Inquisitor's Promise (Act Three, Chapter Eight)
The Holy League had been united, but the Grey Globe continued to move towards Earth. Aeneas and the members of his inner circle knew they had much to do and little time to prepare.
Chapter Eight: Lektros Country
Pep had finally returned home, but he was not relaxed; if anything, he was on edge. Meanwhile, Giulia was quite the opposite. At the moment, the Venetian girl was behind her husband happily petting one of the lyonesse, the red one, easily the most ferocious of the four.
“Glad you’re having a good time,” Pep commented.
“The lyonesse certainly did,” Giulia said. “They look ready to just chase each other in the storm.”
“That is a lyonesse’s natural habitat,” Pep pointed out.
The Lektros then turned his attention to the three men who had asked to tag along with them.
“And how are you three doing back there?” the Lektros shouted.
“We’re doing good. It’s a very cool view,” Mario the ship captain said. “I can look at it all day.”
“Don’t get too lost in the view,” Pep chastised.
“Indeed,” Monsignor Bartholomew chimed in. “You were a few steps away from falling into the storm.”
“Oops,” Mario said sheepishly.
“Where are we going exactly?” Giuseppe the chief engineer asked.
“We’re probably going to that building in the middle,” the Monsignor said as he pointed towards the Lektros Dome. The gigantic stadium stood tall over everything else on what little ground existed in the dimension.
Pep shook his head. “No, we are not going to the Lektros Dome. Otherwise, I would have brought an army, not four noncombatants.”
“Then where are we going, my love?” Giulia asked.
At this point, Pep pointed towards the moving lights, the Lektros habitations. “We’re going there, that’s where my village is.”
“Where’s the shuttle that’ll take us there?” Giuseppe asked.
“Shuttle?” Pep guffawed in reaction to the question. “No shuttle, we fly there.”
“What!?” Mario exclaimed.
Giuseppe and Monsignor Bartholomew for their part, looked bemused but they kept silent.
“Pep, this is no time for a joke,” Giulia said harshly.
In response, Pep smiled nonchalantly. “I’m serious, everyone. We Lektros can manipulate electricity, remember? One of the ways it can be used is to levitate ourselves.”
“But I’ve never seen you fly.” Giulia pointed out.
“That’s because Earth doesn’t have the electrical concentration that my dimension has. But if you notice, I had been making very high jumps when I was backing up Aeneas. I can probably fly there if I want to, but it’ll be very exhausting. Not something I would do unless I really have to,” Pep explained.
“The Lektros really have odd biology,” Giuseppe mused.
“You can say that again,” Giulia responded. She was beginning to wonder what she had gotten herself into by marrying a Lektros.
“I hope you’re not backing out on me, Giulia,” Pep said. He smirked at his wife.
“Obviously not!” Giulia cried indignantly.
“Anyways,” Mario interjected. “Are you going to carry all four of us to your village then?”
Pep shook his head. “No. Remember that the lyonesse can fly through the storm also. Luckily, I have one for every one of you.”
And so, each of Pep’s companions rode on each lyonesse. Giulia rode on the red lyonesse, the leader of the pack. It was the largest of the bunch and has the most vibrant mane. It was a little unfair, as the Monsignor had pointed out, that the smallest of them rode on the largest beast. But these lyonesse had minds of their own.
The prideful red lyonesse clearly only cared for bringing along Giulia. Which meant that others had to ride on the smaller ones. Monsignor Bartholomew rode on the white one while Mario and Giuseppe rode on the two blue ones.
Having settled their transportation issues, the five of them made their way towards Pep’s village. The group could see the small lights from afar gradually becoming larger and larger.
Then, they saw a large floating village. The whole village was a series of metallic platforms being grouped up together. These platforms had a building each, mostly houses. There were also blue glows that emanated from the village.
“Welcome to my home, everyone. This is Colony Nine,” Pep said.
“Colony Nine?” Monsignor Bartholomew raised his eyes. “Your village name is a number?”
“Villages in Lektros Country don’t last long with the storms brewing about. We move around a lot,” Pep explained.
“And what are those bluish glow?” Giuseppe asked.
“They’re the shields that keep the village safe, powered by the Lektros’ natural electric powers. They interact with the alondite in the sky and prevented the storm from getting out of hand. Though that does not always happen,” Pep answered.
“But you told Aeneas that alondite are not valuable and only used to make trinkets. You lied to us!” Giulia said angrily. She looked ready to slap her husband. The fact that she was riding atop a lyonesse who answered to his command had escaped her mind.
