Fireskirts

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Coming Home...........................................1

2. Sailing To Honolulu...................................1

3. Sightseeing The Island................................1

4. The Sound Of Hawaiian Music...........................1

5. Assigned To Guard The Queen...........................2

6. Obsessed With The Blackskirts.........................2

7. Luring John...........................................2

8. Looking For John......................................2

9. Rescuing John.........................................3

10. Obsessed With The Princess............................3

11. A Hawaiian Fire Dancing Lesson........................3

12. Finding The Blackskirts...............................3

13. Meeting The Blackskirts...............................4

14. A Fiery Stage Show....................................4

15. Hanging Out With Kaiulani.............................4

16. Talking With The Queens...............................4

17. The Ice Man...........................................5

18. Discovering The Blackskirts...........................5

19. The Annexation Celebration............................5

CHAPTER 1

Coming Home

It was a clear, warm summer day, a Monday, one more quiet day like any other day that John rode his horse through the dry Arizona desert of Black Canyon City. The sound of his horse was simply penetrating as he was thought of something else. He did so every day that he needed some money. He always rode around looking for someone to steal from, no matter what he would end up with. He didn't care how far he went, even thirty to forty miles from his father's ranch, to come up with the money for the cattle.

As he came through the trees, that cast a yellow image as the afternoon sun shone down on his shoulders. Continuing onward, on a journey so to speak, John approached barbed fences that went off into the distance. Ahead he saw a couple of kids walking next to the fence scratching a wire. There were three youngsters walking towards a stream ahead. They all had fishing poles. John rode closer to them. When they turned around, he had his gun out of his holster ready to shoot.

"Freeze! Give me that gris-gris bag."

One of the kids acted like he recognized his voice

as he looked at John who had a scarf over his face. The fisherman kid number one said, with a smirk on his face,

"I know that voice from somewhere."

John was still on his horse and verily said, "If you were smarter, you wouldn't even care."

The fisherman kid simply held one of his knives. He stood there and marked the letter, "X."

By now, Fisherman kid number two wanted to become a smart-ass and declared, "You can't fool me, there aren't enough true cowboys or outlaws left in the world. You want my money, here it is."

Fisherman number two threw his money on the ground,

obviously in an attempt to get John off of his horse.

John looked down and stared at the money angrily. "You think you're real smart...you could get hurt."

Fisherman number three felt added a couple of words. "Like we're scared. Now you have to jump off of your horse."

John thought about it for a while, then said, "Pretty funny, I guess I will, even for lunch money."

John dismounted, while his horse turned in the direction that they were going to ride as if it had a psychic connection with him. He picked up the money and put it in his pocket. As he returned to his horse, he said, "Robbin' you kids takes some time."

Fisherman number one laughed at John. "Yeah, because we are snobs. Don't you want to steal my fishing pole?"

John laughed right back at him. "Do I look like I want to go fishing?"

As John got back on his horse a light sigh gasped forth.

Fisherman youngster number two looked at John and laughed at him. "We figured you could hold up a trout or

a bass for some worms."

John said hurriedly, "Now lay down on your fat-ass stomachs. If I even see you look at me before I'm out of sight, someone is going to get hurt."

John started towards a hillside in the distance that separated the time and space within the boundaries between them. The fisher kids got down on their stomachs with their faces in the dirt.

Fisherman number one yelled at John, "You think you're real tough with that gun. What an asshole! Took all my money. I hope my brother finds him and kicks his ass."

Fisherman number one got a nasty look on his face as Fisherman number two giggled and said, "Who's your brother, the Cisco Kid?"

Fisherman number one said, "Oh, just shove it."

John rode into the distance.

A little later, John rode up to his dad's ranch, the sounds of cattle and chickens permeated the summer air.

The ranch had an old beat-up look like a barn. As John dismounted he sensed something wasn't right. He tied his horse to the wood fence and then started to walk towards

the house.

Inside, his dad was sitting at the table. John gave him the money he had stolen earlier for feed.

Shown the light of things, his dad said as quick as a flash, "I don't need your lousy money."

John replied, "Why, it's money?"

His dad gave him a very stern look and said, "I know you stole it. What did you do, hold someone up again?"

John said him, "What's it matter how I got it?"

John's dad replied, "You're nothing but a thief."

John argued, "What are you going to do, let the cows starve?"

His dad said with a serious look, "I'll figure something out, I always do."

John figured how he could get anywhere without any money said, "But you have never at all been without me."

John's dad became angry. "Until now! A couple of guy's came here today. They were people you stole from. They said they tracked you down here one day, but you had already left."

John asked him, "What did they want?"

His dad laughed again. "What do you mean...'what did

they want'? They want their money. They pointed a gun at me for Christ's sake. They thought I was in on it, like I stole from them. They said that they'll be back with a posse, you could be hung."

John thought he should leave for a few days. "Then I'll leave."

His dad looked out the window at the cattle. "Some of them out there, I bet you stole them."

John said again, "Then I'll leave."

His dad told him, "I don't want you to leave, I want you to move now, find some other town to live in. You screwed up out here."

John said angrily, "Fine, then I'll pack."

"Your stuff is already packed. It's outside next to the house."

John uttered in a paranoid fashion, "Then I'll just leave now. Maybe I'll join the Army or do something productive with my gun."

His dad laughed at him again. "The Army, they don't want thieves and people who steal their way in this life."

"What's it to ya?" John stormed out of the house like

a bat from hell.

Outside John grabbed his bags and then walked towards his horse. He realized he had absolutely nowhere to go,

in fact, he was homeless. He loaded his luggage onto his patiently waiting servant. He called him "Lightning" from the image of being quicker than bolts of electricity or lightning from the night sky. He finally mounted his horse and said, "Come on, Lightning, there is nothing left for us out here anymore. We've been ousted."

His horse gasped a little bit. John and Lightning headed west as the sun began to set. A waxing moon lit

the night as he rode relentlessly for hours speaking of different things to his horse. He finally stopped to set

up camp.

"Well, Lightning, maybe when we find another place I better stop stealing, but I only have twenty dollars to our names, and that won't last more than a week. I don't know

it kind of sucked anyway, always getting bitched at to get

a job for seed and feed. Hell, I knew I'd end up getting kicked out anyway when we started to steal fifty miles away. You're lucky you can eat grass. Now it looks like I have to

eat cactus for the night. What do you say?"

His horse whinnied. John began to fall asleep with his horse next him. He had a can of beans in his hand though and he said to himself, "I need to save this can of beans."

The next morning he awoke very hungry. With a knife he cut the red fruit off of a barrel cactus and ate it. His campfire was smoking, so he stomped it completely out. Satisfied he got on his horse and started toward to the

next town.

"Well, Lightning, I hope we at least get to this next town quick, I'm getting so hungry I could almost eat you."

His horse whinnied really loud and lifted its head.

They kept riding and soon came to a stream. John saw a couple of trout, so he dismounted.

John exclaimed to Lightning, "Those fish looked so good cooked next to my can of beans, I got to catch one. Man, I should have taken their fishing pole, I'll never catch one. Wait a minute! I'll shoot them with my six-shooter."

He grabbed his pistol, aimed and shot five rounds. He missed every time. Then as quickly as he could he lowered his revolver closer to the ground. In a loud shrilling voice, John said, "Damn, them peckerwoods seem like they are right there, but I miss every time. I'll just get my shotgun, there is no way I'll miss."

Without any warning, John became enraged. He grabbed his 12-gauge shotgun. He shot one round into the water towards the trout and nailed it, along with two others.

He went into the water hoping to grab a full meal. Moments later John put his shotgun away as he held a fish

in his other hand.

John pulled out his knife and began to scale the fish. Next, he gathered some wood from around the camp, everything from twigs to large branches. Patiently, he built a small fire by lighting some grass. He glanced at his horse, as though he was thinking about something.

Then he got up and walked over to Lightning. He reached into the leather bags and grabbed a small frying pan. He threw the fish onto the pan -- the loud sizzling sound was heard by arid desert ears.

He threw his last can of beans into the pan frying next to the trout. He fried both a while longer as he sniffed the aroma of stank freshwater fish commonly found in the barren

deserts of Arizona. He was eager to eat.

Finally, John dug in, beginning quickly and soon becoming a frenzied hunger. While chomping, he just stared at the surrounding scenery. After he was done eating, he started to clean the frying pan of the burnt fish remnants.

He jumped back onto Lightning with his best macho attitude, one of the worst in Arizona. He spurred Lightning toward another town in the hopes of becoming a Rough Rider.

After a day or so, John approached the town of Quartzsite. As he rode up, the town's people stared at him with the preconception that he was an outsider from far away.

He trotted through the middle of town. John noticed a restaurant and Pistol Parlor Saloon at the far end of the main street. Looking at the town's people, he continued in that direction. He pulled up and dismounted, tying Lightning to absolutely nothing, so he was free like the wind. Being in a hurry, John walked away from the water trough and up the stairs towards the bar.

John said to his horse, "Lightning, I'll be back in a few."

John went through the two doors at the entrance, pushing them aside quickly. He made his way passed the tables with gambling card players. John went to the bottle-covered bar and sat down on a barstool. He looked around for a moment and at the people playing cards at the tables. His hunger attacked him in the worst manner, so he decided to order some food.

