Renegade on Kara: The Great Basin, Chapter 8 Into the Desert

Roger must put himself into the care of a non human teenager in order to travel with a caravan on the great road.

chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

The Tomlin caravan appeared close to moving out, and was far different from the Monderin’s. Instead of mules with wagons, the short reptiles used camels with pack saddles. While he didn’t think that guaranteed that they were headed Mountainward, Roger thought it a good bet.

That decided him. He approached one large male that seem to be overseeing others.

“I am looking to join a caravan heading Mountainward.”

That large male looked to another, inspecting the pack on the back of a camel. That Tomlin approached, readjusting the gray-brown hooded cloak he wore.

“You seek passage with us?”

“Yes.”

“Ming, Camos or Tose?” the Tomlin said, naming the three confederation towns mountainward from there.

Remembering what he had studied, Roger asked, “Is Tose the furthest Mountainward you go?”

“No, we go to Illset, three cities beyond the Confederation.”

“Then that is where I wish to go. And if you can, I would appreciate your help and advice on getting further up the road.”

“That is madness. Humans are barely tolerated in some cities beyond Tose, and outright forbidden to enter others. Advice is free. If you wish to leave the Confederation, then go Oceanward, not Mountainward, but even there, humans are not welcome. Stay in the Confederation or go back through your gate.” He made it sound even worse than what the books had stated.

“There are no equals to the mountains at the edge of the Great Basin anywhere in the four universes. I have traveled through the Armstrong Gate just to see them myself, and I will.”

The Tomlin raised both hands while lashing his tail and Roger remembered reading that they did that instead of shrugging.

“I do not understand human’s desire to go see for themselves. Have you ridden a camel? I can get you as far as Illset. Our clan has no contracts or contacts beyond that city. You will need find some other means of travel or walk the road by yourself from there.”

“Ride? I didn’t know you were riding them.”

“We do not. You will. You humans cannot keep up.”

That explained the pack camel instead of mules. Like humans, Tomlin evolved from persistence hunters, but they had been faster ones, and still were. A wagon pulled by mules couldn’t keep up, but a pack camel could.

“I haven’t ridden a camel before.”

“Our clan has a few enchanted saddles to help you stay on. If we can come to an agreement, I will send for one.”

From the Tomlin’s attitude, Roger knew working for passage was out of the question, so considered what he had that might cover it with care. Despite his misgivings on parting with something that could be used to track him, he removed the carving knife and sheath mounted on the bottom right side of his pack. That should be high enough in value, but not critical to his survival. He drew the knife, then picking up a fist size stone, he sliced it in half with little effort then held out the knife hilt forward for the Tomlin to inspect. He also slipped past the Tomlin’s shield to know just what the value of what he was offering was.

This Tomlin was no slouch as a mage Roger saw at once. He tested the knife’s enchantments thoroughly and noted the functions that no person other than Roger would be able to access. “Can you unlock these spells and functions?”

“No. They don’t affect its ability to cut a wide range of things. Those just to allow the knife to interface with other personal items, such as the gloves on my belt.”

He held out his hand to examine the sheath.

“That is also locked. Only I can remove the knife from it.”

“I don’t have a sheath to fit it. Nor can I build one to interface with the spells you have built into it. It is very fine craftsmanship, and an excellent knife, dangerous to carry without a sheath and it will be difficult to sell to any but humans.”

“One moment.” Roger looked around, but most of the stones had long been removed and fresh clean sand brought in on a regular basis. He spotted one, twice the size of his fist, near the entrance. “I’ll get a stone and be right back.”

Arriving back with the stone in hand, Roger held out his hand for the knife.

With the knife, he carved the stone down to a rectangle only slightly wider than the knife hilt, then slid the blade into the center of it; then turned the rectangular stone upside down. The blade stayed in the stone.

“There are two very small pins on the hilt. When you push the knife into a rock, it won’t slide out, even if held upside down. You don’t need a magic sheath to hold it in. Just line the top of it with something those pins can grab onto.” He handed it back to the Tomlin who looked it over once more, pulling it out of the stone then putting it back in.

“Very well, we will take you to Illset.”

Roger read the contempt the Tomlin had for him as he was vastly overpaying. “And provide meals and water the whole way.”

“And provide meals and water.”

The price he was offering was still more than four times what he should pay, yet he didn’t have a better option. “Set,” he agreed.