Lady Grace & the War for a New World (Earth's End Book 2) (13 page)

17

Veronica and Jeremy ran to one of the old adobes, followed by the rest of the community. Ellie lay on one of the pads, hands drawn to her chest, convulsing.

“Oh, no,” Jeremy cried.

“Was she bitten by anything? A scorpion? A snake?”

He shook his head. “Oh, Ellie, don’t die.” Jeremy put his arms around her and spoke to his mother. “She was sick to her stomach last night. She said she was OK today and wanted to rest, but when I came back, she was really sick.”

“Henry, can you get my medical bag? It’s in the container.”

Jeremy huddled next to his mother and whispered. “I think she’s pregnant again, Mom. On her planet, they gave her special stuff when she was pregnant, but they didn’t send any with her.”

“What do you mean, they didn’t send any?”

“They didn’t send anything with them on the pile of junk. She ate some of the army food last night. It made her sick. But we don’t have anything else for her to eat.”

“They sent her here without medicine or food?” Veronica stared at Ellie’s little hooves. “She’s a different species than you. There must be complications when your blood factors come in contact, like the Rh factor in people.”

“They did tests on us when we first got there. That’s when Ellie got the medicine.”

“And they sent you here with nothing?”

“Yeah.”

“Goddamit! I don’t have anything in my medical supplies that can help her. Jeremy, get that satellite up now. I need to talk to your in-laws again.” As he dashed out, Ellie became waxen and unmoving. “Jeremy! Something’s happened to her.”

He came back and looked at her. “She does that when she’s really scared, Mom. Like a possum. She’ll come out of it.”

“OK. Go. Contact the golden world.” Veronica began looking under Ellie’s clothes. She turned to the others. “Can you let me look at her privately? I want to be sure that she wasn’t bitten by something.”

The others left, but Sam stayed.

“I can heal, lady. I have the Power.”

“You can heal her?”

“Maybe.”

Veronica spread Ellie’s legs and looked between them. There was only one opening. For conceiving and bearing children, she assumed. How did she go to the bathroom? Or did that opening work for all functions? Rage erupted inside Veronica. “She bore thousands of babies for them and they sent her off to die?”

“Lady, let me try.” Sam looked at Ellie. His expression said that he saw an emergency that Veronica couldn’t.

“Yes, certainly.”

He lay down next to her and wrapped her in his arms. He whispered in her ear, words Veronica couldn’t understand but she recognized as the cadence of the village’s old speech. She could see that whatever he was doing was helping; Ellie relaxed and brightened a bit.

“Mom, I’m ready to transmit.”

“Stay with her and Sam, Jeremy. Sam’s helping her.” Veronica ran to the storage container. Jeremy had it brightly lit inside. She sat at the computer and began.

“Elders of Ellie’s planet: Ellie is dying. You sent her here knowing that she would die.” Veronica was so angry that she set the broadcast on a broad band, so that her signal went all over the universe. She did make sure, however, that the Russian satellites were excluded. She was angry, not stupid. “I want a doctor
now
. I want him to bring whatever he needs to make her well and keep her well the rest of her time on Earth.

“WHAT
ARE
YOU? YOU FEEL SUPERIOR TO US, YET YOU DO THINGS THAT THE WORST PERSON ON EARTH WOULDN’T DO.”

“I have a few other things to say. I was
appalled
by the way you sent my friends home.
On a floating garbage pile?
You were saying that we are garbage, right? This wasn’t an intergalactic communication snafu where you were trying to say, ‘We come in peace and bring gifts?’

“How dare you treat my people like that? You got what you wanted from my son and his wife and my friends. Have you no gratitude?

“My son is a nicer person than I am in many ways. He said you sent all that junk as a gift, because you knew he’d make unbelievable things out of it.

“Well, if that were so, you should have giftwrapped it. Or sent a note.

“I want that doctor
now
.

“Oh, the last time we chatted, I told you that I was broadcasting just to you. Not this time. The
whole universe
can hear this.” She raised her voice and spoke into the mike.

From over by the ancient dwellings, Jeremy shouted, “They’re here, Mom. Three doctors.”

“Thank you very much. I can’t help but notice that the doctors didn’t come until you knew all the galaxies could hear me.

“Thank you for your assistance.

“This is Veronica Edgarton.”

Sam stood pressed against the adobe wall of the hut, staring at three tall golden visitors. They stood by Ellie, apparently talking to each other silently. Jeremy knelt by her side, holding her hand.

“Hello, I’m Veronica Edgarton.” She walked into the hut, extending her hand to the tallest. “I’m glad to meet you at last.”

The golden creatures pulled away. They were nine or ten feet high, with long arms and legs. Huge eyes and slender bodies, which were slightly see-through and very luminous. They were naked and had no physical signs of any gender.

“In my country, it’s customary to shake hands when greeting a friend or potential friend,” she said. “Though of course, you may have other customs.”

The tallest extended his hand and lightly touched Veronica’s.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” she said, wanting to wipe her hand. It was like touching warm fish. “All right. What’s the problem with Eliana?”

They looked at each other.

