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Rose has graciously agreed to let me help her write on the story! Hope you guys enjoy.

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Chapter 5 -- The Arrival

It felt as though she was puking her guts out, only without the porcelain god in front of her to catch the spill.

Chrissy had never felt so horribly miserable in her life. She didnt know whether she was really retching, or if it was the effect of the portal that made her feel as though her body was being spewed inside out. Truly, she didnt care. She just wanted the ride to stop. Now.

She still felt the sensation of movement, being sucked through a wind tunnel, as well. She opened her eyes, but was dazzled by the purple and white Technicolor light show. She closed her eyes again, and felt sorry for the Riddick clones for whom this brilliance must be causing intense stress and pain. She felt sorry for herself, too. But there was nothing she could do but ride it out and retch.

Finally, after an immeasurable time, she felt her booted feet touch solid earth. She would have knelt down to kiss it, except her knees buckled beneath her and she tumbled forward heavily. She lay still, liking the feel of the grass and the earth beneath her, and she would have stayed there a while longer except for the pair of hands that touched her shoulder.

Chris? You ok? It was Taylor. She recognized his voice. Her hair obscured her face, preventing her from seeing her surroundings clearly, but she was too weak to push it away from her eyes.

She grunted in response.

What kind of fucked up shit was that? Taylor said softly, and Chrissy got the impression from the softness in his tone that the question was rhetorical. She couldnt answer him yet anyway.

Ok, lets get a head count, ppl! Chrissy heard Plasmo talking. She was only a few feet away, but it seemed as though from a great distance. How did the others find it so easy to recover from such a dreadful experience?

Im ok, Rose said from the left. But it doesnt look like Chrissys doing too well.

No shit, Chrissy thought to herself.

I think Dom didnt take it too well, either, DD said.

Suddenly, Chrissy felt Taylors arms reaching around her to support her shoulders and the back of her knees just before he lifted her from the ground. He turned to face the others, and Chrissy saw then that Sues Taylor and Dias Richard had Dom between them, his arms draped around their shoulders.

Fuck, Plasmo said, her hands landing on her hips in an expression of disgust. This is definitely going to slow us down.

We need to get moving. Chris could be anywhere, Rose said firmly. Sick or not, lets get on the road and find the nearest village.

Not. So. Fast, ok, Rose? Plasmo said, giving Rose a warning look. Before we do anything, were going to assess our position, and try some damage control.

Rose clamped her jaw stubbornly, but didnt argue.

Unroll some of the bedding from your pack, Dia said to Megs Rick. She had already found her medical supplies and was opening the rolled-up satchel. You too, she told Meg. Lets get those two on the ground and see if that helps steady them. Ill give them some analgesic and something to soothe their stomachs. Given them fifteen minutes or so, and then lets see where they are.

Good, Plasmo said. Sue, you and Meg take that fifteen minutes to do a little scouting up that hill to the southeast. According to the maps, if were where were supposed to be, thats where well find the nearest town. See if you can find a main road or something to travel in the meantime.

Seeing DD hover over Dom worriedly, Rose felt a lump knot in her stomach. I cant just sit here, Rose said impatiently. Ill go instead of Meg.

Im sending the trackers because they are better at stealth, Rose, Plasmo said quietly.

Dia looked up from where she knelt to perform her examinations, and raised one eyebrow. Plasmo sighed. Blowing out a breath, Rose turned away from the group to collect herself.

After a moment, Plasmo said, You and Ill head out in a 90 degree angle to the south from here. Well give Sue and Meg a five minutes head start, though, just in case theres something closer than we think. Plasmo nodded at Meg and Sue, who returned her nod and headed out together quietly

Plasmo walked over to Rose and began to talk to her quietly so that the others couldnt hear.

Chrissys attention was drawn from the plans being made when Dia pulled out a syringe from her satchel. Wait a minute, Chrissy said thickly. Whats that for? You already gave me the tablets

Thats for you, Dia said with a turn of her lips. She gave Chrissy the injection before any objection could be made. Just something to pick you up a little faster. An adrenalin boost.

Are you sure thats wise with my nausea? Chrissy asked doubtfully. She felt the rush almost immediately, however, and she had to admit it helped her weakness if not her equilibrium.

Well find out, Dia said with a smirk that let Chrissy know she was teasing her.

Great. Chrissy said, and let her head fall back on the coarse wool blanket to rest.


