Seers of Verde: The Legend Fulfilled: Book One (6 page)

3

Lar Vonn woke up with a start, sitting up straight from his bedroll. For a few seconds he wasn’t sure where he was. Only a dim light glowed from the heat lantern. Breathing heavily, he looked around the cave. A shadowy figure was sitting only a few meters away, looking at him.

“Was it the same dream again, chief?” Neb Klinfer asked. Recognizing the hunter, Lar shook his head. “Is she showing you the others again?”

Lar took a deep breath. “It was different this time,” he said focusing on Neb. “There were other climbers — maybe twenty of them. The sun was at their back as they were climbing, not in the eyes as it is in ours in the morning. She is showing me these things. It has to be.”

Every night for the past nineteen days since Lar, Neb, and four other trusted hunters had started their climb, the security chief had awakened from dreams about the colonists on the other side of the mountain.

At first he had shrugged off his night visions as his concern for his fellow
Colonia Nueve
shipmates. The dreams seemed so real. He could see the other colonists at work building shelters, preparing food — everything. They appeared to be well and working hard.

However, the warm feeling he experienced after awakening convinced him it was more than just a dream. Taryl Bryann was directing his dreams.

“Other climbers? Do you recognize them?” Neb leaned forward.

Lar had been in awe of Taryl’s talents since in a vivid dream he had seen the fleeing Tanlian ship smash into the mountain, destroying it after the colonists had thwarted the attack on their encampment. The ache of being separated from her was almost too much at times. He was thankful the climb required his full attention.

Lar smiled while stretching his aching back and shoulders. “Yes, I know all of them. They are all security forcers from the other side. It looks like they are trying to scale the mountain to reach us.”

Neb raised his eyebrows with surprise. He had gotten accustomed to hearing Lar’s accounts of the other colonists, but this was different. “Can you tell where they are, chief? Did you recognize the landscape?”

Lar shook his head. “No, but I got a full panoramic view as if …" He stopped, realizing what he was seeing. “I am not seeing through Taryl, but through someone else’s eyes. She is acting as a mental portal.”

“Twenty men, a much larger party than ours,” Neb said. “They must be outfitted well and have plenty of supplies. I wish we knew where they were. We could leave markers for them.”

At the mention of supplies, the hunter shook his ration bag. It was low. The first week of their trip the hunters had successfully bagged several mountain goats, giving them meat for a short while. But the six men could only carry so much besides the gear they needed to survive the elements.

In the past week, the party had bagged only a few small rodents. Supplies were growing thin, temperatures were dropping the higher they climbed, and still thousands of meters of rock still loomed ahead of them.

During their trek, Lar and Neb had grown to respect each other. Both were no-nonsense men when it came to climbing or hunting, but they loved to share stories after settling down for the night. Lar did not need a translator to understand Neb’s actions. He knew they were low on supplies and it appeared the climb was only getting more treacherous. The temperatures and high altitude slowed them down, even with their insulated suits and breathers, which someone had the foresight to grab from the lander.

The security chief frowned, looking up at nothing but rocks. The rocks seemed to rise unmercifully into the sky. “How many more days of climbing will the supplies sustain us?”

Neb shook his head. “My guess, less than a week. We haven’t seen game for a while. We may have to consider how we will get back to the others,” he said gesturing down the mountain.

This was the answer Lar had feared. The security chief was desperate to continue, but he was a realist. It appeared the climb would take longer than he imagined. A much larger party would be needed to scale the mountain, about the size of the other group coming from the other side.

“You make a good argument, hunter. I might be stubborn, but I want to live to try again.”

Neb smiled at the compliment and looked at the other four hunters who already were starting to pack for their descent. “Our laser cutters have plenty of energy left. Let’s burn signs in the rocks within two hundred meters of this place. Maybe the climbers from the other side will see them.”

“I hope we can find your marks on the way down or Wald Bergmann may find us sleeping permanently among these boulders,” Lar said with a smirk.

“A blind man could find our marks and the cut rocks,” Neb answered, then laughed at the good-natured insult. “Even a security officer may be able to find his way.”

¶ ¶ ¶

Lt. Uri Navrakov volunteered to lead the climbing expedition in hopes of reaching Lar Vonn’s stranded group. He and the chief were not close, but the two men respected each other. Taryl Bryann was the key factor in his decision. He saw how important this mission was to her — how much she must care for the others.

