Free Trader Complete Omnibus

by Craig Martelle

  Pik Ha’ar tried to stand but wobbled, one hand on his head. Micah picked up his spear and handed it to him. Braden’s blaster seemed to leap from its holster as Braden leveled it at the Lizard Man while he was within arm’s reach of Micah.

  G-War watched everyone closely. He would have warned Braden of the creature’s duplicity, as he had done with the Elder McCullough. Braden holstered his blaster for the second time.

  The commander shook his head to clear it, then gave up. He stopped and looked at the monkey in the puddle. He reached down for it.

  “No,” Braden said firmly. “You leave it. Everyone here died without honor. They died for a trade that you reneged on. All of them. Those monkeys died for nothing and you wasted our time. Don’t touch it. Now move.”

  Free Trader Braden scowled at the back of the Lizard Man. Bad things always happened when you cheated the trade.

  Micah’s thought voice caressed Braden’s mind. ‘It’s a different logic here. I think we can trust him now, because his life is forfeit. Everything is life or death. That’s the only power. Let’s get this done so we can leave. So we can go home where people believe in the law of the trade.’ Micah appealed to Braden’s trader side. She knew if they wanted to burn their way through the ship, they could. She had no love for any of these creatures. She could do it, scorch each deck, but knew it would haunt Braden. She wondered if there was something wrong with her that she was so callous.

  19 – The Ramp to Deck 8

  “Keep going,” Braden growled at the limping form of the Lizard Man in front of him. The creature whimpered as it slogged ahead.

  ‘He is in some pain, Master Braden. I fear that I hurt him greater than I intended.’ The Tortoid tried to soothe things. ‘If we encounter other Lizard Men, I doubt, in his current state, he’ll be very convincing that we should be allowed to pass.’

  “Okay. Stop.” The Lizard Man sat heavily and leaned against a tree, half disappearing into it.

  “How do you do that?” Micah asked as she pulled out a meal portion that she offered. Braden watched the Lizard Man warily.

  ‘Do what?’ Pik said in a tired thought voice.

  “Blend in with the trees like that. When you stand still against a tree, you become one with it.”

  ‘I don’t know. It is natural, something that just happens. All Lizard Men have this ability. We know what to look for, but sometimes, even we can’t see each other.’ Pik ate the offered food. He looked oddly at it after the first bite, but then ate the rest of it without question.

  ‘You know that my partner is furious and may never trust you.’ Micah switched to her thought voice. ‘He’s the Free Trader of Warren Deep. When he makes a trade, there is nothing more important to him. Why did you back out of the trade?’

  ‘Giving your word to a stranger is not the same as giving your word. Strangers aren’t to be trusted.’ Micah was ready to reply, but he held up his hand. ‘It is our way. I see that you are trustworthy. You delivered. You are still delivering. You shared your food with me. We would never do this. Food is scarce in the rainforest.’

  Braden listened to the conversation. Allies. Aadi and Micah were both right. Gain their trust, even from an outcast like Pik Ha’ar. Micah watched, seeing Braden’s mood change. His face relaxed, and he took a deep breath.

  “Pik Ha’ar. Welcome to our caravan. We have two rules. First, the trade is the law, and second, each of us is willing to die to protect the others. Do you agree?” Braden watched the Lizard Man carefully. He appreciated that he didn’t answer right away. Braden didn’t want him to take it lightly, as it wasn’t offered lightly. Micah squeezed her mate’s shoulder fondly, letting him know that she approved. He reached for her hand, caressing it and forgetting briefly the world that weighed on them.

  ‘I agree, Caretaker. I would be honored to be a Tup among your warriors.’ He bowed low to Braden, then to Micah.

  “No. We will call you Pik. We’re all equal here, like we said. For what it’s worth, we’re more alike you than you know.” Braden held out his hand. The Lizard Man only looked at it. “This is our friendly greeting and this also confirms that a deal has been agreed to. Take my hand and we shake.”

  The Lizard Man awkwardly did as instructed. They shook. Braden slapped Pik’s shoulder as he let go of his hand. The Lizard Man jumped back, looking ready to fight.

