Southern Discontent (Free Trader Series Book 7)

by Craig Martelle

  Bounder made up the title, and he thought it sounded good. He couldn’t have the pups running wild. He wanted to harness their energy for the good of the group. They had to come along because there was no time to take them home.

  “Get in the wagon,” he ordered. He walked up to the two Hawkoids who had landed and were watching him with interest.

  ‘Thank you for saving them from themselves,’ he said.

  ‘They are a determined bunch,’ Zyena replied, bowing her head to the Wolfoid leader. He bowed in response, giving them a big canine smile. It didn’t take long for his mood to darken once again.

  The business of recovering the lightning spears was going to be dangerous. He looked at the group. Twenty-five men armed with the spears against him and his friends. A well-laid ambush would destroy Vii’s leadership.

  ‘Please keep an eye on the men for us. We cannot let them draw us into a trap.’

  ‘We understand.’ Skirill and Zyena hopped a couple steps and then took off, gaining altitude quickly as they circled to the west under the midday sun.

  Braden and Micah had climbed down from the wagon and were walking toward Bounder. They watched the soaring Hawkoids together.

  “We don’t want them to know we’re on their trail. The only way we’ll win this fight is on our terms. Surprise is our best weapon. These men are running and they will have to slow down sometime soon. We’ll look to catch them tonight. If not, then tomorrow night. We can rest during the day. They cannot. Our terms, Bounder.” Braden looked up at the Wolfoid alpha. On two legs, he stood taller than the humans.

  He rested his front legs on Braden’s shoulders as he leaned close. ‘I know. I want to understand why they did it, find out if there are more of them. We need to prune this tree, cut out the bad branches, reshape it into something that will better reflect the Vii you envision.’

  ‘They are entering the foothills,’ Skirill reported. ‘They have left the road and are entering the forest.’

  ‘Don’t lose them!’ Bounder pleaded.

  ‘Holly, do you have them?’ Braden asked using his link to the artificial intelligence.

  ‘I am tracking them by the energy signatures of the lightning spears. I will not lose them before the spears lose their charge. I do not believe they took any recharging equipment,’ Holly replied.

  “Did they take anything with them to charge the spears?”

  ‘I’m sorry, but I forgot to check.’

  “It’s okay. You had a lot to worry about. Cygnus!” Braden went back to the wagon. “Did the raiders take any charging equipment?”

  Braden decided not to refer to them as men because most men were good people. Raiders would be bad, now and forever. Thieves, pirates, and criminals. But not men.

  The injured pup thought back to what he’d seen when he looked into the Wolfoid armory. “No,” was his simple reply.

  Braden clapped his hands together. “That makes it easy. All we have to do is let them shoot at us until they’re out of juice, and then we let Brandt trample them into the ground.”

  “I see one minor flaw in that plan,” Micah suggested. “WE’RE NOT LETTING THEM SHOOT AT US!”

  Braden rocked back as if punched.

  “Besides that, what did you think of my plan?” Braden replied, trying to lighten the mood. It didn’t work. “It’s a sorry business that we’re in. I don’t want to be a vigilante or the justice police, but I guess that’s the role we’ve been forced into. Maybe we’ve done it to ourselves because no one else was doing it. We’ve also benefitted from it, although I don’t feel guilty about that. Life in New Sanctuary is better than anything I could have ever imagined. Maybe that’s the trade-off. Live well, but when you have to pick up your blasters, blood will be shed, some of it may be ours.”

  “But we will carry arms in defense of Vii,” Micah said. She pointed with her arm toward Livestel. “They need us to protect them, just like McCullough, Greentree, or even White Beach.”

  “Why can’t people be happy with free trade?” Braden wondered aloud.

  “How much trade have we pushed south?” she asked.

  Braden shook his head and raised his hand in the sign for zero.

  “People were a little aggressive before trade opened up. What do you say we get some routes open,” Micah said, smiling at her partner. “As soon as we recover those spears.”

