Warin
“Keep the ‘Ice Hammer’ in orbit of Skyhold, but I want the other ships moving to reinforce Holderness, and render aid,” he said as the two of them moved through the corridor that lead to the Throne rom where the council was meeting on the attacks. “Have the ‘ice Hammer’ standing by near the main hanger bay, soon as this meeting is done I want to be on that shuttle, and heading to Holderness myself with any many forces my father and the other lords can spare.”
“Of course,” Ozma said as they entered into the filled throne room.
The room was filled with lords, nobles, politicians, and their security forces. It was almost as full as Warin had ever seen it, and yet even so the crowd moved apart to make a path for Warin as he walked toward his father on the throne, with both Bethany, and Aslaug nearby him.
“My lords,” Warin said as he moved through the crowded room. “Tonight we have been attack, we are being attack. I know many of you are scared, and I wish I could tell you more, but the simple fact is that we do not know more at this time.” He stopped before the stairs to the massive throne. It never felt so big as it did at that moment.
“My lords,” Warin continued, and turned to look at the crowded room. “Right now the people of Holderness are being slaughter, and the local forces cannot handle it. The threat to Skyhold has been ended, and we must turn our attention to ending the slaughter on Holderness.”
Whispers filled the room, but Warin continued. “I need whatever security forces you can spare to help put down the threat on the world. Whatever you can spare, your own bodyguards if need be, or even yourselves if you so wish to volunteer.”
The room went quite, and Warin looked around as no one spoke for what seemed like a life time. “And what about the System Fleet?” Someone shouted. “What of the Sector Fleet?” another voice chimed in, and than a third. “What about the Commonwealth Garrison fleet? Let the Commonwealth quell this rebellion.”
Warin was dumb founded for a moment, but composed himself, and nodded. “Yes, we must call in whatever forces from the fleets that we can, but they are spread throughout the system, and will take time to arrive to the planet, and most of the Sector, and garrison fleets are spreadout throughout the sector, they will take days, and weeks to recall. We must take action now. Further, we cannot know this is not a prelude to a system wide attack.”
“We can’t risk a second attack on Skyhold,” Lord Keyes said, and others nodded in agreement with her. “We must first ensure that Skyhold is secure before we take it’s few remaining defenders. Second we must ensure that this chaos does not spread to the other worlds, and settlements of the system, and once we are in a position, than, and only than can we risk sending forces to Holderness.”
There were loud voices of approval, and Warin turned to his father who nodded in agreement. He spun on his heels and looked at Lord Keyes. “If we do not act now, who knows how far this will spread.”
“We cannot send what little forces we have into the middle of a warzone. Holderness has more than three hundred million people, Skyhold can spare what, a few hundred, maybe a few thousand? Even the full System fleet number less than four hundred thousand.” The Highlord of Dark Depth shook her head. “We have no way of knowing how many of those three hundred million are just waiting to luring our loyal security forces into ambushes to weaken us. Let us secure orbit, and assest what to do as we learn more.”
Warin shook his head at the loud chorus of agreement that followed the small speech of the Highlord. He turned to his father. “You must order immediate action father, you must!”
Sector-lord Walter Ice Aegis, Lord of Holderness, the sector, star system, and world itself that gave it’s name to all three shook his head. “Highlord Keyes is correct.”
Warin turned once more, and looked at the crowd before him, with his mouth opened wide. “Cowards,” he said, and moved forward as the lords moved apart once again to make way for him to leave the throne room.
“What do we do?” Warin heard Aslaug ask as Warin left the throne room.
Warin looked at his old friend for a moment. “We head for the shuttle. If they wont help, we will not stand by. Maybe some lords will send help, but I will not stand by and watch my people slaughtered.”
Aslaug nodded, along with Beth, and Ozma. “We’re with you,” Beth said.
Warin nodded. “Lets go, before my father attempts to keep us here,” he said as the roar of the lords in the throne room continued to build.
