086 – Of Aristocratic Elves And Bourgeois Elves

The boy had disappeared, while Master Mundrl and Steven’s escort were sorting through his clothes. They put his underwear aside, discarded his worn socks into a separate pile, and were going over his BDU trousers. They looked at the setup with the pockets and storm flaps pulling a bandanna from a pocket, jabbering to each other in their tongue. Then the escort turned to Steven, translating.

“You carry things in your thigh pockets?”

“Gloves, bandanna, other soft things.” Steven answered.

The elves jabbered a bit more, as the trousers were turned inside out and the Master examined the seams. The translator spoke a bit more.

“Do you kick much in your fighting? Crawl around, or stretch your legs wide?”

“I don’t kick much, but full movement at my hips is good.”

This was relayed as the trousers were put aside. The costume from the Palace was glanced over, and then put on top of the discarded socks. The rest of his clothes were looked over, but little asked of. Most of his actual gear was ignored, but his leatherman got a few moments of play before being put back down. Then his vest was all but ripped apart as every pocket and seam was examined.

The boy had returned with a notepad and his father, Master Mundrl, began jabbering at him as the boy recorded. Then the two adults jabbered.

“Do you find the vest and pack acceptable?”

“How do you mean? I’m used to it. Everything is where I expect it.”

The adults jabbered, as the Master continued to inspect the vest, hefting it and testing its openings.

“Does it repel water? Does it dry quickly?”

“Parts of it act as a sponge. But it is tolerable.”

Master Mundrl stopped as this was relayed. He then put the vest on the pile with the suit and socks. He examined the pack inside and out, removing the water bladder in the process and setting it back down when done. The Master then spoke through the other elf to Steven.

“Is the pack as tolerable as the vest?”

“Yes, but I would have brought a different one, had I known what I was getting into.”

This elicited a rapid back and forth that Steven correctly guessed the generals of. Steven interrupted it, with a wild idea that came completely out of the blue into his mind.

“I presume that this is the discard pile. And what’s here is to be replaced. If I could get the pack I would prefer, what would happen?”

The escort translated this. The Master looked from the escort to Steven, and back, and then spoke a staccato of words. They went back and forth for a bit, and then stopped. The escort stayed quiet. Steven had no clear idea about elfin gestures and expressions, but guessed that his escort was frustrated and feeling put upon. The escort then spoke, making a swirling motion with his hands. Master Mundrl beamed.

The escort turned to Steven. “I will need to tell my clan leader. How fast could you do your merchandising were you sent home?”

“I would guess one, maybe two days.”

The escorts look darkened, as the other beamed and picked up the old sword. He inspected it, mumbling to the boy, who filled a page on his stack of notes just about the sword. The other sword was next, the scabbard dismissed as serviceable, but obviously not made by a craftsman.

A question was relayed. “Do you intend to keep and use this sword?”

“Keep? Yes. Use? Doubtful, if the older one is better.”

The crossbow and its bag for bolts were looked over and moved on from with little comment.

Steven interjected, picking the weapon up. “This is small for me.  Could I find one bigger? I have not been anywhere that I could wait for one to be made, before arriving here. Nor have I really had time to shop here for one.”

Steven shouldered the weapon as he was want to, and then moved his hands to where he would prefer, moving the weapon off his shoulder, and his front hand off the stock to slightly in front of the bow.

The translator made no effort to provide any input. The Master looked thoughtful, and the son just made notes. After a moment, Steven put the crossbow back down.

The rest of the stuff was sorted and finally the bedroll exposed. It was the only part of the kit that Steven felt any embarrassment about. He pulled it apart, keeping 2 blankets as the third was immediately put in discard. As the Master inspected the other two, he moved one to the discard that Steven pointedly moved back.

They looked as each other for a moment.

Master Mundrl nodded once, and left it in the keep pile. Finally the Master picked up Steven’s greatcoat, which he had managed to keep in good condition. He looked it over, and held it out to Steven. Steven put it on, and they moved over to the block in the dressing area. Steven secured it in place and settled it. The Master babbled to his son, as he pulled and adjusted.

Then the elves looked at Steven’s boots. These elicited a bit of an argument between the elves. Through the translator, Steven was asked if he wanted new boots, as those he wore were very definitely showing wear. Steven responded that if he could get new ones from home that could be then taken apart and used as a base, that would suit him; the boots he had seen here did not impress him at all and the few he had tried were not comfortable.

The Master elf turned to the escort, and they spoke at length for several minutes. Steven got down, pulled the coat off and began to repack his stuff in the discarded bag, when Master Mundrl stopped him.

“Go home. Get your things. Come back.” The Master spoke in English.

Master Mundrl smiled at the escorts discomfort, as the boy left the room sniggering. The escort left, motioning to Steven to follow. The boy returned with a box that all Steven’s ‘keep’ pile went into.

Master Mundrl spoke again. “You get new clothes, new vest, and pack. You bring comfortable pattern. We make it.”

He bowed, with bubbling mirth in his eyes.

Steven returned the bow, finished packing the discard pile in to the pack, took his coat, belt knife, camera and film and followed his escort.

The escort was still huffy over being the butt of the merchant’s humor as he entered the suite where the Caplan’s were staying. He first spotted Roxanne, then found Caspian there and spoke rapidly to the mage and left.

Steven collected Roxanne as the others talked, and watched the elf leave. Caspian stood dumbfounded. Rox watched the elf leave, with a look of amusement.

Finally Steven broke the silence. “Well?”

Caspian turned to them. “Pack for Terra. You’re going shopping. How did you manage to offend him?”

The conversation during dinner in the café oscillated between offense given and taken, and what would be wanted to purchase and otherwise acquire on return to Earth. Just as dinner finished, Master Iver’s Assistant brought two stone disks a bit larger than dinner plates, gave them to Roxanne, and left.

With the meal done, Caspian took the disks in hand and led out from the café back to their rooms. “We need to leave the city to use these. Then Roxanne will teleport us to the convergence point. I will take us to Terra. However, we had best keep things quick. Any more than three days, and the elves will presume that you have given up.”

