by Jamie Davis
Cari shook her head. “It won’t work. We might divert them for a short time, but they’ll figure out we’ve gone in a different direction soon enough.”
“Perhaps if we split up. We could leave you, Jaycee, and a few others in hiding while the rest of us lead the mounts away. We might be able to do it in such in such a manner as to encourage the troopers to chase after us.
Cari pondered Liam’s suggestion. The only problem with the plan was that anyone who saw them would realize that the Dragoons were leading rider-less horses.
She shook her head. “As soon as they spot you, they’ll realize what we’ve done right away.”
Liam shrugged. “I am not sure what else we can do. We’re not going to be able to fight our way into the capital. We’re going to have to use trickery at some point. We have to make them think we’re headed to the capital from a different direction.”
Cari thought about the problem for a few seconds then snapped her fingers. “What if we split up as you suggest, except we make it look like we’re all still together. It’s going to require you to stay just ahead of them but still in sight for as long as you can. Eventually, you’ll lose them while leaving a trail for them to follow. Can you do that?”
“I can. Chance, Thad, and I are used to riding hard and fast. They won’t catch us, especially since we will have fresh mounts along for the ride. The question is how are you going to make them think that you’re still traveling with us?”
Cari reached into her belt pouch and pulled out her holocube. “With this.”
“That is a strange looking device. I assume it’s something you brought with you when you came to Fantasma. How does it work?”
“It is from my home and it allows me to project images and sounds that look real. If I can manage to tweak the projector settings right, we should be able to make it look like Jaycee and the rest of us are traveling with you. It won’t work close up, but from a distance, it should look like we’re all riding on horseback right behind you. All we have to do is mount it to the back of your saddle in some way. With the projector pointing to the rear, it’ll show the rest of us galloping behind you. You ride at the rear of the group, with Thad and Chance leading the remounts ahead of you. The picture behind will look like the rest of us are there with you.”
“What a strange and wondrous device. It must be a valuable magic relic.”
“Not magic, technology,” Cari said. “Come on, let’s get to the tree line and hide while we put this plan together. It’s going to take me a little while to program the holoprojector to do what we need it to do. I need to take the pictures it’ll need to approximate our appearance and animate the characters.”
Cari and Liam rode after the others already heading for the small cluster of trees beside the road.
The others were waiting as the two of them arrived in the wooded lot. Cari beckoned for them to follow her as she moved as far away from the road as possible. It was imperative they remain hidden while she finished what she had to do.
As Cari explained the plan she had come up with, the others seem alarmed. “If we get separated as you suggest, they’ll have a much easier time capturing either group if they do figure out where you are,” Helen said. “Who do you plan on taking with you and who do you plan on sending off to lead the searchers away from you?”
“My plan is to have the three Dragoons lead the horses away and make it look like all of us are fleeing to the south. Once they’ve gotten the search parties to move away from this area, we’ll continue onward towards the Crystal City on the main road.”
“And this magical device of yours is up to the task?” Rodrigo asked. “Will its magical charge last that long?
“I think it will do the trick if that’s what you’re asking. It’s just going to take me a little while to get it set up to do what I want it to do. Why don’t all of you get some rest and have something to eat. That will give me a chance to get my work done.”
While the others set to putting together a midday meal, Cari took out her holo cube. She checked the charge. It would re-charge on its own if was kept in the sunlight while they were riding. What charge it had should last them a half a day or so. The projector’s minimum charge was good for about 4 to 6 hours, give or take.
Cari set the small metal cube on a flat stone at the edge of the trees so that it would capture some sunlight. Whatever trickle charge she could manage to add to the batteries would help it work a little bit longer.
While it sat and charged, she deployed the virtual keyboard and holo-display. She called up the menu of basic animations built into the presentation software she used for school. She wasn’t a professional animator by any means, nor did she have the tools used to create photo-realistic, full length animated holo dramas using animated characters.
Cari didn’t need to start from scratch, though. She used the cube’s 360° camera system to snap photographs of everyone in the party as they moved about behind her. It only took her a few minutes to assemble several different angles of each person. Then she collected the various photos and rendered 3-D figures of each member of the group including herself.
As she looked at the figures of the party hovering in the air over the projector, she nodded as she made final adjustments to each one of them. These would definitely fool pursuers from a distance. However, when anyone got close, there would be many details that just didn’t look quite right. She didn’t have the time to add them either so she had to trust the three Dragoons to be able to keep their distance from anyone chasing after them and break contact before they were caught.
Once she had the 3-D renderings of each person, it was easy to add an animation of them riding horses. She set the program to judge the appropriate running speed of the horses based upon the moving speed of the projector. Its internal sensors would be able to approximate that based upon its own sense of position and direction.
She heard a gasp behind her. She turned to see Rodrigo standing there looking at the group of riders on horseback moving around in the meadow behind the trees. “That is amazing. I don’t care what you call it. I’m telling you that is magic right there.”
