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Grey Chronicles
Six
(09/21/06 0600 Grey Ranch, Texas League)
“Cassiopeia is so mad about missing the Green Battalion’s presence and subsequent move it’s a wonder she’s not spitting protons.” Theodora’s hologram almost radiated smugness. “She’s so angry that she didn’t notice I was already paying particular attention to the region where the Sunshine unit was beforehand and its new campsite. When I offered to help she didn’t hesitate to link me through to Testament. He’s very capable and I don’t really have to do anything but watch what he does. I’m learning a lot from him.”
“That’s good to hear,” Iain said quietly. “Is everything unfolding as I wrote it?”
Her smugness increased. This was her clan leader after all. “Yes it is. They’ve finished cutting up the railroad rails and are setting up the other items that they’ll need for the attack while Autumn and some Elves are busy setting up the crops so the battalion will stop in the desired prepositioned killing ground.”
“Then I want a detailed record of everything you see. Our presence could change things, even a little, and if it does I want to know. If it doesn’t, I still want to know.” He smiled thinly. “And even if it doesn’t, I want our own records of him crushing that unit. Maybe we can use it to warn off the Indigo military complex.”
The smugness vanished. “That’s doubtful, Iain. They’re using a different paradigm than that of the Sunshine League.” The image changed to an overhead view of a region Iain wasn’t familiar with. “This is Fort Polk and the surrounding environs. The three communities are Fort Polk North, Fort Polk South and Leesville.” The map shifted to an infrared view. “As you can see, there are collections of humans in all three areas. I have deployed sensors in all three areas since the probability is vanishingly small that they can detect Tirsuli technology.”
“All right.”
A tiny Theodora appeared next to the holographic map as it went back to normal visuals. “Now it’s time for a quick history lesson.” Pandora shifted slightly closer as she spoke. “In 1993 the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment moved to Fort Polk to replace the 5th Infantry Division that had been deactivated the year before. Units of the 2nd ACR have fought pokegirls all over the former US. At roughly the same time the Joint Readiness Training Center moved to the base. It is one of three such commands in the US Army that provide high stress and realistic combined arms training. The opposing force unit is composed of the 1st Battalion 509th Infantry (Airborne), an elite unit of army personnel.” She paused for emphasis. “The JRTC and the 1-509th still perform those functions today and the 1-509th is a tamer-pokegirl unit. During the Revenge War, losses of both personnel and equipment to pokegirl attacks as well as the destruction of the manufacturing infrastructure in the US forced the 2nd ACR to become a straight infantry unit with some light mechanized assets. The death knell for its armored assets was the Battle of Beaumont. After recruiting back up to strength in the aftermath of Beaumont, it was moved north to deal with pokegirl related threats as well as to put down uprisings against the nascent Indigo League.”
“This left the 1-509th to control the area. The ongoing goal for the battalion is to have a pokegirl for every combat member of the unit. Interestingly, what the Indigo League has done in order to address some of its manpower issues elsewhere is that as the unit acquires more pokegirls, company sized units of tamers with pokegirls are removed from the battalion and moved to trouble spots, essentially leaving the battalion’s numbers unchanged but slowly building towards a fifty percent human and fifty percent pokegirl composition. Sweeps are conducted by units from Fort Polk to commandeer pokegirls acquired by civilians. They are also recruiting some of the pokegirl tamers with previous military experience into the unit or, if they don’t have what are considered to be combat pokegirls, into the base’s support elements.” She gestured at the city of Leesville. “This has had the expected effect of forcing the civilians without pokegirls to move to the vicinity of the fort, both making rebellions harder to effect as well as providing a supply of humans with which to begin building a support system for the fort. Leesville has converted to producing small arms munitions and other supplies for the fort. The presence of the 115th Support Hospital at the fort has also helped both the fort’s personnel as well as served as an inducement for locals to move to the fort’s area. If you do not appear on the Fort Polk census you are not treated at the hospital, although you can sign up at the hospital itself before being treated. People who do that are interviewed before being treated, no matter how serious their injuries, and are immediately assigned housing in Leesville. If the interview suggests the interviewee has family still outside the military control area, a unit from the base personnel is dispatched to bring the errant humans in. Yes, they’re not only forcing the humans to move into Leesville by taking their pokegirls, they’re also bringing them in by direct force if needed.”
