THE EDEN DILEMMA by Tucker Spolter 

Chapter 19

 Before the sun set, on the third afternoon, Rechat called a halt to the column of pump trolleys in a sheltered valley above the foothills of the Pulat Mountains. The twenty-four vehicles were divided in half. Each dozen formed a circle with the lances on the platforms pointing outward. Inside both circles, the Blues set up sleeping tarps and started cooking fires.  

     A natural dam had formed a small lake and most of the Blues were naked and using it to bathe and frolic in the cold water. 

     Apart from the general mayhem, Jaye and Hett sat by themselves on the edge of a pump-trolley platform facing the snow-capped mountains. 

     “The Blues are at it.  Drinking, laughing, and disappearing for a quick shenzi or two.” Jaye nudged Hett.  “And we're sitting here doing nothing.” 

     “We're outsiders. Napped. Not one woman here would take either of us for a tumble.”

     Jaye turned his head just as two women exited the lake and ran naked to their drying clothes. “You're right.” He said dismally. “Still, I've always wanted to come up to these mountains. . . Just not like this. “ 

     “Not a great idea,” Hett said. “I heard groups who've tried to explore these mountains usually come back scared and beaten. Or they don't come back at all. Weird things happen up here. Evil things.”

     Involuntarily, Jaye shivered.  “How evil?”

     Hett waved a finger around the encampment. “Don't worry about what's out there. Whatever it is can’t be any worse than —”  Hett stopped abruptly checking the shadows for any ease-droppers. He continued in a whisper. . . “For three days I've been thinking. Then I —” 

     “Thinking?  You're thinking? Your tiny brain is going to explode.” Jaye teased. 

     “Lip it!” Hett said angrily. Then again in a whisper.  “I think Rechat was setting us up.”

     “For what?”

     “Think about it, kundu. The Blue army took off while we were still inside slashing tires.” Hett pulled the spike knife from his boot and flipped it from hand to hand.  “Those damn tires were tough. We did exactly like Rechat told us. There were six trolleys. Twenty-four tires. And those things aren't going anywhere. But if Sagra, Tyree or, . . . What's his son's name?”

     “Hanar. Talk about Shenzi. I've heard the women of Lakal beg him for a casual. Six-two, blonde —” 

     “Yeah, Hanar.” Hett continued. “Suppose any of them caught us slashing those tires. . . They would have done more than cut our nuts off.” Hett's eyes grew more intense. “Rechat didn’t care. We're fodder. We’re napped kids. He's never going to let us join the Blues. But if we go back to Lakal and Sagra or the Red Witch gets her talons on us.“ Hett ran a finger across his throat. “What I don’t get is they nap us as kids, ‘cause they’re not having enough children. Pass us around to different singles and pairings like we’re toys.  Then when were seventeen or so . . . We’re outcasts.”

      “Rechat’s no better than any of them.  He’s a tomba ta.” Hett flipped the spike knife. 

“Llike to shove this thing into his eye. He —”

     Jaye grabbed Hett's arm.  “Douse it, man. Someone hears you and we will lose our balls. . .Tonight!”

      “Yeah, yeah, kundu.  We've got to get out of here.”

     “And go where?”

     “I'm thinking about that. Maybe Tolograd or Barker Hallow. They’re big cities. We could get lost easily.”

     “Keep thinking . . . You hungry?”

     “Huh?”

     “You hungry?”

     “Yeah.

     “Me too.”

     Jaye drew a hood over his heads and slipped off the edge of the trolley. Hett followed. They separated. Hett slipped into the campfire area from one side of the circle, Jaye from the other. 

#

     At the largest campfire in the second enclave of pump trolleys, Eem joined Rechat, Ponti, and a statuesque blond woman called Buke engaged in a quiet discussion. The quartet was oblivious to the music and laughter coming from the nearby campfires.  

     “Should have joined me for a swim” Eem said drying her short black hair. She rubbed a blue cloth vigorously on her scalp then shook a few droplets of water on Rechat. 

     “Don’t do that!” Rechat said with an icy glare. “We have a problem.”

     Eem's playful demeanor vanished. She wrapped the Tineke towel around her neck and sat on a low cushion.

     “I don’t think Sagra was clever enough to purposely try to get my Blues out of Lakal. But now that we’re gone, he has full reign. Whether Krista returns on her own or Hanar or Tyree finds her before we do. . .” Rechat motioned to the mountains at his back. “I think we’re wasting our time up here. Worst. I think the Blues are getting bored with the training sessions. They are definitely working better together. They’re in better physical shape, and their marksmanship with lance and arrows has improved. But most came looking for some action.”

     “They might be asking for trouble,” the blond woman lifted her mug with a well-tattooed arm and downed the contents in a single gulp. She leaned towards Rechat.  

     “And why is that, Buke?” Rechat couldn't help enjoying the cleavage of her enormous breasts. 

     Eem caught the glance, elbowed Rechat, and received a second icy glare for her effort. 

     “Rumor is ─ even before Lakal was becoming a city ─ some religious sect came up here and no one’s seen them since.” Buke raised her empty cup. Ponti obediently rose and refilled it. “I heard there are some nasty animals that live in these mountains. Creatures that relish lava and volcanoes. Heard they terrorized a second group that tried to settle in one of the highland meadows during the ‘First Separation.” 

     “Seems we all heard the same gossip,” Eem agreed. “Maybe the stories are true.”

      “Heard they turned cannibal. Ate a few of the would-be-settlers.” Buke drew her tongue in a circle around her lips and shot Rechat a lusty smile.”

     Rechat did not return it. “This is going nowhere,” Rechat said. “For three days I've sent trolleys to explore in different directions. Not a sign of Krista or her shenzing shuttle. One more day, then we’re returning to Lakal.” Rechat rose and held out a hand to Eem. “Think I will take a swim.”

     “What do you want me to do with those two nappers?” Ponti asked.

     Rechat stopped and did a smart about-face. “What nappers?”

     “The ones you sent to rip up the pump-trolley tires.” 

     “They’re with you?”

     “Yeah, caught up with my trolley at the first steep hill. Kids were fast. Fast, but, panting. Tongues hanging out.” Ponti laughed. “Said you sent them on a special mission.  A mission they accomplished.”

     “They told you that?” Rechat asked. 

     “Yeah, I'll say this. Those kids have been working hard on the pumps. Hardly get to take a turn myself. Said they want to build up their muscles. Probably for the girls.”  Ponti laughed again and shot a grin to Buke.  She turned her head away. 

      Undaunted, Ponti continued, “Hoping for their first casual I suspect. One of them said they were supposed to ride with me till you had another mission for them.” 

     Rechat nodded. “Where are they now?”

     Ponti shrugged. “They keep to themselves mostly” Ponti pointed to the adjacent circle of pump trolleys. “Probably eating.”

     Rechat smiled and took Eem by her hand. “How about another swim?”

     Eem rose quickly. “You seem very happy.”

    “I am. . .”  Rechat looked at Eem and sneered. “Tomorrow my Blues will continue their military training with a much-needed diversion. They're going on a hunt.” 

     Halfway to the mountain lake, Buke caught up with Rechat and Eem.  Towering over Eem, Buke asked, “Mind if I join you two?”  Buke ran her hands up and down her torso.  “I feel so nasty.” 

     Rechat grinned.

     Eem did not.