by Max Jager
"Touch me and I'll cut you to the bone." The metal resembled Damascus steel and looked very well made. The hilt closely resembled a K-Bar with its thick leather washer construction. Matt then asked,
"That's a cool knife sir, where could I get one?" Yufic studied him for a moment, then replied,
"You take care of everyone of those Shadox pestering my crops, and I make one for you."
"I don't understand," replied Matt, "Are you a farmer, or a blacksmith?" Yufic put his hand on Matt's shoulder,
"Friend, farming is my livelihood. Knife making is my passion. Now if there are no more questions, it's getting close to the time of day those damn Shadox are out and about. By the way, what do you plan to kill them with?"
He retrieved his AR and shotgun along with the shoulder bag of ammunition and showed them to Yufic. The elf gave him a puzzled look, then looked at Fergus,
"Is this some sort of magic device?"
"He claims bows, arrows swords and the like are obsolete where he comes from. I am no more familiar of these things than you are Yufic," stated Fergus.
"Is there a tree or something I can climb into?" Said Matt, "I understand these animals have a good sense of smell, but if I can get above them I can pick them off." Yufic looked at him again,
"Yeaaah, I think we can find you a nice tree."
Yufic suggested that Fergus and Drott wait at the house while he took Matt back to the edge of a medium sized field where there were tracks and rooted up ground.
"What exactly do you grow?" Asked the teen. Yufic reached down and pulled up what looked like a giant peanut.
"These are called "Plota's" right now they're still growing," explained the elf. "When this outer casing turns orange, the tubers inside are ripe, when you are finished, I'll give you some they are very popular, and quite tasty."
Matt selected a tree on the edge of the field that he could climb. With his AR, and shotgun slung over his shoulders, Matt worked his way up a fork in the tree and made himself comfortable. Calling up to the teen, Yufic said,
"I'll leave you to your hunting now, good luck."
Nothing happened for awhile, and Matt found himself starting to nap, when he suddenly heard chuffing noises coming from below him. Looking down, he saw several creatures that resembled a cross between a pig and a dog. Long snouts almost like an elephant's trunk only stubby. Pointed ears like a boxer, and legs like a dogs, in fact these animals looked like a Labrador with a wild boars head.
The animals seemed agitated, but others were busily digging up plota's with their snouts and tusks. As quietly as he could, Matt slowly charged his rifle, and took aim at one of the animals that was digging. "Bam!" and the Shadox started to run, but keeled over and died. The rest of the pack stopped what they were doing, but didn't run which was what he was afraid of. Taking advantage of their ignorance, Matt quickly took aim, and began targeting as many as he could get a bead on. One of the animals was only wounded, and began yipping, this caused the others to go into a frenzy, and attack the hapless Shadox.
Taking full advantage of this, Matt emptied one magazine, on the pack, and quickly re-loaded. Since he couldn't take the time to take careful aim, Matt sighted anywhere he could on their dark brown bodies, wounding many. This caused even more frenzy, as the remaining animals began to attack their wounded pack members. Matt went through another twenty round magazine, then switching to his shotgun, finished off the screaming animals, with only two escaping. Reloading the AR, he waited for close to half an hour, to make sure all the Shadox were truly dead. Just as he was about to climb down he heard voices coming towards him.
Remaining where he was, Matt saw Drott, pulling his little wagon, with Yufic, Fergus, and another elf riding in it. Yufic looked up at Matt and exclaimed,
"We heard the noise from the house, then all that shrieking and yelping. Frankly, we thought we'd find you torn to shreds." Then both elves and Fergus cautiously approached the scene of the carnage, poking the bodies with a stick. As he climbed down, Matt explained what had happened to the incredulous faces of Fergus, and the elves, even Drott, commented on the incredible sight.
Yufic uttered a low whistle,
"Eumbria wept. By the deities what did you destroy these creatures with?"
Matt held up his rifle, along with a single round.
"With this, you saw it, it's not magic, if that's what you're thinking, it's called a rifle, it shoots these bullets, and this is called a shotgun it fires these shotgun shells." The elves looked at the firearms like they would bite them, but didn't say a word, just staring at Matt with fear in their eyes.
"Nobody will ever believe this was possible," exclaimed Yufic, "Let's toss these animals on the wagon here; I want Deegom to see this." Carefully stacking the dead Shadox on the back of the wagon, over the protests of Drott, they made their way up to the mill. Along the way, Yufic introduced his brother Reggin, who worked the adjoining farm. He also told Matt,
"Friend, for what you have done, I will create a magnificent blade,"
"Well if you do," replied Matt, "I really liked that handle on yours; many of the knives where I come from have similar handles."
"So it shall be," replied the elf.
