A Big Shiny Blue Marble Ch. 52

Her gaze wandered over to the young guard, who sat on the bed of the wagon near her. She found that she couldn't fault her too much in any of this -- even though she'd have shot her in the face for switching sides if she could. Being a guard was a dead-end job -- if it didn't kill you somehow. Little wonder, she thought that the guard had seen a chance to change her life in the face of one of the handsome leaders of this group of roadmen, because if anyone in this part of the world could say that they lived life on a thin and fast-traveling edge, it was them. Their occupation meant that every day was a risk to be taken and hung onto with both hands -- unless one happened to be shooting a pistol at the moment, she supposed.

The river which ran through the valley wasn't much to write home about, being perhaps three feet deep and only thirty feet wide for most of its length. But it was a fast-flowing one with a lot of boulders hidden in its depths which precluded crossing it in most places. Hampden's Ford was about the only exception for about twenty miles to either side. At the ford, the river was only about a foot or less in depth but it was over three hundred feet wide there and moved rather slowly. As they made their way across, Rudhi probed their thoughts and decided that of the two groups, the ones who were running stood higher in her consideration so she decided that she'd help them if she could.

"Here is a chance to use what you have learned with your sword," she said to Randi, "Let's go for a walk."

Randi looked at her as though she had a few doubts, while Billy looked as though it was his considered opinion at the moment that she'd lost her mind, but he said nothing as the pair climbed out of the hatches and began to walk down the slope toward the ford.

As the wagon and the roadmen began their climb out of the fords, they looked up and gaped at the two beautiful women who were walking toward them.

"Ma'am," D'Arcy began when they'd gotten close enough for conversation, "don't go down there. We're being followed by guards from the prison quarry. We're helping that man in the wagon get free, but the guards who are chasing us are a bit upset at us and likely won't be inclined to be too polite to anyone right now."

"We know," Rudhi said with a smile, suddenly seeing the roadmen for what they were, "Go on up the hill and you may hide behind that large thing there. It belongs to my friend and we'll protect you if we must."

D'Arcy stared, his mouth open as he saw that they weren't going to heed him for one thing, and he was a little astounded to see them here like this at all, but he shrugged and motioned for his people to get up the slope and behind the object that had been pointed out to him. At least they could hide behind some cover while having the advantage of being up-slope from their pursuers.

Still, he remained behind as he watched them wade out into the shallow water wearing cloaks and not all that much more. He'd never seen anything like it in his life.

"The water's freezing," Randi complained quietly as more of a statement than anything else.

"Use the feeling to force your will," Rudhi said as they moved apart and took positions near the middle of the ford about two hundred feet apart.

Since there hadn't been any shooting for the past fifteen minutes, the leader of the guards urged his men forward until they stopped on their side of the stream and stared as the two women began a series of very graceful movements which looked like a form of ballet. At one point, they both extended their right arms out to the side and a sword appeared in their hands and the nature of the movements became clear.

They were series of ritualized movements against an enemy who was not there other than in their minds for the purpose of practicing the motions at a speed many times slower than they'd be made against a living foe.

Rudhi was watching the guard men intently. "We wait until the first ones make ready to shoot their weapons, "the words rang inside Randi's mind.

They might have kept their guns down, but they could all see D'Arcy quite plainly and as they began to cross the shallows, a few of them raised their guns.

The next motions that the pair in the stream made were more sudden, looking as though they were thrusting their swords at an invisible foe, but as their reach attained full extension, there was a ripping sound, not low to start with, but rather high in pitch and it went low, ending in a rumble. From a point directly under the tip of each sword, a long geyser of water shot straight up into the air about fifty feet and shot outward for hundreds of feet as though something from the sword agitated the water into a long, and straight plume.

"The water is the key," Rudhi said in her thoughts, "if you were on land, and sent this across land, it works, but the water shows it better. From a point in the water as we now stand, it works and will continue on out of the water onto the shore if we desire it. But it will not work from land across water to land on the other side. It is just the nature of what is sent."

