Dragon_Scribbles
patreon
Retreat, Hell - Episode 12
🕑 Added 2020-02-09 20:26:05 +0000 UTCA/N: So this one ended up being a bit later than I wanted! Quite a bit, actually. Work's been busy, as usual, and I've also been putting a lot of effort into plotting out the upcoming episodes, later major events, and world building.
I have outlines or drafts of Episodes 13-17, with Episode 17 starting Act IV, and drafts of a couple episodes in Acts V and VI.
I have a draft of Episode 11.5, and I have more or less fully plotted out Tyriel's story arc, which will tie into the transition between Act V and Act VI (Act VI being the final act of the series).
I also have drafts of a few other half-episode side adventures that will be popping up in Acts IV and V.
So I've got a lot coming down the pipeline, and I've done some important world building and deep-story plot development, but work's still going to be busy for a while yet, and I haven't made as much progress on producing finished episodes as I would like. I'm hoping to get more up soon, but can't make any promises.
I'll be posting this episode direct to public, since it's so late, but I'll be making the drafts for the next five episodes, along with the draft of Tyriel's 11.5 available for you guys today.
So, with all of that said, here is Episode 12! It's shorter than my average, at a little under 5500 words, but it kicks off Act III, and introduces several new keshmin artificers! I hope you enjoy!
Retreat, Hell – Episode 12
“Battaaalion! Atten-huh!”
Nearly eight hundred boots stomped the packed dirt.
“Dress right, dress!”
Bradford stuck her left arm straight out to the side, head turned to the right, and shuffled into even separation. Directly behind her, Rinn was quick to copy her motions.
“Ready, front!”
Arm down, facing straight ahead.
“Left, face!” Boots stomped as eight hundred Marines and one keshmin pivoted in place.
“At a close interval, dress left, dress!”
Rinn was a little quicker to copy Bradford and the other Marines this time. These facing commands aren’t too dissimilar from Ganlin Army training, and the principle is the same…
“Ready, front! Right, face!”
The muffled thump of almost eight hundred boots clopping the dirt reverberated across the impromptu parade ground.
“At ease!”
Rinn relaxed from his attention posture along with the rest of the battalion, and had to resist the urge to reach up and tug on a horn. As polished as they are, I don’t want to smudge them…
He smirked, remembering his encounter with the rest of the squad the previous night. He had walked into the squad’s tent alone. Bradford had all but sprinted for the head as soon as they were dropped off.
Stepping inside, he found the rest of the squad all staring at him with unnerving grins. “We’re meeting all them fancy new artificers tomorrow,” Kawalksi said, “And damnit if our Shields ain’t gonna show ‘em all up!”
“No,” Rinn said, taking a step back, every danger sense he had flaring.
“C’mon, Rinn,” Kimber said, holding up a “power tool” they had purchased the other day. “Mr. Dremel’s calling your name!” He pressed a button on the side, causing the tip to spin at an alarming rate with a high-pitched whine. Reen. Reen. REEEEEN.
His ears jumped up in alarm, then swept flat back against his skull. “Fuck. No.” The human explicative seemed to fit.
“C’mon, brah!” Stephens said. “It won’t hurt! I think…”
Rinn took a step back, deciding it was time to leave. His ears shot up again as he found his path blocked by a living mountain. Tahsh.
“Hold him!” Kawalski said.
Rinn tried to bolt, he really did, but Gomez already had his arms around him. Before he knew it, the rest of the squad piled on.
He squirmed, trying to break free, but Gomez’s arms just squeezed tighter. A hand reached in to grab his head. He snapped at it.
“Ah, fuck, he bit me!”
“Pin him down!”
The world tilted, and Rinn found himself on the ground, pinned under the weight of several Marines.
But his hands were still free. Ish. He concentrated, drawing up his reserves, shaping the mana as he wriggled around, quickly losing the battle to keep them from completely pinning him. The charge was ready, and a leg came into convenient reach.
