Until now the climb into the Pulat Mountains and Rechat's search for Krista and the shuttle had been without incident. The third night Rechat sat with Eem on the wall of a stone bridge looking down at the line of pump trolleys settling in for the night. Campfires burned in a dozen places. Shadows weaved in and out of the platforms. Pockets of laughter, songs, and the smell of barbecued efid meat rode the wind up the stream to the bridge. 

     “A lot of sore muscles down there,” Eem said her tiny feet dangling just above the rushing water.

     “There's pain and pain.” Rechat stifled a smile. “This is working out better than I thought.” Eem took his hand and gave him a puzzled look. Rechat's free hand pointed down the incline to the two dozen pump trolleys. “My Blues are getting in shape. Working together. Becoming a team. Tomorrow I will order everyone to move to a different trolley. The more each Blue gets to know each other, the better the comradery.”

     Rechat turned to Eem. “Did you notice when we started, the Blues wore your armbands and caps haphazardly? Now each arm band surrounds a bicep. Each blue cap sits at a jaunty angle and I never had to say a word. People want to be a part of something. Something bigger than themselves. And I'm providing it.”

     “They're almost like an army,” Eem said.

     “Almost. . .  But by the end of this trek, they will be disciplined and the best-trained group of men and women on Iuama.”

      Eem's green eyes flashed in realization.  “And loyal to you.”

      Rechat squeezed her hand.  “And loyal to me.”

 

#

 

    

 Far below, under one of the last pair of pump trolleys, Hett and Jaye lay wrapped in Tineke mummy sleeping bags. “You awake?” Jaye asked. 

     “Yeah.”

     “My arms are killing me. . . So is my back.”

     “No kidding! Ponti and his buddy with the gazbag tattoo are making us do most of the pumping.”

     “Bunch of lazy tombas.”

     “But there's one thing good about it.”

     “What's that?”

     “Hett lifted his arm out of the mummy bag.” Can you see my arm?”

     “Yeah.”

      Hett flexed his muscles in the moonlight. “I'm getting in good shape.”

     “You're a kundu,” Jaye laughed. 

     “So are you. But I've been thinking. Why did—“

     “Don't think too hard your head might explode and what you call brains may leak out of your big ears.”

     Hett turned to face Jaye ignoring his comment.  “Why did all the pump trolleys take off while we were still inside slashing tires?”

     Jaye rose on an elbow and looked at Hett. “I don't know.”

     “And didn't Rechat promise we could ride up front? Instead, we're on the last pair with Ponti and scar face, eating dust.” 

     “No big deal. And it's better than walking.”

     “Did Rechat forget all about us?”

     “Rechat has a lot on his mind.” Jaye snuggled back into his sleeping bag.  “Tomorrow why don't you run up front and ask him.”

     “Tomorrow, we’ll be climbing the steep part.”

     “I know.  Go to sleep, Muscle Man.”