Tamer- King of Dinosaurs 5

by Michael-Scott Earle

  “We all work well together,” Quwaru said, and the three women smiled at each other.

  “I didn’t know if you wanted us to thatch this, or if you wanted us to use the adobe tiles that Emerald’s team is making.” Kacerie pointed over to the side, and I turned my head to see where Emerald, Nomi, and Adella were working. The three women had an adobe shingle assembly line set up some forty yards on the other side of the well, and it looked like they had laid out a good hundred shingles.

  “Looks like they are moving fast,” I said to Kacerie. “Yeah, let’s use this first batch of shingles on this roof once they are baked. I’ll go talk to them.”

  “Great,” Kacerie said. “We’ll finish up here and then maybe go help them.”

  “Sheela is going to start with the training soon,” I said as I gestured over my shoulder to where the blonde woman was setting down spears with Emta in the clearing. “We’ll start there soon.”

  “We’ll do that first then,” Kacerie agreed, and then I walked over to where Emerald, Nomi, and Adella were working.

  The three women had mud up to their shins and from their hands to their elbows. Adella was currently stomping her rainbow-scaled legs in a shallow pit of mud mixed with a bit of dried leaves like she was making wine from grapes the old fashioned way. Emerald was carrying chunks of the already mixed mud to a group of flat rocks stacked next to Nomi, and Nomi was using a rectangle mold made out of cut branches to form the shape of the tiles. The sun-sensitive woman was actually wearing a hat that someone had made out of fern leaves, and it looked similar to one of those “rice paddy” hats that Asian farmers would wear. It seemed to be providing her enough shade since the beautiful woman had her long dark hair pulled away from her awe-inspiring face.

  “Hey everyone. How’s it going?” I asked as I approached them.

  “Hello, Victor!” Adella waved as she continued to pump her legs into the mixing hole, and Emerald smiled at me as she set down her armful of dense mud on a flat rock.

  “We are waiting for these to dry,” Nomi said as she gestured to the tiles, and Emerald beckoned for me to follow her over to them. I did as she asked, and Nomi came to stand beside me as the green-haired woman gestured to the tiles.

  They had followed my instructions to the letter Each tile was about the size of a small laptop computer, and there was a tall lip of the clay-like mud rising out from the back part. That was really the secret of the design, and I glanced over to the structure Kacerie’s team had built and confirmed that the lip on each tile would hook onto one of the roof support beams without a problem. It wouldn’t be as good as nailing one of the tiles into the posts, but it would probably hold up just fine during stormy winds.

  “These look great,” I said as I gently pushed my finger against one of the tiles. It was still a bit wet and soft, and Emerald gestured to the sun. It was beginning to approach the tops of the western hills, and the air was much cooler than it had been earlier in the day.

  “I’ll have Gee walk by later and see if she can help dry them,” I said, but then Emerald shook her head, pointed at the tiles, and drew a line across her neck with her finger.

  “We haven’t been able to figure out what she means when she does that,” Adella said. “We think it means that the tile will die?”

  Emerald shook her head and then pointed at me, then the sun, and then she made as if she was snapping a twig in her hand.

  “That either,” Nomi said with a shrug.

  “She is saying that they will crack if we dry them too fast,” I explained, “so we should probably just let the sun do the job for us.”

  Emerald clapped her hands together and then pointed at me, and the other two women laughed.

  “That makes sense!” Adella said.

  “We are going to take a break for a bit and work on combat training,” I said as I gestured over to where Sheela was preparing. “Then we are going to have dinner. That’s probably it for the night, but we are going to need a lot more of these tiles, along with bricks for walls and paving stones for the ground.

  “We’ll get it done,” Nomi said as she pressed a last lip of mud onto the back end of a tile and then set it down near the others that were drying.

  “I’m still wondering if there is some way I can fire them,” I said as I glanced at the group. “Adobe is great for dry climates, but I think it might turn to mud when it rains.

  Emerald nodded to me and then pointed to the sun. Then she nodded urgently and pointed to the kiln and then Gee.

