Guns of the Temple (The Polaris Chronicles Book 1)

by Choi, Bryan

  “You’ll eat your words when the Prince of Maladies and I have our own little squad, strengthened with hybrid vigor.”

  “I hate to break it to you, but she’s obviously shagging her brother.”

  “I’ll not have you slander my woman again. Pick your seconds and meet me for pistols at dawn,” Draco said, practicing his stance with the glinting single-action revolver he had picked up to replace his old LeMat. He disliked having fewer shots than before, but the cartridge it fired was far superior to any black powder offering.

  “Emreis, are you really throwing down the gauntlet over imaginary wives?” Karma asked with a derisive grin.

  “She’s a real woman, unlike your hand,” Draco scoffed.

  Taki ignored the exchange to focus more intently on the object of his consternation. He held the Behelit gingerly, as if pressing too hard on one of its surfaces would cause it to spontaneously combust. He knew that was impossible, but it did not stop him from worrying. Hecaton had given it to him earlier. “You’ll know what to do when the time comes,” she cackled after shoving the device into his hands. He imagined her saying the same thing to a small boy while giving him a can of petrol and a book of matches.

  “Can you operate it?” Lotte asked, peering at it over his shoulder as she bent over. With such a monstrous name, they had expected the device to be some sort of squishy, writhing contraption oozing evil from every disgusting pore. The disappointing reality was a metal and plastic box attached to a tube with glass lenses on both ends and two buttons on top.

  “It’s simple, actually. Just flip this switch on the side and press these.” From one end of the tube, a concentrated dot of intense red light shone on the floor. “And it does this. The legends say these were used to blow holes in fortresses or sink ships from far away. But mine doesn’t even heat water. The only thing I was told was to point it at the Imperial army, but if this is the extent of its power, it won’t do anything.”

  “Maybe it…gets more powerful if there are more people around? Or perhaps you need to have some serious killing intent?” Lotte scratched her head.

  “I’ve tried that, actually. But still no change.”

  “You did what? Who the hell did you want to kill so badly? Do I even want to know?” Draco said, clutching his revolver to his chest. “You know what, never mind, don’t tell me…”

  “Okay, so if it doesn’t do anything lethal, then it means the Behelit isn’t a weapon itself, but probably a pointer for a weapon,” Karma said. An ancient surplus cigarette smoldered weakly and hung from his lips. Again, Taki thought of the Major dispensing flammables to children.

  “A pointer for a weapon?” Lotte said. “Like some kind of sentient sword, or a suit of armor that fights for you? Also, Gillette, are you really smoking in a place full of gunpowder?”

  Karma shrugged. “What’s the problem?”

  Lotte glowered and made as if to kick him. “If you need something to suck on so badly…”

  “Yes, Cap’n,” he said, and stamped it out.

  “I know!” Hadassah exclaimed. “It summons Godzirra!”

  “I doubt it,” Taki said. “But I’ve been thinking the same thing, Gillette. This is ancient technology. Back then they had access to some pretty horrific things. Robotic skiapods, mechanical colossi with cannons for arms, and even devices that compressed the power of the sun into a bomb that could destroy a city.”

  “How do you know about this stuff, anyway?” Draco asked.

  “I read about it in the archives.”

  “Hey!” Draco snapped. “No taking over my role in this story, eh? I’m the learned goon here.”

  “But I don’t know what ancient horror this is going to unleash or become,” Taki said. “If it’s powerful enough to repulse an army ten times the size of our own forces, then it stands to reason that we’ll probably get wiped out, too. I don’t want that to happen. In truth, I don’t know if I can push the button when the time comes. Perhaps you should have it, Captain.”

  Lotte crossed her arms. “No, you were the one it was given to, not me. There’s got to be a good reason for that. All I can say is that as your commander I expect you to perform. When we get up on that hilltop I don’t want you freezing up.”

  “Yeah, we all trust you,” Draco said. “You’ve been peeling potatoes with us without complaint. If that doesn’t make you a member of this squad, then nothing really does. Besides, you still owe us more writing lessons.”

  “But I could be responsible for all of your deaths,” Taki said.

  “Well, at least we’ll die rich,” Karma said.

