“It is so surprising?” the demon asked, taking a delicate sip from her tea.
“Hello!” Alia chirped.
Serena said nothing, rely taking ti to appraise the woman in front of her. Dressed in a simple Ishaqian garb, with a silk headdress that hid most of the black hair, the demon would easily blend in with the crowds, although their horns—Samino, with the faintest hint of an Ainese twist—would mark them as a foreigner.
Serena’s instincts warned her of the woman’s power. She likely wasn’t a Speaker, but Serena knew she was capable of yellow. She was also an accomplished mage, a rare trait in a warrior who’d reached the third level of aura. Alia had said herself that the demon was capable of the best Kanaxai glamours she’d seen so far. A fitting combination for a high-ranking Intelligence official. Serena hadn’t had much opportunity to see her true capabilities; the woman had never attended Katalin’s training sessions at the academy.
She’d always kept her at the back of her mind, especially after the woman had deduced Alia was responsible for the Asclepius transformation through her contacts in the aetherscope network.
She should have known that she would be seeing Sarafina Nakajima again. The demon had arrived at the Asamaywa academy, taking the position of the Head Instructor of Intelligence and Security only a few weeks before their arrival.
“I should have known,” Serena said, taking a seat along with Alia. “I should have known it wasn’t a coincidence that you were at the academy.” She reached out and poured herself a cup of tea, the strong mint fragrance filling her senses. “I didn’t know at the ti”—she threw a quick glare at Aiden—“how much Intelligence had planned ahead. Tell , Sarafina Nakajima, was approaching Alia also a part of Intelligence’s plan?”
Sarafina laughed in the small, polite way so indicative of Samino highborn etiquette. “Are you talking about when we had tea in the academy?” After Serena nodded, Sarafina laughed again and said, “Would you believe that my being here was entirely unplanned and not Intelligence’s original intention?”
“I would not.”
“You would be half-right, Speaker Halen,” Sarafina said, her lips curling. “Truthfully, my appointnt at the academy had been planned for over a year. Once my advisory position in Mur ended, I felt it was ti to return ho and settle down for a while. Little did I know”—Sarafina’s eyes twinkled as she glanced at Alia—“that a very interesting person would be attending the academy for my first year, and cause all sorts of chaos and problematic happenings.”
“Who’s she talking about?” Alia whispered. “That person sounds amazing.”
“Oh, I would never imply that Lord-Prospect Thornheart, newly-sanctioned saint, would be the cause of chaos,” Sarafina continued, her face breaking out with mirth. “Although I’m told these days that Greatlord Oshiro to this day can be heard cursing the na of a particular healer who felt it was appropriate to blast half of Asamaywa into good health as a parting gift.”
“Sounds like a good problem to have,” Alia said with a shrug.
“Not if you’re a demon which values their horns,” Sarafina replied, speaking quietly into her cup. “Practically squeezed his horns into diamonds over it, I’m told.”
“I know the feeling,” Serena muttered. Ignoring Alia’s pouting and rapidly expanding cheeks, she said to Sarafina, “You said I was half-right?”
“Yes,” the demon replied. “I wasn’t lined up for this position, not originally, anyway. I told a friend about having so tea with Lord-Prospect Thornheart, and they told Intelligence.” Sarafina t Serena’s eyes, saying, “The bighorns preferred soone who was already friendly and on good terms with our chaotic Lord-Prospect for this role. I presu in case sothing like this”—Sarafina gestured to the disguised safe—“happened. Speaking of, my complints, Lord-Prospect Thornheart, your Kanaxai wards have improved greatly since you left the academy.”
“Thank you,” Alia said.
“Before we talk about more important matters,” Sarafina said, placing her cup down. “I should highlight how little I know. I refused the role at first. I wanted to remain as Head Instructor. It wasn’t until they lied to about what you were doing that I beca interested. You see, in a role like this, where I receive information and orders from Centralis, to pass down to your Intelligence Officer”—a quick nod towards Aiden—“it is usual I would be told most of the picture. But this ti? They wouldn’t even tell what you were doing. At first, it was just an interdiary role for an enhanced training mission. That’s what they told .”
