Other than the relatives of Sentinel Tarkona, only a small number of families had accepted Daniel’s offer to have his Accomplisheds convey them to Dolin. The vast majority had gone to Lyson City in the belief help would arrive once the delegation brought the matter to the king. Daniel fixed his gaze on Bernard and asked, “What is the hold up in Tara?”
The Conductor of the Department of Emissaries cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. “Accomplished Lannier is there in the capitol and has attempted to set up an audience with the king. I believed an Aakacarn of northern Taracopian birth might set Van Efery at ease, but it was a futile gesture. Roren Decapus, a Two-bolt Accomplished of the Eagle Guild, is the ambassador from Aakadon, and he currently has the king’s ear. The Grand Maestro has blamed you, Maestro, for the High Power spell-casting, and that is probably why Aakadon is not investigating Filia. Bufer Quooter is the Accomplished from Aakadon to Decoda and the capitol city of Demfilia is less than a few hundred spans from the mountain. The leaders of Aakadon have known the epicenter of the spell from the first casting. Their obvious prejudice against you is most likely why they see no Serpent Guild involvement. The problem we have in Taracopa is the king being afraid of us and so remaining ignorant of the additional threat to his realm from the east. Conventional means of communication will eventually reach him but not before it is too late. From what we just heard from Conductor Cresh, the eastern land is now under Aczencopan rule, and it will take a mighty effort to change that fact.”
Daniel turned to Jennel. “I want food and a team of healers sent to Lyson City. I dare not put the Chosen’s Sentinels or Benhannon Guard on Taracopian soil without Van Efery’s say so. Those uniforms are the personal muster of a Ducaunan Royal Knight of the Realm and their presence could be construed as an official act of Queen Cleona.”
“It will be as you say, Maestro,” said the Conductor of the Health Department. “We Accomplisheds and your two non-Aakacarn forces serve the same man, Maestro and Knight, even so it is a fine legal distinction and we shall be discrete.”
“A fine but necessary distinction,” Sherree voiced her opinion. “Mullen Lanier’s task is difficult enough without us providing filler to the lies spewing from Aakadon.”
Captain Van Etter and Captain Isly, and their crews had been certified, and were patrolling the Taltin Sea. Daniel had hoped to include the former Taracopian dreadnaught commanders in the delegation, but their current mission was vital and he hesitated to call them or any of the former crew members of the warships back. An idea began to form and half the people at the table raised their eyebrows at the smile he could not hold back. “Deputy Sheriff Zackery Cloven will have to go with a delegation headed by Mayor Van Lyson, but before he does, he and his fellow deputies must capture a high Aczencopan military officer. Sam, help them as much as you can without being directly involved with the capture. The king will not refuse to grant an audience to his own officials bringing proof of an invasion.”
Leah began shaking her head. “I once worked with Roren Decapus and I know he will ask for and receive permission to determine the truth. He will use the spell, Truth Speak, and his questions will be about you and any Atlantan Guild activities in Taracopa.”
“I’m counting on it,” Daniel replied. “Let the old Soarer confirm from the Aczencopan officer the extent of the invasion and verify the testimony of our delegation of loyal Taracopians.”
“That will work,” Bernard said. “An Accomplished of Aakadon will do the convincing for us without Mullen Lannier having to set foot outside of his hotel.”
Daniel switched his attention to the ISIG Conductor. “Sam, I want the rapid response team you choose to act quickly in the matter of helping Deputy Cloven capture an officer. I prefer a General but a knowledgeable Colonel will do,” he ordered and in a lighter tone added, “I hope you set this up in time to be at the creation of the first Atlantan Guild underwater vehicle.”
Samuel blinked, and four Conductors began speaking at once.
“I heard you are considering a crew of three to five Accomplisheds,” Martin said. “The idea came from a member of the Department of Education and Research so the vehicle should be operated by my researchers, especially since it will be an invaluable tool for exploration.”
