by Chris Hechtl
“Exactly so. Also, they have these.” Nate pulled up a smaller creature. “I believe princess Zara has one of these. They are the equivalent of house pets or mousers, Terriers.” He showed a slide show again.
Ryans nodded. “So it's the equivalent of a cat. I'd rather have a cat,” he chuckled.
“Me too, but these creatures are so interesting!” Nate exclaimed. “A page told me to tour the town stables; there are over five different species there in the royal stables, not just horses and branacks, but other creatures as well!” He shook his head. “They use them for various purposes, thus fulfilling the niches a draft horse or ox would, or a thoroughbred, or even a pony!”
“Did you see this?” He pulled up an image of a bipedal creature. It had four t-Rex style shortened arms tucked against its chest. Held there no doubt by the straps crisscrossing its body. A rider was on its back. “A light unit, used for carrying mail, traveling quickly over flat terrain, or even used for scouting or light cavalry work. Brilliant, utterly brilliant!” Nate grinned. Ryans tried hard not to roll his eyes. Yes he'd seen a branack before.
“And this!” He used the mouse to tap another image. A centaur creature appeared. It resembled the first creature, but had only one pair of shortened arms, the middle pair were legs. “It seems the natives bred the lighter unit, the branack beast from this. Somehow in less than two thousand years they created a sub breed that is leaner and has almost totally lost the use of its secondary limb set. This beast is used for heavier work, and even ridden by knights and their equivalent of cavalry.”
“Ah,” Ryans nodded. “I take it they can't have armor though?”
Nate nodded. “Not a whole lot, a bit on the head and chest from what I've seen. Mostly chain mail. Heavier beasts have mail on the hind quarters as well.”
“Hollow bones Doc?” Ryans asked.
Nate shook his head. “Oh no, bloody hell no. I wish I could get a look under a proper microscope. It looks like something I've never seen. A fibrous network all fused together. Possibly boron, I'm not sure. A high concentration of boron in the soil and food supply would explain why Terran animals have a hard time adapting here, they can't use it in their bodies so it passes through them... and if boron is in more abundance than calcium then it...”
“Then they need much more food than normal to replace what calcium they would have normally got,” Ryans finished nodding.
“I believe so. Mary and Charlie have yet to confirm it though,” Nate shrugged.
“Now, see, these creatures...” He pulled up an image of a war beast. “These are the equivalent of domestic elephants on earth. Here they also serve in both the war and peace capacity,” he smiled. “I've identified them as the equivalent of bovines; something called a shek'nar beast that the princess mentioned yesterday. Its native to the mountains and northern arctic. They're a bit like a six legged lama, very nice pelt, quite exquisite,” he smiled.
“I've found native equivalent of porcines, though the Terran version has adapted readily enough. They're used for both food and for war,” Nate grimaced. He loved many animals but he'd heard terrible stories of porcines.
“War pigs,” Ryans grunted and then chuckled.
“Unfortunately I only have the image from the one farm... and a couple skulls of warthog like creatures to go by. We seem to have run into it from the looks of it. Remember that critter that you ran into with the truck? The one that treed Zara?” Nate asked.
“Yeah?”
“It sounds like that was the beasty responsible. Naughty, real nasty bloke. I can see why some countries like Duluth use them for war. The Imperium though doesn't.”
“But others do?” Ryans nodded. “Something to keep in mind then. Nasty customer to meet in the woods or out in a field.” He looked at the skull and four sets of tusks. Each tusk was serrated, and curved up and outward. “Definitely something to keep in mind. I remember that thing was all black and was fast. Damn strong too.”
“Yes and porcines are omnivores. Some boars prefer meat. Prehistoric porcines were predators, and right nasty customers.”
“Great,” Ryans grimaced. “Anything else?”
“Yes, yes. I've already shown you the equivalent of deer and antelope, those lean creatures.” Nate showed the image. Ryans smiled.
“And of course the basilisk, arthropods, wyverns, dragons...” He shook his head. “That's a lot of nasty customers to play with.” He grinned. “I'm glad they didn't try to domesticate any of them.”
