Scatterbrain: Battle Of The Labyrinth Chapter 1

Scatterbrain: Battle of the Labyrinth

  Copyright 2013 M.R

  CONTENTS:

  Chapter One: Preparing For The Attack

  Chapter Two: Attacked!

  Chapter Three: The Labyrinth

  Chapter Four: Daedalus’ Workshop

  Chapter Five: Out Of The Labyrinth

  Chapter Six: Preparing For The Battle

  Chapter Seven: The Battle Of Camp

  CHAPTER ONE: Preparing For the Attack

  “Anyone know how to make Greek fire?” I asked everyone present in the leisure room.

  “Greek fire?” asked Annabeth. “Yes.” I said. “I seem to have read about it somewhere- just let me check my books, I’ll be back in a while.” she said, and dashed out the door. “Well, why would we need Greek fire?” asked Thalia. “Don’t you know that we’re currently surrounded by giants?” I asked. “Giants?” she asked. “Yes.” I said. “Mr. Matthews has ordered me to ask everyone in the camp whether they know anything about how to make it and report immediately to him when I find such a person, but Annabeth’s status isn’t known yet, so I’m not reporting yet. According to him, only Greek fire can kill this particular species of extra-nasty giants- the Laysthroghynese giants, who are half leucrota- that’s why nothing except Greek fire can kill them.” “Laysthroghynese giants?” asked Anne. “Aren’t they those giants who use flattened cars for shields and carry gigantic spiky clubs?” “That they are.” I said. “We’re finished if they attack us. According to my research, no camp or boarding school has ever withstood an assault from them.” she said. “Well, we can be the first camp to resist them, can’t we?” I asked. “Of course we can. All those other camps couldn’t resist the giants because they didn’t think of Greek fire. Am I right?” “Yup, it also says that not one of them used Greek fire.” she said, pounding away madly on the keyboard, occasionally looking at a large, ancient- looking book she had open on her lap. As one of the computers was free (there were five and four were in use) I sat down at it, opened the web browser and typed” Greek fire recipe.” `“To make Greek fire, take pine resin, sulfur, tartar, sarcocolla, pitch, quicklime, melted saltpeter, petroleum oil, oil of gum. Boil together. For flying fire take I part colophony (rosin), 2 parts saltpeter, dissolve in linseed oil or oil of lamium. Put into hollow tube, point at target, and set on fire. It will fly at the target and set it on fire.” said one article. Another said “Greek fire is most likely to be naphtha or a mixture in which naphtha is the main component. Wikipedia claimed: “Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the East Roman or Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning while floating on water. It provided a technological advantage, and was responsible for many key Byzantine military victories, most notably the salvation of Constantinople from two Arab sieges, thus securing the Empire's survival. The impression made by Greek fire on the west European Crusaders was such that the name was applied to any sort of incendiary weapon, including those used by Arabs, the Chinese, and the Mongols. These, however, were different mixtures and not the Byzantine formula, which was a closely guarded secret, a secret that has since been lost. The composition of Greek fire remains a matter of speculation and debate, with proposals including combinations of pine resin, naphtha, quicklime, sulfur, or niter. Byzantine use of incendiary mixtures was distinguished by the use of pressurized siphons to project the liquid onto the enemy.Although the term "Greek fire" has been general in English and most other languages since the Crusades, in the original Byzantine sources it is called by a variety of names, such as "sea fire" (Ancient Greek: πῦρ θαλάσσιον pyr thalássion), "Roman fire" (πῦρ ῥωμαϊκόν pyr rhomaïkón), "war fire" (πολεμικὸν πῦρ polemikòn pyr), "liquid fire" (ὑγρὸν πῦρ hygron pyr), or "manufactured fire" (πῦρ σκευαστόν pyr skeuastón).” Now I was really confused. Which of these recipes was the one to use? Which would work against Laysthroghynese giants and which wouldn’t? Which was stable enough that it wouldn’t go off unless you set it on fire and which would blow up at just a touch? I decided on the first recipe but decided to tell Mr. Matthews first before I told everyone to start making it. Stepping out of the leisure room (Mr. Matthews’ office was just about 500 feet away from the leisure room) I opened his door. He was in. “So, have you found anyone who knows something about Greek fire, Emma?” (Scatterbrain was my nickname, as I was indeed somewhat clumsy at times.) “Annabeth might know something about it, but she’s checking her books now and I’m sure she won’t find it for quite some time.” I said. “Instead, I did a web search and came out with these materials.” I said, handing him some printouts which contained everything I had searched for just now. “Look over these and tell me which one to make. I’ll be in the leisure room.” I said. “Ok.” he said. I walked out of his office and to the leisure room. Annabeth was back.