Rangers at Roadsend

by Jane Fletcher

  Katryn did not wait for an answer to her knock on Cy’s door. It would be nice to think that Cy cared enough for her to go out looking with Allison, but in any case, Katryn was too spent to bother with formalities. She felt as though she had been through a mangle, and the beginning of a headache was pounding at the back of her skull.

  The sight of two figures in Cy’s bed did not surprise Katryn. With her nineteenth birthday less than a month away, Cy was well into the stage of casual relationships. In fact, she was a year older than Katryn had been when she met Allison. And then the two women jerked awake and sat up, staring toward the door and blinking in the light of the lantern.

  Nobody spoke. There was not much to say, although Katryn found herself desperately hoping for some innocent explanation. It was a forlorn wish; the expressions said it all. Allison had the grace to look guilty, but on Cy’s face, for the second time that night, Katryn found herself looking at a smug, triumphant sneer.

  *

  The anteroom outside the captain’s office was empty apart from Katryn. She sat staring at the door and trying not to cry any more—for what good it did. She knew that her eyes were as red as they were going to get. The healer had clucked over Katryn’s condition when she had called in that morning. Screaming rows were not a recommended treatment for head injuries, and despite the healer’s instructions, Katryn had had very little rest, finally bedding down on the floor of a friend’s house just before dawn.

  The angry words had been predictable and pointless. Their mother had felt that although Cy had been a little inconsiderate, Katryn was making too much fuss, and obviously, it was all Allison’s fault anyway. Cy had been defiantly provocative. Allison had said very little and settled into a mood of sullen bravado, doing no more than occasionally muttering, “So what?”

  Katryn had mainly wanted to get away. It had been Cy, with an appalling sense of timing, who had tried to draw out the confrontation. But then, confrontation had probably been Cy’s main motive from the start. It was not that Cy disliked her older sister; rather, she was continually driven to prove her favored position. Katryn was coldly certain that Cy did not want Allison because she was attracted to her; Cy wanted Allison because she was Katryn’s. It had been the same since they were children and their mother had encouraged Cy to think she had a right to anything she wanted.

  Katryn remembered a rag doll she’d had as a child. Cy had taken a fancy to the doll, making so much fuss that in the end, their mother had declared eleven-year-old Katryn too old for dolls and given her loved toy to her younger sister. For two weeks, Cy had taken every opportunity to flaunt her prize, but once the satisfaction of victory had faded, the rag doll was forgotten. Katryn had found it some months later, filthy, rain-soaked and discarded in the yard in the back of the house.

  To her dismay, the memory of the doll’s pathetic remains brought fresh tears to Katryn’s eyes, and she pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, trying to fight them back. At that moment, the door to the captain’s office opened, and Katryn’s name was called. She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and marched in.

  Captain Kalispera was sitting at her desk. She looked up as Katryn entered. “Sergeant Nagata, I’m pleased you’ve asked to see me. I’d have wanted to talk to you anyway about last night. I trust you’re feeling well.” Her voice sounded uncertain as she examined Katryn’s appearance.

  “I’ve got no problems as a result of the blow, ma’am.”

  “But you have some other problems?” the captain suggested.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I haven’t seen the report yet, but with your record, I’d think it went without saying that no blame was attached to you.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.”

  “So what’s your problem?”

  “I wish to transfer to the Militia in another town.”

  “Which one?”

  “Any one. The farther away, the better.”

  The captain looked at her in surprise. “Surely not because of what happened last night?”

  “Not the incident with the drunk.”

  “Then why?”

  “Personal reasons.” Katryn had to fight to keep her voice steady,

  Captain Kalispera sat back and considered her shrewdly. “Can I assume that your early return home last night caught someone by surprise?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Tears were burning in Katryn’s eyes again.