  Braden held both of his hands up, palms out. “Sorry. I know Lizard Men don’t usually touch. That’s a human thing. Expect it and remember that we’re not attacking you. You’re one of us now.”

  Pik Ha’ar nodded.

  They packed up and continued toward the ramp to Deck 8. The Lizard Man walked proudly with his head held high.

  Shortly, they ran into a Lizard Man patrol. The patrol stopped the companions, challenging them. Pik Ha’ar strode to his fellow Pik, the commander. He ripped the spear from his hand and threw it to the ground. The Lizard Warriors bounced from foot to foot, anxious at the personal challenge to their commander. Pik Ha’ar thrust his face forward and hissed.

  The companions had seen this before, in the Amazon.

  When Pik stood up, he gave the spear back to the patrol’s commander and waved at the companions to follow him. They walked past the confused Lizard Men.

  ‘Just keep walking and we’ll clear their area before they figure out that they were fooled.’ Pik’s shoulders shook as he laughed to himself. Yes. Logic was different here.

  They continued without interruption to the ramp, until they reached a small village that had been set up at its base. Pik Ha’ar looked around quickly, but didn’t find anyone. He waved the companions ahead as he stood between them and the village. He watched, spear at the ready to protect the companions should a Lizard Man see them.

  But the villagers were somewhere else. When they returned home later, they wouldn’t know that anyone had passed.

  “Come on, Pik. Time to go.” Braden held the door as the Lizard Man, for the first time in his life, left Deck 9.

  20 – Entering Deck 8

  The ramp was clear. No vehicles, no debris, nothing.

  Their journey up the ramp seemed quicker as they passed the time talking with Pik. The Lizard Man had no idea how long his people had lived on the Rainforest Level. They organized into one Force with small patrols. Each patrol had a number of warriors with the rank of Tup. The patrols were commanded by Piks. The Force was commanded by one Lizard Man, the Orig. He was the oldest. He kept the peace.

  The humans thought of him as the Elder. Pik Ha’ar’s actions suggested that the Orig was like Elder McCullough, a strong man in charge by virtue of power and fear. Maybe the strange Amazonians known as the Overlords were more like him.

  Orig was a title. The oldest. Maybe he was the original mutant and the Overlords were his long-lived spawn.

  ‘Holly, we need a way back that doesn’t involve us going through the Rainforest Level...’ Micah made sure Holly knew that they couldn’t pass the patrols a second time without having to fight the entire Lizard Force.

  Aadi, Skirill, and G-War talked with Pik Ha’ar the most. Braden and Micah were humbled as the companions described them as the leaders of a movement toward a peaceful Vii. How they treated all intelligent creatures as equals and helped others do the same. How they were unrivalled warriors, as Pik himself had seen, but only used their strength in defense. The companions preferred to talk first.

  By the time they reached the top of the ramp, Pik’s world was upside-down. Braden sold his vision of a world where people traded freely to all he talked with. It was infectious. And his companions reinforced the vision. Equality for all creatures. Responsibility for your own actions. Opportunity. Agreements sealed with handshakes. A world of trust, not fear.

  Pik looked in awe at the humans.

  He stopped them as they readied to go through the door to Deck 8. ‘I pledge my life to you and the companions.’ Pik dropped to one knee and bowed his head. He felt different, part of something much bigger than himself. He f
elt a sense of pride. Yes, he thought, I believe in them and commit fully to their mission.

  ‘You’re welcome,’ G-War said to Braden and Micah. They nodded to both Pik and G-War.

  “According to Holly, this is the Garden Level. It’s the middle deck of both fore and aft sections. He says that we may be able to pass without issue. There is an ice flow near one end for watering and humidity, whatever all that means. As usual, be ready. We don’t know what’s on the other side of this door. G-War and I go first. Next, Pik, then Aadi with Skirill, and Micah closes the door.” Everyone nodded. Braden took out his bow and Micah her blaster. With a wave, the door slid to the side.

  Braden and G-War were bathed in sunshine as they stepped through. Braden ran forward a few steps then crouched, looking for potential enemies. The area before the ramp was heavily overgrown. The ramp itself was clear, but that only lasted for a few strides away from the large roll-up screen.

  It looked like a sea of color.

