“Just what services did you require?” quizzed a still skeptical Malafar.
“There have been several assassination attempts on the Katana,” confided the First Minister. “You many not be aware, but the Katana is magically shielded. The spells are ancient and after the last attempt, the Katana became alarmed. The last attempt, you see, almost penetrated the shields. We believe that the reason you were kidnapped was because you had the power to penetrate the shields. The service we wanted from you was to bolster those very shields.”
“Then why didn’t you just come out and say so,” growled Master Malafar. “I imagined many evil uses you might want my power for. Had you told me the truth, I would have complied.”
“Malafar,” Alazar sighed as he stroked his goatee, “you never gave me the chance. Every time I spoke with you, you refused to even hear what it is we wanted. That is of no consequence now though. The job is complete and the Katana is protected. I hope to have you freed in a matter of days. Unless you wish to stay that is. We still have not captured all of the villains that attacked your academy. I can release you because you are no longer a threat to the Katana, but they are still a threat to you. We have not told anyone else about the new shields so they will still plot to assassinate the Holy Katana.”
“The Katana saw me as a threat to his life?” Master Malafar asked with astonishment. “How could he even think that after Alfred gave his life to save the Katana?”
“I am afraid the Katana does not share your view of Alfred’s death,” the First Minister frowned. “The fact is, I was the one who sent the message to you detailing Alfred’s death. He did not die as I said he did.”
“What do you mean?” asked Master Malafar.
Alazar walked over and sat on the bed. “Alfred and I did not get along well,” he confessed. “He did not trust me very much and I cannot say that I blame him. When Alfred was first chosen for the Monitors, I gave my blessing to it. He came from a good family and his skills were extraordinary. He was a very promising young man and he served with distinction.”
“It is hard for me to believe that I am hearing this from you,” interrupted Master Malafar. “Of all the people in Okata, Alfred trusted you the least. Now you tell me that his mistrust was correct? Why are you telling me this? Am I still to die?”
“No, you are to go free as I said,” insisted the First Minister. “I am loyal to my country, Master Malafar, and Alfred was loyal to his. The problem lies in the fact that we are talking about two different countries.”
“What are you talking about?” growled the old mage. “Get to the point.”
“Very well,” sighed Alazar. “This is hard for me, because I am about to tell you something that you will not want to hear. Alfred did not die protecting the Katana. The Katana had him executed because he was a Sakovan spy.”
“Preposterous!” exclaimed Master Malafar. “Alfred was no more a Sakovan spy than you or I or the Katana himself.”
“When Alfred first came here, I would have agreed with you,” Alazar shook his head. “As First Minister, one of my jobs is to check out government employees of the highest level. The Monitors fall into this category. Do you remember a man coming to your home and asking questions about Alfred after he became a Monitor?”
“Certainly,” Master Malafar declared, “and I answered them all truthfully. It was about a year after Alfred joined the Monitors. The questions were not especially pointed in any event. Mostly it was about his training and grades and relationships with any groups.”
“Precisely,” nodded Alazar. “They are pretty much standard questions asked of all recruits. We send men out to talk to the families and people in the towns and villages where the recruits come from. The problem is that we do this right after or right before the recruit enters the Monitors, not a year later. Alfred was such a promising recruit that we did not really scrutinize his reports very well at first. After a while the Katana asked me to investigate him again. He was not specific with his reasons and I chose not to question the Holy Katana as to why he wanted it done. I went over the reports thoroughly and noticed the discrepancy in your report. Alfred was missing a year of his life.”
“That is not possible,” frowned Master Malafar. “Alfred joined the Monitors a year before I was questioned about him. We were all so proud of him.”
“Think for a moment,” suggested the First Minister. “You understand why we gather such information. Why would we wait a year to investigate? That would be putting the Katana at risk for an entire year because we could not afford the time of a clerk to go get the report? I personally found it hard to believe, so I started having him watched. He was always a very observant person and he knew he was being watched. He also knew it was my men who were watching him. Yes Alfred began to hate me and yes he had cause to. I was on the verge of having him arrested for discrepancies in his record when the Katana ordered his execution. I fought against it because Alfred had not actually done anything wrong, but the Katana did not care. He was sure that Alfred was a Sakovan spy and the execution was carried out before I could try to talk with Alfred to find out what he was doing for that year.”
“You mean he was executed without proof of the charges?” Master Malafar asked, his voice rising in pitch and volume.
Alazar nodded. “Without even the benefit of a hearing. I was disgusted. Not because Alfred was a close friend, because he was not. I was disgusted because the Katana, the holy leader of our country, would not even allow the boy to speak in his own defense. I was left to inform the family that their son was executed because the Katana wished it. It was a task I could not do. Another student died the same day in Okata. He died in a freak accident and I made up a story that Alfred had died saving the Katana’s life from an assassin. It is wrong of me to do, but I could not let anyone know that a heartless cruel man was running the country. I should have. There have been many more such deaths since Alfred. That is why I tell you now. Someone must know other than me.”
