Tamer- King of Dinosaurs 5

by Michael-Scott Earle

  “I am fine with heights,” Sheela said.

  “Me as well,” Liahpa said.

  “I’ll come, if you all will let me.” Emta raised her hand.

  “Same,” Urka squeaked.

  “Whatever you need, Trel.” Quwaru nodded. “It sounds like a great idea for protecting us.”

  “Great!” Trel cackled as she tapped her fingers together and looked at me. “When do you want me to focus on the project?”

  “Let’s talk about my last topic first,” I said as I moved back to the piles of equipment and hut pieces that had been unloaded from the stegos. I found the pile of green rocks to the side of the palm fronds, and I picked three of the larger ones up before I turned to the group.

  “Look at these, and pass them around,” I said as I handed one of the greenish-colored rocks to Sheela, Trel, and Youleena.

  “What is it?” Trel asked as she rotated her rock in her fingers.

  “Gee and I think it is malachite,” I said as I nodded at the fire-woman.

  “Mala-who?” Kacerie asked after Trel had handed her the rock.

  “Copper!” Youleena laughed as she lifted the rock up so that the sun caught some of the smoother edges and displayed the green.

  “You think it is?” I asked the willowy-woman. “I figured that you or Galmine might be able to confirm?”

  “May I see it?” Galmine asked, and Sheela handed the gray-skinned woman the rock. She held it in her hand a few moments and then nodded at us. “I feel metal inside of it. Everywhere, but it’s not complete. It is missing something.”

  “Missing something?” Trel asked. “It is just a rock. Don’t you just melt them for metal?”

  “I am not sure, Trel,” Galmine said with a slow shrug. “My people didn’t use much metal, but I know earth, and I can feel that the metal inside of these rocks needs life. It needs to breathe, and smoke, and become something else before it is a metal.”

  “It is carbon,” Urka said. “Sometimes raw ore needs to be mixed with it to form metal. I don’t know much about the process, but my people did use a lot of metal.”

  “How do we mix carbon with it?” Keefaye asked as she took the rock from Kacerie, glanced at it, and then passed it to Adella.

  “I don’t know,” Urka said with a shrug. “It wasn’t my expertise. Sorry.”

  “The stone feels the same to me everywhere,” Youleena said. “I can’t sense the parts of it like Galmine can.”

  “Isn’t ash or charcoal carbon?” I asked as I pointed into the fire.

  “Maybe the burned parts,” said Kacerie. “I’m using the white ashes to make lye. I guess they might be the same.”

  “Okay, we are going to try three different methods,” I said. “We are going to grind up this malachite first. Then we’re going to mix some with charcoal, like maybe a really blackened piece of wood. Then we’ll mix some with ash. Then we’ll mix some with nothing to see what happens. We’ll cook them up really hot, let them cool, and see what we get. I’ve got a few dozen pounds of the rock, so it should let us play around with it. If we can actually get some copper, we can make weapons, or something.”

  “If we can get a lot of copper, a lot of our problems will be solved,” Keefaye said as she crossed her arms and nodded.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “Copper is antimicrobial,” the golden-horned woman answered.

  “What is that?” Emta asked.

  “It means that bacteria, algae and other small forms of life don’t like the metal.” Keefaye said. “All of my blessed vessels that I would use for my water were copper, but it wasn’t because they were really ‘blessed,’ it was because no biofilm would grow around the water.”

  “But you turned it into alcohol,” I pointed out, “that could be why--”

  “No,” she laughed. “Before. They would bring me the water to bless, but always in copper.”

  “Come to think of it, the bathtubs that my people used near our springs were made of copper,” Youleena said as she bit her lip.

  “My people also used copper containers for water,” Nomi said quietly, and everyone turned to nod at her.

  “Huh,” Kacerie said, “The sinks in my salon were copper. I had it designed because I liked the way they looked, but now that I think about it, I never really had to clean them all that much.”

  “Copper also conducts electricity,” Trel said as she looked at Urka, and the blue-haired woman nodded.

