CHAPTER 9 - LONGING

Chief Petty Officers Kees Kepler and Macboy Jewell, both members of the Blue Navy’s elite Omega Squad, had been given a months leave after the defeat of the Druid plot to restore the disgraced Monforte’s to the throne of Second Life. It took them almost two months to complete the paperwork, the reviews, and all the minutia of military life before they could find a month that would be free.

But as early fall approached they finally broke free of Blue Navy responsibilities. This was to be a commando’s holiday and they had planned carefully an adventure to the most remote and difficult lands to explore in all of Second Life. After searching all the available maps and plans they could find in Linden’s sim libraries they decided to climb the mountains of the Kun Lun range on the boarder of the remote sims of East Egg and Shangri La on the very edge of Second Life.

There remained only one unpleasant task to complete before they could leave for their holiday in the remote mountains.

They were to be decorated by the Second Sea Lord for bravery.

Bradford Cananticle Monforte IV, Royal, Dauphan of Second Life, Associate Professor, famed historian, and Head of the Anti-Monarchist Party, had granted them the entry into the exhaulted order of the Kinghts of Garter of Saint Squamus Third Class. The last thing both Kees and Macboy wanted in their lives was to be called ‘Sir’ Chief Petty Officer by every wet behind the ears recruit and wise ass in the Blue Ocean Navy. They had thought seriously about declining the offer but when they approached their commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Growling he would not hear of it. They simply could not decline an honor from the Monfortes. Regardless of the clear line of insanity and madness that ran through the Monforte clan, the Blue Navy had never declined an honor since the Navy saved the Monforte clan by switching sides and joining the Lindens in the Yellow Revolution on the condition that the Monfortes be neutered and preserved in the Sim of Aspic. That had been more than 200 years ago, and much had changed, but the Blue Navy had a long tradition of deference to the Monfortes, even if they always disregarded their advice and council. Tradition was powerful in the Navy and both Macboy and Kees knew that it was hopeless to decline the offer.

The ceremony had been brief and was held at the secret garden within the Long White Hall in the capital. Since both Kees and Macboy were members of a secret special services force, the Dark Commandos and they were never allowed to wear the patch of the commandos – the screaming ferret. But just about everyone in the Blue Navy knew of the Dark Commandos and their motto "Audaces Fortuna Juvat." Any observant Navy person with any tenure could just look at the physique of Kees or Macboy and know who and what they were. There was something about the eyes, and the biceps, and the gluts that said “Don’t mess with me or I’ll kill you.”

As much as they didn’t want the recognition, they still thrilled to the ceremony and honors when the Second Sea Lord and Bradford Cananticle Monforte IV entered the courtyard to the thunder of the drums and the flourishes of the trumpets. Lined up in two neat files were 22 members of the elite corps. As Macboy and Kees stood at attention they saw many famed and honored warriors including One Eyed Peet the famed parrot hero of the Battle of Nobs, Seaman Pookie, Bucky Fullerine, Commander White Fang, and the old and aged Black Tooth. They were standing at attention in recognition of Macboy and Kees.

The Second Sea Lord read the letter of commendation signed by Governor Linden himself, and then Bradford Cananticle Monforte IV stepped forward to pin on their medals. Both Kees and Macboy were once again surprised at how tall the last of the Monforte dynasty was at 4 foot 2. A large box had been placed in front of both Macboy and Kees and Montforte IV stepped up and began the pinning ceremony. After kissing Macboy on both cheeks, in the Montfore way, he held Macboy’s cameo lapel and thrust the pin of the medal deep into Macboys chest. Macboy, who was expecting this, having met Muffin during the Druid plot, did not flinch. Nor did Kees, when Muffin repeated the gesture on Kees manly chest.

They both smartly saluted and marched off to the arches over the exit to the hidden courtyard of the Long White Hall. Then out of sight, they winced in pain.

“Got them good, didn’t you Muffin,” laughed the Second Sea Lord.

“Is mus learns ta do it rite,” said Muffin in the old language. He was always getting the pining part wrong he recognized.

