A/N: The wonderful world of Exile (Avernum) remains the property of Jeff Vogel and Spiderweb Software. I'm just having a bit of fun here, and I promise to return unharmed to the game the following persons: Captain Johnson, Alice, Dorkin, Eledi, Walner, Asp, Gourdon, Elspeth, Gary, Awrmm, Gibrain, and Captain Arlen; and places: Fort Duvno and Silvar.
The platoon and Adrianna had barely gotten inside the fort, when another soldier came over to them and saluted.
"Sir," he said, seeming to address Jenneke. "Captain Johnson would like to see you."
"Very well," said Jenneke, "we'll go there first. Well, first, we're going to dump off this shit, and we'll be right there."
Jenneke turned, and led the way to Alice's, and said, "I'll take two rooms, if ya got 'em."
"Yes sir," said Alice, and after a quick exchange of money and keys, Jenneke and the others unloaded the spare armor they were going to sell and the heavy packs.
"C'mon," he said, and turned to Adrianna. "You, too."
The fear flickered across her face again, and then vanished behind a mask of calm, her self-control almost making Jenneke lose his own self-control.
"Keep a close eye on her," he said to Nigel, and then led the way across to the center of the fort, and to the captain's office within the barracks.
Inside the office, he gave the platoon a cold, constant gaze. His eyes seemed to reflect having done so much killing that he had lost track of who around him was on his side, and who was not.
Eyes never breaking contact, he said, "I am Captain Johnson, and I rule this fort."
"Tell us about this fort," said Jenneke, "sir."
"Fort Duvno is a knife aimed at the heart of the Empire. We never miss a chance to slay an enemy of Avernum," said Captain Johnson. "Or a potential enemy."
"Sounds like the Empire is in trouble if it comes near here," said Jenneke, not daring to peek to see how Adrianna was holding up. "I understand you wanted to see us, sir?"
"Empire's a strong foe, but we can make things go very ugly for them, when we get our hands on them. Very ugly indeed," said Captain Johnson with a smirk, and then he looked closely at the group. "Special operations, aren't you? I often look to hire adventurers to go on missions. I've got strong troops, but lately, they've got their hands full babysitting refugees. If you're interested, let me know."
"Yes, sir," said Jenneke. "You've got a mission for us now?"
"Yes, I do have something for you. Somewhere to the west, to the north of Cotra, some sliths," he said, and looked Thissa over from head to foot, and continued, "some of the hostile kind, have a hidden lair. Find it and kill their leader, and you'll be rewarded."
"We'll look into that right away, sir," said Jenneke. "Hear any interesting news?"
"Nothing good. Nothing to make me happy. The world has gone mad. In Silvar, they're trying to broker peace with the kitties. Elsewhere, they're dealing with the sliths," said Captain Johnson, glaring at Thissa again. "As if we don't have enough problems, we are trying to deal with those savages, too. Kitties are nothing but deadly brutes. Dealing with them is madness. They should know better. And the sliths! One good thing about the Empire. Kill 'em on sight, a village at a time."
Thissa involuntarily hissed, but managed to silence it quickly.
"I've been fighting sliths for years," said Captain Johnson, giving another cold look to Thissa. "If I'm ordered not to kill 'em, I won't. But I don't like it."
"Well, sir, I guess we should be going," said Jenneke. "We got a pile of goods from some Empire troops we killed. Arms and armor ... better have 'em in Avernum Army hands, and we can trade off for some of the shit we need."
"Very good," said Captain Johnson. "Dismissed, then."
As they left the office, a man with the look of a refugee walked up to the group, and mutely held out a begging bowl. He bowed his head in an almost, but not quite, humble manner. "I'm Dorkin, sirs ... and ma'am."
"How'd you wind up down here?" said Jenneke.
Dorkin replied, "Well, I'll tell ya. The Empire threw me down here for bein' poor, no more, no less. So I go to Cotra, and I work hard, make a business for myself!"
"What sort of business?" said Nigel.
"I was the best cobbler in Cotra. And then the Empire comes down here, and they make me poor again! So I'm startin' to figger, maybe some fellows just meant to be poor," he said. "So could you maybe give me a coin?"
"Sure," said Jenneke. Here you go."
With a nod, he said, "Thank you kindly!"
They walked into Alice's again, and a small, gorgeous woman wearing somewhat sparse dancer's clothing, but with downturned face as she had no audience, was moving about. As the group took to a table, she floated gracefully over.
"I'm Eledi," she said.
"Hi," said Nigel. "Nice clothes. Are you a professional dancer?"
"Yes, I'm just passing the time till tonight," she said with a sigh. "I'll be dancing. You should come to the show."
"I think I can make it to the show," said Nigel.
She did a twirl on one foot. Jenneke glanced from her to Adrianna, and back to Eledi.
Eledi said, "Avernites have always needed some cheering, now more than ever. I guess being thrown down here gave me my calling."
"What did you do on the surface?" said Adrianna, almost timidly.
"I was one of the last people thrown into Avernum. They didn't want me to dance up there. Too ... uh ... stirring, they said. I wouldn't give it up, so they threw me down here, where people really need some beauty in their lives," said Eledi, and she smiled and blushed. "It's not much, I know, but it means a lot to me."
"We don't meet that many dancers in Avernum," said Jenneke.
"I am not surprised. When I was thrown into Avernum, my soul was heavy. I could not dance at all. I could not start again until ..." said Eledi, and she paused.
"Until what?" said Nigel.
Her movements became momentarily clumsy, and she looked upset. "I did not come down here alone. We ... we tried to survive. But I ... I am alone now. I... I ... I will spend my time dancing. It is the only way I can express my ..." said Eledi, and she stopped, a tear running down her face.
Nigel stood up and put an arm around Eledi's shoulders, and said, "Yeah, it all sucks. Wanna let me buy you a drink?"
Jenneke laughed, and said, "All right, while Nigel cheers up the entertainment, rest of us can start getting the shit over to the shops."
The good steel armor and weapons they had brought over—not everything they'd stripped from the dead, but a fair amount—did fetch a decent price, and Jenneke took Adrianna and Michael into Walner's shop, and they purchased an ointment for her, and then Michael and Walner got into a discussion about some esoteric points of potion brewing, and Jenneke took Adrianna by the elbow and led her out of the shop, and into the rear entrance of Alice's.
From the hallway, they could hear the sound of a fair amount of revelry, as soldiers getting off duty had joined Nigel, Thissa, and Feodoric in getting Eledi to perform.
