The Dragon Star (Realms of Shadow and Grace: Volume 1)

by G. L. Breedon

  SIX MONTHS AGO

  “AS HAS been stated repeatedly, that would be an irrational course of action.”

  “On the contrary, it is the only rational course of action.”

  “It risks the destruction of the very thing we seek to understand.”

  “Better the risk of its destruction than the risk of never learning its secrets.”

  Sketkee listened to the debate over the fate of the crystal device sitting in a small glass box in the center of the round, granite table. Around the table sat the panel created by the Central Governing Committee to investigate the object’s origins and purpose. Ambassador Viktik had discovered the artifact by chance while on duty in the Iron Realm. Upon his return, he requested that the Central Governing Committee form a panel of natural philosophers to investigate the device’s properties. He had specifically asked for her to attend the panel. While they had engaged in a lengthy period of mating octads ago when they were both studying at the ambassadorial academy, she doubted that had influenced his request for her to join the panel. She accepted his statement that he thought it best to have someone involved who was both unorthodox and well-schooled in urris history, or what little that was known.

  The three other panel members had not been nearly as enthusiastic at her presence among them. Her switch from ambassador to natural philosopher left many concerned about her mental stability. Rakthors rarely sought to change their trades and professions. The investment of time in learning a particular set of skills weighed against doing so again in another field. Most rakthors considered it an irrational waste of effort. Fortunately, Viktik did not agree, and his having discovered the device gave him some weight in determining how it would be examined. Not enough, however, to sway the majority of the panel from their intended course of action.

  “The technical mastery simply does not exist.” Philosopher Nagkak, a slender male of the tanakk breed, splayed his hands on the table in frustration.

  “Then we can invent the technical skills required to the task.” Viktik calmly looked between the three other philosophers. He did not need to convince Sketkee of his position and knew it.

  “Doing so would consume considerable resources better spent on more immediate concerns.” Philosopher Barkak, an uncharacteristically heavyset female, shook her head in visible frustration.

  While adept at plumbing the secrets of chemical reactions, Barkak lacked the social skills Sketkee and Viktik had honed over octads as ambassadors. Sketkee listened as Viktik tried to use those talents to sway his fellow panel members.

  “The benefits of continuing to research the device are twofold.” Viktik gestured toward the crystal sitting between them all. “The technical and mechanical knowledge that we would need to develop could lead not only to revealing the secrets of this crystal, but might help us understand the greater natural world as well. The resources expended would have cascading effects on other fields. More powerful magnifiers would show us in greater detail the intricacies of the gears and the more mysterious objects we can observe in the device, but they would also grant us clearer impressions of other natural phenomena, leading to a deeper knowledge of the natural world, living and inanimate.”

  Sketkee knew this line of reasoning well. She had made the identical comment to Viktik only a few days prior, when they both began to suspect the intentions of the other panel members. The panel would vote, and they both hoped to sway at least one of the philosophers to their position.

  “While it is no doubt true that such an increase in technical mastery would benefit all natural philosophical studies, that is always the case for the investigation of most natural phenomena.” Philosopher Pgakat, a male of considerable age, looked to the device as he spoke. “This object, however, is not a natural occurrence. It has been fashioned with far greater technical precision than anything ever accomplished in rakthor history. We could attempt to disassemble it, as you suggest, and devote all the resources of our nation to it, and still not fathom its workings and purpose for many years. We could bankrupt our coffers merely to glean the faintest understanding of its function. There are some mysteries we must wait, as a people, to develop the means of understanding, even if that requires octads or even octuries of patience.”

  The other two philosophers nodded in agreement at Pgakat’s words. Sketkee did not sigh or in any other way express her frustration at the unified perspective of the other panel members. She had not expected to alter their opinions.

  “I have expended too much time and devoted too much of my own resources acquiring this device to let it gather dust in some Central Governing Committee vault until well after I am dead.” Viktik stared at the device, his face finally showing some of the anger he must feel.

  “We understand that, which is why you were asked to add your knowledge and experience to this panel,” Philosopher Pgakat said. “However, you have made your case, and now it is time to vote. Those in favor of placing the device in the vaults to be held until such time as the technical mastery of the rakthor people is capable of understanding it, raise your hand.”

  Three hands rose, presenting no need to vote on the alternative.

  Sketkee, who had remained silent throughout the entire meeting, finally spoke up.

  “There is a third option we should consider and vote upon.” Sketkee noted the look of curiosity in Viktik’s eyes. She had not discussed this with him. The other members of the panel displayed no such inquisitiveness, looking more annoyed than intrigued.

  “We are all in agreement that the device is most likely of urris origin.” Sketkee looked around at the members of the panel. She would need to convince at least two of them to follow her plan and hoped that Viktik would be one of them. “Simply because we do not possess the technical mastery to fathom the crystal does not mean such mastery does not exist. If the device is an urris creation, the most likely place to uncover its purpose is in the Forbidden Realm.”

  Viktik frowned and the other members of the panel scowled. Sketkee ignored them.

