Kingdom of Stars (The Young Ancients: Timon Book Three) (28 page)

"Yes. You know, Brown asked me to take over there,
once. About five months ago."

That got Trice to frown, which looked cute on her, in a
petulant little girl way that didn't really fit the rest of her personality.
That was fleeting however. She replaced it with a considering look instead.

"Wait, so he's basically asked you to replace him as
High King of Austra? What
is
it with you Tim? Everyone keeps throwing
offers of power at you suddenly. True, I'd get to be Queen in any of these
scenarios, which I guess is something, but it seems a bit like I'm being
snubbed really, don't you think? Where are
my
offers?" She was
playing, because there just wasn't anything else to do.

Timon understood that. It almost didn't make sense. Almost.

"I know. I'm not letting it happen though. You'll just
have to put up with being a merchant's humble wife for the duration." The
sad thing about the statement wasn't that he meant it, but that Trice laughed,
as if it were a joke. She had to know better by that time, but it still came
out, as if to say that would simply be impossible.

Timon was reading a lot into her posture and body language,
but it was still there, at least a little. His wife wasn't putting down the
idea, she simply didn't believe it was a real thing.

He tried to rally and grinned at her.

"A space merchant?" That was going to be a thing,
wasn't it? Someone would need to sell things to the new colony after all. Or
trade with them. Provided he could come up with a good system of generating
water and air soon. It would be more work, but he had the basic idea down he
thought. A lot of things could be made that way, using bits of solid material,
like he'd already done to make emergency air for the new shields.

His wife didn't stop again until the last check point, and
then they had to stop at their own gate, and be checked again, using their own
Truth amulets this time. It was a hassle, but had to be done, in the world that
the Ancients had created for them. Tim was sort of blaming them all for it.
That wasn't fair or good, but it still felt like anyone that had thousands of
years to prepare for things like this should have done a better job protecting
the real people. The average ones.

After putting the little craft away, Timon pulled his
favorite Fast Craft and configured it for a real trip, making it big enough for
a half dozen giants without having to be too cramped. It was all silver and
slightly mirrored on the outside, since that was his favorite color, and the
inside was made to look like his house. Or as close as he could get without
being ridiculous. Smaller, naturally, but all they needed was some food and
water and they'd be set for a nice long trip.

Then he got in touch with Sir Kolbrin, which took a lot
longer than it should have. The voice that answered was young and male, and
from the clashing of wooden and metal weapons in the background was probably
the weapons square at Lairdgren in the background.

"Hello? I noticed the light?" The boy didn't sound
all that bright, but was polite enough in tone.

Tim tried for friendly, since who knew who he was? Some
Baron or Countier. That or a scholarship boy. He didn't particularly want to
make enemies with any of that sort either.

"Good afternoon! I'm trying to get in touch with Baron
Kolbrin? Kolb, in case you haven't heard him called that before. This is Timon
Baker?" Hopefully if he spoke long enough, it would get the man's
attention. It had worked in similar cases before after all.

This time though, the boy on the other end just grunted.

"Oh? I thought he was in space. Why don't you pull the
other one?" There was a bit of laughing from the background and fewer
people were practicing, clearly thinking that he was going to be entertaining
them.

"I came back yesterday. Last night really. So, Sir
Kolbrin?" He still, he decided seemed a bit too pleasant sounding. He
could tell, because the other fellow was shouted over by a rather slow
sounding, and clearly large, man.

"Oh! Ask him if we can all come and visit him in orbit!
I want to go, but so far no one is giving away rides." That got more
laughter.

It took a second, but he worked it all out well enough, he
thought.

"So, I take it that all the students there have been
making fake communications to one another? It's illegal to claim to be a
nobleman, but who can prove who did what, right? I'm actually Timon Baker
though."

That didn't seem to be enough to get anyone to pay
attention, even if his sister was in their section, which should have made it
seem plausible enough really. She wasn't there though, being at the emergency
Council of Counts.

