“Now, you look like you need another drink.” Moses hailed a passing yeoman, grabbed a beer from her serving plate, and slammed it in front of me. “Drink up!”
I finished the dregs of my first mug and sipped on the second. The alcohol was already starting to go to my head, and my heart lightened. Moses was right. Every person who entered the RTF knew of the dangers. At the Academy, recruits were made aware that even in training, death was a possibility, however slight. In the field, it was almost inevitable.
“Make sure you steady yourself,” Moses said as he stood. “You need to be conscious when the captain briefs us about the upcoming mission.”
The shield knight left me, and Casey was still talking with her grandfather. The two enchanters looked deep in conversation, and they took turns waving their arms around emphatically. I got the feeling I might have been the subject of the heated conversation because they looked at me every now and then.
I figured Casey wasn’t going to return to my table anytime soon, so I examined the rest of the crew while I sipped on my beer. It seemed like almost all of them were gathered in the galley. I saw the squire twins, Richard and Nathan, but there was no sign of Neville. I was glad he wasn’t here, since I didn’t want him to talk about the communicator. I could probably concoct some story to get him off my back.
When I focused on the galley again, I saw Olav playing cards at a circular table with two artillerymen, and I couldn’t tell who was winning by their facial expressions. I did not see Elle anywhere. She must have still been annoyed about the conversation in the arcane chamber. I couldn’t imagine her enjoying a drink with the rest of the crew.
My gaze drifted to the long-haired herald knight named Flanagan sitting in the leftmost corner with the stringed axe in his lap. As I watched the man, he started to strum on the instrument. As the melodic sound filled the air, my spirits lifted.
From what I could tell, Flanagan’s runesong was affecting my emotions. Except it didn’t feel like an abuse as it had when Duke Barnes ordered the heralds to play their manipulative music to calm the crowd. This time, it was like the happiness within me was brought to the surface, melting the sadness away.
Casey returned to me as Flanagan’s second song merged into a third with an introductory riff that made me want to leap out of my seat and dance.
“He’s the best herald in the RTF,” the red-haired woman said as she inched a little closer to me.
“How many ‘best in the RTF’ are there aboard the Stalwart? Matthias is the best jump mage, Flanagan is the best herald. I don’t mean any offense, but what are the best specialists doing aboard a ship like this?”
“Humanitarian missions are very important, Nick,” Casey winked at me. I could smell the sweetness of ale on her breath. A piece of her fringe dangled from her hair tie, and she blew it out of her face. The way her lips pursed together made me think about kissing her.
I shook myself free of the thought. The only reason it had come to mind was the beer relaxing me. I’d been given a mission, and I needed to find out more information for Polgar. I couldn’t bring up Brigantes again with her, but there were probably other things the sorcerer would want to know about.
“I don’t mean to speak out of place, but what were you and your grandfather talking about? He seemed a little angry. I got the feeling you two might have been talking about me.”
“Angry? You got that from the death stares he was giving you? He was more furious than angry.” Casey laughed and then shook her head. “Mostly at me, so don’t worry. Grandpa Joseph has a short temper, but he’s a really nice guy.”
“What’d you do?”
“Took someone into the workshop without clearing it of sensitive material first.” Her smile slipped a little, as though she’d said something she shouldn’t have.
“The person was me, wasn’t it?” I asked. “And the sensitive material was the gauntlets?”
“Ah . . .” The question seemed to throw the enchantress even more off-balance.
I didn’t want to upset Casey, but this sounded like useful information for Polgar, so I took a moment to press the issue. “They looked like Master class to me. I didn’t recognize any of the runes.”
“That’s because they’re ancient. Secret runes.” She wiggled her eyebrows causing my desire to kiss her to only increase. It was really hard to act as the queen’s spy when you were a little drunk and faced with a beautiful woman.
I swallowed and was about to ask more about the person who’d given them to her when a strong hand clamped on my shoulder. I turned to see Olav, wearing a massive grin.