Iain nodded to himself. “That’s an effective if callous way to do things. What are the numbers?”
“Leesville has a current population of roughly forty five hundred while the fort itself has six thousand people. I am still building a database on the units but in the US military it can be expected that most of the people at the base are support and administration. Anywhere from three hundred to a thousand of the people could be involved with the 1-509th as combat personnel while the rest are part of base personnel or military dependents. There are signs of construction of what looks like an expansion of barracks for new soldiers which matches up with signs posted inside Leesville that the Indigo League Army is recruiting.” She shrugged. “I have been conducting surveillance for a day, so my information is still scanty. I am, however, negotiating with Bastion for her data on the region. It won’t be specific enough for our needs, but it will let me begin tracking the movement of the military from the fort. Then I can give you better ideas about where they’re going and what they might be interested in.”
Pandora cocked her head curiously. “Are you going to drop a couple of hundred tonnes of railroad ties on Fort Polk if they start anything?”
“Why would he,” Theodora responded, “when I have millions of tonnes of basalt available if he wants it? Dropped from orbit it would have much more kinetic energy than anything Whisper is going to do and since I know how to properly shape it my projectiles would survive reentry much better than railroad ties would and cause far more damage.”
“Ladies, I’m not planning on any sort of orbital bombardment of the Indigo base. If I were planning anything of the sort, I think I’d start with Washington DC. Remember how I like to chop the heads off of my snakes instead of killing the rank and file.”
Pandora smiled with amusement. “In spite of the mixed metaphor I think I understand what you just said.” She waited for him to respond. “Iain?”
“You’re smiling again,” Theodora noted. “He’s not used to it yet and it’s distracting him.”
Iain growled softly. “You’re not funny.”
Now it was the hologram’s turn to smile. “It’s because I’m right, isn’t it?”
“Can I plead the fifth?”
“The US Constitution is not recognized by any of the leagues, not even Texas. However, their constitution does recognize the right to refuse to incriminate oneself in the right to refuse to answer a question as long as you are willing to accept the consequences of not answering. However it is not the Fifth Amendment. There is no bill of rights in the Texas League Constitution and therefore no amendments to it.”
“Fine, you’re right. I just like seeing Pandora smile.”
The Archangel shook her head. “I’m your bodyguard right now. If I keep distracting you it’s likely that Ninhursag will reassign me to something else. So you’d better get used to me smiling around you.” She smiled again, this smile colder than the previous one. “Eve thinks that because I’m an Archangel I’m not as willing to kill for you.”
“I take it you disagree with that assessment?”
She nodded. “I do. If it’s for you, Iain, I will not hesitate to do what is required and dead people don’t ever come back to cause trouble again.”
“You did,” Theodora said quietly.
Pandora blinked. “You are right. I did. So I guess I should say that they don’t usually come back unless there’s a necromancer involved.” She looked at Iain. “Are you going to be bringing back our foes from the dead?” She blinked again. “And not make them liches in the process?”
Iain shivered at the hungry amusement that came at him from Aurum and Beryl where they rode on his arms. “No, I don’t think so. My enemies should remain dead.”
“You said you were not planning any sort of orbital bombardment,” Theodora returned to the subject of discussion. “Do you have other plans for dealing with the military forces of the Indigo League?”
It was Iain’s turn to smile. “Yes I do. If my plans work as I hope they will, other than perhaps over the dam we shouldn’t have to fight the Indigo forces at all.” He leaned back and looked at the lightening sky. “So, what’s the progress on designing our home out here?”
Theodora chuckled. “Other than you and April, I’m waiting for everyone else to get back to me on what they want in the clan headquarters.” She gave Pandora an amused look. “That includes you.”
“I’ve never had the opportunity to have a room that’s exactly what I want. The whole idea is slightly intimidating and it’s taking me time to consider what I would like.”
Theodora nodded. “That is as I predicted. I would like to point out that if all of you take too long to make that decision you could end up in some kind of cobbled together structure similar to Daphne’s original home. My clan deserves better than that and April has already said she is not going to give birth in a traveling circus, which I understood to mean your tents.”
Pandora grimaced. “I’ll pass the word around.”
“Thank you.”
***
(09/21/06 0830 Grey Ranch, Texas League)
I have a question. Do you have the time to consider it?
