The woman spoke the baronhood language but with a cadence that left T’sala often confused. The man, Alec, nodded in acknowledgement every time Rumsey turned to take them in. The look in his eyes said he was taking in her words with a complete understanding. The initial swell of hope she had felt as the woman had explained what happened to the doctor of death subsided slowly into an intuitive feeling of unease. It was all just too easy. T’sala had never seen anything good born of this level of ease. That kind of privilege was from the baronhood, and as they crested the rise back the way they came, T’sala’s fears took deeper root. The wild-looking woman was walking them towards a shining vehicle that bore the Baronhood mark in silver on the large tank.
T’sala took in the details, hoping something would unlock the feeling of unease she had over this fortuitous meeting. She did not trust easily, and this was pushing her limits. The vehicle was not like the offworlders; it was not stalky like a beast of prey. It did not have the six wheels that looked able to take on any terrain. This one was specific to the icy world around them. The front looked like the animal that she had skinned with the offworlder, blunt of nose with large glass 'eyes’ high up above it. It had two chimneys that expelled heatwaves in the cold, while the vehicle let out a low, lazy, rhythmic growl. It must be angry, T’sala thought. The vehicle sat on eight wheels and was connected to a large shiny metal tube that had ladders that climbed its twelve-foot-high body. This tube sat on sixteen wheels that had long blades attached to them. They seemed to float on the snow like the sand sleds the children used to make it deep into the mines back home.
T’sala walked up to the beast, pulling Alec along as the woman Rumsey watched them pass. The feeling of unease was still within T’sala, but she did not want to be rude to such a large beast. “Greetings, great beast of Rumsey, Friend of the doctor death”. She bowed after her words and looked to the vehicle's owner for approval. Rumsey looked at her with the eyes that were saved for those sick in their mind within the Teretha peoples. Alec had the same look with the corners of his mouth raising upwards in a knowing smile.
“This beast, no voice. Alec signed with one hand and then pointed to his own throat. “Like this, but no this.” He then pointed to his brain. This was like the other vehicles from the barons on her homeworld. No brains. She felt purple heat rising to her cheeks, and the woman Rumsey’s look of wonder turned to one of fear. “Tell her this is your first living.” Alec signed. T’sala’s embarrassment turned to anger towards the man bound to her by a blood cord. She was not some infant experiencing the world for the first time.
“I am not from here, woman Rumsey. In my tribe, the carrier beasts are treated like our members, with great respect. But I see your vehicle is stupid and has no soul or beauty as ours do.” She felt proud of her explanation; the woman surely would not know her tribes traditions. The man, Alec, had his face in his palm, and he was shaking his head. She looked up to Rumsey for her approval and understanding, but instead saw a woman red in the face with anger. T’sala did not understand. She wondered how facts about a brainless object could cause such anger.
Alec signed, “Never insult the riders' ride.” He looked weary with her and turned as she did to face the approaching Rumsey.
“Well, if it’s not to your liking, your worship, then you can stay here.” The short woman extended a hand to pat the side of the vehicle. “Thunder rolls where I take 'em, never steered me wrong.” She paused at that. “Well, I guess I do the steering, but it’s neither stupid nor ugly. In this world, darlin’, he’s a pristine work of art!”
As the tirade was in the middle, Alec signed to T’sala, “Not like mine”. T’sala understood that part, but this woman seemed to feel as if she had insulted a child of hers, although T’sala could not imagine this woman’s children would be either beautiful or smart.
“What’s that!? The woman was looking at Alec’s hand move. “Say something, man, the doctor didn’t say you were a mute. I’ve seen that hand stuff before with the original people.” She turned her angry attention back to T’sala. “I ain’t never seen any of the original people’s talk to the rigs here, and your doctor didn’t try either.” Her tirade was in full swing, and T’sala looked to Alec for support. By the look on his face, his intuition had caught up to hers; something was too easy about this. “Why are your hands tied like that? The Doctor said you may be here, and if I’m honest, I’ve been out looking cause if anyone can help me, it’s the man from his stories.” She turned her angry, indignant stare back to T’sala. “But he’s the one I need, so if Thunder ain’t good enough, you can stay here, as soon as I detach you from the one I need.”
Rumsey made a move to go to where T’sala was bound to the man, Alec. She felt a draw from her blood; the offworlder was taking an energy store. He let her get close, then moved quickly with just the one hand; it twisted like a snake, and the woman lay flat on her back in the snow. T’sala felt her own body lurch as Alec took an accelerated step forward and pulled her along. He pressed a boot onto the woman’s shoulder and kept her pinned. Her eyes were wild with an approval and fear. Alec signed to T’sala, “Tell her, no harm. Ask more, why us.” The last was signed with the one hand awkwardly again. He meant himself, why did she want just him?
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T’sala cleared her throat and announced, “He will kill you if you breathe wrong. What do you want with my offworlder woman!” As the word ‘my’ exited her lips, her face flushed again. She did not mean to do that. Alec looked at her with a slight shock, and she almost saw a pink flush rise to his cheeks before they both turned their attention back to the woman.
