Read Industry & Intrigue Online
Authors: Ryan McCall
Your Loving
Sister
Lucina
After placing
the note in his
cupboard, he realized that he had lost his father’s journal. To
lose that on top of everything else had been the last
straw.
He had collapsed on the
floor
in
despair, his eyes watering, his face planted against the cold,
unforgiving wooden floorboards. He must have fallen asleep, because
the next thing he knew it was morning.
He’d been distracted
and unable to think
straight ever since. His mind was full of conflicting emotions. He
wasn’t sure what he should do. Cassandra was there for him, but
even talking with her did no good. He felt like he was drowning in
a pool of anger. The news of the Rampart massacre and the death of
the emperor had shocked him out of it, but his depression
remained.
“
Mr. Galius
?”
Reese
was snapped out of his thoughts by
the loud voice of Professor Smith. “Yes professor?” he
asked.
“
I asked if you knew the name of
the Minakayan warlord who led the invasion of south-east Maceon in
552PF?
Or am
I boring you?” asked Nathaniel.
“
Uh…” Reese was stuck. He didn’t
have a clue
to the answer since he hadn’t been paying attention in
class or reading the assigned sections in his textbooks.
He took a
guess
,
“Ujikane, Lord of Shugo?”
The
professor gave him a look of
disapproval. “No. Ujikane was Lord of Shugo at the onset of the
Clan Period, which was in 220ATD. The answer I was looking for was
Heihara of Tora. Nathaniel went back to what he had been writing on
the chalk board and continued with the lecture.
At the end of the class as
Reese was leaving, Professor Smith stopped hi
m. “Mr. Galius, may I have a
brief word?”
Reese turned
bac
k to his
professor and shrugged, “I guess.”
If
his professor had taken offense at
his dismissive tone, his face didn’t betray it. “You’re one of the
best students in the class. But I’ve noticed that you have become
distracted recently.” Reese opened his mouth to protest but
Nathaniel put a hand up to stop him. “You’ve suffered a lot I know.
The death of close friend can be devastating. Added on top of that,
the trauma you endured at Crean. Varos knows it would be troubling
for anyone to focus with all of that, let alone a young student
trying to find his place in the world. Have you been talking to
anyone?”
Fuck
this is all I need
thought
Reese.
A
bloody religious fool trying to tell me how his church can ‘solve’
my problems.
He
noticed the little comment to Varos
that Nathaniel had made. He had never known anyone who wasn’t a
Varonite to use it. He was surprised, he wouldn’t have pegged the
quiet and scholarly professor as someone to believe in
superstitious nonsense. Professor Smith’s classes were always
taught in a methodical and evidential approach towards history. The
man did not take the same approach to his personal life and code of
beliefs.
Sure enough, he passed a
pamp
hlet
over to Reese, which read
Varos can help you find your
way
.
“
I know
what most people think of this,” said
Nathaniel, “but I’m not trying to pressure you or anything. Merely
offering you an option. These are trying times for all of us. The
entire nation is in mourning. The loss of our emperor has
transformed us. I hope that you are talking to a counselor, because
I suspect they will be busy over the coming weeks”
Reese too
k the pamphlet to humor the
man. “Yes, I am,” he replied. A complete and total lie. He couldn’t
talk to a counselor or anyone. How could he? He knew exactly what
had happened to his friend and why, but if he said anything his
sister would be in danger. Not only from the authorities, but from
the deadliest killers in the world.
“
Good,
” said Nathaniel. “I hope to see back
to your usual level of attention and participation soon
then.”
As soon as he
left the lecture
hall, Reese shoved the pamphlet into the nearest trashcan. He
couldn’t care less about the Church of Varos. He had real issues to
deal with and they were eating away at him. If he wanted to he
could have reported Professor Smith.
Handing out religious pamphlets
to students was skating on thin ice as far as the Separation of
Religions Act was concerned.
But he didn’t care enough to do that.
O
ne thing that Nathaniel had said rang true
to him though. The Alkon Empire and its people had been
transformed. Whatever had happened at Rampart, the fact remained
that Emperor Lawrence had been killed during a Galrian sneak
attack. Alkons everywhere were demanding justice, the paperboys
called out daily with headlines promoting war.
When
ever Reese overheard conversations of
the war there was rage in people’s voices. With everything that had
happened, Reese had grasped onto his sense of patriotism and held
onto it with everything. It was all he had left amongst the
whirlwind that had torn through his life.
He sat on a metal chair at the
edge of a sea of grass, watching students walk and mingle along the
walkways tha
t crossed the grass. All of his studies about zoology and
the colossi felt so meaningless now.
“
Reese.”
He looked up to see the smooth
face of Cassandra. She had let her hair out and it was waving in
the breeze. It was a good look for her. She sat down next to
him.
“
Don’t bother asking me how I
am
,” he
said. “I’m sick to death of being asked that.”
“
I wasn’t planning to. I
know that feels.”
“
I guess you do.” She was doing
better than she had been. She wasn’t drinking her grief away
anymore and was attending classes on a regular basis. The light
breeze picked up and brought with it a chilly bite. Autumn was
almost over, the wind had the fingers of winter in it.
“
You look like you have
serious thoughts
swirling around in your head. Any interest in sharing them?” she
asked.
S
ome, but definitely not others
he thought. He
couldn’t share anything about his sister. “I lost my father’s
journal. It must have happened at Crean. I should never have taken
it, stupid idea anyway.”