Then the bartender came over and asked him, "Can I get you something?"

John answered, "Yeah, a steak and a bottle of Brandy."

The bartender faded to the rear counter and grabbed a bottle of Brandy. She set it on the counter. John quickly grabbed it and poured himself a shot to down. One after another, John downed shots, catching quite an alcoholic buzz.

After a couple of minutes, the bartender handed him a plate with a steak on it. Very hungry, John began to eat as fast as he possible could without choking. Nearly eating the steak as fast as he ate his trout, John stopped for moment. He reached into his pocket to grab some money which he set on the bar counter in front of the bartender.

John said to her, "Thanks, here's the money for the tab."

The bartender just stared at him as though he was a stranger. She then whisped, "So, are you an outsider or just moving on?"

Looking straight at her, John implored, "Just passing through."

Speedily, with a different look in her eyes, the bartender said, "Just askin'."

John wondered how much stranger they were compared to the home town he screwed up in. He then thought of how badly he had messed up in his home town. He came back to her, "I'm not here to cause trouble. I just want some good grub, a bottle, and a waterin' hole, I...mean a tub, and I need to know where the Army recruiting office is."

The bartender realized John was serious by the way he came off. She decided to answer cleverly, "The next town is three hundred miles west of here has one, but if you were a smart person, you would get yourself one of those hookers and get a room upstairs. You better because the sheriff doesn't like outsiders. They cause trouble."

"The Sheriff and a member of his posse have spotted you...ah, but don't look. They're right behind you over there. Someone must have said something, there lots of pussies in this town. When you get to that town, when you get over to that town just follow the train tracks, they'll lead you right there."

Without waiting, John glanced over his right shoulder and then took a quick leap towards the stairs. He checked out the hookers from head to toe. At the top of the stairs, he chose one and took her into one of the rooms. After he closed the door quickly, he handed her some change to brush her off. He went over to the window to yell for Lightning. With his head out the window, John whistled.

As fast as a speeding race horse, Lightning came galloping over to where John was. He climbed out onto the angled roof wearing his spurred cowboy boots. John jumped right onto Lightning, surprisingly landing on the saddle. They leapt away onto the main street, exposing himself once again to the sheriff.

Leaping from the round table, the sheriff and his posse bolted out the double doors. With a firm lash, they spurred their way over to their horses in front of the sheriff's office on the other side of the road. Realizing how hurriedly John had left, they jumped on their horses,

as quickly as they could without losing him.

The sheriff and the posse whipped their horses to

a frenetic pace. Minutes later, they began to catch up through all of the dust that lingered in the air.

In a panic, John looked behind him to see if the coast was clear. He felt the tingling sensation of itchy fingers scratching his back.

John took another look back and declared, "Lightning, if I don't take these two out now, I'm going to get arrested. So hold on!"

John held onto his horse's bridle as tightly as he possibly could without losing his grip. Then he turned around a little and put his feet forward towards the ground so the ground flew by and brushed him into a back flip. The flip caused him to land backwards where he grabbed his rifle. He wrapped both of his feet around the stirrup and aimed his rifle at the sheriff.

He popped a shot and knocked the sheriff off his horse

and into Lightning's dusty trail. John then performed the stunt again flipping by himself back into the normal riding position. Luckily, the posse stopped to help the sheriff

and John was able to carry on with his adventure.

In an uncaring state of mind, John continued onto the next town, a very far away place. He went about twenty miles before reaching the Colorado River.

Freaked out at the river's size, John exuded, "Damn, this river is huger than everyone made me think. We'll never cross it here. Let's go south. There must be a bridge over there somewhere."

They began to trot southward when he saw someone, an Indian pissing in the river. John got off his horse to fill his canteen.

Still scoping out the Indian, John blurted out, "Well, I better fill my canteen up here with that Indian pissing downstream. That Indian sure took off after seeing your ass. Probably never had a horse watch him piss."

Patiently, John climbed back onto Lightning and began to head slowly away. Using his bridle, John expressed to Lightning, "Let's go!"

They rode for about three or four miles along the Colorado River until John saw a bridge downstream.

John commented, "About time I saw a fricking way across. Let's start hauling some ass."

John rode for another day or so and eventually saw some railroad tracks. Remembering what the bartender said, he followed the tracks. After following them for part of the day, he arrived at the outskirts of an Army depot fortress.

John rode closer to the Army depot along the tracks. He saw a soldier standing near the front entrance as he pulled up.

The fortress had large walls on all sides for protection. There were three statues at the front gate -- George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. Staring at the statues for a few moments, an overwhelming power came over him.

The soldier turned to him and said, "What business brings you here?"

John answered back, "I want to enlist."

The Rough Rider soldier looked at John from head to toe, then like a cowboy, he abruptly instructed, "The new recruits have to go to the first bunker...over there and sign in with Sergeant Holiday and check your horse in at

the corral over there."

John sidekicked Lightning in the rear with the spur on his right boot and rode over to the Rough Rider's horse corral. Releasing his horse to be checked in, John said, "Lightning, I'll be back later. Take care of my horse."

John headed to the recruiting office where Sergeant Holiday was patiently awaiting.

John walked up and said, "Is Sergeant Holiday here?"

Holiday gave John a surprised look. "That be me."

With a fixed stare, John looked around the room. He noticed Civil War paintings on the walls everywhere.

While John stared at some files stacked on the desk, Holiday said, "Sit down. What's your name?"

John replied, "John Porter."

John continued to stare at the sergeant from his head to the top of his desk.

Sergeant Holiday queried, "What makes you think you're Army material?"

Still staring at the files, John answered, "I can ride

a horse pretty good and shoot pretty good."

Thinking for a moment, Holiday then shrilled, "So can everybody, we're all cowboys."

John looked at him strangely. "Really, I need to change my life, and right now, I have nothing."

Holiday laughed. "That's better. But let me ask you a question -- are you afraid of death?"

John, still looking at one of the Civil War paintings, declared, "I don't even know what death is don't worry about it that much."

At that moment, Sergeant Holiday got up and walked over to a window with a view one of the fortress' walls. After staring at the wall for a moment, Holiday stated, "Well, right now you have entered Rough Rider territory, and we only want the best. People who can, ride and shoot, and also kill at the same time. A person who would stand up to many, a person that would risk their life to save his country. Right now, we have many problems in the Pacific Ocean. Problems in the Filipino Islands and problems with the Spanish fleets trying to keep control by taking over all of the islands in the Pacific Ocean as far as Hawaii. And us Rough Riders aren't going to let that happen. And who is going to watch your back when your out there?"

John realized in the Army it was slightly different when it came to watching one's own back. Directly, he said, "Why would I need someone to watch my back when I'm out there, I have my pistol and rifle?"

Sergeant Holiday just grinned at John. "Trust me, out there you work like a team. If anyone on your team gets shot or stabbed, then you weren't watching their back very well."

John became desperate. "Like I said before, I need a life."

Sergeant Holiday handed him a piece of paper to sign. "Then sign here. Now, let's go out and do some shooting, and see if you are worth a damn. And if I think you are, then fine, you can have an Army life. You have a horse?"

John replied almost instantly, "Yeah, I checked him in at the corral."

Holiday stood up. "Then check him back out. Let's go ride and shoot and see what you are made of."

Being a tough man, John said, "I'm made of lead."

As quick as a flash, Sergeant Holiday hit his character

hard, "I guess that means that gun is loaded?"

John tried to keep his character and came back with, "You'll see."

John walked over to the corral. Holiday's horse was right outside the bunker. John came out with Lightning and they rode for about a mile or so away from the fort.

As they approached a farm with corn stalks out in the sticks, John noticed a big oak tree with a group of crows flying back and forth from a scarecrow. The scarecrow wore

a bit-up Rough Rider's hat.

They stopped several yards away from the tree. For fun, Holiday dismounted and picked up some rocks. Holiday asked John, "You think you can hit one of these crows?"

John took a good look at the crows as their wings spread from the trees to the scarecrow. John said, "Easy."

Holiday glanced at him for a moment and then at the crows. "Let me show you something."

Sergeant Holiday grabbed a few more rocks from off of the ground as a crow flew right over his head. Holiday threw one rock at the crow. The crow looked down and scoped it out while in mid air. The crow dodged the rock perfectly each time Holiday threw one.

John remained on his horse and watched event. He stated simply, "Pretty smart birds."

Sergeant Holiday agreed. "Yeah, I've never hit one."

John knew if it were him, he would shoot them. "Maybe, you should try using your gun."

In a frenzy, Sergeant Holiday threw the rocks to the ground. "Even with my gun I've never hit one."

John wondered, How did he become a Rough Rider, with having trouble pulling out his gun? John questioned, "So then how did you become a Rough Rider?"

John was being way too nosy, always asking questions that bugged him, so Holiday blurted out, "This is a true test. It's based on attitude, give them a try."

Faster than a loaded gunslinger, John took a six-shooter out of his holster, spun it on his fingers, and then aimed towards the crow flying over his head. As fast as he could pull the trigger, John shot at the crow. The sound of his special six-shooter blasted through the air. The black crow dodged every shot with ease.