"We'll settle you here," said Jenneke, compelling Adrianna to enter one of the rooms he'd gotten. The door closed, the two of them alone in the room, muffling the sound of the others in the tap room. "You'd best stay close, or they'll know you for Empire."
Adrianna shivered, remembering the cruel look in the eyes of the fort's commander, and she said, "I did want to thank you for what you said ..."
"You can do a lot better than that," said Jenneke, "can't you?" He edged closer to Adrianna, pressing her against the stone wall, and started to give her a kiss, and with one hand fondling her breast through the gown she wore.
Adrianna twisted away from the kiss, and whispered, "Please, no."
"C'mon now," said Jenneke, pulling pins loose to make her hair cascade down her back. "Oh, gods, you're pretty ..."
Adrianna wrenched away, but tripped, and Jenneke caught her, as they went sprawling onto the bed, his weight pinning her into place. Need pounded in his head, as he started fumbling to remove garments that were in the way.
Wide gray eyes showed her fear, as Adrianna said, "Please, not in hate."
How could she think I hate her? Only because I've been treating her like I do, thought Jenneke remorsefully, drawing back as though she had slapped him. "I'm sorry, Dree," he said, and he stood, readjusting the waist of his trousers, and then offered her a hand so she could stand.
"You remember my name?" said Adrianna, sitting up on the bed, adjusting her skirts, hair still reaching near her knees, as she stood without taking his hand.
"Yeah," said Jenneke, feeling the heat in his face. "I'm sorry, Dree. I've been an ass. I ... Forgive me, please?"
"I ..." began Adrianna, and she burst into tears.
"Dree," said Jenneke, gingerly pulling her into his arms, "I ... I'm sorry. I've been ... Dree, I've been falling for you almost since we first met, and I've been trying to fight it, but I ... I'm sorry. I've treated you like shit, and I'm sorry."
"I was your prisoner," said Adrianna quietly. "I didn't expect anything different."
"I was wrong," said Jenneke. "Gods, Dree, after Cotra, I ... I should've ... You couldn't go back to them now, could you?"
"Only if I had a wish to be hung for a traitor," said Adrianna.
"Can't have that," said Jenneke, wiping her tears away. "Gods, Dree, I ... You're one of us. I'd fight to keep you safe, just as much as any of the rest of my platoon. I ... You're one of us, and I should be horsewhipped for treating you the way I done. Dree, I'm sorry."
"Why is Cotra so important to you?" asked Adrianna.
Jenneke winced, a lump in his throat forming as he remembered all the dead there, neighbors and friends he would never see again, and he choked out, "Before the war, it was home."
"Oh, gods, I'm sorry," said Adrianna, her eyes wide.
"Wasn't your fault," said Jenneke. "I'm sorry, Dree. It wasn't your fault ... just the fucking war, and ... I guess I ... I took it out on you, and I was so wrong."
"Jenneke, I ... I understand," said Adrianna.
"You forgive me?" said Jenneke.
"Yes," said Adrianna.
Jenneke kissed her, trying to keep the reins on his impulse to just toss her onto the bed and have at her. Then, reluctantly, he pulled back, and said, "So, how'd you get mixed up in this war?"
"I always had dreamed of studying magic," said Adrianna. "It's not really going as well as they say ... there's a lot ... they don't come home at all, or they come home dead. They even promised accelerated learning for mages who'd do a tour of duty down here. And it seemed the right thing to do then. I mean, all we heard after the Emperor was killed in his own palace was that the wor ... uh, I ..."
"Avernites," said Jenneke, his hand on her ass, pulling her close. "That's what we call ourselves."
"That Avernites would come up and kill everyone in their beds," said Adrianna. "And the only way we'd be safe would be if ... Jenneke, they mean to kill everyone down here."
"I figured that out," said Jenneke, with a weary smile. "At the moment, I don't give a damn. I just want to fuck you all night long, forget about the war ... We probably can't win. No one has ever beat the Empire. They'll break the blockade at the Great Cave eventually. I guess our only hope is if we can win alliance with the vahnatai."
"The who?" said Adrianna, hoping he'd forget about wanting her.
"The vahnatai," said Jenneke. "They're the ones who made those barriers that carved up Avernum. Seems Empire stole some really precious ... I don't understand it, exactly, they have these crystals that are like gods, but they're just ancestors. Or maybe they become gods. I don't know. All I know is that Empire's got three of them, and if we can get them back to the vahnatai, they'll help us in the war. And maybe, that will be enough."
"I haven't heard anything about htem," said Adrianna. "I'm sorry."
"Don't worry," said Jenneke. "We have a few leads. So, what made you decide to join the fight for Avernum?"
"Almost as soon as I got down here," said Adrianna. "I saw ... they lied to everyone. Avernum's not full of assassins who want to kill everyone ... Maybe they were even right to hate the Emperor, and it was just him, not everyone that they were after. It's nothing but ... It's just slaughter, and it's wrong. I ... I didn't know what to do. I couldn't go back up, and I didn't know where I could go ... so I just ... stayed, and tried to do as little as I could. Then I got posted to the Cotra district. We had to go through the city, gathering up bodies to burn them, and ... This one house, or what was left of it. There was a shelf standing, and these little birds carved out of ... I guess it's wood."
"Cavewood," said Jenneke, and his voice turned urgent, "Where are they?"
"I guess you'll have me killed for a looter," said Adrianna. "I took them with me."
"Do you still have them?" said Jenneke, his hands on her upper arms, squeezing without seeming to be aware of it.
Tears rolled out of her eyes, "you're hurting me," she said, remembering the times he'd slammed her into walls. "They're ... at the fort ..."
"Oh gods, I'm sorry," said Jenneke, taking a few steps away. "Dree, I ... You kept them?"
"They were beautiful," said Adrianna. "I ... I didn't want to burn them. So I hid them in my dart case. I'm sorry."
"No," said Jenneke. "Dree, let's go for a walk."
"I don't understand," said Adrianna. "I thought ..."
"Soldier like me walking about with a pretty lady like you?" said Jenneke. "No one will look more than once."
"But I thought ..."
"Dree, I want to show you something," said Jenneke.
"I need to fix my hair," said Adrianna.
"Leave it down," said Jenneke. "It's pretty like that."
"Not very practical," said Adrianna. "And ... what would people think ..."
"Don't worry about that," said Jenneke. "Folk got enough worries, not time to be nosing into others' business." He put an arm around her waist and steered her out of the room, and through the same rear entrance they had used after leaving Walner's.
They had only walked a quarter of the length of the wall when they came to a cavewood tree within the walls of Fort Duvno, and Jenneke snapped off a piece, and drew his knife, sitting with his back against the tree.
