So? Holly gasped but knew something more serious was still to be told.
It concerns her life brothers and sisters, Toby continued. The Crucnon are hatched in batches of thirty or more but are adopted out at birth into families of non egg bearing females and males to be raised.
Yes, Jaddig told me... Holly studied the commander.
Her mother and the other four children in her family were executed and their family home in Gygnonypy burnt to the ground. Two servants and a family pet were also killed.
Oh My God! Holly gasped. She blinked back tears forming in her wide eyes. Because she is with us?
That's right, Andrea replied. They are a ruthless race.
How do you know? the younger woman asked. She swung around and grabbed the commander's arms. It could be just a story!
I am afraid not, Toby replied. He took a hexagonal shaped piece of cardboard out of his pocket and Holly recognized the Crucnon printing.
This is a message written by a young Crucnon called Birobi Osyjil. We believe he was Jaddig's partner or mate before she became a fertile female.
But not now?
The mothers are fertilized by the ruling class, usually older males high in the military or government. The fertile females are virtual prisoners who are expected to service dozens of males and expected to lay eggs by the hundred for up to five years. After that, if they survive the ordeal they lose their wings and can become ordinary neuters again. Most die of exhaustion and deprivation. Ordinary males are not permitted to mate with the winged females but lives with other females are carried on in much the same way as we live except there are no offspring. He grimaced. Jaddig was lucky in one way. She was wanted to fly bombs in the war and had not been placed in a concubine.
How terrible! Holly gasped. But she is so intelligent. My God she slaughters me at chess, she went to university. She has feelings, compassion, and honesty. Everything! How can she be like this and the rest so cruel?
They all aren't, Toby continued There are many like her and, from what I found out, this Birobi is one. They are the ones I have contact with. He gave a slight smile. They are my spies in their world.
Will you tell Jaddig the tragic news, Sweetheart? Andrea asked, or would you like us to?
I will, Holly whispered.
One thing, Toby said. Tell her before you bring the hexagonal letter into view. The hexagon has special significance to the Crucnon. As soon as she sees it she will realize something tragic has happened.
I see, Holly bit on her lip and wiped her eyes. She tucked the strange shaped cardboard in her jacket pocket and stood up. I might as well get it over with. Thanks for asking me Mom, Toby. Jaddig is a friend, you know. Strange isn't it?
No Sweetheart, I don't think so, Andrea replied.
The clicker girl had just changed into another set of clothes provided for her when Holly walked in.
At least I don't have hair to wash, Jaddig chatted away, turned and saw her friend's ashen face. What is it, Holly? she whispered. It's my family, isn't it?
Holly had prepared everything to say but was unnerved by the remark. Yes, she whispered. I told Mom I was your friend and would tell you.
Go on... the voice was soft and choked with emotion. Tell me everything, Holly. Don't hold anything back.
It's just that...began the young human woman. She swallowed and repeated everything her mother and Commander Evans had told her.
Jaddig stood like a ghostly statue and just stared at Holly for two or more minutes before two massive tears rolled out the corners of her eyes and plopped into the wooden floor of the shower block. The two turned to four; eight and the slim body shuddered into emotional howls of anguish.
Holly stepped forward and wrapped her warm arms around the four cold ones of her friend and pulled her in close while Jaddig buried her head in the nap of Holly's neck and cried.
How did the Commander know? she finally sobbed.
He has contact with The Blue Watch. I have news from Birobi.
What! screamed the Crucnon. How do you know about him?
He's your partner, isn't he? Holly asked in an empathic voice.
Was! Jaddig cried. If he ever came near me now, he'd be killed. And that was even before I surrendered to you humans! Breeding females are reserved for the dirty old males who run the place. She stared up at Holly again. I would not have survived, Holly. I never wanted to become a winged female. They actually arrested me and forced me to take the hormones. I only bombed of your village as I thought it might keep me our of the concubine and perhaps back to Birobi. She sniffed back the last tears and stopped short. You said you had news of him! Has he been executed, too! she howled.
No, Holly smiled for the first time. He wrote you a letter.
What! screamed the almost hysterical clicker.
Holly took the hexagonal note from her pocket and handed it to Jaddig. She sat down with an arm still around her companion and watched as the woman read the letter.
He's all right, sobbed Jaddig. Birobi told me about my family just as you said but he is alive and safe. He's back in the reserves so is not even having to fight, She shrugged. Not that there is anything to fight against now. Your lands have been annexed. He's back at university and says that if I write back, Commander Evans will get the letter to him.
And the hexagon shape? Toby said it had a meaning.
Our eggs are laid in hexagon shaped cells. The hexagon stands for life and death. If you had shown it to me, I would have realized something tragic had happened to my family. She signed. It was expected, I guess.
But someone here told them, Holly cried. A human here is a spy. We don't know who it is.
Then we'll have to be extremely careful, Jaddig said with her tears replaced by determination. But with Birobi and the Blue Watch out there, we are not alone, Holly. I have a strange premonition we are going to survive. She blinked and smiled. I'm talking like a human, aren't I?
Yes, Holly replied, an honorary human and I'm proud to call you my friend.
