TEARS IN RAIN
Chapter Two
"Is it as big as they say it is?"
The young man being addressed waved his hand in languid dismissal. "Is anything ever 'as they say it is,' Lacan?" He grinned as his young friend shot him a glare and then fluttered his hand again, this time in a soothing manner. "It's bigger, actually. Absolutely huge, especially compared to this place."
Lacan sat back on his wooden perch, marginally placated. He had been chopping logs on the stump not long before and the axe lay abandoned rather carelessly on the ground nearby. The boy was devoting all of his attention to the person who lounged against the tree before him.
"What did you do while you were there? Did you go to one of those taverns they. . . ." He searched hastily for another expression and didn't come up with much. ". . .you always hear about? Quit taunting, Krelian, and just tell me already!"
Krelian smiled again and expertly flicked a strand of blue hair from his eyes. "It's not as if I spent my whole time in Nisan left to my own devices, you know. We were there to escort his Lordship, not to paint the town red. But, yeah, I did get to see a few of the sights." He donned a look of supreme smugness and crossed his arms.
"Lacan! Are you done chopping that wood yet?"
Lacan answered the voice drifting from an open window without taking his eyes off of his friend. "In a bit, Dad!" And then to Krelian, "Well?"
"Yes, I went in some of the taverns. They're okay, but not all that they. . . ." He winked. ". . .make them out to be. And I checked out the shops. By the way, I got you something, so remind me to bring it over next time." The young man tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Let's see, what else. . . . Oh yes. . .the place is crawling with women! Too bad you couldn't come along, Lacan. Thought you're hardly old enough to properly appreciate it!"
The boy scowled. But only for a moment. For then Krelian took on a thoughtful, grave expression; the kind that said he was deciding whether or not to share something substantial. . .and was not sure whether Lacan was old enough to treat it with the proper gravity. Lacan tried to look suitably astute and attentive.
He evidently passed inspection, for Krelian darted his eyes furtively toward the window, before leaning forward and dropping his voice. "There were Recruiters there. I was passing by the Central Square and heard them speaking. Huge crowd." Lacan's eyes widened in amazement and he too leaned forward. "What were they saying?"
"What they always are said to. Come to Solaris, work for us. . .and know such marvels as you cannot possibly imagine. Of course, it took them a lot longer to get all of that across. You have never heard anyone so damn long-winded. And all of that isn't even the good part. Then this fellow from the throng got into it. And not in what you would term an 'encouraging' manner. He never said, but there was just something about him. . .I'd swear a month's pay he was from Shevat." Krelian paused for a moment to acknowledge his friend's dropped jaw and then continued.
"He wasted no time in jumping all over the Recruiters. Asking all of the questions everyone else there was too uncomfortable to. . .or too afraid. It all led up to the real crux of the thing: what the hell do they need a big steel city for anyway? The Recruiters side-stepped it all quite neatly. Naturally. Half the people listening hadn't any idea what was going on. I'll give them this much, Solaris doesn't send out a bunch of fools to get the job done. A handful of flowery phrases, more assurances of wealth and wonders. . . ."
Krelian finally trailed off, sighing and looking at the ground before him with somber eyes. Lacan fidgeted, wishing they could return to the insouciant atmosphere of what must have been only bare moments before. And then his friend spoke once more.
"They're talking of war, you know. I. . .don't know if that's the right answer. The reasoning doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It's just that the leaders in Nisan are so damn sure something is going on. . .but God only knows what it might be. Their fear of the unknown could drive them to a fatal mistake. And us too, if the King decides to lend aid. It's not the thought of fighting that bothers me. . .God, would I have joined the army if it did? But I would hate to throw away my life for some spectral threat that doesn't even concern my own country. Damnit. . . ."
Lacan shook his head with a vehemence that startled him. "I'm sure it won't come to that, Krelian. Nisan is a long way away. Like you said, it doesn't concern us."
"Yeah, maybe you're right. Anyway, kid, you've got to finish chopping all this wood. Better get with it."
Written November 2000.
Xenogears © Square-Enix.