[A/N: Following Family Ties http://manic-intent. was in Ranor that I encountered Balthier Bunansa, then already on his final stages of completing the Limit Engine, a further developed version of which is already in use today in long-haul cargo airships. He had little to say about Draketongue or what had transpired, and indeed on first encounter suspected that I was a spy for His Imperial Highness Lord Larsa Solidor. Even after weeks of interaction and innocent inquiry, it seemed that the most I would ever receive from the wary pirate was a degree of grudging tolerance. Perhaps the war had changed Balthier Bunansa, or perhaps he had always lived as this, but he kept all his cards close to himself, and his only confidant appeared to be his Viera partner, Fran."
-Excerpts from Piracy after the Succession War, by David Walsinram, University of Archadia Press
Rules of Engagement
11
Ranor
Vaan took the Beiluj to a less than comfortable landing into the villa's private hangar, with a jaw-crunching jerk that made Penelo giggle and Basch dig his fingers into the seat of his chair. It had been a fairly uneventful flight, though it had been hours since he had stopped recognizing the landscape, as it petered out from highlands into slumbering mountains, over rolling woods and finally to a coldgrass steppe that reminded him a little of Landis, with its pale, almost blue grass. Even with the internal regulator set with glossair energy, he could feel the temperature drop steadily, and he had racked his middling knowledge of geography for a location.
They had been heading north for a while - he could read airship latitude-longitude terminals fairly well - which meant that, likely, given the amount of time they had been in hyperdrive they were likely nearing the northern edges of the Empire, close to the coasts of the Miststorms, the deep oceans that scudded into unstable Jagt-like interference for magicite-reliant glossair airships about a clip or so from the beach.
Finally, he had given up. His knowledge of Landis' and Dalmasca's geography had been minute, as befit a General who was trained also in ground tactics, but life in Archadia was still a blanket that he was assuming, and the Empire's size was twice that of Landis and Dalmasca both.
"Where are we?" He asked the children, finally, as a voice crackled into the feed confirming their identity and clearance.
He'd been quiet the last two hours after continuous teasing about his relationship with Balthier and had tired of the playful jibes. There had been nothing to it, he was sure now, with all the manipulation he had just undergone: Balthier had assumed a role that suited his purposes at the time - Basch's acquiescence to being removed from the Manse, likely due to some sense of guilt or quid pro quo. He didn't doubt Balthier's capacity for that: at least over the course of their journey with Lady Ashe, the pirate had certainly shown, at times, some gasping remnant of a conscience, compassion and a sense of honor.
"We're in Ranor," Vaan said obliquely, and something made Penelo giggle again. They were evidently enjoying their secrets.
"Why in Ranor?" Basch asked patiently. "And this is no doubt a rich man's domain." The pillars that supported the roof of the hangar were weathered marble, almost tastelessly so, and the mansion, though rambling, had an elegantly manicured garden that spoke to Basch of wealth.
"It's the home of the Consul of Ranor, actually," Vaan said, and grinned when Basch blinked at him, in surprise. "Nice person. Eccentric, but I think it runs in the family."
"Do not tell me that you, or Penelo, or Balthier are somehow… involved with…."
"Balthier certainly," Vaan grinned, and seemed disappointed when Basch's expression carefully did not change. He had certainly considered as much in the two hours, that Balthier had simply found someone else to use. Certainly he likely needed someone with power, and the further one ventured from Archades and its influence, the more powerful were the Consuls of the Empire's territories. That Balthier would have somehow involved himself with the Consul was all luck, audacity and cunning.
The gangway opened to a babble of voices, in which Basch picked out a barely understandable, likely local dialect and one voice in smooth, cultured High Archadian. He followed the children out into a compact hangar with two other berths, the one at the far end occupied by a sleek, expensive red airship, and the other filled prominently by the Strahl. Nono recognized him from atop one orange wing, waving a stubby paw, and Basch felt his throat finally constrict, just a little. Balthier was here.
The mechanics – a bangaa and another Moogle – were shooed away to attend to the Beiluj, and he looked hard at the tall, slender man the children were addressing, instead. Judging from the liveried servant waiting attentively behind him and a pair of armed guards discreetly further, this was the Consul of Ranor: a strikingly handsome man, likely only a few years his junior, with shoulder-length chocolate-brown hair under a dark velvet hat. A white fur-trimmed robe of fine wool was draped over his shoulders, the only concession to the cold, and doeskin belts traced long thighs to booted feet. His grin was mischievous and oddly familiar, as he shook Basch's hand firmly.
"Judge-Magister Gabranth, let me apologize for the rather clandestine way you have been taken here. Please accept the hospitality of my humble home."
"It would be my honor," Basch said, a little more stiffly than he intended. "And you have the advantage of me, your Excellency."
