Discipline Read online

“I think she’s coming around,” a soft voice said with the same funny way of saying words as Old Tom.

  Lexi opened her eyes and winced at the light. Her head hurt and she felt sore all over. A woman came into focus. Sheets of dark hair fell from either side of the almost white face.

  “It’s about time,” a gruff male voice said. She saw a man’s face appear. His coloring matched the woman, but he had short, blond hair and a scruffy beard.

  Lexi sat up from the bench she’d been resting on. Her surroundings made her think she lay in the belly of another metal monster. This one was more crowded and cluttered, and it smelled different too, stuffy and sweaty. Chests, canned provisions, and many other strange things filled the space, barely leaving room to move.

  “Scoot over, Maggie. I want to talk to her,” the man said.

  Maggie didn’t budge. “Give her some time, Adam.”

  “What happened to Tom?” Lexi asked.

  “If you mean the old guy, he’s dead,” another male voice said.

  Dead? Tears burned at Lexi’s eyes, but she blinked them back and tried to show discipline in front of the strangers.

  Adam turned toward the new voice. “Hey, Devon, you don’t suppose that’s Tom Gault, do you?”

  Lexi caught sight of the other man now. He had a clean-shaven face just as pale as the others. His wavy, black hair was neatly parted in the middle and he wore a light shirt with buttons down the front, the top couple undone.

  Devon furrowed his brow. “Who is Tom Gault?”

  “He’s that rich guy who they say actually got an ancient transport working and flew off toward the day-side. It has to be him, probably tried to home in on the same beacon we did,” Adam said.

  Devon shrugged. “That transport sure as hell won’t be working again. Still, damn good luck picking up his distress signal. The power-core from that bird still has half its energy, that’ll pay for this expedition.” He nodded toward Lexi. “And we got her too, never seen anything like that skin before; she must be a day-sider. Exotic, young, and pretty; we’ll get something for her.”

  Lexi peered at their pale faces in turn, confused. “A marriage price?”

  “Sure, that’s right, Sweetheart, a marriage price.” Devon laughed. “She’s got one hell of an accent, doesn’t she?” He turned toward Adam and the laughter died. “Get the crawler back to the outpost. I’m not ready to give up on that place.”

  Adam slipped through a narrow passage and disappeared from sight while Devon came over to Lexi. He leaned down and smiled.

  “What’s your name, Sweetheart?”

  Something in his eyes made her nervous, but these people had saved her and she should be respectful.

  “Lexi,” she said softly.

  With a groan, the whole room shuddered and started to vibrate.

  “Well, Lexi,” Devon said, ignoring the commotion. “We’ve some work to do before going home. Once we get there, I know a nice man we can… marry you to. Understand?”

  She nodded.

  “Good.”

  Devon turned toward Maggie as a hard jolt made them all sway. “She’s a mess, get her cleaned up. I’m going to make sure Adam doesn’t wreck this bucket.”

  Halfway into the slim exit, he turned to Maggie again. “Find out if the merchandise has been sampled.” He disappeared, leaving Lexi alone with the other woman.

  Lexi watched Maggie go fetch some water and a towel. She felt more comfortable being with her than the men, but she missed Old Tom. This time she couldn’t hold back the tears, and she felt them streaking down her cheeks. The judgment of the clan leaders had taken away her true father and mother further back than her memory could go. Now the sky spirits had taken Old Tom away from her too. What have I done to make the spirits hate me?

  “What’s wrong Lexi?”

  “It’s Old Tom, I liked him.” She realized what she had said, and quickly added, “Not that I dislike you and the men.” The truth was that she didn’t especially like any of them, but to say so would be disrespectful.

  Maggie wiped at her face and arms. “Where do you come from?”

  “Clan-hold 47.”

  “What’s that?”

  “A habitat in the desert,” she used Old Tom’s description, and it made her cry even more.

  “Did you have a man back there?” Maggie finished cleaning, and Lexi watched her rummage through a trunk.

  She finally managed to stem the tears and wiped her nose with her arm. “Like a husband?”

  “Sure, or a lover.” Maggie brought over some clothing.

  “No.” She didn’t want to explain being a third-born daughter. Maybe they wouldn’t let me have a husband if they knew.

  “Let’s get you changed,” Maggie said.

