My awareness extended to Bertra who tried to get in a single word. She finally gave up and let her rant. Bertra had evidently heard Metallics didn't sleep. Curiosity made me search for her information source. No success. The tirade eventually stopped, after Bertra's soothing. Before she lay down she came by and hit my left shoulder, hard. I figured I'd earned that.
I layed still throughout the night, sending my mind out to the inhabitants of the Inn, and later further out into the night to other dwellings. No one, though I probed with thoroughness, had any interest in us three. Those here in the Inn radiated fear of the storm, and storms in general, but no intent to injure anyone. If someone hidden lurked about, they were mightier than me. Experience had proven that not likely.
In the morning, though no trace of light came through the tightly shuttered windows, one could tell night had passed from the smell of tekkal in the stairwell. Also, in a pitcher sitting outside our door; and fresh baked rolls were there aplenty. I stretched, rolled over, and sat thumping my feet on the floor. A sound which drew moans from lumps on other beds.
"Anyone for tekkal, and there's rolls."
By the time they were alive I'd eaten half of the rolls.
"Save some for us." Bertra demanded.
"Yes, do. We haven't eaten since morning yesterday. I'm ravenous."
"Relax, there's more on the way up."
Bertra added nothing or at least nothing out loud. Then, with a swift glance at me she turned off the cursing in her head. She must have remembered Metallics were telepathic. I saw her search her mind for what else she could remember, and I drifted along with her. There, it popped up, a conversation with a traveler when in her teen years. I looked at her picture of him, probably a Metallic from the way he stood, and the not quite solid look. Maybe he had been a time shifter, though I didn't quite believe about time shifters. But then, like Bertra, I had a lot to learn about the universe. Well, maybe not as much as her.
Lady W licked the last crumbs of the second plate off her fingers and said, "Ever so good. Well, Granger, what are we going to do about the whole thing?"
"Me?" I teased. "I'm just along for the fun of it."
"Droppings," Bertra injected. "When word goes out, and it will, of what you did, and to whom, you'll be lucky to make it off the planet. Where would you escape to anyway, the snakes infest all civilization?"
"True and it has become a lot less civilized as a result. No, I'll not run. Maybe, if you two talk nicely, I'll take the job of escorting you to your destination."
"I'm out." Bertra said. I'm not going anywhere near those mountains."
Lady W wailed, "Don't desert me now; I need you more than ever. Look at it like this. We have no proof. We'd be laughed off Tiltensen if we went back. And further, I don't appreciate being sat in place for someone's amusement. If we get proof enough to convince us, on our own, I'll kill the carrion myself."
Bertra and I were too shocked to react at first. A glance into her mind showed her deadly serious. We recovered, and I asked, "What do you know of killing, though you're right, you should have the pleasure?"
"Not much. But it's evident you do. So, while we're imprisoned in this -- 'Inn' -- you're going to teach me."
"And, laughingly I asked. What else can I teach you?"
"You can teach me the ways between man and woman. I can't imagine I'll hate my intended husband any more than you. You stand for what is violent and distasteful; so I'll have good practice in masking my emotions, after a couple of days, or weeks under your tutelage. Is it a deal?"
I looked at Bertra, who tried to say something, anything, and back to her lady, and said, "Deal."
Over the next fifteen days I taught her how to kill, unnoticed: also how to enjoy sex, despite hate; and how to spend all night, most nights; doing just that. She almost lost her need for sleep. I thought a few kind thoughts about her, and her mask of hate slipped once or twice. Bertra cooperated fully. We became a team.
I bought a large slow moving farm supply vehicle which ran on its rechargeable solar cell/ battery mechanism. We had only to pick up my people at the spaceport and we were off for yon mountain.
Once at the airport, the main board informed us that the shuttle had landed, and passengers were coming to the terminal on the usual bus. I approached the customs control booth and asked, "Has Tel Shannon and his party been through you yet?"
