Ciclon

Disclaimers: The characters from the Queen of Swords are copyright to Fireworks Productions and Paramount. No copyright infringement is intended or revenue expected from their use. The story plot and other characters are copyright to the author, James Guy

"What the heck is that?" asked Tessa eyeing suspiciously the object in Marta’s hand.

"This is what is commonly called a hat," smirked Marta.

"And just what do you expect me to do with it?"

"Most people wear them on their heads. I have no idea what you will do with it muchacha," replied Marta as she took the other sombrero in her hand and placed it on her own head.

"I don’t wear hats," said Tessa smugly.

"I know. That is why you come home half the time sunburned and dehydrated. You must wear a hat and drink lots of water in this heat."

"Marta, with these men’s clothes, the sombreros and the ponchos, we will look like caballeros."

"Give the girl an A for observation," replied Marta.

"I suppose the pistol in that holster on your side is for looks?" asked Tessa.

"Tessa, Tessa, Tessa. We are taking a long ride into the mountains to look for special herbs. It is dangerous territory and there are still bandidos and mountain lions in the mountains. The herbs that we are looking for grow in the barrancas and that is where the Pumas like to live. So come, we must go. Daylights burning."

"Marta, why are you carrying a sword? Do you expect me to ride as the Queen?"

"No, the swords are to complete the ensemble. Yours is on your saddle, along with our rifles," replied Marta as she led Tessa outside.

Two saddled horses and a packhorse waited the women.

"Where is Lindo?" asked Marta.

"Where we are going, I don’t want to risk a horse like Lindo. Chico will do fine. With the plain tack, no one would recognize him as the Queen’s horse. Chico is a strong horse and smart. We might need him."

Tessa hugged Chico’s neck. "Ok boy today it is a different kind of work. Call it a vacation," she said as she mounted him. "Marta, this isn’t my sword."

"Of course not. That would be rather dangerous, don’t you think? I got the swords from the same place as the rifles and pistols," replied Marta.

"Mother Marta, always thinking ahead," smiled Tessa.

"Tessa, tuck your hair under your hat."

"Why?"

"There aren’t many men in the territory with hair as long as yours."

Tessa looked to see that Marta had tucked her own hair under the sombrero and indeed looked like a caballero.

"Here, strap this on," said Marta handing Tessa a holster and pistol.

"Where did you get all of this?" asked Tessa

"Vlad."

"Vlad? What else did he give you?" asked Tessa narrowing her eyes.

"None of your business," replied Marta as she nudged her horses’ flanks with her heels and rode off, pulling the packhorse. Tessa nudged Chico and followed.

Several hours later, the two women rode into the foothills of the Santa Inez Mountains. The wild grass and new plants had recovered from the disastrous wildfire.

"There sure is a lot of growth after the fire," said Tessa.

"Many plants need the heat of a wildfire to begin new growth."

Marta pointed to the barrancas and led Tessa into the ravine. Several minutes later they found the herbs that Marta was looking for. As they rode out of the ravine, Tessa noticed a cave hidden behind a large boulder, mentally marking it for future reference.

Marta and Tessa headed for the coast.

"Now where are we going? I thought the Arroyo Grande was where you wanted to go."

"That was one of the places. There is a place near the beach you call Pismo where there are many herbs. Just what does Pismo mean, anyway?"

"You know Marta, I have no idea. It must be a Chumash word, as no one else knows either. Even Papa didn’t know. We used to go there when I was little. We used to take a pitchfork and walk out into the surf and dig for clams."

"Clams? Tessa, you knew where there were clams and didn’t tell me? I make a wicked clam chowder and my fried clams are muy fantastico. I take the buttons, butter and flour them and then fry them."

"Stop it Marta, you are making me hungry," said Tessa as her stomach made a low growl.

The beach in question was fifteen miles from the arroyo grande across rolling hills. Large herds of cattle and wild horses wandered the land.

Marta pulled up on the reins of her horse. She looked up at the darkening clouds that had suddenly appeared.

"Tessa, I do not like this weather."

"It is just a storm Marta, We can get to the beach and I know where there are some caves where we can take shelter."

"No Tessa, we are ten miles from the beach and five miles from that cave you found. We need to get there quickly."

"Marta, I have never seen you act like this from a thunder storm."

"That is no thunder storm. Look at those clouds. Feel the weather. No Tessa, that is no thunderstorm. That is a storm that can cause a ciclon or tornado."

"Marta we have never had a tornado in Alta California."

"There is always a first time, Tessita. Now let’s get back to that cave," she said turning her horse back to the arroyo grande. Tessa didn’t need to argue. Marta definitely had a sense of urgency and the blackening clouds encouraged her to ride hard.

