Fourth Vector Ch. 08

Jack smiled. "I think we can make that happen, Heron."

"All right. You can count me in then," said the king finally.

"Me too, this sounds like a good idea," said Nikias.

"It was my idea, so of course I'm in," said Elektra with a chuckle.

"Wait just a second," said Greg suddenly. "I'm not too convinced that we need to launch this fight." The Marine crossed his arms in opposition.

Jack's expression changed to confusion as he looked to his Marine friend. "What's on your mind?"

"A few things," started Greg. "For one, we don't know how many of them there are for sure, and while we do have the advantage of firepower, that almost wasn't enough to save us during Daimanos' last assault on Heron's city. We could get overwhelmed again with enough odds."

"That's a fair point," said Jack while weighing his friend's words. "They could still outnumber us greatly but then again, let's look back at the attack on Kat this morning. There were only five of them, and we killed three. Now if they know we're coming, they may have sent out their largest group for a possible confrontation with us, right?"

Greg nodded while remaining quiet.

"So if their largest group was no more than five guys, I'm thinking we're dealing with a small band of thieves. Maybe no more than ten in all, and I'm sure we've already wounded them greatly by taking out three. I highly doubt we're dealing with that many of them and I'm sure the three of us with our firepower will be more than enough to take them out."

Nikias nodded his head as well. "I'd have to agree with Jack on this one. This area of the country is known for having this type of robber element—thieves and the like. They usually operate in small bands. Once they get too big, that's when the army gets sent in, so I doubt we're dealing with a coordinated group of professionals here."

"Okay," said Greg before continuing with his argument. "But say one of us gets wounded or takes an unlucky shot during this upcoming attack. Our mission will be compromised having to care for one of the wounded."

"Our mission was always going to be dangerous from the beginning," said Jack quietly. "It's not unusual that we might take a casualty. We all knew the consequences when we decided to go on this journey."

"That was for the pursuit of Barak though," said Greg. "Not to go chasing after his Melitos and his band of thieves."

"Melitos is just an extension of Barak at this point," said Jack. "We may even find out more about locating Barak by getting to Melitos. Besides, if this Melitos is causing trouble in the interior, he must be stopped."

Greg took a step closer, lowering his voice so that only Jack could hear. "It's not our fight though, Jack. We have our mission and it's to stop Barak. As much as I like Sorella and its people, we can't be waylaid by trying to chase down every village thief that crosses our path. If we can get around Melitos, I think it'll be all the better."

Jack nodded his head in understanding. "Normally, I'd agree with you and leave this character to his own fate. But we must use him to get to Barak. We don't know what he intends to do with all that gold, but it can't be good. If we can shut down all those in Barak's hierarchy, we have a better chance of shutting him down."

"It's still not our fight, Jack," said Greg quietly.

"I disagree with you there," said Jack firmly, surprised at seeing this side of his friend. Normally, Greg could be counted on to be ready for action at all times but seeing him like this was truly surprising. It wasn't like him.

"Greg, I don't want to have to worry about Barak in front of me and Melitos in my rear. We already have enough threats around us without adding one more to the list." Besides, they had tried to attack and rape this new woman, the blonde-haired wanderer, Kat. Although she had listened to their discussion instead of speaking, her eyes hadn't left Jack's for much more than a minute for most of the day.

Greg noticed Jack's stare. "It's because of her, isn't it? Because they tried to attack her? Is that the real reason why we need to neutralize Melitos? Is it for Kat?"

Jack took a deep breath. "It's part of it. I feel bad for her to some degree. Losing her only companion in such a cowardly attack. Not to mention, who knows what would've happened had we not arrived at that very moment? Something far worse perhaps? There's something about her that I can't quite put my finger on."

Greg looked back over to Kat. "She is beautiful, I'll give you that. But I don't know if it's worth changing our plan just because she was attacked."