“Earth days or local days? And then what will they do,” Rox asked.

“Probably local, which are longer than Earth. Then they retrieve your children on their own, and raise them themselves here.”

Steven stood. “I say we go as soon as we can. I just left all my clothes at the outfitters.” He put his coat over his arm.

Caspian shrugged. “Fine with me.”

Roxanne moved toward the bedroom. “I’m going to change. I’ll be right back.”

Steven looked around after watching her leave. “Where’s Cyrril?”

“Out, somewhere. I send him away when I have to talk to elves. The stuffy galumphs needn’t have him to tell them what I think of them.”

Half an hour later, they walked out of the hotel where Cyrril joined them. They headed for the city gate. Master Iver joined them as they walked, but stayed quietly aside, and perhaps unrecognized by all but Roxanne.

Once outside the gate, Caspian picked a spot off the road and where it looked like few came directly and set one of the disks on the ground. Using it for a locus, Caspian guided Roxanne in the teleport spell to carry then across the continent to the stone circle where Roxanne and Steven had first set foot on Tywacomb. This took a bit of work; Rox had no clear memory of the circle, so she he instructed her in finding it by its unique arrangement. Once done, she set up the rest of the spell and cast it.

The spell was a variant on the one Caspian used, using Rox’s staff for the center. They all watched the land fall away, arc under them, and finally tip over and accelerate at a mountain.

They landed in almost the center of the circle of stones. Rox and Steven stepped aside and sat on stones large enough to hold them. Caspian leaned on his staff for some support and walked aside.

“I have no idea at which of the two points on Terra we will land, or what time of day. Also I hope you know just what you are after.” Caspian dropped the second disk out of the way.

Steven patted the parchment that he had written his and Roxanne’s wish lists on, hoping nothing had happened to shut down their financial accounts. He also had his camera and film; he used up the last of his third roll as they waited, taking a multi-image panorama of the view. Rox had a few things with her, including a leather bag containing her new jewelry set, and another with all her dirty laundry. They rested a bit, as Caspian set to charging up with mana, Cyrril doing the same. Roxanne looked about in some wonder, and stretched her awakened sensitivity to magic, soaking in the sensation of the several ley lines.

It was late afternoon, and the sun was low on the horizon, with one of the twin moons visible at about its zenith. After an hour of sitting and taking Caspian reported that he was ready.

The three stood in a circle at the center and each gripped Caspian’s staff with their right hands. Caspian then cast the spell to travel the ley lines to Terra. They all felt awareness leave them, coupled with a sense of upward acceleration.

087 – Home again, Home again . . .

Journal of Steven Caplan: Wednesday, October 8, 199x

Steven woke up disoriented, again. The sun shone through the blinds and curtains. He was in his own bed, in his own bedroom, in his own house, Roxanne was beside him, still asleep. And he felt lighter than he had in a while. He was home. They were home.

But the children were not home.

Steven got out of bed, reflexively put on his bathrobe, and walked out into the kitchen. He found some fresh food in the fridge, and fixed a bowl of cereal. That finished and the bowl and spoon in the sink, a glass of water in hand, he went to shower. Seeing Caspian sprawled on the sofa, with Cyrril wrapped around the lamp on the end table confirmed Steven’s grip on the situation.

Steven returned to his bedroom, draining his glass of water as he went. Rox was still asleep, which was unusual, but creditable to her efforts of late. The radio in the bathroom told Steven that it was Wednesday, October 8. The discrepancy between the date here and in his journal would tell him the approximate difference in the length of days between Earth and Tywacomb.

Steven noticed as he shaved and showered that some of his weight had shifted. He was in better shape with less padding around his middle. His chest, shoulders and legs in that order were obviously bigger. As he dressed, Roxanne rolled over, her white mohawk looking more normal everyday.

“What time is it?”

“About 8 a.m., Wednesday October 8.”

“You’re going to work, and where else?” She still looked barely coherent.

“Just to there. Drop off the film with Leticia, and get one of the vest-packs, then come back.”

“Don’t be too long.” Rox rolled back over.

Steven paused as he looked at his gun safe, then he left the gun in the safe in the closet. He buckled his alternate belt two notches tighter than usual as he walked to the front door. His car keys were hanging on the hook, next to the garage door opener. He hit the button, and took the keys. He stopped, and scratched his errands on the notepad for Rox, and went out to his car.

The Bonneville ran smoothly, and smelled faintly of Mrs. Winchel. Steven smiled, and drove to work, closing the garage as he left automatically. It was a pleasant drive up the Carson Valley. Steven had to remind himself a few times to keep looking around. He pulled in to his usual spot automatically, amused at how easily the old patterns of life reasserted themselves. He walked into the foyer of the warehouse building he kept his business in, and took his sunglasses off as he looked around. The office here at the front did not look significantly changed. Straight ahead was the hallway with the offices, to the right by the windows was the receptionist, and around to the right past the receptionist was the way to the production area.

The receptionist was new; no surprise there. She looked like another post High School student. The noise from the production room in the back was the same as he remembered.

“May I help you?” the girl at the desk asked.

Steven decided to play a bit. “Yes. Is Leticia here?”

“Yes.”

“Please page her. Have her come up front.”

The girl picked up the handset, giving Steven a funny look, turned on the page and called Leticia.

Steven began counting quietly, while leaning against the door frame. At 18 he heard the door open to the design area. At 23 Leticia came around the corner marking a clipboard. She looked at him and stopped. A grin filled her face.

“When did you get back in town?” She all but ran around the desk to snatch him up in a hug.

Steven lightly hugged back, and she stepped back.

“We got in last night, and are leaving again by tomorrow.” Steven headed back to his office as they talked.

“‘We’ who? And where have you been? Tell me all about it.” She closed the door behind her, but left the blinds open. Once vocal privacy was assured she launched. “Are Rox and the kids all right? Are they back? What’s the truth of what happened? Where have you been?”

Steven waited for her to stop. “Rox is fine, we got her back, but don’t yet have the kids. We believe they are fine, and are in process to go get them. But we had to come home for a few things. That’s all I can say at the moment about that. I need to pick up some bags to take with me. And I want to know how things are going here, and give you some film to get developed.”

