Night, TaLong, ruined city of TaiZhao, Island of Lorodecrast, Rudan Prime
"I work alone, Grandmaster." Yeiying shifted uncomfortably under the eyes of the Dragon's Hand. She was one of the older Claws, and had become used to Nesar's (admittedly terrifying) sense of laissez faire management. It had been an unpleasant surprise, his disappearance. Even more of an unpleasant surprise to find that instead of a man she knew, her sire had chosen a newcomer to be his heir. A newcomer with a rather more hands-on approach to his assignments. "Men slow me down, and barbarians...?"
The citadel of the Claws was ancient, and this chamber, its sanctum, was unique in the Empire. Perhaps in the galaxy. Paneled in heartwood, the only surviving such chamber off of accursed Altecrast, the dark magic of the dragon's blood flowed through and around them, the wood seeming to pulse in time with its flow. On the simple stone table between them sat the ancient chalice, from which she had once drunk the blood of those then precious to her and ascended to her current state. When had that been? Two hundred years ago? Six hundred years ago? A thousand years ago? Time had lost much of its meaning to her, as she danced between the seconds, so few of them touching her.
She should have known better. Younger though he may have been, weaker though he may have been, Chen Min was her master. With a simple movement of his hand, she felt his fingers within her breast, on her heart. Had he wished, he could take the slow, languid beating of her heart, the channel by which her victims gave her their stolen time, and stopped it. But he didn't, instead withdrawing after his point was made. "This is an order from your Hand." He spoke passively, not taking the time to snuff her near-immortal life out. "The Throne and I have agreed that this mission is best taken in unison with a member of the opposite party. I have verified his credentials myself, Nightingale. He will not slow you down."
She tsked. "And why have you and the Throne agreed to such a thing?"
"The Lord did not explain his reasoning, and I did not ask, but having spoken to the Secretaries and their agents about both our enemy, and our alleged friends, I have reached my own conclusion." The former Inspector of the AnkwoQingboGu, the ISU, rested his hand on the stone desk.
"And those conclusions are?"
"Irrelevant." Chen chuckled. "This is a scouting mission as much as a retributive mission. Eyes and ears, Nightingale. I could send another, but I have chosen you. Will you obey? Or will you challenge?"
Nightingale had not lived as long as she had by resisting overmuch the will of fate. "...and where is this barbarian?"
Chen Min pointed out the window. "I permitted Arngrim Odinskarl," the ease in which he said the barbarian word annoyed her, "to enter the city so far as the ruins of the Fountain Plaza. He seems, for the moment, content to wait there." The Grandmaster stroked his thin beard. "Do try to enjoy yourself, Yieying. If you need me, you know where I shall be."
"On that jungle planet, with that warrior woman of yours?" Nightingale rose from her seat. "...One of these days, you must share if her amazon stamina is a match for our gifts." Chen Min simply smiled. His relationship with Executor Tradia of N'Xypndiltn was a matter of speculation. Were they lovers? Friends? Partners in some athletic game? Competitors in another? The Hand had so far kept that secret, and kept it well, from his Claws. She had her suspicions. Again, Nightingale sighed. "As close as my shadow, as far as the void."
"Dismissed to your mission, my lady." Chen vanished. Had he ever truly been there? She wasn't entirely sure. It would be just like him to project his thoughts across the stars. Probably while that Republic whore worked on him. What kind of handsome man like Chen could possibly be interested in a barbarian? It beggared belief. A moment later, though, she had vanished from the room as well.
Fountain Plazak
The city had no name that she knew, or that any new. It had been left mostly intact because the First Emperor had planned to resettle it. Yet the Priests of the New Faith had demanded it be left in ruins. She and Arngrim were the only living beings within its perimeter, unless a brother or sister was also receiving orders. The Tower of the Dragon lay within its core, a not long walk from the plaza. But while to the south and east, the paths out were clear, and to the west one could see the bright lighted walls of the Temple City, an attempt to enter the city itself from this point was impossible for anyone unwelcome. The path north was covered in mist, and no matter how one groped along, you returned to the Fountain Plaza via one of the other roads..
The Fountain Plaza was so named not because there had been a fountain of water there, but because it had been the sight of one of the ancient fanes to the Gods, where the Priest-Kings had sacrificed blood and life to the same creatures that had killed the ancient world. When the conquering army had swept through, the fane had been taken apart piece by piece, and each stone had been shattered to dust, and the dust weighted in a bag and sunk at the bottom of the dark sea. Yet the grooves that had carried blood away remained. It was an eerie place, at night, though as safe as anywhere on the island.
Lady Nightingale appeared in a shadow and stepped forward. Civility itself, she rested her hands at her abdomen and bowed forward. "Arngrim of the Imperium Eridani, I assume?" She spoke in pitch-perfect Kadrian, now. "You may call me Nightingale." She smiled, though it did not touch her eyes. Still... she appraised him, as was her duty. And what she found? Well...
