Collected (Selected Book 1)

by Robin Roseau

  "You suck. What's my question?"

  Knowing the full price of our visit to your planet, and knowing what we feel would have happened if we didn't help you, do you wish we had left?

  I kept moving. I hadn't thought about that. "If you had left, I wouldn't be getting hunted through these woods."

  That is true, and clearly that is a portion of the price. But that is not an answer to my question.

  "I'm working out my answer out loud. Is there a limit?"

  Let us say ten minutes. But you do not get your next question for twenty minutes after your previous answer. If you forfeit a question, your opponent immediately gets her chance at your point.

  "How can you say what the right answer is to a question about what I wish? What I wish is what I wish."

  The right answer is the honest one, whatever that is.

  I stopped and stared at those words for a moment, but then they faded, and I began moving again.

  "I don't think everything you fear would come to pass. But I think enough would have. I would wish for a different way for you to find your mates, but I am glad you did not leave us to destroy ourselves."

  You offer a caveat, asking for something that is not. I wish a yes or no answer. You have one more chance.

  "No, I do not wish you had left."

  Bronze is a kilometer and a half away. She won her point several minutes ago. Good luck.

  A kilometer and a half isn't very far, in some regards, but it's a damned big area to search, and she wouldn't get a new distance for another fifteen minutes. I was also sure she was somewhere north of me.

  In my head I began envisioning circles. Let's say she stopped where she was. Let's say she was directly north of me. Let's say in fifteen minutes I could travel a kilometer and a half in this light and these conditions. I might be two or two and a half kilometers from her. She would guess either I was moving parallel to her, heading west either north or south of her, or else I was moving very slowly or had gone back to ground.

  She'd figure I would keep moving. And she had a fifty-fifty chance of picking the right direction. I knew she moved faster than I did. If she got within fifty yards of me, and I was moving, she'd hear me for sure, and the game would be over.

  I kept moving, keeping an eye on the time and checking the compass periodically to judge how far along the circle I had traveled.

  Bronze just earned her next point. I like this game. She told me something I've wanted to know for a very long time, something she never wanted me to know. She wants to win a great deal, Sapphire.

  "I'm not sure asking those sorts of questions is fair."

  She didn't have to answer. This game was just to keep you moving, and it's accomplishing that.

  "You're saying I hide too well?"

  In her old form, she could find you any time she wants. She is not fully accustomed to this form. It has strengths, but it lacks certain strengths as well.

  I continued to move while listening for distant clanging. I didn't hear any, which I thought meant it likely she had miscalculated my location.

  Time for a question. You must have wondered how you dreamed about Bronze. What guesses do you have?

  "Do I have to get it right for my point?"

  I only want to know what you think.

  "All right. First off, the fact you know it was more than once is telling, but I don't know how you know or what it means that you do. I don't even have a guess. The first time was during my testing, and so it was a portion of my testing. I don't know why. After that, I believe the dream stuck with me, and so it became a recurring dream."

  Does that explanation fit all the facts at your disposal?

  "I don't have many facts. I know when the dreams started. I know I've had more. And I know they were of Bronze, who I was sure I have never met before we encountered each other on the arena, unless I met her during testing."

  Do you remember the content of the dreams? They were somewhat lucid, were they not?

  "I think I answered. I want my point."

  You are going to lose the point because you aren't considering all the facts. I am helping you.

  "In my dreams she told me I had a choice."

  Did she.

  Jasmine didn't make it a question.

  Did you dream of her the morning you were collected? Did the message change?

  "She told me I must choose soon. How would my dream know that?"

  That is an interesting question, isn't it?

  I thought about it. "I have a game for you."

  Do you?

  "The same game, but I may not ask often. What do you want for a point?"

  You may not ask me about any secrets that are not mine to share.

  "Think about what you want. Have I won my point?"

  Will you be angry if I say No? You did not use all the information at your disposal, and you still haven't.

  "No. It's fine. You only asked about that to stir up trouble."

  I continued to move away, but when I encountered the main north-south trail through the arena, I turned north away from the perimeter, and in a half mile at the first intersecting trail, I turned northwest. If I was breaking threads, I didn't slow sufficiently enough to find out.

  I'm curious. What did you want to ask?

  "You haven't said what you get for a point."

  All right. For every point I win, you owe me total obedience for some future command. The commands will be within the spirit of this challenge.

  "You'll command me to surrender?"

  I want you to win. I'll command you to set your own traps. Or I might command you to walk into one that would amuse me, but not one that would give up the game.

  "These orders expire if you don't use them by the end of this game. If I get caught and you have six orders waiting, you lose them."

  Agreed. What is my first question?

  "Why did you ask about the dreams?"

  To make you think about it.

  "That's not an answer because it just leads to asking why again. If I am letting you order me, I deserve a full answer."

  Understanding the dreams is important to your long-term happiness. That's all I will say. Did I earn my point?

  "Yes."

  I like this game.

  "I thought you might."

