Fire and Steel

by Gavin Magson

  “It is a blatant attack on Diamond and his total power over us all, just one of many reasons that Konar has condemned all associated with Troy as traitors. In Troy’s early days there was a founding council who would deliberate over granting access to Troy, and, in some circumstances, meet to discuss permanent banishment. No new members were elected when councillors left Troy or passed away. When one remained, he dissolved the council and anointed himself King, in protest against the man who had ordered the death of every man, woman, and child who lives here, or does business with the residents.

  “If he still lives Yadriel will have ruled as King for some sixty years. His life has been extended by numerous augments, most of which have since been outlawed by Konar. He is a fair, and just, ruler, but do not ever think him weak; his mind was sharper than any knife the last time I met him.” said Duke.

  The crew watched their ships display as a flexible corridor was moved towards the airlock by a hovering platform, whilst the furthest end of the corridor connected to the long tunnel that lead towards the lowest level of the city. Greg busied himself in powering down the ship as Duke moved over to the airlock to prepare it for their departure. Both Deborah and Lev stood around awaiting the two men, too distracted by events to even make small talk.

  “She is powered down, Duke. Are we ready to leave?” asked Greg.

  The inner door of the airlock opened as the corridor was moved into position, the act of doing so deactivating one of the few functional safety systems that the Illicit Jane possessed; only if a breathable atmosphere was detected outside of the ships airlock would either of the doors open without a manual override.

  “Looks like we are. Deborah, Lev told me about the credit chip. I won’t stop you from using in whilst we are in Troy, but you cannot bring aboard this ship anything that would endanger the crew; no contraband, no illegal tech, no pets. Are we clear?” Duke asked.

  “I’m not that stupid, you have nothing to worry about; I have no intention of bringing anything back aboard.”

  “Good, I don’t want to try and explain that when we arrive at the Aurora. Okay, crew, everyone out.”

  Duke and his three crew members stepped inside of the airlock, between them they carried no provisions other than Deborah's credit chip and the clothes they wore. Duke was relieved that he no longer had to strain in order to close the airlock door, now it almost glided closed. A noticeable change in pressure caused their ears to equalise before the outer door opened, revealing to them the docks of Troy.

  Duke stepped outside first, followed by three pairs of wandering eyes as his crew took in the sights. The flexible corridor, formed from numerous lengths of a grey material which bowed slightly under their weight, was arranged into a set of shallow steps angled gently upwards towards the tunnel above.

  They climbed towards the docks, each feeling odd for taking such short steps up the incline, until they were met by three guards who stood just inside of the tunnel. Each man had a holstered gun at their sides, the barely relaxed stances suggesting that they would be quick to use them if threatened. They were heavily armoured, each wore a suit comprised of separate interlocking plates that were thick enough to stop most calibres. Only the middle guard had the tinted visor of his helmet raised, allowing those now stood before the man to see the shimmer of his opalescent eyes.

  “An audience with the king has been arranged. It is necessary for all new visitors to his majesties city to go before our king; refusal to attend will result in permanent banishment from Troy. Our scanners show that none of you are armed, but if we suspect that you have tried to conceal a weapon from us, we will shoot to kill. If you agree with our liege’s laws please follow me, otherwise you will be given time to refuel before being escorted from Troy.” said the middle guard.

  "Does King Yadriel still rule over Troy, Captain Oldside?" asked Duke.

  "I am glad to see that you remember me after all these years, Duke Kefo. He does indeed, long may he reign. There is much that has changed since your last visit, but I cannot discuss these with you. Our king himself wishes to update you, and it is always unwise to disobey his wishes. We have a vehicle awaiting us at the docks exit; it would be best if we did not keep the king waiting." replied the captain.

  The two faceless guards turned abruptly on the spot and began marching towards the tunnels mouth. As one the crew made to follow them, with Duke and the captain walking in silence at the rear.

  Duke noted that neither of the three guards seemed tense, always a good sign when returning to Troy after such a long absence. He thought it strange that they no longer appeared ready to draw their weapons at a moment’s notice, but the answer to why was hanging either side of the tunnels ceiling.

  A rail was fixed to both sides of the tunnel, upon which were mounted several turrets that were soundlessly tracking the movement of Duke and his crew. As the troupe marched onwards the turrets moved along the rails, keeping pace with their fast walk. With only the thin strip of lighting in the centre of the ceiling to see by Duke had failed to notice the ordinance at first, though he couldn’t keep his eyes from them now. When he had last been to Troy there was no such system, but the presence of guards had been considerably heightened at the time.

  "I notice that the city has undergone some upgrades," said Duke as he motioned towards the triple barrels pointing at him from either side. "Is Troy expecting to come under siege?"

  For several steps the captain walked on without answering, only the footfalls that echoed in the empty tunnel prevented pure silence washing over them. Duke began to wonder if Oldside had been ordered to discuss nothing at all with him before the man finally spoke.

  "You have missed a lot over the years, and only the king is capable of fully answering that question. There have been several attempts by agents of Konar since last you were here, thankfully none made it close to the Bronze Keep. Since the defences were updated there have been no incursions, most likely because word has reached Konar that Troy is now impregnable. Leave your questions for the king; I may have said too much already. It is good to see you again, Duke, don't leave it so long before your next visit."