  “We could cover the dino’s water trough in copper,” I said.

  “I could remake the filters with copper,” Trel mused.

  “We could do all the jugs with copper,” Kacerie said.

  “Sounds like we will need a lot of copper,” Quwaru laughed as she bounced one of the rocks in her red hand. “Victor, where did you find this?”

  “It’s about a day and a half travel east upriver of the marsh area that is north of your beach.”

  “That spot is past where the Burners had their camp,” Quwaru said.

  “There is a massive wall of it,” I said as I looked to where the three stegos rested on the grass. “I put some trees across the back shields of the stegosauruses to make a bit of a holding container. Trel, do you think you can design something better that we can use to haul a lot of the rock?”

  “Of course!” she scoffed. “I’ll start work on it--”

  “First, we have to figure out if these rocks are malachite,” I laughed as I pointed to the one Youleena still held. “If we can’t turn it into copper, it won’t make any sense to go get anymore.”

  “Do you really want to make that long of a trip back there?” Adella asked. “It seems so far away, and we all missed you when you were gone.”

  “I agree,” Trel said. “It is too dangerous to have you go. We need you here for planning and inseminating our wom--”

  “We don’t know if the rocks are going to work yet,” I interrupted her. “We gotta try to cook them first.”

  “Do we just throw them in the kiln?” Kacerie asked. “You said we should grind it up, but how do we mix in the carbon or ash?”

  We all stood around and looked at each other for a few moments, but then Gee cleared her throat.

  “I can just take them in my hands and try to heat it to melting,” she said as she opened her palms. Her arms suddenly glowed bright yellow, and Trel and I took a step away from her as the air became too hot. As we watched, Gee closed her fingers around the air as if she was cupping water, and then she moved her thumbs so that they were on top of the cavity.

  The shape of her hands gave me an idea.

  “Okay, I think I’ve got it,” I said as I turned back to everyone. “We need to run six experiments. We’ll need to make tiny clay containers that we can put the crushed up rocks into with the mixture of charcoal, ash, and nothing. One of each kind we’ll put into the furnace, and then the other set we’ll give Gee to play with and heat. My only concern is that we won’t be able to let it cool easily since it will be in her hands. Any ideas?”

  “If it does make copper, it will be close to liquid as I heat it,” Gee said with a shrug, “I can just pour it out onto a stone or clay plate.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” I said with a laugh. “Damn, I hope this works.”

  “Me too,” Kacerie said. “If we can get a lot of copper, we’ll really be able to upgrade our sanitation practices.”

  “And weaponry,” Sheela said.

  “And our fort building projects,” Trel said smugly.

  “Okay,” I said. “I’ve got a list of stuff we all have to do today. Give me a minute to think through them, and then I’ll assign projects to everyone. Cool?”

  “Uhh, Victor, it is warm out,” Adella said as she blinked her big green eyes.

  “Oh, yeah,” I laughed.

  Then I took a deep breath, closed my eyes for a few seconds, and let the puzzle pieces of our projects fall into place in my mind.

  Chapter 10

  “Liahpa, Galmine, Youleena, and
I are going to take the group of dinos to the lake for water, plant food, hunting, and clay,” I said to everyone as I began to lay out my plan for the day. “On the way there and back, we’ll look for vegetables for planting and a rock that Youleena can use to give the golden ring a handle. Liahpa, bring the ring with us.”

  “Okay,” the floating woman said. “However, I would prefer to have some alone time with yo--”

  “Maybe later,” I said with a shrug. “We’ve got a lot of shit to do right now.”

  “I get it.” She frowned, but carefully picked up the soul ring.

  “Thanks,” I said. “Make sure we have all the baskets for clay on Tom.”

  “Will do,” Liahpa said, and then she floated down to the ground and began to gather all the baskets near the kiln.

  “Gee, Sheela, and Emta. I want the three of you to work together to craft more spear and arrow shafts along with bows.”

  “Yes, Victor,” Sheela said with her usual nod.

  “Gee, show them your idea for that club you have, and use your fire whip to help them carve the weapons faster.”

