From Iron to Steel | Tales of the Knights IV

  "Ah, and now the esteemed commander deems fit to join us..."

  The duke's tone was as icy as Brunn knew it would be, and as sharp as the angular bones that were clearly visible under his gaunt visage. Stood next to him was the ambassador from Thurunn, who had been responsible for the sale and installation of the spire's new internal defence systems, and very much looked like he would rather be strapped to the armour outside than trapped in here.

  "Would you care to enlighten me as to what your forces are up to? I would have imagined that they would be hard at work ridding me of these pests and that unsightly nest they are coming from, but..." He cupped a hand to his ear, as if struggling to hear the reveberations that periodically echoed up the spire, "...it sounds like they still have the freedom to strike at and seemingly through our defences, as I was just discussing with our aquaintance here."

  He firmly placed a hand on the ambassador's shoulder, who froze up at the touch. In the preceding days, Brunn had also been entertaining a purchase of his own from Thurune. Their automated targeting systems were nothing unusual, just one of a multitude of options developed to keep up with recent trends, but the specifications he had seen for their shield technology were bounds ahead of the current market with its hardened force wall design. Yet, as they all had so abruptly learned, it seemed that the world of the cureent times was changing pace faster than anyone could anticipate.

  "The Hounds are merely deterrence, sir. To ensure that your privacy is respected and that any eager tresspassers are driven off before they become a mess caught under the wheels." Brunn began, "A full scale attack is better countered by our more powerful assets, which are, of course, fully included in the services you are paying for."

  The first part was a stretch. The vehicles had been equipped to deal with anything up to the size of a siege robot, and would have been expected to deal with any conventional threat that might come their way. But this attack was anything but conventional, and it was true that, in this case, they would be punching well above their weight to deal any damage to the incoming war engine.

  "Good, good. And where exactly might these 'more powerful assets' be?"

  "I personally stopped by the main hangar to confirm that our bombers are fuelled and ready for launch - apologies, nevertheless, for the delay in getting here - and my personal barque will complete its resupply in the lower hangar any moment, at which point I can take direct oversight over the ground defence."

  Another mixed truth. He had confirmed the status of the aircraft on his way, but received the verification by communicator rather than taking the additional time for a detour during the climb.

  "In the hangars, hmm? Might I remind you, commander. We. Are. Under. Attack."

  "I-" Brunn started, but then realised that his standard reponse would not work here. When an employer put themselves in charge, you could always place the ball in their hands - make them give the approval. The duke, however, never openly disregarded Brunn's authority or ordered his enforcers around: he was always the one recognised as commander.
  The pause turned into an uncomfortable silence. His mind raced as he began to feel the seconds slipping away from him, and he too began to freeze under that heartless gaze. Just before he was about to give in and admit fault, an image from his ascent of the tower flashed into his mind. One more moment was all it took to regain his lost composure, then he made his gambit.
  "Sir, I would like to request a purchase..."