17. The Others

The sun skimmed unhindered across the sky, only scarred by the black of high fly scavengers. Marius carefully cut what he could from the carcass of the giant bird and smoked the strips. Once she had recovered from the fall, Jaden checked the aircraft over. Her investigations were punctuated by sudden expletives, moans and mutters as she noted the damage. The engine would not turn over, the fault of loose wiring that took more than a moment to rectify once discovered.
“Well, most of the damage is superficial. Dents in the body and what not. So we’re good to go when you all are,” She looked to the others.
 
They packed up the meat the best they could and clambered back into the craft. Soon the plains were roaring past once again and in the distance hills loomed flanked by another forest. They all searched the landscape for signs of the other groups passing, not an easy feat speeding along as they were. But fortunately, the ground had been soft when the second caravan passed this way, and two sets of wheel ruts cut through the otherwise untouched grassland.
 
Marius increased the speed of the aircraft. Soon they were skimming over the hills and dodging through sparse trees.
“Ah, do you think you may be going a little fast?” Jaden asked as Marius whipped and skidded around the trunks.
“Why? Are you all good?” Marius replied, exhilarated by the speed of the aircraft.
“Well…you may be able to jump out of the way of trees…” Nox mumbled her anxiety leaked across the telepathic bond to Marius who moderate his speed.
“Fair point.”
 
Through the open forest, a small group of people dragged two makeshift wagons on wooden wheels against the silhouetted tree trunks. The distance and intervening forest made determining much about the group difficult, but by counting moving figures there looked to be eight to ten people.
 
Nox, who had been mostly quiet and introspective up until this point started jittering in her seat. She raked her fingers through her blood-matted hair and scratched at the dried blood that covered her face and clothes.
“What’s the matter with you?” Jaden asked, “Something biting you?”
“No-o,” Wailed Nox holding her arms out in front of her for inspection, “Meeting people! Like this!”
 
Marius slowed down the craft and Jaden and Nox stepped out. Without water, they did the best they could to clean off the worst of the gore. Jaden threatened Nox with a spit bath until she realised the extent of the job and they scrubbed her exposed skin with an old rag from Bellyache. Using dust they broke up the clumps of hair until it looked something like normal. They could do nothing for Nox’s clothes and resorted to turning them inside out and hoping very few would notice the quiet girl. In the end, she looked filthy, but not necessarily blood-stained, and was something resembling passable.
 
“I’m not quite sure why you care what they think?” Jaden said as they clambered back on the aircraft.
“Aunty might be there,” Nox replied without thought. She remembered her Father, always so sure of himself in the Buckles, became flustered and fussed about his appearance anytime he had to visit Highside Redoubt. Was she just mimicking her Father’s behaviours? Was there more to her wanting to be seen as respectable by the potential leaders of society? In the end, she decided she was a little nervous about the leaders of Cerelon, but also nervous about meeting any new people.
“Well, let's hope the more reasonable side survived,” Jaden mumbled as the aircraft engine roared back to life.
 
As the aircraft skimmed closer, individuals became discernible amongst the wagons. A woman stood up from a seated position on one wagon and waved welcome to the group.
“Okay, so you’re doing the talking right?” Jaden asked over Marius’s shoulder.
“Urgh, I don’t know if that’s necessarily the right course of action,” He replied at the sudden realisation he recognised the woman on the caravan. The bane of his previous Dritman life. The opposition to all his proposals for better, safer working conditions in the mines. Risina Keris, the owner of the Dritvein Quarry. Now it was his turn to look uncomfortable as his knuckles turned white on the aircraft yolk.
 
“Ugh, Marius,” Fureva-Yung commented, ”If you need a moment behind a rock to do your pleasure thing…”
The image of Risina’s sour, self-serving image and the thought of pleasure was such a contrast in Marius' head that the aircraft almost spluttered to a complete stop. When he did, his laugh rang above the whine of the engine.
“That’s the best advice I’ve received in some time,” He said and maneuvered the craft back on course.
 
