by L M Lacee
Marta brushed imaginary fluff from the sleeve of her red silk blouse, completely missing the glow coming from Peyton as she straightened. ‘Rather crudely said, but yes, that is what I am saying.’
Peyton’s face became thoughtful as Marta mentally applauded herself. Yes, any minute now she will realize I have won.
Suddenly the glow faded from Peyton as she grinned. ‘Seriously Marta, I am disappointed in you. This is all you could come up with. I call you énorme menteur! For those of you who do not know French that means a big-fat liar. How you Marta, thought you could dictate to anyone here or anywhere astounds me.’
Marta’s outrage turned her face red as she stuttered. ‘I… I… how… how…’
Staring pass her, Peyton spread her hands in bewilderment as she asked the older women. ‘What astounds me more, is that you ladies believed her. She who knows nothing, has not contributed one frigging thing to our departure and has done nothing but bring trouble wherever she goes. Please explain to me why?’
Peyton was truly confused, none of these women should have allowed this to happen. Especially Esther, she was a no holds barred, take no prisoners kind of woman with a heart of gold. Peyton admired her greatly for what she had endured and the loving heart she kept hidden under a heavy dose of attitude.
Esther and her husband Harry, raised her young cousins, when their parents had died in a vehicle accident. The girls had taken the place of children she and Harry could never have. When an outbreak of the Virus decimated their town, Harry and Esther, Karen, Amelia, were the only ones left of their once large family. Sadly, a few years later, they lost Harry to another small outbreak of the Virus. Brenda told Peyton it had taken enormous strength for Esther to carry on without her husband, they had been together since they were teenagers. For all three of them to survive, alone in the world without the one person who protected and kept them safe was difficult. Without Esther’s determination and strength, it could have been impossible.
Peyton often thought the loneliness Esther lived with must be a constant ache, and yet she was a strong and determined woman. So she could not fathom why Esther had allowed this to happen, it seemed out of character for her.
THIRTY-NINE:
Peyton’s estimation of Esther was correct: she was a strong, determined and resourceful woman, life had made her that way. Sadly, fear was an ugly friend that every woman, young or old, had lived with for far too long. Truthfully, these days not much scared her, but the thought of not leaving with Peyton and the others frightened her tremendously. Worse was the thought her dear girls, Karen and Amelia, could be forced to remain behind because of her. This worry over the last weeks had sent her into a panic every time someone voiced the possibility they may have to stay behind.
So like many of the women of her age and older, she did not want to upset anyone or jeopardize their chances of leaving. They worried that Peyton and the Warriors could make them stay, if they caused trouble or were quarrelsome, as one woman put it.
It was as simple as Nelly, one of Brenda’s friends said only that morning. They did not know Peyton or the other females very well. Unfortunately, they never thought to ask Peyton or one of the others how the selection process was done.
Esther watched the hurt come over Peyton’s face and realized they had made a terrible mistake. She most of all, by not following through on her first inclination and confronting Peyton. She could see now that by not doing so, she had allowed Marta to feed into their insecurities with her sly manipulation of words.
‘Oh girly, don’t do that. Don’t go thinking you did something wrong, you and your friends did nothing to be ashamed of. We let ourselves be bullied into not thinking that is all.’ Esther’s voice wobbled a little as tears gathered in her eyes. ‘Fear, is a terrible mistress, there isn’t a one of us that does not remember what it is like to be alone, to be abandoned to fear. Girly, when you reach our age, the memories take longer to be replaced by new and good ones. Dear sweet girl, we just lost our good sense, is all.’
Brenda clasped Esther’s hand and said with a shake of her head and in her voice. ‘It is harder, especially for those of us that are older and suffered so much, to believe we are wanted and we have value. This all happened because some of us are anxious about being a burden on you. We worry we will not contribute to the success of this brand-new world.’
Peyton threw her arms around, first Esther, then Brenda stating. ‘Esther, Brenda, ladies. I am so sorry, this is our fault. We should have realized and made sure it didn’t happen. You are never a burden and will never be one.’ Softly she said to them all. ‘Believe me, we all have our wounds. Some are deeper and harder to escape than others. Forgive me ladies, I’ll fix this.’