“Clearly, this is an instrument of war and should be operated by Accomplisheds of the Defense Department,” Jeremiah jumped in.
“Obviously, after the prototype is created, this is a project to be turned over to Design and Development,” Franklin Togan added his voice to the mix.
“The vessel will need an Accomplished with a command level array and that means someone from the Department of Communication,” Daria’s was the last voice to join the quartet.
Daniel raised his hand, causing absolute quiet. “The standard number of crew members will be three. An Accomplished from the Research division will pilot the vehicle, an Accomplished of Communications will be aboard, but will also operate the forward crescendos, and an Accomplished from the Defense Department will operate the rear crescendo. The remaining two seats will be filled on a case by case basis, depending on the mission. Even though each person will have a specific function, all crew members will be cross-trained and ready to step into whatever role is required. This rule also applies to whoever occupies the fourth and fifth seats no matter which department the Accomplished is a part of. The person can be from the ISIG or any other division of the Atlantan Guild.”
No one argued with the decision.
“May we see the prototype?” Franklin asked.
Daniel pictured the manta in complete detail, focused, and created a solidified model with fins stretching the entire length of the table, and the observation window facing Franklin. It floated about a hand-length above the surface. Seams appeared when he willed the contoured hatch above the crews’ compartment to open in order to display the interior. Everyone except Daniel instantly sprang to their feet and began examining the vehicle.
“This is magnificent,” declared the Conductor of Design and Development.
“Accomplished Glader will be pleased tomorrow when he witnesses the creation of this manta ray,” Martin commented.
Leah came over and stood beside Daniel. “I not only look forward to replicating the manta, I am going to spend some time piloting one of the vehicles. Jeremiah, I think you should also be familiar with the functions of this craft. A good understanding of the manta’s capabilities will be essential in the planning of missions.”
Conductor Lassiter was running his hand over the smooth contour of the left fin. He looked up at the First Accomplished. “Oh, I intend to have my turn at the controls of a manta, and let no one doubt this submersible vehicle will be used to good effect in the War of the Champions.”
After everyone was through admiring the new tool in the Atlantan Guild arsenal, Daniel willed the craft to disappear and called the meeting back to order. Sandra was the next Conductor to make a report. “To date, world-wide, my Seekers have located and recruited three thousand six hundred twenty-two Aakacarns, all of which have been turned over to the Department of Education. We have also caught eight hundred Condemneds that had been lurking throughout Ducaun. Those have been turned over to the Health Department,” she stated.
If past experience could be used as a guide, all but a few of the tortured souls would volunteer to join the Sentinels. His muster was still growing, “What he needs will be drawn to him,” Daniel remembered Ruth, Samuel’s grandmother, explaining about the swirling effect of the Chosen Vessel.
The remaining Conductors gave their reports and Daniel decided to spend the rest of the evening alone with his wife, after one little side trip. “Keep up the good work. Let’s all get some rest because tomorrow’s chores will come early,” he said at the end of the meeting.
As the others filed out, Sam held back. “Not all of us can go rest right now, not if you want that little operation in Taracopa to happen soon.”
“That does not sound like the Talent
ed I once travelled with on a journey to Mount Tannakonna,” Sherree spoke up. “That fellow seemed to always be in a hurry.”
“Do you need a vacation?” Daniel asked.
Sam smiled. “No, I just wanted to make a point about not everyone being able to go rest. I could not relax right now even if I wanted to, which I don’t. You gave me an itch that will not stop until it is scratched. I’ll go from here to meet with Darrel Logan, he and his team are more than capable of doing what is required and with the utmost discretion.”
“Darrel is a good choice,” Sherree agreed.
Daniel also agreed and closed his eyes until Samuel vanished in a flash-bang. Carlos and Sero were waiting in the hall when he and Sherree exited the conference room. Silvia and David had their heads together in a private conversation about five doors away to the right. “Accomplished Tiran, would you convey us to the Benhannon Estate? I want to speak with some of our Taracopian guests in Lanta before going to bed,” Daniel asked.
