by Vic Broquard
Soon the discussions centered on how to best tell if a person was a person or a dragon. Quickly Zoran realized that this was a futile witch hunt. Before long, everyone would be suspecting anyone who acted a little odd was a dragon! Zdenka whispered, “This is crazy talk. They will be accusing nearly anyone of being a dragon. The only true way is to attempt to cut them with a normal sword. If they are really a dragon, they won’t be cut. If they are a human, they will be cut, but then they would also be wounded or killed. This is madness.”
“I know dear. I know. They are afraid, scared, and frightened,” he whispered back. He was only too ready for the supper break.
Zoran and his friends had no more gotten to their rooms after the hushed evening meal when Baron Alvaro came knocking. “Please, private word with you, baron.” Alvaro looked thin and distraught. Nervous might also be applicable, Zdenka thought.
“Sure, come on in. Our meeting took strange turns today,” Zoran said consolingly, estimating that the baron was worried about the planned agenda being thrown completely off.
“Well yes, that too. No, baron, may I speak frankly with you?” Baron Alvaro asked. His voice held a touch of desperateness in it. Zoran nodded. “Look, I know that you are aligned with the other ‘have’ planets even though in all honesty, Adapazan is really with us, a ‘have-not’ planet. Nevertheless, Zoran, I am growing increasingly afraid. This dragon problem is getting out of hand. Look. It took the combined efforts of all us Duskas and Archmages and mages to thwart this single Red Dragon. After the Council is over and everyone returns to their own worlds, what are we to do? I simply do not have the Archmages that you have, Zoran. I have a small army of some five thousand, but as you have pointed out, they will be wiped out in one small dragon attack. My garrison forces will be useless to protect us.”
“We on Alta are horse breeders. Rolling hills of grasslands — that’s Alta. Mind you, we here love our land, our planet. We get by trading horses off-world. We have few real mines of consequence here, few real resources. Our people are spread out far and wide — ranches are sometimes ten miles apart. If the dragons begin to systematically attack us, what can I possibly do to protect my people?”
“We have a few large cities and of course three fortresses with our Circles. Puerto here is the largest. Yet I cannot house all of the citizens of Puerto here inside these stone walls should the dragons launch an assault on us. What can I possibly do?”
Knock. Knock. Zoran did not get a chance to answer. He was never more thankful to hear someone knocking on his door before. He had no idea how to answer Baron Alvaro. He opened the door apologetically. Alvaro nodded.
“Oh hi. Well met, baron. It’s been a long time since you were vacationing on Asami.” Baron Goro Yoko grinned in his usual playful manner. Zoran could not help remembering their first meeting when he and Zdenka along with Jarka and Bernard took their honeymoon on Asami as guests of Goro and his wife Kimiko. He motioned for the baron to come on inside. He nodded to Baron Alvaro. “I do hope that I am not interrupting anything. If I am, I can come back later.”
“No, we’re fine. What can I do for you? Is Kimiko recovering from her burns?” Zoran asked politely.
“Yes, we are all so grateful for everything that you’ve done for us, you too, Baron Alvaro. No, I came to ask your advice. Perhaps you can add yours too, Baron Alvaro. You see, this dragon problem has us on Asami very worried. As you know, there is no large land mass on our world, only thousands of tiny islands. We were hard pressed to even find a location for our third Circle of Ascension. No, we are frankly extremely frightened. What are we to do if the dragons attack us on Asami? We have no army to speak of and such would be totally useless as you say. We’ve a few mages and an Archmage, but our meager population is sprawled out on thousands of small islands across the whole planet. How can we possibly defend ourselves from a dragon attack?”
He did not expect Alvaro to chuckle and he face flushed. “Sorry. No offense meant, Goro. It is just that I came here minutes ago and asked Zoran that very same question.”
