Rylla Land

On this blog page, below, is Part 10 of the science fiction story Old Time Gaming. The members of Rylla's expedition to Australia's west coast are assembling in a rather unconventional way. Rylla is trying to learn how to use memory-editing nanites to trick Captain Doones into going along on the adventure. 

Meanwhile, Manny the bumpha is at work off stage, "recruiting" two young citizens of New South Wales colony who have special gene combinations that are needed for success of her long-range plans; particularly for the creation of Rylla as a biological entity with useful Asterothrope gene combinations.

Manny has told Rylla that there is a small French settlement in western Australia. Rylla has tried to spread word of that settlement's existence so as to create interest in sending an expedition to the west coast, years before Perth was founded in the previous Reality. Rylla fears that she must be creating a new historical timeline for Australia, but Manny keeps insisting that everything is going according to her plan and changes like the discovery of gold near Sydney in 1814 simply will escape the notice of future historians. 

Rylla can't imagine why the clever young writer, Abigail Longfellow, did not make a mark on Australian history. As usual, the solution to such mysteries involves Manny and her devious engineering of the timeline.

Part 10 of Old Time Gaming. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9.

Governor MacQuarrie saw David wink at Rylla. He asked the boy, "Do I remember correctly that your parents came to Australia from Canterbury?"

"Yes, sir."

"And did they teach you to speak French?"

"On parle souvent français à la maison."

Elizabeth told her husband, "M. et Mme Phillips sont actifs dans l'église protestante française."

The Governor told David, "I need someone to help scout the west coast for a rumored French settlement." He looked at Rylla and asked David, "Does the idea interest you?"

David was looking into Rylla's eyes when he replied, "It depends on circumstances... such as who I would be traveling with."

"Well, think about it. Longfellow and I would both rest easier with you on the other end of the continent rather than prowling through warehouses in Sydney." Governor MacQuarrie told his wife, "Now, my dear, please see to it that these two youngsters are fed and then I suggest that Mr. Phillips be locked in the wine cellar with the old army cot and a pile of blankets. Miss Onway can stay the night in the guest bedroom."

After Elizabeth led Rylla and David away, a messenger came into the room to inform the Governor: "HMS Ruby is anchored off North Head and will enter the harbor in the morning."

The Governor thanked the messenger and told him to go to the kitchen for a meal. MacQuarrie told Captain Doones, "I don't want to get your hopes up, but Ruby might be carrying the stone quarrying tools that you had shipped out here from England."

"That would be welcome news. Even better would be the arrival of some men who knew how to use the tools. I was going to return to Emu Plains immediately, but maybe I should wait until Ruby is in port."

The Governor said, "You might as well stay here tonight. Come, it is time for dinner." MacQuarrie led Doones to the dining room. He asked his wife, "What time will you depart for your visit to the Phillips ranch?"

She replied, "I hope to be on my way by 5:00." 

The Governor stepped into the kitchen and he told the messenger boy, "I need you to do me a favor. When you are done eating, find Sergeant Owens. You know who I mean?"

"Yes, sir... the dock Sergeant."

"He'll be at the docks or possibly at home. Tell him that I want him here at my house by 5:00 in the morning. Understood?"

"Yes, sir." The boy stood up. "I'm on my way right now."

MacQuarrie slipped the boy a silver coin and then returned to the dining room. He told his wife, "Sergeant Owens will go with you in the morning. He can give David's parents an account of the boy's infraction and threaten to keep the lad in stocks until his trial. Once Owens has upset them, then offer a deal. I'll pay for use of their expertise in smuggling to quietly get the gold onto Navy ships." He turned to Doones and added, "Meet the Ruby in the morning before you return to Emu Plains."

Doones nodded without taking his eyes off of Rylla. Rylla was feeling the stares of both Doones and David. David was seated beside the Governor's wife and he asked her, "Have you ever heard an accent like Rylla's?" He looked at Elizabeth and added, "I can't get a straight answer from her about her home or how she magically appeared here in Sydney."

"A mystery! Maybe she'll tell me." Elizabeth asked Rylla, "Are you from America?"

Rylla sipped some wine and tried to guess her best answer. "I'd love to visit America, but sadly, I've not had the opportunity. Some people have told me that my accent suggests to them that I may have been born in the United States."

David told Rylla, "Your evasions make me think that maybe you really are a French spy." Rylla simply giggled; she had nothing to say.

