[previously on the Lone Gunslingers] ...Then a thought comes to me; Misfire can see anything with heat on the ground, how did the Raven keep from being seen on the satellite? Unless I'm of such little importance to my class now that they haven't even bothered to watch me. [and now...] [The Lone Gunslinger, Chapter 6, An Unlikely Ally, Part II] The white van is pulling away from the loading dock, maybe it won't stop at the back of the warehouse and I won't have to do anything. Maybe I should just sit down and do nothing, and just report what the Raven told me. I could be ruining any future I have with the Gunslingers, all on the word of a stranger. The snow if falling harder now and it's difficult to see over the wall on the roof, but the tail lights of the van can still be seen. The white van's brake lights come on and then it's lights go out--it stopped behind the warehouse just like yesterday. I see a shadowy figure through the snow come out of the woods on the other side of the road from the white van, there is no more time, I have to decide now. I grab the ladder and jump over the side of the roof, and I don't realize how icy the metal ladder has become and slide down and landed with a thud. A hand grabs my arm and I nearly jump out of my skin; it's the Raven. His hand is like a vice on my arm as he helps me up… no, not a vice, like a talon. I think the Raven is much stronger than his small size would indicate. Gunslinger Elias raises falcons and let one of them perch on my arm when he showed me his prized falcon several weeks ago. I think the Raven's grip feels just like the way that falcon's talons felt when it sat on my arm. "How did you get down here?" I ask. The Raven points at his wings. "Glider wings," he says. "You took a long time. I thought you changed your mind." Glider wings? So that's what those wings on his back are, and there was someone hopping from tree to tree last night outside my cabin. I'll bet that's how he was able to infiltrate the base so easily. He's been hiding in the trees. I also remember the way Simon looked up at the trees last night. I think Ravens have been on our base before this. "No, I haven't changed my mind," I say. "You need to stay in the woods; they will shoot you if they see you. I'll do this on my own." "Okay, oh, and here." The Raven hands me a piece of paper. "What's this?" I ask. "It might help you get out of trouble," he says. "It's the cargo count for your training exercise. Your alliance has the wrong count." "My alliance?" I ask. "You team, the others, you know," says the Raven. "We call it an alliance." "How did you get this?" I stuff the paper in my duster pocket. "I'm not a very good one, but I'm still a Raven," he says running off to the wood line. I shrug, and take off at a run across the road towards the warehouses. The Raven might as well speak to me in his native language; I don't understand most of what he says anyway. I make it twenty-five feet before Misfire calls me on the Com-link. "Hero, what are you doing?" "What's going on?" asks Thunder. "It's Hero, he's running towards the warehouses," says Misfire. "Hero, get back to your post," demands Thunder. I press the Com-link button at my throat. "No, something is happening, I need back up." "Dammit, Hero," says Simon over the Com-link. "You just don't learn; training exercise is over. Hero, report to the Commanders office, now!" "No, trust me," I say. "I need help." "Don't worry about, guys," says Thunder. "We got the cargo count, meet at the warehouse dock." "Yea, just ignore him," says Sprint. "He should never have been in our class but we got the count despite his sabotage." "Traitor," yells Rock over the Com-link. My class isn't going to help me; I'm on my own, and I know how my class feels about me. Plus, the word traitor is out there now, it's all or nothing. I hear a door bang open behind me and Simon yells for me to stop. I'm almost on top of the person carrying the box to white van; I can't stop now. I draw my revolver, ignoring Simon, and slide to a stop pointing my gun at the Gunslinger and shout. "Freeze!" "What the blazes is going on?" demands the Gunslinger carrying the box. I think it's one of the instructors, but I haven't been in any of his classes and don't know his name. "Don't move," I demand and glance back to see Simon is running towards me. Simon has his revolver out and is pointing it at me, and I can see a whole group of Gunslingers coming out of the Command building. "Drop the gun, boy," demands the Gunslinger with the box. "Drop the gun on the ground, Hero," demands Simon coming to a stop twenty feet from me. I can see Simon's eyes; they are cold and lifeless, and I