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Post by thundertail on Feb 29, 2008 18:32:13 GMT -5
FORTY-SEVEN: "Submission and redemption." (Continued.)
Waters saw the building as we came upon it, but could not tell the true scale of it as we walked past the Post Office near the entrance. I took a torch and led him to Mayday and my old chambers, for we had recently moved into our claimed apartment in downtoen Kinan Van; and he gaped in wonder at all the hyroglyphs and renditions on the walls, not to mention all the gold and jewel inliad reliefs! I went past them like I had done every day I used these chambers, and we entered his room for the night; which was decked out with a plain looking bed and a small supply of food in a bowl on a stone platform in the near corner.
He studied the cartuches all up and down the perimeter of the chamber, grabbing my torch to see better; then he went to test the bed. It was just an ordinary slat-supported affair, and not very ornate at all; but he laid on it and was nearly asleep before I left the room! I descended into the pyramid and made it to my apartment deep in the subterranean city nearly tweenty minutes later. I had had a busy day, but Mayday insisted on some snuggle time never the less; and I supposed that she had missed me just as much as Rex had! I kissed Mayday good night after tucking Hamilton in, and proceeded to tuck myself in not long after. In the morning I greeted our guest, but he wasn't in his room for some reason! I looked all through the pyramid and found him in one of the upper chambers, examining some more of the hyroglyphs and fumbling with things taken from the World Beneath and items from other chambers in the pyramid. He complained that he got lost, but all this was so fascinating he lost all track of time! This was understandable, and I told him so as I led him out of the pyramid. Outside he turned and stared in awe at the huge triangular building he had spent the night in, and I reminded him about what I told him last night; of which he commented that I wasn't kidding!
In the clearing he saw what went on every morning in camp: humans and carnivores going about thier daily business, off to thier assigned chores and preparing everything that needed to be prepared. The hunting party was still out, so I couldn't show him that; but he saw the efficiency that everyone in the clan did thier things. Thistlesnarl with Carl riding him trotted into the clearing, followed by Diego and Waterkill and at least three more Rainy Basin Ranger teams; and they were around looking for thier Veloceraptor guard escorts, who were just being assigned to them by thier leader, Mosquito.
Futher into the woods the trade carts were being prepared and loaded by humans and small saurians while thier larger saurian pullers were being hitched to those carts. Meals were being prepared by the Kirky, Veloceraptor and human females; and the many children were being herded to various places for thier morning lessons. Waters smiled at all this, looking like he could really get used to living with us. Nobody heard, least of all Waters, that king Thundertail, Grond and Rex had entered the area; and all three were standing right behind us!
"Well, mister Waters!...", Thundertail nearly roared, making us turn with a start and stare at the trio, Rex panting in mirth. "How do you like our little community so far?..."
"Wonderful! Just wonderful!...", Frank Waters barely moved, looking up in awe at this carniverous bohemoth that he should have been terrifyed of. "It's like a paradise, all these creatures living in harmony like this!..."
"I'm glad you like it...", Thundertail said, looking around. "Would you like me to give you a tour as time allows,... or would you like morningmeal first?..."
"You will need all the nutrition you can get if you want a proper tour.", I suggested. "There is a lot of walking involved!", I then whispered. "I don't know about you, but I'm starverd!..."
"Breakfast first sounds fine!", he then replied. "What are we having?"
"That all depends on what the hunting party can catch!", Rex said, almost as well as I could.
"He means our breakfast entre' is going to be dinosaur.", I said. "Here we do not have the same ideals about eating meat as the rest of the island, you see."
"The dinosaurs we hunt in the Rainy Basin live in a more wild state.", Paul Sereno came by and said. "Truely civilized plant eating dinosaurs would live in the cities."
"Thank you, mister Sereno...", Thundertail said.
"Oh yes!", he turned. "Sentinels say that the hunting party returns. They did not do too well today..."
"We are then fortunate that Stinger has introduced other foods in our diet!", Grond rumbled. He was getting much better in English, too! "Breads and fruits would no doubt also be served!"
Frank Waters could not say anything as we led him to the feeding area, he was too overwhelmed at all he had seen and heard so far that he was beyond words. I told him that what he was doing represented one of the creedos Dinotopia goes by: 'Observe, listen and learn.'; and for lack of a comment, he said it was a good one. The main course was an old Hadrosaur of indescriminent make, who could not make the journey to our Retirement Home and died on the way; but our portion I had roasted with a herb baste, and Waters said that he had never tasted anything so strange yet tasty. After plates of many fruits common to the area and rock shaped breads of rye and rice, the meal was chased by a variety of juices and teas; and by the look on this newcomers' face at the end of the meal, he looked like he was beginning to fit in here and relax among our company.
The first place I took him after that was the Pyramid of Teeklan, a structure of which he only saw glimpses of last night and this morning; but his jaw still dropped as we neared it, which was much larger and brighter colored than the ones they have in Mexico City, he told me as we neared the postal Bird aerie. Two of the birds were chatting to each other as another limbered up for flight, and all of them ceased thier activities as we neared thier roost. I explained the functionality of the aerie as a comfort stop for Postal Birds, and went on to explain the usefullness these birds served all over Dinotopia. The first bird took off east, through the treetops and out of sight as the second finished her conversation with the third and prepared to limber up as well. I stopped the third for a second and made my request.
"Could you send a message to waterfall City?", I asked him. "To mayor Waldo Seville, matriarch Rosemary Seville if she's there; or any high ranking official on the council?"
"Certainly, human.", the bird with a yellow scarf and tan goggles on his head said. "Please state your message."
"Message as follows:", I told him. "Mission to disable detection devices aboard the Millennium Queen has been completed. Radio monitoring of rescue fleet beyond Razor Reef indicates they are abandoning the search for more favorable weather. We will return mister Frank Waters to Waterfall City for rurther education shortly. Signed, mayor Stinger, clan Thundertail, Rainy Basin.", I looked at the bird. "Got all that?"
"Of course!", the bird squawked. "My memory capacity is nearly twice that of other Postal Birds!"
"Excellent!", I said cheerily, pointing that he should take off, and he presently did so.
"So, you don't have telephones, radios or things like that; but you have those creatures...", Waters stated.
"Yes.", I told him. "We also employ Skybax riders for courier services. Also messages can be sent by Overlanders, caravan traffic and the Brach bus service; but those methods are pretty slow."
"Don't know what those are...", he scratched his chin. "But I'm sure I'll find out sooner or later!"
"That you will!", I chuckled as I led him away, beginning his tour of clan Thundertail.
We entered the pyramid of Teeklan once again, and this time I led him down to the very roots of the structure. He paused many times at a strange relief or statue made of gold or alabaster, and gaped at the arched portal that led deeper into the earth. The long, curving stairway that led nearly a quarter mile deeper into the ground winded the older man somewhat, but he lost all sense of weariness as we came out into the labrynthine streets of Kinan Van. The Sunstone lighting high above in the ceiling of the cavern lit the whole city up like day, and from those and the sconces and streetlights all along the way; they lit for him a bustling city full of life. Even though not many of us lived down there yet, many humans and saurians could be seen going about thier business down here as well.
I told him all the work we did down here, the labor involved in restoration of the site and the cataloguing of all the artifacts found here; and he seemed quite impressed at all the progress in such a short time. I told him our gift from Tentpole of the Sky the three colored Sunstones, and the benefit the amber one gave us; for once it was placed in the pyramid, lights and other things were activated throughout the complexes of ruins. He commented on the Sunstones, saying that those stones seemed to be a source of great power, and he would love trying to marry that power with some of the things of the modern world that was brought here with the ship. I said that it would be an interesting experiment to see what would happen. I continued the tour down there, and we made our way to the passageways that led to the chamber of the Strutters and the main entrances to Kinan Van; which were completely excavated, but the fine stonework had not been restored as of yet. we were just about to continue our tour of the World Beneath when a Veloceraptor came barreling toward us and screech to a stop, panting.
"Stinger!", Ripper hissed. "Flit has returned to camp!"
"So soon?", I asked. "What is the time?"
"It is close to Eveningmeal.", Ripper hissed. "The sun is low in the sky."
"Time flies!", I said to Frank. "I guess we better cut the rest of the tour short for now. I can only show you so much a day!"
"That's all right, Stinger.", said Frank Waters. "What you showed me so far was absolutely fantastic!... If the rest is half as good, I'm sure I'll be blown away!"
"We must hurry.", Ripper said. "Our king would wish all present."
"Right, son.", I said and we followed him to the entrance we came in from.
At Frank's curious look I explained that Ripper and his brother, Snapper, were my nestchildren; and on further question, I told him about that as well. We made it to the surface just as Flatbottom was being unhitched and rubbed down by some Kirky handlers. Flit was in his bluish armor and MacDougal was leaning on the cart they took, waiting for us just like many others of the clan. Flit was animatedly telling them of his time in Waterfall City as MacDougal chuckled knowingly, but made no indication of what he was chuckling about. Presently Thundertail halted Flit's descriptions and asked him to repeat himself so we could know. Once he was done, Waters came up to him and examined his suit of armor; but was taken extremely aback at his interior look!
"He ain't whot he appears! Eh, laddy?", MacDougal chuckled, moving from where he was leaning and shook his hand. "Name's MacDougal."
"Frank Waters.", the chief engineer said. "This is the most sophistic robot I have ever heard of!"
"Please, mister Waters!", Flit said, eyelights blinking. "I preferr to call myself an Artificial Life Construct!"
"Sorry!...", Waters said, reguarding him some more. "You're a lot more advanced than anything we could make. Who made you?"
"I was designed by Shetsetskafti, chief scientist and engineer to king Othgar the great.", Flit said like he had said so many times before. "If you are wondering about my intellegence, I know everything my Partner knew when he was alive."
"That so?", Waters said, drifting off with the pair as they prepared to go about thier business. "Uh,... If you want to find me, I'll be with them!", he trotted off after them.
I chuckled and nodded at my king and my clanmembers, indicating that he needed to adjust on his own; and to give him his own space as he explored on his own. It turned out that he spent most of the two days there with Flit and MacDougal; and spent it trading insights on Dinotopian technology and the technology from the outside world. He became very good friends with many of our clan, and helped out in things as was his ability: fixing wagon wheels and repairing dents in many of our metallic pots and pans and such. We had planned a cargo run to waterfall City a few days later, and I decided to go and handle the trade myself; but I also wanted to make sure that chief engineer Frank Waters made it to his destiny of learning all about Dinotopia - from ones used to teaching people about the place. So I called him over that morning as the caravan was being prepared and asked him if he wanted to help deliver the supplies. Not wishing to be left out of anything, Waters gladly agreed!
Sauron and Chillet were hitched to the two small carts by several other humans (There were so many humans there now I could not recall thier names.) and other saurians (Same there!), and I had Waters drive the cart pulled by Chillet while Sauron and I led the pair of carts out of clan Thundertail. Chillet balked as waters tried to stroke her neck to get acquainted, and I told him that some saurians do not like to be touched, as in thier case. He apologised profusely whils she told him that since he was ignorant of thier ways, all was forgiven; but still he never touched her again the whole trip!
By late afternoon we came to the main gates of Waterfall City; and knowing my schedule with the supplies, made short work of finding my way through the streets to Commerce Square. The first merchant I stopped at was mister Rhudolph, whom we delivered many cases of MacDougal's hooch; each bottle a different flavor concoction and cut down for civilized tastes, and he thanked me for the delivery while ordering more. We had many types of exotic fruits that only grew in the Rainy Basin for the fruit venders there, and Mammoth milk and cheeses for the vendors of those comodities. We traded the drachs we got from those exchanges for refined medicines, ready made clothing some of our human females ordered, leads to other trading ventures and tips on interesting artifacts presumably from the World Beneath in other parts of Dinotopia. With my business done for the time being, I decided to take Frank Waters to the mayor so they could prepare him for and regester him for education and accomodations in the city. At the courthouse I found nobody there as I searched every hall. In a small administrative alcove I fouund Minch, and he was hurriedly gathering papers and scrolls to be put away for the day. In his general confusion, Minch turned with a jerk and ran into me as I stood by the door; and he gasped once he realized who I was!
"OH!... Mister stinger!", he jostled his scrolls. "I didn't know you were in the city!... How may I help you?"
"I came with the load of supplies for the merchants in the city, and...", I began.
"Ah, yes!", he said. "I had seen the permit for those transactions...", he put in as I caught two scrolls that spilled from his hands.
"Anyway...", I continued. "I brought mister Frank Waters along too. I wanted to return him so he can begin his life as a Dinotopian!"
"I see that, sir.", he said as we followed him down a hallway. "Unfortunately, I wasn't notifyed of this. I'm afraid there is no place for him to stay the night.", he opened another chamber door and quickly placed his load onto the table in the center. "I will see to it as soon as I file all these writs...", he studied his workload as I placed my scrolls on the table as well.
"Don't bother!", Waters said. "Can't we sleep in the carts or something?..."
"Nonsense, my dear sir!", Minch looked up. "All will be taken care of shortly.", he looked up once more. "Stinger, if you escort him to the Eating Pavillion, I will meet you there in about a half hour. Then I should have rooms for you both..."
"Also, do you think it's possible to provide rooms for our pullers?", I asked. "They are two Pachycephalosaurs..."
"Right away, sir...", Minch shooed us away.
I led the way out of the courthouse and went to our carts; then we made our way to the Eating Pavillion less than ten minutes later. We both ordered thier house special, and sauron and Chillet ordered what was suitable for thier species while we waited. Not many of the regular patrons present at this hour made any sign of our presence other than a few sidelong glances at my armor; but when the food got there it was hot and delicious. We ate our fill and pushed dishes away as we continued to wait for Minch, looking up and down the street expecting his presence. A questioning glance from waters and I took the opportunity to speak.
"So, this is where we part company...", I said. "I hope you find happiness here, my friend."
"Well, I figure that, with friends like you I'll probably meet along the way...", Waters stretched. "I'm sure that will be the case!"
"Just remember, wherever you end up being, you'll always have friends in the Rainy Basin.", I said. "Your help the past few days - as well as your help with the ship - proves you'll be a vital asset to Dinotopia."
"Just as soon as I learn my way around, huh?", he said.
"Precisely!", said Minch as soon as he came into earshot. "Acclimation will begin tomorrow; but for right now, I have found you a place to spend the night.", he sat down, and a Stenochysaur waiter noticed him and began his approach. "You will be staying with mister Friedman, the fruit vendor; and I will escort you there shortly."
"Anything I can get you, mister Minch?", the waiter asked, stylus poised.
"Uh,... The usual, I guess...", Minch replied, then turned his attention back to us. "As for the rest of you. Stinger can stay at Fountain Square, in the hall of Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsians; and your two friends can stay there too. I'm sorry there is no more human accomodations available in the city..."
"That's all right, my dear sir!", I said. "I'm well practiced in sleeping in saurian nests."
"Very well. I suppose you know the way...", he said then noticed his dinner approaching. "With all of todays' activities, I forgot to have lunch!"
We waited in silence as he nearly wolfed down his pasta and greens, topping it off with a Jinka tea and some water. After a moment to wipe his mouth and arranged the used plates and silverware - including ours - he rose, and we all followed suit. Waters turned and shook my hand; then offered his hand to Sauron; but thought better of it and was about to withdraw it, but Sauron took it and pumped it twice. Chillet came up to him and gave him a suprise nuzzle, then smiled in a saurian way as she took her mate's hand. Further goodbyes were said all around as I paid the waitor for all our meals; and then it was time for Minch to lead chief engineer Frank Waters away...
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Post by thundertail on Mar 4, 2008 18:07:21 GMT -5
FORTY-EIGHT: "Salvage Operation."
Our night in the hall of Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsians was quite restful, despite the fact that my assigned nest was designed for saurians a few sizes too small for me; but Sauron and Chillet said thier rest was most enjoyable. This was, of course, after a Postal Bird woke us, summoning us to the council chambers for an impromptu meeting; and we made all haste in getting there, saurian tender of the facility we slept in promising to take good care of our carts. As we climbed the steps to the great hall, we noticed many of the crew of the Millennium Queen standing in knots with thier escorts at the front of the building. many of them voiced thier ignorance in why they were called here, and I could offer no insights as to why, either! Soon mayor Waldo Seville came down the steps, flanked by his usual saurian guard, and reguarded all that were summoned with a smile.
"My dear friends, fellow Dinotopians, men and women...", he began. "Many things have no doubt happened since your arrival on our humble shores. This meeting will be a follow-up of sorts. A chance to end the lives you once knew and begin a new and wonderful one with us.", he spread his arms to all in greeting. "Now, if you will all follow me, we can get started. We have so many things to discuss!...", he turned, and many followed right away while most lagged behind before being prompted by thier hosts.
Inside the council chambers, only a small handful of human and saurian delegates were in attendance; but it seemed that all of the court clerks were there, scurrying this way and that in an effort to organize everything and seat everyone. I led Sauron and Chillet up to our booth in the balcony, and one of the aides escorted us; whispering the meetings itinery to us as we went. The newcomers there were the first to resolve themselves that they were on Dinotopia for the rest of thier lives, and they were the ones most eager to learn and get started with that life. Thier part in the meeting was to have them assigned to other communities where they would be trained in other trades as well as continue thier education of Dinotopia in general. I decided to volunteer Kinan Van to be one of the communities receiving these people. After all, Kinan Van was open and running smoothly as a city; but the city could contain up to 30,000 people and saurians, and it was only about 65% occupied so far. Many of the newcomers, as well as thier families and Partners could live there comfortably; but I decided to wait on the mayors' decision.
The next thing to be discussed was the fate of the Millennium Queen. The ship was foundering out there, and there was many useful things aboard. A discussion would ensue about the deposition of those supplies, and what would become of the hulk when all useful things were taken away. I would request that clan Thundertail get the majority of these things as we were the first there, and nearly single handedly rescued all of these survivors; and I would argue that we were entitled to at least something. King Thundertail said that it was unwise to be too greedy, so I would argue these points and wait to see what the mayor decided and be happy with that.
Another event today was to be a full account of the rescue ooperation and the events following discovery of the detection equipment on board the ship. It was required to give an account of all activity involved with disabling said machinery, and all things said and done between then and the return of Frank Waters; and that was the reason I saw him below in the crowd, talking to his former captain and many of the other crewmembers. I knew that news of the successful disablement of the G.P.S. would surely please them; and knew that news of the rescue partys' abandonment of the search would please them even more! The courtroom grew silent as all filed in and was seated, then fell to a hush as mayor Waldo Seville emerged onto his ships' bow podium above the main floor of the chamber.
"Well!... We are all here!...", Waldo smiled at us all. "The first thing I would like to do is welcome you all... You are true Dinotopians of the finest spirit!", he cleared his throat as all cheered mildly.
Waldo let this die of its' own accord before speaking. "I suppose the first thing we should discuss is this: Is dinotopia truely safe from outside influence?"
He looked in my direction, motioning with his eyes that I should come forward; so I backed out of clan Thundertail's booth and scurried around to the main doors, walking regally to the middle of the chamber.
"To start things off, I would like mayor Stinger of the Rainy Basin and chief engineer Frank Waters to give an account of thier little mission of destruction!", Waldo said. "Mister Waters, if you would please step forward?", he complied, standing at my side.
"Sir, I will do my best...", he mumbled.
"I guess it is best if Stinger begin.", the mayor said. "After all, he and his great metallic Skybax took you there!"
"Yes, sir.", I said, and gave my whole account. For the next twenty minutes or so the whole courtroom was silent listening to the story. I told about our flight there to disabling the G.P.S. antenna, removing and discarding the vital components overboard. I told of the radio transmissions from the rescue party on the other side of the razor Reef, and thier intended abandonment after we disabled the rest below decks. I said how we gained sustenence from the ships' stores, and told of all the goods still aboard as well as thier usefullness to all Dinotopians. I left nothing out, or was corrected every now and again by mister Waters. I ended by giving an account of mister Waters' discoveries at clan Thundertail to his trip back to waterfall City. The people before me clapped at the story's conclusion, and we both stood down.
"Well! That is truely glorious news!", Waldo said amid the applause. "Truely Dinotopia is safe from the outside world!... Mister Frank Waters and mayor Stinger, your service to the island will be remembered always!", then he became serious. "But do you think they will return?"
"The Perpetual storm and the Razor reef will discourage them every time they try.", I conjectured. "At least that's the way I see it."
"Studies show that this is the case.", Zippeau Stenoychosaurus said from a back row. "Ooh!... I'm sorry! I'm out of line again!...", he sat.
"It is all right in this case, Zippeau.", Waldo told him. "I have read those studies myself.", he looked out into the crowd.
"Now, there is a matter of the salvage of the Millennium Queen.", Waldo continued. "Judging from many accounts, no less those of mayor Stinger and Frank Waters, the items aboard can be beneficial indeed to all Dinotopians. But to be fair to the passengers and crew, I have dispatched a salvage team to recover all of thier effects. That was why I had your hosts ask you everything you had brought aboard. All those things will be recovered and sent to you with all due speed."
He took a breath before continuing. "Now then, the list of supplies and provisions generally on a vessel such as this has been gratiousely provided by the ships' purser and various supply handlers among the crew.", shuffling was heard in the courtroom as all settled down to hear the rest. "The list is extensive, but the useful things will be doled out to communities that need these things the most; and the rest doled out as seen fit or as said communities need them."
"Your honor...", I rose and spoke. "If I may suggest. Clan Thundertail was present when the ship ran aground, and played a major part in rescuing the survivors. I feel that, since we did all that, we should get a majority of these items. Many of these items are of outsider manufacture, and most Dinotopians would find no real use for them anyway."
"I see your point, Stinger.", Waldo said. "But unfortunately, I must say that you will not get most of what is aboard! True, you and your clan played a large part in this dilemma, and deserve to be commended. You are indeed entitled to a portion of the salvage of the Millennium Queen, and you shall certainly get that; but it will be a fair portion no larger than all the rest."
"Thank you, your honor.", I said. "King Thundertail warned me about being too greedy; but I figured it couldn't hurt to try!", I got chuckles!
"Do not be discouraged in this just yet, Stinger. You may get the Tyranosaur's share if all goes in your favor!", Waldo said. "If the items you speak of are as strange as you say, they might end up being yours after all!", I bowed and returned to my booth above while Frank returned to his seat behind him.
"Now then...", mayor Waldo Seville said after clearing his throat. "The main reason why you are all here today is to tell you that many of you are about to go on a little trip.", he paused to hear the castaways' confused murmur. "It has come to my attention that the rescources of Waterfall City is on the verge of being taxed greatly. If we do not do something about it, Waterfall City will no longer be the prosporous city it is famous for!", he smiled. "All of you are going to be assigned to live in other cities and outposts all around Dinotopia, and exactly where each one of you and your families and Partners are to go will be determined by the end of the meeting."
"Lord mayor!...", I announced. "If I may make a contribution... As you know, our city of Kinan Van is now fully operational. The only thing with this is it is not fully populated.", I looked at the small sea of humans below. "I volunteer a minimum of one hundred homes in Kinan Van to the repopulation of these fine people!", cheers.
"What a gratious contribution!", Waldo joined in the clapping. "I am sure you will get many tennants from this group!"
"Also, lord mayor...", I added. "A specific invitation goes to mister Frank Waters to live there with us!...", I looked down on him. "He seemed to show a growing intrest in our community, he has made friends with nearly everyone there so far; and his engineering skills would come in quite handy around there."
"That is a noteworthy idea, mayor Stinger!...", Waldo said. "I am sure thast the council will vigorousely take that under consideration!..."
"Mister mayor?...", Waters requested. "I would really like to live there one day, but I know that I must learn all I can to be a good Dinotopian citizen. My first task should be to learn all I can here in Waterfall City before going to live with Stinger..."
"That is a sound criteria as well!", Waldo chuckled. "You shall certainly learn all we have to offer in your education!", he looked at the rest. "As with all of you!... I assume that by now all of you have at least started cirriculums in our many schools. This education will continue for as little as one month to as much as one year; and then you will be assigned to your new residences.", he looked at one and all. "Any questions thus far?"
A moment later a few people had a question or two, followed by a flood of them as the next twenty minutes or so elapsed.
"I haven't had so much as a steak since I got here.", One said. "Is it true Dinotopians do not eat meat?"
"Dinotopians value life above all else.", Waldo said. "The very thought of eating meat is extremely repulsive to us! We have developed certain plants to suppliment our need of protein and other nutrients. Our diet is a most healthy one!", he looked up at me. "Of course, there are certain ones who do not hold to these beliefs..."
"Is it true that the dinosaur I was given is to be with me for life?", another asked.
"Of course!", Waldo told him. "The bonds we make with our dinosaur Partners can become quite personal and intimate. Dinosaurs are our brothers and sisters on this island!"
"Is it true you have knowledge that has become lost to the outside world?", asked another. "If so, is it like the library at ancient Alexandria?"
"Actually, that library is believed to have what king Othgar and his followers had taken with them from our library.", the mayor said. "You should ask Zippeau Stenoychosaurus if you really want to know."
The questioning went on for another hour. Most dealt with where they would live and who they would live with, and just as many questions dealt with the finer points of Dinotopian life. Some even asked if it were possible to leave the island if they didn't like it here, but the delegates in the upper tiers chuckled thier saurian laughter as Waldo tried to explain that there wasn't any way off. Mayor Waldo Seville tried to explain to them that all those questions would be answered as time went by, and to be patient as every Dinotopian was doing thier very best to council them and help them acclimate to this new way of life. Other than that, the castaways present voiced thier pleasure and wonder at being here, and overall said that this was the best place on Earth; a thing that I had vocally agreed with Sauron just then, and got braying mutual agreement from him!
"Now then, to continue with this meeting, a handful of you have already been approved for certain places around the city. The section you will be staying in has certain crafts and trades. There you are encouraged to learn that trade, and soon you will be a master of that trade.", Waldo told them, then rattled off the half dozen names. "The following are to be assigned to other cities:", He spoke the names of nearly all the rest, and the name of the town they were to be sent to. "These places are centers of one trade or more. Farming, fishing, transportation and trade. There are also hatcheries in some of these places, and some of you will even be assigned there."
Only three present were assigned to clan Thundertail, and to live in Kinan Van; and by the end of all the assignments, Frank Waters had been assigned there as well!
When the time came to portion out the things aboard the Millennium Queen, it was decided that since a physical inventory hadn't been performed yet; this could not be feasable at this time. However, since there were plenty of perishables like food and the like; that would have to be doled out right away. Of this booty clan Thundertail would get any meat aboard, whether it be frozen, dried or fresh; and the majority of the perishable vegetables and the like would be given to the nearest towns, leaving any nonperishables for the farther towns.
The mayor had already said that the personal effects of the passengers and crew were already being loaded into barges at first, then to be transferred to carts to be taken to Waterfall City. He assured the people here today that they would be getting thier things long before they left the city; and he commented that they might not need some of the things they had, but they could be traded for other things truely needed. He started to end the meeting by once again commending these people for taking thier first step in a new life. As his applause died down somewhat, Waldo discreetly called me into his private chambers.
"Stinger, there is a problem...", Waldo told me as he began to eat.
"I know having all these new people here is a problem.", I told him. "That is why I volunteered to help house them..."
"It's not that, my boy!", Waldo motioned that I could join in, so I took an orange wedge. "I'm sure you heard the concerns of the people today. They wish to leave us, and travel to the outside world!"
"But we told them many times that it's impossible.", I said. "I have read some of the accounts of those who tried and failed in the past. Carl Scott told me how him and his father tried and nearly drowned. I may not have tried, but I could have using the Skybax Strutter. It was fortunate that the thing has a limited range!"
"That's not it at all!", Waldo said. "WE may know it's impossible, but many of these people do not believe us! They will try no matter what we say, and most likely kill themselves in the bargain!"
"Then we should keep a closer eye on those who have a mind to try.", I suggested. "If those you think would try gives you any trouble, they can stay with us. We're used to handling trouble!"
"Thank you very much.", Waldo said. "But that's not the total trouble with them. Many of them carry strange ideas and ways. They would no doubt try to implement thier ideas and beliefs on regular Dinotopians. In your world there is greed and war and mistrust and deceit. We are not used to people like that!"
"Again, if they cause any trouble, you could send them to us.", I told him. "You must remember that I am a newcomer as well, and I know what to look out for."
"Then may I ask a favor of you?", asked Waldo.
"What is it?", I replied.
"I would like for you to stay in Waterfall City and look after them.", said Waldo. "I want you to give us a measure of early warning so we can stop those that would try anything detromental to Dinotopia."
"I would be honored to do all I can, lord mayor.", I said. "However, I also have duties to my clan to perform. I have been involved with these castaways since we first rescued them, and my other duties have no doubt been lagging.", I said. "If I may, could I resume my other duties at home, and visit Waterfall City often and do this service?"
"Yes, of course, Stinger.", Waldo wiped his mouth. "Fates forbid this request get in the way of your mayoral duties!", he winked. "My own mayoral duties often take all my time as well, you know!"
"Thank you, sir.", I said. "I will do my duty and return shortly; and I promise to visit every chance I get!", I looked at him a moment. "You know, I've been having some ideas on the usefulness of that ship..."
"What do you have in mind?", he asked.
"Well, you know our other city, halcyon?", I asked and he nodded. "The main problem is there is not enough water to sustain it as a city. I was thinking on using things on the ship to cure this problem."
"How so?", he asked.
