Welcome to science and dragons, where the dragon eats the laptop. Interesting stuff will happen at some point, so read it and see if you can find it. Have fun and beware, here be dragons and bombs.
Another? Getting rid of some of the back log I see. May I say that it is about time!
Couldn't agree more.
Chapter 11
July, 28, 1949, The Roast Hog, Leacon
The sun rose, warming the chilled bricks that the buildings in Leacon were built of. Edward stretched, staring out of the window over the table he was working at; books, papers, photos, and maps lay in piles, neatly assorted, a cup of cold tea next to one elbow. He pulled the blanket firmly around his shoulders, before continuing writing. Far away a bird of prey called and the pen scratched it's way across the paper, pausing now and again for Edward to check a detail. The cook started the morning meal, ordering the sleepy maids about. The guests had not yet begun to descend down from their rooms.
Across the commons room a door slammed open, Retin stood, her dressing gown wrapped tightly around her, her quick steps brought her to the Mage who gave her a cold look before she demanded: “What have you done to Jarro this time?” she thumped the table, “Last time I saw him he was talking to you, and this morning I can't find him anywhere!”
Edward shot upright, “Jarro's not here?”
“I just said that you idiot, and don't try to play dumb, I know you did something!” her hands tightened into fists.
“Oh yeah go on blame me straight away, couldn't you at least pretend to think about it first?”
“You almost got him killed before, why shouldn't I suspect you?” Retin sneered.
“I was not my fault that he followed me! If anything you are to blame for not keeping an eye on that dimwit.” Edward shot back.
“Unless you are blind as a bat you would have seen him straight away, he is as stealthy as a rampaging bull.”
“I wasn't expecting anyone to try tailing me.”
“Sure you weren't, but that isn't the point - what matters now is finding him, so spill the beans!”
“I already told you, I don't know!”
“Do!”
“Don't.”
“Do!”
“Now, now children, what is going on here?” Spode stood arms folded, glaring at Edward and Retin as they stood, teeth bared at the other. A startled Lunarious and a impassive Kayle were standing behind him. “Come on, you'll wake the whole house at this rate.”
Retin began, before Edward could say a word. “Jarro's not here.”
Spode raised an eyebrow, and Loony let out a loud groan, “Is that what you two have been yelling your heads off about? He might have just gone for an early morning walk or-”
“His bed was not slept in, I did look..” Retin snapped, eyes still fixed on the Mage.
“Oh,” Loony paused, reconsidering, “Well in that case, where would he have gone last night?”
Kayle growled, “He better not have caused any trouble, if he starts a war I will make sure that he is the first casualty.”
Spode rubbed his forehead, “Who saw him last?”
“I was talking to him last night, after that he left saying something about wanting some fresh air, that was about ten-ish.” Edward volunteered.
“That your story anyway.” Retin muttered under her breath.
“It's the truth.” Edward, exasperated.
“Your truth.” she shot back.
“Break it up you two, I don't know what is going on but the sooner we get our lost minister back the better. First I'll check with the palace to see if they can help ferrite him out. Next-”
A door slamming outside resounded though the building, Grycite and Brilsion voices were heard raised in argument.
Rosie opened the inner door, “Anyone lost a minister?” Jarro stumbled through the gap, pushed by someone behind him, his hair was plastered with dirt and his clothes needed a wash, but he was unhurt. “The corporal says they picked him up after curfew last night so he spend the night in their cells. He was delivered along with the post just now.”
The mage and assassin reached his side simultaneously.
“What did you think you were doing?”
“Didn't you know about curfew?”
“If you ever do such a darn silly thing again I am chaining you up!”
“If you want fresh air get it from a window, not an unknown street, you were lucky it was only the guard!”
Jarro defended himself as best he could, before giving in. He was grateful when breakfast was served to distract his well meaning torturers.
Though, with Retin and Edward on either side of him it made for a tense meal, both spent it snarling at each other like a cat and dog. It would have been funny, Jarro decided, if he wasn't sitting between them.
