The Encounter

by Norman Fitts

  Margaret stood up and stepped away from the table. "We need to leave here."

  Sarah was afraid for them. "If you stay, maybe we can help."

  "Sarah”, Margaret answered, “we don't know if we can help ourselves. If they show up, and you’re around, they may kill you, or worse. Larry and I can't take that chance. Not just for your sakes, but for ours too."

  Sarah was desperate. She looked at her brother. She didn't want them to leave. "There must be something we can do."

  "You're gonna need provisions and horses", Joseph said. "There ain't much left here. If you can wait a couple days for things to settle down I'll take the wagon back into town and get what you need."

  Lawrence looked at Margaret. "That makes sense. I don't wanta go back and maybe have to fight our way out again." He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out the folded bills. "Here, do what you can with this." He passed it over to Joseph.

  Margaret got up, "Just a minute."

  Everyone watched as she went to her large bag. She brought out a smaller bag, returned to the table, sat down and passed it over to Joseph. "Use what you need to outfit us and keep the rest."

  Joseph opened the bag and took out several gold disks. "Is this gold?"

  Lawrence looked at Margaret. "Better idea", to Joseph, "it's gold alright."

  Sarah picked up one. Joseph looked at Margaret. "You sure? This is an awful lot."

  "Don't worry I can get more. Take it. You and Sarah can use it."

  Joseph looked at Sarah. "I don't know what to say, but thanks. We're beholdin' to you."

  "If you can help us get clear of this", Lawrence said. "We're more than even." He stood up. "Now, I think we need to turn in. Let’s see where we stand in the morning."

  Everyone agreed there wasn't much else they could do. Sarah walked around to Margaret, hugged her and said her goodnights. Joseph waited for her and they both went to their rooms. Margaret and Lawrence watched them go.

  Lawrence took Margaret's hand and started toward the other bedroom. "What about tonight?"

  She opened the door. "What about what? Oh that, sure. Human males sure do think a lot about that, don't they?"

  Before he could come up with a comeback, she pulled him through the door and shut it behind them.

  ***

  Henry waited in his office for Ben Kramer to arrive. He'd gone through two cigars and most of a bottle of bourbon trying to come up with a scheme that wouldn't involve him directly. Without Martin the two kids probably couldn't keep it together, but he couldn't wait for that to happen.

  The door opened and Ben stepped in. "You're sure he's dead?" He shut the door behind him.

  "I see my messenger couldn't keep his mouth shut."

  "You know Jake", Ben walked into the room. "Never could keep anything under his hat."

  "Sit down. Have a drink." He'd see to Jake later. "You got any ideas how to handle this?"

  Ben sat down "Out of my... our hands."

  Henry knew what he meant. He poured Ben a drink and handed it across to him. "Frank? I heard what happened."

  Ben took the glass. "He wants that woman almost as much as he wants the man who pistol-whipped him." He took a sip and turned the glass in his hands.

  No matter what happens now, Henry thought, I'm in the clear. If worse came to worse, the Cattleman's Association would get the land and they'd hang Frank. No great loss to his way of thinking.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Lawrence's entire approach to having sex had changed. His and her needs were different. It was just the way she was. Since she could only have intercourse once a night, more time was spent talking, about a lot of things, her life back home, and especially her home.

  Her solar system was much larger. Her sun was half again the size of Earth's. Her world had a sister planet moving in the same orbit, but on the opposite side of the sun. They were never in view of one another. Each planet had two moons. Her society had developed space travel centuries ahead of its sister planet, but now, both planets are cohabited by beings from both worlds. The speculation was if both planets weren't exactly the same size, with the same two moons, one would have eventually caught up with the other and destroyed them both.

  She talked about interplanetary wars and intergalactic conflicts over territory spanning many centuries of Earth time. Earth itself had been fortunate. It had remained unaffected during those dark times when entire planets had been ravaged for raw materials and in some cases slave labor.

