Adventures on RV Traveler (Free Trader Series Book 3) (24 page)

56 – Wolfoids

The humans scrambled to pull their blasters and prepare for an unknown attack. The Androids looked around, trying to see what caused the humans to act this way. “G? What’s coming, from where?”

The ‘cat pointed in a direction. They moved to positions behind the trees and leaned out, looking for a new enemy. G-War was on edge and that always bothered Braden.

Through the grasslands, a party approached. The dogs, walking on two legs and carrying Old Tech spears, were in a loose formation, one up front then two behind on the flanks, then two more further back, further out--an inverted V.

‘Allies, my friends. We could not have made it anywhere on this ship without our past and hopefully future allies,’
Aadi whispered into their minds. Braden looked at the ‘cat. G-War looked back and nodded.

‘What can I say? I don’t like dogs.’
The humans looked at him and the absurdity of the situation as the Androids marched past them preparing to fire at the newcomers.

“Hold, Androids, hold! Do not fire,” Micah commanded. G-War raced up the tree and sat on a branch overlooking the dogs’ approach. Braden and Micah moved out to meet them, blasters carried loosely in their hands.

The leader of the dog party held up one paw, stopping the group. The creatures appeared to be very large dogs trying to act human. Their bodies were canine, back legs ending in large, wide paws. Their front paws had short fingers and what looked like a thumb. Their heads were large, furred with ears sticking upright. A short muzzle showed long canines. Their body fur was a blend of gray and light brown.

They each carried a spear, which they also used as a walking stick.

‘They call themselves Wolfoids,’
G-War said without further explanation.

“I’m Free Trader Braden, Caretaker, and this is President Micah. We recently escaped an enemy in the forward core and are traveling aft, to the Engineering space. We hope that we can call you friend and cross your land in peace.”

The Wolfoid answered in barks and yips, but then G-War opened the mindlink.

‘You’ve killed one of our herd. There must be restitution.’
The Wolfoid in front was speaking.
‘No one comes onto our land and kills one of ours, then claims to be a friend.’

“We did not know. We came from the shell section, far beyond these walls. We do not want to fight you and offer our sincere apologies for our transgression. What will it take to make this right?” Braden continued in his Free Trader persona. They were negotiating, not attacking. How many times had he and Micah been in this same situation?

With the Androids by Micah, Braden had no doubt they could kill all the Wolfoids. It would be a slaughter, and that’s not what Braden wanted. It wasn’t what Aadi advised.

Allies. They wanted this last group of allies so they could finish their journey without further bloodshed.

‘The stream filling the lake by our village has stopped flowing and soon we will have no water. If you travel in areas outside our land, then you may know how to help us.’

“Android,” Micah started, “I need you to fix the water flowing in that stream. I know you were programmed to run things between decks. Is that where this issue is?”

“Yes,” the Android leader responded. “I will dispatch a team immediately to effect repairs.”

“I expect your stream will be flowing again soon,” Micah told the Wolfoid leader. “Please accept my apologies, as the President, for taking one of your herd. We do not wish to waste the remaining meat. Can we take it with us? Would you like it? We will do as you wish.”

‘We will take it,’
the Wolfoid said dismissively.

Aadi finally swam forward, slowly, and G-War ran down the tree. “Let me introduce our friends Aadi and the Golden Warrior. Aadi is the First Master of the Tortoise Consortium and the Golden Warrior is a prince among his people, the Hillcats.” Braden pointed to each as he introduced them.

‘We’ve never seen others like these, although I instantly don’t like the trivial orange creature.’
Braden walked forward laughing. The Wolfoids were instantly alert. They leveled their spears at the humans. The Androids raised their hands, ready to fire their lasers.

‘Take care not to show your teeth to these fine creatures, Master Braden. From what I’ve seen of the dogs in Dwyer, Wolfoids have a similar cultural foundation. It is fascinating, don’t you think?’

