13. Carter

THIRTEEN

CARTER

P eace Chief Zey greeted our returning party. The look etched onto his face filled me with worry. I did my best to focus on landing safely with Arael in my arms. I touched down light as a feather, though my heart felt heavy.

Zey approached me, his jaw set hard. War Chief Pageus landed beside me, and placed a hand on my shoulder in a show of support.

"Don't worry, Lad. He's just got to bluster and put on a show, no one's in danger here."

"Why must he bluster? It makes no sense."

Pageus sighed.

"I sometimes forget that due to your memory loss, you are unfamiliar with the nuances of our culture."

"And that is a good thing," Arael interjected, thrusting her lower lip out in defiance.

The returning warriors landed around us, most of them hollering with triumph. The cacophony created lent a kind of private intimacy between myself and Peace Chief Zey.

"You have returned in triumph, I see."

His tone and stoney visage belied his words.

"We were able to recover most of our kin. I have not done an official head count but Arael assures me everyone is accounted for."

"Ah, good, the word of a woman. Excellent." Zey glared over at Pageus. "I expected this sort of recklessness from a stripling, Pageus. Especially one who has lost his mind. But I thought you were a much wiser man."

"I never claimed wisdom, Chief Zey. But this stripling, as you call him, had a sound plan. We lost but three warriors in the rescue."

Zey snorted, face twisted up as if he'd just sampled a bitter venom.

"And how many more warriors will we lose when Jark sends a full army to Starlost Village? That is what he will do, you know."

The words crashed and rolled over me like a storm-tossed ocean wave. It made sense. Jark, like any despotic ruler, relied upon the fear his reputation instilled in others to maintain his power.

If someone could defy Jark and live to tell the tale, it would weaken his hold on power. Of course, Jark would attack the village, and wipe out every last warrior. Raze every building.

In rescuing my lifemate, I had just condemned the rest of the village to death or slavery.

"I see from the look in your eyes that you understand the full weight of what you have done." Zey shook his head. "This is why there should not be a War Chief. Warriors lack the wisdom to rule properly."

"Don't blame Pageus for this." I stepped fully in between the war and peace chiefs. "Blame me, and me alone."

"Blame? We are far past the point of casting blame, stripling." Zey's eyes narrowed as they ran up and down my body. "You are indeed a mighty warrior, but Jark's forces outnumber us ten to one."

"He won't be able to bring his entire force." I locked gazes with Pageus for a moment and he nodded. "War Chief Pageus and I have been going over maps of Jark's holdings, and he will need to leave a substantial force in each province in order to maintain his hold over the local populace. We estimate that--"

"Do not seek to befuddle me with your Sage's jargon, boy. Your thoughtless actions have doomed Starlost village and everyone in it. Our only choice is to flee, and abandon our ancestral home."

The idea filled me with dread. Later, I would wonder why my dread didn't center around losing my way to get back to my human body.

Instead, I dreaded losing my home.

"With all respect, Chief Zey, that's not the only choice. We have the advantage of being the defenders. That means we can prepare for the inevitable assault."

"We can barely field a hundred warriors, stripling." Zey sighed, looking quite worn and tired. "Jark can bring thousands."

"But he likely will not bring more than several hundred. And there's a way to triple our forces."

"Triple?" He scoffed, looking over at Pageus as if to ask why do you allow this madman to speak for you? "What lunacy is this?"

"It's simple. We conscript defenders from amongst the Shunned to help us."

His jaw fell open, and a big vein throbbed on the side of his neck.

He looks like I just asked him to castrate himself with a rusty spoon.

"The…Shunned? They have no Caste, they are not permitted to wield weapons. Jark's warriors will refuse to fight them."

"Good," I said with a big grin. "Then the Shunned can just kill them without resistance."

I spoke in jest. I knew that once the battle started, it wouldn't matter what caste the guy trying to kill you happened to be born into.

But if it discombobulated Jark's forces to face off against the Masari equivalent of untouchables, then I would gladly take that advantage.

"You are insane."

"Maybe. But I'm also right. With the Shunned fighting on our side, and the Engineers finally cooperating with the Sages, we can mount an effective defense."

"We will never defeat his entire force."

I shrugged.

"Who ever said that we had to defeat his entire force? All we have to do is make it too costly for Jark to continue his attack. This plan can work, Zey. But not without your support. You're right. I'm a stripling, and not a chieftain. I certainly wouldn't want your job. No one is going to follow me without your endorsement."

