All That Glitters Ch. 55

"To aid in these purchases, your ship will be purchased at current Union rates. Your ship is considered to be worth two billion credits. That will be set aside for the you and the crew to purchase items necessary to survive and to thrive on the planet.

"As well, in consideration of your surrender, the Asocan Realm will continue your pay for ten stellar cycles, as a form of compensation for your surrender. This will be placed in individual accounts from which your crew can purchase material needed to live and thrive on the surface.

"Once on the surface, your people will never be allowed to leave the planet again under pain of death. However, they can have a long and profitable existence, made by their own hands, on the planet.

"More details will be given during the indoctrination but that is the gist of the process," Utan> finished.

"Those are rather favourable terms for my ship and crew," Weltch indicated.

"We are coming for Unaayel, Sostoc Weltch. The fewer Grazia Fleet ships that we must deal with the better for us in the long term. It is cost-effective to do things in this manner.

"Your people have accepted the terms of clemency from us because they know they will not get clemency in Alliance nor Union space nor likely anywhere else in The Greater Community if they are captured. As such, the terms are mutually favourable.

"It is to you now, Sostoc Weltch, to determine if you will accept this offer. However, there is a time limit on the offer. Once we begin the assault on Unaayel and her forces, the offer will be rescinded. While I cannot give you a specific timeline, it will not be too far in the future. The choice rests with you and your crew, Sostoc.

"When you have made your decision, send a message to me with a single word in it, 'YES'. We will both know the significance of that single word. Once we receive that message, we will send a communiqué with the coordinates of the meeting place.

"Do you have any other questions, Sostoc Weltch?" Utan> asked.

"Many, Ambassador. However, they will best be answered with my crew and I together to hear them. I will be in touch once I canvas the crew," Weltch cut the link.

"Well?" he asked of his Number One.

"I wish we had not informed Admiral Grazia of what we knew. This is more than just an enticing offer," he replied to his boss.

Weltch gave a rueful smile. "We are committed to Grazia and Unaayel now. It's time to notify the boss."

Korld Shall, 365km South-West of Asoc Shall, AsocAR, The Asocan Realm

Guro< and his friend Mattan had finally made it to Korld Shall. They had initially gone to Mattan's family but were pursued there, indicating that Mattan had been identified by the two who had escaped them. Guro< had requested the aid of his mother in getting him back to his Korld Shall. He was grateful for all that she had done and told her so.

"Thank you, mother, for helping us to get to Korld Shall," he said with a bow of his head.

"Despite the fact that you did not choose to follow in my footsteps, Guro<, you are still my son. I would not abandon you to one such as Unaayel," his mother, Gurn Praatra Mutt Korld replied.

"Leaving the impression that you would abandon me to someone other than Unaayel?" Guro< asked good naturedly.

"You constantly disappoint me, Guro<, by displaying such a fine mind that you have turned to menial work," his mother answered getting a bark of a laugh from Guro<.

"You see what I must put up with whenever I return to my home shall, Mattan?" Guro< asked of his friend.

"I don't know, Guro<. I see a mother who has pride in her son and the will to protect him from the excesses of Unaayel. I would be very happy to be part of a family such as this," his friend stated, getting an appraising look from Praatra.

"At least you know to make friends of people with excellent analytical abilities, Guro<," Praatra responded to the obvious flattery from Mattan.

"Mother, you were always such a pushover for flattery," Guro< interjected with a smile.

"Only from males, Guro<," Praatra returned good naturedly.

"Yes, but only from males not of our family. If I had used flattery on you, you would have whacked me over the head," Guro< told his mother.

"And it would have been a well deserved whack, Guro<. You were never very good at flattery," Praatra informed her son.

"Which is why I never went into politics, mother. Politicians must be able to shamelessly flatter both their friends and their opponents," Guro< apprised his mother. "I could never accomplish this with the dexterity that you and other members of the family show."

"I will concede that point, Guro<. Now we must try to determine what we shall do with you in the interim."

"The interim, mother?" Guro< asked.

"The Asoc will return to claim her position, Guro<. I suspect before Unaayel emplaces her tame Beerlendl. It would make things much harder on >Catal if Unaayel is designated as the next Asoc. The Asoc must act before then, which means within the next few weeks.

"Your life will be at threat until Unaayel is taken down by the Asoc," Praatra stated.

