by Chris Hechtl
“Feed a man a fish you feed him for a day, teach him to fish,” Ryans explained.
Perry nodded, turning to Charlie. “Right, feed him and his family for a day. Got it. Good point. We can do this for them, or teach them to do it for themselves. We ran into that problem in Africa. God I hated Somalia. Give the people a hand out, they eat well for a day but then come back with more people, all with their hands out,” he grimaced. “After a while they think it's their right for others to care for them, that they can't take care of themselves,” he said. He looked to Doc who nodded but didn't say anything.
“And of course there are those who bite the hands that feed them. Somalia for instance,” Ryans said with a grimace.
Charlie sighed. “Still a pain in the ass,” she growled. They chuckled at this.
“Since when is doing the right thing the right way not?” Perry snorted. “Never is. Short cuts in stuff like this usually end up blowing up in your face rather nastily,” he said and then shrugged.
“How are we with the military situation?” Sue asked running a hand through her hair then shaking it out. She reached back and began to braid her chestnut hair.
“Well, we could handle the entire raider army with just our men and gear, but that would leave us a bit short on ammo once we got the survivors to cut and run,” Perry joked. She gave him a long look, arched eyebrow. He shrugged it off with a small smile. “Just saying.” He gave Charlie and Ryans a look. “We've intercepted raider teams that come this way, so far so good. The locals are mobilizing, but training is slow and ongoing,” he sighed.
“We need more weapons, or at least practice weapons in the hands of the men so they can get familiar with them. Right now we've got one musket for every twenty men in the advanced course, four Winchesters and a whopping twenty Springfield rifles,” Galloway said and then grimaced along with Ryans. Getting that many flintlock muskets out was good but not great. Their team had about two thousand people in it now. That meant a hundred muskets all totaled.
“We're expecting another shipment of fifty muskets and ten rifles by the end of the week. Plus we've got some force multipliers in the works and the first cannon is cooling now,” Max informed them. Several people smiled tiredly in approval over that news. “I think we've got the production bugs ironed out, or at least the worst ones. I'm going to have to overhaul quality control but I think we can produce ten flint locks and five Springfield’s a day starting tomorrow.”
“That's definitely good news!”
“Ten?” Perry asked.
“It's a start,” Max said. “I know, I wanted more. You want more. Ten's the best I've got now. I'm dividing resources between the two weapons you know,” he growled.
“I get it,” Perry replied with a sigh.
“If we can pick up the pace we will. I'm not sure. I think we can double that number but it's all subject to the pipeline. I don't want to press too hard, have a hiccup, and then have idle people forming a bottleneck.”
“I getcha Max,” Perry said a hand on the machinist's shoulders. “Tell your people thanks,” he said.
Max nodded. “The cannon is another project. We've got a small smooth bore with a carriage and a special ammo wagon. I'd would've liked to have rifled the barrel but I'm not sure how to do it right. We don't have the proper jig,” Max reported.
“Can't wait to test fire that thing,” Perry murmured, only slightly nervous about the whole thing. It could blow up after all; blow up like the first four muskets they had made. They had better use a damn long fuse and a protective berm for that test firing. And do it far away from the animals. Hopefully they could test fire it by the end of the week.
“Ask me for anything but time,” Ryans grumbled. Perry and Galloway nodded grudgingly. Charlie snorted. They knew they could cream the enemy now, but the more time they had the more gear and training they could get in. The rate of fire of their musketeers was low, two shots a minute. The riflemen could go through a ten round clip in thirty-seconds. Which caused a major headache and bottleneck with the ammunition, right now they had only one clip per man.
“Did you get that chemistry thing sorted out?” Perry asked turning to Charlie.
“Yeah, and look, at no time did the fingers leave the hand,” she said. She held up her ten digits. Sue growled. “Oh,” Charlie smiled. “I made some nitrocellulose for the miners and smokeless gunpowder for the Winchesters and Springfields. Fulminate of mercury for percussion caps too,” she said smugly and then shrugged.
Doc's eyes were wide in shock. “Are you insane?” she breathed. “Do you have any idea...?” Charlie nodded cutting her off.
