Hilarity Ensues Episode 4, part 2.

"Lasso!" Ruth shouted suddenly.

"What?" Bonny Anne asked.

"Use the scarf and lasso the...the thing to get it under control!" Ruth said excitedly.

"But..." Jimdrick began.

"Just try!" Anne shouted, grabbing the scarf and nearly strangling Tom, who couldn't untangle himself fast enough. Quickly she tied one end of it into a loop and began whirling it above her head. The scarf flapped disconsolately, with little resemblance to a rope lasso. She threw it. It fell between them and the creature, who reared up and snorted loudly. Then it continued its charge towards them.

"Damn different gravity strength," Anne said. She pulled the scarf in and quickly threw it again. This time it landed square on the creature's head. Immediately it stopped and began to toss its' head in an effort to get rid of it.

"Got it!" Jimdrick yelled, as Anne struggled to tighten the noose.

"It's slipping off," Tom shouted in panic.

"That's it," Anne said, as the noose slipped down and tightened around the animal's neck. "Now I've got you." She heaved on the scarf, Jimdrick helping her. The creature began to calm down as the noose began to strangle it.
"Now, walk away slowly," she said. The others did, creeping past the beast and moving away so that it was between them and the cliff edge.

"But how do we get away from it? As soon as we let it go it'll start chasing us again," Agnes said.

"Maybe he can help," said Patrick, pointing at the cowboy who had almost reached them. He had a rope in his hand and as he came closer he began whirling it around his head. The lasso dropped around the beast's neck.

"Alright ma'm, you can let go now," he said to Bonny Anne, who was very thankful to do so. She and Jimdrick joined the others, while the cowboy got down from his steed and crossed to the tethered beast, stroking it and calming it down. He removed Tom's scarf, and brought it over to the travellers.

"I hope you weren't hurt there," he said. "This lady here has always been a bit rough, like. Much obliged to you for stopping her." He handed the scarf back to Anne.

"Thank you, sir," she said. "We're all fine, I think."

"Why does everyone out here speak English?" Agnes muttered to Ruth. "Or at least, something like English?"

"What was you doing out here?" the cowboy asked. "Were you lost? Looking for some place?"

Bonny Anne gave the scarf back to Tom. It seemed to be fine and undamaged, if a bit longer than before. "Not really. My fiance and I were just looking for somewhere to live. We've decided to become settlers out here."

"Well now," said the cowboy. "A neighbor of mine is looking to sell his ranch, quite reasonable too. His house, animals and all his equipment, to pay his fare someplace else, since he says he can't stand this life any more. You want me to show you where he lives?"

Anne and Jimdrick looked at each other. "Well, yes please, if it's not out of your way," Jimdrick said. "It sounds ideal."

"It's just round the hill," the cowboy said. "Come you down into the valley and I'll take you."

"What about that- her?" said Tom, looking at the now-docile creature.

"Oh, she won't do you no harm now, not now's you've showed her who's boss. She'll come with us."

Round the side of the hill, in a little green valley was the ranch the cowboy had told them about. He pointed out the homestead to them, and they thanked him and headed off in it's direction. Bonny Anne and Jimdrick were both pleased with the look of the place.

"It's not too far from the town," Jimdrick said.

"And if we can take the place with all the tools and equipment and cattle, that'll be so much easier than starting from scratch," Bonny Anne added.

They went in to see the rancher, who had decided to leave when his wife had died and he couldn't cope on his own. A price was agreed- Anne and Jimdrick had plenty of money from their pirating days- a date for moving settled, and they shook hands on it. The travellers thanked the rancher, and turned to head back to town.

"So all we've got to do now is arrange the wedding," Bonny Anne said as they approached the ship. They entered the bridge. Will stood there talking to Zoe, looking glum.

"What's wrong?" asked Ruth.

"The repairs will take at least two days," Will said. "We're stuck here till then."

"We could leave without, and just hope..." Zoe began.

"No," Will said. "Not here. There's other pirates around besides Queen Argent. And besides, she's taken a pounding, and her systems aren't safe. We've got to wait."

"Is that so bad?" Jimdrick asked. "I mean...you can come to our wedding!" Will looked up.

"The Pirate Queen told us our father was ill," he said. "We're worried- we want to get home as quickly as we can."

So do we, thought Ruth. And we didn't want to leave in the first place. But we have no choice but to wait- and now it seems you don't either. Not that I'm not sorry for you, and the situation you're in, but what did you care about whether our parents might be ill, or might worry where we'd gone when you kidnapped us? I'm not going to say it serves you right, but there is an ironic side to the situation.

Zoe sighed. "We'll just have to be patient," she said.


The story continues...