Tara The Great [Nuworld 2] (32 page)

on that moon.” She nodded her head toward the faded white crescent, still visible

against the almost-white sky. “Your Gothman people will be protected.”

“That, my lady, was a good military decision, it was.” He reclaimed her elbow, and

they continued to move toward the vast number of bikes parked in the field.

Tara reflected on the situation at hand as they walked. Whenever time needs to

move quickly it’s known to travel at a snail’s pace. However, on the flip side, when

there are many things to accomplish and only so much time to do it in, time is known to

travel at lightning speed. Tara experienced the latter.

So many preparations were necessary for a successful battle. Of course, the art of

surprise was a very effective strategy. And that was what the Lunians intended, she

was sure. They had planned a quick, aggressive attack before the Gothman and

Runners could organize all their troops. It was to their best advantage. She’d do the

same thing in their shoes.

There was no way she would be in their shoes, though. Crator willing, the Runner

and Gothman would never know how the Lunians had become so desperate to

reproduce, they’d steal from others to do it. And to steal children, no less. The thought

made her cringe.

The ten soldiers Darius had sent out first thing that morning reported in as the pair

approached the head mechanic. The overweight Runner mechanic was soft-spoken, but

knew how to work a crew. Hundreds of bikes were set in assembly-line fashion, with

small crews each attaching the same piece to group after group of bikes.

Darius received a call on his comm.

Tara was more than curious about what was being said as she wandered down the

rows of bikes and watched several Gothman mechanics skillfully detach and reattach

exhaust pipes.

Darius didn’t make her wait though. “Our men have spotted the Lunian army, they

have.” He walked up to her.

She noticed with interest how the Gothman mechanics suddenly began working

twice as fast as they had minutes before. She also noticed Darius said our. Was he

assuming they would rule both nations together, one law applying to two nations, one

decision created by two rulers? Patha had known this would happen when he had them

partake in the extra ceremonies during their claiming. She hoped for half of her papa’s

wisdom when she officially became leader of all Runner clans. “How many Lunians do

they think there are?” She continued to watch the mechanics.

“Our landlinks detect five hundred gliders that should arrive on our eastern

borders within the next few hours,” Darius spoke quietly and kept his eyes fixed on his

mechanics, as well. They must have assumed he wasn’t satisfied with their work,

because they now appeared to be working at quite an accelerated speed.

“I say we go out and meet them,” Tara said after a minute of thought. “We don’t

want them getting close enough to steal more people.”

Tara’s comm beeped, and Fartha spoke into her ear. She verified what Darius had

just said, since now she could access the landlinks of the ten soldiers. Tara switched

over to Jolee, who told her she’d find every available body with any mechanical

knowledge so they could convert the bikes faster.

Within the hour, the field swarmed with activity as young Runners helped bring in

more parts so the bikes could be turned into gliders. Anyone not graced with

mechanical knowledge was put to work providing necessary parts.

Darius ordered all Gothman women to cook meals for the workers. Hundreds and

hundreds of people flooded the field, children and dogs ran underfoot, and the

commotion was so loud it was hard to think.

“You’ve heard what they are saying now, haven’t you?” a plain-looking, middle-

aged Gothman woman said, as she stopped by a handful of ladies preparing

sandwiches to be taken to the working men and women on the field.

Tara, who had stopped to help several teenage Gothman girls stack wrapped

sandwiches in bags, couldn’t help but overhear the women as they talked.

“I daresay I’ve heard the talk, but I don’t believe a word of it.” This came from a

stout woman who walked with a limp. She dropped a sizeable amount of wild boar

onto a table and began chopping it with a butcher knife.

“These people are going to invade us and steal our babies, they are.” A gaunt

young woman, with an infant secured to her back in a carrier, chopped cheese and

looked at the other ladies with a terrified expression.

“Yes, it’s true,” another lady added as she wrapped sandwiches in thin paper. “My

claim told me just the other night, he did. They come in during the night and steal them

from the tit.”

Tara listened as the gossip grew among the women. There would be no point in

setting the women straight. No matter what accurate information she offered them, the

ladies would distort it before the day was out. Besides, the point of the stories rang true.

The Lunians would bring nightmares and anguish upon them if not stopped.

Tara’s comm beeped in her ear, and she opened the link to acknowledge the call.