  “We have all heard stories of the humans in the Iron Realm being possessed by some mass delusion of a shared dream of a new human god.” Sketkee pointed to the device. “From the reports I have read, these pilgrims, as the human dreamers call themselves, are intent upon reaching the western coast of the Iron Realm and setting sail for the Forbidden Realm. The cover of such a mass movement of people would potentially allow a small group of rakthor philosophers to gain passage with the human pilgrims. Once in the Forbidden Realm, they would be free to locate the urris, establish contact, and learn the purpose of the device.”

  “Risky and irrational,” Philosopher Barkak said.

  “To take the device to the Forbidden Realm risks its loss, as well as the loss of the philosophers who would accompany it.” Philosopher Nagkak shook his head. “No expedition of any of the peoples of the five inhabited realms has ever returned from the Forbidden Realm. It violates The Pact.”

  “The human pilgrims would act as a decoy, a distraction, allowing the rakthor team to make landfall and pursue their mission.” Sketkee realized the idea carried significant dangers and held numerous unknown uncertainties, the urris and their reaction primary among them. “The urris have not been sighted in many octads, and no one has attempted a voyage to the Forbidden Realm in over two octuries. The potential reward far outweighs the possible liabilities.”

  Philosopher Pgakat stared at her as though observing a strange creature in the wild for the first time. He sighed as he spoke.

  “All in favor of Philosopher Sketkee’s plan.”

  Sketkee raised her hand into the air. She noted with detached disappointment that Viktik’s hand did not join hers. This outcome did not surprise her, but explaining her alternative fulfilled two purposes. First, it gave the panel the opportunity to agree with her, and secondly, it would give explanation to her subsequent actions.

  “If there is no other business, this philosophical panel is officially disbanded.” Pgakat stood up and pick
ed up the case with the crystal sphere. “I will place the device in the vaults myself.”

  After Pgakat and the other two philosophers left the room, Viktik walked around the table to Sketkee.

  “A bold proposal.” Viktik placed his hands behind his back. “Why did you not mention it earlier?”

  “It had not occurred to me until I heard you attempting to convince the others of the rational course of action,” Sketkee lied with practiced ease. Several octads as an ambassador left her well prepared for deception. “I must agree with the decision. It is not a rational plan. The risk to the device itself would be too great. However, the more I consider it, the notion of attempting to reach the Forbidden Realm to search out the device’s nature does seem a sensible choice for someone with the proper skills.”

  “You intend to go?” Viktik studied her closely as though looking for some signs of illness.

  “I am not certain, but I believe so.” Another lie. Sketkee had already purchased passage on a vessel headed for the Iron Realm the following morning. “Would you wish to accompany me?” She had not considered that notion, and her surprise at uttering it aloud no doubt registered on her face.

  “I think not.” Viktik did not seem to give the invitation much consideration. “I will return to the Iron Realm, but I think my time will be best spent in searching for another artifact rather than risking death by abrogating The Pact with the urris.”

  “You are no doubt correct.” Sketkee experienced an odd sensation at her betrayal of Viktik. As he departed, she wondered if her long association with Kadmallin and other humans had something to do with it. She looked forward to seeing her human companion again after so many years. Her letter to him should have reached him by now. Her plan had been in place for more than eight days.

  While the panel had spent months investigating and researching the urris device, it became clear to her very early on what the majority of the panel would recommend. While she would have agreed with Viktik’s planned path of greater resources being devoted to the investigation, she, too, worried that any attempt to disassemble the device might damage it beyond further understanding. A common laborer who took apart an intricate timepiece would be unlikely to reassemble it in a functioning manner. So, too, a rakthor philosopher with an urris device of unfathomable complexity.

  She had made her decision based on words from her father, the same words that had caused her to abandon her ambassadorship and return to academic study to become a natural philosopher. Words that encouraged her to do what rakthors did not do — ignore the Prime Statutes. It took her a week of work with a well-remunerated glass blower to fashion a replica of the device that would withstand casual scrutiny. She had switched it with the real artifact in the glass case before the final panel meeting convened. As she had surmised, none of the other panel members looked at it closely. Now, no one would likely look at it for many octads, if not longer.

  As she walked out of the panel chamber, she resisted the urge to slide her hand into the canvas satchel she slung over her neck and touch the urris device within it. There would be plenty of time to study the device before reaching the shores of the Forbidden Realm and finding its makers.

  THE PRESENT

  SKETKEE BOWED, following custom and protocol, as Viktik crossed the lantern-lit castle courtyard. Beside her, Kadmallin bowed as well.

  “He is handsome.” Kadmallin smiled as he whispered. “For a rakthor.”

  “That is irrelevant.” Sketkee marveled at Kadmallin’s seemingly inexhaustible capacity for tangential conversation.

  “Philosopher Sketkee,” Viktik said in Rakthorian as he returned her bow and came to stand before her. “I knew you to be in the Iron Realm, but your arrival is both unexpected and pleasing. What brings you to this outpost of rakthor civility?”

  “I have been traveling with some of the human pilgrims in preparation for accompanying them to the Forbidden Realm.” Sketkee hewed her answers as close to the truth as possible. “I have been studying their dreams and their reactions to the arrival of this new star. It makes for an edifying diversion until I reach the land of the urris.”

