L. E.Modesitt - Imager’s Intrigue

In going over the forms, I found that I trusted the evaluations of some masters-such as Ghaend, Jhulian, and Kahlasa-more than others. From my juniors, I decided Eamyn and Shault had the abilities and determination, even though Shault was younger than I would have liked. I also felt he needed the experience, beyond both Imagisle and the taudis, and that exposure to the Navy might give him a better perspective on the Collegium.

When the three of us got together again after lunch, we discovered that we only had a handful of differences that were comparatively easy to sort out. At a quint past second glass, I handed the list we’d come up with to Maitre Dyana.

She didn’t take long to study it. “You have two on the list. Should you have more?”

“Because I’m known to be demanding and a perfectionist, you mean?”

“That has been said.”

“No. Haugyl and Marteon simply aren’t as good. Ralyea is borderline.”

“Would the experience do him good?”

“I don’t know. He’s almost timid.”

“Give him the chance. We’ve got enough timid ones hiding in the workshops.” A wintry smile came and went. “How will you notify the ones on the list?”

“I thought to send each one a notice about their selection and the briefing tomorrow. I’ll send another note to any master with juniors, advising them who of theirs have been chosen. I’ll have all those out within the glass.” I paused. “Unless you’d rather sign them.”

“Your signature will be fine, Rhenn.”

I understood the reasons for that as well. “I thought you’d open the briefing for those who are going.”

“That’s at ninth glass, is it not?”

I nodded. “Then I’ll say a few words and turn it over to Dartazn for a few more moments. He won’t say anything more of a substantive nature except that they’ll get more detailed training on board the frigate. He’s working with Chassendri today. Her ideas are proving very helpful.”

“Even though she has doubts?”

“We all have doubts of one sort or another.”

“What are yours, Rhenn?”

“I have two. The first is that we’ll buy time, but that we’ll create even more Ferran determination to bring us down.” I shrugged. “I tell myself they already feel that way.”

“They’ve certainly acted as if they do. What’s the second?”

“That we’ll provoke all Terahnar into uniting against us. Not immediately, but as they think about what we did.”

“We won’t have to worry about that unless your plan works. If it does, they’ll think twice…and fret for years before acting.”

“They will act, sooner or later,” I pointed out.

“Sooner, and it will be your problem, but you’ll have time to consider how to handle it. Later, and you’ll have to prepare a successor. All life is solving problems that create other problems requiring yet other solutions.” She smiled politely. “Do you need anything else from me?”

While her words were undoubtedly correct, they also suggested why the Maitres of the Collegium had, behind their measured calm, something approaching amusement at the “crises” of daily life.

“No, Maitre.”

With Maitre Dyana’s approval on the final selections, I went back to my study and began to write. It took close to two glasses to write them all out, but I did have the duty prime take them and place them in the proper letter boxes. After I finished, rather than head home immediately, I went over to the dining hall to see if Ralyea, Shault, or Eamyn might be there.

Shault and Ralyea were. In fact, they were standing opposite the letter boxes, already with the notices in hand. They both looked up when they saw me. Neither moved.

I motioned for them to join me.

“Can you tell us more, sir?” asked Shault.

“You’ll find out more at the briefing tomorrow, at the same time the others who were selected do. I will tell you that Maitre Dartazn will be in charge of you, and that I expect you two, and Eamyn, to learn everything you possibly can from him, no matter how strange or difficult it may seem. Is that clear?” I looked sternly at Shault.

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I’ll see you at the briefing tomorrow.” I offered a pleasant smile, and then left them standing there.

The air had gotten far colder, and my ears and face were almost numb by the time I stepped into the foyer of our house, only to have Diestrya launch herself at me and wrap her arms around my legs.

“Dada! Play plaques with me!”

That was a request to which I could gladly accede, even as I wondered how many of those junior imagers would return…and how many had once been young and trusting like my daughter.

My sleep on Vendrei night was scarcely sound. I awoke twice in chill darkness from nightmares where lists swam out of the blackness, and each name was written in fire and blood that burned my hands when I tried to blot out the flames. When I finally roused myself on Samedi morning, I was relieved to see that at least I hadn’t imaged fire or letters into the stones of the wall, although some heat would have been nice, since the windows were thoroughly frosted. Each breath puffed steam into the air. With their construction designed primarily to protect everyone else in the house from inadvertent nightmare or dream imaging, imagers’ sleeping chambers were not designed primarily for warmth.

I did slip out and hurry down to the exercise building, but not before I loaded the stoves. While I managed Clovyl’s entire work-out, I decided against running on the icy ways and walks, except for a careful and gentle jog back to the house.

Seliora and Diestrya were in the breakfast nook of the kitchen when I returned.

“I’m glad you didn’t run in this weather.” Seliora poured me a mug of steaming tea.

I just held it up to my chin and let the steam wreathe my face. “I ran back…carefully.”

“We haven’t talked about Year-Turn.”

“We went to my parents’ last year. That means we’re going to yours this year…if they’ll have us.”

“I told Mother that, but…we hadn’t actually talked.” Seliora poured herself a second mug of tea.

“We’ll have to have dinner with mine the next Samedi, I imagine.”

“We can do that. On Year-Turn day, do you want to attend services with the family or here before we go?”

“What ever you prefer.”

“Are you humoring me, dearest husband?”

“No. It’s your choice.”

She smiled. “Isola does an afternoon service on that Solayi, and it’s much shorter. That would be better, since we’ll have Diestrya.”

I nodded. I didn’t mention that Isola also offered better homilies than the chorister at the anomen attended, if infrequently, by Seliora’s family. We had a more leisurely breakfast than was usually the case, before I had to leave for the junior imagers’ briefing.

At the ninth glass of the morning on Samedi, twenty-seven seconds and thirds sat at the long tables in the dining hall. Maitre Dyana, Dartazn, and I stood at the head of the table, with her in the center. Ferlyn, Kahlasa, Ghaend, and Chassendri stood against the wall behind the masters’ table, observing.

Maitre Dyana began. I couldn’t help but notice that she was not wearing a brilliant scarf, but one of a gray so dark it verged on smoky black.

“You have been selected to help defend Solidar. Some of you may have grasped what is not in the newsheets and understand that a great deal is at stake. For those of you who have not, I would like to point out that our northern fleet has suffered heavy losses over the past months. Here in Solidar we have suffered attacks by Ferran agents, and most recently, their attacks destroyed the only significant engine works in Solidar. This means a delay of at least a year before we can even begin to build more ships to replace those that have been lost. There have been other attacks and events as well, and unless the Collegium acts, these will increase. You will join the northern fleet to take part in a unique operation designed by Maitre Rhennthyl and Sea-Marshal Valeun. Maitre Dartazn, here, will be your immediate superior from this moment until you return to Imagisle…”