- 15 -
I will say this; dwarves really know how to throw a party.
It lasted for three whole days, around the clock, pretty much nonstop. It started off with a long memorial service for the two who had died that quickly turned into people telling stories of the two dead dwarves' history of bravery and sharing other things about them, including quite a few shenanigans that they had each been involved in.
And of course, at the end of each story there were toasts and a lot of drinking.
I heard Grunim's story at least a half dozen times. My giving him the rocket I had been carrying had apparently been a good decision, because without it, they might not have survived when a dragon that was old enough to be deadly, but still small enough to fit into the service ways came scrambling after them.
I really didn't want to tell my story, because I honestly felt that I had cheated in escaping my own death. After all, I hadn't escaped on my own, but instead had been saved by Marjeera.
But after being plied with more beers than I could count, I finally broke down and told them the story. I had them all on the edge of their seats when I told them about dragging myself from room to room, trying to escape the dragon on my shot up legs. When I finally told them about killing it, they all cheered.
They then all looked on in shocked disbelief when I told them how I had gotten blocked inside the last room, and was too injured to climb out over the carcass and was just sitting there, waiting to die.
That made me stop a moment and think about what had happened. I really had almost died. Not a pleasant thought.
"Well, what happened next?" Someone called out, "Yer here, aren't ye?"
So, I told him about being saved by a djinn whose own life I had saved when I set them free. How they'd been waiting to return the favor and pay back the debt they felt I was owed.
I was rather surprised that they all found that to be worthy of applause and another round of beer.
Then they wanted to know about the djinn I'd freed, and how that had happened!
So I told them a story about how a man had tried to steal one of my wives away by the use of guile, magic, misdirection, and the djinn which he had found imprisoned in a lamp.
I didn't mention Luvon by name or location, but I did tell how the djinn had used her powers to try and seduce me as ordered by her master. But that once I promised to free her when we made our own escape, she had done what she could to disobey him and help me instead. And then how after I finally freed her, she gave me a kiss to let me know that she'd only been using a fraction of her powers on me.
"Oh?" Sarah leaned over and looked at me.
I had forgotten she was there.
"Remember when you invited me back in to the tent?" I asked and Sarah blushed as Heather laughed, the rest of the room laughing as well. Which caused Sarah to blush even deeper.
"While that kiss may have really lit my fires," I said, raising my beer, "it sure didn't make me want her, it made me want you." I took a long drink and then looked at Heather and winked. "Both of you!"
I then promptly fell over. Balancing in a cast while you're drunk is no easy task! But the guys picked me up and set me down between the girls, and I then listened to Hakk once more tell the story of how Thordri had died, and hearing how he had killed a dragon from the inside, even though it had cost him his own life, was a pretty emotional and humbling experience. Even if I had already heard it five times by then. Thordri's only thought had been saving his brothers-in-arms, putting their lives before his own.
I was also surprised during all this time to find out that both Heather and Sarah had been rather active in their roles as snipers and had picked off quite a few of the man-like creatures that had been living there and were swarming over the surface of the isle. It turned out that the hairy man-like ones were another breed of evil fey, like those I'd seen riding the wolves back when we'd suffered our first attack with the rest of the caravan.
They'd also helped drive off a couple of dragons who had fled the tunnels in the butte before the explosion, and were flying around it in confusion. Heather with her skills as a marksman had hurt them as she peppered them with shots. Apparently a railgun did do damage to a dragon, even at long range. While Sarah, with her skills in magic had actually killed one dragon with a lightning bolt and shocked several others as well.
After those shots and shocks, the few still flying around outside all decided to go elsewhere. Hakk told me that he thought they were the oldest of the juveniles; the four adults were protecting the hatchlings and youngest dragons last he saw, and he felt certain that they were all killed in the blast.
Two weeks later, my cast came off. I was cautioned to go easy on my leg for at least another week, and I had a couple of rather nice scars now on both legs. But it didn't hurt all that much and I was able to walk now, if not quickly.
Still, back home I probably would have been in traction for at least a month, and then weeks more in a cast, followed by physical therapy for who knows how long. This whole healing magic thing had traditional medicine beat hands down.
I was sitting around a large table in Hakk's home, the rooms he had as the clan leader and as I had now learned the leader of the city, were a bit larger than the rest had. He also had a huge meeting room, which was where I was now sitting with both Heather and Sarah, as well as several of the elven council, plus Hakk's advisors.
There were also two humans there, obviously Indians.
"Everyone," Hakk started standing at the head of the table. "These two messengers arrived yesterday, from the Washoe Chief, Nevers. The army of the chosen will be leaving Tahoe on its next campaign in a week. They're looking for allies for their next campaign."
"Have they been told of the destruction of the dragon isle, and of the many dragons living there?" Eldrin, one of the elven council members asked.
Both of the Washoe nodded and one of them spoke up, "We received the messenger that was sent to us a week ago after we'd won back our lands. Our chiefs in council were very pleased by this event. As it is known that this danger faces us all, we were sent here to offer you a place besides us in the up coming battle."
