Sacrifice

Chapter 10 - The Run-In

Kalli let herself out of the council chamber and rejoined Adir in the entry hall. He was alone, and the lights had been turned low. He looked up as she got close.

"So, did they grant your request?"

Kalli shook her head, dejected.

"Oh, well," was Adir's reply.

"Oh well?" echoed Kalli. "Aren't you the least bit surprised?"

Adir stood. "Kalli we're talking about a people who spend very little time with others not from their culture and who have next to nothing to do with technology. You would have needed a very good argument to get them to agree with you."

Kalli's shoulders slumped. "So you're saying that this venture has been doomed since the beginning?"

Adir opened the door for her. "I didn't say that; I just suspected that you would need a lot in order to change the minds of people who have made a habit of staying the same. It was worth a shot."

Kalli stepped into the cool night air, and Adir fell into step beside her. "So now what?" she asked.

Adir smiled at her through the dark. "Go to plan B."

"But I don't have a plan B," Kalli moaned.

"Once you stop sounding like a petulant child you'll think of something, you always do."

Kalli looked at Adir with a pout. "You know that's the least helpful comment I've ever heard. Do you – "

Adir suddenly held up his hand to silence her. Kalli went quiet. They had reached the gate which led from the compound to the rest of the city; as they crossed the threshold, Kalli saw three figures lit up by the light reflecting off of the Cirt's wall. Two of them wore the uniforms of the Imperial Guard, and they towered over the third who lay on the ground.

"Who goes there?" demanded Adir, not in the voice to which Kalli was accustomed but with the one that demanded the respect of his men.

The two solders barely glanced his way. Kalli hung back uncertain as to what was happening.

"Two brothers in arms and some Cirt scum who left his hole," came the insolent voice of one of the soldiers.

"Step back," ordered Adir, as he approached the three.

"As soon as we send this rat back to his warren," came the nasal voice of the other soldier, who moved swiftly and delivered a hard kick to the fallen Cirt man.

Adir didn't bother to voice his order a second time.

Instead, he stepped forward to bring himself level to the fallen man and pivoted into a kick, striking a blow to the chest of the closest soldier, driving him back and leaving him gasping for breath. His companion began to draw his sword to protect his mate, but Adir had anticipated this. He grabbed the man's arm before the sword was fully drawn and twisted his body so that the other man was off balance. With a sudden jerk, Adir sent his opponent flying.

A brief glance told Adir that the two soldiers were unable to continue the fight. Regardless, he didn't turn his back to them as he stooped to the Cirt man who still lay on the street gasping in pain.

"Are you all right?" Adir asked.

But the Cirt shook Adir off as he pulled himself to a standing position. "Stay away from me Imkanian," he gasped, stumbled away, and fled into the safety of the compound.

Kalli watched the man go and then turned back to the guards who had begun to recover from Adir's thrashing.

"Stand to." Adir barked planting himself firmly between the two guards and their escape.