Power Games

by David Applegate

  Galen raised an eyebrow as Alard picked up the bottle and downed a large swig, then put it down and sat.

  Galen watched the bodyguards leave. “Only two?”

  “I know the owner of this place. We are old friends; I don’t think you want to upset your new friends in the cartel?”

  “No.”

  Alard tapped his fingers on the table as he asked, “What do you have for me?”

  Galen looked over at the corner of the room behind him. “A friend wants to chat.”

  “What?” Alard asked as he stood, he drew his wand fast. A brief flash and Andre appeared. Andre wore a black cloak and held a long blood-red quarterstaff. He immediately held up his left hand as he lowered the quarterstaff to the ground and left it on the floor.

  “Fuck, he hid inside the wall, I should have checked for that,” Alard thought. Alard had his wand pointed at Andre.

  “Relax, I have something to sell,” Andre said.

  Alard pointed his wand at Galen and asked, “You know he is with the Red Brotherhood?”

  Galen stood up and said, “Former member. He is the captain of the ship your friends… well… borrowed from him. He would like it back and is willing to trade some valuable information for it.”

  “You don’t know if they had his ship and I admit to nothing. But just saying, if they had his ship, like all captured vessels it is studied, and recycled soon after capture,” Alard said.

  “I want it back,” Andre growled. Alard saw that Andre’s mouth had no lips and that his black teeth sat in scarred gums. Even his tongue was burnt.

  Alard laughed. “Galen, would you give up your prize?”

  Galen turned to Andre and said, “He has a point.” he turned to Alard and said, “But you don’t know what he has.”

  Alard laughed and said, “The Empire will never hand over a ship to an Ogre pirate.”

  “I have a once only offer. I mean it, I get my ship back, or you will never see the information I have,” Andre said.

  “What do you have that The Empire would give you a ship?” Alard asked.

  Andre said as he sat, “I have valuable information on the Nāga. To save time, don’t you dare pretend they are extinct? I am aware your spy ships have scouted their forward bases. You know by now they live in space, always on the move. For now, they avoid inhabited worlds.”

  Alard raised both eyebrows and slowly nodded. He leaned forward and asked, “Why would you, an Ogre pirate, sell the Empire anything?”

  “Because I told them too,” a female Field Elf behind Alard said.

  Alard spun around and saw a 7ft tall, Blonde Field Elf with blue eyes. “Abelle?” he asked. Her bulging breasts were half out of her dark purple strapless bodysuit. The suit hugged her body, had gold trim with Germanic runes and a low back.

  Over her top, she wore a long white hooded robe. It too had gold trim with Germanic runes. It was open at the front, held together by a gold stag clasp over her breast and trailed down to her feet.

  Around her neck was a triple link gold necklace with a gold ring and a large black pendant with a silver pentagram with the outline of an eye in the middle. Around her waist, a broad white crocodile leather belt. It had a gold buckle and an empty wand holder. Alard focused on her long legs. Lilith wore thigh-high white lace top fishnet stockings with white knee-high, crocodile leather boots with a gold tip on the toe.

  Lilith removed her hood, revealing her short hair and replied, “No, Alard, I am her mother.”

  “Lilith!” Alard exclaimed.

  “Yes. It has been a very long time my friend,” Lilith said with one hand on her hip as she pointed her wand at Alard. His wand flew out of his hand, over her head, and landed on the floor. He noticed her wand; it was long, thin and ivory, with seven orichalcum bands along the shaft, with a walnut-sized bulb at its base.

  Lilith put her boot on his groin and leant forward. Alard was forced back. His eyes looked at her white fishnet and followed them up to her groin. She smiled as she pressed her white knee-high, high heel boots into his crotch.

  Alard did not see the red heart on the gold zip tag of her boots. It was a heart-shaped ruby, which in the middle had a gold K embedded into it. He was focused on her leg, on which she wore white thigh-high, lace top, silk fishnet stockings. He tried to run his hand up her leg, Lilith tapped his hand with her wand, sparks flew, and he winced in pain. She lifted his chin with her wand as she pushed down on his penis.

