by Michael Ryan
“Maybe it’s just pattern recognition,” Amy said.
“No, I’m sure I’ve seen a star chart…”
Dale fell asleep holding her hand, the night passing without threats except for those inherent in love, the greatest risk the universe or any god had yet devised.
Chapter Thirty
But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
~ Yeshua ben Yosef
After first light, when the sun began to warm the forest, the group marched back toward the base. The way there was through rolling grasslands spotted with an occasional grouping of trees.
Off in the distance, a dust cloud rose, likely a herd of Wildebai. Vultures circled in the sky, reminding Dale to remain vigilant. Where there was carrion, there would be scavengers. He suspected predators must also be lurking nearby. Wherever herds of herbivores lived, carnivores hunted them.
After a few hours of marching, Dale ordered a short break under the spread of a shade tree.
“Princess, there must be predators – something that eats those Wildebai,” Dale said. “What kinds of large hunters exist in this world?”
“You’re correct,” Jara said. “We have many such predators. Canines and reptiles on the plains. Dragonlings stay in the mountains and the forests,” Jara answered.
Emi jumped. “Something approaches!” she shouted in alarm.
They stood together and formed a defensive position with their shields up and their swords, spears, and bows at the ready. A group of dwarfish hunters riding on rhinos approached. They numbered twenty-two and were well armed. The riders formed a semicircle. The leader – or at least the warrior whom Dale assumed was the leader – approached. He was mounted on the most enormous rhino of the group, which was covered in copper and bronze armor, and had white and red paint covering the exposed parts of its body.
He rode to within a few meters of the group and spoke in a deep voice. “What business do you have in the Plains of the Ruoho?”
The princess answered, “We are peaceful travelers heading to Irkalla. Let us pass in peace, and I shall speak a blessing on your hunt.”
“What is that strange creature?” He pointed his spear at Tom, who appeared very out of place in his bat avatar.
“He is a stranger to our lands,” the princess answered. “I’m only just beginning to understand that a great war is coming. I have been a prisoner in the dungeons of Muschi Kuningas for some time. How long, I have not yet determined. Perhaps you, mighty hunter, could help me. Do you know of the Great King Thorn Talargo the Third?”
“The dungeons of Muschi Kuningas?” he asked. “I thought such a place was a legend. A story to scare children. King Thorn the Third, well, his time passed long before even the time of my grandfather. You were a prisoner for many years, my lady. Tell me, strangers, what is this war the princess speaks of?”
Dale took a couple of steps towards the hunter. He was the ranking member of the platoon, so he felt he might as well speak. “It is called the Nagant War. Our enemies are called the Declanians, and we are called the Klaharnians,” Dale said. “Perhaps we can become allies and mutually benefit from exchange and trade?”
“Perhaps, young one, perhaps,” the leader said. “I would have to hear from these Declanians first before pledging my allegiance to you. Both armies in a conflict will describe the other as evil, so how can an outside observer know?”
“I can–”
“Our people have not warred for many centuries,” he said. “We’d like to keep our lands peaceful.”
“You’re wise,” Dale said.
The leader looked to Jara. “Speak your blessing, then, my lady, and go in peace.”
The princess began a beautiful chant. Her voice, sweet, low, and powerful, charmed the hunters.
Dale felt a soothing, calm sensation fill his mind.
Jara outstretched her hand and sent an enchantment over the hunters that buzzed and crackled with energy.
The lead hunter bowed his head, spun his rhino around, and marched off with his troop.
“You came close to death,” the princess said.
“What?” Dale looked at her with a weird grin. “It seemed to go pretty well. Why do you think that?”
“The Rauha are a neutral race,” she said. “They believe that to go to war is to admit failure.”
“Not so much like the Russians,” Tom said.
“Or the Japanese,” Emi said. “At least historically.”
“Well, fuck me,” Sanjay said, “if we’re going to talk about aggression, we can’t leave out the States–”
“Hey!” Smith said. “You got all tough there and said a bad word, Sanjay.”
“Oh, sorry,” Sanjay said. “I get upset when people leave out the old American hegemony when they’re discussing worldwide aggression.”
“I don’t think he meant for you to apologize,” Kim said. “It’s okay to be upset once in a while.”
“Your offer to become allies with them could have been seen as an offer to plunge them into a war they want nothing to do with,” Jara continued. “I believe he forgave your ignorance because you’re a stranger.”
“Good thing,” Dale said. “I didn’t mean any harm.”
“Yes, but he did signal his men, and they were poised to kill you with a flick of his hand. Be wise, young Dale, and learn the ways of other cultures before you try to negotiate with them. You’ll live longer, my friend.”
Dale, slightly embarrassed, thanked her. “Five minutes, platoon, and we march,” he ordered.
They made the rest of the journey without incident and, once at the base camp, were forced to wait a day for repairs and equipment restoration.
Lieutenant Brinkmann, Sergeant Dyfrig, and Private Galina eventually made the trip down the new space elevator.
Dale was happy to see them. “Well, you’re in charge again, Lieutenant,” he said. “And you can have it.”
Later that night, when they were alone, Dale explained the business of the jewel to the lieutenant.
