----------------------------------------
Kalon
----------------------------------------
Chapter Twenty-Six: Kota
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
----------------------------------------
“I do not like her.” Arrum grumbles as we duck under a low pipe, slipping through a maintenance hatch into another walkway.
“You said that,” I say, holding a hand up for a second as I peek around the corner.
Clear, just like all the rest of the walkways. We need to hurry. There is a reason no one is out right now. When the city siren rings, blood always follows.
“She is just so frustrating.” he begins, pausing to look around the next bend.
“I know, Kada,” I say, frustrating, one of many words I would use to describe her.
He nods, looking around the next corner before we move swiftly from it.
“I am just happy you feel the same.” He says, giving me a look, as though gauging my reaction.
My eyes betray me as he tilts his head.
“Do not tell me.” He says grabbing my shoulder.
“I do not see her like that,” I assure him.
After a few moments, he nods, satisfied with my answer, for now. My mind is barely on her, the box she left for me however, is present in my mind. The word she spoke in the old tongue lingers still too. Kota, a gift. From her? Or from the voices she hears? How did she know the woman carried it? There are too many coincidences for it to be unplanned or random. She knows something I do not about this thing I carry. What is it? Curiosity begs me to open the bag and look at it now, but I can’t, we need to get back quickly.
“Kada?” Arrum asks, looking down at my hands.
My eyes trace down to them, my right hand reaching into the bag, strange, I don’t remember opening the bag. Closing it quickly, I stuff the small bag into my thick fur coat, between the layers so it will go unnoticed. I am unsure if I will tell Nekam about it yet.
“We need to hurry.” He says, pulling me by the shoulder “We are almost there.”
***
When we arrive at our Yul Clan Hall door, there are no guards posted outside, which is strange considering Nekam said everyone would be preparing for war. Arrum gives me a look, he is also wary. Looking around carefully, we see no fresh blood or signs of struggle. Thinking on it, none of the other Clans or Tribes had guards posted either, it must be because of the city siren. It is more muffled here near the edge of the city.
Arrum pounds on the door in the sequence we were taught. No answer. He pounds again, but still no answer. On the third time, the door begins to creak. Anticipation building as the small slit in the door opens, a pair of eyes look outwards. Eyes we recognize, they are Neeba’s. He looks at me bitterly for a moment before closing the slat in the door.
A few moments later it opens.
“Hurry,” Yuri says from the other side, peeking his head out as we get in “Were you followed?”
“No, chief,” Arrum says, giving him a light bow.
“Where is Korra?” he asks us quietly, looking outside still.
“Was she supposed to come with us, chief?” I ask him, shooting a glance at Arrum.
“Vekka.” Arrum curses under his breath.
Yuri looks at him sideways for a moment but dismisses it.
“She is free to choose. I had hoped she would join us though.” Yuri says, there is a tinge of sadness in his voice “Our chief will want to hear how things went. Come.”
Yuri waves for the two door guards to close the door and seal it, then turns and moves briskly towards Nekam’s private quarters. As we pass, Neeba gives me a look filled with more disdain than it normally is. My jaw flexes, he still blames me for his own failings. Something tells me that I should be wary of him.
“Keep up,” Yuri says, lengthening his stride.
On our way, I see the two brothers Haki and Daki, both seem to be mending well as they stand to greet us. I shake my head as they approach, giving them the hand sign that means, find me later. They nod and give Arrum a deep bow as he passes. He shakes his head mumbling under his breath. I cannot tell if it is about Korra or about them. He does not stop until I give him an eyebrow raise. Taking a deep breath, the calm finds him again.
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
When we reach Nekam’s chambers, we are made to wait for ten minutes until he finishes a meeting with his chiefs. It is strange though, I do not see Dekarn among them as they begin leaving the Clan Chief’s quarters. Perhaps he is on another mission somewhere. Arrum seems to have noticed the same, there is worry in his eyes that was not there before.
“Heads up,” Arrum whispers.
My eyes follow where his are, Nevari moves towards us from twenty paces away. There is a twisting in my chest as I look at her. Part of me is still angry that she wanted to see me beaten over her brother, and the other part feels guilty for not at least telling her before I traded my freedom. On top of that, there is a strange guilt in me now I realize, one stemming from Korra. Pressing the thoughts away, I look up to greet her.
“Nevari,” I say, giving her a bow.
She does not acknowledge me, or even look at me, instead she turns to speak with Arrum. I should have expected as much.
“Cousin, where were you?” she asks, looking him over, taking his arm, and inspecting the freshly bandaged wound “We need to clean this.”
“It can wait,” Arrum says, giving me a look, then back to her, she turns her back to me, now only facing him.
“The sirens, do you know why they…” she begins, but Arrum interrupts her.
“Where is the Dekarn tribe?” Arrum asks her, looking around the Clan hall.
It is strange now that I think about it, I had noticed Dekarn’s absence but I only now realize something else. Healers from each tribe are here, as they always are before war, I do not see the one from his. Looking closer, I see no one from his tribe. Strange. Usually, there is at least a pair of runners to send word. I wonder if any of the other tribes are missing now. This could be a bad sign.
“You have not heard?” she asks him, her face wincing.
“Speak it,” Arrum says, his eyes widening, his body shifting uncomfortably.
