Chapter 16 "Risk Versus Reward"

~ SOLLERTA ~

"Ah, there you are!" Chief Reynold spotted us as soon as we arrived at the Solly Mercs camp the next morning. "You've got another treasure client here to see you."

"Is that so?" It'd been so long since a client called on me for a treasure-hunt that I scarcely believed it.

"Yeah, a young chap from Mor Ardain, he is. Got here an hour ago." The chief pointed to the admin canopy. "T'is a good thing you showed up today, innit?"

"I'll say. I live for a good treasure-hunt. Thanks." The chief nodded and returned to the other mercs. "Right then, Nia. Let's go see who it is." When we entered the canopy, we found my new client browsing through the newsletters.

"Mornin'!" he greeted, "I'm lookin' for Remi, the treasure-hunter."

"That's me," I confirmed with a handshake, "and this is my Blade, Nia." She greeted him with a curtsy like she'd done for all of my clients before. "And you are…?"

"Call me Calvin. Nice to meet you." He removed his cap and bowed his head, a gentlemanly gesture which contradicted his scruffy appearance. "I hear you can find any treasure out there!"

"As long as it's on land, yes." I chuckled awkwardly. "I'm no salvager."

"It's fine." He looked Nia up and down before clearing his throat and putting his cap back on.

"What can we do for you, today?" I tried to sound as professional as possible.

"It's a long story, mind you." We each took a seat around the table. "I lost my home on Mor Ardain. We've got a mighty bit of a civil war goin' on."

"I'm sorry to hear that." I had a feeling that he was referring to the City of Teddim. "You wouldn't happen to be talking about the Brionac, would you?"

"Oi! You know about them?!" Calvin's eyes lit up.

"Know about them? We belted them proper!" Nia cut in, proudly.

"We were part of a team called the 'Emperor's Elites,' at least that's what some soldiers called us," I added. "We aided your army in taking down the insurgents in Teddim."

"I heard somebody kicked their bahooky for us, but sheesh! You have my eternal thanks!" He reached over to shake my hand again, this time energetically. "Anyway, sorry for my yelling. I need to be serious. You see, my old pal Glenn was killed. I think he got caught in the crossfire or somethin'…"

"Again, I'm sorry to hear that." I hadn't expected this meeting to have quite the range of emotions. "Although, I don't recall seeing any civilians getting hurt while we were there."

"Must've happened earlier, then." He momentarily removed his cap again to wipe his brow. "I brought him up because, well, he had a Blade… a real bonny Blade, I tell ya. I was hopin' to bring her core crystal back to his family, but I couldn't find it. I wasn't able to start looking 'til I got a new apartment, so it's probably buried by now. Can ya come back to Mor Ardain with me an' help me find it? I'll even pay for yer housing at the inn!"

"Of course we'll help you." Although I wasn't particularly interested in visiting Mor Ardain again, I wasn't about to turn down a private client either. I figured a few days of digging in the sand was harmless enough, despite how yesterday I'd decided that Nia and I would do nothing to risk getting home late for our first driver-and-Blade anniversary. I turned to her and she nodded in agreement. "Just out of curiosity, what's this Blade's name?"

"He called her Waley, although I think her real name was Walenn, or something like that…" Calvin saw the horror on my face. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Oh, no, you're fine… It's just that… uh…" I stammered for the right words. "I'm sorry to say this, Calvin, but we don't think your friend was caught in any crossfire. We think he was murdered…" I waited for him to make another exclamation, but he looked at me to continue. "We were ambushed in Teddim by an assassin named Reeco McAvas who had several Blades we believe were stolen from his victims. One of these Blades was Walenn." (I should probably leave out the part about Reeco and Walenn nearly shredding me to death.)

"Are you flippin' s-serious?" He was now clearly disturbed. "She was with that… that madman?!"

"Yeah… and you know who he was?" I feared that I said too much.

"Who doesn't? If you're a traitor to the empire, then you're on everybody's list. If he were still here, I'd…" He clenched his fists and looked away. "Ahem… sorry. I heard he tried to lay his hands on Brighid. Any man with a right mind knows not to touch the crown jewel of the empire."

"Speaking of Brighid, though, she's the one who took the core crystals after Reeco was defeated." I tried to get us back on topic. "Walenn's core was in that collection."

"So, then it's at the palace?" Calvin thought for a moment. "It won't do me any good to go knockin' on their door. I'm just a commoner."

"Perhaps they'll let Nia and I have a word with them since we're honorary dignitaries," I offered. "There's no guarantee, but it won't hurt to try."

"I'm fine with this plan. I'd hate to sit around and do nothing." With the day still young, we worked out a few more details before we headed to the port for a ship to Mor Ardain. Not knowing Brighid's schedule, I allotted a maximum of four days for this trip that Calvin was willing to fund.

