Long Molly, Brik, and Biter had been escorted to the top deck of the airship and stood now, alongside her, at the railing, admiring the impressive view of the desert and The People’s Army below.
Their escort had been comprised of quite a few soldiers. Maybe too many for what they had to do.
Molly was doing her job well, looking uncharacteristically imposing and threatening. And the soldiers watched her. The tall beauty with too many arms striding around with a magical staff would be a lot for anyone to ignore. She glanced again up to the escape pods. They were a long way above the deck. She hadn’t expected that. She thought they would have been readily accessible, for, like, escaping in. But they had discovered that they didn’t have the keys to open them. They never had the keys. They only used the pods to improve the buoyancy of the airship. Their undercover contact had most likely been concealing the key cards since the pods were first harnessed from the Eastern Tower.
She took her book out of her belt and, with a piece of charcoal, crossed her legs and sat on the deck, and began to draw. The field marshall chuckled.
“Is it ok if I make a drawing of all the tents? There are so many tents and so many men. They must be all the people in the entire world!”
“Of course. Make yourself comfortable!” the ambassador said. He clapped his hands and grinned. “You travel with ones so young! How delightful. Your Wayfinder camps on my floor and makes drawings. It seems she has already determined we are harmless. Please, bring our guests refreshments!” He clapped his hands commandingly.
The counsellor had strutted up to the staff the moment Molly had arrived and hadn’t stopped studying it since. He peered at it, his gaze jerking, twitching. He walked around it and looked at it from every conceivable angle. He followed Long Molly as she herself gazed up and about at the beautiful airship as if oblivious of the bird.
The field marshall stood tall at the top of the wide, shallow staircase. She had never seen anyone taller than Molly, not until she had seen the field marshall.
“Did you find anything on them?” the counsellor asked. For the moment, he looked away from the staff towards the soldier who stood front and center. His machine voice had an accusatory tone.
“They were searched. They have day belts—a few other bundled day items. The male has the shield armour. The tall one has the scroll case on her belt filled with the blunted bow shafts used in herding the drift lizards. Nothing else, Counsellor.”
The bird peered up at Long Molly again, then at the staff, then to the soldier.
“It is of no consequence.” The jovial voice of the ambassador broke the silence. “Counsellor, we said they could bring the staff and that they, and it, would be safe. This is the agreement.”
Molly stepped into her part perfectly. She pulled her gaze away from the superstructure and dipped her head to the ambassador.
“Ambassador, we thank you for your hospitality and, in turn, offer ours, as all are entitled, protection and a full measure of water at our camp for the day.”
“Again,” the ambassador said to Long Molly. “Yes, of course. Your great leader there, on the floor with her drawings, has already made all these traditional peace offerings. Why you all persist with that foolish old tradition, I’ll never know. Let The People make you an offer in turn. Even the child agrees. You should all join with the People.” His arms were outstretched, welcoming. “Let us offer you the hospitality and the security of our camp. The People wish it, and they respect the Wayfarers. Your people would work in harmony with our people. You could act as guides and scouts and trade emissaries in your freedom of movement through the region. Nothing would change from what your life is now.”
She pretended to ignore the conversation, and clutching her sketch, got up and walked to the railing. The ship was high, but not too high. She thought a fall from this height would most likely injure someone, but not kill them. She watched the movement of the water brigade and paid acute attention to the number of figures moving around her camp.
The conversation between Long Molly, tall and beautiful with the tower staff, and the compact form of the aging ambassador in his toga-like attire continued behind her.
“The world’s edge draws closer now that two towers are down. They say you also wish to pull this tower down. It would destroy any chance of world reclamation,” Long Molly said.
“No one truly knows where the world’s edge is. The plan from before times is exactly that: it’s from before times. The People are now. We live now. The towers hold secrets and technology we need now. It is for us to decide our fate and no one else. It is especially not for some people from long ago to decide our fate,” Daktor said.
“May I?” the counsellor said in his strange voice. He was reaching a machine hand towards the tower staff.
She was relieved that Long Molly did not reflexively glance her way.
“It would not be wise,” Long Molly replied. “And we should go. The ambassador has made a proposal. We have to put his proposal to our people in the camp.” The bird hesitated. His hand froze, outstretched, and his eyes shifted under his goggles.
“We are all friends here,” the ambassador said. “We all live and work together in the desert. The People and the Wayfarers. Do we not?”
