The Risks of Dead Reckoning

by Felicia Watson

  “I don’t know.” Con leaned forward and his voice deepened as he posited, “Maybe they appease the peerazu through blood sacrifice.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “I’d hate to go back and tell that to the Featay and Maykure.”

  “Don’t worry – I think it’s more likely that the Intabet were struck by that same disease that attacked the Featay.”

  “That’s possible. But if so, neither the Featay nor the Maykure knew anything about it, even though they were all still in contact then.” She and Con continued trading theories, both serious and outlandish, until Kennedy finally pronounced that the full truth would only be known when they got to Intabah in the morning.

  The quaking of the mountain continued at frequent intervals, making Deck thankful that they’d decided to camp out in the tram car. After dining on meal bars, they bedded down for the night. Con stretched out in his bedroll on one seat, she on the other, with Kay on the floor between. The soft snores emanating from the other side of the car, let Deck know Con had fallen asleep. It was still fairly early so Naiche was using her hand-held to read a Choctaw novel Tal had recommended.

  Suddenly, Kay jumped up on the seat with her, stuck his nose out the half-open window and started growling softly. She scratched his head, observing, “You know I’m just gonna assume there’s peerazu out there because I don’t even wanta think about there being something worse in these mountains.”

  Kay had just nestled down at her feet when her comm-link buzzed. “Ricci to Decker. Naiche, it’s me – do you copy?”

  She sat up and answered the hail all in one smooth motion. “Pop! It’s so good to hear your voice. Where are you and what the hell happened on Jileesa?”

  In a teasing tone, Matt chided, “Is that how you talk to your captain?”

  From his extremely informal introduction, Deck had immediately known this was a personal conversation, so she wasn’t chastened in the slightest. “No, that’s how I talk to my father.”

  He laughed before answering, “It’s good to hear your voice, too. What’s your situation?”

  “You first, you didn’t even tell me where you are.”

  “I don’t have our precise location at the moment but we’re better than half-way to Tolu.”

  “Wow, you’re making good time.”

  “I know. At my request, Ramsey has us at top speed. Now, what’re you up to?” Decker gave him a summary of their current status. “Uh-huh. I seem to remember issuing an order that you and Kennedy were to stay out of trouble until I got back. It sounds to me like you’ve been doing everything but that.”

  “Oh, you don’t know the half of it.”

  “Yes, I do – I talked to Lindstrom before I contacted you.”

  “Then you already knew what we were doing!” Since she’d said that louder than she’d intended, Deck glanced guiltily at Con and was relieved to see he’d slept through her exclamation.

  “I always like to get your version of things. Then I average what you tell me with Lindstrom’s report and get pretty near the truth.”

  Naiche grinned and shook her head at Ricci’s explanation. “Okay, you got both of our reports. Now, it’s your turn again – what happened on Jileesa? Based on your hurry to leave and that message you sent, I’m guessing things got damn ugly.”

  “You’re not wrong, but it’s a long story that I will share with you when we’re next together. Suffice to say, the Lignatian leader is a petty, power-mad asshole who threatened us – but was utterly outsmarted by your old man. With a lot of help from another Lignatian who turned out to be…very humane.”

  “That sounds like one fascinating story. It also sounds like you’re glossing over all the dangerous parts. I guess I’ll have to average your version with Tal’s and find the truth that way.” Naiche drew a deep breath before asking, “Umm, speaking of Tal, could you possibly use this fancy new system to patch me over when we’re done? There’s something I’ve got to say to him.”

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea for a couple of reasons; the main one being that it’s 0110 hours here on Lovelace and he’s presumably sleeping.” There was a slight pause during which Deck was wrestling with her disappointment. “You’ve got yourself a good man there.”

  Smiling to herself, she answered, “I sure do. That’s why I wanted to tell him what I’ve been thinking about that whole mess…about where we’d raise our kids—”

  “Trust me on this, everything’s gonna work out fine. You can talk it over with Tal when we get there. I’ve been in the middle of this enough already.”

