Episode 1

6/17/1983

What upset Rin most was not the squalid condition of the bus for the last eight hours; that was par for the course in this sort of place. Tightly pressed amongst twenty-seven peasants, not to mention the odd farm animal, she had suffered all manner of offensive odor and contact.

Nor was she bothered by the barked orders and presumptuous tone of the guards at each of the frequent checkpoints. Rin took no offense at the leers she continually received from men around her, both those doing the barking and those being barked at. A lithe college-age brunette in tight-fitting city garb naturally invited stares. Most likely they were gawking at her affluence more than her appearance, and possibly contemplating how to avail themselves of it. Although Rin could draw the attention of almost any man in almost any milieu, she was certain that after a four-day overland trek and a day-long bus ride she was far from glamorous, and probably smelled the part.

Such things did not trouble her, being mere matters of course. Whether people chose to scorn her or lust after her or contemplate robbing her was their prerogative. The odd commingling of desire, bodily fluids, general filth, and hostility were familiar to her. They were the scent of humanity, and to a greater or lesser extent were present wherever she went. These all were unremarkable things, and did not bother Rin.

What did bother her was inconvenience. A twenty-two year old girl on her own easily could find herself inconvenienced. Rin held her breath at each checkpoint along the way. The routine always was the same, and did not differ significantly from what she had experienced elsewhere on her travels. A soldier would stop the bus and chat a bit with the driver. Some papers would be examined. Usually, one or two soldiers would enter the bus and make their way down the aisle, navigating the chaos as best they could, and giving a cursory glance here or there. Proforma, a few orders would be shouted and some questions asked.

As the trip progressed, the interior odors ripened, and the soldiers spent less and less time inside. By the fourth checkpoint, the soldier winced at a single whiff through the bus door. A pleading look at his commander earned him a reprieve, and the bus proceeded without incident.

Even when the soldiers did board, they typically paid the travelers little mind. Most likely they were seeking valuables which could be confiscated, or maybe some reason to demand a bribe. If so, they were disappointed.

The bus contained peasants on their way to the Capital, nothing more. Except for Rin. The guards, mostly teenagers, always noticed her and always were surprised. She had seen a predatory glimmer in some of their eyes, but something in her own deterred them.

Perhaps she didn't look away, like the other women. Or maybe they were shy around a pretty girl. A show of military bravado was part and parcel of the job, but they still were just kids. The fact that she couldn't speak the language may have frustrated them as well. But, most likely, she remained unmolested because they weren't brazen enough to try anything. Yet. A few more years of barking orders and demanding obedience, and they'd have no such hesitation.

The fifth roadblock promised to be as uneventful as the other four, though Rin once again held her breath in anticipation. One never could tell when a problem would arise, and the whole trip could be in vain if she was stopped now. The checkpoint commandant was a tall man in his forties, slightly balding but with an air of authority. She had to admit that he wasn't bad looking. If they had met in a bar, she may have given him a go.

She could tell that something was amiss when he stayed to observe the inspection. The other commandants had given the bus a perfunctory glance and then returned to the guard-cabin, leaving the unglamorous chore to their underlings. Rin sensed it must be a terribly boring job.

For the young soldiers one posting was as good as another, and this one probably offered more opportunity for revenue and less to get shot than most. But for the commandant it clearly was a thankless assignment. Either he had annoyed the wrong people or had been tricked into believing he'd get rich off bribes from tourists. From what Rin had seen, there weren't any tourists to get rich off.

When the commandant lingered, Rin groaned. Not me, not me, not me.

At a signal, three young soldiers performed an inspection of the bus while the commandant watched from outside. Rin sighed with relief. It just was part of the soldiers' training, nothing more. The inspection itself did not differ from earlier ones, other than being markedly more thorough. This was to be expected since it was performed under the scrutiny of their superior.

The boys shouted orders, stopping to interrogate every third passenger. As before, Rin was noted but not bothered. In service to their zeal, the soldiers waved AK47's around menacingly. It was clear to Rin that they were inexperienced, even with such cheap pieces of junk. She had no doubt they would be willing to use them, though.

Rin had nothing but contempt for boys who played at being men, and whose power derived from toys they had been given. In her experience most men were boys who played at being more, and most power derived from toys which had been given. She wondered if she was being hypocritical. But Rin was not a man, and could not be judged by their standards. If someone wished to despise her as a woman, she would not contest the point.

When the soldiers were finished, they filed off the bus, conspicuously jostling a few passengers on the way out. They reported something to the commandant, and he appeared satisfied. Rin relaxed in her seat as best she could in the tight quarters. It was over and, if her map was correct, this was the last checkpoint. There would be no more obstacles.

Then the commandant approached the bus door. Rin cringed, and her stomach sank. Apparently, the man had decided to undertake an inspection of his own. She still clung to the hope that there was an innocuous explanation. Perhaps he would demonstrate proper technique to his soldiers. It also was possible that something specific had aroused suspicion. Without speaking the language, she only could guess from his behavior.

The man slowly made his way down the aisle, brusquely pushing aside people and things rather than picking his way as the soldiers had. Not me, not me, not me.

The commandant didn't even make a show of inspecting anyone else and went straight for Rin. Had he seen her through the window? Maybe one of the soldiers told him about the pretty foreign girl. Still, it could be a mere matter of a bribe. She hoped it was her affluence which had attracted his attention, and not something more.

When the man reached Rin, he began barking orders at her. She said nothing and smiled, but this failed to placate him. An offer of an American twenty piqued his interest, but he pushed it back. With unambiguous gestures he ordered her to stand. Rin had no doubt the man intended to deprive her of more than just twenty dollars by the end of this transaction. Nonetheless, she obeyed and quietly followed him off the bus. There still was hope if she could convince, bribe, or deter him.

She coughed dramatically, but the commandant laughed. Apparently, that had been tried before. Besides, he probably was the one with the diseases. When he ordered the driver to continue without her, Rin knew she was in big trouble. As she watched the bus depart, she couldn't blame the driver. What choice did he have?

Rin estimated the length of the remaining drive. According to what she remembered of her map, the Capital was only another mile or two down the road. At least she wouldn't have to walk far. She sighed. Well, may as well get this over with.