“You never told me that you discussed Crator with her. What did you tell her? And when did this conversation take place?”
“Well, uh, I told her it would raise suspicion if she started researching Crator.”
“When did you talk to her?”
“Uh, the night that…” Fleeders hesitated, searching for words. He wanted to say the night that Gowsky burned down his life’s work, the night their communication with the Lunians ended. “It was the night you brought her here.”
Gowsky stared at Fleeders for a moment. So Fleeders had been communicating with Tara when he was supposed to be spying on her. The man possessed outstanding landlink skills, but his religious faith bordered on the superstitious. It amazed Gowsky that even the most intelligent of people allowed something as simple as faith in Crator to consume their life and affect rational decisionmaking.
Gowsky didn’t have time for this. He gave Fleeders a look that said the conversation was not over. He straightened the small table he’d knocked over, opened the small drawer in it, and pulled out another laser. Shoving it into the side of his pants, he once again ran out of his house.
Tara didn’t shut her eyes. She didn’t blink. She didn’t slow down. She looked straight ahead as the trees cleared and the desert lay ahead.
She had done it. She had driven through the force field.
Was this the act of Crator? Who was this Crator? She looked around to the vast openness, glanced behind her to see the trees fading. Suddenly the frigid wind hit her skin, causing her to shiver uncontrollably.
Gowsky would follow her. Escape would not be this easy. She needed direction. West. She needed to go west.
Ignoring the waves of cold air streaming across her body, she veered the motorcycle. She wasn’t used to navigating without her landlink. But one of the tests she’d passed as a young warrior was finding her way back to the clan without the aid of her navigation program. She’d been one of the first Runners to make it back, and she remembered how proud Patha had been. He hadn’t shown it in front of the rest of the clan, but that night, as she’d cleaned her bike, he’d told her. She’d never forget the look in his eyes— unconditional love.
Tara’s eyes burned. She hated crying. The tears felt like fire, burning her face as they fell down her cheeks. She tasted the salt in her mouth even though it was firmly shut to keep her teeth from chattering. She struggled with the tears as they persisted, fogging her vision.
Patha thought she was dead. Had he cried? She’d never seen him cry before. He was a true warrior and strong emotions would cloud judgment. Patha wouldn’t cry. It was more likely he’d been angry—furious that he’d let her go to Southland. He berate himself for not forcing her to stay and tame Darius. Somehow she needed to let him know she was alive and coming home.
Tara looked up at the sky, noticing the sun was moving to the west. The desert would freeze once nightfall hit. However, the farther north she drove, the colder it would get. In spite of better clothes, she still wasn’t properly dressed and would freeze to death without some form of shelter, and the means to build a fire.
Looking ahead once again, she veered hard to avoid a large animal directly in front of her. Her bike slid in the sand, and for a moment she thought she would lose her balance. Tara cursed the clothes she was wearing. If she injured herself, she would only freeze faster. She slowed the bike and regained control.
As she turned, Tara’s mouth fell open. The same old woman sat next to a fire, stirring something in a pot that hung over the flames.
Tara steered her bike up next to the woman and got off. “We meet again.”
The woman didn’t look up. “It’s almost ready. Hurry and change clothes.” The old woman pointed the wooden spoon to something behind Tara.
A large tan tent was set up next to her bike. She was shocked, afraid to move. Something akin to panic hit her. She felt fear, and her shivering became uncontrollable. The tent had not been there a second ago. There was no question. Tara was sure of it. Was she somehow experiencing delirium from the drug she’d been given over the past six cycles? Maybe none of this was real.
She slowly turned to the woman who was still hunched over the fire.
“You’ll freeze if you don’t change. Your clothes are inside. I’ll make you a plate.”
Tara left the old woman and walked to the tent, touching it gently, not completely convinced it was actually there. The roughness of the animal skin stretched over wooden poles scratched her fingertips. Tara pulled the flap covering the entrance to one side and stepped inside. Immediately, warmth engulfed her. Her eyes adjusted to the dim interior and she saw a small folding canvas chair in the middle of the tent. Her Runner clothing was folded neatly on top.
