"Well, Tyr. You've come so far to see me, and you've come alone. I hope that your business was worth the journey, not to mention the loss of life of some of my closest friends?"
"I imagine your own life was worth the loss of life of your...friends." Tyr replied, making himself comfortable in a plush blue chair.
"Strong words for someone who doesn't know where the daggers are hidden."
"The Jaguar are renowned for the treachery, Bolivar. I wouldn't be so certain that every hidden dagger is aimed at me."
Charlemagne regarded Tyr steadily, eyebrow elevated ever so slightly. Then he smiled. "Well done, Kodiak. There will be no further bloodshed. What can I do for you?"
"You could tell me who hired the Ogami to kill Dylan Hunt."
Charlemagne looked surprised. "I imagine you think I did it, else you wouldn't come in here guns blazing," he said, smiling. "But I assure you, I was unaware of the matter until you just mentioned it." Tyr leaned back and folded his arms. "Really? And your assurances are worth?" "Not much!" the blond man laughed, and Tyr smiled with him. "But let's review the facts. Dylan is one man, in an admittedly powerful warship, but still one man. I am the Archduke of the Sabra-Jaguar alliance. You'll admit that I have no need of the Ogami to kill Dylan Hunt if I wanted him dead. As it is, he and his ship are useful to me. I've no reason to kill him!" "Then you agree, that we have a problem?" "You mean because he is as good as dead? I agree to nothing of the sort. Such a Kodiak thing to say, really! No, the fact that I find him useful does not mean that I would have a problem with him being dead. There are other ways to meet my objectives. Dylan is a good expedient, but only one of many." Charlemagne stood up. Walking to the back of the room, he poured himself a glass of a very rich looking port. "Tyr, it seems to me, given the facts, that you have better things to do than trying to find out who hired the Ogami. I imagine that the beautiful Captain Valentine is next in command?" Tyr nodded his assent. "Well, it might be worth your while to ... shall we say, befriend her?" Tyr looked affronted. "I have no desire to mate Captain Valentine!" Bolivar laughed. "Tyr, I don't believe Captain Valentine desires to mate with you either! Kludges! They've no respect for DNA. Their shallow regard can be quite entertaining!"
Tyr stood up. Bracing his bone spurs into fighting position, he growled a low and dangerous warning. "Charlemagne, it seems to me that an unsuccessful Ogami attack requires a follow-up sooner than 3 months later."
"Indeed!" Charlemagne smiled a sinister smile. "You know, Tyr, I like you. It would be entertaining in a nostalgic kind of way to have a Kodiak in my court." The nearly imperceptible sneer was not lost on Tyr. "All the same, I'll taint you with a bit of Jaguar wisdom. When circumstance drops opportunity in your lap, you don't ask why. You seize your opportunity and secure it. I have no knowledge of an Ogami contract on the good captain. But if I were you, I'd be prepared for its eventual execution… and very grateful for whoever made my job easier." With sharp eagle eyes, Charlemagne fixed his gaze on the taller man, and for a few tense moments, the two men were arrested in a test of wills. Tyr moved first.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said, and then turned and exited the room.
"I imagine your own life was worth the loss of life of your...friends." Tyr replied, making himself comfortable in a plush blue chair.
"Strong words for someone who doesn't know where the daggers are hidden."
"The Jaguar are renowned for the treachery, Bolivar. I wouldn't be so certain that every hidden dagger is aimed at me."
Charlemagne regarded Tyr steadily, eyebrow elevated ever so slightly. Then he smiled. "Well done, Kodiak. There will be no further bloodshed. What can I do for you?"
"You could tell me who hired the Ogami to kill Dylan Hunt."
Charlemagne looked surprised. "I imagine you think I did it, else you wouldn't come in here guns blazing," he said, smiling. "But I assure you, I was unaware of the matter until you just mentioned it." Tyr leaned back and folded his arms. "Really? And your assurances are worth?" "Not much!" the blond man laughed, and Tyr smiled with him. "But let's review the facts. Dylan is one man, in an admittedly powerful warship, but still one man. I am the Archduke of the Sabra-Jaguar alliance. You'll admit that I have no need of the Ogami to kill Dylan Hunt if I wanted him dead. As it is, he and his ship are useful to me. I've no reason to kill him!" "Then you agree, that we have a problem?" "You mean because he is as good as dead? I agree to nothing of the sort. Such a Kodiak thing to say, really! No, the fact that I find him useful does not mean that I would have a problem with him being dead. There are other ways to meet my objectives. Dylan is a good expedient, but only one of many." Charlemagne stood up. Walking to the back of the room, he poured himself a glass of a very rich looking port. "Tyr, it seems to me, given the facts, that you have better things to do than trying to find out who hired the Ogami. I imagine that the beautiful Captain Valentine is next in command?" Tyr nodded his assent. "Well, it might be worth your while to ... shall we say, befriend her?" Tyr looked affronted. "I have no desire to mate Captain Valentine!" Bolivar laughed. "Tyr, I don't believe Captain Valentine desires to mate with you either! Kludges! They've no respect for DNA. Their shallow regard can be quite entertaining!"
Tyr stood up. Bracing his bone spurs into fighting position, he growled a low and dangerous warning. "Charlemagne, it seems to me that an unsuccessful Ogami attack requires a follow-up sooner than 3 months later."
"Indeed!" Charlemagne smiled a sinister smile. "You know, Tyr, I like you. It would be entertaining in a nostalgic kind of way to have a Kodiak in my court." The nearly imperceptible sneer was not lost on Tyr. "All the same, I'll taint you with a bit of Jaguar wisdom. When circumstance drops opportunity in your lap, you don't ask why. You seize your opportunity and secure it. I have no knowledge of an Ogami contract on the good captain. But if I were you, I'd be prepared for its eventual execution… and very grateful for whoever made my job easier." With sharp eagle eyes, Charlemagne fixed his gaze on the taller man, and for a few tense moments, the two men were arrested in a test of wills. Tyr moved first.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said, and then turned and exited the room.