Star Hunters

by Clayton, Jo;

  Grey stepped out of the lift and pointed to the skimmer nearest the open port. “Get those two inside and wait for me.”

  He walked through flurries of dust, stirred up by gusts of wind coming in through the opening in the side of the mountain. He glanced toward the portal and nodded. The Vryhh, he thought. Got out of here without looking behind. He grinned and stepped over the sprawled watuk. Lee must have scared hell out of him.

  Using the tools left by the dead mechanics, he worked over three of the skimmers, then swung inside each and started the motors. Instead of the smooth hum, there was a tooth-jarring whine that pulsed like the breathing of a lung-shot beast. He stretched his mouth in a feral grin. Ten minutes and they’d blow.

  Hastily he jumped back to the metacrete and ran to the skimmer by the portal. Still smiling grimly, he sent the skimmer darting out of the mountain, forcing it into maximum climb. He didn’t relax until they were out of the mountains and cruising over the valley floor.

  Faiseh looked back at the mountains. “What’s the hurry?”

  Grey leaned back. “Ever see what happens when a skimmer engine overloads?”

  Faiseh grunted. “Not likely.”

  “Watch the mountains then. Should be happening about now.”

  As he spoke there was a great flare of light. The polarizing glass of the viewports went solid black for a moment, then returned to transparency as the flare faded to a white veil whose glow diminished as they watched. A moment later the skimmer rocked as a blast of air caught it, but the stabilizers leveled it.

  “Right,” Faiseh said. He drummed his fingers on the console. “Doesn’t make riding in this very comfortable right now.”

  “Relax. Safe enough.”

  “Where we heading?”

  “Kiwanji.”

  “A favor?”

  “Why not. What is it?”

  “Drop Manoreh and me at Kobe’s Holding first?”

  “No problem.” He sat up and swung the skimmer around until it was moving south and west, heading toward Kobe’s Holding.

  Some minutes later Manoreh groaned and sat up. Rubbing at his numbed arms and legs, he muttered, “What happened?”

  Faiseh chuckled, repeating what he knew of events since the egg exploded. “Look back,” he finished. “You can still see the cloud shining a little.” He grinned. “Glad to see you taking notice. You weigh a ton.”

  Manoreh started to laugh then groaned. “My head feels like you been stomping on it, couz.”

  Aleytys stirred, moaned softly. Manoreh reached for her, but Faiseh caught his hand. “Huh-uh, couz. Bad idea.”

  Manoreh looked down at Aleytys. “I see.”

  Aleytys sat up, rubbed at her eyes, twisted her head back and forth, until she straightened and met Grey’s eyes.

  He swung his chair around and took her hand. “You all right?”

  “In one piece, more or less.” She rubbed the back of her head. “You stunned me?”

  “Had to.” She looked tired but relaxed. He was reluctant to disturb her hard-won peace, but she had to know of the Vryhh’s escape. He spoke to stop the question he saw forming on her face. “I set three skimmers to overload. Blew the place to dust.” He pointed at the cloud still visible through the back viewports. She glanced back, nodded; then she began looking around the skimmer, frowning. Grey leaned back, waiting for her to ask about the Vryhh.

  Faiseh touched his shoulder. “Kobe’s Holding coming up,” he said and pointed down.

  Relieved, Grey swung the chair around and took back the controls. He brought the skimmer around and set it down in the flat space between the barn and the kitchen garden. Then he looked from Manoreh to Faiseh. “Our business is finished,” he said crisply.

  “Grey.…” Aleytys touched his arm.

  He shook his head. “Finished, Lee.” He tapped a sensor and the door beside Faiseh slid open. “Sorry to shove you out, Rangers, but we’re due in Kiwanji.”

  “Got you.” Faiseh jumped down quickly and stood waiting for Manoreh.

  Manoreh rubbed at the back of his neck. “Aleytys, I.…”

  She smiled. “No need. I know.”

  He eased to his feet and stood bent over, his shoulders pressed against the top of the skimmer. “You’ve certainly shaken loose a lot of my ideas.” He dropped from the skimmer and stood watching while she came to kneel in the doorway. “Kitosime will thank you. As for me, I’ll wait and see.”

  Aleytys laughed. “I wish I could stay and watch, but.…” She shrugged.

