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<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease state your name for the record.\u201d<\/p>\n
The young man blinked into the harsh yellow light, his throat convulsing as he swallowed, making the ugly bruise on his neck dance. \u201cUh, Kenian Deepwood,\u201d he responded, rubbing the top of his left hand. The action didn\u2019t quite conceal an angry red patch of skin.<\/p>\n
The woman sitting across the dull metal table nodded at his response, her short dark hair swaying with the motion. She tapped a few buttons on the data access and retrieval device\u2014better known as a DARD\u2014she held in her hands. \u201cPlease state your business here,\u201d she continued in the same dry, business\u2013like voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know why I\u2019m here,\u201d he said, rolling his eyes. His head tilted back as he did so, the harsh light emphasising the dark circles under his eyes.<\/p>\n
She looked up, meeting his eyes. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what I know. Please make a response for the official record.\u201d<\/p>\n
He leaned back against the chair\u2019s narrow back, trying to get comfortable. He tugged on the long sleeve of his light green shirt as if to hide the red welts on his skin. \u201cI have information on the Cult of Atraxia that you may find useful.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSuch as?\u201d<\/p>\n
He swallowed again. \u201cI know their leader, I know where they\u2019re located, and I know better than the Agency what their numbers are like.\u201d He scratched again at the patch of red skin on his left hand, grimacing in pain. \u201cI also know what they\u2019re planning.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked down her nose at him. \u201cDo you, now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am\u2014or was\u2014a maester, a member of Asharos\u2019s inner circle. I was… involved in the planning process, to some extent.\u201d<\/p>\n
She tapped a finger on the edge of her DARD. \u201cThe implication is that you were involved in implementing other activities linked to the cult.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kenian lowered his head, brown hair falling into his eyes. If he noticed, it didn\u2019t bother him. \u201cI don\u2019t agree with what they\u2019ve done. Bombing the lunar facility was the last straw for me. I had to get out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGuilty conscience getting the better of you?\u201d<\/p>\n
He shrugged. \u201cCall it what you want. I\u2019m done.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you want in exchange?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want out,\u201d Kenian admitted, scratching his hand, a pained expression on his face. \u201cThe cult isn\u2019t what I thought it was. All of its promises are false.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never belonged and I could have told you that,\u201d she scoffed.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook, officer…\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAgent,\u201d she corrected him, using the common shorthand term for a Fugitive Recovery Agent. She tapped the round silver and bronze badge pinned to the left breast of her navy blue uniform. \u201cAgent Drianna Snarevine.\u201d<\/p>\n
His eyes widened. \u201cYou don\u2019t look like a bounty hunter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the idea.\u201d<\/p>\n
He swallowed. \u201cI want it to be over. I want… I want to live my remaining years in peace. Well, assuming I have any years left.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo you would like immunity when the cult goes down?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, for me and my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna sat back in her chair, one long leg crossing over the other. She looked down at her DARD. \u201cWe have no record of your family members.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kenian swallowed, a strange look flickering over his face. If Drianna had to give it a name, it would have been grief. She forced herself to maintain her professional appearance and not react. She\u2019d conducted hundreds of these interviews. Each subject had their own sob story. Something about Kenian\u2019s haggard appearance tugged at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just me and Aenek now. We\u2019re twins,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
She nodded, adding the information to his file. \u201cWhat about him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s the one who introduced me to the cult in the first place. Asharos told him that my illness would go away if I joined, if I put my faith in Atraxia. Aenek…\u00a0 he has more faith than I do. I kept trying. I really did. We were with them for years and there was no improvement in my…\u00a0 condition.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat, exactly, is your condition? Pardon my saying so, but you don\u2019t look well.\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked away. \u201cThe doctors diagnosed me with Rescher\u2019s Syndrome when I was eleven years old.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna winced. Rescher\u2019s was an incurable illness with a one hundred percent mortality rate. From the look of him, Kenian was in his early twenties. \u201cWhat stage has it reached, if you don\u2019t mind my asking?\u201d<\/p>\n
He held up his hands and rolled his sleeves back a little. \u201cI\u2019m showing stage three symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy condolences,\u201d she offered. Stage three presented a strong chance of complete respiratory failure, resulting in the need for artificial lungs if the patient in question was a candidate for such a costly procedure. If not, they were hooked up to bulky life support machines, restricting their mobility.<\/p>\n
