Return of the Maca (Chronicles of the Maca Book 4)

by Mari Collier

  They ignored the lifts to the right and ran down the short hall into the main foyer, Llewellyn leading the way, his mither, his laddie, and Margareatha behind him.

  Named Margareatha at birth and Rita by usage, she was part Justine and none here could stop her. As they ran into the foyer, she pointed her finger at the woman sitting at the reception area and commanded, “Lock the doors.”

  Benna obeyed by clicking in the commands and then fell to the marble floor, moaning and holding her head. To Lettuce, the youngest Don Enforcer, the strange, heavy-topped frontal shaped being was a Justine gone mad. Lettuce had turned from the upper viewing screen and ran to the top of the stairs going down to the foyer. She snapped her weapon into position when a blow from the back sent her sprawling and the weapon dropped to the floor.

  The Justine swept her cowl back and seated herself at the front desk. “Can anyone see in?” Her cold, copper eyes with the gold-circled pupils bored into Lettuce who was looking downward and then up towards the figure behind her.

  Lettuce heard her Director, Leta, answering.

  “Nay, nay can see,” quickly to avoid Benna's fate.

  Lettuce tried to figure out why Leta had struck her when she saw Lamar standing in front of the hall from the walled courtyard. Then realization registered. It was nay Lamar. This man was younger and possessed a normal right arm. She groped for her weapon.

  This time Leta tromped on her hand. “Ye fool, tis our Maca,”

  Leta's foot went out and kicked the offending stunner down the stairs. Then she addressed the huge form below. “My Maca, I welcome ye back. How may I help ye?”

  Llewellyn, clad in the dark blue of Don, slowed in midstride. “Do I ken ye?”

  “Aye, Maca, I am Leta, and I would lay my head on your shoulders.”

  A wide smile lit the man's face and he shouted, “That must wait, my sweet one. Tis the Ops Room door open?”

  “Aye, and I will show the person at the console how to keep it so; if a Justine is to be trusted, that tis.”

  “Trust her, and confine that one if she tries to stop us.” He pointed at Lettuce and whirled to run down the hall. The other beings behind him followed just as rapidly. Lettuce had little time to ken who they were other then Lamar and Beatrice. Two strange beings entered from the hall and carried weapons at chest level. They took up a stance at the entrance as guards.

  Lettuce slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position while Leta put the wires around Benna's wrists and ankles. The Justine woman was flicking her eyes between the console screen and them. Lettuce was shocked to see the Justine wore vivid red lip coloring on her full curving lips. Why would a Justine follow primitive ways? The thought was frightening. So were the two strange clad beings of different skin coloring standing guard. Screams came from the Ops Room and Lettuce closed her eyes.

  Llewellyn burst into the Ops Room and leaped over the first seated woman to take down three Sisters standing at the screen watching the wrecks and the people congregating around the front of the Maca's Headquarters. The rest of the group entered single file. One black gowned figure smashed into the woman at the main panel, her fists rising and falling, then whirling to meet the next one.

  Lamar and Beatrice worked as a team, she standing on his right side to prevent anyone reaching his bad arm.

  The strangely garbed grey-eyed man ran at the other Sister at the main panel. Another Sister tried to stop him by leaping in front of him. As she landed, a blow from the man struck her forehead. It was followed immediately by another to the chin. She fell backward against the chair as the man sought to protect Llewellyn and the other figure at the panel. He slammed into one Sister who had managed to grab the attacking woman's left arm and they went down in a tangle. He rolled away and shot upward swinging his fists and connected with another Sister's chest; his second blow landed on her temple. He whirled to meet the next one coming towards them and realized this one would not be so easy. She was taller, heavier, and looked to be a guard, not a technician. He began to bob and weave, trying to give those at the main console time.

  “I am Llewellyn, Maca of Don and I issue my call to any that are Don!” The voice boomed out in the small room.

  The Sister in front of the strange blind-eyed one stopped. Her fist ready to strike and he saw the look of puzzlement wash over her face. He held up his hands and nodded in the Maca's direction. Confused, she turned and looked.

  Llewellyn smiled and opened his arms. “Are ye Don?”

