Rocky Bottom Flats Saloon
The Hell Horse
It was unusual for a clansman to come to a place like the Rocky Bottom Flats Saloon. It was even more unusual to see a clansman like the one who came here a year ago. He was a retired Hell's Horses Star Captain. His name was Jolbra, and on that night he told me a story that I will never forget. Why you might ask. Why is one old man's story so important? Well because everything I am about to tell you is true, all of it happened. Right down to when… well that's in the story ahead. This story is the power of a brother's love. This is the story of the Hell Horse.
Rocky Bottom Saloon
Planet Verlo
Federated Suns
September 12th 3074
8:00 PM
Before I begin let me tell you a few things about myself. My name is Scott Lonnen. I have been living here on this planet all of my life. My parents moved here to Verlo from the other side of the Federated Suns the year that Comstar defeated the clans on Tukayyid. Although my parent's friends said that they were crazy for moving after the clan threat was removed, my parents didn't want to be near Combine or clan space when the clans were due to restart their invasion of the Inner Sphere. Then a year after they moved here I was born. I had an average childhood. I grew up like every other normal person. There was nothing special about me.
After I graduated from school I thought about leaving Verlo, but soon after graduation my dad suffered a fatal heart attack. It shook my world, and ended any chance I had at a "real" life. After he passed I decided to stay on Verlo and work. At first I did not know where, but then I remembered my dad's old friend Gus who ran the Rocky Bottom Flats Saloon. My dad was a regular at the saloon. He became very good friends with the saloon manager Gus, and when I asked Gus about possibly working there Gus couldn't have said yes any faster. The saloon is not a grandiose place. It only has six tables and three booths, and the only real thing to do besides drink in here is play pool at an old broken down pool table.
The saloon was never really a busy place. Usually only four or five patrons were ever in the saloon at one time. But sometimes there would be a large group of people that would come in at once and completely fill the place. I remember the first time that the ranch hands over at the governor's place came in and stormed the place. I was scared out of my mind, but Gus was able to keep them calm and helped me to learn the ways of the bartender. Eventually I became pretty good, and life was looking up. So I worked peacefully for three years. Then everything changed the night I met an old man.
I remember the night he came into the Saloon. He was wearing a cooling vest over a raggedy white shirt, an old pair of rugged trousers, combat boots, a cloak, and an old cowboy hat. He looked like a murderer from some kind of horror movie. I was just waiting for him to throw off the cloak and pull out two swords and begin to chop people into bits. Instead however he walked over to a table with a single chair and sat down. He situated himself and looked up towards the bar. There he sat for more than a half an hour.
I went about my business as usual. Like I said I am a pretty good bar tender. I have been known to handle a crowd of rowdy ranch hands by myself. For some reason that night however, the old man's stare had put me on edge. I could not focus on what I was doing. I even managed to spill beer all over a customer when I poured him his drink. After that particular incident my manager Gus came over to talk to me.
"Are you doing ok Scott?" he asked.
Gus always made sure that his employees were ok. He has been running the saloon for many years now. He is practically a legend on this planet, and being as tall and bulky as he is, he is a pretty big legend. He is not the kind of person to you would want to pick a fight with, but he never really got into any fights. He is the kind of man you could talk to about anything, and usually he has some kind of story or experience that makes any situation better.
"I'm doing ok Gus. It's just that old man over there. He's been staring up here for a half an hour. He hasn't ordered anything, he's just sitting there staring," I told him.
Gus looked over to the old man's table. He stared at the old man for a couple of seconds, rubbed his chin in that "I am thinking" way and looked back to me.
"That is pretty odd, and what is even odder, I haven't seen him before. I think he's a new customer. Would you like me to go over and ask him to leave?" Gus asked me.
"No that's ok, I'm gonna go over there myself. Maybe I can buy him a drink and he will quit staring," I said.
Gus nodded and went back to his business. I collected my thoughts, and after another apology to the customer I had spilled beer on I walked over to the old man's table. As I walked over I expected his gaze to follow me, instead however he just kept staring at the bar. I thought to myself, "What is this guy's problem?"
I made my way over to his table. When I got closer I noticed that he was wearing some kind of medal right over his heart. On the medal was a picture of an ugly looking horse. I couldn't tell what kind it was, but that didn't matter. I just wanted to know what this guy's deal was. Of course I wasn't going to say that to his face. After all, a bartender does have to be professional.
I stopped about two feet away from the old man. Being this close to him I could see, and smell that he hadn't bathed in a while. He was wafting some kind of horrible smell that made me gag for a second. The old man's hair was also grey, greasy, and unkempt. Maybe this guy was homeless and was just looking for a place to stay the night, but I couldn't allow that. Before I could kick him out I had to ask if he needed anything. I bent over slightly, just to make sure that he could hear me.
"Is there anything I can get you sir?" I asked.
The man did not respond, but just kept staring at the bar. I spoke again, this time a little bit louder.
"Sir, can I get you something to drink?"
Again, nothing, the old man continued to just stare at the bar. I started to get annoyed. Not only was this man creepy enough to stare at me for a half an hour, but now he was arrogant enough to just sit there and ignore me. I spoke again.
"We have plenty of different drinks sir, would you like me to bring you a menu?
No reply, the old fool just sat there staring. I couldn't take it anymore, for some reason this man was driving me nuts. If he wasn't going to say anything, then I sure as hell was going to.
"Sir if you do not order something or look away from that bar, I am going to have to ask you to leave," I said as plainly as I could.
The ignorant old man just sat there, looking up at the bar. It seemed as if nothing was going to stop this man from staring that bar to death. I had enough.
