Ride the Fury
Chapter one – Live the Good Life
Furiosa returned that night to their Sleep Room dirty and tired. Tempest greeted her sister and helped her to unclip her mechanical arm, hooking it up by the door and then leading her sister to their small table to eat the meagre meal that she had cooked. Furiosa waved her away sleepily but happily and started to eat the dinner. Their food consisted of a gamey meat that Tempest did not question the origin of, a leafy green vegetable and gluey mush.
"How was the Fury Road today?" Tempest asked while pulling out various oils and placing them opposite her sister. Furiosa looked up, and shrugged.
"It was only a supply run to the Bullet Farm, but there were scavengers lying in wait. Braccus led the Party today, it was his first trial to see if he would be capable of leading his own War Party in the coming months. He did well, but killed most of the scavengers, so there were only two new Blood Bags to bring back."
Tempest smiled and took note in her mind of which War Boys were in most need of a Blood Bag, although she had promised Nux that he and his boy Fevar would be close to the top of her list, there were at least fifty War Boys ahead of him. She could only guarantee a top spot in her list if the corresponding War Party brought in their own Blood Bag. Out of Furiosa's War Party, only Head Hunter needed a Blood Bag.
"When do you think he will be ready?" Tempest asked curious. Furiosa shovelled more food into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully, she swallowed and took another mouthful as she calculated in her mind.
"Not for a while yet, too gung ho for now, you know how War Boys are, wanting glorious death in chrome to reach Valhalla, the bloodier the better."
"Yes, now let me see to your arm." Tempest shuffled around the small roughhewn table, pulling the oil vials with her and set about massaging the stump of her sister's hand. The skin became irritated when Furiosa drove for a long time, the mechanical hand was heavy. Furiosa continued to eat with her good hand and watched her sister work.
"How was your day?" Furiosa asked. Tempest started to relay her day quietly, starting with the War Boys and ending with Immortan Joes wives. She felt her sister tense under her hands when the five wives were brought up. Furiosa and she had been taken with their mother from the Green Place and were set to become wives for Immortan Joe once they had reached their age of becoming. They would have been kept in luxury, never wanting for anything. Their mother however, having come from a clan of strong warrior women, had seen this as a death sentence. Knowing that Immortan Joe had chosen her daughters because of their perfection, she sought to rectify this. Their mother cut off Furiosa's hand and had tried to kill Tempest, who at that stage in her life had been given the name Serene, in opposition to her sisters energy. Their mother had almost succeeded in her quest.
Furiosa was saved by Organic Mechanics quick thinking and actions, Tempest had been saved by a War Boy, who had stuck his fingers into her neck and clamped down on her life blood. Because of their disfigurement, they were no longer viable to be a wife for Immortan Joe. Their mother was executed that same day and Furiosa once well was sent to a War Boy Party to become one of them.
Tempest however was young, smart and not as strong as her sister. She ended up following Organic Mechanic, picking up after him and carrying small knives and tubing for the man. She became his apprentice and was given the name she now carried, Tempest – for when there was an emergency, she moved about quickly, strongly and with confidence, able to save many more lives than Organic Mechanic thought possible.
Finishing her meal, Furiosa idly twirled her spoon and watched her sister's hands massage the oils into her skin.
"What did the wives want?"
Tempest looked up and shrugged her thin shoulders, "Stories of the Green Place."
Furiosa grunted and let go of her spoon, it clanked loudly in the suddenly quiet room. Tempest paused in her ministrations and looked up at her sister.
"Splendid wants to speak with you." Tempest said, her large grey eyes troubled. "Do not plan anything with them Furi, they do not understand hardness and suffering or even pain." She swallowed thickly and traced a hand over the knot or scar tissue at her throat. She was afraid that the wives would persuade her sister to do something foolish. Their lives were good and safe in the Citadel, they had food, water, shelter and safety enough in their warring empire. Her sister pulled out of her hands and stood up, her green eyes flashing with anger and tears.
"You don't know anything but this place." She accused Tempest, "but I know of the Green Place, the food and water that is freely given, laughter and love and light. The Citadel is nothing but death and greed. If we have the chance to leave we will. You know this is what I have been planning for all of our lives." Furiosa turned her back on her sister, her only hand clenching into a fist. "You will not dissuade me." Furiosa left their sleeping area tense and angry, Tempest watched her go with sadness in her heart.
"Go if you must, but do not risk your life for others." She whispered under her breath, knowing that her sister was too much of a good person to be so selfish. Her sister would save the world if she could, it was in her nature to look out for others. Sighing deeply Tempest packed away the oils for her sister's arm and took out the oils for her sister's mechanic hand, taking it from the hook she set about oiling the joints to keep it from becoming stiff and unusable.