He was about half was though breakfast, a runny porridge with bread sticks, when the owner of the Roast Hog oiled his way in and announced that the palace car had arrived. The remaining food was stuffed down his throat at an amazing speed and soon the train of cars were honking their way though the packed roads. Beggars tapped at the windows before being swept up by the masses, vendors screeched theirs wares at anyone within ear shot, a few of the wingless dragons, jippers, plodded past.
As they past though the second set of gates he inquired as just how many there were.
“Five, each time the city needed to be expanded due to population expansion another wall was added. The first king to expand the city outward was a lazy guy and very much a penny pincher, so he left the old one were it was. After that it become more or less a tradition” Edward explained
“The other reason given is that this was the original plan for the city, but the treasury ran out of money so the construction had to be halted, until such time as they had the funds, so each extension of the walls is just a continuation of the plans already made.” Retin countered, smiling as sweetly as a lemon.
“Well excuse me for learning my history correctly.” Edward gave a very good impression of someone who's nose had just been put out of joint.
“You thought you were right? Alright then I won't argue, I might hurt your poor feelings.” Retin adopted a highly patronising tone.
This polite and calm argument continued, Jarro sat wincing as verbal barbs and daggers flew over his head, he wish heartily that they would both just shut up.
The cars past through several more gates before finally stopping before two massive golden dragons supporting the Golden Empire Gate. The jewels that encrusted the golden hide made the whole structure shimmer. The doors themselves where carved, one side with a sun and other the three moons. A guard blew a horn and the doors retreated, and an explosion of green hit the eye.
“Someone over did the garden.” Lucuse announced. “Is there even a palace in here or is it all bushes?”
“The palace and its grounds are relativity new, in the last hundred years or so, the old ones were destroyed when the current rulers' great great grandfather disposed the previous ruling family. He used mages to melt the very foundation - by the end a puddle of molten stone was all the was left.” Senic sounded a little wistful, Jarro thought, but then again melted stone sounded far more interesting then a garden.
“History lesson over yet? Lets get this over with then.” Lucuse had had enough of talking.
“It would not hurt you to take an interest in what is going on around you, now and then, you know.” Kayle said in a deadpan voice.
“Why? I don't mind ignorance.” Kayle narrowed her eyes but kept silent they were led by a servant though the maze of conflicting paths.
Jarro let himself fall to the back of the group where Lucuse was slinking, hands sunk in pockets.
“If you hate being a Seirions so much why haven't you quit?”
“I can't.” Lucuse snapped, he caught himself, and continued in a calmer voice, “I can't. All the clan leaders have to enrol at least one son as a Seirions and as the eldest must remain to carry on the family business the second son is the logical choice. No matter their view on the matter.”
“Oh.” Jarro walked silent for a few steps, “Can't you be dismissed or something? Expelled for bad behaviour?”
“What does it look like I am try to do?” Lucuse glared ahead, “When I was first assigned I tried to strike a deal so that Lady Kayle would say I am unfit for duty, but all I get is lectures about how hard some people had to work to get in and that I should thank my parents for the short cut. She says I have 'great potential', I disagree strongly, but unfortunately she is the only one who can release me from the contract, so I am stuck here.” He finished, shrugged and lengthened his strides so he was a few feet ahead of Jarro. Jarro pondered, staring at the snake changers back, as far as he could tell the lady Kayle was just wasting her time, Lucuse was a man after few things in life, and none of them involved a high ranking career. He did feel a sort of sympathy with Lucuse, he knew what it was like being pushed into a job you didn't want to do.
The servant announced loudly, “Behold the palace of the Childa!”
The building itself was white marble, it's gleaming white walls contrasting the multiple colours of the garden. It was simple, no gaudy ornaments or golden statues. Jarro decided that he liked it.
However the same could not be said of the inside. Jarro gaped, every surface glittered with gold, gems, silver, copper, the value would have astounded the richest man and emptied the largest vault. Turning slowly he surveyed the fortune around him, and almost walked into Retin as she stood, her foot tapping.
“Coming?”
Jarro laughed a little, embarrassed, and followed after, still staring in awe at the decorations.
They were ushered into a waiting room were they found hard benches to park themselves upon and listen to the chiming of a distance tower clock, before a short Grycite with a very loud voice announced, “You may now enter.”
