This book wasn’t supposed to happen. I had intended to have the plot go for the big battle between the new and old gods and had started to block out the end. But, by and large, I am a discovery writer, I saw a picture of Klaus Schwab, the man who would have us owning nothing and eating bugs on the beach and suddenly, Colonel Tollings was asking Borug Ironhead about the Global Economic Forum and butts were at risk. So here is a tale of those who would exploit the weak, very bad behavior, some heroics and some youngsters learning the power of just saying “no.”
Chapter 1.
Chatsrey
Filvendor felt the familiar poke from his god as he was looking at the morning reports. He thought back, “What can I do for you, oh god?”
“Jastira has been more aggressive and her acolytes are holding a large event to spread their influence.”
“The Global Economics Forum. This will hardly be the first time that I have tangled with them. I will be ready.”
“Be subtle. Jastira does nasty things to those who oppose her.”
“That incident at Jorge Umevan’s wedding. That was foolish. I will be subtle as the grass.”
Jorge turned to Shael and said, “Are you sure that coming here was a good idea?”
“I’ve been talking to some people. We can spend a couple of days at the Crystal Palace, get a car and head to North Fork and then to Redtree.”
“Places where we are unknown.”
“Yes. I’m hoping that your fame hasn’t reached there.”
“I didn’t even bring a small portal.”
“Snowball has one.”
“No one will recognize him and the other guards without their bears.”
“They were willing to make the sacrifice.”
“I think they don’t want us be interfered with.”
“They want an heir.”
Jorge laughed. “They are not the only ones. Your grandmother had all sorts of suggestions.”
“We don’t have to think about her.”
Swifty dropped a report on his grandfather’s desk. “Here is the report from the wedding.”
“What happened that required a report?”
“It’s in the report. One of the new gods sent suicide bombs to the wedding. Fortunately, Jorge and Shael used the balloon rig to fly out of the wedding and the bombs were left without a target and confused. The Justiciars took advantage the confusion and suppressed the suicide bombers. There were ten in all. The Justiciars have interrogated the folk wearing the bombs, but they didn’t know very much.”
“I’ll call you when I finish the report. I will want to talk to Al, Bob, Tom and Sarya when they get back about this.”
“I’ve already sent the messages.”
“Are you looking forward to returning to the Academy?”
“Somewhat. At least I will have other things to do than guard duty.”
“You do more than you know, that thing today, for instance.”
“I just brought a report to your attention.”
“President Axemaker didn’t have someone to do that for him and you were there when Barry Ironforge shot him. Having you look out for the weird and strange is a big help.”
“Thank you, grandfather.”
Borug came into the office and said, “Swifty, do you have a discreet contact with the Office of Inanimates?”
“I can get you, one, why?”
“Because the new gods sending random folk with bombs strapped to their backs makes me nervous and the Office handles things like people emerging from one way ports.”
“Was that what happened at the wedding? The report I had didn’t say how they got to the wedding.”
“Gunag sent a telegram with a rather interesting story. The good thing is that the people the lady used were out of their depth and confused when the wedding couple were flown off. The bad news is that if the bombs had gone off, the Empire would have been essentially decapitated, the Fellowship would have lost some key people and so would the Kingdom and us. Fortunately, the high guard and the Justiciars were on top of things, but we were lucky and nobody tried something like that at my daughter’s wedding.”
“Swifty just handed me a report on the incident,” Tomas said. “You seem to have more.”
“Gunag said that there were ten suicide bombers inserted into the wedding and that the bombs were the same ones used in the Lower City a couple of years ago. The Justiciars had a compulsion specialist and their fast reaction team on top of things and managed to secure the bombs and the people carrying them without causing any panic.”
“Do you think that the new gods will try something like that here?”
“They have in the past. At least their proxies have. The problem with doing that is having the intelligence to make it work and if that amount of mass murder accomplishes their goals. I’m having eyes on Jorge Umevan during his honeymoon.”
“He’s here?”
“In Chatsrey for a couple of days at the Crystal Palace and then off into the hinterlands where no one knows who he is, according to some bears that that I talked to.”
“Bears?”
