Dragons and Destiny (35 page)

“Tell me all
about the writings.”

Niaill talked
until he was hoarse and Haru and the other two Lai listened. The
former got very interested when Niaill got to the bit about Peter
Howard’s journal and the paragraphs about the burying of the
power-core.

“At last,” he
breathed with satisfaction.

“So this core
is dangerous?”

“In the wrong
hands. Yes it is. It is very powerful. That is why Captain Peter
Howard removed it from his ship and buried it.”

“You knew he
had buried it?”

“But not where.
There was no need to know and we did not realise at the time how
important it would become.”

“We need to
know now and this gridref highlights the location.”

“Yes, it is
important that we find it. If we can find the core and there is no
reason to doubt that the gridref is wrong, it will be the means of
our salvation.”

“Might he not
have destroyed it or at least made it unable to be used?”

“If your
forefathers had done that, then there would have been no need to
hide it,” was his logical answer. “It could have sat in their
abandoned space-ship. They did the next best thing, they hid it. We
have watched for signs that it had been found and it never has.
When Tara and Kolyei, during their time with us told us that the
core was well hidden in the desert, we were relieved.”

“If the
Electra
had a core, what about the other ship?”

“The
Argyll
?”

“Yes.”

“The
Argyll
began to sink into the marsh shortly after landing.
There was no time to remove the core nor was there any need. It was
not known then that the
Electra
had landed nor that they
would be fighting for their survival before the year was up.”

“Do you know
how to use the core against the Dglai?” asked Niaill

“It uses a
technology different than what was ours. Under the Guildhouse, what
did you say, print-outs? Technical information. The Technicians
Guild is where we must go.
There
will be the information
about how to destabilise the core.”

“Peter Howard
writes that the vehicle they were travelling in broke down and that
they left the drill close by to where the core is buried. Find the
vehicle and the drill and we will find the gridref.”

“Six hundred of
your years have passed.”

“But we have
Peter Howard’s map, oh I know it is rough and ready. It seems our
ancestors used a system of squares to map out the land. At Vada
there is such a map, much faded, on the wall of our Susa’s office.
The squares can be seen. Now, if Peter Howard used the same system
and there is no reason to say that he did not, then we can use his
little map to work it out, as long as his miles and the miles shown
on the Susa’s map are the same. Our ancestors on the
Argyll
and the
Electra
- it is logical that they would use the same
unit of measurement.”

“I do not
understand.”

“Well, on the
Susa’s map each little square is the equivalent of around ten
miles. If we assume that the
Electra
landed at point zero
then the core would be buried ninety-six and a half miles east and
twenty-seven miles south of where the ship is. Could you fly us to
the gridref?”

“No, we cannot.
It must be assumed that the Dglai will be watching and if we Lai
were to be seen then all hope of surprise would be lost. Someone
must look for the print-outs in Stewarton. The information is
there, Tara promised that it would be. It was Tara said, downloaded
before the computers failed.”

“You said our
ancestors used advanced weapons?”

“There would
not be time to make enough to be of any use in time. You humans
lack both knowledge and means now. It would also warn the Dglai
that we suspect they come. They must believe we have primitive
weapons only, therein lies our chance. We can destabilise the core,
fly over the mother ship and drop it on it.”

“What will
happen then?

“It will blow
up.”

“Like blast
powder?”

“Much bigger.
It will create a swathe of destruction for miles around.”

“So where do
you think they will land?”

“The southern
continent is the most likely,” said Haru.

“We must warn
the Larg. It is time to put our differences aside to face this
threat,” said Inalei.

It was Haru who
stopped the way the conversation was heading. His wings he opened
until he had their full attention.

“The Lind and
the Larg were as one once but that was a long time ago. You are
more alike than you realise but I fear they will not listen. They
yearn for power over all. They will think it is a trick to weaken
them.”

“But we should
try.”

“Leave it for
now,” Haru advised, “they can do little to help.”

