Fleet of the Mage

by Taki Drake

  Her circuit of the room captured little vignettes and impressions of how her staff was interacting with the arms dealer and weaponsmiths’ representatives. The approach and energy of each group was very different, and she hoped it would give her some insight on how they would be as ongoing purveyors of equipment.

  The Lori Alliance was quite demonstrative with anyone who expressed interest. The fact that they had sold many weapons and suits of armor to Ruth just a short while ago filled them with confidence. Rather than staying within their display, several of the Loris were actively walking around the hall asking some of the Mage Marines how they liked the armor and the weapons that they had provided.

  That approach was working well, and the Lori booth was filled with people from Borachland’s staff asking questions about their equipment. Overall, the tone was helpful and energetic, and most of the people in the booth were smiling.

  In fact, the whole booth broke into laughter as one of the younger Marines in an effort to explain a question he had about his armor accidentally bumped the quick release panel. One moment he was standing in standard light patrol armor. The next second he was beet red and standing in what his birth had given him, surrounded by the components of his released suit.

  << It could have been far worse, >> said Hunter.

  “Really? How could it have been worse for this poor boy?” asked Ruth.

  << Two ways. He could be in a more civilian setting, or he could be less physically endowed. >>

  Ruth’s laugh and Hunter’s mental amusement joined together in a cord of mirth. Accompanied by the warmth of that shared humor, they moved on to the next booth.

  The equipment that Ruth had provided to her newly hired personnel had been greeted with wholehearted pleasure, and they communicated that to the people responsible for providing it. Basking in that approval, the Lori people were expansive and almost proprietary toward the Borachland staff. This did not go over well with the other arms dealer, the Moxie Group.

  The Mage thought that the bonding that was occurring with the Loris and the less smooth interaction with the Moxies could be traced to the differences in how the two groups had selected their presenters. The Loris had sent a carefully selected group of representatives that would merge well into the expected shape and size variations of the general population of Arkken. The Loris were similar in appearance to the inhabitants of Borachland. In fact, it looked like some of them were long-lost cousins to the guards. One of the senior guards was leaning on a Lori rep that looked like his brother, intently pointing at a feature on his weapon that he was happily explaining.

  Ruth thought this was smart marketing on the Loris’ behalf, but she wondered what they thought about the non-humanoids in the room. With a group that included quadrupedal and tripedal members, Ruth knew that her security group could be startling. She watched carefully to make sure that in any interaction all beings were given equal courtesy. When she saw one of the Loris people down on their knees examining the hocks of a centaur-like quadruped, she smiled internally and relaxed just a little more.

  Although a slightly smaller organization than the other weapons dealer, the Moxie Group was generally known across this portion of space as a firm that could find you any weapon or any defensive item desired. They had been operating over 100 years longer than the Loris and had a larger customer group that included more planetary governments than any other arms dealer.

  Rather than the heterogeneous and carefully picked genotypes of the Loris, the representatives of the Moxie Group all conformed to a single body type and shape. Taller than Ruth, they had finely-drawn features and large dark eyes. She found their bright blue hair disconcerting but strangely enough, wasn’t bothered by the small tendrils that nestled among the hair strands.

  Obviously focused on the competition with the Loris, the Moxie’s were insistent on the better quality of their offerings and their wider reach to find what any group would desire. They considered themselves the underdog in the competition for sales and were pushing hard to displace the incumbent. The sounds of their sales pitches and the cadence of their conversations with the Borachlanders were far different than the Loris’. The happy, inclusive cadence of words and bright interaction that she heard in the Loris booth was totally different than the pushier rhythm and rougher tone of the conversations in the Moxie booth.

  Hunter’s voice sounded in Ruth’s mind, << They seem to be focusing on anyone that they see as having authority within the groups. While the Loris are talking to everyone that is wearing the equipment that they provided, the Moxie’s are looking for decision-makers. >>

  “Different companies, different approaches. One appears to be taking a grassroots-up approach, and the other is a top-down attack. So far, I haven’t seen any serious warning flags from either one of them, although I am reserving judgment until later.”

  <>

  Ruth thought for a moment before answering Hunter. “Actually, no. I provisionally respect them, but they’re not working on being likable. They are looking to win the competition for business rather than building a relationship. We could buy from them, but I’m not sure we could ever trust them beyond that.”

  << In other words, it’s like how I relate to my mother’s brother. Snagclaws would pull the prey out from underneath your nose if he thought he could get away with it. And then go back and tell the rest of the pack how great he was to have brought it down to begin with. >>

  As the Catog and Mage started to move on, Ruth noted that the slightly more forceful and argumentative tone that resounded in the Moxie booth was directed mostly at the guards that had not yet had their equipment upgraded. She resolved to discuss this with Pawlik and ask him whether it made sense to outfit the two groups differently and if there were advantages to getting equipment from two different arms dealers.

