Chapter 59 - Iggy’s Wrath
"How is Massy holding up?" Medoferro asked Ari Coblein as the Medico walked into the room.
"Finally asleep," he said, "He wanted to get up for the call to Insegniferro. I told him that if you could do session you could talk to Insegniferro."
"Yeah," Medoferro nodded, finishing his brandy, "It’s running on about that time too, isn’t it?"
"The line will hold for you," Colonel Serim promised, "Don’t worry about that."
"If the news has made it there already Iggy is probably going to be pissed," Medoferro sighed, "I guess I’d better go talk to him."
"Look at it this way," Colonel Serim said, "At least you got the job done. It would have been worse if you screwed it up."
"True," Medoferro nodded, "At least he can’t throttle me from there."
"Do I need to call and cancel for tomorrow?" Rav Suvorov asked Medoferro, "Colonel Ballfur needs to know so he can prepare the Macmanite reception."
"I want to let Massy sleep," Medo said, "Hold off on the call until I talk to Insegniferro though. If he agrees, we’ll be going to Macmanite late and just doing a minor reception."
"Very well," Rav nodded, "I’ll do preliminary plans for that while you’re waiting."
"We’ve got to go to Macmanite anyway," Medoferro said, "We can’t show weakness before the conference. We just have to hope that Massy has enough time to get better."
"Line is open," an young man said upon entering the room, "Insegniferro will be there by the time you are."
"Thank you," Medoferro nodded, "Go ahead and pour me another, Colonel. I’m sure I’ll need one when I get back."
"As you wish, Mullinix," Colonel Serim smiled, "Good luck."
Medoferro nodded and walked into the room that he’d sat with Massimaferro in the night before. The thick door closed behind him, giving him that nervous chill that he’d felt before.
"Ok Massy," Insegniferro started off as soon as he heard the door shut, "What the hell is going on there?"
"Massy isn’t here, Iggy," Medoferro said, wincing a little at the tone, "He’s sleeping."
"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Insegniferro asked him, "You are nowhere near ready to do this yet! What the hell were you thinking?"
"We had no choice," Medoferro told him, "Unless you’d have liked me to let Massy continue on with it when he was in no shape to do so."
"What are you talking about?" Iggy asked him, "Not able?"
"Massy is sick, Iggy," Medoferro told him, "He was barely holding himself up in there. I couldn’t let him decide someone’s life like that."
"I should have figured it was something like that," Iggy sighed, "Why didn’t you just cancel the session?"
"Because Massimaferro is stubborn as an ox," Medoferro retorted, "You know that as well as I do. He was insistent that it be done. Rather than let him make an ass of himself, I went ahead and did it, relying on my ability to tell truth."
"You should have warned me," Iggy told him, "I could have talked sense into that ox."
"He went down during sessions," Medo sighed, "What the hell do you expect me to do? Force him into this room to talk to you?"
"Where is he now?" Iggy asked him, "Is he going to be all right?"
"We don’t know what is wrong yet," Medo told him honestly, "It could be just a case of stomach flu or something he ate didn’t agree with him."
"Is the lummox sleeping now?" Iggy asked the young Mullinix, "Or is he being bullheaded on that too?"
"He finally went to sleep," Medo said, "Unless you think it best to issue a cancellation now I’m going to just hold off and go to Macmanite late, having a small ceremony."
"Probably best," Insegniferro agreed, "He may just sleep it off and everything will be fine."
"I hope so," Medoferro agreed, "Gods help me if he doesn’t."
"Call me when you get to Macmanite," Iggy told him, "We’ll confer on it then."
"Have you heard from Paulus yet?" Medoferro asked him, "Because I know damn well I’m going to get asked more questions about what is happening down in Cirrus."
"Nothing," Iggy said, "LaPorte claims an attack happened, but somehow I’m having more and more trouble believing him."
"You too?" Medoferro asked, "I swear… If it isn’t one thing it is another."
"I know it," Insegniferro nodded, "I’m still wading through the pile of paperwork from the last few years."
"Well, take it easy, Iggy," Medoferro told him, "Don’t burn yourself out. If Massy gets worse I’m going to need you at your best."
"You too," Insegniferro told him, "Call me before you do anything other than minor ceremonies. I need to give you instructions if Massy can’t."
"Will do," Medoferro nodded, "I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Iggy."
"Good luck, Medo," Insegniferro told him, "And if he tries any of that heroics crap again have him forcibly put to bed on my order."
"With pleasure," Medoferro chuckled, "I’ll talk to you in Macmanite."
The line closed off and Medoferro walked back out of the booth and sat down on the couch, picking up his freshly poured glass of fine brandy and taking a sip. He looked around at the others and then leaned back, rubbing his temple with one hand.
"Was Iggy pissed?" Rav asked him.
"He was until I explained," Medo shrugged, "He’s more annoyed at Massy’s stubbornness."
"What about tomorrow?" Suvorov asked him.
"Plan for a late departure and arrival," Medoferro told him, "We’ll let him sleep as long as we can."
"Short ceremony then?" Suvorov asked him, "Simple wave and a few words from you or him?"
"As short as we can manage," Medoferro told him, "If he’s feeling lousy I can prop him up like I did in the chamber. I just hope that’s not necessary."
"It probably isn’t good for him either," Coblein told him, "I don’t know what you’re doing, but if it keeps him moving…"
"We’ll worry about it tomorrow," Medoferro told them, "I’m drained and the alcohol is hitting me. I’m going to retire. Good night, guys."
Good nights were exchanged and Medoferro went to the room he was staying in for a second night. He blew out the lights and curled up on the bed, feeling more alone than he ever had felt before. He just prayed to whatever gods he could think of for Massimaferro’s health to return, lest he have to take his place permanently. He sobbed himself quietly to sleep with the nightmares of what could happen.