SL Part 6f - Desert Destiny - Inventions n' Dreams

[Kamenwati]

The Invention

On a clear day when the sea was calm Jack calmly gave the order for everyone to stop production and to move to the top deck. In an unhurried and unceremonious manner, Jack had the men hoist the reassembled cart out of the hold. The cart sported the same flat surface it had before, but the railing was now gone. In the center was a plank-sided block that was honey-combed with slots. The cart was wheeled to the railing of the ship and set to rest with the block pointing out to sea.

Jack summoned Kam and called the crew around. In a methodical manner, he took ten of the parchment/wood tubes that had been affixed to ten of the six-foot arrows. As they assembled, the same methodical manner was used to set up a level, transit, and an azimuth. Once they were gathered, a gesture of a calloused hand pushed them back away from the cart.

Kam made his way closer to Jack, and the workers toiled around, obeying Jack with no hesitation… for they too were curious beyond belief. No one had an inkling of any idea what Jack was constructing… and all were just as equally curious. Kam watched with curiosity and he tied his hair back in a braid.

Fuses were tied together and lit. They sizzled quietly over the cart until reaching the arrows. A terrific "HUWAFATCHAAHA" Rushed over them with a roiling cloud of smoke as the ten arrows shrieked out over the water. The stoic figure spent the next few moment bent over the instruments, watching as they flew. They flew for what seemed a long time.

The odd sound made Kam, and a few others just back startled… One man who stood too close to the fuses was patting his hair that was singed… his comrades laughing at him. As the large arrows streaked across the sky, Kam watched in amazement.

A few of them sputtered and slipped silently into the ocean, while the others coughed and then exploded violently just over the water. Jack's bulk straightened and turned towards the crew muttering "Just about 500 yards." He paused, the wrinkled brim swiveling towards the reactions of the crew and Kam.

The hearty voice rumbled quietly, but held great conviction as the rhythmic thump brought him close to the vengeful Kam. "What ye see before ye is called a 'Hwatcha' - named fer the sound it produces. This block has 100 slots for 100 arrows. The average longbowman can fire 6 arrows in a minute without overly fatiguing himself and has an effective range in a volley of about 250 yards. With a two-man crew it takes approximately 20 seconds to remove this block from this cart, drop a pre-loaded one into its place. Let's assume we use a ten second fuse. With each cart firing 200 rounds per minute, with three carts, that is 600 rounds a minute. Kamenwati, ye asked me fer ways and means. With a crew of six, I give ye greater range, lethality, and rate of fire than 100 longbows. Do ye feel yer patience has been rewarded?"

Brown eyes were wide… and his attention upon the arrows turned toward Jack as he approached. “Hwatcha?” then he smiled at the odd name. Listening attentively, he nodded a few times, his brain soaking in all that was said. “Allah be praised…Jack Trades… simply amazing.” Kam got this evil smirk upon his face. “With this, I am sure a mighty force can defeat a mightier force… The Amir can now be brought to his knees… Patience? Allah be praised, Jack… I have been rewarded. I shall assign an arrowmaster with each Hwatcha… his talents with elevation and windage can be rewarding.” He spoke softly nodding at Jack.

[Admin ACI]

Dreams of Carnia

Meanwhile, On the island of Carnia… just off the coast of Tamazgha

My Dearest Heart... Summer is in full bloom. The isle is both beautiful and ominous upon my arrival. Despite being the lands of my birth, I'd nearly forgotten the blue of the ocean here or the green lines of the vegetation that you can all most make out as the ship lumbers in; but it is ominous now as if something dark is hidden behind the exotic countryside. Perhaps it is only me that see's it. I am terrified of what it is I've come to do though I know in my heart, it is the right thing to do.

Here Briseis stopped writing and looked up from her perch on the rocks of what locals called The Jetty- a formation of rocks against the coastline rather than sandy beaches. She had docked in Martius (the fishing county) two days ago and had sent word on to Genoa and the home of her former master that she had arrived and now waited for servants to arrive and bear her to him.

The excitement that the Hwatcha brought amongst the men, and to Kam, would not let him fall asleep… the sun has set hours ago… and the day’s tasks were done… and Kam lay in the cloth hammock, swinging rhythmically to the roll of the ship upon waves. It seemed that he had counted every peg…every nail on the ceiling of the cargo hold where he slept. But the excitement soon faded as he began to think about Briseis. Surely by now she was safe in Carnia. Thinking of her was soothing… and no sooner than he had thought of her, he fell asleep… But in the night, dreams would once again invade his unconsciousness…

Miles of endless blue-green waters soon faded hard upon a rocky shore… resounding as if a mermaid slapped the flat of her tail against the water; and from his cloud aloft, he could look down upon her… perched just a meter or so above the shoreline. He saw her look around, and look solemnly toward the ships. She was thinking upon something he was sure… but was it him? He prayed to Allah twas so… Then he saw her look upon the scroll, and her hand once more controlled the quill… first dipping into the well, retrieving a quill, tipped indigo… then scribbling upon the parchment that rested solidly in her lap. Surely she could see him if she looked upward… and yet, he stroked his chin. Was he dreaming? How could such a woman have a hold upon a man as to filter into his dreams at will?

