by Chris Hechtl
Ryans snorted. “It's because they're cast like bells. If we could machine them it'd be better.”
Perry nodded. “And the food?” They had just had their first second spring harvest, really mostly vegetables. The real harvests would come in the summer and late summer and then two smaller ones in mid and late fall. Normally there were two harvests each season. The first spring harvest was food to resupply the people. The second spring harvest and the two summer harvests were both enough to live on and a surplus for the winter. The last two fall harvests with the summer harvests were to let them survive the winter.
Native animals naturally gave birth when the snow melted. Many of the draft animals took until fall to be weaned however, growing slowly. Some of the animals took native years to grow, taking their parents out of the breeding until they were weaned.
Terran animals were carefully bred just before winter began so that they'd give birth in the early to mid spring. Some were bred again and would give birth in the fall. These animals were usually immediately slaughtered.
Ryans frowned. “That's a bit harder to go over. We can't do much about long term storage. They've been working on it, but it's still not in leagues of what we can do. Right now we're stuck with what they have, sun dried, smoked, salted, or jarred. I'd like to use the pewter to make ration tins, but we don't have enough to make a dent,” he sighed in frustration. There were too many steps involved in canning. To many and too little time before the army marched.
“So, no MREs? I don't know if I should be happy or appalled,” Perry said smiling.
Ryans frowned. “Both, right now we're stuck with pemmican for field rats, along with potato chips and bread. Gregory has his hands full with the mess section. He's doing what he can there. I don't envy him in the slightest.”
“Me, neither,” Perry chuckled.
“I think he's got Max working on a couple of things. We've got a cooper working on barrels as fast as they can, they're better than wooden crates and leather sacks but the wood is of course in limited supply,” he said scowling. “Max worked out a hay baler a month or so ago, so part of the fodder problem is solved.”
“Sue's set up medics with basic first aid kits and basic triage lessons. Her advanced healers will serve as secondary triage stations further back from the front to feed the surgeons in the MASH unit.”
“And the ether will help,” Perry said.
“Damn well better. At least it's some form of anesthetic. Better than what they were doing, shoving a stick in a guy's mouth and sawing a body part off,” Ryans said darkly. Deidra gulped behind him.
“And the King?” Perry asked quietly as Deidra began to withdraw. She froze. Ryans sighed glancing at her back. “Doc said he's had two smaller heart attacks while he slept. He's sleeping a lot more now; his body just can't handle it. She's down to less than a week's worth of blood thinners and clot busters. Once she's out she'll be down to aspirin,” he reported quietly.
“Fat chance with that,” Perry sighed. “Well, aspirin is a blood thinner, just not as effective. It will be touch and go. If she could do a bypass and rotor rooter then he'd be a lot better off. Hell, even functional,” Perry snorted in memory. His father had done better after such treatment but his age had made the recovery time long and his lack of patience had tested his mother's patience to the utter limit. “To bad she couldn't do some lipo when she's at it. taking some the fat out would improve his chances too. Less bulk for that weakened heart to have to handle.”
Ryans shook his head. “I seriously doubt she'd do it. Surgery under these conditions? We almost lost Galloway and he's a lot younger,” he said. Perry shrugged but he nodded darkly at the mention of Galloway. Ryans frowned and then continued. “Then again, I'll run it by her. Jessie has the radio up on the tower. We've got a primitive AM set up, transmitter here, simple diode receivers out and about. It won’t help with getting intel here much, but it'll help communications,”
Perry snorted. “Well, something is better than nothing. I'm going to check on the Sarge and see if we can accelerate the Alpha troop. I'd like to get two more Silent Knight teams in the field tomorrow and another platoon of reinforcements for the blocking force.”
Ryans shook his head. “Not to mention gear and supplies to them. My department LT, I'm working on it,” Ryans said and then sighed. “Oh well, back to the salt mines. Later.” He waved as they parted. He rounded the corner to see Deidra trying hard not to cry. He comforted her when he realized she heard what he'd said about her father. “Stiff upper lip lass. I'm sorry about your dad but he's a fighter, he may yet pull through,” he murmured. “For his sake and the sake of your people you need to keep it together,” he said. Her shoulders tensed as her fists clenched. He stepped back.