They spent the next hour and a half going over the custom designs he wanted, built on a standard pack vest made here, followed by her telling what all had happened in his absence. Steven gulped water the whole time, and paused once in the restroom. He approved all of what had been done, and signed the few things that he absolutely needed to sign. After using the restroom, Steven went outside and got the film from the car, he noticed a police car idle by the front of the building.

‘Why now?’ Steven thought to himself, wondering when he had been spotted. He scowled and shook his head. He went back to Leticia’s office and added his car keys and wallet to the three film cans, and gave them to Leticia.

“Finish the bags, and take them and my car home. Put the car in the garage. If Rox is there, tell her I am at the police station. And I’ll need a ride.” Steven handed her the rest of the contents of his pockets and then walked outside.

He looked around, and there he was: Deputy Poulson in his brown sedan, just pulling in and parking. Steven walked over, and stood by the passenger door as the car stopped. Before the car could be shut off, Steven put his hand on the window and knocked with the other, smiled and waved. The startled deputy all but flew from the car.

“Step away from the car, please sir.”

“Why not just let me get in, put on my seatbelt, and we can go? I am why you came after all.”

Deputy Poulson paused for a beat. The chime from his car continued to count the time.

“I do have a CCW, but I am not armed at this time. Will that do?”

Three cruisers screeched up from different directions at that moment, but all seemed to pause, unsure what to do. Deputy Poulson just stood there, and then he made his decision.

“O.k. We’ll do that. I need to pat you down before you get in, though.”

Deputy Poulson quickly proved that Steven was not carrying even his wallet, and then let him get in. Steven climbed in the back seat, pulled on his seatbelt, and put his hands together in his lap. Deputy Poulson got back in his side, did his own belt, and talked into his radio mike. Steven knew most of the gibberish, but was not overly interested. The other cars drove away, but one shadowed them all the way to the station. Steve just sat quietly the whole way, smiling slightly and feeling amused.

Roxanne awoke fully as Steven drove out the driveway. She used up what was available of the hot water as she bathed. She washed her hair three times finishing with her mane on top sopping her face, and her sides tangled almost as bad as dreadlocks. She brushed it all out. The mane stood up again, she pulled her sides back and tied them.

She put on her normal underclothes out of habit, before she realized she was doing so. She followed this with her usual t-shirt and jeans. She put her dirty spandex and underwear in the laundry and pulled out some fresh ones to take back to Tywacomb. She paused at the leather bag with her jewelry. Rox had been wearing her wedding ring on her finger since arriving in Shalaia, but now she had second thoughts.

She opened the small safe in the closet, where Steven kept his gun. It was still there, where he had last put it down. Next to it was his wedding band.

Rox pulled the gun and its related things out and put her leather bag with her acquired jewelry in, then put her own wedding ring in on top of her husbands, and closed the safe. She then turned to her socks and shoes.

Dressed, she went out front, put Steven’s stray glass in the sink, and cooked some breakfast.

The unreality if the situation seemed to keep Rox’s perspective at the level of watching herself in a movie. The sound and smell of breakfast brought Caspian and Cyrril in. Rox got Caspian a pitcher of water, and left the facet running for Cyrril. Once finished with the meal and mess, and getting out some raw meat for Cyrril, Rox showed Caspian the spare bathroom, and shower. While they finished, Roxanne found Steven’s list, scratched out her own list of things to do below it, and set about gathering things up.

Downstairs she checked the laundry, and found everything sorted and put away. She picked up Steven’s small hand sized camera tripod as she went past his work room, and set it on the couch when she got back up stairs.

Next she went out to her garage. As she crossed the yard, the absence of the dogs hit her hard. Rox unlocked the door and went inside, turning on the light. Aside from some dust, nothing was out of place. Someone had even put dust cloths over the power tools. The flatbed trailer was in here, the Camero was gone.

The car’s absence mildly surprised her as she had not thought about it at all since this started, but there was nothing to do for it now, so she continued with her task, and retrieved her compound bow and all her arrows from their storage in the rafters. As she looked around, she also noticed that some pieces of truck were set aside. A frame and most of a drive train lined one bay of the garage.

Rox closed everything down, and relocked the garage. She looked around the front of the barn, and found that the body components for the truck she had been planning were arrayed aside, and covered with tarps. Josh Fitch’s truck and components were absent. That figured, since school was in and part of it had been planned as a senior year project.

Back in the house, Rox put the bow and three quivers on the couch, as Caspian came out of the bathroom, dressed in a suit. He was having trouble tying the tie. He put his other clothes over the back of the couch. Cyrril was wrapped around a trophy on the book shelf.

“Nice suit. Where’s the staff?” She batted his hands aside, and tied the tie correctly herself.

“In my pocket, the size of a stylus. Evidently Alistare had this laundered and put away after I left last time. I presume he left me this note with these numbers on it.” Caspian showed Rox a slip of paper, it had a name and a phone number.

“Probably his phone number. Steven should be back this afternoon. In the meantime I am going shopping. Care to come?”

“That is why I am dressed.” Caspian answered.

Rox and Caspian, each nursing large bottles of water, took the truck up the Carson Valley, through Washoe, and to REI and Sportsman’s Warehouse in Reno. As they traveled, Caspian dug a small disk and a large clear marble from a coat pocket and played with them in his fingers before putting them back away. At the stores Rox purchased two water bladders, some water filters, and a few other things in replacement of lost and broken sundries. Rox also stopped at the clothing section and purchased several pairs of socks for her and Steven. Despite what the elves claimed, she preferred what she grew up with.

089 – Roxanne Does Business

As Rox drove to her next stop Caspian used her cell phone to call Judge Kevan and update him on the situation. They stopped at the karate supply store she used, and purchased a new gi in Steven’s size. She suspected that the elves would probably tear it apart at the seams, and Steven would not appreciate them doing that to his current one. She also stopped at the archery store, for some broad heads.

When they arrived home, Steven’s car was in the garage. A note from Leticia hung in the center of the bulletin board. Cyrril was agitated. Also Steven’s effects were on the counter, with a new vest pack, within a second stuffed into itself.