"Are you so sure that the Asoc will defeat Unaayel and her mercenaries, mother?" Guro< wanted to know.

"Oh, yes," Praatra replied confidently. "Unaayel has no support among the Gurn, or at least among the legitimate Gurn. There are those who will cling at her tail, but those will not be a threat to the realm.

"Should >Catal win in space and return to the surface of AsocAR, the Gurn will support her, minus those that Unaayel has bought. Unaayel will go down quickly if that happens.

"So, we must protect you until the Asoc and her forces make their move. The question is, where to put you..."

"I understand, mother. You cannot keep me here as that would pose a possible threat to Korld Shall, to you, and to our Mutt line," Guro< acknowledged. "What of the lodge?"

"That should be an ideal location for you and your friend, Guro<. Unaayel would not know of it and it is far enough away from the shall that if you were found there, she could not bring it against us," Praatra voiced her thoughts. "It is also not hunting season, so you will not be found there accidentally. Yes, we shall send you to the lodge."

The lodge was hunting cabin deep in the forests and swamps South of Korld Shall. Guro< had been there many times in his youth as his parents had taught him the fundamentals of tracking and hunting the local game. It would be a good place to hide for a time.

While they made their plans, so to did another member of Mutt Korld. Kaprit Mutt Korld was an angry female who had been in trouble many times. Now part of the Gurn's staff, mostly to keep an eye on her, she was not a happy worker as she found herself being constrained by the other office workers, who were 'looking out for her' much to her annoyance. They very much prevented her from doing as she pleased, which admittedly would get her into more trouble.

She made her own plans, plans that did not align with those of High Gurn Korld...

Korld Hunting Lodge, 75km South of Korld Shall, AsocAR, the Asocan Realm

It took Guro< and Mattan the better part of two days to get to the lodge. As they wanted to maintain secrecy and not go directly to it, they first left Korld Shall in an Easterly direction, then gradually headed south once they were well clear of the shall.

Guro< approached the lodge with utmost care, trying determine if anyone was there. There was but it was someone that Guro< was happy to see.

"You might as well come in through the main door, Guro<," said the familiar voice with utmost contempt. "You were always too heavy of foot to successfully hunt in these forests."

">Kamtar!" Guro< called out elated.

"Welcome back, boy. And who have you with you who plods through the forests with even less skill than you?" >Kamtar Mutt Korld demanded.

Guro< embraced the much larger and much older hunter with a fervor he didn't known he had. It had been too long since he had last seen >Kamtar and he was pleased to find the old hunter still alive. Guro< had always enjoyed his time at the lodge, even if he couldn't quite get >Kamtar to acknowledge his meager hunting skills.

"Will you never die, you old fool?" Guro< demanded.

"Look who is calling whom a fool!" >Kamtar returned slapping the younger male on the back.

"Kamtar, this is my friend from the Metalsmith's Academy, Mattan Mutt Sin, who I inadvertently got involved with my problems. I could not leave him behind to be taken by Unaayel and her forces," Guro< explained.

"Well met, Mattan. If Guro< finds you worthy of protecting, then you are indeed a good friend," >Kamtar greeted the new male.

">Kamtar was a seasoned hunter long before my mother became the High Gurn of Mutt Korld," Guro< explained to his friend. "He taught me all that I know of hunting.

"Boy!! Never curse me in such a way again. You never did learn to hunt properly!" >Kamtar returned, getting a bark of a laugh from Guro<. Guro< was a formidable hunter, though not on par with his parents who >Kamtar had also taught to hunt.

"Are you alone, >Kamtar?" Guro< asked.

"No, there is one other here permanently with me and two others who drop by to check on us on occasion," >Kamtar answered as he moved to bring Guro< and his friend into the lodge.

"Who would want to brave the presence of an old curmudgeon as yourself, >Kamtar?" Guro< demanded.

"That would be me," said a fierce looking female with many battle scars as the trio of males entered the lodge.

"Boy, behave yourself around my friend," >Kamtar said sternly. "This is Lissta Mutt Reng, a friend who has stayed with me at the lodge for several years now."

"Since the passing of your mate I would guess," Guro< mused. "I am sorry that I was not able to return in time to help you sing her to the Land of the Departed my friend."