“And you didn’t believe them,” Serena stated.
“No, I didn’t…” Sarafina reclined into her chair, gently tapping the armrest with a finger. “So I poked and prodded, asked a few contacts. Then I found out it was more than just a training mission. I found out that you were here to investigate sothing or soone. Who or what might that be? Rhaknam? The Ishaqian Council? The Blackhorn?” Sarafina sighed. “So I stuck my horns in a little more, turned over a few more stones. Found out you were here not only to investigate, but to acquire sothing. At that point, my old superiors took in and suggested I volunteer for the role, given how much interest I’d shown already.”
“Suggested?”
“In a manner of speaking.”
“I see.” Serena gave a slow nod. It made sense that Sarafina would have been forced into the position. A forr mber of Intelligence on friendly terms with Alia, and soone with the network to dig into their operations to satisfy their own desire. In doing so, the demon had dug her own Alia-sized hole and was now being made to lie in it.
It’s quite a comfy hole, Serena thought, when you learn to accept it.
“The worst part of it all?” Sarafina asked, reaching up and stretching. “Is that not only did I never find out what you’re in the South to find, I’ve also been instructed to tell you not to tell . Can you believe that? It’s the first ti I’ve ever seen or heard of this situation, where the assets on the ground, that’s you and your crew, know more about the mission’s goal than I do! How bizarre!” Sarafina laughed.
“Wouldn’t it be obvious?” Serena asked carefully, flicking her eyes to the safe.
“Oh, black crystal?” Sarafina stifled a yawn. “As troubleso as darkblades and their unnatural weaponry are, it is not sothing they would hide from . I’ve been involved in counter-operations against them before. I’m forced to face the reality that the purpose of your mission is sothing greater, perhaps sothing more terrible, than re black crystal.”
She really doesn’t know about the shards, Serena thought. Not unsurprising, considering the secret they held. How many people in the Empire knew of the shards and the fact that one of them was responsible for granting the Empress her demigod status? In hindsight, it had seed obvious, given the Empress’s title of Shard of Infinity.
What else doesn’t she know? Serena thought. Does she know Alia is a realm-traveller?
“So now I’m in a particularly frustrating situation,” Sarafina said, raising a finger. “My job is to give you information to aid your search, all without knowing what you’re looking for. How unfair is that?”
“Are you asking to tell you?” Serena asked, narrowing her eyes.
“No, no.” Sarafina waved a hand. “Whatever you do, don’t tell .”
“Why not?”
“The one who told to tell you not to tell was a Lord Guardian.”
“Oh.”
Nothing further needed to be said. A Lord Guardian’s order was absolute, even when directed at a Greatlord. The number of people in the Empire who had the right of refusal could be counted on one hand. Each Lord Guardian rivalled a Greatlord in power, and could act as judge, jury and executioner as they deed fit. One’s status as a Cascadian Lord wouldn’t be enough to save them, unless they were one of the four Overlords.
“Putting my suicidal curiosity aside,” Sarafina mused, flicking the air with her finger. “I do have so further information to give to you. It is a little… incomplete. The usual route of communication, through the aetherscope network in the Krummands, is facing problems. Aethergrams do get through, eventually, but they are often delayed.”
“Rhaknam?” Serena asked.
“More or less,” Sarafina replied. “His waking has caused heightened lumina storm activity. The Krummand installations have no choice but to spool down their scopes to prevent catastrophic damage. Hopefully, the big fish will go back to sleep sooner rather than later.” Sarafina tapped her armchair thrice before continuing, “Hopefully, he won’t have a reason to leave the Shattered Isles.” Sarafina paused and t Serena’s gaze.
“The arcwhale baby?” she said. “The stranding?”