  “You still believe you can learn more about the device in the Forbidden Realm?” Viktik asked.

  “I do,” Sketkee replied. “I hope to find answers to a great many things.”

  “I see your human still accompanies you.” Viktik nodded toward Kadmallin. Kadmallin nodded back. “He does not appear to age well.”

  “Humans possess unfortunately inefficient bodies.” Sketkee hoped Kadmallin would not respond in any way to her words. He spoke and understood Rakthorian fluently, but it would be best if he appeared less capable. “He will still provide several years of service before he is too old. Plenty of time for the journey ahead of us. Might I inquire as to your presence here in Tanshen? You were ambassador to Punderra, I thought.”

  “My position became reassigned when I joined the panel to investigate the device.” Viktik displayed no hint of annoyance at his circumstance, which led Sketkee to suspect it to be of his own choosing. Viktik did not possess the cognitive constitution to easily consent to demotion. “I accepted this position when a new secondary embassy opened. The Central Governing Committee believes that having a representative closer to the battle between the Tanshen and Daeshen Dominions may give us greater influence in resolving the conflict. An end to the long war would be a great advantage for trade.”

  “I see. A position of potentially significant importance.” She doubted Viktik had any interest in the human war and suspected him to be the one to have proposed the ambassadorial extension to the Central Governing Committee.

  “All positions hold potential if wisely utilized.” Viktik clasped his hands behind his back. Sketkee recognized the gesture as one he made when feeling confident. “How may I assist you?”

  “We saw the rakthor ambassadorial flag and hoped to find shelter for the night before we pressed on,” Sketkee said. “The band of pilgrims we traveled with were attacked by bandits and killed. We plan to find another group headed west.”

  “It is a dangerous land, especially for our people.” Viktik gestured with one hand to indicate the castle walls. “You are welcome to remain as long as you require. My servant, Jhatka, will find you a room. You are in time for the nightly meal. I insist that you join me. Your company will be much appreciated. Your human may attend as well, though I suspect he will find the conversation difficult to follow.” Viktik again nodded to Kadmallin, who dutifully nodded back. “I have matters to attend to. I will see you in the dining hall shortly.” Viktik bowed again to Sketkee and turned to walk back into the castle keep.

  Sketkee returned the bow, more out of habit than custom as Viktik could not see it. Kadmallin did not bother. He looked at her, eyes filled with uninterpretable human emotion, but said nothing.

  “The groomsman will care for your horse.” The servant, Jhatka, beckoned the human in the stables to come forward and claim their mounts. As the man led the horses away, Jhatka pointed toward a side door of the keep. “This way. There are empty rooms in the east wing.”

  Sketkee followed the servant, Kadmallin walking beside her. With the first part of their plan executed, they were now committed to implementing the others. She judged the odds of their success at less than four in eight. Not the best odds, but better than those she would face upon arriving in the Forbidden Realm if this portion of her journey did not leave her dead.

  To continue reading the Philosopher story arena follow this link.

  To continue reading Sketkee’s storyline follow this link.

  THE FUGITIVES

  SHA-KUTAN

  DRIPPING FAT crackled on hot coals, flames leaping up to send saliva-inducing aromas into the air. Sha-Kutan slowly rotated the rabbit carcass on the wooden spit over the fire. Beside him, Sao-Tauna watched the rabbit, silently licking her lips as she gnawed on the hard crust of an old loaf of dinbao. Lee-Nin sat next to the girl, stirring a pot of beans hanging from the other side of
the spit. The campfire sat a hundred paces from a thin road through an unnamed forest.

  Sha-Kutan had rowed all the previous night and most of the day. They finally stopped in the late afternoon in a small village beside the river and sold the boat to a local fisherman. They used the coin to purchase supplies. An iron pot, some dried foodstuffs like the beans, and some early summer root vegetables, things they could easily carry as they walked the road heading northwest from the village.

  “Soon?” Sao-Tauna did not take her eyes from the rabbit. They had eaten little all day.

  “Soon,” Sha-Kutan said. He, too, hungered to have the rabbit’s roasted flesh in his mouth. His body ached from the rowing, but not excessively so. His strength came from elsewhere when necessary. Although his muscles did not weary quickly, his stomach grew empty just as rapidly as the woman’s and the girl’s.

  “The beans will soon be ready as well.” Lee-Nin stirred the pot again, more it seemed for something to do rather than the usefulness of the action.

  The three sat in silence for a moment, the girl’s head nodding forward as she began to doze, exhaustion overpowering her hunger. Lee-Nin guided the girl’s head down to her lap. Sha-Kutan watched them.

  Do you think she suspects the girl?

  She would show more fear if she did.

  Perhaps we should show more fear.

  “How long do you think?” Lee-Nin looked up from Sao-Tauna and returned to stirring the beans.

  “A few days at most.” Sha-Kutan turned to the east. Something approached on the road. Something that needed to be dealt with. “It will depend on whether they find the boat or not.”