The Saga Begins [Nuworld 1] (20 page)

“Oh, for heaven’s sake. We woke her up.” It was Hilda again, apparently speaking back and forth between Reena and Tara. “Reena thinks you’re pregnant, she does. Is that true?”

Tara rolled her eyes at the thought of those two old women having gossiped through the night.

“I don’t know, Hilda. What did you want?”

“She wants to know what we want,” Hilda said to the background again, then spoke into the walkntalk. “Now what do you think we would want? We want to make sure you’re okay. Is my son there? Did he send you home?”

Tara wasn’t in the mood to answer Hilda’s questions. “Your son is out with his troops defending Gothman as he should be. I’m fine. I don’t want you to leave that house. Do you have enough food?”

“The Runner, um, Patha, is here. And yes, my dear, I daresay we have plenty of food—even for Torgo.”

Tara hung up, amused by the thought of Patha putting up with the two old women.

She searched for something to eat and settled on some crackers and juice. She then returned to her landlink and planned her strategy for the day. She remembered the walkntalk and pulled it out of her coat pocket. Could she reach Darius on it?

Tara might not have knowledge of such antiquated devices, but she was sure they were not a secured means of communication. How had a nation become so large on such primitive equipment?

What information she had obtained last night led her to believe the Sea People were slowly obtaining more sophisticated equipment. The Gothman would have to be armed with better tools and weapons than this if they were to survive. Tara made a note to do something about it immediately. She prayed Darius wouldn’t grow stubborn and challenge her for taking these matters into her own hands.

Tara decided the walkntalk was more suitable as a child’s toy than a communication device and put it back into her pocket. The landlink was much better.

Now, where was that man? She opened the program monitoring the disc on Darius’ neck. A map appeared on her screen, and a red dot blinked, indicating his location. He was close to the northern border of Gothman.

Tara closed her landlink and carried it out of the house to her bike. The few guards on duty were alongside the house gossiping, much like the Gothman women did. Tara could tell these people weren’t accustomed to combat. They didn’t know how to react to the threat of attack. Darius would have to work to train his troops better. But for the moment, she was glad they didn’t notice her climb onto her bike and disappear around the other side of the house.

The morning air was cool and the sky, a magnificent blue. She traveled north on an obviously seldom-used rocky road heading for the location indicated on her screen. Half an hour later, she noticed several black trailers coming across the meadow to her west. Within minutes, many motorcycles became visible as well. It was a Runner clan and a rather large one at that. The scouts leading the clan approached her first, and she slowed to greet them.

“Identify yourself, Runner.” The voice was female although the headscarf and large jacket gave no indication of gender.

“I’m Tara of the Blood Circle Clan.” She scanned the open area as more motorcycles came into view.

The Runner spoke into a microphone clipped around her ear and extending to her mouth. The comm was used by most clans, proving the easiest way to communication while on a bike. Tara knew that one of the black trailers contained the clan’s base unit, and the female Runner was informing those inside the van of her contact.

“I’m to tell you that Redo of the Red Star clan greets you. He’s received your communication and has brought his clan to assist.”

“I’m very grateful to all of your clan for your willingness to help with the Sea People. I’m on my way to meet Lord Darius of Gothman. Will you all ride with me?”

The woman spoke into her comm again and then quickly responded, “Lead the way.”

Tara’s screen indicated that Darius’ exact location was beyond the oncoming hills. She and the clan began making their way toward him, slowing their pace over the rough ground so the trailers would be able to keep up with them.

Pride in her heritage surged through Tara as she rode with a scout on either side of her, the remaining members of the clan behind them. She was well aware that she and her fellow Runners were creating history with every passing moment. The noise of their approaching motorcycles—several hundred in all—roared through the hills like thunder, louder than a tornado, sending tremors through the ground like an earthquake.

One of the scouts pointed to a large number of bikes, and scores of tents being assembled. They’d arrived at the Gothman camp. As the Gothman became aware of the approaching Runner clan, all hands dropped what they were doing. But while a commotion stirred in the camp, Tara could tell it had been notified of the Runners’ impending arrival since no shots were fired. Nevertheless, Gothman guards at the edge of the camp pulled their guns and stood alert.

A line of scouts now drove in unison, leading the clan, and Tara alerted them to slow down. She stopped the clan within twenty feet of the Gothman guards. It would appear to any bystander to be quite a standoff, with Runners lined up along a quarter mile area and Gothman guards on alert in a similar formation.

“Halt your clan and wait for my instructions,” Tara told one of the scouts.

She drove slowly to the guard that wore the armband of highest rank.

“I’m Tara of the Blood Circle Clan. This is the Red Star clan, here to assist the Gothman. Inform Lord Darius we await his instructions.”

He yelled to another guard who was standing next to him, and that man turned and ran into the camp toward one of the tents.

Tara didn’t move, and the Red Star clan sat perfectly still with the Gothman watching them. Over five hundred people stood firm in the meadow. Their silence was dreadful. Tara wondered if they could put aside their prejudices long enough to fight this battle together.

Suddenly, Tara heard rumbling behind her; she turned to look back toward the Red Star clan. Behind them, at the bottom of the hill, another clan approached.

Tara shouted to the Gothman warrior, “Tell your men to hold their position, and I will see what clan this is.”

She drove back to the Runner scout and told the woman to communicate with the other clan, have them identify themselves, and then ask them to hold their ground until they received further instructions.

Tara turned back to the Gothman at the sound of an approaching motorcycle. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Darius.

“Lower your weapons, Gothman!” He barked with enough ferocity that his men turned on a dime to face him. “The Runners are here to assist us. Get back to work and get this camp in order!”

