Chronicle 8
The show exceeded every expectation.
Not every match was flawless.
A mistimed kick here.
A forgotten sequence there.
...but instead of unraveling...
The wrestlers adapted.
The audience never noticed.
Backstage, however, everyone did.
As soon as Joanna disappeared through the curtain after her
match with Sol Harmony, she burst into laughter.
"So much fun!"
Harmony was right behind her.
Both women were drenched in sweat.
Hair plastered to their faces.
Breathing hard.
Neither cared.
They looked like children who had just discovered the
greatest playground in the world.
Harmony grabbed Triple X in a hug.
"We did it!"
"You did."
Miles didn't escape either.
Neither did the referee.
Neither did the ring announcer.
Eventually Joanna spotted Zas.
"There you are."
Before he could react-
She threw her arms around him.
Again.
This time he didn't even tense.
He simply accepted the embrace.
Joanna laughed into his shoulder.
"It worked."
"It did."
"I actually had fun."
"I'm pleased."
Harmony joined them.
"You must be the mountain coach."
"I am not."
She grinned.
"Everyone says that."
"I disagree with everyone."
Harmony laughed.
"I like him."
"So do I," Joanna replied without thinking.
The words escaped before she realized what she'd said.
She quickly looked away.
Fortunately nobody seemed to notice.
Or perhaps everyone politely pretended not to.
As the arena slowly emptied, the wrestlers began changing
out of their gear.
Rodrigo emerged carrying his travel bag.
"So."
He looked at Joanna.
"You taking Coach back to the mountains?"
Joanna nodded.
"We've got internet detective work."
Rodrigo blinked.
"What?"
"Our internet's broken," Joanna explained.
"No."
"Theirs."
She pointed at Zas.
Rodrigo looked utterly confused.
"The mountains have internet?"
"They did."
Zas answered calmly.
"It recently stopped working."
Harmony laughed.
"I was honestly expecting carrier pigeons."
"We have those too."
Harmony froze.
"...you're joking."
"I am."
She sighed dramatically.
"I hate that I believed you."
Joanna chuckled.
"It's a satellite connection."
Rodrigo raised an eyebrow.
"Seriously?"
Zas nodded.
"There is a satellite dish on the communal
building."
"We have ten computer terminals."
"They're connected by cables."
Harmony blinked.
"Cables?"
Joanna smiled.
"Ethernet...their IT guy- Karim-set everything up years
ago. He wanted the important computers wired because the connection was
more stable."
Rodrigo looked impressed.
"I wasn't expecting that."
"Neither was I."
Harmony added.
"I figured the mountain village would've had one
ancient desktop running some version of Windows from twenty years ago."
Zas looked genuinely puzzled.
"I do not know what Windows are."
The table erupted into laughter.
Joanna covered her face.
"Oh no."
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us."
Eventually they wandered a few blocks to a modest diner.
Nothing fancy.
Vinyl booths.
A handwritten menu.
Coffee that seemed permanently brewing.
The waitress barely reacted to seeing several professional
wrestlers walk through the door.
Apparently this happened often enough.
Everyone squeezed into two adjoining booths.
Burgers.
Soup.
Fries.
Whatever happened to be available that evening.
Conversation flowed almost immediately.
Brenton Hayes studied Zas for a moment.
"Can I ask something?"
"You just did."
The table laughed.
Hayes pointed toward his own long hair.
"I always figured warrior guys would have long
hair."
"You know..."
He gestured vaguely.
"...like in the movies."
Everyone looked at Zas.
He reached up and rubbed his smooth scalp.
"The movies are incorrect."
Harmony grinned.
"I knew it."
"Long hair is impractical."
"It gets in your eyes."
"It can be grabbed."
"It takes time to maintain."
"I prefer not having it."
Hayes looked disappointed.
"So..."
"No glorious warrior braid?"
"No."
"No legendary beard?"
Zas shook his head.
"No."
Joanna leaned forward mischievously.
"I still think you'd look good with a man bun."
The rejection came so quickly it almost interrupted her
sentence.
"No."
The table burst into laughter.
"You didn't even think about it!"
"There is nothing to think about."
Harmony wiped tears from her eyes.
"I love this man."
Rodrigo raised his glass.
"To Coach."
"I am not-"
"Coach!"
Everyone joined in.
"Coach!"
Zas sighed.
For the first time in a very long time...
He found himself surrounded by people who expected nothing
from him except that he be himself.
It was a strangely comforting feeling.
...and somewhere across the table-
Joanna watched him smile.
It wasn't the polite smile he'd worn all day.
It was small.
Quiet.
Completely genuine.
She decided then...
She didn't want this trip to Daral Lake to end after fixing
an internet connection.