Cari smiled and didn’t bother to correct him. She could only imagine what this must look like to his eyes. “I’m almost finished. Do they look real to you?”
Rodrigo nodded and pointed at himself riding a horse. “That would fool my mother, I think.”
“Good, then it’ll definitely fool a troop of imperial guards chasing after them.”
Cari finished up just as the others completed their meal. Liam brought over a sandwich. “That’s the remainder of our sliced ham. You’ll have to stop in a village or town at some point soon to resupply.”
Cari was still bothered by the battery life of the unit. The animation was going to draw more power than she’d expected. “I’ve run into a bit of trouble with the display.” Cari pointed at the horses moving about. “It will run a lot longer if it projects a smaller group. I’m thinking of using it to only project three of us following after you.”
Liam cocked his head to one side and raise an eyebrow in question. “Which three did you have in mind. Obviously one of them is Jaycee, and I assume another is yourself. “
Cari nodded. “I’ll send Francesca and Rodrigo with you. That would leave Helen and me to take Jaycee on towards the capital.”
“That won’t work,” Liam said. “Two women traveling on the road armed to the teeth and escorting a young girl will draw attention to you. I think it should be Rodrigo who stays behind with you.”
“Why? I would think he would want to travel with the three of you and help round up the disbanded Dragoons.”
Liam disagreed. “If Rodrigo travels with you, the two of you can pose as Jaycee’s parents. She’s a young girl and the two of you can pose as a young couple traveling to visit relatives. The imperial soldiers are looking for a group of armed fighters traveling on horseback. They should pay little to no attention to a young farming couple traveling down the road.
“No, I guess you don’t at that,” Liam laughed. “We’ll have to make some adjustments and you’ll have to carry your weapons in a bundle on your packs so they remain hidden. I think it’s the best option. We’ll take Francesca, Helen, and Percy along with us. You can create the magical image of you Rodrigo and Jaycee riding along behind us.”
Cari considered what Liam said. His argument made sense. Helen and the others had come up to stand beside Liam. They overheard the conversation and the change in their plan.
“What do you think, Helen?”
“I think it has the best chances of succeeding if we leave the three of you behind, Cari. I do hate leaving you this way. Rodrigo can hold his own in a fight, though. He’ll be good backup for you.”
“Good, it’s settled,” Cari said. “Let’s get this working. There’s got to be another patrol coming along here before too long. Those four troopers who escaped are going to come back with all the help they can gather. “
Cari took the holoprojector and made the changes so that three people rode on horseback in the animated image it produced. The cube itself was about two and a half inches on a side. They secured it to the rear of Liam’s saddle so it projected out over his horse’s rump.
“Liam, this device draws its energy from the sunlight. As often as possible keep it out in full sun. If it shuts down as it runs out of power, you can recharge it that way. Then all you have to do is press this button on top and it will begin the same sequence of projections again. That way, if you break contact, you can recharge it. Then, need it again, you’ll have it.”
Liam smiled. “We’ll lead them on a merry chase. “
“It’ll be the best story to tell when this is all over with,” Thad said. “No one will believe a word of it.”
Chance chuckled. “That’ll just give you an excuse to start a fight with them, won’t it?”
Thad laughed aloud and nodded. His friends knew him well.
“There’s a troop of soldiers coming down the road from the west,” Percy called out from the other side of the cluster of trees.
“Everyone on their horses,” Liam called out. “It’s time to see if this trick works.”
“Rodrigo, gather Jaycee and find a place to hide in the trees,” Cari ordered. “I’ll join you as soon as I turn the projector on and get them on their way.”
Rod took Jaycee by the hand and walked to the other side of the trees away from the road.
Cari reached up and clasped wrists with Liam. She smiled and nodded at the others. “Godspeed. Let’s hope this little plan of mine works.”
“We’ll make sure they see us as we leave the trees. Once they give chase, it should be safe for the three of you to strike back out on the road. Though it might make more sense to go cross country for a short time first.”
Cari nodded. She offered a grim smile as Liam and the others rode out onto the meadow behind the trees. From her vantage point about twenty feet away, it looked like she, Rod, and Jaycee were riding just behind them.
As soon as they appeared from the trees, a shout went out from the imperial troopers trotting down the road from the west.
Once they realized they’d been spotted, Liam called out to the others. They spun their horses about, heading south, cross-country away from the road.
Cari watched from behind a tree as the imperial soldiers took the bait. The officer in charge shouted and pointed after the fleeing Dragoons, accompanied by Helen, Francesca, and Percy. Soon the entire troop of imperials, amounting to what looked like about thirty soldiers, gave chase.
As they disappeared into the countryside to the south of them, Cari checked the road to the west. It was clear. There was no sign of more soldiers coming after the first group.
Moving from her hiding place behind the tree, Cari went back into the small grove and found Rodrigo and Jaycee hidden under a fallen log. “It’s safe now. You can come on out. Let’s get ourselves situated so we look like a farming couple on the road to visit family.”
