Now Pik Ha’ar was back and he seemed like an older, more confident Lizard Man. He was also quickly becoming an entirely new friend. They liked how he turned out even if they didn’t agree with the Androids and Holly playing God, although Braden had to admit, he asked Holly to do it. Once again, the computer only did what they asked it to do, even if the humans didn’t understand how. Everything Holly did was for a purpose based on the information he had and guidance he was given. Even if he did things differently than Braden or Micah would do them, he only wanted to give them what they asked for, and he did it to the best of his ability.
Holly’s abilities were beyond their comprehension. Braden asked Micah to open her neural implant and apologize to Holly on his behalf. She did as she asked, eyes unfocused as they walked through the tall grasses toward the distant village where the smoke from a cook fire was already starting to billow skyward, creating dark clouds that twirled away with the rotation of the decks.
“Holly says he is humbled that you would think he needed to hear an apology. He also agreed that he should have better described the entire process. Holly is pleased that Pik Ha’ar’s memories are mostly there. In fact, he says the Lizard Man’s recollections from before and immediately after his death are unprecedented,” she told Braden while the window was still open before her eye.
“I think the memories were G’s doing. He filled the gaps in Pik’s mind and that included some of the memories following his death. How else could he have known that G-War pressed the buttons to give Holly access to the computers that controlled the Androids? Isn’t that one of the first things he said when he woke up? Of course, G-War is the hero from his point of view!” Braden started laughing and laughed so hard that they had to stop. Micah laughed because Braden was doubled over coughing. Tears streamed from his eyes as he thought of the ‘cat’s history of Vii.
Pik and Dal stopped and watched the humans closely, wondering if they were ill.
“G-War! You are the best and my best friend,” Braden gasped between snorts and chuckles.
Micah slapped him on the back. “What about me, lover?” she said with a smile.
“Our best friend,” he managed to say, emphasizing the word “our.” They started walking again, giggling as they went.
‘Of course, I am, and blessed you are for it, too,’ the ‘cat interjected. ‘Would you hurry up? The Wolfoids have devised some games to determine who gets to go, but they aren’t going to start until you get here. I’m ready for a nap, but don’t want to miss this. Now, run!’ he commanded. They giggled more at the sound of his thought voice confirming everything they had suspected.
Pik put a rope in Aadi’s mouth as he and Dal lumbered after the humans. Then he handed the other end of the rope to the younger, smaller Lizard Man so he could pull the Tortoid. Dal considered it an honor as Pik said the Tortoid was to be revered by all Lizard Men.
Maybe G-War wasn’t the only one making suggestions about the companions’ storied past.
The Wolfoid Games
Braden and Micah arrived, sweating profusely as Braden’s head hurt more and more. In the end, Micah and Pik supported him between them as they lumbered into the village. Braden dunked his head in the lake to cool the pain. When he lifted his head, a pack of pups were there, watching him closely. One, bolder than the others, leaned in close, lapping the water with his tongue, then nodded to Braden. The pup mimicked the motion a second time as he tried to teach Braden the proper way to drink from the lake.
Braden appreciated the pup’s efforts. He turned his face toward the water and put his lips to it, licking the water to make it splash. The pups yipped and batted at the one who showed Braden the Wolfoid way. Then they all ran off. Braden wiped his face on his sleeve. All he wanted was to sit down. He took a spot near the fire, leaning back against a log. He was soon asleep.
Micah waved for them to start the games that Bounder, Gray Strider, and Shredder devised to help them select the next Wolfoids to go to Planet Vii. Bounder tipped his chin to the humans as he barked and howled to open the games. G-War watched with wide eyes as he sat in a crouch.
‘G, you have to tell me what’s really going on here?’ Micah asked, talking only with the ‘cat.
‘These are games where they will be physically challenged, but that’s not what Bounder is looking for. The contestants don’t know that, though, and that is why these are going to be so much fun to watch. Now hush and let me concentrate,’ G-War said abruptly and closed the mindlink.
Ten couples of all shapes and sizes entered the central area between the pack and the fire where a pig had just been put on to roast. Micah looked closely and couldn’t tell which Wolfoid was partnered with which, but she seemed to be the only one who didn’t know. Pik and Dal crouched at the edge of the lake, keeping themselves wet with periodic splashes of water. They seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. Aadi floated near them, taking in moisture through his feet, as Tortoids did.
Bounder barked and yipped, driving the crowd into a frenzy. The contestants started howling as he stepped aside. He looked at a path from the village and chased a couple Wolfoids out of the way. He fired lightning from his spear and the ten were off, dropping quickly to all fours and running for all they were worth.
‘What is the first contest?’ Micah asked Gray Strider.
‘Run to the ramp and return. That’s the only instruction they were given,’ she responded. Micah felt like the Wolfoid was holding something back, but G-War had asked her to be patient. She sat back, holding Braden as he slept and watched the pig roast as the pups played. One Wolfoid had climbed to the top of a hut and was barking out the status of those in the race.
One male, only slightly smaller than Bounder, was increasing his lead over the others. He tore up a great mound of earth as he turned at the base of the ramp, racing past the others, his paws pounding the ground. He nipped at his mate as he passed, urging her to go faster.
