Merker's Outpost

by I. Christie

  "Bach, I would like an Alterian Club sandwich."

  "Three layered or two?" Bach courteously qualified.

  "Two and lemon tea with a small dolt of honey."

  She took a seat at the computer.

  "Well, since metradames are a major topic in my life…it would be good to see what they are all about," she muttered to herself as she studied her reflection in the monitor. After long moments of wrestling with other thoughts she changed her mind. "Computer, find information on Cadet Zohra, graduate class of..."

  For the next hour she read. Ensign Zohra's first assignment was on a science vessel. For all accounts and purposes, her ship was still making its way to an unexplored sector of space. She moved onto studying the files on a Black Rose Spartan, Jina Gari. She was recruited from Melarz. She was an orphan, trained with the mayor's guards. She was the only soldier alive after the rebels captured the city. She had escaped in the underground, herding the mayor's family along, while others covered for them. Two years after being just like any other Spartan, moving up in the ranks she was transferred to the Black Rose as a sergeant. Her personal hobbies were listed as BDSM. Her favorite vacation spot was the Caves. Harriet snorted. That bit of information was what the individual added to her or his profile. She skimmed over her advanced training and knew why the Black Rose, then an all male group, accepted her. She kicked their butts in all the bar room brawls they shared. Harriet shook her head. The specialty training meant there was a lot of subliminal work done on her and that was something Guardian should worry about, if he insisted that deadly force was not to be used as a first alternative in defending his outpost.

  And the Centurions worried about me? They should get a look at her record.

  "Computer, find any source with metradames mentioned as subject." She needed to get back to studying something they could use. If Alan's soldiers were metrapeople, then she needed information about them.

  The screen quickly started to fill up, scrolling down as the list continued.

  Cyclops's dung! Guardian is right! There is a lot of information here.

  ***

  Captain Zohra gestured to her couch, "Please be seated. Would you care for a beverage?"

  "A tea, thank you," Carol politely responded, sitting on the edge of the couch all the while studying Captain Zohra.

  Zohra did not mind. It was something she was used to and she was openly studying Carol…it was as if they were sizing each other up for future use.

  "Dea, two teas. Stead for me…" she turned to Carol. "Have you a preference?"

  "Stead…that is fine, thank you," Carol returned.

  This exchange was taking Zohra off her stride since this was not the Sheila she was acquainted with. Cool, aloof and deadly, with Lord Chaney pulling the strings.

  "Do you remember anything of your life before Lord Chaney?" she started, though she already knew the answer.

  "No."

  "You had volunteered to act as a channel of information to Naboths Vine by becoming his metradame. You have been a valuable asset to our quest to bring his smuggling empire to an end." Zohra was watching the woman wondering how she could use her skills if it should come to that. The woman before her was very cool and only showing polite interest in what she was telling her. Was she still under the Chaney family's control? This thought left a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach.

  "There will be a group of healers that shall be here soon to remove the chip that makes you servile…you," Zohra cleared her throat because of the amused looked she received from Sheila, "have a lot of people and groups interested in you." Hmm. Humor. That shows independent thought processes…I think. Bloody moon, I need to find out information on metrapeople. Especially since we'll be facing Alan's elite group of black soldiers.

  Zohra decided to try a direct tact. "Because of your affiliation with Lord Chaney, you have a lot to offer to those that wish to sell what you know and others who wish to use it themselves. Right now, I could use your knowledge on fighting. I believe that Alan will send a forward team here to grab Lady Harriet Montran or to set up a situation that will allow Alan to grab her."

  She rose from her seat and went to the computer to show the metradame what Guardian had been monitoring, an approaching ship that was registered to Alan Fermin. Zohra was sure Alan was not aboard. It was too soon. Alan liked to set his play board up and while his opponents were being worried on many fronts he would drop in and pick up the player he decided was his prize.

  "Guardian," Zohra called worriedly when she spotted a second ship on her panel.

  "Yes, I have been watching them. I cannot prevent them from landing," Guardian informed her regretfully.

  "Where are they headed?"

  "The section the smugglers have vacated is the only place their life signs can reside in."

  "Hmm." Zohra watched as an energy burst from one of the ships that could not be seen visually but that the computer showed hit the surface far from any underground entry point.

  "Well, well. They missed their target. Looks like supplies. Carol would you like a walk on the wild side? Guardian, have you an outersuit for her ready?"

  Chapter 10

  The Wield worlds were all inhospitable planets for the majority of the seasons, except to the very hardy and stubborn. They were also called the Five Wild Outlands, because at one time they separated the Committee and Collective's sphere of influence from each other, acting as a neutral zone. When new planets joined one or the other it was not based on placement of the planet but on ideals and influence so it blurred the neutral zones placement.