  “Not a good idea. I’ve got problems enough with one independent lady.” He pointed to the barn. “Who waits there.” With Faiseh he started for the barn.

  Aleytys leaned out the door, her body tensing, then she wriggled around and slid into the seat beside Grey. “There’s a dead man by that door. Grey.…”

  The door beside her slid shut with a crisp finality and Grey took the skimmer up, sending it toward Kiwanji.

  Chapter XVI

  With Faiseh close behind, Manoreh pushed open the small door and stepped into the barn. A rush of gladness made him blink until he realized that Kitosime was projecting with a power that nearly suffocated him. He heard Faiseh suck in his breath. A dead man, hacked to pieces outside, now this.

  He looked past her. In the shadows at the edge of the light five wilding boys hovered, ready to run or fight. They were dirty, ragged, covered with small cuts and crusted blood. He projected REASSURANCE/CALM. Then turned back to Kitosime. She’s magnificent, he thought. Her head was up, the feeble light from the lamp striking silver highlights from her high cheekbones and sinking her eyes into deep shadow. She burned with pride and defiance now that her first flush of joy had dissipated. Two girls pressed against her, one on each side, sharing in her defiance, slightly jealous. Wildings, he thought, startled. But they were neat and clean in their dress-cloths, their hair combed into tight knots. Four boys stood by her, watching him with hostility. Wildings. Had to be, the way they projected emotion. Manoreh frowned at one of the smaller boys. He looked familiar. Then he remembered. The boy who’d scooped up the dead hares. He’s changed. Meme Kalamah, he’s changed. Wildings. Neat and clean in tunic and shorts. Kitosime.… He smiled. “You’ve been busy, Kitosime.” He projected AMUSEMENT/APPRECIATION/WONDER.

  “Very.” She was making no concessions. After a moment’s strained silence, she said, “And you?”

  “The world is saved.”

  That startled a laugh from her. She relaxed a little, rested arms lightly around the girls’ shoulders. “I haven’t done so badly either.” She smiled. “Welcome home, husband. And meet our new children.”

  Manoreh laughed. “With pleasure. They have names?”

  “Oh yes, indeed. They find names very important.” She smiled proudly at the children. “The two big boys are Amea and Cheo. They have fought well for us. Wame there,” she pointed, “he’s our story teller. And Liado—” she indicated the silent staring boy next to Wame. “He’s our ears and eyes.” She touched Mara’s cheek. “This is Mara. She escaped from a clan Bighouse and survived in the Wild for five years. And this little imp is S’kiliza.” She hugged S’kiliza.

  Manoreh took a step forward. It was absurd to be standing here, talking at each other. So close, yet so far apart. There’s six months between us, he thought. And three years’ blindness on my part. He was aware of Faiseh fidgeting behind him. He’s wondering what the fuss is about, why I let her defy me. He tried to shake off his malaise. He took another step toward Kitosime, projected QUESTION?

  With a shake of her head, she denied him an answer. There were silver highlights on her face and her hoop earrings brushed her neck. She was achingly lovely. He felt a surge of desire, but repressed it. Wrong time and place. His eyes dropped to the girl beside her. Mara, he thought. How does she know about Mara? He lifted his head. “How do you know about her?”

  Kitosime looked startled. “She told me.”

  “You taught her to speak?”

  “Yes.�
�� She frowned, projected CONFUSION. “Not really. I just helped her remember what she already knew. They all spoke before they went wild.” She smiled at her small satellites and got back from them a wave of possessive affection, then she faced Manoreh again. “There are some things that need words.”

  “Do you have any idea what you’ve done, love?” He laughed, the sound booming in the great vault. “You’ve made yourself a Tembeat.”

  “No!” She scowled. “Nothing like that thing.”

  “Exactly like that thing. What do your think they did with us, the boys they brought in?”

  “Then why so few!” She was abruptly very angry, and glared at him out of shadowed eyes. “There are hundreds of wildings out there.” She flung out a hand encompassing the Sawasawa. He could feel the energy snapping in her, the power. “You men! You let them run loose, dirty, hungry, in constant danger of being burned and eaten by Fa-men. And you took in no girls at all. Why?” She was breathing quickly. Under the rollknot her breasts rose and fell.

  Manoreh shook his head. “I was wrong,” he said quietly. “Not exactly like the Tembeat.”

  “Wrong!” She spat the word at him.

