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locker_monsterTitle: The Boy Who Waited (24/49)
Rating: PG
Characters: Rory, with appearances from Barbara
Timeline: set between "The Pandorica Opens" and "The Big Bang"
Summary: London, 1996. Barbara Wright prepares the Pandorica for exhibit at the National Museum. As the work unfolds, she recounts the lengthy history of the stone box and its loyal protector, the Lone Centurion.
Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC. Everything else is me taking liberties with history.
A/N: A huge thank you to my beta
punch_kicker15. This story would still be sitting on my hard drive if it weren't for you.
“But the discovery of the gold emblem doesn’t conclusively prove that the Pandorica was in Japan. It could have been stolen.”
Barbara paused in her recounting of how the Lone Centurion’s badge of office from Kublai Khan had been discovered in a fishing village ten miles outside of Kagoshima. She had been trying to show that even small things from history could tell a tale, but Sarah Jane also had a point. Nothing was ever conclusive in history. They could only speculate based on the facts presented to them.
“Would this be a special about the Pandorica? Or is it part of a larger programme?”
Sarah Jane Smith didn’t even stumble. “A special. I’m sure Planet 3 can work something out with the museum, in terms of promotion.”
Advertising for the museum was always a plus. “Why don’t we discuss this in my office? I’d like to hear more about your take on the Pandorica.” Historians were academic by nature. Barbara wouldn’t have minded hearing a more informal view.
“Are you sure, ma’am?” asked the security guard. Dorothy also looked concerned for her well-being.
“I’ll be fine.” Barbara wasn’t sure what they thought would happen. That Sarah Jane would try to smother her under a pile of paperwork? The woman was shorter than her. “This way, Ms. Smith.” They began the walk back to the administrative wing, leaving Dorothy and the security guard to stare at each other in disbelief.
They were silent for only a moment or two. “Despite what I said, I do think the Pandorica was in Japan,” said Sarah Jane. “How else could a katana end up in Australia?”
“Well, there is the theory that the Portuguese discovered Australia before the Dutch and the Portuguese were known to trade with the Japanese.”
“But not until the 16th century. The katana that was discovered in the outback was carbon dated to the 14th century. Now we know the Pandorica was in Australia. Who’s to say that it didn’t reach the continent from Japan?”
“With help from some samurai?” wondered Barbara with a raised eyebrow.
* * *
Timor Sea, 1369 A.D.
“What is this land called again?”
It was ocean for as far as the eye could see and Rory could see pretty far. He looked away from the sparkling water and over at Kasumi. Her long black hair floated on the breeze, blowing the locks over her face. After six months of travel, he was getting to know her pretty well and a bad memory was not part of the many outstanding qualities she possessed. She was striking up a conversation just for the heck of it. What else was there to do anyway? With a good wind and a calm sea, the ship required hardly any attention.
“Australia. Or New South Wales.” Though, technically speaking, it wasn’t either of those. At this point in history, Australia was undiscovered; just a land whispered about between bold explorers.
“I still do not understand how you know it is there.” Kasumi gestured to the vast ocean before brushing her hair out of her face. She leaned on the ship’s railing and closed her eyes, facing into the wind so it hit her full on.
“I told you. I am magic.” Rory joked, of course, but he didn’t have much of a choice. Saying he was from the future would only confuse things further and he could only ask so much of Ichiro and the rōnin. They only had his word that there was a large continent south of Indonesia. He couldn’t shatter their trust, not now.
Kasumi shook her head, but she kept her eyes closed. She knew her way around the ship far better than the rōnin did. The Hikaru Maru was home for her and it showed. Out here, there weren’t rigid rules to follow.
Ship life seemed to liberating for all of them. Yamada and his fellow samurai lived peacefully, away from the disapproving glances. Rory had even seen Yamada crack a smile and what a strange sight that had been. He was glad they could relax, though. He knew what it felt like to be watched all the time, to have people whisper behind your back. There was only so much you could endure before it became too much.
“Tell me more about… Ah-stray-lee-uh.” Kasumi sounded out the syllables carefully, doing her best to repeat how Rory said it. She opened her eyes and looked over at him, waiting to see if she got it right.
He smiled. He had told her all he knew over the past several months, at least the stuff that didn’t give away that he was from the 21st century. He thought hard, trying to come up with more random facts, but the only thing he could come up with was the reason they were heading to Australia in the first place. Captain Cook and his crew. The first Englishmen to step foot on Australian soil. What better way to get home than to hitch a ride on a ship headed back to his homeland.
Too bad Rory couldn’t remember when Cook visited the continent.
“Did I tell you about the kangaroos? The animals that hop around on two legs? Or the koalas?” Kasumi nodded her head. “Boomerangs?” Another nod. “Uh... G’day mate?”
She frowned at him. “You are being silly now.”
“No, that is how the people greet each other. Or they will, at some point…” Rory trailed off. He wouldn’t have thought that one day he would be describing Australia to a Japanese woman on a boat somewhere off the coast of Indonesia. He needed to read more. “Cricket!”
Kasumi just stared at him.