Jarro jumped up, relieved the wait was over, Retin hissed in his ear, “Do not make an utter fool of yourself.” The doors opened onto the Throne Room. Guard in uniforms that looked like they had been designed by a hyper four year old with a box of coloured pencils lined the walk to the throne itself. Behind them various house representatives stood, curious to see the first officials to visit the Chillda himself in many years. Jarro could feel the tension as a hundred people held their collective breath.
The Chillda sat on an ornate but nevertheless wooden throne, it looked out of place among the gold, the man also looked plain, hair dull and clothes a simple linen robe. To the Chillda's right was a woman, who despite looking close to thirty, was almost bouncing with enthusiasm. Across from her a man who made a morgue look cheerful, he stood, gazing chillingly as the aliens approached.
Loony curtseyed deeply, before beginning a lengthy introduction through Senic who was interpreting.
Jarro tuned her out after a few minutes, his eyes briefly met those of the Chillda's right hand woman. She made point of glancing toward Loony, rolling her eyes, and touching her lips gently in a pretend yawn. Jarro smiled slightly, tapping his fingers and thumb together to agree that he thought is was mostly boring chitchat - holding his arm at chest level so it wasn't easily noticed.
They continued exchanging signals until Retin gripped his arm and whispered, “How old are you again?” Jarro gave an annoyed glare at his shoulder, but he stopped. The woman gave a slight shrug and returned to gazing at nothing, Jarro followed her example.
It was another two hours until they were dismissed, and guided to the guest house. Jarro glanced around the rooms, the main was a combination sitting and dinning room, off to one side was a small bathroom and the other a bed room, he collapsed onto the bed, while the maid told him that food would be brought up soon and that the feast this evening would start at eight. She left in a flurry of skirts and wings. Jarro stretched, kicking off his shoes, and flinging his arms out, he still had a few hours before he needed to do anything but relax, and he planned to put it to good use.
Chapter 10
July, 27, 1949, Outskirts of Leacon
The bruised and battered Hoverer landed off to one side of the gate in the outer wall of Leacon. Bag gripped in one hand, Jarro dropped onto the sand and stood for a second breathing deeply. A distance away the sister craft had arrived sometime earlier, Rosie the Captain sprawled on the wing. She pushed herself off onto the sand and started toward them.
A shove to the small of his back sent him sprawling forward, “You make a better wall then a door.” Retin stepped down behind him.
“Now was there any need for that?” He gave her a hurt look.
To his surprise the assassin sighed, “Not really, sorry. I just think that I would rather spend a year on a boat then go on that hoverer again.”
“This time I agree heartily with you.” Edward sighed following after.
As soon as Beladine was with ear shot she called out, “What happened? One moment you were chuffing along behind us then, Poof!” She gestured wildly with her arms, “You weren't!”
“You did not see the fire?”
She looked blank, “What fire?”
“You didn't see it.” Jarro started laughing, the danger that his majesty had been so concerned about had happened and the guards never even noticed. Oh the fun he would have when they got back. No one else look particularly amused however.
“Why did you think we were not there? Sightseeing maybe?” Edward stood, arms folded, glaring at the sheepish Captain.
“No! We circled for an hour around the area we last spotted you, but we saw nothing.”
“Well, the mage did cast a glamour to hide us. That the only explanation I can think of.” Edward stated, puzzled.
“Lets just get to the citadel.” Lunarious walked over, a shuffling Ellen behind her.
“We're not allowed to go there until morning, but I found a high class inn, The Roast Hog, and it is not too far.” Beladine cheerfully announced, relieved that no one was blaming her.
Loony groaned, “I hope my poor legs can make it.”
“They will!” Beladine slapped her back almost sending the Loony to her knees.
It was a quarter of an hour before they reached the aforementioned inn. It was everything he hoped for, a slab of rock for a bed and food a chemist couldn't have identified.
Loony glanced at the food and announce she was not hungry, Retin and Edward ate without comment. Jarro gloomily stared at the stuff on his spoon, maybe that bit of orange could be carrot? The only thing that stopped him from throwing it out was the smell, it wafted promising and sweet. Maybe if he closed his eyes...
