Chapter 4: Federation

Garson was a large city.

Cora had often come here to sell their bighorns and woollies, so she knew it well. It looked like she was going to prove very useful. We had to wait for an agent to come aboard the ship before we could unload.

He was a pompous arse, and I immediately took a dislike to him. The first thing he asked was what did we have on board. The Captain had docked his ship down the end of the wharf near the stock pens.

The dickhead had to have heard several of our bighorns lowing, as they wanted off the ship. They hadn’t been so happy when I loaded them back aboard at Cora’s. The corral on the deck behind us was also a dead giveaway, as was the smell of manure.

“Green Island Prime,” I stated.

He squinted at me, “Prime what?”

I sighed. “One hundred and twenty head of prime Green Island bighorn heifers and two bulls,” I qualified for him.

“What is that smell?” he said with a whine and sniffing into a scented hanky.

I was beginning to wonder if this guy had ever been near a live bighorn in his life. “Shit,” I said with a straight face and ignored the sniggers from the crew behind me.

The pompous little man flicked through a large book he was carrying. “They will have to be quarantined for six weeks,” he said and squinted at me.

I looked over at the yards. They were small and barren of grass, and I couldn’t see a paddock for the bighorns to be put into. “Where do you plan on putting them?” I asked him.

“It says they have to stay in the corrals over there,” he said looking at his notes. “You are also responsible for their health and the feeding of them. It will also cost you a queb (10 cents) per head per day. If they escape, you will be fined a rotak (5 dollars) per head.”

I looked at him in shock. My cows weighed an average of 300kg each. At the minimum price Cavil had set, a trib/kg, it would cost me close to the value of fifteen head just to pay for the quarantine plus the feed I’d have to buy for six weeks.

“Since when?” I asked. “My boss said the deal was one week in quarantine.”

He shrugged, tapped the book and said with a sneer, “That’s what it says here.”

I pulled out the contract that had Domo Ethan’s seal on it. I handed it to the man. He spent five minutes reading the contract slowly. He handed it back to me. “I have to enforce the rules I have written here. If you have a problem, take it up with the owner of the contract.”

I wasn’t a happy camper. Cora helped me get sixty of the bighorns and one bull into the corrals while the little man watched us. We had to wrestle our water trough off our deck to give them water. The crew helped me shift three hay hangers from the pens below onto the rails, and we filled them.

I was about to roll the second bale down the ramp when the agent stopped me. “Why haven’t you unloaded all of the animals?”

“The contract is for sixty head and a bull,” I told him.

“What are you going to do with the rest?” he enquired.

“My spouse says that I’ll get a better deal from Domo Leslie,” I told him. I saw him blanch. I knew the bastard had been lying to me all along. Cora has also informed me that the two Domo’s didn’t see eye to eye on many issues. Domo Ethen would not be happy to have me sell my other stock across the river in Greco.

I had also noticed that the agent wasn’t as dumb as he tried to make out. I’d seen the greedy glint in his eyes when we led the bighorns off the deck. I knew I’d have to guard the herd at night, as I was as sure as the sun was up that they would go missing from the corrals.

Once we had the animals settled, I changed into the better clothes Cavil had supplied me. I also got Cora to dress up. The Captain had agreed to set guards for me. He didn’t trust the agent any more than I did. He had never met the man saying he was new. He also sent his carpenter to repair the rickety rails on the pens.

Since we had the stopover in Cora’s town for a few days, the crew didn’t bicker at one night off and two on duty to guard the ship and bighorns. We had planned on being here for a month to six weeks, so the new roster made sense to them.

While I had gotten changed, I had retrieved my magical box and taken several bags of coins from it. I had also rummaged through the bags of jewellery. I found a nice set of earrings, a bangle and a necklace that I kept aside for Cora.

I dropped several other pieces into several small pouches as I planned to sell them. I dropped them into the satchel, so I didn’t have to pull my magical box out. I made sure the return spells were on it and the spells that stopped others from putting their hands into the satchel.

