In the fire

Posted on Wed Oct 16th, 2024 @ 12:34am by Captain Mira Rodale & Commander Kevin Lance & Lieutenant Commander Awal Kronnelti & Lieutenant Betaras K'ner

Mission: Deep freeze
Location: Matrix
Timeline: Lost

{Faereyjar, 1100 AD}

As soon as the pain eased, Mira got into position to shoot. How many blasted troops had snuck up on them? For as long as she could remember, everyone honored the winter storms. They stayed at home, had families, then worked the grounds, hunt for meat, and fished the waters.

The egg had to have been part of all of this, but who would be so stupid as to mess with a dragon. Now that it was out of its territory, they would never be safe.


{ the wilds outside the village }

K'ner could hear Kotsoo and Nod returning, so the Jarl must be eminent. The Klingon roars certainly signified that Awal had made it back.

She signaled two of her team, four if you counted their wolf companions, around the far side. She would push from there and let Awal and Kevn pinch up the attackers on the front side. She guessed with this mass, there had to be something else going on, and she intended to nip that in the bud.

( inside the walls )

After letting out his battle cry, Awal started hacking the invaders one by one until he saw an opening to the inside.

Once inside he saw Mira just behind the wall, he ran then slid to her side. Mira are you ok? he asked Kevin and the oathmen are just behind me and should be here soon.

"Oh brother, the baby is coming. I don't think I can stop it anymore. " Mira shook her head.

He picks her up and takes her down the stairs into the courtyard. Pointing to one of the men to get her inside to Dianna & Zimia, I'll cover you as he takes his bow out and starts letting arrows fly to their intended targets.

As he is backing up Awal takes a few arrows in the legs and chest.

{ outside }

Roadie and Peke methodically worked thru the small band trying to sneak along the water. Each was surprised, but only for a moment. Peke weren't sure, but this much loss could trigger a change in the sim... or maybe they'd just reboot those lost in the battle...

K'ner got their signal on the failed phalanx in that direction. As satisfied as she was with that, this mass push had some goal... maybe they hadn't planned properly for the winter and decided to take someone else's resources. She'd seen some pretty petty actions thus far in all the renditions of their worlds.

The push was segmented. Tactically it just wasn't sound, so whomever was in charge hadn't quite planned that all out very well, and executed it even more poorly. That was where she was looking to find, and she should find it likely holding back here somewhere.

Just as she was going over the areas they'd already covered, she noticed a short ridge with a few figures that weren't engaged, just observing. Bingo!

She signaled the others in range to circle that spot. She didn't want anyone connected with this debacle to escape to cause any more mischief in the future. When the others were in place, she rose and stepped closer.

She could feel Hróðvitnir near and moved towards the nearest two fur-clad semi-warriors that were either just an honor guard with no real skills, or untalented thugs. In any case, they went down quickly and K'ner stepped closer to the little cluster beyond.

Someone was urgently calling for defense, then offense, then closing up around their Jarl, then some laughter as the delusional Jarl assumed his invulnerability. K'ner wasn't sure how this person had lasted so long in this society but that time was at an end.

As the tight group turned with vulgar gestures and words in kind, K'ner raised her arm, then dropped it as arrows streaked in, halving the throng, then the Valkyries and wolves appeared from the mists to render the remaining incapable of any further threat. Save one...

He was spitting how they couldn't do this, he would see them in hell, they should bow before him. K'ner quickly tired of the tirade and delivered a sharp blow to bring quiet to the small ridge. She stripped him down to his skivvies, secured the prisoner with lines and headed for the main gate as the Jarl KeVn arrived with his now-bloody warriors. They had encountered their own resistance while returning.

K'ner kept her team to the side, but dropped the human bundle on the ground for him to collect and deal with as he saw fit. Deena had just opened the gate and run out as the Jarl's group arrived.

K'ner left them to deal with the village proper and conferred with Deena. She signaled Kotsoo to start triage with her while the rest paired up to work the perimeter for stragglers.

{Inside the great hall}

Vaytoc and Ro'gara had dragged Mira in one of the rooms just outside of the great hall. Mira refused to have the baby there with everyone watching.
Ro'gara started to leave her.

"Get back here. You're helping me deliver this, baby!" Mira told her furiously

Ro'gara, "But my lady, I was going to look for a healer or Deanna. She at least has had a baby before."

"No, she is guarding the children. Help me with my leather. blast it thier going to be difficult to clean now." Mira mumbled as she struggled to get out of her clothes and into a robe. She screamed as the pain got worse.