Master Malafar lowered his head and wept. His son. His only son. Purposely murdered to protect some old fool. He could accept the story that Alazar had created years ago. At least he had grieved with dignity when he thought Alfred lost his life serving his country, but to hear the real reason for his son’s death shot through him like the ice on a winter pond. All these years he had blamed his brother Temiker for Alfred’s death, only to hear that the story was fabricated.
“How could you have done that?” sobbed Master Malafar. “I have blamed my brother for Alfred’s death all these years because of your tale.”
“I am truly sorry,” Alazar stated. “I did not know the student was one of Temiker’s at the time. Afterwards, I could not change the false story I made up or the truth would have come out. I have devoted my life to protecting the Katana. I could not let everyone know that he was killing innocent young men. I do not know what to do now. I am sworn to protect the Katana and yet I cannot go on watching these senseless killings. I fear my only option is to resign and go into seclusion.”
“Running away from a problem never solved it,” lectured Master Malafar straightening himself and regaining his composure. “There must be something that can be done. There must be laws against such abuse of power.”
“The Holy Katana is above the law,” stated the First Minister. “Perhaps that is why there are so many assassination attempts these days. Of course, nobody will succeed. Weapons cannot be brought anywhere near him and his shields will protect him against even the most powerful wizard. He will go on killing until he reaches a ripe old age. No, I must consider running away, Master Malafar. I cannot watch the slaughter any more. I will work on your release as swiftly as I can,” he said rising from the bed. “I want you out of here before he thinks you are a spy as well. You have suffered more than any Omungan deserves to. I must go now.”
Master Malafar sat in a daze digesting the information he had learned as the First Minister left the cell. He had been a blind fool. Temiker and he had been cl
ose as youngsters. Even into their middle ages they had been more than brothers, they had been good friends. Malafar had destroyed that. He had cast Rhodella aside as well for she always tried to affect reconciliation between Temiker and himself, a reconciliation that he would have no part of. Now she was dead because of his foolishness. Dozens of people were dead because he had refused to use his power to stop the attack on the academy. Lyra was probably dead as well. Temiker too.
Master Malafar rose and started pacing his cell. All of this death because the Council had chosen a lunatic to run the country. So many lives ruined for no good cause. Well, enough was enough, he reasoned. He was prepared to die for his country when he was captured. He was no less prepared now than he was then. So the Katana had shields to protect him, did he? Reinforced by some student? Malafar laughed. There is no student alive that could produce a shield that he could not penetrate. Master Malafar still had a life to give to his country, but now he also had a plan to take one for his country as well. When Master Malafar got done with Okata, the Katana’s Council would be meeting to select a new Katana.
The First Minister walked into the Council Chamber and assumed his position to the right of the Katana. He smiled inwardly at the empty seat where the Minister of Defense normally sat.
“Ministers,” announced Alazar when everyone was seated, “the Katana’s Council is now in session. It is with profound regret that I must inform you that the Minister of Defense, Doharte, was murdered last night. As is the custom, this Council must choose a replacement. I open the floor for suggestions.”
The Minister of Agriculture, Asgarte, rose. “It has been quite some time since we have had to fill a vacancy,” the overweight man began. “I was not sure of the proper procedures so I invited General Didyk here to speak. I believe he will make an excellent replacement for Minister Doharte.”
There were murmurs around the table and Alazar fumed. It was not the proper procedure, as Minister Asgarte probably knew. The Council was to discuss the matter and select the individual without opportunity for outside discussion. Didyk was unpredictable and uncontrollable. Alazar could not accept him as a replacement for Doharte, but most of the other ministers would. The General had an excellent record and he was very aggressive. Alazar would rather have Doharte still alive than allow Didyk a seat on the Council.
“This is not the proper procedure,” announced the First Minister. “We do not allow the candidate to walk in and address us. This is a decision for us alone. The are many fine Generals in the army and to select one of them is hard enough as it is without you inviting one of them and not the others.”
“We cannot slight General Didyk now that he has been invited though,” declared the Katana. “We should invite him in to speak and then begin our own discussion after he has left. If we wish, we may decide to extend the same opportunity to the other candidates, or we may not.”
Alazar nodded and signaled the guard to let the General in. There was no point in asking anyone else’s opinion after the Katana decided. General Didyk marched stiffly into the chamber, his hat under his arm. His lips tried to form a smile, but his square face had more the look of rock than flesh. His hair was cut short and was black with a single streak of white running through it. He paraded towards the table and halted noisily behind Doharte’s empty chair, as if it was already his to occupy.
“General Didyk,” smiled Alazar, “thank you for coming to address the Council today. It is a sad occasion for all of us that we must meet to replace one of our own. Your record is excellent and this Council will take your advice seriously. We know that the army has many fine generals such as yourself and it is a credit to all of you that you work so well together. I would like you to recommend three people that possess the proper qualities to replace Minister Doharte.”
