Missions of the Retrieval Team - Land of the Kilts

[Livingston]

Too bad Alan H isn't here to assist with running the ship after we capture it. With his experiance it should be a breeze for him. Oops I'm not sure he could do that, he's too used to not having to keep it between the banks.

[davedove]

Scene 47

The Guyana Highlands

We had positioned ourselves around the dock on the river and were waiting for the transport boat to arrive. We didn’t know the procedures normally followed, but reasoned that the boat was normally met by someone from the camp. We had examined the guards’ uniforms and found one that would fit Coemgen, so he put on the uniform, took one of the guard’s rifles and waited for the boat. The rest of us stayed in hiding.

After waiting for several hours, Pivat came running through the trees. We had placed him on watch up the river and told him what to look for.

“Mayja!” he said urgently. “Big kanoo kum!”

I nodded and directed him to hide behind me. He slipped into the undergrowth and disappeared.

“Showtime,” I called out to Coemgen.

I could see Coemgen work to relax himself and appear natural. I hated that I had to put him out there after his captivity, but he was the only one who would fit a uniform, and at least he spoke Spanish.

As we waited, I could see the boat approaching up the river. It was a large craft, just small enough to turn around in the channel. I estimated it would hold about thirty people total. On the deck were six armed men. I guessed that there would be at least two more aboard, the pilot and whoever was in charge. As it approached the dock, an armed man on the deck waved to Coemgen.

Coemgen waved back and walked towards the dock to meet the ship.

Another man on the boat threw a rope to Coemgen, who caught it and secured the boat to the dock. The armed men stood aside as another man, obviously the leader, stepped to the side of the boat.

“Where is Secuaz?” he demanded in Spanish.

“The Lieutenant is sick,” Coemgen answered. “I am to take you to the compound.”

“Very well,” the man answered with disgust. Lead on.”

Coemgen turned to lead the men down the trail to the compound. We waited until they were out of sight and then made our move.

I looked above and saw Ms. Crane slowly working her way out on a tree limb which hung over the bridge of the boat. When she reached her position, she signaled she was ready.

I looked to the other side of the dock. Greg and Frank were there and ready.

I looked back to Ms. Crane and signaled. She dropped down from the branch onto the boat. When the pilot heard her hit the deck he turned to confront her, but it was too late. Ms. Crane’s pistol was placed under his chin and he stopped moving.

Other than the pilot, only two guards had been left, but they were watching the area around the dock closely.

I stepped out of the undergrowth in front of the guards, my arms spread to show I was unarmed. The two guards spun to face me, pointing their rifles at me.

“You two are lousy guards,” I said to them. “You let me walk right up to your boat.”

The guards rushed towards me to take me captive, but stopped short as they approached. That may have had something to do with the large shaggy dog that stepped out from behind me and growled. Then there was also the young hunter with an arrow pointed straight at them.

The guards stepped back and raised their rifles to shoot, but stopped when Frank and Greg pressed the barrels of their own guns into the guards’ backs.

The guards stopped, let my men take the rifles, and put their hands up.

“Wise choice,” I said.

[davedove]

Scene 48

The Guyana Highlands

We quickly secured our prisoners and hid them in the boat. We then waited for the other team to do their part.

We didn’t have long to wait. Gunfire could be heard up the trail and not long afterward, four men came running towards the boat. They were firing into the jungle behind them as they rushed for the dock.

As the leader ordered his men to keep firing, he spun to jump onto the boat. He stopped short as he stared into the barrels of the three rifles we had pointed at him.

“Drop your weapons!” I ordered.

The leader quickly dropped his own weapon and ordered his men to do the same. The rest of my team approached with their weapons pointed at the men.

“What are you going to do, kill us?” the leader asked.

“No, we’re not,” I answered. I smiled as Marta came forward. “You are being arrested,” I told him.

Marta and a few men took charge of the prisoners and secured them.

I looked around the group in front of me. “Where are Jock and Coemgen?” I asked, a little worried.

“Right here,” came the reply from the trail. Jock was coming down the trail supporting Coemgen, who was walking with an obvious limp. Oddly enough, Jock seemed to be suppressing a laugh.

“What happened?” I asked.

“I was hit, that’s what,” Coemgen complained. He shot Jock a dirty look as the big man chuckled a bit.

“What’s the matter?” I asked. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be okay, I wasn’t hit anywhere critical.”

