CHAPTER TWELVE
Sarena was glad to be free of the Emissary and his apprentice. She had the Osprey’s core in a thick wooden box, the deed to the ship itself, and was heading to Salla. The merchant was a wonder and a good friend.
Isn’t he a friend of Lightman as well? Toth asked, riding on her shoulder.
“You didn’t have to come.”
“And have you disappear because of Salla? Not going to happen. I’m keeping an eye on you.”
“Thanks,” Sarena said to the Lasha.
The marketplace of Io was one of the biggest in the world. Although it shared land with the Embassy, it was the difference between night and day. The Embassy was a symbol of the Imperium’s negotiators and healers and guardians. The vast sprawling marketplaces of Io, the Bazaar, was a place one could get anything if you wanted to spend the coin. Sarena was sure she could find someone, through Salla, that would help her sell the core. She wasn’t in the business of selling ships. Salla was. Salla was an expert in selling everything and anything, and there were times she didn't ask about certain cargo she sometimes had to haul.
Salla’s tent was at the Southwest quadrant of the Bazaar. When she swung down the road, elbowing a young Ganymite child that was trying to steal her purse, she was shocked to see that his tent was bigger than before. Bigger by half. He once took up two market stalls, about ten feet square. Now, it was thirty feet, and it looked to have the beginning of a wooden floor instead of the dirt and mud that was most of the Bazaar. Yet, Sarena knew that was how the buildings in the Bazaar happened. A lucky merchant could build his stall, expand and expand, and in a few years, he could have a space like Salla’s. Salla had done it in six months.
“Toth, you need to hide. Salla hates the Lasha,” she whispered.
“I am aware,” Toth said. In one leap, he landed on a small box that gave him a vantage point over Salla’s pavilion and kept him out of direct sight.
Don’t close yourself off, Toth warned.
When have I done that? She countered.
I could count the ways in chronological order, if you wish. Or maybe alphabetical…
Shut it, furball.
Toth gave a hiss, and Sarena knew she would pay for the comment later. But now she needed to get ready to deal with Salla. Three guards were outside, long curved knives thrust through their belts, and carrying long-barreled rifles of some kind. She recognized the strange garb of the Hashashin, a sect that hired themselves out as killers and assassins. For Salla to have three of them was another mark of his increased wealth. She let out a low whistle, then walked up to the front of the tent. One of the three Hashashins held up a hand.
“What business do you have with Salla?” The Hashashin spoke the Trade Tongue, yet there was clippiness to it that felt forced.
“Tell Salla it is Sarena Corr. We have—”
“Let her come in,” she heard Salla shout from inside. The Hashashin pulled open the tent and she entered a sumptuous tent. Rugs of various weaves, woven with gold, red, and purple threads to make intricate, eye-wrenching patterns. The strong smell of decay and meat and bread filled her nose, and she felt her mouth water. It had been awhile since she had had a good meal that wasn’t created by Benny.
“Ah, Sarena, it is good to see you again,” Salla said. He spoke to her in the Trade Tongue as well, since his own tongue was something she hadn’t had a chance to learn. Lightman was supposed to tutor her, but… Sarena, keep your mind on the trade, Toth hissed in her head.
Salla was a slender, dark-skinned Earthman, his frame covered by robes of white and black. His features were hawk-like, and his head was bare, thick ringlets of black hair hung down his back.
“It is good to see you as well,” Sarena said.
“Please, you must join me for tea.”
“I’d like that,” she said. She felt at ease when he said tea. She counted the number of times she and Salla had had tea. Twice before. The third time would mean he was accepting her into his family. Toth, we are going to get an amazing deal.
You continue to think that, he said in her head. I am still wary.
Sarena tried not to roll her eyes. She allowed Salla to take her towards the back of the large tent, and sat where he showed her. She took the tea offered and smiled as she took a sip. It was a little bitter and had a touch a salt in it, yet she managed to drink it down as Salla asked about Benny. The minutes stretched out into a half hour.
