Cha'Nara's Gift

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Truly Fine Citizens

After the Hotel was completed and the general store wrapped up, I brought in a family to run it. The Stillwater's, Gordon, Susan and their little boy Ted. I spent a lot of time with Gordon making sure things were set up properly, but more on him later. I got a blacksmith with a teenage son who I set up with the stable and blacksmith, Ned Albright and his son Hardy. One of the main reasons (but not to his knowledge) I hired him was that he was a Civil War vet. I was really interested in an ex Marine but none ever came through Deakstown. Eventually we built a small bank, It was built like a Damn fort, all brick and stone, like a friggen castle, a sally port in front that allowed somebody to shoot down through the floor at robbers a very narrow front door, murder holes that allowed guards to shoot at robbers without risk of being shot themselves, very ingenious. In all the time we were at Deakstown nobody ever tried to rob us. Oh, did I forget to mention the sheriff's office and room was part of the bank. As for the sheriff, I hired another vet, Carson James. In time, I would amaze and horrify Ned and Carson with stories of combat in Afghanistan and the 21st century, both men were troubled by the fact that the United States would fight wars overseas.

It was the end of September when Deakstown was truly finished, other buildings sprung up from time to time, but everything Emily and I envisioned was done. The last building to go up was what intrigued and amused the others in town, but what Emily Cha'Nara and even Ben at times referred to as "Hanger 51" a low building with a thick stone base and heavily timbered walled and roofed structure with no windows and only one heavy iron door, kept locked at all times. I put up a large sign that said "Anyone found here after dark will be found here in the morning" I instructed Sheriff James to shoot on sight anyone trying to break in. Cha'Nara's "unit" was stored in this building, eventually the sheriff and a couple others knew about it, but nobody went near the place, it became a source of terror for the few children that lived here.

Slowly, very slowly at first, my objective of the gold coming to us finally became a reality. Payment in dust, nuggets and coins was practically a requirement, the smart man always paid a visit to the bank where the gold was weighed and exchanged for paper money silver dollars, coins etc. I made sure the whole operation was absolutely fair, everything was out in the open, any questions concerning the accuracy of the bank's scales brought an immediate check of accuracy with special weights kept in the safe. Nobody left the bank until they were absolutely sure the transaction had been a fair one.

Emily had the easy job, she just stayed at the saloon keeping an eye on her "girls" or seeing to the guests at the hotel or the "no-tell" hotel as we called it, I on the other hand was all over town checking on problems, dealing with the merchants, the sheriff, and whatever came my way, which, at times seemed like a freight train. Shortly after the

Stillwaters arrived to run the general store, Gordon's wife Susan took to snubbing Emily because of her saloon and whores, she made the mistake of trying to enlist Mrs. Miller with disastrous results, although Alice Miller didn't approve of the saloon or whorehouse, she was absolutely loyal to Emily, for what she and I had done for her and Ben. Although I wasn't there word got back to me that poor Mrs. Stillwater was "ripped a new one" by Alice. A few months later Mrs. Stillwater walked into the Bad Girls saloon and personally apologized to Emily.

Another problem resolved itself at the same time, up to that point, Emily's "girls" always had a hard time being waited on and getting proper service at the general store, I warned the Stillwater's about it but the problem never quite went away until the apology.

The Stillwater's were always a pain in the ass, I was always after Gordon to get weapons salesmen to visit, reps from Winchester, Colt, Remington, Henry etc. so I could order specially engraved pistols and rifles, along with specially modified guns. Gordon did at first, but for some reason it was like pulling teeth. Around the end of October a gunsmith came through town I kept him on until spring refurbishing and repairing all the guns in my "collection" as well as other pieces that Stillwater took in trade.

Emily Picks up the Story

About a mile from Deakstown there was a fissure in the rocks that we called the "chute" When things were dropped down this "chute" they were never heard to hit the bottom, it wasn't long before the "chute" became the final resting place of troublemakers and men who abused my "girls" The first "incident" occurred in September, shortly after we "officially" opened. I had been talking to Cha'nara in her room when I heard a scream from upstairs, by the time I got to the second floor the other girls were coming out of their rooms "It's Rachel" cried Annie, I drew my Sig from a concealed holster I wore and burst into Rachel's room. A drunken miner was slapping Rachel around I simply put a round in the mans head. With help from a couple other girls we shoved the man out the window. I heard the body hit with a sickening "crack" While a couple housekeepers cleaned up the bloody mess, I comforted Rachel, Cha'Nara appeared and told me she would take care of Rachel, I ushered everyone out to leave Cha'Nara and Rachel alone.

I never asked her, but I think Cha'Nara gave Rachel on of her "mind melds." When Rachel came downstairs the next morning, except for the facial bruises she acted pretty chipper, needless to say, the miner ended up "mining" down in the "chute." Another "incident" took place only a week and a half later, Sarah had a little kitten she found and was keeping it as a pet, again another f****d up miner killed the poor thing in a rage, I shot him in the heart as he came stumbling out of Sarah's room, another candidate for the "chute" when we eventually dynamited the "chute" closed we figured there were at least twelve or thirteen bodies down there, plus one head. One day Annie came to me in tears, it seems her father killed her mother in a drunken rage. She loved her mother very much and felt helpless. I hired a couple men to pay Annie's father a visit, with instructions to return with his head, which they did in a leather bag; After Annie identified him, down the "chute" it went. I think this episode solidified my standing with my "girls" as a true friend who would stand behind them whatever came their way. After that they trusted me with their secrets, and as I mentioned before, they learned all sorts of things from loose lipped clients, it all came my way. When gold was involved I made sure they always got a cut when Deak located the "site" or claim. One of my proudest achievements was teaching these women and watching them learn. I worked damned hard polishing them and giving them something to believe in, it all came back to me in loyalty and friendship, I became very tight with my "girls" even Sally who operated on her own could come to me in total confidence. I always made sure little "extra's" went her way because she took on the cruds I wouldn't allow in my place. Eventually, when you're as close to people as I was with my "girls" they see things and put things together that make for awkward questions. Deak and I were still not convinced they could handle the truth, and were still thinking of ways to lead them to the truth on their own.