Dr. Martin Eller let the silence settle before asking his
next question.
"The merchants' sons."
Phoebe and Armintie exchanged a glance.
Eller noticed.
"I understand they were important to both of you."
"They were," Phoebe said quietly.
"I'd like to understand why your relationship with them
caused such a severe reaction."
Armintie frowned.
"You mean..."
"...why the Order got so angry?"
"Yes."
He smiled reassuringly.
"I don't mean to judge anyone."
"I simply want to understand."
Phoebe thought for a moment.
"I don't think..."
She stopped.
"I don't think it was actually because they were
boys."
Eller tilted his head.
"Tell me more."
"The Order didn't forbid people from falling in
love."
"They didn't?"
Phoebe shook her head.
"No."
"There weren't really...dating rules."
Armintie nodded.
"People usually kept romances private."
"Holding hands in front of everyone..."
She shrugged.
"...people might think that was inappropriate."
"Kissing in public wasn't really done."
"...but..."
Phoebe continued,
"...it wasn't forbidden."
"If two people wanted to be together, they could."
Eller made a note.
"What about sex?"
Neither girl looked embarrassed.
"It wasn't forbidden either," Phoebe answered
matter-of-factly.
"It just wasn't something people talked about."
"The Order expected people to behave responsibly."
Armintie added,
"Most people kept to themselves anyway."
"There wasn't much...casual dating."
Eller nodded thoughtfully.
"Did the men ever expect women to have sex with
them?"
Both girls answered immediately.
"No."
The certainty caught his attention.
"Never?"
Phoebe shook her head.
"Not in the Blue Shield."
"I've heard stories from other tribes."
"...but not ours."
"If a woman said no..."
Armintie finished the thought.
"...that was the end of it."
"No one thought that was strange."
Eller wrote for several seconds.
"That's an important distinction."
He looked back up.
"What about marriage?"
Phoebe smiled faintly.
"The boys talked about it."
Armintie laughed quietly.
"They talked about it a lot."
"What would have happened if one of you had wanted to
marry?"
Phoebe answered.
"The Elder would have had to approve."
Eller raised an eyebrow.
"Approve?"
"He performs the ceremony."
"...but..."
She searched for the right words.
"...he also decides whether the couple is ready."
"In what sense?"
"The Order believes marriage exists to build a
family."
"So before he agrees..."
"...he wants to know if the couple can actually raise
children."
Armintie nodded.
"It's less about permission..."
"...and more about responsibility."
Eller smiled.
"I see."
He closed his notebook for a moment.
"So..."
He looked directly at Phoebe.
"Do you believe Zasaramel was angry because you were
falling in love?"
Phoebe opened her mouth.
Then stopped.
"I..."
She frowned.
"I always thought so."
"Do you still think so?"
Silence.
She replayed the memories.
Not the Council.
Earlier.
The search parties.
The lectures.
The worry.
The fear in Zas's eyes when he'd found them.
Not anger.
Fear.
She looked down.
"I don't know."
Eller didn't interrupt.
"He never..."
She hesitated.
"...he never actually said I couldn't like him."
"The merchant boy."
"No."
"He never said I couldn't marry someday."
"No."
"He..."
She frowned harder.
"...he kept asking why we hadn't told anyone where we
were going."
Armintie slowly looked up.
"He kept asking whether we'd eaten."
Phoebe nodded.
"...and whether we'd been hurt."
Another pause.
Eller spoke gently.
"So perhaps..."
"...his objection wasn't the romance."
Phoebe stared into space.
"...it was that we disappeared."
Armintie whispered,
"...and put ourselves in danger."
The realization settled over both of them at almost exactly
the same moment.
Eller didn't rush to fill the silence.
He simply let them think.
After nearly a minute, Phoebe spoke again.
"I think..."
"...we thought he was trying to stop us from growing
up."
She swallowed.
"...but..."
"...maybe he was just terrified."
Armintie leaned back in her chair.
"I've never thought about it like that."
Eller nodded.
"That doesn't mean every decision he made was the right
one."
Neither girl looked surprised.
"In fact..."
"I suspect some of them caused very real harm."
Phoebe gave a small, sad smile.
"They did."
"...but understanding why someone acted..."
He rested his notebook on his lap.
"...is not the same as saying they acted wisely."
He looked at both girls.
"I think your father believed he was protecting
you."
Phoebe nodded slowly.
"So do I."
"...and I think..."
Eller continued,
"...he became so focused on protecting you from
danger..."
"...that he didn't realize he was also pushing you
toward it."
Neither Phoebe nor Armintie argued.
For the first time since the session had begun...
...they both believed he might be right.
The hotel was modest.
One narrow hallway.
Faded carpets.
A receptionist who barely looked up from her book.