Adrianna sat, and watched for a moment as he began whittling the cavewood, then gasped, "Gods, it was your house."
Jenneke didn't look up from the butterfly taking shape in his hands, and said, "Yeah."
"I'm sorry," said Adrianna.
Jenneke set the knife and butterfly aside, and pulled Adrianna close, and kissed her. "Dree," he whispered, "tomorrow, we'll start back down for that fort, get you proper equipment and ... I'd like it if you kept the birds." He stood, and offered her a hand up, and said, "So, that's what I wanted to show you."
"Thank you," said Adrianna, and she made no objection this time as his arm slipped around her waist, the knife stowed back in its sheath, and the incomplete butterfly in her hands.
They returned to the small room, and Jenneke stepped in with her again, and Adrianna said, "Jenneke, why were you sent down here?"
Jenneke flinched, and said, "Dree, that's one question no one ever asks down here. Probably a good thing, since you'll not have to face it. But .... Hell, I guess ... I worked wood up there. A bit too realistic. So the mayor thought I was mocking him because he didn't look all noble and heroic, but exactly the way he really did look. So, they pitched me down here."
"That's ... awful," said Adrianna.
"Yeah, well, it's like that for most people," said Jenneke. "Stupid shit, someone in power got mad at you, or you had something they wanted ... Sometimes just bad luck being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"It's so ... I feel like I've been lied to my whole life," said Adrianna.
"I know," said Jenneke. "I heard the same shit before I got myself into trouble. Then come down here, and find out the way it really is down here." He stepped closer, pulling her into a tight embrace again. "Now, let's go get some shut eye and all."
"I thought you ..." said Adrianna.
"You rather someone else watch over you at night?" said Jenneke.
"I don't really need ..."
"A little Avernum in ya?" said Jenneke, as the thump of her heart against his chest told him she knew exactly what he meant.
"I don't know what you mean," said Adrianna.
"The hell you don't," said Jenneke, giving her another kiss as he started untying and loosening laces, her outer dress falling to the floor in a heap while she remained dressed in the semi-sheer chemise. "Gotta put that ointment on ya, anyhow."
"I can manage," said Adrianna, nervously.
"Yeah, but this way will be more fun," said Jenneke, as her outer gown slid to the floor, leaving her in just the semi-sheer undergown. "Oh, fuck ... oh, gods, Dree ... You're ..." Inarticulate, Jenneke kissed her again, and then lifted the undergown over her head, leaving her wearing nothing but a pair of sandals as he lifted her into the bed.
Jenneke stepped back, reaching into the pack to remove the box of ointment, and tossing his own shirt to the floor before returning to straddle her, working ointment into the skin damaged by the flamestrike, leaving behind very new-looking pink skin.
"Gods, that works fast," said Jenneke. "How's it feel?"
"It's ... I don't think I'd care to have that applied often," said Adrianna. "I ... like spiders are crawling underneath my skin."
"I know what you mean," said Jenneke, pausing as he worked down to her breasts, lingering there. "Gods, Dree... You're so pretty."
"Jenneke, I ..."
Jenneke slid down a little further, sitting on her thighs, and got more ointment on his fingers as he continued to work. "Dree, I ..." said Jenneke, his hands playing across her belly, and then down her thighs and up the inner thigh. "Oh, gods, woman ..."
"Jenneke, I ... I ... I've never ..." said Adrianna, sounding half-panicked.
"It'll be all right," said Jenneke, drawing back long enough to loosen his trousers, "Dree, I want you," he said, his hands running over her body, returning to the places which made her draw in her breath with a gasp, "I've never wanted anyone like ... Oh, Dree, just ..." He had found her body was ready, whether her mind had caught up yet or not. "Might hurt for a moment," he said, filling her, pushing past the obstruction into untouched territory.
The pain made Adrianna burst into tears beneath Jenneke, and he felt a twinge of guilt, and he kissed her, fumbling to wipe away tears, and he said, "Dree, you ok?"
Adrianna nodded, and then as Jenneke changed angles, she gasped.
"That's it," said Jenneke, but try as he might, he was unable to avert the point of no return, leaving Adrianna short of the goal. Undeterred, Jenneke muttered, "Sorry, Dree ... let me ..." and he reached to caress until he'd brought her to a climax, pleased as he knew she could not have feigned the response.
"Dree," said Jenneke, "I love you."
"Why did you ..." said Adrianna, trying to regain a steady breathing rate. "After ..."
"It's supposed to be at least as good for you as it is for me," said Jenneke. "Only a louse wouldn't've taken care of his woman. And I'm done with being a louse to you."
"Your ... and how many others?" said Adrianna, looking on the verge of tears.
"Don't matter now, Dree," said Jenneke. "Ain't gonna be anyone else now. Dree, I don't know I'll live to see the end of the war, maybe neither of us ... But ... Dree, I'll take care of ya as long as I'm still alive, best I can in the middle of a war."
"And what will the others in your platoon think?" said Adrianna. "I don't think Nigel likes me at all."
"Don't you worry about them," said Jenneke. "My job to deal with them."
"I hadn't noticed," said Adrianna.
"Dree, I'm sorry," said Jenneke. "I shouldn't have let them treat you like that, either. It won't happen any more. Promise. Gods, you've made me want you since we first met."
"I don't believe that," said Adrianna. "I was sure you hated me."
"I tried to," said Jenneke. "I tried to think that you were just another Empire soldier—I've killed a lot of them. But you're a brave woman, Dree, and I ... I really admire that."
"I was scared to death!" said Adrianna.
"Maybe—I wouldn't blame you," said Jenneke, "you were outnumbered, but ... gods, woman ... you were alone, five of us, and you didn't beg or cry, stare me straight in the eye ... a little back talk ... You're braver than you think you are, then."
"What will happen now?" said Adrianna. "At some point, someone would notice I'm not really part of your army?"
"They won't care," said Jenneke. "You're coming along and helping. War effort needs people like you. Dree—what made you ... when we were in Cotra, what made you throw that spell at someone from Empire?"
"Saundra," said Adrianna. "I suppose ... I didn't know how else to ... so you'd believe me. I ... when I first got down to these caves, everything was ... not like I was told it would be. Battles—they were nothing more than massacres, killing people who hadn't done anything but survive down here. And I knew I couldn't take part in that ... I didn't know what to do, but I ... When you came into the fort, I decided to hide, I thought if you didn't win, they wouldn't've noticed, and I could say I was defending the payroll. But ... I couldn't try and kill you."