“Ow, fuck! Shit! God fucking damnit! He fucking zapped me! Get his hands! Goddamnit, my whole leg don’t fucking work!”
“Fucking hold still!”
“Now, you tell me if this starts to hurt,” Kimber said. The Dremel whined.
“Fuck you!” Rinn growled.
“Damn, I shoulda worn a mask for this…”
“Ugh, blegh, I got Ahyat dust in my mouth!”
Rinn struggled and cursed for several more minutes before finally resigning himself to their efforts, though he grumbled the entire time.
Two hours later, and his horns were smoother and glossier than they had ever been in his entire life. With just a little polish in the morning, they gleamed a deeper ebony than his fur.
He might have also gotten a cracked rib or two in the process, he wasn’t sure. Something was definitely bruised, at least…
Snapping back to the present, he realized that the battalion’s XO was talking. “-are representing more than just the battalion. You are representing the entire US Marine Corps, the entire US military, the United States itself, and all of humanity. I have faith in all of you. Do not disappoint me.”
An awkward silence fell as Winters stepped to the side. She glanced at her watch with a subtle frown.
“So how long are we gonna be waiting here?” someone whispered.
“Dunno any more than you do, man,” said someone else.
“Stand by to stand by,” said a third Marine.
Rinn snorted. “I’ve stood at attention for half a day waiting on some lord general to come address the troops more than once.”
“Heh. Fucking brass are all the same,” the first Marine said.
Motion caught his eye, and he saw a Humvee approaching, followed by three carriages, each pulled by a pair of queshi.
“Battalion! Attenhuh!”
Conversation died as the Marines snapped to attention. The Humvee rolled to a stop in front of the battalion, the carriages in a line behind it. The queshi team of the lead carriage snorted and shook their heads at the squeal of the humvee’s brakes.
“Are those horses or elk?” he heard a Marine mutter.
The front passenger door of the Humvee opened, and Lieutenant Colonel Michaels stepped out. As he turned to face the carriages, footmen leapt down from the two leading carriages to place steps before their doors and open them. The passengers of the rear carriage, which appeared less well-appointed, were left to open their own door.
Six keshmin stepped out of the carriages. The first carriage held only one passenger, the second held three, and the last held two.
Rinn’s ears twitch as he recognized the livery of the first coach. That carriage belongs to Archduke Ki-Kami Yeshai! He and his son are eight and ninth in line for the throne!
Michaels approached the Duke and shook his hand, and they led the rest of the artificers to stand in front of Barrakis and Winters, who stood at the head of the formation.
Barrakis saluted. “All present, sir!”
Michaels returned the salute. “Outstanding, Sergeant Major. Tell the men to stand at ease.”
“Aye, sir. Battalion! At ease!”
Rinn relaxed with the other Marines, subtly leaning around Bradford’s shoulder to get a glimpse of his fellow keshmin. A pair of Ospreys rumbled overhead in the near distance.
“Second Battalion!” Micheals said. “These are the new artificers that will be joining us for the next few weeks.” He gestured to the sandy-and-cream colored keshmin standing next to him. He lacked the distinctive, reddish color of the royal family, but his fur still had a hint of rust color, and his blunter nose and forward-jogging horns clearly marked him as high nobility. “We are honored by the presence of Lord Commander Ki-Namu Yeshai, Duke of Yeshai,” he moved next to a tawny keshmin with a short, narrow snout and forward-curved horns. “Earl and Knight Captain Telmu Anyo.” Anyo gave a curt nod as Michaels indicated a dusky-furred keshmin speckled black stripes, and a tan-and-cream keshmin. Both of their horns had a gentle forward curve. “Lord Artificers Ayesh Ayan and Kimo Sayiash, Second Artificer Nalmu Tyetyeh,” Michaels pointed at a russet keshmin with splotches of tan and cream and straight horns, “And Second Artificer-“
Shiyan Yenyed! Rinn’s ears popped up as he recognized the distinctive brown spots and stripes of his cream-furred roommate. I haven’t seen him since University!
