He waved the others in the patrol to him. The Wolfoids were both relieved and disappointed. Micah turned and gave Bounder a push. “You’ll get your chance. When we enter the Amazon in search of the Overlords, you’ll see what it’s like to fight a Lizard Man on their terms. You won’t like it,” she told him, then reached up and scratched the fur behind his ears.
The humans and the Wolfoids stood outside the circle of Lizard Men. G-War could hear the ones from the ship, but not those from the Amazon. Pik Ha’ar started talking with them by telling the tale of a great rainforest where the forces of good and evil battled for control. Pik dropped the spear as his body gestures became more and more animated. The other Lizard Men watched, eyes fixed on their new Pik.
He finished with a two-footed stomp into a puddle, and G-War jumped to the side to avoid getting splashed. Pik retrieved his spear and sent the Lizard Men to talk among themselves.
Braden wanted to know. “How’d it go, Pik? That was some fight, by the way,” Braden said in a lowered voice. Pik waved his hand and shook his head.
‘It was a bad fight. I cheated because I could not beat him fairly. What we must do is just, but it still doesn’t make it right. The means do not justify the end,’ Pik replied.
“The most important thing is that we shouldn’t have brought you here in the first place. If there is blame, it is ours for putting you in a position where you had to resort to, let’s say, an innovative fighting technique in order to win over the others. We shouldn’t have risked your life that way. Had you died, this trip would have been for nothing. And look at me.” Braden pointed to the knot on his head. “I’ve gotten hurt, too. You know what I hate about this whole thing? That Holly was right! We need an escort to protect us from ourselves. Damn computer…” Braden looked away. Micah patted his shoulder in complete agreement.
“I blasted that Android just because he was returning to his workstation in the same direction that we were going,” Micah offered.
“You blasted him because you told him to stay and he didn’t. He could have followed us after thirty heartbeats and we wouldn’t have known he was there,” Braden said. Micah started to nod, then shrugged.
“What next, Pik?” she asked.
‘We wait until they decide. We have room for five, yes?’
“Five, yes. So we wait.” Braden sat down on a root, bending over to put his head between his legs until the bump started to throb, then he sat up straight. He couldn’t get comfortable with the pain in his head. Micah tried numbweed, but it had little effect on the bruise.
The companions finally broke out their rations and ate a meal while the Lizard Men continued to argue. The humans and Wolfoids were taking turns sleeping when the patrol finally came to a decision. One of them stepped forward. Micah and Bounder roused their partners to listen.
‘Although we believe you and wish you well, we are not convinced that there is a place for us outside of our world, which you tell us is only a small place within a bigger place within a whole universe. The youngest of our group, Tup Dal, would like to join you. The rest have graciously declined. Do you require anything else of us, Pik Ha’ar?’ the new Lizard Man patrol leader asked.
‘No. Be on your way,’ Pik said tersely. He watched as they walked off, leaving one behind–the smallest, youngest, and most frightened looking former patrol member. ‘Welcome, Dal. Do not be afraid. The group here are the fiercest fighters you will ever meet. They will keep you from harm, mostly. But you have to earn your way, too. Now, walk beside me as we return to the ramp. Tell me about yourself...’
The young Lizard Man seemed surprised that Pik asked him a question instead of simply issuing orders. He relaxed as the group moved rapidly through the woods. Pik Ha’ar’s vigor had returned during the extended time of the patrol’s deliberations. Even Braden felt better, but his head would throb at various times, making him dizzy and nauseous. He had plenty of help to limit the stress as the others took turns giving him a shoulder to lean on. Dal watched this with fascination and surprise as the culture he was raised with was one where the weak were weeded out, the injured carried their own weight, or they died.
A Run to the Village
The Wolfoids wanted to test their skill with the spears at the agile monkeys, but the foul little creatures were nowhere to be seen as the group moved through the rainforest to the ramp, where they wasted no time exiting the Deck 9.