“Tara,” a strange voice spoke.

“Yes.” She frowned as she concentrated on the voice.

“It’s Gowsky, Tara.”

The singsong accent ran through her ear. She turned quickly to locate Darius, but

didn’t see him.

Tara was standing at the edge of the field, and quickly walked away from the

crowd to better hear the voice that she found difficult to understand. Where was

Darius? She scanned the crowd one more time. Oh well, she could think for the two of them.

“Where are you?”

“About an hour from your southern border.”

His accent was distracting.

“Someone was tapping your line,” he continued. “I’ve secured it. We can talk

freely.”

“Who’s tapping my line?” How she wanted his technology. Imagine identifying a

tapped line. Tara could detect a simple bug easily, but knowing when someone else with

different technology was listening would be an incredible advantage.

“The source is in Lord Darius’ house.”

Tara froze, not surprised that Darius would listen to her conversations. In fact, she

felt sure the source would be Torgo. Whether or not he worked under Darius’

instruction was another matter altogether. But Gowsky could conclude a lack of trust

might exist between the two of them. Who was she fooling? Everyone knew there was a

lack of trust between them. And everyone knew why. Even foolish teenage girls.

If Darius had given instruction for Torgo to monitor her comm, Torgo would report

to Darius that the line had been secured. She turned again to watch the crowd,

expecting Darius to come forward any moment.

“Tara, fifty more of our people were taken during the night.” Gowsky paused.

She felt his pain and frustration.

“I come to you on faith. I need to know. Lord Darius, I mean, what I want to know

is…” He hesitated.

She could imagine one of several questions Gowsky might want to ask about

Darius.

“I know he has ill will toward me.”

Ill will is putting it mildly.

“He has good reason. I want to talk to him. I know I won’t be able to do it right

away. This war will be in full force too soon.”

Tara figured out where he was headed in his roundabout way. “You’ll have your

opportunity to beg forgiveness and clear your conscience, I assure you, Gowsky.”

“Call me Dorn, please, Tara. You allow me to use your first name.”

“Runners don’t use two names. We have clans.”

“Are you prepared for the Lunians?”

Were they? Tara looked at the number of completed gliders parked at the side of

the field. Over one hundred were ready to go. While many of their warriors would fight

on the ground, they would be able to annihilate Lunian gliders in the air. For those

flying, Tara knew they would fight at a disadvantage since they had never used the

machines before. But Runners had warrior blood running through them, as well as the

ability to adapt to new culture because of their nomadic heritage. Tara relied on that,

along with a prayer, to get them through this war.

“We’re completely prepared.” She watched Darius walk down one of the rows of

bikes toward her. He moved quickly and had a concerned look on his face. She decided

she wouldn’t say anything about the secured line and see if he confessed to tapping her

comm. “Crator is on our side, Dorn.”

“Crator is with you, Tara. If we stay on your side, we’ll all be safe.”

No pressure with that comment.

“Who are you talking to?” Darius asked when he stood next to her.

She mouthed the word Gowsky.

Darius reached down and took her comm off her head and secured it around his

ear. “Where are you?”

Tara followed Darius as he moved to a group of tables where landlinks had been set

up. Runners sat before them. Jolee noticed Tara and Darius approach and stood.

Darius took her seat and began punching at the keyboard with his large fingers.

“Login to my signal and pull up the screen I have in front of me,” Darius instructed.

So he did have an idea of the level of technology the Neurians possessed. What was

Gowsky saying to him?

“I want you at these coordinates, I do.” He tapped the screen with his fingers as if

Gowsky could see it.

Tara marveled once again at the technology the Neurians possessed as Darius

talked. Apparently, Gowsky had been able to pull up the same screen Darius viewed.

“One of our armies will meet you there, yes.”

Tara watched her claim as he gave orders into her comm. He looked so powerful

with his long muscular legs, broad chest, blond hair hanging in curls, bordering his

profile. His jaw was set, his lips closed. He stared at the ground. She guessed he focused

on the strong accent, working to understand the head of the Neurian council.

“That hasn’t been decided yet, no.”

What hadn’t been decided yet? Tara frowned and wished she could hear the other half

of the conversation.

Darius flipped off the comm, pulling it out of his ear. He looked at her, somewhat

distracted, and shoved the comm into his pocket.