Most were bunched up, but one pair was bringing up the rear. The female had a slight limp. The male took her spear so she could run without holding it in the hand of her foreleg as the rest of the Wolfoids did. With a spear in each hand, he slowed to keep pace with his mate. They didn’t give up. Long after the others had passed, they reached the ramp. She took a short break to bite at her paw, realizing that there was a splinter. The male helped and soon it was out. She felt much better when they started running the return leg. They couldn’t see the winner arrive as he was too far ahead. They saw the remaining bunch of Wolfoids wrestling with each other to get in front, happy that they weren’t thrown into that mix. They weren’t the biggest, the strongest, or the fastest.
They wondered if they’d made a mistake asking to be considered, but they kept running.
The large male reared and howled in his most impressive Wolfoid voice as he stood alone in the center of the village. He breathed heavily and after a few heartbeats, started barking for his mate, cheering her on. She was held back by the others who nipped and bumped each other. The next seven Wolfoids arrived in a single rolling bundle of fur. Bounder looked at Gray Strider, who shrugged, not knowing who arrived in what order. Bounder declared all of them to be second.
The large male pulled his mate from the pile and nipped her ear. She hung her head as she followed him to the lake for a drink.
‘No water!’ Bounder yelled over the mindlink, and bellowed the order in a series of barks and yips. The Wolfoids looked confused. Some asked why, but he silenced them with a growl.
They waited as the last two arrived. The male still carried his mate’s spear and gave it to her as they entered the village. They stood upright and walked in as if they won the race, waving their forelegs at the crowd and smiling. Gray Strider bobbed her head in approval. If you can’t win, you might as well finish in style.
The other contestants snickered.
Round two was set up to be the acquisition of food. Each of the paired Wolfoids were to run to the near field and return with a pig. The pig was not t
o be harmed. The couples lined up next to the fire and prepared to run. A flash of lightning and they were off.
The group stayed closer together as they knew they needed to work with each other. No Wolfoid could catch a pig and return with it unharmed by themselves.
The villagers moved beyond the huts where they could see the antics of the contestants. The large male and his mate were first in and cornered a pig against a rock fence. As it tried to scramble out of the enclosure, the large male pounced and held it down with his jaws wrapped around its throat. The female grabbed the back legs, and it kicked her away. She jumped back and seized the legs with renewed vigor. The large male held onto the front legs as he released his grip on the pig. They manhandled the terrified animal, half dragging it, half carrying it. They were first out of the enclosure and headed back to the village. The large male showed his teeth, confident that his victory was guaranteed.
Another pair of Wolfoids trapped a pig between them and they each grabbed a front leg, towing the pig behind them. It squealed and bit at them but they fought off its attacks as they gained on the large male and his mate.
Others chased the pigs around the enclosure, catching them and equally manhandling them back toward the village. The last couple watched the large male and his mate pick up their pace and arrive at the same time as the other pair in a tie for first!
The last two couples made it back to the village, equally disheveled from their efforts. Finally, the smaller couple, assured of last place again, used carrots from a nearby field to lure the pigs forward. Tired from being chased, they seemed relieved for the meal. The two Wolfoids walked ahead as four pigs followed them. They tried to shoo away three of them, but the pigs were focused solely on the carrots. They casually walked to the village, giving out the last carrot as they entered the open space. They shrugged and looked longingly at the lake.
Bounder nodded, and the ten contestants buried their muzzles in the water as one, drinking deeply after their exertions.
The large male was first out and stood before the fire, expecting to be crowned the victor.
Micah saw the glimmer in Gray Strider’s eyes. She thought she understood, and that was confirmed when Bounder waved the confused Wolfoid away, having to show his teeth to get the large male to finally move.
With his spear, Bounder pointed to the couple who finished last in both events. He called them to him and declared them the winners of the contest. They were as confused as the large male.
‘We’ve been to Vii, a great and wonderful land. It is a place where future generations of Wolfoids will be raised, but what we’ve found, thanks to Braden, Micah, the Golden Warrior, Aadi, and the other companions, is that it takes so much more than physical strength to survive. There, we fight together, we fight smarter, or we die alone. That’s the lesson we want all of you to take from this. Eventually, every one of you who wants to go will join us on Vii. You can’t imagine how incredible it is. We hunt like we were meant to, but we can farm, or keep pigs. We have help there, and we help others. Congratulations to our winners!’ Bounder howled to their victory, sniffing their sense of contentment.
The two winners held up their spears. Bounder and Gray Strider opened the feast, telling the Wolfoid chefs to start cutting the meat. Shredder managed the process of feeding the pack. Bounder pulled the winners aside after the commotion settled down. He also told those who didn’t win to stand aside and wait for him.
‘You two are going, but there are four spots. You pick who you want to go with us. We will support your choice,’ Bounder said simply. They thanked him with a quick nuzzle and retreated behind the huts to talk about who they would consider.
When Bounder addressed the others, their heads hung low. But he said that he was impressed by their speed and strength, both of which would come in handy on Vii. They would get their turn soon, and they would be magnificent additions to the foundation of the first Wolfoid settlement. He told them that the next ones to go would be the ones who competed for the honor to join Bounder and Gray Strider. When they left, their heads were high and they promptly went to the back of the line, making sure the rest of the village ate first.
