by Jan Stryvant
Steve almost laughed as the noise level around him dropped significantly.
"You've met him? The leader of the lions?" the Polish president said with a most surprised expression on his face. "I have been told he is impossible for anyone other than a lion to meet!"
"Well, I am his ambassador, so it would hardly make sense for us not to meet, now would it?"
Steve watched as he considered those words. He could see several people around him were also thinking about it.
"Still, I would think he would have wished to appear here himself, among the other heads of state."
Steve shook his head. "You have to understand, Mr. President…" Steve paused and said, "Thank you," to the waiter as his food was set in front of him, then turned back to the Polish president. "He's really not terribly interested in human affairs, just lycan ones. He's even less interested in playing politics. Then there's the simple truth that he's so much older than any of you that most of you probably wouldn't be able to, I guess you'd say, 'get along' with him."
"Oh, I find that hard to believe, Steven! I've been in politics for a good many years now! I pride myself on being able to speak to any of my countrymen, regardless of their station in life, as well as any head of state."
Steve made it look like he was considering that statement a moment. "Well, perhaps, but you have to understand, he doesn't treat anyone like an equal. Well, not anyone human at least."
"That's not exactly true, Steve," Tisha piped up.
"Oh?" Steve asked, looking at her; he didn't miss the twinkle in her eye.
"He really liked Alexander the Great. Treated him like an equal all the time— at least after he won that bet. Then there was Socrates. Dad loved talking with Socrates. I think he still misses him."
"Well, of course," Terri said, looking over from her conversation with the First Lady, "who wouldn't love hanging out with Socrates?"
Steve noticed that the Polish president was looking just a bit confused, and once again they were drawing the attention of everyone within earshot.
"He knew Socrates?"
Tisha nodded. "Yup, ran into him when he was serving with the hoplite infantry, as I recall. Nice man, very polite, but could see to the heart of any matter with amazing clarity."
"Surely you must be joking?"
"What? No, he really was a very polite man. I don't think he ever did get over the whole thing with the Oracle at Delphi. But," Tisha shrugged, "she was right, right?"
Steve did his best not to snicker as Tisha went back to talking to the president of Switzerland, who was apparently a bit more versed in the behavior of lions than the president of Poland was.
"You have to understand, Sir," Steve said to him as he picked up his knife and fork and started in on his dinner, "the leader of the lions has been around for a very long time. I myself have trouble getting my head around it. But like any being who has created an entire race that worships him like a god—and is immortal to boot—he doesn't exactly have what one would call 'diplomatic skills'."
"I see…" he said and turned to the person on his right, making it clear to Steve that he really didn't.
"I think they're still getting used to the idea of lions being both immortal and gods," the president whispered to Steve from his left.
"These are interesting times we're living in, Mr. President."
"And did I hear you correctly when you said you've met him several times now?"
Steve grinned and nodded at Tisha. "How do you think I ended up with his daughter?"
The president laughed, and Steve noticed a few surprised looks on the people around him.
"How indeed…"
Destiny
Sean padded over to where the others were sitting. He'd checked to make sure someone was keeping an eye on Mahkiyoc before going back to his room and closing his eyes to meditate and join today's meeting.
"So what have you found so far?" the First asked, looking at the assembled group.
Wendy started off, "I think I've found their authorization system. I'm getting all of us entered into it, which isn't hard, because the system knows us already."
"You can do that? But we're not Inangar!" Libmanov protested.
"We've got enough in us to use their systems, which means as far as the systems are concerned, we are. So it's just a matter of getting folks assigned into different 'tracks' of their 'class' system and then seeing how high I can push you up in it."
"English, please?" the First grumbled.
"Rowan mentioned before that the Inangar had a class structured society, based on what field of research or science you were a member of."
"Yes, I recall that."
"Well, the only branch that has anyone left in it is Mahk's. So by default, he's got the highest ranking there, but that ranking doesn't mean anything for a branch that was a higher status than his."
"So that's why he doesn't have access!" Keairra said with a laugh.
Wendy nodded. "Exactly. And he can't get access either, unless he changes over to the new branch that is higher ranked than his."
"So what's stopping him?"
"Ego," Sean and the First answered at the same time.
Now it was Wendy's turn to laugh. "Nice to hear my suspicions confirmed."
"I don't get it," Kalif said.
"Mahk believes he's the best of the best, because he's the only one to survive this long," Sean supplied. "I would guess that rather than transfer to a new 'field', which would mean admitting his field wasn't the best, he's probably trying to figure out a way to make his field the top one."
"Unfortunately for him," Wendy picked back up, "it looks like those are hard coded into the system."
"So how long will it take you to push us up?" The First asked.
"A day? It's a bit more complicated than I'm explaining it. I have to push us each up a step, then use everyone to vote someone up the next step, then they can invite the others up. I could use your help, Sean; you know programming better than I do. You might figure out a few things to move it along faster."
"Sure, I'll start on it when we're done here," Sean said with a nod, then turned to Rowan. "Have you found anything of interest on their history?"
