be
easily trained. The Legion used to use horses for desert
operations. This horse probably escaped from one of those big
cattle ranches to the south of the MDL. I have heard rumors of wild
horses running amuck in the desert. They are a nuisance to local
habitat.”
“ I will capture this
horse,” said the spider commander. “I will be the first commander
to ride one of these noble steeds. Colonel Czerinski will turn
green with envy.”
The spider commander approached the animal
warily with rope in claw. It just stood there grazing. Maybe this
would be easier than he thought possible. The spider commander
placed the rope around the horse’s neck without spooking it. Only
its large ears twitched.
“ Perhaps this horse is
already domesticated,” whispered the spider commander. “I will ride
it now.”
The spider commander leapt on to the back of
the horse, holding on with four legs and four hands. It just stood
there. The spider commander gave the horse a kick. It brayed,
making a godawful noise, “Hee-haw!” The spider kicked the dumb
beast again, but it refused to move. Finally the spider commander
tied the stubborn critter to the back of their jeep and towed it
back to town. It kicked up a lot of dust before finally settling
down. The spider commander would call his new pet ‘Buttercup.’
Once in New Gobi City, the spider commander
did research on the database for instructions on riding, training,
and proper care of horses. After exchanging information and
photographs with human experts on such creatures, it was determined
that Buttercup was a six-year-old buckskin/dun molly mule. There
were many offers to buy Buttercup, but the spider commander
refused.
The military intelligence officer returned
from a mission to Walmart with needed mule supplies: sugar cubes,
carrots, a riding blanket, and a large sombrero. Buttercup warmed
up to the spider commander after given the sugar cubes. The mule
followed him like a large puppy dog. The spider commander rode
Buttercup to the MDL border crossing to show off his mastery of the
Old Earth beast.
“ All you need is a
bandolier for your rifle ammo, and you will look just like Pancho
Villa,” commented Private Camacho. “Viva la
revolucion!”
“ A spider Pancho Villa?”
asked Guido, skeptically. “Now I’ve heard everything.”
The spider commander accessed General Pancho
Villa on the database. “This General Villa once attacked Texas,
deep in the heart of the United States Galactic Federation,”
commented the spider commander. “Pancho Villa looks nothing like
me. I have no human pestilence hairballs on my facial exoskeleton.
But it says here General Villa was one of the most feared generals
of the desert. He rode like the wind. I like that.”
“ He was a bandit,” said
Major Lopez, who had been summoned to the crossing by phone. “Villa
died badly. His bones were scattered and lost forever in the
desert.”
“ Whatever,” said the spider
commander, tipping his sombrero in salute. “I am a desert warrior
to be feared, too. Tell that to Czerinski! Tell him I now have a
mule! It is a war mule!”
Photos and video of the spider commander and
Buttercup were broadcast on Channel Five World News Tonight with
Phil Coen. Database images of Buttercup were sent across the
galaxy.
back to top
Chapter 13
Saviano Juardo, David (the Nose) Silverio,
Lewis Pena, and two spiders, Eight Legs Roman, and Tony the Claw,
visited the spider commander at his office in New Gobi City.
“Where’s my pizza?” asked the spider commander, eyeing the
mobsters. “You’re late.”
“ Is that some sort of
slight against Italians?” asked Juardo. “If so, it’s in bad
taste.”
“ Sorry Juardo,” said the
spider commander. “I did not recognize you at first. I thought you
were that worthless Teamsters thug, Carlos O’Neil.”
“ We’re a different kind of
thug,” said Eight Legs, sitting on the edge of the commander’s
desk. Eight Legs
easily trained. The Legion used to use horses for desert
operations. This horse probably escaped from one of those big
cattle ranches to the south of the MDL. I have heard rumors of wild
horses running amuck in the desert. They are a nuisance to local
habitat.”
“ I will capture this
horse,” said the spider commander. “I will be the first commander
to ride one of these noble steeds. Colonel Czerinski will turn
green with envy.”
The spider commander approached the animal
warily with rope in claw. It just stood there grazing. Maybe this
would be easier than he thought possible. The spider commander
placed the rope around the horse’s neck without spooking it. Only
its large ears twitched.
“ Perhaps this horse is
already domesticated,” whispered the spider commander. “I will ride
it now.”
The spider commander leapt on to the back of
the horse, holding on with four legs and four hands. It just stood
there. The spider commander gave the horse a kick. It brayed,
making a godawful noise, “Hee-haw!” The spider kicked the dumb
beast again, but it refused to move. Finally the spider commander
tied the stubborn critter to the back of their jeep and towed it
back to town. It kicked up a lot of dust before finally settling
down. The spider commander would call his new pet ‘Buttercup.’
Once in New Gobi City, the spider commander
did research on the database for instructions on riding, training,
and proper care of horses. After exchanging information and
photographs with human experts on such creatures, it was determined
that Buttercup was a six-year-old buckskin/dun molly mule. There
were many offers to buy Buttercup, but the spider commander
refused.
The military intelligence officer returned
from a mission to Walmart with needed mule supplies: sugar cubes,
carrots, a riding blanket, and a large sombrero. Buttercup warmed
up to the spider commander after given the sugar cubes. The mule
followed him like a large puppy dog. The spider commander rode
Buttercup to the MDL border crossing to show off his mastery of the
Old Earth beast.
“ All you need is a
bandolier for your rifle ammo, and you will look just like Pancho
Villa,” commented Private Camacho. “Viva la
revolucion!”
“ A spider Pancho Villa?”
asked Guido, skeptically. “Now I’ve heard everything.”
The spider commander accessed General Pancho
Villa on the database. “This General Villa once attacked Texas,
deep in the heart of the United States Galactic Federation,”
commented the spider commander. “Pancho Villa looks nothing like
me. I have no human pestilence hairballs on my facial exoskeleton.
But it says here General Villa was one of the most feared generals
of the desert. He rode like the wind. I like that.”
“ He was a bandit,” said
Major Lopez, who had been summoned to the crossing by phone. “Villa
died badly. His bones were scattered and lost forever in the
desert.”
“ Whatever,” said the spider
commander, tipping his sombrero in salute. “I am a desert warrior
to be feared, too. Tell that to Czerinski! Tell him I now have a
mule! It is a war mule!”
Photos and video of the spider commander and
Buttercup were broadcast on Channel Five World News Tonight with
Phil Coen. Database images of Buttercup were sent across the
galaxy.
back to top
Chapter 13
Saviano Juardo, David (the Nose) Silverio,
Lewis Pena, and two spiders, Eight Legs Roman, and Tony the Claw,
visited the spider commander at his office in New Gobi City.
“Where’s my pizza?” asked the spider commander, eyeing the
mobsters. “You’re late.”
“ Is that some sort of
slight against Italians?” asked Juardo. “If so, it’s in bad
taste.”
“ Sorry Juardo,” said the
spider commander. “I did not recognize you at first. I thought you
were that worthless Teamsters thug, Carlos O’Neil.”
“ We’re a different kind of
thug,” said Eight Legs, sitting on the edge of the commander’s
desk. Eight Legs
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