And one day you might even beat me at chess, Jaddig gave the slightest of smiles before the tears began again. Would your mother and the Inner Council object if I had a stone carved with the names of my family and placed next to Jordan Wittenburg's one?
We'd be proud, Jaddig. Holly whispered. You write their names down and I'll get it done.
Later, back in their sleeping area, Jaddig talked about her family. It was alien in many ways to Holly while in others it appeared similar. Her mother had adopted her as an infant and she never knew the flying female who had laid the egg she was hatched from. Jaddig remembered her father as an elderly civil servant who worshipped her mother. He died when she was ten.
My mother was still living in the same house where we were brought up, Jaddig sighed. The boys had left home but Silaw and Trief, my sisters were still at home. They were all neuters. She sniffed away another tear.
I think I understand, Holly replied in a quiet voice.
What, Holly?
Your society is so regimented and ruthless with little or no individual rights, yet you have families and are so, oh I don't know... human.
A human with four arms, cold blood, wings and no hair.
Holly pouted. I guess I sound arrogant but I didn't mean it that way.
I know you didn't Holly, Jaddig answered softly. Thank you. I know what you mean. She broke into a smile. Do you want to hear about Birobi?
You know, I think I do, smiled Holly. She tucked her knees up under her blanket and listened to Jaddig's story.
The memorial service the following evening was attended by hundreds of settlers who had heard of the tragedy. Two flags flew at half-mast; another custom steeped in antiquity, as the Commander and Proctor both spoke while Jaddig Qarte stood at rigid attention in her neatly pressed body suit. It was only when Andrea switched to the Crucnon native language and the bugle played that the tears began to roll down her face.
It was a time when that lonely figure shared her gr
ief for her family in that alien city across the New Columbia River, in a way perhaps never done by her species before.
I shall remember this outpouring of friendship for ever. Thank you all. Jaddig's dozen trembling words were heard and believed by the hushed people at the conclusion of the service.
As the young Crucnon with one hand gripping Holly's walked back to her quarters, the crowd parted and hundreds of hands reached out and touched her in affection. A member of the hated species they shared the planet with had become a friend.
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Chapter Four
Though barely mid afternoon, a harsh twilight settled over New Washington. Snow had been falling for two days and was still drifting down to cover the lonely land with its blanket of whiteness. Even the harsh remains of New Seattle were obliterated by meter deep snow. A few blackened buildings that contrasted with the world of white had their vision softened by the snow covering them. The land was still and hushed. No lights shone, no figures moved for there was nothing there. Even the tracks of vehicles had been obliterated.
Behind the bombed out village, two men dressed in bulky white cover suits lay on a hill crest beneath a grove of pines and surveyed their former home below.
I'd say the clickers have withdrawn, Sarge, Bowman Clay Farrell muttered. His breath puffing out clouds of condensation into the frigid air. The young Generation 7 man swished snow off the tuft of brown hair protruding from his fur lined Balaclava, wriggled forward through the snow and focused his field glasses on the valley below.
Aye, Clay but come spring and they'll be back... a grizzled fifty year old replied... with vengeance. Come on, we've completed our patrol. Let's head back to the warmth of the tunnels.
Clay grunted and made one last sweep of the valley; sighed at the desolation of the only place he had ever known and swung back to inspect the opposite direction. He stopped, adjusted the focus and stared again. George, he said. What do you make of that movement just outside the village?
Sergeant George Bereano took the instrument from his younger companion and stared at the object in question. There's someone there all right, Clay. Two or three clickers. Let's get closer.
Their white camouflaged uniforms were invisible from a mere fifteen meters away in the conditions so the pair managed to reach a position behind an embankment and within bow shot range of the enemy without being noticed. It appeared the clickers had more on their mind than the possibility of a human patrol being around.
My God, whispered the sergeant when he saw the reason for the clicker's activity. One of those mechanical vehicles. Looks as though it slid off the road into that snow bank.
As they watched, one of the clickers opened the cab door of the massive dark brown vehicle and disappeared inside. There was a faint whir and the motor burst into life. Clouds of evil smelling black fumes belched skyward from a chimney behind the cab as a mechanical roar punctured the air. Two of the enemy had placed logs beneath the six massive balloon tires and a guttural command was called.
The motor accelerated, wheels churned and pieces of wood, sludge and ice squirted in all directions The vehicle lurched forward for a few meters before it crunched down on the logs and sent fragments flying through the air. There was a roar of machinery before the motor noise slowed to a deep rumble and the wheels stopped spinning.
More shouts were heard, the driver flung his four arms up in agitation, jumped down and another clicker took his place. The motor roared again, black smoke shot into the air and the vehicle's tires spun. Blue smoke competed with the flying sludge to cover the clickers pushing from the rear. A tire gripped one log but instead of just pushing it down as had been happening, the massive vehicle shuddered and lifted slightly.
There was a shout of approval and the vehicle moved slowly forward. The clickers slung more logs in front of the turning wheels and, with another shudder the, vehicle moved again, tires gripped and vehicle accelerated.
They're almost out, Sarge, muttered Clay.
And our chance to get a set of wheels, Lad. Much better than horses and sleds any day, wouldn't you say?
