Duty

by P. S. Power

  “I have one. On me. I just don’t want the accella to wear off for twenty minutes, since I’m pretty certain I’ll fall asleep if I do that and not get up again. Not even with a fresh dose of the drug in my system. So, I get annoying burns for a bit. I’ll live. Thank you, for thinking of me. We won’t have to do that with Alison here, just send her back here when the drugs need to wear off. We’ll also keep you off the fire line, if we can help it.”

  The girl bowed, if only a little. An almost invisible thing, that seemed a bit stiff, really. It was probably meant to be rude to him, since her mother’s lips tightened and she shook her head enough to be seen, while making eye contact with the girl.

  “Because it’s too dangerous for me?”

  Albert blinked, and had to force himself to recall what he’d just said. Something about the girl not being on the fire line. That he’d forgotten that in a few moments meant his mind was shutting down already. That would happen, of course and only get worse as the days passed and there was no sleep.

  “No. I… My mind isn’t clear right now. You’ll be needed to coordinate the search for the missing people. Directing it from the mobile base, while you make food and water for people. Clearly the ideal person for it would be Countess Thomson, but she’s not any better off than I am right now. That…” He gave in, yawned and smiled. “You aren’t an idiot, are you?”

  That sounded bad, though the girl didn’t scream at him. No one spoke, however, most of them tensing up. Probably for a fight, or possibly a duel to the death. A thing that he wouldn’t be winning if the girl decided to take his life that way. She had weapons, after all.

  He waved, his face contorting into an open mouth sucking in air again.

  “Sorry, that came out wrong. I’m not calling names, I’m asking if you’re intelligent enough for the work. If not… Well, that won’t get you out of it, we’ll just find someone to stand near you and make good suggestions. It will be easier if you’re smart, that’s all.”

  The room did several different things then. The walls were stoic in their response to his rudeness. Count Peterson turned, to hide a smile and the Queen glared at him, as if a beating were the natural result of his words.

  Sam Builder, the Ancient of Noram… Smiled.

  “She’s brilliant actually. Probably one of the top intellects on the planet right now. I’m not just saying that, either. If you were able to take time to give tests, she’d still be a top pick for the task at hand.”

  Albert nodded, just trusting that the man knew what he was saying.

  “Good then. I don’t have time for such testing at all. No one else for the task, either. You can hold my hand and make sure I don’t do the wrong thing too often. At least when you aren’t doing your own work. We should go now. Thanks for having me over, everyone. We should do this again sometime, when I’m not half out of my mind. Accella works, but it isn’t the best thing for keeping people to good manners. Sorry about that.” He bowed into the apology, holding the move until everyone stood and bowed back. He meant it after all.

  Not enough to crawl on the floor crying about it, but there was only so much that could be expected from him, at the moment, which was what he was going on about in the first place. That had to carry, he hoped.

  As soon as that was done, a large hand came out, from the Count, which gently guided him through the door, down the empty hallway. Almost as if he were drunk. That wasn’t exactly the case, even if he’d admitted to being impaired a moment before.

  The fellow stopped, at the door to the transport pod room, and patted Albert again. Gently. As if they were old friends and Al wasn’t the jerk that had just insulted the man’s daughter.

  “We need to get in touch with Count Thomson. Perhaps you should do that, if you don’t feel that to be out of place?”

  That was for Al, who pulled his own handheld and worked out the correct name needed. When the face of the man showed on the screen, there were no fresh burns on it. He looked ready to fall down, of course, having been up even longer than Albert had been, most likely.

  “Al?” The man sounded so tired that his voice croaked at the single syllable came out.

  “Hello! I met some people who volunteered to help. Mainly as guards for people, to try and keep more people from vanishing, if we can. Um… I also found this girl, to head up the investigation? She comes with good recommendations, from a man I more or less trust. Alison… Peterson?” He didn't know if that was her name, and felt off, using it.

  She nodded though.

