Knights of the Inner Rim (Beyond the Outer Rim Book 0)

by Reiter

  “Was it the Joust?” Valian asked in the tone that suggested he had already guessed what she had been thinking.

  “Powered Armour Combat,” she answered. “Bruntelior put a fist straight through your armour... and you were slowly bleeding to death.”

  “So, not dead immediately then?” Valian inquired.

  “No, sire. Not immediately.”

  “You go back and see it through until the end,” Valian suggested as the two walked out of the front door. “I might surprise you.”

  Annodia giggled. “I will get right to that. I suppose I will be dream-viewing as you are contacting Jorkethian.”

  “He left word?”

  “Just before you sent your signal,” Annodia reported. “The Twins were already in the network. No attempt was made to activate the sensors in Shonsatah’s chambers. They did, however, monitor the connection of an off-planet site with Yorlson’s console.” Annodia looked at her readout on her bracer. “And it would appear that the connection is ongoing. Kyle’s managed to find the source of the transmission. He negotiated some thirteen obstacles only to find the transmission emanates from Necaltiere Manor.”

  “Shocking, isn’t it?” Valian sighed.

  “It’s the last thing I ever expected to see,” she replied in feigned shock. “Do you think Yorlson will inform us once he’s done?”

  “That is the more important issue,” Valian stated, getting into the hover-car. “... but we shouldn’t keep our Praeceptor waiting.”

  “I think you mean you shouldn’t keep him waiting,” Annodia corrected as she engaged the drive. “Jorkethian left very specific word... complete with instructions. I’m to take you back to the transport and you are to take a vehicle to coordinates he will send to you once you are mobile.”

  “I see.” Valian reached over and took hold of throttle, accelerating the hover-car. “As you said, I shouldn’t keep him waiting.”

  The word ‘knight’, which originally meant boy or servant, was particularly applied to a young man after he was admitted to the privilege of bearing arms.

  Thomas Bulfinch

  (Rims Time: XI-4903.21)

  It was a cool, breezy night. The moon called Gyanturdelle was nearly full, hanging high in a cloudless sky. Valian took a moment to look at the satellite of Calrios and the stars beyond it. Closing the door to his ground car, he turned and started for the coordinates he had received. He looked up the hill to the edge of the cut grass of the private park. His destination was at least two hundred meters beyond the wall of evergreens that shaped the field.

  “You’re intending to stick to this wheeled-vehicle thing, aren’t you?” Ulreejun asked as he came away from the tree line.

  Valian smiled as he walked. “A very good friend and incredibly wise man put me onto it: take something that you’re weak at doing... or even something you do not like, and declare it your favorite. See if your world changes.”

  The Elder KnighT chuckled as he folded his arms. “And has it?”

  “Will you take a look at that thing?” Valian asked, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at his roadster. “Tell me you can look at it and not want to drive it!”

  The corners of Ulreejun’s mouth curled downward as he nodded in consideration. “Can’t do it,” he admitted. “That is a fine-looking machine!”

  “Trust me, Master, it looks better after you drive it,” Valian added. “That’s not even my racer. It’s just something the Twins put together so that I can drive around if I’m of the mind to do so.”

  “So, they have enough time on their hands to make a recreational vehicle?”

  Valian stopped walking and sighed. “No, that’s not it at all.”

  “It’s alright, Phytos,” Ulreejun smiled. “I think you put forth a very good effort to make it seem like that vehicle is something you chose to drive. Let me guess... Gilestra.”

  “Along with Quilori and Annodia,” Valian admitted as he turned to face the car. “Peek-a-boo.”

  The car lowered to the ground as panels opened, revealing several types of weapons and shield plates that dropped down to cover the wheels. Two seconds later, the weapons and plates retracted. As the car came up from the ground, electricity arced over the chassis.

  Ulreejun laughed out loud, holding out his hand toward Valian. “Take their insistence as a sign of love, Valian. That is about the only way you can contend with it.”

  “Is that what you do?”

