I mention Horm the Dead. The Captain is interested, although anything happening so far from the city is really beyond his power. No state has much control over what goes on in the Wastelands. #101 | | |
"The Society of Friends is cornering the market. The Brotherhood is going to have to strike back with everything they've got. Things are bad enough with the elections, without this happening as well." #102 | | |
"How come the Society can get away with such a large operation?" #103 | | |
The Captain shrugs, which might mean anything. The higher ranks of the Civil Guard are not above corruption. Nor are senior city officials. When dealing with his superiors, Captain Rallee never knows whether or not he might be talking to someone who's raking in drug money himself. It would be practically impossible to find any person of influence in the whole city who wasn't involved in some way or other. All Captain Rallee and his guards can do is try to keep the peace, and pick up the pieces when they fail. #104 | | |
"Is Glixius Dragon Killer still working with the Society?" I enquire. #105 | | |
"We never had any proof he was working with them in the first place." #106 | | |
"Well, he certainly was when he chased me through the sewers with a bunch of Society men at his back." #107 | | |
The Captain shrugs again. Glixius Dragon Killer is not on any wanted list, nor can he be proved to have committed any crime. Which makes me wonder who he's bribing. #108 | | |
"Excuse me," says the Captain, "I have work to do. A gang's been robbing pilgrims out at Saint Quatinius's Shrine. Wouldn't have happened a few years back. People used to have some respect. Since half the city got hooked on dwa everything's gone to hell." #109 | | |
A Civil Guard messenger thunders up on horseback and tells them they're needed fast up in Kushni where a major confrontation is again taking place between two heavily armed gangs. They depart on the double, and not long after I see Brotherhood men pouring out of the Mermaid with swords in their hands, #110 | | |
heading north. Captain Rallee might be right. Everything is going to hell. What's more, the heat is absolutely unbearable. #111 | | |
Makri returns full of enthusiasm from the philosophy lecture given by Samanatius. #112 | | |
"A great man," she enthuses. #113 | | |
Perspiration is running down her neck and she douses her head and shoulders with water while she tells me about the lecture. It's something to do with the nature of eternal forms, and the human soul, but most of it passes over my head. #114 | | |
"I asked him a question and he answered right off," says Makri. "Without looking at me with contempt, that is. Incidentally, I just remembered someone whose initials are S.M." #115 | | |
| | |
"S.M. The Orcish initials on the bag, after the message. It might be Sarin the Merciless." #117 | | |
| | |
| | |
"Sarin the Merciless. Sarin the Pussycat more like. I keep telling you, I ran her out of town before. #120 | | |
She's nothing. If she's the best muscle Horm can find I've got nothing to worry about. Just start counting out my reward. Now, I'm off to see a Prince." #121 | | |
