No one moved. “Fine. Silence is consent. Looks like your ride to the ship awaits.” Braden bowed to the Dolphins.
‘Where is Bronwyn?’ Rhodi asked.
Micah answered with the short version of their mission and that Bronwyn was north of the rainforest, working with the Aurochs herd.
“I’m sorry that she’s not with us,” Micah ended. She checked her neural implant. “We need to hurry. The raiders are opening the distance between us. If they separate and spread out, we will have a much harder time tracking them down, but then again, it may be easier to engage them in small numbers.”
“Both and neither. You need to go and so do we.” Braden looked confused as he didn’t want to leave. He pulled Micah close for a lengthy hug, and the twins attached themselves to their parents’ legs. “I will miss you every moment we’re apart. All of you.”
“And us, too,” Micah, Ax, and ‘Tesh said in chorus. Klytus and Shauna started meandering away.
“Grab them,” Braden said.
‘Come,’ Fea said. The force of her thought voice allowed for no dissent. The ‘cats lined up behind her on their way to the beach.
Braden climbed onto the wagon and without waiting for the others to board the ship, he asked Brandt to head out. ‘I will stay in touch via Holly,’ he told Micah as Brandt hauled the half-empty wagon away.
‘You need to man up,’ G-War told Braden. The human smiled. After G-War’s impromptu partnering with Fea, he had become less engaged in Braden’s life. And Braden missed that.
“What does that even mean?” Braden asked. To the casual observer, it would have looked like the ‘cat was sleeping.
‘It means you need to deal with being away from your woman. Stop your moping and get to work!’ G-War’s impatience peppered his thought speech.
“What? It sounds like you’re the one who’s missing his woman. You big baby.”
G-War dropped the mindlink like a hammer hitting an anvil.
“Hit the nail on the head, did I?” Braden asked, but G-War was shunning him, for the moment anyway.
Braden opened the window before his eye. ‘What do we have, Holly? Show me the map, put the Warden on it with projected travel, and then our position against that of the raiders. When will we have them caught in a crossfire?’
‘I estimate that they will soon need to stop. You will have to move east and seek cover in the foothills as you progress south. The Warden will take two days to pass them. There is a large harbor town that the Warden will reach in three days,’ Holly advised.
‘A large harbor town? How long have we been in the south and I never heard about a large harbor town before now?’
‘Chrysalis and Patti May have been to the town several times.’
‘Now you’re starting to make me angry. Don’t tell me. You informed Doctor Johns in the command center, meaning that he was the one who never told me.’
‘That would be correct.’ Holly waited for Braden’s vital signs to stabilize. The AI knew that the human was agitated, but he could do nothing to allay Braden’s anger.
“Fine,” Braden said aloud. G-War raised his head and looked back at his human. Brandt maintained a steady pace without hurrying. “We’re going to have to head toward the foothills.”
The King of the Aurochs angled east as he kept the way ahead in sight.
‘I think the worst thing that could happen is catching them in the open,’ Aadi suggested.
Braden nodded slowly as the wagon shifted and bumped over the roughening terrain. G-War had to stand as Brandt struggled through a rocky patch before finding smoother ground.
‘We don’t want to catch them in the open,’ Bounder agreed.
“That would be bad. But where?”
‘There are a couple different choke points where a successful interdiction can be conducted.’
“A successful interdiction. Yes. We will catch them between a rock and a hard place, and we’ll hammer them back to the great war.”
***
Micah clung to Chlora’s dorsal fin as the Dolphin powered through the waves toward the well deck of the Warden. Chlora swam into the open pool and closed on the edge, where Micah tossed Fea onto the deck. The ‘cat landed cleanly on her paws and shook off the few drops of water that had hit her fur during the ride out. Micah let go and waved at the Dolphin as she headed ashore for the next victims.
Two by two, the Dolphins brought everyone to the ship. Klytus and Shauna scratched the twins mercilessly as they tried to stay above the waves. No one was happy among the twins and their ‘cats when they arrived aboard.
