Crisis at Garmil's Gate - 04

The Baden-Powell passed into the upper astmosphere of Garmil's Gate, flying on a long and leisurely path at high altitude, as Sir Ramsey Hennepin and Sibley looked over a holographic globe of the planet.

"There are plenty of possible targets, Sir Ramsey. Which one is it?"

"All of them, Sibley, but not all of them equally." Sir Ramsey, "Because it's not just about piracy. The pirates are just the most obvious symptom of the overall problem."

Sibley sat back in his chair as Creton entered the cockpit. "Sir Ramsey, your baton is ready as you asked." the boy said as he handed his knight a black baton roughly a foot in length, a baton with chromed ends and a chromed split in the middle.

Sibley eyed the baton warily. "Do you think it will be that perilous?"

Sir Ramsey nodded. "I do, and you're to be armed once we arrived. This is a dangerous situation that the Mining Guild has here, if the reports I've reviewed are accurate, one ripe for exploitation."

Creton looked up at his knight, his face a mask of confusion. "Am I coming too?"

"No, you need to stay on board in case we need to get out fast."

Creton looked down, disappointed, but Sibley would not have it. "In time, lad, but you're still very much a boy. You're still too small to fight against grown men and win, and that's exactly the sort of thing we're talking about. Here, in the ship, you can best help us should we need it."

"Listen to your father, Creton." Sir Ramsey said, "He's right. You're better here, flying and shooting the guns, than at our side- for now."

Sibley pulled the boy on to his lap. "Here, lad, let's see what you make of this."

Sir Ramsey pointed out various points of interest on the globe. "The Mining Guild has its mine here, and I'm told that they're abusing the workers terribly, which means that they'e got to be ready for someone to push them into revolting." Ramsey then pointed to another place, far away from the mine. "Here is the hunting lodge where several ladies of the court are in retreat, one of which is very close to Duke Far- Lord Fang's liege." Then Ramsey pointed to an island in an ocean. "Here's a prison where very dangerous criminals are hedl, when we can't execute them." Ramsey now looked right at Creton. "If you were the pirates, what would you do?"

Creton looked at the globe. "Pirates steal stuff right? They look for treasure and take it, or take stuff to get treasure."

"That's right, son." Sibley said, "Pirates steal."

"And these pirates are smarter than other pirates, right?"

"I think they want the girls and what's the prison. They don't want what's in the mine, because it's not gold. They can get gold if they get the girls or what's in the prison."

Sir Ramsey and Sibley smiled approvingly. "Good thinking, lad!" Sibley said, "Now, who will give them gold?"

"A lord." Creton said, "But not Duke Far. He's too good to do bad things like that."

"I think you're right." Sir Ramsey said, and Creton smiled, "I think there may be more than one lord ready to give these pirates gold, but which ones and why?"

Just then, an alert came over the cockpit. "Incoming message." Sibley said, "From below. It's the Guild."

Creton got off his father's lap as Sir Ramsey answered the call. A displeased older man appeared before them. "I am Master Iser, headman of the Guild's operations here. Sir Ramsey Hennepin, I await your arrival."

Sir Ramsey nodded. "Acknowledged, Master Iser. We shall land presently. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Of course, Paladin. The Guild is always ready to ccoperate with the Speaker of the Stars." Master Iser said, and his imaged winked out. Ramsey turned to Sibley and Creton. "If he doesn't try to accidentally murder us, then he will certainly allow the rebelling workers to do so. There is plenty wrong at Garmil's Gate."

"So, we're to be the Court's cleaning crew once more then?"

Ramsey patted a golden beam sword on his belt. "With golden fire, if need be."