The Shasta Caper, Chapter Sixty-Five

                        Chapter Sixty-Five

None of them suspected that the Nazis were able to fly in stealth mode, but they had. When they shivered into visibility they were surrounded by ten Mechas, all standing at least fifteen feet tall with soldiers mounting their sides, all with weapons trained on them.

The closest Mecha stood over thirty feet tall and Saron stood at its peak, a cape flaring behind him. He looked majestic as the air flipped his cape about, but his eyes were like cold ice. His soldiers watched Samuel and his friends nervously. They had seen the death and destruction left behind by these people and were wary of what they might do.

"We meet again."

"Unfortunately." Jimbo muttered, looking for a weapon.

A number of Soldiers raised their weapons when he moved.

"Don't." Samuel warned him.

Jimbo growled angrily, but kept still.

Saron laughed. "Such wisdom in a savage is unparalleled. Maybe it's time we emerged on the upper earth and took back what was rightlfully ours."

"And maybe not." Samuel replied, his eyes steel hard at that moment.

Robin put a hand on his hip, close to his sword. "You are barely suffered here, there you would be annihilated!"

"Perhaps." Saron replied, the hint of a snarl on his lips.

Saron dropped to the ground and stepped several feet in front of his Mecha. "Did you really think you could get away from us so easily?"

"Actually." Robin said with a half bow.

"Shoot him!" Saron ordered.

A dozen soldiers raised their arms to fire.

Samuel shouted. "If you do, then you die along with him!"

The soldiers hesitated.

Saron looked at Samuel. "You hardly look capable of carrying out such a threat."

"Looks can be fooling." 

Saron weighed that a moment, then smiled. "Okay, let's say I do fire, what's the worst you can do?"

Samuel looked at the nearest walker and held a hand up. It glowed a bright red for a moment. 

Samuel's body became lit up like a living flame. 

"Shoot him!" Saron ordered, pointing to Samuel.

"No!" Cried out Jimbo and Nanny at the same time.

The soldiers fired, but instead of their energy beams striking Samuel, they repelled from the energies around Samuel and struck the men who had fired them. The lances of energy struck the weapons that had fired and they exploded, sending all the soldiers flying into the air, their armor and clothing on fire. Their screams filled the air as they collapsed to the ground.

Samuel stood there. Not a word coming from  him.

Saron looked ready to say more, but instead he shook his head. "We'll meet again."

"I doubt it." Samuel replied.

Saron climbed one of the Mechas and they all flew off back into the forest.

Before anyone could stop him Robin  clasped Samuel in his arms and gave him a big hug. "I could kiss you!"

WHAM!

Samuel stood in front of an oddly fashioned mirror made of polished metal, admiring his long brown hair. His blue eyes set off the color of his hair nicely. He took the goose feather comb and began stroking his hair, smoothing out the burrs in it, while his husband watched him with eager eyes from the canopied bed of their bedroom.

"You get more beautiful every year."

Samuel smiled, then turned about, causing his long woolen nightgown to swirl about his hips and legs, accenting them momentarily. "You're just saying that because you want me to kiss you."

He laughed. He was wearing no more than long woolen shorts, his hair chest bristling with gray hairs, reveal a muscled body worthy of a god. "Always the tease."

"Always the  hunter."

He grinned. "But I hunt well."

"Indeed you do." Samuel replied, putting down his comb and sitting next to Hermes. She leaned her head into his heavily muscled arm and he sighed with relief. 

"You know this might be our last chance to be together."

Samuel nodded. "Don't go."

"I must. Our city will fall without its general."

Samuel looked up into his warm, brown eyes. "Then let it fall."

He cupped Samuel's chin and held it close to his face. "You look even more beautiful when you're being contrary."

He kissed Samuel lightly on the lips and Samuel pulled back.

He gave Samuel a surprised look, then Samuel rose and went back to his grooming. This time he began washing his hands in a small pot of warm water that had charcoals under it, keeping it warm. Hermes had made it for Samuel on their wedding day some months back. He had been so proud of it. Called it a warmer. "Someday, everyone will have something like this." He had boasted.

Samuel had laughed at his vanity, then given him a hug. "You are not only a brave soldier, but a smart man. A thinker."

"No. Not really. Well. Sort of." He concluded with a light agreement on his lips, which always curled slightly when he was being self deprecating.

Samuel  finished cleaning his hands, then dried them with a cloth hanging next to his mirror. He turned and held up his hands. "Now they are worth of being held."

That was all Hermes needed to know. He swept across the room like a vulture seeking its prey and tossed Samuel over his shoulders. He twirled Samuel about the room, yelling like a madman, causing Samuel to scream like a small child in delight, then he tossed her on their bed and dropped on top of him. 

"Now, my beauty, you shall pay the price!"

"And what price is that, dear Hermes?" Samuel demanded coyly.

His lips smashed down against Samuel's mouth, his tongue...

WHAM!

Robin rebounded from Samuel as the flames flickered out and a bright blue light replaced it. Robin flew several feet through the air and landed on his bottom.

Smarn reached for his weapon.

Robin leaped up and stayed his hand. "He didn't mean to harm me!"

Samuel swayed there a long time, his eyes on Robin, his body trembling, then he steadied. 

Jimbo said nothing. He knew what had just happened, if not the details of it. He had seen this happen so many times by now. He put a hand on Nanny, who was giving Samuel a deeply worried look. 

"He's fine."

"Don't look fine."

"Trust me!" Jimbo said.

She punched him.

"Owww. Or not!"

Nanny ran over to Samuel and helped him sit down. "What just happened?"

Robin and Smarn came over and squatted next to him. Jimbo sat next to his friend and watched silently.

"I saw a pastlife with Robin."

Robin's eyes widened. "Was I pretty?"

"No."

Robin looked crushed.

"I was."

Robin laughed.