“It’s unlikely to prompt a response, that is, if it doesn’t happen again.” Sarafina’s eyes narrowed. “Strandings like this happen when a dying arcwhale’s sensory organs are interfered with. Normally, an arcwhale sensing the end of its life will return to the Shattered Isles. This one was denied that opportunity. I’ve read your report, Speaker Halen. You’ve spoken to Alaric Voss. He’s experienced that interference first-hand.”
“The Blackhorn,” Serena said.
“Mmm,” humd Sarafina. “As you know, the Vengeance, as it appears today, is a result of a modernisation effort, retrofitting the ship in line with the Witten-class light cruiser hull.” After Serena nodded, Sarafina asked, “How much do you know about the developnt cycle of the Witten?”
“I know the first hull was laid down in eight-twenty,” Serena said. “Twenty-six years ago.”
“Twenty-seven next week,” Sarafina said. “What do you know about the prototypes they built for it?”
“Admittedly, very little,” Serena said, patiently waiting for Sarafina to make her point. She couldn’t help but think that if Nina were here, her sister would be able to detail every bit of research and experintation that went into designing the modern light cruiser. Hells, there was a decent chance House Halen’s smartest child had her horns in half the military’s advancents in the last few years.
Last Serena knew she was sowhere in the South. Was Nina still there now? Was there a chance, however minuscule, that their paths might cross?
“Before the Witten design was finalised, they made three prototype hulls,” Sarafina said, raising three fingers. “Of those three, one was turned into a museum ship. I believe it’s docked in Noheim. The second is used even today as a training vessel, and the third remained mothballed in Witten.” Sarafina picked up her cup and took a sip. “That was until it disappeared five years ago.”
“The Chaleon,” Serena said, her mind connecting the dots. “The Blackhorn’s flagship. It’s the third Witten prototype.” She hadn’t always been entirely convinced by nes’ claim that he fired upon the Vengeance because he mistook its blackened hull for the Blackhorn’s Chaleon. But if the pirate flagship was a prototype of the Vengeance’s Witten-based hull, nes’ argunt held more rit.
“Yes,” Sarafina replied. “It vanished one night.”
“Does Intelligence know who he is?”
“If the bighorns know, they’re not telling ,” ca the reply.
“Whoever he is,” Serena said, “he’s surely responsible for the darkblade activity down here. For that”—she nodded towards the safe—“and the rise in piracy. The corruption runs deep in Ishaq. The lack of Cascadian oversight has made them uncaring and arrogant.” As she talked, Serena felt her tongue take on a note of bitterness as her frustrations ca bubbling up. “So arrogant, in fact, that they likely hoped to use that crystal to assassinate a Lord. Sayyid nes Bastet.”
Serena went on to give Sarafina an overview of the day’s events, this ti filling in the holes that Aiden hadn’t been notified of. She spoke of the tensions among the dock workers, how Alia found the black crystal, and how Secretary Maramba had tried to arrest her. The only thing she brushed over lightly was what happened regarding the Vengeance and its interaction with the black crystal.
“nes Bastet is popular in Ishaq,” Sarafina murmured. “But as a Cascadian Lord, he cannot hold office on the Council. Even if he’s well-liked, he shouldn’t be a threat to them. Councillor Nasr, you said?” Sarafina took out a small notebook and made a note. “I’ll look into him. Report the issue to the bighorns.”
“May I request that you add a recomndation?” Serena said. “From .”
“Yes?”
“The Empire is undergoing rapid change, even with the war ended,” Serena said. “Societal, economic, and political. It is my recomndation that Centralis take advantage of the malleable situation and revoke Ishaq’s right as a free city, bringing it back under Cascadian Lordship. The lack of Imperial oversight has turned it into a thorn in the Empire’s side. The connections it has to the so-called Pirate Republic in the Passage should not be allowed to continue.”