Jock could control himself no longer. He broke out laughing. “He was shot in the bum!”

The look that Coemgen shot at Jock was intense enough to kill, but the big man continued to laugh heartily. Coemgen’s glare softened a bit and he began to chuckle and then laugh along with Jock. Soon the whole team was laughing.

[Jock Scot]

I understand that Lee Marvin was shot in the backside too. It didn't do him much harm in the long run!

[Tartan Shortbread Jock]

Spiffing good show, I have not read anything this good since
" The greatest men of our time" by McMurdo Panache.

[davedove]

Scene 49

The Land of Hekata, atop a tepui

It turned out to be an easy decision on who would stay behind while the others went for help. Although the natives healing medicines worked wonders, many of the former slaves were still too weak to travel. Also staying behind were Ms. Hawk and Ms. Falcon, also healing from their wounds.

Kevin and Vmac stayed behind with their dogs, since we felt it best that as many people as possible make the boat trip. Wompet stayed behind for the same reason, plus the fact that the native children seemed to enjoy playing with him.

I don’t think we could have pulled Todd away if we tried. He was enthralled with the tales of the villagers and hardly got any sleep while listening to the Captain and his men. Only the Doctor was able to insist he get some rest.

Jamie had recovered after a few good meals and was ready to go, so we let him command the rescue expedition. Once he returned to civilization, he would contact the Great Hall and get help sent to us. I also suggested he contact Ms. Pleater, who would certainly have an interest in the local plants the Doctor was using.

My associates and I volunteered to stay behind and make room for the released captives. We would help Marta, who would guard our prisoners until transportation arrived to take them to jail.

Everyone else would go back with Jamie and the former captives with one exception. Frank decided to stay behind with us. It seemed he had taken a liking to a native concoction they called ‘rum.’ I don’t know what was in it, but it certainly wasn’t anything like any rum I had ever tasted.

After we went to see Jamie and the others off, we returned to Hekata to help Todd and Ms. Stork record the tales of the tribe. We were also shown a small graveyard with several blank stones.

When we asked who had been laid to rest there, the Captain had answered “Konnal.” It seems we had found the final resting place of Colonel MacGregor and his men, although their legacy lived on in the people of the tribe.

[Kilted Jeeper]

Grooving on the quick updates this week.....keep'em coming!

[davedove]

Scene 50

High Court Building, Georgetown, Guyana

I followed Marta as she stomped out of the courthouse building.

“Bureaucrats!” she exclaimed angrily.

The court had refused to accept her arrest of the soldiers we had captured. They had ruled that since she was from Brazil, she had no jurisdiction in Guyana. Because the soldiers were not citizens of Guyana, they would likely be deported and not serve any jail time for their actions.

I had gone with Marta to the court in order to testify with her, but the result was much the same. Although the court thanked us for shutting down the slave compound, they couldn’t try the soldiers. I was upset about the decision as well, but I had dealt with enough courts to accept the disappointment.

“You did all you could,” I said, trying to calm her.

“But they will walk away!” she exclaimed. “After all the things they did, they will walk away!”

I understood her anger, for I felt it myself. “Don’t think of that,” I told her. “Think of all the people you helped free from their grasp.”

This calmed her a bit. “I do recognize that,” she said, “but my job is to bring animals like that to justice, to stop them from hurting other people. How can I do that when what I do just gets blocked by the government bureaucracy?”

“All you can do is keep trying,” I told her. However, I had another topic to discuss with her. “I have to ask you something.”

“What is it?”

“Do you know what your name means when it’s translated to English?”

“I do not know the English word, but it is a type of bird.”

“Right, ‘pombo’ is the Portuguese word for a rock dove, or pigeon.”

“And what is your point?”

I smiled at her and said, “I would like to offer you a job.”

[davedove]

Closing Scene

Dining Hall, Great Hall of X Marks the Scot

We were all gathering for a celebration at the Great Hall to commemorate the rescue in South America, a formal event, of course. I was speaking with Jamie and his wife as we waited for guests to arrive.

Arlen had been assigned the duty of announcing the arrivals and we heard him call out. “Ladies and gentlemen, Livingston.”

We turned and saw Greg making his way carefully down the stairs on a pair of crutches. His lower leg was in a cast.

“I’m so sorry about your accident,” I said to him.

“Yeah, can you believe it?” he answered. “All the way to South America, jumping from a crashing plane, fighting off soldiers, falling from a cliff, and I wind up breaking my ankle by slipping in the shower!”

