A cold, bitter wind blew across the rich, green fields. The blades of grass, uniform in every aspect, quivered at their station, but held firm. The wind howled between the imposing stone statues that lined the courtyard, surrounding the royal court. Several ships, ranging from large cruisers to small, personal crafts, descended from the grey skies in the distance, their engines illuminating the hazy, sleet rain with a bright cyan hue.
Theo stood alone in the courtyard, his metal leg pushing against the wall as the tip of his tail thrashed around impatiently. He watched the ships intently, blinking the rain away from his eyes.
As if today wasn't bad enough.
The royal courthouse truly was a spectacular sight to behold. Shaped like a pyramid, it had been built in such a way that it sat perfectly in the centre of acres upon acres of immaculately kept, luscious green land, stretching out for miles. Only the courthouse's imperial architecture pierced the landscape, along with its surrounding ensemble of stone protectors. These statues would do little in a fight of course, but the hanger of elite dragoons built into the cliffside was a very different matter. Positioned towards the endless grey sea, the dragoons were ready to launch at a second's notice, should anyone threaten the royal family's authority.
The main path leading up to the courthouse was as wide as two streets, made from glittering, thick slabs of granite, and guarded by yet more stone statues, spaced at regular intervals along the path.
Around the main building were six smaller facilities, similar in stature to the courthouse but much less grand in both size and appearance. These facilities were essentially hotels with no charge, which the members of the different ranking divisions and the public could stay in as required. Although the housing was classy and immaculately kept, their use was often lamented due to the nature of requiring their services.
The sound of heavy footsteps snapped Theo's attention back to the ground. A small group of dragons was quickly making its way up the main courthouse path. Evangeline walked in the centre of the group, her high heels clicking against the smooth stone path in unison with the XITD security guards around her, elegant as ever. She was dressed in a sharp black and blue suit. Only one person in the group marched out of time: Scyler, skulking a few paces behind Evangeline. Theo glared across the way at them as they passed, but Evangeline didn't even acknowledge his presence; she kept her chin up and eyes forward. Her comrade, however, could not quite match her dignified poise, and struggled not to make eye contact with the rhargnorn.
Prick.
Theo watched with a steely stare as the formation climbed up the courthouse steps and disappeared inside.
You're gonna get what's coming to ya. Just you fucking wait. Theo's hands clenched tightly into fists, anger rising in his chest. His mind flashed with images of Evangeline's cool but smug expression, as he gritted his teeth and begrudgingly signed off on that report, of Mooki in her box office, on the brink of tears, and then that… creature with Mooki's memories, who had attacked him…
Cool it, Theo, we haven't even entered the building yet! I don't need another strike with the royal family.
He took a few long, deep breaths, and managed to calm down a little. As the anger faded away from his chest though, concern washed in and took its place instead. Through the misty rain, he could just about make out Jace's silhouette, marching quickly up the path. His shoulders were hunched, and as he got closer, Theo could see that Jace looked exhausted. His tie was wonky, his blazer undone, quite frankly, this was the most dishevelled Theo had seen Jace in… years.
"Jace!" Theo forced a smile and strode across the courtyard to greet his friend. "I was starting to get worried there! You were almost late for being early! Never thought I'd see the day where I arrived somewhere before you."
Jace cast a tired glance up at Theo, then mumbled something under his breath, which Theo couldn't quite catch. He watched as Jace fiddled about with his tie, and tried to tuck his shirt into his trousers whilst continuing with his quick pace.
"Are you okay, Jace? Can you do this… today?" Theo asked, matching Jace's stride. Jace didn't reply for a few moments, then sighed deeply.
"It's all going wrong, Theo." He replied bluntly. "I've just got off of a very… intense phone call with Seeth, that nomad czarite I've been working with? Do you remember Hendrik Griffin, bloke who runs the Fixer Den? Goes by Garnet."
"Garnet?" Theo scratched his chin briefly. "Oh, contract handler for the Merc Guild on the border? Worked for the BDA back in the day, didn't he? Has something happened?"
"His wife's been murdered." Jace replied, flatly.
"Murdered?!" Theo was taken aback. "Awh no, she was the one who always baked pies when you dropped by the Den, wasn't she? Damn good pies. I'm sorry, man."
"It's worse than that Theo..." Jace stopped at the foot of the stairs and leaned heavily against one of the statues. "...A squad of Vora Barons attacked the Den. She was killed during their raid." Jace sighed loudly, pressing his fingers against his brow.
"VORA BARONS ATTACKED A CONTRACT DEN?!" Theo almost shouted in shock. Jace gave him a quick lower your voice! look, and Theo quickly complied, glancing around to make sure no-one was close by. "Why?!" He whispered harshly. "That's neutral ground! You do not launch an attack on neutral ground. Fuck, I knew the Barons were ballsy mother-fuckers, but to attack a contact den? Everyone's gonna be after them now! I can't believe it. They must've made a deal with the Black Lance. Horrible fuckers." Theo suddenly stood bolt upright to attention. as if someone had flicked a switch in his brain. "Do you need me out there?! I'll kill Barons no problem, fuckers earned it. I'll go after the Lance too, just say the word." Theo's body was bristling with a fresh wave of adrenaline.