If they were going to be the foundation of a new settlement, they had to earn the loyalty of the others, as Bounder had done. Leaders make sure everyone else can eat and that no one gets left behind. Bounder made his point with the entire village through the games and with his speech.
‘Well done, Bounder! Well done,’ Braden said after Micah told him what he missed.
‘You were right, G. I get what he did, and Vii will be better because of it,’ Micah told the ‘cat.
G-War strutted through the crowd, tail held high. ‘When are we going back to Cornwall?’ he asked.
Home to New Sanctuary
Loper and his mate Sunny Day were overwhelmed by their selection to go to the planet. They thought they had little chance, but wanted to try. They also considered the contests to be fun and recommended to Shredder that he hold games on a regular basis, changing them each time to teach the Wolfoids different problem solving skills while under pressure.
The winners chose two yearlings, a young couple that did not yet have pups, to go with them. Bounder asked why they chose Wolfoids with no experience.
‘Because they will grow and mature knowing nothing but Vii. They will learn faster than the rest of us who have been raised here in the confines of Livestel. It’s the young who will lead us to the future,’ Loper answered. Bounder was pleased with their victory and their reasoning. He wondered why he knew so little of this couple who seemed different, yet so wise. Maybe that was why. Different wasn’t a quality that he looked for when he was the Alpha. That led to dissent and hardship. But now, different was better. It could have been better back then, too. He shook himself, knowing that he couldn’t go back in time. The only thing he could do was move forward, and he was doing it in good company.
The new Wolfoids traveled easily, not requiring a great deal of equipment or support. They carried their spears and wore a harness with a flask and an access bracelet. Bounder and Gray Strider wore the light armor padding that Holly insisted they wear. This had pouches for rations and water flasks. The Alpha and his mate looked odd to the others, but Bounder shrugged off their concerns and added a certain mystique by implying that they needed the armor to fight enemies who carried fierce energy weapons. Gray Strider shook her head as she tightened her harness for the run across the grassland.
In comparison, the humans wore light body armor, an equipment belt with two blasters, a pouch, and swords. And they carried backpacks, too. Even G-War had worn custom armor, although when they prepared to go, the small vest-like device was nowhere in sight. He shrugged when Braden asked him where it had gone. Micah looked at her partner sternly when he unsnapped his first buckle.
“We’re only going to the matter transfer chamber. I think we’re safe between here and there,” Braden tried to rationalize. Micah raised one eyebrow as she firmly stood her ground. “Well, he did it. Ass!” Braden mumbled, tipping his chin toward the ‘cat as he snapped the buckle and hitched his gear to make sure that it hung right.
The two Lizard Men, carrying nothing but their spears and access bracelets, stayed close to Aadi, who floated nearby unperturbed by what he carried. He held a rope in his beak-like mouth, waiting for a volunteer to take the other end and pull him across the open plain. Of course, Bounder nodded to the youngsters, who looked at the rope, trying to figure out how to pull it while still being able to run on all fours.
Braden’s head felt better. The swelling had gone down, and it no longer throbbed. His mind seemed clear as well, although he felt as if something was missing since he could no longer access the neural implant. He wasn’t sure he liked his return to normal, having embraced his love-hate relationship with the Old Tech. He liked having a blaster when no one but he and Micah had one. He liked being able to access any information instantly, talk with Holly, coordinate actions no matter where he was.
>
He was still thinking about the technology when Bounder and Gray Strider waved to the villagers and loped into the tall grass. G-War disappeared after them, then the other four Wolfoids. Loper and Sunny helped the yearlings by tying the short rope around the middle of a spear. Each Wolfoid held an end of the spear, and Aadi was pulled between them. It was awkward but functional.
The humans brought up the rear and watched as the others easily outdistanced them. Braden jogged casually, not wanting his head to become muddled again. He’d never had his brain scrambled like that before and hoped it wouldn’t happen again. He was fond of having his senses intact.
Micah ran alongside, keeping pace without getting winded. She enjoyed the slow travel across the open area, knowing that too soon, they’d be back on Vii and in the middle of a war. The Amazon would weigh on them as it always did when they were soaked to the bone, hunting a dangerous enemy.
Pik and Dal ran nearby. They struggled in the heat and the sun.
Braden asked Micah to let Holly know they were on their way to the matter transfer chamber. Braden was ready to leave the ship. He knew that Micah had reservations about their future, but this was the war to end all wars. Finally, they’d have peace on Vii, and he could get the trade route firmly established. His mind seemed clear and all kinds of random thoughts popped up. He wondered if Dr. Johns had made any progress on the sample of the grasses that the Aurochs herd was eating.
Micah steadied her pace as she concentrated on the open window in front of her eye. Braden looked ahead as they followed a clear path forward. The yearlings had to be getting tired. With the spear between them, they were pushing all the grass down as they ran, creating a nice trail straight toward the forward bulkhead. Braden expected that the youngsters didn’t want to show weakness in front of the older Wolfoids.
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