Sheffali's Caravan

Pinorra was screaming with rage inside. The useless ex-City Guards couldn't take out a simple village caravan when he armed them with energy rifles? He nodded stiffly and tossed a silver coin towards the fountain intentionally short. He turned and walked away as the old male bent painfully to pick up his payment.

How could this simple task have gone so wrong? He didn't dare use the comm to contact the Guards-turned-Bandits. He'd have to wait for them to contact him.

With anger and worry twisting his gut, he went back to work.

There had to be a way to salvage his plan!

Chapter 4

Lorrenz enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with Lissan in the comfort of their small home. They sipped their tea in comfort on their little porch and watched their family's activity in the homestead.

The previous night they'd arrived, and a flurry of activity began that was only now calming.

Laalaa, Freem, Grit, and Hale had uncoupled the weary Druug from the wagons and led them next to the shallow stone trough next to the barn. Lorrenz's eighth son, Treeg, was the Homestead Druug Wrangler, and he guided each of the large beasts through the medicated waters in the trench to soak their bellies and legs. Grit and Hale collected the wriggling parasites from the water with nets after each Druug passed through. These would be fed to the guard beetles as a treat.

Freem and Laalaa were ready to give the soaked beasts a good soapy scrubbing with rough brushes on long poles to ensure their upper surfaces were clean and free of pests as well. This was the step you'd watch if you were ever interested in hearing a Druug purr. Truthfully, it was more of a rapid clicking as their heavy mandibles trembled, but their contentment was the same. Druug loved a good, rough scrub.

The apprentice vets Hirral, daughter of third son Petre and wife Seela, and Jeelu, daughter of fourth son Alleg and wife Winni, were next. They fed the clean Druug a carefully prepared treat that contained medicinal roots. This was a health and immunity booster.

Once all the now sleepy beasts of burden were clean and dosed, they were guided to an outdoor pen next to the main barn where there was food and water. The four Druug held in reserve were locked in a large stall inside the barn with strong metal bars separating them from the returning beasts. This allowed the creatures to slowly re-bond with their pack mates after being separated. The four could enter the exterior pen in the morning for the full reunion. During the night, there would just be a lot of curious mutual snuffling.

While this beast grooming was happening, the unloading of the wagons was being managed by Lorrenz's seventh son, Drema, who was their Chief Warehouse Inventory Handler. Fourth son Alleg was Chief Caravan Cargo Handler and worked closely with his brother to ensure the wagons were emptied quickly and efficiently. All free hands were pulled in for this duty.

Once they were emptied, the wagons went into the garage where they were inspected, repairs were made, and underwent any other scheduled maintenance.

Any medical issues the caravan crew had on the journey would have been dealt with by their Chief Caravan Doctor Petre, or by their Assistant Caravan Doctor Marrela, the wife of Lorrenz's sixth son, Stevv.

Stevv was the Chief Homestead Doctor and ran a free medical clinic next to the property's front gates. This is where the Sheffalis gave back to the community. They had deals with the different pharmaceutical manufacturers in Mnemmesh and good relations with the city hospital. Stevv spent two days of the week performing surgeries at the city hospital, and in turn, his clinic got the required supplies to handle the overflow of patients who couldn't afford to pay for medical assistance.

Lorrenz was really proud of Stevv, but he was also the most troublesome child of the family. Brilliant, charming, and a mirror image of his father from the day he was born with his Spotted caste, his ego was too large for his head and spilled out frequently.

Stevv ignored his parent's advice and married a female six cycles his senior because she was truly lovely. She was a Mixed caste who was borderline Shaded, with a soft light grey on her front fading to a medium grey on her back. She could pass for Shaded, but for the three lighter grey bands on her back, which bumped her to Mixed, fourth caste.

Infatuated, Stevv wooed her and wore down her resistance until she agreed. She had medical training, so she began studying under him to increase her skills to assist him in the clinic. That's when his ego showed its ugly side. Eventually, Marrela spoke to Lorrenz and Lissan and was assigned permanent duty with the caravan. She couldn't live with her husband, but she'd fallen in love with the Sheffali family and wished to remain within it.