  Taki shook his head. “You’re not taking this seriously. What do I have to do to convince you?” Besides tell you about how I killed the basileus? I’m not ready for that. I’m not ready to debase myself that much.

  The door to the inner stacks burst open with a sound not unlike a rifle round going off and everyone flinched. Mailed boots clomped on stone, accompanied by the swishing of expensive robes. Taki realized who had just arrived and his stomach turned. He had almost expected the archangel Jibriil to arrive, but not the entire triada at once. Lotte greeted them on bent knee. Taki awkwardly shoved the Behelit into his satchel and genuflected. Draco and Hadassah hesitated, but did the same.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Jibriil snapped. “How did you get in here? This is the personal property of the triada!”

  “Milord, I have a declaration from the minister of the exchequer written and sealed by her hand,” Lotte said. She produced the scroll for him and Jibriil snatched it away.

  “Nonsense. She has no power here!”

  “She does,” Michail said, and terminated Jibriil’s rebuttal with a wave of his hand. “These relics are part of the nation’s treasury, and everything within the shrine is the property of the basileus in turn. We merely hold the sacred articles in confidence. Remember that, Archangel Jibriil.”

  “Still, these mongrels should not be defiling such holiness with their slimy hands,” Yuriel said. “And they should definitely not be given the honor of taking the Behelit into battle. My Lord Archangel Michail, I beg of you, give it to a worthy company. Any other will do, just not these losers.”

  “Much as I would like to, Archangel Yuriel, I cannot override such a sacred dictum. Nay, I merely came here to ask Captain Satou a question.”

  Lotte bowed her head. Michail stepped forward, and to everyone’s surprise and chagrin, crouched to bring himself to her eye-level.

  “Milord, please, you need not abase yourself for me,” Lotte said.

  Michail half-smiled and patted her on the shoulder.

  “I see that your corporal has the Behelit already. It has already chosen him as its master, and none may take it from him hence. But I must tell you that to bring it to battle means certain death for the wielder, and likely his friends. Life in exchange for power is the rule. Can you bear it? Can he bear it?”

  “It’s obvious he can’t!” Yuriel insisted.

  “I’ll take it, in that case,” Jibriil said, and started toward Taki. The Archangel’s progress, however, was abruptly stopped by Michail’s ornately-engraved pistol pressed against his forehead. Jibriil backed away, trembling and frothing.

  “I have told thee, the Behelit chooses its own master,” Michail said. “To interfere with its will invites doom on us all. Take not my words to mean esteem for this blasphemous group, my fellow archangels. It is far better to sacrifice their lives in the service of the Dominion than it is to sacrifice ours. They will perish in flames, and we will lead the Temple to glory. A fair trade.”

  “Milord,” Lotte said, “do you wish to know the name of the brave corporal who has been chosen?”

  Michail regarded Taki with a pious, wide-eyed stare, and shook his head. The triada filed out, and the door closed behind them. Lotte continued to kneel, and though her face remained stony, she curled her fingers tightly into a fist.

  “Did he…” Hadassah sputtered. “Did he just tell us all to die in
a fire?”

  “You know,” Karma said, “we could have Natalis press the big red button after we’ve all run away.”

  Lotte frowned. “Gillette, that’s…”

  “That’s like saving our own lives by stepping on his corpse,” Hadassah said. “Let’s do it!”

  “I’ll immortalize you in my histories,” Draco said, clapping Taki on the shoulder.

  “And I, uh, really appreciate you taking one for the team,” Karma said, with a grave thumbs-up.

  Taki rolled his eyes and shook his head.

  “You’re all assholes,” he said.

  “Agreed,” Lotte said. “There will be no abandoning each other. We go in united, and perish the same. But for now, steal everything you can.”

  A short while later, after they had shoved gleaming ammunition into every available pocket and pilfered as many spare gun parts as they could carry under their clothes, the squad emerged into the dusty chaos that had enveloped their home. The air was clogged with smoke and grit, most of it issuing from the gates one level below. A fresh river of fighters marched out from the grounds and onto the rudely cobbled path leading to the rest of the country. Blue flags of the Cloud Temple and the colorful banners of every company of foot flapped in the wind atop pikes and halberds. Anthems of the Dominion filtered through the air, coupled with the exhortations of priests that for every Imperial killed in battle, a sin would be cleansed. Periodically, a wagon carrying heavy cannon and shot would roll through, accompanied by much cursing as the loads shook and swayed dangerously from side to side.

