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Da Boss Of Da Dead Chapta 12 | |
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Da Boss Of Da Dead Chapta 12 |
With Hazug’s truck hooked up to the back of the battlewagon, the warband drove towards the trade caravan. They found it parked near a lake for the night and just as Gorrid had described it the caravan consisted of a large number of ork transport vehicles, many of which their Death Skull owners had decorated with the blue and white markings their clan considered sacred. “Remember lads,” Two Heads said loudly, “keep an eye on all our stuff. Dese Death Skulls’ll nick da soles off ya boots if ya don’t watch ‘em.” Hazug turned
to Sophie. “Your mon-keigh will not be alone if these beasts claim her.” Mayleth said as she looked out of one the battlewagon’s vision slits, “There are more of her kind here.” “Let me see!” Sophie exclaimed, rushing to stand beside Mayleth at the vision slit and peering through it for herself. Sure enough, clustered around one of the campfires she saw what were unmistakeably human beings, “Hazug its true!” she added excitedly, “Do you think that-“ “Dare’s a lot of Death Skulls about.” Hazug interrupting Sophie and her face fell. “I suppose so.” She said, “But will you ask about her?” “Master should not speak to gits.” Ratish hissed. “Ya is probably best askin’ ‘em yaself.” Hazug said, “If da Death Skulls spot me talkin’ to dare humans dey may get suspicious. Take Mayleth with ya for backup.” “Mayleth?” Sophie said, throwing a sideways glance at the eldar who just smiled back in an unsettling manner. “Yeah,” Hazug said, “da Death Skulls won’t be watchin’ either of ya as close as da rest of us. But ya best keep ya weapons out of sight. Just in case dey gets spooked and shoots ya.” The battlewagon then shuddered slightly more than normal as Gorrid brought it to a halt and stalled the engine. Two Heads glared at him. “Mind me wagon.” One of him said sternly, “We is already towin’ one bust up trukk.” “Wot’s da problem boss?” Gorrid asked as he got out of his seat, “We was stoppin’ anyway.” Then one of the side doors was opened and it landed with a ‘thudd’ on the ground. As Hazug, Two Heads and Batrug led the warband out they found a group of Death Skulls waiting for them. Most of the group were orks, but a handful of gretchin torch carriers were stood to either side of the welcoming committee to provide enough light to see by this far from the campfires. “I is Zeddok.” The largest of them announced to the newcomers. He had a face that was painted with crude blue and white stripes and likewise the colours featured prominently in his clothing, “Wotcha want?” “Me name’s Hazug. We needs parts for me trukk.” Hazug replied, indicating his vehicle. “Wotcha got to trade git lover?” Zeddok demanded, recognising Hazug’s clan from his own camouflaged clothing. “No trade.” Hazug answered and he held up a pouch that he then tipped ork teeth from into the palm of his other hand, “Just cash.” Zeddok smiled. “Den ya is welcome Hazug of da git lovers.” Zeddok said, “But mind me lads don’t catch any of ya nickin’.” Hazug smiled, noticing that Zeddok had not warned against theft but only getting caught out doing it. “Make sure ya got some lads guardin’ our stuff.” Hazug said to Two Heads, not bothering to lower his voice and he nodded in the direction of a cluster of orks watching them from the shadows. Both of Two Heads nodded. “Aside from us three I don’t see any need for any of da lads to be goin’ away from da wagon.” He replied, “Our stuff’ll be well guarded from dese thievin’ wazzoks.” And he snarled towards the observers. “Dare’s meks over dare.” Zeddok announced, pointing deeper into the camp, “Tell dem wotcha needs and dey’ll tell ya if dey’s got it. But remember dat dare’s a two tooth charge for my cut. Wotever price dey gives ya don’t include dat. Goddit?” “Two teeth?” Batrug said in amazement, “I could build a new engine for dat.” “From wot?” Zeddok asked, “Mud’n’sticks?” Batrug scowled. “Two teeth’ll be fine.” Hazug said and he tossed a pair of teeth at Zeddok’s feet, “Dare, now we’s paid in advance.” Zeddok grinned as a gretchin darted from behind him to pick up the money. “’Appy shoppin’.” He said then he noticed movement and added, “Oi, where’s dem gits goin’?” Hazug looked around and saw that Mayleth and Sophie had exited the battlewagon from the hatch on the other side and were calmly walking towards the humans’ campfire. In the poor light Zeddok had clearly mistaken Mayleth for another human. “Dey is mine.” Hazug said, “I told ‘em to make sure dey got stuff for makin’ me dinner.” This seemed to satisfy Zeddok and he just nodded and turned away from the pair. “There’s no need to be afraid.” Mayleth said. “I’m not.” Sophie replied as she looked from side to side, half expecting a Death Skulls ork to rush out of the darkness and snatch her away. “Yes you are.” Mayleth said, “I can feel it. Now just ask your questions and we can leave. I will keep you safe, our master would be displeased if I didn’t.” “Okay.” Sophie said. As they got closer to the campfire she had seen the humans clustered around they heard their voices as they spoke to one another. Away from their greenskin masters the humans were using gothic instead of orkish. “Wait.” Mayleth said, grabbing Sophie’s arm. Then she reached up to her neck and removed the translation device strapped around it. “What are you doing?” Sophie asked as she watched Mayleth open up the device’s casing and turn a dial inside. Mayleth replied with something, but