Darrin Drader
Explorer
Chapter 5
There Is No Hope, Part II
Today
Mali stepped through the door and closed it behind her, placed her right hand on the nape of Stone’s neck, the other around his waist, then leaned in for a deep passionate kiss. This sudden display of affection took a wide-eyed Stone by surprise, and he allowed the kiss, drinking it in. Mali slowly disengaged herself from the embrace, took a step back, and slapped Stone with all of the strength she could muster. “You bastard!” She said.
Stone put a hand to his cheek, still reeling from the kiss, but equally shocked by the slap. “I’m not sure what that was for,” he said.
“For not listening to what I had to say. For going off and trying to get yourself killed! You didn’t have to go man the outpost, and you know it,” Mali said.
Stone could see that she was visibly trembling. He moved back in and embraced her, burying her head in his shoulder. He could feel her warm tears soak through his shirt. “I couldn’t be with you and I didn’t want to stay here where I would be reminded every day of what I could never have,” he said.
Mali pulled away as a tears streaked down her face. “It wasn’t enough that you went off to get yourself killed, was it? You had to stay there long past your tour. It was like you were waiting death to come, for as long as it would take, as long as you didn’t have to put the gun to your head and pull the trigger yourself.”
“No, its not like that,” Stone said. “I wasn’t there to get myself killed. I’ve seen kids out there with a death wish. They usually don’t last very long. That wasn’t me.”
“The why didn’t you come back when you had the chance?”
“Because, I’m good at fighting. Because I wanted to stay out there and protect you from the hoards of mutants that are trying to invade. Out there, we’re fighting to keep the townships safe.” he said. “Every man matters, and without their commitment, this place could easily be overrun. I can’t allow that to happen.”
“Alexander,” she said, “I’m just glad you’re back.”
“Well, it isn’t like I’m free to have you, is it?” Stone asked.
“The Lord Mayor is kind to me,” she said, although her words sounded practiced, rehearsed.
“Yes, but would he let you leave if you wanted?” Stone asked.
“Leave?” Mali asked. “Why would I leave? He listens to me. As long as I’m here, I have power.”
Stone took a step back, as though stung. “So you’ve allowed yourself to be his whore so that you can have some level of power. What do you think will happen when he dies? Do you think you’ll inherit his power? What makes you think that one of his guards won’t assume power in his stead?”
Mali wiped away a tear. “You don’t understand how it works, do you? When he dies, one of his elite guards will take power. But each one of the guards is allowed to be with one of the women here. Whoever takes power will most likely take one of us with him.”
Stone scowled. “I should have known it would be like that here. So who else are you with? How many other men have known you like I have?”
“I don’t have to answer that,” said Mali. “That’s not a fair question. I was forced into this, and I have no control over what I’ve been forced to do.”
Stone sat down on the bed, rubbing his head. This was not the reunion he had imagined. “I’m sorry,” he said.
Mali was silent for a moment. “I don’t have to answer that, but I’m going to. Several of his guards have wanted me to be theirs, but the Lord Mayor has always left that up to the girl. I was never with anyone but him. I still love you.”
“But you’re too happy here to leave if you have the chance,” Stone sneered.
“We could run, but where would we go?” Mali asked. “Any place that doesn’t involve living in one of the townships would require us to go through the Outpost and through hostile territory. We talked about this three years ago and even you couldn’t come up with a way for us to be together.”
“Well you didn’t have to like it here!” Stone said.
“Like it? I’m a slave,” Mali said. “This isn’t a matter of liking it, it’s about making the best of it that I can.”
Stone sighed, but went silent. “You’re right. I’m sorry, this isn’t your fault. I could kill the man for what he did to us”
Mali smiled. “I wouldn’t be in too big of a hurry to do that if I were you.”
“I know,” said Stone, “But I won’t be staying for long. My grandfather had a journal that could help us unearth some weapons that could help us turn the tide against the mutants. I need the Lord mayor’s help if we’re going to go after them. That’s why I’m here.”
“I was told of your conversation,” Mali said. “Right now the Lord Mayor is leaning against helping you with this mission.”
