Free Trader Complete Omnibus

by Craig Martelle

  “How about a swim? I know where there’s a private pool.” Without waiting, Micah turned toward the entrance to the residential facility. It was cooler underground, plus they hadn’t eaten since they wolfed down the brownies.

  She walked with purpose. Braden expected that she was hungry. He looked forward to a pot pie and talking about what they would do next. Maybe it was as simple as waiting for a cycle and then going to the Traveler.

  Micah stopped at the office so she could instruct the hologram to give Braden access to her room. After the brief stop, she walked down the corridors, slower this time. Even though they were bright, it was unnatural for the modern people of Vii to be underground like this.

  Once in the room, Micah ordered two more brownies. She asked the fabricator if it knew what wine was. Of course it did and it had twenty-seven different types programmed into its database. What would she like to try? Something that went with the brownie. The fabricator recommended a fruity burgundy. She ordered two glasses.

  They sat at a table by the small pool, sipping the wine and eating their first, second, and third helpings of the brownies. Micah watched Braden as he was deep in thought. She caressed his hair with one hand. He shook himself from his deep thoughts.

  She stepped away from the table and removed her vest. She threw it on the floor at his feet. He looked at her, watching closely as she slowly unbuttoned her shirt and let it fall behind her. She undid her pants and let them fall to the floor, stepping gracefully out of them..

  Micah was solid, her mid-section well-muscled. Her shoulders were a little wider than her chest which was just a little wider than her waist. Her hips were wide, but shapely. Her legs were strong. There was no fat on her body.

  Braden tried to keep his eyes on her eyes, but failed. She was an incredible sight. She was light skinned, tanned only on her face and hands. Her skin was milky smooth.

  His heart hammered in his chest.

  He could see her hands shaking, ever so slightly. “Aren’t you going to join me?” she said, her voice catching.

  She led him to the bedroom where they laid down together.

  “How did I ever deserve this? Deserve you?” he whispered into her ear.

  “You’re the only one I want, I’ll ever want,” she answered…

  In the end, they giggled, covered with sweat. They held each other tightly. Micah looked up with her dark brown eyes, heavy lashes blinking away a drop of sweat.

  “From here forward, I will always protect you,” Micah whispered.

  “And I you. I never knew I could feel like this. It’s like I feel with G-War, but even better.” Micah raised her eyebrows at him, as he thought about what he said. “No, I’m sorry. You’re not like the ‘cat at all, but the feeling, like when we first bonded, mindlinked. An incredible feeling. I don’t know what I’m saying.”

  He looked at her and knew what he felt, but as a man, he was hesitant to say it. “Am I in love with you, Micah?”

  “Yes. We are in love. And we are the same partners we were two sleeps ago. The same we’ll be two sleeps from now. But, from here on, we’ll only need one bed, one roof over our heads.” Braden nodded. He was good with that. He felt different from the second he met her. Now he knew why.

  In Micah’s village, a wedding vow was sealed by the swearing of mutual protection. In her mind, they were now married.

  ‘About time,’ came a ‘cat voice from seemingly far away...

  9 – A New Dawn

  Braden didn’t know how to act. He woke up next to Micah, not knowing whether it was day or night. Had a full sleep passed? He carefully worked his way out of bed, trying not to disturb the incredible young woman sleeping comfortably cocooned in blankets and pillows.

  It was too far to go outside, so he stood in the shower and let the water run while he relieved himself. The water briefly turned yellow as it swirled around his feet and disappeared down the drain. He adjusted the water a bit hotter and let it run over his head as he undid his braid to let the warmth flow through his long, blonde hair.

  The door opened and Micah entered. She smiled at him as she sat on the shiny white throne. When she was done, she pushed a button on the side and the water washed everything away, refilling the bowl.

  “How’d you learn to do that?”

  “It’s natural, I’m a human.” She cocked her head playfully at him.

  “Not that!” He pointed to the throne. “That.”

  “The hologram told me.”

  “When?” Braden was confused.