"No. I need you here. The Guild will dispense justice in its own time, not that any of the Barons who attacked left the Den alive anyway. The much loved Lockblade saw to that. But it gets worse than that." Jace grit his teeth. "Seeth, and a lot of the other nomads, are blaming me for the attack."
"What." Theo's voice dropped several octaves, a look of pure disbelief on his face.
"She's just finished giving me an absolute ear full - and I hate to say it, but it makes sense." Jace thought for a second, focusing on the cooling mist-like rain that was sweeping over them both, purposely avoiding Theo's concerned gaze. "We have a lot to discuss, privately, but for now, let's just focus on this."
He nodded towards the distance, and the dragons were greeted by the deafening roar of ship engines, descending onto a wide circular landing pad at the very end of the courthouse path. The ship was of an elegant construction of silver and gold, speckled with blue highlights and cyan engine flares. It was flanked by four similarly sized ships, all well equipped with sleek but powerful heavy armaments, compared to the smooth chassis of the primary ship. The fleet landed with a gentle clunk.
"The princess has arrived."
*
The inside of the courthouse was as immaculate in its design as the outside, as robust as it was impressive. The interior was bespoke, boasting polished stone walls and brooding grey floors, with dark wooden furniture and hints of soft blue colouration peeking out between the polished surfaces. A brief glance around any room was all that was required to spot the litany of eye insignias. These were carved, stamped or inked into various places around the courthouse, ever present throughout its decor.
The main courtroom itself was easily the centrepiece of the building, with tall rising ceilings and sweeping seats that wouldn't feel out of place in a cathedral, dressed in all the same drip and polish as the rest of the courthouse. A decent crowd had already arrived, of congressmen, politicians, and several dozen concerned (but mostly nosey) higher-class civilians, as well as various journalists from all across DA territory, eager to report on the affair. Jace and Theo calmly made their way inside, marching past the observer area and into the middle of the hall. They sat on the right hand side, opposite Evangeline and Scyler at their respective pews.
At the front of the hall, on a curling throne of vigorously maintained dark wood, sat an elegant dragoness, mulling over the private holo-screens in front of her. Her skin was a brilliant white, with amber fins and golden decorations framing her pretty face. She wore a long, silken black dress, adorned with beautiful swirling blue spirals and precious aqua-blue gems. Although her eyes were a soft, gentle shade of pink, they had a fierce glare to them, not that a reminder was needed in this courtroom that, although she may appear attractive and soft, her words carried a deadly authority. And if anyone did need a reminder of that, the phalanx of heavily armoured guards on either side of her, and lining the walls of the room, would be more than happy to oblige. Their armour displayed an emblem of an upside-down crown, with the usual spokes of the crown replaced with vicious-looking fangs instead. These were the Royal Praetorian Battalion, the direct bodyguards to the royal family. Although rarely seen in public, the RPB were often revered by DA citizens for their unshakable faith. They had one purpose; protect the royal family at any cost. Each guard was fully equipped for duty, with elite vulcan weapons strapped to their backs and sides, and a full suite of the best power armour the DA could produce. Despite their heavy armaments, the RPB guards moved almost silently, as if they were wearing little more than silk, with an effortless grace that failed to accurately portray the weight of their armour and munitions.
The courtroom sat in a tense silence as the princess's eyes scanned over her screens. A slender finger gently rubbed the side of her muzzle as she puzzled over the data. A quiet sigh escaped from her lips as she scowled at something she was reading, and the tension in the room suddenly rose. Finally, with a disappointed, subtle shake of her head, she spoke.
"So. I have read some… interesting details here." Her eyes landed firmly on Evangeline. "Officer Kintrax has made some strong accusations, Doctor Caizer. He is backed in full by Commander Koa who has served the RMD for quite some years now, faithfully and effectively. I assume you understand the weight of these charges?"
"I do, Your Majesty." Evangeline replied, as cool and collected as ever.
"Very well. Officer Kintrax?" Turning her attention to the other side of the room, the princess focused on Theo, who was mid-way through pulling the collar of his suit into a more comfortable position.
"Your Majesty." Theo responded, trying to mimic Evangeline's seemingly carefree attitude, but already he could feel the anger boiling in his chest again.
"Explain, from your perspective, the events which transpired on Doctor Caizer's station."
"No problem! So, Jace - sorry - Commander Koa, gave me permission to check on the station again after one of the students failed to contact us. I became concerned for her wellbeing."
"Mooki Rye?" The princess asked, raising an eyebrow and glancing down quickly at her holo-screens.
"Yes, Your Majesty. And when I arrived at the station, I found it to be under attack by unknown forces. I boarded immediately and tried to assist in any way I could. I happened upon the E-lab wing of the station, and witnessed an injured czarite being removed from one of the labs, by the attackers."