  The Sister nodded and took a hesitant step forward, then two, then three, and walked stiffly into his embrace. As tall as she stood, she had to stretch to lay her head on both shoulders.

  Her face was dazed as he released her. “My Maca, the Sisterhood will destroy ye, and my family.” The last words were bitter.

  A soft smile played with the straight features of the Maca. “Nay, we will persevere. Why would your family suffer?”

  “I joined the Sisterhood so they would have food. We are from the Third Sector of Don, the poorest in Donnick. They have nay else but my wages.”

  “Then how would ye like to be part of the Don Enforcers. Leta will arrange it. What tis your name?”

  “I am called Lena. Mayhap the Enforcers will be like the Army.”

  “Good, and mayhap, when the treaty tis read, the Army will have a place for ye again.”

  Lena shrugged.

  Llewellyn looked at the Sisters beginning to stir and then at the console. Beatrice anticipated him and pushed a circle on the raised panel. He nodded to her and bent.

  “Leta, we need to confine these people. Will ye direct things? If I remember, the cells are below. Tis that correct?”

  “Aye, Maca, I'm on my way, but the Sisters can open all locks from their headquarters. I'll bring wires.”

  Llewellyn turned to the one working on the console. “How goes it, Mither? Have ye blocked them?”

  The woman smiled with satisfaction. “Aye, they are blocked. Now I need to enter your eyes and palm print for transferring the command to ye. Then it will be Lorenz's turn. Thank Gar, they had nay changed the technology in all the time I have been gone.”

  “How could we? The Justines closed the schools, and nay new systems were allowed.” Beatrice's face was grim.

  Chapter 7: The Blind-Eyed One

  Da, Ka, Pi, and Ur were examining the booths set up in Donnick, capital and port city of Don, this year's location for the Ab Signing Day and Council of the Realm meeting. The Thalian Guardians rotated their Council of the Realm meetings and the Compound of the Abs from continent to continent after every work season for each House to enjoy the economic benefits of members of the House visiting their continent and sharing in the responsibility of caring for the Abs. It was a rotation that had existed from the time Thalia had first united and elected a Council of the Realm.

  Da, at age twelve, was large and muscular. Ka at seventeen was still the skinny, dark-reddish brown-headed land Ab from Don. Pi was the tallest, but now his right arm was bent from the injuries in the mines of Ayran. Ur had joined the group two years ago when the Tri family he lived with kicked him out, claiming he was an Ayranian Ab born to their lassie and they could nay longer afford to feed him. There was wonderment on all sides as to why a Tri family would have kept the broad, ugly Ur for as many years as they had. His dark hair was straight and coarse. His teeth gleamed white, but the large teeth were separated by spaces. His one redeeming physical feature was his magnificent, muscular structure. At the age of sixteen, still more than fifteen years away from full maturity, he looked brutal.

  Signing Day for the work at the different Houses was in three days, but the weather was not as balmy as a normal spring for the air had a chill to it. Most Abs wore a jacket or extra shirt to keep away the cold; all except Pi and Ur. Pi and Ur had both roused the ire of the Handmaiden and Martin by refusing to accept their assigned roles. Pi had been in training as the new Martin, but Martin and the Handmaiden had decreed, “Ur tis the chosen by Gar. He will be
the new Martin.”

  Ur laughed and spent his days hiding from them. “What folly,” he complained. “All ken that I am a Warrior. Someday I will make the Flight Lists.” He remained vague on when there would be any possibility of the Flight Lists being reopened.

  Pi had defiantly gathered a group of Abs and spoken to them about their duty to Gar and his own duty to speak the few known word remnants from the pages of the Book Thalia once possessed before the Justines destroyed all copies as barbaric myths and folktales. As punishment, he had been banished from the Ab Compound and then to Ayran on a sham charge of stealing. Since his return, he was allowed on the Ab perimeter and would be permitted to try to sign with one of the Houses. He kenned his chances were ill. He was but twenty and considered young for prolonged physical work, his arm hampered his strength, and starvation was a reality in the coming months. Ur drifted in and out of Martin's control. It depended on how hungry he was and how successful he had been finding clients with money to pay him to procure young girls or boys. He didn't care if the buyers were Tri, Sisterhood, House, or Kreppies, nor did he care if the procured were Abs or Tris. Ur never mentioned his sideline to the others, and, so far, nay had found him out.

