© Becca, Dana Simmons and Starbright 2001 The Young Riders is an Ogiens/Kane Production, created by Ed Spielman.
We only borrow his characters for fun. No infringement of copyright intended. There is absolutely no financial gain for the authors. We survive on the feedback, and we need plenty of it.

2313
Chapter 10

The HuRec official interrogated them about the model of the ASA, wanting to know every detail they remembered. Ike felt a strange mixture of relief and mistrust. HuRec usually functioned rather well as an organization, this time they had screwed up badly. Wrong information, haphazard at best. Now this? Why the hell had they been informed that this was an official hearing and then this? They usually stuck to strict protocol. Not telling them straight out it was only a technical inquiry, letting them think they were personally under suspicion? What the hell was going on? Ike still couldn't quite relax, even though the woman had assured them they were not being subjected to a hearing. Only an inquiry. Something felt wrong all the same. He watched the woman switch the EA into thought-bearing mode and still herself for a moment, probably trying to get her tought as clear as possible before storing them into the device.

Then she turned and asked the Kid where the air-inlets had been on the vessel he blew up.

Ike watched Kid stiffen at the words, retreating slightly as he told the woman about the locations of the air-inlets. Ike threw the woman an annoyed glance, nice way to remind them they'd caused God knows how many people to die. The official looked apologetically in their direction, shrugging at her own bluntness. "I'm sorry, it's just...well everything's been a chaos at HuRec's this past week. Gotten me kinda thrown too. Sorry."

Ike wrinkled his brow, making a sign of not understanding what she was ranting about. He wasn't exactly sure he wanted to know either.

"Well hell," the woman let out with a laughter, "you saw how this trip got screwed up too, I mean it must have scared you stiff the way the announcement sounded. Never meant it to sound like that. It's just...well we recently found out that the second in command had an own agenda altogether. Ya know, the usual one, take the money and run. Turns out some sites were having a black market kind'o thingie going on. Let's say that the settlers' faith in us has diminished considerably thanks to that." She smiled bitterly.

"How bad?" Ike asked, glaring at the Kid for not participating at all in this discussion.

"Bad," the woman said, defeat in her voice, "one site is totally demolished. In their effort to increase growth they managed to poison the ground instead. It all had to be sealed and evacuated. A lot of the settlers died, unfortunately. We had no idea at the time. We were listening to the wrong people. And then we found out about the murders and robbings on this other site close by....it's , hell let's just say it's been a bad couple of weeks."

"Close by?" Ike asked, astonished at the news. There hadn't even been any rumors about this. Nothing at all.

"Your neighbors," the official stated and peeked at them. Studying their expressions at her statement.

Ike and Kid threw a glance at each other, something in the woman's voice told them she wasn't really revealing all the secrets, there was more to come.

The woman watched them, sensing their suspicions. "You'll hear all about it don't worry, things are gonna change. That's why I said...well I didn't quite mean it like that, It wasn't you causing the vessel to blow up, it was a technical thing. It's happened before, that's why we need to know how come. I'm sorry I let it come out like that!"

Kid looked to the ground, refusing to meet with the woman's eyes. Ike felt compelled to smile in her direction. Nodding that he understood. Still glaring at the Kid occasionally, trying to get him to speak up. Ike sensed the woman was uneasy about his silence. He had been awfully taciturn all this time, answering the woman in brief sentences. He was silent even for being the Kid and Ike wondered why. They had been told they were allowed to stay on, they wouldn't have to leave. What the hell was eating at him now?

"John?" The woman asked, watching him, "are you all right?"

Kid's head snapped up in surprise. "Huh?"

"Is everything fine?" The woman persisted, stepping up to him and laying a hand on his arms, crossed over the chest. Smiling at him while looking into his eyes.

Out of the corner of his eye Ike saw Lou running towards them, running like the devil was hot on her heels. He turned to watch her and noticed her stop dead in her tracks, close enough to have full vision. Her eyes widening in surprise. Ike beckoned her closer, inviting her to come save them from this awkward situation. She threw a questioning, desperate glance at Ike before her eyes wandered back to the woman and Kid.

She was standing close to him, her hand still resting on his arms. Kid's stance changed and became more relaxed and he finally unfolded his arms from his chest, like opening up. Ike threw anther glance at Lou who let the eyes dart between the two of them. Ike moaned inwardly at the expression in her eyes.