  “Look,” Draco said to Taki. “The main batteries are up and running now. They’re preparing for a siege.” He pointed to the cannon turrets flanking the exarch’s tower and festooned with prayer flags. The guns, ancient howitzers, could rain havoc on anything trying to climb the winding road leading to the Temple, for its entire three-kilometer length. His scanned the crowd, settled on a gaggle of gray-robed begging priests, and spat derisively in their general direction.

  “That’s still heresy what you’re doing,” Taki said.

  “Listen, Natalis. These so-called men of God exhort us to kill in His name every moment, but when the starving times come they’ll be eating the lion’s share of the rations and turning all of the water stores into piss. When the Imperials start gutting us in the alleys the priests will harass our corpses for alms. So on top of having to defend our burning homes we also have to indulge their sanctimonious bullpocky? Is that really just?”

  “I…” Taki began. As much as he didn’t want them to, Draco’s words were beginning to make sense.

  “Noel!” Hadassah shouted at a diminutive woman wearing an armored wimple and riding atop an indigo-painted main battle tank that rumbled slowly through the gates. Surprisingly, despite the noise, the woman waved back. After a short while, the massive rolling temple disappeared in the dust coming off the road to the Hot Gates. “See? It does work!” She swatted Draco in the arm.

  “Fine, fine, you were right. I can’t believe you remember that,” Draco said, rolling his eyes.

  “I’ll take your apology in the form of foot massages for a month.”

  “I can’t abide feet. They’re disgusting and they smell.”

  “Okay, Princess D.”

  “Speaking of smelly feet, I hear the exarch’s going to be taking part in the battle down on the ground, along with the triada. Those godrotting idiots would’ve taken the exarch down with them had they a Behelit,” Draco huffed.

  “Good! We should just pass the damned thing to the archangel Yuriel, then,” Hadassah grumped. “She can shove it up her—”

  “Hold your tongue,” Lotte admonished with a swat.

  “I meant the bitchy one, not you!”

  “When’s the attack?” Taki asked.

  “Day after tomorrow, dawn,” Lotte said.

  “Fuck it. Start drawing up your wills,” Draco said, smiling sadly. Lotte put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it.

  “Polaris of the Cloud Temple!” Lotte said. “The mighty Imperium stands at the gates, intending to take our country, our homes, and our lives. We are outnumbered and outgunned. Our nation sends us on a suicide mission we never asked for, and our names will be forever erased from the histories if we succeed. But I promise you one thing in recompense: the enemy will curse us for the rest of their lives. They will remember how we turned their easy day into a nightmare, and we will laugh at them from hell. Are you with me, men and women of the Dominion?”

  In response, Taki fell to his knees and vomited on the cobbles. Draco raised an eyebrow and looked at the others, who wore similarly confused expressions. Lotte’s determined expression started to waver. Finally, Karma broke the silence.

  “Well, it’s worth a shot, I guess…” he muttered.

  Later that evening, Taki barely managed not to have his life ended by another lumbering tank. Like any other army encampment, the Dominion side of the Hot Gates was a sprawling, smelly mess where dust choked the air so thickly that it formed nostril-plugging clods in midair. He recalled reading about how more soldiers tended to die of disease than wounds sustained in battle. As he gingerly hopped over backed-up latrines cut into the dirt right next to communal drinking troughs with a single ladle for a thousand men, he was inclined to agree. Tents studded the grounds in almost random order, some large and ornate to house the better and richer companies of levy troops and mercenaries, and others merely simple affairs that tended to freeze inside at night. In almost all of them, however, one could find the writhing bodies of naked troops and their camp followers. So embarrassed had Taki been to chance on one encounter that he had tripped over a bundle of pikes and fallen right into the path of a rumbling metal behemoth.

