by Chris Hechtl
“It seems wrong but it's the best we can do,” Ryans sighed.
“We'll come back for him. We don't lose our dead,” Waters vowed. “What about our hitchhikers?” he asked jerking a scarred thumb to the princesses and peasants.
Ryans looked over his shoulder to the natives. “What about them?” he asked and then shrugged. He winced at the pain the shrug caused. He'd not taken any more pain medication but hadn't skimped on the antibiotics the Doc insisted he take. He'd take them for a couple of days to make sure he was out of the woods before putting his foot down and stopping that too.
“Seems they've decided to continue tagging along despite everything,” Waters said dryly. The girl's had been talked out of their dresses and into baggy sweats. They didn't look at all happy about the change but apparently Lisa had persuaded them by promising to launder their outfits. Hopefully the blood splattered things weren't dry clean only, Ryans thought.
“Can you blame them?” Ryans replied with a snort. “Can you imagine going up against that thing with a spear and a sword?”
“Yeah, I gotta hand it to the lumberjacks in the area,” Waters replied shaking his head.
The girls and the two peasants elected to keep traveling with them. They had several vehicles, Perry and the sarge acidly commented about a convoy sticking out like a sore thumb. Then Perry grinned. “If you got it flaunt it,” he finally said and then shrugged. “We'll make it work. We can still travel at night I guess.”
They passed through fields near dawn the next day. They noted people working the fields, Nate commented about the back breaking labor and the risk of predators.
“Well, that guy ain't working that hard,” Ginger said pointing to a guy leaning on a white javelin spear. He had a reddish tunic with silver trim.
Nate wrinkled his nose, now studying the man. He had the look of a soldier or a cop. “I think he's the reeve. He's in charge of the group. From the look of it, he's either guarding them from predators... or because they're prisoners,” Nate replied studying the group as they passed. Several of the people looked up at the sound of the approaching vehicles.
“Ah,” Ginger noted the reeve called out to the group as he spotted the convoy. The group hefted tools nervously, backing away from the road. “Let's let them know we're friendly folks,” Perry said over the radio. He waved as the lead LAV passed. They reached out the window and waved as well. Most of the natives just stared in awe.
Deidra saw her subjects and saw the gaijin waving. “What are they doing now?” she asked.
“Trying to reassure them,” Lisa said, looking up from her laptop.
“Oh,” Deidra replied. She settled her shoulders and then opened the window to wave as well.
<==={}------------>
They paused near a pond to refuel and ate lunch. Perry put out a guard. They heard splashing and shouting in the pond and went to check. Perry snorted as he noted a kid using a rope to swing into the pond.
“Looks like fun,” he said as the kid dropped into the water.
“For more than just them, look.” Ryans said pointing urgently to the other side of the pond as he drew his weapon. A six legged croc like creature humped itself off the edge of the water and slid into the water. It swam towards the unsuspecting kids.
“Hey get out of there!” he called waving his hands and gun. Perry cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted danger. Edsfield, Lewis, and the Gunny came at a run.
“Get the hell out of there what's the matter with you? Can't you understand English?” the Gunny snarled waving urgently to them. The kids looked at him in confusion.
“Probably not,” Ryans snarled then pointed behind the kids. He kept doing it. Perry echoed the move. After a second a couple of other people tried to do the same, lending urgency to the pointing. A kid turned ever so slowly and then screamed at the sight of the approaching predator. They began to paddle to the shore in a tangle of frantic arms and legs.
“They're not going to make it in time,” Perry said urgently, running to the water's edge. He felt and heard the thunder of a shot. It echoed out of the hollow deafening them. The hex gator dived under the water and then came back up. It rolled from side to side. Water splashed as it thrashed around. Several of its fellows down on the far edge of the water came over. It thrashed at them then moved up to the bank and out of the water. It shook itself then staggered out into the nearby bushes.
“What the hell?” Ryans asked, turning to Edsfield.