The room itself was clean.
Small.
Two bedside tables.
One television that looked older than Joanna's wrestling
career.
A bathroom that made no promises.
Joanna tossed her travel bag onto the chair.
"Home sweet home."
Zas looked around.
"You paid for this?"
"Of course."
He frowned.
"I thought you worked for a wealthy wrestling
company."
Joanna laughed.
"I do."
"I also thought you were wealthy."
"I wish."
She dropped onto the bed.
"I'm comfortable."
"I'm definitely not a millionaire."
Zas remained standing.
"...but..."
He looked around again.
"If the company is wealthy..."
"...why are you paying?"
Joanna blinked.
"Honestly?"
"Yes."
She shrugged.
"I've heard all the explanations."
"'It builds character.'"
"'It gives the wrestlers freedom.'"
"'It helps keep costs predictable.'"
She rolled her eyes.
"I think Vince just doesn't want to pay for it."
She laughed.
"Kind of like health insurance."
Zas slowly sat beside her.
"The more you speak about this Vince..."
"...the less you seem to like him."
Joanna immediately answered.
"I don't hate him."
Zas looked at her.
She looked back.
"You are lying."
She opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Opened it again.
"I..."
Another pause.
"I don't know."
She leaned back against the headboard.
"I don't hate him."
"I hate..."
She searched for the words.
"...how he makes me feel."
"Like I'm replaceable."
"Like if I disappeared tomorrow..."
"...someone else would just wear my gear."
The room fell quiet.
Without either of them noticing, they'd gradually settled
against the headboard together.
Shoulders touching.
Then leaning.
Then curling comfortably beneath the same blanket as the
evening grew cooler.
Neither questioned it.
It simply...
Happened.
Zas stared at the ceiling.
"You should leave."
Joanna looked at him.
"The company."
"You deserve better."
She smiled sadly.
"I've dreamed about the WFE since I was little."
"I know."
"It feels like quitting."
"It is not quitting."
"It may be growing."
The words surprised even him.
Because he wasn't only speaking to Joanna.
He was speaking to himself.
Joanna heard it too.
She turned toward him.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"When are you leaving your mountain?"
He didn't answer.
Not immediately.
"I do not know."
"I only know..."
He smiled faintly.
"...that I have begun asking the question."
Joanna's eyes lit up.
"Then come with me."
He blinked.
"Where?"
"The IWC."
She grinned.
"We'll both start over."
"You can coach."
"I can wrestle."
"We'll figure everything else out."
Zas couldn't help smiling.
"Not so fast."
Joanna's grin widened.
"Oh?"
"'Not so fast?'"
He realized what he'd said.
She noticed it instantly.
She slowly shifted closer until she was facing him.
Her knees rested against his.
She searched his face.
"You know..."
she whispered,
"...that sounded less like 'no'..."
"...and more like 'not yet.'"
Zas said nothing.
Because she was right.
Joanna smiled warmly.
She gently rested one hand against his cheek.
"So..."
She leaned in just a little closer.
"Can I at least have one night..."
"...with my hot, sexy mountain man?"
The words made him laugh.
A quiet, genuine laugh.
He had never understood why she insisted on calling him
that.
Tonight...
He found that he didn't mind it at all.
In fact...
He liked hearing it.
Very much.
He looked into her eyes.
There was no pressure there.
No expectation.
Only hope.
Slowly...
He nodded.
"I would like that."
Joanna's smile softened.
The playfulness gave way to something quieter.
Something more sincere.
She closed the remaining distance.
Their first kiss was gentle.
Unhurried.
Neither trying to impress the other.
Neither trying to prove anything.
It was simply two people...
who had spent far too long carrying the weight of the world
alone...
finally discovering...
what it felt like...
not to be alone anymore.
The room had fallen wonderfully quiet.
The noise of the arena.
The cheering.
The music.
The constant movement of the day...
...all of it felt impossibly far away.
Joanna lay beneath the blankets, staring at the ceiling.
She couldn't stop smiling.
She had known handsome men.
She had dated handsome men.
Some had loved her.
Some she had loved in return.
She cherished those memories.
…but this...
...this felt different.
Zas hadn't looked at her the way television cameras did.
He hadn't looked at her the way wrestling promoters did.
He hadn't even looked at her the way admirers usually did.
He looked at her as though she were something precious.
Something worthy of care.
Something worthy of reverence.
The thought made her smile even wider.
She could still feel the warmth of his embrace and the
warmth of his essence inside of her.
It lingered.
She hoped it never completely went away.
The bathroom door closed.
She heard running water.
A few moments later she laughed quietly to herself.
"My hot, sexy mountain man..."
The words made her blush now.
She had been teasing him all day.
Somehow...