“Oh, I see. Sorry. Well, I have to admit that we are extremely worried about all this. We are nearly defenseless,” Goro added, recovering his momentary embarrassment. His carefree lifestyle had taken a turn towards seriousness. Zoran remembered him as more of a fun loving, carefree beach bum. Hidden beneath this was the enslavement of young women who were turned into human mermaids and forced to swim the oceans recovering pearls. Fine pearls and fish products were the planet’s sole exports. Nearly all else had to be imported from other worlds.
Chika and Akira glared at Baron Goro. They had been enslaved mermaids some twenty years ago and had been rescued from death by Zoran. On Adapazan, they had established new lives and were now vital members of Zoran’s group. Resentment against the ruling barons of their original home world of Asami flared up once more. Zdenka sensed this and sent Zoran a private Message. He flinched slightly as he too sensed the women’s rising resentment.
Just as he was about to fumble for an answer, another knock saved him. This time it was one of his enemies at the door, Baron Cadfeel Arun of the desert world of Anwyn. “Oh, sorry to intrude, baron. I was hoping to have a private word with you.” Cadfeel was obviously quite startled to find Alvaro and Goro also present.
“It’s all right. Please, come on in baron. Gentlemen, if you don’t mind,” he said to Alvaro and Goro. “Both were just asking me about how they could possibly defend their planets from the dragons.”
Cadfeel grinned and relaxed a little. Obviously he was under a good deal of tension. Making an impromptu visit to the quarters of his archenemy was not something to be taken lightly. “Thank you baron. I know that you and I have had our disagreements over the years. However this dragon mess is most troublesome. Anwyn is a desert world with few resources. This surprise attack against us all has frankly given us all a fright. Can we put aside our differences for the time being and work together against this common foe? I am not too proud to come here to ask for your help and guidance. How can we defend ourselves against these raiding dragons?”
“Yes, our differences are petty compared to the danger that all of us are facing,” Zoran agreed with him. “We all must work together, baron. As I said before, I and my staff will do everything we can to help all other worlds. You have my word on that. Unfortunately, barons, I don’t have any pat answer to your key question of how to defend your people. Baron Alvaro, I think that this should be the first topic that we all address first thing in the morning. Obviously, this is on everyone’s mind. However, I will say this. The ‘have’ worlds must step in to assist the ‘have-not’ worlds.” Zoran knew instinctively that this detail was sure to go over extremely well with the Neutral planets and his enemy planets. After all, this was the key underlying fact that had caused so much strife and dissension between the planets for centuries. The broadening grins on all three baron’s faces told him that he’d said precisely the correct thing.
Zoran added, “Rather than trying to answer each of you right now, let me go talk to the ‘haves’ and see if I can get their agreement. In the morning session, we can all put our heads together and try to give all of the barons some concrete steps that can be taken.”
“That will be a first, Zoran. If you can get the ‘haves’ to help us out, it will be a miracle,” Baron Cadfeel proclaimed. His long standing hatred and contempt for the ‘have’ worlds could not be kept at bay.
“You have my word. I will get them to see reason. Expect to hear more at the morning meeting. Barons, if our meeting tomorrow is not satisfactory, please drop by here in the evening and we will talk about it more.” Zoran shook each baron’s hand and they left.
“Well, that was interesting,” Mage Jarka commented. “Our enemies are becoming our friends. Are you sure that you can get Gladno and the others to go along with this?”
“Dunno, but I have to try. I best go see Leo and Stefan right now. Message me if anything comes up.” Zoran kissed Zdenka and left hastily.
Ten minutes later, six barons met in one of the private rooms given to Baron Leo, who represented Gladno. Baron Gaspard Gervaise of Gonda, Baron John Witherspoon of Terra, Baron Arcangelo Mondo of Cosma, and Baron Stefan Pavel of Valtr joined Zoran and Leo. All were quite curious about why Zoran had requested this surprise, clandestine meeting. However, all these young men knew from experience that any really significant business of the Federation always took place at night, not during the actual Council meetings proper.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” Zoran began, noticing the all five men were quite attentive and curious. “I have just had three barons come to me privately and beg me for help with the dragon problem. One was our enemy, Baron Cadfeel. Two were Neutrals. They simply do not have the ways and means of defending their own people, should the dragons attack them outright. Baron Cadfeel wishes to put aside our differences and work together on this problem. Barons, I feel that we have a golden opportunity here to reach out to those who have been fighting against us all these years and form new bonds of trust. Perhaps we can end these centuries-old feuds.”
