“You do know Sicar was one of O’Shay’shenchmen and the assassin as well?”
“I figured as much,” she said with a sneer.“If that’s the best he has, no wonder he’s still running with his tail tuckedbetween his legs.”
Despite the throbbing pain in his temples,Strom chuckled. “He can run but eventually Bakari will run him to ground. It issimply a matter of time.”
Shanee nodded. Ryden Bakari—the warrior whohad temporarily resigned his position as Burgon of the Aduaidh Alliance—was onthe trail of the man who had ordered the destruction of the Burgon’s palace andwho had caused the deaths of his family. Once his vengeance was completed,Bakari would return to his position as the supreme leader of the Alliance.Though another man held the title for the time being, out of respect forBakari, he was still given the exalted designation by those who knew him.
“It’s a good thing Morrison took his ownlife. I have no doubt with his newly enhanced abilities, the Burgon would havecome after him,” she said.
“Oh I know he would have,” Strom said. “Anddrained Morrison as dry as aged parchment.”
Shanee thought of Bakari and wondered whatit must have been like to have a revenant worm placed inside him so he couldbecome a Reaper—one of the most feared warriors in the megaverse.
“It is not pleasant,” Strom said as if he’dread her mind, and when she gave him a quizzical look, he waved aside hisremark and sat forward, his fingers threaded together on his desk. “Are you upfor a new assignment?”
Shanee thought of the nasty wound in hershoulder that had been inflicted by the poisoned Gearmánach blade aimed at herheart. Though the cut had been painful and her recovery slow—more from thepoison than the wound—it was now healing nicely with only a minor twinge nowand again to remind her it was there. Knowing Sicar had been executed for hispart in her near-death went a long way in helping her to get over the entireincident.
“I am not in top physical shape,” shereplied honestly, “but I am ready for reassignment.”
“It’s nothing dangerous,” Strom said.“Actually, it’s more along the lines of a vacation, if you will.”
One perfectly tweezed white eyebrow lifted.“A vacation to where?”
“A veritable paradise if what I hear istrue,” the general replied.
A chime sounded and he looked up at thevid-com screen that was to the left of his desk. His secretary’s pleasant faceappeared.
“Vice-Counselor Jost and his wife are here,Sir,” Miriam said.
“Would you ask them to wait just a moment,Miriam?” Strom asked.
“Certainly, Sir.” Miriam’s face faded fromview.
“Do you know who Vice-Counselor Jost is?”the general asked Shanee.
“I believe he was the councilman whose lifewas saved from a Storian assassin by Major Neff,” Shanee replied.
“Aye, he was and now he has been elected tothe Riezell Conclave in a very prominent position of power,” Strom said. “Aposition he has a tendency to abuse.” A muscle flexed in his cheek. “Add tothat his recent Joining to the widow of Duke Keifer Harmattan and you have thebeginnings of a real problem.”
Shanee was not familiar with the duke andsaid as much.
“Harmattan was a very rich and powerful manon Riezell,” Strom explained. “He came from a very influential family whosewealth—I’m told—is so vast it would rival that of the Supreme Legare.”
The Primary Riezell Guardian whistledbeneath her breath. “That would be vast indeed.”
“Harmattan was also an admiral with FleetAcademy, a highly decorated warrior who died during a battle over Diabolusiaabout twenty years ago. The Abroholos, the ship that he and his eldestson Ailyn were on, went down with no apparent survivors.” He leaned back in hischair. “At least we didn’t think there were any survivors but now we’re not sosure.”
Once more the chime of the vid-com intrudedbut the general didn’t turn to look at the vid-com screen. “Aye, Miriam?”
“His excellency the vice-counselor wantedme to remind you he is waiting, Sir,” Miriam reported.
“Tell him I am aware that is the case andam finishing briefing the Guardian who has been assigned to his case.” Hereached over and turned off the vid-com so there would be no furtherinterruptions.
Shanee could not keep from smiling. Sheliked this new head of Central Command. He was a man after her own heart.
“Before I invite the impatientvice-counselor and his lady-wife to join us,” Strom said, his face hard asflint, “I want you to know that Elspeth Harmattan-Jost is the reason you havebeen given this mission. It is to appease her that the vice-counselor has askedus to get involved in what is basically a Fleet Command problem. As you canimagine, being the widow of a national figure such as Kiefer Harmattan, she isnot without influence of her own.”
“I can imagine,” Shanee said.
“The woman lost five sons to the war. Hersurviving child was an ensign aboard Lord Taegin Drae’s ship the Revenge.As you probably know, Lord Taegin resigned his commission and retired a fewyears back but during the situation concerning Rory Quinn, the Tiogar took overcommand of his old ship and when the state of affairs ended, it was Drae’s shipthat took home to Theristes certain warriors who had aligned themselves withthe Burgon.”
“You mean the Reapers?” Shanee asked.
Strom nodded. Absently, he put hisfingertips to his left temple. “It was during the time those warriors were onboard the Revenge that young Harmattan swears he saw his eldest brotherAilyn.”
“If that’s true, then Ailyn Harmattan morethan likely had been incarcerated on Riezell-Nine,” Shanee said.
“And that means he is now a Reaper.”
“Did the younger Harmattan speak to the manhe believed to be his brother?”
“He…”
There was a very determined knock on thegeneral’s door and Strom’s eyes flashed blue fire as he pushed his chair backand got to his feet. He stalked around the desk, jerked open the door to face asmall man bedecked in the formal robes of a vice-counselor.
“General Strom, we do
