20
Beta Aimag Encampment, Halifax
Vanderfox, Adhafera
Prefecture VII, The Republic
15 August 3134
Sha Clarke stared at the hard copies, his eyes unseeing.
Innumerable thoughts tumbled through his head with failed entry trajectories, dead stick and tumbling endlessly, end over end, burning up in the arctic chill of his cerebral atmosphere.
He could not focus, his thoughts too disjointed from the reports in front of him.
To top it off, he only recently learned that Petr lifted off-planet weeks ago. Weeks!
Sha’s aide would not make such a mistake again soon. Regardless of how well Delta hid the information, his aide existed to provide information. If he could not rely on her to obtain it, especially during such a critical time, then she could deexist.
He rubbed his tired face with both hands, blinked several times to moisten his scale-dry eyes and leaned back, throwing a casual arm across his closed eyelids; his subordinates would’ve been shocked to see such lassitude.
The aromas of this world worked their way under multiple seals and down long corridors, wafted through endless eddies until they moved sluggishly through his office, their scents tickling his nose and bursting images of alien flora and fauna before his closed lids like a holoprojector.
“Java. Java,” he spoke slowly. Rhetorically, really, since a half-empty cup steamed on the table. A brewing pot lurked in the corner on the room’s only furniture other than the desk and chair, which swallowed the remaining space in dark wood and exquisite whorls of local design.
He leaned forward once more, red eyes open, and picked up the first report again, re-read it for the third time.
<<
EYES ONLY: ovKhan Sha Clarke
From: Sea Fox Watch, Field Beta, Team Beta
Date: 1 August 3134
My Khan,
The avians have not been totally successful at Zipper 5-Talon 3, losing many of their number; no additional eggs have been shipped.
The rest of the flock have begun to gather toward the clouds.
<<<
Sha willed himself not to crumple the paper in frustration. He should have known the Jade Falcons would be his weak link. Should have foreseen they would hood themselves with shortsightedness, as they always did.
A Clan-wide inferiority complex? Centuries later, did their feathers still ruffle and their beaks click despairingly over the Founder’s decision to mix his blood with that of Clan Wolf in place of their own?
He snorted mockingly. To be tied to such an event, when every day brought new currents and new opportunities to launch toward glory. They have declawed themselves for so long, they cannot even recognize that their talons no longer can make a lasting impression on their prey, momentarily damaging, leaving the enemy to rise again and destroy them. Or at least drive them back.
He’d read the reports on Kimball II several times. How they could fail to pacify the world boggled the mind. And not having their full forces for Skye?
Sha reached over and tossed back the remains of his Ulan Bator Java, the cooling burned-bean liquid shriveling his tongue, but shaking him awake.
No, they just might fail. Despite their self-declawing, the Falcons could and would hurt their prey in the short term. But Sha had traveled the space lanes of The Republic and the Inner Sphere for too long not to recognize that the Falcons kept their own brand of honor and prowess… though theirs was lesser than Clan Sea Fox. Neg, when push came to shove, if the Falcons could not bring enough force to bear, Skye might just succeed.
And if they did, then what of his deal with Jade Falcon?
He slapped the paper down and picked up the next sheet, ignoring the stinging in his hand.
<<
To: ovKhan Sha Clarke
From: saKhan Sennet
Date: 30 July 3134
RE: Activities ovKhan Clarke,
My ovKhans are given greater latitude than any other within Clan Sea Fox, but do not make the mistake of thinking I do not watch. Your activities are known.
If you are dedicated to the greater good of Spina Khanate, then you have nothing to fear.
<<<
Petr leaned back once more and held the report up to the fluorescent light above. Noticed the slightly mottled look all paper showed when held to a strong light source; felt the rough edges and recognized the low quality of indigenous paper stock. Peered steadily, as though trying to find something that did not exist. Some extra meaning hidden within the paper itself; the words remained as opaque as a Nova Cat.
What in the world could the Khan have meant?
His activities here? Trying to deny Delta its prey and subvert Kalasa? Or perhaps his attempts—none of which he’d discussed with the saKhan—to finally crack the Regulan Fiefs?
He didn’t for a minute believe saKhan Sennet could be aware of his sojourn to the Falcons. The saKhan had always been a “wait and see” leader, basking in the glory of his subordinates, but stepping aside when failure reared its head, generally too cautious for his own good. Even so, Sha did not believe for a moment the saKhan would condone his actions, if he knew the truth. If he understood the full complexity of the plan.
Then again, saKhan Mikel, despite his station, would miss such a subterfuge, would miss most of Sha’s moves, if he did not telegraph them blatantly enough to keep the saKhan and the rest of Spina Khanate’s ovKhans focused on his right hand, while his left worked the real deal. Sha’s lips tweaked, cold and mirthless.
Of course, so few could understand the glory he worked to bestow upon his Aimag, upon Spina Khanate. The prosperity that would elevate the Khanate to a new level.
A bootheel squeaked outside the door. Sha glanced up sharply, but turned back to his reports when he realized the guard had simply changed his stance; he’d have to remind the man once more about extraneous noise.
With regret, he slowly placed the enigmatic report back onto the glossy wood and retrieved the final report.
<<
EYES ONLY: ovKhan Sha Clarke
From: Sea Fox Watch, Field Beta, Team Omega
Date: 15 July 3134
My Khan,
Prey lost.
<<<
The paper’s edge tried vainly to pierce his skin as it trembled under clenching fingers—rigid, steel bands that crushed the sheet to a small, insignificant sphere. Again.
Sha trembled. Had to breathe deeply and relax. For the first time in long years, needed to remind himself anger got you nowhere.
Look at where it got Kalasa.
Sha immediately cooled, his steel fingers turned to flesh once more, though his knuckles ached with the force of his rage, smoothed out the paper as best he could.
All they had to do was follow a slow, ponderous ship.
Unlike the rest of the Khanates and their Aimags, which bid for and fought to acquire the rights in specific regions of space—worlds each Aimag and Khanate would then use to further their revenues, honor and glory for the Clan—the ilKhanate acted as an oversight governing body. Never with a set destination, the Khan and Alpha Clan Council traversed known space, checking in on the activities of the subordinate Khanates and their Aimags, taking their ten percent due. Though it was generally known in which direction the ilKhanate was traveling—as was the case right now, with the ilKhanate known to be heading in their direction—you simply never knew when the stravag Khan and his outdated authorities would darken your skies to grasp un-worked-for glories.