really unhappy. “Truth.”
The chief started forming another question, but I continued. “I don’t know how I got here. I woke up on...” I saw Sai twitch and something told me mentioning the teleport stone to these guys was not a good idea. “...on the plain. Near a battle between the red cloaks and the gold cloaks. That’s the first thing I remember.”
“Truth.”
“No memory?”
“I remember where I was before, but I don’t know how I got here, or where there is from here... or how to get back.”
“Truth.”
Blind Ghost and the Chief jawwed again, then...
“Alone?”
There’s one I could answer without hesitation. “I am the only one of my, uh, tribe within five thousand...” I hunted through my built-in alien dictionary for a word that meant a really long haul. “...Five thousand ilns of here.”
My guard floored me again for sassing back, but Blind Ghost just stared. “Truth.”
The chief stared too. I don’t know how much these guys knew about their planet. They might have thought it was flat for all I know, but if an iln was anything like a mile they’d have to see I was pretty damn alone.
They talked again, for longer this time. Queenie and Handsome were starting to look worried. After a bit, the chief turned to Sai and grilled him about me, with Blind Ghost snuffing at him the whole time. Sai backed me up, telling the truth, but also leaving out the part about the stone disk. After that, the chief had me pick up chests and his couch, all easy one-hand lifts, which amazed them all over again. It was only after I finished that I saw Queenie shaking her head at me like I’d fucked up.
Finally the Chief signalled the guards to take us outside again. The crowd was gone, but One-Eye’s clan and the higher-ups were still there, chatting and waiting around. They came to attention and the chief had his mouthpiece make an announcement.
This time it was One-Eye’s gang who were all smiles and Queenie’s gang who were upset. I could see Handsome and Queenie wanted to speak, but they held their tongues. I wondered what was wrong.
I got my first inkling when the guards led me and Sai away. Instead of going with Queenie, we were put in some kind of supply tent with guards posted outside. “What is this bullshit? We’re supposed to be free. Why are we shut up in here instead of over at Queenie’s, packing?”
Sai shrugged. “I know not, mistress. Perhaps we are here for our protection. One-Eye’s compatriots seemed less than pleased at your victory.”
It seemed a little thin to me. “Yeah, well maybe. What did that snooty bastard say? The chief’s mouthpiece? Queenie sure looked down in the mouth about it.”
“My knowledge of the language of these savages is limited, but from what I could decipher it seemed nothing untoward. He merely named the warriors who would escort us out of Aarurrh lands.”
Well, we could have wondered back and forth all night, but I was beat. Killing giant, four-armed tigers takes it out of a girl. I found myself a nice comfy stretch of floor and sacked out.
***
Me and Sai woke up before daylight the next morning to the sound of Queenie’s purr outside the tent. She was talking to the guards, and laying on the charm with a trowel. I could smell cooked meat and sweet roots through the tent and the clink of crockery. After a bit there was a grunt and the tent flap opened, revealing Queenie carrying a bag full of breakfast and the guards chowing down on more of it behind her.
She hugged us and greeted us in a loud voice, laughing and setting out the bowls of food. As we started eating she stole a glance back to the tent flap and lowered her voice.
“They kill you. First night out. The guards who take are clan brothers of Hruthar. Wait for you sleep and...” She made a throat slitting motion.
The food turned to dirt in my mouth. Sai sighed, like he knew this was coming all along. One-Eye’s pals had the escort job. We were dead meat.
Queenie
The chief started forming another question, but I continued. “I don’t know how I got here. I woke up on...” I saw Sai twitch and something told me mentioning the teleport stone to these guys was not a good idea. “...on the plain. Near a battle between the red cloaks and the gold cloaks. That’s the first thing I remember.”
“Truth.”
“No memory?”
“I remember where I was before, but I don’t know how I got here, or where there is from here... or how to get back.”
“Truth.”
Blind Ghost and the Chief jawwed again, then...
“Alone?”
There’s one I could answer without hesitation. “I am the only one of my, uh, tribe within five thousand...” I hunted through my built-in alien dictionary for a word that meant a really long haul. “...Five thousand ilns of here.”
My guard floored me again for sassing back, but Blind Ghost just stared. “Truth.”
The chief stared too. I don’t know how much these guys knew about their planet. They might have thought it was flat for all I know, but if an iln was anything like a mile they’d have to see I was pretty damn alone.
They talked again, for longer this time. Queenie and Handsome were starting to look worried. After a bit, the chief turned to Sai and grilled him about me, with Blind Ghost snuffing at him the whole time. Sai backed me up, telling the truth, but also leaving out the part about the stone disk. After that, the chief had me pick up chests and his couch, all easy one-hand lifts, which amazed them all over again. It was only after I finished that I saw Queenie shaking her head at me like I’d fucked up.
Finally the Chief signalled the guards to take us outside again. The crowd was gone, but One-Eye’s clan and the higher-ups were still there, chatting and waiting around. They came to attention and the chief had his mouthpiece make an announcement.
This time it was One-Eye’s gang who were all smiles and Queenie’s gang who were upset. I could see Handsome and Queenie wanted to speak, but they held their tongues. I wondered what was wrong.
I got my first inkling when the guards led me and Sai away. Instead of going with Queenie, we were put in some kind of supply tent with guards posted outside. “What is this bullshit? We’re supposed to be free. Why are we shut up in here instead of over at Queenie’s, packing?”
Sai shrugged. “I know not, mistress. Perhaps we are here for our protection. One-Eye’s compatriots seemed less than pleased at your victory.”
It seemed a little thin to me. “Yeah, well maybe. What did that snooty bastard say? The chief’s mouthpiece? Queenie sure looked down in the mouth about it.”
“My knowledge of the language of these savages is limited, but from what I could decipher it seemed nothing untoward. He merely named the warriors who would escort us out of Aarurrh lands.”
Well, we could have wondered back and forth all night, but I was beat. Killing giant, four-armed tigers takes it out of a girl. I found myself a nice comfy stretch of floor and sacked out.
***
Me and Sai woke up before daylight the next morning to the sound of Queenie’s purr outside the tent. She was talking to the guards, and laying on the charm with a trowel. I could smell cooked meat and sweet roots through the tent and the clink of crockery. After a bit there was a grunt and the tent flap opened, revealing Queenie carrying a bag full of breakfast and the guards chowing down on more of it behind her.
She hugged us and greeted us in a loud voice, laughing and setting out the bowls of food. As we started eating she stole a glance back to the tent flap and lowered her voice.
“They kill you. First night out. The guards who take are clan brothers of Hruthar. Wait for you sleep and...” She made a throat slitting motion.
The food turned to dirt in my mouth. Sai sighed, like he knew this was coming all along. One-Eye’s pals had the escort job. We were dead meat.
Queenie
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