THE CITY OF QI

KLIAMBALA

Thank you for coming to see me, Cyunn. I hope your trip to the City of Bridges was a pleasant one.

CYUNN

It wasn’t a pleasure trip, Bishop. I was there gathering information on the bounty.

KLIAMBALA

I assumed as much. What did you learn?

CYUNN

Nothing of value. The family members I spoke with don’t hold much regard for Januae. I was about to join a caravan headed for Dynafel until a certain someone decided to send for me.

KLIAMBALA

Yes, well you should be thanking me as I will actually be saving you some time. Had you already departed with that caravan I wouldn’t have been able to tell you that Januae is currently in Charmonde once again.

CYUNN

Charmonde? Seriously? Where you captured him from before? That man is either bold or stupid. Or both.

How do you know this?

KLIAMBALA

The Chimes of Truth has relayed a message via the new farspeaking device. Your timing is quite auspicious as we received that message just two days ago.

CYUNN

Well then, I suppose you did save me some time, so I thank you for that. Did you get any more information that might be useful?

KLIAMBALA

He is staying with a semblage charged by an Aeon Priest named Ellenandus. In his message he said he’d invited Januae to work in the semblage with him in an attempt to keep him on site while awaiting further instructions.

CYUNN

Please tell me you didn’t send one of your clave guards after him.

KLIAMBALA

No, no. We’ve decided to handle this a bit more delicately. Apparently Januae is quite motivated to remain there working for the semblage. He seems to be eager to get a hold of some iotum that Ellenandus is luring him with.

CYUNN

That’s all well and good, but how long do you suppose this Ellenandus person can keep that bait on the hook? You realize it will take nearly a couple of months travel for me to get there, no less than a month on an aneen’s back?

KLIAMBALA

In that case we may have to consider apprehending him to ensure he doesn’t escape beforehand-

CYUNN

And how well did that work last time? He got the jump on you when he was standing right in front of you in chains. You need to have your Aeon Priest up there giving him a really good reason to want to stay. Even so, a month is a long time.

KLIAMBALA

Then what do you suggest?

CYUNN

Get me a way to get up there quicker. Like find me a raster or something. Flying a raster would take half the time to get up there.

KLIAMBALA

I suppose that would expedite your travel, yes. That’s a sound idea. I’m sure I can find you a raster in short order.

CYUNN

On the Order’s shin.

KLIAMBALA

I beg your pardon?

CYUNN

You want this guy badly enough, you can foot the bill for a raster. I know how to get my hands on one, so don’t worry about that. I’m sure the Order can well enough afford the cost of a raster.

KLIAMBALA

Fine. We will buy you the raster.

CYUNN

And you better not take it off the top of the bounty neither.

KLIAMBALA

(after a beat and a heavy sigh)

Very well. This should cover it.

Sound of coins being passed to CYUNN

CYUNN

Nice. You’ve just upped the odds of capturing your man.

CHARMONDE, THREE WEEKS LATER

JANUAE

Nearly three weeks of working with this semblage and I have yet to receive any nanites. Ellenandus keeps passing me excuses of having to make political inroads with the nobles. Shoum is growing impatient with me constantly returning empty handed. The longer I remain here in Charmonde, the less time she has to do any dimension walking of her own while I don the return vest. She has been working with me without asking for anything in return this entire time, except for a few nanites from this place, but my work here has offered no compensation as of yet. The one benefit of working here is having a comfortable bed to sleep in rather than finding nooks in which to bed down between the buildings in Jargolamis. Perhaps this is why I haven’t pushed as hard on Ellenandus providing me with those nanites. Not to mention I’ve enjoyed getting to immerse myself in research once again. This semblage has been applying its research efforts toward expanding the capabilities of the defense towers around Charmonde, so I conceived of an idea to create a device that would temporarily change the surrounding earth into a vapor, causing any attackers to fall into the earth before the ground once again solidifies. Having witnessed the nanites actually create this effect while harvesting the cleef as a slave, I thought it might be possible to replicate this using some of the recovered nanites. I also hoped this would inspire Ellenandus to procure them sooner. As it is I haven’t had an uncontrolled jaunting episode since working with Shoum, and I still need to try to find a solution to my affliction, hopefully before it happens again.

I am currently studying from a book on numenera when the door to my quarters opens. Ellenandus enters and it is my hope that he is delivering the first samples of nanites. Instead, he makes way for a guest to enter, a woman who looks somewhat familiar…

ELLENANDUS

I believe this is who you’re looking for.

CYUNN

Indeed it is, Ellenandus. Hello again, Januae. It has been a long time.

JANUAE

Do I know you from somewh- wait, yes. You’re the glaive from Ancuan… Cyunn, is it? No, not a glaive. You’re a-

Sound of a steel rope whipping as it wraps around Januae

JANUAE

Ah! Ow! Oooh, what is this?!

(choking sounds from Januae)

CYUNN

Relax. This is just to restrain you. However, the part of the bailing whip that’s wrapped around your neck, that will tighten if you are no longer in my proximity, so you might want to stay near me if you like breathing.

(JANUAE catches his breath)

There you go. Just a taste so you don’t get any stupid ideas. I’ve been asked to bring you back to Qi, Januae. The Order of Truth wants you back at the Durkahl, so I’ve been hired to-

(Januae vanishes and the bailing whip clatters to the ground)

Argh! Damn it all! Where did he go?

ELLENANDUS

I… I don’t know. I’ve never seen him do that.

CYUNN

(bangs fist on table)

What just happened? How did he just- so this is what the Bishop was talking about! That slipppery little soapfish teleported out of here, didn’t he?

ELLENANDUS

I believe he did say he had access to some kind of teleportation, but I’ve not seen him actually use it until now.

CYUNN

Well where did he go? How is he using teleportation? Tell me everything you know!

JARGOLAMIS, SHOUM’S ABODE

JANUAE arrives through the teleporter, gasping

SHOUM

Januae, you do know it’s been almost a week since you-

(with a startled gasp)

What happened? What’s going on with you?

JANUAE

Bounty hunter… found me… had me in a binding whip… thought hard about this place to get back…

SHOUM

Geez, I knew something like this would happen! Step off the dais, let’s get you-

JANUAE

No! I can’t let her find me! I need to hide somewhere!

SHOUM

We can find someplace to hide you, just come off the-

JANUAE

I need to go! She’ll find me here, I need to-

SHOUM

Januae, you have to- oh, no no no! Don’t leave yet! The vest! It hasn’t been-

(a couple of beats, then a heavy sigh)

Damn it.