"You probably could've ..." said Jenneke. "I was pretty wiped after that battle." He pulled her close and said, "Not that it matters now."
"No," said Adrianna. "What are we going to do next?"
"Well, I guess first thing, we gotta get you some equipment. I guess down to the fort and get your shit that we left down there," said Jenneke. "Then see if we can find them sliths ... we got a few missions people been asking us to do, besides the big ones."
"Big ones?" said Adrianna.
"Yeah, you probably never heard nothing about it, but Empire took some Crystal Souls from these people called vahnatai. They look pretty freaky, and no one heard of them before, but ... anyway, we're supposed to find and return them. And then we heard that Empire's building some big ass teleporter, and we're to look into getting rid of it," said Jenneke.
"I know about the teleporter," said Adrianna. "Not much, just that it's somewhere west. I know that's not much help."
"Not really," said Jenneke, "but don't worry. There's other stuff we gotta do before we're ready to go there anyhow. So ... listen, you want to get married? I know ...can't take time off the fighting, but ... look, if I get killed and you live, it'd leave you a place in Avernum."
"Why are you so sure you'd get killed?" said Adrianna.
"Well, Empire's apparently put a hit out on me," said Jenneke, and he reached over to his pack, rummaged around, and pulled out the Empire death order that had been retrieved from a dead mage shortly after they left the Tower of Magi. "See?"
Adrianna looked at the document, and her eyes widened, and she said, "What happened?"
"We killed them all," said Jenneke. "Pretty obvious what they were meaning to do ... I'm not going to make it easy, but ... I'd be thrilled to death, getting old with you. I just don't expect I'll get to. So, what ya think, Dree? It's best I can offer you, getting married and taking you to the fighting with me."
"And what would you do after the war?" said Adrianna.
"Fuck you twice a day," said Jenneke, laughing as she blushed again, "I dunno—figure I'll rebuild in Cotra, or else move somewhere else. I don't know what Avernum's gonna be like when the war's over if we're alive to see that. Rebuild somewhere, probably."
"I'd like that," said Adrianna.
"So, first, we'll get married, then get down there and get your shit, and then look for the sliths Johnson was talking about," said Jenneke. "How's that for a plan?"
"It sounds like a good plan," said Adrianna. "Who will do the ceremony?"
"I'll ask Brother Michael," said Jenneke. "Priest in the fort's probably too busy, what with the war on, and all the folk from Cotra here."
"Are you going to go looking amongst them for people you know?" said Adrianna.
"I don't think so," said Jenneke. "I'm afraid of how many people I know won't be there."
The first candlemark of morning came, and after washing up, Jenneke and Adrianna joined the rest of the platoon for breakfast. Eledi was nowhere to be seen, and Nigel's face reflected a considerable lack of sleep.
"So, Alice," said Jenneke as they got settled at a table, "what you got today?"
"Meals, two gold each," she said, "gossip's free. Rooms satisfactory last night?"
"Yeah, just fine," said Jenneke. "OK, meals all around, and you got any juicy gossip to share?"
She leaned in close as she delivered drinks, and said, "Archer in town, name's Gourdon. Asking around about passes or some such. He doesn't want people to know about it, but he was rude to me. So, now you know. Oh well ..." She gave them a mischievous grin, and brought the food.
"Thanks," said Jenneke. "Probably be good to see him before we leave, no telling if he's still around."
After they finished with their breakfast and settled up for the rooms, they left Alice's and met a rather heavy-set man with a longbow slung over his shoulder and a full quiver of arrows at his side. He looked the group over nervously as they approached.
"Bet that's Gourdon," Jenneke whispered, arm around Adrianna's waist as they walked.
Moving over, Jenneke said, "Good morn to you."
"I'm Gourdon," replied the man. "How fares ye?"
"Got a job here in town?" said Jenneke.
"Just killing time," he said, looking about, rather uninclined to say anything else.
"Heard tell you were asking around about passes," said Jenneke.
At first he looked rather upset, then he said, "Ach! I heard about you! You're the ones who went to the vahnatai, except her ..."
"She's fine," said Jenneke. "Wasn't on the right side of the barrier at the time. It's safe to talk."
"All right," said Gourdon, and he stepped off to a narrow, secluded spot in the corner of some buildings. "You see, I've been going from town to town, looking for certain scrolls from the surface."
"What kind of surface scrolls?" said Nigel.
He pulled out a vellum scroll edged in red ink. "This here's a red pass. Troops down here need passes to get into Empire lands. I'm looking for a blue and a gray pass. That's why I'm heading down to Mertis," he said. "My goal, ya see, is to look into some rumors."
"What rumors?" said Jenneke. "What's Mertis to do with it?"
Looking very worried, Gourdon said, "I hear from prisoners, the Empire's buildin' this portal, from up there to down here, so they can teleport down a whole army. They'd wipe us out if they could do that! I'm going to look into it. I'm not the best spy, but I know these caves as well as anyone. Gray pass is the most important one, and I heard that there's a prisoners in Mertis who knows where one is. If I can get one, I can start looking into them rumors."
"Good luck to you," said Jenneke. "We got our own job to be getting on to."
"You take care," said Gourdon.
Taking his leave of the archer, Jenneke led his group out of Fort Duvno, and once well clear of the fort, started to set a course that was more in line with where they'd left the boat.
"Err, Sarge," said Nigel, "I thought we were going west?"
"Yeah, we need to go back to that fort," said Jenneke. "The one you stumbled on? Need to go get some shit for Dree here."
"Who?" said Nigel, sounding confused, and then he looked at Adrianna. "You're going to let her stay with us?"
"It's the safest," said Jenneke. "And Brother Michael, would you be able to do the honors? We've decided to get married before we get ourselves killed."
"This is rather sudden," said Michael.
"Yeah, well you talked to Walner about which way to hold some flower when you're chopping for potions for better effect," said Jenneke, "we was talking about other stuff, and ... Look, after Cotra, she can't go back to Empire ... they'd hang her for what she done there. She wants to fight with us, even though we're probably all going to be dead before it's over. She's one of us, and I was wrong not to acknowledge that awhile back."
"What the fuck happened last night?" said Nigel.
"None of your goddamn business, Nigel," said Jenneke. "Look, we still left a lot of crap down in the fort, because we can only carry so much ... we'll get what she needs there before we go looking for those sliths that Johnson was talking about."
"The darklingsss?" said Thissa.
"Yeah," said Jenneke. "Now, seems no one really knows where they are. You got any ideas where we'll find them?"
"No," said Thissa. "Although I may be able to sssee tracksss for what they are when we find them."
