Princess Rescue Inc (104 page)

“And
to keep them busy and to make trade and transport easier, the roads?” Ryans
asked.

“One
would assume,” the Duke said nodding.

“So
we can do the same. Oh some of our people will go to train others, and some
will go to the border regions, and of course we'll keep bases with a fast
reaction force, but we can rotate them and keep them busy with engineering
projects as well,” Perry said nodding.

“Ah.
Keep them busy and honest?” the duchess asked shrewdly.

“Right,
and productive. Keep them out and about helping people will also help their
image and morale.”

“Good
point,” Ryans turned to the Duke and his lady. They both nodded after a moment.
He tried not to wince at the idea of dozens of soldiers in what the locals used
as taverns. Too many were drinking their pay away already.

“We've
got a couple of engineers with us. We can sick them on various projects. Like
making a bridge across rivers, or dams, and such.”

“Good,
good, I have several in my own duchy in need of repair or replacement,” the
Duke said nodding.

His
wife nodded. “The North Briar one is a death trap,” she said wrinkling her
nose, she gave a delicate shudder. He smiled.

  <==={}------------>

Zara
smiled as she and the class watched Charlie at work. Charlie had shown them how
they make fuel for the vehicles out of wood grain alcohol, lye, and vegetable
oil, now she was showing them how they turned one of the side products,
something called glycerin into many other useful things.

It
was interesting Zara thought. She'd started joining the class by accident,
having passed by the open door and hearing a lecture. Now she was fascinated.
When the Dominus chamberlain had complained about her lack of commitments she'd
sweetly told her in front of her mother that she wanted to educate herself on
the new gaijin technology to be able to interpret it to her mother later. The
Queen had acquiesced with an amused nod.

“So
you see, as a side benefit we can use this for a host of other products. From
filling air pressure valves to keep them from being damaged to soap or
shampoo.” She hefted a green brick then handed it to Zara. Zara smiled, looking
at it.

“This
is one of my latest versions; it's got some perfume in it with a little pumice
as an aggregate. It's still a little rough on the skin, but it's great for
getting stains off skin,” Charlie explained. Zara sniffed and smiled then
handed it on.

“My
family has been making soap for generations. Are you going to put them out of
work like the candle makers?” a boy asked sounding concerned.

“Why?”
Charlie asked blinking. “Why would I? For that matter why would they go out of
business? There will always be a need for soap, for candles, and for other
things. They are still made on Earth too you know,” she smiled encouragingly.

“But
the new lights will make the candles and lamps obsolete!” the boy said, giving
her an accusing look. Zara frowned.

Charlie
shook her head. “No, like I said, not everyone will use the lights. Candles do
have their uses. And as for your parents,” she smiled. “Tell them to come to
me. I'll show them how I make this soap and we can work together to make it.
That way they can make it themselves.”

“You
would do that?” the boy asked, startled.

“Of
course. Soap is vital to hygiene. Keeping people clean is one of the ways to
keep people healthy. If everyone can afford it, then everyone is better off
right?” Charlie asked, smiling slightly and cocking her head at him. The lad
was clean but he didn't quite smell good. The boy nodded, eyes wide.

“This
soap is a lot easier to make than the old fashioned method. Trust me I know,”
she wrinkled her nose. She could smell rendered fat on him. “I did that back
when I was your age when we went to a farm. We made all sorts of things by
hand. Rendering fat down was one my my
least
favorite jobs,” she said.
She grimaced in memory. The boy did too.

“Your
parents can purchase the glycerin from us, and get funding from the banks or a
favorable lord or lady. Once they have start up capital and get mass production
sorted out they'll have a lot of demand,” she smiled. Zara nodded.

She
lingered as the class left to talk with Charlie. Charlie glanced at her as she
tidied up. “Something I can help you with princess?”

“There
has been a lot of talk about the machines and your technology, how it will
change things. Some for the better, some for the worse, I hadn't thought of
people losing their livelihood until now.”

Charlie
frowned. “In truth, they won’t. At least not over night but if they don't
adapt, if they duck their heads and refuse to change then they will see their
customers growing fewer and fewer... which will make things tighter and tighter
for them. They'll either go up on their prices, or adapt then.”

“Ah,”
Zara frowned troubled.

“We
can offset that princess. With education, and with getting the technology into
their hands and helping them to adapt.”

“So
that's why we have the classes? And why you're so helpful?” Zara asked,
surprised.

Charlie
looked up in surprise and then chuckled softly. “Of course. Look princess, if
we ever get regular passage back and forth my people will come over here to
sell stuff if they can. People who will set up businesses, and will sell goods
and services. But if your people aren't ready they'll quickly become dependent
and will owe a lot of money to them.”

“Ah.”

“It's
a problem,” Charlie frowned, looking up and shaking her head. “But one for down
the road actually. I honestly don't think businesses will pull up roots and
come here; the cost of the wormhole alone is astronomical. There are pioneers
who will try it though.”

Zara
nodded thoughtfully as she left.

  <==={}------------>

Kincaid
tossed himself into his rack with a slight bounce and sigh. “Damn this weather!
Will the rain ever stop?” he grumbled. He felt a drip and looked up to the top
bunk. Another drip hit him and he flicked it with a finger. He looked at it
then sniffed.

“What
the hell? Did you wet the bed Siegfried?” he said getting up. He took the two
steps up the ladder and looked over the side and gasped.

“Saaarge!”
he said turning. “MEDIC! Coreman! Something! SOMEONE HELP!”

  <==={}------------>

Ryans
sighed as he looked at the body. “What did this?” he asked turning to Perry
then to the natives. The Gunny sniffed.