The Wolfoids dog-paddled out of the well deck, wide-eyed at the immensity of the ship. The sail stood six stories above the water where a wide base submerged five stories deep. The Rabbits shook and raced below to the garden level.
Micah watched them go, expecting not to see them for the rest of the trip, although their small laser pistols would come in handy if it became a shooting match with the raiders. She hoped it didn’t come to that, but didn’t see many options.
The Rabbits were the last ones aboard. Micah twirled a finger in the air, signaling that it was time to go. She figured that Holly was tapped into the external cameras, like he’d been the last time they were aboard.
“Hey,” she said as a way of greeting the two scientists. They both looked like they’d been sucking lemons.
“What are you doing with our ship?”
“We’re running south to cut off a group of raiders who stole an armory full of lightning spears from the Wolfoids. We’re trying to prevent a war.”
Chrysalis looked at Patti May and together, they shook their heads. “Isn’t it obvious?” Patti asked.
Micah didn’t rise to the bait.
“If the Wolfoids didn’t have such weapons, then there would have been nothing to steal and no chance of war,” Patti said matter-of-factly.
“That’s one way to look at it. I remember the time before the Wolfoids came down from the Traveler. There was plenty of war and we didn’t have high-tech weapons back then. As long as the good guys are the only ones with the weapons, then we’re okay. That’s what we’re on our way to fix.”
“Who determines the good guys?”
Micah rubbed her chin. “You do have a point. Who watches the watchers? I’d like to think it’s Holly who watches over everything to keep us from having another civil war. He’s smarter than the rest of us put together. There’s also the pure-heart test. I trust in that.”
“The Hillcats. Genetically-engineered constructs determining the fate of humanity. I shudder at the thought of what we’ve gotten ourselves into. We probably should have stayed on Cygnus VI.”
“And starved. That’s why we went to the Traveler, risked our lives so you could be saved. Don’t you think you’re being a little ungrateful?”
“I don’t think that was it at all.”
Micah controlled her breathing to keep from getting angry. The scientists had led a sheltered life, always in the care of modern technology without having to deal with the outside world. Braden and Micah straddled both areas, new and old. Both had their warts and both held promise.
Bringing them together peacefully was proving to be a challenge. How to move forward with technology while keeping some of that technology from humanity. Micah didn’t know the answer. Was there a place for weapons of war in a peaceful world?
Of course not, as long as everyone embraced the peace. Fate had directed her into Braden’s path following the violence that followed when one village sought to dominate another.
“I need to get my children settled. If you’ll excuse me,” Micah said softly, trying to understand the scientists’ perspective. They would find a way. Braden would find a way to talk with the raiders. She hoped beyond hope that he would find a way.
Micah led the twins upstairs, against their wishes because they wanted to swim out and see Rex. From the galley on the second level, they watched the ship turn south and start to pick up speed.
<
br /> The race was on.
What do we do when we get there? Micah thought. She, Strider, and the Rabbits were the only ones armed. Against twenty-five men with lighting spears.
She couldn’t see a way to win the fight, and it weighed heavily on her soul. If only she could have resolved it with a swordfight or wrestling match, but no.
‘Holly? I need your help…’
A Mountain Pass
‘I have their scent,’ Bounder said, sitting up front with Braden. He sniffed the air. ‘It is unmistakable.’
“We are a long ways from their trail since we moved inland. Are you sure?” Braden looked at his friend.
Bounder glanced back. ‘Pretty sure,’ Bounder replied, thrusting his muzzle upward and taking in the air.
“Sorry.” Braden looked at the way ahead, the shadows from the hills and upcoming mountain range shortening as the sun rose higher in the sky. “Can your pups fight?”
Bounder shook his head, almost imperceptibly. “G-War? We may be asking a lot of you.”
The ‘cat rose from his perch, ran down the King’s back, and launched himself at the wagon once he hit Brandt’s hindquarters. The ‘cat landed with a thump in the seat next to Braden. He faced forward and sat upright, wrapping his tail around his legs.