"Ah, how remiss of me. I am Audipher Bunansa," the Consul said, and looked sharply at the side when the children burst into laughter. "What the devil do you brats find so amusing?"
Basch tried his best, but he still flushed, and he could not understand why he relaxed. Oh. "I had not known Balthier had a brother."
"He has two, actually," Audipher said dryly, with a final suspicious glance at Vaan and Penelo. "We're not quite sure whether we are more embarrassing to him, or whether he is more embarrassing to us. So for the past few years it has suited Balthier, Midian and myself to ignore the existence of each other." There was a pause. "You probably know Midian by his Judge's moniker, Rath."
"Judge Rath, from the fourth circuit." Basch had read a couple of his judgments before, coldly brilliant pieces from the Judge who headed the fourth circuit out of Archades.
"Oh yes. We're quite an accomplished set of fellows," Audipher said, turning for the doorway, the children scampering on before him. "A Judge, a Consul and the most wanted pirate in the world at this point in time. But you've not traveled so long to bandy words with me, I warrant. This way."
--
Thankfully, Judge Rath was still embroiled far south, in a large case: Basch wasn't quite sure how many more sudden Bunansa brothers he could handle at one go. Now that he knew, he wondered how he could have missed the family resemblance, in the set of Audipher's chin and the curve of that mischievous smile, the shade of his sleek hair. Audipher was older, Basch judged, for all that his walk was so jaunty and his dress so gaudy: there was something more guarded about his speech, something more calculating in the way he had looked Basch over and taken his measure.
Basch supposed he was not surprised that Balthier had volunteered nothing about his family. They had not even found out about Doctor Cid's relation to Balthier until fairly late in their journey; and besides, none of the rest of them other than Penelo and Vaan had said much at all about their own kin. They had all been strangers, thrown together by the barest of coincidences, blown down the same path for a brief spell by fate.
The villa was constructed of solid slabs of stone that retained the chill despite ample trappings of elaborate tapestries and thick carpets, large paintings of gardens and women lounging in feminine play or chatter. The hangar was connected to the western wing, Audipher said, happy to provide all of the conversation while Basch looked around him, curious; the bedrooms were in the north, the servants, the south, and the parlour and dining in the east. They turned a corner past the enginemaster's room and into what looked like a storeroom, stacked with dusty boxes and arcane, twisted metal parts that Basch could not for the life of him place. A Moogle glanced up at them from where it was consulting a list in its paws, atop a crate marked 'Gyromatronic Fulsifiers' and nodded politely at Audipher.
There was a door at the end of the crowded room that was already open, and Basch could hear the faint echoes of Penelo's laughter, as he followed Audipher through it and down a narrow, dark set of stairs.
The room under the hangar was brightly lit, with a computer panel in the center, surrounded by a haphazard circle of tables, upon which coils of metal, wiring, boxes of magicite, a glossair generator, tools, rags and scrolls of scrawled blueprints took residence in a mechanical jumble that hurt the eyes. More blueprints had been taped to the blank walls, hand-drawn with intricate lines, on one an airship, the rest Basch surmised were probably component parts. Tomes were stacked on one chair, with a flask atop it filled with stale coffee.
At the computer panel, Balthier was remonstrating animatedly with Vaan to put down the god-damned chronatomic adjuster, though he stopped and looked up sharply as the tread of full plate announced Basch's presence.
Basch hadn't known what to expect, and he certainly hadn't thought Balthier would simply look him over cursorily and turn back to the panel. "You're on time, at least."
Balthier was thinner, and paler, and there was something feverish and haunted in his eyes that profoundly disconcerted Basch. He looked exhausted: there were dark hollows under his eyes, and his shoulders were slumped under a rumpled blue shirt, his hair a little disheveled, and immediately Basch lost much of his resentment. The pirate looked strung-out, struggling out of his depth, a victim rather than a master of circumstance, all of a sudden too young.
Beside him, a long cylindrical metal device sat on a table of its own, ringed by glossair and coiled to the generator certainly did not look like the weapon he had transported – and in fact appeared to be an airship engine.
"What are you building?" Basch asked, his tone now conciliatory, walking up to the engine. Behind him, Audipher had wandered up to a slim youth fiddling with a cube of colorful wiring and nodes, a pretty young boy around Vaan's age, with dark auburn hair cropped short against his scalp.
Balthier followed his eyes, and his lips quirked for a brief moment before he turned back to his panel. "David Walsinram, thesis student from the University of Archadia, do meet Judge-Magister Gabranth. David somehow managed to track me down from Archadia and is attempting to research the so-called 'end of piracy'," Balthier drawled, with a sharp glance at the youth, who grinned shyly.