She stared at the folded pile of black woven silk and smelled the crisp black leather before carefully touching them and picking up the top piece of clothing. It was her silk black undershirt! As she held the piece of material in front of her, she inhaled the familiar scent of her clothes— the sweet, fresh smell, as if they had just been washed.
None of this made sense. Her bike was outside. She’d parked it there. This tent hadn’t been there when she’d stopped her bike. She hadn’t been lost in thought and not noticed it. This tent that she was standing in now, that she’d touched with her fingers, had not been here a moment before. Something more powerful than anything she’d ever known, or anyone she’d ever gone up against in battle, was at play here. The old woman was obviously not how she appeared. Patha would advise learning everything possible about this new being and bringing the information back to the clan. Tara would do just that.
As she finished dressing and put on her black leather jacket, Tara noticed her laser in her right pocket where she always kept it. She left the tent, trying to decide what to say to the old woman.
“Ah, that’s better. Here, sit.” The old lady gestured at her with a plate of steaming food in her crooked, wrinkled hand.
Tara took the plate and sat on the ground next to the old woman’s feet. “How did you get my clothes?”
“Crator got them.”
“Who is Crator?”
Their eyes met and the old woman smiled. “You’ll know when your heart is ready, I guess.” She nodded at the food. “Eat up. It’s potato stew.”
“Potato stew?” Tara looked down at the steaming plate of food. “This was my favorite meal when I was a child.” Did the old woman already know that?
Tara hoped she hadn’t dishonored the old woman. Not once while eating had she offered any stories as they sat by the fire. She had devoured the stew without saying a word. Tara stood and took her plate over to the fire. Her insides were warm, and her body rejoiced at the comfort of her own clothing. She picked up her headscarf and wrapped it snugly around her head, securing it in the back. “You’ve been very kind to me. I wish I could repay you, but I have nothing.”
The old woman ignored her and started to clean the dishes in a bucket of water on the ground.
“Let me clean up.” Tara squatted in front of the bucket and picked up her dirty dish.
“Don’t worry, child.” The woman took the plate from Tara. “You don’t need to repay me. I’m simply a Guardian. You need to get that bike in order. You have a long trip ahead of you.”
“What is a guardian?”
“I serve Crator and do as He says.”
“Where is he?” Tara hoped the old woman would give her a different answer then she had when she’d first met her with the children.
The old woman chuckled. “Crator is everywhere, my dear.” She looked up at Tara and again pointed with the wooden spoon in her hand. “You’ll find some tools behind the tent, I think.” She sounded distracted, like an old person who wasn’t sure where she’d left something.
“Do you live around here?”
“I go wherever I’m needed. Crator sends me.”
Tara sighed. She wanted to know more, but wasn’t sure which questions to ask. “So Crator takes care of you?”
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“Child, he takes care of you, too.” The old woman placed the leftover stew in a bowl and put it into a travel bag. “Your faith shall grow, child, don’t worry. You are young.”
“My mission here wasn’t too successful.” She paused, studying the woman’s leathery face and searching for the right words. “I’m glad I’ve learned of your Crator, though. I wish we had something like him in Northland.”
The old lady slowly took her time standing. “You’ve learned exactly what you were supposed to learn while you were here.” She took Tara by the arm and, at a snail’s pace, escorted her around the tent. “Child, Crator is everywhere. He will provide for you as you know Him.” She let go of Tara’s arm. “Now take care of your bike, child.”
Tara wasn’t completely surprised to see exactly what she needed to tune up her motorcycle—all necessary tools and a large metal can, which, after smelling its contents, Tara realized was full of fuel.
As it grew dark, the bike was finally in prime condition, ready for the long journey north. Tara cleaned the tools and returned them to the place where she’d found them.
As she walked around the tent, she noticed two things at once.
First, a large dog lay protectively next to the fire. Second, a vehicle approached the small campsite.
