Emblems Saga: Call of the Emblems
The Katti's Chosen
"Fate is coincidence. Coincidence is fate. The difference lies in the believer."
Port Bulgar Security Center Lock-up, Planet Bulgar, Sacean Expanse
"This has to be the worst detective work, no, the worst security force in the entire galaxy," Kent said with an exasperated display of throwing his hands into the air. "It's no wonder that bandits and other scum of the galaxy like to go to the Expanse to hide, because they'll never get caught!"
"This is the fourth time you've gone on about this subject," said Mark, "second with arm gestures. Third where the undertone of disgust in your voice has grown."
"Why are you so calm?" Kent all but shouted. "This is preposterous. You weren't even involved in the scuffle. How can you be so calm when you're in a situation like this?"
"Shouting like a drunken outlaw who just made payday won't change my situation, so far as I know," Mark said slowly. It was almost as if he were taunting Kent with how slow he spoke and how well he enunciated the words. If it weren't for the bars separating them, then Sain, who was observing all of this from a third cell, was positive his good friend would be throttling the young man. "Let me ask you a question now. Why are you so outraged? From your rationalization of the situation earlier, you don't strike me as the kind of person who would let themselves get this out of control."
"I… Aside from these buffoons being the idiot police of Bulgar," Kent started, waving his arms at the wall to indicate where the rest of the "idiot police" were probably taking a break that included more donuts than he could shake a stick at, "an innocent girl was kidnapped by bandits, or mercenaries, or whoever. It certainly doesn't help that we were assigned to bring her to meet with her grandfather before he dies."
"And you're worried that your career is on the line here," Mark finished. "I suppose that would be a reasonable cause for worry."
"Well," Kent said with a frown. Then quietly, he said, "That's not the only reason. I-I just don't want an innocent person to get hurt, that's all." Kent's sudden shift in attitude made Sain perk up. He stood and walked to the front of his cell to peer across the hall at Kent.
"You sly dog," Sain said with a smirk. "I should warn you though. I have first dibs."
"I am not you, Sain," Kent said, sending his partner a withering glare. "And you'll be just as fired as I'll be if this mission continues to go as badly as it has so far."
"What about you Mark," Sain said, ignoring Kent. "What are you here for?"
"Because some idiot threw an axe and hit me in the head," Mark said. Kent deadpanned while Sain snickered slightly. Neither said anything, waiting for Mark to continue. "Oh alright," Mark said after the silence became too much to bear. "I'm a tactician. Recently graduated. I came here looking for work. I figure with all the outlaws and pirates riding around here, there must be plenty of work for someone with my talents."
"A tactician, eh?" Sain said, whistling. "You guys are a rare breed. Only ever saw one on a Vid when the President was giving a speech after the Mad King's War."
"That pompous dumbass is a limp noodle compared to me," Mark said. He puffed out his chest and nodded, as if to acknowledge the non-existent praise fan girls or some other crowd was giving him. Kent and Sain just stared. "I'm the best there ever was," he continued. "Perhaps the best there ever will be."
"Brilliant," Kent said. He threw his hands into the air and started pacing his cell again. "Just excellent. We're stuck in jail. Our mission's gone to hell in a hand basket. And the galaxies greatest tactician has decided to deign us with his glorious presence. This day has just been the greatest day ever!"
With that Kent slumped down onto the bench built along the concrete wall at the back of his cell. Sain rolled his eyes and then suddenly a frown creased his brow. Mark smirked, though remained quiet in his amusement.
"I just thought of something Kent," Sain said. "Remember how the Chief said that something felt off about this trip? Well, when we left the space port, I didn't initially get a good look around, because of the crowds, but during the fight, I noticed that there was a space open where the abductors had been standing, almost as if they'd cordoned it off and didn't allow anyone to park their vehicles there. Like they were waiting for her to leave the building."
"Are you sure?" Kent asked. "I was too busy fighting that hulking mass of muscle to see too much. And our master tactician over there," he added, throwing his thumb over his shoulder at Mark, "was out cold before he saw anything."
"I'll have you know I have a photographic memory," Mark said and then he closed his eyes and shuddered. "I'll never be able to get the image of that axe flying at my face out of my mind now."
