Calli was making her yearly sojourn to the south with Jack. She wasn't really fond of the sea, or of Baton Rouge, but she was more than fond of her husband and looked forward to these times they spent together. Once the ship was in port Zach would take over to attend to any repairs. Jack would go over the manifests and oversee the loading, but he made sure his evenings would be free to be with Calli. If he didn't she was likely to disappear into the wasteland areas, much to his mother's disapproval.
This evening they were going dancing. Calli loved to dance and gossip and mix with others. Since Jack also enjoyed these activities they made sure to go out to the club at least once when in town. Baton Rouge was rife with bars where dancing and singing was encouraged.
Calli also liked to dress up sometimes. She was wearing a low cut dress with a full skirt. It was her favorite style since it hid the fact she was armed. Even here she refused to go out without a weapon, but they weren't expecting trouble as they made their way leisurely through the warm evening toward the bar.
The screams echoing in the alley beside the bar galvanized them into action. Call whipped her pistol from the dress holster as she ran down the alley behind Jack, who had jerked out the pistol he kept concealed in his pants pocket.
The screams had stopped. They realized why when they saw the scene before them. A man was on top of a girl, his hand over her mouth, engaged in the act of raping her. She was struggling fiercely, but was being held down with the help of another man. A third was watching, his face twisted with a vicious pleasure in the scene, holding a bat covered with blood.
They didn't feel the need to ask any questions. Jack shot the man holding the bat, even as Calli blasted the man on top of the girl, then whipped her gun around and killed the man holding her before he could even react. Jack grabbed the back of the man's shirt and jerked him off the girl. She screamed, scrambling away from them, hysterically trying to claw her way around the building. Calli dropped beside her, grabbing her wrists, holding her.
"It's all right. We're here to help you. We aren't going to hurt you. We aren't going to hurt you." ,she repeated intently.
The girl struggled wide-eyed, trying to get away, sobbing. "Stop!", Calli said. "Calm down. They're dead, see? They can't hurt you anymore. Let us help you." The girl gulped big gasps of air, then collapsed into Calli's arms.
"They were going to kill me.", she sobbed. "They raped me and then they were going to kill me."
"It's all right. They're dead. We'll take care of you now.", Calli said soflty, stroking the blood streaked hair. The girl's face was swelling from the blows she had taken. Calli noted the blood spreading over her dress.
"What's your name, child?", she asked. Jack started to approach but stayed back at a look from Calli. She would know what to do for the girl. The girl didn't answer for a moment.
"Aileen", she whispered.
"Okay, Aileen, I think those men hurt you pretty bad. I want to take you where I can examine you. I'm a doctor. I just want to look at you and see what we can do to help you. I don't want you to try to walk. Will you let my husband carry you?"
Aileen looked up at the big, muscular man watching them, his hands in his pockets, a compassionate look on his face. She shrank back against Calli.
"It's okay, Aileen. Jack would never hurt you. He's a good man. Do you want us to take you to your home?" Aileen lowered her head.
"I don't have a home. I've been sleeping in the alley since Mom died and I got threw out of the apartment." Calli's face tightened briefly.
"Then we'll take you to our ship. Is that okay? I need to look at you, Aileen. You might be hurt pretty bad. Just let Jack carry you, please?" Aileen looked up at her, then at Jack. She nodded bravely. Calli nodded at Jack. He knelt slowly beside the injured girl.
"It's all right. I'm just going to carry you. My wife is a doctor. She'll stay with you the whole time.", he said softly. Aileen quivered as he lifted her, trying to stifle a cry of pain.
Jack carefully carried the injured girl the few blocks to the dock, trying not to jostle her any more than was necessary. She struggled not to cry out from the pain.
"It's all right, hon.", Calli said. "You're allowed to cry."
"How old are you, Aileen?", she asked, trying to take her mind off her pain.
"Thirteen.", Aileen gasped. She whimpered, closing her eyes briefly. "My mom died two months ago. I didn't have anywhere to go. Dad died last year. Mom hasn't been well since Dad died." Tears dripped down her cheeks.
She cried out as Jack stumbled slightly on the ship's deck. Calli was sure at least one rib was broken. Finally they made it to the passenger room and Jack carefully laid the girl on the bed.
"You should leave, Jack.", Calli said quietly. "I've got to examine the girl. Why don't you go clean up the mess?" Jack nodded and left to take care of the bodies as Calli got out her medical supplies. She didn't need his help.
The girl was resting quietly in the passenger room. Calli had examined and treated her, cleaning and stitching the wounds and setting the broken bones. She and Jack were now in their bedroom. They would take turns sleeping as the girl needed watching. The sedatives could be almost as dangerous as the injuries. They would have to decide what to do with the girl as they were leaving in two days.
Aileen was sobbing wildly. "Please", she cried. "Don't leave me here. I don't have anyone here. Let me come with you. I'll be useful, really I will. I'm a hard worker. Just don't leave me."