Jace raised his hand and the princess nodded to him.
"For context, I had suspected that the XITD station was concealing a czarite prisoner, based on the events that took place on Barru X, the nomad space station that the XITD had… an interest in earlier this year. My suspicion was what prompted me to send Officer Kintrax there in the first place."
The princess nodded softly, her eyes drifting towards the ceiling for a few seconds as she pondered his words.
"So, you thought the XITD division were illegally harbouring a czarite prisoner, sent Officer Kintrax to investigate. He found nothing, but the visit prompted notable behaviour from the now deceased student, Miss Rye?"
"During the visit, Miss Rye appeared uncomfortable and mentioned to Officer Kintrax that she did not want to violate her NDA with the XITD." Jace clarified. "Her explicit mention of the NDA gave rise to suspicion that Miss Rye had knowledge that could potentially compromise the integrity of the XITD station."
"And when Miss Rye failed to get in touch, Officer Kintrax became worried and you gave him permission to attend the station again… I believe I understand." The princess's attention shifted to Evangeline and Scyler. "Care to explain yourselves?"
Evangeline stood from her seat calmly, staring back at the princess, unphased.
"Your majesty, I cannot dispute Officer Kintrax's account of witnessing a czarite leaving one of the E-labs. I do however dispute this twisted narrative that Commander Koa has constructed. Officer Kintrax can only account for an unknown czarite leaving the station, my station. My station that was attacked and destroyed within our borders, the very same borders that Commander Koa is responsible for keeping secure.
"We were attacked by czarites, is it not entirely possible that the individual Officer Kintrax saw leaving was part of the attacking force? Does that not seem more likely? After all, Officer Kintrax had signed off on a report mere days before this tragic incident, stating that we had no prisoners on board, never mind an illegal one. Frankly, I find this entire charade insulting to both myself and the royal family's limited time."
A brief flick of the princess's hand towards Jace confirmed she wanted his response.
"You are being accused of deceit, Doctor Caizer. The fact that Officer Kintrax's report contains no evidence of wrong-doing does not absolve you. He suspected something was wrong but couldn't prove it. As did I." Jace narrowed his eyes at Evangeline, his temper starting to rise.
"It doesn't matter what you think happened, Commander Koa. What matters is what actually happened. I know the royal court to be strict but fair and, at present, the two pieces of evidence that you have presented here - that you were allowed to collect on little more than a hunch, might I add - is a clean report, and the fact that there were unaccounted people in my station during the middle of an attack. Forgive me, Your Majesty, for my blunt nature, but I believe there is a secondary explanation for this that Commander Koa will never divulge." Evangeline's composure remained cool, despite the rapid nature of her delivery.
"Hmm?" The princess responded, a curious smile flickering onto her face.
"I believe Commander Koa is obsessed with me, and will chase any detail, any breadcrumb in order to get my professional attention."
A startled cough erupted from Jace. Both him and Theo stared across the courtroom with widened eyes, trying to process exactly what Evangeline had just said.
The princess offered an indulgent, yet condescending smile.
"How interesting! So, you claim to have no foreknowledge about this injured czarite, and that Commander Koa's persistence with the issue is purely fabricated in order to get your attention?"
"I do. We must work on verifiable facts here and it appears to me that the prosecution wishes to pick and choose the facts they believe, even if it goes against their own observations." Evangeline persisted calmly, her gaze briefly flickering over to Jace.
"Mhm." The princess mused, kicking one of her legs out and crossing it over the other.
Jace raised his hand for permission to rebut, but the princess shook her finger, denying him the opportunity. After a few more seconds, she continued.
"Officer Kintrax, tell me about this other individual you interacted with in the E-labs. You said on your report she claimed to be Miss Rye?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Despite replying to the princess, Theo stared daggers directly at Scyler from across the courtroom. "She recognised me upon entry, and requested to be freed from the lab."
"Did you recognise her?"
"I didn't. She did not match Mooki's appearance in any way. But she did know me."
The princess flicked her finger over towards Evangeline, whose attention was fixed back on her private holo-screens.
"The individual Officer Kintrax spoke to was a nomad, suffering from a new disease on our borders that we have been investigating. We recovered the subject a few days after the RMD inspection, which is why they weren't mentioned on the report." Evangeline responded.
Jace raised his hand again, and the princess nodded this time.
"We've heard reports that this disease, or affiliation of sorts, alters people's bodies quite drastically. I suspect Miss Rye had been infected with it, and the individual Officer Kintrax spoke to was her post-infection."
"Post-infection?" The princess recoiled. "Are you suggesting that Miss Rye was infected aboard the station?!" Her gaze landed on the other side of the room. "Any explanation from your side, Doctor Caizer?!"
Evangeline cleared her throat, taking an uncharacteristic second to compose her demeanour.
"I can confirm that the person he spoke with simply could not have been Miss Rye."
"And why is that?" The princess raised an eyebrow, unamused.
"Because Miss Rye had passed away two days earlier. We had an… accident in the station. I… I didn't want to bring this up because I suspect Officer Kintrax will take it personally, when it was more of a tragic accident than anything else."