  “You’ve done more than the Tembeat thought of doing. Until now.…” he said, as she snorted impatiently. “Until now,” he repeated, “no one knew it was possible to reclaim those already wild. All the men and boys at the Tembeat came there still speaking. Their clans sent them as a last desperate measure to keep them from the wild. We didn’t know.…” He was silent a minute. “Do you think we had more freedom than anyone else? Everything the Director did, he did on sufferance. The Holders.…” He shrugged. “They tolerated us, that’s all. Kitosime.…” He reached toward her. “Do you see what you’ve done?” He laughed suddenly. “You’ve changed our world more wildly than.…” As he saw the possibilities, excitement kindled in him. “Do you see?”

  She ran to him and put her hands in his. “You understand,” she cried. “I never expected you to understand.”

  He kissed her hand. “Don’t remind me what a fool I’ve been, love. Forgive?”

  With a sob of excitement and joy, she pressed against him, forgetting her anger, her fears, even the children.

  Faiseh grunted with embarrassment and wandered toward the back of the barn. Suddenly, he stood rigid, facing into the darkness, then he came running back. He slapped Manoreh on the shoulder. “Trouble, couz!”

  Manoreh scowled down at him, irritated. “What?” he snapped.

  “I touch two outside. Bothered about something, they are. And coming toward the barn.”

  “Fa-men,” Kitosime gasped. “There were two of them left, the ones making the Fa-fire out there.” She pointed into the darkness.

  Manoreh put her gently aside. “Keep the children quiet Faiseh, where.…” He probed the darkness. “Ah, I see. Think they saw the skimmer?”

  Faiseh shrugged. “Been in here before if they had, I’d say. You’re better’n me at FEELING. What do you think? Any urgency?”

  Manoreh probed further, then shook his head, grimacing with distaste. “Just hungry and a bit bothered about something.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Must be getting toward dawn. Coming for the wildings, I think. Wondering why the others haven’t brought them out.”

  “Right.” Faiseh stroked the butt of the energy gun. “We wait here or go get them?”

  “Here, I think. You?”

  “Here.” He kicked at the straw. “Good enough.”

  Manoreh touched Kitosime’s shoulder. “Get the children out of sight. Flat on their stomachs. You too.”

  Kitosime nodded. She moved quickly to the scowling children, ignoring hostility and jealousy. “Cheo, Amea, help me. Get everyone over there behind the hay. Hurry.”

  Urged by the oldest boys, the children melted into the darkness. Kitosime hesitated, looked back at the two men standing close beside the flickering lamp. “Manoreh, what about you?”

  “Get down.” Unsnapping his holster flap, he drew out the energy gun. “They haven’t a hope, Kita. Now get down, will you!”

  Kitosime stretched out beside Liado, waiting and watching anxiously. After a minute she felt the boy trembling against her. She stroked his back with a comforting hand, feeling the shaking slowly diminish. She smiled. Could use a little stroking myself.

  The sliding door on the far side of the barn squealed and rumbled open. She heard a low mumble of voices, then the Second called, “Kichwa?” She edged closer to the hay and peered around it. Manoreh and Faiseh stood quietly in the middle of the circle of lamplight, relaxed, guns held loosely. The Fa-men’s footsteps came closer, then Second knocked open a stanchion and stepped through into the hay vault. “Sniffer?”

  Manoreh waited, watching the shadowy figure. He saw the figure stiffen. Second hissed and swung his assegai back for a quick cast. Beside him, the Fireman howled and leaped clear, his spear back and ready.

  Faiseh and Manoreh leveled the energy guns. The guns flared once in narrow bursts of light, thin as one of the stalks of straw under their feet.

  Faiseh strolled over to the bodies and flipped one onto its back. “Heart shot.” He tapped his gun against his jaw. “Not realy fair, guns against spears.”

  Manoreh slid his gun back and snapped the holster shut. “Fa-men,” he said, his voice contemptuous. “Died too easy.” He helped Kitosime to her feet.

  Cheo slipped past her and trotted to Faiseh’s side. He touched the gun, projecting AWE/DESIRE, then scowled down at the bodies. He kicked at the Second, kicked again.