  “While you were sleeping. You didn’t feel me get up? How are you supposed to protect me if you sleep like a dead man?”

  “I, well, I-I don’t know,” he stammered. She laughed as she joined him in the shower. They washed each other thoroughly.

  Once dry, they went to the open area in search of their clothes. They found them cleaned and neatly lying on the couch. Micah stopped, instantly alert. Braden was unaffected.

  “I guess the Server Bot stopped by to help.” The dirty brownie plates and wine glasses were gone, too.

  “Mr. Fabricator. What would you recommend for a hearty breakfast, something to put meat on your bones?”

  “A nice omelet with plenty of cheese, fresh vegetables, and a healthy serving of salsa. Hash browns on the side. I suggest a glass of orange-passionfruit juice, too.”

  “Fresh vegetables and cheese on whatever you suggested will probably be great. We’ll take two.”

  Braden’s mouth started watering as he thought about the delightful ding that would signal breakfast was ready.

  Ding. Almost drooling, Braden opened the door to the fabricator and pulled out two dishes with steaming food piled high. It looked like fried eggs with some tomato sauce, then maybe sliced up potatoes on the side? When it came to food, sometimes it was better not to look at things too closely.

  “This is incredible!” Micah exclaimed, mouth stuffed with melted cheese and vegetables. She hurried through her omelet and gulped down her juice.

  “What’s your hurry?”

  “I didn’t realize how hungry I was.”

  “Well. We did work hard yesterday, and we didn’t have a proper meal, unless you consider lady-flesh, dinner, and dessert wrapped into one.”

  Micah looked sideways at him. “Really? I’ve heard you do better when you were trying to work a trade with someone you didn’t like. How about you try again.”

  Braden absentmindedly braided his hair as he thought. This partnership was going to be interesting. “Master President, I beg you to savor your meal. Every bite is a feast unto itself.” He bowed when he finished.

  “That’s better, partner mine. Sooo, yesterday turned out to be a full day. What about today?”

  “I’d like to talk to Aadi, G, and Ess. They were listening when we were in the Command Center. I expect they saw something we missed, which could be a great deal. I hardly remember anything from yesterday, but then again, I remember the important stuff.” He smiled and shook his head. Why was it so hard to have a conversation? Weren’t they the same people they were yesterday?

  No. They weren’t. They had become less and more at the same time. Braden and Micah went from half of what they were to become more than they could ever be by themselves. And there came the revelation and acceptance.

  “I don’t think I want to take any Old Tech back north to trade. I don’t think they can handle the Old Tech that we’ve seen. A Security Bot? In the hands of that rich guy who ripped me off in Whitehorse? I don’t think so.” Accepting his new role, it was no longer a finished trade when he made a decision. There were two of them now.

  “What do you want to do, you know, with our lives?” he asked Micah.

  “Now that’s a good question. I think it’s good to say what we don’t want. I don’t want to go back to Trent, but understand that we may have to if we’re successful building trade routes. I think I want to see the north, but don’t want to die crossing the Barren. Maybe we can get the Lizard Men to trade
with the good people of Village McCullough. Wouldn’t that be something?” Micah had thought about those things before, but didn’t mention them to Braden. She didn’t want to distract him, not before anyway.

  “I think I want to see that ship in the sky. I can’t even imagine…” Braden’s mind had gone back to the New Command Center.

  “Whaddya say we go rally the boys?” Braden said. Micah took his hand as they walked the corridor, side by side.

  10 - Insight

  Master Aadi’s face remained unreadable as he blinked slowly. If the ‘cat was trying to look smug, he was successful. Skirill was on a low branch, bobbing peacefully just over their heads.

  Micah’s face flashed red. Braden understood a heartbeat later. With their mindlink, the companions shared everything the humans did.

  Everything.

  There was a lot to be said for the peace of darkness.

  “Ass! Can’t you shut it off?” Braden scolded the ‘cat.

  ‘Why would I want to?’ G-War responded calmly.