Braden closed his mouth and smiled, holding his hands up to reduce the tension. The Wolfoid leader relaxed. Micah instructed the Androids not to fire. They backed in closer to her, but at least they lowered their hands.

The Wolfoid leader nodded to the others and they raised their spears. With a bark, two of his pack jogged into the trees. They kicked dirt over the fire and returned, dragging the pig’s carcass between them. Without another word, the Wolfoid leader turned and walked away. The two Wolfoids hauling the carcass nodded their muzzles at the humans.

“I guess we follow. So, Master Aadi, are we allies or prisoners?” Aadi swam forward, blinking slowly. He gave Braden a look. The human put the rope out for the Tortoid to grasp. Braden jogged forward, feeling the tug of Aadi behind him. The Wolfoids were setting a quick pace. G-War and Micah ran along side. The Androids took positions in front of and behind Micah.

“Your security, my lady.” Braden smiled, close-lipped. He felt good to be running in the open air. Then in a lower voice, he leaned close to her. “Keep your eye on those two. They could start something and we’d be stuck finishing it.”

“And we don’t want that.” Micah said, shaking her head. She felt good, too. They would never be comfortable within the great ship, or even in the corridors of New Sanctuary. They liked the outdoors, even if it was only a carefully engineered cylinder-contained ecosystem like Deck 10.

Three of the Wolfoids dropped to all fours and raced ahead as they approached their village. Their spears slapped the ground as they held them in one mutant paw. The two dragging the carcass remained behind Braden and Micah.

It had been a while since the humans had a good run and despite speeding up, they soon fell behind. G-War ran even with the Wolfoids, probably to show that he could, before dropping back and joining the companions. The Androids unerringly kept pace with Micah. They were undoubtedly the fastest creatures here, but Braden wanted them close by.

They slowed to a walk as the village turned out to greet them. Pups and mothers, warriors and oldsters with gray faces. After their initial alarming appearance, Braden felt quite comfortable among the Wolfoids. This village could have been any one of many he’d run across in his free trading travels. So what if the villagers were Wolfoids and not human?

It didn’t matter. Braden heard the ‘cat harrumph in the back of his mind. G-War stood, leaning against his human’s leg as they were surrounded by the Wolfoids.

“What is a proper greeting for your people?” Braden asked when the Wolfoid leader appeared out of the crowd.

‘You bow and turn your head this way, exposing the vulnerable part of your neck. It shows both courage and trust.’

Braden bowed and did as the leader described. The Wolfoid did not respond in kind. The Androids moved close to Micah, blocking access to her with their bodies. She couldn’t bow because the Android leader was too close in front of her.

‘Aadi, any idea why he didn’t greet me?’
Braden asked in his thought voice.

‘Water, Master Braden. They wait for you to fulfill your part of the bargain.’
Braden looked at the Android for an answer, but remembered that they didn’t share the mindlink.

“Any idea when the water will return to the stream?”

The Android leader looked at Braden, then looked back to the Wolfoid leader.

“While we wait for the Androids to make repairs, what do we call you?” Braden asked.

‘I am known as Bounder. This is my mate Gray Strider.’
A smaller Wolfoid sidled up next to the leader, who was by far the largest present. He stood a good two heads taller than his mate and nearly a head taller than the rest of the pack.

“Bounder, Gray Strider. We are pleased to meet you. I am Braden and this is my mate Micah. We are bonded to the Golden Warrior,” Braden pointed at the ‘cat and then to the Tortoid, “and Aadi.”

Gray Strider bared her fangs at G-War, whose ears flattened. He hissed back at her. Braden reached down, putting a hand on the ‘cat’s back. His muscles tensed as he was ready to launch himself into action.

Bounder threw his head back and barked, before nuzzling his mate. She closed her mouth and nuzzled him back.
‘That’s how I felt when I first met the little creature. It doesn’t bother me anymore. It’s harmless.’
He patted Gray Strider’s foreleg with his own.

Braden felt G-War vibrating in anger.
‘G. It’s better to be thought harmless than to actually be harmless.’

