Saur checked his watch for the fourth time in as many minutes. She was late, and he was tired of waiting. Or, more specifically, he was tired of waiting in the same room as "the Duke". Self-styled, of course. His house had been in exile since the Osirian War. His real name was Alverk Vaerin, son of the disgraced Duke Vaerin. A detestable, arrogant runt with delusions of grandeur, just like his old man. None of that truly made him intolerable, though. His biggest problem was that he couldn't shut the fuck up.
"Where is she?" Vaerin asked, for the seventh time. Saur looked out the window, feigning disinterest. Perhaps if he focused on the monks hard enough, he'd be able to tune out the incessant complaining.
"She'll be here," he said. He had no idea when, though. Their meeting was supposed to start half an hour ago.
"Your friend has very little respect for my time, Saur."
"She's a very busy woman, Vaerin."
"Duke Vaerin," the man said. Saur ignored him.
"The Abbess will be here as soon as she can. Be patient."
"I've been patient. But we've been doing this song and dance for more than a year, I've got the Coalition breathing down my neck, and you still won't get me my Core Chips."
"You'll get your chips. You have my word on that."
"Like I had your word on Duthract?"
Saur sighed. He always did his best to maintain a professional distance from jobs like this, emotionally speaking. Vaerin was making that very hard.
"Duthract was out of my control, Vaerin. You should be thankful I got this meeting together as fast as I did."
"Duke Vaerin," he insisted. Again.
Saur pulled crumpled pack of cigarettes from his jacket and lit one, taking a long drag. Vaerin was the only asshole that managed to make him smoke so much. This deal couldn't come to a close fast enough.
"You brought smokes?" Vaerin asked.
"A shipment came in yesterday," Saur said. "I snagged a pack."
"Give me one."
"Last one, I'm afraid." Saur stuffed the pack back into his jacket. It wasn't his last one, but he wasn't giving them to this prick.
"Fucker," Vaerin grumbled. "How are you the only asshole I know who can still get his hands on smokes, anyway?"
"It's what I do."
"Yeah, well if you cared half as much about getting my chips as you did your fucking cigarettes, we wouldn't be in this mess."
"Trust me. I care way more about your chips. But you wouldn't need my help if getting them was easy."
"I'll say. Where the fuck is your friend?"
"She'll be here."
"You know I'm really sticking my fucking neck out here, Saur. The Coalition's got a dozen of their Blade teams on my ass, I can't afford to sit here all day."
"You've got two," Saur said. "Kaiser and Ettin squads, specifically. Neither of them know you're here. And we've got people watching them just in case."
"Damn. You redears think of everything, don't you?"
"We pride ourselves on our efficiency. And I'd appreciate it if you steered away from that kind of language."
"Well, I mean…" Vaerin gestured at Saur's ears. They weren't particularly long, for a Spessian, but apparently that was something the outside world liked to focus on. He still didn't quite understand why.
"Most of us aren't red, you know."
"Really? Could have fooled me. It seems like everyone you work with has the same fucking face."
"You are the last person I want lecturing me about who I choose to associate with. Except maybe Walraig."
"Hey, I ain't judging. I know what it's like. You can only really trust your own people."
"I know how they operate, and we work well together. That's all. Do not compare me to you."
"Hey, I ain't some fucking urist, alright? Those Sthenosi you sent my way can more than hold their own. Real eager too, more than most of my boys. But my point is, when shit hits the fan, I never know for sure how they'll act. But an Urayan? I can look at him and know exactly how he'll act."
"I don't doubt it," Saur said. Really, though, he did doubt it. He'd seen Vaerin's attempt at "leadership". There wasn't much there to boast about. Then again, it was pretty much what he expected from the failson of an exiled Urayan noble. His "passion" for the movement was probably the only reason the rest of Shieldwall put up with him. Or maybe they were just monarchists at heart.
"Alright this is ridiculous," Vaerin said. "How much longer is she going to keep us waiting?"
"Like I said, she's a very busy woman."
"This is what happens when you put a woman in charge of something like the Praetorium. I bet you this wouldn't be happening if Praetor Amalthus were still around."
"If Praetor Amalthus were still around, this whole Titan would be a smoking crater, and we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Hey, I'm just saying. He knew how to keep a schedule."
"Wasn't the Praetorium's founder a woman?"
"Yes, well…" Vaerin coughed loudly and dropped the subject. Finally, something to keep him quiet, even if only for a moment. If it weren't against his professional code, Saur would have called the man out on his shit a long time ago. But they needed allies if they were going to stand a chance, and they didn't have many options these days.
"What even happened with Duthract, anyway?" Vaerin asked. "You didn't explain much when we spoke yesterday."
"I'll tell you when the Abbess arrives. I'd rather not have to explain things twice."
"We'll be waiting here all day, at this rate."
"Do you want those Core Chips?"
"Yeah. That should be pretty fucking obvious."
"Then deal."
