The Darkness at the Edge of Noon: a Thalassia novel

by Patrick McClafferty

  “You might say that. It’s like being married, but without the benefits. The kids are a handful. They’re also great. I hadn’t realized how much I missed having children around.” Tam nodded understandingly. “So, are you ready to take a little trip?”

  Tam set down his empty cup. “Where to?”

  “Stirling. I’d like to see how they survived the attack, and if they need any help.”

  “When do you want to go?” The big sergeant stood up and stretched.

  “You doing anything right now?”

  “Nothing that can’t be postponed. We might don guardsman’s armor, however, so that we can blend in.”

  “Good thinking. I’ll meet you back here in a few minutes. I’ll get changed.”

  “Aren’t you going to tell Rhiannon where you’re going?”

  Logan smiled and touched his medallion. “She already knows.”

  Corridor LN room 482 was dim, bordering on dark when the men arrived. Logan shrugged his shoulders, trying to get his old armor to set in place. It felt antiquated, flimsy. Sitting on his hip was his steel sword, disguised somewhat in an old sheath. He really didn’t trust these people at all. Similarly armed and armored, Sergeant Kirby stood at his side.

  “Quiet.” Kirby said softly, moving into a deep shadow without a sound.

  “Yup.” Logan moved to the shadows on the other side of the room and stuck his head out into the hallway. “Clear. Should we go right or left?”

  “Left.” Kirby was beside him. “More open doors and places to hide that way.”

  The men slipped down the empty hallway, ran a few hundred yards and ducked into a dark doorway at the sound of distant footsteps. Kirby, still hidden in the shadows of the doorway, glanced down the corridor, toward an approaching figure.

  “I know that man.” He took a swift step forward. “Be right back.”

  A hand shot out of the black doorway, grabbed the passing man by the back of his armor and jerked him off his feet and into the darkness.

  “Gavin, what the hells are you doing down here?”

  The soldier, still sprawled on his back, gaped. “Is that you, Sergeant Kirby?”

  “Who the blazes do you think it is? Answer my question, Gavin.”

  “Ahh, I’m just checking on stragglers to today’s Mustering Out.”

  “What the hells?” The sergeant sounded angry and confused.

  “Yeah, Sergeant. After what happened at the last battle, half the army going over to the enemy and all, the council decided...”

  “What?” Kirby’s voice sounded deadly. “Say that again, slowly.”

  Logan put his hand to his medallion.

  “Rhiannon, get the troops ready to go—fast.”

  “Already done, dear one. Be careful.”

  Logan chuckled. “I have a home to come back to. Damn straight I’ll be careful.”

  “Well,” The man lying still lying on the floor was saying. “After the last battle, the council and the officers told us that the army had beaten off the attack, and that half the army had defected to the enemy.”

  Kirby’s sword was halfway out of its sheath when Logan caught the man’s wrist. “No, Tam. This poor sap is only a messenger. It’s not his fault.”

  With a groan, Tam slammed his sword back into its sheath. “Who is being mustered out?”

  “Ahhh, the officers and general staff saw this as a good time to weed out all their undesirables, so they’re getting rid of all the women, and some of the more radical younger men. When Tam frowned the young man explained. “They’re cutting all the Reserves, Sergeant Kirby.” They feel that a force of fifty loyal men is sufficient for our current purpose, what with the engineers closing our front and back gates.”

  Tam swore, and Logan looked thoughtful.

  “Where is the Mustering Out being held?”

  “The big auditorium at CL 231.” The sprawled soldier squinted into the shadow where Logan was standing. “And who are you?”

  “Logan MacKennit.”

  “MacKennit!” The man struggled to get upright. “You’re the one who led the monsters to us in the first place.” There was fear in his voice. “They say you killed your own wife and children. They say...” The cowering man got no further before Logan’s mailed backhand swept around and caught him under the jaw, flipping him over and crashing him into the wall.

  “Hmmm.” Kirby looked thoughtful. “So that’s what the backhand strike you’ve been teaching us is supposed to do. Interesting. I’ll have to remember that.” He looked at the soldier on the floor. “Is he..?”