Every time that the motions were made, another hissing wall of white water shot up. At the far end of each one stood a guard who had been aiming at D'Arcy. At that point the geyser turned crimson and when the wave subsided, there was no trace of the man -- other than some red froth in the water. By the third time, the men were beginning to see that their numbers were decreasing and so they began to aim at the women.

But whenever they pulled the trigger, they found as their guns were firing, that the women were not in the same place anymore. They'd moved in some eerie way to another place in the stream.

Randi saw a guard standing behind a boulder, using it to steady his aim and she sent a line of disturbed white water rising straight up in a direct line in his direction. When it reached the shore, it went right on, throwing clods of mud and sand into the air until it got to the boulder. There was a very short pause of perhaps a tenth of a second and then the boulder shattered with a bang. The man behind it came apart with a lot less noise.

This went on for a minute or so until at a sign from Rudhi, they both dragged the tips of their swords around themselves in an arc, which pelted the men on the bank with a painful and deadly barrage of ice shards. When it had stopped, there was no sign of either the two women or D'Arcy and the guards prepared to cross. They were nervous now and went cautiously.

"How did you do that?" D'Arcy asked as they walked and Rudhi smiled, "There are things about you and your men which I could ask about and you would have no reply. You only know what is. This is the same. My name is Rudhi and this is Randi, my friend."

D'Arcy nodded and held out his hand, "I'm D'Arcy. Thanks for your help."

As they crested the ridge where the others waited behind the rumbling tank, Randi said, "Stay behind this, and don't come in front of it for anything, ok?"

D'Arcy nodded, "What are you going to do?"

Randi smiled down at him as she climbed onto the Sheridan, "We're going to remove your problems -- well, those ones anyway. You ought to hang onto your horses. It's gonna get loud in a minute."

Nancy had worked the gag out of her mouth by this time. She looked up from the bed of the wagon, "Those men are guards from the work quarry that I'm a part-owner of. You'll get life in there for what you've done. I'll recommend that you be execut-"

"Can somebody shut her up?" Randi asked and Callie nodded, "Ewan?"

Nancy ended up sprawled on her face again and Callie tied a gag on her.

"I think you're getting to like that a little too much," Sam said.

"Just trying to help," Ewan said, managing to keep a straight face.

Randi slid in through the driver's hatch and called up to Billy who stood holding that heavy machine gun above the hatch, "Come down, Billy. The way this thing moves when I shoot, the hatch ring up there will break your ribs or something. " He answered in agreement but climbed out and jumped off the frame near to the roadmen, "I'm Billy," he said, "hang onto your animals and cover your ears for a minute." He stepped over to the wagon and stood between the two horses, holding onto their bridles. Inside, Randi watched and adjusted her sight picture. Then she slapped the firing button.

Sheridans have a drive wheel and a take-up wheel on each side for the tracks. Between them, still in the tracks, are the road wheels and on Sheridans, there are five sets on each side. Sitting as it was, the main gun was pointed down -- or depressed slightly. The recoil, when it came was in a very slightly upward direction and the result was that when it fired, the first three sets of road wheels left the ground and then the tank slammed back down. Billy was thankful that Randi had remembered to warn him. The turret had moved quite a bit and his ribs would have been very sore for certain if she'd forgotten.

The buzzing of the darts sang off down the hill and the rest of the guards gave up the pursuit in the next few seconds, since most of them were gone. Billy sprang up onto the turret and pulled back the handle of the heavy machine gun. As the smoke cleared, the last of the guards perished and the few living horses ran off in terror.

"Did I hit any horses?" Randi called up.

"A few in the middle of the stream, two or three, I guess," Billy answered, "The rest are ok, I think."

Randi shook her head, "I think I've just wrecked the ford for everybody. The bottom's got to be covered in darts now. Horses who cross will go lame."

Rudhi shot upward out of the hatch and a minute later, she returned with two handfuls of the projectiles and a horse which was walking beside her nervously.

"How did you do that?" Randi asked.

Rudhi shrugged, "Magnetism," as she placed the darts on the ground off the road and looked around. When she saw D'Arcy, who stood looking shocked and deafened, she walked over.