The dinner conversation then went into the subject of the war with France. After dinner, Doones put David in the wine cellar with a cot and some blankets, but the door had no lock. Doones pulled a couch in front of the cellar door and then tried to get to sleep. Soon after he had drifted into sleep he started to dream. There in his dream was Rylla, speaking French and playing with his genitals. Doones experienced a sleep orgasm and then woke up. Rylla giggled and said, "You are a light sleeper, Captain."

The Governor's wife was coming down the stairs and said, "Rylla, are you down here?"

Rylla told Doones, "Sweet dreams." She went to the stairway and started climbing the stairs. She told Elizabeth, "Yes, I was just checking on the Captain. He got stuck with guard duty." Rylla took Elizabeth's arm and they went to the guest bedroom. 

Elizabeth said, "I have to get up early, but I'm finding it difficult to sleep." She sat on the bed.

Rylla sat down next to Elizabeth. "So you came looking for me?"

"Like David, I'm intrigued by your accent. Why won't you tell us where you are from?"

"You would not believe me."

"Did you come to Australia with that camel man, Smith? How did you two find gold so quickly?"

Rylla pretended to yawn. "I also have a big day tomorrow and I'm tired. I'll be gone from Sydney very soon and you can then forget about my annoying refusal to tell you my private business." Rylla kissed Elizabeth on the mouth. "Good night."

Elizabeth laughed, "I won't forget about you. I'll be worried that you have come to a bad end. It really will not be safe for you to go on this crazy adventure."

"I know how to take care of myself. I just wish I could talk Doones into going with me." She got back into the bed.

"Yes, he's a good man, but he's got work to do here. He's a college graduate and probably too smart to trek off into the wilderness with a crazy woman."

"Thank you for your concern, but either go back to your husband's bed or get under the covers with me." Elizabeth walked over and kissed Rylla, but she then turned away and returned to her own bed.

Rylla did not sleep. Through the quiet hours of the night she wondered if she had been able to insert any memory-altering nanites into Doones and she worried that, not really knowing what she was doing, she might have altered his memory patterns and made things worse. Before dawn, she followed Elizabeth down to the kitchen where they ate a quick breakfast with Sergeant Owens. After Elizabeth and the Sergeant departed, Rylla sat in a chair and watched the sleeping Captain Doones. 

Rylla noticed that the cellar door had been worked part way open. Rylla watched as the skinny David Phillips squeezed through the doorway and came around the end of the couch where Doones was sleeping. Rylla followed David outside before saying anything. She called to him, "Where are you off to?"

He stopped in his tracks and turned around slowly. Seeing that Rylla was alone, he smiled and told her, "I have some affairs to attend to, but I'll be back."

Rylla laughed. "You enjoyed the wine cellar that much?"

"I think I got drunk just breathing the fumes down there. Blame alcohol or otherwise, but you'll be interested to know that I do like the idea of going along on your journey out west. I have to go round up enough money for the price of a berth on the St. Habbenshynn." He turned and ran off.

Rylla called after him, "Don't worry about money. Just be at the dock before the tide starts out!"

Rylla went back inside and quietly pushed the couch back against the wall. She then sat down beside Doones, which woke him up. He sat up and asked, "What time is it?"

"The sun will be up soon."

He stood up and said, "I'm going to the docks. Hopefully the Ruby will make its way in at first light." Rylla put her arms around the Captain and kissed him. For a minute they played a game with their tongues then he said, "Please don't distract me." He went off the the stables and soon Rylla heard him riding away towards Sydney. 

Governor MacQuarrie came down the stairs from the second floor and saw Rylla pushing the couch away from its place in front of the cellar door. "Let me help you with that. I suppose we can now release the boy."

Rylla said, "He's already gone. David told me that he's going with me to the west coast."

MacQuarrie stopped by the kitchen and asked for his breakfast to be served in the dining room. He sat down with Rylla and said, "Some day I hope to get a report from the two of you. I still can't believe that there is an invisible French settlement here in Australia."

Georges-Louis Le Sage

Rylla was lost in her own thoughts, imagining how her mission to the west coast would unfold. She casually told the Governor, "Not really invisible, just small and isolated. As far as sending you reports... people like Georges-Louis Le Sage have been developing electrical signal devices. Maybe it will not be too long until news and messages will move quickly across the continent by telegraphy."

The Governor sipped tea and then began to eat. After a minute of silence, he asked Rylla, "This Le Sage, a Frenchman?"

"He lived in Geneva, but yes, I think his family was from Burgundy."

"How do you know so much about so many things?"

Rylla replied enigmatically, "Where I come from, women are always afforded a good education. You should make sure that girls in Australia get a good education."

