Chapter Three

Although the fog was thinning, Corii could see another bank of thick mist rolling in from the ocean. It swarmed over the sea until it struck the shore, where it started to seep through the buildings and streets below like a living entity. Some people closed their windows or hurried in the opposite direction, not wanting the chillingly damp touch of the vapour to touch them or invade their homes. It built up in thickness, obscuring vision far below Corii and making it seem as if the towers around the city were floating on cloud.

This was the first time since his arrival the day before Corii had seen the sky, blue and bright with the hazy semi-circles of two moons hanging low. A transport lifted from the mist like a great creature emerging from a milky sea and, with a bright burst of jets, flew upwards.

Behind him he could hear Yedda talking to his sister. The pair had been inseparable since they had fled Chinngard, with Yedda demanding his own presence even during her bathing. He scolded and chided anyone who touched or treated her in a fashion he did not agree with, and several times Corii had had to take his shoulder and murmur words of calming. These people who were trying to help were, after all, their hosts.

Yedda was trying to teach their sister some words, simple things that described simple items, and they found she learned rather quickly.

The morning after their arrival they had been shocked to awaken and find a healthy ten-year-old girl sat in her cot, with long flowing golden hair and bright inquisitive eyes. At first she had appeared frightened, but when her brothers had taken her from the bed and calmed her she quickly relaxed. Now Yedda was trying to get her to speak in some way or form, and she seemed eager to learn.

Corii was leaning on a balcony railing, staring out over the city with lazy eyes. As he studied the skyline another door opened further down the balcony and Baron Luken Ash approached, alone.

As he walked up to Corii he spared a quick glance into the room and allowed the expression of surprise wash over his face. He turned back to Corii and shook his head. “The palace assistants told me of her change, but I scarcely believed it. Do you know what’s happening?”

Corii shook his head, “Not at all. Only doctor Turor back home had had the chance to check her over for a while, but he is dead and all his knowledge gone. We came no closer to finding out about her condition. All we know is that she will die very soon if we do not reverse the process.”

The Baron pursed his lips and placed both hands on the railing, sharing Corii’s stance and view. “I have had no word from the Prime Lord. The Mind using our enhancer has reported a fault with the machine and says it will take time to repair. In the meantime you will stay here, I insist. I will not turn away the children of my best friend.”

There was a pause for a few moments before Corii answered. “We appreciate that, Baron Ash. My father had always counted you one of his most valuable allies, which is why Arkin had us sent here.”

“Arkin was a good man.”

“He still may be.”

There was a slight distraction as the bass laugh of Yedda floated from the room behind, followed by the high whispering laugh of his sister. Both men turned their backs to the vista to view the pair playing with small handcrafted spaceship toys.

“I have not informed the Prime Lord of the death of your parents,” Ash said simply.

Corii started to turn, his face red and his teeth clenched. He realised that any outburst would attract the attention of his sister and he had noticed lately that she was quite sensitive to emotional displays. He pressed a stud on the wall next to the opening and the stained glass window slid down.

“I am sure you will understand after I have explained...” the Baron began.

But Corii was almost livid. Only his appreciation of what the Baron of House Ash had done for him stopped him from launching a verbal attack. He composed himself. “Why did you refrain from telling the Prime Lord? We need the support of the throne and other houses if we are to prise Janos from our homeworld.”

The Baron gripped the railing as he formed his words before speaking. He wanted to explain the situation practically without giving Corii cause to grow angry.

“Corii, this is the situation. Janos has claimed that your father planned and executed the murder of his youngest son with the intention of murdering the whole House at the same time.” Corii opened his mouth to protest but it was something Baron Ash had heard a dozen times. He held up his hand to stop his words. “This has given him a reason to invade Chinngard and not contravene any Articles of War. His attack was provoked and just, and that is how some of the Ki-Ki Barons see it. As you know, some Barons loyal to your father know he would not launch such an attack. This is the state of play.

“I condemn the attack of House Janos, as does Baron Uber of House Uber. Baron Edgun on Obelisk supports the attack, saying it was justified. House Truder also says the attack was justified, but is not making any public announcements until the truth is known, not wanting to place themselves on the line. Baron Truder will support Janos if the support is there, but at the moment there is no case against Janos, except what you have told me. All the other Sector Barons are keeping out of it.”

“Isn’t my testimony enough?”

“No, it’s not. I know of the situation between Janos and Familee, how volatile it has always been, and your accusations will be seen as nothing more than a weak reprisal.”

The Baron steeled himself for his next words, wondering at first whether he should say something but deciding it was for the best.

“Corii, you know that your mother married your father against the Prime Lord’s wishes, and that she was struck from the bloodline of Kreaiden. I know from my Fedarn sources that the Prime Lord still loves his daughter deeply, but is too proud and arrogant to admit it. He will not see the loss of her husband and children as a bad thing.” Corii tensed but the Baron continued. “Your father has confided in me many times, and he loved your mother very much, but had to be very careful when you triplets were born. He was afraid that the Prime Lord would... try something, anything to punish his daughter for her disobedience. The Prime Lord is not as noble and belligerent as he would have many believe on public broadcasts.”

Silence. Corii just stared at his own reflection in the window, his arms folded and his face a mask of anger. He turned as he saw his sister staring at him with concern through the glass, her eyes full of sadness. He took in the view again.

“So are we alone? Is there no-one who will help us?”

The Baron did not answer.

“So why didn’t you tell the Prime Lord of his daughter’s death, Baron? You said he loved her.”