Amazed, John replied, "Damn, these peckerwoods! They are worse than those fish I shot at the other day. The water just throws you off."

Swiftly commenting, Holiday said, "Yeah, I know. I miss fish also unless I have my shotgun."

Laughing a little, John jargoned, "I nailed two with my shotgun. But these crows, they just see the bullet coming at them and, at the last second, they tip to the side and you miss."

Sergeant Holiday was ready to get back on his horse since John was done talking. Holiday said, "The crows, they are more powerful than your gun...than any gun. They show power, power with the eyes. They know when something is coming for them."

Thinking about trying his shotgun to shoot at the crows, John babbled, "What about with your shotgun?"

Holiday explained, "Even with my shotgun I still miss them. They see my little pellets coming at them, and that's how you have to be, you have to see when something is coming for you and make it miss. You can't ever miss if you are on the battlefield. Like George Washington said, 'Don't shoot

unless you see the whites of their eyes.'"

"He said that because if you missed with that musket ball you were dead by the time you reloaded. But these crows, their eyes are black inside, and that is why you miss, you can't see them looking at you and if you miss on the battlefield you're a corpse."

Believing Sergeant Holiday had lost his mind, John gibbered, "I'd rather be a corporal someday, not a corpse."

Holiday hurriedly said, "Then be like these crows and learn their power. Now let's go to rattlesnake pit."

Being more to his liking, John blasted, "I love rattlesnakes."

Thinking what a joke John seemed to be, all pushy and macho like and wanting a hard shot at him, Holiday said,

"If you can catch one with your bare hands, you're in."

Luckily, John knew how to handle rattlers. Even Lightning had had a tangle with them. Responding simply, John said, "Easy."

They rode a quarter mile to the east before arriving

at a rattlesnake den. They rode to where a couple of rattlesnakes were coiled up just ahead of them. Holiday stopped right before them with John and Lightning close behind. Holiday pulled his horse's bridle back slightly causing his horse to jump back a few feet.

"Now prove to me you're a cowboy. No gun, just you and that snake. It's not flying above you, it's right there in front of you. If you can catch one with your bare hands, then you are a Rough Rider. You agree?"

Contemplating for a moment, John thought about some of the rattlesnakes he had encountered in the Arizona deserts with Lightning when they were out riding.

John spoke to Sergeant Holiday, "This is easy, you should have picked wasps. At the very least they sting you."

John dismounted and bent over a couple of yards away from the rattlesnake. He patiently waited for a minute, then he threw a rock over towards the rattlesnake. The snake immediately struck at it, bouncing its head off the rock. Then John threw a second rock towards the rattlesnake. The snake struck the boulder again in mid air. The boulder pushed the rattlesnake's head back.

Holiday watched thinking, Maybe I had found someone who knows a little more about rattlesnakes.

John then stood up and stuck his boot right out. The rattlesnake struck the bottom of his boot and continued to strike until it became dizzy. Finally the rattlesnake lingered as his head flowed around in circles. John got closer and moved his right hand towards the rattlesnake.

He then quickly grabbed the rattlesnake around the neck. John held onto the rattlesnake as it quivered around in

his hand as he stood up.

Then, without warning, the rattlesnake bit him between the fingers. John screamed, "Owww!"

He threw the rattlesnake on the ground at his feet. Sergeant Holiday gave him with a real candid look as he saw the foamy poison coming out of the wound between John's fingers. He continued to glare at John.

John knew what to do. He pulled out a knife and sliced the wound. Lots of blood, along with some of the venom, poured out of his hand.

Sergeant Holiday revived his spirit by jesting, "Even though you got bit, you caught 'em. Fine, you're a Rough Rider. I hope we make it back before you get dizzy."

John got on Lightning, spitting blood and venom all

over himself. They began to ride back to the Rough Rider fortress before John became too sick and passed out from the venomous snake.

John proclaimed, "This isn't the first time I've been bit."

Sergeant Holiday went further, "The lesson is: not to slither through life like that snake. And also that life is very venomous, and don't coil up to your enemies. Strike and wound them as quickly as possible."

Finally, back at the fortress, John fell off Lightning as the venom had made him extremely dizzy. Two Rough Riders came up and grabbed him.

Holiday said, "He's sick. He was bit by a snake at Rattlesnake Pit. Clean him up and stick him in the bunker."

The two Rough Rider soldiers carried John into the bunker to rest.

The next day everyone stood outside in a formation. John stood next to Sergeant Holiday, who blurted out, "It looks like he's still alive, after being stupid enough to grab a rattlesnake. You boys think I should badge him a Rough Rider?"

All of the soldiers yelled loudly like a band in the midst of going nuts at a live performance, "Yes."

One of the soldiers yelled, "Owww!"

Sergeant Holiday thought, This is really exciting. We now have enough men to go tomorrow.

"That's a good idea. Now we are one hundred strong, going to Honolulu, O'ahu tomorrow. First, we are taking the train to San Diego, California, and then from there we are shipping it to Honolulu Harbor. By tomorrow morning, you all better have your horses and yourselves in ready, especially before Teddy Roosevelt arrives at ten in the morning, so look your best tomorrow also. We have a photo shoot with Teddy Roosevelt tomorrow. Don't look stupid. The rest of the day you all can spend with some riding and some marching, and then after dawn, them horses better be cleaned up. Fallout!"

Everyone saddled their horses to ride outside of the fortress. Rick, Shooter, Wood, Beretta and John checked their horses. John got his horse directly after them.

One of the guys questioned him, "Hey, guy, what's your name?"

Checking them out for a minute, John said, "John."

The cowboy Rough Rider replied, "Colonel Leonardo Wood, and just call him 'Sharp.'"

Puzzled still, John watched them very closely. Then they all started to ride out the corral gate to the other side of the fortress.

Making a swift comment, John shrilled in a short and cute preoccupied sentence, "Cool."

Mike decided to add to the conversation, "It's about time we got out of this pussy place tomorrow. I thought this week would never end."

Wondering why John wanted to become a Rough Rider and risk his life for his country, Beretta asked, "So what made you want to join the brave, the dead, the Army?"

Riding next to each other, John caught on pretty quick without any trouble. John, with something to bash, rapidly said, "I was kicked out for robbing too many people. They caught up to me, tracked my ass home. Then my dad kicked me out, and called me a thief. I just know I am, better."

One of the other riders agreed with John about robbing too many people. "So was I. Eventually I started robbing too many people so far away from home that I ended up here in the Army."

John got the impression Shooter was a woman by the way the voice sounded. John thought up a line, "You sound like a chick, even with that dip of tobacco in your mouth."

She spit on the ground before she said back to him, "I am a bitch, got a problem?"

"Don't give her shit, she'll kick our asses. She's as tough as a man," Beretta said with laughing eyes.

With a surprised look on his face, John shrilled up, "That's all I need -- to get my ass kicked by a bitch."

Mike explained, "But most people think she is a guy, especially when she pulls her gun out on them."

John changed the subject quickly to get over the fact there was a female Rough Rider. John whisped, "So what's the deal with that Sergeant Holiday? I've never even seen him pull or shoot his gun even once. He just threw these rocks at these birds?"

Colonel Leonardo Wood knew the answer to John's

question but also realized they wouldn't see Sergeant Holiday again until Teddy Roosevelt left Honolulu leaving him completely in charge. Leonardo said, "He just wants to see how good we are. He never pulls that thing out."

While Wood was smirking at John, Shooter had a good line to say, "I don't even know why he takes the newer recruits there when most of them can't hit the head of

their horse when sitting on it."

Mike, though, wanted to know what happened to John when he was bit by the rattler. He asked, "So what happened? You got bit by a rattler, huh."

John had a feeling one of them would bring the incident up to find out what happened to him that day with Sergeant Holiday.

"Yeah, I grabbed that son-of-a-bitch like I normally do, but this time I didn't make it dizzy enough, so the thing bit my ass. It's all right though, I've been bitten before."

Mike told him, "I think you're crazier than our asses to go grabbing those things."

Beretta asked, "What do you think of them crows, ever

hit one?"

With a picture of the crow in his mind, John replied, "Hell no! Those darn things are pretty smart as hell, three shots and he dodged them like they were mosquitoes coming at them."

Shooter added her observation of Sergeant Holiday, "All of us believe he's gone out there shooting so much that they are trained to make us look stupid as hell, then tells us that we suck at shooting if he doesn't like us."

Turning his head slightly, John looked to the other side of Shooter and noticed Rick riding quietly. With a curious notion, he commented, "What's the deal with Rick?

He doesn't say much."

Mike laughed a little and then said, "Hey, Rick, say something."

Rick turned his head toward Mike with a seemingly confused look on his face. "Yeah."

Still staring at Rick as if he was a warped individual, Lieutenant Wood shrugged his shoulders and broke out laughing. "He's not retarded. Just kind of not there after marching up San Juan Hill over three weeks ago. It kind of

warped his brain."

John was amazed at how someone so emotional unbalanced could have made it through the battle on San Juan Hill and lived to tell about. John brushed off the thought of what would happen to him when he got on the battlefield.

