by Saxon Andrew
Maxus looked at Togawa and saw him sit down. He looked at Linnae, “Are you saying you support what Akira has suggested?”
Linnae looked at Andy and saw his expression. She took a deep breath and said, “I do not want to share Andy with anyone. And he has told me he doesn’t want anyone but me.” Linnae looked back at Andy and said, “However, he will accept another into our family and he will treat her with respect and affection.”
The community looked at Andy and saw his expression. They could see he was against the idea. Andy looked out at the women who had come into their mist and saw their fear. He looked back at Linnae and stood up beside her. He looked at the community, “All of you can see how I feel about this.” Andy looked at Linnae, “I’m really feeling my love for Linnae grow every day and I can’t fathom anyone else in my heart.” Andy looked back at the community, “However, I will try to make this work.” He looked at Linnae again and said, “How do we make this happen?”
Linnae remained standing and said, “All of you who are currently part of a couple please stand.” Hundreds of the community stood and went to stand beside their mate.
Jenak yelled, “Just a moment, give me a moment.” He walked over to the new women, reached down and took Karon’s hand. He pulled her up and said, “Ok, I’m good.” Everyone in the cave laughed out loud. Karon reached up and hugged his neck. Linnae breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God Jenak broke the tension.
Linnae smiled and said, “This is how we’ll make this work. No one is going to be allowed to make a rash decision. The new members may not be selected to join another couple for the next three months. They will spend that time getting to know every person in our community. It’s important that both members of a couple is known before decisions are made. You will need to be able to speak to anyone here and address them by their name. After three months, the couples will be allowed to invite another member into their family.” Linnae paused, “No one should rush into this decision; it’s too important. The couples must both agree on who they choose.”
Julia looked at Linnae, “Will you make the first selection?”
Linnae stared at Julia, looked at Andy, and turned back to Julia, “I will.”
Andy stood up, “Julia, Linnae will make our decision. I know how much she loves me and I trust her judgment. I’ve tried to figure out women my entire life and have failed. I think a woman can select a woman far better than I can. The most important thing is that Linnae and whoever she chooses can learn to love each other like sisters. If that happens during this process, this has a chance of working.”
Linnae looked at Andy, “You will take part in the selection.”
“I’ll certainly give you more input than you need; however, you will make the final choice.”
The couples all looked at each other and Maxus said, “I feel the same way.” He turned to Julia, “I love you with all my heart. This has to be your choice.”
Linnae looked around the cave and saw most of the couples were discussing the issue. While they were in the process of coming to a consensus, Linnae looked at the newcomers, “You have a responsibility in this process. I know how we women are; we’ll go after what we want and don’t concern ourselves with who gets hurt. You are going to have to do everything in your power to do nothing to damage a couple’s relationship. Do you understand!?!”
A black haired beauty stood up and said, “What you are doing is more than we could ever hope for. We will do nothing to hurt those of you that welcomed us into your home. We will do what’s right and if anyone gets out of line, we’ll handle them.”
Carrie raised her hand, “What happens if we stumble on a source of men after we do this?”
Linnae smiled, “We let nature take its course. All of us understand that the best situation is for everyone to have a mate. I think we will work out whatever happens in a loving manner.”
Andy stood up and looked around the cave, “No one will be forced to accept another into their family.” Andy looked at two men standing together at the back of the group and they nodded. “This is something that must be accepted by each couple.”
• • •
Maxus stood and looked around, “Is this issue resolved?”
Andy said, “For the moment.”
“I need to talk about our construction project.” Andy tilted his head. “We need to build a wall a mile north and south of here that extends from the cliff to the river. A wall should also run along the tree line that connects the two walls.”
Andy nodded, “What do you have in mind?”
“We are going to need more land to farm. We’ll clear the land between the walls once they’re built. However, Togawa made a good observation a while back; he said the women are getting good enough with the bows and cutters to defend the community while the men do the heavy work of construction. I want to make sure we are all committed to making this happen.”
“How tall are the walls going to be?”
Maxus smiled, “The walls of Rome were fifty feet high and twenty feet thick. With the help of the Atlantans cutting the stone out of the cliff, we should be able to build walls twenty five feet high with sword blades embedded in them to prevent some of the bigger dinosaurs from trying to knock them down.”
Andy looked at Maxus, “With the number of new cutters we have, I suspect we could use them continuously and not have to wait for them to recharge.”
Maxus thought for a moment and smiled, “You’re right. I should have thought of that.”
Andy looked at the community, “Are you ready to start this project?”
The room broke out in a cheer and Andy said, “Linnae, you will be responsible for getting the defense teams organized; I’m going to work on the walls with the men.”
Linnae nodded and said, “Akira, Julia, Zennea, and Carrie, you will select fifty of the women for a team. Two teams will be at the construction sites and the other two will relieve them.” Linnae looked at Akira, “I need you to come up with an up to date list on the archery skills of all the women. There are four hundred of us and I want all of us participating in the effort. Those who are not at the needed skill level will start working on getting ready.”
