by Tom Hoffman
Orville furrowed his brow. “I guess not. Now that you mention it he didn’t seem especially interested in eating us. He sure had his eye on Proto, though.”
Proto threw his shoulders back and stood up straight. “I do have quite a commanding presence, being as tall as I am. Perhaps he thought I was an A6 Autonomous Warrior Rabbiton. It wouldn’t be the first time someone has made that mistake. He seemed to be a pleasant enough fellow, quite unlike the creatures on Periculum.”
“I guess you’re right. He seemed harmless enough. I was just surprised to see an enormous ant.”
Sophia let out a gasp, slapping her paw across her mouth.
“What? What is it? What do you see?” Orville scanned the jungle for some unnamed horror.
“You didn’t faint! You saw a creature that scared you, but you didn’t faint!”
Orville stared at Sophia, a smile creeping across his face. “You’re right. I didn’t faint. I didn’t even think about fainting.”
Proto nodded. “I am quite familiar with the process of overcoming personal fears. I recall with great clarity the moment I conquered my fear of Anarkkian scout ships, with their dreadful neuro beams. It came as a complete surprise when I was strolling through Pavorak Gorge and realized I was thinking about the lovely colors of the gorge and not worrying about having my neuronic brain fried by one of those awful ships. I would offer you my deepest congratulations on this momentous personal achievement.”
Orville couldn’t stop grinning. “Thanks, that means a lot to me.”
Sophia patted his shoulder and said, “Let’s go, Orville the Brave. Something is trying to stop time, and it’s our job to make certain they don’t succeed.”
Chapter 12
The Great Silver Rabbit
Sophia was the first to spot the red and yellow striped crossing gate blocking the jungle trail. “Look at that gate. This might be the entrance to Tatuid Village.”
“There’s a big wooden shack next to it, probably for guards. I wonder why we can’t just walk into the village?”
Sophia shrugged. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
The three adventurers strode down the jungle trail toward the checkpoint. Soon they were standing in front of the heavy red and yellow iron gate.
Sophia called out, “Hello? Is anyone here?”
The door of the guard shack squealed open and two large ants clad in bright red uniforms stepped out. They strode briskly over to the gate, stopping in their tracks when their eyes hit Proto. They gave each other significant looks but remained silent. One of the guards carried a voluminous notebook crammed with reams of miscellaneous papers. He frowned, silently flipping through his documents until he found the one he was searching for. He turned to the three adventurers, his eyes occasionally jumping over to Proto.
“Your papers, please.” The guard held out one arm.
Orville gave the friendliest smile he could. “Papers? What sort of papers? Newspapers?”
The guard’s eyes bulged. “This is neither the time nor the place for levity, sir!”
“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be funny. This is our first visit to Tatuid Village and I don’t know anything about your rules and regulations.”
The guard relaxed slightly. “You must show me your identification papers. It is imperative that we have the most comprehensive documentation possible for each and every visitor to Tatuid Village. No exceptions.” His eyes locked onto Proto. “Almost no exceptions. Your papers?”
Orville reached into his coat pocket and pulled out his wallet, quickly flipping it open. “I have my Easterly School identification card, my library card, my Book Emporium employee card, and membership cards for the Science Club and the History Club at school.”
Sophia gave a loud laugh. “You were in the Science Club? Really?”
The guard shrieked, “DO NOT SPEAK UNLESS YOU ARE SPOKEN TO!” He smacked his heavy notebook loudly on the iron gate.
Sophia’s jaw dropped. “Oh… sorry.” Orville gulped.
The guard extended his arm again. “Papers!” Orville passed the five identification cards to the guard, who scrutinized each one in agonizing detail. He flipped to another page on his notebook, then pulled out a yellow pencil from his uniform pocket. “CLIPBOARD!”
A blue uniformed ant dashed out of the shack carrying a large clipboard which he thrust into Orville’s paws. “Your clipboard, sir!”
The guard in the red uniform was studying Orville’s cards, a dark frown covering his face. “These identification cards are substandard at best. Under any other circumstances you would be instantly turned away from Tatuid Village.” He looked pointedly at Proto, raising one eyebrow. His focus returned to Orville. “You will need to construct organizational stratification flow charts displaying the operating ruling personnel in these five socialization units. Start from the supreme controller and work down, clearly identifying your own position and status both vertically and horizontally within the current ruling hierarchy.”