"On all modern ships they have pumps and other machinery.", I said. "My idea was to use those machines to pump the water to Halcyon somehow."
"Where will the water come from?", Waldo asked. "What are the obstacles? Will it be labor intensive?"
"The nearest large body of fresh water is Deep Lake, near Treetown.", I said, imagining my aerial map of the area. "That is more than sixty miles away from Halcyon, and there are mountains and jungles to cross in between. I haven't figured out how exactly it could be done, but the machinery from the ship could be used to pump the water.", I thought. "Perhaps with the help of canals or aqueducts..."
"An impossible task!", commented Waldo. "There is not enough help in all of Dinotopia to take on such a construction project!"
"Perhaps the idea needs more work...", I finally admitted. "It was just an idea,... But there MUST be a way to get enough water to Halcyon!..."
"Don't worry, my boy...", Waldo consoled. "With you, you'll definitely find a way!", I stood, bowed and left his presence...
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Post by thundertail on Mar 8, 2008 5:43:36 GMT -5
FORTY-NINE: "Back to school."
Sauron, Chillet and I left Waterfall City by midday, Sauron pulling riderless while Chillet had me to guide her way. We made it to clan Thundertail by late afternoon, and the news I had to tell them far outweighed the items in both our carts. I told them the praise we got for disabling the Millennium Queen and of Frank Waters' successful return to the city. I also told them what was going on with the castaways, and thier gradual relocation to other cities. I told them of my volunteering shelter to some of them, and our eventual hosting of some of thier number. I even told them of the idea of making Halcyon operational again. But the real thing that upset them was the demeanor of the newcomers, and the fact that they could potentially cause trouble all over the island!
I told them of my little deal with mayor Waldo Seville about my going back to Waterfall City regularly and keeping an eye on the newcomers so the citizens of Waterfall City and surrounding towns would be warned in case trouble strikes. Thundertail told me that it would be wise if I made it my permanent assignment as the clan wished nothing but peace as well, and mayor Waldo would no doubt be at wits' end trying to handle hyjinx from the outside world all by himself! I agreed that this was a wise course of action as the evening meal wore on, and said I would do this as soon as I could.
It actually took me several more days to return to Waterfall City as I had many things to catch up on. This meant that I wanted to touch bases with all my friends there once again. You know how it is: you're out of touch for the longest time and you need to see friends and family...! Anyway, one of the first things I did was to see Mayday and little Hamilton, who was growing like no tomorrow! The teachers there said that he had been developing quite a knack with the arts, whittling little animal figures out of the dried bones of what we had eaten. I praised the little guy, giving him a small, sharp knife taken from Klamath's weapon horde in Halcyon. Mayday hardly left my side the whole time I was there, and made sure she was the first thing I saw when I woke up those mornings. Rex was all over me too, and his playful rough housing nearly injured me! My visits included seeing Whitetail, Deathflower, Pincushion, Mosquito, Soo, and everyone else; and I helped overhaul Kiawa and Tunneau the mechanical Brach for good measure! But duty soon called, and I had to leave for Waterfall city once again.
I packed up a few things I would need, and looked around for one of the dinosaurs that would be my steed for the duration. I knew that asking one of the carnivores for the job would mean feeding them meat, a commodity scarce in Waterfall City; so I went about asking the herbiverous dinosaurs there, and knew that many of the others had had thier turn in my service. I asked them all, and it turned out that Skipper Lambeosaur wasn't doing anything for a while. Besides, she said she had cousins in Waterfall City, and could stay with them! She was the Partner to the Packards, and Horace and Sootee said it was all right. Thier teenage son Kip gave her an effectionate goodbye and we both trotted down the path to Waterfall City. The road ahead was uneventful, save for the conversation between us and the Rainy Basin Ranger team sent along with us; whose job was to patrol this stretch of road today. Carl and Thistlesnarl looked like they were getting along just fine!
"So, my brother said he'd tell my dad about the ship...", Carl said to me many miles from home and many miles from my destination.
"That so?...", I commented as I steered Skipper over some exposed roots. "What do you think he'll say?"
"You know my dad!", he said. "He'd try anything to get off the island!"
"Well, the ship's a wreck.", I said. "I hear even the lifeboats are starting to decay. I also heard they are going to salvage those for the fishing fleet at Azonthas."
"I better tell him to lay off.", he said. "You heard the last time we tried..."
"Yeah...", I said, remembering what he told me as we all fell silent for the moment.
All too soon Thistlesnarl's Amulet Of protection Began to glow, and she knew they had reached the border of the Rainy Basin. She grunted and stopped as Skipper and I moved on, Carl waving to us as we crested a rise in the road and was out of sight. They continued thier patrol while we continued our journey; and we got many waves and cheers in the many towns we passed through. They were told of our mission to Waterfall City and its' importance, and let us pass without too much fanfare than that. Fairly early that afternoon we came within sight of the main gates, and the guards let us in without checking who we were, for they already knew our mission. As I paused and dismounted at the Eating Pavillion, for we left home without too many provisions and were hungry, Minch skulked into view and pulled us aside.
"Sir, I'm glad you're here...", he whispered, noticing Skipper looming near us. "Pleasure, ma'am... Anyway, there has been a lot going on since you left. About matters concerning what the mayor discussed with you in his private chambers..."
"I see...", I said. "But first, could we order something to eat? It was a long way from the Rainy Basin!", we took our seats. "Care to join us?"
"Thank you, no...", Minch said as Skipper squatted on a resting couch beside us. "Things have been strange lately... ", Minch looked around. "Waterfall City hasn't been in such an uproar since the Scotts arrived on our shores!"
"Do tell.", I said as a waiter came by. I ordered and so did Skipper. "What, exactly, has been going on?", I said after the waiter walked away.
"Well, these newcomers think nothing but money.", he told me. "Two days ago, one of them almost got into a fight with a fruit vendor; saying that one drach was too much for a melon. It almost came to blows!", he took a sip of water. "Things like that break out with such frequency that the guards are having a hard time keeping them in line. We had to put some of them under house arrest; but the mayor is thinking of creating a 'jail'... Is that the correct term?"
"Yes, that's where we put people who break the law...", I told him. "But you must understand, these people are in a strange place with strange customs. How do you think YOU would fare if you found yourself dealing with life in the outside world?"
"I'm afraid I'd be lost...", Minch concluded.
"That's the way these people feel.", I told him. "They are in a strange situation that they have no control over. They are lost, scared and all alone. All they know is how things are from where they come from, and that's all they are capable of dealing with. Having disputes over small things like that is only normal for the outside world."
"It's boorish, if you ask me!", Minch huffed. "Why, if there is anything wrong, all we do is negotiate a peaceful settlement."
"Well, I guess that's why Waldo asked me to come here!", I said as our meals arrived. "I know what it's like to be one of them, and I can relate with them. I should help keep the peace around here; but all I got to do is observe what they do. I'll keep them in line. Don't you worry!...", I began to eat.
During the meal, Minch informed me that I would be staying at mister Woolright's place again on Steep street; the famous home of Arthur Dennison, and just wait until the old guy sees who will be his houseguest again - Adelade the Pachy will surely be thrilled! I finished up my meal as Skipper went into the city to locate her cousin; and after we left the Eating Pavillion, Minch led me through some streets to where the bulk of the castaways were housed. There we entered a four story building of marble and terra cotta to an apartment where a single guard stood. He moved aside as Minch and I got near; and pushed the ovoid door open for us with his onamented spear.
"H... hello?", Minch called and walked in, me folowing. "Hugo,... Are you at home?"
"Who's there?...", a burly man with an accusing stare came out of another room, earflapped skullcap on his head, and reguarded us for a second. "Minch! What are you doing here?... Wait! maybe I know..."
"Hugo, this is Stinger, mayor of the Rainy Basin.", Minch introduced me and I waved. I think I saw him around waterfall City a few times... "He is here to see mister Cox..."
"Oh, that...", Hugo said as he turned away. "Simon!... Can you come here a second?"
"What is it?", said a voice in saurian, and a baby Brach the size of a Great Dane lumbered out of another room. He saw the humans and switched to English. "Oh! Company!... Hello, all!"
"Simon, you know mister Minch.", hugo told him. "This is Stinger, mayor of the Rainy Basin."
"Hello...", Simon bowed.
"They are here to talk with mister Cox.", Hugo said. "Could you go get him?"
"But I don't want to!", Simon said. "He hates me!..."
"It is a matter that's most urgent.", Minch told the hatchling.
"Well,... ok I guess.", Simon groaned. "But I won't like it!...", he trotted further into the apartment.
"The council gave Simon to mister Cox for a Partner.", Hugo quietly explained. "The man still don't know how to treat him..."
Presently a man of medium build and stature came from down the hall, week old stubble and a wild, mistrusting sneer covering a face with unfortunate atributes. The only thing that distinguished himself as being not from Dinotopia was his clothing, which contained remnants of a modern day business suit. He looked at Hugo, then at Minch and finally at me; then he sighed and came up to us without fear.
"Hugo, who are these people; and why do they want to see me?", mister Cox asked in a barking way.
"This is mister Minch, curator of the high council of Dinotopia, and this is Stinger, mayor of the Rainy Basin.", Hugo told him. "They'd like a word with you."
"I assume you're here about what happened the other day.", Cox said without preamble, Simon cowering in the hallway, but listening to every word. "I did it once, and I'll do it to anyone else that tries to cheat me!"
"No one was trying to cheat you...", Minch was cut off.
"And why is He here for?", Cox was definitely referring to me! "Is he here to arrest me or something?!"
"Mister Cox!...", Hugo nearly yelled. "Nobody's trying to do anything to you!... Now please! Just listen to them!"
"Like I got a choice!", Cox said, turning to Minch and me. "Look. I don't care what you have to say or what you are going to do. I never bargained to be in a crazy place like this, and I'm not going to stand for any of you to rule my life! If it turns out that I have to stay here against my will; I am going to do things MY way!... Got that?"
"Mister Cox. Everyone on the island is here to help you...", Minch said, and I cut him off this time.
"You know, he's right!", I said. "He doesn't have to put up with all this!... Uh,... What exactly are we doing to you?"
"Well, uh...", he replied. "You are giving me all these rules, and your ways are strange. I don't like the idea of not being able to earn a wage, and I don't think one drach could be worth only one melon!"
"Do you know who I really am, mister Cox?", I asked, but answered before he could. "My real name is colonel Charles Decker, of the United States Air Force. Five years ago my jet was caught in a storm, and I landed in the Rainy Basin...", I rattled off the whole story, not stopping for at least twenty minutes.
"So, you're a castaway like me.", he concluded. "Weren't you a bit curious if there was a way off the island?" "Yes, I was curious.", I told him. "That was why I went to look for documentation of anybody else who made the attempt. I found that all of them ended in failure and death.", I looked at him sternly. "So, the chances of finding a way off is slim at best, deadly at worst!"
"What about these crazy rules?", Cox asked, steam ever so slowly escaping him. "I don't want to be like them!"
"The people of Dinotopia encourages all ways of life.", I said. "In the Rainy Basin, most of us are meat eaters. This is a thing that is appalling to the rest of the island, but there it is embraced. So would your way of thinking...", I told him. "But ther ARE rules to follow - just like any other place on Earth!"
"We are not trying to change you...", Minch said. "We are trying to help you to fit in."
"Minch, please!", I said. "I'll tell him these things!"
"So, if I follow the rules, what then?", Cox asked, now nearly fully calm.
"Then you may live here in peace and harmony.", I said simply. "Everyone will be there for you in good times and bad."
"Look, all I wanted was to get two melons for a drach.", Cox said. "I guess I could make a compromise..."
"Mister cox! I like you!", I smiled. "If you want, I can do you a favor...", I pulled out a sheaf of paper, and Minch scanned the familiar document as it passed his vision. "This paper is an application to join an organization here named the 'Rainy basin Rangers'..."
"Stinger! What are you doing?!", Minch asked, nearly standing.
"Relax! I think he'd be a perfect candidate!", I said as I showed Cox the paper. "All you do is fill this out, the high council needs to approve it; and final approval goes through me at clan Thundertail..."
"What does the 'Rainy Basin Rangers' do?", Cox asked, looking at the calligraphy on the scroll.
"Basically, they patrol the Rainy Basin and protect people from trouble.", I told him. "Of course, we are not training cadets at this time due to lack of Tyranosaurs..."
"Tyranosaurs?", he asked. "You mean those big things with teeth I heard about?"
"The Rangers have to ride something, don't they?", I said, chuckling conversationally. "See, we are waiting for the hatchlings to come of age before we expand the troops. But I'm sure we could make you a handler or put you in administration until then..."
"Wait! How much do I get paid?", he asked.
"You're sure nuts about money!...", I said lightly. "The benefits include room and board, free food, prestige of being with the bravest people on Dinotopia and all the carnivores are your friends. The experience you'd get there will make you a much better person.", I looked sympathetic. "But no money per se', I'm afraid..."
"So, do I got to go through the schooling here first?", Cox looked like he was beginning to be interested.
"Doing that would only be helpful to you.", I told him. "You might need to know how to speak and read saurian; and there are still the tribal dialects to consider.", I explained. "See, all the dinosaur species on the island have thier own languages besides regular saurian, thier common language."
"So, if I learn all these things, I can be a 'Rainy basin Ranger'?", he asked.
"Of course!", I said. "In fact, you can be anything you want to here. All you got to do is learn to live here - that simple!", I touched my chest. "Look at me... I learned, and I'm the mayor of the roughest territory on the island!"
"That means if I learn, I can run my own business?", he considered. "I was a businessman back home. I could set the economy on a new trend toward prosperity!"
"Now you're thinking!", I said. "By the way, I was serious about that application. Just fill it out if you want, and that will get things going..."
"I'll think about it...", he smiled then, making his facial features less unfortunate than before. "Looks like I got a lot to think about, don't I?"
"Yes you do!", Minch would not be silenced any more! "About that dispickable display...! You realise you must attone for it!"
"I know.", Cox said. "I must apologise to that vendor. I'll do that tomorrow...", he turned to Minch. "I'm really sorry, you know..."
"Fine then.", Minch said. "Then there is no reason for the guard at the door anymore, is there?"
"Well, that's fine by me!", Hugo said. "That guy was beginning to give me the creeps!"
"Me too!", Simon squeaked.
"Hey kid...", Cox called. "Come here!... I think I'll start fitting in right now!", the human spread his arms and Simon cautiousely walked into it.
Both seemed to melt as the embrace lingered. I took it as our cue to leave, and ushered Minch from his seat. At the door Hugo joined us, and all three of us quickly stood outside the door. The guard eyed us silently as we all exchanged knowing glances.
"You sure have a way with newcomers, Stinger!", Hugo said softly. "That man was two steps away from my foot down his throat an hour ago; but now you turned him into someone I might have called friend!"
"See, guys like that don't need to be coddled.", I said. "They need the truth, and they need it shoved down thier throats if they are to accept it."
"Guard. All is well here.", Minch told him. "You may go...", the guard saluted and left the building.
"So, I hear you are foreman to the Brach Bus Service...", I said for conversation as we slowly made our way out of the building.
"Yup! Our motto is 'No passenger lost, and every bus on time'!", Hugo chuckled. "Say. It's sure swell what you're doing in the Rainy Basin for my busses. We feel so safe going through that we're considering no longer using armor for our Brachs!"
"Well, I wouldn't do that if I were you.", I said. "The Rainy Basin is still a dangerous place; and us Rangers can't be everywhere at once."
"Nor can we.", Hugo told me. "We lose fares at the strangest times, all because we can't cover every city."
"You know, we have a Brach back home. He's a Strutter.", I told him. "Maybe we could donate him to the bus service one of these days. He doesn't eat anything, and won't ask for a break!"
"You mean THAT thing?!", Hugo looked like he ate something sour. "Some of my drivers seen the thing. They say it's too noisey!"
"Well, It couldn't hurt to make the offer!", I chuckled as Minch began to lead me away. "See you around, Hugo!"
I eventually bid Minch goodnight as well, and wended my way to mister Woolright's apartment on Steep street. He was there waiting at the top landing, smoking one of his cigarillos and reguarding the falls below. He welcomed me and led the way inside, calling Adelade in the process. The conversation through dinner included my recent endeavors as well as remeniscing about my last visit to this place. Woolright assured me that I was welcome here any time, and promised to host me for as liong as he lived. In the morning, after breakfast and his usual morning rituals; he accompanied me through the city until it was time for him to be at another meeting in the hall of Masks and Puppets. By this time I had also caught up with Skipper, and met her cousin and thier small Lambeosaur family.
We all spent the day strolling through the city, enjoying the sights and meeting the people. I did not shirk my promise to mayor Waldo Seville, for I met many of the castaways along the way. I asked them how they were doing and they either told me they were slowly getting along or totally out of thier element here. I gave them my pearls of advice as I saw fit: I played it hard when it seemed they needed it, or I praised them for doing so well. Near noontime we were walking along near the hall of Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsians, and just left Fountain Square, when we were just entering an area where a celebration of sorts was taking place. We took free candy and drinks as we wandered through the throngs, watching this or that act and clapped at the short parades of people and saurians in colorful garb as they strutted by.
Near a bridge that crossed the Pliosaur canal, I saw a human mime; and this colorful clown was performing the 'invisible box' routine, palming out the dimensions of the box he was trapped in. I paused and watched his act as I ate my snack of puffed corn and cold tea - made of real tea leaves. Before our group could move on down the lane to the next attraction, I paused in front of the mime and put up a finger to stop him. I smiled and pretended to pull out a hammer, then I pounded on the invisible barrier; and the invisible hammer recoiled comically! The crowd around us thought it was part of the act, and the mime indicated with his eyes that I should continue. I did so, and my next fake blow landed on my fingers! I shook them in mock pain as I got another idea, showing it theatrically.
I told Klamath to provide the apropriate sound effects as they entered my mind before I continued. I pretended to reach into a pocket and took out two invisible suction cups, Klamath made puckering sounds as I affixed them onto the mime's invisible box. I reached into another fake pocket and pulled out an imaginary glass cutter, and Klamath made the sound of scratching glass as I ran the invisible device along, creating a squarish invisible hole outline in the mime's invisible box. Klamath made light tapping sounds as I turned the fake glass cutter over and tapped along the cracks. I then grabbed the invisible suction cups and pulled the section free, and Klamath made a tinkling sound like glass finally cracking free. The mime stepped out of his box and offered me his hand, so I tossed the pane of invisible glass I had away; and flinched as Klamath made the crashing sound of glass breaking on the sidewalk!
The crowd that gathered around us thought it was the funniest act they had ever seen, and the applause was extremely heartfelt. The mime slapped me on the back and indicated that I should bow with him, and my applause was redoubled. The crowd soon dispersed, and it was time to bid the mime adeau. I shook his hand, and was just about to return to Skipper and her family when the mime gasped and shouted out loud.
"What's going on over there?", the mime pointed.
"You talked!", I scolded. "Shame on you!"
"I'm serious!... Look!", he gave a concerned look, and I turned to where he was pointing.
A small knot of people was forming down the block, shouting and yelling was heard; and many of the larger saurians began converging on the disturbance. Several whistles were being blown from a few points up and down the street as saurian guards began running into the area. Klamath told me that something was happening, so I used his speed to make it to the area in question well before the guards; then wove my way through the crowd to see a yearling Triceratops gruntingly charge a human on the ground! It had broken his tethers, and the cart he was pulling was in a shambles near the sidewalk; and his driver, a human with clothes from the outside world, lay cowering behind it. I stepped in between the Trike and hes charge, grasping his nose horn and shoving him to a stop; and Klamath's strength sure came in handy then!
"Woah!... Hold on there!...", I yelled at the raging beast. "Breathe deep!...", the maddened creature eventually stopped and calmed down, taking my advice pantingly.
"Samson!... Y-you're crazy!", the man on the ground cowered.
"Now,... mind telling me what's going on?", I let the Trike's horn go.
"This human is the crazy one!", Samson grunted. "I pull cart, yet he order me where to go. No ask, no please - just do this, go there!"
"You're supposed to pull the cart, aren't you?", the man got up. "I'm just trying to help my host."
"You no order ME around!", Samson protested. "I Dinotopian citizen! I equal, just like you!"
"Then how else am I to get you to get these supplies to market?", the man said. "Look at what you did to the cart!"
"If you no order me, I no get mad!", Samson said.
"And that was worth almost killing him!", I cut in. "You sure know how to solve your problems!"
"What you know, human?", samson said. "This human order me around for days!"
"I wouldn't need to order you if you were more co-operative!", the man said. "See, his father usually makes the runs; but he is laid up with a fever..."
"I take over for father.", Samson said. "I run company when my time!"
"I'd say you need to work on your people-skills before you do!", I told him. "Now, I want you to go and make up right now. And next time think before you repeat this shameful behaviour!"
"I'm going to need help getting this cart fixed...", the man was saying. "My host is going to freak!"
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(Continued in the next post.)
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Post by thundertail on Mar 8, 2008 5:48:13 GMT -5
FORTY-NINE: "Back to school." (Continued.)
"And as for you...", I told the man. "I see you're new here, so I won't scold. You really need to learn how to treat the dinosaurs with respect. They may be bigger and stronger, and they can pull carts like the dumb beasts of burden back home; but they are just as intellegent as you, and deserve to be treated like you would want to be treated. If you don't like to be ordered around, they don't either.", I came up to him. "Next time, SUGGEST that he do things, don't tell him. He'll appreciate you a lot better if you do!"
"Ok, I'll try...", the man said, coming toward the adolescent Triceratops. "I'm sorry bossing you around, Samson. I didn't realise..."
"You apologise, I no blame you. You new!", he offered his nosehorn, and the man grasped it softly. "Me work on temper."
"We could try working out our problems together. Is it a deal?", the man said, and Samson nodded. "Good! Now let's get this cart righted... Please!"
The two went to the cart, Triceratops turning it back on its' wheels while the human began reloading all the spilled cargo. I backed into the crowd as the guards entered the area, making sure the two would behave; and then I felt a nuzzling at my head. Skipper and her family were standing behind me, smiling in thier own way at my diplomacy; and so was the rest of the crowd. I looked about and saw the mime come up and shake my hand.
"Good job!", he said. "Both in that performance and the previous one!"
"Say, sorry for stealing your thunder back there...", I told him. "I was just having fun."
"No damage...", he said, clown face smiling. "That was the best bit of acting I've seen - and what sound effects!", he paused, noticing another crowd down the street forming and wishing to be there. "Got to run...!"
"Oh, sir!", I called after him, then made the tick-a-lock sign in front of my mouth and he nodded.
We reformed our group and continued our stroll of the city for the rest of the day. The next few days went just like this one. We met up with more of the castaways, and I solved some of thier minimal problems and gave them the advice they seemed to need. Only one other scuffle happened in the first week I was there; but it was only between a little castaway girl and a hatchling hadrosaur, whom complained he sat on her ball and broke it. Other than that the week went fairly well.
During that time I checked into many of thier classes to see how thier schooling was going. Rosemary had told him that, while some were beginning to grasp concepts like reading saurian and the like, others were lagging behind out of sheer incomprehension. My first visit was to the one taught by Marion Seville, and the subject was Dinotopian philosophy and how to live like Dinotopians. Many of the castaways were there, along with Marion's other students of various species; and I discreetly took a seat near the back, stylus and paper handy to make notes for our teachers to use when they taught our youngsters. One of the students there was father Fish, and he was listening intently to her words quoted from many tomes, his own Bible open for reference as well. We had just discussed the importance of the codes of Dinotopia, and the father was quoting the Bible back to them; saying that there was definite similarities between the two.
"Much of our philosophy has been conceived by our saurian ancesters.", Marion was saying. "It is not saying that humans could have thought of the same wisdom; but it indicates that the wisdom is many centuries older than that tome indicates."
"I am not arguing on where it came from.", Fish said. "I am just saying that all wisdom came from God."
"Your god, or some other?", Marion asked. "We all believe that the universe is as simple as it is profound. The world is unimaginably old yet young and vibrant. We see the harmony in all things, and try to maintain such harmony without trying to overpower it. Surely the god of your religon would approve of such action."
"He would approve of what you're doing, but the only true way is God's way.", father Fish told the class. "You may be doing all things right and good, but actions without direction is a futile act."
"We may see no gods as you see them.", Marion told him. "But the civilization of Dinotopia has survived for millions of years without deities of any sort. Can you name another society that has lasted that long, with or without gods?"
"No,... I don't belive I have heard of any.", Fish said.
Then he went on about another point in thier philosophies, and several of Marion's students joined the debate. He went on about Creationism versus Evolution; and Marion made suggestions that his god was an infinite god, and time as it is measured by man would make no difference to Him. She said that He could have possibly set the world in motion and let natural selection take place, perhaps giving it a tug here and there to attain the species that be; but father Fish would not budge in his own beliefs on Creationism! After nearly an hour, and the ending of this class for the day, Marion told father Fish to stay a moment, and I stayed as well.
"Your comments and insights were most intrigueing today.", she told him. "Truely your philosophy means a lot to you."
"I didn't mean to disrupt the class like that.", Fish said. "It's just that my Catholic training forbids any other theology other than what it teaches. It is too deeply ingrained in my soul to let affronts to it like that lie idle."
"You have a philosopher's soul, of that I'm sure.", Marion went to an ancient shelf and pulled down a thick tome, layered in dust. "This book was the first Bible ever to be brought here. It was brought by a Spanish ship in the late thirteen hundreds. Thier priest began trying to convert many of us, and only a few accepted your god.", she placed it on the table before her, and father Fish took a good long look at it.
"My lord!!...", Fish gazed at it. The copper clad leather jacket was hinged in gold and had religeous icons tooled into the front and back of the thick tome. Upon opening it, he saw the lambskin pages and the extremely archaic Latin dialogue it was written in; and marveled at the colored and tooled reliefs that started every chapter. He remembered seeing the original in a museum when he went on sabatical at the Vatican ten years ago. It was a work of art, and priceless in the outside world! "Ma'am, do you know what this is?", he closed the Bible. "This is a copy of the 'Codex Sinaiticus'! A biblical text dating back almost fifteen hundred years!... This work preceeds the very beginnings of the Catholic religon!"
"I think it will help you in your quest of converting us Dinotopians!", Marion said with a smile. "The curator of the library told me you can keep it. We have reproduced several copies..."
"No, Marion!... I can not!", he protested. "A priest of my stature is not worthy to posess such a tome..."
"Please?... It's a gift, so enjoy it.", Marion told him. "You know, one of the rules in Dinotopia is one must accept gifts given to them!"
"It's a very generous gesture...", I added from where I sat.
"Well,... If you put it that way...", father Fish fumbled for words as he lifted the extremely heavy volume. "Bless you, my child!"
He shook her hand and hobbled out of the classroom carrying his extremely old Bible, and I finally stood as Marion came over to me. She let out a sigh and smiled, and her eyes told me she had a lot to say as she went to pick up father Fish's Bible on his desk. I smiled back and waited for her to speak.
"What a day!", she said. "I thought father Fish would denounce everything we stand for!"
"So did I...", I said. "It's hard for most people to get used to being here. It goes double for those whose religon means so much to them, like him."
"You are from the outside world.", sha said. "You must believe like he does."
"I take a more casual aproach to things like that.", I said. "To me being good and doing good deeds counts more than believing in things unseen."
"It's much better to believe in the integrity of the spirit than the miracles of a god.", Marion agreed. "At least that we can do something about!"
"You said it!", I said as we walked out of the classroom and out of the library.
In another class taught by Rosemary Seville, they were learning the basic footprint language; and these students were quite a bit farther along in it than some of the other classes. This class had older Dinotopian children and dinosaurs attending, along with some of the smarter looking castaways attending as well. Each had books out, studying the footprint written sayings in one book, and referring to thier saurian/English translation books. The room was quiet except for the rustling of pages and the breaths of many busy students.
Rosemary looked up from her own work, which was the organization of the next part of todays' lessons; and stood before them, clearing her throat to gain thier attention. "Class, books closed please.", she said and watched her regular pupils obey immediately, seeing the castaway students following suit shortly thereafter.
"To know the footprint language, one must be able to use it in evertyday life.", she moved to a covered easel and removed the sheet that covered several common signs written in saurian script. "These signs you will find anywhere on Dinotopia. They mean certain things, and you are soon to be expected to read them without thinking about it.", she looked around. "Zamy, what does the upper left one say?"
"it says 'Stop'.", the young Stenoychosaur said.
"Good! Ahmon, what does the next one to the right say?", she said. "It say 'Road Closed'.", the Monoclonius yearling said.
"Excellent! Mister Johnson, what does the next one over say?", she prompted the castaway.
"It says... 'Low Ache'... No, wait! 'Low Arch'!", he corrected himself.
"Good. You're getting better!", she encouraged.
"Uh, ma'am...", Johnson asked. "Can I make a comment?"
"Go ahead.", she said.
"Well, first thing is, I am a linguistics major in college.", he told her. "From what I see in this saurian script, it is remarkably like ancient Cuneaform writing, from ancient Sumeria. The only thing that is strange is it reads like ancient Greek."
"I'm glad you noticed, mister Johnson!", Rosemary said. "Both cultures contributed greatly to our society. The Sumerians added thier knowledge of writing many thousands of years before the Greeks came and standardized that writing and added thier flair in archetecture. It is indeed a marrage of Greek and Sumerian writing, and to that is added a dash of saurian flair!"