"Your missive was well-received, boy. I thank you for that," >Kamtar said as he gently squeezed around Guro<'s shoulders with one arm. He was one of only a few males that could do that to Guro< as both were on the large size for males.

"So, more mouths to feed..." Lissta murmured, getting a laugh from Guro<.

"Forgive me, Lissta. While I knew of your presence here, I did not know you by name. I am pleased that >Kamtar has a friend in his declining years," Guro< said, taking the opportunity to give back a dig to >Kamtar.

Lissta grinned. "I see that the two of you will get along. What of this other male?"

"This is my friend from the Metalsmith's Academy, Mattan Mutt Sin. I inadvertently included him in my recent activities and we both find ourselves needing some place to lay low from Unaayel and her cronies," Guro< responded.

"He does not know how to walk the forest. I heard him all the way inside the lodge," Lissta hissed.

"He is from around Asoc Shall, Lissta. I doubt he has ever been inside a true forest before," Guro< conceded.

"We will try to impress him on how to approach animals without advertising his presence," >Kamtar said good naturedly. "I am sure that you are both hungry. So let us take some food and speak of things that are going on out in the world."

>Clot<, Asoc Shall, AsocAR, The Asocan Realm

It had taken Kaprit two days to sneak away from her minders and get to the daily shuttle to Asoc Shall. Now she was in the shall and looking to find Unaayel or her daughter. However, time and again, as she approached the >Clot<, she was pushed away by the guards or the workers. She had no idea how she would get to Unaayel or her daughter Tarrest. She was plodding along, rather testily snapping at people getting in her way when she was approached by one of the more formidable guards.

"Why are you getting in the way of the workers of the >Clot<?" the guard demanded.

"They are getting in my way, as are you!" Kaprit snapped.

Her comments only angered the guard, who reached out to place her under arrest. Kaprit had had enough. She grabbed the guards arm and pulled her through an unarmed combat throw. The surprised guard found herself a meter away and on her back.

"Stay down, fool," Kaprit snarled. "I have had enough of little people getting in my way."

"Is that so?" a person with the voice of authority snapped. "Then why don't you speak to me. If I find what you are doing of some use, I will not send you to prison."

Kaprit turned and saw Martte Unaayel standing not far from her. She immediately gave the Martte a low bow. "You are the person I have been trying to see all morning, Martte Unaayel. However, your guards and the workers have been pushing me away and out of the >Clot< since I first tried to enter it."

"And what reason have you for wanting to see me?" Unaayel demanded.

"It is of a sensitive nature, Martte Unaayel. I would rather not discuss it out here with others around," Kaprit countered.

"Follow," Unaayel ordered as she turned away and led Kaprit into the >Clot<. After walking for a bit, Unaayel entered a small conference room and dismissed the others.

"I will give you one chance to impress me. If you fail, you will pay for it," Unaayel said calmly to Kaprit. The calm in her voice held real steel behind it. Kaprit nodded.

"There are two people who you are searching for, Gordu< Mutt Korld and his friend, Mattan Mutt Sin. I know where they are," Kaprit stated.

"And what do you want for this information?" Unaayel asked.

"I am being constrained by Gurn Praatra Mutt Korld. I wish only to be free of her," Kaprit told Unaayel.

"Very well, I will allow you to live here in the >Clot< for as long as I am in control of it," Unaayel told her.

Kaprit smiled and told Unaayel what she knew.

Korld Hunting Lodge, South of Korld Shall, AsocAR, The Asocan Realm

A few days later, Gordu< was moving in the bush under the watchful eyes and ears of >Kamtar. He was attempting to regain the skills that he had lost from many years of being away from the forest. It was not easy, but it was slowly coming back to him, unlike his friend Mattan, who had never been outside of a shall in his life until recently.

On the first day, it had been very difficult to get his mentor's approval. Now, after several days in the forest, his mentor was giving him more frequent nods of approval. Gordu< was pleased with himself.

They were following the spoor and moving in on their prey, ready to take it down when they both heard the whine of gravity suppressors. A small shuttle was coming to the area.

>Kamtar suddenly appeared beside Gordu<. "We need to check this out," Gordu< told Kamtar.

"You would be a fool to do so, boy. We need to move further into the forest where they cannot find us," >Kamtar snarled instead.

"That would leave Lissta and Mattan in their hands, >Kamtar," Gordu< replied.

