Setting Off

     Rianka broke her swift stride and stopped so abruptly that the heels of her boots dug into the dirt road. She’d gone in search of Xelin- and she’d found him. There, between two of the cabins just off the square, he was saying a quiet- and untowardly passionate- goodbye to one of the other Defenders. In the few seconds it took before she could regain her own dignity, Rianka watched, eyes wide and jaw dropped. This she hadn’t known about.

     Ducking back out of sight, she called loudly,

     “Xelin!”

     That ought to give him a minute to look innocent.

     She pretended to be crossing by, still in search of him.

     “Rianka!” He called. She allowed the other man to disappear around the far corner before approaching. She’d spare him the embarrassment that she was about to pile on Xelin.

     “Yusan!” She cried, staring at Xelin with shock.

     “What about him?” He asked innocently.

     “You- you… Little Yusan!?”

     “He’s not little, Rianka. He’s twenty-five years old.”

     “He was my student!”

     “So? Is there a point to this?”

     “How long have you two been-”

     “Five months.”

     “I didn’t think he was your type.” Xelin caught the bitterness in her voice.

     “Rianka, what’s up with you? Since when do you care?”

     “It’s a little different this time, Xe. I trained Yusan. He’s a sweet kid.”

     “That’s why I like him.”

     “I know what happens with you and all your boys and girls, Xelin. Yusan doesn’t deserve that.”

     “You’re extremely out of character today, you know that?” He ran his eyes over her, taking in her rigid posture. “You’ve never cared who I saw before, and I’m a donkey if you aren’t genuinely upset about Iori. What’s going on?”

     “Does Hamat know about this?” She countered.

     “Of course he does. I tell Hamat everything.”

     “And Yusan knows about your job with Himira then? Or did Hamat let you off the hook?”

     “Not your business, Ri,” Xelin said warningly.

     “He didn’t, did he? And Yusan doesn’t know… You know what? Fine, break Yusan’s heart. You’re right, I don’t care. It’ll be funny to watch. He’s so naïve and stupid. I’m sure he must’ve heard about how you are.”

     “Yeah, probably from you,” Xelin laughed, but the sound was cut short when he realized that Rianka’s mood hadn’t changed. “Look, I really like Yusan. He’s thoughtful and sweet and has a great sense of humor once you get past the shyness. That he’s good-looking doesn’t hurt either. It’s nice being with him, like someone needs me for me for a change. I dunno. Just… Are you upset that I didn’t tell you? Is that it? I didn’t tell you cause, well, to be honest, Rianka, I don’t know shit about you and sometimes I think it’s unfair you know everything about me. That and… well, sometimes I think you encourage me to be cold like you. I don’t actually mean to hurt people, but whenever I do, you think it’s funny.”

     “I only think it’s funny because it’s a result of you being too chicken-shit to stand up to Hamat and tell him you don’t like the work he gives you.”

     “I like it fine. I’m good at it. It just… complicates things sometimes.”

     “Yusan would probably cry if he heard about it.”

     “Ri… if you tell him…” Xelin was hissing through his teeth.

     “Relax, we’re leaving in a little while. Why would I say anything now? Anyway, forget this. It’s trivial. I need your help.”

     “What with?”

     “You’ve gotta tell Hamat not to take Iori with us. He’ll listen to you.”

     “I dunno, Rianka.” Xelin’s night-sky gaze grew thoughtful. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

     “Xe, Iori’s barely functional!”

     “Yeah… but, well, think of it like this. I know it seems like Hamat makes some pretty weird decisions sometimes, but have they ever failed? I don’t know how his mind works, but I’ve never known him to make a mistake, even in the times I swore he was being crazy. And this guy, Iori- he must be one heluva tracker to have found us after what Hamat said he had done. That and he knows enough about first aid to save you from bleeding to death- from a gunshot to the chest. Kiddo, he may actually prove useful.”

     “I just don’t want to get stuck looking after him,” Rianka said sullenly.

     “Well, I’ve got my hands full with Miss Seafaring-Crazyperson, and Hamat’s about as friendly as you are, so I don’t see as how you’re gonna have much of a choice.”

