Dawn of the Epoch

Chapter LXIX - Kebaac

Only a cloistered few in the shipping industry knew that only one ship was scheduled to arrive in Imperia from Genoa that day. A small crowd had gathered outside the loading dock. They watched the gangplank lower in breathless anticipation. They had all seen the news. They all wanted to get the inside scoop on what was happening in Genoa. The gangplank to the Sorelle Gemelle slowly lowered to the dock. The dock workers scrambled to prepare the deck to receive the plank.

A puzzling scene unfolded before the crowd. The deck officers of the Sorelle Gemelle walked out with solemn and blank looks on their faces. Three went in front and three in back. In the middle of the group was a broad-shouldered, dark-robed, pale, bald man with piercing, ice-blue eyes. A fat cigar protruded from his lips.

The crowd erupted into questions. It was like a press conference without the press. The ship’s officers said nothing. They kept a distance between the crowd and the dark-robed man. The crowd’s questions slowly died down. The man puffed energetically on his cigar. The smoke wafted through the crowd. The animated faces of those curious Imperiesi became gradually subdued. As the smoke billowed, their faces and gestures subsided. After a few minutes, their faces had the same placid look as the ship’s officers.

With a small squad around him, Ghaelvord made his way to the administrative headquarters where he chartered transport. With the help of his new associates, Ghaelvord conscripted a small fleet of flatbed eighteen-wheelers. Then he went out to the shipyards and his new associates helped him procure reach stackers. With the stackers and the trucks, he had no trouble putting together a decent-sized convoy carrying a large number of corrugated weathering-steel freight containers.

With the convoy prepared, the ghouls emerged from the ship. They went to work loading the supplies. Many of the freight containers had holes for air and contained prisoners, smuggled out in the initial chaos of the attack from Genoa’s city center. Other containers held intricate machines of enigmatic design and purpose. Ghaelvord personally oversaw the convoy’s assembly and preparation. He ensured that he left no trace of their efforts either on the ground or in the minds of those affected by his infernal kebaac. When the work was finished, the convoy left the city. It headed north into the mountainous outskirts of the Maritime Alps that divided France from Italy on the western side. The convoy headed up into the mountains to carry out its nefarious purpose.