  “You have? I didn’t know you were in the middle at all. It sounds like I missed something big – I mean, besides the apparently treacherous mission to Jileesa. All because someone wasn’t prudent enough to wait for his Tactical leads.”

  “Is there an Apache version of ‘people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’? You barely escaped death by monster worms and are now spending the night in a broken-down tram-car on a quaking mountain with peerazu buzzing around. In order to ask for help from people who worship those damn things. Did I get any of that wrong?”

  “Nope. I guess I should ask if there’s an Italian version of, ‘the fruit never falls far from the tree’.” Naiche was pleased to hear Ricci laugh at that retort. “Yeah, it’s true, we’ve already run into major problems. I still believe this mission will be worthwhile. The Intabet do sound weird, but we should hear them out. Maybe everyone is wrong about them. Like Con said – if not, at least we’ll have tried.”

  “I hope you’re right. I’m going to sign off now and let you get some sleep. You’ll want to be in top form to deal with the ‘Mad Monks of Tolu’.”

  She chuckled and repeated, “Mad Monks – I like that. But don’t worry, I won’t use it when we talk to them.”

  “Ah yes, a very diplomatic choice. You are your mother’s daughter. Ka dish day, Naiche.”

  “Good-night. Thanks for the hail, Pop.”

  Chapter 18

  Like Oil above Water

  “...for truth will ever rise above falsehood, like oil above water." Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Adventures of Don Quixote de la Mancha

  The next day Decker and Kennedy awoke early, and were relieved to find that the quakes had lessened greatly in frequency. The trek up the tram tracks was demanding, but considerably easier than hiking up a trail would have been, with the added bonus of aiding them in avoiding the notice of any peerazu. They stowed most of their gear in the deserted tram station at the end of line and walked towards the town they could see in the distance, clinging to the mountainside.

  They arrived in Intabah and found it to be a dismal place; most of the buildings were in extreme disrepair and seemed mainly empty. Con said, “This is what Kinlea called a ‘mountain fortress’? Could the Silver Tongues have mis-translated the Tolutay word for ‘deserted, grimy little city’?”

  Surveying the area, Deck nodded in agreement. “We can mark that down as the first thing the Maykure had wrong about them – wonder what else is on that list?”

  “Let’s find out.”

  That task proved somewhat difficult since the few Intabet they met with, all turned away at Kennedy’s friendly greeting. The inhabitants were surprisingly well dressed, their clothing more closely resembling the Maykure than the Featay – but they resembled neither in demeanor, being more guarded and unfriendly than both.

  When one individual at last deigned to speak with them, it was simply to tell them that they were unwelcome and needed to leave immediately. Kennedy was not to be so easily dissuaded after their grueling journey. “Can you at least direct us to the person in charge of Intabah?”

  “What business do you claim? Strangers will find no staple of worth here.”

  Decker volunteered, “We want to talk to someone who knows about the peerazu.”

  The Intabet shrugged and pointed at one of the creatures circling a distant mountain top. “The need for talk is lacking. The peerazu are. That’s all the kno
wing one can claim from them.”

  Kennedy exchanged an exasperated look with Decker before asking, “Is there anyone who might have more information about them than that?”

  “Our elder is likely one with such knowing – but may hold no wish to share at strangers. Petition your request of Tievas Galloo. Seek Galloo, at the….” The word didn’t translate but the Intabet grudgingly gave directions before hurrying off.

  They wandered quite some time through the narrow and twisting streets before finding a building which matched the Intabet’s description. Kennedy tried knocking on one of the double doors but it swung open creakingly at his touch. He stuck his head in, calling, “Hello? Tievas Galloo?”

  A grumpy voice bellowed, “Come in. You need be the strangers Eepaz warned of. I will present myself this same hour.”

