Thread Slivers (Golden Threads Trilogy) (28 page)

The Daggers walked into the dining room and stood just inside the doorway, waiting respectfully for orders. Duke finished chewing slowly. When he was done, he wiped his mouth on the mounted table napkin. Then he looked at the Daggers hard for a long moment. “I am impressed with your zeal. Arriving here a full three marks before the next team demonstrates commitment. What is the reason for the rush to wait?”

Both Daggers laughed politely at Duke’s very old military joke. Elades took the lead and answered, “M’lord, the Dolphin is under observation by unknowns, Knives attacked another Dagger yesterday, and two seasoned Dagger teams have vanished over the last few cycles. We know enough of your true history to trust your goals and commands; we desire to serve with you.”

Duke considered this answer. “You do me honor with your courage and commitment. You are Squad Alpha Team One. Which of you is lead?”

Without hesitation Elades stepped forward; Idanas simply remained in place.

“Elades, you are named Alpha Commander and need to select seven or more Daggers for team one, please do not break up a team. Of course you will also need to select two more fire teams for Alpha Squad and their leads.”

The new officer nodded.

“Tell me, are you familiar with carmine?”

Idanas spoke up. “Sir, it is a spice out of Rhonia, which doesn’t usually get this far south. I have some, if you need it.”

Duke shook his head. “No, I don’t need it, but you will. The initial objectives for your squad are: first, discretely find out if any shipment of carmine has come through here recently; second, familiarize yourself with its scent, look, taste and any indicators you can find from smoking it shredded mixed with tobac; third, discretely identify the Nhia-Samri agent, or agents, who are smoking it at the Blue Dolphin.”

At the mention of Nhia-Samri, the Daggers’ faces became as hardened steel.

Duke motioned to the far end of the room, where the two Daggers took up position. “While we wait for the next group I will tell you the command signals I prefer to use. It would be well if Alpha Squad consists of only seasoned Daggers. I will not allow the Nhia-Samri agents posing as Daggers to join Squads Alpha or Bravo.” Turning to look at Ladro, Duke said, “Time to do this again with the next Daggers.”

As Ladro closed the door he heard Duke say, “You may be free from restraint until Ladro brings in the next team. We’ll have about fifteen minutes — tell me more about how you became Daggers.”

Duke made the next lone Dagger Squad Bravo Commander, and the following team of three, Charlie Squad Team One, naming their Lead as Squad Commander. Ladro wondered where these odd names were coming from, but if the Daggers wondered the same they never showed it. Bravo Squad was ordered to find a way to locate and observe the observers of the Dolphin. Charlie Squad was ordered to begin investigations into the Night Market, Thieves Market, and any other illegal goods markets, to catalog everything that had been bought, sold or traded in the last five days. The next few teams ranged in experience, and the squad commanders debated which squad and team they would best serve. Every Dagger already knew that the squads were to be three teams of about nine Daggers, and each team had requirements of specialized skills based on the assigned objectives. Ladro found their total lack of egotism amazing, and even the new Daggers added into the conversation, not to promote themselves, but to clarify skill sets and experiences.

Then a team of two Daggers came in, calling themselves Apanal and Egal of Azaria. They had arrived about the middle of all the Daggers and teams of Daggers. They were dressed as expected; some of their equipment looked used, but most of it was new; then Ladro saw the small stack of chakram they each carried. These were weapons normal for the region they said they were from, but they were also a weapon favored by the Nhia-Samri. In no other way did they look out of order.

Opening the door, he bowed to Duke and introduced the Daggers. Oddly enough, no one in the room seemed to take notice or indicate anything was different.

Duke was working on his second platter of bacon and some of the other Daggers had food stuffs from the kitchens or fruits brought in for snacks. Duke smiled. “Azaria is a long way from here. I haven’t been there in a very long time.” Apanal and Egal just nodded politely and waited, and Duke continued, “How long have you been here in Llino working as a Dagger team?”