Saur glanced out the window again. The so-called "Praetorium" the Children of Humility had built was a sprawling complex, to the point where he had trouble believing they'd erected it this quickly. The Coalition had done something similar, but they had about two hundred times the manpower. Maybe they'd had Blades do it, like the Gardens. Or, more likely, they'd "enlisted" some of the locals to help. He'd seen a few around the complex.
It was no real secret what the Praetorians here were planning for Leftheria. A new Praetorium, with a new base of power, to carry on Amalthus's vision. Saur knew enough to find the idea detestable, personally, but they needed the allies. And so long as the Coalition weren't acting against the fanatics, they would be a useful resource.
"Is that how we're doing this?" Vaerin asked. "You going to ignore me, now?"
"If you keep talking, I just might."
"Asshole."
"You know, Orion never gives me this much shit."
"Yeah, well Orion can eat sand. What has that dipshit ever done for either of us, huh?"
"He's stayed out of the Coalition's hands, for one. You aren't going to be good for much if the Flamebringer's goons nab you."
"You're the one who got me in this mess in the first place, Saur."
"I told you to stir up trouble. I don't remember telling you to get caught doing it."
"Well, I guess it's a good thing I'm here then. Stuck in the middle of fucking nowhere!" Vaerin strained himself as he screamed that last part.
"Calm down." Saur went to take a drag from the cigarette, but the thing was pretty much out, so he pressed the ashes into the windowsill and left it there for someone else to clean up. Force of habit almost made him reach for another one, but he didn't want to piss Vaerin off any more than he already had. Instead, he took a deep breath and did his best to maintain his composure on his own.
A moment later, the door cracked open, and a monk stuck his head through. Finally. Maybe he'd tell them where the Abbess was. Saur immediately crossed the room to speak with the man, but unfortunately, Vaerin got to him first.
"Hey! It's about fucking time!" He stomped up to the monk. "We've been waiting here for hours! Where's your Abbess!?"
The monk ducked out of the room rather than reply. Saur didn't really blame him, either. Vaerin whirled around to shout at Saur some more, but before he could, the door opened again. This time, the Abbess walked in, and Saur breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
She almost looked human, even given her pale white skin. And by Saur's standards, she was a knockout beauty. Long, flowing red hair. Deep blue eyes. She looked so perfect it was almost unnerving, which was probably appropriate given her position. The only thing that gave her away was the Core Crystal on her chest. A bright blue circle with a slice taken out of the top. He could see it through the folds of her clothing, which was interesting. Her garments as an Abbess were separate from what she wore as a Blade. Which suggested whoever her Driver was didn't keep the faith.
Unfortunately, the only thing Vaerin noticed was the Core Crystal. The moment he laid eyes on it, he drew his gun, abandoning what little of his composure he had left.
To her credit, the Abbess didn't react much. After all, a simple gun didn't really pose a threat to someone like her. And he must've known that, because it didn't take him long to aim it over at Saur instead.
"You!" Vaerin shouted. "You sold me out!"
"The hell I did," Saur said. "She hates the Coalition more than either of us."
"She's a fucking Blade, you idiot!"
"I'm well aware of who you are," the Abbess said. "I can assure you our goals are in alignment."
"Somehow I don't buy it."
"The Architect created Blades as companions to mankind, but not as equals. To pretend otherwise is heretical. You wish to remind the world of this basic truth."
"I…" Vaerin didn't seem to know how to take that. But he was sufficiently distracted, which gave Saur the chance to step in and snatch the gun from him. He unloaded the Core Chip, flipped it around, and offered the weapon back to Vaerin in a single motion.
"Behave yourself," he said. "Beggars can't be choosers, Vaerin."
"Duke Vaerin," he grumbled, taking the gun and sitting rather forcefully at one end of the table. After a moment, the Abbess sat at the other. Saur, for his part, remained standing.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us, Mother Jibril" he said, bowing to the Abbess.
"The Architect's will brought you to me," she said. "I would be a poor servant if I turned you away."
"I'll keep things brief. This is Alverk Vaerin, leader of the Shieldwall militia group. I'm his representative, Saur."
"I looked into you both. You struggle against the heretics as I do. Though I doubt your motivations are pious, the Architect's will can work through even the most imperfect of men. How may I assist you?"
"Core Chips," Vaerin said. "Saur tells me you can supply them."
The Abbess looked between Saur and Vaerin for a moment, suddenly suspicious. Fucking idiot. Saur glared at him, hoping he'd realize he needed to keep his mouth shut.
"You know," she said. "How?"
"The Praetorium was good at keeping secrets," Saur said. "But they weren't perfect. We've kept track of potential threats since the end of the Osirian War, and your Core Chip stockpile piqued our interest. Surely the late Praetor didn't use them all up in his research?"
"You have spies in my Praetorium," she noted.
"Had, more accurately. Only one. As best I can tell, he died during the battle with Torna."
"If I'm going to agree to anything, we need to be able to trust each other."
