An Untitled Novel

Cicero took a swig of beer. “With everything that has gone on the Redcap Queen does not currently hold you in high regard, but I believe she will agree. Although our best means of convincing her would be to bring Grey before her to explain the Elthrice, and why setting up such a defense against them would be imperative. May I bring her before the court?” Cicero spoke in the same business-like demeanor as he had all night, retaining his diplomatic but almost cold tone regardless of whether he was discussing rebuilding or personal topics. His last question, however, gave Basil pause.

“Well that’s something you would have to ask her about, but I’m sure she’d be willing to speak with you guys.” Cicero shrugged. “Very well, I assumed you were keeping her prisoner and did not want to cause an unnessicary conflict.” Basil just laughed. “Prisoner? Under what authority could I keep somebody prisoner, and for what crimes could I even hold her? I certainly doubt you would consider helping us fight the Lizard King as a crime.”

Cicero looked annoyed. “Under the same authority as any other. Power. I am somewhat astounded you had not figured that out yet." When Basil looked confused Cicero continued, still speaking matter of factly. “You and ACE hold advanced weaponry and an Elthrice craft, which means you hold a lot of it.” Cicero finished his drink and wordlessly motioned for Basil to follow, making their way back to the Redcap’s capital building – where Cicero had his quarters and Basil had left a wormhole device. As they walked in silence, however, Basil asked the question that he had wanted to ask all night but had failed to figure out how.

“What do you think about Spiro?” Cicero looked slightly confused. “What about him?” Basil felt almost annoyed. “He lied to all of us, but he also saved my life, and probably kept a lot of people alive. I’m just not sure what to think of everything. Cicero just shrugged. “He’s Amigosian Ministry, what did you expect?” Basil felt more annoyed that he still hadn’t gotten the answer he was looking for. “I mean can we trust him? Will he be sent to do something against us in the future?”

Cicero stopped walking and turned to Basil, voice suddenly seeming a combination of annoyance and pity. “That I do not know, as I cannot know if you will be a danger to my government, or if Nerva will become a threat again and need to be addressed. Do not forget that you have, on multiple occasions, made threats and disobeyed royal directives. You are reckless and a dangerous individual. But, as with Spiro, you helped end bloodshed and your crusade against the potential Elthrice is in our interest, so I have agreed to meet with you and discuss plans. That is how you should consider Spiro.”

Basil felt unsure if he should feel angry or embarrassed and was unsure which of the two his face showed. Cicero’s expression softened a bit. “Perhaps I was a tad harsh. I may owe you a personal debt, and perhaps your intentions are commendable. But my loyalties are with my nation and family.” Cicero looked as if he was about to say more, but stopped as the two were distracted by a commotion near the courtyard gate. The soldiers appeared to be removing a woman in some sort of soldier’s uniform, who made a b-line to Cicero when she saw him.

“You backstabber” she shouted at Cicero, who seemed a combination of ready to fight and avoidant. As Cicero’s hand surreptitiously made his way towards his waistband Basil took a step forward—ready for a fight. “Who are you?” the unknown woman asked, surprised at the unknown-to-her individual who seemed ready for violence. Basil began to wonder if he had misjudged the situation. “Basil, and you?” Basil asked, taking a step back in an attempt to appear less threatening. “Gina Sekoia, head of the coastal federation.” Gina paused for a moment, then added “Are you the Elthrice?” Basil was now even more unsure of the situation. “No, I only have some of their technology. I can assure you there’s no mistaking an Elthrice if you saw one.”

“Please make the Redcaps hold up their end of the bargain” Gina asked Basil. “A word?” Basil asked, turning to Cicero, and the two stepped out of earshot for a moment. “What’s going on?”

“There are a number of independent cities on the northwestern coast, and during the recent tumultuous period they organized under her leadership. Several Redcap county governors requested her assistance in dealing with uprisings and promised official recognition and aid once they had retaken their lands. She lost many of her loyalists during the fighting, and with the newfound peace, consolidated strength is not as valuable. The governors do not have the powers to make such promises, and the crown has decided against honoring the unauthorized agreements.”

When Basil heard Cicero finish speaking he thought for a moment. “But I take it that’s only half the story? If they just dissolved their government, then wouldn’t she return to whatever city-state she was from?” Cicero nodded and looked a little ashamed.

“The coastal cities are large producers of grain and fruit, which are in short supply. We would only expend resources we could not afford to lose, and in doing so it would have only wounded us further as the only fields not war-torn would become so. Her adversaries have come to retaliate for the violence against those who resisted consolidation. She and her supporters haven’t been told outright that they cannot leave, but are probably beginning to get that suspicion.”

“And there’s nothing you can do?” Basil asked. Cicero shook his head. “Basil, politics is only a game of choosing the least bad apparent solution to a never ending stream of problems. If we let her go, her adversaries would only become angry, and knowing we are weak could harm us by raising the price of grain or covertly supporting our adversaries. If you wish to get involved you may, but I do not know what you could do, and I would certainly not permit anything that would jeopardize our access to grain or make it appear you are doing anything on our behalf.” The two stood in silence for a while, until Cicero broke it by saying an abrupt goodbye and heading through the gate.

When Cicero left, walking behind the guards to avoid another confrontation, Gina walked over to approach Basil. “Did he tell you how he used my soldiers to fight their war and then abandoned us to die?” Gina appeared to have some hate in her words, which Basil assumed was directed at the Redcaps. “Yes” Basil replied, still unsure of what he could do about the situation. “So can you speak to the Redcap Queen on our behalf?” Gina replied. Basil shook his head. “Not long ago I was in those walls and their soldiers were pointing my own weapons at me, the only reason why they didn’t fire was because I had better ones. I don’t think it would even be possible for me to get an audience with her, much less convince her of anything.”

They both stood in silence for a long time, neither seeming to know exactly what to say next. Eventually, however, Basil had an idea. “I do have an Elthrice craft, I could get you and any of your supporters out of here and into some no man’s land on the other side of the continent. And I doubt your detractors would try to track you down if they heard you left in an Elthrice craft, although then again assuming I know politics here has gotten every major power pointing a weapon at me at some point or another.” Gina looked saddened, then momentarily angered at Basil’s joking tone, but nodded in melancholy agreement.