  “What does she mean?” Nomi asked me quickly.

  “Oh, okay,” I laughed. “I get it now. Emerald thinks we need to let the sun dry all the tiles slowly so that they don’t crack, and then we should try to fire them in the kiln or let Gee do it.”

  Emerald smiled at me again, clapped her hands and then stepped in close so she could hug me. I returned her embrace and then gestured back to Sheela. “We’ll figure all this out more tomorrow. Sheela looks like she's ready for us.”

  The three women nodded, and I helped Adella step out of the hole. Then they moved to join Kacerie’s group standing around Sheela, and I walked over to where Trel’s team was working on the side of the worktable near the kiln.

  “How goes the copper research?” I asked as I stepped behind Trel. The spider-woman, Tannin, and Urka were engrossed in what they were doing, and they didn’t even realize I had walked up behind them until I spoke. Then Trel spun around and gave me a wide smile.

  “Victor! Come! Look at this!” She grabbed my hand as she spoke and pulled me between her and Urka so that I could see what they were studying.

  On the boulder work table I saw three small clay vials. The trio was broken open, and Trel gestured to the left one that Urka was picking through with pieces of wood shaped like chopsticks. As I watched, the gnome-like woman moved a piece of black rock out of the way, and a glimmer of something shiny sparkled in the setting sun.

  “Is that what I think it is?” I gasped as I felt my heart slam in my chest.

  “Yep,” Trel squealed with delight. “It looks like combining the bits of charcoal with the powdered green rock makes it. I had to get the kiln very hot to do it though. The first batch I did still had the powder in it, so we used some of Keefaye’s blessed water, and this.” Trel gestured to the side of the workbench, and I saw three long clay tubes.

  “What are they?” I asked.

  “We needed more air to get it hotter,” Trel explained, “and I was thinking about my idea of making clay pipes for the water filter siphon. It came together in my head perfectly, and we all blew into the kiln fire while it burned the alcohol. This is the result: Copper, and we’ve only used a small bit of the rocks you’ve brought us.”

  “Great job,” I said as I leaned down close to look at the bit of copper. It was only the size of a quarter of a penny, but it brought me more joy than a whole treasure chest full of gold and jewels would have.

  “I am a genius,” Trel said, “but my faithful assistants were instrumental in my discovery. All great discoveries are owed to the people that assisted the one with the vision and perseverance to continue against all obstacles, so the thanks are really owed to Urka and Tannin.”

  “Uhhh, thanks, I think,” Urka snickered.

  “Happy to help you, Trel,” Tannin said.

  “How much copper do you think we can get from all the malachite I’ve brought?” I asked as I gestured to the pile.

  “Hmm,” Trel said as she tapped her finger on her red lips, “perhaps I could make a few jugs, or one of the pipes that takes water from the well to the filter. I’ve been thinking about how to create molds, and I realize that the process of actually shaping the metal into what we want it to become will be somewhat easy.”

  “How so?” I asked.

  “Both Galmine and Gee seem immune to heat. It will be easier for them to bend and manipulate the metal. I’ll still work on making some molds, and I have an idea for a pipe, but having them around to work with the hot ma
terial will be of great assistance.”

  “Good idea,” I said.

  “Yeah, but we have a problem that you’ve already hinted at,” she said.

  “We need more,” I replied as I winked at her.

  “Yes, Victor,” Trel said with a nod. “A lot more. As much of this green rock as you can possibly get, then we can use it. Not only can we use it for our food and water needs, but I can craft light tools and other instruments we can use for building. You talked about going to get more, and I agree with that plan. After clay, which it looks like you just brought back, this is our next highest priority. So we need to send someone to get more of these rocks.”

  “It will have to be me,” I said with a shrug. “No one else can control the dinos like I can. I know you don’t like me leaving the camp, but if you want more copper, then that’s how it has to be.”

  “Ughhhh,” she moaned and then glanced back at the pile of malachite. “I suppose you have already proven many times that you are capable of being off on your own. I just worry about how worried everyone else in the camp will be when you are gone. You should have seen these poor women, Victor. They were sobbing non-stop, and I couldn’t get them to do any work.”