  “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry,” Captain Kalispera said softly. “And it wasn’t telepathy on my part in guessing. I’ve seen it happen far too often before. Which is why I can be confident in telling you that running away isn’t the right response. Someone has taken your lover. If you run away, she’ll have taken your friends, your family and your home as well. In a few months, you’ll be feeling stronger and will regret having given her so much. You need to stay and overcome your difficulties.”

  “I don’t think so.” Katryn could not bring herself to say more. “I can’t stay in Woodside.”

  The captain shook her head. “I’m afraid I can’t help you. The garrison is understrength. So by the rules, I’m allowed to transfer people out only in certain exceptional circumstances, and your situation doesn’t qualify.”

  Katryn hung her head. It was not just losing Allison. Cy would be wanting to wring as much out of the situation as she could. Even if Katryn used her share of the savings to move away from her mother’s shop, Cy would track her down and lay siege to the front door. If she could not see Katryn suffering, then half the fun would be lost. Cy would make sure that Katryn could not avoid the sight of her parading her new toy through town. The thought of months of torment ahead was unbearable.

  There seemed to be no way out. But then a new idea launched itself into Katryn’s head—something Dekker had said the previous night. It was every Militiawoman’s right to apply once, and once only. Katryn had never availed herself of her right. She had never wanted to before. She looked up. “I wish to apply for admission to the Rangers.”

  Chapter Nine—Welcome to Fort Krowe

  Katryn’s lungs were burning, her heartbeat was pounding in her ears, and the shoulder straps of her weighted backpack were biting deeper into her shoulders with each stride. Sweat stung in the chafed cuts. Her legs were both leaden and rubbery. Every muscle in her body was in agony. Her life was reduced to the effort of throwing one foot in front of the other on the rough woodland track.

  Birds whistled in the branches, and the rich scent of firs filled the air. The warm sunlight would have been pleasant on an afternoon’s stroll but only added to the torment of the assessment run. A slight breeze stirring the tops of the trees did not reach the forest floor to dry the sweat on her face. Stones and roots broke the surface of the path. Twice, Katryn stumbled and nearly fell as the trail climbed the wooded hillside.

  At the top of the incline, the track emerged onto coarse pastureland. Sheep were dotted over the slopes. The sun was hotter, but now the wind could offer some relief. In wordless agreement, the applicants for the Rangers paused to try to regain part of their breath.

  Katryn rested her hands on her knees, sucking in lungfuls of air. Stopping was probably not a good idea; she could feel her body trembling, but she could not afford to give in to weakness yet. She had to keep going. The sun was dropping toward the horizon, and the finishing line at Fort Krowe was still kilometers away. The team of applicants had to complete the run by sunset if they were to be considered for the Rangers. The timed endurance run was the last, and most grueling, of the entrance tests.

  Katryn looked at the seven other women. They were all eighteen or nineteen, making her the oldest by several years, but their youth did not seem to be conferring any advantage. Most of them appeared to be just as exhausted as she was, and one looked an awful lot worse. The struggling woman, Laura, was shaking visibly. Her skin was blanched, and her eyes were glazed. She had been the pacesetter for the first two hours of the run and had obviously pushed herself too
far.

  “Are you all right?” Katryn asked in concern.

  Laura nodded but could not speak.

  “Come on. We need to get moving,” one of the other applicants called out.

  Katryn glanced across. The speaker was Gitana, the tallest and strongest of the applicants. Throughout the series of tests, her manner had made it clear she felt a place in the Rangers was hers by right. She was so arrogantly sure of herself that she had managed to convince most of the other applicants as well. Many of them now looked to her for leadership—a role that Gitana also seemed to feel she deserved. But a leader must take responsibility for her followers. Katryn opened her mouth, about to express doubts concerning Laura’s condition, but Gitana had already set off running, and Laura was trotting after. Katryn tagged on at the rear.

