Kanushin (Starweaver's Tapestry #1)

Chapter 16: All That Glitters

Wyrna processed Gallard's information and weighed it in her mind. Just as quickly as he arrived, she would thankfully be rid of him. No watchful eyes or unnecessary questions would continue to plague her. She supposed that was worth the halt. Wyrna stepped inside the lift and faced Gallard. She forced herself to bow as gracefully as she could.

"I wish you the best of luck, Counselor," She stated sweetly. "We trust you to work out the situation in our favor."

Gallard bowed as well, but Wyrna noticed something was off about his expression. It seemed judgmental. Suspicious, even. She put it to the back of her mind. It was of no importance. She slid her arms back into her robes as the lift shot further up.

A bell rang loudly in her right ear. Wyrna tapped the MenXhip in her palm twice to answer the call. An odd tone drifted from the other end. She waited patiently.

"We're secure now," a chilled voice informed her. "I assume you're still committed to our deal, Speaker Nollak?"

"Absolutely," Wyrna answered. "In fact, I've just been given word that Counselor Gallard will be arriving on Flightline shortly."

"Then I will propose to higher powers that we move on to the next phase," the voice said in return.

"And what exactly is that next phase?" Wyrna questioned. "I need answers, General Ravig. A time frame as well."

Wyrna felt the tips of her nails break through the skin of her arm. She realized she had subconsciously been clawing into herself. She bit her lip instead. The idea of working with the Kunar was loathsome to her, but she needed to ensure that her own goals were achieved. If they could offer her a pathway to success, then she would do anything she needed to. Plus, it helped that Ravig had a similar mindset to her own: no friendship or silly power struggles, only business.

"You will be informed of those details if deemed appropriate," Ravig answered. "There are a lot of gears churning right now. You are only one of them. Patience is key here."

Wyrna began pacing in the lift. Ravig's response made her feel like she was being talked down to, a lesser being in the partnership they currently had. She didn't like it. Wyrna Nollak was always the one in charge. She made sure of it.

"General, the only key here is the one that I have to your very victory," She hissed. "If my end fails, you get nothing but a shove off the top of your precious Privarium. My daughter also continues to be an unknown factor. Find her."

Her demand was met with silence. Wyrna knew that Ravig was probably fuming on the other end. She didn't care. He needed her in order to be successful in all of his carefully formulated plans.

"We've tracked the craft she's on to Locarian," Ravig stated. His voice was devoid of the courteous tone it contained when they first started speaking. "We will intercept her there and remove her from the equation entirely. She will not be a concern."

Wyrna couldn't help but form a massive grin at the situation.

'Diah dying on a planet full of trash?' She thought. 'How perfectly fitting.'

____________________________________

The Aurora Nova gracefully threaded the gap between a pair of destroyed satellites, a fluorescent blue streak lingering in its wake. Its usual roar settled into a low purr as the ship slowed to a crawl. Cracked-apart warships and the dusted debris of what was once a moon scattered across Locarian's exosphere, signs of a war long passed. The planet below was a muddy brown, the surface caked with endless dirt seas and mountains of waste. It was dead as far as the eye could see, nothing but sandstorms and toxic yellow clouds of gas wandering in the breeze.