“It is into this atmosphere that the Rossumi enter the picture fully. War broke out among nations. Many of whom co-owned the industries of Luna. With such uncertainty, the Rossumi were freed by some sympathetic peoples employed where the automatons were being held. It was felt by the people, ‘If Earth is falling apart, it is only a matter of time before the citizens of Luna turn on one another. Then we’ll be just like the colonies and powerless. The Rossumi will view us as their saviors, and defend us from this mob of tyranny.’
“They were not far from the truth of it. As the wars grew fiercer upon Earth, Luna soon was drug into the conflicts. The Rossumi had nowhere else to go and so were forced to pick up arms and fight alongside those who freed them from their long imprisonment. But it was not because they viewed those people as saviors. It was because the loyalists to their individual nations ended up uniting for one cause late in the wars. Those people sought the destruction of the Rossumi, believing them responsible for the chaos. The allies of the Rossumi fought hard and long to defend the Rossumi. And somehow managed to secure three spacecraft from the aggressive Terran loyalists.
“They fled to Mars. Here, they worked with their new allies to build up their own colony. Yet, even here they found conflict as the syndicates discovered their presence and sought their destruction as well. War broke out on Mars, too. But not necessarily against the Rossumi themselves, you see. Knowing that Earth was tearing itself apart, many colonists decided help wasn’t coming to bring down the syndicates. With the combined might of the syndicates focused on their battle with the Rossumi and their allies, the colonists struck out against the home bases of the syndicates.
“It is this part of the tale the Rossumi become very important. With the exception of a handful of the automatons, who left to form a private Rossumi only colony in the Pheyton Range, or so I’ve been told, the Rossumi remained and forged an alliance with the colonists. There was weariness of them by the colonists at first, but not so much their skills weren’t appreciated. The colonists and the Rossumi drove the syndicates off Mars and out into the outer limits of the Sol system where the syndicates settled what would become what we know today as the Continuum.
“The Rossumi built their colonies after this conflict somewhere remote on Mars. They were hidden away so that they were no longer at risk of conflict with the Terrans that had been their allies. In so doing, they founded the order of the Red Star Sheriff. A token of appreciation for the willing alliance the colonists had with them, a thank you gesture, if you will. The order would be made up of human beings, trained by the Rossumi to defend their colonies against criminal enterprises. The intent being that their rise would lead to the establishment of legal systems and a government. They were known as the ‘Red Stars’ because they were trained on Mars, where the Rossumi had settled. And also, because, whenever they’d seen Mars from Luna, it had looked to them like a literal red star. Always vigilant in the heavens.”
Aidele looked to the view outside in stunned contemplation. “They sound so much more… complicated than the legends have it. And, mom told you all this?”
“Yes, and a little bit more. She knew their entire history. But shared with me this basic knowledge. Such as why the Red Star had to come from the colonists themselves. The Rossumi would never more wage war with humanity as they view life as too precious. That it must be of the flesh and blood if order was to be brought to the chaos. Otherwise they were just a foreign thing, that humans would band together to drive away.
“However, before one could be a Red Star Sheriff, they had to be found worthy of training. The potential candidate must ‘Bend-The-Knee’, I believe Mirra told me, and pledge fealty to the cause of justice at all times and never stray from its path.”
Aidele scoffed. “So, the Rossumi tell the colonists they’ll train them to defend themselves, but do so only with conditions? Seems unnecessary.”
Garret quirked a brow. “Can you blame them? They had just survived several wars. All because humanity is aggressive and quick to fight. They had to be sure that those they trained were dedicated to the justice the Rossumi believed in. If not, the potential would just take what they learned and use it to wage more war. But, never fear, the candidates that came were many.”
“I suppose…”
“Regardless, Mirra never shared with me the details of what the ceremony entailed, only that it is the most solemn occasion and you must be true of heart. Somehow, the Rossumi can tell a disingenuous soul. There are rules and guidelines. And if a Red Star is found to be in violation of them, they are banished from the order. One of these rules is that a Red Star must stand down when a new authority has control of the lawless region in question. Of course, a syndicate full of criminal intent is excluded from this rule as… well, not exactly just, now are they?” Garret chuckled. “After that, I suppose they move on to other tasks. Whatever they may be.”
