By the sunlight streaming down through the cellar door, Kang could see Slith standing in the center of the room. He held no weapons, did not look particularly threatening. Six human females were gathered at the far end of the subterranean chamber, as far from Slith as they could manage. One of the human females, the eldest-a tall, stringy female with hair the color of Kang’s sword and a face so sharp it put his blade to shame-stood glaring defiantly at the draconian. The other females had gathered behind the elderly woman, whom Kang took to be their leader. She shifted her glare to Kang when he entered.
The females wore robes that had once been white but were now covered with dust from the cellar. Each wore around her neck a silver medallion, with the exception of the leader. Kang saw that Slith held her medallion in his hand.
Kang was nonplussed. He’d never had much dealing with human females before. He didn’t find them all that attractive, as did some of his kind. The only female he’d ever really come to know had been a Knight of Takhisis, a soldier, like himself. He had been able to talk to her. He had no idea what to say to a female cleric.
Technically the females were his prisoners, but he needed their help, and he would not gain that help by reminding them of the fact. Nor would he be likely to gain their aid by threats and coercion. He may not know human females, but he could size up a fellow officer, and he could tell by the old female’s proud and upright stance, her fearless gaze and defiant air, that this was not a commander who would be easily intimidated.
Outside he could hear his officers ordering their men to take up positions along the wall. That gave him an idea.
Kang marched forward. Removing his helmet, he held it under his arm and stood to attention.
“I am Commander Kang, ma’am, of the First Dragonarmy Field Engineers. What is your name and rank, ma’am?”
“What does it matter to you, Fiend?” the elderly woman said. “Kill us, and get it over with!”
“We have no intention of killing you, ma’am,” Kang returned. “Your name and rank, ma’am.”
The woman hesitated, then said grudgingly, “I am Hana, one of the blessed sisters of Paladine. I am head of our order. What’s left of our order,” she muttered.
“Sister Hana,” said Kang with a brief bow, “you and the rest of the females may consider yourselves as being under our protection.”
“As being your prisoners is what you mean!” countered Sister Hana.
“No, ma’am,” said Kang, and he turned slowly and deliberately to face sideways, leaving a clear path to the cellar door. “You and the others are free to go, if you choose to do so.”
The females appeared startled, distrustful.
“This is some kind of trick!” said Sister Hana.
“No, ma’am.” Kang gestured. “Slith, the rest of you troops, stand aside.”
Slith and the others shuffled sideways.
“I should warn you, ma’am,” Kang continued, just as the females were starting to make a hesitant move, “that a large goblin army has this temple surrounded. It is possible that you and the rest might be able to slip through their lines and escape. You should know that goblins don’t kill their prisoners. They enslave them.”
One of the younger females gasped.
“Quiet, Sister Marsel!” the older female snapped. “I knew it!” She glared at Kang. “It is a trick. You let us go and then your allies capture us!”
“You are wrong, ma’am,” Kang said quietly. “You have only to go outside and look to see that the goblins are not our allies. They are attacking us. We are outnumbered. We came here to use this temple to defend ourselves.”
The sounds of battle could be heard clearly. Above the clamor of arms and the harsh shouts and cries of the dra-conians sounded a long, thin, high-pitched, spine-tingling wail. The elderly woman paled and, for the first time, her defiance wilted slightly.
“A goblin battle cry, ma’am,” said Slith, standing at attention. “I take it you’ve heard that before.”
“I was in the War of the Lance,” Sister Hana said, more to herself than to them.
“As were we, ma’am,” said Kang, adding politely, “on opposite sides, I believe.”
She cast him a grim and dour glance. “The side of evil!”
“No, ma’am,” said Kang. “It was you who were on the side of evil.”
She drew herself up straight. “I fought in the name of Paladine!”
“And we fought in the name of our goddess. It all depends on your vantage point, doesn’t it, ma’am?” Kang said. The yelling outside had increased, so had the clash of steel against steel. “I would enjoy discussing the issue with you further someday, ma’am. Now does not appear to be the time, however.”
“Sir!” called Dremon from outside.
“Come down!” Kang yelled.
Dremon and the other members of Support Squadron came clattering down the stairs, their claws scraping on the wood, their weapons clanging and banging. The woman put out her arms, crowded the young women further back against the wall.
“Don’t be afraid, ma’am,” Kang said quickly, casting Dremon a rebuking glance that brought him and the rest of the men up straight and stiff. “These are some more of my troops. We carry with us a valuable treasure, ma’am. The greatest gift to come to our race. I ordered my men to bring the treasure down here, where it would be safe from harm during the ensuing battle.”
Carefully, gently, Dremon and the other draconians took the knapsacks from their backs. They placed the sacks on the cellar floor and lifted the fur-lined flaps that covered the babies. Bright eyes blinked in the light, snouts twitched. Small mouths opened in yawns and whines. Kang’s heart twisted. A week ago the babies would have squawked and squeaked and complained. Now they looked drowsy, listless, as Dremon had said.
“Oh, aren’t they cute!” Sister Marsel cooed.
“The sweet little things,” said another.
Kang cast Dremon a triumphant glance.
“Are they baby dragons?” asked Sister Marsel.
“Spawns of evil is what they are!” Sister Hana snarled. “Those are baby draconians!”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Kang.
“But I didn’t think draconians could have babies,” said Sister Marsel. She looked at Kang and blushed. “Because. . because there are no female draconians.”
“That’s true, ma’am,” said Kang, his voice softening.
“Then how. .?” Sister Marsel didn’t seem to quite know where this sentence was going.
“The babies were given to us in payment. Our queen sent us-”
“Tricked us,” Slith said beneath his breath.
Kang shrugged. “Perhaps she had a right. She was desperate. To make a long story short, we fought Chaos’s monsters in the caves of Thorbardin and defeated them. Then we found the babies. We saved them from death.
We paid for their recovery with our blood. This is the greatest treasure we have ever been given. You see, ma’am, these children are female draconians. Once our race was doomed. Now, we will survive.”
“Paladine prevent it!” Sister Hana cried.
“I don’t think he has much say in the matter anymore,” said Kang gravely. “Our queen left us here on our own and, from what we’ve heard, you’ve been abandoned by your god, as well.”
“Our god is with us!” Sister Hana retorted.
“I don’t think so, ma’am,” said Slith. He tossed her medallion into the air like a gambler tosses a coin, causing it to spin and flip. He caught it with a quick, overhand snap. “If your god were around, would he let me do that to his medal?”
“That will do, Slith!” said Kang in a rebuking tone. “It is not our place to mock the faithful. Give the sister back her medallion and apologize to her for mistreating it.”