Val hesitated. “The outcome is in doubt, primarily because of the scree. The Rebels can and are being dealt with. The scree makes the process more difficult, but we have a plan. I believe the Empire will be restored to its full stature in time. It may even be stronger and better as a result of this coup. Any information you choose to provide might serve to speed up the process, but, quite frankly, I doubt if you have any information I don’t already have or will soon have through my own resources.”
“How will you defeat the scree?”
“All I can say is that we have a plan, and it’s a good plan. If it works, and if you speak true, it may be to your benefit as well.”
“No one has ever defeated the scree. ”
“No one has ever tried to take over the Empire either. We’re very serious about taking it back, and to do so we will have to defeat the scree. We have a plan.”
“You believe the Empire will be fully restored. The cohesion required by your Empire comes from a certain line of women who lead, a line which we have been informed no longer exists.”
“Forg, I say again, the Empire will be fully restored.”
“Your conclusions are based on what? Fact, hope, what?”
“All the above. We have a Queen, she is from the line of Chosen, and she fulfills all our requirements.”
Val knew he might have said more than he should, but the Rebels and their Chessori friends were well aware that Ellie had survived. What he had just divulged would not be a surprise to Forg if he was in league with the Rebels. If Forg was not in league with the Rebels, if he was, in fact, opposed to the Chessori who were working with the Rebels, it might give him hope. However, Val had clearly set himself up as one who could lead the Chessori to Ellie. He would have to be careful.
“I see,” Forg replied. “She is completely restored?”
“No. She rebuilds her Empire from a hidden location.” Val leaned toward Forg. “Don’t even think about asking where it is.”
“It is not necessary that I know,” Forg replied. “I have one further question. If I can prove to you that not all Chessori support these Rebels, will your Empire reconsider its perception of my people? Will your Empire give us the opportunity to negotiate a new relationship between our peoples?”
Val paused. He had to speak carefully. His words were the Queen’s words on all worlds of her Empire. He could not force her hand, yet to open doors and to provide opportunity was exactly what her Knights were all about. He would keep those doors open.
“Your task will not be easy,” he said to Forg. “If you can convince me, you will then have to convince others. But know this: if you speak true, the door is not closed to the Chessori. If you speak true, you will have the opportunity to be heard. A promise from me in this matter is a promise from the Queen.”
Forg stared at him. “You speak for your Queen?”
“I do.”
Forg looked to his friends for a time, and Val sensed confusion among them, though no outward sign showed. When Forg turned his gaze back to him, he said, “I knew you were more than you appeared to be, but you are young. How can you speak for the Queen?”
“You ask too much, Forg.”
“I do not ask too much. I ask a lot, but a lot is at stake here. I am a simple trader, but who you are is not clear to me. Fundamental to every negotiation is that representatives of each party be decision-makers. Are you in a position to decide? These are weighty issues. What you and I decide today might impact the future of our two empires, a future that is at great risk at this moment.”
“What do you have to offer?”
“If your knowledge of the Chessori is as limited as you say, I offer a window to the rest of my people that is, apparently, closed to you at the moment. Your impression of the Chessori is very wrong. I ask again, who are you that you speak in the name of your Queen?”
Val considered Forg’s words, then he considered Forg himself. Forg was Chessori, and Mike had declared all Chessori to be the enemy, but what if Mike was wrong? What if some Chessori were not the enemy?
If Val chose wrong, it would be a terrible mistake, but at this point the only risk was to himself. Was he willing to risk his and Artmis’ life? Almost worse, was he willing to risk the horror of the scree?
›What do you think, Artmis?‹
›I think you’re on to something. As Knights, our duty is clear. It is time to risk.‹
He shuddered, and Forg noticed.
“You are frightened. Is my question so threatening?”
“No, but the consequences of my choice are. I deeply fear a recurrence of your scree.”
All six Chessori hung their heads, seemingly in shame. When Forg looked back to Val, he said, “I now believe you have truly experienced the scree. For that, I am sorry. I cannot make amends, but regardless of how our negotiations progress, I offer my word as a trader that you will not feel its effects from me or my crew. That is a personal promise made outside the terms of our negotiations.”
“Words are easy,” Val responded. “Can you offer proof?”
“You know I cannot. Are we at an impasse? Have negotiations ended?”
“Can you afford to end negotiations?”
“I can. I’m not so sure that my people can. I would like to keep the door open between our peoples, but I do not have the means to do so on my own.”
Val sat back in his chair and considered. At the moment, the threat was only to him and Artmis. Regardless of what he revealed to this Chessori, only the two of them were at risk. Then he wondered. He opened his eyes to Forg.
“Can you read my mind?”
“I cannot. If I could, it would be a two-way communication, and you would know that my words are true.”
“Then everything is based on faith in our words.”
“It is, and the stakes are very high. If you choose to risk, I will reciprocate.”
“In that case, do you understand the position of the Queen’s Knights within the Empire hierarchy?”
“I have heard tales of Knights, tales that are spoken with words of reverence. I believe they are simply that, tales of the past. Of those that have spoken the tales, none ever actually met such a person.”
“You have.”
Forg let his surprise show for the first time. He sat back in his seat with his mouth hanging open. So, too, did the other Chessori with him. “The Knights of the Realm are real?” he finally asked.
“Very real, Forg. Also very few in number.”
“The tales mention a talisman created by the Queen,” he said softly.
Val smiled grimly. “You may call it a talisman if you wish, but its principal purpose is to serve as identification, unquestioned identification. Only the Queen, using Talents found nowhere else in our Empire, can empower these talismans, and they are given only to her Knights in a very special and private ceremony. Once empowered by the Queen, only she and the Knight to whom it was issued can activate it, and if either of them dies, it ceases to function. For the Knight carrying this talisman, his word is her word on all worlds of the Empire. I can readily believe they take on magical powers in tales.”
Forg seemed frightened. He remained pressed into his seat, as far back as he could get in that seat. “What are you saying, Val?”
“You asked if I was in a position to make decisions. I am, and this proves it.” He tossed one of his Knights Pins across the table. It came to a stop before Forg, spinning slowly until it came to rest.
Forg stared at it, afraid.
“Pick it up, Forg,” Val ordered. “It will not hurt you. Open it.”
Forg hesitated, then, looking at Val, he reached tentatively for the Pin with his small hand. The other Chessori leaned away from him, looking as if they were ready to flee. Before picking up the Pin, Forg looked to each of his men. No words were exchanged, but Val sensed they were communicating in spite of that. When Forg turned back to Val, he said, “I have issued instructions that no matter what happens, the scree will not be used.”