Princess Rescue Inc (123 page)

Deidra
had her hands full now, since her new reign meant the lords had a say in all
her appointments. Parliament had to vote to approve each minister and could
demand investigations if one overstepped his or her bounds. Unfortunately the
plague had killed a few of the ministers and the lords hadn't stuck around long
enough to approve their replacements.

Until
parliament reconvened the ministers would serve as interim ministers, using a
small quorum of the lords on site for provisional approval.

Some,
like the new interim minister of immigration, were turning out to be a pain in
the ass to the gaijin. She insisted on interviews with each of them and was chasing
some of them around, trying to get them to marry or breed.

The
Cromwells were local counts who owed their allegiance to the royal house since
they were nearby. They were apparently sticking around. Hopefully not all
winter, Ryans thought bleakly. It looked like both of them liked to pack on the
pounds.

“Feisty
isn't he?” Ryans murmured then looked up. “It's a bit more complex than that.
We're going to gut and upgrade the royal suite. Other rooms as well.”

“Ah.
And what will be done?” Lady Cromwell asked, picking up her wine glass to take
a sip.

“Oh
the usual, we're going to gut the bathroom, modernize it, as well as add new
windows, insulation, bed, and other things if we have time before winter really
sets in. It should be fun.”

“The
bath? I had heard of the indoor plumbing you mentioned,” another lord down the
table nodded. “And a... toilet I believe? But in the royal residence? How can
you deal with the smell?” he asked with a sniff.

Ryans
smiled slightly. “Terran toilets use a simple system to keep the methane,
that's the stuff that makes it stink by the way... anyway we've got a simple
set up to keep that down in the sewer. It's quite simple and ingenious
actually, an S curve in the sewer plumbing,” Ryans explained. He used his hands
to describe the two arches. “The curves trap water which blocks the gas from
coming back up the pipes to smell.”

“Ah,”
the lord looked amused. “What of the mess boy?”

“What
about him?” Ryans asked picking up his own wine glass.

“What
will you do with him then?” the lord asked.

“Well
as I understand it, his entire job is to haul water or waste up and down the
stairs. I'd say we can dispense with that job at least for the royal suite and
he will be employed in another area of the castle. We can always use people to
help keep the place clean and neat,” Ryans said and then shrugged.

“Or
he can apply for a transfer to the stable,” an anonymous voice quipped down
towards the end of the table.

“Or
that too,” Ryans agreed amiably, not ready to be baited.

“And
who will do this work?” Cromwell asked amused.

“Well,
I've done some renovating in the past, so I'll do some of it. I've got a couple
of carpenter friends who are eager to give it a shot. Why? Do you want to
help?” Ryans asked.

“You?”
the lord goggled, mouth open.

Ryans
smirked, “Of course. I like to get my hands dirty too. It's good practice. And
it feels great to have something done that you did with your own hands,” he
said and then smiled. “I actually prefer electronics, but I can do mechanical
or home renovations too.” He waved. “Since we don't have a licensed plumber
around, I guess I'm elected.” He smiled, spearing a mini sausage with an
elegant toothpick.

“You're
going to do this?” another middle aged lord asked aghast. From the look of him
and the red colors he wore he was a royal knight.

“Yup?
Didn't I just finish saying so? It's not that hard with the right tools and
parts actually. I'll leave the carpentry stuff up to a local carpenter. Though
I may lend a hand if needed,” he said and then shrugged. “I reiterate Dominus
Cromwell, do you want to help?”

The
lord blinked at him in surprise and confusion.

“Come
on, beer, power tools... mechanical puzzles...” Ryans suggested.

“I
believe I have other engagements,” the lord ground out looking away.

“To
bad, we do this sort of thing for fun on Terra... at least some of us do.
Usually it's with a car though. Group of guys get together to work on a
project, get beered up and have a party,” Ryans said and then shrugged. The men
around him looked surprised and then thoughtful.