"I just made that comment because from that, I can easilly translate saurian on my own.", Johnson said, looking down on his books. "Ah! And from that statement, I know you will be the one of the citys' newest and best translators!", Rosemary countered. "Now class, let's continue...", she continued the rest of the lesson.
All the students recited thier signs, and then it was time to recite passages in books and scrolls. Before the class was over for the day, I raised my hand and asked Rosemary if I could see mister Johnson for a moment, and she let me. I had heard of him, and had something to give him.
"Hello.", I said as he came over after class. "My name is Stinger, mayor of the Rainy Basin."
"Hello.", Johnson returned. "You were there when we were rescued, right?"
"Yes, that was us.", I confirmed. "They were saying around here that you are pretty good at deciphering languages."
"I majored in ancient writings, and have studied nearly every language dialect on earth.", he boasted, I was sure!
"Well, where I come from, the carnivores rule.", I told him. "Thier languages are most difficult to master, let alone speak.", I pulled out a scroll. "This scroll has a translation of Tyranosaur into English. I'm sorry it is on a scroll. We didn't have time to publish it in a book yet..."
"Let me see.", I unfurled it. "You translated this?... Looks like a gutteral growling type of dialect.", he studied some more. "Why is it in English, and not thier script?"
"Tyranosaur is a vocal dialect.", I said. "They have never written it down. They just taught it by word of mouth from parent to child.", I smiled. "I was the first to write it down after I learned it!"
"You speak it?", he asked.
"Yup!", I said, then in Tyranosaur: "ssoka-sozee tyrissa-touka!", I growled.
"What does that mean?", he asked.
"It means that I speak many words of of fluent Tyranosaur.", I said. "I think you could become as fluent at it as me!", I rolled the scroll up and handed it to him. "That's why I think you should have this."
"Me, sir?", he was stunned.
"To be a good translator, one must learn all the saurian dialects.", Rosemary said. "Even Tyranosaurian!"
"I'll even let you visit the Rainy Basin so you can try it out one of these days!", I offered.
"Gee! thanks, mister Stinger!", Johnson said as he backed away. "Could I go now, miss Rosemary? I have to give my friend a bath."
"Certainly! I'm sure Horace would appreciate it!", she replied, then turned to me. "He is his Miasaurus Partner!"
"They're nice folks...", I commented, getting up. "Have a fine life, mister Johnson!", I said to his back as he left the room.
I think one of the funniest experiences I've ever had in a Waterfall City classroom was the one in which you were teaching hatchlings and the castaways that couldn't grasp the concept of footprint language - it was sooo funny! Remember that, Zippeau? Here's how it went. You were up at the front of the class, the blackboards were in place with large saurian prints of the footprint alphabet on them, English equivelent underneath them. You had just explained the origins of the alphabet to the class, and were about to hand out thier assignment. I was at the back of the class, watching this group of castaways there struggle with what you were trying to teach.
"Now class,", you said. "What does this symbol represent?"
Many raised thier hands, except any of the castaways. "Leo?"
"That is 'A'.", he said.
"Good! Now, the next letter is...?", you continued. No one answered. "Jeff Graves, can you answer?", he was one of the newcomers.
"Come on, teach!", he replied. "I know all this stuff by heart!"
"Then what is it?", you asked, getting annoyed.
"I can show the whole class how to read this!", he continued. "May I show them?"
"Oh...! Very well!", you said after a moment of exasperated consideration. "Teach the class if you're so smart!...", he rose and accepted your pointer, and you sat down.
"Hi class!", Jeff said. "Now Zippeau's way is all well and good, but me and a buddy of mine came up with a fun way to learn!", he winked at another newcomer, Jerry Cuomo; and he prepared to get up; but headed for a saurian piano off to the side. The classroom also served as a music instruction room.
"Now, the lesson for today is entitled 'Swinging Through the Alphabet', and I'll explain how it's done...", Jeff Graves said, using the pointer as he spoke.
You just rolled your eyes at the idea, Zippeau; but the name of the lesson seemed familiar to me somehow...
"The first letter is a 'B', and the first vowel is an 'A'.", he went on, pointing all the way. "I goes like this: B-A, Bay. B-E, Bee. B-I, Bicky-Bye. B-O, Bow...", then he looked around. "Maybe it would be better if I show you... Maestro! If you please!"
The music started up, and it was then that I knew just what they were going to do! They were going to sing that silly alphabet song, devised by 'The Three Stooges' from so long ago! I smiled as Jeff began singing the words, pointing at the human letters as he went along, and Jerry went right along playing the tune; and the regular students there looked at each other like the two had just gone crazy! The castaway students began to laugh and try to sing along with the tune, carrying on like they were really watching one of those 'three Stooges' shorts. I looked at you and saw the look of disbelief turn into one of incredulousness or of shock, I couldn't tell; but that look opn you was priceless! My smile grew until I could not hold it in any longer and laughed right out loud!
Near the middle of this silly song, I jumped up and went to grab the pointer from Jeff, taking over on the 'J's and the "K's; and I sang right along right on cue, pointing at the footprint letters instead! I danced in place as I sang, and the students began laughing at my antics - all of them! Finally you could not take this outburst anymore; and you got up and stormed over to me, grabbing the pointer from my hand rather roughly as the piano music continued. Your steamy eyes told me you were quite angry, more of those two than of me; but it looked like you weren't too happy of my encouraging them!
"Silence!... All of you!", you shouted. "We will have no more outbursts in this classroom!" Jerry heard you over his music and stopped in mid tune.
"Now, levity is not a thing of the classroom!", you scolded. "And Stinger! Why are you encouraging them so?"
"Look, the class was too boring anyway.", Jeff defended. "We were just trying to liven things up."
"This is a language class, not a music class!", you said.
"Wait, Zippeau!", I said. "Maybe they are onto something here."
"What on earth do you mean?", you asked.
"I think that the reason why your students here are doing poorly is because they don't have any interest in it.", I explained. "The class is boring to them, and they have nothing to connect to it. In the Rainy Basin, we devise fun and unusual ways to teach our youngsters. This holds thier attention, and they comprehend things much better. The more they comprehend, the more they learn.", I looked at the two jokesters. "Was that what you were getting at?"
"N... no, not really...", Terry said.
"We were just having fun.", Jeff admitted.
"See, aboard the ship, we were entertainers.", Terry Cuomo told us. "I played the piano in the club."
"I did a standup comedy routine in that club too.", Jeff Graves said. "Only trouble here is my jokes are a bit too racy for folks around here!"
"Terry Cuomo is like a stage name.", he said. "Remember Perry Como?", I shrugged.
"So, you're saying that if I make the class more interesting, they'll learn more?", you asked me at last.
"Well, let's see what the rest of the class thinks!", I said. "How many of you will not soon forget today?", nearly all the hands rose. "I guess it's unanimous!"
"This is going to be difficult! I'll have to think up a new cirriculum and everything!", you began, then turned to us. "You mammals!... Always doing strange things!...", you turned to the class, and taught it for the rest of that session.
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(Continued in the next post.)
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Post by thundertail on Mar 8, 2008 5:51:20 GMT -5
FORTY-NINE: "Back to school." (Continued again.)
I attended many of your classes on the several trips to Waterfall City and saw marked improvement in the castaways' learning. Almost all of them were beginning to fit in at thier own pace; but I noticed the quickest adjustments happening in the children of that group. About a week into my first visit I was strolling down near the docks at Mosasaur harbor when I saw a small group of children playing. They were a mixed group of humans and saurians, different ages, heights, colors and garb. I also noticed a few of the castaway children among them.
Two boys with a Stenoychosaur child were tossing a leather ball to one another, kicking it and playing sort of a game of soccer with it against a wall. I knew that one of the boys was a castaway because, even though he was wearing clothing similar to the other boy; he sported a New York Yankees baseball cap on his black-haired head! They were laughing, enjoying themselves and playing like they knew each other all thier lives!
The knot of girls near the sidewalk were playing jump rope: Stenoychosaur twirling one end of the rope while a young Chasmosaur was twirling the other end; and a little pigtailed girl was skipping and singing a made-up chant to her skipping. The thing that gave away her newness was that she wore bright green store bought deck sneakers to accentuate her olive period dress common to girls in the area.
It was soon time for the players to switch jobs, and was the Chasmosaurs' turn to skip. The human girl took the rope and twirled it in time with the Stenoychosaur, and the Chasmosaur started skipping. Thier kind is not really made for such a feat, and she landed hard on her knees, banging her snout on the pavement! She brayed in pain, and the human girl rushed over to sooth the beast.
"Ooh! Keka! Are you all right?", she asked, trying to check for damage.
"I hurt my node!", Keka sniffed. "It bleedin'?"
"No,... I don't think so...", the girl said. "Amy, go find something to wash the dirt off her nose!"
"Yup!", she scampered off.
"Is she OK?", I had rushed over. "I don't know...", the girl said.
"Nothing seems broken...", I touched the reddening surface. "I bet it hurts, though!..."
"Uh, huh!", Keka mumbled.
The Stenoychosaur returned with a cloth, wetted with water; and I took it to begin washing off the sand. I saw there was no blood as I finished cleaning her up; and I smiled as I finished.
"There! All set!", I told her. "Now, be careful! If it starts bleeding or gets worse, you should tell a grownup right away. Don't forget to tell your mother or father about it when you get home!"
"Sure thing, mister.", Keka said, wrinkling her nose experimentally.
I waved and walked away, intending to continue my extended stroll through this part of the city. A few blocks down I heard hushed whispers, or Klamath did and reported it to me. I ducked behind a stylized statue of a Parasolophus holding a cornucopia and had Klamath turn up his hearing. It was the voices of two human males; and I knew it was rude to eavesdrop, but nobody on Dinotopia would whisper this way unless there was something shifty involved! I listened in, not believing what was being said - much less who it was being said to!
"Look, I told you there was a fortune in goods aboard!", it was the voice of purser Weems! "I'm not lying to you, so let me go!"
"I've heard bedtime stories more believable!", this was the voice of Quint! "You better not be lying or I'll spit you like a baby scaly!"
"Read the manifest, if you don't believe me!", Weems said. that document was in the pirate's other hand. "It's all there, plain as day!... Now, please let me go!..."
"You wriggle too much anyway.", I heard Weems hit the cobbles back there with a thud as Quint let him go. "But if this is fake, I'll make sure you get no sleep for the rest of your oh so short life!...", I ducked back further as Quint sauntered out of the alley.
I made sure Quint was well out of sight before rushing into the alley, finding weems propped against a wall. His cheek was reddened and his head was lolling to one side, and he seemed to respond as I drew near him. His purser's uniform was wrinkled and soiled, and I grunted as I lifted him to his feet. he was half out of it, so I shook his face until he focused on me.
"Oh,... Stinger...", he moaned. "Who... was he?..."
"Someone you were better off not meeting.", I said as I half dragged him out of the alley and spied another human in a togalike outfit. "Oh sir! This man is hurt!..."
"By pathos!... What happened?", the man said, running over, toga flailing.
"Someone attacked him, I think.", I said as the man helped me. "I found him in the alley over there..."
"This way...", the man wheezed, not used to such exertion. "My place is up the street..."
"Thank you...", Weems slurred and passed out.
We draggd the unconcious purser through the street, drawing stares and concerned looks from the few people and dinosaurs still around this late in the day. The man led us into a shop containing curios and other works of local art, past those and into another room cordoned off by a curtain of beads. Here was a table, chairs, workbench and a small cot; all surrounded by shelvesof things of lesser value and unworthy of being placed in the shop proper. We laid weems onto the cot, and the man rushed out of the room, presumably to gather materials of aid or assistence. I used this opportunity alone to examine Weems using Klamath's scanners, and the Tyranosaur mask wrapped around my face as we both saw what was wrong with the man.
"Bruised ribs, slight concussion, multiple minor contusions to face and upper body...", Klamath told me.
"He got the tar beat out of him...", I said agreeingly.
Weems moaned as he tried to come to, jostling this way and that painfully. "Easy there, sailor...", I soothed. "You had a bad day..."
"What...", he tried to focus. "Happened...?", finally succeeded. "Where am I, captain...?"
"Now just relax, and don't worry...", I said softly. "You're with friends..."
Just then the man in the toga returned with cloth for bandages, water both hot and cold, a few jars of herbal medicines; and he proceeded to look Weems over. "I sent for doctor Forschie...", he mumbled. "He should be here shortly."
"Thanks...", I said as I backed away to allow him room. "Looks like he has some bruised ribs, and maybe an injured head; but I think he'll be OK over time."
"Who did this?", the man said, swabbing some of Weems' minor cuts. "This dastardly deed is unheard of in Waterfall City!"
"I think he was a pirate.", I said. "I've dealt with him before, and recognise his voice..."
"Pirates!,", the man exclaimed. "They are not allowed in Waterfall City!..."
"Try telling them that.", I said. "Those ruffians are nasty, and would do anything!"
"I've heard rumors about them...", the man began swabbing Weems' face. "I could not sleep for a week after hearing!..."
"Where I come from, I had to deal with them on thier level.", I commented. "Try sleeping after that!"
"What is your name, if I may ask?", he asked.
"Stinger, mayor of the Rainy Basin.", I told him.
"Ah! The tamer of the carnivores!...", he nodded. "I have heard tales of you!... My name is mister McGuire. I acquired this shop after the demise of Sirus Crabb, and I am also on the Dinotopian council."
"Pleased to know you, your honor.", I bowed where I squatted. "I had heard that this Crabb fellow made a hard time for the Scott family."
"His father was no different...", McGuire concentrated on a skull laceration he had just discovered under Weems' hairline. "If you ask me, it is fortunate the Crabb family no longer exists... Sirus's father made a hard time for the Dennisons so long ago, too..."
"Like father, like son, I guess...", I said as a bespectacled man of apparent middle age shuffled into the room, medical bag in hand.
No words were spoken by him as he stooped to examined the injured man. He rummaged through his bag after a moment and pulled out a stethoscope, and used it to listen to the man's breathing and heart. He then ran his hands over the apparently injured areas, including head; and turned to look at us.
"What exactly happened?", Dr. Forschie asked us.
"I found him in an alley down the street.", I said. "There was a man with him, and I think he was a pirate. He stole something from him and beat him up."
"I see...", Forschie said, considering. "This man needs rest and care. I can do nothing except reccomend medicine for pain.", he turned to the toga clad man. "Do you have Jocca extract and Trilobar?"
"Yes. I use it for stiff joints.", McGuire said, pointing to bottles of the prepared mixtures.
"See that he gets a dose every time he wakes.", Forschie told him. "His minor wounds should be tended to thrice a day. He should not be moved for two or three days."
"Yes, sir.", McGuire said.
"I will stay today as long as my schedule allows.", Forschie continued. "Now, on to the pleasantries!...", he turned to me. "Mister Stinger. We meet again!..."
"Yes, doctor Forschie...", I shook his hand. "And it always seems to be when there's trouble afoot!"
"So, you say a pirate did this?", he inquired. "Who?"
"He goes by the name of Quint.", I told him. "He's LaSage's right-hand goon!"
"He is a bad one, if rumors hold true.", Forschie considered. "The high council should know of this!"
"Yes, I was going to inform them as soon as I made sure mister Weems was all right.", I told him.
"Well, he is in the best care in Waterfall City now!", Forschie said. "You go do that, and we will take care of him!... Now shoo!"
I followed doctor's orders and left the shop, trotting down the street and avoiding the odd pedestrian or cart; and as I made it to a main intersection, I caught up with Skipper and her Lambeosaur cousin. They were shopping, but Skipper handed her parcels off to him when she saw my concern, nodding that I could ride her to wherever I was headed before I could ask her, and showing her side so I could climb into the saddle.
"What's wrong?", Skipper asked as she trotted off in the direction I was heading. "Where are we going?"
"A man from the ship got attacked and beat up.", I told her as she sped up. "I must go to the council chamber and tell them."
"How awful!", she said. "Who attacked who?"
"You know the purser, Weems is his name?", she nodded. "He was beaten up by a pirate. Quint took the ship's manifest too."
"Oh dear! Pirates?", Skipper balked. "How terrible!"
She practically screeched to a stop right next to the main entrance, and I bounded off and raced up the steps. The days' meeting was well under way, and the guards stopped me at the inner chamber doors. As skipper caught up with me, one of the guards went inside to announce me. Several moments later the doors opened, and the both of us walked down the canter aisle to the table. Waldo stared down at us as we got near with a look of disdain, yet the twinkle in his eye told me that it was only an act.
"Stinger, what brings you here at this hour?", he asked. "You were not scheduled to appear until this evening!", he looked at an aide beside him, then back to me. "Uh, while you are here, I would like for you to give an account of your experiences with these newcomers. Do they indeed show signs of adaptation to our society?"
"I will do that later, your honor...", I said. "But a matter has arisen that demands immediate attention.", gasps from the delegates to either side of me. "A short while ago, a member of the crew of the Millennium Queen was attacked and beaten up! I believe the perpetrator of this act was a henchman of Torres LaSage!"
"Tell us exactly what happened.", Rosemary requested.
I began telling them everything that I saw and heard, from the scuffle in the alley to my hiding behind the statue. I told them everything that I heard, saying the other voice sounded like Quint, and the confirmation of the fact with my seeing him leave. I told them I couldn't chase after him because I had to see if Weems was OK; and Rosemary said that I did the right thing. I didn't leave out the assistence of mister McGuire and that he is now housing him at his shop; and that doctor Forschie was now tending to him. I said I made great haste in getting here, and requested that something should be done as Quint now has the ships' manifest.
"But what would LaSage want with the manifest?", Waldo asked. "We had full intention of giving her her fair share of the cargo!"
"I'll tell you what she'll do!", Rosemary said. "She will use it and loot ther entire ship! Knowing her, she will try to take everything there!"
"That can't happen!", Waldo said. "I will send a garrison of saurian guards and drive her off!"
"You can't do that, and you know it!", I said. "LaSage knows that the guards will give in if they are confrionted. What you need is creatures that won't back down if they put up a fight! I can send word to clan Thundertail and put all the Rainy Basin Rangers on it!"
"You know that's impossible.", Rosemary told me. "Crackshell Point is well out of Rainy Basin territory!"
"I could write a proclaimation of universal sovriegnty stating you have temporary jurisdiction over environs surrounding the Millennium Queen, valid until all trouble there ceases!", Waldo announced. "I haven't penned one of those in a long time!"
"That could work!", Rosemary said. "Bailiff, make it so."
"Stinger, do you think you'll need any assistence in this?", Waldo asked.
"We might need a measure of early warning, your honor.", I said. "Perhaps you could lend me some of your Skybax?..."
"Granted.", he replied. "I will send my best experienced flyers." "All I need now is a Postal Bird to send word to king Thundertail.", I continued. "They should start getting prepared immediately..."
Just then a Postal Bird flew in through a window, and the mayor was just about to blow his whistle to summon one when he noticed her. She flapped around the great chamber and finally lighted on the prow of the mayoral platform, ruffling as she settled.
"Ah! We were just about to call you!", Waldo said to her. "I have a message to be sent to the Rainy Basin, and..."
"Excuse me sir.", she squawked. "But I have a message FROM the Rainy Basin. It is addressed to mayor Stinger..."
"Very well then.", waldo said. "He is at the addresser's table below.", the bird flapped down and landed on it, right in front of me.
"To mayor Stinger from king Thundertail, the rainy basin.", she began. "The first load of supplies has arrived from the Millennium Queen. Besides the meat promised to us by the generous court of Waterfall City, there are other strange things that were included. Your presence is required to help us find out what they are, and to share in this glorious feast!... Signed, king Thundertail..."
"Looks like I have another reason to return home!", I chuckled. "However, with the situation we currently face, I fear that the feast would have to be a short one!", no chuckles were heard for the gravity of it.
"Do you have a reply?", the bird asked.
"Yes, I do.", I said, nodding at the mayor. "To king Thundertail, from mayor Stinger, Waterfall City... A grave situation has arisen that our help is requested... Torres LaSage has gained knowledge of the Millennium Queen, and she now posesses certain documents concerning the ships' contents. It is the concensus of this court that she will attempt to raid the ship, and take everything aboard. Mayor waldo Seville has requested our assistence in protecting the ship from these pirates, and grants us sovreinty to perform this help in this case. I will return post haste and help organise this protection; and I will be with you in a few days... Signed, mayor Stinger.", I looked at the bird. "Got all that?"
"Of course, but the message is overlong.", the bird said. "There is an extra charge..."
"The court will pay the extra fee.", Waldo told her. "Now, off with you!..."
The Postal Bird nodded at the mayor, at me and finally most of the delegates before flying around the courtroom and out the window she had come from. There was a few other points to discuss concerning my upcoming mission, and those details were sorted out many moments later. I had requested a written copy of both LaSage's contract describing her share of the ship as well as a copy of our sovreignty contract; saying they might be needed to convince LaSage not to raid the ship. At long last the meeting began to break up, and i had one other thing to say to the court before I left.
"Oh, and mister mayor...", I said, turning. "Concerning the castaways. Many of them are just beginning to adapt themselves to our way of life. The children are adapting quicker than thier parents or the older passengers. Each will adjust at thier own pace and in thier own way, and may take many years to make the adjustment. I will return many times to observe thier progress, and help them along so thier assimilation will go much smoother."
"Of course, but there is something you must know, Stinger.", Rosemary told me. "There were many that completely refuse our ways. Some of them have gone missing, and others reject Dinotopia with such vigor that we fear they will never adjust. So far nearly twenty castaways have defected, and nobody has seen them since thier escape."
"I can have the carnivores keep a loookout for them too, I guess.", I said, then before the chamber doors closed on me: "Boy! What did I get Dinotopia into?!"...
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Post by thundertail on Mar 11, 2008 20:05:13 GMT -5
FIFTY: "Planned Piracy!..."
I did not leave waterfall City right away, for there were so many things to prepare for; and we planned out just about everything about this mission. Another Postal Bird was dispatched to canyon City, requesting that a squadron of Skybax begin monitoring LaSage's activities. I received LaSage's writ as well as ours and Skipper and I sped our way to the Rainy Basin after she said her farewells to her cousin. Once there I went over the plan I formulated during my trip back home, indulging in my first real beef steak in five years as I went over the plan!
So far no move against the ship had been made, or so the Skybax patrols reported to us. This was probably due to Quint having to walk all the way to king Adolpho's castle - reguardless whether or not he had help from the other pirates along the way; and the time it would no doubt take to get there and explain things. This was good news since we had a lot to prepare for! The first thing we did was to halt all activities at the ship. The salvaging of goods by other communities would only get in the way of us and LaSage, and the possible unpleasant confrontation that might ensue. The next step was to accquire any and all security keys we would need, along with information on where the locks, security systems and anything else that would be useful to us aboard ship. These items and information we got via Postal Bird and Skybax courier from Waterfall City by the captain and command crew. My plan was simple in its' complexity; and if all went well, LaSage and her men would leave there with the least valuable items aboard the Millennium Queen!
At about the time we had gotten all the needed materials, Skybax patrols told us that LaSage and her men were on the move, methodically looking up and down the northern coast in search of the shipwreck; and thier search was rather haphazard because they evidentally did not know where the shipwreck was! This gave us ample time to travel to the shipwreck site and set ourselves up. We took nearly all of the Rainy Basin Rangers, along with nearly every one of the Veloceraptor guards; and went there with a whole entourage of others to set up our encampment. We staged many of the Veloceraptor guards on board, locking the doors and passageways that we didn't want the pirates to have access to; and we moved all the more valuable items behind these doors, storing them deep in the bowels of the ship. The only things that were of little value here was the gift shop trinkets and cheap jewelry the shipboard shops sported, and the promenade level shops on the lower foredeck had everything these stupid goons would fall for!
My job, besides serving them with thier share of the ship, would be to tell them that these items were the most valuable things the ship contained; and stall them long enough to make them become so bored they would be satisfied with these cheap objects and leave the ship without arguement. I went over the speeches I would give them and the replies I would likely to get as I waited for them to arrive; which would not be very long as the Skybax patrols told us that they had just left Azonthas, and were heading east along the coast, and heading right for the Millennium Queen.
I had the Rainy Basin Rangers hide above us on the bluffs or in rocky seaside crags along the shoreline, and the remaining Veloceraptor guards could hide just about anywhere along the beach. I had taken a deck chair off the ship and set up the Kirky's Big Top tent, and posed there waiting for them; pretending to sip my orange juice and catching some sun as their group sauntered into view. Thier gaze was more attuned to the huge metallic ship before them than me and my tent, and that's why it gave them quite a shock when I casually greeted them!
"WELL!... LASAGE!...", I shouted where I lounged. "GLAD YOU COULD JOIN ME!..."
"STINGER!!...", LaSage shouted as she stormed up to me, and I offhandedly stood. "What on earth are you doing here?!", her men formed a wall of bodies behind her.
"Oh, I just thought I'd spend a day at the beach!", I told her. "I've been waiting for you to show up.", I smiled. "Come to get what's coming to you, I see?"
"You know, you're right!", she said, nearly grabbing my collar, she was so close. "What's the big idea of finding this ship and not giving us a cut?!"
"You know, I can't lie to you.", I said. "Actually, I'm here on behalf of the high council. They have decided to give you a share of this shipwreck, and sent me here to make sure you get it."
"That so?...", she scowled. "I bet you're here to stop us from taking the whole ship!"
"I'm not lying! Look...", I scooted into the tent and took out a scroll. "Here!... Read this."
"What's it say?...", LaSage said as she grabbed it and unfurled it. "A Proclaimation...", she read, and her men catcakled. "This writ is to notify a miss Torres lasage and all the men under her command that they are hereby this day awarded no more than one tenth of one percent of total comodities aboard the shipwrecked vessel, the 'Millennium Queen'. Said percentage is guaranteed by the court of Waterfall City, and decided upon forthwith to ensure fair distribution throughout the island of Dinotopia... Signed, mayor Waldo Seville."
"See what I mean?", I said. "They're giving you the cream of the crop here!", I waved my arm in the direction of the ship. "And since I know what is valuable on this tub, I took the liberty of weeding out all the junk for you!", I winked. "Now all you got is the best this ship has to offer!"
"You mean all this is on the level?", LaSage asked.
"Every word of it!", I replied.
"Then, if it's only you; who's to stop us from taking over the whole ship?!", she sneered.
"Glad you brought it up!", I said, then gave off a shrill whistle that reverberated off the cliffs.
Seemingly from out of nowhere, every Ranger, Tyranosaur and Veloceraptor came from out of hiding; Tyranosaurs giving off thunderous roars while Veloceraptors snapped and growled! The pirates looked up and down the beach, and saw they were comopletely surrounded by at least a hundred beasts that would no doubt rip them limb from limb! All sixty men quickly gathered in a defensive knot while LaSage, finding nothing to hide behind, tried to do so behind me. I just gave her one of my cheesiest smiles and pretended to pout!
"You see, the court gave us special permission to be here.", I told her. "They wanted to make sure you get your fair share - and no more.", I turned her around. "So I guess it would be wise of you to take it peacefully, eh? Don't want to make my friends angry now, do you?"
"Guess not.", she hissed.
"Well, allrighty then!", I chirped and clapped my hands together. "Shall we proceed?..."
I walked down to the waters' edge, but the pirates were so scared of all the carnivores beginning to converge on them they dared not move until LaSage grabbed Quint and shoved him in my direction. They slowly followed suit as several Veloceraptors corralled them in that direction as well. On the beach, several feet out was a small barge; and I waded out slightly and drew it closer to shore. LaSage stepped aboard while I held it steady for her; but let Quint and the rest take thier chances entering the still wobbly craft.
Once everyone was aboard, I went to the bow of the barge, to where a long tether tied to the bow of the craft led to a medium sized Cryptoclydus that volunteered to tow us to the ship; her jeweled, streamlined harness gleamed in the afternoon sun. Nessie hooted and bellowed, smiling in a toothy way when I asked if she was ready; and leapt into the waves, pulling the barge effortlessly. The pirates had little to hang onto as Nessie reached the end of her tether and abruptly accellerated the barge through the choppy water; and LaSage nearly stumbled into me before she got her legs under her. I braced myself against the short railing as the barge steered its' way toward the hulking mass that was the Millennium Queen.
Nessie made a U-turn when she got near the metal hull, and swam in the other direction to slow the barge down; and we slid right up to the side of the great ship, bumping it slightly as the momentum stopped. Because Quint was closest, he was the one who grabbed the cargo netting draped over the side; and steadied the barge as many of the pirates began storming right up it. With Klamath's speed, I was the first to reach the top, and pulled many that came next to a stop near me as the rest hopped over onto the deck. The last one up was LaSage, and she huffed and panted at the unused to exertion. Quint decided to lead the party on board, but I stopped him in mid step; and he didn't like that one bit!
"Woah there, big fella!", I rumbled. "Only I know where the goodies are!"
Within seconds the pirates regrouped, and were just about to leave too, so I gave another of my shrill whistles. "Now, listen up!", I said. "If you follow me, you'll get your take soon enough! If you go off on your own, you'll get lost...", I smiled. "Besides, I got more of my buddies on board; and they always find stragglers delicious!..."
Many of the pirates gulped!
"You heard him!...", LaSage panted. "Follow him!...", she got close to me and said softly. "Aren't you enjoying this a just bit?..."
"Every minute of it!", I gloated just as quietly, then for all to hear: "This way, kiddies!..."
