Final Voyage of the Remora

by Richard S. Tuttle

  "You better bring him back something good to eat or he will never trust you again," laughed Tedi.

  The two Alceans went downstairs and joined their wives at the corner table. The servants were dressed in clean white uniforms as they had been at all the expensive inns, and one of them promptly appeared to take the meal order. The common room began to fill up as more guests arrived, but none were wearing the fancy attire seen in Zinbar. While they were waiting for the meal to arrive, Runt appeared and slid into Garth's pocket. A tiny shocked voice emanated from the pocket, and Garth smiled and shook his head.

  "I think I better step outside before Bitsy bites off someone's head," he chuckled. "I will be right back."

  Garth rose and slipped out the front door of the inn so he could find a place to get the fairy's report in private.

  "How do they do it?" asked Natia. "We could never find Garth that easily."

  "They have an incredible ability to sense other fairies," replied Kalina, "but they have found us even when we didn't have another fairy with us. I am not really sure how they do it. Right now I wish they could find another cook so we could eat. I am famished."

  Kalina craned her neck to look towards the kitchen to see if their food was coming. While she could see a lone white-clad servant, he wasn't carrying a food tray. He was carrying a travel pack and a black staff, and he was heading for the rear door of the inn.

  "Where is your staff?" she asked Tedi.

  "I left it up in the room with the figurines," Tedi replied. "Why?"

  "Because I think it is on its way out the back door," Kalina said with alarm. "It was an elven servant. Hurry and catch him!"

  Chapter 32

  Guild Master

  Tedi raced across the common room of the Aranak Dunes in Olansk. People fled from his path and the innkeeper shouted at him, but Tedi didn't break stride until he was outside the inn. There was an alley that ran behind the inn, and Tedi looked both ways, but no one was in sight. Across the alley were the stables for the inn, and Tedi ran inside to find a stableboy staring out the back door.

  "Which way did the elf go?" Tedi asked he raced towards the boy.

  The boy pointed out the door, and Tedi kept running through the stables and out the back door. There was another narrow alley parallel to the previous one, but no one was visible. Across from the back of the stables were the stables of another inn, and there was a wooden fence lining the alley. Tedi ran and leaped over the fence and into the stables, but there was not even a stableboy present. There was another alley and the back of an inn. Tedi chose the inn and entered through the rear door. He spoke to the innkeeper, but the man swore that no one had passed through the inn. Frustrated, Tedi turned around and returned to the Aranak Dunes. When he entered the common room, the innkeeper accosted him.

  "You can't run through here," scowled the innkeeper. "I will not tolerate such behavior."

  Tedi turned on the man and glared at him while Kalina and Natia approached.

  "One of your servants just entered my room and stole some of my belongings," snapped Tedi. "I want them back."

  The innkeeper was a large man, obviously a Siroccan, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at Tedi and the two women who had joined him.

  "The door was not forced open," Natia reported. "He must have had a key."

  "You saw the servant take your things?" asked the innkeeper.

  "I saw him run out the back door," answered Kalina. "He was an elf."

  "An elf?" spat the innkeeper. "I do not employ elves. They are all thieving dogs if you ask me. Are you sure you saw an elf?"

  "Positive," replied Kalina.

  "Then you have saved me the time of questioning all the servants," sighed the innkeeper. "He wasn't one of mine. Do you want me to send someone for the soldiers?"

  "Will they recover our goods?" asked Natia.

  "Probably not," answered the innkeeper. "They aren't too concerned about theft. They will ask a lot of questions and make a note of the crime. They're pretty useless for this sort of thing."

  "Then what are they good for?" scowled Tedi.

  "You should watch your tone, lad," the innkeeper said softly. "What they are good for is finding people that don't speak well of the Federation."

  "My husband is upset," Natia quickly interjected. "There is sentimental value to one of the items stolen."

  "There can't be that many elves in Olansk," Kalina stated. "Do you have any idea where we might go to find this thief?"

