by M C Rooney
Three days. And on the third night, Jonas and Brad would lead their raid. And on that night, if all went to plan, justice would return to the land.
Hopetown, West Coast
Sam stood in the Carter household preening his beard and watched the water boil. But it wasn’t boiling like on a normal campfire. It was sitting on something known as a stove.
“Isn’t this amazing?” Danni said in her usual pleasant way. “I just flick a switch and this … thing … on this thing.”
“Plate,” Flynn said, looking lovingly at his wife.
“Stove,” said Sam, who was now patting Danni’s puppy dog at his feet and feeling a little envious.
“Yes. A stove … and plate … just heats the water up,” she said.
“How long do you think we have to boil the water for?” Alex asked, who was also looking jealously at the puppy … and Sam’s beard.
“Until we can figure out how to use that sewerage plant, we have to boil the tap water or catch the rain in those tanks and boil that as well,” replied Flynn. “My brothers are working on it, but we are just not trained for this.”
“So the poo goes to this … plant,” his wife said, “but the wee gets cleaned up somehow, and we can drink it.”
“True,” Flynn replied. “Gross, but true.”
“It’s called … recycling,” Alex said, trying to sound all intelligent and knowledgeable.
“Apparently, they used to … recycle lots of things,” added Sam, trying to match his brother.
“Even piss,” Ian said from across the room.
“Yes, even that,” Flynn replied, grinning, “but it took the old world a while to do this, as buying new things that could be thrown out was good for the economy. Or so my dad said.”
“What?” Ian asked.
“I have no idea either,” Flynn replied. The old world had wasted so much, as far as he could tell. Everything was used in his tribe; nothing was wasted.
“Well, when we fix the water, you can drink it first, to test it,” Sam said with a grin.
“I might have to,” Flynn replied. “We don’t have any equipment to tell if it worked.”
“Someone else can do it,” Danni said firmly.
“Yes, Wife,” Flynn replied, and Ian, Sam, and Alex sniggered until Danni gave them a firm look, then they shut up.
Flynn smiled and glanced out the window and saw that his father, who was normally ‘doing the garden’ as he liked to say, was looking curiously up the road.
“He doesn’t look worried,” Sam said quietly as he also looked out at John Carter.
“We have scouts out,” Flynn replied.
“Anyway, they are meant to come for the towers tomorrow night,” added Alex.
Suddenly, Danni’s little dog started yelping.
“That’s funny,” Danni said. “He usually only does that when visitors knock on the door.”
“Or when he hears other dogs are barking,” Flynn added.
Other dogs!
Flynn looked at his father and saw that he was grinning at him and pointing up the road. He opened the kitchen window and stretched his head out.
“Kirstin and Hussein are back,” his father said to him.
“Just them?” Flynn called out.
“No, a few rangers,” his father replied, “some horses, and some—”
“Dogs!” Ian yelled out and ran out of the house. Sam and Alex were not far behind.
“Welcome to Hopetown,” Buzz said as a greeting to the six rangers who had just arrived and were standing next to their horses. In fact, they each were trailing two other horses, and their saddlebags seemed to be loaded with books.
“Pleased to meet you, Mayor,” a middle-aged woman replied. “My name is Hatty Brady; this is Satchel, Beasley, and Green, and of course, Hussein and Bartel you already know.”
Well, that was interesting, Buzz thought, she called me mayor. Is that some sort of hint from the Mayor in Hobart?
Most likely it was and one he would take on board. He noticed that Satchel and Green seemed to be carrying some sort of hollow wooden thing on their backs. He had no idea what it was and intended to ask John Carter as soon as he could. He paused on the tall blonde girl called Beasley, who gave him a big grin. Hmm, he thought, she’s very distracting.
“We are glad you have returned so quickly,” Buzz replied. “Kirstin didn’t say when she would return.”
Kirstin and Hussein seemed to be in deep conversation with Ian and the Follett brothers. Probably talking about which dog they could have.
“The mayor sent her back as quickly as possible,” Hatty replied. “She thought it would be best that people in your community not fight over what dogs they had.” she grinned. “We all understand how cute they can be.”
Buzz nodded and smiled in return. He agreed completely, but his gaze seemed to go back to the Beasley girl, who was still smiling at him. Focus, Buzz, he thought, focus on the matter at hand … Mayor Roberts.
“As much as I appreciate your being here,” he replied, “you have come at an awkward stage.”
“The Martins?” she enquired quietly.
“Yes, we expect a few visitors tomorrow night,” Buzz responded just as softly.
“Well, we need to speak more privately,” Hatty replied as she nodded behind Buzz.
Buzz turned and saw that a large number of people were now starting to arrive. Word had spread about the dogs … and maybe the horses, who knew?
“Ian, Sam, Alex,” he called out to the young men who were now playing right in the middle of the twenty or so young dogs that had arrived from the south. “Since you are so keen on playing with them, you can arrange as to which family gets which dog.”
“You’re kidding right, Chief?” Sam said.
“Oh, no way,” Alex cried out.