“Cricket. The Ashes. They occasionally beat England…” Rory bit down on his tongue, to stop himself from saying anything else stupid.
“You are very strange.” Kasumi couldn’t hide her smile.
“Yeah, I hear that a lot.”
“Heavenly Warrior!” Yamada’s quick strides carried him across the desk. Someone else might have run to reach Rory, but not Yamada. “Come.”
Rory exchanged an intrigued glance with Kasumi, but she didn’t seem to know what was going on either. He followed Yamada to the front of the ship, where Ichiro stared off at the horizon. “There. Do you see it?” The captain pointed to something off in the distance.
It was barely visible, making Rory wonder how Ichiro could see it, but it was unmistakeable. It was land.
He had to wonder if this is what Captain Cook felt when he first laid eyes on Australia. An overwhelming sense of accomplishment swept over Rory followed by a fair amount of giddiness, too. History wouldn’t know it, but he would be the first European to set foot on this continent. He imagined visiting a new planet would feel like this, only more surreal. Amy had amazing stories about stepping out onto worlds made completely of crystal or visiting cities built amongst the clouds.
Absently, he reached back and patted the Pandorica. They were one step closer to getting home. Rory could practically taste the-
The Hikaru Maru suddenly lurched, causing everyone to stumble. A horrible grinding sound followed, though it only lasted for a few seconds. Then the ship was moving along again, like nothing had happened.
“What was that?” Rory asked, looking around at everyone.
They all tore their attention away from the approaching landmass and started running around the ship checking for damage. Rory wasn’t sure what they were looking for until Katō came running up the stairs from the hold, his long hair flying loose from his ponytail. His eyes were wide as saucers and, oddly, his feet were soaking wet. “We are taking on water!”
No other words could spur a crew on a ship into action like those ones did. Ichiro began shouting orders as he steered his ship towards the approaching cove. Everyone dove into their tasks with single-minded determination. If they could get to the harbour before they flooded too much, then they would be all right. Rory took a passing glance over the side of the ship as he hurried towards the hold and he stopped when he saw what had likely caused the leak.
Coral. He could see it below the surface of the water. This wasn’t the Great Barrier Reef, but there were still lots of coral and the Hikaru Maru was only wood.
Down in the hold, he found Yamada, Kasumi, and Katō trying to plug the crack in the hull of the ship. It was low down, near the waterline, and already a few inches of water covered the bottom of the hold. Rory looked around, trying to find something to wedge into the opening. Already a blanket and some rope were shoved into the gap. It had slowed the flow of water, but not stopped it.
Duct tape. If only they had duct tape.
Rory smashed one of the crates in the hold, finding spare tackle and some fishing rods inside. He gathered up the broken pieces of wood and ran over to join the others. He wedged the pieces around the blanket and the rope, plugging the gaps. Water still dribbled in, but they had more time now to reach the harbour.
“Can this be fixed?” he asked Kasumi, waving a hand at the damaged hull.
“Perhaps, if Father has the right materials on board.”
At least she hadn’t said no. They wandered back up to the deck and Rory saw that Ichiro had steered them into the cove. An empty beach with lush, green trees stretched out before them. It wasn’t the arid landscape he usually pictured whenever he thought of Australia, but it was a large country and the climate could easily differ from region to region.
Kasumi spoke hurriedly to her father, describing the damage to the hull. His frown deepened, but he didn’t look truly desperate. “Heavenly Warrior.” Ichiro gestured to him to come over. “We need to bring the Stone Puzzle Box ashore.”
“Why?” For a second, Rory thought he and the Pandorica were being dumped off the ship and left behind to fend for themselves. His right hand clenched into a fist as he felt the tension within him mount.
“To lighten the load of the ship. I need to raise the hull above the waterline if I want to repair the damage and I do not want to run the Hikaru Maru aground.”
“Oh.” He felt slightly bad now for assuming the worse. Rory forced himself to relax. “Let me find some rope.”
Rory felt the Hikaru Maru tip to one side as he slowly and carefully lowered the Pandorica to the shallow water below. Devoid of any means to raise the Pandorica up off the deck, he had resorted to pushing the box over the edge of the ship. The rope tied around it had ensured it didn’t plunge into the water and it was taking all of Rory’s strength to keep the rope from slipping uncontrollably through his hands.
Inch by inch, the Pandorica dropped down. Below, standing knee deep in the clear water and a good distance from the drop spot, Yamada indicated to Rory to keep going, like a foreman at a worksite.
“Wait!”
Rory grit his teeth and hauled back on the rope. He stopped the descent of the Pandorica, but his muscles strained to maintain the awkward position. “Ichiro?” He couldn’t even turn his head to look at the captain.
“The damage to the hull is above the waterline. Stay where you are and I will not have to get my feet wet.”
“Ha ha.” Rory could feel the rope slipping. Without gloves to protect his palms, the rough fibres were digging into his skin. Figuring the Pandorica was close enough to the ground, he let go of the rope and cried, “Look out below!”
