Cross of the Legion (20 page)

'Wanna see a spider?' he asked. She went for it. March right up! A frontal assault might be bold but I didn't seem to have much choice. However, the spider line was not going to do it here. I left the shelter of the tree, heading her way. I could feel my adrenalin surging. I had charged Systie positions under fire, with less trepidation than this.

"Greetings," I said, smiling. "May I sit here? There are no other seats." She looked up at me, startled, her glasses threatening to fall off her nose again, the pages of her book fluttering loose in a light breeze. She had just taken a bite of her sandwich so she was in no position to answer. I sat down across the table from her, still smiling.

"Sorry," I said. "My Trib is not good." She got her mouthful of food under control, put down the sandwich and turned her attention back to her book, trying to ignore me, only to discover she had lost her place. She was beginning to blush. She pushed her glasses back in place, evidently in a panic over my intrusion.

"Are you a nurse?" I was desperate to get her talking. Put that damned book away, girl! She stole a quick, almost frightened glance at me.

"Zed," she said, almost in a whisper. All right! Spiders!

"You look very young," I said in my fractured Trib. "You must be smart, to be a nurse. Have you finished school?" What a stupid line! I was still smiling, trying to appear relaxed, looking around the park. She was looking at me now, possibly trying to decide if I was making fun of her.

"Where are you from?" she asked suspiciously.

"I am from Peta Jaya," I said. "I am visiting Lakeside. It is beautiful! I am very happy to see your city. You are lucky to live here."

She smiled, and appeared to relax a bit. She had categorized me—a foreigner—presumably harmless. All right! Thank you, Deadman. Now it's up to me.

"Thanks," she said. "It's very quiet."

"Do you work in the college?"

"No. I'm a trainee nurse in the hospital. It's part-time work. I'm still in midschool, but I want to be a nurse."

"That's good. To help people—it is important."

She smiled again, a little sadly. Her book was forgotten. "Are you really from Peta Jaya?"

"Yes."

"Have you seen any Man-ghuls?" Her eyes were wide.

"Yes. Very scary! Sorry—my Trib."

She was looking at me directly now, through thick glasses, no longer stealing furtive glances. She pushed the glasses higher on her nose. She had fine features and wore no makeup. Very nice!

"What are you reading?"

She blushed immediately, and closed the book, hiding the title with one hand. I had already seen the cover art—a young lady swooning in the arms of a dashing lover.

"Nothing," she said. "Just a novel."

"It is a nice day," I said. "What is that tall tower at the lake?"

"Memorial Tower?" She seemed happy to change the subject. "You don't know about Memorial Tower?"

"No. I am new here."

"I thought everyone knew about Memorial Tower."

"I wish to invite you to visit the tower with me. I am alone, and do not know the city." I had memorized that last line.

She blushed scarlet, paralyzed with surprise, fumbling with her glasses again. "I…I cannot…"

"I am so happy to find someone to talk to. I do not know anyone here. You are very nice to talk with me."

She smiled a little but was no longer looking at me. Her hands went back to her book. Come on, girl—live a little! Take a chance!

"It's the Mole! How's my girl?" It was a booming voice from a large young punk approaching our table. He was one big kid, regulation bowl haircut, a tent-like smock, a fleshy face, fat loose lips, squinty little eyes, swaggering confidently. Two smaller satellite punks accompanied him, one little dark ferret-like sleazer with greasy hair, and one hard-looking blond thug with a ruddy complexion.

"Go away, Mega," she sighed, opening her book again. The fat boy approached her, hovering over the table, ignoring me. The other two stood in the background smirking.

"What's this?" Fat boy asked theatrically, spreading his arms in surprise. "Has the Mole finally got a boyfriend? Guy's vision must be worse than yours. Maybe I should take your glasses again and give them to him. Ah ha ha! You reading more medical crap? What's this?" He snatched the book from her hands. I was trying to read the running translation of his comments, hanging in the air before my eyes, but I was now getting upset. This goon was wrecking everything! Good lord! I stared at him in fascination. I could have sworn this fellow's brother used to beat up on me in elementary school. The creep had tormented me for years. But that was a hundred thousand years in the future. Does God produce throw-backs like this in every civilization, just to keep the race alert?