Once dressed I presented Cora with the jewels. She was delighted and looked like a rich man’s spouse. We made a handsome couple as we left the ship. I would have ridden, but in deference to Cora’s dress, we hailed a cabby.

I helped Cora up into the high seat on the back, under a canopy. The seat was just wide enough for two. The lower seat in front was for the driver, and the cabby had a single lanky to pull it. A long box behind the high seat could hold some shopping. I’d never been in one before, and I was surprised by the smooth ride the large wheels and sprung seat provided.

The driver took us to the Palace, at our request. He did inform us that he didn’t like our chances of getting an audience with the Domo. He said one was supposed to write first and it could take months to get an interview if you ever did.

I told him we were expected.

The palace was a monstrosity.

It was far too gaudy for my tastes. It was a display of wealth and nothing more. I may be young, but I knew what I liked, and I didn’t like that palace. I liked the clerk who received us even less.

We were left waiting in a tiny airless receiving room for two hours. We were not offered refreshments and even had to ask where we could relieve ourselves. The prissy servant I’d stopped wasn’t happy that I should have to ask.

Another clerk finally came and informed us that the Domo wasn’t receiving visitors that day. He suggested we write and affix a suitable time. As he turned to leave, I said loudly to Cora, “The Domo must have decided to not deal with Green Island anymore, my dear.”

“Why is that, my love?” she replied in a sweet voice.

“It seems he can’t be bothered to honour his contracts. I plan to tell Bull Cavil and the other Bulls not to deal with him either. I think we should just load the bighorns back on the ship and go visit Greco. What do you think?”

“My mother says Domo Leslie always deals fairly and with the excellent condition of your herd we should get good prices,” she replied in a thoughtful tone.

We grinned at each other as the clerk hurried off. I stood and put out my arm to Cora, and we walked sedately back to the entrance of the palace. We were stopped just as we went to exit.

“Sir, there appears to be a miscommunication, Domo Ethen has requests that you join him in the solarium.”

I looked at the long shadows on the floor. “I’m sorry, but I have another engagement. I always honour my contracts,” I told the man. “If he wishes to see me I am free in two days. Just send word to Captain Hail. Good day to you.”

I walked Cora out, and we found the same cabby waiting for us. “We didn’t ask you to wait did we?” I questioned the man.

He chuckled, “Nope, but I reckoned they’d keep you hanging for a couple of hours. I just got back here to check on you.”

I thanked him for his consideration and asked him where I could take my fine lady for a nice meal. He said knew of a place and took us there. I happily paid his fee and even gave him a big tip for looking out for us.

Cora and I had a lovely dinner of fresh seafood and decided to stroll back to the ship. We laughed to find our cabby waiting outside. “You fine folks need a ride you just ask for Wally,” he told us when he let us off at the ship.

I took Cora to bed and enjoyed her charms even though the bed was a bit small for both us. I slept for four hours and then got up to do my share of the guard duties. I changed into my wolf form and headed over to the corrals.

My bighorns knew my scent and didn’t even both to acknowledge my presence except to settle in with contentment that I was there. I prowled around the corral and scouted out further when I smelt something off. I had picked where the two crew members were located, so I knew it wasn’t them.

Jeez, some people need to learn to bathe. The six men can’t have had a bath for a month or more. The weather was cold, but even so, they were rank. I took note of where they were and decided on playing a prank. It seemed someone wanted my bull.

I snuck into his enclosure. I’d placed a bed of hay near the back rails so he could lie near the heifers in the next pen for warmth. I could see one of the heifers lying against him from the other side.

I changed into my bull form. I was a little smaller than he was in this form and not as bulky. Our animals aren’t huge beasts. I’d often wondered how it was that I appeared to have gained extra mass when I changed into this form and lost some mass when I changed to wolf. It was something to ponder another day.

I huffed and grunted, so the thieves knew where I was. The two crew members from our ship couldn’t see me very well in this pen. I watched as one of the thieves struggled with the bar over the gate. Another slid past him into the pen.

He moved quietly as I assumed he didn’t plan to startle me until he was behind me. Once in position, he howled like a wolf and clapped his hands hard. Most bighorns fear wolves and thunder.