The Seer had been sick for three days after the Tanlian attack on their valley. Uri felt responsible for her. It was at his direction she had steered one of the fleeing attack ships into the mountain. He did not realize she had repeated the feat hours later to destroy another fleeing Tanlian flyer to help the others.

It had been six days and Uri’s party was already feeling the toll. The going was slow, their supplies were heavy, and none were experienced climbers. This party did not possess survival hunting skills, so they ate from the stores they carried.

Every trail they followed ended in a dead end. This forced them to backtrack as much as going forward. Uri looked up. The boulders seemed to get bigger. They were scattered everywhere. The top of the mountain still loomed in the far distance.

Never one to shirk his duty or complain, Uri urged his men on, but he could see their spirits were running low. Many of the climbers had volunteered, hoping a saunter up the mountain would be a welcome break from the constant building, moving supplies, and foraging for fresh food. Now their bodies were sore from sliding over rocks and jumping crevices. Their hands were bloody from being torn on jagged edges.

Three days later and only two thousand meters higher, Uri halted his exhausted group for the night. The mountain still rose before them as if daring the climbers to continue. Their supplies were running low. They had maybe ten days’ worth left if they were frugal.

In the morning, the lieutenant made the difficult decision to turn back. His group also had marked their way with laser cutters. Perhaps another party would try again, guided by their signs. The descent went much faster. They reached the colonist encampment in five days.

Taryl was the only one not happy to see them return. She was waiting for the climbers at the foot of the mountain. At first surprised to see her waiting exactly where they emerged, Uri caught himself. Of course she had been watching their movements.

Uri could not bear to look the petite Seer in the eyes. She stood before him, hands on her hips, her face almost as red as her flaming hair. Her expression softened as she saw his men shuffle past. They too were embarrassed at being forced to abandon the expedition early, but exhaustion was evident in their movements and faces.

Every other man sported bandages. Four others were carrying a stretcher. The injured man had broken his ankle in a fall two days earlier.

“I’m sorry, Taryl. We were unable to complete our mission,” Uri said, bowing his head. “It was rough going up there. I was afraid we were going to run out of food and healthy bodies to continue.”

Tears ran down Taryl’s cheeks. “I know you tried your best, lieutenant. Your men look exhausted. I watched when your man broke his ankle. How awful.”

“We can try again in a few lunars when the weather clears,” Uri said, trying to cheer up the despondent woman. “A second group won’t make the same mistakes we did. We marked our path very well.”

Taryl nodded and allowed herself to smile. “CAIN security forces must be well trained, lieutenant.”

Uri looked at her, puzzled. Was she mocking them?

“Lar and some of his men met the same fate you did,” Taryl said. “They were out almost three weeks, but could not continue. They are returning to their camp now.”

Three weeks? Uri was shocked. He knew Lar’s group did not have the benefit of half the supplies and gear his climbers carried, but they had lasted longer on the mountain. Of course, Lar was as determined a man as Uri had met. He should not be surprised.

“It may take many attempts to climb, but we will keep trying. Our people will get better with experience, and we will keep forging a trail.”

Uri could do nothing to comfort the Seer. He knew she was struggling with her emotions. It was no secret Lar and Taryl were lovers. However, not many knew the Seer was pregnant with the security chief’s child.

Uri was privy to the fact because Taryl had seen his wife, Franca. A med tech, Franca had examined the Seer and found her and the baby to be in good health. However, Taryl was anxious about the others, especially Lar.

“Thank you Lieutenant for your worthy efforts and your words,” Taryl said, trying to mask her feelings. She knew another group of climbers was still struggling to make it off the mountain. She felt utterly helpless. She could watch her beloved Lar and the others, but she could not send aid.

Taryl turned and started walking toward camp, rubbing her stomach in an effort to soothe herself.

4

Masat Ebber had expected to be called before the High Council. The transport captain had abandoned another Tanlian captain who had requested his assistance. It didn’t help that the other captain was Yermak Halpan, grandson of the hero of the great revolt.

To make matters worse, he was facing another Halpan — Drace, Yermak’s and Rolid’s father — and even more importantly, the leader of the High Council.

Drace was an imposing figure. A long gray braid hung over his shoulder. Each knot signified completion of a successful mission. His bushy eyebrows stuck out almost four centimeters.

“How long did you wait for my favorite sons?” Drace boomed, glaring at Masat.