"SIR, this is your last warning! If you don't answer I will have to throw you out of this saloon!" I yelled.
The saloon became silent. No one made any noise. It was almost like mourners at a funeral. Whenever a threat was made to anyone the saloon would always be silent. The rest of the customers wanted to see what the commotion was about, and if they could get involved. Gus broke the silence by yelling.
"Ok everyone the next round is on me, come on up and I will buy you a shot."
The patrons of the Rocky Bottom Saloon all cheered and piled their way up to the bar. For a few minutes, Gus worked frantically and meticulously to make sure everyone got their drinks. During Gus's frantic serving the old man just continued to stare at the bar. My threat did not even faze him. I stood there just staring at him, wondering just what the heck he was doing here.
Eventually all of the patrons got their free drinks and went back to their conversations. Up at the bar Gus put down the towel he had been using to wash a cup with and walked over to where the old man and I were. If my smaller frame was not going to get this old man to do anything, Gus's large body surely would. Gus came over and began speaking to the old man.
"Sir is there anything we can help you with?"
This time with me and Gus standing there, the old clansmen finally broke open and said something. What he said made me and Gus jump.
"Gentlemen, I do not need any help. I am simply waiting in here until it is time for me to die," he said.
Gus and I stared at each other in bewilderment. What was this guy talking about? Waiting for his time to die? The statement had no more sense than the clothes that the old man was wearing. I piped in.
"Sir, if you want to wait for your death then wait outside. If you want a drink, then you can wait in here and drink with me, how does that sound?"
At first the old man said nothing, and I thought I was gonna have to throw him out. Then, slowly he nodded his head and I looked at Gus, who also nodded. I asked Gus to get the old man and I some drinks. Gus headed for the bar and I took a seat across from the old man. The old man began to stare right into my eyes again. It felt as if I was being judged for something. I started a conversation, hopefully trying to get the old man to stop staring and end this stupid little standoff we were having.
"So what is your name? And where are you from," I asked.
"My name is Jolbra. I am from beyond the Inner Sphere. I lived on a planet belonging to Clan Hell's Horses," he said.
Finding out he was from a clan surprised me a bit. All of the clan space lies on the other side of the Inner Sphere. It must have taken him years to get all the way to Verlo, and how he got here must have been just as mysterious.
"A clanner huh? What are you doing here so far from clan territory," I asked him.
"Yes, I served as a star captain in Clan Hell's Horses. Once my position of star captain was lost I had the option to stay on my home planet, but I was called here by………," he stopped talking.
"Called here by……?" I asked.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you boy," said Jolbra.
I stared at the old man for a second and was about to say something, but Gus came over and plopped two drinks on the table.
"So what has our friend said about himself so far?" asked Gus.
I reached for my drink and took a long gulp. The fiery alcohol felt good after trying to deal with this old fool. I set my glass down and noticed that Jolbra wasn't touching his drink at all. I guess as a clanner he never had a real drink before.
"Something wrong with the drink old timer?" I asked.
"There is nothing wrong with my drink boy. We of the clans don't poison our bodies with such substances," said the old man.
"Probably just can't hold any liquor," said Gus.
That got the old man to finally do something. He gave a Gus a stare that would melt battlemech armor. The old man picked up his cup, put it to his mouth and downed the entire drink right there. He slammed his cup down and the table and looked back to Gus. For the first time since I started my job here I saw that Gus actually look scared. The old man's gaze was one of defiance and hatred. I guess what Gus said had really offended him. I motioned to Gus to refill his cup. Maybe if we got a few more beers down the old man would start telling us why he is here in the first place. Gus got up and walked back towards the bar.
"So Jolbra, what did you say about your death waiting for you here or something?" I asked him.
"You wouldn't understand boy, and personally I don't feel like telling YOU the story," said Jolbra.
"Buddy, I have heard a lot of crazy stories from a lot of drunk people, believe me, I bet yours can't be any crazier," I said.
Boy was I wrong.
Rocky Bottom Saloon
Planet Verlo
Federated Suns
September 13th 3074
12:00 AM
I couldn't stop laughing as Jolbra slapped me on the back. I had told him a funny joke about a clansman and his sister's mother, and he couldn't stop laughing. I didn't know whether it was the fact it was midnight, the fact that we were both drunk, or the fact that I was surprised at how much fun I was actually having with this old kook.
I had been talking to the old man for hours. After he had his first drink he kept asking Gus for more. Slowly and surely, the effects of the alcohol began to wear on the old man's mind. Although it was not easy for me to keep on drinking with him, he wouldn't drink anymore unless I did. But after about six drinks I had enough. So I never swallowed any of the beer I drank after that, and to my surprise the old man never caught me. I let him drink himself into a state of complete inebriation before I asked him to tell me his crazy story. I was sure that it would work.
After the old man stopped laughing he put his cup back up to his mouth, and I followed suit. The burning effect of the alcohol didn't even faze him at all. He probably couldn't feel it anyway. He slammed his cup down onto the table and looked back to me. I stared at him. He just smiled and then stared out the door of the saloon. It was time to ask.
"So Jolbra, what was this story you were going to tell me about waiting for your death here," I asked him. "I really would like to hear about it."
Jolbra lost his drunken stare right there. His head jerked away from the door and brought his eyes straight on me. He stared at me again with the same burning eyes he had hours earlier. I was sure that my trick had been discovered. After a few seconds of being stared down though, Jolbra surprised me by smiling.
"Sure boy, I will tell you why I am here," he drunkenly said.
