Lawrence White - Knights of the Chosen

›Did he strike an agreement with all the Chessori, or was the deal with just some of them, maybe just one guild?‹ Artmis wondered. ›How well does Struthers know the Chessori? Could he have struck a deal with just some of them, perhaps thinking those he dealt with represented all Chessori when, in fact, they didn’t, or did he strike the deal with certain knowledge that the Chessori leadership stood behind the agreement?‹

So many questions and no good answers. Val had six Chessori to question and learn from, really just one if Forg was fully in charge. Surely Struthers had dealt with many others, was, in fact, dealing with many others at this very moment. The Chessori were spreading quickly through the Empire, and the ones he had encountered prior to Forg were definitely siding with the Rebels. But what if they represented just one guild? What if not all guilds supported the Rebels? Was Forg a good guy or a bad guy?

Val knew that Mike, Ellie, and Chandrajuski were counting on him to find answers to these questions. He spent a restless night, unaccustomed to dealing with such far ranging issues with no one to fall back on for help. He wished Reba was beside him, knowing she’d have crystal clear insight that would put them on the right track. When he woke up the next morning, Reba was still uppermost in his mind. He talked to her while he worked out, trying to focus his thoughts.

Her cheerful response was, as always, simple and uncluttered. “You’re going to do this thing the way you’ve always done things,” she said in his mind, flashing her incredible smile. “The right way.”

Forg was alone when he arrived for breakfast. The diminutive Chessori seemed lost at the table set for eight. Val had to consciously remind himself that he was not dealing with a child.

“How did you sleep?” he asked as he sat down.

“Not well. You?”

“About the same.”

“We may be juggling similar problems,” Forg said, folding his tiny hands together on the edge of the table, his eyes glistening as they stared at Val without blinking. “The stakes are very high. Neither of us is in a position to trust the other, yet trust is our only currency at the moment.”

Val bowed his head. “I believe you’re right: it is a dilemma. How do we solve it?”

“Through negotiation. Tit for tat as your saying goes.”

“This issue may ultimately go far beyond simple negotiation, Forg.”

“Perhaps, but isn’t that the highest form of negotiation?” The corners of Forg’s small mouth lifted in a smile as his unblinking eyes stared back at Val.

“I guess, then, that I’ll start with saying it’s highly unlikely I’ll ever restore you to your ship. Nor is it likely I’ll ever be able to supply you with a different Chessori ship. An Empire ship is possible, but probably not suitable to your needs. Can I just supply you with the money for a new ship?”

“So you have access to ships and funds. I thought so.” Forg waved his hands in a negating fashion. “I don’t want money. I’ve already received payment for my ship.”

“You have? I thought someone took it from you,” Val said in surprise. “Did you get a fair price?”

“Negotiations were conducted between myself and another Chessori. Of course I got a fair price.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is fundamental to all Chessori negotiations: I could not walk away from the deal without completing it. I am grossly offended.”

Forg’s words confused Val. “Offended enough to negotiate for information that might be construed as treasonous to your people?”

“What information I might share with you is not treasonous. It is to the benefit of my people that this horror be stopped.”

“To what horror do you refer?”

“I suspect you know very well of what I speak. Do you deny such knowledge?”

Val hesitated, then plunged in. “I’ve been on the receiving end of the Chessori mind weapon.”

›Careful!‹ Artmis said in alarm.

›I know, buddy, but it has to come out.‹

›Mike and Reba are not here to deal with him. I’m not ready to go through that thing again.‹

Forg let out a long ‘sssssssss,’ and fell silent for a time. “I was not referring to any such thing. You are mistaken. I don’t know what you are talking about,” he finished weakly.

“No mistake, Forg. It’s excruciatingly painful and disabling. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Forg took his time responding. “If such a thing existed, and I am not saying that it does, you would not be alive today.”

“Well, here I sit,” Val replied nonchalantly, one hand reaching across the table to distract Forg while the other crept toward his weapon.

“If that is a weapon you are reaching for, it is unnecessary. I am unarmed.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned about you Chessori, it’s that you are never unarmed,” Val replied, his hand gripping the miniblaster tucked into his pocket, its barrel pointed directly at Forg.

Forg remained silent for a long time, his eyes searching Val’s. “Have negotiations ended, then?”

“Depends on what you have to offer,” Val stated calmly. “I would know more about this mind weapon, for one thing.”

Forg frowned. “Please describe it.”

“I’m sure I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know,” Val said, his grip tightening on the blaster. “I’ve seen a small number of Chessori bring an entire warship to its knees, round up crewmembers considered disloyal to the Rebel cause and lock us up, then release everyone else to return to their duties.”

“Such a thing is not possible.”

“You know it is,” Val responded with disgust. “This thing was used only long enough to secure the ship for its command staff, long enough to arrest those of us judged unwilling to switch sides. So far as I know, everyone survived, and I’m certain its use was condoned by the Rebel officers who commanded the ship, for it affected them as well.”

Forg’s eyes wandered. He seemed confused, but he eventually nodded his head as acceptance of Val’s words seeped into his mind. “I’m sorry, Val,” he said, returning his gaze to him, staring at him. “You can’t understand,” he continued after a time. “To have used the scree against an outsider is bad in and of itself. To have allowed anyone to escape that knows of its existence is breaking a most fundamental law of the Chessori, a law that relates to the very survival of my species. I am bound by law to kill you now.”

“Well, you’d better be good at it because any flinching on my part will cause my weapon to discharge. It’s pointed directly at you.”

“I have nothing to fear. Should I so choose, you will be instantly incapacitated. Perhaps I have spoken too soon. You have not really experienced the scree, or you would know.”

“I have, and I believe it was used at full strength. But before you get carried away, think about something. If you were to use this scree right now on me, how would you go about killing everyone else in the room?”

“They would all be incapacitated.”

“So you’d have to kill them all?”

“Yes.”

“Then everyone else on the ship? I don’t believe that’s possible,” Val added uncertainly.

“It is possible, but not practical. It is certainly wrong.” Forg was again silent for a long time. When he spoke, his voice was very low. “If what you say is true, the actions of this very senior guild have transcended all guild law, all Chessori law. I cannot believe that what you say is true.”

“Believe me or not, Forg – that’s up to you. I can tell you with absolute certainty that many, many sailors have lived through its use and survived to fight alongside their Chessori comrades. As awful as it is, these sailors have accepted its use, knowing that in the long run it protects them from their opponents. Your secret is definitely out.”