Chapter 5 - Chapter 5

In the morning, the crew gathered their weapons and supplies and returned to their ship, still anchored in the rocky harbor. Konno told Mia, who was still a bit shaken by the names she had been called by Garou the previous night, to set a course for headquarters. To the rest of the crew, she said to not bother her. Silently she took Allendar aside and told him that she wanted an hourly report of the ship’s and the ship’s crew’s condition. Allendar nodded and set off for his quarters. Back in her own quarters, Konno sighed with her head in her hands. She had met many men that were considered ‘scum’ in her lifetime, but for Garou to call Mia, an innocent thirteen-year-old girl, a slut, well...that was unacceptable. She would make sure the Supreme Chancellor never gave her an assignment with an unknown contact ever again. She set to work filling out the paperwork needed to prove that she had completed her mission and would be expecting payment. She paused in her writing, quill in her mouth. Allendar should be reporting soon. Sure enough, a few moments later, he knocked on the door and let himself in.
“All appears normal, Captain. The waves are low, the sun is shining, and everyone is hard at work.”
“How’s Mia?”
“She’s fine. She’s a bit shaken from Garou’s...” He paused to stifle a growl and shook his head. “Er...his words last night, but she’ll be able to get us to HQ.”
“Good. Thank you, Allendar.”
“Captain,” Allendar said, bowing out of the room.

Soon, they reached headquarters again, and while the rest of the crew departed for the market, Konno headed for the Great Chamber. She passed through the familiar hallways leading to the Supreme Chancellor’s dwelling. When she arrived at the great oaken double doors, they were opened instantly for her. She stepped through and strode to the middle of the room, not bothering to kneel this time.
“I see you’ve neglected to show proper respect,” the Supreme Chancellor said.
“Stuff it, Evander. I’m sick of your out-of-the-blue scumbag partners. Do you know what that Garou bastard called Mia last night?”
“Probably something along the lines of a filthy Human and a slut,” Supreme Chancellor Evander said, quite nonchalantly.
Konno stared at him incredulously. “And that doesn’t bother you?”
“He’s just a man, Konno. I’m sure Mia will recover without any major psychiatric damage.”
“But she’s only thirteen, Evander!”
“She joined The Order of her own free will. What other members call her is her problem. Now, have you filled out the necessary paperwork?”
Konno scowled but showed him the papers.
“Good, leave them with my assistant when you leave. Now, my next assignment for you will require time. I want you to go to Kinetica and scout the area for a possible Order invasion.”
“Invasion?! Are you mad!?” Konno cried in disbelief.
“No, I’m quite sane. We have now gathered a large enough force to launch successful campaigns against both Kinetica and Cellstar. Spies in Silvermoon and Riverflow have reported that both countries are weakened, and a strike at this time will be beneficial to The Order. They say that we’d be able to take both countries with minor casualties.”
Konno stared at the Supreme Chancellor. He sounded like a tyrant trying to take over the world. She swallowed and nodded.
“Good. You are dismissed. I want you in Kinetica by moonrise in ten days. Send back messengers every beginning of the month. We are now mobilizing our forces, but it will take at least a year to be fully prepared, and I want full knowledge of what happens in Kinetica and Cellstar.”
“May I ask, sir, who is in Cellstar?” Konno said.
“I have sent Dunland and his crew.”
“But they just lost ten members! Shouldn’t they have time to regroup and find new crewmembers?”
“They still have ten members. That is enough to run his ship.”
Konno scowled and gave a curt nod. She abruptly turned and quickly strode out of the room, dumping her papers in the assistant’s arms as she passed.

“Really? He didn’t care that Garou called Mia a...you know what?” Zion said, amazed. Konno had found her crew in a local tavern. Mia was already quite drunk. Kaya was slammed as well, and was sloppily trying to hold an intelligent conversation with a fellow sailor. Darius, Allendar, and Zion had been quietly talking in a corner, and Silverfang was undoubtedly back on the ship, tinkering with more gadgets. Grunt and Spark were hanging around Allendar, Darius, and Zion, saying nothing. Konno had ordered a pint of the tavern’s strongest drink, which turned out to be Riverflow ale, and sat with her crew. She hurriedly told them what had happened in the Great Chamber, and sat back to hear their reactions.
“Yeah, he just said that she’d probably be fine, and then he went on with our next assignment.”
“What an @$$...” Allendar muttered. He took another sip of his drink and looked at Kaya darkly. She was silently giggling at nothing.
“Hee hee...*hic*...Allendar said @$$...” she quietly said to Konno. Konno just stared at her for a moment then turned back to her crew. Mia’s head nodded and she began to snore.
“How much has she had to drink?” Konno asked, pointing at Mia.
“Six Riverflow ales...” Allendar muttered.
“Allendar! She’s thirteen! How can you expect her to drink six Riverflow ales successively!?” Konno exclaimed. Allendar shrugged and glared at Kaya, who was now laughing uncontrollably. Spark picked Mia up and carried her to the boat.
“I’ll tell you one thing, lass,” Darius said, “Mia won’t be doing any navigating tomorrow...” Konno glared at Allendar pointedly and he shrugged again.
“Hey, I tried to stop her, but she tried to bite me, so I just let her drink ‘em.” Konno sighed, exasperated. The past few days had been exhausting, what with the battle, Garou, and now Mia getting drunk beyond all reason. She said she was going to turn in and headed for the boat, but when she reached her quarters, decided not to go to sleep after all and just sat up thinking. What if Supreme Chancellor Evander had changed his aims for The Order? What if he had created his own personal army with which he would attempt to take over the world? Konno didn’t want to believe it, but the evidence was incontrovertible.

Evander had become a power-hungry tyrant.

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