by Dale Furse
‘Yes, but with what?’ Mekie said. ‘Come on you two, maybe we can catch up to Mother. She hasn’t been gone that long.’
‘Hang on,’ Sam said. ‘I haven’t had breakfast yet.’
‘I’ll buy you a sandwich on the way.’
Breakfast smells had Sam’s mouth watering as soon as he stepped into the corridor, which was quiet without the traders. Oh, people still came and went about their business as in every city on Earth. It just didn’t feel like there were that there were that many.
With Mekie with him, he had no hope of satisfying his stomach with half the food the aromas signified. No bacon or eggs for him. Thank goodness the Corls had enough sense to cater for all tastes and whether Phibs liked it or not, they cooked and sold meat products. Although he was getting used to an almost complete vegetarian diet, he still managed to grab a burger or something similar when Mek wasn’t about. He gave a little shake of his head. Those times were few and far between now.
‘We’ll go to the restoration first,’ Mekie said, and started walking south.
‘And if she isn’t there?’ Sam asked.
‘I doubt that she will be. We will have to think what do next then. Kale, try to think of something, anything Tish might have said about where she was really going.’
‘She goes to different places and always to visit friends. Come to think of it, I didn’t know Mother had so many friends.’
‘There’s a clue right there,’ Sam said. ‘But don’t ask me what it is. I’ll let you figure that one out.’ He stopped outside a café. ‘Hang on. I’ll just grab a sweet roll or two.’
It wasn’t long before they were standing at the front of the busy nurses’ station of the restoration.
‘Is Physician Dar-Seldra here,’ asked Mekie of the lemon coloured Corl nurse.
‘One moment,’ the nurse said, checking the inlaid consul. ‘No. She isn’t rostered to work until this evening’s shift. Would you like to leave her a message?’
‘No, thank you.’
Sam wasn’t sure why, but he asked, ‘Is Nurse Fellder here?’
The nurse clicked the consul. ‘No. She too won’t be working until tonight. Would you like to leave a message?’
‘No. I expect we’ll catch up to her. Thanks for your time.’
She nodded and, dismissing them, called, ‘Next please.’
Sam stepped out of the way as Mekie said, ‘Why did you ask for Fellder?’
‘Well, she and Dar-Seldra have spent a lot of time together since Dar-Seldra has started planning her wedding.’
‘Hmm, that is true. Do you think they are together?’
‘I’d bet on it and I have a strong feeling everyone else is with them.’
‘Some sort of secret meeting?’ asked Kale.
‘Something like that.’
‘I don’t like secret meetings,’ Kale said. ‘They tend to get people in trouble…or worse.’
Sam thought about his grandfather. Kale was right. Soros was part of a secret organisation and he was killed for his part in it. ‘Move it,’ he said, taking Mekie’s hand. ‘We have to find out what they’re up to.’
Once in the corridor, he looked left and right. Now which way should they go? ‘Any thoughts, Kale?’
‘I can’t remember all the names Mother had said she visited, but the ones I could live in the same general area. They all live in the east section where the corridors and the houses are smaller than here.’
‘Might as well start there then. Lead the way, my good man…uh…Corl.’
‘Wait,’ Mekie said. ‘What if they see us?’
Sam frowned. ‘So what? If they are up to something then at least we find out what’s going on.’
‘Perhaps we don’t want them to just yet. I think we should disguise ourselves so we can get close enough to find out what they are doing.’
‘That is a good idea,’ said Kale. ‘I know exactly how we can do it. Follow me.’
Sam and Mekie followed him to a shop where the owners stocked clothes from all over the galaxy. Pulling outfit on outfit out and trying them against Sam, Mekie finally huffed, ‘It isn’t any good. We’ll never find anything that hides us all enough.’
‘Yeah,’ Sam said. ‘And it’s pretty hard to hide the fact that Kale is a Corl.’
‘I’ve found something that might work,’ Kale said from behind Sam.
Sam turned. ‘What?’
‘Over there.’ Kale pointed over the top of the clothes stands and started heading that way. ‘They’re the desert nomad clothes from Mink.’
