A Long Time Until Now (35 page)

CHAPTER 17

Sean Elliott crawled out to see the Urushu breaking camp in the chill dawn. How they managed without sleeping bags or tents in this near-freezing weather amazed him. He was wearing gore-tex, gloves and watch cap.

They were scavenging greens in the field and filling skins with water in the creek. That first part was going to hinder the soldiers’ food gathering. Still, they’d managed to rescue forty-three women and girls. He looked around and found who he needed around the fire.

“Oglesby,” he said.

“Uh, yes, sir?” Oglesby replied. He looked jittery and nervous.

“We’re going to go interrogate them before they go. Caswell, can you come too, please?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Good. I don’t want to step on anyone or make them uncomfortable, but I need information.”

“Roger that.” Oglesby nodded eagerly.

They stepped across the river, Oglesby deferring to him, Caswell leading. The grass and growth were well-trodden. One of the penned goats was missing, and there were chunks of a goat roasting over a fire.

“There are more men now,” he said. They must have arrived overnight.

Caswell said, “Yes, I count eight.”

“Interesting. Well, let’s find someone to talk to. Who do you suggest?”

She pointed. “Let’s try the older lady there.”

“Okay. Get us introduced.”

Oglesby stepped forward and spoke slowly but apparently clearly in their language. The woman spoke back.

“She’s an elder, sir. She says they are very grateful for our hospitality, and regret they have no gifts.”

“Assure her that’s fine, and we were glad we could help. Did we get everyone?”

The translation was, “She says we got everyone at that camp, but some were taken downriver to a new village. I gather it’s a mile or two. She asks if our spirits will allow us to smite them dead, too.”

“Tell her we can’t now, but will ask our spirits in a few weeks.”

Caswell said, “I want to carefully ask, how were they treated?”

The woman clicked, trilled and sang while gesturing, and Oglesby translated.

“She says they were taken in and made mates to the new men. Their spirits demanded a new way of living. Some of the men and boys were killed. The rest were chased off. Some women, especially the hunters, went with them. The elders weren’t harmed, nor girls, but several young boys were killed. Some managed to run away but no one knows where they are. Some women ran away at night. Some of them are safe in the village east of here, upriver. The new men started posting guards, I think she said, and forcing them to stay. Since the spirits were with the new men, they agreed.”

“Damn. Caswell?”

“I’m conflicted, sir. What’s described is classic kill the men and rape the women. It probably starts about the time of agriculture and pastoral herding, with the concept of property. That includes women. Patriarchal societies don’t want to raise gene lines they don’t control, and commodities became scarce as population increased. At the same time, death and injury are just part of life here, to both groups. They’re very fatalistic, so probably don’t have a concept of rape.”

“Good God, you don’t mean they enjoy it?” Was that even
possible?

She turned dark red. “No, sir. No I do not. But whatever happens is because the spirits require it. Even more than the Muslims with ‘Insh Allah.’ One adapts to whatever happens and moves on.”

“So that village is gone.”

Oglesby said, “Alexander has the photos, sir. It’s been rebuilt, there’s some proto-herding and proto-planting.”

He breathed in a draft of cold air. “Goddamnit. Much as I’d like to invite them to live near us, we’ve got to establish ourselves before we start a feudal town.”

Just then, a young woman wove through the crowd, came up to Oglesby and hugged him vigorously, her hands on his neck and chest. He carefully eased her away, but she persisted, confused.

“Someone you saved personally?” Sean asked.

“I think so, sir.”

“Well, be polite, but don’t get entangled.”

“Yes, sir.”

Caswell said, “They should be safe enough in their other village, though it depends on potential raiding for slaves. I gather the new group are mostly male.”

“I think so,” Oglesby said. That chick definitely liked him.

Sean said, “If we see them trying to pass us, we’ll have a polite conversation. They know what rifles can do. I’m reluctant to shoot, but much like keeping the peace back home, we’re going to keep it here when we can do so.”

Caswell asked, “Can we send a security detail with them, sir? I volunteer.”

“I’d like to, but I’ll have to think about it. When do they plan to leave?”

Oglesby said, “They plan to leave about midday, of course. I asked why. They said the lions sleep then, and they have only eight spears.” The girl was on him again.

“Does that give them enough time?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Don’t tell them about an escort, but if we can, I’ll send one.”

“Hooah.”

Caswell said, “Roger and thanks, sir.”

There was more talking. Oglesby said, “They want to know if Doc can look at a couple of them. One has a lame foot. One has some sores.”

“That seems doable. I wonder if my phone works at this range.” He flipped it on. “Gina, can you hear me?”

“Yes, sir. A bit fuzzy.”

“Send Doc over to look at some people.”

After a moment’s pause, she said, “He’s on the way, sir.”

Oglesby said, “They want to know why our spirits can give us thunder, but won’t let us take their village back.”

“Thunder has a lot of power. It must only be used when talking and arguing won’t work, and even then only if lives are threatened.”

“They accept that, sir, but say our spirits may be wise, but are . . . detached, I guess.”

“Detachment avoids anger.”

Devereaux arrived.

“Morning, sir. Do I get to examine the women?” he asked with a big grin.

Caswell rolled her eyes and muttered, “Fucking typical.”

Devereaux said, “I wasn’t trying to put anyone down, just some field humor.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t find it funny.”

“I apologize.”

