Chapter 20

Some time later I woke up and I felt animals tearing at my flesh and then a pain so great that I went unconscious.

I woke up later to see the inside of a large tent. I was thirsty; so thirsty. Somebody came up to me and with gentle hands helped me drink. I managed to say, "Thanks," but the words came out slurred. The owner of the gentle hands was a beautiful girl. I thought about her for a while then remembered the fight. With difficulty I said, "How are my people?"

"Two others were hurt but you were hurt the worst. The others are recovering."

"What happened?"

"I was told very little. You battled an army sent on attacking us through a magic door. Your men killed very many then they destroyed the door."

"We got two assassins."

"They're alive. Your men showed the physicians where poison was kept and they cannot kill themselves easily now."

"That's good, now who are you?"

I got a nice smile and she said, "A slave, my King."

"Why do you say that?"

"I was given to you."

"Then I am a man who is twice lucky."

I had more to drink and I must have slept. When I woke up again I saw Fillo sitting in the chair with a 45 in his lap but he was almost asleep.

I croaked out, "Sleeping on the job?"

Fillo opened his eyes but stayed stationary otherwise. "It's to lull the enemy into making a mistake, my King."

"You're doing a wonderful job."

"Thank you, I try hard."

"How are the rest?"

"They had a few scratches and are now walking around."

"That's good to hear. What happened?"

"Nothing much. We had to figure out what you said then we threw some grenades. We followed up by throwing a lot more. After that we carted you and Tonno out and went back to see what we could find in the house. Some people wanted us to leave so we came back and got more grenades and ammunition. When we cleaned out all that looked interesting from the house, we tied a rope to the chain and pulled half of it through the portal before it all exploded. It was like being close to lightning hitting a block of your C4."

"Find anything interesting for me?"

"You have to get up to see." He paused a few seconds then added, "By the way, later we killed hundreds of guys all bent on getting through the lines and hitting the camp in the dark."

"And how many did we kill?"

"Probably only a hundred. We got Carso's shotgun back."

"I was wondering how I got hit by buckshot." There was also a 45 missing.

"The King here liked your old face a lot and had his surgeons digging out all that lead. They patched you up pretty good."

"Everything going to work again?"

"It should. They've been pampering you a lot more than us."

"They want me healthy enough to take you boys and leave."

"I hear we are going to do just that. While you were having a nap, they got a fresh shipment of powder and more men. The Adchek are getting scarce."

"The Army of the Righteous may be next."

"That may be, but those guys are going to be in for a surprise."

"What?"

"The King is making vests and helmets like us."

"That will help."

I was fed mush by the pretty girl and Fillo just smiled. It may be because of my food or the fact that it was a nice girl giving it to me and I couldn't do anything about it. When I was finished, I at least had found out that her name was Serrfa.

Two weeks later, the King sent me back in a palanquin born between two horses. Accompanying wagons showed how much the boys were really able to get from the house. The three guys were riding high in new vests that were camo but also embroidered. Serrfa had been giving me therapeutic blowjobs to ease my tensions. When my face healed enough I returned the favour. The juice seemed to help my scars fade but they weren't that bad anyway.

When we got to Soot, we were paraded around the city. Little boys threw flower petals before us. My welcome at the palace allowed me to meet Marto's family. There were a lot of them. Most were children. From those I saw it looked like there was a strong family bond. I liked to see the children helping each other and the mothers helping the children. A day later Marto himself arrived and I learned more about the mechanics in his family.

Our group was given some adjoining rooms. From here I was able to meet with my own people. Jassik Worrl was asked to come and I thanked him in front of his King for helping me and my people.

We were feasted all the time and Marto got a chance to talk to my family by way of the radio. By the end of a week I was up in both senses and I think I made Serrfa a happy woman. By the way the servants looked at us I knew they had heard her cries.

I still had to get home, but Marto had more business to discuss. Marto wanted my ships but everybody wanted to go with me. I also had commitments. I sold him all the Adchek ships and the Covva too. It was made for war and not for cargo. The Vecta had to finish being strengthened and rebuilt. It could haul a lot.

Dale Restfor was called. "You summoned me, my King?"

"I need a Captain for the Vecta. The ship may not come back here for years. It seems I need another ethical thief to help me."

"I would be more than happy to serve you this way."

"I find your mother a disturbing influence."

The man finally said, "She has been that way to me all my life, my King."

"Find a way for her to happily remain behind if you want the job."

"I will do that, my King, and very gladly."

A virile looking man of fifty suddenly found Dale's mother ravishing. Within a few days I heard that there was talk of marriage. Some people, I guessed, would do anything for money.

Captain Sacco got his ship back and I gave all of them a drak for their work in capturing ships. The slaves were set free and given jobs making vests for Marto and me. Some of the former pirates joined them.

The Vecta, the Skussa and the Niña would complete the trip with me. Nobody who was going on this trip really wanted to come back so this took some worries from my shoulders. My ballast of gold was transferred to these ships after they were prepared for the long trip. I had acquired a lot of booty from the pirate ships and I used a portion of this to buy all the juffa I could get.

There was another major party just before we left. Marto had a 45 at his hip and a smile on his face. Camo was the newest fashion and it was worn even if it was just the thickness of one piece of juffa. Dale's mother held onto the arm of her new husband and had a wide smile of her own. The groom only put on a smile when it was required.

We set sail but hadn't even got out of the bay before I saw a storm coming. I immediately removed the silver to the land and took down the antenna. The ships fled back to the fort with its high walls. We were not struck but my silver was charged repeatedly to the astonishment of the people. This was not natural even by lightning standards. This had to be something a priest was doing.

