Target Practice

Back in the desert, Renat walked outside of his workshop tent to survey the work being done. In the passing weeks those who were too weak, old, or otherwise unqualified to fight had been sent to him to help with his inventions.

Many people were working to make the tinted orange glasses to fight against the Merpearl. However there was ample labor, and Renat had found some other inventions that might be helpful in battle.

Getting some of the materials had been tricky, but humanity was known for their creativity. Just now Renat was observing the last piece of a massive weapon being lowered into place. It was a delicate maneuver, but the scientist had made a system of pulleys to help.

"Careful! Slowly now." Renat told his assistants.

"Yes sir!" They answered as they worked the woven ropes.

Being called 'sir' was a compromise the boy had made when he took on the extra help. Renat did not feel like he was worthy of the honorable title, but it caught on quickly, and even those not under his charge had taken to calling him 'sir' in public.

'The hazards of being with the princess, I suppose. No one knows exactly what to do with me,' he thought as he the eyed the closing gap between the two pieces of wood. 'Not sure what to do with myself either.'

"Hold it!" Renat called, which caused the men to pull until the ropes creaked to a halt. The scientist noticed an imperfection on where the wooden joints would meet.

Pulling out a piece of rough cloth that had sand embedded in it, the boy rubbed at the receiving piece of wood until the offending splinter was gone. "It might not have made a difference," Renat mumbled to himself. "But we are better safe than sorry."

"Carry on!" He ordered. The ropes strained and came to life as the curved wooden arm lowered onto the wheeled frame. It was a perfect fit.

"Good work, sir!" one of the workers called. "Your measurements were perfect."

Renat was quite pleased as well. He ran his finger across where the two joints met to make sure that they were tight. "Fasten these together. I do not want any surprises when we try it out."

"What is it?" A sweet voice behind him asked. The sound of it brought a warm feeling inside of his chest.

"My latest creation," he said turning around with a big smile plastered on his face. "Isn't she amazing?"

"So she is who I should be jealous of?" Mairwen joked with a pout. "And here I thought one of your female helpers might have captured your attention."

Renat's face puckered. "Do not even joke about such things! Nothing could ever replace you in my affections."

The scientist pulled the girl around the side of his tented workshop and kissed her when no one was looking.

"Do not ever doubt my love," he said in hushed tones. Renat's warm words tousled a loose tuft of the Princess's silky hair as he pulled her into his embrace. He slid back her head covering, revealing her dark, shiny locks. 'Perfection,' he thought. "I will love you until the day I die," he assured her. "Do you hear me?"

"Yes sir," Mairwen agreed. Her voice was playful, and he could feel her silent giggle as she snuggled into his chest.

"Not you too! Maybe I should change my name to Sir. It would be less embarrassing." Renat released the girl and rubbed his forehead.

She found his reluctance adorable. "What would you have me call you?"

"You may call me Renat, my love, or any pet name you like…" the boy leaned in to kiss the princess again.

"How about I call you sand-wolf meat?" Devrim broke in. "Because that is what you will be if I see you kiss my daughter."

The couple turned to see the Emperor, Generals, Orhan, and other military leaders. Renat backed away from the girl quickly, eager not to become the desert creature's next snack. The boy did not really think the grey-eyed man would follow through with his threat since he was a generous leader. However, where his daughter was concerned, he was anything but rational. It was better to just obey. Turning white as milk after being discovered with his arms around the princess, the scientist bowed humbly before her father.

"Greetings, Your Majesty," Renat answered. "Of course you may call me what ever you like."

Devrim grunted. Despite Renat's obvious flaw of trying to kiss the man's daughter, the Emperor had come to respect the young man's skill. His management of labor had been surprisingly competent as well. In short, Devrim knew he could do far worse in a future son-in-law than the lanky boy in front of him, but he would keep that conclusion to himself.

"I will just call you Scientist for now," the Emperor concluded decisively. Both men were relieved to have the matter settled.

