Chapter 161: Time of Healing

Sunday, June 20, 1971

I was alone. That in itself was unusual considering how my life had changed in the five weeks since I awoke from killing myself. I was still lying in Ileana’s berth, in the Guest Wing of the train. The first thing I noticed was the quiet. Too quiet. I scanned and found that the only other person on the train was Karla. I lifted my left wrist to look at the time.

“Damn! I hate not having my watch!” I thought to myself.

“Good morning, sleepy head!” Vickie giggled. Then I heard her tell the others, “He’s awake! And he’s fussing about not having a watch.”

“Where is everyone?” I asked.

“We’re all in the village, waiting on the guest of honor,” she replied. “Ileana and Anna wouldn’t let us wake you.”

“I’ll be right there,” I told her as I threw off the covers.

Telling Karla good morning as I passed through the Dining Car, I headed for my own stateroom and a much-needed shower. Then, throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, I headed back to the Dining Car. I had seen Karla starting a fresh pot of coffee on my way through.

Reaching the door, I stopped. Returning to my room, I grabbed the sword. I didn’t feel the need for my gauntlets or crown this morning. The rings were still on my finger.

“I’m supposed to escort you to the village when you are ready,” Karla said, looking at me with something like awe, as I cherished the cup of coffee she had served me.

“C’mon,” I told her. “It’s just me. Michael. The same sleepy kid you’ve been with every day for the last couple of weeks,” I told her in response to her look.

“I can’t help it,” Karla replied. “I mean, who would believe it. My boss is a sixteen-year-old tycoon who travels to other worlds, fights with a magic sword, and wears a magic ring. He’s got over two dozen women in his harem and now he has all these stranded aliens to take care of.”

Karla’s last words brought me back to reality.

“I really do have to take care of them now,” I thought to myself.

They were all gathered in the center of the clearing in front of the Tribal Hall, as Karla escorted me into the Village. During the night, a small platform had been erected. Star Catcher, the tribe’s spiritual leader, mother of their Chief, and grandmother of Rose and Eve, met me at the edge of the clearing and led me to the edge of the platform. Then mounting the platform, she looked out at her people.

“The prophecy has finally been fulfilled,” she said without preamble. “And each of you bore witness to its fulfillment last night. Is there any among you who can doubt? Is there anyone who would disagree?”

Star Catcher paused as a murmur ran through the crowd. Somewhere behind me, someone started beating a drum. When no one disagreed, she continued.

“Many generations ago, the gods walked among us and saved our leader’s daughter,” Star Catcher intoned to the tribe. “By custom, she was to become his. But the gods’ forestalled this claim, promising instead, to send another who would watch over us and protect us. At that time, the gods’ would have us honor that claim.”

Star Catcher paused again, looking to her right for some signal.

“My sisters and brothers,” she said. “THE WAHARAHI has finally arrived.”

The Omugi cheered as the drum continued its rhythmic beat. Soon, the people began to chant in time to the beat. I turned to Star Catcher to find out what they were saying, but she had disappeared into the crowd. I was alone on the platform, as the chanting grew louder.

Then, directly in front of me, the throng of villagers parted, and Dawn, with her headdress trailing the ground behind her and dressed in her full regalia as Chief of the Omugi, came towards me. I stepped to the side offering her my hand as she mounted the small platform. Dawn looked at me and winked, before turning slowly, to face her people.

“My friends,” she began. “Before I continue this important ceremony, I must take this time to thank each and every one of you for all your hard work last night and today. While we still have much to do, I have some great news. I was just informed that the Wagner Foundation has bestowed a grant of five million dollars on the Omugi Nation for improvements to our reservation.”

Dawn had to stop. The crowd was cheering too loud for her to be heard. When they died down, she continued.

“There is also a matching donation from a private donor, to be used exclusively for building and staffing a real hospital on the reservation,” she said. Again, Dawn had to pause while the excited Omugi applauded her words. She looked at me, quietly mouthing the words ‘Thank You’.

Turning back to the assembled tribe, she spoke once more.

“And finally, I have been meeting all morning with representatives from Wagner Industries, who will be announcing in the next few weeks, the building of a new manufacturing plant, between the interstate and our reservation.”

If they were excited before, they were bonkers at this announcement. A manufacturing plant meant jobs. And the Omugi desperately wanted the opportunity to work and earn a living. They did not enjoy having to depend on government assistance.

Dawn waited them out patiently. It looked like Catherine had been hard at work this morning also.

“It wasn’t me,” Catherine responded to my thought. “You have some very talented assistants. Adriana and Vickie, along with Nicky and Amy, hammered most of it out this morning with Dawn and her people.”

“Wow! I’m impressed,” I told her.

“Pay attention, Michael,” Catherine said quickly. “We’ll talk more later.”

“Now, it is time. Let it never be said that the Omugi do not honor our obligations to the gods!” Dawn cried above the rising din.

The drum started again, and the crowd parted once more. This time, it was Rose and Eve who, dressed in the fringed outfits they had met me in last night, began walking towards the platform. This time, they also wore headdresses made of beads and feathers, and each carried a bouquet of fresh cut flowers in their hands.