“It will be as you say, Maestro,” Carlos replied, waited for the Teki escorts to come near, and then cast the spell.
-----
Shortly after dawn the next day Daniel decided the task of creating the first manta ray took him longer to accomplish than the first Wager-class patrol boat, even though the surface vessel was much larger. While being smaller than the earlier project, the ray-shaped vehicle was far more complicated, especially the skin. The outer layer had to be durable and flexible, which had been the easy part. It was the thousands of fibers acting as muscles that had required so much of his concentration.
The only boat in its slip at the Benhannon Naval Facility was the RiverDancer. His parents stood beside him, along with every department head and a sizable number of Accomplisheds from Defense, Communications, and Research. His regular entourage was also on hand, Silvia, David, Carlos, along with Sero, and they all applauded Daniel’s creation on the dock in front of the bungalow.
Wait till the hatch opens, he thought, that should really get them excited. “Dad, since you were kind enough to provide me with a bucket of the sap mixture from which I was able to increase, modify, and create the skin, you will be one of the first to ride on Manta One.” The people of Tannakonna did not want the secret of the saps known to flatlanders so he decided it did no harm to humor them by saying, “mixture.”
His father smiled. “Accomplished Obennen provided me with transportation to and from Tannakonna. Even so, I accept the invitation to be among the first.”
“Marsha, you will have your place on the next voyage. Samuel, I see you managed to make it here in time to witness the creation of the first manta. And Simon, I am glad you were able find time to join us,” Daniel told them.
Simon’s lips twitched, briefly forming a half smile, but he stayed silent, evidently choosing not to comment.
Marsha glanced at Miriam. “I will be happy to join your mother on the next trip.”
His mother nodded her head, meaning she was satisfied with the arrangement. “Your father and I showed each of the stubborn lords the armadas off their coasts. They are now convinced of the danger to the realm and will be sending official apologies to the Queen.”
“It is about time,” Daniel replied. “Cleona needs every lord in the realm to cooperate in the defense. Thanks for helping.”
“We were glad to be of use,” both of his parents replied.
Samuel fixed his gaze on Daniel. “I was able to be here because Darrel arrived in Lanta and found Deputy Cloven awake, fully informed, and ready to go. It seems someone with a certain amount of influence came to him at his friend’s house last night and filled him in on the plan.”
Daniel nodded his head and glanced at Silvia before replying, “You’re welcome for the assist. I showed up and spoke to him but Zackery’s cooperation could just be a result of the swirling of events.”
The Teki Seer spoke up. “True, but I think the Deputy’s enthusiasm was more due to the merits of the plan. The man is motivated by devotion to his country and the welfare of its people.”
Daniel agreed with her assessment and also felt enough had been said on that particular subject. “Joel, Sherree, and Leah will also be joining me on the first voyage. I never would have thought to create this vessel if he had not proposed the idea and of course, it is appropriate for the First Lady and First Accomplished to be included.”
He levitated the manta onto the surface of the lake, sideways into the slip belonging to the Wager, and then everyone selected to be on the first voyage followed him out onto the dock. The spell, Reveal, played in his head, and he focused on the ray. The outline of a hatch, one of the little details he had worked out, contoured to the shape of the body, appeared above the crew compartment and then opened. He stepped off the dock onto the back end of the ray and then down the ladder.
“Six and three quarter cubits in height in the center make this space seem cozy,” his father commented after entering the vehicle. “Especially where the manta contours lower in the front and rear.”
“Yes, Manta One is twenty-one paces, front to back, sixty-three paces wide, and seven from top to bottom, but the crew compartment is seven by six and three quarters by fourteen in length,” Daniel informed while making his way to the front right seat. “Joel, you sit up here to my left. Sherree, Leah, Dad, sit wherever you like.”