Dominique had been helping to take down and roll up one of the tents. Even if they weren’t going anywhere, Ninhursag made them take down the tents in the morning and put them back up in the evening. She glanced at the sky as if she could see the Theodora and the AI inhabiting it. “Sure.” When Sofia gave her a puzzled look, the Archmage explained. “Theodora has a question for me and is asking through my twee.”
The Peekabu’s ears flicked. “I can finish this without help. You talking to yourself makes me nervous.”
Dominique hadn’t been excited about the job and smiled. “Thanks.” She headed for the lake and found a perch on top of some rubble. “What is your question?”
I am inorganic and my studies of magic are difficult because I do not have a proper frame of reference. I have purchased a substantial amount of information on Tirsuli magic as well as truewizardry from Cassiopeia and I’ve been comparing it to what your twee will tell me about the style of magic that you practice.
Dominique’s eyes widened. “You have information on the magic Iain uses? I would like to have that!”
That is why I acquired the information, Dominique. I got it so we can help Iain as much as he’ll let us. There was a pause. And we can help more than that, if we can do it when he’s not aware that we’re helping him.
Dominique chuckled softly. “You’re fitting right in with the rest of his women, you know that?”
I am trying. His continued well being is important to us all, which brings me back to my question. It is my understanding, limited as it is, is that magic is all about intent and willpower. Is this true?
“More or less. You start with an intent, such as setting a group of people on fire at a distance, and look at the spells you know to see if any of the them will fit what you’re looking for. If you don’t know one and your anticipated need is great enough, you design a new spell to carry out your intent. Spells guide the magic into the desired result, fulfilling the intent, but without the intent and a conscious will driving the spell you’ll never have success.”
I am curious about the spell you use to create a dimensional portal with which you travel between universes. Is the size of the portal a matter of intent?
Dominique frowned. “I’m not sure. Can I have a minute to think about it?”
There is little more patient than a machine. Take all of the time you need. I will still be here and waiting when you are done.
Dominique accessed the portions of the cosmic awareness that her breed could. Unlike what some people thought, using the awareness wasn’t like using a computer and finding an answer if you asked the right question or instantly knowing something. It was a lot like suddenly having more brain with more experience to use in thinking. It knew things she didn’t, but if she didn’t think her way through what she was considering carefully, she’d either get no result or one that wasn’t helpful in any meaningful way. After about half an hour later she had an answer that she thought was what Theodora was looking for. “Intent could be used to decide what size the portal opening is. My experience with dimensional magic, as limited as it is, comes from the spell we got from Micah Hakubi and the tutoring I’ve had from Magdalene. The magic I’m familiar with uses fixed sizes for the portal, but I could design a spell with a variable sized opening or one with an opening that’s not standard.”
Can you make a portal with an opening three thousand meters across?
Dominique’s mouth gaped for a second. “I suppose I could. Why?”
Let me ask another question first. Is dimensional travel inherently hazardous, especially in regards to the accuracy of determining the destination?
Dominique blinked. “I hadn’t considered it, but some of the things Magdalene said suggested that it could be. Inherent in the system is the possibility of being shot far from the intended destination. It’s supposed to be the most likely when traveling to a new place, but there could be a very small probability that a similar event could happen in any dimensional travel.”
Then I would like to formally request that you design a spell for dimensional travel that has a portal at least three thousand meters across. I would also request that you expedite this spell as much as you can.
Dominique folded her arms. “All right, I think I’m going to insist that you tell me why I would want to design such a spell.”
Fact: evidence suggests that dimensional travel either is or can be inherently dangerous and the destination sometimes impossible to predict. Fact: you cannot accurately determine the level of hazard involved. As a side note I will point out that the information I have from Cassiopeia suggests that the level of hazard has not been calculated by the Tirsuli, either, although they are also aware that there is a chance for catastrophe. This suggests that the level of hazard is for some reason very difficult to determine. Fact: I am a member of Clan Grey. Fact: I do not have a puppet yet. Even if I did, it wouldn’t matter for the purposes of this discussion. Fact: the Theodora’s diameter is two thousand meters and when I add my as yet unfinished hyper drive modular addition it may be larger but will in any event be less than three thousand meters.
“You want to come with us.” Dominique sounded as startled as she felt.
I am a person and a clanswoman. I do not wish to be left behind and abandoned if the rest of my clan is lost. Of course I wish to come with you. In fact, as your clanswoman, I demand it.