Can you hurry this up? I need to get something to eat. And it is very hot out in the sun.
She silenced Toth, sat down the cup, and asked, “Salla, I would like to talk to you about selling a ship’s core.”
“No need to talk about business so soon,” Salla said.
Sarena’s eyes darted to the entrance of the tent, when three men came into the tent. They smiled and gave Sarena and Salla a bow of their heads. She looked back at Salla, asked him a question with a look.
“They are my friends, my cohorts if you will.” The three men took up positions in the tent. She didn’t like where things were going.
“When did you hire the Hashashin as guards?” she asked.
“They are more for protection of the tent and the wares inside,” Salla said with a grin. He leaned back on the pile of cushions and brought his hands together. “Ah, Sarena, you are not trusting?”
“Not that, Salla. I need to go.”
“My dear, you are family. Please. Let me put you at ease. I will send the Brotherhood away and we will conduct business in private.”
“That is to gracious of you,” she said. “You need—”
Salla waved off the comment. “Besides, there is someone I know that needs a ship’s core. I will have him come over, and the three of us will conduct business together. Is fair, no?”
Sarena, get out. This smells like a trap.
I know what I’m doing, Toth.
She gave Salla a nod and sat back to wait. Yet, the minutes stretched and Salla and his cohorts talked amongst themselves. She tried to interact with them, yet none of the them spoke the Trade Tongue. After a half hour of waiting, Sarena had had enough. Sarena stretched out her arms and yawned. “I am really getting bored waiting gentlemen. I think if you can’t agree to the deal that you have in front of you—”
“No, no dear Sarena. We will agree, we have one or two minor, minor quibbles with the contract is all. We are waiting for the barrister to show up.”
Sarena rolled her neck from side to side. Her hand strayed to the plasma thrower. “Salla, do you really need a lawyer? Don't you trust me?” She asked with a smile.
“I don't trust anything from a rogue such as yourself,” Salla said. Sarena wasn't sure if he was being funny, or if he was being truthful. He had a big smile plastered on his face, yet there was something that caused her neck hairs to stand on end.
“I had tea with you, this was the third time. I thought—”
“I would never make such a harlot family. You strut around in pants like a man. You think you can come in here and sell a ship’s core? You are mistaken.”
I don’t like this, Toth. There is something weird with Salla.
It’s a trap, get out—
Sarena snapped her head towards where Toth would have been outside. She then pulled the plasma thrower, when she did, Salla and his two men pulled their own guns. The thrum of four plasma guns charging up and getting ready to fire filled the air. Sarena could smell the crackling of ozone around them. “What is the meaning of this, Salla? I come to you in good faith, and—”
“You bring a Lasha and don’t tell us?” Salla nodded to one of his cohorts. The man pulled open the side of the tent, allowing a youth to bring in Toth in a wire mesh cage. Toth was hissing and spitting, trying to tear at the wire mesh to get free.
“You also come with stolen goods; that is not ‘in good faith.’”
“What are you talking about? I have the bill of sale, right here,” Sarena said, pointing to the paper she brought in with her.
“Not according to our lawyer,” Salla said. He nodded, and someone else entered the tent.
Sarena turned and fired at the man.
The plasma bolt took the man in the chest. His body snapped back for a moment, then she saw the crackling of a blue and green energy field around him that faded. She knew that his shield couldn't take another bolt. She tried to fire another shot, but another of Salla’s cohorts grabbed her and pinned her arms behind her back.
“Now, is that any way to treat your mentor and friend?” Lightman asked, brushing off a few burned threads of his suit. It was a white vest of some kind of animal skin, black shirt underneath and dark trousers. All of it neatly pressed. A bright blue cloak hung off his arm.
“Schilling for the Nythein Cartel?” she asked.
“They are helping, yet you know I have no allegiance. Not even to those who are good in bed,” he said with a smirk.
