Horse Sense
Morning came bright and early, and with a commotion. Zach, Doc and Waldo headed to the top of the stairs to see what was going on.
"It's awful, it's awful!" A blue alien wailed. "Another man killed by the evil one! WAHH!"
"Oh, stop it, the robo-horse isn't evil!" Housou (Firebird) snapped.
"This is the second man it's killed, and you still argue it's innocence?" Winslow looked at her.
"That horse saved my life. Why would a horse programmed to be a killer save someone?" She crossed her arms, scowling.
"I want someone to relieve Sheriff Wolfe and Hunter immediately. We can't take anymore chances, and I want a posse ready by this afternoon. It's like one of you humans rabid animals. It has to be destroyed." No one paid any attention to the stubborn set of Housou's mouth. Nor did they pay any attention to her when she slipped away.
"Excuse me Winslow, but what's going on?"
"A robotic horse belonging to a prospector friend of mine has turned wild. It killed it's owner by striking out with it's hooves, and now seems eager to keep on killing." Winslow sighed, staring at his legs.
"Why does Housou claim that it's innocent?"
"A week ago she went on a trail ride, she was alone, and her horse broke it's leg. It was a bad day for her, the radio she had been giving had corrupted batteries, and died as she was trying to contact someone. We have a couple Ravines, and she came to close to one in the dark, and slipped. She claims Inferno, the horse, came to her aid, and gave her a ride to the edge of the woods, near the town."
"Would she lie?"
"No, but no one's willing to listen that a horse that killed two men was willing to save a woman." He sighed, "I'd like to believe her, but it was more than likely some other horse, and she just thought it was Inferno."
"Would you be willing to join the posse?" A young alien boy looked up, curious. "I can find a few horses for you."
"I'll decline." Waldo moved to go to breakfast.
"We have horses . . . perhaps we should go get them."
"Well Doc, what do you think? Robotic horse gone mad?" They were fixing the gear on their horses.
"I know you believe it." Doc looked at him. "You still don't trust technology."
"Ironic for a half machine?" He finished with his horse.
"Technology did save your life. Where are you going?"
"I'm going to look at the body. You're going to talk with Ms. Housou, and make sure she doesn't get killed." Zach met Doc's eyes. "I have a hunch our headstrong heroine is going to try and get to the horse first. You and I are going to help her."
Firebird scowled as she finished tacking one of the spare horses. Unlike Bloodmoon, Mystic and Hunter, she hadn't been able to find a horse she liked well enough to buy.
"You know, Hunter is going to kill you if he finds out where you're going." Bloodmoon finishd tacking his black robotic horse.
"I could care less, that horse is innocent. I'm going to prove it." She mounted. "So either help me or stay out of my way. Hyah!" She rode out of the stable.
"You know, it's not a good idea for a young lady to go riding by herself." Doc quipped as they caught up.
"What do you want?"
"Help you catch Inferno before he gets destroyed. I take it this was the 'him' Hunter was talking about?" Zach looked at her.
"Yes." She nodded.
"Where are we starting?"
The ride would have been more relaxful, if they weren't searching for a horse that had gone wild. The forest was amazing. All the leaves were a deep brilliant green, and the way the sunlight shone was beautiful.
"Good vacation spot."
"It has it's bad points too." Firebird glanced over at Zach. She'd have been an idiot not to have recognized his picture from the files, she had even confirmed it with Leo. "Keep an eye out for rock snakes."
"Like that one?" Doc blinked as a large snake made from rock reared up.
"Yeah. Like that." She scowled as her horse tried to run. "When I find who decided to make these things more like the real thing . . ." The Snake struck the ground where she had been a second before. It's head twisted and knocked her out of the saddle. "Ungh!"
"Try biting this." Zach powered up and blasted the snake's head.
"Mama definetly didn't teach her little boy to wrangle with giant snakes." Doc stared at it, a green liquid, the snake's blood, leaked out.