The sniper was grimacing. “Son of a bitch is tough. Must have hit the skull at an angle cause the round went up and didn't penetrate worth a plum nickel.” He shook his head. “All I had was this here piddly MP-9 so I didn't have the stopping power needed.”
“It worked anyway. Thanks,” Ryans said nodding. The princesses and others were coming over to them. He waved as the kids came over, dripping wet and clutching their clothes. “I'd say there should be a no swimming sign. Don't you kids?”
The kids looked confused. He sighed then pointed to the other croc beasts. They looked then began to talk urgently and gabble about the animals. After a moment he held up his hands.
“Just a minute, just a minute. Princess, a little help here?” He turned to Zara. The kids turned and noticed her tiara. The kid’s eyes widened comically. As one they fell to their knees heads down.
Perry rolled his eyes as Deidra seemed to preen. “Great, now they did it,” he sighed. She glared. “Can you tell them not to go swimming again? At least till the crocs leave?” She nodded and spoke for a moment.
“Get up,” Perry said; pulling what looked like the eldest to his feet. “Go tell your folks you're okay.” He pointed to the village. The boy gave the princess a look. She pursed her lips and nodded. He turned and scampered fast.
The other kids got up and bowed nervously.
“I think if it's just the same to you we'll give these kids a ride,” Perry said looking at Ryans. Reluctantly Ryans nodded.
<==={}------------>
They entered a small walled village a few minutes later. At its center was a stone building, not quite a keep or castle but definitely a lord or lordling's manor. Perry kept most of the vehicles outside the berm and palisade wall. The kids milled around and then drifted off one by one.
“That's the castle, he's in charge when... oh.” Nate nodded to a lord in a long flowing green outfit. “I guess the lord is in.”
They watched as the princesses spoke with the lord. Perry frowned. “He's a small time sheriff or lower ranked knight from the sound of it. He's also not very amused with the women... It looks like they haven't met and he's not sure if they are impostors since they are dressed in our clothes.”
Ryans nodded. The girl's probably looked like peasants in the gray sweats they wore. “Interesting, He's taking them in anyway. It looks like we're not invited though,” Ryans commented, watching the women haughtily pass the lord and enter the small keep. “They better know we're leaving tomorrow. I'll get Max and Scooter to refuel and check the vehicles while we're parked,” he said. He waved, walking off slowly.
The princesses stayed the night with the local Dominus while the Terrans camped outside. Deidra tried to lord over the local knight who got drunk during dinner. “I've had enough of your sharp tongue!” he finally bellowed when her sharp tongue cut him to the quick once too often. Ryans caught the bellow outside while walking the perimeter and looked up with a frown.
“So, are we going to leave them here or are we going to keep them around for a little while longer?” Perry asked Ryans. Ryans could hear snarls and a faint scream. There was a crack of something hitting flesh. Something was definitely wrong he thought.
Ryans grimaced. “I checked with Max, we're low on fuel. He's fixed the camper's flat; it was a big ass hollow thorn that was giving it a slow leak. We need some down time to make new fuel as well. And some local support would be nice,” he grimaced. He felt an itching sensation on the back of his neck though. Something was wrong, he could feel it.
He turn
ed to the keep. His itch was coming from there. “Something's up. I'm going to go check on the ladies and see if they are sticking with us or not.” He started to walk to the keep. Perry shrugged and joined him.
Ryans heard the crack of flesh on flesh and realized someone was being slapped around. From the whimper it sounded like a woman. He growled trying to move faster. Ryans and Perry arrived to check on the women. When they entered the main hall the Dominus was beating a bound Deidra. Deidra was bound much as before, arms pinned behind her, rope pinning her arms to her sides, and more rope apparently wound around her ample breasts.
“Hold it,” Ryans growled. He pulled his weapon and held it on the knight. “Princess?” he asked. “I don't think this is an S&M thing, though I could be wrong. You okay?” he asked.
She turned her head to look at him. She was gagged and he could see blood dribbling around the gag. Pure rage was in her eyes as she squirmed. “No, guess not,” he said. He fired into the air when the knight went for his sword.