Eyes squeezed shut Jarro felt someone slide opposite him. He ignored them and kept spooning the creamy goo into his mouth.
“So your the new recruit. Younger than I imagined.” Still blind to the world Jarro creased his forehead, the voice was melodic, and a heavy with a Grycite accent. “High in the Brilsion government too or so I hear.”
“Huh?” Recruit? What for? He decided to plead ignorance for now and try to find out what is going on.
“I do not think so, six foot tall, hair looks like you crawled though a shrubbery, part of the retinue from Brilsion I assume? your eyes are brown too, sounds like you does it not?”
“Apart from my position you could have described any one of a hundred people.” Oh great, so she knew about him but he knew nothing about her, this was not fair.
“But you are him. Stop playing dumb, and open your eyes.”
“Shelia? What are you doing?” Edward voice conveyed no small mount of alarm.
“Ahh, Edward nice to see you too, your friend is playing hard to get.” She knew Edward, who is part of the Reformers, and she kept on about him being a recruit. Jarro almost felt a light switch on.
He opened his eyes, Edward looking pale, stood stunned. Jarro took the initiative - if he played along Edward would have no choice but to let him in on his plans, or so he hoped anyway, the mage played his cards very close to his chest.
“Oh - is she a friend?” Jarro turned back to the woman, she wore an red evening dress, with gold trim at neck, wrists and waist, and her near-black skin shone, “Are you our contact? Sorry about not answering before - I did not want to risk it if you were one of 'them'.” he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper at the last word.
She blinked and her eyes flicked to the mage who was standing one hand over his face, “One of 'them'?”
“Oh yes, it would give the whole game away, and nasty people would hunt me down and cut my throat.” This really was the most fun he'd had in days, both Edward and the Grycite woman looked like people who had just stepped into a paddling pool, and ended up in over their heads.
The Grycite woman turned to Edward, “You really recruited him?”
“No, he's having you on,” Edward took a deep breath, “She's a friend, you can drop the act. I told the reformers in Merka that I recruited you so they wouldn't kill you, the story must have spread, but not that many people could have heard of you.”
“Good luck with that, everyone was talking about it down at the base.”
Jarro blinked, and Edward sunk, his head buried in his hands, Shelia paused, “Either let him join for real or be ready to find a dead body.”
“In that case I'll join now if it is all the same to you I would like to live to see tomorrow.” Jarro folded his arms, determined.
“I don't like this, what happens when he slips up?” Jarro felt this was a little insulting, but given his track record , a reputation for messing things up was to be expected.
“Slips up what? So long as he doesn't go about announcing that he became a member by accident he'll be fine.” Shelia waver aside Edwards worries.
“But...” Edward, hovered, uncertain.
“It will be fine,” Shelia reassured him, from across the bar a man waved at her, “Got to go, listen out for me! You tell him whatever you think he needs to know.” She bounded across the crowded room, whirled before exiting through a side door, winked and disappeared.
Jarro stared at the door for a moment before asking Edward, “What did she mean, listen out?”
“She's a singer.” The mage vaguely replied, his eyes focused on table.
“Oh, okay.” Jarro shifted, uncomfortable. “So um, are you going to tell me what this mission of your about?”
“I am just debating how best to explain it.” He push his hair back, “Alright, now this is by no means all that is happening but it is the basis. The Reformers are made up of multiple factions, each one has it's own leader, and it's own rules. Now this treaty between Brilsion and the Ignatumlands is causing a lot of controversy among us, some are for it, nevertheless there are a lot who are against it.” He stopped, pondering how to continue.
Jarro asked carefully, uncertain as to whether he would be answered, “Do they want us to go to war, or stay the way we are?”
“Some want war, others don't, really everyone has there own view of this treaty.”
“So... any chance you could tell me why Retin hates you quite so much?”
“I am as far as everyone else knows, so far against this treaty that I would rather start a world war that would last another twenty years than let this it be passed. It was the only way to get in contact with the Reformers here - if I was for the treaty they wouldn't tell me anything.”