‘Rox: Steven has been taken to the County Police Station. He needs you to go get him. What is this little beast? It looks like a dragon. There is a story here that I expect to be told in full. Leticia.’

“Well, this is peachy.” Rox put the note down.

“Peachy?” Caspian had not heard that adjective before.

“Does that Judge you know, know any lawyers up here?”

“I’ll have to ask.”

“Do that, now.” Rox’s tone was flat with frustration.

Rox handed Caspian the home phone, and went to the bedroom, moving the fresh shopping on to the couch as she went past. Here she gathered up her hiking boots, some more replacement clothes for herself and for Steven, then went back out front to hear Caspian talking to someone. For a moment Roxanne was unsure of the language she was hearing. Then it settled to English. She unloaded her arms onto the couch.

Caspian held the handset out to her. “He wants to talk to you. This is Judge Alistare Kevan.”

She took the handset. “Hello.”

“Mrs. Roxanne Caplan, I’m Judge Alistare Kevan. Caspian has told me the bare facts, but being from elsewhere has not got a solid grasp of the legal situation. I believe you want a Lawyer?” An unfamiliar male voice spoke.

“Yes. My husband Steven has been picked up. Presumably on suspicion of causing all this trouble.”

“O.k. Got a pen and paper? I’m going to give you a name and number.”

Rox moved to the notepad and opened to a fresh page. “Go ahead.”

“The firm is Torry and Clark. Ask for Ron Scalegi. I’ve worked with him before on cases involving…visitors.” He paused, being careful how he couched his words. He then gave her the phone number. “I’m going to call him right now. Call him in about 20 minutes if I don’t get back to you first, and tell him the full truth. Anything less and he may turn you down.”

“Is he expensive?” Rox had never retained a lawyer for anything before. Her mom was expensive, but did not handle criminal matters.

“I don’t know. He’s never billed me.”

“This is in your hands.”

“Don’t worry, Mrs. Caplan. Everything will work out.”

Judge Kevan disconnected the line. Rox hung up. Caspian looked curious, with Cyrril perched on his shoulders.

“We wait. Then I call the lawyer.” She went back to the front room. “In the meantime, I’m going to pack.” And she started to do so, pulling tags off the new stuff, and tossing the trash into a can. Rox separated the vest packs, turning the one right side out. She then put a few heavy things at the bottom of the pack on Steven’s new pack vest, followed by the new gi, rolled into itself. She rolled three pairs of her spandex tops and shorts tightly and put then into her pack-vest, for convenience. The new socks followed. Her archery field maintenance kit was put in the top. Three more rolls of film were put into a front pouch on Steven’s vest. The new boots and her own pair were respectively tied together by their laces for easy carry, and set aside. She then took the water bladders and was rinsing them when the home phone rang. The caller ID. matched the Lawyers number.

“Hello, this is Roxanne Caplan.”

“Mrs. Caplan. My name is Ron Scalegi. Alistare Kevan just asked me to talk to you.”

“Yes.” Rox motioned for Caspian to get on the other extension. “I have a friend who will be joining us on the line.” Caspian picked up the phone as she said this.

“My name is Caspian.”

“Ron Scalegi. Mrs. Caplan, I understand your county sheriff has taken your husband in to custody. Is this correct?”

“I don’t know for sure. And I don’t want to call, and find out myself.” Rox did not yet want to get involved with the local police, after what Steven had said happened the night she was last here.

“Very well. Do you want me to find out?”

“What would that cost?”

“For Alistare, I take clients on contingency.”

“Very well. Please call and find out about my husband, Steven Caplan.”

“I will do that, and get back to you, in about half an hour.”

“Thank you.”

They all hung up.

Caspian helped Rox finish with the water bladders, and fill them. They then assembled the filters and packed them back up when Ron called back.

“Good news and sort of good news. Your husband was picked up, but only for questioning. No charges have yet been filed.” Ron Scalegi kept his tone neutral.

“Are they going to let him go?”

“The officer that I talked to could not answer that question.”

“O.k. It’s just that we are in a bit of a hurry.”

“Do you have time to come see me in person?”

Rox looked at the clock, being out of the habit of wearing a watch. “Um, where are you located?”

He told her, she wrote the address and Carson City landmarks down.

“Twenty five minutes travel time…Um, yeah. We can be there in half an hour.”

“I will be waiting.”

Rox and Caspian slapped some sandwiches together, finished the water they had been drinking, and locked up as they went out and got in her truck. This time Cyrril came with. Rox drove quickly into Carson, and parked in the lot of the building. The sandwiches were gone by then.

They went inside, Cyrril riding Caspian’s shoulder, though nobody noticed. On the third floor, they were directed to an office suite within the law firm’s offices. After knocking, a man about Steven’s age opened the door and let them in, shaking their hands in turn.

“Mrs. Caplan, Mr. Caspian, I’m Ron Scalegi.”

Ron Scalegi was shorter than average, stocky and moved with unconscious confidence. He would have fit on Tywacomb well. His suit coat and tie hung from a wood coat tree. Pictures of family and rock climbers surrounded his several framed certificates on the wall behind his desk. A conversation pit was on one side of the room by the windows, to which he steered Rox and Caspian. He produced the typical yellow legal pad and disposable ball point pen from their places on the coffee table and sat in an arm chair facing them. He noted the time at the top of the sheet.

“O.k. It is just short of two pm. Just to summarize. At this moment, your husband, Steven Caplan, is at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, being cooperatively questioned about the disappearance and presumed abduction of you, Mrs. Roxanne Caplan, and your children Diana and Alex. I have been asked to assist you by Judge Alistare Kevan. I don’t know officially anything beyond that.” Ron wrote on his pad as he talked. “So, what’s the simplest beginning to this?”

Caspian spoke first. “I suppose it is that some really nasty people think Diana and Alex Caplan are children of prophecy, in the place where the nasty people are. So they had the kids kidnapped and in process ended up getting Roxanne as well. Being bad guys and having enemies, the enemies found out about the plot, and sent me to thwart it. But I failed, so I did what I could.

