* * * PARTHIA – MARKOWITZ * * *

At a sign from Markowitz Durrell produced his pistol and moved cautiously along the track. Markowitz hummed in approval and followed him. Smyth shrugged and switched off the sat phone he was holding. He replaced it in his backpack and after drawing his pistol he followed his boss.

Helly, realizing she was being left behind, cursed softly and followed after. She soon found that heels and rough corduroy roads did not mix.

Half an hour later they came upon a larger and much better maintained corduroy road crossing the marsh. Markowitz flipped his folder open and checked something. He looked to the north. “If this is correct, then there is something called a ‘dungeon town’ about fifteen kilometres in that direction.”

“What about to the south sir?” asked Smyth.

“A trade town called Barcolton. According to this it was built on the lowest practicable ford on the river Dracos.” Markowitz tapped his folder thoughtfully, “Also says it is a riverport. So probably marks the limit of the navigability of the river.”

Helly eyed the new road dubiously before trying to clean her feet before she pulled her shoes on again.

“Your orders sir,” asked Durrell.

“I believe we will head towards Barcolton. It’s marginally closer and it should be a better source of information. I really have to figure out if this is some glorified hoax or not.”

Markowitz seemed oblivious to the three incredulous looks that were cast his way before he turned and headed south.

* * * FRAGATTA – MEADOWS * * *

Meadows and Jo were relaxing over lunch when two FBI agents interrupted them.

“Excuse me commander, I wondered if you could help us,” said Jerry.

Meadows looked up enquiringly and gestured to an empty seat.

Jerry pulled out a chair and sat. “Assistant-director Markowitz went looking for information and he and the rest of our delegation have vanished. They aren’t answering their phones. I was wondering if you could intercede with Ms Silvestre and find out what had happened to him.”

Meadows sipped his coffee as he considered what to say. He was aware of the FBI’s weird belief that Mary was someone’s patsy. “I suppose I could ask Mary what she knows. You’ll have to accompany me as I don’t know what you will want to know depending on circumstances.”

As Jerry pushed his chair back, Meadows produced his phone and initiated a call. Jerry blinked in surprise and relaxed.

“Mary, have you got a second?” asked Meadows into his phone even as he keyed into speaker mode.

“Certainly Simon.”

“I’ve got agent Walker here and he’s worried about the other members of his delegation. Do you happen to know where they are?”

“I can find out, just a second,” then followed a longish wait. “Simon, they were reckless and involuntarily took the place of a group scheduled for a training an’ orientation exercise. They’re somewhere on Parthia. Lewis is the one who handles the details so I don’t know where they are exactly.”

“Are they OK?” asked Jerry.

“Probably. Lewis doesn’t usually set these parties down in truly dangerous locations. But if Markowitz is his usual disdainful self he might insult someone.” Mary laughed.

Meadows raised an eyebrow at Jerry who winced. “Is there some way to get in touch with them?”

“They should have a couple of sat phones. That is if they bothered with the survival gear that is left for the trainees. ’Course if they have any sense they will have the phones switched off to prolong battery life.”

“Can you send anyone after them?” asked Jerry.

“Why should I? Markowitz is at best a passive enemy of mine. Want me to play you all the recordings I have?”

Jerry and Damien blanched. Meadows observed their faces with interest and he was unable to resist a faint grin. Jo snickered softly.

“Look Jerry, my best offer. Put together a standard party and I’ll get Lewis to let them follow the clueless one an’ his friends.”

“What do you mean by a standard party?” asked Jerry.

“Oh beep! Ask one of the adventurer’s guild folk. One of the ones from Tarifax an’ not one of the clueless Earthlings. Then get back to me.”

Meadows and Jerry looked at the silent phone. “Earthlings?” asked Jerry.

Jo stood and said, “I’ll go ask,” before heading off.

* * *

By the time Jo returned trailed by the foursome from the Adventurer’s Guild, the military delegation had gathered around the two tables that had been shoved together. The two wives were having coffee and cakes nearby.

Meadows examined the two non-humans, “Welcome, please sit and thank you for being willing to help.”

“That’s what adventurers are for,” said the drow.

“So long as there is a suitable reward,” added the gnome with a grin.

“Goes without saying,” agreed the drow as he pulled out a chair for the young woman.

The man grinned and said, “I’m Jake, this is Jinny and our friends are Fidget and Switfall. How can we be of help?”

“Some people have gone missing on Parthia, and Mary... Ms Silvestre suggested we set up a standard party to go look for them,” said Meadows.

Fidget looked back at him, “So, what do you need?”

“Um... What is a standard party?” asked Jerry.

Fidget and Swiftfall exchanged a stunned look. Swiftfall looked at Jake and when he didn’t answer, he said, “A standard party consists of four to six adventurers. These parties are often long lasting and are often named.”

Fidget seeing that their hosts still seemed a bit blank added helpfully, “They usually consist of one individual capable of keeping the monster’s attention. Usually someone capable of soaking up a great deal of damage, a few damage dealers, and ideally a healer.”

Jerry looked hopeful, he looked at Admiral Forrester, “can you help us with this party?”

“No. I am not authorising any off the cuff rescue attempts. We are not here to risk personnel in unknown locations with unknown risks.”

Jerry slumped in his seat, then he looked up at the others. “What about you adventurers. You know the planet right?”

Fidget shook her head. “We are not from Parthia. We do have the language due to the generosity of the Earth’s guild and we would be willing to help you. But in a properly formulated quest.” Swiftfall nodded his agreement while Jake and Jinny looked dubious.

Meadows tapped his phone. “Why don’t you contact your superiors and get them to put together a team for the rescue?”

Jerry blinked in surprise. He nodded slowly and, almost reluctantly, produced his phone as he walked away to make the call.

* * * PARTHIA – TOD * * *

Tod watched bemused as the Queenie idled, hovering, as it were, off the harbour of the town of Black Cove. Black cove was a sorry looking walled town with a small harbour. Its walls were in a sad state of disrepair. Currently a large white flag was fluttering from the flagpole over the citadel.

Captain Gail Stormchaser had done nothing. Their arrival had sparked panic in the town, they had hauled down their ornate flag and raised the white flag even as the Queenie had taken up position off the harbour mouth.

“Hah! So that’s it! They had pirates in the town,” grinned Gail Stormchaser.

Tod glanced at her then back at the town. Then he realized the significance of the half naked group of people that were being urged out of the town gates and down to the beach. That and the bloody severed heads that were being tossed into an untidy pile by the gates.

“Harold, get one of the lads to don the mage robes and pretend to do a scry. Lets see if they produce anyone else.”

Fifteen minutes later the town gate open again and two, much better dressed individuals hurried down to join the small crowd on the beach while another head was added to the collection.

“Zack, launch the longboats and go collect our passengers.”

Tod watched as the longboats headed for the beach. He also noted that the laser “cannon” was now manned and pointing at the town. He looked at Gail, “Well captain, I don’t think I want to end up in this vicinity. What’s Vaar’s Beach like?”

“Booooring. You might like it. It is a small fishing village protected by some treacherous rocky reefs and shifting sand banks.”

“Got to be better than this place,” suggested Tod.

“Maybe. At least the fisher folk have more guts than this bunch,” agreed Gail as she watched her boats ferry her passengers from the beach.