Free Trader Complete Omnibus

by Craig Martelle

Treetis casually lapped water from the pond.

  “Treetis?”

  ‘Yes?’ The ‘cat finished and looked up at him.

  “Can you tell me where the deer are? I have to get enough meat to feed your people. Two should do it, so chop, chop.”

  ‘The Wolfoids are on it. They’ll bring you what you need. Maybe you should relax a bit. Dip your feet in the water,’ Aadi said as he swam serenely above the lake.

  “Dip my feet in the water?” Braden walked to the pond and looked into the crystal clear water. He took a knee and scooped a handful of water. He closed his eyes as he drank. “That’s good, but we have work to do.”

  ‘We are doing the work. Look.’ Treetis tipped his chin skyward where the Hawkoids were gliding over the forest. A throaty Wolfoid growl signaled the strike.

  ‘‘We’ doesn’t mean just you. You got us here in that Old Tech of yours. Now, it’s our turn to work.’

  “I feel like I should be doing something. Maybe I’ll build a smoker.” Braden sat on a jumble of rocks where he removed his Old Tech boots and dangled his feet in the water. He accessed his neural implant and opened the window before his eye

  ‘Holly, can you drive the hovercar through the night to get to Oasis Zero Two?’

  ‘Of course,’ Holly replied.

  ‘If I strap two carcasses on the outside of the hovercar, would that be okay?’

  ‘Although the night is cooler, it is not cool. There will be some degeneration of the meat in the eight-hour transit, but the ‘cats have strong stomachs. It won’t affect them, and you know how they detest smoked meat.’

  ‘Better rotten than smoked, eh, Holly? That’s our friends. I’ll try to smoke some for Micah and the kids, but then we’ll get back on the road.’

  “Looks like we have a plan, boys,” Braden said. “As soon as the Wolfoids get back, we’re going to smoke a little of the venison and then get going.”

  * * *

  ‘We?’ Treetis asked.

  “I’ll take care of preparing the meat, but we will travel back into the desert.”

  ‘We?’ Treetis repeated.

  “You don’t want to go?”

  ‘I have to admit that it wouldn’t bother me not to be inside that box of yours for a while. I think I would like to stay here. You’ll be back within a turn, and the herd and ‘cats will eventually show up as well.’

  “Yes. All of that. I’ll ask Bounder and Strider when they return.” Braden rubbed his chin as he contemplated what the next few days would bring.

  ‘You guys want to stay here while the human carries your kills to the overlords?’ Treetis asked.

  ‘Yes, I think we’ll stay here in the good company of yourself and my fine Wolfoid friends,’ Aadi replied.

  ‘We will go see our people and ask them if they will support the Golden Warrior’s noble mission,’ Skirill added.

  ‘I wish you the best. Maybe stay here for a while? I don’t want to see you fly away, if I don’t have to. You two mean a lot to me.’

  ‘We will wait,’ was Skirill’s reply while he circled and watched Braden collect firewood.

  Desert Dust

  ‘Please run a little closer to Bandria,’ Micah urged. Brandt, King of the Aurochs, casually closed in. Ax waved when the two were nearly touching. The ‘cats seemed to be sleeping, which demonstrated a superior feat of dexterity while on the running cow.

  Micah was getting tired. Her body ached with the effort to stay balanced. She tried riding between the barrels, but the King’s spine jarred every inch of her being. While closer to his head, she was able to absorb more of the impact by keeping her knees tightly against his neck. G-War and Fea constantly swiveled their heads. Micah believed that they were carrying on a constant conversation with the others, trying to allay fears and make sure the rest understood.

  G-War had undertaken the task of herding ‘cats. He found the thought distasteful, insulting, and exactly correct. All of the ‘cats were there for a different reason, although some were there for no reason whatsoever besides sheer curiosity.

  ‘Why are you here, Karisinmore?’ G-War asked, while Fea listened.

  ‘I’ve never been to the desert before,’ she replied.

  ‘You came with us from the north. This would be your second time through the Great Desert,’ Fea replied as G-War sighed and rolled his eyes.