With this separation, their marriage was saved. With these long periods away, the partners agreed to take other lovers as long as they were discreet and only did it while apart. Lorrenz and Lissan looked the other way as this seemed to work for them, and it maintained harmony within the family and caravan.

Lorrenz knew Petre and Seela let Marrela join them in their tent, but he didn't want to know any more than that.

Lissan smiled at him and tipped her chin toward the trading house complex. A runner was coming from the back door toward their home. It was Olle and Jaritta's son, Penna, who was now fifteen, just a cycle away from joining the family business. Would he become caravan security like his father or a caravan cargo handler like his mother? Maybe he'd try something completely different. Lorrenz and Lissan would welcome whatever he chose.

The office complex he just rushed out of was a large two-story structure added to the homestead when they had sufficient family members to run the business while the caravan was away. Their second son Danne and his wife, Shalee, were General Manager and Public Relations Manager, respectively. Theirs was another relationship Lorrenz and Lissan did their best to just accept.

Shalee was a master schmoozer and was connected to the city's unofficial news channels--the gossiping wives of the wealthier families. While the Sheffalis were not numbered amongst the most affluent families, Shalee nonetheless insinuated herself into that social strata and gleaned a wealth of information from it, keeping the channels open and active.

Bubbly and outgoing, she was flirty and not above using sex to get what she wanted, which was mostly information. Through these means, she obtained account access to the city's data net and a computer to link it. That was a rare bit of tech in a largely tech-free world. Lorrenz and Lissan were completely comfortable trusting her as they knew she was fiercely protective of the Sheffali family.

She was also the one who informed them of the new Commander's assignment to Llevven and gathered as much information as she could about the new leader of the planet's military. They learned much about the war hero and that she'd been in administrative positions for decades before being assigned direct control of the military here. Considering the state of corruption in the ranks, Lorrenz had to wonder what was going through her superior's minds when they assigned her back into active duty here, of all places.

Penna arrived with a huge grin and shared hugs with his grandparents. "You both look very well," he said.

Lorrenz smiled and nodded. "Traveling keeps us young. What news do you bring us?"

"Uncle Danne and Aunt Shalee asked me to let you know that they are at your disposal this morning if you'd like to visit," the young male said.

Lissan nodded. "Please let them know we'll be there shortly."

With another grin, the boy ran back to the offices.

Lorrenz and Lissan tidied up their breakfast dishes and walked arm in arm to see their second son and his wife. They found them upstairs in his office.

Hugs were given and seats taken, Shalee choosing to perch herself on the front edge of Danne's desk as he sat facing his parents. Danne began.

"I received the cargo listing from Alleg and Drema this morning, and I can promise this will be one of our best returns to date. The demand for Moon Shells is at an all-time high, and this shipment looks like it might meet all the requests we've received with a small reserve to spare." Lorrenz smiled at this news, so his son continued.

"The pharmacologists were at the gate first thing this morning to pick up the oils and powders you brought, and we got them settled straight away. Not sure why they were in such a hurry, but they appreciated our ability to provide the volumes we did. Shalee got us a contract with some high-end boutiques for the artisan products, so the profit will be excellent for those items. How are our trade partners?"

Lorrenz nodded. "Each was very pleased we could take all of their inventory. That said, we're contemplating adding a fifth wagon to the east coast route."

"Yes!" Danne cheered as he'd been hoping his father would concede that they could handle the extra volume of trade. "Such excellent news!"

Lorrenz held up a hand to slow the festivities. "We still have to work out the logistics of crewing the extra wagon."

Danne nodded as he understood the ramifications. He'd discussed it many times with Treeg, Alleg, and Drema. They represented the beast, cargo, and warehouse divisions, so they all had a say.

The next generation of children was getting to an age where they'd be able to assist, but that was at least a cycle away. He knew his father played the long game. Danne felt his job was to find ways to accelerate this plan. Sometimes his father agreed, and sometimes he took longer to agree. They had an excellent relationship.