A large plume of water splashed up, nearly missing Rory. The ship suddenly righted itself and everyone on deck stumbled about to keep their balance. Wiping his hands together, he looked back, smiling at Ichiro. The captain glared back, but he had offered no words to back up his hostile stare. “The repair work will go faster if you all go ashore. And take any heavy supplies with you. It will lighten the load even more.”
Leaving the rōnin to pack up the supplies, Rory picked up the length of the rope that still lay on the deck before stepping off the edge of the ship. He landed with a splash in the water, soaking his trousers, his cape, and his boots, but it felt nice to have solid ground beneath his feet again. Just standing there, he could still feel the rocking motion of the ship and it was slightly nauseating.
With the rope braced over his shoulder, Rory started the short walk to the shore. The Pandorica resisted as its bottom dug into the soft sand, but he hauled as hard as he could and slowly the box dragged forward.
Yamada fell into step next to him, his hakama completely drenched now, but the samurai didn’t seem to care. “I think it would be wise to stay close to the ship.”
Rory looked ahead. There wasn’t much beach to speak of. Just a strip of sand before the tree line. There wouldn’t be much space for them to spread out. “This is not much of a campsite. Why do we not scout ahead? See if we can find a clearing?”
Yamada thought this over briefly. “What if we need to leave in a hurry? If we are some distance from the ship-”
“Yamada, it is all right.” Rory tried not to chuckle. “This is a large country. If there were a habitation nearby, we would have seen it. There is nothing to worry about.”
Now this was a proper beach. There weren’t any palm trees or tropical flowers, but as an English boy, all Rory needed was warm weather, soft sand, and cool water lapping at his feet. Back in Rome, he had the warm weather but he never got to wander much of the coast; while on the Viking slaver ship he had seen plenty of the coast but the opportunities to wade around in the water had been nil; and in the Gobi desert they had been plenty of sand but it wasn’t the sort of place where you lounged. This really felt like the first time that he could truly appreciate his surroundings.
Seated on a washed up log, Rory sat with his legs stretched out before him, half immersed in the clear water. He had ditched his armour back at camp, to allow it to dry out, and he hadn’t bothered to put it back on when he had decided to take a walk down the beach. His trouser legs were rolled up past the knees after an impromptu paddle through the shallower water at the shore and he was half tempted to take a quick dip.
The half-moon overhead provided just enough light for him to see the landscape. The surface of the Timor Sea sparkled in the moonlight and it made it seem like there were stars caught in the water. The twinkle of stars in the night sky would have made this scene even more picturesque and it was moments like these that Rory lamented their absence.
He had always thought that he and Amy would go somewhere exotic for their honeymoon. Of course, with their wages, the best they could have done was probably some bed and breakfast out in the countryside. It made him wish even more that Amy could be with him enjoying all of this.
Something rustled in the brush behind him and Rory turned, automatically reaching for his sword. His hand only grasped air and he remembered that he had left his weapons back at camp as well. He was still convinced that there were nothing out here, but now he felt a little silly wandering off without his dagger at the very least.
He continued to listen and was reassured a few seconds later when he heard soft footsteps on the dry leaves blanketing the ground. Unless the kangaroos in this area had learned to make shoes, it was likely one of the rōnin or Ichiro or Kasumi. Rory only had to wait a moment more before Yamada’s imposing figure emerged from the tree line.
“You should be sleeping,” he said as the samurai made his way soundless across the sand.
“Like you, I do not need to sleep.” Yamada glanced down at the log Rory sat upon, as though debating whether it was worthy seat.
Rory chose not to argue the point. Sometimes, Yamada seemed almost superhuman. There had been many days on the Hikaru Maru where the samurai had worked straight through the day without a single complaint. Unstoppable. That summed up Yamada perfectly.
“Are you going to stand there all night?” Unlike Rory, Yamada was fully decked out with his katana at his hip and a bo staff slung across his back. Relaxing didn’t seem to be on the agenda.
“You should return to camp. I will patrol the area.”
“Have you always been this stubborn?” It was meant as a joke of course, but Yamada’s resolute expression didn’t even waver. It dawned on Rory that they hadn’t really talked during the voyage from Japan to Australia. What he knew about the man hadn’t changed much since they met. Samurai, masterless, good in a fight, very serious; it sounded like he was quoting Yamada’s CV.
“Ya-” Before Rory could finish, a crash sounded from the underbrush. In a flash, Yamada had his sword out and he disappeared into the trees.
Rory wanted to believe that it was just an animal, but experience told him that they were usually quieter than that. This had sounded like something was knocked down on purpose. He vaulted over the log and followed Yamada into the forest of eucalyptus trees. His feet were still wet and the sand and dead leaves clung to his soles, making him feel less than professional, but it wasn’t as if he was back in the Roman army and his uniform was being inspected for imperfections.
He pushed the false memory aside. Ahead of him, Yamada effortlessly weaved around the trees. The moonlight was diffused by the leaves of the trees and even Rory, with his excellent night vision, could barely avoid running into tree trunks.
The air was thick with the heady smell of eucalyptus. The scent had tossed Rory back to his childhood the first time he walked amongst the trees. It had reminded him of the days he had stayed home, too sick to go to school. His mum used to put eucalyptus oil in the humidifier to help ease his coughing. The smell didn’t do much to ease his tension now, though. Someone had been watching them. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so blasé about not running into any trouble.
