Gunag meets some friends. The gods discuss the coming event.
Chapter 29.
Chatsrey
Gunag looked at the rather eclectic collection of characters around the table and said, “You all don’t seem to have forgotten me.”
Gary Axepounder said, “The important thing is that you didn’t forget us. You didn’t bring your lady so that we could meet her.”
“She’s off to lunch with some other ladies.”
“Did you really beat up a mound character to rescue her?”
“That was in the papers.”
“Was she a slave and did you buy her?”
“Yes, but there were reasons.”
“Keeping the mound idiot out of trouble.”
“Keeping my boss out of trouble. He didn’t need the mound coming down on him because an idiot couldn’t understand the rules.”
“The idiot was collared. Who holds the key?”
“I do. That was part of the arrangement, since the key was tied to Shelara. That’s why I paid for her.”
“Where did you get the coin to do something like that?”
“The coin was to cover keeping some things out of sight. Since I managed that without any problems, I didn’t need to hire any expensive barristers and had the coin.”
“We hear you have rich relatives in the Empire.”
Gunag laughed. “That is true. For most part it has been big trouble and a lot of responsibilities. Things have been moving too fast to really get a handle on things.”
“So what is the deal here?”
“You know that the GEF is coming to town again. Colonel Tollings’ Transformed and some others have taken some businesses out the picture. As a result, some folks are hauling some kids in from boarding schools so that some people don’t need Gordy to procure toys. I want to make sure that some people aren’t comfortable when they are looking at kids.”
“Where?”
“The main conference at the Crystal Hall, and for the last two days, Waterland.”
“We get into Waterland for free?”
“The Cutflames will back that. Dad has been talking to them.”
“You’re tight with Gertag. Is he going to be here?”
“I don’t know. On the other hand, if we play this right, I think that there will some nice things when this is over.”
Sylva grinned as Shelara came through the door. She walked over and said, “Right on time. Let’s go to the Bubble.”
“The Bubble?”
“That is what we call the restaurant on the roof.”
Sylva guided Shelara to the elevators, which took them to a greenhouse filled with plants and people eating. They went to a table where an elegant elvish lady was waiting. Sylva said, “Shelara, this is Nylathria Orizana, mistress of the Crystal Palace.”
Nyla smiled and said, “Please sit down, Shelara, or is it Fauna?”
“I prefer Shelara now.”
“So, why did you want to speak with me?”
“You probably know about the economics conference. What happened to me when Bennie assaulted me has been in the papers and I wanted to discuss measures that could be taken to prevent that for the girls here.”
“You are here as a representative for Bene Nightmantle and Lymseia Reymyar. They are not sending girls down from the Empire for the conference. At least no one has mentioned it to me. What is their interest in this?”
“I do not believe that they are. On the other hand, both ladies know what Bennie tried to do to me and what he did do to Gladia in the Fellowship. I was more concerned about Ayre Eiljeon.”
“He won’t be here,” Sylva said. “There is still an open warrant for his arrest as a result of him removing documents from a house in Desert Howl. So you must be concerned about people like him.”
“Yes. I don’t know how that is handled here, but in the Empire, Lady Nightmantle and Lady Jessen have had the button installed in all the houses so that if need be, a girl can put a customer out. I did that to Ayre.”
“Due to the lack of mana, something like that hasn’t been possible,” Nyla said. “Here in the Palace we vet clients carefully and have staff on hand. I don’t think that you are concerned about the Palace in any case.”
“No. I was concerned about the smaller houses and hotels where the girls may be taken.”
“Bene can go through her family for some of those and your father in law to be would be a good person to talk to for the rest.”
“Bene sent me to you so that I could coordinate. I think that Bennie annoyed her more than a bit.”
“Why you?”
Shelara smiled. “First of all, my experiences in the past and what I went through. I can talk to the girls and I know firsthand what can happen. Second, my relationships. Third, as far as the high on the mound are concerned, I don’t exist. Then I have been through some training that would help with an attempted rape or beating.”
“That Program that the Flight Instructor set up. I haven’t had the chance to send someone to look into that. We won’t have time to have the girls receive any training in three days to the conference, but we can go over some things that you can teach. As far as being unknown on the mound, the Findleys certainly know who you are. I would not discount that.”
