Beyond the Herd

The rider that approached appeared nervous about bothering a Spex at their own fires .. but he came anyway. Speaking to me of Kaeli .. needing some assistance. It was all very strange and confusing but I told him I would come .. of course. Kaeli was of the First Fires and Jai's mate. I had much respect for both .. and I would come.

I found Kaeli .. out beyond the herds ... with a dweller. I was not pleased. I greeted her .. waiting.

She seemed to get the idea I was not pleased with her location .. but she did tell me that she had found this dweller woman who appeared to her to possibly be another woman who had suffered much the same fate as Leonette. My black gaze narrowed even further .. but I asked Kaeli .. what she as doing out here .. the here being beyond the herds. Kaeli replied, "I had to net some birds ...their bones make good trocars for healing."

I had no idea what a trocar was .. let alone more than one of them ... my response was .. "Had to ... break the word of the Ubar?"

She looked to her boot .. as if trying to find the answer .. "I wasn't too far from the herds was I?"

"You are outside the herd and I believe his word was specific and clear .. so why ... again?"

"Because its impossible to catch birds near the bosk. They scare them off."

"Why did you not ask the Ubar first?"

"I set the nets before he made the order."

huh

I was not going to wager that excuse would hold any weight with the Ubar. It certainly was not with me. "That means nothing to me .. his order did not make mention of things started or not started before the order. His words were specific .. Kaeli."

She had nothing more to offer me .. so I asked her about the dweller. Kaeli told me the dweller had told her .. she had been taken by raiders. That she .. the dweller ... had woken to dead men missing ears and the mate of Leonette .. Ramza ... had returned to camp with a lance full of ears.

huh

I asked the dweller if she had any ideas of where she was .. at that point. She said that after speaking to Kaeli she had gotten the idea she was very far from home .. when I asked her where her home was ... she told me Port Kar. That inspired a deep chuckle.

I asked Kaeli what she intended on doing with the woman. Kaeli said it was not her decision .. that the woman had a father with ships and Kaeli wanted her to have a chance to speak to the Ubar. She thought perhaps a barter or trade could be made. I thought that was amusing as well. I asked Kaeli if she wished to chain the woman to the Ubar's wagon. She said she would leave that to the Ubar .. I told Kaeli that the dweller was not going to be roaming around the camp. I told Kaeli if she brought her within the Harigga .. she would be chained. I was highly suspicious of the woman's story. It made very little sense to me at all.

At this point .. I warned them both that the Ubar might make a slave out of her. Mezoo thought that was an excellent idea .. a gift for the Ubar. I reminded Mezoo that Kaeli had found her first. But that if Kaeli did not want her .. Mezoo could have her. Kaeli spoke up .. that she would chain her until the Ubar could decide.

I do not know why Kaeli liked this dweller so much .. perhaps she really thought the Ubar would gain some wealth by it ... but she will have a chance to speak her case before the Ubar .. as it should be. I did tell Kaeli that the next time I found her disobeying the Ubar's law I would chain her to Jai's wagon. Kaeli does not know me well .. I felt it was fair to warn her that I was serious about the Ubar's law. I would let the Ubar deal with it this time .. but next I would do something about it .. act as Oralu.