     “This is stupid.”

     “Look at it this way- you got that change you wanted, didn’t you? We’re well on our way to becoming unsung heroes.”

     “Whatever, Xe.”

     “Shall we?” He offered her his arm and she took it. After they’d walked down the road a bit, he asked pensively, “You aren’t really upset about Yusan, are you?”

     “No, Xe. I was just giving you shit.”

     “I really do like him a lot.”

     “Sure, Xelin. Whatever you say.”

 

     Ren stared happily out the front windshield of Jorin’s car, a colossal wreck resurrected from a pile of spare parts. He took in the sight of newly-minted sunlight glittering on the dew and filled with excitement and anticipation. He felt swelled up with the sense of adventure he’d awakened with that morning. Theirs was the only car visible on this stretch of highway leading south from Mianuus. As they bumped along the unevenly patched asphalt, sound of the luggage in the truck and the creaks of the undercarriage were clearly audible. Ren turned around to smile reassuringly at Maaya, who sat in pensive silence in the back seat.

     She’d been uncharacteristically nervous and moody over the past few days. Her brother, assuming that her gloom sprung from anxieties related to their trip, did all that he could to instill in her his own sense of rising excitement. He’d been surprised when she’d told him she planned to go along, though not displeased. At first, in fact, he was overjoyed at the idea, but her sullen behavior in the time leading up to the trip made him question her motives. It was unlike Maaya to agree to something she didn’t want to do, and to keep silent if she disagreed with his decisions. What he saw as her passive-aggressive behavior puzzled him. Still more troubling was her insistence that Benar accompany them. True, Ren liked the quiet doctor. He was intelligent and fascinating, but the reasons behind his interest in the trip remained a mystery.

     Maaya smiled back at him, though it seemed with trepidation. Before anyone could say a word, however, Benar asked,

     “So, what exactly is it that we’re going in search of? Is this ‘Blue Fire’ an ancient artifact?”

     “No,” Ren answered with a grin. “It’s exactly what it’s called- a blue fire.”

     “What is it?”

     “Well, according to the stories, it’s a strange fire that burns somewhere in the south. No one knows how long it’s been burning, but some say it’s been there since ancient times. There are rumors that it’s eternal and has been there since the dawn of man. Some people believe that it has special powers… but I doubt that’s true.”

     “Why are you looking for it?”

     “Well, I… I want to see if it exists. I’m really interested in the legends of the country. I want to know where they came from, why people believe them. I can’t imagine that here in Diasminion there’s a fire that burns blue, but there are tales throughout the ages that say it exists, just waiting there in the south. Who keeps that fire burning, and why? I’m never going to get the answers to any of my questions without going there myself. I think maybe… just, recently I realized that I can’t sit and wait for the answers to come to me. I don’t have forever.”

     Maaya turned her head sharply and stared out the window. Any attempts Ren made to catch her eye went ignored. Frustrated, he added,

     “I know that there may be nothing there. Jorin and I just figured that we could find a lot of different information in the south- we don’t know that anyone’s been excavating the libraries down there. It’s worth the trip for us.”

     Benar nodded.

     “How come you wanted to come with us?” Ren asked.

     “I find you guys very interesting. You know a lot of things I don’t. Besides, I know that the ancients knew a lot about medicine that we’ve forgotten. Perhaps you’ll discover something that could help me and other doctors.”

     Ren looked at Benar with interest.

     “I probably wouldn’t be able to read anything like that.”

     “Could you read it in plain Diasminian?”

     “Maybe not.”
“See? Then maybe I could be of some help to you.”

     Ren’s soft grin spread across his face once more.

     “There’s a rough patch coming up,” Jorin warned from the driver’s seat.

     As they bounced over the uneven pavement, Benar’s line of query shifted.

     “Who repairs the roads, anyway? I never really thought about that.”