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Valar raised his head from where he was pouring over the scroll hed used to send his wife and the other KAG into the past. With a sinking feeling, he realized his brother had been more right than Valar had given him credit for previously.

Ularan!! He yelled, running to the open sliding door of the entertainment room. The twins were a little too young to play with Persias younger children, but it was enjoyable for all of them to socialize as a group. So Valar had brought his studies here to be with his family as he worked. Persia and Ularan were outside watching Persias older children play some sort of game on the soft green lawn.

Ularan!!! he yelled again from the doorway, and his friend looked back. Valars face obviously told of his consternation, so Ularan jogged over to where he stood.

You were right, Valar said urgently. But not in the way either of us think.

What do you mean?

The movement of the earth does mean the calculations have changed. But it hasnt affected where they will arrive. It has affected where they must RETURN, Valar said.

The elves looked at each other, each sensing the others sinking feeling.

An hour later, the elves had rounded up the KAG who happened to be at the compound in the war room. MM, JacktheRed, Crash, Playa, Blaze, and Shags each listened to the problem as they sat around the large table. They each also wore the same expression of stunned disbelief.

They will have to have the spell read at the place where they are in order to travel the time. Its the spatial quantity that has been affected, Valar explained.

Do you know where were supposed to read the spell? Shags asked sharply.

As they were sent to Spain, it will be in Spain, Ularan answered.

Ok, so how are we supposed to know where in the hell to read the spell? Playa asked. When the rest of them turned to stare at her, she shrugged and said, Like you havent heard me say hell, she griped.

Its a good point, MM said. The room was silent for a few moments as each thought over the problem.

But its the Inquisition, right? Jack said, obviously leading to a point. The others nodded encouragement to continue. What are the odds that our crowd is going to be completely unnoticeable?

Crash snorted. Not much, probably.

Right, Jack continued, growing excited. And what if they were caught, and escaped, or what if they were noticed being so different? There might be some kind of historical record!

Shags shook her head, not catching the enthusiasm. Youre assuming, first, that they were noticed. And assuming, also that they were captured. And finally assuming that someone made a record of it. Thats a pretty flimsy hope.

It is better than none, Ularan said with resolve. Valar nodded once in agreement.

In any case, Id be surprised if wed find that kind of thing on the Internet, Playa said. Ive done enough research with Plasmo to think thats the kind of thing youd find in an archived manuscript collection. They might have some of them scanned online, but I doubt theyd have all of them online.

Ok, fine, MM spread her hands on the table in front of her. So since wed need to read the spell in Spain anyway, I propose we put together a research group. Laura, Jack, Playa, myself, and the elves. With all of us working, we can hit more collections at a time. What do you think?

I think were going to need to buy a lot of Spanish dictionaries, Jack quipped in return.

Then its a plan, MM said with finality.

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Plasmo and Rose were walking quietly through a spread of recently fallen leaves in a sparse copse of trees. On the other side there was a plain of meadow that seemed likely to hold a road, so theyd chose this direction to investigate.

Plasmo had been mulling over what she had to say for several minutes, and finally turned to Rose. Rose, I have to

Dont say it, Rose interrupted. Sarcastically she added, God forbid I question your authority in front of the troops.

Plasmo was taken aback, and she looked at Rose as though shed grown a second, evil head. What the fuck are you talking about?

Rose tilted her head at Plasmo, Youre saying it wasnt awkward back there when I interrupted your plans?

What was awkward was the way you were and are acting totally unlike the Rose we know! Plasmo retorted. Your acting---

Before she could continue, Rose grabbed her arm painfully. What? Plasmo protested in irritation.

Look over there, Rose pointed.

Plasmo followed Roses outstretched finger to see a scuffle happening about a hundred yards away from them. There looked to be three or four men falling together upon a smaller figure who had fallen to the ground. Great, said Plasmo ironically.

Thieves, Rose said.

Who you gonna call? Plasmo added. The pair of them drew their short swords.

That would be us, Rose answered tersely.

They ran down the softly inclined embankment, keeping their peripheral vision open for strays they hadnt seen earlier, and approached the beating occurring before them from opposite directions.

Hey there, guys, Rose said to the man in front of her. Can we play? Before he could answer, Rose reached up and used the pummel of her sword to bash the bearded man in the face as he turned to see who was behind her.

