by Alma Boykin
“You are welcome, Lord Ni Drako. Your message suggested that you wanted to discuss security problems with us?” Blish asked.
“Yes, among other matters,” Rada began. “I understand that questions have been raised about the current location of the Defenders’ base and concerns voiced about our training methods. I hope we can smooth these matters and reach an understanding. As Lord Defender, I also have some questions about the city proper that perhaps you can answer for me.”
The mayor nodded and the pink-clad reptile made a gagging noise. A wave of hostility rolled towards her and Rada’s mouth twitched slightly. At least he hasn’t complained about my smell yet. “When was the last time that the evacuation plans for the city were updated and revised?” the Lord Defender inquired, taking the initiative.
There was some typing and murmuring and one of the few overweight Azdhagi she’d seen reported, “twenty year turns ago, Lord Defender.” He wore a brilliant yellow robe that did not flatter his bulk.
She nodded, “That would be before the development of the industrial area, wouldn’t it?”
The pink clad reptile sniffed. “There’s been no need for changes, based on the council’s observations. The current plan includes the most important sections of Zhangki City and the rest can be taken care of easily.”
“Most important to the Council perhaps, but not necessarily to Drakon IV as a whole, Master Sharti,” she guessed his name and was rewarded by a twitch of surprise. “While evacuating the older residential areas is important, protecting the industrial plant and workers is also critical for the larger defense of the Throneworld.”
Sharti looked as if he’d passed a thorn-fruit ball whole and the mayor didn’t seem much happier as he reluctantly allowed, “That is a valid consideration, Lord Defender.”
Rada didn’t push the point too hard. “With that in mind, I suggest the Council devise an updated plan, one that includes the industrial area and allows for the increased capabilities of the Defenders and port security. I notice that the old evacuation plan takes neither of those groups into account, except as reinforcing the city’s watch and ward.”
The council and mayor rustled, hemmed, hawed, and agreed to look into it. Rada pushed on to her next topic, alert to the rising hostility from Master Sharti and one other she hadn’t identified yet. “In light of some security consideration and concerns, I’ve been authorized to expand the current Defenders’ base here, probably doubling its size. Since this council oversees many of the business organizations in and around Zhangki City, your assistance in vetting contractors would be greatly appreciated.”
“What!?!” Mayor Blish spluttered, “There’s no need to expand that eyesore. In fact, Lord Defender, there really is no need for a Defender base so close to the city.” His neck spines shot out straight, catching his chain of office and ruining the dignified air he’d tried to maintain. Several other councilors joined the protest and Rada glanced over to see Sergeant Bees looking as if he’d rather be anywhere else on the planet.
The Lord Defender let the reptiles vent, then repeated, “The Defender base will be expanded,” her voice cutting through the council’s complaints. “As you no doubt recall, the east bank of the Zhangki once belonged to a royal manor called Waterborn. His Majesty Cysil the Bold turned the entire estate over to the Defenders and the land remains royal property to this day. Some of the current port facilities are built on that property, including the repair docks.” The royal archivists had done frantic last-moment digging to find that information and Rada suspected the council hadn’t known about it.
Master Sharti got to his feet. “Prove it, female,” he snapped. Rada smiled coldly and pulled a micro-projector out of her belt pouch, setting it on the table and turning it on. A map soon hung in mid-air, its contents leaving Sharti limp-tailed in shock.
“This is a map of the original land distribution for both Zhangki City and Waterborn,” Rada explained as if lecturing to a class of cadets. She advanced to the next image, “and this shows the royal holdings today.” The very large area allotted for the Defenders was obvious, as were the markings showing that the Crown reserved the land to its own use still. “If there is a difficulty, Your Honor, Council members, you need to discuss it with the current land owner. He may be willing to negotiate a settlement more agreeable to you. Or he might decide to start charging you rent for the port facilities built on his land without crown permission.” She made eye contact with everyone seated or standing around the table and didn’t need to be an empath to know their feelings: anger, surprise, disappointment, shock, and oh no, we’re screwed if we push this.
