The Droad kindred were some seven hundred in number. The majority of them had no title, but they owned their own lands and were thus freemen. Being related to the ruling family, they were considered a cut above the local folk that lived in the fief and were often elected as hetmen of villages, or as foremen of factories.
The walls of the castle encircled enough land to house them all safely, but they could not all fit into the keep itself for a feast. Accordingly, Nina declared the feast would be held outdoors, weather permitting. This decision was met with broad approval, as no one wanted to be excluded from the banquet and new Baroness’ presence.
So it was under the gloom of Droad Mountain, in the further shade of Droad Keep, that the kindred met together and held festival. Nina soon realized they’d brought an excessive amount of intoxicants, and was alarmed at how quickly her relatives got out of hand. Before the main course was served to the waiting throng, there had already been several fights and many public declarations of love, lust and general bravado.
The food arrived on heaping platters carried by a full company of loyal mechs. The weather was perfect, the sky being so clear that a few stars were even visible hanging in the sky over Nightside. Bright bonfires glared at every corner of the grand courtyard, reflecting from the stone walls in dancing yellow ripples.
After a great quantity of meats and tubers had been consumed, the kindred began banging their belt-knives against their metal mugs, calling for a speech. All eyes turned to Nina, and she stood. This was the moment she’d been waiting for.
“I welcome all the Droad Kindred to Droad House,” she began.
She got no further before a roar of approval and hooting arose from the crowd. She blinked, but smiled at them. She stood there, waiting for quiet to return. She saw amongst the crowd most of the Droad women had worn their finest gowns, while Nina herself had worn her rider’s leathers. She had her twin swords strapped to her waist and looked more like she was about to go out on patrol than speak at a formal banquet. Sensing the attention and whispering of her female relatives, she fought the urge to blush and stood straighter still. She pressed on, raising her voice until she could be heard.
When she was practically screaming, the crowd settled down to listen again. “I’ve called you all here for several reasons. For one, I’m the new Baroness of Droad House. The title is now official.”
Another wild chorus of calls rolled over the crowd. Nina waited, smiling indulgently. They soon quieted, allowing her to speak again.
“I’ve gained another, more important title. I’m now in charge of planetary defense-internal defense. This matters more than it has in the past, as we have new threats here on Ignis Glace, both in the skies and haunting our own wastelands. I plan to eradicate these threats.”
The cheering was far more ragged this time. A susurration of voices grew as people turned to one another in their hundreds and made surprised commentary. Everyone wondered where the girl was going to go with this.
“Accordingly,” Nina said, “I’ve been given the authority and funding to raise an army for the defense of Twilight on the ground. I do not have the authority to compel service, however. I must ask for each household to give the forces that they can. I need soldiers, and I need them now. If the Droad Kindred give freely, the other houses will be pressed to match their generosity, or else face embarrassment.”
There was a moment of surprised quiet. Many knew about her newfound responsibilities, but had considered the position an honorary one. No one thought she was going to actively defend the planet. Nina, contrary to their prevailing opinions, clearly thought otherwise.
After an awkward moment, throughout which Nina continued standing before them, an old knight from Traum stood up solemnly. “I will pledge half my perrupters-forty fully functional mechs, with armament and supply carts.”
The younger folk gaped at him, but his eyes were staring hard at Nina alone. Nina acknowledged him with a gracious nod. The others slowly began to grasp that this feast was a muster-not just a simple occasion for gathering and drunkenness. Three others struggled to their feet and offered half their household forces.
Nina lifted her hands high, with a blazing sword in each. She’d switched them on for effect. One chased with lavender plasma, while the other blazed white. Her right hand still bore the livid scar where it had been severed.
The crowd stared, and she knew they had to be wondering which of these blades had slain her witch of a mother. She had never told anyone the details, and had forbidden the mechs from answering questions on the topic.
“Family! Comrades!” she called out. “I greatly appreciate your generosity. I must clarify the situation, however. We need more than an army of mech perrupters. We need human hands wielding gun and sword. The enemy we will be facing in the immediate future is not flesh, but metal. And those enemies have a way of disabling our mech guardians and even turning them against us. I propose that when we meet them on the field of honor, we will do so with an army of humans that can’t be corrupted or switched off.”
A ripple of whispering swept the crowd. This was the most shocking news of all. She was asking for more than they’d bargained for. The men who were still standing in answer to her call remained upright, but eyed one another nervously. All except for the old knight from Traun, Hans Droad. He never wavered, but raised his hand again.
“I loved your brother Leon, almost as much as you did, Nina,” Hans rumbled. “I would not have followed Olivia into the star-blasted furnace at our borders, but I and my three sons will follow your banner into the deserts, as you once followed your brother’s.”
“Thank you, Hans.”
“I only ask one thing: do you know the whereabouts of the renegades you seek?”
Nina smiled. Hans Droad was old, but he was far from a fool. He was a first cousin to her father, and reportedly had known him well.
“Yes,” Nina said. “I know where their encampment is. It has been identified via the new satellites the council has place in the sky to watch for Gladius. The rebels are less than a hundred leagues from where we now stand.”
She turned back to the crowd and sliced the air with her sizzling swords. The diners nearest her ducked as the deadly blades burnt the air over their heads. “Who else will march with us?” she demanded in a shout.
More men and women stood. There was no more drunken hooting or laughter now. This was serious. Each member of the Droad clan that pledged their blade understood they might not return from this campaign. But they stood nonetheless, until an impressive number had joined her.
Nina smiled, and finally sat down. After she had gotten what she wanted, she quietly presided over a long night of feasting, drinking and combative games.
She was proud to know her people had not let her down. They had not softened with the years. Despite recent wealth, they were still tough frontiersmen who knew a just cause when they saw one. In short, they were still Droads.
Nine
The sole Parent aboard Gladius was beside herself with frustration. When she’d first taken over the ship with its vast hold full of goods, some twenty-two percent of which were organic in nature, she’d felt she had more than enough foodstuffs to grow and maintain a sizeable nest. To her mind, the basis for this mathematical formula had not changed. The newly-birthed Empress, however, had other ideas. She was not satisfied with canned meats, fibrous tubers and the like. She wanted fresh food. Fresh meat — and she insisted the Parent provide her with a steady supply.