Chapter 421 - Specter of the Past (Patreon)

Notes : Chapters 126, 127 and 128 of Manaforged Robotics have been written and added to the queue !

I know some of you were hoping for more TFW chapters in a row but I have a bunch of crap I'm dealing with right now, notably the government finally forcing me to have my windows sanded down and repainted BECAUSE THEY WANTED A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SHADE OF BEIGE ON THEM, and that means having the windows open to a noisy street with construction everywhere, waiting for the paint to dry. And also a lot of cleaning up because paint dust gets EVERYWHERE, with the smell of fresh paint constantly in my nostrils. Oh and also it's getting hot again because of COURSE it is.

So I channelled my frustration and anger into writing, and I couldn't do that into TFW because there's too many threads and plotlines and also it would result me in writing Alex (WARNING : Graphic image) grabbing the guy from this chapter, turning him inside out like a sock and then fashioning the result into a hat, rimworld style.

Sorry for the very graphic description, I'll add a warning. Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy the chapters, I'll get back to writing TFW as soon as things aren't even MORE of a shitshow than usual. If I write chapter 422 I might even move it up the schedule before some of the MFR chapters, because I don't want to leave you guys on this cliff.

Chapter 421

Red Sands Desert, Aurorean Empire

Capital City of Rebirth, Imperial Palace

Closing the summit had finally given Allya some breathing room and free time. That also meant more time for appointments and all the projects she had stewing.

"Your Imperial Majesty." Said the man as he gave her an elaborate bow, and her eyebrows raised.

"Greetings." When Elkaryos had said he was directing a 'promising merchant' towards her, she hadn't expected...this. He looked strange. Oh, he was dressed and behaving every bit like the swashbuckling rogue. But she'd met, and killed, those types. He was faking it. "Merchant Trevor, I presume?"

As if he wouldn't be thoroughly dead long before reaching her office if security wasn't certain of who he was.

"Why yes. My apologies, I should have introduced myself." He straightened up. "I was sent to you by a mutual acquaintance. Tall, purple skin, knife ears?"

Allya's eyebrows came back down.

"Knife ears is...something of a derogatory term." Her voice became soft. And he reacted instantly. Ah, good, at least he could recognize danger. "My wife, an elf herself, is not overly fond of it."

"My apologies." He bowed again. "I meant no offense. I am still learning the customs."

"The customs?"

"Of your world!"

Allya blinked. Then her blood ran cold.

"You're an extradimensional."

"Quite. And I apologize for my manners. I'm afraid I didn't have much time to polish them." His nose wrinkled. "I had some...unfortunate encounters early on, and fell in with some rather unsavory individuals. I was confident in my ability to wriggle out of anything of course, but..." He sighed. "I did not know the particulars on this world. Which brings me to why I am here of course."

The Empress nodded, slowly.

"The contracts?"

He smiled.

"Yes. I hadn't realized quite what 'binding' meant here. When the magic that enabled my...servitude broke, I put some...contingencies into effect." He shrugged. "My 'superiors', if one can call them that, had not realized that because I could not act against them did not mean I could not plan against them."

"That does not explain your current membership." And it was startling. Granted, she'd technically started all the way at the top in the merchants guild, but she'd been about to take over the whole continent.

"I am a bit more resourceful than running into the arms of the authorities. Instead I ran to my owners' rivals. They were mightily impressed by what I brought to the table as well as my acumen, and decided that having me as a free and willing partner in their own organization would be for the greatest benefit of all involved."

"Truly? What was of such value?"

The merchant smiled.

"The proof that the Autonomous Threat Removal Bureau of the Eris Empire conspired with the Sildaris Consortium, the Elkis Republic and various other elements to have you killed."

There was a long, long silence after that.

"Show me." Said the Empress.

*****

Allya gazed at the documents.

She wouldn't call this proof 'incontrovertible'. Hell it probably wouldn't be enough to get a conviction in most courts.

But it was more than enough for her to start asking questions and light some fires under a few asses.