Dominique shook her head. “I need to talk to Iain.” She reached for her delta bond with him and teleported, exiting nearby.
All of the pokegirls wanted to be close to Iain as much as possible, but allowances had to be made for their individual differences, so it wasn’t surprising that the time he spent with Canaan would have him sitting in her lap with her arms curled around him. The Splice gave her a look that made Dominique glad she was in the harem and therefore protected from what she saw in Canaan’s eyes. “I’m sorry to disturb your time with Iain,” she said almost formally, “but I have a request from the newest member of our family that I need to discuss with him immediately.”
“Sofia can wait,” Canaan pronounced firmly.
“I’m here on Theodora’s behalf,” Dominique replied. She took a smidge of satisfaction in the thunderstruck look that appeared on Canaan’s face.
Iain kissed Canaan gently. “Our time was up a few minutes ago. I’m supposed to be meeting Ninhursag and April for a briefing.”
“I don’t get enough time with you.” Canaan squeezed him and then let him get up. “Ninhursag has been cheating my time by using some of the time I spend as your bodyguard as some of my social time. It’s not fair.”
Iain frowned. His expression went blank as he and his twee reviewed his memories and began adding up the times his women got private time with him. Almost immediately he scowled. “You’re right and I’m sorry I didn’t recognize what was going on to you and the other bodyguards. I’ll fix that right away.”
“Thank you,” the Splice said simply. She rose and nodded to Dominique. “Call me when you’re done and I’ll take his guard duty today.”
The Archmage watched her leave. “You know, when she’s not scaring me I like her.”
Iain nodded. “It’s funny. Most people who frighten others have an undeserved reputation. Not her. When she talks about her past it’s always impressive how much she’s done and how little she brags about it.” He flashed a grin. “She’s got Daphne all tied up in knots. If what she’s heard is right, she should be terrified of Canaan, but the Whorizard just can’t believe anyone can be that dangerous and not be famous. Eventually there’ll be a showdown, but until then it’s amusing. What does Theodora want from us?”
“She understands the risks involved in even routine dimensional travel and demands to go with us wherever we end up. To that end she has requested I design a portal spell with an opening large enough for the Theodora to pass through it.”
Iain eyed her for a second. “If you couldn’t do it I wouldn’t be hearing about this request.”
“You wouldn’t?”
“You’re not the kind of person to come to me and bitch about people asking you to do stuff that you can’t give them. It’s not your nature, so this has to be possible or you’d have already told Theodora that. Is your lab in Austin big enough for this job or do we need to build you a larger one?”
Dominique felt a burden lift from her shoulders. “You agree with her?”
“Of course I do. She’s family and she should go with us. The fact that the Theodora’s presence along with us during our journey neatly solves a dilemma I’ve been pondering is entirely beside the point.”
“What dilemma?”
“Dominique, the Blue League Ministry of Defense may be gunning for our scalps after I did everything but pee on the minister’s desk in front of him. The McMahons are pissed at us. In Africa I’m sure there are elements of the former regime who would like nothing more than to kill us whether I’m Kerrik, Iain or Austin Drummond. And Kirabo wouldn’t shy away at trying to rope me into helping with whatever problems are bound to crop up because of the transition. After all, we all know that we are, arguably, the most accomplished of her troubleshooters. All of this made me wonder where in the hell we were going to live while taking care of the business we have to without having to worry about constant waves of attackers or people dropping by with requests for our aid.”
Dominique blinked. “I hadn’t even thought about that.”
He shrugged. “It just so happens to be part of my job to be the uber paranoid one. I think I’m the only one who considered it up till now. I was going to bring it up with everyone sometime in the near future, but I still prefer face to face meetings. In part it’s because I’m still not used to virtual twee hookups. I need to start exploring more of the uses of Tirsuli technology, but frankly some of it is a bit overwhelming. That’s why the SAP ammo and weapons I’m familiar with instead of what Theodora would consider modern weaponry. They’re undeniably superior and yet I don’t have to think about how to use a pistol loaded with SAP ammunition. So, about my question?”
“What?” Dominique quickly retraced the thread of the conversation. “While I have a laboratory at our home in Austin, we haven’t been there for long and I haven’t stocked it with much. And it’s really too small for a permanent lab.”
What if you established a proper laboratory on the Theodora? I can help to furnish it with everything that you could ever want and monitor your projects on a constant basis so you don’t have to.
