by Mari Collier
“Aye,” Lesta whispered as Lorenz headed for the lift.
Lorenz looked both ways in the lower hall. A door to his left opened into a huge gym area. That meant the door in the opposite direction was the ops room. The hall, like the rest of the walls, was a light blue with dark blue strips for molding. Scenes from the arena decorated the walls. Lorenz looked at the slot and the door slid open.
The two seated at the screens tried to look innocent. The man and girl were slender. Lorenz gauged her to be about fifteen. Lesta warned them that I was coming, thought Lorenz. He stepped into the room.
“Sorry for the intrusion, but I'm in a hurry. My name is Lorenz.”
The man and girl rose, clasped their hands behind their back and bowed.
“I am Stann and this tis my lassie, Lania.” Both wore the blue of Tris.
“Don needs someone to run the schools and I've been told your father is qualified. Why hasn't he gone to the Maca and offered his services?” At least these two hadn't called him Laird and asked for the hugging ritual.
Stann stared at the two blind eyes that were not blind and decided truth was his only ally. “My fither was told that it was all a sham to fool the Sisters while Don prepared to fight them. The people hired are actually being trained as Warriors. The talk of Don's beasties tis just that, talk.”
“Just why do you think the schools are being cleaned, the Centers expanded, and where do you think the meat comes from?”
“The meat comes from Rurhran, and nay of House go to the schools as that tis for Tris.”
“Son-of-a…” and Lorenz stopped his words. “The meat is coming from Don. Are ye and your father interested in restoring the schools?”
“Aye, Laird, but Lamar would nay hire us.”
“You all will talk with the Maca. What's your father's name?”
“My fither tis called Miken.” He waited for the inevitable question of why the strange names in his family.
Lorenz smiled his thanks, looked at the screen, put his hand on the pad, and touched the com button. The display came to life and he entered the Maca's code.
Llewellyn's voice came over the sound system. “Aye, Lorenz, what now?”
“What time do y'all want to meet with the school administrator, Miken, and his son, Stann, who is also an educator?”
The Maca's face appeared on screen. “Right now.”
“Not possible, Papa, as Stann needs to take his mother-in-law home and then tell his father that the position is truly open. How about early in the morning?”
“Eight o'clock in the morn.” The display went blank.
Lorenz grinned at Stann. “I've just fired your mother-in-law as Director and hired your wife.” He was looking at a very blank face and Lorenz changed his words to mither-by-marriage and counselor. He was going to need to adjust his language just as his father had for Earth.
“Your counselor will be hiring someone to help her. Daniel and I will be spending a few days here. Since y'all are teaching your lassie, y'all can teach Daniel too until the classes are operating.”
“How eld tis this Daniel?”
“He is twelve. In my land he would be fourth or fifth grade. I have no idea what the levels are here. I've already told your counselor that we'll be back for the evening meal. If we're late just leave a note where it is. I'll take care of the morning meal.”
“Laird, ere ye leave, we need to welcome ye.” Stann and Lania bowed again. “I canna promise about the classes tomorrow as I dinna ken how long the meeting with the Maca will be or when I will return. Will the Guardian be there?”
Lorenz shook his head. “I'm afraid all he can talk about is being a Warrior.”
“Laird, he tis a Warrior.” Stan and Lania then gave the ritual welcome.
As Lorenz turned to leave, he stopped. “Y'all are a great teacher, Stann. That's exactly what Lamar is: a Warrior.” Lorenz smiled. Maybe if he dealt this hand right, Lamar would be Guardian again.
Two hours later he was back in the Maca's office after dropping Daniel off with Lesta. “Here are the names of the people being recruited at each center. Lena will train the Third Sector volunteers.
“Who tis directing all the training.”
“That's where Lamar comes in.”
Llewellyn looked at his son. “He just quit.”
“Yeah, well, Papa, he wasn't listening to y'all, but we weren't listening to him. When he said, 'we are Warriors,' he meant himself. He is a Warrior and ill-suited for anything else. He should be Director of all the training and visit each Sector. The trainers Jolene sent can do the First and Second. Hopefully, this will bring in the reluctant people of House. If they don't show for that, Lamar is going to kick them out himself. That way y'all can put Beatrice back in charge of things and I can go back to the ranch, uh, Station.”