The only sign of distress from the general was a slight twitching of one eye, but Alazar smiled when he saw it. “Three?” Didyk questioned. “I feel that I am the obvious choice for the position. I thought that was why I was asked here.”
Asgarte cringed when Alazar glared at him. “General,” the First Minister smiled, “I am not aware of what you thought, but I am aware of the needs of the Council. You have the finest military record of anyone I have ever known, but the duties of the Minister of Defense are not of the same quality as war battles. I can assure you that we expect your name to be one of the three you recommend, but we do need two more.”
A slight hint of a scowl showed on Didyk’s face. “If I were to die today,” General Didyk stated, “only General Valdey or General Romero would be acceptable.”
“I see,” Alazar said. “Both of the General’s you mentioned also have distinguished careers. I feel that you have chosen well from the army’s viewpoint. Are there questions from the Ministers before we allow the General to leave?”
Nobody spoke and Alazar indicated that the General should leave. The First Minster waited until the door was closed before speaking. “I think General Didyk is a good choice,” he announced and saw Asgarte’s face smile. “I also agree with the General that Valdey and Romero are good choices as well. Together they are the finest Generals this nation has ever seen. I would hate to see them working at odds with each other. The pity is, that is what we may face if we choose one over the other.”
Asgarte’s face clouded with confusion, but it was the Holy Katana who spoke. “What do you mean?” asked the Katana. “Do you fear that whoever we choose, the other two may try to make him look bad?”
“That and more,” Alazar explained. “There are some important items to discuss today that will have an impact on our decision for replacing Doharte. While the items may be interpreted differently by others, it is clear to me that we may be going to war soon. If I am right, and you may say if, this nation is going to need the finest generals we can get out in the field. The duties of the Minister of Defense are much less demanding than those of a general. As long as the new minister reflects the needs of the army, he need not be one of our best generals.”
“You mean not to choose any of the three?” the Minister of Finance asked.
“Correct,” smiled Alazar. “We have many generals in the army. A great number of them would make an excellent Minister of Defense. They all know the army well. They all want to represent it fairly. Let’s face it, we do not pick the best farmer for Minister of Agriculture or the best merchant for Minister of Trade. We should choose a general who can fit in well with the rest of us and leave the battlefield generals in the battlefield.”
“I suppose you have already selected such a general?” posed Asgarte.
“Not really,” answered Alazar. “I have spent a great deal of time thinking about it though and reviewing their files. I am merely suggesting that we discuss them all and select one from the less distinguished ranks.”
The First Minister saw nods of approval from most of those present. He felt a shiver of jubilation race up his spine. The majority was ready to take the easy way out and the rest would follow their lead in a moment.
“Good,” declared the First Minister. “I have a list of twenty lesser generals whose appointment to this Council would fulfill our needs.”
“Twenty?” coughed the Minister Finance. “That could take all day. Why such a long list? Can’t you narrow it down?”
“If we are agreeing to choose a lesser general,” interjected the Minister of Trade, “why do we care which one it is? Just pick the first one. You said they were all qualified.”
“I agree,” the defeated Minister of Agriculture stated. “The Minister of Defense is only one seat on this Council and we have more immediate problems to discuss. If they are all qualified then it doesn’t really matter which one we choose. I vote for the first one on the list.”
Murmurs of assent spread around the table and Alazar reached over and picked up the list he had passed around the table.
“Very well,” he sighed. “I have tried to produce the best list I could, but I do agree that we have some pressing items
to discuss. Let’s see. Kapla. General Kapla is the lucky man. All those in favor of selecting General Kapla, raise their hand.”
The vote was unanimous with the exception of the Katana. Many times the Katana chose not to vote and sometimes he did. The First Minister assumed that this was one of the times he chose not to and signaled the guard to summon General Kapla.
“I think we should start on the reports now,” Alazar commanded. “I know we have some disparaging news on all fronts. Minister of Agriculture, would you begin please.”
Minister Asgarte rose. “I am sure that most of you are aware of the devastation in Campanil. The watula loss there was practically complete. Just before harvest was the worst time that this could have occurred because it leaves no time for planting additional fields and supplies were already low. The Campanil area supplies over 60% of the watula in Omunga and the destruction will be felt everywhere. I am working now to have fields cultivated in other areas of the country in case the Sakovans continue to attack Campanil. The residents of Campanil are reluctant to work the fields for fear of more attacks.”
Asgarte glanced to the empty seat and shook his head. “I had planned to ask the Minister of Defense today to increase the troop strength in the Campanil area so that we could get workers back out to those fields, but I guess that will have to wait for the new Minister. We are reacting as swiftly as we can and I will have a more detailed report of our progress at the next meeting.”
The Minister of Finance rose next and detailed how the destruction at Campanil would affect not only that local economy, but the national economy as well. As the price of watula rose, other goods would rise with it as competition for food increased. He noted that tax revenues would be lost because of the destruction and the expenses would increase if they had to supply more troops to the area.
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