by Jez Cajiao
“Very well.”
“No bother, laddie; lookin’ forward to it!”
“Sounds like fun!”
I felt them all leave my mind, Oracle leaving a slight sense of trepidation and amusement behind. I gestured to Cai, as he stood talking to Oren at the foot of the warship’s gangplank. The pair of them trotted over, meeting me halfway. I grinned at them and waved to the ships settled in their designated areas.
“It’s a hell of a sight, isn’t it!” I said, getting a mixed response from them both.
“It’s impressive; I’m just glad we managed to get the room cleared enough in time for your arrival,” said Cai, while Oren grumped looking around the room.
“All I’m sayin’, laddie, is tha’ we could o’ fit the ‘Grace’ in right over there…!” I frowned, my gaze following where he pointed, and he growled at me in annoyance. “The Grace were ma ship! Th’ one ye butchered!”
“Ah, sorry, mate… but thanks to her, we survived, and you got this nice, new, shiny warship, didn’t you?” I replied, giving him an apologetic clap on the shoulder.
“Aye, but she be slow, laddie; oh, so slow! She needs the repairs ye promised!”
“How slow is she in comparison?” I asked, and he spat on the floor, getting a glare from me that turned his face white.
“Sorry! Ah… sorry, Jax,” he mumbled, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, and wiping it up quickly before going on in a much more respectful tone. “Well, ye see, the issue be that she were built as a heavy scout. She be neither something, nor nothin’, iff’n ye understand? A scout should be fast, nimble; but a ‘heavy’ is the opposite of whut a scout should be. She be great fer missions away on her own, but she be one o’ the first o’ a new breed, an’ they always be a bit… weird. A tester, iff’n ye will.”
“A prototype, we’d have called her. Okay, I get that. So does Barabarattas have more like her?”
“Aye, laddie; Himnel has a full twenty o’ her, along wit’ two cruisers and one big bastard tha’ be in dock, still bein’ built.”
“Okay, and what about Narkolt?” I asked, wondering at the ‘big bastard’.
“About th’ same; they only got four scouts, but eight cruisers. It’s less ‘n numbers, but more ‘n firepower, Barabarattas has better defenses around Himnel, so it be a standoff. Both sides send out raidin’ parties, fight it out, and flee back,” Oren said with a shrug.
“Okay, but if she’s built off a scout’s design, why do you say she’s slow?” I asked.
“Her top speed do be about eighty to a hun’red miles a day. Tha’s it, and she be nowhere near that now. She be able to do barely half that; her engines need to be properly fixed, not jus’ a swap out o’ some parts, an’ even then she be beat hands down by the ‘Grace’ or the ‘Freedom’. They both be makin’ a hun’red to a hun’red and thirty a day!” Oren shook his head in exasperation as he looked the warship over, watching the way the engineers were already poking and prodding at her. “I do be needin’ to tell them whut to do, an’ where to start. How long do we have?” I considered it and shrugged. I’d been keeping watch all the way back and had only seen a few ships in the far distance, so I knew we had at least two days before even a ‘fast’ ship like Decin’s could reach us.
“You’ve got four days,” I said firmly, “That’s the maximum, though; you need to post a watch and make sure nobody is coming. If they are, I want the ships able to fly at least twelve hours before anyone can reach us. If nobody comes by the four-day mark, we’ll reevaluate it. Is that enough to get much done?”
“Four days? Aye, laddie! We can do a lot wi’ tha’!” He grinned widely. “Now, do ye need anythin’, or can I…?” He gestured towards the engineers and Decin, who’d just come down his own gangplank.
“You can play with the engineers afterward!” I told him, trying not to laugh. “We need to get everyone together to have a ‘swearing in’ first. Gather Decin and his people together for me, okay?”
“I’ve already started gathering our people, as well, Jax.” Cai nodded over to over a dozen people who were waiting patiently, Isabella amongst them as she spoke to Ame and the other Mer.