  For another two kilometers, the route kept to the highland; then it dropped again into a valley. At the bottom, a wide stream rippled over stones. Katryn’s boots splashed down into the water, which barely covered her toes. In three strides, she had crossed the stream and scrambled over the undercut ledge on the far side. Three of the applicants struggled awkwardly on the waist-high bank. The weakest woman did not make it. Laura collapsed against the edge of the stream and then began to slip sideways into the water.

  Katryn jumped down and, with two other applicants, got Laura onto dry land. They laid her on the ground virtually unconscious. She was not going to run any farther. Someone took her pulse while the rest stood around or collapsed on the grass, exchanging anxious looks.

  “What do we do?” one of the applicants asked the group.

  “We’ll have to carry her,” Katryn answered.

  “Then we’ll never make Fort Krowe in time,” Gitana objected immediately.

  “We can’t leave her here,” Katryn spoke up again.

  “I’m not giving up my chance to join the Rangers just because someone else isn’t up to it.”

  “We’re supposed to be a team. We should carry her.”

  Most of the group hung their heads, too exhausted or too unsure of themselves to voice their thoughts. Gitana glared at Katryn, trying to intimidate her into backing down. When that did not happen, Gitana scowled and looked away, thinking of fresh arguments.

  “The people at Fort Krowe need to get a healer out here as quickly as possible. Therefore, we need to get to them as quickly as possible. Which means we run flat-out. If you want, you can stay here and keep an eye on her.” Gitana’s delivery made it more an ultimatum than a plan.

  Katryn looked at the others. None of them would meet her eyes. It was obvious whose side they took. They were not happy about abandoning Laura but would not risk failing the test for her sake. Katryn finished with her gaze on the woman on the grass. She pursed her lips, trying to keep the sarcastic anger from her expression. Was it really fair to judge the other applicants? Maybe they were simply more committed to the dream of joining the Rangers than she was, or maybe her added experience made her value team unity more. Whichever it was, there was no way she could desert a colleague in need. She raised her eyes again to meet Gitana’s and shrugged. “Okay. It’s on your conscience.”

  “Right.” The woman smiled, ignoring the implied criticism. “Keep an eye on her. We’ll let them know where you are.” Already, Gitana was back on form, making it sound as though she were the one giving orders. She turned to the other applicants. “Come on, now. Let’s get going.” At a steady trot, she led the remaining women up the trail.

  Katryn kneeled down and slipped the backpack from her shoulders. It hit the ground with a heavy thump. She fumbled to remove the collapsed woman’s pack as well and loosen her clothes. Laura groaned; her legs were starting to shake spasmodically. Katryn lifted one of Laura’s eyelids with her thumb and saw mainly white. The woman was clearly in a very bad way.

  Katryn turned her head. The other applicants were about to disappear over the brow of the hill. Katryn felt angry at their self-serving callousness and irritated at her own impotence. In applying to enter the Rangers, she’d had to forgo her rank of sergeant. Now she found herself missing the three stripes on her badge. If she had been in charge, she could have insisted that the others carry Laura.

  Katryn’s expression became even more grim. Perhaps if she had been applying to the Rangers out of real ambition, rather than as a refuge, she would have had the determination to challenge Gitana’s lead.

  But there was no point wasting time on ifs. The sick woman needed her help.

  Katryn dragged one of the packs over. Most of the weight was made up of sandbags, but there were some useful items as well. It did not take much digging around to find the salt rations, a tin cup and a blanket. Katryn filled the cup from the stream and added the salt. She took the first draught and was surprised by how good it tasted. Then she got Laura into a sitting position and tried to get her to drink—with only partial success. Much of the water dribbled down Laura’s chin.

  The sun was still warm, but now that they had stopped running, Katryn was starting to cool, and Laura’s skin felt icy. Katryn wrapped her in the blanket and then lay down, hoping to recover her strength, but it was impossible to rest. Tingling cramps clawed at her legs. The sun was sinking lower, and the temperature was falling with it. Lying on the cold ground was not a good idea.

