Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Call to Arms

Next week I get to go to Hamburg to help out Hermes, in an effort to at least to show willing. The following play for three people sums up the situation. I don't know quite who the other people might be, but I am one of the folk dancers.

Act 4 scene 2.

A fort somewhere, at some time. The captain walks the ramparts, taking stock and surveying the damage from the previous day's bombardment. In the background the remaining bodies are being disposed of.

enter Lieutenant

Captain: What news bringeth ye.

Lieutenant: The enemy hordes are amassing, sir. Their construxion of the siege weapons runs apace. Our supplies are low, the powder is short. The west wall is but a ruin. We cannot hold for much longer.

Captain: Yet hold we must. Avast, what spieth I.

Lieutenant. A messenger of the King! What chance relief?

Captain: Open the gates! Let the messenger arrive.

enter messenger.

Messenger: I bring news, Sir, from the king.

Captain: Hold not your tongue! Which news do you bring.

Messenger: The king acknowledges your request for support.

Lieutenant: Yes, is the Cavalry brigade underway? Are the 18 pounders being towed as we speak?
Has the counter offensive on the eastern flank set forth?

Messenger: The king did his best to fulfill your request, Sir. Alas, the cavalry are preparing for the royal wedding and could not be spared. The artillery are stuck east of the river and cannot cross until after the bridge is officially opened. However, his highness sends news of reinforcments.

Captain: Reinforcements, what form do they take? When will they arrive?

Messenger: They are on their way as we speak, Sir. Hark, I hear them now.

Lieutenant: I hear but the sound of bells and and song. Which regiment shall it be.

Messenger: No less than the queens own folk dancers. It is the most which could be spared, Sir.

Lieutenant: What use be the folk dancers against the combined Mongol horsemen, Zulu Impi and Martian tripods amassed against us?

Captain: The world champion chip awaits. Let battle comments.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Absolutely marvellous! I hope I will not have to wear a skirt for the kind of folk-dancing that is needed.

perreira said...

Being also one of the dancers I hope we can confuse the Mongols by style and wild dancing. We only need to hold them up long enough that the officers can escape and then we can get slaughtered in peace. Hurray for the queen.

neunlaternenspielerin said...

I'm amazed with the quality of your blog - that was really funny (I realize at your+chris+perreiras expense...) and well written. I guess it's original since I couldn't google it.

But you do know that music and art conquers all other problems, as it is superior to all those menial technical arts like electronics and physics? So there is hope yet. You might consider building a shrine and try ceremonial dancing. After the Lazarus effect, who knows what else might cure radiation damage.