The trees thinned out, giving way to a flat, dry landscape, and Rory caught his first glimpse of their quarry. Lo and behold, it was a man, probably one of the local Aboriginals. He couldn’t understand why the man was fleeing, though. The Indonesians had said they traded with the large island to the south. It wasn’t as if they were the first visitors to land here.
Unless they were being led away on purpose.
Moonlight flashed off of Yamada’s blade. Rory cried out, advising against the killing blow, but there was no need. Instead of hearing a honed edge slice through flesh, he heard a solid thunk and then a dull thud. The Aboriginal dropped out of sight.
Rory skidded to halt next to Yamada. The samurai held his katana in his left hand and the bo staff in the right and he stood over the unconscious Aboriginal like nothing had happened.
“He was watching us,” said Rory, kneeling down to check on the man. He had a steady pulse but already a nasty lump was forming on the back of his head. He would have a headache upon waking, but he would live.
“A staff blow. Nothing serious.”
Rory had to admit it was better than accidentally killing the man. “Do you think he was leading us away from camp?”
“If he is not alone, then yes.” Yamada brandished his weapons. “We must return to the others.”
Not wanting to leave the Aboriginal out here on his own, Rory picked him up and slung him over his shoulder. The man didn’t weigh much, he was lean from his lifestyle out in the bush, and he wore more paint on his dark skin than clothes. And Rory didn’t want to think it, but they would have a bargaining chip if it turned out something bad was going on back at camp.
They set off at a steady clip back to the clearing where they had dumped the supplies and set up the fire. Rory couldn’t hear any confusing shouting, so that was a good sign, but there was also the remote possibility that everyone was dead. He suppressed a shudder at the thought. Yamada didn’t seem worried, but he was more focused on assessing their surroundings as they ran. He constantly looked back and forth, considering every possible hiding place that the landscape provided. If some poor animal chose now to jump out of the brush, Rory pitied their poor timing. Yamada looked ready to slice or beat anything that moved.
They reached the clearing without any mishaps, but Yamada kept his weapons at the ready. In the dim light, Rory surveyed their camp site. The fire had died down to embers but nothing seemed to be out of place. The heavier supplies from the ship were piled haphazardly to one side of the clearing while on the other side-
Rory nearly dropped the unconscious Aboriginal.
The Pandorica was gone.
“Yamada!” He didn’t shout, but his voice rose in alarm and it was loud enough to wake some of the rōnin. Figures tucked in their bedrolls stirred, drowsily asking what was going on.
“I know,” said Yamada. He knelt down next to an empty bedroll. Rory thought it was his but he soon realized his error. There were two empty bedrolls.
He quickly spun in a circle, counting off those who were present, awake or still asleep. He came up with four rōnin and Ichiro. Kasumi was nowhere to be seen.
This time, he did drop the Aboriginal. He winced as the man hit the ground with a heavy thud, but he was already on the move and he didn’t turn back. Rory joined Yamada at Kasumi’s empty bedroll. The dirt around it showed numerous footprints. Most were Kasumi’s, hers were easy to distinguish since she wore sandals, but he spotted bare footprints as well. Nothing suggested that she had been taken in a struggle.
His gaze drifted to the spot where he had left the Pandorica. There were footprints around it as well and an obvious track led out of the clearing.
“Did no one hear anything?” Rory didn’t mean to shout, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t understand how a group of people could make off with a large stone box and kidnap a young woman without making enough noise to wake five men sleeping just a few feet away.
Ichiro had woken and blinked blearily at Rory. It only took the captain a second to realize that his daughter was gone. In an instant, he was awake. “Where is Kasumi?”
“I think she was taken,” Rory answered reluctantly. He was thankful for the shadows. Ichiro couldn’t see how shamed he was. If he had stayed near the camp, this whole thing might have been avoided. “The Pandorica is gone as well.”
Ichiro surged to his feet and he was suddenly right in front of Rory, like he had moved at superhuman speeds. His face was twisted with rage. “I do not care about your box! My daughter is missing!” The man raised his arm, his hand already clenched into a fist.
The blow never came. Yamada grabbed Ichiro by the arm, preventing him from taking a swing at Rory. “Be reasonable, Ichiro. Fighting will not help Kasumi.”
Ichiro tried to twist out of Yamada’s grasp, but the samurai was too strong for him. Despite the awkward position, Ichiro didn’t back down. “If my daughter is harmed in any way, I will kill you.”
Rory had no doubt that Ichiro would follow through on his threat. “I will find her and return her to you safely. I promise.” He wasn’t in the habit of breaking his promises.
The reassurance did little to soothe Ichiro’s temper. He tried again to pull free. Yamada spun him around and pushed him off into the opposite direction. As though summoned by a silent command, the other rōnin swooped in to look after the captain.
“Bring a torch,” Rory told Yamada. “We are going to follow the trail.”