“Hmm,” Brinkmann said. He paced for a moment, thinking to himself. “Don’t speak of this to anyone else.”
“Okay,” Dale agreed.
“I’m going to pass this information upstairs. Good job, Dale.”
The base camp was a crowded mess.
People, animals, professional avatars, personal avatars, NPCs indistinguishable from PCs, battle mounts, flair mounts, pets, and a plethora of sounds, smells, and colors tested the limits of Dale’s senses.
There were tents set up everywhere, which included ones with military purposes, as well as the king’s operations and merchants hawking wares, and enterprising locals selling exotic foods in makeshift restaurants.
Anything and everything imaginable was for sale: magical potions of dubious value, weapons, tools, and souvenirs, as well as clothes, appliances, charms, jewelry, and magical implements.
Smells hung in the air that at one moment delighted the senses, while in the next could make a diseased city rat disgusted.
Dale wondered how a construct could be so realistic; everything was designed so well to the smallest details, including the trash and the bugs.
Shepherds herded strange livestock through the camp.
Candy sellers displayed fresh taffy, warm peanut butter brittle, and every flavor of chocolate truffle imaginable. Dale discovered a guava-papaya-pecan dark chocolate truffle with the slight essence of twenty-five-year-old Scotch.
“This flavor is older than you,” Tom said. “It’s good, but I prefer vodka.”
“Vodka doesn’t have a real flavor,” Smith pointed out.
“It does to Russians,” Tom grunted.
“I’ve found the second thing on which Tom and I agree,” Galina said. “I think I could live here forever.”
“Me too,” Emi said. “Let’s explore together?”
As they walked off hand in hand, Tom started to make a joke, but he stopped. It see
med that the wonder of the marketplace had even gotten to him.
“Come on,” Kim said. “Let’s explore too!”
He took her hand, and they disappeared into the crowd, which contained every variation of elf, dwarf, and humanoid imaginable, along with troops from the starship Jabez. The entire scene could have been transplanted to any third-world city on Earth and it would have fit right in, if not for the bizarre races and unusual animals.
One merchant sold a roasted vegetable that looked similar to corn, only it was orange and was served with a buttery substance that looked like blood.
“I think I’ll pass,” Dale said.
“Don’t knock things you’ve never tried,” Smith said.
“Does that explain why you were knocking on my pod in the middle of the night?” Rikuto asked.
“He jokes,” Smith said. “Yes. Next time don’t squirm so much.”
“Boys are disgusting,” Amy said.
“That’s true, mostly,” Dale said. “But I’m not so–”
“Get a bunk,” Sanjay said.
“It’s get a room, you dork,” Smith said. “If you’re going to make a joke–”
“I’ll be in my bunk?” Sanjay tried.
“Jesus!”
The troops and most of the Jabez crew had been given a two-day pass, thanks to the dragon snafu.
“They let everyone out,” Smith observed.
“Except the officers,” Sanjay said. “I sometimes think they’re all NPCs and don’t care about having fun.”
“Yeah, when we get back, it’ll be like this: ‘Open the pod bay door, Hal.’”
“Huh?”
“‘I’m sorry, Dave,’” Rikuto added. “‘I’m afraid I can’t do that.’”
“You need to get out more,” Smith said.
“I’m confused,” Sanjay said.
“It’s from an old American film–”
“Don’t explain it,” Smith said. “It loses all it’s–”
“Come on, boys,” Amy said. “Let’s go exploring. You can give Sanjay a film lesson later.”
They walked through the crowded waves of locals. Apparently none of the platoons were sure what their next mission would be. The OP dragon had messed up command, which had created mass confusion.
Princess Jara agreed to wait before heading to Irkalla. “I’ve already waited longer than a dwarf’s lifetime, as it stands. Besides, I haven’t had blood corn in ages.”
The escort mission was shared with the three respawned members, and they planned to leave after their R&R.
Dale, Amy, Smith, Sanjay, and Rikuto wandered the marketplace and bought souvenirs.
As usual, nobody knew where Yingtai had run off to.
The princess told them she’d be busy with personal business after she finished eating a second helping of roasted vegetables.
Kim was with Tom, and Emi was with Galina.
The local copper coin equaled one-hundredth of a gold bar. They’d all obtained enough gold to buy trinkets and eat their fill of strange foods. However, they’d need more quests and the right kind of loot to afford weapon and gear upgrades.
Two kinds of currency existed. One for fun, and the other for in-game upgrades. Paying for wins wasn’t sporting, in spite of the fact that people always said things like “All’s fair in love and war.”
They walked for several hours before Smith reached his limit of shopping and snacking. “I’m headed up to the ship,” he said. “You guys have fun.”
“Come on, Sanjay,” Rikuto said.
“I don’t want to go to the ship yet,” Sanjay said. “I’m still–”
“Idiot.” Rikuto hit Sanjay in the arm.
“Ouch.”
“Come on,” Rikuto said. “Follow me. I’ll hang with you, but look…” He nodded his head towards Dale and Amy, who were holding hands.
“Oh…” Sanjay said. “I didn’t realize I was being a fifth wheel.”