Tara pulled out her laser, ready to fight for her life.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
THE LARGE beast showed off deadly looking teeth and
growled as the vehicle slowed just feet from the tent. Its hackles rose and it lowered its head. Just as the animal prepared to leap on the intruder, a piercing hum sliced through the air.
A horrific scream violated the campsite, curdling Tara’s blood. The ground shook under her feet when the large dog collapsed to the ground.
“No!” Tara wailed and leapt out from behind the tent, firing her laser.
Gowsky stood next to his groundmobile, but his return shot missed her completely as her laser shot sliced through his right shoulder. This time the scream renting the night air belonged to Gowsky as he hit the side of his groundmobile and crumbled to the ground.
“Try again and you die!” Tara ran straight over to Gowsky and ripped the laser from his hand. She hurled it into the night.
“Your clothes,” Gowsky struggled to speak while gripping his blood-stained shoulder. “They were returned to your family.”
Tara ignored him. She hurried to the lifeless animal and collapsed to her knees. She stroked its bloody coat and sobbed as she pressed her cheek so the side of its head. I didn’t hear him coming. I’m so sorry.” She wept freely, and her tears mixed with the blood on the animal’s coat.
Tara ignored Gowsky’s groans as she murmured apologies to the dead animal. “I never even knew your name. I’ll give you a proper death ceremony,” she whispered into the ear of the dead canine and looked up to survey the contents of the campsite. “You died an honorable death and shall have an honorable ceremony.”
Gowsky crawled into his groundmobile, pulled out a small first aid kit and began to treat his wound. Tara didn’t give him any attention as she began building up the fire.
There was an exceptional amount of logs stacked by the fire that Tara hadn’t paid attention to until now. She squinted through her tears into the darkness. There weren’t any trees around them.
“Did you know you were going to die?” she whispered. Then with shock had a hard time stomaching her next thought. “Is my life worth so much that you would die for me?”
“Why do you care so much for that thing?”
“She took care of me, more than once.”
“It was going to attack me. I know you would have done the same thing.”
Tara turned and gave Gowsky a long hard look. She studied the handsome face and the onyx eyes. “Do you have any idea who you’ve killed?”
Gowsky looked at the dead animal, then at Tara. His expression was blank, but she thought she noticed trepidation lurking in his eyes. He pressed a cloth, already blood-stained, against his shoulder as he climbed out of the groundmobile. Gowsky walked up to look at the dog lying still on the ground. Standing over the dead animal, he said, “Obviously an animal you cared about.”
“She was one of your Guardians. And you are a fool. She’s been helping me ever since I’ve arrived in your nation. She provided this camp, food, and the tools to ready up my bike. This entire setup was here when I arrived, with an old lady attending it. When you pulled up, she turned into a dog.”
She watched him look around at the campsite in wonder. Tara turned and yanked the cloth away from the wound. “You’ll live,” she snarled and slapped the cloth back over his shoulder, glad when he winced. “I came to Semore to see if you’d be willing to start trading with us.” She felt frustrated she hadn’t accomplished that task, but now all she wanted to do was go home. “We need your oil. But shunned me and kidnapped me. Your people shall suffer for that.”
Tara watched him stiffened when she continued. “And there’s nothing I can do about it. I could ask that you’re given another chance to prove yourselves as allies, but I fear your crimes are too serious. Crator will decide what to do with you.”
Gowsky didn’t say anything when he walked to his groundmobile. He secured a bandage to his shoulder. Then returning, he lifted the dead animal and placed it on the logs she’d piled. He watched as Tara started the fire. Gowsky watched her graceful movements and thought how incredibly beautiful she was, and how deadly. With the power she now possessed, she could eliminate the Neurian race. Yet somehow, he felt she had no desire to do so.
He was worried. When Tara reappeared after six cycles, plenty of questions would be asked. And what would the council do?
Dimly, he heard her say, “I’m leaving, Gowsky. Go home to your people.”