“What?” said Ian. He hadn’t been listening and looked like he was about to start rolling on the ground with the dogs again.
They all were previously smiling, but now they looked at the oncoming parents with complete dread.
“No, I’m not kidding,” he replied, trying not to grin. “You all see they are fairly distributed to the families and their children, and you can get first dibs on the next litter.”
“Oh … okay, Chief,” Sam replied, smiling again.
Alex seemed to give a triumphant shout of ‘yes’ to the sky.
The young Beasley girl was still looking at him, and her smile seemed to be one of approval. Buzz tried not to blush. He failed.
“All right,” Hatty said as they sat at the community hall table. “The Professor is presently training a number of suitable people on the workings of the tower.”
The Professor! Buzz’s father had told him all about the Professor and who he was in the past. It seemed as though that crazy genius had a very checkered history.
“Have you started yours yet?” John Carter asked.
Buzz had specifically asked for him to attend. Flynn, Fraser, and Fergus sat to his left as well. They were all very level-headed, just like their father. Sam and Alex sat on his right. They were looking at the dogs.
“Yes,” Hatty replied. “We have made a good beginning on the big tower, but it is years away from completion.”
The community hall was packed with people. He had hoped for a more private venue, but choosing this site wasn’t the best of ideas. It was usually empty and could accommodate a dozen people easily. But tonight, word had spread, and the community was out in full.
“Oh, isn’t he cute?” Kirstin suddenly said, smiling.
Buzz looked at what she was staring at and realised that she wasn’t talking about any dogs as such. It seemed that Ian had decided to roll on the ground with the dogs again, and she was busy watching him. The one thing about the full community hall, which included maybe fifty dogs, was that if anybody would have wanted to spy on them they would have had to sit almost on their lap to listen in.
“Once the … business has ended,” Hatty continued, “the m
ayor wishes to send some of the Professor’s trainees up here to help you with the tower.”
“And you are here now to train our people with horse riding?” Buzz asked.
“That’s the plan. Along with knowledge and education,” Hussein replied with a grin. This time nobody flinched. He had a harsh face, but he was a good man. He had also fought alongside the Westerners, and he was considered one of them now.
Buzz looked forward to having some of his people trained as horsemen. He knew he would never be one of them, but it would be good to have their skill as a defence should the need arise. He also knew he needed more teachers at the school; education removes ignorance, as his mother liked to say.
“Are you going to learn to ride?” Sam asked Alex curiously.
“I don’t know,” Alex replied with a careful look at his brother.
“I think I could be good at it,” Sam said eventually.
“I think I could be better,” Alex replied immediately.
“Right then,” Sam said firmly.
“You’re on,” replied Alex.
Ian sighed, but kept playing with the dogs.
“Please tell your mayor how grateful we are,” Buzz said earnestly to the rangers, “for all the help she has given us.”
“Will do,” Hatty said with a pleased smile. She appeared to be the sort of woman where good manners got you far. Buzz also noted that the mayor had sent a woman to lead the rangers. Perhaps it was another reminder of equality that the western tribes desperately needed.
“God bless that woman,” Carter said with relief. “She could have been selfish and just thought about her own town, but obviously she cares about our whole island.”
“Yes, the Unknowable has been kind to us, by giving us such a leader,” Hatty replied.
“If it exists,” Beasley interjected.
“Correct,” Hatty replied, nodding to the young girl.
Buzz and Carter shared a confused look. What were they talking about with this Unknowable business?
“My cousin told me about the battle at the tower,” the Beasley girl said to John Carter.
“Your cousin?” Carter enquired.
“Tom Dayton,” she replied. “My father and his mother are twins.”
“Ah, yes. Sam and Alex speak very highly of him.”
“He is a good man,” she replied. “Tom is the Mayor of Grovetown’s son, the Mayor of Kingston’s great-nephew, and the Mayor of Hobart’s nephew.”
“Important family,” Carter said, impressed.
“Very,” she replied, “and his grandfather, Jon Dayton, was truly a brilliant man.”
Geez, I wonder what the grandfather did that outweighed the rest of his family, Buzz wondered.
“And are the new dogs yours or Kirstin’s?” Sam asked.
“These ones are mine,” Beasley replied. “We have too many in Grovetown, so I was asked to bring them up here.”
“That’s quite a way,” Alex replied. “How did you manage to keep them together?”
“With great difficulty,” she said and smiled.
Grovetown, Hobart, and Kingston. Buzz would like to see these places one day.
The Beasley girl turned her lovely face to the young chief. “So why do they call you Buzz?” she asked.
“My real name is Edwin,” he replied. “I was named after a legendary man who also had the nickname Buzz.”
“Interesting,” she replied, “and what did that Edwin do that was so amazing to be called a legend?”
“See that moon in the sky?” Buzz said, pointing through the window.
“Of course.”
“He walked on it.”
“Ah, that Edwin,” she said with a smile. “I’ve read about him and the other brave men in our library.”
