The Plan For The Promise

Berren straightened his uniform and sat as upright as he could on the wobbling stool. Under his breath, he hissed, "All right, I got your message. Now why am I in this sleazy rathole? Who are you and how did you know about that night?"

Opposite Berren, across the pitted and scarred table, sat a giant man-shape in a voluminous leather cloak and broad brimmed hat. An unnaturally pale, enormous hand cupped a steaming pint of mulled wine. "My master has need of certain information to which you have access. He is willing to pay you well."

The youth snorted. "This is ridiculous. I don't even know why..."

Three emeralds fell from another pale hand, two the size of thumbnails and one as large as an open eye. Berren caught his breath.

"This is the advance payment. You will receive double this upon delivery." The voice sounded like gravel grinding under heavy wheels. The engineer leaned forward slightly to try to look at the face opposite him, but table was feebly lit with single tallow candle. For a moment he thought he saw light reflected back from two wet black orbs.

"What makes you I can't just take this and never come back here?"

"My master trusts you." Berren looked at the thing with incredulity. "And you would die in your sleep choking on your own offal if you betrayed him."

"Tien Yu!"

"You are beneath her notice. You do not want to cross my master's circle. The time has passed when your isolationism and your stockpiles of decaying weaponry could buy your blasphemous independence. They are among us again."

The great thing rose from his seat, overshadowing the table like a mountain at night. One hand slipped into the cloak and removed a small, neat envelope and dropped it on the table. Berren opened it with one slim finger and read the contents. His mouth dropped open and his face broke out into a cold sweat. "But..."

It moved to the open door of the smoky tavern. Drunks staggered and urchins weaved through the portside of streets of Lookshy, outside. "They move among us, and they bear the mandate of heaven. Their will is law. I will see you in two days."

---

1. The Promise

2. Heaven's Mandate