Return to the Traveler (Free Trader Series Book 9) Read online

But Aadi’s shell! The Androids had tortured him. So much pain. Treetis’ claws dug into the saddle as his muscles tightened.

  “What’s wrong? Your rabbit lunch not sitting well?”

  ‘It is sitting very well.’ Treetis retracted his claws from the dense leather. ‘What do you expect to find up there?’

  “That’s a good question.” Jocelyn leaned over the ‘cat as she guided the horse along a twisting path before breaking back into the open. “I think purpose.”

  ‘You already have a purpose. You’re the governor.’

  “That’s helping people to simply exist. I think we have so much more potential than that. Maybe the Traveler will help me see what.”

  Treetis didn’t respond. He remained wedged between Jocelyn and the saddle. He groaned and it sounded like a yowl.

  ‘The hovercar is so nice to travel in. The ancients enjoyed their comforts and now we get to enjoy them, too,’ he said.

  “But the Traveler is a dangerous place.”

  ‘So I’ve been told,’ Treetis replied. ‘But we’ll find out together, won’t we, tall human?’

  “You have your moments, Treetis.” The mare hammered the ground on her way south, trying to win a race against flying Hawkoids and a flying car.

  ***

  Braden called off the search when the light from his neural implant started to flash. Time was up.

  They carried two full bags of leaves

  “Enough?” Micah asked.

  “Plenty and then some,” Braden said proudly. They each tied a bag tightly to their saddles. Aadi grabbed on, and they were off.

  It wasn’t long before a light rain began, then the deluge.

  “I didn’t miss this,” Micah mumbled. Braden pulled his collar up and hat tighter to keep from getting soaked to the skin.

  Aadi bounced along behind without a complaint.

  They rode for most of the remaining day until they reached the spot where the Amazonians had agreed to meet them.

  “Aadi?” Braden asked.

  ‘Nothing, Master Braden.’

  Braden dismounted and guided Max to the side of the road where he could graze. Micah groaned as she climbed down from Speckles.

  “No more horse riding for me,” she said.

  “That could make our return trip problematic,” Braden replied as he caressed her sore part.

  “What is with you? You have a purpose again so you’re all frisky.”

  “I am unapologetic about it, too.”

  “Fine.”

  “Fine.”

  ‘Fine,’ Aadi added. ‘I must admit that I’m not sure what is fine or not, but you seemed intent on everything being fine. I am worried about the Great King. If he has a broken leg, he’ll have to stay off it. I don’t think he knows how to do that.’

  “If anyone can keep him in line, it’ll be White Mountain. And the twins. They will want him to be better. I expect they are sleeping on him. He won’t move because he won’t want to disturb them. Their ‘cats, too. Those two hooligans will never grow up.”

  “You think of them like that because they are half the Golden Warrior’s size. Although, the children do keep them young.”

  “A perfect match, a match made in heaven.” Braden leaned close, lips puckered.

  ‘They come,’ Aadi said.

  Braden jumped in front of Micah and pulled his blaster.

  “What are you doing, it’s Pik Ha’ar,” Micah said, pushing his blaster arm down.

  “Last time I heard “they come,” it was Bat-Ravens. Couldn’t get my blaster out quickly enough then.”

  ‘Your reflexes are admirable, Master Braden,’ Aadi replied. ‘It is Pik Ha’ar and his contingent.’

  “His contingent? Is that good or bad?”

  ‘Neither. It simply is.’

  Braden, Micah, and Aadi walked through the rain to the side of the road where Pik emerged from the trees, almost magically. Four Lizard Men were arrayed behind him.

  Braden put his hand on Pik’s chest as a greeting and the Lizard Man responded in kind.

  “It is good to see you, Pik.”

  ‘And you, too. They tell me you are going back to the Traveler. Please tell me this isn’t true.’

  Braden frowned before replying. “But it is. Do you not want us to go?”

  ‘It is a hard place, filled with traps and ways to die.’

  “We hope to change that. This trip is to set up future trips where we can start our journey back into space. The scientists from Cygnus VI have an engine that will make travel among the stars a common thing, but we have to be in space to test it. Peace on Vii has brought us to this moment. We can build a future of exploration or we can stagnate here. I prefer the wonders of the universe. I don’t think I’m alone.”