Rating: PG
Characters: Rory, with appearances from Barbara
Timeline: set between "The Pandorica Opens" and "The Big Bang"
Summary: London, 1996. Barbara Wright prepares the Pandorica for exhibit at the National Museum. As the work unfolds, she recounts the lengthy history of the stone box and its loyal protector, the Lone Centurion.
Disclaimer: Doctor Who belongs to the BBC. Everything else is me taking liberties with history.
A/N: A huge thank you to my beta
punch_kicker15. This story would still be sitting on my hard drive if it weren't for you.1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49
“But the discovery of the gold emblem doesn’t conclusively prove that the Pandorica was in Japan. It could have been stolen.”
Barbara paused in her recounting of how the Lone Centurion’s badge of office from Kublai Khan had been discovered in a fishing village ten miles outside of Kagoshima. She had been trying to show that even small things from history could tell a tale, but Sarah Jane also had a point. Nothing was ever conclusive in history. They could only speculate based on the facts presented to them.
“Would this be a special about the Pandorica? Or is it part of a larger programme?”
Sarah Jane Smith didn’t even stumble. “A special. I’m sure Planet 3 can work something out with the museum, in terms of promotion.”
Advertising for the museum was always a plus. “Why don’t we discuss this in my office? I’d like to hear more about your take on the Pandorica.” Historians were academic by nature. Barbara wouldn’t have minded hearing a more informal view.
“Are you sure, ma’am?” asked the security guard. Dorothy also looked concerned for her well-being.
“I’ll be fine.” Barbara wasn’t sure what they thought would happen. That Sarah Jane would try to smother her under a pile of paperwork? The woman was shorter than her. “This way, Ms. Smith.” They began the walk back to the administrative wing, leaving Dorothy and the security guard to stare at each other in disbelief.
They were silent for only a moment or two. “Despite what I said, I do think the Pandorica was in Japan,” said Sarah Jane. “How else could a katana end up in Australia?”
“Well, there is the theory that the Portuguese discovered Australia before the Dutch and the Portuguese were known to trade with the Japanese.”
“But not until the 16th century. The katana that was discovered in the outback was carbon dated to the 14th century. Now we know the Pandorica was in Australia. Who’s to say that it didn’t reach the continent from Japan?”
“With help from some samurai?” wondered Barbara with a raised eyebrow.
* * *
Timor Sea, 1369 A.D.
“What is this land called again?”
It was ocean for as far as the eye could see and Rory could see pretty far. He looked away from the sparkling water and over at Kasumi. Her long black hair floated on the breeze, blowing the locks over her face. After six months of travel, he was getting to know her pretty well and a bad memory was not part of the many outstanding qualities she possessed. She was striking up a conversation just for the heck of it. What else was there to do anyway? With a good wind and a calm sea, the ship required hardly any attention.
“Australia. Or New South Wales.” Though, technically speaking, it wasn’t either of those. At this point in history, Australia was undiscovered; just a land whispered about between bold explorers.
“I still do not understand how you know it is there.” Kasumi gestured to the vast ocean before brushing her hair out of her face. She leaned on the ship’s railing and closed her eyes, facing into the wind so it hit her full on.
“I told you. I am magic.” Rory joked, of course, but he didn’t have much of a choice. Saying he was from the future would only confuse things further and he could only ask so much of Ichiro and the rōnin. They only had his word that there was a large continent south of Indonesia. He couldn’t shatter their trust, not now.
Kasumi shook her head, but she kept her eyes closed. She knew her way around the ship far better than the rōnin did. The Hikaru Maru was home for her and it showed. Out here, there weren’t rigid rules to follow.
Ship life seemed to liberating for all of them. Yamada and his fellow samurai lived peacefully, away from the disapproving glances. Rory had even seen Yamada crack a smile and what a strange sight that had been. He was glad they could relax, though. He knew what it felt like to be watched all the time, to have people whisper behind your back. There was only so much you could endure before it became too much.
“Tell me more about… Ah-stray-lee-uh.” Kasumi sounded out the syllables carefully, doing her best to repeat how Rory said it. She opened her eyes and looked over at him, waiting to see if she got it right.
He smiled. He had told her all he knew over the past several months, at least the stuff that didn’t give away that he was from the 21st century. He thought hard, trying to come up with more random facts, but the only thing he could come up with was the reason they were heading to Australia in the first place. Captain Cook and his crew. The first Englishmen to step foot on Australian soil. What better way to get home than to hitch a ride on a ship headed back to his homeland.
Too bad Rory couldn’t remember when Cook visited the continent.
“Did I tell you about the kangaroos? The animals that hop around on two legs? Or the koalas?” Kasumi nodded her head. “Boomerangs?” Another nod. “Uh... G’day mate?”
She frowned at him. “You are being silly now.”
“No, that is how the people greet each other. Or they will, at some point…” Rory trailed off. He wouldn’t have thought that one day he would be describing Australia to a Japanese woman on a boat somewhere off the coast of Indonesia. He needed to read more. “Cricket!”
Kasumi just stared at him.
“Cricket. The Ashes. They occasionally beat England…” Rory bit down on his tongue, to stop himself from saying anything else stupid.
