Jimi Twelvetrees (Part 2)

Science Fiction / Western Adventure

Chapter Five

  He got to Deadwood on the second evening after departing from the reservation. The chestnut mare he had ‘borrowed’ from the US cavalry was not fast but durable. The army saddles were unforgiving and Jimi decided to stretch his legs a little before venturing into town. Groaning, he shook his legs to get the blood flowing again. He had had time to ponder the events at the butte when the warriors arrived for the guns. Looks Far was with them and he felt her eyes on him during his demonstration of the rifles. Like revolutionaries the world over during the 20th century they took to the AK immediately. Raising their heads high like warriors again. He gave them more than enough ammunition and wished them good luck with the war. Looks Far came up to him and looked into his eyes: ‘ Do you know what you are doing, son of Twelvetrees?’

‘Yeah, I’m giving hope and pride back to our people’ he said, almost defiantly.

‘Can such things ever be achieved by war?’

‘Would you rather be dead?’

‘Ah, that’s always the question isn't it? To kill to live, to make war for peace - there must be another way’

He understood how she got her name. She had a gaze that was somehow fixed on something that nobody else could see - in the far distance.

‘I wish there were, believe me Looks Far. But now I must go to find my mother. I hope we meet again to speak of such things’

‘Goodbye Twelvetrees - I hope you find what you seek’

What did she mean by that? He had the feeling she knew much more than she was saying  about this whole business. But now was not the time to try to understand the cryptic words of a woman, however wise and beautiful she was. He had to be a man of action - cool and decisive. Perhaps he should practice a bit more with the revolver? Hell, if he couldn't shoot by now he never would. He mounted thinking ‘You think you’re tough Al Swearengen but wait until you get a look at me!’

The doors of the saloon creaked behind him as he strode to the bar. It was just about empty with a few people scattered among the tables - no one stood at the bar. 

‘Whiskey please’

The bar keep looked up, wiping a glass. 

‘We don’t serve no ‘skins in here’

Jimi beckoned him. As he approached Jimi grabbed the back of his neck and slammed his face into the bar. 

‘Give me a whiskey, I won’t ask again’

‘Sure, sure thing Chief’ He struggled up to get the bottle.

‘Is Al Swearengen here?’

Suddenly he saw the reflection, in the mirror behind the bar, of a man with a rifle on the balcony above. He turned, crouched and drew the colt, all in one movement. 

Their shots were simultaneous - the mirror shattered and the man fell from the balcony. Jimi turned to see the barman reaching for a shotgun. Again the colt spat out its deadly contents. The barman froze with confusion as the hole in his forehead oozed a thin trickle of blood. He fell like a sack of coal does into a cellar. A fog of smoke hung in the air with the savoury smell of cordite. Crack! Jimi was spun like a top and fell heavily onto his back. As consciousness faded he saw the small feet of a woman next to his ear.

 

‘Hey, Al, I think he’s coming around’

The voice was familiar. He opened his eyes and struggled to focus.

‘Hello baby’ said Susan Truly

.Chapter Six

‘Aren’t you pleased to see me?’

Perhaps he was hallucinating because of the injury.

‘How, why?’ Was all he could say.

‘Why should you boys have all the fun? I got interested by hearing your stories and, well, Dr. Sprokane was only too pleased to help so I came to see for myself’

He sat up and a stab of pain shot down the side of his head. She saw him flinch:

‘Sorry about that Jimi, but you were killing everything in sight so I had to fire’

‘You shot me!’

‘Only a little bit’

‘You b***h, how’d you learn to shoot?’

‘I’m not very good - I was aiming at your heart’ She lied.

‘How long have I been here?’

‘A couple of days - we didn't know when you were gonna come out of it’

‘That murderous son of a b***h awake?’

A man’s voice boomed. It could only be Al Swearengen.

‘Be nice Al’ said Susan

‘Nice? You said he was new to gun play - not a walking killing machine. Two of my men dead and already rotting and you tell me to be nice, I oughta…’

‘Now, remember why we brought him here’

‘You brought me?’

‘ Poor Jimi, you haven’t a clue what’s really going on have you?’

‘Why don’t you tell me, calamity Susan’

She smiled and looked at Al.

‘We might as well tell him since you let her get away and our plan went with her’

‘My mother?’

‘Yes, Al here, was trying to get her to tell him where she’d hidden it but she’s one tough little lady. I said you were coming here soon so we just waited - if we had you she would tell us anything’

‘I can’t believe you used me like this’

Susan put her head to one side and sighed.

‘ OK, OK, so I used you too, but what in the hell does my mother have that you all want so desperately?’

‘The Crystal Skull of Thoka’

There was a silence until Jimi began to laugh. He stopped abruptly because it provoked the pain again. 