"That'll help," said Jenneke.
The trip back to the fort was uneventful, and they pulled into the concealed docks, the smell of the pyres still in the air.
"We're not staying here, are we?" said Nigel, wrinkling his nose.
"No, I guess not," said Jenneke. "Thought it'd smell better by now. OK, Dree, let's get some stuff for you. Already got the food and the like."
"I'll be quick," said Adrianna, her face pale, but expression set. She climbed out of the boat and took a candle, heading down to the store of weapons, where she took a good steel shortsword, and belted that on. Then she went in the other direction, and went into the room that had been given over to the mages, taking a bedroll, a backpack, stashing spare clothing, rags, the box of cavewood carvings, another box of darts, and with a dagger carefully cutting away the crown symbol of Empire from the fine leather tunic before she put that on.
With these belongings, she came back to the boat where the others waited, and Jenneke gave her a hand back into the boat.
"We'll go over to that island there," said Jenneke. "Should be pretty safe."
Rowing to another small island, they made a careful examination to ensure that just because it looked unoccupied, it actually was unoccupied, having learned that lesson from the other island.
"I'll submit the record next time we're in civilization," said Michael. "For now, though, just let me get things sorted ..."
After a few minutes, Michael said, "All right—Thissa, Nigel, Feodoric, you'll be over there. Adrianna, here. Jenneke, here. Right hands together please." After everyone had moved, Michael took a silk cord that he'd extracted from his pack, and loosely tied the hands together, and led them through vows, pronouncing them married less than five minutes later.
"Enjoy a brief respite from the war," said Michael, gesturing to one nook which was somewhat private. "Then we can get back to trying to kill and not be killed."
"You don't mean we gotta wait and listen to them," said Nigel.
"They aren't truly married until they have consummated it," said Michael.
Adrianna's face turned bright red, and Jenneke said, "Could be worse, Dree. They could have to watch and kibbutz." With that, he led her to the nook, unrolling his bedroll.
"I don't know how I'll be able to face any of them," said Adrianna.
"It's ok, Dree," said Jenneke. "Sorry, this is just going to be quick ... After this, it'll just be between us, and I'll take my time."
He helped her into the bedroll, pushing her skirts about her waist in the process, took a moment to get his trousers undone, and kissed her, and for a moment, the war—even the presence of the rest of his platoon on the other side of the rocks—fell away from his mind, leaving only Adrianna, not moving beneath him, but his motion became faster, rougher without intending it so, until he growled her name, and only then did he realize that she was crying softly.
"Dree," he said, still sheathed in her, "what's wrong?"
"Just ... I wish ... I wish it was just between us," said Adrianna.
"After this, it will be," said Jenneke. "Dree, I'm glad you're my wife. I'm sorry ... this is ... It's awkward, but ... we're married now. And this worm really likes you, Empire."
There was another sob, and she said, "Will you hold it against me always?"
"I wouldn't mind ..." said Jenneke, and then he realized that he'd upset her. "Dree, I'm sorry. Lousy joke."
Adrianna's eyes widened in realization of Jenneke's true intent with the words, and she blushed.
"Hey, sarge, are we ready to get back to the war?" said Nigel from beyond the rocks.
"Shut up, Nigel," said Jenneke. "Damn, Dree. I guess ..."
"It's time to go back to the mainland?" said Adrianna.
"Yeah," said Jenneke, standing up and getting his clothes back together and starting to put on armor.
Adrianna stood, her skirts falling back into place easily, and she re-braided her hair, and then got her own armor and sword ready.
"Damn, woman," said Jenneke, embracing her again. "I love you. Don't you dare get yourself killed."
"You better not get yourself killed either," said Adrianna.
"Deal," said Jenneke, and with his bedroll re-rolled, he took Adrianna's hand, and they returned to where the others were waiting.
"So, what's it like to fuck the Empire?" said Nigel.
Jenneke dropped Adrianna's hand and his bedroll, grabbed Nigel by the throat, and said, "Don't you ever fucking say a thing like that again ... She's one of us ... understand ..."
"I'm ... ack ... sorry ... Sarge ..." gasped Nigel, trying to peel Jenneke's hands away, "fuck ... don't ..."
"Jenneke, let him go," said Michael.
"Right," said Jenneke, letting go of Nigel, "sorry."
"Fuck, sarge," said Nigel, dropping to his knees to get his breath. "I'm sorry ... Um... Adrianna, I'm sorry."
"Sorry, Nigel," said Jenneke. "Just ... Dree's just as much one of us ... She decided to join up with us, even when it doesn't look all that good ... Give me a hard time if you gotta, but don't drag her down."
"Understood, sarge," said Nigel. "I'm sorry. Just ... I ain't used to ... Fuck, let's just go kill them darklings ... A good fight will make it all better."
"Yeah," said Jenneke, giving Nigel a hand back to his feet. "I'm sorry ... It's just ..."
"You're not wanting anyone saying shit about your wife," said Nigel. "I understand. Sorry. It won't happen again."
"And you guys?" said Jenneke, looking to Feodoric and Thissa, who'd been fairly quiet throughout.
"Don't bother me none," said Feodoric. "Maybe you could teach me that bit with the ice?"
"I think so," said Adrianna. "I've not tried teaching before, but ..."
Thissa said, "Humansss do asss humansss do, it doesss not matter to me. Empire would sssee usss all dead, and sssame with her. Isss enough to begin."
"Then, let's go," said Jenneke, leading the way back to the boat.
As they trekked across the cave floor, they came to a sign which had apparently very recently been staked into place: "Exiles—SURRENDER and SURVIVE. FIGHT and DOOM awaits you. -Garzahd, Regent"
"Fuck you," said Jenneke, taking his axe and chopping the sign down. "I'll surrender about the time they pry my sword from my dead hand."
A group of soldiers had been moving away from the location, and seeing this action, they turned and started moving quickly toward the platoon.
"This will be easy," said Jenneke. "They only outnumber us two to one."
After the fight was over, they searched the dead, finding no particular death orders.
"Third Cavern Corps," said Adrianna, emotionless about the former comrades-in-arms. "What do you do with the dead?"
"Burn 'em," said Jenneke.
Once the grisly task was finished, they continued searching, until they found some totem poles in the middle of the caves.
"Interesssting," said Thissa. "We should ssstart sssearch pattern here. They are clossse."
"Does that mean anything?" said Jenneke, squinting at the pictograms.
"Darklingssss ussse a different dialect," said Thissa. "I cannot tell what it saysss."