MacQuarrie nodded. "I trust my well-educated wife to work towards such goals. I should introduce you to Sophie McKnight. She's got dreams of founding an institution of higher education in Australia."

_________

At that very moment, in the other end of Parramatta, the copy of Rylla that was using the bodily form of Sophie was kissing Abigail goodbye. Sophie/Rylla had returned from the Outback the previous evening. Rylla thanked Abigail for taking over at the school. "I plan to stay in town now... thank you so much for watching after the school house while I was away. We need to start making plans for how to take Australia's better students beyond the basics."

Abigail nodded. "I have in mind something like a Grammar School, but oriented around art, science and work skills like midwifery and accounting."

Rylla showed Abigail what she had in her saddle bag. "We need to exercise some discretion, but with this gold we can afford to build and staff such a school. Do you think you could draw up a floor plan and pick out a site?"

"I can try." Rylla and Abigail shared some pleasing sexplay that night.

In the morning, Abigail kissed Rylla goodbye on the front porch and then departed.

Returning inside, Rylla saw Manny sitting at the table. Manny had a cup of tea set out for Rylla. Rylla sat down and sipped the hot tea. "Thank you for not interrupting my reunion with Abigail last night."

Manny giggled and told Rylla, "I was there in bed with you two and I enjoyed each orgasm. However, I was busy trying to familiarize myself with Abigail's rather unique mind."

"I hope you don't intend to interfere with our plans for a new school of arts and sciences."

Manny shrugged, "This is why you are here in Parramatta, Rylla, however..." Manny casually waved a hand and images appeared before Rylla. In those images, Abigail could be seen at the port in Sydney, boarding a ship. Manny said, "Abigail is needed on the west coast, so I'm sending her off with your copy. Today they set sail on the St. Habbenshynn."

Rylla complained, "How dare you kidnap the poor girl?"

Manny nodded towards the moving images. "She'll go freely and happily on this great adventure. I've reprogrammed her mind... she's already forgotten about her dream of creating a school for writers and artists." Manny waved her hand again and the images vanished. "It's up to you to do the work that you tried to assign to Abigail, although help is arriving today on the Ruby.... a friend of Captain Doones who has experience working as an architect. He can draw up an architectural plan for your new school.

Rylla mused, "I can't believe that Abigail would simply forget about our plans and run off to the west coast..."

Manny explained, "With my nanites, I can reprogram a biological human as easily as I can program a replicoid's artificial brain. With practice, you will get much better at using your nanites to edit people's memories. It is a useful skill to have."

"Well, I still don't like it."

"And I'll not erase your anger and frustration. Face it Rylla, the population of Australia is very small and useful people like Abigail could do many things with their lives. In this case, Abigail's most important job is continuing the ancestral lineage that leads to you. The next link in the chain after Abigail can only be produced in Perth."

Rylla said, "Very well. I'll develop my skills and learn how to reprogram humans. I can start with Captain Doones."

Manny shook her head. "Don't count on it... you should focus your efforts on humans who have the most Asterothrope gene combinations. As for Doones, he will do the right thing when the time comes, without your help. You need to turn your attention in other directions. I can't say too much about your future, but the young architect is named Wyatt." Manny teleported herself away and Rylla went to teach her students at the school, still upset over the unexpected news that had been delivered by Manny.

______

Fighting storm swells, the Ruby had lifted anchor soon after sending word ahead to the port of the ship's arrival at Port Jackson. The Captain ordered Ruby out to sea, well clear of all islands and reefs. It was not until late morning that they reached the dock in Sydney. Watching from the dock, Captain Doones saw his old friend Lance Wyatt looking down from the ship's deck. He called, "Wyatt!"

Wyatt saw Doones, waved and climbed a rope ladder down to the dock. The two men shook hands. "I got myself in trouble with the Admiral so he volunteered me for duty in New South Wales. And yes, all the tools that you ordered are in the cargo hold."

Doones told Wyatt about his plans for a stone bridge over the Nepean river. "You are better qualified to manage that project than I."

"True. The only think you were ever good for was precision artillery bombardments."

All Doones had in his pocket was a sheet of military script. With a pencil, he wrote a short note to the Governor and handed it to Wyatt. "Deliver that note to Governor MacQuarrie... and good luck with the bridge building!"

Doones ran off the peer and went to where he had left his horse. A quarter mile away was the peer where the St. Habbenshynn was making preparations to set sail. On the deck of the St. Habbenshynn, Rylla and David were questioning Abigail about her sudden decision to go to western Australia.