  ‘My son, Daksha, is always looking at the stars. Maybe someday he’ll be up there, doing what Braden envisions.’

  ‘We look forward to that day. Yes, human. I will watch your back while you are on the spaceship, but you must give me a blaster.’

  “Ooh,” Braden replied, looking less than enthused by the idea.

  ‘Come! We will talk on the way to New Sanctuary.’ Pik pounded Braden on the shoulder as he greeted Micah and then headed toward the waiting horses.

  “Do you have your skin suit?” Braden asked as he turned to follow.

  ‘Yes. The latest design mimics the natural ability of our skin.’

  “That’s what I call an upgrade. Maybe Holly can add some chameleon technology to our armor.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it,” Micah replied.

  “Probably not. We’ll make do.”

  “We always do.”

  “What’s he doing?” Braden pointed to Pik Ha’ar. The Lizard was standing directly behind Max. “That has all the potential for something really bad.”

  “Pik!” Micah yelled instead of morbidly watching. “Don’t stand there.” She hurried to pull him out of the line of fire. Max’s ears had gone back and he wasn’t looking happy.

  Braden patted the stallion on the side before climbing into the saddle. He held his arm out to help Pik up. Once straddling the horse, the Lizard Man grabbed Braden’s arms.

  ‘Lizard Men were not made to ride horses.’

  “I would think not. Aadi?”

  ‘I’ll tag along behind the president, if you don’t mind.’

  “I think that’s for the best. Next stop, New Sanctuary. Ha!” Braden encouraged Max to a trot and then to a run. Besides Pik, they were tired of the rain again and ready to be out of it.

  ***

  Skirill and Zyena sat on the rock that Treetis had once claimed as his own. It provided a commanding view of the grasslands to the north and east as well as the desert to the south.

  “Did we miss it?” Skirill asked.

  “Wouldn’t it wait for us?”

  Skirill bobbed his head. “It’s not here yet. I guess we wait.”

  Zyena glided to the edge of the small lake, stepped in, and started throwing water on herself. She ruffled her feathers, shook, and repeated the process.

  Skirill watched. “Excited?”

  “To go home?” Zyena replied. “Excited, but anxious. I like our lives here. Thanks to the ‘cats and you and Micah and Braden, Vii is a safe place. The ship is not, and I don’t want to see anyone get hurt, least of all you.”

  She continued to bathe while Skirill considered her words. For him, the ship represented the point in time from which the best part of his life began. He had been condemned to be alone because he was different. And then, because he was different, he was never alone.

  “If we turn our backs on our friends, then do we deserve the peace that they won for us?”

  “No. And we wouldn’t deserve the peace that we won for ourselves. There was never a question that we’d go, but I am anxious about it.”

  “Braden will take care of us. He went back for Aadi, and he went back for Pik Ha’ar. If anything happens, he’ll come for us, too.”

  Zyena continued to
bathe. Skirill looked south. The Great Desert shimmered with the heat, uninviting. He knew the ride in the hovercar would be cool and quick. He wondered if they’d ride it all the way to New Sanctuary. Once inside, they wouldn’t be able to communicate with Holly.

  “There could be a problem,” Skirill ventured. Zyena didn’t ask what. She was convinced there would be all kinds of problems. Focusing on one wouldn’t change the others.

  Skirill scanned the horizon, his Hawkoid eyes picking up movement. He stared trying to see what it was. “I’ll be back,” he told Zyena.

  ***

  Braden stopped as soon as they passed out of the rain.

  ‘Why are we stopping?’ Pik asked. Aadi wondered the same thing.

  “You’re killing me, Pik!” Braden helped the Lizard Man down, and then he climbed out of the saddle. “I can’t feel my hands. Look at the claw marks on my arms!”

  ‘That wasn’t me. I have hands.’ Pik Ha’ar wiggled his digits in the air. His expression gave away none of his emotions. The Amazonians, descendants of the Traveler’s Lizard Men, did not show expressions as their human DNA would suggest. Whether that decision was conscious or not would never be known.