He put down his cup and sat back in his chair. All of the drunken stupidity I had seen only seconds before was now gone. He sat in his chair and stared at me again, just like he had before. Then, he lifted up one of his hands like he was going to strike me. I tensed up, ready to block the blow, but it never came. Instead he just slammed his hand on the table.
"Well, I don't know if you will believe me Scott, but here you go," he said to me. "A long time ago back in clan space there was a Hell Horse tradition that involved the trapping of a Circe Hell Horse. If you succeeded you were awarded with honor beyond all other honor, along with this medal," he said.
Jolbra reached up to his chest and took off the medal that I had noticed before. On it I could see the picture of a Hell Horse. It looked like a nasty beast. Its mane seemed like it was on fire and it had long sharp teeth. It was one of the most frightening animals I had ever seen. Why Jolbra would go around wearing this ugly looking beast was beyond me. I handed the medal back to him. When he took the medal his head sank. It looked like he was in some kind of internal pain, like the kind of pain when you reminisce about a bad memory. But when I looked at him with a worried gaze he straightened right back up.
"Well, long ago, I had a twin brother. His name was Mulbra. We both were born in the year 3029, and at age 19 we both graduated from our sibko with one kill each in our final trial. For seven years we served together as mechwarriors for our clan. We both missed the devastating battle of Tukkayid due to the fact that we were garrison warriors. However we were still both excellent pilots, and both of us had multiple kills credited to our names," said Jolbra.
"However neither of us carried a blood name, and we didn't serve in the elite units either. We were both just considered average mechwarriors. So together we decided that we were going to take the trial of attempting to capture a Hell Horse. If we succeeded then we could be transferred to a higher ranking unit, and have a greater chance of obtaining a blood name. However we knew that if we failed we would be outcasts, and sent to the worst unit of Clan Hell's Horses."
"What unit is that?" I asked him.
"The unit that all the failures go to, The Ninth Ring of Hell, the Iota Galaxy," he said.
"The Iota Galaxy, why is it so bad?" I asked.
"The khans needed a unit to send failures, so they created the Iota Galaxy. Being sent to that galaxy is almost as bad as death. It is the ultimate mark of shame in our clan. They are used as an unimportant garrison unit. It is shameful for any clansman to go to that unit, simply because they are considered the lowest of the low, and they never see combat," said Jolbra.
"I see, well continue on with the story," I said.
"So my brother and I had decided to take the trial," he said. "We traveled to Circe with the intentions of capturing the famous animals. The ritual required that we capture the horse without killing it. I was nervous about the ritual, but Mulbra assured me that we would be successful. The day of the ritual was abnormally hot, and we sweated through our shirts just waiting for our ritual to begin."
"We stood in the center of a large stadium. Hundreds of our fellow clansmen sat in rows above us and all around us. It was like the ancient times of Terra, when citizens would cheer on warriors. Our clan mates cheered our names that day. I remember hearing the roar of the crowd, and the searing sun on my back. Halfway up the large stadium sat a large platform that jetted out from the rest of the seats. Here the Khan of our clan watched and waited for our trials to begin. I remember the searing sun on my back as we waited. I had never been so nervous in my life," he said.
I became very intrigued with Jolbra's story. Many of the stories I had heard since I started working at the saloon were impossible, crazy, insane, or just plain boring. For some reason though, I wanted to hear Jolbra's tale. I wanted to hear him talk about his past, and for some reason, I was entranced by him.
"With me being five minutes older than my brother, I was designated to endure the trial first. My brother was removed from the stadium so he could not watch how I performed the ritual, and copy my tactics. I waited for my trial to begin in the center of the stadium. I was armed only with a lasso and a small knife. The knife was only for my protection if the horse had somehow pinned me down and was about to kill me. However if the horse died, then I would fail the trial. So I stood there, more nervous than I had ever been. Battles didn't make me as nervous as this trial was. It didn't help that the crowd began cheering my name. I turned to a large gate at the end of the stadium. Two men standing above the gate activated it. The large gate lazily heaved open and when it was fully open nothing happened. Then, far off and distant, I heard devilish roars coming out from some dark place inside the stadium," he said.
Jolbra stopped talking for a second. He leaned forward and began coughing hard. I reached forward to help him but he put his hand out to stop me. He coughed for a few more seconds and then sat up. He had to clear his throat, as if though he started getting really tired. I asked him if he wanted some water or something to drink, but he shook his head.
"I'm just getting too old for this kind of excitement. Now where was I? Oh yes," he said.
"Now a Circe Hell Horse is like something out of a child's nightmare. They have bright red and orange hair that looks like it is on fire. Their teeth are terrifying, razor sharp and very long, used for tearing their prey to pieces. Their eyes are equally frightening. They look like they could burn through metal. After a loud roar the horse charged from the innards of the stadium towards me. It ran so fast that I barely had time to dive out of the way before it ran over me. I got up and readied my lasso. The horse charged at me and I ducked again. It kept charging at me, and each time I dove out the way of its terrible rampage. On its fifth charge it did not come at me head on, but rather it ran at me a little off center. So as it passed me all I had to do was side step its ferocious attack. I seized the opportunity and threw my lasso. It flew true and wrapped itself around the horse's neck."