  “What’s a good kitty want?” Micah asked, still red from embarrassment. She started stroking the ‘cat’s ears, scratching behind them, under his chin. “How about the good kitty stops the mindlink every now and then?” She continued scratching him, getting under his legs and along his sides.

  ‘No. I will never leave Braden to himself. If something happened to him when I wasn’t listening, I would die. That’s how our mindlink works.’

  That was sobering. Micah stood up and pursed her lips. “Wow. I guess we’re all partners then. I will protect all of you, to my last breath.” She committed herself.

  Skirill stopped bobbing. He focused his Hawkoid gaze on Micah, proud that he had joined the caravan and the companions. This was what he sought. This was the foundation of a community that he wanted to build for the Hawkoids, and they shunned him for it.

  Aadi stopped blinking and stared. Braden felt the same way about his companions but he wasn’t as good at saying it, so he shook his finger at the Tortoid. “You’re old enough! You should know better than to peek in the windows.”

  Master Aadi blinked rapidly and slowly bobbed his head. ‘Yes. I know better, but it’s fascinating. Tortoids don’t do that. We procreate by ourselves.’

  “We weren’t procreating,” Braden blurted out.

  ‘What were you doing then?’ the Tortoid asked innocently.

  “Umm…” Micah’s face blushed a bright shade of red.

  11 – The Next Move

  “Our next move. I suggest we go back to Village McCullough and find their first trading partner. Any other ideas?” Braden asked the group.

  G-War gave a ‘cat shrug. He was indifferent to tomorrow.

  “I would like to talk with the Lizard Men. I feel they’re misunderstood by the humans in the border villages. Maybe they would be willing to trade,” Braden said, thinking out loud. “The keys to trade, Master Aadi. What do they have and what do they want? Do we know?”

  ‘We do not. I do not. That’s why I want to talk with them. I wonder if the special material they weave in McCullough would help protect the legs of the Lizard warriors as they travel through the swamps? Would they protect against a cold-water croc bite?’

  “I don’t know about that, but I’m sure I don’t want to be the one to test your idea. Then again, maybe we do want to test that idea. If we can lure a croc with something and he bites it, we can see if it works. If it does, then they will want it. Want is the key ingredient to any successful trade. Need is better, but I doubt the Lizard Men really need anything. They’ve made do with what they have for as long as they’ve been around.”

  Skirill wanted to limit the time they spent in the Amazon. He was barely able to fly in the tight confines of the jungle environment, so he couldn’t help the companions like in more open areas. He felt good about what he’d done for the caravan as they crossed the Great Desert. He was scorched every time he flew in the sun, but didn’t share that with Braden. It was only pain. If he didn’t do it, then they might not have made it. He saw the work Braden did every time he set up their camp for the day. He saw the human dig in the heat of the sun while the rest of the companions watched. He knew they all felt bad not being able to help, even the ‘cat, although he would never share that.

  “I think we’ve made good progress with the villages. If we keep visiting, they’ll get used to visitors, while we make sure no new strong man rises from the ashes of those who have gone before.”

  “I only want them to not be afraid,” Braden said while staring into space. To him, simple was best. Soon the villagers would trust them and that was the foundation of trade.

  12 – Leave the Soft Life Behind

  Staying underground was disorienting for the humans. There were no visual cues as to the time. Their newly discovered interest in each other made time pass in an incalculable way. Braden surrendered and simply asked G-War to wake them up as sunrise approached.

  Which he did, in a less than diplomatic way, by calling Braden names until he woke.

  They stopped by the office on their way out so Micah could instruct the hologram to keep their room ready for their return.

  “It is the Presidential Suite, after all. No one else will be allowed to use it. Are you expecting people to arrive in your absence?” the hologram asked.

  “No. But just in case. We like that room. It opened many doors for us, and we have fond memories of it.” She winked at Braden. He quickly turned away, smiling. “Thank you and we will return when the communications system is operational.”

  As they walked out, Braden said, “Spoken like one in charge. I think you like being in charge.” They climbed the stairs together, each to their own thoughts, both happy. It was still dark outside, but hints of dawn shone through the trees.