"My apologies, Abbess. I should have been more forthcoming. But I assure you, we have no spies in your Praetorium. We're here in good faith because I believe we can help each other."
"How so?"
"I need every Core Chip you can spare," Vaerin said, apparently oblivious to how careless he was. "Fighting the Coalition is nearly impossible without Blades. We make up the difference with Core Chip weapons, but it takes a titanic supply to keep the militia in fighting shape. Duthract was supposed to keep me supplied, but they pussied out. Or so I've been told."
"And you want me to step in and take their place," the Abbess said. She thought for a moment. "It would be good to put more pressure on the Coalition, but we had other plans for those Core Chips."
"Oh?" Saur asked. He knew they were planning something, but he didn't know the details.
"There is a den of heresy the Coalition is harboring. By my estimation, nearly a dozen Cannibals and other heretical leaders have gathered there, spreading their poison to the rest of the land."
"The Gardens," Vaerin said. "I'd heard they were led by Flesh Eaters, but I didn't really believe it. It's fucking disgusting, if you ask me. A Blade pretending to be a human."
"Quite. We have a plan in the works to eliminate the heretics, but it will require those Core Chips. I'm sure you understand why I can't give that up simply to keep a single militia in play."
"I think you're underestimating Shieldwall's value," Saur said. "If you attack the Gardens, the Coalition could use it as an excuse to attack you. But if you give those Core Chips to us, Shieldwall can enact your plan for you, and the Coalition wouldn't come down on your heads."
"We can do that," Vaerin said. "It won't be easy, but we've got a lot of experience fighting Blades. If you give us those Core Chips, we'll get it done quick and clean."
"A sensible course of action," the Abbess said. "And had you come to me on your own, Alverk Vaerin, I may have considered it. What I don't understand is what you're doing here."
She looked at Saur, and for a moment, he didn't know how to reply. He hadn't ever had someone actually ask him that before. It took a second or two to formulate a believable response.
"In short?" he asked. "I'm here because of the Coalition. With how they've been growing, they're a threat to everyone. Eventually, they're going to invade someone, and we want to be prepared for when that happens. If it isn't us, it'll be Duthract. Or Sthenos. Or here. The people they haven't conquered yet need to band together and protect each other."
"You want an alliance."
"Yes. If they come for one of us, they come for all of us. We need to act accordingly."
"And yet you'd ally with a godless nation like Duthract?"
"We have a… Tenuous relationship with Duthract. Most of our allies are already fighting the Coalition in some fashion. Shieldwall, Brionac, the Hunters. Duthract refuses to pull the trigger like that. It's part of why they backed out of their deal to supply our Core Chips. But if the Coalition goes to war, so will they. And as godless as they may be, they'll fight to keep this place free. All we're asking is you do the same for them. For us."
"And how many other groups have you offered this alliance to?"
"A few of the Nopon Trade Guilds have already jumped on board. And Duthract is on board in a purely defensive capacity. But at this stage, most of our allies are less hands on. Like Shieldwall, for instance. We're helping them with their fight, and when the war comes, they'll help us drive the Coalition into the sea."
"What about Sthenos?"
"They don't want anything to do with us. I don't think they even care about the Coalition much, despite their claims to the contrary. The only thing they're after is you."
"Yes, I'd gathered as much from the summit. Being here, talking to me, will inevitably make you their enemy."
"We either stand together or die alone, Abbess. And Spessia has very little interest in dying. If we have to piss off a few Sthenosi to keep our allies supplied, then it's worth it."
"I have one condition, then. When Sthenos comes to wipe us out, you honor your alliance. You fight to protect the Praetorium from her enemies."
"Of course," Saur said. "Does this mean you'll give us the Core Chips?"
"We will keep what we need to sustain ourselves. But the supply is ample. So long as you honor your agreement, you will never want for ammunition."
"Fucking finally," Vaerin said, standing up. The Abbess did the same, offering him a hand. It took the idiot a moment, but luckily, he had enough sense to shake it.
"Congratulations," Saur said. "You've got your Core Chips. And your next job, while you're at it."
"Yeah, yeah. Shouldn't be too hard."
"Do not underestimate the Gardens," the Abbess said. "The heretical strength of their Cannibals is nearly unparalleled. The one you need to watch out for in particular is a monster called Strix. It protects the Gardens with an endless vigil."
"I'm aware," Saur said. "And we're working on a solution. We'll need to go up against the Gardens sooner or later, so we've been preparing. Rest assured, we'll have—"
His beacon pulsed, and he pulled it out. Speak of the devil.
"I need to take this," he said. "You two can hash out the terms while I'm gone. And Vaerin? You keep your shit to yourself, understand?"
"Fuck off," Vaerin said as Saur ducked out of the room.
He looked around, making sure there was no one in earshot, then put the beacon up to his ear.
"It's me," he said. "What do you have?"
"Lots of info and very little time," Rook said. "Three minutes, tops. I figured out how most of them work, and I'll be submitting a report as soon as I can. Anything pressing you need to know between now and then?"