“G’day, Squire,” he said as his bearded face turned into a scowl. It looked like he was a few seconds from tearing my head off, and I tried to think about why he might be angry with me. He lifted his hand from my shoulder and punched himself in the chest. “Buuurrrp!”
The belch almost sent me hurling. The uproarious laughter bursting from the knight’s mouth rang in my ears as I tried to keep my stomach down.
“Bloody good job with those pirates. Heard all about your exploits. Sounds like you might be berserker material.” Olav grabbed a passing yeoman by the waist and danced with her as Flanagan started a new runesong.
Casey rolled her eyes at the berserker. When Olav was finished with the dance, he returned to our table to sit beside me. Then he slammed a full stein on the table and slid it over beside my half-full one.
“Thanks, but I already have--”
“Drink!” Olav demanded.
I downed the rest of the second mug, and as soon as I dropped it from my mouth, Olav thrust the third one into my hands.
“Drink!”
I looked to Casey, and she grinned. “Drink!”
Soon, everyone around us was chanting for me to finish the beer. I shrugged my shoulders and swallowed the entire contents of the third stein in five massive gulps.
I let out a long belch, and applause and cheering broke out. The din silenced in an instant, and the crew parted as Captain Cross and Commander Reynolds entered the galley.
I half-expected them to reprimand the crew, but they smiled as they passed. The captain even took a mug filled with beer from one of the tables and emptied it down his throat in a few seconds.
The commander stood beside a viewscreen at the far end of the room, and it flickered to life with a swipe of her hand. Every head turned to face the short-haired woman.
The captain came alongside her and addressed the gathered men and women. “Hello, crew.”
“Captain!” The whole room boomed with the chorused greeting.
A still image of Queen Catrina appeared on the viewscreen. Her golden hair flowed from her head like threads of light, and her eyes sparkled like the sun reflecting off a pristine lake.
Every person got to one knee, even those who’d been sitting in chairs. I followed, surprised a little by the apparent show of devotion. If there were insurrectionists among the crew, then this was a fancy show to hide the fact.
“We honor our beloved Queen, may she reign forever.”
I bowed my head when Captain Cross said the words, and I whispered a silent prayer for the queen’s health.
When I raised my head, the names of the fallen crew members were depicted on the viewscreen below images of their faces.
“These are the men and women who gave their lives for the Stalwart,” the captain said. “Their honorable and faithful service rendered to the Kingdom shall be remembered.”
There were a few minutes of silence. While the last minute ticked away, a yeoman handed filled mugs to every person in attendance. When everyone’s drinks were full, Captain Cross raised his stein.
“To the fallen!”
The crew repeated the words and then every mug was drained. As I sat beside Casey again, the whole room whirled. I never drank this much in one sitting, so my mind swam with the booze, but I managed to concentrate on the captain’s figure through sheer force of will.
“Commander Reynolds will br
ief you all now on the next mission,” Captain Cross said.
I almost choked on the remainder of my beer. I’d forgotten all about the briefing taking place today, and I couldn’t believe anyone would remember a thing afterward considering how drunk everyone seemed. The Stalwart was becoming a stranger assignment by the minute.
“Thank you, Captain,” the commander said with a nod to the man. “This tour’s first mission will take place on Tachion. I’m sure many of you are aware that is a free planet, with all that entails. If you require more information, I’ve added articles to the database for quick reference.”
The viewscreen showed a planet encircled by an auburn ring of atmospheric dust and debris. Mountainous areas covered most of the planet’s surface. Its coloring was a lifeless gray, except for a few patches of green terraforming domes and purple forest areas.
I remembered this planet from my studies at the Academy. Tachion was technically a free planet in that none of the Triumvirate Kingdoms had laid claim to it. Like Tyranus, Tachion was one of the few terraformed planets with frequent Grendel rifts. Although a dangerous place, the loot from the aliens was invaluable.