“You are very strange.” Kasumi couldn’t hide her smile.
“Yeah, I hear that a lot.”
“Heavenly Warrior!” Yamada’s quick strides carried him across the desk. Someone else might have run to reach Rory, but not Yamada. “Come.”
Rory exchanged an intrigued glance with Kasumi, but she didn’t seem to know what was going on either. He followed Yamada to the front of the ship, where Ichiro stared off at the horizon. “There. Do you see it?” The captain pointed to something off in the distance.
It was barely visible, making Rory wonder how Ichiro could see it, but it was unmistakeable. It was land.
He had to wonder if this is what Captain Cook felt when he first laid eyes on Australia. An overwhelming sense of accomplishment swept over Rory followed by a fair amount of giddiness, too. History wouldn’t know it, but he would be the first European to set foot on this continent. He imagined visiting a new planet would feel like this, only more surreal. Amy had amazing stories about stepping out onto worlds made completely of crystal or visiting cities built amongst the clouds.
Absently, he reached back and patted the Pandorica. They were one step closer to getting home. Rory could practically taste the-
The Hikaru Maru suddenly lurched, causing everyone to stumble. A horrible grinding sound followed, though it only lasted for a few seconds. Then the ship was moving along again, like nothing had happened.
“What was that?” Rory asked, looking around at everyone.
They all tore their attention away from the approaching landmass and started running around the ship checking for damage. Rory wasn’t sure what they were looking for until Katō came running up the stairs from the hold, his long hair flying loose from his ponytail. His eyes were wide as saucers and, oddly, his feet were soaking wet. “We are taking on water!”
No other words could spur a crew on a ship into action like those ones did. Ichiro began shouting orders as he steered his ship towards the approaching cove. Everyone dove into their tasks with single-minded determination. If they could get to the harbour before they flooded too much, then they would be all right. Rory took a passing glance over the side of the ship as he hurried towards the hold and he stopped when he saw what had likely caused the leak.
Coral. He could see it below the surface of the water. This wasn’t the Great Barrier Reef, but there were still lots of coral and the Hikaru Maru was only wood.
Down in the hold, he found Yamada, Kasumi, and Katō trying to plug the crack in the hull of the ship. It was low down, near the waterline, and already a few inches of water covered the bottom of the hold. Rory looked around, trying to find something to wedge into the opening. Already a blanket and some rope were shoved into the gap. It had slowed the flow of water, but not stopped it.
Duct tape. If only they had duct tape.
Rory smashed one of the crates in the hold, finding spare tackle and some fishing rods inside. He gathered up the broken pieces of wood and ran over to join the others. He wedged the pieces around the blanket and the rope, plugging the gaps. Water still dribbled in, but they had more time now to reach the harbour.
“Can this be fixed?” he asked Kasumi, waving a hand at the damaged hull.
“Perhaps, if Father has the right materials on board.”
At least she hadn’t said no. They wandered back up to the deck and Rory saw that Ichiro had steered them into the cove. An empty beach with lush, green trees stretched out before them. It wasn’t the arid landscape he usually pictured whenever he thought of Australia, but it was a large country and the climate could easily differ from region to region.
Kasumi spoke hurriedly to her father, describing the damage to the hull. His frown deepened, but he didn’t look truly desperate. “Heavenly Warrior.” Ichiro gestured to him to come over. “We need to bring the Stone Puzzle Box ashore.”
“Why?” For a second, Rory thought he and the Pandorica were being dumped off the ship and left behind to fend for themselves. His right hand clenched into a fist as he felt the tension within him mount.
“To lighten the load of the ship. I need to raise the hull above the waterline if I want to repair the damage and I do not want to run the Hikaru Maru aground.”
“Oh.” He felt slightly bad now for assuming the worse. Rory forced himself to relax. “Let me find some rope.”
Rory felt the Hikaru Maru tip to one side as he slowly and carefully lowered the Pandorica to the shallow water below. Devoid of any means to raise the Pandorica up off the deck, he had resorted to pushing the box over the edge of the ship. The rope tied around it had ensured it didn’t plunge into the water and it was taking all of Rory’s strength to keep the rope from slipping uncontrollably through his hands.
Inch by inch, the Pandorica dropped down. Below, standing knee deep in the clear water and a good distance from the drop spot, Yamada indicated to Rory to keep going, like a foreman at a worksite.
“Wait!”
Rory grit his teeth and hauled back on the rope. He stopped the descent of the Pandorica, but his muscles strained to maintain the awkward position. “Ichiro?” He couldn’t even turn his head to look at the captain.
“The damage to the hull is above the waterline. Stay where you are and I will not have to get my feet wet.”
“Ha ha.” Rory could feel the rope slipping. Without gloves to protect his palms, the rough fibres were digging into his skin. Figuring the Pandorica was close enough to the ground, he let go of the rope and cried, “Look out below!”
A large plume of water splashed up, nearly missing Rory. The ship suddenly righted itself and everyone on deck stumbled about to keep their balance. Wiping his hands together, he looked back, smiling at Ichiro. The captain glared back, but he had offered no words to back up his hostile stare. “The repair work will go faster if you all go ashore. And take any heavy supplies with you. It will lighten the load even more.”
