by Taki Drake
No one noticed their arrival. The square and steps leading up to the Council building were strangely empty. Pawlik looked around before straightening his spine and leading his party up the broad steps to the ornate door.
The guard in the Council building corridor was very flustered. He appeared to be unsure of exactly what to do and who to let in. Pawlik said, “I am reporting in as requested by the Council and am accompanied by the Lady Mage. My guard can wait outside with you if that would make you more comfortable.”
“Thank you, my Lord,” the guard responded as Pawlik escorted Ruth past the security point and further down the corridor.
“The guard is a recent addition. There’s never been a guard or security visible in the Council building before now,” Pawlik murmured to Ruth, “I find it very troubling.”
Contrasting strongly with the presence of the guard, the door to the actual Council room was wide open. Dropping Ruth’s arm, Pawlik strode through the doorway, Ruth taking a position a step back from him and on his left. Her cloak remained closed around her body and the hood draped over her head, concealing her form and face.
A full table of council members was present in the room. The smiling man that occupied the head councilor chair looked up and a flash of expression transformed his face from smiling to fury and back. Apparently, Pawlik’s rapid response to the council’s summons was unexpected. With a pleasant expression pasted firmly in place, the man addressed Pawlik, “Welcome back my Lord, it was unexpected that you would be available so soon. Perhaps we should delay your report until you’ve had some time to rest and reorient yourself to the happenings since you been gone.”
“I thank you for the consideration, Counsilor Fergali, but since my presence was requested as soon as possible and since I was still close to the spaceport this is the best time for me to make my report. After all, in order for the Council to be effective, it needs information as expeditiously as possible.”
Pawlik proceeded to report on his experiences. He traced the trading and alliance trip that he had been on which was unexpectedly interrupted. When he recounted the drugging of his men and him and their captivity with the Insectoids, the Council exploded in commentary. “Surely you are exaggerating! The Insectoids follow the rules of the Alliance religiously,” interjected one of the council members. He was a man with slate gray hair and shifty eyes. After he had spoken, he glanced quickly at Fergali for approval.
“Since we are in possession of the uncorruptible video record, which clearly shows my entire crew being carried onto the slaver ship and the exchange of payment for our bodies, I believe we can certainly substantiate my recounting of the situation,” Pawlik countered. A shiver could be seen running through the Council as Pawlik finished.
“I am sure that you have the proof that you are claiming, my Lord, but we are certainly going to have issues with the Insectoids if we push claims of damages or law violations,” Fergali said.
“The Insectoids will not be causing any problem.”
“They are a most contentious race so it is not reasonable that they would stay quiet in response to this type of defamation,” responded Fergali. Many around the table nodded their heads in agreement.
Pawlik stared Fergali directly in the face and said in a slow cadenced speech, “The Insectoids will not be responding because they are all dead. They had been wiped out to the last being.”
The room erupted into shouted questions and exclamations of disbelief. The Counsilors seemed to be arguing with each other, with the most vocal attackers being countered by a group that was obviously on Pawlik’s side. Pawlik’s voice cut across the background cacophony, “The Auditor Guild will be delivering their findings within the week. Surely the Council can wait for verification from that august body.”
“Yes, yes, we can wait for confirmation for that,” contributed Fergali. An older man in an admiral’s uniform, sitting at the far end of the table, smiled at Pawlik briefly before turning to the rest of the Council and saying, “This is exactly the sort of thing that we need to consider when we are planning our naval response.”
His words initiated more shouts and interruptions as the Council went back to arguing what they had apparently been discussing before Pawlik had come into the room. Under cover of the loud noise, Pawlik mentioned quietly to Ruth that the admiral was an old friend of his. The man had been trying to keep Arkken safe for several decades and he was actually the highest ranking officer in their spaceforce and served as Secretary of the Navy. Recent years had seen constant budget cuts for their military, especially the Navy. The majority of Counsilors were from the merchant class on Arkken, and they had been trying to destroy the power base of the spaceforce for a long time.
The arguments going on around the table were not resolving. In the middle of the contentious waving of arms and shouting, two council members stood up and walked around the table to extend their condolences, and to welcome them home. Pawlik thanked them for their welcome, saying, “I grieve for those that we have lost.”
Showing that he was paying more attention to Pawlik than to the other activity, Councilor Fergali interjected in a clear voice, “Of course, you’ll be having your Death Gift meeting soon. Good luck on not beggaring your estate.”
Pawlik’s face hardened into a mask, as he responded, “My family has always met its obligations, and it should not be a matter of concern for the Council.”
“I have come to offer the warrior tithe for both my crew and on my own behalf,” Pawlik began to say before he was interrupted once more by Fergali. With a genial laugh, Fergali said, “We appreciate the spirit of your offer but considering the damage to your men and to you personally the Council will be waiving the tithing requirement. You and your team have suffered enough, and we don’t want to strain your coffers or your estate.”
Straightening up into an offended posture, Pawlik opened his mouth to respond when Ruth put her hand on his arm to keep him calm and to stop his rejoinder. Most of the Council had apparently forgotten that Ruth was in the room. She had maintained a motionless presence slightly behind Pawlik during the entire interchange. None of the council members had questioned her presence, but now their eyes turned to her.