“Nay for awhile, Lorenz, I still need ye here.”
Chapter 33: The Maca's Call
Lorenz was greeted by a wet, thong clad Daniel flinging himself up into his arms.
“Lug, y'all are going to knock me over one of these times.”
“I am nay lug.”
Lorenz grinned. “In my land it means a big, likeable guy: a man.” He set Daniel down. “Where's the Director?”
“I dinna, I think she thought I was nay to work since I am your laddie. So I went swimming.”
Lorenz put both hands on the boy's shoulders. “Wee Da, y'all are my laddie, but y'all still work when it's necessary. Go get dressed and come inside. Lesta will have dinner ready for us.
After the evening lessons, Daniel stood looking at Lorenz checking over the movement of kine, the calves born, and the feed needed. Daniel's hands were clasped behind his back and he considered the possible outcome of what he was about to do. This man was his fither, he kenned it, yet he did nay act like a Thalian fither. Nay ere had his thumb caressed Daniel's neck or back, nay had he bathed with him, and they had nay massaged each other's muscles pink while bathing.
Instead, Fither tousled his hair as though rubbing hard, scalp bone was enough. Did touching the head mean something special in his fither's world? Wee Da didn't care. What he wanted was a fither in this world. Finally, he approached and sat on Lorenz's lap, threw his arm around his neck, and issued a big sigh. “I have been wanting to do this since I was wee.”
Lorenz smiled. “Y'all never sat on a lap before, my laddie?”
“Nay on my fither's,” he said simply. Then Daniel looked up, his face quizzical. “Did ye nay hold your other laddies?”
For a moment Lorenz was quiet. “Probably not as much as I should have. I wasn't home.” He couldn't help but wonder if Kendall or Randall would have been different if he had. Kendall, maybe; Randall, he decided, never.
“In Thalia, parents stay with their children till they are grown.”
“Had I done that, I would have been too old and we would have been poor.”
“What tis poor?”
“No money, no credits.”
“Oh.” Adult answers were cryptic and Daniel was too tired to consider why. He was in his fither's arms and his eyes closed.
* * *
Breakfast was interrupted by a call from Llewellyn. “Ye are needed here at ten this morn. Tis important.” The connection went dead.
Damn secrecy, thought Lorenz.
At the Maca's Tower, he found Llewellyn, Troyner, and Marta in the gym room. The two men were practicing holds and Marta was emerging from the showers wearing a robe.
“Come join us, Lorenz.”
“It's almost ten, Papa, or haven't y'all noticed?”
Marta and Troyner greeted him, but they ignored Daniel. Llewellyn had picked Daniel up, hugged him, and drew Lorenz into the familiar embrace. “Aye, tis time for guests. Troyner and I need to shower.”
Lorenz left Daniel happily playing in the gym area climbing, swinging on the bars and ropes, and lifting the weights.
“Check in on him every so often, please,” Lorenz asked Leta. “I shouldn't be long.”
Lorenz grimaced. “I owe y'all a brew.”
He entered the Maca's lounge through the sliding door. The huge rounded widow looked out over the bay of Donnick and the door to the office was closed. Llewellyn was busy pouring brew into mugs.
“Do ye wish one, Lorenz?”
“No, thanks, and it's too early for whiskey.” Lorenz nodded to Troyner and Marta who were seated on one huge chair. “According to Leta, y'all are expecting more company.”
Before Llewellyn could respond, the com announced: The Maca of Betron and Laird of Betron. The Guardian of Ayran with two laddies and a lassie.
Brenda and Benji swept in and the greetings started again. Lorenz far preferred the handshakes of Earth, but his promise had been to follow Thalian customs as his father had followed Earth's.
Jolene and her entourage appeared. Jarvis and JayEll forgot protocol and surrounded Lorenz. A sharp jab from Jolene reminded Jarvis and he grinned. He positioned JayEll behind JoAnne, kenning that his mither would introduce her first. His tight-fitting red clothes outlined his muscles and the black sash proclaimed that he was training to be a Warrior. When the greetings stopped, everyone but Lorenz and JoAnne had a brew.
