Princess Rescue Inc (35 page)

“It's
hard un-training a lifetime of bad habits in a short period of time. With time
and patience I think they'll get it as long as they don't backslide. I'd like
to get some of the basic medical texts translated though,” she said looking at
Ryans.

“I'd
ask Sydney to do it but he's busy Doc. I'm not sure how well the translation
program will work on its own.”

When
the meeting concluded the Queen insisted Deidra leave for a walk with Ryans.
Deidra took the order gracefully in front of her uncle the Duke. Rojer eyed her
so she took Ryans arm and sweetly asked him to accompany her for the walk.
Ryans decided the better part of valor meant keeping peace with the royals so
went along with the charade.

“Listen
to me gaijin, my uncle Rojer is a schemer,” Deidra warned him. “He is powerful,
one of the six Dukes in the Kingdom and by far the most powerful. He is here
more to find an opening to drag father and mother from the throne than to help
in the Imperium's desperate hour.”

Visions
of a wolf pack or lion pride fighting for dominance flashed through his mind.
“Mufassa and  Scar,” he said. She blinked at him in confusion. “Sorry,
never mind.”

Their
arms disengaged as he thought about the situation. “Lovely,” Ryans replied when
the silence grew. She looked at him. “Sorry, understated annoyed sarcasm over
the situation. “No, I'm not happy about it. I did expect it, but the idea of a
sibling... well no, sibling rivalry and all...” he shook his head and then
rubbed the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes. “Yeah, I can see it now.
Sometimes we wear blinders,” he finally said.

Her
lips pursed. “True. I am not certain you know how dangerous the situation truly
is.”

“Oh
I'm getting it. Rojer is a bad apple, he'll hug you with one arm while the
other shoves a knife in your back,” he replied.

“Actually
he'd much rather use a subordinate,” Deidra replied. She frowned. “So beware.”

“I
think he's sizing the situation up. Once he gets his bearings he'll be a
problem. The question is will he settle for laying the groundwork now while
we're trying to get organized and fight the Duluth or will he try to take
advantage of the crisis and strike now?”

“That's
something for mother and father to consider,” Deidra replied primly.

“Not
quite, I'm on that list as well. What happens affects me and mine as well.
Technically it'll affect you and Zara as well.”

Diedra
frowned. “Yes, but it's not my place to interfere.”

“I
know, the dutiful daughter. I also know there's fire in those eyes and if you
see him doing something you're not going to wait, you'll kick his ass.”

She
stopped to stare at him. He turned to face her. He cocked his head as they
sized each other up. He finally raised an eyebrow in inquiry. “I'm right and
you know it. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission and all that. Uncle
or not if he's a threat you'll do it.”

“I...”

“Princess,
I know some people think you should be a swooning thing, dainty and prim and
proper. I think they're full of shit. I heard some of the crap they were saying
about my saving you. Also horse shit. If the situation had been reversed you
would have done the same.”

“You
think you know me so well,” she said looking away.

“Oh,
you mean holding back to protect yourself and therefore the line of succession?
Or not risking your life for another? Yes, I know that's there somewhere in the
back of your mind. But I also saw the fighter. You just need to pick and choose
your fights better,” he said.

She
turned to him, eyes glittering. He held up a finger. “Example, your little run
in with the black knight and your experience with that castle that turned you
and Zara away.”

Her
lips thinned as she scowled. She turned and looked away.

“And
of course I'm putting my foot in my mouth by bringing it up. Sorry, maybe I
should learn my own lesson about picking fights,” he said with a sigh, shaking
his head.”

“Perhaps
you should. Your recent fight with mother for example,” she replied bitingly.

“Yeah,
that wasn't very bright. I could have handled that better. I admit I was a bit
heavy handed in getting the point across.”

“I'd
say so,” Deidra growled.