So it was true, Buzz thought with relief. He hadn’t been sure if the legends were true. His mother said it was true when he asked her as a child, but his father just grunted and said those days were dead. What wonders they had accomplished in the old world. Such brilliance and such madness.
“I’m sorry,” Buzz said, “but what is your first name?” He had to know. He found her quite intriguing.
“Kate,” she replied, smiling.
“That’s a beautiful name,” he said without thinking.
Everybody stopped and stared at him; even Ian had stopped wrestling the dogs. Kate Beasley smiled even more.
“It’s on,” Sam whispered to his brother.
“Like donkey kong,” Alex whispered back. That was another saying they had picked up from their father, though they had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.
Buzz didn’t know what to say next and felt extremely embarrassed but was saved by John Carter.
“Okay. Now these boys Satchel and Green have these instruments on their back,” he said. “You youngsters may not know what they are, but us oldies do,” he continued. “If you would please, gentlemen,” and he gestured for Kirstin and Hussein’s companions to stand up.
Buzz watched as they took these wooden things and placed a strap over their shoulders to secure them in front of their body. The middle of the wooden thing seemed to have some long metal strings. One of the rangers kept flicking it with some sort of small plastic material in his fingers and twisting something on the end of whatever it was. It made a strange sound that wasn’t very pleasant to the ear. Soon, though, the rangers started playing a melody along these strings that sounded magical to his ears. Then the rangers started singing, which suited the music perfectly. The song was something about a man loving a woman. Everybody in the community hall stopped and listened in awe as the two young rangers transfixed them with a sound that had disappeared for decades. Even the dogs had gone quiet.
It was a beautiful moment, and through the sound and lyrics, Buzz thought he could hear the echoes of times long gone entering the community hall. The Mayor of Hobart was trying to change the culture of his tribe, for which he was grateful. He hoped to meet her one day to express his gratitude for all that she had done. He looked around and saw his people mesmerized by the music. Some of the elders were crying, but most looked joyous as the sound reverberated around the hall. He glanced at Kate Beasley and saw her smiling at him again. This time he smiled back.
The Martin Mansion
“You fucking cunt, you givin’ up the weapons as well?”
You are such a delightful man, Eddie Cornwell thought as he watched Brad and Jonas line up their thirty-five men.
“Yes, I’m afraid the others have convinced me, Brad,” Eddie replied. “The life of a warrior is no longer for me.”
“Please come back,” Jonas said, and Eddie was shocked that one of the Martin boys was actually asking for help.
“I’m sorry, Jonas,” Eddie replied, “but my mind is made up.” It’s been made up for years Jonas, but now I finally get the chance to be the real me.
“And what about you, boofhead?” Brad asked the man standing next to Eddie.
“No, I must decline such a charming invitation,” Grant replied sarcastically.
Careful, Grant, Eddie thought worriedly,
“Are you being disrespectful to me?” Brad said in a tight voice. His hand was reaching for his knife as well.
“I don’t know, am I?” Grant replied. His hands were bunched into fists.
For God’s sake, what is wrong with him today? Eddie thought. Why is he losing his cool like this?
“Do you wanna have a go?” Brad asked menacingly. “I could take your eye out like was done to your precious grandfather.”
This was explosive. All their plans could be delayed or ruined if Grant and Brad fought right now. Grant could not behave like a Martin. That was a major part of their plan.
“I don’t think our mother would like that,” Grant replied.
Eddie watched as Brad’s face went completely pale. And maybe Eddie’s did as well. They were brothers!
Eddie had always known that Brett Martin’s sons were all from rape, but he had no idea who
any of the sons’ mothers were until now. He watched as Grant and Brad stood a few paces away from each other and suddenly realised how similar Brad looked to the Hamill boys. Why hadn’t he noticed this before? He prided himself on his observation skills, but this obvious one had completely escaped him.
“You’re not my brother,” Brad spat and turned away.
“I know,” Grant replied softly as he watched the Martin boys lead their men towards the Roberts clan.
“Did you get that out of your bloody system?” Eddie said in exasperation.
Grant turned towards Eddie and seemed to have a peaceful look on his face. “Yes, I did,” he said.
“And are we now finally ready to do what needs to be done?” Eddie asked.
Grant looked at Eddie, and his face became determined.
“Yes, I am, Captain,” he replied and gave Eddie Cornwell a salute.
“Make the final adjustments to Ice Land,” Eddie commanded.
“Yes, sir,” Grant replied as he walked off to the new building.
“That’s strange,” Brett Martin murmured from his lounge room window as he saw Grant Hamill give Eddie Cornwell some sort of hand gesture. “What did that mean?”
He looked around for someone to explain it to him and realised he was all on his own. Only a few servants who were preparing his meal were left in his house. It felt so empty. He was even starting to miss that old bag Rebecca. He had raised his six sons ever since they were toddlers, and now only two remained. Well, raising them was a generous term of phrase. He provided a house for them and fed them, but that was about it. He really didn’t care what they did, so long as they didn’t kill themselves. But now four were dead, and the house seemed so quiet.