“They may, but others do not. In any case, I can move in certain circles and have experience functioning in the background.”
“Tell us how you caught your orc,” Sylva said. “I will have you know that he had quite a reputation here in the Republic.”
“That being? He says that he never had much contact with ladies.”
“He wasn’t a player and his experience in upper school didn’t help. He also never seemed to make a solid connection, probably for reasons that you know. But there were ladies interested that had a date or two.”
“Did Alais scare them off?”
Sylva and Nyla laughed. “There may have been some of that.”
“That was one advantage that I had. I didn’t meet Alais until after Gunag had purchased me. We met at the Carayarus building opening, but Gunag was busy and didn’t come to see me. When I tried to see him, he was with Bennie and Bennie made me nervous. Then one day, Gunag went shopping in the bookwarrens and I found him there. We had a wonderful day and then, as I was returning to the house, Bennie found me.”
“That was when he assaulted you and Gunag rescued you. How did he know to find you?”
“I am not sure. Suddenly he was there, saving me.”
“Apparently that has done well for you.”
“Yes it has.”
“Do you have a proposal for us?”
Shelara reached into the satchel she was using as a purse and pulled out a binder. “I have it here.”
Nyla and Sylva grinned. Nyla said, “Could you meet us for dinner here in two days to discuss this further with some ladies. Bring your orc as well.”
“I can do that. Why do you want Gunag?”
“You and he have been doing interesting things and we want your story first hand.”
“Ok, I will have him here. It may take some doing to get him all dressed up.”
“That isn’t a surprise.”
The ten sat around the table in the Plateau Club. Itham said, “We are three days from the beginning of the conference. I think that we are prepared.”
“I hope that we can avoid any troubles with busybodies,” Thornean said. “I am leery about this park. What happened to the estate?”
“Kylantha disappeared earlier this year. Her daughter is responsible for the estate and is not a Jastirian. So we no longer have access to the estate and the house. The Academy is too far away and the board would not accept certain things.”
“What happened to the Ironforges?”
“Senator Ironforge had a heart attack and went to the fire and Marian died under mysterious circumstances.”
“Mora Chambers?”
“She died in a car accident. Her niece inherited.”
“What about some of the other Ironforges?”
“The family members met unfortunate circumstances. So, they are no longer here.”
“That is unfortunate. That explains your difficulties in replacing Bradal.”
“What about Bradal’s son?” Winston asked.
“He is not a Jastirian and is engaged to an Umevan girl. So I did not think it appropriate to ask him to join.”
“I hope that he isn’t digging in too deeply into Bradal’s interests. He could find some links to us.”
“I am not too concerned.”
“Has security been secured for the park?” Thornean asked. “We would not want the wrong eyes looking in.”
“Mr. Bellot has retained security for us, as well as handling the other details. I have the particulars and the contracts here.”
Bob grinned as Gordon and Jon Tollings came into his office. “Welcome, Mr. Steelslash. Apparently you have something for me.”
“It isn’t much, and this is coming from the things that Barry was doing rather than my father. I found some transactions with something called the Jastirians. The strange thing is that I can’t find anything other than some notes and paid checks. There were some transactions back and forth, but nothing that said why. I have the documents here.”
“You know that your father had some bad habits. He wasn’t the only one. Did you ask your mother about the Jastirians?”
“I did, and she said the less I know, the better and she didn’t know much beyond the fact that father would go on long retreats with them.”
“Did she know where?”
“On an estate owned by Kylantha Broadaxe. But she has disappeared and I don’t know where the estate is.”
“She didn’t disappear. She became Jastira’s avatar. No one was sure why she was chosen. This connection clears some of that up.”
“So, she is where the rest of them are, when she isn’t sending suicide bombers to mess up Jorge’s wedding.”
Bob laughed. “That was foolish, wasn’t it?”
“Jastira is lucky that Shael will be a distraction. Jorge and Shael are due back here today.”
“Are you involved in the GEF?”
“Yes, as part of the team from Crowburg. We want to point out what the city can do for folk.”
“Trying to make up for what your father was responsible for?”
“It may have started out that way, but the place has grown on me. I’m living there now.”