  "There are far too many elves in town for my taste," retorted the innkeeper, "but if you find any thief at all, you can probably find the one who took your things. There is a whole band of them that has been terrorizing the city for two years now. They all know each other. I think they may even have an organization with ranks, like an army or something, but I would be careful hunting them. They won't think twice about slitting your throat if you get too close to them."

  "If you think of anything else that might help us," said Kalina, "please let us know."

  The innkeeper promised that he would, and the Knights of Alcea went upstairs and entered Tedi's room. They left the door open so Garth would find them. As soon as they entered, they heard the noise. It was a scratching noise, and then a whine.

  "Smokey!" Tedi said. "It sounds like he is digging through the wall."

  "Garth has the key," replied Kalina.

  "What key?" Garth asked as he stepped into the room.

  "Go take care of your dog," replied Kalina, "and then get back here. We have a problem."

  Garth nodded and stepped back into the hallway. He unlocked the door and saw the dog clawing away at the wall. Smokey was so intent on digging that he didn't hear Garth until Garth called him. Garth shook his head and the dog raced out the door and into Tedi's room. Garth closed the door and followed him.

  "What is going on?" Garth asked. "Smokey has almost clawed his way through the wall. I don't know how we are going to explain this to the innkeeper."

  "We have been robbed," announced Tedi. "My staff and the pack of figurines were stolen by an elf dressed as a servant."

  Garth sighed heavily and closed the door. "What do we know about the thief?" he asked.

  "I saw him leave the common room," answered Kalina. "The innkeeper employs no elves, and he says there is an organized band of thieves plaguing the city. The soldiers will be no help."

  "We don't want to alert them anyway," replied Garth, "certainly not to find a weapon that was used to kill a K'san."

  "The stableboy saw him run through the stables and out the back," Tedi reported, "but I wasn't able to find him."

  "It sounds like we have a night of hunting before us," Garth declared. "We are not leaving this city until we get that staff back."

  "What was the report from Runt?" asked Kalina.

  "The elves are with Karl and the Rangers now," Garth replied. "It sounds like all is not happy in the Elfwoods. The Dielderal there are nothing more than slaves, and they don't care much for the situation, but the empire holds all of their children hostage. Evidently, the elves are used to mine ore in the Badlands. We might be able to drive a wedge between them and the Federation, but it does not sound like the Dielderal will be among those attacking us."

  "But some were sent to Alcea already," Natia pointed out.

  "Not all of the children return to the Elfwoods," replied Garth. "The empire has twenty years to indoctrinate them. I suppose that they manage to convert a few. Evidently the elves are not required to return, or there wouldn't be any here in Olansk."

  "If they can force them to work the mines," stated Kalina, "they can force them to fight us. We should take nothing for granted."

  "Agreed," Garth nodded. "Let's split up in our search for the thieves. Use the fairies to keep in contact."

  "I know that he got as far as the alley behind the stables," stated Tedi. "Beyond that are stables for another inn and an alley that runs in front of them. I asked that innkeeper if anyone had come in and he said no. So that
gives us two alleys to start the search. Natia and I will take the first alley."

  "Then Kalina and I will take the second one," agreed Garth. "Let's get started before it is completely dark out."

  The Knights of Alcea left the Aranak Dunes through the rear door. They passed through the stables, and Natia turned left in the alley. Tedi went to the right while Garth helped Kalina climb the fence to get to the next set of stables. Smokey barked as Garth climbed the fence, Garth paid no heed.

  "You are going to abandon the dog?" asked Kalina. "He probably wants to be lifted over the fence."

  "The fence is not that high," shrugged Garth. "He can jump it."

  Garth and Kalina entered the rear door of the stables and passed through to another alley. Garth knelt and studied the ground, but he saw no obvious fresh footprints, and the sky was beginning to darken.

  "Let's check out the inn first," suggested Garth.

  "Tedi already spoke to the innkeeper," Kalina reminded him.

  "I know," replied Garth, "but I have some other questions I would like answered before we search the alley."