  Da and Ur looked at the last two wrinkled pina pods they had snitched from the vender's stall and handed them to Pi.

  “At the next stall Da and I should wrestle like we are in the Arena,” suggested Ur.

  “Nay,” said Pi, “there would be all sorts of objections. Ye are far too big for Da.”

  “I can whip him and I'll be on the Flight Lists.” Wee Da favored them all with a smile.

  “Bah,” shouted Ur and went into the stance of a fighter flexing his biceps and raising his arms. “Try me.”

  Pi sighed and shoved the pods into the pockets of his ragged trousers. “This tis nay the place to raise a crowd.” His logic prevailed, and Ur dropped his arms.

  “Aye, there tis nay to filch here.”

  They started back toward the row of stalls and had just turned the corner onto the broad thoroughfare that once thronged with members of House and Tris ready to spend their credits at the shops and eateries. Now only members of the Sisterhood, the alien Kreppie guards, or Abs had any funds. Signing Day had nay brought in any early arrivals from the Houses, and even when they came, they would nay bother with such ill goods except the pina pods from Troy. A Kreppie vessel rose rapidly and silently from the Army Administration quarter and began streaking to the west when a golden beam shot from above and scored a direct hit.

  They watched open mouthed, necks craned upward to keep the vessel in sight as smoke poured out of the top and it spiraled downward. As one, the crowd started towards the craft, then the people hesitated, caution overriding curiosity. Only the Justines possessed the golden beams. Had war been declared again? Where would they hide? Nothing could stop the Justines if Thalia and all on it were to be demolished.

  Three smaller, black Thalian fighters rose and just as rapidly three golden beams felled them. As the fighters crashed, the crowd stopped moving to watch the smoke billowing upward. “Do ye think we should move away from here?” asked Ka.

  “I dinna,” whispered Pi. “They have nay fired at the buildings, but they may.”

  An uneasy quiet crept over the crowd. Black suited Sisters burst out of the Kreppie compound armed with their hand stunners. Three Kreppies armed with their longer, killing weapons ran with them. They seemed to be heading towards the destroyed fighters and the Kreppie vessel. The boys looked at each other and decided to follow.

  “Where are the medical?” asked Da.

  “They would have to fly here from their own quarter. I dinna think they'll try that right now.” Pi's voice was awed.

  Ur kept searching the sky. Any attack meant there should be other crafts, he knew it. He was the Warrior. He found what he was looking for and pointed. “See, there.”

  A green Kreppie craft broke free from the clouds, and to the amazement of the onlookers landed at the back of the Don Compound on the western rim of the bay. The crowd surged westerly. There had been little to amuse them in the past months and they assumed the Kreppies were bent on destroying the last of Don. If they were fortunate, there would be something of value left in the rubble that they could claim.

  There was no rubble. The Don banner floated above the door and the rounded blue dome glistened in the sun. The narrow windows of all three levels cast their blue tint around the area. The Kreppie vessel was hidden by the wall.

  A contingent of armed Sisters milled around the front, speaking into the back of their hands. They tried waving the crowd back, but by now curious Abs, Tris, and members of House were jostling each other for position to see what would happen.

  A unit of Kreppies marched through the milling ranks of the black clad Sisters, wheeling smartly at the front to face the bulk of the crowd. Some in the crowd found it hard to contain their smirks as the Kreppies were nay taller than Da. Balen stepped forward and placed his hands on his hips. The Thalians glared at the self-important pose, but waited, unable to initiate an attack. The Kreppies smirked back. They had weapons, and reprisals from the Justines would be swift if Thalians did not obey their jurisdiction.

  Balen, in a loud voice announced, “I am here by the command of the Golden Ones. Everyone is to leave this area. My men will be stationed here to prevent any mischief. All your questions will be answered tonight at the Guardian's Council of the Realm. The Justines will reveal their purpose. Two minutes after I leave, my men will start to clear the area.” He marched off surrounded by five of the armed Kreppies. The other Kreppies remained on the steps casually pointing their weapons at the crowd. Everyone realized they had important business elsewhere that needed immediate attention.