Egal answered for them. “Great Lord, we have only been here about three weeks. We hired on to a merchant vessel as sailors and guardsmen because we wanted to explore a bit beyond what we knew.”

Duke nodded. “I understand the need to explore well. How long have you been working as Daggers?”

“Since we were children, five and ten years of age, Great Lord. We have been fortunate in our work and received good training. I am now nine and twenty years of age as is my life-friend.”

“Interesting, Daggers tend to grow more roots as they age; you two did the opposite. So that means fourteen years of labor and experience?” Duke looked at Ladro, and Ladro, realizing it was a question for him, minutely shook his head. None of the equipment could possibly be old enough, and too much of it was too new.

As Ladro was standing directly behind Egal and Apanal he felt sure they didn’t see him. Instead they both nodded and Egal said, “Very correct, Great Lord.”

Duke looked at them and thought a moment. As he opened his mouth, Ladro prepared to run for cover, but Duke shocked him by saying, “Very good. It will take a clever eye and someone who is a little foreign to this city to lead Delta Squad. You shall be Delta Team One. Which of you is to be Lead?”

Egal stepped forward in a precise military step and stood tall. “I am Lead.”

Duke nodded. “You will be assigned seven more Daggers or more, so as to not break up a team, for Delta one fire team, and you will assist in selecting the rest of Delta Squad.” Duke then bluntly looked at Ladro. “And Ladro, I have told you before, stop with the infernal bowing. It is embarrassing; if you really must you can just wave them in.”

By just after noon all of the remaining Daggers had been sorted into the five squads. Duke had reassigned one of the more veteran Daggers to be Commander of the final Echo Squad when the numbers showed there would be the need if the team and squad numbers were to be kept to the stated sizes. Each of the squads was positioned at different locations around the room. The soft chatter of military people introducing themselves and establishing relationships made the room more alive than any feast of nobles could.

After the last Daggers had been assigned, Duke looked at the room and barked once. The room fell silent and everyone looked at Duke. “In a minute I’ll dismiss you to the courtyard where some lunch is prepared for you to eat while I brief your commanders and team leads to provide orders and objectives. Commanders and leads are to remain close to the door and report in, one squad at a time. I will then meet privately with each team’s lead for an initial one-on-one in designation order. Your leads will brief you as needed. Everything from this moment on is on a need-to-know basis only. Understood?”

The room resounded with a loud, “Yes, sir!” in unison.

This is amazing. Yesterday I would have sworn Daggers where more a rabble than a trained militia. I thought Daggers were just mercenaries and loners with slightly more skill. In one morning random Daggers have come together without a hitch or argument. I would swear these Daggers had fought whole wars together and were a standing army. They actually look happy to be assembled so.
He couldn’t help it; he glanced at Egal and Apanal. They were looking at Duke but also glancing around the room as well. Ladro quickly continued to scan the other Daggers as if he was taking notes, in case they spotted him looking.

Duke continued, “Each squad must report all findings back here daily. I expect each team to have positive confirmation of their squad’s teams’ locations and status every two marks. If any team misses a check-in it is to be considered an emergency ‘man down’ situation and reported back to me immediately, with appropriate actions taken per your squad’s rules of engagement. You may communicate your reports with any member of my personal staff as if it were me, most especially Ladro here. Ladro is the only other besides myself that can give you new orders. Understood?”

The room resounded with another loud, “Yes, sir!” in unison. Egal momentarily frowned but quickly composed himself.

Duke stood up, putting his front paws on the table so he towered over the room like a giant and bellowed, “Where is the safest place to be?”

All the Daggers drew their daggers and held them high, yelling as one, “Behind the Daggers!” Ladro noted that Egal and Apanal were the last to draw, before his attention was drawn to Duke.

Duke yelled, “Do you want to live forever?”

“NO SIR!”