Dominique’s eyes glittered with pleasure. “Then it’ll go with us no matter where we end up and I can stop packing and unpacking my equipment. Theodora, you’re incredible.”
I’m glad you’re finally starting to realize my utility, Theodora said dryly. Would you like me to send a shuttle for you or are you interested in experimenting to see if you can teleport out to me behind Luna?
“I’ll wait for the shuttle,” Dominique said quickly. “I’m more than willing to experiment, but first let’s try sending something less valuable than me.” She glanced at Iain and smiled slightly. “I’ve got a list of names of people to use as subjects in a study anytime you’re interested. Granted, most of them are probably still back in our home universe, but still there’s always people like the owner of Callahan’s.”
It so happens I’d like to build a platform for testing first in case a misjump involves the conversion of the person teleporting into pure energy upon arrival.
“That’s enough ladies. Even if the people Dominique would like to use are on my enemies list and I wouldn’t have a problem with their loss we’ll figure out some way that’s less lethal to people. Later.” His amusement faded. “I’ll let Ninhursag and April know where you’ve gone.” He gave her a look she couldn’t define. “I’ll miss you, you know.”
Dominique chuckled. “The funny thing is that even though there are nine other women vying for your attention besides me, I know you’re telling the truth.” She wrapped her arms around him. “I won’t be gone long.”
“I know you. You’ll get the lab set up and figure that you should get started on the research and, before you know it, you’ll be faint from hunger because you lost track of time.” He smiled suddenly. “Theodora, Dominique is to be given no more than sixteen hours a day in her lab. At that point feel free to turn off all her lights. If she puts up magical lighting in response, I’d appreciate it if you’d begin turning the temperature in her lab up or down until you drive her out. She’s to come back here every night to sleep, too, and she has to eat every six hours or you treat her the same way as if she’d stayed in her lab too long.”
I understand, Iain. I’ll make sure she stays fed and returns to Earth to rest.
Dominique pushed away from him with a scowl. “Don’t I get a say in this?”
Theodora responded before Iain could. No, you do not. Your twee corroborates Iain’s concern that you lose track of time and don’t take care of yourself. I would not let you neglect your health even if Iain hadn’t asked me to. You are my sister, after all. As for coming to Earth every night to sleep, you are a pokegirl and I will not take any chances on you going feral through inattention.
“My twee is an ungrateful quisling.” She grinned. “Of course you all happen to be right so all I can do is complain bitterly and then appreciate not collapsing from hunger.” She hugged Iain. “Thank you for this, Iain.”
He gave her a puzzled look. “What am I missing?”
“I get to be the first person to have rooms on the Theodora,” she said with a smug look. “My own private rooms where I can’t be disturbed by anyone, not even April. And you gave me this gift.”
Iain had a suddenly sinking feeling. “I just stepped into harem politics again, didn’t I? Am I in trouble when the others find out about this?”
The Archmage nodded. “Yeah, you are. Am I worth it?”
“You are without a doubt, my love, without a doubt.”
***
(09/21/06 1300 Grey Ranch, Texas League)
Scout elements of the Green Battalion have entered the kill zone that Raven and the others have established up for it. They are investigating the fake farm, but I observed the setup closely and there’s nothing for them to discover that should make them think it is anything other than a hastily abandoned farm.
When she wanted to, Theodora had a different mental “voice” than Iain’s twee that allowed him to recognize when she was speaking to him through his twee’s communication net. It amused him each time that not only did she feel feminine, the emotional content of her messages were richer than those of the twee that spent all of its time as a part of him. He suspected it was because his own emotional base wasn’t exactly normal.
He chose not to investigate that thought too closely.
“Thank you, Theodora. Please continue keeping me informed as to developments on that front.”
I will. Also, Daphne has returned from her foray into Indigo and has brought back five pokegirls. They will arrive in a few minutes. Zareen has seen them and is moving to inform Ninhursag. The new pokegirls are a Ponytaur, a Growlie, a Doggirl, a Rack and a Kitten.
“Thanks.” Iain rose, glancing at Canaan standing nearby. “Daphne is back and she brought friends. Let’s go meet them.”
The Splice yawned hugely and snapped her jaws shut with a ringing snap. “You didn’t say eat them, did you?”
“No,” he chuckled.
