Chapter 32

The protocols for welcoming the first ambassador from a new country did not really anticipate that the new country would already be a serious regional power, but it was easy enough to adjust. The formal reception was held at the White House rather than a lesser venue, and the guest list was upgraded to include much of the Cabinet as well as other dignitaries from all three branches of government. Since there were few Changelings in the upper echelons as of yet, Lowe did not even have to ask for an invitation.

The French ambassador had been invited, of course, along with the ambassadors from Russia and China and most of the NATO nations as well. Dr. Lowe was well down the list of seniority in such a crowd, but the lioness smiled in a truly warm welcome as she finally made her way to the front of the receiving line. “Ah, you would be the one I heard about. One of the new advisors to your President, appointed since the Event, as you call it. The Awakening.”

The wolf bowed briefly over the lioness' paw. “I have that honor, Ambasador.” She straightened again, letting her nose work. The lioness smelled of feline and desert, but there were other overtones as well, including the ozone-smell she had learned to associate with magical workings. “I wondered how you learned our language so quickly, but... it's a working, is it not?”

She smiled. “It is indeed. Clever, to figure it out so quickly.”

The wolf smiled back. “Thank you. I have information that my President agreed we should pass on to you. May I speak privately with you at some point tonight?”

The golden eyes narrowed. “I think I should be able to arrange that.” She looked around the room. “At some point, I shall retire to, heh, use the facilities. Such an elegant way to speak of it. You see my aide? The jackal? I will send him to you then, and you may follow me. Will that work?”

“That would be sufficient, your Excellency. It should not take long.”

The opportunity came about two hours later. The jackal came up and walked past her as she was speaking to the Russian military attache, simply nodding once as he passed. She excused herself, and padded off toward the bathrooms, one of the Detail following in her wake to keep the corridor clear of uninvited guests. The lioness was waiting for her.

“Ambassador. Thank you for agreeing to speak with me.”

“Not at all, Dr. Lowe. In truth, I wished to speak with you anyway. You interest me, and my Prince as well.”

The wolf's ears twitched forward. “Oh?”

“Oh, yes, Seeress. He recognized you from when you assisted in thwarting his scrying of your capital last year. He sends his compliments, by the way, to you and the others. He was most impressed.”

Lowe chuckled. “Well, that's different, at least. Most of the Immortals call me Diviner. At any rate...” She pulled an envelope out of her jacket. “We are not sure if you are aware, but there are a number of encampments in the desert to the north and east of Ba-Yabel. We discovered this morning that two of them – the two farthest to the northeast, and possibly outside your current sphere of influence – had been completely abandoned by their denizens as of this morning. We are currently searching for them, and I suspect we will locate them soon enough, but they may be heading to either attack your city, or to implicate Prince Haroun in an attack on someone else. Unless they were ordered by your Prince to do something...?”

The lioness opened the envelope and looked at the map, then looked at the wolf. “How...?”

Lowe smiled. “I have my own secrets, Sekhmet. And my own ways.”

The golden eyes widened in shock. “How did you know -that-?”

Lowe's smile grew wider. “I guessed, actually. But I suspected you might be – after all, why take an alias if your true name did not survive through the centuries you slept? I have my methods, but if you wish to be Ambassador al-Rashid, I shall not say differently to anyone but my leader. That was more a demonstration that I know what I am about. The maps are accurate, as is the other information in the envelope to the best of my knowledge. But if they did not leave at your Prince's behest, then you might want to make sure to guard yourselves. The Muslims are not, in my opinion, entirely sane; and they detest both our kind and the use of mana – they call it sorcery. The remaining legends of Ba-Yabel mispronounce the name, but declare it to be a city of wicked sorcery with a djinn chained in a pit to provide tutelage to those who wish 'forbidden' knowledge.”

The lioness nodded. “You have definitely proven your powers, young one. I will pass this on.”

“Our pleasure. I assume you have a way to do this quickly? If not, we have a conduit to our embassy in Ba-Yabel and can pass it on quickly if you cannot.”

“Oh, I can manage. But thank you for the offer... and the information.”

Lowe smiled. “As you say. An earnest of our good intentions. And now... I really should use the bathroom while I'm back here. Until later, Ambassador.”

* * * *

American Embassy, Ba-Yabel

Elizabeth Barnett woke to the rattle of boots in the hall outside her room. A muttered cantrip lit the oil lamp by her bed; unlike most of her colleagues, she at least didn't have to depend on matches here where electricity refused to work. She checked the mechanical alarm clock on her bedside table. “Yeah, might as well get up.”

