The Caverns of Kronos

The Breakup - Part 2

     Thomas looked at Lirenna, who was looking back at him, and Shaun saw them looking into each other’s eyes as if trying to fix the sight in their memories. But I'll be able to stay with Diana, the woodsman thought, staring across at his sister. I have to! I have to know that she's safe.

     “What about the rest of us?” he asked, and he was surprised to hear an almost desperate tone entering his voice. “My brother and I left home in the first place because we wanted to be with Diana, to look after her. If possible I’d like the three of us to stay together. It’s what our parents would want.”

     His heart pounded madly as he waited for the Colonel to reply. What would he do if they tried to separate them? he wondered. In his mind, images appeared of unclothed female bodies, used and murdered. The legacy of the Runeblade, still as strong as ever. He would grab his sister and run, he decided. Get away to somewhere safe. Somewhere they would never be found where they could live the rest of their lives. Somewhere he could perpetually watch over his sister, making sure she was safe.

     Madness, he knew. They would never be able to escape, and even if they did he would be executed as a deserter if they were ever found. And Diana would probably refuse to leave in any case. She would say it was her duty to help fight the evil of the Shadowarmies. He would have to make her come with him, he thought. Carry her off by force...

     By the Gods, he thought. What am I thinking? Would I really carry my own sister away against her will? Of course not! I would never do that! But I have to be with her, to know that she's safe. I have to!

     “Of course,” said Rustin at last, and Shaun sagged with relief. “We like to preserve a successful team if at all possible. The three of you will form the core of a new Wolfpack team, along with one of your wizard friends and a couple of new members. Probably humanoids, to give you a good mix of talents.” He turned his attention back to the wizards. “I’m sure the other two of you will get on well with your new teammates.”

     “There’s just one more thing I want to impress upon you before you go,” said the third officer, a younger, much less friendly looking man. The badge on his breastplate identified him as belonging to the intelligence corps. The spy brigade as they were informally known. There was a cold gleam in his eye as he fixed his gaze on each of them in turn. “You are not to discuss anything you know about Kronos to any other person. The whole thing is top secret. Absolutely top secret. That includes not only the observatory but the mines, the city, the moon trogs, everything. Any mention of any of these things to anyone, anyone at all, will be regarded as treason. Is that understood?”

     They all said they understood. “What about the inhabitants of Kronosia who will be wanting to return to Tharia soon?" asked Diana. "Any of them could spread word about what’s up there.”

     “No they won’t,” said the intelligence officer, though. “No inhabitant of Kronosia will be allowed to return to Tharia until the end of the war.”

     “What!” exclaimed the cleric in outrage. “You’re holding them all prisoner?”

     “We don’t like it any more then you do,” replied Rustin, “but we simply can’t take the chance of the enemy finding out about the observatory. The tactical advantage it’ll give us is simply too great to risk. We have so few advantages over the Shads as it is.”

     “But they’ve done nothing wrong!” cried Diana angrily. “It is immoral to...”

     “The matter is not a subject for discussion!” snapped the intelligence officer sharply. “Beware lest we consider you also a threat to security.”