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Stories from the Verse
Con Version
Chapter 51: Takano 100
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Cooper 16
After the afternoon service the crowd began to leave--all but Hulion. He walked forward and sat across the campfire from Tommy. Puzzled, she stared at him, hoping he was not about to confess his love. Finally, the rest of the tribe had left, except for several of Hulion’s male friends who stood a way off, and Tommy had to admit they, too, were excellent male specimens suited to a girlish appreciation.
“I spoke with Varlax. She had told a friend, who told a friend, who told me. So, I went to her, and she explained certain things to me.” Tommy nodded, listening, which was easy to do as the young man’s voice was a very pleasant baritone. “I would thus like to have Davey join me at my campfire, and have a nest with my companions.”
Tommy blinked. This was not remotely what she had expected. She was not sure what she had thought was going to be said, but this was not it. Frowning, she remembered tales from her home Earth of bullies. Back home, Hulion would be the star quarterback, and Davey might be the much-put-upon and bullied outsider.
“I don’t know. I mean we would have to ask him,” she temporized, trying to think rapidly.
“Well, of course,” he said as if that was obvious. Then he looked at her, and she looked away, and finally he spoke.
“You have some objections. Let’s deal with it.”
“I don’t--really think--”
“I think we ought to deal with the problem,” Hulion said flatly, and his liquid brown eyes bored into her face. Unable to resist, she began to speak--of bullies, and quarterbacks, and outcast kids, and unnecessary meanness and all manner of things from her home world. After a while, she noticed that Hulion was stroking the tiny little scraggle of beard he had on his chin, but he had said no word, so she stopped.
“You think I ask Davey to come to my fire so that I can torment him?”
“Well, I mean, yes, maybe, I don’t know.”
He nodded slowly.
“Let me tell you what I see. You speak of these alphas, these quarterbacks, but I don’t see what you call an alpha. I see a scared child. Tomiko, I have no need to show my power by torturing a man who is not quick with words.”
She looked up, quizzical, and he just smiled broadly, and somehow relaxed. Something flowed through the air. It was not magic, nor pheromones, but the atmosphere changed. In a suddenly deeper voice, he spoke.
“I am the greatest of the unmarried men. I am Hulion of the Many Muscles.” Tomiko blushed. “Yes,” he said kindly as if a great lord condescending to one of his subjects. “I know what the girls call me when they think I am not listening. I have no need to hurt a weakling to show my power. Everyone already knows it.”
She looked at him again, sitting across from her fire like a young prince, fully in command, and not a doubt in his face. It made things she had always known spin in her head as they began to try to fit into new puzzle patterns.
“Besides, from your tales, I can hear the boredom these young men suffer under. I am not bored at all. Every day I hunt and fish. I practice my bow, and the fire hardened spears you showed us how to make. I speak at length with several girls that currently interest me. I spend the time with my friends. I consider how to protect the Tribe. Tomiko, Varlax showed me that we need Davey. Davey needs us. I will be a true friend to him, and call him one of my closest friends, and let him sit by my fire each night. I will call many of the girls to come to the fire so they can meet him.”
“Because if he gets married, he is tied to the Tribe, and you’re looking out for the Tribe. Unless,” she added thoughtfully, “he takes her home to live with his family in their log cabin.” She considered that for a moment, then said, “That might be a bit crowded. I wonder if he might build a new cabin here.”
“Log cabin?” Hulion asked, puzzled.
“Doesn’t matter. So you’re looking out for the Tribe.”
“And myself, and my friends as well. If the Tribe dies, I might live, but it would not be such a pleasant life.”
Tomiko pursed her lips. She remembered her thoughts of the night. Would it be fair to Davey?
“Speak truthfully to Davey, and tell him your thoughts and plans, and offer him true friendship--but don’t approach him deceitfully hiding your plans--and you have my blessing.”
Hulion sat and thought a bit, and then nodded. He got up, and spoke once more.
“Adviser, remember, I seek to benefit my Tribe. If you need help, just ask.”
She thanked him, and he walked away. She thought Varlax a bit wrong. Hulion was not dumb. He might need things explained to him, but he could catch on quickly enough. Plus, he had enough personality that he might end up replacing Varlax five years from now.
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with eleven other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #505: Versers Advance. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