“That would do it, um, so do I need to do anything special so I won't get shot?”
“Huh?”
Jarro clarified, “To join the Reformers.”
Edward sighed, defeated. “This is going to end badly. No, there is nothing you have to do, I'll inform my friends in Brilsion about you and they will do the rest.”
“Can I tell Retin?”
“No.”
The lights dimmed and a spotlight highlighted Shelia standing, her delicate wings unfurled. A hush filled the room, and her voice rose, haunting and dark. Jarro excused himself leaving Edward slouched at the table alone. He walked past four of Rosie's guards sat in the outer room, mugs of beer and cards on the table. They barely glanced up as he rambled past. Outside on the streets the only visible life were moths bouncing off the windows, vainly trying to get to the light inside.
Jarro started down between the stone houses that lined that road, the dark rarely bothered him, however there was something off about the night, he ignored the sensation, putting it down to nerves. He just wanted to walk, he often did when thinking, it helped to have the scenery go by, it cleared away the unnecessary thoughts.
Jarro finally halted a couple of blocks away from the inn, contemplating whether or not to turn back, when a hand covered his mouth. Panicking he bit down and the bitter taste of leather made him gag.
From somewhere close a female voice drawled, “Now what do we have here?”
A guttural voice next to his ear said something in Grycition and sniggered, then a light blinded him, an exclamation followed.
“Human eh?” the voice came closer, Jarro found his self staring up into a pair of yellow-grey eyes in a ivory face, a wisp of pale blond hair caressing her cheek. As their eyes met she let out a slight out take of breath. “You! How can you possibly be here?”
“Hi to you too.” Jarro answered coldly, “Though you'd seen to us good and proper with the slavers?”
Therry smiled, “How did you know I took part?”
“I listened, you were hardly quiet.” he shifted, “Are...are you going to kill me now?” he avoided her eyes, clenching his fists to stop the shacking.
She ignored his question, “Did you tell Edward about me?”
Jarro laughed shortly, “Oh yeah, I did, he didn't believe me though.”
“Really?”
“Don't worry, I'll talk him round, seeing you here, and your reaction to such should help tremendously.” Jarro knew provoking her was borderline insane, but he could not help himself.
“You won't say a thing. A simple spell will see to that.”
A vibrant glow lite up the street, Jarro squinted at her, last time someone cast a spell on him he ended up with wings; and Edward didn't want him dead.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Doing a simple memory wipe to see that your tongue doesn't flap, you'll lose ten minutes at most.”
Yellow-grey eyes met his, “Sleep.” the command sunk into his subconscious, “You'll wake up tomorrow without a memory of me. Won't that be nice?”
Chapter 9
July, 25, 1949, Merka outskirts, border town of the Ignatumlands
The sun rose over the tree tops, drenching the shadow with light. Jarro collapsed onto the wing of the hoverer, pulling the bandage around his head back into place.
The hoverer was about ten meters in length and five wide, built of reflective glass and ceramics - its power source was two anti-gravity crystals. These man-made crystals repel the ground though a mage called a gravotron.
It felt like hours since Retin dragged him from the warmth of his bed and down to this strip of open grassland, surrounded by the swampy tree land that dominated the west coast of the Ignatumlands. The loading of supplies now completed, Jarro rested his aching arms - why his presence had been need he could not say, he certainly did not provide much help.
Spode circled around from where the storage sheds stood, feet squeaking on the wet grass, “Any sign of the renegades?” he asked.
“Nope, better send out a search party if you want to see them before lunch.” Jarro replied cheerily. “My best guess is Lucuse is off sleeping off his hangover, you would have a better idea where Senic is then me.”
Spode laughed, “If I knew were he was, he would be inside tied to a chair.”
Jarro lend back on his elbows, “If that's the case...” He trailed off, tilting his head to one side, “Can you hear a car?”
A distant roar rose above the sounds of crickets, “It just might be, and what do you know, only an hour late.” Tyres screeching under pressure could now be heard, only moments later the black taxi skidded around the final corner and toward the hoverer ships. Lucuse and Senic falling over themselves to get out as fast as possible.