I led them down the deck to a pair of swinging double doors, through them into an inner passageway and up some stairs to the main deck. Then I led them down into an area before the forward pool area and back out into the center deck. Here was the first set of doors I had locked, so I produced the key for it and led them through. before them was a long row of shops, security gates down and locked up tight. They had never seen a place like this before; but if you've seen a mall at night, it looks little different than that. They balked and groaned because they thought this was a prison, for it kind of looked that way when seen through thier mentalities!
"See, all this stuff is so valuable they have it put under lock and key.", I told them. "There's all kinds of alarms and security on them too. If anybody tries to get at this stuff, all kinds of things happen. Thier way of thinking is if you can't keep the thiefs locked up, keep the things they'd steal locked up instead!"
"So how are we going to get this stuff?", Lasage said as Quint and many of the goons tried to go see what was inside each darkened shop. "If it's so secure, we'll never get in!"
"Glad you asked!", I said. "I took the liberty of procuring all the keys for this place...", I saw Quint trying to reach into a shop, only getting his wrist inside the folding metal gate; but that was enough to to set off the motion detectors within, and the whole space filled with an earsplitting klaxxon! "You idiot!...", I yelled through it. "You got to wait until I shut that stuff off!..."
LaSage put her hands over her ears as the rest did the same. All were gasping and wincing in auditory agony as I rushed to a door marked 'security' and unlocked it. Inside were banks of monitors and controls, red lights going off on indicators; red strobe over the door revolving and computer screen indicating a breach at the sportware shop. I scrambled to this monitor and tried to figure out how to shut down the klaxxon; and it was a good thing purser Weems was recovered enough to write down the instructions for it, for I clicked in the command and the earsplitting noise ceased even though the red strobes did not. I sighed in relief as I saw LaSage and Quint looking at me at the doorway to the security room.
"Boy! when they don't want someone in, they don't want someone in!", LaSage snorted.
"Next time, wait!", I barked. "It's a good thing you are entitled to this stuff or the security personell would be all over us by now!"
"But how?", Quint said. "There is no crew aboard."
"Whatever... Just wait next time.", I said, looking at the security panel before me. "Now, let me figure this out..."
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(Continued in the next post.)
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Post by thundertail on Mar 11, 2008 20:07:45 GMT -5
FIFTY: "Planned Piracy..." (Continued.)
I studied the panels, scanned the dead security camera monitors and waited while I tried to remember the sequences that would roll the security gates back up into the ceiling. Weems said that they were either controlled centrally through this room, or could be opened by the shopkeepers' security cards and codes. I found a section in the memory of the computer that activated the gates, and tried experimentally with code words, to no avail. Taped under the keyboard was a sheet of paper that had a dozen strings of numbers and letters - just as many codes as there were shops in the area - and took the chance as I began punching them in. LaSage came over and watched me work while Quint kept an eye out in the central area, watching the men in case they screwed something else up. I just hoped these morons wouldn't set something else off before I could disarm everything!
"These machines are great...", LaSage was saying, but I was ignoring her. "With technology like this, I could take over the island!..."
"Keep dreaming...", I said, not looking at her. "You're lucky we let you live!..."
"You can't do that!", she replied. "The rest on this island won't let you!"
With that I punched in the last of the codes, then I hit the 'enter' key. With a communal rattling, the gates in front of each shop began to unlatch and scroll up into the ceiling, and the pirates whooped with joy and began to run for each. Quint had the brilliant idea of going out and holding them back; which was a good idea after all because thier plundering would have no doubt destroyed many things in those shops! I gave LaSage only a cursorary glance as I scooted past her in the doorway, then went out into the main space of the shipboard mall. I waved to get them all over, LaSage last but with a look of jealousey or something on her face, and told them a few facts about the place.
"First off, anything you see in this area is yours...", I said and was drowned by the cheers. "BUT!..., please try not to break into any locked cabinets or any other thing that has something you want. There is a civilized way to approach everything, and everything else locked up has keys to them if you know where to look.", by this time LaSage had stepped to my side. "I guess you may browse and look..."
Browsing and looking was beyond the comprehension of these men, and they scrambled to each shop with reckless abandon. The darkened shops gave no indication to what they contained, and many of them came out, confused.
"Can't see a thing in there...", announced one.
"How d'you suppose we're to steal anything ifn' we can't see it?", another said.
"here,... let me show you...", I went to the nearest shop, to just inside the doorframe of the metal screening and located the light switches. I flipped them on, and inside was a swanky clothing shop. "See, these switches turn on the lights! Now you can see..."
"Nice duds!", LaSage walked in and examined some fancy outside world fashions. "Ok, you mugs! You know what to do.", she took the dress off the shelf and posed with it against her.
"It's you!", I said and left the shop.
Some pirates found a sporting goods shop while others found a jewelry store. Many more went into shops resembling convenience stores or souvenier shops. The sounds they made were not unlike the normal sounds made here during normal business hours, but the smells that began to waft through the space betrayed the fact that these men seldom bathed! Soon LaSage called all her thugs out into the main space to see what they got, and nearly throttled several of them for what they brought out!
"You call this stuff treasure?!", LaSage asked. "This junk wouldn't get squat in trade!"
"Yes it would!", I told her. "This stuff is the most valuiable things on the ship. They wouldn't have it all locked up if it weren't!", I looked at her. "None of this stuff has ever been on the island before! Why, you could get a king's ransom for it!"
"You're up to something, Stinger.", she said. "I just know it!"
"Aw!... you say the sweetest things!...", I replied. "Now then, to show you what I mean; follow me, if you would!"
I led the way intio another jewelry shop that they hadn't gotten to yet, turned on the lights and let that play upon the rows of glassed in cases of sparkling finery. This shop was for the more high end jewelry, and not the costume stuff sold in the other shops. LaSage gasped at these things of gold, silver and a wide variety of precious gems; rings necklaces, earrings and chains of many designs. When she saw she could not touch anything here for the glass cases, she looked around and Quint automatically went in and tried to smash one of the glass tops; but I rushed in and stayed his blow.
"Now, what did I tell you about breakinmg stuff?", I told him.
"Nothing...", he replied.
"There's always ways through things!", I told them all. "Now, these cases are locked, but the keys have got to be around here somewhere..."
I went around back, past the cash regester and next to the back room. I pawed around the many shelves of gift boxes and packing supplies until I found a hook hidden under a lower shelf. On this hook was a large key ring with almost a hundred small keys on it, and each was numbered, presumably in accordance to the cases they opened. I came out and tried the keys on the back hasp of the case LaSage was in front of until the lock slid off the hasp; then I slid open the back and pulled out the display board within containing many necklaces and rings, setting it on top with a flourish.
"That's how you get the loot around here!", I said, tossing the key ring to Quint. "Enjoy!"
I stepped out front as Quint took my place, fumbling with the keys and trying to match the wrong keys with the wrong locks. As he got one right, he smiled and stripped that case of all its' valuables; then he proceeded on to the next case, repeating the procedure. As the loot began to pile on the countertops, the pirates' pockets soon became overloaded; so to help them out, I went to a boutique-like shop and grabbed a couple of large leather purses from a rack and tossed them to them. LaSage looked on with rapt anticipation, for this kind of treasure was right up her alley; and it was too bad that none of this cheap jewelry wasn't really worth very much!
Once that shop was cleaned out, they went to another sporting outdoors-type clothing and accessories; stripping each rack of its' cloths and trying to make some useful sense out of the other things. At a sporting goods shop they tried out baseball bats and archery equipment, commenting on the mayhem they could cause with the former and touting the uselessness of the flimsey bows of the latter. Soon they came to a row of machines containing cans of soda and ones containing small bags of chips and other snacks; and complaining how hungry they were becoming, I jimmied the door off the soda machines and punched the plexiglass out of the snack machines. They had a hard time opening the cans, and were at a loss on how to open the bags; but a few small instructions from me and they quickly began to lustilly feast on the extremely unhealthy meal I provided.
As LaSage looked on with a mixture of repulsion and boredom, many of her thugs began to pile thier loot in the center of the mall space so it would be easier to carry above decks. I was not about to help them further, but spent most of my time having Klamath monitor thier positions to make sure they didn't wander to any other areas of the ship. Even though the rest of the areas were locked, there was no one to stop them from breaking down a door or prying out a lock with thier knives but me! I finally got up from a lawn chair in the sporting goods shop and wandered out into the center area and saw LaSage storm out from another shop, dragging Quint with her!
"Are you slugs gonna take all day?", she yelled. "I'm getting bored!"
"Do you think we have enough?", Quint asked.
"It better be!", LaSage told him. "I want to be back by nightfall."
"Right this way...", I said over the pirates' grumbling and lifting as I ushered them out of the area.
I led them back the way they came, they breaking the doors off thier hinges as we passed them. Who could blame men of such caliber, that they had to behave themselves so loong; besides, what's a little mayhem among pirates?! Nessie and her barge was right below the cargo netting, and several pirates climbed down and began stacking the booty that was thrown to them. I stayed behind, and heard a slight noise down the passageway; but it was only Dragonfly peeking out, making sure things were OK. I winked at him and shooed him back as LaSage looked my way.
"What's down there?", she asked.
"Just some of my buddies.", I told her. "They wanted to know if it was Ok to come out - they were getting hungry! If you took much longer, they would have eaten you, orders or no!"
"That's nice to know...", she said as she quickly mounted the railing and scurried down the netting.
The goods were quickly secured on the barge, and I told Nessie to cast off. The short trip to shore went uneventfully, save for the fact that the tide was coming in, making the water choppy and unpredictable to the Cryptoclydus. Nessie nearly beached herself as she reversed direction to let the barge surge up on the sand, and a few of the pirates jumped out and immediately dragged it further inland. With little argument and confusion, the pirates stacked thier goods on the beach; and Lasage inventoried everything there, noting that they had taken far too much. That didn't matter to her, for she would force them all to take more than they could carry!
"What a haul!", Quint commented at her side.
"It'll do...", then she looked at him. "Who asked for YOUR two drachs?...", she nudged him.
Soon the pirates began loading themselves up with the loot. They grumbled when they had to help one another with the loading, and complained when they would get no help from thier cohorts. Just as all of them were more than amply loaded for thier trip home, Martino came up to his boss and looked humbly until she noticed him with a nod.
"This might be more than we can carry.", Martino said. "We didn't bring no cart, either.", Martino said.
LaSage looked at me. "Stinger, would you be a dear and lend us a cart?", she said sweetly.
"You should have thought of that before you came here.", I said. "What do I look like? A taxi service?!"
"No, you look like a buffoon in a tin can!", she snapped. "You give us a cart or we'll burn this whole ship down!"
"You can't burn solid steel!", I chuckled. "Besides, I can have you evicted from here and you'll get... NOTHING!", my face turned serious.
"I'm heartbroken!...", she batted her eyes. "But I hear if you do, the council will be mad at you."
"Can I ask you a question?", I asked as levelly as I could.
"It'll cost you.", she replied.
"Not as much as it will cost you if you don't answer!...", I got control back and sighed before continuing. "Do you have enough? Are you finished here?"
"Well, I don't have the whole ship - or the whole island for that matter...", LaSage pretended to consider. "However, these weaklings can't carry away everything aboard...", then she smiled. "Yeah!... I guess that's everything!...", she turned to her pirates. "OK, you dopes!... Move 'em out!..."
The pirates grudgingly trudged down the beach in the direction they had come, not noticing that all the Tyranosaurs, Veloceraptors and Rangers had surrounded them from a distance as they unloaded the barge. As they walked, they began noticingthem; and this brought them to a startled halt while Quint tried to push them along. I made a spreading gesture with my arms behind them, and my friends slowly backed off to allow the pirates room to travel. cautiousely the pirates moved past the first row of Tyranosaurs, who grunted and chuffed as they passed. At last all the pirates and Lasage was well past the group of carnivores; and at the same time decided to beat a hastier retreat from the area.
We all watched the pirates shrink down the beach, then past a rock outcropping until they were out of sight. All of us knew to remain silent until they were all out of earshot; and only then did we let off with peals of cheers! Rex ran up besideme as Mosquito went to nessie to ask if she would retrieve the rest of his guards from the ship. The rest of the Rainy Basin Rangers converged on us just then, yelling and congratulating me on my plan that went over like a dream. By the time the rest of the Veloceraptors came back from the ship, we had dismantled the Big Top tent and stowed it in the cart we brought with us, cleverly camouflaged to look like a tangle of driftwood and scrub, and prepared to leave the area. We all knew as we slowly made our way back home that lasage would no doubt return to the Millennium Queen sooner or later - she had a tendancy to not leae anything unplundered!
It was dusk when our group entered the Rainy basin, and pitch black as we stopped our cart in the center of clan Thundertail. No one was about but the guards that were posted, and tried not to disturb the rest of the clan as we made it to our quarters for the night. In the morning we reported to king Thundertail all that transpired, and sent a Postal Bird off to waterfall City to report to them too. We included our concerns and deductions of LaSage's probable return to the ship, and added our suggestion that extra guards should be dispatched to the Millennium Queen from now on. The reply we got for the operation was a hearty congratulations, and the reply for our fears was a wholehearted agreement; but when the mayor urgently requested that I return to Waterfall City, I could not guess at what could be wrong!
The next day I set out once again to waterfall City; and this time I employed the services of Nicholas Parasolophus, who was a Partner of Randolph and Pooja Davis, and his mate was Agnes. Thier son, Todd shook the giant saurian's hand and we both set out on our way. Nicholas said that he was friends with the curator of the Hall of Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsians, and would no doubt get a room there for our stay. Another uneventful trip and within a day we were staring at the main gates of Waterfall City...
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Post by thundertail on Mar 16, 2008 9:22:49 GMT -5
FIFTY-ONE: "Rumors..."
I could not guess why mayor Waldo Seville asked me into his private chambers at the courthouse of Waterfall City after that seemingly routine meeting right after I arrived that day. He looked more concerned than usual, and took his time getting to the point. He offered me refreshments and inquired on how things were going in clan Thundertail; but his concentration was not on my answers, and he hardly listened to them at all. Even though I told him about the apparent success of my mission, and the concerns about LaSage's probable return to the ship; he did not really seem to hear me, both at the meeting and just now as I repeated the tale. He just looked out the window in this chamber, over the city with his hands clasped behind his back, saying nothing.
"You look troubled, your honor.", I said after a few moments of his silence. "Is there anything wrong?"
"Not that I'm blaming you, but ever since that ship came to our shores, there's been nothing but trouble....", his gaze out the window never faltered.
"I realise that having all these new people are a burden, and the new problems of some fifteen hundred people are new to you...", he cut me off.
"It's not the people, not really.", Waldo said. "It's the things they bring. The devices of your modern world confuse and perplex us. We do not know whether they are for good or evil."
"I know having a modern day ship in your midst seems strange to you.", I told him. "Just as it would be if an envoy from Dinotopia would find its' way to the modern world; but it's only one ship, and only a comparative handful of people with just a smattering of modern day technology they brought with them!"
"True, but the implications they bring are just as dangerous as they are wonderful.", Waldo said as he went to a side table that was draped with a colorful quilt - a piece of furniture that I thought hid a saurian piano or something. "These are a sample of the strange objects found aboard the Millennium Queen. These are things that are a mystery to us, and we can not decipher thier purpose.", he removed the quilt with a flourish.
On what was now revealed to be a table lay many objects common to the outside world, and the display looked remeniscent of the scene common at a yard sale or some such event. There were coffee makers, wristwatches, electronic games, boomboxes, CD players, walkie talkies, cell phones, a laptop computer, cameras both digital and ones requiring film and a whole slew of similar items of different models. I smiled at this collection, and turned to Waldo with a knowing glint in my eye. He seemed to sense this, and physically relaxed somewhat.
"You picked some pretty strange things here!", I said, then chuckled as I lowered my head. "You should have no fear with things like this, your honor. They are practically harmless!"
"You don't say...", he replied. "What, pray tell, are thier purpose?"
I began rattling off each item, explaining what each of them did; and I tried to prove the ways they could be useful to Dinotopia as I described them. "This is called a 'coffee maker', like a tea brewer.", I told him, demonstrating the moving parts of the device. "With this you could brew a perfect cup of Jinka tea!... Provided, of course, you had the paper filters. Also, it runs on electricity.", I showed him the power cord.
"There is no electricity here.", Waldo said.
"True, but there are devices in the World Beneath that can turn sunstone energy into electricity.", I said. "Perhaps Frank Waters could mingle technologies and create a way to use the device..."
"He is doing well.", Waldo said. "It's only a matter of months and he will be ready for you."
"Good!...", I went to another object. "Now this device is a music box of sorts. It goes by many names: 'Boombox', 'Ghetto blaster', 'radio', 'CD player' or 'tape deck'."
"It's a radio?", he asked.
"Yes, but it's only a receiver.", I said. "It can't broadcast our position, if that had you worried!", I chuckled. "It can get frequencies in the AM and FM bands; but it probably doesn't have very good range. Now, the other features of it is a cassette player and a CD player. Those forms of media holds recorded music and such; just like a phonograph. The cassette stores on magnetic tape and the CD's information is etched in a plastic disk, and read by a laser."
"Stunning!", said Waldo. "I would like to hear it!"
"Ok...", I said as I rummaged through the other things. I located a CD in a blank looking case and inserted it. The music blared and the singer proclaimed that he wanted to rock and roll all night, and party every day... I rushed to lower the volume! "Woah!"
"That was just AWFUL!", Waldo was still covering his ears!
"We have good music as well as bad.", I confessed. "I guess it's all in the ear of the beholder!"
"But no more of THAT!...", he begged. I shut it off and removed the CD.
"This, of course, is a wristwatch.", I said. "It's electronic and runs on a tiny battery.", I showed him the digital face and continued. "A battery is a small object that holds an electric charge..."
"I see.", he said. "Is it as accurate as my pocket geochronograph?", he took out a cylindrical device that looked more like a seashell than a timepiece. "How about these other small devices?"
"These are handheld electronic games.", I said as I turned one on and began to play it. It blipped happily for a moment, then made a sour noise as I lost. "Kids have a lot of fun with them, and they're perfectly harmless!"
"Good! Now, these devices seem familiar...", Waldo picked up a camera. "They remind me of devices described of old..."
"Those are cameras, made to take images of things.", I told him. "Like a painting, only visually realistic.", I picked up the digital camera. "This one takes the pictures electronically, and can be seen on this device.", I pointed at the laptop computer at the end of the table. "The other takes a picture and places it on a paper card."
"And what is that device?", he was referring to the computer.
"That is a 'laptop computer'.", I said. "It's like a brain, and can do all sorts of things like a human brain can.", I continued. "It can be hooked up to a worldwide system of other computers in a network; but it needs the support of a server to work that way, and it doesn't seem to be set up like that right now."
"I see...", Waldo looked confused, so I continued!
"These are called 'walkie talkies'.", I picked up the unopened set, perhaps taken from one of the promenade deck shops, and opened them. "These are also radios, but can transmit and receive; and they can only pick up each others' transmissions.", I handed him one after inserting the batteries and adjusting the controls. At his confused look, I said. "Here, let me show you how they work!"
After a brief instruction on how to operate the walkie talkie, I led him to the window and told him to stay there. I walked to the other side of the room, and ducked into a small alcove; then I turned so he could see me and spoke.
"Hello mayor, over...", I said.
"HELLO, STINGER!", he said loudly, and kept the button pushed. I mimed releasing my hand and he got the hint!
"Press down when you want to talk, say 'over' when you're through and release the button.", I said. "And please talk normally. No need to shout!... over."
"Understood...", Waldo said, much better now. "This is a miraculous device!... How far away can these devices work?", then he remembered. "Over..."
"That can vary, but this model might not have a great range.", I told him. "Perhaps as little as two miles. Over."
"I'd like to try these from farther away.", Waldo responded. "Do you think we could try these outside? Say, me here and you near the Pliosaur canal?...", he forgot to say over, so I paused. "Oops! Over!"
"Maybe later we can have fun with them.", I told him, chuckling. "But for now, these new items were your primary concern?... Over."
"Oh, yes!", Waldo walked to the table as I came over as well. "Please continue.", he handed me his walkie talkie.
I picked up the cell phone before explaining what it was. I had to test it to make sure whether it worked or not. I knew that this was the thing that would be the greatest threat to Dinotopia on the table! It turned out that the battery was almost dead, and the signal was practically nonexistent. I smiled and showed him the device.
"This is what is callled a 'cell phone'.", I explained. "It works much like the walkie talkies, only you can contact anybody anywhere in the outside world."
"Oh, dear!", the mayor exclaimed. "That is the kind of thing that could spell our end!"
"You have little to fear with THIS cell phone!", I said. "The battery is almost dead, and the signal is too weak to reach the cell towers.", I saw this needed explaining too, so I continued. "Cell phones work on a certain radio frequency that relies on transmission towers to boost the signal. You must be pretty close to one for your call to get through, and there isn't one of those for a thousand miles or more. What's more, this service is sponsored by companies that require you pay for the service; and if it is not paid they turn off the service. This cell phone has been here for more than a month, and the bill might be overdue; so the service to this one might be shut off."
"Then this is good news!", waldo stated.
"I assure you that nothing on this table is a threat to Dinotopia.", I said. "If you're confused on any other thing brought from the ship, you could ask one of the newcomers. They would know about these things as well as I could!"
"Yes, I know.", he replied. "But you I trust! At least you'd say what's dangerous and what's not and not lie about it."
"Thanks...", I said, then changed tack. "But you never know about this stuff. I mean, these things could start a trend among the people! Having these things around could be a grand novelty to them!... That is, until they run out of power and become useless."
"I'm sure the newness of these things would wear off over time.", Waldo said as he led me to his chamber door.
"Indeed.", I said as he opened it. "Be sure to call on me again if you have a question...", I left.
I toured Waterfall City for the rest of the afternoon, catching up with my ride into town, Nicholas Parasolopholus, as he was conversing with a few citizens of his own kind near the cargo chutes; and they were hearing his tales of the Rainy Basin, speaking in thier own fluty tongue. He stopped his tale as he saw me, and inquired how my meeting went; and I told him of the mayor's worrys, describing the devices from the Millennium Queen he had in his chambers. I assured his friends that they had nothing to fear from these items, and not to be alarmed if any more such items turned up in Waterfall City.
My travels with Nicholas in tow included going to the library, where many newcomers were busy studying for tests and personal research. Yarra came out and greeted us curtly before flitting off on her predetermined errand. Zippeau was there as well, and came out to greet us; but the look on his face made me wonder if his workload as teacher and librarian was becoming too much for him! He scolded a newcomer for shouting in the library and continued his duty of returning books and scrolls to thier places.
Near the main entrance to Aqua Stadium, Rosemary Seville met me as she came across the bridge from the hall of records; and this was Nicholas' cue to meander off to find his friends again. We strolled down the lane and crossed the bridge at Plesiosaur canal before she decided to speak to me in more than just plain niceties.
"It was so grand of your clan to open trade routes through the Rainy Basin.", Rosemary said. "The prosperity the surrounding towns are showing is truely remarkable!"
"We have always felt that if carnivores were less adament about thier territories, thier reputations as mean killers would gradually decline.", I told her as we strolled along Morning Glory Promenade. "Our own allies near the Basin have seen great prosperity as well."
"What is good for one is good for all.", she said. "A little kindness goes a long way."
"This is true; and we have discovered that we can reguard others on Dinotopia as more than just food!", I realised I was out of place and bowed. "Sorry. Carnivore humor!"
"It's a rather morbid kind of humor...", she stopped at a railing, looking out over the thundering falls below.
"Yes, it is.", I nodded. "I guess it's because they have nothing else to joke about..."
I looked out over the falls as well, seeing the swelling curtains of water cascade down into the gorge below. After a moment of waiting for a reply, I looked over to Rosemary and saw her face was many miles away. Fearing I would disturb her thoughts, I said nothing for the longest time; but concerned about what she was so silent for, I had to say something. I cleared my throat and slid a bit closer before I said anything.
"Leadership weighs heavy on all of us...", I said, still looking at the spray. "Sometimes it helps to talk about it."
"I have so many to think about, so many that I love...", Rosemary began. "And yet, I sometimes neglect the ones closest to me..."
"I feel the same way myself.", I told her. "With all these responsabilities being the mayor of the Rainy Basin - plus trying to keep relations with you and the rest of the island, I sometimes feel I'm neglecting Mayday and little Hamilton...", I sighed. "It would seem that, with leaders, family does not always come first..."
"Do you think that is what it is, really?", she looked at me suddenly. "Could that be it? Could that be why I'm such a bad mother?"
"Who told you you were a bad mother?", I asked. "You are the most wonderful mother in the world!... Why, you raised Marion to be a perfect young woman! She is strong and decisive... And I heard Carl say that she has a devastating left hook!", I tried to make her smile.
"It's not that, really...", Rosemary only half smiled. "It's just that... I think I'm losing touch with her. She has been delinquent in her studies as matriarch, she doesn't seem to know what she wants, she is angry with everything - including her lot in life...", she took a sad hue. "And I think she is angry with me the most!..."
"How could that be?", I asked. "You raised her with the best this island has to offer! I know you love her with all your heart!"
"I do, of that there is no doubt.", she said. "I try to help her and guide her out of trouble; but every time I try lately, she rejects my help and says I'm smothering her...", she looked solemnly at me. "I do not smother her... Or if I did, I do not mean to!...", tears began.
"Now look...", I said trying to sooth her. "You do NOT smother her!... Know what I think it is?... It is a phase she is going through...", I handed her a handkerchief. "She is growing up, and she seeks freedom to do her own thing. You and Waldo represent authority to her. The power to say no and stop her from doing what she wants. She is too old to be your little daughter anymore, and yet she is too young to realise the concequences of being an adult. She is confused at this... and mad! She takes it out on you because there is nobody else but you and her to do it to... And heaven forbid she take it out on herself!..."
"You think that's all it is?", Rosemary looked to me like a girl would a parent. "A phase?"
"I think so.", I said solemnly. "You know, my daughter in the outside world went through the same thing. She wanted her independence at the ripe old age of seventeen, and if I got in the way or stopped her for any reason...!", I winced at the thought. "Well, to get right down to it, she said she was old enough to do most things for herself, and didn't need my help in many things. I eventually let her move out of the house and get her own place; and she called me telling me of all the problems she was having.", I smiled and continued. "I told her that this was the way it was being out on your own. It was no picknick for her, and it hurt me more than you could know letting her go like that; but that was when I realised that she was indeed old enough to handle life on her own."
"I should let her go? Just like that?", Rosemary asked. "What will she think?"
"It's not what she will think. It's what YOU will think!", I said to her as others walked by us. "The thing is YOU have got to stop thinking of her is just your little daughter, and start thinking of her as a fine, independant young woman.", my look turned serious. "If you do that, I think she will respect you in a new light. She may think of you as more of a friend than a mother; but that's usually how offspring think of thier parents as they get older...", then my look turned softer. "Sometimes it's best if a parent learns to let go..."
"But if I do that, wouldn't she think that I don't love her any more?", Rosemary asked. "She would be so confused..."
"Well, don't do it right away!", I smiled. "Do it gradually, and make it look like it's an assignment or something... But if it comes right down to it - as I think it might since she's not a dummy - be honest with her about it. Tell her that she is an adult now, and that she can do as she chooses."
"But she said once that she did not want to be matriarch!", Rosemary maintained. "One can't run away from ones' destiny!"
"Let her find that out on her own.", I said. "I let my daughter find out what she wanted on her own; and I may not have necesarilly wanted her to be a doctor, but it turned out to be the best decision of her life!", I stood face to face with her. "I think it's time you let her make these decisions on her own..." "You have given me a lot to think about, Stinger; and I thank you...", she said after many moments of contemplation. "We two are not of different material after all!"
"Us parents got a lot in common!", I said, glad that she was feeling better. "But your problem is not of parenthood. It is what gets in the way of it that hinders you.", I smirked. "What you need is a vacation or something!..."
"Perhaps you're right; but perhaps later.", Rosemary said. "Now, where were we?..."
"We were talking about trade and the Rainy Basin's involvement...", I said.
"Oh, yes!...", Rosemary said and continued what she had wanted to discuss with me.
We talked right there for nearly half an hour, not really going back to the subject that had upset her so much; but the conversation always never seemed to leave sight of it. She inquired about Mayday and my son Hamilton, marveling at how the little tyke was growing and making suggestions concerning his budding artistic growth. She had noticed a streak of jealousey in Mayday as she remembered her stint of pulling me away by the ear when the matriarch imparted to me a comeraderly kiss. I just shrugged it off, saying it was in her nature to be playful, if not rough; but she insisted that it could mean that Mayday actually was jealous, and perhaps extra attention should be shown to her. I eventually promised I would the next time I was at home. I was secretly worried that this might be the case myself!
As the Sunstones gave off thier glow at the close of day, it was mutually decided to end our lengthy chat; and both of us refrained from any untoward contact this time for fear of what we had previousely talked about! I roamed the streets, noticing a few of the newcomers mill about this square or near that fountain as I passed; evedentally these people were more used to the nocturnal lives they once had, and were strangers to a Dinotopian creedo remotely akin to 'early to bed and early to rise'!
I shook my head at this activity and went on my way. Steep Street was only a few blocks over across the Pliosaur canal, and at this hour mister Woolright had gone to bed; and the famous dwelling of Sir Arthur Dennison lay dark and dormant. I used the skeleton key Adelade had given me the last time I was there and opened the door in the veranda as the wind was blowing the waterfall near the front door in sheets over it. I closed the door as quietly as I could, intending to sneak into the room they provided for me; but Adelade's acute saurian hearing heard the tiny noises I made and scratched her bony head as she viewed my progress through the house from the shadows. Klamath saw her with his enhanced vision and I waved to her silently as I made it to my bedroom.
