by C. Litka
02
Once the sails were finally gathered in, the masts folded against the hull, and the youngsters, including Py, were safely back on board, the propeller was engaged and the ship steered for the clan's traditional anchorage on the grassy savanna of Blade Island. The savanna was already dotted in broken lines of ships. Perhaps a quarter of the Temtre fleet had arrived before the Wind Drifter took its traditional place in the ship-city.
Py and I joined the crew who dove down to the grassy plain with anchoring lines in hand, as the ship drifted to rest five meters above the ground. Stakes were swiftly pounded into the turf, lines attached, and the ship heaved down and secured.
Hissi and the Wind Drifter's pair of Simlas were off before we touched down. Hissi had family here - parents and siblings, I suppose. And well, I doubt that Simlas have the word "work" in their language.
Once the ship was secured, we set up the booths alongside the ship where the Crea clan would display the trade goods they brought to sell. Some clans were famous for their food and/or drink, others, for their special skills - sword making, or pottery and such. Others were known for the unique products of their trading territories, and still others for their loot. The Creas were known for their modern - large island - manufactured goods. For this Assembly they brought along two of their newly manufactured electric drive launches that they hoped to introduce to the clan - a short haul battery powered one, and a long range boat with a small steam driven generator.
'We'll likely have to bring them back several times before we sell any, but we have to start sometime. You'll help us make the pitch, won't you?'
'Aye, of course. Be glad to talk about the advantages of electric motors and man the booth now and again. Least I can do to pay my passage.'
I had spent a lot of my time aboard the Wind Drifter with her engineers and EnVey talking shop. Not only about the launches, but about converting the Wind Drifter to electric motors powered by a steam turbine generator - like the S & D ships I had been working on. EnVey thought that they could use their ships as test beds for the installation, and then, perhaps, begin to build bigger engines and ships in time. The serious business of selling, however, would wait until after the formal Assembly opening. Visiting took precedence during the first few rounds, since the clans were laced with inner-clan marriages and so family members were scattered far and wide through the fleet.
With the work finished, Py was anxious to explore the growing ship-city. He smiled and shook his head as I donned my armored trousers and shirt in the dim lit section of the hold that served as the unmarried males' bunk room.
'I've got a jacket as well. It should protect you from a blade,' and seeing his smile widen, added, 'And perhaps the odd springer slug you can't dodge.'
'Thank you, Wilitang, but I think I shall rely on my smile and my staff.'
I didn't argue. He probably could. He frowned a little when I strapped my darter under my arm and donned a lizard leather vest. 'Is that necessary?'
'I hope not,' I replied. 'But I've recently relearned the need to be prepared - the hard way. Besides, darters don't have to be lethal - they're a lot more humane than your staff. You just wake up with a headache, not a broken head or arm.'
He nodded. 'Yes, I suppose that may be true. I'm just old-fashioned.'
'In any event, you know that I'm just your loyal lieutenant who lets you take the lead.'
'Except when you don't.'
'Ah, yes. An old habit. But then I've lived longer than you, in part, because I have.'
So I emerged into the bright ever-day of the Pela, armed and dressed in my finest Temtre garb - loose trousers, leather vest, belts and pouches, and a dagger in my belt. I decided to skip the sword, since I wasn't sure where my gold-token placed me in the clan and the fine-feathered retainers of the Temtres did not wear swords. Py insisted on staying in his blues, despite my suggestion that he might want to wear the Temtre style clothes he brought along so as not to draw attention to himself, just yet.
