“I could easily believe that if I thought that the A Corps would even know that the Badgers were coming, but they won’t know. They will be caught as unawares as the defenders of the Imperial Palace appeared to be this night.”
“They’ll know,” swore Colonel Donil. “The A Corps will be waiting for the Badgers to appear.”
Colonel Taerin smiled at his small victory. He suspected that Donil had some way of communication with General Forshire, and Donil’s words confirmed it.
“Then the A Corps will be doing the Federation a great service. The Badgers deserve to die, but General Forshire will not be there to witness it.”
“What do you mean?” Colonel Donil asked suspiciously.
“You are going to send a message to the general that he is to report to the Imperial Palace immediately. I want to speak to him personally.”
“You are but a colonel,” balked Colonel Donil. “You do not order a general around. Besides, how can I send a message to the general any quicker than you can? Send your own message.”
“Do not try me.” Colonel Taerin snapped in a most uncharacteristic manner. “I wish to speak to General Forshire alone, and I wish to do so immediately. Do not force me to involve Grand General Kyrga in this because he will have many questions that might prove to be very embarrassing to your general.”
“Even Kyrga cannot order General Forshire to return to Despair,” countered Colonel Donil. “Why is speaking to General Forshire so important to you?”
“Grand General Kyrga can order any general to do anything he wants. Are you daft?”
“Kyrga is indeed the Grand General, but he has no authority over General Forshire. General Forshire reports directly to the emperor. If you want him so badly, perhaps you should speak to Emperor Jaar.”
Colonel Taerin was about to angrily respond when he suddenly fell silent. He let Donil’s words roll around in his head. There was no known position reporting directly to the emperor, yet if there was one, it might explain a great deal about Forshire’s strange activities. He decided to change course.
“Look, Donil, I really need to talk to General Forshire. I am sure that he would agree to the meeting if I could get word to him. I know that you have such a method for doing so. I will not even inquire about your method of delivering such a message, but I ask you to send one as soon as you can. Something is not right in the Imperial Palace, and I think General Forshire can shed some light on it. Tell him that I will meet with him wherever he wants, and I will tell no one else about the meeting, but we must speak. It is urgent.”
Colonel Donil merely nodded, and Colonel Taerin knew that was the best answer he would receive.
“Why don’t you move into the palace, Donil? I will give you authorization to use General Forshire’s suite until he arrives.”
“I could not do so,” Colonel Donil replied. “My orders were explicit. I am to stay here until I am told otherwise.”
“The Badgers obviously have found a chink in our defenses,” sighed Colonel Taerin. “They can easily come back for you. You are not safe out here.”
“I do get that feeling,” admitted Colonel Donil, “but absent permission from General Forshire, I am duty-bound to remain here.”
“Very well,” sighed Colonel Taerin. “I hope some day to learn how Forshire has instilled such loyalty in his men. I suggest you ask for permission to move into the palace when you send my message. I will leave the offer open. All you need to do is come to me and ask to move indoors. Your request will be granted.”
Colonel Taerin turned and walked out of the building. He paused briefly outside as the thought of concealing himself came to mind. If he was clever enough, he might discover how Donil communicated with Forshire, but he soon gave up the thought. Donil would not send the message until he was certain of success without observation. All Taerin would accomplish would be a delay in sending the message, and he wanted it sent without delay. As the clouds opened up and rain started falling, Colonel Taerin ran towards the Imperial Palace to return to his room.
Chapter 5
The Archives
The thunderclap was so loud that it felt as if it shook the bed. Colonel Taerin bolted upright and listened to the sound of the rain pelting the building. He slid out of bed and eased the shutters open. The rain poured down so heavily that he could not see the palace docks. Pools of water dotted the palace grounds and small rivers flowed along the footpaths. He pulled the shutters closed and got dressed. He made his way downstairs to the officers’ mess and found it packed with generals and colonels. He grumbled under his breath. While Despair was usually crowded in the winter because of its warmer weather, many of the senior officers usually stayed up late into the night and rose late in the morning, but the storm must have awakened every last one of them. He turned around and fled from the crowded room. With a slight smile on his face, Colonel Taerin entered the dining room set aside for visiting dignitaries. It was almost always empty. On this particular day, General Fabio sat alone. He looked up and smiled as the colonel entered the room.
“There are plenty of seats in here,” greeted the general.
“So you are aware of the marauding hordes running around the palace?” chuckled the colonel as he sat down at the table.
“One could hardly be unaware. There was a line outside the officers’ mess when I came by. It looks as if the storm woke the entire palace.”
The colonel ordered a light meal when the servant came for his order. He was tempted to engage the general in friendly conversation, but his mind was already reflecting on the events of the prior night. He ate in silence as he planned his day. When he finished his meal, he looked up and was surprised to see that the general had already left the room. He pushed the plate away and rose to his feet.
Colonel Taerin’s first stop was with the duty watch. He inquired about the patrols of the previous night and asked if the intruders had been captured. He learned that the grounds had been thoroughly searched, but no intruders had been found. He frowned as he nodded to the officer. As he made his way to the archives, he wondered if that meant that the Badgers had a secret way onto the grounds of the palace, or more ominously, did they already reside on the palace grounds? He halted in the corridor as a shiver raced up his spine. It was quite possible that some of the soldiers posted to protect the Imperial Palace could actually lead double lives. Could the Badgers have men on the palace staff?
The colonel shook off the ill feeling and entered the repository of official documents. Colonel Donil had said something the night before that stuck in Colonel Taerin’s mind. He stated that General Forshire was not under the control of Grand General Kyrga. Taerin found that hard to believe, but he intended to check on it anyway. Colonel Taerin was one of the few people who had access to the emperor’s archives, and he was let into the special room without question. He started going through the stacks of proclamations and suddenly halted, a mask of confusion staining his face. He turned around and exited the room and faced the guard outside.
“The emperor’s papers are not up-to-date,” declared the colonel. “Where are the newest proclamations?”
“There are no other proclamations,” answered the guard. “Everything pertaining to the emperor is in that room.”
“Who is now responsible for bringing the emperor’s papers down here?”
“You are, sir.”
Colonel Taerin looked stunned. The task had been his for years, but he thought it had ended when the emperor’s guard had been changed. Evidently, it had not ended. He flushed with embarrassment as the guard stared at him.
“Then I have been derelict in my duty,” Colonel Taerin stated. “I shall rectify that immediately.”