Free Trader Complete Omnibus

by Craig Martelle

  Micah glowed as her mother embraced what she’d become. Even though she didn’t completely understand, she’d seen enough. As Micah had quickly accepted G-War, Skirill, and Aadi, so did her mother. There was never a doubt that G-War was right. He sensed emotions and thoughts at a deeper level than the rest.

  The ‘cat rubbed against Braden’s leg. He reached down to scratch him behind his ears.

  ‘Cornwall,’ he projected to all present in his most emphatic ‘cat voice.

  Dad’s Home and There’s Hell to Pay

  Mattie introduced the companions to everyone in the village of Trent. People shied away from Brandt because of his size and the Wolfoids because of their fearsome appearance. G-War came to the rescue by playing ‘catch the ‘cat’ where he led them to the Wolfoids, who sat like big dogs. The children quickly grew comfortable and started climbing on the Wolfoids, who were the right size to be ridden by toddlers.

  Braden thought they wouldn’t but they did. Mothers walked alongside keeping their toddlers steady as Bounder walked in a big circle, a miserable expression on his face. Micah stepped in and suggested that the Wolfoids shouldn’t be ridden, but simply petted and loved. Gray Strider smirked as Wolfoids do, tongue lolling while children mobbed her mate, grabbing and holding hands full of hair.

  The twins played on Brandt’s horns and everyone loved the Rabbits. Aadi stayed near Braden as the diplomacy had not yet begun. They had two goals for their visit: establish Trent’s place on the trade route and recruit warriors to help with the war. Once there, they realized that those were both secondary. The main reason for their visit was simple: reacquaint Micah with her family.

  The village dropped everything they had been doing and prepared a feast. The fishing season had been a good one. The hills didn’t have their best growing season, but there was enough for all. Braden asked the Hawkoids to scout other areas in the hills to the west and north looking for more edible plants and vegetables. They immediately flew away to help the village find more food sources. The villagers watched them go as Braden told them what they were looking for.

  Once the tables were set and the center of the village prepared for the feast, the villagers waited for the men to come home. Mattie pulled everyone into a group, telling them that she wouldn’t tolerate anyone who didn’t welcome her daughter and the friends she’d brought with her. They all agreed, having met the group and seen how friendly they were, including how protective they were of Micah. She wished everyone had such friends protecting their children and grandchildren.

  Many of the women smirked at the thought of the upcoming battle between Micah’s mother and father. So they waited and talked with the companions while Mattie, Micah, and Braden told the people what was said. When the boat sails appeared in the distance, people started jockeying for positions closer to the water, leaving plenty of space for Mattie to greet the fishermen.

  “Is there going to be a fight?” Braden asked, expecting more of a lively argument, but this was shaping up to be a physical contest.

  “Oh, yeah it is!” Micah smiled. Braden started inching away until she grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Where do you think I get it from?” she asked. “But my mother has never been this open before. She usually deferred to my father before it came to this.”

  “I’m glad we got ours out of the way early in our relationship,” Braden said with a smile, leaning in for a kiss. She had put him in his place early to demonstrate what she could do, how she could fight. They never touched each other in anger, that would be something completely different. By sharing their thoughts, things didn’t get out of control before they could get resolved. Usually partners didn’t communicate well. They didn’t have that problem. Braden couldn’t remember being angry with her.

  “Me neither,” she said, listening in to his thoughts as she did. Despite the cycles of trying to improve his skill, it still took an effort. He knew that he was never alone with his thoughts, but didn’t let it bother him. Surrounded by his friends and family, he was well taken care of and appreciated their presence, even if it was deep inside his head.

  The men lined the prow of the small boats as they raced toward the shore. They knew something was different by the reception waiting for them. People lined the small slope that led from the beach to their village. Mattie stood in the middle of a horseshoe of people with her hands on her hips.

  The fisherman looked to Caleb, Mattie’s husband.

  “What the hell? What’d I do?” he asked the man holding the tiller, keeping their heading true.