A new voice inquired, “Lord Defender, what skilled contractors will the expansion require?”
Rada looked at the turquoise-clad speaker. “Stonemasons, woodworkers, general contractors, plus electrical and plumbing. The basics, as well as some electronics specialists that may have to come from the Palace-Capital if you do not have them here. Pay rate will be local standard, plus quality and early-completion bonuses,” she listed, turning off and stowing the projector as she talked.
The older, light-brown Azdhag nodded and made some notes. “We have all those trades here, Lord Defender, as you probably are aware. The guilds should be able to provide enough workers to meet the Defenders’ needs.”
“Good, because His Imperial Majesty also suggested that a new ferry might speed construction and could be left in place after the work was done, to be run by the city for the good of the citizens.” She needed some sweetener after the pucker plum she’d just served the council. They grumbled, but most seemed happier. Only Master Sharti and yellow robe remained overtly hostile and Rada decided that Sharti would never be happy, even if she handed him the entire bluff and built his new manor herself.
Yellow robe gathered himself and launched his challenge. “Why should we listen to an offer from a female mammal, even one who happens to be in the King-Emperor’s favor?” The others gasped at the audacity, even Sharti.
“Besides being the person who is in charge of protecting you from invaders? You might look into a group called the Mustang Marauders, Councilor. And the Adamantine Division, if you’re interested in extra-imperial history.” Rada gave him a second, then continued, “Or you can challenge me and see if you survive. A number of lords and soldiers will vouch for my blade and blaster skills, if you require proof.”
For a split second Rada thought yellow robe would try something foolish. He started, hesitated, then subsided, growling and furious but unwilling to push matters that far. Rada could tell that the other councilors didn’t want trouble enough to support him and he wouldn’t risk fighting a noble and warrior on his own.
“I’m certain that your credentials are impeccable, Lord Defender. His Imperial Majesty would never appoint anyone whose skills he doubted to a position of trust,” Mayor Blish soothed. Most of the other councilors nodded their agreement, and the two flanking yellow robe glared at him. “Were there any other matters you needed to discuss with us?”
Rada opted to quit before she alienated the whole council. “No, Your Honor. I realize that your time is valuable and you will have quite a bit of work to do in revising the evacuation plan for Zhangki City. Is there ought that I can do for you?”
The blue-robed mayor looked around the council table, but no one mentioned anything. “No, Lord Defender.”
She bowed slightly. “I thank you for your time Your Honor, honored councilors, and I look forward to working with you in the future. I’ll see myself out,” and she turned, departing the chamber with her guards and Sergeant Bees before anyone could make a polite protest. Rada also kept her hand close to her blaster until they were out of the building.
“Back to the docks please, Sergeant,” she ordered.
The thin noncom stepped out briskly and Rada and her guards made good time returning to the waterfront. As they arrived, a commotion caught her attention and she noticed a goodly number of Azdhagi up on their hind legs looking at something
. “Who is it?” someone asked another member of the crowd.
“Looks like Beeb, judging by the paint.” There was a stir and enough reptiles satisfied their curiosity and moved on that the second speaker could get a good look. “Yeah, it’s Beeb. Damn limp-spine must have short-timed one customer too many.” And the hefty Azdhag mimed something rude with his forefoot. The dockworkers around him laughed, then scattered back to work as the police dragged the body farther on shore. Rada didn’t hide her curiosity: she’d never see an Azdhag with such gaudy body paint. He wasn’t wearing anything else and the mammal put two plus two together as Sergeant Bees twitched, apparently embarrassed at Lord Ni Drako seeing a pleasuremale’s corpse fished out of the river. Corporals Eeksk and Xhilee shrugged.
“Ah, my lord, your boat’s over this way,” Bees pointed, doing his best not to look at the body.
