Free Trader Complete Omnibus

by Craig Martelle

  The Wolfoid answered in barks and yips, but then G-War opened the mindlink.

  ‘You’ve killed one of our herd. There must be restitution.’ The Wolfoid in front was speaking. ‘No one comes onto our land and kills one of ours, then claims to be a friend.’

  “We did not know. We came from the shell section, far beyond these walls. We do not want to fight you and offer our sincere apologies for our transgression. What will it take to make this right?” Braden continued in his Free Trader persona. They were negotiating, not attacking. How many times had he and Micah been in this same situation?

  With the Androids by Micah, Braden had no doubt they could kill all the Wolfoids. It would be a slaughter, and that’s not what Braden wanted. It wasn’t what Aadi advised.

  Allies. They wanted this last group of allies so they could finish their journey without further bloodshed.

  ‘The stream filling the lake by our village has stopped flowing and soon we will have no water. If you travel in areas outside our land, then you may know how to help us.’

  “Android,” Micah started, “I need you to fix the water flowing in that stream. I know you were programmed to run things between decks. Is that where this issue is?”

  “Yes,” the Android leader responded. “I will dispatch a team immediately to effect repairs.”

  “I expect your stream will be flowing again soon,” Micah told the Wolfoid leader. “Please accept my apologies, as the President, for taking one of your herd. We do not wish to waste the remaining meat. Can we take it with us? Would you like it? We will do as you wish.”

  ‘We will take it,’ the Wolfoid said dismissively.

  Aadi finally swam forward, slowly, and G-War ran down the tree. “Let me introduce our friends Aadi and the Golden Warrior. Aadi is the First Master of the Tortoise Consortium and the Golden Warrior is a prince among his people, the Hillcats.” Braden pointed to each as he introduced them.

  ‘We’ve never seen others like these, although I instantly don’t like the trivial orange creature.’ Braden walked forward laughing. The Wolfoids were instantly alert. They leveled their spears at the humans. The Androids raised their hands, ready to fire their lasers.

  ‘Take care not to show your teeth to these fine creatures, Master Braden. From what I’ve seen of the dogs in Dwyer, Wolfoids have a similar cultural foundation. It is fascinating, don’t you think?’

  Braden closed his mouth and smiled, holding his hands up to reduce the tension. The Wolfoid leader relaxed. Micah instructed the Androids not to fire. They backed in closer to her, but at least they lowered their hands.

  The Wolfoid leader nodded to the others and they raised their spears. With a bark, two of his pack jogged into the trees. They kicked dirt over the fire and returned, dragging the pig’s carcass between them. Without another word, the Wolfoid leader turned and walked away. The two Wolfoids hauling the carcass nodded their muzzles at the humans.

  “I guess we follow. So, Master Aadi, are we allies or prisoners?” Aadi swam forward, blinking slowly. He gave Braden a look. The human put the rope out for the Tortoid to grasp. Braden jogged forward, feeling the tug of Aadi behind him. The Wolfoids were setting a quick pace. G-War and Micah ran along side. The Androids took positions in front of and behind Micah.

  “Your security, my lady.” Braden smiled, close-lipped. He felt good to be running in the open air. Then in a lower voice, he leaned close to her. “Keep your eye on those two. They could start something and we’d be stuck finishing it.”

  “And we don’t want that.” Micah said, shaking her head. She felt good, too. They would never be comfortable within the great ship, or even in the corridors of New Sanctuary. They liked the outdoors, even if it was only a carefully engineered cylinder-contained ecosystem like Deck 10.

  Three of the Wolfoids dropped to all fours and raced ahead as they approached their village. Their spears slapped the ground as they held them in one mutant paw. The two dragging the carcass remained behind Braden and Micah.

  It had been a while since the humans had a good run and despite speeding up, they soon fell behind. G-War ran even with the Wolfoids, probably to show that he could, before dropping back and joining the companions. The Androids unerringly kept pace with Micah. They were undoubtedly the fastest creatures here, but Braden wanted them close by.

