The magitech chronicles.., p.106
The Magitech Chronicles- Complete Series Box Set, page 106
part #1 of The Magitech Chronicles Series
Inura cocked his head, and eyed the staff critically. “Very well, I will leave the personality matrix intact, against my better judgement.” He turned back to Voria. “Kazon and I have business elsewhere, but I will leave you with everything you need.”
Before Voria could protest or Kazon could offer a goodbye, the god raised a hand, and a wave of light assaulted Voria’s senses. Memories and power, almost indistinguishable, rushed into her mind in a torrent of inexplicable strength. The light overwhelmed her senses, and when it finally cleared there was no sign of her brother, or the wayward god.
She felt no different, except more exhausted.
“Well that was an odd end to a long day.” She stumbled to the bed, and sat heavily, then tugged off her boots. A flash shot through her mind like a bolt of lightning, and she saw the Spellship in orbit over Shaya, magic streaming up to it from the world below. It lasted only an instant, and then was gone.
What good was godsight if she couldn’t control or understand it?
Patience. Inura’s voice echoed in her mind. In time you will understand.
Weariness crashed over Voria, and she collapsed into bed, asleep before her cheek touched the soft satin.
9
Godspeed
Aran waved his hand as he stepped through the golden doorway into his quarters. A shimmering pane of opaque blue energy cascaded down to fill the doorway, and afforded him privacy. It was the first he’d had since before the ‘interview’ they’d had scheduled on Ternus.
He knew he’d accumulated a lot of emotional debt, not just the crisis on Ternus, but also the revelation that Nara was less than a dozen meters away. With her Krox allies.
Emotions were such bullshit.
Aran moved to the scry-screen, and tapped a fire sigil, then a dream. He waited for the missive to connect, praying desperately that she would answer.
Voria’s weary face filled the screen, stress lines creasing each eye and a single lock of errant hair having escaped from her bun. She stifled a yawn, then stretched luxuriously. “Good morning, Captain. Your timing is excellent. I’ve just encountered something vanishingly rare in the sector, a good night’s sleep.”
Aran sat down on his bed, which sagged lower in the air, then righted itself. “I plan to get one of those myself as soon as we’re done talking. We’ve got a lot to catch up on.”
“Indeed. I felt…something a few days ago, and suspect you can tell me more of the cause. In either case I have news. Why don’t you start.” Voria rose, and moved to her nightstand, where she faced the mirror and stuffed the errant lock back into her bun.
“The highlights?” Aran rubbed his temples, and considered the most important parts. “Krox assaulted the Ternus home world. Their planet is doomed, and it’s likely to be a slow death. Krox saw to that. They are in dire need of a divine miracle, or at least some magic well beyond anything I’ve seen or heard of.”
“The strength of the magic was…unparalleled, at least in my experience.” Voria paled, but her resolve didn’t waver. “Even all the way out here I felt the strength of it. Whatever Krox did rippled through every possibility. But what can be done can be undone.”
Aran nodded, and rose. “It was a power play, the sort of thing Nebiat would approve of, I think. They want us scared and on the run, and they’re doing a damned good job of it so far.”
“A fair point. They have ensured I can do nothing to aid Ternus, for the time being at least.” Voria heaved a sigh and finally turned back to the scry-screen, now looking as pristine as ever. “Krox is coming for Shaya, and this time he will not stop at the pool. This world, and everyone on it, are doomed unless we can stop them.”
Aran hoped he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt just then. “So…how do we do that?”
“We have allies, of a sort.” Voria looked over her shoulder, then back. “I can’t say more, but there is a plan in place. One I will tell you more about in person.”
“That meeting might be a little ways off.” Aran folded his arms. “Governor Austin requested an escort to Yanthara. For a meeting with the Inurans to purchase a new fleet. He’s quite insistent.”
Voria’s eyes narrowed. “Blast it. They’re purchasing corrupted ships, and there isn’t a damned thing we can do about it. We can’t ask you to sabotage negotiations; they need the ships too badly. But if you go, at least you could monitor the situation.”
