Chapter 13: Walkürenritt

With the mission in Mammoth Lakes a success, the team turned to the task of offering escape and healing to California’s wounded smoke jumpers. Dakota Wind and Miss Molly developed a devilishly simple Plan A for their ‘rescue’. The California camgirls would hold a fundraiser, capped by in-person visits to the injured by their favorite camgirl(s).

Rosie Bush ran the lead-off promo on Anouilh_Island.com/Rosie.

“Today’s big announcement is a benefit for all the California smoke jumpers and firefighters injured while fighting fires in the last two years. A bunch of us camgirls will donate all your tips for the next ten days. And just to get your juices flowing, we’re gonna up our game. Each of us will invite our biggest tipper to an in-person appearance with us at the performance for these injured heroes. So, show me you love me and appreciate our heroes. Thank you Hunkameat and UnkaJoe, that was very generous. Let me show you some of MY appreciation.”

The announcement on almost every internet porn site was followed by a press release to ‘regular’ media. The server at Anouilh_Island.com experienced its highest one-day number of visits since its installation.

One day before the blanket announcement, Katherine Redbern, received a call while on the way to her office. Before she could speak, Teddy’s voice got her motor running. “Hi lover, how did you and Governor Taylor like the unedited recordings from Mammoth Lakes?”

“I liked it a lot, but then I’m really not fond of kidnappers and rapists,” Katherine responded. “And neither is the Governor. You know the reason she tolerates your forays? Her young teenage daughter was kidnapped and raped years before Earth ever dreamed there were aliens about to invade. So, she’s willing to buck the idiot politicians to give you all the left-handed, back-channel support she can.”

“And you are privy to her private and unorthodox thoughts because?” Teddy pried.

“The teen daughter from her first marriage was named Katherine Melissa Redburn,” came the totally unexpected answer.

There was a shocked silence in response to Katherine’s disclosure.

“On the other hand, Governor Taylor thought from a political standpoint, you pushed the limits a little. Makes it hard for her to handle some of the connected bozos. But you left no bodies, and that police chief spoke very highly of your ladies. So everything is copacetic,” she returned to the current topic and assured him.

“Glad to hear it, ‘cuz Dakota has an idea for a really heartwarming production,” Teddy recovered.

“Oh, spare me from the honey!” came Katherine’s rejoinder. “What devilment are your Pirates going to inflict on us next?”

“Well, Dakota’s idea is for a benefit...”

‘Sergeant’ Susan sat with her Raiders, sunning by the infinity pool, sipping their favorite adult beverages; the last before staying totally sober for their next operation. The higher ups had laid out a strategy and started the preliminaries rolling. Now it was time for Susan and her teams to brainstorm before they laid out the detailed tactics and assigned responsibilities.

Wisteria Bloom was waxing philosophical and had wandered off topic. There was time, sun, and alcohol, so her teammates listened indulgently. “When we first started this saving people stuff, I pictured us as cavalry to the rescue, or sometimes, first responders rushing to save lives. Even Mjollnir, Thor’s hammer, meting out justice. In this mission, I think we are more like Valkyries bringing heroes to be healed so they can fight in the final battle – Ragnarök.”

She took a sip from her iced Stoli Lime, and questioned, “What I can’t figure out is where us bringing back the assholes fits in. Does Valhalla have a giant commode?”

“You aren’t in Richard Gentry’s firebug classes,” Susan told her, “and I guess the info hasn’t made the rounds. Once upon a time, Earth First criminals were enlisted in what was called the ‘Jackass Company’ or sometimes ‘Jackass Brigade’. They were fitted with monitoring collars, trained, armed, and sent out to fight the Sa’arm. It turned out they were mostly just spicy Sa’arm chow and not much worth the effort.”

Susan laughed, “Then the firebugs determined that the Sa’arm, in the right circumstances, are highly combustible. So, they still fit firster volunteers with monitoring collars and provide training, but now they’re trained to make and plant IEDs. Specifically incendiary devices. Turns out most of these firster yahoos are better at independent, sneaky shit than they are at coordinated fighting.”