"This Dark Forest is on the path in front of us. If it was behind us or out of our way, then I wouldn't be pushing to do this as much as I am," said Jack honestly. "But this is the very thing we're here fighting for. To end the cruelty and barbarity that has engulfed this island. Yes, Melitos may be a thief, and there may be a hundred like him, but we can send a message right now that we're putting Sorella back to the way it should be. I think Heron understands that as well, and that's why he's onboard too."

Greg nodded. "I just hope we can catch up with Barak before he gets away. We're still far behind him."

"If we play this right, we won't lose any time," said Jack. "Just by picking the right spot in the forest and by making the bait big enough. We can dispose of Melitos and his band and be right on our way in the morning."

"And if they don't attack? If they don't find the bait big enough and we find ourselves at the start of a new day empty-handed? What then? Will you give the order to move on?" asked Greg.

Jack thought about it for a moment before answering. "I will. We do this only as time allows. You're right about one thing though. We can't allow ourselves to get further behind Barak."

Greg clapped him on the back. "I'm in then. In and out. Let's get this done and get back on the road."

The two men shook hands and then rejoined the rest of the members of their group. At this point, Vera had dinner nearly ready, and as she began to scoop their porridge into bowls, the group ate while engaged in light chatter. For the most part, Greg was the storyteller tonight, telling his rapt audience of Vera, Elektra and Nikias all about some of his adventures back in Java and some of the hairier battles he'd been a part of throughout his service.

Jack watched with a small smile on his face, his eyes flickering every so often to Kat. More often than not, she was watching him. She sat by herself and ate her meal quietly, although Jack couldn't blame her for not being more engaged with the group. They were all strangers to her largely, not to mention she'd just lost someone important to her this very morning. It had to be a surreal feeling to find herself with a band of strangers while she was on her own quest. Yet, he made a note to himself to talk with her once they had a moment of privacy. There was much to be learned from their beautiful stranger.

There was someone else who also wasn't partaking in Greg's stories. Heron was kind enough to watch the rest of the group respond to the Marine before turning his attention back to Jack. After finishing his meal, he went to sit next to the other man.

"Feel like a walk around the camp?" asked Heron. "Nothing against Greg, but I wouldn't mind a little conversation right now."

Jack chuckled. "Not in the mood for war stories either?"

"I've lived through too many of them," said Heron with a laugh. "I'd say that I've had my fill for the time being."

"Come on then," said Jack while getting up from his log. "Let's take a walk."

The two men started to walk away from the campsite and emerged into the nearby forest. For once, Jack was able to leave his walking stick behind, finally feeling capable of walking on his own unencumbered since the fight with Daimanos. It wasn't that he didn't feel the effects of those wounds still, and it still hurt him when pressure was applied to some of those scars but being able to be fully mobile again was a gift in itself. He didn't feel nearly as helpless as he did before.

"Beautiful country this is," said Heron finally after they had strolled out of listening range from the camp.

"It truly is," agreed Jack. "You rule a great country, Heron. Full of good people and beauty."

Heron chuckled. "I'm surprised that you still think that way after all that you've seen since you've been here. I have wondered if it might have jaded you."

"Not at all," answered Jack. "Apart from a few bad apples, it seems the more Sorellans I get to know, the better I like the people as a whole."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that in the very least," said Heron. "It's not easy to rule them sometimes. Especially when I feel like I can barely rule my own household."

Jack squinted. "I take it you're talking about Elektra, aren't you?"

Heron nodded. "Don't take this the wrong way. Your plan is a good one, and I have to give that one to you. I just wish it didn't have to put her in harm's way, even for a moment."

"I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't feel like she could take care of herself," said Jack. "Even just until we spring the trap on any would-be attackers."

"And I know that she can take care of herself as well," said the king as they walked deeper into the forest. "I don't know what it is. I just want to see my only daughter loved and married. All of this soldiering on her part puts a knot in my stomach."

"It seems like she's adamant about her role in all of this," said Jack with a chuckle. "She wants to be a soldier. She wants to be in the thick of the action. You can't fault her for that."

"Nor do I," said Heron quickly. "But it also reminds me of someone else who always wanted to be in the middle of all the action. Someone else who was more military-minded than the rest of his family."