"John, I know how you feel. I watched one of them explode too, and I was chief technician. I thought I had killed all of them. I know, it was pure hell....and sometimes still is. I keep wondering if it was my fault over and over again. The facts told me it wasn't, but still...." She leaned in to catch his eyes. "If you ever wanna talk about it, just call me up or something.

Kid nodded slightly, shyly meeting the woman's eyes. "I'm fine - really."

"Well just in case," she said and reached for something in her pocket, "here's my private code, for whatever reason."

Ike found himself watching Lou as Kid took the memo-slot, and smiled at the official. Lou looked like she was ready to scratch the woman's eyes out.
"Lou," he hollered and made a sign for her to join them, revealing her presence before Kid got himself into deeper trouble. Gratefully he noticed the rest of the group approaching them, smiles on their faces, the tension dissolved.

Lou remain stunned where she was at. Kid was actually flirting with that damned woman, smiling at her, casting her those glances she herself knew being so efficient, so damned alluring! That shyness shining through, making you feel special that he actually talked to you. Damn you, she thought, it's all been a lie. You use this to pick up women, don't you? You had me totally fooled, I thought you were different. She watched as he chuckled at something the woman had said, her hand still on his arm. She sensed the others walking up behind her and she turned around, stunned at their happy faces. Jimmy smiling at her, giving her a wink. The HuRec officials both looking at her, amused smiles on their faces.

Lou felt like she was being kept out of some big secret, like they all knew something and weren't telling her.

Cody leapt past her and ran up to Ike, patting him hard on the back. "Heck Ike, gave us a scare there for a while! Glad you're staying!"

Staying? Lou turned back and let her eyes sweep over the group in front of her, briefly scanning Ike's and Cody's happy faces, not daring to look at Kid yet, was Ike staying and Kid not?

"Hey, Kid!" Jimmy hollered, "it's your turn to feed the goddamn chickens today! Nice try to escape your fate."

Lou looked in the direction and found Kid's eyes resting on her. A smile lingering in them, together with a question. That shyness in him again, the shyness she found so attractive. His air of reservation and withdrawal awakening her curiosity, she wanted to break that shell, she wanted to know. Get under his skin, Lou thought, exactly what you hate when others try to do to you! -Or maybe onto his skin? Lou felt her cheeks get hotter at the thought, she had never had to wish or beg for sex earlier, it had always been offered to her, now all was different.

When he caught her looking at him he timidly diverted his gaze, leaving her wondering yet again. A thousand emotions rushed through her as she watched him while the Official's shook Ike's and Kid's hands, saying a few words to them each and then getting into the ASA. Sam patting Kid's back while Emma embraced Ike. Buck boxing him slightly, reminding him he was at the losing end at their game and he better not bail out. Noah teasingly telling the Kid he was glad he was staying because it looked like the mare was close and he had no intention of getting into a foaling stall with a possibly kicking mare. Teaspoon's low rumbling chuckle and Rachel's relieved smile.

"Come on, all of ya, it's time for breakfast," Emma declared. Grabbing Sam's arm and hauling him after her.

"Hell!" Cody exclaimed, "I'd forgotten all about eatin' this morning, I must be coming down with somethin'!"

"Maybe you're comin' down with an acute case of normality," Buck grinned at the always exuberant Cody.

"Hardly likely," Jimmy muttered, "saw him stuffing himself with freshly cooked eggs already, acute case of dementia is more like it. By the way Cody, I'm relieving Kid of the chicken duty, the way you eat them eggs you can feed them hen too, ain't fair otherwise."

"How come I have to do all the work around here?" Cody complained.

"All the work? HA! You tricked me and Buck into taking half of your load two nights ago!"

"He did?" Buck chimed in, "Cody, you said you were going to repair the solarcells!"

"Uhm..eh.. well, Sam is much better on that stuff so I told him...."

"I can't believe this, it was my night off!"

Cody turned to Buck with an apologetic smile, "well Ike was beating you at the game so I thought I'd help out! Saved ya didn't I?"

"You cost me the game that would have had me in the lead Cody," Ike muttered, walking up to him. Placing himself at Buck's side, glaring at the squirming fellow that was notorious in his laziness.

Jimmy took a leap after Cody, grinning widely, "come on Cody I'll introduce you to the chickens and the hogs. You're on double duty!"

"I'm a hungry man!" Cody protested and jumped out off Jimmy's way. Buck sneaked up behind him, while Ike placed himself in the flightway. Cody had no other alternative than to start running toward the barn. Buck, Ike and Jimmy hot on his heals.