From her perch on the rocks she could see out into the miles of endless blue-green water which seemed to sway in time to its own majestic, but silent, beat. The water sloshed and slurped, kissing at the rocks, a few feet from where she sat. The docks sat to the far right where the ships bobbed in time to the waves. Here was the land of her birth and yet she felt a stranger and further away from home then she had ever been. Kam was her home, and it was as if she knew he was thinking about her, as she was of him now. Time now seemed to crawl at a snail’s pace and it seemed as if she had been here forever rather than a few days,

Upon my arrival I have heard that Cesar Augustus has passed an his son Secundus has been crowned the new Emperor. I perceive this as good news, Augustus was never fond of new ideals and if Octavius thinks it a good idea, I believe my journey will take me to Agora, the Capital, and seek council with the new Emperor. Such thoughts are monumental let alone put into action. A former slave turned midwife, then diplomat, and now seeking union between Skye and Carnia. I'm rather sure no one could have dreamed such a thing could come to pass.

Again she paused to look over the vast world of blue-green wonder. Words written on paper could not relay the terror she felt at being presented to the Emperor. It was mostly her upbringing that filled her with terror. For a slave, it simply was not done, speaking to the Emperor. Even palace slaves were forbidden to look the Emperor in the face, let alone talk to him. As majestic as the land was, and as much as she still felt the familiar song of her birth in the lands, there was just something dark here like someone was waiting in the shadows to pounce upon her. With the thought she shuddered, remembering how indeed someone had been waiting in the shadows and had taken her away from Kam. The memory made her hand quiver splattering ink against the parchment upon her lap.

When the parchment was marred slightly by the spilt ink, Kam was jolted awake by the Captain… “Kamenwati… wake up… we are not far from the village of Asilah… upon the western coast… My lookouts have spotted a group of horses, many riderless…and three wagons.”

Kam woke startled…as if he had been ripped from a beautiful dream… No longer were the cliffs and shoreline… but the dimly lit hold of a ship. “Yes? What?” he cleared his mind and allowed the light to disturb and shrink his pupils. “Asilah… oh good… if all planned goes well, those would be transportation. Tell you lookouts to signal with a red flag, then a white… the men upon land shall know…” Then as the Captain left, Kam sighed…now his consciousness yearned for the visions of the subconscious.

Looking down again, she didn't bother trying to wipe the ink away, it would only smudge anyway; but her eyes scanned the letter for any errors and then she sighed dipping the quill into an inkwell upon a rock beside her before she took up where she had left off.

I know not whether this is a good idea or not which is why I will bring it to Octavius attention. I've often found great council in his thinking as I am sure he served the former Cesar well with his opinions so will he serve the new Emperor and me. Octavius as always treated me with a greater kindness and respect than any master ever has a slave; and while it has earned him looks in the past, he has been ever gracious in his time with me, despite what people would say. I suspect the letter I received from him before my departure was not all he wanted to say, and I feel confident, that now I am here personally, he will be able to reveal his true thoughts on the situation. I am waiting now only for the carriage to arrive in Martius to bear me to Genoa and from there... well it is only a matter of support, where my journey will lead me next, either to Agora, to the Emperor himself, or to the other counties to see if someone will listen to me. I know my father cannot claim me as his own, but I do wonder, if Octavius will not support me, if he would.

"Mistress Briseis!" A voice called, and Briseis stopped writing again to turn her head back towards the village that lay to the east of the docks. A stout and plump fellow with a receding hairline and a sweaty toga was walking towards her.

"Yes?" She asked as she swiveled on the rocks to meet his eye as he joined her huffing and puffing with his girth even if he had only walked the distance and not run.

"A carriage just arrived Madam and some of the men inside are now looking for you." He replied mopping his forehead with a linen cloth.