She froze and then noted his concern and bit her lip before biting his head off with an angry retort. “I know you're human, it's hard to not be,” he said, trying to be supportive as he smiled to her. She nodded but didn't say anything. They walked through the castle corridors together quietly.
<==={}------------>
“All’s fair in love and war?” the Master Sergeant asked smiling. He'd heard about the princess and Ryans walking together. He wasn't sure why Sue wanted this class on first aid, but maybe she was right. At least it kept some of his people busy and out of trouble.
Sue snorted. “Something like that. You know it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind,” she said, smiling sweetly. She gave Waters a challenging look as she prepared her teaching material. At her insistence each of the soldiers were going to be given a basic kit. Hopefully it would keep them or their fellows alive until a medic could get to them.
He snorted. “Yeah Doc, but it's a man's prerogative to try to get her to change it back,” he replied. She blushed and shook her head.
“And now that we've got that our of our system,” she said turning to the waiting class. They stiffened to attention. She nodded. “Right. We're teaching all of you first aid. The reasons are obvious but I'll run them by you anyway in case you've forgotten. One, we want you to survive. Two if one of your fellows is hurt we want you to administer basic aid and then help the medics or move on. What we're going to teach you could keep them from bleeding out or losing an arm or a leg or their life. Three this is the entrance course to becoming an officer or a Silent Knight and its pass or fail. But more importantly it's your life and the lives of your brothers and sisters in arms,” she said, tone dropping in a growl as her eyes noted a pair of people in the back. “So pay attention damn it!” she snarled at a kid who was turned away to murmur something to another lad. The kid jumped and turned to her, sobered.
“Good. Now that I've got your undivided attention,” she looked at Waters who looked grimly at the lad. The lad gulped under that stern gaze, as did his partner. “We're going to start with the basics. How to approach a victim, assess the damage...”
<==={}------------>
“We lost a man,” the Sergeant said coming into the room sometime later. He shot Lieutenant Perry and Ryans a look.
“Have a seat Master Sergeant,” Perry said pointing to a chair. He waited until the grizzled noncom was seated before he tossed him a beer.
“Hell it ain't even five,” Waters said, staring at the beer.
“Five o'clock somewhere. By your looks, you need it,” Ryans replied, nodding to the other man. He wanted to know who they'd lost. Another recruit most likely. He'd have to let Max know.
“Yeah,” Waters took a sip then sighed. “Least it's cold. Love in a row boat beer, but it's cold.” He smiled then cocked his head to Ryans.
“Camper fridge.” Ryans said smiling.
“Ah.” Waters nodded.
“Who'd we lose?” Perry asked. “A recruit? Or a lord's son?”
“No. Worse,” Waters sighed and scratched at the side of his head. “Schneider.”
“Ah hell,” Perry said, rearing back in surprise. “How'd it happen?”
“Raid. Actually, it was the aftermath. Seems they
got the objective, but during the extraction they got made. Duluth loosed the dogzards. Those six legged fuckers are insanely quick and damn nasty; I've seen them here in the capital. We just got news of what happened, the crew didn't dare use the radio until they were sure they'd shaken all pursuit. Jesse was in tears when she told me. She caught me in passing and I came straight here.”
“Oh,” Ryans grimaced. Perry gave him a look. “I saw a couple in the tour of the stables. Nasty things. And those were just the garden variety hunting pets.” Pets indeed, they were as big as a mastiff, large enough for someone to ride if they wanted. Give a komodo dragon an extra set of legs, double its size, and poison spines and you had a general idea of these things.
“Yeah,” Waters sighed. “Got him from behind. Damn things are fast and agile. They can climb trees and leap from tree to tree. Suppressing fire didn't work,” he said. He shook his head and scowled.
“It rarely ever does.” Perry sighed in answer.