  “I don’t know, Chief, but she looks mad. It must have been a whale of a good one!” Caleb pushed the man until he almost fell out of the boat. The man murmured apologies as they hit the soft sand and continued onto the beach. The four men in the front jumped out and pulled the boat further until it was firmly beached.

  “What?” Caleb yelled from the deck of the boat. Fish flopped around his feet as the others started gathering woven baskets to carry them ashore.

  “You come down here this heartbeat!” Mattie ordered.

  He jumped over the side, landing in the soft sand. He hitched up his trousers, thrust out his chest, and strutted up to her. The entire village watched in rapt attention. Caleb hadn’t noticed any of the newcomers as his eyes were solely focused on his wife.

  He stepped up to her and mirrored her pose, hands on hips, feet spread wide.

  “Your daughter has returned…” she started saying. Caleb instantly looked around for Micah and once he saw he saw her standing on the bank, he made to storm up the beach after her. He took one step before Mattie tripped him. Micah innocently waved by wiggling her fingers at her father and smiling.

  He was furious. “Let me go!” he howled, trying to get up, but Mattie put her foot in the middle of his back and drove him back into the sand. He rolled sideways, grabbing her foot and twisting. She pirouetted in the air as she fell heavily into the sand.

  Caleb sat and then dug deeply as he tried to stand and resume his run up the bank. Mattie hit him behind his knees as she drove her shoulder into him. He collapsed and fell forward. She scrabbled up his body, trying to get him into a chokehold. He flailed his arms, trying to throw her off.

  “Isn’t this great fun?” Micah asked with an odd look of satisfaction on her face. Braden could only laugh. G-War was bored and yawned. He nodded to the south.

  “What have I gotten myself into?” Braden asked no one in particular. The villagers were getting into the fight. No one chose one over the other, but they cheered the moves and counter moves, appreciating the footwork and leverage that Mattie used to keep her much larger husband on the defensive. Finally, they were both standing and circling each other warily.

  Mattie faked a jab, and he ducked. He tried to bull rush her, and she dodged.

  “Your grandchildren are up there, too, and they are delightful,” she panted through a sneer. He hesitated, but stayed in his fighting stance. “She also has a war party like none you’ve ever seen before to protect her, her partner, and them. If you best me, you will not beat them.” She stood up and put her hands on her hips.

  “Now go up there, say you’re sorry, and meet your family, you big clod!” she shouted.

  He looked from his wife to Micah and back. He saw the two toddlers waving at him. “Oh, hell,” he said as he took his wife’s hand and they climbed the bank together.

  The Eastern Ocean Anchor

  The twins talked him through any reluctance about meeting the companions. G-War helped him to talk with them all, which settled things quickly. He shook Braden’s hand as a father did with the man who wanted to marry his daughter. He tried to crush it. Although Braden was smaller in stature, he had the strength to resist but not overcome the older man. They called it a draw as Micah’s father slapped him on the shoulder.

  Caleb wanted to know about the blasters. He knew that his daughter had liberated the one from the chief of Cornwall, but not that others existed. Braden assured him that there were
no others available in the south, or anywhere on Vii.

  “All kinds of firsts today,” the large man said. “I’ve never met anyone from the north before. Didn’t even realize people lived up there. I never met anyone who’d seen the Western Ocean. I never met animals that could talk, and look here, you can’t shake a stick without hitting one. And I have grandchildren!” he exclaimed loudly. Another toast and more cheers.

  Micah could not have been happier with the reception that her mother made possible. She thanked her in her thought voice. Mattie looked around, brushing past her ear as if a mosquito buzzed nearby. ‘It’s me, Mother. The Golden Warrior makes it possible for us to talk using only our minds. That’s how you’re able to talk with our companions. Our children? Well, they’re special, and they can talk with you directly at any time. No matter, I appreciate what you did for me. We have much to talk about regarding the future of this world.’ Micah was successful in sharing her somber tone in her last statement.