The atmosphere in the courtroom shifted suddenly, the tension rising sharply as Evangeline continued.
"Miss Rye had an accident at work which we believe was due to the renovations conducted by Officer Kintrax. She… S-She was electrocuted at her desk."
"LIAR!" Theo bolted to his feet, shaking with fury. "PIGSHIT! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
Evangeline continued, a single crystal tear running down her stoic face.
"Her body was found in the early morning by Officer Kagvar, who can testify if required." She gestured to Scyler next to her. "I was… heartbroken. I did not know how to start explaining it, and I didn't want to antagonise Commander Koa or Officer Kintrax with any further news. So my report was delayed. Before I could complete it, the station was attacked."
"YOU'RE LYING!" Theo screamed again, leaning over the desk towards Evangeline, his fingers gripping the stone tightly. "I left that box of an office in a perfectly safe condition! You DARE blame me!"
Despite his sudden aggression, the courtroom did not respond, nor react, with the princess only showing the slightest hint of a smirk.
"You believed you did. But you're not sure if your own report was correct, right?" Evangeline cleared her throat again, refocusing her attention on the princess. "We think that Miss Rye attempted to correct some of the work done by Officer Kintrax, and that was what ended her life. My failing as her superior was not completing and sending the report so her family could get some closure. And obviously, her death in the first place."
Jace placed a hand on Theo's shoulder and gently, but firmly, guided him back down to his chair. The rhargnorn's skin was hot to the touch, his whole body buzzing with anger. His gaze was locked on Evangeline like a missile, but he complied, and sat down. As he turned back to the princess, the slightest shift of the praetorian guards' helms in his direction gave the only warning required.
Yeah. I know. No aggression towards royalty.
Suddenly, Evangeline's composure changed again, more flustered now.
"I-If I may, Your Majesty, I feel like this is besides the point. My station was attacked and boarded, my staff obliterated in their hab-barges. You have all the footage that exists, Your Majesty. You can hear the dying cries of our soldiers and guards as they bought time for the survivors to evacuate. Y-You can see this… monster, melting the flesh of loyal DA citizens. My staff. Our people."
The princess suddenly shifted uncomfortably in her throne, her gaze drifting towards the floor. She tapped on her bracelet, and the walls of the courtroom lit up with a projected image:
The fiery halos of Moltezz's gaze through a haze of black smoke, the image distorted from the heat. The room fell into an almost fearful silence, as though Moltezz were watching them directly.
The princess raised her hand, ensuring the silence was maintained as she stared down Moltezz, her eyes narrowing as she slowly leaned forward in her throne.
"I am… quite deeply troubled by that, yes." The princess replied in agreement.
Jace raised his hand once more and was met with a nod.
"If I may, Your Majesty? This court case is supposed to be about Doctor Caizer's potential concealment of a crime aboard her station, not about the attack. I completely understand everyone's concern and upset about the incident, but I fear that Doctor Caizer is distracting from the points made. We also have reason to believe that the attack was because of the falsely held czarite. It may well have been a retaliation of sorts, meaning Doctor Caizer's illegal deception was the cause. With that said, we all want justice, nothing more, nothing less."
The images of Moltezz disappeared as quickly as they had appeared, leaving the princess's pondering gaze to drift around the room.
"You both place me in a difficult position, with one side proclaiming deception and lies, the other claiming misunderstanding. I need time to fully review the evidence and claims brought forward. Doctor Caizer, you understand that if the claims against you are found to be true, I will have your titles stripped and your next two hundred years spent in jail? The authority of the Royal Military Division is no trivial matter."
Evangeline merely nodded, her gaze ice cold.
"For the time being, I cannot bring any action against you for the accusations brought by the RMD. I am, however, deeply concerned about your station's lack of record keeping and downright terrible research conducted." Evangeline's tail flicked from side to side; she was barely able to conceal her disdain and disappointment. Although her gaze held firm with the princess's, the tension rising from her body was undeniably aimed at Scyler.
The princess continued her speech. "If you have been researching this… corruption on our borders, you've failed to inform the other divisions of your discoveries and as a result, there is an unknown variable on the edge of our territory. I don't know what you've been up to over the last six months since recovering this alleged corpse from Barru X, but it appears to be anything but your actual divisional role. Whilst I won't be bringing any charges against you, I do want a review meeting with you after this to ensure you understand your place within the DA, and to update us on everything you have learnt in the last six months, Doctor Caizer."
Evangeline nodded again. To anyone else, she might have looked rather cool about the verbal dressing down she had just received, but the agitated flick of her tail and slight twitching of her claws told Scyler that his boss was absolutely furious.
With Evangeline dealt with, the princess turned her attention back to Jace.
