The Blackhorse Cavalry

Belinda smiled and answered, "It has been a few years since I have had the time to ride a horse, but my preference is still a quarter horse. They are fast agile, and reliable - and not as prone to disease or defect as the thoroughbreds. But the only horses in the regiment are in a special detachment that is kept for ceremonial purposes. The horses are all black, of course - by tradition, our regiment is the "Blackhorse regiment."

Astra asked, "So how do you scout the enemy?"

Belinda waxed enthusiastic, "Very well. In fact, we serve as the opposing army in many training exercises. With the first squadron, we have a lot of tanks, of course. We use the standard Abrams model."

The doctor broke in. "As a matter of fact, I would like to know a little about the latest features myself. Roberta, could you get on the Internet and print up a photograph of a tank?"

Astra sat and nodded as the doctor and Belinda talked about these marvellous machines that apparently had replaced the horse. They had a shell of some sort of metal that was heavier than iron, called depleted uranium. "Depleted" sounded like it was weaker than normal uranium, but the doctor assured her that was not the case - there was a slightly lighter metal that had been extracted from the normal uranium by some means, as the lighter metal was used in an even more powerful weapon. Roberta came back with a drawing on a piece of paper. The artist was most exacting in his drawing, but the detail were that of fantasy. It looked like a creature with a very long nose, and a body that looked like a big urn or pot. The two legs of the creature were at its sides, and it moved forward on big belts which went around these legs, sort of like the wheel of a chariot, but these wheels were much bigger, and were oblong instead of round.

Astra also understood that four warriors could fit inside the 'tank', and fire large iron shells at the enemy. In Astra's mind, what Belinda's warriors were riding in was a very mobile and very well protected siege engine - a much more powerful version of the catapult that she was familiar with from the accounts of siege warfare in far-off places in the Havnheim. This confirmed to her that she was in a land where the wizards had done a lot of work, and had released marvels that she could never imagine.

Astra had a desire to ask Belinda if it would be possible to see one of these marvellous siege engines, but she decided it was best for her not to ask for the time being. This was indeed a wizard-haunted world. She consoled herself with the thought that while the magicians may have run wild, it was unlikely that the nature of people had changed much. And as she was apparently was a leader, it would be best for her, while this strange time lasted, to regain her authority. Leaders that had lost their reputation generally did not fare well, even in a relatively forgiving place like Aqualaria. A discredited leader might be place under house arrest and have her movements confined under the watchful eye of a relative. If a leader did something truly disgraceful, she might be whipped in public as an example, and exiled to a particularly bleak place. But she also knew of less civilized kingdoms where a failed leader would be blinded, have his hands cut off, left to rot in a tiny cell, or even be killed.

She shivered at this thought. Although this odd land seemed to have wonderous engines of war and peace, their customs might those of the tiny cell and mutilation. Even if this land were a benevolent one, if she did not start acting like the leader they expected, she could soon find herself with little freedom.

While she wanted to confide in Belinda, she feared that she might say something that would confirm her unsuitability, and that Belinda might be the agent who would determine whether she would remain free or not. If this family of Thessamars was anything like the one that she was raised with, they would be especially sensitive to their public reputation.

Brenda and the doctor talked about army life for nearly twenty minutes, and both Roberta and Astra nodded and said little. Finally, Astra broke in to change the subject.

"Belinda, last night, I now remember something that I did not mention before. I was very scared. A couple of men were holding something. [79027] I do not know what it was, but it seemed to be something very dangerous. The picture of your tank reminded me of what they were carrying. Does anyone have something I can use to draw it?"

Astra was not an artist, but sketching was a liberal art that was part of an Aqualarian noble's education, and she was able to produce a good likeness of the gun that the two men were carrying.

Belinda said, "You don't know what that is?"

Astra shook her head. She felt as if she had failed an important test.

Belinda said, "Well, Astra, even though something has happened to you, your intuition is still good. That is what is known as a revolver. It can fire six rounds, and at close range, they could have killed you with it. I would like to know how you got into that situation, but if there were two men with revolvers, there was not much you could have done."

The doctor said, "Belinda, I am sure that a weekend pass from the army can be arranged for you. I would like you and Fred to go back to Piedmont, and have Astra spend a weekend on the Thessamar homestead. Maybe ride some of those quarter horses. It might jog some more memories for Astra."

Belinda asked, "Why do we need to bring Fred along?"

The doctor said, "Lietentant, let us talk about this privately."

Astra was uninformed, but she was not naive. She detected that she was on thin ice as far as keeping her position was concerned. She spoke up before Belinda could, "Sir, I think that is a good idea. But wouldn't it be good to have you or Roberta there as well? I know that I have duties to fulfill, and cannot do them. I do not like that. I will ask that one of you accompany me, Belinda, and Fred to Piedmont."

Belinda controlled herself as an officer and a lady should, but she was as bewildered as Astra. She loved her sister, and now felt strongly that she had been coerced into her embarrassing actions. She wanted to get Astra's chief of staff, or faiing that, Fred, into a room and tell them in words of one syllable that they needed to find out who had done this to her, and if they were not going to do it, she would launch the inquiry herself. She knew some people in intelligence, and her family also knew the owners of the newspapers and television station in Piedmont. Astra's political friends would learn that hell had no fury like a Thessemar ridiculed and ignored.

The doctor, on the other hand, was heartened that Astra had asserted herself and asked that he or Roberta come along. She was making decisions, despite her mind being crippled through some powerful delusion. If her personality was intact, then she might have the will to get past whatever delusions that she had. He would have to talk with the lieutentant alone. He was aware that the Thessamars were a proud family, and that there was some disapproval with Astra getting herself 'dirty' with politics. The doctor knew that they blamed Fred for this, although Astra had always let it be known that she was the one making the decisions. With her success, the friction seemed to recede over time. But with the events of the last forty-eight hours, there was the potential for it to return. Fortunately for him, as he was not involved with the political side of things, it was likely that Belinda would at least listen to him.

1. The doctor and lieutenant leave the room, to discuss the matter privately.
2. There is a knock on the door. It is Frank Maia, who said, "We are on a bridge call with Ralph Rutland. Doctor, can you come down?"

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