"Strix."
"I'll stick to the basics. He can read the waves that objects make as they pass through the ether. I know a couple of Blades who have learned how to do it, but he's on a whole other level."
"Ether shielding, then? That'd block his sight?"
"It would, but it'd leave a hole. I know Blades a lot worse at this than him who've spotted things like that. No way it would fool him, especially if you're trying to move troops."
"Do you have a solution?"
"It's tough. You'd need to move through the ether without disturbing it. I'm not sure how you'd accomplish that, but normal ether netting won't cut it."
"Don't worry," Saur said. "I'll think of something."
"Well, you'd better. I need to go. I'll send more details later."
Rook hung up, and Saur put his beacon away. It was a miracle Rook managed to get out as many broadcasts as he did, considering how much he was being watched. He hoped the man didn't get overconfident, though. Rook was their only mole inside the Gardens, and it would be a shame to lose him before the plan finished.
Still, it left Saur with the problem of figuring out how to prevent an entire militia from interacting with the ether. He wasn't a scientist, though. Which left him with very few options. Only one, really, but he didn't like it much. It was going to be risky.
As he stood outside the room, thinking on his options, the building began to shake. A moment later, he heard the sound of an explosion. Sooner than he'd expected, really. He stepped back inside to see Vaerin on the verge of panic.
"They've found me!" he shouted. "The Coalition's here! I just know it!"
"They're not here for you," the Abbess said. She was looking through the window. Saur glanced outside to see a dragon-shaped Blade fly over the grounds, raking a laser through everything. Herald. The Flamebringer's heavy hitter. He'd figured they'd be here at some point, a show of force to knock the Praetorians down a peg. But they were slightly ahead of schedule.
"Well, Mr. Saur," the Abbess said. "Care to uphold your end of the bargain?"
"Get us the Core Chips," he said. "And you'll have Spessia's help."
"Done. I'll take you to it immediately."
"Then I'll start making calls." Saur pulled out his beacon. "It'll take some time for help to arrive, though. I'd suggest retreating until they get here."
"We have an exit. Through the Spirit Crucible. A powerful Blade such as this won't be able to follow us there." She opened the door, snapping Vaerin back to reality. "Your soldiers had better arrive soon."
"They will," Saur said. "Both of you stay alive. That goes double for you, Vaerin. I'll be in touch."
"I should hope so," Vaerin said.
As he and the Abbess left the room, Saur pulled out his cigarettes. He lit one up and took a moment to enjoy the taste. It was the last chance he was going to have to relax for quite some time. When it burned down, he put the pack away and began making calls.
They couldn't risk open war with the Coalition. Not yet. And they couldn't seem like they were siding with the Praetorians either. But he could send some forces by to complicate things and force Herald to steer clear. That'd buy them a couple of days, at least. The Abbess wouldn't like it, but once they had the Core Chips, that was Navaris's problem. At this point, he was mostly keeping himself alive. His best bet at sneaking Vaerin's men past Strix was in Sthenos, and he didn't want to appear too cozy with the Praetorians for that meeting.
After a few rings, Navaris picked up the call.
"Yeah?"
"It's me," Saur said, heading for the door.
"Is Shieldwall armed?"
"Yeah, but now we've got a situation. The Praetorians want them to hit the Gardens, which means we need a solution to the Strix problem now."
"Solving that problem is supposed to be your job."
"I know. Rook gave me an idea. I need to talk to Drognav."
"That shouldn't be too hard."
"And I need you to send so people over to help the Praetorians."
For a moment, the man went silent.
"That complicates things," he said.
"Yeah, no shit. But Herald's attacking them as we speak. Send some people, muck things up, buy me a couple of days."
"This is why I was against working with the Praetorians."
"Hey, after I'm done with Drognav, you can do whatever you want. But I agreed to an alliance with the Abbess, they're expecting backup, and we've got a lot of Core Chips riding on this. So fucking figure it out."
"Very well. I'll send a contingent. You have thirty-six hours to finish your business in Sthenos. I doubt they'll buy our neutrality for much longer than that."
"Spectacular. I'll be in touch."
Saur hung up and picked up the pace. He needed to slip away before the Praetorians noticed he was gone. And he needed to be in and out of Sthenos by tomorrow evening. Not an ideal situation. But if he could pull it off, it'd mean three less obstacles standing in the way of the plan.
He woke up in a pitch-black room, sitting in a chair with his wrists tied down. Was that an intimidation tactic? Why were they even holding him in here in the first place? He would've thought the cops would just shoot him, especially after what he did. But they took him in alive, for whatever reason. So why the song and dance? What did they want?
Eventually the door opened, letting in light for the first time in what felt like hours. A moment later, a man stepped inside, flicking on a dim ceiling lamp to illuminate a table in front of Saur.
"Animals," the man muttered. "Can't even put in a proper light."