“At the time, Mr. Caplan, Steven, was out of town. I observed from a distance as the events unfolded, until I felt comfortable to approach Steven, and explain the situation. From there we immediately set out to get Rox and the kids.

“First we found that Rox had been separated and sold as a slave. After spending several weeks getting her back, we set out to go catch up to the kids. In process we were interrupted by the people that sent me in the first place, and summoned to their city to report our progress.

“So we went there, and while re-supplying, Rox and Steven decided to come home to pick up a few things and run some errands. We got in last night. Steven got up first, and while on his errands was picked up.”

Ron took notes, through all of this. “Do you know where the kids are?”

“Generally.” Caspian answered.

Ron wrote more notes. “Off the record, how much of this took place on this planet? That little creature on your shoulder tells me plain enough that you’re not a local. And your hair…”

Rox answered this. “I’m a native. My family is several generations native. He is not. The kidnapping happened here, and the last twenty hours we’ve been here. The rest is off planet.”

“O.k.” Ron scratched more notes. “While you were coming, I called back down to the sheriff’s office. From what I could tell, they want to hold your husband for a psych-evaluation.”

Caspian responded. “We don’t have time for that. The sooner we get back, and after the kids, the better.”

Ron pursed his lips. “Sounds reasonable. But odds are they aren’t going to willingly let him go, unless you can present yourself and the kids.

“For the record, I need to know about them. Name, sex, age, the basics.”

Roxanne could provide this off the top of her head. “Diana, girl, 10, brown hair, tall, skinny. Alex, boy, 8, blond hair, tall, skinny.”

Ron wrote this, and looked over his notes. “I suppose I can get the rest of the information from the police. Though the question is how to get Steven out.”

Rox looked at Caspian.

Caspian looked at the far wall for a moment. “Can you get us in to see him?”

“I could go down with you, but I won’t let you get me in any trouble.” Ron looked a bit icy at this.

“My cover is as a ‘detective’. Does that mean that I can go in and talk to Steven? With my assistant?” He looked at Roxanne as said this.

“Don’t see why not, but I have nothing to do with this.”

Rox cut off Caspian’s response. “Fair enough. Do you know just where my husband is?” She bit off the rest of her question.

Ron put his pad down. “I’m probably going to need to ask when I get there. May I presume that you want to retain me to defend your husband, Mrs. Caplan?”

“Mr. Scalegi, I want you to defend my husband, Steven Caplan, against whatever charges he will face. My husband may have another Lawyer in mind to help, but that can be dealt with later. Also I believe Judge Kevan can put you in contact with my mother, who is a business lawyer in the Bay Area, if needed.” Rox was ready to do about anything.

“Very well. I will do so. First, I’m going to make some phone calls. Then I will head down to see your husband in person.” Ron stood up.

Caspian and Rox followed suit, and Cyrril jumped from the back of the couch to Caspian’s shoulder. They all shook hands and Rox and Caspian left the office. Once into the foyer and going down the stairs and across the parking lot outside, the unspoken question was asked by Caspian.

“So, what are we going to do? Our window closes within the next day.”

Roxanne climbed into her truck, and started toward the closest mall as she answered. “I think I need a suit. And we need brief cases. We have to get Steven out of there. The legal stuff can wait. The elves won’t.”

They drove to the mall, and Caspian got a taste of how to shop fast.

090 – Now You See 'Em . . .

First Rox found a jacket and skirt. She was told the color was strawberry red. Next she selected a white blouse. She came out of the changing room, and stood in front of the mirror.

“Hum. Almost, but shorten the skirt to ultra-mini. Just below the bottom of the jacket. And tuck it into body-hugging tight.” She pulled and tugged at the garments as she said this. And the tailor who was there marked it with his chalk. First the blouse, then she put on the jacket, and it was marked with the skirt.

“If you can get these done in an hour, I will appreciate it.”

“But ma’am, I am a bit…”

Rox cut him off. “I need these in an hour. Otherwise I will find somewhere else to get them.”

The tailor looked like a fish for a moment, and then finally spoke. “Very well.” He took the blouse, jacket and skirt as she took them off, and left. Rox got dressed again and went out front, where Caspian waited. He had heard the exchange.

“What’s this about?”

“We are going to go in and see Steven. And I want to look as far from my normal self as I can. Come on.”

Rox dragged Caspian to Victoria’s. Where he again waited outside while she went in. She purchased a push-up bra and a set of silicone fillers to enlarge her bust, and a set of pantyhose. Next they went to a shoe store, for a pair of pumps to match the skirt and jacket. Last they went into a barber.

“Cut the tails and mane off, and even the sides to the top. Then give me a shampoo, and some light makeup.”

Half an hour later, Rox emerged with almost a butch cut, but was content.

“They, or I, will just magic it back to length,” she said to Caspian as they went back for the suit.

The skirt was done and the blouse was in process when she came in. In her haste, Rox tossed dignity aside faster than at the elfin tailors. She went into the changing room, with her goods, and emerged wearing the pumps, hose, skirt, bra and padding. She put the blouse on and had it adjusted across her shoulders and back to nicely tight. The tailor had it finished quickly, and Rox put it on. The jacket was easier, and as he finished it she picked up a cravat and tied it on. She was helped on with the jacket. It fit just right. She put her own clothes in the bag, and paid for her new suit, and she and Caspian left.

Rox detailed her plan to Caspian as she drove. It was a simple meet and extraction.

They stopped at a thrift store, and found two old briefcases. Roxanne put her clothes into her briefcase, as Caspian started adding magic to his. Rox called for a cab, and then dropped the truck at Steven’s work. Caspian stayed by the truck, with Cyrril.

When Rox walked in the office, nobody recognized her, especially as her eyes were pointed, her hair was cut and white, and she wore a suit. She talked briefly to Leticia, and called Mrs. Winchel’s voice mail, while waiting of the cab. Once Leticia calmed down, Rox told her as little as necessary.

“We are going to see Steven. Take the truck home.”

“What are you up to, Rox?”

