Chapter Two


   In his travels Aaron had witnessed many examples of the ruin wrought by nature unto itself. He had seen the earth torn asunder by torrential rains, and huge stones sculpted by centuries of sand and driving winds, but these things had happened over the course of many years and were not entirely without aesthetic, nor were they done with the intent of harm. And for these reasons the sight before him seemed even more horrific than if he were a man accustomed to the machinery of civilization.
   Aaron lay on his stomach, perched on a high dune overlooking the devestation. He ignored the burning sand against his chest and rested his chin on his hands, running his eyes from one end of the train to the other. All of the cars had been derailed and lay on the far side of the track. Some were still hitched together and remained upright while others had become detached and fallen to one side. Aaron's sharp eyes could see the bodies of men strewn about the wreckage, some in grotesque poses of which the human body was not capable. This behemoth that had once raced along the plains of the desert had died a quick death and along with it the people that it had carried. From his lofty position the train appeared as a toy, tempting Aaron to put out his hand and place the broken cars back on their rails.
   "What in God's name happened here?" he heard himself whisper.
   Alita lay several meters away, her body flat against the sand in a pose similiar to Aaron's. She too looked down on the wreckage far below, but unlike her companion, Alita's expression was one of grave intent. She seemed not at all surprised at the sight of such carnage and studied the train and surrounding area as if sifting through the sand in search of clues. Her vision was much keener than Aaron's and she could clearly see the physical trauma suffered by the victims. In several places were the remains of campfires and drifts of sand had already started to accumulate against the upturned boxcars.
   Aaron heard Alita stir and propped his body on his left arm as he watched her rise to her feet. She turned clockwise and looked far to the horizon in all directions, obviously searching for any sign that the two were not alone. Satisfied, Alita again focused her attention on the wreckage below.
   "I have to go down there," she said resolutely.
   Aaron stood and turned west, peering at the falling sun that was perched atop a ridge of black hills. On the desert floor was cast a thin shadow which crept slowly toward the pair.
   "I advise against it Alita. We're already losing the sun and soon it will be too dark to travel without using the headlamps. We're only four hours from the base of the Firewall and I'd prefer we reach there before nightfall. We'll have the mountains behind us which will make it difficult for someone to approach undetected, and we can rest and discuss the next leg of the journey."
   Alita shook her head as she turned toward her guide.
   "It can't be helped," she replied.
   Before Aaron could protest, Alita had stepped over the edge of the dune and begun her descent down the steep slope, sinking her legs deep into the sand as she made her way toward the wreckage.
   Aaron swore under his breath and started down after, plunging his feet into the depressions Alita had left in her wake. He held his arms straight out from his shoulders in an attempt to balance himself, almost falling twice as he slid down the sharp incline. After a moment he had reached bottom and felt solid stone just beneath the surface of the sand, a layer of rock to which the railway ties were anchored.
   Now that he was among the ruin Aaron could smell the pungent odor of decay and ash. The corpses around him had started to decompose and the acrid smell of scorched metal caused him to wrinkle his nose and make an expression of disgust.
   Alita stood with her back toward him, studying the wreckage intently as if she were looking for something and seeming not at all concerned with the dead who lay about her feet.
   "This is terrible," she heard Aaron exclaim. "What could have happened here?"
   Alita turned back to him and pursed her lips, her expression one of grave concern, as if the tragedy were a personal matter to her.
   "Do you recall when I told you there were those in the outlands who would be happy to inconvenience Tiphares in anyway possible?"
   Aaron shook his head disbelievingly. He had seen the great trains many times as they raced through the desert and had always considered them unstoppable giants
   "But how could these people accomplish such a thing?" he asked. "And for what reason?"
   Aaron followed Alita's eyes as she turned to her right and looked far toward the end of the train.
   "The most common method is to derail the train using explosive," she explained. "Usually an ambush is set at the point where a train rounds a bend, making it impossible for the engineer to stop in time. The surviving guards are then slaughtered by attackers who lay in wait and then the cars are stripped of any provisions."
   Alita turned away from Aaron and focused her attention on the nearest boxcar.
   "Judging from the remains of several fires I'd say that the marauders camped here for several days while they picked the train clean," she continued. "This is, or rather was, the train that just departed farm twenty two enroute to the factory. When it failed to arrive a week ago it was decided that I would be sent to investigate and to put a stop to any further incidents."
