Haladras Read Online Free PDF Page A

his hands.
    “This is indeed a bold accusation, Captain Arturo. I hope
you can explain yourself,” said the viceroy.
    “I can, my lord. Haladras, as you are well aware, holds a
trade agreement with every planet in the Empire, excepting only Ahlderon.
Quoryn is the nearest planet on the trade route and also the largest importer
of our teryleum. From them we receive the majority of our import. It is the
first stop on our trade route.
    “We had been on Quoryn two days, when my first mate reported
to me that a verbal altercation had erupted between my chief of cargo and
Quoryn’s director of exportation. My chief of cargo possesses a notoriously
inflammable temper, so I thought little of it. I instructed my first mate to
deal with the matter as he deemed fit. He insisted, however, that the matter
required my attention. Somewhat put out by this, but being near the cargo hold
at the time, I decided to investigate.
    “I found the two men on the verge of a brawl, my chief of
cargo aflame with anger, yelling unintelligible insults at the Quorynthian
director, who was gesticulating wildly with his hands from the loaded supplies
to the chief of cargo. My presence quickly halted the fight, and I demanded an
explanation for the disgraceful behavior.
    “Still fuming from the ears, my chief of cargo explained
that scarcely a third of the provisions agreed upon had been loaded. Yet the
Quoryn’s director of exportation insisted that was all they were required to
trade for the teryleum. Some change had occurred, of which we were not
apprised. Subsequently, the director produced a document, which indicated that
the exchange rate for teryleum had been legally altered for Quoryn.”
    The assemblage broke into a low rumble of murmured voices.
But Captain Arturo continued to speak.
    “The new rate agreed with the loaded provisions. And the
document appeared legitimate. I, therefore, sought out Lord Braxton
straightaway. However, when I arrived at the capital house, I found not Lord
Braxton sitting at his office desk but some other man who claimed to be the
governor of Quoryn.”
    “Governor!” cried one of the Council members in dismay,
followed by an eruption of other shouts around the hall.
    Once again, Aberforce was force to quiet the congregation.
    “Governor, you say?” questioned the viceroy, when the tumult
had died. “Was he not a lord, then?”
    “No,” replied Arturo, “he called himself Governor Dungrad. A
name I’ve never before heard in my life.”
    “And what of Lord Braxton?”
    “Dead, my lord.”
    “Dead! But how? I’ve heard nothing of this.”
    “He died in his sleep, was all he told me. After Braxton’s
death, King Tarus promptly appointed Dungrad as governor of Quoryn.”
    The viceroy leaned back in his chair and stroked his short
beard with his thumb and forefinger. After a considerable pause, he said.
“Please, Captain, continue your account.”
    “Thank you, my lord. As Dungrad was the governor of Quoryn
now, I asked him the meaning of this new exchange rate. He simply handed me a
letter from King Tarus. Would that I could quote that letter to you verbatim. I
can only paraphrase. It stated that the commanding general was relocating
twelve regiments of His Majesty’s imperial soldiers to Quoryn, to be placed under
the command of Governor Dungrad himself. The letter also stated that Dungrad
was granted authority to levy whatever taxes or adjust any trade exchange rates
as he deemed necessary to sustain His Majesty’s soldiers.
    “Dungrad proceeded to explain that he needed the extra
provisions which he withheld from us for the support of his new troops, and
that he also couldn’t do with less than the full load of teryleum. I did not
hesitate to bring to the governor’s attentions that Haladras needs those
provisions as well. For we have no means of replenishing them on our desert
planet. The governor was unsympathetic. ‘You must simply trade more teryleum,’
he told me. An absurd suggestion.