Hakk nodded, "I am going to talk to each of the clans after we are finished here today. I am going and I will be taking many of my clan's warriors. The Nev wastes have many resources that we dwarves would be interested in mining," I noticed he looked at me then and I recalled a conversation I'd had with Grunim several weeks before.
"So the return of Reno lands to Washoe control would not only make our lands safer, but it would give us new opportunities as well."
Tanyl spoke up next.
"With the removal of the threat presented by the dragons, I believe we could spare some of our fighters as well." He looked at his fellow councilors, several of whom nodded. "I will of course have to bring this up back in our chambers, with all of our families represented. But we will contribute, as we always have when the Washoe have asked for our help."
Everyone then looked at me.
"What?" I asked.
"What are your plans, Paul?"
I shrugged, "I'm going of course. Like it or not, my destiny is just as tied up in this as many of the others here. Besides, I want to see Riggs' face when he sees for himself that I'm still alive."
"Riggs?" One of the others asked.
"The chosen," I gave a weak smile, "I came here with him."
"So you know him well then?" Hakk asked.
"Oh, I know him. I'm not so sure I'd say that I know him well," I said and then looked a little embarrassed. "We don't get along."
"Still, it is obvious that you respect him, given your dedication to doing the task he set you on, even if you thought you were going to die doing it."
That stopped me a moment, as I had no idea what he was talking about. Then it hit me, they thought I blew up the dragon's lair because Riggs had told me to. Not because Coyote had ordered me to do it. Of course, they didn't know about Coyote's involvement at all, and that
was probably how he wanted it.
I guess in the stories that were told of this later, I would go down as the faithful sidekick, who always followed the orders given to him because of his dedication to his master. That almost made me want to quit right there.
Instead, I just nodded and sighed, "The man is a tactical genius. There is no doubt that he is the 'Chosen one' sent to help the Navajo in their time of need by the gods."
I noticed both of the Indians nodded and smiled. I wondered if Riggs had warned them I might be a problem? Maybe that was why he hadn't sent any of the Navajo along with them.
Hakk nodded, "Okay then, we will meet tomorrow at this time, and I will tell them how many we are sending, and when to expect them. Tanyl, you can send someone here to tell them the same if you wish."
Tanyl nodded and Hakk adjourned the meeting and everyone got up and either left, or talked with a few of the others for a moment as they formed a few small groups. Hakk came over to me while the others were leaving.
"How badly do you two not get along?" he asked me in a very soft voice.
"Well, the last time we talked he didn't try to kill me," I said and I actually felt embarrassed! Like I had been the one doing something wrong the previous times.
"So he hates you."
"Hate is such a mild word," Heather snickered. "Paul respects his abilities, grudgingly, but he really can't stand him at all."
"Is that true?" Hakk asked.
I sighed and nodded, "Understand, it's personal. It started long before we came here."
"So, the two of you are not from around here?"
I shook my head, "No, we come from someplace else. But unlike Riggs, when this is over I don't get to go back home. I'm stuck here," I turned and gave Heather a kiss, and then turned the other way and gave Sarah one.
"Not that I mind anymore, understand," and I grinned at him.
Hakk grinned back at me, "No, apparently not. The reason why I ask this, Paul, is fairly straightforward. I am going to be putting myself and my men under his command. Can I trust him?"
I thought about that a moment.
"Yeah, yeah I think you can. But I will warn you, do not interfere between the two of us and don't ever let him see you taking my side. We have a history and it really is best that you don't get involved in it."
Hakk nodded, "Wise words, thank you. Oh, there is one other thing."
"Oh?"
"My son-in-law mentioned that you know of a place that once held a rather successful silver mine?"
I laughed, "There were a lot of them, but I do remember where one was in particular, do you have a map?"
"Dwarves always have a map!" Hakk laughed and led me to another room, the one we'd planned the raid in. He looked in a drawer there and a moment later he came out with a map and I looked it over, then pointed to a hill about ten miles almost due south of Reno.
"It's around there someplace. I suspect if you search you'll find the remains of the old mine. As far as I know, it was still producing up until the end."
Hakk nodded and smiled, thanking me. Sarah, Heather, and I left then, heading off to the stables to check our mounts and our gear. Neither Sarah nor Heather had been at all shy about taking Hakk up on his offer to replenish our gear and our supplies. Now that we had our horses back it was time to get ready to travel.
"So, we're off to Reno next?" Heather asked as we walked.
I nodded, "Coyote wants us to head there. He hasn't told me why yet."
"Either he does not know," Sarah sighed, "or he is afraid you will refuse him."
"Why would I refuse him?" I asked, surprised.
"Because each job he hands you is always more difficult than the one before, of course."
I thought about that and had to agree. So far, it had been par for the course.
Hakk's men and the elves were ready to leave within two days, and the night before we were to leave I went and got my rifles back from Grunim. I'd loaned him both the gauss assault rifle and the railgun sniper rifle to examine, as well as the field stripping guides I'd brought along. As he was still recovering from the loss of his right foot, he wouldn't be going along with the others to the Reno fight.