Baron Leo chuckled, “That’s all well and good, Zoran. What did you promise them that we’d do?” Zoran smiled. Leo had become an astute leader, much like his father.
“I promised them that you’d all help out. Look, the desert world of Anwyn simply has no resources to manufacture swords, let alone swords of high enough quality to be enchanted to be able to affect a dragon. Asami is even less able to defend its people. Even Alvaro is scared out of his wits here on Alta,” Zoran explained.
“So we are to make them swords?” asked Baron Stefan.
“Right now, I think food and magical blades are needed. I know that Archmage Karel is meeting with several other Archmages, educating them on how to make his Dragon Slayer swords. I know that several of them have disposed of the red’s carcass, confiscating the blood that is needed for the weapons. I think that it is prudent of us to begin making as many enchanted blades as we can. However, if the dragons attack, food is going to be a huge problem for all of us. It probably would be wise for us to stockpile supplies, just in case.”
John spoke up, “True, if the dragons begin systematically attacking us on Terra, the farmers will be nearly defenseless. Farms are out in the open and cover much of Terra. They will have to be pulled back into the safety of the larger towns and cities and fortresses and there goes food production. He’s right; we should stockpile as much as possible, beginning now.”
“Asami is going to be in dire straits if dragons attack them. They get nearly all their food from us,” Baron Arcangelo of Cosma pointed out. “Zoran has a point. If we ignore them, we will lose many of our trading partners which will create an economic disaster for us in the long run. Besides, this may well end centuries of strife between us and our enemy worlds.”
“Okay, we agree with you, Zoran. Let’s hope this works out, but I still say that we keep a sharp eye out for treachery. I don’t trust our enemies any farther than I can see them,” Baron Stefan declared adamantly.
“Thanks. Tomorrow morning, Alvaro is going to make the first topic of discussion how to defend our worlds. Honestly, I have very few ideas at the moment,” Zoran continued. “I do believe that we may well find ourselves having to take in refugees from some of the worlds, like Asami. The people there have no place to hide or protect themselves — nothing but tiny, widely scattered islands.”
Baron Gaspard spoke up, “One thing that I do know for sure after that surprise attack last night, we darn well better have a huge supply of healing potions and medical supplies stockpiled. Do you realize that Alvaro went through nearly two hundred healing potions?” Several hadn’t and the six men chatted a while longer before Zoran yawned and headed back to his room for the night.
As Baron Alvaro sounded his gavel to start the morning session, Baron John Witherspoon spoke up. “Baron Alvaro, may I say a few words before we get started?” Alvaro nodded, hoping to hear something encouraging.
John spoke decisively, “We are facing a common enemy. We must put aside our age old conflicts among us and band together if we are to survive. I speak for many other barons. We will do all that we can to provide food and weapons to combat this threat. All normal trading payments are hereby suspended. Barons, let us know what you need and we will do our best to see that you get it. We will let you know as soon as enchanted weapons are available. Archmage Karel is working with other Archmages to get production of weapons going. I suggest that we all begin to stockpile food, medicines, and healing potions. Further, if dragon attacks do become widespread, many of us are willing and ready to accept refugees from your worlds where they cannot be protected. We want to put all of the rest of you more at ease. We will help all that we can.”
“Thank you, baron and all of you. We may well need all of your help,” Baron Alvaro replied. His relief was plainly visible. Jarka’s keen eyes observed that nearly all of the Neutral aligned barons displayed similar relief as did their archenemies. Zoran had scored a small victory. “Now then, the first topic for this morning is just how do we go about defending ourselves? Asami is going to have a huge problem with this. I suspect many other worlds will also be in dire straits if the dragons make a coordinated effort to attack us.”