Stone’s eyes widened, “What? That fool! I don’t understand.”
“He sees some problems with it. The first is that he’s supposed to part with some of his best trained warriors. That pretty much means that he needs to send some of his elite guards with you, and that would leave him with less protection than he’s accustomed to. He’s also afraid of what would happen if you find this place, but you either can’t get everything out or the mutants manage to overwhelm you. If that technology falls into their hands, it could be used against us. Is that a chance we should take?”
This was not good news. Stone had hoped that if nothing else, he could help put an end to this senseless conflict. “I could try and do it alone,” he said stoically.
“If he turns you down, he’ll know that you could pursue those weapons anyway and destroy his base of power. He’s much more likely to have you imprisoned or killed to avoid that possibility,” Mali said. “But all is not lost. Remember that he listens to me. I’ll go to him tonight and try to persuade him that you are his best hope of finally defeating the enemy. If he listens, he’ll give you what you’ve asked. In return, you’ll get the chance to be a hero.”
“And will there be any strings attached to this help, if he does provide it?”
Mali shrugged. “How am I to know? This is a unique situation. The only recommendation I can give is that if he makes you any kind of offer, it is far better to accept it than to turn it down.”
“I’m not sure I like what you’re getting at,” Stone said.
“Trust me,” said Mali with a smile. She moved to the bed beside Stone and began caressing his arm. “But enough talk. I’ve missed you.”
Stone wrapped her in an embrace, and kissed her hard on the lips as his hands moved across her back. He doubted that the Lord Mayor would approve of this, but how could he know what was happening here right now? They quickly succumbed to the desire that had been building for the past three years. The two of them, once ripped apart by circumstance, shared a brief encounter where they could be whole once more, if only for a brief period of time.
***
The Lord Mayor entered the dining room where they had spoken the previous day. Once again garbed in high grade armor, he returned the journal to Stone as he had promised the day before, and sat opposite the table from him. “I have considered your offer,” he said. “It sounds like a foolish endeavor, but one that could potentially bring great rewards. This conflict we have been embroiled in has been costly. While it was not something that we started, it is something that we must finish, for if we fail in this fight, everything we have worked for here will fall and this will be just another lawless region.
“Unlike many, I am old enough to remember the days before the conflict. I traveled far beyond our townships, beyond the Wildlands, and I saw a great deal of everything else beyond our region. I saw towns that have been established or rebuilt, but laws are practically nonexistent. In some cases the peace is kept by a few self appointed gunmen, while in other cases the people were utterly enslaved by whatever local warlord had taken control of the area. We are lucky to have risen to the heights we have achieved. We are lucky to have an actual economy with printed currency. We are lucky that we are able to manufacture clothing, and produce enough food for our towns, and have started studying the wisdom lost within the ancient libraries. There are too many places not so far away from here where you must fight just to get what you need to survive. It is not a pleasant world out there, and we are fortunate. Much of this has to do with the rules and guidance that I have provided, but a great deal also comes from the men who have put their lives on the line to protect what we have from the barbarians who would destroy it.
“So in light of everything, I have made the decision to grant your request. I will sanction this undertaking, despite the risks. I will send with you four of my elite guards as well as an engineer. I will place you in command of the operation, although I will give my highest ranking living guard the authority to countermand any order you may give. Is this acceptable to you?”
Stone nodded. “Thank you,” he said.
“There is one other matter,” said the Lord Mayor. “When this is over, assuming you succeed, you will be a hero among the people. Normally those who have served at the Outpost with duty and honor for the number of years you have are given the option of coming here as one of my elite guards. You have proven your bravery, and if you succeed in your mission, you will have proven your worth. I will extend the same invitation to you as well. All of this,” he said, gesturing to the finery and decadence surrounding him, “can be yours, if you choose.”
Stone’s stomach sank. Working with this man was not something that he was proud of. It was a means to an end, not an end in itself. How could he live under the same roof as the one who had destroyed his chance at happiness in life, sharing the woman he was still in love with? He forced a smile, “I’ll consider your offer.”