"Commander Koa, obviously you face no charges should your claim be incorrect, but you will be barred from further claims against Doctor Caizer for a limited time should you be proven incorrect. Next time you chose to make a case against Doctor Caizer, as I'm sure there will be another one, given your two's track record -" The princess smirked slightly "- you'll have some hard evidence to back up your claim. Perhaps in the meantime, however, I'll schedule some court-mandated couple's counselling for you both." The princess grinned as she witnessed the brief panic in both Jace's and Evangeline's eyes. "Something that is considerably easier to decree, however, is to place a bounty on that murderer's head."
The princess turned her attention to her closest standing guard.
"Make it known, make it an open contract across our borders. Anyone who brings me proof of death of the fiery red czarite shall receive a fixed sum of twenty million dies for her crimes against the empire."
A series of shocked gasps erupted across the courtroom as the closest guard typed it onto his gauntlet, nodding once it was complete.
Twenty million?! She'll be dead within the week! That could buy a whole damn army! The border will turn into a warzone! Jace thought to himself as he contemplated the future of the nomad sector, concern heavy on his face.
"We will reconvene when I desire. For now however, go as you were. Wind be with you all. Dismissed."
Without another word, the princess stood from her throne and exited out the back of the courtroom, swiftly followed by her entourage of guards. An excited bickering broke through the crowd, as the witnesses discussed the sheer volume of dies on offer, and the exchanging of theories following the back and forth between Jace and Evangeline.
With the session now closed, Jace quickly took Theo by the arm and guided him away from the crowd of journalists and photographers who were quickly swarming themselves and Evangeline, tripping over themselves in a desperate attempt to reach the stands. He practically had to drag Theo away, whose claws were still gripping at the pew, his hands shaking with fury.
Eager to avoid the barrage of questions and photographs, they made for one of the restricted doors to their side, which read 'RMD Personnel Only' on the front. They pushed inside, and immediately felt the relief of the cool, but most importantly quieter, corridor. Jace ducked into one of the empty side offices and Theo followed, his tail thrashing and metal leg stomping against the floor. Jace took a deep breath and leant back against the wall, as Theo's rage finally overflowed.
"How dare she, Jace! How fucking dare she! I killed Mooki?!? Is she fucking serious?!"
Jace looked across the room at the rhargnorn. His entire body was trembling. He slammed his fists against the wall in frustration.
"We just… We just needed a little more. Her story is propped up by lies and convenience." Jace did his best to console his friend. "We just need one scrap of solid evidence, and it'll all fall apart." Jace paused for a second as he saw the simmer in Theo start to boil over again. "Don't let her get to you, Theo. We both know you didn't get Mooki killed. I don't believe that for one second. See this for what it is, an attempt to shift the blame, and play you."
"I thought we had her, Jace. I thought we were about to see justice through." Theo clenched his fists, scowling bitterly, stamping his metal leg against the floor. "Fuck. FUCK!" He landed one more powerful thump into the wall before storming out of the room and down the corridor, out of Jace's sight.
Well, that was a fucking shit-show. Jace let out an exhausted sigh. I can't believe she leaned so hard on Theo's report… Well of course she did! I signed off on it! I would have done the same. I wasn't good enough. I should know better than this. I'm Royal Military Division! Evangeline should be in prison right now, not 'reviewing procedures' with the princess, with a fucking cream cake in her hand.
He sunk against the wall and pulled his tie away from his collar - a clip-on, a well-tied tie was something he'd never been able to master, and he couldn't help but feel relieved that no-one in the court had noticed - and took off his blazer, draping it over the back of a chair. Just as he was loosening his gauntlet from around his wrist, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Permission to enter, Commander Koa?"
Jace swung around. A czarite head was poking around the doorframe, concern in her eyes but a cheeky grin on her lips.
"Isabelle?"
"The one and only." She moved into the centre of the doorway, pressing her fingertips against the strong wooden beams as she regarded him warmly. "You know I can't legally enter RMD quarters without the correct permissions."
Jace shook his head, trying to hide the grin that was quickly spreading across his face.
"Permission granted, Officer Koa." He quickly gestured for her to come inside. "It's… it's been too long."
*
The weather hadn't improved since Jace had first arrived at the courthouse. He was back outside in the misty rain now, with Isabelle by his side, the pair making their way towards the memorial gardens. The gardens were a fair walk away, on the edge of the estate and close to the cliff-face, but it was obvious that they were just as well tended to, and looked after, as the main buildings were, if not more so. The gardens were surrounded by thick, luscious floral bushes, with gentle pink and purple flowers and brilliant green leaves. The path beneath their feet shifted from that smooth concrete to a more rustic, gravel walkway, which made a nice, satisfying crunch underfoot. Jace looked a lot calmer now, and more casual, wearing only his shoes, shirt and trousers. He'd also left all of his electrical and communication devices inside the RMD office; he didn't want to be disturbed now. This wasn't the time.