  ‘That’s right. But this is fun!’

  ‘What’s fun about this?’

  ‘When do we eat?’ she asked.

  ‘In five turns,’ G-War replied, his patience spent.

  ‘But I’m hungry now,’ the ‘cat answered.

  Fea’s shoulders vibrated as the ‘cat chuckled. G-War didn’t bother to answer Karisinmore.

  ‘I will give Braden a matching scar if he isn’t waiting with fresh meat when we arrive at the next oasis,’ G-War declared.

  “Now, now. Everyone relax and take a deep breath. If he’s not, I have dibs on any beat-downs,” Micah said.

  ‘Fair enough,’ G-War agreed before returning to the silence of before.

  And the Aurochs ran on, as only Vii’s greatest land creatures could. Determined and proud, they let nothing hold them back as they carved a path around the wagon’s ruts. Come daybreak, they were close.

  ‘How far, Holly?’

  ‘Not far at all, Master President. At this pace, you should arrive while it’s still the cool of night.’

  “Press on, Brandt. We’re almost there.”

  ‘I can make it out in the distance. Time to finish up strong,’ Brandt replied. He increased his stride and was soon in front of the herd. The pounding of hooves behind them increased as the herd hurried to catch up. Before the sun was completely above the horizon, the herd slowed and walked into Oasis Zero Two.

  “Remember what this place looked like the first time, G?” Braden asked as he leaned against the grounded hovercar. Two deer were strung from young trees nearby.

  ‘I thought you were going to die here,’ G-War said.

  “I thought we all were going to die,” Braden said. “But we didn’t give up!”

  ‘You would have died before me and then I would have eaten you.’ G-War jumped from the King’s head, landing softly in the sandy dirt. Fea landed next to him and together, they strolled to the deer and sliced off a hunk with a claw as sharp as a fillet knife.

  Micah jumped down and the twins joined her as Bandria took her place next to Brandt in drinking from the lake, identical in shape and size to the other oases’ lakes.

  Shauna and Klytus bounced off G-War and Fea on their way to their meal. The twins joined their parents for hugs. Braden produced a small amount of cooked venison for them.

  “Where’s everyone else?” ‘Tesh asked.

  “No one wanted to ride with me on the trip back. I have to admit that there was a certain serenity in traveling alone.”

  “But you were incredibly lonely and missed the twins horribly.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I meant to say,” Braden corrected with a smile. He produced three flasks from the hovercar. “From the pond in the foothills north of the desert.”

  The three drank, ate venison, and then drank some more. Once the flasks were drained, Braden threw them into the passenger seat.

  “I guess I better take advantage of the sun and head back. I expect that Bounder, Strider, and Treetis will already have your next meal ready.”

  ‘Better get to it, then,’ G-War suggested as he cleaned his face from eating. The yowling and growling around the two carcasses was getting louder and louder.

  “Why do they have to eat like that?” Braden blurted.

  G-War paused briefly in his grooming. He didn’t dignify Braden’s question with an answer before he went back to work.

  “How long have you been with G-War?”

  Braden thought for a moment before leaning down. “Who’s a good kitty?” he cooed into the ‘cat’s face.

  G-War turned to Fea. ‘See what I have to put up with? It’s exhausting
.’ He stood and disappeared into the underbrush. Fea shrugged and followed her mate.

  Braden looked at his family. They were trying not to laugh, but he wasn’t sure if it was with him or at him.

  “Dad! He already knows who the good kitty is, and it’s Klytus!” Ax declared.

  “Shauna!” ‘Tesh shot back.

  “Time to go,” Braden interjected before the fight started. Micah put her fists on her hips and glowered. Braden was sure he’d done something wrong. What he wasn’t sure of was what.

  “You’re going to leave me with this mess.”

  It wasn’t a question. “I’m going to leave, but there’s no mess,” Braden tried. Micah didn’t look away. “I’m going to leave because of hungry ‘cats and if you make the next oasis and I’m not waiting, there will be a great deal of pain waiting for me.”

  Micah frowned. “We’re not done with this conversation.”