There Is No Hope, Part II
Today
Mali stepped through the door and closed it behind her, placed her right hand on the nape of Stone’s neck, the other around his waist, then leaned in for a deep passionate kiss. This sudden display of affection took a wide-eyed Stone by surprise, and he allowed the kiss, drinking it in. Mali slowly disengaged herself from the embrace, took a step back, and slapped Stone with all of the strength she could muster. “You bastard!” She said.
Stone put a hand to his cheek, still reeling from the kiss, but equally shocked by the slap. “I’m not sure what that was for,” he said.
“For not listening to what I had to say. For going off and trying to get yourself killed! You didn’t have to go man the outpost, and you know it,” Mali said.
Stone could see that she was visibly trembling. He moved back in and embraced her, burying her head in his shoulder. He could feel her warm tears soak through his shirt. “I couldn’t be with you and I didn’t want to stay here where I would be reminded every day of what I could never have,” he said.
Mali pulled away as a tears streaked down her face. “It wasn’t enough that you went off to get yourself killed, was it? You had to stay there long past your tour. It was like you were waiting death to come, for as long as it would take, as long as you didn’t have to put the gun to your head and pull the trigger yourself.”
“No, its not like that,” Stone said. “I wasn’t there to get myself killed. I’ve seen kids out there with a death wish. They usually don’t last very long. That wasn’t me.”
“The why didn’t you come back when you had the chance?”
“Because, I’m good at fighting. Because I wanted to stay out there and protect you from the hoards of mutants that are trying to invade. Out there, we’re fighting to keep the townships safe.” he said. “Every man matters, and without their commitment, this place could easily be overrun. I can’t allow that to happen.”
“Alexander,” she said, “I’m just glad you’re back.”
“Well, it isn’t like I’m free to have you, is it?” Stone asked.
“The Lord Mayor is kind to me,” she said, although her words sounded practiced, rehearsed.
“Yes, but would he let you leave if you wanted?” Stone asked.
“Leave?” Mali asked. “Why would I leave? He listens to me. As long as I’m here, I have power.”
Stone took a step back, as though stung. “So you’ve allowed yourself to be his whore so that you can have some level of power. What do you think will happen when he dies? Do you think you’ll inherit his power? What makes you think that one of his guards won’t assume power in his stead?”
Mali wiped away a tear. “You don’t understand how it works, do you? When he dies, one of his elite guards will take power. But each one of the guards is allowed to be with one of the women here. Whoever takes power will most likely take one of us with him.”
Stone scowled. “I should have known it would be like that here. So who else are you with? How many other men have known you like I have?”
“I don’t have to answer that,” said Mali. “That’s not a fair question. I was forced into this, and I have no control over what I’ve been forced to do.”
Stone sat down on the bed, rubbing his head. This was not the reunion he had imagined. “I’m sorry,” he said.
Mali was silent for a moment. “I don’t have to answer that, but I’m going to. Several of his guards have wanted me to be theirs, but the Lord Mayor has always left that up to the girl. I was never with anyone but him. I still love you.”
“But you’re too happy here to leave if you have the chance,” Stone sneered.
“We could run, but where would we go?” Mali asked. “Any place that doesn’t involve living in one of the townships would require us to go through the Outpost and through hostile territory. We talked about this three years ago and even you couldn’t come up with a way for us to be together.”
“Well you didn’t have to like it here!” Stone said.
“Like it? I’m a slave,” Mali said. “This isn’t a matter of liking it, it’s about making the best of it that I can.”
Stone sighed, but went silent. “You’re right. I’m sorry, this isn’t your fault. I could kill the man for what he did to us”
Mali smiled. “I wouldn’t be in too big of a hurry to do that if I were you.”
“I know,” said Stone, “But I won’t be staying for long. My grandfather had a journal that could help us unearth some weapons that could help us turn the tide against the mutants. I need the Lord mayor’s help if we’re going to go after them. That’s why I’m here.”
“I was told of your conversation,” Mali said. “Right now the Lord Mayor is leaning against helping you with this mission.”
