Ambition and Alavidha (42 page)

Davad Talanson,
he’s a Weaponsmaster here at Vada, except that he’s retired now
says too that my name will be very famous soon because he thinks I
am the last ever human to bond with a Lind here, especially because
of my name and also the weird co-incidence that the name of my Lind
is Kolyei! Tare and Kolyei were the first ever to life-bond.

Kolyei is lying
beside me now, watching as I write this letter. I don’t even need
to read it to him, he already knows what I’m writing.

I’m sad because
I won’t ever see you again but as well as that I’m happier than I
have ever been.

I’m sorry if
you were worried when I disappeared that night but I was frightened
to tell you in case you tried to stop me. This letter is developing
into a bit of a scramble. I’m sorry about that too but there’s no
time for me to sort out. I’m just putting the words down as they
come to me.

As I said, I’m
very happy so you mustn’t fret about me.

Kolyei and I
are leaving the Stronghold first thing tomorrow morning. We’re
leaving with the Susa and the last Ryzcks who have been guarding
the borders which have been closed.

We’re going on
a spaceship, just like our ancestors did when they came here. Me
and Kolyei, sorry, Kolyei and I have been told that it is a very
large one. It’s already here actually, about a half day’s travel
away and we’ll be among the very last to board. Kolyei’s rtathen
(that’s his pack-mates) are waiting for us on it. I think there are
other spaceships waiting too, in the Rtathlians of the Lind and to
the north and even in the southern continent.

Now, you
mustn’t worry about me. Kolyei will keep me safe. He sends his love
by the way and wishes there had been time for him to meet you.

We’re going to
a simply huge planet too. Susa Malkum showed me pictures, not
drawings or paintings but actual exact images of some of the places
on it. It looks absolutely amazing! And there will be no bandits or
pirates to fight so not danger of what happened to Hal’s Lind ever
happening to Kolyei.

I will miss
telling you all about it when we get there but Susa Malkum says we
won’t be able to. The planet is a long way away.

I’m going to
have to finish this now. We’re to take all our letters to the
Susa’s office so that he can put them in the pile for sending after
we’ve gone. No Express Service any more so it might take quite a
while to get to you.

So Mummy and
Daddy, this is farewell or in Lindish, Alavidha (I’m beginning to
learn Lindish though Kolyei’s Standard is quite good, as he comes
from north Vadath). I’ll be keeping up with my studies.

Alavidha.

Tara.’

* * * * *

-62-

THE STRONGHOLD
OF THE VADA – VADATH

The building
stood on its own in the midst of a small garden where in the summer
grew hundreds of the sweet smelling dalina flowers. Inside the
light was dim. There were celestery windows but they were shuttered
most of the time.

The building
was octagonal in shape as was the roof and the interior walls were
of varnished wood.

One of the
eight sides held the door. On the other seven walls were boards
with names written on them in silver leaf. The names were those of
all the Susas who had commanded the Vada.

The room said
‘peace’ to all its visitors though its contents were a
commemoration of war service.

On the centre
table was set a large book called ‘The Book of the Fallen’. In it
were recorded all the names of those who had died performing their
duty. It was not the first book that had lain there. The present
one was the ninth.

Beside that
book was another, a blue one. It was the ‘Honour Roll’. In it was
inscribed all those who had been awarded the Honour Star for
bravery in the face of adversity.

There was also
lettering inscribed on the wooden ceiling.

The letters
read, ‘Truth … Duty … Courage … Honour.’

It was the Vada
motto.

* * * * *

Susa Malkum
picked up his pen and opened the book.

This was the
current volume of what was known as the Vada Roll, the list of all
the vadeln-pairs who had joined and served with the Vada.

He wrote down
the final two names.

Tara
Josensdochter and Kolyei of Rtath Lindya

It is
fitting.

Tara Sullivan
and Kolyei of Rtath Afanasei had been the first two names entered;
in volume one; eight hundred and six years ago.

So many had
served throughout the centuries, so many had lived, fought and died
to protect the freedom of those they loved and even those they did
not.

