208 Ravens

The dry sands of Fal'Herim drifted in a low wind, covering everything in sight with a dull color as Mindy followed Tim up the road, past three factories, a warehouse, and a bicycle assembly yard.

"What's this about?" Mindy asked uneasily. Fal'Herim was all very well from the air, and in the markets, but this was a place where slavers had thrived for generations. Looking around, Mindy half-expected to see throngs of men, women and children in shackles and chains groaning under the whips of cruel taskmasters. She had seen that far too many times around this city and loathed to see one again.

In fact, she wasn't sure she could stay calm if she saw one now. Remian wasn't here; they'd left him far, far behind. With just her and Tim, if she came across slavers at close range…

Tim saw the look on her face. "Don't worry. This is Remian's territory. There are no slavers here. In fact…"

"What?"

"Four out of five people in this area are freed slaves." Tim told her seriously. "If a slaver ever tried to get near this place, they'd be beaten half to death. I'm not kidding."

"Even if they're customers?"

"This is a production area. The goods are taken to the airport for export or to market to sell." Tim smiled as they rounded the corner…

Mindy froze. They had come up upon a familiar sight she thought she'd never see again in her life. It was a small, somewhat shabby building with smoke coming out the back, and clothes hanging to dry in the yard, and the sound of quick footsteps tapping about, and a sign hanging out the front door, of black birds in a circle…

It was a tavern. Tim yelled as they approached. "Guys! Look who's here!"

Voices responded. Those voices. Those VOICES!

And then the faces appeared.

"Isabelle… Jamie… Siti… Juni… Loh… Karen…" Mindy shivered uncontrollably. "Gary… Tamera… everyone… everyone…!"

Faces she had never thought she'd see again. Different than they were, older, weather-worn, battered, and in some cases, scarred, but… but…

"It's you!" Mindy half-shrieked, running right into the gathering crowd, trying to fling her arms around as many of them as she could.

"Mindy!" They all but piled over her, burying her in an avalanche of affection.

These were the children lost to betraval, the Circling Ravens who had been captured by slavers back when Simmons sold them out. "How… how…"

"It was Tim." Someone said.

"It wasn't easy." Tim told her in a low voice. "Even for me. But it had to be done. No matter what, I…"

Mindy turned and grabbed him, unable to speak, unable to find the words. She just cried, surrounded by friends once lost, and didn't care what anybody thought about it.

***

George was looking through reports in his new office overlooking the Pit when knocking sounded. A dark-haired girl poked her head in. "There's a merchant here to see you. He's brought two guards and refused to enter without them."

Her name was Raven. She was the girl who kind-of, maybe saved George's life during a past Beast Wave. Her mercenary troop had been hired long-term for guests security, but Raven had a unique post as official liaison to Kara-Goth administration.

Was it, perhaps, due to a certain special request from George himself? Hmm. Not telling!

In any case, the world war was bringing in a large influx of visitors and settlers. Refugees were arriving by the dozen every day. Six new merchants had set up shop in Kara-Goth itself, and nine others paid a visit to buy and sell in bulk over the past week.

George had to admit, the trading potential of five settlements far, far outstripped what Kara-Goth alone could manage in terms of attractiveness to long-distance traders. These traders from far away were their lifeline; even the floundering La Vive settlement managed to hold on and grow.

There were airships visiting every day now, and the airport was constantly busy. Airships could land and pick up cargo from any of the five settlements, but only at the airport of Kara-Goth could they get servicing and drydock level maintenance. If this went on, they would certainly have to expand the airport…

"George?" Raven's quiet voice smoothly slid him out of his train of thoughts.

"Just send them in." George said, still thinking about airport expansions. They had pretty much maxed out the top of Kara-01, but what if they used multiple hilltops and overarching structures to connect them…? Would they be able to withstand a Beast Tide? The current airport relied on Spike's late grandpa's shell to cover the whole thing, but Spike only had the one…

A large brawny man entered, flanked by two other large brawny men. They wore heavy chainmail armor, and sported toothy grins when they saw George.

"So you're the guy running this place? I have a business proposition for you… in private." The lead guy glanced at Raven.

Raven shut the door behind her, but stood there in the room with them and George.

"Raven, I think he means he wants to speak with me alone." George explained.

Raven folded her arms.

"Fine, fine." George sighed. He turned to the man. "What do you have in mind?"

"Full control of Kara-Goth given over to me." The man grinned. His guards fanned out to surround Raven on both sides. "Everything will be mine, and you'll have to follow my every order from now on."

George grimaced. "One of those, huh?"

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Raven lowered her spear with some hesitation, gripping the butt in her left hand, her right hand guiding it, pointing toward first one of the guards, then the other. The guards didn't even seem to care. One of them licked his lips as he examined her from top to toe.

"Get out of my chair, little boy, and call off the girl." The big guy said, straddling over. "This place is MY turf, now…"

Raven killed him. From five feet away, she threw out her spear left-handed and impaled him straight through the throat before either of his guards even noticed she was making a move. Then, she dropped the left guard with a footsweep…

George tossed a knife out into the throat of the guard on the right, still sitting in his chair, then idly cleaned his fingernails with another knife while Raven beat the living daylights out of the left guard. That was the one licking his lips at her earlier.

"Idiots." George sighed. "Yet another bully underestimating children in the Frontier. How many does this make now?"

"Five." Raven said.

"Did they come in their own airship, or someone else's?"

"Their own."

George rubbed his hands. "Well, then, thank you for your airship, and your cargo, Mr…? Sorry, I didn't get your name."

The dead body leaning on his desk did not reply.

"Raven, did you know what his name was?"

"Nope."

"Ah, well. Never mind. Call for a clean-up and let's go see our new airship."

"It's guarded."

"So?"

George and Raven left.