The three Triumvirate kingdoms ceased empire-building after the Amnesty, but Tachion was a prize worth winning, so the Rutheni and the Aquitanians exerted a ‘peaceful presence’ on the planet.
It was a peculiar location for the Stalwart to visit, particularly because the Tachionese weren’t subjects of the Caledonian Kingdom.
“Technically the kingdoms within the Triumvirate are at peace,” Commander Reynolds continued as a map of Tachion’s capital, Salenum, showed different colors to symbolize the kingdoms of Rutheni and Aquitaine. “But our Triumvirate rivals have been engaging in shadow wars, and Tachion has become a major battleground. For that reason, we’ll be providing the natives with some relief. Under no circumstances are we to engage with the soldiers from either kingdom.”
“I’ll need the knights to meet with me later this evening,” the captain interrupted. He gave them all a glance laden with hidden meaning.
I knew then there was more to the mission than met the eye. The captain’s inner circle of knights seemed to be involved. This mission briefing must be a smokescreen to keep the uninitiated from asking too many questions.
The mission itself, however much of a farce it might be, seemed a good one. We would be helping the natives of Tachion with food and medical supplies. Assisting the needy was probably the second reason why I’d joined the RTF, if helping Mom was the first.
The thought of Mom on Dobuni’s tenements reminded me of how desperately I needed to be successful in this mission. Even though I’d be on this planet, I’d have to keep an eye on the knights. Polgar and Duke Barnes were expecting results, and I’d report anything suspicious I saw. From what the other squires had told me, I suspected the knights would be involved in something other than humanitarian aid.
The commander’s eyes caught mine as she whispered to the captain, and then the big man stepped forward. “A welcome to the newest members of our crew, Squire Nicholas Lyons, and Point Clerk Elle McGrath.”
The crew cheered, and I searched the room for Elle, but she still hadn’t made an appearance.
“Welcome aboard, Nicholas,” Commander Reynolds said as she approached me. “Good to have you with us.”
“I’m glad to be here, Commander.”
“I’ll link your prot-belt to the systems,” the short-haired woman said as she entered a key sequence into her prot-belt. A laser scanner beamed from her belt to mine, and a beep signalled the completed connection. “You now have access to the starship’s logistics. I’ve also given you minimal access to the various systems. You’ll now be able to purchase items from the point clerk and other shops within the starship.”
“Thank you,” I said with a smile.
Commander Reynolds nodded once, but didn’t return my smile. “You might have developed a name on Tyranus, but you’ll have to earn a name now that you’re in the RTF. Until then, I expect you’ll keep yourself out of trouble, yes?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said.
The lean woman’s hawk-like eyes penetrated my soul, and I could only hold her gaze for a second before looking away.
“Good,” she said, and turned to Captain Cross.
The crew clinked their glasses together as the captain and commander left the galley. The drinking games started again in earnest.
I watched their antics as I tried to keep my head from spinning. A group of ten crew members entered the galley to a round of applause. I noticed some of them were limping, while others sat with medkits attached to body parts. None of the injuries seemed to phase the crew members, and I admired their resilience.
A familiar face walked toward me with a beer in hand.
“Zac!” I said to the artilleryman. “You don’t look like a guy who took a bullet to the chest only a few hours ago.”
“I have Dr. Lenkov to thank for my swift recovery. Too bad she had her hands full with all the other patients. I wouldn’t have minded--” He stopped and looked at Casey with a wry smile. “How you doing, Casey?”
The enchantress rolled her eyes. “Not too bad. You missed the briefing.”
“Ha!” He took a mug of beer and turned to me. “Did Commander Reynolds bore you to death?”
“To be honest, not really. I’m excited to get out on the field. Do some good.”
“You are fresh,” Zac said. “Not that it’s a bad thing. I caught the briefing in the infirmary. Looks like I’ll be showing you squires around Salenum and keeping you out of trouble.”
