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Kalon
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Chapter Twenty-One: Gradak
Galactic Quadrant: Darna Quadrant
Ruling Government: Talum Merchant Federation
Solar System: D-447
Planet: Ora
Location: Beneath the planet's surface, Naro City, Near Lower City Markets
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We move from the offshoot walkways and cramped tunnels into larger ones, the number of people we see grows the closer we get to the market. Many eyes watch us as we pass, the hands of their owners hovering over their sheathed blades. They are all wary of us running by them to keep pace with a woman whom Arrum and I barely know. Her machinations are a mystery to us. She is Yuri’s cousin, an Ulima of the Dorasi Clan, she was defensive of his honor, which tells me they must be on good terms. It is strange then that she is an Ulima of another Clan when Yuri himself could take her in since he is a tribe chief. Is it because of her vendetta? I wonder who this person was that caused her to kill so many.
My eyes narrow as I look at her green hair playing in the wind of her own making, she is agile, and dexterous as she darts between carts filled with wares, her hand sliding a stray Deca coin from a stall table into her pocket as her other hand distracts the owner. Not as adept as Arrum, because I would not have noticed if he stole it, but still, perhaps better than me. She is a disorganized set of variables that I am keen to understand.
She moves more swiftly now, jumping off a cart, leaping to a low-hanging pipe that moves upwards onto the second story of the market. Steam hisses into a cloud as she kicks off a pressure valve from a smaller pipe, she means to obscure her movements from us. She is clever, more so than I realized.
Arrum glances at me before he plants a foot and follows her. She is testing us, trying to see if we will be useful. A grin slides over my mouth, almost surprising me. I know these markets, having run from merchants many times, my hands are not as deft as Arrum’s at thieving, so I had to be better at moving swiftly to avoid capture.
My legs do not follow where she and Arrum have gone. They instead try to find where they will be. Moving now with swiftness which causes insults to be thrown by people I narrowly avoid knocking over. The market begins to widen now as the halls form into a large circular chamber with a ceiling so tall that one would surely die if they fell from it. Large fixtures hang from it, blooming light. The ceiling is made of composite glass, as thick as a man is wide. Reinforced with a latticework of metal. Sheets of ice above it strangle the twin suns’ rays. Above, hanging from the rafters used to do repairs, I see a long rope that dangles, attached to a counterweight. There are a series of other ropes, the City Chief must have ordered maintenance recently, I could use that.
Before I get to it, I see green hair whipping the air, it is her, Korra. Arrum is not far behind either. The grin deepens on my face. It does not take me long to guess her path, if I am wrong though, I will have failed. But if I am right, this game will end, Arrum and I the victors, able to complete the next phase. Moving toward one of the vendors, I see he is from the inner Clans. His attire tells me such, thick furs with embroidered edges, the symbol on his garb shows me he belongs to one of the seven mid-ranked Clans. He will work for my plan.
Only the inner Clans are permitted to sell in the lower markets where we are. In the upper markets near the city center, only the Arasha as we call them are allowed to sell. They are the lowest caste among the ones we call the masters. The ones above us Kuwathi, the ones who can make even the City Chief bend the knee. It is for them that we toil, for them that we struggle. Though we are taught to revere them, even if the food is bitter, they are the hand that feeds.
Looking at the vendor and his stall, I see he sells lamp oil, I pretend to inspect the wares. His guard, three Kuwathi tribesmen stare at me intently. Their hands are ready on their blades.
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“You sure you can afford this?” one asks, gritting his teeth.
“Where is your tribe?” another asks, looking me up and down, his eyes pausing on the smeared blood near the bottom of my coat.
Being in the markets without a tribe is foolish, especially if you have things of value.
“Gradak.” The third says shaking his head.
Time waster, they are not wrong, but I do not care. These merchant guards are also from the same inner Clan. Those from the lower Clans are only worthy to give them coin and trade the blood of their labor. When that is not enough, they will buy our Maka too, giving us just enough to stop the belly's cry in the night. That is how the gaunt man whom Nekam slew became as he was, I am sure of it. It is a fate shared by many who now lurk in the dark of the mines beneath us.
“How much for your entire stock?” I ask, not with intent to buy, but in an attempt to stall them longer. I hear her footsteps pounding closer and her laughter resounding over the bustle of the crowded market.