  “No, but he will be eating his meals through a straw for quite some time.”

  “No more than he deserved. I knew your wife. She was a beautiful and talented woman.”

  “Thank you, Tam.” Logan felt a stab of loss that he thought long gone. “Shall we go?”

  There were two large bodies of soldiers formed up in the cavern. The group on the left was slightly older, male, and had smug, self-satisfied looks on their faces—to the man. The group on the right, also about fifty soldiers, was made up of younger troops, mostly women, and looked thoroughly cowed and dejected.

  “... and the City High Council decrees that the Reserves and other soldiers deemed unfit, will be dismissed the service, all rank and benefits forfeit. This is for the good of our very society. Does anyone have anything further to add to this dismal ceremony?” The Councilor looked down his beaked nose.

  “You ready?” Logan whispered to Kirby, as he took off his helmet.

  “Oh, shit...” The sergeant loosened his sword.

  “I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!” Logan called out in a huge voice. “I WILL TAKE THEM ALL!” He slowly walked down the center aisle toward the stage, flanked by Sergeant Kirby. Voices rose up around them whispering “Killer MacKennit,” and “Killer Kirby.” He could smell the sour reek of fear.

  “Take...” The Councilor cleared his throat and tried again. “Take those men into custody. They are to be tried as...” His words dribbled off as a black doorway opened on the far side of the stage. Rhiannon stepped through, all in glowing white, and then Selene stepped through to flank her sister clad in the purest glowing blue. Three steps they took and stopped, as black armored soldiers poured out behind them. Logan smiled to himself as he counted out the first nine, and then he stared in surprise as more kept coming until a full fifty grim, black armored figures stood to rigid attention on the stage. One seemed to have only one arm.

  “I am the Goddess Rhiannon.” Her voice, though low in volume shook the very walls. “Logan MacKennit and these other men and women work for me, and do my bidding. He saved your city, you fools, and yet you call him murderer. Ungrateful curs!” She motioned for Logan to join them on the stage, and at her silent command he stood between the two women, facing the council members and officers of the city army. He felt one hand touch each of his shoulders. “These soldiers in black armor are ours. If any of you so-called rejects would like to join them.” She waved to the black doorway. “The way is open for you.”

  “Stop them!” One of the officers cried, obviously without thinking. Four other city soldiers drew their swords, and fifty, then fifty one and then fifty two steel swords cleared their sheaths to face them. Every face of every soldier in the city army turned pasty white. Every face of every reject looked exultant. The first reject dropped her helmet on the floor, and walked calmly through the black doorway. The second followed a moment later, then the third. It took only a minute. The rejects were gone, while beside the door sat a pile of second rate ceramic armor.

  Logan made a hand signal, and the black armored troops began to file back through the door. Kirby disappeared. Logan turned to the two goddesses. “Thank you, ladies. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “Wait!” A lone soldier broke ranks from the massed army and ran towards the goddesses. Logan drew his sword. “Wait, I want to join you!” The man was puffing.

  Rhiannon caught Logan’s eye, and then turned with her
sister to disappear through the doorway.

  “Where were you when the rejects were cashiered out of the army and left to rot?” Logan was angry now. “I saw the looks on your faces.” He looked at the soldier with disgust. “You made your own bed, now you sleep in it.” He turned to the door and stepped through. A second later it disappeared.

  Chapter 10

  Rhiannon now had her hundred Marines. And Logan MacKennit had a bustling village to run. With about a hundred and ten adults and a couple score of children, it was more than enough to keep him busy. Still, the continual greetings of “Hi, Mister Logan” or “Good morning, Captain,” and the smiles were quite refreshing after the reception from Stirling. It didn’t, however, solve his most pressing problem of how to deal with the Zzzkntti.

  Sergeant Kirby was waiting for him in the conference room, and that never boded well. “You have a problem, Logan,” Tam was always blunt. “and you had better think about it quick.”

  “Oh?” Logan poured a hot cup of coffee. “Which problem is that, exactly?”