Like the others, Deegom Betalok couldn't believe what he was looking at as well, the wagon now leaving a trail of blood dripping on the ground. It had also started to draw onlookers who gathered around the gory sight.
"Well I count fourteen animals here," said Deegom, it looks like the guild owes you seventy weins, I will see to it that your reward is sent to…Uh, where is it you're staying?"
"At one of the guest houses up at the palace," replied Matt, Deegom gave him a surprised look,
"You are a guest of the queen?"
"Yeah, we arrived a couple of days ago,"
"I thought you were one of those Golians," replied Deegom.
"Naw, two of us are from the planet earth, we have a couple androids with us who are from a place called Xandrus, in fact, the queen and her Prime Minister are talking with them right now about building a couple spacecraft to travel between here and Doradus."
"Well I wouldn't know anything about that," replied the miller, "But tell me, would you be interested in making a little more gold?"
"What? Shooting more Shadox?" Questioned Matt,
"Perhaps, but…Well let's just say I have…Friends. Do you know where the "Moon Spinner" is?" Fergus glared at Deegom, and shot back,
"You don't want to send him there, it's not the kind of establishment honest folk are found in."
Matt's ears immediately perked up,
"What is it, some sort of "tit" bar?" Both the elf and Leprechaun gave him strange looks,
"It is a place where Succubi frequent," replied Fergus matter-of-factly."
"What! Exclaimed Matt, "Prostitutes?" Both Elf and Leprechaun burst out laughing.
Chapter 16
Titan Stand Chapter 16
Matt made no commitment one way or another to Deegom concerning the use of his strange and powerful weapon, but on the way back into town, Fergus stopped him.
"Matt, you may want to consider doing nothing more with that unusual weapon of yours, word's bound to spread about it's ability to destroy things more effectively than a bow and arrow. There's going to be considerable interest, as well as the temptation to steal it." Matt looked down at the little man. Without realizing it, he had just introduced modern firearms to a world that knew nothing more deadly than swords, bows and arrows, and possibly spears.
As they were heading back towards town, a centaur came trotting towards them from a side road but this time it was a female one, or as Fergus told him, a kentauride. She was rather good looking, and like the males, wore a short waistcoat, of light green, with a white shirt underneath. She had long black hair, and a light brown body.
"Heyya Drott!" She called out, as soon as she recognized him then came up along side the wagon.
"You two are wanted back at the palace,"
"By whom?" As
ked Matt.
"The queen, who do you think?" Came the reply,
"Are we in trouble?" Asked Fergus,
"Not for me to say," replied the kentauride,
"But if I were you, I'd go see the queen right away." She then spoke to Drott.
"We are all going on a ride the day after tomorrow; you and Lamia are more than welcome to join us."
"Where ya ridin to?" Asked Drott.
"Not real sure just yet, probably north of Kerin, you know where the Blacksaddle comes up to the Skeln."
"I know the place," replied Drott, "All right then, count us in, see ya later." With that, the female Centaur galloped off back the way she came.
"Who was that?" Asked Matt,
"That was Bithia, she's one of the royal messengers, guess we'd better get back to the palace right away."
On their way to the palace, they ran into Amber and Gandric.
"Where have you tow been?" Asked Matt,
"We've been in meetings all day with the queen and her prime minister, along with various advisors concerning the transport ships I suggested," explained Gandric.
"Do either of you know where Kaitlyn went?" He asked.
"I believe she is with the sorceress, as well as two or three of the creatures known as fairies," replied Amber, "Other than that, I do not know."
"Well thank you," replied Matt, "We have to see the queen ourselves, I guess I'll see you guys back at the guest house later on," he said."
The gate guards passed them through, telling Drott to go to the west portico entrance. Drott let them off in front of the rather plain looking entrance, then exclaimed,
"See ya around, hope you aren't in too much trouble Ha Ha!" With that, he trotted off.
"D'ya think we are really in that much trouble?" Wondered Matt,
"Who knows?" Replied Fergus, queen Breca is pretty even tempered, well let's go and find out." The house Carl was waiting just inside the door,
"There you two are, queen wants to see you."
"We already know!" Shot back Fergus,
"Follow me," replied the servant.
They were taken to the same room Matt and the others first met the queen. The house Carl knocked lightly with the queen's voice calling,
"Come in!" The queen was sitting at her desk, with Lord Morrone standing on her left.
"Have a seat you two," then Lord Morrone pointed to Matt's AR, and pump shotgun.
"Are those the weapons?" Matt shrugged, certain the axe was about to fall.
"Yes sir,"
"Put them on my desk please," added the queen. He carefully laid them down across her desk, the AR first, then the shotgun below it. Both the queen and her lord looked at them likes they were going to bite them. Both studied them for a few moments, then looked at Matt,
"How do these weapons work?" Asked the lord.