“None of your business. You don’t know anything. Except that this is the Lawyer I got to work on this case. If Steven has already got one going, get him in touch with this one.” Rox scratched a quick note as the taxi arrived.

“There’s our ride. See you when we see you.” Rox followed Caspian to the cab.

The taxi took them to the Sheriff’s Office, and left. Rox and Caspian had worked it out. They were detectives, and here to talk to Steven, at the asking of Judge Kevan, per Caspian’s original story. It was late in the 3 o'clock hour when they walked up to the desk. Just in time to annoy the woman at the desk before a busy shift ended. Steven had been here for over half his day by this time.

Deputy Poulson came out to meet them, a bit surprised to see them ‘so soon’. He completely missed recognizing Caspian for Rox’s eye candy appearance, despite Caspian looking completely identical to their last meeting. Rox wanted this, and had picked her costume deliberately.

Deputy Poulson held the door as Caspian and Rox entered the room where Steven was sitting, doodling on a legal pad.

“Mr. Caplan. These people say they are from your Lawyer’s firm to talk to you. The Lawyer will be right along.”

Steven looked at them. Caspian in the suit, which Steven vaguely remembered. Rox in the tight red jacket and mini-skirt, with a white blouse and fluffy cravat, all of which Steven had never seen before. Both had brief cases.

Caspian spoke. “Mr. Caplan, how are things?”

“Fine.” He put he pad and paper down. “I’m ready to go, though.” Steven looked at Deputy Poulson, then back.

“Yes, I’m sure you are.” Caspian answered.

Steven looked back at Deputy Poulson. “Am I under arrest?”

“Not yet,” the Deputy responded.

Rox shrugged. “Then we are leaving.”

Caspian dropped his brief case, which quietly disintegrated into a cloud of white smoke that filled the room making visibility arms length at best. Steven remembered the fight in Veradale starting in generally the same way.

Rox tripped Deputy Poulson with her chair. She and Caspian went to where Steven had stood up. Caspian extracted his staff from his coat, returned it to size, and thumped the ground with it.

“Everybody hold on.”

They teleported out, leaving a ‘whomp’ of air and swirl of smoke as they left.

Ron Scalegi opened the door as the dry white smoke poured out, setting off a bit of pandemonium in the place. He just smiled and shook his head. “Alistare warned me.”

Deputy Poulson crawled out coughing, white powder from the settling smoke beginning to cling to his clothes.

Three people and some white smoke appeared in the Caplan’s backyard, much the way they did the night before.

Steven let go, and looked at the other two. “Thanks. Now let’s get out of here.”

“As soon as we change clothes.” Rox was moving toward the doors.

They went inside, Steven and Rox went in to the bedroom, Rox dropping the brief case, and unbuttoning the jacket.

“Where did you get this outfit?” Steven waved at the red jacket and skirt.

“Just got it at the mall.”

“Looks nice.”

“Thanks.” She pulled the jacket and blouse off, and then pealed the rest off, leaving it where she dropped it. She pulled on some clean spandex, and the clothes she was wearing when they arrived.

Steven put on his outfit he had been wearing the night before, leaving his clothes on the bed.

They found Caspian already changed, Cyrril having shown up after disappearing when Caspian and Rox had entered the mall.

Rox wrote a quick note, as Steven gathered up the stuff they were taking with from the couch, and they all went back outside. Caspian quickly repeated the teleport spell and they were gone, just as police sirens and Mrs. Winchel could be heard coming.

Mrs. Winchel found the front door unlocked and went in, as the cruiser came screeching to a stop. Mrs. Winchel stood in the kitchen reading the note Rox had left, when the police woman came in with her hand on her weapon.

“They didn’t even stop by for tea.”

The police woman thought the neighbor sounded more annoyed than angry.

They went through the house, quickly noting the few messes left, and went to the master bedroom. The place looked a bit of a mess, since Rox and Steven did not bother to put anything away or make the bed, leaving it to Mrs. Winchel, per Rox’s note. Piled on the bed was the brand new outfit. The briefcase these were piled on had the sales tags and receipts, and Roxanne’s usual jeans and tee shirt. Steven’s clothes were also piled on the bed.

The police woman did not have any description of people to look for, and after reporting only the neighbor’s presence she left. Mrs. Winchel dutifully laundered and stored everything, after the police woman left. She found the red pumps under the bed as she remade it.

Leticia arrived after business hours with the truck as Mrs. Winchel emerged to go back home.

“The need to be right coupled with the desire to use force and be important. It makes for a pathetic constable,” Caspian said, as he started moving about the North Sierra clearing.

“I think at this point, the only way to convince them of my innocence will be to produce a kidnapper and the kids.” Steven sat on a log, while the other two began drawing on the ground

“Or not come back.” Roxanne worked with her short staff.

“You want to raise our kids on another world?” Steven watched.

“It has its good points,” Rox continued tracing her side of the symbol for the interplanetary teleport spell.

“We will discuss this later.”

Steven put down the pack and collapsed onto the bed. Roxanne followed suit, sitting instead of toppling.

“Is interstellar teleport always so draining?” Steven asked rhetorically.

They had each done this three times now. Caspian had told them in passing that the longer the teleport, the more the stress on their bodies. On top of this latest planet to planet jump, they had done to and from the landing spot on the planets they were on. The cumulative jumping had left them exhausted, and dehydrated.

Rox put her bag aside after rummaging through it; she then stretched out next to her husband. In the next few moments they were both asleep.

�
� ca0 ��malCxSpMiddle style='text-indent:.5in'>Ron wrote this, and looked over his notes. “I suppose I can get the rest of the information from the police. Though the question is how to get Steven out.”

Rox looked at Caspian.

Caspian looked at the far wall for a moment. “Can you get us in to see him?”

“I could go down with you, but I won’t let you get me in any trouble.” Ron looked a bit icy at this.

“My cover is as a ‘detective’. Does that mean that I can go in and talk to Steven? With my assistant?” He looked at Roxanne as said this.

“Don’t see why not, but I have nothing to do with this.”

Rox cut off Caspian’s response. “Fair enough. Do you know just where my husband is?” She bit off the rest of her question.