Leaving the rōnin to pack up the supplies, Rory picked up the length of the rope that still lay on the deck before stepping off the edge of the ship. He landed with a splash in the water, soaking his trousers, his cape, and his boots, but it felt nice to have solid ground beneath his feet again. Just standing there, he could still feel the rocking motion of the ship and it was slightly nauseating.
With the rope braced over his shoulder, Rory started the short walk to the shore. The Pandorica resisted as its bottom dug into the soft sand, but he hauled as hard as he could and slowly the box dragged forward.
Yamada fell into step next to him, his hakama completely drenched now, but the samurai didn’t seem to care. “I think it would be wise to stay close to the ship.”
Rory looked ahead. There wasn’t much beach to speak of. Just a strip of sand before the tree line. There wouldn’t be much space for them to spread out. “This is not much of a campsite. Why do we not scout ahead? See if we can find a clearing?”
Yamada thought this over briefly. “What if we need to leave in a hurry? If we are some distance from the ship-”
“Yamada, it is all right.” Rory tried not to chuckle. “This is a large country. If there were a habitation nearby, we would have seen it. There is nothing to worry about.”
Now this was a proper beach. There weren’t any palm trees or tropical flowers, but as an English boy, all Rory needed was warm weather, soft sand, and cool water lapping at his feet. Back in Rome, he had the warm weather but he never got to wander much of the coast; while on the Viking slaver ship he had seen plenty of the coast but the opportunities to wade around in the water had been nil; and in the Gobi desert they had been plenty of sand but it wasn’t the sort of place where you lounged. This really felt like the first time that he could truly appreciate his surroundings.
Seated on a washed up log, Rory sat with his legs stretched out before him, half immersed in the clear water. He had ditched his armour back at camp, to allow it to dry out, and he hadn’t bothered to put it back on when he had decided to take a walk down the beach. His trouser legs were rolled up past the knees after an impromptu paddle through the shallower water at the shore and he was half tempted to take a quick dip.
The half-moon overhead provided just enough light for him to see the landscape. The surface of the Timor Sea sparkled in the moonlight and it made it seem like there were stars caught in the water. The twinkle of stars in the night sky would have made this scene even more picturesque and it was moments like these that Rory lamented their absence.
He had always thought that he and Amy would go somewhere exotic for their honeymoon. Of course, with their wages, the best they could have done was probably some bed and breakfast out in the countryside. It made him wish even more that Amy could be with him enjoying all of this.
Something rustled in the brush behind him and Rory turned, automatically reaching for his sword. His hand only grasped air and he remembered that he had left his weapons back at camp as well. He was still convinced that there were nothing out here, but now he felt a little silly wandering off without his dagger at the very least.
He continued to listen and was reassured a few seconds later when he heard soft footsteps on the dry leaves blanketing the ground. Unless the kangaroos in this area had learned to make shoes, it was likely one of the rōnin or Ichiro or Kasumi. Rory only had to wait a moment more before Yamada’s imposing figure emerged from the tree line.
“You should be sleeping,” he said as the samurai made his way soundless across the sand.
“Like you, I do not need to sleep.” Yamada glanced down at the log Rory sat upon, as though debating whether it was worthy seat.
Rory chose not to argue the point. Sometimes, Yamada seemed almost superhuman. There had been many days on the Hikaru Maru where the samurai had worked straight through the day without a single complaint. Unstoppable. That summed up Yamada perfectly.
“Are you going to stand there all night?” Unlike Rory, Yamada was fully decked out with his katana at his hip and a bo staff slung across his back. Relaxing didn’t seem to be on the agenda.
“You should return to camp. I will patrol the area.”
“Have you always been this stubborn?” It was meant as a joke of course, but Yamada’s resolute expression didn’t even waver. It dawned on Rory that they hadn’t really talked during the voyage from Japan to Australia. What he knew about the man hadn’t changed much since they met. Samurai, masterless, good in a fight, very serious; it sounded like he was quoting Yamada’s CV.
“Ya-” Before Rory could finish, a crash sounded from the underbrush. In a flash, Yamada had his sword out and he disappeared into the trees.
Rory wanted to believe that it was just an animal, but experience told him that they were usually quieter than that. This had sounded like something was knocked down on purpose. He vaulted over the log and followed Yamada into the forest of eucalyptus trees. His feet were still wet and the sand and dead leaves clung to his soles, making him feel less than professional, but it wasn’t as if he was back in the Roman army and his uniform was being inspected for imperfections.
He pushed the false memory aside. Ahead of him, Yamada effortlessly weaved around the trees. The moonlight was diffused by the leaves of the trees and even Rory, with his excellent night vision, could barely avoid running into tree trunks.
The air was thick with the heady smell of eucalyptus. The scent had tossed Rory back to his childhood the first time he walked amongst the trees. It had reminded him of the days he had stayed home, too sick to go to school. His mum used to put eucalyptus oil in the humidifier to help ease his coughing. The smell didn’t do much to ease his tension now, though. Someone had been watching them. Maybe he shouldn’t have been so blasé about not running into any trouble.