“That’s…” Sarafina paused, looking up from her notebook and eting Serena’s eyes. “A strong recomndation, Speaker Halen.”
Serena blinked. “It’s the ti for strong asures, Sarafina Nakajima.”
“I’ll pass it on,” Sarafina replied, closing the notebook and pocketing it. “However, don’t be surprised if nothing cos from it. Ishaq’s connected to Kraken Kur and the rest of the Far East by the Southern Passage. If Ishaq’s brought under direct Imperial control, the Ainese Greatlords would see it as an attempt to limit their trade. It would give them the excuse they need.”
“To do what?” Serena asked.
“To rebel. The majority of their rhetoric is regarding what they call ‘expansionist Imperial control’.” Sarafina gave a light shrug. “Taking Ishaq into the Empress’ arms would be the perfect excuse to fire the first shot.”
“That would be foolish,” Serena said.
“Fools have never had an issue taking foolish action,” Sarafina pointed out. “During your ti in the Passage, there have been tariffs flying back and forth back ho. Business is strained, and neither the Ainese nor the Samino are backing down. Greatlord Oshiro is eting with the other Samino Greatlords to try and stop things from escalating, according to the papers.”
Serena almost couldn’t believe her ears. “Tariffs?” she asked. “Over what?”
“Any excuse they can find,” Sarafina replied, smiling slightly. “In this particular case, the Ainese called for tariffs first, citing Highlord Corvus’ appointnt as the Cascadian Governor of the Asamaywa Station. He’s famously pro-union, and so the Ainese have taken it as a sign that their travel and trade via rail are going to be squeezed.”
Serena couldn’t believe her ears. “They gave the Dragon Asamaywa Station?”
“You look as if you would disagree with such an appointnt,” Sarafina mused.
“You would be correct.”
Sarafina took out her notebook again. “Would you like to make another recomndation?” The demon’s eyes twinkled with amusent.
“...No, thank you.”
“Who knows, Speaker Halen,” Sarafina said, “the way you’re going, there might co a day when such a statent from you wouldn’t be a recomndation, but an order.” The demon leaned in slightly. “I heard you made commodore. Everyone was talking about it at the academy before I left. My complints.” She tilted her head and tapped her horns. “Quite the achievent.”
“...Thank you,” Serena said. She still had a few months to go before it was made official, and she didn’t do anything to cause the promotion to be revoked.
“Stepping away from our ho affairs,” Sarafina said, pouring herself so more tea. “And returning to the trouble in Ishaq’s skies. The Blackhorn seems to have sohow co into possession of modern aetheric-warfare technology. How he managed this, I don’t know, but what matters is that he’s adapted it to the Chaleon and has used it not only to take down an Imperial vessel, but an arcwhale as well.”
“This aetheric-warfare,” Serena began, “what can you tell about it?” She’d first heard of it from Chesterfield in Shimashina. A darkblade technology that was quickly adapted into the navies of the Known World’s militaries. Rumour had it that it was responsible for blinding Admiral Zhao’s flagship, the Viper, allowing it to be sward by spellbound torpedo-equipped light craft.
“It’s quite simple, really,” Sarafina said, gesturing to the safe. “You touch a black crystal and a normal crystal together, and the resulting aetheric waves are redirected using sothing similar to the reflection plates in an aetherscope. The effect is short-range, no more than a klick or two. It interferes with all aetheric formations, whether organic or artificial. At a distance, mages might find it difficult to stabilise their magic, and warriors might find it difficult to keep their aura going. At closer ranges, it becos impossible. Too close, and even crystal starts acting up, including the aetheric combustion going on inside a lift engine. A direct blast by the weapon might even cause a detonation.”
“Just like lumina interference,” Serena pointed out.
“Yes, the wavelengths match the deeper readings of the lumina,” Sarafina said.