Charlie chuckled. “Had to be done Doc.”
“Why ever for?” Doc said throwing her hands up.
Charlie smiled. “Well, the mercury is for ignition caps, the nitrocellulose is for explosives and gun-cotton.”
“Ah,” Sue froze for a moment. “You're that far along?” she asked after a moment of thought.
Charlie nodded and looked to Ryans. He frowned. “Well, we can make cast iron grenades; in fact we're doing that now but not in quantity just yet. But until I get the better specs of a rifling bench out of here,” Ryans tapped the storage case, “we're at the level of smooth bore musket for most of the army. We've got a handful of Winchester repeater rifles for the cavalry and Springfields for the snipers. The moving parts are a pain though,” he grimaced. “We've got copper jacketed brass rounds for the Winchesters as well, both black powder and now the smokeless gunpowder.”
Sue nodded suddenly. “Are you sure it's a good idea to give these people guns?” she asked, suddenly intent.
Ryans shrugged. “It's either give it to them or watch them fall under the raiders. We could leave.” He waved to the window. “But where can we go and be safe? We've got eight or nine months to wait this out Doc, I for one would rather do it with stone walls around me,” he said firmly. Doc slowly nodded. “Think about this as well, do you really want us to try to set up the catcher's mitt for the wormhole right on that bluff where the raiders pass by?” he demanded. She shivered and shook her head. “Besides, we're keeping the formula for gunpowder and gun cotton as a trump card,” he said and then smiled.
Charlie sighed, “yeah, lucky me.” She shook her head. “I suck at keeping secrets.” Doc snorted in agreement, earning a mock glower.
“But some things can be spun off. We've already found buyers for your bleach, yeast, and ether formulas. Adonis Alchemy is taking on the ether and bleach,” Ryans said. “A bakery is taking on the yeast formula.”
“Adonis?” Wanda asked with a grin. He shrugged it off.
“Apparently they do perfumes and love potions. Don't ask, I don't care. They get a three year exclusive formula deal, we get all that stuff at cost plus some other supplies,” Ryans replied.
“Kinda cheap there boss,” Wanda said.
“Do you want them to have bleach or not? Ether for oh, say surgery?” he demanded. “I for one do not envy any poor sap here that has a tooth ache. Or needs surgery. What passed for surgery before Doc got involved,” he said nodding to Sue. Sue nodded grimly as Wanda and Charlie shuddered involuntarily. “Charlie has the licks out for the bleach. We're getting the basic formula out to as many people as quickly as possible. It's not anywhere near what we need for mass production, but every little bit helps.”
“Kitchen sink chemistry,” Wanda said looking thoughtful. A lot of chemistry had been learned over the centuries through trial and error in the kitchen. “Now I understand why you wanted the simplest formula.”
Ryans nodded. “Exactly. Quality control will be an issue, but the first batches show promise. But...”
“Back to what I was saying,” Perry interrupted. He needed to get them back on track, he had a busy day. “The main army is camped around Duke Emroy's castle at the entrance. They're laying siege to it now. I think they didn't come with a good enough logistics tail; they're stripping the surrounding countryside of anything edible. They've got loggers c
utting wood in the woods too. Mostly for firewood,” he said. He wrinkled his nose. They were using fire to drive the basilisks away. It was risky and wasteful but it let them get in and get the wood they needed, albeit slightly charred. Charlie nodded. “Not just that, siege engines too,” he said after a moment. He tapped at his laptop then showed them a distant image of a French ballista under construction. “They've got several now. They are making one every week.”
Charlie grimaced and then cocked her head as if in thought. “Be a wicked thing to see. I saw one on TV on a pumpkin chunkin show but never in real life. Physics in action!”
Sue snorted. “It's impressive I'll admit, but not something you want to see if you’re on the receiving end,” she grumbled.
Perry nodded. “I've got a couple of teams ready. We call them the Silent Knights.”
Ryans smiled at that. “Cute, I get it.” He of course knew about them but the other civilians hadn't. He hadn't known they'd settled on Silent Knights for a name though.