"However, the animal kept on running and I was pulled to the ground. It pulled me on the ground for more than thirty seconds. The sand on the ground of the stadium grated against my body, but I would not succumb to pain. Slowly and surely I pulled myself up the rope and onto the rear of the horse. Using every ounce of strength I had I pulled myself onto its back. The horse began to violently try to buck me off. Each time it landed on its back feet it felt like I was being sucker punched, but I wouldn't be thrown. After more than five minutes of bucking the horse became tired. I seized my opportunity and leaned forward. I wrapped my arms tight around the horse's neck and squeezed with all my might. The horse started to suffocate and slowly succumbed to my grasp. As it started to collapse to the ground I let go and jumped off its back. I landed with a loud thump and was temporarily knocked out. The horse fell to the ground ten feet away from me limp, but not dead. I recovered from my fall quickly and ran over to the horse. Using my lasso I tied its feet together. I finished with the rope and claimed the trial completed. The trial khan came down from his pedestal on the stadium wall and checked the horse. It was still breathing. I had completed the trial. The crowd cheered as the trial khan held up my hand. I was now considered an elite mechwarrior of Clan Hell's Horses, and I could join the ranks of the elite clansman. All of my fears were for naught. Now, it was my brother's turn."
I could barely stay in my seat. What a great story I was hearing. It wasn't like the other mundane stories I had heard in the past. This one was gripping and exciting. I still could not tell if Jolbra was telling the truth or not, but something inside of me believed that he was.
After telling how he captured his horse Jolbra could barely speak. He told me that he needed a drink and would have to use the restroom. I pointed out the bathrooms behind him and he got up. While he was gone I walked up to the bar and found Gus cleaning up the last few cups from the night's business.
"Is that old man's story as crazy as you thought?" asked Gus.
"No, is it actually quite interesting. He is telling me about how his brother and he took the trial to capture a Circe Hell Horse. I don't know if he is lying out of his ass, but it's still pretty interesting. He is in the bathroom right now," I said.
"Well, don't take too much longer. It's 12:15 and I want to go home," said Gus.
"Give me the keys Gus, I will lock up," I said.
Gus looked at me with suspicion. The saloon was his prized possession and he didn't want to leave it with a crazy old man inside of it, especially one that used to belong to a clan.
"Are you sure that you can handle him," asked Gus.
"He is an old man Gus, I just want to hear his story and then I will send him to wherever he came from. Plus, if he does get out of line, he is too old to do anything about it," I said.
Gus looked at me funny again, but sighed and reached into his pocket. He pulled out the set of keys that were inside and pulled off a large bronze key. He held up the key right to my face.
"You better hope that you can handle him, if anything happens to this bar I will fire your ass," said Gus.
I was surprised at how serious Gus was. Usually he was such a nice man, but I knew that he also had a tough side. I took the key from Gus's hand.
"Don't worry Gus I have everything under control," I said.
Gus just nodded and hung up his apron over a hook on the outside of his office door. He then walked into his office and grabbed his jacket and a box of drinks that were technically outdated according to their distributors, but still good to Gus. He walked back out into the bar and started for the front door. Before he went outside he looked back to me.
"And don't forget to turn off all the lights!" he said.
"Don't worry Gus I can take care of this place," I said.
Gus nodded and walked outside. I looked back to my table and saw that Jolbra had returned from the bathroom. I poured a couple glasses of water and headed back towards my seat. When I sat down I saw how tired Jolbra was. He seemed to be breathing very heavily, and I wondered if he was ok. Again I was about to see if he was ok, but he straightened up as soon as I opened my mouth.
"So where were we?" asked Jolbra.
"You had just captured your horse, and now it was your brother's turn," I said.
I handed Jolbra a cup of water and he thanked me. He took the glass and downed the entire cup in a matter of seconds. I was surprised that the old man could still put fluids in his body after all the beer he had drunk, but then again he was a clanner.
"So let's continue huh?" he said. "It was now my brother's turn for the trial. I was allowed to watch because I was already finished. I was kept under very careful guard though so that I wouldn't be suspected of trying to give my brother hints. I would not give my brother hints though. Although we were family, it was our honor that we should try to complete the trial on our own. Any honor we won would be enjoyed by the brother that won it, and shame would be the burden of the brother that earned it. My brother stood in the center of the stadium just as I did. The crowd cheered him as they had cheered me. The sun was now starting to set and my brother cast a long shadow as he waited for his trial to begin. With the crowd cheering he turned to face the gate just like I had. The two gate keepers opened the gate and again at first nothing happened. Then the devilish cries of a new horse rang out of the stadium. In a flash a new horse bolted out into the stadium. This horse looked especially vicious. It was bigger and faster than the horse I had caught, and it looked angrier than 3 dozen bull dogs."
"The horse charged at my brother, but instead of being afraid like I was my brother just simply side-stepped its fierce charge. If anyone in the crowd blinked they missed my brother dodging the beast. It was that fast. The horse ran past my brother and circled around for another pass, but as it charged again my brother just side-stepped its ferocious attack. Again and again he dodged the horse. My brother seemed to be waiting for the right moment. He kept his lasso cocked in his right hand just waiting for the perfect pass."
"After another miss by the horse it ran past my brother and reared on its hind legs. My brother sprang into action like a missile. His lasso shot out of his hand and caught the horse around the neck. The lasso wrapped around the animals throat and my brother jerked on it hard. He pulled the horse to the ground with a loud thud! He quickly ran over to the horse and tied its feet together like I had done."
"My brother declared the ritual completed and the trial khan came down from his pedestal to inspect the animal. My brother had not only completed the trial, but had done it a lot smoother than I had done, or so I thought. As the trial khan came up to the horse it sprang to life and kicked its way out of the ropes. It threw off the trial khan and lunged for my brother. It landed on top of him, seemingly crushing him with its weight. I attempted to go help him, breaking the pact we had of earning trial our own honor, but the guards grabbed me. The horse lay on top of my brother, using its front two hooves to bat at him while it pinned him down with its stomach. My brother grabbed one of its hooves in desperation to get the horse off, but the horse brought up his head and was about to smash my brother with its massive head and sharp teeth. My brother had no choice. He reached for small knife on his side, and as the horse began its deadly smash my brother stabbed it in the neck, causing the horse to jerk its head so hard that it broke its own neck. My brother pushed the animal off of him and stood up. The now dead animal lay limp in front of him. He looked shocked and horrified. No one in the crowd spoke. The trial had seemed over. It seemed as if my brother would join me in the elite ranks of the clan, but he would not," said Jolbra.