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The wives in the end did get permission for Furiosa to visit, they were very adept in getting Immortan Joe to listen to them when they set their minds to it. Tempest accompanied her sister to the Abode, but she did not want to hear about the plans being made to leave. Instead she unloaded her bag and sat with Cheedo, the youngest wife of Immortan Joe. She began to massage the scented oils into the girl's skin, she massaged out the knots in the girls muscles. Her job as the Healer Touch to the wives of Immortan Joe was twofold. She was to make sure that they and their babies remained healthy, and she was also to provide comfort and relaxation to the girls.
History Woman had taught her about massage, it was written on the old woman's skin near her back and so Tempest had had to learn to read before she could understand what the squiggle lines meant. Her skills were greatly appreciated and with the wives happy it also meant that Immortan Joe was happy.
"No, not like that." The raised voices across the room caught the attention of Cheedo and Tempest.
"I don't know why they want to leave." Cheedo confessed to Tempest, her dark eyes scanned the room to take in the four other wives and Imperator Furiosa arguing heatedly against the far wall, where the sunlight filtered through the high windows. "It's good here."
Tempest continued to massage the dark haired girls shoulders and back while she watched her sister wave her good and about in the air to emphasise a point.
"Do you like being a wife of Immortan Joe?" Tempest asked curiously, she almost jumped when the other girl spun to stare at her.
"No, but I don't hate it either. I remember the starving, the wasting for water, I don't want that again. I also don't want to keep spreading my legs for Joe either."
Tempest ducked her head, she and her sister were never likely to be placed in the breeding pens and she was glad of it. The stories that she had heard while she tended the women who gave Mothers Milk had horrified her. The thought of the large and frightening Immortan Joe anywhere near her while vulnerable caused her to shiver in fear.
"Would you go if the others do?"
"Yes, I don't want to be alone." Cheedo then turned back to allow Tempest to continue the massage.
Her sister continued to talk with the other wives and once Tempest had finished Cheedo's relaxation she moved on to The Dag. The girl was fidgety and tightly wound and needed the relaxation, especially since she was with child. The Dag mumbled under her breath as Tempest started her massage.
"Ouch, hurt, stupid slag" The Dag grumbled, Tempest ignored her as she was far too used to the blondes personality.
"I've already told you we can't just leave now. I need to be scheduled for a long haul trip, with as little support as possible. You need to gather supplies and pack bags, Tempest needs to be free to come with us as well." Furiosa's strong voice cut off the complaints and wheedling of the wives.
"I do not want my child to grow into a warlord." Splendid said softly, her hand cradling her swelling belly. "I want to reach the Green Place before it is born."
Furiosa's eyes teared up and Tempest watched in amazement as her tough as nails sister placed a gentle hand on Splendid's belly and nodded her head in agreement.
"Pack and be ready at a moment's notice, it could be days or months before we can leave."
"The child will come in three months." Tempest said softly and lowered her eyes when the group turned to face her.
They stopped their planning after that other than a few questions about appropriate things to bring, the rest of the time was spent sharing stories with History Woman while Tempest completed the massages for the wives.
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It was a few days later that a War Party came in to Organic Mechanics Workshop bloody and crying out in pain. Usually and if possible the War Boys died a glorious and splendid chrome death, but in the event that they were not seriously injured or dying the War Boys were brought back to the Workshop for fixing up, just as their damaged vehicles were taken to the Shop below.
Tempest was surprised to see a grinning Nux holding up an injured War Party Mate, he was ignoring the blood and tears of the boy as he deposited him on the stone slab to await fixing.
"Nux, what happened?" she asked, her hands already busy wiping away blood from the War Boy lying on the slab, trying to find the damage. Nux swung around to face her and she took note of his dilated pupils and flushed cheeks.
"We were successful in our first hunt." Nux said, he was moving about erratically blue eyes wide. "Bagged a Blood Bag for Fevar, it's getting tagged now. Bagged scrap metal for the Shop and a Smooth Skin Child."
"Hold him down." Tempest requested once she was able to find the bullet wound in the War Boys leg, it hadn't hit anything vital and was largely a flesh wound, but it would keep the War Boy from raiding for the next few weeks. Nux came willingly and clamped strong hands on his War Party Mates hip and thigh to keep him from jerking away from Tempests hands.
"A Smooth Skin Child?" Tempest questioned, it was the first time she had heard of such a thing. She was startled when Nux's hand shifted from the boy below hers thigh to her hand. His pale skin contrasted to her light tan as he ran his rough fingers over the back of her hand. It was brief but startling.
