Title:Searching for the lost
Author Stana
Date 5/25/99
Date Sent: Fri, 28 May 1999 06:28:49 -0700 (PDT)

   Lyr stopped his mount, brushing his straying hair
impatiently out of
his eyes.
          ::Time for a haircut:: he noted sourly, waiting
for his
trackers to come back with their report. Kitaro had been
missing for
over a week, R'Kelnin had little faith in the ability to
track a path
that old.
             If Kitaro had not been on casual duty, he
would have been
amounted a "marked" beast. One with Crested horseshoes. But
the nature
of his work neccessitated that he be able to strip down to
any
disguise. Which meant no permanent markings on mount or
Rider.
               Overdue for report by 72 hours, Lyr had
finally ordered
a scouting party to search for the scout. He was bitterly
aware that he
was most likely too late-but he had waited as little as
possible, and
had spent the last 20 hours fighting the politicians to
release this
group to even look.
                As teh Gelding snorted complacently, Lyr
tapped his
neck, scratching a particular itch he knew teh horse
suffered.
                 Reaper's lips peeled back from his teeth
and he
stretched his neck out with pleasure, tail swishing.
                 ::If only people were this easy to
please:: the
General thought, realizing what a horrible mood he was in
suddenly.
When had this started, he was amiable enough this morning,
if a trifle
distracted-
                 With a start, he brought his mind back as
his trackers
approached.
                "Too old Gen'rel" the taller one reportred
"Too may
other tracks past here since a week ago. Kitaro was taking
this route
right?"
                "According to his last report he was."
R'Kelnin
answered "he was too meticulous to alter it without sending
some
word-unless there was an emergency. Still it has been a
week since
we've heard."
                 "Might've had to sit tight for a bit." the
small
balding tracker offered. "Won't know for sure til we find
im though. We
can keep going the route, head further into his travel
plan. Might be
some chance of finding a less used junction to get a feel.
We've got
all the prints "tagged" for reference, give the word."
                 "It's given. Sorry to say but we'll not be
sleeping
comfortable this night."
                 "You will Gen'rel." one of the soldiers
interrupted
"You promised to return to the castle by sundown-Queens
orders."
                 "Blast it all!" he exclaimed quietly,
remembering.
More politics.
                 "As of now-you are all on maneuvers." he
said. "I'll
sign the orders when I get back. Find Kintaro, and Hawk
news back to
me. Take Kes" he handed his Kestrel off to the tall tracker
"send her
home to me when you have something."
                  "Noone blames you General." the balding
man said
"you've got to take orders too."
                  "I'd rather be looking for my man." he
said "but -
dammit they're right, Dulcid left the corps in a fine
fettle and I
can't get anything organized out here."
                  "Is it true that now that the Chosen have
come-"
                  Lyr raised his hand "I know as much as
you Tanlis.
But we're preparing nonetheless. Let's hope that's  all it
will be. The
Army of Steel needs a good crackdown-we all know that."
                   He turned Reaper back to S'Kae.
                   "Find Kintaro." he repeated "or find his
body." he
spurred the mount back up the road, wondering why his mood
was so bad.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=

After reporting back in to the Queen, and suffering through
several
staff meeting with subordinates that all believed they were
better able
to have his job, Lyr sank into his chair with a groan.

::Maybe they_could_ run this army better:: he reflected
moodily ::but
her Highness likes her games too well::

He had though he understood the Earth Gaurdian's defenseof
him. He was
sure he was about to get blasted down to Trooper before she
had
interceeded.

But since then he hadn't seen her. He thought she would
have come
demanding some sort of payment for the deed. That was why
people did
favors like that. At least why they did them for him.

Now all he knew was that he had wished she had kept silent.
A trooper
had no career ambition, but their worries were just as few.

Thinking about that triggered another emotion-awe. The same
feeling he
had in the prescence of any ofthe prophecied "Chosen". He
had been
raised in the fashion of the nobility, well versed in the
scriptures of
history and mysticism that marked S'kae. But to actually be
-

The knock on his door removed him from his reverie.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Sir-you had requested to be informed as to the whereabouts
of the
traveller Finn? He is in the Courtyard with the Syl
Ambasador."

::Syl ambass-?:: he was really losing what little political
knowledge
he had had.  Nevertheless he lifted himself from his
resting place,
removed his sword from the peg on the wall and headed out
to teh
Courtyard.

He had more than a few questions to ask the Wanderer. Not
the least was
who would have tried to kidnap him.

-=--=-=-=-==-=-=-=-

to be continued....