Story Day!!

Welcome back! This post is longer than most of the others (sorry 😬), but the cliffhanger at the end is worth it.

Right?

*watches people shake their heads and leave to do the other stuff in their busy life*

Ahem. Ignore them. Let’s get started!

Recap

Lasha and Calah have split up – Calah to go grab supper, and Lasha to get ready for her all-important meeting with the Commanders…

The Caretaker – Part 1.18

Lasha took a quick detour to her rooms before heading to the High Commander’s quarters, where the meeting would be held. It didn’t take her long to swap her Earthish clothes for the garb of a Leaper Commander: simple brown trousers tucked into soft black boots, and a black shirt covered by a reddish jacket signifying her rank as the Autumn Commander. She washed up and brushed her long auburn hair, holding it above her head in the mirror while trying to decide what to do with the unruly mass. Eventually she gave up and pulled it back with a headband. She placed her Istarin in a secret compartment beneath her bed, made sure her blaster was secured in her ankle boot, then took one last glance at her reflection and left the room.

Even as she went through the motions of cleaning herself up, Lasha’s brain was occupied with thoughts of Rushnak Gunitka and Ixshar, Ashan Dibri and this mysterious Kain Bennett, her apprentice and Mr. Shazen’s failing body. Anything she could think of to keep her mind off of the upcoming meeting. Talking with the High Commander was fine, but talking with the other Commanders was another thing entirely.

Her armband glowed to life. “Lasha, five minutes before your formal dinner,” Alice announced, only serving to boost Lasha’s mounting anxiety.

“Thanks,” Lasha muttered, striding to the door and heading into the hall.

It had been a long time since she was in the High Commander’s private dining room – an even longer time since she’d been there at the same time as every other Commander. They were all there, and she was a couple minutes late. As usual.

David Kenaz looked a tad more careworn than the last time Lasha had met with him face-to-face. Worry creased his forehead, and his brown eyes flickered with a forced peace that was slowly breaking. Yet he remained stoic and strong as ever, not speaking unless spoken to and observing the other Commanders with that piercing gaze of his. His ebony jacket was buttoned up on the side instead of the front, as the other Commanders’ were, and a silver crest gleamed on his shoulder.

Ithran Dor, the second-in-command, sat to the High Commander’s left. His eyes were focused on the Commander to his right, his mouth curled in a smile, his husky voice calm and reverberating throughout the room. A whitish-blue jacket adorned his torso, with his crest clipped to the outside.

The Commander sitting next to Commander Dor was a short fellow, with curly reddish hair flying about his head in all directions and almond-shaped eyes glinting with mirth. Lasha was still convinced he kept a voice-changer in his jacket, for its deep tones certainly didn’t mix with the youth in his face or the sparkle in his eyes. Jagur Enexor, or so he was called. His yellow jacket reminded Lasha of a bee, though somehow Commander Enexor wore it with grace.

Commander Joktan Avith was seated to the left of the High Commander, erect and calm as the sun above a storm. He was nodding at something Commander Enexor was saying, though no smile appeared on his face. The same green jacket he’d worn when Lasha had met with him earlier that day still rested on his shoulders. He turned when Lasha entered and acknowledged her with a nod of his head.

Lasha slid into the empty seat next to Commander Avith and gave her attention to the High Commander. She had a feeling she knew why they’d been gathered this evening, but the particulars were a mystery to her.

“Thank you all for coming,” the High Commander began. “We’ve come together to discuss a critical issue that has arisen beneath our very noses, on our own planets. I’m going to trust each of you to relay whatever information you find necessary to your own Caretakers. Understood?” He surveyed the group with a keen look in his eye.

Murmurs of assent curled throughout the room.

As if on cue, Robotic Assistants of Leapers (or RALs) appeared, bearing silver trays from which steam arose like a welcoming song. Lasha inhaled, closing her eyes for a moment in pleasure. Paprika and vinegar. The High Commander knew what she liked.

Once the food had been served, the RALs stood off to the side with heads bowed and metallic eyes closed as the High Commander offered a prayer of thanks to the Realm-builder, then pulled the cover off his tray. Lasha did the same, her mouth watering at the steak, gravy, potatoes, corn, and other delicacies spread across her tray. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was.

The talk centered on small happenings in each Commander’s Realm – a rebellion here, a new Leaper found there, the invention of a new kind of weapon or founding of a new trade route. Commander Enexor carried the conversation for the most part and managed to weasel responses out of even the High Commander. Lasha tried to focus on her potatoes. Was she doing the right thing? Should she join in the talk, or would it be considered rude? She wondered if her hands were in the right positions, or if her posture was too stiff. What if her hair had gotten messed up, or what if she’d accidentally gotten food on her face and everyone was too embarrassed to tell her?

Stop it, Commander, she scolded herself. They are friends, and won’t care how you act. She forced her muscles to relax and shoveled more potatoes into her mouth.

During a lull in the conversation, the High Commander turned the talk to darker things. “Commander Enexor, have you got any reports on Caretaker Anduin’s concerns?” he asked, fastening his gaze on the most comedic Commander.

Instantly Enexor’s face became serious – a rare thing. “She’s had two more sightings of that Portal Stone, at least that she’s reported to me,” he answered. “She thinks it’s the same one, but it could also mean that there’s more than one Portal Stone in the area.”

The High Commander nodded. “And the military group?”

Enexor hesitated a moment before answering. “Growing stronger. Two Leapers have gone missing, and another one was found dead a few days ago.”

“Dead?” Commander Dor broke in, concern flashing across his face. “Leapers haven’t been killed for nearly a decade now!”

Enexor shrugged. “I know. We didn’t realize that this military group was so strong. Caretaker Anduin said she’d never seen weapons such as they used. She’s concerned for the safety of her Leapers.” He shot a glance at the High Commander. This probably wasn’t new to him, but it was worth sharing with all the Season Commanders.

“What was the name of the Leaper who died?” Commander Avith asked, his voice quiet and accented. Sorrow was in his eyes.

“Unik Yvanna,” Enexor answered. “The ones missing are Harrison Furnid and Mavrik Shrapel.”

“Have you updated the records?”

Enexor nodded, but didn’t say anything.

“There is one other piece of information critical to this case that you should share, Commander,” the High Commander continued. Ah, so he was getting at something specific.

“Yes…” Commander Enexor muttered, shifting in his seat. “We’ve found out the name of the military group’s leader – but it doesn’t make any sense. There’s no way it could be that person. Either Caretaker Anduin is misinformed, or whoever is acting under that name is a fraud.”

“What’s the name?” Commander Dor asked, and suddenly Lasha’s heart leapt into her throat. She couldn’t explain it, couldn’t validify it, but something in the faces of the other Commanders – especially Commander Dor – assured her that she did not want to hear Enexor’s next words. At all. Ever.

Trying to quell the raging worry in her stomach, she grabbed a forkful of corn and potatoes and forced herself to listen as Commander Enexor murmured the name.

“Kain, Commander. His name is Kain Bennett.”

Lasha dropped her fork.

Until next time,

Don’t kill me.

~Joelle

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