"Like you, but a girl child, could be a breeder." He shrugged not really interested in what the child would be used for. Most War Boys were trained from the beginning on what to raid for and what was valuable to The Citadel. He had been very successful in his first raid.
"When is your marking ceremony?" Tempest narrowed her eyes as she twisted the metal tongs in her hand to close around the bullet still embedded in the War Boys leg, she ignored his howl of pain. Nux's blue eyes slanted sideways to watch Tempest.
"Next sun up." He said, "Can you wait until after before hooking Fevar to his Blood Bag?"
Tempest nodded, "your War Party will need to come and see us after, we have cream for healing the markings that way you can go on raids without waiting." She pulled the bullet from the wound and released it into a small metal tray with a soft plink. She then set about stitching the wound closed and packing it with a new herbal poultice that Organic Mechanic had discovered worked well in healing wounds.
"Any more of your Party need fixing?" Tempest asked as she cleaned her hands on a rag.
Nux shook his head no and bowed to her with his hands forming a triangle, he left her and his War Party Mate without another word.
Tempest helped the injured War Boy over to the alcoves where he could sit and recover with other injured War Boys, the Food Givers would bring them their rations later and make sure that those recovering would be well looked after.
"Girl, get over here." Organic Mechanics voice boomed through the Workshop and the girl hurried over to her mentor's side. The man stood surrounded by his inventions and was currently focussed on a yellow sticky paste that he had concocted. "Pick up the metal tin and hold it steady." Organic Mechanic motioned with his head and Tempest quickly did as she was told.
The yellow sticky paste was poured into the tin and once filled Tempest capped the tin closed. She handed the item to Organic Mechanic once his hands were free.
"We'll trial it when the new boys come back next sun up with their new hot markings."
Tempest bowed her head and stepped away from the man, his experiments sometimes worked and sometimes caused a great deal of damage. She had learnt in her early years as his underhand that to question him meant a severe penalty. Tempest went to check on the War Boys who were receiving their Blood Bags to make sure that the tubes were running correctly.
"Head Hunter." Tempest greeted the War Boy in her sisters Party, he was hooked up to a universal donor and siting slumped and bored against the stone wall. His Blood Bag hung from hooks in the high ceiling, limp and pale it looked like his Blood Bag was almost finished.
"Tempest Serene" the War Boy grunted at her and shifted pale blue eyes her way. "When am I free?" the question was an old one, she had become used to War Boys being frustrated with sitting still. War Boys were kept moving as much as possible, their half-life made it so. They were usually fine tuning their vehicles, or augmenting their weapons with more firepower. Tempest smiled down at the still sitting War Boy and shrugged.
"Soon, your Blood Bag's almost empty, I will come back to check on you soon."
The War Boy shrugged and settled back against the stone wall unhappily, his feet shifting in impatience.
Tempest checked on the two other War Boys getting their Blood Bags, they were all progressing nicely. Sometimes a War Boy had a bad reaction to getting a Blood Bag, their body rejected the new, clean blood and their bodies shut down and died. It had happened three times to her while working with Organic Mechanic and the gruff man had shrugged it off and told her to worry about the next boy, that it was a waste to worry about the ones already dead.
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Nux's War Party, all newly marked and branded with their victory and prowess were sitting in the Workshop and waiting for Tempest to heal them before heading off to retune their vehicles and weapons. Fevar was being treated first as he was to get his Blood Bag that day and the rest of the Party were curious to watch the process that they would all need to go through in their half-life.
"Hurry up girl, I want the Workshop with less bodies in it." Organic Mechanic growled, the grizzly man was pleased to see the wary looks that the War Boys cast his way. He continued to watch the girl hook up the young War Boy to his Blood Bag while surreptitiously checking that the burn paste was doing its intended job. He was amused to watch the War Boy shy away from Tempest and her needles, but the girl was adept in getting reluctant boys to sit still long enough for her to do her work.
Once the War Boy was hooked up to his Blood Bag she made her way over to the still waiting Party of ten War Boys. Their newly burnt markings were red and raw, the smell of cooked flesh also hung about them, but the boys took their pain well and proudly.
Working her way down the line Tempest slathered the burns with Organic Mechanics new burn paste and was pleased that the cool paste seemed to be working well. Each War Boy had a different symbols burnt into their flesh to depict their strengths and stories. Over time the burns were added to, but only after glorious battles that were acknowledged by other War Boy Leaders. The first raid is also the most important to a War Boy as it gives him his status in the army and amongst their own Party.
