Zap Zap.

  Zap Zap nodded.

  ‘Zap Zap…yes, you can.’ It’s dangerous here! And at night, no less!

  ‘Zap Zap, if you see her, tell her it’s dangerous here. Tell her if she has to come she should come in the day. I’ll… I’ll stay away if she wants me to.’ It hurt. This was his place. He’d love to share it with her, but he didn’t think she’d come if he was here.

  ‘No!’ Zap Zap splashed frantically. ‘Vann stay!’

  ‘Zap Zap, it’s the girl I told you about.’

  Zap Zap calmed at that.

  ‘Vann’s female?’

  Vann blushed.

  Zap Zap began splashing excitedly. ‘Vann’s female! Yes, I talk. Vann’s female!’

  ‘Zap Zap, she doesn’t like me.’ he said hoarsely. He didn’t want to imagine Riley’s reaction if Zap Zap called her that.

  ‘Zap Zap get Vann tooth. Vann give, she like! Vann’s female!’

  ‘Wait, Zap Zap!’

  Zap Zap was already splashing off into the waves.

  When Azra returned from her month of sub duty Vann, for once, set out to find her. Well, the next day he set out to find her. He figured she probably wanted to sleep and shower the first day back.

  When he found her in the Blocks she looked the same as ever.

  ‘Azra.’ He greeted her. ‘How was the tour?’

  ‘Successful.’ She did not look surprised or pleased to see him actually seeking her out. She had the same dark look on her face as ever.

  Vann didn’t bother asking for more detail than that. The look on her face squashed thoughts like those before they could really begin. ‘Azra-’

  ‘I understand you lied to me.’

  Vann, caught off guard, didn’t know what to say.

  ‘You’ve been chasing one of the Astarians around.’

  ‘Riley.’ he stated. ‘Yes-’

  ‘She’s in the military.’ Azra interrupted. ‘I see you’re making an exception for her.’

  ‘Azra,’ he cut in quickly, he didn’t want to talk about Riley with her, ‘I’ve been thinking, I wouldn’t mind being your friend.’ It was in fact Riley that had changed his mind about this.

  Azra snorted and shook her head. Then she just turned and walked away.

  Avoiding Vann had been easier than Riley had thought. He almost seemed to be staying away from her.

  But if so that was good. She needed to stay away. After…. after what he’d said, Riley didn’t think she could bear to say no to him. But she couldn’t say yes either. She was leaving. Going somewhere he couldn’t follow.

  Then again, the way things were going in Coastside, she thought she might be stuck here for the rest of her life.

  She’d noticed recently a dark haired woman glaring at her. She didn’t know why. Didn’t care.

  She was from Astar after all. That was enough in Coastside.

  When she went down to the side beach that night she wasn’t surprised to find Zap Zap talking to her. The first time she’d come she’d quickly noticed the creature watching her. She’d tried talking, but it hadn’t responded. It had just followed her around. Riley had wondered if it was a leaper, but if it was, why wasn’t it doing any leaping? Then one night it had started talking to her. The first time he had slyly mentioned Vann. Thankfully, that was the only time.

  But Riley knew Vann was the one who had started talking to the fish people. That was enough to make a part of her so very curious about him. She squashed that part.

  ‘Zap Zap, how can I attract a leaper?’ she asked again. She asked every time.

  Zap Zap shook his head and wouldn’t answer. ‘Not safe. Dangerous.’

  She sighed. But she went to sit down near the water’s edge anyway. Though it was dark she could see Zap Zap’s face clearly enough.

  Zap Zap eagerly came forward. ‘We practice more?’

  In Zap Zap’s language Riley replied. She puffed up her face, she held it for no more than a second.

  That was a yes in fish person speech.

  When she arrived back Leili was awake.

  Riley noted it, but she did not think much of it.

  ‘Where have you been?’ Leili demanded, there was something ugly in her voice.

  Riley turned warily and faced her. ‘The side beach.’ she said honestly.

  ‘With a submariner.’

  ‘No.’ Riley replied, surprised. Vann.

  ‘I don’t know why we let your kind into Astar. You lead all these submariners on and then act like it’s not your fault. You disgust me!’

  ‘You’re right.’ Riley agreed. She felt strangely unaffected by Leili’s vitriol. There was nothing to say, nothing that wouldn’t just anger the girl more. Riley didn’t know where this came from and she didn’t really care.

  She was leaving this place and these people.