Nate chuckled. “Me too. I did find their equivalent of fowl; they have small six legged creatures that serve as poultry. They produce eggs, down and feathers. In fact many of the colder climate animals produce some form of down or feather like structure. The people here are very adaptive.” He smiled.
Ryans nodded. “Good to know,” he said. Now he knew where the natives got feathers for pillows and those fans they loved to use.
“Indeed. I've found a cameloid the desert nomads have domesticated as well, there's a reference to it in the royal library,” Nate smiled. He brought up an image. It was taken from a book illustration.
“Fascinating,” Ryans nodded. “So these creatures are all egg layers Nate?”
“And warm blooded,” Nate said closing his notebook. “I believe they're like the Australian platypus, but it'll take me a bit longer to discover how close a resemblance they have.”
“But some have down, some have fur, some have feathers. I take it that's due to evolution and habitat right?” Ryans asked. Nate nodded. “Hmmm...” Ryans said looking off. “You said they don't have calcium, they rely on boron... so where do the people get calcium if not milk? Humans need it to grow, especially in the early formative years.”
“Oh I said it may be boron...oh I see... um...” Nate blinked in sudden confusion. His eyes became unfocused as his mind turned over the problem. “You know, I don't know. Possibly something botanical? Milk from a coconut or something native equivalent?” he asked thoughtfully.
“Possible,” Ryans nodded. “I'll make a note to ask Mary or Gregory sometime when things settle down.” He tapped at the network. “Or I'll send an e-mail like that.” He looked up to Nate. “Thanks Nate.” He nodded as the biologist got up.
“Thank you for your time. I was just soo...” He shrugged helplessly.
“Excited and wanted to share. I know Doc, not a problem. I was curious myself,” Ryans smiled as Nate bobbed a nod then left.
<==={}------------>
“Ah, there you are,” a familiar voice said. He turned to see Deidra and a guard in the entryway. He smiled nodding politely before turning back to the massive room.
“Nice to see you too. Nate told me about this, I had to see it for myself.” He smiled looking around the ornate library. It was large, three tiered, with wall to wall shelves and book cases. Scrolls of every size and shape filled every nook and cranny. Maps were on one wall opposite the fire. Nice reading chairs were arranged around the hearth.
Deidra looked around as well, running her hand along a polished banister. “You like?” She smiled at him as he nodded. “I loved to spend winters here in front of the fire reading.” She waved to the leather chairs near the dark fireplace. He looked and then nodded, easily picturing it. In the dead of winter something like this place would be the place to go to relax and combat boredom.
“I've done that a time or two myself.” He stretched, then carefully set the scroll he had been puzzling over aside. “I'm surprised you have paper however. And books!” He waved to indicate some of the leather bound tomes. He hadn't intended to be here for so long. He checked his phone and frowned. Two hours here.
Deidra fingered the tome. “They're hard to make. Father has a copy of every book ever made here,” she smiled, running a delicate finger over one of the leather bound monster books.
Ryans nodded. “I can imagine. I was just wondering how you got the recipe for paper. That was an Asian thing.”
She blinked at him. “Asian.” He used his in
dex fingers to make his eyes wider simulating an Asian look. She nodded.
“Yes we have people like that,” she said. He knew that of course, he'd seen a few in the castle. She went looking through the tomes then came up with one. She laid it next to the map and started thumbing through the pages. He went over to her side.
“Here,” she said. She pointed to a page. “Many years ago men and women came through the land looking for a place of their own. They had traveled through the vortex and decided to settle in a valley...” She stopped reading and pushed the book away to look at the map. “Ah, here.” She pointed tracing her finger along what looked like a valley.
“They built a village in a valley, but were driven out by the migrating herds in the fall. When winter came many fell prey to animals and starvation.” She looked up, face dark. He rubbed her shoulders gently.