We joined the still thin throngs of people hurrying through the scattered ship-city searching out family and friends - I, with my defined and undefined misgivings, Py with his boyish enthusiasm. A thin haze of smoke and the smell of roasting food drifted though the lines of ships from the food sellers and makeshift taverns that did not wait for the formal start of the Assembly to sell their goods. Clusters of Temtres, loud, happy, and excited, gathered around these food stalls and taverns to exchange news and gossip. Children ran about in laughing and shouting gangs, perhaps just happy to be able to run about after the twenty-some round voyage to Blade Island. We - Py, anyway - gathered our share of curious glances, but much to my relief, nothing hostile. They ignored me - as a fine-feathered fellow I was either a ransomee or an artisan of some sort for one of the clans, not a person of consequence. Py - well, I'm not sure what they thought of Py. Perhaps a Temtre youth rebelling against tradition. When questioned by the sellers of spicy-sauce fini and other, undefined lizard, char-buns, smoked lizard on a stick, and ginger beer, Py would say that he'd come to lead the Temtres closer to the path of the Way - but with such good humor that no one took offense. As I've said, it's pretty much impossible not to like LinPy. In any case, the general tide of happy excitement allowed us to wander about sampling the many tempting entrees unchallenged.
I, as I've hinted, was not quite so carefree. Even as my fear of some sort of confrontation about the presence of a Laezan at the Assembly diminished, I felt a growing, undefined uncertainty concerning the confrontation I'd come seeking. I constantly searched the faces in the crowds for Naylea Cin. But was it with eagerness or dread that I searched those passing faces? It was strange that I could not put a name to it. Perhaps it was a mixture of both. In any event, we explored the growing city - newly arrived ships drifted overhead all the time - without seeing her, before returning to the Wind Drifter, weary and stuffed with food.
I climbed into my hammock in the dim lit hold amongst a few other snoring bunk mates, and quickly fell asleep. I likely slept for a good while - not having to stand watches, it was hard to tell in the timelessness of the Pela. The sleepers had changed when I awoke and Py was already up and gone when I arrived on deck, washed, dressed and ready for breakfast.
I met a grim faced Envey coming up the gangplank. 'We need to talk. My quarters,' he said, and led the way.
'What's wrong?' I asked, alarmed.
'Where's Py?'
'I just woke up. I haven't seen him on board, so I assume he's out and about. What's wrong?' I asked again, as I followed EnVey into his quarters.
He turned to me. 'The Talon Hawk has arrived. As is our custom I, along with the other clan-chiefs hurried over to greet DeKan. DeKan, however, did not return with the Talon Hawk. He's dead. Killed in a ship battle with a SyTarn serpent ship just before they were to sail for the Assembly.'
I stared at him in disbelief, my mind whirling around all the implications. I couldn't think of anything to say.
'And it gets worse,' he continued grimly.
'How?' I managed to get out. Whatever optimism I had entertained for the success of our mission was based on my reading of DeKan's character. With him dead?
'We - the clan-chiefs - will elect a new clan-king. One guess who that's likely to be.'
I knew of only one other clan-chief by name. 'DinDay?'
He nodded. 'He intends to be clan-king, and there aren't any who would care to contest him for it. Indeed, he's already acting the role.'
'That's not good at all - for any of us.'
'It gets even worse.'
I didn't think it could - not this fast, anyway. 'I don't think I want to know, but I suppose you'd better tell me.'
'DinDay was talking up this plan, before the Talon Hawk arrived, of the entire clan, sailing as soon as it assembled, back to the SaraDals. He wants to stage a massive raid on the Prime Prince's citadel on Sarla. The attack, coming during the Blossom Festival, when it is well known we gather, would come as a great surpri
se. The full Temtre fleet, he claims, would have no problem destroying the remaining SaraDal ships and capturing the citadel. We'd then empty its legendary treasure cave and be gone, all before the end, or soon after, the end of the Festival. Which, as we know, would be before Py's Saraime warship even sails from the Core Islands. We'd then return to Blade Island - every ship's hold filled to the hatches with treasure - to celebrate our good fortune with a delayed Assembly.'
I shook my head. 'It can't be that easy? And if the Saraime warship arrives while the whole clan is laying siege on SarLa, you'd all likely be destroyed. The Core Council and the Prime Prince would like nothing better.'