The clothes were similar to Earth desert dwellers’ with loose fitting trousers and a long shirt that connected to a full head cover for men and the same for women, except the over-shirt fell to the ankles. Soft boots covered the feet and tied around the hems of the trousers. Sam figured Mink must have had some awful sand storms.
Kale handed outfits to Sam and Mekie. He checked every shelf and stand before turning with an outfit that looked the same as the one Mekie held.
‘Isn’t that for women?’ Sam asked.
Screwing up his near non-existent nose, Kale said, ‘It is the only outfit in my size.’
Poor guy looked like he was going to cry, so Sam held back the teasing laugh that had already started its way through his mouth. ‘Don’t worry, mate. It’s probably a good thing. Two women and one man won’t have them suspecting a thing.’
‘He’s right, Kale,’ Mekie said. ‘Mother for one would be suspicious of three newcomers of our builds and from what I’ve read of Mink, the nomads don’t talk much to outsiders.’
‘Yes, but do they belong to the United Council?’ Sam asked.
‘Yes. They do,’ Kale said, his face brightening. ‘And having not long joined, they would be more reticent in showing their identities.’
‘Good. It is settled then,’ Mekie said. ‘We’ll tell the seller we’re buying them for a surprise visit and put them on over our clothes before we leave the store.’
As Mekie paid and made small talk, the parrot-like assistant asked way too many questions for Sam’s liking. He certainly didn’t like the way the man’s Mohawk feathers laid back or the way the black circle surrounding his small glassy eyes quivered at Mekie’s answers. She turned around and handed him and Kale their outfits.
Sam hissed, ‘What were all the questions about?’
‘Oh, Cordals are all inquisitive and chatty, aren’t they, Kale?’
Kale was struggling to pull the long dress over his head, but he gave a muffled sound of agreement.
While Sam dressed, he shot a sideways glance at the assistant. ‘Why is he watching us so closely?’ he whispered to Mekie.
She giggled. ‘I told you. They’re just inquisitive. That’s all.’
He didn’t say any more, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that the parrot-man shouldn’t be trusted.
Having donned their outfits, Sam trailed after the two women. He felt the assistant’s beady eyes follow them out and once they were outside, he looked back. The parrot head gazed through the window at them as he hid behind a store dummy.
‘Which way?’ Sam asked Kale.
‘North.’
‘Right then, we go south and find a different way to head north.’ Sam didn’t wait for any responses to his order and started out south at a quick pace.
Mekie’s soft-soled shoes ran after him. Grabbing his arm, she said, ‘What are you doing?’
Not stopping, he shook her hand off. ‘Just follow me, will you?’
She did and once he turned a corner he stopped to let Kale catch up. Leaning on a building, he surveyed Mekie’s stance. ‘You’re not too happy with me, are you?’
He should have shut up, because she rounded on him. ‘How dare you. How dare you ignore me like that!’
‘I’m sorry, Mek, but wait for Kale and I’ll explain.’
‘You will explain now or I’m going home.’
Sam stalled as best he could by peeking around the corner. Returning to his pr
evious position, he said, ‘He’s here now.’ Kale looked nearly as upset as Mekie. ‘Hang on, mate, let me explain. The shop assistant was watching us. He obviously wanted to know which way we went and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was some sort of spy.’
‘A spy,’ Mekie snorted. ‘A spy for what?’
‘How in blazes should I know? He could be either for the resistance or the group that wants to shut them up. Either way, he’s bad news for us.’
Folding her arms, Mekie lent forward and said, ‘I don’t know what I see in you sometimes. Are Humans all addlebrained, or is it just you?’
Stung, Sam pulled away from her as best he could with the building at his back. He felt like she had slapped his face. Oh, he knew she was angry, but he never thought for a minute she’d rethink her relationship with him. She usually forgave him pretty quickly for any ‘inappropriate behaviour’ as she put it more than once.
‘Wait a moment, Mekie,’ Kale said, and faced Sam. ‘Was there a reason why you were worried about the Cordal?’
‘None I could prove,’ he said. ‘I just had a really bad feeling about the bloke.’