“
Not stupid. You wanted
t
o see where
your father had explored. I imagine it would make you feel closer
to him. Besides it could turn up. The site’s under lockdown right
now, but once it’s reopened they’ll find it. You should ask
Professor Xerin to keep an ear out for it amongst her friends
who’ll be on the site.”
“
Or those raiders
have their hands on
it. All my father’s secrets spilled to relic-hunting criminals,” he
replied. Recent events had taught him not to hope for the
best.
“
You’re being too hard on
yourself
,”
she said. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. It felt
good, but the small gesture couldn’t help.
“
Thanks
,” he said. He stood up and looked
her in the eyes. “You’ve been a good friend Cassandra, but I need
time to myself to think. I have to make a decision.”
She nodded
. “Ok, if you say so. I’ll be
around if you need to talk.”
“
Thanks
,” he said and left her at the chair.
As he walked he thought about his options. As much as he loved
zoology, it was no good if he couldn’t be free to use it. It hadn’t
saved his father and mother and it hadn’t been able to stop the
agorid and her men.
He needed t
o find out what they were after
and how it related to his father’s work. But more than that, he
needed to learn how to defend himself and others. He didn’t want to
see what happened to Michael happen to anyone else he cared about.
He had to do something to back control.
Chapter
60
Th
e men and women in the Imperial
Council Chamber of Alkos were deathly quiet as Minister-General
Sanya Kodiak spoke in front of them. Tessa had never attended a
council meeting with such a tense atmosphere.
“
Councilors and ministers., I
thank you all for coming here at such short notice, but as you are
all no doubt aware our nation has suffered a grievous blow. Emperor
Lawrence McRath was killed during the despicable sneak attack on
the town of Rampart and the First Army. May His Imperial Majesty
rest in peace.”
A low murmur went through the
room as
everyone repeated the sentiment.
“
I have received many reports,
several of which come to us from Director Talmach’s
agents.”
Tessa waited with bated breath as Sanya
spoke. This was the first official confirmation of the events of
the Galrian attack. Her hands were tightly pressed against the
rough cloth of the table in front of her. The seat next to her was
empty, Siobhan having been in Rampart with the emperor. She hoped
that her friend was still alive, but no word had been received of
the Galrians taking prisoners.
“
Based on these reports I can
confirm without a doubt that the Galrian delegation was nothing
more than a ruse to lull us into a false sense of security. They
smuggled cannons into the camp, betraying the trust of Emperor
Lawrence and our goodwill towards them. Attacking without warning,
they slaughtered the town watch, killed the emperor and his guards
and destroyed the building where the negotiation delegation was
staying.”
Tessa’s hand went to her mouth.
Siobhan w
ould have been in that building.
“
They also attacked the First
Army in its encamped position between Sethain and Rampart, with air
balloons and a massed cavalry attack. General Munro was killed in
the attack. Colonel McGregor took command and led the remainder of
the army to Sethain and is preparing the city’s
defenses.”
The men and women in the room were
starting to talk amongst themselves in panicked voices. This was by
far the most devastating attack Alkos had ever suffered and Tessa
was certain the Galrians were only beginning.
T
he cacophony of voices was getting out of
hand and Sanya stopped it with his booming voice. “Ladies and
gentlemen please! We must remain calm.” His words echoed through
the large council hall. “I know this is terrible, but we are the
pillars of the government. We are at war and we must keep ourselves
steady.”
Tessa was glad
Sanya was
minister-general. He had brought the council under control through
force of will and his strong voice.
“
Yes it’s tru
e the Galrians have hit us
hard,” he said. “But we will hit them back even harder. Alkos did
not become the great and prosperous empire that it is by letting
our enemies run roughshod over us.”
“
What about the Imperial Seat?”
called out one councilor. With Lawrence dead, his heir would need
to be crowned.
“
The late emperor’s uncle and
his family are
travelling to the capital as we speak. When he arrives,
he’ll be crowned and assume his rightful place on the throne. This
government will continue to function and conduct the war against
the Galrians for him as much as we would have for his nephew. Alkos
will stand tall and prevail against this. And we shall punish the
Galrians as dearly as they deserve.”
The new emperor may have been a
McRath but h
e was not made of the same material as Lawrence. Lochlan
McRath was a gouty, middle-aged man, who had recently been
diagnosed with Torditch Malady. It was a wasting disease that dried
out the skin then infected the brain, causing dementia. His oldest
child was a fifteen year old girl. Whether Lochlan endured or not,
the monarchy would not be at its strongest for the war.
Nonetheless
t
he room
erupted in clapping, Sanya had won them over. He paused, looked to
his right and urged someone over with his fingers. Minister Blake
stood up and joined him at the center of the room.
Typical
.
This is exactly the war he always
wanted
thought Tessa.
“
The primary purpose for this
meeting was for everyone to hear the official story of what
happened at
Rampart, but also so each of you knows the strategic
situation,” said Sanya. “Sethain will be the first city they hit.
The Third Army is stationed there, along with a contingent of the
Hydrus Scepters. I have ordered General Marnoch to bring up every
reservist we have, and to pull as many Imperial Army units out of
the colonies as is feasible. We have also put up a call for
volunteers with generous terms for those who serve. I have no doubt
that there will be many citizens eager to defend the nation against
the barbarism of the Galrians.”