The first truly warm day had arrived, and that sent Asche scurrying to put all the plans that she had made during the dull and dreary winter - although this winter had not been so dull! - into motion. First among those plans was trade, because without that, there wouldn't be enough supplies for the rest of her plans. Already, with the withdrawal of the Church troops, all the avenues of trade were open and operating.
A pair of vory'kk were waiting outside the hospital, just at the base of the front steps. The large pack lizards were pulling draft duty today. They were yoked to a cart, half metal and half scrap lumber. Already the cart was nearly full of crates and containers.
Asche crossed the lobby, lugging a box whose contents clanked around metallicaly. She didn't hear it, though; the pair of earphones in her ears washed them in strains of heavy metal.
"Keeping busy, Asche?" Bliss greeted her as she headed for the cafeteria.
Asche didn't hear her, either. She kept walking for a bit before the blonde woman's presence registered. "HEY BLISS, GOT A MINUTE?"
Bliss darn near jumped out of her skin. She turned, "What?"
Asche saw her lips move, but heard nothing. Holding the box, she couldn't get the headphones off. "GOTTA TALK TO YOU." She nodded in the direction of the lobby doors and started walking again. Bliss shrugged and followed.
Outside, the kid that owned and drove the vory'kks was teasing the heck out of Anne, who had once again come to the NRMH to she if there was word on where her sister was. She had promised herself that she wouldn't get involved in discussions with any obvious mental patients, but the kid had sucked her in, anyway.
When Asche barreled out the doors, it was a good thing she stopped to let her eyes adjust to the light; it saved her from knocking down Anne. "GET OUTTA MY WAY!" Those dang boxes were heavy! She set the box down on the cart, taking off the headphones to ask Anne if she needed anything. Since she didn't, Asche headed back into the Hospital. Bliss followed. With one last look at the kid, memorizing him for a future story, Anne stepped into the lobby, too.
Bliss sighed. "Asche, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh yeah ..." Asche spoke over her shoulder as she breezed into the first floor storage room. The room was full of boxes, some overflowing with clothing, some filled with hospital supplies. "Settin' up a satellite clinic. Need some protection." After a moment's perusal, she selected a box. "You're arm any good yet?" When Bliss nodded, she said, "Good. Pick up that box over there and carry it to the cart." She tromped back out to the lobby, not even looking to see if Bliss followed.
Bliss did, though; curious as to what was going on. Asche had been at it all morning, another vory'kk team had already been packed and sent on to the site, where Marshall was working to make sure the building didn't fall on their heads. Asche paused and leaned against one big spoked wheel, wanting to catch her breath before explaining to Bliss.
====
In the lobby, Anne was plotting. 'Ok ... the heroine walks into the lobby. And then...?" She needed a plot device. Or perhaps a dashing young hero...
As if on cue, a mysterious, dark young man walked in. He moved through the lobby casually, hood pulled forward, obscuring most of his head. His brown eyes peered over the tops of his shades as he looked around. Anne grinned to herself. 'He could work ... now, what was he doing? Some secret mission?' He certainly did look secretive as he pulled out a beat up old notebook and began to write. Ever so casually, she walked nearer the guy to see what he was writing. She got so close that she could read over his shoulder. There were snatches of verse, quotes, old sayings; just random notes scribbled on the pages. He smiled coolly, but didn't say a word. Just kept writing. She couldn't help asking, "What are you writing?"
"What comes to mind."
"I was just curious..."
"I don't mind."
They started talking about writing, she preferred fiction to real life, especially at this point. She hadn't meant to pour out her life story, but soon she was telling the strange young man all about how she had been making a living cleaning houses for Nuke personnel; who, of course, were gone now. Which is why she was looking for her sister.
Suddenly, she paused. "You never told me your name. Was that on purpose?"
"Not overly fond of them."
"Names? Then what do I call you? 'Hey you'?"
"Just a moment." He skimmed through the notebook, searching. After a few minutes, he looked up. "Conner."
She smiled. "Conner. Good name, I like it. Nice to meet you, Conner." As he smiled and went back to his writing, Anne drifted of to a chair in the lobby to wait for CJ. Someone told her she'd be working tonight.
====
Out side, Asche had caught her breath. "So anyway, folks over on the westside can't get here easily. You know how it is, Bliss. So we're gonna open a satellite, like they did in the old days." She grinned, quite pleased with the plan. "Gonna offer the basics - some food, vaccinations; and send the heavy stuff over here."
"I hope you've got plans to put in some heavy security, at least until you're established."
"That's why I'm talkin' to you, right?" She wiped her hands off on her thighs. "I figure you got a few contacts I can make with the local headbangers. I wanna use neighborhood help, yanno?"
"Of course..." Bliss grinned, relieved; she had thought Asche was going to ask her to go out to the clinic herself. "Be glad to help you make a few introductions."
Asche nodded. "Good, thanks. First time we've expanded since ... well, since I was born." And that was enough lollygagging. She pushed herself off of the wheel and started back up the steps.
"Don't you think it's a little soon for this?" Bliss nibbled her bottom lip. "We're real short on resourses right now..."
"Huh?" Asche stopped and turned back toward Bliss. "When is there ever gonna be enough resources?"
"You're asking me?" Bliss gave a slight shrug. "A few months from now, after the move out of the nukes has settled in."
"I'm thinkin' never." Asche grinned. "Time is right. Get in first and solid. Besides, I'm sick of the rumors."
"Eh, ok. I'll make the intros and try to keep anyone from shooting your butts off or robbing the place blind."
It was Asche's turn to shrug. "No one can do more to us there than they do here. I just wanna get us out, Bliss. The Union's been encased behind walls for far too long." Standing around wasn't going to get the cart loaded any quicker; off she went, back into the hospital. As they got back to the storeroom, Asche continued speaking. "I'm hoping to build a sense of community out there." She chose a box and started outside again. "I'm thinking long-term. Didn't want you to think that this was some decision we made yesterday." The doors opened for her. They knew better. "I've had this feeling for a while now. We're in a transition, Bliss ... from awful to potentially wonderful. It's the stuff we do now that will make that potential a reality." Plop, the last box went into the cart. She signaled the kid to get moving. He knew what would happen if anything should turn up missing.
"I'm going to run home and get a vehicle," Bliss said, turnig toward the street. "Do you want me to swing by to pick you up for the introductions now, or did you want to wait 'til morning?"
"Now's good. I'll be here waiting." And she may have meant RIGHT there, too. As Bliss headed off toward home, Asche was still there, still watching the cart as it trundled off down the road carrying the future with it.