  ‘The men have set up a small camp. It looks like they may be settling in. See for yourself.” With G-War’s help, Skirill shared his view of the men’s position in the woods. They were on top of a hill with a sheer drop behind them. To the front was an open area. As Braden and Micah watched, one of the men torched a tree with one of the lightning spears. A few of the other men fired their spears until one individual made them stop.

  “That doesn’t bode well. As long as they don’t fire, the spears will stay charged,” Braden said unnecessarily. “Let’s move closer, just in case they break camp.”

  Micah corralled the others, including the three pups, and watched everyone pile into the wagon. Aadi floated over her head and swam toward Braden, who had stopped to scratch the side of Brandt’s neck.

  “Thanks for the help, Brandt. We could never do any of this without you.”

  ‘There is no place I would rather be,’ Brandt replied, the voice exploding in Braden’s mind.

  “Whisper, if you don’t mind, big guy,’ Braden requested while scratching the great King’s side. The others were working to get into the wagon. A Wolfoid sat on a Rabbit and that created a bit of a commotion along with some harsh words from Micah. Heloysius was cordial about the intrusion, as Rabbits always were.

  ‘Master Braden, vengeance is an ugly beast that consumes the vengeful,’ Aadi offered.

  “I don’t think that I’m on a mission of vengeance. I only want the spears back. Maybe that’s not all. I want to understand why. Is it the power? Is someone preparing to wage war? Against whom?”

  ‘Your challenge will be in resolving this without the violence I see brewing.’

  ‘I am guilty of this, Master Aadi. I see my friends hurt and I feel like I must do something about it. I wish my Queen was here.’

  ‘We must make do with this group, which means cunning and wiles, Master Braden, King Brandt. We cannot win this by bulling our way through. They’ve shown that they can use the spears. We would all die a fiery death should we attempt a head-on approach.’

  “Like the Bat-Ravens. That is not an end that I wish on anyone, even them, but they left us no choice, just like these men may give us no choice. If we must destroy the spears, then that’s what we’ll do. Better no one have them than leave them in the hands of raiders.”

  Micah mounted the buckboard and waved to Braden. The smell of the Aurochs’ musk filled the air. Braden looked to the west where the remnants of the road cut a line into the hills. There was no breeze, only the cool of spring. The green of new growth fought for dominance over the browns of winter.

  “This morning started out so well. Treetis and G-War both fell into the lake. It was fun, but I never had a chance to heckle them. It seems like that happened a long time ago and no longer matters.”

  ‘It matters as the goal for the future. To get back where you were and keep your lives moving forward. In between, you’ll ensure that everyone else gets to move their lives forward. This is your gift, Master Braden, replacing war with trade,’ Aadi replied.

  “How many people have to die in between?” Braden slapped the Aurochs on the side one last time. “Mount up, Master Aadi. It’s time to roll.”

  ***

  The twins quickly befriended the pups, although Shauna and Klytus weren’t as quick to accept the Wolfoids into the children’s inner circle.

  The wagon rested behind a small stand of evergreens, hidden from view, while the others went quietly about their business. The human and Wolfoid adults conferred around a rough map that Braden had drawn on the ground. The Hawkoids watched from a branch nearby while Aadi floated overhead. Bran
dt tried to see between the others with G-War and Fea perched on his head.

  Treetis was nowhere to be seen.

  The Rabbits had gone into the woods to find vegetables and tubers to add to a hastily gathered food supply that consisted mostly of smoked meat and jerkies.

  The youngsters had been harshly shushed when they started to make too much noise. Even with a large hill in between them and the raiders, Braden wanted to maintain the surprise. They could not afford to let the raiders know that they were being followed.

  Ax tripped his sister and Shauna came to her rescue. Klytus joined in. Soon, the four were rolling around on the ground while the Wolfoid pups quietly cheered them on. Precocious five-year-olds? Or were the twins simply active children raised in a loving environment?

  Shauna was tossed from the pile, landing in a nearby bush. She vaulted straight into the air as a serpentine head, fangs bared, passed through the space where she had just been.

  The Wolfoids grabbed the twins and pulled them from the small opening where the Crawler ended up. It hissed angrily. Klytus headed in, dodging left and right. The Crawler locked its eyes on the ‘cat. Klytus’s movements slowed.

