The Coordinators

"Lace Hunter Arch Corn?" an unfamiliar voice sounded behind me.

I turned to see a young man in the uniform of a patrol lieutenant, accompanied by a squad of heavily armed patrolmen. Victoria squeezed my hand, more reassuring than worried.

"Arch Corn?" the lieutenant asked again.

"Archie Corney," I replied.

"You must come with us," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I ordered it," the man said arrogantly.

"And who are you?"

"I am Lieutenant Raschek of the Lace Patrol," he introduced himself and repeated, "You must come with us. It is the order of the Supreme Coordinator."

With that he showed me a sheet of paper with the personal seal of the Supreme Coordinator and an equally personal signature.

"Is your companion Lady Victoria Sa-Maste?"

She nodded.

"You're going with us, too," Raschek announced.

"And if we refuse your offer?"

"I have orders to take you by force."

I took a long look at the squad. There were six heavily armed patrolmen; in addition to their combat weapons, each had a paralyzer shocker hanging from his belt. One medic, two combat mages. There were too many of them to try to escape. So we went with them, and the next moment we were standing at the door of the main office of the Coordination Service.

The door slid aside and we stepped in. We walked past the guards and into a large hall that was flooded with light.

I took Victoria's hand and gave the lieutenant a demanding look. "What now?"

"Give me your weapons!" Raschek demanded.

I could not comply with his request. Hand over the Master's Keys? Absolutely not!

"No way," I cut him off. "My weapons, as well as Lady Victoria's, are untouchable!"

"You, Hunter, don't talk too much," the lieutenant growled. "Do you have any idea where you are, you pirate wretch?"

As I said, I have a rather nervous disposition, and I never tolerate direct insults from anyone. I knocked the lieutenant's gun out of his hands, gave him a left hook to the jaw, and pinned the poor man against the wall, holding his own paralyzer to his neck. All this with such speed that no one had time to understand anything.

"Now listen to me. I am secret agent Air'Skye, personal number thirteen-forty-nine A, working undercover! And now you have jeopardized my entire operation! Hey, somebody report this to Parsel," I turned to the "auditorium": "Why are you frozen? Move on!"

Everyone was confused and silent, and I pushed Raschek harder. "Come on, it's your turn. I'm an A agent - you know what that means."

"Report him," Raschek wheezed.

A patrolman ran down the corridor.

"Victoria, go away," I shouted, fearing in my heart that she wouldn't listen. But I was wrong. Victoria was gone in a fountain of sparks.

As I had suspected, they had forgotten to close the shield in the hustle and bustle. Now I breathed a sigh of relief. This girl could handle anything. Besides, she took two of the three Keys with her, which was good.

Then I heard someone's footsteps and turned to see Parsel running along the corridor as fast as he could. 

"Damn you, Skye," he yelled, "what the hell are you doing?"

"Why was I dragged through the entire Lace like a criminal?" I yelled in turn. "Since when do I have to leave my weapon behind when I enter this building? What the hell is going on here? Uh, Chief?"

Parsel shifted his eyes from me to Raschek and back again.

"Let him go, Skye, or you'll strangle him," he said finally.

So I did. Raschek picked up his weapon and started fixing his clothes.

"Explain yourself, Lieutenant!" Parsel said to him.

"The lieutenant was following my orders," a new voice answered Parsel, and Kordgan came out of the side door.

I looked at him as if he were a ghost and clearly felt that it was over for me. I would be accused of attacking Kordgan himself, killing the hermit, and a bunch of other things I didn't even come close to doing.

"Your orders?" Parsel was sincerely surprised. "But, Your Majesty, you're not the Supreme Coordinator anymore, you're not authorized to do that...”

 "Majesty?" I thought. "Who is Majesty? This clown?"

"Your former subordinate, Parsel, is a dangerous criminal," Kordgan explained. "He has killed the Hermit of the High Tower and attacked me! Only by a miracle did I survive. I demand that he be arrested."

As he spoke, all weapons were pointed at me. Parsel gave me a questioning look. 

"I didn't touch him at all," I muttered.

"What a liar!" Kordgan became indignant, "This renegade dares..."

"Calm down, Your Majesty," Parsel interrupted, "we'll figure it out. Anyway, you shouldn’t give orders to patrollers, and the lieutenant shouldn't have done what you told him," Parsel gave Raschek a stern look. "I'll have to report to your immediate superior, Lieutenant."

"Yes, sir," Raschek nodded indifferently.

"As for Air'Skye," Parsel looked at me again, and his look did not bode well, "he's going with me."

"But…" Kordgan tried to object.

"I'll take care of this man myself," Parsell cried out and added with a slight bow, "Sire... Don't worry. If he is guilty, he will not escape punishment. And I advise you, Sire, to make a proper request. I assure you that the Council will consider it first."