  They slowed to a walk as the village turned out to greet them. Pups and mothers, warriors and oldsters with gray faces. After their initial alarming appearance, Braden felt quite comfortable among the Wolfoids. This village could have been any one of many he’d run across in his free trading travels. So what if the villagers were Wolfoids and not human?

  It didn’t matter. Braden heard the ‘cat harrumph in the back of his mind. G-War stood, leaning against his human’s leg as they were surrounded by the Wolfoids.

  “What is a proper greeting for your people?” Braden asked when the Wolfoid leader appeared out of the crowd.

  ‘You bow and turn your head this way, exposing the vulnerable part of your neck. It shows both courage and trust.’

  Braden bowed and did as the leader described. The Wolfoid did not respond in kind. The Androids moved close to Micah, blocking access to her with their bodies. She couldn’t bow because the Android leader was too close in front of her.

  ‘Aadi, any idea why he didn’t greet me?’ Braden asked in his thought voice.

  ‘Water, Master Braden. They wait for you to fulfill your part of the bargain.’ Braden looked at the Android for an answer, but remembered that they didn’t share the mindlink.

  “Any idea when the water will return to the stream?”

  The Android leader looked at Braden, then looked back to the Wolfoid leader.

  “While we wait for the Androids to make repairs, what do we call you?” Braden asked.

  ‘I am known as Bounder. This is my mate Gray Strider.’ A smaller Wolfoid sidled up next to the leader, who was by far the largest present. He stood a good two heads taller than his mate and nearly a head taller than the rest of the pack.

  “Bounder, Gray Strider. We are pleased to meet you. I am Braden and this is my mate Micah. We are bonded to the Golden Warrior,” Braden pointed at the ‘cat and then to the Tortoid, “and Aadi.”

  Gray Strider bared her fangs at G-War, whose ears flattened. He hissed back at her. Braden reached down, putting a hand on the ‘cat’s back. His muscles tensed as he was ready to launch himself into action.

  Bounder threw his head back and barked, before nuzzling his mate. She closed her mouth and nuzzled him back. ‘That’s how I felt when I first met the little creature. It doesn’t bother me anymore. It’s harmless.’ He patted Gray Strider’s foreleg with his own.

  Braden felt G-War vibrating in anger. ‘G. It’s better to be thought harmless than to actually be harmless.’

  “It’s in your blood. Dogs and cats never get along. It’s like humans and snakes. It seems unnatural. But it’s okay. The Golden Warrior is my friend. He’s saved our lives many times. There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for him.” Braden petted G-War, rubbing his side before standing up straight.

  “When will the water flow again? Send that one to check on this end,” Micah ordered. The Android leader was going to argue, but Micah stomped sideways and headed into the village. He stopped her and she threw a hard elbow into the side of his head. Micah yelped as her flesh met synthetic skin over immovable metal. She pulled out her blaster and pressed it against his chest. “I said send him. I will kill you right now if you don’t do as you’re told. You take orders from me, not Holly. Do you understand?”

  “I understand,” he said. He turned to the other Android. Without a word, the other departed at a run toward the lake beside the village and the stream that was supposed to be feeding it. Braden tried to step between them, but wouldn’t fit. He encouraged Micah to put her blaster away and led her toward the lake. The entire village followed. Aadi swam along, followed by a pack of young pups that raced back and forth underneath him.
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  G-War squeezed between the hand-holding humans. The Android leader walked alongside, nearly touching Micah’s shoulder. Bounder walked at Braden’s shoulder.

  ‘Interesting relationship your mate has with the other creature. What is it? It smells odd.’

  “That is an Android. They aren’t creatures at all, but a mechanical creation. The ancients built them to help run the ship. They’re still doing that.”

  ‘You speak strange words, but you smell sincere. We know only the land of Livestel.’ They stopped at the edge of the lake. There was little water in it, and the shore was dry and cracked. They heard a rumble and watched as a wave of water rushed down the stream-carved trench into the lake. The wave surged forward, mud-colored and carrying much debris. The lake water churned with the mini flood. The water flowed steadily, soon clearing as the lake filled.