“Damn.” She took his hand and her antennae lifted as she sampled the world around her in greater detail. “I can sense them but I haven’t been where they are. I’ll teleport as close as possible.” The landscape seemed to jump and they were standing on a dirt road. “I’ve sent word to the others and Ninhursag wants us to wait here.”
Iain scowled. “You mean she wants me to wait here.”
Canaan glanced around and licked his ear, laughing when he twisted away. Her form shimmered and suddenly he had a twin. “No, they’re also concerned that I’ll eat the newcomers and not in a way they’ll enjoy.”
“I thought you had to consume part of anyone you took the form of. Body oil doesn’t count.”
Canaan resumed her own form. “I blew you last night, remember? That’s well within my time limit for retaining knowledge of my prey’s DNA for transformation.” Suddenly she looked like Eve. “I had some milk this morning, too.” Her lips twisted in a smile that would never have appeared on the Megami-sama’s face in public. “You ever do twins?”
“And if he did have sex with both of us, since you’re a bitch and I’m not, it still wouldn’t be twins, now would it?”
Canaan jumped at the sound of Eve’s voice coming from behind her. “Crap.”
The Megami-sama stepped into view and lifted the energy blade in her hand to almost touch Canaan’s nose. “Do not ever imitate me again unless it is to save Iain’s life.”
“I hate sneaky teleporters.” Canaan became herself again. “I am trying to be Iain’s bodyguard,” she said, pulling the tatters of her dignity around her like a cape. “Stop trying to distract me from that.”
Eve dismissed her weapon. “Your silence to my question had better be an assent or next time you’ll only know I’m behind you when my blade exits from between your breasts.”
“Don’t threaten me. I don’t scare that way and you know it.”
“Ladies?” Both pokegirls turned to Iain. His voice hardened. “Eve, you don’t go threatening the lives of our family.”
She blinked at his tone. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Canaan.”
“Canaan, if Eve doesn’t want you looking like her, you don’t. It’s polite.”
The Splice looked into his eyes and nodded slowly. “I want to be polite, don’t I?”
“I’d really appreciate it if you were. It solves a lot of problems and keeps bloodshed to a minimum.”
“Then I’ll try to be polite. Eve, I apologize.”
“That’s good,” Iain said sharply. “Now can we stop squabbling in front of strangers?”
“They’re not here yet.”
“One of the pokegirls coming here is a Doggirl and they have enhanced hearing,” he pointed out. “It’s time for a united front.” He turned to face the direction the newcomers would arrive from. Canaan, I won’t say this again, but it was funny.
She grinned suddenly. The smile vanished a second later.
For a wonder, the entire group approaching them was walking. They all looked bedraggled and wore rags. Daphne was leading the group and she stopped a distance away from Iain. From there he could see that one of her wings was damaged and the Doggirl had her left arm crudely bandaged. He raised a hand when Daphne started to speak. “Hold that thought. Eve, here, is a Megami-sama and she’s going to give whoever needs it medical care first and then we can talk.” He touched April’s mind. We need food and we’ve got wounded. Eve can handle the injuries unless there’s more than I can see.
Food is being taken care of by Vanessa. Zareen, Raquel and Pandora are sweeping their back trail to see if they’re being followed.
Vanessa appeared with a huge basket. The obviously pregnant pokegirl would appear to be less of a threat to anyone who didn’t know her. “Theodora told me too and I brought food, Iain.” She looked at the newcomers. “It’s fresh bread and cheese with thermoses of lemonade. I hope that’s ok.”
“Fresh food?” The Ponytaur swallowed convulsively. “Anything will be fine.”
Vanessa began handing out the food as Iain looked at Daphne. “What happened?”
The Whorizard took a loaf of bread and bit into it with a crunching noise. She chewed and swallowed loudly. “We got jumped by some guys in uniform. They had pokegirls and they’d been following Ryan. They didn’t expect more pokegirls when they tried to catch her and were pretty surprised when they saw all of us in one place. We escaped but some of us were injured.” She scowled. “I’m two friends short that never made it to the rendezvous and I’m pretty sure they probably got captured by someone a lot like them.” She sighed in pleasure when Eve healed her wing. “Thanks. It hurt too much to fly but we had to keep moving in case they came back.”
“You’re safe now. Someone is sweeping behind you to make sure we don’t have trespassers.”