“What?” Orville had absolutely no idea what the guard was asking him to do.
The guard’s eyes bulged again as he tried to contain his boiling anger. He spoke very slowly and deliberately, as though Orville was a tiny mouseling. “Draw a chart in which you name all the members of these five groups. List each member’s position in the group, from most important to least important. Do not fail to indicate your own position in the current hierarchy. Am I making myself quite clear?”
Orville nodded. He was not going to ask any more questions. He sat down on the ground with his clipboard and began to sketch a chart of the Easterly School administrators, teachers, and all the students he could remember. After a while he began making up names and positions, designating himself as Chief Clockwork Glowbird Flight Instructor for the science club. Sophia flopped down next to him, holding an identical clipboard. “You’re lucky, I had nine identification cards, six from Quintari. Why on earth do they need all this information?”
Orville shrugged. “Who knows. I’m just making up names. It’s not like they’re going to check.”
“Good idea.”
Proto had been standing idly by, hands clasped behind his back. Neither of the guards had approached him. He cleared his throat, trying to get their attention. Both guards looked up in stunned surprise. One of them spoke rapidly in a high pitched anxious voice, “How may I be of assistance to you, sir?”
“I couldn’t help but notice you asked for identification cards from Orville and Sophia, but not from me. I would be more than happy to produce my original manufacturing documentation if you would like, although I was a prototype, not simply a standard production model.”
The guard gave a nearly manic laugh. “Oh, good heavens, sir, that will not be necessary at all. No identification is needed, sir. None whatsoever. You are most welcome to enter our humble little village resting peacefully in the shadows of great Mount Ianua. Most welcome indeed, sir. Most welcome.”
The second guard stammered, “No identification needed at all, sir. It is a great and memorable honor to welcome you to our humble little village.”
Orville nudged Sophia with his elbow. “Why are they being so respectful to Proto but so rude to us?”
Sophia eyed the guards. “There’s something strange going on here. It’s as if they already know who he is.”
Orville glanced down the jungle trail. Three new guards had just arrived and were pointing at Proto, speaking in hushed voices. A fourth guard appeared, this one wearing a purple uniform with a bright yellow stripe on each sleeve. Orville whispered to Sophia, “More guards are showing up and they’re all staring at Proto. I think the color of their uniform indicates their rank. Blue is lowest, then red, then–”
“STOP THAT TALKING! THE GREAT SILVER RABBIT HAS BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN STAND AROUND WAITING FOR YOU TO FINISH YOUR VISITOR DOCUMENTATION FORMS!” The guard smacked his notebook on the iron gate.
“I’m sorry, sir. We’ve both finished our charts.”
&
nbsp; The guard snatched the clipboards from their paws, giving the charts only a cursory glance. “This will have to do. An antling could have done a better job, but I will NOT be the one held responsible for keeping The Great Silver Rabbit waiting.” He turned to the blue guard and bellowed, “You WILL inform the Purple Guardmaster that all appropriate documentation HAS been satisfactorily completed and he may now assist The Great Silver Rabbit!”
A green thought cloud drifted out of Orville’s ear over to Sophia. “The Great Silver Rabbit? What are they talking about?”
Sophia sent a blue cloud back to Orville. “I have no idea. They must have mistaken Proto for another Rabbiton, one they’re afraid of. This is very curious.”
The blue guard dashed down the trail, quickly relaying the red guard’s message to the Purple Guardmaster, who in turn raced back toward the crossing gate and stood at full attention directly in front of Proto. His sharp staccato voice pierced the air.
“GREAT SILVER RABBIT, the King of Ants wishes you to know he is deeply and profoundly honored by your magnificent shining presence. He is awaiting your arrival at the King’s Royal Palace in Tatuid Village. Please follow me if it is your will to do so.” The Purple Guardmaster gave a long sweeping bow before Proto.
Proto smiled politely. “Oh dear, I’m afraid you must think I’m–” Proto never finished his sentence. He never finished it because he was interrupted by Orville’s extremely loud and bombastic voice.
“O GREAT SILVER RABBIT, YOU MUST SPEAK ONLY WITH THE KING OF ANTS AND NO OTHER. IT IS THE LAW!”