Lorrenz looked at the couple with a serious expression. "We encountered an additional complication on the return this time. Zell collected two energy rifles from a group of bandits three days out from here. Danne looked at his father in concern, and Shalee gasped. Lorrenz held up his hands to ease their minds. "All are well, due to Zell's actions. He is well, too."

Danne looked at his wife, and she began her report.

"There has been unrest amongst the business community due to the new Commander's clean sweep activities. She released the entire City Guard. She's replacing them with new people with a new ethic that doesn't support business as usual. These are younger, less jaded personnel, eager to prove themselves to their new Commander. She's breathing new life into the military, and as they are the primary security on Llevven, crime in the city is actually dropping. The citizens are feeling more hopeful, but it's making the local business owners and trading houses nervous, even the larger ones. They've gotten used to paying protection money and bribes. Now, the City Guard are doing their job, their proper one." Lorrenz smiled at that assessment.

Shalee continued. "The Commander's spy network is already significant, and as you requested, I've been contributing anonymously. She is scheduled to begin replacing her corrupt officers. The information I've provided should assist with this."

"So, she's a person of integrity? That's welcome news," Lorrenz sighed as Danne and Shalee nodded.

"We must connect with the Trader's Guild this morning to give them an update of the eastern route. We'll be informing them of the latest challenge with bandits," Lorrenz said.

Danne frowned. "Do you think they might convince the military to intervene this time?"

Lorrenz shrugged. "I'm just hoping they'll be more careful about securing their armory. We don't need their interference."

Danne nodded, understanding his father's reference to their secret security team of one. He changed topics. "Have you considered doing a run to the southern coast? I've heard rumblings that the Mrissa caravans aren't meeting the demands for goods. The Jakkan and Vresh have the larger east coast cities locked down, but the south market looks like it would welcome some diversity."

Lorrenz listened to this with interest. A southern route would be refreshing as the distances were shorter, but Henko wasn't someone he wanted to make an enemy of. The Mrissa were still one of the largest trading houses. To hear they may be struggling was concerning.

"I'll speak with Henko to gauge how threatened he might be by such a venture," Lorrenz said, seeing his son's satisfied smile. Always pushing for expansion, Lorrenz was very much aware of Danne's ambitions of being one of Llevven's leading trading houses. He never shared this with his son, but he shared that ambition. He left him in the dark to maintain Danne's belief that he was the driving force behind their growth. It kept his son fully engaged, which made him a better General Manager. The younger male was also learning the value of strategic thinking from his father. Like everything, it was a work in progress.

He spent some time with Danne reviewing the books as Lissan shared intel with Shalee. Then it was time to head off to the Trader's Guild Hall. Lorrenz was very pleased with their progress and how profitable Danne was going to make their recent trip. They shared hugs once more with their son and his daughter-in-law before heading over to the garage to arrange for a carriage.

Pulled by a smaller relative of the Druug beetle, their two-seater wagon was necessary to take the couple the remaining distance into the city. The lack of urban development on the eastern edge of the town was both a boon with lower property pricing and a hindrance by appealing to the criminal element that sometimes chose empty buildings to set up shop. They'd done sweeps through the nearby buildings to ensure they remained vacant and left notices that such occupation would not be tolerated, but these messages were sometimes ignored.

"Upper window southwest corner of the Demsy building," Lorrenz said quietly and felt Lissan prepare.

"Two from the right and three on the left side street, as well," she murmured.

Lorrenz nodded imperceptibly. "No quarter today." Lissan nodded as she understood.

The moment the bandits launched their ambush, Lorrenz and Lissan opened fire with the deadly long barrel handguns they carried for such activities. They practiced with the firearms frequently, so their speed and accuracy with them outclassed their opponents. The deafening boom from the guns was a weapon in itself, as the unprepared thugs were partially stunned. Then the large-caliber rounds tore through the ground level thugs with rifles and the sniper in the upper-story window.

Four seconds later, the fading echoes of the booms were the only sound in the neighborhood. They waited and heard a new sound. It was another wagon approaching rapidly from behind them. That was likely Olle and Murro, their ninth son and Chief Warehouse Security Officer. Those two took their security roles seriously and tried to get their parents to bring a security detail with them wherever they went. Ahead of them, they heard the squawk of a City Guard raptor mount. The large flightless avian mounts were tireless runners and carried one rider each.