“I can send Tomas to help you do some more digging. The Jastirians have been a pet project of mine for some time, but the Society has been careful to make sure that things like membership lists and forthcoming retreat locations are not visible outside the Society. That has made it a bit difficult to probe at them.”
“The members cover themselves.”
“Sometimes, the same way that your father did, by conveniently committing suicide.”
“You know of other cases of that happening?”
“Several over the years, and some more outside the country. It doesn’t happen very often, but it has happened. Jon you haven’t said anything.”
“I’ve been listening. What you are saying answers some questions. Have you talked to my brother about this?”
“Not at length. We had a meeting about the GEF yesterday, where I mentioned the Jastirians. As I said, the Jastirians have been a little project of mine for some time. The problem has been that finding out very much about the Society has been difficult at best.”
“How are they related to the GEF?”
“The GEF is run by the Global Economics Club and I think that the club’s board members are Jastirians.”
“My father was a Global Economics Club board member,” Gordon said.
“Has the Economics Club approached you?”
“Not as yet. They may know something about me and my engagement to Irial was rather public. So they may know that I have ties to the Umevan.”
“More than likely. As I said, they are careful and unlike Barry, you haven’t been touched by the corruption.”
“Mother kept me out of father’s activities. She made sure that I wasn’t in a position to work for father or get involved in his activities.”
“Do you think that your father’s associates in the Senate are members of the Jastirians?”
“I don’t think so. Senator Cinders was not, I am sure of that. Whether some of his relatives are or had been is a different story, but the Senator didn’t indulge in certain things. His alliance with my father was purely political.”
“I think that I agree with that assessment where Senator Cinders is concerned. Thank you for bringing this to me.”
“I am not my father and I want to rectify as much of things he was responsible for that I can. This is part of that.”
“I will sent Tomas and Lythie to help you dig.”
“That should be fine.”
Gunag stood at the airport with Kentog as the two planes chartered by the Imperial family landed and the passengers exited. Kentog grinned and said, “Lady Zylmyar, I am glad to see you again. I see that your husband is with you.”
“Dan did come. We have been contracted by the Imperial House to handle Prince Airdan’s security. Who is this with you?”
“This is Gunag Ironhead from the International Service. His usual station is the Residency in the Empire, but he was called down to help us out.”
Airdan grinned and said, “Have you been doing well in the Empire, Mr. Ironhead?”
“I think so.”
“It is nice to see you, Gunag. Is your lady here?”
“She is, your highness.”
Haramara looked at Airdan and said, “You know this orc, don’t you, your Highness?”
“He has been rather interesting. I am surprised that your lady isn’t here, Gunag.”
“Shelara has another project today, your Highness,” Gunag said.
“That is a shame, because I brought your in laws to be with me.”
Gunag laughed. “Another round through the chefs?”
“Mother insisted. She did so well during the Conclave this year.”
“When I get you settled, I will take them by the house. Mother will be glad to see them.”
“Why are you here?”
“We can discuss that when we get you settled. There were several reasons.”
A man walked up with Delseran and said, “Dan Steelhead. Are there any security concerns that we should be concerned with?”
“Not for you, Mr. Steelhead. There are some issues that my father wants me to help to deal with. As I said, we can discuss this after the prince is settled.”
“Is Colonel Tollings here or at the Arsenal?”
“I believe that he is here.”
“Could you arrange for me to speak with him? I want to know what happened at the end of last year and the death of the President.”
“I will do that. Do you have a specific reason for wanting to discuss that with the colonel?”
“I had the Presidential detail and I want to know how the ball was dropped.”
“I will tell the colonel that. Prince, if you would proceed to the cars, we can get this show on the road.”
Grotrik and Foldwin walked into the smoky goblin restaurant and sat down across from Inky. Grotrik looked at Inky and said, “Are you looking forward to the coming conference?”
“Not as such. The conference either tends to be rather boring or full of things that it is better that I do not send things about.”
“What do you mean?”
“Some people like to indulge in activities that most would look poorly upon and if I were to post about those things, I would be putting myself at risk.”
“Even if the people that you were reporting about were to be arrested.”
“They tend not to remain arrested for long and then they are annoyed.
They also know the source of the thing that they are annoyed at. So do their friends, who the reporter may not know who to look out for.”
“We see your point. What if we were to do some things to liven the conference up?”