“Some managed to get back to nearby settlements. A few were found by a convoy train the next spring as well.” She shook her head. “They settled here in the capital and in small villages along the coast. They were the ones who taught us about...” She glanced at the book. “Yes, paper. This,” she said. She tapped the pages.
“And adding fish and kelp to the soil... many healing medicines... some other things,” she explained. She looked up from the book to him. He nodded. Native Americans were known for some of this as well he knew. And come to think of it wasn't there an Asian Duke? He thought, rubbing his brow. Isamu Sung, he remembered and then frowned as another thought struck him suddenly.
“Too bad they didn't teach you gunpowder,” he said. She blinked at him.
He frowned. “The Asians were the ones to discover gunpowder on earth. Many, many years ago they used it in rockets and in fire crackers. Later it was transported to the Mideast and Europe and developed into better weapons.”
She nodded. “Most of those who came were said to be farmers,” she explained. “Peasants.” He nodded.
“Probably. And they may not have had access to that knowledge... or were forbidden to teach it. Asia had a death penalty for anyone who broke that law back then.” He shrugged.
She seemed to become aware of his looming presence and blushed. She pulled away for a moment, but when he didn't follow she darted an exasperated look at him then leaned back against his side.
Instinctively his arms wrapped around her to support her. She smiled, glad her ploy had worked. He chuckled softly. “Better?” he murmured.
“Ah boss, we've got those figures on... um...” They both stiffened at Max's voice. Ryans turned to see him there as Deidra scowled, looking away. “Ah, sorry it can wait,” Max said starting to retreat.
They both seemed to sigh, and then he chuckled once more. “No Max, I take it you got the figures on the electrical sorted out?” He turned to see the big engineer looking a bit sheepish. Max wanted to get his hands on the reactor they had tucked away in the ravine but Perry was adamant about leaving it where it was for now.
“Yeah, ah, we've got the iron and copper estimates, but we're having a heck of a time getting our hands on the chromium and platinum now that people know we want it. Not to mention tin and some of the other bits we're going to need later on.” He shrugged. “I was hoping the princess or the minister of trade could do something about that.” He indicated the princess.
“I guess work is never done,” the princess murmured straightening her bodice. He chuckled.
“Something like that,” he agreed. She tilted her chin up to him and he impulsively kissed her. She froze, and then softened. He felt her arms wrap around him. When they came up for air he lightly brushed her cheek with his hand.
A grunt and then clearing of a throat made him chuckle again as awareness of their audience returned. “Sorry.” He turned to see Sergeant Waters alongside Max. “Something else Master Sergeant?”
“Max and the others bore standardized the new brass ammunition so we've got a small supply for our own uses to restock. It's not nearly as good as our own, but it's a start. I was concerned about it though, we need to set up armories in secure locations that are protected from the elements and theft...and protect the population from accidents. Lieutenant Perry agreed and pointed me in your direction.” He waved to the map. “I also wanted to go over our line of march again while we've got the time.”
Deidra smothered a chuckle as he slowly released her. “By all means,” she said smiling. She moved the tome then pulled the capital map out and placed it on top of the area map.
<==={}------------>
“I see you're getting along with the princess a lot better,” the Sergeant said after Deidra made her excuses and left. He watched her go smiling slightly.
“Something like that,” he said, returning his attention to the Master Sergeant. “I'm not sure where it's going to lead, if anywhere,” he shrugged. Which was true enough. Deidra had at least stopped pressuring him into committing to stay. He was taking things one day, and more importantly one evening at a time. The evenings when they both had energy were memories he would treasure he realized. He looked back to the Master Sergeant who was studying the map. “I had an interesting conversation with Nate a little while ago...”
“Was he prattling on about the animals again?” the Sergeant asked, sounding annoyed. “I told him it could wait. It's not like it's important.”
“I disagree,” Ryans said. The Sergeant looked up. “Oh some of it was chaff, but there were some interesting tidbits in there. Like the war pigs.”
“War pigs?” the Sergeant asked, wrinkling his nose. “You're kidding I hope.”