Even at this distance, I could see her brilliant smile and the way people seemed to congregate around her. I shifted my gaze between Cai and the group as Oren stomped toward Decin, shouting random abuse at him.
“So, how are things with Isabella, then?” I asked him quietly, feeling Oracle as she flew over to sit lightly on my shoulder. Cai started, as he realized he’d been staring, and looked around, making sure Oren was out of hearing before he responded quietly, shooting us a quick smile.
“They are…surprisingly good, Jax, thank you. We are enjoying each other’s company. I don’t know how things are done where you came from, but here, especially with my kind, we are very cautious with matters of the heart. We have enjoyed meals together, and she assists me with my work. I am…content, and I believe she feels the same way.”
“Have you told her how you feel?” I asked him, and he shook his head.
“At this stage, it is too early. We are interested in each other and have both made that clear. Now we wait, we spend time together, and we see what grows from those seeds. It is our way.”
“Okay, I get that’s your way. Is that her way, though?” I asked bluntly.
“I…”
“I don’t want you to lose her because this isn’t the way things are done for her, mate. She’s from a small village that was recently raided by an airship who took her as a slave. Some of them were taken and…used…by the assholes on board. She’s very beautiful, so you need to be careful. I can’t imagine they’d have missed her.” I observed the way his ears flattened, and he glared at me. “Whoa, dude. I hope I’m wrong. I’m just saying you need to be aware; she might have issues that…”
“I don’t care if she was taken by them! That’s not all she is!” he snapped at me, and I shook my head in response.
“No,” I said gently. “No, I don’t mean like that. If she was assaulted, all I care about is making sure that she’s okay, those that hurt her already got what was coming to them. What I meant was…”
“What Jax meant is that she will need you to understand her, to be patient, but also to show her how you feel,” Oracle cut in, clipping me lightly across the back of the head. “He says it terribly, but his heart is in the right place, you know that.” Cai shifted his glare to her for a second, before closing his eyes and exhaling slowly. When he opened them, he had visibly calmed, and when he spoke, the anger had been tamped down in his voice.
“I know. I am sorry, Jax; Oracle,” he said. “Amongst my kind, things are very different. Some like to have multiple partners, while others do not. Some, like myself, have one and only one, until death separates us, and some maintain harems. It is a personal choice, but the one thing that is never accepted amongst us is force. If one was found to have forced another, they become clanless. They are sold to slavers or put to death. The victim is given all the support they need, and more, as the entire clan becomes their family, looking out for and protecting them. My father was made clanless for such a crime. The clan raised me and guided me.
That I was forced into slavery too, even if by a crime, will forever stain my soul by association.”
“A crime?” I asked him, and he shook his head sadly.
“I was starving. I had been robbed and beaten, left for dead in the streets like the fool I was, and I had no choice. I stole food; I managed to escape a few times, but then I was caught and made a slave.”
“Fuck, this conversation took a miserable turn.” I said without thinking about it, then I froze as I realized I’d said that aloud. There was a long pause as my brain frantically cast around for a way to take that back… when Cai began to laugh.
“You are subtle as always, my friend!” he said, wiping a tear from his eye. “You are right; it was a depressing topic, and do not fear. I will speak to Isabella, make it clear how I feel, and then I will
let her make the next move, as the signs I have given her are clear to my race, but perhaps not to a human or an elf.” I drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, shaking my head in relief.
“Sorry, mate. That didn’t come out as intended. If you want to talk, I’m always here, you know.” Cai nodded his thanks and gestured to the group of people that was slowly growing.
“I know, Jax, and thank you. I suggest we get on with ‘swearing them in’, as you put it. Then we have much to discuss.” I nodded at him and smiled.
“You’re damn right we do, mate. We’re going to take Ame and Oracle, and the four of us are going to choose her path as best as we can, then we’re going to choose the best spells and skills to give out to people, and kickstart the Tower to life!”