...she wasn't teasing anymore.
Then another thought crept into her mind.
Tomorrow.
Or the day after.
He would go back to Daral Lake.
She would go back on the road.
House shows.
Television.
Airports.
Hotels.
Miles and miles between them.
The smile slowly faded.
Her eyes wandered to the hotel notepad resting beside the
telephone.
She reached over.
Tore off a page.
Carefully she wrote.
Joanna Goldsmith
Then her phone number.
Then, underneath it, every social media account she actually
used.
She stared at the page for a long moment.
It suddenly felt ridiculously inadequate.
How could a scrap of paper compete with what she had found
in a single day?
The bathroom door opened.
Zas stepped out, drying his hands.
Joanna stood to meet him.
Then abruptly wrinkled her nose.
"...Zas."
He looked concerned.
"Yes?"
"You forgot to open the window."
"I..."
He looked toward the bathroom.
"...I did."
She couldn't help laughing.
"I'll get it."
She disappeared inside.
A moment later the window slid open.
Fresh mountain air drifted into the room.
From the hallway, Zas heard her call out with unmistakable
amusement.
"Legendary mountain man."
"I am beginning to suspect that is not a
compliment."
"It absolutely is."
She emerged still laughing.
The little interruption dissolved the melancholy that had
settled over her.
Almost.
She remembered the note.
"Oh."
"I nearly forgot."
She walked over and placed the folded paper into his hand.
Zas unfolded it.
He stared at the writing.
Then looked back at her.
"I do not understand."
"My phone number."
She pointed to the page.
"…and those are my social media accounts."
He looked no less confused.
"I know you don't have a phone."
"I know your internet is broken."
"I know you don't have any of this."
She smiled sadly.
"…but..."
"If one day you do..."
"...if one day you decide to leave the
mountain..."
"...or even just borrow somebody's computer..."
"...you'll know where to find me."
Zas looked down at the paper again.
Then back at Joanna.
She saw the realization slowly dawn on him.
This wasn't about technology.
It was about hope.
Before either of them spoke again, Joanna stepped forward
and wrapped her arms around him.
She held him tightly.
Tighter than she had backstage.
Tighter than before her match.
She rested her head against his chest.
"I know you have to go."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"I know you have your people."
"You have your responsibilities."
She swallowed.
"I just..."
Another pause.
"...I don't want this to be goodbye forever."
For a long moment, Zas said nothing.
He looked at the folded note still clutched in one hand.
Then he slowly wrapped his free arm around her.
Carefully.
Deliberately.
As though making a promise he wasn't yet ready to put into
words.
"It will not be."
Joanna looked up.
"You don't know that."
"No."
He smiled gently.
"I do not."
"…but..."
He folded the note once more and tucked it carefully into
the inside pocket of his jacket.
"...I know some things are worth finding your way back
to."
Neither of them mentioned the future again that night.
For the first time...
...they simply allowed themselves to believe there could be
one.
The bus rolled to a stop in Behrain.
Zas stepped off first.
Then turned.
He instinctively offered Joanna his hand.
She accepted it without hesitation.
Neither of them noticed how natural that had become.
The hitching post stood just beyond the marketplace.
Rows of horses lazily chewed hay beneath a shaded awning.
A familiar voice called out.
"Well."
"I was beginning to think Willow had adopted me."
Shaheen emerged carrying a bucket of feed.
He looked from Zas...
...to Joanna...
...then to their joined hands.
A broad smile slowly spread across his face.
"There you are."
"I apologize."
Zas bowed his head slightly.
"I was delayed."
"I can see that."
Shaheen laughed.
"I met a goddess."
The words escaped Zas before he'd thought about them.
He looked toward Joanna.
Without realizing it, he gently squeezed her hand.
Joanna's heart melted.
She leaned against his shoulder, smiling so brightly it
almost embarrassed her.
Shaheen chuckled.
"I was going to charge you for the extra days."
He waved the thought away.
"Not anymore."
"I'll call it a romance discount."
Joanna laughed.
"I like him."
"So do I."
Shaheen disappeared briefly and returned leading a familiar
chestnut mare.
Willow immediately recognized Zas.
She nickered softly and nudged his shoulder.
He smiled.
"Hello."
Joanna watched the interaction.
"You named her Willow?"
Zas gently stroked the mare's neck.
"No."
He smiled more softly.
"Phoebe did."
The happiness on Joanna's face faded.
"I'm sorry."
"There is no need."
He continued rubbing Willow's neck.
"It is a good name."
Joanna quietly nodded.
After saddling Willow, Zas turned toward her.
"Have you ridden before?"
She smiled.
"A pony."
"When I was little."
Zas looked unconvinced.
"A horse is different."
"I know."