Jack swallowed hard, guessing at whom Heron was referring to. "I take it you mean your brother?"

Heron nodded. "I don't need to remind you how bloodthirsty Daimanos was. My biggest fear is that some of that blood runs within Elektra. That his hotheadedness and impulsivity will eventually find its way to her."

"Surely you don't think it could turn to that?" asked Jack. "Elektra is not your brother. That's plain as day for everyone to see."

"I know," said Heron quietly. "I struggle with this myself. Part of me thinks it's crazy to even think it let alone say it out loud. But there are some resemblances. I can see it myself because I've been around the both of them long enough. Daimanos wasn't always a cruel tyrant, and there was a time when I called him brother, no matter how strained the relationship got. What if Elektra starts to show more of his qualities? What if by encouraging this behavior, I'm unleashing the very same beast that consumed Daimanos?"

Jack listened to the king speak for several moments without interrupting. Heron's hands were very active during his speech, waving about in a shaky motion while he postulated his theory. It wasn't hard to tell why this was on his mind. While he never shared the same martial instincts that his brother did, his daughter had inherited those traits in spades. It was a link to her uncle, and as faint as the link was, it still made the man nervous.

"I think you are looking too far into this right now, Heron," said Jack finally. "Since I've met you, I've had the chance to talk with Elektra personally and find out more about the woman she's become. Do you want to know what I think?"

Heron nodded.

"I think you don't have anything to worry about. Yes, I agree with you that she has a fiery passion about military matters that is similar to your brother," started Jack. "But just being in the presence of your brother for a couple hours was more than enough time to get the measure of his personality. And it wasn't good. Elektra shares none of those qualities. She's passionate, yes, but she's passionate in a good way. She wants to be a soldier because she knows she's good at it. And her being good at it is the best way she can serve her people. Her motivations are entirely selfless, and that's diametrically opposed to what Daimanos thought about it."

"I know you're right," said Heron. "It just bothers me. Perhaps if I could've seen what my brother had become, I might have been able to stop it or stop her now before it happens."

"I don't think you need to worry about that. You've raised an excellent daughter," said Jack. "She'll make a fine queen one day because she knows the first thing about ruling—it's not about you. It's about your people. As long as she keeps that in mind, she'll be the queen that Sorella deserves."

Heron grinned. "You know, the day that you have to leave Sorella will be a sad day. I'm getting rather used to your company. It's too bad you can't be stationed on the island permanently."

Jack started to chuckle. "I doubt I'd ever be able to get that approved by the chain of command. While I fully respect what we've been able to accomplish with our alliance, my mission was to find multiple alliances. I doubt they'd let me settle with just one."

Heron smiled. "Regardless. You've rendered a great amount of aid to my house and my country. I appreciate all that you've done for us, Jack. Now if we can just complete this last task, I can let you get on with your mission."

"At least then I'll know that I'm leaving Sorella a better place than how I found her," said Jack with a grin.

"Any idea where you'd go? We've talked enough about different peoples and lands that I'm curious if you know your next stopping point?" asked Heron.

Jack shrugged. "It doesn't seem like many of the nearby options are too great. We may have to go further afield. I suppose I'll have to make a decision when the time comes but I haven't given it much thought recently. Just been focused on Sorella at the moment."

"If you do decide to go further abroad, make sure you stop in Picardy," advised the king. "It's a good distance to their kingdom, but they're good people. We've always gotten along with the Picards, and even as many of the nearby nations were transferring their embassies to my brother, the Picards stayed put. I'd highly suggest you start there."

"I just might," said Jack as they rounded around another tree and began to head back toward camp. "What about you? Have you given any thought to what you'll do when we leave? Besides rebuilding, of course?"

Heron pursed his lips. "I think we'll be doing that for quite some time, and that's even if we recover all the gold. Other than that, who knows? Grow older still. Keep trying to persuade my daughter to marry," he said with a humorous tone. "And hopefully, stay away from conflict for a long time coming."

