The New Era Chapter 20

IN THE FIRST YEAR OF THE NEW ERA
Hans boarded the ship. It had been only yesterday that Bakes had suggested he go on this mission, and Hans was still questioning its value. Hans could see everyone else was already on board, Kyoko, Pericula, Drusus, Kile, and to Hans' surprise, Livius and Lauto.
"What are you two doing here?"
Livius smiled. "Oh come on Hans, I wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world."
"Opportunity?"
"Hans, I've been studying history and current events on Fabulae all my life, but I've never actually had a chance to interact with the nations I've been studying. We Watchers never leave the city."
Hans laughed. "You mean we never used to. One thousand Watchers were just recalled from exile outside of the city."
"Well, yes I guess you're right. Under normal circumstances we don't leave the city. Think of the opportunity here Hans."
Hans nodded his head slowly as he thought about it. "I guess you're right. I never thought of it that way before, this is an extraordinary opportunity." Hans turned to Lauto. "I guess that's why your here too?"
Lauto nodded. "I couldn't pass this up."
"It's a pity more people couldn't come on this. I'm sure someone else would enjoy this more then me, maybe I should give them my seat."
Livius' hand gently halted Hans as he was rising from his seat. "Not a good idea Hans. This isn't a public transport, we're here under the excuse of performing a mission, albeit a small one."
Hans sat back down. "You're right again. Oh well, I guess I might as well have some fun."


Pericula smiled triumphantly as she laid down her card. Kile stared at his hand for a little while, before putting forth one of his cards.
"I don't think you want to do that," Hans advised. "This card would be a much better choice given the circumstances."
Kile shook his head in despair. "I'll never get this game."
"It's okay," Kyoko reassured. "Roku is a hard game to learn. It took Hans almost two months."
"It only took me one, and that was because you were such a lousy teacher."
"I'm feeling like it will take me two months. I just have no clue what we're doing."
"No problem, we can play a couple more games open hand," Kyoko decided.
"Hold on Kyoko," Hans said as he laid down his card. "Lets not get ahead of ourselves. We're not even finished with this game yet."
Kyoko laid down the remainder of her hand. "We are now. Read them and weep. Your turn to deal Hans."
Hans gathered up all the cards. "Sometimes, I just don't believe your luck." As Hans began to shuffle, he turned his attention to the front of the ship. Lauto was piloting the ship, Livius was reading a book, and Drusus was looking out the window spell bound. "Hey Drusus, are we missing any scenery?"
"You bet, I've never seen anything like this in my life."
Livius glanced up from his book. "Just clouds Hans, you're not missing a thing. I'll tell you when the scenery comes into view."
Hans stopped shuffling. "Hey Livius, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You sound a little-"
"I said I'm fine Hans!"
Livius' tone of voice left little room for negotiation. Kyoko broke the awkward silence quickly. "Hans, will you hurry up and deal? We might be able to get another game in if we hurry." Hans started dealing, and then it happened.
The ship abruptly jerked forward, throwing most of its passengers back. The ship then began spinning wildly. Hans was thrown against a wall, and found himself pinned to the wall because the ship was moving so fast. What happened next, happened to fast for Hans to comprehend, but he was thrown all over the ship before it finally came to a crash on the ground below. Hans ended up in the front of the ship, feeling squashed between a chair and a wall.
Hans got to his feet slowly. The other passengers were doing the same thing. "What happened?" he asked.
Livius was next to Hans. "I don't know. Where's Lauto, she was piloting the ship when we crashed."
Hans turned, looking around for Lauto. He didn't see her. "Her she is," Kyoko said. "She's unconscious, and hurt."
Pericula walked over. She looked at Lauto, and saw several bad cuts on her. On one cut in her arm, Pericula could see all the way to Lauto's bone. "Yeah, she's hurt pretty bad."
"Great," Livius said, "I guess it's back to the city to get another medicine ball."
"Are you crazy?" Pericula asked. "After what happened to Kile do you think I would ever leave the city without a medicine ball again?" Pericula went over to a compartment, and removed a medicine ball. "Here it is."
The ball was placed near Lauto. As it hummed it healed all her wounds. Lauto regained conscious. As she slowly opened her eyes and looked around her, she asked, "what happened?"
"We crashed, and you were hurt." Pericula answered. "Anyone else need to use the medicine ball?"
"I do," Hans said, raising his hand.
"Hans be serious," Kyoko reprimanded him. "This is no time to-" Kyoko suddenly stopped as Hans stepped into the light. "You are hurt. Your head, it's bleeding, quite badly."
Hans nodded. "Just hand me the medicine ball and I'll be fine." Pericula threw it to him, and soon it was humming as it healed Hans.
"Do you have any idea what happened?" Livius asked Lauto.
"No, one minute I was piloting the ship, the next thing I know everyone's standing over me and I'm lying on the ground."
"Well, perhaps the computers can tell us what happened." Livius went over to the controls on the ship, and pressed several buttons. He waited for a while, and then repunched the buttons. "What is going on?" he asked.
Pericula came over. "What's wrong?"
Livius shook his head. "I don't know, but the computers not responding."
"Executor, why aren't the computers working?" asked Pericula. There was no answer. She tried asking again, and received the same result.
Hans was astounded. "What happened to us? What could be powerful to wipe out all of the ships computers?"
"I don't know, but I'm glad I brought this," Pericula said, going back to the same compartment she had the medicine ball in. She took out a computer pad.
"You really came prepared," Hans said. "I don't know what we would have done with out you."
Pericula didn't respond, instead her face bent into a look of confusion as she repeatedly punched the same buttons. "This doesn't work either," she said.
"So whatever hit us, not only wiped out the ships computers, but all the computers inside," Livius concluded.
"Not so fast, remember the medicine ball still works and it's run by a computer," Kyoko pointed out.
Livius went to a compartment in the back of the ship and removed two laser guns. "What are those for?" Hans asked.
"Oh, you know Hans just in case something goes wrong these are good to have with you for protection. Lets see if they still work." Livius opened one of the windows, and aimed both laser guns outside. He pulled the trigger on both, but neither fired. "These don't work either," he said, throwing them to the ground.
"This makes no sense," Hans said. "How come the medicine ball is the only thing that works? It was in the same compartment as the computer pad."
"I guess we'll have to wait and find out when we get back to the city," Pericula said. "A rescue ship is probably on its way right now, so we'll just have to sit tight until it arrives." Pericula tried to push one of the doors open, but she could not. Everyone rushed to her assistance, and eventually the door gave way. As it opened slowly, Pericula stepped out onto the ground. "The rescue ship should be here in fifteen minutes, tops."