  Ax dove in and yanked back on the ‘cat’s tail as the Crawler struck. “Look out, Klytus!” he called while dragging the ‘cat away. The Crawler wriggled toward the spellbound ‘cat. Ax stumbled back and fell.

  Runner jumped forward and kicked it. The Crawler turned and hissed. The pup darted away. Low Crawler came in from the other side while Ax climbed to his feet. Klytus recovered his senses and ran around the outside of the ring forming around the snake.

  Rainy Forest stomped on its tail when it turned toward ‘Tesh. She stood on the balls of her feet while Shauna crouched, ready to strike. The Crawler curled and headed fangs-first toward Forest’s leg. Treetis bolted in like an orange streak, catching the Crawler by the neck. The snake curled around the scarred ‘cat. Forest pulled his belt knife and started sawing behind the Crawler’s head while Treetis fought the snake.

  The big ‘cat rolled to his feet while the others breathed hard, still shocked at their brush with death. Treetis took one last look at the snake and casually strolled away.

  The Wolfoids watched, mouths agape and eyes wide.

  That is how you do it, boys and girls, Treetis thought, his tail thrust into the air. He knew that G-War had once been grazed by a Crawler’s fang. Treetis didn’t consider himself to be G-War’s equal, but he was quickly gaining ground.

  He’d get there, and someday soon.

  Fea and G-War appeared and hovered over the dead Crawler. They quickly surveyed the group, looking for injuries but saw none. ‘Who killed the Crawler?’ G-War asked.

  ‘I did,’ Forest replied proudly, before letting his head and tail droop. ‘Treetis caught him and held him down for me.’

  Fea rubbed her body against the Golden Warrior’s. He purred at the news and the touch. ‘You are lucky to have a ‘cat like him watching out for you. Bring that thing to Braden so he can clean it for dinner. I hear Crawlers are good eating. Now we will find out for sure.’

  Despite Braden’s prohibition against a fire, he made a smokeless one to better cook the snake. Not even the ‘cat would eat it raw.

  ***

  When night fell, many had climbed back into the wagon to keep Cygnus Standing company. The Rabbits had outdone themselves with what they found growing wild. Adding that to the Crawler meat turned dinner into a feast.

  Holly interrupted Braden’s reverie. ‘The men are moving out, back to the road and continuing west.’

  “Nightfall to defeat the sharp eyes of our Hawkoid friends,” Braden said softly into the evening calm. “But nothing can stop Holly from tracking them.”

  ‘Let us know when it’s safe for us to move without being seen,’ Braden replied.

  “Wake up and load up,” Braden ordered. “The raiders are on the move. We’ll follow when it’s safe to do so.”

  Brandt had eaten his fill and then rested, but not for as long as he would’ve liked. He returned to the hillside to continue fueling his engine, ripping shrubs and heavy grasses from the ground, clearing a swath of land. The Rabbits couldn’t watch.

  The Wolfoids growled low in their throats. They had been restless, Bounder most of all. His patience was already too thin because of the attack. He knew that waiting for the proper time to strike was the only acceptable course of action, but his body wanted justice. He hadn’t been able to sit still. Strider told him that he would be too tired when the time came, but there was nothing he could do about the fire that burned within his soul.

  His people. Attacked! And here he was, cooling his heels. He knew it was the right thing, but it wasn’t what he wanted.

  “We will catch them soon enough and you will have your revenge,” Strider told her mate.

  “Is it that obvious?”

  She snorted and chuckled. “Just a lot. Trust the humans. Follow their lead. I don’t want to be on the wrong end of lightning and neither do you.”

  Bounder nodded and headed for the back of the wagon. The group packed into the wagon and waited. Brandt continued to ravage the hillside. Braden and Micah waited by the harness, ready to hook up the King when Holly gave the word.

  It took well over an hour before they were clear to travel. “Did you get enough to eat?” Braden asked, shaking his head.

  ‘I think I did. Thanks for the extra time.’

  “No problem. I wish I hadn’t watched you eat. It ruined my appetite.”