The clerk called up a screen muttering, "Tel Shannon, Tel Shannon, yes I know why that name stuck in my mind. There's a message from him for a man, Granger. Are you him?"
I showed him the pass the authorities had given me when I arrived, which satisfied him.
He continued, "The message reads, G, old fellow, I've missed my connections after checking my luggage through. Look after it won't you, until I get there, Best, T. S." The clerk repeated, as clerks do everywhere, "Evidently he missed his connections. I'll give you a claims check. There are fourteen items. You claim them and you go through customs afterward. Understood?"
I nodded. Got the checks and with them in hand we were allowed behind the barriers for the baggage. Once there I presented the checks, got the luggage loaded on a cart and pulled the cart off to a corner. I snapped the cases open after doing a run through of the touch pad lock. Lady W watched the orderly movement of the baggage line, but ever curious, looked in an open case.
"Battle rifles won't go through customs; and especially not these plasma blasters with all weather scopes. We'll be arrested and in a chain gang before supper."
The adage about little bits of knowledge ran through my mind as I said, "Little faith do you have, watch closely." The rifles shimmered and became neatly arrayed trousers and shirts. "There isn't any problem. I just pulled the cases aside to insert these." I showed her a pocket full of anti grav tabs.
"Up to now it's been robotic handling. The sentients care whether something weighs too much."
We got in the customs line, which wasn't long. Fifteen minutes we were through, nobody caring about clothes. High time, Lady W couldn't have held her breath much longer. I threw the items in the farm wagon and covered them. We drove through a shopping area on the way to the main road. Lady W didn't have much money left after settling part of the claims brought by the dead guard’s families. I'd put in the snakes money and the Reckoner said the families could wait for the rest from Lord W. I gave her some money and she went to a close by shop to buy 'arrival trinkets'. Bertra and I waited in the cart, patiently.
That gave me time to focus inward to Tel. 'Did all of you get through Hyper Shift unscattered?' I asked the being in my mind, or somewhere.
'We're all here. Added some recruits since we last met. They're all trained up to independent operators. I understand you tracked one of our old employers to this sand hill?'
'True, I did, one of the governors on Bertrum Prime, Lord Faulenstein. '
Tel boomed in my mind, 'Ex. He's dead, extinguished, and he doesn't know it yet.'
'It'll take some arranging, but, yes, he's dead.'
'What's the drill? '
'First bodies, you've scanned this snake form elsewhere, and mine close up. From my memory, and what you already know, can you replicate it? '
'I can, Trud and Lesta, maybe Gil, if we assist, maybe Stran, why. Are we going to resurrect that bunch you made shreds of?'
'Yes. Contact their Genetic Entity, and see if you can tap into the flow. '
Bertra interrupted, "Put that package up on the load, will you, and stop ogling everything female."
I put the latest package on the load, counted out more coins, and Lady W left for another shop.
Bertra remarked, "I remember another thing your countryman said, when I asked if he felt lonely. He said, "Where I am many can be, or will be. How can I be lonely among so many friends?"
"And why do you mention this now?"
"I can add two and two. Your friends will never arrive with the shuttle. They're already here, aren't they? Don't deceive me with your mind blanketing. Don't you dare!"
Her vehemence took me aback, but then I thought, how lonely she must be, and how helpless she considered herself, and said only, "Yes."
Lady W returned with more packages, and I counted out more coins. She looked at my purse, which had shrunk considerably, and went off saying over her shoulder, "Just lacking travel clothes suitable for females."
I gathered Bertra's hands in mine, looked in her eyes. "You won't believe, totally, anything I say, but consider my actions. You probably won't even believe your mind anymore, but consider your feelings, and trust them. I say you two will not suffer from meeting me."
She withdrew her hands, slowly, and said, "I, we, have no choice. But if you do us wrong, I'll kill you myself, if you can be killed?"
Lady W came back with her final packages and said, "That lifted my spirits, let's go meet our doom."