  The military, more interested in putting order to the cosmos, divided space into sectors, and the Wild Outlands ended up touching four sectors, Juan, Getty, Zed and Ectron. Thus giving the Outlands a new nickname, the four corners, oddly situated but still holding to their neutrality.

  AbenWield chose to be a closed society and needless to say, did not like visitors. They were interested in forming a perfect society and did not want outside influence.

  ChrysaorWield had a small group of independent loners living with the fierce wild beasts native to the planet. The Collective protected the inhabitants from off-world developers and hunters, per their request. In return, the Collective used certain areas as a training ground for their military and police troops, called the Centurions.

  HinterWield continued to be used by the Committee for imprisoning their social failures, the psychopaths they could not control but would not put to death.

  NeitherWield became a visitor's haven for viewing sunsets and sunrises that were spectacular with vacation spots aligned with the best views. Among many products exported, their wine had a great following in both the Collective and Committee space, and their olives that were cultivated underground, were considered unrivaled. The harsh life attracted artists and those that wanted isolation. Settling on NeitherWeild for any length of time was difficult due to the weather and their laws prevented developers from building mass underground cities. Native plants and animals that shared the planet, were hearty and wild.

  MageWield liked to think of themselves as a spiritual community. The harshness of life and their community spirit was the basis of their survival and pride. Though the inhabitants spread across the planet, they were tied into each other through telepathic as well as the common needs of the global community. MageWield found that by setting up vacation residences for all factions of the galaxies, it kept them up on the news that even broadcast news groups did not know about.

  ***

  *

  Rene came into the world of physical existence on MageWeild to a family that was well prepared for s'her birth. The village of Mount Rayhan welcomed the two-spirit baby with celebrations. Two-spirit souls that were dual gendered, were looked for and often became the shamans, healers and sometimes leaders of their communities. These dual souls were either born into the gendered body of one sex while feeling inside as another, or they matured with the genitalia of both genders. Thus, the 's' b
efore the gender they felt identified with was placed before them, signifying their importance. At puberty, some decided on a physical body sex change to fit their inner view of themselves, while others kept their split identities, comfortable as they were. Due to their natures, their perspectives were unique and considered enlightened, thus they were all well educated and well traveled on MageWeild.

  At Rene's presentation to the community when s'she was six moons, the oracle spoke to s'her parents of sending s'her for apprenticeship to Pilar, where nearby was also the Monastery of the Monks, where s'she could also learn the ways of the off-worlders.

  Rene, from childhood, could see many dimensions and the web of life with its interconnectiveness to all things. Both the visually seen and unseen were tangible living entities for s'her. By the age of five s'she knew s'her life path and had been working with the local shaman for two years, preparing to move to Pilar, where s'her formal training was to begin.

  ***

  Students surrounded SH'a Grou when a telepathic call from one of the village members gave s'him pause.

  'A member of the Fermin family is ill and needs assistance quickly.'

  Young Rene recognized the fluttering of the lids of s'her mentor and felt the shift in consciousness. Quickly s'she placed a cushion for SH'a Grou's body to sit as s'he would leave it in spirit for a quick consultation elsewhere.

  Rene moved into the herb room, gathering up the herbs s'her mentor mentally was requesting. Apprentice Rene laid out the herbs s'she had gathered for SH'a Grou to inspect and then proceeded to prepare their traveling ponies.

  ***

  *

  "Halt! Who dares to invade the residence of the House of Fermin without invitation?!" a harsh foreign voice called out.

  "I invited them," an authoritive feminine voice informed the guard. A dark shadow waiting out of the wind stepped into view and offered a raised hand in greeting to the shaman and s'his apprentice.

  The guard quickly stepped aside. Though on the planet he had no weapon to use, he was big enough to hurt someone. He was a discarded lover of Thordis and was not happy with his demotion, looking for something to take it out on; however, no one argued with Lady Artha.

  "I am Lady Artha, one of the guests in this lovely residence," she politely informed the two in their own language. She was careful to include the young apprentice for she had learned that everyone, no matter age or position was considered equal. An unusual idea on her own world, but she believed respecting other's beliefs was important.

  Shaman Grou recognized a kindred soul and honored her with a raise of his hand in blessing. "I hope the house of illusions is to your liking," s'he translated.

  "House of illusions? So, ileoceca," she pronounced badly, "means house of illusion?"

  Rene smiled, "It actually means 'to dream on the hillside'."

  The residence was cut into the side of Mount Eloise. If the Fermin family thought they were secure from any intruders because of the location, the MageWieldarians did not tell them otherwise. Guests did not need to know that there were many exits and entrances to their residences.

  Lady Artha returned the smile with a broad one of her own, and nodded for she was one of the few that could see through illusions if she wanted to. Lady Artha quickly led them towards a room located inside the mountain.

  'Strange place for a sickroom,' Rene thought to SH'a Grou.

