Missions of the Retrieval Team - Land of the Kilts

[davedove]

Scene 30

The Guyana Highlands

As the woman and I followed the hunter into the jungle, I heard the alarm being raised in the camp behind us. I glanced back and saw several guards running in our direction.

I continued farther into the jungle, pulling the woman with me. Ahead, the hunter gestured frantically for us to follow.

The hunter stopped next to a clump of small trees and again gestured.

“Manna Konnal, eesway!”

The woman and I ran into the shady patch he had indicated and someone immediately knocked us to the ground and clamped their hands over our mouths. At the same time, the hunter pulled a small vine and a net of leaves fell over us, concealing us from our pursuers.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw that is was Ms. Crane and Ms. Stork who had pulled us down. Ms. Stork had grabbed the woman who had fled with me and was whispering to her to keep her quiet. Ms. Crane released her hold on me when I relaxed. I saw the young girl we had rescued hidden with us, her eyes wide with fear. The young hunter also lay hidden with us, completely silent.

As we hid, we heard the guards run by our position, unable to find us.

After several minutes without hearing the guards, Ms. Crane carefully peeked out from under the leaves. “Clear,” she whispered to us.

As we crawled out from under the camouflage, I spoke to my associates. “Thank you, where are the others?”

“Unknown,” Ms. Crane answered. “We circled around to join up with them and they were gone. I found where they had been and there were many extra tracks from men and some strange animal tracks from a large creature I couldn’t identify.”

“Couldn’t identify?” I asked.

“Well, that’s not exactly accurate. I know what they looked like.”

“And what was that?”

“They looked from all appearances to be rabbit tracks, but bigger than any rabbit I’ve ever seen. From the size of the tracks, they would have been the size of horses.”

Just then, the hunter gently tugged on my shirt. “Manna Konnal, oowell?”

Ms. Stork turned to him. “Es Pivat, eeswell,” she answered.

“You speak his language?” I asked.

“Of course I do,” she answered. “So do you.”

“What do you mean? It’s no language I know.”

“Ah, but you do,” she insisted. “He’s speaking English.”

[Livingston]

Not again!

[davedove]

Scene 31

The Guyana Highlands

“What do you mean? That doesn’t sound like any English I’ve ever heard.” I replied.

Ms. Stork laughed a bit at this. “No, it doesn’t. But consider this, a remote tribe of natives suddenly encounters a small group of English speaking men. In order to communicate with these men, the natives quickly learned a broken form of their language. But after these men left, the natives could no longer refine their English and the broken form was passed down through several generations to the present day.”

“Several generations, so you’re saying that this man’s tribe encountered the MacGregor expedition?”

“That’s what I’m saying. For further proof, did you notice what he is wearing?”

“Yes, I did. It looks something like a kilt, but many cultures around the world develop kilt-like garments. It does appear that the coloring is similar to the Black Watch tartan though.”

“Exactly, it’s as if whoever made the garment was trying to mimic the pattern.”

Something dawned on me then. “Wait a minute, what he called me, Manna Konnal?”

“Yes, Manna Konnal or Man of the Colonel, because of your light complexion he probably assumed you were from the same people as Colonel MacGregor. When you think about it, he’s right. You are of the same general racial stock as the Colonel.”

Apparently, the hunter was trying to follow our conversation, but didn’t understand our words.

“Mes Stork?” he asked. “Hees Manna Konnal?”

She turned back to the hunter. “Es Pivat.” She pointed to me. “Hees Mayja.”

The man’s eyes widened in recognition and he quickly snapped to a position of attention. His right hand flew up to his brow is an imitation of the typical British salute. Not sure what else to do, I returned his salute. The man’s face broke out into a wide grin.

I turned back to Ms. Stork. “I think I’m beginning to understand now. His name is Pivat, or Private, and you just called me Major. Why Major?”

She smiled at me. “It seems that his tribe is based on a military model, hence his name of Private. This is obviously the influence of MacGregor and his unit. From what I have been able to determine in my short time with the Private, they hold the Colonel in an almost godlike reverence. I needed to show you as an authority figure, but I couldn’t give you a rank of Colonel, so you’re a Major.”