At first, I was glad to hear Zac would be accompanying us since he seemed like a good guy. Then I remembered I’d have to lose him at some point so I could track down the knights. Polgar hadn’t seemed to care how risky his orders might be. At least obeying those orders would be easier now that Olav seemed to like me.
“Have you had a chance to look at the gunnery yet?” Zac asked Casey. “I doubt there’ll be any more attacks, but it’d be good to be prepared.”
“Captain Cross has already got me on it,” she replied. “I’ve been working on a new weapon, too. I’m searching for a decent rune to enchant it with.”
“That so? I heard you were busy with a certain squire today.” Zac nudged me with his elbow and gave me a huge wink.
“Ha,” I said. “Casey was just showing me the arcane chamber.”
Zac wriggled his eyebrows, and Casey thumped him on the arm.
“Ow!” the artilleryman said as he rubbed the spot. “You don’t need to hit me so hard. I’m an injured soldier.”
Casey smirked, and then she and Zac started talking about the supplies needed for the Tachion mission. Their voices dulled with the haze of alcohol while I listened to Flanagan play his stringed axe.
After a few hours, I was still feeling woozy even though I hadn’t taken another sip of beer. There wasn’t any sign of Elle, and Casey was speaking with her grandfather again on the other side of the room. The topic seemed less heated this time, but I was too exhausted to interrupt. I decided to slip out of the galley and sleep off the alcohol until my scheduled call with Sylvester Polgar.
When I got back to my quarters, Neville was lying in his bed. I could tell he wasn’t asleep from the way he was breathing and the flutter of his eyes. He had probably been inspecting my strongbox for some way to open it.
The alcohol in my system gave me a little less self-control. Before I could stop myself, I was standing over the nobleman’s bed. The twins weren’t in the room, so my inebriated mind thought it a good idea to confront Neville now.
“I don’t appreciate you fooling around with my belongings,” I said. “I show you respect, and you better do the same for me.” I swallowed a hiccup.
I was expecting Neville to cower after my threat, but he opened a single eye, and his thin lips pulled into a smile.
“You’re not in a position to make threats, Outlander,” he whispered. “I know why you were sent to t
he Stalwart.” Neville closed his eye, rolled over, and exhaled as if he was about to drift into sleep.
“What do you think you know?” I figured Neville knew one of two stories. The first was the cover story Casey had proposed about an altruistic noble sending me to the Stalwart to keep me out of the Facility’s hands. The second was the truth: I’d been assigned to this starship to spy on crew members suspected of insurrectionist activity.
“You’ve been using a communication device,” he replied without rolling over. “That’s what it was, wasn’t it? I’ve seen its make before. Not the kind of thing an Outlander would own. Perhaps you stole it, but then why would you bring it aboard instead of selling it for Kingdom Points? No, I suspect someone in the hierarchy hired you to do something aboard the Stalwart.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. Neville knew something, but it wasn’t the whole picture. Maybe I could guide his theory into something less likely to get me thrown out of an airlock.
“Yes,” I said. “You’re right. A baron sent me here to investigate the non-regulation equipment.”
Neville turned to me and propped himself up on one elbow. “Is that so? I’m afraid that is a horrible lie, Outlander. The Stalwart’s problematic equipment is well-known to the hierarchy. They would have grounded the vessel at Bratton had that been the case. There is more than enough evidence to do so.”
I tried to dismiss my desire to crack the nobleman upside the head. He reminded me too much of Ludas Barnes, except Neville seemed more cunning. He also seemed desperate to elevate himself above me. He probably thought he could manipulate me, but that wasn’t going to fly for long. I’d find a way to get out of this mess.
One thing was for sure, he was dangerous while he reckoned he had the upper hand.
The squire smirked as he laid his head back onto the pillow and nestled into it. “Whatever your purpose here, I think it concerns what the knights do under the guise of humanitarian missions. But don’t worry, Outlander, I will keep your secret. For as long as I have no need to tell the crew the truth.”
The nobleman sighed and then started to snore.
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