“Scatterbrain, I’ve found the recipe.” she said, handing me a photocopied paper. It was the exact same recipe as the first one I’d got! “Uh, Annabeth, where did you get this?” I asked. “From a book about the Byzantine empire.” she said. “Well, I got the same recipe from the web. Interesting coincidence, huh?” I said. “Yes.” she said. “Emma! Come here for a moment, will you?” yelled Mr. Matthews from the leisure room’s door. I went to where he was. “Yes?” I asked. “Well, I think the first recipe is the one to use. It’s more complete.” he said. “Get everyone to start making it immediately. I’ll unlock the explosives and flammable liquids/solids storage room. If you need anything get me- I’ll try to get it for you.” “OK.” I said. Opening the leisure room’s door, I shouted inside “Put down whatever you’re doing and come to the roofed kitchen within five minutes.” There was a rustling sound inside as everyone in the leisure room put down whatever they were doing and came out the door. “About twenty of you, set up pots over fires in the roofed kitchen.” I said. “The rest of you, get these ingredients from the explosives and flammable liquids/solids storage- pine resin, sulfur, tartar, sarcocolla, pitch, quicklime, saltpeter, petroleum oil, and oil of gum. Within several minutes they were back. “All the ingredients you mentioned just now are there except sarcocolla.” said Thalia. “Any heptane?” I asked. “Yes.” she said. “Substitute that for sarcocolla- sarcocolla’s resin contains heptane.” I said. “Will do.” she said, and led the rest of the group off. With nothing to do, I went to the roofed kitchen to help start the fires (bringing my sword along in case of monsters). When I reached the roofed kitchen I found that fires had been started under about 20 of the 50 pots. There wasn’t any wood under the rest of the pots, so I asked “Why isn’t there any wood under those thirty pots?” “There isn’t any wood left.” said Piranha, who was lighting the fire under pot no. 21. “Then get some- there are plenty of dead logs and stumps in the woods.” I said. “But I’ll ask Mr. Matthews first whether we can remove dead stumps and logs from the woods.” And so I went to Mr. Matthews’ office for the second time today. “Mr. Matthews, can we remove dead logs and stumps from the woods?” “Yes, as long as they are really dead and don’t have birds nesting in them.” he said. “But what do you want dead logs and stumps for?” “The camp’s firewood supply has run out and we need more to cook the Greek fire.” I said. “OK, just make sure you don’t cut down living trees or trees with birds nesting in them. You can take all stumps, logs, twigs, and dead branches.” he said. “Thanks.” I said, and rushed off back to the roofed kitchen (now more like a warkitchen). Greek fire in 21 pots was already in preparation. “Hey, what on earth are you 229 people doing? Get to work- Mr. Matthews has said we can take dead trees, stumps, logs, branches and twigs but do not tak
e living trees or those with birds nesting in them.” I said. “OK.” said 229 of the people. “42 of you stay behind and help the 21 already cooking the fire. The rest of you go.” I said. “And what about you, Emma?” asked Annabeth, who was among the 186 who were to cut wood. “I’ll stay here and watch the 63 who are cooking the Greek fire.” I said. “All of you had better bring at least a dagger along in case of monsters.” “No problem.” said Thalia. “If you don’t have any weapons go to the armory, but don’t get guns- they are useless against monsters. Get swords, spears, or daggers instead.” I said. My sword was of course in my belt- every proper sword wielding warrior, male or female, always had a sword belt and of course a shield. Mine was a large rectangular one rather like a Roman shield. “And as for axes, get them from the tool storage building. Make sure they’re not too large or not too small before taking them.” I said. They went off and I sat down on a chair in the corner watching the others cooking Greek fire. Some