"Are you alright?" Zach dismounted. Firebird winched as she tried to move her leg.
"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just my leg."
"Alright if I check it?"
"Yeah . . . It's more below my knee than anything." Zach nodded, before gently checking to see if anything was out of place.
"Well, nothing's broken or out of place. Do you normally have leg trouble?"
"Yeah . . . I think I had an accident . . . or maybe when I lost my memory I damaged my leg . . . I'm not quite sure." She winced again as he hit a bruise. He checked her ankle before pulling back.
"Where exactly are we going, anyway?"
"I found where Inferno's been making his den." She accepted Doc's help up. "Not far now."
"I've heard that one before." Doc muttered. They rounded a bend, and found a cave, just big enough for a horse. "Why did Inferno go wild?"
"Jake Marshall- His owner- liked to tinker with things. You know how the horses are programmed to obey, with the only time they actually think is to compute a jump?"
"Yes, most of them are like that." Doc glanced at his.
"Well, he decided to give Inferno a personality. And Jake had some . . . issues." She glanced up ahead. "He . . . he liked really dark stuff . . . and near the end, he got pretty violent, especially to women."
"So everyone thinks that he gave the horse his personality as well?"
"Yeah . . . but I talked to Jake. He was dark and violent, sure, but . . . he could be nice, too. Especially with me, cause I was the only one who talked with him. He said he programmed Inferno to be his guardian."
"He could have lied."
"Maybe. But he never lied to me before." She tied her horse loosely to a rock. "I don't care, really. But I'd like to find out which way the scales are balanced in this."
"I could check it out from here." Doc held up his CDU.
"Uh-huh, you boys stay back unless Inferno attacks." She moved forward. "I don't want him to spook."
"This is a bad idea." Doc muttered, but agreed.
"Inferno?" Firebird moved forward, calling the horse's name. "Inferno, it's Birdie . . . I want to help you, okay?" Something moved in the cave, and came forward.
"Well . . . looks like he didn't stop at reprogramming it." The horse was red, with a black light on the front, black mane and tail, both tinged with red, and there was black on it's legs, that came up to be flames just before they connected to its body.
"Bir . . . die?" the voice was masculine.
"It needs to be repaired . . ." Inferno had quite a few dents. Doc watched it shift.
"Yes Inferno, it's Birdie . . . what happened to you?" The horse trotted up to her.
" . . . Jake's gone."
"I know Inferno. I know. Do you remember what happened?" She hugged it's neck.
"Found Jake dead. He'd gotten out of sensor range." Zach glanced at Doc. "He had been yelling again. I went to pull him out of the fight . . . I found him dead."
"It's okay, Inferno, It'll be okay."
"They said I killed him. Did I?"
"Can I see your right front hoof?" Zach came forward. Inferno jerked, looking at him.
"It's okay Inferno, he's a friend. He's trying to help me find out what really happened to Jake."
"Only Birdie touches me. She stayed on as long as Jake."
"What?"
"Inferno's a former Rodeo horse. Jake was the only rider that stayed on him, so he got to keep him. Unless you're able to stay on as long as Jake, he doesn't tolerate you." She winced. "It's also why Jake liked me." She tapped Inferno's leg, and he lifted it. "What are you looking for, anyway?"
"This. Most horse owners have their symbol or name carved into the front right hoof. But Inferno has the Prairie Rodeo logo on this hoof."
"What does that prove?"
"That Inferno didn't kill anyone." Zach got up. "I've got a few more questions . . . shall we start back?" Firebird mounted Inferno for an answer.
Jake Marshall was supposed to have a bigger role . . . oh well, maybe I'll do a flashback.
How many readers have been to a rodeo? Then you'll know that Firebird is actually saying that Inferno's a bucking bronco, and see how everyone else put his temperment as violent.
Zach and Doc solve the mystery, and maybe some fun?
I haven't a clue. Yet.