The Corl seemed to weigh Sam’s words. He said to Mekie, ‘I think we should listen to Sam.’
She kept her arms folded and planted her feet. The gorgeous thing wasn’t budging. ‘Why should we listen to a Human about a species he never knew existed until just now?’
Sam had to fight the urge to take her into his arms and kiss her tight lips until they loosened.
‘Because, like me, if you stop and think about it you will know why,’ said Kale. ‘Do you think the cordal believed your story as to why we bought the outfits?’
She frowned, but kept quiet for some time.
She lowered her shoulders and Sam breathed a sigh of relief as her face softened. It took her a while sometimes but she always caught up. By the way she smiled into his eyes, she had again.
‘When I think about it,’ she said. ‘I doubt he did believe me and you are right, he did act more aloof than is usual for cordals.’
‘I am glad you agree,’ said Kale. ‘We can backtrack north at the next junction.’
Plucking up the courage, Sam moved beside Mekie and took her hand. ‘Friends?’ he asked.
She squeezed his fingers. ‘I suppose so, but from now on, you be nicer about ignoring me; and if you ever do again, you better have a truly important reason for doing so.’
‘Deal.’
She sighed. ‘I am sorry for over-reacting though. I don’t usually do that.’
Sam swallowed down a laugh. ‘No big deal. Everyone does sometimes.’ He grinned. That was one of the reasons he loved her. She didn’t even know her reactions sometimes. She let her emotions rule her head and that was just the way he liked it, especially when it came to showing him how she felt about him.
He kept hold of her hand as they followed Kale, but she removed it.
‘I thought we were friends,’ he said.
‘We are more than friends, but Minks don’t show their emotions in public.’
‘Oh.’ The last thing he wanted was to draw attention. They had to blend in.
‘This way,’ Kale said, and ducked into an elevator. Stepping out into a hallway, he yanked his outfit off with a groan. ‘I wish I had a size larger,’ he said, handing the dress to Mekie. ‘Wait here.’
He made his way to the second door and pressed the chime. A small Corl girl answered and after a short conversation, retreated inside.
‘She thinks our mothers went to a friends’ café. It is in the last corridor before the city wall. They have been gone longer than usual, so we had better hurry.’ He grabbed his outfit and darted back into the elevator, dragging it over his head.
The café wasn’t as busy as the ones in the trading corridors. Inside the covered area, Kale led Sam and Mekie to the rear counter where an older Corl girl gave Kale a toothy smile.
‘Hello, Kale. I am glad to see you,’ she said, smoothing down her dress.
Kale gasped. Sam shot Mekie a glance. How did she know? Sam wouldn’t have guessed Kale was inside the Mink costume in a million years.
The girl lent over the counter, and whispered just loud enough for Sam to hear also. ‘Are you here for the meeting?’
Kale nodded.
‘They are in the back. You know the way, and please, stop by here on your way out. I have something to ask you.’
‘I will,’ hissed Kale.
A Wintar and Phib stood either side the door to the back. Sam eyed them, but they didn’t look too interested in the late-comers. He guessed they were on the lookout for someone else. If their enemies wanted to raid the meeting, they would probably have more than three in their group.
Kale nodded to Sam to go in and Sam, in turn, nodded to Mekie.
Once inside, Sam sidled along the wall behind Mekie. The small room was packed.
Tanat stood up on a portable dais. ‘Ah, we’ve been expecting you three,’ he said. As he spoke, the cordal shopkeeper rose by his side.
Clasping Mekie’s shaking hand, Sam pushed Kale sideways. ‘Get out,’ he ordered Kale. Mekie’s hand slipped from Sam’s grasp. He twisted his head. Dar-Seldra held her daughter by her head cover.
It hadn’t entered Sam’s mind the cordal would be with the resistance. If anything, he looked like he’d go for the other side for sure. Poor Mekie had silent tears streaming down her face. She sniffed. Sam looked at Kale, who had Tish blocking his way out.
‘The meeting is called,’ Tanat roared.
The audience shuffled out, some via the door to the café, some via the one or the other of the two back doors.