Mairwen hid her smile. She looked behind the Emperor to see that the two generals and Orhan also seemed amused. Junayd opened his mouth to make a joke, but sensing the move Nurlan elbowed the other soldier. The Jokester had just been reinstated to guard the Emperor, there was no reason to play with his life just now.

"Very good, Your Majesty." Renat stood straight as the color returned to his face. "To what do I owe this honorable visit?" Indicating the men with the Emperor, the scientist raised his eyebrows expectantly.

Devrim held out his arm toward the tent and beyond. "We have come to check your progress. Care to show us what you have been up to....other than the obvious," he could not help but add with a knowing glance between the couple.

"Father!" Mairwen hid her face in her hands and looked away.

"I can show you both what I was up to just now and the progress on the weapons, Your Majesty," Renat answered defiantly. When Mairwen's comfort was concerned, the boy was like a like a tiger ready to pounce. Not even her father had the right to embarrass her when he was around.

Devrim looked hard at the boy. "Just the weapons, Scientist, if you don't mind."

The group left the tent behind and returned to the large wooden structure that the couple had left a short time ago. A long beam that touched the ground on one end and was aimed at the sky on the other was placed across a wheeled frame. Down the length of the beam a groove was carved. two large curved branches were firmly being attached to either side, and nearby women were weaving a long, thick rope.

"A large crossbow?" the Emperor asked as he watched the assistants nailing and reinforcing the frame.

"It is a ballista, yes. The gnomes are dangerous even from far away, so we should be too. I am only sad we cannot build more of them. With large, sharp arrows, we can stop our enemy before they reach us.

Devrim picked up one of the large shafts with a metal arrowhead that had been placed to one side. The large metal head was sharp and bigger than his fist. That explained all the hubbub at the makeshift forge the other day. Rumors were spreading that they were preparing to shoot giants. He hoped the rumors were wrong.

"When will we be able to see it in action?" The Emperor asked.

Renat turned to the women. "Is the rope ready?"

"The first one is, sir, but we are making a second just in case." A woman answered from the group.

The scientist nodded his appreciation. "We need to wheel it out of the settlement and attach the rope, but we should be ready in a few hours."

Devrim pushed up his sleeves and directed those behind him. "Where do you need us?" He asked the boy.

"You are going to help?" Renat stuttered. Somehow his picture of the Emperor did not include doing heavy labor.

"I am more than just a pretty face," Devrim joked. His pushed up sleeves revealed his toned muscles. "Now let's move this ballista."

—————————

It took a couple hours even with the extra help, but the ballista was finally ready. It would have taken far longer without the additional manpower. Once it was complete, a leftover target from the Fate's dilemma was placed a long way off.

Maneuvering the two wheels of the platform, Renat aimed the weapon toward the target before loading the formidable projectile into the groove. With help, he slid the rope back until the two wooden arms of the ballista creaked in protest. The rope attached to a long metal hook, ready to release at the pull of a lever.

"Ready?" Renat conferred with his helpers.

"Ready, sir!" Each replied in turn.

"Will you do the honors, Your Majesty?" The scientist stepped back from the mechanical lever and offered it to the Emperor.

Devrim took hold of it with both hands and pulled firmly. The tension released and the rope slung the long wooden shaft across the desert toward the target. It lodged in a dune, sending sprays of sand high into the air.

"It missed," Renat lamented. "That cannot stand." He began to make adjustments while mumbling to himself.

"I do not know what the boy is so worried about. His invention will take out a swath of the enemy even if it is not exact," Junayd whispered to Nurlan.

"Leave the boy alone. I would prefer it be deadly and accurate if given the choice." Nurlan said as the lethal bolt was dug out of the sand and retrieved.

It took many more tries, but at last the aim was exact. The bolt rent the target in two, and the sand that filled it spilled in every direction. The men all gave a great hurrah, and Mairwen wrapped her arms around Renat as she kissed him on the cheek.

"Quite a show, Scientist," Devrim said as he nodded in approval. "I would not want to be on the receiving end of a shot like that. Your ballista will be very formidable in action very soon."

The last words were not lost on Renat. "You mean?"

Devrim nodded. "Yes, our vacation in the desert has come to and end. It is time for war."