“Over the next few weeks, we will work together to develop combined arms tactics and techniques. Two artificers will be assigned to work with each company, with Duke Yeshai joining me at Battalion HQ.” He turned to smile at Rinn’s company. “I’m sorry, Echo Company, but you’re only getting one new artificer. You’ve already got one.” A few chuckles rippled through the ranks, and somebody nudged Rinn from behind.
“After we make those assignments,” Michael continued, turning to look across the rest of the Marines. “You will have a day to get your new squadmates settled in and familiarized with the camp and basic ops. Tomorrow, we hit the ground running. Major Winters has worked with liaisons from the Ganlin Royal Host, as well as our own experts, and put together an aggressive training and integration program. We’ll be putting each other through our paces to show what each can do, coupled with strategy and planning sessions, and team building exercises.”
He paused, sweeping his gaze across the battalion for effect. “We’re entering new territory here, integrating capabilities new to both sides. We know how Marines fight. Our Ganlin friends know how the Royal Host fights. We’ve all seen first hand how the enemy fights.” He stretched himself a little taller, raising his voice for emphasis. “There is nobody who has had a better look at the challenges of this war than all of you standing here now.” He raised his fist, his thumb pointed up, shaking it up-and-down. “If you have ideas, suggestions, solutions, pass them up the chain. You’re the ones who have seen this shit for real.” He pointed his whole hand at the battalion. “You’re the ones who will have to make whatever we come up with work out in the field. I’d rather get as much input from all of you, the actual boots on the ground, than a bunch of pencil-pushing bean counters deployed to a cubicle somewhere back in DC. Oorah?”
“OORAH!”
He pointed at the ground beneath their feet. “What we do here in the next few weeks will set the foundation for combat doctrine for years to come.” He pointed at the battalion again. “Do it right. Do it the Marine way. And make your country proud. Oorah?”
“OORAH!”
“Major Winters, I want a company commanders’ meeting at HQ in one-five minutes, officers and senior enlisted. We’ll determine company assignments, and discuss accommodations and chain-of-command for our new artificer specialists.”
“Aye, sir!”
“Sergeant Major, keep our resident experts behind, but you may dismiss the rest of the battalion to the barracks. They’ll be meeting the artificers assigned to their companies soon.”
“Aye, sir!” Barrakis turned to the formation.
“Battalion! Atten-huh!” Rinn snapped to attention along with the Marines. “Second Squad, First Platoon, Echo Company, stay here. The rest of you are to return to the barracks and stand by. Oorah?”
“Oorah!”
He eyed the formation. “Retreat!”
“HELL!”
“Two-Five!”
“RETREAT, HELL!”
“Dismissed!”
As the rest of the battalion fell out of formation, Bradford remained standing at attention. Rinn followed her lead, intently studying the tight bun her hair was folded into, his ears locked in line with his horns. Once the other Marines moved away from them, Bradford relaxed and stepped forward. Rinn and the rest of the squad fell in behind her.
She stopped in front of Colonel Michaels and snapped out a crisp salute. The rest of the Marines stopped and did the same. Rinn bent forward slightly and dipped his head in a proper, military bow. “Second Squad reporting as ordered, sir!”
“Stand at ease, Sergeant,” Michaels said, returning the salute. Rinn noted that Winters and Barrakis both saluted, as well. Duke Yeshai snapped to attention and dipped his head in crisp acknowledgement. The other nobles hesitated, but at a subtle flick of Yeshai’s tail, quickly followed his example. Bradford dropped her salute and eased into a relaxed posture, clasping her hands in front of her waist.