I couldn't believe it. Jolbra's brother had completed the trial so easily, but then to have victory snatched away as soon as it had come. It seemed impossible to me. I looked at Jolbra to see him reach up and wipe a single grey tear from his eye. Telling the story was obviously painful for him. I didn't want to be the cause of any more pain for him. I had gotten him drunk and tricked him into telling the story of how his brother had failed the most important trial of his life. I was pissed at myself. I didn't want to be the cause of any more pain for this man.
"Jolbra, you don't have to tell me anymore," I said.
"No lad, I will finish the story. Besides I haven't even answered your question of why I am here," said Jolbra.
"You don't have to if you don't want," I said. "I can tell that it is obviously painful for you, and I'm sure your brother would hate it if you told his story to someone like me," I said.
What happened next shocked me. Instead of saying that I was right Jolbra started laughing! How could he laugh at his brother's shame? I thought honor was important to him? I thought that honor was the most important thing to a member of any clan. Jolbra quit laughing and looked at me like I was crazy.
"Well you see," he said. "Hey I never got your name, what is it?"
"My name is Scott Lonnen," I said. "How can you laugh at your brother's shame? What about his honor?" I asked.
"Well there is not much that he can do about it Scott for you see my brother has been dead since the day I got this medal," he said.
I looked at him in shock, I was speechless, and once again he started laughing. I opened my mouth but Jolbra stopped me.
"You should have let me finish the story Scott," he said. "Now, no more stops or interruptions ok?"
I nodded my head and closed my mouth.
"Alright, now my brother's horse was dead. My brother hadn't completely failed the trial however. The trial khan said that he had caught the horse long enough for the trial to be almost declared over, but when it broke free the trial restarted. So the trial khan decided that my brother would not automatically be sent to the Iota Galaxy. However, when any person fails the trial, they have to receive the Mark of Hell. So three days later the ceremony of me receiving the Mark of the Horse, and my brother receiving the Mark of Hell commenced. During the three days I was not allowed to talk to my brother. Any warrior who fails the trial is considered dirt in the eyes of any person, especially an elite warrior such as me. As a warrior I did not feel sorry for my brother. He had failed and would receive what a failure deserved. As a brother however I felt deep regret for him," Jolbra said.
"The ceremony was held in the same stadium where our trials had occurred. My brother and I found ourselves again at the bottom of the stadium. Thousands of faces looked down to us and the trial khan that would present my award, and my brother's punishment. There were two small square pyramids set up in the middle of the stadium. Atop one pyramid was a small table with a small box set on it. Atop the other pyramid sat a set of stocks, a fire, and a long piece of metal sitting inside the fire. This was the instrument with which the trial khan would award my brother with the Mark of Hell. My brother and I were led to the gate that our horses charged out of. I was allowed to walk alone, while my brother was bound in chains and forced along by a large foul smelling man. We stopped at the entrance to the stadium, while the trial khan spoke to the crowd. I looked down at my brother and watched his misery with both uncaring and caring eyes. I felt no remorse for him, but also felt his misery. The only thing I did for my brother was rest my hand on his back for a mere moment, just to show him that I still cared. My brother looked at me with eyes full of despair and pain. I could not bring myself to look at him again."
Jolbra stopped for a moment to collect himself. More solid grey tears leaked out of his eyes as he reached for a handkerchief stowed away in his pocket. I felt so sorry for him, and I didn't want him to hurt himself anymore. I tried to speak but Jolbra just put out his hand and continued.
"I was told to go in first. The crowd cheered my name as I walked to meet with the trial khan. Thousands of people cheering my name just like they had on the day of my trial. This was the honor that I had been looking for, but it came at a terrible price. Our clan was not one for long ceremonies. All that took place was I walked to the top of the small square pyramid. I knelt in front of the trial khan and after a short speech to the crowd about honor and accomplishment, he pinned this medal onto my chest. I stood up to the crowd cheering again. I felt total elation as I heard the crowd roaring my name and the heaviness of the medal now hanging next to my heart. I was an elite warrior, a warrior that could leave his mark on clan Hell Horse's for the rest of time. But now once again, it was now my brother's turn."
"The man guarding my brother gave Mulbra a hard kick in the back and knocked him into the stadium. Mulbra was greeted by a crowd that was more hostile than a pack of wolves. My brother began a long walk of shame up to the second square pyramid, only fifty feet from me. I watched as the trial khan grabbed my brother and forcefully threw him into the stocks and closed them around his neck. They closed around my brother with a loud clank, and Mulbra let his body go limp. He had accepted that this was his fate. I watched as the khan took out the metal prod from the fire, and saw that the end of it glowed red hot. The prod would give my brother the mark of hell, the worst thing any member of our clan could fear to receive. The trial khan held up the prod to the entire crowd, which let out a sickening cheer. The man that led my brother into the stadium ripped open the back of Mulbra's shirt. Then with the crowd's cheers, the trial khan slammed the prod onto the back of my brother. I could hear Mulbra's sizzling flesh from my pyramid as the Mark of Hell was burned into him forever. My brother yelled out in pain as the metal burned into his skin, forever taking away his honor. The khan held the prod there for several seconds and then lifted it off. The mark of hell securely burned onto its victim. My brother lay limp for a few moments as the trial khan threw the prod back into the fire and walked off the platform. The man that had led my brother into the stadium released the stocks," he said.