“That seems like a really flimsy reason to fly to Yanthara,” Aran ventured. “We could do a lot more good tracking down some sort of super weapon, or even visiting our…friend in the Umbral Depths.”
“Good uses of time, but there’s another reason to go to Yanthara.” Voria frowned, her eye twitching in what Aran took for irritation. “Eros did something ‘clever’ near the end. He secreted Rhea to Yanthara, at the Temple of Shi, where she couldn’t be found by Krox or his agents. He seemed quite concerned that they might come for her, and that she has some grand role to play before the end. As far I know, the girl is still being kept in a magical coma, because they have no idea what to expect when she wakes.”
Something eased in Aran’s shoulders. He sat on the bed and tugged off one of his boots. “That’s a bit of good news. At least it will keep Kheross off my back. He’s desperate to get to his daughter, and make some sort of amends.”
“Or to convince her to become a weapon against us.” Voria became ‘the major’ again. “Never lower your guard, Aran. I’d have thought Nara taught you that.”
“Speaking of.” He heaved a sigh of his own. “She’s aboard, in the brig. Along with Frit, and Nebiat’s son…the true mage.”
“Kahotep?” Voria blinked. “That’s an unexpected windfall. Have you interrogated them yet?”
He shook his head, and reached carefully for his next words. He relaxed, and told Voria the unvarnished truth. “I’m not ready. I need to be in a good place when I deal with Nara. She’s got her memories back, and believe me when I tell you that the woman those memories belong to terrifies me. You back that woman up with all the power we’ve accumulated? Part of me thinks we should end her, before she somehow escapes. She’ll be unstoppable, especially working with Frit and Kaho.”
“That part of you is pragmatic. What about the rest of you? What do you think you should do?” Her tone gave no hint as to what the right answer might be. “You don’t answer to any government any more, so no one can really stop you from meting out whatever justice you’d like.”
Aran exhaled a long, slow breath, and he truly thought about it. “I think we should hear them out, separately. We should learn everything we can, and compare their stories. Since those stories are rehearsed, we should assume most of what they tell us can’t be trusted. That said, I’ve already learned one thing I was hoping you might be able to shed some light on.”
“Oh?” Voria’s eyebrow rose.
“Kaho seemed to recognize a name Nara used. She claimed she was manipulated by someone called Talifax.”
The blood drained from Voria’s face. “I see.”
“I take it you recognize this guy?”
“I recognize legends, yes. The Guardian of Nefarius, who is only said to appear at times of great change. Before wars that annihilate entire sectors, and kill gods.”
“This guy sounds great.” Aran sat on the bed again. “I guess it’s at least a little reassuring that you recognize him. I have no idea if Nara is on the up and up, but at least she wasn’t outright lying.”
“Take care with her, Aran. Your feelings are a luxury you cannot afford.”
Aran barked a short laugh. “I’ve got Crewes to make sure I don’t do anything stupid. Do you have anything you want me to pass to the crew?”
She hesitated, and her mouth worked as if she was going to say something. Nothing came out, and Aran instantly recognized the kind of magical manipulation Neith had forced on them. Voria was trying to speak about something she wasn’t allowed to. She smiled suddenly. “Only my good wishes. We’ll save the rest for when we meet in person. Just know that we are not without allies.”
“So tell me about this temple.” He tugged off his other boot, and set it next to the first.
“It’s called the Temple of the Shi, one of two religions found on Yanthara,” Voria explained. “It was a clever defense, really. The Temple is a dream Catalyst, and its magic warps reality around it. That makes scrying very difficult, if not outright impossible. Be forewarned that the priestesses are notoriously touchy.”
“Sounds like fun. I’ll contact you when I reach Yanthara.”
“Godspeed, Aran.” Voria gave him an approving smile, nodded, and then terminated the missive.
Aran lay down feeling marginally better about the situation. The rest of his problems could wait until morning.