  Faiseh rested a hand on his shoulder. “Easy, boy.” He tightened his grip as Cheo tried to twist away. “Pull up, cub. You’re too big to act like a baby.” The Ranger smiled down at the boy, projecting CALMNESS/AMUSEMENT. Cheo stopped struggling. In a minute he smiled back. Faiseh cuffed him lightly, then walked back into the lamplight. “What now?”

  “Out of here.” Manoreh hesitated. The wilding boys were sidling out of the shadows, eyes on the guns, forgetting their hostility in their fascination with the weapons. The girls hung behind but they too kept their eyes on the holsters. Amea edged cautiously up to Manoreh. He reached out and touched the bit of gunbutt still visible. “Is more? For us?”

  Manoreh laughed, but shook his head. “Not like these.” He faced Faiseh. “Kobe has an armory in his sitting room. Should be some guns left there, couz.”

  Faiseh grinned at the eager faces. “Should be enough to put darters in these hands. Then let the Fa-men come.”

  “No!” Kitosime pulled Manoreh around. “No, Manoreh. They’re children.”

  Anger at her presumption flared to blindrage; he lifted his hand, fighting the rage back until he stood sick and shaking, sweat rolling down his face. He thrust out a shaking hand and she took it gave him back UNDERSTANDING/LOVE. Then he was able to smile at her. “Give me time, Kita. One doesn’t change old habits in a day.”

  She nodded. “I won’t go back, Manoreh. I won’t be a doll again. I can’t.” Faiseh and the children waited quietly, not sure what was happening but aware that it was important. Kitosime struggled for words. “Just talk to me,” she said slowly. “Just remember I’m there. Listen to me sometimes.…” Her voice trailed off.

  He touched her cheek, then took her hand. “Kita, about the guns. No, don’t back off, let me explain. Wherever we go, there’ll be people who’ll want what we have or try to kill us.”

  “I suppose so. It’s just … I hate the idea of the children killing again. It hurt them, Manoreh. You don’t know. You weren’t there. It hurt them.”

  “I saw the Sniffer’s body. A knife?”

  She nodded.

  “Kita,” he said slowly, “there’s a big difference between using a knife to slash a man to death and putting a dart in him. A matter of distance. There isn’t the same shock. You don’t feel the dart going in. We’ll all be safer if the boys are armed. Can you see that?”

  She nodded. “Not just the boys,” she said firmly. “The girls should be a
rmed and taught. And me.” She scanned his startled face. “If more guns mean more safety, then arm us too. Or don’t you think we can learn to use them?”

  Manoreh chuckled. “No you don’t, Kita, I won’t touch that. You get your guns. Just prove you can handle them.”

  She snorted. “As well as the boys. Bet you.”

  Faiseh groaned. “Don’t do that, Kitosime. He always wins.”

  She shook her head, laughing. “Not this time, friend.” She considered Manoreh. “You’ve surprised me again. I thought I’d have to fight you on that.”

  “Watching Aleytys work was a humbling experience. The woman Hunter,” he explained. “She warned me you’d be changed. Then I come back here and find you.…”

  “What?”

  “Magnificent, love. A little frightening.” He rubbed at his shaved head. Small itching hairs were starting to grow, reminding him how much time was passing. “We’ve got to get out of here. The siege has been lifted around Kiwanji. Kobe will be back fast as he can shift the Kisima on the barges and get the walkers harnessed. And Fa-men will be chasing around. I’m damn sure more than one band came off the mountain once they saw the hares cleared off the Sawasawa. Faiseh, take some of the boys and round up all the faras you can find. We need enough to mount us all.” He swept a hand around the hay vault. “And two, three more for packers.”

  Faiseh nodded, beckoned to Cheo and the new wildings. He strode out of the barn with the boys crowding behind him.

  Manoreh smiled at the two girls and three boys still with him. “Out you go. To the house.” He took Kitosime’s arm and followed them. “We get the guns. And food, waterskins, clothes, ropes, anything useful we can find. We can sort it out later when we know how many packers we have. On the way, Kita, you can give me the story of your stay here, I promise to be fascinated.”

  Kitosime giggled and let him usher her out. Then she sobered and began a detailed account of the past few days.

  Jua Churukuu was a green half-circle behind the mountains when they had the faras packed and saddled. Most of the children would have to ride bareback and the smaller ones would be riding double. Before the eastern sky had greened with dawn three wilding girls had slipped quietly into the courtyard to be greeted happily by the new boys.