“What is a proper greeting for your people?” Braden asked when the Wolfoid leader appeared out of the crowd.
‘You bow and turn your head this way, exposing the vulnerable part of your neck. It shows both courage and trust.’
Braden bowed and did as the leader described. The Wolfoid did not respond in kind. The Androids moved close to Micah, blocking access to her with their bodies. She couldn’t bow because the Android leader was too close in front of her.
‘Aadi, any idea why he didn’t greet me?’ Braden asked in his thought voice.
‘Water, Master Braden. They wait for you to fulfill your part of the bargain.’ Braden looked at the Android for an answer, but remembered that they didn’t share the mindlink.
“Any idea when the water will return to the stream?”
The Android leader looked at Braden, then looked back to the Wolfoid leader.
“While we wait for the Androids to make repairs, what do we call you?” Braden asked.
‘I am known as Bounder. This is my mate Gray Strider.’ A smaller Wolfoid sidled up next to the leader, who was by far the largest present. He stood a good two heads taller than his mate and nearly a head taller than the rest of the pack.
“Bounder, Gray Strider. We are pleased to meet you. I am Braden and this is my mate Micah. We are bonded to the Golden Warrior,” Braden pointed at the ‘cat and then to the Tortoid, “and Aadi.”
Gray Strider bared her fangs at G-War, whose ears flattened. He hissed back at her. Braden reached down, putting a hand on the ‘cat’s back. His muscles tensed as he was ready to launch himself into action.
Bounder threw his head back and barked, before nuzzling his mate. She closed her mouth and nuzzled him back. ‘That’s how I felt when I first met the little creature. It doesn’t bother me anymore. It’s harmless.’ He patted Gray Strider’s foreleg with his own.
Braden felt G-War vibrating in anger. ‘G. It’s better to be thought harmless than to actually be harmless.’
“It’s in your blood. Dogs and cats never get along. It’s like humans and snakes. It seems unnatural. But it’s okay. The Golden Warrior is my friend. He’s saved our lives many times. There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for him.” Braden petted G-War, rubbing his side before standing up straight.
“When will the water flow again? Send that one to check on this end,” Micah ordered. The Android leader was going to argue, but Micah stomped sideways and headed into the village. He stopped her and she threw a hard elbow into the side of his head. Micah yelped as her flesh met synthetic skin over immovable metal. She pulled out her blaster and pressed it against his chest. “I said send him. I will kill you right now if you don’t do as you’re told. You take orders from me, not Holly. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” he said. He turned to the other Android. Without a word, the other departed at a run toward the lake beside the village and the stream that was supposed to be feeding it. Braden tried to step between them, but wouldn’t fit. He encouraged Micah to put her blaster away and led her toward the lake. The entire village followed. Aadi swam along, followed by a pack of young pups that raced back and forth underneath him.
G-War squeezed between the hand-holding humans. The Android leader walked alongside, nearly touching Micah’s shoulder. Bounder walked at Braden’s shoulder.
‘Interesting relationship your mate has with the other creature. What is it? It smells odd.’
“That is an Android. They aren’t creatures at all, but a mechanical creation. The ancients built them to help run the ship. They’re still doing that.”
‘You speak strange words, but you smell sincere. We know only the land of Livestel.’ They stopped at the edge of the lake. There was little water in it, and the shore was dry and cracked. They heard a rumble and watched as a wave of water rushed down the stream-carved trench into the lake. The wave surged forward, mud-colored and carrying much debris. The lake water churned with the mini flood. The water flowed steadily, soon clearing as the lake filled.
Barks and yips encouraged the lake water. Some energetic pups jumped into the lake as the waters swirled, but were quickly chased out by concerned mothers. Braden and Micah watched, thinking how their own children would play in the fresh water.
The water crested, flowing out the other side into the runoff stream. It clogged with debris, but the water overflowed, broke the clog loose, and the detritus was carried away.
Bounder bowed deeply to the humans, thanking them for their help in bringing water back to their village. The price of one small pig was nothing compared to what the Wolfoids gained.
