Lightship Chronicles
Book 1 : Sacred Warriors
copyright©2015
Florin Nicoara
From the Author
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Chapter 4 - Sacred Warriors
Lightship Chronicles
Book 1 : Sacred Warriors
copyright©2015 Florin Nicoara
Andee and Gono are walking up one of the many carved stairpaths on the slope of table mountain. They are beyond the upper edge, above the township, so the steps are steep. It's hot, but the shade of the mountain keeps their climb comfortable and cool. Gono yawns with his mouth wide, then stretches his arms out arching his back. He looks quite sleepy and a bit sluggish going up those steep steps.
"Man, I shouldn't have stayed up so late. I only got two hours of sleep." Gono speaks still stretching and rotating his neck.
"What did you guys do all night? Dirin looked in bad shape after Nayaa took care of him."
Gono starts laughing. "That was hilarious. Dirin is such on idiot."
"I'm glad you think so, but why do you still hang out with him?"
"We grew up together. His farm is right next to ours. Our dads are best friends. I don't really have a choice, to be perfectly honest. And he's ok. When it's just us. But in a crowd he suddenly needs to show off. In fact, you should have seen him trying to hook up with your girl."
"My girl? What are you talking about?"
"Oh... my... god! You're going to go all humble on me now? Yeah, your girl. That super hot Bitani chick! Your... girl." Gono agitated and now fully awake drives his point home shoving his index finger into Andee's chest.
Andee laughs. "She's not my girl. She's just..." but loses steam.
"Punk you, you arrogant humble bastard." Gono snaps, but with a playful tone.
"What is that even supposed to mean?"
"You're so humble that you're arrogant."
"Huh?" Andee laughs him off.
"Dude! You rescued a frigging pilot! Then you got the girl. Let me repeat, "THE" girl, the hottest Bitani chick in that place. When you hit jackpot like that... when you're that good, but you pretend you're not, well that's fake humility. And fake humility is arrogance."
Andee laughing. "What, you're a philosopher now?"
"Maybe I am."
"Ok, than I'm the man. I got the girl. I got it all. What can I say? Me and Dirin, we rule the world."
"Ha-ha, now that's called being defensive."
"So you are a philosopher."
"I'm smart enough to know you got something here, but you want to pretended you don't."
"What do I have?"
"You got an in with the Bitani." But Andee doesn't understand. Just looks at him with a hard frown. "I guess this is as good a time as ever."
"For?" Lifting his brows.
"To tell you."
"Ah the secret."
"Yes."
"Go for it, mystery man. I know you love to stretch it out, but spill it." Andee smiles.
"You... got me this interview." Gono responds mater of fact.
"Huh?" Andee's smile turns into a frown as he stares at Gono bewildered.
"You did. You got me this interview."
"You're going to have to explain that."
"The day after the race I came up here with ole'Jovial Jim, and talked to one of the screeners. We ended up talking about the crash and you. Guess what?"
"I'm famous in the city because they saw me rescue the pilot." Andee answers mater of fact. Gono stops in his tracks and swings to face Andee. Now his eyes are bursting out of his head, staring dumfounded, while Andee continues. "Hey, you asked me to guess."
"You punk! How did you know?" Gono asks still wide eyed.
"Silestra told me."
"Ahhh, wait who?"
"The Bitani girl."
"You, you arrogant punk!" Gono shouts getting more agitated.
"What? Why arrogant again?"
"Oh-ok, sure. First you say, what girl? Now, oh it's Silestra--you didn't even tell me that! But when I say 'your girl' you act like you don't know what I'm talking about, but you know her name, probably where she lives, been to her house--you punk! Thanks for ruining my surprise."
"I'm sorry man. I didn't keep it from you, it just never came up."
"See, this is what I mean. You're so humble you're arrogant. You should have been excited. You should have told me. Now I feel like an idiot."
"Come on man. I'm sorry. But when have you ever seen me jump in the air excited? I'm not like that."
"Ok, fine. I guess that's true." Gono deflated looks away. Both start walking up the steps. "Anyway, so you know, that's how I got this interview. They couldn't stop talking about how they'd never seen anyone climb rocks like you did. So I told them you were my friend. They got all excited and set up the appointment with a labor counselor immediately, and asked if I could bring you along."
"That's weird. They asked for me?"
"No, it's not weird. They respect you man. They want to meet you, but you doubt them. You think the Bitani are our enemy, but they're not."
"Just because a couple of Bitani like me doesn't mean they respect us as a people. If they did why would hey keep themselves separated from us? Why won't they let us know how their tech works?"
"Who cares how their tech works?"
"I don't trust anyone that hides so much."
"Man, you can't see the mountain cuz you're staring at the rocks." Andee rolls his eyes. "Dude! They're not hiding anything from us." Gono finishes his statement with pleading eyes. Andee doesn't say a word, but stubbornly shakes his head in disagreement. "They are a different kind of people from us. We probably couldn't understand their tech anyway." Gono continues somewhat deflated.
"Oh come on, you can't buy into that brainwashing bull."
"How can it be brainwashing? They teach it in school! Are they brainwashing us in school?"
"Yes, absolutely! Why do you think I quit? They don't teach us real history. They don't teach us about tech. But they tell us we're lucky. The Bitani saved us. That they take care of us. That the tech is too complicated for us. That we should be happy to live at their service, and be happy farmers."
"And how is that bad?"
"Because it is."
"Nonsense. If they hate us why do they give us free electricity and water? We live in a desert but we have more water than we ever need. And if we get hurt or sick, they give us free medicine and heal our wounds. You think that's bad?"
"In a way it is."
"How can you say that?"
"What if they change their mind? Or leave... or something. What do we do then? We no longer know how to take care of ourselves."
"Look man, I don't want to get personal, but I get it."
"You get what?"
"Your dad."
"What about him?"
"You miss him, and lets be honest you guys are struggling. I'm lucky. I have my dad. We have a big farm. We always have enough credits. Now I'm going to get a job in the city, things are working out for me. And I want to help you. Lets be honest. You've been pretty miserable lately. You're always angry, and you keep blaming the Bitani, but they haven't done anything to you."
"Wow, so you are a philosopher."
"What's wrong wi
th that?"
"I guess you got me all figured out."
"Maybe I do. That's why you should listen to me." Gono replies with a big grin.
"Who's arrogant now?"
"Look man, you're looking at this all wrong. Sure, you were unlucky in the past, but look how lucky you are now. The Bitani think you are a hero. You're guaranteed a job in the city, and because I'm your friend probably me too."
"Don't be so sure."
"I am sure dude. Watch, you'll see. And on top of that, not only are we going to get a job in the city today, you're going to get married to a Bitani girl tomorrow."
"Lol, you're stupid."
"No, you're stupid. All you do is try to find idiotic reasons to be angry at the Bitani. Then yesterday, a light fairy, a beautiful Bitani light fairy, came down from the moon especially for you. Dude, tell me you're not an idiot if you don't recognize that? That girl was so into you. Not only are we both going to work in the city, you're going to have a Bitani wife, and be living up in the city with her."
Andee laughs out loud. "Dude, you're delusional."
"Watch! That's your future man. But what do you do? You wine and complain. Oh-no, the Bitani hide tech from you. Dude, you're losing it man. I can't believe your luck. And I'm helping you the best I can. And you know what else, that's right, I'm helping you but yesterday you refused to help me with Nayaa.