Two days later
Inalei reported that the light on the Boton had stopped.

“The Nahoko
come,” announced Haru with a heavy heart.

Orders went
forth to find the five Nahoko.

“Drop all
assignments and leave no stone unturned,” commanded Haru, “hunt in
the rivers, the mountains, the lian. Find them.”

Of the Avuzdel
who were commanded to search, only Danal and Asya were told to stay
where they were.

Days and nights
passed.

When the Nahoko
arrived, the Lai would be able to calculate how long they had. If
the Nahoko did not come then everyone could breathe a deep sigh of
deliverance as then the Dglai would pass their planet by.

Niaill, Haru at
his side, read through every single word Tara had left for them
hoping to find more clues about both the print-outs and the
location of the power-core. They then turned to Peter Howard’s
journal again.

“Word has gone
to Danal?” asked Niaill of Inalei during one of his infrequent
breaks.

“Soon,” Inalei
told him.

Everyone at the
Gtratha was on edge.

“There will be
time,” Haru soothed, “the
Ammokko
, the ship of the Dglai,
the mother ship you might call it, is still far away.”

“You believe it
is coming though, else you would not have come back to us,”
observed Niaill.

“You are
correct Niaill of Vadath,” Haru admitted. “First the Nahoko come.
It is true that the Dglai will not send them unless they believe
our planet is suitable for their purpose. Following the Nahoko will
be the Quorko, a small ship but dangerous. We must watch out for
this also. It will circle our planet, observing and reporting back
to the
Ammokko
. This is why we Lai cannot fly. The Quorko
would see us and all chance of surprise would be lost.”

“How long do we
have once the Nahoko come?” asked Niaill.

“Two hundred of
your days, perhaps more. The maximum would be four hundred or so.
We cannot say for sure.”

It was during
the last days of the month when the first report from the searching
Avuzdel came in. They had found two of the Nahoko.

Then
nothing.

On the very
last day of Santhed word arrived from Susa Gsendei in Argyll. He
had received a strange report from one of his Lind based near Port
Lutterell.

A bright
glowing object had been seen bobbing in the Great Eastern Sea by a
passing merchantman. The sailors had tried to net it but had lost
it in the heavy swell.

“Number three,”
said Haru.

“You sure?”

“Sure as I can
be,” he answered, “the description fits, vague as it is.”

Inalei had a
theory which he broached to Haru.

“That’s three
in the northern hemisphere,” he said, “the other two will be in the
south.”

“Probably,”
said Haru. “ Susa Zaoaldavdr is looking.”

Inalei was
right.

Two days later
Susa Zaoaldavdr sent in an urgent report.

Another Nahoko
had been found to the far west of his continent, beyond the areas
where the Larg lived and inhabited only by wild herds of shaggy
southern kura.

Zaoaldavdr also
told of a strange of excitement amongst his fellow Larg, only in
one area and that in almost the exact centre of Largdom. He would
try and find out more.

“The fifth
Nahoko, you’ll see,” prognosticated a gloomy Inalei.

* * * * *

AL607 - Fifth
Month of Winter (Rakthed)

Niaill

The conference
was over for the day, not that Niaill and Taraya got much sleep. He
sat in a borrowed daga and by candlelight read and reread the
records in case he had missed something important. Taraya listened
in and asked many questions, some of which Niaill was even able to
answer.

By the time
Niaill was ready to call it a day he was exhausted and just made it
to his sleep-bag before he collapsed.

* * * * *

Danal and
Elliot

The Vada kept a
permanent supply station on the outskirts of Stewarton.

Niaill’s
brother Danal and his Lind Asya had been staying there during
Elliot’s protracted visit.

From there,
Danal, helped by Asya when she could, had been keeping an
unobtrusive eye on the young prince with Philip and Robain’s
connivance. Elliot was unaware of their presence.