He wore a suit, gray and nondescript, with a faded tie and close-cropped graying hair. With briefcase in hand, he was the picture of bureaucracy. Some Federation goon here to do… Whatever it was the Federation did with people like Saur.
"What do you want?" he spat, trying to sound tough as the man sat down. A moment later, someone closed the door, leaving the two of them alone in the room.
"Are you alright?" the man asked.
That threw Saur for a loop. He'd been stuck in here for who knew how long, and the asshole wanted to know if he was alright?
"The fuck?" he asked.
"Do you need water? Are the restraints too tight?"
"The fuck do you care? You tied me up in a dark box for hours."
"I'm aware my associates can be rather uncouth. But it was never my intention to keep you like this for so long. There were other matters to attend to, and I became held up."
"I guess… I could go for a smoke."
The man stood up and opened the door a fraction, whispering to someone on the other side. Then he sat back down and placed his briefcase on the table.
"They'll get it for you in a moment. Now, in the meantime, I'd like to get down to business."
"What business?"
"You have a rather interesting history, especially for a teenager." The man opened the briefcase and withdrew a set of papers. "You grew up in the slums outside Ashkareth, survived by doing odd jobs and smuggling contraband between local criminal groups, and made enough of a name for yourself that you caught the attention of some businessmen looking to expand into some less than legal ventures."
"Who the hell are you?" Saur asked. "And how the hell do you know all that?"
"After about a year of helping your colleagues pawn off stolen shipments of Core Chip weaponry, the authorities began to take notice, so obviously your first thought was to move your operation to the capital and escalate. Using your partners' contacts and that charming silver tongue of yours, you gained the favor of a series of arms manufacturers, drug smugglers, and Blade poachers, managing to fence every conceivable illegal product on the market. Except blackmail. When that bit of information crossed your path, you decided to act on it yourself rather than broker it off. With a group of rather choice individuals at your back and a cabinet minister firmly in your pocket, you performed one of the most daring break-ins I've ever seen, managing to sneak all the way to the parliament chambers. Until you were caught, that is. Does that about sum things up?"
"What is this?" Saur asked, beginning to really panic now. "Are you with SovCom? I know my rights, you assholes can't hold me here forever."
"Actually, we can." The man put the papers away. "Because officially, you're dead. You were shot on sight, along with your collaborators, by the capitol police. You're only here because I've taken an interest in you."
"You've got to be kidding me," Saur muttered. "What, is this the part where you disappear me to torture me for information?"
"That's certainly one option," the man said. "The Sovereignty Commission doesn't like the idea of letting someone capable of blackmailing a cabinet minster just walk away. And they're very interested to know who your source was. But I have a different concern."
"And who are you?"
"Navaris Coreial, Executive Chief of Staff," the man said, extending a hand. A moment later, he remembered Saur's were bound, and withdrew the gesture.
"The hell does that mean?" Saur asked.
"It means I solve problems. And right now, our country is facing a rather large problem. But before I can go into the details, I want to know. What did you hope to gain by breaking into the offices of parliament, of all places? Surely you could have put that blackmail to much more discreet use?"
"I…" Saur didn't want to say anything that would incriminate him, but he wasn't going to get a lawyer with people like this, and they weren't going to let him out, either. Still, it was the principle of the thing. He couldn't just talk to the feds.
"I'd prefer we do this the professional way," Navaris said. "But I can call in my associates, if you'd prefer. I'm sure you'll be much less receptive to their form of persuasion."
"Fine," Saur muttered. Principle wasn't worth being tortured over. "I wanted insider info. Rumor is there's something brewing between Uraya and Mor Ardain, and I thought if I could get the inside scoop, it'd be the payday of a lifetime, y'know? But the dipshit I had by the balls was the Minister of fucking Education, of all things. He didn't know jack shit. So I had him do the one thing he was good for, and get me access to the people who would know something."
"Interesting. As it so happens, that 'something' brewing between Uraya and Mor Ardain is war. Tensions have been rising for some time, and diplomacy has begun to break down. Both sides are jockeying for control of some rather lucrative trade routes in Osiria, and it's likely to come to blows before too long. Which puts us in a rather tight position."
"You're here about the Osirian colonies?" Saur asked. "What, do you want my help supplying them or something?"
"That is a possibility, yes." Navaris nodded. "Perhaps it's a benefit we could pitch to President Kimar, to sell him on bringing you aboard, but I have little interest in our colonies in Osiria. My primary interest is in Saihate."
"Ain't that where the Nopon communalists got their asses kicked by Mor Ardain?" Saur asked.
"You know your history," Navaris noted. "Yes, it's also where the Saihate Commune made their last stand. These days, it's been reduced to an Ardainian port of little consequence, but their military presence there has been rapidly inflated as part of these rising tensions. Much more rapidly than should be warranted, for a town of that size. We think the Ardainians are hiding an item of interest there."
"The hell does that mean?"
