Emissary, Lieutenant Vago. Captain Amberscale needs you to contact her. I’m using one of our last few scrolls. Tenkan ships are approaching from the sea.

Ajax woke up with a start and tried to get his thoughts moving enough to respond.

Understood Lieutenant. Tell Captain Amberscale I’ll be contacting her momentarily. I’ve just got to uncross my eyes enough to read a scroll.

He levered himself out of bed and shuffled towards the desk to turn on a lamp. He touched the base and expended a tiny bit of willpower and the lamp started to glow, shedding just enough light to see without making Ajax wince against the brightness. The timepiece next to the lamp informed Ajax that it was just after four o’clock. He found the satchel Chief Shadowdreamer had handed him fourteen days ago, the last time he’d been woken before the sun was up. It only contained a dozen or so scrolls at this point. Ajax pulled out a few and placed them on the desk, pulled out the chair to sit, and began casting.

Captain, how bad is it? After we’re done here I’ve got to wake my hosts, so please give me all the info you can.

Emissary, it’s bad. Half the Phyldraste fleet is gone, some in the initial attack and the rest providing a rearguard action at the Monasta Strait.

Chernoff’s tusks! How did the Tenkan’s pull that off? How are they pushing all these fronts simultaneously? The logistics are mind boggling.

Please stop complimenting the enemy, Emissary. The remaining fleet is falling back to Peet Cape. We’re collecting IGB Seventeen and others then joining them.

Apologies, Captain. Is there enough time to finish the evacuation?

Doubtful. I’m going to secure all available forces, ships to transport them, attempt to slow the Tenkans as long as possible, then disengage and retreat.

What are the estimates for the Tenkans reaching Peet Cape and Duskwater Anchorage, and how much time do you think they can be delayed?

Sixteen hours to Peet Cape, another six to Duskwater Anchorage if they are unhindered. We’re hoping to double that to twelve, if not longer.

What other information do I need to pass to the Wellundan’s? Have you contacted Angoha or the Blue Company?

Just a single Sending, saving our spell slots. Divert ships not yet loading. Get IGB Seventeen and volunteers on them. Be there in eight hours.

Ajax threw on some clothes and grabbed the remaining Sending scrolls. Not bothering to take the nearly empty satchel, he threw them into a pocket. He would have to prepare spells at some point, but he needed to relay the information from Captain Amberscale first.

Leaving his room, Ajax was surprised to see Farsan sitting in the shared lounge to the guest quarters, reading by lamplight. “What are you doing up so early?” Ajax asked his friend.

“Bad dreams. Or rather, dreams where I was bad. I was doing horrible things but I couldn’t stop myself.” Farsan shuddered. He put a marker in the book he was reading. “I finally woke up and just needed to not be laying down in case I fell asleep again, so I came out here. Why are you awake?”

Ajax was suddenly more alert, what remaining vestiges of sleep had fled his body at Farsan’s description of his dreams. Chernoff’s warning about Zabeent being interested in Farsan came rushing back. Ajax thought Oppression might be attempting to reach out to Farsan through his dreams. “Urgent communications from Phyldraste.” Ajax finally got out. “I need to wake your grandfather.”

“I’m coming with you.” Farsan stood up. “I’m not going to be dragged along behind again, like an afterthought. I’m going to be there front and center.”

“That’s a wonderful attitude to have, Farsan.” Ajax held out a hand for Farsan to take and pulled him into a big hug. “Let’s go find a member of the House Guard and wake some people up.”

In the hallway outside, they found a Sithra guard Ajax recognized by her purple cufflinks and three service ribbons on her epaulets. “Corporal Pireih.” Ajax said. “I’m not sure of the procedure, but we need to wake the King and any other ministers involved in the evacuation effort, immediately.”

Corporal Pireih, without saying a word, reached into a pocket and took out a small flat stone. She brought it up and held it to her forehead for a moment, then dropped it back into her pocket. “The watch captain has been informed. She’ll coordinate. Come with me.” She began walking briskly away and Ajax and Farsan rushed to catch up. She led them into portions of the palace Ajax had not been in before, and the increase in the density of Sithra guards made him think he was getting closer to the King’s private sanctum. They came to a door that Corporal Pireih opened, then stood aside and motioned for Ajax and Farsan to enter.