Andy nodded and said, “Harvey, you and the scouts will be exempt from the construction.” Everyone in the room stopped talking and looked at Andy.
Harvey said, “Why is that?”
“I want you to go and scout the caves north of us and see what’s happening.”
Harvey nodded, “We don’t need to be surprised.”
Carrie raised her hand, “Would it be possible for me to go with the scouts?”
Linnae looked at Carrie, “Why do you want to do that?”
“I suspect they possess skills I would like to learn. We’re going to need women to learn how to scout; aren’t we?”
Linnae smiled, “Harvey, she’s good enough to handle her share of the load.”
Harvey looked at Carrie and tilted his head, “Be careful what you ask for.”
“I know it won’t be easy; but I do want to give it a go.”
Harvey looked at Linnae and shrugged. Linnae looked at Andy who said, “Is she good enough?”
“She’s better than I am with a bow.” Harvey’s eyebrows went up.
“I find that hard to believe.”
“Trust me on this one; she’s much better.”
Andy smiled, “Well; Carrie, you are our newest scout.”
The new women all cheered one of their own being recognized by the community.
• • •
Later, Andy was sitting on a mat with Linnae discussing the day’s events and Chatan came in the cave entrance and jogged over, “Hotah wishes to see you on top of the cliff.”
Andy looked at Linnae and jumped to his feet. He pulled Linnae up and followed Chatan to the ropes. “Linnae, are you able to make the climb?”
“Get real; I’ve done more times than I can count at the other cave.”
The three arrived at the top of the
cliff and found Carrie and Harvey sitting on the cliff looking south. Andy looked to the south and saw two lights shining up into the sky. “Oh crap.”
Harvey nodded, “They didn’t take long to bring in replacements.” Andy helped Linnae to the top and she heard what they said. She looked to the south and shook her head. Harvey said, “You should take a look north of here as well.”
It was a new moon and darker than normal. Andy sat down. He could see lights shining up all the way to the curve of the horizon; he counted six.
Carrie said, “The ones to the north are closer together.”
Harvey looked at Andy, “I bought her here to see if she could climb the ropes. Her eyes are better than mine. It was only after she pointed the lights that I saw she was right as it got darker.”
Andy sat down and said, “Chatan, will you go and bring Maxus and Jenak up here?” Chatan grabbed a rope and disappeared.
Harvey looked at Andy, “What are you thinking?”
“I’m trying to decide what course we need to follow. Maxus and Jenak will tell me if one of them is possible.”
Carrie tilted her head, “What course is that?”
Andy looked at her and smiled, “Isolation.” Andy walked over to a rope and cut a small piece off it. He took out a titanium arrow and used his small cutter to cut off the arrow head. He took the rope and tied the arrow’s shaft to the cutter and jammed it against the lower hand guard.
Maxus and Jenak arrived and saw the lights. Maxus said, “This is not good.”
Andy looked at Jenak, “How long would it take using the heavy cutters to cut out a section of the path?”
Jenak looked away from the lights and stared at Andy, “It depends on how big a section you want to remove.”
“I’m thinking about fifty yards across and twenty yards deep.”
Jenak shrugged, “If you cut it sloping down so that the pieces could slide out, about two or three weeks.”
Andy smiled, “Is it possible to cut the top of it smoothly enough so that a hook won’t grab?” Jenak shrugged and nodded.
Harvey said, “You’ll prevent us from seeing what they’re up to in those new caves.”
Andy took the arrow with the cutter, activated the blade, and fired it. The cutter flew high in the air and came down on the path fifty yards away. “Come with me.” The group followed Andy to the arrow and saw the cutter embedded in the path. Harvey smiled. “The shaft pushed the lower hand guard forward when it hits turning the cutter beam solid. We can have a rope attached to it and go across the chasm using it.”
Harvey looked at Carrie, “You’re small enough to go across using a light rope. You can take a heavy rope with you for the rest of us.”
Carrie nodded, “That sounds easy enough.”
Andy looked at Maxus, “I was thinking that if we cut the cliff a mile north and south of here, you could use the stones in building your wall. Anyone that came along the path would have to use ropes to go down and they would be outside your walls.”
Maxus nodded, “Unless they work out what you just did.”
Linnae shook her head, “That would only happen if they’re using the modern bows as well as cutters. I just don’t see the Outsiders working with anyone else.”
Maxus shrugged, “I guess this is where we need to start. Jenak, you should get the ones most familiar with using the cutters up here and start making the gap tomorrow.”
Andy shook his head, “No, we should start the process after we see what we’re going to have to face. It might be that we won’t have to do it.” Andy looked at Harvey, “You should get your team and go take a look at the closest caves.”
Harvey looked at Andy and said, “Do we go north or south?”
“Both.”
Harvey nodded and said, “Then we’ll scout the caves to the north first. The two caves to the south are new arrivals and they won’t be able to do much for a while.”
Andy nodded, “That’s a good idea. Plan to leave in six days. Make sure you’re not seen and get back within a week of your departure. We need to know what’s going on.”
“I’ll send a runner back to let you know but we should look at all six before we come back.”
