Imager’s Intrigue

56

Maitre Dyana had informed all the masters of the Collegium in L’Excelsis of a mandatory meeting at eighth glass on Meredi morning in the Maitre’s conference room. I was there a quint early, as were Dyana and Jhulian, because she’d asked me to be.

Dyana turned to Jhulian. “I will tell what happened. Rhenn will affirm or correct the details, and you will tell them how our acts fall within the Collegium procedures…or how they fail to comply.”

Jhulian nodded, and so did I.

“We might as well take our places,” she suggested.

The first of the remaining masters to arrive were Chassendri and Baratyn, followed by Quaelyn and Ferlyn, then Heisbyl and Ghaend. Draffyd slipped in behind Kahlasa and Schorzat, followed by Isola. Several moments later came Rholyn, always one for the entrance. The only one missing was Dartazn, and that left fourteen of us around the long table, six on each side, with Maitre Dyana at the head and Isola at the foot, and Maitre Jhulian seated to Dyana’s right, and me to her left.

Once everyone was seated. Maitre Dyana waited several moments before speaking. “I’ve called this meeting because of a serious occurrence yesterday here in my study.” She paused. “As some of you know, Maitre Dhelyn appeared yesterday morning. He appeared most civil initially, but he wanted to know why thirty imagers had been sent to Westisle under another master without the courtesy of informing him why they were there and what their purpose was. Since their purpose involved Maitre Rhennthyl, I suggested that, before we proceeded, Maitre Rhennthyl be asked to join us. He did. Immediately, Maitre Dhelyn began a verbal assault on Maitre Rhennthyl, insisting that, as the most senior imager in all Solidar, excepting me, he should have been informed…” Dyana went on to detail exactly what had happened, all the way to Dhelyn’s attempted imaging attack and the unfortunate results. Then she turned to me. “Maitre Rhennthyl, do you have any additions or corrections to what I have said?”

“Only a few points. Maitre Dhelyn was extremely discourteous when I entered the Maitre’s chamber, and when Maitre Dyana pointed out that even she did not know all the details of the planned operation against Ferrum, and stated that, if she did not see the need to know the details, she trusted that he did not need to know them either. She then suggested that with his interest in rules he might be better suited to take charge of the Collegium at Mont D’Glace. At that point he stiffened in what I thought was rage, and I clamped protective shields around him, nothing that would injure him, or that he would necessarily even feel if he intended no harm. I made certain that they were a full yard away from his person on all sides. Even so, he summoned so much power that he turned into a pillar of ice, and when I released the shields, a gout of steam flared into the ceiling and ripped away all the plaster down to the laths.”

Ferlyn winced, but I was more worried about the frown on Rholyn’s face.

“Before we discuss this further, or answer questions,” Maitre Dyana added smoothly, “I would like Maitre Jhulian to offer his observations on any rules or precedents that may apply.”

Quaelyn nodded at that, but Rholyn frowned even more deeply.

“The rules governing the Maitres of the Collegium are few and comparatively simple,” began Jhulian. “All offenses that can be placed in front of the Collegium Justiciary must be so handled. In the event of immediate danger, where such a trial is not feasible or possible, the Maitre has the absolute power to discipline any member of the Collegium, including other Maitres, but any discipline that results in more than superficial physical injury must be placed before the council of all available Maitres for review in no less than one week from the date of the punishment. Those present will hear of the events and may ask questions before any action on a decision is taken. Unless eight out of every ten Maitres present, and there must be ten or more able to vote, disapprove of the punishment, the punishment stands. The Maitre and any other Maitre involved may not vote. There are fourteen Maitres here, and two cannot vote. A quorum is present. Are there any questions on the procedures?”

No one said anything.

“Are there questions on the events?”

“Did Maitre Dhelyn offered any verbal threats?” Quaelyn asked.

“No threats were uttered,” Maitre Dyana said.

Quaelyn looked to me.