Pep put up his hands defensively. “I didn’t lie. They are used to made trinkets. And they’re not valuable because they’re so common. It is easy to get them, just go around in the sky.”
“But perhaps they could be more valuable given their role in protecting the villages,” Giuseppe mused.
“Perhaps we can show you around, Chief Engineer,” Pep responded.
That was the extent of the conversation as the group landed on Colony Nine. A large pad with no buildings were made to be the designated entrance of the village.
Pep was glad to be home. The purple lightning-filled sky was a terrifying sight, now that he had seen what Earth’s sky looked like; but this was home, nonetheless. This was the place that he had grown up in. And one that he hadn’t seen since he left for the Lektros Dome to fight the so-called prophet Koke Kula.
“It’s a good thing that they have railings here,” Mario pointed out.
“Still, watch your step,” Pep said. “You Terrans cannot fly.”
The chatter soon stopped as the group spotted a blue Lektros man approaching. At over seven Imperial feet, he was tall even for a Lektros. Pep recognized this man as his father, Gvardiol Siman.
“Welcome to my village, I am the mayor,” Gvardiol said.
The introductions were soon made, but it was an awkward one. The mayor of Colony Nine could barely keep his hostility as he interacted with the Terrans. But his biggest detestation was saved for Giulia, who had introduced herself as Pep’s wife.
“Not only have you taken an outsider as your wife, but you have chosen a non-Lektros. A weakling!”
“Giulia may not have the powers of a Lektros, but she is the bravest girl I know!” Pep shot back.
But Gvardiol was unimpressed by Pep’s declaration. “Bah! I wonder what kind of womanly charms this Terran whore used on you.”
“What?” Giulia cried indignantly. “How dare you!”
“Peace, Lieutenant,” Mario interjected.
“But, Admiral,” Giulia protested.
“We are currently in a very shaky diplomatic situation. We need that alondite. And as it stands, we have to play along,” Mario explained.
“This Terran understands,” Gvardiol said gleefully. “Enough of this, we have much to discuss back in my home.”
As Pep’s group walked to Gvardiol’s house, there was an awkward silence between everyone. Giulia couldn’t help but wonder what could have happened between father and son.
But during the walk, Giulia saw the friendly faces of the Lektros. There were some women throwing flower petals for them. Giulia knew the importance of such a gesture given the rarity of soils in the Lektros Dimension.
The question was whether or not these flowers were meant for Pep or for the Terrans.
A hint as to the answer could be seen when one of the villagers approached Monsignor Bartholomew. He was about to say something to the priest but was blasted away by Gvardiol’s electric beam.
“What did you do that for?” Pep cried angrily.
“It was done for his safety,” Gvardiol shrugged. “These villagers have nothing but hatred towards your priests, you see.”
Pep glanced at his father; a look of anger was on his face. But Monsignor Bartholomew was able to get him to back down.
The group finally reached Gvardiol’s house. It was the largest building in Colony Nine and consisted of almost the entirety of the pad which happened to be one of the largest in the village.
The four of them were brought towards the large and spacious living room. It was rather comfortable. Despite his demeanor, Gvardiol was even kind enough to serve them snacks. Thankfully, these food turned out to be edible for the Terrans.
As Giulia ate what looked to be a blue biscuit, she was very much relieved. Relieved that the Lektros eat normal food. The fact that Pep had been eating amongst the crew of the Lepanto since the defeat of Koke Kula escaped her mind for the moment.
“Do you like it?” Pep asked.
“Yes,” Giulia said with a smile. “A mix of salty and sweet, it’s good.”
Pep grinned. “Good. At least you’re settling in well.”
“Your papa’s home looks really fancy,” Giulia commented. “I didn’t expect that.”
“This is my home too, and it’ll be yours soon.”
“I can’t wait.”
But Gvardiol eventually stepped into the room and took his seat.
“Hope you Terrans enjoy my hospitality,” the mayor said.
“So far so good,” Pep said nonchalantly.
Gvardiol then frowned and looked at the four Terrans sharply. “I will cut to the chase: our people don’t want you Terrans here!”
“Not subtle, is he?” Giuseppe whispered to Mario.
“Like father, like son,” Monsignor Bartholomew chimed in.
But Mario hissed at the two men, telling them to be silent.
“Wait a minute,” Pep interjected. “What do you mean?”
“Your missionaries and priests had been harassing our people. And your soldiers had been using our men as slaves to pick up the alondite,” Gvardiol explained.
“No, I don’t believe you!” Pep exclaimed.
If Giulia had any sympathy towards the Lektros mayor, she would have chastised her husband for speaking his mind. But as it stands, she completely agreed with him.