  Wondering if that was asking more for trouble than they needed, the Mage vowed to watch more as the Moxies talked with the rest of her staff. A flash of cold air seemed to slip down the back of Ruth’s neck, and for just a moment she felt like a sword was balanced in the air waiting to drop. Then the moment was gone, and the feeling went away. Giving herself an internal shake, Ruth kept walking with Hunter and Gerald, her Marine guard. There was always more stuff to worry about.

  Chapter 25 – Forge and Artifice

  Planet – Borachland Castle

  Hunter once more pushed his thoughts toward the Mage, << I admit that I am more curious about the three weaponsmith organizations. Two of them appeared to be guild and chantry-related, which I would have expected. It seems to be one of the best ways of securing tightly controlled secrets and training for a myriad of people. However, the third one is very different. >>

  Hunter could hear the smile in her voice as Ruth said, “Yes, these three groups are very different. Guild Trabor is a very strong and tightly-controlled organization of weaponsmiths. They are a dominant organization in their field and provide extensive training for all of their affiliates. They police their members well and ensure high quality in anything that carries their guild stamp. In general, they specialize in offensive weapons both for planetary use and interstellar deployment.

  << I have heard of them. My understanding is they can be a little difficult to work with and are very set on everyone following their procedures. >>

  “That is my understanding also. It may be a bar to working with them, but I thought it would be useful to see what type of equipment that they can provide.”

  << In other words, they are stuck up prudes that only want to interact with people that follow their rules. >>

  “Pretty much so. One of the references I checked said that they’re so regimented that they know their schedule for years in advance and won’t vary from it.”

  << That makes sense. They are a bit different than the Fire and Ice Chantry. Those people are known far and wide as inventive, creative designers of lethal weaponry. They come up with innovative solutions, but sometimes those
innovations break. >>

  “Again, I agree. However, any solution that we come up with is going to require some flexibility on the side of our provider. I’m actually hoping to find someone who will work with us rather than just sell to us.”

  << Finding the right mixture of flexibility and willingness to collaborate may be very difficult, Ruth. >>

  “I know, Hunter. Unfortunately, I don’t think that these state-of-the-art weapons providers are going to be innovative enough for us. I really want to find someone who will grow with us as we grow.”

  << Hopefully, they won’t provide us with weapons that blow up in our faces either. Or climbing ropes that break. >>

  Strolling past the Guild and Chantry’s booths, the Mage once again heard a musical summary of the interaction type and tone that each of the groups emitted. The sound pattern from the Guild booth was measured and structured. They had provided seating for a group and every chair was filled. A formal presentation was going on complete with mixed-media and sample weapons that could be examined. It was all very ordered and controlled.

  The only disordered event that occurred was when Carla and her exuberant blond friend, Sheila, invaded the quiet of the Guild booth with cheerful chatter and happy smiles. The Guild representatives appeared to be startled and unsure of how to handle the untypical customers. Accustomed to uniformed or somber-suited shoppers, the advent of two women in cheerful dresses and chattering like magpies threw the whole booth into disarray.

  The ordered and calculated customer handling process of the Guild was ripped to shreds even before Sheila exclaimed, “Oh! Carla, look at the pretty gun! That would go so well with your new coat. And I think it would fit in that purse that we found yesterday in the village!”

  The blonde girl reached for the gun just as the Guild representative attempted to move the tray beyond her reach. In the confusion of movement, the tray was flipped over and the guns scattered over the counter and onto the floor with loud metallic clatters. The clerk lost his composure. Half-shouting, he yelled, “Leave them alone, you silly girl! These are weapons, not fashion accessories.”

  Sheila turned bright red in embarrassment and stepped back. The attack on her friend incensed Carla. “Don’t blame her! You were the one that moved the tray so that she bumped it. Obviously, you don’t want our business, and we certainly don’t want to do business with someone as rude as you.”

  Even as the Guildmaster was moving quickly over to contain the damage, Carla grabbed Sheila by the elbow and dragged her out of the Guild booth. It was quiet once again, but Ruth could feel her protective energies rising. Perhaps it was time to move further on.

  The Chantry area was totally different from the Guild’s. High-energy chaos reigned in that area as simultaneous presenters talked about their special offerings and Ruth’s people bounced from one to another. Questions were shouted out, and answers were yelled back. No order, just a constant roiling energy.

  The Mage felt no desire to step into the energetic confusion of that area. Although people appeared to be having a good time, she did not see how anyone was going to come out of their experience in that booth with a coherent list for her.

  << I agree. That much confusion is designed as a sales tool. It makes me uncomfortable and question how viable this Chantry would be for us as a partner. >>

  Ruth took a moment before she answered him almost absentmindedly, “I had similar thoughts, but we will have to see what people bring forward from their time with the Chantry.” After a longer pause, the Mage continued, saying, “Did you notice that our two young ones did not even attempt to stop there, but they appear to be settling into a discussion with the Kothar?”

  Hunter and Ruth were close to completing their circuit of the ballroom. There was only the fifth group to examine. The Mage chose now to respond to Hunter’s earlier comment, saying, “Yes, the Kothar Boulder from the planet Hadúr is not your normal group of armorers or weaponsmiths.”

