Bond of Hatred

Chapter 2- The IAWYH

The Headquarters of the Interplanetary Association for the Welfare of the Yahkras and Humans [IAWYH]

Admiral Wlamir Krabuct had once prided himself over handling stress and pressure with great fortitude. But then, he had not experienced two things – life as an Admiral in the IAWYH, and marriage. Stubbing his cigar in the ashtray, he wiped the sweat off his forehead, thinking what to do with the situation he had so easily and stupidly landed himself in. Mrs. Krabuct, he knew, would not give a damn why her husband would return late today, she would simply refuse to serve him supper; which added to the Admiral's already splitting headache.

Just sit back and think. He said to himself. Try to sort all the facts again, from the beginning, and then start unscrambling the bits and pieces. And he started to recall how this pandemonium had started.

Morning had come with awesome news. An anonymous source had informed the Assistant Admiral that two of the Known Universe's most wanted fugitives, Zeera and Kurata Wakabe, were aboard the Halinh, a slave ship disguised as a passenger ship, bound for Solidro's North Continent, the only part of the planet the Solidarian authorities had no jurisdiction over. This triggered in Krabuct's mind a series of plans that, if successful, were sure to secure Wlamir's position as the future Fleet Admiral. Rubbing his hands together in excitement, he had asked the assistant to put the Fleet Admiral, Mr. Hurab Viall, on the line. As soon as Viall answered his familiar combination of both a smug and a bored expression appeared on the screen.

The moment he heard his plans, he burst out laughing.

"Are you serious, Krabuct? An operation of this kind will certainly be a disaster. Don't for a moment forget who you're dealing with. The duo is capable of escaping from our toughest clutches."

But Krabuct remained resolute.

"We won't fail this time, sir. I'm more than sure of it. Things were...different last time."

His voice had a tone Viall did not fail to recognise. A faint grunt preceded his half-hearted, "I see."

Fleet Admiral Viall always had a smug expression on his face. One of the longest running jokes was that he was born with that expression. Viall was the most hated Fleet Admiral and many of the officers wanted him to be replaced by Wlamir.

Unfortunately for Wlamir, that piece of gossip reached his ears and Viall would do anything in his power to humiliate Wlamir and make sure that he doesn't get his position. But Wlamir was patient and he worked hard for his position and he was prepared to wait for many years to even get the opportunity to become a Fleet Admiral.

"But what about the girl's brother? That Rukarb, or whatever his name is. What about him? "

"Ruko. But that wouldn't be a problem sir. He is away on patrol duty on the other end of the Andromeda Galaxy. "

Another "I see".

After a moment of waiting for his boss to say something, Krabuct himself said, "So, I'll immediately order twelve of our best men to carry on the operation. We'll use the Pirate ships we captured last week."

"Just one more thing, Wlamir."

Good, thought Krabuct. Addressing his junior by the first name meant that the Fleet Admiral no longer had any problem with the plan, or so it seemed.

"Yes, sir?" Krabuct asked, much too eagerly.

"If the plan fails by even a single notch, you are the only one responsible."

The screen went dead.

To hell with him, thought Krabuct. He's only jealous, because I was informed about this much before him. The plan is foolproof, not like the last operation. His operation.

But things never went the way they should have.

The team of the twelve elite soldiers that Krabuct had selected was quickly briefed about their operation. It was a simple one. There would be six officers in each of the Pirate ships. One would try to divert the slave ship towards Arkemali, the nearest planet, where Krabuct and his men would be ready to ambush the slave traffickers, while the other would hover a little behind.

An exhilarated Krabuct himself went to supervise the preparations at Arkemali. There won't be any mistake this time. Not while I am in charge.

But the diverter ship never arrived. Almost half an hour later, the second team arrived, bringing unhealthy tidings.

"What happened?!" Roared Krabuct.

"It was Ruko, sir. His ship blew our Pirate ship to pieces. "

"Ruko?" The Admiral's brow tightened.

"How could he possibly be here when his orders lucidly stated that he was to stay beyond the Kavrikon Belt? Are you sure it was the Franklin? "

He was about to add more to his ejaculation, but then he recalled how far from his patrolling area he himself used to be in his earlier days.

"As sure as one can be, sir."

The Admiral had no choice but to resort to his Boss's favourite reply.

"I see."

Back in the HQ, Krabuct seemed to be petrified. He had staked his reputation on this operation; and had seen it shattered before his own eyes.

Finally, having come up with no solution, he came out of his ruminations, and looked upon the charge sheet lying on the top of all the files on his desk. He took no more than a second to sign it.

Then, he asked his assistant, for the second time this day, to put the Fleet Admiral on line.

*

Josan Hidel was a proud member of the Yaldrobur, and readily told this to anyone he came across. He did not give a damn whether people held him in any esteem or not; his brotherhood's reputation seemed to be enough for him. It ran in the Hidel family, that the men must be members of the Bur, regardless of what they choose as their career. And much contrary to his father, Josan had no retrospect in this matter. On some days, his job as an artefact collector was even complemented by his knowledge of the ancient weapons of Kral.

Today, however, was not one of those days. Hidel had a major delivery scheduled today, and much to his despair, the Bur just had to assign him the duty if accommodating the new group of human - sacrifices; that again scheduled to arrive today.

Here I am, he thought, sitting in a shanty, waiting for the tumult to commence. Why couldn't our Eldest ask anyone else to extend their hospitality to the humans? Why does it always have to be me? When the Eldest knows everything that has and is to occur, why does he risk my imprisonment? For if the IAWYH officers get even a whiff of those slaves, it is I who'll be paying for it.

All he thought, however, boiled up in his mind and subsided right there. Josan Hidel was not a man to complain out loud. He would not even flinch if a man turned the Grear on him. For though he couldn't afford to let the wielder know, no mortal stood a chance against him.

Let them come.

His face lit up with conviction, Hidel quickly slided the trapdoor that camouflaged his richly adorned storehouse, located at the back of the shanty he displayed to the world. Closing the trapdoor behind him, he went to the maple wood desk and took out the cash from the drawer.

Let them come.

Even if they find out what he was hiding, he was ready to sacrifice himself for the Yaldrobur. The sacrifice was much more essential than his life.

Let them come.

Taking the spear that usually just stood by the threshold and corroded away, he went back to cabin.

It was raining outside.

The silent drone of an airship made him suddenly more wary. The Franklin had come.

Long live the Bur!

Let them come.