Perry smiled too. “Anyway, we're going to do a few raids of our own. Hit their logistics and burn as many of these siege engines as we can. That should take some of the pressure off Duke Emroy till we can relieve him,” he said. Ryans nodded.
“When are they going?” Sue asked.
“Well, that's why I came to see you. I wanted to borrow a couple of doctors. Trauma Doc and a nurse actually,” Perry said looking at her.
She looked confused then began to shake her head. “Oh hell no...” She grimaced, face working. “You're not going to get my people killed on some fool’s errand just after I went through all the heartache of training them!” she snarled.
He sighed. “Look Doc, they won’t be at the front, I want them far enough back so they can be protected,” he explained patiently. She was still shaking her head, however.
She opened her mouth but Ryans beats her to it. “He's right,” he said. She turned a fulminating look on him. He returned her look with a cool but patient one. “Doc triage. We need a trauma team to stabilize any wounded until they can get them back here to you. It'd be a damn shame to lose someone that could have been saved by someone with the right skills on hand. Besides, they can teach some basic first aid to the team too,” he explained patiently. Doc frowned and then looked away thinking furiously.
Charlie held up one hand. “I'll go,” she said quietly. They looked at her in surprise. “What, we've all got medical training remember? I'm the backup paramedic...” She shrugged. “One of them anyway. Give me a crap load of biofoam and a first aid kit with a book and I'll get by.”
Perry frowned and then caught the small shake from Ryans and then sighed. “Sorry Charlie, but we need you here more, Doc too.” He turned to nod his chin politely to the still fuming Sue.
Doc nodded. “All right, I'll send Xanthus and Senji. I'll ask them to volunteer, maybe ask one of the nurses too. Both are about paramedic level. Give me a couple of hours to get a kit together and a nurse for them,” she said coldly. She turned to Charlie. “The biofoam is a good idea; I'll send some along and make sure they can use it. Can you make...” Charlie grimaced and shook her head. “Thought not,” Sue sighed.
“One thing at a time Sue. They do have glue. We're talking to the plywood industry about that. Maybe we can make a basic glue that will work like biofoam?” he asked glancing at Wanda and then Charlie. Both women shrugged.
Perry nodded ignoring what Ryans said. “Have them meet in the western courtyard in three hours Doc, dressed in dark colors for a hard ride,” he ordered. She nodded and left.
“This going to work?” Charlie asked.
Perry shrugged. “It's a start.”
“Doolittle raid,” Ryans said.
“Yeah, do little all right. Just going to stir up a hornet's nest before we're ready,” Charlie echoed.
Ryans frowned. “No, I mean Colonel Doolittle, W-W-two. He and a group of aviators flew Mitchell bombers off carriers just after Pearl Harbor to bomb the Japanese isles. It was a morale building effort,” Ryans explained.
Perry nodded. “This is also to get some field training in. Some of my people are green and need the confidence. I'll have them stop and help the villages and towns in the area on the way back if they aren't chased. Have them set up militias and do a health and welfare check up if possible.”
Charlie nodded. “And you’re going to kill as many officers as you can too.”
Perry frowned, and then looked the way Doc went then nodded. “As many as we can. Taking out the leadership is an accepted military practice in our time. Put enough holes in the chain of command and they break.”
“Not in theirs though,” Charlie nodded to the courtiers nearby.
Perry looked then shrugged. “They're desperate so they'll have to learn to deal. Like it or lump it,” he said gruffly. His Silent Knight commandos were all new recruits. Well, with a few gaijin like Lance Corporal Newban, Private Schneider, to stiffen them up. Ryans nodded. They needed to do this, so they'd make it happen and deal with the consequences.
<==={}------------>
When the meeting broke up Ryans joined Perry and Waters for a delayed calisthenics work out. It was brief, a warm up, a hundred pushups and sit ups, jumping jacks, and then a three lap jog around the castle. Ryans nodded to Zara in passing as they jogged. Zara smiled shyly and waved her fingers to him. Perry caught the motion and snorted. Ryans rolled his eyes but sobered when he caught Deidra looking as well.
<==={}------------>
Charlie grinned at Sue as she came in and flopped down on a padded stool. “Make yourself at home why don't you,” Sue murmured, not looking up.
