“Where do things stand?” Kaller asked the three remaining individuals. He didn’t have to elaborate. He knew they would know what he meant, and now that they were truly alone with the Ceremony Master making his way up the stairs, they could be sure no one would overhear their conversation.
The robed man sitting directly across from Kaller spoke. “He’s still missing, but Mistress Vende says our benefactor believes him to be hiding among the new Cadet class. There are three that are the most likely to be the one we are looking for, but our attempt to draw him out yesterday was unsuccessful. We just received new orders to try again, but this time we will attempt to get each one off to themselves so we can better discern if one of them is not who he say he is. We should have a report on that by the end of the day.”
“So who abducted him?” Kaller asked more than a little curious.
The man on the far right was the one to answer. “Pledge Markus Nador.”
That caused Kaller to raise an eyebrow. “He’s back at the College? And why would he do such a thing? I thought they were supposed to be childhood friends or something?”
The man who had just spoken shrugged. “Our benefactor seems to believe it’s an attempt to better secure our target instead of trusting Command to do it, and to draw us out.”
Kaller shook his head still trying to wrap his head around the news he’d received. “Yeah, but hiding him among a new Cadet class? I’m not sure if that’s brilliant, or absolutely stupid.”
“No one in Command has even suggested we look there, so perhaps the former,” Meh-len replied.
“Our benefactor could be wrong about the Cadet class,” Kaller put that out there. He honestly wasn’t sure what to believe, but it didn’t seem likely that a Prince of the Empire would tread in a place so below his status.
“Perhaps,” the man in the middle replied, “but he hasn’t been on any of the outbound shuttles, we’ve been watching. He isn’t in the bunkers either, at least not any longer. The only other place he could be is out in the desert, and it’s too harsh an environment for more than a day or two without significant supplies and shelter.”
“Well, we will be able to check the surrounding desert and the three Cadets in one shot.” The man on the left spoke up. “One way or another, we will find him.”
Kaller nodded. He certainly hoped so. This had drawn on longer than he wanted. Originally, the plan had been for the Returned Prince to be taken care of before Kaller had even stepped foot on Sora X, and in that way significantly reducing his culpability in the Prince’s demise. He was just glad that his friends at the College had been so eager to help with this task and to take on the risk of what would happen if any of them got caught.
A pulsing warmth spread through the retired Protector, pushing away the coldness that had settled deep inside since he had awaken from the severing. He truly had good friends, and even if his life had taken a steep dive recently, he at least had the loyalty of people he could trust to right the terrible wrong that had been done to him by the Returned Prince, and to remove what could very well be a problem for the future of Ethia.
“So you did receive the proof?” Kaller asked, switching topics.
The man in the middle nodded his head. “Yes, and it was what swayed our contact in Command to our side and allowed us to get the code to shut down the power to the chalet.”
A surge of vindication washed through him. Kaller had had a long time to think about things when he’d had been bedridden and healing from the injuries Prince Adar had given him during their impromptu encounter. He had had time to think about how Remeer had managed to escape with the Empress and Prince Adar without a trace. It had been too clean and neat. Clearly, Remeer had to have had help, and who else but the Fazha would be so bold?
Sure, Kaller supposed it could have been someone else, but then couple the Prince’s mysterious disappearance with an equally suspicious return where the Fazha Rebellion just so happened to have the Prince’s location after twenty long years. Why wait so long to hand over something that could have benefited them years ago? Unless, they had been allowing Remeer to train the young Prince so he could return and be a secret agent for them. The ex-Ascendant had certainly agreed with Kaller’s theory when he’d relayed it through Tessa, and had even gone so far as to find proof of the secret collaboration between Remeer and the Fazha.
Their benefactor had promised to send it to Kaller’s contacts at the College. It was what truly urged his friends into action. This wasn’t just about righting a wrong against Kaller, but taking down a threat to the Empire. It was enough to make these men do whatever needed to be done, even if it meant assassinating a member of the Imperial Family.
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“May I see it?” Kaller asked quietly.
It had been too dangerous to send the proof directly to Kaller, not that he had needed to see it. He’d already gone up against the Returned Prince. He knew how dangerous he was. He knew the weapon the Returned Prince had been turned into by Remeer. But to hear that there was real proof connecting the Prince’s ex-Protector to the Rebellion made Kaller what to shout out with indignation. Obviously, Kaller had been a victim of their elaborate plotting to rid the Emperor of his Protector. Oh what a fool he’d been to be so easily played, but he’d right that terrible wrong too.