  “As much as I can. You’ve got your Twins and their nursemaid Chief... I’ve got Kurshigg.”

  “Forgive me if I lack for sympathy, Master,” Valian remarked.

  “Be very careful, boy,” Ulreejun shot back. “When that Delman joined me, he could barely solder two wires together or even sharpen an edge. He was my combat trainer for at least six years before he even expressed an interest in forging.”

  “What?” Valian gasped. “And now...”

  “And now he’s an Armiger!” the Elder KnighT testified.

  “Remarkable.”

  “Interesting,” Ulreejun said, turning to walk into the woods with his hand on Valian’s shoulder. “That’s exactly what he said when I told him what you had done. Said I was too close to see it clearly.”

  “And?”

  “Do you argue with Sandra?” Ulreejun asked.

  “I try my very best not to.”

  “Likewise,” Ulreejun affirmed. “So I did as he suggested and stepped back. I confess, I saw a lot more than when I was standing in that dining hall. Turns out it was a good thing you said your farewells to your family. It gave me time to see things more clearly.

  “Of course, with clarity comes the weight of understanding,” Ulreejun offered. “I’ve taken up a few quests in my time, Valian. Defended my share of people who needed the assistance.”

  The conversation stalled as the two came through the small trees and bushes into a clearing. Valian smirked at the tell-tale portal. His first thought was that it had been left unattended, but then he started thinking of all the wonderful reception devices Kurshigg could have waiting for anyone, other than an expected party, who dared to venture through that door. Valian’s thoughts were drawn away from the portal as he noticed that Ulreejun had stopped walking.

  “You sent word to the Sixth Haven Order, didn’t you?” Ulreejun inquired, sounding as if he already knew the answer.

  “Of course I did,” Valian answered plainly.

  The Elder KnighT took a step back as his eyes became glassy with tears. “So, this sensation... is what it feels like to have someone fight for you,” he thought. “After so many engagements. I never bothered to ask those I chose to defend or fight for... and I suppose it never crossed their minds to share the experience with me.

  “Or did they?” he considered. “There were a few heart-felt ‘thank-you’s in that grouping.

  “You challenged Bruntelior to defend me,” Ulreejun struggled to speak.

  “Among other things, Master,” Valian disclosed.

  “Other things?”

  “Evard is a control,” the young man shared. “With him included in my challenge, the Countess was more likely to rely on his skill to save her. Given the lists of contestants received by the Empress’ Dreadnaught, I can safely say that two relatively strong candidates weren’t even approached.”

  “How many did you find in her province?” Ulreejun asked. “Because it seems unlikely that–”

  “She has six KnighTs who are members of orders in good standing, Master,” Valian informed. “She sent word to two of them, only one responded. Now, was she too pressed with the insolence of a young fool who would dare to challenge her station and threaten her holdings in the Empire...”

  “... or blindly dependent on the one in front of her eyes,” Ulreejun speculated. “This plan of yours seems to be happening exactly as you need it to.”

  “Then I have mastered another sort of illusion-casting,” Valian returned. “I am only doing what my teachers have taught me. Both you and my fathe
r hold flexibility and adaptability in high regard. It made sense to make the plans the same way.”

  “Which brings us to why we’re here,” Ulreejun announced, holding his arms away from his body to make the moment more grand. “Kurshigg has finished the sword.”

  “Oh.”

  Ulreejun smiled at the respect his student gave the Delman Armiger, but there was another matter pressing on his mind. The Elder KnighT had to make a decision, and up until the latest conversation with his Phytos, he had not made up his mind. Reaching to his back, Ulreejun produced a brown canvas bag. With next to no ceremony, he tossed it over to Valian.

  “Consider that a graduation gift from me to you,” Ulreejun explained. “You don’t have to keep it. In truth, it wasn’t made for you. It was something I commissioned for Evarzon, but I never had the opportunity to give it to him. Do with it as you wish.”

  “Thank you, Master,” Valian said without looking in the bag. He bowed deeply with his head down. “I will cherish it.”