"Glad to see that some things never change. Evangeline is the same pretentious know-it-all that she always was." Isabelle glanced over at Jace with a small smile. Her emerald eyes had a warmth and kindness to them that could calm the fiercest of storms, but there was also a determined ferocity to them; Although she was a good foot shorter than the dragon, there was a confidence and attitude to her demeanour that said she was not one to be messed with. Not that this was a trait unique to her; officers in the Cosmic Navy Division often carried a quiet, but strong authority. She had a rather dainty, elegant build compared to Jace, with soft lavender skin, and a soft grey hue to her carapace, which framed her long, braided jelly-dreadlocks. She was wearing a floaty, summery dress decorated with green ribbons, and didn't seem to mind the bad weather one bit.
They slowly padded around the carved path, hidden from the rest of the world by the towering green hedges around them.
"You were in court?" Jace was a little taken aback. "I… I didn't think you'd want to be there for that."
"Jace. I want to support you. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times, I'm here for you, no matter what. Especially when it involves that bunch of pricks." Isabelle scoffed. "Did you notice Evangeline's suit?"
"No? What about it?" Jace replied, a smile crawling across his face.
"She had a little stain on the collar of her blazer. A little white blob, say from, perhaps, one-too-many cream cakes?" Isabelle laughed, a cheerful, contagious laugh that Jace couldn't help but catch.
"She's always been one to stress eat."
"Honestly, Jace, she puts on a good act, but I could see from a mile away that she was bricking it going up against you in court like that. I can picture it now, her munching her way through cream cake after cream cake on the flight over here." She laughed louder, her pink tongue briefly tasting the fresh air. "I can't help but agree with what the princess said though, about you two and some court-mandated couple's counselling."
"Belle, please!" Jace retorted playfully, fake-retching at the thought. "As if my spirit hasn't been broken enough!"
"Hey, even when we were married, I always said that you two needed to get over yourselves and fuck each-other. The sexual tension when the pair of you are in a room together is… heavy."
Jace retched again, genuinely this time. "Do you want to see a grown man cry, Belle? Is that what you want? Because that's what's gonna happen, if you don't change the subject this instant!"
Isabelle giggled, but did as he asked. She ran her hands gently through the bushes, collecting the droplets of water on the tips of her fingers. "Sorry, I was just trying to lighten the mood a little. Even after all these years, I can still tell exactly how you're feeling."
"I'm that obvious, huh?"
"Only when you're really hurting. Been a tough day?"
"Been a tough year." Jace sighed, his eyes fixed firmly on the ground. "I've uh… I've tried to make some plays and… and they've not worked out at all. And that's putting it lightly."
"Talk to me." Isabelle said, reassuringly. "Like we used to."
Jace paused for a second, feeling his wrist, double-checking that he'd left all his equipment behind.
"Are you sure you're okay with that? I don't want to -"
"- Oh shush, you! You're not imposing. Tell me your woes, see if I can help you make sense of it."
Deep within the secluded maze, they've arrived at a small clearing, with a tall grey obelisk in its centre, and a silver plaque mounted at its base. They sat down together on one of the benches around the clearing's edge.
"I am… I am investigating Dynasty activity within the Draconic Alliance. They're growing in numbers as of the last couple of years, and I know they're up to something, I just don't know what. At the start of this year, there was a conflict outside of our borders that I got involved in. Scyler -" Jace spat the name out with as much venom as he could "- and some strike teams were poking around nomad territory, and had gotten approval to launch a capture mission on a wanted criminal outside our borders."
Isabelle nodded intently, siddling slightly closer to Jace on the bench.
"A coralith komodo, of all people. I don't think there's been one this close to the DA border in decades. We recovered him successfully, but when I checked his profile, his crimes were obviously fabricated. Shit like border smuggling, drug charges, data elicitation of all things. It looked like someone had quickly built a profile for him, and made his crimes just serious enough to get permission to grab his ass from beyond the border."
"So, had he actually done anything?"
"Yeah. He had. His profile actually predates the Grey Wall, but obviously, all of that has been long since scrubbed clean." Jace shifted uncomfortably on the bench.
"He's older than the Grey Wall? He must be ancient! They didn't just grab some old random man off the street, did they?" Isabella stifled a giggle at the thought.
"Nah, they're an ageless species, he looks young as they come. But whatever this guy did, it's long gone. And there was no way to trace who had made the new profile. I couldn't dig too deep with the Enforcement and Lockdown division either, I only have a few people I trust over there and I'm trying not to spook the fuckers too much. What I needed was for them to make a mistake."
"So, what happened? What did you do with the komodo?"
"Well…" Jace sighed deeply through his nose. "It's impossible to know exactly what he did. The ethics of the Grey Wall are as vacuous as they come. For all I know, he could be a war criminal, or he could have just been a civilian who managed to survive the Dynasty's fucking 'draconic cleansing,' and knows too much. What I do know is that someone on our side of the border wanted him, and I hoped I'd be able to use that. He was entered into the EaL's labour auctions but I fast tracked his case, and scrubbed his date and location data, so no one would know where he'd get auctioned or when; I didn't want any of those fuckers getting their hands on him. I then placed a tracker on his profile."
"Why?"