“At the moment, you do,” Brik said curtly.
“Ma’am Camps. Wayfinder. May your woman allow the counsellor the staff? He wishes to study it. Have we not earned your trust?”
“Of course,” she said and nodded for the tall woman to acquiesce.
Long Molly hesitated, then passed the long staff to the counsellor.
“Still. It is out of respect for our camp that we must put the question to all the Wayfarers,” Long Molly replied.
“Well, I was led to understand that it was you three that were the ‘command’ or ‘counsellors’ of your people and would be the ones making the decision.”
She began sketching again, focused on the soldiers this time, and drew one of them. The soldiers had been packed around them at first, but now with the tower staff in the counsellor’s possession, they seemed to relax and back away. She noticed a nod from the ambassador had many of them descending the stairs. Only two remained.
Daktor had not left. She caught Biter’s gaze, and the slender cat woman made her way over to where she stood at the rail.
“The key to the boat is on a chain around his right wrist. Before you attempt the boat, make sure our people get away,” she whispered.
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Molly continued her conversation with the ambassador. “Still, it is out of respect for our camp and our tradition that everyone is involved with all decisions.”
“So, you do not command the staff after all.” The voice that came to them from the staircase was loud. Challenging. A figure had pushed through the departing guard. It was the stranger from the night before, the princess. With her was a harsh-looking old man, built of lean muscle and sun-browned skin. He was dressed in the light armour of a foot soldier and wore an eye patch on a scarred face. He had the same red tinge to his eye that the princess had in hers.
Both seers. She hadn’t been able to tell in the darkness last night that the princess had the red/pink eyes of a seer.
The princess wore the same clothing and armour from the night before, but the cloak was gone. Her arms and shoulders inside the steel rods were heavy with muscle, heavier than most men. She crossed the decking and pointed down at the girl with the same gauntleted finger.
“You are exactly the child I expected.” She smirked.
“Ah. My daughter. The princess. I believe you two have already met,” the ambassador said. “I must apologize for her. As I explained earlier, she loves her father so much and is willing to go to any end to please me.” He turned his attention to the Princess.
“My daughter. Everything is well. We are all friends here... This small group we have invited as our guests are about to go and give their camp the wonderful news that they will be joining us. We were only waiting for the celebratory refreshments. You have joined us just in time.”
“I also would like to see the staff,” the princess said, and striding across the deck, she reached for the staff held by the counsellor.
“Stop!” the counsellor said, with enough conviction to halt the princess. The bird brain had thrust one bladed hand out towards her menacingly. “I… am not... finished with it,” he said.
“We are admiring the staff, are we not? Something shared among friends,” replied the warrior princess, turning to her father.
“Ah. Of course, my dear,” said the ambassador in his comic tone. “Counsellor, please accommodate the princess if you would be so kind as to let her examine the staff. Just for a moment?”
The counsellor clutched the staff and took a step away from the princess.
“If I may offer a solution?” The old warrior that had accompanied the princess spoke. His bearing was calm. He stood lanky, relaxed, even slumped with his head lowered, as if he couldn’t be bothered to stand up totally straight. He ambled over to stand beside the princess. As the girl watched him pass, his hand dropped to rest on an old, faded blue mag gun in his side holster. If she hadn’t recognized the holster, she would have recognized the gun.
Her breath caught in her throat. She studied his one eye, looking at the old familiar colour there. Remembering it. Her head was suddenly flooded with memories. Nights out in the desert before a fire. Stars winking in the cold darkness. Peaceful and calm. Standing together to watch over the drift lizard herd. Working to cut salt blocks out of the white expanse around them. Fools flinging mud at each other and laughing. She pulled herself from the vividness of the memory, a memory so strong she could still hear the echoing laughter. She caught herself peering at him and quickly turned away.
“Your father is right, Princess. But let me hold it for both parties if you would allow. Counsellor?” He asked. “Impartial. I will stand with you. Let us keep this discussion going. Let’s not interrupt the refreshments the ambassador has been so kind to order for his guests. Let’s keep things jovial, shall we?”
The ambassador sketched a mock bow toward the old warrior.
She blinked away her tears. The need to go to him was nearly overpowering. To wrap her arms around him. To press her cheek against him. It had been so long.
“It really is of no consequence,” the Daktor said. “We have their camp surrounded. If they do not surrender the staff, we will eradicate their camp and their people. We have them.” He made a fist.