“Just don’t do it again.”

“I’ll try.” He looked embarrassed, flushing purple under his dark skin.

“I need to head back,” Sean said. “Caswell, do you want to keep an eye on things here?”

“Please, sir.”

“Do it. Oglesby, you need to explain to that girl that she can’t stay here with you.”

“Understood, sir.”

It almost looked like she was romantically interested, but there hadn’t been any time or place, had there? Alexander had been along. He wouldn’t have done anything in front of her, and they went straight into a fight. He’d been out of camp last night, but only a few minutes, and within sight of the guard post. Right?

Right?

The first woman did have a rough looking foot. It seemed to have some infection. Caswell sat with her as Devereaux went to work.

Sean said, “Oglesby, come here a moment.”

“Yes, sir?”

Quietly he asked, “Did you avoid any risk of pregnancy and disease?”

The kid shrunk and turned Day-Glo pink.

“Yes, and I think so, sir. It wasn’t anything I planned. More her idea. Is it that obvious?”

“Maybe. Devereaux probably won’t get it. I’m pretty sure Caswell figured it out. I can tell. So keep your mouth shut and I’ll find a way to tell her.”

“Uh. I’m sorry, sir.”

“As soon as we decided to interact with them, this was all inevitable. Violence. Sex. Distractions. That’s why I was trying to avoid it and will continue to do so.”

“Yes, sir. I don’t want to just dump her, but it was a one-time thing and they’re not staying. So I’m being nice until they leave.”

“The problem comes if I send an escort. You have to go.”

“Ah, hell, I’m sorry, sir.” The kid looked professionally embarrassed.

Kid? He was maybe three years younger than Sean, but those three years mattered.

“Just keep it under control. Invoke our spirits if you need to.”

“Yes, sir.”

He did want to send that escort. Getting in good with more natives meant potential labor later, and both trade and knowledge of anything else edible.

“Take over there for a bit,” he said. “Caswell, can I see you?”

Caswell patted the woman’s hand, rose and came over.

He asked, “What’s wrong with her foot?”

“A fractured toe. Apparently she kicked something hard. I’m hoping it was an accident and not abuse.”

“I figure abuse is likely?”

“It doesn’t seem to be, but one of them has some beating that looks like fists. There’s always a few men like that. I gather the rest think of them as valuable property.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

She shrugged. “It’s one more disappointment of many.”

“I want to send that escort. You, Oglesby, and Dalton. Oglesby because he’s the translator. Dalton because he has combat experience. You because you have the sociological knowledge. You’ll be in charge.”

She didn’t smile, but did seem to brighten.

“Yes, sir. Should we prep now?”

“Tell Dalton. If he can’t go, we’ll find someone else.”

“Roger.”

“What do you think of Oglesby?”

She said, “He’s very good at translating. He may not handle being around the natives well without help.”

“I already talked to him about that.”

“I understand, sir.” She gave a sideways glance that he read.

“So it’s dealt with, and not for sharing.”

“Of course. It was inevitable, really.” That was exactly what he’d said. He’d expected her to be more bothered, but she almost seemed relieved. Perhaps she’d been getting attention or too many stares from Oglesby?

“Yes, but I’d like to limit it. I may be overly hopeful.”

“You’re doing alright, sir. We’re limited on resources.”

“Especially people.”

“Especially people, yes.”

“So take a day, two at most, make nice, come back all in one piece, and don’t shoot anything you don’t absolutely have to.”

“Got it. What information do you want?”

“Anything they have on the Neolithics. Agreements to talk more about food and local materials and cures. Coal, salt, plants, iron ore, anything.”

“Will do.”

Sean went back to camp, and had Alexander take over making sure they had ammo, water, some food, batteries and lights, sleeping gear and sundries. Yes, there was a reason units had a headquarters section. She was suited for it, and it freed him up to focus on the wall.

“I have it,” he told Barker and Spencer.

[“What, sir?” Spencer asked.

“We’ll drop two really big logs at each side of the wall, and dig them in about six inches over the water. No one can easily get under that. We’ll reinforce, as Bob suggested, with rock and timber, make our own little box culverts, with reinforcement around the log ends. The palisade goes over it, and we may even be able to socket it in, if we burn and bore holes. A little gapping won’t hurt, because we can’t stand on that anyway. It’ll keep out their weapons, but a good marksman can still shoot through. We’ll buttress at angles.”

Spencer said, “That sounds like a lot of grunt lifting, but very sturdy.”

“Yeah, it’ll take lifting. I’m going to get the Urushu to help in exchange for Bob’s knowledge of bows.”

“In the meantime?”

“I’d like running water to us and the goats, but that not being feasible, another ten feet of wall will make me happy.”

Barker said, “Sure, but I need to find something to cook about fourteen hundred.”

“Noted.”

Oglesby. He knew Barker had a pool going on who’d get laid first. The bets had been on Doc first due to his exotic looks, or Sean as chief. Oglesby had been second to last before Caswell.

It was going to get a lot more complicated.

There was a momentary interruption as two of the Urushu hunters came over. They’d been uphill along the stream in the scrub, and were carrying a small, coarse, stringy looking pig. This they laid down in front of Sean, and made the arms open gesture.

He did the same in return.

“Oglesby, thank them very much for me.”

It was a wiry, tough pig, but it might roast tender given enough time in the oven.