"I figured, with his fabricated profile, no one was going to bother looking into him unless they had a reason. I wanted to know who, if anyone, would bother searching through some random slave's profile." Jace pulled a face at the word - it didn't matter how much the draconic elites tried to disguise the auction house's practice, it was nothing more than a goddamn slave trader. "I figured whoever went through all this effort to fabricate the profile and get it pushed up the list might be inclined to follow up on their labour. But… it hasn't worked, no one has bothered with him, no one has opened his profile or even searched for him." Jace hunched over slightly and let his hands fall by his sides. He looked well and truly defeated now. "Whoever did this is playing it safe. It's likely the second I came into contact with the case, they just dropped it."
Isabelle was quiet for a few moments, taking in Jace's words. The trees all around them rustled in the breeze, but she was so lost in her thoughts that she barely heard them at all. Finally, she exhaled deeply. "Wow, Jace. This is one heck of a conspiracy you're working here, especially for someone who likes to deal in absolutes… Although, conspiracy or not, I'd bet my last die that you're absolutely right." Isabelle grinned up at her ex-husband, and despite the weight he was carrying in his chest, Jace couldn't help but smile back. "I'm guessing that's not the end of it though?"
"No, unfortunately not. Nothing is ever that straight forward these days." Jace chuckled wryly. "This komodo isn't just some random nobody -"
"- Not that it would make it okay if he was." Isabella interrupted, sternly.
"...Right. Anyway, I've been trying to build a relationship with the nomads on our border. It's taken years to build any sort of trust with them, as you can imagine, and they've had their own hell to deal with in recent months too, what with the increased presence of Vora Barons, and that in itself has come out of fucking no-where." Jace closed his eyes and rubbed his eyebrows with his thumb and index finger. "I've been working closely with a nomad merc - another czarite, actually - her name's Seeth, but the locals call her Lockblade, and… she's his girlfriend."
"Jace…" Isabelle's heart was already starting to sink - she had a bad feeling she knew where this was going.
"She's done more for the nomads in the last six months than I've ever done for them. She's cleaved through Baron ships and saved hundreds, if not thousands of lives. She's been doing what I should have been doing, but I got so wrapped up in this Dynasty business, in the bigger picture… She knows that her boyfriend is in DA territory, and she's been fighting tooth and claw to raise enough money, and get him back. She's been begging me for months to find him."
"Oh, Jace… No…" Jace flinched as Isabelle's disappointment stung him at his core.
"It's not like I could just press a button and get him back! The EaL have scrambled the auction data, as they always do."
"We both know you have the authority to override that." Isabella countered firmly.
Jace visibly recoiled, then sank into the bench in an almost defeated manner. If there was one thing Isabelle always did well, it was humbling him.
"I know. And, as if that isn't bad enough, the Vora Barons that she's been killing, she found our stealth tech on them, as well as unlocked security crates."
Isabelle turned slowly on the bench to face Jace, eyes wide with horror. "Do you mean to say… that someone's been supplying Vora Barons, from inside the DA?!"
"Yes. They must be, there's no way those crates could have been opened without the codes. And now, the nomads are blaming us - blaming me - for the attacks. None of my plans have worked. All my work in fixing our awful relationship with our neighbours has… gone. It was all for nothing. I've worked for years on this, it's… it's not fair, Isabelle! I can't even get the proof I need to convict Evangeline of malpractice! And don't get me started on that either, her and that little fucking eel are behind all of this!" Jace's usually calm demeanour was starting to crack. "The czarite prisoner, the one that that whole farce of a court case was about, she's with Seeth and that blasted komodo! And I know she was there, Belle, I can't prove it, but I know it. Everything is connected, and I feel like I'm so close, I'm clawing at the walls but I've got nothing to show for it but my own bloodied fingertips. And the second anything touches the Grey Wall, everyone ducks their heads and leaves the room. It's all just roadblocks and… and shadows!"
Jace snorted loudly through his nostrils and dug his claws into the wooden bench, as the heat began to overwhelm him. But before his anger could get the better of him, he felt Isabelle's soft hand gently take his own.
The two sat in silence for a moment, letting the cooling rain soak into their clothes. The fire slowly faded, and Jace squeezed Isabelle's hand.
"She would be so proud of you, you know that, Jace?"
Jace blinked. He glanced over, and saw that Isabelle was staring at the obelisk before them. Jace's gaze landed on the plaque in front of them, and stinging tears suddenly balled up in the corner of his eyes. Hundreds of names had been inscribed with great care onto the metal, but both their eyes were locked onto a single line:
Autumn Koa
"Knowing what you're fighting for, and what a difference you've made so far." Isabelle continued.
Jace went to disagree, but a quick squeeze of his hand and the soothing quietness of her voice kept him silent.
"Your enemies are smart, Jace. But they're scared of you. They won't touch anything you're involved with, and for good reason. They know Commander Koa is coming for them."
"But it's not working, Belle. They're winning."
"Then maybe it's time to change things up?" She smiled at Jace warmly. "You old dragons always get so stubborn about these things! You get too attached to the plan, but the plan is only in service of the goal."
