CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
“Zaxn’s in there now, teaching Tanna what he did to contain the overflow. I’m going to make sure he documents everything so we can understand this phenomenon better. Stechstone mana seems to have a different overall makeup than any other world’s mana we’ve documented so far.”
I finish my report to Cap and the Admiral and wait for their reactions. Launch is normally a standard practice, worked out to a perfect system. This ‘supercharged’ mana threw a major kink in our system, but at least it looks to be resolved so we were able to continue the trip.
Admiral Shockpaw nods. “Commander. This is interesting. For many years, no one has studied the mana on Stenchstone. Few adepts are able to work with it, so it’s been ignored. I’ll have to see if I can add a research team to my return trip. Xarm will be happy to know that he is in control of such a resource. It will give him a lot of trading power once it can be controlled.”
Nodding, I smile. “Maybe it’s for the best that you take Zaxn with you as well, since he seems to be able to control it.” I haven’t received Zaxn’s resignation yet, but I share the details anyway.
Cap nods in understanding, but the Admiral taps the table while he thinks. “Commander, do not accept Lieutenant Gloomfire’s resignation. I am going to assign him directly to the research team on my return trip, and will station him on Stenchstone for the foreseeable future. He will not need to resign, as he will continue working for the UCST in a different capacity.”
I nod and make myself a note. “When I receive his resignation, I’ll forward it to you so you can lead that discussion. I’m sure he’ll be happy to know he can continue his father’s research and be with his mother while also continuing to work for us.”
Cap looks between us. “Well, if we’re done worryin’ about the ship explodin’, we should move on to talk about the mission. His Excellentpants here and I have been waitin’ to talk about any details until after launch.”
I sigh while nodding. “Captain Darkmuck?”
Sitting back in his chair, Cap nods. “Precisely. Before we start, I gotta ask ya somethin’. Have ya written any reports about, well, anythin’ yet?”
“No, sir. I was putting that off until we were in the starfield and I knew I’d have some downtime. “
My senior officers glance at each other and smile. That can’t be good news. The Admiral turns to me. “Commander. We believe we have a way to mislead Captain Darkmuck in a way that will make him both vulnerable and easy to capture. Unfortunately, the plan relies very heavily on your actions. If you would prefer, we can give up this plan and develop a new one.”
Wonderful. They’re up to something ‘crafty’. “Sir, if this plan seems like it will be the easiest way to capture that lowlife traitor and warlord, then I’m perfectly fine with doing whatever needs to be done.”
Cap grins. “Well, Bax, ya heard the elf. She’ll do whatever we want her to do. Doesn’t even ask what it is, first. Maybe she already knows! For all I know, she’s been wantin’ to kill me for years and just waitin’ for the right time to do it!”
I start to chuckle, then completely stop as the pieces of that statement fall into place. “Kill you?!”
The Admiral hides his smile behind his hand. “Commander. Indeed, during the great battle of Stenchstone which happened three days ago, on the anniversary of the previous massacre, many folk were killed. His Majesty, myself, Elthen, the Overseer, and everyone else on the list of targets Lieutenant Gloomfire liberated from their central location. While attempting to help, your ship lost half its battalion, and a few senior officers including your Ambassador, Chief Science Officer, Battalion Major and Master Sergeant. You were barely able to get away, and hid on your ship until it was safe to launch.”
I nod along, but stop him there. “He knows I wouldn’t hide on the ship. He specifically pointed me out to the assassins as your ‘dangerous elf’. But we could have been captured and I led an escape with the help of LC Darkmuck, who was also killed.”
Cap laughs. “I love how quickly ya bought into this idea, Rylae! Even rewritin’ our story to fit better!”
Shrugging, I turn to him. “It’s not the stupidest idea you’ve ever had. If we give him the story he wants to hear, he’ll believe that he was successful and move to do the one thing that needs to be done – kill the only witness who can put together all the details: me. That’ll bring him right to us.”
The Admiral turns to Cap. “Elthen, I think I’m glad the Commander is on our side. Just this week she has stopped a major assassination plot and broken into the Palace. Now she’s figuring out how our sneak attack works before we even give her all the details.”
Cap nods. “I know. If Rylae had been the one smugglin’ weapons instead of that dumb dwarf, we’d all be troll food!”
Grinning, I sit back in my chair and cross my arms. “And don’t you forget it, sirs!”