without the device to translate from her own language Sophie could not understand. “I don’t understand you.” Sophie said and Mayleth looked up and just shook her head. Then she reattached the translation device to her throat, slipping the earpiece back into place as well. “There is little point in attempting to communicate when I am not wearing my translator is there mon-keigh?” She said. However, this time her words were translated from the eldar language into a flowing form of gothic. However, much to Sophie’s annoyance the device still appeared to leave the eldar term for human as it was, “However, now that I have made the necessary adjustments I will be able to communication with you and these other mon-keigh while you use you own language. Do you have any objection?” “No.” Sophie replied, “But I still think you should just learn to speak gothic instead.” and then she continued to walk towards the other humans. “Who are you?” a male voice called out and Mayleth and Sophie looked around to see a tall man standing at the top of a low slope looking back at them. In his hands he carried a large stick. “We arrived with the battlewagon.” Sophie said, “We just want to talk that’s all. You don’t need that.” And she pointed at the stick. “Oh this?” the man replied, looking down at the crude weapon, “This is just to deal with gretchin.” Some of them try sneaking into our part of the camp at nights to steal from us. Fortunately the orks don’t care if we deal with them ourselves. I think they find it amusing.” Then he waved them closer, “Go on past. I think there’s some food prepared.” Sophie smiled back at the man and she and Mayleth began to climb the slope. The man stared at Mayleth as they got closer, running his eyes up and down her mainly uncovered body. Then he spotted her ears. “Whoa!” he exclaimed, “What’s her story?” and he lifted his weapon. Mayleth smiled as she felt his fear. “She’s s friend.” Sophie said, holding up her hands. “She’s an
alien.” The man said. “Of course not mon-keigh.” She replied, “But I will put an end to any started by another.” And she smiled at the man. “Alright then.” He said after a short pause, “But mind your manners. We’re not looking for a fight.” “Don’t worry.” Mayleth said as she and Sophie walked past the man, “I doubt very much you could put up much of one.” A number of the humans turned to look at Mayleth and Sophie as they approached the campfire. There were perhaps thirty or forty of them clustered in smaller groups. A few worked on mending clothes or tools, while others just chatted. But none of the ones that Sophie could see bore any resemblance to her. “So where do you ant to start?” Mayleth asked. “I don’t know.” Sophie said. “You thought we’d just wander in here and your missing sibling would be waiting for us didn’t you?” Sophie said nothing and Mayleth just grinned. “Mon-keigh and their assumptions.” She muttered. Sophie then just walked up to the nearest group. All of them were female and most looked to be older than her. If she wanted information about her childhood then she knew that she would have to ask someone old enough to remember things that happened that long ago. “Hi,” she said, trying to be as friendly as possible, “I was wondering if you could help me.” “With what?” one pf the women asked, though Sophie noticed that she was not looking at her and was instead glaring at Mayleth. “I’m trying to find someone.” Sophie replied and she sat down next to the woman, putting herself between her and Mayleth. “Who?” the woman asked, “What’s their name?” “I don’t know her name.” Sophie said, “I was just a little girl when I last saw her.” The woman laughed. “You’re barely more than a child now.” She said, “Now why are you hunting for someone whose name you don’t even know? And why have you brought an alien here with you?” “I am here to guarantee that no harm befalls her.” Mayleth said calmly, “Now answer her questions mon-keigh.” “Mayleth you’re not helping.” Sophie as she saw the women around her frowning even more. “I’m sorry about her.” She said to the woman, “She’s not very good at communicating.” “Neither are you.” The woman said, her tone not as pleasant has it had been at first, “You still haven’t told me who you’re looking for or why.” “I’m looking for my sister.” Sophie said, “Or at least I think she’s my sister. We were very little when the Death Skulls took us in. I think they split us up soon after.” “The orks don’t have families.” Another woman said, “So they don’t care about ours.” “Couldn’t your parents tell you anything”? Another asked, “Or did they go with your sister?” “They’re dead.” Sophie replied, “Some men burned down our farm and my parents hid us in the barn. A Death Skulls warband found us there when they came to investigate the fire.” “A burning farm and two little girls?” another woman suddenly exclaimed, “Both of them with blonde hair and bright blue eyes?” “You do know something!” Sophie said excitedly, “Please tell me.” “I don’t know