"I think you will be safe here for the night and I think that we will remain here too, but I have a problem now. This horse follows me and I can't carry her inside. I think that when Randi's machine moves, the horse will be frightened. If you are going the same way that we are, would you tie her to the wagon for a while? As long as we are on the same road?"

D'Arcy looked over in more than a little awe, "Lady -- I mean, Rudhi, for what you and your friend have done, I think we owe you that much at least. Why do you want the horse?"

Rudhi looked down a little ashamedly, "My answer will show to you that I am not from here."

"No shit," grinned Shane, though it earned him a withering glance from his brother.

"I come from a place where we rode beasts, but they were not anything like horses. Their minds were very different from these creatures. To get them to carry us and serve us involved things which were normal and usual for those animals, but the same things would be cruel to horses."

"How do you mean?" D'Arcy asked.

"If I wished to ride one that I owned, as an example, I would walk up and strike it on the shoulder. That is how to make it even notice me. Such a thing cannot be done to a horse. The first touch would be an injury and even if it lived, the horse would be ruined for nothing. I see how everyone here rides horses and I think that if this one likes me, I would like to learn how one rides a horse. I think she seeks to make a friend in me."

"What kind of horses did you have?" Shane asked and Rudhi shook her head, "Not horses." She held out her hands and in the space between them, they saw lizard-like things, six-legged lizards which were very fast. She lowered her hands and they stared at her.

"Where the hell was that?" Shane whispered in awe and she shook her head again, "Far away. Long ago." She looked up at D'Arcy, "Would you help me?"

"Wait a minute," Shane interrupted quietly, "You mean you rode those things and had to hit them to get them started? You don't look like you could hit a horse and cause it any damage."

"Shane, use your head," D'Arcy said with a smirk, "After what we just saw her do, I think I believe her. If you need it proved any farther, I'll ask her to hit you." He turned to Rudhi, "Sure, Rudhi, but I don't know how far we'll be travelling together. But if you rode those things before, I'm sure I could have you riding a horse in no time."

He began to examine the saddle and the bags on the horse as Rudhi stood by. "What did you mean when you said that there are things about us that you could ask about?"

Rudhi shrugged, "I am the last of my kind -- as far as I know and can believe. I am not human. Randi began as a human, but I changed her a little because she was dying when we met. Now she is still a part human, but she has changed the rest of herself to be something which lived in another place with the people of her male there, Billy. He is not human either. Actually, he is a demon who tries to make friends wherever he goes. He is not murderous without a reason to be."

As D'Arcy looked at the ones she'd mentioned, she reached over and put her hand on his shoulder so that he'd look at her. "I can see that you and your people here are not human either, not completely, and I wish to know and see more, if it is allowed. The females in the wagon are the only true humans here."

D'Arcy looked uncomfortable, "Are you sure that you want to see that? We don't usually show ourselves while we're working."

Rudhi nodded, "Yes. Very much. To most people here, I can see and know many things."

She smirked a little at him, "It makes me appear to be very wise, but that is not so. I am only very different and alone. Once, I was to be married to two males -- high ones among us -- and we loved each other very much. Now, everyone is long-dead and I am here. I have learned that the way that we loved is too harsh for most of the people here.

No," she said, shaking her head sadly as she revised her statement, "for all of the people here.

But I met Randi and now she has her male and I have seen that it is possible to love someone and not be hard about it and I wish to try again with someone. I saw you today, and if you have no female, then I want to see if I can --"

"You can't," D'Arcy said, shaking his head, "Sorry, and I mean no disrespect to you. I find that I like you, Rudhi, but there are two things here. One; we'd need to get to know each other to a fair degree unless you only want something quick, and for that, I'd tell you to find someone else. I'm not like that.

Two, I'm not sure that you know what it is that you're asking."

She put her hand on his chest lightly and she smiled up at him, "I know that my hand now rests over fur. I know that you are all wild-looking creatures as a people, and that is what you are to me, though most humans would never agree.

I know that all humans and even your people here see gray eyes right now when they look at you, but that is not what I see, D'Arcy. I see yellow eyes -- quite wild and beautiful for me to look at."