The tension broken, Marius now trained his hearing and listened to the excited and mostly reassuring sounds from the caravan ahead. He was about to agree to Jaden’s suggestion when his sensitive ears heard something other than talking. A rumble of fallen earth, the snort of something testing the air, eager grunts of huge beasts and the excited talk turned to cries of surprise. From thirty metres away, the group could see two large creatures clamber out of the ground amidst the caravaners. They were the size of bears but instead of a muzzle of fur, these creatures' heads were dominated by two pairs of huge tusks the length of an adult’s arm. Instantly two caravaners in the travel-worn uniforms of warden militia jumped to defend the rest of the caravan, but they were hardly a match for the monsters now rearing up in front of them.
 
Marius didn’t hesitate. He pushed the engine of the aircraft forward until the single-engine screamed and rammed the cockpit into the nearest creature. Unlike the bird, however, the aircraft’s weight was no match for the solid bulk of the creature. The whole aircraft went from full speed to dead stop in a fraction of a second. The excess momentum flipped the aircraft up and into the fray.
 
Jaden, with her spear ready like a lance flew through the air. The momentum was so great that instead of spearing the creature through the side as she’d hoped, she sailed over the first creature and into battle with the second, landing with a crunch. Nox leaped from the aircraft, using her momentum to get clear of the crashing fuselage. Landing lightly, she rolled to her feet, her little dagger ready. Marius didn’t do quite as well, catching his leg on the yolk of the aircraft as he jumped clear. He landed heavily with his arm screwed by behind his back. Wincing, he clambered to his feet and drew his sword with numb fingers. Only Fureva-Yung stayed on the aircraft. As the fuselage went vertical, she cleared the aircraft and jumped, landing on the first creature’s back as she intended. Quicker than she could grab its tusks, it bucked her off and sent her flying once more to land flat on her back in front of it.
 
The warden militia men did their best to stop the creatures from attacking the rest of the caravan, but they were making no headway against the tough hides of the creatures. Marius sprung into the attack, his short sword slashing at the beast, but the blade skidded off the hide like it had hit sunbaked clay. Not wanting to get too close to the beasts, Nox tried her screaming attack, but the movement of battle sent her attacks off course and they petted out into nothing. The creature looming over Fureva-Yung turned on her trying to pin her with its tusks. This time she grabbed the lance-sized teeth, keeping the gnashing mouth at bay before trying to flip herself over the tusks. She miss-calculated and landed not on the creature’s back but on the tusk themselves. Shocked by the force of the injury she could do nothing as the creature flicked her off and stomped her into the ground. Likewise, the second creature lifted one of the warden militiamen off the ground on its tusk, the other guard dropping everything to help his comrade.
 
Jaden looked around at the battlefield perplexed about what to do next. The creatures seemed far too tough to tackle head-on, they needed an advantage. She took a moment to study the creatures and realised they had no eyes at all, so how did they know where their prey was?
“They’re blind!” She yelled through a modified iotum to the group hoping to draw the attention of a beast off the injured, “They must use sound to find their food. Don’t make a sound if you don’t want to attract them.” She braced the light spear and waited for one of the creatures to turn on her.
 
Figuring that the indomitable Fureva-Yung had her beast under control, Marius sprung to the aid of the warden militia, stabbing the creature with the impaled guard. With the same thought in mind, Nox thought to stop the creature from hurting the guard more and cast stasis. With the guard frozen in mid-air, the thrashing of the creature made the tusk slip out of the wound. The creature’s frustration only grew as it went to attack him again and found the guard surrounded in a stasis field and invulnerable. The creature grunted and squealed in frustration. Nox screamed back and drew the creature’s attention to herself.
 