Abigail told Rylla, "I could not stand the thought of you having all the fun and adventure while leaving me here to teach children how to read. Sophie will be able to take care of her school house now. I guess she got tired of roughing it in the Outback."

David said, "Wait until we get out of the harbor and get into the rough swells. We'll soon see how much you like adventure."

The deck officer called out to the crew, "Cast off all lines!"

Abigail pointed along the peer, "Is that Captain Doones?"

Doones was riding his horse at a full gallop down the peer. The horse charged up the main cargo ramp and jumped the four foot gap as the ship was moving away from the dock. The horse skidded to a stop on the wooden deck and Doones dismounted. Rylla rushed over and threw her arms around Captain Doones. She spoke into the crook of his neck, "Manny said you'd do the right thing."

Holding her in his arms, Doones tried to puzzle out what Rylla meant by her statement. The he held Rylla at arms length and said, "Not many would let a woman like you get away."

Soon they had the Captain's horse below decks with Rylla's horse. Rylla showed him the two cabins that she had reserved. Doones took Rylla by the hand and into the larger cabin. Abigail and David were looking into the other cabin when George White emerged from his cabin, already stricken by sea sickness. "David? Abigail? What-" He ran for the aft deck. Abigail and David followed along.

After watching George vomit over the rail for five minutes, David said, "We're glad to see you, too."

After listening to David and Abigail talking excitedly for ten minutes, George said, "So that was the voice of Captain Doones that I heard."

"Doones took Rylla into a cabin. Guessing from the way he was looking at her, we might not see them again for a couple of days."

David asked Abigail, "And you are going to share the other cabin with David?"

"We'll see. If he turns out to be a bad cabin mate, I'll kick him out... you might have to offer him shelter in your cabin."

However, Abigail ended up taking care of George, keeping him hydrated and helping him through his motion sickness. George preferred to stay in the fresh air up on deck. 

Eventually, David went below to eat and then went to the second cabin that Rylla had reserved. Dozing, he waited. Finally, well after dark, the cabin door opened and Rylla came in. David was regretting having eaten but was keeping his dinner down. He asked Rylla, "Where is Captain Doones?"

"Finally sleeping." She sat down on the bed beside David. She was wearing nothing but a silk robe. "Why do you look so glum?"

"I think you can guess." David placed a hand on Rylla's back and explained, "I was selfishly hoping that I might have you all to myself during this journey."

Rylla was very pleased that Doones had been able to join the expedition to the west coast. She was confident that Manny had seen and anticipated his last minute arrival at the departing St. Habbenshynn. Rylla was also confident that Manny had good reasons for "recruiting" Abigail and David for the expedition. 

Rylla placed a hand on David's leg. She was thinking about Manny's system for keeping her Interventionist agents happy. She heard the neighboring cabin's door slam then Abigail looked in and told Rylla, "I'm taking care of poor George, he's dreadfully ill. Maybe he'll feel better in the morning." Abigail winked at Rylla and went to George's cabin.

Rylla quickly took off her robe and jumped on the bed. "I expect Doones will sleep at least six hours. So... for now you have me all to yourself."

Not needing to sleep, Rylla was able to keep both Captain Doones and David entertained during the journey along the south shore of Australia. After the first day, they had fair sailing and made good time. The stormy weather pattern in the east was part of a hemispheric climate oscillation that had temporarily shifted the prevailing westerlies to another latitude.

A week later they reached the 31st parallel and were not far from the future location of Perth. Rylla, David, Doones, Abigail and George were all up on deck. From the crows nest came a shout, "Smoke on the horizon."

Doones and Rylla went to confer with the ship's captain who knew that they were looking for a French settlement. Doones asked to use the ship's telescope. After examining the source of the smoke, Rylla took a look. Doones said, "That looks like an island."

The ship's captain showed Doones and Rylla a navigation chart. "It is a small island."

Rylla had been programmed by Manny to recognize this island when she saw it. She said, "This is as far as we go." She told the ship's captain, "I know that this is not a real port, but I'll pay for you to anchor here for a short time and shuttle us to that island."

In the first boat from the St. Habbenshynn, Doones and Rylla helped row to the island and Rylla's horse swam along at the side of the utility boat. Doones asked Rylla, "You've been here before?"

Rylla shook her head. "No, but this is the settlement that I was told about."

After unloading the boat's contents onto the beach, it was sent back for more of the expedition's supplies. Rylla and Doones rode the artificial horse to the other side of the island where they found a few low buildings beside a big garden area. At the top of a ten foot long pole there was an improvised French flag woven from the stems of several local plants. A man, a woman and a boy were working in the gardens, but they stopped their work and greeted the visitors. The man waved and called out, "C'est un uniforme britannique?"