“Lord Commander,” Michaels said. “This is Sergeant Bradford, and Second Artificer Ahyat. The Second Artificer linked up with Second Squad in our first fight in the war, and has been tagging along ever since.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Second Artificer,” Yeshai said. “From what Colonel Michaels has told me, you have provided invaluable service to his battalion.”
“I was merely doing my job, my lord,” Rinn said, his ears swinging back in stifled embarrassment at the recognition.
“And polishing up quite well, I see,” Yeshai said, glancing him up and down. “You put our travel-dusty appearance to shame.” He gestured at the other keshmin. Anyo flicked his ears in annoyance while staring over Yeshai’s shoulder.
Rinn felt the pride and vindication beaming off the humans beside and behind him. “I have the rest of my squad to thank for that, m’lord. They have a few… tricks for cleaning one up.”
Anyo swung an ear forward as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
“Well, hopefully they share,” Yeshai yipped a laugh. “In the meantime, try not to blind us with the glare from your horns!”
“I’ll do so, m’lord.”
“I’d be more concerned with being brained by that great snout of his, my lord!” Yenyed said, stepping forward, earning himself a glare from Anyo.
“Shiyan,” Rinn smiled, reaching out his hand to clasp his old friend’s arm. “I haven’t seen you in an age!”
“Not since we shared a room at Yagyhanae!” Yenyed grinned, gripping his arm tight. “Seven years, and I still can’t get out of sight of that snout of yours.”
“When did you join the army? I thought you had an academic writ.” Rinn asked. The last thing I need is for him to keep talking about how big my nose is in front of the humans…
“About four years ago, when the writ ran out.” He rolled his ears and shrugged. “It’s been a soldier’s life since.” He released Rinn’s arm and flicked his ears at him while tapping his own horns. They had a gentler rearward curve. “Though it looks like it’s done you well.”
Rinn shrugged his ears, stepping back in line with the humans.
“I see that not all introductions are necessary,” Yeshai said, flicking an amused ear at them. “Second Artificer Ahyat, since you have developed some experience with humans, it was Major Winters’ suggestion that you might be able to provide some initial guidance, and Colonel Michaels and I agree. Short as your time with the humans has been, I am given to understand that it has not been uneventful, and that you have even made two trips to Earth.”
“Yes, my lord,” Rinn said, dipping his head in a slight bow of affirmation, his ears held back as he shifted awkwardly.
Yeshai glanced at Michaels, giving him a deferring flick of his ear.
Michaels nodded. “Ahyat, in addition to everything else, you are assigned to act as a cultural guide and liaison for your fellow artificers, and for the battalion. For the first couple weeks, anyway, while we get used to each other.”
Yeshai smiled. “You are the resident human expert, after all.”
“Yes, m’lord,” Rinn nodded to both of them. “Though I’m not sure I can provide more insight than what can be gained by just asking each other.”
“From what all I have been taught and experienced in diplomacy,” Yeshai said, chuckling, “It’s the asking that is always the sticking point.”
“As you say, my lord,” Rinn said, his ears drooping in resignation. He nodded again, then had to suppress a frown when he caught Anyo glaring at him again. That’s a “you’re talking above your station” glare for sure…
“Colonel?” Winters said, stepping into the conversation. She nodded over her shoulder at an officer in a different-styled uniform.
“Excuse me for a moment,” he said, stepping away.
“So,” Nalmu said, strutting forward. Rinn’s nose twitched as the musk he wore wafted along with him. “Pardon my forwardness, my lords, but I do hope we get some time away from camp. There aren’t many tails around here to snag, if you know what I mean.”
Rinn glanced at his artificially straight horns and had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. Typical…
“Oh, we’re Marines,” Davies piped up with a smirk and a wink. “We always know how to find tail to snag, if you know what I mean.”
Taking a deep breath, Rinn dove into his newly-assigned role as “cultural guide.” “So, humans,” he said.
“Present!” Kawalski said.