“Thanks
for rubbing it in,” he sighed. “You really think Rojer's going to be a serious
problem? I mean soon?” he asked. Rojer wasn't loyal to the throne though he
pretended to be. That worried Ryans. He'd instituted a policy of having the
newly arrived nobles sign the gaijin treaty. Baron Muchinson had, under
protest, but Rojer had begged off due to travel fatigue. He'd have to get the
man onto it. Or better yet sick the Queen on him.

“Yes,
how quickly he will become a problem is anyone's guess. I think he'll wait to
see if father recovers fully or not,” Deidra finally replied as they started
walking once more.

“Great,
just great. Another problem to keep an eye on. In some ways I like your mother
but I really don't want to be caught in the middle of this.”

“Then
chose a side.”

“I'll...”
he sighed and shook his head. “I'll wait and see.” Her eyes flashed at him. He
shrugged as she started to reply hotly to him. “Can you blame me?” he asked
softly. Her mouth closed and she frowned again. Finally she shook her head.

“Thank
you for being honest with me princess,” he murmured. “I know this is for show,
I know your mother ordered it, but just the same thank you.”

“I
didn't do it for you.”

“I
know. Just the same thank you for the warning and the talk,” he turned,
deciding a change in subject was in order. He looked out to the courtyard
below.

“I
see a mix of different races. That's um... unusual in cultures like yours. At
least on Earth in the past,” Ryans said nodding his chin to Answorth and the
kids below. They were on the wall overlooking the courtyard. Answorth was
working out with some of the other young volunteers. He wasn't sure if it was
play or general mayhem.

Answorth
was still a work in progress, at least he'd gotten the kid to take a shower in
the camper every other day and he no longer had lice or fleas or whatever those
things were. The kid still loved to borrow his laptop or tablet to watch movies
which could be a pain.

Deidra
turned a cool glance to him and then back to the courtyard. “You mean slant
eyes? All are welcome here. Skin color, size, eyes, it doesn't matter, there's
too much to do and too few to do it. Everyone is welcome here. Even Gaijin like
you,” she said and then left.

He
shook his head in bemusement. “Well, that put me in my place,” he said. He
turned as Wanda came up behind him. She was holding something he couldn't make
out at first.

“Put
who in whose place?” she asked.

“Never
mind,” he waved a dismissive hand. “That it?” he asked indicating the ceramic
bowl in her hand. It was pretty, white with blue flowers painted in the glaze.

She
looked down at it. She wasn't at all happy about holding the damn thing but it
was inert as long as pressure and heat weren't around. “Well, hopefully. I've
got another batch drying. The alcohol mush is a pain. Sure it makes a dandy
paste but grinding the stuff smooth makes me a little spooked.”

“Me
to, to bad we don't have a meat grinder. It'd work good and make pretty good
proportions,” Ryans said smiling.

“Sure,
now you tell me. Probably one in that cache you know,” Wanda replied bending
over to put the bowl on the ground. She looked around then shifted it away from
a trellis covered in tomatoes. “Course you could get Max to make one.”

“I'll
probably do that and one for the chefs. I wouldn't mind a decent burger.”

“Botulism?”
she asked.

“You
would bring food poisoning up,” he sighed shaking his head in annoyance.

“Here
goes,” she said, touching a long lighter to the compound. It didn't light. She
tried again frowning. “Ohhh kayy. What the hell did I do wrong?” she muttered.

“It's
probably still wet. It may take time...” Suddenly the compound flashed into a
bright light and then a lot of gray smoke. “Or not.”

“I
think that was some of the alcohol. We watered it down,” Wanda observed.

“You
watered the alcohol down?” Ryans asked slowly.

“Ah
yeah, just breathing that crap in will make you drunk you know,” Wanda said
turning an irritated glance his way. He sighed.

“Then
use a respirator Wanda. The water contaminated it,” he said.

“Crap.
Okay, I'll try.” Wanda picked the blackened bowl up and walked off muttering
darkly to herself. He shook his head and went back to his laptop.

<==={}------------>

Deidra
nodded politely to her mother and sister as she came into the room later in the
evening. “Have a nice walk?” Zara asked with a small smile.