  “Look at our population, Logan. Look at the ratio of women to men. Last time I checked it was about four to one.”

  Logan opened his mouth to make a glib comment, and closed it. “Damn. That means a lot of happy bachelors and a lot of frustrated bachelorettes.”

  “You’re going to have to do something.”

  “Me?”

  “The goddesses are the queens of this place, and you are the governor. You are going to have to allow multiple partner marriages.”

  “I really didn’t want to do that.” Logan groaned.

  “That’s too bad, my friend. Look at your relationship with Rhiannon and Selene.”

  “What? Oh! I’m not sleeping with Rhiannon and Selene, or anyone else. Hells, I’m chaster with them than I was with my own cousin.” Logan grinned at the pleasant memory. “They don’t even sleep in the same place that I do.” He frowned. “I don’t even know where they sleep—or if they sleep.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Everyone thinks you’re shacking up. That’s what counts. The truth doesn’t matter. The more you try to deny it, the more they will believe it.”

  I suppose...” He let out a long sigh. “Damn.” Draining the last of his coffee and feeling it burn in his stomach, he looked up at Kirby. “How did you ever get so smart when it comes to governing?

  “My dad was the mayor of a district for a few years.” Kirby said. “He used to come home bitching and moaning about this or that problem, and I’d listen to him work out the solutions. It’s very similar to military tactics.”

  Logan looked at the man with a new respect, and a cunning glint came into his eyes. “I think I’ll have the goddesses broach this marriage subject with their followers. Then I’ll step in and throw my support behind them.”

  “Now those are tactics!” Tam was still grinning when the rest of the people drifted in for the morning conference.

  Rhiannon and Selene both gave Logan quick kisses as they walked by. He sighed, and he could see how the rumors spread. “Good morning, folks. Tam brought up a concern to me, that I think we’ll have to address.” He looked at the goddesses. “It goes like this...”

  An hour later he had finished with the marriage issue, or was finished. He felt exhausted, and the worst was yet to come. “Last thing. We’ve taken care of Ballinasloe and Stirling. They should be set for several months, at least. Now we have to work on the issue of the Zzzkntti.” He took a deep breath. “I suggest that we send a squad to the northern island of Cloch Dabhiolla on a fact finding mission. I really don’t want to appear to be an invading force, so maybe we could masquerade as a band of troubadours, who just happened to be well armed.” He shot what he hoped was a disarming smile at Rhiannon. “I’ll have to lead the party because I’m the only one who can get us all home if things go sour, and I can also play the mandolin.” Nan was frowning. “Based on his demonstrated skill in the diplomatic arena, Sergeant Tam Kirby will take over my administrative duties while I’m away.” Tam shot him a hard look. “I will take Tam’s second in command. Padraig mentioned to me that he plays a passable flute. Some of the members of my old squad played different instruments, or sang, if that’s what you want to call it, so I’ll take the lot of them.”

  The other members at the conference looked at Logan with a wide range of expressions.

  “I forbid it.” Rhiannon’s voice was hard.

  “Overruled.” Logan returned her flat look. “We need to get this job done, and I’m the best person to do it. You know it and I know it, and that’s what you hired me for in the first place.”

  “But...”

  Selene put a hand on her sister’s arm. “He’s right, sis.” Her voice was sad. “A lot of good people will die if he fails, and he’s our best choice.”

  “But I don’t want him to...”

  “Neither do I.” The dark haired goddess glared up at Logan. “We will, however, get even.”

  “It’s settled then.” He couldn’t help the satisfied tone in his voice. “We need to find a boat of some sort to carry us, and we need time to get our act together. I think that we should leave in about two weeks. We will have our K’Dreex twin one more time before we go.” He looked up at the sad face of the teacher. “Sorry, Caera. Your arm just isn’t far enough along for you to come this time. Besides, you still have a school of some sort to set up.”

  “I know all that Logan.” Her blue eyes were wide. “I just don’t have to like it.”

  “The rest of you should start finding instruments, and practicing your acts. We’re troubadours now, not Marines.”