With the pressures of war on his mind, John added,

"I almost forgot, I've never killed anyone robbing, most

of them just do what you say."

Shooter, with John being a rookie Rough Rider, didn't want to scare him with the truth about being out on the battlefield. She explained, "No one on the battlefield listens to what you tell them to do, and that's when the shooting starts, and if you don't shoot you get shot."

John didn't really like the answer, whether true or false, so he changed the subject, "So tell me about Teddy Roosevelt."

Mike had no idea what to say. No one had Teddy Roosevelt figured out, especially when on a battlefield fighting by his side. He was the type of guy who could shoot one's ass for not listening or following orders.

Mike told John, "Just don't piss him off or he will

embarrass you with his elephant gun, and that damn thing is pretty big."

Colonel Wood tried to show a cool side to Roosevelt

to help ease John into being a serious Rough Rider and a soldier in the 1st Cavalry. Wood added to his confusion by saying, "Roosevelt, he knows Shooter is a woman, but she is so much like a man fighting machine that he doesn't even care, but I don't think he would...except anyone else."

They ended up back at the fortress to groom their horses and call it a night. Teddy Roosevelt was due to arrive the next day and they would then embark on their exciting trip to Honolulu, Hawaii.

The next day, July 23, 1898, Sergeant Holiday and Teddy Roosevelt stood in front of the soldiers that he and Colonel Leonardo Wood chose to come along. Teddy was ready to brief the Rough Riders on their upcoming secret mission.

"Looks like I see one hundred Rough Riders ready to head for Honolulu, Hawaii for a dearly a matter of like this. In May, 1898, Commodore Dewey crushed the Spanish fleets in Manila Bay and sent a hasty demand to Washington for troops, but we were too busy fighting on San Juan Hill, so now that that is over we have availability for them. Their battleships had to stop at Honolulu for refueling and repairs. Hawaii made no pretense for neutrality, but took sides with the United States as though annexation had already been accomplished. American troops, as Congress sees it, need a mid-Pacific naval base so we can make a complete way for annexation. So basically, we are not fighting with Commodore Dewey. We are, all one hundred of us, on beach patrol. You can fallout and ride to our train after Richard Harding Davis, my war correspondent, takes a photo of you guys for the press."

Richard Harding Davis walked to the front of the line toward his already set-up camera and said with a very strange accent, "Let me take a picture of you rough

guys."

John laughed and looked at him kind of funny like.

He said to Shooter, "Who's this goon?"

Shooter replied, "He's our personal camera man."

John jokingly said to Shooter, "How would you know? Does he take nude pictures of you?"

"Very funny, watch it," Shooter said quickly.

Richard Harding told everyone yelled "cheese" so he could snap their portrait.

While Richard Harding's head was under the cloth, a couple of the Rough Riders shot their guns into the air and scream really loud. They were anxious to get out of there to fight and protect their country.

Afterwards Harding pulled his head away from under the cloth and began to pack up his equipment. He put everything into his back sack and said to the Rough Riders, "See you on the train."

Everyone checked their horses and then headed for the train, which was parked outside the fortress walls. All one hundred Rough Riders were lined up with their horses. Some rode their horses onto the ramp of the first boxcar with the train engineer watching.

Mike rode his horse onto the ramp. Mike said that he wanted to the train engineer, "I'll throw his ass off with his hobo bag."

Beretta was right behind Shooter and said to the

engineer, "If we even come close to getting stopped by train

robbers, you better let us handle it."

Rick then rode up behind Beretta onto the boxcar ramp. "Ya!"

Wood came up the ramp as quick as a flash right behind Rick. He looked the train engineer right in the eyes and said, "You'll see one hundred guns sticking out the windows. That means speed up, no, that means slow down, so I can slug him."

After tying up their horses, they went to the other side of the boxcar, then walked to the passenger cars and their rooms.

When they got to their rooms, Shooter leapt onto her bed and said, "I got top bunk, woman first."

Colonel Wood jumped on the bottom one before anyone else jumped on it. "As long as I am on the bottom one, I don't care."

After the Rough Riders and their rough-riding horses were loaded on the boxcars, Teddy Roosevelt rode up the ramp and passed the train engineer. He stopped for a second and looked at him. Roosevelt said to him, "If we aren't in San

Diego in five hours, I'll slug you."

The train engineer jumped into the compartment and the

train began to move toward for San Diego.

CHAPTER 2

Sailing To Honolulu

They arrived in San Diego, California right next to the docks. Teddy Roosevelt awoke them all up by banging on the doors and causing a raucous.

"Everyone, wake up, wake up! We have a boat to catch. If you aren't up, you are a hobo."

The Rough Riders got their horses out of the boxcars and then headed for the large steamboat bound for Honolulu, O'ahu in the Hawaiian Islands. The captain stood next to the dock ramp as the Rough Riders rode their horses with the sense of being too tough to walk them. Shooter walked up next to the steamboat captain to tell him about John.

"We have a newcomer who's never been sea sick. We might need a barf bag for him."

John tried to be a tough cowboy by acting tough. He spurned even the idea of getting sea sick.

Beretta was sure in time that he would get sick in some fashion before they arrived in Honolulu, O'ahu. He said, "Just wait."

Then Leonardo Wood, the type of person who would tip his head over the side even if he had to run out of the room in a flash to avoid embarrassment, explained to John, "If you do get sea sick, tip your head over the side, not in the room."

They took their horses down a ramp went in circles to a room at the bottom of the ship big enough for all of their horses. There were poles along the bottom to tie the horses to keep them stable during the cruise to Honolulu. After they were all tied down, the Rough Riders all went to their rooms. Before getting to their rooms, the large steamboat, called The Gaelic, undocked for its voyage to Honolulu. Although to the others, it was to be a short voyage, especially after going to South America, Africa, and Cuba. Mike, Rick, and Beretta were in a different groups separated from the others by a new person named Bill, who was a card gambler for money, but was presently broke because of his spendthrift habits.

Ready to go at it again, Bill asked, "Hey, you guys want to play cards?"

Mike explained that he had no money. "I'll play you poker for .45 caliber shells. And who ever loses can fight with my knife."

Bill thought that it was a good idea since no one had any money to gamble with. He asked, "Anyone else?"

Out of the two riders remaining, only Beretta decided to jump in the game. He got down on the floor and lay down on his stomach with Mike and Bill. He said real quick like, "Why not?"

As they played cards in their room, on the other side of the room were Colonel Leonardo Wood, Shooter his nurse and John.

Martin wondered why John signed up to be a sharpshooting Rough Riders who would later be led by Lieutenant Leonardo Wood after Teddy Roosevelt left for

New York. He queried, "So, John, what made you decide to join the Rough Riders?"

John could tell Martin had been around the world at least in a few places. He sounded very experienced.

Admitting the truth in front of them, John said, "I stole from so many people in my home town that my dad eventually kicked me out, so I figured that if I joined the Army, I could be better than that."

Martin put his hand on his chin, reminiscing with himself for a while. He then commented to John, "I see."

As Martin continued to think, John carried on with

the conversation, "I was tired of the whole thing there, stealing and taking money to spend it on the ranch. I didn't care to how I came up with it. Now I need a chance to work with all of you, and the other Rough Riders to feel a part of this troop, and do whatever is necessary."

Right off the bat, Martin wanted to explain a few things to John relating with how a Rough Rider should think. He wanted him to understand and realize how some of the things are subsurface, and can not ever be taken for granted because you could wind up really hurt or maybe even dead.

Martin told John, "I think you should realize there is a lot to being in the Army than anyone thinks. We are all looking out for the protection of our leader."

Of course, Shooter wanted to get him on the cautious side, so that he didn't become prone to getting hurt once they were on O'ahu. She also wanted John to realize the risk of perhaps seeing people shot and stabbed if they happened to go to the Philippines to fight a war.

Shooter explained to John, "Also, people are going to get hurt all around you, and there is nothing you can do for them, especially if they get shot."

Wood agreed with what Shooter and wanted to collaborate on the subject to make sure he understood what they meant.

Going further, Leonardo Wood scrambled up, "Better be used to the sight of blood -- Rick couldn't handle it -- limbs cut off, guts hanging out."

Shooter didn't really want to go into all of the details. She kind of tripped out on how Wood said such things when she was trying to at least slowly ease him into the fact of the matter without a chance of getting him nauseous. Shooter realized their conversations were between all men. Her being there was the freak circumstance her being Leonardo Wood's Rough Rider nurse.

Shooter then jousted, "Don't say that to him, you'll scare him."

By now John was sick of them showing off all the time in front of Shooter because she was only a woman and he was a newcomer. He thought of an excuse that he needed to write his dad a letter to skip up to the top deck for a bit of fresh air.

Setting the escape, John gibbered, "I think I am going to get sea sick."

John rose from the floor. He grabbed some paper from out of one of his packed bags, along with a pencil, so he could write when he was outside on the top deck.

Once outside he sat on a bench overlooking the waves. He gazed at the bright Hawaiian cloudy moon.

Arranging his paper he began to write.