Proto and Sophia turned in surprise at Orville’s sudden outburst. Sophia blinked, then gave an imperceptible grin. Her voice boomed out, “YOUR LOYAL AND HUMBLE SERVANT ORVILLE MOUSE IS QUITE CORRECT, MOST MAGNIFICENT GREAT SILVER RABBIT. YOU MUST SPEAK WITH NONE OTHER THAN THE KING OF ANTS. IT IS THE LAW AS WRITTEN BY ALL SILVER RABBITS WHO CAME BEFORE YOU!”
Orville snickered.
A light came on in Proto’s eyes. He nodded, giving Orville a great wink. With a dramatic wave of his long silver arm he commanded, “GUARD, TAKE ME TO THE KING OF ANTS! I WOULD SPEAK WITH HIM! MAKE ALL HASTE!”
Chapter 13
The Shrieking Terror
Reaching Tatuid Village took longer than the adventurers had anticipated. According to Proto they walked for two hours and six minutes before spotting the main gates of the village. Orville eyed with curiosity the thirty foot tall wooden stockade constructed of massively stout logs which encircled the town. The Purple Guardmaster halted abruptly at the foot of the front gates.
“ON THIS DAY THE BELL OF FATE SHALL BE RUNG THREE TIMES!” The Guardmaster grasped the clapper of an enormous silver bell hanging next to the brightly painted stockade doors. Three loud gongs resonated through the jungle. An ant clad in a bright yellow uniform popped his head up over the top of the stockade and looked down at the visitors. Orville could hear the ant gasp when it spotted Proto.
The Purple Guardmaster cried out, “OPEN WIDE THE GATES OF TATUID, FOR THE GREAT SILVER RABBIT HAS COME TO FULFILL THE GLORIOUS PROPHECY AS SET FORTH BY THE FATHER’S FATHER OF MYRMAC THE BRAVE!”
A feeling of dread rippled through Orville. “Glorious prophecy? What is that all about?”
Sophia shook her head. “I don’t know, but I don’t like the sound of it. Wait, isn’t Myrmac the Brave the one who sold the blue stone to Ollo the Rock Mouse?”
Orville didn’t reply, his attention focused on the stockade wall, his eyes running across the massive wooden construction. He gulped, grabbed Sophia’s shoulder and pointed. The front of the stockade was covered with gigantic claw marks. Orville could feel his knees shaking. “Look at the size of those claw marks, at least four feet across. What could possibly have claws that big?”
Proto had also spied the gigantic claw marks. He gave a great gasp, whirling around to face Sophia and Orville. He pointed to the monstrous gouges in the wood with undisguised glee. “How dreadful! What manner of horrific beast could possess such fearsome claws?”
The great gates of Tatuid Village groaned open and the Purple Guardmaster stepped into a rippling sea of ants. A thousand voices sounded. “Where is he? Do you see him? Is it really the Great Silver Rabbit? How big is he? Is he really silver?”
Proto stepped through the gates to a deafening roar. “It’s him! It’s the Great Silver Rabbit! He has come! He has come to save us all!” Thunderous cries erupted from the great throng of ants. A thousand ecstatic ants whooped, a thousand ecstatic ants hollered, a thousand ecstatic ants stomped their feet with great abandon, a thousand ecstatic ants wept for joy. The Great Silver Rabbit had arrived, and he would save them all.
Orville and Sophia followed behind Proto, staring with wide eyes at the deliriously jubilant crowd. Orville moved closer to Sophia, taking her paw. He was not necessarily happy to be surrounded by a thousand screaming ants, all of them taller than he was.
Orville sent a thought cloud to Sophia. “They think he’s here to save them from something. What have we gotten ourselves into?” He turned to Sophia, but she had her paws pressed tightly over her ears and her eyes squeezed shut. He knew immediately what was happening. Sophia was getting a message from her inner voice, but the look on her face told Orville it was not good news. He did not want to know what her inner voice had just told her.
The Purple Guardmaster bellowed to the crowd, “MAKE WAY FOR THE GREAT SILVER RABBIT! MAKE WAY! HE WOULD SPEAK WITH THE KING OF ANTS! MAKE WAY!”
