Warin
“Welcome back my friend,” System-lord Firestorm welcomed Warin, and the fleet back to Grimmbridge System.
“Thank you my lord,” Warin said calmly, and with a smile as he looked at the view screen with the lords’s image.
“I hope you will join me at my hall once your ships reach the planet. As my guest of course,” the System-lord said with a smile.
Warin nodded as he thought. He would have liked nothing more than to decline the offer. Had in fact known it would come, and considered it, but Ozma, Bethany, and Aslaug had convinced him otherwise. They were right, it would pay to try and setup intelligence on the planet, and it could raise eyebrows if he were to declined. He disagreed with that. They had a long journey ahead of them, and it would not be odd to wish to continue on home as their already long journey.
“Of course my lord,” Warin finally said. “Our ships are ever in need of supplies, and trade.”
“Very good,” the System-lord replied. “I shall see you and your people as my guests tonight. I shall have my steward comm with the details,” she said and cut the link.
The files of the Crown Prince had information on System-lord Firestorm herself, and Warin had been shocked to learn she was a member of the Fabian Order of Drala.
Warin let out a sigh as he looked around his command deck. “You have command,” he told the ships XO. “I’ll be in my quarters getting ready,” he said and than left and made his way through the ship to his quarters where Beth sat at her computer station.
“Have you looked into those files in detail?”” Bethany asked.
“Of course,” Warin replied as he ran his hand over his bald head.
“Fuck, they list hundreds of members of the Order in Grimmsbridge, and hundreds of agents.” Beth continued.
“I know,” Warin said grimly.
“I thought..” Beth began but stopped as Warin cut her off.
“That we were dealing with a few dozen rich entitled assholes?” Warin asked her sighed. “I know, me too, but we were wrong. The Order even has chapters in Eriu.” He shook his head. “Even in Holderness there are more than we feared. More than I ever wish I knew, and some right in front of our eyes.”
Beth nodded. “I know,” she said quietly. She had been studying the files as much as Warin since they came in. “Lord Keyes,” she said grimly herself. “Your father isn’t on the list though, and no System-lords within Holderness,” Beth added in a cheerful tone.
Warwin grunted. “That we know how, but the files aren’t complete.” He shook his head again. “Counting minor subsystems, there are at least a dozen Highlords in Holderness though, and twice that number or more of minor lords.”
“Which means your father, in his own way, has been acting to protect you,” Beth said firmly.
Warin looked at her for a moment, and than nodded with a smile. “In his own way,” he agreed.