  “You have to let go, Pik. Don’t hold me in the death grip.”

  ‘I don’t like horses,’ Pik admitted.

  “Once we’re at New Sanctuary, you won’t have to deal with horses ever again. Max and Speckles are ready to retire.”

  ‘I will be fine. Where do you wish me to hold?’

  “The saddle. Hold it behind you and lean over my back.”

  ‘That doesn’t sound very comfortable,’ Pik replied.

  Braden rubbed his head and looked to Micah for support. She shook her head and strolled into the woods to relieve herself.

  Aadi swam close. ‘This is the first leg on our journey back to space. It simply is. We will deal with each leg as it comes in the best way we can.’

  “Aadi,” Micah called from the woods. “I found a beetle nest that needs your attention.”

  ‘It has been a while since I’ve had a beetle feast. If you’ll excuse me.’ The Tortoid hurried away as quickly as he could swim.

  “Just a little bit farther, Pik. And then we go into the puke chamber. I thought you died the last time we transferred from the ship to the planet. You sure looked dead to me!” Braden slapped the Lizard Man on the back before checking the bindings on the saddle to ensure that he wouldn’t lose their hard-fought bags of numbweed leaves.

  ‘I understand,’ Pik replied. ‘What will we do on the spaceship?’

  Braden stopped in the middle of retying a bag. “We’re going to make it safe for scientists and people.”

  ‘Then you’ll have to kill everything on board, you see, as they are all struggling to make their own way, whether my people on their deck, the birds, the livestock, the marine life. None of them will want to be pacified.’

  “You sound like Holly. Have you been talking with him?”

  ‘I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but you should know. When the ship recreated me, it gave me a neural implant. I have spent much time with Holly learning about the universe and my place in it.’

  “You mean we could have had Holly contact you directly?”

  ‘Yes,’ Pik replied.

  “We rode all that way in the rain, twice, and we didn’t have to? Holly and me? We’re going to have words.”

  ***

  Skirill gained altitude before being able to identify the object as a horse and its rider.

  ‘Don’t let that hovercar leave without us,’ Treetis told the Hawkoid.

  ‘You’re coming, too?’

  ‘And Jocelyn.’

  ‘The ancients’ vehicle is not here yet, or has already come and gone, but we have not seen it. It will be good to have you both with us and that solves our problem of being able to talk with Holly.’

  The mare slowed after Treetis told Jocelyn that they had time.

  Skirill descended, picking up speed as he arrowed toward the horse. Jocelyn waved a tired hand. The Hawkoid screeched his welcome before passing, banking, and flying overhead to accompany their new companions.

  ‘I wasn’t told to expect you.’

  ‘She didn’t decide until your fellow Hawkoid had already departed.’

  ‘I see. Does Braden know that you’re coming?’

  ‘Does he have to know everything?’

  ‘A typical ‘cat answer, which is no answer at all. You have become the spitting image of the Golden Warrior.’

  ‘I’ll take that as the compliment I’m sure it is meant to be. I’ve had about enough of this horse. I hope the air conditioning in the hovercar is working, and stay off my rock.’

  ‘Not a chance.’ Skirill cawed his laughter and flew ahead. As he rose above the grasslands, he could see a dot rapidly approaching through the desert. ‘I think the vehicle is coming. Don’t take too long to get here. I’m not sure how we can hold it for you.’

  A Gathering of Friends

  Pik jumped from Max before the horse stopped. The Lizard Man walked through the trees and straight into the lake, waving at the Wolfoids and Hillcats lounging on the beach.

  “I smell venison.” Braden had his nose in the air and sniffed. He climbed down and removed Max’s saddle and halter, thanking the horse and turning him loose. Micah did the same. The animals grazed their way toward the fields.

  After putting the saddles in one of the sheds scattered throughout New Sanctuary, they found their way to the lake to greet their old friends.

  “I’m glad you decided to join us,” Braden said as he hugged the big Wolfoid.

  ‘Anywhere adventure takes you, we will go, too,’ Bounder replied.

  ‘You might want to consider a less dangerous way of life,’ G-War quipped.

  Micah snickered. “If you have to go, go with those who have blasters and lightning spears.”