He shrugged. \u201cI\u2019ve been expecting it for a while now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna made a note of it on her DARD. \u201cWhat are you asking for in terms of your brother?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want him unharmed. He\u2019s not a bad person, really. He\u2019s just fallen in with the wrong people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou fell for the cult\u2019s beliefs, too,\u201d she pointed out.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly because of Aenek.\u201d He put his hands in his pockets to keep from scratching. \u201cPlease. I\u2019ll trade my knowledge for the safety of both myself and my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long were you on the inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost from the beginning. Seven years? Eight?\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna tilted her head to one side. \u201cDidn\u2019t you make any friends? Is there anyone else you want saved?\u201d<\/p>\n
He shook his head. \u201cMy condition made most people avoid me, even though it\u2019s not contagious. Aenek was the only one who associated with me. His close friendship with Asharos was what got me into the inner circle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna leaned forward, intrigued despite herself and her training. \u201cHow large is the inner circle?\u201d<\/p>\n
Brow furrowed, he shook his head. \u201cI want your promise first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have sufficient authority to make any guarantees, but I can talk to my superiors, intercede on your behalf.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen do that.\u201d He folded his arms across his chest. \u201cI won\u2019t say anything more until I have your word.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna nodded, standing up. \u201cThis shouldn\u2019t take long. If you require anything, please ask. We monitor this room for security reasons. Speak up and someone will get to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
He squirmed. \u201cA more comfortable chair wouldn\u2019t hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her lips twitched. \u201cThese chairs aren\u2019t replaceable. Comfortable chairs would defeat the purpose of this room. However, considering your condition, I\u2019ll see if I can have someone bring you a cushion.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s better than nothing, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be back soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Out in the hallway, Drianna\u2019s friend and long\u2013time crew member watched the interview with a well\u2013trained eye. She frowned, seeing the small cracks in Drianna\u2019s otherwise professional demeanour. She didn\u2019t think the subject noticed, but she\u2019d known Drianna for too long to not have caught it.<\/p>\n
Drianna came out, clutching the DARD to her chest, and joined her at the wall. The two women stood together, looking in on Kenian. The room looked like it had four solid walls with a single door and no windows. In reality, only three were walls. With the push of a button, a window opened up on the outside and anyone could watch interrogations. Anyone outside could see and hear everything, but nothing changed visually on the inside. A subject would be unaware they were being watched, even if they knew of the window\u2019s existence.<\/p>\n
She watched as the young man fiddled with a pendant he pulled out from under his shirt. Detainees were rarely allowed to keep personal possessions. The agent in charge of processing him into the system must have decided it wasn\u2019t dangerous to let him keep it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour thoughts, Ashrinn?\u201d Drianna asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe seems like an honest enough fellow,\u201d Ashrinn said, watching Kenian through the window. \u201cCertainly more so than other targets we\u2019ve gone after. He has… how do I put this? A good energy around him?\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna\u2019s eyes flickered towards Ashrinn. \u201cYou don\u2019t feel any kind of deception?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn squinted as she considered the question. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to feel much from here, but no. I don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna nodded. \u201cIn this, I agree with your instincts. Why turn himself in only to lie to us?\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn turned to look at her, eyebrows arched. \u201cI hadn\u2019t heard that part.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you pulled your head out of the weapons\u2019 locker once in a while, other Agents might talk to you,\u201d she teased. \u201cThe report says he came out of the Datroya Plain on a speeder and just… handed himself over to the first Agent he found.\u201d<\/p>\n
She frowned. \u201cJust like that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what it says.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho brought him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna scrolled through the report on her DARD. \u201cAgent Tulli Northbow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe name\u2019s not familiar to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know her either. At any rate, as per protocol, he\u2019s been in lockup for a few days. Can\u2019t be too careful with these lunatics.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn turned her attention back to the window. \u201cSo, he could be telling us the truth, but this could also be one of Sigilkeeper\u2019s ploys.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna nodded. \u201cWhat do you suggest?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I were you, I\u2019d go talk to the Chief and make arrangements. What he wants is a small price to pay. Immunity for two in exchange for taking Sigilkeeper down…\u00a0 it\u2019s a bargain. He could have asked for land, wealth, rank…\u00a0 anything. That he only asked for himself and his brother shows his character. He\u2019s a good man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRecommendation?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAsk the Chief to set him up with proper medical care. As he said, he doesn\u2019t have much time left. If his lungs fail before we complete this…\u201d she left the sentence unfinished. There was no need to elaborate.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs usual, your recommendations are sound. Monitor him while I talk to the Chief.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn smiled and turned back to the window.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The door opened again, causing Kenian to jump. He looked up. Agent Snarevine entered, followed by a tall, red\u2013haired woman in a uniform identical to hers. He narrowed his eyes as the strange agent stood behind the chair in a relaxed posture, hands folded behind her back. Drianna took her seat. She had no DARD this time. The new agent handed him a cushion. He smiled and slid it between him and the seat.<\/p>\n