"Sure," Kordgan hissed, barely holding back his anger. "That’s what I’ll do. But I'd like to talk to my niece. Where is she?"

Raschek gave me the deadliest look and reported, "She's gone."

"What a surprise!" Kordgan exclaimed. "I hope you will draw the appropriate conclusions, Parsel."

With that he left.

"Let's go, Skye," Parsel said wearily. "Everybody out except Raschek. Lieutenant, you come with me."

We reached Parsel's office and he opened the door. "Come in. Don't even try to escape to the Lace."

The door was closed behind me, but not tightly, so I could hear everything he said to Raschek. In fact, there was nothing new to me.

Then Parsel entered the office, walked across the room and sat down in the chair, his arms crossed on his stomach. "Sit down, don't just stand there like a pillar," he ordered, "I'm waiting for your explanation."

I did as he said and asked a question, "Isn't Kordgan a Supreme Coordinator? Since when?"

I didn't expect an answer, but Parsel said, "Since his brother Korrad, the ruler of Oeldiv, died tragically seven days ago. Kordgan had to to take his place and resigned."

"Oh, really?" I said. "So who's the new Supreme Coordinator?"

"Your relative, Vlad Egan. In fact, he's only acting in the meantime, but that's a formality. I just don't see any other candidates for the job. At least Igan has a head on his shoulders," Parsel lowered his voice and leaned forward as if afraid someone might overhear him, "Kordgan suggested an entirely different man, but he was not listened to."

"What man?"

"You don't know him. But I'm afraid Kordgan is trying to use you to frame Igan. That's why I got involved."

"You're right," I agreed, "but it seems to me it's not just about my uncle."

"For example?"

"How should I know?" I shrugged.

Parcel looked at me with an incredulous squint, "Okay, let that be on you."

"But I..."

"Leave it," he waved his hand. "By the way, Igan passed me your message. It's a very curious piece of information. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Well, well," he nodded, "is there anything else I need to know?"

"Not much, actually," I grumbled. "Listen, Chief, ask someone to bring some food. I'm starving."

Parsel chuckled and granted my request, and a few minutes later a secretary appeared in the doorway with a tray of all kinds of food. The chief waited about ten minutes, giving me an opportunity to satisfy my hunger, and then asked, "So, what about the Irrats?"

Then I began to talk, though not about everything. I couldn't reveal other people's secrets or tell Parsel about the Great Master's Keys, and he wouldn't have believed in time travel anyway. Even with those cuts, it took me a long time to tell the whole story.

Parsel was listening, smoking, nodding. Sometimes he seemed to be dozing, but the impression was deceptive – I knew from experience that he not only heard everything, but also noticed the slightest falsehood or inaccuracy. I never dreamed that he would miss a few obvious inconsistencies in my story, but the Chief let them pass without comment.

"So this is how it goes," he summed it up when I finished talking. "It's impressive, impressive. I don't know if I can believe you, but it's really impressive."

"You know, Chief…" I took offense.

"I believe you, Skye," he waved his hand, "I just have to decide what to do now. You know I can't just let you go."

I knew it. I knew it very well. Subordination and all that.

"Kordgan has made his accusations in front of witnesses," Parsel continued, "and that's serious. I'm sure he has already filed the complaint, and he has filed it by the book. By the time it reaches the investigative apparatus, even Egan won't be able to change anything."

"That means I have to leave before it happens."

"How do you figure that?" he chuckled. "If I let you out of here now, I can write a letter of resignation. I don't want to be thrown out of here... if not court-martialed. Heh-heh... Is your freedom worth my reputation?"

I said nothing. I would be happy if it were only my freedom that was at stake! Although... Suddenly, a completely crazy idea came to me. 

"Chief! What if I take you hostage?" 

"Are you nuts?" Parsel exclaimed..."Hostage. What do you think you're saying?"

"Don't be afraid. I'll hold you until I get to The Shadow and let you go. You'll be fine." 

Parsel sighed. "Do you realize the whole Patrol will be after you after this trick?"

I nodded.

"And that even under the best of circumstances – if your version of the Hermit's murder is confirmed and everything works out in Irrat, if you suddenly turn out to be a hero, a savior of the universe – even then there will be no way back for you! Have you thought about that?"

I looked him seriously in the eyes. "Just understand, Chief. I can even promise you that I will return and surrender to the mercy of justice. I will, you know me well. But now I should be in Irrat. It's necessary. It's more important than anything else. Even more than life itself.”

Parsel frowned and drummed his fingers on his belly. I held my breath and waited. Finally he asked, "How am I supposed to explain why I have left you the sword?"

"Oh, you're going to lie something. Is this your first time?" I brushed him off.

Then I heard a lot of interesting things about me and my stupidity. But I wasn't offended. Let him shout. As long as he agreed.

This endless speech was interrupted by a signal from the communicator, and the voice of his secretary said, "Colonels Igan and Cess are here."

