Hiakalite was perturbed, angry, but not intensely so. This had been expected. He stood in the skydeck waiting area, watching, as out on the deck 12th Supremor of the 1st Fien Brameosa, commander of all land forces in the Far Star Majestic border worlds, boarded his personal shuttle. Hiakalite’s shuttle was two shuttles behind, following a lobbyist, and a finance minister.
“You might as well sit down,” said Urendil, from the plush bench. “There’s no use brooding over it.”
Hiakalite frowned. “I’ll brood if I want to.”
The 3rd Sumpremor looked up through the clear ceiling of the waiting area at the immensity of the two-mile high Tower of Representation. This was the heart of the Narellan Federation Government, home to the Narellan Ocracy, which served as the Federation’s governing body. It was also home to the Majestic Alliance Council, which directed the combined efforts of the sentients opposing the Zradgen Imperialists.
“Still, you’re right. Brooding is a waste. Hopefully, our next destination will prove far more productive.”
Urendil smiled. “I’m sure it will.”
“Is it close?”
“Very soon. A towra, maybe less.”
“Well, there
is that.”
“Don’t sound so cynical. There is all kinds of support. Remember, in the great halls things aren’t always what they seem.”
Hiakalite continued to look outside, concealing his smile. “I’ll continue to wear my frustrations on my face, Urendil.”
The Supremor glanced at Urendil, and then looked over at the lobbyist and finance minister. Urendil thought he understood, and chuckled.
“I gather we’ll continue our conversation in the shuttle.
“That would be best,” said Hiakalite
Haikalite continued to smile, playing his role. He was working his craft, just as well as Urendil did his own. He was the able prevaricator after all, the master spy. There were always alliances, sides played against other sides, sentients vying for power, even when they were united against a common foe. War could be treacherous, even when you were on the same side. And in this, a game he had no love for, he excelled.
The waiting area fell into silence. The next shuttle landed on the deck. The lobbyist walked out and boarded his shuttle. Just as the lobbyist was taking off, the finance minister erected a privacy shield. He began to have a conversation with someone on a localized holoscreen.
“Not a bad idea,” said Hiakalite.
“Yes, but gauche. We’re in the public waiting area of the Tower.”
Hiakalite smiled. “You’re a snob.”
“No, I’m simply civilized.”
Hiakalite recognized the privacy shield as standard grade, far below military specifications. It could not be adjusted to filter in external sounds, and maintain its field of silence. The Supremor could speak to Urendil now in relative privacy, if he so desired. However, relative was the operative word. The waiting room had a holorecording system, as did the entirety of the Tower of Representation. The whole city was wired for surveillance and security, but the government district was by far more secure than the rest. Their conversation would be recorded, and most certainly viewed by others.
There were powers, those other sides that would want to know what he was doing, what he might be saying, and to whom he might be saying it. They would be searching for something to use against him, especially after his testimony before the Ocracy.
The Supremor had made his report first to the Ocracy, and then the Alliance. He had friends in both governmental bodies, yet his road was still a difficult one. What he had to say was rooted in mysticism. It was also corroborated by SentInt, Sentient Intelligence, but this was still not enough for some.
His testimony was compelling. In the vast hall the sentients listened to his words, and viewed his data. They then heard Urendil’s testimony. Of course, the picture they painted with words is what intelligence officials have done for eons, telling the story with data pulled from various disparate sources, trying to make a cohesive whole out of hundreds, or thousands of data points.
Hiakalite and Urendil did their best to make the situation clear, yet there were still some hearts and minds that were averse to magic and dismissed it outright. As Urendil ended his testimony, the great hall was shrouded in silence, staring at a simulated visual of a fearsome Zradgen new god.
They thanked the Intelligence Supremor, and the revered Emir, and promised to go over the data. They would now deliberate and decide a suitable course of action, if any. They neglected to mention when.
The same words were repeated when Hiakalite spoke to the sentients of the Alliance. During both testimonies he received nods of acknowledgement. He caught the eye of more than one politician. Many would support him, though not publicly.
Unless the beneficiary of the power of the Rite of Atmos attacked the Alliance worlds directly, they would not act. In fact, many of the politicians simply refused to believe, and would not do so unless they saw the new god swooping down on their very own heads with hot death.
The governing bodies were still too busy considering the appearance of the Kha’ahmpion, and more than a few felt that two godlike events was just one too many. Some of them were still having trouble believing in the one, let alone the appearance of the enemies mystically manufactured god, or god myth.
Hiaklite had known this would be the outcome before he set foot in the meeting hall. He was going through the motions, but that still didn’t make it any less frustrating. The song and dance of government could sometimes be quite draining. No matter, there were plans within plans. If necessary, Hiakalite would confront this threat on his own. He now had the means.