Once the room emptied, all who remained other than Sam, Mekie and Kale were Tish, Tanat, Dar-Seldra, Lesel and Sam’s parents. His parent’s moved apart and his father signalled Sam to fill the vacant spot. Huh. Might as well cop it on the chin. But when he went to stop between them, they moved him forward.
‘Turn around and stand there,’ Carl said.
Mekie and Kale were shown their places beside Sam by Dar-Seldra and Tish. Disapproving eyes gazed at them for a time.
Lesel was the first to speak. ‘I thought you three would behave yourselves without Nell here to goad you on, but I see Nell isn’t the only leader.’ She gave a little shake of her head, and said to no one in particular, ‘What are we going to do with you?’
‘I for one will restrict Kale’s movements from this point on,’ said Tish.
She looked like she was fighting to control her temper. Glad she wasn’t his mother, Sam peered at his parents. They didn’t appear to be nearly as angry.
‘They are not children any more,’ Carl said. ‘I—we—think they should be allowed to join if that is what they want to do.’
‘No. Never,’ said Tish.
‘Now, now, Tishamenta,’ Lesel said. ‘Carl has a point. They are more than old enough for some responsibility.’
‘I don’t know,’ Dar-Seldra said, gazing at Tanat. ‘Cay-Meka is still very young.’
‘Mother,’ Mekie said. ‘I am older than Nell and you wouldn’t stop her from joining. Would you?’
‘I would try my best to dissuade her. Tanat?’
‘Mekie also has a good point, my love. By law, she is an adult and can make her own decisions.’
‘That is true. By law. But you know she has a young mind. She still needs guidance in many areas.’
‘Mother,’ Mekie said through thin lips. ‘Stop speaking about me as if I’m not here and if you really think that, perhaps you don’t know me at all. I will endure you lecturing me for trying to sneak in here, but I won’t stop making my own mind up about what I want to think or do.’
Dar-Seldra turned to Tanat once more. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and said to Mekie, ‘We can speak more of this later.’
‘I can’t tell you how to raise your children,’ Tish said. ‘Kale has not completed his education and until he does, and without Kandar here, he will do as I say.’
A convers
ation broke around the trio.
Sam tried to smile at Kale, but the little Corl had his eyes fixed on the floor. Of everyone there, Sam’s parents were the only ones who expected him to be responsible and he was the only one who didn’t want to join any resistance. Kale and Mekie did, but he agreed with Nell. There had to be another way to stop the stupidity of war.
Gazing at his mother, he wondered if she had forgotten what happened to Mekie’s father in the last war. He had joined the resistance and he hadn’t fared to well. Maybe it was the members of the resistance who needed to grow up some. If the warmongers caught any one of them, they would have so called accidents too.
A question filled his mind at that moment. Who exactly were the warmongers? It wasn’t the United Council. As far as he knew, they were doing everything in their power to stop the war. Who then? And why had a revolution broken out on Grarlon? Of all the species known to him, the Grarls were the most powerful and the most loyal to their own kind. Who the blazes would gain from having their numbers reduced? He gave a slight nod of his head. Of course.
Moving alongside Lesel, Sam asked quietly, ‘Is Varlor still in prison on Gramlax?’
‘I’m sure he is. The Krolls would ensure that. Why?’
‘Just a feeling. Could you find out for sure?’
‘I suppose. Will you tell me what it’s about then?’
He grinned, hoping she would take that as a yes. He didn’t want to say it because he wasn’t sure if he could keep his word.
‘Sam, Cay-Meka, Kale,’ Tanat said without shouting, but loud enough to be heard above the many conversations. ‘You leave first. The rest of us will stagger our departures.’
‘Okay,’ Sam said.
‘All right,’ Mekie said.
Kale, still with his head bowed, was the first to head toward the door.
‘Go straight to our house, Kale,’ Tish called after him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
KALE’S AWKWARD GAIT QUICKENED AS SOON AS HE was through the door and he was running by the time he fled outside the café.
Sam laughed as he and Mekie sped up to catch him.
Kale slowed a little as he negotiated his way through a group of Corls. Sam grabbed his arm. ‘Woo there. What’s the hurry?’