“Eighteen hours, High Councilman,” Masat answered. “Transport law required me only to wait twelve. Yermak did not leave the coordinates of his mission, only where to meet him when he returned, which he did not.”

“Do not quote transport law to me, Captain,” Drace said, glowering at the man standing before him. “I wrote that law. I waited four days once for a fellow Tanlian to return.”

Masat relaxed a bit. He had heard that story before. Last time, Drace had claimed to wait two and a half days, and this was the first time he had publicly claimed Yermak and Rolid were his favorites. The old man had fourteen sons, and all had been pronounced as his favorite at one time or another.

“I am prepared to take a faster ship to search for him,” Masat offered. “If I know Yermak, he has found a fat colony and is enjoying himself.”

Drace smiled in spite of himself. Yermak was famous for disappearing — sometimes for lunars on end — and then showing up with the most succulent cargo. Yermak always saved the best trophies to bring back to Tantalum 2.

“Take your pick of the best trophy ship in our fleet then, Captain.”

Masat looked at Drace and folded his arms. “Trophy ship, High Councilman? Is that necessary?” Masat asked. He had stopped collecting female trophies more than ten years ago. Masat's last trophy hunt had gone poorly. After raiding a CAIN colony encampment, his men killed many of the male colonists who tried to defend their families.

The sonics and gas were ineffective that day, which left many inhabitants alert and ready to fight. The women and children screamed and fought as they were taken from their shelters and separated from the bodies of their dead husbands and fathers.

Children of all ages were taken this time. The Tanlians were collecting women, girls and even young boys. Tastes varied among their buyers.

Masat had trained himself to be oblivious during the collection of trophies. However, that day he found himself watching a mother and two young girls being forcibly carried out of their home. The girls were small, about the ages of his daughters, and their mother had long dark hair, much like his mate.

After that trip, Masat swore never to carry human cargo again. Drace was aware of the captain’s vow, but he needed a trophy ship to search for Yermak and Rolid in case his missing sons needed the help.

“I know of your dislike for trophies, Captain, but the High Council requests this of you one more time,” Drace said, his ancient face cracking into a rare smile. “Don’t bother yourself with the collection, Captain. And besides, I will guarantee you double the earnings from this trip. Do you have any idea where this wayward Halpan might have gone?”

Masat frowned but agreed to Drace’s offer with reluctance. “We will have several worlds to investigate, High Councilman. Yermak said he was low on fuel. We will visit each bioformed planet within low-fuel range.”

Drace nodded in agreement. Only Yermak would take such a foolhardy chance with low fuel reserves. It was like him to call for help, but not give away a good find.

“Permission to leave and prepare for the journey,” Masat bowed to Drace, and waited to be dismissed.

“One more thing before you go, Captain,” the high councilman said. “Perhaps you would appreciate some, ah, assistance.” Masat looked up and folded his arms, waiting to hear what was requested of him.

“The Galaxy Exploration and Minerals Syndicate is interested in CAIN bioforming activities. They are very knowledgeable concerning the locations of those worlds. Perhaps a guide from our Syndicate — let’s say allies — would be a valuable passenger.”

Masat did not hide his look of shock. A non-Tanlian had never traveled with a native crew.
Allies?
he thought.
Since when has Tantalum 2 considered the Syndicate as an ally?

Masat had visited many GEMS colonies and gathered their tributes to take back to Tantalum 2. He had never considered them willing partners. He all but ignored the Syndicate officers when he loaded his cargo. They were lucky he wasn’t interested in their women.

Drace was not surprised to see the captain’s reaction. Masat, a powerful man of more than six feet tall, was known for his ability to glean more out of the tribute payers than the agreed-to amount. He would glower over the records handed to him by a GEMS representative and then complain in his booming baritone voice that the cargo had been shortened by at least ten percent. Almost always he was successful in bullying the extra ten percent out of the colony paying the tribute.

“Captain, I know we have never allowed non-Tanlians to fly with us, but I believe this GEMS representative could save you time,” the high councilman said. “I would prefer you find Yermak quickly instead of taking lunars guessing which world he might have landed on.”

Masat knew he was in no position to argue. “Yes, High Councilman. Will this Earther have run of the ship?” he asked not masking his disgust.

“You are the captain,” Drace assured him. “You can be as generous or as restrictive as you wish. Although I recommend you giving him access to a computer and star charts.”

Masat bowed again, waiting for Drace to wave him away. “As you wish, High Councilman.”