  Katryn shielded her eyes to stare along the track, wondering how long it might be before a rescue team arrived and whether it would arrive in time for Laura. Katryn examined her again; there was no doubt that her condition was worse. She might be suffering from exhaustion, salt loss or some other medical condition. Laura was fully unconscious now, and her pulse was weak. She was in real danger, and a few minutes either way might prove to be crucial. It would be a good idea to minimize the distance the rescue party had to travel from Fort Krowe.

  Katryn got to her feet. She felt weak and shaky. Her legs ached, and she was nauseous, but her life was not the one at stake. After strenuous effort, she managed to get the sick woman up and over her shoulders. Then, resolutely, Katryn began to walk along the trail.

  *

  The light had gone, and stars glittered in the deep blue sky. The wind had increased, with a cold, stinging edge. Katryn had lost all sense of who or where she was. It was hard even to focus her eyes on the ground. Her feet kept to the trail mainly out of instinct. No thought remained in her head except the determination to keep going, although she could no longer remember why or where.

  Lost in exhaustion, Katryn was unaware of the sound of approaching horses or the shouts when she was spotted. The riders reined in their mounts and dropped to the ground, surrounding her. Katryn stared at the circle of faces in confusion. Her feet came to a standstill, and then, without warning, her knees gave way. Hands caught hold of her, and Laura was lifted from her shoulders. Something was said. Katryn thought it was a question, but she was unable to make sense of the words and shook her head. The night sky whirled when she did so. Katryn felt as though she were simultaneously drunk and hungover.

  A horse was positioned in front of her. Katryn stared at it as though she had never seen one before. More words were spoken. She was hauled up like a sack of potatoes and placed in the saddle. A second rider swung up behind her, reaching around her to take the reins and holding her so that she would not fall. A period of confused milling-around followed; voices called out. Then another rider—a healer—brought her horse alongside, close enough to reach out and put her hand on Katryn’s brow. For a moment, the fog lifted from Katryn’s mind. Then she drifted off into a gentle, healing sleep.

  *

  It was late afternoon the following day when Katryn had the formal meeting to be told the result of her application—not that she had any doubt what the decision would be. Via the camp grapevine, she had already learned that all the other applicants had been rejected, even those who had completed the run inside the time limit, whereas she had not even finished the course.

  However, her attempt to join the Rangers had not been a complete waste of tim
e and effort. A month away from Woodside had given her the space to regain her self-control, sufficient to face down Cy, and their mother and maybe even Allison. Also, the post that morning had contained a letter from the regional Militia HQ. In nearly so many words, it had promised her a lieutenancy within the year if she stayed in the Militia. It was nice to think that someone did not want to let go of her.

  The room Katryn was shown into was furnished with a single large desk and was clearly someone’s office rather than a general admin room. It was also surprising that the woman sitting behind the desk was wearing a major’s badge. Katryn had been expecting a far more junior officer for the routine interview.

  The major treated Katryn to a long, thoughtful stare before she started to speak. “Applicant Nagata, I’m hoping that you can help me sort things out.”

  “Ma’am?”

  “Do you realize what an awkward decision you’ve given us?”

  “With regard to…?” Katryn was confused.

  “Your application for the Rangers.”

  “I would have thought it was quite straightforward, ma’am.” At Katryn’s words, the major raised an eyebrow, her expression inviting Katryn to continue. “I failed on the timed run. I didn’t get back in time.”

  “Yes.” The major gave a drawn-out sigh, tapping the knuckle of her forefinger slowly against her chin, her eyes fixed on Katryn. Abruptly, she sat up straighter, her manner more decisive. “However, we do have a degree of discretion in interpreting the results when unusual events occur—although I’ll admit that someone’s collapsing is not as rare as I’d like. We screen everyone to make sure that they’re fit enough. Still, accidents happen—or, like yesterday, errors of judgment. The woman was capable physically but made the mistake of burning herself out in the first part of the run.”