  “Uhhh, you sure that’s how it was?” Urka asked as she raised her eyebrows over her four eyes impossibly high. “I kinda remember it a bit different. There was really only one person who was sob--”

  “Shhh,” Trel hissed as she wiggled her long black fingers at the gnome-woman. “I have a perfect memory. Anyways, Victor, please fetch more of these pretty rocks so that I can turn them into beautiful copper.”

  “I’ll need your help to make something for the stegos,” I said as I pointed over at Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock. “I’m thinking about some wood placed in the inside of their armored plates that forms a container that I can use to stack all the rock in.”

  “Yes, I’ve thought of that,” Trel said as she glanced at the stegos. “It should be bamboo, since it is the lightest and strongest material. I will go look at them now and then give you a list of what I will need.”

  “Not now,” I said as I pointed over at Sheela, “after training.”

  “Pfft,” Trel raspberried. “I already know how to fight. I do not need more training. My time is too important. The sooner we get the rocks, the sooner I can create more wonderful items for us.”

  “I agree with you,” I said, “but we have a tribe of over eighty-five people who we think don’t like us. It’s just a matter of time before we come face to face with them, or another tribe of assholes, and I want everyone that is capable of fighting taught basic skills so that they can defend themselves or someone else in our tribe from danger.”

  “But I do not need more training,” Trel whined. “I am already capabl--”

  “Look at Galmine,” I said as I gestured to the slow moving woman. She was walking from Hope’s door, and we all turned to watch her bend down, scratch Scoob on his head, and then give him a kiss on the top of his head. “She can’t fight. Do you agree?”

  “She is too slow,” Trel sighed.

  “So, let’s say we get attacked, and there is someone trying to hurt her. The only thing that can stop them is you. Wouldn’t you have wished that you spent an hour or so every day working with Sheela so you were better able to defend her?”

  “I see your point, Victor,” Trel replied, and then she turned back to see Sheela handing out spears to the group of women that were gathered around her. Trel glanced at Urka and Tannin an instant later. “Come, assistants, let us go learn how to defend the people we love from all the idiots on this planet.”

  We all walked over to Sheela, and the blonde warrior woman nodded at us. She quickly passed us spears, told us all to fall into line next to the other women, and then began her instruction.

  First Sheela spent a good ten minutes making sure that everyone held the spear correctly with a two handed grip. Almost everyone grasped the concept quickly, but Adella, Keefaye, and Tannin took a bit longer than everyone else to figure out where to put their hands. The next topic was feet placement in the fighting stance, and Adella, Keefaye, and Tannin easily understood what Sheela demonstrated, but Nomi and Urka had a bit of a problem with it.

  Once Sheela was satisfied that everyone knew how to hold the spear and stand, she worked us mercilessly on moving up, back, and to each side while we held the spears. Her orders came in quick, and she shouted out corrective instructions when anyone’s position or form was incorrect. I was soon working up a sweat, and everyone was breathing heavily.

  “That is good for the day,” Sheela said after we were all soaked with sweat.

  “That’s it?” Keefaye asked. “We didn’t even practice stabbing the air.”

  “That is fine,” Sheela said with her usual nod. “What we have just practiced is the most important part. We will do it tomorrow, and then the next day, and perhaps the day after that until everyone’s bodies move naturally with the weapon. Then we will learn the more complicated parts. A solid foundation of skill must be established until we can build upon it.”

  As Sheela spoke, I saw Gee nod out of the corner of my eye. The flame-haired woman hadn’t held a spear, but she had stood at the far end of the line some twenty yards from the rest of the group and practiced her steps in time with the rest of us.

  “Dinner is ready!” Galmine called out in her happy voice, and we all handed Sheela our spears. Sheela and Liahpa stayed behind to work on Liahpa’s axe swing, but the rest of us took our spots around the campfire. I hadn’t paid any attention to what Galmine had done while we were training, but Bruce was resting his big head on her shoulder just like he did with me, and I saw a dozen fish cooking on our stones, so I knew that he must have made a few trips to get us dinner.