know what is next. Simon's going to take me for a walk in the forest. How could he turn on me, especially now that I know who he really is. I feel the betrayal deeply now. "Simon, get this boy under control or I will," says the Gunslinger holding the box. "Look in the box he's holding," I say. "Gunslinger Richard is a Senior Gunslinger and a Senior Instructor," says Simon. "I will not inspect his personal property because a delusional trainee sees conspiracies at every turn, now drop your gun on the ground." I look back at the Gunslinger holding the box, Gunslinger Richard, yes, I remember hearing his name now, he's a Senior Instructor at the North Classroom. "Simon, please trust me," I plead. "He's been giving those boxes to the van driver." Gunslinger Richard holds the box up. "Delivering? I'm picking up student school supplies for my class." "No, he's not, Simon," I argue. "He's not picking up, he's delivering drugs to start a war with the Ravens." "That's enough, Hero, you've gone too far," says Simon. "Don't make me do this here, drop your gun on the ground." Now I'm sure of what Simon is going to do, I'm facing the ultimate punishment. Simon won't listen to me, I'm going to die. I drop my shoulders in that long practiced meek orphan routine I've perfected and drop my gun on the ground and lower my head. Gunslinger Richard visibly relaxes and so does Simon slightly. "Now unbuckle your gun belt and drop it on the ground," orders Simon. I do unbuckle the gun belt and let it drop on the ground with my gun, and then I step away from my gun on the ground, but I step closer in the direction of Gunslinger Richard. I'm only going to get one chance, just like everyone always told me, 'you only get one chance, boy.' Simon holsters his gun, and I think the look he is giving me is sad. The group of other Gunslingers catches up and stops next to Simon, and my class arrives next, running along the dock and stopping to watch also. I don't know the new Gunslingers, but the one in the lead is short for a Gunslinger but stocky with huge shoulders and a barrel chest, and his eyes are pure black. I think I know him; his picture is hanging in every classroom. And, there is a Raven with him, but not my Raven and that confuses me, but I don't have time to think about it. "What's going on here," asks the Gunslinger with the Raven. "Everything's under control now, Marshall," says Simon. "An issue with a Trainee, I'll deal with it." Marshall? Of course, now I'm sure, it's the new Marshall General, that's who the important visitor Simon said was arriving last night. I've done all this in front of Prince Justice, the Gunslinger's new Marshal General. If there was any chance of forgiveness, it's gone now; I have to keep going. I use the moment and lunge at Gunslinger Richard and plow into him as hard as I can. He's caught off guard, and we tumble to the ground and I grab the box. He tries to hold onto the box, but I think I've knocked the wind out of him and wrestle the box away. I roll to the side and scramble towards the loading dock and stand up holding the box. The box has a lock on it, and I can't get the lid open. "Drop the box," shouts Simon. He has his gun back out and is pointing it at me; his eyes are dark and cold; I'm nothing to him now. "You should have trusted me, father," I say. I think there is a flicker of life in Simon's eyes and then it's gone. I swing the box and bring it down on the edge of the concrete loading dock. The box makes a loud cracking sound and the wood splinters apart, and the box breaks in half, and I watch dozens of small glass vials spill out onto the snow--drug injection vials. Simon's eyes flick down to the glass vials that have spilled from the broken box and rolled across the snow, his eyes come back to life, and his mouth opens in shock. I drop the remains of the broken box on the ground… and then I hear a gunshot and jump slightly. The Marshall General has his gun out and there is smoke coming from the barrel. Has he shot me? I quickly pat at myself looking for the bullet hole, then I see where Simon is looking. Gunslinger Richard is laying back in the snow, and blood is spreading out and soaking into the snow around him. I'm confused for a moment and then I feel a chill run down my spine. Gunslinger Richard's gun is in his hand, and I realize he was going to shoot me in the back for what I've done, but the Marshall General saved me. "Are all your training exercises so lively?" asks the Marshall General. Simon just looks at the Marshal and then me but doesn't say anything, for once Simon seems to be at a loss for words, but I don't think the Marshall expected an answer because turns to my