“What did he do?” the General asked as she steered him into the garden.
“He was the Minister of Agriculture before Asgarte,” the woman replied. “He gave everything to the government. Well, I don’t mean everything,” she giggled as she twirled her long red gown and sat on a bench. “I meant his efforts and time. He never had any time to spend his money. He left all of that to me.”
“You are Minister Calix’s wife?” Kapla asked as he sat next to her. “I never even knew he was married.”
“Very few people knew,” she answered. “He thought I looked too young for him and he was always afraid someone would steal me away. He was very jealous. Now I live in that huge mansion alone. Life just isn’t fair sometimes.”
“You never remarried?” the General inquired thinking that with her looks and her money that he already knew the answer. Surely she must have married someone very important.
“No,” she smiled. “Oh, I had plenty of offers, but I am not interested in getting married just to have a husband. Most men are just after my money and influence with the Katana or they just like the way I look. I guess I am too demanding in what I want in a husband.”
Minister Kapla grinned. Money, looks, and influence all in one package. It had been a long time since he had had the pleasures of marriage. “Too demanding?” he asked. “You can never be too demanding when seeking a mate. What do you look for in an ideal mate?”
“Oh, the normal things a woman looks for I guess,” she smiled. “Intelligence. Patriotism. Someone who gives their all to their country and someone with potential. I expect that my next husband will be the future Katana of Omunga.”
“The Katana?” Kapla responded with a raised eyebrow. “That will be a hard person to find. Nobody knows who the next Katana will be.”
“I will know when I meet him,” she smiled. “The next Katana will be someone who has dedicated his life to serving Omunga,” she said as she toyed with his medals again. “Who knows? It may be you.”
The General shook his head slowly and stared at the angel next to him. Sometimes life plays mean tricks on you, he thought, and sometimes everything just falls into your lap. “I don’t even know your name,” he smiled as he put his arm around her.
“It’s Cherri,” she smiled as she nuzzled her head on his chest.
They sat silently for a moment and suddenly Cherri rose and kissed the General. “I have to be going now,” she cooed, “and you have to get back to your party. Perhaps we can talk again. I would love to hear about how you got each of those medals. I love a man who serves his country.”
Minister Kapla rose in a daze. Her kiss had awakened a desire in him that had been lost for many years. “I would like that too,” he smiled. “May I call on you?”
“Certainly,” she said with a warm seductive smile. “You must let me know in advance though. I am involved in so many charities and I spend a great deal of time in my garden. My servants do not allow anyone in unless I am expecting them.”
“Understandable,” Kapla said. “Perhaps we can have dinner tomorrow night?”
“That sounds like fun,” Cherri agreed as she kissed him one more time and pranced out of the garden.
Cherri continued out of the palace and swiftly walked to her mansion, which was not very far away. She opened the front door and called for the servants. When they had gathered, she told them to take the night off and waited until they had left. She moved through the large house to the door leading to her private garden and unlocked the door. The garden was the only place she owned where the servants were not permitted to go. She walked into the garden and walked through the flowers and shrubs until she came to the small gazebo at the rear of the garden.
“Don’t you look beautiful,” greeted StarWind. “I always wanted one of those dresses.”
“Thanks,” replied Cherri. “It has been a long time since we talked. Who’s the giant?”
“Sorry,” chuckled StarWind. “SunChaser meet Goral. SunChaser goes by the name Cherri in Omunga, Goral.”
“Hiyas big boy,” SunChaser smiled. “Have a seat. I didn’t know they made them that big,” she laughed.
“Tayo SunChaser,” Goral responded.
“Did you manage to get GoldenEar’s book?” StarWind asked.
“I got it,” SunChaser reported subconsciously rubbing the birthmark on her right arm. “Nothing in it to give a clue as to how he got caught. They had trashed the place looking for information and they had someone posted there to see if anyone showed up. I had to leave the body behind, but they will not be able to trace it to me.”
“I am sorry to have to activate you,” StarWind apologized, “but we really need to find out what is going on. Someone high up in the government is pushing for a war with us.”
“Not a problem,” SunChaser giggled. “Living the life of a rich widow is pretty boring. I welcome the chance to get involved again. I have a hook into the new Minister of Defense. That is why I am late. It may take some time to reel him in though, but I figure whoever is trying to provoke a war is responsible for the old Minister’s death. Ministers are not normally murdered in Okata. That person probably holds strings over the new one as well. I will find out who it is.”
“Just don’t blow your cover,” StarWind warned. “The reason we have kept you deactivated is so you would be available when all else failed. GoldenEar was our last consistent source in the capital. We cannot afford to lose you too.”
“I heard the bell,” SunChaser stated. “I never thought I would hear that in my lifetime. Who is the new Star?”
“A young girl raised in Omunga,” StarWind replied. “Her name is Lyra. She is the daughter of WinterWind. Her father was kidnapped in the raid on the Academy of Magic. He is Master Malafar and I think he is being held in the mage cells here. If you pick up anything on that, send it right away.”
“There was some commotion at the mage cells not long ago,” SunChaser said. “Two guards were murdered and a young wizard escaped.”
“Do you have a description of this young wizard or GoldenEar’s son, Mekin?” StarWind asked.
“No,” SunChaser answered.
“How about a man named Harac with three fingers?” inquired the Sakovan spymaster.
“Lots of men in Okata with less than a full hand,” responded SunChaser. “The sailors play a game called Digits here. Fools. Never heard of Harac though.”
“Sounds like another trip to the waterfront,” interjected Goral.
“So he does speak,” giggled SunChaser. “I have never known you to need a bodyguard StarWind.”
“I like the strong silent type,” StarWind laughed. “If there is nothing else to report, we will be back over your wall.”
“No need,” offered SunChaser. “I gave the servants the night off. I can let you out a door leading to the alley.”
SunChaser led the way through her mansion to the side door and StarWind and Goral slipped out. They proceeded down the alley to the main street and headed for the waterfront. When they reached the water, they split up. Goral went to find a game of Digits and StarWind lurked around looking for three-fingered men.
At first, StarWind walked the entire length of the wharf and found nothing. There were a few ships in the harbor, but the chances of her getting onboard were slim so she started checking the businesses. The Okata Waterfront hosted a long row of shops and taverns, mostly taverns, and StarWind decided to check them all and started at one end. It took her over an hour just to enter each tavern and look for a man matching Harac’s description. In the last tavern, the Dead Man’s Mug, she saw an Imperial Guard talking to the barkeep. She swiftly exited the building, hoping she had done so without drawing attention to herself. Imperial Guards were a rarity in the waterfront areas and she had no desire to run into one tonight. Her job required many trips to the capital city of Omunga and the less Imperial Guards she ran into the better.
StarWind waited in the shadows until the Imperial Guard in his shining white uniform left the tavern and headed back towards the city center. She realized that she was getting nowhere fast and decided to risk changing her tactics. She marched back down the row of businesses to the first tavern she had visited, the Bard’s Breath, and approached the barkeep. She asked if Harac had been in tonight and was met with a blank stare. She left the Bard’s Breath and tried the Whale’s Tail next. Again she got no response. Frustrated, She went down the street to the next tavern, the Hook and Line. She was in a foul mood when the third barkeep also said nothing in response to her question.