Good Intentions - Chapter 1
Jack wiped at his brow roughly. The desert, normally unbearable, had become a spanse of heated glass this afternoon. Only an hour ago sweat had dripped uncomfortably down his temple; but now, as the leather of his glove scratched across his forehead, Jack wished for the sweat to return. His dryness in this heat was a sure sign of dehydration and there was no telling how far away the nearest water supply was.
He glanced around at the rest of his crew, trying to judge their levels of endurance. Ikira rarely showed any outward signs of discomfort but, under these conditions, it was clear that his facade of indifference was losing strength. His eyes squinted tiredly, and he sat hunched over the controls of his speeder.
Ana had dismounted Babu early in the trek, knowing the strain on him was far greater than any burden the machines carried. She had walked behind at a distance, Babu overhead. But as the sun began to climb, her pace had slowed and her pet had dipped lower in his flight pattern. Finally exhausting themselves as the sun reached midday, they climbed wearily to the shoulders of the C.L.O.D. and sat miserably on its hot, metal exterior.
Aside from the fact that the tank had little ventilation, Willy, Mick, and Roselyn seemed to fair the best from inside the C.L.O.D.'s cockpit. Jack felt a twinge of resentment toward the three but shook it away. They had drawn straws. It had been decided fairly. Then again, Mick had been the one holding the straws... No, Jack told himself. Mick wouldn't cheat us on this. Besides, it's good that they're in the C.L.O.D. If we're attacked we'll need all of the muscle we can get out of it, and who operates the tank better than Mick and Willy?
"Jack?"
Snapped out of his thoughts by Xyber's voice, Jack turned slightly and regarded the spherical computer strapped across his back. "Yeah?"
"My sensors indicate that your body temperature is rising to a dangerous level. I believe you need water," Xyber said, a strange note of concern finding it's way into the statement.
Jack rolled his eyes. "No, really?" he replied.
"Yes. I've been scanning the horizon and I believe I've detected a small town. It lies approximately forty kilometers to the west."
Jack looked to his left, in the direction Xyber had indicated. He couldn't see anything beyond the sand, but he didn't doubt the robot's telescoping vision. Steering the Scout forward, he came to a stop and hovered in front of the C.L.O.D. The massive vehicle halted, jerking Ana back into consciousness.
The cockpit hatch opened and Mick hoisted himself up through the hole. "What's going on?" he yelled.
"Xyber's found a town about forty kilometers west of here. We need to stop for water before we all drop dead of sunstroke," Jack shouted back hoarsely, the dry heat straining his voice.
Mick nodded and closed the hatch over his head. In a few moments, the C.L.O.D. began rumbling forward again. With the team following, Jack turned the caravan toward the invisible city that lay somewhere ahead.
*****
From eight kilometers away, the town had finally come into view as a tiny, dark rectangle on the horizon. But as they continually neared the safe haven, it grew from a small village to a large town and finally to an immense city.
No one spoke as they came to the entrance, each feeling that it must have been a mirage. The metropolis sat on a large hill that rose much higher than the surrounding desert, although it had looked to be flush with the ground from a great distance. The buildings, a mixture of ancient and modern architecture, were domed and made of stone and mud. They were clustered together tightly along very narrow streets, which were filled with people and brightly colored tents.
Still amazed at finding such a lively city in the middle of the desert, the team left their vehicles at the bottom of the hill amidst a grouping of gigantic stones that had separated from the cliffs. More concerned with finding water than wasting time with caution, they made their way into the city.
Jack scanned the street before him in search of a well or fountain. The path was filled with people and he couldn't make out much of anything past a short distance.
Ikira tapped him on the shoulder and pointed to an old woman who was shading herself beneath a tent; she was deep in conversation with another woman, both of them weaving broad tapestries.
Jack shrugged and looked at his mentor. "A rug maker? What about her?"
"Look at what's hanging from the tent's frame, Jack."
Several large water flasks hung heavily from a bowing pole that supported the tent covering. Jack smiled and strode over to the woman.
"Excuse me, Ma'am," he began, "could you please tell me where the well is located from where you drew your water?"
The woman cocked an eyebrow at him suspiciously and leaned to one side to peer at his friends, all watching the exchange intently. She grinned in a thin line and returned her gaze to Jack's face. "I'd be happy to tell you," she said and scratched out a simple map in the sand.
Jack nodded in thanks and returned to his crewmates while the old woman leaned over to her friend with a wide grin. "Is it tourist season already?"
Jack led the team down the alley and turned into a side street that was even more narrow than the original path. The street opened up into a spacious plaza, and the most crowded section they had visited yet. A fountain, its uppermost tier tall enough to be seen over the heads of the populace, sat centerstage in the square. Relief at finding water rushed over the crew and they pushed their way through the crowd to the fountain. Mick was the first one to reach it; he plunged his hands into the clear liquid and was just bringing it back to his lips when a large hand grabbed his collar and yanked him back, splashing the water in his face.
He spun around angrily, ready to fight, but immediately withdrew his fists at the sight of the giant before him. Not as tall as Willy, but twice as wide, the man still held Mick's shirt in one hand.
"What did you do now?" Jack asked in irritation as the rest of the team reached the fountain.
"Nothing!" Mick seethed, still trying to figure out exactly what he had done.
The titan turned to Jack and shook Mick a bit. "He hasn't paid, yet."
"Paid? For what?" Jack asked, trying to imagine what Mick could have possibly stolen in the thirty seconds he'd lost sight of him.
"Water usage."
"Water! It's a public square! You don't pay for fountain privileges!" Mick yelled. The man shook his collar again and Mick grudgingly quieted.
Jack glanced around and then back at the water monger. "I don't see a sign."
"There's no need of a sign. Everyone who lives here knows how these things work," the man said, narrowing his eyes at the boy. "Which tells me you are an outsider. Outsiders must pay more."
"That's not fair!" Roselyn pushed her way to the front and pointed a finger in the man's face. "In my kingdom we have committees that prevent these kinds of dishonest business practices. You would be breaking more than a dozen laws where I come from."
The man growled and shoved her away, looking back to Jack. "What is it to be? You die of thirst or you pay a small fee."
Jack glared at the man and sighed, loosing his coin pouch from his belt. "How much?"
The water monger let go of Mick and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Five pieces of gold," he said. "Each."
"Five?" Jack shouted.
"Of course, you could always walk to the edge of town and pay about two coins each. But, personally, I wouldn't risk drinking Yaegar's water for a ton of gold. Water shouldn't be green." He smiled smugly at the team's disgust.
Gritting his teeth, Jack fished out the coins and slapped them down in the man's outstretched palm. He turned back to his crew. "Get your money's worth," he sighed.
They all approached the water basin with their various flasks and canteens. Jack glanced at each of his friends, making sure they were getting their fill, and noticed two absences.
"Guys?" he asked of the remaining group. "Where are Mick and Ikira?"
*****
I'll have the next chapter up as soon as possible! –Dalliann
Xyber Niners- http://www.geocities.com/xyber_niners/