class before Simon could think of something to say. "I believe the driver of the van ran that way," points the Marshal. "You lot go find him, and I don’t care if you bring him back alive, there's nothing he is going to be able to tell us of any importance." The blood drains from Thunder's face but he obeys, and my class runs off to chase down the driver. The Marshall turns to me next. "We've had teams of uncover Gunslingers searching for months, how did you know this is where the drugs were being transported?" asks the Marshall. "I saw the white van yesterday and thought it was suspicious," I explain. "Then today I saw that Gunslinger loading boxes and came to investigate." The Marshall's eyes are so dark, empty, I've never seen anything like them before and keep my eyes on the ground. I've never thought about souls or things like that before, but I think if I look into those eyes he could steal my soul, or at least know all my secrets, anybody's secrets, and I don't want my Raven sent back to that chair. "I see, very well then, good job," says the Marshall. "You can go." I hurry past the Marshall and stop in front of Simon. "I'm sorry, I should have trusted you," says Simon. "Thunder's cargo count is wrong, but I got the right count." I pull the paper out my Raven gave me and hand it to Simon, and then turn and start walking away. I can't believe it's going to end this well, everything was falling apart, and then just like that it all came back together, and I'm safe. I'm mad at Simon, and now he knows I know the truth, but we can work that out later in private. Although, I do have to wonder if Simon is going… "Hold it, Trainee," the Marshall interrupts my thoughts and I stop and turn around. The Marshall is standing next to Simon looking at the paper I gave Simon. The Marshall motions with a finger for me to come back. Something has gone wrong; I'm not going to escape this after all. "Sir?" "Where did you get this paper?" asks Simon. What can I tell him without giving away my Raven? "Is something wrong?" I ask. "The cargo count is perfect," says Simon. "However, Thunder failed to put spotters out on the highway. So, there is no way you would know that one of the trucks have had a flat tire and is still out there. A Gunslinger ammo truck was sent to transfer the cargo, yet you have the exact cargo count of that truck without ever having seen it." I try dropping my head in the meek orphan routine. "That won't work, son," says Simon. "Maybe you hate me, maybe you're just angry, but you can't use the wounded orphan act to save yourself every time." "Oh, I think there is a bigger issue than your cargo count," says the Marshall. The Raven with the Marshall stretches up and whispers something in his ear. The Marshall's eyes glance at the trees across the road and nods slightly, and then takes the paper from Simon. "Do you see this symbol, or letter, Cadet?" asks the Marshall pointing to a letter 'g' on the third line of the manifest. I'm not a Cadet, I'm a Trainee; there is a difference between the Team Gunslingers and the Lone Gunslingers, but I guess it's not important and I nod my head. "This symbol, or letter, of the Imperial alphabet is very similar to the same letter in Daraian alphabet, the only difference being the little loop at the bottom is opposite in the two languages," explains the Marshall. "Daraians that can read and write Imperial often confuse the two letters, as it has been confused here. This manifest was written by a Daraian." "I don't know," I say. "You won't tell me?" asks the Marshall. "I don't know what you're talking about," I insist. "Gunslinger Simon, is this the Cadet you were telling me about that has a problem telling the truth?" asks the Marshall. "Yes, Sir," says Simon. "Very well then, Trainee," says the Marshall raising his voice much louder than necessary. "I won't have a Cadet lie to me; I have no choice but to terminate you." The Marshal lays his hand on his gun and I realize what he is doing. The man and woman on the farm used this trick before on me to flush me out of hiding when I was trying to avoid a lashing. I spin around to the trees. "They know you're there, run!" I shout. "No…No…please…he's my friend…don't shoot him," shouts my Raven from the tree tops. My Raven leaps out of a tree and glides down to the ground in front of me. Everything is falling apart again, I wish I could start this whole day over. "It's not his fault, I'm responsible," I say trying to step in front of my Raven. "No, my fault," says the Raven trying to move in front of me. "I'll take his punishment, shoot me." "Calm down, both of you," says the Marshall. The Marshall switches to a different language