  “That’s right, Count Thomson. I’ll be operating out of the mobile base, with your wife and organizing things from there. We have, in potential, volunteers from the Flyers Corps. Armed and shielded, but acting under the orders of Mr. Benoist, if that serves? That… Well, it’s unusual. We understand if you can’t allow it.”

  Having pointed the screen of the handheld at her Albert waited. After all, the man could say anything. Yes, no, or even something harsher, like calling them names for presumption.

  Instead he sighed.

  “Under the control of Mr. Benoist? In his roll as a High Servant? That really is unusual. Unheard of, in fact. I guess it makes sense, given everything.”

  Albert opened his mouth, to say that he wasn’t a High Servant, then thought for a moment, and nodded, even if the man on the screen was looking at the girl in front of him.

  “Commander Johan did tell some of the High Servants that I could order them put to death if they didn’t do their work, so… That counts, right? I’m not properly sworn to the job, and don’t want to lie about it. Still, that probably counts for the duration of this. You know, with holding me responsible for things, if I mess up? The High Servants, too.” He nearly added in Alison, but the man in his hand spoke first.

  “That’s enough for the time being. Thank you, both of you, for seeing to this. I can’t right now. We need… Tor mentioned some rivers, I think? I don’t know how to pay for those. Even their rent will be impossibly high, I fear. Still, it needs to be done.”

  Pulling the face around, Albert nodded.

  “I’m borrowing them. They have to go back when we’re done, since I can’t pay for them either. I’m heading to get that right now, with Peterson here.” He glanced at the young woman, having forgotten her name for a moment. Then he recalled it, after using her last name, like a freak.

  That got a nod, from the Count who was far away, the other speaking, his voice deep and gruff.

  “I’m off to get those volunteers, then. I just send them through the box at the base? What was the name?”

  Albert gave it, then looked at the Count, who was trying to speak to them and fight a fire at the same time, waving a magical implement at a tree which was sparking and hissing the whole time. If it was working at all, it was hard to tell over the device.

  “I’ll get to my part, then. If you see Tor… Ask him to meet me at the mobile base? We’ll have the rivers. I hope.”

  There was a nod then and a grunt. The screen when dark, being put away instantly, before the letters and names could reappear. Then he marched, trying not to fall down, into the gold and cream box. Alison mumbled to her father. It was something about goodbye and about how she’d be careful.

  It was enough that Albert waved at the taller man, looking up at him. Way up. He was over eight feet tall, after all.

  “Thanks. For all the help. Don’t worry about Alison. She’ll keep me safe.” He didn’t smile about the words, the bigger man reaching down, into the box, to pat his shoulder.

  “I know. That’s why I trust her to go into danger like this. Daughter, a lot is resting on you, suddenly. If there’s wrongdoing here, it will be on you to find it, if possible. Don’t be afraid to ask for aid in the task. Also, don’t let anyone dissuade you from it too easily. People being taken under the cover of set fires is… It might be linked to what Alice Orange is looking in to. You should talk to her on the matter, in case she has insight.”

  There was a nod, and a s
tep back, which meant that Albert could tap the gold colored star on the wall, to the left of the hole where there was a gap, making a door. Then he spun, and started to work, finding the name for the Vagus Space Port. It had three names, with the top one being a thing that he could read. He had to figure that the other two were just the same thing in different languages.

  Tapping it, hoping it was the right place to go, he watched the world turn from gold to red. Then he turned and opened the door in front of him, hitting the small blue star. Alison followed him. The package they needed wasn’t hard to find, since it was in a green glowing case, that hovered directly to the left of the small building they were in.

  Seeing it, reading the front, which had words on it, Alison smiled.

  “Rivers for Albert.” She chuckled just a bit. “Using your name like that… It’s a bit bold of her, isn’t it? She’s pretty much proclaiming that you two are dating. Then, Count Thomson was even worse. Are you to be living with him and the Countess?” She smirked at the words, then sobered, moving in to take the amulet, which was resting on the top of the magical case.