Rinn took another deep breath. “Humans look a lot like stocky elves-“
“Heh, he’s talking about you, Davies,” Kawalski said in an exaggerated whisper. Rinn could feel the heat of Davies’ return glare through the fur on the back of his head.
“They look much like elves, but resemblance aside, they are nothing like elves.”
“I am beginning to see that,” Yeshai said, his ears twitching in amusement.
“Humans are often brash, loud, and abrasive, or at least these ones are,” he flicked his ears at the Marines around him.
“I take that as a compliment,” Kawalski said.
“Some more than others…”
Kawalski grinned.
“But they are also kind, compassionate, and caring. They have much to share with us, and as alien as they may seem, we are not so different in the core of who we are.” He touched his chest, near his heart.
“And they have incredible miracles that they are willing to throw in against the elves,” Yeshai said.
“For now,” Anyo muttered, earning himself a slight ear twitch from the Duke.
“Miracles that they can teach us!” Rinn said. “As amazing as what they can do seems, and you haven’t seen a fraction of it, they weren’t any more advanced than us only a few centuries ago.”
“But are they willing to teach us?”
“I can’t speak for our diplomats and political leaders,” Bradford spoke up, “But we have no reason not to share a lot of things. Plus, you’ve got magic, and I can assure you, sir, we’ll be happy to trade a lot for that.”
“Sir?!” Anyo stepped forward. “He is no sir! He is the son of Archduke Yeshai! He is a member of the royal family, and you will address him as ‘my lord’ or ‘your grace,’ soldier! In any other circumstance, your proper action would be to kneel before him. Remember your place, and the appropriate treatment of your betters.”
“Pardon me, sir,” Bradford said, turning a steely-eyed glare at him, her back ram-rod straight. “But in America we do not have nor recognize nobility. Our nation was founded on the principle that all people are born equal, and Americans do not kneel before anyone.”
“All are equal?” Anyo snorted, his ears twirling in a dismissive flip. “And who rules you? Do you just pick someone from among you and all vote on it?”
“Yes,” Bradford said. “It’s called Democracy.”
Anyo opened his mouth to give further mockery but found himself brought up short by Bradford’s response.
Ha! He didn’t expect that! Rinn thought, Though, I didn’t, either…
“And we are not ruled, we are governed,” Bradford added. “The United States of America is a Republic, with duly- and democratically-elected representatives, who form a government by the people, for the people, and of the people.”
“That is the most impetuous, absurd thing I have ever heard!” Anyo sneered, his ears perked straight up. “And I will not be spoken to in such a way by a common soldier, nevermind a woman playing at-“
“Knight Captain!” Yeshai said, his sharp tone signaling the end of the discussion. “The humans clearly have many cultural differences, but this is not the first time we have encountered, nor worked with peoples of wildly different cultures. Nor should you be so surprised by female warriors. Many of the most powerful Dohlgra battlecasters are women, after all. The humans have shown they wish to be both our friends and allies, and gods above and below know we need them.” He gave Anyo a stern glare. “Whatever cultural differences and disagreements we have with them must be put aside.”
“As you say, your grace,” Anyo said, dipping forward in a modest bow. He stepped back, but made no apology.
Bradford eyed him for a moment, then turned away, clearly dismissing him from her thoughts.
Rinn heaved an internal sigh of relief, glad he did not have to choose between trying to calm the situation, and defending Bradford.
“Everything alright over here?” Michaels asked, returning to the group.
“Just fine, sir,” Bradford replied without hesitation.
“Good,” Michaels said. “Lord Commander, I’m about to meet with the rest of the battalion leadership. I’m sure you’ll want to be present.”
“Of course,” Yeshai said. He glanced at Anyo with a pointed flick of an ear. “I expect our integration to begin apace while I’m gone.”
“Yes, my lord,” Anyo replied.
“Sir!” Bradford said, snapping to attention and rendering a crisp salute.
“Carry on, Sergeant.” Michaels returned the salute. “Give them a tour of the new facilities.”