“With the Confederacy’s monitoring technology, their observers can see who plants what kind of device, and just as important, how many Sa’arm units go up in flames.” Susan laughed again, “For every thousand Sa’arm burned, a firster gets a week of R&R at a specialty resort. There are even women who volunteer to entertain. The attrition rates are high, and few, very few, earn more than one or two weeks of R&R.”

“However, as Richard explains, every torch is a thing of beauty, and if properly used, even sewer gas can have value.” Susan finished her stinger and her explanation, “The Firebugs credit this tactic with significantly slowing the Swarm’s above ground advance. The Sa’arm units aren’t particularly good at identifying new traps, and they can’t seem to break their tactic of rushing towards any unit being attacked. From a human point of view, daisy chains have a salubrious effect. For the Sa’arm, not so much...”

Susan shifted in her chair. The vision of both Sa’arm and firsters going up in flames warmed her soul, but they needed to start brainstorming tactics. “Okay, ladies, time to get back on topic!”

Of the injured firefighting professionals, three were still in a hospital burn unit, not quite ready for transfer to a rehabilitation center. The remainder were divided between two rehab facilities, both specializing in helping burn victims. Luckily, for the Pirates’ plans, rehab center residents were able to get occasional overnight home visits.

But in the hospital...

Three stellar beauties stepped into Claude ‘Rusty’ Blade’s hospital room. The three were not in scrubs, rather they wore pale blue lab coats with ultra-short skirts peeking below. Rusty had been severely burned, but not to his core. His ‘core’ immediately stood at attention.

“Mr. Blade, I’m Doctor Janice Jones,” the tall platinum blond spoke, introducing herself. “I’m a burn specialist. The curly haired lady on my right is Awilda Otero, a master’s prepared trauma nurse, and on my left is Monica Hotavis, our EMT. We’ve come to offer you an opportunity.”

Rusty motioned them closer and responded, “My hearing is pretty messed up with all the burn scar tissue. I’m told I’m lucky that I can hear and see at all.” He snorted. “Lucky!”

“That’s why we are here,” JJ continued. “There’s a clinic on a Caribbean island where we have access to more advanced medical technology than is allowed in California. It is not Confederacy technology, I am not a sponsor, and this is not a Confederacy pickup.” She smiled, “Some of it was mined and adapted – from a Confederacy database that California’s scientists have access to, but the state has enough Luddites that would rather see you suffer.”

“This is a one-time offer, and you must keep it secret. Otherwise, we’d be mobbed. Are you interested?” she asked.

“I’d be crazy if I weren’t!” Rusty exclaimed. “What’s the cost, and what do I need to do?”

“After you are fit, your benefactors want you to use your firefighting experience to combat the Sa’arm by burning up their food. You’d be teaching in classrooms and on the ground,” she told him.

“It’s not much of a price,” Awilda chimed in. “Especially considering they are based in a very nice island resort. You can even bring your wife and kids and give them a break while you are recovering and paying your dues. Or a significant other. Or not.”

“I think I’m in,” Rusty told them. “Are you offering this deal to anybody else?”

“We are,” JJ answered, “but you are the first we’ve approached. Remember, confidentiality is an absolute requirement. There’s a lot of folks wanting out of California right now, and the C-130 we’re arranging for won’t hold all that many – especially with the medical support equipment needed for that long a flight.”

“Okay, I’m convinced and all in, and I know how to keep my mouth shut,” the firefighter assured them. “I’ll probably take my wife and teenaged daughter, if that’s okay.”

“That works,” JJ told him. “I’ll leave two copies of paperwork you can sign that will release you from the hospital. We can meet your wife and daughter here next week to finalize arrangements and set the date for transfer.”

Two similar discussions took place before the trio left the hospital and returned to the ‘safe’ apartment where they stepped into a portal and were transported back to Anouilh.