The second creature, losing its meal turned on the small screaming creature behind it and charged. Prepared, Nox rolled forward, under the creature’s legs and struck up at the softer skin of its belly with her dagger. As the creature barrels over the top of her, her tiny weapon ripped a tear in its gizzards from belly to back legs. With a horrifying squeal, the creature’s legs stiffened and thrashed, collapsing onto its side. Surprised that the maneuver had worked, Nox quietly looked back as the creature’s death throes subsided, stood and cleaned her dagger. She completely missed the astounded expression on a middle-aged man in the caravan.
 
Fureva-Yung was not having such a good battle. Stunned by her failed attempts to control the beast, Fureva-Yung was unable to dodge its next attack. The creature clamped a mouth full of teeth around her leg and started dragging her away from the fight.
“Good work, Furry!” Marius called over the battle, “You’ve got it, get it away from the caravan!”
 
Ahead, Fureva-Yung could see a large hole leading underground. The creature was taking her back to its lair where it could deal with her in privacy. Shaking her head clear, she once more grabbed for the tusks, wrenching her leg out of its maws. Its prey escaping the creature stopped only to be distracted by the violent yelling sounds coming from Jaden.
“Hey you stupid mole-bear thing, you bring my friend back,” The noise magnified through the iotum disorientated the beast for a moment as it thrashed back and forward, looking for Fureva-Yung. It was all the confusion the warrior woman needed as she swung her chain around, double handed and onto the creature’s broad flat skull. There was a crunch of bone and the beast swayed and crashed down, pinning Freva-Yung once more to the ground.
 
Marius and Jaden ran up to find Fureva-Yung’s head and shoulder sticking out from under the beast’s torso.
“Your usual spot, I see,” Joked Marius at Fureva-Yung.
“I’d prefer to be on top,” She grunted pulling her hands free.
“Death from below!” Cried, Marius
“Are you planning on lying around all day or would you like a hand?” Jaden asked as she jammed the butt of her spear under the butt of the beast.
“Merely resting, Jaden,” Marius replied, leaned his own weight into pushing the dead weight of the beast. With a grunt from Fureva-Yung, the body rolled aside and she clambered back to her feet.
 
Now that the main danger was over, a few caravaners stepped to look at the warden militia guard suspended in thin air. Gesturing for them to be ready to catch him, Nox released the stasis field and he fell back into their arms surprised the beast was gone.
“Don’t worry, we have a healer on our caravan. Temela, she’s the best,” Nox said quietly as Jaden, Marius and the crushed and punctured Fureva-Yung joined the rest at the caravan. She looked up smiling at her friends only to feel the smile freeze on her face as she spotted someone she’d been hoping and fearing to find. The drawn grey visage of Livaanar Ferrul, her father strapped to the front of a wagon with a doubled loop of rope. Forcing her glance away, Nox consciously fixed her thoughts on the caravan and the rest of the occupants.
 
Consisting of two roughly made hand-drawn vehicles and ten people the caravan was not much smaller than their own. The vehicles themselves were pulled by two people at a time and it seemed that most of the caravan’s members took turns pulling. All except for three who now stood from their seats on the wagons and looked down on the new arrivals.
 
A pudgy-faced old man looked owlishly at the newcomers. His clean soft hands fiddled with the front of his overstuff robes nervously before this group of scruffy Bucklers.
“That’s Kyros Waldren,” Jaden muttered only loud enough for the group to hear, “It’s a surprise they’ve got this far if it was his invention they escaped on. He’s known for making useless, fanciful creations to amuse the rich. Style of over substance, I say.”
 
One grey-haired woman, the one who had waved was indeed Resina Keris, unquestionably the richest person in Cerelon if not the most powerful. She looked down at the new arrivals with a mixed looked of emotions playing across her face. Nox read her mind and discovered relief at not being alone, irritation at this new development that threatened her authority mixed with a mild amusement seemingly directed at Marius.
 
The second woman, a little older than Livaanar but with the same deep-set eyes glanced over at the strangers. Her hazel eyes rested on Nox for a fraction longer than the rest. Where Kyros gave off the air of aimless self-importance and Resina that of wealth and position, Ivasha Ferrul Adept of the Devotees of Erinai’s graced them all with her beatific smile of assurance and authority.
 