The tan clouds fast approaching indicated that a dust storm was headed their way, but it was the black ominous clouds behind the dust that was the danger.

Tessa and Marta rode into the arroyo and found the cave. It was a deep wide cave and Tessa made a torch and led the horses deep into the cave. By the time they had finished stripping off the tack from the packhorse, they could sense that something was not right. Outside the sky darkened and the winds picked up. A roaring sound could be heard and the horses were acting nervous. Tessa ran to the mouth of the cave and looked out.

"Madre Dios, Marta," she said running back into the cave. "Marta the dust has past but there is a dark funnel coming from the sky to the ground."

In the distance the black cloud filled the sky, lit up by lightening strikes. The clouds looked like they were being puffed up and the air was charged with natural electricity. Even at a distance of about four miles, the noise was louder than anything Tessa had ever heard. The funnel expanded at its base in the clouds and whipped around like a snake as it touched down on the earth.

"I know, that is the cyclone funnel. We must stay back here until is has past by."

Suddenly the packhorse started fighting to get free and Tessa ran toward the packhorse as it pulled loose the reins. Tessa just missed the reins by an inch. The horse ran toward the cave entrance. Tessa started to race after the horse, but Chico backed up and turned sideways, blocking Tessa.

The two women watched as the horse ran outside as the roar of the cyclone echoed in the cave deafening them and making the dust swirl around them. The terrified horse started floating in the air as the vacuum of the cyclone sucked the horse to certain death.

Several heart stopping minutes went by as more dirt and gravel in the cave were sucked out. Marta and Tessa held onto the reins of the horses and went back in as far as they could go. Suddenly the torch went out leaving the women in total darkness.

More minutes passed before the wind died down. Tessa found her flint and stone and relit the torch. They crept out of the cave to see that the boulder that had been near the cave mouth was now four hundred yards away. The arroyo had been stripped of vegetation and the wild grass on the flat lands was leveled. Here and there were the carcasses of dead cattle and horses.

The women put on their ponchos as rain was now falling, now that the funnel cloud was gone.

Transferring the contents from the packhorse’s saddlebags to their own mounts, the two women rode away from the cave towards the sea. The smell of the dead animals assaulted their nostrils so they covered their mouths and noses with bandanas. They carefully picked their way over the ten miles until they found themselves overlooking the coast, but three miles south of their destination.

"Marta, look," said Tessa pointing into an arroyo. Three men and four horses lay scattered in the arroyo in unnatural positions. A canon, which had broken away from the caisson, lay twisted and bent across one of the human bodies.

"Soldiers," said Marta quietly as they rode down to see if any of the men were alive. They weren’t. As the women rode out, they heard a noise. Down the arroyo and around a bend stood a horse. Their horse. Some how the pack animal had been moved by the cyclone and had been left in a state of shock, but physically uninjured.

The reins were still on the horse, but they had wrapped around the horse’s front legs and hobbled it. Marta unhobbled the horse and remounted, and led the horse out of the arroyo. Tessa, in the meantime checked the soldiers.

"Marta, one of the soldiers had some papers on him. They were delivering a canon to Colonel Montoya. Guess our loving Colonel loses again," she chuckled. "It is too bad these men lost their lives for nothing."

She pulled the men into a cut out in the ravine and kicked down dirt on top of the bodies. Then she placed several small boulders on top of the makeshift grave. "Rest in Peace," she said as she blessed herself.

Marta looked at her questioningly.

"Every man deserves a burial. This will protect them from wild animals," she pointed to the circle of vultures that were circling the carcasses of the cattle and horses.

They still had several miles to go to reach their destinations when Chico suddenly started fidgeting. Marta and Tessa drew their pistols and cocked them. A man suddenly approached from in front of them, holding a pistol. He was splattered with mud and his uniform blouse was shredded with one sleeve missing.

"Gentlemen, I want your horses and you will give them to me," he said aiming his pistol.

The women looked at each other, and then Marta nudged her horse to the left, while Tessa moved to the right.

"I think not," said Marta.

"I said I want your horses, now," he demanded moving his pistol from Tessa to Marta.

"No," replied Tessa as she and Marta cocked their pistols.

The man cocked his pistol and fired, or at least the hammer fell. The powder in the pistol was wet.

"Drop your pistol and sword, Colonel," said Tessa.

Seeing both pistols aimed at him, Montoya dropped the pistol and sword.

Tessa rode up to Montoya. "You could have said please, Colonel."

Montoya looked up at her. "I know that voice."