“Hmm,” Serena humd, her mind deep in thought. When Alia had tried Speaking Kanaxai in the Passage, the Vengeance had reacted badly, producing an aetheric effect against the Indefatigable that nes had assured her matched the weapon the Blackhorn’s Chaleon used. If it had the sa effect as the deeper layers of the lumina, was black crystal, Kanaxai, and the lumina all sohow linked together?
“You have a question?” Sarafina asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m wondering if the Vengeance could withstand it,” Serena said. “Considering how resistant it is to the lumina in normal operations.”
“Aha,” Sarafina smiled, “that’s an excellent question, and the bighorns have already given an answer to pass down to you, in the form of half of your new orders.” As Serena felt her posture straighten, Sarafina continued, “Their answer is the wonderfully precise, ‘Probably, but possibly not’, which is why you’re ordered to remain in Ishaq for a week while your lift and propulsion engines are lined with the new reflection plates. A transport should be arriving tomorrow with both the equipnt and n to undertake the work. I trust Intelligence has your cooperation in this matter? I know how…” Sarafina trailed off, raising her cup to her lips and taking a delicate sip, “how you don’t like others interfering with your ship.”
“Who’s coming down?” she asked.
“Sergeant Major Lange, Engineer Corps,” Sarafina explained. “The sa man who installed your new firing tables. I believe you t him in Asamaywa.”
“I rember,” Serena said with a nod. The Vengeance’s new Integrated Ambler Firing Tables had been put through the Heavens and Hells throughout the Passage, their chanical brains doing their best to adapt to the chaotic weather patterns. It’d taken a while to get used to them, but Thorne had confidently told her he couldn’t ever see them going back to the old ways.
“A week works well for ,” Serena said. It was the perfect amount of ti to satisfy her desire to further train the squad, allow Hinako to make her duelling debut, and finish their obligations to nes—the promise to use Alia’s magic during the Arcwhale Festival to cure the opium dens littering the darker side of Ishaq. “What about the other half?” Serena asked.
“There, we run into a little trouble. The delays in the Krummand network an I don’t yet have a firm destination for you. I’ve been told to pass on to you that the thing you are looking for—which, may I remind you, not to tell anything about—is believed to be deep in the Red Sands.” Sarafina grimaced. “I hope you don’t burn easily, Speaker Halen.”
“I’m expected to traverse the desert?” Serena asked flatly. “The Red Sands?”
“That’s right.”
“Lift engines don’t work over the Southern desert.”
“If you close your eyes, perhaps you might imagine you are walking on a beach?”
“We’re weeks away from the red moonrain.”
“Walking on a beach… in the sumr?”
Serena clicked her tongue. “And you don’t have a destination?”
“Not for another week. I’m assuming by the fact that you were sent to Ishaq rather than Qasim or Killion, that the area of interest is the Salaban Bowl. You are to prepare for a possible”—Sarafina’s eyes took on a note of pity—“extended stay in the Red Sands. Take only aether users, or those you can otherwise protect. Whether you use windrunners or sandskimrs, it is up to your judgnt, Speaker Halen. But be warned…” Sarafina’s expression darkened. “There are beasts underneath the deep sands. Creatures that never see moonlight but will lie there, waiting…” The demon trailed off in a whisper as a tense silence descended throughout the room.
“Are you trying to scare us?” Alia asked suddenly.
“Yes,” the shaless demon admitted. “Did it work?”
“Mmm,” Alia nodded enthusiastically, “but now I’m more curious!”
Sarafina smiled. “In all seriousness, I doubt the native wildlife will pose much threat to a pair of Speakers. I’m sure you can find all the information you need on potential threats in Ishaq. It’s a short journey by ship over the mountains to Hakim or Trekell. Once there, you’ll have to acquire your ans of transport.”
“And then what?” Serena asked, crossing her arms. “Just… go out into the desert and hope I bump into what I’m looking for?”
“I was…” Sarafina stopped, pausing for a mont before continuing, “I was inford that you were in possession of a thod to aid you in your search. Was that not true?”
“I don’t—” Serena caught herself.