"The mountains make it more difficult."
"I know."
"The trails are narrow."
"I know."
"There are steep drops."
"I know."
"You should probably be worried."
Joanna laughed.
"I've ridden on the back of motorcycles."
"Many times."
"My old boyfriend drove like he thought brakes were
optional."
Zas stared.
"You survived?"
"Barely."
She grinned.
"I figured if I survived him..."
"...I can survive Willow."
For a moment...
Zas simply looked at her.
Then smiled.
There were layers to Joanna's courage.
Not recklessness.
Acceptance.
She understood risk.
She simply refused to let it dictate her life.
He admired that.
Very much.
Soon the two were climbing into the mountains.
The town disappeared behind them.
The air grew cooler.
Pine trees replaced buildings.
Birdsong replaced traffic.
Hours passed peacefully.
At one point Joanna tapped his shoulder.
"Can we stop?"
He immediately became concerned.
"Are you injured?"
She laughed.
"No."
"I just have to pee."
"Oh."
He quickly guided Willow off the trail.
"I shall wait over there."
Joanna disappeared behind a cluster of trees.
When she returned several minutes later...
She wasn't looking at Zas.
She was looking at everything else.
The mountains stretched endlessly around them.
Sunlight spilled across distant peaks.
A river shimmered through the valley below.
Wind gently moved through the trees.
She stood in complete silence.
Finally...
She whispered,
"This is unbelievable."
Zas followed her gaze.
"It is home."
She slowly nodded.
"I can see why."
Another long silence.
Then she smiled to herself.
"So..."
She folded her arms.
"What if..."
"...this became my home too?"
The question hung in the mountain air.
Zas didn't answer immediately.
Because the thought...
Had crossed his own mind.
He looked toward the valley.
Toward Daral Lake.
Toward everything he had always believed would be his entire
world.
Then he looked back at Joanna.
The woman who, only a few days ago, had been a complete
stranger.
Now...
He wasn't entirely certain where "home" ended
anymore.
The familiar wooden palisade finally came into view.
Calling it a wall was generous.
It was little more than sharpened logs driven into the
earth, interrupted every so often by crude watch platforms.
Home.
Willow slowed almost on her own.
The sentry at the gate brightened immediately.
"Zasaramel!"
His smile lasted only a heartbeat.
Then he noticed Joanna seated behind him.
His expression hardened.
"...who is she?"
Zas closed his eyes for a brief moment.
There it is.
He had known this conversation was waiting for him.
Joanna felt him tense.
Without saying a word, she rested a hand gently on his
forearm.
Her thumb slowly brushed against his sleeve.
The gesture was small.
Almost invisible.
...but Zas felt it.
It steadied him.
"I have brought a guest."
The sentry looked unconvinced.
"I'll fetch the Elder."
"I expected you would."
The sentry disappeared through the gate.
Minutes later, the Elder emerged with two members of the
Council.
His eyes immediately found Joanna.
Not Willow.
Not Zas.
Joanna.
"Who is this?"
"Joanna."
"Why is she here?"
"She has come to help repair our internet."
The Elder looked at Joanna again.
His expression revealed little.
"I was under the impression..."
he said carefully,
"...that Karim was the only person who understood that
system."
"He was."
"...and now?"
Zas answered calmly.
"I found someone else who understands it."
The Elder's gaze shifted to Joanna.
"Does she?"
The question lingered just long enough that Joanna
understood its real meaning.
She could hear what he wasn't saying.
A woman?
Fixing computers?
She felt irritation rise immediately.
She took a step forward.
"I can-"
Zas gently touched the back of her hand.
Only for a moment.
Enough.
She stopped.
He stepped slightly in front of her.
"I have seen her solve problems I could not even
describe."
The Elder remained silent.
"In Behrain, the technician asked me questions I could
not answer."
"I did not know what a router was."
"I did not know how our network was organized."
"I did not know the purpose of Karim's main
computer."
He smiled faintly.
"Joanna translated."
"She explained."
"Without her..."
"I would have learned almost nothing."
The Elder folded his hands.
"Even so..."
"It is unusual."
"It is."
"...but not dangerous."
Another silence.
Zas took a slow breath.
Then chose his words carefully.
"Elder."
The old man looked at him.
"Do you trust me?"
The question surprised everyone.
The Elder didn't answer immediately.
Finally...
"Yes."
"I do."
Zas nodded once.
"Then trust me now."
He stepped beside Joanna instead of in front of her.
"I would not bring someone here who intended us
harm."
"I would not bring someone who would disrupt the
village."
"I ask that you judge her by her conduct."
"Not your assumptions."
The Elder studied him.
Longer than was comfortable.
"If something goes wrong?"
"I accept responsibility."
"If she causes trouble?"