"Dad, guess what I'm in the Army. I know you think,

I am lying, but once in California after you kicked me out, I signed up to be a Rough Rider in the 1st Cavalry. By the time I even mail this letter up to you, I will be stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii under the command of, yes, Teddy Roosevelt. I guess somehow I screwed up at home, but I'm kind of glad because now I have some friends here. We are sharing a room together and probably will even be in the same tent. I really doubt all of us will make it out alive. So if these letters stop then I have probably been wounded. Maybe we'll get lucky and I'll just run out of paper. The Weather is really nice out here tonight. The sky is clear and the moon is bright, red like blood, I see the stars shining on the waves. The ocean waves sound really cool unlike nothing I thought they would be. I'm getting pretty tired and right now I'm going to throw up...being sea sick is weird, I'll write you again later."

John was very sea sick, especially after he listening to Shooter and Wood talk about blood and guts from people getting shot. He walked out to the side and hung his head over the rail and induced vomiting euphoria. Then he walked back to one of the benches and laid down. He fell asleep.

The next day he awoke and looked over to the front of

The Gaelic. He could see the island of O'ahu. He headed down to the lower deck to a room completely filled with hay. The horses were being led out, so John walked up to Lightning.

"Lightning, this island is pretty cool looking, and pretty kick-ass, but I have a weird feeling in my gut and I'm going to ride your ass off to find out what it is."

His horse whispered aloud, while John headed toward the stairwell.

He went back to the room again where Shooter, Wood, and Martin were awakening the Rough Riders for the day.

"Hey, you all wake up, you can see the island here."

Colonel Leonardo Wood was tired. He brushed him off in order to remain asleep. Wood explained to John, "I've seen Honolulu a jillian times, let me sleep."

Shooter cracked up because every time they left California it was toward South America.

Never really having traveled by steamboat in their present direction, Shooter angrily stated, "He's lying. We've never been this far out in the Pacific."

Agitated, Martin tried to move around a little bit.

"I'm getting up. I'm hungry as hell." He grabbed his backpack to look for something to possibly eat.

"You all stay cooped up then, this room stinks," John said and then hurriedly left for the upper deck.

A couple of Naval officers were walking down the hallway banging on all of the doors to wake everyone so

that they were ready to undock The Gaelic.

"Wake up. It's time to get up. Come on, get up. Everybody get up, time to get off."

John got to the upper deck. Most of the soldiers were already there with their horses. Teddy Roosevelt stood toward the front of The Gaelic near the dock ready to give permission for the soldiers to undock.

"As soon as we dock, it's time to set camp want it done in two hours. It's 1:12 now, that gives us until after three o'clock later today, all fallout."

At that moment, The Gaelic came to a halt in the port of Honolulu, O'ahu. The anchor was dropped into the wavy waters, then the Rough Riders began riding their horses onto the pier.

Getting the lower deck, John rekindled with the Rough

Riders friends he'd met only days before.

John said to all of them, "So you all decided to get up, or did those Naval officers bust the door down?"

All Martin could do was laugh. He couldn't help himself. He said, "Ha, funny, we have to hurry. I hate when we're the last ones."

Beretta started to get on his horse before the other Rough Riders did so. "Let's just ride up the stairs. Screw it!"

Rick, who really never said too much to any of the Rough Riders, said, "Yeah."

They all began to haul ass up the stairs on their horses to catch up to the other riders and Teddy Roosevelt. Within a minute they caught up with the others.

Shooter began to talk really loud, "Once we set up camp, I'm going to ride my ass off, and check this island out."

They cleared the docks trotting inland in formation. Bill looked over to his right shoulder and noticed two Hawaiian women in grass skirts walking with pineapples. "Hey, check out those two girls over there."

Wood implored, "I would like to get me some of that." He stared down at the two Hawaiian women. They looked at him and then burst out with a few giggles.

Noticing the two Hawaiian women staring them down, Beretta said, "Well, you're in luck. She's staring and laughing right at you. I think they want you bad."

Martin checked out a guy walking around in a grass skirt down the street from the pier.

John declared, "Look at the guy in the skirt. He shakes his ass better than Shooter."

Getting extremely angry and realizing she was not the type to put out to them anyhow, Shooter said, "You know, I would dance all over your face, just not in front of it."

Martin was pissed off at her and he responded with, "Ooh, touchy are we?"

John spit his dip out and turned his horse around to face the others. He jousted, "Why don't you just lay off of her."

Right away, Bill jumped in to break it up. "If I was you, I'd shut up, newcomer."

Martin then said to John, "You'll get your ass kicked!"

John pulled his horse all of the way back and aimed his pistol at Martin to show him that even though he was a newcomer, it didn't mean he would let up on anything.

Refusing the abuse, John shouted, "And you'll get your ass shot."

Immediately thereafter, all of the other Rough Riders pulled their guns out of their holsters and pointed them at the two men.

Reacting at a fast pace, Martin pulled his horse's bridle so his horse took a quick step back. "Okay, I don't want any trouble."

John was all tripped out about what a bunch of tough-acting riders they were pulling their guns on them. He yanked on Lightning's bridle to spring back as well.

Of course the other Rough Riders really didn't pay much attention to them as though they were used to seeing raucuses.

With all of the excitement, Rick said to them, "Man, he's arrogant."

Everyone stared him down until Mike rode up from the rear butting in the middle of their horses. He was pissed and annoyed like. "Aren't we all? I've been riding in the back, I now think you're a bunch of stupid asses. Why don't you just chill out."

Shooter was completely ticked off. She thought, It's bad enough being in with a bunch of Rough Rider men in a cavalry in O'ahu.

Wanting to avoid a scene, Shooter thrilled, "You guys embarrass the hell out of me in front of the Island people, you don't fit in with me."

A couple of girls in grass skirts walked by carrying some bamboo sticks. They tried not to laugh, although it

was hard not to after watching them make fools out of each other.

After breaking them up and keeping them from shooting each other and ruining his vacation, Mike said, "Man, they are always laughing at us."

Being used to the looks of foreign people, Beretta's insight told him it was just the way the natives were in

the Polynesian Islands. Although he would rather not say anything about his hypothesis, so he only mentioned how he actually related to the way they dressed in grass skirts in the summer sun. Beretta proclaimed to the Rough Riders, "They think we're funny looking."

John could relate to the situation, because he was an outsider and not blind to the reality like the rest of them. Also, he was still a little ticked at their macho like image that they all tried to put on to somehow impress everybody, especially in front of these people of perhaps ancient ways. He really wanted to see how smart they were. He'd had an eerie feeling since he first came in sight of the islands

in the Pacific.

Going even further with the notion, John babbled, "They think we're eerie looking. I'd be careful if I was you."

Immediately, Martin was stirred up a little bit and he became obnoxious towards John in front of everyone again, "You trying to scare us?"

Of course, John realized that he couldn't say no to any of them, simply because it was the truth. Agreeing, John said, "Yes."

Thereafter, John looked right at Shooter knowing that she was staring back as if she wanted that overwhelming burst to takeoff from there. Then as quick as he could

move his lips, John said, "Let's go to the front."

Shooter glanced at John again realizing it was the first time he had even offered to stay on her side. She appropriately answered, "Why not."

Both of them took off like a wild horse running out of a stable. Everyone was still in line formation while they flew past, cruising until they were in close range of Teddy Roosevelt.

"You think I'm going to bite or shoot your head off, Shooter?"

Shooter answered like it were the old times back on San Juan Hill, "No."

Roosevelt checked out John from the hoof of his horse Lightning to the head of his mane. Right away, Roosevelt got the impression he should at least query him a little bit.

Looking at Shooter, Roosevelt commented, "So who's this new face?"

John took a deep breath, appreciating the honor it was to ride next to him. John expressed, "John Porter from Arizona."

Roosevelt realized that most people from Arizona were

extreme pussies, especially before Bucky O'Neil served in Cuba. To get a feel and some sense of John, Roosevelt said, "I heard people from Arizona were pussies."

Roosevelt's comment completely shook off the feeling John had the moment before when he first felt presence riding next to him. John was now pretty badly upset after Teddy Roosevelt had almost accused Arizonians, himself included, of being pussies. John decided to tick him back off any way he felt possible.

He accomplished it theoretically by saying, "You know, so far being a Rough Rider is as easy as fuck."

Roosevelt was definitely sure he would shine through to John by actually showing him the type of pussy he tended to look or act like.

Roosevelt said to John, "I wouldn't be so sure, we haven't even got stared at all yet."

John imaged starting on some of the Hawaiian girls, because it seemed like nothing was going on as far as war was concerned. He spit out to Roosevelt, "Start on what some of those funny looking girls out laughing at us?"

Answering back as quickly possible, Roosevelt said to

John, "You'll get your chance, just don't push it." Roosevelt spoke as if John would have some free time later to hit on the Hawaiian women.

Confused, Shooter said to everyone to get their minds back on track instead of arguing all of the time, "Hey, we're all on the same side." She spoke in a very soft voice to try and ease things, especially before the Rough Riders set up a camp run by Colonel Leonardo Wood.

John had a feeling that had grown since he first laid eyes on the island. He then added, "It's just there is something very strange here and I think it's starting to

get to me."