"But, Aileen, we're leaving on this ship. We'll be on the ship at least 3 weeks. You won't be alone, you can stay with my Mom.", Jack said.
"No, please", Aileen sobbed. "I'm not afraid of the sea. I know about ships, my dad was a sailor before he died. I want to come with you on the ship. I don't know your Mom. I don't want to stay here. I want to stay with you. I'll be good, I promise. I won't be any trouble."
"Oh, Aileen.", Calli said. "You'd be safe with Jack's parents."
Aileen sobbed. "Please?", she whispered, curling into a small ball. Calli looked at Jack imploringly.
"Jack?", she queried. He threw up his hands.
"Oh, all right. If you want her to come with us, then she can have the passenger room. Just for a while though. We have to find a home for her."
Aileen grabbed Calli and hugged her tightly. "Thank you. Thank you. I won't be a problem, I promise."
Aileen was a problem. By the time they reached the Citadel, Calli was pretty sure she was pregnant. What was she supposed to do with a pregnant 13 year old? Especially one who went into hysterics if they even suggested she leave the Tradewind? For some reason she felt safe aboard the ship. She hid in her room whenever they came into a port.
After some discussion Calli agreed to allow the girl to remain with Jack for the time being. She seemed to have decided that Jack would protect her.
For the next several months Calli boarded the Tradewind every time she moored at River Port. She would examine Aileen, watching carefully for any signs of difficulty. The girl had healed well and the pregnancy was progressing nicely. The men on the Tradewind seemed to have adopted her and were quite protective of her. They were quick to dispute rumors that Jack was the father of her baby.
Even though it was only late fall when Aileen's due date approached, Calli decided to leave the wasteland early to travel with them. Aileen delivered a baby boy at sea. She had turned 14, still very young, but it was an easy delivery. Calli was greatly relieved. She had become very fond of the girl. After she was comfortably settled with her infant Calli allowed Jack to visit.
"He's a fine looking boy.", Jack said, grinning. "What will you name him?" Aileen held her baby protectively.
"I think I'll name him Brent, after my Dad. He was a good man.", she said.
"That's a good name. I'm sure he would be proud." Aileen nodded, tears dripping slowly down her chin. Calli rolled her eyes at Jack. Men had no sense.
Aileen and Brent settled into the Tradewind. No one brought up the idea of her leaving or finding another home for them. Jack wanted to adopt them, but Calli refused. It didn't matter anyway. They had become part of the Lelland family. Jack's family was taken by the young girl, with her curly midnight hair framing her darkly tanned complexion. Her classically beautiful features and tall, willowy figure brought admiring glances from the men in the many ports in spite of her youth, but none dared approach her under the watchful eyes of her guardian crew.
Calli made up her mind on the trip back to the wasteland. She was 39 years old and still looked 18. Soon this child would look older than her. She had to hide. Hide herself from the wasteland she protected, before it turned on her. She began to work on her plan. First she created some hats with dark netting to cover her face. When not wearing her helmet, she would wear these. She would never again show her face in public. Only those she knew and loved, those who loved or respected her, would ever again see her.
Over the next three years the wasteland would forget what the silver haired warrior looked like. The crew of the Tradewind and a few others knew her, but no one else ever saw her. The rumors began to circulate that she had suffered severe damage to her face and didn't want to be seen. She never refuted this. She designed a unique helmet with a closed faceplate, leaving only the mouth that could open, and large amber eye pieces no one could see through. She decorated it with the bent circle image. Several were made for her by a master craftsman utilizing all the advanced technology she had scavenged from the wasteland. It became her signature.
As Calli, whether in her armor or encompassing garments, she found that her ability to gather information was limited. She was a voracious reader and had learned about abbeys and monasteries, monks and nuns from the before time. Her friend Marcella had been a missionary and talked of a hidden abbey in the west where she had been raised. Calli studied the bible her friend had left her. This could be the answer. She created a cowl of wasteland brown with a hood covering her face. Master Katherine was about to walk the wasteland preaching the new cult of the Disciples of the One God.
Aileen grew even taller until she overshadowed the small warrior. Calli always treated her more like a favorite sister than a daughter, helping her with all her growing up questions. Sometimes they giggled over cute boys that caught Aileen's eye, although she never wanted to get to know them. The fear remained even though she observed Jack and Calli and saw how much they enjoyed each other. She wondered if she would ever have that for herself, or if it would even be possible when she couldn't even approach a boy without the fear.
Calli and Jack made sure Aileen learned to read and write and do advanced math. She was a bright and eager student and her lessons progressed quickly. The men of the Tradewind had adopted her and Brent and guarded them whenever they went ashore. She felt safe and appreciated. She was maturing into a beautiful, confident woman.
Brent was always treated like a son by Jack. He loved the little boy like his own. Sometimes Calli would feel a twinge of pain when she watched him playing with the boy or teaching him to swim or reading him a story. He was such a good father. He deserved children of his own. Children she couldn't give him. But maybe someone else could.