A comfortable parlor lay beyond. King Farsan sat at a table littered with papers, without any obvious signs of sleep still clinging to him. “Emissary, I’m told you have urgent information. Zimeyre won’t make it here for almost an hour, but I think we can’t wait for him, can we?”

“No sir.” Ajax confirmed. “Every minute is precious.” Ajax sat down at the table before continuing. “The Tenkans have arrived by sea and have destroyed half of the Phyldraste fleet at the Monasta Strait.”

“How long until they reach Duskwater Anchorage?” King Farsan interrupted.

“Twenty-two hours, but Captain Amberscale is hoping to make it longer.” Ajax said. “That’s what she wanted to relay. The remainder of the fleet is going to try and delay the Tenkans at Peet Cape. We need to contact your daughter and Blue Company leadership. The Captain needs ships and bodies made ready.”

“Carno.” King Farsan said. A Sithra stepped out from an alcove where she had been very nearly hidden. “Send to Angoha. Tell her she has ten minutes to prepare for a Scrying window and that a representative for the Blue Company should be present if possible. Also, get a Scry team in here with a basin. Go.” She gave a slight bow, then left the room via the door Ajax and Farsan had come in but a moment before. King Farsan’s eyes flicked to his grandson, then back to Ajax. “What is your and the Captain’s assessment of the situation?”

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Ajax had noticed the King’s gaze, but knew his friend wanted to be here getting the unvarnished truth. “I am in no way a military expert, but even in the best case scenario we will not be able to complete the evacuation.” The King’s reaction was muted, but Ajax could feel the change in his friend’s mood. “The last ships were arriving from Bixi over the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours. The Tenkans coming from Raxiredow aren’t expected for three more days. A sea attack was thought unlikely given the Argonite tariffs on warships and the strength of their land army.”

“There’s nothing else we can do?” Farsan asked to no one in particular, his eyes distant and his voice low.

“We are nine hundred miles away, my boy.” King Farsan said. “This is what we are doing, here, right now.” He rapped the table with his knuckles. “We are coordinating and making decisions for the men and women who are there, carrying out our will. This is our covenant with the people.” His voice lost a bit of the edge it had started with. “We hold great power over our citizens and subjects, and with that power comes an equal amount of responsibility. Rulers such as the Empress at Nars, the President in Noaaki, myself here in Makarett, we take that responsibility seriously and do not abuse our power. The Tenkan Autarch instead exploits the power he obtained to continue his rule. He’s been doing it so long, nearly three hundred years, the people likely can’t even fathom it any other way.”

Farsan took in what his grandfather was saying, then asked. “But what is going to happen to the people who get left behind in Duskwater Anchorage?”

King Farsan took a long look at his grandson, then seemed to come to the same conclusion Ajax had. Farsan needed and wanted the details without the rough edges sanded off. He wouldn’t have come into this meeting otherwise. “If they fight, they’ll be killed.” King Farsan said, not mincing words. “The rest will be enslaved, one way or another. The Tenkans don’t treat their slaves like livestock, like the rumors of the Dwarves of Menovius do, but the people of Phyldraste will be put to work to feed, clothe, and arm the Autarchy.” As if seeing Farsan’s next question, the King added. “We cannot dwell on what is out of our control. We have saved thousands upon thousands of people with this endeavor, as has the Empire.” The King gestured towards Ajax. “We cannot lose sight of the greater goal by obsessing over the few we can’t save.”

A knock came at the door, then opened a moment later. Carno returned, leading two other Sithra carrying a silver basin and pitcher of water. The three of them cleared off the table and set up the Scrying basin. “We are ready, your Majesty.” Carno said. King Farsan nodded. Carno’s eye closed briefly, then she made a motion towards the Scry team and the water in the basin began to move and grow to resemble the Crown Princess.

“Can you see and hear me Angoha?” King Farsan asked.

“Yes, father.” She replied.

“I have the Grey Emissary and young Farsan here. I am going to let Ajax take over as he was the one receiving the information.”

“Understood. I received a Sending from Lieutenant Vago about an hour ago. I have Ro’Lolaam here, Captain of the Blue Company.” She gestured to her side and the viewpoint of the basin pulled back to show a Tenkan woman standing over a foot taller than Angoha.

