22
Martyr
Lorin picked up the communicator and saw that it was Sgt. Baig calling. She swallowed hard as it was the first time he’d broken radio silence to call her. Something very serious must have happened for him to risk the call. She pushed the receive button and spoke into the device.
“Shisk 2, here.”
“This is the teacher with a report on the pupil.”
“Go ahead teacher. How can we help you?”
“The pupil won’t go directly to school. He wants to pick up a friend along the way.”
“What friend?”
“The one who says he was called to class before the pupil.”
“He can’t do that,” Lorin said angrily. “He must do what his teacher says.”
“He thinks he has no choice. He won’t be dissuaded.”
Lorin stood up and began pacing. She was beside herself with anger. Peter was about to jeopardize the whole mission trying to rescue some worthless kid who couldn’t even obey orders. She took a breath trying to calm herself.
“How will he do it?” she asked.
“I’ve given him a map and a compass. He’s very resourceful. I think he’ll find his friend and bring him to school.”
“Understood,” she said stifling her anger. “I’ll confer with the principal and get back with you.”
“I’ll need instructions before school lets out,” Sgt. Baig said urgently.
“You’ll have them. S1, out,” Lorin said and closed the connection.
She stood up, hurriedly put on her jacket, and walked out the door. She couldn’t believe she was going to have to disturb the Councillor with this nonsense. Why couldn’t Peter just follow orders like everybody else? She stepped outside and hurried to the subtram station. It was close by so it didn’t take long. At the door to the subtram she punched in her destination, the door opened, and she stepped inside.
A few loons later she stepped out of the subtram station in front of the Hall of the Interpreters. She hurried inside and went to her father’s office. Court was in session so she waited impatiently for it to end. Finally, he walked into his office and looked at her in surprise.
“Lorin. I didn’t expect to see you today.”
“I know, Father, but I have an urgent matter to discuss.”
He nodded. “Come into my office. What’s wrong?”
They went into the Councillor’s office and made themselves comfortable. An aide brought in sankee. Lorin looked at her father and shook her head.
“We’ve got a problem with Peter. I just got a message from Sgt. Baig. Peter is refusing to go directly to the Loyalist base.”
“What?” the Councillor said incredulously. “Why?”
“He wants to rescue his friend Tam who was sent to Pegaport for insubordination.”
The Councillor chuckled. “Well, our Liberator has a mind of his own, doesn’t he?”
“If he were any other soldier, he’d be shot for disobeying orders.”
“True, but he is not a common soldier and he didn’t ask for the role we’ve given him. He’s loyal to his friends. I like that. It shows his word is worth something.”
“But, he’s going to jeopardize the entire movement,” Lorin protested.
“Not necessarily. I think we can use this sidetrack to our advantage. If he is successful it will only enhance his credibility as the Liberator. If he fails, he will become a martyr. We win either way.”
“But Father, we’re not ready to face Videl’s forces yet. Peter’s intrusion at Pegaport could prematurely start the war. That could be disastrous.”
“Many of our staunchest supporters are at Pegaport. Videl has been exiling them there for years to get them out of his way. We’ll need them if we are to win the war. Perhaps Peter can rescue some of them while he’s there.”
Lorin just looked at her father exasperated. She couldn’t believe he was letting Peter do whatever he wanted. It seemed Peter had some kind of spell over him. Did he really think the Prophecy was true? Did her father really believe Peter was the Liberator? For the first time she believed he did. If so, arguing with him would be futile.
“All right, but he plans on coming in from the mountains.”
“The mountains?” the Councillor repeated in surprise. “Does he know about the Drogals?”
“I assume Sgt. Baig would have told him of the idiocy of going through the mountains.”
“Well, then he’s a brave man. I’ll have to say that.”
“A brave lunatic, if you ask me.”
“Or a brave genius,” the Councillor said thoughtfully.
Lorin shook her head in frustration. “What do you want me to tell Sgt. Baig?”
“Tell him to give Peter whatever help he can. You’ll need to find a way to get word to our supporters at Pegaport that a rescue mission is being planned. Let’s make sure Peter’s mission is successful.”
“Should I tell Peter that, if by some stroke of good fortune he gets through the mountains alive, he’ll be rescuing others as well?”
“No, not until the last moment. I don’t want to put him under any additional pressure. He’ll have his hands full with the Drogals. That’s my only concern about this mission. He’ll catch Pegaport by surprise. I have no doubt of that. But can he get by the Drogals! Few men have ever managed it. I pray Sandee is with him.”