The inner clan merchant’s eyes widen a little as a coy grin slides past his bushy mustache.
“No less than two thousand deca.” He says, after pretending to add it up.
Two thousand Deca is a robbery. If one exchanged the Clan’s Etherium Shard it would be less than that. There is no more than five hundred Deca of supplies here. Not that it matters. I don’t have even a single coin on me.
“However,” the man says, stepping around the table “I could be convinced to sell it for a thousand five hundred, but it’s a limited-time offer. Decide quickly.”
He taps his finger on the table with one hand as the other rests gently on his hip.
“Sounds like a fair price,” I say, extending my arm out.
His hand moves greedily to accept it, his guards look back and forth at each other confused.
“For a fool that is,” I say, pulling back my arm, a jar of the oil in my grasp as I slip into the crowd.
“You filthy thief!” the merchant says balling a fist.
His guards surprisingly do not seem angry, they chuckle amongst themselves until he looks at them and points to me. My plan seems to be on schedule, as are Korra and Arrum, her laughter is so close now.
“Get him!” the merchant squeals.
My eyes turn and see the flicker of green hair whipping by me, my free hand grabs her arm, spinning her with me in a circle. Her eyes turn to see me, her head tilting to the side, a grin creeping across her mouth. She looks down at my hand which places the jar I have stolen into hers. Confusion on her brow until I speak.
“Think fast, good luck,” I say, letting out a chuckle as the three guards come to us now, all of them seeing she has the jar, causing their attention to shift toward her.
“Oh, I think I like you.” She says, letting out a laugh as she twirls from their grasp, kicking one in the groin and the other in the side of the knee, smashing the jar on the head of the third.
Heavy boots of metal strike the ground not far from us, the sound unmistakable, city guard armor. Arrum’s breath is quick as he finally catches up.
“She is faster than she looks,” Arrum says, admiring her footwork as she dances between the merchant’s guards, making fools of them.
“Follow me,” she says as she throws the cloak of the last guard over their head “Phase two of the plan is about to begin.”
Arrum and I look at each other, finally, no more games. Though in truth, somehow, I think we both did have fun. We follow her through the crowd now, the merchant having called the city guards. He points toward us, I recognize one of the men, the one who looks to be in charge. It is the guard captain from the gatehouse above the mines. The one Nekam bribed with two hundred of our surface spots. Why is he here? Normally he only patrols the gatehouse. Strange.
The guard captain looks back toward the merchant rolling his eyes and turning away. Apparently not caring enough to get involved.
“Vek.” Korra curses, turning back toward the guard captain, no longer trying to flee, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall “We need him to chase us.”
“For the plan?” Arrum asks.
“No, because I am bored.” She says, giving an eye roll “Yes, for the plan.”
Arrum sighs, giving me a look now, he is not enjoying her prodding.
“Then what do you suggest?” Arrum says with a heavy sigh.
“I will pray on it,” Korra says, bowing her head and beginning to whisper.
“Pray on it, are you…” Arrum begins, but I grab his arm.
We saw how she reacted when he spoke ill of Yuri, I would not want to test how she reacted to him speaking ill of her Goddess. He seems to understand as he nods, still a little irritated but he will manage.
There is a strange feeling in the air as she prays, I can’t quite place what it is. I did not feel it the last time she prayed, it must be nothing, perhaps I am anxious and imagining it.
“Your will is my command, Goddess.” Korra says, her eyes opening now, her eyes hum dully with bioluminescence for a brief moment before she speaks “She has sent me guidance.”
She does not seem to be lying, which means, she is either a good liar, or believes what she says. Arrum is about to speak but I nudge him, giving him a sideways look. If she believes her Goddess speaks to her, she is more of an unknown variable than we realized before. Those who hear voices that are not there, one should always be wary of them.
“There was a fallback plan that Yuri told me of.” She says now, not facing us, looking out amongst the crowd.
“What of the guidance you received from your…” Arrum begins, but I grab him firmly by the arm shaking my head no.
Korra laughs, still not turning back.
“You are worried I will be offended if he insults my Goddess?” she asks, now turning her head so that only one eye catches mine “You are wiser than you look.”