“He says that we are going to need to get the slaves to work with us to avoid them being slaughtered by the Yellow Skins. If we don’t use her, it could get complicated making a plan to avoid a huge loss of life.”
Julie listened to the back and forth and said, “I will come back. Even if I die, the effort will be worth it. You can’t make me stay behind.”
“Yes I can!” Scotty paused and sighed, “But he knows better than I what we should do.” He paused again and said, “Julie, I don’t want to see you harmed.”
Julie saw he liked her more than just a friend. She smiled and said, “Then close your eyes. I’m coming back.”
“Scotty, if she is, then she needs a Zecka.”
“You’re right. I’ll get Kess working on it when we get back. I still want to see if we can come up with another plan.”
“I’ve seen his initial plan and it appears to be sound. Someone is going to have to communicate with the slave compound that cannot be seen by the guard with the blaster. Do you think they will recognize your voice?”
Scotty remained silent. He didn’t want to risk losing Julie. The thought frightened him. He shook his head not understanding why.
Julie held on to him and saw his tension. “I’ll be careful, Scotty. I don’t want to lose you, either.”
Scotty’s tension vanished. He looked over his shoulder and saw her looking at him. He reached down to his waist and squeezed her hand, then turned and watched the ground flying by far below. Julie held tighter and put her head on his back.
“Vring are we going to stop for the night?”
“We think we should go straight to the community and rest there. The Torg herds in this area close to our home are still enormous. If you’re ok with it, we think we should fly straight through and rest a day at home.”
Scotty looked down and saw huge numbers of Torg and said, “You’re right. How long before we arrive?”
“We’re going to pick up speed and arrive there at midnight. We have enough energy to make the trip. We will need some time to rest after the effort, but one day should do it.”
Scotty looked over his shoulder and said, “Are you all right? Do you need a break?”
“No, I’ve grown accustomed to Vring’s motions and I’ll be fine until we arrive.”
“You don’t need to go to the woods?”
Julie punched Scotty in the back, “I said I’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve found going to the woods can lead to pretty good things.”
Scotty felt his heart beat faster. “Hang on, Julie! When Vring says he’s going to pick up speed, he’s not kidding.”
Vring said, “Ready?”
Scotty leaned forward and Julie ducked behind him, “When you are.”
Julie lost her breath. The Zord accelerated at an unbelievable rate and the ground below became a blur. She heard Cezee say, “Show off!”
Vring laughed, “We’ll see you at home.”
Scotty saw the three mountains ahead in the moonlight and knew they were getting close. He was tired and he knew Julie had to be exhausted. Vring said, “Bleath and the elders are waiting for you at White Hair. We’ll stop there and then go rest, ok?”
“That’s fine. It’ll be good to see your father.”
Julie held on as Vring slowed and began gliding toward the center mountain ahead. “Why did he call it White Hair?”
“I’ll explain later. It’s not really important.”
Vring said, “Mr. Modesty here doesn’t want to tell you that we named it for him.”
“Vring!”
“Ok, ok.”
“Named after you?”
“Yes, we helped them with an issue. The other two mountains are named after Jingo.”
Vring snickered in their thoughts.
“Vriiing?”
Julie smiled. Scotty was being modest. “I wonder what he did.”
They landed and Scotty introduced her to the largest creature she had ever seen in her life. It was larger than any creature she had ever imagined, and she had imagined some huge ones. As Scotty talked with the Giant Zord, she walked away and found a rock to sit on. She was there about an hour when she felt a small nudge, turned, and saw a ten-foot-long Zord staring up at her. Julie smiled and knew this was a child, “Yes?”
She heard the child being tentative, “May I ask you a question?”
“Certainly.”
The small Zord looked up the hill at Scotty and then looked at Julie, “Are you White Hair’s mate?”
Julie laughed and said, “No. He rescued me from the lands north of here.”
The small Zord showed his disappointment and turned to go. “Hey, why are you so disappointed?”
The Zord turned and said, “All of us that survived the Night of the Torg, long to carry White Hair’s children when we grow up.”
“Why?”
“The honor of being a chosen flyer of his children would be the greatest honor we could ever have.”
Julie looked up the hill at Scotty and saw how the Zord gave him huge respect. She turned to the small Zord and asked, “What is the Night of the Torg?”
“You don’t know?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Would you like to see what White Hair and Four Arms did?”
Julie stared at the innocent creature and said, “Yes, if you have time.”
“I always have time to show his great gift to my people.”
Then Julie was in the nesting ground hearing the massive roar of the Torg herds. She watched Scotty as he faced the giant beasts and rushed to save his fellow archers time and time again. He was absolutely amazing with that bowgun. Jingo was also amazing, but she saw it was Scotty that spotted trouble and rushed to stop it. Finally, the vision stopped and the young Zord said, “Only two of us survived the prior two cycles. He saved us all. He and his descendants will always have our love and respect.”
Julie looked at the Zord and said, “Thank you. Is that the reason they named the mountain for him?”
The young Zord looked up at the mountain peak and Julie could see his reverence, “Yes, it is.”
“What is your name?”
“Kreej.”
She watched the small Zord walk back to a large group of similarly-sized Zord, and she saw their disappointment. She turned and looked at Scotty still talking with the Giant. She had doubted that he was going to defeat the Magrum. Now she had seen him fire his bowgun and she knew he would defeat them or die in the effort. Tears came to her eyes. “He is so much more than my dream. I didn’t know that kind of bravery existed.”
Vring listened to her and felt her heart. He looked up at Scotty and back at the Red Hair. “Zreeg?”
“Yes, Vring?”
“I want to share something with you.”
“Go ahead.”
After a few minutes Zreeg said, “Do you believe this dream?”
“I was certain it could not be true, but now I don’t know.”
Zreeg was silent. Later that night he said, “Vring?”
“Yes.”
“I am going to be her flyer. I will not let her come to harm. You will have to defend White Hair.”
“I was hoping you would say that. I can’t protect them both if things start happening quickly.”
“It will be my honor.”
“Thank you, Zreeg.”
The young Zord came back and nudged Julie, “Yes?”
