NOT MUCH LATER, Sady and Loriane arose from the truck at General Finnisius’ field office while rain pelted on the roof. The canvas sides of the tent billowed in with gusts of wind; and the flapping of the fabric, and the rain, almost drowned out the sound of the truck idling. Sady had ordered Orsan and the driver to wait. From further away came the blasts from burners which kept a unit of balloons in perpetual readiness.
Sady had shed his hood, but had kept the rest of his suit on, dripping water all over Finnisius’ chair. Loriane wore only a cloak over her dress. If he understood correctly, she was of the type of people on whom sonorics had no effect whatsoever and could not see it. She didn’t seem to be cold either.
Finnisius came to the table with a map, raising his eyebrows at Loriane. “These talks are confidential,” he said, meeting Sady’s eyes.
“If there is an answer to the problems we’re facing, it will be with the inhabitants of the camp. We’ll need to talk to them and we’ll need southerners for that.”
“But she doesn’t need to be here now.”
“She will not leave this tent. You, Lady Loriane, and a handful of others are the only people we can trust, and I wish you’d stop being such a precious prick about my judgement.” It was Finnisius’ poor judgement that had left the camp underprotected, and he wanted to rub that in, but he could not afford an argument right now. He glared at Finnisius, and Finnisius glared back. Sady had no idea what sort of relationship Destran used to have with the general, but he guessed that, like the city guard and the courthouse guards, Finnisius could do pretty much as he pleased.
Sady continued in a milder voice, “Now, tell me what is the situation?”
General Finnisius blew out a breath through his nose. He spread the map out, on which someone had outlined the field of the refugee camp and the perimeter around it.
“A number of trucks arrived here,” Finnisius said, stabbing at the place on the map where the lower camp entrance was. “My men thought they were supply trucks, but there weren’t any supplies scheduled. When they went to speak to the drivers to find out what was going on, a great number of Eagle Knights came out of the back and overwhelmed my men.”
“You’re sure they were Eagle Knights?”
“Oh, yes, no doubt about it. They were in uniform.”
“Where did they come from?”
“A farmer saw the trucks turning onto the road a bit north of the camp. They came out of the forest. Other than that, we have no information. We need to get airborne to find where their base is but we can’t see anything until daytime.”
By which time there were probably more important matters to take care of, such as seeking shelter against sonorics.
Sady glanced at the map. The perimeter checkpoint was closest to Tiverius. It was probably the last place anyone would expect an attack.
General Finnisius hit the table with his flat hand. “Eagle Knights, performing military operations inside our borders. That’s an act of war.”
“That, it is.”
Finnisius’ eyebrows rose. Maybe he had expected an argument. “If the Eagle Knights take over the camp prior to the storm, they can move under cover of the weather, and who knows if we won’t find ourselves occupied by the time we can come out of hiding.”
“I agree completely.”
“We will not tolerate any southern occupation of any part of our country.”
“And we will not tolerate any political foreign influences to dictate our decisions.”
“We seem to be in unusual agreement. Tomorrow, I’ll apply for permission of the doga to retaliate.”
“You have permission now.” That was it. Declare war. Sady had never envisaged it to be as easy as this.
“Now?” Finnisius frowned.
“Immediately. The sooner, the better.”
“But the doga has to vote—” Normally, the doga would have to approve any military action by vote in the emergency council.
“The doga will be disbanded at the next sitting.”
In a few sentences, Sady told him of the medicine and the content of Alius’ letter. Finnisius listened without speaking a word, an increasingly stunned expression on his face. “So the pills don’t work at all?”
“No. We have less than a day to stop the Eagle Knights, or anyone else, invading the city. That’s even with suits. By tomorrow morning, I want everyone in the shelters.”
“The entire doga could be affected with this corruption.”
“The entire doga is affected.”
“Is there anyone we can still trust?”
“No. Just you and I, and Viki and Shara Diadoro. And Lady Loriane. I declare emergency rule until this crisis is over. We tell no one of this decision and carry on as normal, but meanwhile, all decisions are taken by us. And we’re going to go into the camp.”
A small smile played around Finnisius’ lips. It seemed this was what he had wanted to hear. “You’ll have access to any of my soldiers who have sonorics suits.”
“Thank you.” The question remained if the suits would be up to the task of protecting the soldiers, but no one could answer that. “Prepare to go into the camp as soon as you can. I want the Eagle Knights evicted from the camp or taken into custody. I want to make it clear to them that I consider this invasion an act of war. The refugees are here by our invitation and are on Chevakian soil.”
The general gave Sady a calculating look, as if he was already working out the logistics in his head. His expression showed reluctant respect. Sady thought of the words in Alius’ letter. If the Most Learned had really thought he did such a good job, why hadn’t he said so earlier? He wouldn’t have made so many mistakes.
He said, “It is also important to remember that not all southerners in the camps support Lady Armaine or the Brotherhood.”
“There is no time to find out what’s going on and who everyone supports. My men will fight anyone who creates trouble.”
“I want you to do more than that. I want you to dismantle the camp and take everyone out to supervised shelters. Consider as hostile anyone who resists. Take the ordinary citizens and guard them elsewhere in the city. Gather the people who identify themselves as belonging to the Brotherhood and lock them up separately. Take everyone’s names. Employ southerners to help, but don’t tell them what it’s for. Do not accept money—bribes—for anything. The Knights themselves . . . when you have defeated them, I’ll talk to their leaders.”
“Certainly, sir.” Finnisius strained his legs as if to get up.
“Wait, I haven’t finished.”
Finnisius sat back down, all his attention on Sady.
“Do you have a courier here?”
“Yes.” The general’s voice made it sound like a question.
Sady dug in his pocket and took out the symbolic key to his office. “Tell your courier to take this to Senator Shara Diadoro.”
Finnisius stared at him, horror written on his face. “You’re resigning?”
“No. I’m giving this to her in case.”
“In case of what?”
“I’m going to go into the camp with you. In case I don’t come back.”
“No way,” Finnisius said.
“Yes, and my decision is final. We’ll travel in one of the rear balloons, out of the way of the likely site of battle. I won’t sit on my hands while you are fighting.”
“It’s my job to fight, not yours.”
“Nevertheless, I’m coming. There is nothing more for me to do except hide and hope that some of us will survive. Except that there may just be someone in the camp who can help us. The lady here will come with me.”