Tessa pulled down the bandana. "Surprise!"

"Maria Teresa, Senorita Alvarado, what are you doing here and dressed as a man?"

"Marta and I were looking for herbs when the cyclone caught up with us. She thought it would be safer if we were dressed as men."

"I held a pistol on you, I could have shot one of you."

"I took the chance that the mud in the barrel might mean the powder was also wet," she grinned.

"You two held those pistols as if you knew how to use them."

"We do. A woman alone must know how to protect oneself and her family. There are many dangers besides bandits. There and wolves, pumas and snakes of all kinds."

"And bad men?" asked Montoya.

"I said snakes of all kinds," replied Tessa "Papa taught me how to use one when I was a child. Marta’s people taught me when to use one. Now Colonel, we are headed for Pismo. You are welcome to ride with us, or you make take the packhorse and go to Santa Elena."

"I will ride with you, con permiso Senorita," bowed Montoya. "It will ad a measure of safety for you."

"Better clean your pistol, Colonel," smirked Marta.

"Do you know what would have happened if my pistol had fired?" asked Montoya as he saddled the packhorse with a saddle from one of the dead animals.

"Si, Colonel," said Marta. "If the weapon had fired and had not blown up due to the mud in the barrel, one of us would have shot you and you would be dead," she continued as she holstered her pistol.

Montoya gulped as he mounted, "After you ladies," he said as he chuckled when they replaced their bandanas. \I guess it is safer for me to ride behind them. Nicer view also,\ he thought.

The threesome rode over the hills and down the slope to see a beautiful green blanket of wild grass and the yellow-orange poppies in full bloom. They rode to the beach and walked the horses into the surf about knee high. They breathed in the cool and refreshing salt air. The cyclone had bypassed the coast.

Montoya sat upright in the saddle as Tessa maneuvered Chico right next to him on his right side.

"It is lovely, isn’t it Colonel?" asked Tessa.

"Si, and very refreshing," replied muddy Montoya.

"If you think it is refreshing from the back of a horse, you ought to try getting closer," she said as she suddenly pushed Montoya out of the saddle and into the ocean.

Montoya struggled to his feet, sputtering and spitting out the mouthful of saltwater.

"Senorita, why did you do that?"

"Colonel, the mud has baked onto your clothes and you looked so uncomfortable, so I gave you a bath," she giggled.

Marta rode up to Tessa’s right. "That wasn’t very nice, Tessa," she grinned as she pulled the poncho of.

"You are probably right," replied Tessa as she pushed Marta as she was laying the poncho across her horse’s neck.

Tessa roared out a laugh as Marta and Montoya glared at her. The two drowned rats looked at each other and made eye contact.

Tessa had kicked her booted feet out of the stirrups and pulled off her own poncho, when Marta and Montoya approached her from each side. They grabbed a boot and lifted her backward out of the saddle, just as Chico reared up. Tessa fell over backwards to land on in the water, rear end first.

As Tessa came up sputtering, Montoya and Marta ran for the beach, laughing. Tessa was hot on their heels.

After of few minutes chasing each other, they all fell down laughing.

"Oh, that hurts," laughed Montoya holding his side.

"Tessa, where are these clams you told me about?" asked Marta.

"Clams?" asked Montoya his interest peaked.

"All along here. This is where Papa would bring us. We used a pitchfork, but I am sure we could use one of those swords Vlad loaned us," said Tessa.

They gathered their horses and secured the reins to a piece of driftwood and took off their boots, rolling their pant legs up to the knees. Tessa took her sword and started probing the sand. A minute later she bent down and showed them a clam shell about four inches across.

Marta probed with her sword and Montoya used a pointed piece of driftwood that he had sharpened with a knife that Marta had brought for cutting the herbs. An hour later, the three had acquired ten clams each and were preparing them for dinner.

Montoya found a bowl shaped piece of rock. As Tessa found rocks to build a fire ring, Marta found more rock that were place in the ring that could hold the bowl. With the fire lit, Montoya scooped up some water in the bowl and placed the bowl on the rocks over the coals and placed the clams, still in their shells, to steam. Taking some smaller pieces of driftwood, they took some of the clams and placed them on a skewer to cook over the cook fire.

While Montoya monitored the dinner, Marta and Tessa slipped behind some rocks and stripped their wet clothes off. Fortunately the ponchos were dry and hung below their knees. Montoya arched an eye when he saw the ladies, dressed only in the ponchos, building another fire and laying their clothes out to dry. Hey even took Montoya’s drenched shirt that he had earlier discarded and were drying that.