  “We heard that you are going away.” Kenzie’s face was serious, and those were the first words out of his mouth as Logan walked through the door. “Does that mean you don’t want us anymore?” His eyes were big, and he clung to his sister’s hand with a white knuckled intensity. Silvie looked scared. Both children were pale.

  “What that means, children, is that I’m going away on business for a while. Period. If you have any doubts, then let me tell you this; all my trip is going to do, is force me to move up the date for your adoption to before I leave. If you want to be adopted, that is.” A grin played at the corner of his mouth as he watched the children.

  Silvie figured it out first, and her eyes flew wide, a grin splitting her face, but she remained silent, letting Kenzie work it out for himself.

  “You really want us to be your kids?” Kenzie sounded awestruck. “Like forever?”

  “Yes I do.” Logan found that he was getting choked up. “When I leave you will be Kenzie and Silvie MacKennit.”

  “I told you she was right.” Silvie sounded smug.

  “Who told you what?” Asked Logan, frowning.

  “Mommy Rhiannon told us a little while ago, when she said that she and Mommy Selene would be taking care of us while you were gone.”

  “Mommy Rhiannon and Mommy Selene?” Logan’s tone was dangerous.

  “Yup.” Silvie was beaming. “A daddy and two mommies. We’re the luckiest kids ever!”

  “Can we call you ‘Daddy’ now?” Kenzie asked in a small voice.

  Logan just couldn’t hold onto his anger. “Yes, Kenzie and Silvie. You can call me Daddy if you wish.” They flew into his arms, and filled his ears with the soft mumblings of “Daddy,” and deep within him something that was long broken, healed.

  Across the big room Rhiannon stood unnoticed in the doorway, a mysterious smile on her perfect face.

  “I don’t recognize you.” Logan was frowning as he checked the pile of equipment for his squad of troubadours.

  “Private Maeve Stella, sir.” The woman came to rigid attention, her steel blue eyes straight ahead. Her brown shoulder length hair was tied back with a simple blue ribbon. “I was one of the fifty rejects from Stirling. Sergeant Kirby told me that you had to leave one of your Marines behind, and I thought that I’d volunteer to take her place. I’ve been in the reserves for five years with three major battles, sir, so I’m
not a total boot.” Her smile was tentative. “I can play the bodhrán, the tambourine and I can sing.”

  Logan put his hands on his hips and stared into her determined face. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you NOT to volunteer for anything?”

  “Sir yes sir.”

  “This could be a long and dangerous mission, Private. Are you aware of that?”

  “Sir yes sir.” A flicker of a smile pulled at her lips. “I don’t have anyone else here, sir. I want to do my part.”

  He sighed. “Welcome aboard then, Private. How long will it take to get your kit together?”

  The woman finally let a grin split her face. “Already done, sir.” She turned to a couch where Logan saw a large, lumpy pack sitting with a quarterstaff leaning against it.

  “That yours?”

  “Sir, yes, sir. It’s my weapon of choice. I can break Zzzkntti bones with it just as easily as I can human.” Her tone spoke of experience in the field.

  “Well now.” Logan replied with interest. “Another stick fighter to practice with.”

  “Sir yes sir.”

  “Since you’re coming along with us, you might as well drop the yes sir, stuff. My name is Logan. Use it. Now pick up your gear, and introduce yourself to the squad. We’ll be leaving almost immediately.”

  “Sir yes...” A flush crept up her cheeks. “Yes, Logan. Thank you.”

  “I hope you won’t live to regret it.” He told the retreating back. They were ten now.

  “And where was Rhiannon, again?” Logan was getting angry, and Selene was getting more evasive.

  “I told you once, Nan had something urgent come up. She told me to tell you to be careful.”

  There was something going on but, for the life of him, Logan couldn’t figure out what it was. He did feel disappointment. “I had thought...” He couldn’t quite finish the statement.

  Selene looked at him with amusement. “Don’t worry about my sister, Logan MacKennit. Worry about yourself, and the Zzzkntti are the least of those worries.”