Princess Rescue Inc (13 page)

“Yeah
well, keep me posted,” Sydney said smiling.

“Why
medieval?” Roshenko asked suddenly. Sydney paused. “I mean, why a feudal
society? We've spotted a blending of architecture and racial cultures, not to
mention genotypes, so why feudal specifically? And why European style over say
Asian?”

“Defense,”
Sydney answered. He sat back down on the bench as they rumbled past a rocky
stream. He glanced out the window at it and then back to them. “In history a
person, usually a bandit or someone strong becomes an alpha male. He leads the
pack. He sets up shop and builds a stronghold for him and his group. This
allowed them to defend against others who may attack them.”

Roshenko
nodded. “Ah, I'd think trying to survive on an alien world would keep them busy
enough.”

“Precisely
Doc,” Sydney said waving to the window. They could see an alien bovine munching
on a hedge on the other side of the road. Four of its six eyes were closed. The
middle legs stomped occasionally. The tail would flick, possibly flicking away
pests. “Look at it. An alien world. They needed to defend against the predators
here, as well as each other.”

Ryans
nodded in understanding. He'd come to a similar conclusion. What bothered him
was all the influence from various cultures but they hadn't combusted into
modern Terran culture and technology over time. “And what better way to secure
a territory than with a castle?”

“Right,”
Sydney nodded in agreement. “A fortified wall keeps the enemy out and your own
people in safe, securing your power. It also gives the people inside, a wall to
build against at first.”

“Ah,”
Doctor Roshenko nodded. “I see.” He rubbed his jaw. “But they could have moved
out of it,” he said looking up after a moment.

Sydney
nodded. “Sure, if they’re not stuck. Something is stagnating them. I'd say they
have a problem with breeding off the top of my head. I mean, we've seen so few
animals, and the houses are clustered in villages or towns that are miles
apart. In a feudal society people are tied to the land in a subsistence living
mindset. I'd imagine trying to survive on an alien world is an added
complication to that. They don't have the time to develop more.”

“Which
is the reason you said stagnant, or at least it's one of the reasons. Yeah, I
can see that now,” Ryans nodded.

“The
lords lording over the serfs adds to the problem. There may even be a genetic
problem going on. Especially with the serfs tied to the land as they are. After
all, with so few humans crossing over every year, you'd think the breeding
program would be a major concern or recessive genetic defects would start
cropping up,” Sydney murmured. Outside it began to rain. They looked up to the
roof of the camper as they heard the pitter patter of raindrops.

“Maybe,
I doubt they know it as that though Sydney,” Roshenko cautioned, looking over
to the princesses. They ignored the men completely. “But if you’re right then
serfs marry serfs, and lords marry lords... Yeah, I'd say you've got a double
breeding problem now that you mention it.” He sighed then shrugged. “Not my
problem, yet,” he said grimacing. The others nodded.

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

Princess
Deidra stepped out, needing to get away from the cluster of people. They had
been traveling for days in the metal carriages and she needed air and sunlight.
The rains had washed away the dust but the area the gaijin had stopped at was
muddy. There was a cliff nearby overlooking the forest below. She stepped over
to it, breathing in the crisp clean air of the morning.

She
needed it, needed the change in perspective she realized. Balthazar would have
loved... her hand went to cover her mouth as tears fell. She couldn't be
miserable she told herself, crying softly. She remembered her little brother,
so full of life and potential, now meat in the ground. It was wrong and her
heart twisted. She felt guilty, unclean. Not just the rape, but in leaving her
brother like that. Her brother and sister, they deserved better. Rubin had
deserved... fresh tears fell. Her people, she thought, what would become of
them?

A
hand fell, running through her ragged dress. She had been offered clothes by
the gaijin healer but they were men's clothes not proper dresses. Oh she didn't
mind if she were riding, but to dress like she did? In pants all the time? No,
she'd rather remain a princess, she thought, realizing pride was playing a part
in her decision but not caring. Her head came back and she felt the light morning
breeze blow her hair out behind her. She faced the day. She was Deidra,
princess of the realm and she'd damn well do as she pleased, she thought. She'd
make the Duluthians pay for their crimes she vowed just as she heard footsteps
behind her.

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

Ryans
watched the princess near the edge of the cliff. She hugged herself, looking
out over the edge.

“She's
not going to jump is she?” Sue asked concerned.  She was worried about
despair and depression in the two teenagers. Both showed signs of trauma of
course.

He
gave her a look. He jerked his head to Deidra. “Worried about depression Doc?
Somehow I don't think the lady is wired that way. She's more of a...”

“Leader?
Even leaders have to feel the pressure,” Sue said. “Especially at her age and
the trauma she's been through.”

Ryans
frowned. She was right but he wasn't quite willing to give in. “No, but if
someone like me goes and askesher we're more than likely to be
pushed
,”
he said. She grimaced.

She
gave him a glare but couldn't hold it for long. “Give the lady a break, she's a
rape victim.”

“I'm
trying Doc,” he sighed holding up his hands in surrender.

She
wrinkled her pert nose at him. “Try harder. In fact why don't you go over there
and talk to her. Get her to talk a little more so we can work on this language
barrier.” They had been working on it for a while but still had problems with
verbs and tenses. Names and objects were coming through though.

Ryans
shook his head. “Didn't I just mention a determined desire
not
to be
pushed over the edge?”

She
smiled. “Come on chicken. She's a widdle guurl,” she mocked.

“Say's
the widdle guurl,” Ryans growled. She held up a fist. “I'm going, I'm going,”
he sighed getting up and throwing his hands up in the air. “Bully,” he griped.

“You’re
damn tootin',” Sue smiled smugly.