  Kennedy pushed through the doors into the dim room, with Decker and Kay following closely behind. The tactical officers surveyed the musty space. It was one of the larger buildings they’d seen – high-ceilinged, with stone floors and two large windows of glass that had either been deliberately colored a dull yellow tint or had developed a patina over time. There were a few wooden chairs arranged in a half-circle and a large desk covered with what looked to be two or three ancient computer tablets.

  While waiting for their host to appear, Deck glanced around at the paintings on the walls, attempting to discern the subjects. As best as she could tell, they were mainly depictions of animals in dimly-lit burrows but the thick layer of grime on them left her in doubt. She was distracted from the artwork by a soft whine from Kayatennae letting her know that he was aching to explore. Naiche shook her head at him, ordering the dog to stay seated. She whispered to Con, “Maybe they are kinda like monks. This does look something like a chapel. Sort of.”

  “Maybe. Not one I’d ever want to pray in.”

  There was no chance for her to respond since an Intabet emerged from a hidden door in an alcove on the left side of the building. The small figure, dressed all in brown, hobbled over to them, announcing, “You find here Tievas Galloo.” The Intabet then began to pepper them with irate inquiries. “You are the off-worlders come lately to Tolu?” Kennedy confirmed that supposition and introduced the both of them.

  Tievas said, “Days much past, we marked the encroach of your ship. What business do you claim on this world? Tolu holds no worth for off-worlders.” When Kennedy explained about the crash of the Aurora, Tievas’s ears twitched in apparent approval. “The peerazu guard well this realm they claim. By what means did you journey to Intabah? We marked not your approach.”

  “We came via the float-ways,” Deck said, “and then walked up the tram tracks.”

  Tievas stared at them for a moment. “I hold no time for stranger’s riddles. None can travel the float-ways. That realm is claimed by loerna.”

  Kennedy shrugged broadly, making his nonchalance obvious. “If loerna is your word for ‘veil-worms’ – they may rule the float-ways, but they didn’t hinder us.”

  “By what means is this so?”

  Deck knew Con shared her instinctive distrust of Tievas when he airily replied, “We have our ways. It’s a special gift our people possess.”

  “A gift? I mark the truth behind these words. You found means to slay loerna. We hold knowing that your fellows accorded the same to peerazu, upsetting the order ordained of nature. Do you claim fellowship with the peerazu slayers?”

  “Yeah, we do. You might say that we’re very closely associated with them.”

  Tievas bared a set of pointy teeth at them, seeming to catch Kennedy’s meaning. “So proudly you claim this offence. Do you mean never to leave Tolu?”

  “Actually, we do,” Con answered. “In fact, we plan to leave quite soon. But first we wanted to see if there was some knowledge you possess about the peerazu which might help the Featay and Maykure – help them avoid the attacks.”

  “The knowing we hold is that Tolu is become the realm of peerazu. The Featay and Maykure should have embraced this truth, long since.”

  Deck asked, “Why should Tolu belong to the peerazu?”

  “They endured the star-burst times and grew mighty. They claim Tolu as their prize. We accord to them homage and all else they seek as their due.”

  “You accord them their due?” Con looked from Deck back to Tievas, disbelief plain on his face. “What does that mean? You let them kill you?”

  “We embrace their claim on Intabet lives. It is the order ordained of nature.”

  “And what do you get in return?” Decker asked.

  “Those who endure may share the realm of such creatures, mighty and awe bringing.”

  Kennedy observed, “From what we’ve seen, not many of you survive. Your numbers are sparse.”

  Hands folded in a gesture of supreme serenity, Tievas calmly acknowledged, “It is so. Tolu soon becomes a world for peerazu solely. Intabet embrace this truth.”

  “The Featay and Maykure don’t accept that,” Decker retorted. “I don’t believe they ever will.”

  “There lies the root of their misery. Homage of peerazu lends to we peace and is all the knowing the Intabet have to share. Carry that word to the low-landers.” Deck glared down at the Intabet elder in mute frustration – a quick sideways glance at Con told her he was doing the same. Neither could easily accept that their ordeal had such a disappointing payoff. “I command you go – leave Intabah, leave Tolu. Make no return.” Tievas headed back towards the alcove, pausing to reiterate, “Leave Intabah directly. Here, peerazu slayers are unwelcome, in measure great.”

