by Chris Hechtl
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Zara looked up as Sue and Wanda looked at each other. “Something amiss?” she asked. She'd noticed the gaijin packing their gear and was confused.
“Not anymore apparently. A little showdown between your mother and Eugene,” Sue said putting the gear back on the improvised shelves.
“What happened?”
“I'm really not sure. I think your mother tried to throw her weight around with Eugene and he called her on it. He sounds pretty pissed.”
“He was calling for a general pull out. I'd say pissed doesn't quite describe it,” Wanda said shaking her head. “We’ve got to report to him in the quad. Can you mind your father while we check in?”
“Pull out?” Zara asked.
“Leave.”
Zara's eyes went wide. “But that would mean my father could die? That the Duluth...” She turned to Sue and then to Wanda. “Please!”
“Sorry kid, it's not our call. Maybe someone should talk to your mother about holding her end of the bargain up and playing nice,” Wanda said.
“I will,” Zara replied and then bit her lip. To agree to counsel her mother the Queen on matters of state? She felt a little light headed and off balance with that. Madness she thought to herself.
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Ryans met the other Terrans in the quad. He had them shut off their ear pieces and then quietly explained the situation and his conclusions. The military component of their team were wary of the guards and scowled at the news of his escort. Apparently it wasn't news to some; Max had gotten the word out to a couple of people. Either that or they had been listening in.
“So all this is over clothes?” Sue finally demanded when he finished.
He sighed. “Not just clothes. Apparently the Queen is trying the opening moves in controlling me and therefore you. In exercising her control over me and forcing me to marry the princess. She's hinted about our giving up wanting to return home a lot.”
“I caught that at dinner,” Wanda replied with a nod. Ryans nodded.
“Right. Well, today it escalated over a stupid and admittedly petty thing. I said no, and she sent her bully boys to force the issue.”
“Ouch,” Corporal Patterson said with a wince.
“Yeah, apparently I'm not dressed properly for the court.”
“Tough shit,” Waters growled.
“Right. I'm fairly certain I was just the tip of the iceberg here, they'd be after you lot next. So we're going to cool our heels for the day and work on contingency plans and minor things and get everyone on the same page. Let them stew for a bit.”
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When the Queen heard about the gaijin meeting she was not amused. She was further annoyed that they had blown off working on the various projects they had undertaken and seemed in no hurry to take them up once more. She knew that the confrontation between Ryans and herself would be all over the court by now, undermining her authority. She shook her head wearily. She'd have to saddle Druzilla with responsibility for the entire encounter. Deflecting it wouldn't help totally but it would shift some of the blame elsewhere. “Where is the gaijin healer?” Deidra asked, coming in to her mother's improvised quarters.
“Apparently still talking with the other gaijin,” Zara answered, coming in behind her sister, arms crossed. She was scowling, something that was abnormal on the normally sweet and sunny Zara. Both princesses had been dark and brooding since their return come to think of it, the Queen thought looking to the window. Zara scowl blackened. “Mother how could you!”
Deidra turned in surprise to her little sister. Zara's eyes were flashing. Her mother turned to stare at Zara. Et tu was clearly written all over her face. Zara frowned and then slammed the door behind her. “All right, we can talk now. You know what I mean! To throw it all away over posturing!” She brushed at her skirts angrily, glaring.
Deidra turned to her mother. “Apparently this went worse than I thought?” she asked. “I did warn you mother,” she said giving her mother a knowing look.
“I know,” the Queen ground out. “He is strong willed,” she said. She wasn't sure if she liked that or not. Pliable she could work with. She'd anticipated his eagerness to become a ruler, and the need for her support. He however was clinging to his idea of returning to Patria, the fabled homeland.
“Strong willed and stubborn. Also used to getting his own way and he has a great deal of experience and an education we can only dream of,” Zara replied. The Queen and Deidra turned to stare at her.