"Pity," said Jenneke. "Probably one that says that their lair is twenty paces north or something."
As they searched, a bit of fake cave floor collapsed beneath them, dumping them in an unceremonious pile at the bottom of a pit.
"Fuck, that hurt," said Jenneke. "Dree, you all right?"
"I'm fine," she said.
"And the rest of you guys?"
"Yeah, chopped liver is just fine," said Nigel, and he chuckled. "Fuck, we're not going to be able to climb out that way."
"No," said Jenneke, "but they gotta have another way out .. right Thissa?"
"Yesss," replied Thissa. "Maybe even without ssswimming."
"What about light?" said Adrianna.
"Here," said Jenneke, handing her a torch. "You hold it, and I'll get it lit up for you."
In the smoky light of the torch, they could see several slith-style statues in a corridor ahead, and so they continued on, fighting through a swampy poisonous-snake filled corner, fire lizards, and several sliths.
"That's too easy," said Jenneke. "They wouldn't send us on a mission ..."
"Here," said Thissa. "Goes down, but there would be more this way."
"All right," said Jenneke. "Downward and onward, or something like that ..."
The lower area was filled with alcoves from which sliths attacked the platoon, while the platoon defended themselves, cleaned out an alcove and moved forward. At long last, the hissing of the darkling sliths was silent, and they built a large bonfire and piled bodies atop it while they rested from the efforts and Michael brewed more potions to share all around with the others to cure all that ailed them.
Finally, fortified for a journey across dangerous cave plains, they made their way back toward Fort Duvno, fighting another group of hostile sliths who had evidently not been home when they took out the hidden base.
They passed greetings with the guards at the fort gate. By this time, the new skin had faded from the bright pink to a pale white no different from that of the other Avernites, and so Adrianna did not draw comment as they returned.
Thissa said, "If you do not mind, I will go to Alice's and secure the rooms."
"Understood," said Jenneke, who would rather have found another way to report to Captain Johnson himself.
Returning to Captain Johnson's office, Jenneke said, "Sir, we took care of the slith issue for you."
Captain Johnson grinned viciously, and Adrianna shuddered. "Well done, that'll show those worms to oppose us," said Captain Johnson. He called out to a private, who returned with a bag of gold, and handed that to Jenneke.
"There's your bounty, and on top of that, I'll even send word to the Castle saying what you did. They'll like that," said Captain Johnson.
"Thank you, sir," said Jenneke.
"Very good, then," said Captain Johnson. "I don't have any more work for you. Ask around the other forts. Lots of killing needs doing these days. Dismissed."
They left the office, and as soon as they were outside, Jenneke exhaled loudly. "Let's get to Alice's," he said.
Thissa was sitting at a table with mushroom wine as they came in.
"How did it go?" said Thissa.
"About like you'd expect," said Jenneke.
Adrianna said, "He'd probably have apoplexy if I'd said what I thought."
"Best you don't, then," said Jenneke. "Not till we've gone on our way."
"So, where are we going next?" said Feodoric.
"I figure we should go up to Formello," said Jenneke. "See how things are going ..."
"We could try to find Solberg," said Feodoric.
"I don't think so," said Jenneke. "Sounds like we shouldn't draw attention to him. Then, after we have been to Formello, let's go back down to Mertis ... See if we can't find a way into that prisoner that Gourdon was talking about."
The trip to Formello had been uneventful, and they learned that the cash jobs had dried up now that the barriers were down, and no one seemed to have yet learned that they were the ones responsible for bringing down the barriers.
As they traveled south, Jenneke pointed out a crumbling fort to Adrianna. "That's Fort Avernum," he said. "All of us came through there once."
"They don't use it any more?" said Adrianna.
"Well, Empire quit sending people down, and that's the only reason they put the fort there ... keep people safe when the portal dumped them in," said Feodoric.
"There's a lot of people there," said Adrianna.
"Probably refugees," said Nigel. "Anybody gets out alive is going to need a place to go. Fort Duvno didn't have them all."
"Sure as hell hope not," said Jenneke. "Let's go ... we can stop at Silvar on the way down to Mertis."
No more had they gone a few more hundred feet, but they met on the road a band of soldiers and citizen volunteers patrolling the road, with patched leather armor and stone weapons.
"Listen," said Jenneke. "We know where there's some better stuff ... we beat down an Empire fort, and have been hauling stuff in to get it into our fellow Avernites' hands. We're going to go west and get a load. Stay near the river, and we'll give it to you ... much as we can carry."
"That'd be wonderful," said the one person who appeared to be a trained soldier.
They moved on, stopping in Silvar. Entering from this side, though, they noticed a corner filled with hastily built stone buildings, already crumbling, despite the fact that they were of recent construction. The slum was filled with piles of garbage, and thin worried people.
"Wonder why they aren't trying to help them more," said Jenneke, and he walked over to the town offices.
The commander of Silvar sat at a desk, of early middle age, he was also wearing the mayor's sash. "Good day. I'm Captain Arlen, Commander and Acting Mayor of Silvar."
"What's keeping you so busy, sir?" said Jenneke.
"Well I've been dealing non-stop with the refugees from the destruction of Cotra. Dealing with it every minute of every day, and so have all my men," replied Captain Arlen. "We don't have a person to spare for all our other problems."
"Ahh, I see," said Nigel. "The poor refugees."
"When Cotra was destroyed, they had to leave in an instant. Hardly any time to gather their possessions. We've erected a shantytown for them to the southeast. Try not to disturb them. They have enough problems as it is," said Captain Arlen.
"Any problems bothering you here?" said Jenneke.
"Plenty. We think some brigands are harassing the refugees. And what's more, the Castle has a mission it wants me to find someone to do," replied Captain Arlen, and he thought for a minute before adding, "Wait! You're adventurers! If you want a mission, let me know. If you succeed, I can help you."
"We'll take any missions you can offer," said Jenneke.
"We've been working on a peace treaty with the nephilim tribes, uniting against Empire," said Captain Arlen. "We're close to success, but first they want help from us. They want us to free a bunch of nephilim slaves from a band of nepharim."
"The nephilim enslaving each other?" said Feodoric.
"Yeah, you heard right. One band of kitties enslaving another. And we're supposed to risk life and limb freeing them. But hey, if it works, the kitties would make good allies!" said Captain Arlen. "Anyway, there's a nephil called Awrrm or something like that in town. Ask him about the mission. He'll tell you what you need to know."
"The nephilim would help against the Empire?" said Jenneke, incredulously.
