Comet's Fall 1: Ostancine

3.3

The next morning I woke early to brew a strong pot of Ostancine South Hills coffee. My head was pounding, and although I was nauseous I needed the energy to go over my notes on Randamus. I had calculated that the comet would soar into sight within a month's time and I would need to be organized if I were to learn everything about it that I could. Who knew when it would come back? I might be an old woman before I ever got the chance to study it again had I missed this opportunity.

This thought was interrupted though with an explosive pain at my brow. There was a heavy knock on the observatory's door, and I nearly spilled my coffee as I made my way to the door to stifle it. The doctor was still on the platform so I went to answer the heavy-handed call. I hoped that I could get rid of them as soon as possible and get back to nursing this hang over in peace.

I scurried to the observatory's entryway, and cracked open the door to be greeted by a familiar but stern face. The helmeted guard that stared down at me was Gill Chambers, and from his face it appeared that this visit was not a personal call. When he saw me he held up a scroll with the Ostancine interior guard crest on it.

"I have official business with Dr. Khalis," he said curtly. I hurriedly unchained the door and he pushed past me into the entry way. His eyes scanned the observatory as if he was looking for something.

"What is this about, Gill?" I asked nervously. I hoped the doctor hadn't started into any heavy work yet. The last thing I needed was for Gill to let himself into the doctor's office and fling open the false book case. More horror filled me as I tried to remember if I had locked the office door.

"I've been dispatched to investigate."

My heart leaped to my throat.

"To investigate what?" I asked.

"Well, for one there have been several noise complaints over the last few weeks," he said.

"Noise?" I asked, "I don't see why there would be noise complaints. Our remodeling has been finished for weeks now."

"Remodeling," repeated Gill, heading into the observatory's main hall and scribbling notes on the parchment. "Strange. You've remodeled, but everything looks the exact same as my last visit. That was three years ago."

"Well," I said, "it was all structural work, that and improvements to our personal quarters so there wouldn't be much that the public would see."

"And what would you be doing in your personal quarters with a five meter copper tube and a hundred panes of glass?" he asked, opening the scroll from his belt."

I felt a prickling at the back of my neck.

"You're mighty well informed about what's been coming in and out of here, aren't you Gill?"

"Of course," he said with a dismissive wave. "The noise isn't the only thing that has been noticed about this place. We've discovered an uptick in treasury funds flowing into this place. The doctor has been very liberal with his bills of exchange and the steward is interested seeing what the doctor has been working on."

"The steward?" I asked.

"Yes, Lord Steward Barrons has not been blind to the drain on Ostancine's coffers due to your... remodeling was it? The guard needs answers on where, or who, the funds have been going to, Malia. They certainly haven't been going toward remodeling and definitely haven't been going toward the protection of the city."

"And I'm sure that's the only reason that you're here," I said. It was unsettling enough that the doctor had kept this from me, but the fact that the city government suspected us of gods knew what put the situation in a whole new light. What had the doctor done to upset the guard so much?

"What are you suggesting?" he said.

"I'm suggesting that you brought us under fire because I am finally seeing success," I said. It was a bold accusation, but discretion wasn't with me at the time. "What's the matter? Are you upset that I'm succeeding now and not crying on your shoulder?"

"We live in dark times, Malia. Tarn wizards walk the streets in secret, using their magic to take on the faces of others. Their influence runs deep, and their corruption seeps into the minds of Ostancine's proud citizens as their towers press in our shores. Khalis's past is well known to the steward, and keeping an eye on him and his associates is in our best interest. Rooting out corruption is my job, and I hope that you will not take it personally."

"So that is all you were doing at the library then? Keeping an eye on me and rooting out corruption?"

"It was," he said through a set jaw, his face flushing. My own jaw set and my head throbbed. There was so much I wanted to say, but discretion took over my impaired brain. "You really have no idea what you've gotten yourself into at this observatory, Malia. Khalis is a dangerous man whether you want to believe it or not."

"Well I don't," I said.

"Then perhaps you should ask him about the soldiers he got killed in Tarn some time."

For a tense moment, my eyes met his. The pain in his eyes was clearly evident, but had I really hurt him that much by deciding to keep working at the observatory? What reason could he possibly have for hating Dr. Khalis so much?

"Let me go summon the doctor for you," I said, as the warm hold of the caffeine finally did its job and freed me from my reverie.

I sat him down with a stiff cup of coffee in the waiting room and rushed up the stairs. When I reached the airlock, I gave the bell a stiff tug. The personal nature of Gill's accusations stung deep, and I knew our work here hung on a knife's edge. If we lost the funding we were getting from the steward there was no way we could keep our work up. Even the hardest working astronomers need to eat after all.

The weight of the situation weighed down on me as I waited longer than usual for the false book case's clunk as it sealed. The bolts slowly turned back and the door opened inward. A rush of air blew past me as the office filled back up with air.

When he opened the door Dr. Khalis was standing there, his hair a mess and still in his bed clothes. His skin was the familiar granite hue, but there was something strange in his manner.

I furrowed my brow as I regarded him.

"We have trouble," I said flatly, crossing my arms.

"Yes we do," he responded hollowly. "We've been hit by a meteor."

It appeared our troubles were multiplying.