"Ok, Colonel, it is your turn," said Tessa.

"My turn for what?"

"Your turn to get out of your wet clothes."

"Senorita, I could not do that in front of you ladies," said a shocked Montoya.

"Of course not, Colonel. Take off everything but your breeches. Will dry everything else, then you can change again when they are dry," said Marta handing him two horse blankets tied together like a poncho.

Scowling, Montoya changed and lay his wet clothes on the rocks next to the ladies under clothes. He blushed as he eyed them and the women laughed at his embarrassment.

The next morning, Montoya woke to the smell of clam stew being cooked over a small fire. Tessa had found a fresh water stream nearby and was watering the horses.

Montoya picked up his now dry clothes and started dress behind a boulder.

Suddenly several horses were heard riding down the beach. A grungy looking Sergeant and four unshaven soldiers soldiers rode up. They pulled up when they saw two women in pants and ponchos, with long hair flowing underneath their hats.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here," snickered the Sergeant.

"Sergeant Morales, do you think they will entertain us?" asked the corporal, leering at Tessa whose face was partially hidden by the hat.

"I don’t see why not," replied Morales. "But since I am the Sergeant, I go first."

"I wouldn’t come any closer," shouted Tessa. "What pueblo are you from?"

"We were from Santa Elena, but we got tired of that puerco Montoya."

The four men split up, two going after Marta shouting obscenities at the women, while Morales and the Corporal went after Tessa. The women held their ground, Tessa concealing the pistol and Marta holding a sword behind her.

"Don’t come any closer," said Marta as one man reached for her. She stabbed upwards with the sword, impaling the man who let out a scream. The other reached for his pistol as Marta pulled her own.

The Sergeant yelled at the Corporal, "Get her."

The Corporal turned his horse and rode at Marta while the Sergeant reached for his pistol.

Suddenly three gunshots rang out. The Corporal flipped over backwards from his horse while Marta’s shot created a third eye in her attacker. The Sergeant grabbed his throat as Tessa’s shot ripped out his windpipe, exiting the back of his neck.

Tessa, Marta and Montoya, in only his pants, stood with smoking pistols and stared at the four dead men. Montoyaput on his shirt and then walked over to the Sergeant and turned him over. "Call me a Pig, will you? Senorita, it seems you were correct about the snakes."

Suddenly Tessa started to shake and the pistol fell from her hand as she apparently fainted. Marta and Montoya rushed to her. Colonel, please get some water in the canteen.

As Montoya rushed for the canteen, Tessa turned her head to Marta and winked.

"Oh, Marta it was terrible," she said weakly.

"You were very brave Senorita," said Montoya as he held the canteen to her lips.

Suddenly the sound of horses approaching fast could be heard. They looked to see Captain Grisham and six soldiers riding hard. Grisham signaled his men to stop and he pulled up in front of Montoya and the women.

"Colonel we have been chasing these men for two days. We would have caught them earlier except for the storm. What happened to your clothes, Colonel?" he asked as he looked at the clothes that Marta and Tessa wore, and the pistol belts."

"Storm, Captain? That was a damn cyclone. I was lucky to have found a hole in an arroyo to crawl into."

"Did you meet the men you were expecting?"

"Yes and no. I found the men after the cyclone passed."

"It was fortunate that you were here to protect the Senorita’s, Colonel"

"Yes, very fortunate for us that Colonel Montoya became our brave savior," said Tessa.

A couple of days later, Marta and Tessa delivered the herbs to Doctor Helm and met Colonel Montoya at the cantina.

"Colonel Montoya," said Tessa.

"Senorita Alvarado, I have heard stories how I saved your lives. You know very well that the two of you killed three of those men," said Montoya. "Thank you for not mentioning that I was putting on my pants when they rode up."

"The less said the better, Colonel. How would we single ladies explain spending the night with the Commandant of our Pueblo and you clothed only in two horse blankets?" giggled Tessa.

"Senorita, you know nothing happened," said Montoya.

"True, but can you imagine the stories if Vera happened to hear that you were in your blankets and we were only wearing ponchos? Our reputations would be ruined."

"You are correct Senorita, the less said the better," said Montoya as he bowed. "Now I must see to some business, if you will excuse me."

"Certainly Colonel," replied Tessa as Montoya left.

"Tessa, you are incorrigible," said Marta.

"I learned it from an expert," grinned Tessa.

"Colonel," called Grisham. "May I ask exactly what happened on that beach?"

"No you may not!" Montoya replied rather sternly.

Grisham looked at the scowl on Montoya’s face. \I think I had better keep my mouth shut on this matter, \ thought Grisham.