  Mattie hurried everyone up, and then just the family retreated to the chief’s hut where they could talk about the war and trade. Aadi joined them as he always enjoyed negotiations and talks of strategy. G-War joined them as he was tired of playing hit the ‘cat with a broom that the old lady insisted on continuing.

  Braden stood in the middle of the opening as Micah’s brothers entered and took their seats. Micah stared them all down and then laughed. Braden wondered if she’d always been the happiest child among them. Mattie and Caleb held their grandchildren, nodding at the brothers, hinting at why they weren’t holding up their end like their younger sister. They hung their heads until Micah launched herself into her brothers and all five went tumbling. There was pushing and arm-twisting and then a howl of pain as someone got bitten.

  Braden was appalled at how quickly his partner had reverted to her younger self. “Hey!” he yelled. “Your children are watching.” The twins took that as their cue to jump on the pile of adults. Braden rescued ‘Tesh before someone rolled on her, and Mattie saved Ax from the same fate.

  Despite Caleb’s rough exterior, the fact that he had a family like this suggested that he was a good, caring father.

  “There’s a war in the Amazon for control of the south. We didn’t start it, but we have to finish it. The ancients engineered creatures to work for them. At least one of the original Lizard Men is still around, at least one anyway, and he’s giving the orders, making them fight, telling them to kill humans. They tried to kill us, but we had the companions to help and protect us. Aadi, here, is some kind of legend to them. He’s helped us out of quite a few scrapes with the hostile Lizard Men.” Aadi bowed his head slightly and blinked slowly.

  “To help us fight this war, we need to strengthen trade with Dwyer and McCullough. We have a couple hundred refugees and they need to eat. Anything you could supply would be greatly appreciated. If you had a few warriors, that would be a great help, too,” Braden said.

  “If we spare the men, we won’t be able to catch extra fish. No, we have no one to spare, but this year’s harvest is more than we need and we’ll keep fishing. You can never have too much. We’ve traded with some of the people from the hills, but we never know how that will go. So, how does free trade work?”

  Braden brightened and went into a long explanation, including the history of the Caravan Guild including the establishment of the Free Traders. Micah’s eyes glazed over. Had they only arrived that morning? She didn’t realize how tired she was and yawned. Braden saw her and smiled. He wrapped up his lecture and wished Mattie and Caleb a good evening. They went outside where their companions were relaxing in the open air. Mattie had offered a bed within the hut, but the twins wanted to sleep wherever the Rabbits were. They threw out their blankets beneath a tree behind the chief’s hut, and they all settled in for the evening.

  Braden heard a crash from within the hut and more thumping as if furniture was being thrown around.

  “Are they fighting again?” he asked.

  “Oh no, that is something completely different. Just cover your ears and go to sleep,” she said and nestled into his shoulder with a big smile on her face.

  It was easier to sleep when one’s mind was at peace. Both Braden and Micah slept well that night.

  Next Stop, Cornwall

  The agreement to provide dried fish in a quantity to fill the wagon was made. Deer hides and woven material would be greatly appreciated. And if they could swing new metal tridents, then those alone would be worth a wagon load of fish.

  Braden said that they would try to return in one cycle of the moon with what Caleb asked for. In the meantime, they had to go south to Cornwall and have the same conversation with them. “They aren’t friendly like us,” Caleb quipped.

  “I think we may have to strong-arm them a bit, but we’re not afraid to use as much force as necessary, even if it breaks an arm or two,” Braden stated conspiratorially. He shook hands with Micah’s father as they climbed into the wagon. Brandt leaned forward to tighten the harness and pulled away from the ocean toward the hills where the terrain was better for the wagon’s wheels.

  This was one of the new wagons rolling with Holly’s hubs on the axle. It turned as smoothly as they could hope, but it did nothing to soften the ride over rough ground. Skirill and Zyena scouted a route ahead and soon, they turned south. Less than a turn away stood Micah’s nemesis, but she felt no fear, no trepidation. They had a mission to set up trade. If the village chief didn’t like it, then too bad. If they stayed off the trade route, that would be their loss.

