Time Salvager (Time Salvager #1)(102)
“Hey Elder Elise, checking in. Your readings are a little high. Everything blue?” Rima’s voice popped into her head. The girl was speaking to her through an old handheld patched into her comm band.
Elise grunted. If what her body was doing was considered only a little high, then they need to recalibrate whatever was monitoring her. “I’m fine,” she said. “And stop calling me Elder. I’m not that old.”
“If you say so, Elder Elise.”
The Elfreth all started calling her that when they decided she was the savior of the planet. As far as she knew, only Qawol and Franwil were called Oldest, while a small group of the more senior citizens among the Elfreth were known as the Old Ones. She guessed being called Elder was better than being Oldest or Old One, which as far as she knew referred to people who were actually just old.
“How is your gathering, Elder Elise?”
“It’s beautiful here, Rima. You should come join me.”
“No can, Elder Elise. Tribe needs the voom. Can’t tie it up for so long. You still okay for two days sun top?”
That much was true. The Elfreth had only three transports, including James’s, and he didn’t let anyone else fly his collie. That left two rickety four-wheelers to be shared among hundreds of people, which meant these cars were always in need. There was no way Elise could keep this one to herself for three full days, so Rima had to drop her off and drive back right away.
“Sun top is fine. You should try to come early and check this place out. It’s beautiful. You know, this planet wasn’t always like this. It used to be…”
Her voice trailed off when she saw a small black speck in the distance approaching her. She might not have noticed it if it wasn’t flying very low over the jungle canopy, the force of its propulsion blowing the trees to the sides. Elise had not seen any signs of civilization since she left Boston. Could this be a coincidence? She doubted it.
“Rima, I have a visual on somebody approaching. Going to hide. Keep this channel open.”
“I am too far away already, Elder Elise. Turning around.”
“Don’t do that,” Elise said, lowering her voice to a whisper as she crept into the thickets, her eyes never leaving the growing speck. The thing was definitely heading straight toward her. She wasn’t so optimistic as to think that this was just a coincidence. If it was hostile, there was little Rima could do to help. She would just be putting herself in danger.
“Listen carefully, Rima, head straight back to the tribe. If something happens, tell Grace. She can find James.”
“But Elder Elise—”
“Do it now! I’m turning the comm off in case they can track it.” The channel went dead as Elise waited. James was out on some job, whether jumping back in time to gather supplies or off gallivanting across the globe to trade with other pockets of civilization. He’d been away from the tribe more often than not, constantly running errands for her and Grace. Elise worried that he was putting too much on his shoulders. He’d been looking haggard lately. She’d have to talk to Grace about that. Could all that time traveling be bad for his health? Well, he never complained or said anything about it. Typical James.
Her stomach twisted when the speck turned sharply up the mountain and climbed to her level. Any doubt of whoever it was not knowing her location was erased. Sweat poured down her face even though her atmos was keeping her cool. The ship looked like James’s ship, one of those collies that the ChronoCom people used. If it was someone from the agency, she was as good as dead. James had told her how badly ChronoCom wanted to capture her. Now, of all the fool things she could have done, she had exposed herself without any means of escape.
The collie leveled off and the ramp swung open. James flew out, landing dramatically in front of her in a kneeling position, kicking up a circle of dust in all directions.
“What in the black abyss are you doing here by yourself?!” He thundered, looking directly at her hiding place.
Elise felt the urge to laugh and cry at the same time, but she wasn’t going to give him the pleasure of seeing that. With exaggerated casualness, she sauntered out of the bushes. “Oh, hello. I thought you had already left. I would have rescheduled my little excursion.” She managed to look abashed.
“I delayed it. Change in our jump plans. I won’t be leaving until tomorrow. No one would tell me where you went. I dug it out of Sammuia.”
That darn boy couldn’t keep a secret. Well, she couldn’t blame him. He was scared enough of James as it was. “You didn’t bully the boy too much, did you?” she asked. “It’s not earning you any points with the Elfreth, you know.
James was working himself up over nothing. “I told you not to leave the tribe when I’m away. I can’t protect you if something happens!”
Again, that assuredness in his voice as if he knew what was best for her. Nothing got her angry like someone who felt like he had the right to patronize her. It hadn’t worked for her parents, and it wasn’t going to work for James. He was looking out for her; she appreciated that, but he wasn’t anyone who had authority over her.
“Now you look here…” she began in what she considered a very reasonable tone.
“Don’t argue with me,” he snapped. “Where we’re at right now is the complete opposite of not leaving Boston.”