Fergali was the first one to comment. His eyes raked Ruth’s form from head to toe, as he said, “I see that you’ve acquired a new companion. So apparently your journey had some benefit.”
“This is the Lady Mage Ruth and she… “
“Yes, yes, we’ve heard that story and the rumors. We don’t need any further storytelling,” The head Counsilor interjected.
Pawlik braced himself for Ruth’s angry reaction but found to his surprise that she remained calm. During the entire time that they had been in the Council chamber she had been silent and continued that even with this type of provocation. He noticed her left hand making a small gesture, and a very faint tendril of light blue slid over to him.
It is time to leave now. We need to talk about what I’ve learned.
Pawlik widened his eyes in surprise at the touch of her thought. While their ability to speak mind to mind had started when she was in the shroud, the only time that they had been at a deep level of rapport was when they were wrapped in each other’s arms. Ruth could feel his pleasure at the touch of her mind and the formation of his decision to leave the room.
Matching action to his thought, Pawlik nodded toward the Council table in farewell and turned to take her arm. Fergali’s voice stopped Pawlik’s movement, “You can’t possibly leave without introducing your companion to us. None of us have seen a ‘Lady Mage’ and I quite insist that we be able to claim an acquaintance with her!”
Pawlik could feel Ruth’s amusement as she reached up and pulled the hood from her face and head. She stepped up closer to Pawlik’s side and gazed challengingly at the Council. Everyone was staring at her. Muffled exclamations of shock and surprise could be heard from several people. Pawlik was taken anew by the impact of her beauty. To him, she was beautiful beyond beautiful.
Smooth skin, raven hair, and blue eyes that seemed to swirl with a rainbow of light. She was tall, measuring just short of 6 feet with a medium musculature and curved figure.
Fergali was one of the first to recover. He stood up and moved out of his chair and around the table. Smiling at her he reached out and grabbed her hand, stroking it slightly. “My dear woman, I am so pleased to meet you. I understand this is the first time you have visited our lovely planet.”
“Yes, I have never been to Arkken before.”
“Those of us that are longtime residents are always pleased to provide personal tours of some of the loveliest areas on Arkken. I know that my Lord Pawlik will be quite busy over the next few weeks in attempting to get his house in order. I would offer myself as an alternative guide and hope that you might accept my humble presence.”
“Thank you, but no. I also have many things to attend to that will require a great deal of my attention.”
Fergali responded, “Please keep my offer in mind. You never know when having a friend in high places will be useful. And everyone needs help sooner or later. Even a lady who is supposed to be a Mage.” He grinned knowingly.
Turning their backs on the Council, Pawlik escorted Ruth out of the room and down the hallway. Pawlik’s men fell in place behind them as Ruth and the frozen-faced Pawlik exited the building and walked out onto the steps.
Pawlik was both fuming and concerned. The tension of his thoughts was clearly discernible through the bond and Ruth knew the level of his worry. He was silent till they had walked about a block from the Council building at which point he stopped abruptly and turned to face Ruth and his men, “Things are not well, and I have no idea what’s going on. The attitude of the Council has changed, and I couldn’t tell why. Guards in the corridors, empty squares, every instinct tells me that danger is coming.”
Ruth said, “I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but I managed to read the minds of the Counsilors. Although the admiral is not aware of it, most of the Counsilors are participating in an effort to disband the Navy and move all of the ships over into merchant control.”
Sgt. Gray exclaimed in disbelief, “How could they be so stupid as to remove Arkken’s defenses?”
“They are thinking of trade and profit and somehow have convinced themselves that the Alliance has things under control. Also, the sudden absence of the Insectoids has been noticed but no one knew why they were not visible. The main reasoning appears to be that their focus had been turned to a different area of the universe. When such a situation happens, merchants always try to grab market share.”
Pawlik reminded Ruth that there wouldn’t be any formal announcement of the Insectoids eradication and her control of the battle-won resources until the Auditor Guild has done its review.
“I expect that to be soon. Actually, I am not concerned about that at this point. Instead, some things came up during the Council session that I don’t understand. I would like us to find some quiet place to talk about them so that I can try to put the pieces together of what the Counsilors were thinking.”
“Then I suggest that we go either to a local restaurant or to my city townhouse for that discussion,” replied Pawlik.
The idea of someplace safe to discuss their strategy won out over food. Pawlik’s townhouse it was. The party turned down a side street, noticing in passing that it also was deserted. The smell of very hot metal and the sound of screeching acceleration interrupted their silent thoughts. A large truck accelerated around the corner and headed directly for them. There was very little time to do anything, although each of them reacted in their own way.
Ruth left hand filled with a black mass of pulsating tentacles, and she began to pull her arm back. Before she could complete her motion, Pawlik pushed her to the side of the road, throwing her aim off. The vehicle hit Pawlik a glancing blow on the left side of his body, smashing him against the side of a building. He dropped like a rock. Snarling in fury, Ruth righted her body and flung her magic at the retreating truck.