Braden and Micah always enjoyed celebrations in their honor. The biggest surprise came when Bounder aimed his spear at a pile of wood and fired a bolt of lightning, instantly starting a fire. The Wolfoids liked their meat cooked. G-War snorted in disgust, although he admitted that they didn’t smell as bad as the dogs of Dwyer.
Once Braden got past his appreciation at having a cooked meal, he realized that the Wolfoid spears were powered. “I’m glad we didn’t start anything with the Wolfoids,” he told Micah in a low voice. “I’m not sure it would have turned out in our favor.”
‘Allies, my friends. The Wolfoids are fiercely loyal once you’ve earned their trust. They may be a blend of all that is best in humans and dogs, no offense intended, Golden Warrior.’ Aadi floated close to them, enjoying the celebration by watching, as he always did. He deemed himself a terminal student, always studying how species interacted.
The two Androids stood nearby, putting a damper on their good spirits.
‘Holly. I’m not sure we can handle too much more of the Androids, although they were quick at fixing the stream for the Wolfoid village. How much longer are you going to have them shadow us?’ Braden asked via his neural implant.
‘I will have them accompany you for a little longer. I can’t be certain how long because there are threats on the ship that I do not yet fully comprehend. Your Hawkoid friends made it through this area to the matter transfer chamber without any problems. I think you are safe the rest of the way. I am in the middle of rather extensive calculations within the ship, on the transfer of the survivors, and here on Cygnus VII. My resources are at their limit. Once the survivors are on board, I’ll reprioritize and shunt resources to secondary systems. That should free up the assets I need to ensure full control of the Androids to make necessary repairs. While they were independent, they didn’t do everything they needed to keep the ship in perfect running order.’
6:33 showed on the countdown timer.
‘Let us know, Holly, the sooner the better. These things are creepy.’ Braden reduced his window. He wanted to know the second the survivors arrived and the second the Androids would be released to do other work.
Braden told Micah about his short conversation with Holly. She agreed and waved it away. Now wasn’t the time to worry about such things. She pointed at the celebration. The Wolfoids were paired up, as couples. They leaned against each other as they watched the younger Wolfoids run and play.
The Wolfoid culture was family and pack oriented. They were a tight-knit community that Braden and Micah enjoyed being a part of. G-War watched the pups frolic, attempting bolder and bolder displays of bravado and physical prowess. Many ended in crashing to the ground on their faces, where the adults yipped in laughter. Tails between legs let parents know that someone was hurt, either physically or emotionally, but never for long. After a quick nuzzle, even the greatest failure among them returned with tail held high.
G-War strolled into the middle of the pups, tail tip flicking back and forth. Then he bolted underneath the legs of one pup, causing the small Wolfoid to fall over as his head tried to follow the ‘cat. G-War leapt onto another’s back, jumping away quickly as she tried to react. The remaining pups piled after the ‘cat as it became a great game of chase. G-War was at the top of his game as he deftly wound between and among the Wolfoids, never letting them bite his tail.
With one l
ast orange flash, he flew high in the air, landing cleanly between Bounder and Gray Strider. He sat instantly, as if he’d been there the whole time. The pups were not so dexterous and they mobbed after the ‘cat, sliding as they saw who they were going to run into. Others behind pushed and the entire pup pack rolled into and over the Wolfoid leaders. A few sharp nips from the Alpha sent the pups scrambling for their parents.
The entire village froze until Bounder and Gray Strider raised their muzzles and laughed. They shook the dirt from their heavy coats. G-War stood between them and shook himself clean as well. Bounder looked down at him, for the first time seeing the mass of scars that crossed his body.
‘Your acrobatics are unmatched, little friend. Thank you for showing our pups how it’s done. Tell me, how did you earn these great wounds?’
G-War walked to the lake and took a long drink before returning to the middle of the circle, his back to the fire where the pork cooked on a spit. He started the story by telling of the first attack of the Bat-Ravens, then the second. How the great beasts of Vii shuddered in fear at the approach of the black cloud of death. How Braden and Micah developed a plan using Old Tech to destroy the mutie birds where they nested. How they all went into the battle, knowing they were vastly outnumbered. How they ran and fought, isolated the evil, killing them in small groups, then running some more. How they won the battle, but the war against the Bat-Ravens would go on since some survived. Their scars were reminders that they’d have to fight again.