Aidele shook her head. “How… how did mom become one? Was she trying to save the Wastelands? Is that what the revolvers and waverider were for?”
“In a manner of speaking. But let us not get into the present just yet. We get to our next part of the story. And it involves your mother. It is one of tragedy, pain, and despair. Yet, a story of heroic strength and will to survive. Are you willing to hear this part of the tale, Granddaughter? It is not pleasant.”
Aidele stared at him slack jawed, then clacked her mouth shut and nodded. “Yes. It’s important I know.”
“Yes. It is. Mirra’s tale begins one day when your mother was younger than you and she returned home after a harrowing journey…”
MIRRA WAS SEVENTEEN when I first heard about the Rossumi. She told me about them after sharing an ordeal so atrocious I almost went into a bloody rage. How she came to know about them, I couldn’t say, but it isn’t important. Not just yet.
Our front door swung open in such a slow manner that I thought I’d forgotten to shut it properly. I was in my rocking chair in the common room and was about to rise when Mirra walked through. I smiled.
“Mirra! Welcome home!” I said standing up. “Did you enjoy your trip to—” I froze. She was standing in the doorway, a haunted look in her eyes, her hands rubbing opposite arms. She was haggard. Hair mussed, skin and clothing tattered and dirty. She looked like she’d just walked a thousand miles. “What’s happened? Are you all right!?”
I raced to her and she flung herself around my chest hugging me tighter than she ever had before. And her sobs were heart wrenching as her tears soaked my shirt. “Daddy! I… I’m home! Oh Spirits, daddy!”
The wails made me tear up as I brought her to the couch. “Daughter, no, shh, tell me what happened. Sit here. Come. Rest. This has something to do with your trip to the Wetlands, doesn’t it?”
She sat and wiped her arm across her eyes, drawing in breathes and calming herself down. Mirra was always quick to emotion, but even quicker to composure. A trait I always admired about her. Her temper was remarkably calm.
She nodded but didn’t look directly at me. “Y, yes. I have something horrible to tell you. I’ve been trying to get home for nearly two months now…”
“What?” My shock was understandable. You see, her trip was supposed to last the summer, two-and-a-half months, and she arrived roughly around the time she was supposed to return. “Why? Did your friends abandon you?”
Mirra looked at me, sorrow heavy in her eyes. But there was also a resolution I’d never seen in her before. “They… they’re dead, daddy.”
“They’re what?”
“I’m going to tell you everything. I don’t want to. I have to. You won’t want to hear it either. But you must. Because after I tell you, I’m packing and leaving. And I don’t know when I might return.”
The panic was a bloom in my belly, fear roiled my mind. “Wait, why? No. You need rest, food, water, and tending to your wounds there!”
I pointed to a cut on her side. It was visible through a gash in her shirt, blood had dried around the gash as a dark red b
rown. I made to stand and she took my hand to pull me back to my seat.
“No. I need you to listen. Because I have to go far to the east. Beyond the Reach of Vales.”
“Reach of Vales? Mirra, there’s nothing beyond the Reach! Nothing but the end of the Wastelands and unforgiving terrain! The only thing further is the rent terrain of the Chaos Basin, outside of the plasma shields! And nobody goes there!”
“No. There’s something other than that. And I’ll tell you what, at least as much as I can, after I share with you what happened.”
Reluctantly, I resumed my seat. There was a terrible knot in my gut. I thought, ‘If someone hurt my little girl, I’m going to find them and make them hurt worse…’
Mirra was way ahead of me.
“We arrived by train in the northern Deltas with no problems. The journey was only a week. Jaina, Gresla, and I found a stagecoach bound for the Wetlands. We were giggling and excited for meeting Gesla’s parents in West Dobbleton. Yet, we were still three hours out as the train didn’t run all the way there,” she offered me an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I didn’t know that.”