“P-p-please don’t hurt poor old Rumsey, they still need me. And if I be tellin’ it honest as cold as it is on this rock I’m likin’ my life here too. I didn’t mean nothin by it, the doctor and I spent some time together, not much, just a jaunt. Three days to the town of Hannencourt, he was in my rig. Told me of the metal man and a rebellion on another planet. Said that a metal man maybe could help me if I found him. Since he helped me, I got him through the rift. And by helpin' me I mean, rather he said you’d be helpin’ me.” The woman gulped. “Now I don’t mean to be holding no man’s honour hostage, especially one as … honourable as you look.” Rumsey’s attempt at flattery fell flat. “But that was the terms of payment, doc said you’d settle his bill,”
T’sala felt confirmed in her suspicions; she had learned in her life that very rarely did love or care come from an unselfish place. That’s what made the offworlder, Alec, such an anomaly to her. This woman had cemented T’sala’s cynical view of the world, and she leaned into her hatred for the people who had oppressed hers. This one, looking to gain from their troubles, touched those same nerves in her, and she wanted nothing more than for Alec to crush her under his boot. He seemed to be considering the woman in the snow’s words, and T’sala felt her glow and anger surge as he made a move to remove his boot. He extended his free hand to the woman, Rumsey, and she reached out to take it with relief on her face. T’sala was not satisfied with the answers and slapped Alec's hand away and replaced her own foot on the woman, pushing her back into the snow. Rumsey yelped, and T’sala felt a smile touch her own lips. Alec looked completely stunned.
“What in the toilet!!” Alec signed angrily. T’sala burst out laughing. Without two hands, the man could not sign the word for hell, and it landed on the shitting place. The woman in the snow looked confused at the sudden shifts in emotions and, with the laughter once again, made a move to stand. T’sala felt the movement and pushed the woman back down hard, and gritted her teeth as she lowered her face to be close to the woman’s. “Tell me what you need my offworlder for.” This time, Alec looked almost honoured to be called hers. She was still angry at him and this world she was unfamiliar with, “I will not loan out my servants without understanding the task and the dealings, ice-woman.” Alecs' look of honour turned to confusion again, and T’sala felt her job was complete in asking the question, but also attacking the world in a word.
“No slave,” Alec signed with storm clouds in his eyes. T’sala felt her glow dissipate like someone had doused a firelight. She had gone too far and hurt or frustrated the man. The woman in the snow had tears in her eyes and was turning her face away from T’sala the same way the children cowered from the whips of the baron in the mines. She felt sick in her heart and wished she had taken the offworlders' lead. He had been on many more worlds than her, and was right, she was innocent to this place. She stepped back in shame and extended a hand to the woman. Rumsey ignored it and stood up on her own. T’sala felt her respect for the woman grow, and in that her shame grew. She took a respectful step back and felt a pinch in her arm as Alec did not move with her, still stunned at her declaration that he saved her.
“Look, I don’t know how this all came about, and I can’t believe even now I’m standing here talking to a metal man and purple woman, but there’s no denying my eyes. You’re here plain as day, and I’d stand ten toes on that.” Rumsey was dusting off snow as she addressed them in the flutter. “The doc said you’d help me, but truth be told, I didn’t help him to own his debt or to make you pay it off. I helped him cause he needed it, and anyone taking the fight to those baronhood bastards deserves every chance they can get. I’m one of them, too, and the people I help need a chance. Doc said you’d be that chance.” Rumsey nodded in Alec’s direction, and T’sala turned to see what the offworlder was thinking.
Alec was white, and the flesh near his metal attachments had turned blue again. He was swaying, and T’sala realized that in the fight from the previous night and the events of the morning, the needle connecting them had set itself free. The man had none of her blood, and he collapsed into her. T’sala felt fear grip her throat. “He is sick, and if you want his help, you need to help us first. Do you have room in your truck? We do not do this by choice.” T’sala indicated their bound arms, “We are each other's life, and I need to restore him.” With the last statement, T’sala felt the offworlder collapsed into her, pushing his full weight.
The woman Rumsey’s expression was softened as she stepped forward under Alec’s free arm, helping T’sala lift him. She gestured with her head towards the running rig in front of them, and they started off that way. Under the man’s weight, the two women were nearly face-to-face. T’sala could feel the worry in her heart; she could not have the offworlder fall asleep on her again.
“You love him, don’t you?” The question was soft and said through Rumsey’s strained lips. T’sala considered the thought as they took his unconscious form towards safety, somewhere away from the coldness of the snow. It did not affect her, but for Alec's sake, she longed for the warmth of inside comforts. She wondered where this strange planet would take them next. As long as Alec was beside her, T’sala felt she would be fine. She needed to wake him soon, for her own peace of mind. At that thought, the Teretha woman confirmed her own worldview, even if the woman Rumsey was right and she did love him, it was for her own selfish desires, and the offworlder deserved better than that.