"Pleased to meet you," David said, not meeting Basch's eyes, as he turned back to the box. "Perhaps we could do an interview one of these days, when you are free, sir."
"No doubt a Judge-Magister would be happy to assist a student from the University," Balthier said, and the slightly stilted tone to his words confused Basch. Unless the pirate was involved with the student, which seemed possible, given how the boy's looks, and how odd it was that Balthier would have allowed a mere student to know of his location and his work.
The ugly knot in his belly made him frown – and to his consternation, Audipher glanced at him and began to chuckle. "Balthier."
"Audipher is ten years my senior, and Midian, fourteen," Balthier continued blithely, ignoring the playful warning. "Technically we've been estranged since my late father married again after the death of his first wife."
"I liked your mother," Audipher shrugged easily, as though this was a conversation worn old by familiar repetition, its words more custom than response. "It was Midian who objected. But in any case I had already accepted a posting to Ranor, so it was difficult not to grow distant. Still, I did agree to help you."
"Without Midian's knowledge, and indeed it was a long shot on my part." Balthier allowed Basch another brief glance. "Remember, Gabranth. I'm estranged from my brothers. And Vaan and Penelo took you to a secret northern location, where I was developing the Limit Engine. Can you remember that?"
"You want me to tell that to Lord Larsa." Basch could feel the edges of this particular net now, and it did not suit him.
"Aye. I owed you an explanation, but not so much Larsa or Al-Cid. If you delay a search for a week or so that should be sufficient. The Engine is complete and needs only a couple of days' field testing."
"What are you building?" Basch persisted.
"An engine to allow his Strahl to cross the Miststorms," David murmured, when Balthier did not answer. The pirate glared at the boy, who shrugged. "You owe him an explanation, Balthier."
"Cross the Miststorms? But why?" Basch demanded. "If you wish to hide, no doubt Ivalice is sufficient. Unless-" and this thought made his belly constrict further, "Unless you wish to visit the Old Kingdom."
"Perhaps I do," Balthier said mildly, "Imagine what an adventure that would be. No one has made the crossing via airship, only via portal."
"You cannot speak their language!"
"Happily," and this said quite dryly, as though the pirate was suppressing amusement, "This would not be a problem."
Basch turned to David, who was still industriously working on the cube, hoping to appeal to the boy's reason, were he truly bedding Balthier. "You must know that to do this may be suicide, and all pointless."
"Well! At least then he would be in fine company," David said, his smile a little wan. "For I too will visit the Old Kingdom. And it so happens that linguistics is one of my majors."
Basch couldn't help but feel instantly left out, and even more confused – why was Balthier bringing a boy to the Old Kingdom, and not… Basch stopped that train of thought quickly. Going through the Miststorms was madness. "Balthier."
"Balthier," Audipher continued, this time with a grin, with Penelo and Vaan giggling behind him (though for what reason Basch could not discern, his mind grasping only at the enormity of what Balthier was suggesting he was going to do), and the pirate sighed.
"Oh, very well. I do suppose this is enough. And yes, we've more than satisfied our curiosity as to the efficacy of the disguise."
"Disguise?" Basch frowned, and froze, as David swept a hand over his face and his outline began to shimmer, shorten, fill under the clothes. The long fingers became slender and feminine, and when they came away, Feng-yin smiled nervously at him, looking slightly embarrassed at his shock as she folded her hands behind her back, the male clothes sagging over her shoulders. He could only stare.
"Too many shocks in a day, I think," Audipher broke the silence, which made the children laugh again, though Balthier simply snorted, turning away to scribble something on a blueprint. "Man probably needs a stiff drink."
"I think," Basch said finally, when he found his voice, "That I need a fuller explanation."
--
Balthier was alternatively bullied and dragged away from the engine up to the parlour by Audipher and Penelo, and eventually sat somewhat sulkily on a maroon couch while tea was served. The parlour was filled with a bachelor's trappings, despite the evident best efforts of the servants: a pair of battleaxes hung above the mantelpiece, looking quite out of place against the somber wood panel and more portraits of beautiful women. At that point, Fran walked into the room, taking a seat next to Balthier and nodding in acknowledgement at Basch.
"Draketongue gave me a choice," Balthier said finally, brusque, when the butler left. Feng-yin was back in her 'David' disguise, nibbling on a macaroon. "Save his niece and escape, or die. Favor for a favor. Then I was to hide her for a month. Naturally, after this month-"
"The 'war' on piracy started in full," Basch murmured.
"When it became increasingly evident that the Old Kingdom's target was not the pirates but Ivalice itself I decided to ask Audipher here for help. Before that we were hiding in Lowtown, Ashe being relatively sympathetic to the plight of hiding princesses," Balthier said, with a sidelong glance at 'David', whose smile was faintly sad. Ah, but then, by all appearances Feng-yin had seemed close to Draketongue.