Ajax could count on one hand the number of Tenkans he had met that were not subjects of the Autarch. Her fleshy head tentacles hanging down her back and shoulders were still adorned with cultural tattoos. They had a subtle difference compared to Tenkan’s from the Autarchy that Ajax didn’t think he could quite pin down. “Captain Amberscale is racing back to Duskwater Anchorage as we speak.” Ajax started. “She wants the two of you to divert ships not yet loading refugees to instead accompany her back to Peet Cape. Get volunteers if you have to, but fill as many of those ships with people willing to fight as you can. Old hunters, former sailors, hedge wizards, anyone willing. What remains of the Phyldraste fleet is going to make a stand there to buy you time to continue the evacuation effort. She’s going to use whatever you can muster to go in, bloody the Tenkans, then withdraw.”

“How much time do we have to prepare, and how much time does she think we will have to continue putting civilians on ships?” Captain Ro asked.

“She’ll be there in slightly over seven hours. You have that long to get fighters on ships.” Ajax relayed. “If you run out of volunteers, start loading civilians again. Captain Amberscale estimated twenty-one hours if the Tenkans were free to sail, but she was hoping to add up to six more to that.”

Captain Ro turned and spoke to someone out of view. “Idan, go find the Empire’s communication officer. Tell them to get with their ship captains. Anyone unable to make it here in twenty hours should break off and redirect to Gamma Station, situation three.” A sound of acknowledgement could be heard, followed by a door opening and closing.

“What is Gamma Station and situation three, Captain?” King Farsan asked.

“Gamma Station is an outpost we have. A fallback position with supplies and some light infrastructure. On the other side of the Bouen Ness is a river. I’m not sure if it even has a name, no one lives out there, it’s too close to Talan. A few miles inland on the river is a marsh. Gamma Station is there. Bo’Gantha won’t know about it, and neither does anyone from Phyldraste. It’s beyond their claimed borders.” Captain Ro explained. “Situation three is one of our pre-planned retreat and recovery tactics. From initiation of situation three, Blue Company members have one month to rendezvous at the stated location. All effort will be made to recover them, unless that recovery would lead to disproportionate loss of other members. Although, this state of affairs is going to have some caveats to our standard operating procedures.”

She seemed to take a moment to come to an internal decision before continuing. “I’m sending three platoons with Captain Amberscale. I will be accompanying them. Two more are going to start moving other civilians towards Gamma Station, along with Lieutenant Jo’Kleeva. Going cross country and avoiding the roads might let them slip away without being noticed. And if they are noticed, the Autarch’s dogs will think they are running to their death in Talan and fail to give chase.” The venom in her voice was palpable. Ro’Lolaam had likely never set foot in her home land, but was committed to the long term downfall of its leader. “We’ll make it clear to those able bodied that volunteering for the counter offensive is going to get them out of Phyldraste faster. Lieutenant Orvoga will be on the last ship out of this harbor. She’ll rendezvous with the remaining ships and drop anchor at the mouth of the river leading to Gamma Station.”

“I’m going with Captain Amberscale as well.” Angoha said.

“Out of the question.” King Farsan said, his voice louder and more forceful than Ajax had ever heard. And while he almost missed it, Ajax saw Farsan perk up at his aunt’s unexpected announcement. He was suddenly more alive and involved with what was going on.

“I need to do this, father.” Angoha said firmly. “I can’t stand back and do nothing when my actions can save more people. It’s not in my blood. It’s not in our blood.” Her voice was steady while her eyes pleaded for permission and understanding. “How many people did my son save? He was faced with a decision like this, and he chose. I’m making the same choice. I will save people, and you will not stop me.”

Ajax could tell that King Farsan wanted to argue, but no words came to his lips. He just stared directly at the watery image of his daughter. The moment stretched, then was broken. “Make Dutin proud, auntie.” Farsan said, tears beginning to fall onto his cheeks.

“Who do you think taught him to wield that hammer?” She gave a wry smile. “Take care of your sister for me. You two were so inseparable with Dutin. You were the siblings I never gave him. Thank you.”

It was at that moment the Scrying window closed, the gestures from the Sithra casters having gone unnoticed. “She’s not planning on coming back, is she.” Ajax said, not really a question.

“I know.” King Farsan replied.