The Wolfoid leaders raised their muzzles and howled. Others joined and finally the pups were howling. The sound was unnerving. Aadi told them it was a sign of respect and solidarity in a great tale of adventure. Once great hunters, they were shepherds and farmers now. Thanks to the ‘cat, they saw the humans as the leaders they used to be. The humans could take them to a place they wanted to return to.
‘It is settled. My mate and I will join you on your journey. Shredder will be the new Alpha. He is ready,’ Bounder said simply over the mindlink, followed by a series of yips and barks as he informed the village. The barking started in earnest after that. Braden and Micah wanted to protest, but they were drowned out by the howling of Wolfoid joy.
“I guess it’s settled…” Micah managed by leaning close to Braden and yelling toward his ear. They shook their heads as they laughed, holding hands as they sent a thank you to G-War for his role in strengthening the companions.
‘If anyone can get those dogs under control in Dwyer, it will be these two. Finally the world can be a better place,’ G-War said matter-of-factly. He licked a paw and wiped his face. There was always a purpose behind everything he did, and that purpose was almost always to improve the comfort of one Prince Axial De’atesh.
“You are an ass,” Braden said as he pointed at the ‘cat, who sat, nose in the air, ignoring the revelry around him. “And a great friend.”
57 – Betrayal
“The first group of survivors should be here by now, shouldn’t they?” Micah asked. She opened her neural implant and checked the timer. 0:00. Skirill said that they’d been dutifully watching and no one had yet left the chamber. They remained wary, ready to welcome the human and clones. Holly was too busy to talk.
After forcing themselves to eat more pork, the celebration ended. The families returned to their hovels so the pups could take naps. Even the adults looked sleepy. The remains of the small boar they killed had not been enough for all the Wolfoids, but other foods appeared, including a great deal more meat. Everyone had their fill.
Bounder and Gray Strider sat very doglike next to Braden and Micah. The humans waited, but the Wolfoids asked no questions. Aadi was first to jump in.
‘What do you expect from this adventure?’ Aadi asked boldly.
‘We expect to represent all Wolfoids in building a world where our kind can roam free, live as we were meant to, be equal partners with the humans and other creatures of Vii. Hunt and grow.’
Braden marveled at how quickly others learned over the mindlink. Maybe G-War and Aadi had already spent a good deal of time talking with the Wolfoid leaders, explaining what Vii was shaping up to be.
“There’s a war going on in the rainforest between the Lizard Men. They fight each other because some of them don’t believe in being equal partners. They don’t trust the humans. To be more specific, they don’t trust us,” Braden told Bounder.
“As long as Holly controls the ship, your people can come to Vii. Twelve at a time can travel through the matter transfer chamber. We have extra command level bracelets that we will share with you, one for both of you, then there will be two more that you can leave behind. Those will allow you to leave this Deck and access the Engineering spaces.
They passed out the bracelets, which the Wolfoids wrapped around a strap on their harnesses. They gave the other two to Shredder and his mate, then waved them away. Bounder was still the Alpha as long as he was present.
Braden and Micah were bone tired. They didn’t remember the last time they had slept normally. Gray Strider told them to sleep in their hut as they needed to talk with the members of the village, say their goodbyes. It would take a while as they had much to say to their people. They wished the humans well for a sound sleep.
G-War and Aadi joined them while the Androids stood outside the hut, watching.
Braden and Micah didn’t remember laying down. They opened their eyes slowly. There was no threat, no sense of urgency. It was nice to wake up and not have an emergency. They didn’t know how long they’d been asleep, but they felt refreshed. They stretched stiff muscles and walked outside into the bright daylight. They missed the dark period in one way or another.
The Androids were nowhere to be seen. Micah’s first thought was that the survivors arrived and the Androids had been released for other duties, to get the ship back into peak condition.