The large, sweaty man in front of Plasmo looked up and cried out in protest when he saw Rose punch his friend, however before he could react, Plasmo had kicked him in the back of his knee. The blow forced him to kneel on the ground, and Plasmo followed Roses example to deliver the handle of her sword to the side of the mans head. He fell over in an unconscious heap.

The third man was thin and his face was pocked, probably from smallpox. He was distracted from the blows he was delivering with a thick quarterstaff to the bundle of rags on the ground when his friends were pulled aside. Unfortunately for Plasmo, she was the first he attacked. As she struck his friend to the ground, the pocked-face man hit her in the chest with the blunt of his staff. She fell backwards onto her ass in the dusty road.

Seeing Plasmo fall back, Rose cried out in such an angry, bloodthirsty manner that even Plasmo was impressed. Looking up from her seat on the road, Plasmo smiled up to see Rose deliver a powerful roundhouse kick squarely between the pock-mans shoulders. Go on, Rose, Plasmo said.

The large and sweaty man was beginning to regain consciousness, which brought Plasmo back to her feet. She walked over to stand beside the man, who was starting to rise, and grabbed him by the back of his collar to forcibly help him to his feet. The mans eyes widened when he looked into her face. He had a good eight inches of height and at least sixty pounds on Plasmo, but her strength was the least of his shock. It had never occurred to him that his attacker had been a woman. In an instant, his shock turned to humiliated fury. He said something in Spanish that Plasmo was sure wasnt very complimentary.

Rose was showing her opponent the results of her latest interest in kickboxing, landing blow after blow with her feet until the man finally crashed backwards. He fell away from Rose, and towards Plasmo and the man whose shirt she still clutched. Plasmo saw the falling enemy coming, and let go of her opponent even as the large man was about to raise his fist to her. She stepped back neatly as both men fell to the ground by the force of the thin mans weight.

Plasmo sheathed her short sword, reached down, and picked up the quarterstaff that had belonged to the thin man. I was wanting one of these, she said cheerfully. Thanks!

Rose was helping the victim of the attack rise. Are you ok? She asked, already beginning to look for broken bones.

Plasmo looked around, the third guy had already taken off. He wasnt in sight. She looked down at the two men who were still stunned, and said, You guys need to choose your enemies more carefully.

Plasmo, Rose said warningly. En Espaol, por favor?

Oh yeah. Plasmo quirked her mouth. Run along now. Unless you want this to get messy. The men looked at her blankly, except for their blatant hostility. On-gle-ay, Plasmo said with an exaggeratedly bad accent. The men didnt move. Oh, hell. Whatever.

Plasmo twirled the staff with some of the practice shed gotten from Valars training with the weapon, and then gestured at the men with meaning. They reluctantly rose to their feet, but not fast enough for Plasmo. She lunged at the larger man, fully intending to land a blow, but both men ran off before it could connect. Neither looked back.

Well, that was fun, Plasmo said dryly. What have we got here?

This boy doesnt speak much English, Rose said. Well have to get his story from Dia.

Plasmo looked the boy over. He was obviously about twelve or thirteen, possibly younger. And he looked like he hadnt bathed in all of those years. His dark brown eyes met hers beseechingly, and he held out his hand to her. Plasmo frowned and looked up at Rose. Rose shrugged.



Plasmo reached out her hand to the boy, and found hed given her a small scrap of parchment paper. Curious, she opened it. Don Diego Hernando Francisco di Pace.

Both women looked at the boy for explanation. He waited patiently for their response.

Well, lets see if my high school Spanish helps, Plasmo said. Quien es?

The boy nodded and said something so rapidly in Spanish that Plasmo couldnt understand word one. Rose shook her head. She hadnt understood him either.

Well, I doubt that its him. He doesnt look like hes in a educated class, or wealthy enough to hire someone educated enough to write. Rose observed.

True. Hes probably this persons servant, Plasmo agreed. In any case, the group is going to be missing us by now. We should head back.

Rose agreed, and they started walking back up the hill toward their arrival point. They turned when the boy started shouting, Seoras! Seoras! When he had their attention, he started gesturing that they should follow the road with him.

Plasmo held up his piece of paper, still in her hand, and motioned for him to follow them. Vamanos! She said, hoping it would mean something to him and that he would come along. He would at least be safe with them until they reached the next town.

When the boy saw that he was not going to change the destinations of the two strange women, and seeing that the one lady in black leather still held his paper, he scrambled to follow along behind them.