“We need her healed and able to live on Earth for the rest of her life. And we need whatever special food or medicine she requires.” She withdrew and stood next to Sam, who was shaking.

One put his hands on Ellie’s temples, another held her feet. The tallest had his hands between her legs, palpating her inside. He pulled out something that looked like a deflated seedpod, ruined and dead. He lay it on the pad and put his hand over it. The pod disappeared.

“Oh, no,” Veronica exclaimed. “She lost her baby.”

The tall one looked at her. It was a piercing look, but understanding. He turned his back to her and began doing something to Ellie that she couldn’t see. His body blocked her view. Whatever it was didn’t take very long.

He stepped away from Ellie, who lay peacefully in her bed. The three of them stood with their hands over her, humming. Veronica felt at bit dizzy. The sound of the monks chanting at Shri Rinpoche’s monastery was the only thing she could compare to the aliens’ song.

She lost awareness for a moment, but when she returned, the tall alien stood in front of her. The others had gone. He was saying something to her, silently. He was telling her that they had made Ellie well and that she should remain healthy. She should be a vegetarian, but if there was no other food, she could eat—and the concept cost him something to articulate, she could tell—flesh for a short time. He pointed in the corner. Sacks of food for her were stacked there, along with seeds so they could grow more.

He looked at Veronica, imparting an apology and a warning. The apology came from him, and was why he’d stayed to communicate with her. He was sorry for what had happened to Ellie and the way things had been handled. The warning came from the other elders. She was not to talk to them in that way again. She was not to call again. He started to fade.

“No!” Veronica called out. His fading stopped. “I will do whatever I must to help my people. And I will tell my truth. I have seen great evil done when people—and your people, too—hide the truth. If peace is to prevail, we must speak the truth.”

She held out her hand again, and this time he took it. Her hand wrapped around a translucent glow. He had a body and substance. “I hope we can be friends, and I thank you with all my heart.” She felt more than saw a flicker of a smile and then he disappeared. “Wait. What is your name?” But he was gone.

She turned to her son. “Is she OK, Jeremy?”

“She looks fine, Mom.” He knelt next to Ellie, holding her hand. She looked at him with brimming eyes.

“I’ll give you two some privacy.” Veronica backed through the doorway.

“What’s the matter, Ellie?” Jeremy said, lying down next to her. His wife’s rigid body said that something was terribly wrong. “What happened?”

“Oh, Jeremy. Is bad. Doctor.”

“Did he do something to you?” Jeremy grabbed her shoulder.

“He make me better. But one thing he no can make better.”

“What, baby?” He stroked her shoulder and arm. “What is it?”

“He say I no have more babies.” The tears rolled over her lower lids and down her cheeks.

“Why? What happened?”

“I have too many babies. Hurt body. Is why I get sick. Is why baby die.” She rubbed her tummy. “We
never
have baby.” Her stifled sobs ripped through Jeremy. “Never baby for
us
.” He clutched her.

“Those bastards. They did that to you.” Jeremy wanted to scream at the goldies, but his anger ricocheted through Ellie. She cried harder, trembling. He stroked her. “Baby. Calm down. We’ve got each other. We’ll be OK. We don’t have to have kids.”

She looked at him, catching him in his lie. “I want babies. You want babies. Is
not
OK.”

He caressed her and whispered. “I love you, Ellie. I love you more than anything. When I was down here by myself, I thought I’d go crazy. I’ll die without you. Please, please don’t cry. I can’t stand it.” His chest heaved. “Please, baby. Just don’t cry.”

He had to keep quiet. Their house didn’t have a ceiling or doors; everyone could hear. He choked down his grief. “We’ll be OK, you’ll see. We’ll do something.” He cast around for any solution. “We can adopt!”

“What
adopt
?”

“It’s what your people did with our babies. It’s when you take someone else’s child and raise it as your own.”

“No babies here.”

He hadn’t thought of that. There weren’t any babies needing parents. Except … “Sam said he has babies.”

Ellie pushed up on one elbow and gazed at him. Tears glistened on her cheeks, but she looked hopeful.

“We can adopt one of Sam’s babies. Or a bunch of them, if you want. It will be all right, baby,” Jeremy’s face showed how much he adored her. “Don’t cry, Ellie. Let me hold you. I’ll make it better.”

He cupped her body with his and stroked her, kissing her face and neck, running his hands over her thighs and hips. “I love you, Ellie. I don’t care about anything but you. I’ll do anything to make you happy.” He kissed her more deeply, his hands becoming insistent. “I love touching you, Ellie. Let’s love each other.”

But they didn’t. Both of them realized that Ellie needed to heal, in her body and her soul. And they realized that the goldies hadn’t forced them to produce so many babies. They had a part in what happened. Jeremy choked up, trying to hide his face from her. She knew exactly what he was thinking.

“No cry, Jeremy. I like it,” she said, petting his head. “You like it. So we do it lots. Make lots babies.” The corners of her mouth turned down. “Not know hurt me.” Her hand rubbed her abdomen.

“Oh, sweetie. It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t been so …”

“Not just you, Jeremy.
Me
, too. No
fault
.” She put her arms around his neck. “I love you, Jeremy. Love you like crazy.”