  “Glad to help,” she said.

  “Trel, you are going to crush the malachite, make the clay containers, fill them the three different ways, and then put the one set in the kiln before you get Gee to do her part with the heat. I’m guessing you’ll need help, so pick who you want to work with you.”

  “Hmmm,” Trel said as she looked over the women. “Urka, and Tannin.”

  “Me?” the tangerine-haired elf gasped as she pointed to herself.

  “Of course,” Trel sighed.

  “But, I’m not very strong or--”

  “Bah!” Trel snapped, “just come help me. I want to get to know you better.”

  “Oh,” Tannin said with a faint smile.

  “Kacerie, how are you in the soap making process?” I asked. “Can you take a break?”

  “Yep,” she said. “It is just resting.”

  “I need you, Quwaru, and Keefaye to work on the shelter for this meeting spot right where we are standing.”

  “We’ll do it,” Kacerie said, and both Quwaru and Keefaye nodded.

  “Emerald,” I said as I turned to the green-scaled woman with the gemstones on her face. “I need you, Adella, and Nomi to figure out how to make the adobe. You are going to dig a hole, mix the loose dirt with a bit of water to make mud that is about the consistency of clay, and then mix grass, or some of the cut up old fern leaves, or maybe some ash from the fire with it. Maybe you can use pine needles from the pile of branches where Gee, Emta, and Sheela are working.”

  Emerald nodded along with Adella and Nomi.

  “Make a rectangle mold out of wood that is about this wide by this long,” I explained as I moved my hands to about the size of a base of a loaf of bread, “and then add a long lip-like bump on one side at about three quarters of the way up. The idea is that the part will hang on one of the wooden beams we’ll use for the roof and then we’ll stack the shingles up on top of each other using the lip to hold them in place so water will run off.”

  Emerald nodded, tapped her temple, and then pointed to my hands. I turned to look at Adella and Nomi, and they also nodded.

  “Make as many as you can and lay them out in the burnt area of the grass where Gee has been standing. The sun should bake them, but I might have Gee walk by to expedite the process.

  “Happy to help,” she said.

  “I think that’s it,” I said to the group, then I looked at Kacerie. “Did I miss anything?”

  “More arrowheads from Youleena, paving stones, toilet, a compost pile, clothes, pipes for the water filtration system, the lookout tower, having Urka experiment with the jugs of water, and the storage saddle trunks for the new dinosaurs you brought us with the plates on their back,” the pink-haired woman tallied off as she counted with her fingers.

  “Wow,” Quwaru said. “That is impressive.”

  “I have a decent memory,” Kacerie laughed. “But from the look on Victor’s face, he didn’t forget any of those.”

  “Nope,” I chuckled, “but we’ll have to get to them later tonight or tomorrow. Anyone have any questions?”

  “Yes,” Nomi said quietly as she raised her hand, and we all turned to her. “What of Zoru?”

  “Can you bring him water and some food every so often?” I asked. “I think he’ll need a week or so to recover, maybe even longer.”

  “That was my plan,” Nomi said. “Just wanted to make sure you thought it was okay.”

  “Great,” I said as I looked back at the group. It didn’t look like anyone had anything else to say, so I gave them all the widest smile that I possibly could. “Alright. Everyone get to their jobs. Kacerie, can I see you alone for a minute before you get started.”

  “Yep,” she said, and then everyone split into their groups and began to move around the camp.

  I gestured for Kacerie to follow me, and we walked back under Hope’s door and inside the inner fort. I double checked to make sure no one strolled near us and then turned to face her.

  “You used your Lance on the way here?” I whispered.

  “Yes,” she sighed. “I didn’t quite know what to do. I wanted to wait at the cave, but I knew Trel and Sheela would get worried after a few days. When I figured out that we could ride the dinosaurs, and my Lance reset, the choice became easier.”

  “You made the correct decision,” I said.

  “Thanks,” Kacerie sighed and then reached out to touch my arm. “I ahhh, well, I missed you. I guessed that you were okay, but I didn’t know for sure. You make this leadership stuff look easy. I had to agonize over every single decision.”

