some power?”
Teldin hesitated, then nodded. He knew relatively little about bionoids, but they undoubtedly were magical. He vowed to himself that he would learn more as soon as he could. Vallus did not miss the troubled expression that crossed the human’s face, and for the first time the elven wizard felt more than a passing interest in Hectate Kir. Whatever the half-elfs secrets were, they must not be allowed to interfere.
Vallus rose and gave Teldin another reassuring smile. “You need rest. I will leave you to it.”
“No.”
Teldin Moore struggled into an upright position, brushing away Deelia’s restraining hands. After motioning for Vallus to stay, he accepted the healer’s offer of water and took several more sips. The human’s face was still pale and drawn, but it was set in grim determination as he struggled to gather his strength behind the force of his will. Vallus watched and approved.
“What do you want?” Teldin asked bluntly.
The elven wizard settled back down in his chair and began his answer at the appropriate place. “When we last met, I gave you a warning and some advice. You should have taken the cloak to the elves of Evermeet, where the Imperial Fleet maintains an embassy.”
Teldin harrumphed, and Vallus held up a temporizing hand. “Yes, I know about Admiral Cirathorn. That was most unfortunate, and the Imperial Fleet has sent me to ensure that such a thing does not happen again.” At this news, the human’s face hardened with skepticism.
“If you had done as I’d suggested and sought out the Evermeet elves,” Vallus continued, “you might have been spared that experience. The elves of Evermeet are a peaceful nation, and there you would have had the time and protection needed to seek answers. War forces individuals to make difficult choices. Even so,” he allowed, “I would dare say that Admiral Cirathorn made the wrong choice.”
Teldin huffed again, but this time in agreement. The elven wizard took this as a good sign and pressed his point. “The Imperial Fleet agrees. I have been dispatched to help you find the Spelljammer.” He paused to let Teldin digest this.
“Why?” Teldin asked.
“Frankly? We want you to find the ship, Teldin Moore.”
“Why?” he asked again.
“We hope to persuade you to use the great ship on behalf of the elves. No, wait. Let me finish. The war is taking a terrible toll. If something is not done, the Imperial Fleet, the elven network that is the single stabilizing element in wildspace, could be no more.”
“So?”
The human’s response was so like the one predicted by the grand admiral that Vallus’s patience wavered. Too much was depending on Teldin Moore; they must get past this newly minted bigotry of his.
“What would you have take the elves’ place?” the wizard asked sharply. “The scro? Or perhaps the neogi?”
His last words hit their mark. Teldin’s eyes drifted closed, and his face tightened into a mask of confusion and despair. The elf rose to leave, and his parting words were offered in a calmer tone. “I am not certain how much you have learned about the cloak since we parted, Teldin Moore, but know this: You have in your possession the ability to command the greatest ship ever known. That is power. The nature of power is that it must be used as a force for good or ill. Very soon you will have to decide exactly how to use that power.”
The human’s only response was a faint snore. Vallus shook his silver head, and a small, self-mocking smile curved his lips. So much for his fine speeches. The poor human had barely regained consciousness, only to be bombarded with tales of elven woes.
Teldin Moore needed time to rest and recover. Time, unfortunately, was something that the elven nation could not spare. As Vallus walked slowly from the cabin, the grand admiral’s deadline pressed heavily upon him. The elven wizard paused at the door of the cabin and looked back at the sleeping human.
“I doubt this would
Teldin hesitated, then nodded. He knew relatively little about bionoids, but they undoubtedly were magical. He vowed to himself that he would learn more as soon as he could. Vallus did not miss the troubled expression that crossed the human’s face, and for the first time the elven wizard felt more than a passing interest in Hectate Kir. Whatever the half-elfs secrets were, they must not be allowed to interfere.
Vallus rose and gave Teldin another reassuring smile. “You need rest. I will leave you to it.”
“No.”
Teldin Moore struggled into an upright position, brushing away Deelia’s restraining hands. After motioning for Vallus to stay, he accepted the healer’s offer of water and took several more sips. The human’s face was still pale and drawn, but it was set in grim determination as he struggled to gather his strength behind the force of his will. Vallus watched and approved.
“What do you want?” Teldin asked bluntly.
The elven wizard settled back down in his chair and began his answer at the appropriate place. “When we last met, I gave you a warning and some advice. You should have taken the cloak to the elves of Evermeet, where the Imperial Fleet maintains an embassy.”
Teldin harrumphed, and Vallus held up a temporizing hand. “Yes, I know about Admiral Cirathorn. That was most unfortunate, and the Imperial Fleet has sent me to ensure that such a thing does not happen again.” At this news, the human’s face hardened with skepticism.
“If you had done as I’d suggested and sought out the Evermeet elves,” Vallus continued, “you might have been spared that experience. The elves of Evermeet are a peaceful nation, and there you would have had the time and protection needed to seek answers. War forces individuals to make difficult choices. Even so,” he allowed, “I would dare say that Admiral Cirathorn made the wrong choice.”
Teldin huffed again, but this time in agreement. The elven wizard took this as a good sign and pressed his point. “The Imperial Fleet agrees. I have been dispatched to help you find the Spelljammer.” He paused to let Teldin digest this.
“Why?” Teldin asked.
“Frankly? We want you to find the ship, Teldin Moore.”
“Why?” he asked again.
“We hope to persuade you to use the great ship on behalf of the elves. No, wait. Let me finish. The war is taking a terrible toll. If something is not done, the Imperial Fleet, the elven network that is the single stabilizing element in wildspace, could be no more.”
“So?”
The human’s response was so like the one predicted by the grand admiral that Vallus’s patience wavered. Too much was depending on Teldin Moore; they must get past this newly minted bigotry of his.
“What would you have take the elves’ place?” the wizard asked sharply. “The scro? Or perhaps the neogi?”
His last words hit their mark. Teldin’s eyes drifted closed, and his face tightened into a mask of confusion and despair. The elf rose to leave, and his parting words were offered in a calmer tone. “I am not certain how much you have learned about the cloak since we parted, Teldin Moore, but know this: You have in your possession the ability to command the greatest ship ever known. That is power. The nature of power is that it must be used as a force for good or ill. Very soon you will have to decide exactly how to use that power.”
The human’s only response was a faint snore. Vallus shook his silver head, and a small, self-mocking smile curved his lips. So much for his fine speeches. The poor human had barely regained consciousness, only to be bombarded with tales of elven woes.
Teldin Moore needed time to rest and recover. Time, unfortunately, was something that the elven nation could not spare. As Vallus walked slowly from the cabin, the grand admiral’s deadline pressed heavily upon him. The elven wizard paused at the door of the cabin and looked back at the sleeping human.
“I doubt this would
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