"I can't give you the details," Navaris said. "Not unless you agree to help us. But we intend to procure this asset for ourselves, when the opportunity presents itself. To do that, we will need heavy armaments. Despite your age, you are the country's premier purveyor of illicit Core Chip weaponry. We want you to supply us."
"Are…" Saur paused for a moment. "Are you fucking serious?"
"Unfortunately so. Use your criminal contacts to get us the weapons we need, and we will compensate you quite well. You might even be able to take advantage of the coming war to get yourself that payday you're after, once our business is concluded."
"You knocked me out, locked me in a dark room, and tied to a chair for hours, and now you want to pay me?"
"I did none of those things. My associates did. I elected to visit when I learned you'd been apprehended. I thought we could come to a more amicable arrangement than what SovCom had in mind for you."
"Fucking hell… What if I say no? Screw you, I'm not going to waste good product on government pigs, that kind of stuff? What happens then?"
"I suspect my associates will have their wish, then. And I very sincerely doubt you'll ever see daylight again."
"Fine," Saur muttered. "I'll run your fucking errands. Happy?"
"Contented, at the least," Navaris said. The man undid the straps around Saur's wrists, allowing him to stand up. Saur could've probably knocked the bastard out right then and there, taken his chances with fleeing. He certainly didn't want to work for fucking SovCom, of all people. But he did want to make money. And that was highly preferable to being locked away in some blacksite forever.
"I do have a condition," Saur said. Before he could name it, though, a man opened the door and approached Navaris with a pack of cigarettes. Saur snatched them from the man's hands before he could deliver them.
"About fucking time," he muttered. "You got a light?"
The man stared at him for a moment, but on Navaris's prompting, he produced a lighter. Saur immediately lit up a cigarette and took a long drag. It helped him focus. And keep calm. Both of which he'd need for the next part.
"Thank you, Denakis," Navaris muttered, ushering the man from the room. After the goon was gone, he turned back to Saur and looked at him expectantly. "Well?"
"Right, the condition." Saur took another drag from his cigarette. "You said you needed to procure an item of interest. I want to know what it is."
"I wouldn't advise that," Navaris said. "It'd be simpler for everyone if you did what you do best and left the rest to us. Don't get involved and complicate matters."
"I don't know if it's in your little file there," Saur said, pointing at the briefcase on the table, "But I like complicating matters. I like being in the middle of big shit, you know? Being one of the important players. So if something bigger than this war is going down, then you can bet your pinstriped ass I want in on it."
Navaris studied him for a moment, trying to make up his mind. Then he sighed.
"The work I do is of the utmost importance. And the utmost secrecy. If you want to join me in that, you'll need to abide by the same rules."
"Fine by me." Saur shrugged. "If I go off the reservation, you can always just kill me, right?"
"Well, you do catch on quick." Navaris let slip a hint of a smile. "I'll give you credit there. And this could prove fortuitous, so do not make me regret it. What I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room."
"My lips are sealed."
"Good." Navaris took a moment to find his words. "The world is dying."
"No shit. I could've told you that."
"Not in the way you think. The death of the Titans is unfortunate, but it is only the prelude to a much larger disaster. The Dark Aegis will soon return."
"Are you… You're serious."
Saur could tell from the look on the man's face. This wasn't a laughing matter.
"Shit."
"Indeed," Navaris said. "And that will only mark the beginning. The Aegis of Light will rise once again to meet him, and in the process the World Tree will be destroyed. Alrest will be torn asunder. And then the world will begin to truly die. The Cloud Sea will dry up. The ether will fade. The Titans and the Blades will die. And humanity will follow shortly after."
"How do you know all of this?"
"I have an associate with knowledge of the future. It is our aim to prevent this future from coming to pass. And to do so, we will need a machine the Ardainians are attempting to construct. It is a very crucial step in the plan."
"You know a guy who can just see the future?"
"He was shown the future by another. An Aegis, to hear him tell the tale. His vision led me to you. And now, I think it is because you are going to help us as more than a simple smuggler."
"You're damn right I am," Saur said. This was heavy stuff, but it was also exciting. This beat the hell out of everything he'd gotten up to with his old crew. "Consider me on board."
"Excellent. Now, we have preparations to make."
The man collected his briefcase and headed for the door, motioning for Saur to follow after him.
It was the weirdest thing he'd gotten himself into so far, but Saur was certainly intrigued, so he tagged along. He imagined most people would've done it to keep the world from crumbling and dying, but honestly Saur didn't give a shit about that. What interested him more was this plan of theirs. He'd barely heard any of it, and already it sounded big. Exciting. Challenging. Exactly the kind of thing he wanted to work on. Forget dodging cops and rerouting Blade shipments. This was something worth pursuing. He couldn't wait to sink his teeth into it and see what obstacles he could knock down.
Before the Cataclysm, Sthenos had a reputation for being one of Alrest's "underdeveloped" nations. They didn't exploit their Titan's resources on nearly the same scale as most other nations, and they didn't have much to work with anyway. It was, ironically, what kept the larger nations from taking notice. It was a lot like Leftheria, in that respect. But for how similar the two seemed on paper, Saur was struck by how different they were in person.
