by P. S. Power
So, after the meal, she watched as Timon worked all night long, doing in hours each, things that would have taken her months or longer, if she could make it happen at all. When morning came, she had to do something she didn't really know how to do, and went to the bakery to try and set it all up.
Her father was there, getting the early bread going himself, even though they had hired assistants now. He worked merrily enough, not smiling, but clearly happy with what he was doing, going by rote from one part of the brick and wood room to another easily, without missing a step. He nearly flowed through it, from years of repetition.
"Da?" She heard her own voice, and it sounded young and a little scared. Enough so that she thought something very bad was going to happen. She went on anyway, because no matter what it sounded like, Tiera Baker didn't feel fear. Not at all. "Tim... He's worked out how to make people immortal. We can't do everyone in the world. He figures that he can do twenty or so, before the other Ancients slap us all down for it. Terry, Tess and Tara have had it done already. All the Lairdgren Group too. The ones here, I mean, which isn't all of them. It's your turn now. I'll watch the bakery for you. It will take a few hours. He's in the main parlor, in back?"
For the life of her she figured that her down to Earth father was going to pull some kind of homey, and ultimately stupid and painful, trick and beg off of the idea, but he just asked questions for a while instead, finally coming to one that she never would have thought of at all.
"Ah, can I also get that trick of making myself look younger? I feel like a cradle robber, to tell the truth, what with your ma looking so young now all the time. She deserves better than this for all of time." There was a wave at his face, but Tiera shrugged. He was nice enough looking that no one had ever mentioned ma looking too young for him that Tiera had ever heard about.
"I think so? Ask Tim. It seems like it should work. It might take time to kick in, but remember to hide all this. Especially from the Ancients. Now, go do that. I'll work in here. After all, how many times do you get an opportunity like this in life? Three? Four?"
The man went. He didn't even pretend to not want a longer life. That meant he was pretty happy, didn't it? Or at least that he had hope for the future. No one would want that kind of thing if everything was horrible for them, would they? Not in any way that seemed eager, she was willing to bet.
A weight that she hadn't even known was there lifted from her then and Tiera stood a little taller as she moved around the room, doing all the old and familiar chores. Her father wasn't going to die. Or, well, he would, since everything did, no matter what words they threw around. It wouldn't be in a few years though, and she wouldn't have to watch him get old and fall apart over time. She hadn't thought about it a lot before, but she realized that had to do with her trying to deny it was possible. Before, it had been something that simply would happen. Everyone around her would die, except a tiny handful. Now, well, there would be more, wouldn't there?
Her family, as long as they got to them all. People she already knew. Not all of them, which was going to be a little sad, but some. Given everything, most of them would probably outlive her even. That made her smile, if a bit sadly.
She worked until she had full racks of baked goods ready, including some nice sweet rolls with bits of apple in the filling. Everyone had a lot of apples now, and Two Bends was no exception. They were good, but the food devices really had to be expanded soon, she knew. People wouldn't starve, but they'd want more, sooner or later.
She started planning out how to do that when Karen finally came in her face bright and cheery for this early in the day.
"What's up? I can't find anyone. Are they all still asleep?"
Tiera very nearly didn't tell her, but after a bit she took a deep breath and spoke anyway.
"I... Tim can make people immortal, like I am? He's done all the Lairdgren kids and Ali, we're running out of spots for that though. We can only do so many people or, well the other Ancients will throw a fit and probably go to war over it. The ones on our side." She felt bad for the tall and slightly plain looking woman, but she smiled anyway.
"Really? That's incredible. I should at least go and ask, right? Make him tell me to buzz off all on his own. Any hints that might get me in?" She was clearly playing, but Tiera made up a tray of rolls.
"Try bribes. They've worked pretty well for me in life."
Then the woman, who didn't seem to think she'd been telling the truth at all for some reason, walked away, heading toward the new house.
She snacked on baked goods for a while, and handled customers when they came in, though she had to call out to half of them, to keep them from running off when they saw her. A few did anyway. That was a shame, since she was so sweet and all, if too big for the village.
At ten a woman came in that she didn't recognize. She froze for a bit, and then bowed, going low, even though she was merchant tall herself.
"Hello! I'm Tiera, did you come to get something?" That seemed likely, but the woman shook her head and smiled after a second.
"I'm Bethany. I work here? It looks like all the baking for the day has already happened? That's useful. Tiera... It's a name that starts with a 'T', though you're rather tall for one of the Bakers..."
Instead of making a big deal of it she just smiled back.
"A new magic that my brothers have worked up. A lot of us will end up taller than we might have now. It hurts, growing too fast. I'm pretty much the middle one, in case that ever comes up. Something came up for da, so I'm in here for the day. Or, well, you can do it if you want, being your job. I still have some things in the oven, but after that I can get out of your hair." She had nice brown hair too, that was long, probably. It was put up on top of her head and covered at the moment. That was efficient, for a bakery.
"That sounds fun. It can get a little boring in here at times. I think I scare some of the villagers, to tell the truth. I met Tor once, and he said he thought it was that I was cute enough that people were awed by my beauty. I've seen the women in your family though, and you all make me look like a troll. This would be a good time to reassure me that I'm perfectly lovely, and it's only my grand charms keeping the men around here at arm's length." There was a simple charm to the words, but a smoothness too. She was definitely from a city, somewhere.