She looked over her shoulder and saw that no one was looking at them, so she reached for his cheek, "My hand is not on your cheek, because your cheek is a little farther back on your face. My hand is on the side of your snout in truth and I can see your teeth quite plainly. Can you see mine? I can say that of all of my features, they are the things which cause humans to fear me as soon as I smile whenever I try to make a friend.

The marks on my face make humans nervous, though they were nothing and normal for my family where I am from."

She sighed, "Everything that I do is wrong in a way. I must wear far more to cover my body than I wish here. Women think badly of me and some men think that I seek them in lust.

What I see in you is a strong creature, and one who is attractive to me and it was my hope that you would be strong enough to be someone who I could know and love, but ..."

She turned away and looked down, "I think now that I was right before - that there is no one here like that for me."

She began to walk away, but D'Arcy reached for her and she stopped, looking up at him quizzically.

"I don't know why I want to argue," he said with a small smile, "but I think I need to make something clear to you, Rudhi. What I am, what you see is something which humans fear as well. We are what they call werewolves here, but among ourselves, we say that we are wolf-born -- those of us born this way and not bitten. Even those ones can say it and we don't argue as long as they try to get along.

We hide this way so that we can make a living and survive. It's why we all look a little alike to some people who are observant enough. You say that you want a friend? Well, ok, I'd say that you've made a few here today, if you're a little careful in how you approach things. But don't just give up and walk away. I do like you and I think you're pretty fascinating and I hope you don't need to be told that you're beautiful, since the word is pretty weak when it's applied to you.

But I'm not in for anything quick or short. I've wanted somebody for a long time. But there aren't many females around here."

Rudhi tilted her head just a little as she looked into his eyes, "I do not know if I could be a good female for one like you," she said as she reached for D'Arcy, her hands encircling his waist so that she could draw herself up a little, "but I wish to try to be."

Her soft breath tickled the whiskers which were there on his face unseen by anyone but her as she moved her face closer to his jaws.

"I am not afraid of you and what you are, D'Arcy," she smiled softly; "The truth is that I have never seen anyone so wondrous to me."

She kissed his lips so lightly and softly that D'Arcy let out an almost silent groan and Rudhi sighed as they looked at each other. "I can see the man that you show yourself as and you are so fine to see, but I also see the truth which lies underneath and for the first time since I was brought here from my world, I see a male whose young I would bear gladly if I only had the chance of it."

She kissed him again and stood on her tiptoes as she threw her arms around his neck when she felt his arms encircling her. When they drew apart, they were both out of breath and all the rest were grinning, though Sam likely smiled the most.

"Can I have a chance, D'Arcy?" Rudhi asked and he nodded a little uncomfortably, but then he looked into her blue eyes, "I want that too."

"Well that's just awesome, "Sam said, as she noted the pausse in the moment, "And I meant that, so don't you dare fuck this up D'Arcy, you hear me? Just put all your 'distant D'Arcy' crap on hold for her and you ought to be ok. Uh, can I talk to you a minute, Rudhi?"

Rudhi nodded and they stepped away a little. "We've been talking, "she said, "and we're all gonna spend the night right here, but the other girl in the wagon would like to talk to you if she could. She started out on the wrong side of this, so now she's a little nervous about getting on D'Arcy's bad side -- though I think you've gone a ways to keeping him a little calmed for the moment."

"Have I done something wrong already?" Rudhi asked, and Samantha laughed, "No, not a thing. Don't mind me, I'm D'Arcy's cousin. Shane's too. I'm happy if something happens for you and him. He gets a little mean out of loneliness sometimes and if you knew him the way that I do, you'd see that it's really not like him."

Rudhi nodded a little thankfully and she saw Callie standing a little away from her, "What do you need?" she asked.

Callie looked uncomfortable and Rudhi tried to smile a little, "I will not harm you. What is your name?"

"I'm Callie," the girl said, "I heard you were looking to learn how to ride. I can teach you if you'll go with me and help me. I think we can be back in an hour or so."