   "What do you mean by that?" he asked incredulously. "You're just one person Alita, surely Tiphares doesn't expect you to take on a band of cuthroats all by yourself? And in case you haven't noticed it we're standing in the middle of a train wreck surrounded by the bodies of about thirty guards, some of whom appear to have put up a hell of a fight."
   Aaron waved an arm over the scene and stared hard at Alita as he waited for an answer. She ignored his question and strode toward the nearest car, grasping a piece of the undercarriage and swinging herself up to land gracefully on top of the overturned vehicle. She walked to the opened door and lowered herself to her knees, peering into the blackened interior of the car for a moment before speaking.
   "There's something further that I need to investigate," she said finally. "And I have to do it alone."
   Aaron frowned and folded his arms across his chest. The air was becoming noticeably colder and he knew it would take a considerable amount of time to climb back up the dune to where they had left the truck.
   "Stay here until I return," she instructed. "You'll be perfectly safe but not under any circumstances are you to disturb anything."
   Aaron watched Alita leap from the boxcar and alight in the soft sand. She immediately set about at a hurried pace toward the front of the train, leaving Aaron to stare angrily at her as he fumed over being treated in such a brisque manner.
   Alita walked alongside the rails, running her eyes over the sand before her or glancing into the darkened areas beneath the broken cars. Though her hearing told her she was alone, Alita knew there could be other dangers not detected by the eyes or ears. Several times she encountered the bodies of the dead and granted them a wide berth. She clearly observed that some of their wounds had been inflicted by gunfire while others were the result of bladed weapons such as the one she carried.
   After several minutes Alita came upon the engine of the great train and slowed to a cautious step. The vehicle was still upright despite the undercarriage having been sheared off, leaving debris scattered over the immediate area. She walked around the front of the car to the other side and looked down the length of the train. There were several more bodies some distance away but less damage to the train itself, indicating the attack had come from the dunes she and Aaron had descended. The giant seemed to be merely sleeping, taking a brief rest before it resumed it's course toward the city.
   Alita walked to the engine and grabbed the handrail that ran along the stairs used to climb to the engineering compartment. She began a cautious ascent to the top of the train and observed that it's metal skin had been scorched by gunfire and the windows smashed. Alita reached the open door to the engineering booth and held to the sides of the entrance with her hands, prefering to stick only her head into the darkened room and observe the damage.
   She was greeted by the rather gruesome sight of a deckman lying against the far wall. It had been torn from it's terminal and subjected to such extreme violence that Alita turned her head away for a moment. Such cruelty, she thought. To kill was one thing, but this was the result of pure hatred or insanity.
   Alita pushed the image away and focused on her task. She looked again and saw that the engineering compartment had been stripped of all it's electronic equipment. The various gauges, meters and communications gear had been torn from their consoles, leaving the engine gutted of all it's sophisticated devices. Save for the bare wires that hung from the walls there was little else left of the heart of the monster.
   It was as she had expected. The primary reason the train had been waylaid was to procure the Tipharean technology so hard to find in the outlands, the main cargo of food and goods had been a secondary concern.
   Alita had just allowed herself to ruminate on the discovery when she was startled by a sharp pinging sound. It was rather faint, and emanating from a distance but there was no mistaking it. She turned and leaped from the steps onto the sand, immediately spinning to her right and looking back the way she had come. In an instant she not only knew what the sound indicated, but what had happened.
   "No, that idiot!" she exclaimed.
   She set off in a mad dash, kicking up a storm of sand in her wake. How long had it been since she first heard the pinging, eight seconds, perhaps ten? In full she had twenty five seconds to reach Aaron and prevent him from killing himself. Alita saw him standing near a corpse with his head down, oblivious to her presence. In his hands he held what was clearly a weapon that was sheathed in a belt that had been worn by the dead guard. He was tugging on the gun in an attempt to dislodge it from it's holster. She was almost upon him when Aaron heard her footsteps and looked up in astonishment. In that instant Alita tore the weapon from his hands and flung it high into the dune, simultaneously grabbing Aaron by his right arm and throwing him forcefully to the ground. She fell on top of him and a second later there came the loud explosion of the gun detonating, followed by a shower of sand that rained down on the pair.
   A moment after the sand had settled Alita rose to her feet and stepped back a pace, slapping the dust from her coat and looking down on Aaron's prostate form. He stirred and spat sand from his mouth, indicating he was still alive.
   "What the hell happened?" he moaned.