We laugh, then a thought pops into my head. “How exactly is this supposed to work? If I message Darkmuck directly with my report, he’ll know I’m specifically aware of his involvement.”
They look at each other, then back to me. “Yeah, that’s the tricky part. Ya see, the only way it works is if ya send in yer report like normal, to the Admirals. The Admirals will get the report that we died and Stenchstone’s a total loss. Darkmuck’s in Intelligence. He’ll see it anyway, but he’ll see it through his normal channels. He will contact you, which lets him think you’re working on his terms.”
I’m having no trouble following this convoluted plan. I wonder what that says about me as an elf? “In that case, I should make an initial report verbally to Ground Control as well. They’ll immediately call the Admirals. If Darkmuck’s really waiting for us, he’ll find a way to intercept me before the Admirals get a chance to debrief me. I’ll still write the report, and send it as soon as we’re connected to Terra’s routers, but the verbal report of trouble will be expected.”
Admiral Shockpaw smiles. “Commander, that is an excellent deduction. I had not considered Ground Control in our plan. I worry that this will expedite the situation and mistakes can be made when things move too quickly, but you are right that it must be done this way.”
I nod. “This will make everyone move quicker, but I think that’ll cause Darkmuck to make mistakes and fall more easily into our trap.”
Cap grins. “She’s got a point, Bax. It does make more sense to rush him so we’re not just sittin’ around pretendin’ to be dead while waitin’ for him to get the hint.”
That’s a good point. “Speaking of folk getting the hint… how do we deflect the Admirals when you’re not actually dead? This is going to seriously irritate quite a few of them, regardless of the sting operation.”
“Commander. We’ve actually considered that already, but we have no simple solution for the problem. With Captain Darkmuck in Intelligence, we can’t easily trust any standard messages or communications to get through to an Admiral without alerting him. I have thought of sending certain messages to certain admirals directly, but I don’t know what the Intelligence office is monitoring.”
We think in silence for a minute, and I get an idea. “Admiral Mom! I mean, Tanna’s mother, Admiral Aldamiel. I can call her communicator directly. She’s family, so I know I can trust her. Better yet, I can call Tanna’s Dad, Adamar, and have him inform the Admiral so there’s no way Captain Darkmuck can intercept it. She can then inform the other Admirals face-to-face about the false report while we’re working to capture the goblin.”
Cap chuckles. “Good thinkin’, elf! She’s in charge of personnel, too, so everyone will listen to her when she tells ‘em we’re not dead.”
The Admiral nods in agreement. “Commander. I knew we were right to bring you in on this. The only question now is what happens when you confront Darkmuck. I would prefer to keep you from being in danger if possible.”
I shake my head. “It won’t be po
ssible. If so many of you are dead, then he’ll have to kill me as well. I can prepare for that. I am the ‘dangerous elf’, after all! I think I have some ideas on how to handle it, but I’ll work through some scenarios with Simon just to be sure.”
Cap leans back in his chair. “Good thinkin’, Rylae. I think we’ve covered everythin’. The two of us’ll talk to the rest of the crew and set the environment all proper-like. Since most of ‘em have to be dead, we should let ‘em know that! While we’re doin’ that, you work on yer report and talk to Simon. We’ll get together again in a few days to see what we’ve got before we get to Terra.”
««»»
Writing a completely falsified report is difficult! So many details I have to make up as I go along, and the farther into it I go, the more I have to modify lies I already told so they match the later lies better! I thought writing out the real report first, so I had something to refer back to, would make it easier… but it only makes it worse! I refer back to reality, then realize something couldn’t have happened that way because other things didn’t happen and then have to completely break it down backwards to what it should be, but isn’t, and shouldn’t be, but needs to be, because… ARGH!
It takes me five entire days to get a first draft of my falsified report completed, and reading through it again proves that it’s still not right. I had the real report written in two hours! This is obscene. I briefly think that maybe it’s good enough, and maybe I’m just being too much of a perfectionist about it. Then I remember I’m trying to trick a goblin that has been in Intelligence for the last sixty years, and I put my nose back in it and rewrite it again.
I finally get it done, almost eight days after I started it, and read through it a final time just to be sure it makes sense.
“Upon arriving at Stenchstone, initial contact with the Ambassador in Ground Control informed us that the war message had been falsified. There was no war, and relations with Stenchstone were normal. Knowing this, we began our own investigation into the troubles. Admiral Shockpaw and Captain Gravelhand took two squads of Elite battalion members, along with Battalion Major Giantbasher and Lieutenant Commander Axesmith as personal bodyguards.