~ AYVILL SHOPPING DISTRICT, heart of the Ardainian capital ~

Several hours later, we arrived in Mor Ardain to find it exactly how I remembered it… dusty and brittle. We followed Calvin to the capital where he paid for a room at the inn for Nia and me. With that set, we walked through the shopping district towards the palace at the other end.

~ NHARIL CENTRAL PLAZA ~

"You wait here while we go in," I instructed my client before we approached the soldiers guarding the entrance.

"Halt!" The soldier called to us before I could state my business. "Have you an appointment with the Emperor?"

"We're here to make one with Brighid, actually." Ardainian soldiers no longer intimidated me, even as this one inspected us closely. "We are Remi and Nia, previously of the 'Emperor's Elites,' honorary dignitaries of the empire…"

"And saviors of the Special Inquisitor!" Nia added. (I'll be darned if we're barred from entering.)

"Hah! I bet you are. And I'm the King of Torna!" His sarcasm was utterly tasteless.

"Look, if you don't believe us, ask around the palace!" Nia huffed. "Surely someone remembers us."

"You'd better not be wastin' my time!" The soldier inspected us once more before retreating to the palace. The other soldier on-guard took his place. I glanced back at Calvin who remained seated patiently. This situation made me feel more like an agent and less like a treasure-hunter. Five minutes later, the first soldier returned. "The captain says to go through to the booth on the left."

"What? No apology?" Nia glared at him.

"Let it go. They're letting us in," I placated as I tugged her arm. We crossed the long, wide bridge to another soldier minding the booth.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

"Driver Remi and Blade Nia, welcome back to Hardhaigh Palace." We were relieved to find somebody who remembered us. "You have a request?"

"We seek an audience with Brighid." I looked toward the palace in hopes of catching a glimpse of her.

"I see. Well I'm sorry to inform you that Lady Brighid isn't due back for another four hours." It wasn't the worst news, but it was unsurprising all the same.

"When she returns, may we see her then?" I asked, still hopeful.

"I shall inform her of your presence, but I can't say if she'll be interested in seeing anybody today. You may come back in four hours and find out then." Nia and I looked at each other. It was far better than a straight-up "no."

"Thank you, sir. We will return later." We left the palace grounds and returned to our client in the plaza.

~ NHARIL CENTRAL PLAZA ~

"We've done what we can for now," I told Calvin. "They'll let us try again in the evening."

"Even if they tell you to bug off, I appreciate that you tried." He got up and brushed off his backside. "Guess I'll head home for now. Let me know if there's any new development." He gave us his address and bid us farewell.

~ ADMAR STORAGE ZONE, later that day ~

"I'll say one thing about merc life, Nia… sometimes you don't quite know where you'll end up or what you'll be doing when the sun starts to set." The city was bathed in the orange glow from the sunset. We'd already spent a few hours walking around the shops and now found ourselves hanging around the quieter areas.

"It's fun, though." Nia led me to a bridge overlooking the people going about their business. "I enjoy visiting different Titans, seeing how other people live…"

"It's fun when you've got a partner to travel with." I gave her a nudge. "I can only imagine you being bored with your previous drivers in Dosilla." She looked at me before gazing into the distance.

"I don't know, Rem. Maybe I liked being a proper lady back then. Maybe I was a social princess of that old city." We rubbed shoulders as we leaned on the railing. "I am what I am now, but it doesn't necessarily mean that I was like this in a past life. Each time a Blade is reborn, they may take on a characteristic of the new driver."

"So, you are the way you are because of me?" I had never really given it a thought.

"Yeah, probably. Nice going, you!" she chided and poked me with her elbow. We shared a laugh which caught the attention of a few people walking on the streets below, but we didn't care. I always enjoyed seeing her in a happy, playful mood, even if I was the subject of her teasing. A moment later, she caught me staring at her. "What?"

"Don't mind me," I sighed contentedly. "Just admiring."

"It's not polite to stare, Rem," she chaffed with a mischievous look on her face.

"Don't you think I've earned the right?" I cracked a devilish grin myself. "I'm more than just your driver, after all." I leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. "Have you ever wondered what your drivers from past lives were like?"

"Sometimes…" she drifted off. "I don't know, really. What do you think they were like?"

"Well, since you were passed down through generations of Echells and Koliers, I imagine they were rich, successful, probably snobby…"

"And cold," she interjected, "cold as the gold in their pockets. They probably thought of me as their prize and nothing else."

"Aw, I'm sure at least one driver from your past cared about you as much as I do. I know I called you a 'treasure' before, and I'm sorry that I did, but I really do care. There is nobody else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with." I expected her to say something cynical, but she just looked at me solemnly. A little heat grew between us, as was always the case of awkward silence.

"Rem…" She reached over for my hand. "Remember when you asked if I wanted to get married?" I nodded nervously. "Whenever you're ready, just say the word."