“Don't mind if I do,” Charlie said with a grin, snagging Sue's coffee cup and downing it. She grimaced. “What the hell?” she looked at it.
Sue snorted. “Berry juice,” she said. “The natives use it in place of coffee.”
“It's bitter enough,” Charlie said, still soured as she put the cup carefully down. Sue smiled a little.
“Serves you right for taking without asking,” she teased.
“Hey you said make yourself at home you know,” Charlie replied. Sue snorted.
“What do you want Charlie, I'm kind of busy here,” Sue said, setting the tablet down on her desk. She had a sort of office now, a cloth walled area with a small desk and stools, to go over papers and discuss treatments with the staff. It wasn't much but at least it was a start.
“I came by to tell you I figured out where the parents were getting the calcium from,” Charlie said smugly.
“Oh?” Sue asked. She'd wondered about it, had meant to ask a midwife but things had gotten a little too hectic to ask. “Do tell,” she said, sitting back and crossing her arms.
“I sent you an e-mail,” Charlie said with a grin.
“But you were too eager to wait so you just had to come over and tell me in person of course,” Sue deadpanned. Charlie chuckled. “So?”
“So, it's a melon.”
“Really?” Sue asked in surprise. “I thought it was a mammal? Cow’s milk?”
Charlie shrugged. “For those that have cows yes. But apparently there is a melon, grows about the size of a watermelon in the summer and fall. It's got blue pulp that they squeeze into juice or eat raw. It's sugary and chocked full of vitamin C. They strain it with cheese cloth and give it to the kids.”
“Ah,” Sue said nodding. She'd seen a few mothers nursing naturally but hadn't had any pediatric visits yet. That was interesting.
“Mary's looking into it now. She asked me to run some tests on it and that's what I found,” Charlie said smiling. “They love eating it it too, though it's apparently better in the summer than in the spring.”
“Spring time it's concentrated but doesn't have time to ferment,” Sue mused.
“Maybe,” Charlie said spreading her hands. “Well, that's it for that.” She started to get up.
“Hang on a sec Charlie,” Sue said. Charlie paused and then sat back down.
“Now wh
at?”
“I wanted to know if anyone taught the natives about bacteria and pasteurization yet,” Sue said, locking eyes with her.
“I know they use yeast and other things, fermenting of course... I think pasteurization is a bit beyond them Doc,” Charlie replied, wrinkling her nose.
“Then it's high time they learned something new, right?” Sue asked, arching an eyebrow.
“You... you're not serious Doc!” Charlie said aghast.
“You're our biochemist. You can help Max. Give him a swift kick and remind him to pasteurize all the food he's storing.”
“Um...”
“Boil it Charlie,” Sue said tiredly.
“I know that,” Charlie replied testily. The doctor snorted. “Anything else?”
“Not that I'm aware of. Just get on that. Lay the groundwork. I know it's a lot.”
“Yeah,” Charlie sighed, brushing her bangs back out of her eyes. “You're telling me,” she said wryly.
“Then you better get started. I don't want a case of botulism or anything,” Sue said firmly.
Suddenly Charlie shuddered. “Yeah, I've had bad clams once in my life, never again. Okay, I can't make any guarantees but I'll see what I can do Doc,” she said, slapping her knees and getting to her feet.
“Good, toodles,” Doc said, picking up her tablet and making a shooing motion. Charlie snorted and left.
<==={}------------>
Ryans nodded his chin to the caravan coming in. They were coming in from the South, a good sign. He turned to a guard. “That the metals we were waiting for?” he asked from the parapet. The guard turned to shade his eyes and study the convoy. After a moment he shook his head.
“Tis sal Dominus gaijin,” he said, turning back to his post. Ryans tasted the word. Sal... salt. His mouth rounded in an O.
“Sea salt?” he asked. The man nodded. “Ah. Not from the ground though, from the sea? The um, mare?” Ryans persisted. The guard nodded again.
“So it's for cooking,” Ryans mused. Man and animals, at least Terran animals had to have some level of sodium in their bodies. He saw the guard nod again.