Armed with a tube of newsporin and a package of band aids Kees and Macboy set out on their adventure. Carrying 70 pound packs of camping gear, foodstuffs, and of course ever present weapons for personal defense and overwhelming offense. They caught the Rapido under Memorial Park and traveled south to the end of the line at Meola. From Meola they caught the ferry to Jurang and began a hike to the very edge of second life and the Kur Lun range along the boarder of East Egg and Shangri La.

They arrived at the Valley of the Hearts Delight on the southern side of the range and set up camp for the night on the edge of a vast forest and in the shade of an enormous Kauri tree. About a dozen scripted Elk grazed in a meadow below their campsite. A brook meandered across a green meadow and in the distance they could see the headwaters of the River of Stix. It had been a long five days to get to this location and the set up camp in the late afternoon. The ground was damp but they built a large campfire and by the time the sun had set they were comfortable and dry. They had placed a plastic collapsible bucket of water near the campfire just in case.

Kees stood on a small rise where they had pitched their tent and surveyed the countryside through his powerful Monocular. They were far from civilization and the mini-maps indicated that they were alone and that the surrounding sims were empty as well. These were wilderness sims.

Neither Kees nor Macboy spoke as the sky faded to jet black and the stars shone like a million rats eyes reflected from the campfire below. Macboy stood and stretched and threw some more sticks on the fire. It briefly died down with the new fuel load, but soon it grew in brightness. The moon had not appeared and according to the SL Almanac, printed by The Times, the moon would not rise until about midnight.

Kees grabbed his pack and unlaced a side pocket. He pulled out a couple of lumps of C-10 scripted explosives, two tins of Clumpetts Fern and Lichen Soup, and handful of wolf biscuits. Never can tell when you need wolf biscuits thought Kees. Then he reached deeper into the pack and pulled a deck of playing cards from the pocket. Kees carefully repacked the pocket on the pack and relaced the flap.

Macboy sat down. Kees shuffled the deck and then handed it to Macboy who promptly cut it and returned it to Kees. On the back side of the playing cards was a picture of a scantily clad girl. Macboy recognized Miss Tuesday from Navy Babes Magazine. A good choice thought Macboy. It showed good taste. Kees delt out seven cards in two piles and picked one up. Macboy looked about the ring of light that surrounded them from the fire and then into the darkness beyond. Frog scripts sounded in the distance down by the brook

“Does not get any better than this,” said Macboy.

Kees nodded.

“You go first,” said Kees.

Macboy looked closely at his seven cards. “Got any nines?” Macboy asked.

“Go fish,” replied Kees.

Kees reached for a card. It was an 11 of plums.

“Remember those girls on Singsong Island in the Sea of Dreams?” asked Kees.

Macboy looked up and smiled. “Who could forget,” he replied.

“What was her name? You know, the one with the jugs,” asked Kees.

“Ah,” said Macboy. “The wine bearer. I remember you were drinking Merlot and I stuck with the Chables. Those were some jugs I must say,” he said while a large smile slowly spread from ear to ear.

“Well what was her name?” repeated Kees.

Macboy looked into space to think a moment. In the distance he saw a shooting star. A good luck omen in Second Life. Then there was another and another. Kees stood to get a better look and Macboy stood too. Kees leaned down and picked up his monocular to get a better look. The western sky was filled with bright lights descending from high above. Kees set the monocular to the maximum distance allowed by the graphic preferences setting and began to carefully look.

“There not stars,” said Kees as he handed the monocular to Macboy.

Macboy took a look. A long time passed before Macboy lowered the Monocular and spoke. “No not stars.”

“Yeh,” said Kees. “More like 10 meter blank prims falling from the sky.”

“But why out here in the wilderness,” asked Macboy. “I thought this was protected lands?”

“It is,” said Kees as he looked carefully at his map. “Those prims are falling from a region of void. There are no sims out there. None. Its beyond the edge of Second Life.”

“What do you think,” asked Macboy.

Kees thought for a while before he spoke. “Its just like the Second Sea Lord said, there’s a ghost sim out there and someone is constructing stuff there. A lot of folks I’d say based on the volume of those falling prims.”

Macboy walked to the fire, lifted the bucket of water and poured it onto the flames. The fire hissed and a cloud of smokey tasting steam rose from the fire pit. The fire was out but a few coals remained glowing.

“Her name was Lilly,” said Kees. “Lilly Longing.”