What’s wrong with them? Don’t they have legs? Thought Nox irritated by the new dynamic she sensed. She couldn’t tell if she should be happy to see her father pulling a cart or mad that these three individuals thought themselves so important they didn’t need to even walk.
They may be taking it in turns, Marius replied in kind with a smirk that said the contrary.
 
“I’m so pleased you arrived, “ Risina announced to the whole caravan as if at an assembly of Cerelon, “You came just in time.” She said, almost as if it were her idea that they should come and rescue the caravan.
“Nice to see you again, Risina,” Marius replied in equal volume so all could hear, “Are you taking a break there from doing your share of the heavy lifting?”
Risina bristled.
“Marius, what a surprise to see you working hard,” She responded just as sharply.
“Ur…” Jaden now understood Marius' reluctance to be the spokesman. She tried to break up the tension that had instantly built., “Nice to meet up with you, Risina. You remember me, don’t you? Jaden Ventrisen?” She nodded and dragged Risina’s eyes off Marius, “This is Nox and Fureva-Yung.”
 
“Yes, Fureva-Yung. A great warrior and friend,” Added Marius as something of a challenge, “She used to work up on the Spectral Plateau.”
“Ah yes, the one that broke the Highside gates, I recall,” Risina commented dryly, dismissing Fureva-Yung from her thoughts
“And saved the Buckles!” Marius countered, “A great many people would not be alive today without her strength and courage.”
“And this is Marius,” Fureva-Yung felt she needed to do her part, “she is our best…digger.”
 
“We rescued a few of your party members a few days ago,” Jaden interrupted with a smile, “And we thought it would be best to travel together. Strength in numbers?”
Risina stood for a moment in stunned silence as if not quite hearing what she’d heard, “Do you want us to join you?”
“Do you know where you’re going?” Jaden responded, now feeling on more solid ground, “We have Oslo Ghan and his family, caravaners who know the land and how to travel it.”
 
This wasn’t strictly true. Though the Ghan’s were experienced travellers, they knew nothing of the land this side of the forest. As far as they knew, no one did. No one travelled through the Endoval and none came through from this side. Still, Jaden saw that her bluff did give Risina pause.
“We’re heading North,” Risina announced simply, “We believed as soon as we cleared the forests we were bound to hit a tradeway or some sign of civilization.”
 
“Any idea what sent the machine’s crazy?” Marius asked and Risina dragged her lidded eyes back to him,”It all started in Highside Redoubt.”
“Of course,” She quipped back, “You don’t start in rebellion by attacking the slums do you?”
 
 
Nox, still link and listening to her thoughts. She could see the automatons fighting outside the temple, a small thing at first radiated out as more and more automatons were turned. They had been looking at Kyros’ new toy and quickly climbed on board and flown away. The crash was only the inevitable result of Kyros’ barge’s delicate nature and overcrowding. Nox shared her insights silently along the telepathic network.
 
“The automatons. Did they look like they were killing or herding the people?” Marius asked, making Risina pause in thought.
“Strange. Now that I think of it they were attacking to subdue, not kill. Those who didn't resist were...moved away.”
“We figure some foreign or alien intelligence took them over,” Marius prompted to see what the response would be, but from Nox’s link came only confusion and bewilderment.
“Too early to speculate about that at present,” Jaden interjected, “So what do you say? Travel together with experienced caravaners who know the tradeways, or muddle through on your own?”
 
Oh! Nox exclaimed telepathically to the group making them all turn instinctively to her for the briefest moment, Don’t let them know about the compass.
 
At the same time, some in the caravan, especially the warden militia who now respected their fighting abilities, were now arguing to take up Jaden’s offer.
 
“We’re all together, working as a group,” Nox now spoke, her clear high pitched voice a counterpoint to the deeper adult rumblings, No bosses, no bullies…”
“Yeah, the strong arm of the workers,” Marius added and caught the glare from Risina. He returned it with a grin.
 