Spode stood, legs apart, arms folded, “What time do you call this?”
“I don't know, you tell us, mum.” Lucuse drawled.
Spode's lips tightened, he turned to Senic, “I believe I gave you a watch to avoid this happening again.”
Senic winced, “Uh, funny story about that.”
“You lost it didn't you.”
“Sorry.” He tried to smile, “I think it is somewhere in my house.”
“Get in the damn ship.”
“Whatever.” Lucuse climbed into the hoverer.
“Yes sir.” Senic breathed a sigh of relief and followed Lucuse.
Spode sank down so he was sitting next to Jarro, “I ask my self why I haven't fired that boy yet.”
“Because no other Grycite would work for you?” Jarro supplied helpfully, he added after a moment, “Why does he work for you?”
“Not a clue, although I did hear a rumour about-”
CRASH! Jarro yelped and threw himself away from the sound. Dazed, he turned his head, Retin, a frying pan in one hand, lid in the other, glowered down at them.
“I want to leave now, stop gossiping and get inside now!”
Jarro began hotly, “Was that really necessary-”
“Yes, now kindly get a move on.” She spun on her heel and stomped back in.
Jarro growled, picking himself up “I think she's forgotten that I'm suppose to be her boss.”
“Well if you treated her like an employee she might act like one.”
Jarro rubbed the back of his neck, “I guess that's the problem really, I'm not really employing her per say, that is to say I am, but it's only until she finishes her job.”
Spode paused before answering, “What?”
Jarro waved hand hand vaguely, “It's complex.” He stepped up into the hoverer, “Now can we get in? I don't want to tempt her into hitting me with that pan, not with the headache I've already got.”
Sunset followed sunrise.
Jarro leaned back dropping his book into his lap. He did not much like desserts he decided, sand, rocks, shrubs, and sun did not a great view make. However, he decided as his eyes strayed toward the horizon, the sunset was magnificent.
The sun fell though a rainbow of colours, dark blue and violet dominated the sky, speckled with stars. A little green and yellow merging them though to the bright oranges and reds that danced about the sun. The clouds, before so white now burned with the suns' dying fire.
Jarro stood and padded down to the cockpit, Tenion the pilot, and Nept the co-pilot were working on some flight charts. The hoverer ships, he been surprised to learn, ran off magic, so the pilots were usually low level mages. Tenion glowed faintly, the only sign that he was keeping the ship airborne.
Jarro opened his mouth, but before he could say a word Tenion announced, “We are an hour closer then when you last asked.”
Jarro sagged against the high back of the pilot's seat, peering out into the dimming desert. The darkness crept over the expanse of wasteland. Tenion reached over and hit a switch, Jarro blinked as the cabin filled with light. Odd how the dark only became noticeable when the lights came on.
Jarro stared vaguely out the front for a few moments, before a thought crossed his mind, “Where's the other ship?” Beladina and the guard had traveled about within sight all day, but now there was no sign of them.
Tenion glanced up crossly, “They're right...there?” he trailed off.
“So this isn't normal?” Jarro asked.
Tenion shook his head, bewildered, “No, no it's not.”
Spode stepped up beside Jarro, “What's the problem?”
A light flared in the darkness, flames leaping twenty meters into the air, Jarro shielded his eyes, Spode gasped, the Hoverer shuddered slightly, before Tenion regained control.
“What is that?” Spode demanded.
Lady Kayle, silent as always, appeared at his side. “A trap.” She announced, watching the dancing flames with interest.
Jarro jumped at her voice, how did she manage to be so quiet?
“It's the other Hoverer!” Tenion said, voice shaking a little.
“We have to get down there now.” Spode voice was urgent.
“How does something like this just explode into flames? It's bait.”
Tenion growled, “I've seen it happen before, one faulty wire, a defect in one of the crystals, these ships may not look it, but they can burn really easy.”
“I still say it's a trap.” Kayle calmly stated it, like it was impossible she was wrong.
“We're going down.” Spode repeated.
The angle of the floor increased, Jarro braced his feet so as not to fall over. Edward came up, “I saw the fire, and there is hundreds of people down there, what is it?”