"I accept responsibility."
"If this proves to be a mistake?"
"I accept responsibility."
Joanna looked sideways at Zas.
She hadn't expected him to stake his own reputation on her.
The Elder noticed that look.
He noticed Zas noticing it.
He noticed, too, that this was perhaps the first time in
many years that Zas had asked him to trust his judgment instead of
simply obeying an order.
At last, the Elder exhaled.
"Very well."
He looked directly at Joanna.
"You are welcome as Zasaramel's guest."
"You will be treated with respect."
"I ask only that you treat our home with the
same."
Joanna's irritation disappeared almost instantly.
She inclined her head.
"You have my word."
The Elder stepped aside.
The gate slowly opened.
As Willow walked through, Joanna leaned close enough that
only Zas could hear her.
"You just argued with your boss."
"I did."
"...and won."
"I believe..."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"...we both won."
Joanna smiled back.
As Daral Lake opened before them, she realized something.
She hadn't been welcomed because she was a famous wrestler.
Or because she was beautiful.
She had been welcomed because one man believed in her enough
to stake his own honor on it.
For reasons she couldn't quite explain...
...that meant more than almost anything else anyone had ever
done for her.
As they made their way through Daral Lake, Zas let out a
slow breath.
"I expected that to go much worse."
Joanna looked sideways at him.
"You did?"
"I was prepared."
"For what?"
He smiled to himself.
"I was prepared to leave."
She blinked.
"What?"
"If the Elder refused..."
He shrugged.
"...I had already decided I would leave with you."
Joanna stopped walking.
"You mean..."
"...to Cleveland?"
"Yes."
She stared at him.
"You'd really have done that?"
"I believe so."
He laughed quietly.
"The thought frightened me."
Another step.
"It also excited me."
Joanna reached for his hand again.
She didn't say anything for several moments.
Finally she smiled.
"I think you'd actually like Cleveland."
"I would?"
"It isn't glamorous."
She laughed.
"The downtown wind tunnels in July take some getting
used to."
Zas frowned.
"...July?"
"It is a warm month."
"In the Blade."
She laughed.
"Oh."
"I forgot."
"Cleveland's in the Southern Hemisphere."
"Our seasons are backwards."
"Summer starts around December."
"Winter's around June and July."
Zas looked genuinely bewildered.
"...the seasons reverse?"
"They do."
He stared ahead for several steps.
"I dislike that."
Joanna burst into laughter.
"You've never even experienced it."
"I already disapprove."
She slipped her arm through his.
"You'll survive."
"Besides..."
"I don't think July in Cleveland gets quite this
cold."
She looked toward the snow lingering beneath the trees.
"But summer..."
She smiled.
"That's going to surprise you."
"Daral Lake never really gets hot."
"Cleveland absolutely can."
"I shall prepare myself."
"Good."
"Also prepare yourself for dinosaurs."
"I have just finished preparing myself for reversed
seasons."
"One catastrophe at a time."
They both laughed.
The communal building stood near the center of the village.
The Elder was already waiting.
Without ceremony, he handed Joanna a small brass key.
"Karim insisted there always be a spare."
She accepted it.
"I'll take good care of it."
The Elder nodded once before leaving them alone.
Inside, the computer room was exactly as Zas remembered.
Ten computer terminals.
Heavy wooden desks.
Ethernet cables running neatly beneath each table.
Joanna smiled.
"He really did wire everything."
"He said it was more reliable."
"He was right."
She unlocked the smaller room at the back.
"This must've been Karim's office."
The door creaked open.
The room was immaculate.
One desk.
One desktop computer.
A networking cabinet.
The router.
Several blinking lights.
A notebook.
Joanna immediately burst into laughter.
"What?"
She pointed above the monitor.
A sheet of paper had been carefully taped to the wall.
Administrator
Username: admin
Password: BlueShield1973
Joanna covered her face.
"Oh, Karim..."
Zas looked from the paper to her.
"What is amusing?"
"He taped the password to the wall."
"...yes."
"You shouldn't do that."
"Why?"
"Because anyone could walk in and log into the
computer."
Zas considered this.
"If another tribe invaded..."
"They would probably steal the computer."
"They would not spend time reading the wall."
Joanna opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
"...that's actually a fair point."
She laughed again.
"I've spent too much time in cities."
"There, someone might break into the room just to steal
information."
Zas nodded.
"We did not have much information worth stealing."
"No one did banking here."
"No personal correspondence."
"No social media."
Joanna looked over.
"No social media?"
"Karim blocked it."
"Why?"
"It distracted people."
She nodded slowly.
"Fair enough."
"No email either."
She looked even more surprised.
"Seriously?"
"There used to be email."
"What happened?"
