Malparadiso Station Season 2.6

Meet the Tribe

The Tribe

Episode 16: Meet the Tribe

Back in the light, Yroi pulled herself together to face the tribe members huddled around a lava vent. Younglings of several species—saurian, human, dwarvenkind, fuzzcat—stared at her, frowning.

“Why you bring?” one growled at Slime. “Meal for us?”

“No. Will bring food.” Slime brought her closer to the vent, where she could sit on a rock.

She was shivering with adrenaline overload, her hands shaking. She stopped crying, and looked at the others. They lived on the edge here, all the time. She had always known it but never thought about it.

She’d been lucky. Granny Claws took care of her, helped her find work and a pod to sleep in. Granny helped Myril too. How could she let these others live like this?

“I will get food from Granny Claws for you,” Yroi said, hoping she was not lying. She would not put it past them to kill and eat her. Some of the older tribe members wore teeth in thongs around their necks.

“Water,” Slime said. “We get food, water hard.”

A growl of agreement came from the others.

“Do you have a way to get to Mistress Zabayaba’s kitchen?” Yroi asked. “Myril works there now. He was always a good client of yours, yes?”

“Better than some,” Slime admitted. “But Big Z way far up, too big, too many guards. They make own kreef. Grow own food.”

“If I finish my task for my boss,” Yroi said, “I may be able to get out, to bring you things. Big Z has much water.” She thought of the dreadful waste of water in the formal gardens of the entry to the compound. “I need to talk to Granny Claws, and I need to get back to Big Z.”

“What you carry?” a fuzzcat asked. “Pants too big for you.”

Knowing the thievery skills the small felines practiced, Yroi didn’t exactly lie. “I have packages for Granny Claws and my boss, Iabbeshank, back at Big Z’s place. I can’t help you if I don’t deliver them.”

“We could sell packages.” The fuzzcat smiled in a completely predatory way. “Not need you.”

“You don’t know what they are.” Yroi grinned back, lacking the sharp teeth of the cats, but having a wide, lizard mouth.

Kleeks weren’t known for violence, but one that spoke up for herself would put them on their guard. “You don’t know who wants them, or what they are worth. Granny Claws will know, and she will get the best price.”

“SharpyGranny not share with us,” the fuzzcat growled. The others agreed.

“Maybe not,” Slime agreed, “but Yroi will. She helped before. She not fall in the dark.”

Yroi saw a few glances of grudging respect. Few people on the Stone ever dealt with pure darkness. Even the lower tunnels had some lighting, bright for work, dim for sleep. Even the lowest levels had dim light, or so she had heard.

But these children could navigate by sound and touch. She might need to learn that herself, and she wondered what that would cost. First she had to get to Granny, and then make a deal for water and food.

Then to get back to Iabbeshank and hope she had what he wanted. The tribe was the key to her being successful, but she had to give them back at least as good as she got.

They would not allow her to take advantage. She’d heard what happened to Bukk when he had shorted them for the tunnel lips they sold. Nobody ever found any part of him again. Not that anyone looked.

“I will do whatever I can to help you, now and later.” Yroi raised her lobe and looked each youngling in the eye, memorizing their faces. That was information she might use later too. “I can’t help anyone if I die here, or if I can’t talk to Granny Claws.

“We go now.” Slime stood up and offered his hand.