  “Nice to see you again,” Alard said, trying to sound sincere. Sweat beaded on his brow, and his jaw dropped. he stared at Lilith, and asked, “Do tell, what happened to you?”

  “We jumped to hyperspace and left behind our old lives,” Lilith said.

  “We?”

  “When Adamos replaced me with my son’s wife, I stopped being the Witch of the West and returned to the Dökkálfar. I built ships for them, and they made me their Queen.”

  “Intelligence says the Night Queen is Bethany,” Alard said.

  “Yes, Bethany is NOW the Queen of the Dökkálfar. A hundred years ago, she exiled my followers and me to the Dark Nebula. To cut a long story short, we hid behind the Ogre pirates, but they got greedy and sided with the Nāga,” Lilith replied. She removed her foot from his groin and took a step back. “But she has her own problems; the Nāga don’t just want to conquer the Dark Nebula. They want to destroy the Dökkálfar. Bethany hoped to use Andre to get the Ogres back to her side, but after she lost her precious spy operation, she blamed him and leaked his location to bounty hunters. I got to him first and made him and Galen and offer.”

  “Only if I get my ship back,” Andre remarked.

  “The Empire is aware of the war, but your friends are wanted for crimes against the Empire,” Alard said.

  “The Brotherhood placed a price on Andre’s head, and Pilu was going to hand him over to the Nāga,” Lilith said as she walked past Andre, “He wants a ship and has the information I need, but I cannot force him to hand it over nor can I build him the ship he wants, but the Emperor can.”

  “I will have to speak to him,” Alard remarked.

  Lilith said, “We would appreciate it if you did. In return, we will provide you with advanced technology. But he should know, the Nāga built that ship, but didn’t give them the best they had to offer.”

  “What about him?” Alard asked, nodding to Galen.

  Lilith walked over to Galen and said, “Galen is with the Revolutionary Guard. Until today, He didn’t know that I am their commander, and the revolution is only a cover for a Dökkálfar spy ring. I am prepared to negotiate a peace deal. Once I have a legally binding agreement with the emperor in writing, and the rebels are given pardons, including those in prison, so they can come and help me liberate the Dark Nebula.”

  “Obviously, you have ships, how well do they stand up to those in the Nāga fleet?” Alard asked.

  “Our ships are as good as the Ogres. But the Nāga have better ships than us. I need help from the Empire to level the playing field, Andre has the information I need, you have what he wants,” Lilith said.

  “I will need more than your word,” Alard looked at Andre. His empty eyes looked forward. Alard shuddered. He noticed Andre did not have eyelids or any hair, “I need to show the Emperor the intelligence is worth the price.”

  Galen stood, pointed to Alard and said, “Ask the Emperor what his grandfather did to me! How dare you ask for proof, when your word means nothing to me?”

  “Settle down. The Nāga and Dökkálfar both have a long history of betrayal,” Alard said.

  Lilith banged her fist on the table and shouted, “You owe me. You introduced me to Adamos. Did you know he often raped me?”

  “No, I did not. Adamos double-crossed me too,” Alard replied, then quickly added, “Nothing as vile as your suffering.”

  “I went to Takahiro for help, but he and Toshiko stole everything from me,” Lilith growled, “You owe me this.”

  “Nothing a little compensation and alcohol cann
ot fix,” Alard said as he picked up the almost empty bottle. He took a swig and swallowed the worm. He smiled and said, “I will need to talk to the Emperor. I must inform you that he is not a naïve child. His mind is as keen as any ancient. I take it you want his help to get revenge on the Nāga and a return to power?”

  “Yes,” Lilith said with a grin, “Fortunately the fleet has already done significant damage to the Brotherhood. It will take decades for them to rebuild.”

  “I only came today because your lackey Galen offered to make a deal.”

  “I am not her lackey,” Galen growled. He went to stand, but Lilith poked him with her wand. Slowly he sat and mumbled, “I am not surrendering my plane.”

  “Relax, think of this as an opportunity,” Alard said to Galen. He looked at Lilith and said, “I can broker a deal. But I need something to show the Emperor you are acting in good faith.”