Without a doubt, Teddy Roosevelt knew the feeling, as well. He stayed extremely positive though about the essence.

"I have that same feeling too. I call it 'the sense of death'" he said to John with a weird gleam in his eyes.

John wanted him to understand and realize exactly

the meaning he had about the strange feeling. "No, it's something else, like we are being watched, every second."

Shooter got the message as she continued to listen to their conversation. Wanting to catch their utmost attention, Shooter shrilled out, "I have a weird feeling myself. You know those Hawaiian girls laugh at all of us."

Roosevelt felt like making a seemingly complex wisecrack to her to get their minds off of the subject. Roosevelt threw to her, "It's because you're funny looking."

John was already pretty sure that all the Hawaiian women were laughing at them. Actually, he knew it was the way they seemed to act, so he agreed with Teddy Roosevelt. "Yeah, we already know."

Arriving at the camp site, a place not very far from the port of Honolulu or the Palama District in O'ahu, they slowed down. Figuring it was the closest place to the building site of the Pacific Naval base, they stopped at

the command, "Halt."

All of their horses screeched from the bridles, easily being pulled back. Roosevelt said really loudly, with good projection to reach even the soldiers in the back of the formation, "This is where we are setting up camp right now. I'll give you all two hours, then we are going for a rough ride."

Everyone began dismount with the motivation of readying

their camp for the Hawaiian Island Annexations. To get the tents all set up, they first started by splitting into to groups to get it done much faster considering three or four stay in each tent.

After a couple of hours, the Rough Rider camp was all set up. Roosevelt stood in the front of the camp facing a large group of trees a short distance away.

Ready to get into action, Roosevelt drew his pistol while he shouted, "Well, let's give John a crash course in target practice and also in getting fire wood."

Immediately, every Rough Rider pulled their gun from its holster. With precision, they aimed towards the same tree as though they had a psychic connection with each other.

Roosevelt shouted, "Aim, fire."

One hundred guns went off at once as they pulled the triggers. Accidentally, John pulled his gun trigger a half of a second too late. The bullet missed a tree.

All of the other Rough Riders turned and looked over

at him. Then, they all looked at the tree as it fell to the ground. Ten Rough Riders then ran over to the tree and began

cutting it up for firewood.

Roosevelt said to everyone else, "They'll chop wood and the rest of us are going for a ride. So saddle up again and let's go. Well, John, you aren't no marksman."

CHAPTER 3

Sightseeing The Island

Everyone saddled up before mounting their horses and riding out to take a look around at some of the cool places on the island. They started out riding full blast. Teddy Roosevelt rode in the middle, while the other soldiers surrounded him on both sides, protecting him as though he was the President of the United States.

They did so because Teddy Roosevelt was still the leader of the Rough Riders until he left Hawaii and returned to Long Island, New York where he planned to run for Governor.

On their ride, they went through gullies and streams

under the shaded foliage of trees on both sides. A slight hill was a short ways ahead so they all stopped. Teddy Roosevelt signaled for three of the Rough Riders to go to the top of the hill to scout everything out by whistling real loud.

At the top the three scouts waved back when they realized there was nothing to be seen. Immediately, Teddy Roosevelt whistled again for them to ride as fast as they could muster.

Once they got going again, they went through a gulley and then up an embankment, where they could see the shoreline ahead. Suddenly they stopped and watched as one

of the ships of Commodore Dewey's fleet gunned down a Spanish ship, right off the coast. Hundreds of Spanish soldiers were swimming toward the beach just around the

bend from where the Rough Riders sat on their horses.

Beretta thought, This is weird. A boat full off men jumping off of their ship and swimming ashore where they risk the chance of getting caught.

Checking out the situation, Beretta said, "You believe what you are seeing -- a bunch of men swimming to the

shore?"

Roosevelt was anxious to round them like a cowboy lassoing cattle. He wanted to tie them up like a bunch of calves and arrest them for disobeying a United States government sanction for the Annexation of the Hawaiian Islands.

Roosevelt said to the Rough Riders, "Well, we are going to have to round them up. I hope you are all ready?"

Shooter noticed something next to the shore in the nearby trees about three-quarters of a mile away and headed towards the Spanish soldiers. She quoted, "It looks like someone is going to round them up for us."

In the palm trees the hot fiery look of red hot lava poured forth as Fire Swords came cruising through the air and hit a couple of the Spanish soldiers. They fell into the cool-warm waters of the Pacific below. One of the soldiers clothes began to smoke a little before he fell into the waves and then slid ashore. The water ran over him and brushed the red hot Fire knife. The water turned to steam.

The Rough Riders watched from at least three-quarters of a mile away. Mike couldn't believe it, especially after

eyeing the seemingly strange fire power at hand.

Mike proclaimed, "What in the hell are they, my God?"

Shooter was totally tripping out on the people. Most of the time her eyes were on the fire throwers instead of the Spanish soldiers. Shooter blurted out, "Who are they?"

More Fire Swords and fire arrows blazed out from the trees from along the shore -- all headed towards the Spanish soldiers who were swimming about twenty to thirty feet from the shore.

Teddy Roosevelt was amazed at the occurrence and contemplated what to say before finally answering, "I don't know."

Usually, Teddy Roosevelt knew and realized exactly what he was up against. This time, however, he was unaware of the dangers lurking around the corner ahead -- ones with the ability to become extremely fond of as to who and, of course, what they were.

Leonardo Wood didn't understand anything except the people were as intensively hot as lava and were not to be messed with. In awe, he said, "Those people are like a volcano."

Mike watched them through his telescope throw their fire and brimstone of war. Immediately, he noticed a peculiar one in a black skirt, so he passed the telescope

to Roosevelt. In a cool voice, Mike stroked, "Look at that one...she looks like a flame."

With the blink of an eye, Teddy Roosevelt caught sight of a Hawaiian woman in the trees wearing some bones around her neck in the form of a necklace. Also on and around her stomach were longer bones that formed one very strong garment. She was carrying a Fire Stick which happened to

be lit on both ends with kerosene.

The other natives were lighting their Fire Swords

and some were wrapping their swords with cloth. Then fire arrows were lit off of the Fire Sticks. Most of the Hawaiian natives then ran down toward the shore zooming in to a closer view....

Roosevelt noticed the Hawaiian woman wearing a dark greenish blackish dirty skirt. With a watchful eye, Roosevelt continued to gleam at her with eyes of wonder. With a high intuitive level, the woman stared back at him

as though she was, perhaps, expecting him.

Wondering who or what she could possibly be and, of course, speaking candidly, Roosevelt said, "Well, she looked right at me like they just know we are here, but this one...didn't smile, she smirked."

John tried to convince him that he knew there was something strange going on. He could feel it in the air. He was really completely unaware of what it was. Confused, he went on to say, "I told you there is something strange going on here on the island. What do we do now, sit and watch?"

Roosevelt decided to regain his authority in order to by some chance get a closer look of the Hawaiian woman in the fiery trees. He realized that she already knew they were watching them from the hill.

Getting eager for grass bush, Roosevelt declared, "No, actually, I want a closer look at that woman so let's break this up charge."

Teddy Roosevelt started to ride towards the natives. Everyone else slacked a second and some stalled for at least two, especially Martin, who always let Teddy Roosevelt take off first no matter what.

Commenting on their reflex for a fast break, Martin

said, "Man, he takes off like a bull coming at you."

Beretta, who was ready to take off as fast as possible right behind Roosevelt, jaspered, "Yeah, I know. Charge!"

As quick as a burst of wind, the ninety Rough Riders began a faster than usual dash towards the place where the fire massacre happened. They leapt from the top of the hill so quickly that a lot of sand was blown into the air.

The Hawaiians were still throwing their fiery swords and arrows at the Spanish soldiers who had abandoned their ship. The Spanish soldiers were still trying to swim ashore as the Rough Riders came closer.

Noticing that the Rough Riders were getting close,

the Hawaiian tribe stopped attacking them. The mysterious Hawaiian woman, or also dubbed as the Goddess of Fire, said something to her people as the Rough Riders quickly closed in. She lipped metaphorically, "Lawa, huli." (Stop and turn it around in the other direction.)

Following the command, they all began to retreat in the other direction along with their Fire Sticks and Fire knives before the Rough Riders arrived. As the Rough Riders watched in the distance, it appeared that a volcano was moving

backwards through the trees.

Once the Rough Riders got to the scene, they pointed their guns and rifles at the Spanish soldiers on the sandy shore. There were so many Rough Riders at the scene compared to the opposition that nearly every Spaniard had a gun or rifle pointed at him. Those who were still twenty to thirty feet away from the shore had a weapon pointed towards them.

Some of the Spanish soldiers ended up being lassoed and then dragged ashore. Some were pushed ashore as the Rough Riders got behind them with their horses and chased. Those on the shore were handcuffed and then made to lie on their stomachs in a row. They rounded up some thirty Spaniards. About thirty or more were dead from the fire arrows and Fire Swords. Some were still floating and wading in the waves.

The Rough Riders shouted out loud, "Freeze, Rough Riders, freeze. Rough Rider Law."