She made sure she hugged each woman, passing on a little glow of calmness and serenity as she did. When she had finished, each of the women looked ten years younger. The tension and fear they had been carrying gone from their shoulders and faces.
Marta scowled. ‘This is unbelievable, you are all pathetic. No matter what the short dumpling says you are…’
Peyton cut her off by saying sharply. ‘General James, if you could take Marta Aude into custody, and remand her in the jail beneath the courthouse until further notice.’
Marta jerked at the tone of Peyton’s voice, which had gone from her normal, slightly amused tones to powerful and commanding.
Melody muttered. ‘About time.’
When hands grabbed her, Marta screamed and slapped at them. ‘Do not touch me. How dare you!’
Melody and a very large Warrior seized the woman by her arms. With no great effort, they lifted her feet off the floor and marched her from the room. A Warrior escorted them and another brought up the rear as they moved through the building.
They could hear Marta screeching. ‘Call Commander Roeah! I demand you call him. On what charge are you arresting me?’
Even though Melody was not yelling, they heard her say. ‘Shut up, Skank. The charge is you are a liar and an instigator and I do not like you. Commander Roeah wouldn’t sleep with you if you were the last skank on Earth. Oh look you are, and he didn’t. And what woman calls her lover Commander. Now move.’
Peyton was grinning by the time they had cleared the building. She addressed the remaining women.
‘Ladies, we need you for the new world, you are not too old. We need your experience, your love and understanding. You bring balance and guidance to us all, and that is a good thing. The Warriors we are taking with us have never met or known women like us, they are so out of their depths. Most of you were married or in relationships at one time, so you have an understanding on how to navigate this man, woman thing. Please don’t remain behind, there is nothing here for you besides fear and a slow death… Shit that didn’t come out right.’
They burst out laughing as Peyton blushed then started to laugh as well. Eventually her voice turned serious as she said. ‘Come on ladies, if for nothing else we need your cooking, especially on the ships.’
Helen as the senior chef broke the tension and asked. ‘How bad can it be?’
A Warrior moved forward and threw a small wrapped brown log on the counter. It thumped as it settled. ‘That ladies, is what we eat on board our ships or any time we are hungry. They are what General James calls rations.’
The women all moved closer as he drew a knife and shaved off slices for them to sample. Every woman there made a horrified face as she spat it out. Helen stated as the women all murmured their agreement. ‘This is outrageous.’
He nodded and told them. ‘One slice is supposed to sustain a Warrior for eight of your hours.’
Brenda asked him kindly. ‘And does it?’
‘No, Lady Brenda it does not, all Warriors know hunger as I did until Lady Helen.... Chef Helen, I apologize, cooked me a morning food at her dynner.’
Helen whispered. ‘He means breakfast.’
‘It was the first time in a long time that my stomach did not talk to me. I liked it, as do other War
riors. So please Chef Helen, Lady Brenda, and Lady Esther.’ He looked over all the females present. ‘Ladies come with us, teach others to cook like you do. So Warriors know what it is like not to have their stomachs talk to them.’
Tears ran freely among the women as Lukkas stepped back next to Peyton, who smiled at him with a touch of pride. It gave him pause. Other than his brother, he could not remember a time someone had looked at him like that.
The other male Warriors looked horrified at the crying women, then they looked accusingly at Lukkas, who felt his heart thump with worry. If he did not fix this, his brother Warriors could harm him for upsetting the females or worse, tell Kerol, and that he knew would not be good. He asked Peyton. ‘Why do they cry?’ He then told the women. ‘I am very sorry ladies to have upset you. I will leave.’
He turned to go, sad that he had upset the females with his truth. Helen sniffed and wiped her eyes, then ordered. ‘You will not leave, you will come here, all of you, sit down. We will make sure you are fed before we leave this room. Heavens knows what we will find on board the ship.’