One day I was looking for Cha'Nara Deak and I wanted to talk to her about how long she wanted to stay, we both agreed we would not force her to remain here if she was homesick and wanted to return home. I went to knock on her door, but just as I raised my arm to knock I heard noises coming from the room, putting my ear to the door I knew right away Cha'Nara was having s*x with someone, and I knew who that "someone" was. I retreated from the door and went to find Deak to break the news. Before I could find Deak, I got embroiled in an argument with a hotel guest concerning the cleanliness of the room, before it was over housekeeping staff were summoned. Misunderstandings were sorted out and things made right. I found Deak arguing with the Stillwater's as usual, again, more misunderstandings, and egos soothed. It was almost two hours later before I told Deak what I suspected with Cha'Nara and Ben. "Well wifey dear, let's go over to the hotel and get this thing squared away, we've been neglecting her lately, but it's time we get a few things understood especially how long she's willing to stay here."

Deak Continues

When we knocked on Cha'Nara's door she wasn't in, Emily asked Sarah if she'd seen Cha'Nara, "I saw her talking with Jenny, up in her room, Emily went up there (I was forbidden to ever set foot on the second floor, as per Emily's strict orders) I went to our office with Emily arriving a few minutes later. "She and Jenny were talking, I asked her to come down here when she's finished." Not long after, Cha'Nara appeared at the office door, "Come on in sweetie," beckoned Emily, "Got some things we want to talk over." Pip sat down in a chair, and I began; "Pip have you thought about how long you want to stay here?" "What do you mean?" she asked a puzzled look on her face. "How long do you think you want to remain with us here, we know at some point you're going to get homesick, and want to return to Vaga IV." Cha'Nara shrugged and thought a moment, "Don't know, am happy being with you here, I have friends now, Ben, Jenny, the other girls all like me." Emily and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes at the mention of Ben. Emily continued, "Deak and I had planned on at least two years, maybe even three, you know how long three years is, we don't want you feeling as though we're keeping you here against you're will."

Cha'nara thought some more, then said, "It's no problem, not forget, I can set return data to one Arn after I left, all the data is in computer, no problem to reset," "She's right Deak, I had forgotten that that computer automatically records all navigational data, all she has to do is hit "Reset" or their equivalent of it and Bam! She's back where she started, setting the return time to one hour later is not a problem," said Emily.

"All right then, but we want you to come to us when you're ready to go home, we'll wrap things up here and leave, Are you clear on that Pip? Cha'Nara smiled and gave her "thumb's up" gesture "Yes!"

"Good," said Emily, "Now there's one other thing we need to discuss." Cha'Nara got that perky twinkle in her eye that was so endearing to us "Cha'Nara, since you arrived on earth, Deak and I have voluntarily taken on the task of guardianship for you, to keep you safe and away from harm. We're trying to do what we think you're parents would want, do you understand?" "Oh yes, I understand what you are about." "I'm glad we understand each other Cha'Nara, How are you and young Ben getting along?" "Oh we best friends, Ben like me very much." "I'll just bet he does!" I thought. Emily lowered her voice, "Cha'Nara, are you and Ben, uh, you know, uh"…" "s*x?" blurted out Cha'Nara. Emily got a worried look on her face, "Uh…Yeah!"

"Oh yes, Ben very, how you say, very shy," "I'll just bet he is!" I thought. Emily continued, "Have you explained to Ben that you're not going to be here forever, that you'll be leaving for good at some point?"

"Yes," "Don't you think he'll be very heartbroken when that happens, and what about yourself, won't you be heartbroken as well?" Cha'Nara made a little frown, "Maybe, not forget him though, I will think of him often, but he will be like other boys, I remember them but it is part of our growing up." "I see" commented Emily, "What about getting pregnant? What would you're parents say about that?" "Oh, not get pregnant." Both of us perked up our ears at this one. I began to add my own commentary, "And how do you know you're not going to get pregnant?" Pip got that twinkle again, "Treatment" "Treatment? What do you mean?" Cha'Nara pointed to her mid-section, "At ten everybody get treatment, then when old enough and have chosen mate, get another treatment, then can have offspring." Emily and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. "No wonder they're so promiscuous in their teen years, Man! Those Vagan's really got it covered, don't they?" I remarked to Emily. She just shook her head. "How do you're parents feel about this?" asked Emily, "Oh they do not mind, it is expected, it is just the Vagan way."

Cha'Nara had us beat at every turn, what could we say? What could we do? This teen promiscuity was apparently approved of and even expected, it all fit with what she had told us before. "What about poor Ben Cha'Nara?" asked Emily, "Do you intend to leave him heartbroken?" "I will fix it so he doe's not feel bad when I leave." "I thought you couldn't do you're little "mind meld" thing with guys?" I asked. "Oh just make him not feel so bad, he will remember me."