Clay stared at the older man who took an ugly double-headed arrow and fitted it into his bow. He grimaced and did the same.
Your eyes are better than mine, Clay. You get the driver. On three. Okay!
It was over within moments. The driver hardly gave a grunt as his throat was pierced with the steel arrow and he slumped over the instrument panel. The two outside met a similar fate with George's arrows penetrating the center of their thorax chest, a vulnerable spot know to the seasoned human DPF bowmen.
The vehicle rumbled forward with no driver in control, stopped, jerked and stalled. Silence returned to the snow covered land!
Right, grunted the Sergeant. There may be others around. Let's check the road. You go up, I'll go down. See you back here in ten minutes.
The valley, though, was deserted.
Now, if we can get this contraption moving and get it back to the cave, Bereano muttered after the pair had removed the clicker bodies and climbed into the cab. It had three seats across the front behind a vertical glass windshield. Two rubber wipers were swishing back and forth scraping snow from the glass.
Clay sat in the seat they'd dragged the driver from and inspected the strange objects that obviously controlled the vehicle. In front was a row of hexagonal shaped dials and six protruding levers. There were also two foot pedals. Three dashboard lights flashed green and blue. Have you any idea how it operates Sarge? he muttered.
Nope, the older man retorted. But those levers are obviously the main controls. See how those outside ones are worn shiny. I guess they manipulate them together to provide power.
Clay pushed his foot on one off the pedals and jumped in alarm as the motor roared to life and screeched in a high pitched howl. However, nothing else happened; just the screaming motor as clouds of fumes belched out of the chimney behind them.
Lift your foot, roared the sergeant.
Clay did and the howl dropped back to a quieter rumble. When Clay pushed the right pedal again, the speed of the motor increased but the wheels remained stationery. The bowman next pulled one of the levers down but nothing appeared to happen.
Do it again, Clay, George snapped and glared out an opened window. The front wheels turned slightly.
By experimenting, Clay found the outermost left lever turned the two front wheels to the left, the right did the opposite so by holding them both half way back, the tires straightened. The next levers in did the same with the center set of wheels but the pair at the back did not turn.
When the inner levers were pulled there was a high pitched scream of components but still the vehicle didn't move forward. For twenty minutes the pair continued to fiddle around unsuccessfully until Clay touched a small hexagonal button, the lights went off and the motor ground to a halt.
Oh hell! muttered George. At least horses know how to move when ordered. This mechanical monstrosity is bloody hopeless.
I know, said Clay. We'll get Jaddig. Even if she can't drive this contraption, she should be able to explain how the controls work.
George grimaced. Okay, he said. Look you slip back, tell the commander we need some more warriors up here and suggest we ask Jaddig to come. She's a damn good sort, he grunted. For a clicker, that is.
And you've known hundreds of them have you, Sergeant? Clay replied with a smile.
The older man shrugged. I've spoken to a few, Lad but none like her. The males seem totally arrogant bastards, even at neutral meeting places on the old border. He snarled. After the bastards invaded last year I swore I'd never trust one of their kind again.
Then Jaddig Qarte turned up.
Okay, muttered Sergeant George Bereano with a shrug of his shoulders She's different, I admit. But get going. The enemy could return to look for their lost vehicle. In the meantime, I'll remove those body suits from those corpses. They could be useful for Jaddig to wear.
An hour late
r, Jaddig, dressed once again in her body suit so she could operated in the cold conditions, stood beside Holly and grinned at the dozen DPF personnel swarming over the enemy vehicle. It was still partly off the road and nobody had managed to move it.
Want a ride in the combo? she stated in a serious voice.
The combo? Holly stared apprehensively at the gigantic vehicle. The six wheels were at shoulder level and the cab towered above them.
Yes. We have smaller versions called cars back in Vybber, Jaddig replied. They're easy to drive. I own one. She shrugged. Or did before the trouble began. She turned to the sergeant. Get your warriors out of the way, George. The wheels could spin a little.
Holly walked around to the passenger side, climbed the steel ladder bolted to the bulkhead, swung the door above her head up and stared nervously inside. The interior was very utilitarian, all steel and brown synthetic material. There was another handhold; two actually, designed for four hands and beings slightly smaller than she was. She wriggled inside and squeezed her long legs under the dashboard, as Jaddig called the panel. Behind the front seats, the interior was packed with military equipment. Everything, though, smelt clean and warm and Holly grinned as she reached up to a leather strap dangling from the door. She pulled it and the steel and glass L shaped door crashed down with a solid clunk.
Jaddig smiled, placed her four hands on the row of levers poking out from the dashboard and pressed a button. There was a faint rumble as the motor started; rubber wipers swished and two powerful lights burst on to flood the road in light. Outside, it had stopped snowing but sludge covered the road in front of the combo.
Three DPFs watching them waved and retreated to a safe distance. Holly gripped one of the two handholds in front of her, her eyes stared ahead and white teeth bit down on her lower lip in anxiety.
Relax! Jaddig said. Her hands and feet worked in a whir and Holly had no idea what so ever what they were doing but the combo's wheels turned slowly and they were moving!
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