  It was a few minutes later when fresh words appeared.

  Bronze won another point. I asked her at what point in this challenge she wants to win.

  "What did she answer?"

  Is it worth a point to me to answer?

  "No, but you're going to anyway."

  No words appeared immediately. I kept moving.

  The twenty-second hour. She's going for style points. I think she's going to get them, too. She'd push it to the last seconds, but that's too harrowing.

  "Does she get points if she doesn't catch me?"

  She already did for the trap in the shed. That was funny.

  "Yeah, it was. Annoying, but funny, too."

  I'm glad you think so. I thought you were angry.

  "It's hard for me to laugh at myself when something like that happens. But it's easier later on."

  If you are laughing already, that is far sooner than many humans would. It's time for your question. Ready?

  "Sure."

  When you stabbed yourself, did you really want to die? Or was Curly's explanation accurate?

  "Do you ever stop watching me?"

  Not when something interesting is about to happen.

  "I was fairly sure one of a few things would happen. I was fairly sure you would have to stop the competition to save my life. I didn't know if you would be fast enough. I didn't know if you would declare Bronze the winner. I had actually forgotten about the towers, so I thought I'd have more time to threaten worse if he didn't back off. I miscalculated. But I was ready to die before I'd let him have me. I didn't want to die, and I'm not out here trying to kill myself instead of letting Bronze win."

  Bronze is 3.8 kilometers away.
>
  She'd guessed the wrong direction. And now we were growing closer, but perhaps she wouldn't guess I was traveling northwest.

  I traveled for seven more minutes in this direction and then I veered off the trail, heading due west. I traveled eighty steps and then ducked down in the shadows of one of the countless trees.

  Not this again.

  "I need to think for a while."

  I'll make you move, Sapphire.

  "Is this about ratings or about the challenge?"

  That answer is worth a point to me.

  "All right."

  It's about the interaction between the two of you. And that answer is worth a point.

  "Please let me catch my breath, eat a little, and think."

  Only a while. I'll let you buy the end of the question game later if you cooperate now.

  "I'll cooperate. Ten minutes."

  She didn't respond.

  I drank some of my water. I was running low. I needed to find more, but I didn't trust the equipment sheds. She'd played a cute trick the first time, but she'd had hours to be more elaborate, and I thought the first one was a warning. I'd head west to one of the streams next.

  I ate two energy bars and drank the last of my water.

  "Will you help me set some of my own traps?"

  Unless there is quite a lot about you I don't know, I don't think you can do anything effective in less time than you will gain if she even stumbled into your trap.

  "That's why I'm asking for your help."

  You would need supplies. I won't tell you if any of the sheds are trapped.

  "I know they're trapped. I want style points for daring to approach one."

  This is poor strategy, Sapphire. I want you to win.

  "But still you flushed me out from my hiding place. She wasn't going to find me, was she?"

  No. I miscalculated setting up this match.

  "I'm not supposed to have a chance to win? It's not even that important a win."

  I thought you would ask for more handicap points. Candidates never take just one. Most use all ten.

  "That's foolish. She'd handicap me just as much, and I can't take it as well as she can."

  That seems obvious, doesn't it? I miscalculated her abilities. I should have picked the smaller of our large arenas. This is too much space to search.

  "Maybe I'm that good."

  You're not. I'm sorry to say it.

  "I know. Actually, I think I'm pretty bad at it. How many strings have I broken?"

  I stopped counting. You can avoid her if you continue doing what you're doing. I won't help you win, but I want you to win. Why take risks?

  "I'm prey. So far, I'm prey. I don't want to be prey, a frightened rabbit."

  This is more important than winning? Winning early challenges is the key to winning later on. If she wins this one and the next, she will almost certainly win the rest.

  "I'm out of time. Think about what you want, Jasmine."

  * * * *

  I found the stream, although I fell down the embankment, knocking the wind from me and soaking myself besides. I rolled out of the water and into the mud alongside and lay there, trying to catch my breath.

  Sapphire. Are you all right?

  I held up a hand, unable to answer.

  Answer me. Sapphire!

  I wheezed for air.

  I'm telling Bronze where you are!

  "No," I croaked. Then I wheezed for more air. "Minute," I got out.

  I'm moving her closer to you.

  I wheezed for a while, finally able to breath.

  "I'm fine," I mattered to say, still gasping for air. "It's not fair that you told her where I was!"

  I didn't. I asked her to stop where she is. She's pacing. Are you all right?

  "I knocked the wind out of myself."

  I don't know what that means.

  "For humans, a strike to the solar plexus temporarily stuns our ability to breath. It's frightening, and the full effect can take time to clear."

  Test your limbs.

  I wriggled everything. I'd taken some bruises, but my joints were whole. "I got lucky. No real damage. But you shouldn't have told her what direction I am."

  She is demanding answers. She is frightened you are hurt. She doesn't know exactly where you are, but if she continues on the path I gave her, she'll hear your bell if you move.