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(Continued in the next post.)
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Post by thundertail on Mar 16, 2008 9:25:29 GMT -5
FIFTY-ONE: "Rumors..." (Continued.)
It turned out that I spent many days in Waterfall City, both there and communities surrounding it. Of the many castaways that had finished thier lessons already and were bid to go out into these communities, I wanted to see thier progress and help them as well in adjusting to these regions. It was also Zippeau's job to oversee thier continued education and report back any problems they might be having, and he went with me and Nicholas to see the new arrivals at the Outpost situated at the crossroads just outside waterfall City. I soon found out that all the people that had pets aboard ship was assigned together with mister Razouli, owner of the curiosity shop there, and owner of Sandy the golden lab. I had always wondered whatever became of those people and thier pets!
They all lived in a rather large boarding house near the edge of town, right next to Razouloi's shop; and it was hoped that one day thier pets would mate and create more generations of dogs and cats. The first one I saw walking her dog was Melissa Grant, Bounder the border collie playing tethered at her side. She didn't recognise me at first as so many new things had evidentally happened to her that her memory was overloaded; but other than that, she told me she was having the most wonderful time of her life - and Bounder's wagging tail told me the same went for him!
A while later Fred Windom and his black lab, Chip came by with a youngish female Ankylosaur in tow. They were to be apprentices for a shipping company being partially founded by Frank Scott and this Ankylosaur's father and his human partner. Fred had said that Chip and Sandy, Razouli's yellow lab, were becoming quite acquainted; and it wouldn't be long before I could have the pick of thier litter - an option I gratiousely refused!
Melissa informed me before that Bounder was beginning to become friendly with Frank Bishop's husky, Sasha; and when I mentioned this to him, he confirmed this in a roundabout way. He told me that he was to work in the saurian boarding house across the outpost from there, taking care of the caravans of saurians on thier way to and from all points on Dinotopia. He said that he liked news of other places; and with his growing fluency of the saurian dialects, he said this curiosity would be sated on almost a daily basis!
I saw Francine Fontaine sitting on a porch of the human boarding house as I walked by, and asked her how things were going as Jo-Jo sat twitching her bushy tail on her lap. They told her she was to apprentice running a shop in town, but hadn't told her which one it would be. The McCue family strolled by just then; and the only one that recognised me was thier daughter, Melissa. Thier chihauha, Pacco yipped at thier feet, and a pair of Compsagnathus and thier tiny family soon followed. We talked as a group as Zippeau finally caught up with us and took over the conversation. I left this group shortly thereafter, wondering sadly on the fate of Jo-Jo and poor Pacco. Both of those animals were too small for breeding, and I knew mating between dogs and cats was impossible!
In the mean time, Carl Scott had arrived at his father's tavern on the other side of the outpost, Thistlesnarl was there in the paddock beside it. David Scott had gotten some free time too, and they were both there visiting thier father like they often did when any of them had some free time from thier duties in the Rainy Basin Rangers and the Skybax corps respectively. Sopmetimes they helped Frank out in his tavern, or just hung around talking with the patrons that frequented the tavern. This time it was a bit different, for Frank would get some news that any normal Dinotopian wouldn't dare tell him!
"Never guess what washed up on shore this time.", David was saying as he dried some glasses.
"Some stranded Sucheomimus?...", Frank said as he poured a drink for a regular. "Suprise me..."
"Another ship.", was the reply.
"Another victim of the razor Reef?", Frank asked. "Was it a rowboat this time?"
"Not exactly.", said David. "The thing was huge!... They say that they rescued fifteen hundred passengers and crew from it!"
"What kind of ship was it?", Frank became instantly interested! "If it was a cargo ship, think of all the supplies!", he turned to his son. "I bet it could hold half the Dinotopians on the island!... Tell me more."
"Remember that cruise to Cancun you made a few years ago?", Carl cut in from mopping in front of the counter. "Like that ship!"
"Holy cow!", Frank ignored his next customer. "And it's just sitting out there...! Ah,... is it seaworthy?"
"Fraid not, pops...", Carl said. "Stinger says the chief engineer thinks the hull's all torn out. It'll need a drydock and a year's worth of repair before it'll float again."
"Many salvage crews have been there.", David said. "They've been taking all the things out and dustributing them all over the island."
"Yeah! And clan Thundertail's got all the meat!", Carl added.
"You mean there's real meat here?!", Frank asked as he finally served his customer. "Not fish or dinosaur meat?..."
"Remember what we found aboard the 'Southern Star'!?", David reminded.
"CHEESEBURGERS!", all three said lustilly, unnerving that customer!
"If we hurry, there'll be plenty for us!", Carl suggested.
"Alanzo!", Frank shouted.
"Yes, Frank?", he came out from the kitchen wiping his hands.
"Could you take over here for a few days?", Frank asked. "We're going on a little trip..."
"But what about that shipment coming from Baz?", he protested. "You're the one who made that Trilobar deal!..."
"You can figure that out!", Frank went out back to pack.
I had entered the tavern a few moments ago, and heard most of this conversation; but paid it no mind as I was hungry and ordered a meal. As the human waitress left with the order, I saw Carl and David walk over to my table in the corner. From thier excited looks, I knew there was something they wanted to ask; so I smirked and waited for them to prepare themselves.
"Mayor Stinger!", Carl bowed. "Could I ask a favor on behalf of my father?"
"Certainly.", I said as I offered them a seat, but still they stood.
"Well,... my father now knows about the Millennium Queen.", Carl began.
"We would like to know if he could come visit clan Thundertail.", David continued.
"He want's to come and sample the meat apportioned to us.", Carl told me. "And I thought he wanted to find a way to use the ship to get off the island!"
"You know we accept any visitors!", I told them as 26 galloped out from the back room, located Carl and galloped over to his feet. "You're ALL invited, schedules permitting, of course... even you, 26!", I glanced down, she honked.
"That's great!", Carl said, picking his Partner up. "He'll be so psyched!"
"Oh, by the way...", I said before they could turn. "Anything to report, ranger Scott?"
"Nothing much, sir.", Carl said. "All rangers report that the Rainy Basin is quiet. At least that was what I heard before commander Diego gave me a furlough..."
"And your steed?", I asked.
"All is well with her too, sir.", Carl said. "Thiss is in the paddock out back, if you want to ask her..."
"Excellent! Then I guess you can continue your furlough!...", I said and the two boys went back to the bar area.
My waitress came out with my order and I began to eat, noticing how meatless it was; as was nearly every meal I have had outside the Rainy Basin. This did not bother me much as humans can digest both types of matter. I was about half way through with my pasta and salad when I looked up from my meal and saw Zippeau enter the tavern. He looked around and located me at my table among the rather thin crowd. I waved him over and offered him a seat.
"Zip!... Come, sit!", I said around my last mouthfull.
He weaved his way through the tables before sitting with an exhausted huff. "Ahh...! Stinger, there you are!", the waitress saw and scooted by the table. "I had the most unusual day!..."
"Do tell!", I prompted.
"I'll have the house special.", he said to the waitress instead, who nodded and retreated. "You know, those newcomers in this community seem to be taking thier new surroundings quite well."
"With my experiences with them, those people seemed the most likely to fit in.", I told him. "I'm glad you agree!"
"There is that, but the problems they seem to have being here pose a grand dillema to thier neighbors.", Zippeau said. "We who think life here is rather routine will be hard pressed to convince them likewise."
"I'm not saying there will be difficulties fitting in.", I told him. "I merely said that they would most likely take the shortest time to assimilate."
"I know, I know...", he said. "It's just I'm concerned on what thier neighbors might think of them."
"If they try hard enough, everyone will think they were here all along!", I smiled, but he did not. "I'm sure you're aware of the time it took for ME to adjust!"
Zippeau just nodded as he waited for his meal to arrive, turning his head at the disjointed sounds so common for any dining establishment. I noticed he was doing this with an almost worried stance, one of almost dread; and his formerly haughty adititude turned to one of almost fear. I waited for him to make any comment at all, but figured he was too hungry to speak; and was waiting for the waitress to return with his dinner.
"The house special's great today.", I said for conversation. "Pasta suprise and all the salad you can eat!"
"That's nice...", his gaze never fell on me.
"So, you're eating that...", I said cheerilly. "What's eating you?!..."
"Huh?... Oh...", Zippeau stammered. "It's just that this place reminds me of something bad..."
"Oh, yeah! This was the place where that 'sickness' began...", I realised. "I'm really sorry about that..."
"Don't worry about it.", he told me. "It's in the past..."
"From your look, the past isn't so far in the past!...", I observed. "Is that's what's bothering you?"
"I suppose you're right...", Zippeau admitted after a gasp. "The thing is, it's been wearing on my mind lately."
"How so?", I asked. "Both our doctors and yours checked you out, and you're as healthy as they come!"
"I'm not becoming sick, at least I don't think so.", Zippeau explained. "It's just that, every once in a while, I get these urges... Urges that I can't explain and can't tell to most of my friends."
"And I'm not most of your friends...", I conjectured with a smile.
"Well, no...", he chuckled. "I'm telling you because you were there, and can possibly understand what's the matter with me."
"What exactly IS going on?", I asked as I got serious again.
"Well, it all started about a week after I returned from the Rainy Basin.", Zippeau began. "I resumed my life like I normally do; performing my work, tending events and such. I soon began to grow angry all the time for no aparent reason - not really showing it, mind you; but the feeling was there never the less. Soon I began getting ideas on certain gadgets that would cause mayhem to lesser creatures. I walked the little used streets, near the docks and through back alleys; and saw vermin there scavenging from refuse. I began to feel that the city would be a cleaner place if those dirty creatures were erradicated, so I devised traps of certain size and began setting them in secluded niches."
"The traps worked for the most part, but where to put the little corpses?", he continued. "The smell of the dead rodents brought on a mild hunger; and after many times discarding the creatures, I ate one of them! To my suprise this bothered me far less than I would have been, and the next times I trapped them I did so for food!"
"So, your primal Troodont instincts are still active?", I asked.
"It seems promenently so!...", Zippeau whispered. "Stinger!... I am a respected Dinotopian citizen with a high ranking job and friends to many people!... I can not go around eating meat like that!... Can you imagine the scandals that could start if word got 'round?!..."
"I see your problem...", I said but was cut off.
"No, you don't!", he said. "In Dinotopian culture, it is taught at an early age to protect all living things! It is in the code that we live by; and it is extremely close to being a religeous belief! For what I am doing, I am committing virtual sacrelige!", he lost steam and hung his head. "Oh Stinger!... What am I to do?!"
Zippeau, you really had a problem there! I thought upon this for a long time; and as I was about to tell you my thoughts, the waitress came back with your meal. You thanked her and watched her retreat out of sight; then you gazed at your meal without hunger for many moments. That was when I completed my thinking and began telling you what I thought.
"Zippeau, my friend. It seems that you are now two people.", I said. "You are intellegent and worldly according to Dinotopian standards, and you are well liked.", I reguarded him. "But you are also a creature of primal desires and primative wants. Your intellegent side has squelched all of your primative drives, burying it under layers of sophistication and civilization. The primal side is still there, demanding to come out and demanding to be recognised. The drink you had a while ago has awakened this primal thing inside of you, and it will not lie dormant any longer."
"You are of two minds now, and creatures like that can not survive with sanity when both parts are seperated like that.", I continued. "What I think you should do is to come to grips with your primal side. Try to reach an agreement with it, and try to let it mingle with your personality as a whole. If you bring together both parts and merge the two, you'll end up with a personality that is well rounded and sane."
"Is that what's truely happening, Stinger?", was the eventual reply. "That I'm going insane?"
"No!... Of course not!", I smiled. "There is just more to you than meets the eye! All that is wrong is that other part wants recognition, not to be shoved aside.", I told you. "Having an alter ego is no sin, you know. Every creature has its' good side and its' bad side; and a wise creature should know how to use both sides."
"But how do I use this bad side for my advantage?", you asked. "It serves no purpose other than give me a bad time!"
"I suggest you let it out from time to time.", I said. "Let it out to play, if you know what I mean!"
"No, I don't.", you said. "Not really..."
"I got an idea!... How about this:", I said. "Why don't you take a little vacation and visit the Rainy Basin. There you can eat all the meat it wants, and let it act any way it wants to. We don't persecute those with different eating habits, you know!"
"I don't know...", you considered. "I'll have to change my whole schedule, I'll need to find coverage at the library and ask for volunteers in teaching the newcomers..."
"I'm ready.", Frank Scott came out of the back with a pair of sacks he uses for luggage. "When do we leave?"
"Dad!... Come here.", David whispered.
"What do you say?", I coaxed. "I was going to go home from here, and the Scotts want to visit too! We can all go together...!", I leaned in closer. "It's your decision!"
"Well,...", you considered. "If you give me a few minutes..."
"Why so long?", I asked.
"I wanted to finish this delicious looking meal!", you said and began to dig in!
We waited for Zippeau to finish, in the mean time I told Carl to prepare Thistlesnarl for travel; and David went to tell Freefall to meet them at clan Thundertail. I went to find Nicholas and told him to find out if he could borrow a spare cart someplace. By the time all this was underway, Zippeau had finished his meal and stood by Frank Scott as we all waited for our transportation to arrive. Nicholas said that the only thing available was a large rickshaw-like contraption that he could pull; and it was large enough for me, David, Frank, Zippeau and all our things. This contraption was designed for hadrosaurians, and fit his frame nearly perfectly! As soon as everything was loaded and everyone was aboard, I flicked the reigns and told Nicholas we were all set; and the large saurian soon got the rickshaw cart moving toward the Rainy Basin.
Our trip took most of the rest of the day and all night, and by morning we made it to clan Thundertail; and as the Veloceraptor guards met us at its' border, the Scotts reminded themselves why they seldom visited! Zippeau was quite unnerved as well, and never seemed to really calm down his whole time there; but he seemed somewhat less jittery as he reacquainted himself with a few of the clan members, accepting shelter in the home of Selma and Dulock Ovaraptior. David and Frank Scott, invited to stay at Carl's occasional apartment down in Kinan Van and taking to the place within a day; said we had really fixed the place up great, but I knew they were really there for the food! By the time the rest of the clan was up and completed thier morning tasks, a grand breakfast was prepared in honor of our impromptu guests, and soon these visitors began to feel like they were at home!
Thier breakfast with us was to be a special one, of this I wished to make sure of! Among the things from the ship we were given besides all the fresh meat, there were all sorts of canned and non perishable goods; and frozen meats by the score, even though those were already thawed and would soon need to be eaten lest they go bad. The fresh meats we had to eat quickly, for they were already well on thier way to inedibility!
I oversaw the preparation of thier breakfast myself, cooking the remainder of the over forty dozen eggs in one of the hundreds of cast iron skillets also found aboard the Millennium Queen. The Veloceraptors relished these eggs, and preferred them prepared scrambled with gobs of mammoth milk and butter! After the eggs, a canned ham roasted over an open fire, real wheat pancakes made from a box of prepared mixture and a score of spices and condiments taken from a chef's kitchen; the Scotts had a first class breakfast they talked about thier whole time with us!
Zippeau sampled the pancakes, but remained reluctant to touch the other dishes; and becasme more and more dispondant every time I questioned him with my eyes. Sneaking samples of meat in seclusion like he told me was a far cry to admitting it and doing so in public, and I guess it was a hard thing for him to admit! Once during the meal I saw him deftly sneaking a small gobbet of ham onto a pancake and rolling it up, looking in every direction before quickly popping it into his mouth; and he blushed as he looked up to see me winking at him, then that look turned into one of indifferent determination as he made a braver attempt at doing so. I knew it would take a long time for the poor creature to live up to his darker side, but his behaviour at this meal told me that he was at least trying!
After the meal we all went to where we were storing the supplies from the Millennium Queen, and found all sorts of miscelanious items that were not of the edible variety. True there were examples of the things Waldo had shown me up in his chambers, and many of these items were of different makes and models; but the things that convinced me that they were taken from the pharmacy or other convenience shop on the ship was all the grooming items and other everyday things that could be bought in any store around the world among the foodstuffs. I found, still sealed in acardboard box, a whole case of plastic safety razors - the cheap kind, each in a plastic package of ten - and I gave each Scott two packages. A case of shave cream was there too, and they each got a can; and there was also a display package of 100 lighters, and they each got a few of those too.
I found other things like deodorant in solid form, many vials of prepared healthcare needs and medicines, and there were plenty of magazines, paperback books and other publications. There was also some smoking paraphanalia among the supplies; and though I knew no one on the island that smoked cigarettes, there were several boxes of cigars, which would be a perfect gift for mister Woolright in waterfall City! The Scotts were quite excited over these gifts from the outside world, and showed them off to all thier friends when they returned...
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Post by thundertail on Mar 19, 2008 19:59:36 GMT -5
FIFTY-TWO: "Growing pains..."
There had been an ongoing concern among the teachers and leaders of Waterfall City about the certain problems the castaways were having trying to fit in; and even though the majority of the passengers and crew of the Millennium Queen were doing quite well under the circumstances, there were still quite a lot of people here that the concept of living here would constantly escape them. I have heard many rumors about them, things that would seem quite ordinary to folks in the outside world; but for here, they would seem to be the most heinous of crimes!
One of those things being the taking of things they needed, and yet not intending to pay back by actual labor; which everybody on Dinotopia knew what came around went around, and these newcomers couldn't grasp the comcept! If they couldn't pay it back to the particular person they took from right there and then, and they insisted instead to pay with money; then they figured what was the point in taking at all, and resolve never to pay it back at all. This and the fact that many couldn't find it in thier hearts to forgive even the most minor tresspass, a thing that native Dinotopians take for granted; seemed to be the most foreign thing in the world to them. These people had come from a world where the most dredful crimes are committed, and they can never think of other people as worthless criminals with no hope of rehabilitation or redemption! All creatures are just as capable of making mistakes, and equally capable to learn from those mistakes; but many disbelieved this no matter how many times I tried to explain it to them.
I had heard rumors that many of them had run off from thier studies, and became lost in the Dinotopian population - or just became lost, never to be found again. Quite a few found thier way on the wrong side of the path, and I heard they were now in the 'kind tutelage' of none other than Torres LaSage! Many simply wished to choose thier own ways, and not have thier lives dictated by the court; and these individuals were found and they had established lives of thier own in the various towns and outposts throughout the island, even though the court vigorousely disagreed with thier decisions! I had visited many of these people from time to time, and told them of my exploits of which they kept plenty of mental notes!
It is said that there are some people you just can't reach, and for many of these newcomers, the statement could not be more true. I was called upon many times to straighten out situations these newcomers found themselves in, talking them out of seemingly crazy ideas or rescuing them from precarious situations they happened to find themselves in. One of these people was called Lanis Albian, an adventuresome soul that came on the cruise with a group of others looking for an exciting worldwide vacation; but this person felt trapped here, where everyone here prevented him from taking the risks that his free spirit craved. To tell you his tale and why I know it, I think I should start from the beginning; and to be completely fair, I think it should be in his own words!
Lanis Albian was sick and tired of being told what to do all the time. He wished that stupid storm never happened so he would never have become stuck in this mess! He struggled over the scrolls the librarian found for him; but these weren't anything to do with his tudies, not by a second guess! He was looking for a way to get out of here, and there must be some way if he studied these maps and legends of Dinotopia! His shortsighted teacher said that he could be a master of legends if this kept up; but all Lanis wanted was a way to get off of Dinotopia!
He did poorly in English, being Brazillian born; so they assigned him a little translator to help him cope. His name was Bentfeather, an older Microraptor that slightly resembled a bird with rows of insectovorious teeth. He claimed to know all of the major human dialects, including the Spanish the Brazillians use, and all of the major saurian ones as well; and pestered him to no end that he should tend to his language studies instead of pursuing legends. Lanis just kept using a Brazillian saying that even Bentfeather didn't know, telling him where he could go!
Lanis was pleased that they had shipped over all of his luggage from the boat, but missed his equipment that he brought with him; but he guessed that they handn't gotten around to salvaging anything from the holds of the ship, where they stowed his equipment for his trip. Months had passed, and at last a full cartload of his things came calling for him at his stableside apartment near the hall of Hadrosaurs and Ceratopsians, one of the only places still containing places to stay for humans. Many crates of supplies marked for him came in on that load, and most of it was survival gear used when he and his group traveled on foot through the jungles of Madigascar. There were tents, cookstoves, sleeping gear, canned goods, canteens and loads of video recording equipment. Most of that he could distribute to others that would need it - the Dinotopian thing to do; but there was a few special pieces of equipment there that could possibly help him get off the island!
Nobody knew what was in that sixteen foot long canvas bag, perhaps another tent; and the backpack-like bag they thought was just another backpack, so nobody complained when these items reached the hands of Lanis Albian. Though Bentfeather was not his official Partner, they had assigned him one anyway. Her name was Broadside, a yearling Saltosaurus just now being trained for delivery duty in the Rainy Basin; and though she was feisty and tough, she had the niivetie of a baby! By some strange miracle, Lanis had gotten a week off from studies, and asked if he could go outside the city for some recreation; but permission was only granted if he brought along his translator and his Partner, and naturally Lanis had to agree with that or else! So Lanis prepared and loaded Broadside up with all the things he would need for an excursion into the territories surrounding Waterfall City.
"Why are you taking all this stuff?", Bentfeather translated for Broadside, he wanted to know too! "We're not going to be away for a year, you know!"
"When traveling in unknown lands, it is best to overpack.", Lanis told them both as he rode the giant beast. "You never know. We just might need it!"
"Not that it's too heavy, mind you.", Broadside said as she trundled down the road at the last guardpost of the city. "But I'd feel a lot better if you remembered my fodder!"
"You must excuse sauropods...", Bentfeather told Lanis. "Always thinking with thier stomachs!", he hopped onto her neck. "Besides, you can always eat the foliage around you! Me, I'd have to find a rotted log somewhere..."
They ended up stopping for the afternoon on a bluff overlooking Waterfall City. Lanis chose this spot for a special reason, but he wasn't about to tell these two! The thing inside that long canvas sack needed testing, and this would be the perfect place to test it out on!
"This looks like the perfect place for a picknick!", Bentfeather observed. "Lots of mosquitoes!"
"If we're going to spend the night here, don't you think you should set up your tent?", Broadside suggested.
"A great idea!", Lanis said after Bentfeather's translation.
Little did either saurian know was the large, long sack did not contain a tent. Lanis went and unstrapped the bag, taking the backpack down for good measure; then he rummaged through the supplies and brought out another bag. He went behind some bushes on the side of the clearing and changed into a bright red and gold jumpsuit, complete with red helmet with a built-in minicam. Next he went to the backpack and put it on; and then he went to unfurl the thing he had in the other sack. "What you doing in that getup?", Broadside asked. "That's some strange pyjammas!"
"It's not pyjammas!", Lanis said, and became silent as he bolted together some kind of frame with wingnuts.
"You need a helmet to sleep?", Bentfeather asked as he watched the progress Lanis was making. "How absurd!"
The frame came together, and he promptly slid the canvas part onto it. It was only then that it became apparent to the saurians that what Lanis was creating was not a tent! It was long and made into a chevron shape, the silken wings glowed with bright red, gold, orange and green stripes. A triangular aluminum frame was bolted to the bottom of the contraption, and Lanis began to test the strength of his work.
"If you ask me, this is not a tent...", Bentfeather said.
"I know what it is!", Broadside exclaimed. "It's a kite!... I saw many of them flying on Pennant day when I was a hatchling!"
"Don't tell me you came all the way out here to fly a kite?", Bentfeather admonished. "You could have done that just as well back in the city!"
"Not with THIS kind of kite!", Lanis said as he affixed the short tether that he would be suspended from once the hang glider was airborne. "This type you need a lot of room...!"
"How do you fly it?", Broadside asked. "Where's the string?"
"It uses no string...", Lanis said. "In fact you kind of wear it to fly it!...", with that he hefted it by the control bar beneath, lifted the rather light flying machine above his head and bent his legs in preparation for takeoff.
He attatched the other end of the tether to his beltline, and without warning began to run. He ran in the direction of the cliffs overlooking Waterfall City, and the hundred yards or so would make a perfect runway to gain speed for takeoff! He ran and he ran, eventually reaching nearly his top running speed before his feet met empty air! The hang glider lurched down, but immediately caught a thermal and began to rise!
"Lanis! What are you doing!", Bentfeather screeched as he tried to run after him. "Come back here!"
"He's trying to fly! What'll we do?", Broadside asked.
"Quick!... Pick me up!", the Saltosaurus lowered her head. "Now, rear back and fling me!... I'll glide the rest of the way!..."
Broadside slung her head back, then catapulted it forward with great speed. Bentfeather let go at the right moment, spread his inadequate feathered arms and skipped across the air. Within a moment he had caught up with Lanis and that silly flying machine, latching onto the very tip of a silken wing. He fought the raging winds as Lanis rose higher, trying to get where the crazy human was on the underside of this thing. He crawled over and under, shinnying down the short tether, which was holding up the majority of Lanis's weight. As soon as he got close enough to be heard, Bentfeather squawked in the human's ear; and it was a very nasty Microraptor curse!
"You stupid human!!...", Bentfeather cursed as he clung to the jumpsuit. "What in the name of the council of reason are you doing?!"
"You can fly?", was Lanis's reply.
"Never mind that!", the Microraptor said. "Answer me!"
"I'm flying...!", Lanis told him. "What does it look like?"
"It looks like you've put yourself in grave danger...", Bentfeather said as a gust of wind nearly blew him off. "And me along with you...!"
"I'm just trying this hang glider out.", he told his passenger. "Now hang on. These thermals are tricky!..."
"Hang-Glider, eh?", Bentfeather considered. "Well, you are gliding - and you are hanging from the thing..."
The updrafts coming from the half dozen major waterfalls in the area blew the lightweight craft higher and higher. Pretty soon they rose above the escarpment that Waterfall City was perched upon, showing its' full splendor to the pair floating effortlessly above it. The craft spiraled up and figure-eighted for a while, and Lanis shifted his weight to make the hang glider steer towards the city. He knew the glider had survived the shipwreck in perfect working order, and was now ready to land; but the wind currents prevented him from coming around and landing where he started; so he maneuvered a course toward the Waterfall City Skybax aerie, a place he had toured less than two weeks ago.
He flew over the spires and terra cotta roofs, steering for the flattop building where many Skybax were landing and taking off. Bentfeather was on Lanis's back, enjoying the view despite himself - and kicking himself for not being more forceful with this crazy human! As the hang glider made it close enough to the aerie, many of the Skybax called an alarm below; and as if on that cue, many of the riders scrambled to thier steeds. There was a threat coming from the sky, and these brave flyers were the city's first line of defense! Many flew up to meet this threat, and they tried to strafe the fragile craft with thier razor sharp talons! Lanis yelled and cursed at them to no avail; and then he decided to evade thier attacks, shifting his weight left and right and making the Skybax miss. This did nothing to discourage his attackers, and they redoubled thier efforts. Bentfeather screeched in alarm and clung on with talons of his own, puncturing through Lanis's jumpsuit painfully!
There was only one option left for Lanis as he tried to save damage to his fragile craft: he steered around the way he came and left the city's airspace. The Skybax were still in pursuit when the thermals in the area disapeared, and the hang glider slowed to a crawl, barely with enough speed to keep it aloft. The skybax saw this advantage and redoubled their efforts on thier strafing runs. The fabric wings began to shread under talons, and the framing began to buckle under the weight of thier onslaught. Before the hang glider broke up completely, Lanis unhitched the tether and dropped out of range.
"What are you DOING?!", the Microraptor squawked. "You'll be killed!!"
"I'll be all right!", Lanis yelled through the rushing wind. "Get out of here!", Lanis grabbed Bentfeather and flung him away; and the poor creature had no choice but to glide back down to the ground.
Lanis then pulled the ripcord to the parachute on his back, and a huge umbrella of silk spread out above him, decked out in the colors of his now crashed hang glider. The skybax were too close to the trees that lined the gorge below waterfall City, and just watched as this bag of air descended into the leafy canopy far below. The chute caught in the upper branches of the trees and slowed him down; then finally caught for good there, leaving him dangling twenty feet off the ground. Fearing a broken leg if he fell, he just waited there for help. An hour later many Skybax landed in a clearing not too far away, and a rescue squad featuring Broadside and being led by Bentfeather came into the area. The Saltosaurus assisted in getting him down, and the skybax commander was waiting for him when his feet touched the ground.
"Lanis Albian...", the commander stated. "You are under arrest."
"On what charge?", Lanis asked, removing the parachute harness.
"The correct phrase is 'charges'.", the commander said. "If you would follow me...", there was saurian guards there to back him up, and they led the way to a large, caged cart.
Lanis stopped there as he talked, taking account of all that had happened to him; and I just sat there, considering what he said. I really couldn't help sympathising with the young man, being cooped up in a city with nothing exciting to do; and yet I couldn't condone what he did to everyone in pursuit of a selfish desire like that: using that hang glider to eventually try and leave Dinotopia - and most likely getting himself killed!
