Syn’s depleted energy was supplemented with a surge of rage, and she rushed up the dune, waving her spear in front of her. She had wanted to shout out, “Where is Blip?” but instead, she yelled, “Who are you?”
The masked girl jerked back, jumped, and managed to pirouette away from Syn’s attack. “Woah, you with the pointy thing. Calm down.” She held up her palms in a calming motion.
Syn stepped back, but as she was looking up at her target, she missed her step, slipped, and her feet went out from beneath her. She smacked her knee against the dark sand, and the broken weeds jabbed into her skin as she grimaced in pain. She grabbed at the motionless tree mover and pulled herself up.
“You okay, there? Slow down. Ain’t nothing going to hurt you. ‘Sides, you ought be thanking me. I just saved you all’s hides.” The masked girl was not disturbed by Syn’s anger. She gingerly stepped forward as if working to help an injured dog, compassionate but cautious. She patted the dead tree mover’s hide and said, “Up top it has this little red spot under some glass.” The girl held up a thin metal strip with a few blinking lights. “Break it open and just slap down a control strip and the thing can’t do any thinking at all. You just got distracted by all the moving parts. Need to sometimes get a different angle on things. And sometimes the best tools aren’t the ones with pointy ends.” She stepped closer and held out a hand, “Where are my manners? How are you—”
Syn growled as the girl moved closer.
“Woah, fine with me,” the girl said, palms head up. “You stay there and bleed. I just wanted to get a good look at you. Thought there were just a few of the machines out here marching toward us, but when we looked out, I caught sight of you. I knew you were special. The others disagreed. They thought you were a straggler from the old world. But I knew you were different. You just proved me right. Glad I got here when I did. Didn’t expect you to walk on over a thudder like ya did. Most of us are smart enough to notice them all burrowed down in the dirt. You seemed to miss all o’ the signs. That tells me you ain’t from around here. So where you get from? You just wake up? Kinda late, don’t ya think. ‘Sides, how did you get down here? Or were you one of the ones that fled and hid early on? But here you are—first time here or are you coming back to us? Don’t remember any of them that were that good with fixin’ the machines, but hey, maybe I overlooked that. She kept insisting we should wait for you to come to the gates, but I knew you were different. So, here I am. Had to book it here fast to save your little butt. But I made it, just in time. And look at you. You clever little thing.”
“Who are you?” Syn was back to her feet, crouched down, ready to spring and attack the new girl. She held out a hand, motioning for Bear, Huck, and Arquella to stay behind her.
“Who am I? Oooooh. You don’t know?” The girl leaned in closer, inspecting Syn, then ran a hand through her hair. “Well, ain’t that a puzzler. I could tell you but I might ruin her fun, and she would be so angry. How about…” She put a finger to her lips and over-performed a glance skywards, as if working hard to imagine her next answer, as if pulling it from the heavens themselves. “You can call me… Ripley.”
Syn narrowed her eyes. “From the movie?”
Ripley smiled, “You seen that one too?”
Syn nodded once. She had seen the movie Alien. It had been one of her favorites to watch, and it felt absurd to hear someone else referencing something that felt like her own private story.
She talked with Blip about all of her movies, but he didn’t care for her stories. Blip wasn’t a fan of much of what they watched. He tolerated it for her sake. Blip tried his hardest, but she knew, at his core, he was more interested in making sure everything worked as it should and that everything was in its place. Everything that pulled her attention away seemed trivial to him. So dull. She could see his boredom growing when she went on some kick talking as fast as she could about something they’d just finished watching.
But, he had liked Alien and each of the sequels. It had been one thing they both enjoyed together. In fact, the only thing. Of all of her interests, that film series was the only thing they could talk about together. Syn couldn’t hold back the smile as the memory rushed back. She allowed a grin.
“Like that one, eh?” Ripley said.
Syn felt a rush of embarrassment. Her cheeks grew red, and she drew in on herself, uncomfortable at having revealed so much so easily. She knew she should be elated at meeting someone else on her ship, but all she could think was, she took Blip! Her face felt hot, and she grunted, jabbing the spear at Ripley who dodged the attack without difficulty. The effort was too much, and Syn breathed with large gasps as she rested back in a ready stance. This was stupid for her. She wasn’t getting anywhere. She was exhausted. She was thirsty. She was shivering between the bursts of sweat. Her eyes were struggling to focus. Too many hours questing across this awful land.
“Where is the Crimson Queen?”
“Oooh. You know her by that name. Curious. Tell you what—you promise to stop poking in my direction with that thing, and I promise to take you to her. Deal?”
Syn looked at her. Who was this girl? She glanced back at the three bots huddled behind her. “Will they be safe?”
Ripley raised her eyebrows and took in Huck, Bear, and Arquella. “Those three? You bringing them along?”
Syn nodded. “They came with me this far.”
Ripley laughed. “Now I’ve heard everything. Okay, they can come along, but I know she won’t let them inside.”
“Will you promise they’ll be safe?”
Ripley paused. Little could be seen under the layers covering her face. “Fine. I can do that,” Ripley smirked and added, “Now, my promise is only between you and me. I can’t speak for anyone else when we get to Zondon.”
“You’re from Zondon Almighty?” Syn asked.
The girl looked over her shoulder. She yanked the dirty knife from a sheath on her leg and pointed with it. “That magnificent monstrosity?” She glanced back at Syn and winked. “That is the ol’ watering hole itself. Yes, chickadee, that there is Zondon Almighty. And I, unfortunately, am from there. Ain’t nowhere else to be from.”
Ripley stared at the silhouette of Zondon Almighty, barely visible in the low light and brume. She leaned in and whispered, “Good time to consider bowing. If she who puts the almighty in Zondon Almighty herself is watching, a good ol’ suck-the-dirt kneel and bow will help your case quite well.”
“Who is—” Syn started to ask.
“Nope,” Ripley waved the grubby knife in the air, “She be listening too. Seriously. All eyes, all ears, that one. So, um, do as I do when you come up this ridge.” She motioned for Syn to stand next to her. “Your parade can come along, but have them hang back a bit.”
Syn stood and nodded back at the three. Their metal cases displayed no emotion, but their slow turns radiated concern.
Ripley leaned back to her and sighed, “I promise, I’m not going to bite. At least not for now. Maybe later. I think you’d even like it a bit. Just get up here.”
Syn refused to move. Her fists gripped her spear tighter. She pulled the weapon close to her body, locking her legs, and stood defiant.
With no pause and only the warning of a flash of light as the blade’s metal reflected the dim sun, Ripley flung her knife at Syn. One moment, Syn stood there indignant, and the next, right between her own legs, its hilt pointed up, the knife lodged with a sharp twang sound deep into the ground.
Ripley continued, “I coulda killed you anytime I wanted. I. Don’t. Want. To. So, please?” Again, she motioned with a simple wave of her right hand.