  “I am,” Braden mumbled as he lifted one leg to climb in. Micah tackled him from behind and dragged him to the ground. He pushed at her, but weakly.

  “We don’t play enough,” Micah said, knees astride his chest so she could lean close to him. “When is a vacation not a vacation?”

  “When we’re traveling to save the world?”

  “Again and again.” Micah smiled and kissed Braden. “I think G is right. The answer is someone who can see into our minds and will keep us honest. Humans can’t be trusted.”

  Neeson appeared from behind an Aurochs impatiently waiting her turn to drink. He looked at the humans lying on the ground.

  ‘You made it possible for me to walk again,’ he told them. ‘Thank you. It’s our turn to help, and that is the vision my friend the prince has.’

  “You’re offering an awful lot. What do you get out of it?”

  ‘We get only what we deserve—to be worshipped.’ Neeson strolled away.

  “I don’t know what to say to that,” Braden muttered. Micah helped him to his feet.

  “Me, either.” Micah chuckled. “It appears to be the gang that we’ve joined, though, so we might as well enjoy it.”

  “And play more,” Braden added. He climbed into the hovercar and with Micah walking in front to clear Vii’s creature’s from his path, Braden accelerated into the desert before turning the vehicle over to Holly.

  “Why are you doing this?” Holly asked.

  “To feed the ‘cats,” Braden answered, even though he didn’t understand why the question needed to be asked, the disembodied voice within the hovercar having caught him by surprise.

  “I mean the whole thing, the trip through the desert. I’m evolved, but still learning. Can you help me understand what this is all about?”

  “Of course,” Braden said. “To keep the world from tearing itself apart again. As more and more Old Tech gets introduced, the risk for conflict increases. The Golden Warrior has taken it upon himself to ensure that we don’t have another civil war.”

  “Not so civil, those wars,” Holly replied. “But how can the ‘cats keep mankind from being what it is?”

  “An interesting question, Holly.” Braden leaned sideways in the driver’s seat, throwing his legs across to the passenger’s seat. He laced his fingers behind his head. “I believe mankind is peaceful by nature, but through envy, greed, ego, whatever, a small percentage see violence as a way to achieve what they want. The ‘cats will help us identify those people before they can act.”

  “Who watches the watchers?” Holly asked.

  “All of us have to watch each other so no one abuses power.” Braden chewed on his cheek before continuing. “You have made this world possible. For you and all you’ve accomplished for humanity, it is on us to make sure we show our appreciation by creating a sanctuary for all sentient species. I hope that helps to realize the ancients’ vision of a better world. So we watch each other to make sure that we stay true to ourselves and to each other.”

  “Thank you for explaining. Even though there are no schools that teach the ancients’ curriculum, the art of rhetoric is not lost. I will get you to the north and back. You have my word.”

  Braden closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but found it hard as his thoughts were not at peace.

  When dawn arrived, Skirill and Zyena launched themselves into the air. The rhythmic strokes of their wings took them higher and higher. They hit an updraft and glided upward, circling within it to rise skyward with little effort. When they stopped climbing, they flew from the draft and continued higher, turning northward. Skirill knew exactly where he was going—the nest of Awkar and Teeleech.

  His Hawkoid eyes searched the skies for others of his species, but he saw nothing.

  ‘They chased you away the last time you were here,’ Zyena told him.

  ‘Because I was with a human and a ‘cat. Much has changed since then.’

  ‘Your only companion is a magnificent creature,’ Zyena replied.

  ‘Exactly. They will listen to me now. We have a role to play in this new world because you and I have carved our niche within it. We have a say in what happens. We’ve earned that right for all Hawkoids, regardless of whether they accept it or not.’

  ‘They can close their ears to the truth, but they cannot deny it.’

  Skirill bobbed his head in agreement as they flew north. The nest came into view. Two Hawkoids stood tall on the tops of nearby spires. Skirill rocked his wings in greetings.

  Awkar and Teelech took to the sky and flew between the intruders and their nest.

