Chapter 152: Substitutes

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“I want to know what happened. I didn’t see the end of it and I want to know,” Joelina demanded as soon as they stepped inside the library, Glazz closing the doors behind them after Apuma hurried inside, leaving the four of them alone.

“Of course Inquisitor. I don’t think he’s opposed to you knowing… Just the way you went about finding out,” Saph replied in her most diplomatic tone as she glanced at Apuma’s chair in the corner of the library, gulping once. She really didn’t want to end up in that chair today. Even the old man himself was looking rather apprehensive of it.

“And I should trust him to answer accurately about something like this? it is clearly not something he wishes to discuss.”

“Well, you are right about the unwillingness to talk about it,” Saph concurred with a slight nod. “It hurts him a lot to even think about it.”

“So he hasn’t told you what happened then?”

“No, he has. He was crying and blabbering through most of it, but he did,” Saph confirmed with another courteous nod.

Joelina didn’t exactly look convinced by that, instead just staring at Saph expectantly.

“He Had a really sh- unfortunate time during his first fight here. He fell in a lake with a woman deathly afraid of water, at night, in a storm. Something clicked in his head.”

“I believe you said ‘snapped’ last time,” Apuma added, looking like he was unsure if he should be saying anything.

Saph threw him a quick glare before answering. “Yes, snapped…”

“Well, why don’t you recount the story of that ambush for me then? Let me work out if he lied to you too.”

“Of course, Inquisitor. Though I am quite certain he did not lie. At least not intentionally. He and Dakota crashed in the big lake northeast of here. Normally a death sentence, but Tom swam her to shore using a crate dropped by Archeon to keep them afloat. When he was dragged ashore, he was blabbering about ‘just keep swimming' and laughing and giggling like he had gone truly mad.”

“Which he had to an extent… I believe,” Apuma added with a bit of a cough.

“Yes, he probably sorta did… Despite his efforts, Dakota was at best half-dead by the time we got her out of the water. Nunuk did what she could, but it didn’t seem like it would be enough. So Tom had us fetch his medical supplies and used a very powerful drug called adrenalin to bring back Dakota from the brink.”

“He revived a person from death!? With a drug? Do you people not know why people are not to be brought back through any means from beyond the veil!?” Joelina protested, even Glazz looking a touch worried at that.

“We know. Dakota was still there, merely getting worse and worse with little to be done,” Apuma retorted. “Too much cold for too long with no preparation.”

“I see,” Joelina replied skeptically with a slow nod, eyes narrowing.

“After managing to bring her back he muttered something about ‘didn’t lie this time’ or something like that,” Saph continued. “We, of course, asked what he meant. If he had been lying to us, to which he responded no. He hadn’t lied to Dakota. He said it would all be fine you see.”

“Yeees…”

“We started prodding at what he meant and…”

“He broke down completely,” Apuma added with a gulp.

“Yes. He fell apart and started bawling like a little kid, retelling the story that I’m guessing you got to experience.”

“Some of it, yes. Do please recount it,” Joelina egged on, crossing her arms.

“The ambush… all his friends slowly dying. Him surviving somehow, followed by the murderous charge which he then also somehow survived through luck alone. Then waking up in a hospital bed alone, unable to do anything except scream.”

“Poor guy,” Apuma added in a sorrowful tone.

“And you dragged him through all of it again.”

“Not all of it… I didn’t witness the charge. I was yanked out of him while still in the pit trying to save his friends,” Joelina replied in a pondering tone. “I would like some more details here. Tell me everything.”

“Okay. I know they were fighting in a place where it was very hot and full of sand. I believe he called it Afganista.”

“Yeees.”

“They were just riding along on a thing called a truck when they hit a nine as he calls it. An explosive device-”

“That is triggered when you step on it. No, they hit what the instructor called an IED. Apparently, it is a type of improvised weapon used by civilians in their world.”

“How do you know that?” Apuma questioned, clearly finding that curious”

“His memories of his instructors. Tom's training was very enlightening,” Joelina retorted with just a hint of a pleased expression on her face. “But please carry on.”

“Right. After the explosion, the ambush was sprung and the enemy started shooting at Tom and his friends. Tom does not believe the other parts of their group or whatever they call the people he was traveling with did enough to help and his friends slipped away from him one by one while being shot at,” Saph continued, Joelina just nodding in agreeance.