The crowd parted, becoming eerily silent as Proto followed the Guardmaster down the main street of Tatuid Village toward the King’s Royal Palace. Orville and Sophia hurried after Proto.
The King’s Royal Palace proved to be somewhat less magnificent than Orville had imagined. It was in fact nothing more than a simple log building not much bigger than the Book Emporium. The Guardmaster knocked three times on the front door, then sank to his knees, bowing his head. The door swung open and an ant bedecked in a bright orange uniform motioned for Proto, Orville, and Sophia to enter. The door closed behind them.
The orange ant stared intently at Proto, then motioned for them to follow him. He stepped briskly over to a set of white doors and tapped three times. A muffled voice called out from the other side of the door. “Enter!”
The orange ant swung the doors open, bowing deeply to the three adventurers. “The King of Ants awaits your most magnificent presence.”
Proto stepped through the doorway, followed by Orville and Sophia. The first thing to catch Orville’s eye was a large ant in a shimmering white robe, seated comfortably on an enormous green stuffed chair. The second thing Orville noticed was an ant in dark green trousers and a worn leather vest leaning against a wall. This ant was eating a very large cheese sandwich.
The white robed ant rose to his feet and stepped over to Proto, grasping his hand firmly while studying his face. “The Great Silver Rabbit has arrived. I was beginning to wonder if our infamous prophecy was entirely accurate.” The ant eating the cheese sandwich gave a loud cough.
“Relax, Myrmac, you know as well as I do your grandfather wasn’t the most stable ant in the colony. I’m not saying he was as loopy as a drunken napsnikker, but you know as well as I do his feet were planted firmly in the sky.” The white robed ant had not loosened his grip on Proto’s hand. “A pleasure to meet you, Great Silver Rabbit. I am the King of Ants, as you may have surmised. You may be seated.” The King motioned them toward a row of three ornately carved wooden chairs.
Proto smiled politely. He had never met a king before, but the depth of the Elders’ programming was unparalleled, preparing Proto for almost any circumstance. “It is a great and profound honor to meet you, your Highness. Please call me Proto.”
The King of Ants shook his head. “I shall do no such thing. From this day forth you will be known only as The Great Silver Rabbit.”
“I do beg your pardon, but I’m afraid I simply could not relinquish my name. It was my dear friend Orville who gave me the name Proto when we first�
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The King’s eyes bulged out in stunned surprise. “YOU DARE TO DISOBEY A DIRECT ORDER FROM THE KING OF ANTS?!”
Proto had never been spoken to in such a manner, but remained true to his original programming parameters, his reply both polite and cordial. “Oh, dear, I apologize, your Highness. Under other circumstances I would never question the orders of a great and powerful ruler such as yourself.”
The King looked puzzled. “Other circumstances?”
“Well, for instance, if I were an ant living in Tatuid Village rather than a Great Silver Rabbit visiting from his distant home of Muridaan Falls to fulfill your great prophecy.”
The King of Ants blinked several times, then burst out laughing. “Well said, Proto. I shall treat you and your two friends as the honored guests that you are. Perhaps we might be able to reach a compromise. Would you allow yourself to be called The Great Silver Rabbit for the duration of your visit? The villagers were clearly elated by your arrival, and they would be confused and disheartened if we announced you were not The Great Silver Rabbit.”
“A marvelous compromise, your Highness, and one I heartily agree to uphold. I am curious, however, as to why the villagers were so elated by my arrival in Tatuid?”
“Of course you are.” The King of Ants gestured to the ant who was eating the cheese sandwich. “Myrmac will tell you everything you need to know about the prophecy. It was his very eccentric grandfather who revealed it to the village years before Myrmac was born. The villagers have been waiting for the Great Silver Rabbit for over twenty years. The ant who spotted you on the jungle trail has already been rewarded with the Royal Silver Rabbit Prize Package, receiving a purse of twenty silvers, an authentic silver plated rabbit statuette, and a complimentary dinner for two at the King’s Tavern, drinks not included.”
Myrmac turned to the three adventurers and bowed deeply. “The King is quite correct, as always. It goes without saying your arrival has caused quite a stir in our little village, and I am truly honored to make your acquaintance. I am known throughout the land as Myrmac the Brave.”
