A Silence Heard (2 page)

“Your idea is sound Kendra,” Eadgard said and twisted round to speak to us all. “We will pretend to be on a tour, or a vacation.”

“Flaw in logic. No one seek out Agro place to visit for pleasure. Also, it secret. Map Abbot gave, secret too,” Marcellus said and the look of hope that had begun to spread across our faces faded.

“Huff and huff again.” I folded my arms and pouted goodly.

The air inside the cockpit thickened. An inner cloud of gloom descended. Thusly we sat until Kendra leant forward. “When I worked with the Ladies, I often went beyond the borders to seek out new and interesting items to furnish the place where males congregate for our services and tales. Now, I heard that some went to this stronghold. Agros use our services, not that I have met any in my capacity. Ladies occasionally visited these headquarters, so I am told, and brought back simple treasures in payment for their services. As a Lady, I would be allowed in and so able to gain access to areas otherwise prohibited to those such as yourselves.”

Eadgard rubbed his chin. “Could work. Would they not be suspicious if such a Lady arrived unannounced and with a variety of strange folk in tow?”

“Not really. On occasions, they would take escorts to protect them. My plan is simple and sure to work. I will dress myself and Adara, in Lady garb and have you males be our escorts.”

“Goodly plan. Ye are a wonder of ideas Kendra,” Wirt said.

Marcellus sat up straight. “We think will work. You too Eadgard?”

“Enough to get us to where we are to go. Well thought through Kendra, you are quite a fem and no mistake,” he said and stroked her arm all cosy-like.

I raised my hand.

“Erm. ‘Scuse. I will begin by saying, nah, nadder and no. I am not Lady material. For one, I have digits of many and am not versed in the ways of said tribe. I cannot fake what I am not.”

“Dear Adara, fret not a sec over this. I have frocks a-plenty in my Synthbag,” Kendra said and revealed her rucksack by peeling it off her shoulder and placing it on the floor. It was the best Synthbag that I had ever seen. Twice the size of mine and fitted out with many pockets and pouches.

“I would have mentioned it sooner, but to be frank, there was no good reason to.”

“Nice Synthbag, puts my low-tech version to shame. How came it to be so huge and not weigh you down?”

“A polymer made from a new organic-style nanofibre. Light as air, strong as rock and as soft as a bub’s kiss upon the wearing of it.”

I touched the thing and indeed it was soft. I picked it up and was amazed at how light it felt. So without weight that I believed it would rise into the air if I did not hold it down. “Those Bios are savvy for sure. Do all Ladies have such stuff?”

“Mostly. We have a metaphorical hand on all that is new, and a literal grasp on substances that can be used for our needs. You would be surprised at the variety of materials being produced. Not for Ladies consumption, of course, more for battle garb. Light and strong uniforms able to make the wearer invisible is an asset in any war. Adara and myself will be as Ladies. Fear not, Adara, I will chitchat for you. We will simply gain access to the place that is mentioned on this missive and with you all as our protectors, infiltrate and gather what info we need to save your families and put a stop to the Agro threat.”

Her words were so rousing and full of intent that I expected all to rise, punch the air and yell some kind of battle cry. But we did not, instead Marcellus said, “If works, good plan. If not? All is lost.”

Kendra raised her chin and nodded. “It will work Marcellus, my dear. We will make it so.”

“Good,” said Eadgard, “because we will have to put it into action in a matter of secs. The place to land is appearing.”

Chapter Two

Disguises

I unbuckled my seat belt and left the cockpit with Kendra. We went into the grey metal corridor and slipped behind the defunct light that Eadgard had disabled when we first entered the craft. It was a small space but enough to block us from the sight of the males without. Kendra placed her Synthbag on the floor, opened it and took out a robe of gorgeousness.

It was a deep red and seemed to shimmer all over with golden specks of light. Another she pulled out, this time as blue as the sky at moonrise. She looked between the two, then at me, then back to the dresses and handed me the blue one. I held it in my hand and could not help but stroke the delicate cloth. It reminded me of the kittle fur I had fondled when hiding with Wirt in the Lady camp.

“Are you to put that on, or merely gaze at it until it rots?”