“Hey
ah, Princess Deidra right?” he asked walking closer to her. The teenager turned
and glanced at him then went back to watching the skies. “We're not exactly
safe next to this cliff you know. It rained last night so it's probably
slippery.”

“So
go back,” she said not looking at him.

The
translator caught part of that but he was fairly sure of what she was saying
anyway. “Sure, just as soon as you do,” he said stubbornly. Two could be
pigheaded.

“Leave.
I order you,” she snarled, hugging herself tighter and turning away.

“First
off, I'm
not
one of your subject’s lady so that bullying crap won’t work
with me. Second I happen to be in charge of this group,” he said indicating the
Terrans. “If you don't want to be here we're more than happy to drop you off at
the nearest village.”

She
turned glaring full force at him but slipped. Her arms flew out wind milling.
She screeched as she fell backwards. He lunged forward and grabbed her ankle as
she fell. She dangled there over the cliff edge.

“Quit
struggling,” he snarled, feeling them both slip down to the cliff edge. “Ah, a
little help here?” he called over his shoulder. His grip on her ankle was
slipping.

Ryans
felt hands on his hips and then a rope was tossed out to Deidra. She grabbed at
it desperately. He dug his knees in and pulled. She squeaked as his grip
tightened like a vice on her ankle and he pulled her back off the edge to
safety.

He
panted for a second, surprised he was tired. He pulled her away as the cliff
edge crumbled under her. As they moved back the section they had been on gave
way completely and slid down the sheer cliff. He wrapped his arms around her
instinctively as he backed away.

She
clung to him for a moment breathing heavily and then pushed herself away and
getting up she stalked off wiping at the mud with an angry hand. He shook his
head and turned to the Gunny. “Thanks.”

“Sure.
Least
one
of you thought of it,” the Gunny said smiling. “That girl just
doesn't appreciate a favor,” he sighed. He rolled his shoulders and he coiled
the rope. Ryans shrugged glancing in the direction the princess had stomped
off. He had no intention of following her. Her or Sue for that matter.

Zara
came over and grabbed her arm. “Are you all right?” she demanded. Deidra
scowled, not answering as she brushed dirt and debris from her soiled dress. It
was a gift from her mother. If she had one from the carriage she would have
burned this tainted thing despite her mother's wrath. Mother would have understood
in the end she thought. She'd burn it anyway, first chance she got, she thought
turning as Zara shook her arm and then stepped back.

Deidra
looked up and glared. “I'm fine,” she growled. “No thanks to him,” she said
jerking her chin to the leader of the gaijin. She'd make him pay for
manhandling him. No man might touch her without permission.

“Him?
He saved you. Again sister, He saved you. Had he not been there to grab you...”

“It
was because of him that I fell!” Deidra snarled, watching her sister's eyes go
wide. Zara stepped back in alarm. “He...”

“We
need to go,” a soldier said waving to the trucks. She looked around. The gaijin
were loading up to leave. Turning she gave Ryans a fulminating look over her
shoulder before she reached down and hitched her tattered dress up so she could
more easily climb on board the carriage.

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

Ryans
caught the look and snorted. “Just between you and me I think I'll ride with
someone else this go around,” he said to Perry.

Perry
had also caught the look and snorted as well. “Yeah, I don't blame you,” he
said waving to the improvised command hummer. “After you,” he said.

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

Zara
stared out into the night, looking through the window as she rested her chin on
her folded arms. “That's twice he's saved your life,” she murmured to her
sister. She was bored, bored of being cooped up, bored of playing the word game
with the healer and the strange contraptions she had.

Deidra
looked affronted. Up until now she hadn't thought of it, hadn't thought of the
implications. Now suddenly Zara's pointing them out forced her eyes open to the
potential problem. “I...”

“You
know it's true. Once for me, twice for you.”

“I...
it's not true!” Deidra said desperately, glaring at the peasants who dared look
up in interest. Bux immediately dropped his head. His pregnant wife looked
away.

“I
know it is. You know it is Deidra,” Zara said looking at her sister in the
reflection of the window. It was dark, far darker than normal because of the
clouds overhead. Apparently it didn't bother the gaijin. Some like their driver
wore strange contraptions on their heads covering their eyes.

“It's
not true!” Deidra said as the trucks slowed and then stopped.

“You
know it is!” Zara said, turning to glare. “And you know what it means! For both
of us!” she said sounding desperate.

“No!”
Deidra practically screamed, throwing the door open and rushing out into the
night.

“Deidra!”
Zara said rushing after her.

Bux
looked at his wife. She bit her lip unsure. Finally she shrugged. “Tis no
concern of ours mine husband,” she cautioned. He slowly nodded.

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

After
driving another six hours they made a pit stop and the princesses immediately
went off by themselves, arguing intently. The two of them came running back a
minute later with an angry squealing six legged thing chasing them. Zara
hastily climbed up a tree, climbing for all she was worth. The military group
turned just as Deidra tripped and fell. She rolled, pulling out a dagger. The
beast lunged for her but a horn blew. Confused it turned its six piggish eyes
to the noise.

Ryans
blew the truck horn again. The animal turned, then stomped and began to paw at
the ground. He flicked the headlights on. Deidra rolled away and clambered
behind a tree.

The
hex boar lunged forward. Ryans popped the truck into gear and stomped down on
the accelerator. The truck surged forward as the boar's head dropped. When the
two collided the five hundred pound creature was thrown backwards, but it stuck
firmly to the bumper by its tusks. Edsfield tried to get a clear shot but he
couldn't. He yelled at Ryans to back up.

Ryans
popped the truck into neutral to go to reverse. The boar got its' footing and
began to dig in pushing the truck backwards. It tore at the bumper until its
tusk snapped. In pain and confused it retreated into the bush.