Ro'gara jumped. "I need to get help."

"No!" Mira yelled.

Ro'gara wrestled with her own need to do something (else), and her mistress' command. The door opening was a welcome distraction, she was hoping the Jarl had returned.

The alien face that came through was definitely not what she had in mind, nor of the village, not to mention the blood on the creature's clothing, the presence of weapons (sheathed) turned Ro'gara's attention hard as she started to draw hers in their defense.

K'ner stepped close, very close, as Ro'gara finally reacted. She probably didn't realize how long she'd stood, obviously sussing out multiple things at once of great import, but K'ner read her reaction as she reached for her weapon. K'ner gripped the warrior's hand to her weapon, trapping the other as well as each struggled to gain an advantage over the other.

Nonplussed, K'ner looked around the room, assessing.

"Ah, captain my captain. I knew I recognized that scream and the commanding voice... And I see no dead bodies strewn about the room so I applaud your self-control. What mischief have you coupled yourself to this day?"

Her tone was light and even, but she was alert, as well as grappling with a warrior striving to break free. "Calm yourself Ro'gara. I am the lady's physician. The village has maintained its freedom and we have more urgent matters to attend to here."

"The dead bodies strewn about are outside of our walls." Mira told her, then arched her back as another wave of pain hit her. "Baby" was all she could get out trying to deal with the pain. "Now," it almost sounded like a whimper to her. It really ticked her off that the child hadn't just come. She had a feeling that it was payback for not letting her come when she had wanted to. If that was the case, then this one was going to be a handful. With her luck, it would be the girl Kevin had said they were having with her red/brown hair to show she had a temper.
Ashla, that's what KeVin had said he wanted to name a girl.

Ro'gara frowned. "If ye be a physician, then help her."

As Mira's guard cautiously relaxed, K'ner released her as well. "Clean water and clean wraps... towels... and let the Jarl know his progeny is imminent."

K'ner laid her things beside the bed as she watched the Captain's discomfort. She started a conversation as she examined the CO.

"I did see your handiwork outside. I am glad your child had the patience to wait for things to abate. I expected to see Zimia... she is with Kolar?"

Mira had seen the woman in the village a few times so she nodded, "They are in the root cellar," Mira told her, breathing in carefully and steady as she waited for the next wave of pain to start.

Vaytoc purred from the corner of the room. He knew who had come in the room.

K'ner smiled at the furball, knowing the vibes would say much more than anything verbal.

"The Village is safe?" Mira asked, worried she had failed her people, but with Awal back, she had to handle the birth of her child.

K'ner nodded as she felt Mira's stomach.

{Main gate}

The sun cresting the distant mountains when Kevin and his two remaining oathmen entered the village. They were weary from the long night and having to avoid the retreating soldiers. But the greeting of the watch renewed Kevin's energy.

"Well met my Jarl," the guard shouted, "Lady Mira has given birth!"

Kevin jumped off the horse he shared and sprinted through the village to the Great Hall. He burst into the quarters he shared with Mira without waiting for Ro'gara to open the door.

"How is Mira?" he demanded, "How is the baby?"

Mira smiled as her little daughter was placed into her arms. K'ner helped her clean her. Sure enough, she had red hair. slightly lighter than her own. She had her father's eyes and her spots. She was beautiful. Kolar had seen sent for and sitting beside her, holding little Ashla's hand when the door opened and KeVin entered.

"Our daughter is beautiful, husband." she told him with a tired smile.

Kevin strode across the room to kneel at the bedside. He kissed Mira gently and took their daughter into his arms. "She is beautiful," he agreed, "Ashla, my little princess."

He had been worried about the birth. Mira was so slight and medical sciences so primitive he had feared for her well-being in this last month but he should have known better. She was made of sterner staff.

K'ner nodded at Ro'gara as she quietly left the room. The worst was over, at least from a medical point of view. She wanted to make some rounds of the wounded and just as quietly make her exit. She wanted to start backtracking this force and see what else might be brewing.

As K'ner was leaving Awal walked in ( arrows removed ) seeing Kevin and Mira with their newborn Awal stopped in a sigh of relief.

Then he walked out and sat at the door.

OFF:

Lt Betaras K'ner
Hazard Team Combat Medic TL-B / CMO
USS Chuck Norris

and

Commander Kevin Lance
Executive Officer
USS Chuck

And

Captain Mira Rodale
CO USS Chuck Norris

&

Lieutenant Commander Awal Kronnelti
Chief of security and tactical
USS Chuck Norris