"Another game?" Kyoko asked.
"Sure, why not," Hans said. "There's nothing better to do. How long has it been?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. Now that the computers died, we have no way to tell time, but it must have been at least eight hours."
Hans sighed. "What I wouldn't give to know what's going on at the city?"
"Well, whatever it is I think we've waited long enough," Livius said. "We need to act as if we knew for sure they won't get here for at least a week, because whatever's holding them up might not go away to soon."
Pericula set her cards down on the ground and got up. "Good idea, what did you have in mind?"
"Well, we're going to need to get food, water and firewood. We should also find some way of protection. It's a dangerous world out here, a gang of robbers could attack us any minute. Somehow, we should find a way of arming ourselves. Last, but not least we should find out where we are. I know the political situation of nearly every nation on Fabulae. We could have landed in the middle of a war torn country, like Marram, in which case we should be on the look out for soldiers. We could have landed in a country whose government is unquestionably brutal, like Fera, in which case we should be careful to avoid the police. We could have landed in a land of great poverty, like Peredez, in which case we should look out for robbers."
"So how do you propose we do all of these things?" Hans asked.
"We should pair off and go exploring. We take anything that looks useful, and find out everything we can. We should meet back here in roughly two hours. Hans and Kyoko should be one pair, Kile and Drusus another, I'll go with Lauto, and Pericula, why don't you stay behind to guard the ship."
The plan was generally affirmed by everyone and carried out.


"I hope this is the last hill," Livius remarked as he and Lauto struggled upwards.
A brief silence followed before Lauto asked, "Livius, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"What?"
"Do you think the reason Bakes hasn't sent a rescue ship yet is because he's waiting for us to Kill Hans and Kyoko?"
"The thought has occurred to me."
"Then what are we waiting for? Lets finish them off."
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea."
"Why not," Lauto said, a mocking tone in her voice. "Can't bring yourself to kill Hans."
"Well I admit I have several misgivings about killing off not only a fellow Watcher, but one of the team as well, that's not the reason I advise caution. To start out with, the laser guns are ineffective. If we're going to kill them, we'll have to do it with our bare hands, or the weapons of the time. That isn't going to be easy."
"Of course it will. We can just kill them in their sleep."
"Maybe, but suppose the reason Bakes hasn't sent out a ship to rescue us isn't because Hans and Kyoko are still alive."
"What other reason could there be?"
"Who knows what's going on at the city right now. If we're going to survive out here, we're going to have to work together. I have a feeling the others won't be to coroperative with us after we kill Hans and Kyoko."
"Livius, you're being a fool. The only answer to this problem is that Bakes is waiting for us to perform our task. With or without your help, I'm going to kill them."