CHAPTER 8


   Tony was starting to wonder if, just maybe, he should have made a second attempt at horse borrowing. Years ago, not long after he had first joined the Rangers, on his very first visit to Valley Point, he jumped the pasture fence and attempted to rope a horse for Idhitri because she wanted to ride one. Tony had a cousin who owned a couple of horses and he had ridden them enough so, he figured, how hard could it be? Unfortunately, horses did not come to you like dogs even if Tony had seen some horses do that before. Maybe it was because these particular animals did not know him? No matter what the case, that little incident had put Tony’s leg in a cast.
Now that he was sitting in the cab of this pick up truck, listening to Danni and Killian sing away to some song on the guys music list, Tony was starting to wonder if a broken leg might be less painful. He finally had to say something, “Killian, where do you find stuff like this? What is it?”
Danni developed a very ‘oh brother’ kind of look and said to Killian, “don’t mind him Kill. He’s been a stick in the mud for weeks now.”
“If you don’t mind me saying,” Killian replied. He was easy going, had a smile, but slightly cautious as he delicately worded, “I would have thought the situation might have been reversed. You know? Given your rather unfortunate incident, Daniealla.” As an afterthought he did mention, “you did get the flowers didn’t you?”
Danni giggled and brushed his arm with her hand, “yes I did and thank you very much Killian. They were lovely.” They both started laughing after she mentioned, “Lucy picked them out, didn’t she?”
Tony was both cautious and curious when he asked, “you sent flowers?”
“Certainly,” Killian replied in an upbeat way, “even if I had to defer to the better tastes of my sister. I would hope it is the thought that counts.”
Tony became even more cautious, “where are you from again, Killian? You just got one of those weird accents. You like weird music. I was just wondering.”
Danni pouted at Tony, “do you mind? You know he is kind of our host and you did eat your share of that breakfast.”
“Yeah,” Tony shot back, “and we’re paying for it too.”
“It’s all right,” Killian blew the whole matter off and remained pleasant enough, “my father was from Beta Canaan. If you’re wondering about my accent. New Celtland to be exact. He was working for Benthic, that is, and if you were also curious about how he got here. He was a geologist.”
That actually made Danni think about something else, “I wonder if that’s where Kent’s from?” Then she completely changed the subject and blindsided Tony with, “which flowers did you send?”
To her surprise, Tony quickly came back with, “we took up a collection.” It was not exactly the response that Danni had expected but, she had not anticipated much of one at all. Then, Tony changed the subject right back, “Lucy doesn’t sound like you?”
“My sister,” Killian told him, “was raised here.”
Danni decided to play along, “so your mom really is from here? That’s neat Kill, cause, you know, my parents were from different planets too. You don’t really see too much of that.”
Killian took his eyes off the road for a second and winked at her, “indeed you don’t. Maybe we should start a club?”
Tony huffed, “oh you two have so much in common.”
Danni developed a very amusing look on her face, “well we do like the same kind of music, you know.”
That only caused Tony to slump in his seat, look out the window, and get huffy as he commented, “sounds like somebody is pulling a cat through a meat grinder. What do you call this anyway?”
The description, in no way, diminished Killian’s mood, “it’s the ancestral music of my people. They’re called the Rolling Stones.”
The way that Tony was pouting was starting to make Danni feel a little bad. She eased off on the joy and noted, “you’ll have to cut Tony some slack. He’s been having some, well…”
“Do you mind,” Tony became animated all over again, “not bringing my personal life in to this Danni?”
Killian got the message loud and clear, “a certain red head I take it. Just give her time mate.”
Tony went back to looking out the window and that made Danni feel like sliding down in the seat. She then took the first diversion that she could quickly find and pointed out the window at the little group of strangely dressed people that were walking down the road. Their clothing looked to be a few centuries out of date. Maybe even a few millennia? They were all dressed up in tasseled robes, thick belts, knee high boots, and that was not to even mention the strange hats with the excessive plumage. As they got closer, Danni got a better look at their shirts and pants. They were loose cut and covered in clasps and ties of the most impractical sort. As far as diversions went, this one was first class.
“Who the hell are those guys?”
It worked. Tony’s mind had obviously changed gears and he was no longer slumped over on the window, “they’re walking way out here? Where the hell are they going?”
Killian chuckled, “probably to town.”
Danni’s head flipped as they passed the strangely dressed people who were starting to take on the shape of a little family. Now she got a good look at the woman’s dress. It was puffy with a really low cut neck line, complete with a corset that most definitely exaggerated her cleavage. Danni shivered at the very thought of wearing something like that. Then she saw Tony checking it out and said, “that’s a really cute dress.”