  Barks and yips encouraged the lake water. Some energetic pups jumped into the lake as the waters swirled, but were quickly chased out by concerned mothers. Braden and Micah watched, thinking how their own children would play in the fresh water.

  The water crested, flowing out the other side into the runoff stream. It clogged with debris, but the water overflowed, broke the clog loose, and the detritus was carried away.

  Bounder bowed deeply to the humans, thanking them for their help in bringing water back to their village. The price of one small pig was nothing compared to what the Wolfoids gained.

  Braden and Micah always enjoyed celebrations in their honor. The biggest surprise came when Bounder aimed his spear at a pile of wood and fired a bolt of lightning, instantly starting a fire. The Wolfoids liked their meat cooked. G-War snorted in disgust, although he admitted that they didn’t smell as bad as the dogs of Dwyer.

  Once Braden got past his appreciation at having a cooked meal, he realized that the Wolfoid spears were powered. “I’m glad we didn’t start anything with the Wolfoids,” he told Micah in a low voice. “I’m not sure it would have turned out in our favor.”

  ‘Allies, my friends. The Wolfoids are fiercely loyal once you’ve earned their trust. They may be a blend of all that is best in humans and dogs, no offense intended, Golden Warrior.’ Aadi floated close to them, enjoying the celebration by watching, as he always did. He deemed himself a terminal student, always studying how species interacted.

  The two Androids stood nearby, putting a damper on their good spirits.

  ‘Holly. I’m not sure we can handle too much more of the Androids, although they were quick at fixing the stream for the Wolfoid village. How much longer are you going to have them shadow us?’ Braden asked via his neural implant.

  ‘I will have them accompany you for a little longer. I can’t be certain how long because there are threats on the ship that I do not yet fully comprehend. Your Hawkoid friends made it through this area to the matter transfer chamber without any problems. I think you are safe the rest of the way. I am in the middle of rather extensive calculations within the ship, on the transfer of the survivors, and here on Cygnus VII. My resources are at their limit. Once the survivors are on board, I’ll reprioritize and shunt resources to secondary systems. That should free up the assets I need to ensure full control of the Androids to make necessary repairs. While they were independent, they didn’t do everything they needed to keep the ship in perfect running order.’

  6:33 showed on the countdown timer.

  ‘Let us know, Holly, the sooner the better. These things are creepy.’ Braden reduced his window. He wanted to know the second the survivors arrived and the second the Androids would be released to do other work.

  Braden told Micah about his short conversation with Holly. She agreed and waved it away. Now wasn’t the time to worry about such things. She pointed at the celebration. The Wolfoids were paired up, as couples. They leaned against each other as they watched the younger Wolfoids run and play.

  The Wolfoid culture was family and pack oriented. They were a tight-knit community that Braden and Micah enjoyed being a part of. G-War watched the pups frolic, attempting bolder and bolder displays of bravado and physical prowess. Many ended in crashing to the ground on their faces, where the adults yipped in laughter. Tails between legs let parents know that someone was hurt, either physically or emotionally, but never for long. After a quick nuzzle, even the greatest failure among them returned with tail held high.

  G-War strolled into the middle of the pups, tail tip flicking back and forth. Then he bolted underneath the legs of one pup, causing the small Wolfoid to fall over as his head tried to follow the ‘cat. G-War leapt onto another’s back, jumping away quickly as she tried to react. The remaining pups piled after the ‘cat as it became a great game of chase. G-War was at the top of his game as he deftly wound between and among the Wolfoids, never letting them bite his tail.

  With one last orange flash, he flew high in the air, landing cleanly between Bounder and Gray Strider. He sat instantly, as if he’d been there the whole time. The pups were not so dexterous and they mobbed after the ‘cat, sliding as they saw who they were going to run into. Others behind pushed and the entire pup pack rolled into and over the Wolfoid leaders. A few sharp nips from the Alpha sent the pups scrambling for their parents.

  The entire village froze until Bounder and Gray Strider raised their muzzles and laughed. They shook the dirt from their heavy coats. G-War stood between them and shook himself clean as well. Bounder looked down at him, for the first time seeing the mass of scars that crossed his body.

