Chapter 48:
We have to work together
Robin:
Because Daniel has a fresh perspective on things, we invited Constantine and him to this meeting. Besides, they were the ones who got us the Caltea leaves and branch, through their connection with Manacom, and the witness account of one Nahndor Oroboros about the thief being on Ursula 590.
“So, here is the deal,” Ferenc takes charge because he is just that kind of person. Besides, he has been working with the police for longer than Ray and me. Not that stopped him from getting fired, but still. “The being is on Ursula 590, but can exit the atmosphere of the planet, and get to here.”
“What if it hitched a ride on the rocket?” Daniel asks. We all turn to stare at him. “I mean, it wasn’t a secret, that we are coming in here with plenty of potions.”
“The shields of the rocket would have detected it,” I say. We checked the rocket’s surveillance feed, and didn’t find any strangely behaving dust with shadows in them. Which is good because the Prime Minister was on that rocket.
If something happened to that Naga, we would have all been in for it. Even though it was his decision, to come and observe the operation.
“The cameras and shields of all the storehouses that were hit also didn’t show anything,” Constantine reminds us. “I was kept in the known about each robbery. I think it is safe to say that the thief can move through the dimensions, but whatever or not he can move through vacuum, is another matter entirely.”
“What do you think about his claims that he is a dead man?” Ferenc asks him. I can see that he genuinely wants to learn the opinion of his coworker. Huh, he has changed, somewhat.
“It could be the truth, for all we know. Or, an illusion,” Constantine says. We all urge him with our eyes for him to continue. “There are rumors that, before the humans came to Ursula 590, the local Naga managed to live for millions of years. Then, the humans mingled with the Naga, and the children of those unions were also Naga.”
“There are rumors about all the races living for longer, before Atlantis expanded,” I say. Ferenc nods next to me.
“But those are just rumors,” he says. Showing how little, he believes about it all.
“What if they aren’t? Just rumors, I mean?” Daniel asks. I turn to him.
“Are you saying that the Naga, elves, and what have you of those times moved to Dimension Beta when the half-humans threatened to overpopulate their planets?” I ask him.
“Well, even if the new citizens of the Cosmos are just half-alien,” I frown at him, and he is quick to add. “Sorry. It is just that; this is all still new to me.”
“Go on, don’t bother with being politically correct,” Ferenc says. I wonder why he is not making his brother say the same words at the same time. There has been some sort of divide between them, for a couple of days now. That peeves Ferenc to no end. His nose continues to twitch, every time he looks at Frederik.
“So, even if the new people on their planet are half-human, and with a shorter lifespan, and thus greater fertility, they are still the children of the original populace. Say, how mana rich were the Cosmos, before Atlantis... sucked it dry?” Daniel asks. I blink at that.
“As rich as Earth,” Frederik finally speaks. “As legend has it, all the citizens of the Cosmos could do magic as easily as you and I can breathe.”
“So, what are the chances, that they are not simply having a practical joke on us?” Daniel asks. “Using illusion magic to fool us, and hiding their true forms, as best they could.”
“You know, there is this thing the thief said,” Ray says, and I nod at him. “About us being humans, and Constantine being one of the few pure Naga left in the Cosmos.”
“So, what we must do is simple,” Ferenc says, as he gives Ray the stink eye. Frederik glares at his brother, and wraps an arm around Ray. The message is clear. The lines are drawn in the sand. I am happy for Ray. He never wanted to leave Frederik. “If Constantine can turn himself into a shadowy figure encased in dust, then that will prove our theory.”
“You want me to do body transformation?” Constantine pales at that. Daniel takes a hold of his hand, and gives it a light squeeze.
“Constantine couldn’t do magic, until he imprinted on me,” Daniel reminds us all. Well, that certainly puts a wretch in our theory.
“Yes, because Ursula 590 is poor on mana,” Ferenc says. I remember then, just how cutthroat he is. Here is someone he works with, and he suggests that we are to put him at risk.
“Ferenc!” I protest. Someone has to put a stop to this, before Constantine ends up hurt.
“Think about it... Robin,” he says my work name, as if he wants to call me by my real one. Still, I am grateful, that he managed to hold himself back. It would have caused more than one problem, if he had called me by my birth name.
I would have had to arrest him, for endangering me. I really don’t want for him to end up in jail, again.
So, I nod at him, showing him, I’ll listen. If not with the intent to agree.
“If the shadow being can’t be hit by a plasma gun, then, can it be hit by someone who is also a shadow being? What are the chances that the things in Dimension Beta are going to put a stop to it all?” I bite my lower lip at that. I don’t want to show him that he might be right, but I have no other choice. So, I turn to Constantine.
“If you ever feel anything akin to pain,” I begin, and he grows even paler. “Then you are to stop, ok? Your life is more important than catching a thief.”
“He won’t do it,” Daniel says, steel in his voice. “I will.”
We all stare at him. I guess that, if a mastery of magic is the only thing one needs, then Daniel is more than good enough to try. I nod, and he turns to wrap Constantine in a one-armed hug. The Naga shakes in his arms, and I stand up, making the sign to the rest to also leave. To give them some privacy.