  It sounded like something from a science fiction writer’s imagination. He wanted to know other things, such as her real name. She told him. He liked “Maggie” better. She didn't mind.

  He talked about his life, his family, his growing up. His story was much less spectacular, but you wouldn't know it by her enthusiasm.

  He wanted to touch and she had become more and more comfortable with that. She had quickly learned what he liked and was eager to make him feel good. However, her body reacted differently to the stimulation and it was hard for her to relate to him what she experienced while he was inside her.

  She felt his urge to climax come and go several times before he finally did. From that point she was in control. Once it happened she expelled him and her body sealed itself for several hours. During that time her reproductive system would do nothing but try and produce an offspring.

  After giving birth, her reproductive system would shut down for almost three years. She would lose her urge to mate. It was her species way of giving the newborn a chance to establish itself before the arrival of another. Knowing human males for the way they were, she would continue to allow him to join with her.

  Afterwards they cuddled together. He enjoyed the closeness and she needed his body heat.

  ***

  Margaret’s hearing was much more acute than her sense of smell, but it was a familiar smell that aroused her, the smell of Indians.

  She opened her eyes and rose up. There were no sounds of anything out of the ordinary, but the smell was heavy. She shook Lawrence. "Wake up. Something's wrong."

  He blinked his eyes open. She crawled over him. The morning sun was just below the mountains. She went to the window, naked.

  "What's wrong?" He had long since quit questioning her abilities. He got up, carried the quilt with him and wrapped it around both of them.

  She put her arm around him. She was cold. "The Indians were back, but I don't think they're here any more."

  "The horses..." Lawrence left the quilt and went looking for his pants. "Remember, they left the two on the wagon."

  They both went scrambling for their clothes not bothering with the underwear or boots. Lawrence finished first, pulled his pistol from its holster and left the room. Margaret wasn't far behind.

  Halfway to the front door Sarah stepped out of her room. Lawrence held up his hand for her to be quiet. She joined them at the door.

  "What's going on", Sarah asked in a whisper. "Maybe I should get Joseph."

  "No, not yet", Lawrence answered. "Let's take a look."

  "Take a look at what?" Sarah asked.

  Lawrence slowly opened the door. What they saw on the porch surprised all of them.

  The area in front of the door was covered with Indian charms. Carved sticks were arranged to resemble an altar. Most of the rest of the porch was covered with animal skins, feather headdresses, several butchered deer and dogs, even the rifle from the mantel, but the strangest thing of all was the corral. Not only had the six stolen horses been returned, but a dozen Indian ponies were there as well.

  All three stood in the doorway. "What the hell is all this", Lawrence asked.

  "If I'm not mistaken", Margaret answered, "the Indians are trying to appease an angry spirit."

  "What angry spirit", Sarah asked. "They've never done anything like this before."

  Margaret stepped out on the porch, trying not to disturb anything. "I guess it's me".

  "You," Lawrence followed her out, "because of what happened yesterday?"r />
  "Probably... You see I made reference to a female spirit that's part of their folklore... Seems, in their distant past a Great War Chief was killed in battle. His wife was so grief stricken she struck out at the spirits of their forefathers for taking her husband. What she did so angered the spirits that when she died they condemned her spirit to roam the Earth forever, keeping her from her husband even in death."

  Sarah was impressed. "You believe in spirits", she asked Margaret?

  "What's important is, they do", she answered.

  "Don't move anything. I gotta get Joseph." Sarah disappeared into the house.

  Lawrence moved something with his foot. "You qualified for this Spirit-of-the-Month award for what happened yesterday?"

  She looked toward the hills. "I guess, but the thing that impresses me the most..." She turned back toward him. "They did all this and I didn't hear 'em."

  ***

  Ben Kramer had lost his wife and only daughter to the fever the same winter Martin lost his wife. The girl was very close to him and it left him bitter. He never remarried and satisfied his needs with the two Indian women who kept house for him.

  Ben and his two sons sat at the breakfast table. The left side of Frank's head was still bruised and swollen from Lawrence's gun barrel.