"You already have the warriors under your thrall," Zey said bitterly.

"I need the support of everyone in the village. Everyone who is physically able, whether they be warrior or artisan or physicker will have to contribute their sweat to the defense, but if we all pull together, I know we can win."

Zey covered his face with a gnarled hand, seeming diminished.

"This is not the Masari Way."

I'd prepared for this conversation for some time. In truth, my original motives had been to prevent interference from anyone who might try and stop my vital research on how to get home to my own body.

Now, though, I felt quite differently. Now I wanted to save Starlost Village, and everyone in it.

Most of all, Arael.

"Chief Zey, is it not true that, not so long ago, you struggled to get blue stalk beans to grow on the island? And that you learned a new farming technique from the Stormchaser tribe?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes suspicious and crafty. He clearly wondered where I was heading with this.

"Yes. The technique involves burying fish and small game offal in the dirt along with the seeds."

"Indeed. And now every farmer uses this technique, do they not? Even though it's not traditional? They changed the way they did things, for the better. Only a chief wise and brave enough to face the future can change Masari culture for the better. You are such a chief."

He looked up at me sharply, and then a slight smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"I think I am being manipulated, but for the best of reasons. Very well, Gro. We will arm and train the Shunned."

"Not all of the shunned are going to make good warriors. I want them to be blended in with the other castes too. We're going to need the help of everyone in the village if we're going to survive."

"Save the village, by destroying our traditions." Zey shook his shaggy head. "I'm not certain I want to be the chief responsible for this."

"We're not destroying tradition, just modifying it. Like putting fish offal over your seeds, this will make you stronger Masari."

Pageus took a step forward, and laid a hand on Zey's arm.

"This is truly the best way, my Chief. If we tried to run, Jark would simply track us down. He cannot allow the affront to his honor and reputation that we now represent. Delay it we can, prevent it we cannot."

Zey's lips drew into a thin, tight line.

"Very well. Tell me about these plans of yours, Sage Gro."

I sighed in relief.

"You're making the right decision, Chief Zey."

He cackled, a glint of life showing in his gaze for the first time.

"That remains to be seen, but I must admit, you make me feel that victory isn't just a dream, but a possibility."

We went into the Chief's hut and drew our plans. I invited the Chief Engineer, whose name turned out to be Obrian, and Ignio to join us. We had much to discuss.

Using a writing implement formed out of a soft mineral surrounded by a dried plant resin, I drew out rough blueprints for both ballista and trebuchet. The emphasis on single combat in Masari culture had led to a dearth of siege and anti-personnel weaponry. I intended to fill in that gap with my, perhaps unfair, knowledge of xeno technology.

Obrian chimed in and asked why we didn't use the Masari equivalent of rubber instead of ropes to create tension. The weapons could then be reloaded far more quickly. I hadn't known of Masari rubber, which made my decision to include the Engineer a happy accident.

Then Ignio suggested using sky breaker harness technology to increase the size of the payloads our siege weaponry could fire. Our enthusiasm grew to the point none of us noticed the sun had long since set, and dawn was not far away.

I trudged out of the chief's home, tired but happy, and nearly tripped over Arael. She stirred from where she sat in the doorframe, rubbing her eyes.

"What are you still doing here?"

"I am waiting for you. We have spent enough time apart recently, have we not?"

I couldn't refute that. I took her in my arms and kissed her sweet, soft lips.

"You and the Chieftains spoke for some time. What is to come of our village? Will we fight, or will we flee?"

I took her hand in my own and gave it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

"We will fight."

"Good."

Her jaw set hard, and fires danced in her gaze. I remembered just how formidable she truly could be.

"Arael," I said softly, caressing her cheek. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come for you. I hope that, well, I hope that you were not treated…with disrespect."

I couldn't meet her gaze. Arael put her hands on my cheeks and lifted my gaze to meet her own.

"They did nothing to me other than hurt my pride, beloved. You don't have to worry about me. I, however, must worry about you. Clearly you have not slept in some time."

Her hands felt cool and soothing against my face. I let my eyes close and sighed, feeling as if someone had cut my power cable.

"I suppose I have not slept since you were taken."

"Then come to bed, my lifemate. Sleep, and regain your strength for another day."

Her eyes grew distant and hard.

"I have a feeling we will all need it soon enough."