"The nephilim hate the Empire more than we do, if you can believe it. On the surface, the Empire has been slaughtering them," said Captain Arlen as Adrianna looked slightly ill. "Either that or sending them all down here. They won't be content until every nephil is dead. And believe me, the nephilim take it very personally."
"I can imagine," said Jenneke. "Thank you for talking with us, sir."
Leaving the office, Jenneke said, "Look, if bandits are bugging my folk, we gotta help them."
"Understood, sarge," said Nigel.
Moving into the slums, they met a very dirty man in leather armor who did not become panicked like many of the others, merely keeping his hand near his sword.
"Hey, Asp," said Jenneke. "It's me, Jenneke."
"Yeah, I know you," said Asp. "Why I ain't throwing you outta here."
"Sorry about what happened to Cotra," said Adrianna.
"Yeah, well I guess that's more reason to hate the Empire. But then again, these days I have enough to worry about with all the brigands around town," said Asp. "I was there when the whole mess happened. They hit us by sea. Crack troops and mages ... bunch of spell-casting monsters. Just blasted everything with spells Everything. Hear it's just a ruin now."
"It is," said Jenneke, "we've been there. Listen, we heard about the brigands. We can get rid of them, but it'd help to get a little lead on the situation."
"Thieves are all right, sometimes," said Asp, giving Nigel a nod. "But there's a group that's picking on the refugees, takin' what little they got! Total scum. They got a lair near here, somewhere in town. I'm trying to figger out what to do about 'em."
"Where abouts?" said Jenneke.
"I hear that they have a hidden lair in the slums in the corner of town. At least, that's the direction of the rumors. Don't get me wrong, I've done my share of thieving," said Asp, giving them a gap-toothed grin. "But to treat refugees like that in wartime? Disgusting."
"Thanks, man," said Jenneke. "We'll poke around, see if we can't turn 'em."
They made their way through the slums, but no one seemed willing to talk to them, until they reached another small hovel, in which a small, lethal-looking woman in black leather watched them carefully, knives strapped to her chest and legs, one in each hand.
"Elspeth! Goddamn it's good to see you," said Jenneke. "What are you doing back here?"
"Keeping an eye out for the brigands," she said, spitting, "and keeping an eye on the refugees."
"Where's Nance?" said Jenneke.
"She is ... is ... leave me be," said Elspeth, her cold exterior cracking.
"Shit, Elspeth, I'm sorry," said Jenneke. "Look, we're traveling all over. We can look for her."
"I do not know if she is still safe, and it worries me terribly. I can't search for her though," said Elspeth. "Refugees fled all directions, and she could be anywhere. Better I stay here, get someone to find her for me."
"We'll see what we can do," said Jenneke, and with that, he left.
"You know, there used to be a hidden way into Silvar," said Feodoric. "Let's check it out."
"Sure," said Jenneke. "Where abouts?"
"Follow me," said Feodoric, and he led them out of the city, and said, "I don't remember exactly where right about ... yeah ..." With that, he had found the way into the brigand lair.
The thieves within, who'd been enriching themselves at the expense of the Cotran refugees, saw the adventurers enter, and attacked. However, for the platoon which had defeated an entire garrison of Empire troops, these bandits were no match. The brigands had preyed on those who weren't strong enough to fight back, but showed their yellow side when Jenneke's platoon entered the lair they'd created.
"Well, look it," said Nigel, opening a box. "Help me lift this, sarge. We can take it back in there, let people find anything what's theirs."
"First, throw the stuff these guys had on them in there," said Jenneke. "Might not belong to any of them, but they can sell it, get some back ..."
"We'll look in the other room," said Feodoric, and Michael and Thissa followed.
Adrianna took a small bag out and dropped it into the box that they were taking back.
"What's in there?" said Jenneke, pulling her close.
"Some coin," said Adrianna. "My last pay."
Jenneke gave her a kiss, and said, "Thanks, Dree."
"It seems fair," said Adrianna.
"Yeah," said Nigel, "I can see that."
"OK, let's take this to Asp," said Jenneke. "He'll get it sorted."
They made their way back into the slums, and to the hovel where Asp was living.
"Look we took care of those bandits," said Jenneke. "Found this chest, looks like some of the stuff they took. Plus, we threw in what we found on them. You see to it that it gets around to who should have it."
"I'll do that," said Asp. "Nice to see someone in Avernum gives a damn."
"Of course I do," said Jenneke. "I'm Cotran, too."
"Thanks," said Asp.
They left the slums, still wishing there was more they could do to improve the situation ... but short of singlehandedly winning the war, there was little more they could do.
"Let's get a drink," said Jenneke, "and look for a kitty in the bar."
Entering the bar, there were several off-duty soldiers drinking, and in one corner, there was a nephil, daintily drinking from a cup of milk.
"Bet that's our kitty," said Jenneke, "c'mon."
As they sat down at the long table with the nephilim, he said, "Rrrrr. I am Awrmm."
"I was told that you could help us to free some nephilim slaves?" said Jenneke. "And then you'll really help in the war?"
"Empire hate nephil. Kill us. Empire hate you. Kill you. We have common things, yes? Mrrrr," said Awrmm. "Mrrrrow! At last ones to help us! My peoples are held by angry mule nepharim in cave far to the north and a little east. If you were freeing them, they could revolt and help you! Mrrr. Nepharim not all bad, but these should die."
"What are mule nepharim?" said Adrianna.
"Nepharim like what you humans call mules, bigger than us, and sterile. These mules hate us and enslave us. Mrrrr. But kill their chief, and may inspire nephilim to revolt, so you can free prisoners. To be tried, one hope," said Awrmm. "Rrr. To enslave us is evil bad. They must be punished."
"Yeah, well, is there anything else you can tell us about the nepharim lair?" said Jenneke.
"Go north to Fort Duvno. Go east from there to cave wall. Follow wall north, and you find tunnel to bad nepharim lair," said Awrmm.
"OK," said Jenneke, "we'll see what we can do." With that, he moved to another table, gesturing for the others of his platoon to follow, his hand on one of Adrianna's thighs below the table.
"OK, so we can go down to Mertis, it's closer, and deal with things there, or we can go up and take care of this problem," said Jenneke. "Takes us back up out of our way. But I guess we should do it sometime anyhow."
"The more allies we get, the better off we are," said Feodoric. "Need something to hold Empire off before they overrun us."
"And they are good archers," said Jenneke. "I'd pit the kitties against the Empire ..."
"That good?" said Adrianna.
"Yeah, they're good," said Jenneke.
An Avernite archer stumbled by, and said, "Want to join me in a drink? Call me Gibrain."