  << They appeared to be a family group. They even smell similar. >>

  “They are indeed an extended family group, called a ‘Boulder.’ On Earth, we would call them a clan. Everyone in the Boulder is related to everybody else, sometimes by torturous routes.”

  Ruth looked over at the group in question. They were significantly different in appearance and in organization from everybody else there. As a group, they look like short, very broad and muscular humans. Their overall height ran between four and five feet, and they had shoulders nearly as wide. Strongly muscled, it was plain that they came from a heavy gravity world.

  Unthinkingly, Ruth gave a short laugh and remarked, “I almost expect them to break into song, something like ‘Hi, ho, hi, ho, it’s off …’.”

  Hunter’s total confusion just made Ruth’s amusement even stronger to the point that a strangled giggle managed to slip through her teeth. Which in turn, confused Hunter more.

  The other four vendors had come with a myriad of examples of their goods and were extremely sales-oriented in the way that they interacted with Ruth’s people. However, the Kothars had brought only a limited number of items.

  The Loris, Moxies, and Chantry had extensive scrolling catalogs displayed all over their space. Constantly changing visual displays decorated both the arms dealer’s booths and the Guild weaponsmiths’ areas. The Kothar area was more minimalistic. It reminded Ruth of a visit she had made to Japan on Earth. It was as if the Kothar representatives were trying to provide an understanding of their essence and the spirit of their work rather than trying to address a large mass of items.

  << Have you noticed that the Kothar wait for people to express interest rather than going out to drag them into the booth? I find that an interesting behavior. >>

  “Frankly, I do too. I had noticed that dynamic and wondered at it. There is also a big difference in who stops and talks with them and how long they stay.”

  Ruth could feel Hunter’s focused interest over their mental channel as he looked to see what she meant. The mage knew that at the current time all of the other booths were crowded with people jabbering and gesturing. The representatives of those organizations were very busy answering questions and waving brightly-printed flyers at her people.

  Ruth choked down an inner laugh thinking back to the conferences that she had attended on Earth. How many times did she come home with useless paper and horrendously-colored pens? Souvenirs from sales attempts were always a problem for her then. Perhaps they would be less of a problem for her now, but she didn’t think so.

  The activity in the Kothar booth was very different than the other areas. There was no obvious sign of sales activity going on there. It had a serene feel that missed any wisp of the contest that commerce was. Everyplace else in the ballroom that contest, that conflict was occurring.

  The flashing visual and sound display of presentations, the give-and-take of argumentation and the level of energy all spoke to opposing sides in some form of nonlethal battle. The conflict could be couched in friendly terms, but it still was a conflict where one side was going to try to sell something past the resistance of the other. Commerce at its heart was still war. It could be devastating, or it could be one that allowed the seller to come back again and again to the buyer. Either way, there was going to be a winner.

  The dynamics that were playing out in front of them in the Kothar booth were very different. Those of Ruth’s people that had stopped in that booth were having intense conversations with the artisans there. As she watched, one Kothar called another over in obvious consultation about some feature that the tripedal Iviran needed explained on what looked like a beam weapon. Both Hunter and Ruth stared fixedly at the interaction, lost in their own thoughts.

  The Mage was startled when Hunter’s mental shout blasted into her head, <

  “What? What did you figure out?”

  << These people are creating weapons that will fit individuals rather than offering generic products. They are crafting things that will help people be more
effective fighters rather than trying to fit a product to market. >>

  “Hunter, I think you’re right. Now here’s my question for you, if you had unlimited money, where would you go to shop for your weapons and armor?”

  The Catog was silent, lost in his own thoughts.

  Chapter 26 – Testing the Temper

  Planet – Borachland Castle

  Ruth pulled Hunter out of the depths of his memories with a low-voiced comment, “Sheila and Carla have stopped here. They don’t look like typical buyers of weapons, and they were both very upset when they left the Guild booth. But look at them now.”

  Hunter looked up and was startled to see that the two young women had been brought back behind the counter and seated on stools around a small table. The very elderly man that was with them was pouring all three a cup of tea. His wrinkled face was set in a gentle smile, and he had managed to tease responding smiles from the two young women.

  The Mage’s tensed muscles relaxed as she realized that someone capable of kindness had two of her frightened chicks. They were too far away for her to overhear the conversation but she was thankful and appreciative when a much younger man came from the back of the booth area and carefully placed a tray of small boxes on the table.

  The old Kothar reached his gnarled hands over and picked up the top box. Carefully opening it, he laid its contents on a cloth that his assistant placed on the table. Both girls gasped in pleasure. Even from a distance, Ruth could see the beauty of the small gun that was revealed.

  Her heart swelled a little bit more in gratitude as she saw the work of art that this consummate craftsman was sharing with the two young women. Sheila half reached for the gun but stopped and looked the old man in the face. Continuing to smile, he carefully picked up the weapon and placed it in her trembling hands.