"Then so many events happened in just a few seconds. My brother jumped to his feet and kicked the man in the stomach hard. Sending the big man flying off the pyramid to the ground below. Then my brother reached down and pulled a small saber from inside his right boot. I didn't know how he had gotten that saber into the stadium, but he somehow had gotten it past all of the guards that watched him. Mulbra took the saber and held it high for the entire crowd to see. He let out a ferocious yell. He wanted to show the crowd that he still had some of his honor left."
"RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" yelled Jolbra. He actually stood out of his seat and yelled. I was lucky that there was no one else in the saloon. Otherwise Gus might have kicked him out after that show.
"I immediately knew my brother's intentions and I yelled out to him, but it was too late. My brother could not dare to live with the shame he had brought on himself, and with an act of shame and defiance he took the saber and stabbed himself in the stomach. I couldn't move on my pyramid as my brother died little more than fifty feet away. As Mulbra keeled over I noticed the blade stuck straight out his back. Right through the mark of hell he had just received. My brother had freed himself from his dishonor, and left me, my clan, and the world behind."
After Jolbra finished the story, he began crying profusely. I had guessed that he hadn't told this story in many years, but it was still causing him pain. Tears flowed out of Jolbra's eyes, and to my surprise I felt a few tears leak out of mine as well. I got up out of my chair and walked over to Jolbra. Leaning down I hugged him like he was my father. At first Jolbra resisted my embrace, but then slowly succumb to it. It felt as if I was hugging my father again. Somehow I knew that my father was watching me hug this old man from heaven, and that he was proud of me for doing so.
I let go and walked to the bar to get me and Jolbra some water. I grabbed two glasses and filled them with water from the sink. I brought them back to our table and sat back in my chair. Jolbra took his glass of water from my hand and drank it quickly. I too drank my glass quickly and both of us placed our cups back on the table. After drinking his water Jolbra stared at me for a few more seconds. I thought about all that had happened tonight. Then I realized that my very first question was still unanswered. Jolbra had said that he was here to wait for his death. What did he mean by that? Then it came to me. He was here to find his death, and now he was gonna find death on his own. Jolbra was going to kill himself. I had to talk him out of it.
"I'm very sorry for you Jolbra. No one should lose someone like that, but that doesn't mean that you should take your own life. It would only show that your grief has finally made you succumb. Instead of living your life in his honor you will be giving up," I said.
"I DID LIVE MY LIFE IN HIS HONOR!!!!" Jolbra yelled. "I HAVE NO INTENTION OF TAKING MY LIFE!!!! HOW DARE YOU!!!"
Jolbra looked at me with eyes of fury, with eyes that burned through me. I thought that he was going to attack me for what I had said. From the looks he was giving, I thought that if I even tried to move I would wind up with a broken neck. Then the miraculous happened. Jolbra's eyes lost the fire, and he settled back into his chair. He looked at me, and then let out a subtle laugh.
"Who said I was done with the story?" he said.
I couldn't believe it, what more could there be to tell?
"But, isn't that it?" I asked him. "Your brother killed himself because of his shame. That's the whole reason you're here, is to get away from that memory. First you had to tell the story to someone though. Just so that no one forgot it. Isn't that it?" I said.
"Oh no son, I did not come here to run. I came here to die just like I said before. Why you might ask? Well, because my brother told me to," Jolbra said.
I looked at Jolbra like he was crazy. All I thought that I knew about him went to shambles. How can he say that his dead brother came back and told him to die? I started to doubt whether his story was true or not. It felt like it was, but now his story took a nasty turn to loony town. It made no sense.
"What are you talking about Jolbra?" I asked. "You are saying that your dead brother came back from the dead and told you to come here."
Jolbra looked at me with a quirky smile and just laughed.
"Precisely son, but like I said I'm not finished with the story. Let me finish with this so I can calm your troubled mind," Jolbra said.
"Jolbra this is crazy. No one can come back from the dead. Do you really expect me to believe this?" I said.
"Listen Scott, everything will make sense when I'm through with the story. Will you allow me to finish. Then you can decide for yourself whether or not I am lying," Jolbra said.
I decided that I had better listen to what more Jolbra had to say. It was one o'clock in the morning, and I had listened this far. Why not go to the end?
"Alright Jolbra, I will listen to the rest," I said.
"Thank you," said Jolbra.
"Well immediately after my brother killed himself I was ordered to serve as a mechwarrior in the Alpha Galaxy of Clan Hell's Horses. I didn't even get a chance to attend my brother's ritual passing into the other world. I served as a star captain of the 2nd binary of the 115th Alpha Cluster. I was given a top of the line Warhawk, a very powerful assault mech. For many years I led my stars with honor and integrity. Many times did we vanquish our enemy and obtain victory for our clan. That all changed however in an engagement with Clan Ghost Bear," he said.
"We were on a distant planet in Hell Horse space. The Ghost Bears had the gall to attack one of our planets. They attacked with such force however that at first our defenses were overwhelmed. My stars were refitting there from a previous engagement, just in time to watch Ghost Bear dropships come planet side. My forces were deployed with the rest of the garrison troops to push back the Ghost Bear invaders. After a furious battle our defense forces were eventually defeated and began to retreat, my stars included. It was a running firefight. I was with my assault star as I retreated inside my Warhawk. My starmates and I were being hit by more than a company of Ghost Bear battlemechs. We were attempting to retreat to a fallback point where all remaining Hell Horse forces were going to drive at the Ghost Bear forces in one deadly punch. My star and I retreated towards friendly forces by following a river that ran parallel with us on our left. The area around us was all hills, with the river running through the lowest areas. It made ambush easy for our enemies," said Jolbra.