After Micah helped Aadi through, the others bolted from their hiding places and one by one, ran through the door. Braden went first so the others could protect him if the monkeys attacked. But there was nothing. They each ran through, with Bounder coming last. He stopped before the door and faced the forest, howling long and loud. The Wolfoid didn’t like the Rainforest Level or its inhabitants. He didn’t like the feeling of being constantly wet. He and his mate smelled.
Micah shook her head at the demonstration of bravado and displeasure.
Once the door closed behind them, they collectively breathed a sigh of relief. They slowly walked down the ramp toward the Livestock Level.
‘Hungry,’ the ‘cat told them all. As G-War expected, none of them seemed to care. He ran ahead and leapt onto the back of the first vehicle where he readied his most piercing glare. As the others approached, only Bounder acknowledged his efforts.
‘Come, my little friend, we’ll cull out a pig for us to hunt together.’ Bounder bobbed his head and snarled with the thought of the kill. ‘Maybe not as good as a hunt on Vii, but we’ll be back home soon. The deer grow fat waiting for us, no?’
G-War jumped from vehicle to vehicle as they approached the door at the bottom of the ramp. Braden and Micah watched the Wolfoids and the ‘cat vibrate in anticipation. Micah opened the door and the three with fur bolted through, racing each other into the grasses of the plain before them. The Lizard Men watched in fascination. Pik had been to other areas of the ship, but his memories were vague. Dal’s eyes grew wide as he looked into the brightness of Deck 10.
Braden and Micah wedged Aadi through to his usual profuse apologies at being such a burden. They waited for the Lizard Men. Pik had never been on the Livestock Level. It was all new. Micah encouraged them to drink deeply before they began the run to the Wolfoid village.
‘Deck 3. The pain?’ Pik wondered as a memory drifted through his mind.
“Yes. Deck 3 was painful. Hot and dry with the beetles that wanted to eat us. It was painful for all of us, except Aadi and Skirill, of course. I think Aadi would move there if he could–unlimited beetles to eat and the dry heat where he spent most of his life.”
‘You carried me. Thank you,’ Pik said simply in his thought voice. ‘Skirill, a Hawkoid, where is he?’
“Skirill and his mate Zyena are waiting for us on Vii. You’ll get to see them soon. But first, we have stop by the village because we have space to take four Wolfoids with us.”
Pik nodded and Dal obediently followed him into the ship’s artificial sunlight. They both ducked their heads as their eyes were meant for the semi-dark of the rainforest. They shielded their faces with a hand and trudged forward with Aadi swimming along beside them.
Braden and Micah followed, ensuring the door closed as they passed through. Braden wasn’t up for running, so Micah helped keep him steady as they walked at a brisk pace across the grazing lands for the livestock on this deck. They wondered why the Wolfoids didn’t hunt any of the other creatures found there, of which there were many. They only ate pork from their own herd.
Bounder had been angry when he first discovered Braden and Micah had killed one of the pigs from the Wolfoid herd. That seemed like cycles ago, when it hadn’t been anywhere near that long.
Now Pik Ha’ar was back and he seemed like an older, more confident Lizard Man. He was also quickly becoming an entirely new friend. They liked how he turned out even if they didn’t agree with the Androids and Holly playing God, although Braden had to admit, he asked Holly to do it. Once again, the computer only did what they asked it to do,
even if the humans didn’t understand how. Everything Holly did was for a purpose based on the information he had and guidance he was given. Even if he did things differently than Braden or Micah would do them, he only wanted to give them what they asked for, and he did it to the best of his ability.
Holly’s abilities were beyond their comprehension. Braden asked Micah to open her neural implant and apologize to Holly on his behalf. She did as she asked, eyes unfocused as they walked through the tall grasses toward the distant village where the smoke from a cook fire was already starting to billow skyward, creating dark clouds that twirled away with the rotation of the decks.
