The Saga Begins [Nuworld 1] (26 page)

“I’d get off of that right now and find your own,” she said, walking out of the door with her laser pointed.

The soldier froze and slowly moved off the bike. “Look, I’m just following—”

“I can see what you’re doing.” She shot the gun at the ground next to the soldier’s feet, and he jumped off the bike before running like his life depended on it. Good thing too, since she was a crack shot.

Laughter caused Tara to turn quickly and there stood Patha and Darius. The longer Patha stood there, the harder he laughed until he was holding on to Darius’ shoulder to keep from falling over. Darius’ baritone chuckle only annoyed her further.

“The poor lad.” Patha shook his head as he wiped his eyes.

“What’s so funny about someone trying to steal my bike?” Tara turned her attention to both men and glared, wanting nothing more at the moment than to slap the large grins off both their faces.

“My lady, the man was following orders.” Darius must have sensed her anger, because his smile disappeared, although slowly. “We asked him to drive your bike up to the shed behind the house.”

“Why?”

“You’ll drive this jeep.” He walked over to the jeep parked next to her bike.

“You’re taking away my bike?”

“It’s doctor’s orders, girl.” Patha still smiled as he walked over to her although he tried to stifle it when he saw her expression.

“And you asked the man to bring the jeep to me?” Tara was quiet for a moment and then smiled at her own mistake. “That poor man will never come near me again.”

Tara slipped her laser into her dress pocket and patted her bike. When Darius approached her, she smacked his chest. “Well, what are you waiting for, man? I can’t very well drive both of these into town. You need to get someone over here to drive my bike to the house.”

Darius moved before she could stop him and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her back against his chest. “Is that an order, my lady?”

“You bet it is,” Tara said, as all anger disappeared, and she fought to suppress a giggle. “Now let me go. I’ve got a town to organize.”

Darius watched his claim drive away from the campsite and hoped his town would survive her onslaught.

Chapter Ten

“She’s here,” Reena yelled from the living room. “Oh, goodness, old woman, hurry up. She is here, she is!”

“I’m coming.” Hilda waddled down the stairs as fast as her plump legs would carry her.

Torgo galloped past his mama and flung open the front door. “Wow, you look pregnant, you do!” He ran down the front porch stairs to greet Tara.

“And hello to you, too.” She smiled at the young boy as she got out of the jeep. He greeted her with a big hug and a smile that went from ear to ear. “Miss me, did you?”

“It was awful boring with two old women picking on me all the time, it was.” Torgo peered into the back of the jeep at all of the landlink equipment. “Especially with a war going on. What’s all that for?”

“I’m in charge of the soldiers in town. I need this equipment to help me survey what the enemy is doing. I’ll set up camp in my bedroom.”

“Look at you, will you?” Reena stood on the porch. “Not going to come in and say hello?”

“Oh, Reena, look how big she is.” Hilda clasped her hands to her mouth.

“Of course she’s big, she’ll have that baby in a couple cycles, she will.” Reena sounded sure of herself.

“I wish I had only a couple cycles to go,” Tara said with a laugh as she kissed the woman on the cheek. “But the baby won’t be here until around the New Winter.”

Tara hugged both women and instructed the guards standing in the driveway to unload the equipment and take it up to her room. She was forced to indulge in social chitchat with the two women before politely excusing herself so she could get to work. She begged forgiveness as she told them the guards would get lazy with a
woman in command
if she didn’t show them her intention of running a tight ship.

“I’ll be wanting to do a thorough exam, lass.” Reena rubbed her chin as she studied Tara’s belly. “I’m wondering about that fancy doctor of yours, I am.”

Tara doubted it would do her any good to argue. “I’ll make sure you get to do your exam.”

“And soon,” Reena said, and wagged her finger. “Don’t be putting me off.”

“As soon as I have everything in order with the troops,” Tara promised.

The women hovered a bit longer, but bored quickly when Tara began arranging her landlink and left her to her business with promises of a warm meal as soon as she was settled.

“Can I help you?” Torgo stepped to the side as the women left, and then hovered in Tara’s doorway. “Or I could just watch if you’ll let me.”

“Come on.” Tara smiled at the young boy and he joyfully leapt to her side.

“I’m a quick learner, you’ll see.” He watched her plug in cords and attach adapters.

“You watch and see what you can figure out. Once I know all is in order, we might have time for a lesson.”

Torgo learned quickly. Over the next few days, Tara organized shifts for the soldiers, established military tactics, created a layout of the town on the landlink, and discussed procedures with Patha and Darius. Since the schools were closed for the safety of the children, Torgo had plenty of time to learn. He was careful not to get in the way, and although Tara didn’t say so, she enjoyed his company and eagerness.

“Tomorrow morning I’m going to drive into town and take a look at the damages.” Tara leaned back and scratched her stretched-out belly.

* * * * *

She was one of the most unfeminine women Torgo had ever seen, and he decided that was what he liked about her. She didn’t snap at him to sit up straight or tuck in his shirt. In fact, she didn’t even seem to notice when he plopped down in her room with dirty shoes or food on his face.

“I can show you exactly where the bombs hit.” He wanted so much to be part of it all. “Some of the buildings downtown are all the way gone, they are.”

“Did many families lose their homes?”

“Uh, I’m not sure, my mama won’t let me wander too much. I saw the buildings downtown though, they’re rubble on the ground, they are. That’s why Mama says I have to stay near the house.” Torgo looked at her, hoping she wouldn’t make him stay home too. “Please, can’t I go with you?”

“I guess that would be up to Hilda.”

* * * * *

Needless to say, there was an argument at the breakfast table the next morning. Not only did Hilda not want Torgo to go, neither Hilda nor Reena thought
Tara
should go.