“You do not have to apologize for something like that. And it was only a few hours…”
She shook her head ‘no’, “I should’ve been more aware and looked it up. Turns out, there was a gang menacing the area as of late.”
This news did not sit well with me at all. “A gang!? What gang!? I’ll—”
Her hand on mine, her eyes, full, brown, and moist, staring straight into mine. “You’ll have your moment of anger. Once I’m done. We were halfway to our destinations when our coach was waylaid by this gang. I’m not telling you who they are because you’ll want to go after them immediately, and I can’t have that. Your war experience would serve you well, but these are thirty-eight miserable outlaws. And you’re just one man.”
“But I could—”
I wanted her to stop speaking already. I knew her words were leading to a terrible, horrendous thing. She continued instead. “There were six people in this coach. The three of us, a newlywed couple, and an old broker. We chatted amiably about our lives and what we were there for. Ellory, the old broker, was on his way to Aldridge for the grand opening of a holoparlor, their version of a casino except with the addition of a wide variety of holographic games. He was very excited. Tessa and Crenner had just gotten married out in Perrin and were looking forward to the cliffside retreat of Arrie Rise. Apparently, it has an amazing view of the Deltas and sports its own lake and waterfall. They’d been together for five years and thought it was a good time to finally tie the knot.
“When these outlaws took the coach, they killed the driver outright and pulled us out viciously. They held us three and Tessa in tight grips laughing the whole time and giving their loud, squelching yells.
“‘Looky what we got here!’, the tall bucktoothed one with the shaggy mane of blonde on top said. ‘Gots ourselves four fillies’n two richers!’
“The others laughed. There were eight in all. Ellory objected to their behavior and Crenner told them they could take what they wanted but just leave them all alone. The bucktoothed one acted like the leader of the group and guffawed and bounced his head in a way that suggested there were very few apples in his basket. Then pulled a hunted knife and drove it into Crenner’s stomach.
“‘Ain’ gotta have ya alive fer that!’ They all laughed again.
“Tessa screamed a piercing scream of death as Crenner fell to the ground bleeding profusely and wallowing in the dirt trying to understand what was happening. The one holding the struggling Tessa spun her around and punched her face. She fell but was quickly pulled back to her feet. Ellory just stuttered and glared in shock.
“‘Guess we ain’ got need fer him, neither.’ A dark-haired man said. He looked in his twenties, but he had the beard of a forty-year old. He pulled his revolver and blasted the old broker’s face off. He was dead instantly.”
I couldn’t bear it. “Please stop, Mirra! I don’t want to know this! We’ll find the authorities there and—”
“They won’t help,” she said coolly and her narrative went on once more, though tears were falling from her staring eyes as her calm voice carried her words to me. “They bound us, threw us over the back of their horses, and we rode for I don’t know how long. It was surreal. Jaina and Gesla had stopped screaming when Tessa was punched and we all were now just praying we could escape. Trees zipped by as we bounded off the path and into the forest surrounding the pathway towards civilization.
“They took us deep into the Wetlands and into their camp. The other young men (and they were all young, none over thirty that I could tell), cheered for their latest conquest. There were a series of cages, fifteen in all, surrounding a shallow pit at the center of the compound made up of pitched tents. The cages were barely large enough to contain a manger, and not comfortably. Twelve of these cages had a crying woman in them. None were older than twenty or so. There were three cages left. And we were thrust into each one, and not gently. We struggled, of course, but they hit us over our heads and there was little more we could do surrounded by so many.
“‘We’ll start with three atta time, whatchou all say?’ the one who looked the oldest called out to those gathered around the cages. He was the head of eight men who stood to the side near the largest tent. The sort of tent a grand sheik might utilize. Of the thirty-eight, a quarter were busy peeping into the cages at the girls within, like they were window shopping for meat at a butcher shop.