“How far out from town are we,” Tony asked.
“Oh I don’t know,” Killian replied as even he took a good look in the rear view mirror, “maybe two or three kilometers, give or take.”
Tony whistled at that. It was not like he hadn’t marched that far in the army, plenty of times, only those weren’t soldiers, The younger looking adult woman was carrying a baby. They also had two or three toddlers tagging along as well. “Why don’t we stop and give them a ride?”
“They wouldn’t take it,” Killian replied with confidence. “That right there, my friends, is some of the Father Jim Dove’s indomitable flock.”
Danni’s head snapped back for another look. Her eyes were wide, “those are Rennies?!”
Tony was trying to get a second look too. He sounded a bit confused, “I thought they all lived up in some big commune, up the river.”
“Common misconception,” Killian replied. After making a right hand turn he added, “there is such a place. I’ve been there, took the tour actually. Most of them, though, have their own homes and are spread out all up and down Valley.”
Danni settled back in her seat and found that she was still a bit stunned by their appearance, “do they all dress like that?”
“In one fashion or another I suppose,” Killian replied as if it were not that big of a deal.
Danni supposed that for him, it would not be. Despite the fact that the Rennies looked very out of place in these parts where the standard dress code usually consisted of long coats, Stetson hats, and blue jeans, he had to be used to seeing these people by now. Their numbers had been growing up here for several years. Danni was just not aware that any of them had migrated as far south as the river delta.
Since the strangely dressed people were long gone the last word said about them was by Tony who simply commented, “Kent’s going to have his hands full.” No one disagreed.
Danni found that she had largely forgotten about the incident when they reached the outskirts of the Valley Point settlement. Everything here looked normal enough to her eyes or, at least, it looked normal enough for Valley Point. It was not exactly a small town and was probably the largest one on the continent. It was still tiny compared to the bigger cities out in the Arch. Yet it came close enough to civilization if you just ignored all of the cowboys.
They parked right in front of the hardware store and Danni could never get over her amazement at how Killian never failed to get a parking space right at the place he wanted to be. There was nowhere back home that you could ever do that. Despite the rustic nature of life on the continent, it did have some advantages. Danni decided to stand around on the sidewalk and take in some of those. Tony protested and seemed disgruntled when Danni blew him off. After he walked in the hardware store, she rolled her eyes and sighed.
Killian put his cowboy boot up on a short concrete hitching post and leaned over on his knee. He tilted his cowboy hat back and licked his lips as he looked up at Danni with a very serious and questioning glare. It made Danni a bit self conscious and she snapped at him, “what?”
“I don’t mean to pry Daniealla,” he said diplomatically.
She crossed her arms and feet, “but you are anyway.”
“Well,” Killian remained light in tone, “since you chose to involve me, I do feel as if I might should ask.”
“What?” Danni began to twitch, “what are you talking about Killian?”
He threw his arms up in the air and acted as if he had given up. Then he walked up on the front porch of the store and squared off with the girl as he told her, “I think the only person in the truck, who was not aware of what you were doing, was the one person you were hoping would.”
Danni found it hard to look him in the eye, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“All right love,” Killian told her. “Have it your way.” He then reached out and Danni flinched at his approaching hand. His fingers stopped as quickly as they had started. She was still somewhat defensive as he then thumped the breast pocket of her jacket. The contents shook like the sound of beads and Killian noted, “those won’t help my dear.”
How did he know? That struck a cord of fear in Danni but, her response was one of belligerence, “who told you?”
“Your secret is safe with me Danni,” Killian remained light, “I suppose that you just under estimate my powers of observation is all.”
Danni began to fidget even more as she meekly asked, “what do you want?”
Killian put his hands back like she was radioactive, “nothing. I just want to make sure you are all right. After all love, you had two bullets pass through your body since we last parted company.”
“Um,” Danni still fidgeted. She was starting to wonder if she had done too good of a job back in the truck. Damn it! Why can’t anything go as planned! She finally figured all she could say was, “thanks?”
“Don’t mention it,” Killian began to walk away. When he was back down on the street he turned and said, “it would just be preferable that, if you ever feel such a need as to require my services in the future, it might be a good idea to inform me first.”
This guy was such a strange man. Danni also could not help but find him charming too. Damn, whatever he was doing, it sure worked better than anything she could come up with. A smile cracked on her lips and she had to ask him, “oh yeah? Well, what would you do then?”
He thought about it for a second and then replied, “in this particular instance, I think that I might inform you that subtle will never work here.” He practically bowed and then said, “now if you will excuse me, my dear. I have to check my office while I’m in town.”