Drianna set her hands on top of the table, her fingers laced together. \u201cKenian Deepwood, this is Agent Ashrinn Chimekin. I\u2019ve spoken with the Chief. He agrees to your terms and offers to have all of your medical needs for the foreseeable future seen to.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kenian laughed. \u201cWhat you mean is until I die.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cChief Bitterleaf wouldn\u2019t use such crude terms, but yes, that\u2019s the understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat will happen to my brother after I\u2019m gone?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s up to him,\u201d Ashrinn said. \u201cIf he stays out of trouble, he can do whatever he likes with his life. You should know these medical expenses include funeral costs and a generous stipend. If used wisely, it will cover the cost of living for your brother from the time he\u2019s recovered until a few years after your death.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kenian blinked, startled. He scratched absentmindedly at the red welt on his hand. \u201cThat\u2019s…\u00a0 very generous of you. And unexpected.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI hope it impresses upon you the severity of this…\u00a0 situation. You asked for so little in exchange. It made an impression. Were it not for your ailment, you could have made a valuable member of the Agency.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t meet the physical requirements,\u201d he said, balling his hands into fists. There was a tone of understandable bitterness in his voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you prepared to talk now?\u201d Drianna asked.<\/p>\n
Kenian nodded. \u201cWhere do you want me to start?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the beginning, please.\u201d<\/p>\n
He swallowed, nodding. \u201cSo, you probably already know how this thing got started.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly a little, mostly from rumours,\u201d Drianna admitted. \u201cWe have no way of sorting out fact from fiction.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was a deliberate move on Asharos\u2019s part. He figured if you were busy chasing your tails trying to sort that out, then he would be free to move around in the meantime.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn nodded. \u201cThat fits with what we know of his personality.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll tell you what I was told at my initiation. Asharos claims he found this book when he was a child. He couldn\u2019t read it, but he liked the picture on the cover so much that he kept it. He kept it hidden under his bed. It wasn\u2019t until a couple years later, when he could understand most of what was inside, that he came to understand that the book was one of the forbidden ones and so guarded it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how much credence to give this, but he claims he learned how to use the things written in the book. Magic. With it, he summoned a goddess he calls Atraxia and spoke to Her. That\u2019s why he started that cult. He says She gave him explicit instructions. While anyone is free to join, he has very specific criteria for anyone wishing to climb the ranks. The higher the position, the higher the standards. There are five people that can get close to Asharos, myself included.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you give us their names?\u201d Ashrinn asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cMikia Faithwind, Yakima Sunfire, and Ophalia Truesonne. My brother Aenek and I made five.\u201d He frowned. \u201cDon\u2019t you need to be taking notes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I mentioned earlier,\u201d Drianna told him, \u201cwe monitor these rooms. All of this is being recorded.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen\u2026 what was with the DARD earlier?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRecordings of these sessions will be linked to your file for future reference. That said, the recordings don\u2019t update the information in that file. That\u2019s up to the interviewing Agent. In this case, me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Reassured, he continued. \u201cBefore you ask, I don\u2019t know what criteria Asharos uses to pick people. I have my doubts about how high they are, though, despite his claims. Mikia, Yakima, and Ophalia aren\u2019t the nicest people. They\u2019re decent enough, I suppose, but ambitious. I\u2019m sure that I don\u2019t meet the criteria, that they let me in because of Aenek.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy was Aenek allowed in?\u201d<\/p>\n
Kenian shrugged. \u201cAenek and Asharos have been friends for years. It just made sense to me. Asharos claims that the current state of things on Atharia is corrupt, that we need to renounce technology and return to a purer state of being. He preaches a lot about how technology causes many illnesses, mine included. At first, I thought he was on to something, but what you see the longer you\u2019re inside…\u201d He shuddered.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you need to take a break?\u201d Ashrinn asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. If I don\u2019t talk now, I never will.\u201d He rubbed his eyes. \u201cSome rituals involve an element of blood sacrifice. That\u2019s not so bad. The knife used is sharp, and it doesn\u2019t hurt so much. For the more…\u00a0 important ones, they find some helpless animal. Some require a quick death, others a slow one. Those are the worst. Asharos gets this…\u00a0 look in his eyes when he does it. I couldn\u2019t help feeling sick, like it would only be a short step from there to using people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn\u2019s hand flew up to cover her mouth. \u201cLady\u2019s breath…\u201d she murmured.