   "You almost got yourself killed," answered Alita angrily as she placed her hands on her hips. "I told you not to touch anything and you try to remove a rent a gun from a dead guard."
   Aaron braced his hands on the ground before him and pushed himself upright on his haunches, letting out a deep breath and rubbing his sore chest. He looked up at Alita and made a pained expression in the hope of eliciting sympathy from her.
   "I was just wondering why a band of marauders would leave something like a gun behind", he pleaded. "And I thought it might come in handy since the only weapon we seem to have is the one you're carrying."
   "Well now you know why they didn't take it," she answered. "And from now on you do as you're told. Your job is to serve as a guide but in all other matters I have the final say, and the next time I might not be there to help you."
   Aaron gave her a sheepish grin and slowly rose to his feet. He brushed the sand from his clothes and looked away, hoping that Alita wouldn't lecture him further on the incident. He knew he had made a grave mistake and there was little basis for him to argue in his own defence. It was best to change the topic and he hoped Alita would do the same.
   "Did you find what you were looking for?" he asked casually.
   "That's no concern of yours Aaron. Just get us to the base of the Firewall before night and I might forget about how you screwed up."
   Alita turned and walked toward the steep dune, beginning the arduous process of ascending the deep sand. Instead of tackling the obstacle head on she chose a path that took her up the slope at a sharp angle, preventing her from falling backward. Aaron looked after her and felt the need to say something. He was keenly aware that Alita had just saved his life and it seemed appropriate to thank her, but he decided against it. She probably considered him to be nothing more than excess baggage, a necessary tool needed to complete her job. Damn cybernetics, he thought. They're all the same really, just machines devoid of human feeling, single minded in purpose and arrogant in their physical superiority.
   He had yet to see Alita display her full prowess, but Aaron had little doubt that she was going to die shortly and he had no desire to be around when that time came. But he had contracted to guide her through the Firewall and he would fulfilll his obligation. He looked back at the iron wreckage then started after her, again placing his feet in the impressions Alita had left in her wake. ***
   Aaron leaned back against the hard tire and felt the tension ease from his body. It felt good to sit on the earth, a feeling of empathy with the rock on which he lived. His right hand was wrapped around a hot cup of black coffee, emanating a warmth that seeped into the pores of his tired body. All around was complete blackness, save that which was illuminated by the meager flame of a can of fuel used to make the thick drink he loved so. He looked across the flame at Alita who sat with her legs tucked up to her chin, gazing into the fire and taking no notice of her companion's stare. The damascus steel lay next to her, ready to be taken up at a second's notice.
   "You mentioned that there were two routes through the Firewall," said Alita suddenly, breaking the awkward silence.
   Aaron shifted his body and looked back over his left shoulder.
   "Yeah, over that way beyond a range of hills is a passage that takes us across the western mountains. It's pretty dangerous as the path can give way at any moment and you're always fighting a strong headwind. As I've said, it's the shortest route but the risk is too high. Much better to drive the truck through the valley between the mountains."
   "And how much longer will that take?" she asked.
   Aaron frowned and rested the steaming mug on his knee.
   "Half a day at the most Alita, I think that the advantages outweigh the dangers of taking the path, though of course the decision is yours."
   Alita closed her eyes in thought as she considered the pros and cons of both options.
   "All right," she said finally. "We'll take the truck and drive through the valley, but understand this Aaron. We're much more likely to encounter those marauders using that route. I don't mind really as that's the reason I'm here, but there's little I can do to protect you in such a confrontation. That's one of those things you should have considered when you accepted this job."
   Aaron smiled and drained the cup with a single gulp.
   "Oh, don't worry about me Alita. At the first sign of trouble I'll be running so fast even you won't catch me. I'm a born coward and I have no desire to get mixed up in the affairs of others."
   Alita studied Aaron for a moment, subjecting him to the same scrutinizing stare she had given him at their first meeting.
   "Oh, I doubt you're the coward you believe yourself to be" she replied. "More likely you've never been tested in a fight, it's amazing what lengths people will go to when their lives are threatened."
   She lay back on the hard ground and placed her hands behind her head, closing her eyes in an attempt to drift off to sleep.
   "We'll set off at daybreak," she said quietly. "Just be sure to have the truck ready when you wake me."