  "Don't worry, Oldside, I have nothing to keep me away now."

  The crew, minus Duke, were captivated by the sights of Troy as their cart made its slow ascent towards the Bronze Keep. The vehicle was opened topped, since the artificial climate ensured no snow, rain, or sleet dampened their journey, whilst the power plant on display was near noiseless, a welcome change from the noxious fumes of Konar’s fleet of hovers. Occasionally snippets of Duke’s conversation filtered forwards, but the crew were too enraptured to listen out for him.

  Troy’s many levels were connected by gradual ramps, carved expertly by machine from the asteroids rock. The cart powered up each successive ramp with ease, safely within its own lane that was separated by a thick barrier from those citizens travelling by foot.

  At no time whilst travelling from the cities docks towards the Keep did they see the tell-tale signs of rampant poverty which plagued Konar’s slums and lower sectors. Lev knew exactly what to look for; it had been such a large part of his own youth that he would never forget the signs. None of the populace openly appeared to be suffering from malnutrition, nor were there any who wore ragged, torn clothing, whilst begging for scraps in order to survive. The city was noisy, as would be expected from those selling their wears and services to prospective customers, but not once did any of the crew hear the sounds of fighting, nor gunfire. The city seemed so civilised, almost at peace.

  The inner circumference of each level boasted wide roadways, with a thick, translucent barrier as tall as Lev protecting any inhabitants from the vehicles travelling around the city, whilst the wall of Duro crystal prevented the vehicles from plunging down towards the docks. Streets had been formed in a haphazard order, seemingly to be as polar opposite to the organised grid of Konar’s sectors. Duke knew the real reason behind such a system; any large-scale assault would be hampered by the baffling
layout, and weight of numbers would be negated when the attackers had to funnel down twisting, short streets, unable to navigate or make sense of the strange city.

  Duke knew of only two such attempts on Troy; both had ended in the slaughter of every attacker, with barely a handful of deaths among the city’s guards. What had worked in Troy’s favour was the attackers desire to claim the asteroid as their own. Should Konar ever choose to eradicate the city a fleet of battle cruisers could do so with relative ease, if they were not so preoccupied with managing distant conflicts that none could be spared. It was in Troy’s interests that the Believers remained a constant threat to Konar, so that King Diamond’s attention, and resources, did not turn their way.

  “It feels like I have been gone a lifetime, the city has grown so much since I was last here.” said Duke, his eyes taking in the vast increase in businesses and housing.

  Troy had been around long before Duke took to space to earn a living, yet during his first visit the city had been considerably smaller, its population miniscule when compared to any Sector of Konar. Captain Oldside had already mentioned that the docks had quadrupled in size, with the capacity for larger ships to be docked for extended stays in a cavern beneath the docks themselves, which explained how Troy could accommodate this increase.

  The captain explained that, as more and more people chose to settle in Troy, it became necessary to carve away at the asteroid, providing sufficient area to build living space, businesses, and install the amenities required by the increasing populace. Yet Duke was surprised to hear that the majority of those making Troy their home were not wanted criminals, rather they had grown weary of life on their home planets under oppressive rule from those corrupted by power. Duke had always found life on Konar to be hard, and he knew that Yadriel had never showed signs that his absolute power had brought a cruelness out in him, but to be permanently banished, with no chance of returning home, seemed a high price to pay for life on Troy.

  Duke had spent one long spell on Troy, brought on by the need to hide out from a man who wanted nothing more than to see him dead. The best part of a year of his life had been spent cooped up, not feeling real sunlight on his skin, or smelling the city fresh breeze of Konar. It had almost drove him insane, and yet there were residents who had now spent decades hidden from outside influence. The most surprising part for Duke was that the people he saw as they drove passed all seemed content with their lives, seemingly unconcerned about what was left behind.

  The cart pulled off the roadway and soon came to a halt on the final level of Troy, parking itself neatly in a space behind two more identical vehicles. The crew and their escorts stepped out on to the pavement, where a queue had formed to make use of the cities transport system.

  Greg noted that there was no ticket system in place for those using the cart, nor did a scuffle break out to decide who would be permitted to board the vacated cart. The civility seemed out of place to him, since he had always been told that the galaxies worst criminals called Troy home.

  Captain Oldside waited for the crew to continue following his two guards before speaking to Duke once again. “The King has only requested an audience with you, Duke, but that is not to say your crew would not be welcomed by him. I would need to know now if he is to receive them as well.”

  “I think it is in their best interests that only I meet with Yadriel. I trust my crew with anything; I don’t yet know how Yadriel will treat my presence. Will they be free to explore the upper level?” asked Duke.

  “Yadriel has not instructed me that your crew are to be treated differently to any other visitors, so I see no reason why they cannot explore during your absence. It is my understanding that Yadriel holds no ill will against you for not returning until now, but then your arrival has taken him by surprise.”

  “Well then, please lead the way, captain.” said Duke.