"I'm sure of it," Sain said. "Perhaps this is what the Chief was talking about. No one besides us, the Chief, and Governor Hausen knew we were coming here. If they knew where to find Lyndis, then someone must have leaked the info. I mean, until the Governor got that message from his estranged daughter, no one even knew that Lyndis existed."
"Do you think that the Governor send Mercs to collect her?" Kent asked. "Then why all the secrecy? And why bother wasting the taxpayer's money to send us? Neither of those things adds up. Besides, we don't even know if they came for her or were just randomly abducting people. They were bandits, after all. They don't need logic to be criminals."
"They did come for her," said a new voice, "they called her out of the crowd, by name. I even saw a picture of her that one of the men was carrying."
The detectives and Mark turned to the fourth cell, occupied by the Laguz cat man who was also fighting the brutes. He sat on the bench at the back of his cell like Kent, but he was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and hands clasped together. Since the Laguz was in the cell next to Sain, he moved over and sat down next to the bars separating the two holding areas.
"Were you traveling with her?" Kent asked. "You were fighting to try and save her before we even got out there."
"Yes," the cat man said, "I-I was adrift in space, not too long back. She found me, took me in, and even saved me from a pirate who tried to kill me. I can't remember my name, or where I come from, but she is helping me anyway. I think… I believe it's a Sacean custom to help guests as much as physically possible. To be a good host. But I'm not sure where that knowledge comes from. I can even speak some Sacean, but it's mostly broken. She puts up with it anyway. Saving her is the least I can do in return for her efforts for me."
"So that's your story," Sain said. "And here I thought you were her lover or something. Excellent. Excellent."
"Sain, would you give it a rest already?" Kent grumbled. He stood once more and began pacing. Every few seconds he would clench his fists and cast a glare at the stone wall at the back of his cell.
"Here we go again," Mark noted dully. "Hey, Mr. Detective, how about we try it my way this time?"
"What?" Kent said. He stopped pacing and faced Mark. Sain stood as well and moved to the front of his cell. "What do you mean?"
"I'm saying that I'll lend you my skills in exchange for employment," Mark said. "See, this is how I see the current situation we all happen to find ourselves in. Based on what you've said, and what the Laguz has said, this Lyndis is a Sacean who happens to be the Granddaughter of a Governor of Lycia. Unless politics have changed there in the last five minutes, that means he's as rich as or the richest man in his space. Saceans are looked down upon in Lycia as uneducated, amoral savages, despite their ability to manipulate tech like it's no one's business. So that means that, if someone is out to get Lyndis, and not bring her safely to her grandfathers side, then someone in the upper echelons of your space's society has other ideas. The only ones who would not want to out the secret that the Governor has a half Sacean granddaughter would be anyone that would stand to lose standing should that happen. His enemies, no doubt, would have just released the information to the masses instead of sending assassins or kidnappers."
"Ludgren!" Sain shouted suddenly. "That slimy… He's the Governor's brother, and the current Vice-governor. Also, heir to the Blitzkrieger fortune. The fortune is said to be quite substantial and is currently controlled mostly by the Governor. If the news that he had a half Sacean daughter broke, the family's stock would go down by several orders of power overnight! It has to be Ludgren."
"Sain, think about what you're saying," Kent said. "You're saying that the Vice-governor is trying to have his own grandniece assassinated just to save face. That's… that's…"
"Sounds about right to me," Mark said. "The Lycian wealthy are notorious for their internal power struggles. Not to mention some famously large, and quite bloody, battles over some minor petty disputes. If Lyndis has anyone out to get her, it will most likely be the Vice-governor."
"This is all good to know," the cat man said. "But it doesn't get us out of these cells any faster. Mark, you said you had an idea. Does it involve escaping?"
"Yes," Mark said. "Though, until I get pay back, I'm going to hold an everlasting grudge against Kent."
This piqued Kent's interest. He crossed his arms and tilted his head while he waited for Mark to elaborate. Mark's smirk grew wider.
Warehouse District, Planet Bulgar, Sacean Expanse
Lyn awoke with a start from the inky blackness of unconsciousness. A constant ache waxed and waned with the pumping of her heart from the backside of her head. That pain, the gag in her mouth, and the heavy ropes wrapped tightly around her, reminded her why she woke up to find herself on the floor of a cavernous empty building surrounded by big, bulky men who smelled like they hadn't bathed since, most likely, their mothers last attempted it.