Holding it against my bulky frame, I said, “It looks a tad skimpy. I am not used to the wearing of such delicate things and fear that I will ruin this finery with my somewhat, well, thickset demeanour.” With a puffing out of cheeks, I attempted to pull the thing over my head.

Kendra took the dress away from me and chuckled.

“Remove your Synthbag and what you wear now and I’m sure it will fit.”

“What? Become naked in this exposed place?”

“Do not be shy my dear. The time will come when such things will be of little use. The path we are about to tread may rob us of our dignity in order to succeed.”

“I glean what you speak. Notwithstanding, I prefer to dress without the gawp of others.” I took off my Synthbag and peered around the unlit lamp.

Kendra stood in front of the small gap to further conceal my presence from our friends in the cockpit. “There, now none can glimpse your undressedness. Hurry and change, we need to strap ourselves in for landing.” She thrust the dress into my hands and began to unbutton my tunic.

I slapped her probing mitts away. “Oy, not so friendly. I can and will change these clothes for the garment you have provided without your help.”

“Fine. Do so and quickly,” she said and slid off her nun attire in one go.

I lowered my eyes so as not to see her non-clothed self. She did not notice my embarrassment at her lack of it, and pulled her garment smoothly over her head. I turned away from her, peeled off my old clothes and attempted to wriggle into the dress she’d given me.

There were three large silver buttons along the left hand side seam. I undid them all and stepped into the frock. I pulled it up and over my legs, but came to a ‘brupt halt when said gown became stuck around my hips. Not being as slender as Kendra in that particular area of the bod, the thing clung to my flesh and would not budge no matter how hard I tugged. Not wanting to tear the cloth, or remain half in the nude I was forced to gain help despite my insistence on dressing without disturbance.

“Erm, Kendra, I think I’m stuck.”

“That you are. These clothes are lenient in their measurement and you are built more for combat than leisure. I shall pull.”

Kendra knelt before me and grabbed onto the rouched up material. She carefully wiggled it up and around my behind and I felt it give a little. “Draw in your tum and that should do the trick.”

I did as instructed and pulled in my, not-that-big belly. Kendra shuckled and tugged at the material until it slid up to my basoomers. She stood and hoisted the fabric further and I put my arms through the holes in the side. The sleeves were short and came to just above my elbow. I twisted them until they felt comfortable and fastened the buttons. Kendra bent down and ruffled the hem until it hung right, then straightened, stepped back and grinned.

“Not bad. But better with the addition of this,” she said and produced a green hair band with a gossamer cloth of gold that hung down the back like glossy hair. She turned me round, pulled back my tresses and jammed the comb-like thing into my scalp. “This colour and softness of cloth well suits you, Adara. But you cannot wear those clodhoppers you have on your feet.”

On looking down at my functional shoes, I had to admit that she was right. They stuck out from the long hemline like two great knobbly spuds, and quite ruined the effect of glam.

“Here, take these,” Kendra said and fumbled inside her Synthbag. She produced a pair of slender high-high heels and placed them before me. “They have an expanding instep. One size fits all.”

I took off my old boots and pushed my broad feet into the open-toed shoes. I needed to wiggle a bit to get them on, but once in place, they did indeed accentuate the flow and swish of my dress.

“Ah, much better, my dear. Now stand up straight and suck in a little when we are to pass strangers. Oh, and put your hands into this.”

She handed me a black fluffy cylinder and I placed my give-away mitts into it. If anyone where to set eyes on my extra digit then all would be revealed. I stared at the transformation in Kendra. She stood before me dressed in a red figure-hugging robe that made her hair look as if it were on fire.

“You are a great beauty Kendra and no mistake. No wonder Eadgard lingers upon your every word.”

“He does not,” she said and lowered her gaze.

“No shame in it. I see you return his favour. Or am I mistaken?”

“Perhaps, perhaps not.”

“All the same, you are more than easy on the eye, as the saying goes.”

Kendra looked at me and took my hands in hers. “Let us say that I should turn some heads that need to be turned. Come, we are ready to land.” She gathered up our discarded clothes and stuffed them into her Synthbag. I quickly picked up mine and slid it onto my shoulder.

Thus dandied up, we entered the cockpit and all eyes focused on us. I swear I heard jaws dislocate from their sockets. Wirt put his hands to his mouth and stood, whilst Eadgard whistled through his teeth. Marcellus shuffled his feet and bowed his head.