She settled herself in the middle of the bench seat with a smile. I sat on the right with the tiller in front of me, Bertra to the left. We pulled our rough robes, with cowls, over our shoulders. Maybe we would pass as a settlement family.
"There's one more thing you two. I have hired some friendly snakes I know from way back to walk along with us. Don't be frightened when they show up. I've protected you before. I'll do it again if necessary. Don't worry."
I knew they would worry. We picked our way through the city and out onto the road which led to the mountains, we could see in the North--without incident. When we reached the first pull off, I stopped; and got out hand Blasters for each of us, and shoulder holsters. I don't know, in balance, whether that boosted them, or not. When we pulled back onto the road, I noticed someone walking a half mile back. I waved. They waved back. The women didn't notice; time enough to bring them up to situational awareness.
Operational Area Terba Rim Worlds Space
Chapter Six
Mary
"That long stretch of road through the basin will be perfect. No way will any of them get away." I commented.
"Yes, perfect." Lil mused. "I still have misgivings to taking them back dead. Even though I am sure they would agree to the necessity of relocating. Eventually."
"Almost certainly it won't come to that. Here's what we'll do. I'll take an Ariel position in front of them. You set down behind; about a half mile away. So far Inviz is keeping us out of the surveillance satellites. They don't have anything that can hurt us anyway. I'll try to make Granger see reason. Get to your ship. We'll disconnect, and play out the hand. They will be along in a half hour, minimum."
We disconnected, sealed, and I zipped forward along the road two miles, and sat the ship down. Stepping off the gangway, I ordered it closed and the ship to hover at five hundred feet overhead. I put the butt of my anti ANNU KI rifle on my boot cap and leaned on it. At one time it had been longer than me, not anymore with this new body.
I watched Granger's party approach. The scouts fell back close to the wagon and then it stopped. Through the public address system on my hovering ship, I called, "Granger, we need to talk."
Leaving every one, except a scout, who he sent out to my left on the flat, he approached to twenty feet away.
"Who stands in nowhere and calls me by name?"
"I'm Mary. You asked the Universe for justice at one time, long ago. I've come to bring you that chance."
Before he could answer his scout said, "We don't need help. Die." And let fly with a battle rifle equipped with a drum magazine.
Bullets fizzled out on my personal shield. When the rifle ran dry, he reached for a blaster. I mentally commanded the ship to activate a 1,000 KW Plasma Cannon; and burnt him, and a hole two feet deep where he once stood.
Then I shifted my rifle to cover Granger and said, "This kills, body, mind and essence. Your man Tel will regroup his body in a while. We've come a long way to talk to you."
At 'we've' he spun around and saw Lil, along the road behind the wagon. She waved her rifle.
"Tel always had a hair trigger. Perhaps he will learn some manners. If you trust me to do no harm, open your mind enough, that I can see what you propose."
I did. I laid out the whole problem of the ANNU KI and how he would benefit if they were gone from his home world, and how he could help us.
"It seems I have led a sheltered life." He said. "I had no idea of most of this."
"We don't control time as your 'shifters' do, but I can set you down on this road, at this exact instance, no matter how long you're away. You can see I have that capability. Are you with us?"
A naked snake form came into being off to my left.
Granger called, "Go get some clothes, Tel, we're going on a vacation with this lady."
Tel just threw up his hands and started toward the wagon.
Granger and I chuckled. He said, "I've located your ships. No your shields haven't failed. The interfaces register in the telepathic bands. We'll have to do something about that when we get close to telepathic troops, which we will. Tel and I, and the ladies will come with you. The rest can go with------?"
"Lil."
"Lil. Show me how your hand changes to a talon."
I did. He came close and grasped my talon. "You're metallic also. Not born, so you're a construct. What level of being can do that?"
"You'll meet her, and her kind. They advise us. So far we've prospered under their guidance, which has been sparing."
He let go of my talon and I changed to a hand again.
"You got these rifles from them?"
"No," I said. They're from other allies."