I really had nothing constructive to say to him to support his actions, and yet I had to hand it to him; and the way he got to do what he wanted to do! This guy had brains, and could think things through; and could manipulate others to that end. I looked at this poor lost soul sitting there in his chair by the window and tried to put me in his place, the desire to be someplace where he had control instead of being in a place that everything was out of his control. I remembered David and Carl Scott giving me thier accounts on how they first came to be on Dinotopia - they nearly broke every rule in the Dinotopian law book!
"So, what do you think?", Lanis prompted. "Think anything can be done?"
"I really don't know...", I told him. "You created a monumental disturbance, you endangered yourself and you endangered your translator. You lied to and misdirected your Partner and your translator. You brought prohibited objects into Waterfall City and you fradulently represented thier purposes.", I shrugged. " Those are pretty steep charges..."
"What do you think my sentance will be?", he asked. "I'm really sorry, you know..."
"You'll probably be sentanced to extensive training, like you've no doubt been through already, only ten times more intense.", I guessed. "You might be sent to an Earthfarm for a season or two. You might be sent to a remote outpost and start over there. Something like that...", I leaned forward. "They have no jails here, so it's unlikely that you'll be imprisoned..."
"That's good news.", he said. "I wouldn't mind working off the punishment... I'm really sorry, you know!"
"I got an idea that might help you...", I told him. "Since you are sorry you did it, they may listen to my proposal."
"What is it?", he asked.
"Well, you like flying and you crave adventure, right?", I asked and he nodded.
"I am going to suggest you be enrolled in the Skybax corps.", I said. "There you'll go through thier basic training and become a full fledged rider. I hear the training is tough, and the service in the corps is even tougher. One of the riders told me what they do for training.", I watched him become increasingly interested! "There is flight simulation, aerial battle strategy, strength training, rock climbing, skill training in every aspect of rescue and many more excercises."
"Rock climbing? That's my favorite!", he asked. "Why they got that?"
"You got to get to the Skybax nests somehow!", I jokingly guessed. "The place where they train Skybax is called Canyon City. They don't call it that for nothing, too!"
"Well, if you can arrange it, I'd love to go!", Lanis said.
"Ok then! I'll see what I can do!", I stood, and he did too.
I shook his hand and walked out the door of his apartment, saurian guard there letting me pass after giving me the evil eye. When I got to the courthouse and presented the case to the delegates at the mayor's private meeting in his chambers, they listened to every aspect of the story. Many maintained that this man was a danger to himself and others, and could not be trusted; reinforcing the danger poor Bentfeather was put through, and how he lied to poor Broadside telling her they were merely going on a picknick. Eventually I told them of my idea concerniong the Skybax corps, but many thought it would only encourage him; but David Scott was there to represent the Skybax envolvement in the case, and he said there might be another way.
David said that the Skybax corps might not be adventuresome enough for him, and proposed that he take Rainy Basin Ranger training instead. At least there he'd see more action than merely flying around, he said; but I told him that he craved adventure as a flyer, spying the mangled hang glider and unpacked parachute in the corner as evidence. It was then I made the silly crack about having him do both, and the delegates took the suggestion to heart; and proposed that he train for both, making him a liason between the two! Before either of us could protest, they put it to a vote; and that was thier final decision!
"Well, Lanis.", I told him as I returned later that day. "Your trial will be tomorrow."
"Know what they'll say?", he asked. "They made a decision in your case.", I said. "I suggested the Skybax corps; but thier sub commander suggested you try the Rainy Basin Rangers. The court has decided that you try both at the same time."
"Rainy Basin Rangers?", he asked.
"They are a group of ground-based rescuers.", I told him. "They patrol the Rainy Basin, helping travelers through and negotiating treaties and such. We go about riding Tyranosaurs. The training is even more extensive that the Skybax corps."
"Aren't Tyranosaurs dangerous?", Lanis asked.
"Only to thier prey!", I joked. "Now, it'll be a lot of work, training for both. Do you think you can handle it?"
"Well, if it's what I need to do to have them like me again...", he considered.
"That's the spirit!", I said, smiling. "Now, your trial is tomorrow. Good luck!", I shook his hand and left.
Long story short, the council ended up agreeing to having Lanis train for both the Skybax corps as well as the Rainy Basin Rangers. He was to do that but not until AFTER he had completed all his training here in the city, and would do all that under a light guard. Bentfeather was to stay with him night and day until he mastered all the languages he could; but Broadside would not become his Partner after all, instead training with one of the other currently unassigned newcomers.
In his time here at Waterfall City, he would be shown the many options of life here on the island, and sample the many ways of life available to him. Of his scheming of trying to get off the island, he would be instructed in the many ways others had tried it, and thier disasterous results; and of this I told him of my own experiences on the subject. Lanis Albian took all this in with a somber look; but the sidelong glances he made to nearly everyone at court told me that his exploits were not over by a long shot!
I spent many days in Waterfall City this time, staying at mister Woolright's again and observing how the newcomers were fitting in. Mister Woolright was thrilled with the cigars I gave him, and I promised I would get him more if there were any more aboard the ship. Adelade Pachycephalosaur, his caregiver, scolded me profusely for the gift; and promised to butt me into next week if I returned with any more! I just argued that it was a shame that a man of his age could not enjoy the simple pleasures of life, and that he had nothing to lose at his age!
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(Continued in the next post.)
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Post by thundertail on Mar 19, 2008 20:02:55 GMT -5
FIFTY-TWO: "Growing Pains.", (Continued.)
So gradually I left there and continued some of my previous duties among my own clan, and the change of pace was a refreshing relief! I had planted potatoes at the beginning of the growing season, and I came back for thier harvest. From there I oversaw the moving in of several families of newcomers in Kinan Van; and the city was really starting to feel alive with its' streets filling up with city-like bustle. I had to oversee the clan's growing burden of paperwork and beaurocratic procedures; making sure all that was in order, and would be compatable with its' sister beaurocracy in Waterfall City. I even oversaw the trade routes within the Rainy Basin, and inspected many trading outposts around the island to see if anything needed improvement.
A document came by Skybax courier soon after I got back to clan Thundertail, and it contained a list of the names of all the castaways that had gone missing; and it also contained a brief description of what everyone on the list looked like. It said that nothing was known of thier whereabouts, and to be on the lookout for them; and that similar documents had been sent to every major city and town across Dinotopia. I read this news and knew what I was to do if I found any: tell the Waterfall City council right away! So, with this in hand, I went on a routine inspection tour of our trade routes all through the region like king Thundertail asked me to do.
My travels included nearly every town this side of the Backbone mountains, and quite a few towns on the other side of it; but I hadn't found any of the newcomers yet, and those I asked along the way hadn't either. It wasn't until I reached the trading town of Baz that I found the slightest clue of one, for my duty was to interview the boss of the major shipping company there; and one of his workers had a wierd sounding name!
"So, the shipping production rate will increase, you say...", I prompted the owner. "And that's all due to the Mammoth dairy products coming through the Rainy Basin?"
"Of course!... You know, the locals around here just loves cheese...", this rotund guy was saying. "I have the projected profits coallated and on paper!", he looked around, then shouted: "Jerry!... Come here please."
"I can't right now!", came the voice of a rather young man. "Nubo's cart's got a busted axle!..."
"Can you get the projection report in my office?", the boss said. "I'm busy with a customer!..."
"Ok, then...", a crashing sounded from out back, and a really skinny guy of about twenty came out with said report. "Oh, nuts!... Nubo's gonna sit on me!..."
"Uh,... Jerry. I would like you to meet Stinger, mayor of the Rainy Basin.", the boss introduced. "Stinger, this is Jerry Remy. He just came into town looking for a job about three weeks ago..."
"Jerry Remy...,", I considered. "I don't suppose you know a game called baseball, do you?"
"N,... no, sir.", he stammered. "Can I go, sir?", he asked his boss.
"Funny. In the sport of baseball, we have a player called Jerry Remy...", I coaxed.
"I don't know what you're talking about!...", the young man wanted to go! He stared at his boss for a moment, pleading to be let go.
I took a moment to scan the descriptions of the lost castaways, and came to this guy's description. His name was Jeremy Finch! "I know another guy. He's not into baseball.", I said instead. "They call him Jeremy Finch...", I looked at his gaze, the kind a deer makes when caught in a car's headlights. "Jeremy,... why are you doing this?"
"What ARE you talking about, Stinger?", the boss wanted to know.
"I suppose you've heard of the shipwreck that was found by us over by crackshell Point.", I began, and he nodded. "There were lots of survivors; but some of them ran off before they could be properly educated. Here's a list of them all...", I showed. "And here it describes your employee!"
"I thought I could start my new life here...", Jeremy Finch said, saddened eyes. "Here I'm apreciated..."
"You have to go back and complete your training.", I told him. "Those are court orders."
"Wait! you mean he is NOT who he says he is?", asked the boss.
"I am...", Jeremy told him. "I just told you the wrong name. My real name is Jeremy Finch."
"But son, why?...", he asked.
"Well, everything was going well until I found out they were going to assign me a place to stay.", Jeremy began. "I didn't like that, and took one of the night ferrys out of Waterfall City. I traveled up river, hiding out in the towns along the way, nearly starving myself as I hid. I didn't want anyone to find out who I was, so I came up with another name."
"Jerry Remy?", I asked. "You could have done better!... That name wouldn't fool an outsider like you or me!"
"It was the only name I could think of off the top of my head!", Jeremy defended. "Anyway, I came into this town and saw all the harmony; so I decided to stay a while. People started knowing me, and I got a room in a washer womans' basement; then I went out to find work. I tried the farms and the hatchery, then I asked this fine gentileman if I could have a job - and he said yes. I worked here, lifting cargo and other heavy objects. Carts came and went, and some of them needed repair; and I found out I had the knack of fixing things, but not just carts... Everything mechanical!"
"So, you found your destiny on your own...", I commented, and he nodded.
"Please! I don't want to leave here!", Jeremy pleaded. "I have a life here now! Just last week I fixed the water wheel at the mill..."
"It has never worked better...", the boss commented.
"I do all sorts of jobs for everyone, and they like me.", Jeremy continued. "I even saw a dinosaur hatching at the hatchery the other day!", he kind of smiled. "There's this girl there at the hatchery that I'm quite fond of; and I wanted to see if the feeling was mutual."
"The court will do what the court will do...", his boss stated. "He will be missed around here, though. He has many friends, and is quite an asset in fixing things..."
"Look, I'm only the mayor of the Rainy Basin. This is not really my jurisdiction.", I said. "Your boss is right: court orders are final;... but the court trusts me, and will listen to me. I could put in a few good words..., maybe write a letter telling of your case..., Perhaps they might let you stay."
"I have a lot of apologising to do here, too...", Jeremy Finch said out loud. "I went around here lying about my name..."
"But fortunately, lad, that was all you lise about!", his boss told him. "Your skills and your caring you need not have lied about!", he turned to him. "I think you should write an apology to the mayor, and tell him about yourself in your own words."
"I think that's a great idea!", I said. "Have you a stylus and paper? I can write your letter of reccomendation at the same time!"
"Certainly.", the boss got up and went to his rolltop desk, presenting it to us both. "I will call for a courier...", he left.
I let Jeremy write his first, and his letter read like a well penned apology. He expressed his desire to choose his own way, at first wishing to maintain his dignity; but then seeing how others put thier own dignity behind those of others, slowly saw the error of that way. He apologised for tarnishing the court's dignity of authority when he ran away, and hoped his work here was an adequate payment. He went on to describing his exploits in Baz, and all the work he did, and all the things he experienced and learned. He expressed his romantic hopes, and his hopes of staying to see that hope bear fruit. All in all, it was a very heartfelt letter; and I was almost tempted to shed a tear at his wording!
My letter was basically a report, stating that I had found one of the runaway newcomers in Baz, But in seeing the achievements he had done all on his own, I felt that it would be beneficial for him to stay at Baz and continue doing well. I said that the boy was discovered using a false name, but it was a famous name that made it easy for someone originating in the outside world to deduce as a forgery. I stressed that he was sorry for running away, and was sorry for undermining the court's authority. I repeated that it would be beneficial for the young man's growth that he stay at Baz, and hoped they would see the same thing. We both read each other's letters and nodded solemly.
We were called outside to the Skybax aerie, and there was Elana Dennison waiting to hand deliver our notes! "Ah! Stinger!...", she declared atop her steed. "I was informed you have a message going to waterfall City?"
"Yes, here they are:", I rolled them up as she dismounted. "There is no real hurry..."
"Nonsense!... I was on my way there anyway.", she nearly ripped the scroll from my hand. "You should get a reply by the end of the day. Another Rider will deliver the reply...", she turned to me. "Any word on David Scott?"
"Not for many weeks.", I said. "The Scotts had just returned from being our guest in the Rainy Basin about two weeks ago..."
"I see...", she turned and climbed aboard her steed. "Cirrus! Fly!...", and the giant flyer swooped around and was soon lost above the trees.
By Eveningmeal a lone flyer was seen coming from the south, and the Skybax with his blonde pilot hopped down and walked over to the boarding house in town. I was staying there, and had just finished my own meal when he walked over to me and called me by name. He handed me a scroll with a court seal on it and wished to stay and hear it while his meal order was filled. I told him it concerned a mamber of this town, and he should be here as well; and by the time his meal came, Jeremy Finch was standing there, awaiting his fate. I read it silently for a moment, then smiled as I recited the whole thing in front of them.
"To mister Jeremy Finch, AKA: Jerry Remy, care of mayor Stinger of the Rainy Basin at Baz.", I read. "Upon extensive considertaion of your testimony and that of mayor Stinger, the court charges you with a permanent placement in the settlement of Baz.", I looked at his suprised face, and noticed as a petite young lady of Oriental stock come up and take his hand. "Your continued duties, aside from your continued education at thier schooling facility, are the perpetual repair of any and all mechanical devices there, education and experience in thier hatchery and apprenticeship in the Baz shipping company. Frequent inspections of Baz will be conducted by myself, matriarch Rosemary Seville or other such official. The first inspection will be in one fortnight, and there you will personally explain your actions to said official... All my best to you in your new life!... mayor Waldo Seville."
"How about that?", Jeremy stated. "It looks like I'm staying!"
"I'm so glad!...", the Oriental girl clenched his hand tighter. "And it doesn't matter what you call yourself!"
I chuckled and presented him the letter; and those around us got the idea to start a little party in honor of thier new citizen. During this Jeremy Finch made efforts to apologise to everyone there for his lie; but there they had a creedo that all is forgiven, and soon merriment and music filled the boarding house. Hours later it began to break up, and Jeremy was pulled away by his new girlfriend; and I didn't pry, but I assumed they were beginning to talk about the possibility of thier new and budding relationship. I went up to my room a little while later, and returned to the Rainy Basin the long way; making it back home in a little over four days.
A short time later it was decided to map out trade routes in the southern part of the island. The towns and cities down there had fallen into decay, and communication with them had diminished to next to nothing; at least that was what the Waterfall City council said. We of the Basin thought it would be a good idea if we opened trade with them as well. We had gotten word that it was pretty wild country down there, as many of the smaller communities took to robbery, and the carniverous clans still clung to thier primal ways. We felt sorry for those clans as we were so preoccupied with the northern quadrant of the island we completely ignored them!
We thought it best if we go with as few of our number as possible so as to not alarm them too much; but since it was such rough country, we decided on a Rainy Basin Ranger team to go. It had to be the highest ranking team we had, and clan leaders too; so I was elected to go, and so was Rex! Two veloceraptor guards were assigned to us, but Ripper and Snapper insisted to be assigned instead; and thier leader, thier uncle Mosquito, could not help but comply! So, after a day of preparation of supplies and the proper treaty paperwork penned; we set off south, into the unkmnown.
The maps and charts of the area were a minimum of fifty years old, but the surveys given by Skybax patrols said that the roads through most of the area were still intact - if not terribly overgrown. We had taken projects in the Rainy Basin to restore our share of the roads there; but once we left the area and progressed into the southern foothills of the Forbidden mountains, we practically had to hack our way through the paths! Chill met us at the peaks of many of these foothills; and that perplexed us as we knew from maps that the Great Desert was merely several dozen miles to the southeast! The passes we traveled through were craggy and deep, and could hold any number of unknown danger; but we came from one of the roughest places on earth! Just let anything try to attack us - they'll be sorry!
So far the only sign of activity down these paths were the constant swarms of biting flies that strafed Rex and our guards unmercifully, making the poor brute wish to bolt and Ripper and Snapper jump in the nearest stream! The only other signs of life were the sounds of birds and other tiny creatures of the forest; and occasional footprints by the occasional stream we passed by. The further south we went the further downhill we went, and soon foothills changed into forested dales; and even though the main road we were on never seemed to vary in texture, it was crisscrossed by many a smaller path. We deduced that these were main migration trails to unknown species, and thier predators would most likely not be far behind them; so I had Ripper and Snapper keep a tighter vigil along our path.
The first sign of predators was the kill we had found by smell. It was weeks old and reduced to bone; but many days further along we discovered a fresher carcass, and this one still bled. It's owner was not far away, and charged into the area once he caught our scent. The Dromeosaur looked at us all, seemed to size us up and wailed a warble that echoed through the trees. Suddenly the rest of his pack was there, hemming us in from a safe distance. The first ones' hackles rose as he came near enough to speak, and his dialect was lost to Ripper and Snapper. Klamath picked up on the dialect immediately and I spoke for my group.
"I am Stinger, mayor of the Rainy basin; and this is prince Rex, son of king Thundertail, king of the Rainy Basin. These are our bodyguards, Ripper and Snapper.", I began. "We are on a mission of peace to establish trade routes thriough here to settlements in the south."
"We care not of your mission, human!", the first Dromeosaur cut me off. "We protest your intrusion on our territory, and accuse you of trying to steal our kill!"
"You are misinformed!", Rex rumbled, I translated. "We tell the truth!"
"We didn't want any of your stupid kill!", Snapper snapped.
"Yeah!", Ripper echoed.
"Our mission is one of peace.", I said. "We represent all of the carnivores in the Rainy Basin, who greet you as clan brothers and salute you as fellow carnivores..."
"We offer you a stake in the freedom of all carnivores.", Rex announced. "Will you add your claw to ours and share in the bounty?"
"So, you mean you are NOT out to steal our kill?", the first Dromeosaur asked, I nodded with a smile. "A moment, please...", he gathered his pack together.
The pack gathered into a loose huddle near thier kill, rumbling and wailing among themselves as we tried to eavesdrop. This group was small, and three of thier females were with eggs near by, they were arguing; and they were very leary of others as there were so few eggs. We could sympathise with thier plight, and the food they hunted would be vital to thier clan as well. Finally they came out of thier huddle and came near, now without fear; and the first Dromeosaur spoke to Rex.
"We believe that you were not trying to steal our kill.", he told us. "We are aware of the events in the Rainy Basin, and applaud your progress. We will allow you to be on your way without battle.", he turned to the others. "However, we decline the offer of kinship."
"Very well, noble hunters.", I said. "It is enough that you let us pass in peace. I assume you are aware that others will pass this way if trade is opened to settlements in the south..."
"By then we have hopes to migrate.", the first Dromeosaur told us. "We must wait for our children, who have not yet hatched, to grow old enough to travel."
"I see...", I said.
"We leave you in peace...", Rex added as we turned to go.
It was just then that the foliage around us exploded, and two Allosauruses bolted out; bent on the prey laying there! Klamath sensed movement before it became aparent, and tossed me off Rex's back. Twin swords instantly deployed and he got in a ready stance. The pack of Dromeosaurs was deciding to run as Ripper and Snapper fell on one of the attackers, he swiveling to dislodge them. Rex stepped in front of the other one and butted him off his feet, and I fell back to the kill to defend it. Then the Dromeosaurs got into the fray, joining the Veloceraptors in a gang attack. the other Allosaur got up and tried to get past Rex, but Klamath fired his pusher beam and knocked him down again; then Rex pinned him to the ground by a tackle.
The second Allosaur succeeded in shaking off his smaller foe, and made a beeline for the kill. Klamath fired his stunner on him, and he fell unconcious. Rex lost his hold on the first one, and he tried for the kill as well; but the Dromeosaurs regrouped and encircled the kill, not stopping thier uluations and snapping. Ripper and Snapper joined in as Klamath used the pusher beam once again, sending that Allosaur many yards at a skid. As we all regrouped in front of the kill, both Allosaurs regained composure and sized up this formidable band; then they decided it wasn't worth it after all and growlingly turned and fled. Panting as a group, we all slowly got out of our defensive stances; then looked at each other like we just met!
"You fight well.", one Dromeosaur said. "You fight for a kill that is not yours!"
"That's because it is yours.", I told him. "For that reason alone, it was worth fighting for."
"If I were you, I would drag this kill closer to your nests.", Rex suggested.
"Or at least hide it better.", Snapper said.
"There is no way we can repay you this service.", the first one said. "You would fight for those who had been so short with you."
"You had your family to think of.", I told them as I climbed aboard Rex. "It was perfectly understandable..."
"No, it was rude!... But for this, we will consider your kinship.", he replied.
"We would like that...", I said.
"We leave in peace.", Rex repeated.
"Let's hope it's for good this time!", Snapper said, and got us all laughing in our own way.
Presently we parted company with the Dromeosaurs, and continued down the road we were on. Hours later there was little to no sign of civilized occupation, save for ruined dwellings or simply thier foundations; and no sign of recent encampments save for burned out campfires and trees hewn down seasons ago. We traveled ever southward, through forest and field of ferns, past rock outcroppings and streams formerly used for irrigation. Several other dinosaurs of the herbiverous variety were seen in the distance, but these seemed wild and ignored us if they detected us. Carnivores were about too, both incredibly tiny as well as large; but none of these creatures bothered us either.
The further south we went the more frequent we encountered broken down settlements abandoned many generations ago. I had heard that the golden city of Chandra fell to dispair over fifty years ago; and with its' demise, many a town hed evidentally withered along with it. I saw as we passed a dwelling, ruined like all the rest; yet in what once was its' chimney, embers still smoldered! This told me that this place had occupation as recently as a day ago, and the people who made the fire was not too far away. I should have been overjoyed when we encountered the first humans I'd seen in over a week the next day; but with the level of thier hostility, the encounter left quite a few things to be desired!...
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Post by thundertail on Mar 24, 2008 20:07:13 GMT -5
FIFTY-THREE: "The Rough Road..."
We were all used to camping out on the road, near the once heavilly traveled road from the small outpost of Snailshanks to the foothills of theTokta range just west of the foothills of the Forbidden mountains. Our life in the Rainy Basin made camping out like this something like an almost daily event! But we were well outside the Rainy Basin now, in unknown territory surrounded by potentailly hostile creatures. We had built a fire and scouted around for game; and after our meal bedded down for the night with little fanfare. We were exhausted from our little scuffle from those Allosaurs, and went to sleep almost immediately; Ripper, Snapper, Rex and I taking alternating guard duty in that order. In the morning we had the remainder of the Mosasaur we caught and broke up camp.
On the road we came across the broken down settlements of Honley Hall and Rockslides, and found further evidence that the former human population was still in the area, hiding or off gathering the things they needed to survive. By mid day we came across the strong evidence of another major road, and the map we were following said that it was the Belt Road; the former main thouroughfare of trade between Sauropolis and Chandra. Soon we gave the abandoned sites little heed as each one was found to be deserted, some more recently than others. Finally, in a clearing we found somebody; and he seemed to be meditating or in a trance, sitting there by the remnants of a fire with his bag near his feet. We tried to avoid him as we passed him in the clearing, but he opened his eyes, yawned and smiled.
"Hail, oh yon wayward travelers!", the reedy voice boomed. "To where go ye, and from whence ye come?"
"Greetings, lone hermit!", I said atop Rex. "We seek Chandara, and hail from the Rainy Basin."
"Tis true carnivores abound here as well as there,", he said as he rose, staring at my friends. "But ones of civilization are rare indeed! How can this be?"
"The clans of the Rainy Basin have banded together in peace and harmony with thier neighbors.", I told him. "We seek Chandara to establish trade with them."
"You will find no trade with Chandara, nor peace.", the man said. "Chandara has fallen, I say! Victim to it's own isolationism and greed. Tis best if you turn back."
"We are dedicated to this mission.", I said. "We must complete it reguardless of the results."
"And to this end, you must travel through our territory.", the man stated. "This deed comes with a heavy price!"
"How so, sir? What can we negotiate to gain passage?", I asked.
"We wish all that you bring.", the man told us. "All supplies, all posessions, all weapons. Your armor looks most valuable, and the amulets around your cohorts' necks will bring a large price indeed!"
"These things we need to complete our mission!", I balked. "We can not give them up!", I considered. "Surely there must be another way."
"Stinger. Tell them the benefits of trade between us and Chandara.", Rex said in Tyranosaur. "Thier lives will also benefit if they allow us to continue our mision unhindered.", I did.
"The mission you speak concerns us not! Those people betrayed us out of our birthright, and poisoned every town around them.", the man said."One other way is possible to leave with what you own, if you are up to the challenge."
He picked up a large conch shell and blew into it, creating a hollow tone that echoed across the field. Within moments the edges of the forest bristled with people, saurians of all sizes and thier weapons. There were hundreds of them! All of them had the look of wild determination, a look most familiar with that often worn by the pirates of LaSage! Not a word was spoken by them, but thier weapons bagan a slow, rythmic clatter that told us they were well practiced in ambushing travellers on the road!
"If you can get past us, you may go in peace.", the man said as his Saltosaurus bedecked in primative saddlrey paced up to allow them man his spear. "But I suggest you surrender, as the former will be impossible!"
"Are you saying that you are trying to rob us?!", I snorted. "Gloat if you must, but this is only a small portion of my kin!", he took a softer look. "Please,... give us what we want and you will not be harmed..."
"Look, we really don't have time for this!", I said, dismounting. "Let us pass or you will fall where you stand!"
"Such talk!", the man raised the conch shell to his lips, and that's when mayhem broke loose!
Ripper and Snapper leapt on the man, sending both spear and shell flying in different directions; knocking him down while both growled at his throat. The Saltosaur stomped to her Partner, but Rex body tackled her to the ground, pinning her there with his own body. The crowd of robbers at the edges of the clearing saw this and rushed out yelling, brandishing all the weapons they posessed; and the only free person to do anything about that was me! Immediately I strafed the robbers with stunner and pusher beams in an arc, felling many while others rose to take thier place. I rushed around to the other side of the fray and repeated the procedure until those ruffians fell back, then returned to the other side to fell those who recovered from the first salvo.
I did this until there were no attackers, who were either stunned where they fell or retreated to the relative safety of the trees. Rex got up off the Saltosaur then, and both Veloceraptors let the man rise to a sitting position, still growling at him. I scanned the area with my eyes, stunner and pusher at the ready; and then saw the surviving handful of the robbers emerge from the forest. They stopped a few feet into the clearing, threw down thier weapons and fell to thier knees in submission. I saw two of them clasp thier hands behind thier heads like suspects do in those crime shows on TV I watched back home, and from that I knew those two were from the Millennium Queen. I turned around at the man's sigh, and saw that he was crying!
"You have killed my people!", he wailed, looking up at me. "Please?... Have mercy on the rest of us, formidable one!..."
"You should not have tried to rob us. Stealing things is wrong.", I told him, gently.
"Of this we now know...", he said sadly. "And the price are these poor lives..."
"Your fallen ones are not dead. They are merely stunned, and will recover shortly.", I looked at the robbers, still on thier knees. "You should have listened to us."
"You have beaten us fair and square.", the man said. "You may go in peace."
"You know, the trade treaty we make with Chandara will be beneficial to your people as well.", I said. "Food and other services will be needed all along the trade routes. I saw many dwellings that, if put into use, could be used as hotels and other services for the travelers."
"We shall certainly consider it, my lord.", he said. "It pains our soul to act this way, but times are desperate for us."
"If all goes well for us, your people will see prosperity as in the old days!", I told them, then changed the subject. "Have you any newcomers in your midst?"
"My people come and go, but those two certainly act strange!", he whispered indicating the two I identifyed as castaways. "They do not act like Dinotopians..."
"A season ago a very large ship ran aground at Crackshell Point, and many survivors were rescued.", I told them. "Soon after that many were discovered missing.", I said the rest confidentially. "We all would apreciate if you teach them our ways!"
"I will sir, and will consider your proposal for our people.", he said, then louder. "My men! Let these delegates pass!... A new era has come upon us!..."
The ones that surrendered cheered and began to drag thier uncioncious fellows away as I got aboard Rex. Ripper and Snapper collected thier spears, helped the Saltosaur up with Rex's help and we watched our backs as we traveled out of the clearing. Only the retreating sounds of the defeated robbers met our ears as we left the area, and no more trouble befell us for quite a long time after that.
We ended up following the Belt Road west until we reached the town of Aleppo and the sister town of Teleost, both of which were all but deserted. The days that passed as we got nearer to Chandara was frought with danger, both of the wild kind and of the human kind. Many times we had to avoid the scents of hunting carnivores, and most of the ones that did cross our path merely wished to be on thier way; but a few of them were hungry enough to try and confront us, and they met us with unsavory results for them! Of the human kind, only a few of them actually wished to confront us; either begging for spare supplies then trying to deftly rob us as we conversed with them, or openly confront us with weapons. I, being from the outside world and wise to any type of thievery, detected thier hyjinx and put them off without delay!