  Kacerie passed around a few jugs of water, and the conversation flowed as we all caught up on the day’s work. Soon we were all eating, laughing, and exchanging stories about our homeworlds. There were too many conversations going on for me to pick just one to focus on, and my mind was a bit exhausted from controlling the dinos, so I found myself watching Sheela show Liahpa how to swing the heavy axe around. It was definitely a worthwhile pastime, since both women had exceptional bodies that were barely covered by their clothes, and my mind lazily drifted from memories of making love to Sheela this morning and kissing Liahpa a few hours ago.

  As I watched, Liahpa made a few horizontal cuts with the heavy axe, and Sheela nodded. Then Liahpa bent her back like a bow and brought the axe down in a cut that might have cleaved a carnotaurus in half. Sheela nodded again, and then she pointed back to the fire. I guessed that the training session was over, and the two athletic women turned to walk toward us.

  “Ahh, we are all here,” Trel said as soon as Liahpa and Sheela got water and plates of fish. “Now Victor can update us on our next steps before he retires. I’ve graciously allowed Kacerie to have my time tonight, and I have Galmine scheduled with him tomorrow night.”

  “Graciously allowing me?” Kacerie snickered.

  “Yes, of course,” Trel cackled. “I will be making love with Victor every night. It is important for all of our survival that I have my brood during my next ovulation.”

  “We don’t need to talk about this right no--” I started to say, but Liahpa interrupted me.

  “But you aren’t ovulating now?” the silver-skinned woman asked. “Why do you need every night with--”

  “Practice, of course!” Trel scoffed as if she was explaining to Liahpa that the sky was blue. “I wouldn’t expect you to understand, since you hate men.”

  “Trel, you’ve said that all men are stupid a few hundred times since I’ve known you.” Kacerie rubbed the bridge of her nose as she talked, but everyone besides her and Liahpa looked like they were trying hard not to laugh.

  “They are!” Trel moaned. “So, so, soooo dumb. Except for Victor. That is why I must have his babies. It didn’t work the first time so that is why we must practice.”

  “I don’t ha
te men,” Liahpa argued.

  “Sure you do,” Trel countered. “You just play with your balls on your grassy field all day with the other women on your world.”

  “I don’t think Liahpa hates Victor,” Youleena said with a laugh, and everyone turned to look at her.

  “Oh?” Trel said.

  “No, no, no,” the silver-skinned woman said as she stood and floated off the ground. “We are off topic here. I don’t really care who is sleeping with Victor every night and morning.”

  “You sure about that?” Youleena asked with an innocent shrug.

  “Yes!” Liahpa hissed, but her face was turning red.

  “I can add you to the list, if you want,” Trel said as her mouth curled up into a smile. “Victor is very good at love making, and I’m sure it would be a wonderful experience for--”

  “Okay, that’s good,” I said as I cleared my throat. “Let’s talk about what we are going to do for tomorrow, and then we can all get some much needed rest.”

  The women all nodded, and then Liahpa sat back down.

  “Sheela, how are the weapons?” I asked.

  “Very good,” she answered, “Gee’s fire whip cuts through the wood easily. We now have plenty of spears, bows, and arrow shafts. We just need more stone heads, cordage, and many more feathers for fletching arrows.”

  “Did you get a chance to work on the weapon she thought of?” I asked as I turned to Sheela and Gee.

  “Yes,” Sheela said, “but I left it on the other side of the work table. Give me a moment.”

  The cat-woman returned a few moments later with a weapon that looked like a combination of a baseball bat and a dough roller. The cylinder at the top had been cut on the sides about three quarters down so that four wooden flaps could be wedged apart from the main body, and I quickly understood what they intended to do with it.

  They were going to make it look like a baseball bat with nails coming out of it, but the nails would be stone teeth like what I had with the Cricket Bat of Doom.

  “You’ll need to drill holes into each of these flaps,” I said.

  “Yes,” Sheela agreed, and Gee nodded.