  “You are used to leading people,” I said. “You had your own business.”

  “Yes,” she laughed, “but no one was going to die if I made a mistake. I’m glad you are back, not just because I love you, but because you seemed to have been born for this.”

  “I dunno if I was born for it,” I said. “It’s kind of toug--”

  “Nope,” she laughed. “I see the look you get in your eyes when you get to planning. You are happy doing this, and when I see you happy, it makes me happy.”

  “I want to make you happy,” I laughed.

  “You can make me happy. Maybe tonight?” she raised a pink eyebrow.

  “I’d love that,” I said as I pulled her to me and planted my mouth on hers. We kissed for a good half a minute, and I could feel her heart hammer in her chest as her moans filled my mouth before I let her go.

  “Yessss,” she sighed as she leaned into my chest. “Not that I’m going to complain, but did you pull me aside just to kiss me, or was there something else?”

  “Yeah,” I said. “I’m not sure I trust Gee.”

  “Oh?” Kacerie asked as she looked up into my eyes.

  “She’s a powerful military commander on her old world, and she admitted that she planned on over throwing her rulers when she returned from her latest conquest. Then she explained how she thought she would probably make a better leader than me.”

  “Oh,” Kacerie said flatly, and I saw her light blue eyes harden.

  “I think she turned around during the last part of our journey back home, but she doesn’t really know what anyone’s abilities are. I wanted to take a talley and get updated from everyone’s Eye-Q to see if anyone’s abilities or stats have increased, but I don’t want to do it in front of her.”

  “I can understand,” she hissed.

  “She doesn’t know you have Lance,” I clarified.

  “And she doesn’t know that I have it on reset either,” Kacerie replied. “Got it. I’ll be on the lookout for her asking questions, and I’ll let everyone else know what is going on.”

  “Don’t tell everyone I’m suspicious,” I said. “I don’t want people to act strange around her. Just keep an eye and ear open. I’m going to try to tell Trel and Sheela as soon as I can, but if you can get them alone before me, let them know. I want to give Gee a chance.
”

  “You are a kind man, Victor,” Kacerie said as she reached up to stroke my beard stubble.

  “I want people to work together so that we can survive and have some happiness.”

  “You know what I’m talking about,” she whispered. “You gave me a bunch of chances.”

  “It all worked out.” I smiled and reached up to touch where her fingers touched my chin.

  “In many wonderful ways,” she said as her fingers trailed down my chin, neck, and then came to rest on my bare chest. “I’m looking forward to tonight, but I’d better get to work before I'm missed.”

  “Great,” I said. “See ya.”

  Kacerie gave me a wink, and then I watched her walk out of Hope’s door and into the main area of the courtyard. Even though I’d just had a great bout of sex with Sheela, I couldn’t help but watch Kacerie’s ass sway in her tight jeans when she walked.

  Yeah, it was really damn good to be home with my women.

  “Speaking of beautiful women,” I said as I walked over to Hope. “You wanna come with us and get some exercise, food and water?”

  Hope let out a nervous toot and then bent her head down to nuzzle her egg.

  “It will be safe here until we get back,” I said as I stroked Hope’s neck, but she let out another shy toot and then wiggled her chest down so that she was nesting on the egg again.

  “Come on, sweetie, you have to get out and get some exercise and food. You are getting really skinny.”

  Hope let out an apologetic toot, and then she nuzzled her head against my chest before gently pushing me away.

  “Ugh,” I sighed. “You are going to hurt yourself. How about I get a babysitter?”

  Hope let out an inquisitive toot and then stared at me with her big brown eyes.

  “Yeah, I’ll get someone for you. Hold on a second.” I walked out of the doggie door and then looked across the group. Everyone was pretty busy doing the tasks I had assigned, but Liahpa, Youleena, and Galmine had all climbed up on Tom’s back and were looking toward me.

  I commanded the big trike to trot over, and then I gestured up to the beautiful gray-skinned woman.