“They’ll claim we escaped or are stolen.” It was the Growlie.
“And you are?”
“I’m Lynn. I’ve been chased before. I ran through a town to get away from them and circled back from another direction to hear the soldiers talking to the townsfolk. They were claiming I’d escaped and that harboring me would get someone shot.”
“Well, Lynn, I’m Iain. This is my land and you’re safe here. We know how to fight and we’ll protect you while you’re here. Besides, it’s not Indigo land and they have no authority here. Anyone trespassing incurs my wrath at their peril.”
“They don’t care. They’ve got fighting pokegirls and guns. That gives them all the authority they need.”
“They’ll find we have those too,” Vanessa said, “and we haven’t lost a fight yet.”
The Growlie’s response was forestalled as Zareen and Raquel raced up the road from behind them and stopped in front of Iain. The Rapitaur bobbed her head at Iain. “We followed the road back for ten kilometers and didn’t see anyone.”
Daphne frowned. “What’s a kilometer?”
“It’s a little more than half a mile,” Iain replied. He frowned. “I suppose we should start using miles and feet instead of meters and kilometers.”
“No, we shouldn’t.” Vanessa was finished handing out food for the moment. “Not only is the family used to it but if it makes our enemies have to think about what we’re talking about it’s good to keep.”
“You have a point.” Iain shrugged. “Daphne, please tell me the names of everyone else.”
The Whorizard raised her voice. “Girls, gather round to meet the new boss.” They came up, forming a rough line in front of him. “You already know Lynn. The rest of you say hi to Iain Grey and tell him your names.”
The Ponytaur gave him a shy smile. “I’m Ryan.”
He smiled back. “It’s nice to meet you, Ryan.”
The Rack stopped eating long enough to look him over appraisingly. He noted a tattered light brown scarf around her neck. “I am Winnifred,” she said in a heavy German accent. “I have thirty five kills of low fliers and two of high fliers. I’ve actually killed fifty high fliers and forty two low fliers but I think it is only fair to count the ones that were in the air when I destroyed them. The ones at airfields weren’t sporting.”
“That’s only fair,” Iain replied. “Still you’re an ace.”
“That I am,” she said proudly before cramming more cheese into her mouth.
“I am Rosemary,” the Kitten told him.
Her accent reminded him of Sofia’s when she was upset. “Are you from Mexico?”
“No. I am from Uruguay.”
“You might be interested to know that there’s a Peekabu in my family who is from somewhere around Montevideo. Her name is Sofia and you’ll meet her later.”
Rosemary’s eyes lit up. “I would like that, senor.”
Iain turned to the last pokegirl, the Doggirl. “Who are you, miss?”
She cocked her head and smiled. “I’m Charles but you can call me Chuck.” She drew herself up defiantly when he blinked in surprise, her ears canted halfway back as if preparing for a fight. “I got to choose my name and I like Charles!”
Iain raised a placating hand. “You can have whatever name you want, Chuck.”
She subsided slightly. “Thank you,” she said, heat still in her voice.
Apparently further mollification was required. “Considering I’ve changed my name a couple of times and never asked for permission to do so, I don’t have a problem with whatever name you decide to give yourself.”
She took a deep breath and her ears came up. “Yes sir.” She sounded decidedly more cheerful.
“All right, ladies, the Nightmare over there is Zareen, the Rapitaur is Raquel, this is Vanessa, the lady with the blue hair is Eve and this is Canaan, who is acting as my bodyguard today.” Iain clasped his hands behind his back. “Now for the details you came to hear. I need help running my ranch. I’m offering room, board and basic clothes along with regular pay for anyone who decides to sign on with me. I am not available for sex since I’ve got ten women I’m spending regular time with and some of them have serious jealous streaks. For taming you’re on your own unless you ask for help. If you do, we’ll take reasonable steps to help provide you with what you want,” he held up a finger warningly, “unless that request involves sex with me, which is not going to happen. If any one of my ladies wishes to have sex with you, that’s between you and her, but nobody is obliged to fuck anyone else. If you sign on and someone asks you to do something that you don’t know how to do, which is likely to happen a lot in the beginning, let us know and we’ll either assign you to something else or get you trained in how to do whatever it is. You are free to quit at any time. If you find a human to bond with or other pokegirls to partner with and you wish to remain working at the ranch, that’s fine, but we do not have to support your partner or partners if they don’t work here. In situations like that I have no responsibility to hire them either, but I will give them preferential treatment in interviews if I am hiring.” He smiled. “After all, if I treat them well, then you’ll stick around too.”
