As I understood it, only one way prevented all-out war between Avrankes and Kaieles.
Only one way satisfied the Emperor’s needs. The false Deathguard must be apprehended, and the
Order of the Green Skull must punish them. This is the only way that prevents Avrankes from
retaliating at the mere knowledge of the plots existence. I must prove it to him, and I must seize
the false ones, and I must do it openly,
So my shuttle comes in over the wild red desert storms of Arkala-3 towards the obsidian
dome where Avrankes keeps his resident. I come alone. The testimony of Gebron’s witnesses
would be of no value to Avrankes; either my word as the Emperor’s Justice suffices, or it does
not. The shuttle circles the dome three times before I give permission to land. There is no reason
to do this, other than it pleases me to observe the place where I shall go.
Avrankes awaits me upon touchdown. He too is alone. I see him in his black uniform and
red cape, with the scar on his face, and I remember him as he was. As I was, on the day he took
me from my home.
“Old friend,” he says.
“Old friend,” I say.
A whirlwind of red dust blows in the distance. It is soothing.
“I know why you are here,” he says.
“Why?”
“The False Deathguard. The pawns in the hand of Kaieles and his zealots.”
I do not express surprise that he knows. I am annoyed with Gebron for making me
believe that he did not. I should have been more suspect. Instead, I wait under Arkala-3’s
shadowy moon.