Chapter 4
The Best Laid Plans...
P.W. 2148
Carn gathered all the Sergeants as ordered. The first seven all had nothing to report and he was beginning to worry that he was going to have nothing to report to Madar.
"Sgt. Galt, Report!" Carn snapped nervously. This was his last chance to find what it was Madar was looking for. He dreaded to think what would happen if he came back empty handed.
"Sir! I had a few strange occurrences on my train sir!" Galt stood at attention, waiting for his superior to tell him how to proceed.
"At ease Sergeant! Tell me of what occurred." Carn felt his pulse speeding up, hoping this is what he had waited for.
"Sir, One of my officers, an Officer Pax, reported that an other officer, one Officer Tulane," the contempt in his voice was clear as he said the name, "stopped a citizen from attacking him. This caught my attention as none of the passengers have ever dared to attack one of the officers under my watch. Also curious was that it was Tulane that came to his rescue. Tulane is a lay about who does nothing to help keep the citizens moral where it should be, and has even been known to defend citizens against his fellow officers. Needless to say this report came as a surprise to me, but I sent Pax on his way to complete his rounds." Galt paused there as if gathering himself for a fight, and Carn felt his heart race more. "One of the other officers found Officer Pax unconscious approximately half an hour later in the same compartment as he had reported the attack from earlier. He had suffered a blow to the temple witch had dropped him before he could see who it was that had swung at him. When asked what he had been doing before he was attacked he stated that he had gone to finish his rounds and had spotted a passenger he hadn't seen board the train. When he went to question her she had started fighting him, so he pinned her down and tried to subdue and humble her." He paused with a smirk on his face remembering exactly how he tried to humble her, "That's when he was hit. He has a large bruise over his temple and a black eye.
"The girl had disappeared. No one could find a trace of her. The train came to a stop as I was once again going over Pax's story, and Tulane came forward with a passenger he had caught trying to steal supplies from the store room. No one took much notice, he is usually back there anyway, staying out of sight so he doesn't have to do his work, and had caught others before, so we let him disembark with the woman in tow. I watched for a woman that matched Pax's description to exit the train but none fit. After everyone had gone we searched the train and found nothing. You called me in before I could officially file the report, Sir."
Carn paused and considered all he had just heard, and came to a decision. "Sgt. Galt, bring Officer Pax to me, the rest of you may return to your duties." Carn was very happy with how this was turning out. With any luck, Madar would be pleased with his work and give him a treat. Maybe one of the new Annoms that came in today....
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Iskara was stunned by all that was in this place that Tulane had brought her to. After her "talking" with his father, he had invited her to stay. Not wanting to sleep on the streets where she might be accosted at any time, she had accepted. Vash had left to run some errands and Tulane decided to take her on a tour of his childhood home. He showed her the kitchen with the brick oven, and the stove with cast iron pots and pans hanging around it. Cooking indoors was a marvel to her. She had spent most of her time living outside amongst the ruins of old buildings or under the open sky. In the settlements she had seen they had patched up the ruins to make one or two room shacks, but they had always cooked outdoors as a community. Afraid as they were of each other it was still easier to provide food for the village when everyone pitched in a little. Dwellings were only used as resting and storage areas.
He then led her around to a set of stairs that lead up to the second floor (another first). The second floor contained two bedrooms and a bathing room. Capital was the one area in all the settlements that had indoor plumbing. The bathtub was connected directly to pipes that ran hot and cold water into it and it drained out to a small garden in the back, allowing for the best use of this precious resource. Tulane showed her his mothers toiletries and showed her how to work the faucets and plug. She started undressing before he left the room, obviously not minded to maintain any modesty. He hurried out, trying to maintain control over his body.
Iskara watched him go with a mix of curiosity, amusement and regret. It was obvious he was struggling with himself about seeing her naked, but she was used to changing without any cover. With Dask she had not always had the luxury of changing in private, so she didn't think twice about disrobing in front of others. Obviously, Tulane did, and it was slightly confusing to her. She shrugged her shoulders and stepped into the tub of water. She pulled back almost immediately and gasped. The water was hot! She had only ever bathed in cold to air-warm streams and springs. She almost called to Tulane, but remembering the look on his face and his actions as she had gotten undressed, she decided to make the best of it and just make it a quick bath. She eased herself in slowly. To her surprise the hot water eased the tension of her muscles and allowed her to relax for the first time in a very long time.
After soaking for a time she decided to finish up. She looked at the soaps Tulane had left for her, picked out one and washed her hair and body with it. She then pulled the plug as Tulane had shown her and pushed the water off of her body with her hands. She rung out her hair next, then quickly dressed in some new cloths Tulane had set out for her. They were a little short on her, belonging as they did to Tulane's mother, but she decided they would do, and stepped out of the bathing room.
Tulane had just come to the top of the stairs to call her for dinner when she emerged. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her. Her hair was still wet, and trailing down in damp ringlets the color of cooling embers. His mothers dress was tight across her chest having been made for a much smaller woman of lesser proportions. She moved with a grace at odds with her height, an unconscious ease to her movements.
She glanced up and saw him. She was startled for a moment, then recalled herself and smiled at him. He shook himself out of his trance, reminding himself it was rude to stare, and managed to stammer out that dinner was ready downstairs. She looked a little confused about this but followed him willingly enough.
In the kitchen was a table with four seats. Already seated were Tulane's father, Vash, and a woman she hadn't met yet. Tulane made the introductions, naming his mother Mari. She rose from her seat and shook hands with Iskara.
"Welcome, my dear! Vash has told me all about you. Come sit and join us. It is not often we get to meet new people and I am very interested to hear news of what is happening outside of capital."
Iskara sat uneasily on the chair Tulane pulled out for her and watched as the food was removed from the pots and pans and placed on flat slabs that sat at each place. She had never seen plates before, and was curious as to why they used them. She watched Tulane closely and mimicked him, picking up on the basics of how to eat at a table.
After they had finished dinner, Vash led them back to the front room to discuss in more detail what they could do to get at Madar.
"It will not be easy, he has guards posted around him day and night. No one gets near him without his consent, and there are very few people he will allow near him."