FORTY:
The women all bustled around the makeshift kitchen, setting plates down in front of the Warriors. Thirty women falling all over themselves to feed Warriors who probably weren’t hungry but appreciative of the attention and caring shown by the women.
Someone placed a cup that looked a lot like hers in Peyton’s hand as she tapped on her new comm link and started speaking. It was a peculiarity of the links that when in use, only the one using it could hear the other person speaking. Peyton had been half-way through dismantling hers to find out why, when Jean saw her and threatened to one; tell Darby and two; not give her a new one.
Which Peyton thought was harsh, but she did not take the new one apart. Even though Jean had not told her how it worked, Jean was a little intense. Peyton decided it was the accent and the frown she wore when she was displeased.
‘Darby hon, I need a techie at the away station please. Oh yes, they are... Let the rest know, Helen, Brenda, Esther, and the ladies' club are definitely going. I put Marta Aude in jail. Can you make sure she can’t communicate with anyone? Oh, she can’t... no, I did not doubt you... because she’s a big-fat liar, well technically she’s not fat, but she is a liar, she said she was sleeping with Commander Roeah... I know... see a liar... yeah, I know she is... okay, talk later.’
She tapped her link off and noticed the room had become quiet, and everyone was looking at her.
‘What? Darby said she was a skanky-ho-bag. Darby is not very good a cussing.’
Helen asked. ‘Who are you letting know what?’
‘Oh that, another seven hundred women, who would not go, if you, Brenda, Esther and these nice ladies did not board. You all have a big fan base, which is not the reason I want you to come. We really need you, apparently, for your cooking as well as other things. The Warriors need that, but we need women who have a more practical way of looking at life. There are going to be some hard, tough decisions to make and some revelations that may make people uncomfortable. Also, there are some other reasons which I don’t want to get into now. I’m just asking that you trust me for a little longer. When we are under way, I will explain everything.’
Helen placed a sandwich filled with yummy things in her hand and said. ‘Like, why you can glow and things like that.’
‘Or the fact everyone calls you Madam. And you can jail someone and no one says anything.’ Brenda stated as she placed a bowl of food in front of Lukkas, who grinned as he dug in.
‘Maybe, it could be the fact she needs body guards.’ Esther said from behind her.
Peyton sighed as she mumbled. ‘Yeah, things like that.’
Esther grinned as she gave her shoulder a pat. ‘Well, why didn’t you just say so?’
Peyton mumbled again around her food. ‘No idea.’
Laughter and quiet conversations filled the room, as the food was consumed and happy Warriors relaxed under the women’s attention.
A young Warrior walked in holding a tablet. ‘Madam Peyton, you asked for me.’
Peyton looked at him and smiled. ‘Willian I did. I need your help to make sure Chef Helen, and the other ladies will have everything on board they need, supplies and equipment. I realize it is last minute but…’
Willian looked down at his tablet and frowned, saying. ‘Madam Peyton, the supplies and equipment have already been loaded on all the Battle and Warships for Chef Helen and the other chefs. All I need to do, is find out who is going where. That is what Lady Darby said. Was that incorrect?’
‘Sneaky Darby.’ Peyton muttered as she smiled at the young Warrior. ‘No Willian, it was not, Lady Darby is quicker than I am.’
He smiled. ‘That is something I have also found to be true Madam. Lady Darby is very fast.’
Peyton shared a grin with one of her favorite Warriors, then she asked. ‘Helen, can you help Willian, if I am not mistaken. I heard his tummy talking.’
Brenda grabbed the young Warrior and sat him in a chair. ‘Helen dear, food for the boy.’
Peyton thought Willian was one of the women’s favorites as well. A bowl of food was placed in front of him, and a glazed look filled his eyes.
Peyton asked Helen. ‘So you will work out what ship the ladies are going on with Willian. You have not forgotten that you, Brenda and Esther are with me.’
‘No Madam.’ She smirked as she uttered the title.
Peyton groaned. ‘No... Absolutely not.’