  “Alard your thoughts betray you,” Lilith said as she walked around the table. She put her hand on his shoulder and asked, “I thought you hated Takahiro? Interesting, you admire the Emperor. Have you forgotten he keeps you on a short leash? He is making the lion’s share while you stick your neck out.”

  “Kaede is now the Emperor, and I assure you he is not Takahiro. As Emperor, Kaede has increased my compensation at the bank, and he gives me a percentage of all side deals.”

  “Kaede is a child,” Galen mumbled.

  “Hush,” Andre said to him, “You know nothing. I admire his rise to power and wealth. He is worth a hundred pitiful traitors like you.”

  Galen looked at the Ogre with contempt and started to stand. Lilith glared at Galen, and he returned to his seat. Andre returned to staring at the door on the other side of the room.

  Lilith leant over and asked, “Are you suggesting Takahiro doesn’t control Kaede?”

  “I know many think Takahiro put Kaede on the throne to rule from behind the scenes, but the truth is Kaede ousted him. Obviously, not on his own, he had some help from me and many others,” Alard said, “I cannot explain it, but Kaede is no child.”

  Lilith dug her nails into Alard’s shoulders and hissed in his ear, “Takahiro would rather die than give up power,” she released him and returned upright and tapped his head with her wand.

  “I see you do not know Kaede’s secret, but I do,” Andre remarked.

  “Oh?” Alard asked.

  “Ship first,” Andre insisted.

  “Time is money,” Alard said as he stood, “Lilith, I apologise. Takahiro believed you to be alive, and I called him a crazy fool. If you have a sample of weapons technology more advanced than we have, I shall personally take it to the Emperor. As for negotiations, it would be best if we can contact you, not Galen, directly, and not via the cartels.”

  “I think it is best if you contact Galen,” Lilith said.

  “No, I don’t want you to be able to track me,” Galen said.

  “Hush, Galen,” Lilith said. She smiled and said to Alard, “Alard, I made a promise to the Dökkálfar to set them free, and I shall give you one free sample.”

  “Free?” Alard asked.

  “We have bills to pay,” Lilith replied.

  “How much?” Alard asked.

  “I am not asking for a donation. Next week Galen will deliver an assortment of advanced energy weapons and body armour used by the Nāga regular military. Kaede and Toshiko, not Takahiro, can claim development by the Lilith Foundation and patent the technology. But I want a share of the profits from the Lilith Foundation. No less than one billion credits are to be paid into my account each year. No negotiations,” Lilith replied.

  “How do I contact you?” Alard asked.

  “I will give you my account details and a program to load onto your phone. Once I have the payment, I will message you with the delivery instructions,” Lilith replied.

  “When do I get my ship?” Andre asked Lilith.

  “I will give you the first one built,” Lilith replied, Andre returned to staring across the room. Lilith said to Alard, “I want the detailed blueprints and a materials list for the Ogre Strike Cruiser. In return, I will give you the same for a Nāga scout ship.”

  “What about real intelligence, like the location of Nāga bases, espionage activities, and so forth?” Alard asked.

  Lilith said, “Andre, hand Alard the thumb drive.” She turned to Alard and said, “I will send my account details and a link to a chat program, when you register, use your phone and smile for the camera, and provide your left thumbprint. Once I see it is you and you have made the first payment, and I see work start on Andre’s ship, you get the program to decrypt the archived files,” Lilith replied.

  “If we have questions?” Alard asked.

  “Only you get to ask one question at a time, but for each question you ask, you must answer one for us to get our answer. You have a week to pay me, if not, we disappear,” Lilith replied.

  Andre walked over to Alard. He pulled a small memory stick out from his inside pocket and handed it over. Alard examined the device. It was a standard cylindrical memory stick with a round universal port at one end and grip on the other.

  “Plug it into your phone and only your phone. It is a once-use memory stick. Remind the Emperor that questions are limited. Andre will not betray the Brotherhood, nor will Galen betray the Chosen. If I choose to provide you with information on the Brotherhood, it will only be to help us to drive them out of the Dark Nebula,” Lilith said.

  Andre walked back to his quarterstaff and stood silently. He stared over the table at the door.

  Alard noticed Andre was not breathing. He gasped and took a step back.