Even with the Praetorians claiming half its land, the Leftherian Ridge felt very laid back. The people lived in relative comfort, despite being largely left behind by the outside world. They helped each other, maintained surprisingly good infrastructure, and managed to solve their problems amicably even without any overarching government. Assuming it was still standing at the end of this, he'd quite like to retire there. Sthenos, though? He couldn't get out of Sthenos fast enough.
They didn't have towns so much as they had collections of people, usually but not always in tents or some other kind of temporary structure. Most of the population seemed constantly on the move, herding large numbers of ardun and other beasts through a harsh steppe. And none of them seemed very friendly. In Leftheria, he could spend an afternoon talking to complete strangers and not feel like he'd wasted his time. In Sthenos, he was lucky if someone responded when he asked for directions.
Even more than that, though, the whole nation felt like it was resting on the edge of a knife. One small nudge one way or the other was going to bring the whole thing crashing down and annihilate everything in its path. The hope had been that they'd be able to control that fall to ensure it hit the correct target. Right now, though, it felt like all he could do to not provide the nudge that brought them crashing down on him.
On the plus side, Sthenos didn't seem like a unified nation. They were more or less capable of making external decisions as a collective, like sending a delegate to the summit, but by and large the smaller communities seemed to distrust each other almost as much as they distrusted outsiders. So even if he pissed off one group, he could probably skirt by without causing an international incident.
The closest thing they had to a government was a kind of council of local leaders. There was a proper title, but it was in Sthenosi, and he didn't speak Sthenosi. The man he was supposed to meet with was Drognav, a member of that council and, to hear Navaris tell it, just about the only person in Sthenos willing to listen to an outsider. Lucky for Saur, Spessia already had the man's ear.
Unfortunately, he lived just about as far inland as it was possible to go before hitting the bogs, in a dreary town called Chulaith. One of the Titan's few permanent settlements, if houses made from moss-covered wood got to count as permanent. The place was so humid he almost felt like he was underwater, and by the time he'd made it to Drognav's house, he probably looked the part too.
It was one of the larger houses he'd come across so far, but if Navaris hadn't told him where to go, he wouldn't have guessed it belonged to the leader of the whole town. It was just as unsightly as the rest of them. Wooden walls covered in moss and vines, empty holes for windows, and a door made from a curtain of pelts. For all their faults, the Praetorians at least had a sense of taste. Still, he wasn't going to let that bother him. He took a moment to smooth out his suit before walking through the curtain.
The interior wasn't much better than the exterior. A wooden table sat in the middle, with a buloofo pelt spread out across the floor. The chairs were wooden too, but at least they had cushions. Not that he really wanted to know how they'd made them. Probably moss or straw or something.
A man sat at the table, hunched over some kind of craft project. Leatherwork or weaving or something like that. He wore a drapery of pelts, probably volff if Saur had to guess. But he had his own fur too, a shaggy dark brown coat that covered most of his body. If the volff hides weren't gray, he probably wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. The man also had two antlers growing out of his forehead. His face, though, seemed mostly human.
"Hello," Saur said. "My name is Saur, I'm a representative of the Spessian Federation. Are you Drognav?"
"Yes," the man said, standing up from the table. "Customarily, we give a blessing before entering another's home. Did Minister Coreial neglect to inform you of our customs?"
"Sorry. I'm on kind of a tight schedule. We didn't have much time to talk."
"I see." Drognav nodded, but he didn't seem pleased with the explanation. Still, he didn't get angry, so that was a plus. He sat back down and motioned to the chair opposite him.
"Thanks for doing this," Saur said, sitting down. "I know it's a little short notice."
"Your people haven't done us wrong yet, which is more than most can say. I'm willing to hear you out, so long as you do the same."
"Of course. The thing is—"
"Before we do, though," Drognav held up a hand. "I need to know why you're helping the Praetorians."
The statement threw Saur for a second. He'd been really hoping the news hadn't arrived yet. How had Drognav even heard about that? Did they have secret radio towers he'd missed somehow? Very very fast messenger birds? Telepathy? Actually, considering the stories he'd heard about the Crones, that last one probably wasn't far off.
"Yeah, that," he said. "Can you promise that what I tell you won't leave this room?"
"If you give a satisfactory answer, I'll refrain from speaking about it. I can't say the same for Sthenos, though."
"Right… Well, laying all my cards on the table, we're backing a few different groups of anti-Coalition sympathizers. Militias, mercenaries, revolutionaries, that kind of thing. One of them is Shieldwall, an anti-Blade militia. They've been fighting tooth and nail with Coalition forces since there even was a Coalition to fight, and they've been losing. I'm trying to keep them supplied, and to do that we need Core Chips. But we can't look like we're backing them, at least not yet, so we can't fund them through the Krustalos Guild. We had lined up a shipment from Duthract, but after that impassioned speech the Banshee Queen gave at the summit, they decided to pull out. Which left us with only one option."