He paused next to his groundmobile as she continued watching flames leap around the dead animal. After a minute, he climbed into the vehicle, started it, and drove toward Semore. Suddenly, he turned the vehicle around and headed back to the gun lying on the ground. Skidding to a stop, he jumped out, grabbed it and squatted next to the groundmobile aiming at Tara.
She didn’t budge from her ritual.
He watched as she remained squatted by the fire. After a short time, Tara stood and moved to the tent. She began to disassemble it. The Runner had to be aware of his presence, yet she completely ignored him. Not once did Tara look up at him. How could he shoot a woman who simply ignored him?
Gowsky decided she must think he posed no threat. She must view Neurians as a soft race she might simply dismiss. Tara was challenging his warrior abilities, and he was furious.
After all, his pride was at stake. He couldn’t turn and humbly leave as she suggested. Gowsky would show her that Neurians knew how to fight! He jumped back into the groundmobile.
Tara folded the tent and pulled the twine attached to its outer side until it was a compact bundle. She secured it to the back of her bike. As she reached for the tent poles, she saw Gowsky approaching at high speed—straight for her.
Jumping on her bike, Tara skidded out of the way just as he ran through the small camp, sending pots rolling across the desert as he ran into them. Twenty yards or so past the camp he slammed on the brakes and turned around, preparing for a return drive-by.
She aimed her laser and shot his back tire. Tara accelerated toward the groundmobile and slammed on her brakes, skidding to a stop within arm’s distance of Gowsky.
Aiming her laser at his head, she said, “I told you to leave.”
This time, Gowsky was prepared. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her hand holding the laser. His strength overcame hers, and he pulled her forward off the front of her bike.
Tara came at him full force. The two flipped out of the other side of the groundmobile.
Gowsky twisted his body and landed on top of her. He slammed her hand against the ground and the laser fell free from her fingers. She completely relaxed her body underneath his, which caused him to relax his grip on her
, although he watched her warily.
Instantly, Tara brought up her leg and kneed him hard in the crotch. He lunged forward, fell to the side, and she squirmed out from underneath him.
“You insult my fighting abilities and mock Crator,” he snarled, doubled over on the ground from pain. “Do you really think our Crator would protect a Runner from a Neurian laser? Crator protects Neurians—not Runners!”
“I’m not insulting Crator, Gowsky. But I am protected from your gun. A Runner’s outfit is laser proof.” Her blue eyes were radiant with emotion.
Gowsky raised his laser at her.
Tara jumped, kicking him straight in the chest. He fell backward, and she pushed him to the ground.
This time, she was on top of him. Tara grabbed the laser and tossed it, while pressing her other hand against his chest. Raising the laser to his face, she snarled, “I could kill you right now, and it would be completely justified.”
“I can’t just let you walk away.”
She shoved the laser into his nose. “Then you die.”
He looked into her eyes and knew that she meant it. “We’re not prepared to go to war again.”
Tara jumped off him. “You won’t try to stop me from leaving again?”
Gowsky scrambled to his feet, staring at the laser in his face. It was way too close for comfort. “I don’t have much of a choice. You’ve disabled my groundmobile, and you have a laser in my face.” He tried a reassuring smile but her expression remained hard. “Tara, I wish we could have known each other under different circumstances.”
Tara backed off, but kept the laser pointed at him. She walked through the campsite, looking at what was left, but continuously glanced at Gowsky to make sure he didn’t try anything. The tent poles were bent and broken. The smell of burning fur and flesh was as strong as the flames were high. It made no sense to burn the dead animal. Maybe it was a Runner ceremonial way to celebrate the death of special people. Tara really believed that dead dog was a Guardian. Guardians didn’t die. Not to mention, he knew Crator. Crator wouldn’t care about Runners, or Gothman, or anyone as Oldworld as they were. The Runners and Gothman war against the Sea People had taken away the Neurians largest buyer of opium. Crator would never send a Guardian to help someone who had hurt his people.
Nuworld: Claiming Tara Page 37