‘Aadi and I will do what we need to do,’ G-War replied. ‘I can smell them, too. The breeze from the sea is carrying their stench. I’m surprised you can’t smell them with that monstrosity you call a nose hanging off your face.’
“Micah likes it. And so does Fealona!”
‘She most assuredly does not.’ The scarred Hillcat licked a paw and started grooming his ear, the one missing a chunk where a Bat-Raven had attacked him.
Braden petted the ‘cat with long strokes from his head to his tail.
‘What are you doing?’ G-War asked, his paw frozen mid-air, his claws slowly started to extend.
“I’m thinking.” Braden stared into the distance. “I’m thinking we need to catch this group in the night, which means you, little man. You sneaking in and taking the head off the snake. We only need to figure out which one is the leader. There’s always one.”
Braden continued his rhythmic stroking of the ‘cat. G-War retracted his claws and returned to grooming his face.
‘If I may, Master Braden. We have the element of surprise. As long as we retain that, then we will have the upper hand,’ Aadi suggested.
Braden nodded slowly while staring over Brandt’s broad back.
***
Wind Runner and Low Crawler lay on the deck, heads lolling after heaving their guts out for the past eight hours.
“You’re just seasick,” Strider told them in a series of yips and barks.
“We’re dying!” they claimed, looking as green as a fur-covered creature could.
Klytus and Shauna ran around chasing the twins and acting like kittens, but the twins were five and the ‘cats were well into adulthood. Their choice had been to stay young for as long as they could. Very few gained a life-bond as a child. Most ‘cats shied away until the true nature of the person was clear.
In the case of Ax and ‘Tesh, Klytus and Shauna’s father had named them after himself. They had an innate ability to communicate with not just Hillcats, but all sentient creatures. They were gifted in all ways. Klytus and Shauna had been born of a pairing between the Golden Warrior and a domestic cat. They were only half the size of their father. They visited their mother occasionally, but G-War always disappeared into the hills before they arrived on those visits, reappearing when they were on their way out.
Klytus took a full run at Ax, who quickly dodged. The ‘cat tried to stop and slid over the edge and into the ocean. He flailed in the water as the Warden pulled away from him.
‘Chlora!’ Ax called.
‘Rhodi!’ Shauna added, running to the edge of a great wing that kept the Old Tech ship stable. Klytus disappeared behind a wave, reappearing as a new one crested.
“KLYTUS!” Ax screamed in panic.
Two dorsal fins cut a path toward the ‘cat. They passed, turned, and one thrust up from below, throwing Klytus into the air. He landed on Chlora’s head, claws from all four paws digging in and holding on.
“Owwww!” Chlora chittered in a near-human voice. She hammered her tail into the waves, accelerating quickly toward the ship, and ducked into the water briefly. Klytus hung on. Chlora came out of the water, slamming her body into the deck and dislodging the terrified ‘cat. He came out with bits of Dolphin flesh attached to his claws.
Klytus stood and shook. Runner and Crawler remained out of it. The others gathered around, Micah showing up last, but first to pull a patch of numbweed from her ever-present pouch. She packed it on Chlora’s head.
The Dolphin sighed as the pain disappeared. “Splash some water on him,” Micah ordered. Ax and ‘Tesh slapped at the sea with their hands, sending small arcs of water onto the beached Dolphin.
Ax wouldn’t look at his ‘cat.
‘What?’ Klytus asked defensively. Fea stalked up to him and in a blur, slapped him in the head. He lunged at her, but she was twice his size and smacked him down with her other paw. Klytus showed a fang. She slapped him on the head again. Fea kept her paw raised and extended her claws for the next strike.
Klytus focused on the long, needle-like points. He hung his head and sat down.
‘Apologize,’ Fea told him.
He looked up at her, defiance on his face. Her paw remained ready to strike.
‘I’m sorry, Chlora. There’s no excuse,’ he said in a tiny voice. Fea licked her paw and ran it over her ear before walking to the Dolphin and rubbing her body on the creature’s snout. Chlora sneezed.