   Aaron nodded in agreement and lay the cup aside, stretching out his wiry form on the hard earth and pulling a blanket up to his chin. Alita seemed not at all bothered by the sudden drop in temperature that came with the night and he could already hear her shallow breathing. He knew it would take him some time to drift off to sleep. It had been an eventful second day and he couldn't push aside the images that invaded his conscience. What had he gotten himself into? he wondered. Who was Alita really and what was her purpose for being here? She had been sent to put a stop to the waylaying of the great trains but there was something more to it, of this he was sure.
   He turned his head to look at Alita sleeping soundly a few meters away, and again he was struck by her attractiveness. So human she seemed yet so distant. Had she saved him as a selfless act or as one of necessity? Aaron looked up at the clear sky and saw the familiar constellations that accompanied him to sleep each night. The earth beneath and the sky above were the only constants upon which he could rely, for Alita was an unknown quantity, perhaps even a greater threat to him than the marauders he was sure to face in the coming days.
   It would be almost daybreak before Aaron would drift off to sleep. ***
   It was slow going to be sure, but Alita had to admit it was preferable to ride in the truck than to tackle the dangerous paths high in the mountains on her right. At daybreak the pair had set out after a meager breakfast of dry biscuits and more coffee, with Aaron taking a route through the valley between the the peaks. They had been driving for several hours and it was already noon, though Alita had noticed that the usual dry air was much cooler here and there was a noticable change in the topography.
   Sand had been replaced by stone which in turn surrendered to a thin layer of soil capable of sustaining life. It seemed that the Firewall did indeed hold back the desert on either side and Alita noticed plant life all about. Mostly stunted shrubs and bushes bearing an assortment of berries but the sight held a fascination for her. She had little occasion to see such things and couldn't help but wonder if some of the fruit was edible.
   Aaron carefully negotiated the truck over the uneven terrain. There were no roads here, instead he had to choose his route carefully through the winding valley, cautious not to drive too fast as there was the very real possibility of the truck being overturned. Alita had to admit he was a skillful driver. For a man who had been here only once before Aaron seemed to know just where to go as the truck bounced over hills and swung wide around the huge stones that appeared in their path.
   Alita left her companion to his task and let her eyes roam the terrain as far as she could see, looking high at the peaks on either side and glancing back occasionally the way they had come. She was quite certain they were not alone, for if she were seeking refuge from Tiphares the valley seemed the ideal place.
   "Well we won't have to worry about using up our supply of water," she heard Aaron remark.
   Alita turned to him with an inquiring look.
   "What do you mean?" she asked.
   Aaron pointed to the sky and Alita could see gray clouds gathering ahead of them. She had been so intent on studying the terrain the darkening sky had escaped her notice.
   "It rains here more often than in the desert," she heard him say. "That and the soil is what enables the plant life around us to flourish."
   "But you can't drink rainwater," Alita replied. "Everyone knows that it isn't good for you."
   Aaron smiled and kept his eyes ahead as he reached his right hand behind the seat, a moment later emerging with a clear bottle full of white tablets.
   "These are water purifiers," he said, holding the bottle out for her to see. "You dissolve a tablet into a canteen and the water becomes drinkable. It still doesn't taste very good but at least you don't become sick."
   "I see, but are the berries on the bushes good to eat? I've been wondering about that since we entered here."
   "Some of them are Alita, while others are poisonous. It you want to try some let me know and I'll show you which ones are okay."
   Aaron tucked the bottle into a pocket and returned to his driving as Alita looked at the gathering clouds. It seemed that Aaron was indeed proving his worth and was knowledgable in things that she was ignorant of. Except for the near fatal mistake he had made the previous day Aaron was not totally unlikable, and as a woman she had to admit he was not without a certain fleeting charm. Not at all her type really but she could understand if some women found him attractive.
   Suddenly Aaron pressed hard on the brakes and brought the truck to a halt that nearly launched Alita over the hood of the vehicle. She had instinctively grasped the door to prevent herself from being thrown from the truck and released her hand, turning angrily toward her guide.
   "What did you do that for?" she exclaimed.
   Aaron was looking away from her, focusing on nothing. Instead of answering immediately he took a few deep breaths before turning back to her.
   "There, can you smell it?" he asked.
   Alita noticed no scent in the gentle breeze that wafted through the valley other than from the plant life around them.
   "There's nothing," she replied. "I think you're imagining things Aaron."
   Her companion shook his head in disagreement and again took a deep breath.
   "Trust me Alita, I know the smell of food cooking over a fire. I've lived out here nearly all my life and I can tell these things."