Finally at least there was a semi-familiar voice on the
other end of things. Mags. Timon had nearly forgotten that she went to school
there at all.

"Um, hello?" The others went quiet at least then.

"Mags? Is Kolb around? I need to talk to him. This is
Tim Baker? We need to set up a visit in the Capital." He'd asked her to
come before and she'd seemed positive about the idea. She was big, and not that
great looking, being slightly mannish, but she'd also helped Tiera save his
life once. That kind of meant they were friends, in his book.

"Tim? I don't know where he's gotten to, let me
see..." The voice faded, but there was some calling out and about a minute
later the man himself finally got to the device.

"Timon? Is there an emergency?"

Now it was time for the hard conversation. The magic they
were using had been made by Tor, and they had to assume he could listen in. He
was probably still busy, but that wasn't good enough anymore. Not when they had
a real mission to see to. One that might actually influence the war itself.

"I need guards for a...
thing
." It wasn't
the most brilliant way of saying things ever, was it? He was supposed to have
Kolb himself, but everyone there was a good fighter really. The man might try
to just send along some of the kids.

"I see. How major of a thing?"

That got dead silence from the weapons square behind the
man. They were all listening then. That was either brilliant or horrible,
depending on what he wanted done. After a moment, Timon shrugged and sighed.

"Not as big as the last time we took a trip. Except
that it might turn out to be a lot larger." Was that vague enough? He
nearly just explained then, but the man cleared his throat before he could.

"I think I understand. I'll bring a few bodies then.
Say... twenty?"

Timon looked at the way his craft was configured and nodded.
That would have to change if they did that, and it might be overkill. Soam was
peaceful after all.

"Two, I think, with everyone else standing ready to
move, if we have problems?"

As if they were haggling, a voice in the background shouted
out ten, meeting nearly half way. At least people laughed at it.

"Fine, but they have to travel in their own Fast Craft.
I'm bringing my wife and don't want to be cramped." That got silence
again. It was a dangerous situation though, wasn't it? One that might need a
lot more than just ten of the best fighters really. "You know what? Bring
everyone, if they don't mind staying on the craft most of the time. I don't know
how long this will last, but we don't want to scare the natives." That
should be vague enough. He was going to have to go food shopping though.

"Oh? A trip then? Very good. Karen, get everyone set
up. We'll need a head count. Havar, get with the morning section and set up
classes. I don't want any first year students going this time. Have George see
to the classes here. The rest of you, meet back in the commons in... How long
Tim?"

"No huge rush. Call it two hours? No, three." It
would let him do that shopping first. "Let me know how many we'll be
hosting?"

Trice came and stood next to him, having set her own tasks
right already, not being a moron that ended up inviting a small army with them,
but when she worked out what was happening, she didn't complain. Not even after
he got off the line. Instead she just walked inside with him to get some
supplies, being mainly coin, from the strong room. It wasn't the mountain of
gold and silver Tor had at his house in the Capital, but it was clearly enough
that they could afford the trip. Or a few thousand like it, without hurting.
His wife grinned after going through the complex opening procedures and then
pulled out a single small chest that wasn't that tiny really. It was big enough
that she got him to carry it.

"We should get Mona and her family to come then. They
can play servant for the others. The girls can use the chance to make some
contacts." No mention was made of inviting Laurie, even though she was
there. That was either rude or had some greater meaning. Gerent however was
suggested.

That turned out to be helpful even, since he put things
together handily for them, just looking for something useful to do. He had one
of Tim's new style craft even, so offered to be in charge of the students for
the trip.

Timon smiled.

"All right, you
are
the best brother ever.
Definitely. Let's get moving?"

They got into place in time, after spending a lot of gold
and silver in the large market. Trice had to be hurried along a little, but she
had the harder job of purchasing the fine gifts for White. In the end it was
Gerent that pulled her along, laughing as he did it.

