Jeremy 3.0
Chieftain
The orange and blue lines seemed to push against one another, arguing for position on the ground between the two scouts.
“I can’t believe I never noticed these before,” Gunter said, watching the lines in fascination.
“You really have to be looking for them,” Niles said. “They’re a little easier to see at night. But not much.”
“And you say they mark the border between Germany and Britain?”
“Yes. See how you’re standing in your territory and I’m in mine?”
Gunter shook his head. “I don’t need silly little lines to know when I’m standing in Germany.”
“Oh?” Niles said, looking up.
“Of course not. I can tell just by breathing the air. It’s cleaner here. And fresher.”
“Fresher?” Niles said from three feet away.
“Naturally. And the land here is better, too.” Gunter pointed to a group of German Musketmen gathered around a raised area behind him. “There’s proof of my point; saltpeter – the only such source on the entire continent.”
“How do you know that?”
“Hello? I’m a scout.”
“Ah. Right.”
Gunter crossed his arms. “I suppose you could try taking it from us if we were at war.”
“Which we’re not,” Niles said.
“No, not at present,” Gunter said with a trace of disappointment. “But if we were, I’d point out the weapons our men over there carry.”
“Beyond British technology, that’s for sure,” Niles said.
“And while I was at it I’d direct your attention to distant Hamburg behind me.”
“I can see it over there.”
“And the walls that circle the entire city?” Gunter asked.
“Very thick,” Niles said. “Impenetrable, perhaps.”
“To your knights and swordsmen? Absolutely!”
“Of course Hamburg sits on the ocean…” Niles began.
“We invite your little ships to try it,” Gunter said. “You’ll find the coastal fortress most unwelcome.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
“We’re not idiots. We know you’ve been very active in your itty-bitty town over there. We fully expect an assault on our city within weeks. Perhaps sooner.”
“I suppose that will put a damper on our little talks then,” Niles said.
Gunter shrugged. “We can always take them up again after the war. I imagine the German city of London will have plenty of places for us to meet.”
Niles nodded. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this but I suppose you’ll find out soon enough.”
“What’s that?” Gunter asked warily.
“We aren’t recruiting soldiers here.”
“Of course you aren’t.”
“We’re not.”
“Fine,” Gunter said. “What are you doing then?”
“Building a cathedral,” Niles said.
“What? Way out here? Why?”
He stopped as a curious buzzing sensation filled his body. Bright orange and blue lights crossed his vision. He looked down at the borderlines just in time to see them rushing past him, past the Musketmen, and onward toward Hamburg.
“That’s why,” Niles said, smiling. “Now, on your way back, would you mind telling your men to step away from our saltpeter?”
“I can’t believe I never noticed these before,” Gunter said, watching the lines in fascination.
“You really have to be looking for them,” Niles said. “They’re a little easier to see at night. But not much.”
“And you say they mark the border between Germany and Britain?”
“Yes. See how you’re standing in your territory and I’m in mine?”
Gunter shook his head. “I don’t need silly little lines to know when I’m standing in Germany.”
“Oh?” Niles said, looking up.
“Of course not. I can tell just by breathing the air. It’s cleaner here. And fresher.”
“Fresher?” Niles said from three feet away.
“Naturally. And the land here is better, too.” Gunter pointed to a group of German Musketmen gathered around a raised area behind him. “There’s proof of my point; saltpeter – the only such source on the entire continent.”
“How do you know that?”
“Hello? I’m a scout.”
“Ah. Right.”
Gunter crossed his arms. “I suppose you could try taking it from us if we were at war.”
“Which we’re not,” Niles said.
“No, not at present,” Gunter said with a trace of disappointment. “But if we were, I’d point out the weapons our men over there carry.”
“Beyond British technology, that’s for sure,” Niles said.
“And while I was at it I’d direct your attention to distant Hamburg behind me.”
“I can see it over there.”
“And the walls that circle the entire city?” Gunter asked.
“Very thick,” Niles said. “Impenetrable, perhaps.”
“To your knights and swordsmen? Absolutely!”
“Of course Hamburg sits on the ocean…” Niles began.
“We invite your little ships to try it,” Gunter said. “You’ll find the coastal fortress most unwelcome.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
“We’re not idiots. We know you’ve been very active in your itty-bitty town over there. We fully expect an assault on our city within weeks. Perhaps sooner.”
“I suppose that will put a damper on our little talks then,” Niles said.
Gunter shrugged. “We can always take them up again after the war. I imagine the German city of London will have plenty of places for us to meet.”
Niles nodded. “I probably shouldn’t tell you this but I suppose you’ll find out soon enough.”
“What’s that?” Gunter asked warily.
“We aren’t recruiting soldiers here.”
“Of course you aren’t.”
“We’re not.”
“Fine,” Gunter said. “What are you doing then?”
“Building a cathedral,” Niles said.
“What? Way out here? Why?”
He stopped as a curious buzzing sensation filled his body. Bright orange and blue lights crossed his vision. He looked down at the borderlines just in time to see them rushing past him, past the Musketmen, and onward toward Hamburg.
“That’s why,” Niles said, smiling. “Now, on your way back, would you mind telling your men to step away from our saltpeter?”