  Moments later they were standing in the empty street; Decker stared back at the gloomy building with a frown and then turned to Con. “How about that? You were right about the blood sacrifice thing. Looks like the Intabet are all…crazy.”

  Kennedy scratched the back of his head, answering, “As the proverbial shit-house rats.”

  He contacted Lindstrom on his comm-link to give him a summary of their encounter. After hearing Kennedy’s report, the first officer said, “I hope your journey back is less eventful and I sincerely regret sanctioning this utterly worthless mission.”

  “Sir, in hindsight, it does look worthless, but Decker and I are still glad we tried.” When Naiche mouthed, “We are?” at him, Con shook his head at her, while assuring his CO that, without any additional misadventures, they would be back to the Aurora very late that evening. After signing off, he asked, “Do you remember how to get back to the tram station?”

  “No, this maze of a town has defeated even my sense of direction.” Deck looked down at Kay, “How about you, buddy?” Since his only answer was an uncertain tail wag, she surveyed an area map on her scanner. She pointed away from the direction they’d come, saying, “It looks like that street might be the quickest route back to the station. Might as well take it.”

  “Sounds good – we can’t leave this place fast enough for me.”

  ***

  On the way to the tram station, Decker asked Kennedy’s opinion on what had led to such a sad state of affairs among the Intabet. He suggested a case of Traumatic Bonding between the Intabet and the peerazu. Con was reporting on what he remembered about the subject from his coursework at The Rock, when Kay started barking furiously. The dog made a sudden, mad-dash away from them towards a nearby building.

  Decker muttered, “What the hell?” and took off after him. Before she caught up, Kay slid nimbly under the locked metal gate and pawed at the ancient wooden door until it opened. Ignoring Decker’s calls and whistles, the dog darted inside.

  Kennedy jogged over, asking, “What’s going on with Kay? What’s he after?”

  While contemplating how best to follow, Naiche explained, “Someone must be in trouble in this abandoned factory. No other reason an S and R dog would act like that.” She rattled the gate a few times and stated, “Only one thing to do,” before using her pulse pistol to bust the lock open.

  Decker and Kennedy ran inside the building and were immedia
tely assaulted by the cacophony of machinery. As they followed the sounds of Kay’s barks down a stone corridor, Deck shouted, “I guess it’s not actually abandoned.” When they finally caught up with Kayatennae, he was in a high, extremely narrow room, barking at an apparatus locked securely behind an enormous, heavy metal cage.

  Deck peered in, asking, “Is somebody trapped in there, Kay?” The only thing she could see was an immense anti-gravity sled. Both Con and Naiche jumped in surprise when a door opened up in the ceiling over the sled and a load of massive rocks came tumbling onto it, gradually filling the sled.

  On a hunch, Decker scanned the rock; she stared down at the result, blinking in shock. Over her shoulder Con read the data and said, “It’s kiatilium! How the hell is that possible?”

  While they were still trying to make sense of what they were seeing, a red EMR pulse scanned over the chamber contents, then a computer terminal next to the cage lit up with alien writing, causing panels at both ends of the sled chamber to slide open. The loaded-down sled moved forward through the opening, as an empty one smoothly took its place. Kennedy stared at the now closed panel into which the full sled had disappeared. “That’s at least a hundred-times more kiatilium than we got on Saclaten-c. In that one sled.” He looked at the empty sled now being similarly filled, observing, “And more to come. This mountain must be loaded with it.”

  Deck asked, “Why wouldn’t that much kiatilium have shown up on our original scans of this moon?”

  “I don’t know. Unless it’s….” Deck watched as Kennedy checked his own scanner. “I can’t read anything outside the immediate vicinity. This building and surrounding area is—”

  “Under some kind of cloak,” Deck finished. “Like the Maykure’s city.”