‘You can’t be serious - nobody believes in that old myth any more’

‘Your mother does - and so does Al here. Tell him Al’

‘A few years ago one of my men digging in the Black Hills found it. He brought it to me - he didn’t know what to do with it. I thought I’d put it behind the bar for decoration then one night…’ His voice trailed off.

Jimi looked at Susan.

‘One night Al was looking at it and it began to glow. The next day they found him in a trance and had to throw water on him to bring him round.’

‘What did you see?’

‘Everything’

Again there was silence.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Everything - Makossa, you, time travel, all of it. I thought I was mad until Susan came and confirmed it all. The power of knowing everything is overwhelming - like seeing the world for the first time. Then your father stole it from me. He said the goddamn Indians should have it. I must get it back’

Al’s eyes were wide and unblinking - Jimi had seen that look before.

‘Imagine it Jimi - to see the skull for real. Now that’s an adventure’ Susan enthused.

‘Is that all this means to you - an adventure?’

‘Well that’s why Makossans come here isn’t it? 

‘Speaking of Makossa, are you going to tell the Programme about any of this? You know what they’ll do don’t you - send someone back to undo what I've done. Then you’ll never see the skull’

‘Don’t worry Jimi, I’m not gonna say anything and anyway they don’t care what happens to Earth. And I don’t think they would dare undo anything you've done - you’re half Makossan and it’s illegal to change any Makossan’s timeline’

Jimi hadn't thought of that.

Suddenly they were interrupted 

‘Boss, boss, the Sioux are coming.’

‘Calm down man - who’s coming?’

‘The Injuns, thousands of ‘em. They've just massacred the entire 7th Cavalry and now they're coming here to murder us all in our beds’

‘Nice going Jimi’ Said Miss Truly.

Chapter Seven

Deadwood was in uproar - the people panicking to get out of town before the terrible vengeance would be visited on them. Jimi was not convinced that their fears were well founded; probably just a panic reaction to the unexpected news. He followed Susan to where she said his horse and guns had been left. They entered the livery stable and she pointed to the chestnut: ’There you go Jimi - just like I said’

‘Why didn't you go with Al?’ he asked.

‘I wasn't invited. He’s much more concerned to get his gold out of the bank before the Sioux arrive than worry about an ex-partner’

‘So what are you going to do now?’

‘That kinda depends on you - you wouldn't leave a defenseless woman to the mercy of ravaging savages would you?’ She said smiling.

‘Why should I care. You shot me’

‘Oh, get over it will you - it was only a stun cartridge’

‘Al wouldn't have been using stun cartridges. You set me up hoping to get to my mother’

‘I told you, I was named after a femme fatale and that’s the kind of thing we do’ 

She was still smiling and deep down Jimi was finding this new Miss Truly very exciting.

‘That’s a real bad attack of Makossan role playing’ he said.

‘You can talk - medicine man’

‘OK, where’s your pod? - I’ll take you there and no further’

‘Why, thank you, good sir. It’s a few miles north in the woods’

‘Jump up then’

They weaved their way through the evacuating Deadwoodians. He had never seen so many bushy moustaches before - even on some of the women! They passed the famous marshal Seth Bullock trying, and failing, to keep some kind of order in the exodus. Jimi hoped this cesspit that polluted the sacred Black Hills would burn and never be rebuilt. Finally they cleared the town limits and started into the woods. 

‘This the right direction?’ he inquired

‘Yeah, I marked a tree near where I parked’

‘Why haven’t you got a homing device?‘

’This is my first trip - give a girl a break, I forgot, alright?’

‘That’s great, half the Sioux nation rampaging through these woods anytime soon and we’re looking for Susan loves Al carved on a tree’

‘You’re jealousy is showing again - look over there’

They rode up to the tree and Susan dismounted. Carved on the trunk was ‘Home’. Susan felt around trying to touch the cloaked pod.

‘It’s not here Jimi’

He dismounted and joined the search.

‘Damn it woman, you sure this is the place?’

‘You see the carving’

‘Well it’s getting dark, I suppose we better make camp and figure out what to do with you’

‘Oh, goody, I love camping out’

Jimi groaned with exasperation. 

He had managed to shoot a small deer and they sat watching it roast on a spit above the fire. Their insulated traveller’s suits kept them warm in the cold winter night air.

‘This sure is a beautiful planet. Do you think Makossa was ever like this?’ said Susan wistfully. 

‘Perhaps, many thousands of years ago. The Lakota believe this place is the centre of the world’

A distant wolf howled. Susan shuffled to his side.

‘Don’t worry, he won’t bother us - not with the fire. Even bears stay away from fire’

‘You mean there are bears here?’

‘You scared cowgirl?’