  The ‘cat waited for them as they emerged from the building. “Blaster,” was all Braden said to Micah, and she headed toward the repair shed. “Water,” he said for himself as he made sure all their flasks were filled. They hadn’t smoked any additional meat, but from the fabricator, they loaded up on dried fruit and other things that would keep. It didn’t have to taste good, it only had to give them enough energy to make it to a place where they could hunt.

  G-War and Skirill had reduced the rabbit population of New Sanctuary. The ‘cat could probably make it back to McCullough before he needed to eat again. Not so for the Hawkoid. He quickly burned through whatever he ate, so eating was a constant state. They had enough in a blanket pack to keep him from starving to death at least, but maybe the Lizard Men could help find game in the rainforest to keep Skirill fit.

  Max and Pack had enjoyed their stay. They seemed to have gained weight. The two horses also relished the attention from the humans. They welcomed getting saddled and the patting and stroking that came with it.

  Once ready, both humans mounted their rides and urged them through the trees of the oasis toward the sparse grasses of the rolling hills as the sun peeked above the horizon.

  “Next time, I’d like to get a closer look at old Sanctuary. Maybe we can take a Security Bot with us to make sure we don’t have any trouble,” Braden offered.

  “Knowing what I know now, I think I’d like to get a closer look, too. I can’t believe everything they built. And then they destroyed it all.”

  “It’s our responsibility to not let that happen again. C’mon, G! Hop up.” The ‘cat didn’t respond. He loped alongside the horses as they trotted through the dry grasses. The morning sun shone lightly on the patch of burned grass that dominated one of the small hills. “Sorry about that,” Braden called out to the wounded land.

  ‘Need some exercise.’ The ‘cat wasn’t used to a soft life. On the journey from the north, he had spent more time in a cart or on a horse than he liked. He knew there was no other way, but finally decided that when he didn’t have to ride, he wouldn’t. He liked his body hard and ready to fight. He stretched his legs as he accelerated forward.

  Max and Pack kicked th
emselves into a gallop, but they couldn’t keep up with the fleet Hillcat. Master Aadi bounced along behind Braden, holding the rope in his beak-like mouth. He looked less than comfortable with the speed.

  Skirill outdistanced all of them, circling back to let the earth-bound catch up. He loved the feeling of the breeze through his chest feathers. It was warm already, but not hot. He tucked his wings along his body, using only his wing tips to adjust his flight as he sped toward the ground. He whipped past the horses, barely over their heads, and stayed even with the ground as he shot toward G-War. He dropped dangerously close to the ground as he sped past the ‘cat, then beat strongly to gain altitude.

  When Braden saw that, it made him think. If G-War was able to ride on Skirill, the way they fought an enemy could drastically change. He shared that idea with them via their mindlink. Skirill was willing to give it a try, but G-War was hesitant. Since he was able to share the Hawkoid’s view, he understood what it would be like to be so far above the ground.

  He finally agreed to try it.

  The Hawkoid was barely larger than the ‘cat, so with his front legs wrapped around Skirill’s neck and his back legs wrapped tightly in front of the Hawkoid’s tail feathers, they tried to fly. Skirill had to run along the ground as he beat his wings. Finally, struggling mightily, they were up, horse-head high, then higher than a building, then even with the top of a tall tree.

  G-War thought that was high enough. They could all hear him thinking about ways he could survive if he fell, landing on his feet, skipping off tree branches, ripping the Hawkoid’s wings off and trying to use those…

  Skirill had to ask the ‘cat a number of times to loosen his grip around his neck. He couldn’t fly if he couldn’t breathe.

  The ‘cat liked the feeling of power he had while flying high above the ground. He felt almost invincible. Until he slipped just a little, then the thought of plunging to his death took over. He tightened his grip and let Skirill know that it was time to get back on the ground. They worked out a method where Skirill would back wing just before touching down and G-War would leap in the air. He would land running forward. If they had to fly into the attack, Skirill didn’t want to land where he was most vulnerable.