“Holly says he is humbled that you would think he needed to hear an apology. He also agreed that he should have better described the entire process. Holly is pleased that Pik Ha’ar’s memories are mostly there. In fact, he says the Lizard Man’s recollections from before and immediately after his death are unprecedented,” she told Braden while the window was still open before her eye.
“I think the memories were G’s doing. He filled the gaps in Pik’s mind and that included some of the memories following his death. How else could he have known that G-War pressed the buttons to give Holly access to the computers that controlled the Androids? Isn’t that one of the first things he said when he woke up? Of course, G-War is the hero from his point of view!” Braden started laughing and laughed so hard that they had to stop. Micah laughed because Braden was doubled over coughing. Tears streamed from his eyes as he thought of the ‘cat’s history of Vii.
Pik and Dal stopped and watched the humans closely, wondering if they were ill.
“G-War! You are the best and my best friend,” Braden gasped between snorts and chuckles.
Micah slapped him on the back. “What about me, lover?” she said with a smile.
“Our best friend,” he managed to say, emphasizing the word “our.” They started walking again, giggling as they went.
‘Of course, I am, and blessed you are for it, too,’ the ‘cat interjected. ‘Would you hurry up? The Wolfoids have devised some games to determine who gets to go, but they aren’t going to start until you get here. I’m ready for a nap, but don’t want to miss this. Now, run!’ he commanded. They giggled more at the sound of his thought voice confirming everything they had suspected.
Pik put a rope in Aadi’s mouth as he and Dal lumbered after the humans. Then he handed the other end of the rope to the younger, smaller Lizard Man so he could pull the Tortoid. Dal considered it an honor as Pik said the Tortoid was to be revered by all Lizard Men.
Maybe G-War wasn’t the only one making suggestions about the companions’ storied past.
The Wolfoid Games
Braden and Micah arrived, sweating profusely as Braden’s head hurt more and more. In the end, Micah and Pik supported him between them as they lumbered into the village. Braden dunked his head in the lake to cool the pain. When he lifted his head, a pack of pups were there, watching him closely. One, bolder than the others, leaned in close, lapping the water with his tongue, then nodded to Braden. The pup mimicked the motion a second time as he tried to teach Braden the proper way to drink from the lake.
Braden appreciated the pup’s efforts. He turned his face toward the water and put his lips to it, licking the water to make it splash. The pups yipped and batted at the one who showed Braden the Wolfoid way. Then they all ran off. Braden wiped his face on his sleeve. All he wanted was to sit down. He took a spot near the fire, leaning back against a log. He was soon asleep.
Micah waved for them to start the games that Bounder, Gray Strider, and Shredder devised to help them select the next Wolfoids to go to Planet Vii. Bounder tipped his chin to the humans as he barked and howled to open the games. G-War watched with wide eyes as he sat in a crouch.
‘G, you have to tell me what’s really going on here?’ Micah asked, talking only with the ‘cat.
‘These are games where they will be physically challenged, but that’s not what Bounder is looking for. The contestants don’t know that, though, and that is why these are going to be so much fun to watch. Now hush and let me concentrate,’ G-War said abruptly and closed the mindlink.
Ten couples of all shapes and sizes entered the central area between the pack and the fire where a pig had just been put on to roast. Micah looked closely and couldn’t tell which Wolfoid was partnered with which, but she seemed to be the only one who didn’t know. Pik and Dal crouched at the edge of the lake, keeping themselves wet with periodic splashes of water. They seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. Aadi floated near them, taking in moisture through his feet, as Tortoids did.
Bounder barked and yipped, driving the crowd into a frenzy. The contestants started howling as he stepped aside. He looked at a path from the village and chased a couple Wolfoids out of the way. He fired lightning from his spear and the ten were off, dropping quickly to all fours and running for all they were worth.
‘What is the first contest?’ Micah asked Gray Strider.
‘Run to the ramp and return. That’s the only instruction they were given,’ she responded. Micah felt like the Wolfoid was holding something back, but G-War had asked her to be patient. She sat back, holding Braden as he slept and watched the pig roast as the pups played. One Wolfoid had climbed to the top of a hut and was barking out the status of those in the race.