   Alita had little doubt that he was right and reached down to the floor of the vehicle, wrapping the cord of the sheath about her fingers and pulling the damascus blade up to rest across her legs.
   "Well if there's food cooking then that means someone is making camp not too far from here, and I can guess who that might be."
   Aaron was startled to see Alita leap from the vehicle and sling the weapon over her shoulder as she landed on the ground.
   "You don't waste any time, do you?" he asked anxiously. "I mean, aren't you being a little hasty? It could be anyone out here besides us."
   "Who else would it be?" she answered rhetorically. "This far from any settlements and with that train wreck just a half day's travel from here. I intend to find out, but as to whether you want to remain with the truck or come with me that's up to you. We've seen what these people are capable of and personally I think you'd be safer with me than staying here by yourself, but the decision is yours."
   Alita turned and made her way up a gentle slope dotted with bushes and patches of gray grass. At the summit was an outcropping of rock that she would reach in just a few minutes and once she had crossed over she would be lost from sight. Aaron looked about him and imagined a host of bandits hiding behind every boulder, realizing that he was much safer in Alita's company.
   "Damn that girl," he thought aloud. "She does whatever she wants and treats me as if I'm not even here."
   Aaron stepped out of the vehicle and hurried to Alita's side, a little dizzy and out of breath by the time he had joined her. She barely acknowledged his presence and continued up the slope with Aaron a few steps behind, looking nervously around him as he followed after her.
   "You're right," he heard Alita whisper. "Someone is cooking food, and they're just on the other side of those rocks."
   Alita slowed her step and crept toward the stones, leaning against the nearest one for cover and peering past it with her right eye. Aaron stood a few steps behind and waited, knowing whatever was there she would tell him eventually. He stared after her still form, fully expecting to see Alita unsheath her weapon and prepare for an attack, instead she raised her right arm slightly and waved her hand, motioning him to come forward. Aaron crept quietly to her side and followed Alita's outstretched arm as she pointed straight ahead, about one hundred meters away.
   "What do you make of that?" she asked quietly.
   Aaron couldn't believe his eyes. Just in front of them was a small house constructed of stones and mortar. From a chimney plumed gray smoke and there ran a line of clothes that had been hung out to dry. The area about the dwelling was carefully maintained and behind was a plot of neatly cultivated rows from which sprouted various vegetables and fruit.
   Aaron shook his head in astonishment as he answered her.
   "I was here two years ago Alita and I swear that wasn't here at the time. I don't know who's over there but I doubt it's the people you're looking for."
   Alita nodded in agreement and started back toward the truck, again leaving Aaron to follow after her.
   "I'm inclined to agree with you," he heard her say. "Did you notice anything about the clothes that were hung on that line?"
   Aaron remained silent as he walked beside her, unsure of how to answer.
   "They were all women's clothing," she stated. "Not that we aren't capable of committing such violence as we saw at that train wreck, but I'm guessing that we're looking for a small army numbering between seventy five and one hundred."
   Alita unslung the weapon from her shoulder and climbed into the passenger seat of the vehicle, waiting for Aaron to follow suit.
   "Yeah, I guess the house is kind of small to hold that many people," Aaron answered as he settled behind the steering wheel. "So what do you want to do Alita, should we just drive by them and keep going?"
   "No," she answered, shaking her head. "I'm curious as to who's over there, and they might be able to tell us something about the marauders we're looking for."
   Aaron started the vehicle and the truck lurched ahead in low gear, climbing the hill until it reached the crest then plunging down a steep slope on the other side with Aaron riding the break the entire way. At the bottom of the hill the land leveled out and Aaron shifted to the next higher gear as he drove toward the house. Alita realized that whoever lived here must be aware of their presence now and placed her hand over Aaron's.
   "Slow down," she implored. "It's best to be careful until we know who's in there."
   Aaron complied and the truck crept forward, coming to a stop just twenty meters away from the dwelling. The pair climbed out of the vehicle and Alita stepped forward, staring intently at the wooden door of the home with Aaron a few paces behind. After a moment the door opened and they were surprised to see a beautiful woman of thirty walking toward them. She had long red hair and was dressed in jeans and a blue shirt. The woman smiled generously and seemed not at all apprehensive as she looked from one to the other. She stopped a meter away and folded her arms across her chest.
   "My heavens," she exclaimed. "It's not often we get visitors out this way."

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Chapter Three