"Well, you are very pretty, so you can stop fishing for compliments that way. Really, it's just your height. When commoners see very tall people, they..." She nearly didn't explain it all, but it wasn't a secret. Not for her. She wasn't shamed by it at least. "The Ancient King, Cordes, he made it so that people would either be very tall and look down on regular people, or small, and subservient. A few were left, like you I bet, who are real people, not ones tampered with. It's a problem." She waited, but Bethany just got an apron from the hooks in the back and started cleaning. People wouldn't buy from a dirty bakery, so that showed she was smart enough.
They chatted for a while, but it wasn't until the woman let drop that she was from Thompsonville that Tiera actually read her field and understood what was going on.
"Oh! You're a spy? For Terlee? Do you know how she is? Or where. My brother Timon and I should go and visit with her today. If we can, I mean." They had things to do, after all.
Instead of answering, the woman tossed the rag she was holding down onto the counter.
"Okay, fine. I quit. I'm the worst spy ever, aren't I? I can't blend in here at all, and every time I meet one of you people, you already know what I'm doing here. To answer your question, the Countess is at her main home right now. In Thompsonville. I clearly need to find another line of work now. I don't suppose you've heard of any good openings anyplace?"
Tiera looked at the woman. The spy. Who worked for her older sister. Then she nodded.
"I have one. You'd have to go to the new colony, at least part of the time, and watch my little brother, Terry? Can you tutor him in basic subjects?" It probably seemed like it came out of left field but the lady didn't hesitate
.
"I can do math, Noram history and spycraft. Really, in any other setting I'm not this bad, I swear. I just stick out here too much. I was a bad fit the whole time. I tried to explain that to the Countess, but she seemed to think that being a bit taller would be an asset here. She was wrong, though you didn't hear that from me. So, do I interview with your mother for the position? She does already know me, at least."
Tiera let her head waggle back and forth, then ran to get the apple pie she had in the oven out. Bethany came with her and took out the second one. Very professionally too.
"You can bake as well?"
That got a happy nod. "Needed for the job, so I learned. Actually Countess Thomson taught me what was needed herself, so that I'd be good enough to work here."
"Ah. Let me get this settled here then."
It took about half a minute and her father came back in, smiling happily. He smiled a little bigger when he looked at Bethany, but didn't say anything in particular. That probably meant he liked her. How much was a thing that Tiera did not want to know, actually. The girl seemed perfectly relaxed around him though.
He looked at Tiera and gave a single nod.
"Those rolls you sent in were a hit. Timon wanted to let you know that Karen will be seen to as well. Sheri too? I don't know if I got that name right?"
That was a surprise. She hadn't considered that at all, but she was a friend of hers. Not someone that Tiera had been thinking about too much so far. It was... Still a good thing. She was a sweet girl after all and a friend of three of them. Maybe four, including Tor.
"Da? Bethany here is leaving in a few weeks. I'm hiring her to watch Terry when he goes to work on the Moon. Basic tutoring, and all that. We'll get her a communications device so she can report to you and ma a few times a week. What does that kind of thing pay anyway?"
Douglas Baker, country shop owner and long time resident of Two Bends, which was located exactly in the middle of the back beyond, stroked his smooth chin and winked at his daughter.
"Well, now, that depends. A tutor for a single boy of ten wouldn't normally be an attractive woman like this, so hiring her would imply that you expected something else from the lady. If you aren't going with them, then that's out, so I'd guess something like a gold per month. Of course it is on the Moon, which is a long way to travel for a job, and that means paying more for it. Your sister, Tamerlane, now she pays the lady two gold a month to be here and report back to her, but I can't properly say that it's real spying, all considered. We give her a silver a week, which is high pay for this area, but also some other perks. Travel arrangements and free shipping of goods and letters with our family service, if she wants. Within reason. My take would be that three gold a month, plus some additional perks would be about right. What those would be, I can't say."
Tiera didn't let her face move in particular, except, after a moment into interest. Bethany did say that everyone kept finding her out, didn't they? Her father had originally been one of the Assassins Guild, so that he'd figure it out wasn't exactly stretching things, was it?
She looked at the woman who just sighed and shook her head.
"See, that's why I just quit my old job. I'm a terrible, horrible spy."
The man winked at her then.
"Not as bad as all that, really. Looks aside, you managed to fit in rightly enough here. People are even starting to warm up to you. Another year or two and you'd probably be a fixture here, as much as anyone."
That got Tiera to consider the idea, which was probably correct. It took time to merge in smaller places, it was true. Big cities were more anonymous. Easier for most to blend in to.
"So, call it three gold a month, plus some perks... I'm sure that you can get some free magical items out of it. A good shield will be needed. Maybe a few each. I... Might have something else for you too, since you can bake. You could start a shop there maybe? There aren't a lot of people yet, but that will grow. If you want. It isn't needed for your work with Terry."