“By Mother Nature, ye are as pretty as the first flower of spring. Adara, ye are well fit in this garb and no error. Marcellus, ye think so too?”

Marcellus raised his head, stared at me with fiery eyes and nodded. I felt a warmth rise from toe to teeth. I made light of Wirt’s comment and said, “Nah, but ta anyway, Wirt. Kendra is the goddess here.”

“I will not dispute that fact,” Eadgard said.

He stood, took Kendra’s hand and led her to her seat. “If my Lady will sit and buckle in.”

“How gallant of you my dear. Careful or you shall make me blush,” she said and gently sat down. Eadgard leant across, fastened her in and then sat next to her. All the while staring at her form as though she were a precious gift.

Wirt followed Eadgard’s actions and held out his hand for me. He bowed when I took it and led me to my chair. I sat down next to Marcellus and Wirt thudded down next to me. My foot touched Marcellus’s and he shuffled it away. I thought he must think me frumpy and outclassed by Kendra and smarted a bit at his reticence, so I folded my arms and snorted. He turned to me and I noticed that he was unable to stop his gaze boinging straight down to my half exposed cleavage. I grinned.

“We land now?” Marcellus clicked his buckle closed and stared straight ahead.

“Yes, Marcellus. Wirt, Adara, strap in too.”

We did.

I held my breath as the craft began its descent and tried to ignore the flipping and flopping in my tum, by looking out of the cockpit window. Below I saw a grey landing area slashed between two fields of long-stemmed yellow flowers. At the end of the airstrip and on either side of a wide pathway, stood rows of huge square metal buildings. They looked cold and unnatural amidst the fertile meadows that surrounded them.

A wave of unrest swished inside my belly. I swallowed, took my friend’s hands in mine and closed my eyes. I felt Marcellus’s grip tighten as we descended quick as quick onto the ready-made place for landings.

My ears popped and crackled. All my wobbly bits jumped up and down when we hit the ground bumping and skidding on the rough surface below us. I opened my eyes when the craft halted and unpeeled Marcellus’s fingers from my own. His face was pale and he wiped moist from his forehead. Wirt snapped open his belt and stood.

“What a fall. Did it not make yer innards dance?”

My tum gurgled by way of response. Marcellus sighed and clawed at his seatbelt. I reached over and helped him undo it, then unattached my own. He put his head between his knees and waved me away. I rose slowly and leant against Wirt. He huggled me close and I squished my cheek against his, grateful for my pal’s gesture of support. Marcellus took in a deep breath and stood. He was somewhat wobbly of leg and held onto the arm of his chair for a sec before shaking his head and standing tall.

Eadgard clicked off switches and the aircraft shuddered then went still. He put both hands on the dashboard thingy, leant close to the windscreen and peered out. He turned to us and said, “Security seems somewhat lacking. I would have thought it crawling with Agro bodyguards.”

Kendra joined him in perusing the scene outside. She touched the side of his hand and they exchanged a worryfull look. Eadgard stood, turned and smiled. “I hope this lack of Agro is a good thing?”

“We not trust. We cautious, very,” Marcellus said and walked to the cockpit exit.

“Wise words my dear. Come. Let us put into action our excellent plan.” Kendra walked straight past Marcellus and into the corridor. Wirt and Eadgard followed. I tottered after, the shoes pinching as I trod. Marcellus caught up with me and stared at my feet.

“Shoes nice, not practical.”

“True enough. Let us hope there is not too much in the way of traipsing, for I fear I will succumb to pustule of the heel,” I said and took his arm for stability as we slow-stepped to the craft’s exit where our friends stood in wait for our arrival.

“Good, you are here at last.”

“Do not admonish, Eadgard, these sandals are tricky to walk in.”

“So I see,” he said and opened the door. He gestured for us to stay back, leant out, sniffed the air and squinted. Then he turned to us with half a smile.

“Looks all clear. After you, Kendra.”

She stepped out of the craft and Eadgard offered me his hand to help me through. I took it gratefully, for the dress I wore clung so that I found it difficult to make large movements with my legs. I hopped down next to Kendra and was soon followed by the others. Eadgard came to the front pointed ahead. “This way I suppose.”