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor days after each one, I could hear the animal\u2019s screams. It got so bad that I would have to skip those rituals. At first, no one suspected anything, but there\u2019ve been questions. I had to get out of there. I don\u2019t think they\u2019ve noticed that I\u2019m missing yet, but they will soon. It doesn\u2019t end there, either. He chose those of us in the inner circle because, according to Asharos, we have the potential to become as he is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA depraved lunatic?\u201d Drianna asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone able to use magic, able to summon the great goddess at will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI stand by the term lunatic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of us have been able to do magic. At least, not during any rituals. I neither know nor care what they do in private. Frankly, I don\u2019t believe magic is real. I used to, but after trying so hard to find the faith to cure myself and to cast even the simplest spells, my belief faded.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat shows you to be a rational human being,\u201d Drianna praised him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think my inclusion had more to do with the fact that Aenek and I are identical twins. It\u2019s possible he wanted to monitor me and see if I could be useful. He was wrong about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn shrugged. \u201cYou said none of the others could do anything either. That doesn\u2019t make you useless. It proves the non\u2013existence of magic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe you\u2019re right,\u201d Kenian said, though he sounded doubtful.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are they located?\u201d Drianna asked him, leaning forward in anticipation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are small enclaves all over Atharia. I can give you a list of those, but the main compound is on the western side of the Datroya Plain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat would explain why we\u2019ve never been able to find him,\u201d Ashrinn groaned, putting the palm of her right hand over her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat place is a wasteland. No one in their right mind would set up there,\u201d Drianna muttered as she sat back and folded her arms.<\/p>\n
Ashrinn laughed. \u201cIt lends credence to your earlier comments, Captain.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou mentioned earlier that you knew what Asharos\u2019s next move is,\u201d Drianna continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s planning an attack on an R&D facility two days from now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich one? There\u2019s a few to choose from.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYadehann Enterprises.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ashrinn cursed. \u201cThat\u2019s here in Aren\u2019march.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTell Jiyandi to get the ship ready. We need to stop him before he can implement his plan. I\u2019ll put in a requisition for magcuffs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kenian looked at the two Agents. \u201cIf you don\u2019t mind, I\u2019d like to join you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Drianna raised an eyebrow. \u201cOh, you would, would you? The Agency only allows authorised personnel to travel on its ships.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Shrike <\/em>is yours, not the Agency\u2019s,\u201d Ashrinn reminded her.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is official business, not a private cruise.\u201d<\/p>\n Kenian folded his arms across his chest, looking up at them. \u201cYou won\u2019t find the compound without me. I can give you all the directions in the world, but you won\u2019t find it unless you know what you\u2019re looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n The two Agents exchanged a glance. \u201cHe may have a point, Drianna. From what I\u2019ve seen of that region, it\u2019s impossible to navigate. During my training, they required us to fly over it to test how well we could navigate when there were no recognizable landmarks. I crashed ten minutes in, and they denied me my pilot\u2019s licence.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJiyandi has flown over it and has never had a problem,\u201d Drianna continued. \u201cThat\u2019s why I hired her. She has an instinct for direction that I\u2019ve never seen before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe still has to know where she\u2019s going. I\u2019m recommending to the Chief that Kenian come with us. It\u2019s only for as long as it takes to apprehend our targets. So long as he promises to stay out of the way and let us do our job, I don\u2019t have a problem with it. He may also be of use in getting his brother to cooperate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor the record, I think it\u2019s a bad idea,\u201d Drianna said, scowling. \u201cHowever, you may have a point about his presence helping to get his brother to cooperate. He also knows the layout of the compound. I\u2019ll see what I can do, but I can\u2019t make any promises.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can and you will,\u201d Kenian insisted. \u201cIt\u2019s the only way you\u2019ll find the place. If the only way is to sneak me on board your ship, do it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI doubt it will come to that,\u201d Ashrinn assured him. \u201cAs mentioned earlier, you could have asked for anything in exchange for your information. This is a reasonable request and one that may help us. If you\u2019ll excuse us, we have arrangements to make before we can leave. Would you like to remain here, or would you prefer to leave?\u201d<\/p>\n Kenian shrugged. \u201cHere is as good as anywhere else. Come get me when you\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n