“I'll
do it,” a hand rose from beside the lady Cromwell. A teenager leaned forward.
“That is if you'll have me your majesty.”

“Sure.
You're the lord's son?” Ryans asked. The young man nodded.

“I'm
Catius if you please,” the young man replied. Ryans estimated his age at about
twenty. A knight then, just out of being a squire from the look of his scraggly
beard and build.

“All
right, I'm working on the tear out tomorrow. You're more than welcome to pitch
in. I've got some old jeans you can wear if you don't have any work clothes.
That is if her majesty hasn't nicked them yet,” he said shooting a look at
Deidra. She smirked but shook her head silently. He shrugged. “Max is bringing
up another shipment of plumbing supplies today so we should have everything we
need.”

“Why
is it that we start here? In the castle with this plumbing?” someone asked.

“Well,
royalty and nobility does have its privileges. Or so I heard,” Ryans
deadpanned. That brought a general chuckle to the group.

“But
seriously, who's going to pay for it in town? A merchant maybe,” he shrugged.
“Truth is, we've got the money, the skills, the need, and the materials. Once
those who are learning this trade get the hang of it and we get enough
materials... then others will follow suit,” he smiled.

“I'd
borrow Gunny or the master sergeant but they're both out and about,” he said.
He turned to see a puzzled frown on the face of Dominus Cromwell. “They led the
military team to modernize the barracks. Lights, plumbing and even heating and
crude ceiling fans.”

“Ah,”
the lord nodded.

“The
plumbing is crude, it was a rush job after all. It leaks a little. Group
showers and bathroom stalls. We can do better,” Ryans smiled to Deidra. She'd
already started working on picking out tile and color combinations.

“Someone
should be first, and it's our duty to do so,” Deidra murmured nodding as she
placed a hand on his arm.

“You
just like the idea of the heating system.” He smiled then turned to the others.
“It's like the hot water. We're running copper pipe against the wall. I'd
rather do it in the floor but we just don't have the tech for it.” He shrugged.
“Anyway it'll go to an electric, tankless water heater that will heat the water
for it and the hot water for the bath.”

“Which
means the room will be nice and warm even in the deepest blizzard,” Deidra
smiled. A few of the lords looked thoughtful at that.

“Sure,”
Ryans smiled. “Max has been working on a centralized boiler system but this
works better. This way all we have to run is electric lines, cold water, and
sewer. No steam lines.”

“Yeah
well, it'll be a pain to fix,” Max grumbled.

“Bitch,
bitch,” Ryans replied smiling.

“And
make,” Max replied. Cecily looked thoughtful. She toyed with her spoon, unsure
about being in such rarified surroundings.

“You'll
get one too Cecily,” Ryans said with a knowing grin.

“Definitely,”
Max grunted. The young woman suddenly smiled.

Ryans
raised a finger and opened his mouth but paused. “Well, it'll employ a lot of
people to make enough for everyone.”

“There's
that.”

“Yup,”
Ryans turned to the old lord. “So, we were talking about the mill system
earlier this morning Dominus Cromwell, I believe you had some thoughts you
wanted to convey on the subject?”

  <==={}------------>

During
the summer and early fall Buckland had led the trainers of the new and growing
air force. Sue had managed to repair some of his damage but he was confined to
a wheelchair while the new scar tissue healed. They used hot air balloons at
first, and then silk covered gliders.

He
had made it clear, he was going home. He did say he'd think about coming back
after Ginger Lewis took the first Imperium built wooden bi-plane up though. Now
in the depth of winter he was still thinking it over once again as he watched
them working on the first monoplane. It was a copy of the A-22, but still
lacked an engine. Max had hoped to get to it before the winter hit but now it
would have to wait.

  <==={}------------>

Nate
grinned as Ryans came into the room. “What's up boss? Or should I call you your
majesty?”

Ryans
shook his head, crossing his arms and leaning against a post. “Not much, just
checking in. How are things going?”