“I spoke with the others. The soldier Paterson told me of Ryans and the others and how they lived their lives and the schools they went to. Ryans trained to be a soldier in ways our pages only dream of before he got into tinkering and became a merchant of machines. A great merchant with thousands of people under him. He built it all with little to start with.”
“Thousands?” the Queen murmured. Their greatest merchant houses had a few dozen ships with crews of forty souls and a handful of caravans that crisscrossed the Imperium. Thousands though? She thought.
Zara nodded. “And he's dealt with other governments. Governments of different forms with all sorts of different cultures. They are taught about governments in class and their government's actions are broadcast and debated hourly on their machines. They had a lively blunt discussion. You remember,” she said turning to Deidra. “The one known as Waters talked of something to the crafter Max.”
Deidra nodded. “Just before the basilisk attack?” she asked. Zara nodded. “But they spoke in their own tongue, how did you know what they talked about?” she herself was still having trouble understanding this English.
Zara smiled. “I asked Lisa. She told me it was politics. Apparently the one known as Max made a comment or joke about gun control and the one known as Waters reacted.”
“Ah,” Deidra said nodding. She remembered, the master of sergeants had not been amused and had clearly said so. She turned to her mother and snorted softly. Her mother was thoroughly confused by the exchange and looked vexed. She was drumming her fingers on her arm rest, a sure sign of frustration. “I know you wanted to make him more presentable to me and to the court but it backfired mother.”
“He did point that out,” the Queen admitted irritably.
Deidra blinked in surprise. “I told you,” Zara said. She took a seat. “He's smarter than he looks. He saw right through your ploy.”
“Also proud. Men and their pride,” the Queen ground out.
“Which we can use in time,” Deidra admitted.
“Is it true what he said?” Zara asked, turning from her mother to her sister. “That he is not holding you or I to the Vita Sodalis?”
“Apparently,” Deidra said turning to her mother. She searched her face and wasn't sure she liked what she found there.
“We need him,” the Queen admitted. “Though he is currently more troublesome than his worth now. You will need his strength more than ever if you are to rule. This technology of theirs must become ours and not fall into the hands of others. And it is past time for you to start a family,” she said looking first to Deidra and then to Zara. “Both of you should have been wed years ago.”
“Events tended to prevent that mother,” Deidra replied. She was actually proud of her freedom. She resented being told she had to marry. She knew it was petty, she knew her duty, but she had to admit to herself that she secretly cherished and treasured her freedom.
“You are getting to the stage of being considered an old maid daughter, one unmarriageable. A shrew best left in a tower and forgotten as unworthy,” the Queen reminded her daughter. It was rare for that to happen but the threat was there. “There should have been grandchildren for your father and I by now.”
“Mother,” Deidra sighed. She knew her duty to the continuation of their line. It had been drummed into her from birth.
Her mother waved a dismissive kerchief. “Yes, yes, I know, the death of Dominus Luthor has put a crimp in that plan. But you
must marry soon.”
“I'm not sure if he is the one,” Deidra admitted.
Her mother eyed her. “If not him then who?” She brushed at the kerchief in her lap and then sighed and rubbed her temples. “Go. I am excessively wearied by this entire day.”
“Yes mother,” both sisters said in unison and then bowed their heads briefly before retreating.
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“So, why don't we see anyone here from more modern times?” Perry asked looking around. “I mean, if the bridge was around Bermuda, wouldn't it have hit a few colony ships? Slave ships?” Since they had pulled in their horns, Perry and Max had set the others on routine maintenance for their vehicles and equipment.
Ryans looked thoughtful. He'd been wondering that very thing. “It may well have... but there is no telling where they may have ended up. In the middle of the ocean, or another continent, or who knows...” Ryans shrugged.
“Besides, I for one wouldn't want to be in a boat when you pass through the vortex.” Max said turning a wrench.
“What do you mean?” Perry asked.