“Todd’s going to love this,”

“Yes, I imagine he will.”

“Sir?” I heard from behind me. I turned to see the woman I had rescued from the guards. She was sitting with the girl that had been rescued along with Ms. Stork.

“Yes?” I answered, “and the name is Mr. Dove, or you can call me Dave.”

The woman rose and stepped over to me. “And my name is Marta Pombo.” Her accent placed her as Brazilian. “Mr. Dove, I want to thank you for getting me out of there and especially for rescuing Emily. You saved her from something I would rather not talk about. But I have to ask, what are we going to do now? We’re in the middle of the jungle with no supplies and no way to get out.”

I thought about her question for a moment. “Well, Marta,” I replied. “We are going to take what we need from the slavers and rescue all the slaves in the process. I have people among the slaves and I mean to get them out of here.”

“But how?” she asked. “We have only got a few weapons among us. You have been wounded. Three of us are weak from our capture and to the best of my knowledge, Emily has never even held a weapon, let alone joined in an attack.”

I passed my hand over my wounded arm. She was right; my arm was nearly useless right now.

“You ask good questions,” I said, “but I don’t plan on doing this with just those of us here. We brought friends with us into the jungle; we just need to find them.”

I looked over at the hunter, who grinned at me.

“And,” I continued, “I think we may have found some allies.”

[Jock Scot]

Better watch out, Mr.Livingston, those sharp pointy things are going to be flying about, big style, before long.For me?I think a large Gin and Tonic, before the action starts.Can't find any ice in this wretched jungle.

[Livingston]

Better watch out, Mr.Livingston, those sharp pointy things are going to be flying about, big style, before long.For me?I think a large Gin and Tonic, before the action starts.Can't find any ice in this wretched jungle.

I have LARGE flask of Oban with me. For medicianl purposes of course.

[Jock Scot]

I have LARGE flask of Oban with me. For medicianl purposes of course.

Oh of course!And my medicine, quinine, is in the tonic water.

[davedove]

Commercial Break

A library

We see a woman and two men moving among the shelves selecting books. One of the men stretches up to select a book from a high shelf. We see him wince in pain and then reach down to rub his leg. The other man notices and walks over to him.

“What is it Greg?” the tall bearded man asks.

The first man keeps rubbing his leg as he answers. “Dave, it’s that wound from the Yucatan incident. It still hurts when it’s raining out and I pull on it too much.”

The woman overhears and approaches. “Greg,” she says, “I couldn’t help overhearing. I have something that should help.” She reaches into her bag and pulls out a small tube. She hands the tube to the first man. “Here, try this.”

The man takes the tube and reads it. “I.C.E. Balm?” he asks.

“Yes,” says the woman. “I.C.E. Balm is the latest product from the laboratories of the I.C.E. It contains several rare herbs that help ease the pain in injured and overused muscles. Give it a try.”

Scene changes to a dining room

We see the bearded man and the woman sitting at the table talking as the other man approaches and sits down to join them.

“How’s the leg?” the bearded man asks.

“Just great Dave,” he answers. He then turns to the woman. “That I.C.E. Balm you gave me really did the trick. It’s been raining all day and my leg hasn’t bothered me a bit.”

“Glad I could help,” the woman answers. “And be sure to try I.C.E. Balm on all your aches and pains.”

[Standard]

[U][SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]“Glad I could help,” the woman answers. “And be sure to try I.C.E. Balm on all your aches and pains.”

Boy I wish I had some of this stuff today. It sure would help these old bones.

So Major when do we get to continue on our adventure? I feel that the natives are getting restless to get moving again. ith:

[Jock Scot]

Boy I wish I had some of this stuff today. It sure would help these old bones.

So Major when do we get to continue on our adventure? I feel that the natives are getting restless to get moving again. ith:

Hold on a tad! I can't rush my G & T, you know!

[Livingston]

Boy I wish I had some of this stuff today. It sure would help these old bones.

So Major when do we get to continue on our adventure? I feel that the natives are getting restless to get moving again. ith:

Hold on a tad! I can't rush my G & T, you know!

Easy there. Single malt is to be sipped, not gulped. Jock and I haven't finished our drinks yet and if you rush us..... well, you just can't tell what will happen.