"Thank you Rufius" She spoke before turning again to sign the bottom of the letter -Forever Yours, Briseis - and then set the letter aside as she capped the inkwell and lay it within the writing box she had brought with her with a hinged lid that hid the inkwell inside a cozy spot of its own so it would not fall over and spill everywhere. Handing the writing box over, she lifted from her place on the rocks and began to fold the letter as she followed him back towards the village. As they reached the edge of the village and the back of the Inn, she handed the letter over towards Rufius. "Will you see this taken to the Captain of the ship that brought me here? I hear he is to return to Skye and he will be able to see it to its destination." She asked.

Rufius nodded as he took the letter and headed towards the backdoor of the Inn. "Right away Madam. I'll go put this with your things and bring them down from your room." He answered before disappearing inside. He had been very kind to her but then she had paid way more than what was needed for her stay in Martius.

Smoothing her hands down the plain blue toga she had made on the voyage here, she moved around the back of the Inn towards the front. The carriage was plain but then she had not been expecting something grand; she gasped though, seeing she had not expected who stood there to greet her. Mathayus had been a field hand on the Genoa estate of her former Master but he had been her protector and friend even when she had been released and all others turned their backs on her.

"Mathayus!" She gasped before flinging herself into his arms and hugging him up tight.

Mathayus was a broad fellow, tall and lean, but muscular from shoulder to wrist. His eyes were clouded white and many thought his sight completely gone, but he could make out shapes and could even see color. Blue was Briseis favorite color and when he saw the shape and color coming towards him, he knew instantly who it was. His arms opened and as her body met his own, he held her just as tightly and yet using nearly none of his strength. "Freedom suits you." He rumbled low in her ear before chuckling. "I've been sent to guard you to Genoa. We have days to talk, I hope you stretched your legs enough for its going to be tight quarters until we get to Genoa."

"You've been promoted to house slave then?" Briseis asked as she released him to take a step back, blushing at what seemed an odd compliment but something she understood. "Guard me? I don't understand?" She shook her head, her face falling with curiosity.

Rufius appeared with Briseis’ luggage in tow. A small trunk rather, but the man struggled with it out the door; and Mathayus left her to take the trunk and without any difficulty it seemed heft it into place on the luggage rack. Rufius blushed and stuttered at the abnormally large man but backed away dusting his hands as if he had been sullied. Briseis’ cheeks flamed with life. Even a poor county as Martius, still found themselves better then slaves. Mathayus gave it no thought as he rejoined Briseis and ushered her towards the carriage before pausing to open the door and then lend her hand inside before he was pulling himself up into it. "I'm not allowed to explain Briseis. I've all ready said enough to get me punished. Don't worry. We have days before we reach Genoa and you have to tell me what you've been up to."

Briseis mouth opened and then closed again as the carriage lurched forward and began rolling down the narrow streets of the village curling around until it was heading out over the vast wilderness beyond and the roads that lead towards the other counties. She wouldn't press him for more information and it all ready shamed her that she had very possible gotten him into trouble even though it was clear he had offered up the information. "Well..." Briseis started her tale which would take the length of their journey to explain. She started at the beginning as this was clearly the beginning of yet another journey; and the carriage rolled on as did the low purr of her tongue as she told Mathayus, her and Kam's tale.

The ship anchored off the coast of Asilah… it would be less than a two day ride for the wagons across the northern peninsula of Morocco to the capital of Fez… Kamenwati’s plans were to offload the ship with the new inventions. One would be mounted in a wagon, the others, unassembled, loaded into the other two wagons and prepare them for use outside the city of Fez, before Amir forces could move against them. Men rode south, deep into the country, and east into the Tamazgha, to alert rebel forces that the time of Allah was at hand… The sound of a battle cry “Ijtihad… Rally to the Mujtahid…” rang loud throughout the Desert… Destiny was close at hand.

((OOC NOTE: Ijtihad means "Effort." Ijtihad is the intellectual effort of Muslim jurists to reach independent religio-legal decisions, a key feature of modern Islamic reform; one who exercises ijtihad is a mujtahid. This would be a good thing to use as a battle cry against the cruel and despicable Amir.))

"An arrow master?" The wrinkled brim canted slightly at Kam's words just after the first test fire. "Kamenwati, what do ye think I'll be doing on the battlefield?"

Kam smiled… “I thought better yu stayed where it was safe, Jack Trades. If I allowed something to happen to you, the Queen would have my head upon a plate…” He tied his long hair into a tail in the back. “But I see yu are determined to taste the field of battle… Allah be praised, Jack Trades… for you are welcomed upon the sides of freedom.” And he gave a slight bow.

During the rest of the sea voyage, the hearty rumble was silent save what was absolutely necessary to convey simple ideas and actions. Training was held, and the crew that would be joining them was drilled until they performed like the creation of a mechanical master. No live firing was done until they neared shore where a fixed object could be targeted, and then only sparingly.