The CAP: Retrieving the Chancellors, part 2
by Bt
“If you’re going to build something, build it to last!” the Engineer
planted his fists on hips and glared at Bt.
“But, Domhnull,” Bt began in her most conciliatory voice, “It is only for
temporary use. Can’t you just make it look sort of impressive and slap it together
quickly?”
“Nope, I’ll not be putting my name and my reputation on shoddy work, Bt. You
know me better than that!”
“Gods man! Jackie said they would be arriving soon and we have to have some place to
put them! By this time they’re gonna be getting just a little high so we can’t
very well deposit them in the lost and found. Please just do the....”
“Great Caesar!” the Engineer shouted as he pointed to the sky, “We’re
being attacked by a dragon!” He pushed Bt behind a pile of rocks and gripping his
favorite measuring rod like a staff, prepared to meet the sky-born leviathan in
combat.”
“Err, Dom.” Bt said in a rather embarrassed voice, “Did I mention Jackie
had arranged to have the remains flown in by Dragon-Airlines?”
“No, Bt as a matter of fact you didn’t,” He replied. “I guess
we’d better go see what remains of the remains.” He said in an even voice which
betrayed neither anger nor humor. Bt, looking at him as he strode down the hill to the
level area, couldn’t make up her mind if he’d just made a serious statement or
was making a joke.
There were several smallish boxes strapped to the back of the dragon and a rather chubby
man slid down from the neck ridge where he’d been sitting and then climbed down the
dragon’s foreleg to met them. “I’ve got a delivery for Ms. Topaz.” He
announced in an a very loud voice.
“That’s me,” Bt replied, not even bothering to correct the name.
“Where do I sign?”
“Right here, Ms.” He replied, but was prevented from speaking further by a loud
growl ending almost in a whine that came from somewhere towards the front of the dragon.
“Ooops,” he said, with a grin, “Lovie, gets kind of petulant if she
doesn’t get her reward at the end of a flight.”
Taking his short sword from his belt he stood directly in from of the monster and said,
“Lovie, now you know I can’t reach it unless you lower your head.”
Obediently the dragon lowered ‘her’ head to ground level and then Bt and the
Engineer could see what appeared to be half a good sized cow suspended from a pole which
protruded out in front of the head several yards. The man cut the rope and the dragon
immediately fell upon the remainder of the cow chomping it up with great delight. Seeing
the puzzled looks on their faces, the dragon handler said, “Lovie will chase a cow
like that, half way around the world at top speed. She not really all that bright I guess,
but she does know I’m the only one who can get it for her. So, she’s more than
happy to let me and whatever I’m hauling go along for the ride.”
Bt, looking at the Engineer, could almost see the wheels spinning inside his head as he
considered the possibilities of moving armies and equipment, “Never mine, Dom,”
she patted his arm affectionately, “You’d have to go into the cattle business to
make it work. Then of course, you’d have to find a bunch of dragons and hope they
were all as gullible as Lovie.”
After the boxes were unloaded and Bt had liberated a side of beef from the kitchens for
Lovie’s return flight, she and the Engineer decided they might as well see what the
boxes contained.
Prying open the first one, the engineer peered inside. “It just bones, Bt.” he
said somewhat
puzzled. “They wouldn’t of had time to expose the bodies to reduce them to this
state would they?”
“No, I don’t think so. I do recall Jackie said something about them being rather
well cooked in the hot tub before they were discovered, perhaps when they tried to move
the bodies from the tub the flesh fell off and rather than ship globs of that they just
sent the bones.”
“I’m still not sure I understand this whole HoD thing you’ve been telling
me about but won’t the chancellor’s be rather put out with having just bones to
reanimate when HoD returns them to life?”
“Sheesh! I don’t know. I’m assuming he’s got some way of recreating
bodies, otherwise Omar’s gonna have to come back as an assortment of soap bars and
LdyPegasus is going to end up as a walking bloody corn stalk.
“Well at least this makes things a little simpler in so far as the building.”