Five pairs of eyes turned to him, Spode spoke first, “How many people are down there?”
“Couple hundred at least, is it a town or something?”
“It would seem I have been proven right, take us up please.” Lady Kayle said primly.
“We can not be certain that everything is okay down there...”
Tenion interrupted, “I...I can't, I've lost control...we're going to crash, everyone sit down and brace yourselves!”
Jarro felt a grip on his collar, Edward pulled him round and gave him a shove toward his seat.
“I can sit down on my own!” Jarro complained.
“I sure you can but the question is, would you? You have an unhealthy tendency to ignore safety instructions.” Edward replied grimly.
The hoverer shuddered it's way down to earth, landing heavily, shaking the cabin and people. Even before they fully stopped, something scraped across the roof. Lady Kayle rushed to the door, pushing against it with all the force she could muster.
“Trapped. I told you so.” She growled, giving the door a kick.
“This is going to be fun.” Lucuse said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
Loony stood, “Now what?”
Her maid, Ellen Doolittle wailed, “We're all going to die!”
Loony pushed her back down onto a seat, “Don't be silly, we are not going to die. Just take a few deep breaths and calm down.”
Spode asked Tenion, “Can we, by chance, take off some how?”
“No, something is blocking out my magic, we're stuck.”
Edward added, “Mine too.”
“And without magic this hoverer is grounded.”
“Can you jump start this ship or hook it up to some sort of power source?” Spode asked.
“Nothing strong enough to get us off the ground, we would just end up throwing up dust. Whatever is holding us down is really heavy.” Tenion said gloomily.
“Unless...” Nept froze when everyone looked toward him.
“What is it?” Tenion asked.
“Um, I was just thinking...What if we get the back up generator to get us off the ground.”
“How? I've already said that it doesn't have enough power to do that.”
“I mean it's got enough power, which when released at the proper rate could last days, what if we rearrange the circuits so it produces all it's power at once? I know it was a stupid idea, forget I said-”
“No! It's, it's brilliant! But if we release it in one go the forces would at best, kill us.” Edward said.
“At best? What's the worst?” Retin demanded.
“It would trigger an explosion big enough to liquefy the sand in a 5 kilometer radius.”
“...That's worse.”
“This isn't impossible, all we need to do is calculate at what speed the power must be released at.” Tenion said.
“Can you do it?” Spode looked from one man to the next.
Edward shrugged, Nept stared at the ceiling, deep in thought, Tenion nodded slowly, “Yes.”
“Then do it.”
Jarro pressed up against the window, the raging infernal was now no more then a camp fire, shadowy figures where outlined by the light. Jarro push an ear to the glass, raised voices filtered through to him, however they were in the wrong language. He sighed, then brightened.
Jarro stepped carefully though the mess of wires and gizmos that had been spread over the floor, and grabbed Senic by the arm, “I need your help, my knowledge of Grytion consists of me being about of say 'hello'.”
“...Okay?”
“Great, come on.”
Back next to the far window Jarro pressed his ear to the glass, motioning Senic to do the same. After a moment Senic copied him.
“What are they saying?” Jarro asked in a muted whisper.
Senic shushed him, then in a low voice began to translate.
“Kill them now.” Therry, insisted, skin white in contrast to the black night, her yellow-grey eyes flashed as she turned sharply.
General Huri scowled, killing in self defense was one thing, but he did not intend to murder his victims in cold blood, “No.”
The sickly eye narrowed on him, “It was the deal, we work together and eliminate both our problems. You want the distrust to continue, it's good for your business. I want them out of my way.”
“I do not murder.”
The pale mage threw her hands in the air, “I hire the only black marketers with morals, wonderful.”
Huri stared at her impassively, behind him his second in command, captain Gerd, shifted nervously.
Therry paced a few time before halting directly in front on him, “Fine if you're so weak I shall kill them myself.”
She strode toward the secured ship, Grycites solders stood around it, watching her warily. Captain Gerd started forward.
Huri held out an arm, “Stay.”
“But sir..!”
“Stay.” Huri repeated in the same level voice.
