They walked on, and Havoc told her more about the mission. "Background: there are many sapient cultures in the galaxy. Only ours is human, but the aliens are not inferior, merely different. They have their own societies, and their own Glamors. Even their own wars. But now comes the machine culture, that is systematically destroying all living cultures. Already its advance fringe is touching us, and we will be the next culture destroyed if we do not find a way to stop it. So we are allying with other sapient species, and working to find a way to oppose the common enemy. This is not an easy thing."
"Question?" Opaline was fascinated. She had never imagined such a thing before meeting him, and the most complicated machine she had seen was a grain grinder a visiting White Chroma man had demonstrated. It had seemed miraculous, as it swallowed whole grain and spewed out finely ground flour. Science magic, seldom seen in her backwater village.
"The machines can see the far future paths," Havoc explained. "They know which ones will give them victory.
We can see the near future paths, and need to invoke the ones that will block off the ones that favor the machines. It is like an intricate board game, where each move changes the options available to both sides."
"Awe," she said, her mind swollen with the difficult concept of changing future paths. She suspected that he had projected an understanding of it into her mind so that she would not be completely lost.
"Affirmation," he said. "But you do not need to fathom all of it. You just need to know that the threat is real, and our effort to deal with it is deadly serious."
"And my being with this simple man is part of that effort?"
"Affirmation. He is our secret weapon to defeat the machines." He projected sincerity, so that she had to believe it. "We need your help, Opaline."
"You can have it," she said. "No need to make the—the deal." Though she desperately wanted the deal. The thought of experiencing in reality what he had shown her mentally was powerfully conducive. She no longer cared whether he read that in her mind; it was true.
"The deal holds. Now you know it will be no chore for me to honor it."
"No chore," she agreed, gratified.
Toward evening they reached another village. Settlements were naturally spaced about a day's walk apart, for the convenience of travelers. Again they entertained for their room and board. This time Havoc—Hayseed—first sang "Must I go Bound."
Again the village girls were swooning over Havoc, and jealous of her for being in the song with him. Opaline loved it, though it struck perilously close to home. She was that girl, loving a man she had no right to love, who would never love her or marry her. The best she could hope for was that she would share his passing passion for a time, with the tolerance of his wife and mistress. Yet even that was so much more than she could ever have otherwise.
That evening as she fixed supper for the two of them, she broached the subject that bothered her most. "Last night I made you sleep naked with me. Tonight I know this must not be. Yet if I could, I would."
"Reassurance. There is pleasure in closeness, even without sex."
So he would do it. That was a relief, despite its attendant frustration. But there was more. "Why are you still taking time with me, when surely you have more important things to do elsewhere?"
"There is more I must tell you and show you. Nothing is more important than this mission."
Now she was inclined to believe it.
They slept embraced. This time she curled up and he lay behind her, one hand on a breast and his rigid member clasped between her thighs. It was as close to sex as she could imagine, without actually completing the act. She loved it. She pretended in her mind that they really were embraced lovers, who had just had sex or were just about to.
But mainly she just liked being so close to him. There was something about his body that invigorated her body and her mind. She didn't mind that he could read her thoughts; she knew, now, that his were similar, even if he was older and with two beautiful women to love.
"Affirmation," he murmured in her ear, and kissed it.
Next day they traveled again. This time the Village elder had another warning: "There's some kind of fire raging along the path. It may be impassible until it burns out."
"We'll be careful," Hayseed assured him. "Appreciation." And of course they proceeded anyway.
"Is this like the brigands?" Opaline inquired as they walked. "Something you can abolish? I suppose you wouldn't like a fire to damage your trees."
"Actually fire is all right," he replied, surprising her. "It is part of the natural order. It clears out brush, cauterizes infections, and returns nutrients to the soil. The forest would suffer if fires were eliminated."
"But wood burns! How can you accept a landscape of ashes?"
"Fire burns in a mosaic pattern. It jumps randomly, completely destroying some trees, singeing others, and skipping the rest. That leaves a varied habitat that supports many kinds of creatures, and is healthy for them all. The larger trees can handle it on their own; their bark resists it, and they are too tall for it to reach their foliage."
She shook her head. "You continue to amaze me, Hayseed. You are tolerant where I thought you'd be enraged."
"I am dangerous when I am angry I try to avoid it."
She did not even try to imagine him angry. She was familiar with the story of his name. Havoc was a synonym for mayhem. She remembered the brigands he had killed, defending her and ridding the planet of vermin. He was dangerous even when only annoyed. She discovered that she liked that aspect of him too.
Soon enough they smelled smoke. "I think the fire is still here," she remarked.
He sniffed. "Mischief."
"Question?"
"I must take you to a safe place. This is a magic fire."
"Confusion."
"A natural fire burns dry leaves, twigs, wood, cloth, bones. Organic things. A magic fire burns ground, stone, even water. It is a product of hostile magic and must be stopped." He was looking around. "Best that you retreat the way we came, rapidly."
Opaline did not argue. She turned and started running. Only to stop. The fire had already sent a tongue around to cut off her retreat. "Hayseed—"
"Observed. Apology; I was careless. I will transport you there directly."
"Concern: I wish not to distract you or get in your way. But wouldn't the villagers know I could not have crossed that burning path on my own? So they would suspect your nature?"
"Obscenity! You are correct. You must stay with me."
She was thrilled but nervous. "I will help however I can. Tell me what to do."
"The most convenient way to extinguish a magic fire is via its own ashes. They can be safely handled. But you need to be behind the line of fire to fetch them, while the fire needs to be stifled before the line. This is tricky."