Jeremy whispered, “I love you. Nothing matters if we’re together.”

“We together, Jeremy. Together all time.” The ghost of a smile brushed her lips. “And we adopt Sam’s babies.”

When Veronica turned to leave Jeremy and Ellie’s adobe, Sam was right in front of her. The cave was dark. Voices of the others bedding down murmured from various corners.

“Oh, Sam, I was so afraid.” She fell into his arms, leaning against him, wrapping her arms around him. His embrace was like none she’d known. Powerful, comforting, loving. He was so big. She let herself fall into him. She never wanted to leave his arms.

She heard Jeremy talking to Ellie behind her and remembered Sam’s age. She pushed herself away, looking up into his face. “I’m sorry, Sam, I didn’t mean …” She mumbled a bit more. “I’ll see you tomorrow, dear.”

In her little cubbyhole, she tossed and turned. I’m an immoral woman, she thought. She needed to get control of herself. She thrashed about, lost in the falling sensation she’d had in his arms. “That’s absolutely wrong. He’s the same age as your son.”

Sleep eluded her. She tried to repeat her mantra, but it wouldn’t stick. All she could concentrate on was Shri Rinpoche’s face. Help me, please help me, she prayed.

18

Sam was so excited that he didn’t try to sleep. All that she’d done ran through his mind, over and over. She was a queen, and a mighty warrior. She made the gold creatures come and save Ellie’s life. He’d heard her scream at them on the computer. He’d never heard anyone scream at leaders like that. She was unafraid of the gold things. She touched one twice. He saw her shoot the gun better than the stories said she could. She saw Ellie’s deformity and said, “Poor thing.” She didn’t shun her.

Maybe she could save his people. Maybe she could care for the women in the pen and heal them. Help them get past what happened. Some of them. Maybe she could see his people as he saw them, as beautiful, not deformed and mentally disabled.

Hope flamed inside him. That and something else. When Ellie was all right, the lady had hugged him. She clung to him. He could feel her softness against him. She went to her own bed, but maybe she felt something for him. He thought she did at first, before he threw the bottle.

Sleep wouldn’t come. He did what he had done the night before, took off his clothes and pressed against the walls, touching the stones with his flesh. It wasn’t enough.

Sam lay face down on the floor of his cave and extended his arms. He thought about her being under him. He remembered how she felt, soft and yielding. He opened and released, opened, and let go. He did that once, and again. He finally slept.

Dropping into a black emptiness, he felt Sam Big turn toward him. It felt like the eye he’d once worn was searching for him. Sam Big knew he was alive because of what he’d done. He lived in a world of darkness and touch. Sensation and odor. Silence and intuition. Everyone in the shelter developed powers that wouldn’t have appeared in the outside world. He could feel everyone he cared for, people full of throbbing, breathing life. Souls. They could feel him.

And so could the Bigs. He was Sam Big’s pretty. He belonged to Sam Baahuhd, the legitimate leader of the underground according to the Commands. They had to obey the headman on pain of death. He had belonged to Sam Big since he was a boy. He had been able to fight him off when they were young, but when Sam grew Big, fighting him off became impossible.

He had hoped to be free when he left the underground. He had hoped to join these people and leave his shame behind. What Sam Big did to him wasn’t what he wanted. He wasn’t one of the jolly boys.

Fortunately for him, neither was Sam Big. He rutted in the women’s pen, siring children without care. He only called for Sam when he wanted to humiliate and hurt him.

Sam Big could feel what he’d done, lying on the floor and thinking of her. When his body released, his soul entered another reality, the reality of spirit, of talking and knowing without words, of love. Sam Big had felt him. He knew he was alive. Sam’s eyes flew open.

The Bigs could find him if he slept. If he dreamed. If he strayed from absolute alertness, he was in danger. Sam Big already knew he was alive. Soon he would know where he was.

He would come for him as fast as he could. For if his pretty, Sam of Emily, was alive outside, anyone in the underground could survive there. He would hone into his essence and come straight to this place. He would kill him and take her and all the rest and begin a new underground.

Sam shuddered. He’d seen her shoot, but she hadn’t seen how fast Sam Big could move, or how he could use the Voice to call in prey. To trick them into thinking someone else was calling. Someone they loved.

Rocking back and forth, Sam tried to plan. They had found chain ladders and were going to put them out the next day. He could climb down when no one was looking. He could head away from the underground. Or he could look for a new land and people up the river.

That was stupid. He would die in a week. He didn’t know how to live in the world above ground. He needed people. He needed touch. He needed love. His people loved him; the deformed and feeble people that he cared for loved him.

The Bigs would kill him if he went back. They kept only one of the Commands: “The Angel said that bad people should be loved until they were good.” The Bigs exchanged the word love for another word, fuck. Bad people should be fucked until they were good. They disciplined people by raping them. They executed people by raping them.

Calm yourself, he thought. He won’t find you if you’re calm. Think of what to do.

Throw yourself off the cliff, he thought. Kill yourself. Do it fast. These people cannot survive an attack by the Bigs. Kill yourself and stop it.