Strong waited nearby, looking out at the city through a window and watching the flying ships coming and going in the cloudless blue sky. Then a voice sounded in his head. A Farspoken message from the Jules Verne.
"Callan to Captain Strong. Can you hear me?"
"What is it, Callan?" thought back Strong without speaking.
"Sir, there's a large fleet of Salemian warships approaching the planet. They appear to be on their way to attack Chapuk, the city you're in. They'll get there in a couple of hours. Do you want to teleport back before the attack begins?"
"I think we're safe enough," replied Strong. "The central part of the city, where we are, is protected by a magical shield." He thought for a moment. "The attack may be directed at us, meaning they know we're here, that the Garusians are entertaining visitors from another world. If so, the Jules Verne may come under attack. Stay on constant alert and keep a sharp eye out."
"Aye, sir," replied Callan, and after a couple more questions to reassure himself that the landing party were safe the first mate severed the connection.
Saturn, meanwhile, had recognised the distant look in Strong's eyes, realising he was receiving a message, and he watched the Captain carefully out of the corner of his eye while carefully manoeuvring himself so that Bulc, to face him, had to turn his back on the other Tharian. Saturn then read the Captain's mind, so that he received the message at the same time Strong did. The hand signal Strong gave him a moment later, therefore, the signal they'd agreed on beforehand to mean that everything was okay and that he'd say more later, was superfluous and Saturn just nodded, barely pausing in his conversation with the First Child, who remained unaware that anything had gone on.
A moment later, though, a messenger knocked on the door and took the First Child outside to deliver a message, no doubt regarding the approaching Salemian ships. "Is there a problem?" asked the wizard when he returned a moment later.
"Nothing that need concern us" replied Bulc, apparently not in the least concerned about the imminent loss of so many lives. Only labourers, of course. The nobles in the sheltered, central part of the city had nothing to fear. They would only be in danger if the Salemians so reduced the Garusian fleet and their ability to replace lost ships that they were able to land an army on the surface of Garus, and Bulc was clearly not worried about that.
Strong wondered whether the two planets were so evenly matched that both tended to run low on ships at the same time, so that whenever one world lost the ability to defend itself, the other was in no shape to launch an invasion. If so, it would explain how the war could have kept going for such an unbelievably long time, and it suggested that the situation wasn't likely to change any time soon.
"So," said Bulc, beaming at the wizard as he picked up the drink he'd placed on the polished mahogany table. "You were telling me about Tara, your capital city..."
☆☆☆
Their audience with the First Child went on for three interminable hours, after which they were led to the banqueting table for a diplomatic feast where they met dozens of the most powerful men in the city. All Children of Mekk and all responsible for a temple in the outcity where they led the daily services for everyone in the surrounding district. They questioned Saturn and Strong about life on the planet Belthar and about the worship of Mekk among their people, questions that Saturn answered carefully and only after reading that person's mind to discover the answer he was expecting.
Even though Bulc knew they were unbelievers, it was still important that they go through the motions of being faithful worshippers of Mekk. So long as they did so, the First Child could continue laying out the red carpet out for them, lulling them into a false sense of security in the hope that they might accidentally let slip something important. If they gave themselves away, though, Bulc would have no choice but to turn them over to the inquisition immediately, and the two Tharians would have to teleport away, leaving Drenn and the soldiers to their fates. Strong very carefully left the talking to the wizard, therefore, fielding whatever questions he could and answering when he had no choice as briefly as possible with frequent glances at Saturn, looking for the tiny shaking of the head that would warn him that he was straying into dangerous territory.
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The Gem Lords
الخيال (فانتازيا)Thomas Gown's connection to a group of powerful wizards who lived thousands of years ago is finally revealed, and he learns that he may be able to save his world and his civilisation, along with others beyond number, from a threat that will manifest...