Together she and Rodrigo bundled up their weapons, each of them wrapping their swords in a blanket to create a long thin bundle they tied across their backs with some rope. They both kept their daggers on their belts. If it came to a quick fight, they wouldn’t have time to unwrap their swords. They needed to have some way to defend themselves.
Cari took out her traveling cloak and pulled it about her. If she wore it in this manner, with the front closed, no one would be able to see her attire. It might appear as if she were wearing a dress underneath if she was careful how she walked with people nearby. Rodrigo did much the same, though it was easier for him to disguise himself since he wasn’t a woman wearing men’s attire.
“What do you think?” Cari asked. “Do we look like the proper couple?”
Jaycee clapped her hands. “You both look perfect. I like to pretend. This will be fun.”
“It’ll be fine as long as we play the part. From now on, Jaycee you are Janie again. Rodrigo and I are mama and papa. Got that?”
The little girl nodded in earnest. She smiled at Cari. “When are we getting on the road mama?”
Cari smiled. The little girl was way smarter than herself at that age. “I guess we get on the road now, little one. Shall we go, husband?”
Rodrigo nodded and smiled back at her. Together the three of them stepped out of the woods and started across the fields to the east.
Chapter 25
Cari, Rodrigo, and Jaycee made good time on foot that evening. They managed to get far away from the place where the soldiers began chasing their friends to the south. As it got dark, they camped out in a small abandoned barn just off the road for the night. While most of the roof was missing, there was partial cover in one corner. It was there the three of them settled down for a cold night in camp.
In the morning they set out again, pressing on through a light drizzle of rain and traveled eastward. Fighting with the wet grass and mud in the fields, Cari made a decision to return to the road and make their way on it towards the Crystal City.
Judging from maps she’d seen of the empire and pulling up her Earth Sense ability, Cari figured they had four or five days more travel on foot before they reached the region of the Empire in which the Crystal City lay.
They traveled most of the day without seeing anyone else on the road. The rain let up around noon the three of them had mostly dried out by midafternoon. They were in pretty remote country here. And as it got dark, Cari made the decision to settle in and look for a place to camp for the night. She stopped their progress towards the nearby trees when a group of seven men rode from the tree line and cut them off. The men moved to block the road ahead of the three of them.
Cari glanced at Rod. Judging from the worried look on his face, he was just as concerned as she was. Jaycee had moved behind Cari and clutched at her hand.
“What is it you want?” Cari asked the men as they got down from their horses and approach the trio.
“We have to charge a toll for people passing along this section of road,” one of the men said. That brought laughter from the other six.
Cari scowled. Clearly, these were common brigands who waylaid travelers passing by, stealing from them or exacting extortion for free passage along the road. Cari didn’t like people who treated others that way. Though it bothered her that they might have to pay to avoid a fight, she had to remember the mission and keep her temper under control.
“We have nothing you would want,” Rodrigo said. “We are just a young family traveling to visit relatives to the east. We have nothing of value.”
“We’ll see about that. Search them,” the leader said.
The other robbers dismounted and approached.
Cari backed up trying to decide if she could get her sword free of the bundle on her back in time to put up a fight. Rodrigo backed away on the other side of Jaycee. He’d already drawn his dagger.
The man
saw the dagger pointed at his men and laughed. “Look, lads, the boy thinks he can play this off with that little pig sticker.”
The statement brought more laughter from the group and they increased their speed, closing the gap between them.
Just as the men were about to reach them and Cari was getting ready to launch an attack on the group. Horses rode down the road from the east in their direction. Cari looked past the men moving up on her to see a patrol of twenty or so men in the Duke of Charon’s uniforms riding towards them. Cari wasn’t sure if she should be happy or concerned.
The leader of the brigands shouted at his men. “More soldiers, boys. Let’s get out of here.”
The six men approaching Cari, Rod, and Jaycee turned around and ran back to their horses. They mounted and took off back to the north, racing away across the fields at top speed. Cari heard a distant shout as the officer in charge of the column pointed at the fleeing men. Immediately, a group of twelve troopers took off after the would-be robbers.
The remaining soldiers and their officer came on down the road towards where Cari and the other two stood.
The officer tipped his hat at the three of them. “I hope you three are well? It is dangerous to travel this stretch of road in such a small group. I’m surprised someone didn’t tell you that.”
“We lost our farm when the most recent crop failed,” Rodrigo said. We had no choice but to travel eastward to seek out our family there. My wife and daughter and I have nowhere else to go.”
Cari thought he did an excellent job of sounding like a meek and humble farmer.
The officer seemed to believe him, too. “Well, you can travel along with us back to our garrison. Once you’re there, we can see about connecting you with a regular wagon train heading east. They can take you on towards your family. Does that sound all right?”
Cari and Rod exchanged glances. Cari nodded, and Rod turned to the officer. “That would be perfect. Thank you, sir.”
The officer instructed his men to head back the way they had come. They had some spare mounts, so Jaycee and Cari rode one of the horses while Rod rode the other. They moved down the imperial road amid the group of guards to the east.