  “Why would you think we’re here to threaten your nest?” Skirill screeched in the Hawkoid tongue in a commanding thought voice, a voice far different from the last one he’d used when talking with his fellows.

  “Things are not well between the Hawkoids. Not everyone comes in peace.”

  “I do. I am Skirill from the north, the south, and the sky above. This is my mate Zyena. I know no boundaries to the Hawkoid Nation. I recognize no disputes between our own kind.” Skirill backwinged to land on the spire where one of the others had stood. Zyena landed next to him. She was bigger than both Awkar and Teelech.

  “Bold words,” Awkar replied.

  “Tell me where the others are. I will go and set things straight.”

  “You are the human lover. You will not set things straight. Humans have captured Hawkoids and keep them as pets.”

  “Then we will free them, to demonstrate our commitment to a single world. One who knows humans will be able to deal with humans. That is the difference that I make. Tell me where they are, and I will start the healing process. Nothing else is acceptable. There are major changes coming to Vii. You can either be a part of it, or you can get out of our way.”

  Skirill jumped from the pillar and flew straight at the Hawkoid pair. “Tell me where they are,” he ordered, screaming his rage as only a Hawkoid could.

  When the hovercar arrived at the pond, Bounder and Strider were on their backs, feet in the air and tongues hanging sideways out of their mouths. Treetis looked like a statue on the highest rock with his head up and his eyes closed. Aadi floated over the pond, but when he saw the hovercar, he turned and started swimming toward it.

  The Hawkoids were gone.

  A single deer had been killed and was on the downstream side of the pond.

  Braden climbed out of the hovercar, expecting his friends to wake up. They didn’t.

  ‘It’s a tough life learning to relax,’ Aadi said.

  “It looks like they have it down cold.” Braden tossed a clump of dirt next to Treetis. “Come on, little man, we’re going hunting. I don’t think I can serve your people a bloated doe.”

  The ‘cat slowly opened its eyes. ‘I see why you have so many claw marks on your body. They were all well-deserved and only through the prince’s infinite patience, you do not have more.’

  Braden replied by tossing a second clump of dirt that broke apart when it hit, showering Treetis with dried mud.

  Braden prepared his bow and nocked an arrow. He looked into
the sky to confirm that his Hawkoid friends were not there, and he stalked into the woods. Treetis stretched, bounced from the rocks, and with tail held high, he ran after the human.

  ‘Go left,’ he directed. Braden instantly shifted and walked, toe to heel, along the side of the hill, watching for the movement that would signal his prey. ‘Keep going.’

  Braden stayed on course, moving silently. He was a long way from the pond when he caught the sounds of antlers scraping against a tree. He followed the noise until he spotted an old buck, a massive beast. Braden didn’t wait. He drew and fired.

  He replaced the arrow before the first one struck home. The deer jumped into the air and darted. As soon as it had chosen its direction, Braden instantly gauged the stride, leap, and speed before sending the second arrow to the spot where he hoped the two would arrive at the same time.

  The buck’s legs failed him, and he collapsed before going two strides. The arrow flew harmlessly through the empty space. The deer huffed once and was finished.

  Treetis strolled onto a branch immediately above the kill. “How did you get there so fast? I thought you were still in the camp.”

  ‘I don’t know if I’ll ever understand the human proclivity for wasting time thinking about what is not, rather than what is, or for stating the obvious.’ Treetis jumped from the branch and landed on top of the carcass. He hopped to the ground and waited. ‘Well?’

  “Well what?” Braden asked aloud.

  ‘The choice bits aren’t getting any more choice,’ the ‘cat replied, exasperation clear in his thought voice.

  “What I hear you saying is that you need me.” Braden chuckled to himself as he spread out his gear, bow and arrows to the side, knife in hand. He took a drink before his hands would be covered in blood, then got to work. “I think this one will be enough for the ‘cats. Maybe I can salvage some of the other one down by the lake.”

  Braden gutted the creature and scooped the entrails to the side, moving them out of his peripheral vision to avoid watching Treetis enjoy the choice bits, as he called them.

  ‘Do you think Prince Axial De’atesh is right?’ Treetis asked.