Paul Kater - Bactine

Feeling close to human again, and equally presentable, Daniel tugged the cord. He heard nothing, but chanced that it had been enough. While he waited for something to happen, probably someone to come to his room, he peered through the curtains again. His room was located somewhere at the backside of the house. There was nothing but garden and more hill as far as he could see. He tried to see where the path was where the cloaked person had come to the house, as he recalled the video he had seen, but that was invisible from where he stood.

There was a knock on the door. “May I come in, sir?” It was the voice of a woman.

“Of course, please do,” Daniel said, stepping away from the curtain.

The door swung open. The woman who had brought him food before entered, she had another tray with food with her. “Good afternoon, Mr. Zacharias.” She carefully closed the door behind her, balancing the tray on one hand. She’d obviously done that a lot.

Afternoon? “Good afternoon. Can you tell me how long I have been sleeping?”

The woman put the tray on the table. “Almost a whole day, sir. You must have been very tired, sir.” She then pointed out the assorted food items on the tray. “If there is anything you want, apart from this, you can always ask, sir,” she assured him with a smile. “Seigner Warlem asks you to call on him with the hydger, Mr. Zacharias, when you are ready to leave.”

Daniel had no more questions that she could answer, so she left him alone as he attacked the food.

It only was a short communication that happened with Warlem after Daniel had finished eating. “I’m coming,” was all the poet said.

Warlem did not waste time. He knocked on the door and came in only a few minutes later. “Daniel. You look much better. I dread to describe the state you were in yesterday.”

“I feel better too, thank you. It kind of strange being here, but the room service is a lot better than at my apartment,” Daniel grinned, staring at the strange fair haired beast that hung over Warlem’s shoulder.

“You can breathe easy,” Warlem said. “My father has left already. He has no idea you are here, and nobody is going to tell him you were. Is there anything my mother or I can do for you before you leave? We really hope you can find Rayko.”

“I would like some more information on her,” Daniel said. “Things she likes, friends, perhaps a reason to disappear? And what’s that… giant ferret doing on your shoulder, if I may ask?”

“Ferret?” Warlem picked the ferret up and stroked it. “This is not a ferret. This is a goffeesh. her name is Blondie. She’s Rayko’s.”

Daniel frowned for a moment. “So it was not a goldfish after all…”

“No. This is not a fish.” It was Warlem’s turn now looked a bit puzzled. “It’s a goffeesh. A goffeesh needs a lot of attention. That is why I have her. Care to hold her for a while? It is very pacifying to hold a goffeesh, Daniel.” He held out the long-stretched animal in one hand. It hung there, seemingly very much at peace. It probably was used to being handed around.

Daniel however thanked him for the honour.

Warlem nodded as he put the goffeesh over his shoulder again. “I think, my friend, the information you seek is something you should discuss also with my mother. We can answer your questions together…”

Daniel followed Warlem to the large hall. Udriga, Clelem’s wife, sat on a large couch, drinking tea.

“Oh, Mr. Zacharias. How do you feel?” she asked.

“A lot better, my lady.” Daniel then had the time to ask his questions. None of Rayko’s friends sounded like the type that would coax her into running off. And neither of the two people could think of a reason for her to disappear without a word. More and more the cloaked person took the centre of attention. It just didn’t make much sense. But then, many things suffered from that.

“And the row she had with her father just before she vanished?” Daniel tried one more time.

“Those happen frequently,” Ugidra said. “Rayko has a mind of her own, and that clashes with the ideas of her father. If they don’t have words at least twice a week, one of them is ill.”

“Being ill has not stopped them before, mother,” Warlem reminded her.

“Then, please, allow me to just mention some names,” Daniel said. “Seigner Dogom ko Tzuy? Would he have anything to gain from this kidnapping, if it really is one?”

Ugidra shook her head. “No. He and Clelem have their differences, but I don’t see him do this. He has always been friendly to us.”

“The shape of the man in the cloak would certainly fit him, though,” Warlem thought out loud.

Ugidra watched her son. “Seigner Huajo would never do something like this. He wouldn’t be able to, physically. His walking is bad enough, Warlem, do not mock the man, please.”

“Then what about the senator, Seigner Dirrit ko Asac?” Daniel just tried the name, to provoke a reaction.

The two people stared at Daniel in disbelief. “You cannot be serious, Mr. Zacharias,” Ugidra finally said. “The senator is a really dear friend. He adores Rayko, and he gets along with my husband very well.”

“Do you then know of other people who could be considered enemies of your husband?” Daniel was sure that Clelem would have some more. He just had to think of the way the man had treated him, which made his blood temperature drop a few degrees. At least, that was how it felt to him.

Ugidra and Warlem went through a set of names that meant nothing to Daniel, but there was no one they were able to point at. Except for perhaps Seigner Folkling ko Keran. Or Seigner Willin ko Noles. They were ship owners also, and it seeped through that Clelem had pulled some nasty business trick on them that would give them reason to be less friendly towards the man.

Daniel got the suspicion that the list was longer than the two people wanted to tell him.

They talked for a while longer, but nothing new came out of that, so Daniel left the Dandra ko Galems and called for a carriage home. Warlem, who had accompanied him to the foot of the hill in the floater, insisted to handle the costs for that ride.

On the road, Daniel took his device and tried to talk to Tomlin. His friend was at home, also recovering from his adventures.

“Daniel, rascal, where are you? What was so urgent that you ran off yesterday?”

Daniel explained so much as he could and wanted, about Rayko’s disappearing act and what he had heard and seen. “And now I wonder if you have any idea about the things that go about in that environment of ship owners, the politics and those kinds of things.”

Tomlin frowned. “I’m not really the person to talk to about that, Daniel. Sorry, but I am in a different line of work.”

“I know, you’re in the pirate fighting business lately.” They laughed. It helped to release some of the tension that was still inside them. “Well, thank you anyway, Tomlin. I hope I did not disturb your rest with this call.”

“You can call me any time, Daniel, and you know it. So don’t give me that, okay?”

They ended the call. As the carriage rolled into Skarak, the hydger called for Daniel’s attention. It was Ulaman contacting him.

“Daniel, where are you? You were busy just now!”

“Hey, Ulaman. Good to see you. How are you?” Daniel was really glad to see the captain’s face.

“I’m fine, Daniel. They patched me up some at the hospital and then Xandree made them agree that she could take me home.”

Daniel laughed. Xandree was Xandree. Even after the ordeal she had been through. “How is Xandree doing?” She had not been looking her best either.

“Running the ship, as usual,” Ulaman grumbled, but the wink he added told Daniel things were fine. “Now you stop all your questions and come over here. We’re all here and we miss you. We need you to be here, Daniel.”