  Frank touched the side of his face. "I'm gonna kill that son-of-a-bitch, but not until he watches me skin that bitch that's with him."

  Josh's insides were turning over at the thought of what might happen to Sarah.

  Ben took a bite of breakfast. "When? And don't forget about the girl and boy."

  Frank grinned, "Soon, and I ain't forgetin' about Sarah. The boys and me'll make it look like the Indians had a little fun. I'll bring you a couple of scalps. A long black one and a long yellow one."

  Frank dug into his meal. Ben watched Josh. He didn't seem to be sharing in his brother's enthusiasm. He never seemed to have the stomach for much of anything.

  Josh picked at his plate. He'd lost his appetite.

  ***

  The venison was hung in the smoke house. The dogs were buried behind the barn. At Margaret's suggestion they kept the shrine, but moved it away from the house. All Indians were superstitious. As long as the shrine was honored the Indians would probably leave them alone.

  The women were busy in the house. Joseph and Lawrence stood at the corral looking over the horses. The Indian ponies were in good shape. Most of them were mares and all of them needed shoeing. At twenty-five dollars a head, the standing offer from the military for rough broke stock, they represented quite a gift.

  "Can you ride", Joseph asked?

  "Yeah, I can ride. Why?"

  "Good, come on." Joseph turned and started for the barn.

  Lawrence followed him. "I've never worked cattle before or anything like that."

  "We're not working cattle. I got something else to do first."

  "The stallion... You're going after the stallion."

  "We'll put a rope on a couple of those Indian mares and use 'em for bait."

  "You know how your sister feels about this."

  Joseph stopped in front of the barn and faced him. "Look, I made a promise to myself and my father. I'm goin'. You do what you want." Joseph turned and entered the barn.

  Lawrence stood for a moment. Hardheaded kid, he thought, and then followed him in.

  Lawrence was right about one thing. Sarah wasn't real happy. She followed Joseph all over the house begging, pleading, shouting, but in the end all she could do was watch Joseph and Lawrence ride away.

  Sarah stood next to Margaret tears running down her cheeks. She wiped her face on her sleeve, and then glanced at Margaret. "Don't let these fool ya. I'm just mad. That pig headed brother of mine is gonna get himself hurt or worse."

  Margaret understood. Sarah's fears went a lot deeper than that. She put her arm around her. "They'll be okay."

  Sarah watched the two riders grow smaller in the distance and remembered the last time she watched Joseph ride away then she said abruptly, "I got work to do in the garden", and turned and walked away.

  Margaret watched until they dropped from sight. She was as worried as Sarah, but didn't want to show it.

  ***

  Frank and half a dozen of his friends climbed the mountain road toward the McKenly homestead. They all wore moccasins. One had and Indian bow and a quiver of arrows. His plan was simple. He'd kill everybody, after he'd had his fun, and then burn it to the ground. With the Indians causing trouble it wouldn't be hard to convince everyone in town they'd done it.

  Josh had followed out of sight. He still felt torn between loyalty to his family and the love he felt for Sarah. He had his rifle and as he climbed the mountain, in his heart, his choice became clear. He couldn't let them hurt her. He'd kill his brother if he had to.

  ***

  Lawrence and Joseph rode side by side. They both led a horse.

  Lawrence had no real heart for what they were about to do. "Your sister is right you know... Killing that horse won't change anything."

  Joseph was tired of everyone trying to tell him how to feel and what to do. "That animal killed my father and my best friend."

  "I don't know about your friend, but a rock killed your father... But you're right about one thing. It's an animal. It works on instinct. You hunt him, try to hurt him, he'll fight back. You leave him alone he'll go his own way."

  Joseph didn't want to hear any of this. He eased his horse ahead.

  Lawrence raised his voice. "Would your father want you to do this?"

  Joseph spurred his horse and rode out of earshot.

  Damn it, Lawrence thought, and then decided to back off a little before he wore out his welcome.