  Lilith walked over to Andre, put her hand on his chest and said, “Yes, Alard, Andre is an undead. But the Empire is not his enemy, nor is killing Elves his driving force.”

  “Although those Elves who defeated me in battle have the right to my ship, I need it to go after the traitors who serve the Nāga,” Andre said.

  Alard took the bottle, took a swig and asked, “Does he mean the Brotherhood?”

  “No Pilu and the Ogre Senate. They betrayed me. They are my enemy, not you unless you get in my way,” Andre said.

  “I am not saying no, but I need to tell Kaede,” Andre said.

  “Be sure to tell him, that I have a spy network inside the Nāga Alliance,” Lilith said, she walked over to Alard and whispered in his ear, “I will provide information on how to use a tachyon beam to teleport between worlds. As of proof, Galen will show you a spell gun fitted with a micro-extender. It is a cross between a wand and a hunting rifle. With it, any spell has ten times its range, but costs twice the mana to cast.”

  Curious, Alard asked, “What if the spell has no range?”

  “You can turn it off and still cast a spell, and it will not drain extra mana.”

  Alard gasped, looked at her and said with a beaming smile, “If I leave with the rifle, and all is fair, you shall have your gold.”

  Lilith smiled and said, “Deal.”

  Andre reached out, the quarterstaff leapt to his hand, as he turned a dark portal opened behind him, and he stepped into it. Galen got up and walked out the door. Alard watched him leave.

  “Sorry about this,” Lilith said as she cast stun on Alard.

  Alard woke on the floor of the cantina. His bodyguards were propped against a wall with a blank expression on their face. On the floor was a rifle case, on top of which was the guard’s handguns, the thumb drive and Alard’s wand.

  Alard looked around, the Forest Elves at the bar chuckled as they drank. The bartender watched as Alard picked up his ivory wand and cast a spell on his bodyguards. They woke and reached inside their jackets.

  “Your weapons are on the crate,” Alard said.

  “Sorry boss, they got the drop on us,” a bodyguard said.

  “Never mind, we are going home,” Alard said as he put the thumb drive in his inside jacket pocket. He kicked the case and said, “Bring this.”

  As they walked outside, the t
hree Forest Elves followed them to the SUV. It was up on blocks, with the wheels, hood, engine, and seats missing. A young Forest Elf was in the middle of removing the vehicle’s radio.

  Alard shook his head and turned to the trio of Forest Elves.

  “It looks like you need a ride to the airport,” the first one said.

  “How much?” Alard asked.

  The Elves laughed as the girl tried to rip the radio out.

  The Forest Elf in the middle said, “Thirty thousand, and only because the boss likes you.”

  Alard said, “Deliver these two unharmed and my SUV intact to the Hashimoto Teahouse in Imperial City, and I give you each an extra ten thousand for the trouble.”

  “Each,” the third Forest Elf said.

  “Mine,” the teen called out as she ran off with the radio.

  “She can keep it, but return everything else, please,” Alard hissed as he opened the crate. Inside was a black rifle with a big electronic scope, a short barrel and laser sight; it appeared to be plastic. Alard grinned, ran his hand over it and exclaimed, “It’s a wand!”

  Alard giggled as he pulled it out and shouldered it. He turned to the trio and said, “Kids got guts, she can keep the radio, if she ever wants a job, all she needs to do is find me and hand it over.”

  “Boss?” the bodyguards asked, “What about us?”

  “Don’t forget this,” Alard said as he closed the case. He pointed his wand in the air, took a step forward and disappeared in a brief flash. Both bodyguards faced each other. The first Forest Elf said, “Relax.”

  The second whistled long and loud. A few teenagers appeared from the houses. He pointed to the car and said, “Fun’s over. Put it all back.”

  The girl gripped the radio and ran down the street. One by one, teenage Forest Elves came out. Slowly they returned to the SUV its missing wheels, windows, wipers, engine and seats.

  Chapter 40

  On the morning of December 31, the last day of Yule, Yuki drove Kaede out of the Palace in a limo with Toshiko in the back beside him. They drove east on the highway at 400 km/hr with an SUV in front of and behind them.