'Yes, yes... It can't be that easy. The idea of sacking SarLa and emptying the treasure cave that lies beneath its citadel must've occurred to every pirate for the last 100,000 rounds, as well as every Prime Prince of SaraDal. And as far as I know, no one has even attempted it. I believe that the citadel is built on top of a rocky peak and consists of a great dome surrounded by a massive wall bristling with rocket launchers. The cave beneath it is said to run down to the entire peak and is filled with the 100,000 rounds of loot and taxes. The truth is that our entire fleet could stand off and send every rocket we possess into the dome and likely never do more than chip away at it.'
'So how is he proposing to take it?'
'He claims to have a traitor in hand - one of the princes from the losing faction - an old favorite of the late Prime Prince - who knows a secret way into the citadel. He'll lead us into the citadel for revenge - and the crown. We'll still have to fight the garrison, but that'll be in the citadel itself. DinDay has the plan already worked out. The fleet, with only the women and children onboard, would circle overhead to draw their attention and fire, while the men slip into the citadel through this secret way and take it by storm.'
'The Prime Prince is no fool, if he was clever and ruthless enough to win the crown, how can you be assured that this disgruntled prince is what he says he is? He could be a double agent of the Prime Prince. To lure the entire Temtre clan into rocket range of the Saraime warship would be a cunning stroke. A rival eliminated to every last ship. Indeed, why would any would-be Prime Prince agree to giving the Temtres the treasure trove of the SaraDals for either revenge or the crown?'
EnVey nodded. 'DinDay says we could fill our ships and not take half of the treasures in the cave. Perhaps. But like you, I feel that it doesn't ring true. Still, who'll stand up to DinDay to be slapped down? Not me, I assure you. And it gets worse.'
'It can't!'
'It does. DinDay seems to know of the Order's ultimatum. If anyone does, he would, since it may have been delivered to him in the SaraDals. He knows that there's a Laezan Advocate here as well. As I was leaving the Talon Hawk, I heard him order his first mate to gather the clan, divide them into search parties, and scour the Assembly for this Laezan spy. They're to bring Py to him when they find him. And I'm willing to wager it's not for a glass of tey. DinDay sees himself clan-king already - and with no one to seriously challenge him, he is. He can do what he wants with Py. And, well, I'm not certain just how much protection your gold-token gives you anymore. You're an agent of the now dead clan-king. You're without a champion. Your status as something of a Temtre might buy you a trial for treason, but with DinDay, I doubt it. And, as I said at the beginning, I can't protect you. I'll do what I can as a friend to keep you alive, but I can't fight DinDay on your behalf.'
'Don't. We'll look after ourselves. The island is big enough, and the Assembly crowded enough that we can disappear once Py gets out of his blues. You stay clear. I'll find Py before DinDay's gang does. You just came from the Talon Hawk, right?'
He nodded. 'I hurried right back. I'll round up some of the youngsters and set them looking for Py as well. He's a hero with them, so they'll be eager to find and warn him. But you need to act fast since DinDay doesn't want word of the Order's message and the Saraime warship getting around if he can help it. He'll want Py - and you - silenced just as soon and as sure as he can.'
'Right. I'm off,' I said.
'And, Litang? Be discreet. I'll do what I can, but I can't be seen with you or Py. Once DinDay finds out I brought you, he'll likely be watching us?'
'I'll steer clear of you and the clan. I would suggest, however, that you privately deliver the substance of Py's message to your fellow clan-chiefs. And if I were you, I'd get lost on the way to the SaraDals, if it goes that way. My gut tells me, it'll be a disaster - the end of the clan if DinDay carries the day.'
He nodded grimly. 'Aye, I feel it too. Still, even as clan-king, he can't order us to break up the Assembly and go. But I'm sure many will follow him anyway. He commands the respect of the old style clans. And well, a hold filled to the brim with the treasure will tempt many.'
'We'll be back for our gear once I find Py and then we'll take to the hills. What we do after that, I don't know. But I do know Py won't be deterred from delivering his message. Especially now when the whole clan is at stake.'