  It was important to have the proper atmosphere in a sickroom. Part of the healing was to have access to the outside where the sounds of birds and wild life could be heard and the natural rhythms of the planet were easy to witness, as well as the circulation of fresh air.

  The sick child was fourteen-year-old Tess, the third daughter born to Thordis and Gustaf. SH'a Grou laid s'his bag of herbs beside the bed and placed s'his fingertips lightly on the barely breathing form's limp wrist. Rene pulled the small pouches of each herb bag out of the larger bag and laid them out in an order they were familiar with.

  "We will need boiling water and cloths to bathe her with," Rene informed Lady Artha. SH'a Grou was in trance, as s'he attempted to touch the spirit of the young girl.

  Lady Artha turned to the servant that was waiting by the door and nodded.

  SH'a Grou pinched in different herbs into the bowl that Rene held. Rene then blended and ground them until they were a fine powder. Hot water was added. The steam from the bowl was passed several times under the dying girl's nostrils. When it cooled down enough, SH'a Grou poured the cooled mixture between the blue lips. For an hour SH'a Grou administered to her, using small thin needles quickly and carefully placed in patterns across the bare body, followed by the smoke of burning herbs in moxi balls at other points on the body. SH'a Grou silently worked, waiting for the blue color in her lips and eyelids to recede.

  'Rene, you must distract the young man who did this.'

  Rene rose and nodding respectfully toward Lady Artha, left the sickroom so SH'a Grou could talk to the elder.

  Alan was standing near the door listening for any news on his sister's health. He tried to appear to be concerned about his sister's recovery but Rene could see though his false face.

  "I would like to see the food that was eaten this night," s'she mentioned to Alan. Normally Alan would have simply had a servant take her down but there were no servants handy. Alan surprised himself by offering to show her the way himself.

  When SH'a Grou knew Alan was no longer outside the door, s'he turned to Lady Artha.

  "This child does not just suffer from the poison. Her will to live is not there and without it, she will not throw off the effects of the poison or what has touched her heart."

  Lady Artha sighed. Sweet Tess was the only child whose pregnancy her mother was happy through for the duration. Lady Artha, a twice removed cousin to the parents, had thought she put a stop to Alan's harassment of his siblings the day of her arrival. Lady Artha ran the Fermin household and taught their children the ways of the upper class. Life for the children had become more stable…and safer, Lady Artha had thought.

  Thordis, the mother of Alan and Tess, was either busy producing the children her marriage contract required or recovering from them.

  Gustaf, not the biological parent of the children, but the legal one, busied himself with bartering his daughters and sons off, and whatever else it would take to get himself the coveted vacant chair of the BenHanna's on the Committee's lower floor.

  Linette, the first daughter, had her genetic code passed by the Committee's Medical Board as capable of having healthy offspring, making her desirable for marriage. Her marriage at twelve bought Gustaf two votes for nomination to the chair.

  Elli, the second daughter, whose genetic code was to be reviewed after her first menses, was shipped on a five-year cruise to her new home on a colonial planet before her examination was due. For her participation in the settling of a new colony, Gustaf received shares in Gurken's Insurance Company, who was backing the colonization.

  Joey, the first son, died at his initiation into manhood. He refused to wear his armor when he faced the Aoroundas, a bull-like beast. He and Gustaf saw wearing the armor as a sign of weakness. Joey died after two days of suffering. Gustaf chose to ignore the pain of loss and moved on to the next son, Alan.

  Alan was prone to rages, which were attributed to his mother's bouts of depression during her pregnancy with him. However, he also possessed a talent for picking businesses that bore fruit, which his father found beneficial enough to ignore his shortcomings.

  "Tess has just been pledged to a distant cousin in exchange for a political favor." Lady Artha looked down at her young cousin's face. Gustaf's view of his wife as a brood mare, and her offspring as a means to produce heirs to his family line that should have died out generations ago was wrong to Lady Artha. However, she also believed that eventually nature would win out, as evidenced by Gustaf's inability to father children.

  "Tess would rather become a singer. She has a lovely voice."

  "The person who poi
soned her will do it again until she is dead. He feels a transgression that is not forgivable has been committed against him personally."

  Lady Artha knew the shaman was referring to Alan. Tess's transgression against Alan was mingling with the villagers. Alan had seen one of the villagers holding Tess's hands and misread it as two lovers. If he had asked his sister she would have told him the village youth was a palm reader, but Alan in his class prejudice and dislike for his sister deemed it an insult to the family honor, and thought the punishment warranted the death of the lovers. Alan could not reach the youth but he could his sister. Lady Artha could not understand why he had gone through with the poisoning when he felt the family business was more important than private vendettas. Tess's marriage to the Bridgegates was an important political coup for Gustaf, regardless of the fact that Alan disliked them because they were too impressed with their importance in upper class politics.