Especially since she had an inkling of who was actually behind all this. If the ATRB or Oris, Cassissa's sister and the coldest bitch Allya had ever had the displeasure of talking to, wanted her dead she would be. She had zero illusions about that.

This stank of another assassination attempt by the archduke. Which...fair enough. Killing Rivière, his daughter, during that duel would haunt her nightmares for the rest of her life, and she'd hated her. Ostrar had cherished his daughter. He'd even been remarkably friendly towards Allya when she'd met him, though concerned about their rivalry.

But this felt too convenient. This, put in front of her on a literal silver platter? She knew the Merchant had a flair for the dramatic, but this was a bit much.

Perhaps to cover up the fact that it was too convenient.

"These are, indeed, very interesting. And I assume those who recruited you, and yourself, expect a reward for this"

"We are both members of the same guild. Mutual assistance is why we exist."

Actually the guild had started to exist purely to fund Sseth's projects. It had only truly evolved into something more than a glorified banking consortium centuries afterwards.

"True, but 'mutual assistance' would be 'exchange of favors'. I'll be clear, I pay my debts but given my position I cannot have favors be held over my head. If you wish for something you have a full day to name it, afterwards..." She shrugged.

The Merchant grimaced, but nodded.

"I expected something like that. Thankfully, I came prepared." He cleared his throat. "I want you to do introductions."

"Introductions?" She was so baffled she didn't even get angry. "There are specialized agents in arranging meetings. Hell, I'm certain there is one who could get one with me." The art of networking was a complex one, but there was always a fixer who could get a way in. Indirectly, of course.

"To Crystal." He clarified.

Ah. Yeah. Getting an introduction to her...

"And why do you wish to be introduced?"

He smiled.

"That's simple. With the guild gone, and dungeon cores part of the Imperial nobility, they're open to business now, aren't they? And Lady Crystal and her dungeon are making a great deal many things people want, and might want a great deal many things as well."

Allya's glaze flickered to the communicator on her desk. The obvious one, which everyone knew she had to contact 'Crystal', and not the real, top of the line Old World tech hidden one she actually used.

"I'll...see what I can do."

"I can't ask for more." He literally bowed his way out, and she watched him go.

As soon as the door was closed, she pressed a button on her desk, one that led to the secure communicator.

"Trira here." Said the speakers.

"The man who just met me. Put eyes and ears on him." She hesitated. "His motives check out. And his credentials did. But start digging. There's something wrong with him." Something wrong beyond what being an extradimensional would explain. Because she'd already had gone through that song and dance with Alexandra and this felt different. "Be careful. It..." She looked down at the evidence. So convenient. And that merchant came specifically to open the gates of hell on trading directly with dungeons. "It might be the Order."

"...Understood. I'm assuming you'll tell Alexandra?"

"I'm about to."

"Roger that. I'll double my people on our trio of privateers as well."

"Do so. Thanks."

"Hey you made me your spymistress. It comes with the job, the discretionary funding and the giant paycheck."

Allya chuckled, smiling almost despite herself.

"I'll tell you how it went."

*****

"That's an interesting offer." Said Alexandra, as she trailed her hand on the command center's holographic projector.

"And a suspicious one. The timing..." Allya grimaced.

"We're not in position to fight the Empire. Besides, it feels...too soon after the reveal of the origins of the brands."

"Does it? That little Erisian fleet is due to arrive in Erakis soon. And they want to make a courtesy visit in Rebirth." They'd probably wanted to arrive while the summit was still ongoing, but it had gone far faster than anyone had expected. Usually you didn't hammer things out this quickly, but with the Republic and Kingdom just kneeling before her, and the Hegemony agreeing so quickly... "It'd be the perfect time to cook up an incident. Set us on a collision course."

"We already are on a collision course." Alexandra shrugged. "But nevertheless, you have a point. We need to treat everything with suspicion. Especially when it trips this many wires."

"We're agreed then. Will you meet with him?"

Alexandra hesitated, then nodded.

