Chapter 263
Kyle looked at Fernie first, then the ogre who was poised to attack. His first instinct was to refuse to answer, but he thought twice about it. He had no negotiating power at this point, and even in peak condition doubted he could handle either of them. Instead, he opted to stay truthful but vague.
“I encountered a couple of C Grades on Er’Mithren. I managed to escape one, and killed the other because it was severely weakened.”
“And you acted in self-defense?” the ogre asked, his voice the low rumble of thunder.
“Yes,” Kyle replied. “Believe me, I’m not in the business of fighting C Grades.”
“Not yet,” the ogre growled.
“I feel like I’m missing something here,” Kyle said, turning his attention back to Fernie. “What’s going on?”
She looked at the ogre in admonishment before turning back to Kyle. “It’s a long story. While the Collective doesn’t have any agreed upon regulations on it, D Grades who have stalled near the peak of their power have been known to hunt weaker C Grades from time to time. Rather than being patient and trying to advance their paths normally, they’ve taken short cuts in a mad pursuit of power.
“The Verdant Republic stands vehemently against this practice, as does the Archdrake Supremacy and the Pillar. The Gray Conglomerate and Alabaster Court don’t have as strong a stance, but it’s still a behavior that gets you put on lists. That’s not to say that there aren’t exceptions to be made in cases of self-defense, but they’re rare.”
“How can self-defense be rare?” Kyle asked.
She gave him a long look before responding. “For virtually any C Grade worth their rank, there is almost no chance that a D Grade survives a serious attack. There’s a qualitative difference in the mana at play, and only true monsters can overcome that difference. Regardless of how it came to be, what you need to understand is that the aura you’re giving off is basically a banner that you’re hunting powerful individuals to progress. It also means that you’ve succeeded, at least once. Don’t blame us for being cautious.”
Kyle frowned, but nodded. “I see. I’ll keep that in mind moving forward. Now, would you mind telling me where my quarters are? I feel like I’m about to keel over.”
Fernie and the ogre exchanged a look, and she gestured for him to move past the security checkpoint. “Go through those doors, an attendant will see you to your quarters. It’s good to see you again, Courier.”
He felt both of them relax slightly as he made it across the room, letting out a small sigh. If their reaction was any indication of the Verdant Republic’s stance, Kyle doubted that he would be high on the list to do jobs for them again soon. A problem for another day, he thought, smiling at the goblin attendant who gave a shallow bow. He followed the goblin through a maze of hallways, finally ending up in front of a large door.
“Just scan your nav bracelet, and you will be able to get in and out. My name is Brenlin, and I look forward to ensuring your accommodations are satisfactory for the duration of the trip. There is an interface in the room you can use to contact me, should you need to. Rest well, Courier.”
With that, Brenlin left, and Kyle stepped into his room. It was slightly larger than the quarters he’d had on the Corthian Mining flagship, but he was too tired to explore all the details. He made his way to the bed, set the C.H.A.D.D. pack beside it, and lay down, quickly falling into a blessedly dreamless sleep.
Nearly half a day later, Kyle woke up, eyes bleary. He went through some of the basic forms that Frank Santos taught him, testing his body’s recovery. Kyle found comfort in the familiar movements, falling into a nearly meditative state as he practiced. Neither C.H.A.D.D. nor the Core of the Parasitic Devourer disturbed him as he moved, their link indicating that they Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, he thought. There were still some deep muscle aches, particularly in his legs, but he was mobile.
Kyle cleaned up afterward, then checked his nav bracelet, where a message waited for him.
Courier Mayhew,
Our esteemed guest, Her Majesty D’Oillelat, requested that you notify her when you have awoken, and asked to meet her in the observation deck. Of course, refreshments will be provided.
Sincerely yours,
Brenlin
“C.H.A.D.D., before we leave the room, any developments that I should be aware of?” Kyle asked. While he was certain the drone would have woken him if somebody tried to get into the room, he doubted C.H.A.D.D. would create a ruckus over minor surveillance.
[NOTHING NOTEWORTHY, DR. MAYHEW.]
Which means there’s something in the room, Kyle confirmed, sending a note of suspicion through Pack Leader’s Instinct. C.H.A.D.D. gave an affirmation back, and without another word, Kyle tossed the pack over his shoulders before departing the room. Observation was to be expected from time to time, so he’d wait until they were safely settled in at the apartment before having any important conversations.
The nav bracelet led him to the observation deck. The room was massive, reminding Kyle of an Earth movie theater. Multiple tiers of seating were available, all looking out into space beyond. The growl in Kyle’s stomach drew his attention to the other attraction; a row of tables filled with snacks. There were fruits, vegetables, bite-sized roasted meats, and drinks.
He figured he would have a little while before D’Oillelat would arrive, and made it his mission to fill and finish a plate in that time. Humans and goblins had a lot of overlap in what they could eat, and Kyle followed his instincts as he piled on the food. Between his aggressive travel pace and sleeping, he hadn’t eaten a good meal since departing the goblin village, surviving exclusively on pogrit seeds.