Rylla replied, "Voici le capitaine Doones, un ingénieur militaire." She shook the man's hand, then the woman's. "My name is Rylla."

The woman said, "Je m'appelle Kardynya." However, Rylla could sense telepathically that this was Manny, disguised in the bodily form of a native woman. Manny placed a hand on her son's shoulder and told Rylla, "This is my son, Stefan."

Neither Manny nor Stefan was wearing a stitch of clothing. Rylla burst out laughing. The man was wearing worn and tattered clothing. She asked the man, "Sorry to intrude on your tranquility. How long have you been living here?"

He looked around the gardens as if imagining how the area had looked when he first arrived. "This is my 11th year here. The tenth with the blessing of Kardynya's presence. Where did you come from? Do you have a ship?"

"The ship is on the other side of the island. Fearing Rocks and reefs the captain of the ship refused to come around to this side of the island."

"I must go greet your captain!"

"The ship will soon be gone. I hope you don't mind guests. What is your name?"

Kardynya said, "This is Anselme Riedlé, a botanist."

Doones asked Anselme, "How did you get here?"

"That is a good question, young man. I was part of an expedition led by Nicolas Baudin. I became quite ill. After that... I can't say. Maybe they left me here to die. I survived."

Rylla gestured to the carefully tended gardens. "You seem to have done well."

Anselme nodded. "Kardynya is amazing. She knows all of the native plants. I've learned so much from her."

"Are those orange trees?"

"Yes. And lemon trees. When I was left behind on this island, I was provided with some tools and seeds, some dried food."

Rylla explained, "And we have brought more tools and supplies and seeds. If you don't mind, we'll move in here with you on this side of the island. There are two more in our party."

Anselme had no objection and seemed pleased at the prospect of contact with Europeans. "I've gotten along well with the natives, thanks to Kardynya. Let me show you my gardens."

While Anselme proudly showed off his gardens, Rylla telepathically "spoke" to Manny. She was feeling rather silly after having imagined that in this Reality she might become famous for having so daringly led an expedition to the west coast of Australia. Now Rylla realized that Manny had been here for ten years, waiting for Rylla and her expedition to finally arrive. She asked: One French botanist is the French settlement?

Manny explained: Sometimes I can't tell you too many details about your future because you simple would not believe me. Manny told Rylla that Anselme was a teleportation duplicate, made by Manny and deployed to Garden Island to support Rylla's mission. The original copy of Anselme died ten years ago.

Rylla asked: What next? We all live here now on this little island? For how long?

Manny replied: You are free to do as you please, but this island would be a good home for you. And your children.

Rylla had one of her strange premonitions from the future. Rylla saw herself on the beach with a very large abdomen. She asked: I'm pregnant?

You are.

Who is the father?

Rylla, why don't you like surprises? It is enough that I'm giving you early warning of this first pregnancy.

First?

Be fruitful and multiply. There is not going to be much else for you to do here... besides help Abigail with her writing.

Anselme was looking out to sea where a small boat could be seen. He said, "Blessed day. I think that is Tarny."

Manny did not bother looking. She told Rylla: That is my sister, Tarny.

Tarny

Tarny came up from the beach and introductions were performed. Rylla guessed that Tarny had been carefully designed so as to appear to be about ten years younger than Kardynya, but Rylla could telepathically sense that this was simply a second copy of Manny. Rylla also noticed that Doones seemed pleased with the fact that both Kardynya and Tarny wore very little clothing. Tarny wore a short leather shirt and leggings.

Rylla rode back to the other side of the island and collected David and Abigail and Doones' horse. There with David and Abigail was George White who, given the chance to avoid more sea sickness, had decided to abandon the St. Habbenshynn.

That evening, a celebration feast was cooked over a roaring fire and then gratefully consumed by the expedition members who were glad to be off the ship. While the others continued to celebrate, Manny took Anselme off to their little cabin. Doones was having a long one-on-one conversation with Tarny beside the fire. George and Abigail set up a tent and went to bed. Rylla told David, "Help me set up the other tent."

Part 11

David looked up at the stars and said, "No rain tonight. We don't need a tent."

Rylla told him, "For what I'm going to do to you, I'll need some privacy. I don't want to Tarny to think I'm a savage."

David looked towards the fire and saw that Doones had an arm around Tarny. "The Captain is not wasting time building up good relations with the natives."

Next: Monument Cliff

The story continues: Part 11 of Old Time Gaming.