Luckily, since all of their backs were turned, none noticed that she was awake. This was fortunate since they appeared to be in a strategy meeting of some sort. And even she didn't have good hearing, they were talking very loud.
"So we can't kill the girl like our contract said because Boss wants to hold her ransom?" asked one particularly slow looking individual. Since all of these men were large, hulking, masses of muscle, he really didn't stand out from the group. But the man's mouth hung open after he finished speaking, as if he were in a state of being constantly dumbfounded.
"Like I said," replied another bulking man. Apparently, he was 'Boss'. "The girl's grandfather is stinkin rich. He sent those to agents to get her all secret like, yeah? So why get paid so little to just kill her when we could just contact the grandfather directly and persude him to pony up a little more. Then we'll turn around and sell her to some slavers. She's not that bad looking, we'd make a pretty buck off of her."
"Hehe, you're smart boss," said Dumbfounded. Several other of the small group, numbering maybe fifteen, added in their agreement. Boss must have then done something that Lyn couldn't see because everyone suddenly fell silent.
"Glass," Boss said, "why are you being so quiet? What? Is the greatest swordsman ever too good to work like everyone else?"
"No, Zugu," replied Glass, "just too good to work for you. I told you that after this job is finished I'm taking my guys and going my own way. This job's nearly done, you're gonna get your money, and I don't have to see your ugly face again."
"Don't make fun of the Boss!" shouted Dumbfounded. "You have some damn respect."
"Pay him no mind, Bug," Zugu said. Lyn nodded to herself. Dumbfounded's name was Bug. "He's the greatest swordsman alive," he added, clearly mocking Glass.
"Tch, whatever." Glass started walking away. "Come on, boys. We're leaving. No sense waiting around."
About half of the men gathered in front of Lyn left the group and began walking away. This let her see the rest of the cavernous building she was in was actually not so empty. On the other side of what she now recognized as a goods warehouse, stood several mechs.
Glass was easy to pick out from the group walking away, because he was the only one not big, bulky, and ugly. Instead, he was tall, and sinewy, with a Vibro-sword strapped to his back. Perhaps there was more to this claim of being the best swordsman than she first thought.
Lyn watched Glass climb up into what at first glance looked like a Mercenary Class mech, but she had never seen one with a Helix Canon attached to it. If she didn't know better, then that machine used to be an Archer Class. But that was impossible. It would take nothing short of Dragon Tech to build something like that. Just who was this Glass character?
As Glass, and several Brigand Class's lifted off and flew out of the Warehouse's main door, her kidnappers began to talk again. Despite the growing urge to get away, she remained still. What they were saying could be useful. After all, she learned that they thought she was some rich man's granddaughter. If she kept listening, these loose tongued idiots might let slip some information that could help her escape.
"I don't like him, Boss," Bug said.
"I'm not too worried about him," said another brute. "We'll be rolling in luxury and he'll still be in those damn caverns trying to pull the Katti from their stone. What an idiot."
The mention of the Katti set alarms off in her mind. Glass had gone after the Katti? He had to be stopped! Now she had to get out of here! The first thing she'd do is notify the police that the Katti were in danger. Then… oh who was she kidding. She needed to escape first and that wasn't happening very quickly.
"Hey look!" shouted one of the men said. "She woke up!"
Before she could think of how they'd noticed, she was surrounded by all of them. Zugu stood in front of her and Bug next to him. She tried saying that she wasn't afraid of them, regardless of her flip-flopping stomach, but all that came out was muffled noise.
Zugu kneeled so that he was at eye-level. Then he grinned. "Good morning, Princess," he said. "Welcome back to the world of the living. I'm sorry for having to kidnap you, but it's just business. I'm sure you understand. Big ole grandpa Hausen wants little baby Lyndis brought safely home while mean old Uncle Ludgren wants you dead. Hehe, they'll both pay through the nose for it. Ah, the things I'll do for money."
"Mmm! Mmm!"
