Princess Rescue Inc (126 page)

“I
take it that's a problem?” Ryans asked.

Nate
scowled. “Well, they should have larger stomachs to process the raw food but
they don't.”

“They
were starving Nate,” Ryans sighed, watching Zara nurse one of the critters.
“Hungry little devils.” He watched as another tugged at her sleeve looking up
at her, while a third tried to climb into the sleeve and up her arm. She was
laughing. One of the little critters wiggled on its perch and then jumped. Its
middle arms spread and skin flaps opened. It glided down to land next to
another of the creatures. They head butted, crooning and thrumming and then
tussled, mock growling at each other in a play battle.

“Gliders?”
Nate asked, astonished.

Zara
looked up. “The tree dwellers are. The groundlings live in warrens,” she
explained. She picked up one of the babies and extended the middle arms. There
were no skin folds. The baby protested after a moment. She stroked it with her
finger tips, and cooed at it. It settled down with a chirrup and then purred as
she rubbed its shoulders.

“The
groundlings, have fur. The tree dwellers do as well, but lose it as they get
older until all they have is the ring on top,” she said. She petted one. It
tried to nip her but she flicked it with a finger and it toppled over. “I
thought of them as elves when I was young,” she said softly. She looked away.
“The tree dwellers don't like to be on the ground for long. They have longer,
thinner legs and arms so they can grip the trees.” She waved to the beady eyes
above. A raucous screech and then chitter answered her attention.

“Mother
made the most darling costumes with me for them. I had three. We dressed them
up all the time.” She looked a little tearful. Deidra patted her shoulder.

“I
thought they were a protected species?” Nate asked. Ryans gave him a look. He
frowned.

“They
are,” Zara nodded. “I... was interested in how they get them after one of mine
became ill and died. Mother and I went to the keepers.” She looked up, suddenly
tense and grim. The imps around her scattered. “They use fires or
dano
lizards to get to them. The warrens are identified and some of the holes are
covered in nets. Then the hunt master sent a
dano
lizard down the main
hole and the clan was driven out into the nets. Those that are trapped in the
tunnels with no escape, the lizards eat.”

“What
about the fire?” Nate asked stroking an imp baby that had landed on his
shoulder. It burped and then pooped on him. He grimaced at the dribble of white
and then shook his head.

“The
forest imps are harder to get. They find a nest near the edge of the forest and
then cut down all the trees around it... then either climb up to get them... or
send up a lizard... or set fire to the tree. The imps panic and jump to
safety... but without a tree nearby they have to go to the ground and waiting
nets.”

“Ah,”
Nate nodded, face set. From his look he was as happy about the idea as the
princess was.

“That's
not the worst of it,” Deidra said grimacing. “I had some as well for a time.
Father took them away when they got loose and wreaked havoc for weeks,” she
grimaced. “The wild ones are separated. The young are sold; the older ones go
to breeders or are fed to the beasts.”

Ryans
nodded grimly. “It figures. Unfortunately a similar thing happens in Africa and
South America, so don't blame yourself.”

Deidra
looked up and nodded. “When they're young and helpless they're cute and cuddly.
When they get to a certain age they want to breed. They become aggressive and
mean.”

“Ah,”
Nate nodded, rubbing his chin. An imp baby saw him and climbed off his shoulder
to get onto his arm. He chuckled as the baby started to nestle on his arm,
looking out at the others, then with a yawn changed its mind and burrowed into
his shirt. “Right cute little devils,” he murmured, cupping the ball of fabric
to keep it from going too deep. He winced as claws touched his skin. “No mate,
I'm not a Sheila, nursing from me won't hey, there, no, no...” he tried to edge
the little tyke higher and away while looking like he was in obvious pain.
Ryans snickered.

“Yes.
Most of the wild ones are gone now. They're only in the border lands. Father
told me of the nests... they weave complex nests and tie branches together to
form a network of paths in the sky. Quite beautiful he said.”