  “Yeah,” Ulreejun said, not knowing how to feel or what to say. “Let’s not keep the Armiger waiting. Train hard, boy. Your plan has you on a collision course with Bruntelior.”

  “A man you’ve beaten more than once,” Valian commented.

  “And not on any of those engagements did I walk away unscathed!” Ulreejun snapped. “One in particular I didn’t walk away at all! The man is strong, Valian! Stronger than you know.”

  “That isn’t entirely accurate,” Valian said confidently.

  Ulreejun stammered a response as his face twisted with a mixture of confusion, fear, and anger.

  “I’ve sparred a couple of time against my father,” Valian relayed, his eyes staring deeply into Ulreejun’s before he turned, tapped his left wrist, and stepped into the portal.

  Ulreejun’s shoulders sagged and his chin fell to his chest. Suddenly everything was very clear to the man. Kolinkar Styrke was a Darkbred Ardrian, and stronger than five of Evard’s girth.

  “Damn me for a blind fool,” he thought. “This boy knows how to contend with strength. He knew that before our first lesson. His father taught him! He might have been in a body too young to demonstrate the lessons, but I doubt the child ever forgot what he learned.” The man chuckled, walking away from the portal a few meters. There was no telling in what condition Valian would be making his exit. His chuckle soon escalated to a laugh.

  “Yeah, this has to be the most unexpected setting,” Valian thought, looking at a large bed where three women – a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead – clad in too little silk, were reclined in various positions of allure. Each one of them was attractive and beckoned at Valian with their smiles and winks.

  “Kurshigg!”

  “Behind you, boy.”

  Valian smiled at the women and waved a goodbye before turning around. His smile became a frown as he looked at Kurshigg dressed in silk pajama pants and an animal print robe. He was standing in the middle of a large, extravagant bathroom, using hand mirrors to look on all sides of himself. He was especially taken with the ponytail he had made.

  “Oh stop it!” Valian barked, placing his hands on his hips. “That’s the last time I let you copy from my movie files.”

  “Single-best artistic expression ever made by a Terran,” Kurshigg claimed as he placed the hand mirrors on the counter. “Can’t say I agree with the outcome of the story,” he said dismissively. “... but this moment... this moment of the story?! Ha-haa! Perfection!”

  “And if I had arrived a little later?!”

  “Then your knowledge of Delman culture would have been vastly improved,” Kurshigg said, turning to march toward the bed. Valian moved to get out of his way. “What you came for is waiting for you in the tub.”

  “Think I’ll be getting it and leaving... immediately!”

  “Suit yourself.”

  Valian did not waste any time. He ran for the tub, snatching up a long box made of polished mahogany and gold-leaf framing. He tapped his left wrist again and sprinted through the portal, stumbling to a stop in the grass on the other side. He quickly turned to see his Praeceptor laughing.

  “Do you know what he’s– wait... you do know!”

  “We watched... the movie together,” Ulreejun laughingly admitted. “As the... story concluded, he went back... to one frame... in particular... the one you walked in on.” Falling to his knees, Ulreejun started cackling. “I do hope I didn’t get you there too late.”

  “Damn near!” Valian shouted, looking down at the laughing man. He shook his head, turning his back to his Praeceptor and looking at the wooden case. Now that he had time to appreciate the workmanship, he allowed his hand to run slowly along the carved edges which felt soft to the touch.

  “And to think, this is just the box,” he whispered. He could hear when his Praeceptor started to regain control of himself. “Would you care to see it?”

  “I will see it soon enough,” Ulreejun proclaimed. “At this moment... it is just for your eyes... just for you. Relish these moments, Phytos. They come so rarely and, as you get older, further and further apart. Train well, son. I will see you at the tournament.”

  “Relish the moment, eh?” Valian thought, holding the case in his hands. “And my first thought is to take this back to the ship and show it to the others... but that would be going against the very essence of my Master’s advice.”