Inky grinned. “I think that I can get some people to report on that.”
Radelia grinned as Tom came into her parlor and said, “What can I do for you, Mr. Harper? Are you asking for a discreet line to my husband for the coming conference?”
“I haven’t been involved with that. I was hoping that you maintained some contacts with the “Service for All” campaign?”
“I do have some lunches with some ladies from time to time. The campaign has more or less closed down since my husband and your brother are dealing with the issue. So what is your interest?”
“While the Service debacle was ongoing, some others started to conduct a campaign against navy and army recruiting. Drannor didn’t notice in amongst the other issues until the numbers came in after the school session ended.”
“What do you want from Service for All?”
“I was hoping for some insight into who the people organizing the campaign might be and maybe a discreet way to pass things about the navy to the schools without it being obvious.”
“You probably have spoken to Swifty already.”
Tom laughed. “Me, Drannor and the President. But he didn’t have a connection to Service For All. You were involved from the beginning.”
“Onia is in the country. Do you know who these people are?”
“The people that the navy sent out didn’t collect any literature or information, unfortunately. For the most part, after the events of the turn of the year, they were keeping their heads down. They thought that the protests were something of a local concern and starting a fight would not be in the navy’s best interest. It was only when we had the reports that the pattern became clear.”
“I’ll talk to some people. This could be another thing like the attack on Service.”
“Thank you.”
“I will probably be hearing from Swifty and Sthisse all too soon about this anyway. There are some disadvantages to my daughter in law putting her father in the Presidency.”
“I was lucky and dad was pretty strong about not being dropped into the top seat.”
Radelia laughed. “I would be careful. You might be on a list.”
“I will be. I need to go.”
Jorge grinned as the ex major and Haramara came into the headquarters he had set up in Chatsrey. “I am glad to see you, Mr. Steelhead and milady.”
“I wanted to know how you dropped the ball and let the President get shot.”
“It wasn’t me. Major Benning and some of his people were in on the conspiracy. He was part of the arrangement so that Bertie Ironforge could take the shot if necessary. That wasn’t the primary plan, so Benning wanted me out of the picture. He sent me ahead so that I wouldn’t be able to potentially mess things up. I did have the boys and some Transformed on the scene, but there was a distraction and they couldn’t conduct a search of the building that Ironforge was set up in. Ironforge took the shot when the primary plan fell apart.”
“What was the primary plan?”
“The conspirators had arranged with the Project to get some mages with compulsion training. They were to compel some Dragonkin heavies and get one of them to shoot the President. One of the mages managed to get her grip on Harag Swiftrunner and then sent him to the Government building. I knew that Swiftrunner had been potentially suborned and had taken steps with all the other Dragonkin Committee people so that compulsions would not work.
“The mage sent Swiftrunner off on his way, but Swiftrunner must have been able to work against the compulsions and manage things so that he passed his apartment, where his daughter picked up on him and started to pursue. She persuaded the mage to tell her where Swiftrunner had been sent and went to the Government Building, looking for her father. That was the distraction for my people, since they were assisting. They found Swiftrunner at the rope and the daughter crashed Swiftrunner’s compulsions. The captain declared the all clear, ignoring signals from my people that there was a possible shooter in the building across the street, the President stepped out, was shot, Swiftrunner drew his gun to fire back and was shot by the duty sergeant who somehow never paid any attention to the actual shooter. Two of my people did, and then went into the building, looking for the shooter. They were able to identify him, but not secure him and he escaped to a ship and away.”
“Where is Ironforge now?”
“For some reason, one of the new gods chose him as an avatar. He was seen at the Community and giving orders and assistance to some pirates. The pirates were sent to take an Umevan ship with a special cargo after the new gods lost both the fusors that they had in their possession.”
“Is there a brief on the events surrounding the death of the President?”
“I can get that for you. I’m surprised that you don’t already have it.”
“I was rather distracted. When did you begin to suspect that Benning was bent?”
“That’s hard to say. The problem was that he was senior to me and my mandate was the President elect. On the surface, sending me ahead made sense and Swiftrunner’s picture had been passed around, so he should have been spotted long before the President left the building. The only people I had under my direct command at the government building were some of the Transformed and some cadets and midshipmen, with the cadets and midshipmen not officially being under my command. The cadets and midshipmen being there was a good thing, since the daughter knew one of them and they could help her find Swiftrunner. On the other hand that was a distraction. Supposedly the building across the street had been searched and cleared in any case.”