The engineer said as he retrieved his sketch pad. “I should have a nice design for a
memorial for you by tomorrow. Maybe you can talk one of your god friends into tossing a
bit of faery dust on the drawing and producing the finished product. It would save us
having another argument, anyway.” He finished with a smile.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Aphrodite?” Bt called out softly, “Are you here?” The pink marble
shrine was set on bluff overlooking the lake. The land-ward side was concealed by a grove
of aromatic cedar trees while the side facing the lake was skirted by lower bushes set
among the rocks which formed the bluff top. A winding path through the trees led up to the
gold domed building. Inside, Bt saw the usual offerings to the goddess of love. Flowers,
trays of wine, cheese and fruit and assorted bits of lace trimmed scanty underwear but
apparently ‘Dite hadn’t been around for several days to collect the loot since
the flowers were wilted and the cheese and fruit were about half consumed by an
industrious army of ants who evidently could not be counted as worshipers of the goddess.
“Come on ‘Dite, I really need to talk to you. You don’t want me to have to
send Moira to find you, do you?” Bt sighed, as she played her trump card. It did seem
that lately she’d had to use the threat of siccing the goddess of fate and destiny on
others more and more often.
“Not even Moira’s gonna make me come out of hiding!” ‘Dite’s
disembodied voice spoke from somewhere behind the altar. “That HoD character has
really stepped over the line this time, taking Asty, Nanaea and Hebea. I’m not gonna
give him a chance to take me!”
“Then he is the one responsible for the chancellor’s deaths?” Bt asked.
“Well, Duh!” “Dite replied, “He’s not even a proper god, himself,
and he can do that to them? I’m not giving him a chance to get anywhere near
me!”
“Thank you, Aphrodite,” Bt said and bowed slightly in the direction of the
altar. “That was on of the things I came to find out. I was almost sure HoD was
responsible but I had to know for certain. The other thing I need your help with is
this,” and Bt laid a drawing of the
memorial shrine on ‘Dite’s altar. “The Engineer designed this to hold the
remains until HoD revives them after his season is finished.”
“Hmm,” 'Dite’s voice echoed from someplace close to Bt’s left
shoulder. “Nice, but kind of plain don’t you think? Maybe if we added a few
touches, here....” and graceful columns with ornate capitals appeared to flank the
entrance, “And maybe some trailing vines....”
and they appeared blanketing the path to the doorway with bright star shaped many colored
flowers. “That’s better!” ‘Dite said with a giggle, “Just be glad
you don’t have to get their approval. I don’t think they’ve ever agreed on
anything.”
“It’s only temporary, ‘Dite,” Bt explained, “We didn’t feel
like we really needed to go all out with it. We just need some place dignified and proper
to store the remains until they are revived. We thought maybe you’d help us get the
building up quickly...” Bt’s voice trailed off waiting for ‘Dites reaction.
“What’s the big hurry?” ‘Dite asked. “The girls aren’t
exactly going anywhere right now.”
“Right now,” Bt said in a somewhat exasperated vioce, “The remains are
sitting in the middle of a field in a bunch of packing boxes, which isn’t exactly
showing proper respect to them. That darn HoD may decide to take the rest of us before we
can get this taken care of and I don’t want to be the one to have to explain to them
why we left their bones laying around for a pack of wolves to chew on.”
“Ewww,” ‘Dite wrinkled up her nose in distaste, “You’re right,
they could get real unreasonable about that. Okay kiddo, where do ya want this
building?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later that day the remaining students and faculty gathered in front of the new
chancellor’s memorial mausoleum for the internment ceremony. Bt had tried to get
someone else to officiate but in the end she was the one who stood in front of the
assembly.
Tap, tap, tap, “Is this thing on?” The question was answered by a loud squeal
from the sound amplifying boxes. “Oh nice! ”Bt remarked, “Not only am I
going to be dead but I’m going to be deaf and dead! Somebody turn that thing off.
I’ll just shout.”
A few minutes passed as ‘Shana and her crew turned dials and pushed buttons. Finally
the noise was stopped and Bt, still trying vainly to regain her hearing by pressing her
hands over her ears, stepped forward again and said, “Amazons, Hunters and Faculty
members, lend me your ears...........”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stay tuned.....more to come,
Bt
Posted on Oct 13 1999, 01:46 PM
|