Therry's interlocked her fingers and stretched them out in front of her. Gerd said urgently, “She's going to use magic!”
“No she's not.”
Five seconds pasted, ten, twenty.
“What..?”
“You know the anti magic field we set up so the hoverer's captain couldn't fly the ship away?”
“Oh...”
Therry's arms dropped to her sides, for a brief moment in time nothing dared breath. She turned slowly and walked back to the two men, her gaze thoughtful and calculating.
“You would seem to have me at an advantage, I am forced to ask, what now?”
Huri took a deep breath, and answered with another question, “You are aware of the slaver who works in Codron?”
“You want to sell them?” She, asked, surprise written all over her face, “You don't want to kill them but you're fine with selling them into slavery?”
“Even slavery is better than death.”
“Huh.” She smiled slightly, “I can't really object can I?”
“No.”
“Fine, do what you will, make sure they reach their destination.”
He inclined his head toward her. Therry nodded back, turn heel and vanished into the night.
Senic stopped translating, and sat back, Jarro followed suit. Somewhere in the background Edward said, “-If we shorten the conductor and line it up with the-”
“Good news!” Jarro announced startling everyone, “They're not going to kill us, they're going to sell us as slaves, oh and Edward? I think your niece is out there.”
Brief silence reigned for a moment, before frantic action took over again, Edward though remained frozen, “My...niece? You mean Therry? But what the heck is she doing out here?”
“Trying to kill us.” Jarro answered helpfully, “Don't worry, the black marketer she was working with stopped her.” He looked at Edward's incredulous face, Jarro continued, uncertain,“I might be wrong though, I've only met her once before, and the voice was a little muffled...” He trailed off.
Edward shook his head, trying to clear it, “I'll think about this later, right now I have work to do.” He walked back to the dismantled generator.
Jarro winced, he had no doubt about who the woman outside had been. However, it looked like once again, no one would believe him. Wonderful.
Out of everyone's way Jarro found a chair and sat watching the bustling of pilots and mage. Retin was sorting though a draw of cutlery, listening to Tenion's hastily yelled instructions.
“Would this do?” Retin asked, holding up an butter knife.
“Yes.” Replied Edward snatching it from her hand, “Thanks.”
“He's putting cutlery into an advanced power generator, we're doomed.” Retin said sadly.
Ellen started to wail, Loony sighing heavily patted the sobbing maid on the back, “Thank you so much,” she said sourly to Retin. “I'd just calmed her down.”
A yelp from Edward heralded a shower of sharps from the mutilated power unit. Edward asked, nursing his throbbing fingers, “You sure about your calculations?”
Tenion look up from a sheet of fine equations and notes, there was an infinitesimal pause before he nodded.
“Then we have nothing to wait for. Please brace yourselves people,” He added in a louder voice, “We're getting out of here!”
Jarro, eyes closed heard a clunk...and silence.
“Ok what did you guys mess up....!”
The pressure on his body would have made an elephant seem light. Everything was shaking, someone screamed. Then it was over, Jarro opened his eyes.
“Ow.” The grey carpet met his eyes. He must have fallen off his chair, he decided. Jarro picked himself up, holding one hand to the side of his head. His fingers came away tinted with blood. Jarro groaned, the force of departure must have reopen the cut. No one else looked much better, but, Jarro thought grimly, he was the only one bleeding.
Tenion was at the control panel, back in control, the faint glow of magic surrounding him. Edward was also on his feet, leaning against a chair, “Is everyone alive?”
A brief check proved that everyone was breathing and well.
Spode pulled out his watch, “And only an hour behind schedule, not bad.”
“We could have been killed and you're judging how long we took?” Retin exploded.
Jarro knew that voice, she was about to go in to Lecture Mode, he made an attempt to distract her. “What about the other hoverer? The one with Captain Roise in it?”
“I'll bet that... the mage,” Edward kept both eye fixed on the wall, “Made an illusion to separated us from them, if I'm right they should be waiting for us in Lecona.”
Spode nodded, “It would make sense, the fire dimmed soon as we landed.”
“I hope this trip doesn't get any more exciting, I've had all I can take for one day.” Loony said wearily.