“It
would be. And a remarkable feat of engineering for any creature,” Nate
acknowledged as he pulled the little Tyke out and then cupped it. It pouted at
him so he stroked it. “I'd love to see it.”

“So
would I,” Zara sighed. “But when I became upset I told father. He looked into
it and then banned the ownership and capture of imps. We'll have to return
these to the wild come spring...
If
we can find clans that will take
them.”

“What
happens if we can't?” Ryans asked. Nate grimaced.

“I'd
say they would be driven off or killed right?” he asked. Zara nodded looking
upset. A baby patted her leg.

“Or
we can see about putting them in the zoo for study,” Deidra suggested. The zoo
was a new concept for the natives, something Nate had suggested. A capital Zoo
and museum were under development now, with plans currently underway. Hopefully
by spring they could break ground... if they finally agreed on a proper
location for each. Right now both projects were still up in the air over that.
Zara looked hopeful. “We can set them up in the crown reserve when they get
older. I'm not sure how well they'll fare, but we can always leave food for
them if necessary.”

“Ah,
that's true,” Nate nodded looking thoughtful.

“And
of course you like the idea because you can play with them and study them some
more,” Ryans said crouching and feeding a pair tidbits. They took the crumbs
and licked them, then washed themselves once each was nibbled.

“I
would like to study the little beggars some more. For my paper,” Nate said,
looking solemn, then he smiled, unable to keep his enthusiasm in check. “And
yes, to enjoy their antics.” He chuckled as an imp jumped from its perch to
Ryan's shoulder and then scrambled down his back to try to burrow in the crack
of his pants. Deidra carefully extracted it, laughing the entire time with the
others as Ryans rubbed his aggrieved rear. The imps in the room froze, and then
chittered with them.

Nate's
eyes went wide. “I do say, yes indeed. They're in need of further study,” he
said firmly. He nodded. “Yes indeed,” he murmured thoughtfully.

Ryans
smiled slightly. It sounded like the biologist now had a lot to think about.
Between the first ever planetary zoo, the world beyond that had barely been
explored let alone scientifically cataloged... Conservationism, yes indeed Nate
sounded on the fence with a lot on his mind.

  <==={}------------>

“Interesting,”
Ryans said outside the room. They waited for Zara and Nate to join them.

“Why?”
Deidra asked, crossing her arms. Ryans made certain they didn't have any
stowaways before they started off.

“The
imps are indicative of a pre-sentient species your majesty,” Nate said looking
up as the guard closed the door. “Has anyone attempted to study them in their
native habitats?”

Deidra
frowned, glancing to Zara. “Our cousin Jasper did... or died trying I believe.”

“Ah.
My condolences on your loss,” Nate said nodding. “Did they...” He turned to the
room.

Zara
shook her head. “Oh no, from the descriptions it was a
basilisk
. Father
said the camp was shredded,” Zara said frowning. “Do the
basilisks
eat...?” She glanced towards the door.

“I'd
say so, though they'd be no more than a snack for them.” Nate said nodding.
“And of course they've got to catch the little buggers. Frisky little devils,”
he chuckled. A guard chuckled as well. They turned to him.

“That
they are,” he bowed slightly to the royals.

The
Queen smiled. “You know of them Bubba?”

“Indeed
I do your majesty,” he rumbled. He bowed again. “Mother called them brownies or
wee ones. She took them in after a forest fire left them homeless near our home
one year. Father found them and brought them back. Thought he'd sell them at
the fair but when mother took a shine to them all he could do was sigh and
throw up his hands,” he shook his head, smiling wryly.

Ryans
chuckled at that. Deidra gave him a quelling look then nodded to the guard.
“And you grew up with them?” she asked sagely.

Bubba
nodded. “Aye. They're smart. Truly smart your majesty,” He bowed again. She
waved her hand slightly to dismiss the bowing and curtsying. “Mother nursed
them back to health. They saw us kids using the mezzanine bucket and did their
business in it after a few days. It made a right mess when they did it from the
rafters though,” he grimaced.