The farther south we rode the more frequently we came across settlemants and remnants of towns like Oneiros. Some of these were occupied, but with the lowest of people and dinosaurs. Many were filthy and dressed in tattered and drab colored clothing, and the saurians were of the most surly and disgusting kinds of creatures! Many had scars or broken features or other disfigurements that denoted the extremely hard life they had lived. None of them would give us the time of day, let alone look at us with anything less than total contempt. Those of them that we tried to talk to and get directions told us in no subtile terms to get lost! The leaders of those towns were more concerned in what we were carrying for trade or eventual theft than trying to help us along the way.
We passed by a promentory that showed the way ahead, and saw the distant city of Chandara; which looked like it's former grandeur had been washed away as if by a monsoon, and it's former gleam was bleached away as if by the sun. Another day of travel and we passed by the former outskirts of the former empire, fields once flowing with food for the city now reduced to tough weeds. The crumbling farmsteads that once housed the workers of those fields were but foundations and burned out hulks, and we shuddered in worry as we crossed the crumbling stone bridge over a wide tributary that connected this region with the city proper. That description turned out to be an oxymoron as this city was far from proper anymore!
Of the once bustling streets, few would show themselves in broad daylight. Many who had no choice were escorted by black caped guards of the Stymologoch tribes; and those would practically pummel any who got within reach with a swat of thier stone-tipped staffs. Of the few shops at street level that dared to be open, thier wares were sparse, broken and covered with the dirt of the city. In the distance sat the once glorious citadel with the empirial palace nestled within; but these days the fortifyed walls were crumbling and the Sunstone at its' pinacle that once shone bright and steady was now flickering and faltering like a weakening flourescent light fixture. All around poverty reigned instead of culture, and on nearly every curbstone sat beggars and thier ragged offspring.
Through study of the area I had learned that the Chandran empire was one of the richest and most prosporous regions on Dinotopia. Thier culture and thier wisdom was unsurpassed in all of the islands' history. It was a place where, once you arrived here you found yourself so enraptured about the place that you found it difficult to leave! The only thing they frowned upon back then was intruders, and kept thier borders secured from outside influence; and one usually needed special permission from thier emperor just to be seen. This was why no one really knew what went on here, and everyone thought that Chandara was the hub of culture and technology on Dinotopia. I didn't know what happened to it to make it like what we were witnessing here today, but I was seriousely having second thoughts about opening up trade relationships with this town!
"This is Chandara?", Snapper whispered.
"The maps must be wrong!", Ripper whispered back.
"Stinger, what do you suppose happened?", Thundertail asked as I dismounted.
"Empires rise and empires fall.", I said. "I really don't know what happened here; but we came to open trade with them, and we might as well go see."
A moment or two went by, and we spied another hooded guard pass by, nudging a begger to her feet. Once the slight altercation was over, I whistled and waved the domed creature over. The guard treated it like a capitol offense, and ran over ready to plaster us all with his staff!
"Here, here! No whistling!", he grumbled. "What you doin' out? get back inside!"
"Sir, I was wondering if you would give us directions...", but he cut me off.
"Never heard of it!", he snapped. "Now get back inside!", he emphasised the fact with a swinging staff. It got too close and Klamath automatically blocked it down with a palm.
"A wiseguy, eh?", he whooped several times, and many more of his comrades bolted out into the street. "Arrest these!"
Rex roared, and halted them all; then I took the silence to speak in. "Gentilebeings! Please!", I held up my hands. "All we wish is directions!... We are a delegation from the Rainy Basin, and are seeking your emporer to speak about a trade treaty..."
"Trade?...", one of the guards rumbled.
"What you got?", the first asked.
This went on for many moments, debating what we had and what to do with us; and then as they drew a crowd in the street, an armored Pachycephalosaur with extremely rotund features tore around a corner and surveyed the scene. Klamath detected him, but didn't bother to warn us; and that was when he bellowed and startled the whole lot of us!
"What are you maggot-eaters standing around for blowing wind?!", he bellowed. "Didn't I tell you to collect taxes?!"
"Uh,...! Sir!", first one of his guards saluted, then all the rest. "Er,... This guy was giving us trouble..."
"He was, eh?", then he turned to me. "Who're you?"
"My name is Stinger, from the rainy Basin, and...", I was cut off yet again!
"An' I suppose that's where you got this froggy!", he indicated Rex. "Ain't he cute!"
"We are on a mission to establish trade relations with the empire of Chandara.", I got that much out, so I continued. "We would apreciate an audience with your emporer so we can discuss terms."
"You're diplomats?", the armored one considered. "Rath! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"He... he tried to attack me...!", the hooded Stymologotch stammered. "He... he said SOMETHING about that..."
"Ain't you ever heard of ask first, swat later?", the armored Pachy scolded. "Pardon that bonehead. I gave him th' morning off, and now he needs retraining!"
"Thank you sir!", Rex rumbled in English. "It was an unfortunate situation, to be sure!"
"Froggy talks!", the Pachy exclaimed. "I'll be!..."
"If I may explain.", I said. "This is prince Rex, son of king Thundertail of the Rainy Basin. I am mayor Stinger, also of the Rainy Basin. These two are Ripper and Snapper, our bodyguards. Our mission is one of peaceful trade between your grand empire and ours."
"That so?", he said. "Well! The emporer will surely want to hear this!", he turned to the hooded guards. "You and you, flank 'em. The rest: BACK TO WORK!", they scatterd, and he turned to us. "Right this way, your honors!..."
He led us through the litter strewn streets, down lanes and back alleys to a once grand boulavard; but today the finery was crumbled and looted, by the look. The armored Pachy tried to apologise for the condition of the city along the way, saying the artisans and planners had left, and so did thier expertise. We assured them that, once trade was established, this grand city could once again shine as it once did. He just chuckled and said that it would be a vast improvement. At a gate that was in the eastern wall of the citadel, two more guards that were armored as well stood and barred our path; but one sour look from our guide and they let us pass right quick!
"When old Hammerhead wants to get by, you better let him pass!", the Pachy gloated. Evidentally, Hammerhead was his name.
The labrynthine passageways he led us through were nearly pitch black save for areas where windows high above let in shafts of sunshine. The tapestries and reliefs on the walls were tattered and weatherworn, making one think the whole citadel was deserted or in a state of severe disrepair; and the cobbled floors we traveled were littered with decades of stone and refuse that crunched or squished under our feet. At last we came out into a central courtyard that sported the palace proper, and through another guarded door, Hammerhead led us on. At a junction two levels up, he stopped and presented an ornate set of doors. "Open up.", the crimson swathed Stymologoch guards raised thier spears to let us pass. "Now, if you would, please wait here while I announce you.", he went inside, and the guards reclosed the doors.
On a dias inside lay a prone figure enveloped with many blankets and comfortors. The figure was many times bigger than any human, but the general shape was lost to the masses of linens that covered it. Hammerhead crept up to the sleeping creature and cleared his throat. This had no effect, so he touched the form with his spear. All he got was the creature turning over and begin to rumble in sleep. Of all the times to be sleeping!, Hammerhead thought! He let out a tremendous bellow, and this got the result he wanted!
"OF ALL THE FATES!", the form got up and turned, still swathed in bedclothes. "Hammerhead! How many times have I told you not to do that?!"
"Lord eminence Lonehorn!... Sorry for waking you!", Hammerhead said, backing away. "I bear news. There are several creatures here, saying they are on a mission from the Rainy Basin....", he licked his rubbery lips. "They say they are here to discuss a trade treaty with you..."
"No kidding?... This sounds like it's going to be be good!...", Lonehorn said sarcastically as she shook off the sheets and blankets. Her Pentoceratops form was bejeweled and finely adorned with paint and formfitting clothing; but this hid a multitude of facial scars and broken and missing crest horns. Only one remained intact, but her nosehorn was a mere stump. "I hadn't had fun in ages!", she stretched noisily.
"They wear jeweled things, and the human wears armor.", Hammerhead said. "All that should bring fine wealth on the Sacvenger Trade."
"We can rob them later!", Lonehorn told him. "First we see what they want; then when they least expect it, they will be just a few more things floating in the river!"
"I always liked the way you think!", Hammerhead said.
"Maids!... My bed!...", she bellowed and several dozen small birdlike dinosaurs rushed out and manhandled the whole nest out of sight.
She turned from watching them work to the Pachy scratching his skull. "Well, Hammerhead. Don't just stand there! Let them in!..."
Hammerhead rushed back, skidding on the floor, to open up the doors for us; and even with Klamath's keener hearing, all that was heard in the few moments of his absence was muffled murmurings. Thusly, we had no idea what to expect as the Pachycephalosaur captain of the guard of Chandara led us before the emporer of Chandara - or to be more correct, the empress, as Klamath detected that she was a female Pentoceratops. He halted us several feet from the dias, and turned to introduce us.
"Hail Lonehorn! Empress of Chandara and environs!", Hammerhead announced loudly. Lonehorn had an amused look! "I present you emisaries from the Rainy Basin!"
"Greetings one and all.", she said. "I hope your journey was uneventful, and offer you our hospitality for as long as you stay."
"Our most humble thanks, your eminence.", I bowed, and so did the rest of us. "I am known as Stinger, mayor of the Rainy Basin and speaker for this group. I present you prince Rex, son of king Thundertail of the Rainy Basin.", he bowed. "And our bodyguards, Ripper and Snapper.", they bowed as well.
"Well met, all!", Lonehorn chuckled. "Now, my captain informs me that you have a proposal?..."
"Yes, your honor, we do!", I said. "It is one of peace and trade between your illustrious empire and our own. It involves establishing and keeping trade routes north and south open and free from trouble."
"Yes, we've been having that problem a lot lately...", Lonehorn told us. "Have you had any trouble along the way?"
"The road was frought with wild carnivores and thieves.", I said. "We of the Rainy Basin are used to dealing with such things, though; and had minimal trouble warding them off."
"I see...", she considered. "Then I take it you do not follow the edicts common throughout Dinotopia?..."
"For the most part, we do.", I said. "However, we are not reluctant to utilise decisive action when necesary."
"Sometimes that course of action is wise.", Lonehorn then changed the subject. "What, pray tell, are the terms of this trade agreement?"
"Once trade routes are established, shipments of goods will begin to flow to and from both our realms.", I told her. "Goods will consist of items found only in the Rainy Basin, and will include goods we currently trade from our other allies. We import milk and products made from Mammoth milk from tentpole of the Sky, Fish and other seafood from Azonthas and other coastal towns, fruits and nuts from Treetown and Mollusk Town and grains from Baz. One of our main customers is the capital city of Waterfall City."
"So, you trade all over...", Lonehorn considered. "You must do very well for yourselves!"
"Trade has been much better since we opened the trade routes through the Rainy Basin.", I said. "Instead of caravans going through only once a month and encountering great danger, they can go through safely many times a week!"
"Outstanding!...", Lonehorn said. "And this treaty would only help us!... As you saw coming here, we've let the place get really run down lately!..."
"With trade routes open, many builders and artisans would come; and rebuild your empire to its' original glory!", I said, hoping this would clinch the deal. "Before long your realm will once again be the crown jewel in the treasury of Dinotopia!"
The empress of Chandara paused a moment in thought breathing noisily as she considered the words. Hammerhead rested on his feet, intermittently looking regal and giving her a wierd look. My delegation of friends stood where we were, patiently awaiting her answer; and when it came, it wasn't exactly the yes or no answer we were hoping for.
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(Continued in the next post.)
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Post by thundertail on Mar 24, 2008 20:13:14 GMT -5
FIFTY-THREE: "The Rough Road..." (Continued.)
"It sounds like a feasable plan, but what's in it for me?", she said. "Why, further glory, your eminence!", I said. "Your realm will prospor greatly, and your people will have you to thank for it. You will receive respect anew, and all in your realm will say your praises for generations to come!"
"I was thinking more along the lines of money.", she returned. "You know, how much richer I will become..."
"That too, your highness. You will become rich, your people will become rich and your kingdom will become rich!", I told her. "The possibilities of riches when you trade with the rest of the island will make you all wealthier than your wildest dreams!"
"What's in it for you?", she asked.
"The satisfaction that I had a hand in the unification in trade of all the peoples of Dinotopia.", I said.
"And you don't care whether or not this makes you rich too?", Lonehorn countered.
"In the Rainy Basin, I have a home, a loving family, plenty of friends and the greatest life I know.", I said. "I already have more than a person could ask for!"
"Maybe for SOME people...", Lonehorn said. "But to each thier own, eh?... How about this:", she said. "Why don't you all make yourselves at home here? That way I can discuss this glorious news with my cohorts in private."
"That would be wonderful, your excellency!", I said, looking at Rex, Snapper and Ripper. "It was a long journey at that!"
"Fine then!", she said. "If you would follow captain Hammerhead, he will show to your acomodations."
"Right this way, your highnesses...", the armored Pachy bowed and showed us the way to the doors. He turned at his empresses' coughing.
"Oh captain. May I have a word with you?", she asked meekly.
"Of course, your eminence.", he rushed to her side.
"Make sure they get the extra secure acomodations...", Lonehorn whispered.
"You got it!...", Hammerhead whispered back, winking.
He returned to us, leading the way out of the royal chambers; down to ground level and down one flight further. Into darkened stone corridors lit only by torchlight we traveled. At the junction of another we turned right, and came out onto rows of rooms; the thick walled doorways told us these rooms were once used as a cellar of sorts. There were beds and nests in each room, but not many other amenities except a table in the central space that had a sparse collection of food. Hammerhead turned at the doorway to this space and bowed. He left, and we heard the clattering of many locks and bars forced into place!
"Hey!...", I yelled. "What is this?!"
"These are the best rooms of the citadel.", Hammerhead said. "We wouldn't want any of you to get hurt, now do we?", he left, his saurian laughter echoing in the distance.
"What do we do now, Stinger?", Ripper asked.
"This place is a prison, I just know it!", Snapper said as he tested the door.
"I don't get it!", Rex said. "We offered them the riches and prestigue of the entire island. Why are they holding us like this?"
"I hate to say this, but I seen stuff like this before!", I told them all. "Chandara is being run by criminals! You saw how they treat the people here. They force them to pay taxes, and they don't let them live free. I have seen this in the outside world, where crime organizations try and take over cities with gambling, loansharking, vice and corruption. The police try to crack down on them, and sometimes they succeed; but here, things like this are unheard of, and nobody knows what to do about it. So these poor people are slave to them, and can not find a way out!"
"That's terrible!", Rex said. "What can we do?"
"I say we get out of here and bust some heads!", Snapper growled.
"We can't right now.", I said. "These rooms are made of solid stone many feet thick, by the look. Even Klamath would have a hard time breaking through it!", I saw growing anger and dispondancy rising on all thier faces. "The only thing we can do is wait it out. Maybe they will talk with us later and we could convince them to let us go."
"That could take days!", Ripper said. "Years!!..."
"Let's see what they left us for food...", I said just to change the subject.
"I tell you, Lonehorn, I don't like this one bit!", Hammerhead was telling his boss in her chambers less than a half hour later. "We bled the whole city dry, and these guys show up all of a sudden. I tell you, they're onto us!"
"Will you relax!", Lonehorn said, eating a huge flagon of tubers. "They know nothing, trust me!... They're in the dungeon, right?...", he nodded. "Then there's no way they can escape and blab to the rest of the island!"
"That human seemed a lot smarter than he led on...", Hammerhead told her. "You don't suppose he's a spy or something?"
"A spy in prison is no spy at all...", she took another bite. "That is if he ever was a spy..."
"And that proposal thing of thiers!", he continued. "Did you ever hear such a load of copro in your life?!", he chuckled.
"You never know... They might have been on the level...", Lonehorn considered. "Wouldn't it be the wierdest turn of fate if all this was real, and they WERE actually offering us a trade treaty? We could really clean up then!... And not just here, the whole island!", her eye turned dreamy.
"You're just acting like a hatchling female!", Hammerhead scolded. "I say we stick them all right now and save the trouble of doing it later!"
Lonehorn got up from her meal, casually walked over to Hammerhead's position as nonchalontly as possible. She didn't want him to flinch as she pushed him roughly into a wall and charge him so he was pinned to it by her greater bulk!
"Now listen to me, bone for brains... Listen to me well...!", Lonehorn said softly and levelly. "Number one: I am the boss around here. Get it?", he nodded. "Second thing: I am no hatchling. Third thing: If you call me that again I shall grind you into powder! Fourth: We will wait and see if they brought reinforcements before we talk to them again.", she backed away. "And lastly: I make the orders around here, and you and your slimeballs have no say! Got that?", she returned to her meal.
"Yes, your highness...", Hammerhead said solemnly, yet his eyes spat daggers. "I got that..."
Unknown to the current leaders of Chandara, and least of all my delegation currently rotting away in thier dungeon, a secret meeting was being held deep in the forests of the former realm. These were the citizens of the former empire, reduced to poverty and forced to waylay travelers for thier daily sustenence. This served a dual purpose, for it kept visitors out of Chandara; gradually starving the new ruthless leader there and her cronies out of town. Thier tactic once planned as brilliant had been going on for a generation; and it seemed like there would be no end to the tyrany. With the recent passage of the delegation of carnivores from the Rainy Basin, new hope welled inside each one of them. If a place as wild and lawless as the Rainy Basin could take up strategy and make themselves civilized, then the Chandaran people can rise up and thwart a ruthless outlaw like Lonehorn!
Thier leader and his Saltosaurus Partner stood at the center of the throng, listening to the plans his people were making; considering every idea and weighing the plausability of every plan. His father, once the ruler of the Chandaran empire, and disposed while he was just a babe - and rumored to have been murdered - was a subtile type; and he allowed many persons enter the realm. He had no idea that such criminals existed on Dinotopia, and was unaware of how low they would stoop to attain thier ends. First there was trading of goods and services, which wasn't against thier laws provided the government knew about it; but these creatures came in and bought for next to nothing, artifacts precious to the Chandaran empire. They secretly bought out the military, and in a coup that lasted a day, ousted the whole parliamentary staff as well as the royal family. His nanny at the time saw what was going on; and secreted him out of the city via the waste disposal system hewn from the underground rocks. A plan voiced by a wisened saurian was saying to use those very same tunnels to enter the city; and this brought him back to the here and now.
"...The trouble with this plan is we do not know if those tunnels are still intact.", the saurian concluded.
"They were in my day.", thier leader said. "But a lot of things could have happened to them."
"We got to find some way to take back Chandara!", one human near the center of the crowd said. "If what was said by those persons from the Rainy Basin is true, then many traders will be soon in coming!"
"Yes, and in my day Chandara was a respectable place.", an older sauropod said. "It would do no good to give them the wrong impression!"
"Instead of stealth to gain access, we may be forced to attack boldly.", the leader told them. "We are opposed to such violence, but I see no other choice,"
"There is always a choice over violence, my Partner.", the Saltosaur told him. "Just because they took over with violence, that gives us no reason to repeat the affront to gain everything back!"
"We have to do something!", another saurian yelled. "The rest of my family is in there!"
"I think the path is clear.", thier leader said. "To gain what is rightfully ours, it must be done quickly before the Rainy Basin wonders what has become of thier delegates.", he looked at them all. "Of course you know that they are probably Lonehorn's prisoners by now!"
"I say we attack!", one of the newcomers yelled. "If the city means so much to you, then it will be worth any loss if we storm the city!"
"You have a lot to learn being here...", the leader said. "But I'm afraid you're right. We have no choice!"
"If you say it is so, it is so...", his Saltosaur Partner sighed. "Have we sufficient weapons?..."
Preparations went on for the rest of the day, and plans to attack would be planned for the morning. As the beaten down city slept or kept up thier semblance of civilization, none of them knew what was to befall them; least of all us, waiting for the mercy of a tyranical empress. The captain of the outlaw guard named Hammerhead was told to get one of the new prisoners for further questioning in the morning; but by that time, his boss was still sound asleep. This was just perfect for his sadistic whims, for he came to the dungeon just like he was ordered to; only the line of questioning would take on quite a different tack indeed!
"Well, well!", he drawled. "Is everyone snug and comfy?"
"Let us out of here!", Ripper complained.
"You'll all get your turn to speak with Her highness - have patience!", Hammerhead told him gently. "Right now she wants to see the human, alone...", he unlocked the door, opening it cautiousely. "If you would, kind sir?..."
"Watch yourself, Stinger!", Rex warned.
"Have no fear, Froggy! you'll get your turn!", Hammerhead said.
I stepped out of the set of rooms we were imprisoned in, saying nothing but suspecting everything. I let him lead me where he was taking me, Klamath giving me extreme warning signals every step of the way. This Pachycephalosaur had more on his agenda than simply escorting me to his leader - that was for sure! My suspicions were confirmed when he led me into the citadel and into a large stone room, which was filled with what looked like gymnasium equipment and crude weapons littering dusty racks.
"I'm all for business before pleasure,", he began conversationally. "But I sometimes like the other way around!...", he saw my contempt, but treated it like confusion. "This is my little playroom. I usually like to work out before I see empress Lonehorn!... Gets the kinks out, know what I mean?..."
"That's not the only thing that needs to get out...!", I mumbled.
"That so?... Well, I ran out of sparring partners for some strange reason.", Hammerhead said for conversation, choosing a dinged-up sword from a rack. "Turns out that you will do!", he decided against choosing a sword for me. "You good at fightin'?"
"I hold my own...", I said as he came with the sword and cut my ropes.
"Good!... Well, the rules are simple: Survive until Her majesty wakes up or defeat me, and you can go back to your cell.", he looked at my armor. "Looks like a clean fight, and I should be able to crack that shell of yours..."
"Yes, but other than that, I'm unarmed!", I said, omitting the formidability of the Armor of Othgar - let him find that out for himself! "Would you at least allow me a sword?"
"Why would I do that?", he poked at me with his. "It's much more fun to stick you when your unarmed!"
"Fun for who?", my sarcasm dripped!
"Shall we dance?", Hammerhead said sweetly and got into a stance.
I got into one of my worst defensive poses, feigning that I knew nothing about fighting; and this made him smirk as he swung the sword at my head. I ducked aside just in time, leaping out of the way and rolling to a crouch. He had at me again, jabbing for my armored chest; and I dodged that thrust as well. I began circling the room as he came at me with swing after swing, my strategy being tom tire him out enough to defeat him later; but his kind had nearly limitless stamina, I knew, and this strategy could take all day!
As Klamath surmised this fact, he suggested that he take over the fight; but I told him that this mission depended on how little violence was employed. He argued in my head that they were the ones insighting the violence, and the only way to stop this was like actions. I finally had to agree as the first hour of this passed, and had Klamath seal my head up with his Tyranosaur mask.
"Ooh! what a pretty face!", Hammerhead said, sneering all the more. "Now I can do this!...", he pummeled it with the hilt of his sword, which cracked on impact. "fah!...", he redoubled his effort.
"This is the legendary Armor of Othgar.", I told him through Klamath's voice, green eyes glowing. "It makes the wearer invincible in battle.", I grabbed his blade with one hand and snapped it in two with the other. "It has its' own weapons.", I unfurled Klamath's gauntletted daggers.
"That so?...", Hammerhead was starting to get worried, but his continual sneer hid it well. "Well, Othgar or Tyranosaur, I'll flay you like an award winning fish!", he grabbed another sword on the fly as he passed the rack.
I paced and followed him all around the stone room, the noise of our bout attracting some of his Stymolgoch cronies; and soon the prattle of shouting saurians filled the room. I thrust my dagger arm, caught the sword and forced his hand back; but didn't dislodge his grasp, for just then he tried to head butt me. I kicked out and planted it right on his crown, spinning him round but not knocking him off hios feet. He shook it off and flared his anger as he lunged with both sword and head, of which I foiled off the former with my blades and the latter with a hip check.
He wheeled around, staggered but far from out; and I took this opportunitty to deploy Klamath's large blades, each landing deftly into both of my hands. I flailed and twirled them around in a flourish, blurring the blades before his eyes. Nonplussed, he beat one down and tried to wheel around for a lunge, but a solid pummeled fist to his jaw and he spun to the ground, getting up immediately!
"Very good, human!", he said. "I'm impressed!"
Just then a muffled clattering and shouting became apparent throughout the city. Cloaked guards scurried about the streets, either defending themselves from am unknown enemy or running for reinforcements. The disposessed of Chandara was on the attack, and the walls were being breached by thousands of determined fighters. The two newcomers led thier own batallions through the northern gate as well as the western gate; and many more bands came through by either the river or the underground sewage canals. The guards didn't know what to make of this attack that seemed to be coming from everywhere at once! The citizens in Chandara would not give the guards a lick of help; Moreover, they would hinder the guards whenever it was convenient! They knew thier salvation was at hand, and they were cursed if they sided with the guards! Finally the height of the noise of battle reached the earslits of those watching our battle, and they left to see what was going on.
"So!... You brought reinforcements after all!", Hammerhead panted. "Just wait until Lonehorn hears of this!"
"We didn't.", I said, not panting in the slightest as I scizzered his sword away from him with my own and flung it against the wall with a clatter. "But it makes for a fine coincedence!"
"Sir, the city's under attack!", one hooded guard came into the room.
"Well, bolster the defenses!", Hammerhead screamed as he found another sword.
"Sir!... Come... You are needed!...", the guard scrambled out of the doorway.
"Aw!... Bugger off!...", he turned his concentration onto me once again. "Can't you see I'm busy!..."
"I can wait here until you're done.", I offered as the rest of the guards left the room, leaving us alone.
"First things first!", he returned, along with a flurry of swordplay. "Can't a person get one thing at a time done?!"
"Very well, then.", I smiled behind my mask as I dropped one of my swords.
The stunner beam that hit Hammerhead made his feet twist, making him collapse and driving his head against the floor. I searched his twitching form and found the keys he carried, grabbing my sword as I bolted out of the room. I made my way through the citadel until I found the cells the rest of my party was being held in. Rex nearly bowled me down in his excitement, and Ripper and Snapper took the point as we tried to find our way back out.
As we emerged from the citadel, we wwere met by confused knots of people beating the guards down in groups, running around with anything that could be used as a weapon or shouting directions to other fighters. I saw thier angered faces and knew that another coup was at hand! I tried to find the leaders of this battle, but could only find one of the newcomers leading his soldiers in rushing a guardhouse.
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(Continued in the next post.)
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Post by thundertail on Mar 24, 2008 20:18:32 GMT -5
FIFTY-THREE: "The Rough Road..." (Continued again!)
"Need any help?", I asked as he ran past. "What's going on?"
"We're taking back this city!", he yelled. "We came to get you out!"
"We're out already. Do you need help?", I repeated.
"Naw! just mopping up.", he told me, trying to stay in one place. "The only ones to deal with is the higher ups!"
"Well, don't worry about the captain of the guard.", I said. "He's taking a nap in his rumpus room!"
At about this time the leader of these rebels stormed into the chambers that housed empress Lonehorn. She was still asleep, and woke with a start at the sight of all the troops and the son of her former emporer standing there, waiting for her to do something. At a word, his Saltosaur Partner bounded in like a locomotive, bowling her back through the stone wall behind her dias and into a dried up fountain in a courtyard beyond. Before Lonehorn knew what was going on, she had several tons of dinosaur looking down at her, grumbling meanly!
"I,...what's going on!...", Longhorn bellowed. "Get offa' me!..."
"Your reign of terror is over, Longhorn!", the leader of the rebels bellowed as he stepped through the wreckage. "I have come to claim my birthright!"
"And you think you can run the joint, randall?", she snickered as best as she could with the saltosaur on top of her. "You're as weak as your father!"
"Take her away...", Randall said instead of acknowledging her comment.
More than an hour later, us helping to mop up any resistence, we gathered at the base of the palace; along with every major player in the battle. The guards were in the place they put all thier prisoners, enjoying the view from that side of the bars; and Hammerhead and Lonehorn was there as well. The newly reinstated emporer Randall came down in his father's crown, found in the crime lord's treasure trove; and he stepped up to address his newly acquired kingdom.
"My friends! Today marks the beginning of a new golden age for the illustrious empire of Chandara! If it wasn't for your drive to want to take this city from the throes of unspeakable tyranny, our lives would have continued the downfall we had been suffering. I thank you all for your selfless service!", Randall said. "With the news given to us by these emisaries of the Rainy Basin, and the promise they brought with news of trade; we might not have had the inspiration to attain our freedom!"
Peals of arousing cheer erupted from everyone present, which added to the cheering and celebration going on all throughout the Chandaran empire that day. Even though the broken down people had very little to celebrate with, this didn't stop them from making a grand show of it never the less! A feast, meager as it was, was prepared; and all that were present shared in this, thier propsed holiday of redemption of thier kingdom and the restoration of thier dignity. We promised them to bring aid to help restore thier city, and to tell the officials at Waterfall City thier plight; and in return, they said they would gladly reopen Chandaran borders to visitors, as well as wholeheartedly promote any and all trade that came thier way. We helped them celebrate, but ate sparingly as thier lack of supplies; and within a day decided to leave.
Amid teary farewells, we set out west, to the sea and followed the coast to Pennacia; which was once a very prosperous seaport, but now only supported a few boats and townspeople. Through directions there, we traveled inland through wide passes until we reached the desolation of Brackmaw Swamp; and here we encountered camps of ragged people who avoided us and Mosasaurs whom we tried to avoid, save for the one we had for dinner that night.