“The lightning remember? Couple of good hits and a boat would go up like tinder hit with a flame thrower,” Max grunted as he pulled at a part. “And an iron boat would be a great big conductor. Fry everyone touching it. Bet there are ghost ships floating around... those that don't get sunk.... that is if they don't appear at the bottom of the ocean here in the first place.”
“Shit. Okay, good to know. But that brings up another question. Will the portal come back?” Perry asked, suddenly intent. He had the nebulous idea of building some sort of ship to get to the portal. That was now obviously out.
“Yeah, that's a big question.” Ryans nodded. “I think it goes around the planet according to the magnetic ley lines. But from the look of things it takes its time,” he grimaced. “I'd have to check the timing of when their ancestors crossed over, but I'm betting most came around 1000 AD or before that.”
“Ah,” Perry nodded. “So it does a string ball? Up and down and around the planet?”
Ryans nodded. “Seems that way. If we can create a database for when people crossed over and where they came from and where they came out on this end then we can map it out. That should let us know where the vortex will go next.”
“Most likely it will come back boss,” Max said looking up.
They looked at him. “How you figure that Max?” Perry asked. Max was an engineer no physicist.
Max spread his greasy hands. “Simple, that plateau was solid iron ferrite. Sucker was playing havoc with the electronics. Once we left that vortex will circle around and around.” He used his hands to describe an orbit. “It'll bob around for a bit. When it settles down it should be right around where it was when we first came, at least for now.”
“Ah. And if it jumps to another ley line?” Ryans asked amused.
Max shrugged. “Give us about a year or two to get things sorted and I'll damn well build a detector and cage the sucker,” Max growled. All three men laughed at that.
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“Answorth, why are you here?” Ryans asked looking up from a paper he was reading.
The boy frowned. “To serve you my Dominus.” He put Ryans clothes on the press.
Ryans rubbed his brow. “No, I meant here as in... Ah hell, never mind.” He shook his head. “Who's your father?”
“My father? Duke Emroy my Dominus.”
Ryans froze at that. “Sorry kid, I didn't know.” Ryans shook his head. “You can knock it off with the titles, I'm not a Dominus.”
Answorth looked wary. “Yes sir.”
Ryans snorted. “And I'm not a knight.”
The boy looked startled. “What, you thought I was?” Ryans asked amused. He smiled a half sardonic smile of amusement before he shook his head. “Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not. I trained as a warrior when I was younger than you, but I also trained for many other things. I chose a different path.”
“Ah,” the boy looked a little lost. He obviously didn't know what to think or say about that.
“So yeah, I can't teach you all the ins and outs of court life or of being a knight. I learned some of it in my history text books and from watching movies but really? I'm out of my element here. I'm sort of making that part up as I go along myself.” He waved the paper then tossed it onto the desk. “Why were you assigned to me? To keep an eye on me?”
“No my... ah sir. Una,” Answorth said. He held up a finger. “My liege ordered it.” Ryans grimaced at that. “ Doa, I and the Imperium do need to learn about you and your wonders. You have a great deal to teach us. And a great deal to learn yourself,” the boy said. Ryans nodded and reassessed the lad's maturity upwards. The young man looked uncertain for a moment. “And Tria...” He held up the three fingers. “You have more important things to do than run simple errands or clean my Dominus.”
Ryans smiled. “Cute. You're right, its part of delegating. I forgot.” He bobbed a nod feeling a little sheepish. “All right. You got me. But, speaking of learning, how are you doing? How are your classes?”
“Well, my Dominus. It is... interesting learning new things,” Answorth said looking a little torn. “The math is difficult. I'm not so much interested in it. Or the writing. But the history lessons are interesting,” he admitted and then smiled. He had learned to love the story teller's fireside stories. Some of the ones in his class came with pictures or movies.
Ryans chuckled. “Let me guess, they're using movies?”
“Yes my Dominus. May I see some on that?” Answorth asked, pointing to the laptop.