"Hehe, Boss, she said she loves you and wants to give you a kiss," Bug said. If she could do anything, she would have kicked Bug where the sun don't shine in an instant. As it was, she settled for unleashing a glare she remembered her father making at slimy business men who tried ripping him off. Bug, of course, was either too dumb or too ugly to comprehend and grinned at her.
"Now now, Bug," Zugu said. "We're not in that sort of business. We have standards, unlike those monstrous Taliver. She's not going anywhere. Leave her tied up until the extra funds clear and then we'll leave for the Black Market."
Zugu stood and laughed. He continued laughing as he walked away. The other men chuckled or laughed themselves as they all walked away to other parts of the warehouse.
Lyn tried to struggle in her bonds, but her heart wasn't in it. Zugu's words were going in circles inside of her mind. How did he know her name? Was it really possible that she wasn't alone in this galaxy all this time? Did she really have a grandfather named Hausen? Why hadn't she known?
It could only be because it was from her Mother's side of the family. She never really talked about her family much. Whenever Lyn had asked, her mother always changed the topic. Eventually, she stopped asking.
But now she knew. It was possible she had a grandfather. Family. She had family left. And now, because of these men, she was probably never going to meet them.
Tears were threatening to spill when one of the Brigand Units sitting next to the door exploded. The shockwave knocked Lyn back a few feet. She smashed into a wooden box, which fell apart, but cushioned her landing.
The explosion made her vision go sideways for a moment. When it finally cleared, she saw five figures running into the warehouse, two of them letting off plasma shots left and right. It was a raid, she realized. Probably from the local police. This was her chance to escape.
She looked about herself to get a feeling for her surroundings. She quickly noticed a sharp piece of wood from the smashed box she'd landed on sticking out of the mess underneath her. Wiggling her way over to it, she began sawing the rope binding her hands with the sharp edge as fast as she could.
Moments before, outside the Warehouse…
"Kent, when I said choke me, I didn't think you'd really choke me!"
"You're bringing that up now?"
"You tried to kill me!"
"Hey! Now's not the time! We need to find which warehouse Lyn is in, and fast. We're just lucky that Bee still has her com's signal. They could have taken her off planet already and we'd never find her."
The hushed conversation took places in the dark behind some large crates of some kind of fruit. Since it was the Warehouse District, crates like this one were spread all over the place, awaiting distribution. They also offered perfect hiding places while sneaking through the area.
Bob peeked around the corner of the boxes they were huddled behind. The area in front of the next warehouse was empty. Some of the previous buildings had security teams patrolling around them, but not this one.
"No one's watching this one," he said over his shoulder. "It might be empty." They'd already run into another few buildings that didn't have any crates, vehicles, or security around them. The buildings were, of course, empty.
"Just makes our search easier," Mark said. "Let's go."
The four snuck from their cover, quickly moving to the slightly ajar doors of the targeted warehouse. That's when a loud noise pierced the air and the door opened wider. All four dashed back for cover. Just as they got behind the boxes again, they saw several mechs fly out of the warehouse.
"I think we've found the right warehouse," Kent said. He clenched his fist and pounded it on the crate of fruit. "Damn! We were too late!"
"Hold on," Sain said. "The lights are still on in the warehouse. There could be more of them that know what's going on."
"Let's go find out," Bob said. He dashed for the warehouse entrance. The other followed. They silently moved along the outside of the warehouse door like cat burglars on the prowl.
Bob stopped at the edge of the opening and peered in. Six or seven of the big hulking men from earlier in the day were all standing around in a circle on the far side of the room. Then one of them knelt down and he could just make out the Lyn's green hair. A grin split his face as he pulled back and turned to the others. "She's still in there," he said. "They have Brigand mechs, so they're probably pirates or something. Stay here. I'm goin to-
At that moment, one of the Brigand mechs exploded. The blast was powerful enough to knock over the other mechs sitting next to it. The four standing outside the warehouse rushed around the door to see what had happened and were confronted with a man standing in front of the flaming wreckage, dressed entirely from head to toe in body conforming black armor, with a black cape flapping behind him in the draft caused by the fire, and a long silver broadsword with a golden hilt and pommel in one hand.