Lorrenz and Lissan cast their eyes to the nearby buildings, but the threat was over. They slipped their weapons away before the City Guard officers raced into view. Olle and Murro arrived shortly afterward and pulled up beside them.

"Mother, Father, are you all right?" Murro gasped as he clenched his rifle in his hands.

"Yes, we're fine. Thank you, Murro. Olle," Lorrenz said with a smile. The two City Guard stopped their tall mounts directly before the wagons.

"What happened here?" one of the young males asked, and Murro made a sound of outrage. Lorrenz raised a hand to calm his youngest son before looking at the officer.

"We encountered some bandits who sprung an ambush upon us. We defended ourselves. I'm Lorrenz Sheffali, and this is my wife, Lissan. These are my sons Olle and Murro, who came to check on us after shots were fired."

"So, they were not involved?" the second City Guard asked.

"No, they were not," Lorrenz answered.

One of the officers rode over to check the bandits and returned to his partner. "Only the five bandits?" he asked.

"There was one more pointing a sniper rifle at us from the upper floor corner window of that building," Lorrenz said, pointing to the building behind the officers. "None of these buildings are occupied by tenants, so anyone in them is trespassing."

"Did the sniper escape?" the City Guard asked.

"No," Lissan said calmly. "but they might still be alive. Use caution."

As the bandits had struck from within city limits, their goods belonged to the city. Of course, the city also had the responsibility of disposing of the bodies.

"We were on our way to an appointment. May we leave?" Lorrenz asked.

The two officers looked at each other then nodded to him.

"Thank you," he said to them and turned to his sons. "Will you be accompanying us?"

"We think that's prudent, considering the circumstances," Olle remarked.

Lorrenz nodded his agreement, then faced the officers. "Thank you for your prompt arrival and for taking over the scene. I will mention this when I speak with your Commander."

The young male's smiles widened. "Badges three-two-two and four-six-five," one offered.

Lorrenz smiled. "We'll remember."

They got on their way again as the officers dealt with the dead bandits, looking for identities and collecting anything that might be sold to pay for the processing of their bodies.

The east end was so empty because of a plague that struck the city ages ago. It first struck in this community and spread westward. The people at the time superstitiously linked it to this side of the city. By the time they found a cure, most of the residents here had perished.

The disease had long been eradicated, but the deep-seated fears took much longer to fade. Lorrenz had no issues with it remaining an inexpensive neighborhood to live in.

After a few more blocks of undeveloped plots and abandoned structures, they passed through a huge archway in a narrow hedgerow and immediately saw signs of life and commerce on the other side, as if the wall of plants somehow protected this side from the plague. In truth, it had spread almost to the core of the city, but the worst cases had been on the other side. The hedges gave the people something solid to base their intangible fears upon.

Only two more blocks passed before they stopped in front of the large stone structure that was the Trader's Guild Hall. It was an impressive edifice, but aside from containing records, administering trading house contracts, and managing Trade Disputes in the meeting rooms, the building was far more impressively constructed than necessary. Lorrenz would have preferred if the money it'd cost had gone towards improving the road surfaces on the routes out of the city.

Olle and Murro waved to them from their cart as Lorrenz tied their beast to the parking post.

Lorrenz climbed the stairs with Lissan and went into the building without further delay. They approached the front desk and submitted their validated medical relief documents indicating successful delivery to the eastern coastal villages and towns. These forms would be submitted to the government offices that tracked the health of the people.

This was a service Lorrenz and Lissan took seriously and were proud to take part in.

They'd receive a small stipend for the delivery, which didn't cover the revenue they could have generated with the space the drugs used.

Henko Mrissa entered the front doors behind them and called out a greeting, so they stopped to wait for him to catch up. Lorrenz noted the Trade Master was moving slower than usual and appeared to carry some heavy burden.

"Henko, my friend. Are you well?" Lorrenz asked him quietly in concern when he joined them.