Rowan gave a loud snort. "Oh, yeah!" She shook her head. "The better question might be what have I found that isn't interesting. The Inangar apparently were a very stuck up race."
"What, worse than us?" Kalif teased.
"Compared to them, we're pikers. They had client races, ones they uplifted themselves, and when it time came to leave? They left them all behind."
"Maybe they couldn't make the transition here?" Libmanov asked.
"Hardly. Who do you think built all this? Not the Inangar—building things is definitely below their station. After they got everything built, they sent all their helpers home. But that's not the worst of it."
"How can it get worse than leaving your children to die?" the First growled.
"Killing them," Rowan said with a distasteful expression on her muzzle.
"Killing them?"
"Yup, they killed all of them."
"Why would they do that?" Keairra asked. "It makes no sense! If their planet was dying, why kill them when the planet will do it for you?"
"Because the Inangar blew up the planet themselves."
"What!" Sean and everyone else exclaimed, looking at Rowan in shock.
She nodded. "That was my reaction, too. That 'war' they had was apparently an act of racial suicide triggered by their scientists."
"So they came here and destroyed their own planet after they left?" the First asked.
"And that's the part I'm not clear on, and which is driving me crazy. The records seem to indicate that they came here after they destroyed their planet. That they cleared everyone out of here, went home, and then committed…oh I don't know, mass genocide? Suicide? All of the above?"
"Are you sure you're reading it right?" Wendy asked. "I know some of their stuff is really hard to figure out. The promotion s
ystem took me forever to understand."
"No," Rowan said. "I'm not sure. That's why it's giving me issues. I'm still searching through their history to try and make sense out of all of it. Perhaps getting these higher levels of status and access will improve my studies?"
"It may," Wendy agreed. "One of the things I've noticed about Inangar security is if you don't have the rights to access something, you can't even see it to access it."
"Security through obscurity?" Sean said with a chuckle.
"Yup."
"You know that's like the easiest security there is to beat, don't you?"
"And that's another reason why I need your help. Because no, I don't know."
"I'll get Roxy to help me; security is something she's really good at."
"Oh?"
"She was going for a degree in game design for electronic gaming machines in casinos. So yeah, she probably knows it even better than I do."
"Okay," the First said, looking around. "I want two people on Mahkiyoc at all times. Don't be afraid to ask him about what he's doing; let him show off for you with his new research. Get an idea of how long it'll be before he wraps it up—that might be important to us. Everyone else, research. I want to know if we can lock the gates or change the program, and I want to know it by tomorrow night."
"That's not a lot of time, Father," Wendy said.
"So you better get started then!" the First growled.
Ξ
King Sladd left his meditation circle and headed for his throne room. King Sværd wasn't the only one who used spies, and while someone had found and eliminated the ones King Sværd and King Flik had infiltrated into the jagtområder that would soon become his rightful domain, no one had found the ones he, Sladd, had created.
And those were finally starting to pay off. The lions were definitely up to their little tricks once again, but this time he knew what they were.
"Beskeder!"
"Yes, my King!" Beskeder strode up to the king quickly and went down on one knee before him.
"Get a mount and make all haste to find Prince Vises Ikke. Tell him the lions did not leave, they merely staged a diversion."
"Yes, my King!"
"Now, go!"
Beskeder jumped to his feet and ran from the throne room. King Sladd then noticed that Prince Talt was waiting for him, prostrated on the floor before his throne. Considering that Sladd did not see anyone moving when he had entered the room, it meant that Prince Talt had opted to show his fealty without being called to it.
Sladd was impressed; it had been a long time since Prince Talt had abased himself without being called to it. Even his entourage were all prostrate.
"How long has Prince Talt been here?" King Sladd asked his guards
"Several hours, my King," Valse, the nearest one, replied. "He said he was reporting on the task you assigned him, and would await your pleasure."
King Sladd nodded and thought about that as he made his way to his throne. Apparently Prince Talt had learned some humility, which, as he couldn't spare Prince Talt at this time, pleased Sladd greatly.
"Prince Talt, rise and tell me what you have learned," King Sladd said while he sat down.
"My King," Prince Talt said while getting to his feet. "We were unable to re-engage the lions that attacked us. I can only guess they fled while I was resupplying."
"Yes, I received your dispatch on that, as well as questioned several of the survivors who fled the fighting. They claimed there were hundreds of them."
Prince Talt nodded. "It did appear at first that there were many lions; they engaged in some sort of magical deception that fooled the two lords I brought with me, as well as their soldiers. It led to both lords attacking specters that we did not realize were fake until after such time as I returned to examine the battlefield to try and track them down. The lions are most cunning with their tricks and apparently have learned many new ones since we last fought with them.
"It pains me that my men fell for them, and that when I faced down their main body, I was unable to overwhelm them."
King Sladd nodded. "And what of the task I set you on? Did you complete it?"