I then did what he didn’t expect. I kicked him. I winced when I heard the crunching noises. I snorted and pawed the ground. “Shit,” I heard one of the other men say softly.

Dumb-arses, what did they think a bull would do to a wolf that close to him. I heard them mutter to each other. Two men snuck in, one on either side of the gate and tried to circle behind me. I acted like an agitated bull and turned to watch one of the men.

I glanced at the other man, but he was hugging the rail ready to go over it if I got too close. The first man ventured out to get behind me. He wasn’t so smart. I looked at him, lowered my head and charged.

My horns twist up from my skull and the roll forward over the top of my muzzle. The last 30cm then roll up a little at the ends. They are also longer than my muzzle. They are perfectly designed for lifting catalos and wolves off the ground and tossing them away from the herd.

I was facing the right way, but the thief wasn’t. He also wasn’t quick enough. I was surprised by how far he sailed over the top railing, screaming the whole way until he hit the ground. I heard one of the crew shout out, asking who was there.

The other man panicked and ran for the gate. He didn’t exit it under his own volition. I was happy to use my horns to help him. He had achieved a high altitude and some distance before he fell. I was impressed with my ability.

The other thieves were long gone. I changed back into a wolf and went to check on the man I tossed over the rail. He was in a bad way if you consider being dead bad.

I watched as the men from the crew checked on the man who was 6m from the gate. I could hear his groans, so he was alive. No noise came from the man I kicked. The crew member I knew of as the first mate and Dazzle, saw the other man in the pen and went to check on him.

Dazzle looked to where my bull was lying down and said, “You’re a cool customer ain’t you Sox?” Sox just huffed out a small cloud of condensed breath but didn’t move.

I had to chuckle. Dazzle had taken a liking to Sox, and after I had introduced them, he often rubbed Sox down for me during the trip here. I was delighted that Dazzle was happy to be in the pen with Sox and wasn’t worried about his safety. Dazzle knew that as long as he let Sox know it was him, then he was safe.

Dazzle dragged the dead man out of the pen and replaced the gate. He sent Robby the carpenter to go get the constables while he stayed with the wounded man. I headed back to the ship and dressed. I then walked out to stand guard with Dazzle.

He told me what he thought had happened and I didn’t contradict him. Three constables turned up with bright lamps and questioned Dazzle and I. I informed them I had only just come out to take my turn at guard duty and the fun was already over.

One of the constables said that the beast would have to be put down. Dazzle chuckled. “You don’t know much about bulls do you mister?”

Dazzle climbed over the rail and said in his normal voice, “I’m just coming to check on you Sox.” He walked up to Sox and gently rubbed his long dangly ear. Sox woofed his enjoyment out through his nostrils. He loved his ears being rubbed. Dazzle patted him on the head, walked back to the rail and climbed over.

“They be as gentle as lambs unless threatened. Bulls know when a man is sneaking up on him, and when the man means no harm. Sox just did what bulls are supposed to do,” Dazzle finished.

“I don’t believe Domo Ethen would be happy if you put his very expensive bull down,” I added.

The three constables looked at me with wide eyes. The one who had spoken before asked, “They are the Domo’s bighorns?”

Dazzle and I both nodded. One of the other men said “Shit, why weren’t we told that?”

The senior constable turned to his two men, “We had better organise some better security. Go tell the palace guards we need some men to ensure the Dom’s property is protected.” The man nodded and then ran off to do as he was told.

“You’re going to supply guards for the full six weeks of quarantine?” I asked.

“What! Six weeks? Quarantine is for a week at the most if they are healthy. It’s only six if they aren’t. Once the vet gives them the all clear they can be moved,” the man said.

I supplied the name of the agent and explained what he had told us. “That little shit. The Domo’s not going to be pleased that he tried to shake you down. Not when it’s his property that you have,” the constable told me. “If you need any more assistance, you ask for Sergeant Marek.”

I put out my hand, “Bron Horn. I’m currently the agent for Bull Cavil Hind of Green Island. How do I get in contact with the vet?”