and then my Raven answers him back in the same language. I guess it's my Raven's native language, I don't know. I look at Simon, and it looks like Simon might be following the conversation. I didn't know Simon spoke Raven or Daraian, or whatever it is. I think my Raven is explaining everything to the Marshall, I think, maybe. The Marshall holds his hand up every once in a while and asks a question, and then Simon asks a question in that airy strange language. So Simon does speak Raven. All I can do is stand here and hope, I don't understand anything they are saying. The Marshall holds his hand up again and turns to his Raven. "Gar?" asks the Marshall. "He's the High Guardian of the Raven Temple," says the Marshall's Raven. "Do they give Raven students second chances?" asks the Marshall. "No, never," says Marshall's Raven and then spits on the ground in front of my Raven. "That thing is dead to all Ravens, let me kill it." "Why would this High Guardian use him for this mission?" asks the Marshall. "That thing is expendable, I think Gar used it to send a message that there is still a faction of Ravens on your side, but he knows you will have to execute it once it's purpose is served. Gar didn't want to waste a Raven when every loyal Raven counts right now," says Marshall's Raven. "And if I let him go?" asks the Marshall. "It is too stupid to have gotten that manifest by itself," says Marshall's Raven. "Gar probably ordered the local Ravens assigned to watch this base to help it, and to kill it if you don't, once it's purpose is served." "Are those other Raven's here?" asks the Marshall. The Marshall's Raven points up at the top of the warehouse, and both my Raven and I look up but don't see anything. "Will you go tell them I don't want him killed, I need him for another mission," says the Marshall. The Marshall's Raven looks like he just asked it to eat a bug, but then maybe Ravens like to eat bugs; I don't have a clue what Raven's eat. "Yes, my love," says the Marshall's Raven. "Stop calling me that," says the Marshall. Is the Raven a she? His love? I didn't know she was a she. I think my Raven is a he, at least I'm pretty sure, but now I don't know. The Marshall's Ravens jumps up on the loading dock and then scrambles up the side of the warehouse and disappears over the roof. I didn’t know Ravens could do that. The Marshall looks at me, my Raven, and then Simon. I think he looks like he is making a decision. "A Lone Raven and a Lone Gunslinger, Mother Raven would approve," says the Marshall. "I want these two bone-skulls partnered together, they seem to have formed a bond." "Sir?" says Simon. "Mother Raven once told me she thought the Raven's system of natural selection doesn't give the slower less talented, but potentially useful, Ravens a chance to mature," explains the Marshall. "Our system is no less brutal, and your Trainee here is on a fast track to a short walk in the forest, and you know it. In fact, he has the smell of slavery all over him, isn't that true?" "Yes, Sir," says Simon. "He was a bound-orphan and hasn't developed the social skills to survive long on his own." "Bound-orphan," the Marshall turns his head and spits. "Disgusting legal loop-hole around the anti-slavery laws. I will have to do something about that soon, but there is so much to do I don't know where to start." "I understand your plan and appreciate the opportunity to save him," says Simon. "Train them together, and maybe they will be strong enough to survive long enough to grow up and mature and be useful," says the Marshall. "I haven't decided whether to grant your Commander's request to keep your base here, but it will be years before I need to make that decision. We are moving the Quartermaster Corps to Pyra first, in about six months, and I want these two on the Advance Party for the move, it will be an easy mission." "I think you'll find it not as easy to move the Corps as you think," says Simon. "But, I agree it will be good for Hero to be out on his own, yet still have someone to fall back on." "You don't have a problem with Ravens," asks the Marshall. "I've worked with them before," says Simon. "Your accent was excellent," says the Marshall. Simon and the Marshall walk past us and head towards the Command Building, completely ignoring that we are even here. My Raven and I stare at each other, not completely sure what has just happened or what we are supposed to do. I hear a gunshot in the distance and wonder if that means my class caught up with the driver of the white van. I decide there are a million questions I need to ask my Raven and might as well start with the most important one. "Are you a boy or girl?" I ask.