"Stay out of my way," the Black Knight said, his voice deep and rough. Then he turned, lifted his broadsword, and charged toward Zugu and his thugs.
The Black Knight ran toward the fools who were attempting to repel him. The servos built into his suit legs activated as he ran. Granted inhuman speed, he crossed the open space in a matter of seconds and swung his sword.
One thug fell, dead.
Behind him the two detectives and their friends entered. Beyond noting that two of them had plasma guns, he ignored them. His next target appeared before him and he swung his sword.
One more thug fell, dead.
By now the other bandits were on to him and started swinging their Vibro-axes at him. He let the blows hit, and be deflected by, his black armor. The surprised looks on their faces left him with another opening and he swung once more. Swing. Swing. Swing. Pivot. Swing.
In no time at all, all the men except for one very scared, slack jawed idiot was dead. He advanced on the man and raised his sword. That's when she appeared between him and his target.
"Don't do it," she said. Apparently her friends had untied her. He moved to push her out of the way and kill the final man. "I said don't," she repeated, louder, as she pushed back.
"Move out of my way," he said. She gave no indication that she was going to move and so he lowered his sword. "Have it your way."
He turned and walked over the dead men lying on the floor toward the remaining Brigand mechs. While the girl and her friends talked, he raised his sword and slashed at the mech. A beam of energy left the edge of his sword and slashed straight through the mech and the one behind it. As those two exploded, he turned and slashed at the next, and the one after that until all of the mechs were piles of burning debris.
With his work done, the Black Knight sheathed his sword at his waist and lifted his arm and hit a couple buttons built into his gauntlet. A hover bike roared into the open space and stopped next to him. After mounting the bike, he gunned the engine, and blasted from the building.
He traveled out onto the road and headed for the open fields. As he flew down the road at breakneck speed, he lifted his gauntlet again and a holographic video screen formed from particles of light over it. After a few seconds, a man's face appeared. His green eyes framed by his straight black hair, narrowed.
"Mission accomplished, Master," the Black Knight said. "She has been rescued."
"Very well," the man said. "Is the carriage where Izuka requested? You know how tacticians get when their instructions aren't followed."
"Yes, Master."
"Good," the man said with a nod. "You should return at once, then. The Empress has need of her general."
"Returning home," the Black Knight said. The holographic screen disappeared and he grabbed the handling again. At the speed he was going, he was gone from the city in minutes. A trail of slowly settling dust was the only evidence of his presence.
Watching a sword, a honest to goodness metal broadsword, slice clean through a mech was, to be blunt, stupefying. That sort of thing just didn't happen. Until today.
Lyn could only watch as the mysterious Black Knight destroyed the mechs and then flew off on his bike. Bizarre did not begin to describe the incredulity of what had just happened. Mechs had armor built to resist the strikes of conventional kinetic weaponry and Vibro weaponry, with a slight resistance to plasma weapons if the individual plates of armor were magnetized. Nothing simply sliced clean through it though, nothing.
"T-the B-B-Black Kn-Kn-Knight!" Bug stuttered. "He-he-he just… Black Knight! Ehaaaaaaah!"
Bug threw his hands into the air and ran screaming from the building. No one really made a move to chase after him. A couple of them even felt like doing the same.
"Did that just happen?" Lyn asked.
"Hail," Bob said. "Uh… verily… eh… monolith of grapes?"
"Yeah" she said, unable to take her eyes from the burning wreckage and bodies strewn across the floor. "I feel the same way…" Her eyes widened as she remembered where she was and what was happing. "Bob!"
Bob suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a very tight hug. Unsure how to handle it, he flailed his arms until she let go. As he straightened out his cloak, Lyn took in the rest of her rescuers.
"Who are they?" she asked.
"Hail. Sain, knight of the Caelin. Kent, knight of Caelin. Mark of… wild beasts."
Lyn frowned as Mark was named. "Wild beasts? That's… odd." Mark's right eyebrow arched and he said something.
"Wild beast proclaims fealty to… uh… fourty-five lessons and fifty wars," Bob translated. By the sour look on his face, though, even he wasn't sure what he said. Lyn shook her head and nodded to the three men.
"I thank you for helping me," she said. "The lowlife told me of my grandfather in Caelin, so I assume that is why you've come. However, I cannot leave just yet. Some of these men's comrades are attacking the Katti Caverns. We have to inform the authorities before we can leave."