“Aye, sir!” Bradford said, dropping her arm.
Michaels turned and departed, the Duke alongside.
Bradford turned and glanced at the keshmin, then the Marines. “We just put up a whole new mini-compound for this op. Let’s go to the barracks first, then what our training facilities.” She considered a moment. “Then we’ll show you the MCX they just put up on the other side of the base. There’s not much there, yet, but they might occasionally have something in stock worth buying while you’re here. By then, it should be chow time.”
The two enlisted artificers gave agreeable nods, perking up at the mention of food.
Ayan and Sayiash both glanced at Anyo, taking their cue from him.
The Ganlin Earl narrowed his eyes at Bradford, his ears cocked at a distasteful angle, but nodded in allowance.
Bradford nodded her head past the Marines. “Barracks are this way, then.”
***
“Man, that guy is a dick,” Kimber muttered as they left the sparsely-stocked and half-constructed, pre-assembled building that was MOB Tolkien’s MCX.
“And he seems to have a stick up his ass about us,” Dubois said, glancing over his shoulder at Anyo, who trailed behind the enlisted humans and keshmin, flanked by the other Ganlin nobles.
“It’s not just you,” Shiyan said, sniffing at the “snickers” the squad had purchased for him. “We’re from the same artillery regiment. He’s not in my line or battery, thank the gods, but I’ve passed him often enough. He has ‘a stick up his ass’ about everything.” He chuckled. “I like that phrase. I’m going to steal it.”
“Be our guest,” Edison said. “The Corps has shamelessly stolen enough of our own over the years.”
Shiyan nodded, then frowned at his Snickers, perplexed by the wrapper.
Rinn held up his own, and demonstrated how to open it, copying what he had seen the Marines do. The candy bars exposed, they both eyed them skeptically, gave them another sniff, and each took a bite.
Their ears shot up in unison. “Abof an’ belo’!” Rinn said around his bite. The sticky-chewy bit in the middle’s a bit awkward, but the nuts, and those are definitely nuts, give it a satisfying crunch… and it’s so sweet! He took another bite, and he and Shiyan fell into a race to see who could finish theirs the fastest. “So goo’!”
“Yeah, I think chocolate’s a hit,” Sampson said.
“Yup,” Miller said.
“If it doesn’t kill them…” Bradford sighed.
“Wha’?” Shiyan asked, freezing with his tongue still on the inside of his wrapper.
“Nah, nothin’ we’ve fed to Shields’s made him keel over yet!” Kawalski waved away any concerns. “They’ll be fine.”
“I dunno… He shat out that pile of death while we were patrolling the wall Saturday morning…” Kimber said. “Looked like he wanted to die while doing it, too.”
“Nah, Mexican food will do that to anyone. Gomez about died doing the same thing.”
“Yeah, well, he also chugged half a bottle of Holy Jolokia,” Kimber laughed. “That would make anyone regret living on the way back out…”
“What’s bad about… ‘chocolate’?” Rinn asked, looking mournfully down at his empty wrapper. And it was so good, too…
“It’s got alkaloids in it that can kill a lot of creatures if they eat enough of it,” Bradford said. “Don’t know what they’ll do to you, which is why you really need to stop eating whatever these guys try to feed you.”
“But they’re safe for humans?”
“More or less,” Bradford shrugged. “We just tolerate them a lot better, I think.”
“Dude, humans can eat just about anything,” Edison said. “There’s not a thing on Earth that someone hasn’t eaten or tried to eat at some point or other.”
“Well,” Rinn said, eyeing his wrapper for any residual trace of chocolate. “If we keshmin can survive Royal Host field rations, I think we can survive anything you guys make as food.”
Shiyan snorted. “Gods above know that for a truth.”
“Speaking of food…” Tyetyeh said, holding up his own empty wrapper. “Are we going to have more of these?”