Stone’s eyes widened, “What? That fool! I don’t understand.”
“He sees some problems with it. The first is that he’s supposed to part with some of his best trained warriors. That pretty much means that he needs to send some of his elite guards with you, and that would leave him with less protection than he’s accustomed to. He’s also afraid of what would happen if you find this place, but you either can’t get everything out or the mutants manage to overwhelm you. If that technology falls into their hands, it could be used against us. Is that a chance we should take?”
This was not good news. Stone had hoped that if nothing else, he could help put an end to this senseless conflict. “I could try and do it alone,” he said stoically.
“If he turns you down, he’ll know that you could pursue those weapons anyway and destroy his base of power. He’s much more likely to have you imprisoned or killed to avoid that possibility,” Mali said. “But all is not lost. Remember that he listens to me. I’ll go to him tonight and try to persuade him that you are his best hope of finally defeating the enemy. If he listens, he’ll give you what you’ve asked. In return, you’ll get the chance to be a hero.”
“And will there be any strings attached to this help, if he does provide it?”
Mali shrugged. “How am I to know? This is a unique situation. The only recommendation I can give is that if he makes you any kind of offer, it is far better to accept it than to turn it down.”
“I’m not sure I like what you’re getting at,” Stone said.
“Trust me,” said Mali with a smile. She moved to the bed beside Stone and began caressing his arm. “But enough talk. I’ve missed you.”
Stone wrapped her in an embrace, and kissed her hard on the lips as his hands moved across her back. He doubted that the Lord Mayor would approve of this, but how could he know what was happening here right now? They quickly succumbed to the desire that had been building for the past three years. The two of them, once ripped apart by circumstance, shared a brief encounter where they could be whole once more, if only for a brief period of time.
***
The Lord Mayor entered the dining room where they had spoken the previous day. Once again garbed in high grade armor, he returned the journal to Stone as he had promised the day before, and sat opposite the table from him. “I have considered your offer,” he said. “It sounds like a foolish endeavor, but one that could potentially bring great rewards. This conflict we have been embroiled in has been costly. While it was not something that we started, it is something that we must finish, for if we fail in this fight, everything we have worked for here will fall and this will be just another lawless region.
“Unlike many, I am old enough to remember the days before the conflict. I traveled far beyond our townships, beyond the Wildlands, and I saw a great deal of everything else beyond our region. I saw towns that have been established or rebuilt, but laws are practically nonexistent. In some cases the peace is kept by a few self appointed gunmen, while in other cases the people were utterly enslaved by whatever local warlord had taken control of the area. We are lucky to have risen to the heights we have achieved. We are lucky to have an actual economy with printed currency. We are lucky that we are able to manufacture clothing, and produce enough food for our towns, and have started studying the wisdom lost within the ancient libraries. There are too many places not so far away from here where you must fight just to get what you need to survive. It is not a pleasant world out there, and we are fortunate. Much of this has to do with the rules and guidance that I have provided, but a great deal also comes from the men who have put their lives on the line to protect what we have from the barbarians who would destroy it.
“So in light of everything, I have made the decision to grant your request. I will sanction this undertaking, despite the risks. I will send with you four of my elite guards as well as an engineer. I will place you in command of the operation, although I will give my highest ranking living guard the authority to countermand any order you may give. Is this acceptable to you?”
Stone nodded. “Thank you,” he said.
“There is one other matter,” said the Lord Mayor. “When this is over, assuming you succeed, you will be a hero among the people. Normally those who have served at the Outpost with duty and honor for the number of years you have are given the option of coming here as one of my elite guards. You have proven your bravery, and if you succeed in your mission, you will have proven your worth. I will extend the same invitation to you as well. All of this,” he said, gesturing to the finery and decadence surrounding him, “can be yours, if you choose.”
Stone’s stomach sank. Working with this man was not something that he was proud of. It was a means to an end, not an end in itself. How could he live under the same roof as the one who had destroyed his chance at happiness in life, sharing the woman he was still in love with? He forced a smile, “I’ll consider your offer.”