Master Meh-len tossed Kaller a unity ring. Tessa had sent it via courier to the College just so there would be no trace of the contents of the ring on the Nanite Network. None of them knew how deep this went. They had to assume that agents of the Rebellion were watching everything, especially wherever the Returned Prince went.
Kaller activated the unity ring. A projection of a series of still images materialized in front of him. They were all of closeup shots of a ship’s registry plate that could be found in the cockpit of every space ship that was ever manufactured in Ethia. This particular ship’s registry declared it to be EMQ–227, which had been manufactured at Vega Prime’s shipyards twenty years ago.
Shortly after EMQ–227 had been completed and ready to be put in service for the Vanguard, the ship had been stolen in a raid by none other than the Fazha Rebellion. That same ship was the one that had been retrieved from the planet where the Returned Prince had been found on just a few months before. And was confirmed to be the ship Remeer had used in his escape with the Empress and Prince Adar.
Kaller closed the ring down and offered it back to the Quat-lo Master. “We should make sure the Emperor sees this. He needs to know the truth.”
“Do you think it will matter? From what you’ve said, the Emperor isn’t inclined to believe his youngest could turn against him,” the man on the left said.
The retired Protector nodded. “Yes, and that’s why we are doing this and why we will hold on to that until it’s all done. I very much doubt even this evidence will convince him, but maybe it will at least help him understand why we had to take matters into our own hands.”
“I thought we were doing this because the Heir attacked and disgraced you,” Meh-len replied with in a gruff tone.
And certainly that would have been the only reason the Master would have needed to go against the Prince. He too knew what it meant to be dishonorably discharged from service, though his one and only charge had been an “exceptionally bratty charge”. The Princess of Wyn had not appreciated the services of Meh-len and requested a new Protector only after four years of being bonded. Such a thing wasn’t unheard of. Some nobles thought Protectors were like pair of boots that could be switched out as they saw fit.
The College certainly deterred this sort of behavior, but there was only so much stalling and demanding an adjustment period that could be made before the paying client got their way. It was one of the most horrifying ways a Protector’s service could end, and afterwards Meh-len had refused to take on another charge because he had not wanted to risk the chance of such an embarrassment happening again. In fact, he had even refused to wear his black Protector uniform after his severing, and instead, donned the dark brown of Pledges and teachers, embracing his teacher role in totality. But the whole ordeal had left Meh-len in a sour mood towards those who did not treat Protectors with the proper respect they deserved.
“We are, but it helps to know that this is more than just revenge. That I can serve my Emperor this one last time, even if he might not see it as a service at first,” Kaller replied.
Meh-len shook his head. “He’s not your charge any more, Hame. You owe him nothing, especially after the way he cast you off. And you most certainly don’t have to pretend with us. It’s alright if this is all about the revenge. You deserve better than what you got.”
The person on the left nodded. “It’s enough for me that the Heir disgraced you.”
The man in the middle added in his nod as well. “Same here. We have to support each other. Who else will if we don’t?”
There was a duo of agreeing noises from both of the people on each side of the man in the middle, and again a warm feeling filled Kaller. It was good to know that even if he was still getting used to that empty space where the bond used to be, that he really wasn’t alone. That he wouldn’t have to face his new life on his own.
“I appreciate your support,” Kaller replied with as much gratitude in his voice as he could manage.
He was getting tired, so tired, to the point where he felt like just leaning back and closing his eyes for a moment. Immediately, he reprimanded himself. Protectors didn’t take naps. They had to stay alert and be ready for anything, anywhere, at anytime.
“You should rest. You aren’t on duty any more, my friend,” Meh-len said.
The Master was right. Kaller wasn’t a Protector any more. He didn’t have to be on alert all the time like he’d grown used to over the last thirty years.
“Yes, relax. Let us watch over you until the Caretaker comes for you,” the person on the left replied.
Kaller had just gone through the severing after all. There was no more bond. No more duty. No more danger he had to keep a look out for. No one he needed to protect.
“You don’t need to worry about what happens next. We have it all planned out. Let us take care of you, brother,” the man in the middle said.
Kaller smiled at that. At the idea of someone taking care of him for once. And he really was so very tired. His legs felt heavy. His arms and chest ached liked he’d been carrying large loads around all day. Maybe he really could just relax and take a little snooze. And so he let out a long sigh as he leaned his head back, and for the first time in what seemed like a life time, Kaller Hame fell into a truly deep and restful slumber.