"Uh… hehe.. heh…"
Lyn frowned and turned to Bob, who sheepishly looked down and away. "What?" she asked. "Why are you laughing?"
"We… dishonorably retreated from evil confinement. Honorable guardians out for our blood," Bob said. He continued to stare at the ground, sneaking a peek at her before looking back down again. The pitiful kitten look he had almost made her laugh until she realized what he meant.
"Honorable guardians… wait, do you mean you broke out from jail and now you're wanted criminals?" Bob nodded slowly. Lyn groaned into her hands. "That's wonderful. The Lorca is probably in lock down then and we can't warn them about the attack on the Katti."
Bob took a moment to convey what she'd just said to the others. They nodded each were nodding gravely until Sain's face lit up and he started talking animatedly to the others. From the reaction that Kent and Bob had, she assumed that it was probably a bad idea. Mark, though, said something that caused everyone to become quiet.
Bob turned to her and said, "Wild beast thinks redemption to be found in saving Katti. Hunting route agreed on, but horses are gone. All may be under hoof."
"So… Mark thinks if we save the Katti, the Police will forgive us, and we can leave," Lyn said, "but we don't have any way of getting to the Katti in time. Though... this is probably the only way to leave this planet before grandfather dies." Bob nodded. "We have to find a way," she said, desperation entering her voice, "L-Let's look around for some kind of transport that we can use. There has to be something. It's not just the Katti, but my grandfather's life in the balance. Come on!"
Sain watched Lyn run off as she started to frantically look high and low. "She's adamant about saving the Katti," Bob said. "We should probably help look for a transport."
They were just about to do that when sirens began to cry through the air. Kent and Sain looked at each other and then ran for Lyn. Mark and Bob ran for the door while the two detectives forcibly lifted Lyn and started for the door.
They emerged and ran for the cover of the crates they'd hidden behind earlier in the night. By now the sun was coloring the sky a bright pink. The sirens grew steadily louder as they ran and got behind the crates.
Moments later, no less than fourteen pursuit vehicles, yellow and green lights flashing, pulled up to the front of the warehouse. While the others moved further back behind the crates, Kent risked watching the men jump out of their vehicles and rush into the warehouse, plasma handguns drawn.
"Kent!" Sain said in a harsh whisper. "Kent!"
"What?" he demanded as he pulled back and turned to face his partner's cheekily smarmy expression.
"We found a ride," Sain said. He pointed over his shoulder at the black transport carriage. "Let's go."
A/N: This chapter was a bit difficult to write, mostly because I felt like the scenes were losing steam halfway through. I was stumbling around that last part before I put in the Black Knight. Ironically, I don't have most of this story planned out, so I'm adding sub-plots and plot threads as I go. As it turns out, adding them happens to be what my writer's mind felt was missing and made this chapter easier to finish and the next chapter all the more epic. That, of course, you'll see in a week. It is my intention to make this story character driven, mostly. Everything that happens has been set in motion by someone or something, and I hope to keep it that way. If you see any slip ups, please point them out to me.
To those readers who want to see more Tellius characters, maybe a showing from Marth and his buddies, possibly an appearance from the Thracia region or the epic appearance of Prince Ephraim of Renais; to you, dear readers I say, fear not! I've included in this three part story all of the current FE games. Yes, even the ones that aren't in English (FE 4 & 5). If anyone's got a good handle on those games, please point out any mistakes I make when I start blending in the Jugdral story. I appreciate it. Also I've decided that the characters of Fuin will have to wait till later because they are not, mostly, born yet. Roy and friends will eventually make their mark on the galaxy, just not this story.
On my profile page, I have noted when I'll be releasing the next chapter of this story and how much progress I've made on the chapter I'm currently working on. I'm going to try and keep to a weekly schedule of every one chapter every Wednesday. I may pre-empt my schedule and post on Tuesday evening, or maybe earlier if I feel like it, but the default is Wednesday.
Next Chapter: Lyn and her companions face their hardest challenge yet. If they survive, their path can only get more treacherous.
Constructive criticism and reviews appreciated. Thanks for reading.