On the appointed day of the meetings, each of Richard’s future concubines went to a hospital room and entered. JJ entered Rusty’s room to find an anxious woman in her late thirties and two excited teens that looked to be somewhere about fifteen. Unnoticed, a drone entered and hovered near the ceiling in a far corner.

Rusty’s scarred face showed his concern that there were more ‘guests’ present than he’d specified. JJ smiled reassurance and crossed to the older woman. She held out her hand and asked, “Mrs. Hermione Blade? I’m Doctor Janice Jones, and I’m here to discuss additional treatment for your husband’s burns.”

After shaking hands, she turned to Rusty and assured him, “It’s okay, but who are the two young ladies?”

The dark-haired beauty with flashing eyes spoke up, “I’m Roni Blade, Veronica really, and this is my cousin and best friend Elizabeth.” She pointed to the brown-eyed blonde with a high ponytail, “When I told Betti we were going on a beach vacation, she wanted to come with, and Aunt Alice said it was okay. She even signed ‘in loco parentis’ in case Beth got hurt. Two copies, just like for Daddy. Can she go, too? Please...”

JJ held out her hand and asked, “You’ve got the papers with you?” and quickly read the document. She reached for the packet at the bottom of Rusty’s bed and looked for signatures. She separated all the documents into two sets and put one set in her purse. The other was placed on a bedside stand. Then she told the trio, “There is no C-130 coming and we’re leaving today or never.”

At their shocked expressions, she continued, “You can still decide, but here’s the deal. Rusty, for medical reasons, you need to make a decision now. You have a choice between two equally effective technologies. The first, the one I explained earlier, requires that all the ubiquitous Confederacy nanites be flushed from your system and replaced by those developed by your island hosts.”

JJ waited for that information to be absorbed, then continued, “Once you arrive on Papillon, the other option will be extraction and healing by the Confederacy. One of their colonies has a job for you. Now, let me be clear – I am not a sponsor nor a concubine and this is NOT an extraction. That would be a violation of California law. BUT, once you leave California, you can do and go as you wish.”

“The questions of CAP tests for the young ladies and sponsor versus concubine can all be answered on Papillon.” She turned to Rusty and reiterated, “But your medical condition requires that you enter a med-tube upon arrival, so you need to be prepared to choose between Confederacy extraction or Earth as soon as you arrive.”

Almost as an afterthought she pointed and added, “That paperwork keeps California from charging me with kidnapping.”

While JJ was going through her spiel, the two teens were beside themselves with excitement, and when she paused, they started chanting, “Go Daddy, Go!”

Rusty looked between his wife and the girls, and told her, “I’m going. I don’t know how you’ll do it, but I’m going.”

Crossing to the door, JJ wedged a chair under the handle to keep it shut, then she took an object from her over-sized purse, unfolded it, and spread it on the floor next to the chair. From the transporter stepped Richard and Selena.

“We need to move fast, because Selena and I have to help Monica and Awilda with their charges,” Richard declared. “You ladies follow Selena through the portal and Doctor Jones and I will bring Mister Blade. Step to one side as soon as you exit on the other side.”

After the others were through the portal, Richard lifted the wincing patient. JJ removed Rusty’s IV from its hanger and quickly disconnected his monitors. As alarms began sounding, they stepped though the portal with JJ kicking the chair away from the door as her last action in the room. The waiting drone swooped down, lifted the transporter pad, and waited near the ceiling for an opportunity to leave the room and the hospital.

The resulting uproar and distraction made the next two retrievals go almost unnoticed.

The crowd outside the Downtown Los Angeles Intercontinental Hotel rivaled any for a new star being dedicated on the Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame. California’s camgirls were honoring injured smoke jumpers and firefighters with a formal benefit. In only a few weeks, the girls had raised over twenty million dollars in tips and other donations. Now would come a gathering to recognize the heroes and present the checks.