"Sure," said Jenneke. "Life's hard, I take it?"
"I been pulling patrols out west. Empire raiders are out there," said Gibrain. "They ain't taking prisoners, they're just killing."
"Not any prisoners at all?" said Jenneke.
"No. That's what they taught us with Cotra. They don't want to take us over. They want revenge. The Empire wants revenge, and they aren't goin' to stop until there's nobody left down here. And they can do it, too," said Gibrain, taking a long drink of mushroom ale. "Damn the Empire. That's all I gotta say. Damn the Empire."
"Empire troops the only thing causing you problems?" said Jenneke.
"No, they ain't all that's out there," said Gibrain. "We stumbled on a big nest of sliths, too. Barely got away alive!"
"Well, then we helped you out," said Jenneke. "We emptied a big nest of those darklings."
"That's good of ya," said Gibrain, and he took another drink.
Jenneke shook his head, as his thoughts of strategy planning were going by the way-side. "C'mon Dree," he said, finally. "Time to get our room settled."
"What can I do for you?" said Gary. "Good to see the adventurer type here. Lately, it's just been soldiers back from the front and refugees. Everyone's destitute or lookin to raise hell."
"One room for my wife and me," said Jenneke, "and I'll go ahead and pay for the room for the guys. The four of them over there."
"Very good," said Gary, taking Jenneke's money, and directing them to the room in question.
"What do you think we should do?" said Jenneke, pulling Adrianna close once they were alone in the room.
"I know you said it's out of the way," said Adrianna, "but ... well, first, to go back to the fort and get another load. We're running out of time before Empire should be sending in the relief, and ... and then you'd have to fight them all over again for the stuff if they didn't remove it themselves. Then, this other mission, to help secure another ally in the fight. At least, if it was up to me ..."
"You're a smart lady," said Jenneke, kissing her. "Why you think I married you?"
"I thought ..." said Adrianna, as Jenneke untied the laces of her gown, "it was because you ... Oh!"
"That too," said Jenneke, still finishing with the clothing removal. "But since you're a smart lady, I want to know what you think ... And you're right. We'll enjoy a night here, and then get back to business."
The next morning, at first candlemark, Jenneke and Adrianna joined the rest of the platoon—Nigel and Feodoric looking much worse for the drinking done.
"All right, we're going to go off and get another load from that fort," said Jenneke, "before Empire realizes what's happened there, give it to the guards on the road like we said. Then we'll go north and deal with the kitty issue, and come back south. Sounds like a plan?"
"Sounds like a plan, sarge," said Nigel. "Just don't be so blasted cheery ..."
"Then don't get so fucking drunk," said Jenneke.
"Yeah, if I could spend my nights fucking, I'd do that, not drinking," said Nigel.
Adrianna blushed and Jenneke put an arm around her, pulling her up close along the bench at the table, and then Jenneke whispered in her ear, "Yeah, fucking you isn't even in the same world as drinking mushroom ale. Love you, Dree."
After their breakfast, they made their way back to the boat and gathered another load of equipment, tying the Empire's boat in tow as they rowed away with the last of the equipment, and rowed on past Silvar until they met up with the militia patrolling the roads around Fort Avernum.
Eyes goggled at the steel equipment, and Jenneke said, "You all help yourself. We already got what we need, and a mission to go north. So take care."
"Thank you, sir," said the soldier who had been leading the militia patrol. "This'll make it harder for them to kill us by a long shot."
"That's the idea," said Jenneke, taking Adrianna's hand. "Carry on, then."
Continuing north, Jenneke said, "I think we'll skip over actually going to Fort Duvno, unless we really have to."
"I think we can manage without it," said Nigel. "Though I wouldn't mind stopping at Alice's ..."
"Maybe on the way back," said Jenneke. "I just don't think I can stomach Johnson twice this soon together."
"I wonder why he ended up here," said Adrianna, "he really does remind me more of Vimar."
"Rumors I heard," said Feodoric, "is that he really loves his men. If you catch my meaning ..."
"What?" said Adrianna.
"Yeah, I gotcha," said Jenneke. "Wouldn't surprise me none ..." He leaned into whisper to Adrianna, "They say Johnson doesn't like the ladies, just his men ..."
"It's a shame," said Adrianna, "I think he'd fit in better with Empire."
"You take what you get down here," said Jenneke. "We just get their rejects ... and the few odd folk who decide to stay with us."
"Are you calling your wife odd?" said Nigel.
"No," said Jenneke, "I ... oh, fuck ... let's talk about something else before I get into trouble."
"Too late," said Adrianna, deciding that she'd join in the teasing.
Jenneke laughed, and they continued their journey northward, moving toward the cave wall once the road turned west to Fort Duvno. After many days of travel, they reached the entrance to the nepharim fort, and saw a wide variety of the savage creatures inside, working, sharpening weapons and standing guard. They were heavily armed, and ready for defense. Scattered among the hulking, healthy nepharim were a few scrawny nephilim, armed with rough weapons, looking as though they were being forced to fight.
"OK, nepharim, kill," said Jenneke, "nephilim, if you can just knock out ... try for that, but not if it means you'll get hurt. Let's go!"
Fighting their way back, they came to a barred section. Staring through the bars, they saw a shocking sight. There were dozens of nephilim who had been enslaved by their own people—they were half-starved, watching Jenneke's platoon carefully, their fur filthy and matted. The normally clean and finicky creatures had only filthy thin pallets to sleep on, one small smoky fire to keep warm by, and a rank odor filled the air. Although weakened by their condition, they looked like they would spring into action if the opportunity for escape presented itself.
"We'll see if we can't get this open," said Jenneke. "Nigel?"
"I can't pick it open, if that's what you mean," said Nigel. "Gotta be a mechanism ... we just need to find it."
"OK, then let's look around," said Jenneke.
"In there," said Adrianna, pointing through the bars to a window which gave a tantalizing look of a cavewood lever.
"Yeah, ok ... This door must go in there," said Jenneke. "Nigel?"
Nigel tried for a few minutes, but got nowhere, "Damn, sarge, it's a tough one. Must be a key around, we just gotta find it."
"OK, OK," said Jenneke, "keep looking around then."
Finally, they pulled the lever, and heard the gates outside open. Moments later, there was running and wild howling. Looking through the window, it became apparent that many nephilim slaves had hidden weapons in their prison, charging out now, protected by the chaos created. A few stopped to bow thanks to the platoon through the window before fleeing, and soon, only those too broken by confinement to escape were left.
"All right, let's get out of here ourselves," said Jenneke. "Consider this a job done."