“I trust your judgment. We’ll have someone on the cliff waiting for you in the event you send word to cut the chasm.”
Carrie said, “That’s really not necessary.”
“Oh, why not?”
“We’ll drop some ropes from the other side. We’ll go down from there.”
Harvey smiled, “I should have seen that.”
Carrie smiled, “I’ll throw the heavy rope down when the last one drops and I’ll use a double light line through the hook’s eyelet. I’ll pull the rope out when I touch ground.”
Chatan said, “If we really bury the hook into the wall, it won’t be seen unless you know where it is; even then, it won’t be easily found.”
Linnae smiled, “Carrie, you need to be careful.”
Carrie smiled, “You know me.”
“That’s why I said that.”
Carrie smiled that huge smile of hers and laughed, “You worry too much about me.”
“Somebody needs to; that stunt with the Allosaurus was really out there.”
Carrie’s smile evaporated, “I didn’t see the second one.”
“Just listen to Harvey and do what he says, ok?” Carrie looked sheepish and nodded.
• • •
Later Andy asked Linnae, “What were you talking about with Carrie?”
“Andy, she’s incredible with a bow. She saw an Allosaurus moving through the tree line and saw a group of women it was attempting to move in on. She ran to the tree line between the Allosaurus and the women and fired three arrows at it. She hit both of the carnivore’s knee joints with the first two arrows. The third hit it in the head as it stumbled. A second Allosaurus was right behind the first and it jumped over the first one. It was on her in an instant. She fired two arrows into its eyes and rolled away from its charge. She killed it as it stopped and tried to smell its prey.”
Andy stared at Linnae, “Both eyes?”
“I’m telling you, those two shots were impossible. The Allosaurus swung its head away from her when the first eye was hit and she hit the second eye when it turned back to her. She is a natural with the bow.”
Andy shook his head, “Nothing seems to bother her.”
“I’ve asked her about what time she’s from but she’s not answered me. I have no idea when she lived.”
“That is something we need to know.”
“Why?”
“Why have I been such a good leader? I’m from further up the timeline than anyone else. If she’s from a time after mine, we need to know.”
“I’ll go get her.”
Andy waited and in four minutes, Linnae returned with Carrie. Andy looked at Carrie, “I need to know when you lived before you arrived here.”
“Why?”
“You might be a resource.”
“I can assure you that isn’t possible.”
“Why not?”
Carrie stared at Andy and sighed, “You’re not going to let me off without telling you, are you?”
“Carrie, I won’t force you to tell me; but I really wish you would. If nothing else it will give me more information about what the Time Takers are trying to do here.”
“Time Takers?”
“The ones that brought us here.”
Carrie looked at Linnae and then turned to Andy, “I lived in the year 3469.” Andy and Linnae were stunned. Carrie saw their expressions and shook her head, “I won’t be a resource for you.”
“Why not?”
“I was born in the rubble fifty years after the nuclear holocaust. All I ever knew was hiding and running through the ruins of my city trying to stay alive. Any technology or things used by the people of my time was blown away in the nuclear bombs before I was born.”
“Who dropped the bombs?”
“I don’t know and my
parents didn’t know either. It had happened long before I was born; all my parents knew was what their parents told them.”
Linnae looked at Cassie shaking her head, “What was that?”
“The story says that one day everything was normal and the next day everything was gone. I don’t think anyone knew what happened; at least anyone that survived the blasts.”
Andy stared at Carrie and shook his head, “How are you able to smile like you do?”
Carrie’s smile grew larger, “Even at its worst, life here is so much better than where I came from. Survival was, at best, almost impossible. Very few lived longer than twenty years. “
Andy looked at Carrie, went to her and gave her a hug, “Well, we’re blessed that you were brought to us. Thank you for your honesty.”
Carrie hugged Andy back, turned, and left the room. Linnae looked at Andy, “She just appears to be so physically gifted. I’m amazed at what she can do.”
Andy smiled, “She’s from a time more than a thousand years in my future. I suspect that humans were somewhat more physically gifted at that time. Or, their genetics had been deliberately improved.”
“Is that possible?”
“They were looking at doing it during the time I lived.”
Linnae shook her head, “Maybe that explains it.”
Andy nodded and tried to think about a nuclear war that far in the future. Something just didn’t seem right.
Chapter Fourteen
Harvey and Andy sat on the top of the cliff staring out at the vast ocean. Jenak appeared in the box and pulled it over to the cliff top. Harvey said, “I was wondering who was coming up.”
“Maxus asked me to check the cutter on the rock here on top of the cliff.”
Andy listened to Harvey but was looking at the Pteranodons circling high overhead. They would come in toward the cliff and catch the wind blowing up the cliff wall to soar to an incredible height. He glanced at Jenak and saw him take a cutter with a six foot handle and extend it to thirty feet. He heard Harvey say, “Won’t that handle flex too much to use it to cut rocks?”
Jenak held the cutter out with two hands and the long handle didn’t sag an inch, “No, this is one of the stiffest metals we made. It’s also incredibly light.”