Departure

Lutis / The Road to Mt. Dakun, Rebellion-Held Aviye

Amri

After the confrontation with Captain Khoe ended, things moved quickly.

It was hard to believe only two days had passed since she'd met the Nightravens. Amri felt weeks older when she heard everything that had happened to Captain Zai on top of what the squad told the Captain of their adventures. Amri filled in some of the details only she knew while everyone worked, loading up the truck with food and sundries given freely by the villagers.

There were far too many weapons for the Nightravens to use on their own, so several were redistributed to the villagers with a reminder to keep them away from the 38th.

Before the Nightravens departed, Amri was met by the old woman who'd helped stop Khoe. She had a bag in one hand and a book under her other arm.

"Shenmi, yes?" Amri asked after introducing herself. She'd heard the woman's name from Captain Zai. "Thank you so much for your help, Auntie."

"It's nothing. I've seen enough conflict in my life," the elder said as she watched the Nightravens coordinate moving Rabbit into the back of the truck. Captain Zai gingerly sitting it amongst the already loaded supplies.

"It was hardly nothing. I didn't know there were such divisions inside the rebellion."

"Anywhere two people meet there is division," she said with a grim chuckle. "I suppose I will soon be beyond all that, once I'm dead." She held up a cloth bag. "I brought some parting gifts. Would you mind if I show you, so you can explain them?"

"I would be honored."

Inside the bag were several jars containing mixes of herbs and teas. One helped with moonblood cramps, another with headaches, and a third contained ointment for anesthetizing wounds so they could be sewn. It was the two largest jars that she was the most thorough about explaining. They contained what looked like spherical pellets of substance wrapped in leaves. "These two are for helping them feel more themselves. This one is for the women," she pointed at the larger jar labeled 'Girls', "that one for the men. Someone who is neither could take a half dose if they wish without much risk. Make sure they know to let it soak into their tea before drinking. One pellet only, and only one dose a week or the women might risk blood clotting, especially if they smoke. They can also swallow one pellet if they're in a hurry, but that might not be as effective. The science is not exact. There should be enough in both jars to last the squad a few months."

Amri was surprised at the idea that someone could be neither man or woman, but she didn't want to risk being rude by focusing on what Shenmi presented as a minor point to her instructions. She repeated the instructions back, pointing at the appropriate jars before taking the bag onto her elbow. "You've done so much for us, Auntie. Thank you for keeping Zai safe."

"Hmph. It was nothing," she said, though Amri caught a small smile on her lips. "I have a gift for you as well."

Reaching under her arm, she presented a book with a green cover, about the size of two palms placed side by side. "Captain Zai said she was looking forward to teaching you about the Iconoclast. I thought you might like some help with that, since her lessons can be a bit dense at times."

"What book is this?" Amri asked as she saw there was no title on the cover. Opening it to the first page revealed the title as well as many notes scrawled in neat handwriting.

"The People's Struggle," Shenmi replied. "It was the book written by Mea when she realized the truths of her world, and in her life she kept it updated the more she learned." Shenmi inhaled and sighed. "When I was younger, almost everyone knew the 'Green Book of Truths" and kept it on them, at least in Aviye, before the interdicts. If a scholar like yourself doesn't know of it, I fear for the rest of the country..."

Shenmi patted Amri on the shoulder. After a moment Amri said, "I was never interested in politics... it was always too close to death for my liking."

"So you chose to study the gods of death instead? Demi-gods, at any rate. Demons, perhaps. I think you might have some contradictions you need to figure out before you go seeking to make more of them." Shenmi chuckled.

Amri flinched. "Did Zai say that, too?"

"In a matter of speaking. She's far more optimistic about it than I am."

"I believe it is necessary though. If we can find a way... then tell everyone in the world, every nation, maybe we won't have to suffer because of what the Hegemons want." Amri hoped she didn't sound too naïve.

"Hmph... people will find new ways to suffer. But do not mistake me, I agree with you. Don't lose heart when people start killing each other with the new tools you give them. Otherwise, you'll wind up a bitter old woman!" Shenmi laughed.

"Thank you for the advice, Auntie," Amri gave a small bow of respect.

"Better I give it to you than the Captain. My words would burn like paper in her fire. From how smart she said you are, I take it you can at the very least appreciate an honest conversation between scholars." Shenmi offered her hand for Amri to squeeze before turning away, stepping away from Amri and walking back to her house. A few steps before the door, she paused and picked up a ball, and Amri was surprised when it unrolled itself into a pangolin and licked up at her. "Don't give me that look, Jiji. It's not my fault you can't chew."

Amri walked over to the Nightravens, who'd finished strapping down Rabbit and were now shifting their new supplies around or waiting at the back of the truck.