"The Praetorians' stockpile."
"You know about that?"
"Sthenos knows of much. And you thought this… secret war of yours was worth allying with our greatest enemy? I'm sure I don't need to explain to you how the other chiefs feel about this."
"We just needed the Core Chips. I offered them an alliance, but the terms were flimsy, and we haven't officially agreed to anything. And their compound came under attack during negotiations, so I got them to make a hasty commitment. We'd send some troops to keep the Coalition at bay, they'd give Shieldwall the Core Chips, and Shieldwall would take out the Gardens for them."
"A shame," Drognav said. "I rather like the idea of the Gardens. They seem to have more respect for the world around them than most. But if your Shieldwall militia destroys the Cannibals running it, then I may be able to convince the other chiefs to stay their hands."
"That's actually why I'm here. To get into the Gardens, Shieldwall is going to need a way to move without making waves through the ether."
"The ether…" Drognav thought for a moment. "That is your word for the Blade energy, yes?"
"I think so? I'm not a scientist, but I do hear a lot of rumors. Supposedly, Sthenos has people who can manipulate the ether at will. Stories refer to them as Crones."
"The Handmaidens of Sthenos. If I understand your request correctly, they should be able to assist you in your task. Unfortunately, they only answer to Sthenos, and no one else."
"Sthenos as in the Titan?"
"Does Spessia not speak?"
"Not that I've ever heard, no."
"A shame. We have learned to listen to Sthenos's words, though only a few can truly grasp the meaning. Even fewer are selected to become Handmaidens, and we have no authority over them."
"Isn't there anything you can do? If this plan goes ahead, we'll be wiping out about a dozen flesh eaters, removing one of the Coalition's strongest military assets, and helping the largest anti-Blade militia in the world stay on its feet. From where I'm sitting, it sounds like a pretty good deal for you."
"All useful outcomes. But this alliance with the Praetorians is still concerning, and it doesn't change that I can't help you with the Handmaidens."
"Well, if the Praetorians are the problem, we weren't going to help them out long term anyway. They aren't a useful military asset, and they've managed to piss off just about everybody capable of being pissed off. Since we've already got the Core Chips, there isn't any reason to stick around and help them fight a losing battle."
"Yet you're still protecting their fortress. And you're still running their errands."
"We were planning to hit the Gardens sooner or later, this just moves the schedule around a little. But we're only protecting them to keep the appearance up. The second the assault on the Gardens goes through, we won't be giving them any more assistance."
He was talking out of his ass, at this point, but Drognav needed to hear what he needed to hear. What mattered was getting help from those Crones.
"I see… So you plan to betray them."
"'Betray' is a bit strong, in my professional opinion. We're fulfilling the terms of our agreement in the strictest possible sense, and we don't plan on maintaining any obligations to them past that point."
"Betrayal in more opulent terms." Drognav stood up and walked over to another section of the house. There was a wall between him and Saur, but after a moment he came back with a wooden box. He set it on the table and sat back down.
"Is this…?" Saur let the question hang, since he actually had no clue what it could be.
"I have two conditions. First, you break off your alliance with the Praetorians immediately. Offer them no further assistance, let their fight with the Coalition resume."
"We can do that."
"Second, we will attack the Praetorians soon. Within the year. When that time comes, the Spessian Federation will join us in wiping them out."
"We can do that too."
"I should warn you. Sthenos is listening. Should you break your word, there will be consequences. You and your superiors will die."
"I give you my word," Saur said, doing his best to keep his voice steady. "We'll stop assisting the Praetorians, and we'll join your assault when the time comes."
He was backing himself into a very dangerous corner if the Federation authorities didn't comply, but he'd cross that bridge later. At least he wasn't agreeing to something that would impact the plan. Or, he hoped it wouldn't.
"Good," Drognav said. He opened the box and pulled out the severed head of an old woman, placing it on the table rather matter-of-factly. Saur didn't quite know what to make of it. Still, he'd seen weirder. Then the thing's eyes flicked open and stared at him. That he hadn't seen before.
"This is the head of a former Handmaiden," Drognav explained. "Its power has been severely diminished, but it should still be able to assist you. All you need do is ask."
"Hello," Saur said, picking the head up. "I could use your help."
"I've been listening," the head said. "You need to be invisible?"
Saur nodded, and the head laughed. Somehow. The situation was almost too strange for words, so he decided to stop thinking about it.
"I can help with that."
As Saur stared at the severed head, trying to figure out how he was supposed to transport it back to Spessia, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride in his work. The circumstances were… Strange, to say the least. But Shieldwall had their ammunition, he'd finally found a way to sneak into the Gardens, and Sthenos were planning to attack the already weakened Praetorians. He could hardly have asked for a more perfect resolution. The only thing they needed to do now was wait and let the plan unfold.