"Aw haw haw! Take a look at this! Yesterday's Love!" He tossed the book to the ferret. "She's dreaming about me! Sorry, Mole, I'm no longer available. You missed your chance! Although I might reconsider if—" I stood before him, almost nose to nose. I wanted to say something insulting and witty, like 'shut your ugly yap,' but due to the language barrier it didn't come out exactly the way I intended.

"You stop talking now," I said. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Then he laughed, delighted, and snatched at my smock with both fat hands, just below my neck. This gave me an excellent opportunity to reach over his grip with my right and apply a rear wristbreaker, grasping the fleshy part of his right palm with a nice firm grip, tearing the other side of his hand away to break his hold while forcing his arm up and over, snapping it suddenly to the right and down and jamming his hand back against his wrist. This is a rather painful hold, even when your opponent is not a Holo-X, and if done with a step-through it results in the bad guy being twisted around and thrown off balance immediately. I did it correctly, locking his arm straight and walking into him hard, keeping his wrist bent and his arm straight, driving him all the way down to the ground. He wound up with his nose digging a furrow in the grass, his right arm locked in place, and my left foot planted firmly on his shoulder. He didn't like that at all, screaming his objections through a mouthful of dirt. I explained with a right kick to the face. I was seeing red and thinking about that creep back in midschool, so I didn't hold back. I knew the kick would end it.

As I released my hold on his hand a fist came out of nowhere and glanced off my left cheek. The blond goon grimaced in shock and stared at his damaged hand in disbelief. You don't want to hit a Holo-X. I swung at him with a right to the face and he dropped like he'd been shot in the head, his nose smashed and gushing blood. You don't want to get hit by a Holo-X, either. The ferret kept his distance, staring goggle-eyed at the carnage. The rest of the lunch-time crowd gasped at the unexpected drama. I walked over to the ferret, snatched the book from his hand, and returned it to the girl, who had been watching in stunned disbelief.

"You come now," I said, urging her up. She snatched up the remains of her sandwich, stuffed it with the book into a little shoulder bag, and came with me, pale and almost in shock. We left behind the ferret bending over his two companions, and a lot of curious people, watching our departure.

"Sorry," I said as we headed out of the park towards the lake. "I do not want trouble. He was bad. Bad to you." My vocabulary limited what I could say. I probably sounded like a retard.

"Where are we going?" she asked. We had just passed the row of shops on Park Road and entered the park by the lake. We paused in the shade.

"Can you show me the tower?" I asked, smiling.

"Are you hurt?" Her slim fingers went to my face in concern. "Jocko hit you."

"No. I am good."

She adjusted her glasses again, looking up at me. We had stopped walking. "Why did you do that?"

"You were good to me," I replied, "and he was bad to you. I was…angry."

She continued staring up at me, almost in amazement, almost in shock, almost as if she had just been struck by lightning.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"I am your friend. My name is West-One Outfam. I am pleased to meet you. And your name?"

Her eyes filled with tears. She fumbled with her purse, ripped out some tissues, and dabbed at her eyes.

"What is wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing!" she gasped. She trembled, looking up at me through the tears. "My name is Millie. Millie S-Fam. And I thank you."

"Why did he call you the Mole?" I asked. We resumed walking, headed towards the tower.

"Millie the Mole! Because I can't see without these glasses. I never saw anyone hit Mega before. He's such a bully."

"I wish to invite you to the tower. Will you come with me?"

She looked up at me through those awful goggles, delighted. "Of course!"

I smiled back. "I want to see the view."

"Excuse me, kids." A young cop stood there on the path, blocking our way. He was trim and sharp, good build, nice tan uniform, sunglasses, boots, shiny buckles, electric nightstick, probable vac gun in a holster, comset. He looked right at me. I could tell that, even with the sunglasses. "Are you the fellow who decked the Mega and Jocko?" he asked. Another cop appeared out of the park, headed our way. Backup. Damn—complications!

"Yes sir," I said. I knew damned well he already knew.

"Nice one!" he said with a giant grin, and turned away. "That's not him!" he shouted to his partner. "Keep looking!"

We resumed our walk. "Why did he do that?" I asked.

"Because Mega is a troublemaker. The police don't like him. Nobody likes him."

"I will not let him come near you again."

She looked up at me again, but did not say anything.