The trees thinned out, giving way to a flat, dry landscape, and Rory caught his first glimpse of their quarry. Lo and behold, it was a man, probably one of the local Aboriginals. He couldn’t understand why the man was fleeing, though. The Indonesians had said they traded with the large island to the south. It wasn’t as if they were the first visitors to land here.
Unless they were being led away on purpose.
Moonlight flashed off of Yamada’s blade. Rory cried out, advising against the killing blow, but there was no need. Instead of hearing a honed edge slice through flesh, he heard a solid thunk and then a dull thud. The Aboriginal dropped out of sight.
Rory skidded to halt next to Yamada. The samurai held his katana in his left hand and the bo staff in the right and he stood over the unconscious Aboriginal like nothing had happened.
“He was watching us,” said Rory, kneeling down to check on the man. He had a steady pulse but already a nasty lump was forming on the back of his head. He would have a headache upon waking, but he would live.
“A staff blow. Nothing serious.”
Rory had to admit it was better than accidentally killing the man. “Do you think he was leading us away from camp?”
“If he is not alone, then yes.” Yamada brandished his weapons. “We must return to the others.”
Not wanting to leave the Aboriginal out here on his own, Rory picked him up and slung him over his shoulder. The man didn’t weigh much, he was lean from his lifestyle out in the bush, and he wore more paint on his dark skin than clothes. And Rory didn’t want to think it, but they would have a bargaining chip if it turned out something bad was going on back at camp.
They set off at a steady clip back to the clearing where they had dumped the supplies and set up the fire. Rory couldn’t hear any confusing shouting, so that was a good sign, but there was also the remote possibility that everyone was dead. He suppressed a shudder at the thought. Yamada didn’t seem worried, but he was more focused on assessing their surroundings as they ran. He constantly looked back and forth, considering every possible hiding place that the landscape provided. If some poor animal chose now to jump out of the brush, Rory pitied their poor timing. Yamada looked ready to slice or beat anything that moved.
They reached the clearing without any mishaps, but Yamada kept his weapons at the ready. In the dim light, Rory surveyed their camp site. The fire had died down to embers but nothing seemed to be out of place. The heavier supplies from the ship were piled haphazardly to one side of the clearing while on the other side-
Rory nearly dropped the unconscious Aboriginal.
The Pandorica was gone.
“Yamada!” He didn’t shout, but his voice rose in alarm and it was loud enough to wake some of the rōnin. Figures tucked in their bedrolls stirred, drowsily asking what was going on.
“I know,” said Yamada. He knelt down next to an empty bedroll. Rory thought it was his but he soon realized his error. There were two empty bedrolls.
He quickly spun in a circle, counting off those who were present, awake or still asleep. He came up with four rōnin and Ichiro. Kasumi was nowhere to be seen.
This time, he did drop the Aboriginal. He winced as the man hit the ground with a heavy thud, but he was already on the move and he didn’t turn back. Rory joined Yamada at Kasumi’s empty bedroll. The dirt around it showed numerous footprints. Most were Kasumi’s, hers were easy to distinguish since she wore sandals, but he spotted bare footprints as well. Nothing suggested that she had been taken in a struggle.
His gaze drifted to the spot where he had left the Pandorica. There were footprints around it as well and an obvious track led out of the clearing.
“Did no one hear anything?” Rory didn’t mean to shout, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t understand how a group of people could make off with a large stone box and kidnap a young woman without making enough noise to wake five men sleeping just a few feet away.
Ichiro had woken and blinked blearily at Rory. It only took the captain a second to realize that his daughter was gone. In an instant, he was awake. “Where is Kasumi?”
“I think she was taken,” Rory answered reluctantly. He was thankful for the shadows. Ichiro couldn’t see how shamed he was. If he had stayed near the camp, this whole thing might have been avoided. “The Pandorica is gone as well.”
Ichiro surged to his feet and he was suddenly right in front of Rory, like he had moved at superhuman speeds. His face was twisted with rage. “I do not care about your box! My daughter is missing!” The man raised his arm, his hand already clenched into a fist.
The blow never came. Yamada grabbed Ichiro by the arm, preventing him from taking a swing at Rory. “Be reasonable, Ichiro. Fighting will not help Kasumi.”
Ichiro tried to twist out of Yamada’s grasp, but the samurai was too strong for him. Despite the awkward position, Ichiro didn’t back down. “If my daughter is harmed in any way, I will kill you.”
Rory had no doubt that Ichiro would follow through on his threat. “I will find her and return her to you safely. I promise.” He wasn’t in the habit of breaking his promises.
The reassurance did little to soothe Ichiro’s temper. He tried again to pull free. Yamada spun him around and pushed him off into the opposite direction. As though summoned by a silent command, the other rōnin swooped in to look after the captain.
“Bring a torch,” Rory told Yamada. “We are going to follow the trail.”
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Date: 2013-07-06 10:40 pm (UTC)*HUGS*
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Date: 2013-07-09 02:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-09 02:46 am (UTC)