When she showed Zai the medicine she'd brought, Captain Zai's eyes lit up with gratitude. "We'll definitely have to thank Auntie Shenmi the next time we're here."

"I hope so. She talks like she hasn't got much time left," Amri replied.

"She's been talking like that for as long as I've known her," the Chief of Zuret said. Next to her was a woman Amri hadn't met yet.

Zai introduced them. "Amri, this is our new medic, Quynh Lei. She will be joining us for as long as she is willing."

"Pleased to meet you," Amri bowed politely.

"Same," Quynh replied tersely, but returned the bow. "You have medicine there?"

"Yes." Amri showed her the jars and explained what Shenmi told her, feeling the quick tension of a rapid but thorough understanding in her mind. Quynh turned the jars over in her hands before opening each of them and sniffing. "I'm going to ask her about the ingredients. Maybe I can make more later." She looked at Captain Zai.

"We'll be leaving soon. Don't be too long." Zai accepted the bag from her and handed it off to be loaded in the truck.

"Don't leave quite yet, Captain, I need to make sure your gift is ready," the Chief of Zuret warned.

"Auntie we've received quite enough from everyone... there's really no need for-"

"Hush. We're giving you something whether you like it or not." She slapped Zai on the shoulder with the back of her palm before walking off.

That left Amri and Zai standing alone together.

"I, ah, missed you... a bit! The squad held together without you but there were some times when things got scary for me."

Zai chuckled. "I bet Lorn loved being acting Captain."

"She certainly knew how to use it... I think the only reason I'm still here is because she had seniority over Captain Khoe."

Zai laughed, a melody that Amri enjoyed hearing. "She didn't mention that part to me. I thought everyone was here because Khoe had seniority."

Amri blinked. "But she said that she had seniority and he accepted it. Something about tactical situations..."

That made Zai laugh even louder. It was less enjoyable than the first time, though Amri still found the bounciness of her understanding fun. "Old gods... that means seniority during a battle," she laughed even louder, holding her sides. "I can't believe she got away with that..."

Sergeant Lorn came over, some of the Nightravens having drawn her attention to the laughing Captain. She scowled at Amri, which made Zai laugh harder. "What did you tell her?" she asked Amri.

"I just said that Captain Khoe thought you were senior to him..."

"It's not my fault the man doesn't know his regulations," Sergeant Lorn said sternly, though Amri could feel her mind bouncing with humor in sympathy with the Captain's.

"Old gods, oh, I'm dying." Zai continued to laugh, leaning against the truck as she forced herself to catch her breath. "Oh Mea, teach me the way," she laughed a bit more before finally settling her breathing. "Thank you Amri, Sergeant Lorn, I haven't laughed like that since..."

"Since that time we fooled that Hegemony convoy into dropping off all their supplies. I remember."

Later Amri would learn that the Nightravens had once stolen Kingdom uniforms, intercepting a civilian convoy and their guards shipping Hegemony supplies through the mountains and putting on quite an act to get them to willingly drop off everything they were carrying before going back to their port for more. The fact that it worked twice before the convoy stopped coming had made the sound of Zai's laughter ring out randomly through the Nest for days.

In the present, Zai's good humor was briefly interrupted when four villagers walked quickly towards the truck, three men and one woman wearing a thick blacksmith's apron, bearing with them the second biggest gun Amri had every seen after the Captain's sniper rifle.

"Where did you get that?" Zai asked, going from humored to surprised.

"Pulled it out of that plane you whacked down," one man replied. "When we went back for our own. Had to fix up the barrel and rig a trigger for a big hand, but she'll fire. We did a dry-test, since this is all the ammo we found." Two of the men were carrying rectangular containers full of belted rounds. "Also from the plane."

"Do you like your gift, Captain?" The Chief of Zuret asked as she walked up behind the men and woman.

Amri smiled, her mind warm with gratitude. "It's perfect, Auntie, thank you."

It took a couple of minutes for the gun and ammo to be loaded, the Captain asking the Nightravens to make sure it would fit Rabbit's hand before letting it be laid aside.

Quynh returned with several sheets of paper in hand, running as she saw the Nightravens loaded up and sitting in the back of their new vehicle.

Amri was offered a seat at the front, but decided to join the Captain next to Rabbit as Sergeant Lorn drove them off, the villagers waving hands and handkerchiefs behind them.

She decided to get to know Quynh, as fellow civilians, asking her about medicine and what she thought of Shenmi, enjoying the burgeoning understanding that Quynh was experiencing, having learned new things from a master.

Quynh was halfway through her description of Shenmi's medicine drawers when Amri realized something.

She hadn't sensed anything about Shenmi at all.