  Kalina nodded in agreement, and they entered the rear door of the inn. Garth halted just inside the door, his eyes scanning the entrance to the common room and the stairs leading to the upper levels. After a moment he walked into the common room and found the innkeeper.

  "I am trying to locate a thief that might have come this way recently," Garth said to the innkeeper. "He was an elf in white clothing similar to what is worn at the Aranak Dunes."

  "Someone else was in here a while ago," the innkeeper replied impatiently. "No one came through here."

  "I see," replied Garth as the innkeeper turned to leave. "I have another question."

  "I don't get paid to answer questions," scowled the innkeeper. "I've got paying customers to tend to."

  The innkeeper turned and strode off into the kitchen. Garth sighed and looked around the common room. Seeing an empty table, he took Kalina's hand and led her to it.

  "What are you up to?" Kalina whispered.

  "Before we run off searching the entire city," Garth replied, "I want to know if the innkeeper at the Aranak Dunes was telling us the truth. If we have to buy some ale to ask the question, we will do so."

  A serving girl arrived at the table, and Garth ordered two ales and requested to speak to the innkeeper when he had a moment. While he waited, Garth surveyed the customers of the common room. He raised an eyebrow at the odd mix of customers. While several tables were occupied with tradesmen and laborers, as one might expect in such an establishment, there were also several couples, a table with two unescorted females, and a table with two elves conversing quietly. Garth tapped Kalina's arm and flicked his eyes towards the elves. Kalina glanced at the two elves and shook her head.

  "He had lighter hair than either of them," she whispered.

  The girl returned with two mugs of ale and said that the innkeeper was busy, but he would be along when he had a moment to spare.

  Garth chuckled as the girl departed. "I suppose he will wait until we order more ale," Garth said softly. "Drink up and let's get out of here. I will ask the question elsewhere."

  Suddenly a woman screamed, and Garth turned his head to see a commotion at one of the tables. A couple occupied the table, and the man had his hand clenched on the woman's arm. Her face was contorted in pain, and Garth felt his own body stiffen.

  "This is not your problem," Kalina said softly.

  "You know me too well," Garth said through clenched teeth.

  "I know that we do not wish to call attention to ourselves in such a way," retorted Kalina.

  Garth nodded, but his eyes were glued to the spectacle as were everyone else's. The woman broke free of the man's grasp and leaped to her feet in an attempt to get away, but the man grabbed her long hair and yanked it as he rose from his seat. He was a big man, and the woman was pulled off balance and fell back against the man, but he pushed her away and punched her in the face.

  "You will do as you are told," snarled the man, "or you will not live to see tomorrow."

  The woman was crying, and blood was flowing from her cheek. Most of the other patrons suddenly averted their eyes as if they did not want to witness what was coming next, but Garth instantly rose from his seat. The big man's arm cocked back to deliver another punishing blow, but Garth moved in before he could strike. Garth's hand grabbed the man's arm and spun him around.

  "Stay out of my business," snapped the big man as he glared at Garth.

  The woman cowered on the floor as the man prepared to hit her again. Once again Garth intervened, grabbing the man's arm so that he could not deliver the blow. This time the man had no words for Garth. He cocked back his arm and sent his meaty fist streaming towards Garth's jaw. Garth ducked under the attack and came up with a counterattack of his own. His fist streaked upward and struck the man under his jaw with enough force to lift the man off his feet. The big man flew backwards and slammed to the floor unconscious.

  "I'll have no fighting in here!" shouted the innkeeper as he came up behind Garth.

  Garth looked at Kalina and nodded towards the woman on the floor. Kalina nodded in return and moved to the fallen woman. Garth turned and faced the innkeeper.

  "I am not looking for trouble," Garth said softly. "I just want to ask a question and rent a room."

  "A room?" echoed the innkeeper. "Do you have any idea who you just attacked?"

  "A man who thinks it is acceptable to beat on a defenseless woman," Garth replied. "He got much less than he deserved."

  "He just happens to be the head of the barge masters guild," retorted the innkeeper. "You had best be on your way out of town before he wakes up."

