Dark Foundations by Chris Walley Page B

know. The Gate explosion was bad enough, but people handled it. Now the news of the intruders has been too much. An isolated world facing unseen enemies? No one is prepared for that.”
    â€œGod should be their hope.”
    â€œHe is. But they look to a visible and human expression of that, and that person is you . You are the hero of two encounters with the intruders.” Vero’s voice was full of agitation. “Merral, you led the attack. You entered the ship and came out alive. You stopped the ship escaping. They need you and you can’t disappoint them. It’s not your life at all. Not any more. It’s theirs .” Vero paused, as if to draw breath. “And that applies to Ynysmant, most of all. Those people look north every evening and wonder what may be creeping or slithering through the forest toward them. Their town is at the very edge of inhabited Menaya and they know it. They are on the front line. Ynysmant is probably the most scared place on the planet. They need a hero. Your job, Commander, is to steady their nerves. You gotta play ball.”
    â€œYou want me to act? to play a part like Corradon?”
    â€œAnd what if he does ‘play a part’? He’s no fool. My friend, the representative knows—as Clemant does—that we face two enemies: the intruders and ourselves. We have the potential for self-destruction. If our morale holds, Farholme may have a chance against an enemy. If we lose our nerve, we have had it. Maybe even before another vessel of this Dominion—if indeed that vessel belonged to them—is sighted. Merral, get real!”
    Unable to respond Merral turned, took a few paces away. Realizing his position was indefensible, he turned back toward Vero. “I see,” he said softly, feeling chastened and humbled. “You’re right. But where does Lloyd fit in?”
    â€œLloyd is my attempt to help you. Lloyd’s job is to make your hard tasks a little easier; to assist you, free you up, keep the crowds at a distance, and—maybe—even defend you. We need you too.”
    â€œOh, dear. What a mess we are in.” Merral threw his hands up in the air. “Oh, very well. You leave me little option. I’ll take him. But I don’t have to like it.”

    Two hours later, Merral and Lloyd were on the short-haul passenger flier heading west. From the moment he joined the queue for the flier, Merral had been aware of the stares, glances, and whispers focused on him. Trying to distract himself, he turned to Lloyd, who was sitting in the aisle seat, scrolling through something on his diary.
    â€œWhat are you reading, Lloyd?”
    â€œIt’s something Mr. V. found me—”
    â€œMr. V.? ”
    â€œMr. Vero, sir. It’s his nickname. Sorry.”
    â€œI see. Go on.”
    â€œIt’s for my job. The Bodyguard’s Handbook , 2023 edition. There were later editions apparently, but this is the latest we have. Very interesting, sir. Hard to read though. You keep thinking they can’t really mean that. But they do.”
    Suddenly a man in the aisle peered around Lloyd’s bulk to catch Merral’s eye.
    â€œExcuse me, Commander,” he said apologetically. “We’ve never met, but I was wondering—we all were—what you could tell us . . . about the situation.”
    Suddenly every head swiveled toward them.
    Lloyd leaned over and whispered in Merral’s ear. “Sir, do you want me to move him on? Gently, of course. Mr. V. says it’s okay. Part of the job.”
    â€œNo. No, thanks,” Merral replied. “I have a public duty.” He squeezed past Lloyd and stood in the aisle. “Hands up anybody here who doesn’t know who I am.”
    There was no movement.
    â€œI was afraid of that,” Merral said, trying—and failing—to smile. “Well, I don’t want to talk about the battle. I heard the representative’s speech as you did