Weirdly enough to her mind, the plumbing worked perfectly here even though the lights did not. A quick wash-up, and she was dressed and headed for the cafeteria for breakfast. By 7:30 local time she had reached her duty station and activated the repurposed television screen. “Ba-Yabel Station, standing by.”

“State, secure link up.” The German shepherd at the other end grinned at her. “Morning, Liz. Anything happening?”

“Nothing in my inbox, Ralph. What have you got for me?”

“Priority one for the Ambassador and your military people. Ready?”
“Ready.” The process that Stardancer's people had developed used a magical interface as a xeroxing machine. With the proper spells on both ends, and an operator capable of manipulating them, images could be sent almost instantly; and that meant documents as well. The document transferred from the sheet of paper in the canid's paws in North America to the one held by the human in Africa, leaving the original blank. Four pages crossed the gap, and then Ralph nodded. “That's it for Priority One. I'll take my break while you deliver it.”

Barnett nodded. “Roger that.” She put the sheets in an envelope and headed to the Ambasador's office.

* * * *

Gunnery Sergeant Marlowe smiled at the Ambassador's secretary as he walked into the outer office. She smiled back. “He's expecting you, Gunny, go on in.”

“What do you have for me, sir?”

Knight handed the message over. “Two of the pre-Event terrorist training camps just pulled up stakes. Washington is giving us a heads-up in case they're coming here. Foster said there were dissenting elements, and it could be they are making a move. You warn your people. I'm supposed to request an audience with Haroun to make sure they got the message; supposedly it was sent via -their- ambassador as well but they're telling me to make sure.”

Marlowe grinned. “That explains why it's a hand-made map, not a satellite photo, I take it?”

“I'm supposed to give it to him, so I'd assume so.”

Marlowe looked through the papers. “So... maybe as many as a hundred-fifty fanatics on their way here?”

Knight nodded. “So they think. If we're lucky, they're going somewhere else.”

Marlowe sighed. “And we're not getting the expanded military staff for another week at least. Why am I not surprised.” He shook his head. “At least the rifles work, aside from the laser sights. So do most of the other weapons.” He looked up. “While you're talking to the Prince, sir... could you inquire as to whether or not they've got anything magical that's equivalent to infantry weapons? If these tangos -are- headed here, they're probably expecting a pushover given modern weapons against sabers and lances. I'd really like to disappoint them.”

Knight smiled. “A very good point, Gunny. I'll bring it up with him.”

* * * *

“Good evening, my Prince.”

“And a good morning to you, my dear. Why have you called so late in your day? Were there complications at the party you attended?”

Bast held up the envelope. “Not as such. But the young American wolf took the opportunity to give me some disturbing information about our subjects. Are you alone?”

Haroun's eye's narrowed. “I am. You suspect spies?”

“Given what she has told me about Islam, it would not be wise to entrust this to any who share that faith. Do you recall the camps that we found in the desert? Warriors and fanatics in training?”

Haroun nodded. “What about them?”

“The Seeress gave me a map detailing their locations, including two that I at least was unaware of – and the warning that everyone in those last two camps had suddenly departed. She did not know where they had gone, or so she said – and I do not believe she was lying. She was concerned that the Muslims who are now your subjects may try to attack those who came with us, simply for being demi-human, or even for not sharing their religion – and in the worst case, they may even try to attack you at the Palace, for the use of magic is itself offensive to their Prophet.”

“That would be most disturbing, if true. Where are these unknown camps?”

Bast flicked her ears. “To the northeast, beyond the present circle of your power. But they should be easy to scry, once you know where to look. Ready?”

“Ready.” The lioness merely handed the papers through the mirror, though both were careful not to touch the glass. Haroun opened the envelope and unfolded the map. “Amazing detail. I shall look as soon as we are done. Is there anything else I should know about?”

The lioness' smile went lopsided. “She knows who I am, at least in part. She named me Sekhmet in our private meeting.”

Haroun straightened on his throne. “How did she know -that-?”

“She didn't say. She did mention that the Eldest and his friends call her Diviner. If she lives, knowledge itself will be her specialty, I think.”

“So it would seem. If that is all, then I should be about scrying out the truth of these tales of hers.”

“That is all for now, my Prince.”

“Then farewell until next time, my friend. Sleep well.”