“Poison?”
he asked, looking up from his crouch by the body. The young man was in rigor,
his arms clutching out to ward off some unseen enemy. His face was twisted in
terror, his mouth and eyes wide open.

“What's
going on?” Deidra asked, coming into the room. She stopped and looked away, a
hand over her nose at the smell of death. “Fah,” she waved her hand in front of
her face turning back the way she had come.

“Princess
you shouldn't have to see this...” the native sergeant said, urging her to
leave.

“I've
seen death before,” she said shaking her head. “It holds no mystery for me.
What happened?” she asked getting herself under control. She stood, shoulders
back.

“Some
sort of poison. We think. We'll need an autopsy to figure it out,” Perry
answered.

“I
think we left a full forensics lab on the other side of the portal sir,” the
Gunny said, shaking his head and getting up. The princess came over, dripping
water. She looked over Perry's shoulder and then frowned. She pushed him gently
aside and knelt.

She
touched the dried foam around the boy's mouth then sniffed her fingers. Her nose
wrinkled as she wiped her hand on his sleeve. “Bachit. Kami'nak leaves.”

“Are
you sure?” the sergeant said coming up behind her. She pointed to the foam. The
Sergeant scowled. “Check his kit.” He looked up to an Immunis, a native
equivalent of a corporal.

Perry
frowned. “What are... ah...?”

“A
leaf that gives you visions and makes you stay awake and on your feet for
days,” the princess said in disgust, standing up. She brushed her hands
together.

“Okay.”

“It
was brewed as a tea and served in some temples for a time. My great grandfather
outlawed it though,” Deidra explained.

“So
it's like meth and LSD all rolled into one?” the Gunny asked, crossing his arms
and looking disturbed.

“I
don't know. I don't know what they are,” Deidra said, shaking her head.

“Illegal
drugs on Earth that can make you see things that aren't there and make you
think you are super strong and keep you awake,” Ryans translated.

“Yes,”
she nodded.

“Crap,”
Perry looked at the corporal who held up a bag from the man's kit. Kincaid his
bunk mate suddenly looked nervous.

“Something
to add private?” Ryans asked catching the look on the kids face.

Sweat
began to bead. “Ah sir. Ah...”

“I
take it your partner was a user?”

“Ah
sir... ah...”

“Spit
it out soldier!” the Gunny barked. The young man gulped then shivered.

“We
ah use it when we have night watch sir,” he said miserably. He darted a look
then went back to standing at attention and staring at the far wall. “To keep
us awake.”

“Damn,”
the Gunny murmured. He shook his head. “This gets better and better.”

“GI
party. Now. Contraband search. Then counseling,” Perry said turning.

The
native sergeant nodded and then grimaced. “Sir, ah, the rain?”

“Get
over it. This shouldn't have happened,” Perry snarled. He waved. “What a
cluster-fuck.” He turned and then took his radio off and held it up. “Master
Sergeant Waters we've got a GI search in the barracks. Check all soldiers for
contraband. Repeat. Contraband search. This means everyone, including Terrans.”

“Roger.”

Ryans
sighed as he escorted Deidra out.

“What's
wrong?” she asked. “Other than this miserable weather.” She waved at the rain.
She went to walk under the eaves but the runoff from the roof made it look like
a waterfall. Ryans steered her away. Her guards frowned but followed them into
the night.

“Drugs
are bad. It... well, when used by doctors or for medication it's one thing. But
if people use it for fun or to try to stay awake it means that something's wrong.
They have no idea what too much can do.”

“Like
that unfortunate private?” she asked, darting a glance at him as they dodged a
puddle.

“Exactly,”
Ryans shook his head. “You don't want hopped up soldier’s princess. Imagine if
he'd had a bad reaction and had a weapon.”

“Yes,
this is a problem,” Deidra said after a lengthy pause. She shivered, imagining
what a guard could do armed with a gun in the great hall.

“Right.
But Perry and his people will get it under control. At least in the military, I
just hope none of our people were stupid enough to try it,” he grimaced.

“You
mean any more of
our
people,” Deidra said.

“Right,”
Ryans shook his head ignoring the implied rebuke. Water dribbled down his back
from a roof. “Remind me to introduce people to gutters,” he said with a sigh
and shake. That water was
cold
.

  <==={}------------>

“How's
it going?” Perry asked, coming over to him and sitting on the bench.

“Oh
the usual,” he said shrugging. Deidra gave him a look.

“In
a mood?” Perry asked amused.

“He
is,” she said shaking her head.

“What
happened?” Perry asked. “Or should I keep my nose short?”

“No,
it's all right. I ran into some trouble. Politics,” Ryans said grimacing.

“He
locked horns with some of the more... I believe you call them conservatives?”
Deidra asked looking from one male to the other. Both men nodded.

“Stick
in the muds,” Ryans said grimacing. “Buried in the past.”

“I
had to smooth some ruffled feathers. Fur. Whatever,” Deidra said waving a hand.

“Ah,”
Perry said nodding as a servant put a tray down in front of him. He waited
until the servant was out of earshot. “Did it work?” he asked amused, picking
up a fork.

Deidra
looked amused. Ryans smiled. “What do you mean?” Deidra asked.

“Good
cop, bad cop. It's an old trick,” Perry said. He pointed the fork to Ryans.
“One of you takes a hard line. The other a softer tone. He sets them up; you
knock them down with a conciliatory tone. Compromise. Getting what you really
wanted in the first place.”

She
looked from Perry to an amused Ryans. “Was that what you were doing?” she
demanded, hands on her hips. Her lips puckered. He smiled over a fork full of
food.

“It
worked didn't it?” Perry asked amused. Ryans snorted, nodding but not looking
up to Deidra's challenging gaze.