“Are you cognizant about things during the conference?”
“I was hoping to go over that with you. This is my first time with one of these things and some concerns have been raised. There is some concern that sexual predation is a problem at the conferences, among other issues.”
“That has been a problem in the past, yes. That wasn’t my concern, as it didn’t involve the President and I was told to overlook some things. I do have some discreet files I can share. Who is concerned?”
“I went to Borug Ironhead to discuss the conference and when he realized that the thing was coming, he raised the issue.”
“Why were you speaking to him?”
“That isn’t something I can talk about and his son is working for my grandfather at present, so I had been talking to him in any case.”
“We ran into the son at the airport. Apparently he knows the Imperial family rather well for a low level International Service employee. Will you be available to coordinate things during the conference?”
“As of now, yes. My other job has been fairly quiet of late.”
“We have three days, so why don’t I make some time and go over some issues with you.”
“I can do that. Can we meet for lunch tomorrow? I will bring the brief with me.”
“That will be fine.”
The car pulled into the drive at the townhouse and Jorge and Shael got out. Jhaan must have been waiting with Jorge and Shael’s parents because they were all waiting for them. Fylson said, “Did you have a good trip?”
“We did. Why are you here, father?”
“I’m doing a show for the family. We have a space at the Global Economics Forum and I’m making a contribution.”
Jorge laughed. “That will confuse some people. Where is grandfather?”
“Father takes a hotel during these things,” Jhaan said. That way we can keep business entertaining and family separate. So we can fill up the townhouse and not get involved in the goings on at the GEF.”
“Are there reasons for that?”
“Come on inside and I will explain.”
Snowball watched Jorge and Shael go inside, turned to Mark Silva and said, “Well, that’s over.”
“Any problems?”
“Not from your people and we were going places where Jorge was unknown. The fae in Redtree played some games, but we expected that. Other than that, we were just another bunch on a trip.”
“Any sign of the new gods?”
“Not a whisper. I don’t think that they have ways of watching folk and unless somebody tells them where somebody is, they can’t find them.”
“They’ve also lost a lot of their eyes here in the Republic, the discreet eyes, that is. The Stewards are a different story.”
“Any lead on the spy in Desert Howl?”
“I’m not going to say. Jorge isn’t planning to drop down there, is he?”
“We’re just here for the Economics thing and then back to the estate.”
“If Jorge is planning something against Jastira, I have some things that he might want to know about.”
“The lord hasn’t said anything about taking any action against the lady who sent those kids to the wedding. At least he hasn’t said anything to me.”
“Would he?”
“That is an interesting question. On the other hand, if Jorge were planning something serious, he would be talking to Stadlee and Nat and they would be talking to me. He’s been distracted the last few five days, which is a good thing.”
“I can’t really argue with that.”
“Hand me what you have and I can go over it with Stadlee and Nat. I imagine some people in the Community are sweating right now.”
“I hope so.”
Chapter 30.
The Netherspace
The meeting of the seven gods coalesced out of the chaos and Atis said, “Jastira will probably attempt a binding. Zaxdon, she is going to corrupt the coming Economics conference. That will be for you to engage.”
Zaxdon smiled. “I may not have to. My avatar will be there, but others are looking for that corruption and taking steps. Jastira also made a bad mistake recently. She should not have struck at Lord Umevan’s wedding.”
“That failed.”
“It did, but the Umevan have a large presence in the conference and Lord Umevan is in the country.”
Amus turned to Ayja and said, “You have not said who your avatar is. Will she be ready at need?”
“I have no concerns. I am keeping that discreet, since I want to.”
“That is your prerogative.”
“Also what isn’t revealed can’t be discovered and if we can look at what the new gods are doing, they may be able, at some point, look at what we are doing.”
“Very good point. Atis, I see that there are some new friends.”
This is Ilphas Omaqen, Finnea Loralynn, and Mirillia Virstina,” Harald said. “They have joined the effort.”
“Welcome, all. All who join in this effort will be of assistance. We can discuss what has gone on.”
The Arts Mechanical 