Helen laughed a deep belly laugh and in her British accent it sounded funnier to Peyton for some reason.
Brenda asked Peyton. ‘So what ship will you be on?’
A large Warrior with scars walked into the room and answered in his deep voice before Peyton could.
‘That is classified Lady Brenda.’
Brenda paled as she hurriedly said. ‘Of course, my apologies.’
Peyton growled. ‘Really Kerol. Don’t growl at our ladies. They feed us.’
‘Yes Madam, Willian knows what ship you will be on, just tell him who you desire on board with you and he will make it so. That is why he is here.’
He looked over at the food William was shoveling into his mouth. Raising an eyebrow at the young Warrior, then at his brother who was just finishing his bowl of food. Peyton grinned at Kerol as she told the women.
‘Ladies, I know you have not actually met Kerol. Commander Roeah’s second, but you have all heard us talk about him.’ She flipped her hand toward Kerol as she introduced him. ‘This is Kerol Naihal, Lukkas’s brother.’
They all looked at Lukkas, who nodded his head as his mouth was to fill with food to make a comment.
Peyton smiled at the women before saying. ‘Please introduce yourselves, although I would hazard a guess he already knows who you all are. Ladies, could you make sure you feed him too. Also, Willian make sure you take some food back for the Commander. I will send you the list of the people I would like on the Warship with me. Oh, Helen, can I have a ‘with me’ bag for my pilot please.’
Kerol groaned. ‘Madam, please.’
Unrepentant, Peyton grinned as she was handed a container filled with delicious food. ‘Try the food Kerol it will make you feel better.’
She called out to the women present. ‘See you all later, love yah.’ Then swept from the room, minus Kerol and Willian.
Trina was lead now in place of Melody. They walked through the extensive area, which was now nearly empty.
‘Almost fully loaded.’ Said a tall woman in an army uniform as they came even with her.
‘You are?’ Peyton asked, looking up at her.
‘Oh, sorry, Netta Howl, under General James.’
‘Hello, I am Peyton. Melody’s friend.’
‘I know.’
‘Oh!’
Netta was tall, almost six foot-one, maybe taller, with short black spiked hair that had dark and light blue tips. She was slim with firm muscles. Her eyes were a startling ghost gray with a ring of
amber almost gold around the iris, which was startling. She was beautiful and had a nice easy voice that reminded you of rain-filled summer days.
Peyton smiled at her. ‘Netta Howl, Melody speaks highly of you. I wanted to thank you, for all the work you have been doing since you arrived. It has helped us enormously. I am also sorry we have not met before, it was unintentional.’
Surprised, Netta smiled. ‘I never thought it was, and I thank you for your kind words, it has been my pleasure.’
‘Okay, so are you on duty here?’
‘Yes Madam, we are just finishing the three remaining containers now. That should take another forty-five minutes and as far as I know we are five shuttles away from leaving.’
Peyton placed a hand over her stomach and leaned nearer to Netta. ‘I have butterflies, just hearing you say that. What about you?’
‘Oh, my stars, yes, terrified but excited. I just want to be gone, you know?’
‘You bet I do, so make sure you are on board with Melody.’
‘Oh, I think I have to be on…’
‘Pfft!’ Peyton cut her off as she tapped her link. ‘Darby, hi hon, it’s me again... Yeah, I know it comes up when I call... because I enjoy saying it’s me… it’s friendlier. Thanks for Helen’s stuff... yeah, I know it’s our stomachs too... yeah, I tried it, its crap... no, you can’t. We might find a use for it... that’s funny, building material... Oh, you weren’t being funny... listen is Melody’s Netta, on our ship... No, can you make it happen... that is not funny... you can, good… yeah, I have a feeling we will need her... If I knew why, I would tell you... yes, I would... Aww, come on Darby it was one time.’ She tapped her link off and grumbled. ‘Forget to tell her one little thing.’
‘It was hardly little.’ Trina reminded her.
Peyton pointed out. ‘It was just one little slip of memory. I had a lot to think about. Shoot, it was just a small thing.’
