Meeting Frenatus -- Officially (part 2)
Posted on Thu Dec 31st, 2015 @ 6:44pm by Commodore Samantha York & 1st Lieutenant Kara Melo & Lieutenant Commander Jennifer Tate & Lieutenant Arnon Barak MD, PsyD & Captain Cameron Bourne
1,133 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission: Of Gods and Men
[CONTINUED]
[OLD]
"Here's the plan," he said, finally. "If we hear her scream, we force the door open. I'll throw my baguette at Frenatus and while he's distracted, you tackle him. Meanwhile, I'll extract the Commodore. If the lizard man doesn't eat you, we'll meet back at the in!"
[NEW]
Actually, Arnon assumed that if the Commodore screamed her husband, Colonel Raine, would lead the charge to rescue her. He just wanted to see if Jenkins would actually charge the lizard based on the say so of the ship's top mental health professional.
"And we need to find a squirrel or something and overcook it!" Jenkins exclaimed happily. "He'll be so disgusted by bread and cooked food we can whisk the Commodore away! I may even get promoted to Lance Corporal!"
"Absolutely!" Arnon exclaimed. "A capital idea! Quick, while there's time, run along if you can find a squirrel to over cook. Chop, chop, while there's time!"
Arnon hid a grin. With any luck, Jenkins would be looking for a squirrel for a while and be safely out of the way if trouble ensued.
[Inn in the Village]
The inn was dark and a bit shabby, but clean. The men led Cam and Kara to a table in the corner where two men sat talking over drinks.
"Allies," the one man said to the two, indicating they should sit down.
Kara slipped into a chair and nodded. "I'll have a mead."
The man still standing went over to the bar to order drinks.
Cam stood behind Kara's chair, looking more like a bodyguard than a partner. He wasn't in a trusting mood, so he kept an eye on everyone possible.
Kara had to admit, it helped her feel a lot more confident with Cam there. When her drink was placed before her, she picked it up and smelled it before taking a sip.
"What's with him?" the man across from her asked, nodding to Cam.
"He doesn't trust people," Kara replied.
The man nodded. "So, why are you here?"
Cam glanced over at the man, "what do you know about your leader?"
"He's not our leader," the man hissed. "We weren't asked, thank you very much."
"Then tell us everything you know abour him. Strengths, weaknesses, anything and everything" Cam said, watching his moves for anything agressive.
"Why?" the man asked suspiciously. "Who are you to ask?"
"We're from a village on the other side of the mountain," Kara said. "We came here to trade in the market. We don't like what we've seen and want to help." That was taking a big leap of faith. If she was wrong, she and Cam would be arrested. But she wasn't going to pussyfoot around the situation, either.
The man looked from Kara to Cam and nodded. "We don't know much. He showed up two years ago and ended a drought -- or so he claims. Since then, he's been holding prayers twice a day and collecting surplus supplies as tribute. Anyone who stands up to him is either killed by lightning shooting out of his hands or taken into the temple and never seen from again. If it wasn't for his lightning, more of us would speak out. What we need is a way to take away his power."
Lightning from his hand? Could that be a phaser? Is that all we're dealing with? Cam asked Kara telepathically.
"No. It was more like something out of Star Wars. From what the COmmodore said, he had a holographic image of hte Calypso and shot it with bolts of lightning out of his hands. The ship disappeared."
"The people who have been taken? Is there any special qualities that they posses?" Cam asked the man
"They all complained about Frenatus. Or they disobeyed him," the man said. "That is all that is needed to become a target. If he knew of us, we would all be taken."
Cam thought for a moment, "you said that some were killed yet some were taken. There has to be a reason he takes some but kills others. Are you sure the taken don't share some other quality? Intelligence, physical prowess, anything"
The man sipped his drink and appeared to think. Then he shook his head. "We do not know. The others may have been killed as well."
"Might be the ones killed outright spoke out in front of Frenatus. Those who were taken were further away," another one of the men suggested.
"Possible. We simply don't know." He looked fro Kara to Cam. "Can you tell your people, warn them about him? He won't be content with this village alone. He'll move on to another, then another. We all need to band together."
Kara glanced at Cam, then back at the man. "We're a small group here in the village. We might be able to get more help, but if they hear of the lightning, they may not want to help."
A third man nodded. "That is a problem here, too. Frenatus rules in fear. When the people start to murmur, he shows his power. Then all is quiet for a while. We meet in secret, prepare for when the majority are fed up with the way things are now. We cannot act without more on our side."
Just then there was a commotion at the door. "This way," the man said, immediately leaving the table and heading for a small door nearby.
"Come on," Kara said to Cam, sensing that the commotion had something to do with Frenatus. Staying behind would only land them in trouble, so she hurried after the other men.
Temple Reception Area]
Sam was escorted into a large chamber with a dais at the far end. On the dais stood a throne and on the throne sat Frenatus. He signaled for the Acolyte to bring Samantha closer. When she stopped before him he asked, "Why do you wish to see me? I will not release your two spies."
"I came because I'm impressed with what you've done here on Gekkaro. Your organization and leadership skills are impressive. I wish to learn from you and to help you in your endeavours."
Frenatus looked at her for several moments. She could feel him prodding at the corners of her mind and she let him see what he wanted: respect, admiration and a touch of awe for the lizard. Clearly pleased, he smiled. "Perhaps, but I must ask you a few questions first..."
"Ask away," Sam said, using his own generator to block her innermost thoughts.
(To be continued...)
Lieutenant Arnon Barak
Chief Counselor
Sergeant Jenkins
Marine
Captain Cameron Bourne
Marine CO
2nd Lieutenant Kara Melo
Alpha Platoon Leader
Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer
Frenatus
Lizard ruler
Rebel NPCs
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