“The details of this visit remain mostly unknown, as no crew members returned.
“Meanwhile, Ambassador Telathyr and Commander Westiel visited the office of the Overseer, along with Sergeant Major Darkrender as bodyguard. The Overseer was able to confirm that the received message was signed by the previous Overseer, Gak Bonedread, and not the current Overseer, Nex Darkraider. Upon confirming the message was falsified, the Ambassador received information concerning the location of the suspected assassin, Lieutenant Commander Darkmuck. The return to the Corsari was uneventful.
“Day 2 – Ambassador Telathyr and Commander Westiel visited the workplace of Lieutenant Commander Darkmuck, along with Sergeant Major Darkrender as bodyguard. Upon arrival, an ambush unit of enemy forces overwhelmed the group, capturing Ambassador Telathyr, Commander Westiel, and Lieutenant Commander Darkmuck. Sergeant Major Darkrender was lost in battle.
“Day 3 – An attack on the Corsari captured Commander Tanna Aldamiel, Lieutenant Commander Onoviel, and Lieutenant Commander Foulmuck. Lieutenant Gloomfire was lost in battle. Initial estimates were that 50% of the battalion and other crew members also fell during the attack.
“Day 4 – Ambassador Telathyr attempted to negotiate with our captors, insisting to speak with the King. The leader of the goblin captors agreed to take Ambassador Telathyr to the King immediately, but instead shot him with a crossbow in the chest. Ambassador Telathyr was lost.
“Day 5 – Commander Westiel, Commander Aldamiel, Lieutenant Commander Onoviel, Lieutenant Commander Foulmuck, and Lieutenant Commander Darkmuck attempted escape. Capturing an enemy soldier with a knife, rope bonds were destroyed allowing free movement. A battle began with the captors, eventually creating an opening allowing the captured crew to escape. Lieutenant Commander Darkmuck and Lieutenant Commander Onoviel were lost in battle. Upon exiting the location, the remaining female crew members found themselves at a farmhouse, unsure of how to return to the ship. After walking through the night, an operational landcraft was located and allowed a return to the ship.
“Day 6 – Enemy forces attacked the city. The Palace was destroyed, and no survivors were found. It is believed that King Damnation, Captain Gravelhand, and Admiral Shockpaw were lost in battle, with all guards. The Overseer’s office was also destroyed with no survivors, as were many prominent buildings. A large group attacked the ship. Remaining battalion forces were deployed. Many were lost in battle.
“Day 7 – A small enemy group was able to infiltrate the Corsari. It is believed that the bay doors were opened from the inside. Battalion members, along with a handful of engineering adepts siphoning power from the mana battery, were able to repel the invading force.
“A statement from the enemy group was released to the public, detailing how the attack was on the anniversary of a previous assassination, and was due to the return of Admiral Shockpaw, who they referred to as ‘the bastard king’. The enemy group named themselves as the Black Tongues, and claimed victory in the name of ‘the family’. They released a list of high-profile targets which they say were all successfully assassinated. I do not have a copy or verification of this list to add to my report.
“Day 8 – With no word from any missing survivors, Commander Westiel makes a command decision to take flight to Terra with the remaining crew. With many crew lost, and battery power siphoned for defense magic, this caused delays in travel time, lengthening the trip to twelve days. Expected arrival on Terra is 20 days after docking on Stenchstone.”
The capture neatly covers for the days between arrival and the scheduled attack day, and also eliminates Calgonnel, Aelon and LC Darkmuck, leaving only female crew members. I thought that was a nice touch, having all the men die in battle and leaving only the ‘poor helpless womenfolk’. The timeline matches properly with the anniversary date. It makes no mention of knowing that we were actually the ship to bring the spellshooters to the enemy, making the ‘inside job’ on Day 7 plausible. It contains just enough specific references – ‘bastard king’, ‘the family’ – to prove that the Black Tongues actually did operate the plan, without being specific about all the details. It also covers for any missing days by killing vital crew members and burning extra battery causing the travel time to run long.
According to this, there are very few crew members still on the Corsari. Less even than Cap and the Admiral originally left alive in their plan. I’ll have to make sure they do a thorough job of informing everyone to play dead so the ship is quiet when we dock. But, otherwise… this just might do what we need it to do.
I pick up my communicator to call Cap. We have two more days. That’s just enough time to finish.