"Well they aren't loaded at the moment," explained Matt,
"If you will permit me, I will demonstrate how this long one works." The queen and lord Morrone looked at each other, then back to Matt.
"Very well, please demonstrate," said the queen. He then showed them how the rifle came apart, the bolt, the bullets it fired, and how they loaded into the magazine. He did the same for the shotgun, and gave them an idea of the sort of damage each could do. When Matt was finished, he said,
"If you have someplace I can further demonstrate how this shoots I'll be happy to do so."
"Perhaps some other time," said the queen. "I received word that you had some magical weapon and that you destroyed several Shadox all at once, but these things don't look particularly magical?"
"No your highness," he quickly replied, they make a lot of noise when I fire them, but I swear there is nothing magical about them." Then taking his multi-tool and a bullet, he twisted off the bullet, and poured the powder into his hand.
"This is called gunpowder your highness, when the firing pin in the bolt here strikes the primer at the end of the cartridge here, it causes this powder to ignite. When that happens, a lot of gas is created, which in turn causes the rifle to extract the spent cartridge, and load the next cartridge." Although he tried to be as through as he could, Matt wasn't sure either of them fully understood how the rifle actually worked. He then did the same for the shotgun, showing them how that worked, but for some reason, they seemed to understand that one a little better. After a number of questions, both the queen and her lord began to understand that these firearms were not magical, but mechanical devices that fired projectiles using a process they didn't quite understand.
"It is quite obvious to us that you possess some rather amazing weapons," stated the queen. "Weapons far superior to anything we now have, and this is what worries us. Were they to fall into the wrong hands, there would be no protection from them, magic notwithstanding. I understand that although they may be common where you come from, for us they are a very grave threat, the fact that you come to us from another world, and that we are talking to your metal friends concerning transport ships only complicates matters. However, I must insist, that you return them to your ship, and secure them in such a way they cannot be stolen, or failing that, rendered inoperative in such a way, no one else could use them, is that understood?"
"Yes your highness," gulped Matt.
"Furthermore, I will send members of my personnel guard, along with you back to your ship where the captain of the guard will verify that these weapons have been properly secured, then they will stand guard over your ship until you leave."
"Your highness," he then asked, "Can you tell me where Kaitlyn is? She left a note but I want to know where she is?" The queen frowned,
"Kaitlyn asked a personal favor of Mullein and I in exchange for her book. It was a very selfless thing she asked, as well as very private. We respect that, rest assured that she is in good hands, and in no danger. When she's ready you will see her again."
"Well that's all I really wanted to know your highness, that she's gone somewhere at her own choice, and is in no danger."
"Very good then," replied the queen, my guards should be waiting for you." Matt and Fergus followed the house Carl back to the door they had come in, where they found a squad of tough looking soldiers mounted on equally looking tough centaurs who carried large swords on sheaths across their backs. Both riders and mounts wore kaki colored uniforms along with helmets that reminded him of the old World War 1 helmets.
Since Drott and his wagon were gone, one of the soldiers addressed Matt,
"Give me your hand, I'll pull you up." Then turning to Fergus, he said,
"No need for you to come Fergus."
"Well I'll see you around Matt," he called out.
Matt rode behind the man as they moved out, trotting smartly down the street.
"So you guys are the queen's personal guard?"
"Yep!" He had hoped to strike up a conversation, but this guy wasn't interested. Matt make two more attempts to talk to the man, but all he got for his effort was,
"You talk too much!" Once they were clear of town, the troop went into a full gallop with Matt hanging on for dear life, he had a feeling they were doing this deliberately as the landing area wasn't that far from town. Finally they reached the large stone walled enclosure where the Nora-Lee was parked. Matt was glad Amber had given him the code to open the ramp door. He wasted no time securing the weapons; however on a hunch he removed the firing pins from his rifle, as well as the one for Kaitlyn, before returning them to their lockers. Grabbing a snack before leaving the ship, he entered the code again to close the door.
"Look guys!" He called out, "My guns are locked up, can we go back to town now?"
The captain of the guard walked over to him, and announced,
"No can do, not until our relief shows up, guess you're stuck here until then."
"Uh when will that be?" he asked.
"Not until midnight, sorry." With nothing else to do Matt wandered around, heading for the stone tower, and brick building at one end of the large yard. Several
of the soldiers were already standing around along with their centaur mounts.
"Hey guys, what's happening?" No one said anything at first, trying to ignore him, but out of their own boredom individual soldiers and centaurs began to open up.
"That's a rather interesting concept of fighting," said Matt to a small group,
"Not only does the mounted trooper have a weapon, but so does his mount."