Reena mentioned she still wanted to give Tara an examination. She wasn’t convinced the Runner doctor was right about the due date. Tara was getting very big, and Reena was convinced she would have the baby in the next two cycles. To make matters worse, the first snow had fallen the night before. Tara felt awkward enough walking on the uneven ground and knew she would have a difficult time maintaining balance in the snow. There was a bitter wind, and both women ganged up against Tara, saying it was not wise to tempt a cold in her condition.

Torgo looked at Tara helplessly as the two women sounded triumphant with their argument.

“Are the two of you quite through?” Tara leaned back in her chair and calmly surveyed the women. “I’ll be driving into town today. I’ve spent many days in much colder weather than this, and I’ll be fine. I think it might be a good idea to take Torgo with me. Look at it as a compromise. He can be my chaperone. I assure you, I’ll keep him from harm.”

Hilda threw up her hands in the air. “I don’t have the fight to keep up with you, girl. I daresay there probably aren’t many people who do.”

“How’s this,” Reena suggested. “You take the boy, but when you get back, I do the examination. Will that suit you, Hilda?”

Hilda looked at Tara.

Tara couldn’t tell if it was a disapproving look or not.

“I reckon it suits me. It’s man’s work inspecting what’s left of those buildings, it is, and he’ll be a man soon enough, he will.”

“Great!” Torgo jumped up from the table. “When do we leave?”

“After I eat.” Tara helped herself to more bacon.

“That’s right. Sit, boy.” Reena smiled. “She’s eating for two now.”

“Dr. Digo says that’s the type of thinking that makes women fat,” Tara said in between bites.

“Ah, and this same man says you’re due in four cycles as well, huh?” Reena shook her head and scooped more food onto Tara’s plate.

Tara finished eating quickly, and soon after, she and Torgo were out the door. Downtown looked so different than it had before. Tara remembered coming to the stores for the first time with Reena. As she parked the jeep and walked down the sidewalk with Torgo, very few people were visible, unlike before when merchants bustled about and the streets filled with chattering women and children. The grocery store was open, but most of the other shops were closed.

Tara pointed to the side street where she’d first met Torgo. The two buildings no longer bordered the service road. One side of the street was simply a mound of bricks and boards. They walked past the rubble. She watched two women hurry across the street with long coats pulled tightly around them to block the cold. Neither one of them looked their way—unlike Gothman women who would eagerly welcome gossip about how the lord’s claim looked good and pregnant.

“We should organize a team to clean this up. These people need hope. They’re not accustomed to being challenged with the hardships of battle, and I fear morale is low. This war won’t last forever, and the town will have to be rebuilt sooner or later. I think if we have a crew start on clean up now, self-esteem in the town will return to normal.”

“None of the men are here to do it,” Torgo pointed out.

“What’s wrong with the women, and all of you young people too young to fight, doing it? There’s no reason why you can’t help. You’ve nothing else to occupy your time since Darius closed the schools until further notice. It’ll keep the kids out of trouble. And I’m sure the women want to help, too. That way, when the men do come home, they can focus on rebuilding.”

“I’m game, but I don’t think many of the women around here would help. We aren’t like you, Tara. If the men came home and found their women had been doing their work, I don’t think they’d like it much, I don’t.”

Tara thought for a moment and then looked up smiling. “I have an idea, come on.” She walked quickly back to the jeep.

“What are you thinking?”

Tara pulled out of the parking spot and headed toward the camps. Torgo held on as she bounced over the rough road. She looked at him and saw the excited look on his face as he realized where they were going.

“My brother is going to be mad, he is.” He was still grinning.

“Don’t you worry about your brother, I can handle him.”

She drove in to the Blood Circle Clan’s camp and slowed the jeep.

“I’ve never seen so many Runners,” Torgo almost whispered and watched people walking around him who were indifferent to his presence.

“They’re people just like you.” She pulled up in front of Balbo’s trailer and got out of the jeep. She didn’t see her brother, but his daughter came out and greeted her. Syra had fourteen winters and was of age to wear the full Runner clothing. The young girl bounced down the trailer steps to greet them, wearing her headscarf, which Tara guessed she had put on when she noticed she had company. Tara remembered reaching the age when she could finally don full Runner garb, and how anxious she had been to wear it at every opportunity.

Tara noticed the looks Torgo and Syra gave each other. They were the same age, and although she knew Torgo had not shown any interest in girls yet, he appeared to be appraising Tara’s niece with interest.

“Where’s your papa, Syra?”

“They should be returning soon. I just got word from him.” The young girl shyly watched the boy in the jeep with eyes that appeared bright through her mask.

“Where is he?”

“He went down to the front with the other men last night.”

“If he returns before I do, let him know I wish to talk to him, okay?” Tara got back into the jeep and headed to the battle site, which was also the same direction as Patha’s trailer. She got as far as the side of the trailer when she saw Patha and Darius riding their bikes toward her. She was delighted that she was able to see Darius while here. A week without him made her heart ache. Torgo, however, slouched down in his seat.

“You are about to meet my papa, who is also the leader of this clan.” Tara looked at the boy as they pulled up in front of the trailer and climbed out of the jeep. “Be sure to show all signs of your warrior training, understand?”

“Yes.” He straightened.

“What in the world are you doing here?” Patha got off his bike and approached them with long strides.

“Patha, I’d like you to meet Torgo, younger brother of Lord Darius.” Tara ignored the question and instead offered the introduction.

There was a slight smile on Darius’ face as the young boy stood alert, did not smile, and saluted with all the signs of a great future Gothman warrior.

Patha acknowledged the salute and treated Torgo like a man by returning the salute, as he would one of his soldiers.