“Smart bears that talked to Gunag and had him tell them how to talk to me. Of course it’s too warm here to go around in a white fur coat, so the fact that they are bears isn’t obvious.”
Tomas and Swifty laughed. “They are smart bears.”
“Very smart. I was impressed.”
Thaetmaeg looked at the orc in his office and said, “What can the Office of Inanimates do for you, Mr. Ironhead?”
“I was hoping that you could go over how you track emergences from one way ports and Jumps with me.”
“We don’t usually reveal that.”
Borug pulled an ID folder. “The President hired me for a Special Intelligence Service. I’m cleared for things.”
“This the first I’ve heard of you.”
“The President wants to keep us discreet.”
“Secret police could get the President in trouble.”
“We are not cops. I made that a point when the President asked me to do the job. We have no arrest powers and if a warrant is required or an arrest, we will need to bring in law enforcement. We are eyes only.”
“The President is separating domestic intelligence from the FSA. I can understand why after the turn of the year. Why, specifically, did you want to know about emergences?”
“My son, Gunag, attended Jorge Umevan’s wedding. Somebody dropped ten suicide bombers into the wedding. Fortunately, the Justiciars were ready for that and dealt with the problem without any panic or casualties. My daughter’s wedding was nearly assaulted by Stewards chasing after my son, so I want to see what can be done to prevent a suicide bomber showing up in the middle of something and going boom.”
“Your son being Gunag Ironhead. We would like to talk to him the next time he is here in the Republic.”
“I can arrange that. I don’t know when the next time he will be here will be.”
“Why don’t we go over how we handle emergences. Some people have dropped agents and specialists in the past and they have created some problems.”
“That is one reason the President dragged me out of my nice easy job.”
Chapter 2.
The Retreat
Meri grinned as Ilbryen came to the top of the accommodation ladder. “I have your paperwork, milord.”
“Very well done, little lady. You have been easy to work with. Where are your partners?”
“They are taking a special Program that I could not attend.”
“Because you are a girl?”
“Because of the tail. Girls have apparently taken the Program, but mermaids have some disadvantages. So I do not have to suffer the bruises.”
Ilbyren laughed. “I’ve heard some rumors about that Program from others that have received the training and avoiding the bruises is a good thing. So you can continue with the ship while the boys obtain their bruises.”
Meri giggled. “You seem to be rather positive about the bruises.”
“Lord Zylvyre, Lord Shannelis and Lord Themaer take great stock in how the Program prepares folk for unusual situations, so many here have been through the Program. The bruises are frequently mentioned.”
“I will feel lonely without Derry.”
“I would not be too concerned. He seems to be quite attached to you. You should have no trouble dragging him under. My sister acquired a tail so that she could drag a man under.”
“That seems rather extreme. What did she do?”
“She seduced Paeris Zylvyre and had some evenings with him. Then she went and chased the man she was really looking for. It was an advantage for him to have a tail and serve on Taser’s ship. Of course, that turned out well for my sister.”
“How so.”
“She and her husband live in the Republic now and work in the film business. They do very well in productions.”
“I don’t know what the film business is, but it sounds interesting.”
“It has been. I see that the captain is waiting to pull the lines, so I will take my leave.”
Meri took her paperwork and pushing the wheels on her chair, turned to return to the purser’s office. Captain Umevan found her and said, “All ready to go?”
“Yes, captain.”
“Disappointed that you can’t be with Derry and Tuna?”
“A bit. Lord Ravathyra said that they will be collecting bruises.”
“I have heard the same thing.”
“Why did you send them off?”
“My grandfather insisted. He is concerned about what the Ortog and the lords of Iron Coast might do and Derry is exposed aboard ship.”
“Your grandfather is very wealthy and powerful. Why is he worried about what the Ortog might do?”
“The problem is that we can’t predict what the Ortog would do, but we know how people like that react, mostly as result of some nasty incidents. My brother was killed in one of them.”
“Then your concern makes sense.”
“I know that you miss the boys. But for right now, they are better off where they are.”
“Even with the bruises?”
“Even with the bruises.”
The Arts Mechanical 