The alarm went off at seven. I suppose I should have reset it and slept in, but Vialle would be awake and I didn't know what her reaction to the strangers would be. Imagine my surprise then to find Charity in the bunker as well.
At least she'd put coffee on. I used the jon, then grabbed a cup off coffee before diving into the shower. The new boys were concearned with getting outside, so I let them go. As long as they don't attract attention we should be all right.
I'd just turned the water on when they came back. Seems the techie one sensed something at the top of the stairs. I summoned the pattern, and took a look. It was only Mikato so I told them it was ok and told him to leave them alone. He wanted to play but obeyed me none the less.
At least the shower screen hid the pattern image. Charity's changed. Something's happened to her. Guess I'll have to wait to find out what. Of the new comers one has the marks of a shape shifter and mage whilst the other appears to have no powers at all. Is this the best that this Dierdre entity could find? I turned off the shower and stepped out.
It is a known fact that you get a phone call when its the most inconvenient for you to take it, ie in the middle of having sex, when you're in the shower, or just as you've stepped out of the towel to clothe yourself. In my case it wasn't a phone call but a Trump call from Fiona, and it happened just as I was retrieving clean fatigues from under my bed.
In normal circumstances I would have not taken the call, or taken the call and continued dressing, but with Brand on the loose and known to be a Trump Master not taking the call and getting Fiona to call back was risky, as was not doing anything except concentrate on the call.
Charity wanted to know who the call was from. " Fiona. We need to pick up some stuff for her and take it to Carnellian. They're in serious trouble."
The human wanted to know if he could do anything to help, but apparently can't cook breakfast. Not much of a General then.
Fiona's call had now given me urgency of purpose, for the siege at Carnelian was going against them. Although the castle had cannon they were ineffective against the siege trenches the besiegers were in the process of digging. After breakfast I packed my things for the hike to where Fiona had left the transports we'd need. The general had the sense to check on what weapons we'd need and stock up on rations. He didn't see why we weren't carrying water containers, but I saw Charity smiling. I chose not to explain.
My leg was a little better this morning - at least I could stand on it. Vialle would be the problem on this hike. By the time we'd gone half a mile I knew this wasn't going to work. My leg was killing me and having to help Vialle was making this a slow and painful journey.
Charity had come to the same conclusion as I had - we needed horses. I let her take over - if I'm truthful I'm glad she did. I was relieved when the stable yard hove into site, and even more relieved when I climbed into the saddle. Just think a year ago I'd never ridden and now I preferred riding to walking.
We rode for another eight hours before I reached the place in Shadow, whose imprint Fiona had implanted during our trump conversation. Crossing the clearing I felt for the signs of what I was looking for. Locating the panel from the implanted image, I pressed the switch to deactivate the holographic screen. Waiting for us were a pair of 60 tonne armoured articulated transports.
It is strange how many shadows we visit or use, that other members of the family have used or visit. I recognised the design of this pair. They were from the Shadow Earth where I got my armour. Time and to a certain extent history run different there. If I remeber correctly the year must currently be about 2520. I had spent some months there amongst a group of mercenaries, just travelling and righting the odd wrong. Once this mess is resolved I really must go back - I'd like to know more about tattoo magic and the Chiang-Ku. From what I information I could collect at the time it appears that they have the ability to manipulate and traverse Shadows, and it was they who taught it to the Atlanteans.
I put Vialle and Mikato in the lead truck and looked at the other three to find a second driver - Charity said she could do it but I don't believe she's ever driven one of these before. The gnome went with her, and the human decided to travel with me until he realised Mikato was not going to get out of the bunk. Shifting 150 lbs of Akita that doesn't want to move is no task undertaken lightly. He opted to use the bunk in the other truck.
The return trip to my Shadow Earth was much quicker, and we arrived at the Fort Worth Munitions Factory at just before 06:00, having then to wait for the days shift to arrive before we could get the cargo of 20 tonnes of muskets loaded.
The next leg was the one I'd been scratching my head to devise a plan for. I knew how my father did it, but I didn't have his centuries of experience or his powers. None of the others offered any useful suggestions so I went with a varient of an idea he'd used. If you search hard enough somewhere in shadow is everything you every desired - my requirement was quite simple - I needed a high tech artillery regiment capable of laying down a sustained plasma barrage, where I was Commander-In-Chief. The fact that they turned out to be humanoid was a bonus.
There was several hours delay whilst details of what I needed done were worked out and then we set off into shadow again. Within the hour we had reached our destination - The Black Road.
It is a simple thing to write - The Black Road - unless you've felt the full impact of its substance. Even now I cannot really descibe it, save that I'm sweating heavily as I write this and my skin has gone cold. We did cross it although I was bareley conscious by the time we reached the far edge. Walking the True Pattern had been far easier than maintaining its image for that half mile journey. I hope I'll never have to do it again.
Much of what passed in the next twenty four hours is still a bit of a blur. I know we picked up the Mortars in York, and Black Powder in Lucern, and then travelled to near Carnellian. It was not until then that I managed to clear my head of the ick that had infested it as we crossed the black road. Without the pattern shield I don't think we'd be here now..
By the time we stood looking out over the escarpment at Carnellian itself we were no longer in the Shadow where we'd parked the trucks. The mile or so walk had provided more than enough time for me to manipulate shadow to get us from there to here. Charity had guessed but the other two - I suppose I really aught to use their names had no inkling. Twelve months ago I would have been in the same boat - how things change.
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