Bradford chuckled. “Chow hall’s right up here. It’s not gourmet dining, but it’s better than MREs.”
“Human field rations,” Rinn said when Tyetyeh cocked an ear. “Gourmet dining compared to our field rations.”
The straight-horned artificer nodded, scratching an ear. “So, uh… Ahyat,” he said in a low voice. “I can’t help but notice that the humans seem to, ah… match up in some areas. If you put a sack over their head, or snuff out the candles, one might not be able to tell the difference, if you know what I mean.”
Rinn blinked in initial confusion, but his ears twitched as realization started to dawn. I don’t know what you mean… I don’t know what you mean… I don’t know what you mean… Fuck…
“You haven’t, per chance, gone chasing some… alternate tail, have you? And maybe be able to give a guy’s report, eh?” Tyetyeh waggled his ears suggestively.
Staring straight ahead, Rinn locked his expression in place, his agitation betrayed only by a slight twitch of the ear. “Artificer Tyetyeh, such a thing would be unspeakably inappropriate, and unbecoming, as has been most of your dialogue.”
“Ah, Ahyat, don’t be a prude! We’re soldiers in the midst of a war! Manly men, doing menly things! We might die tomorrow, ‘s what I always tell ‘em. Gets me up their skirts right quick.” He waggled an ear. “That, and a coin or two, if you know what I mean.”
Rinn was saved from further uncomfortable conversation by their arrival at the chow hall. After brief directions to the lords on where to find the officers’ mess, the enlisted persons fell into line for food. He made sure to distance himself from Tyetyeh, and found himself sitting next to Bradford, as usual. Is she doing that on purpose?
“So, he’s quite the womanizer,” she said, nodding at his recent source of annoyance.
“It’s to be expected,” he sighed, “Given his horns.”
“I noticed they seemed unusually straight. What’s up with that?”
“He had them straightened.” He paused to scoop a bite of food into his mouth. The main dish was some kind of meat with gravy and noodles. Bradford raised an eyebrow, and he continued when his mouth was clear again. “For most keshmin, commoners, our horns curve backwards, to varying degrees.” He gestured at his own horns while scarfing down a couple more bites. It wasn’t the greatest meal he ever had, but it was better than most he’d had in the last few years. “Fo’ th’ nomble fa’lies,” he swallowed. “For most of them, their horns curve forward to some degree. The royal family has a sharp jog forward, like Lord Commander Yeshai’s horns.”
“Your noble classes are based on the curve of your horns?” she gave him sidelong glance.
“No,” he shook his head. “Not exactly… I mean…” He frowned. Well, when you put it that way… “Yeah, kind of…” He sighed. “It’s a sign of family lineage, and all the original Ganlin noble families had forward-curving horns. Not all nobility come from families with forward-curving horns anymore, but most do.”
“So forward curving horns are a sign of nobility. Wealth and prosperity. While rearward-curving horns are a sign of peasantry. So he had his horns straightened to make himself more attractive?”
“Yef.” He nodded, grateful for the opportunity to shovel more food down his gullet.
“But why straight? Why not curve them forward?”
“Because that could get him charged with impersonating nobility.”
“Ah, such a great and dastardly crime.” Bradford rolled her eyes.
“Yef,” Rinn nodded around another bite of food. “So people who want to appear wealthier or higher status than they are, usually to impress the ladies, will have the shape of their horns modified.”
“But if they’re just peasants, they don’t dare have them curved forward.”
“Yes,” he nodded, scraping his plate and scooping what was left onto his fork.
“That’s so silly…” she shook her head, then sighed. “Though, I guess we can’t talk too much. We used to discriminate against and even enslave each other based on skin color.” She frowned. “Some still do. Discriminate, that is. Slavery is illegal. So is discrimination, but that’s harder to prove and take action against.”
Rinn quirked an ear. “Slavery is… not common these days.” He gathered his utensils on his tray and stood up. Bradford quickly scooped the last of her food into her mouth and joined him.
