Legends of Arkn

Ch 3 - Points of Authority

Heavy Harbor was huge. Ten miles of dockyards and warrens stretched out to either side as The Messenger coasted into its mooring. Ropes were thrown from the ship to those on the docks, who tied off the ship. The crew rolled out the gangway. Phan followed the General down to the docks.

"Secure horses and provisions. Meet us outside the Eastgate at sundown. We leave for Fort Delson as soon as I finish with business at the Trade House," the General said to one of his captains, who saluted and hurried off with most of the rest of the soldiers.

Four men remained behind with Phan and the General. Without another word, the General set off toward the city. Phan hopped past dockhands to catch up.

"Why are we going to the Trade House?" he asked.

"Points of Authority," said the General. When Phan cocked a questioned eyebrow, the General continued, "We need to gather forces to fight Daze and also to repel the Wastelanders. For that, we need money and soldiers. To get those, you need to seek out the Points of Authority in each city we visit. So we go to see the Mistresses. And they are in the Trade House."

Their journey was short. Though Heavy Harbor stretched miles along the coast, it was an otherwise narrow city. This gave its land-facing side the advantage of have walls that stretched for miles; a terrible cost to build but also a terrible cost for any invader who might spread his forces out along it to try and take the city, a fact that had prevented it from being victimized by even the most enterprising mercenary companies. From the waterfront to the Four Northgates was only ten city blocks.

"Don't speak unless you are addressed directly," said the General. A sharp chorus yessir went up from the men behind them. Phan simply nodded.

The General pushed the door open. The Trade House was a combination keep, trading floor, tavern, and inn. A long hall stretched out before them. The emblem of the Mistresses of Heavy Harbor was emblazoned upon banners that hung from the walls, a grey whale against a field of krylon blue.

The three Mistresses stood around a table on a raised dais at the end of the room. War Mistress Kyara, Sea Mistress Holly, and Coin Mistress Julya regarded the men entering the Trade House. War Mistress Kyara hopped down from the dais and strode to meet the General. They slapped their arms together, hand gripping the other just below the elbow.

"I'm glad you made it out, General," she said formally. "The Heavy Fleet was able to disengage as soon as we saw Daze and his men charge the docks. He cut down your sentries where they stood. Daze himself was wounded in the fighting, but we didn't have enough ships to engage them directly. I'm sorry."

The General nodded to her. "No apology is needed. Sometimes things go sideways in war."

He moved past her to address the other two Mistresses. Kyara ascended to the dais and joined them.

"Mistresses, I come with grave news," said the General.

"We've already received the reports and been relayed the situation by Kyara," said Mistress Julya. "We have completed our contract with you, General. Do you wish to negotiate a new one?"

Phan glanced around the room. Guards, tradesmen, soldiers, and clerical staff all watched the exchange. They were all tense. The General seemed irritated, the first time Phan had seen the emotion. Something about Mistress Julya rubbed him the wrong way.

"The mercenaries under Daze have fled north and the Wastelanders are trapped across the Straights with no ships and no material to build them," Julya continued. "Your army had deserted you. Do you plan on fighting Daze with four soldiers and a child?"

Phan tensed, his hand drifting to the stock of his rifle. The room tensed more. Phan froze. For all the anger, he sensed confrontation wouldn't end particularly well for the General and his party. The General's hands came up, palms facing the floor in a calming gesture.

"We need a response," he said. "Daze and his men will head for Handhigh. Once behind those walls, he will recruit or kill anyone else inside the city."

"How do you know the rest of the clans won't just expel him?" Mistress Holly asked.

"Daze is practically mercenary royalty," Kyara replied. The expression on Julya's face said she didn't like Kyara taking the General's side. "And he's got an assembled force of three hundred professionally armed troops. Remember, we gave them Bourdon Rifles. And it's their word against ours to the clans."

"The Wastelanders are bringing a fleet around the Horn of Rebellion and when they do, nothing will stand in their way from invading Arkn," said the General.

"Ten thousand men couldn't take the continent," Julya scoffed. "They'd barely be able to take Port Shinoda with that force."

"Those ten thousand took the Wall in minutes from us, something that hasn't been done in two hundred years," the General said, his voice growing cross. "And the fleet will carry more soldiers, arms, and supplies. If they make a landing, they'll take Port Shinoda and where do you think will be their next target? You need to meet them at sea and you need to help us root out Daze so that we have some chance at winning this war."

The Mistresses glanced at each other. Kyara nodded to the other two, who regarded her with masked expressions. Julya left the dais and stepped up close to the General. Phan could hear her whisper, but only just.

"We'll call a vote. No one make a move unless our people say so," she said.

"Then we are doomed," the General responded. "This isn't about the pen and the contract, it's about the charge and the contact. We need to fight this. Your people will never vote for war."

"I don't have the privilege of ordering people to die for a cause they don't believe in," she said, her voice hot with anger. "We don't live in a society where the people up top push the people down low."

The General stiffened, but kept his composure. He nodded slowly, then turned and headed for the door. Phan watched him, then stared at Julya as Holly moved to her side. Kyara rushed past to intercept the General.

"Don't fight the power, nobody gets hurt, is that it?" Phan said to Julya. He turned to join the General and said, "Fire's on the way."

The General stopped at the door, Phan and the soldiers around him. Kyara moved close.

"General - Kenji - you need to stay and convince them," she said. "We don't need a vote. We can use war powers, I can use war powers. But you need to get at least one of them on our side. I can't do it here by myself."

"Do what you can to get the vote," he said. He looked at Phan and said, "We leave now."

They headed out of the Trade House, east toward the gates out of the city.

"Will they vote to fight, General?" Phan asked.

"No," said the General. "Not until they see a thousand ships on the horizon and an army at their gates. And then it will be too late."

"So what do we do now?" Phan asked.

"I need to see an old friend."