  Lexi took a nervous glance toward the narrow passage. “What–”

  “They won’t come back here until we stop.”

  The other woman helped her undress, taking off the stained and torn travel robes. “I think we may just throw these away,” Maggie said.

  Naked and cold, Lexi quickly sorted through the strange new clothes. Maggie pulled an article from the pile. “Start with these.”

  “Have you–” Maggie’s question died when Lexi turned her back to don the undergarments. She felt a cool fingertip trace a line down her back.

  “Where did you get these scars?” The other woman’s words came soft and slow.

  Lexi felt her face heat, and wanted to lie, but that would be wrong. “From my father’s lashings.”

  “Oh.” The other woman paused for a long moment. Maggie helped her finish dressing: a skirt, a blouse, and a sturdy vest with two columns of buttons running down the front. Then, she looked into Lexi’s eyes intently.

  She spoke in a whisper and Lexi had to listen very hard to understand. “Devon isn’t going to find a man to marry you; he’s going to sell you to… some bad men. But don’t you worry about that, I’ll help you get away before he can.”

  More than the words, the expression on Maggie’s face scared her. How bad were these men? Lexi nodded.

  “Don’t try to run away until I help you. It’s very dangerous out here and there’s nowhere to go. Once we get back home I know people who can help you.”

  “They’ll keep me away from these bad men?”

  “Yes, they will.” Maggie put her hands on Lexi’s shoulders and glanced toward the passage the men had disappeared into. She talked in a low conspiring whisper. “It’s important you let me help you, there aren’t many people who can be trusted where we come from. Do you understand?”

  Lexi nodded. She didn’t like the sound of these people’s home, but Maggie would help her. Devon had already tricked her, and she felt sure Maggie wouldn’t need to do it too.

  “Good.”

  After much bouncing and jostling, they came to a stop and the men returned. Devon turned to stare at Lexi and she lowered her eyes reflexively.

  “She cleans up real nice,” Devon said. “Get us something to eat, Maggie.”

  “Get it yourself,” she shot back.

  Devon shrugged, and then smiled. “Always worth a try.”

  He took a step toward the back of the small chamber, but stopped and turned to Lexi. “You go take care of it, Sweetheart.”

  Lexi fell into the chore almost by reflex. Their provisions appeared the same as Old Tom’s and, after a little hunting, she had a meal for each of them and cups of water.

  “Thank you,” Maggie said when Lexi handed her a plate. The two men said nothing.

  “What’s the plan? We’ve been in that ancient outpost once, nothing’s there,” Adam said over the clinks of metal utensils.

  “Something is keeping that beacon going,” Devon said. “We’ll be sitting pretty if we can get another power-core. That’ll be two and the… marriage price. Hey, Maggie, you find out what I wanted to know?”

  “She’s never,” Maggie replied.

  “
I’m kind of disappointed; I wouldn’t mind having a sample myself.” He gave Lexi a hungry smile. “But it’ll mean a bigger price, maybe a lot bigger.”

  Devon’s expression made Lexi’s stomach churn, but she kept the feeling out of her face. She gave him a small smile in return—no less deceptive than the ones she gave her father while her insides quaked with fear. Nobody knew better than her how to remain respectful no matter what emotions roiled under the surface.

  “I don’t know,” Adam said. “Selling power-cores is one thing, but…”

  Devon turned on him. “What do you think will happen if we just turn her loose, Adam? You think a wild day-sider like her is going to end up working in a damn factory?” He laughed. “We’ll make some money and she’ll go high class, maybe some high-flier will want to keep her and she’ll live better than you or your sister,” he glanced at Maggie, “can dream of.”

  “I guess you’re right, Devon,” Adam said.

  “I’m always right.” He turned to Lexi and held out his empty plate. “Clean up, Sweetheart.”

  Without hesitation, she got to work collecting the plates and cups. But being ordered to do chores felt different somehow, no longer comforting. Old Tom had told her to do things, but she never felt it had been under threat of punishment. She felt a threat in Devon’s tone she didn’t like. Lexi pushed back the rebellious thoughts; she had to keep her discipline.

  Devon and the others got out a pair of lanterns and pulled out a rifle and some smaller guns from a chest. She spied Old Tom’s weapon before they closed it, and a lump formed in her throat at the reminder.

  “You take the rifle, Adam,” Devon commanded. He handed one of the smaller guns to