“Third wheel,” Rikuto corrected.
“Huh?”
“Just follow me, Sanjay. Jesus Christ…”
Dale and Amy smiled at Rikuto in an acknowledgment of his social courtesy, and they walked off together holding hands.
Dale smiled so much his face hurt.
Walking together, they sampled various cookies being handed out as free samples to all the tourists. They purposely avoided talking about anything that might break the spell.
“This planet has a lot of beauty,” Amy said.
“It does. Hardly anything on Earth is still as natural and unspoiled, although it’s probably not as dangerous, either.”
“I think the most dangerous things on Earth try their best to convince everyone that they’re not dangerous, but beneficial.”
“You sound like a Lysanderian,” Dale said.
“Well, it’s true,” Amy replied.
“I guess,” Dale said. He remembered listening to arguments presented by the Troth, and things he’d discussed with Brian. They weren’t all terribly wrong sounding, he thought.
“Did you ever see or hear anything about the Troth?”
Amy frowned, looked around like they were under surveillance, and then pointed to a merchant who had belly dancers, music, and mugs of a local beverage that turned rational people into blabbering idiots. “Let’s sit there, where it’s loud.”
Dale followed her, and he only let go of her hand when he pulled out her chair.
An oddly tall dwarf with a red beard and bad teeth approached their table. “My friends,” he said, “would you appreciate to get extremely much drunk or only slightly tanked?”
“Something light?” Dale asked.
“It is early, my young lovers,” he said. “But in war you never know when your next mug, or your next bedding, may prove to be your finish.”
“It’s okay,” Dale said. “Perhaps something that won’t make us sick?”
“As you wish, my friends,” the dwarf said. “If you take a liking to any of the dancers, they are available by the hour, the day, or the week.”
As he walked off, Dale looked at Amy and said, “Well?”
“They approached me. I listened. When the government started executing people, I decided I could do more alive than dead,” she answered.
“I feel the same,” Dale said. “But I didn’t think…”
“You don’t have to say it. I know what you’re thinking. The draft was, well, inconvenient at best. You’d rather be back in Cincinnati, making sculptures, inventing creatures, trying to get your creativity into a new Rhith World. And why not? I had dreams as well. But we wouldn’t have met each other without the war…”
“True. I’m glad I met you,” he said.
“So you see, it all works out.” Amy reached across the table, squeezed his hand, and smiled with bright, hope-filled eyes.
“Friends!” The dwarf returned, set down two mugs, a bowl filled with roasted nuts, and two handwritten menus. “Enjoy,” he said, “and remember, just because it’s not on the menu doesn’t mean I cannot get it for you.”
When the sun began to set, Dale was tired of walking around the markets. Things were starting to look the same. “We should head to the elevator.”
“Yes, my feet hurt,” Amy told him.
“Yours too?” Dale smiled at her. “Mine have been aching for three hours now.”
“You should have said something.”
“I didn’t want to…”
“What?”
“I didn’t want the day to end.”
Amy smiled at him. “Me either.”
They found their way to the elevator and eventually took the ride up, off the planet, into a place that pretended to be safe. Leaving the fascinating world of Almaach behind and entering an intergalactic military troop transport ship was a weird transition, but it was nothing compared to leaving a life of one and entering a life of two.
The first thing Dale realized when he walked out of the elevator into the sterile halls of the ship was that he smelled horrible.
“I need a shower,” he said.
“You think?” Amy winked, smiled, and slugged him in the shoulder.
He pushed her back, gently, letting his hand linger on her back.
“Hey, you’re not exactly fresh yourself,” he said.
“Would you like me to be?” she said with a coy smile.
Dale blushed.
“Well, I guess I could just go to my own pod,” Amy said. “It’s not like I don’t have–”
“Hey, I didn’t say that!” Dale’s face was warm, and he was embarrassed for being embarrassed.
“So, you want–”
“Of course, I mean, yeah, umm,” Dale said. “I’m sorry. I’m not so good at this. Would you?”
“Yes.”
Chapter Thirty-One
I can offer you a quest.
~ Unknown elf
The next morning, after he was alone, Dale checked his messages.
Subject: Nojus Quest
To: Brown, Dale
From: Smith, Samuel
We’ve been offered a rare animal quest today in a place called the Valley of the Dragon Scale. If you’ve already made plans, I understand. I want to hear about it.
Dale responded.
Subject: RE: Nojus Quest
I’m available. Amy has a guild quest. Something secret. I’m going to Starbucks.
While Dale stood in line for coffee, Smith walked up and started laughing.
“What are you laughing about?” Dale asked.
“Long night?”
Dale blushed. “What?”
“You look like shit,” Smith said.
“Thanks.” Dale ran his fingers through his messy hair. “I guess I could have showered first, but I needed caffeine.”
“You can have it delivered to your pod in about three minutes.” Smith, apparently, was in the mood to be a ball-buster.
“I know,” Dale said. “But you messaged me, and I felt like getting out. Tell me about the quest.”
“Coffee first; then we’ll talk about your late night questing.”
“What?” Dale turned red and frowned. He sipped his coffee and pretended that Smith wasn’t there.
“You know,” Smith said.
