Please read forgivingly (and if you have the time corrections are welcomed).
There
was a wide farm track cutting through the ancient and beautiful green
forest, wide enough for the large harvesting machines to pass each
other comfortably when bringing wheat into the barns in late summer.
There were gulleys at each side to drain off the autumn downpours and
space for the plough to push away the winter snows.
It
was not snowing or raining and the sun was low in the sky over
distant fields of wheat still green as spring fought to keep its grip
while summer approached.
But
there was something on the track and as it approached the farmstead
it resolved itself to a someone. That someone was staggering,
desperately trying to make the distance back to the farm.
Having
heard the distant sound of gunfire as she walked out of the barn
after completing her chores, Se-se ventured not back to the farmhouse
but instead towards the track looking along its length towards town.
She was only in her teens yet she knew the sound well, being a senior
cadet and a well accomplished hunter she knew enough about weapons to
shame many of her elders.
Seeing
the man struggling to make his way towards her was a shock she never
expected. Instinctively she broke into a run and was just in time to
catch the blood soaked man as he dropped to the ground, wheezing and
burbling unhealthily while trying to catch his breath.
She
crouched by her much loved Uncle not knowing what to do. She had been
taught enough first aid to know there was really nothing she could do
to save him, but how could she do nothing for her own Uncle? It was a
terrible thing to realise that any action she took was going to be
futile and she was about to watch the strongest man she knew fade
away where she held him. She could not help but try to stem the flow
of blood from many wounds even as her Uncle weakly pushed her hands
away.
“Tam!”
Se-se shouted for her Aunt. She did not know if she would be heard,
the kitchen was on the other side of the house and Auntie Tam loved
to listen to music while she cooked. “Tam!”
“Don't,
please. Just listen, Elisia,” he struggled to speak, he knew well
it was his last chance. “People will be coming, looking for you,
but you have to be careful not everyone is what you think,”
“What
are you talking about?” Se-se could not understand why her Uncle
was more concerned with talking to her than getting help for his
injuries. “Tam! Help!”
“Shh,
it’s important. You can trust Castleman and Babel squad, but don’t
tell anyone your real name, use Se-se. When the right people come
they’ll help you.”
“The
right people? But how will I know who the right people are?” she
did not understand what he was talking about but he never spoke idly.
“When
they find out who you are, when you tell them your name, they will
protect you with their lives, but the wrong people will kill you.”
“Why?
Uncle, what are you- ”
“I,
I can’t tell you, I swore an oath.
“But,
I don't understand. What happened? Who shot you?”
“Something
went wrong. Keep away from town.” he was fading fast. He had lost
too much blood and there was not enough time to say the things he
wanted to, the things he needed to. He had done everything he could,
now it was up to others to finish what he had begun. “You've always
made me proud. You'll be perfect.”
Se-se
sat for some minutes at her Uncle’s side, long after his pained
breathing had slowed and then halted. She had no idea why he had said
what he did, or how it was that he stumbled down the farm track
covered in blood from a dozen wounds.
Slowly,
the sound of gunfire came back into her. The noise was that of slug
throwers used by most of the colony and energy projectors, weapons
reserved for the military and the most serious big game hunters. The
noise was distant, it had to be coming from town, but it meant
something had indeed gone very wrong. Se-se was smart enough to
realise it was those ships that arrived so recently without warning
and had sent her Uncle off to town that morning were the cause.
She
reached down to close his eyes before walking stiffly down the last
of the track and up the old wooden steps onto the veranda before
finally getting into the house.
“Aunt
Tam,” Se-se stood in the threshold of the kitchen.
“What
is it, honey?” Tam had been busy making a pie and was oblivious to
the sounds coming from outside. Then she saw the tears streaking
Se-se’s face. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s
Uncle Joe, he, he’s,”
Tam
rushed to the door and the sight on the track left her rooted to the
spot. Then she too heard the noise and it snapped her out of the
trance. She ran, but not to Joe, she ran into the house and up the
stairs yelling at Se-se to stay exactly where she was.
A
minute later she returned with a combat vest, heavy with full pouches
and an equally heavy back pack. She thrust them at Se-se. “Put this
on.”
