Nirvana Effect

11



Where is that idiot going? thought Dook as he watched Tien creep from hut to hut.

No moon lit the village that night. Were Dook not a hunter, he wouldn’t have been able to spot Tien at all.

Dook didn’t trust him. He spied on Tien from the outlying brush. Surely Tien was up to no good. Dook hadn’t directed him to do anything since the last debacle.

Idiots are not to be trusted.

Tien approached the chief’s hut. Its larger size and little flag demarked it from the rest.

Dook debated with himself. Either Tien is ambitious and wants to assassinate Nockwe as amends for his errors, or else he has turned and wishes to join my enemy. I’ll break his neck either way. Maybe tonight. Let’s see what he does.

Tien slumped to the bamboo door of the hut, and knocked gently. Only the chieftain had a door.

If it’s a murder he’s after, Tien makes the worst and most polite murderer I’ve ever seen, thought Dook.

Tien glanced furtively behind him. Dook resisted the urge to duck. There was no way he could be seen in the brush, but the movement might have given him away.

Getting no answer, Tien knocked again, fidgeted more. Dook could tell he was getting spooked.

Tien knocked one more time. He started to lurk away. The door opened slowly, and Tien jumped up nearly a foot as he turned back in surprise.

“Tien?” It was the voice of Nockwe.

Maybe I should kill them both now and frame Tien…But Nockwe is awake, and in his own home…I only have my dagger tonight. Who knows what traps Nockwe has in wait…

There was the matter of Nockwe’s wife, too, nearly as fearsome an adversary as Nockwe, himself.

Tien nodded in answer to Nockwe.

“Come in, Tien,” beckoned the chieftain. Tien entered the hut.

Dook was shocked. Tien was low class. Dook would have never let Tien into his own hut.

The door closed behind Tien. The long lance of light from the hut’s candles folded back into the dwelling. Dook ran to a perch beneath the window opening of the hut where he could hear their conversation. Tien spoke in hushed tones, but Nockwe answered him loudly.

“Nockwe, I am here to warn you. Dook…”

“You put your life in danger by your presence here, Tien,” said Nockwe. He coughed. Though obviously sick, he still sounded commanding.

Maybe I was right to wait.

“Still, I am loyal,” insisted Tien. “Dook wishes to kill you. You and the white man. By challenge if you grow sicker. By other means if he must. But he wants your flag.”

Nockwe wheezed and coughed louder. He said nothing.

“I will challenge him to protect you,” said Tien.

“He will kill you,” replied Nockwe without hesitation. “Thank you for your loyalty, but do not waste your life.”

“I can match him,” said Tien. “He must be matched. I see now that he doesn’t care about anything but himself…”

Justifying your incompetence…

“At first we were friends…”

Until you showed you were just like the rest of them.

“He will not let anyone match him,” interrupted Nockwe. “That’s the problem. You will never have an even fight.”

The chieftain is wise in this - and this only. A snake can tell a snake, I guess…

“Thank you for your loyalty,” said Nockwe. “It will be remembered, Tien.” Footsteps. Nockwe was trying to usher him out, but Tien would not go.

Fool.

“Chieftain, our tribe has not gone through the hunger in many seasons,” said Tien. “Water has been plentiful, and disease has not taken any of my family. Your reign has changed the lot of our people. Only a demon would challenge you, no man, because even if he’s stronger than you physically, you are the better ruler.”

Dook heard another wheezing cough.

“Promise me, Tien,” said Nockwe, “that you’ll not challenge Dook.”

“Nock-”

“Promise me!” Nockwe’ shouted.

“I promise.” Tien sounded subdued, but truthful. They exchanged farewells briefly and soon Tien left the hut to slink off to his own home.

That traitorous Tien! I’ll kill him in his sleep, the fool. What rule of Nockwe? Nockwe’s a self-serving, pompous weakling, a white-lover who kills the tribe with every day of his rule.

Dook hated Tien. He crouched pondering of ways to kill him slowly and agonizingly.

Before Dook left, he listened to the chieftain cough. He heard mucous come up, more coughing, and finally wheezing before the settling of hay. More coughing. It seemed that Nockwe had been fronting with his voice; that the simple physical exertion of his encounter with Tien had actually taken quite a toll.

Dook took note of this. He adjusted his plans accordingly.