"Boys, boys," Teaspoon muttered, while watching Cody make a maneuver that put him on track for the house. "Why not take all this energy out on work instead?" With a glance over his shoulder he let out a snort of laughter, "we better get inside and fast, Cody'll have that fridge cleaned in no time."

"I wished he'd clean it sometimes, " Rachel sighed, "he just empties it Teaspoon. I'm stuck with the cleaning. And half-eaten amino-pasta dishes do not belong there!" With a stern face she leaned over to Teaspoon, "and I happen to know who put it there!"

Emma laughed wholeheartedly, "you're such a mess Teaspoon, I keep telling you that!"

"All right," Teaspoon sighed, "I'll clean that damned fridge, just let me have some food first women! Can't believe how Cody got me into this," he muttered good-naturedly as he started for the house.

"Cody'll probably get you into anything," Sam retorted with a chuckle.

Lou watched as Kid smiled and walked away from the vessel, glancing at her briefly as he stopped and watched the ASA take off. Lou wondered if he was sorry he had stayed, maybe he'd rather have gone with that woman. Whose memo-slot he still carried.

In silence they watched the small vessel rise and take off, the voices of bickering group slowly disappearing into the house. Standing there Lou wondered what was going to happen now, what she truly felt? Relief yes, an immense relief. But all the same she felt angry. Angry at the Kid. For getting her this riled up, this nervous, no scared, that he would leave. That he had her running out of the house ready to express everything she harbored inside, like he always did. Then to have to watch him laugh and joke with a women he barely knew, smiling at her. Telling her things. Why wouldn't he tell her? Why was it so hard to be around him occasionally, why did she feel like it was downright dangerous to look at him. Because looking meant wanting more and more. Why did it feel so right all the same?

"Kid," she said to brake the silence.

He moved closer to watch her, not saying a word, unnerving her by standing so close she would just have to extend her hand to lay it on him. To then wrap her arms around him and hold him close. Kiss him and melt into his embrace. Her vision again filling with internal images of the two of them together, in passion.

"So you're staying?" Her voice came out in a different tone that she had intended. It sounded like an accusation. She didn't even have the time to explain herself before she found him stepping even closer, standing right in front of her, looking into her eyes. The expression in his had her silent. The intensity in his gaze forced her to look away.

"You sound disappointed," he said after a beat, before walking away.

Bewildered Lou followed his stride, long steps carrying him away from her. Leaving her desolated. "Where ar' ya going?" She hollered at him, mad at his playing with her. Forcing her out on this emotional roller-coaster.

Kid stopped and turned, looking at her that way again. Those blue eyes looking deep inside her, waiting for her to give in to him, completely and without reservation. Lou felt like he was looking right through her, seeing her fears and her need, the things she wasn't ready to reveal. She crossed her arms over her chest. Watching him, waiting for him to have his say.

Kid noticed her movements and diverted his eyes to the dirt under his feet. "Gotta feed the horses," he said, lifting his eyes to meet hers. The same distance she'd seen back in them, the 'don't touch me, don't talk to me' defense put up. And Lou knew she had put it there.

She watched as he walked to the stables, tears pricking behind her eyes. Why was it so hard for them to talk? Or for him to talk? She had spilled enough beans to him already. But he, he was always quiet, not letting her know anything. Even his body language was hard to decipher. Everything about him was.....different. He saw more in her than most people did, just by watching her intently she felt she was being read. And part of her wanted to tell him everything, somewhere deep inside she felt she could trust him completely. But that feeling was so new to her, so new she didn't trust it yet. And he obviously didn't trust her either. And he had taken that memo-slot. She had to face it, it would never happen.

As she turned and walked into the house she told the EA to call Sean. It was high time she returned some of his calls. It was high time she got her senses back.

Teaspoon sighed contentedly as he gulped down the last of the cafs, casting a grateful glance in Emma's direction. Then he put the cup down and looked at each of the pioneers, intently. His face turning serious and pensive. Watching Cody for a long while, muttering something to himself.

"What?!" Cody barked.

"Things are gonna change," Teaspoon sighed.

Ike and Kid threw each other a glance over the table, knowing they had heard this before. Lou caught their glance and let her eyes wander between them, wondering what they knew and weren't telling.

"What'ya mean change?" Cody asked, "I fed them darned hogs, I promise. I won't..."