“They abandoned our Clan.” She says, looking at the floor “Soon after my father said we make ready for war, they left and did not return.”
“Vek!” Arrum curses loudly. Putting his hands in his hair and crouching down.
Before Nevari can say anything else, I hear the door open to her father’s private quarters.
“Enter.” Nekam’s voice says from inside.
Arrum moves swiftly into the room. Leaving Nevari to stand outside alone. His eyes tell of his concern, his gait is uneven, his breath unsteady. He is worried about Isola, the woman he loves, she is why he wants to be free of the stain of Ulima. More than just to be treated fairly, he wants to be able to hold her as his own. They both have wanted it for years. My jaw flexes. I know the look in his eyes. He is not thinking straight.
The door has barely closed when Arrum speaks.
“My chief, what of the Dekarn tribe?” Arrum asks, pacing back and forth.
“Sit. Nephew.” Nekam says, pointing to a seat “We will get to that soon.”
Nekam has almost never called Arrum this before. Which is not unusual, he is Ulima. Arrum nods to him, sitting down on one of the seats meant for chiefs. Again he honors us.
“The plan, how did it fair?” Nekam asks.
The plan? How would we know, when we were never told what it truly was. Irritation flares but I swallow it down before my tongue can betray me.
“Good, my chief,” I say, looking at Arrum, his eyes are on the floor, his mind deep in thoughts of despair.
“The chits?” he asks, also looking at Arrum.
Arrum is in a daze still. His mind is stuck on the woman he loves.
“Arrum,” I say, nudging him.
His eyes blink for a moment before he hands Nekam the bag of surface chits.
“Tell me everything that happened.” Nekam says, leaning forward with his hands tented on his chin “Do not leave out any detail.”
My jaw tenses, I will have to tell him about the box. I cannot lie to him, Korra may tell him or Yuri at some point. Sekat.
***
Nekam looks at Yuri for a moment after I finish telling him all that has happened.
“She did not have powered armor, you are sure?” Yuri asks, he shoots a glance back at Nekam.
“Not that I could see, and the way she used Maka was also strange. I have never seen anything like it.” I say, thinking about it again.
Arrum still has not spoken, he stares at the wall, his leg bouncing up and down anxiously.
“Arrum,” Nekam says, looking at him now “Do not worry, all is well with them.”
Arrum turns, his leg pausing its cadence, eyes swelling with hope.
“They are helping me, as you helped me,” Nekam says.
“My chief.” Yuri begins, but Nekam raises a hand to stop him.
“They have earned the truth.” Nekam says, now turning to us he continues “They pretended to betray me, speaking with the other tribes in secret.”
My eyes narrow, but my ears open wider.
“Any tribe chief that does not tell me of Dekarn’s betrayal and the secret meeting…” Nekam begins.
“You will know who to trust,” I say, my interruption surprises me, he does not seem upset by it though.
Nekam nods.
“Dekarn and his tribe are with the Dorasi Clan now, spreading dissent amongst them, and seeing if any have heard of our war plans,” Nekam says.
So, he checks for spies as well. Nekam must be planning something bigger to go through all of these precautions, or perhaps he is trying to secure power. His eyes give me nothing to glean. Arrum’s expression has changed though, worry ripping across it again.
“But they are to be attacked by the City Chief,” Arrum says, his chest rising faster.
“Indeed, but not today. It will take some time for them to piece it together. Before then, I will barter the chits for things to give the tribes that join us from Dorasi Clan.” Nekam says.
“The chits are valuable surely we should…” I begin, but then I realize why he cannot keep the chits, he does not speak the answer, he waits for me to puzzle it out myself “You are worried someone may tell we gained one hundred chits back, so you exchange them for things you can use without worry.”
Nekam nods to me, a look of approval on his face. One I have rarely seen. It stirs a small amount of pride in me before I can push it away.
“Indeed.” Nekam says, leaning back now “Which is also why I will need to wait to remove your Ulima standing.”
Arrum’s jaw flexes but he says nothing to protest. He understands as well as I that it would be suspicious given the circumstances.
“I will find a way to give your reward before the month is over.” Nekam explains, giving both of us an eye to make sure we understand “Until then be patient, and trust in the plan.”
Arrum and I stand, thinking the meeting is over, but Nekam outstretches his palm, waiting.
“The box.” He says, leveling his eyes to me.
There is apprehension in me to give it, some part of me wants to keep it, despite the warnings and despite the guilt I have toward stealing it from the kind woman. My hand does give it to him though after a brief pause. He notices this but says nothing.
He dumps the bag onto the table, Yuri coming now to look at it closer as well. Even Arrum shifts towards it. The design is remarkable and complex. Flowing patterns of interweaving black metal twist and turn on it making ornate designs. Even though there is no latch and no seam, instinctually, I think we all know there is something inside it. Nekam rolls it on his palm for a moment, looking over the details. After a few more moments, he covers it again. Handing it back to me. Which surprises me, I thought he would take it.
“You will go with Yuri tomorrow to the market to give it back to the woman. We do not need more trouble, our plate is full.” Nekam explains, there is a wariness in him as he looks at the bag which holds the black metallic box “Keep it hidden until then.”
“Understood, my chief.”