MAYFLOWER

CHAPTER SEVEN

The roadway taverna was the closest he had been to people in a long time – not including the pirates of the castle and later the farmers, goatherds, fruit pickers, passed on the road. And of course, Anya. For a long time, it had seemed that his world was her, her horse – who was called Mina, and the dog, Saturn.

He tried to recall if people had always looked strange. Reminded himself that he was in the outermost, most faraway parts of human settlement. There were no villages. Mostly people, and families, that wanted to live well away from others. They sat at a table in a darkened corner. Mina was tethered outside with water and feed, alongside horses of different types and camels. Saturn was one of the animals that was allowed inside. Gideon thought it would be satisfying to eat a kitchen-prepared meal again. The taverna smelled of burning meat, ale, and sweat. The strange man that looked at him had a scared and crooked face. Gideon turned away. Anya noticed. "He's a mech. Avoid eye contact. They are unpredictable."

"What's a mech?"

"A man who has paid to have himself improved by mechanics. Does not work, though. Look at him. No, not now. Always, ends up in a mess."

"How? Where is this done?"

"The supposed doctor-scientists that do this are actually butchers with their only skill being able to sell a dim-witted man the idea that he will be enhanced."

"Who would pay for this?"

"Poor fighters, men without honor. Look at his arms. Not now. Look at how they bulge. They have been enhanced. He thinks he can punch through a stone wall. He won't be able to. I have seen many of them fail. Don't look. If he sees you, they are unstable. Liable, to want to fight. Will say that you are staring at him because you think he's a freak. His fists will hurt a boy. I said don't look."

"I'm not. I'm looking at them. Who are they?"

"Stay wide of them too, they are Monks of the Mountain."

Three men sat huddled. Loose cowls were pulled low over their faces. Only pale, severe lips, pointed beaks of noses, and hard beards could be seen. They tore bread with their hands and fed it hungrily to their straight-edged mouths.

"Don't look at them either. And keep your dog calm."

Saturn was agitated by the smell of food. Gideon pulled him so that his head was under the table. And decided to keep his own head looking down. There was a lot of strange people to look at, but from what Anya said it was a dangerous thing to do. He had seen the type that he had not seen before – in looks and clothes.

A sudden burst of noise caused him to look up. Music filled the room. It came from a corner. A band had set up. A collection of instruments. Gideon recognized kettle drums, horns, three string guitars. The players looked bug-eyed, long-limbed, and skinny-fingered as if made for their instruments. He thought to ask Anya where they were from but he was still thinking of the monks.

"Why are the monks dangerous? I thought monks kept to themselves."

"They claim they are expert astrogators."

"Huh? They would need spaceships for that."

"That is why they are dangerous. They aggressively guard themselves. They think that any stranger could only be interested in stealing their skills and their spaceships. If they have them. I don't think they do. All they are is another set of madmen."

"You don't think they can go into space?"

"It's impossible. Do you know how hard it is to get into space? The amount of fuel and thrust that is needed? The only ones that can get into space are the govporations. I think the only space the monks reach is in their imaginations."