"As I said," Teaspoon cleared his throat demonstratively, "things are gonna change around here." Then he paused and looked into the empty cup on the table, drumming his fingers on the surface of the table.

"If you wouldn't mind Teaspoon, I'd like to hear it sometimes this lifetime," Jimmy remarked impatiently. "You finally gonna get Cody to pull his weight around here or what?"

"Hey!" Cody protested, "it's really my time off tonight and still I ..."

"Starting tomorrow there will be settlers coming in, and not any settlers either." Teaspoon broke in. Glaring at the two combatants. "You won't have all this energy starting tomorrow, I promise you this much."

"I knew it!" Cody exclaimed, "I'm telling you I ain't..."

"Starting tomorrow Amanda O'Connell will be leading a work group, building Sweetwater and you'll all be involved."

"Amanda O'Connell?" Cody's head popped up, his interest awakened. "Ya mean a woman? Heck, I'm game."

"You're a fool," Jimmy muttered, "but I'll hold ya to it if she's a hundred years old and ugly...Ouch!" Glaring to his side as Lou placed an elbow rather firmly in his side.

"Let Teaspoon finish," she said with an angelic face.

Emma laughed, "better watch your mouth Jimmy, Cody's starting to grow on you."

"What you mean Teaspoon," Sam interrupted," 'not any settlers'? What does that mean?"

"Well, there's been some problems," Teaspoon mumbled. "And it looks like we're gonna have to deal with'em."

"With what?" Lou intervened, "what's so bad?"

"Site 113, 115 and 98 has had their share of troubles, and now they're sending them to us," Teaspoon said. "They're sending us a group of settlers, among them thieves and murderers, you name it. Together with perfectly innocent, new settlers. I'm telling you, it's asking for trouble. That's what it is. I've told them, but they won't listen. So tomorrow Amanda will arrive, with a group of convicts. She needs all of your help to keep them in line, they're paying their debt to society by rebuilding Sweetwater. And you'll be helping them all."

"What?" Jimmy exploded, " I'm gonna have to baby-sit a bleeding softy trying to reform convicts?"

"So that's what Samantha was talking about?" Kid ventured, "the troubles on the sites? They're sending the troublemakers here?"

"Samantha who?" Lou wheezed in Kid's direction, "that woman you were talking to?"

"Lou," Emma warned her with a glance as Kid looked at Lou like she had just bit him. Watching the two of them stare at each other, Kid looking bewildered, not getting the reason for Lou's anger. Emma sighed deeply.

"She a convict?" Cody asked, "what she do?"

"Who?" Noah turned to Cody, feeling he, or somebody was left out of the loop, "what the hell are you talkin' 'out?"

"I just found the file on Amanda O'Connoll," Cody leered and flicked the EA to 'visualize'.

A picture of a woman their own age appared on the wall behind them. Lou turned to watch as Kid's eyes seemed nailed to the wall.

"She sure don't look like a convict," Cody said dreamily.

"Were you even listening Cody?" Noah moaned, "flick that thing off, let Teaspoon continue for heaven's sake."

"What do I have to do to get locked up with her?" Cody continued, his eyes locked on the vision on the wall.

Kid took the EA from behind his ear and flipped it over to Jimmy. A grin on his face. "All yours Jimmy!"

"Hey!" Cody was up on his feet and threw himself in Jimmy's direction, "I didn't memorize it yet!"

Jimmy leered happily at him, "sorry Billy!" Flipping the EA back to Kid causing, Cody to curse as he rammed into the table on his route to get the Kid.

A hail of curses and invectives rained over all three of them as cafs spilled onto the table and food dropped off forks.

"Boys!" Teaspoon roared from the end of the table, making Cody stop dead in his tracks. "I give up, you'll have your orders in the morning, gotta see who I can pair up. Don't need no bloodshed around here right now. You go do your business all of you, this is the last day of peace and calm. Tomorrow there will a new town rising in the valley, and you'll gonna see to it its done." He watched sadly as Rachel took the spoon filled with butter out of Buck's hand. Casting a stern glance in his direction, seeing him aim at Ike.

Shaking his head Teaspoon continued; "some of you'll have to ride out and scan the marked plots in person. Some of you will have to stay here and help Amanda get organized and..."

"I volunteer," Cody chimed in as Amanda O'Connell's name was mentioned.

Lou retaliated with a perfect hit, placing a fair amount of butter in Cody's blond hair, smirking slightly as part of her load took its own trajectory and landed on Ike. Ducking and looking perfectly innocent as Cody swung around, looking for the culprit.