“It was here Tom finally snapped. I guess maybe for the first time—I do not know—and decided to die fighting back rather than sitting there, as he put it. He failed. He ran at the enemy with a gun he took from one of his friends. As he put it ‘I had grenades so I used them, I had a machine gun, so I used it. I fired till the barrel melted, then I just got another one.’ I think you get the picture.”

“I believe so. He then somehow miraculously survives, and with his mental state at the time I doubt even I could deduce how… convenient.”

“What do you mean?” Apuma questioned, clearly not understanding. To be honest, neither was Sapphire really.

“I still do not know what sent Tom here. But if they intervened earlier in his life, or perhaps later as well. That is certainly something I wish to know.”

“You think something saved him?” Saph had to question. She had heard of divine intervention before, though mostly in stories she kinda doubted the truth of, but she would have thought it would be pretty obvious if it ever actually happened.

“His survival is miraculous, and he may be the only witness. He does not remember, I believe, no?”

“I don’t think he has a clue, no. He just knows he woke up in a hospital sometime later.”

“That is where they take their wounded,” Apuma clarified, Joelina just giving him a kind smile.

“Yes, I know now. But thank you… Out of curiosity, do you know who he was fighting?”

“No, ma’am,” Apuma replied with a gulp, taking a step back looking a little ashamed.

“I see. Well, I do know. He was fighting other humans far away from his home. Warring with another kingdom. Their tactics were cruel and despicable. Targeting civilian targets, first of all. No honor of any kind.”

“Tom fights with honor,” Apuma protested. “I have seen it.”

“His enemy did not. If his officers and friends in arms were to be believed, they would readily strap bombs to children for use in the fighting as well as pretending to be a civilian until they revealed their weapons. The odd part was, Tom’s people were the invading force.”

“So… is that good or bad?” Saph tried, not sure where the inquisitor was going with that. It certainly didn’t sound like the rhetoric Tom has been spouting about defending one’s home and only fighting for what’s worth fighting for if he was invading some other place.

“I don’t know. He and his friends certainly believed their cause to be honorable, like they were helping these people who were far more primitive and poor than Tom’s. Their world is massive and so are their wars. And if they believe people who are behind them in technology should be helped with force. I believe the estimates we have of the threat these humans pose to be massively understated.”

“We know,” Saph replied with a nod. “As Tom put it, if they find out how to make it here by themselves. To quote, ‘You guys are all fucked.’ ”

“Quite…” Joelina agreed. “Well, it is nice to know he agrees with my assessment.”

“He also said ‘best not to dwell on what you can’t do anything about.’ ”

“Yeees… about that. Do you two think he would ever try to make it home?” Joelina questioned, tone softening a little.

“No, probably not,” Saph replied with a shake of her head. “If so it would be with us in tow. Didn’t sound like he had much back there.”

“His mother might still live. She’s sick, but she still had time when I was yanked from him. A sickness I think we can cure… Are you still sure?”

“I… Didn’t think of that,” Saph admitted, looking to Apuma, who looked like he didn’t know what to think.

“No… If he works that out, I believe he may try… But he would need to act fast. If she is not already dead,” Joelina continued.

“And we have no clue how something like that could even be done… I’m quite sure he left not expecting to ever see her again. He isn’t even a mage either. Surely it would take a god or similar to make something like that happen?”

“Yes, that brings me to my next point. Short of verifying his claims on what he has done here thus far —his thoughts and intentions behind it— I would like to learn just how he got here. In addition, I want to know if anything divine or otherwise supernatural has happened to him since he arrived here. He wouldn’t happen to have given a more detailed account of the voice that brought him here, now would he?”

“Well, the story he gave me went, ‘I was sitting in my office doing boring work when a disembodied voice spoke to me. It offered a deal to go to the world of my wildest dreams. It showed me a glimpse through a portal to convince me I was not going crazy. I got two weeks to prepare, I got what things together that I could, and off I went through the portal that was opened at will by the voice. Haven’t heard a word since ”

“Yes, reads like the report I got… Do you believe him?”

“I think so. We haven’t caught him lying yet. He tends to just tell you ‘No, I won’t tell you that’ when you pry. Or he will do his best to change the subject. He has not avoided that one ever.”