Chapter 48:
We have to work together
Robin:
Because Daniel has a fresh perspective on things, we invited Constantine and him to this meeting. Besides, they were the ones who got us the Caltea leaves and branch, through their connection with Manacom, and the witness account of one Nahndor Oroboros about the thief being on Ursula 590.
“So, here is the deal,” Ferenc takes charge because he is just that kind of person. Besides, he has been working with the police for longer than Ray and me. Not that stopped him from getting fired, but still. “The being is on Ursula 590, but can exit the atmosphere of the planet, and get to here.”
“What if it hitched a ride on the rocket?” Daniel asks. We all turn to stare at him. “I mean, it wasn’t a secret, that we are coming in here with plenty of potions.”
“The shields of the rocket would have detected it,” I say. We checked the rocket’s surveillance feed, and didn’t find any strangely behaving dust with shadows in them. Which is good because the Prime Minister was on that rocket.
If something happened to that Naga, we would have all been in for it. Even though it was his decision, to come and observe the operation.
“The cameras and shields of all the storehouses that were hit also didn’t show anything,” Constantine reminds us. “I was kept in the known about each robbery. I think it is safe to say that the thief can move through the dimensions, but whatever or not he can move through vacuum, is another matter entirely.”
“What do you think about his claims that he is a dead man?” Ferenc asks him. I can see that he genuinely wants to learn the opinion of his coworker. Huh, he has changed, somewhat.
“It could be the truth, for all we know. Or, an illusion,” Constantine says. We all urge him with our eyes for him to continue. “There are rumors that, before the humans came to Ursula 590, the local Naga managed to live for millions of years. Then, the humans mingled with the Naga, and the children of those unions were also Naga.”
“There are rumors about all the races living for longer, before Atlantis expanded,” I say. Ferenc nods next to me.
“But those are just rumors,” he says. Showing how little, he believes about it all.
“What if they aren’t? Just rumors, I mean?” Daniel asks. I turn to him.
“Are you saying that the Naga, elves, and what have you of those times moved to Dimension Beta when the half-humans threatened to overpopulate their planets?” I ask him.
“Well, even if the new citizens of the Cosmos are just half-alien,” I frown at him, and he is quick to add. “Sorry. It is just that; this is all still new to me.”
“Go on, don’t bother with being politically correct,” Ferenc says. I wonder why he is not making his brother say the same words at the same time. There has been some sort of divide between them, for a couple of days now. That peeves Ferenc to no end. His nose continues to twitch, every time he looks at Frederik.
“So, even if the new people on their planet are half-human, and with a shorter lifespan, and thus greater fertility, they are still the children of the original populace. Say, how mana rich were the Cosmos, before Atlantis... sucked it dry?” Daniel asks. I blink at that.
“As rich as Earth,” Frederik finally speaks. “As legend has it, all the citizens of the Cosmos could do magic as easily as you and I can breathe.”
“So, what are the chances, that they are not simply having a practical joke on us?” Daniel asks. “Using illusion magic to fool us, and hiding their true forms, as best they could.”
“You know, there is this thing the thief said,” Ray says, and I nod at him. “About us being humans, and Constantine being one of the few pure Naga left in the Cosmos.”
“So, what we must do is simple,” Ferenc says, as he gives Ray the stink eye. Frederik glares at his brother, and wraps an arm around Ray. The message is clear. The lines are drawn in the sand. I am happy for Ray. He never wanted to leave Frederik. “If Constantine can turn himself into a shadowy figure encased in dust, then that will prove our theory.”
“You want me to do body transformation?” Constantine pales at that. Daniel takes a hold of his hand, and gives it a light squeeze.
“Constantine couldn’t do magic, until he imprinted on me,” Daniel reminds us all. Well, that certainly puts a wretch in our theory.
“Yes, because Ursula 590 is poor on mana,” Ferenc says. I remember then, just how cutthroat he is. Here is someone he works with, and he suggests that we are to put him at risk.
“Ferenc!” I protest. Someone has to put a stop to this, before Constantine ends up hurt.
“Think about it... Robin,” he says my work name, as if he wants to call me by my real one. Still, I am grateful, that he managed to hold himself back. It would have caused more than one problem, if he had called me by my birth name.
I would have had to arrest him, for endangering me. I really don’t want for him to end up in jail, again.
So, I nod at him, showing him, I’ll listen. If not with the intent to agree.
“If the shadow being can’t be hit by a plasma gun, then, can it be hit by someone who is also a shadow being? What are the chances that the things in Dimension Beta are going to put a stop to it all?” I bite my lower lip at that. I don’t want to show him that he might be right, but I have no other choice. So, I turn to Constantine.
“If you ever feel anything akin to pain,” I begin, and he grows even paler. “Then you are to stop, ok? Your life is more important than catching a thief.”
“He won’t do it,” Daniel says, steel in his voice. “I will.”
We all stare at him. I guess that, if a mastery of magic is the only thing one needs, then Daniel is more than good enough to try. I nod, and he turns to wrap Constantine in a one-armed hug. The Naga shakes in his arms, and I stand up, making the sign to the rest to also leave. To give them some privacy.