“They got the bastard, or so they said but a bunch of its friends came. According to the report they couldn't get his body.” Both Ryans and Perry winced at the thought of being torn apart, let alone eaten. Ryans gulped and downed his beer. Yup, nightmares tonight, he thought bleakly.
“Not my way to go,” Waters finally broke the silence with that and then sighed.
“Yeah,” both men echoed thoughtfully.
<==={}------------>
Perry grimaced as Galloway came in the door the next morning. “How'd it go?” he asked. Galloway had just came back from the nearest mine. He'd been checking each, overhauling their security detail and setting each up with mining explosives.
“Better than I thought. I got the idea to have a carcass with the explosives. The miners took the hint when we blew it up and the body was torn apart. Least I hope they did. We need longer fuses though. Maybe squibs?” he asked hopefully.
Perry shook his head, “not anytime soon. And don't even try fulminate of mercury percussion caps like Wanda's using for the ammo. That stuffs nasty,” Perry shuddered.
Galloway made a face. “Ew... That's bad. Okay, well they got the message, we sent out a trailer full of gunpowder for them to use in the nearest mine. They've got strict instructions to clear the mine before they detonate in case of a cave in.”
“Ah. How are you getting the explosive to work at all? I thought it would channel most of the force right back out the bore hole?” Perry asked. He wasn't happy about giving them gunpowder but they now had a glut of it. The oldest stuff was being sent to the mines. Hopefully they'd switch completely over to smokeless soon.
“Tamp it with clay and rock or concrete for that matter. Give it a day or so to set then let her rip,” Galloway answered taking a seat. He'd always loved demo, he'd been bitten by the bug when he was a kid. His dad had taken him into the mines once and it had been a blast. A blast literally.
“Good. How are you feeling?” Perry asked.
Galloway waved off his superior's concern. “Sore but I'm good. Doc's giving me a weekly check up to make sure none of the stitches were pulled. I've only got a couple left in me.”
Perry nodded. “Good to know. We may have another job for you soon enough. Until then can you help Max out with the powder works and the engineering projects around the capital?”
Galloway nodded. “Sure. Always loved getting my hands dirty. I prefer it any old day over getting paper cuts,” Galloway grinned and stood. He came to attention and saluted.
“Keep the faith Lieutenant. Dismissed,” Perry said, nodding as he returned the salute. Galloway did a smart about face and walked out.
<==={}------------>
Ryans heard a noise and turned his head grunting as he pushed up from the floor. He heard a gasp and caught sight of slippered feet. “Um...” he knelt and looked up to see Deidra there, hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
“Sorry princess,” he said, grabbing his shirt. He'd taken it off when he'd gotten sweaty. Waters looked over to the intruder and snorted. He turned back to Ryans and raised an eyebrow. Ryans shrugged, putting the shirt on.
“Shoulder again sir?” Waters asked. Ryans nodded a choppy nod.
“You should take it easy. You keep breaking stitches,” Waters sighed. Ryans for some reason wasn't healing right. It might be the climate, but more likely it was Ryans himself. The man kept moving and doing things and putting himself in danger and taking damage. Waters had even odds with Paris that the hero was going to get his stupid ass killed soon.
“Um, I've got to go take a shower,” Ryans said passing the princess. Later,” he said.
Her hand had fallen to her throat. She turned, taking in his musky sweat scent and then turning back to the class. She was dressed in her armor, ready for her morning training. She felt warm suddenly, she knew she was blushing but it was more than that.
“Sorry princess, we'll be out of your hair in a few minutes,” Waters said as an aside to her. “Just getting wrapped up here,” he said.
She nodded dumbly, vision still cloudy. Ryans had looked good despite his injuries on her behalf. He was looking better and better every day and she didn't like that. She resented that he could do that to her so easily but she couldn't do it to him in return. It just wasn't natural. “I'll um, wait,” she murmured, going over to a bench near the wall. She felt with her hand as she backed up to it, eyes still vacant as she sat and watched the men working out, and then the sky and the guards around her. It took some time for her to shake off her fuzzy thoughts and flushed warm feeling and get back to the here and know.