"Let them in," Parsel replied, returning to his desk and casually running his finger along the arm of his chair. I tensed. Just like that, carelessly, Parsel had removed the protection, and now his personal access to the Lace was open.

My heart leapt with joy, but I continued to sit, looking at the incoming people with a grim expression: my old friend and my own uncle were the main people in the Coordination Service.

Both of them looked at me. Cess was puzzled and Igan was furious.

"I've just had a visit from Kordgan," my uncle announced to Parsel. "He has made a scandal, claiming that you, Colonel, are covering up for a dangerous criminal."

"Who? Me?" Parsel looked genuinely surprised. "Covering up for a criminal? I just pointed out to His Majesty that this is not Oeldiv, and that the Patrol does not take orders from the rulers of separate worlds. I also advised Kordgan to apply the complaint by the book, and I see that he has done so. That's all there is to it.”

"Well, well," Uncle gave me another suspicious look and turned to Parsel, "and you think you have the right to let a man suspected of such serious crimes go free for lack of a piece of paper?"

"I didn't set him free," Parsel replied, offended. "Kordgan had accused my best agent. I thought it best to interrogate him myself first."

"Really? And what did he say?"

Actually, Uncle was not to be resented either. When it came to his work, he forgot all about family or friendship ties. That had always been the case. And even more so now that he was almost the head of the Coordinating Council. Any ordinary patrolman would have had a better chance of getting Colonel Igan to pardon him than I did.

While Parsel spoke, I closed my eyes and mentally reached out for Victoria. The Master's Keys made such communication possible, so now I could always find out where she was and how she was doing.

When I felt an answering mental touch, I asked, "How are you?"

"Fine. What's going on?"

"Kordgan survived."

She cursed and the connection was broken. I turned to reality.

"I think Agent Air'Skye should be kept in custody until the circumstances are clear," Cess said, giving me a quick glance. "If you want, I'll do it."

"Not you," Igan objected, "I know about your friendship. Better call the guards. By the way, why is he still armed? Parsel, you're risking your position!”

The chief approached me. "Give me your sword, Skye, and... uh... whatever else you have.”

"Sure," I nodded and stood up.

Parsel came closer, held out his hand. It was time.

I drew Helyswort out, jerked Parcel towards me and pressed the blade against his neck.

"Everybody back!" I shouted. "Get back or I won't take responsibility for myself."

Cess froze and clapped his eyes, but Igan stepped forward. "Arthur, you are an idiot. What the hell are you doing? Isn't it enough what you've already done? Let the Colonel go now."

"Or what?" I inquired as I moved closer to the starting point.

"You won't escape!"

"We'll see," I chuckled. "Say hello to Kordgan."

The next moment we appeared in the Lace.

"Are you okay, Chief?" I asked.

"Don't strangle me like that, you idiot."

I loosened my grip, checked my direction, and sprinted toward the Great Shadow as fast as I could. Uncle and Cess materialized behind me, followed by the entire Patrol. It was okay. They wouldn't be able to intercept us in time, they wouldn't dare go into the Shadow! We would get through.

The patrollers ran in the same direction, but didn't fire.

I stopped at the edge of the Great Shadow and let Parsel go. "Thank you, Chief," I said to him sincerely.

"That's not enough," he grumbled, "I'm waiting for your report."

I waved my hand and jumped into the Shadow.

The Shadow enveloped me in an impenetrable darkness, but this time I knew what I had to do. I activated my magic vision, looked around... And I saw another chalky silhouette crossing the boundary of darkness.

It was unexpected. I grabbed my sword.

"Calm down, calm down," the silhouette said in a familiar voice. "Surprise, nephew. You're not the only one who knows the secret path."

"Uncle?" I asked in surprise.

"Were you expecting someone else?"

I stepped back, keeping my sword pointed at him.  Under the circumstances, I had to be prepared for any kind of mischief.

"Are you going to fight your uncle?" He approached.

"If you force me to," I replied. "You'd better go."

"I can't," he spread his hands. "I am the head of the Coordinating Council. I will never let go of a criminal, even if you are my relative."

"I didn't kill anyone."

"If you are not guilty, you will be acquitted," he said. "Just don't resist. You'll take a week off, get some rest."

I had contacted Victoria while he was talking, and now I was using her to draw power to Helyswort. It was a lousy plan, and I wasn't sure it would work. But I couldn't think of anything else - I couldn't fight my own uncle, even if he was going to put me in prison.

"Just let me go," I asked again. 

"Never!"

I turned Helyswort and covered my eyes with my hand. 

A wave of dazzling light splashed from the sapphires. The uncle shouted, and I left the Shadow without a moment's delay, darting past the patrolmen before they could understand anything, and in one risky leap appeared in Irrat, where the string that bound the Keys had led me.