Duke yelled louder, “Semper Fidelis!”

The Daggers, almost in frenzy, yelled loudly, rattling the chandelier and glassware, “SEMPER FIDELIS!”

“Dismissed!”

My Lords and Ladies, what has he released here?

Chapter 10

Walls work both ways

O
RAHDA KNOCKED HIS BLADE SLIGHTLY to the side as he stepped inside Dohma’s guard, landing a rib strike which was very painful even through the padded sparing armor. Orahda said, “Action is better than reaction,” as he stepped lightly out of Dohma’s striking range.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Dohma signaled an end to the practice drill and rubbed his chest where it hurt. “Orahda, will you ever grow old?”

The weapons master nodded and lowered his weapon. “My captain, you wound me! I am nearly as tired as you, and you are getting on in in years.”

Laughing, Dohma cleaned his sword and unbuckled the light leather armor, handing it to a page. “Don’t bring my age into this or I’ll go read your record.”

Orahda had been weapons master for the Palace Guard since Dohma was a child. He was of average height, thin but with rolling muscles. He kept his wiry black hair tightly braided with beads tied to fall down the left side of his head and over his shoulder in the Karkaian style, although his skin was much lighter than any Karkaian, even with its deep tan. He was dressed in the same semi-loose leather pants and leather fighting vest with its high neck and no sleeves, which he always wore. Orahda thought armor was a waste of his time and energy and never bothered to wear it.

Orahda rarely taught any student directly unless they were exceptional in some way, but oversaw all the training through a small staff of trainers. Many nobles had their children join the Palace Guard instead of the Navy or Princes’ Guard just for weapons training. This caused some problems from time to time as Orahda’s training also instilled strong morals and honorable values, which some nobles thought were an impediment to political necessities. Of course many noble children grew to be fine guardsmen who Dohma trusted with his life, even when they left to inherit their parents’ titles and responsibilities. Any who were found wanting were denied training by Orahda and eventually dismissed from the guard; this brought about many a heated political fight. Dohma had looked on Orahda like a loved uncle from early in his training and sometimes he fancied Orahda had similar feelings for him. Orahda oversaw Dohma’s training personally. It was because of his attentions that Dohma was able to rise to the rank of Captain of the Guard.

Orahda grabbed a water pitcher and drank deeply of it. He looked as fresh as when they had started practicing nearly a full two marks before. Watching the weapons master drink, Dohma shook his head.
He should at least have the decency to sweat.
Orahda’s hair was pitch-black, without a single strand of gray anywhere.
I wonder how old he really is. He hasn’t aged my whole life and I would swear he looks only forty years. I am thirty-five and he was weapons master before I was born.
He watched Orahda’s muscular arms flexing as the weapon’s master moved, showing the banded steel of his muscles. His tanned arms were crisscrossed with scars.
His skin is probably tougher than the leather gear I wear.

A messenger stepped up politely. “Captain, the Princes summon you to audience in the throne room.”

“Better you than me, Captain. I’d tell them to get off their lazy butts and get in some practice. They are all starting to look pudgy.”

Dohma laughed. “Only you can get away with remarks like that, which is probably why they don’t summon you.”
And I know they still resent that you never agreed to train any of them personally.
Grabbing his shirt and belt, he started walking to the throne room. On the way he got his shirt on over the light padded undercoat, slipped on his belt and ran his fingers through his hair. By the time he got to the throne room the sweat had dried and he was at least presentable.

He entered the throne room through the side door; guarded, as always, by the Princes’ Personal Guard in their blue and silver livery. All three Princes sat their thrones on the shared semi-circle dais which took up a quarter of the circular room. Eight white marble pillars reached almost all the way to the domed ceiling, giving the room the look of a cathedral. Eight arched windows soaring two stories upward were placed between each pillar and completed the dramatic gallery. Between each of the arched windows were balconies with low banisters, used for musicians and by the ladies to observe the royal activities.