His first plate was quickly polished off, and just as he decided to go for a second, he felt a presence approaching through Auric Perception. He decided to hold on to the plate, though rose respectfully as D’Oillelat entered the room.
“I see you finally woke up, Courier,” she said, flashing a toothy grin.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be sleeping again before you know it,” Kyle joked back. Despite the jab, he could tell that she was uncomfortable. Her body language was tense, her weight shifting from foot to foot. Of course she is, you dolt, Kyle admonished himself. Kyle was used to be thrown into the unknown at this point, and he had C.H.A.D.D. to keep him company. D’Oillelat was alone.
“So,” he said, gesturing to the food. “Are you hungry?”
D’Oillelat gave him a quizzical look, then walked over to grab her own plate. “Are you kidding me? Of course I am.”
After raiding the prepared foods again, Kyle and D’Oillelat looked out of the observation deck in silence for a while, staring at the stars. Finally, the Resistance Queen spoke, her voice soft. “You know, I always dreamed of leaving the capital and going on a grand adventure. Even after starting the Resistance, the notion was exciting. Yet, here I am, farther away from home than I ever would have dreamed, and it’s terrifying.”
Kyle nodded, remembering well his final departure from Earth. “It can be, at times,” he agreed. “I felt similarly when I left my home. My hope for you would be that you’ll be able to go back soon, and on your own terms.”
“Someday,” she said. “From the briefing I received, it sounds like that could take a while to come together. Years, potentially.”
“Oh?” Kyle asked, his interest piqued. “Why do they think it will take that long?”
“Negotiations,” D’Oillelat replied dryly. “Something I’m less eager to participate in. Still, the offer of resources to stabilize the Resistance was generous. Tell me honestly; do you trust the Verdant Republic?”
“I do,” Kyle said. “There are aspects of their governance that can be frustrating, like anywhere, but from everything I’ve seen they have been fair. Certainly better than Pall’Eth.”
“That doesn’t take much,” she replied, a wry smile on her face. “Although from the sound of it, you might actually frustrate him more than I do.”
“Somehow that wouldn’t surprise me,” Kyle admitted, though he felt a grin tugging at the edge of his mouth. “I know you’ll be wrapped up in a lot of negotiation and politicking, but I hope you’ll also get a chance to enjoy some of what the Verdant Republic has to offer. Their territory on the Hub has some incredible sights.”
“Tell me about them,” D’Oillelat demanded. Trepidation mixed with anticipation in her voice, and Kyle nodded.
“Then let’s start with the botanical gardens,” he said.
[MY PERSONAL FAVORITE,] C.H.A.D.D. included.
The next several days passed by with a consistent routine; Kyle and C.H.A.D.D. making time to recover while D’Oillelat was in briefings and meetings, followed by Kyle sharing his experiences as an outsider in the Verdant Republic, as well as some of his favorite pastimes. While he expected she would receive a very different reception, he was happy to share his own stories on the trip back to the Hub.
D’Oillelat returned the favor by sharing more about Er’Mithren, including some of her favorite stories about Drokh, Ver’ah, and Hanastrel. She knew far more than he would have expected from the leader of an organization like the Resistance, and Kyle’s estimation of her grew as they talked. While D’Oillelat may not want to be a leader, she certainly had the skills for it. Despite the size of her organization, she had a great sense of what was happening in the lives of her reports.
Finally, they got the message they were waiting for.
The Hub is within distance for our next jump. Prepare for departure in the next hour.
“Come on,” he said to D’Oillelat, rising from his chair in the mess hall. “The Hub is a sight you don’t want to miss.”
She gave him an odd look, but walked with him to the observation deck. The ship was approaching a nearby gateway, similar to those he’d seen when he first arrived at the Hub. No, not quite, Kyle realized, peering closer at the massive floating sculpture. On the top of this one, there was a stylized dragon, nestled atop with its wings close to its body.
It felt out of place, until he saw it shift its weight. His eyes widened in shock as the realization washed over him. One of our escorts is a dragon. If it was at all bothered by the vacuum of space or the torrent of spatial energies pouring out of the gate, it didn’t show it.
“Are you okay?” D’Oillelat asked, looking at him with concern.
“Fine,” Kyle said, tearing his eyes from the creature. The presence of a dragon meant that the Archdrake Supremacy was collaborating with the Verdant Republic, and he could only think about one reason why that might be. They recognized the disturbance was related to Zierlan, and sent a powerhouse along on their side for security.
The capital ship slowly entered the gate, and after a flash of color, Kyle gazed out upon the seemingly endless chain of connected stars. He heard D’Oillelat’s breath catch as she looked out at the Hub, an expression of wonder plastered on her face.
And now, the threat doesn’t matter, Kyle thought. We’re safe. I’m home.