  The blue, opaque glass doors set between two columns prevented any viewing as to what the Enforcers of Don were doing. The limestone columns and rounded mass of the building reflected blue and white; a cold, impersonal monument to the once proud House of Don, and no one appeared to explain.

  “Where do we go now?” asked Ka as they walked away.

  “To the Guardian Complex.” Da was shocked at such ignorance.

  Pi nodded his head, but Ka was puzzled. “Why? Tis but a little after the midday. Nay will be there now.”

  “But there will be cleaning for hire, and nay else will want to do Don's section.” Da was impatient with the rest.

  Ur felt they should try for a different section and objected. “Don nay sets out the required food or clothes. The Guardian of Don and her Counselor arrive as the session begins and leave as it ends. I prefer Rurhran. They put out a feast and give out the required clothing.”

  “And the work goes to Martin's minions.” Pi's voice broke in derisively. “We are but laddies. Don tis all they will allot us, if that. If we get it, at least we can shower while we clean.”

  “Tis something the rest of us will appreciate.” Ur grinned at him and threw a fist at the good shoulder. The rest whooped with laughter as they ran for the Guardian Complex.

  They were lucky. As the first to arrive, they were allowed to be among those that bid for the cleaning. When the other Abs willing to work for food and clothes declined Don's section, the Keeper of the Complex pointed at them. “Tis yours and the cleaning must be accomplished by seven when the doors are open and all arrive.”

  Ur took one look at the years of untended dirt and grime in Don's section and shook his head. “This tis folly. Ye are welcome to the rewards, whatever they may be.” He bounded over the low wall in front of the seats without a backward glance and headed out the door. The other three looked at each other. Finally Pi spoke.

  “Why tis this so important to ye, Da?”

  Da looked at his friends. “I ken that something truly important has happened today. Tis like Mither tis whispering, 'Go to Don.' ” His lower lip protruded and his soft, child's face hardened.

  Pi smiled at him and touched him on the shoulder. “I will help ye then.”

  Ka
shrugged his shoulders. His elder was in Don and she would make certain that he received his allotment of food. Da never worried about food for the Handmaiden always had a roll or sweet for him, but he worried about Pi. So far, betwixt the three of them, they had kept Pi supplied with enough to survive. Since Pi felt this was important to Da, then he too would stay and help for he did nay believe Da would stick with the chore of cleaning.

  Hours later, all three romped in the huge shower built for two adult Thalians, perhaps with dalliance on their mind. They whooped as the cold, then warm stinging needles of soapy water ran full force on their bodies. They had finished pulling on their clothes when two of the Keepers of Don entered carrying platters of food. The boys almost laughed at the relief on their faces when they saw the cleaned rooms, but wisely swallowed it down. There was food for the House of Don and the requisite two Ab loaves made of coarse grain. They set the covered platters on the heavy table and handed the loaves to Pi.

  “Ye are allowed the clothing ration, but I canna promise the compartment will open, or if your size will be there,” said one. She was dressed in the medium blue of a Don retainer and the dark blue belt denoted her rank as Keeper. Her dark hair was cut blunt on top and shaved down the sides and from the crown to the nape in the manner of the Sisterhood. She spun on her heel and led the way towards the back. In the hallway, she pressed a symbol on the panel.

  One wooden wall slid into another and revealed empty shelves from floor to ceiling. The dust of over a hundred years floated out and coated the floor. The woman shrugged and anger laced at her words as she glanced at the empty shelves.

  “Ye are out of luck. Nay has been restocked. They that claim to rule Don are negligent.” She touched the symbol and the wall slid shut. She stalked out, the younger women following her.

  They looked at each other in silence and ran back into the main room, all three heading to the table. They stopped, grinned at each other, lifted the heavy, silver domes, and gazed in wonder at the array of food. Pi felt his stomach contract and his knees turn wobbly as the smell of meat and peppers fought with the cloying sweetness of sugar from the yeasty rolls and daintily wrapped special candies. Da's hands shot out and he began stuffing the candies into his pockets. Pi and Ka started on the meat pies. Da grinned at them and reached for the small, silver rearing elbenor statue guarding the candies when a cold voice snapped them to attention.