“You said that you wished to offer us a proposal, Ambassador. Now the field marshall makes threats,” Long Molly said.
The ambassador shrugged and smiled at Long Molly. “Soldiers, you know, always wanting a fight. Drinks!” he called. “Where are those drinks?”
“You really think The People would accept you as equals?” the princess asked the girl. “Look at you… You are beast faces, muties, those extra arms...”
“Well, now, Daughter. Be kind to our guests. The People have been making progress towards the inclusion of all. Our last edict states—”
“They are not human. They would not be allowed to join us. They would only be allowed to serve us. Field Marshall Daktor…” The princess turned to him. “How many beasts have you hunted down and killed?”
“Innumerable, Princess.”
“Is that the same as indefinite?” the girl asked. Both the field marshall and the counsellor glared at her.
“My father fights for The People. We don’t care about the rules of the Great Reclamation.”
“Yes, Daughter. If you would have let me finish, I was reminding them that everyone has a place. For example, the edict that we have posted—”
“That is quite obvious,” Biter spoke this time. “You have a nice place for the kind like me and Molly. Slaves. Or death.”
“Well, they are all wonderful things, I must admit. But their time is gone. They only clutter up the valley and consume the few resources we have for people,” the ambassador said. “Built on an ancient misdirection. But like weeds, they have to be eradicated. The People refuse to perpetuate this foolishness. We refuse to continue with misdeeds and mistakes. This is our land for our people. Real people.” The ambassador continued, “Who destroyed the world? The same ones that planned and created the Great Reclamation. It is our counsellor that brought us this enlightenment. Join with us and allow him to enlighten you.”
Here, the counsellor took over. “You will all have your place with us. You will not be killed. Why trust some mistaken ancient doctrine that has revealed it is wrong by the simple proof of yourselves; that it creates mutations and beasts? Look what it has done to you, what it has done to me. These twisted secrets and lies of the ones from before have ruined everything.”
“We will never subject ourselves to you. The Wayfarers have always been free, and they will remain that way,” Biter replied.
This time Field Marshall Daktor spoke. “This is foolishness. These talks are over. We have the staff. We have their people. Wayfarers, I warn you now, if you do not comply, your people in the camp will be slaughtered.”
A whistle screeched twice through the breezy morning air.
The old man with the eye patch, still holding the Wayfinder’s staff, announced, “That signal is from the ship’s north lookout, Field Marshall.”
“Report!” the field marshall bellowed.
The forward lookout announced to them, “Drone launch, sir! Release signal from the tower base!”
“Ah! There you go, Counsellor, the drone launch your spy spoke of.” The ambassador raised his hand to shield his eyes and looked out across the desert to the distant pyramid. From the pyramid slope, a shower of sparks leapt into the air, dragging tendrils of white smoke. “And there is the signal. Our man out there has done well. It’s been years since we have seen a drone launch, hasn’t it?”
The counsellor joined the ambassador at the railing.
“Look, Field Marshall! There is the black line of the rocket that I repaired,” the counsellor said. “It is working most magnificently. Our man will kill that drone; he will bring it to us, and I will crack it open for its treasure just like an egg.”
The ambassador turned to them. “There will be no vault find. We control all the power now. We have the Tower Staff.” He walked to where the old bald warrior stood and placed his hand on the long crystal staff. “On behalf of The People, we will create our own reclamation of the valley. We will not let poisonous distortions take over our valley. With the staff, we will crack open the cities of glass we have already pulled down, and we will use what we find in there to pull this final tower down.”
And then the small girl stood up, put away her sketches, and spoke.
“The World’s Edge comes closer as you pull down the towers. The Tower of the Coastal City, Baal, you pulled down, and the World’s Edge came closer in the east delta regions. You pulled the tower of the Central City down, and now the World’s Edge comes closer in the central valley. You will not pull the last tower down, our tower. We will not let you. You will not have this staff. We will take this ship and destroy as much of your tech as possible,” the child said to him. “Nothing you do or have done is right. You see the world change, and instead of embracing that change, you see it as a threat. You cannot see what the true distortion and poison is because those things are you.”
He chuckled. “I’d like to know who taught you to speak like this, one so young as you. It is absolutely adorable.”
“Gliders!” the princess said, pointing out to the pyramid. “Two. No, three gliders in the air! Someone is out there acting against us! The rocket has failed. The drone is getting away!”
Suddenly, everything moved very quickly.