“Seems fairly fresh,” Rada commented conversationally.
One of the watch officers nodded, busily entering the deceased’s information into his record pad. “Made his talon decorating appointment this morning, so probably hit the water two, three hours back. Hate it when these happen on my shift,” he grumbled, then looked up and almost dropped his notes.
Corporal Xhilee gave the other reptile a sympathetic look as Rada did her best to seem calm and detached, as a noble was supposed to be. She nodded at the watch officer and turned to follow Bees. As they walked down to the Defenders’ dock, Eeksk inquired, “Pardon my asking, my lord Mammal, but how’d you know the body was new?”
“Fish hadn’t started eating it and it was dragged up, not floating. That means it hadn’t started rotting, since from what I’ve seen Azdhagi don’t, as a rule, float.” Rada thought for a moment, dodging a fishmonger and adding “And his paint had just started wearing off, it looked like, so the body hadn’t bumped against much yet.”
The two former police officers nodded their satisfaction. Sergeant Bees glanced over his shoulder at the Lord Defender, obviously discombobulated by her knowledge. He waited until they were on the boat and away from shore, then started rustling around as if he wanted to ask something but didn’t dare. “You have a question, Sergeant?” Rada inquired, noticing that the river appeared even higher than before.
“Lord Defender, how did you know about the paint?” As soon as he blurted it the sergeant cringed, because it was an improper question. Rada would have been in her rights to toss him overboard for asking it, since it implied that she was familiar with a part of Azdhag society that respectable reptiles didn’t admit to knowing about.
Instead she laughed. “Sergeant, Drakon IV is not the only world with port cities and prostitutes.” At Bees’s odd look she translated. “Prostitute is the Trader word for plearsuremate. And some of them wear nothing but paint, like the late Beeb. And some of them get killed and dumped into rivers, or floated out of airlocks, or otherwise disposed of for various reasons.” Rada had mixed feelings about sex for hire. She’d seen one or two of the more famous courtesans, the females (and males) who earned fabulous incomes using their bodies and she’d seen the slave whores who often turned up dead after a client “got a little rough.” In her view, as long as all parties were of age, willing, knew what they were getting into, used protection, and were not coerced in any way, she had no qualms about it.
The high water and fast current made docking difficult, and the captain needed two tries to nose the small vessel into its slot. Rada jumped ashore as soon as possible, leaving the soldiers to scramble after her. She didn’t care to be around moving water and hurried up the bank for several meters before stopping. She also didn’t care for the thickening clouds that had moved in and had begun masking the summer sun, although she appreciated the shade and the fresh breeze. Once Bees and her guard caught up with her, Rada began the climb back up to the Defenders’ base.
Three hours after her return to the Defenders’ base, it started to rain. The Wanderer had experienced more than one tropical rainstorm in her time and she glowered at the precipitation bucketing down, then suppressed a flinch as lightning hit something nearby. “This is not going to help the river,” she observed to Lieutenant Skeeker and Sergeant Bees.
“No, my lord, it’s not,” the junior officer sighed. “We’ve moved all equipment off the dock and uphill, tied down everything loose or stowed it indoors, and the back-up power systems are on stand-by.”
“Are there any flood control protections for the city?” Rada asked, blinking as the lights dimmed momentarily.
“Secondary power is on line” a private called out from around the corner.
“Carry on,” the nondescript officer replied before answering Rada’s question. “There are flood gates on the sewers to keep the river from backing up, but if you mean dikes or levees, no my lord. The engineers have talked about building some, but then the docks would have to be relocated and no one on the Council wants that. Plus it would make downstream flooding worse, not that there’s much downstream of the city.”
Rada nodded as if she knew what the hell he was talking about. Add hydrology and engineering to my “need to learn” list she thought. She started to ask about the islands in the river when someone squelched into the building and a mild commotion started.
“What have you been wading in, Kissk?”
“Awwww, look at that muck.”
“It’s that bad?”