<==={}------------>
Art’ur raged when he found out that the attack on the wall had been repulsed. He was even more enraged when he heard the casualty report. Less than ten men had escaped the ambush. Of course Wedst's cousin had survived, being in the rear ranks to spur his men on. He glared at the man but knew he was untouchable. He needed Wedst's support and killing his cousin in front of the man would instill fear yes, but also rage.
Uuôden was quietly concerned about the new weapons, these slug throwers the survivors had reported. “Sling shots couldn't do such damage,” he rumbled softly, rubbing his chin. “And a sling comes from above not in line with your enemy. More of a crossbow bolt,” he mused, wishing he had been there to see for himself.
Art’ur ordered a triple cohort to flank the wall and attack it, and a second cohort to attack from the front. He turned his attention to the latest raid on his own forces. He gloated over the use of the dogzards but was angry that the beasts had only killed one of the interlopers. It would make the bastards much more careful about coming around though. He'd offered a reward for their capture alive but so far none had managed it.
“Order the spies to set fires. I don't care about the risks,” he growled glaring at Dominus Wedst. “I want them to slow this army the Imperium has been building. Set fire to the fodder or to their food. No!” he stopped himself. What they were after was food after all. “Set fire to the forges or other works. Not the food. Make sure they know that!” he growled.
Wedst saluted him but didn't say anything. When the King waved a hand to dismiss him airily his jaw set and he walked out.
<==={}------------>
“I'm surprised Duluth hasn't sent someone to negotiate yet,” Ryans commented. The King nodded. They had just received a surprise convoy from Duke Isamu Sung that morning and all were gratified and relieved by it. Sung hadn't sent more than two cohorts but he had sent gratifying amounts of tin, copper, nickel, lead and fruit. He'd also sent along two wagons of medicinal herbs, all processed and ready for use. The King had been gratified by the news. Sung's daughter had been thanked by the royal couple a few minutes ago. She was here in the capital studying and trying to catch a suitable husband.
“Actually, I'm surprised by the lack of spies. It's not like he's got many bargaining chips,” Perry snorted. “We've got the tech edge; he's got to have noticed it by now. We've tried to keep our long range weapons under cover while we ramp up product
ion but some of what we've done must have leaked out.” He was fairly certain King Art’ur had figured something different was going on after getting reports of his men getting slaughtered at the pass.
“True, and the plane isn't exactly a secret,” Max said dryly and then snorted. “I've got compound bows in production now, with light bamboo arrows. It should double the range of the bowmen,” he reported and then grimaced. He really didn't like that, or the new crossbow design, he'd rather use rifles but they just didn't have enough of them in production. “We're still ramping up production of the rifles. We've got a rifling bench sorted out, and now that the chemists have gotten their end sorted out we're gradually moving over to more modern rifles and phasing out the muskets.”
Ryans nodded. “The compound bows are simple so it should be easy for the cottage industry to replicate,” he sighed. Ryans turned a look on the King. “Your majesty, have you ever met the King of Duluth?”
The King coughed and then struggled to sit up. His shoulders straightened as a nurse tucked a pair of pillows behind him. “No,” he sighed, the effort had clearly exhausted him. “I've seen a painting of him, corresponded with him, we've exchanged ambassadors, but this is new.” He waved to indicate the invasion.
“Well, he's young and he's got balls,” Perry said snorting.
“Young?” The King asked. “Nonsense. Richard is older then I!”
Perry gave him a surprised look. “One moment please.” He mumbled pulling out his tablet. He tapped at it for a minute making the others restless. He finished and held it up to the King. “I take it this isn't Richard then?”
The King took the electronic device and studied the freeze frame with rheumy eyes. It was a young man wearing a crown. The image was taken from above and the man was clearly angry. “Harrumph... He's wearing the crown. No.” He shook his head coming to a decision. “It may be Art’ur, Richard's eldest. He may have been sent out as the field commander if his father was too ill to ride.”