  “Skirill. We need your special talents to find us a way through this.” Pik hesitated in the doorway, blocking Aadi from being pushed through.

  “Pik! Move!” Micah yelled. Aadi ran into his back and pushed him through the opening. He stumbled forward and fell on his face. Micah helped angle Aadi’s shell through the too-small doorway. After he was out, she stopped and used the door frame to brace her blaster.

  Pik mumbled an embarrassed apology. Seeing the sunshine had overwhelmed him. Every step he took was something new. When he was back on his feet, he shielded his eyes with his left hand, while he kept his spear at the ready in his right.

  The Hawkoid launched himself from Aadi’s shell. He gained altitude quickly, flying at an angle to fly straight. He made a circle around the ramp, then circled again, wider. He shared his view with the companions. This drove Pik to his knees again. Braden put a hand on his shoulder, then pulled him up.

  “We need to be ready in case he sees something. G?” Braden never took his eyes from the crush of foliage.

  ‘Tasty!’ Braden looked for G-War, seeing his orange tail as the ‘cat disappeared into the underbrush.

  Skirill flew toward the forward end of the deck. There weren’t any vines on the wall, the bulkhead as Holly called it. He flew closer, seeing catwalks at various heights with doors spread here and there. Skirill made a beeline back to the ramp to Deck 9.

  Everyone was ready to move, happy to skip a trek across Deck 7, the Desert/Factory Level, or a swim on Deck 6, Oceanus. But where to start? There was no visible path away from the ramp.

  21 – Deck 8: Aft Garden Level

  G-War killed a ground squirrel that was far bigger than it should have been.

  The gardens were fertile when they were last tended and there was nothing to keep them from growing, taking over the entire deck. As they looked closely, the plants became more than a single amorphous mass, they became oversized bean plants, pepper plants, tomatoes, carrots, berries, fruit trees, and so much more.

  “Ohhh, would you look at that.” Micah’s mouth watered.

  G-War enjoyed his kill out of sight of the others. Skirill was hungry and started looking, but there was no way for him to plunge through the growth to the ground. He decided against risking getting hurt. ‘Golden Warrior, my friend, what would it take for you to leave some of that squirrel on the ramp?’

  Braden slung his bow across his pack and Micah holstered her blaster. If G-War was hunting, then there was nothing to worry about. They each picked a bush and tried some of the fruits and vegetables.

  “I’ve never tasted anything this good.” Micah moaned in delight. Braden joined her, juice dripping down his chin. Aadi was neck deep into a berry plant, while Pik watched.

  “I’m sorry, Pik, what do you like to eat?” Braden asked, while still chewing a green bean that was as long as his arm.

  ‘I like meat of all kinds. Maybe the Golden Warrior can assist me in finding a squirrel?’

  Braden didn’t have to call for a rest as they naturally took a much-deserved break. Micah ate her fill and then stepped back toward the screen on the ramp. She sat down and activated her neural implant so she could talk with Bronwyn and the children. Braden sat next to her, nuzzling close.

  ‘We have forgotten to tell you, Pik Ha’ar, but we have two children. They’re on the planet with another child that we’ve adopted as well. As Skirill might say, we aren’t nesties, but we are a click.’ Pik looked questioningly at Aadi. The Lizard Man didn’t know the Hawkoid terms, so Aadi translated it. ‘We weren’t born of the same parents, but we are a family.’

  G-War dragged the remains of his first kill onto the ramp. Skirill swooped in, picking it cleanly and carrying it to a small pear tree not far away. The ‘cat raced back into the undergrowth, returning shortly with a fresh kill. Pik thanked the ‘cat heartily before tearing into it.

  Of course he eats it raw, Braden thought. Micah focused on the window before her eye and didn’t watch the Lizard Man eat.

  “G. We can’t fit beneath the bushes like you can, or float over them like Aadi and Skirill. Do you have any ideas?”

  ‘They’re bushes. Push them out of the way. If they have thorns, go around. Did you really need me for that?’

  “Well yeah. It looks too thick to push through,” Braden said, less sure of himself.

  ‘Look underneath. The ancients built paths that are still there. Stay on those and you will be fine.’ The ‘cat had already lost interest and curled up in the shade of the nearest bush.