“Hush,”
their mother said, knowing Deidra was in no mood to be teased. She was glad
that the walk had been brooded about though. “How did it go dear?”

“He
is sufficiently informed of uncle Rojer and his scheming,” Deidra replied,
smoothing her skirt out.

The
Queen nodded. That of course had been only part of the reason they had that
walk. “Will he aide us?”

Deidra
sighed. “I think he wishes to stay out of it. Stay out of any schemes or
scheming as he said. He is focused on getting the war over so he and his people
can leave.”

The
Queen's eyes narrowed. “He must get over such lofty goals.”

“Which,
winning the war or returning to Patria?” Zara asked looking from her mother to
her sister.

“Returning,
none can return. The portal is savage.”

“Mother
I wouldn't put anything past these gaijin. Patria has changed greatly since our
ancestors left there. You should watch the picture boxes they have. They have
video of their world and the cities. Such cities!” Zara said shaking her head.
“Towers of glass and iron touching the sky!”

The
Queen looked at her youngest daughter and then to Deidra. Deidra nodded and
then looked away. “Tis true mother, they have such places. Bridges of metal and
stone that span great rivers, machines to move goods in scales we would only
dream of and our merchants would envy.”

“They
could do a lot of that here,” Zara murmured. “If we could sufficiently entice
them to do so.”

“Some
may choose to stay,” Deidra replied. “We might be able to entice a few to stay
with word of a soft life and riches.”

“Force
is definitely out,” Zara said, shaking her head. Deidra nodded. “Any who try to
force them will run into the will of an angry bull rhinotrike in full musk. And
have as much luck surviving such rage,” Zara said. Deidra winced and then
nodded.

“What
about these wonder weapons and things they make?” the Queen asked. Zara gasped,
catching her mother's train of thought easily.

“Thinking
of using them against them mother?” Deidra asked, cocking her head and raising
an eyebrow. Her mother drummed her fingers against her armrest. “Don't mother.
They have greater weapons. The ones they make now are primitive. We will have
more but they will have better and are better trained to use theirs.”

“Don't
mother, don't. We owe them much and they have been kind to us. They try to help
our people and deserve respect,” Zara said earnestly.

“The
fate of our people is ever on my mind daughter,” the Queen said primly.

“It
is about honor,” Deidra replied locking her mother with her own intent gaze.
“Honor, theirs and ours. They honor us with their trust and aide. We must
return the honor and not betray them.”

“Tis
something to consider greatly mother,” Zara said softly. Slowly the Queen
nodded.

<==={}------------>

Wanda
the chemist and Charlie the biochemist worked out an improved black powder
formula. They also turned open their labs, flooding the castle with ideas that
made many people confused but hopeful. Simple things were a hit, including
refined yeast and improved baking soda.

Cleaning
agents had their uses in the kitchen as well. Kitchen sink chemistry and
overhauling the food handling practices helped. The improvement in the quality
of the food was an instant hit with the castle denizens.

Of
course getting someone to install a sink with running water in the kitchen had
been out of the question for now but getting the kitchen staff to bathe and
clean themselves before cooking had helped, if not in flavor then in the
Terran's peace of mind... not to mention stomachs.

The
simple cleaning solutions they released were a big hit, not just with the
cleaning crews but also with the wig industry. Some of the castle court loved
powder white wigs and found that the bleach did a good job of brightening them.
Though one courtier found the hard way that dipping a wig in a watered down
solution overnight destroyed the pricey wig.

Most
of what the Terran chemists had released was from the stockpile the Terrans had
brought along, watered down or thinned with native materials to make it go
longer. It would be at least another week or two before they could get bleach
from scratch into full production. They had to wait that long because the raw
materials weren't in sufficient amounts in the capital for a production run. It
would be a month before they had enough to give it a shot. Aldonis, a native
who had some experience in chemistry was setting up the chemical works under
Wanda's supervision.