“Why don't the younger ones use the gym,” Lorenz suggested.
“Tis good training for them to remain here.” Jolene settled herself on the long sofa. “Are more expected?”
“There tis nay,” said Llewellyn as he set his brew down. “This meeting tis called to coordinate our Call to those of our House that serve the Sisterhood. I am of the opinion we should consider Troyner as the true Maca of Troy and let him issue his Call with us. Do any object?”
“He should refer to Marta as his Counselor of Troy.” Jolene swung her hard eyes on Marta. “Tis nay against your Mither, but it should make her realize that her support of the Sisterhood denies ye your true role in Thalia. Right now, those in her House would nay let ye serve as her Guardian of Medicine. It will make our position look more logical.”
“I approve,” said Brenda. “Where tis your Guardian, Llewellyn?”
“Lorenz tis my Guardian.” An awkward silence fell over the group.
“They're right, Fither. It should be Lamar in here, just like he should be in charge of training the defenders. He's the Warrior, not me.”
“The cast will show nay but the Macas except for Troy and Ayran.” Llewellyn face was set. Lorenz shrugged.
Jolene smiled sweetly and leaned forward. “Jarvis will need to sit beside me. If ye prefer, I will introduced him, and then he will make his Maca's Call.”
“What if Jaylene should come forward and deny it?”
“Brenda of Betron, ye ken better than that. Dinna mention that name in my presence. I shall make clear that I am still Guardian and in charge of Ayran whilst he tis a laddie.”
Troyner set his mug down and stood. “I have regained most of my strength. I can issue my challenge to the false Maca during the cast.”
“Ye are nay thinking, Troyner.” Jolene wanted the objections away from Jarvis. “The appointed Maca tis nay one hundred years. She will ask Beauty to be her champion.”
“Then he can plead ill health, and I will be his champion.” There was a certain relish in Llewellyn's words.
Jolene eyes lit up. “Then mayhap we will see the missed bedding.”
Lorenz stared at the group. Why the hell were they talking like that in front of a young girl?
“If none here have any objections, I have work to do. There's no need for me in this cast. Too many would consider me an alien interloper.”
“I want ye here.” Llewellyn turned to the group.
“Tis his way of saying we've talked enough. Tis everyone ready?” He looked at Jarvis while the others nodded and stood. “Have ye practiced what ye will say?”
A wide grin slashed across Jarvis's face and he stood and bowed.
“I, Jarvis, Maca of Ayran, issue my Call to all Ayranians stationed with the Sisters. They are to return to Ayran within the next sun's cycle. All who remain with the Sisters will be cast out as Abs and subject to arrest.” There was not the slightest waver in his voice. He was Maca, something he knew Daniel would never be.
* * *
The Maca's Call caught Thalia's attention and their discussions were heated. Beauty fumed during the cast and kept dropping Belinda's hand to make a fist. When Jarvis stood and delivered his speech, she laughed.
Betta gasped. “Tis Jason reincarnated. Where did Jolene find him?”
“Bah, for him to be Maca she will need to deny JoAnne.” At the end of the cast, Beauty stood and paced.
“Who do they think they are? Mither, did ye hear them? They act as though they are the Council of the Realm.” She waited for words from her mother and when none came, Beauty turned to look at her. Betta was sitting with her head in her hands.
“Mither, what tis wrong with ye?”
Betta raised her head, her eyes filled with despair. “We must leave before nightfall.”
“Leave? Leave to go where? What are ye talking about?”
“Did ye nay hear? Brenda has issued the Maca's Call. We must obey.”
Beauty stared at her before speaking.
“Nay! We remain here in Ishner. Our philosophy tis sound. Nay of our Sisters will depart if we dinna. We shall attack Don ere the week tis out. It will take a few days to finish altering two of Ishner's flivs into fighters. More important, we are staying because our concept of a Maca tis correct. The so-called Maca's hands are nay but the nerves of a highly sexed Thalian demanding a bedding. We need a governmental system based on enlightenment; nay blind obedience to a sex call”
Betta stood. “Ye are wrong. My lassie has nay demanded a bedding from us. I will nay ignore my Maca's Call.”