He closed the
book and laid it with the others on the shelf. He would add the
final names to the copies that had already gone later. It was right
that the originals should remain here, on the planet where the
vadeln-pairs had fought and died.

He looked round
the Inner Sanctum for the last time. How many had entered this
room, had stood where he was standing and wondered as he did now.
Too many to count. He smelled its distinct aroma; it was redolent
with polish with a faint hint of dust. He would never forget
it.

He sighed. It
was time to join Freya.

It was time to
leave.

* * * * *

The Fifty-first
Ryzck and the Fifteenth Ryzck were to be the final two to depart
the Stronghold.

They were
forming up in two long columns. The riders were wearing their dress
uniforms and were carrying small maroon pennants on long poles
emblazoned with the silver Lind’s head, the same badge that was
worn on the uniform tunics.

Susa Malkum
smiled with pride as he saw them. This, the final parade, the final
march-out would be one to remember, one for the history books.

He caught the
elderly Ryzcka Dominik’s eye and waved. This was the signal for
Dominik, the oldest serving vadeln and his Lind to lead out the
support personnel ahead of the main columns, a mixture of riders
and Lind, some vadeln-paired, others not. The latter were riding
Lind who had arrived the day before to ‘offer them a lift’ to the
spaceship. Some other Lind were carrying packs of last-bell items
such as food and drink for the journey and last moment
possessions.

Everything else
was gone.

Malkum and
Freya watched as Dominik and his assorted party moved out through
the gates.

Soon it would
be Freya and him who would pass though. He remembered the day when
he had first arrived, forty years ago come year’s turn. He had been
fifteen, Freya a year older; he a apprehensive adolescent wondering
what he was doing here and Freya trotting through with confidence,
she had not been wondering. She had been confident of the
‘rightness’ of their pairing.

Malkum smiled
at the memory.

Who would have
imagined then the two of them would one day become the very last
Susa of the Vada?

Now was the day
of the final severance.

Today was
leaving day.

The last
swishing tail of Dominik’s peculiar command swished through the
open gate.

Malkum looked
up to where the large Vada pennant flew. It was said that the
flagpole had been erected by Susa Francis himself when he had built
the Stronghold. He looked away. He couldn’t bear to watch.

The man
standing to attention beside the flagpole saluted and began to
lower the pennant. Malkum heard a single trumpet blare out; one
note, which went on and on until it faded away.

When Malkum
looked up again the flagpole was bare.

* * * * *

Davad Talanson
marched up to Malkum and Freya, the pennant draped over his
forearms. It was not a large pennant, by tradition it was small
enough to be able to be carried. This was a good thing considering
the size and strength of the person who was destined to carry it
for the last time.

Malkum saluted
Davad.

“Thanks old
friend,” he said in a very quiet voice.

Davad looked
about ready to burst into tears.

“You have
command.”

“Yes Susa,”
said Davad, accepting the responsibility for the Stronghold until
he was relieved. It wouldn’t be long. Both men (and Freya) knew
that the Garda were on their way.

Davad marched
over to the rider who sat waiting. The carry pole was already
wedged in her right stirrup. All Davad had to do was to attach the
pennant.

Tara was
dressed in the uniform of a first year cadet; in the dress uniform
tunic with its high collar and white piping. On her left breast was
sewn the cadet equivalent of the silver Vada emblem; in her case a
white Lind head. Attached to her belt was Davad’s gift to her, the
sword he had wielded as a boy. Her boots gleamed, the result of
bells spent under Davad’s tutelage polishing. Kolyei too, his coat
gleamed with brushing and health and his harness shone.

To Tara and
Kolyei had gone the honour of carrying the pennant. It had been an
unanimous decision made by the members of the Fifteenth and the
Fifty-first Ryzcks.

“Let Thalia’s
little sister take it,” had said Ryzcka Vandiel of the Fifteenth
and Ryzcka Jilla of the Fifty-first had agreed.