10
Offer You Can't Refuse
Aran stifled a yawn as he entered the mess, where Governor Austin was holding court, hopefully for the last time before the transfer. Aran moved to the manifester, the technical term for the magical device they usually called the ‘food thingie’, and thought of coffee and a glazed pastry. Both appeared.
“Man,” Crewes rumbled, entering the mess a moment after Aran, “I’d forgotten how much I love this ship. You know that, right, ship?” Crewes patted the wall affectionately, then moved over to the manifester. A moment later a plate of steak and eggs appeared, making Aran rethink his choice.
“Captain,” Austin called from behind him, “would you please join us for breakfast?”
Aran’s shoulders slumped a bit. He was hoping to get some caffeine in him before dealing with more of the governor’s endless demands, but it looked as if he wasn’t going to have that option. He picked up his pastry and his coffee, and headed over to join Austin.
There were several empty chairs, and Aran took the one next to Kerr. His was the only friendly face at the table. The rest had made it clear that they thought it folly to give Aran the Talon. He knew, because they’d loudly argued it within earshot. More than once. Thankfully, Kerr had repeatedly pointed out that it would be a monumentally bad idea to try to seize a ship from a well-armed company of tech mages. They still didn’t seem to get it.
“Morning, gentlemen.” Aran nodded at Kerr as he sat down, then at the governor. He mostly ignored the aides and senators crowding the nearby tables. Aran sipped his coffee, then looked up to find the governor staring at him. “What did you want to see me about, sir?”
Austin eyed Kerr reprovingly, and sipped his own coffee. “The fleet admiral tells me that he’s already alerted you to the fact that we’ll need an escort to Yanthara. It’s my hope that returning the Talon is sufficient payment, since you know that my world’s financial status is dubious at best, and catastrophic at worst.”
“Of course, Governor.” Aran gave him a grateful nod, and mirrored the man’s posture. Voria had mentioned that helped when dealing with people. “We’re at your disposal. We can get you to Yanthara, and there’s no need for additional payment. Our contract for New Texas was quite generous, and I appreciate the return of my ship.” He put the faintest emphasis on the word ‘my’, and could see from the way Austin’s eyes narrowed that he didn’t miss it.
“Excellent.” The governor shifted uncomfortably, as if deciding how to approach a topic he wanted to discuss.
Aran took an experimental bite of his pastry. It was good, but he resisted wolfing the whole thing down. He sipped his coffee, and waited.
Austin leaned back in his seat, and eyed Aran for several long moments. “We’re far enough along in negotiations that I suppose it’s time you were brought into the loop. Kerr mentioned we were purchasing a new fleet?”
“He did.” Aran sat back as well.
“These ships are quite unlike anything currently used in the sector.” Austin seemed remarkably proud, as if he’d personally invented said ships. “They can harness, and absorb, magic. I am assured that they can challenge even a god, if there are enough of them attacking at once.”
“They sound impressive.” Aran took another sip, and waited for the other shoe to drop.
The governor beamed the first genuine smile Aran had seen. This one actually reached his eyes, which shone with a feverish intensity. “Before we can battle a god of Krox’s strength, we’ll need to ‘power up’ these ships, so to speak, and that’s where you come in. We want you to oversee the process.”
Aran set his coffee cup down and gave the governor his full attention. “And where will you get this power?”
“There are a number of potent Catalysts in the sector,” the governor explained. “We’ll simply choose the ones that provide the magic we need.”
“So let me see if I understand this.” Aran popped the rest of his pastry in his mouth, and took a few moments to chew before finally leaning forward and looking Austin directly in the eye. “You want to raid Catalysts to steal magic to power up your ships so that you can go toe to toe with a god?”
“Precisely.” The governor’s smile hadn’t slipped.
Kerr, on the other hand, recognized Aran’s tone, apparently. He had the good grace to look embarrassed.