Ryans shook his head. “Fraid not Sarge, war pigs six legged monstrosities, head of a warthog, with four great big serrated tusks. Temperament of your worst hung over, caffeine deprived, angry DI after his wife and commander chewed his ass.”
The Sergeant snorted. “Sounds hard to believe.”
“Oh believe it. Remember that thing that chased the princesses a couple of months ago on our trip here?” he asked. Waters nodded. He hadn't seen it but had heard the reports of it. “I'm going to look it up in a minute. In fact that's why I came here. It seems Duluth has a few... or did in the last war. Big nasty things, a guard told me about it. I peeked at the skull in the den. Nasty.”
“Like an ex wife I used to have. Probably prettier though,” the Sergeant deadpanned with a small smile.
“More than likely,” Ryans answered with a laugh. “But that was just one nugget. I'd hate to see a couple of these beasts running amok on the battlefield. From the looks of the skull it would take a bazooka round or fifty cal to put one down.”
“If it got among the men...” the Sergeant said catching on.
“Yeah.”
“No plan survives contact with the enemy, that's why they call them the enemy,” the Sergeant said nodding. “But we know about it now. Damn, now I know why the General wanted pikes and lancers among the musketeers,” he sighed, rubbing his brow. Of course the bastard could have told him, he thought with a touch of annoyance.
“Yup. You may want to rethink that little tidbit. Also, he pointed out some nasty critters, and something for Doc to put to her medical puzzle.”
“Do tell...?” the Sergeant asked looking up. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear more bad news but knew he needed to be aware of it.
“Well, you can get a look at some of the war beasties in the den or stables yourself. But as far as Doc's bit, well she's been on and on about bouts of rickets and calcium deficiency affecting people. It turns out the animals don't produce milk like Terrans do... and those that do use boron not calcium in their bone structure.”
“Ah,” the Sergeant nodded.
“Ah indeed. We're going to have to check our diet. I'll get Gregory on it in a bit. I want him to double check that little thing. Also have him overhaul what he can here, dietary practices abroad, and for the army itself.”
The Master Sergeant looked thoughtful. “Hmmm.”
“In other words, better rations,” Ryans said smiling.
&
nbsp; “Oh I got that part. I was just wondering what other things we've been overlooking from time to time,” the Sergeant sighed. “Ah the hell with it, what will come will come.”
Chapter 20
“Problem?” he asked the next morning as he watched Deidra wince. She glared then tried to tone down the glare when he winced. She'd been prickly and distant this morning. He'd been distracted and had avoided the subject.
“Sore?” he asked coming over to her. She wrinkled her nose at him. She had a riding crop and gloves tucked under her arm. She was dressed in dark brown leathers.
“Going out riding Princess Deidra?” Wanda asked amused. They looked over to her. Ryans shrugged. “Which way? I can see who the top is obviously,” Wanda asked wickedly. Ryans sighed, rolling his eyes.
“I think not,” he said giving the princess a look. Her face twisted. “Cramp?” he asked softly as her hand went to her middle. She snarled a little. He sighed moving away. He shook his head.
“Ah... it's ah... your womanly thing,” he said to Wanda. Deidra glared.
“That's a private matter,” she snarled locking eyes with him.
He shook his head. “Most of the time yes, your health is a concern for me. When you’re biting my head off for being concerned it raises eyebrows. Mine included.”
“You Terran’s... always talking, always explaining,” she snarled slapping the riding crop.
Wanda gaped. “Wanda could you...” Ryans asked backing away, hands up.
“Yeah,” she said giving him a look and disdainful sniff. “Sure, leave her in my hands. Suurre.” She looked back at the angry princess clutching at her belly.
“Thanks,” Ryans said retreating quickly.
“That bad huh?” Wanda observed watching the princess gasp a little. She went over and took the riding crop. “Come on dear, we'll see Doc, she can give you something for the cramps and the pain. I've got a couple of pads you can use that should help with the bleeding,” she said, wrinkling her nose at the smell. She held Deidra’s elbow, steering her down the hall.