“He just doesn’t seem to have much to say,” Apuma added with a cough. “I tried to ask him about everything back when he first arrived. But he knew preciously little. Poor guy didn’t even understand what magic was back then.”

“Quite… Right, do you think he would let me try again, IF I restrict my searching to the time after going through the portal? And perhaps right before?”

“You are leaving out the battles too, bare minimum. It is too hard on him. Especially poor Anastasi,” Apuma interjected in a sad tone, looking down at the mention of the little girl.

“And probably also private time with Jacky,” Saph added, clearing her throat.

“Right… Damn and blast. I wanted to know how he fought the dark knights!” Joelina let out rather uncharacteristically, taking Saph off guard for a second.

“Shouldn’t it be enough to confirm he’s not lying to get his intentions while working? The reports are basically true, just replace fire magic with guns and you have the full picture.”

“I want more than that. I want to know how he thinks when in battle, I have got most of that by now… But that was from years ago. Much has clearly changed in him. I want to know who he is. Who he really is. You two have no idea what might be resting in someone who isn’t even one of us. His intentions must be pure. Damn near infallible, in fact.”

“You can’t ask more of him than you can of anyone else. He’s just a dude,” Saph added with a shake of her head.

“Yes, I understand… If anything that has been made abundantly clear… But he is secretive, unpredictable, and turns malicious if hurt sufficiently,” the inquisitor replied in cold and calculating terms as she started pacing around the room, clearly thinking.

“Just a thought. Might be a good idea to not hurt him then,” Saph got out with a gulp. “He is so nice and kind to those he cares about. Help us out and I think you are going on that list,” Saph tried hoping the half-delirious inquisitor would be easier to persuade than normal.

“Yes, Huntress… Do believe me on at least this. I am not here seeking enemies… But if he tricks us, it may well be the end.”

“You think a single frontier keep, not to say just one man, could bring us all down?” Saph let out in surprise. “Come on.”

“I do. Not with force, but with knowledge. Both ours and his.”

“He’s just one man?” Saph protested.

“Which is all it will take. The only reason this is even being considered is your implacable performance thus far. And the voice said he was sent here to ‘change the world.’ I must know if that is for good or bad. Which begs the question, who was the one talking?”

Saph just stood there, not quite sure how to take a compliment like that as well as the thought Tom might just actually be here by divine destiny. “So you want to do this to all of us?”

“No. I cannot. But he is alien. An unknown. I know keep dwellers, and your keep has decades of faultless service under its belt. Not to mention what you went through earlier this year.”

“So we get an easy pass, but he does not for everything he has done?”

“I am being cautious. If you are curious, no, I have not found anything that convinces me he is a danger yet. But his mind is weak and easy to twist. He will require protection at least.”

“Well if it helps, he has tried very hard to convince us that starting an arms race with the darklings will only end in catastrophe.”

“He has learned the lessons of history then. Even if his people have not. Sadly for us, much like his home, it takes two people to deny a race. The other may go on ahead as they please.”

“The darklings are making new weapons?” Apuma asked cautiously as the inquisitor kept pacing.

“Reinventing.” Joelina corrected. “You named them night terrors. We have them on record as Fellbats. The knives were not known to even us. So either they are unimaginably old…”

“Or they are new…” Apuma muttered out.

“Which is much more terrifying,” the inquisitor replied with a nod. “I do not believe that though. If so, they would have to have been bestowed by some dark entity.”

“How did they get on a trader then? If they made them, surely they would not just sell them off or lose something like that,” Saph questioned worriedly.

“That I do not know… I am praying they are an old lost artifact that got uncovered somewhere without our knowledge, or perhaps the records of them have been lost. Our preservation is not without fault.”

“Either way, you are scared they will start making advances we can't easily match,” Apuma said in a serious tone. “Just like Investigator Paulina feared.”

“Precisely.”

“But yes, we have been over this, you want him to make weapons to help with that. The one thing he really doesn't want to make but somehow always ends up making,” Saph added, trying to get to the end of the inquisitor’s line of logic here.

“He really just wants to make life better and easier I think,” Apuma added carefully.

“Quite. But we do not need better writing implements and easier ways to light a pipe. We need weapons of war to win a war.”

“In such quantities as to arm our people, the one thing he doesn't want to happen ‘cause he thinks it will just lead to more death and destruction. Which I am inclined to believe,” the old man continued.