They were friends after all. Timon didn't think they were
sleeping together, or at least hadn't been when he'd run off to space. Trice had
been a little repulsed by Ger's looks, before, but those were improving and
Gerent was a great guy, so Timon couldn't really say much about it, by the
noble social rules, if they were having a relationship. On the good side, Trice
wouldn't have thought twice about him doing anything while he was away either.
Other than suggest that he'd been practicing, she hadn't even thought about it,
most likely.

The difference was one that cut to the middle though, wasn't
it? She was from a different world than he was, and at times it was going to
leave him feeling uncomfortable. Asking her to change wouldn't work though. Not
that she couldn't, but she probably wouldn't really see a need for it, which
would lead to her lying and hiding what she did. That would end up in tears, so
he didn't push it.

For now it got things done and Gerent managed to pilot his
craft nearly as well as Timon did, which meant that the man had been doing it
regularly. It was a bit of a surprise, but not a bad idea. Who wouldn't want to
travel to new places if they could?

The two craft, with Gerent's being the larger, and all done
in a nice green color, since he was a Lairdgren after all, settled in the large
stone area at the school. There were rows of students, all in brown, standing
and waiting for them. A lot of them. More than he'd been told to expect, by
about a third. Almost as one, showing some kind of preparation, the clothing
changed into a variation of fighting leathers. The only big difference there
was that a small group went into green and yellow clothes, and another into all
black with a purple stripe down the leg.

Trice looked at him and shook her head.

"Well, it seems like we're really taking
everyone
then. I don't suppose they're bringing their own cooks? Mona and her girls
might raise a fuss otherwise." She was being a bit snarky, but Timon
pointed out the front shield window.

"Right there. By Sherri? In with the fighters. It looks
like half the homemaking section. Half the school too. They must be holding the
rest back in case of emergency."

Sighing Timon stood up, stretched and went to the door,
popping it open with a thought, not even bothering to touch the thing. Instead
of doing the sensible thing, which was telling them that he'd changed his mind
and that they didn't need everyone
and
their little sister going, he
waved to them all instead.

"Hello! We're going to Soam. This isn't a drill, and we
might have to actually fight. We probably won't, but there will be real work to
be done. If you want to come along, you're welcome, but you may die. That or be
really, really bored. Think about that before loading up. If you want to go
anyway, you'll be on the other craft. Sir Kolbrin?" To his mind that's who
would be in charge, but it was the Headmaster that moved forward, adding his
own voice to the mix.

"Lord Baker." The man actually bowed, though not
too deeply. Part of that was due to the fact that Timon was still standing in
his craft, making him a nice three feet higher than the old man with his great
gray beard. He at least was in a nice looking red and brown outfit, with shoes
that didn't exactly match. The left was exactly one shade lighter tan than the
right. "Thank you for your words. It's good to remind the young that these
are dangerous times. What level of resistance do you think to see?"

Timon got the idea, he was supposed to talk up the danger,
so that the numbers might drop a bit. That wouldn't really work though. These
kids were either morons that wanted glory, or had seen real combat themselves
before and were grudgingly doing their duty. There wasn't a lot of variation
there.

"Like I said, this will either be a lot of sitting on
the craft, waiting for a trip back home, or death. Given the weapons being
used, there may not be a lot of middle ground anymore. We should probably cut
the numbers going, to hold some in reserve for later. This isn't a pleasure
trip." Not for them at least. Sherri, being ever helpful just waved and
started to walk toward the other craft.

For her that was practically sassing him directly.

That also got everyone else to move, except a few of the
kids on the fringes, who looked uneasy, as if they didn't want to seem like
cowards, but like they didn't really want to die. Burning from the inside out
wasn't a great way to go, and plagues were hard to fight with fists and force
lances. In a way, these were the smart ones then. Half the Lairdgren group was
in the mix, including Ali, his sister in law.