“Pep my son…”
“I know what this is about,” Pep said accusingly. “You want to re-establish our bankrupt religion. You still cannot get over the Colony Three Disputations.”
“That was just a defeat, a mere setback,” Gvardiol said calmly.
But Pep shook his head. “Come off it, father! Those disputations weren’t just a defeat, they were a slaughter! You were completely destroyed by Koke!”
“If I may interrupt,” Mario interjected. “What is this Colony Three Disputations?”
“It was a disputation between my father and Koke about the nature of the world,” Pep answered. “And my father ended up making such stupid statements such as the universe creating itself before it existed!”
“I was caught off guard, I didn’t make the right arguments,” Gvardiol said defensively.
“Nonsense! You’re the best disputer I know! You lost because our religion makes no sense!” Pep shouted.
“And that’s why you decided to adopt the religion of the Terrans?”
Pep nodded. “Yes. Because they showed me truths that the old faith did not have.”
“Bah!” Gvardiol waved his hand in dismissal. “You speak of this truth as if it matters. My son, religion is not about the truth. It’s about whose side are you on.”
“That makes no sense! Listen to yourself!” Monsignor Bartholomew cried out.
“Monsignor!” Mario said sternly.
“No, Mario,” Pep responded. “The Monsignor was right to call out my father. This attitude had always led to the divisions between the Lektros.”
“There are three sides: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. As a bih’roe it is your duty to be on the side of the Spirit. These Terrans have no understanding of our ways,” Gvardiol said.
But Pep was unimpressed. “I don’t think you want to have a disputation with the Monsignor, father. Because I know for a fact that he will destroy you just like Koke did.”
“I didn’t bring the Terrans here for disputations,” Gvardiol said angrily. “I’m here to ask you to remove your soldiers and your missionaries from the Lektros Dimension!”
Despite the best efforts of Pep and his group, they were unable to convince Gvardiol to relent. He was adamant. Soon, they were back outside. Sitting down at the local market, the group discussed their next course of action.
“What do we do now?” Giulia asked worriedly.
“I’ll just have to force my father and his group to give up the alondite. I am the Archon of the Lektros. I’m still the ruler of the dimension and anyone who has issues with it can challenge me to a fight and see what happens,” Pep said.
“That’s right,” Giuseppe responded. “Seems to be the simplest way of doing things.”
“But is that really right, though?” Mario interjected.
“The mayor is definitely lying, but I wish I can speak to the people of the missions. I want to know what’s truly happening,” Monsignor Bartholomew spoke up.
“Where are they?” Mario asked. “I thought that there should be one in your own village.”
“There was,” Pep said.
“Was?” Giulia said in shock. “You mean?”
Pep nodded. “Yes, they were killed. Then they were probably burned to ashes.”
“But how would you know that?” Mario asked.
“It is the only scenario that makes sense. I know for a fact that I’ve arranged for the missionaries to set up in Colony Nine.”
“But then the question is: who killed them?” Giuseppe mused. “Gvardiol told us that the people hated them and killed them, but…”
At this point a blue Lektros man approached Pep.
“Archon Pep, is that you?”
“Yes, what’s going on?”
“Don’t listen to your father. He lies!” the villager said.
“Explain,” Pep commanded.
“When the missionaries were sent here, they were welcomed. They chose to live with us. They taught us many things and helped us with food and keeping the storms away. But your father didn’t like that so he…”
“What’s this?”
Everyone looked to the source of that voice and saw that it was Gvardiol.
“Father,” Pep said. “What are you doing here?”
“I should ask this traitor that question!” Gvardiol said.
The villager tried to run away but Gvardiol attacked him with a beam of electricity. The villager cried out in pain as he fell down. Seeing this, Giulia and Monsignor Bartholomew rushed to the villager’s side.
“Father!” Pep shouted.
“Stay back, Pep! I have a traitor to punish,” Gvardiol said as he walked towards the villager.
“You always resort to violence when things don’t go your way!” Pep shouted. “That’s why you sent me to deal with the Koke.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about…”
“Yes, you do! You had to know that the old ways are not intellectually defensible. Koke Kula had made sure of that. But the end of that faith would mean the end of the Brahmin class. And you can’t have that,” Pep explained.
“I’ve had enough of your scholastic nonsense!” Gvardiol shouted.
As he did so, Gvardiol launched a thunderbolt from his hand towards the villager. The hapless Lektros waited for the lightning to hit.
But it instead hit Monsignor Bartholomew. As Gvardiol launched his attack, the priest had jumped in front of the villager and took the hit for him.