D. MacHale - The Rivers of Zadaa

Uhhh…

She said, “It has been far too long, Bokka.”

The Rokador pulled off his hood to reveal a white-skinned guy who stood a few inches taller than Loor. He didn’t take off his goggles, so I couldn’t get a look at his eyes, but from where I sat, he looked to be our age, maybe a little older, with longish blond hair that whipped around in the wind. I guess I could say he was kind of handsome, too. But I’m no expert in that department.

“I’ve missed you, Loor,” the guy named Bokka said. He spoke with a deep, authoritative voice that you would expect from a warrior. Though I can’t really say what it was I expected of anybody who lived his whole life underground.

Loor looked at the guy next to Bokka and said, “Is that you under there, Teek?”

The guy pulled down his hood to reveal another blond guy who was a little shorter than Bokka.

“Hello, Loor,” he said with a sheepish smile.

“Pendragon,” Loor called. “Please come here.”

I didn’t move. I think I was still trying to process what was happening. I had been expecting a fight, but instead I discovered that these guys were friends of Loor. If that weren’t bizarre enough, Loor had actually hugged the guy named Bokka. Let me write that again, shehuggedhim. I had never seen Loor that affectionate with anybody. Including me.

“It is all right, Pendragon,” Loor said. “Please join us.”

I took a quick glance back at the Rokador behind us. They stood with their weapons ready. They didn’t attack, nor throw off their hoods and join in this warm reunion. They just stood there. Ready. For what, I wasn’t sure. I slid off of my horse and took off my black cloak, dropping it to the sand. I figured these guys should see that I looked like a Rokador. Sort of.

Loor put her hand on Bokka’s shoulder like he was a bud and said, “Pendragon, this is my oldest friend, Bokka. We have known each other since we were children.”

I held out my hand to shake, which made the three other Tiggen guards tense up and lift their metal weapons, ready to rock. I suddenly got the vibe that these guys were like bodyguards. Even Bokka took a step back. I stood there with my hand in the air like a dope, afraid to move.

“It is all right,” Loor assured them. “Where Pendragon comes from, that is a sign of friendship.”

Bokka relaxed, took my hand, and squeezed. Youch! This guy had a grip! But I wasn’t about to squeal. No way.

“Hello, Pendragon,” Bokka said. “What tribe do you come from?”

I glanced at Loor, partly because I didn’t have an answer, and partly as a plea to get this guy to let go of my poor hand before bones started snapping. Loor reached out and gently eased us apart. For a second I thought my fingers were fused together. I had to work them to get the circulation back. I wouldn’t let Bokka see that, though.

“I met Pendragon when I made the journey to the far desert. He is from the tribe known as…as…” Loor was scrambling. Bokka didn’t know about the Travelers. I had to bail her out.

“Yankees,” I said. “The Yankees tribe.” Hey, what can I say? It was the first thing that came to mind. “It’s a strong tribe,” I added. “Respected by all…except for our mortal enemies, the Sox tribe. They hate us. Especially the Red ones. Cannibals. Nasty characters.”

“I haven’t heard of these tribes,” Bokka said.

“That’s okay,” I said. “We haven’t heard of you either.”

“But you’re dressed as a Rokador,” the guy next to Bokka said. “Why is that?”

“This is Teek,” Loor said, changing the subject. I’m happy to say he didn’t put out his hand to shake. One bone crusher was enough. “Ask him to show you the scar from when he was bitten by a zhou beast.”

“Loor!” Teek said, complaining. “Won’t you ever forget that?”

Bokka laughed. Loor chuckled too, and said, “When we were young, a small ceegee bug crept into his bunk while he was asleep. It nipped him and he jumped up shouting ‘Zhou! Zhou!’ The scar is quite impressive… if you look closely enough.”

Loor and Bokka chuckled. Teek looked embarrassed, but smiled. “I had been dreaming of a zhou. You would have done the same thing.”

Teek wasn’t upset. He took the goofing good-naturedly. This was all one big touchy-feely reunion. The whole thing had me off balance. I’m not sure why it struck me as odd at that moment that I could understand these guys and they understood me. Part of the benefit of being a Traveler is that we hear all languages as our own, and others hear us as if we were speaking their language. I guess maybe that still seems like magic. But it always works, so I shouldn’t be surprised anymore. Much.

Bokka said, “You did not tell us why you are dressed as a Rokador, Pendragon.”

Loor answered for me. “With his white skin, we decided it would be better for him to dress as a Rokador, in case he ran into fierce Tiggen guards, like you.”

Bokka nodded. He bought it.

“You have such light skin,” Teek said. “Do you live underground too?”

Loor jumped in, trying to get control of the situation before I said something else stupid. She said, “The tribe known as-“

“Yankees,” I reminded her.

“Yes, Yankees, lives on the surface in a forest of many trees that block the sun. That is why his skin is lighter than the Batu.”

“Yes, it’s a forest called the Bronx,” I threw in. Why not? It wasn’t like he was going to prove me wrong.

“Pendragon is a wise tribe member,” Loor continued. “He has traveled here to help us.”

Bokka looked me up and down, sizing me up.

“Can you fight?” he asked.

“The idea is to try and solve your problems without fighting,” I said.

“If you can do that,” Bokka said, “then you have more wisdom than anyone around here…from either tribe.”

I didn’t know how I felt about this guy. I guess I should have been saying that any friend of Loor’s was a friend of mine, but if I were being totally honest, I didn’t like the way they were being so chummy. Loor and I may not have known each other since we were little kids, but we had been through a whole lot together. You would think that facing death while trying to save everything that exists would have brought us a little closer together than two people who played ring-around-the-rosy when they were kids… or whatever it is they play here. Loor treats me like I’m some kind of business partner. That was okay, I didn’t think she had more warmth in her than that…until I saw her with Bokka. She never let her guard down with me like that. And he was a Rokador! An enemy of the Batu!

“Have you discovered anything?” Loor asked Bokka, changing the subject.

“Nothing,” he answered. “Except that the Tiggen guards have been put on alert. The Rokador elite are expecting the Batu to attack at any time.”

“But what of the rivers?” Loor asked. “Has there been any explanation from the Rokador elite?”

“Same as always,” Bokka answered. “They blame the drought on lack of rain in the north-where the rivers are fed. I have tried my best to find out more, but with no luck.”

“Uhh,” I interrupted. “What exactly are you talking about?”

Loor explained, “As you know, the Rokador live underground and control the rivers of Zadaa. For generations they have worked with the Batu, channeling the water between the different rivers to ensure it flows to where it is needed most. It is a valuable service that they provide for the Batu.”

“But we do more than that,” Bokka added. “The Rokador are manufacturers. In our factories we create clothing and weapons and building materials and most everything needed for our own survival…and for the Batu’s survival as well.”