As he moved off, Jamie and I couldn’t help but chuckle lightly to ourselves.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Arlen announced, “Elizabeth Crane.”

As Liz descended the stairs in her gown, Jamie’s eyes opened wide in recognition.

“Yes, Jamie,” Liz said as she approached. “You do recognize me.”

“Elizabeth Crane,” Jamie asked, “youngest daughter of Lord Robert Crane, of the House of Lords?”

“The very same,” Liz acknowledged, accepting Jamie’s handshake.

“But what are you doing in the jungles of South America?”

Liz laughed at that. “That’s the same thing my father keeps asking. I suppose you could blame it all on my uncle; he’s my inspiration. My father has four other children to take over for him and I wanted to do something different with my life rather than attend society functions. My uncle, who is also the youngest of his siblings, first spent some time in the military and then moved on to the life of an adventurer. After I took my first trip with him, I was forever hooked on the life.”

“Then how did you become associated with Dave?”

“Her father hired me,” I answered. “He claimed that his daughter had been lost and he wanted me to find her. Well, it turned out that he was just trying to bring her home so she would fit his image of a proper daughter. I found her, but also found out the truth. She returned with me to his home, she confronted him, and I returned the advance fee he had paid me. She has always been there when I needed her.”

Liz put her arm around me in a friendly hug. “And one couldn’t ask for a better employer,” she said.

Arlen announced the next arrival. “Ms. Partridge, of the Mata Hari Institute for Culinary Excellence.”

We turned to see Ms. Partridge descending the stairs in a lovely pink gown. She approached and kissed me on the cheek.

“Mr. Dove,” she said, “this is such a lovely party.”

“Then you should thank our Moderators; they are the hosts,” I responded. “Ms. Partridge, this is Jamie. Jamie, Ms. Partridge from the M.H.I.C.E.”

“Ah, yes,” she said, taking his hand, “Ms. Pleater has spoken of you.”

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance,” Jamie responded. “My wife, Star,” he said, introducing his wife.

After the ladies made each other’s acquaintance, Ms. Partridge turned back to me. “How goes the research in South America?” I asked.

“Ms. Pleater is currently there with a small team,” she answered. “Unfortunately, it appears the plants you discovered the natives using don’t seem to retain their properties when they are away from the tepui for very long. When picked, they retain their freshness for about one day and then become inert.”

“Can’t you just transplant the plants elsewhere? Those plants would be a great boon to medicine,” Jamie asked.

“Indeed they would,” she responded, “but the plants are the same species as ones we already know. The best she could determine is that there is something about the environment of the tepui that triggers the healing qualities.”

I noticed a very uncomfortable woman across the room. “Please, excuse me ladies, Jamie,” I said and walked towards her.

Ms. Pombo stood alone near the bar, sipping on her drink.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“I’m not accustomed to this,” she replied. “I’m just a simple police woman. I shouldn’t be at a fancy party like this.”

“You’re looking at it all wrong,” I responded. “Of course you belong here; you are with me.” I examined her well-fitting dress. “And you look absolutely wonderful.”

“I know,” I continued, “you’re from Brazil. Would you like to Samba?”

Her face broke into a grin and she offered her hand. As I led her onto the dance floor, I signaled the band to play.

[davedove]

Commercial Break

A Private Home

We see an impeccably dressed, older man walking through his home.

“Hello,” he says. “I’m sure you all know me. My name is Hamish.”

The man walks into a closet, which is filled with kilts.

“And this is the famous Kollection,” he says, indicating the kilts.

“Like you, I want to keep my most cherished possessions safe, so that’s why I have had the Freelander 5000 Security System installed.”

He closes the vault door behind him and activates the switch on a small panel set into the wall. The label on the panel reads ‘Freelander 5000’ and we see the display change to ‘Active’.

The man walks away. From the shadows we see three masked men slip into view.

The first man attempts to break through the vault door. As his tools strike the door, electricity shoots through his body.

The second man attempts to disable the control panel on the wall. When he attempts to open the panel, the floor opens under him. We hear his screams as he falls.

The third man apparently decides that the security is too hard to penetrate and turns to escape. His foot crosses a beam of light and a metal box drops around him.

Hamish steps back into view. He is holding a small glass of spirits.

“The Freelander 5000,” he says and toasts the camera, “to keep your possessions safe.”