A massive head rose behind the ship. ‘Tesh was the first one to see it and fell back before she realized it was her old friend.
‘Rexalita!’ Without warning, she ran two steps and launched herself into the ocean. Ax was a step behind. The Whale sunk below the waves. When she rose again, the twins were clinging to her head.
‘My friends. It is so good play again,’ the Whale’s thought voice boomed.
“It’s a zoo out here,” Micah said, smiling at the joy of her children and wishing Braden was there to see it. Strider moved next to her.
‘Life is so much simpler when one is a pup.’
“I’m not sure those two would agree.” Micah stabbed a thumb over her shoulder. Runner and Crawler rolled on the deck, moaning.
The Warden continued to sail unerringly southward at maximum possible speed.
***
‘It looks like the men are turning toward the mountains,’ Holly reported.
‘Look for a trail or some way we can get in front of them. Can we ambush them by diving into the mountains now, coming around from the other side?’
‘There is no way into the mountains from here, unless you abandon the wagon and possibly Brandt, too.’ Holly spoke clinically, analyzing the situation using the data available to him.
‘We’ll keep that eventuality to ourselves. I suspect Brandt can be more nimble than you give him credit for.’
‘If you want to head into the mountains, you will have to backtrack, but that way will add a full day to your journey as you’ll travel around a wide mountain base where there is no trail.’
‘You make it sound so enticing,’ Braden replied. He blew out a breath and shook his head. ‘Sounds like we don’t have a choice. We’ll continue to trail them. A full day? We can’t afford that. Let Micah know that we’re heading inland.’
***
“The raiders have turned east. They’re entering the mountains,” Micah told Strider.
‘Then why are we still traveling south?’ the Wolfoid asked.
“They are traveling too fast. We’d spend all our time running after them. If they turn south again, we still may be able to get in front of them. Holly says there may be as many as a thousand people in this port city we’ll reach tomorrow. But if the men turned inland, they probably aren’t a
ssociated with this place. We might be able to find some allies.”
‘That would be good. Our numbers are small.’
“I doubt anyone down here has ever seen a Wolfoid or Hillcat before.”
‘That’s probably a safe bet,’ Strider replied, wondering what the President had in mind.
“Well, they will now!”
***
‘Rain is coming,’ Bounder said as he sniffed the air.
“That won’t be good. We could lose their trail, although as long as Holly’s up and about, we can track them.”
‘But will we be on the right track?’ Aadi asked.
“You ask great questions, Aadi. Brandt, can you pick up the pace? Holly will let us know when to back off. We need to be close enough that when the rain hits, we don’t lose them. The mountain path could be treacherous.”
‘There is no way I’ll be able to pull the cart through there,’ Brandt boomed in his thought voice as he looked past the foothills at the rugged mountains beyond.
“I didn’t want to bring it up, but we may have to leave the wagon behind. I’m not sure you’ll be able to make it through, depending on what the trail looks like,” Braden shared. “I didn’t know how to tell you.”
‘Thank you for trying to spare my feelings. If the trail is too narrow, I will return to the wagon and wait for you there.’
“I hope it doesn’t come to that, Brandt. I’m sure your strength will come in handy wherever we go.”
The King of the Aurochs increased speed. Braden checked with Holly to make sure they wouldn’t inadvertently be seen by the raiders. Brandt was closing the gap quickly.
“Holly says they are slowing down,” Braden said for everyone to hear. The first drops of rain began, and the Hawkoids swooped in to land on the wagon. They’d scouted the way ahead, shown Braden the way.
Soon, it was a downpour. Brandt slowed to a crawl because he could barely see in front of him. Braden climbed down from the buckboard and walked alongside his friend, helping him see and feel the way.
Braden also had the window open before his eye with the map, the satellite imagery overlaid, and a flashing dot showing where they were and the location of the raiders. The men had stopped and spread out in a circle.
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