“I’ve been thinking about the pay,” Daphne interrupted. “Where would we spend it?”
“Orange and Port Arthur aren’t that far from here and they have stores.”
Chuck blanched. “I can’t go into a human town. They’ll try to catch me!” A couple of the others nodded their agreement.
“Here in Texas, aware pokegirls are not property and can’t be legally caught. However, there are a lot of men looking for pokegirls who would pester you with requests for sex and hope for bonding, so what I thought we’d do is go in groups once or twice a month for shopping. If anyone working for me is taken against her will, we will get her back.”
Canaan grinned toothily. “Damned straight we will.” She laced the fingers of her upper pair of arms together and twisted her hands outward, cracking her knuckles loudly. “And after what we’ll do any kidnapper, the second person will think long and hard before trying to catch anyone in our clan.”
***
(09/21/06 1910 Grey Ranch, Texas League)
It is done. The Verde Battalion is destroyed. Kerrik and his harem are killing the survivors while Autumn and her forces are trying to put out a fire in their home. A Peekabu attacked Kerrik and was pokeballed right after the bombardment. According to your story, that should be the body holding Kebi’s soul.
“Thanks for the update, Theodora.” Iain pressed his palms into the small of his back and bent backwards, stretching sore back muscles. “Please keep monitoring and let me know if anything starts to deviate from what I wrote.”
I will, Iain.
The ring of steel on steel brought his mind back to what he was doing. Canaan raised the sledgehammer she held negligently in one hand and used a second blow to finish driving the last meter long tent peg almost completely into the ground. “That’ll hold,” she said with satisfaction.
“Through a freaking hurricane,” Iain muttered as he lifted the tent into position so Chuck could tie the rope around the peg.
The Doggirl giggled. “I heard that, sir.”
“I heard it too,” Canaan snorted. “And you don’t have to say sir to him. He prefers if we use his name.”
Chuck’s ears flicked. “Ok. I’ll try to remember that.” She stepped back to watch Iain move around the tent, evening up the ropes so the tent stood straight. “Can I ask a question?”
He glanced up. “Canaan, care to give her the standard response?”
The Splice grinned. “You can ask any question you want, Chuck. Whether or not we’ll answer it is something else entirely, but if we do answer, we will try to answer truthfully as much as possible.”
“And I can believe that as much as I want, right?” Chuck continued before anyone could respond. “You said earlier that you’d do bad things to anyone who kidnaps a member of the clan. What clan?”
“We’re the Grey clan,” Canaan replied. “I think Theodora, whom you haven’t met yet, first came up with it. According to her, I, Iain and his immediate family are the clan heads while anyone who works for us is part of the satellite clan. That would be you.”
“What does it mean?”
“It means,” Iain said, “that we’ll protect you and that, if you want, you can use the last name Grey.”
“I get a last name? Is a last name important?”
“I don’t know how important it is, but it will help identify you as part of the clan.”
“Would everyone I meet with the last name Grey be part of the clan?”
“No, there are other people with that name who are not part of our clan.”
“Then there has to be a better way to identify clan members.” Chuck frowned thoughtfully. “I’ll ask the others if they have any ideas.”
“You do that,” Iain said dryly.
***
Iain Grey
Living Harem
Ninhursag - Elfqueen & maharani
Eve Grey - Megami Sama
April Grey - Duelist & beta
Dominique - Blessed Archmage
Pandora - Fiendish Fallen Angel/ Fiendish Archangel
Canaan - G Splice (Hunter Amachamp & Alaka-Wham)
Zareen - Nightmare
Raquel - Fiendish Rapitaur
Sofia - Peekabu
Vanessa - Evangelion
Dead Harem
Eirian - Silver Dragoness
Aurum - Gold Dragoness
Skye - Blue Dragoness
Emerald - Green Dragoness
Beryl - Red Dragoness
Julia - human
Ling - Cheetit
Matilda - White Tigress
Twau
Armsmistress
Blazicunt
Ranch employees
Daphne - Whorizard
Lynn - Growlie
Chuck - Doggirl
Ryan - Ponytaur
Winifred - Rack (German)
Rosemary - Kitten (Uruguayan)
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