* * *
The Sister's discussion in the barracks began to verge on mutiny. Most were Tris from the various Houses. Many like Lasa of Don had joined the Army to provide for their families. The barricks had been set up in one of Ishner's closed schools and the bunks were from ships no longer needed or used. Most resented being in this cool, misty region.
“I was thinking of visiting my family anyway,” Lasa announced. The wide gap in her teeth revealed that her family was not able to pay Medical for straightening. “We can heed the Maca's call and return here when needed.”
Babara was on her feet. “Nay will go anywhere without approval from me. That was but a transparent mockery of fakes playing at being Macas.” She glared at them all. “Who believes that Troyner tis Maca of Troy, or Llewellyn tis Maca of Don?
“The exit doors are locked till morning. If any of ye try to sneak away, your fate tis sealed.” She stomped out to her private quarters.
Silence fell over the room. Then groups fell to chattering about whether they thought the cast amusing or if there could be any truth in the threat. Had the Macas truly returned to power? The more heated discussions concerned the parentage of the Maca of Ayran, and whether their Director had the right to lock them up like criminals.
Lasa stood and saw Tela of Troy at her bunk. She walked over, sat down, and put her arm around her shoulder. “Tela, should we nay take a walk around ere retiring?”
Tela nodded. “The cast has made me edgy. I need to exercise.”
Chapter 34: The Tunnel
Lorenz entered the gym to find Daniel high in the air swinging from bar to bar. He was tempted to shout, but he feared that would break Daniel's rhythm and cause a fall. Daniel grabbed the end bar, whirled around, caught sight of Lorenz, and yelled.
“Watch me!”
He swung out, let go of the bar, and somersaulted in the air. He landed with both feet on the mat, locked his hands behind his back, and bowed, first to Lorenz and then to the imaginary audience. He looked at Lorenz, a wide, happy smile on his face.
“Was I nay magnificent?”
“Breathtaking. W
here did y'all learn to do that?”
Daniel was still beaming. “Right here, I would practice at night.” His words stopped and the smile left his face and eyes.
Lorenz was beside him in two quick strides. “Here at night? How did y'all get in?” He gripped Daniel's shoulders.
Daniel was looking upward, his face suddenly frightened and then he brightened. “I'll show ye. Pi does nay need to come here to find food. He tis safe now.”
Daniel took Lorenz's hand and led him to the equipment cabinets and lockers set against a wall. “See, there tis where they keep the cold food.” Daniel pointed to one of the cabinets. “The packaged foods are stored on the other side. If we were rushed, Pi would just grab them and we would leave. Mostly the Sisters were elsewhere. Only when the Council of the Realm met here did they bother to go to the Ops Room.”
He bent down and opened one of the lower side cabinets and began to move out the extra towels. Then he crawled inside and pulled up a piece of molded slate.
“See, fither, this tis where we entered. The last time we came, Ur was scratched around his shoulders.”
Lorenz knelt down and used his hand to check the smoothness of the tunnel. Then he dropped down and squeezed his shoulders through the opening. As he came back up, he stifled a curse. “Who else knows about this?”
“Kahli.”
Lorenz stood. “Now we find Papa.”
He stopped Daniel from crawling into the cabinet to replace the slate. “No, Daniel, leave that section out. He needs to see this.”
Lorenz touched the com on the panel and asked. “Fither, will y'all join us in the exercise room? I want to show y'all,” he paused for a second, “one of Daniel's tricks.”
The door slid open. “I was returning from bidding our guests farewell. What has the laddie been up to?”
“Come and see.”
Llewellyn squatted and looked at the hole leading into a tunnel. “Damn! How long tis that been there and where does it start?” He stood and looked at them.
Daniel looked up and swallowed. “Uh, ye go in the water below the docks and piers. I can show ye. Pi, ah, JayEll, said it looked like the tide may have washed it out because when ye swim down and enter the hole there tis a ledge and washed out space where we would sit and get our breath. It was fun.”