***

The view from the observation platform on the top of the tower was spectacular. We could see the entire city, glowing white in the sunlight, sprawling all around a lake of molten gold dotted with pleasure craft. The library and museum were prominent landmarks. Millie pointed out City Hall, her midschool, a couple of public swimming pools, the stadium, and the residential areas out in the suburbs.

People milled around us. School was out, and kids were everywhere. We stood on the outside balcony, breathing in fresh air. It seemed cooler up there, although it was a fine bright day.

"I never had anyone fight for me before," Millie said.

"I am sorry he was bad to you."

"You are the strangest person I have ever met," she said. "Are all the boys from Peta Jaya like you?"

"I don't understand."

"Why did you sit at my table?"

"I saw you. Alone. I was lonely."

"Lonely? You were lonely?"

"Yes. I wanted to talk with you."

"You wanted to…" She broke out the tissues again. "Good lord!"

"You are pretty and I wanted to talk with you."

"Pretty! Stop it! I am not pretty!" She glared at me through her goggles.

"I think you are very pretty. I…"

"Stop it! People are not supposed to say that!" She tore off her glasses, dabbing at her eyes with the tissue.

"I say it. I am lonely. You are pretty. I say greetings. I am sorry my Trib is very bad." I sighed, and looked out at the view.

"Do you think you can just come out of nowhere and…" She jammed her glasses back on.

"May I hold your hand?"

"What?"

I gently touched her palm with mine, and folded my fingers over her hand. She looked into my eyes with unconcealed amazement. And I thought, I am holding hands with a girl who lived and died thousands of years ago. I'm romancing a ghost. Only she's not a ghost, she's real, a real live person, and I am an intruder—an alien. I'm the ghost.

She made no effort to pull her hand away. She just continued to stare at me, seemingly in fascination. And I vowed, to myself, that I was not going to hurt Millie S-Fam. I would use her to get what I needed, if I could, but I was not going to hurt her.

We stood there, hand in hand, for some time, not saying a word. Then I gently guided her back to the railing.

"Where do you live?" I asked her.

"Over there," she pointed it out, "in the S-Fams."

"What is an S-Fam?"

"It means I don't have a family. It's a home for orphans."

"What happened to your family?"

"My mother and father died when I was very young. Lakeside takes care of me. I will study to be a nurse, to repay the community—to help people."

"I am also alone," I said.

"Are you still in midschool?"

"No."

"What do you do?"

"Nothing. I will…decide."

"Everyone must do something."

"A policeman. I will be a policeman. To help people."

"Yes." She gaped at me again, through those awful goggles. "You would be a good policeman."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

She blushed scarlet, shaking her head. "You are so direct! Is everyone from Peta Jaya so direct?"

"I am alone. I walk my road. If I want, I ask."

"We are not so direct in Lakeside. People do not say what they think."

"I say what I think."

"You frighten me, West-One Outfam. What is it you want from me?"

I backed away from her, slowly. "I want to be your friend, Millie S-Fam. Sorry. Sorry you are…afraid. I leave. I thank you. I am pleased to meet you. Farewell."

I gave her a little bow, and headed for the elevator.

"Wait. Wait! Don't go!" She was stricken, ripping her tissue to shreds. "Oh…don't go!"

I smiled, and returned. "I stay," I said. "Do not fear me, Millie S-Fam."

"You are so direct! I am not used to it!"

"You do not have a boyfriend?"

"No. No…I have no one."

"You do. You do have someone. West One Outfam, at your service. I am your sword and your shield. No one will hurt you with me at your side." It was a phrase the probes had picked up in Peta Jaya, and I had memorized it.

Applause. A little crowd had gathered around us to witness the drama. They clapped and smiled. Millie blushed scarlet again, snatched at my arm and pulled me towards the elevator. I could see her eyes were again filling with tears. She was a very emotional girl.

***

The library had everything I needed—a desk, paper, pen. My needs were simple. Jason projected the design onto the paper, and I traced it with the pen. The problem was I needed money. A Holo-X is only an artificial image, even though it looks and feels very real. I couldn't carry anything real with me, like gold. And if anything artificial became separated from my image it would disappear once it was out of range. We had already decided we were not going to do anything to attract the attention of the authorities, so armed robbery was out. All I had was knowledge—but we figured that was enough.