“As Maitre Dyana has said, he did not offer any threats, but he was very politely belligerent. Several times, he invoked seniority and insisted that as a senior Maitre his right to know was more important than other considerations. Even after she stated that he would be among the first to know the details of the operation when it was appropriate, he flushed and stated quite firmly that he could not believe that Maitre Dyana would deny him the right to know. She stated that her first priority was the safety of the entire Collegium, but he persisted.”

After a moment, Rholyn cleared his throat. “But there were no threats?”

“No.”

“Why did you feel compelled to place shields around him, then?”

“I was worried. He was not interested in what Maitre Dyana said. He dismissed every statement she made, and his tone got sharper with each question or demand that he be informed. I did not place tight shields around him. They were set a good yard away from his body, yet the ice filled them.”

“A good yard?” Rholyn turned to Dyana. “Is that correct?”

“That would seem to be about right. I didn’t have time to measure. There was a column of ice close to two yards across. The steam that followed was in the center of that.”

“I beg your pardon,” Rholyn said, “but to hold shields of that strength against a Maitre D’Structure suggests far more than-”

“Exactly,” interjected Draffyd quickly. “You might recall that Maitre Rhennthyl erected shields against ten stone shells and hurled them back close to a mille. He also possesses the ability to image things back to the point from where they came without seeing their path.” He looked hard at Rholyn.

The Collegium Councilor paused then nodded. “I had not thought of that. I have no more questions.”

Heisbyl coughed, and Rholyn glared at him.

The older Maitre murmured, “No questions.”

I had understood what had happened, and I thought I knew why, but I wasn’t about to raise those questions, not in an open meeting.

“Then the matter comes to a vote,” announced Jhulian. “Maitre Rhennthyl and Maitre Dyana may not vote. All others will do so. All who agree that Maitre Dyana’s actions were within the purview of a Maitre of the Collegium please raise their hands.”

Twelve hands went up instantly.

“Thank you,” Dyana said quietly. “Maitre Jhulian, if you would document the meeting and place the record in the sealed archives.”

“Yes, Maitre.”

“You may all leave.”

Those were her words, but the quick glances to me and to Jhulian indicated that we were to linger, preferably without making a show of doing so.

I dawdled, and so did Jhulian, not that it was particularly difficult, because most of the others seemed all too ready to leave, and in moments, the three of us were the only ones remaining in the conference room.

“You seem to know what happened here, Rhenn, but I’d like some confirmation,” Dyana said pleasantly.

“I’m going by recall, but as I remember the rules of the Collegium, the Maitre is always either the most senior of the highest rank, or selected among those with the highest rank, with the consent of the most senior. It would appear that the shields I erected around Dhelyn, along with the ability with the shells…” I decided not to voice more.

“Those skills are, frankly, those of a Maitre D’Image,” Jhulian said. “You may or may not have all of them, but Rholyn does not wish you to become Maitre, and he doesn’t want the issue opened.”

“I don’t want to be Maitre. It takes more than imaging ability. Nor would it be good for the Collegium or for me.” Skills of a Maitre D’Image? That was far more worrisome than encouraging.

Jhulian chuckled and looked to Dyana. “I told you so.”

“Are you renouncing any claim to be Maitre?” asked Dyana.

“No. I’m agreeing with what you indicated earlier, that I’m not ready for any higher position at the moment. I don’t even know enough about what I’m doing now.”

The two nodded.

“There’s another reason why it would not be wise for you to become Maitre,” Jhulian offered. “Do you know what that might be?”

“I have several thoughts on that. Do you wish to hear them?”

“It might not a bad idea,” suggested Maitre Dyana dryly.

“First, if people suspect that I might be the next Maitre, they’re likely to be more reasonable with Maitre Dyana. Second, trying to remove Maitre Dyana resolves nothing. Third, there’s a certain deniability. In crises, I can act, and Maitre Dyana can either ask if they’d like to deal with me or offer to step down. There may be others, but those the ones that come to mind.”

“There’s one other,” offered Jhulian. “You’ll have more freedom to act in your current position, and fewer people will be questioning and watching you.”

“More people are already watching me.”

“More than you know,” added Dyana. “But less than watch the Maitre.”

That wasn’t exactly comforting.