The ceremony was thankfully brief, with each of the girls giving their pledge to serve the Waharahi with all their heart, and to make their nation proud. I kissed each of them as they gave me their pledge. Then turning to the assembled congregation, I began to speak.

“First, I too, must join Rising Star in thanking you for your efforts last night and this morning. What we experienced is without precedent in living memory. Now each of you has a choice. Good things are on the way for the Omugi Nation. We have started the war against poverty, and soon, we will wage a battle against ignorance. Both of these battles will require even more efforts on your part than the short skirmish last night,” I told them in a loud voice. For some reason, my voice seemed to carry without having to shout. I felt the rings tingling on my finger.

Like Dawn, I had to wait for the cheering to die down.

“Some weeks ago, I explained to Morning Star and Evening Star that the prophecy, and the Omugi’s pledge to the gods, hinged on three parts. The first was that the gods would send someone to protect and defend the Omugi. I hereby pledge to you to uphold that promise, protecting and defending the Omugi Nation against the twin evils of illiteracy and poverty,” I said.

Again, I waited on the cheers to subside.

Turning to Rose and Eve, I took a hand from each and raising them slightly, I stepped back a step, in order to present them to their people.

“The second part is that the Omugi would honor their pledge, giving the firstborn daughter, or in this case, daughters of the Chief in fulfillment of their promise to the gods. I hereby accept Rose and Eve’s pledges of submission, and promise that I will do everything in my power to protect them and help them continue to grow in wisdom and knowledge, that they may one day return to serve the Omugi Nation.”

This time, the cheers were for the girls.

“Finally, the prophecy said that IF the gods sent someone, and IF the daughters of the Chief submitted themselves, then we would all work together to make the Omugi a great nation. Sisters and brothers, the gods have kept their part of the bargain. I AM THE WAHARAHI!” I shouted above the cries.

The chants began. “Waharahi!” they cried over and over.

“And the daughters have fulfilled their birthright,” I added, my voice carrying above their cries. “Now it is time for the Omugi to do their part and join me in the battle against our foes!”

The Omugi cheered wildly, as Eve and Rose led me from the platform. Thank goodness they led me off the back of the stage. I don’t think we would have made it through the frenzied mob.

We could hear Dawn addressing her people as the twins led me down the deserted main street of the small town. Each one holding onto an arm, and smiling brightly, but saying little.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, when it was obvious they had a destination in mind.

“We’d like to take you to our home,” Eve giggled. “To my room. But that will have to wait. We promised Anna and Debbie that we would bring you to the infirmary.”

“Yeah, we’ll have to wait. But you won’t make us wait too long, will you?” Rose asked with a giggle as well. “After all, we still have the last part of the ceremony to finish.”

The infirmary was even worse than Anna had described, with no air conditioning or even doors. It was an adobe structure with four rooms. The four male warriors were crowded into what was usually the waiting room on Army cots, I noted as I as we went by. None of them were stirring. I briefly wondered what had happened to the remaining warrior who had surrendered.

The four remaining female warriors were on the infirmary’s two hospital beds and a couple of Army cots that had been crammed into the infirmary’s only patient room. I knew why Eve and Rose had remained outside when I saw the crowded conditions. The females became frightened when I followed Anna into the room, but Anna just ignored their obvious discomfort as she led me to the first cot. This female hadn’t been as fortunate as Unevia; the bullet had shattered her femur. And despite all the morphine Anna had given her, she still recoiled as I touched her leg.

I didn’t waste any words, but immediately began bathing her thigh in the golden light. There was the usual delay, and then I felt the now familiar tingle that said the golden light was doing its work. I don’t know how much time had passed, but I was thankful when Debbie brought me a stool.

The other three girls were silent as they watched my every move with suspicion. I was almost finished when the girl I was working on, opened her eyes.

“How?” she asked in her native tongue. I was again surprised that I understood her, quickly deciding that it was one of the rings that allowed me to do so.

I shrugged. “My name is Michael,” I told her. “What’s your name?”

She looked at me like I was crazy. “Why would you care to even ask my name? No one has ever asked before. At least not anyone in authority,” she said in despair. Those were not exactly her words, but what I was able to piece together. Their speech was much more clipped than ours.

“Well, I am asking,” I told her.

She paused a long time. So long, I finished healing her leg.

“Would you try to move your leg, please?” I asked.

When she did, you could see the surprise all over her face. I stood, offering her my hand to help her rise. She slowly swung her legs off the cot and stood up. When she still didn’t feel any pain, she looked at me and then at her thigh, and then at me again. Debbie and Anna were now beside her, holding onto her arms. But she didn’t need them.

“I know that I’ve seen you do that before,” Debbie said. “I mean what you did to Catherine and all. And it still amazes me!”

“Next,” I replied, as Debbie led the healed girl out of the room. The next girl had been clipped in the heel. It was messier, but didn’t seem to take quite as long. Again, I introduced myself. She too, refused to tell me her name.

Anna led her away, after pointing to the third casualty. She had been hit in the calf and the upper arm. I decided to work on the calf first. I introduced myself again, and again asking her name, but not expecting a reply.