We got underway when the storm passed. Our three ships stayed together and no pirates bothered us for a while. I wouldn't mind another ship but nobody wanted to wager with me. The trip was now simply a business venture. We pulled into ports and bought supplies or goods for our mill. Loose gold was picked up for good copper.

I had lots of time to play like a miser through my growing collection of silver pieces. There were three chains now and even the piece the guys had pulled from the ambush site. This should make the chain even longer since it had two boxes attached.

The two assassins had not talked so they were given to Marto's physicians. They used medications different from what Jonna would use and I was told it was even better. The men still died a week later and we learned very little. They would have had to be executed anyway because of the sarin attack.

We traded a lot the way back to the Mersia Islands. The idea was to show the flag and find out more about the people and countries of this area of the world. Maps were one of the items I looked for. I patrolled the markets to find different foods the could be imported to Earth. I also looked to think of food that may grow here even better. We picked up much more juffa since these countries were only at war with the pirates and it was warm enough here to cultivate the worm. Pirates had cut into their trade so much that I got good prices.

When we got to the Mersia Islands, I told King Carrser that he had Marto's thanks and a trade contract for nitre if he wanted it. I had to stay another week to talk about what had happened including me using a 'mortar' to sink Lord Cantro's ship. It seemed that the Church was shown in a bad light now and, worse yet, were shown that they could be beaten.

The young people and women that the Church wanted stayed with me whether they wanted to or not. Their indoctrination was wearing off and they didn't usually mind the orders I gave them.

Their number had climbed as we ran tests through the slaves and the captives. There were nineteen boys with the oldest at eighteen. There was thirty nine girls and twenty three young women. A further twelve were from my arbitrary starting age of thirty. The ages went up to fifty at the moment. All of them I could trust up to a point but I still had to watch my back.

This was ninety three people and they had to be split up between the three ships. The Vecta got the most simply because of her size and the fact that I wanted to watch them for problems

A month after we began our return trip, I found I could use the coins and the headband at even greater distances. It was now some of the Church's former students who were teaching me. They helped me with the books as well. I learned some but it was as if I found extreme difficulty learning a foreign language. This, to me, smacked of magic or super science.

Serrfa and two youngsters were giving me other lessons in bed. We didn't see this as buttering up the teacher at all. The other boys and girls made the three ships into loveboats. At night when we were stationary, boats went from one ship to another to deliver or pick up important loads of semen. I at least didn't have to go far to donate.

Trista, the port city of Isle of Entras, had not changed but our arrival was a lot different. Now there were crowds that came to see us. Juke was one and he stood proud near the gangplank.

"How is our business, Juke?"

"It has flourished recently, Milord. When word came to the city, all of our products were suddenly in great demand."

"I'm afraid there will even be more work for you now. I have all sorts of fibres for rugs and garments as well as a lot of juffa. Let's talk where there is less noise."

Buildings had been erected or finished in my absence. Some of the machines I had given plans for were nearing completion but progress was slow.

Juke was an old man and apparently had three wives though they were his age. He had appointed female managers at my insistence and they were now at this meeting.

I took off the beautiful brocade juffa vest and passed it around. There were a lot of murmurs about its quality.

"The colours are odd because they are designed to match the colours of the forest. This may not look beautiful to you, but it can be valuable to soldiers. The vest is very warm and care was made to allow ventilation."

I passed around my old vest and the tears were investigated. "This vest is the one I wore while fighting. Those rips were made by knives or bullets. Juffa is very strong. Multiple layers of this material will stop a bullet. This vest saved my lives more times than I can count."

An astonished look passed around the room. "King Randalk of Buseland and I are making these vests in his country. We are partners in this venture. I want you to make these vests and sell them. The ugly colours are all the rage in Buseland now and even the ladies wear it. Most are just one layer thick but it's just to fit in with what the men find beautiful and I guess staying alive is beautiful."

I told them what to sell the various types of garments for and they were astonished that I could claim this price.

The cargo destined for here was unloaded and some of the gold Juke had acquired went into the ships. They learned that King Randalk would be making deliveries of raw materials and picking up most of the vests for his people. The price he paid was only on paper and justified the higher prices we wanted others to pay.

Juke was an old man. We talked about a replacement when he got sick or worse. He was not that depressed at this discussion because he had accepted the inevitable. I wanted strong leadership. The company would be attacked by the Church or anybody else trying to gather its wealth. A board of directors was set up and I started the first corporation on this planet. The only real fear we could put into people was a threat to call me, and for me to have to come here and deal with it. Juke got one of the coins as had Marto. Perhaps one day I could make use of them from a greater distance.

We were running low on gasoline to fuel the generator but before it gave out I could almost see Tiffany with my headband. She had the coin to her chest and I had the silver band on my forehead.

My berth on the Vecta was larger than the Captain's and he had three wives with him. I had my books and magical charms to study. When it was dark, I used a large suspended oil lamp in the centre of the room to provide light for company and smaller lamps were suspended where it was convenient.

The deck above wasn't high. The ceiling had beams going across the width of the room for strength. In the centre I had to duck to avoid a heavier than usual beam. My head now remembers this very well, even in the dark.

There was a large window on one wall that faced the stern. During a storm, a heavy set of shutters were used to close the opening. Sometimes I could use the large silver mirror placed at the stern to direct sunlight into the room so it hit the ceiling to give me extra light.