“Fewmets – now we have to clean the floor again!”
The private in question tapped on the doorframe, then stuck his head in the doorway. “Sergeant, Lieutenant Skeeker, you need to come to the communications center, sirs.” He waited until the two locals and the Lord Defender were on their feet before adding, “Part of the slope on the port side of the bluff gave way, sirs. Corporal Xheel’s squad is searching for any bodies, but it looks like no one got caught this time.”
That got the trio’s attention, and the two reptiles and their mammalian commander hurried to the comm center. Rada didn’t have any trouble with the darkness but the reptiles cursed under their breaths as they picked their way through the storm and mud. Enough soldiers had been walking here and there on the raised trackways to leave a coat of slippery muck on the planking that required paying careful attention to one’s footing. The officers rinsed their feet at the wash spot by the door, then shook off the rain and walked into the main communications center.
The technician on duty looked harried. “The civil emergency channel is filling up, sir,” he told Skeeker. “High water problems, plus two ships caught in shallow water outside the harbor, and everybody talking at once.” He pointed to a continental radar display with his tail, “And that’s what’s coming.”
A slow-moving tropical storm, judging by the motion on the screen, drenched the land upstream of Zhangki City. The usual seasonal rains had already soaked the ground, Rada remembered, which meant that everything the storm dumped would flow right into the Zhangki. “Blessed Bookkeeper, this is going to be a mess,” she murmured under her breath.
“Incoming communication, sir,” the technician announced. “Shall I put it on the monitor?”
“Affirmative,” Skeeker nodded.
A blotched brown reptile’s head appeared on the two-way screen. “Zhangki Base, this is the Royal Meteorology center, do you copy?”
“Zhangki Base copies, go ahead,” the base commander replied.
“Just to warn you, Lieutenant. We’ve been tracking the current high water and rainfall rates and it appears that Zhangki City is in the path of a major flood within the next twenty hours. We’ve been trying to contact the civilian authorities, but have not been able to reach the mayor or senior councilors yet.”
Rada ducked so that she was visible. “What exactly do you mean by ‘major flood’?”
The expert tapped on a keyboard. “As high as the one in 147 After the Great Relocation.”
Groans, whistles, and curses met his news and the reptile at the other end nodded in agreement. “That’s the highest recorded, Lord Mammal,” Bees wh
ispered to Rada.
“How much higher did you say the water could rise?” she heard Lt. Skeeker asking a bit desperately.
“Fifteen li, maybe twenty if everything goes wrong and it arrives at flood tide and backs up,” the engineer said with all the calm of an observer 150 kliqs from the pending disaster.
“Oh fewmets,” someone groaned from the growing horde of listeners.
Rada had heard enough. “Alright troops, you heard the good news. Let’s start getting ready, because we’re going to have our forefeet full if this gets interesting.” The reptiles scattered to their posts and duties as the Lord Defender watched.
As Lt. Skeeker signed off, Rada drafted a message to the closest Ground Defense Squadron that had hovers and half-hovers. She’d seen nothing on the radar suggesting any tropical storms would hit Zhangki City, just the weather tonight and the flood from upstream. “Boats are going to be useless. Need to get four hovers with rescue capacity on their way down here as soon as it’s safe and be ready to assist with flood rescues if needed,” she thought aloud as she wrote out the orders, then handed them to the technician. Then she went to her temporary quarters to get some sleep, because she wagered that rest would be scant if things were as bad as forecast.
Instead of a sunrise, the dark skies turned a paler shade of black-gray and more details appeared in the landscape. Rada and Skeeker gazed down at the Zhangki River from the safety of the bluff top as the water roared towards the sea. A few trees bobbed in the muddy flow, along with a raft of assorted debris. The lieutenant made the sound that served Azdhagi for a whistle of awe as what appeared to have been part of a bridge floated past.
“How much longer until flood crest, Lieutenant?” Rada inquired, looking at the sky as much as at the water.