“I hope you rot in the hells,” Sarena snarled.
“To think I let you kiss me with that mouth,” Lightman said, giving her a beaming smile. He then turned to Salla. “Gentleman, I do hope you find everything in order?” Lightman pulled out a small chest from his cloak and set it on the table on top of Sarena’s forged bill of sale.
Salla cracked it open. Sarena caught the whiff of some kind of spice, and she could see the glowing light of one witch sapphire. She jerked her head to Lightman. “Who did you sell me out to?”
Lightman smiled and turned to her. “Who do you think. The man you left at the altar.” He moved closer and reached out to cup Sarena’s chin. “He is beside himself with joy that he can take his queen and, give her to his champion.”
Sarena jerked back her chin and nipped at Lightman. He pulled his hand away a moment before she could dig her teeth into his flesh. “A nice spirit you have there. And I wouldn’t do that to your new husband. He has a way of, well, eating those he doesn’t like.”
“I am going to enjoy watching you die,” Sarena said narrowing her eyes.
“Of course dear, of course,” Lightman turned to Salla. “And my merchandise?”
“We already have a steamjack waiting to take your goods to your ship.”
“You don't have a ship,” Sarena said.
“I will,” he said, picking up the cage that Toth was in. “I just need to make sure Benny knows I’m the one in charge now. Isn’t that right, kitty cat?” He tapped the cage, causing another series of hisses and yowls.
Sarena shook her head. She heard what Toth said to Lightman, who scowled at the Lasha.
“I only need you alive, not conscious to get aboard Benny, Toth.” Lightman pulled out a small blade. “I am sure you can survive on just five legs.”
Toth hissed, but backed down, pushing himself to the back of the cage.
“Good kitty,” Lightman said. He then turned and gave a short bow to those in the tent. “Gentlemen and lady. I mean, Majesty.”
Sarena wanted to shriek at him, yet at that moment, she caught sight of King Brendan and five of his best men, all of the Vesh clan. Their faces covered in wood and their wooden laminated armor showing that they were from Centauri.
Sarena looked around and had to think fast to get out of this one. She looked around, trying to find a weapon. Her eyes fell upon a tent spike. The cohort holding her held fast, yet was distracted by the light of the jewel and the spice. His grip started to loosen, and she took advantage of that by wiggling out of his grip. Before he could do anything, she was at the table with the tent spike. She looked about and glared at the cohorts. “Give me back my cat.”
“Lasha, human!” Toth shouted.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen, Serena. Salla does not negotiate,” Salla said, a bemused smile on his face.
Serena didn’t hesitate and threw the tent spike at Salla. The merchant ducked to one side, while his other cohort was struck in the face by the tent post. Sarena grabbed the cage with Toth, scooped up her plasma thrower with the other hand, and ran into the street with the three in tow. She snapped off a few quick shots that went wide into the crowd. Dammit, I can’t just shoot into the crowd. She looked around, not sure where to go. She then turned down a side alley, hearing the Centauri men coming after her. She heard the vvrum of plasma bolts fired at her, and knew Lightman and the others didn’t have the same compunction.
Get me out... get me out… get me out! Toth continued to bellow in Sarena’s head again and again. She shook the cage hard.
“Would you stop? I will when I can. Get over it.”
Toth still growled and gave off an all-too-feline yowl like a baby. She could already tell he was getting more pissed when she thought of him as a feline. She ran through the Bazaar, trying to think of a plan.
Benny was right where she had left him. And there were five men dressed in the clan of the Vesh with Lightman’s blue cloak marking him as having found a quicker way to Benny. And, behind her, she heard Salla and his two cohorts coming closer as well. She was trapped. She had no idea what to do. Her small hiding place would be uncovered in a few moments.
Would you please let me out of this?
“Fine,” she hissed. She dropped the cage and tore open the door, her hands getting cut by the mesh in the process. Toth leapt onto a higher perch. “Where are you going? They will see you.”