"Oh… good to know." I kept my eyes locked on hers. "When I'm ready… yeah, I still think that's far off."

"Not a problem." She remained cool and calm.

"Anyway, it's been nearly four hours," I estimated as I looked at my watch. The heat from the conversation subsided. "What say we head back to the palace?"

"Sure. I'm tired of waitin'." I led her down the stairs and off to the palace we went.

~ HARDHAIGH PALACE ~

To her chagrin, we were ordered to wait a while longer when we returned to the booth. Fortunately, Brighid had agreed to meet with us, so I didn't mind. Another half-hour passed before she finally arrived, and she wasn't alone.

"Good evening! A pleasure to see you two, again!" It was Special Inquisitor Càidh, head of the army and Brighid's driver. He looked much better than the last time we met which was an ill-fated day for everyone. "You saved my life," he said to Nia directly. "It burdens me to say that, as a high-ranking official with constant duties, I'll never be able to repay you."

"Don't worry about it," Nia assured him and bowed her head. "I'm just glad to see that you're still alive."

"Trust me, the whole empire is glad of that," Brighid finally spoke. "Now then, I hear you wish to speak with me?"

"Yes, and I'll get straight to the point," I began as I cleared my throat. "It's come to my attention that one of the Blades who attacked us last year was stolen from a friend of ours… whom we hadn't seen in years." I skewed the truth slightly since nobody needed to know that we were here on business. "After the ambush, you claimed the cores for the empire. Is it possible to retrieve this core we seek?"

"You're in luck." Brighid lowered her head and chuckled. "All of the core crystals dropped by the traitor are still in our possession. They should've been sent to Indol by now."

"Indol? You mean the Titan Indol?" I'd only known of this Titan because of the rule that all drivers must register with Indol.

"Indeed, it's not common knowledge, but most nations send core crystals to the Indoline Praetorium when there's an excess amount," Special Inquisitor Càidh cut in. "The Praetor cleanses the cores before they're redistributed around Alrest. But as Brighid alluded to, our shipments have backed up because we've needed all hands on deck to push back the Brionac."

"Things have settled down," Brighid resumed. "Like I said, you're in luck. We were planning to continue shipping out to Indol in a couple of days. We'll permit you access to our cargo before their departure."

"It won't be so easy, though," Special Inquisitor Càidh warned. "We've been delayed for so long that we've got four whole ships' worth of core crystals to be sent out."

"No problem. Nia will be glad to help me search, right Nia?" I looked over to her and she took two wide steps away from me.

"Are we really backlogged to four ships now, Càidh?" Brighid checked with her driver. "That makes me uneasy about the trips ahead."

"Indeed, and I agree," he closed his eyes and stroked his chin. "Having so many core crystals in bulk will make us an even bigger target than before."

"A target?" I had to ask. "You've got thieves?"

"We're not sure. On a normal schedule, we're able to send out four ships a year to Indol." The Special Inquisitor glanced at the royal docks for a moment. "I guess that means we're a whole year behind schedule, but nevermind that. The problem is that sometimes our cargo ships don't come back, including the crew." This situation started to feel like stories from the detective novels that I liked to read at home. (Whole ships gone missing? Egad…)

"Either we've got pirates or there's a giant monster roaming the Cloud Sea taking down our ships," Brighid wondered aloud. A mystery was afoot.

"Maybe in the future you should get a special team aboard the ships to make sure they sail safely." Everybody looked at me when I said that.

"You know… that's not such a bad idea," Special Inquisitor Càidh thought it over, still stroking his chin. "We should've thought of it sooner. We've always sent out two men to pilot the ship and take inventory. Now, if we were to add drivers and Blades to the crew, then we'd have a good chance at fighting back whatever's been bothering our ships. Excuse us a moment." Both he and Brighid returned to the palace, leaving Nia and I to wonder if they were going to talk to the emperor about the idea. I didn't like where this was going, and I wished that I hadn't opened my big mouth. We waited for twenty minutes, and I couldn't stay still for any minute of it. I felt anxious when I saw them exit the building and walk toward us. (They're going to ask us to join the crew. I just know it…)

"Rem… what's the matter with you?" Nia snapped at me in a loud whisper. "You look like you're about to wet yourself."

"I know what's going to happen next," I whispered back. "They're going to ask…"

"Driver Remi and Blade Nia…" the Special Inquisitor addressed us sternly. "We've talked it over. Not only do we think your idea is a good one, but we also think that you two would be the ideal candidates to lead it."

"Us? Really?" I looked to Nia to help me find a way out of it, but she seemed all for the proposal. "Surely you have more capable drivers and Blades on hand. What about Pierce and Arrow and the other elites?"

"We'll reach out to them, although Pierce and Arrow are already on another mission for us," Brighid avouched for the local heroic duo.