Nox and Marius’ words seemed to hit a sore point with the majority of the caravan who decided they would return with the group. In the end Risina, Kyros and Ivasha could do nothing but agree or be left behind.
 
With the negotiations over, Fureva-Yung went back to the bear mole creature that had nearly done for her. Getting a firm grip on one tusk she tore the oversized tooth out of its socket and stowed it away with her other trinkets of conquest. Jaden was already busy getting the aircraft turned the right way around and checking to see if it still worked. Kyros scoffed at the lopsided, beat up and scrapped contraption with derision until the motor revved back to life and started once more floating away to the left.
 
“Now, we need to think of a way of gearing down this engine and attaching the wagons for the trek back,” She looked to Fureva-Yung who was walking back with her prize, “You’re good with chains and pulley’s, you work in finding a way of linking the wagons.”
Fureva-Yung nodded and eagerly set to work single-handedly dragging each wagon around and preparing hitching places for the aircraft.
 
Using an iotum, Jaden made some judicious welds, reinforcing the short stubby wings of the aircraft in preparation for linking with the caravans. She also pulled a roll of synth from Bellyache and formed a large belt from the engine to the propellers. The belt slowed down the rotations of the high-revving engine, giving the aircraft more power but less speed. It was now suitable for walking behind and dragging the heavy caravans.
 
As the work was in progress, Marius bandaged up the Warden Militia who had been gored before turning to Risina.
“Anyone else in your group injured?”
“So civic-minded, or is it that you wish to win hearts and minds?” She replied cynically turning away, “No, we’re not in need of your ministrations.”
“Always so dismissive,” Marius shook his head in real disbelief, “You know these people will save you if you let them.”
“I was letting them. Happy too in fact,” Her smile was cold and imperious.
Unsure what to say in the face of such arrogance, Marius turned and left to join Jaden looking over her handiwork.
“And she thinks she won that argument,” Jaden leaned over to Marius. He visibly relaxed, unclenching his hands and letting a smile wander across his face.
 
Nox was silently watching a group butcher what they were now calling ravage bears when a voice she’d only heard in her worst moments rumbled from behind.
“Still working on your craft, Nox?” Asked Livaanar, this voice as smooth and dark as winter honey. It made Nox shiver even though his expression was contrite and amenable.
“I help Jaden,” She gestured to the aircraft with her head as her arms instinctively wrapped around her chest protectively. She couldn’t meet his eyes.
“I saw you…fighting that bear-thing,” His turn to gesture in resigned acceptance, “I guess that means that the Devotees are out of the question.”
Nox’s mouth hung open in incomprehension. When he seemed to be waiting for an answer she looked around them, the trees and wilderness for hundreds of miles around them.
“What Devotees? Where do you think we are?”
Now it was his turn to do a double-take.
“I…I guess it does change things a little, doesn’t it,” He stepped forward and it was all Nox could do to stand her ground, “Listen, you need to give up this dangerous fighting…”
“Nox?” Marius, noting the awkward conversation walked over.
“Marius-” Nox sprung towards him and latched onto his arm with claw-like hands, “you have not met Livaanar, my father.”
“No, very pleased to meet you sir,” He held out a hand to shake. It was not reciprocated.
Livaanar’s eyes moved from the young girl that was his child to the adult man at her side.
“I hope you’re taking care of her,” He said, his rich deep voice holding the old hint of arrogance and disdain. Marius ignored, it enjoying the tableau they were presenting.
“We take care of each other. She has some skills.”
“Glad to hear she’s doing well.”
 
Really? Nox thought and with her mind reached over and started reading her Father's surface thoughts.
He was confused. Boyfriend? I had no idea.
She smiled, a huge grin, resting her head on Marius’ shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Mr Nox, she’ll take good care of you,”
Livaanar expression darkened, But who's looking after her? I’m worried about her.
 