"Why not simply return her to the Old Kingdom?" Basch asked. "Surely that would have ended matters."
"One month after the fact," Balthier said dryly, "And believe me I was pissed at that when it finally struck me, even if I did have ample distraction. One month, and the Old Kingdom's 'representatives' were already well entrenched in Balfonheim and Rozarria."
"So Draketongue intended all along for the war to happen."
"No, I think what was intended was that Feng-yin was to die in the Manse. Certainly her guards did, mysteriously. Her delightful father wanted a reason to invade Ivalice. I can only surmise that at the last moment Draketongue changed his mind, but only enough to preserve her life."
"Entrenched or not, surely-"
"Oh, and you should think it would be quite so simple, returning a young girl to the arms of those who tried to have her murdered in the first place?" Balthier's smile was sharp, and Feng-yin was looking down at her lap. "At least she doesn't want the war, or Audipher, or Ashe."
"And you think matters can be stopped, were you to go to the Old Kingdom?" Basch asked. "It would well be even more dangerous!"
"If we can make it to Leicheng, I do not think so," Feng-yin said softly. "My eldest brother is the holds the District-Magistrate position there. He fell out of favor four years before I left for Ivalice, and was removed from consideration for succession as well as participation in the war. For that alone he may aid me, simply to transfer the favor of the God-Emperor to himself from my father."
Her pale face told Basch amply what she thought of this idea: simply as the lesser of two evils, a means of which there was little other recourse. "With his aid and presence we may petition the God-Emperor."
"You do not like the idea," Basch said, forcing his tone to be gentler.
"My eldest brother, Hu-sheng, is a cruel man who thinks only of his personal gain. We were never… close."
"That is my problem with the plan," Audipher interrupted, sounding irritable, as though he'd argued this before to no avail. "This Hu-sheng seems just as likely to betray you back to your father, to get back into favor."
Feng-yin shuddered. "No, his position will not change and he knows it. My father is a complicated man, but he has condemned Hu-sheng's excess in irrevocable terms." Audipher shook his head, but sipped his tea.
" 'Complicated' is a good euphemism for someone who tried to sacrifice you to start a war," Balthier murmured, then yawned and held up his hands as Feng-yin stared at him. "I know, Princess. Despite everything you honor your father, and all that."
"He believes he does this for the Old Kingdom," Feng-yin said, finally, in a small voice. "But there is a better way. I must gain audience with the God-Emperor."
"And you, Balthier and Fran will leave for the Old Kingdom. In two days." Basch brain tried its best to catch up with matters, still reeling. Feng-Yin was alive. Balthier planned to cross the Miststorms.
"The brats wanted to go, but thankfully, Ashe dissuaded them," Balthier said, with a pointed glance at Vaan.
"Blackmailed us, you mean," Penelo corrected.
"So you'll have the pleasure of our company for two days, after which you'll be free to return to Archades and satisfy your Emperor's curiosity." Balthier crossed his legs and sunk deeper into the chair. "Don't look like that. 'Tis not so dangerous as you should think: only a flight through the Miststorms to a city, and I assure you the Limit Engine will work. We won't be haring around the wilderness like the last time with Ashe."
"And if you cannot fly through the Miststorms after all, or there is a complication in the city…"
"Then I do believe that you will have more than enough on your plate, what with the war," Balthier stared out of the long, frosted-glass windows at the storm-grey sky as he said this.
Basch came to the first conclusion in his mind. "Anyone within this room can relay a message to Larsa."
"Before you ask, I am not taking you along," Balthier said sharply, with a stern glance at the children and his brother as they grinned. "Even if that was so, no doubt Archades needs all the Generals it can get."
"Of which it has many, as an Empire," Audipher said innocently, and at Balthier's scowl Feng-yin hid her smile with graceful fingers.
"I am not changing my mind," Balthier snapped, and stalked out of the room, dumping his teacup with a clatter on the table, followed by Fran, and with some hesitation, Feng-yin.
Basch waited for the laughter to subside before observing, as mildly as he could, "There is nothing between us."
"If you want to follow him – and you would lie if you say you do not; and what that should mean to you I am sure you can consider for yourself," Audipher grinned, "You'll have two days to change his mind."
"What happened to him?"
The children glanced at each other, abruptly sobering, then back at Basch. "Why do you ask?" Penelo inquired.
"Something drives him to the Old Kingdom, and I doubt 'tis purely an altruistic impulse to avert the war." Basch turned his eyes back to the open door. Balthier's nervous tension had been palpable, and the look in his eyes still disturbed the Judge, a victim's eyes, almost, with poorly scabbed trauma.
"Balfonheim happened," Vaan said softly.
-fin-