"Yes. It's too good of an opportunity to pass up. Both because of what he wants from that meeting, and..."

"And you haven't seen someone from Earth since you got here."

Alexandra nodded.

"Precisely. What did he look like?"

"A picture is worth a thousand words." Allya pulled out a tablet, and she smiled a bit as she fiddled with it. The dungeon core had promised her implants, but in the meantime, she was starting to get used to all the wonderful possibilities of Old World tech. Granted, arcane crystal tablets exist, but they didn't have anywhere near the functionality of the devices they aped. "The guild sent a staggering amount of stuff for the security screening." She flipped the tablet. "Here-"

She didn't even blink and she still missed it. One heartbeat Alexandra was still by the projector, the next she was here, grasping the tablet, the sturdy device creaking and beeping in protest.

Holy shit when did she get so fast?!?

There was no time to ponder the question, because Alexandra spoke.

"Get Trira here. Now. I'm mobilizing my commandos."

Allya took a step back, letting go of the tablet, leaving it in the dungeon core's hands.

"Why?"

Alexandra looked up to meet her eyes, and there was pure rage in the Earth-Born's gaze.

"Because that's the man that killed me. The one who brought me to Alcheryos."

*****

"I suppose that counts as telling me how it went." Said Trira, as she sat down in the operations center, craning her head around. "You know I haven't been in here yet. Just got some images of it when talking to Glitch."

"Well, it is brand new." Allya looked around. It was new, but already well used. Golems bustled about, keeping up with various stations, screens all around showing tracking data and readiness reports. The AIs were there too, but simply supervised or discussed incoming data. "I just hope Alex doesn't do anything rash."

They'd just closed the summit, and her assassination wasn't that long ago. There was too much attention on the city still, anyone who had a personal meeting with her disappearing would ring alarm bells.

More to the point, if that man was an Order agent...his superiors would notice. And she wasn't about to treat the privateers returning just before the meeting as a coincidence either.

"Speak of the devil."

Allya looked at the door as Trira gestured towards it, and watched as Alexandra stormed in.

"Apologies for dragging you all here." Said the dungeon core as she proceeded to the center of the room, Emilia and her maids in tow. "But I have some news. Thanks to Allya-" She nodded towards the Empress. "-we have found the man who caused my arrival on Alcheryos. Which is why we are redirecting resources to him. Now I know what you are all thinking. Is this about revenge?"

The dungeon core let it hang in the air, and Allya realized it wasn't just for her or Trira's benefit. She could see the AIs had been wondering too.

"Yes." Simply said Alexandra. "I...am going to be honest. I have found things I never thought I would get here on Alcheryos." She put her hand on Emilia's shoulder, and the vampire smiled. "But I was still sent into hyperspace. Alongside hundreds, possibly thousands of people. Most of which have not appeared here, and as far as I know are dead. I swore an oath to protect the European Federation and its citizens. Throughout the stars and the universe. I will uphold that oath. I will avenge the innocents he has slain, and those he has kidnapped. It won't be justice, there won't be a tribunal or evidence or a jury. But by the Gods I will have his fucking head."

"...Well, it is an appropriate sentence for manslaughter on that scale." Finally said Sarah.

Something clicked in Allya.

The reason why the man felt wrong. Her previous suspicions of what had happened to Alexandra, that she'd confessed only to Pyn. That what had happened to Alexandra wasn't an accident.

The merchant had felt wrong to her, because he felt like her.

Like an assassin.

She stood up.

"I don't think it was manslaughter."

The silence was total, and absolute, as everyone turned towards her.

"What?" Finally said Alexandra.

"When you told me what had happened to you...Alex. I've killed people. More than I'd like to admit. I've murdered my way across the world after I was exiled. I know an assassination when I see one." She shook her head. "And that man...I only realize it now. But I think he's like me. That's why he felt wrong to me. Alex. You weren't killed by an act of monumental stupidity, or someone who didn't care. You were his target from the start. Everything else...was just collateral damage to kill you."