  At that moment, the portal shimmered and dimmed, almost to the point of fading out altogether. The air around Valian rippled and the sounds of breaking glass echoed all about him... along with a piercing scream and a muffled explosion.

  “Most interesting,” Valian said softly, looking over at his left wrist and the slender crystalline bracelet which slowly cracked before blowing away from his arm in a fine sparkling powder. Placing the case on the ground so that it leaned up against his leg, Valian reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a small black stone. “Bracelet,” he commanded and the stone lost its form, quickly becoming a bracelet looking exactly like the one he had lost. He looked around at the portal and then in the direction in which his Praeceptor had departed. He shook his head, pressing his lips together as he started back to his vehicle. “Crusty old relics! Not even an alarm on the portal. I’m out here alone. Just the opportunity Lusorra would take advantage of... if she could. From the sounds of it, we might have to edit her compliment of SpellCasteRs.”

  Getting back to the ground-car, Valian decided that he could not wait any longer. He set the case down on the vehicle and opened it. Inside, he could see the case was actually two compartments closed off by two velvet panels. A note had been pinned to the panel on his left and Valian removed it, opening it.

  This is an old riddle... so you may or may not get it. Open both panels and take the more important piece first. There’s a nice bonus in store... if you get it right. And there is no such thing as saying Good Luck to men of action. So I will wish you solid skill and an eventual peace, Sir KnighT!

  “Thank you, Kurshigg,” Valian said softly, folding the paper and tucking it into his pocket. With anxiousness building in his chest, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment. As he blew out slowly, Valian opened his eyes.

  Taking hold of the handles, Valian removed both panels at the same time. White and gold light shined up into his chest and face as his eyes flared wide. He looked down to see a new sword on one side of the case and a belt and scabbard on the other. The white light came from the blade, the gold emanated from the leather of the sheath.

  “It is an old riddle, Armiger,” Valian whispered as his eyes locked onto his choice. “But one I was taught before I came to the Inner Rim.” His hands entered slowly into the compartment, lifting the scabbard out of its place. “A soldier will die for a cause, but they all seek peace. You can only do three things when you’re holding a blade: hold it, drop it, or use it.” Slowly taking a hold of the belt, Valian placed the scabbard on his hip and fastened the belt. “When you’re wearing
a blade, you still have those three options... plus anything your hands can do.”

  A frown formed on Valian’s face as the buckle started glowing in a blue light. Staggering from the sensation of having MannA take hold of his body, Valian looked down to see that he was wearing studded leather armour complete with bracers, all assembled over a bodysuit of blue chain mail. It greatly resembled the type of armour he knew Sandra to be working on. There was also a large black and silver blaster secured in a holster on his hip. But Valian’s eyes remained on the scabbard as the golden glow dimmed. His eyes strained to examine the leather of the construct.

  “Is that circuitry?!” he whispered, putting his hand to the scabbard.

  The sword glowed in response to his inquiry and Valian put his eyes to the weapon only to see what appeared to be circuitry worked into the steel. “What is this?!” A white gem in the pommel sparked to a near-blinding illumination. An image of Kurshigg formed over the sword and Valian knew it was a recording.

  The Delman smirked and applauded. “Well, if you are seeing this, then you’re as smart as you are talented. Outside the Outer Rim are a people who have developed what we call living machinery. I’ve worked the concept of their base mechanism into both the blade and scabbard. They work in tandem, but the scabbard has a greater range of functionality.

  “But let’s start with the blade,” Kurshigg stated, holding up the sword for Valian to see. “Her name is Witch and she’s one of a kind... just like her master!

  “The scabbard’s called Jack... and since you’re seeing this... you’ve already received your bonus. That blaster on your hip. His name is Warlock, and yes, I’m using the Old Earth spelling of the word. Thought that would be more fitting.”

  Valian took hold of the sword, lifting it from the case. The light from the white gem slowly fed into the blade, illuminating the lines of circuitry. A smile of pure confidence formed on the young KnighT’s face.