L. Modesitt - Mage-Guard of Hamor

"We've gotten confirmation that Golyat has indeed arrived in Sastak. Also, some of the forces that were to the southeast of here have withdrawn to Sastak. The fast frigate that arrived in the harbor early this morning carried a dispatch from Commander Shuchyl. Elmari is back under Imperial control. Even though he had Fourth Regiment as well as the Fifth, there wasn't much resistance, and the locals had actually captured some of Golyat's lackeys before the commander reached the city…"

Something about that bothered Rahl, but a lot of things seemed somehow wrong to him, and he couldn't say why.

"… the Fourth Regiment has been embarked on two cruisers and will be here tomorrow, and we will be setting out for Sastak on fiveday. Rather, you and Third Company will be, with the bulk of First and Second Army to follow on sixday." Taryl walked to the table desk, where he picked up a short sheaf of dispatches, which he then handed to Rahl. "I'd like you to go over these and sort through them. Set aside any that you think reveal a problem. I'd like your thoughts and recommendations on those." Taryl paused. "Those are the only copies, and I'll need them. Just use the table in the adjoining chamber. That was Golyat's aide's study. Leave both doors ajar, the one to the corridor and the one to this study."

"Ser?"

"I'm certain you've already noted that few indeed are to be trusted. While you're going through those, you're to keep full shields-the kind that only suggest you're a minor mage-guard at best." Taryl offered an ironic smile. "Try not to be more than that while you're looking them over."

Rahl barely concealed the wince he felt.

"Sometimes, Rahl, it's better to conceal power than reveal it unnecessarily. That way you don't warn your enemies." After a pause, Taryl added, "At the same time, I'd like you to observe anyone who comes to see me, but in a way that they don't notice."

"Yes, ser." Rahl didn't like the assignment, but he smiled pleasantly, keeping his feelings behind shields.

"Good." Taryl stood.

Rahl walked toward the aide's study, and Taryl followed, closing the door after Rahl until it was ajar barely a crack. Then Rahl settled into the wooden chair at the table to read the dispatches.

The first was one Taryl had mentioned before-Shuchyl's report on the taking of Elmari. The events suggested that the port town had never been that strongly supportive of Golyat, nor had it been that heavily garrisoned, even with the reinforcements of the harbor fortifications. Hadn't Taryl known that? Rahl frowned. Why hadn't Taryl just attacked Elmari in the beginning? Then he smiled wryly because he was thinking that Taryl had been in charge of the campaign at the time. But Taryl had not been and had not had that choice.

He set aside the first dispatch and began to read the second, a short report from Commander Muyr relaying a longer request from an engineer about the need for oils and wax for fire-bladders to replace those expended in taking the barricades.

Rahl read through five dispatches and picked up the sixth, his eyes widening and his patience further evaporating as he read the long and pedantic harangue by a Commander Duchym, whom Rahl did not know, about the lack of adequate quarters for senior officers in Nubyat, followed by a recommendation that "appropriate" local dwellings be requisitioned for said officers. Rahl set that aside and was about to pick up the next when he sensed the approach of powerful chaos-forces-the two Triads.

Rahl immediately allowed his surface feelings and thoughts to dwell on the pettiness and the stupidity of Commander Duchym, while still receiving what order-chaos thoughts and impressions that he could. He also used his own order-senses to boost his hearing, a use of order within himself that should not be detectable, although in his experience even the strongest of chaos-mages were not so perceptive as order-mages in sensing order-usage.

"Triad Fieryn… Triad Dhoryk, please go in." Falyka's voice was coolly pleasant. "The Regional Administrator is expecting you."

"Most kind of him," murmured Dhoryk.

"Greetings, honored Triads," Taryl's voice was warm and welcoming.

Rahl could detect nothing beyond that, and he had to admire the fashion in which Taryl not only hid what he thought and felt but covered it with feelings to match his words and inflections.

"Greetings, most effective Acting Regional Administrator," returned Dhoryk.

From that point on, Rahl concentrated on trying to pick up information he did not know or words or phrases that did not quite ring true.

"You asked to be briefed on the schedule… will be heading out on sixday… Third Company leading with reconnaissance in force.. anticipate two eightdays to reach the outskirts of Sastak… barring changes in the weather…"

"… rather optimistic… I would say…"

"Taryl has been known for making his optimism work out, Dhoryk.. "

"Most fortunately…"

"Would you prefer to join the advance, honored Triads, or to arrive by ship once we control the port there?"

"… proceed with First and Second Army… would seem most efficacious in the case of unexpected magely opposition…"

"… especially given the loss of mage-guards on both sides.. "

"… we have most of those with whom we set out…"

"Arms-mages of order, such as the fellow who met us on the piers, may well be overmatched in Sastak."

"That is always possible, and your presence will certainly strengthen our forces…"

"What do you recommend for dealing with Prince Golyat?"

"That is a matter for you as Triads to determine, assuming that he is not killed in the attack or that he does not flee as he did from Nubyat…"

"… you plan to remain as Regional Mage-Guard Overcommander after this is resolved?"

"… my future lies in the hands of the Triad and of the Emperor, as it always has…"

"Oh, you might be interested to know that Thasylt died rather unexpectedly several eightdays ago… just received word… might you have a recommendation for a successor?"

"You are doubtless more aware of those regional commanders who would work best with the current Triad, but I will most certainly give that some thought."

"Is there anything to which you do not give thought?"

"Very little… it's a bad habit of mine…"

Before all that long, the two Triads departed with more meaningless pleasantries.

Although Rahl gathered a vague impression of chaos-tinged dissatisfaction toward the end of the conversation from one of the Triads, he could not tell which one it had been. Even with his order-boosted hearing, Rahl had not been able to catch all that passed between the three in the Regional Administrator's study, ranging as the conversation had from mere routine civility to Taryl's brief outline of the planned advance on Sastak.

Rahl couldn't help but be pleased that neither Triad had even so much as directed a probe in his direction, and that they didn't seem to recall him, but it also suggested that they either didn't need to because they could sense who he was without trying-or that they were so arrogant that they felt everyone except Taryl was unworthy of notice. Neither possibility was particularly attractive.

As Taryl did not summon him, and since he had not finished with the dispatches, he went back to reading those remaining in the sheaf. In the end, he had five dispatches that he thought revealed matters requiring action beyond what he would have called routine.

He stood and walked to the door, still barely ajar, and knocked. "Ser?"

"Come on in, Rahl."

When Rahl stepped into the capacious study, he found Taryl leaning back slightly in the chair behind the table desk, but the older mage-guard immediately straightened. "You heard the conversation. What do you think? Honestly, and without either excessive caution or unnecessary vituperation."