“Fair
to middlin'. We've barely scratched the surface on the fauna in this area, let
alone the entire planet.” Nate shook his head. “Don't get me started on the
paleontology.” He waved at a fossil on a desk.

Ryans
nodded looking it over then stepping back. He stepped back too far and hit a
cage. Something hissed and he jumped back. “What the hell!”

Out
of the dark the lizard came forth. It stood up on its rear most limbs, front
four grasping the cage fence. “Nate why the hell is that thing alive?” Ryans
asked tightly as the lizard cocked its head back and forth at him.

“Ah.
Charlie and Doc insisted. They think the venom will make for some sort of
trank.”

“Not
on your life,” Ryans said shaking his head. His hands went down to his side and
grasped at nothing for a moment. “Not in a million years.”

“Yeah,
I told them that. It's got some potent neurotoxin though, it's enough to
immobilize the victim but not suppress its breathing or heart,” Nate said.

“Yeah.
And you've... ah milked it?” Ryans asked, eyebrows beetled.

Nate
nodded. “Yes. My that was a challenge. Nearly stopped my heart a few times.”

“I
thought you said it couldn't do that?” Ryans asked.

“You
know what I mean,” Nate growled, glowering. “From what Charlie told me the
other day it didn't work though. Too strong even when they cut it.”

“So?
I'll say it again, why is it still alive?” Ryans asked, turning to the
biologist.

Nate
squirmed a little under the unblinking gaze then shrugged. “Well, we were
working on an antidote but that didn't work either. So Charlie shelved it for
now. I don't want to kill it in case she needs more.”

“Right.
Well, there's a law somewhere on the books that said it's a
death
sentence
to keep one of these as a pet you know.” He turned back to the lizard. It was
flicking its tongue out at him. It raised its rear thorax and shook it for a
moment then settled down.

“Ah...”

“Ask
the last guy who had them. He was put to death yesterday,” Ryans said.

“Oh
ah...” Nate gulped. “I... didn't... ah, know.”

“Don't
let Deidra or Zara know you've got that. Get with Charlie. Find out if she
wants another sample. Either way I want it dead by sunset,” Ryans said firmly.
He turned back to Nate. “And don't let it bite you.”

“Yeah,
I'll ah, do that,” Nate said nodding as Ryans stormed out.

Ryans
smiled as he and Deidra enter the kitchen. “So, got something in mind for lunch
before I go?” he teased. She blushed but then stopped when she heard the
buzzing sound.

“What's
that?” she asked.

“Sounds
like a blender,” Ryans answered going through the passage connecting the great
hall to the kitchen. When he entered he smiled. Zara turned and smiled. She and
the castle students were sitting on a counter watching Sydney and Casius make
smoothies. Or at least trying to.

“Having
fun?” Ryans asked. Deidra came up behind him. The staff turned and smiled. Zara
took a sip from her straw.

“Yup,”
she giggled a little. “These are great sister, you should try it!”

“And
just what is it?” Deidra asked, wrinkling her nose. Chopped fruit was scattered
around the blender.

“Smoothy
I bet. Or a slushy,” Ryans replied craning his neck to see around her.

“Smoothy.
It's too damn cold out for slushies,” Sydney answered. He pulsed the blender's
chop button a few times and then when the mix was pureed he poured it into a
pair of cups. “Try it your majesty, it'll put hair on your chest,” he said and
smiled.

“It'd
better not,” Ryans growled. Zara smothered a giggle as her sister pretended to
examine the concoction carefully.

“It's
safe your majesty,” Casius replied, straightening. “You have my word of honor
on it,” he said. Ryans snorted.

Deidra
took a sip from the straw. Her eyes popped in surprise. She coughed and looked
at the cup. “So many flavors!”

“We've
got about four fruits in that one. We had to cut back on a couple, the one I
thought was the equivalent of watermelon is just way too strong,” Gregory said
from behind them. They turned to see the gaijin cook.