"Someone opened an attachment."
"The computer became very sick."
Joanna laughed.
"A virus?"
"I believe that was the diagnosis."
"So Karim banned email."
"He decided information was safer than
communication."
Joanna slowly nodded.
"You know..."
"...for someone who didn't understand
cybersecurity..."
"...he accidentally understood risk management
remarkably well."
She sat down at Karim's desk.
Pressed the power button.
The machine hummed to life.
She smiled.
"All right, Karim."
"Let's see what mystery you've left us."
Joanna pressed the power button.
The computer hummed quietly.
She folded her arms, waiting.
"I wonder what I'm about to see."
The monitor flickered.
A logo appeared.
Joanna blinked.
"...Windows 11?"
Zas looked over.
"Is something wrong?"
"No."
She laughed.
"I just expected something...older."
"Older?"
"I had this image in my head of Karim keeping
twenty-year-old computers alive with duct tape."
She smiled.
"One of my friends joked your village probably still
ran Windows XP."
Zas nodded.
"It did."
Joanna looked at him.
"It did?"
"Until a few years ago."
"Karim replaced all of them."
"He complained constantly."
"'Too much work,' he said."
"'...but it has to be done.'"
Joanna smiled.
"That sounds about right."
Zas continued.
"Then..."
"...a few months before he died..."
"...he replaced them again."
She looked genuinely surprised.
"Again?"
"There were many arguments."
"With the Elder."
"The Elder believed the old computers still
worked."
"...but Karim said Windows would soon stop supporting
them."
"He insisted we needed new machines before that
happened."
"He eventually convinced the Elder."
Joanna nodded slowly.
"He upgraded early."
"What does that mean?"
"It means..."
She smiled.
"...Karim didn't like waiting until something
broke."
"He wanted everything ready before it became a
problem."
Zas laughed quietly.
"He never liked taking chances."
"We simply trusted him."
"He usually knew better than the rest of us."
Joanna smiled.
"I think I would've liked Karim."
The desktop appeared.
Immediately something caught her attention.
"Hmm."
The network icon in the corner showed no connection.
She clicked it.
Nothing.
No wireless networks.
No connection at all.
"That's strange."
She stood.
Walked over to the networking cabinet.
The satellite modem showed a healthy signal.
Several green lights blinked steadily.
The router, however...
...looked wrong.
"Huh."
"What?"
"The internet is here."
"It just isn't getting from the router to the
computers."
Zas frowned.
"How do you know?"
She pointed.
"These lights should be on."
"They aren't."
"Oh."
Without another word she reached behind the router.
Pulled the power cable free.
The lights went dark.
Zas' eyes widened.
"You broke it."
"I turned it off."
"It was working before."
"It wasn't."
"It merely looked busy."
She waited.
Counted quietly to ten.
Then plugged it back in.
The router sprang to life.
One light.
Then another.
Then another.
Finally-
The last indicator lit green.
Joanna returned to the computer.
The network icon changed.
Connected.
She opened a browser.
The homepage loaded instantly.
From outside the office came excited voices.
"It's back!"
"My page loaded!"
"The internet works!"
Zas stared at the monitor.
Then at Joanna.
Then back at the monitor.
"...that fixed it?"
She smiled.
"Looks like it."
"You repaired the internet..."
"...by turning it off."
"...and back on again."
He looked genuinely astonished.
"...that is all?"
"Not always."
"...but it's the first thing you should try."
She thought for a moment.
Then searched for an explanation he'd understand.
"The router is like a person."
"If someone works every hour of every day..."
"...eventually they stop thinking clearly."
"They need sleep."
She gently patted the router.
"This one just needed a nap."
Zas looked thoughtfully at the blinking lights.
"So..."
"...the internet became tired."
Joanna laughed.
"You know what?"
"That's close enough."
The browser loaded instantly.
Joanna leaned back in Karim's chair with a satisfied smile.
"There."
"I think that's everything."
Outside the office, excited voices echoed through the
communal hall.
"It's working!"
"I can get to the encyclopedia again!"
"My weather page loaded!"
Someone actually cheered.
Zas simply stood there.
Looking from the monitor...
...to the router...
...back to Joanna.
He still couldn't quite believe it.
"It is fixed."
"It is."
He took two quick steps toward her.
Before either of them had time to think-
He wrapped both arms around her.
Joanna froze.
Then smiled.
Slowly she hugged him back.
"You fixed it."
"I restarted it."
"You fixed it."
She laughed softly.
"All right."
"I fixed it."
She rested her forehead against his.
"I've never seen anyone so excited over a router
reboot."
"You have restored something important to my
people."
"That matters."
Joanna felt warmth spread through her chest.
Backstage...
She'd felt useful.
Here...