“Sure. I'll set up a screen name for you. I've got a limited battery though, so only for an hour or two.” He opened the laptop and typed for a minute. “See I've been using it and forgetting to plug it in and charge it at night. We're setting up charging stations, but it's a pain,” he grimaced. “I've got a solar blanket but it doesn't get a whole lot of sun from that window.” He waved to the window. Answorth looked over to see it in shadow then back and nodded.
“There, all set up. I've set a link to the movie library as well. There's one problem; the movies are in my language, not yours.” He looked up to the young man. He looked a little weird with the Moe style bowl hair cut. A lot of men had them. It took a little getting used to though.
“Ah... I think it would be okay,” the boy replied with a nod.
“If you say so, but here.” He held up a set of headphones. Use these.” He plugged the USB in then held them out to the kid. The boy took them gingerly and examined them.
“Put them over your ears.” Ryans explained, and then helped him get them on. Answorth shot him an uncertain look then looked down to the screen with his hands in his lap.
“Here,” Ryans tapped the link. “This is the movie index. Let’s see... You want a war movie?”
The kid nodded eagerly. Ryans smiled. “Right, Ah... Let’s see. How about this one, Pearl Harbor... no, how about... Braveheart... hmmm... Or the Longest Day...” He tapped the links. “Any preferences?”
“Transformers? The Avengers?” Answorth asked hopefully.
“What the hell is he teaching in that history class?” Ryans muttered, vowing to find out. “I think I need to talk to him about the syllabus,” he vowed. He shook his head and found the movies. “Transformers one, two or three?”
“Ah, we watched one... there is more than one?” Answorth asked looking up at him.
“Yeah, let’s set you up with two. This is fiction kid, it didn't happen. It's a story to entertain nothing more. You know that right?”
The boy nodded.
Ryans gushed out a sigh. “I hope so. Okay...” He tapped the play button. The boy smiled eagerly then looked down as the movie began to play. Ryans shook his head and went back to the desk to get some more work done.
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Max grunted as he looked over the assembled blacksmiths. Some were eager; others arms crossed, looked bored or annoyed at being h
ere. He counted noses. There were six broken noses and four bent ones, not enough for what he had in mind but it was a start. “Okay, my name is Max and I'm here to go over a few things with you. All of you have been selected because you are general blacksmiths, not specialty smiths like farriers and sword smiths. So what we're going to do is teach you a few things and then try to help you first improve your smithy and then teach you how to make new plows and other pieces of equipment.”
“Why?” a burly smith asked. He had Popeye forearms and a short, scruffy, soot stained beard.
“Because we want you to work better and we want more food.”
“Why?”
“Because we're going to need food, a lot of food, for the people and the army. Any other stupid questions?” Max asked looking around. The man looked as though he was about to object forcibly but one of his fellows laid a hand on his arm.
“We're not saying it shouldn't be done, but why us?” the gray bearded man asked.
Max eyed him and then nodded. The man had spent probably decades in the fire pits, working his way up from an apprentice. “What we want to do is get as much work out of everyone as possible. To show you how to make some of our machines, or older versions of them that will allow one man to do the work of ten or twenty men.”
“Ah,” the smith said with a nod.
“Not possible,” another grunted.
“Really,” Max said. He went over to the island bench in the center of the room and tapped the projector. “Anyone mess with this?” he asked, checking it over carefully. He glanced around. His audience shook their heads. “All right then,” he motioned for a few men to move aside from the projector screen. “Someone close the door and cover that window.” He waited until the door shut and the window drapes were drawn before turning the projector on. “This is a slide show. I'll try to keep it simple. First we're going to show you some of our machines starting with a tractor then I'll show you some things you can make....”
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Over the course of the next three days they each tried to teach the establishment in their own way. Perry and Ryans buttonholed Maximus to go over strategy and planning. They overhauled and modernize as much as they could. Sorting out a more modern ranking structure was difficult.