  Chapter 10

  Captain Oldside took one of the guards aside, his voice kept low so that the crew could not hear the exchange. When they returned both guards turned to salute the captain, before walking off towards a low roofed building.

  “You are all free to explore the city whilst Duke meets with my king, although I would advise against travelling to the lower levels before Duke returns; it is easy for newcomers to lose their way, and I would not want your time in Troy to be soured by panicking over such a thing.”

  The captain produced a small, black cylinder from a side pocket of his jacket and handed it over to Greg, who turned it around in his hands to better inspect the device.

  “Do not worry, there are no explosive within that. It has the dual purpose of both being a communication device and a locator; once Duke’s audience has ended he will be able to contact you so that you can arrange a meeting point or come rescue you if you’re too distracted by the sights of Troy. Credits are accepted in all businesses, but there are several attractions to discover on the upper level that you will not find below.”

  Duke gave his crew a curt nod before walking off with the captain at his side. Greg looked up from the device in his hands at the Bronze Keep, its monstrous form looming over them from above.

  The roof of the Bronze Keep shone as if ablaze, leaving no doubt to any onlookers as to what the building was. The keep stood at least two hundred feet tall at its peak, tapering towards the roof as two smaller buildings flanked it to either side.

  Lev leant towards Greg, stooping so that his mouth was close enough to the other man’s ear that his words couldn’t be overheard by any passers-by.

  “Is it just me, or does the keep look a bit…phallic?” asked Lev.

  A snort behind the two men signalled that Lev’s words had not escaped Deborah, who had a hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes by the time the men turned around to look at her.

  “Do you think someone is compensating? It’s definitely an impressive sight.” Deborah’s voice wavered as she attempted to keep a straight face, but it was impossible for her to resist laughing at the sight before them.

  “You two need to grow up, or at least shut up before someone decides to take offence from your words. It is probably purely coincidental that it looks like a…well, you know what it looks like. Since Duke did not say how long he’d likely be I think it would be best if we found somewhere to eat before exploring Troy. By the way, since you’re the only one with any money on them, the food is on you, Deborah.”

  The quiet sniggering coming from Deborah stopped at Greg’s words, but she thought better of it than to protest against paying for the men’s food. After all, Greg had helped her secure the job in the first place.

  “Fine, but nothing too pricey, a girl has to save her credits when there is the opportunity to shop. Lead the way.”

  Duke ascended the stone steps in line with the captain, a comfortable silence shared between them. The keeps large doors lay open to them when they ran out of steps to climb, four guards either side saluted the captain and relaxed their grips on the guns strapped across their chests.

  “I’m surprised to see so many guards, if I remember correctly there weren’t any guards positioned outside the keep the last time I had an audience with Yadriel.”

  Oldside rapped off a salute to the guards without changing step, the salute returned immediately by the troupe. He continued to lead Duke inside of the cavernous reception area, mulling over his choice of words.

  “The attempts to infiltrate Troy have left the Merchants concerned for Yadriel’s safety, naturally. We did not have the opportunity to determine the objective of the infiltrators, since those we did not kill chose suicide over capture, but it is likely they were sent to assassinate our king. Yadriel did not want to visibly heighten security, not just to reassure his subjects that he considers Troy to still be a safe haven, but also to prevent reconnaissance from reporting these obvious changes to those ordering the attacks. He compromised with the Merchants, but begrudgingly, hence the small deployment of guards; I’d advise against discussing it, unless Yadriel brings
up the subject.”

  Since Duke’s last visit to the keep there had been several obvious renovations, the most prominent of which was the mural painted on the reception areas floor. Duke remember the worn paving slabs that had formed it many years ago, but the colourful display of a blooming garden certainly helped liven up the keep. He was so busy inspecting it that it was only thanks to the captain grabbing him by the jacket that Duke did not walk straight into the desk at the centre of the room.

  Behind the desk sat a raven-haired woman whose eyes locked onto Duke’s as soon as he looked up at her. Even after all these years there was no mistaking the sight of Lorna’s piercing eyes, even if they had a few new wrinkles around them.

  “Lorna, could you announce Duke’s arrival for me, please?” asked Oldside.

  Without answering him Lorna stood up from her seat and walked to the rooms rear, disappearing as she stepped through a small doorway.

  “I get the impression that you haven’t been away long enough for Lorna to forget about you, Duke.”

  “I can’t tell if that is a good or a bad thing; the woman has always been a hard read. It’s not like I disappeared on her without a moment’s notice, I practically begged her to come back to Konar with me. I can’t blame her for staying, but I’d like to think that she understood that I could no longer risk trading with Troy.”

  Oldside shook his head slightly; he did not need to put voice to his opinion for Duke to read it. The men remained silent as Lorna appear once more, heading straight towards her desk.

  “The kings guard has been advised of Duke Kefo’s arrival and will call for him when the king’s current audience has ended. You’re free to return to your duties, captain, I’m sure that babysitting is a little beneath you.”

  Oldside gave Lorna a curt nod and turned back to the keeps entrance. He gave Duke a worried smile before marching off and did not look back to check that it went unnoticed by Lorna.