  ***

  Sarah kept busy in her spring garden. Getting anything to grow at all in this rocky soil took all the patience she had. She stopped from time to time to watch the hills.

  Margaret used the time to update her journal. She sat on her bed with her legs crossed in front of her. The journal, itself, was a thin input pad, about the size of a standard sheet of paper. There was a screen and a sensor touch keypad. As her fingers moved across the keypad, line after line of her native script scrolled down the screen.

  Frank and his men weren’t in any hurry using the wagon road around the base of the mesa. The rocky road would hide their number and the fact that their horses were shod. Josh left the road for the more direct route across the mesa.

  ***

  Joseph and Lawrence had finally reached the water hole. Joseph tied off the two mares, and then moved off to higher ground down wind of his trap. Lawrence followed him into the rocks still trying to come up with something that would prevent this. He was just about down to hoping the rifle would jam or that the stallion wasn't particularly horny today.

  They topped the ridge overlooking the water hole and rode a ways down the far side. They stopped, dismounted and ground tied the horses. Joseph didn’t want their mounts alerting the stallion. He pulled his rifle from its saddle scabbard and started the climb back to the top. Lawrence watched him for a moment, removed his canteen, and then followed Joseph back up the hill.

  ***

  Margaret had finished her entries, left her room and stepped out back. She stood and watched Sarah in the garden. Her ears picked the sound of horses on the road. She listened for a moment, and then walked quickly toward Sarah.

  Sarah looked up as Margaret approached. She stood and waited for her to get there. Margaret ran the last few yards.

  "What", Sarah asked?

  "Someone's coming".

  Sarah shaded her eyes and looked toward the hills. "Where? I don't see anyone".

  Margaret stopped at the edge of the garden, "the road".

  "Indians?"

  "No. These horses have shoes. Come on back to the house."

  Sarah dropped her hoe and they both ran back to the house.

  Frank stopped on the rise over looking the house.

  The man next to Frank glanced a
t the corral. "Where do you suppose they got all those Indian ponies?"

  Frank looked. "Who knows? We'll drive 'em across the mesa and shoot a couple in front of the house. Make it look like they put up a fight."

  Frank spurred his horse down the hill. The others followed.

  Margaret and Sarah watched out the window. Frank and his bunch approached the porch.

  "It's Frank Kramer", Sarah said. "I don't see Josh with 'em."

  "What do you suppose they want?"

  "Trouble most likely. I wish Joseph was here."

  Margaret left the window for the door. "You stay inside. I'll see what they want."

  Sarah watched as Margaret opened the door. "Be careful". Sarah then looked at the rifle above the mantle.

  Margaret left the door open and walked toward the steps. Frank and the others reined in their mounts in front of the porch.

  Frank turned in his saddle, looked around, then back to Margaret. "Don't see the boy and that man of yours, they hidin' in the house?" The others laughed.

  "What do you want", Margaret asked in as calm a voice as she could muster?

  Frank grinned and glanced at his men. "What do we want?"

  "A poke", several of them answered.

  Frank looked at Margaret "You know what I think? I think you're alone, you and Sarah. Why don't you call her out here?"

  Margaret had sized up the situation and knew Frank was the key. "Why don't you and your friends just leave before somebody gets hurt?”

  Frank laughed. "I'll give you this, you got spunk. Let's see how much you got when I’m done." Frank looked at the man next to him. "Get the girl outta the house."

  They all dismounted. Margaret backed down the porch to give herself more room and to draw most of them with her. One headed for the door. Frank and the rest followed her.

  "Stop", Frank shouted. "You got nowhere to go."

  She stopped and Frank stepped up to her. He reached out and grabbed at her left breast through her shirt. There was a blast. The man at the door was thrown across the porch. Everybody looked.

  That was all the distraction Margaret needed. She grabbed the front of Frank's clothes, jerked him toward her, and then threw him into the other five. Frank and four others went down. The fifth backed away, went for his gun but stopped at the sound of a lever action rifle chambering another round.