Prince Talt nodded. "Yes, my King, I journeyed up to the place where the master of the ley-lines is rumored to live. We fought with several of the metal monsters of which the legends speak, though they were old, and not as fearful as the legends make them out to be. When I arrived there, I found a building of the old ones. But I found nothing else. There was no one there. There were no monsters lurking nearby. Either the master of the ley-lands has moved on, or they are no more."
"Assuming they ever were, right?" King Sladd said with a grin.
Prince Talt shrugged his shoulders. "I know not, my King."
"Go back to your lands and make sure your house is in order. I will be leaving for the jagtområder in three more duo-daers. You may follow when you are ready."
"You are going, my King?" Prince Talt said, eyes wide in obvious surprise.
"Yes, I am going. There have been too many problems, and too many losses. Great rewards require great effort. Apparently what we are facing is not something the average lord can deal with, and which even my princes are hard pressed to overcome.
"So I will lead all our forces myself, and if needs be I will fight these lions myself as well. Now, see to your house and your lords, and make haste to join with the others once you are ready."
"Yes, my King!" Prince Talt said and bowed low before King Sladd.
"You are all dismissed."
King Sladd watched as Prince Talt and his entourage quickly left the throne room.
"I am surprised you forgave him so easily, my King," Eldstaden said, coming into the room.
"He knows he cannot stand against me now; he has lost too much in the way of both power and confidence."
"It would seem that in this, perhaps, the lions did you a service," Eldstaden said with a chuckle.
"Yes, it would seem they did," King Sladd grumbled. "What news do you have from Princes Skarm and Lagereld?"
"They are preparing their next attack. My messengers have reported back, and the princes both thank you for the information you supplied. Do you truly mean to wait three duo-daers?"
"It will take two and a half for everyone to arrive," King Sladd said with a sigh. Like it or not, even he could not change the logistics of moving so many people without preparations. "I wonder how long it will take Prince Talt to follow?"
"It will take him almost a full daer simply to return to his home. I think it will be more than several daers before he is able to follow through the master gateway."
King Sladd nodded his agreement.
"Have you seen the latest report on the numbers in the food pens?"
Eldstaden nodded. "There are many thousands there currently; Prince Lykta's people are forcing the ones there now to build more pens. I've warned them not to sample too many until the work has been completed."
"Good, very good. Now, let me go over the latest things I have learned."
"Of course, my King."
Ξ
Steve smiled as he and Tisha took their seats at the long conference table. He'd rather be having a tooth pulled than to be sitting here at this conference on the 'Demon Incursion' that was taking place in Europe—or to be more specific, Germany. He'd had to spend several hours after last night's state dinner doing a sort of Q&A with Raban, the lions' representative in Munich. The hard part was, he'd had to give Tisha a bunch of questions, then wait while she went off and talked to Raban, then came back, explained the situation to him, answered his questions, then took his new questions and went back to talk to Raban again.
He didn't mind playing diplomat for Sean. He knew Sean, knew how his mind worked, and knew if he screwed up on something or had to make a decision without talking to Sean, he would forgive him on the former and trust him on the later. But he didn't know Raban, and while he might have 'met' the First many times, he didn't really know him, either.
But T
isha had sat him down and told him that in the end, it was Sean who was calling the shots, and the only reason Raban was there in the first place was because Sean'd had someone sent there to deal with the situation. About the only place Sean didn't call the shots was South America, and that was because he'd pretty much left what was going on there to the First.
"So, Mister Bryson," began the French prime minister, who everyone had agreed to let chair the meeting. "What can you tell us about what the lions are doing in Germany?"
Getting back up from his seat, Steve pulled the expandable pointer out of his pocket and extended it to its full length as he walked over to the large map of Germany and its bordering countries. This was make it or break it time.
"Well, first of all," Steve said as he stopped in front of the map and turned to face everyone in the room, "before we get any further, the lions would all very much like to thank France for their contribution towards Germany. I understand it was a lot to ask of you, but they will not be forgetting your generous help."
Steve noticed that the French prime minister looked pleased.
"What do you mean by that?" the diplomat from Russia asked, looking a little concerned.
"I mean that we're grateful."
"Not that part; are you telling us the lions told the French to destroy Berlin?"
Steve frowned and shook his head. "No, the lions never told the French prime minister to do anything, they simply asked for his help in this situation, and he agreed to help us with it."
"You've had dealings with the French?"
Steve smiled and shook his head, "Me? No. One of the other lions met with him, and no, I am not at liberty to tell you who it was, or when."
Steve knew who it was, of course. Apparently the First had been grooming a relationship with the French prime minister for some years now. Of course the prime minister didn't know that his very close and very special friend was a lioness; that hadn't been revealed to him until the time was right.
This of course meant the French were pretty firmly in his pocket, though he'd been warned not to abuse the relationship.
"Now, in regard to this war, the lions are currently the ones running it, and before anyone gets upset," Steve raised his hand to stop any of the several protests he could see forming, "understand that until recently, none of you knew what the problem was, nor that you were dealing with it. We, however, did know what was going on, and reacted immediately.