His father took the seat to the rear facing the tail while Sherree and the First Accomplished took the pair directly behind Daniel, facing forward. He strapped himself in and put on the wristband. It was connected by a durable string-like fiber to the rest of the ship and had three gems on the inside next to his skin. Each amulet contained a specific spell. The ruby provided the shield on the outer skin of the craft, the sapphire contained the spell, Freshen Air, and a turquoise had locked within it the spell he titled, Osprey Vision.
The moment those gems touched his Daniel’s skin; spell-formed windows appeared, giving a panoramic view of the surroundings. “Wow,” Joel said. “I see the sky through the top of this compartment and everything around the surface of the lake through the side windows.”
“Turn around and look at the floor. You can see fish swimming in the water beneath us,” Sherree told him.
“Why did you place a spell-formed window above the observation window?” his father asked.
“And what is the use of the table top attached to the right side of our chairs? I can see they swing up and fold down over our laps.” Leah inquired.
Daniel glimpsed at the compass in the console and then focused on the three gems, topaz, turquoise, and a diamond that he had set in a row down the right side of the control grip. “I added the spell-formed window so the pilot can see even when there is no light. Now, everyone strap in and put on your wristbands. When the amulet embedded in the leather touches your skin, the function of the tables will become self-evident.”
“What do these grips do?” Joel asked while putting on his wristband.
“They control the two forward crescendos. Dad, the one in front of you controls the tail, but only an Aakacarn can operate it,” Daniel answered.
“I will keep that in mind,” Ronn replied. “Oh, I see, an eye-shaped view of the outside has just appeared on my desk.”
It appeared on all of the desks as each individual put on the wristband. A viewer slightly less than a cubit wide had formed on the console in front of Joel. “This even provides depth perception,” he observed, correctly.
“The view adjusts to any direction I will, just like an eye, I can see in any direction and focus incredibly far,” Sherree was the first to make that observation.
“The spell in the amulet is titled, Osprey Vision, and since I have a rather large number of the birds in my swirl, their vision, particularly for spotting fish in the water, is quite familiar to me. They were the inspiration for the visuals and since the spell emanates from the outer skin of the vessel, you can focus the sight in any direction, close up, or far away.” Daniel explained.
He foc
used the spell, Conceal, at the hatch, and the opening closed, seamlessly melding into the body of the craft. “The amulets in my wristband maintain the shield on the outer skin of the vessel, and provide fresh air, along with the panoramic view. While the shield is activated this vessel is impregnable. Not even I could open the hatch or convey into this manta. We can convey out, but not back in.”
Now that the instructional message was out of the way, he closed his right hand around the grip. An eye-shaped viewer formed on the dash above the compass and under it appeared the number, zero, glowing green. He moved the control crescendos forward and to the right, causing the manta to dive beneath the lake and swim out from under the dock. A pair of otters, Wally and Katy, swam into view of the observation window. Since Franklin had drawn mud and rock for the new slips directly from the bottom of the lake, the water here was deep enough for the vessel to maneuver without difficulty.
Even though this was his first time piloting the manta, Daniel’s familiarity with every fiber of the craft made him able to work the vehicle like an appendage of his own body. The muddy banks of the lake were highly visible and so was the entrance to the canal. With gentle movements of his hand, he navigated into the narrow waterway.
“You haven’t touched the CAPU,” Joel noted when he finally brought his attention away from the many views being offered to him from every direction. “This thing is swimming like a real manta ray.”
Daniel nodded his head. “Anyone who wants to pilot this craft or any of the other ones modeled after it should first learn how to make it swim before adding the speed of a CAPU.”
He manipulated the grip and the manta angled up forty degrees, came to a stop, and began swimming backwards. The eye-shaped viewer, responding to his thoughts, focused to the rear, allowing him to see what was behind the craft. “Unlike a Wager class patrol boat, there is no CAPU mounted in the front to make the craft go in reverse, and yet, as you see, a manta can swim in any direction the pilot chooses.”
To Be Grand Maestro (Book 5) Page 34