  He rolled out of the way just in time to prevent his head from being crushed by the treads. Taki considered shouting at the inconsiderate driver, but decided that opening his mouth would be useless and dangerous. The infantrymen escorting the rust-bucket looked surly and were probably itching to administer a gang-beating.

  The important thing was to find Lotte. She had left him a message earlier requesting his presence near the canteen, ostensibly to discuss the best locations for deploying the Behelit. Though he thought it strange that his captain would want to talk alone rather than involve the rest of the squad, an officer’s wishes were not to be ignored. Dusty and still annoyed by his brush with death, Taki arrived at a small tent near the canteen and waited. Nearby, he heard the strains of fiddle music and smelled the odor of roasting pork. Life went on, regardless of impending battle or not.

  “Hail!” Karma said, and approached. On his arm was a young woman wearing an airy linen skirt and a yellow blouse topped with a jade shawl. Taki raised an eyebrow at the sight. He was pretty sure Karma and Hadassah had become romantically involved, though none had said for sure. So what was Karma doing with a camp follower on his arm? Should I stay out of it? But Dassa’s my… I wouldn’t call her a friend… Well, I don’t know about that.

  “Gillette,” Taki said, “have you seen the captain?”

  Karma gave a conspiratorial wink. “I actually left you that letter.”

  “You did? But it had her signature on it. You didn’t…”

  “Forge it? No, she signed it willingly but allowed me to write what I needed to get you to come out here.”

  “For what purpose?” Taki narrowed his eyelids. Some kind of intrigue? The last thing he needed right now in the face of impending death was to be caught up in another plot. Oh God, is he acting in the minister’s stead? She’s his mother, after all. I have to be careful.

  “Relax, Natalis,” Karma said. “We—I mean no harm, and intend no foul play. I just heard that you were a virgin, and I thought it unjust for you to perish without ever experiencing a woman’s touch. It is one of the few things we tainted ones are given the right to enjoy, no?”

  “Aye,” Taki said, regretfully. “But what can I do about it right now?”

  “You’re a dense one, aren’t
you?” Karma chuckled. The camp follower eased off his arm and curtsied to Taki. “Meet Andromeda. When she heard your tale, she couldn’t help but feel compelled to do you a favor. And, some 'grad also helped.”

  “Greetings, milord,” Andromeda said, and Taki blushed. Her long black tresses enchanted him, but most appealing to him was that she seemed devoid of the hard-eyed look that most camp followers seemed to develop over the years.

  “H-hi,” Taki said, awkwardly. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

  “Relax, Natalis,” Karma chuckled. “This is a gift we all got you. Even Captain Cake chipped in. We’re not all bad people. Not all the time, anyway.”

  “Master Karma is an honorable man,” Andromeda said. “Now come with me, milord. I’ll relieve you of your burden and give you a nice memory to take into battle.”

  Taki blinked, and allowed her to take his hand. Karma waved jauntily and disappeared. Her touch felt unreasonably intoxicating, and his heart thundered in anticipation. Andromeda opened the flap of her nearby tent, and ushered him in.

  Though the outside was simple canvas, the interior was lush, with a lining of velvet and fur, and a generous-sized mattress set out on an elevated wooden pallet, complete with goose-down pillows. Even the sheets appeared to be of high quality, and Taki could not see any obvious lice or fleas studding the surface. A nearby armoire even sported a mirror of polished steel, mostly devoid of imperfections. Taki half-expected Andromeda to simply start taking off her clothes, but instead, she gently eased him to the edge of the mattress and sat him down.

  “Master Karma tells me this is your first time,” she said.

  “I’ve seen a woman without her clothes,” Taki mumbled.

  Andromeda giggled, although not maliciously. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of, milord. It means you’re free of pox, and you’ll have a gentle touch. I like those qualities in a man.”

  “Well,” Taki said, “I’m glad?”

  Andromeda gently turned his face toward her and pressed her lips to his. Taki felt a band around his chest constrict and drive the air out, and he grew lightheaded at her touch. She pressed on, and started to slip her blouse off. Finally, Taki thought, as he swelled with anticipation. Finally, I’ll be rid of my curse! Thank you, Karma! Thank you, everyone! I forgive you for everything!