They shook on the deal, which fit the surroundings at least, but she still had to get past the interview with her little brother, who, Tiera assured her, might not want the woman along to keep him out of trouble. He probably thought of himself as an adult already. If so, he was wrong, but what could she say about it?
It wasn't like she was all that old either.
That part took a bit to arrange, since they had time for it, and when everyone came back, after a largely sleepless night, Terry was introduced to the idea of a keeper for him. Oddly enough he just shrugged.
"Bethy from the Bakery here? Sure? She's nice to me. What would she do there? I mean, if I'm working a lot?"
That got Tiera to go over her idea for a shop, which Trice laughed at, since there were so few people there yet, but Timon stopped her, by blinking rapidly.
"That... is not a bad idea. A restaurant and bakery, right by the landing zone? A large inn too, for guests... We should set that up. It can't all be waste reclamation and water purifying systems, or even gardens." He glanced at the others, the Lairdgren Group and then looked at Sheri Bonner. Tiera waved at her, having not really taken time to date for a while at all, being far too busy. Hopefully she hadn't forgotten her? Especially if the girl were going to be around for the rest of time.
They didn't set a lot of firm plans, and Terry had to stay at home, part of a military group or not. The other kids were actually invited to stay there, since it was as good a place to practice as anywhere else, and the rooms were actually nicer. That meant, when they headed back to the school, several hours later, they didn't have Havar, the kids or half the stress they did on the way out. They just got in Trice's Fast Craft and were back in familiar surroundings before it was time for supper. It all looked normal to her. Plain almost. Only, comfortable at the same time. It wasn't a fancy place, made of real stone and wood like it was, but she could trust it to be what she thought it was. That might not always be sweet or friendly, but it was reliable and that counted now, more than it had before.
Tiera realized that she had work to do, so after sending Trice and Tim off to see their older sister, she went to her room, and plunked down on the bed. Karen came with her, smiling the whole time as if something special and big had happened. Which it had, for her.
Tiera decided to take all the fun out of it right then and there. It was a secret talent that she was working on, using the truth to be a pain in the rear.
"You understand that this means you're responsible for the whole world now, don't you? It's part of the cost of all this." She could skip out on that, but she doubted Karen would. After all, she was the leader of the High Servants. That kind of thing had to rub off, didn't it?
"Understood. I still can't believe it. I don't feel any different yet at any rate. Do you think I'll wake up in the morning being way cuter and looking fourteen? I specifically asked for cuter. That and a lighter shade of blonde." She rubbed at the fuzz on top of her head and pretended to act like she cared about the color for real.
Tiera just didn't know.
Again.
"Maybe? Or it might take years. Or... Well, honestly, the first time you use a healing amulet you'll probably end up changing into whatever you're going to. I don't know if that's a perfect idea, but I bet that's how Trice got her arm back."
"Her arm?"
Tiera pulled the new style communications device from her hip and glanced at the weapons she had floating against the back wall of the room, in the box that Guide had given her originally for the new units.
"Sure. Haven't you ever noticed that none of the Ancients have missing limbs? That pretty much has to happen eventually. People lose things like that, over time, right? They grow them back, I bet. Teeth too, even without an amulet."
The large boned girl just shook her head and pulled one out of her tunic top.
"Well, I bet I still look the same. I can't get that lucky."
She hit the sigil that was etched into the copper piece, meaning that one of the others
there at the school had made it for her. Probably Sam, since he and Karen had been having sex at least once a week. At first nothing much happened, but then, after about a minute she could see the shifting. It wasn't pretty.
Not at first. Her face looked slack and flabby, until things started to correct on their own, her nose becoming a bit smaller and straighter, as if it had never been broken at all. Her cheek bones stayed the same, but her jaw shifted a bit on the outer edge. The skin was nice to start with, but became smoother and finer over the course of a few minutes. It wasn't a massive change, but the girl went from serviceable in a dress with a lot of make-up, to very attractive, even in fighting leathers and with hair that was too short. Even with bare skin.
When she stood it was clear that her hips had gotten a bit wider, and her stomach just a bit more narrow, even if she'd started out deathly lean. Her bust line didn't change at all, in size, but she looked perky, instead of like they were in a race to find the floor. That made a vast difference. Tiera was so interested, she forgot to hit the sigil in her right hand.
"Oh, right, get with Orange." That done, she waited.
It didn't take too long at least.
"Fleet Admiral's Communication device, this is Gerent Baker, how may I help you?"
"Gerent! It's Tiera. How are you? I've been meaning to get with you." She had, in a strange fashion. The man, who was by adoption, her brother, spoke happily.
"Oh, Alice and I are at the Training Base. We just got in a few hours ago. I heard about you and those kids making a Space Drop. That's how we got back too. Alice figured that we should try it before it isn't considered adventurous anymore. It was sort of fun. In a soul rending way, I mean." He chuckled a tiny bit. "I'm still shaking from it. But it worked really well, I have to say that."
She nodded, but didn't comment on that directly. If anything she was far more interested in the fact that he and Alice had gotten back. Together? That sounded... Close.
Snapping the fingers on her left hand she tried to sound serious.
"Oh, right. Uh, get with Tim, before you marry Alice. It might cause complications. I'll explain later?"
