Cardinal Mar Dak brushed the dust and debris from her desk. Another explosion rocked Bavel, sending more to replace what she had just cleaned. She sighed heavily, shaking her masked head.
External communications had finally been restored, and Mar Dark had begun to learn the extent of the conflict she now found herself in the middle of. Three major systems were being invaded, in addition to the frontal assault at Bavel. This could be the end of the Alliance. There was a significant chance the Cardinal would not live to see tomorrow.
There was no sense in getting bogged down with doom and gloom though. She had been in tight spots before, and had always survived with the understanding that her life could end at any time. The Five knew she had dealt more than her fair share of death during her tenure as Arch-Bishop of Sama’Santi. Her path to becoming a Cardinal had been paved in blood and bone.
“Quat,” she said calmly as another explosion echoed through her chambers. “Can you connect me to Cardinal Revati please?”
“Certainly, one moment.”
She heard a faint whimper behind her. Prajma sat in her wooden chair, her hands cupping her ears, as if the act of blocking out the sounds of the battle could make the danger disappear through sheer force of will. Mar Dak had nearly forgotten the girl was there.
“Cardinal Mar Dak, I heard the Academy was under siege. I trust you survived intact?” Revati had a wide grin on his slender face. Revati was a human, born and raised amongst the Faro. As if to compensate for the tremendous girth of the other children he had played with as a small boy, he had grown long and lean. As if too-little boy had been stretched into too-much man.
Another explosion rocked Bavel.
“That remains to be seen,” Mar Dak responded.
Cardinal Revati’s face turned to shock. “My goodness, in the middle of a bombardment, and you’re calling me?”
Mar Dak shrugged. “I can control the outcome of this battle no better than I can control the tides. All that remains is to do what I can for the good of those I know in the time I have left.”
Revati shook his head, the grin returning. “Always the pragmatist. So tell me, Mar Dak, to what do I owe the unusual pleasure.”
“I had heard you had a falling out with Cardinal Lasya, and I wanted to make sure you were doing alright.”
Revati smirked. “Just checking in? Concerned for my well-being?”
“You wound me,” she said, doing her best to feign sincerity. “I know all too well the sting of Lasya’s impertinence. I thought perhaps you could use a sympathetic ear.”
Cardinal Revati eyed her for a moment, as if staring at the mask of her protective Gaberlunzie suit would allow him to discern her intentions.
“I took that boy under my arm when he was nothing more than a whelp,” he finally relented. Mar Dak hid her smile well.
“During your time as Bishop of Barastar, wasn’t it?”
He nodded his head. “Lasya was one of my High Priests, a snot-nosed boy, but bright. Very bright. I saw much potential there.”
“I’m sure that made his recent betrayal all the more painful.”
“Indeed. Indeed it did. I considered the boy as close to a son as I’ve ever had. The way he went behind my back to renegotiate trade tariffs between the Koje Kingdom and Omnicorp, it was unacceptable.”
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“The audacity to go behind the official Omnicorp representative for the Church, I’m surprised the Pope didn’t excommunicate him right then and there.”
“Excommunicate?” Cardinal Revati said, laughing. “Pope Antiochus has forgotten the proper way of doing things.”
“No one understands that better than I,” she said sadly.
He nodded his head gravely. “Your appointment was a shame. A damn shame. Hell, if I was Pope, I’d have excommunicated half the College of Cardinals by now.”
“Perhaps that’s what is needed.”
Revati chuckled, nodding his head. “Perhaps you’re right. I know I certainly wouldn’t be wasting your talents at Bavel.”
She ignored the compliment. “Is it true Lasya was invited to the Mountain of Thrones?”
Revati nodded his head. “Only the seventh human to attend the annual meeting of the Divona kings. By personal invitation of King Ingan himself no less.”
“That honor should have fallen to you.”
“Believe me, that fact did not escape me.”
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Tell me, Mar Dak. Why did you really call me?”
“Honestly,” she hesitated. Pausing, just the right amount of time. “I just wanted to see a friendly face. I don’t get to interact much in my new position. I miss the camaraderie.”
He nodded gravely.
A sharp explosion rattled her teeth, temporarily interrupting their feed. Prajma cried out, and for a moment Mar Dak thought the roof might collapse. Relief and annoyance washed over her simultaneously as she realized this was not the case.
“By the Five, Mar Dak are you alright?”
She nodded. This war was becoming inconvenient.
“I’m fine, I think. But I should probably head to one of the bunker shelters. I do appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.”
Revati nodded. “Of course, of course.”
“If there’s every anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask. I may no longer be liaison to Microtech, but I do still have many contacts, and many favors owed.”
Revati ran his tongue across his upper lip.
“I appreciate the offer. I will take it under consideration.”
She bowed her head. “Of course.”
“Farewell, Mar Dak. Keep your chin up. Pope Antiochus may have a long memory, but he is reaching the end of his years. Of that I am certain. And with a new Pope will come new opportunities.”
“I shall try to keep that in mind,” she said, bowing again as their com disconnected.
That went better than she had expected. She had always known Revati was an ambitious man, but had been unaware that his ambitions led to the White Crown. Perhaps she would leave the pleasure of killing Pope Antiochus to another.
More explosions rocked Bavel, and she had to reach out her hand to catch her balance. Prajma whimpered again. The girl was crying.
Cardinal Mar Dak withdrew something from a desk drawer, and knelt down, making herself the same height as her young ward.
“Are you frightened?” she asked Prajma, who sat glued to her chair, her knuckles white.
Prajma nodded her head. Tears left orange and gray streaks on her face as the dust and debris stuck to the wetness.
“Come,” Mar Dak said as she held her arms out. “Come to me.”
Prajma hesitated, wiping one of her cheeks, smearing the dirt into a shape reminiscent of war paint. Finally she stood and fell into Mar Dak’s embrace.
The girl was so small in her arms. Sometimes Mar Dak forgot how tiny these young wards were. So young. So fragile.
“Are you scared?” she whispered into Prajma’s ear.
The girl nodded her head.
“Say it. Say it aloud.”
“Yes, I’m scared.”
“What are you scared of, girl?”
“I don’t want to die.”
Prajma’s eyes widened as the small metal blade Mar Dak had quietly retrieved slide silently, easily between her ribs. Her body stiffened. Mar Dak shifted her embrace, looking deep into Prajma’s eyes.
“You made me look like a fool in front of Pope Antiochus,” the Cardinal hissed. “Did you really think I would forget that?”
Prajma opened her mouth to speak, but only a trickle of blood came out. Mar Dak lowered her body to the floor, Prajma’s eyes still fixed on hers, confused, panicked, terrified. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, like a baby bird.
“Now you have nothing to be afraid of,” Mar Dak whispered in the girl’s ear, caressing her dirty blond hair with her clawed hand.
Prajma’s eyes glassed over, and with a final gurgle lay still. Mar Dak withdrew the narrow blade, and using Prajma’s hair, wiped the blood from it. She then tossed the blade onto her desk, where it clattered loudly.
“Quat,” Mar Dak said.
“Yes, Ma’am?”
“See to the disposal of the body.”
“Of course, Ma’am.”
“And let Church Headquarters know I’ll be needing a new ward. Hopefully a competent one this time.”
“As you wish.”
Mar Dak sat back down, tapping her barbed finger on her desk. Another explosion rattled her teeth. This war was an nuisance, but she had too much to do to worry about that now. To much power to shore up.
“Quat,” she said, after some consideration. “Connect me to Cardinal Haubus at once.”