“Excellent! I have a few suggestions as to who would do well with certain skills, although… might we include Isabella? She has been instrumental in creating the list of villagers and their skills.” I paused thoughtfully for a minute; if I allowed her to come along and help to make that decision, I was essentially letting her join the ‘inner ranks’ of my council, but if she was the best person for the job…
“Not right now, Cai. I know she’s good at what she’s doing, but I’m not ready to have her involved at that level, not in the Hall of Memories directly. We will see for the future. I’d rather not have Ame in there either, but with her skills… she might be more important than she knows.”
“Of course, Jax; it was only an idea.” Cai forced a smile and nodded his head in acquiescence.
“Okay then, let’s get them all together,” I said, and Cai nodded again, moving off to gather the stragglers.
“Why don’t you want Isabella in the Hall of Memories?” Oracle asked me quietly, and I looked up at her.
“It’s not so much about Isabella, as that it’s too much, too soon. If Ame is going to be our only magical crafter, and have a second line as a healer, she’s going to have a voice on our little council. We’re going to need to be very careful about who we bring into that, as it’s a position of power. We’re also going to have to be careful who we exclude, as it’ll piss people off. For now, Cai, Oren, and Barrett make sense, as they cover each logistical side of things: Cai for resident management and the Tower, Oren for the Airships and Barrett for the fighters, guards, and soldiers."
"Once we add in Ame, we’ll have a crafter and healer rolled into one as well, but what then? Do we have a farmer, someone from each other crafting group we’ll need? What about scouts; do they come in separate to the fighters? Hunters? It’s growing too fast, and we need a plan.” I murmured to her. “I miss when it was just us and Bob.”
“I know,” she said softly, looking over to where Bob hulked silently off to one side, watching everyone. “I don’t think he’s happy, you know?”
“Bob?” I asked, surprised, looking over at him.
“Yeah; remember, Jax, you created him, gave him life and a soul, of sorts. He’s your guardian, but you’ve got more people watching out for you now. I don’t think he knows what to do with himself.
He seems fine most of the time, but then…” I made my way to Bob before she’d even finished her thought. I wasn’t having this!
“Hey, Bob!” I said as I came to a halt before him, looking up into the glowing sparks of his eyes. Even now, he towered over me, a hulking skeletal creation covered in bone armor, a nightmare to face in a fight, but he was a damn good friend to me, and had been since I’d created him. I wasn’t having him feeling discarded, not Bob. “I’m sorry, buddy; I’ve been caught up in everything, and I’ve not given you the time you deserve. I need to ask you a question, though, and I want you to think as hard as you can, okay? Nod once if you understand me.” Bob stood motionless for a long while, and just as I was about to speak, he nodded, slowly. “That’s great. Okay then, Bob, you nod once for yes, and twice for no, okay?"
"Do you understand that?” Again, there was a long break, then he nodded once.
“Whoo boy, I really hope you actually understand me,” I muttered, then I straightened up and looked him in the eye sockets. “I need to know if you want to stay with me, if you want to keep doing what you’ve been doing, acting as my bodyguard and tank in fights. I need you to nod once; if you don’t want to, then nod twice, okay?”
There was a long pause as Bob seemed to consider, then a nod. I was just about to relax, when he pointed to the side, directly at the people mingling about, waiting on me. I looked over at them, then at Bob, who kept pointing at them, then slowly pointed at me, then at them and nodded firmly again.
“Okay, I’ve no idea…” I muttered, and looked at Oracle, who sat with a huge grin on her face. “What, you get what he means?” I asked her. She leapt from my shoulder, coming to point to the left of our small group, and Bob slowly pointed to me, then to her, then across to the far side at the people gathered there.
“Of course!” Oracle cried out, flying across to land on one of his huge shoulders, leaning in and kissing the polished dome of bone.
“Well don’t keep me in fuckin’ suspense, Oracle, give me a clue here!” I said, exasperated.