The guards returned to assembling the tents and preparing the camp for battle, although many kept their eyes on the arriving Runners. Darius drove his bike around the Gothman guards and pulled up alongside Tara.

“How many Runners are here?” Darius’ tone was quiet, authoritative.

Tara recognized the warrior chain of command. He addressed her as a leader would another leader, and not as a female he wished to control. “I don’t have a count, yet. I’ll get one.”

She left him and slowly drove up to the scout. “Lord Darius wants a count of Runners. How many are there in the Red Star clan?”

“We are two hundred and fifty,” the scout responded. “Two weeks ago, our clan numbered over seven hundred. The Sea People attacked us because they thought we were destroying a field where some opiate plants grow. We were all but destroyed by them. It’s an honor for us to join the other clans and the Gothman and return the Sea People to their place. They are a no good race of drug addicts, and we would all do better without them.”

Tara could see the anger in the woman’s eyes as she spoke.

“The Blood Circle Clan is behind us. They number twelve hundred, and Patha sends his greeting to you, Tara.” The woman smiled through her headscarf.

Tara’s face lit up. Her people had come. This in itself was a moment in history to remember, as far as Tara was concerned. She started to turn back toward Darius when the woman raised her hand.

“Wait,” she said. “Patha is coming forward. His clan will maintain their location until further orders, as will ours. Patha says no further action is to occur until he meets with Lord Darius.”

It was well known among the Runners that the Blood Circle Clan was the largest and Patha the leader of them all. He’d established the large networking system existing among the Runners when he was a very young man. It was due to Patha’s ingenuity that the Runners were able to communicate with each other no matter how far away they were from their clans. He’d encouraged complete equality among the clans, insisting all Runners would work to their maximum ability if they were treated with the same respect.

Tara was proud of Patha, her papa. She watched eagerly as she noticed a man on a motorcycle approaching the front line of the Runners. She glanced at Darius, and he too watched the figure approach.

She returned to his side. “It’s Patha. He’ll want to speak privately.”

* * * * *

Darius watched her as she looked on at the large man approaching. Completely covered by her Runner attire, it was still very obvious how beautiful, she was. He wondered what made her more desirable, her incredible good looks, or the power she possessed with her clan.

He said, “Of course. My personal tent is ready.” Darius quickly looked at Tara. “
Our
personal tent is ready.”

Darius sat on his bike studying Patha as the Runner leader drove toward them. He was impressive in his black clothing, a large leather jacket and thick black gloves. The Blood Circle Clan emblem was embroidered on a sash that crossed his chest. Several other pins of achievements were attached to the sash as well.

Darius acknowledged the great warrior, and sat proudly on his bike, his face expressionless.

“Patha, I’m so glad you’ve arrived.” Tara sat tall and proud as well. “I would like to present Lord Darius.”

Darius noticed Patha’s eyes travel from his Gothman warrior clothing to the Gothman seal wrapped around Tara’s arm.

Looking at Tara, Patha said, “I’ll speak with you two privately.”

Chapter Eight

The Gothman camp appeared large and well-organized. All around the edges of the encampment stood Gothman soldiers. A row of tanks had been parked along the northern boundary. Tara saw two towers constructed from wood logs with a ladder rising to a platform where a soldier was posted. From that vantage point, Gothman could see far past the hill they were on. Toward the middle of the camp stood a large circle of tents with their entrances facing each other. Each tent stood well over six-foot tall and had to be fifteen by twenty feet in diameter.

Tara guessed the Gothman soldiers were organized into groups of fifty or so. Tara, Darius, and Patha passed by each group of soldiers on their way to the tents. She noted how the soldiers ceased their target practice to study the two Runners driving by them. She wondered what these individual men thought of their presence here. How many now knew she was claimed to their lord? Did they know it was this union that brought the Runners in to fight the Sea People? She also couldn’t help but wonder if they knew they wouldn’t stand a chance in this war if the Runners weren’t here.

Darius pulled his bike alongside the tents and parked it. The two Runners followed as he made his way to the largest tent in the circle.

“So, Tara has asked you to come, and you’ve agreed, I see,” Darius said after they were inside.

Two large screened windows allowed sunlight to fill the interior. A drape divided the tent into two rooms. The one they currently occupied contained a large table in the center. Maps and outlines spread across it. Several chairs surrounded the table, and Darius sat in one while waving his hand for the other two to sit also.

Tara couldn’t see what was in the other room, although curiosity had her wondering if it were the bedroom, and if so, how big the bed was.

“You’re the son of Lord Jovis.” Patha sat back in the chair and rested his hands on his large stomach. He stared at the young Gothman warrior. “I had dealings with your papa many winters ago. He didn’t care much for Runners. I see you don’t share those feelings.”

Tara sat very still in her chair and was glad for her headscarf so neither of the men could see her blush at Patha’s implication. Obviously, Darius liked Runners very much.

She wondered what Patha intended to say. She hoped he would keep the conversation on the topics of the pending war and not on her relationship with Lord Darius. It suddenly dawned on her that he might mention Reena’s belief that Tara was pregnant. That was certainly not something she wanted brought up right now. She knew both men would quickly agree that war was no place for a pregnant lady.

“I’m aware of your associations with my papa.” Darius looked very relaxed. “That was a long time ago. I know you’re Tara’s papa, and Reena is her mama.”

Tara stared, certain shock clearly registered on her face regardless of the scarf. How long had he known this?

He continued, “All soldiers in this camp have families. They keep their personal issues at home and are here to fight a war. There’s no room for thoughts other than the strategies we need to prepare.” Darius leaned back in his chair, crossed his arms, and stared at Patha. Darius didn’t want to discuss his personal life with the Runner leader. Patha would accept him as a warrior. That was all that mattered at the moment.