"Yes, but they are not the prey they seek, you are," >Kamtar retorted.

Before they could discuss things further, the shuttle suddenly appeared overhead and shot a stun beam into the forest. It missed the two but caught several animals around them.

>Kamtar made a stopping motion and indicated that they both should hug the ground. They heard Asocans dropping to the ground on wires from the shuttle. They moved clumsily around the area looking at all the downed animals, hoping that their actual prey would be among them.

Gordu< almost laughed. These Asocans had no experience in the wild. They stomped around like untrained Ulnar. He heard one of them being given instructions to their next target which, unfortunately, was Gordu and >Kamtar. As the Asocan came to the two people on the ground, they both feigned unconsciousness until she was almost on them. Both came up off the ground and quickly subdued the pair of guards. She was dressed in a security uniform. >Kamtar pulled her comms device from her and attached it to himself.

"Anything?" came the request from the device. "No, more animals," >Kamtar replied.

"Right, your next target is 50m due East," came the instructions.

>Kamtar signed Gordu< and they moved off to the East. They came upon two animals that were beginning to revive from being stunned.

"More animals," >Kamtar reported. "They are starting to revive."

"Keep going in the direction you are now. Regroup at the lodge 800m from your location. We have two there, one we seek and another," ordered the voice.

The pair moved off in the direction of the lodge as they heard the shuttle moving in the same direction. They arrived at the lodge not long after.

"We need to determine who many there are," Gordu< explained to >Kamtar.

>Kamtar nodded and signalled Gordu< to go in the other direction as he moved to inspect the two shuttles. Both were empty. He slipped up to the lodge and cautiously peered into the window. There were four of them there. He moved back and found Gordu< not far away.

"Not much of an assault group," Gordu< said.

"Aye. I suspect that they were relying on the stun weapons in the shuttle," >Kamtar thought openly.

"What do we do?" Gordu< asked.

"They are expecting us," >Kamtar replied with a feral grin.

The pair stomped there way to the door and simply walked in. Using the stun weapons they took from the guards they had knocked out, they shot all four of the others.

Gordu< examined the lodge and found Mattan and Lissta trussed up and unconscious from being stunned. He untied them and administered a revive shot waiting as they abruptly came round. Both had the headaches associated with the use of stun weapons.

"Mattan and I need to leave this area," Gordu< told >Kamtar. "It is obvious that they knew or at least suspected that we were here.

"We'll take their shuttles and head in different directions. Hopefully, we can stay ahead of them until the Asoc returns," Gordu< ended.

He got a nod from >Kamtar. "Lissta and I can stay ahead of them in the swamps and the forest. They can't go indiscriminately stunning everyone they see in the area if they want to keep good relations with Mutt Korld. We should be OK on our own and we know how to survive in the wild. Unlike you two."

"In case they track me down, I don't want to know where you will go Mattan. You won't survive out here, so find a large shall somewhere and dump the shuttle. Disappear into population until you hear of >Catal's return," Gordu< suggested. He grasped his friend's claws, turned and left the lodge. He took one of the shuttles and continued South. The nearest shall in that direction was two hours flight away. He hoped he could make it there.

Mattan went west. The nearest large settlement in that direction was only forty-five minutes away.

Neither of them would remain free for long after arriving at their destinations.

Sim Shall, 784km North-East of Asoc Shall, AsocAR, the Asocan Realm

High Gurn Hallan Mutt Hude was ready. She was headed to Sim Shall to conduct High Challenge against the High Gurn of Mutt Sim, Gurn Corva Mutt Sim. Hallan had no doubts in her mind as to whether or not she could defeat Corva. Mutt Sim was basically a Mutt of business, while Mutt Hude had a number of famous warriors amongst its people, including Hallan herself.

What was more important for her was the number of supporters she was bringing with her. They would be there as witnesses to the High Challenge and allow her to complete her task of taking back Sim Shall which, of course, would be renamed Hude Shall.

Beside the five Gurn that had originally made the pitch to Unaayel and Tarrest, there were an additional nine other Gurn ready to commit to High Challenge with their historical enemies, so long as Hallan succeeded. As well, there were over one hundred people, senior members of their respective Mutt Lines, who wanted to witness this significant historical event. Some of them would challenge their own Gurn for control of their Mutt or Mutt lines. Hallan was more than pleased.