  Braden had given Caleb half their small stock of the Amazonian rope, saving the other half to show Cornwall what was out there. Caleb said he’d seen nothing finer and would put it to the test when they sailed that day.

  The rope was the only item they had for trade, unless they were able to kill a deer on the way. Venison helped people be more open to conversation.

  The Wolfoids ran into the hills, scouring them for any sign of wildlife. Besides ground squirrels and wild rabbits, they saw and sniffed nothing else. There would be no deer. In the late afternoon, they topped a small hill to see Cornwall before them. They intended to wait, but their sudden appearance was seen and people started running around. The boats were stowed on the beach, so all the men were there. This wasn’t what Braden wanted.

  Braden was hoping to make a more subtle entrance. “Well, I guess we go in now, huh?” he said. Zyena was closest of the two Hawkoids and flew over the village, giving them a view of men with weapons getting into position.

  “Maybe we’ll have to fight our way in,” Micah said in a dangerous tone, her hand on her sword. Patrice and Delavigne held the children in the back of the wagon while Braden and Micah rode the horses.

  “I didn’t see any blasters or bows, only spears. We’ll unhook Brandt, close the distance, and see if they’ll be willing to talk,” Braden told them as he climbed off Max to help Brandt out of his harness.

  Once ready, he returned to the saddle, made sure the rope was held tightly in Aadi’s beak-like mouth, and they headed downhill. G-War and the Wolfoids walked to the sides. They stopped when Micah thought they were beyond the range of a Cornwall attack. The Wolfoids had their spears leveled, ready to fire lightning into the village if they had to. Aadi floated to the side, ready to deliver a thunderclap if warranted. Micah held her blaster in her left hand and had her right hand on the pommel of her sheathed sword.

  Braden was the only one who didn’t seem ready to fight. He carried his bow across his back and his blaster was in its holster on his hip. He held both reins as he leaned forward. “I’m Free Trader Braden, and I’ve come to talk about trading with your village! Who speaks for you?” He watched people shuffle uncomfortably, but no one came forward.

  Braden climbed down and walked forward a few paces. A spear sailed from beyond a hastily erected barricade. It flew fast and much farther than Braden thought possible. He rotated his torso, twisting to let the spear pass a mere finger’s-breadth from his chest
. It thudded into the ground and stuck. He crouched as he looked back.

  He pulled his blaster and took aim, then thought better of it, holstering it.

  “My blaster!” a man yelled and stepped forward. He appeared to be about the same age as Micah’s father. “They don’t have the recharger. They can’t shoot us,” he said as he continued forward. Three men joined him, carrying their spears at the ready.

  ‘I wonder how his broken arm healed,’ Braden told Micah using his thought voice.

  ‘I don’t know, but let’s see how his legs work,’ Micah answered. She aimed and pulled the trigger, tracing a line of fire in front of the men and instantly stopping their advance. Two turned and ran. The old man and one other stood their ground.

  “So you figured out how to charge it,” the chief said flatly. “I didn’t think we’d ever see you again. You know your life is forfeit, so come on down here and let’s take care of that. We have some rope…”

  Aadi swam forward. They looked at him oddly, but didn’t understand what they were seeing. When the Tortoid got as close as he dared, he delivered his focused thunderclap on the two men. They staggered, and the old man fell. The younger man held his hands over his bleeding ears.

  The Wolfoids dropped to all fours and started to run, parallel to the hasty barricade behind which the villagers crouched. They circled wide and turned to run into the village from the undefended side. Brandt pawed the ground and shook his head, showing his great horns. G-War was nowhere to be seen, but Braden expected he’d be wreaking havoc shortly.

  Micah jumped down from her horse and put her blaster away. She drew her sword and held it before her as she advanced toward the man on the ground. As she approached him, another spear whistled from the launching contraption of a man behind the barrier. She parried it with her blade, and the spear ricocheted harmlessly to the side.