The black mass smashed into the back of the vehicle. Tentacles tipped with orange and red slapped viciously around the windows, tires, and doors. The driver of the truck lost control. Smashing into a post next to the side of the road, the vehicle rolled over once, twice, and then splintered into tiny bits of metal and blood to the accompaniment of a tortured scream.
Ruth dropped to her knees by Pawlik and started checking him for any injury. Sgt. Gray joined her briefly and then took a defensive position, his weapon in hand. Pawlik slowly regained consciousness and tried to sit up. Ruth was shaking and couldn’t prevent him. “What happened?” he asked muzzily.
“You just survived a vehicular assassination attempt,” Ruth responded.
“All I remember is a smell and the sound before I got dropped into oblivion.”
“Don’t you dare move around until we find someplace to take you to be checked out! I will not accept you surviving the Insectoids and then being killed by some idiot that tries to run you over with a truck!”
Sgt. Gray mentioned that a doctor that he has used before has a clinic a very short distance away. With the assistance of one of the other men, Ruth managed to get Pawlik on his feet and moving carefully.
The doctor was their next destination. Everything else could wait.
Chapter 14 – Balancing Obligations
The friendly doctor cleared Pawlik after a comprehensive examination. Warning both Pawlik and Ruth that there would be several days of bruised discomfort, he added that Pawlik had been extremely lucky to have not been killed. Sgt. Gray could be heard muttering under his breath about luck not being involved at all.
As they were leaving the doctor’s office, Ruth stunned the rest of the party by telling them that she had an errand that she needed to run. She added that the chore was taking her to a spaceforce Marine bar and she supplied the name, Force X. Her face was so serious that he made the decision not to ask her why this errand was so important.
Sgt. Gray said that he was familiar with the bar and would be happy to lead them to it. Since it was only a few blocks away, they decided to walk.
The group was somber. The attack had reinforced their feelings of paranoia, and everyone’s eyes were constantly roving their environment as they traveled the distance in silence.
The bar was located in a building that showed many years of hard life. Built of specialized bricks, the exterior walls looked like reinforced firewall, shining delicately with the shimmer of a reinforcing glaze. The sign for the bar hung to the right of the door. It was a simple sign, with an iridescent word that said “FORCE” and a large X running through the middle of it. The door was propped open with a doorstop that looked like a partially melted mortar shell. Somehow Ruth had managed to get in the front of their party and was the first of them through the door.
The bar had a typical layout for space and military bars with tables scattered around the room, bench and booth seating on the sides and stools in front of the bartenders’ work area. The one surprising thing was that it was about half full even though it was early in the day.
The bartender had looked up as they enter the bar shifting from the role of the bouncer to the bartender when he saw Ruth and the obviously military men accompanying her. His posture and knowledgeable glance categorized him as a former Marine. His seamed face and visible scars informed them that he had been in combat. Even if an observer was so undiscerning to see those scars, the startling moment visitors had of recognizing the one normal-looking blue eye on the left and the right red cybernetic eyeball would have betrayed his battle experience.
Pawlik drew in a sharp breath. Ruth looked sideways at Pawlik and raised a questioning eyebrow. Pawlik murmured softly, “I know about this guy. He’s got a good reputation, and I’ll tell you more later. Just don’t ask him about the battles he has been in or the worlds that he has visited. Some of his memories are harsher than anyone should have to deal with. I do not want to invoke his rage or his pain.”
The barten
der nodded in greeting to the party and directed a question at Pawlik, “Welcome to Force X. What would you like to drink?”
When Ruth responded, the bartender blinked and redirected his gaze to focus on her. He looked mildly surprised when meeting his eyes did not appear to bother her. She said, “We definitely need drinks, and I would like mine to be something with good legs on it. After the last few weeks, I definitely need something strong.”
Pawlik and the rest of them ordered their drinks, and the bartender began to work with his spigots, bottles, and glasses. As he continued his busy activities, Ruth provided some additional information, “I also have an obligation to fill here.”
The bartender’s eyebrows went up, but he did not ask further questions. Pointing silently to a table toward the back of the room, he promised to deliver their drinks when they were ready. Ruth marched off determinedly toward the table and sat down with her back against the wall. Pawlik sat next to her and breathed a sigh of relief. Ruth said, smiling slightly, “Even tough guys need to rest after taking on large trucks.”
Sgt. Gray and the other Marine laughed while Pawlik turned slightly red in the face.
The bartender brought their drinks and passed them around. Pawlik handed over payment with a tip that made the bartender smile broadly. Pawlik picked up his glass and raised it in a toast, “To absent friends!” The glasses all touched with a soft ringing of glass. Each of the men sighed deeply after a large swallow. Only Ruth didn’t appear to be impressed with the drink, but she continued to sip it.
Pawlik talked about his family and his home. It was evident that he loved his land and people. Ruth asked him to talk a little bit about how their society worked. For some reason, Pawlik took a deep breath at this point before starting to explain about a social dynamic that was entirely foreign to Ruth. Apparently, this society had evolved from an extremely warlike environment. Each estate had external and internal ruling and organizational structures. Ruth thought it was sort of amusing in that it was a new variation on gender-based roles.