Ron put his pad down. “I’m probably going to need to ask when I get there. May I presume that you want to retain me to defend your husband, Mrs. Caplan?”

“Mr. Scalegi, I want you to defend my husband, Steven Caplan, against whatever charges he will face. My husband may have another Lawyer in mind to help, but that can be dealt with later. Also I believe Judge Kevan can put you in contact with my mother, who is a business lawyer in the Bay Area, if needed.” Rox was ready to do about anything.

“Very well. I will do so. First, I’m going to make some phone calls. Then I will head down to see your husband in person.” Ron stood up.

Caspian and Rox followed suit, and Cyrril jumped from the back of the couch to Caspian’s shoulder. They all shook hands and Rox and Caspian left the office. Once into the foyer and going down the stairs and across the parking lot outside, the unspoken question was asked by Caspian.

“So, what are we going to do? Our window closes within the next day.”

Roxanne climbed into her truck, and started toward the closest mall as she answered. “I think I need a suit. And we need brief cases. We have to get Steven out of there. The legal stuff can wait. The elves won’t.”

They drove to the mall, and Caspian got a taste of how to shop fast.

092 – Rounding Third, Heading For Home

Roxanne went into the weapon smith that had been recommended to her by Master Eklund, and placed her bow on his counter. Three nylon bags of a dozen arrows each were over her shoulder. The head smith came over. Rox pulled an arrow from the rack and presented it as the elf approached. The six arrows on the bow, and one of the bags of twelve had broad-heads on the ends. The other two dozen were blunt tips for target practice.

“These are from my world. They are balanced to my bow. I want some made of local materials, and a few that explode.”

The smith took the arrow from Rox.

“Be careful of the steel tip. The shaft is aluminum, the fletching, nylon,’ she explained.

He kept his hand away from the broad-head, as he weighed the arrow and tested its balance. “Those are not unknown material applications, but the workmanship is different than here. May I try the bow?”

She picked it up and handed it to him. He notched the arrow, aimed across the shop, pulled back, and let fly. The broad-head cut deep into a straw and sand stuffed practice target. The bow was small for him, Rox thought he looked like a skilled adult with a child’s bow.

“Impressive.” Despite the bow being a smaller than comfortable size for his stature, he recognized the inherent quality in the design. The bow had an arrow rack on one side and a shoulder harness on the other for carry in the field.

Roxanne was first taught the bow by her mother, and later refined by a sensei. Since moving to Carson Valley, she had done a bit of bow hunting, but not much, as the closest areas were across the state lines in California and trying to get a permit there was ridiculous. One year she drew out for central northern Nevada, and had her deer on the second day of the hunt. She never submitted for another tag. Still, she practiced with some regularity, mostly by setting a target up in her garage, and then standing across her yard and shooting across into it.

He put the bow down, straps side down. “I can get you some wooden arrows, a bit larger than these metal ones, in a few days. Or if you prefer the metal ones, those will take longer.”

Rox considered. “The wood ones will do, as time is a bit of an issue.”

“Very well. How many?”

“What is the usual number your supplier works in?” Rox had no clue for this and did not want to order too few or too many.

“Most archers around here use the same weight of arrow, so he makes those in batches of hundreds. As yours will all be custom, comparatively, you may name the number.” He had been warned by Master Eklund that she was from elsewhere, so unaccustomed to local ways.

Rox nodded. “Is twenty a good number?”

“Twenty is fine, but you will need a large quiver to carry that many in. It looks like you have six arrows here.” He motioned at the rack on her bow. “Plus a few more there.” He pointed at the travel pouches that Rox had over her shoulder.

“Eighteen arrows with broad heads; twenty four with blunt tips for target practice, which I expect to leave behind, unless you know where to get metal heads here. These pouches are unfit for carry, so I will need a quiver.”

He knew where to get the tips, after having one of the other broad heads used as a pattern in a sand-mold: the hardest part would be the threading on the back of the head to attach to the aluminum shafts.

Before Roxanne was done here, she removed the rack and harness, and the weapon smith replaced the harness with a simple sling. She also specified the quiver was to be worn on her left hip.

After leaving the weapon smith, and getting some lunch, Roxanne went to Master Eklund's Outfitters to continue getting her own costume and equipment worked over.  Roxanne had brought back a vest pack with some toys and one of her own gi’s in it. Master Eklund watched as Rox moved about in a similar abbreviated process to what Steven was going through. The gi was progressively marked up to be a pattern used by Master Senisith's tailors with some extra pockets to be used as an expedition outfit. Her trousers are to be fitted and reinforced with a crotch bellows, double layer seat, and secured within the uppers of her boots, with knee reinforcing on each leg.

When the mark-up of the whole was finished, Master Eklund adjusted the top pieces to be a mid-thigh-length tunic, with a double breasted tabard over this. The tunic and tabard would fit over trousers or skirt, as Rox elected to wear.

Once the patterns were set, these were sent over to Master Senisith's tailor shop.

They moved on to the fitted boots they had partly finished. Tearing her boots from earth apart at the seams they fitted their new boots to the soles. These boots had grieves attached at the inseam, made of a thick single layer, and cover her foot to her toes.

They also made a form fitting belt for between her waist and hips. It formed the lower piece of a harness that Rox would wear. Her quiver would be attached to the belt and a shoulder strap.

Some hand and wrist guards, modified to work with her archery, and a set of elbow pads were also marked out and started.

Roxanne's cloak and cape set were adequate and were put aside, rolled with the bedroll.

The gold chains were taken the jeweler, who would carefully melt, refine and then remake them as smaller rings, without removing the intrinsic magic. These were to be kept as part of her costume, to act as a magical amplifier, along with several large stones, and numerous small stones set in the chains. The jeweler worked with Master Iver's Apprentice to shape things properly.

When Rox did not have the chains on her, she found Master Iver's lessons a bit more challenging. This was just as well, so that she was using them as tools rather than crutches.

Master Iver and Rox worked on her use of her staff. So far she used it less as a magical staff than as a bo-staff. Twist two outer carved spots and the enchantment activated that tripled the effective length magically, but not visibly. Between them, Rox and Master Iver learned that magic sensitive people can perceive the ends. Besides the kinetic damage, the magic extensions also had an anti-magic quality, for canceling other spell effects, but only by physical contact of the magic fields.