Teaspoon sighed and rose from the table, "tell you what. I'm starting to feel sorry for them convicts."

A giggle escaped Lou and as Teaspoon walked into his office all of the brave pioneers were trying to avoid bursting into howling laughter. As the door shut behind him he could hear the outburst in the kitchen.

"Merciful God," Teaspoon chuckled.

"Lou!"

"Yeah Buck?"

"Kid asked me to ask you if you've seen the cooling gel?"

"Using it," she replied, coating Lightning's legs with the liniment. "I think Lightning's left hindleg needs a lookover. Feels kinda warm, would you tell Kid to check it out."

"Uh huh," Buck answered and walked back.

"And would you ask him if he's seen my riding boots? Were on Katy's tack-box and I can't find them any longer!"

Buck walked back and leaned in over the stalldoor. "Is this gonna be it from now on Lou? I'm running to Kid asking your questions and to you asking his? Think it would be much easier if you just talked to each other."

"What'ya mean?" Lou rose and faced Buck, "I don't understand?"

"First it was the feeding of the horses, does Lightning need how much less if he ain't working. Remember, I made five trips between the two of you before we got that one settled. Then Kid wanted to know if you'd take Powdercake out. Another three trips before you got that settled. Then you needed to know if he checked the licks in the corral, two more. And now this! Liniment and ridingboots." Buck stopped and peered at her. "Something tells me you two are dying to keep in touch and using me as a mean, just ain't right you know."

"But...but, you were there. I mean easier for you to..." Lou stammered.

"Lay off it Lou," Buck smiled, "go ask him yourself about the riding boots, and the cooling gel. If you ask me you both need it!"

"What?"

"You know what I mean, get it out of your systems, you're killing us too," Buck chuckled as he walked away, laughing to himself the whole way out.

"Shit," Lou muttered to herself, "cooling gel won't do it." She turned back to Lightning and started brushing him off, the horse nibbling at the hay contentedly. "Tell you what Lightning, this is really getting ridiculous. If he wants the cooling gel, let him come get it. I won't kill him ya know. But heck no, he's gotten his eyes on that Samantha woman now. Turning her head around. Poor thing, before she knows it she'll be a mess, just like me." She paused to watch Lightning's head rise. The horse gently rubbed his head against her shoulder before returning to his meal. "Ya know Lightning, before I came her I had everything under control, I was cool and levelheaded. Well almost anyway. I knew what I wanted and I took it if I had the chance. Never cared really that much about what people said or thought, I just did my thing and that was that. But now!"

Leaning her head against Lightning's warm neck she sighed, embracing the horse with both arms, for comfort. "I don't even know what I want any longer. Have all these strange dreams and visions. I swear it's crazy, small children with blue eyes, Lightning, I'm scared of myself sometimes."

She jumped as someone moved outside the stall. Her cheeks burning hot she hid her face in the coarse mane. Buck must have returned and heard everything! God! how will I explain this?

"You all right Lou?"

Let the earth swallow me up, let the barn come down on me. At least make those last seconds disappear somehow! "Fine Kid," Lou muttered, what the hell is HE doing here? We're not talking!

Steps coming inside the stall, she pressed her face into the warm coat of Lightning's strong neck. A hand on her shoulder, his hand on her shoulder. Shivers running through her as it lay there, warmth spreading through her. Involuntary she gasped for air at the touch. The hand disappeared at once.

"I'm sorry Lou, what's wrong?"

She just couldn't stay here for an eternity, she had to do something. But facing him right now was too much. He would be laughing at her if he had heard those last words, the dream she didn't even know she had until she told the horse about it. Small children with blue eyes, and she actually said it out loud! Gathering herself she turned away from Lightning, bowing to take the cooling gel into her hand. She stuffed the flacon into Kid's hand, brusquely.

"Left hindleg Kid, check it out!" With a grunt she pushed herself past him and ran out, heart beating in her chest. Shame coloring her cheeks.

"Lou!" The alarm in his voice had her stop and turn.

"Promised to help Rachel," she lied, "half-an-hour ago, gotta go!" Hurriedly she tossed the words at him, amazed at how neutral her voice was sounding.

He was just standing there, looking at her, not understanding. Concern and bewilderment in those blue eyes. He looked at her and repeated her name so silently she could barely hear him say it.

She turned and ran out of the barn.

TBC

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