"As we retreated each one of my starmates were taken down, and I became the last mech standing. I continued falling back in my Warhawk, the rally point only another mile behind me. I thought that I would make it back, but my radar screen picked up a new target. On a high hill to my right a large Dire Wolf came walking onto the field. The massive mech opened with a series of lasers and auto cannon shots. The weaponry pummeled my mech into submission. After having already been heavily damaged my Warhawk was no match for this new foe. My Warhawk fell straight backwards. It landed with a loud crash against the hard earth, its arms pointing towards heaven. I unbuckled from my command couch and looked out my cockpit window, which was now a skylight. I could see five enemy mechs and the massive Dire Wolf coming towards me. I knew that my death was near. Then, I saw it."
Saying that caught my attention. I hoped that Jolbra was going to explain what he meant about his brother coming back from the dead.
"What, you saw what Jolbra?" I asked.
"I looked out of my cockpit, and on the opposite shore there stood a fiery being. It had four legs and looked like a child's worst nightmare. I could see its fiery mane blowing in the wind. On the opposite shore, staring directly at me, was a Circe Hell Horse. I couldn't believe it. We were not anywhere near Circe. There was no reason for that animal to be here. I stared at it for a few seconds, and was startled when the animal reared on its hind legs. It let out a massive roar that I could hear even inside my cockpit," Jolbra said.
"Then it came crashed down onto its fiery hooves and charged straight through the river and onto my shore. Then it stood by my mech for a few seconds. I could see the full figure of the frightening animal. It stared at me for a few seconds, almost as if the animal knew me. Then it looked at my incoming enemies. What was it thinking? A horse was no match for a mech. Then the horse waved its head in the direction of my enemies at it took off running towards them. The animal was crazy! How could it take on a 100 ton machine? I watched it run towards the Ghost Bear mechs, and saw that the Bears were not even confused by the animal. It was almost as if they didn't see it. I realized that I had to do something. The Bear mechs were going to kill the horse, and I was sworn as a member of Clan Hell's Horses to protect it. I strapped myself back into my command couch and used all of my strength to pull my Warhawk back to its feet. When I did I looked down to see that the horse was nowhere to be found! It had vanished somewhere in the enemy mechs. I let out a terrible yell over my radio."
"RRRRRRRRRRRHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA," yelled Jolbra. He stood up again like he had before and belted out whatever voice he had left in him. He continued the story in a raspy voice.
"Then, to my total astonishment the Ghost Bear mechs stopped advancing on me. What were they afraid of? Then I heard more shouts on my radio, only they were coming from behind me. I turned my Warhawk around to see that a full company of my fellow mechwarriors had come to my aid. They ran full tilt at the Bear mechs, engaging with the enemy at nearly point blank range. I too joined in the fight, and together we defeated the Ghost Bears. Later that night the Ghost Bears went off planet, and the Hell's Horses had won. After the battle I told a few men the story about the Hell Horse, and how it had charged at the enemy mechs. No one believed me. They thought that in the heat of battle I was simply just hallucinating. I decided that they were right, and that I had only imagined the beast. But then only three months later I saw the same horse again at another battle that was being lost. After seeing it our clan was able to defeat our enemies. Then fourth months later I saw it at another battle. I soon began to realize that I was not hallucinating and that something or someone was helping me from another realm. It would be many years after I retired from being a mechwarrior that I found out who the horse really was," Jolbra said.
"It was your brother right?" I said.
"Yes, it was my brother. But let's not get ahead of ourselves," said Jolbra.
"Sorry I interrupted, please continue," I said.
"Over the fourteen years that I served as a star captain I saw the vision of the Hell Horse more than ten times. Each time it helped me to overcome an assured defeat. Then when I turned 40 I was challenged by a younger clansman for my position of star captain. I of course had no choice but to fight the young man. I lost that challenge, and my service to the clan was over. I was retired from service. Before long I was asked to become an instructor at a sibko. Of course I would have accepted, but one night about a month after that, the horse that had been helping me for all those years came to me in a dream. I was standing next to the river where it had first appeared to me. The horse stood right in front of me. Its fiery mane seemed to float in a strong wind. Its face looked deadly, and this horse looked particularly mean. For the first time I realized that this was the horse that had caused my brother to fail his trial. It was the horse that he killed. I braced myself for a fight with the beast. Then something strange happened. The horse started to change shape. Its front hooves began to grow shorter. Its mane and tail began to shrink in. Its whole body started to become straighter and shorter. Soon it took the shape of a man. Then, soon I was able to recognize the man it became. It formed into my brother. I was seeing Mulbra for the first time in fourteen years. I hugged my brother and told him how I missed him. It was then that my brother told me to come to this planet. It was then he told me that it was my time to die. So I left clan space, and for five years I traveled in space to get here. All the time knowing that when I reached my destination that I was going to die. That, young Scott is why I am here. Now, it is time for me to go."
What? I couldn't believe it. He had just spent the last few hours telling me this story and he had to go. I wanted to know more. More about this horse and why he believes that his dead brother is telling him to die.
"Wait Jolbra! You can't go. There has to be more to this story," I said.
"No, that is about all of it," Jolbra said.
I sat dumbfounded. Was this story real? It couldn't be, but then why did I feel like it was?
