Tak

The Gem Lords - Part 9

     Saturn was the last to arrive. The other six seats were already filled. Natan Crowley sat at the head of the ancient oaken table, Seskip sat opposite Kalda Mot, and Major Valeron Hort, the only non wizard present, sat opposite Rhitt Lindell, one of the shae folk associated with the Rossem project.

     The sixth occupant of the room, Saturn was surprised to see, was the male Felisian prisoner, sitting among the others as though he were an equal instead of a despised enemy. Haskar, Saturn thought his name was. "What the Hell is going on here?" he demanded, staring at him as if he expected him to produce a weapon and start laying about with it at any moment.

     "Take a seat, Saturn," said the Director, indicting an empty chair. Saturn ignored it, though, and instead took the chair opposite the Felisian, where he could keep a close eye on him. "Well?" he demanded. "Who's going to start talking?"

     Natan Crowley gestured to the Head Proctor to explain the situation.

     "We have come to an arrangement with the Felisians," said Seskip, speaking to the whole table but clearly directing his words primarily at Saturn. "In return for a pardon for their crimes, their acts of sabotage and the accidental death of Schoena Scull, they have agreed to give us the exact location of the transdimensional portal they used to cross into our universe. We..."

     "You were supposed to read the information right out of their heads!" snapped Saturn furiously. "Whatever they know, we can simply take without..."

     "Neither of the two individuals we captured knew the location of the portal," hissed back Seskip. "That information was known only to their leader and their navigator, neither of whom we were able to catch. In return for the promise of an amnesty, however, Haskar has put us in contact with their leader, and we have been in communication with him for some time."

     Saturn could only stare, his single eye wide with astonishment. "Why was I not informed of this?" he thundered. The shae flinched as if his anger had been directed at him.

     "You had your job to do and I had mine," replied Seskip, his disturbingly reptilian face split in a broad grin of pleasure at his rival's discomfiture. "My job was to deal with the prisoners in whatever way I saw fit, which is what I have done."

     "I am the head of the Rossem Project!" roared Saturn, growing red with fury. Kalda Mot, who knew what the wizard was capable of when his temper was raised, cringed back in his seat, wishing with all his might that he were elsewhere. Valeron Hort, meanwhile, was examining Saturn's face with a professional interest. He'd never seen a wizard in a real rage before, not even back in the war. It was a revelation that they were able to lose their temper just like ordinary men.

     "I am supposed to be kept informed of all developments having to do with the project," continued Saturn. "Unless, that is, the Director has chosen to replace me!"

     "Oh do sit down," said Natan Crowley irritably. "That's why you're here, to be informed of developments..."

     "After the event!" roared Saturn, his eye fixed on the Head Proctor. "I should have been informed as soon as this, this deal, was even considered!"

     "Would you have advised against it?" asked Natan Crowley, eying him shrewdly. Of all the wizards present, it was perhaps the Director who understood him the best.

     Saturn was taken aback by the question. The truth was, it was exactly the sort of thing he might have suggested himself. As they had examined world after world and found no sign of any place capable of supporting life, let alone a civilisation capable of building the Rossem ship, he had long ago come to the conclusion that their theory, that there had to be a portal somewhere, leading to another universe, was correct, but they might have searched for years before finding it. They had to get the information from the Felisians, therefore, but if neither of their prisoners possessed that information... He saw now that a deal had been obvious and necessary, but why hadn't he been informed until now? Had it been a deliberate ploy on the part of the Head Proctor to make him erupt in fury in front of the Director? To make him look like a fool? If so, it had worked splendidly. He made an effort to get himself back under control, therefore, but he treated Seskip to another glare of hatred before speaking again. "So, what did we learn?" he asked, almost hissing the words.