The harsh bark of the pistol made them all flinch and freeze. The bullet by chance hit a chandelier made of antlers, pieces rained down making some of the drunken footmen dodge and duck and cover. “Cover me,” Ryans ordered.
“Got it,” Perry said. He touched his throat mike with his free hand, the other holding his MP-9. “This is five, shot fired. Hostage situation, we're bugging out. Three and four send a detail to the keep ASAP.”
“Roger,” Waters said over the radio.
Ryans waved the knight away from Deidra. The princess kicked the man in the shin. He howled and grabbed at his leg. A second kick landed between his legs making him double up. A third hit him square in the face and he went over backwards bleeding and groaning.
“No time to untie you princess, sorry,” Ryans said, scooping her up onto his shoulder. “I have to admit I've always wanted to do this,” he grinned to Perry. Perry snorted as the princess squealed indignantly over being manhandled.
Perry held off the knight and his footmen while Ryans carried the princess out. Zara was also found bound exactly as her sister, sobbing under a table. The half-drunk squire lunged for a battle ax and Perry shot him in the arm. The sharp bark of his MP-9 made every non Terran in the room flinch once more in wide eyed fear. The servants stared at the gasping squire as the squire held his left hand to his right bicep.
“Next time listen dumb ass,” Perry snarled.
Perry hip bumped the table over and carried the girl out with his free hand. He grinned in the dark at Ryans, white teeth flashing as they ran off towards Waters and the back up team approaching them. They could see the Terran camp lighting up. “I could get used to this. Princess Rescue Inc. I wonder if it should pay fringe benefits?” he said, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. He didn't really mean it; his girlfriend back home would have his balls if he strayed. Ryans chuckled until the girls squirmed and kicked.
They took a left and paused at a building when they heard footfalls. When a native patrol happened by he swatted her ass when she got too loud. She froze in sheer outrage and then began to tremble. Fortunately her fit of impotent rage lasted long enough for the danger to pass and for them to continue on their way.
Waters met them at the gate. Ryans snorted when he spotted feet on the ground nearby. Paterson grinned as she hauled the limp body into the shadows. “Not dead just cold cocked the bastard,” Waters said as the back up team fell behind them as a wary rear guard.
When they were back to their own encampment he let Deidra down and untied her. She had been bound as before, hands behind, biceps pinned to her sides. This time the black knight had been thorough, for some reason binding her breasts and binding her wrists up in an almost reverse prayer. Apparently she'd really pissed him off. The moment her hands were free she rubbed her wrists and then lunged for him, claws out. He held her off. “Maybe you untied her too soon. That's gratitude I guess,” the sarge laughed pulling the fuming girl off. Zara was quiet, leaning against a consoling corporal Paterson as the woman untied her and gave her a drink of water.
Deidra was indignant about being manhandled and swatted. She angrily tore at the gag in her mouth. “How dare you!” she fumed. “I'll have your head for that!”
Perry shrugged it off. “You’re alive aren't you? That's three or four or five times we've saved your ass princess,” the lieutenant replied. He held up four and then five fingers in front of her face. She froze at that, going white. Her sister was wide eyed and pale as well. They turned to stare at each other. Deidra bit her lip. They looked at each other then stared at the Terrans. “Something I said?” Perry asked amused, looking from one to the other. Then the men shrugged it off. “Well, you can come with us or stay. I don't care,” he walked off to check the perimeter.
“Time to pack up folks! Gotta move!” he said over the net push. The team grumbled but swung into action. They were underway in less than fifteen minutes.
<==={}------------>
Sue wryly commented about the girl’s lack of clothes the next morning. The princesses had borrowed a few peasant garments from the dark knight and a couple of blouses from Sue to go with their torn dress and borrowed sweats.
“Most likely that had been what had gotten them into trouble,” Ryans replied thoughtfully. The men noted the two girls were wearing nightshirt tunics belted at their waists as well as their tiaras. Perry was amused when Ryans took his jacket off and put it on the older princess, Deidra. She at first shrugged it off, then when the wind picked up and she got a chill she tugged it on tighter.