“I also know he struck a deal with my sister for if the time came we needed his inventions of war. I fear that time may come soon, but if we realize too late we won’t be able to respond. This is not a war we have the option of losing.”

“Hence the factory,” Apuma asked, seeming a bit lost in all of it by now.

“Yes, we have been over this.” Joelina sighed.

“So you want to go back into his head, and you would be happy with just seeing what he would allow you to see in order to assure you of what? I don’t get it.” Saph tried.

“We need to know that once we give him the ability to make weapons on a scale to win a war for good, he will not abuse or sabotage them. Or, more importantly, we need to know that he won't try to use what we teach him of advanced enchanting to try and go home.”

“Wait, you think he might be able to pull that off!?”

“He has had divine intervention or something else of great power on his side once in order to get here, I am sure. With such help, no one can say for certain. What is worse is most of our records of such experimentation ended catastrophically. We cannot afford that here.”

“Then tell him that. If he’s scared to touch it, he won't. I know him well enough for that,” Saph tried to add, thinking back to all the times that hadn’t happened before.

“And risk planting the seed he might be able to go home?”

“Well if you teach him the means, he will work that out for himself, I can assure you of that,” Apuma went with a nod. “He is a smart kid.”

“I will consider it… Once I have my assurances.” Joelina relented, tiredness showing for just a second as she sighed.

“Right, going through his thoughts after he came here,” Saph reiterated.

Joelina let out a long, strained sigh, staring at the two of them with near murderous intent. “If that is how it must be.”

“Well in that case, should we actually get started on these books then? We have quite a lot to go through, and he will not be up for talking for a while I don’t think.”

“Yes yes… I was told I would enjoy the one with ships in it… Some cruel joke, I assume,” Joelina replied, shoulders sagging slightly, leading to a short silence.

“No, they are quite impressive, I promise,” Apuma added, clearly trying to fill the air. The inquisitor just stared at him, looking less than pleased.

“Precisely.”

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Essy had upheld her promise to bring food. Jacky, deciding he required the full royalty treatment, sat up against the wall playing backrest as they ate together. Kiran was sitting up against their side on the right, and of course had a go at scoring some extra bacon from the big plate, sometimes successful, sometimes not. One attempt ended with Jacky prying it from his mouth ‘cause that one was hers, Kiran letting out a distressed grumble as he stared at the reconquered strip of bacon.

“You know… there might be more downstairs,” Tom chuckled as Jacky wiggled the piece in front of the poor kid.

“Then why can’t I have it?” he sobbed half-heartedly, clearly going for pity points.

“You had two already. And it’s your second breakfast.”

“But I want three.”

“Tough shit,” Jacky retorted, snapping the crisp strip in her mouth, chewing happily. Tom was rather failing to find his appetite. It didn’t help that he dropped his fork more than once, flinching at an imaginary explosion or an indistinguishable cry for help.

Jacky just picked it up and put it back on the plate as he tried to laugh it off. “Silly me.”

“Silly silly you… You know this almost reminds me of the time after you poisoned yourself.”

“Nah, that was worse… that was constant. This is just every now and again. Little spurts, so to speak.”

“Do they make mind-fix potions, Jacky? It was his head last time too, right?” Kiran tried, sounding like he hoped he had just solved everything.

“No, Kiran, not quite that… it was sorta the whole body last time… and this time it’s memories I think… Nothing I haven’t dealt with before,” Tom tried, not quite sure he managed to pull off a decent convincing tone.

“You strong. You beat quister.”

“You mean Jacky beat the inquisitor? She was the one that decided to throw the most powerful woman within a several days' flight through the air.”

“Yup. Damn right I did… do I hear a thank you in there somewhere?” Jacky mused, shuffling around a little.

“Jacky, she could wipe out the keep on a whim.”

“She needs you. There is so much money in those crates. She’s all boss and no bite. No way she would go back on that investment easily.”

“I mean… Maybe? She clearly has impressive resources at her disposal,” Tom tried as he tried to work out if this was just Jacky trying to justify what she did, or if she actually believed that.

“True, but she has to have broken so many rules to make this happen. If we are barely allowed to know what’s in the boxes as we’re carrying them into our own keep, I bet you it’s not allowed to be out here.”

“I’m smelling a plan slash hair-brained scheme.”

“What’s that?” Jacky questioned from behind him, her head tilting to the side as it rested on top of his head.