Tempest was not surprised when she came to Nux and his burns extended across his chest and around his back. His raid had been very successful and with no casualties in his Party in their first raid he was a very good leader. His reward was tremendous and his scaring would be a beautiful pattern.
"Tempest Serene." Nux greeted with a wide smile, she also took note of his bloodied lips, they were wounds she was not allowed to touch, the sacred marks of a War Party Leader were received on the same day as the first marking and the vertical scars they would leave were an indication of his rank.
"Nux," she said and moved behind him to continue to slather on the burn paste.
"Can you tell me the marks that I received on my back?" he asked curiously, flinching slightly at the cool feeling of the paste meeting his heated flesh. Tempest glanced sideways to see what the rest of Nux's party were doing, she wasn't surprised to see them all watching her with round eyes.
Tempest liked War Boys, they were loyal, fierce and beautiful, they also learnt quickly. She still felt regret when she thought of the two War Boys who had been killed because of her, but she could not deny that after those deaths the War Boys had treated her with great respect.
Tracing a finger over the symbol on Nux's left shoulder blade she spoke, "the symbol of fire storm, the great bringer of burning death." She moved to his right shoulder, "Armour Kings helmet as a sign of strength." Her fingers trailed down his spine, pausing at each new symbol as she named them, "Bone Crusher, Speed Demon, Sharp Knife, True Bullet and Shadow Quick." Tempest finished covering his burns with the paste and then walked back in front of Nux and his crew. "You can go now." She bowed respectfully to them, her hands forming the triangle and she was happy to see the respect returned to her from Nux's Party.
Nux however remained, his blue eyes curious, "How do you know the symbols and their meanings?" he hadn't thought before he had asked her when she was healing his burnt skin, but usually only War Boys were taught what the markings meant. Tempest smiled brightly at the War Boy as she packed away her things neatly and wiped her sticky hands on a rag.
"My sister is Imperator Furiosa. How could I not?"
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Three days later Tempest was surprised when her sister came into the Workshop and grabbed her arm, pulling her away from her work and through the corridors of The Citadel without saying a word. It wasn't until they were safely inside their sleep room that Furiosa answered her repeated questions.
"The People Eater is here," was the terse answer.
"Why?" Tempest asked in confusion.
"He wants to negotiate the food and water supply with the gas supply." Furiosa said distractedly, she was moving about their sleep room erratically, picking things up and tossing them away.
"What is wrong? Furi, stop and speak to me." Tempest grabbed her sister's hand and waited patiently until her sister calmed down enough to look at her.
"They are sending people back with the People Eater, he wants someone like Organic Mechanic to be at Gas Town."
Tempest almost fell as the words hit her. She had never been completely separated from her sister, even when Furiosa was training with the War Boys, she had come home at night and slept in their sleep room. The longest they had been apart was three days. Furiosa pushed Tempest into one of the chairs in the room and crouched before her.
"Organic Mechanic was against it, he relies on you too much, but they might try to steal you. If you disappear Immortan Joe won't bother to send anyone to get you. I need you to remain here, and stay here until the People Eater leaves next day."
"Won't they look for me here? They can bribe someone to show them." Tempest argued, she felt cold all over. Immortan Joe may not be a nice man, nor even pretty to look at but he cared for her sister and by default her as well. She made sure his wives were relaxed and calm and so they never wanted for food or water. Tempest did not think she would be treated so well anywhere else. "You can stay with be Furi."
Her sister shook her head and placed a sharp knife into her hands. "I'm to go on a raid today, I won't be back until after the night has come."
Her lips were dry as she watched her sister gather a few more things and stand at the door to their sleep room. "Cut them deep if they try to take you." Her sister then left her alone, staring at a knife she didn't know how to use.
She almost screamed when a Servitude poked his head through her doorway, she was tense and gripping the knife hard in her hands.
"Gartek the Keeper needs you, War Boys hurt in training."
Tempest let out a breath and stood slowly, gathering her spare medical bag. She placed the knife into the unused clip at her hip and followed the Servitude towards the Pits. They walked past the Shop where different War Parties were fixing up their rigs and war rides and then down further past the Gun Shed where most of the weapons were stored when not in use. They were almost to the Pits when a strong hand grabbed her slender arm and swung her back around to face a man dressed in black from head to toe, the mask hiding everything but his eyes. A warm spray of blood splashed across her face as the Servitude with her was killed brutally.
Tempest fumbled for the knife at her hip but her hand was captured in a strong crushing grip and she was pulled flush against the hard body of the People Easters Man Eater.
"Come girl, let's go for a ride."
Tempest screamed.
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TBC