“Governor, I see two problems with this plan.” Aran held up a single finger. “First, the rest of the sector will immediately see you as a threat. Every magical power from Virkon to Drakkon will fear these ships, which brings me to my second point.” Aran added a second finger. “These ships are created from a metal that a literal goddess warned us was corrupted. These ships are bad news, Admiral, and while they might seem like an attractive option right now, I assure you that option will come back to bite you, probably sooner than you expect.”
Austin’s face went ugly, and his hands balled into fists. “I understand you’ve already got a dog in this fight, Captain, but let me be perfectly clear. New Texas lies in ruins. The capital is on the brink of annihilation. We very nearly lost Colony 3 as well, our last truly habitable world. There is a real chance we have already lost this war. Unless you can propose an alternate solution, or offer another means of producing the armada we need, then there’s really no need for further discussion on this point. We’re buying these ships. Unless you have another answer?”
Aran did not. He took a slow breath, and reined in his temper before speaking. “That’s fair. I understand the predicament you’re in, but I can’t in good conscience help you create these weapons knowing what a risk they pose.”
“I told you he’d say that,” one of the senators crowed. The light shone off his bald head, making him strongly resemble a sinister egg. “Use Kerr’s solution.”
Aran looked wearily to Kerr, and the admiral nervously cleared his throat. “Just tell him, Austin. It’s the only way you’re going to get him to agree.”
“All right.” The governor leaned across the table. “If you help us, then we’ll contribute our entire armada to defend Shaya against Krox. I’ve heard he’s coming for your world, and I know you can’t stop him alone. Help us get these ships ready, and we’ll help you win this war. I can send Davidson’s fleet right now, and as soon as our ships are ready, we’ll return to help as well. What do you say?”
Aran was silent for a long moment. He weighed the pros and cons, and in the end simply couldn’t come up with something that felt like a right answer. “I’ll tell you what, Governor. Let’s get you to Yanthara. You meet with the Inurans and get your ships. Once you have them, then we’ll talk.”
He rose from the table and offered the governor his hand. Austin shook it, and he had a surprisingly firm grip. “Very well, Captain. It’s a start. I’ll let you get back to your…magic.”
Aran didn’t bother correcting him as he headed for the bridge. He couldn’t wait to get these people off his ship.
11
Yanthara
They spent four endless days crossing the Umbral Depths. On the positive side, the governor and his retinue had relocated to the Wyrm Hunter, and since they couldn’t risk missives in the depths he’d been blessedly free of Ternus politics.
On the negative, that provided Aran plenty of time to think about their prisoners, and to agonize on what to do with them. He still didn’t have a concrete plan, though he’d at least come up with the beginnings of one.
Aran headed up the ramp to the bridge where Crewes was piloting. Not that they needed a pilot, as they were flying blind and in a straight line. He spotted Kez and Bord sitting on one of the benches along the sloped wall where Bord was giving Kez a shoulder rub. Aran hid his smile with a hand, and moved to speak with the sergeant.
“Morning.” He gave Crewes a nod, which his friend returned.
“Mornin’, sir. We’ll be arriving in a few minutes, if your numbers are right.”
“They’re not my numbers. I just read the chart. But that’s not why I’m here.”
Crewes spun the matrix’s hovering chair around to face him and gave Aran a grin. “You’re finally gonna deal with Nara, aren’t you?”
Aran cocked his head. “Guess I’m more predictable than I thought.”
“Sometimes.” Crewes shrugged. “It ain’t a bad thing, ‘cept in combat. You want some company, I’ll head down to the brig with you.”
Aran tensed. “You aren’t going to like my play, but I need you to back it.” Crewes’s hatred for Nara, and for the Krox, was one of his few blind spots.
The sergeant studied him for a moment, then nodded. He unbuckled his harness and hopped from the matrix, his massive legs bunching as he landed. Even without the power armor he was damned intimidating.
“I’ve always got your back, sir.” Crewes lowered his voice as he started for the ramp to the brig. “Just tell me you aren’t going soft. You can’t let her go.”
“I’m not going to let her go.” Aran followed Crewes down the ramp, then paused and turned back to Bord and Kez. “You two, with me. I want you here for this.”