“Look at the way things are, Corii. Janos has already crushed your House. Edgun is threatening reprisals against anyone who supports Familee, and the other Houses have already tightened their defences and spat threats at anyone attempting to drag them into the conflict. If I told the Prime Lord his daughter had most likely been murdered, he would go wild and start firing shots at anyone in his way. I don’t think the Sector is ready for all-out war. I don’t want it. You don’t want it. I don’t think anyone wants it, but it will happen.”

A strangely plumed lizard squawked and dropped out from hiding above the balcony, diving after some form of floating vegetation, extending its claws, grabbing it and then dropping into the fog to feed. Corii watched it all happen with disinterest.

“I understand, Baron,” he said. “I think it best if we left here and located accommodation elsewhere. If we were discovered here, you may be implicated as a helper of fugitives.”

“I have already shown my hand with my message to the Prime Lord. He knows where you are.”

The Baron had sent his message via enhancer the night before, just after the brothers had arrived. He had noticed the Mind had shown quite an interest in the arrival of the exiles, and, sharing Baron Familee’s distrust of Minds and their abilities, had worded the message as simply as possible without giving away too much about what he had learned from the brothers. His reasons not to tell the Prime Lord of the death of his daughter had been twofold; he had not wanted to start a war and he had not wanted the Mindmoon to learn of the news and use it for their own ends.

The Mind on Fedarn had transmitted the message directly to the Mindmoon, as had the Mind on Nebrassa, before informing the Prime Lord. The message was rushed to him, placed on his long desk in his council chambers and coded to prevent anyone from reading the words. Anyone but the Prime Lord.

The council room was huge, with a long oval table with no centre dominating it. It was oval in shape, also, with curving ribbed walls covered in holographic depictions of the Kreaiden bloodline. Wars, conquests, incidents of history a millennia old. The walls in this room reminded everyone in it of what the Ki-Ki Sector represented, a stable platform to build a prosperous future. Which was why the Prime Lord had chosen this room as his council chambers.

He shared this room with three other advisors, generals of wars not fought and campaigns only dreamed of. Their ability was more of a knowledge of history than actual participation in conflict. They were aged, but not so aged that their minds were still sharp and their wit sharper. They gazed on their Prime Lord as he lowered the message with tight lips.

“My grandchildren have arrived on Nebrassa and are under the protection of Baron Ash,” he stated clearly, placing the message slowly to his desk. He looked at each of his advisors with a cold stare. “Baron Ash has aided what the Emperor-Priest calls fugitives. If he learned of their location, he would surely have something to say about it.”

One of the generals leaned forward to make himself more comfortable in his ornate, high-backed chair. “It is likely that the Janite already knows of the location of the brothers. Even if he does not, there is not a lot he can accomplish by accusing House Ash of anything. His forces are already committed to Chinngard.”

“And what of House Edgun and the other Barons who agree with the invasion?” another general asked with a deep wavering voice. “The supporters of Janos may take up arms in support, and then we have another war.”

“House Edgun will not dare take a violent step towards Nebrassa,” the Prime Lord said whilst rubbing his chin in thought, his eyes glaring at the message on his desk. “Nebrassa have done naught but allowed sanctuary to the exiles. Edgun have no case, or cause, to attack. It would not be proper under the Articles of War.”

“But the Articles have already been abused with the lie Janos used to invade Chinngard. Murdered son, indeed.”

The general who had spoken immediately regretted his words when the Prime Lord’s glare swung his way, knowing that the Prime Lord disliked Baron Familee and, even though he may have known himself of the Janos treachery, did not really think it important that the House had fallen. In fact, deep down, he welcomed it. His only concern was for his daughter.

“Any more news about my daughter?” he said hurriedly, not wanting to show his fear for his offspring and making it more of a passing remark.

The general who had received the glare cleared his throat. “No, Prime Lord. Our last report indicated that the search for the Baron and Baroness Familee was still underway. They think they fled to the mountains.”

The Prime Lord mulled over the words for a little while before nodding. “As you all know, I have agreed to help the Lordmind Estoor to locate and secure the child he thinks had something to do with the deaths of two Minds. I am sure that his cause is necessary and have pledged some of my security personnel to find and bring in the girl, which, apparently, is what the child is. When I have my granddaughter I will hand her over to the Mindmoon for a little while before bringing her here to be educated in the court, to act and present herself as a proper member of the Kreaiden bloodline.”

The generals shifted uncomfortably in their seats and glanced at one another, concerned over the Prime Lord’s apparent lack of feeling on the subject of his kin. One of them raised his opinion.

“If we send a detachment to Nebrassa and ask for the children of Familee to be transported to Fedarn for security reasons, I’m sure that Baron Ash would not disagree. In fact, he is required to comply. After all, these children are your relatives, and holding them would seem an act of defiance.”

“Your grandchildren would also feel obliged to come, anyway,” another general added. “You are, after all, their grandfather, and the security of Fedarn may seem too good a place to be.”

The words of his advisors sunk slowly into the Prime Lord’s mind, mixing with his own plans and ideas. After a while he spoke.

“Inform a security team to take a transport and go to Nebrassa immediately to take the children into safekeeping and return them here. As soon as I have them I will decree the attack on House Familee justified and place a firm lid on this whole situation. There has been enough blood spilled and deaths caused to allow the Ki-Ki Sector to crumble any further.”

His words were final and decisive. The advisors sat at the table knew that when the Prime Lord had made a final decision it was folly to add or subtract from his orders, and they said their farewells and departed.

The Prime Lord was left alone, staring out the window over the green hills of Fedarn. Somewhere, far away at the back of his mind where his conscience lived, there was a small growing seed of doubt.