One male, only slightly smaller than Bounder, was increasing his lead over the others. He tore up a great mound of earth as he turned at the base of the ramp, racing past the others, his paws pounding the ground. He nipped at his mate as he passed, urging her to go faster.
Most were bunched up, but one pair was bringing up the rear. The female had a slight limp. The male took her spear so she could run without holding it in the hand of her foreleg as the rest of the Wolfoids did. With a spear in each hand, he slowed to keep pace with his mate. They didn’t give up. Long after the others had passed, they reached the ramp. She took a short break to bite at her paw, realizing that there was a splinter. The male helped and soon it was out. She felt much better when they started running the return leg. They couldn’t see the winner arrive as he was too far ahead. They saw the remaining bunch of Wolfoids wrestling with each other to get in front, happy that they weren’t thrown into that mix. They weren’t the biggest, the strongest, or the fastest.
They wondered if they’d made a mistake asking to be considered, but they kept running.
The large male reared and howled in his most impressive Wolfoid voice as he stood alone in the center of the village. He breathed heavily and after a few heartbeats, started barking for his mate, cheering her on. She was held back by the others who nipped and bumped each other. The next seven Wolfoids arrived in a single rolling bundle of fur. Bounder looked at Gray Strider, who shrugged, not knowing who arrived in what order. Bounder declared all of them to be second.
The large male pulled his mate from the pile and nipped her ear. She hung her head as she followed him to the lake for a drink.
‘No water!’ Bounder yelled over the mindlink, and bellowed the order in a series of barks and yips. The Wolfoids looked confused. Some asked why, but he silenced them with a growl.
They waited as the last two arrived. The male still carried his mate’s spear and gave it to her as they entered the village. They stood upright and walked in as if they won the race, waving their forelegs at the crowd and smiling. Gray Strider bobbed her head in approval. If you can’t win, you might as well finish in style.
The other contestants snickered.
Round two was set up to be the acquisition of food. Each of the paired Wolfoids were to run to the near field and return with a pig. The pig was not to be harmed. The couples lined up next to the fire and prepared to run. A flash of lightning and they were off.
The group stayed closer together as they knew they needed to work with each other. No Wolfoid could catch a pig and return with it unharmed by themselves.
The villagers moved beyond the huts where they could see the a
ntics of the contestants. The large male and his mate were first in and cornered a pig against a rock fence. As it tried to scramble out of the enclosure, the large male pounced and held it down with his jaws wrapped around its throat. The female grabbed the back legs, and it kicked her away. She jumped back and seized the legs with renewed vigor. The large male held onto the front legs as he released his grip on the pig. They manhandled the terrified animal, half dragging it, half carrying it. They were first out of the enclosure and headed back to the village. The large male showed his teeth, confident that his victory was guaranteed.
Another pair of Wolfoids trapped a pig between them and they each grabbed a front leg, towing the pig behind them. It squealed and bit at them but they fought off its attacks as they gained on the large male and his mate.
Others chased the pigs around the enclosure, catching them and equally manhandling them back toward the village. The last couple watched the large male and his mate pick up their pace and arrive at the same time as the other pair in a tie for first!
The last two couples made it back to the village, equally disheveled from their efforts. Finally, the smaller couple, assured of last place again, used carrots from a nearby field to lure the pigs forward. Tired from being chased, they seemed relieved for the meal. The two Wolfoids walked ahead as four pigs followed them. They tried to shoo away three of them, but the pigs were focused solely on the carrots. They casually walked to the village, giving out the last carrot as they entered the open space. They shrugged and looked longingly at the lake.
Bounder nodded, and the ten contestants buried their muzzles in the water as one, drinking deeply after their exertions.
Free Trader Box Set - Books 4-6: Battle for the Amazon, Free the North!, Free Trader on the High Seas Page 13
