~*~
They stepped out of the palace and into a sunny afternoon where the air was slightly less stuffy.
"I didn't know you were so good at BS," Sandra said. "You called Rennart a disgrace, and I think you scared him when you said your magic has repercussions. That was pretty good. I thought the guy was going to soil himself."
"He didn't seem all that intimidated to me," Lisa said.
"Maybe not intimidated, but you definitely took him down a peg. He likes to pretend he's important by making everyone else feel inferior. I've been out with guys like that—but never twice."
"Peacekeepers!" Milton called, running toward them from the direction of the city. His master, Ferman, jogged behind him, trying to keep up.
"Am I too late? Is it over?" Ferman said, puffing. "I'd just got word that you'd completed your mission when Milton found me. I'm afraid I let time slip away from me while he explained your plan for the orcs. I hoped I could still get here in time for your audience with the king, but I guess I didn't make it."
"It just ended." Lisa said. "The king seemed ready to grant us the boon he promised before your friend Rennart objected. He doesn't believe we've eliminated the threat."
"He's more of a peer than a friend," Ferman said. "It's the orc thing, isn't it? We, that is, the members of the Guild of Magicians, discussed that when we heard you did not want them harmed. I couldn't understand it at the time." He held up the book they had given Milton. "But then my apprentice showed me this. I must say, it is certainly intriguing. Quite bold, in fact. However did you come up with such an idea?"
"Such things are common where we're from. But you understand now, right?"
"Oh yes. It is a most ingenious plan, and quite clever the way it turns a foe into, well, not an ally exactly, but something useful. Risky, of course. Very risky, but I can see the opportunity, too. Still, I don't fully understand. I would think it would have been simpler just to kill them."
"Not you, too?" Lisa said with exasperation. "What is it with you people?"
"Oh, I'm not saying we should now, of course." He tapped the book with a finger. "This is a much better idea. I just don't see why you went to the trouble of coming up with it."
She sighed. "Call it being civilized. This helps you. It helps the orcs, and it means I won't have to do something you and your city might regret, if you understand what I'm saying."
Why couldn't these people behave properly without being threatened? Perhaps she was reading too much into what he said. He did say he no longer thought killing them was the best idea. It was the 'no longer' part that bothered her. It also bothered her that she had nothing to back up her implied threat.
His eyes widened with understanding. "Oh, yes, we can't have that."
"So, do you think you can convince your king to go along with our plan for a sewer system?"
"You really need one," Sandra added.
"Me? No." Ferman shook his head. "I don't have that kind of influence myself, but I think I can persuade some of the more open-minded members of the Guild of Magicians, and they may sway others. The plan presents, well, certain advantages for them."
"Really?" she said.
"Yes. As I'm sure you know, magic doesn't always provide reliable results."
"Really?" she said again, only slightly more sarcastically than before.
"Not yours, of course. I'm sure you don't have problems, but here, well, the efficacy of our spells has been spotty of late, and people have been turning to other ways to solve their problems."
Good for them, Lisa thought, but she said nothing, waiting for him to finish.
"Consequently, we, that is the magicians, have seen a bit of a decline in our, um, resources recently. This idea may open a way to regain some of those."
"Our thoughts, exactly," she said. "We're always eager to help."
"There will still be resistance, of course. People here don't trust orcs. They see them as dangerous."
"The only one I've met personally is Gorbo, and he doesn't seem dangerous," Lisa said.
"Ah, yes. Young Milton's pet. I'm not saying they can't be domesticated, but they are still monsters, you know."
"Actually, I don't. I try not to make generalizations unless I have bit more data."
He paused and scratched his beard. "I'm not sure what this data is of which you speak, but then your magic is obviously much different from ours. But, as I said, we're going to need backing from others to make this happen. I know a few people specifically who will be quite resistant."
"Let me guess. Rennart and General Sevritas."
"Yes, but others as well. I haven't had much time to ponder this as well as I would like, but I think there are two things you could do that should help immensely."
"What are those?"
"Well, the first is funding. Milton suggested you might be able to provide money to get this started. Is that correct?"
"We have the treasure from the mind flayer."
"And you would be willing to part with some of it? You do know it is yours by right. No one would question this."
"I'm sure we can spare some of it."
He smiled, showing stained uneven teeth. "You are most generous. Most adventuring groups aren't."
"Perhaps we'll start a trend."
He laughed. "I wouldn't count on that."
"You said there were two things. What's the other?"
"Well, people will be nervous about the orcs. Milton tells me they seem to have a natural instinct to follow authority, and if we're the authority—well, this may not be necessary, but if you promised to cast an Obedience spell on them, I'm sure people would feel much better about them being around."
"They're like big, stupid children, really," Milton added. "The orcs, that is, not our people of course. Well, not as much, anyway. But Ferman is right. Everyone would be much happier if you cast an Obedience spell. They all know what a powerful sorceress you are."
"But I can't—"
"She'd be happy to," Doc interjected.
"I would?" she said, giving him a bemused glance.
"Of course. A simple Obedience spell with indefinite duration should be sufficient." He winked at her. "It will ease everyone's minds, I think."
She had almost forgotten her role in this story. The whole fantasy thing with magic and subservience to authority clashed with her natural analytical perspective as an engineer. Despite all this, she had to admit that role-playing the character was sometimes fun, and the next line was hers.
"As I was about to say, I don't believe it is necessary, but if it will help everyone feel more comfortable, I would be willing to cast the spell."
"Excellent!" Ferman said. "I will make sure to tell the other senior mages. I'm sure most of them went to the magicians' guildhall right after the audience to discuss this very subject. I'll meet with them there and tell them about your plan."
"I wish you luck," she said sincerely. Things would work out so much simpler if he succeeded.