“What’s a what?” he had to ask, more than a little confused.

“What’s a hair brain? Are there hairs inside your head?”

“Oh… No. No there aren’t.”

“Soo….”

“Actually it might be hare-brained instead… Gods, I’m too tired for this. It means a really dumb idea.”

“Wait, so having the brain of a hare is, like, really bad?”

“Yeah, they are idiots, running around madly not sure what to do, why?”

“Oh nothing,” Jacky replied, her voice a fair hint colder.

“Huh?... Wait no, not like that, a hare and a jackalope aren’t even the same things.”

“Is that so, huh? Tell me then, what’s the difference?”

“Uhm… antlers? And they are smart,” Tom tried hopefully.

“No, they are magic hares. At least that’s how I was told the story. They can run faster and harder. Jump higher and further. They are a pain in the arse to catch.”

“A fitting name then, right? I mean that is basically you.”

“But they are no smarter than a hare…”

“Right… Well, you definitely are,” Tom tried in as good a salesman's voice as he could manage right now. He was so damn tired, and his head hurt so bad. He just wanted to try and sleep a little, maybe a minute or two, but he knew what would happen the second he tried.

“Hmm… fine fine. Just don’t call me harebrained, okay? Back to the inquisitor, who is also smarter than a hare if only by a little.”

“Hoo boi. Well then, wise Jacky. Do I need to be hard to catch like you?”

“No, just don’t let her push us around quite so much. She and Paulina keep saying we are on the same team. Force them to prove it. Give them some, but ask for something in return.”

“We did already ask for that Tsarina woman to be handled, and we are getting a lot of money and the like, I think. That equipment Edita was unpacking sure looked like it was worth a fortune.”

“No, dummy, ask for her to not be such a bitch or something. Or just leave you alone. That’s free for her, and she doesn’t have to break any rules to do it.”

“Since when did you become the planning and conniving sort? Not to mention a character analyst?” Tom had to ask. He could scarcely believe his ears right now.

“I’m not, Essy said so,” Jacky replied promptly with a hint of a chuckle. “And she is always right.”

“Ahr…”

“Hehe, egg,” Kiran chuckled, sneaking a bit of egg off the plate and chomping on it happily, seeming quite unbothered by it all for the moment.

“But she does have a point… I’m just quite sure she’s better at that game than me,” Tom replied, giving the little guy a scratch.

“The whole ‘Do as I say, or else’ game?” Jacky questioned as she joined in the Kiran scratching.

“Yeah… not so great at that.”

“No, you are a bit of a push over really.”

“Thanks, Jacky,” Tom let out with a slightly annoyed sigh as his head twitched to the side again. “Next you’ll tell me I will have to develop more of a warrior spirit,” he said sarcastically.

“There there, no need for that. It won’t be all your problem either. Sounds like Dakota already did some pushing for you. She’s smart. She’ll work something out.”

“She would be infinitely better at this than me, that is for sure,” Tom concurred, not quite sure what else to say to that. He had no idea how to handle an inquisitor like her. It wasn’t like Jarix back in the day either. A missed step didn’t mean his ass was on the line. This was everyone here. But he had no idea how hard he could push back. Just one push too far might be the end.

“Yup. She’s just like her mum. Shame she’s in bed right now.”

“Is she doing any better, do you know?”

“Lots of sleeping and resting… and then shouting about what’s going on apparently.”

“That is an improvement… Think she would be able to at least have a chat? I might need to talk with her and Dakota.”

“I can go ask for sure. Just say you need to visit the infirmary for something. I’ll figure it out. Later though. I wanna enjoy my time off, you know?”

“Thank you Jacky… So what now?”

“Well… we could get some more food.”

“Yes, that one!” Kiran let out, leaning over Tom’s lap and looking up at him with big begging eyes. “I want more bacon.”

“Damn little criminal.”

“Noo. I’m good. I just want bacon.”

“I’ll go fetch some. Defend Tom while I am gone,” Jacky smirked as she started to wiggle out from under Tom.

“Yes, Ma’am!” Kiran declared, doing a salute to Jacky before laying himself over Tom’s lap.

“Never felt safer,” Tom had to joke as Jacky gave him a quick nuzzle, receiving a kiss to the side of the snout for her troubles. “Good speed oh queen of bacon.”

“Oh shut up you.”

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