Most obeyed, except one who refused and rebelled to keep from being captured. Without warning Rick's gun was fired. The bullet struck the soldier. The impact was so immense that he flew back into a wave about four to five feet high and it washed him closer to shore.

Teddy Roosevelt looked at Rick, and then he quickly rode over there. Noting the Spaniard was unarmed, Roosevelt inquired, "Why did you shoot him?"

Rick was confused, especially after they had murdered people in cold blood in Cuba. It was almost legal to Rick, considering nobody usually gave a hoot. Rick mumbled, "Yeah, I shot him."

Colonel Leonardo Wood went off on Roosevelt to stick up for Rick. "The dude wouldn't listen to him. What else was he supposed to do?"

Teddy Roosevelt was pissed off. He had a agreement with President McKinley to keep political foreign affairs as clean as possible and have all loose ends sealed before the day of annexation. "Damn, I told you guys only to shoot when they are armed. If they have guns, they are water logged."

Roosevelt started toward the beach as Rick and Colonel Wood remained in water deep as their horses' bellies. Roosevelt rode up to the sandy beach where the Spanish soldiers were being rounded up.

"You riders are getting old, round them up. I don't want to be here all day."

John finished rounding everyone up. He watched Roosevelt and wondered, Why isn't he arresting any of them? Probably because he is too busy at watching.

John declared, "Why don't you help?"

Angrily, Roosevelt came back with, "Don't get lippy with your general. You just won first watch tonight."

Of course, John was ticked off. He tried to smirk a smile, but couldn't seem to find one.

The Spanish soldiers had all been handcuffed and were lined up ready to be moved out. Roosevelt rode alongside of them.

"Okay, you wussies, let's escort them all out of here. We'll take the beach route, the same way we came in. Let's avoid going through these palm trees here. I don't trust them."

The Rough Riders screamed at the Spanish soldiers, "Vamonos, vamonos ahora. Move it, gringo, let's go come on."

Once everyone was moving, Shooter said, "I've never seen people killed like this before in my whole life."

John thought about what she said, because he hadn't either. John implored, "Neither have I. They burned like

they were hit with lava."

Mike looked at the palm trees as if some natives were still lurking nearby. He didn't see or hear anything though. Getting to the point, Mike lip-synced, "We need to check them out and see where they went."

Looking at his friends for collaboration, Beretta jaspered, "Ask Roosevelt if a few of us can go see what the hell's going on."

As next-in-command, Wood spoke up, "I'll ask him."

He rode up to Roosevelt and asked, "Sir, a couple of us would like to have permission to scout the area."

Roosevelt thought it over for a moment through his out-of-round oval glasses with gold rims nearly held on by an eye squint. He released the squint allowing the glasses to drop to his chest where a chain held them so he didn't have to put them away all of the time.

"Okay, Sharp, be careful. You, Shooter, John, Beretta, Bill, and Martin. And I want you all back to camp before dark unless the moon is clear."

Lieutenant Wood put his hand to his forehead and said to Roosevelt, "Ai, ai."

Wood faded back towards Shooter who was next to John. Wood gave them word of Roosevelt's decision. "He said okay. Shooter, John, Beretta, Bill and Martin, while the rest of you are going back with them to camp. Roosevelt wants you and Rick to ride back with them."

Wood spoke while looking at Mike and Rick. The two of them ended up heading towards the end of the escort. Wood then looked into the palm trees to decide where to begin searching. "Let's start over in these trees over there."

Shooter shook her bridle and rode behind them. She said, "They left real quick just before we got over here."

They entered the trees, but saw nothing, not even a trace of anything burned by the hot fire and brimstone the Hawaiians had used in the skirmish.

Martin looked around and said, "This is odd, there is no sign of anything."

John looked at Martin twiddling, "How do we know what we are looking for?"

Riding up from behind, Beretta stroked, "Look for anything -- weapons, tracks, clothes, broken branches."

Shooter glared at them with a big smile, as though she

had thought something was out of the ordinary, which to her was funny. Shooter said, "Maybe they fly."

Bill questioned the situation. "I'll tell you one thing, they sure really don't really look human, and if they were, they sure dress funny."

John laughed hard as he pictured them covered with leaves and bushes around their hips. He hadn't been with the Rough Riders in other countries with different cultures. Some cultures seemed to dress appropriately; others didn't.

John driveled, "To me, they didn't even look dressed, they were just covered with leaves."

Wood had marveled at how some of the population near or on the island, around Beretenia Street, and on the pier dressed very casually while some wore grass skirts. The people they had just seen, however, were veritably different in nature of dress from the folks around town. Everything they wore was dirty and black with a stare of a black grim.

"It's not like there is a Ranchman Outlet they can shop at," Wood said in the form of a jeu'd esprit, French for the word "joke."

Beretta spoke his mind after having seen many

differently dressed people in his career. Even so, it still nearly surprised him. "Well, whatever they are, I don't care how they even dress; I just want to know where they went."

They came to a ravine that looked down to a river covered by trees and bushes. The river wasn't completely full of water being late summer. They stopped as Martin searched for a way across the ravine. His intuition told

him there was no way across.

Realizing it as fact, Martin shrilled, "We're screwed now. There's no way across this ravine anywhere."

Shooter thought about it for a second. She knew they had crossed somehow. There was no way they could have disappeared without a trace. She realized they were all camouflaged like bushes.

She said, "They had to get across somehow."

Colonel Leonardo Wood saw some tracks that entered a cave that was nearly covered with vines and bushes with plumeria flowers. "I see some prints. They are going that way."

Beretta saw the cave and the nice-looking flowers surrounding it. Beretta asked Wood, "Should we go in?"

Wood thought for a moment, and then said everyone, "Only two of us, John and I will go. We need a torch. Anyone have any matches?"

Martin reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of stick matches he had been saving for a cigar when the moment came. He replied, "I have some."

Quickly, they made a Fire Stick with a broken branch and a ripped handkerchief Bill supplied. Then they doused it with alcohol and lit it.

John demanded, "Give me that. Okay, Sharp, let's go in."

They started to enter the cave following the tracks that formed a trail. After walking forty feet or so, they saw a red glow coming from a lava pool. They came around a bend and then they really began to sweat.

John looked forward. He noticed a light pouring from

a cavern far below them. Confused, he thought, It's coming from their Fire Sticks. "Darn, they must have a lot of torches unless they are cooking something," he said.

Wood slowed down a little unsure if they were entering a trap. Wood warned John, "Go slow. They are just around

this corner."

They eventually walked around the rigid walls about twenty to thirty feet away. They saw the light flaring up from the lava far below in the cavern's depths. A small amount of smoke poured from an opening somewhere towards

the top of the mountain.

John turned around and went back out the way they came. He was worried about being burned up. "Let's get out of here. We're going to burn to death."

Lieutenant Leonardo Wood agreed.

They headed at a fast pace towards the cave's entrance. Once outside, Shooter saw they were both sweating like after a trip from the sauna.

Shooter flipped off her lip, "What happened to you two? You're sweating really hard?"

Wood was still breathing hard as he said, "It was lit up inside, we thought it was them. Nothing but a cave of lava."

John was trying to catch his breath after running so hard. John tried to speak while taking heavy breaths, "That cave is totally volcanic. There is another tunnel I saw, but

it's just too hot to check it out."

Wood wiped the sweat from his forehead that ran down his cheeks. Feeling it, Wood declared, "There is no way in hell they are in there." He wiped himself all the way to his pants and even his blue shirt.

Handier than a water trough, Martin grabbed his canteen and handed it to Leonardo Wood.

Bill sat on his horse and wondered, What can we do now? We can't find those people, and their tracks lead right to a volcanic cavern filled with very steamy air.

"So what do we do now?" Bill asked, hoping to get the right answer, which was to hurry up and head back to camp.

Beretta thought it over. He almost wanted the same as Bill wanted -- to go back to camp. He thought it would be dark soon, so they should forget about it until another day. Beretta quoted, "Well, we may as well just go back to camp. There is nothing in this cave and we can't cross this ravine."

As normal procedure, Wood checked the sun to determine the time, and if they should just head back to camp. He could just barely see the sun setting through the palm trees above the ocean waves. He figured it was about time to return back to camp anyway.

Wood scrambled up to the Rough Riders. "Yeah, why don't we? It will be dark later anyway...let's just go now."

They immediately began a slow trot back the way they had come. The moon was barely visible through the palm trees even though the sun was still up, waxing to full.

CHAPTER 4

The Sound Of Hawaiian Music

Late that night John had first watch, although he was asleep. Bill walked to where John was sleeping and shook his ass to wake him up.

Bill whispered, "Wake up! I have the next watch. I feel really safe with you watching."

John awoke and realized just how tired he was. Then he put his head down again wanting a chance for another wink because he didn't want anyone bothering him at the moment.

John quibbered, "Go ahead and watch."

Bill shook him again to wake him up, this time a lot harder. "Come on, wake up! And go to sleep in your tent,

I am serious."

Waking up slightly, John lifted his head and scratched his arm from mosquito bites and the itchy grass.

John mentioned, "Fine, it's itchy out here anyway."

John got up and started toward his tent thinking about checking out the cave again. It was becoming an obsession to find out about where the people had to gone off to in that area. He wanted someone with him instead of doing it alone.