  "That's not fair, Jasmine. Ask her to stay there while we come to a fair resolution."

  There was a pause. I used the time to dig out the filter and use it to fill my water bottles. I drank heavily and topped off.

  She demands to see you and assure herself you are fine. She will accept a truce, but she demands to see you. You have thirty seconds to agree or she's coming.

  "Not fair!" I sighed. "You promise the truce."

  I'll enforce it.

  "How will I get away again?"

  She agrees to return to her starting point and remain there for ten minutes.

  "Twenty."

  There was a pause.

  I am suspending the challenge timer from the moment you tumbled into the water.

  "Agreed. Do I go to her?"

  I am leading her to you.

  I ate another energy bar. I was half done when I began to hear her bell. Clang. Clang. Clang. I stuffed the rest away, and then Bronze was sliding down the embankment, landing gracefully in a crouch, then rushing to me.

  "I'm fine," I said. "Did Jasmine explain?"

  Bronze nodded, but still she checked me carefully and thoroughly, making me move every joint, one after another. Once she was done, she pulled me into a hug.

  "I told you not to do that."

  She didn't let go.

  "I'm fine," I said.

  I was scared. I scared her. Don't blame her.

  Eventually I pushed her away, but I cupped her cheek. "The sap was funny. Good one."

  She helped me stand, then collected my backpack and slipped it into place for me.

  "Hey. You don't have a visor. How is Jasmine talking to you?"

  Visors are a particularly crude from of communication compared to what else is available.

  "Does she know you answered me?"

  Yes.

  "Why are you communicating that way instead of vocally?"

  This is more fun.

  I shook my head.

  Bronze insisted on helping me from the streambed and then led me to an east-west trail. She turned me to face her and caressed my cheek.

  "We're supposed to be opponents. You're not supposed to act like we're lovers. We're not. I'm still going to kick your ass."

  She just caressed my cheek again. I offered her a brief hug. And then Bronze turned east and began loping away, her strides enormous. I could hear her clang for only a few seconds, but I watched the timer, and when one minute had elapsed, I turned south, ducked back into the jungle, and headed right back to where I had fallen into the stream, as best I could.

  Bronze has reached her starting point. Twenty minutes.

  I found the stream and managed not to fall in again. I turned south and kept an eye on the timer. Jasmine left me alone. Well, she was undoubtedly watching me, but she didn't speak to me.

  I moved as quickly as I could while remaining safe.

  "Why did she let me have the visor for this challenge? I'm particularly blind at night."

  I don't know. She gave away a major advantage. I thought she would give it to you only while in your cell.

  I couldn't see as well as I could during daylight, but the visor was darned good at helping me see, even in the gloom of the jungle. I didn't think human night vision was this good.

  "Maybe winning against a more worthwhile competitor carries more meaning," I suggested.

  You seem to do well for your disadvantages. Something I admire about humans is the way they rise to a challenge.

  "I'm sure that makes this more amusing for your viewers."

  Sapphire, this isn't about viewers or amusing anyone.

&nb
sp; "Right. That's why we're taken in our pajamas, or even less. Because it's not about amusing anyone. And I'm being monitored and watched so carefully because you are concerned about my wellbeing. Right. I believe that."

  She didn't respond.

  I watched the timer, and at fifteen minutes I began looking for a way out of the stream bottom that wouldn't chew up the riverbank, lighting a big sign of my passage. But then I decided a big sign was exactly what I needed, and I turned to the east bank and made a heck of a mess trying to climb out, then dropped back down and continued south.

  It was twenty-two minutes when I found a place to climb out. I turned west, traveled barely twenty yards, and hunkered down.

  "Are you going to tell her where I am?"

  I've helped her enough tonight. You need rest. Our question game is suspended for now.

  "Unless she finds me in the next half hour, she won't find me at all unless you make me move. Do you think she's going to find me tonight?"

  If you answer three questions, honestly and completely, I'll answer that, honestly and completely.

  "Three for one?"

  Yes.

  I thought about it. "All right. Sure. You know everything about me anyway."

  First question. Are you having fun?

  I stared at the words. "You can't seriously be asking that. I'm out here fighting for my life."

  Not your life. Your destiny.

  "Fine. I'm fighting for control over my life. And you want to know if I'm having fun."

  First question. Are you having fun?

  I shook my head. "This isn't about fun." But Jasmine just flashed the letters a couple of times. "I'm out here being hunted, Jasmine. You can't be seriously asking if it's fun." Again, she flashed the question.

  I sat quietly, staring at the question.

  "Yes," I whispered. "I've never felt more alive."

  The letters disappeared, and no more appeared for some time. I closed my eyes, ready to try to doze. But the light caught my attention

  Is that why you want to set your own traps instead of hiding right where you are?

  "Would you let me hide? It has to be boring for your viewers."

  None of this is about viewers, Sapphire. I told you that.

  "Would you let me hide?"

  I don't know. It would be a shame to waste all her efforts setting her own traps.

  "Funny. Are you going to let me hide?"