anything.” The woman said, “But I heard the story.” “Quinn.” The woman said and she looked around, “He’s over there.” She said and she pointed at a group of about half a dozen men, “But he’ll expect payment for helping you.” “I have money.” Sophie said as she got up, “Thank you.” And she turned to leave. “Oh he won’t be interested in your money.” The woman muttered. The comment went unheard by Sophie, but Mayleth’s translator picked it up and converted it to the eldar language and a sly smile appeared on her face. “Which of you is Quinn?” Sophie asked when she reached the group pointed out to her. “That would be me.” A large grey-haired man said and he smiled to reveal a mouth with several teeth missing, “Now why don’t you sit down beside me and tell me who you are?” Sophie sat down, but where she was and some distance from Quinn. Close behind her but just far enough away to be concealed by shadows, Mayleth remained standing. “My name’s Sophie.” She told him, “I was told you may be able to help me.” “I’m sure we can figure something out.” Quinn replied, still grinning and his gaze went down to where her legs stuck out from beneath her dress. “I’m trying to find my sister.” Sophie explained, “The Death Skulls found us in a burning farm, but we got split up. Do you remember that?” “Oh I remember all right.” Quinn said, “It was my brother that found you. The orks paid him well for you both. Enough teeth to buy his freedom.” “So will he know where my sister is?” Sophie asked, “Where is he now?” Quinn paused, picking a morsel of food from between some of his few remaining teeth. “Do you know
the bend in the river by the twin pillars of rock about ten miles south of
the ruined city?” he asked. “Well we buried him there.” Quinn said and Sophie’s face fell. “He’s dead? Oh I’m sorry. What happened to him?” “Well I
thought he should share his good fortune with me and help me settle a few
debts,” Quinn said, “but he was more interested in buying freedom for
himself and his wife and didn’t want to share. So we reached a
compromise.” “He got his freedom and I got the money.” “Well you did until those gretchin stole it.” Another of the men said and then he looked at Sophie, “Seems that they were watching the fight and took it while Quinn was busy digging.” Quinn frowned. Sophie wanted to leave. By his own admission Quinn was a murderer. Dariel Thayne and the Trader’s Association would have hanged him for it if he did it in Git Town. But she needed to know about her sister. “Can you help me find my sister?” she asked. “Perhaps.” He replied, “I’m sure you can make it worth my while.” And he got up and walked over to where Sophie was sat, sitting down beside her. “I – I have this.” She said, pulling four teeth from her pocket. “Oh I don’t want your money.” Quinn snapped, pushing her hand away and scattering the teeth. Then he wrapped an arm around her, “Now you can show me just how desperately you want my help.” He said, “You can start by-“ He was cut off when the narrow curved blade was pressed to his throat. “On your feet mon-keigh.” Mayleth said calmly. Cautiously, Quinn released his grip on Sophie and got to his feet. All the while Mayleth kept her dagger pressed against his throat so that the slightest extra pressure would slice him open. His fear flowed into her. “Do you have them?” Mayleth said to Sophie, who nodded. Sophie then reached down and opened her bag. From inside she produced Mayleth’s pair of splinter pistols; keeping one for herself she passed the other to the eldar. “You fire those and every ork for five hundred metres will come running.” One of the other men said as he too got to his feet with a metal bar in his hand. In one smooth action Mayleth raised her pistol and fired, sending the crystal round between the man’s eyes. “Perhaps these aren’t as loud as your crude weapons mon-keigh.” She said as the man dropped dead. Then she leant close to Quinn, “Listen mon-keigh,” she whispered as she pressed the pistol to the base of his spine, “The crystals are envenomed, though we general keep the ammunition in controlled environments to prevent the venom from evaporating and somehow I doubt the beast that owns me has stored them as carefully. I doubt the venom would do much more than cause painful swelling in your spine for a few days. Of course by the time the swelling went down absolutely nothing below your waist would work properly. So how about you answer the little female’s questions?” “Feth you.” He hissed. Mayleth frowned, though her translator could turn the words to the equivalents in the eldar language it could not always translate the meaning properly. “You’re not my type.” She said and she pressed the pistol deeper into his spine. “Okay!” he snapped, “Look, the caravan splint into three okay? One group came here and one went to the ruined city.” “I was at the ruined city.” Sophie said, “You already know that. Where did the third group go?” “Tell her mon-keigh.” Mayleth added, tilting her dagger just enough to send a drop of blood running down his neck and she smiled as his fear increased enough that he lost control of his bladder. “The hills!” he snapped, “Oh throne, they went to the hills. But that was fifteen years ago, the bitch’s sister may be dead by now.” “If she is we’ll be coming back for you.” Mayleth said softly, “Someone will have to pay and it may as well be you.” Then she looked at Sophie who was aiming her splinter pistol at the other men. “Okay, the hills.” Sophie said, “So let’s go.” “Excellent.” Mayleth said and at the same time as she withdrew her dagger she delivered a sharp kick to the back of Quinn’s knee that send him tumbling to the ground, clutching his knee and screaming, “Move!” she snapped and she and Sophie turned and ran into the darkness. “Get after them!” Quinn shouted at the others around him, still clutching his knee. But the men did not move, “What the feth are you waiting for? I said get after them.” “You got guns for us?” one of the men asked, already knowing that he did not, “Because if you don’t then we’re not chasing after anyone that does have some.” |
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