He shook his head and remarked again, "Sheltered life."
A clothed Tel drove the farm wagon closer while the rest walked toward Lil. I landed the ship, dropped the gangway, and stood by it to assist them in taking the first step.
"Take what you need from the wagon. Go up into the ship and toss your belongings into any cabin. Further along is the Mess. I'll meet you there."
They filed by. Granger carried nothing. "You'll naturally have uniforms which fit?"
I nodded, must take care with this one, that he not get too many steps ahead. For that comment I got two barks of laughter in my mind, tail wags dog, where had I heard that before? Probably from Molly's Vid flick library.
Ship sealed, I walked along the hallway, and stuck my head into the mess. "We'll get to know each other ladies, Tel, make yourselves at home. We're going to lift."
"What about my gifts, on the wagon?" A lady asked.
"They'll be in storage. Not to worry."
In the cockpit area Granger had already taken the right seat. I gave the mental command that the wagon be put in storage. He noticed the fluctuation in power. "Can you do that with bodies and essences?"
"Yes."
"So you could have just have gathered us no matter what we said."
"Yes. That would have been, Plan 'B'."
"I take back everything I didn't say. We're going to get along so well."
"I'm sort of married."
Rage twisted his face. "Once I could say that."
"Dead?"
"Yes."
"Time and place. Indicate the exact location on the star chart in front of you. We'll go get them first. Tel also?"
"Same time and place. But they weren't independent operators, why bother?"
"New bodies, Med Deck. No right angle space where you come from?"
"No. I'm beginning to feel like a child."
"You'll get up to speed quick. Place your palm on the square to your right. Now you have limited access. Can you download?"
"I can at least do that."
"Adjust the download speed, after you tell us where we're going, and kip back."
A blinking point on the star chart indicated our destination.
YOU MONITORING, LIL?
SAME QUESTIONS MOSTLY, ALREADY ANSWERED.
I looked at my chart and more dots blinked. I picked a spot between the combined spots and our galaxy and turned it on.
SEE YOU THERE, LIL
SEE YOU
&n
bsp; Tel said, "I can't grasp it all at once, too many tightly shut doors in my mind. Will they open, Mary? Lie to me and say they will."
"If not; keep them behind you, and go on, twisted guts and all."
"Joyous you; see to the humans won't you, He said. "I have to learn."
"Don't forget we're human too, don't ever."
Back the hallway, in the Mess, I grasped Tel's hand and pressed it to a touch pad. "You have limited access for learning purposes. Go to your room, lie down, and ask questions. Download capable?"
"Yes."
"That will speed up learning. Come and tell me when you've absorbed your limit, and talked with Granger."
He saluted and left. Probably have to get used to that stuff again, I thought as I lowered my arm.
I regarded the ladies trying to figure out a conversational entry point. Names?"
The elder one said, "I'm Bertra, she's Lady Wilomena Willowesen."
"I'm Mary. Where do you two fit in? Don't talk. Just think."
"OK. I've got it. Did you sign for travel insurance when you picked up your tickets?"
"Bertra, did we? You don't think, low life scum, nooo."
"Bertra said, "I did, two million credits."
"It's just a thought, ladies. Wouldn't be the first fellow whose wives didn't arrive. I could tell you stories. But they don't have anything to do with now. Now, you two are along for a long ride. Keep in mind the alternative. Learn as much as you can. I don't suppose you can download. No, I see you can't. Don't mind me. Most telepaths are like this. Your minds answer the questions. Lots of one sided conversations like this take place. I'm going to quit now. Stand up so I can give you welcoming hugs."
They did, muscle tone in the older one, meat on the one who came up to my shoulders. They'd survive. I promised myself to not think of them as pets.
"Welcome. This is my ship. Let's go over the food ordering, and then I expect you'd like a turn in the hot tub, yep, yep, for real."
With them out of my hair, I prepared my report, and held it in front of my mind for Betty to pick up.
Greener Green III: Let Light Reign Page 5