Keith DeCandido: Cycle of Hatred

Jaina barked a laugh, involuntarily. Kristoff's words mirrored Jaina and Thrall's conversation—yet it seemed less rational coming out of the chamberlain's mouth.

Kristoff straightened. "Something amuses you, milady?"

"No. I believe you are overestimating the situation."

"And I believe you are underestimating it. This city—state is all that keeps Kalimdor from being run entirely by the orcs." Kristoff hesitated, which was unusual. The chamberlain had made a career out of being forthright, which was one of his more useful characteristics.

"What is it, Kristoff?"

"Our allies are…concerned. The notion of an entire continent under orc rule is…disturbing to many. At present, little is being done, in part because there are other issues, but—"

"But right now I'm all that is preventing an invasion?"

"As long as the Lady Proudmoore—great wizard, victor against the Burning Legion—rules the humans on Kalimdor, the rest of the world will sleep well at night. The moment they believe that the Lady Proudmoore cannot keep the orcs in line, that will change. And the invasion force will make your late father's fleet look like a pair of rowboats."

Jaina leaned back in her chair. In truth, she had given little thought to the world beyond Kalimdor, busy as she had been with fighting the demons and then building Theramore. And her own father's attack drove home the fact that those who had not actually fought alongside the orcs still viewed them as little more than animals.

But Kristoff should have known better. "What is it you are suggesting, Chamberlain?"

"That this Captain Bolik might be an agitator, trying to turn Thrall against you—against us. Even with Northwatch, we are very much alone within Theramore's gates, and could easily find ourselves surrounded by orcs—and more, with the trolls already on their side and the goblins unlikely to take any side."

Jaina shook her head. Kristoff's prediction was the worst nightmare of every human living on Kalimdor. It seemed like only yesterday that they were well on the road to making those nightmares an impossibility. Trade with the orcs was going smoothly, the Barrens—neutral territory between Durotar and Theramore—had been peaceful and orderly, and the two species that had once despised each other had lived in peace for three years.

The question Jaina now asked herself was whether or not this was a portent of how things should be, or simply a resting period while they recovered from the Burning Legion and just the calm before the inevitable storm?

Before Jaina could contemplate further, a tall, dark—haired woman with a square face, pointed nose, and broad shoulders entered. She wore the standard military uniform of plate armor with a green tabbard depicting the anchor—shaped emblem of Kul Tiras, the former home of the Proudmoore family.

Raising her right hand to her forehead in salute, she said, "Colonel Lorena reporting as ordered, milady."

Standing, Jaina said, "Thank you, Colonel. Stand easy. Duree told you what is required?" Jaina always felt short next to Lorena and so preferred to stand in her presence, to give herself as much height as her smaller form would provide.

Lowering her hand and putting both arms behind her back, but otherwise still standing ramrod straight with perfect posture, Lorena said, "Yes, ma'am, she did. We leave for Northwatch within the hour, and I've sent a runner to inform Major Davin of our arrival."

"Good. That'll be all, both of you."

Lorena saluted, turned on her heel, and exited. Kristoff, however, hung back a moment.

When the chamberlain refused to speak, Jaina prompted him. "What is it, Kristoff?"

"It might be wise to have the detail accompanying Lorena remain at Northwatch to fortify it."

Without hesitation, Jaina said, "No."

"Milady—"

"The orcs want us out of Northwatch altogether, Kristoff. And while I understand why we can't accede to that request, I am not going to do something as provocative as reinforce it, especially when they believe that we refused to help them against pirates."

"I still think—"

"You've been excused, Chamberlain," Jaina said frostily.

Kristoff glowered at her for a moment before bowing low, spreading his arms, and saying, "Milady," before taking his leave.

I'm not sure I understand what the problem is, Colonel."

Lorena stared out the window of the small watch office for Northwatch Keep. The statement had been made by Major Davin, the current commandant of Northwatch, who had been frustrating Lorena since she and her six—soldier detail arrived an hour ago.

From his seat at the small desk in the watch office's center, Davin, a stout man with a thick beard, had told Lorena that there was a convoy ship that had gotten lost in the fog. It was possible that that was the ship the orcs claimed to have seen.

Lorena turned to look down at him—made easy by his being seated, though Lorena was taller than the major even when standing—and said, "The problem, Major, is that the orcs were expecting help from us. And they should've gotten it."

"What for?" Davin sounded genuinely confused.

"They're our allies." Lorena couldn't believe she needed to explain this. Davin was a hero during the war, having been the only survivor of a brutal massacre of his platoon, which was escorting a wizard who was also killed. The intelligence he brought back had been invaluable.

But now the war hero just shrugged. "They fought with us, sure, but that was necessity. Colonel, they're not even civilized. Only reason to put up with 'em's 'cause of Thrall, and he's only worth it 'cause he was raised by humans. But what happens to them ain't our concern."

"Lady Proudmoore disagrees with that sentiment," Lorena said in a tight voice, "and so do I." She turned back around. The view of the Great Sea from this window was quite spectacular, and Lorena found she preferred it to looking at Davin's annoying face. "I've sent my people to find Captain Avinal and his crew to get their side of the story."

Now Davin stood up. "With all due respect, Colonel, there's no ‘side. Avinal's boat got lost. They got back on course. They came home. If an orc ship got itself attacked by pirates, then fine, but it's not our problem."

"Yes, actually, it is." She refused to turn to look at him. "Pirates, on the whole, aren't especially picky about who they attack. They'll go after goblins, orcs, trolls, ogres, elves, dwarves—or humans. If there are pirates operating that close to Ratchet, it does concern us."

"I've been assigned to this post for three years, Colonel." Davin sounded petulant now. "I don't need you to tell me about pirates."

"If that's the case, then you shouldn't need me to remind you why an orc ship being harassed is your concern."

A small private whose uniform looked as if it had been fitted for someone a full head taller, knocked meekly on the door to the watch office. "Uh, sir, there's some people here to see you and Colonel Lorena, sir, if that's okay, sir."

"Who?" Davin asked.

"Uh, Captain Avinal, sir, and a soldier I don't know, sir."

"That'd be Strov," Lorena said. "He's the one I told to bring the captain here."

Davin fixed Lorena with a glare. "And what's the use of embarrassing the man by bringin' him up to the watch office like a common prisoner?"

Lorena started mentally composing the letter to Lady Proudmoore and General Norris recommending that Davin be reassigned to kitchen detail. "First of all, Major, I would think you'd prefer that I talk to your captain in your presence. Secondly—do you usually bring criminals to the watch office rather than the brig?"

Apparently, Davin was content to continue glaring rather than answer her question.

So Lorena turned to the young officer. "Send them both in please, Private."