"Maybe if she had stuck to the plan, her name wouldn't be on a plaque." Jace growled, through pained, gritted, teeth.
"Maybe..." Isabelle murmured. "And, if she had, maybe your name would be on there instead." Her voice grew more firm as she reached the end of her sentence, but there was no hint of malice or regret in her voice.
"I… I'm sorry." Jace stuttered, suddenly snapping out of his anger. "That was deeply inappropriate. I lost control -"
"Oh come off it, Jace, I'm not offended! Far from it." She sighed heavily and pulled her hand away from him, gently. "I wish I could give you what you needed to forgive yourself, but only you can do that. But I meant what I said, she'd be so proud of her father right now. You see the good in this empire - which is impressive, because they make it really god-damn difficult sometimes - and the potential it has…" She stared up at the endless grey sky, listening intently to the whistling wind. "You two used to love days like this, when she was little, and you'd take her out flying in the clouds… Goodness, she was so jealous she didn't have wings! I kept telling her, czarites don't get wings, even if they have dads that do! But every weekend, the same question!"
"When will I get wings like yours, daddy?" Jace's eyes glassed over again, and it took everything he had to hold back his tears.
"When you eat your dinner!" Isabelle laughed softly. "Never seen a kid eat her vegetables so fast."
"Worked every damn time. Like a charm. Just sheer, single-minded focus. She was going to get her wings one day." Jace smiled, but couldn't help but wince as he felt a sharp, throbbing pain sear across his shoulder blades.
"Just like her dad. You get something in your sights and you just don't let it go. But sometimes, Jace, it's okay to let it go. If the plan isn't working, change it." She snapped her fingers suddenly, a bright, sharp look captured in her gleaming eyes. "I figured you out!"
"H-Huh?"
"Your original goal was to repair the DA's reputation, right? But now you've swapped over to hunting the Dynasty! And you're sacrificing your original goal to push this new one forward!"
A knowing smile crept over Jace's face as Isebelle leaned back on the bench, satisfied with herself. Jace mulled the thought over in his head. She was right. It seemed obvious now, but the moves and plans he'd been making were to combat the Dynasty, not to help the nomads. No matter how much he'd tried to justify it, and convince himself overwise.
"And just like that, you've accurately diagnosed all my problems over the last year in a single sentence. I ought to be ashamed of myself, really, for being so readable like that. So, what do you think I should do?"
"Well, I think you need to focus your scope, maybe pivot back to what you were doing in the first place. It seems like you were unearthing things just by helping the nomads, that's what got you set on this path with the Dynasty, right? Perhaps the nomad you're currently using as bait is a good place to start?" The two locked eyes, and Isabelle gave him that look, the look that said this was not just a suggestion.
"Yeah… maybe he is." His shoulders reinflated, his slouch straightening like a missile preparing for launch. He felt a warmth in his body that had long been missing over the last few weeks.
"I'd get the EaL to unscramble his auction data, and find out where he is. The fact that you've effectively been keeping this guy hostage, and using his girlfriend to do your job and help the nomads? It's not a good look, Jace."
Jace sighed through his teeth. "I know."
"Maybe you could arrange a buy-out? Or at the very least, tell her where he is. Unless, of course, it turns out he actually has done something bad. Don't do that if he's been up to shit since we got him."
"N-No. Of course not." Jace laughed as Isabelle frowned at the thought. "That… That sounds good. Thank you, Belle."
"You're welcome, Jace… God." Isabelle suddenly laughed dryly. "Don't you think it's a tad… convenient that all of this happened today? I read that this trial was meant to go ahead over a week ago, but the XITD 'needed more time' to collate all their information, and they just so happened to be ready today, of all days? On her day?" As Isabelle gestured towards the plaque, her voice finally cracked.
"Yeah. You're not the only one who noticed." Jace replied thinly.
They slipped into another silence as the rain came to a gentle stop, and the sun peaked out from behind the clouds. But one silence was comforting, like a freshly dried blanket, still warm and soft.
"I hate to say it -"
"You don't need to. I won't mention a word of Dynasty or Grey Wall to anyone. For my own safety."
Jace smiled and nodded, feeling a new hope rising in his chest. She was as sharp as she always was.
Maybe not everything has to be so complicated…
*
Scyler's heart pounded in his chest as he nipped back into his room slammed the door shut, on the brink of hyperventilating as he pressed himself against the door, listening for anyone who might have been following. But the corridor behind him was as quiet as ever.
I wonder how many laws I just broke, going into an RMD zone like that…
He quickly reached for his gauntlet and flicked it on, tapping the display frantically. After a few panic-stricken moments, a voice came through on the device's speakers.
"Good chat with Belle, Jace?" Theo's voice.
Scyler lowered the volume to barely a whisper, and held it up to his ear. There it was, clear as day.
"Yeah. It was. I think she gave me what I needed." Jace.
"She always did, mate."
I did it! A surge of adrenaline coursed through Scyler's chest, his head swimming with the possibilities that now lay before him. The Dynasty were closing in, and he'd be right by their side.