  “There is that,” Braden said. “And there is the venison. Dinner is served!”

  They sat around the fire, slicing off the best-cooked pieces from the meat on the spit. G-War and Fea joined them.

  Braden ruffled the Hillcat’s hair and tickled the skin around the missing chunk of ear. G-War made a halfhearted slash at his annoying human.

  ‘Holly, what’s the status of the hovercar and our Hawkoid friends?’ Braden chewed a piece of venison as he studied the neural implant’s visual projection, something that only he could see.

  ‘It will be two days before they arrive,’ Holly replied in his usual joyous tone.

  “Skirill and Zyena are on their way,” Braden said aloud.

  ‘And Jocelyn and Treetis.’

  “Why are they coming?”

  ‘To join the team going to space, of course.’

  “Holly! That makes fourteen. There are only twelve chairs in the matter transfer chamber.”

  ‘That is correct on both counts. You will have to make a decision.’

  “Who else is coming?” Micah wondered.

  “Jocelyn and Treetis.”

  ‘Great news! I was hoping he would make it. We can show him the wonders of humans puking, electrified people, Androids, vines made of sharpened steel, and all manner of things,’ G-War said. ‘He can have my seat.’

  ‘Oh no you don’t,’ Fea told him.

  “Where is Heloysius and Luciana?”

  ‘In the fields,’ Holly answered.

  “I’ll talk with them. Rabbits aren’t the adventuring sort. They may prefer to remain behind.”

  “And then we need to go to Livestel,” Micah reminded Braden.

  “Maybe we’re not done with the horses, yet?”

  “I think there are a couple Aurochs out there, too. Maybe ask them while you’re tromping through the vegetables.”

  Braden nodded, sliced off a big piece of venison, and left for the fields.

  ***

  ‘I’m withering away!’ Brandt complained.

  ‘You are not!’ ‘Tesh replied. She handed a bucket of water to White
Mountain, who took a drink before giving it back. ‘Tesh poured it carefully into the bull’s mouth as he lifted his head sideways.

  Ax appeared with an armload of grasses. He shoved a pile in, almost getting bitten as Brandt started to chew.

  ‘I knew you’d be a big baby!’ White Mountain shot back. ‘The bigger they are...’

  ‘I’m standing up,’ Brandt said and rolled to his stomach. The twins each grabbed a horn and tried to hold him down, but their efforts were no more effective than a gnat’s.

  ‘You big dummy! Don’t make me get reinforcements,’ White Mountain said over the mindlink as she backed out of the way. Klytus jumped on Brandt’s face and ran to the top of his head.

  “Get down!” ‘Tesh yelled from her where she hung from the King’s great horns.

  Brandt got his hooves underneath and started to push himself upwards. He bugled in pain as he put too much weight on his broken ankle. He adjusted and continued to push. His injured leg barely tapped the ground as he hobbled about.

  ‘You do magnificent work,’ Brandt told the elder.

  He ducked as he worked his way from beneath the shelter that had been erected over him.

  ‘Come along, children. We have a long way to go and it will take some time to get there. I will recover at New Sanctuary.’

  ‘You what?’ White Mountain shouted, before she grumbled. ‘The bigger they are...’

  “You can’t leave, Brandt! That is too far to walk.” Ax dropped to the ground and puffed his chest out.

  ‘Then you can walk alongside me and together, we will have a grand adventure.’

  “We’re going back to New Sanctuary?” ‘Tesh asked, although she knew that was exactly what Brandt was going to do. “I guess there is no stopping you.”

  ‘No,’ Brandt replied and started the three-legged hop. He went wide around the hole that had caused his pain. Shauna ran to ‘Tesh’s side, glancing up at her brother on the King’s head. The young girl lifted the ‘cat to Brandt’s nose and she scrambled to her place beside Klytus.

  “Mom and Dad are going to be mad,” Ax said matter-of-factly.

  “At him.” ‘Tesh pointed at the King of the Aurochs.

  ‘I will hold you blameless in all things,’ Brandt thundered as he limped along. He picked up speed and the twins had to jog to keep up. Brandt wasn’t trying to run, but his stride was naturally long, even on only three legs.