“It should
really be one of you two,” Malkum had argued.

Vandiel had
shaken his head.

“No, me and
Jilla have talked it over and with the vadeln of our respective
Ryzcks. We,” he had laughed, “want to go out two by two, just like
in the storybooks. Find another pair if you’d rather but if it is
Tara and Kolyei, well, we all think it has a nice ring to it, their
names and all. Tara’s sister served with us too.”

Jilla, a spare,
rangy woman with a scar down her left cheek, had nodded and Malkum
had paid attention; most people did when Jilla told them what she
wanted.

Susa Malkum had
agreed that Tara and Kolyei should carry out the pennant.

* * * * *

To Tara and
Kolyei therefore had come some intensive training. She had had to
learn how to ride Kolyei and look good (two different things
entirely). There was also a mad scramble to find her a dress
uniform tunic that fitted because the uniforms had all gone in the
last wagon train but one. Malkum’s wife had come to the rescue. She
had gathered together some good seamstresses and they had made the
uniform from scratch using a bolt of Vada maroon that had been left
behind in a corner of the storeroom. As a result it fitted Tara
like a glove.

She felt proud
of the honour but scared too.

: You do
fine will :
Kolyei implanted the sentence in Tara’s mind. Their
telepathic link was improving with each bell but it still took, for
Tara especially, a great deal of effort
: calm you must be :
Kolyei’s syntax in Standard still needed some working on but he was
getting better. Tara’s Lindish was still pretty rudimentary so they
were speaking in Standard for now.

“I’m trying
Kolyei, really I am but what happens if I drop it?”

“You will not
drop. Susa fixed pole in sti-r-up thing at side. Hold on tight to
pole and we fine will be.”

“I’ll do my
best.”

“I’m sure you
will Tara,” said Davad who had reached them in time to overhear,
“let down the pole now there’s a good girl, just like I taught you,
that’s right so I can attach the pennant.”

Tara noticed
that Davad kissed it before he began to tie it to the pole.

He pushed the
pole upright and helped Tara set the end in her stirrup. That done,
he laid a gnarled hand on her upper leg and looked at her.

“Good luck
girl,” he said, “now off you go, do us proud. Remember what to
do?”

“Me and Kolyei,
we just need to follow Susa Malkum and Freya and keep to the right
distance. Thank you Davad, you’ve been very kind to me and, good
luck to you too.”

“Loco
parentis,” he said, “but you’ve got Kolyei now, you’ll never be
alone again. I predict that a long life and much happiness ahead of
you Tara. Make the most of it. Goodbye my dear.”

“Goodbye
Davad.”

Davad stepped
back. He and Malkum traded the glance that said it all.

: Time to go
Freya :

: I am ready
:

: Move them out
:

Susa Malkum and
Freya paw-stepped forward in what Davad would later describe as a
dignified and steady pace.

When Kolyei saw
Freya’s paws move (Freya hadn’t seen the necessity to telepath the
order, all those behind knew what to do) he too paw-stepped forward
and behind them paw-stepped the vadeln-pairs of the two Ryzcks,
each led by their respective Ryzcka.

* * * * *

The remaining
inhabitants of Vada and many too from the surrounding area who had
arrived to watch the last march out lined the streets, three deep
in some places. There were tears in many an eye. Even the children
were subdued.

No-one ever
admitted to being the one who started the clapping and the cheering
but start it did.

Tara felt quite
overwhelmed by it all, though she kept her head up and her eyes
facing front as she had been taught. Kolyei was enjoying the
experience. He started showing off, adopting an exaggerated gait
and lifting his paws.

: Stop that
:
Tara insisted. She was beginning to find it difficult keeping
her pole vertical with the bouncing and he did as she asked, albeit
with reluctance.

Susa Malkum and
Freya began to pick up the pace. Followed by Tara and Kolyei and
the two Ryzcks they trotted. Tara gritted her teeth and gripped the
pole tighter. The cheering and the clapping got louder and the
sounds came from the hearts of the onlookers.