  "I want a room," Garth declared adamantly.

  The innkeeper looked at Garth and shook his head as if the stranger was crazy. "It's your life I suppose," he finally said. "What was the question you wanted to ask?"

  "We had a meal at the Aranak Dunes earlier," Garth stated. "We had something stolen by an elf in servant's clothing. I want to know if the Aranak Dunes employs elves."

  "Never," replied the innkeeper. "They don't even like elves in the building. I'll get your key."

  Garth followed the innkeeper to the door to the kitchen and waited. He watched as Kalina helped the woman up. As soon as the woman was on her feet, she ran through the common room to the front door and exited the inn. Kalina walked across the room and stood silently by Garth's side. The innkeeper returned with a room key, and Garth paid for the room. Garth led Kalina towards the stairs near the rear door, but he opened the door and exited the inn rather than climb the stairs.

  "Why the room?" Kalina asked once they were outside.

  "If anyone is looking for the person who fought the guild master," answered Garth, "let them look here rather than the other inns."

  "Somehow I do not think they will stop looking when you don't show up here," sighed Kalina. "You always seem to find some trouble to get into. Why did you have to go in there?"

  "The thief was in a hurry," explained Garth. "Now, this dirt is hard packed, and one shouldn't expect to find any footprints, but the elf was running hard and fast. Had he turned one way or another into the alley, I would have expected to see evidence of that."

  "You think the innkeeper in there was lying?" asked Kalina.

  "No," answered Garth. "He would have no reason to lie unless he was involved with the thieves, but if he is involved, he wouldn't want us staying there. I think he was being truthful, but I don't think he would know if the elf entered the rear of the inn and went up the stairs. The stairs are hard to see from the common room."

  "Do you think the thief has a room upstairs?" asked Kalina.

  "I don't know what to think," sighed Garth. "We should explore this alley for clues and return here when we are done. If we find nothing, we will check upstairs."

  Kalina nodded in agreement and started walking away from Garth to check the alley. Garth stood silently for a few moment
s before walking in the opposite direction. The failing light made looking for clues nearly impossible, but Garth worked his way to the end of the alley and turned around. When he reached the inn, the other three members of the group had already gathered, and Smokey was with them. Tedi held out a small torn piece of cloth, and Garth took it from him.

  "Smokey found this on the fence behind the stables," explained Tedi. "He was standing there barking at it when Natia and I returned."

  "I thought the fence was low enough for him to jump," frowned Garth as he bent down and patted the dog. "I should have paid more attention to him."

  "That probably is what he wanted," chuckled Kalina. "He is not a tracking hound, Garth. It was probably just chance that the torn cloth was in the same spot."

  "He was trying to claw his way into our room," Natia said in the dog's defense. "I think he knew that there was someone in the room who didn't belong there. You may not be giving him enough credit, Kalina. He is a smart dog."

  "We shall see," mused Garth as he held the cloth to the dog's nose.

  Smokey growled softly and bared his teeth. Garth's eyes widened, and a smile spread across his face as he stood back to see what the dog would do next. The dog sniffed the ground and moved erratically as if trying to pick up the scent. When he came directly between the exit from the stables and the rear door of the inn, he barked softly and turned towards the inn. With his tail wagging, he moved to the door and scratched it gently with his paw.

  "I already checked in there," frowned Tedi.

  "You didn't check upstairs," smiled Garth as he opened the door.

  Smokey dashed through the doorway and climbed the stairs with the Knights of Alcea close behind. The dog ignored the second level and continued upward to the top floor. After turning to the left and padding along the corridor, the dog unexplainably sat in the middle of the corridor. A puzzled frown spread over Garth's face as he looked at the doors on each side of the corridor.

  "Which door?" whispered Natia. "Why isn't he telling us?"

  Tedi knelt near the dog and moved his finger through some dirt on the floor. He moved the material between his fingers as his eyes rose to look at the ceiling. Barely visible in the dim light given off by distant lanterns was a trap door in the ceiling.