  ‘That was probably the Crawler,’ Brandt replied as they finished harnessing the King. Braden and Micah climbed into the front of the wagon and they set off at a measured pace. The cloudy sky would ensure they’d travel under cover of darkness, but that carried its own risks.

  Braden kept his neural implant active and the window before his eye open to watch the raiders moving in real time. Holly tracked the power signature of each individual spear, keeping count to avoid the surprise of a fiery ambush.

  “Looks like we’re headed to the coast,” Braden said softly.

  “And then what?” Micah asked.

  Braden shrugged and shook his head.

  A Party Divided

  After midnight, the raiders increased speed as they traveled downhill. They reached the flatlands bordering the Western Sea, continuing at a ground-eating pace.

  ‘They have turned south, Master Braden,’ Holly stated. Brandt stood still and waited. They were at the top of the hill that had an unimpeded view of the ocean, even though it was a long ways into the distance. The raiders were opening the gap between themselves and their pursuers.

  “There’s no way they could have known we were following,” Braden complained as he watched the blips on his map move farther and farther away.

  ‘The Warden is not far away. I could bring it ashore and you could use it to get in front of the men without them knowing.’

  “Holly suggested that the Warden meet us, and we can sail past the raiders.”

  ‘Assuming they stay close to the sea,’ Aadi replied.

  “The battle for the Amazon,” Micah whispered, looking into her lap and kneading her hands together.

  “I think so,” Braden agreed. He took Micah’s hand as he pursed his lips and disappeared deep into his own thoughts.

  ‘The way is clear, and the Warden is inbound. It will be waiting for you when you arrive. You can decide at that point what you want to do.’

  “Time to go, Brandt,” Micah said, noting her partner’s furled brow. With his free hand, he absentmindedly caressed his blaster.

  ***

  The sunrise at their backs showed them a crystal blue ocean. Beyond a small beach, the Warden rested peacefully. On deck were Chrysalis, the cloned son of Doctor Johns and Patti May, the two scientists who had made their home on board the Warden, a perpetual laboratory at sea.

  Braden and Micah had not parted on the best of terms last time they saw the two scientists.

  “I don’t rememb
er saying good-bye to those two,” Micah said while smiling and waving.

  Braden sat on his hands. “That’s because they never bothered to come up on deck. I wonder what changed between then and now.”

  “Maybe they got lonely.” Micah shrugged and elbowed Braden. “Wave.”

  He raised one arm, waved it back and forth twice, then lowered it. “I don’t like those guys.”

  “Play nice or I’ll have to throw you around.” Micah lifted one eyebrow to emphasize her point.

  Braden chuckled softly. “I might like that, but I remember you punching young Doctor Johns in the face.”

  “I don’t remember anything of the sort.” Micah climbed down from the buckboard. “Would you look at that?”

  “Chlorphyta and Rhodophyta. I expect that’s Rexalta beyond the Warden.”

  “Chlora, Rhodi, and Rex. I wasn’t going to ride the ship, but with them around, I don’t think I can say no.”

  As the rest of the group surrounded Braden and Micah, he turned to face them, the ship standing majestically behind him.

  “You’ve all had time to think about it, and so have I. We need to do this, but we can’t put our eggs in one basket. We have to split up. Micah will take a team on board the Warden. They’ll race south and cutoff the raiders. Brandt and I will take a team overland. They are hemmed in between the mountains to the east and ocean to the west. Holly thinks they’ll continue to head south along the coast. If we can trap them, maybe we can get them to talk without having to resort to a firefight.”

  The Wolfoids looked torn. The twins wanted to go to sea. Their thought voices pounded into the minds of their parents. The ‘cats didn’t want to get wet. It was thought-voice chaos.

  “Everyone stop yelling!” Braden shouted into the silence. G-War circled three times and curled up on top of the King’s head.

  “Micah, pick your crew.”

  Micah didn’t hesitate. “Both of you—” Pointing to the twins and their ‘cats. “You two—” Pointing to the pups Runner and Crawler. “Strider, the Rabbits, if you please, Fea, and Treetis.”