‘A little bit - I’m glad you’re here, I’m sorry I shot you’

‘Just don’t do it again. I kinda wish I hadn’t shot anyone either. I keep seeing the barman’s face as he died. Guess I’m not much of a warrior’

‘What are we going to do Jimi?’

‘I visited my parents in a cabin not far from here when I was a kid, there’s a chance my mother’s there but she’s not going to be pleased to see you is she?’

‘Guess not, do you think she’s got it there?’

‘What is it with you and the skull? It’s only carved crystal you know’

‘Still a skeptic then, you wait, Jimi Twelvetrees, you just wait and see'

Chapter Eight

  They continued the journey up the mountainside as soon as dawn broke. Jimi was pretty sure who had stolen Susan’s pod - something he would have to deal with if, and when, he caught up with his mother. Two Moons might just be hiding out from Al Swearengen in the old family cabin they used in the summer. It  would be bleak up there this time of year but if he was her that’s where he would go - if it wasn't his mother who had taken the pod! The clouds were low and heavy with snow as they made their way. Susan was getting restless and he correctly anticipated her next question.

‘Is it much further, my butt is getting numb’

‘Too much reality for a city girl?’ he said, smugly

‘I should be in a buggy with a fringe on top, like the lady I am. Not slumming it on the back of a stolen nag with a renegade injun’

‘Quit complaining - the cabin’s just around that hill’

His heart was in his mouth as they rounded the bend. My God, there was smoke rising from the chimney; the question now was - who was at home?

‘We better walk the rest of the way, we don’t know who’s inside.’ Jimi said cautiously. 

‘Lock and load, baby’ said Susan

‘No shooting unless I do, OK?’

‘Yes, master Jimi’

They made their way up to the cabin, carefully using the trees for cover. They were close now.

‘You see anything?’ She asked excitedly

‘Not a damn thing - the window is all misted up’

‘We gonna knock on the door?’

‘Hell, no. You circle around the back and fire a shot. There’s only one door and we’ll see who comes out’

She did as he asked and a minute later a shot rang out, echoing among the hills.

To his surprise a figure he recognized emerged - it was Looks Far!

He approached - the ‘45 drawn in case there was someone else inside with a gun on her.

She saw him and shouted out: ‘Come in Twelvetrees, we've been waiting for you’

Was his mother inside? He stepped up on to the veranda towards the smiling Lakota.

‘Go inside, there’s someone who’s waited a long time for you.’

He didn't even see her properly in the gloom of the interior before they were embracing tearfully. Jimi thought his heart would burst. 

‘Let me take a look at you, my Jimi’

It was like he was a boy again as he saw her little frame silhouetted in front of the fire. 

‘You’re OK, mother?’

‘I am now, my son’

‘I didn't know what to think when there was no word from you for so long’

‘I’m sorry Jimi, my heart was broken when your father died and I didn't want to upset you even more with my grief and then this other matter came up’

‘You mean the skull?’

They were interrupted

‘Hey, how long are you gonna leave me out here in the goddamn freezing snow?’ asked Susan peering into the cabin.

‘YOU!’ said his mother.

Susan looked sheepishly at Jimi

‘You found her then. I, I’ll wait outside’

‘Why is SHE here Jimi?’

‘It’s kind of a long story, but she’s been helping me. Can she come in to warm up?’

‘You want her here?’

‘She’s in trouble mother, somebody has stolen her travel pod’

‘You know what she’s done?’

‘Time travel sometimes does crazy things to Makossans - you know that mother. It was all just a big adventure to her’

‘And I did kind of help you out with Al. He would of got a lot nastier if I hadn't come up with the plan to wait for Jimi’ Susan said quietly.

‘You put my son in danger and you want my thanks?’

‘I knew Jimi could handle him’ Lied Susan

Looks Far entered and beckoned Susan to the fireside. Two Moons ignored her and turned to Jimi: ‘I hear you have given rifles to Spotted Elk and they have started a new war’

‘I have’

‘As a scientist I can’t approve of what you've done - your father taught me that. But I understand why you did it. Our people have so much to offer mankind but the Europeans can’t see that. We are only in the way of their idea of progress. I pray that what you have done will bring an end to the persecution but I fear it might just mean more death.’

Her words made Jimi feel ashamed of his arrogance but not of what he had done. 

‘There’s something I want you to do for me Jimi’

‘Anything mother’

‘Take the skull to Makossa. Your scientists must analyse its power. It must not remain here - any human with that kind of power will become a monster’

‘Why don’t you come with me?’

‘I must stay with my people’

At that moment a shrill alarm pierced the air. It was coming from both his and Susan’s communication devices.

‘What does it mean, my son?’

‘It means that we must return to Makossa immediately’ 

To be continued...