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Shattered Peace
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ZERI (JUNE) 23, 1538
112 days into Prince Terosh’s Kireshana journey
Kireshana Path, Kesler Plains
Travel went smoothly for almost a full week. Reia used the time to teach Prince Terosh dozens of Ranger skills. Her lessons included how to use a shootav, catch wallays, trick tretlings into following one out of danger, and find underwater streams. In addition, she covered how to spear freshwater koomies with a banistick, turn shed winol skin into inoli powder, use the stimulant to bolster one’s immune system, and skywatch for storms. By the end, the prince could track okapis, antelope, sinabis, cootras, hiktanis, and morookas. He confessed to liking tracking morookas best because the little creatures were not generous with clues and changed directions often. He could also recognize and imitate quava, colana, sweswi, kyrie, and kamria calls. In return, the prince taught Reia how to dance to “Leparnisu.”
As a part of his marriage proposal on Temen (July) 4, 1140, Prince Olin Minstel told Jaivia Elikrie that she was his world. Later, a harpist named Valin Tamron wrote the song for a play based on their courtship.
If you wish to kill me, walk away swiftly,
For my whole world is you.
The fire in every star
Cannot compare to you.
The light of life shines so bright
The rocks near come to life.
Don’t you know? The world is you!
If you wish to kill me, walk away swiftly,
For my whole world is you.
See and hear the angels sing
They will tell you sweetly
All the gods bound to good
Are manifest in you.
Don’t you know? The world is you!
If you wish to kill me, walk away swiftly,
For my whole world is you.
I could be blind and deaf
Yet still feel your goodness.
You haunt my dreams and my heart.
Please tell me we’ll never part.
Don’t you know? The world is you!
Prince Terosh also explained some court rituals, past and present. One required the sprinkling of dirt from one’s home city in front of the throne. Another demanded people touch their face to the floor seven times before speaking. The seven bows were for the three moon gods, the king, the queen, the palace, and Reshner. One ordered courtiers to present their wrists to the sovereign every time they made a request. Sovereign usually meant King Rammon who had developed a nasty sense of humor after using Dark Ones to prolong his reign.
Everything was peaceful as they lay down to sleep on the night of Zeri 22, 1538.
That didn’t last.
Wake! Wake! Wake!
The anotechs’ insistent cry prompted Reia to roll off her bedroll and open her banistick. A two-meter-long, meter-high, gray-black blur landed where she had just vacated and tore into her caydronan sack, which had been her pillow. Reia swung hard. The blow hardly phased the giant korver, but the return force propelled her to her feet. She spun with the momentum until she faced the beast again.
The korver snarled, showing Reia a fine set of fangs flanked by a row of gleaming white teeth.
“Konjah, Ademos, contain! Melini, Kenos contain!”
Reia couldn’t see the man, but she spotted another overgrown korver stalking close. The beast’s slender snout told Reia it was female, but the teeth seemed about the same size and the snarl sounded no friendlier than the male. The beasts held their positions, crouching low.
Big puppy, bad puppy, cried the anotechs.
Yes, I have eyes, thank you!
Poke the eye and death defy, added the anotechs.
Reia grunted at the anotechs but considered their advice. She didn’t dare take her eyes off the korver in front of her but needed to find Terosh and see if he was okay.
“Terosh?” she called.
“I’m here.”
The tension in his response told Reia his situation probably mirrored hers. She wondered if she could reach her shootav in time. She would have less than a second to shoot and couldn’t be certain the dose of cormea and radon would be enough.
“We’d prefer to take you alive as those are our orders,” said a polite male voice.
“Alive would be nice,” Reia muttered.
“What about—”
“Don’t you dare go noble on me,” Reia snapped, interrupting the prince.
“My masters have an offer for the prince,” the man said.
“Good to know,” Reia said. “But I don’t believe you.”
“There’s also a job for you, Ranger, if you’ll take it. My masters have already hired several Rangers like my friend here.”
The announcement shocked Reia. She glanced toward the voice and then in the direction the silhouette pointed. A cloaked, silent figure stood with crossed arms, watching the scene unfold.
Traitor.
“Not interested,” Reia said tightly.
“Too bad. Konjah, Ademos, attack!” The civility vanished from the man’s tone.
Reia drew her shootav and rolled under the leaping korver, firing two stun pellets up into its belly as it sailed over her. She only had time to squeeze off one shot at the second korver leaping for her throat.
The beast latched onto her banistick but let go with a whimper when the electric pulse registered in its teeth.
Reia landed with the korver on top. The three energy beams that would have struck her slammed into the korver’s tough hide, but the giant thing landed squarely on her chest. She remained consciousness but having one arm trapped beneath the korver left her vulnerable.
***
AS SOON AS REIA TURNED down the job, Terosh knew the two korvers facing him would attack. He drew his kerlinblade and kerlak pistol. A swift adjustment put the pistol on full automatic, which would cause it to fire one continuous stream of energy. The powerpack would deplete almost instantly, but if he swung his arm fast enough, he might hit both korvers and the Ranger before it ran out. He had two more powerpacks strapped to his belt, but they would do him no good without adequate reload time.
As the first korver leapt, Terosh pulled the trigger. The beam slammed the korver to a halt in midair and threw it backward. Before the scent of well-done korver reached him, Terosh turned the beam on the other korver and the Ranger. The second korver yelped, leaving its cry hanging in the air as it died.
The Ranger leapt away from the energy beam as the powerpack died. Nevertheless, the thin beam skipped along the Ranger’s right forearm, causing him to recoil and flee. It was too bad that the powerpack had come from Fort Riden’s armory and thus lacked Dr. Belcross’s special knockout concoction. Terosh wanted to pursue the man but saw a korver land on Reia and went to help her.
***
LUCAS TELON DIDN’T care as much as Kiner that the korvers were dead, but it was a shame. Even though he had shot one of the korvers to save Reia, he wished the program no ill-will. The first korver trials had been promising but this disaster would be a big setback.
Playing games with the Alliance is foolish.
Lucas wanted to kill Kiner, but the RT soldier wasn’t a true threat. Kiner would crawl back to his masters and report the program’s failure. Lucas would file his own report with Gareth Restler, but his official report would go to Lord Kezem.
How many Alliance soldiers know Lord Kezem is Maledek?
If Kezem’s plans proceeded properly, the Alliance and the Rangers would soon destroy each other. Kolknir approved, but despite flaws, the Order still felt like family to Lucas.