By midmorning we came out of the swamp and climbed the low foothills that seperated the coastal area with the interior; and came out to a sight awesome to behold. It was the fabled Colossus of Zagur, the stone head of some hero carved out of a single block of rock five hundred feet to a side; which looked older than the Sphynx of ancient Egypt. The texts I had read said that it was hollowed out with rooms, and once used as a Skybax training facility. It took most of the day to walk past the giant sculpture, and soon we came out of the foothills there and made our way back down to the Belt Road.
We traveled west down the Belt Road, making good time for the rest of the day. About an hour after we set out the very next day, we reached the headwaters of the Jubilla River, and followed that for about seven miles until we reached the outskirts of Rhumsburg. This town was once the crossroads of the Belt Road, and the buildings here still saw much of its' former glory; and even though things have diminished since its' heyday, many a business venture still seemed in evidence. We got directions further west from a crossing guard and set off on our way once we restocked our supplies.
We continued west, and the road turned into a skinny cart path; the debris of many broken down carts and ages old campfires littered the sides of the road all the way. By mid day we acme across a signpost that had seen numerous repairs over the years, and it pointed to many towns and outposts along the way: Rhumsburg back the way we came, north was Wheatstone Quarries, southwest was Spiker and west was the Blackfish Tavern.
"Say fellas!", I said. "How about we take a little rest?... There's a place called the Blackfish tavern just up ahead!"
"Black FISH!", Rex exclaimed. "Yum!..."
"My feet ARE getting sore at that!", Snapper smiled.
"Yeah!", Ripper agreed.
"Ok, the Blackfish Tavern it is!", I said, and directed them down the correct crossroad. "Maybe there we can spend the night...!"
We traveled the rest of the way down that road, arriving at an ancient yet pretty well kept cluster of buildings near a clearing on the edge of a waterfront area. The map said that this waterfront was near the coast of Dolphin Bay, which was the mouth of the Polongo River; and I knew that up the Polongo River was Waterfall City. Making it there would be a snap from here! We stopped by one of the large barns that served the saurian patrons of the pub and waited for someone to serve us; but many who saw us gave us a wide berth. These were of the surly type, by the look; and I guessed that all of them were used to handling trouble. After a while of nobody coming up and at least seeing what we wanted, I stopped the nearest human with a whistle.
"Say, is there anyplace we could stay the night?", I asked.
"Out in the forest is fine by me.", he said and walked away, wary eyes never leaving us.
"I guess we serve ourselves...", I mumbled after shaking my head. "Why don't you guys find the hostler and I'll go search the tavern.", I told Ripper and Snapper. "Rex, you stay here until someone comes."
"These guys are sure scared of us!", Rex commented as I climbed down. We were all used to people giving us a wide berth, and just shrugged it off.
"Yeah, but they better listen to a hungry Tyranosaur, right?", I chuckled as I followed the Sunstone streetlamps to the tavern proper.
As I swung the batwing doors and entered the establishment, the patrons already there gave me two moments of scrutiny. One moment was to acknowledge I was there and the other was for the armor I wore; and they grumbled as they went back to thier eating or drinking. I chose a table near the center of the space as the rest of the spots were nearly all taken and sat down. Nearly immediately a chubby if muscular waitress with a nonpretty face sauntered up ready to take my order.
"What'll you have, mack?", she had a drawl that seemed familiar somehow.
"Cold Jinka infusion for now, house special for food for later...", I said. "And could my friends find places for the night? They're carnivores, but nice!"
"Say! I know you!", she said loudly. "You're a Rainy Basin Ranger! I heard a lot about you guys!", she turned. "Say Jocco! House special right away!", the Stenoychosaur with heat-wrinkled skin nodded from the window that led to the kitchen.
"I'm kind of under cover...", I tried to shush her!
"Yeah, right!", she said and turned away. "Uh..., ", she continued with a much softer voice. "Your party should see the hostler, in the office near the barn. We don't often get to serve carnivores..."
"I think it's our first time in these parts.", I said.
"First time for everything!", she returned, smiling. "I'll go get yer Jinka...", she left.
I smiled and watched her go behind the bar, then let my gaze wander around the room; and that's when I noticed the type of characters that frequented this pub! Both humans and saurians were here, the former in garb that told of thier rough life or dangerous trade and the latter of every shape and size wore thier lives in about the same manner. Some looked like sailors and fishermen, donning hats of nautical history from the Spanish main to more modern longshoreman attire. Many of these characters either smoked or drank, and not the Jinka that I was about to have; and the saurians seemed much scarier than any carnivore for thier looks and the way they carried themselves.
I sipped my drink when it came, and smiled at the waitress through the clear glass I drank from. As she left I heard voices raised, and raised my eyes to a pair three tables over; arguing over some obscure subject, human insisting he was right and Pachy with an eyepatch insisting he was wrong. I silently turned my gaze to the bar as one of the arguers stormed past. The pachy turned abruptly and half his drink spilled on my table; but instead of apologising or offering to clean it up, he glared down on me and spat.
"Eere, eere!... Whot's the big ideer?!", he garbled. "Spilling my drink like that?!"
"On the contrary, sir.", I said up to him. "It was you that stumbled."
"You callin' me a liar?!", the Pachy roared.
"No, but there are witnesses...", I looked around, but nobody was offering thier opinion.
"I saw the whole thing.", the human that was arguing with him a moment ago, said. "You bumped him!"
"I did not!", I countered.
"Pipe down, out there!!", the Stenoychosaurus in the kitchen bellowed. My waitress scrambled into the kitchen with him!
"Blow it out yer snout, lout!", the Pachy yelled back, then turned to me. "You'll pay for what you did!"
"Certainly, sir!", I said and turned to the now empty bar. "Oh, barkeep! May we have another of what he is having?..."
"Not good enough!...", he stuck his domed cranium close to me. "Hey Sylvester! This guy has a shell!"
"Can ye crack it, Grig?", the man asked, starting to get up.
"One way to find out is to try!...", he grabbed my arm and jerked me to my feet.
"Now see here!...", I swept his arm away. "Whatever happened to 'Breathe deep, seek peace'?", he backed up only a half pace.
"Never heard of it.", Grig posed for a ramming posture... and advanced!
Klamath's speed came into play as I braced the head butt with both hands, him shoving for all he was worth. Many in the crowd cheered or booed at the scuffle; but lots were secretly enjoying the entertainment we were providing. I pushed back, and did so with such force his feet skittered many feet back! I got leverage and lifted his chin to almost the breaking point for his neck, then applied more force and drove him back against a wooden pillar several yards behind him. He squawked and struggled in my grasp, but I kept up the pressure; then I got my face close to his unpatched eye and sneered.
"Now, I suggest you seek peace or I'll find it for you!", I smiled evilly.
I stopped at the sound of a metallic thwack many feet behind me, and spun to look. Most of the crowd let out gasps or laughed at this new twist. The waitress was over the fallen human, cast iron skillet in her hands. She was looking down at her handiwork, watching to see if the guy was moving. She blew out a breath, then she looked at me and grimaced.
"This guy was pullin' a knife on you!...", she said. "I had to brain him!"
"Thanks...", was all I had time to say as Klamath rang a warning.
Grig the Pachy took the momentary freedom for another ramming attack; and I only had time to use Klamath's stunner on him before he impacted on me! A large gasp from the crowd was heard as many in my line of fire leapt out of the way. The creature fell twitching on the wooden planks, convulsing from head to tail. I nudged him with the toe of my armored boot, then looked at the waitress with approval.
"Thanks for covering my back!", I told her, looking at the man she had subdued. "I never saw him coming!"
"You were pretty handy with that Pachy.", she returned. "Name's Anna Damon...", she extended the hand not containing the skillet.
"I'm Stinger.", I shook it. "Is this what they do for excitement around here?"
"Most of the time, but I try to keep it to a minimum.", Anna said. "This is a pretty wild place sometimes..."
"Not as wild as the Rainy Basin.", I told her. "That's where I come from, you know..."
"No kidding!", Anna said. "A few months ago we were in a shipwreck..."
"Are you from the Millennium Queen?", I asked.
"You know of it?", she asked.
"Me and my bunch was there when it happened.", I said. "We rescued you guys!"
"Small world...", she said and changed the subject. "So, you killed that Pachy..."
"No, he's only stunned.", I told her. "He'll wake up in the morning with a whopper of a headache!"
"Same for this guy...", she nudged the man on the floor.
"We better tuck these tired souls in for the night.", I suggested. "I'll take this one.", I moved to Grig.
"And I'll take Handsome Harold here...", she grabbed both his legs and bagan to drag him out of the room; and soon the sound of his head hitting stair risers was heard!
I chuckled, shaking my head; and lifted the Pachy up over my shoulders. I had to go out sideways on my way to the barns, and once I was there I quickly located the stalls the hostler provided for Rex, Snapper and Ripper. None of the other patrons there wanted to be anywhere near them, so the stalls on either side of them stood vacant. I hefted Grig into one of these and just tossed him down on the pile of hay in there. Job done, I went over to where Rex was watching and rubbed his muzzle.
"What happened to him?", Rex asked after I finished.
"A little disagreement on table ediquete.", I told him. "He spilled his drink on me, and then blamed me for it."
"Oh,", he said.
"You didn't need to bring us food, Stinger.", Ripper said, grinning at his own joke. "They served us fish stew!"
"It was rather gamey, if you ask me...", Snapper said in the same stall as his brother.
"Say guys. Would you keep an eye on him until he wakes up?", I asked. "Him and his buddy are dangerous!"
"Will do!", Rex winked, then looked down on this domed creature hungrilly!
"I'll see you in the morning, you three.", I said and turned to go. "My dinner's getting cold!..."
I left the barn and traveled the several hundred yards back to the tavern proper. It seemed like nothing much changed since I left, and I returned to my table; which had a vast plate of pastas and greens set before me. I sat down and began to dig in, and Anna came back to my table, a refill for my drink in her hand; but instead of leaving it and going back to work, she pulled up a chair and sat across from me. I looked up and smiled cheesily, mouth dripping oil.
"All tucked in for the night?", she asked, chin on bridged hands.
"Comfy cozy!", I said.
"Yeah, this place reminds me of the joint I used to work at in Queens.", she said for conversation. "I fit in here real good!"
"You're from New York City!", I said finally. "That's where I heard the accent!"
"That's me! From N.Y.C.!", she piped. "Ever been there?"
"I went through there when I was mustered out.", I told her. "They sent the whole lot of us to the Middle East. I was put on a base in Greece..."
"You're military?", she asked.
"Yeah. I was doing a refueling mission when this crazy storm came on us.", I told her. "I was the only survivor, but ended up here."
"Wierd...", she said. "How long have you been here?"
"About five years, more or less...", I said and resumed my meal for a moment. "Say, back at Waterfall City, they said that a lot of the castaways went missing. Are you one of them?"
"Yup! That Waterfall City was a real drag.", she said.
"...And here's your name...", I said, looking at the scroll of missing castaways. "Look. Since you helped me out back there, I'll tell them I never saw you, Ok?"
"Sounds fine by me!", Anna said, then had another thought. "Say, are you married?"
"Fraid so.", I said and began to tell her about Mayday. "...But there's no law against having another friend!"
"Guess you're right.", she said. "I can always find a fella around here!", she got up at someone's summons. "Catch 'ya around!", she left.
I finished the rest of my meal, unfettered by the surly customers wreaking vocal havock all around me. Presently I went upstairs and was shown a room to stay the night in. In the morning I paid anna the several drachs she said would cover the meals and accomodations; then I went to saddle up rex and get Ripper and Snapper ready. A little while after that we had our backs toward the Blackfish Tavern, going roughly north, to Sauropolis and finally Waterfall City. I kept my word to Anna damon, and never told a soul she was there; and I only wrote it here, in my memoirs. I hope she doesn't mind!...
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Post by thundertail on Apr 3, 2008 4:50:56 GMT -5
FIFTY-FOUR: "Fitting in..."
The arrival of members of the Rainy Basin had become so routine in Waterfall City that no one barely took notice of us, and the guards at the gate waved us on without a second glance. We soon got an audience in the council chambers, and our meeting would soon commence. We had to tell the court our findings on our trade negotiations with Chandara, and report what had become of that kingdom over the years! Soon the council chambers filled with the usual amount of delegates and mayor Waldo Seville took his usual spot behind his raised ship's bow podium and tapped his gavel.
"This meeting will now commence.", he said so all could hear. "Today we have several issues that will be addressed; but for now, mayor Stinger of the Rainy Basin has the floor."
"Thank you, your honor.", I rose. "First of all, I would like to thank you all for seeing me today, and for witnissing what I have to say about our negotiation mission to Chandara..."
I began telling them my account of our mission to establish trade with Chandara, as well as a brief outline of the terms of our treaty that we would present to the Chandaran emporer. I went on to review what texts I had read said about the Chandaran empire, and the riches and glory that abound there. Then I told them of our arduous journey there through mountainous passes and trecherous areas. I told of the many instances we were in danger by wild carnivores, and the many times we were attacked by robbers and other irreputable persons. I began the account of thwarting that large band of robbers, and the revelation that thier role was not as it seemed.
"These robbers were, in fact, the disposessed people from Chandara.", I continued. "They were the good citizens that were thrown out or had fled; and thier leader was heir to the Chandaran empire. They resorted to thievery as a seige tactic to oust the persons that now held the city and surrounding areas."
"But how would this insure victory?", one delegate asked amid shouts. "Stealing is wrong!"
"Who was it that took over?", another asked after conferring with her aide. "And how are they so bad?"
"These people figured that if they could make the area so dangerous, no reasonable traveler would dare come near. This would stop trade in Chandara, and force the leaders to leave. The disposessed people would then take over and restore Chandara to its' original state once again.", I explained to that delegate.
More questions were flung at me, but I held them off for a moment with my hand.
"Chandara had been taken over by organized crime. There was a crime boss in charge by the name of Lonehorn, the Pentaceratops, and she would have her men go about and terrorise the remaining people. They would take everything the citizens owned, impose taxes that were impossible to pay, not let them live thier lives freely as they should and make them all miserable.", I explained to the other delegate.
"Thusly, Chandara is in a state of near ruin.", I continued. "Thier buildings are crumbling, thier Sunstone is all but dead, thier people are in dispair and thier culture is gone.", I licked my lips. "I don't know if thier library or hall of records survived, but there is one good thing that came of it."
"What was it, Stinger?", Rosemary asked.
"We were guests of the crime lord.", I began. "Imprisoned in thier dungeon after they heard our proposal. While we were locked up, the disposessed citizens rose up and took the city once again. We were set free after that, and told by thier leader that our trade treaty would be honored. The leader also said that he might need assistence in rebuilding Chandara; and would consider reopening negotiations with the rest of Dinotopia to that end."
"This is wonderful news!", Waldo said. "Chandara hadn't had open negotiations in centuries! We should form a negotiation mission right away, eh?"
"But those poor souls!", Rosenmary put in. "Thier kingdom is in shambles! It would take years to restore thier realm!"
"We'll send builders presently.", Waldo continued. "The old Dinotopian motto still stands: 'Survival of all or none'!... We should form a construction team right away!..."
The discussion of what should be done for the Chandarans went on for another twenty minutes or more; and when they were through and every proposed aspect of that plan was notorized, Waldo tapped his gavel and went onto other business. From the back of the room, what I thought were just ordinary citizens of waterfall City filed into the courtroom, courtroom guards flanking them under a drumroll. The group stopped in the center aisle and stood facing front; and Rosemary Seville got up and went to the head of the room.
"Ladies and gentilebeings. Today marks a glorious beginning for these people.", she began. "These ladies and gentilemen rescued from the shipwreck of the Millennium Queen have completed thier training as Dinotopian citizens, and are now ready to venture out among us!"
Muted cheers, saurian bellowing and polite clapping roused around the chamber; and me and my group added to the applause. Each of the former castaways took thier bows one by one, and the mayor rapped his gavel to regain order once again. Rosemary smiled and approached the head of the group, walking down the line and shaking each of the some two hundred humans' hands. She then returned to the head of the room and raised her hands to gain the attention of all.
"You will all be assigned a place where you may choose to spend your lives. If in the future, you choose another place, you may.", She took a scroll from the chair beside where she was sitting and began to read off thier names one by one. She included the places where they would go, and mentioned thier new Partners if they were assigned one. Then she told them each how they were going to get there before dismissing them to seating near the back of the courtroom.
"The following graduates will be assigned to the Rainy Basin, and be housed in clan Thundertail.", she continued near the end of the precession. "And since the mayor of the Rainy Basin is present today, he may assist you in getting there!... Will you escort these charges we impart to you, Stinger?"
"Certainly, my matriarch!", I said.
"Lanis Albian. You are assigned to the Rainy Basin, and your trasnslator, Bentfeather, will accompany you.", she recited. "He is to stay with you until you master all assigned languages, and then return to his previous duties. Transportation arrangements have been made with permission from clan Thundertail, and will transport the rest of the candidates assigned to clan Thundertail.", he sat several rows back from us.
George Meyer, You are assigned to the Rainy Basin as well.", she continued. "You will be indoctrinated in the Rainy Basin Rangers, and your Partner will be assigned there. Transportation arrangements are the same as with Lanis Albian.", he nodded stiffly and sat beside Lanis.
Shawna Mallone. You are also assigned to the Rainy Basin, to clan Thundertail.", Rosemary continued. "You and your partner, Nikkoli Chasmosaur, will apprentice in farming and general tasks, and be assigned to apprentice in artifact restoration. Nikoli will also assist in your transportation to clan Thundertail."
Peter Simonson. You and your family are assigned to clan Thundertail as well. Doris Simonson, Mike simonson and Keesha Simonson will be assigned with you; and live in the subterranean city of Kinan Van along with your Partner family, Paleman, Pilzee, Setas and Arcee Stenoychosaurus.", Rosemary told them, and they all sat down by the rest of our group.
"Frank Waters, you are assigned to clan Thundertail too.", she told him. "You are assigned to study all technology and devices present in thier realm, and are apprenticed to the Artificial Life Construct named Flit to that end. A Partner will be chosen for you when you get there, or they may allow you to choose your own.", he bowed, first to her and the court, and then to me, and sat by us as well.
Rosemary Seville announced a half dozen more names, two of which had families and only half had partners. They all acknowledged thier assignment to live with us in the Rainy Basin, and sat in a group next to all the rest. She then continued with the rest of the graduated castaways; assigning them to places like Canyon City, Baz, Cape Turtletail, Mollusk Town and other places. When she was done she looked up to the delegates and smiled.
"This is but the first of many groups that will be released onto Dinotopia. From this point on, the castaways will be released as they progress sufficiently to enter our society.", she looked upon all that she had assigned. "Lastly, I would like to welcome you all, finally, to Dinotopia!", This seemed to be the delegates' cue, and they all stood while they gave all the graduates a rousing round of applause. A moment to gain order by Waldo Seville and it was his turn to speak.
"The moment has now come to speak of the shipwreck of the Millennium Queen.", he began. "Word has it that all supplies and cargo has been removed and distributed; as well as all furniture aboard and everything 'not bolted down'... Is that the correct term?", he cleared his throat amid mild chuckling. "Anyway, it has been brought to my attention the concern of what to do with the rest of the ship. It is fouindering badly, so I'm told; and the structures within need to be salvaged before the ship becomes unsafe to enter. Do I hear any suggestions?"
"Sir,... Your honor!", Frank Waters stood, raising his hand. "If I may speak... I have plans to utilise as mush of the ship as possible for a project corroborated between members of clan Thundertail and myself; concerning the restoration of thier city of Halcyon.", he looked unsure.
"Please go on.", Waldo smiled.
"It concerns building a waterway system from a source of fresh water to the underground city.", Frank continued. "It will involve a series of canals, aqueducts and pumping stations to traverse the mountain ranges between Halcyon and this water source. The pumping stations will utilise the pumping equipment and other engines of electric or mechanical operation abopard ship to pump water to higher elevations. I have already begun inquiring about recruitment of the labor needed to salvage these engines."
"Very good.", Waldo said.
"There are many steps before we can get water to Halcyon, but other problems seem to spring up as if by magic!", he said. "As you know, building any public works project takes monumental labor forces, extensive planning and authorizations from all concerned parties. I have had correspondance with yout Freshwater Partners, and they said our primary pumping site of Deep Lake had to be studied to find the ecological impact it would cause on the area. They said that pumping activity would lower the water level there by almost three feet, and that might impact irrigation for the area. They also said that lowering Deep Lake by only one foot using this method might not impact the area so much. So the aqueduct system might have to be designed on a limited scale."
"I see.", Waldo said. "A way that is beneficial to all...", he turned to the rest of the people. "But certainly this is an issue that can be discussed in greater detail at a later date!... On to the next issue, if you please...", Frank Waters nodded and sat back down.
The next several issues presented to the court were trivial to me, but were no less important to them. They dealt with the many mistakes the remainder of the castaways were making, doing things that were un-Dinotopian in nature; and the fact that they still persisted with thier old ways. It was argued that they would adjust over time, and that some people took longer to make the change than others; and greater patience should be observed with them. Others argued that stronger measures should be taken to help them change faster, up to and including forcing these changes on them; but Rosemary and her husband argued that this was not the Dinotopian way, and they would gradually make the adjustment.
Another issue was the devices and gadjets from the outside world that were being slowly used by regular citizens all over the island, and the impact of such devices on thier society. Many argued that they were a nuisence and should be banned while others said they were a great novelty, and suggested they be enjoyed while they lasted. Still, many could not fathom thier uses; and deemed them evil in one way or another, arguing statements including the treaty of Arihmon. This treaty I had read, and it told of thier own Industrial Revolution that went horribly wrong for them. To me, having such trinkets around would not hurt thier society; and actually give them a window on how the outside world worked, and this I stated to them in a short speech. At last, and after many more arguments on the subject, they conceeded that such items would not overly contaminate thier society; and the fact that nothing lasts forever, and neither would these devices.
After an hour of more mundane discussions of city policies, mayor Waldo Seville concluded the meeting and all filed out of the courthouse in thier own way. The group of castaways that were assigned to clan Thundertail stayed close to Rex, Ripper, Snapper and me; and Frank Waters and Lanis Albian stood closer than all the rest. Waters was devoid of his uniform, preferring garb from an earlier era of nautical history, even though he kept his hat. Lanis still wore his orange and crimson jumpsuit, but decided to wear short green pantaloons and a tan vest over it. Both looked scared of thier new future home, but both seemed determined to be there.
I looked at the rest of the crowd that was dispersing to thier seperate modes of transportation and saw a few familiar faces in our transportation. Pulling the Copro cart was Flatbottom, and driving it was Mayday! One of the other carts was pulled by Sauron and Chillet, and driven by Whitetail. Our other cart was absent its' puller, but Miles Krieger was its' driver. I went to my friends and gave each a hug of friendship, omitting Sauron and Chillet out of courtesy and paying extra special attention to Mayday out of love!
"Well, here is our rides!", I told my group of castaways. "Everyone climb aboard!...", I looked around. "Where's the puller for this cart?..." "Here I am!", Nikkoli the Chasmosaur stepped up and slipped his harnessed self into the yoke. "I had to get my harness on!..."
"Welcome aboard, then!", I said. "That goes for the rest of you, too!", I climbed aboard Rex. "Remember, if you have any questions about the Rainy Basin, clan Thundertail or anything else; don't be afraid to ask!... We're only here to help you!"
No immediate questions were asked as the rest climbed onto the cart of thier choice. Lanis sat in the front seat of the cart driven by Whitetail, Frank took the front seat next to Mayday and the rest put thier things in all three carts, families and thier Partners helping thier young ones up into them. As soon as I saw all was ready, I had Rex move out to lead our little group out of Waterfall City.
The many others that were going our way followed in our wake, single travelers riding on Overlanders or other saurian transportation while the others with more posessions to bring rode in saurian driven taxi carts, rickshaws or other contrivances. The exodus out of the city was large, but not overly so; and as we crossed the bridge that seperated the city with the environs beyond, I looked back and saw all the Waterfall City citizens waving and cheering! After many miles several of our fellow travelers veered off down other paths through the forests; and after we passed Mollusk Town, only three other groups of travelers accompanied us.
Along the way many of our castaways asked a few questions concerning thier life with us. Many wanted to know what kind of housing was waiting for them; and I said that each would get an apartment in Kinan Van if they were single while family groups would get larger homes. They asked if they were required to eat meat there and I told them they could eat what ever they wanted as we do not discriminate between carnivorous diets and vegetarian. Some asked what type of work they were required to do and I said it all depended on one's skills and thier ability to learn new things, that they would be asked to do nothing that they were not able to do or to learn. These questions came at sporadic intervals, and it was during one of the quiet times that Klamath told me something important!
"Stinger, I have something to say.", he said all of a sudden in my head.
"What is it?", I asked in kind.
"My power levels are getting low.", he told me. "This is why I was not able to help with our trade negotiations as I was capable of..."
"Why didn't you say so?!", I said out loud. "Rex! Please stop!... Klamath has a problem!..."
He did so, and the whole convoy stopped. I dismounted and went over to the cart driven by Mayday, preparing to sit in the back. "Klamath's power is running low. I need to get out of him, and maybe he could conserve power back here.", I told everyone back there. "Could you please move some things aside?", they complied.
"Klamath is sick?", Mayday asked, turning.
"My mate!...", Zandra, Mayday's armor, sounded concerned. "Now switch to minimum power, Klamath.", I said. "I think you'll make it to the Rainy Basin if you do."
"Affirmative.", Klamath replied rather weakly. "Power level near critical!"
"Don't talk. Just rest.", Mayday said as Zandra drew her out of the driver's seat and to him. "You will be all right..."
"Don't worry, mister Klamath.", Frank Waters said, turning to grab the reigns. "I plan to know all about you, and should be able to fix you all by myself before long!..."
"Thank you...", Klamath said as he initiated his power conservation mode.
His green eyes dimmed to almost nothing and he lay dormant on the floor of the cart. I shook my head and returned to get back on Rex. I felt naked not having the armor encase my body, but I knew my friend was in trouble, and me wearing him would do him no good. I would let Flit or MacDougal replace his Sunstone with a fresh one when we returned home. As all that excitement wound its' way down, I had Rex continue the journey home, and the convoy soon followed. The rest of the day nothing eventful happened; and in the morning we broke up camp and continued on our way. By late morning the next day we entered the Rainy Basin, now devoid of every other member of the convoy not going to clan Thundertail; and a few miles into the territory, a Rainy Basin Ranger team consisting of Thistlesnarl, Carl Scott, Slimepool and Pondscum, thier Veloceraptor guard escort; came to escort us the rest of the way. Our travel from then on went by quickly, and by early afternoon our convoy stopped in the boomerang shaped clearing of clan Thundertail.
Of course the whole clan knew they were coming, for nobody enters clan Thundertail without being detected; yet still they all remained hidden, allowing the newcomers a chance to look around. It was at this time that hundreds of carnivores and dozens of people flooded out of the surrounding forests, roaring and snapping in greeting, yelling and cheering! Of course I knew they were going to try something like this, and so did the rest of the full clan members in my group; for we all stood or sat there looking bored while our passengers' jaws all dropped! They thought they were being attacked, and got into defensive stances!
The fanfare was overwhelming for the humans and thier Partners this day, for never had they been showered with such affection by creatures that would otherwise eat them; and let me say that the looks on thier faces was one of both total shock and numb acceptance! We stood greeting them for what seemed like hours until matters let themself wane of thier own accord. I at last remembered some important details just then, and gave off a loud whistle to get everyones' attention.
"Well!... It looks like you are all well met indeed!", I chuckled. "Now, I would first like to introduce Thundertail, king of the Rainy Basin.", the Tyranosaur bowed; and all the newcomers bowed back! "I guess the rest you'll meet in your own good time... But for now, I would like to ask Flit to step forward."
"What is it, Stinger?", Flit asked. "Why aren't you wearing Klamath?"
"Klamath is in that cart over there.", I pointed. "He complained of loss of power, so I took him off and had him conserve power.", I looked over. "Flit. would you take care of that?"
"Of course.", Flit went. "Triphus, I'll need your assistence..."
"What about me?", Frank waters requested. "I'd like to see that."
"Ah! Mister Frank Waters, I presume!", Flit turned to him. "Yes, of course you may come and observe. I am Flit, and I will be your instructor... And there's no better time to do so than now!", he beckoned him with Proboke's armored finger.
As they left the area, I wished I could go too; for Klamath was my friend, and I wanted to make sure he was all right. I figured that Frank Waters would be ok with them for now, and he wouldn't miss much anyway. Just wait until he met MacDougal - they should become thick as thieves! I returned my attention to the newcomers as Pincushion came to me with a scroll. It was a list of things I should tell them to introduce them to clan life; so I began to recite:
"To all newcomers to clan Thundertail. A most humble welcome to our clan, and we hope your time with us is most pleasant.", I read the preamble. "Your things will be taken to Kinan Van and put into your temporary domiciles, permanent dwellings will be given on your disgression as soon as you are settled in. Tasks will be assigned according to skill and willingness to learn. Those with children may enroll them in our schools, and the cirriculum will be announced on a need-to-know basis. Those of you without Partners may decide to choose from one of the clan, provided compatability is present for coresponding individuals. Most clan members are carniverous or omniverous in nature, but we allow all diets to be present, and do not discriminate as to how or what someone eats. It is carnivore law that, upon the demise of an individual; the clan holds the right to consume said deceased person, or use the body for any purpose needed. This grim practice is for conservation and utilization purposes only, and is found to be very practical in an environment such as this.", I looked up, even though there was a lot more on the scroll.
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(Continued in the next post.)
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