“They
were up in the loft?” Zara asked.

He
nodded again. “Oh aye. Took care of the pests and scared away the rats and
mice. When mother dumped the mezzanine in her garden pile they learned to go
out there and do it there when the weather was good. When they got bigger she'd
leave a bowl of porridge or milk to keep them out of the stores.”

“Ah,”
Zara nodded thoughtfully. She tapped her manicured finger against her chin in
thought.

“We
loved to play with them as kids. Right lot of fun. Got a whooping once cause I
fell out of the rafters one time. I spooked the pigs don't you know,” Bubba
said wryly. He shook his head and smiled slightly. Zara did too. “And then the
burgermeister came. He'd heard mother's garden was the best in the village. See
the brownies had been going out at night and weeding it and eating the bugs for
her.”

Nate
scowled. “Now you’re pulling my leg...”

Bubba
shrugged. “No, honest sir. Honest. They'd go out there and eat the weeds and
bugs... even kill rats or mice and leave them on the front stoop for mother the
next morn. Da got a big kick out of it. Called them mother's
little
little helpers. They even cleaned up after the animals when we brought them
inside for the winter.” He smiled. “They helped groom the family
branack
,
picking nits and bugs out of its hide right good and proper.”

“So
the burgermeister came...” Zara said looking a little worried.

Bubba
nodded, eyes downcast. “Oh yes, ah... he came all fat jowls and fine dress...”
He paled and glanced to Deidra. “Your pardon my lady.”

She
chuckled softly. “None taken.”

“Right
so he'd heard about this woman's garden and came. He made pleased noises over
it until mother told him of the brownies in the loft,” Bubba said, hurrying to
the point. He shook his head.

“He
pounded his fist on the table till it shook the food off. I fell over scared
and me sibs cowered under the table. The big man looked up when he heard a
chitter to see the eyes gleaming at him.” He shook his head.

“I
told him that the brownies were no harm, right warm at night cuddled up to us,
and a help around the house and garden. He backhanded me as was his right and
then got up shaking his fist at them. I looked up from the floor to see him
open his mouth and young Scamper turned and lifted his tail...”

Deidra
chuckled. “Yeah, I can imagine what happened next.” Zara pointed to her eyes,
the guard shook his head. She pointed to her mouth and he nodded, then opened
his and pointed down it. She immediately giggled, bent over, hand over her
mouth. Deidra's eyes gleamed.

“I
take it he was none too pleased by their... contribution to the debate?” Nate
replied, chuckling.

“I'd
say not. Young Scamper lived up to his name to well,” Bubba grinned. “The man
left and never returned.”

“Too
right,” Zara said, fighting giggles. She shook her head and dried tears with
her hanky. Ryans smiled to Deidra.

“I
then appoint you both to care for our wayward waifs. Work together and make
sure we do not lose any,” Deidra said, suddenly looking regal. Ryans snorted as
he took in the pose she was presenting.

Zara
and Bubba bowed and then smiling walked off talking about imp care. Nate
followed, listening and taking notes.

  <==={}------------>

“That
was good. I'm glad she got a laugh in and that she's settling down. Keeping her
occupied and amused should help her through the grief,” Ryans said nodding.

“Aye
and she's got a lot to learn, come early spring she's off to Duluth to see the
country and deliver the first train of goods.”

“Yeah,
about that, I think we're going to need a herald to announce her...”

Deidra
frowned then nodded. “Tis her right though I am loath to let others know of her
presence. It could be dangerous.”

“Yeah,
ah. I was going to also suggest a couple of other things, a second set of
guards, and a pair of groups. One to go ahead of her and check the security out
and get the lie of the land... and people... and the second to act as a
reserve. Oh, say a couple groups of Silent Knights with the latest Imperium
weapons.”

“Wise.
I shall pass the orders on,” she said thoughtfully.