On his way back to his tent he decided to ask Shooter if she would go with him. He sneaked in trying not to awaken any of the others.

Shaking Shooter kind of abruptly, John said, "Shooter, wake up."

Shooter rolled around in her bag a little and said with a tired attitude, "Leave me alone."

John shook her some more. She shook, rattled and rolled some more. "Come on, I'm serious. Wake up!"

Shooter gave in to his persistence and lifted her head all of the way. "Why? What is it?"

John thought a moment before speaking. "We have at least three hours until everyone gets up, so let's go look for them. I have a feeling there is another entrance to that cave."

Shooter took a deep breath and then proclaimed, "You said it was too hot, like lava."

Refusing to give up so easily, John went on about the dirty-skirted Hawaiian Fire Dancers. "And so were those people, it just doesn't seem to bother them. I just know that the other opening in that cave leads somewhere. Hell, there are footprints going in there. It's not like they jumped in the lava, they had to of gone somewhere."

Shooter remained motionless as she thought about whether or not to come up with an excuse to get out of going. She tried hard to think it through her head before stating, "I don't know, it sounds totally crazy."

John tried hard to convince her because something

was pulling him to the cave as if an immense force was in his veins. It had overpowered his curiosity. He tried to persuade her, "Well, at least we can go look and try, we'll be back before anyone gets up."

Shooter smiled at him and thought, It must be serious to him. She decided the things on the island were kind of different than other countries she had been to with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders.

Shooter went along with him, "I guess, but just this once, and if I even start to burn up, I'll kick your ass."

John left the tent before her. He waited for about fifteen seconds before whispering, "Well, let's go then."

Shooter said quietly, so none of the others awoke and questioned them, "All right."

As quickly as a cowgirl could, Shooter came out of the tent. They sneaked over to their horses, which made them giddy. They walked the horses a little ways so none of the Rough Riders heard them or other horses. About twenty feet from the corral were trees, where they mounted the horses and rode towards the cave under a waxing crescent moon.

They rode for awhile until they came to the hill

that led through the gulley and another hill before the shoreline. They rode along the shore for about three-quarters of a mile until they came to the same palm trees. Again, they rode amongst the palms in the faint moonlight. Soon they approached the cave. They stopped and dismounted.

Without hesitation, John said, "Let's tie the horses up

here."

John grabbed two kerosene lamps from the bags tied

to Lightning. He brought them along on most occasions. He believed they would help in the cave.

Shooter grabbed one of the lamps after John lit them with a match and they made their way towards the cave.

Observing the area again, Shooter asked, "How hot is

it in there?"

John explained without exaggerating, "Pretty damn hot, like sex."

Shooter laughed like it was a joke. "Oh, get out of here."

Shooter looked ahead once they were about twenty feet or so into the cave. She wondered exactly how much further it was until they'd see the opening. The opening was on the other side of the room that was completely filled with steam and glowing slightly from the lava far below.

Still curious, Shooter asked, "How far do we have to go?"

John walked in front to lead the way. "It's just around a couple of corners."

Once around the corners, they saw a slight glow from the opening of a lower cavern. The heat was not quite as bad as it had been before.

Noticing the room was much cooler, John said, "It's not as hot as it was yesterday."

Shooter acted like a weight came off her shoulders. The thought had been dragging at her emotionally. She commented, "The way you made it sound was like we were going to die in here."

John was no scientist nor was he a hula dancer with a Fire Stick. He could tell though that it was cooler than earlier. Trying to calm her nerves, he said, "Well, it's volcanic, what do you expect? Here's the other passageway

or opening, let's go in and see if there is another way or side."

Shooter wondered about the natives in the trees

who might notice them. She wanted to be ready for any confrontation, especially if their mission failed in any

way by the time they were discovered.

Shooter asked, "What if we find them although they

see us?"

They walked past a room to the other side of an opening that steam from the lava far down in a volcanic cavern came out of.

Commenting on Shooter's question, John uttered, "They won't see us, trust me. I used to spy on people all of the time."

Shooter asked, "Is there another side to this cave somewhere close by?" She figured they were probably a ways from the entrance. "We don't know if there is another side to this cave."

John looked at their footprints and somehow knew that they had came that way. John whispered, "They had to of come here with all of those footprints out there."

Suddenly, they noticed moonlight coming from the other side of the cave that glared upon the cavern walls. The reflection exposed a view of stalagmites and stalactites that they walked around without any difficulty. Of course, with women's intuition,Shooter was the first to see the moonlight.

Without hesitation, Shooter made the bright comment, "Look, moonlight. I guess you were right."

John was kind of pissed off. He shrilled, "Damn, we could have brought our horses."

They came out of the other end of the cave. Along with the moon, the light from the kerosene lamps illuminated the nearby bushes and palm trees.

Shooter saw tracks leading off into the palm trees. She breathed, "Well, it looks like they walked, although we really didn't see them leave."

John pointed towards the palm trees believing they were somewhere on the other side. Wanting to see if he was right again, John said, "Well, let's go down that way."

Shooter stopped for a moment astonished about whether their horses were okay on the other side. She asked John, "You think our horses will be safe?"

John glared back for a moment trying to answer in order to cool her nerves about it. Although, at the same exact time, John realized how Lightning was always safe when he was away.

John instructed Shooter, "I'm sure they will be all right, they can handle themselves for a while."

Shooter set her kerosene lamp on the ground to keep

from being seen first and to avoid being sneaked up on.

Bringing it to John's attention, Shooter driveled, "Let's leave the kerosene lamps so they don't see us if

we find them."

John nodded toward her like he completely agreed. He wanted to avoid their weird magic of fire and brimstone. He said to Shooter, "That's a good idea. I can see with just the moonlight anyway."

They passed some spider webs in the trees and bushes. Shooter looked up at them as she walked through one. She thought to herself, This is very weird. It feels like hands with long claws walking up my back.

But it was only the light breeze blowing out from the palm trees and bushes over her shoulders. Blowing through her ear, it almost sounded like a sea shell ringing away. She became antsy.

She quickly said to John, "There is something eerie here on this side of these caves, yet it is so quiet like there is no one around."

John had the same feeling and look in his eyes. It

was not a feeling of something that was behind him, but

something lurking in the palm trees in the dark.

A moment later while the speck of moonlight shone down out from the foliage upon them, John said to her, "I get the same feeling, like we're close to them in a way, but yet like we're so far away."

An owl hooted right above them as they passed through the trees. Shooter looked towards it and queried, "How far do you think we have to go on looking?"

John looked at her. He thought realistically they were probably not really close at the moment. They'd have to keep on searching for awhile before seeing any signs in the area.

John said briskly, "I don't know, they could be pretty far away, but I don't see any signs of anything."

They continued to walk through vines and palm trees. Very faintly, Shooter heard a native drumbeat.

"Do you hear that?" Shooter asked.

They walked through a couple of vines wrapped around some palm trees that curved up towards the very bright sky. John walked a little slower to listen.

He whispered, "Yeah, it sounds like it's coming from over there."

Shooter began walking a little faster in the direction of the sound, which made it slightly louder. Shooter said to John, "Let's go closer that way."

They walked passed another tree or two and the sound became louder permeating the wind. John realized they were getting closer.

John said, "It sounds louder."

Shooter noticed too. "We're getting closer then."

They walked a few more feet, and then suddenly a wild havelina dashed out of the bushes headed right at them. It scared the crap out of them, screeching and driving them nuts.

John said, "Damn, wild boar! I hate those pigs!"

It looked a bit different than those found in the Arizona desert though. Shooter pulled out her gun as John wondered about to do. Then Shooter's gun went off.

John asked Shooter, "Why did you shoot it?"

He scooped the dead wild havelina off the ground, its nerves still pulsating a little bit.

Shooter tried to catch her breath as she jargoned, "That scared the shit out of me!"

They noticed it was quiet.

John said curiously, "The drumbeat stopped."

They automatically stared at each other, undecided at what they should do.

Shooter said, "I think they heard that and they're going to come looking."

John was ready to head back to the cave. He waited though and said before running from the scene. "I think you're right, let's get the hell out of here! Maybe next time."

They began to run back to the cave like a couple of bats out of hell. Shooter was in front of John, who was thinking about what to say. She ran as quickly as she could towards the cave.

John spoke into the Hawaiian wind, "You didn't have to shoot it. They're blind; most of them use the sense of smell."

Shooter ran while she thought, Like I really care right now whether they are blind or not.

Running like a couple of thieves from the scene of a bank robbery, John yelled over to Shooter, "Well, let's just get our horses and get the hell out of here and go back to camp."

Shooter was exhausted. She knew she never wanted to face it ever again with anyone or anybody, even if they got on their hands and knees and begged for days. Relating her feelings to John, she said, "I'm never doing this again, so don't ask."

John thought to himself, She's so wimpy for saying that without thinking about what a rush it was.

John shot back at Shooter shortly, "Okay, fine."

In a scared fashion, they made it back to their horses and headed back to camp faster than a blazing hurricane. Once back

from the ordeal, they fell asleep for several hours until the bright morning sunrise.