  Albert nodded, and checked inside the thing, seeing what looked to be a hundred hand sized tiles, or more, all with glowing wavy sigils on the front. Rivers, he had to suppose. When he closed the thing, silently, since it was made of magic and not really there, even if he could see and feel it, he looked at the younger girl.

  “Well, if that thing with you falls through. Everyone calls me Albert. That or Al, so I must be popular, don’t you think?”

  The girl actually nodded, then moved back inside the red hut, not even looking around. The space outside was well open, though some trees and shrubs decorated the Space Port. There was a river in the air around it as well. Like the Space Port in Noram. This one glowed in red, instead of purple. The flat glass of the port itself was brown and glass like, being compressed earth like it was.

  The girl worked the controls, once they were in, with the box of priceless magical rivers.

  “That’s true. I’m engaged to Countier Thomson. Clemance. I suppose I have room in my life for another boyfriend?” She was teasing, of course.

  Nodding, Albert winked at her, or tried to, it came out as a tired blink.

  “I suppose that means you get to come and join me for that lonely drinking? I’ll let you know when I have that planned. Now, we need to get to Thomson Fire One. Once we get there… Well, I have no clue how to start an investigation. That’s why I tricked you into doing it. Asking if you were an idiot like that… Incredibly clever on my part. Now you can’t fail, or you’ll look bad. Of course, I just stumbled into it, but it still works that way, don’t you think?”

  The words got the girl to put the location they needed in, the door closed and had them walking out, not ten seconds later, into a smoke-filled ruined landscape. The fire was moving away from them, so the base was still in the same place. He’d been gone for a few hours. That meant it was about time to move the thing again. Soon.

  He didn't want to take the boxes down for too long, if they had some volunteers coming in. Possibly. If any of the military men actually wanted to help. Though, he kind of thought that they might not really take it as them having a choice in the matter.

  Countess Thomson was working with Erie, the High Servant, making wrapped sandwiches and cans of water. There were people, all of them covered in soot and with various damage, sitting on the ground, having dropped in place, rather than using the nice indoor facilities. One of them, who had a bite of food in his mouth, tried to stand up.

  Albert waved him down.

  “Tor! We have the rivers. Also, some help coming to investigate those disappearances. Military men. Peterson here is in charge of that. Not that it gets her out of making food at the same time. Terlee, you and Erie need to get off and get some sleep. A few hours, only. We’ll keep the base here for the time being. I don’t suppose we can send food and water with the flyers that come in?” He simply meant that he didn't think he could make food and go to the front to make deliveries at the same time.

  Alison nodded.

  “That makes sense. They can use that as a cover to find out what’s going on with the vanished people. I need their names, locations and if anyone saw anything when they went missing. Strange people in the area, or if they all seemed panicked or something like that. Now, show me what to make? Or am I on loading the working material?” She pointed, since Erie was doing that, using dirt from nearby, pointing with the device attached to her hands, making a stream of earth fly through the air, mainly hitting the Tiera food devices.

  There were three of the things there. When he’d left, there had been four. He raised his eyebrows and glanced at the incredibly tired looking countess.

  “Um… We’re missing a food unit?”

  She nodded.

  “I sent one with my son, Dumas, to the western fire. It’s smaller, but we haven’t been able to get food or water there so far. I hope you don’t mind?” She seemed worried over it.

  The truth was, he did a bit, since it was probably gone. Then he’d be forced to discuss why that had happened with Tiera. Still, the woman hadn’t beaten him yet, so she might not, as things eventually were stolen away. She, and everyone else, had mentioned that the things would eventually go away. Growing legs and seeking a new home, like they were wont to do.

  “That should work. I have another one of them on me. Of course, if any of these goes missing, I expect you all to try and hold Tiera as I run away? I should start an exercise program, if I have to do things like that. She looks pretty mean.” That wasn’t true, of course. She was very tall, but lovely at the same time. Almost delicate looking.

