|
|
|
|
Chapter Fourty Keeping
her strides even and graceful, Valyr Shesh enters the office chambers of the
Supreme Ruler of the Kuati people. Her deliberate movements are an attempt to
not appear apprehensive about her having been summoned to her father’s office,
but her state of mind is not hidden from the man who knows her better than any
other being in the galaxy; her father. His
chair begins to turn around very slowly and his presence becomes known the
instant he calls to her, “How long did you intend to hide your failure from
me, my Dear First Child?” Stopped
cold in her tracks by his words, she attempts to recover, “Honored Father, it
was never my intention to keep anything from you… I merely believed this to be
something within my power to deal with…” She struggles with the right
closing for this admission, “My failure is only that of the faith I held in my
abilities, Dear Honored Father.” Nodding
his head in affirmation, “Then you have seen your error, and you intend to
learn from it, First Daughter?” His condescension is ripe with every syllable. “As
you have instructed, First Father…” She bows her head and awaits his
permission to rise and continue. “Very
good, First Child… Please,” gesturing for her to take the seat at his right,
“continue to inform me of your plans to deal with this problem.” As
you wish, First Father… I believe that the whelp has left the planet. No one
has heard from or caught sight of her since the incident. Also, there have been
no reports from our dealers in regards to unauthorized repairs or modifications.
As a result, I turned to outside information and discovered that there have been
no further modifications performed since that incident.” Vanquar
the Greater positions his hands in a thoughtful pose, “And what conclusion
have you drawn from this information, my Dear First Daughter?” “It
is my belief that our problem has left Kuat.
However, I also believe that we shall have no further complications from
her work.” Valyr speaks with the authority with which she has been instructed
to always conduct herself. “And
what makes you think this way, my Dear First Daughter.” His
lack of response makes her believe that perhaps she has made an error. “For
her to continue her work, she will reveal herself to our operatives. Doing so
would be much the same as signing her own death warrant.” From
behind one of the many tapestries hanging in her First Father’s office chamber
a sinister and foreboding voice reveals the presence of another being for this
meeting, “Or perhaps her disappearance is an omen of your death warrant,
child.” As
the figure begins to withdraw from the shadows, standing to meet this being,
Valyr is struck with the aura of darkness surrounding the visage of the pristine
and sultry older woman gracefully stepping into the dim light. “Who are you,
and how did you get here?” Valyr is about to call out for the guards when her
First Father raises his hand to motion for her to take her seat once more. “My
Dear Lady Lusankya, please forgive my First Daughter her ignorance…” Vanquar
the Greater stands with all regality, “Please, will you join us in the
discussion of our plans?” Motioning for the woman to take a seat beside Valyr,
Vanquar the Greater attempts to salve the situation. Slowly
moving to the proffered chair, “Your plans?” She ends the question with a
careful and deliberate raise of her left eyebrow and an icy chill goes up
Valyr’s spine. “It was my understanding that you were proceeding with the
plans that I have laid out for you, Ruler Shesh.
Have I been misled?” Her words are laced with so much condescension and
vitriol that Valyr is immediately uneasy about her position in this
conversation.
Creator: PtrsonsZOO (Jennifer)
Back to Index Continue to Next Chapter ©2002 Rocky
Mountain Fan Force |