Then a yip, a pained yelp, and angry barking. The humans ran to the sound. The Androids were firing their lasers into one of the huts. Bounder appeared from nowhere and lightning leapt from his spear, engulfing an Android body. The Android stiffened, then returned to action, albeit more slowly.
Braden and Micah pulled their blasters and fired short bursts. Braden’s was at the end of its power. He’d forgotten to recharge it. He threw it to the ground and reached for his other blaster, the one often forgotten on his left side.
The Android leader turned and fired at them, but dust kicked up from running Wolfoids threw off its aim. Braden and Micah dodged, dove, and rolled into more protected firing positions. Micah ended the Android leader's life with a well-aimed shot that cut up its neck and into its head. Braden crawled forward, firing short bursts, mostly unaimed, but many hit the other Android. It returned fire at him. Micah had a clean shot and fired a long burst into its mid-section. It fell face first into the dirt. She ran to them and fired long bursts into the heads of each, making sure they were dead.
Braden dusted himself off before joining her. Soft whines came from inside the hut. Bounder and Gray Strider bumped past the humans. Within, Shredder was hunched over his mate. The Androids had tried to remove her bracelet while she slept, but she woke up. She fought them, but lost. Her body started to stiffen as Bounder cried and howled beside her. Shredder’s bracelet was nowhere to be seen.
Braden searched the Androids, returning with a command bracelet. Bounder was furious, not at the humans but at the loss of Shredder’s mate. He tolerated the Androids because they were with the humans, who he trusted completely.
The Androids’ betrayal only solidified his resolve to spread the influence of the Wolfoids. If all Wolfoids were in this one village, then how easily his entire race could be wiped out.
Braden and Micah thought about the Rabbit People, too. It had been awhile. They were a mere two Decks overhead, enjoying their lives tending their gardens. They would send for them on a future trip. The Rabbit People wanted to see Vii and deserved the chance to make a difference. There were no better farmers that Braden could think of.
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G-War walked into the hut and sat on the floor by Shredder. He leaned his scarred orange body against the larger, tormented Wolfoid and purred. He rubbed his ear, bite mark prominent, on the shaggy gray beast’s chest. The Wolfoid nuzzled him, whimpering. Braden felt G-War sharing Shredder’s pain, lightening the Wolfoid’s burden.
Who would have thought ‘cats and dogs would get along. Braden would not have believed it if he hadn’t seen it for himself. Maybe it was the ‘cat’s hatred of the Androids that made him feel sorry for the new Alpha.
Bounder and Gray Strider watched as G-War helped Shredder through the worst of his pain. Micah scratched around their ears and down their necks absently while she watched. The Wolfoids looked at her oddly.
‘That is how a mother would nuzzle her young, Master Micah,’ Aadi offered.
“I’m sorry. I meant no offense. It is how we humans show affection.” She bowed to her Wolfoid hosts. “I’m sorry that the Androids betrayed us. This isn’t the first time. We carry many scars, some are from the Androids. Aadi carries the worst scars.” She pointed to the repairs on his shell.
‘Then why did you trust them? Why did you bring them here?’ he asked, forlorn.
“We are linked with a hologram from the planet. He was confident that he could control them, once we defeated the Androids and gave him access. He failed. If you see any more of these things around, shoot first. Kill them and we’ll all be better off.”
‘I fear that our spears are not powerful enough for these creatures, but we will try.’
“And we’ll ask Holly to get them back under control. We need them to fix the systems within the ship. If it weren’t for the Androids, your water would not be flowing. They are really good at those kinds of things. It is what they were made for after all.”
‘Holly, the crapping Androids turned on us. Don’t ever let that happen again,’ Micah said without preamble.
‘The final stage of the transfer took nearly all of my attention. The Android leader had a unique program and waited until I was at my greatest distraction. He fought back and freed himself and the other. But the first group of survivors are through and healthy. I have redoubled my efforts to control the Androids, adding some unique subprograms to prevent them from breaking free. I have a myriad of tasks for them, but they should not leave the subdecks. Everything they need to do is there.’
Adventures on RV Traveler (Free Trader Series Book 3) Page 23