Too
surprised to argue, Se-se did as she was told, then to have her
Uncle’s prize pistol and favourite hunting rifle pushed at her.
“Go
to the stables and saddle two horses. I'll be three minutes.”
“But-”
“I
will meet you in the stables.” Tam was firm.
There
was no option but to obey.
It
was almost exactly three minutes before Tam followed Se-se and helped
to finish saddling the two chosen mounts. She had acquired her own
backpack and a fearsome array of weaponry and although it broke her
heart she had forced herself to leave Joe so that she could protect
her niece.
They
were leaping into their saddles when Tam spoke again. “If anything
goes wrong and we get split up ride through the forest to the
mountains, don’t use any of the paths and head for our camping
spot. If I’m not there by sundown in two days, don’t wait for me,
just head on and hide in the forest.”
“I
don’t understand. What’s happening?”
“I
don’t know, but it doesn’t sound good. Don’t ask me to explain,
there's a lot I can't tell you but I don't think this is a
coincidence and if I'm right you're in real danger right now.”
“Why?
Who do you think came in the ships?”
“If
I knew that I'd know what to do next.” Tam was serious as she led
them out of the stables.
They
were nearly at the tree line when there was a sudden shot from far
too close. It was a high powered energy weapon and the discharge
scythed across their path.
Tam's
response was almost instant. While Se-se was still staring in shock
her Aunt raised her rifle and fired a burst of shots. “Move!” she
snapped as she fired.
Se-se
was still frozen but her horse at least was not so shy about escape
and bolted for the trees.
There
were more shots, shots returned by Tam as she followed Se-se in to
the woods. She had hoped to get them away without leaving any obvious
clues but that was no longer an option. They were being attacked by
multiple assailants and it would be no easy thing to slip away from
them.
Another
series of shots whistled by and Se-se was aware of instinctively
ducking to avoid them. She did not see her Aunt bend double and bite
down a cry as she hung desperately on to the saddle.
Tam
dared to look at the damage done to her only when they had found a
ravine that would temporarily protect them and when she did she had
to the fight the urge to close her eyes and cry. It was not an
immediately fatal wound but Tam had seen and felt such injury before
and it was almost certain that without professional treatment in the
very near future there was little chance for her. At best she would
now only slow her niece down as she slowly faded, at worst she could
get her killed, but there was another option. She could act as a
distraction and give her little girl a chance.
“Se-se,”
she called out, getting as close as she could while keeping her wound
hidden. “I'm going to draw them off. You go ahead, I'll see you at
the camp site.”
“What?
No, we need to look after each other.” The thought of being left on
her own was even more frightening than being attacked.
“Please,”
Tam was insistent. “Just keep out of people’s way. Don’t even
trust the other colonists, except Castleman and Babel squad, I know
they'll look after you. If things go wrong, if I don't get to you,
people will come looking for you. If those people are carrying an
Imperial Seal you tell them Delta Tango 7 9. Remember that, Delta
Tango 7 9. Go.”
“Tam,”
Se-se hesitated, her Aunt’s tone was final and determined, but full
of grief.
“For
me,” Tam reached out and gently took Se-se’s hand. “Go now, and
go fast.”
Se-se
found her eyes drawn down to her Aunt's waist. “No, no, Tam. I
can't go, you need me. I can help you. I did that triage course last
year and we've got a first aid kit and-”
Tam
took a careful breath. “Wolf.”
“Don't
do that.” It was an old order, one Se-se's Aunt and Uncle had not
used for years, not since she was very young. Ever organised and
aware that a farm could be a dangerous place for a small child, they
had taught her from an early age that there were times when she
needed to follow their direction without question or complaint. When
they used the word Wolf it was their most serious order, Se-se was to
do what she was told immediately. “Please, don't do that. Don't
make me go.”
“Listen
to me now, this could be the most important order I have ever given
in my life. You have to go. Remember the code, use it if you have to.
Don't take any risks. Get out of here, now.”
More
shots far too close emphasised the point.
Terrified,
Se-se was away in seconds and riding at hair rising speed through the
forest on Charlie, the farm's fastest mare.
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