“Hush, child,” Toth said to her. He closed his eyes, and even from where she was, she felt more than heard the rumble of Benny starting to power up.
She heard Lightman shout out, “She is close! Find her. Find her!” She saw he pulled out his own pistol, as the glint of gold from it was unmistakable. Serious then, she thought, knowing he never used that unless he wanted to kill someone. “What the hell is he so pissed off for?” she asked herself.
“Something to do with his deal with Brendan. And something else, another deal,” Toth whispered, leaping down onto her shoulder.
“There is always another deal with him,” Sarena said, looking for a way to get to Benny without being seen. There wasn’t. The dock area was sparsely populated with different craft. Yet, Benny was in his own section, marked specifically for the Ilvan. She was close, but there was open terrain between her and her ship. And the Vesh and Lightman between her and Benny.
“This is a strange one. He is scared of them. I think.”
“Lightman doesn’t get scared.”
“I think we need to continue this conversation later. Salla is coming closer.”
Sarena plucked the plasma thrower from her belt. It was probably malfunctioning, after she had been forced to drop it. The butt of the grip felt warm, warmer than usual. “Well, a plan would be amazing” Sarena said.
“I am working on one, human.”
“Could you do a bit faster, please?”
“Genius cannot be rushed.” Toth started to mumble to himself. “Benny is worried about us. Perhaps, if we have him start his engines…”
“Are they close enough to be hurt by it?” Sarena asked.
“No, but it will cause them to be distracted, and you can try and fire on them from here.”
“And give away our position,” Sarena said.
“You’ll think of something.”
“I really hate you sometimes.”
“Noted.”
She heard the deep rumble of Benny’s engines beginning to warm up. She saw that it had the desired effect. She popped out from her hiding place and fired on Salla coming closer. Then, she turned to shout, “Lightman, over here. Salla and his group are here. Like you planned.”
Lightman’s face changed to one of extreme anger. He fiddled with a dial on his golden gun, leveled his pistol at her and fired.
“Shit,” Sarena said. She ducked out as the small buzzing of a drone came closer and closer, then ended abruptly and the place she was hiding erupted in flame.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The city of Estel was huge, spanning most of the small continent of Io. There were several rail cars that led to the Embassy, straight into the heart of the massive bl
ock of black stone. Pieter had hoped and wanted to be alone for the ride, hoping he had sent Kyp down the right path with the other hopefuls. That rail car split off and went towards the front of the Embassy, while his was heading to the Eastern side where Emissaries and some dignitaries were met.
He entered the rather small and cramped rail car to find another man sitting on one side of the car, a length of benches on either side as the only luxury for those who took the Eastern Gate car. The man was dressed in house colors of muted red vest, a deeper red for the shirt and forest green trousers. With a half-cloak of black. The startling thing was that the man’s face was obscured by a black mask. There was also what looked to be an old-fashioned dueling sword at his hip.
Pieter looked at the man in the black mask. “Who are you?”
“My Name is Duke Harkness, a friend of the Embassy,” he said in a soft Earthman accent. “You are Pieter Strahd, someone I have wanted to meet for some time.”
“Why?” Pieter asked, looked at the outstretched hand of the duke with trepidation.
“I have heard many good things about you. Many things indeed, yes,” he said, smiling. He touched his right cheek and stroked it in an offhanded way.
After another moment, Pieter shook hands with the man and wished he hadn’t. There was something wrong with Harkness. There was a taint of some kind. Something that caused Pieter’s hand to feel like the flesh was trying to crawl off his bones by touching the man’s gloved hand.
“What can I do for you, Duke Harkness?” Pieter asked, gripping his hands tight as to not try and dry-wash them.
“You could lead me to the council,” Harkness said with a grin.
“The council chamber isn’t for those not touched by the Void.”
“There have been exceptions,” Harkness said, the same even grin never touched his eyes.
Void Emissary: The Book of the Void Part 1 Page 8