Nox’s cheesy smile wilted from her face as she understood for the first time the depth of her Father’s feeling. In the end, she couldn’t reconcile this new caring father with the driven force of nature that was Father. She changed the subject,
“Why were Risina, Kyros and Aunty Ivasha riding on the wagons? Is there something wrong with them?”
Livaanar looked embarrassed, and Marius surprisingly came to his rescue.
“It’s just the way of things,” He said.
Don’t you mean, how they were? She thought back.
 
Jaden called for the two of them, waving them back to the aircraft.
“We have work to do,” Marius said apologetically to Livaanar.
“Yes, we have work to do,” Nox reinforced hoping to drive home the point. She still couldn’t believe he thought that being a Devotee was still important in the midst of a survival situation they now found themselves in. She turned away and tried to put her father and his machinations out of her mind.
 
The aircraft and caravan conglomerate slowly moved out of the forest and back across the rolling plains heading east. As the sun began disappearing behind the Endoval the caravan looked for a place to camp for the night. The smoke bird meat was shared out to the surprise of many.
“What is this?” Risina asked as the delicious smell of cooking meat lifted everyone’s spirits.
“A big bird. We killed it.” Nox said flatly. Risina looked at her surprised. Nox read her mind again and found though she was happy about the food, she was worried that her power base was being eroded by the newcomers.
 
It didn’t take mind reading to see that the rest of the caravan now believed they had done the right thing hooking up with this new group. Around the campfire and wagons, they loudly said so as they ate their full for the first time in days.
 
Well, if she wants to play Miss Mannes out here she can, but if she’s smart she’ll quickly see we’re not in Cerelon anymore, Jaden commented as the group discussed Risina’s state of mind.
We’re not in Cerelon anymore…we’re not in Cerelon anymore… Nox sung through their heads in a childish taunting tune.
 
That night, Marius called for watches. As expected, the triumvirate of Risina, Kyro and Ivasha were not interesting and did not volunteer.
“Don’t worry,” Marius said loudly enough for everyone to hear, “I don’t think Risina is responsible enough to protect the caravan.”
“Surely they don’t let you on watch alone, Marius. You’d see half the caravan eaten by wild beasts for the sake of the others.” She replied, coldly.
“You’re welcome to share first watch with me,” He offered and she grudgingly accepted.
 
All the first watch, the caravan’s members were woken to the sound of whispered bickering. Sleepers resorted to throwing rocks and insults until the change of watch with Jaden and the healthier Warden militia guard.
 
“You know she’s only yanking your chain to get a rise from you right?” Jaden said quietly as they swapped places, “Maybe she wants to yank something else?”
“Disgusting!-” Marius replied shivering at the very thought of such an encounter as he watched Risina storm off to her sleeping mat.
 
The night quietened after that. Nox and Fureva-Yung took the third watch and sat in companionable silence until dawn. Nox amused herself by throwing small rocks and sticks at Risina with her hedge magic. She tickled her with grasses and sent cold breezes down her collar until the woman woke up, brushed away the disturbance and turned over. Fureva-Yung sat listening to the world around her for a long moment in silence.
 
Nox, do you know what Jaden meant about the ravage bears seeing with their hearing, Fureva-Yung asked through the telepathic link.
A little. They don’t need eyes underground. Hearing is useful. Sound travels far, so they get better at it.
But, how do you think they did that?
Nox had to think, Sometimes when we lose an ability, other abilities like senses become better than normal.
 
Fureva-Yung closed her eyes and listened to the world around her again, I can hear a regular thrumming from that way. It sounds warm. Fureva-Yung pointed to the west, a short way off their path.
You can hear warm? Nox unwound herself from her cross-legged sitting position and leaned down, resting her ear against the cold grass and hard-packed earth. Closing her eyes and concentrating her thoughts on sound alone she too could hear a distant regular thrumming in the direction Fureva-Yung indicated. How did you hear that?
Fureva-Yung shrugged and went back to watching the night the smouldering red of the fire at her back.