“Tha’ could be a pro’lem,” she said, before swallowing. “At least in the long-term.”
He shrugged. “There are hardly any slaves in the Kingdom anymore.” He dropped his trash and utensils in the appropriate receptacles. “Most slaves were indentures who sold themselves into slavery to pay debts, or prisoners captured in battle. With the war against the elves going the way it has, the King offered to pay off any indenture, and pay double the standard rate for indenture for enlistment in the Royal Host. Between that, and the drafts, there aren’t many who would sell themselves to slavery.”
“And elves don’t let themselves get captured.” Exiting the chow hall, Bradford stepped to the side and sat down on a stack of lumber that hadn’t been used or moved yet.
“Almost never, yes,” he nodded, joining her.
He looked down at the precision-cut timbers they sat on, then up at the rapidly-built structures around him, some of which were still under construction. “Will you really teach us all of this?” he asked, waving at the sights around them.
“Don’t see why not,” she said, then snorted. “Besides, it’s not like we could do much to prevent it. There are too many businesses that will jump at the new markets and trade you guys represent. We couldn’t stop it if we tried.” She frowned. “You’ll just have to be careful they don’t rob you blind.”
“Ha!” he waggled his ears at her. “Our lords and merchants are quite good at robbing people blind themselves! I think we’ll be fine.”
She chuckled. “Good. We haven’t always done right by people who were technologically behind us.” She frowned. “We’re more conscious of it now, and I think you guys have plenty of leverage with your magic, but it’s a trap we might fall into without even realizing.”
He nodded, then glanced back at the chow hall as his nose twitched. Yenyed was walking out alongside Shinyan and the rest of the squad. Does any woman fall for him, as heavy as he throws it on?
“Where to next, boss?” Kawalski asked.
“Wherever they tell us,” Bradford said, nodding at the exit to the officer’s mess, where the nobles were exiting, along with Colonel Michaels, Major Winters, and Lord Captain Yeshai. She stood up as they approached, and the whole group popped to attention and saluted. “Good afternoon, sir!” she said as Michaels returned the salute.
“At ease, Sergeant.” He glanced at the squad. “Marines, artificers, we have your assignments.”
Yeshai stepped forward, reading from a scrap of paper. “Lord Sayiash, you will be joining Second Artificer Ahyat in Echo Company. Lord Ayan, you and Second Artificer Tyetyeh will be joining Foxtrot Company. Knight Captain Anyo, you and Second Artificer Yenyed will be joining Delta Company. I will be working with Colonel Michaels and Major Winters in Headquarters Company. Are there any questions?”
“No, my lord,” the artificers quietly echoed.
Rinn glanced at Shinyan, a little disappointed that he was not assigned to Echo Company with him. We were never great friends, but we were friends, and I have so few of them left these days… He rolled his ears. Either way, we’ll still be working together.
“Excellent,” Yeshai said, folding the paper and tucking it away.
“Sergeant,” Michaels said, “Take your men and escort everyone to their respective companies and provide introductions.” He nodded at Winters and Yeshai. “We have some training plans to finalize.”
“Aye, sir,” Bradford nodded.
“Oh, and Sergeant,” Michaels said, pausing as he started to turn away. “Make sure the company commanders know that, once everyone has settled in, they are to be taken to Medical. Everyone needs to get their shots.”
“Aye, sir,” she said again. Michaels gave her a satisfied nod, then turned and led Winters and Yeshai away.
She turned to look at the squad and accompanying artificers. “Back to the barracks it is.”
“You said we’ll all be sleeping there together?” Tyetyeh asked, leering. “Because if there are any ladies around, I won’t be sleeping at all, if you know what I mean.”
Bradford pursed her lips, Rinn sighed, Davies chuckled, and the rest of the squad rolled their eyes or suppressed a groan. At least we won’t have to deal with him so much…