  Tor just nodded, his face so serious it almost seemed sad.

  “She won’t hold you responsible for that kind of thing, as long as you aren’t just selling them. I agree on the exercise regime. Not that we’d be enough to stop her if she did go for you. Stay on her good side, given that?” He grinned, making it into a joke.

  Not that Albert wasn’t going to take that advice.

  The woman was a former Queen and the current Ancient of an entire planet. The one that he lived on, as it turned out. Getting on her good side only made sense, if he could manage it. Not that he knew of any way to do that, in particular. So far all he’d done was ask her for things and bother her husband, making him play delivery boy. All the barons loved that, he didn't doubt.

  There was a commotion, with people, men dressed in black military clothing, most of them young, pouring out of the transport boxes, four or five at a time. Not all of them were giants, but most were. The trend was toward noble looking, though some were more in the city model. All of them seemed young, except for one man who looked to be in his early thirties or so. That man jogged over, as the others formed tidy lines. After a few minutes there were nearly a hundred men there, all looking a bit nervous.

  That or excited at having something real to do.

  The older man, who wasn’t old at all, stopped in front of Alison, who was busily filling the side of a food unit with working material. She nodded, not stopping as the man bowed. Not even to bow back.

  The man spoke first.

  “Reporting as ordered…” Then he looked around. “We’re supposed to find a Benoist? I don’t know his title or how to address him.” The man looked down, seeming shamed over the idea.

  Walking over, to work the device, Albert nodded.

  “That’s me. No title or anything like that. Call me Albert, or Benoist if that works better for you. Um… You’ll be working for Peterson here, directly. She has your orders. Delivering food and water, as well as acting as guards to prevent kidnapping and helping to investigate missing persons. Thank you all for coming.” He bowed, which given his words had everyone in the area doing that as well. Even the ones eating on the ground, stood for it.

  Which got him to wince and waved them down again.

  Alison took over, as if born to such work, speaking as she moved to the next
food unit, with Albert making sandwiches and wraps, then moving machines when the working material ran out, and started on cans of juice.

  The Flyers were portioned into working groups and shown where to go on a map that Countess Thomson had up on her handheld. Not all of the military men had such devices themselves. Only six of them, in fact. They were all put in as section heads, since they knew where to go. They had to make calls, to find where people had vanished from, but half an hour later, most of the food and drink had gone out, without any complaints from the men.

  Then, it was clear that, while they thought that kind of work was beneath them, the investigation was the important part of things. The food and drink were then, more or less the bribes to be used to get people to cooperate with them. That idea went over better than just being helpful did for some reason.

  For his part, Albert was able to work then, after taking several more accella at least. His face hurt in places, as did his left side, from the burn there. That didn’t stop him from keeping on top of things, thankfully. He wasn’t all that pleasant to work with, naturally. He snapped at Alison at least twice, inside the first six hours.

  That was mainly because she tried to take a break, when it was time for them to take the base down and move it to a better location, closer to where they were needed.

  “Hey! Get off your behind and go get everyone out of the barracks! We need to move everything inside twenty minutes. That’s take down to having everything back up again. Why are you sitting?” He was tired too, but still on his feet, hobbling a bit from the discomfort.

  The girl glared at him, but stood.

  “Sorry. I’m not used to work, I guess.” She sounded a bit miserable about it, as if it were a huge failing on her part and not him being mean, in the moment. Even if she probably got that as well. The woman was brilliant, after all. That was clear, after being around her for a while. Her ideas as far as the investigation were professional and seemed to already be bearing fruit.

  They hadn’t found anyone yet, but there were common descriptions of who had been around before the people went missing. A name, as well. Barton. No one knew if that was a first name or a last, but the flying military men had heard of the fellow, a noble tall man with brown hair, in at least three different places, right before girls and woman had gone missing.