     “The people who use them,” Jorin replied. “Those that need the roads to transport the goods they import- like coffee or petroleum- and the people that want to drive to and from Mianuus are the ones that repair the roads. People that have a lot of goods to trade- like the importers- often hire workers to do it for them. As you get further out of the city, you see more people doing it themselves, repairing the roads so they’ll have easier trade from their farms or smaller businesses. I heard that once you get far enough south, there aren’t any paved roads at all.”

     “You have a car. Do you ever help fix the roads?”

     “Sure. I’ve helped fill a few potholes, and I recently found the original mix for ancient patching asphalt which I shared with some local businesses, so they can make it.”

     “You said that in the south there aren’t any paved roads. But we’re driving there?”

      “We’re driving as far as we can get.”

     “What do you mean?”

     “Well… First of all, we may reach a point where we can’t drive any further- just paths or something. Second, cars run on gasoline. I’ve only got enough to get us so far. I doubt I can just start asking around in a place where cars aren’t as common as in Mianuus. And third- and probably most important- this car is old. We’re talking fifty years old here. She may break down eventually.”

     “Oh.”

     “So… Maaya didn’t tell you we’d be hiking some, huh? If you want I can still turn around.”

     “No need,” Benar said with a smile. “I grew up in a very small village. I never rode in a car until I moved to Mianuus.”

     “You moved all that way, huh?” Ren turned his head to eye his friend as Jorin’s tone turned suspicious.

     “Eventually, yes.”

     “How come?”

     “It’s a long story, probably better saved for a campfire. And a bit boring, I might add. Why don’t you tell me more about the technology the ancients had?”

     Jorin was happy to oblige.

 

     “Get off, Iori,” Rianka said irritably, giving his sleeping form a shove. He shifted, putting his weight on Xelin who sat on his other side.

     The three sat crammed in the backseat of the jeep. Himira, in the front passenger’s seat, had her booted feet propped up on the dash. In the hour since they’d set off, the ride had been largely silent. Hamat seemed content to concentrate on driving and Himira found it impossible to carry on a conversation with him. Iori had fallen asleep within five minutes of leaving the ranch, and Xelin- out of respect for the fact that the recluse had probably been up hiking all night- kept mercifully quiet. He glanced down at the face of the sleeping man whose head now rested on his shoulder.

     “You know, Rianka, he’s kind of cute.”

     Rianka snorted derisively.

     “Yeah, if you like filthy, crazed ruffians.”

     “Needs a decent haircut, but he’s not that bad.”

     “Thinking of adding him to your collection?”

    Xelin eyed her coyly over the top of Iori’s head.

     “I don’t think this one’s for me.”

     Rianka made a face.

     “I don’t think he’s for anyone. You know they say crazy runs in the blood. Probably best he didn’t procreate.”

     “Rianka! You shouldn’t say stuff like right in front of him,” Xelin reprimanded.

     “He’s asleep, Xe. He can’t hear me. Besides, it’s the truth. I think he’s kind of aware of it anyway. He knows he doesn’t fit.”

     “I think he’s drooling on me,” Xelin observed with a brief laugh.

     “Just wake him up.”

     “I don’t want to do that. Poor guy’s been up all night.”

     “Your decency disgusts me, Xe. You’re so sickeningly kindhearted that I almost forget I’ve seen you disembowel people.”

     “Alas, it is my destiny to live as a paradox.”

     “Blah, blah. You’d be better off as a traveling entertainer- your propensity for dramatic statements could earn you plenty of meals.”

     “Oh, big words. What, you learn to read at some point in your mysterious past?”

     “Maybe. You’ll never know, that’s one thing for certain.”

     “You underestimate my powers of digging up dirt. Maybe I already know all about you- ever think about that?”

     “Yeah sure, Xe. You’re omnipotent. Fabulous.”

     “You don’t believe me?”

     “Why should I? Just an hour ago you said you didn’t know shit about me. Besides, it’s not like I care what you know or what you don’t. I just don’t want to talk about stuff myself. It’s not your business.”

     “You’re no fun, Rianka.”

     “I don’t need to be. You’re fun enough for all of us.”

     “Well, I suppose you’re right on that count.” Xelin grinned widely. “Really, Rianka, you ought to consider yourself blessed- you get to go on this nice vacation with the two people that amuse you most. Lucky girl.”

