“Let us talk to the leaders of Pacta Servanda,” Mari insisted. “It doesn’t take a genius to tell that this town is on its last legs. Our help can make the difference for you. But what we bring is an offer, not any type of ultimatum.”
Alain spoke up, using his Mage voice. Mari knew he was aware of how little she liked that voice, so he must be using it for the effect it had on the officer and her soldiers. “If you want to change the fate of this town,” Alain said, “and the fates of everyone in it, and the fates of everyone in Tiae, you will not stand in our way. The choice is yours.”
The officer eyed them, slowly lowering the blade of her sword as she did so. “I know what those are,” she said, using the sword to point at the rifles held by Alli and Calu. “I have never seen one in use, but I have heard what they can do.”
“Then you know,” Mari said, “that if we wanted to we could sit here and kill you and all of your soldiers without risk to ourselves.” That was an exaggeration, given how close the boat was to the landing and the crossbows carried by some of the soldiers, but Mari thought the white lie was justified in this case. “We’re not here to threaten or harm you. We are here to offer a deal that will benefit you and us.”
“A deal?” The officer nodded, as if finally understanding. “We are familiar with trade-offs, Lady Mechanic. You will leave those—” she said, using her sword to point again at the rifles held by Alli and Calu—“and come with me.”
Apparently the officer’s knowledge of Mechanic weapons did not extend to pistols, which wasn’t surprising given how long it had been since the Mechanics Guild had a presence in Tiae. No one suggested searching Mari or the other Mechanics.
But from the way the officer and her soldiers watched the Mages, they had heard plenty of stories about them. Mentally, Mari sighed, hoping that the worst of Mage excesses had been forgotten in the years since the Mage Guild had abandoned Tiae.
The boat tied up and most of Mari’s group disembarked, Sima’s soldiers and the sailors remaining at the dock. The officer led the way into the town, her soldiers forming two lines, one on either side of Mari’s group.
The walk through Pacta Servanda showed Mari more of the town. As at the waterfront, some buildings were empty, usually those devoted to businesses. Living accommodations tended to be occupied, though. The commons she could see wore a variety of clothes that implied both townsfolk and refugees from the countryside. Mari had the overwhelming impression of a town that existed only to survive. Trade and business and crafts had all given way to the most basic need.
Professor S’san leaned close to Mari. “There is no trash in the streets,” she murmured. “Just like in the Empire.”
Mari nodded in silent reply. The Imperial government kept the streets clean, which was a sign both of how efficient the Imperials could be and of how much emphasis they placed on maintaining order. The leaders of Pacta Servanda were also keeping it clean, displaying an obvious sign of a government which had the power to fulfill basic functions.
The city hall they eventually reached was a stout building with a worn but well-built façade. Graceful curves marked doorways and rooflines, and vines grew along the front, almost masking the ravages of too many years with too few repairs. The commander of the soldiers escorting them brought Mari’s group to the doorway. “You must wait here.” She entered the building, leaving Mari and others guarded by the soldiers of the town.
S’san glanced around, annoyed. “Waiting on the whims of commons,” she grumbled just loudly enough for Mari to hear.
A crowd was forming at a small distance, silently watching Mari and her companions. “Even the babies aren’t crying,” Mari heard Alli whisper to Calu.
Mage Dav and Mage Hiro walked to Mari. “There is no fear in them,” Mage Dav said. “Not even when they look on Mages.”
“Something has been burned out of these shadows,” Alain agreed in a murmur.
“Can it be relit?” Mari asked.
The Mages looked at her, even Mage Hiro revealing a tiny degree of surprise at the question. “I do not know,” Mage Dav said.
“We’ll have to try.”
The officer stepped out of the building, her eyes sweeping across the group. “You will be allowed to enter,” she said, making the concession sound like a warning.
Mari followed the officer, leading her group into the city hall. Just inside the door was a big entry area with a high ceiling. The entry was vacant of furnishings or decoration, but traces on the walls and floor showed where such things had once been found. After ascending a wide staircase, Mari and her companions were brought into a large room dominated by a long table. In some ways it echoed the room in which Mari and Alain had met some of the city leaders in Julesport, but here there were ample signs that the past glories of Tiae had been sacrificed to today’s necessity. Darker areas on the walls marked where tapestries had doubtless once hung before being sold. Aside from the table, there were very few furnishings for such a large room, leading Mari to suspect most of those had been sold off as well. She knew what kind of prices furniture and tapestries from Tiae were commanding around the Sea of Bakre these days, and wondered how much of those inflated prices had actually gone to the people here who needed the money the most.
There were no weapons displayed on the walls, either, even though some alcoves seemed designed for that. Every available weapon had been pressed into the defense of the town.
The near side of the long table was bare, but on the opposite side three men and three women sat facing Mari and her group. Mari ran her gaze across them as she walked forward, trying to read their attitudes and determine who would be most open to her proposals. The three women ranged in age from an elderly common with a sharp face and a sharper gaze to a young woman who looked only several years older than Mari. One of the three men was also old, the other two middle-aged like the remaining woman. All were keeping their expressions composed, betraying little, but their eyes were suspicious and wary. They were all lean, even those with stouter builds betraying years of barely sufficient food. Aside from a sword one man wore at his side, none of the city leaders were armed with anything more than a dagger. Mari wondered whether other weapons were hidden beneath the table.
Mari stopped a couple of paces from the table, standing opposite the leaders of Pacta Servanda. She felt her youth more keenly under the gaze of the older commons, but with her jacket on and other Mechanics at her back as well as her Mages, Major Sima, and the captain of the Gray Lady, Mari also felt confidence. She nodded toward the group, trying to address all six of the commons without seeming to single any one of them out. “Greetings. I’m Master Mechanic Mari of Caer Lyn.”
The elderly woman nodded back, her eyes glinting. “Greetings, Lady Mechanic. Were you sent to bring us a message from your leader?”
“Lady Master Mechanic,” Mari corrected. “I am the leader.”
“Then explain your presence at Pacta Servanda,” the oldest man demanded. “Why did you sail your ships into our harbor, flying a pirate’s banner?”
“It’s not a pirate’s banner,” Mari said. “It’s the banner of the new day.”
“You are not pirates?”
“Technically… yes. But our only targets are the Great Guilds.”
The old man made a scoffing sound. “The Great Guilds left Tiae a long time ago. If you have come for payment from them or from us, you will be disappointed.”
Payment?” Mari asked.
“For aiding in the repulse of the barbarians attempting to breach our wall.”
They were being blunt, so Mari decided to do the same. “If you’ll forgive me for saying so, anyone seeing this town would know you don’t have spare money lying around. We did not aid you in the expectation of payment.”