  ‘Your acrobatics are unmatched, little friend. Thank you for showing our pups how it’s done. Tell me, how did you earn these great wounds?’

  G-War walked to the lake and took a long drink before returning to the middle of the circle, his back to the fire where the pork cooked on a spit. He started the story by telling of the first attack of the Bat-Ravens, then the second. How the great beasts of Vii shuddered in fear at the approach of the black cloud of death. How Braden and Micah developed a plan using Old Tech to destroy the mutie birds where they nested. How they all went into the battle, knowing they were vastly outnumbered. How they ran and fought, isolated the evil, killing them in small groups, then running some more. How they won the battle, but the war against the Bat-Ravens would go on since some survived. Their scars were reminders that they’d have to fight again.

  The Wolfoid leaders raised their muzzles and howled. Others joined and finally the pups were howling. The sound was unnerving. Aadi told them it was a sign of respect and solidarity in a great tale of adventure. Once great hunters, they were shepherds and farmers now. Thanks to the ‘cat, they saw the humans as the leaders they used to be. The humans could take them to a place they wanted to return to.

  ‘It is settled. My mate and I will join you on your journey. Shredder will be the new Alpha. He is ready,’ Bounder said simply over the mindlink, followed by a series of yips and barks as he informed the village. The barking started in earnest after that. Braden and Micah wanted to protest, but they were drowned out by the howling of Wolfoid joy.

  “I guess it’s settled…” Micah managed by leaning close to Braden and yelling toward his ear. They shook their heads as they laughed, holding hands as they sent a thank you to G-War for his role in strengthening the companions.

  ‘If anyone can get those dogs under control in Dwyer, it will be these two. Finally the world can be a better place,’ G-War said matter-of-factly. He licked a paw and wiped his face. There was always a purpose behind everything he did, and that purpose was almost always to improve the comfort of one Prince Axial De’atesh.

  “You are an ass,” Braden said as he pointed at the ‘cat, who sat, nose in the air, ignoring the revelry around him. “And a great friend.”

  57 – Betrayal

  “The first group of survivors should be here by now, shouldn’t they?” Micah asked. She opened her neural implant and checked the timer. 0:00. Skirill said that they’d been dutifully watching and no one had yet left the chamber. They remained wary, ready to welcome th
e human and clones. Holly was too busy to talk.

  After forcing themselves to eat more pork, the celebration ended. The families returned to their hovels so the pups could take naps. Even the adults looked sleepy. The remains of the small boar they killed had not been enough for all the Wolfoids, but other foods appeared, including a great deal more meat. Everyone had their fill.

  Bounder and Gray Strider sat very doglike next to Braden and Micah. The humans waited, but the Wolfoids asked no questions. Aadi was first to jump in.

  ‘What do you expect from this adventure?’ Aadi asked boldly.

  ‘We expect to represent all Wolfoids in building a world where our kind can roam free, live as we were meant to, be equal partners with the humans and other creatures of Vii. Hunt and grow.’

  Braden marveled at how quickly others learned over the mindlink. Maybe G-War and Aadi had already spent a good deal of time talking with the Wolfoid leaders, explaining what Vii was shaping up to be.

  “There’s a war going on in the rainforest between the Lizard Men. They fight each other because some of them don’t believe in being equal partners. They don’t trust the humans. To be more specific, they don’t trust us,” Braden told Bounder.

  “As long as Holly controls the ship, your people can come to Vii. Twelve at a time can travel through the matter transfer chamber. We have extra command level bracelets that we will share with you, one for both of you, then there will be two more that you can leave behind. Those will allow you to leave this Deck and access the Engineering spaces.

  They passed out the bracelets, which the Wolfoids wrapped around a strap on their harnesses. They gave the other two to Shredder and his mate, then waved them away. Bounder was still the Alpha as long as he was present.

  Braden and Micah were bone tired. They didn’t remember the last time they had slept normally. Gray Strider told them to sleep in their hut as they needed to talk with the members of the village, say their goodbyes. It would take a while as they had much to say to their people. They wished the humans well for a sound sleep.