“It’s in your blood. Dogs and cats never get along. It’s like humans and snakes. It seems unnatural. But it’s okay. The Golden Warrior is my friend. He’s saved our lives many times. There’s nothing we wouldn’t do for him.” Braden petted G-War, rubbing his side before standing up straight.

“When will the water flow again? Send that one to check on this end,” Micah ordered. The Android leader was going to argue, but Micah stomped sideways and headed into the village. He stopped her and she threw a hard elbow into the side of his head. Micah yelped as her flesh met synthetic skin over immovable metal. She pulled out her blaster and pressed it against his chest. “I said send him. I will kill you right now if you don’t do as you’re told. You take orders from me, not Holly. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” he said. He turned to the other Android. Without a word, the other departed at a run toward the lake beside the village and the stream that was supposed to be feeding it. Braden tried to step between them, but wouldn’t fit. He encouraged Micah to put her blaster away and led her toward the lake. The entire village followed. Aadi swam along, followed by a pack of young pups that raced back and forth underneath him.

G-War squeezed between the hand-holding humans. The Android leader walked alongside, nearly touching Micah’s shoulder. Bounder walked at Braden’s shoulder.

‘Interesting relationship your mate has with the other creature. What is it? It smells odd.’

“That is an Android. They aren’t creatures at all, but a mechanical creation. The ancients built them to help run the ship. They’re still doing that.”

‘You speak strange words, but you smell sincere. We know only the land of Livestel.’
They stopped at the edge of the lake. There was little water in it, and the shore was dry and cracked. They heard a rumble and watched as a wave of water rushed down the stream-carved trench into the lake. The wave surged forward, mud-colored and carrying much debris. The lake water churned with the mini flood. The water flowed steadily, soon clearing as the lake filled. 

Barks and yips encouraged the lake water. Some energetic pups jumped into the lake as the waters swirled, but were quickly chased out by concerned mothers. Braden and Micah watched, thinking how their own children would play in the fresh water.

The water crested, flowing out the other side into the runoff stream. It clogged with debris, but the water overflowed, broke the clog loose, and the detritus was carried away.

Bounder bowed deeply to the humans, thanking them for their help in bringing water back to their village. The price of one small pig was nothing compared to what the Wolfoids gained.

Braden and Micah always enjoyed celebrations in their honor. The biggest surprise came when Bounder aimed his spear at a pile of wood and fired a bolt of lightning, instantly starting a fire. The Wolfoids liked their meat cooked. G-War snorted in disgust, although he admitted that they didn’t smell as bad as the dogs of Dwyer.

Once Braden got past his appreciation at having a cooked meal, he realized that the Wolfoid spears were powered. “I’m glad we didn’t start anything with the Wolfoids,” he told Micah in a low voice. “I’m not sure it would have turned out in our favor.”

‘Allies, my friends. The Wolfoids are fiercely loyal once you’ve earned their trust. They may be a blend of all that is best in humans and dogs, no offense intended, Golden Warrior.’
Aadi floated close to them, enjoying the celebration by watching, as he always did. He deemed himself a terminal student, always studying how species interacted.

The two Androids stood nearby, putting a damper on their good spirits.

‘Holly. I’m not sure we can handle too much more of the Androids, although they were quick at fixing the stream for the Wolfoid village. How much longer are you going to have them shadow us?’
Braden asked via his neural implant.

‘I will have them accompany you for a little longer. I can’t be certain how long because there are threats on the ship that I do not yet fully comprehend. Your Hawkoid friends made it through this area to the matter transfer chamber without any problems. I think you are safe the rest of the way. I am in the middle of rather extensive calculations within the ship, on the transfer of the survivors, and here on Cygnus VII. My resources are at their limit. Once the survivors are on board, I’ll reprioritize and shunt resources to secondary systems. That should free up the assets I need to ensure full control of the Androids to make necessary repairs. While they were independent, they didn’t do everything they needed to keep the ship in perfect running order.’