Silence. Soon the embarrassing silence was broken by rustling of feet and squirming butts. No one had a reasonable answer. At last Zdenka spoke up. “Baron Alvaro, might I take a stab with this one?” her alto voice echoed solemnly around the room.
“Please Baroness Archmage, please!” The relief on Alvaro’s face told all.
“I’ve been giving this considerable thought, ever since our village of one thousand innocent men, women, and children was destroyed. It seems to me that we have to look at this situation from two points of view. First, if dragons swoop down from the sky and use their breath weapons against a town, village, hamlet or farmstead, there is so very little that we honestly can do for them. On Adapazan, we have put mages at many of the larger villages and mines. They are under orders to Message us if an attack comes. Then, we muster all the strength that we can and head there, hoping and praying that we are in time to prevent total annihilation. Admittedly, this had not been very successful as yet. Second, if the dragons attack us and have to remain in their human forms, we have a vastly improved chance of defending against them. In this case, they must resort to using their magical spells and vast physical strength. Still, we can combat them this way.”
“If the dragons do launch a war with us, somehow we must both protect our people and have a way to combat them. As I see it, we have to fight them when they are forced to assume human forms.”
“How can that be done?” Alvaro interrupted her. He was following her line of thinking closely as were most all of those present.
“There is a way that we can do both. If we can build vast underground cities carved from the bedrock, then we can house large numbers of our people. By making the access to these subterranean cities narrow and constricted, we force the dragons to assume human forms if they want to attack us. If we do not have any large chambers where they could revert back to their dragon forms, they simply cannot use their breath weapons on us. We stand a chance of holding our own this way.”
“I like it. We could lay in provisions and medical supplies. People could live in relative safety as long as there is an underground water supply as well,” Baron Alvaro took over, already working out just how this might be done.
“Precisely. Mages and Archmages could be given the task of making such places of safety. We have many spells that we can use to facilitate rapid underground tunneling. Still, I don’t know that it would be possible to house millions underground, baron, nor for how long,” Zdenka admitted.
The idea took hold. One by one, the other barons added to her ideas, and the High Council soon passed a motion that each baron was to begin building just such a subterranean city near their Circles. Supplies would be brought in and stored there. At
last, the barons had an action that they could do, and the morning passed rapidly as ideas were discussed and accepted. Baron Strom pointed out that even if the dragons never attacked, these underground strongholds would be a valuable asset in any time of trouble or siege.
During the lunch break, Zdenka was constantly interrupted by others dropping by to thank her for her brilliant ideas. She barely had time enough to eat. When the afternoon session began, Zoran decided to make a suggestion of his own.
“Look, we know so very little about the dragons — our enemies who have been attacking us. Where are they located? What worlds? How many of them are there? Do they work together effectively? I know from Chan and Wen that the greens do not work together at all well, for example. We ought to identify what type of dragons are where. Then, somehow we ought to ascertain their numbers and anything else that we can find out about their habits and methods of attack. Plus, I, for one, am curious about what actually was on Voss before they had to abandon that planet. Where did the dragons come from? How is it that they naturally can assume human form? Have they encountered other humans on some other unknown to us world? I can go on and on. There is so much that we simply do not know about our foe that we ought to know.”
Baron Strom Clav spoke up, “On Rehor, we know where some reds live. They have caverns located high in the mountains, wholly inaccessible, except by mages and Duskas. None live in locations where I could march an army to assail them. They are not stupid beasts.”
Again, the barons had something that they could do, and they began a coordinated listing of what they knew about the dragons on their worlds. They drew up an initial listing, then added more on several charts which were then magically duplicated and given to each baron, all forty-eight. That evening, Zdenka delivered the forty-eight sets of charts to the various barons.