“He wants to be a bodyguard still; he wants to protect you, but he also wants to protect us all!” she said, flying back to hover before me. “Think about it, Jax. His mind is based on your own, and what’s the strongest impulse you feel?” A proud smile played on her lips.
“I… I don’t know?” I muttered, thoroughly confused.
“It’s the impulse that brought you here, the one that drove you through all the dreams you had, it’s the one that made you take all these people in, and declare war on Himnel and Barabarattas, despite it being ‘just you’,” she said, flashing to full size and landing gently.
She stepped close, placing her right hand over my heart, and smiling at me, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
“The need to protect, Jax. You always stand up for those that need it. You’ll fight anyone to help those that need a friend, and Bob…?” she said, half turning and reaching out to him. He slowly reached a massive hand out to her, and she patted it, her smile growing even wider. “Bob feels what you feel; he wants to be a bodyguard, but not just for you. he wants to protect us all; isn’t that right?” Oracle said, looking up at Bob, and as I watched, he slowly nodded his head a final time, before lifting his right fist and smacking it into his chest in salute, the dull boom echoing back from the vaulted ceilings and around the quiet hall.
“Then that makes things even easier, my friend.” I said quietly, smiling up at him. “Thank you. You’re going to be busy, though! Come on, let’s get this started.” I returned the salute to Bob, and the three of us turned, walking over to where everyone had gathered.
“I’ll make sure everyone that hasn’t already sworn gets the Oath pushed out to them… and I’ll make sure there’s enough mana ready for when they swear.”
Oracle spoke in the silence of my mind, and I smiled at her, nodding a thanks as we came to a halt before everyone. Not all members of the Tower were there, but enough were, and more were trickling in every minute. There were enough here to get started, though, and I began speaking to all that were gathered, waiting on me.
“Thank you all for coming here. I know that some of you have gone through this before, but I think it helps our new recruits to see that you all did the same. We’re going to take the Oath now, and after that, you’ll be citizens of the Great Tower. Once that’s done, we’ll get you somewhere to call your own, a job, and we’ll get on with the day!”
Oren emerged from the mass of people, assuming what he’d decided his role in all this was.
“Right, you bunch o’ buggers! You’ll be seein’ a notification from th’ Tower right about now! I want ye all to take a deep breath, and repeat after me…I swear…”
“I swear to obey Lord Jax and those he places over me; I will serve to the best of my ability, speak no lie to him when the truth is commanded, and treat all other citizens as family.
; I will work for the greater good, being a shield to those that need it, a sword to those that deserve it, and a warden to the night.”
“I will stand with my family, helping one another to reach the light, until the hour of my death or my Lord releases me from my Oath.”
“Lastly, I will not be a dick!”
I felt the mana flowing from the Tower again, directed entirely by Oracle this time. I’d not been involved at all, beyond being the focal point, and I felt an awareness of their mana streams all joining my own. I could feel where each of them stood in that moment, before the feeling died away, and I opened my eyes again, unaware I’d closed them. I smiled at them all, seeing that more had arrived dirty and sweating during the Oath, and had rushed to take part, a smile on all their faces.
“I, Lord Jax, do swear to protect and lead you, to be the shield that protects you and yours from the darkness, and the sword that avenges that which cannot be saved. As the Tower grows in strength, so shall you.” I said, ending the Oath and giving them my promise in return, the last threads of magic reaching out from me to touch them all, binding us together.
There was a long, solemn moment that was, of course, interrupted by Oren.
“Right then, ye bunch o’ buggers, let’s get back to work!” he shouted to the engineers, setting off gleefully towards his ship. I saw Decin start to follow after him, only to be grabbed by the back of his armor by Hanau, who redirected the pair of them over toward me. Ame, Barrett, and Flux followed closely behind, while Cai took the chance to draw Isabella aside for a quick chat.
“Ah, righto, then…” Decin, said, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. He glanced up at Hanau and took his hand when it was offered, looking back at me as though embarrassed. “Ah, well, we, the crew and I, well…”