good man, but he won’t involve himself in this,”
Lothbrok stated darkly. “I’m a useful warrior to him, with or without the ten
ships. There’s always some dirty work to be done.”
“But he wouldn’t want to lose the ships,” Harry began, then
caught himself. “Whoever challenges would still be obligated to fight for him,
seeing as he’s the leader.”
Lothbrok nodded. “And I end up standing watches on the
bridge of the Ormen again.”
Harry realized this was more than just a future concern.
“Your ships?”
“The Visund had a core breach and fell into the
atmosphere of Weirfall eight days ago.” Lothbrok looked over at his Human
friend.
“I have nine ships.”
Harry kept his face impassive. The last thing his friend
would want was pity. “How much time do you have before someone will challenge
you?”
“It might have happened already, if I hadn’t left to come
after you. Valdemar will move against me at the next Althing. He’s the most
powerful of Bliekr’s old haulds.” He looked back out
at the haze. “Oaxes looked like a respectable place,” he mused. “Make a decent
fief.”
Harry laughed. “Oh sure, they’re struggling to end thousands
of years of occupation and they’ll be happy to simply bend the knee to a new
alien?”
“Well, it was just a thought,” the Midgaard said
dismissively.
It was the careless tone that clued Harry in. Lothbrok was
seriously thinking about seizing the planet to reverse his ebbing fortune. He
might have something there, he realised. It may need some modification. “They
may not like it if you call them a fief or refer to yourself as the lord of
their world,” he began slowly. “But they’re going to need our help. After what
we did to the garrison, you can bet the Republic is going to make an example of
them.”
“Well I’m not going to just defend them without some sort of
mutual obligation,” Lothbrok retorted.
“No,” Harry agreed. “They do have a historical precedence
for this kind of thing – we just need to adjust it a bit. You become their
‘Warlord’ and they provide you with the cut of their taxes that would have gone
to the Republic. They’re free to manage civil affairs as long as they hold up
their end.”
“And they get exclusive access to the Weirfall market,” the
Midgaard enthused, “rather than having to share the Ufanges market with
competitors. It would go a long way toaward balancing
their economy.” He caught the look of surprise on Harry’s face and grinned. “If
you were raised to lead a major house in our society, you need to understand
economics.”
“So that gives us operational ships, but we still need to
arm them,” Harry scratched at the stubble on his face. “The Oaxians founded a
colony on Tauhento, back before the Empire. I’d bet they’ll want a shot at
independence too, as long as we can help Oaxes survive. They’re the number
three producer of rail weaponry in the Republic,” he added mildly.
“Now we have a plan!” Lothbrok hammered Harry on the
shoulder. “You can be the Warlord of Oaxes and I’ll go to Tauhento.”
“Me?” Harry tried to speak but his mind was too busy
processing the concept to bother with conversation. I’m a naval officer, not
a feudal lord. Then again... He stared out at the distortion. I
know them better than anyone in the Alliance now.
“You’re practically an Oaxian yourself now,” said Lothbrok,
as though reading his thoughts. “You carry the memories of some of their
greatest heroes and you sure as Niflheim lit the hearth under them in that
arena. Besides,” he spoke quietly, earnestly, “I want to know there’s someone I
can trust on the other leg of this stool before I risk my neck on it.”
“You know,” Harry said before pausing, barely believing his
own words, “I can almost see Towers going for this.”
“You speak in jest?” the Midgaard demanded. “Of course he
will. It balances close to eighty percent of the Weirfall
Lothbrok stated darkly. “I’m a useful warrior to him, with or without the ten
ships. There’s always some dirty work to be done.”
“But he wouldn’t want to lose the ships,” Harry began, then
caught himself. “Whoever challenges would still be obligated to fight for him,
seeing as he’s the leader.”
Lothbrok nodded. “And I end up standing watches on the
bridge of the Ormen again.”
Harry realized this was more than just a future concern.
“Your ships?”
“The Visund had a core breach and fell into the
atmosphere of Weirfall eight days ago.” Lothbrok looked over at his Human
friend.
“I have nine ships.”
Harry kept his face impassive. The last thing his friend
would want was pity. “How much time do you have before someone will challenge
you?”
“It might have happened already, if I hadn’t left to come
after you. Valdemar will move against me at the next Althing. He’s the most
powerful of Bliekr’s old haulds.” He looked back out
at the haze. “Oaxes looked like a respectable place,” he mused. “Make a decent
fief.”
Harry laughed. “Oh sure, they’re struggling to end thousands
of years of occupation and they’ll be happy to simply bend the knee to a new
alien?”
“Well, it was just a thought,” the Midgaard said
dismissively.
It was the careless tone that clued Harry in. Lothbrok was
seriously thinking about seizing the planet to reverse his ebbing fortune. He
might have something there, he realised. It may need some modification. “They
may not like it if you call them a fief or refer to yourself as the lord of
their world,” he began slowly. “But they’re going to need our help. After what
we did to the garrison, you can bet the Republic is going to make an example of
them.”
“Well I’m not going to just defend them without some sort of
mutual obligation,” Lothbrok retorted.
“No,” Harry agreed. “They do have a historical precedence
for this kind of thing – we just need to adjust it a bit. You become their
‘Warlord’ and they provide you with the cut of their taxes that would have gone
to the Republic. They’re free to manage civil affairs as long as they hold up
their end.”
“And they get exclusive access to the Weirfall market,” the
Midgaard enthused, “rather than having to share the Ufanges market with
competitors. It would go a long way toaward balancing
their economy.” He caught the look of surprise on Harry’s face and grinned. “If
you were raised to lead a major house in our society, you need to understand
economics.”
“So that gives us operational ships, but we still need to
arm them,” Harry scratched at the stubble on his face. “The Oaxians founded a
colony on Tauhento, back before the Empire. I’d bet they’ll want a shot at
independence too, as long as we can help Oaxes survive. They’re the number
three producer of rail weaponry in the Republic,” he added mildly.
“Now we have a plan!” Lothbrok hammered Harry on the
shoulder. “You can be the Warlord of Oaxes and I’ll go to Tauhento.”
“Me?” Harry tried to speak but his mind was too busy
processing the concept to bother with conversation. I’m a naval officer, not
a feudal lord. Then again... He stared out at the distortion. I
know them better than anyone in the Alliance now.
“You’re practically an Oaxian yourself now,” said Lothbrok,
as though reading his thoughts. “You carry the memories of some of their
greatest heroes and you sure as Niflheim lit the hearth under them in that
arena. Besides,” he spoke quietly, earnestly, “I want to know there’s someone I
can trust on the other leg of this stool before I risk my neck on it.”
“You know,” Harry said before pausing, barely believing his
own words, “I can almost see Towers going for this.”
“You speak in jest?” the Midgaard demanded. “Of course he
will. It balances close to eighty percent of the Weirfall
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