She felt valued.
There was a difference.
As she stepped away, her eyes wandered across Karim's desk.
Something caught her attention.
A rugged satellite phone sat neatly beside a stack of
notebooks.
She picked it up.
"So this is the famous emergency phone."
Zas nodded.
"The village's."
She turned it over in her hands.
Then looked at Zas.
"You should carry this."
He blinked.
"I cannot."
"Why not?"
"It is not mine."
"It belongs to the Blue Shield."
"...and?"
"I have no authority to simply take it."
Joanna smiled.
"I figured you'd say that."
She handed it to him anyway.
"Ask."
Zas looked puzzled.
"The worst thing the Elder can do is say no."
"...and if he says yes..."
She grinned.
"...you'll be able to call me when your internet
breaks."
Zas looked at the phone.
Then slowly looked back at her.
"...that is not the real reason."
Joanna's smile became wonderfully guilty.
"No."
"It isn't."
She reached into her own pocket.
Pulled out her phone.
"I already saved the number."
She turned the screen toward him.
The contact read:
📱 My Big Sexy Mountain
Man
Zas stared at it.
Then looked back at her.
"You truly named it that."
"I absolutely did."
He couldn't help laughing.
A knock came at the door.
The Elder stepped inside.
"I heard cheering."
He immediately noticed the browser open on the screen.
Then the connected network icon.
Then the router.
"It works."
"It does."
The Elder slowly smiled.
"Excellent."
He looked at Joanna.
"You have done our people a great service."
She inclined her head.
"I'm glad I could help."
The Elder looked around the room.
Then back at Joanna.
"You should stay."
She blinked.
"What?"
"As our keeper of the internet."
Joanna laughed nervously.
"I'm flattered."
"I really am."
"...but..."
"...I already have a job."
She glanced toward Zas.
"...and I was actually going to suggest something
else."
She nodded toward the satellite phone still resting in Zas'
hands.
"I think he should carry Karim's satellite phone."
The Elder immediately looked at it.
Then at Zas.
Then back at Joanna.
"He has learned more about this system today than
anyone else here."
"...and if something goes wrong..."
"...he can reach me."
She smiled warmly.
"I'll help however I can."
Silence settled over the room.
Zas waited.
He hadn't expected this conversation.
Finally the Elder nodded.
"Very well."
He looked directly at Zas.
"The phone is yours."
"You will use it wisely."
"I will."
The Elder turned back to Joanna.
"...and..."
"I would still ask that you remain with us for a
while."
"We have much to learn."
Joanna smiled.
"I'd like that."
The Elder's expression softened.
"Good."
"Then tonight..."
"...Daral Lake celebrates."
"A feast."
"In your honor."
Joanna blinked.
"A feast?"
"You restored something precious."
"That deserves celebration."
Before she could answer, the Elder had already turned toward
the door.
"...and Zasaramel."
"Yes?"
"Do not lose that phone."
"I will not."
The Elder departed.
Silence returned.
Zas looked down at the satellite phone.
Then sighed.
"I believe..."
"...I am now the village's internet person."
Joanna laughed.
"You'll survive."
"I am unconvinced."
She pulled Karim's notebook toward her.
"No."
"You'll learn."
She found a blank page.
"I'm going to write down everything you need."
She began writing headings.
If the internet stops working...
"First..."
"Restart the router."
Zas nodded solemnly.
"The router sometimes becomes tired."
"Exactly."
She smiled.
"Second..."
"I'm also going to write down what all these blinking
lights mean."
"...and..."
She looked up at him.
"You need to talk to the Elder."
"About what?"
"You can't become another Karim."
He frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"The village shouldn't depend on one person."
"You need two."
"Three."
"Maybe four people who know the basics."
"...and they all need access to this room."
Zas thought about it.
She was right.
Again.
"...and..."
She gently touched the satellite phone.
"If none of that works..."
"...call me."
She stepped closer.
Wrapped her arms around him once more.
This embrace was slower.
Quieter.
"I hope you will."
"I will."
He answered without hesitation.
She looked up into his eyes.
Before she could say another word-
Zas leaned down and kissed her.
This time...
He didn't wait for permission.
She smiled into the kiss.
One of his hands began wandering lower.
Joanna laughed against his lips before gently catching his
wrist.
"As tempting as that is...I mean, server sex room is hot,
but…"
She glanced around the server room.
"...I also don't want to destroy the computers on my
first day."
Zas looked around the room as though he had only just
remembered where they were.
Then he laughed.
A full, genuine laugh.
"I believe..."
he admitted,
"...that is a wise policy."
Joanna kissed him once more.
"I thought you'd agree."
Hand in hand...
They left the server room together-
-toward a feast neither of them had expected to attend.
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