"So, figure out how to make them?" I asked as I joined him in his workshop.
"Aye, I think so. I'll be spending some time with me counterpart over in the Elvin village, a few of the regulating devices in the circuits are a little tricky, but I have faith in Elias and his ability to produce what I need. The rest is simply a matter of great precision and craftsmanship. Something we dwarves understand quite clearly."
I nodded and took the weapons by their slings.
"I dinna think I'll be able to replicate most of the features in the scopes on the railguns however, but still, they will be a great improvement over the sniping rifles that the elves currently use. I'm sure they'll be almost beggin' me for them. Once I start making 'em of course."
"Of course."
"Well, Paul," Grunim stood and stuck out his hand, "Thank ye for everything. I wish I could go with ye, but I'm still gettin use ta this," and he pointed down to a prosthetic foot that I hadn't seen before.
"When did you get that?" I asked, surprised. It was an interesting piece of workmanship.
"Ah made it meself. Just finished it the other night. Nice, isn't it?"
"Very. Well, thanks for your hospitality, and for all your help. If you hadn't gotten us that boat, and Hakk's help, I don't think I could have done it."
Grunim smiled and pulled me into a hug that almost broke my ribs.
"You take care of yerself, Paul. And yer women. I don't think the fates be done with ye yet. Not be a long stretch."
I nodded and grunted and took a deep breath as he released me.
"Thanks, Grunim, maybe we'll meet again some day."
I left then and the girls and I made an early night of it. We'd be getting up several hours before sunrise to leave with the rest of the army.
Also this would be the last night we'd be sleeping in a comfortable bed for who knew how long, and we all planned to make rather good use of it.
- 16 -
The column that set off that morning was an interesting one. The dwarven army was two companies of a thousand dwarves each. There were obviously a lot more dwarves in the mountains here than I had realized. They would all be marching on foot, but they had a baggage train for most of their gear, about ten carts per company. Or maybe I should call them trucks? They had electric motors on each of the four large oversized wheels, and a single small gas powered turbine generator unit that provided the electricity.
"I'm surprised that you don't have vehicles for the troops to ride in," I said to Hakk as they formed up and started to march off.
"We've thought about it, but we don't have enough fuel to power them all, and those carts are an expensive proposition. We use them to haul supplies out, and our wounded back."
I nodded; it made sense, as there would be a lot less supplies on the return trip after all.
"How many are Tanyl sending?"
"A small company of six hundred marksmen."
"I thought there were more elves living up around here than that?"
Hakk nodded, "There are, but they're a lot more spread out than we are. There will be two more small companies that will be joining up with us by the time we get to Tahoe, both cavalry."
"So how many more is that?"
"About a thousand," Hakk said.
"I think Riggs' army is around six or seven thousand, but I don't really know."
"Their messengers put it over twenty-five thousand," Hakk told me.
"Wow, he really did manage to get the other tribes to join him. What's the opposition look like?"
"Probably ten times that," Hakk admitted.
I blinked, "That's a pretty big difference!"
"Yes, but most of them don't have firearms, and even those that do, often have rather poor ones. Further they are not very well disciplined and suffer from poor leadership."
<
br /> I remembered then how Riggs had cut down an attacking force that was easily ten times his size back when I had been watching him fight in southern California. They definitely suffered from poor leadership, and Riggs knew how to take advantage of that.
"So this force will add about ten percent to the total numbers?"
"In fighters, yes. But we're a far more superior force to whatever the Chosen's army has now," Hakk said with a laugh. "We have better armor and better discipline. Up until you showed up with those new rifles of yours, we also had the best weapons. Trust me; he'll appreciate what we have to offer. He wouldn't have asked for our help if he didn't think we'd be useful."
I shrugged, "If you say so, ground tactics aren't exactly my strong suit."
"Well, I must go talk with my commanders," Hakk said and strode off to meet with a group of what looked to me to be fairly senior dwarven warriors.
I went and joined the girls, checking over my own gear, as they checked theirs. Then mounting up, we moved to join the tail end of the column as the elven marksmen showed up.
They were all on foot, with a pack and a rifle that looked like something an Olympic shooter from my past would have sported.
"I used to dream about owning one of those rifles," Heather sighed.
"That good?" I asked, looking at her surprised.
"If the stories I've heard are true, they're as accurate as our sniper rifles are," she grinned at me then, "but they're nowhere near as powerful! Once those guys see old Conan here, I bet they'll trade me everything they own for him!"
I gave her a wink, "Think they'd sell Neirdre to us? We could use a maid."
Heather laughed rather loudly at that, even Sarah sniggered.
"They just might," Heather giggled after thinking about it a minute. "Of course I could never live without my Conan. But," she winked back at me, "maybe you'd be willing to part with Sonja?"
"Do not tempt me, witch!" I grinned as I watched the elves trot past the long marching column of dwarves. I guess they were going to the front of the line to be scouts or something.
Days of Future Past - Part 2: Present Tense Page 18