Rox often split the staff in half for use as twin batons; she preferred that, as the staff was a bit short unless its primary enchantment was activated. Twist two inner carved spots and the staff came in half as the two fighting sticks; the magical extension did not work in this form.

The Sorceress had told Roxanne that she never stored any spells in the staff. But being magically imbued she could channel magic through it. Rox figured that she herself would not worry about storing spells that might go off at some time, or that she might forget. Instead she would use it like the chains, as a tool for channeling spells through.

Rox picked up Steven from Master Mundrl's. She paused when she saw Steven's hands and arms. Steven held them up, looking them over.

“They wanted to see how I move. So I spared with an elf. Full contact.”

Roxanne looked closer at the strangely colored bruises on his hands. “How did they get that color?”

“A vibrating stone, probably magic. I figure it kept everything fluid, and allowed the debris to be removed. I could use some jow, though.” His hands were multi-colored, but felt fine; at some point he had put the vibrating stone down and had not picked it back up.

That evening, after dinner, Rox and Seven discussed what they had for the kids to wear. Caspian joined the conversation and admitted to some heretofore unrevealed information, more in line of speculation. Caspian suggested that they would want to bring their own clothes for the kids: he reviewed the basic principles of trackers, and that the easiest way was either through a specific object, or like with the trackers he used, using some bodily material, hair and finger nails being the easiest to use. So they would want to take clothes for the kids, to eliminate that avenue of tracking. Also to help the kids more easily blend in to the locals.

So Steven and Rox stopped by Master Senisith's tailor shop and ordered one complete outfit and three complete sets of underwear for their son and daughter. These would need to be light weight, or they would need a magic pocket on their in-process costumes to carry the extra bulk, similar to the pockets in Rox's underwear. Master Senisith happily obliged. Not knowing the children's sizes, they made the clothes with built in adjustments, with straps and buttons to adjust them.

Over the next few days Steven ended up with two pairs of heavy cloth trousers that had a laced up gusset on the outside of either leg from the cuff to the knee, an extra layer of thin padding on his knees, and some leather bellows pockets that ran most of the way up his thighs with a drawstring top with a storm flap over that. The button fly had been a relatively novel idea to the elves. They ended up using local toggles and loops. The double reinforced and gusseted seat and inseam needed loosening up and working. They made the spare pair once the first was finished.

Steven kept his shirts as they were, and his leather belt from home.

Master Mundrl's apprentices built Steven a leather coat that was more of a tabard, to replace his great coat. Steven’s closest experience aside from the great coat was a field jacket but with marked differences. The sleeves matched his trousers for design, with a gusset from wrist to elbow made of cloth, with leather on the upper arm starting from the elbow; this leather was a double layer with a soft inner layer and hard outer layer up to the shoulders. Soft leather backing hard leather rerebraces and pauldrons that overlapped would form the outer layers on the shoulders and upper arms. The back was plain heavy cloth with the front being double breasted soft under hard leather, down to his waist. Then it split in four, front left and right and back left and right panels, each side split; the inner layer of heavy cloth hung below his knees, the outer hard leather hanging halfway down his thighs as tassets. The belt on the coat and on his trousers lined up, with loops and slits that ran through the coat enabling it to be hooked together with a single leather belt.

Over the coat, and secured to the belt went a new vest-pack. The body was cloth, edged with leather, and the leather pouches all closed as his thigh pockets did. On asking, Steven was told that none were magic. On back was a stuff bag with the water bladder and an array of cargo straps. This pack was arranged almost identically to the new one he brought back from Terra, save for the belt with its pouches.

Steven thought he was ready to go, when more was brought out.

A female elf brought a leather chunk that she wrapped around his waist, marked and took away. Then his limbs were measured for gloves and boots, over the trousers and coat. A large piece of cloth was tossed over him and measured for a cloak. The leather chunk was brought back, and put around his waist again. It now resembled a weight lifters girdle or a boxer’s belt for its size. This was drawn on, for a final shape, and again disappeared.

Master Mundrl conducted the comings and goings. He turned to Steven, motioning to the equipment on the table. “Start packing. Just to be sure it all fits.”

Steven went to the table and saw that all the weapons were missing. Quickly he put everything else in their approximate positions, and was shown how to unship the stuff sack on his back without removing the rest. It got filled, only about a quarter of the way, and reattached. Steven had expected to heat up in the leather, but found that it was surprisingly well ventilated on the sides and shoulders

Some glove pieces were brought in and the elves stitched some fingerless gauntlets with gusseted lengths to him, marked some points on a hard leather chunk over the top, and then removed the gauntlets.

The cloak returned, was fitted, rolled into itself, and secured to the coat across Steven’s shoulders, in similar method to the stuff sack.

The girdle returned, was marked for attachment to the belt under it, and other marks around its perimeter, and left again.

The half made boots appeared, the new pair of boots from home had been taken apart, and native leather replaced the nylon outer. This was now fitted to each leg, up to just under each knee with soft leather. As the boots left the gauntlets returned.

Steven put first one than the other on. The gussets matched up to the ones on the sleeves. Then a vambrace attached to the gauntlet was closed, completing that piece. A pair of soft leather and fur lined mittens was snugged on over his hands. Then put away into a thigh pocket. Steven looked the gauntlets over. The palms were reinforced, and the knuckles had an extra strip over them and down each finger to where it ended just beyond the first knuckle. The vambrace was stiff against his wrist, was two layers thick, and ran back just short of his elbow.

The girdle reappeared, was connected to the coat’s belt, removed and disappeared again.

By this time it was well into the evening of this day. Master Mundrl, who had been supervising in and out of the room, reappeared having followed the girdle.

“What’s left to do will wait to tomorrow. When you return we will finish the fitting and should be able to get you on your way.”

Steven stepped down from the stand, tired of standing on it, and hungry, not having had anything to eat since lunch. He put on the older pair of his boots, and left. A carriage was waiting for him.