Shards attract other shards.
“Nevermind,” Serena said, doing her best not to look at Alia. Shards attract other shards. Alia, with her soul bonded to one, had been pulled through the layers of reality to the Vengeance’s shard, prompting her and Serena’s fate-bound eting. Sarafina had been right; Serena did have a thod of searching.
She’d heard that tal-detecting, the act of passing a magnet over soil in search of hidden coins or treasure, had beco a popular pasti in Centralis. Now it seed that Alia would be Serena’s magnet, and that she would be passing her girlfriend over the Red Sands, seeking a reaction to a mysterious, unlocated shard.
“That’s all I know for now,” Sarafina said.
“...It’s enough,” Serena said.
“While you prepare, I’ll also be busy, Speaker Halen. We’ll be investigating this ‘Lady Houk’ and her associates. These things take ti, and any operation in Ishaq won’t happen overnight, so try to avoid stirring the nest if you can. I’ll do what I can to pressure the Council into launching a search and rescue mission for the missing Captain Matthews and his crew.” Sarafina took out her notebook for the third ti and flipped through it. “And the rchant you requested we look into, a…”
“Charles Hornford,” Serena finished.
“Yes, a Charles Hornford. I’ll see what I can get for you.”
“I’ve found out he was, or still is, sponsored by Greatlord Malin,” Serena said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a few pieces of paper. “There is also this. This is so information I ca across recently regarding Hornford’s activities. If you take a look here…” Serena passed over the docunts Noburu and Seonmi had inadvertently been handed. “The ledger transactions are innocent enough for a rchant frequenting the Passage, but look at the recipient near the bottom of the page. A na I assu you would recognise, correct?”
“Mmm… oh? Oh.” Sarafina’s eyes widened, and she flicked her gaze to Serena before examining the paper in more detail. “Charles Hornford hired him? To protect Councillor Nasr’s ships? That doesn’t bode well, does it?”
“Given the blatant bribery and corruption I saw in the Andalus fortress,” Serena said, “I have little confidence in the man’s integrity. Given that he hired him, I think Intelligence could spare so ti and effort, don’t you think?”
“I agree,” Sarafina muttered. “I didn’t think I’d ever see his na again. I wonder—”
“Ahhh!” Alia suddenly yelled, throwing her arms in the air. “Stop being mysterious and tell who it is! I don’t care how top-secret it is. I’m a Lord-Prospect, and this is obviously connected to everything, so I have a right to know! If you don’t tell , I’m going to go out in Ishaq first thing tomorrow morning and cause more chaos!”
Now that’s a threat, Serena thought, glancing at Sarafina.
The two of them shared a nod. Sarafina passed Alia the paper.
“I suppose it involves you as well,” Serena said. “Look at the na on the bottom row, third column.” She waited as Alia found the na and sounded it out quietly. Her girlfriend frowned and looked at her.
“Who the hell is Murakami Takeyoshi?” Alia asked.
“Who the hells,” Sarafina corrected, her brow furrowing.
Alia still slips up when it cos to idioms, Serena thought, taking a ntal note.
“I an, who the hells is Murakami Takeyoshi?” Alia asked again.
“It’s not soone you’ve t,” Serena said, taking the paper. “But you’ve t his n. Fought them, even. A twice-shad man. Once, when he left the Eastern Navy in disgrace, turning to rcenary work. Then shad again when he was indicted in the smuggling trade. I wondered where he might have gone.” Seeing Alia’s eyes slowly widen in realisation, Serena nodded. “That’s right. Murakami Takeyoshi is, or was, the leader of the Crimson Reapers, the smuggling gang we uncovered in Uncle Yulan’s Highguard.”
The sa man whose n were smuggling black crystal through the Highguard hotel.
Now connected and under the employ of Charles Hornford.
The web of intrigue and corruption was growing.
But, no matter how widespread or dense it beca.
Serena would burn it down.
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