"Nia, your healing power is invaluable. As I said before, you saved my life." Special Inquisitor Càidh bowed to her. "To say I'm indebted to you would be an understatement. I would see to it personally that you and Remi are paid very handsomely."

"And how much would that be?" I opened my big, curious mouth again. When he told me the proposed amount per trip, my jaw dropped.

"Remi, that's even more than what we got for the last time we helped them out! Just think! We'll get to see a new Titan while we're at it." Nia was definitely interested, perhaps more for the traveling aspect of it than anything else. (This feels like when Emperor Nigel invited us to join the army for more missions. In fact, that's exactly what's happening here.)

"Ahem… I can't deny that your offer is beyond generous, but…" I paused to think of an excuse.

"Rem…" Nia wrapped her arms around mine. "Are you worried that we won't be home in time?"

"No, I'm worried that we'll be putting ourselves in danger again." I was sure that everybody here understood my concern. After all, we all nearly met our demise during our last mission together. "But thanks for reminding me." I looked back to Brighid and the Special Inquisitor. "How long will this mission take, and when will it start? Nia and I have to be home in six days."

"If you agree to help us, then we can start as soon as tomorrow." Special Inquisitor Càidh retrieved a clipboard from the soldier minding the booth. "We've got four ships to send to Indol, and each roundtrip should take a day. If all goes well, we can get back on schedule in four days."

"Càidh, are you sure it's wise to send all four ships in succession?" Brighid questioned. "As we agreed before, that would make us an even bigger target for whatever's out there."

"True, but having so many core crystals stocked at our dock isn't safe for the palace either." He turned his attention back to me. "Remi, knowing what we know, will you accept?" I really hated these big decisions that needed to be made quickly. It was a matter of risk versus reward.

"Hey, hon'…" Nia spoke to me softly. She'd never called me 'honey' nor any other term of endearment before. "I promise you won't die. I promise." As if to make her point, her hands glowed with the bright blue light of her power while she continued to hold onto me. If I couldn't trust her, then I couldn't trust anybody.

"It's against my better judgment," I started to say as I looked to her again, "but I trust that my life will always be in good hands as long as we're together. So yes, we accept, but only for the first three trips since our friend already paid for our stay at the inn."

"The empire thanks you once again, driver Remi and Blade Nia," Special Inquisitor Càidh acknowledged with another bow before turning to Brighid. "I'm sure we'll have a good lot of capable drivers ready by the fourth trip. We'll put out the word immediately."

"I suppose we'll have to go home first to let my chief know. All of my activities must go through the Solly Mercs." I sighed audibly. "We've got a lot of traveling to do tomorrow."

"There's no need. We'll be more than happy to set it up with your chief for you," the Special Inquisitor offered as he handed me a paper to sign. "If you'll just sign here to give us your consent, we'll have this agreement sent tonight so you can begin first thing tomorrow."

"Hard to argue with that." I signed the paper and handed it back.

"Right then. Now let's not forget what you came here for originally… the core crystal. You've got a lot to search through, so we should go to our cargo right away." The Special Inquisitor led us to the royal docks and called to the soldiers minding the cargo ships. They let me browse through all of the core crystals, every one of which was sealed in a container. It was easy to pick out the rare cores from the common ones, and eventually I settled on the one that I believed belonged to Walenn.

With the treasure-hunt completed, we thanked our hosts and exited the palace.

~ ADMAR STORAGE ZONE ~

"Fantastic! This is Walenn's core indeed!" Calvin was ecstatic when we brought it to his cramped apartment. "I knew it was a good idea to seek your help." He covered it with a cloth and placed it in a basket. "Tomorrow I will bring it to Glenn's family. Maybe you two should come with me. They ought to know who did all the work to bring Waley back!"

"That's awfully nice of you, but we can't." I slumped my shoulders as Nia put her arm around me. "It seems we got tabbed for another big mission for the empire."

"Oh? Giving the Brionac another wallop are ya?" He rubbed his hands together.

"We're going to ferry some cargo ships to Indol," I corrected him. "I really don't want to go, but…"

"It'll be fun!" Nia encouraged. "We'll visit a Titan that we haven't seen before!"

"That does sound fun. I hear Indol's full of interesting relics and murals. Want to borrow my camera?" he asked as he reached for it.

"No, that's okay. I'm just glad that you'll be able to make some folks happy tomorrow. I can appreciate returning a Blade to a family that loves her." I looked at Nia who rolled her eyes at me. "Anyway, we've got a busy day tomorrow, so we should get going."

"Well hey, thanks for everything." Calvin shook our hands gratefully. "Safe travels, now!"

I hoped for safe travels indeed. On the way back to the inn, I kept telling myself that everything would be fine. Besides, as Nia pointed out, we were about to visit a new Titan, and an eminent one at that. It was bound to be an interesting day, one way or another.