"Amen to that," said Jack with a smile as they neared the campsite. The small fire of the camp was just visible around a small grove of bushes, yet Heron stopped Jack right before they emerged on the other side.

"Wait a moment, Jack. I need a word in private with you," said Heron while holding up his hand. "Something is bothering me, and I need to discuss it with you."

"What's on your mind, Heron?"

The king looked back to the campsite and then back to Jack. "Our new guest seems a bit on the quiet side, no?"

Jack shrugged. "Kat? A little, I suppose. But then again, her only companion was just killed this morning. I can understand if she needs a little time to process something like that."

Heron nodded cautiously. "Normally, I'd agree, but it seems like almosttoo good of timing."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean we just so happened to be in the right place to catch the assailants in the action before any harm came to her. We know that Barak is aware we're on his trail, and we also know that Melitos works for him. Part of me wonders whether or not this was staged."

Jack's face turned to confusion. "Staged? Do you think she's in league with them?" His mind raced with the possibilities. Granted, it could be true. He knew next to nothing about the mysterious woman who shared their camp but then again, that had been for a lack of trying. She'd only just joined them that morning and her time had been mostly spent in quiet mourning for her companion. Jack wasn't sure if she would open up more with conversation, but at this very moment, they knew almost nothing beyond her name.

"I don't know, Jack," said Heron with a shake of his head. "But it gives me a funny feeling. The timing was almost too good. Until we find out more about her or corroborate her story, this might be a trap. We know Barak is devious, and we can be sure that Melitos will be cunning in his position at the head of a band of thieves so I wouldn't put anything past them. I think we should keep an extra eye on her for the time being."

Jack mulled the idea over for a few moments. Despite his gut telling him that she was the victim and not the perpetrator in this situation, it didn't hurt to be cautious. He'd been wrong before, and his mistakes had cost lives. Until Kat could demonstrate that she was worthy of being trusted, she would need to be watched.

"I agree with you. You're completely right, and I will keep an eye on her," said Jack with a nod. "At least until we can get more information on her."

Heron gave a relieved smile. "I think it's the best thing for us to do. There's too much at stake with our mission. I don't want us to let our guard down especially when we're surrounded by foes."

"If she does have any nefarious intentions, she couldn't have landed with a better group of people," said Jack with a grin.

Heron chuckled. "Right about that. I pray for her sake, and ours, that isn't the case. Thank you for being my sounding board about that. I didn't want to decide anything else that could have involved her without speaking to you first."

"Of course," said Jack with a nod. "Let's get back to the camp."

The two men walked around the small grove to get back to the campsite. Greg was still in the middle of one of his tales, and by the look on most of their faces, he was giving a completely captivating rendition of the story, full of his own mock explosions that were just good enough to make Jack laugh.

Sitting noticeably close together during the story were Elektra and Nikias. The two Sorellans were close enough to practically be touching, something that didn't escape Jack's eyes. He had to wonder if anything had been said between them behind the scenes or whether their relationship had deepened on its own accord. Nothing about the way they were sitting suggested anything romantic, just the closeness of it all was enough for him to take notice.

After Greg's story came to a climax and darkness had arrived for all of them, the group began to get ready for bed. As all of them got their sleeping bags arranged around the fire, it had to be decided who took first watch that evening. Of course, Jack drew the short straw this time, having escaped a watch thus far in their trip. So it was while everyone else readied for sleep that he took a position on the log around their small fire and steadying himself for the night ahead.

Well, almost everyone that is. As the rest of their group was retiring for the evening, he was joined on his portion of the log by Kat. She offered a friendly smile as she sat down, although she remained silent for the time being. Jack used a stick to poke another log into the fire as the sounds of the others started to curb.

Jack hazarded a quick glance over to the woman and took in her features. There was no denying that she was beautiful, even if there was great pain in her eyes. Even completely dressed down with her hair pulled back, Kat could wake the dead with one look. Yet, Heron's words about not trusting her rang in his head. Perhaps now was the time to find out who she truly was. Or what she intended.