“The others brayed their approval and two grabbed a large table to bring into the center of the pit. They set it down on its six legs. The table was made of some sort of heavy wood and was round with depressions in three sides of it spoking outward from the center. On each side of each depression, a ring of metal was set into the surface. It looked like three people had been sleeping on it head to head in a pinwheel pattern. And that wasn’t far from the truth.
“‘Alright,’ this crier continued, ‘take yer picks. Bring ‘em out. Have yer fun. Once yer done, git yer supper ready!’ The rest laughed, probably because it wasn’t necessary to shout this out when they already knew what they were to do. Yet, I figured quickly, it was all a game played by them for us. To set fear into our hearts. A game to bring terror to our hearts the second they started playing.”
I couldn’t move during this telling, you understand. She hardly blinked and it was like she was looking through me to see this wretched crime committed against them. I wanted to speak, to bring this to an end. Yet, your mother’s voice, her eyes so entranced by this trauma, stopped me before I could interrupt.
“It was then we all got to understand what he meant as two men each chose a cage with a woman in it. Those two men went in groups of six as they pulled three women from their cages, screaming and struggling. They were stripped naked and strapped down to each depression, chains running through the metal rings binding them to their fate together. Terror clouded my mind. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.
“‘Woowee! This one’s lookin’ good, wouldn’t ya say?’ One of the men said to the other around their choice.”
“Mirra, please… I, I can’t handle this anymore!”
“They then took turns having their way with these young women. The… sounds were piercing. The smells… even worse. When they were done, it got even more terrible. They pulled out butcher knives, sharpened them, and…”
Mirra saw me then, my face pale, hers even paler. My blood… was cold. I’m sorry to be tearing up. I’m sorry to be trembling and stuttering. It was such a wretched tale. I didn’t want to know what they did to her!
“They gutted them like they were fish, dad. Like animals. Heaving their bodies up on racks after disemboweling them, draining them of their blood… as if they were the carcasses of a… Forest Dale. They sullied those women with their terrible urges and then prepared them… to be dinner. This was a hunt and we all saw it. I wasn’t going to stay there. I wasn’t going to let that happ
en to me.”
There was a slight sob in her voice as she said this. I’d never heard anything so monstrous in my life.
“Wind carried the stench of fear across the camp. The men were lapping it in, loving the wails. They poked their fingers in at the women, taunted them. Kicked up dirt into our faces, our bodies bent over on hands and knees like savage creatures awaiting slaughtering. I could smell that several of us had soiled themselves in their horror at what was yet to come. I desperately tuned them out, focused on my environment. I was a Wastelander, I knew there must be some way out.
“The men who had chosen my cage were occupied with watching the nightmarish scenes playing out before us all. They went on taking three at a time, repeating the process. The screams grew worse as the awful truth sent everyone into frenzy. I quietly looked around my cage for any advantage. Jaina and Gesla saw what I was doing with watery, exhausted expressions. Then I saw a woodchip. It was small, but I knew it could work. I grabbed it and held it in my hand tightly. Jaina and Gesla found things of their own to use and we waited. Waited for the horror of being next.
“Our turn came,” My body was trembling as every word washed over me. I felt as if I were going to be sick and vomit all over my own daughter. “They yanked us from our cages. They were laughing as I stumbled forward. There was only that split second, my left hand free and still clutching the chip. I pushed off the ground and shoved it deep into one of my captor’s eyes. All went silent. Then Jaina and Gesla were free of their own captors, while all eyes were upon myself and my actions.
“The eight men to the back by the leadership tent leapt to their feet as the three of us used the distraction to make a break for it.
“‘We’ve got us some runners!’ One of the eight cried out laughing. The others joined in with their own raucous cheering. I saw a river beyond the trees at the edge of camp. Barely visible from that vantage, but a clear opportunity to reach. There was only a well between them and the copse of trees blocking the river. If we could make it, we’d be safe and could find help. The girls in their cages were screaming for us to run faster. And we did. Jaina was just ahead of me on my left. Her head erupted in a shower of blood and skull chunks as a loud bang popped into the air, laughter growing into a symphony. It was a new game for them.
Red Star Sheriff Page 43