Quentin smiled. “I thought now that you are one with the energy of the world, nothing is supposed to surprise you.”
“Very funny.”
“Knock, knock.” came a voice from the doorway. They both turned to see Jims. “Am I interrupting?”
“Not at all. Quentin here was just demonstrating his vast sense of humor.”
“Short conversation…” Jims commented. “Anyways, some place, huh?”
“It really is.” Babel closed the journal and placed his hands on top. Jims noticed the y shaped scar on Babel’s hand.
“Do you know why you have that?”
Babel followed Jims’ gaze to his hand. “You mean the scar? I do not.”
“Quentin, do you know what that is?” Jims asked.
Quentin shook his head. “It is just one of the many mysteries of the Chokka that I do not understand.”
Jims shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, so now what?”
Babel looked at him. “What do you mean now what?”
“I mean now what? I got us here but after that I really didn’t have anything. My job was to get us somewhere safe, which I did. Now it’s your turn.”
Babel considered for a moment. He looked at Quentin. “You and I were brought here so that you can teach me the secrets of the Chokka. And more than that. If we are going to move forward, we’ll also need the technologies of your father.”
Quentin studied Babel for a moment. “So you’re saying now, if I understand your meaning and if I may be so bold, you need someone to guide you – a counselor. Now that you are the Császár, you need a Minister of Science.”
“Um, I don’t know if that’s exactly what I was saying but I’m sure I would have gotten to that point. Now that you’ve brought it up, what do you say?”
“Do you know the role of the Minister of Science?”
“Sure, he does all kinds of sciency stuff.”
Quentin laughed. “Well, if that’s all you need from me, then I accept.”
Jims cleared his throat and their attention was turned to him. “Let me guess,” Babel said, “you’d like a title as well?”
“How about the Minister of Romance? Just ask Krista…”
“Jims, shut up.” Quentin said laughing.
Jims didn’t answer at first, pausing to bring the attention back to him. “So about the Minister of Romance position…”
Quentin slugged Jims in the arm (which didn’t budge). “You want to try that again, Nancy? This time actually hit me.”
Quentin took another swing at Jims, only this time Jims turned his body and caught Quentin’s fist with his open hand. Jims then closed his hand, trapping Quentin’s fist inside. “Now, would you like me to squeeze, or can you cool it, mate?”
Quentin smiled. “Either let go of my hand or I’ll have the Császár here banish you from his world.”
Jims looked at Babel and started to speak but Babel gave Jims a serious look. Jims didn’t know how to read Babel’s face. “You wouldn’t banish old Jims would you? Besides, if you did, you better sleep the rest of your short life with both eyes open. I’ll be coming for you.”
Babel held his serious look for a moment longer but finally broke. He smiled widely. “I guess I better keep you around then. By the way, I’ve just asked your brother to be the Minster of Science. I’m guessing you’d like to be the Minister of Security.”
“Would part of my job be keeping the Minister of Science safe? If you say yes I won’t take the job.”
Babel laughed. “You can keep safe those you see fit.”
Jims looked at Quentin and slid his bladed hand across his throat. “You’re a goner there, mate.”
“I’ll take my chances.” Quentin said before looking back to Babel. “It is agreed. So what is our next move?”
“Now we have to find a man.” Babel answered seriously.
CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT
The Cancellarrii looked out over the two thousand Klopph. He would no longer take any chances with the Chokka. He was bringing the war to him. His standing order – find the Chokka and bring him back alive; kill everyone who was aiding the Chokka.
The Cancellarrii turned command of the regiment over to the Field Commander and walked back to the vehicle that would take him back to the Erőd. His new Kaptajn joined him.
“Good speech.” the new Kaptajn commented.
“Thanks. I meant everything I said. You have some big shoes to fill but you’ve served me well for many years and I wouldn’t expect any less now. You deserve the position.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“We have a decent drive ahead of us. During that time, I’d like to get your thoughts on the Chokka. Tell me what you know of them.”
The Kaptajn had already been briefed for the position on everything, but what the Cancellarrii was interested in was anything that the new Kaptajn might have heard over the years that he currently didn’t know. He was apprised on most of the findings and investigations around the world but occasionally he missed small bits of news or information. The new Kaptajn had served directly under the Cancellarrii for many of his early years as a Klopph. Five years prior he had been named Field Commander of the Far East Region.
Most of the information that the Kaptajn shared, the Cancellarrii already knew. There were a few minor details of which he had not been previously aware but none of these were significant. They were about two miles from the Erőd when the Kaptajn mentioned something that the Cancellarrii did not know: a personal journal written by the previous Császár.
“I’m not familiar with this journal,” the Cancellarrii interrupted, “please tell me more.”
The