As Robain had
said when they had discussed it, the lad had enough on his plate
already with the news about the attacks on his family.

He was also
enjoying himself and to Robain’s relief appeared to have ‘got over’
his infatuation with Zilla Talansdochter, not that the prince spoke
of it, shying away from Robain’s gentle enquiries.

Matt and Zala
Urquhart repeatedly told their guests that they were welcome to
stay for as long as they liked. Winter weather being what it was,
it was indeed a miserable time to travel and Philip had been glad
to agree.

Robain also had
been granted his wish. He stayed at Stewarton, periodically
attending to the General. The old man was not the most active
soldier in the Garda, much preferring social gatherings than
military manoeuvres. Much to Robain’s delight this left him with
plenty of time to spend with his friends.

The social
scene at Stewarton was very busy during the winter season with
travel so difficult as the well-to-do filled their days. There were
parties and dinners in abundance and as members of the southern
nobility and as the guests of Matt and Zala they were invited to
them all. James was in his element, he loved to dance, was a master
of witty conversation and soon became a firm favourite amongst the
Stewarton elite, especially the unmarried girls.

Elliot and
Derek made far less of an impression although they did enjoy the
evenings, Elliot especially. They were so unalike the stilted and
formal affairs at Court.

Philip went as
protection for Elliot.

* * * * *

It was very
late when Asya was woken by the insistent ‘rapping’ in her head
that heralded an incoming message.

She raised her
head and looked at Danal. No need to wake him unless it was
urgent.

She knew the
Lind who was establishing contact. She had recognised Taraya’s
mental signature. Taraya wasn’t broadcasting, the message was
coming through on a tight and shielded mental beam. This was a
private call.

Asya opened her
mind to ‘receive’ Taraya. She sensed that Taraya’s ‘voice’ was
coming from a long way away.

: Asya :
she identified herself.

: Taraya with
important message for Danal :

When Taraya cut
contact, it left Asya mystified and worried. What was it all about?
Why was it so important that Danal speak to Philip Ross?

Asya considered
the problem. Should she wake Danal up and tell him?

She decided
that it could wait until morning. Philip Ross wasn’t going anywhere
and would be in bed at this bell. Danal had been out on a furtive
job for the Avuzdel. He was tired and needed his sleep.

She lay down in
a tight ball (nights were still cold), placed her head between her
paws and closed her eyes.

She dreamt,
ears, paws and tail twitching, of hunting in the rtathlians of
home.

Danal slept on
oblivious. He was also dreaming, of a brunette he had met the
previous evening but one, the dinner partner of one Captain Robain
Hallam.

* * * * *

Tala, Robain
and Danal

Danal made
rapid tracks towards the Urquhart home.

The town was
busy. The Council Elections were in full swing and early as it was,
Danal had to weave his way though crowds of excited citizens.

At the house
Danal found Matt, Zala, their children and their guests sitting
down to breakfast. The stern-looking butler who had opened to door
had said as such, managing to imply that this was not the time to
be visiting his master.

Entering, Danal
removed his rain cape and the butler’s eyes widened, recognising
the maroon uniform of the Vada.

Because Danal
and Asya were Avuzdel and thus on semi-permanent detachment from
the Vada, they wore no badges nor insignia. His tunic was plain and
unadorned except for the silver piping. The butler knew what he was
although a raised eyebrow was the only indication of his
surprise.

“Who shall I
tell my master is calling sir?” he asked, trying to recover his
self-possession.

“It is not your
master I have come to see, but two of his guests,” said Danal.
“Baron Ross and Captain Hallam. I would however be pleased to pay
my respects to Merchant Urquhart as soon as our business is
concluded.”

“If you would
follow me sir?”

Danal followed
the stately personage into a small room containing books. Books sat
on the shelves, on the floor and even on top of the large
fireplace. Danal concluded that this was the library. Clearly
Master Urquhart was an erudite person, judging by their diversity
and number.