     “You guys had better be side-splitting, I’ll tell you that. If I have to die fighting an army, I want to do it laughing.”

     “Now, now- none of our myriad plans involve our passage from life, laughing or otherwise. We can’t die. It’d be going against orders.”

     Hamat had gone over the final plans with the three of them- Xelin, Rianka and Himira- the night before. Imare had returned to the ranch a week earlier, with news that he had discovered evidence of the army Himira had described. In fact, their presence was not a secret in the southeast where they were encamped. According to the stories Imare had been told in some of the villages, Ishar recruited actively in the rural south and central regions of the country. Though the army itself was not unknown to people, the location of the camp was not public information. After a good deal of searching, Imare was able to come up with a general location. He was not, however, able to approach the camp.

     “No one knew anything about how the place was guarded,” he explained. “I remembered the stories you told me of how these guys supposedly treat their prisoners and decided not to risk getting caught. I figured it was best to just return with the information I had. A lot of the people I talked to were real scared. There were some stories of people disappearing, people who spoke out against the army mostly. Seems like the villagers in the surrounding areas are feeling pretty powerless.”

      Using the information provided by Imare and what Himira could tell him of how she’d escaped the camp, Hamat plotted the most likely location of the encampment. After about a week of discussing their options in a group and individually, he presented them with the final versions of the plans.

     There were different options of how to achieve their goal, one of which would be adopted once more facts had been gathered. How they would approach the area- on the western edge of the region known as the Wastes- remained constant. To reduce travelling time, they’d take the jeep southeast until they reached the rural lowlands that were home to a plethora of tiny hamlets and farms, about a three-day journey. Once there, they’d keep to the forested lands slightly north of their target. Once they’d discovered the position of the army, the next course of action would be determined.

     If it was in any way possible, the assassination would be carried out in swift, silent form. However, the odds were stacked against this likelihood. The Wastes were part of a vast coastal plain, with level ground, and in the area of the camp dense forests. The solitary peak that rose in the west would probably prove to be too far away to be of any use, and the encampment was likely to be spread out, making it impossible to target Ishar from afar. It was more probable that they’d have to infiltrate the camp. Though this was far more dangerous than picking off their enemy from a distance, Hamat showed little worry.

     “Rianka, Xelin and I will look like we belong there. We’re exactly the type of people Ishar’s trying hardest to recruit. If we’re lucky, they’ll be fairly disorganized and we’ll be able to move around the camp freely. In that case, we’ll get close to Ishar and take him down without a lot of fuss. Of course, that’s the best case scenario. It’s possible we’ll be forced to wait, feigning belonging until an opportunity arises to accomplish our goal. Worst case- if they’re highly organized, we’ll be forced to join them formally and work our way into positions that would allow us access to Ishar. It could take a lot of time, but at least in that case we’ll also have a chance to see whether or not anyone’s likely to rise up and replace him.”

     Himira, who was sure to be recognized by someone in the camp, was to wait for them in the forests to the north. If none of them was in contact with her within a month, she was to return to the ranch.

     “What you decide to do with yourself after that is up to you. I only ask that you come back here to tell Eban I’ll be further delayed.”

     Rianka, when she was certain Xelin was looking in the opposite direction, stole a quick glance at Iori. He slept with utter peace and abandon, nestled against a man that he’d never even seen before this day. She marveled at his innocent self-assurance; she’d never be able to doze off in such a situation. What did Hamat have in mind for him? He couldn’t, he just couldn’t be taken with them into the army’s camp. He couldn’t be trusted not to leak their mission, and who knows what might happen to him amongst those men. Rianka shifted uncomfortably as she recalled the stories of life before the Enlightenment. In the Dark Times, no one had been free- the caste system of the Clans dictated the fine points of everybody’s lives. What had become of the insane, she wondered. What would these men, who believed in power and laws, do to someone like Iori? Nothing good.

     She only hoped that in the upcoming days, Hamat would come to realize that if they we’re forced to infiltrate the camp they’d have to leave Iori behind.