"But, what happens now?" I asked.
"Now Scott, it is time for me to go. It has been an honor to meet you and to tell you this story. If you wish, you may share it with anyone. I only hope that time will not forget me. Take care young Scott. I hope that you find honor and happiness in all your life," he said.
"Jolbra wait!" I said.
It was too late. Jolbra had already put on his cooling vest and his crazy cowboy hat and walked out of the Rocky Bottom Flats Saloon. He left me there standing and wondering about all that I had heard. Was he really telling the truth? Did the ghost of his dead brother really come back and save him from a horrible death? Or was the story I heard all made up? Was Jolbra really an ex-clanner? I looked at the clock hanging above the bar. It read 1:30 am. I had spent more than five hours with Jolbra, but I still didn't know what to believe.
Multiple questions ran through my head as I walked home that night. I had made sure to do everything that Gus told me to do when closing up the Saloon, including shutting off all the lights. I looked up as I walked home that night. The stars were out shining like dozens of tiny diamonds in the sky. I wondered which one Jolbra was from. Was he really from a clan? I didn't know. All I knew at that point was that I had spent five hours with an old man talking about his dead brother. It was quite a way to spend an evening, but something inside of me made me think that he was telling the truth. That he really had been a member of Clan Hell's Horses, and that his long dead brother did really come back as one of the most feared creatures in the galaxy to help him. I stopped gazing at the stairs and continued walking back to my home, my little slice of this planet. My mother was probably fast asleep by then, and I would have to be quiet when I got home. A far away noise sent me looking to the west. It sounded like some kind of animal roaring and yelling. I squinted and thought that I saw a reddish fire looking haze on the horizon, but after a quick blink and rub of me eyes it was gone. I simply dismissed my hallucination and kept on walking home.
As I slept that night I dreamed about two Circe Hell Horses running together, finally reunited after years of being apart. Like two brothers who hadn't been together for fourteen years.
Rocky Bottom Saloon
Planet Verlo
Federated Suns
September 13th 3074
6:00 PM
I walked to work the next night still thinking about what Jolbra had told me the night before. I still didn't know whether he was telling the truth or not. The story was simply too unbelievable. How could a dead brother return to you from the dead and tell you that it was your time to die? It simply just wasn't possible, but then why do I feel like everything he said to me was true. I tried to just dismiss my feelings and thoughts about the night before. I thought I if dwelled on them too much I'd start spilling drinks again. Although I still remembered the way that he looked after telling of his brother's death. How sad he had looked, and the fire he had in his eyes after I told him about not living his life in honor of his brother. Still, that could all have been an act, and I approached the Rocky Bottom Flats Saloon wondering if it was.
As I approached the saloon I could see Gus standing outside the big double doors. That was odd because Gus never left the saloon while it was open. As I got a little closer I could see that Gus was holding a newspaper in his hands. Even from my distance I could see Gus's eyes frantically reading the page, as if the world had been invaded or something. When I reached about ten feet in front of the bar I accidentally kicked a rock and it went flying into the wooden steps of the saloon and made a loud clunk. Gus immediately looked up from his newspaper and gasped when he saw me.
"Oh my god Scott it's you!" Gus said.
"Yes Gus, it is me. Surprised?" I said back to him. But Gus had an honest reason to be surprised.
"Oh my god Scott, he's dead, that old man, he's dead!" Gus said.
"WHAT!" I yelled in disbelief. I snatched the paper out of Gus's hands. I opened up to the second page to find printed in bold black ink.
Unknown Man Found Dead Outside Of Town
This morning local authorities recovered the body of an unidentified man lying in a field ten miles outside Rocky Bottom Flats. The man had no identification on him except for a medal located on his upper right chest. The man looked to be a part of a clan due to his muscular build and tall stature. Authorities are asking that anyone with information about this man to please report to Sheriff Chesick of the Rocky Bottom police force. The unidentified man appeared to have died of natural causes. A coroner's report will determine the cause of death. The authorities also found a set of hoof prints that led to the man. They also found a second set of hoof prints that continued along with the first that led west away from the body. Police suspect that some wild animals had simply discovered the man's body first before authorities.
I stood on the porch of the Rocky Bottom Flats Saloon speechless. Jolbra had told the truth, all of it! His story was real! He had died just like he said he would. I would have never believed it before, but this proved it. Gus and I stared at each other for a whole minute before I asked him for the night off to go talk to the sheriff. Gus just nodded his head. Before I could get up and leave though, I suddenly burst into tears. I didn't know why, but right there in front of Gus and all of Verlo I broke down crying. I had only known Jolbra for one night, and yet he had left such an impact on me. I sat on the porch crying, and Gus came up to me and hugged me, like a father.
Later that night I told the sheriff about Jolbra and his story, but I was simply laughed at. No one believed the story of the clanner whose dead brother came back as a ferocious horse to help him in dire situations, and who also had brought Jolbra here to die. A couple of days later the coroner's report said that Jolbra had died of a sudden heart attack, but that there was almost no visible trauma anywhere on his body. The sheriff just dismissed the case after it was confirmed that Jolbra had died on his own and not from foul play. His body was buried in the Rocky Bottom Cemetery. I was the only person who attended his funeral.
Eventually I learned to deal with the fact that no one believed me, although it did not matter. I knew that the legend of the hell horse was, and still is true. And I am fulfilling Jolbra's final wish. Anytime anyone asks me to tell them a story that will help pass the time. I tell them the story of a clansman named Jolbra. How he lost his brother in an honorable trial, and how Jolbra lived his life in honor of his brother. I tell them the story…of the Hell Horse.