The Risks of Dead Reckoning Felicia Watson (books for 9th graders .TXT) 📖

With a wistful sigh, Moirasaid, “I don’t know why you’d do that. It sounds rather nice to me– all of Earth’s people being as one.”

“Because whenN’daa say ‘we’ll all beas one,’ what they really mean is, we’ll all be asthem.”

“What isundah?”

“I said,‘N’daa’ – it’s aword from my native language, ChiricahuaApache, meaning someone who is not an Apache.”

Moira looked puzzled andpointed at the silver bar on her shoulder. “If it’s simply aforeign word, then why wouldn’t my Silver Tongue translateit for me?”

“I don’t know…I guess yourfancy alien device can’t deal with the Apache language.”

“How can you be an Apachein this era? Weren’t they an archaic civilization from ancientEarth?”

Naiche rolled her eyesbefore answering evenly, “We still exist. We even reclaimed ourlanguage and many other traditions when we split fromUniterrae.”

“If you’re not part ofUniterrae, then why did you join its military?”

Deck was tempted to quibblewith the term ‘military’ but didn’t want to get into the nuances.The real answer, ‘Because of my mother,’ would raise too manyquestions so she simply said, “It’s a long story. The short versionis that both of my parents were in the UDC and I followed in theirfootsteps.”

“How strange that sounds –being with your parents like that. It is not our way.”

“Is that right?” Deckeranswered absent-mindedly while checking their progress on herscanner. “We need to pick up the pace. Come on.”

Finnegan grudginglycomplied but returned to her subject as soon as possible,declaring, “I’ve only met my parents once or twice. We are raisedwith others our own age – in a nursey-collective.” Though Naichemade no response, Moira insisted, “It’s a wonderful system – I haveso many nursery mates and we always had such good times together.”Her tone grew confiding, as she continued, “But theywere jealousthat Igot chosen to go on the Aurora. As the time grew close forus to depart, it became more and more obvious. It was rathersad.” Moiraproceeded to deliver an indignant monologue on her nursey mates’childish resentment.

Her companion’s soliloquyfaded to mere background noise while Deck remained alert for anysigns of the Featay while also ensuring they stayed on the correctpath. Suddenly, she became aware of Finnegan asking, “You knowwhich Michael I’m talking about, right? Not the one who called myhair red, when it is so obviouslyauburn, that was Michael Tidwell. The one whosaid his height made him a better candidate, was Michael Lyderson.”When Naiche didn’t immediately answer, Moira asked, “Are youlistening tome?”

“Do I have achoice?”

Moira stared at Naiche withpursed lips, then flipped her hair over her shoulder declaring,“You know what? I don’t think I like you. Not at all.”

“Well, that’s anotherheartbreak I’ll have to learn to live with.”

“What does thatmean?"

“It means, that's a longlist you just put your name on, kid.”

“You don’tcare?”

“Notparticularly.”

“You should!” When Naicheremained resolutely silent, Moira said, “It’s human nature to wantpeople to like you. Why, if I thought someone didn’t like me, I’dsimply die.”

Re-checking their locationon her scanner, Decker muttered, “Wow, do I have some bad news foryou.”

“What? You don’t like me?”Finnegan stopped dead and wailed, “What a horrible thing to say.”Deck walked back, intending to offer an insincere apology as thebest means to get her moving again. Moira crossed her arms andlooked away. “I would neversay such a thing to you!”

“You just did!”

Finnegan tearfullyprotested, “But, I didn’t meanit.”

“Okay, neither did I. Now,come on – let’s go.” Moira was demanding further reassurances when Kay startedgrowling, the hair standing up along the ridge of his spine.“Shhh.” When the girl didn’t listen, Naiche ordered, “Bequiet.”

Suddenly a heavy seed-ball,at least five-inches in diameter, exploded at their feet. Thesurrounding trees were full of the seed-balls but this one haddefinitely been pitched at them from a distance.

Moira blanched, causing thefreckles to stand out in high relief on her fair complexion. “Whatwas that? We’re under attack!”

Decker made no response, asshe was too busy following Kay, who had taken off towards thesource of the missile. When she caught up, the dog was barkingfuriously, his front paws up on the trunk of a tree. What exactlyhe was barking at, Deck couldn’t really see. She scanned the treeand got the chilling result of a possible Featay life-sign. Shereadied her rifle, while wondering why the deadly Featay had lobbedsuch a non-lethal projectile. There was only one possibleexplanation – she had walked right into an ambush.

Chapter 7

NeverThrough Me

“Am I a spy in the land of the living,

that I should deliver men to Death?

Brother, the password and the plans of our cityare safe with me;

never through me Shall you beovercome.”

Edna St. Vincent Millay, ‘ConscientiousObjector’

Decker signaled for Kay tobe quiet and he obeyed much more readily than Moira had. Shere-scanned her surroundings, looking for the additional Featay sheknew were lurking out of sight – but no such result was obtained.She cautiously shined her wrist light up into the tree. At last shecould discern the culprit – a miniature Featay clinging to an upperbranch.

The sudden flash of lightmust have startled the youth because it plummeted out of the treeand landed with a thud and a howl of pain. Deck hurried over toexamine the alien but the child attempted to crawl away, whimperingin pain or fright. Naiche assumed both when she noticed it couldn’tput any weight on the left leg. In a calming tone, she said, “Hey,it’s all right, I won’t hurt you, let me see. Maybe I canhelp.”

When she got close, theyoung Featay cowered in fear, batting at Decker and Kay in a futileattempt to drive them away. Naiche ripped off her daypack from herback and had the med-kit out by the time Moira caught up withthem.

Finnegan screeched, “That’sa Featay – they’re the ones that attacked us!”

Decker ignored her, stilltrying to let the young alien know there was nothing to fear. Sheturned around and ordered Moira to hand over her translator. Shecomplied and Decker clipped the silver bar to her own shoulder.When she repeated her assurances, this time, the little Featayappeared to comprehend. “I promise I’m not going to hurt you. Doyou understand me?”

There was a chirping noisein response, which echoed out of her shoulder as