  “Well, I’ll be,” Braden said in surprise. “Thanks, G, and yes, I needed you for that.”

  Skirill sat in the tree, watching. Or sleeping. Braden couldn’t tell. Pik worked on the last of his squirrel. Aadi continued eating berries, which could go on for quite some time. Tortoids were not the fastest eaters.

  The companions finally rested in silence. Braden heard running water, crickets, bees, small animals running through the undergrowth. He smelled the sweetness of the fruits and the earthiness of the vegetables. There even seemed to be a light breeze. The sun shone but not too brightly. Deck 8 seemed like paradise.

  They all dozed off, not bothering to set up a camp or find a more comfortable place...

  ‘They come!’ G-War’s alarm rang in their minds. Those were never good words to wake to, but Braden stood, trying to shake the cobwebs from his mind. It was twilight; the ship-made sun had set, but a soft light bathed the area.

  ‘What is it, G?’ Micah asked over their mindlink.

  ‘The Rabbit People and their Bee Army.’

  22 – The Rabbit People

  “Back on the ramp!” Braden yelled. He was close to the door and waved his bracelet at it. As the door slid open, he pulled Micah to her feet and pushed her through. He waved Pik forward. The Lizard Man ran, hopping foot to foot, his clawed feet more accustomed to stomping through a swamp than running on a hard surface. Skirill flew toward the door, nearly hitting Braden with his wings as he landed and hopped through. Aadi couldn’t get there in time and G-War was nowhere to be seen.

  “Micah! Blasters on flame.” He stepped aside to let Micah out as he pulled his blaster and dialed up the wide, short-range flame setting.

  The Bees approached in a slow-moving cloud.

  ‘G, where are you?’ Braden asked as Micah moved onto the ramp, leaving the door open between them. With her mouth set and eyes scanning the cloud, she held her blaster at the ready, her pulse racing. The cloud looked too much like the Bat-Ravens.

  ‘I am here. I will wait and talk with the Rabbits. Aadi will join me,’ the ‘cat responded without the emotion that Braden felt.

  Pik bounced through the doorway and disappeared behind the screen. He and Skirill were safe. The humans wouldn’t leave the ‘cat and Tortoid behind. They remained where they were, ready to face the Bee Army and the as-yet unseen Rabbit People.

  The Bee Army stopped its advance. The cloud moved, sometimes growing long and thin, sometimes getting small, dense, and round. Braden looked at Mic
ah and shrugged. He trusted G-War and Aadi to come through.

  “Allies,” Micah said softly. “We need allies if we’re going to make it. Aadi is usually right about these things. I think he’s rubbed off on your ‘cat.” Micah holstered her blaster and leaned back against the door frame. Braden was torn. He kept the blaster in his hand, but lowered it. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the mindlink. He wanted to hear what they were saying. Micah was already there.

  ‘This is most unusual. We don’t often get visitors and alas, we have to protect ourselves. We’ve learned over time how to and the Queen has joined us. We live in peace and harmony, except when visitors come,’ a soft thought voice spoke. Braden imagined the speaker as a Rabbit, standing on its back feet, nose twitching, eyes big and pink.

  ‘I assure you, Master Tekel, that we come in peace. Yes, we are armed for war. One would be foolish to move through this ship without being ready to fight,’ Aadi said to the unseen Master Tekel. Braden wanted to join the conversation, but thought better of it. Micah moved next to him and grasped his hand. He looked down, alarmed that she blocked his blaster.

  Then she did a strange thing. She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him passionately. He resisted at first, but then was overcome by her feelings of love and warmth that overwhelmed his mindlink. When she released him, he couldn’t hear anything, either over the mindlink or with his ears.

  ‘G?’ he asked tentatively. The Bee cloud remained in place, continuously reshaping itself.

  ‘And that is how you do it,’ Aadi said with glee. Micah smiled and started walking forward, still holding Braden’s hand. He followed as she wouldn’t let go.

  The image of rafting whitewater rapids popped into his mind. He was hanging on with everything he had, watching the world go by as the river splashed over him. The companions shared their mirth at his image. Sometimes he projected when he didn’t intend to, like now when he was confused as to why everyone else was so pleased with themselves.