“No,” SunChaser shook her head. “There will still be five thousand soldiers attached to the city, and several hundred Monitors dedicated to protecting the Imperial Palace and the Katana.”
“Then what does this accomplish?” asked HawkShadow. “We cannot get any Sakovans out of StarCity while it is under attack. We certainly can’t take on five thousand soldiers by ourselves.”
“It gets General Didyk, and the troops that are loyal to him, out of the city,” answered SunChaser. “He is the biggest threat to us right now. General Lafor leads the city garrison. He is rather inept, which is why he has always been passed over when it came to selecting generals for the major armies. When Lafor dies, the soldiers will be rudderless. Their patrols will be sloppy or nonexistent as the soldiers will realize that no one is watching them closely.”
“Aren’t there other officers?” asked SkyDancer.
“Sure there are,” replied SunChaser, “but the city garrison is the graveyard for misfits. Any decent soldier yearns for a position in the large armies. Those who don’t measure up wind up in the city garrison. Even the officers are soldiers who have been kicked out of the major armies.”
“And how is General Lafor going to die?” asked the Sakovan assassin.
“I figured that I would leave that detail up to you,” smiled SunChaser. “The first thing to do is to get General Didyk out of the way. In my stables there is a horse for you in the last stall. There is a chest behind the stall. In it you will find all the trappings to make you look official. Make sure that you tire the horse first. It must look like you have just had a long and tiring journey.”
“I can do that,” nodded HawkShadow. “Where will I find General Didyk?”
“He has an office in the Imperial Guard headquarters,” answered SunChaser. “It is located on the park in the center of the city. You cannot miss it.”
“Show me to the stables,” said HawkShadow as he picked up the letter and put it in his pouch. “I might as well get this over with quickly so I can concentrate on General Lafor.”
SunChaser led HawkShadow out the rear door of the mansion and into an alley. Part way down the alley were the stables. She showed HawkShadow the chest and left him to prepare as he saw fit. SunChaser walked back up the alley and opened the rear door. A stray cat darted into the mansion as she opened the door. SunChaser followed it in and returned to the dining room.
“A cat just raced through here,” SkyDancer announced when SunChaser entered the room. “I didn’t know that you liked cats.”
“I normally have no time for pets,” SunChaser said as she went into the kitchen and set a bowl down for the stray animal. “This one showed up a few days ago. It is the cutest thing and I felt sorry for it. This is probably the only place in town that it can get something decent to eat.”
“You are a soft touch,” SkyDancer chuckled as SunChaser returned to the dining room. “Where was it hiding when we arrived?”
“Oh, it doesn’t spend much time in the house,” answered SunChaser. “It demands to go out every morning and only returns for food. It will want to leave again as soon as it is finished eating.”
A loud knock on the door startled SunChaser. She looked nervously towards the front door.
“Are you expecting anyone?” SkyDancer whispered.
“Not unless it is HawkShadow returning for some reason,” SunChaser whispered back. “Go hide in the kitchen.”
SunChaser waited until SkyDancer left the room before walking to the front door and opening it a crack.
“Temiker?” SunChaser said in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Trying to stay out of sight,” answered Lyra’s uncle as he slid through the open door. “I am not sure if anyone in this city would remember me, but I chose not to tempt the fates.”
SunChaser shook her head and closed the door. “That is not what I meant by the question,” she said as she ushered the Alamar mage into the dining room. What are you doing in Okata?”
“I felt the need to be here when Lyra arrived,” replied Temiker. “The situation in Alamar is going well enough that I was not needed there. Am I disrupting anything?” he asked as he noticed the plates on the table.
“Not at all,” smiled Cherri. “In fact, a friend of yours is in the kitchen. Go say hello while I clean up in here.”
Temiker walked into the kitchen and saw SkyDancer at the far end. His face broke into a smile and then he noticed the cat. The mage from Alamar shook his head for a moment and then moved quickly. He cast a freeze ball at the cat.
“What are you doing?” scowled SunChaser as she entered the kitchen and saw the spell go off. “Unfreeze that cat this moment. That was cruel.”
“Not until I know who it is,” Temiker said stubbornly.
“What are you talking about?” frowned SunChaser. “It is a cat.”
Suddenly icicles flew from the cat and it disappeared. Temiker backed up warily and pushed SunChaser backward as he did so. A moment later, a tall man with the face of lion appeared. His split lips were smiling.
“How did you know?” asked Ukaro.
A knife slid into SunChaser’s hand to face the threat, but SkyDancer was laughing.
“Our friendship has caused me to look at animals differently,” smiled Temiker. “Why are you here? Why have you kept your identity secret from SunChaser?”
“I do not know SunChaser,” shrugged Ukaro. “I was afraid that revealing myself would cause her to ask questions that I preferred not to address.”
“Who is this?” demanded SunChaser.
“This is Ukaro,” introduced Temiker. “He is the head shaman of the Zatong tribe of Chula in Khadora. He is down here to help us with the Omungans. He is well trusted by Lyra as well as myself.”
“I apologize for my deceit,” Ukaro grinned at SunChaser. “I also thank you for your care and nurturing since I arrived. For a human who does not have pets, you scratch very thoughtfully.”
“What are you doing here?” asked SunChaser.
“Snooping mostly,” admitted Ukaro. “It is amazing how many places you can go in this city as a cat. I have toured the headquarters of the Imperial Guard as well as the Imperial Palace. Today I managed to get into the Katana’s private garden. I also found a secret entrance to the Imperial Palace. It opens into the office of the First Minister.”
“That could be helpful knowledge,” SunChaser said with appreciation. “Are you able to move with ease inside the palace?”
“Sometimes,” shrugged the Chula shaman. “Cats have a hard time opening doors for themselves, and I did not dare to drop my disguise inside the palace. The time for that will come later.”
“So you feel as I do then,” nodded Temiker.
“How do you feel?” SunChaser asked questioningly. “What are you saying?”
“That the battle for Omunga will come down to killing the Katana,” Ukaro replied.
“More than that. Lyra has to take control of the Omunga government,” interjected Temiker. “It is the only way to rein in the huge armies. The government of Omunga must kneel before the Star of Sakova. No other result is acceptable.”
“I guess I agree,” sighed SunChaser, “but I cannot imagine how we will accomplish that. HawkShadow is delivering a note right now to General Didyk. If it works, the last major army will leave this city by morning. Still, this Katana does not make public appearances. I fail to see how a handful of us can storm the Imperial Palace and take control of the government.”
“Well we have time to work on a plan,” shrugged Temiker. “Lyra is coming here, isn’t she?”
“She is,” answered SkyDancer. “StarWind and Goral will also be coming. Everyone else is fighting the Omungans.”
“So there will be eight of us,” remarked SunChaser. “It is not much, but we will do what we are called to do.”
“Nine,” smiled Ukaro. “Do not forget that Kaltara will always be with us.”
* * *
The door flap to the great tent flew open and the officer hurriedly entered. General Romero looked up from his desk with annoyance.