Doc set them up with a spare set of clothes and modified clothes from Ben's duffel. She showed the fifteen year old princess Zara how to knot her shirt on the side or in front to take up the slack and make it more feminine. Zara was amused but went along with it.
<==={}------------>
Nate and Mary were intrigued and impressed that the natives had domesticated local life forms and plants for use. Only a handful of animals and plants were from Earth, most likely due to it being hard to get a foothold in a competitive ecosystem. Mary pointed out that it might also be because they didn't have enough genetic stability. Nate agreed after a moment of consideration.
Tubers were found and logged in their records, also wheat. Rats, goats, sheep, cattle, rabbits and horses were seen. Dogs of various breeds as well. Domestic cats didn't survive; they couldn't compete with the local predators apparently.
Most of the Terran animals were limited in number; the girls explained that they were dying out. “There are a lot of still-births. There are a lot of problems with the blood lines,” Zara hesitatingly explained. Her work with Lisa had greatly expanded the AI's lexicon.
“Many have trouble eating the food I bet,” Nate commented about dietary deficiencies. Zara explained to him that the poorer serfs kept their animals in their homes to keep them safe and warm. It helped in winter.
“Must stink to high heaven though,” Nate muttered.
“It's not a new thing Nate; they did it in medieval times as well. Hell they did it back in the American colonies for that matter,” Ryans said shaking his head.
They discovered that the American Indians that had crossed over brought with them cocoa, coffee, and maize corn, much to some amusement from a few Terran people. “They have only a limited supply of course,” Mary commented.
“Why is that?” Perry asked amused.
“Because it's subsistence farming. They are lucky if they can grow enough for themselves, their taxes, and a bit left over for next year's seed. I'm amazed that they've made it for this long.” She shook her head. “Having a balanced diet on an alien world?” She threw her hands up when the men kept giving her amused looks. “Man can't live on beer and beef alone you know?”
“Could have fooled me,” the Gunny said with a tight lipped smile. He'd noted that the natives drank beer exclusively. The girls and the two peasants drank water reluctantly.
“Barley is a grass. Which is in short supply according to Mary,” the Doc said
dryly. “So beer while big in medieval times is probably a pain to cultivate properly.” She shook her head. “Which means a clean water supply is a pain in the ass. The medieval idiots didn't know that boiling water to make beer purified it. They drank beer and were stoned through the middle ages.” When the men stared at her in amusement she glared. “If you don't believe me, go talk to Gregory, he's the nutritionist! Let him tell you!” she said exasperated. Perry chuckled.
“Come on, let's let the lady work,” Ryans nodded as he moved away.
<==={}------------>
Zara shyly told Nate about the animals. He was intrigued. When she shyly asked him if he was from there Deidra looked up.
“Ah, no, no lass, I'm not from this world,” Nate said, smiling.
“None of us are. We're from Earth. The home world, Terra,” Sue said coming over and leaning against a bumper. “They don't have these here right?” She tapped the truck. Zara shook her head. “Well, we don't have those on Earth.” She indicated the animals in the pasture nearby.
“Gaijin,” Zara said, giving her sister a significant look once more. Deidra tried to glower but eventually looked away.
“Japanese I think. Rude but true I suppose,” Nate observed.
“Almost done?” Waters asked looking them over then walking on.
“Refueling is a pain. Wish we could have done this under cover,” the Gunny grimaced.
“What cover? This is the best we could do,” Scooter said as he squeezed the trigger of the pump. “I'd rather get it now when it's quiet than get caught running on fumes while looking for a safe place.”
“Yeah,” the Gunny shook his head as Waters gave him a look.
“These critters have no horns, but that one does. Males and females?” Waters asked, pointing to the beasts in the pasture. A few were coming over the fence and sticking their heads through to nibble at the grass on the other side.
Zara shook her head. She said something in her language and then when they didn't understand she picked up a stick and then touched it to her flesh and made a hissing sound.