Alacritous Regress

Installment 18: Arrival of the Magi

As Quick soars through the air, Storm Eye sidesteps the pounce with practiced ease. Without her intended target to cushion her, Quick plows face first into the ground. She stands back up, and glares at Storm while rubbing her jaw.

"So quick to temper, now," her grandmother says.

"And you're as reckless as ever," Quick snaps back.

"I somehow find myself agreeing with Quick," says Brian. "That was incredibly risky and should have ended in Quick collapsing in pain." Brian gives Quick a puzzled look. "Speaking of which, how did you not notice that?"

"Probably because of the clouding," says Storm.

"What?" the other two say simultaneously.

"Your mind is cloud by...I'm not sure what, but there's something preventing you from actually detecting telepathy. If you couldn't detect me rewiring your mind, then you wouldn't have felt the pain from it."

"The telepathy blocker could do...something like that," admits Brian. "But it was too great a risk to take."

"I didn't realize the spell would cause pain," says Storm. "I had just decided to cast first, ask questions later." She looked at the two of them slyly. "Speaking of which, there is now the matter of my payment."

Brian lets out a low sigh and Quick groans. "No," says Brian. "We are not giving you any weapons to wage your little war against the Humans."

Storm laughs at this, dismissive of the idea that she would ask for weapons. "I have kept my clan out of the war for over a decade now, I'm not about to put any of my clan members in danger like that." She chuckles a bit more. "No, what I want for payment is a little more personal. You know that cub that was with us earlier?" They both nod. "That's my grandson, your brother, Quick. While this village is well protected, it's not perfect. I want him to grow up somewhere safe, and have more opportunities once he has."

"I'll have to check with the Captain," says Brian.

Quick pokes Storm in the chest. "And you'll have to check with the moms and dad," she growls.

"I've already discussed this with the three of them and they've all agreed with my plans. Also..." she pulls Brian closer, and careful to not let her words slip into the stream of telepathy that permeates the village, she inaudible whispers into his ears. As Brian listens, his eyes widen and he broadcast a mixture of emotions that spiral through the full spectrum. "...so you understand the importance that this remains secret?"

"Yes," says Brian. "I understand."

"Good." Her eyes go out of focus as she concentrates on the stream of telepathy. "Sorry to leave you, but I'm needed elsewhere." She ducks out of the hut before peering back through the door to tell them, "Don't leave the village." And then she is gone.

"What did she tell you about my brother?" Quick asks.

"The most incredible and scary thing I've ever heard," he tells her before leaving the hut.

Quick grumbles a few incomplete obscenities before following him out.

<<>>

The Tiger Claw sets down a kilometer from the Alacritous Regress. The captain strides from the vessel. She radiates confidence and certainty in ways that are impossible to describe. She walks down the boarding ramp of her shuttle. Throughout her life she has had many names, born to the name Elena May, she long ago abandoned it, first known as 'The Seductress', she has left that name behind as well, now known by the other captains as Claw, and by her victims, she's simply know as death. But the name that resonates the most within her skull, is the name given to her by her crew, Spotted Hell.