The Man Behind The Curtain - Back Story 1

[shouriko]

It was a dark room with the light dimmed. Mood lighting and at the moment it was perfect. Dark plans were born in dark places after all. Hallek had a cask of wine on the desk and one beneath the desk, his own personal bottle so that the other could be shared. Timing would be everything in order to keep the ruse up so that if the need arose he could use the alternative plan. Slowly he walked across the room, removing the covers from the glow baskets and filling the large office with light. One glass already filled, his own, was walked over to a small table and placed next to his chair. He decided to leave the other glass for his guest there beside the bottle where they would appear innocent, especially the cask being half-empty to allow for the appearance that he had drunk from it himself. The perfect ruse.

He was a tall, dark man in more than just his appearance. Hallek wore the dark colors, he thought the dark thoughts, and he could speak dark words. Yet for all those truths he still was able to hide it behind a smile and a manipulative speech. Surely he would be able to convince the Weyrwoman to do as he bade her without having to go to extremes. Since his brother would not come and the Weyrwoman would, if she refused, he would certainly be in a better position to convince her. In any case, he had brooded enough and time was wearing thin for planning. Time was nearing execution of the plan.

For now he would simply sit in his chair and wait for his special guest. Hallek sat back deep in his chair and gazed across the room to the door with wine glass in hand. He twisted his wrist slightly back and forth, making the wine swirl in the glass. It was a red wine and even with the bright light it was still thick and dark enough to look like blood. Ah, yes, blood. Blood sometimes needed to be spilled in order to reach the ends of ones means. It would not be innocent blood if people stood against him, then it would be justified and he had no doubt that they would indeed do so.

"I will get what I want." Hallek said softly to himself as the wine continued to spin in the glass.

[stolenhart]

I do not like this man, Vandyith replied from her place on the Hatching grounds. The egg-heavy queen was slowly preparing for her next clutch though she was not quite ready to lay her eggs. That did not keep her from enjoying the hot sands of the Hatching Ground or digging wallows with which to lay her eggs in. }I know sweet, I don't like him either{, Gimna would rather have been on the sands with her gold than running to Lord Hallek's call, but what could she do? She could not turn the man down, nor ignore his summons, not as long as Vandyith could do without her.

No one halted her progress to his office, the knots on her shoulders made her the second highest ranked person in Lidal Hold, but no one was above Hallek. And he had made that point clear after his father's death. Gimna smoothed her tunic in place, adjusting the woven belt she wore over her skirt. He made her nervous as a feline about to have kittens and she did not like it. Then why must you go? He does not have a dragon to command you. }But he has other things{, Hallek would not harm a hair on a rider's head but that wouldn't stop him from hurting a holder.

She checked her blonde curls, pulled back so they wouldn't obscure her face. She felt like a weyrling again, being called to task for some prank she had performed. Damn T'ran to between for eternity, the man should have been with her. Silly for him to have a vendetta against his half-brother. She raised her hand to knock on the wooden door, aware that the hold was silent beneath her feet, wondering why the Weyrwoman had been called away from her duties.

[shouriko]

The rapping of knuckles against the door did not startle Hallek. Instead, he ceased the swirling of his wine and smirked to himself as he waited just a little bit before rising to his feet and leaving his glass of wine on the table. His steps were slow and measured, the heels of his boots clicked on the stone floor, and there was the faint jangling of keys from his belt. Hallek opened the door and put on his warmest kindest smile, but could not disguise the sharp glint in his eye. He was a tunnelsnake in the foodstores, just waiting to strike.

"Weyrwoman Gimna! I am so pleased to have you here, do come in and sit. I was just having some wine and I had a glass brought for you in the event that would join me. I do wish to extend my utmost congratulations to my brother for becoming Weyrleader, but he refuses to even answer my letters." Hallek smiled as he spoke and effectively changed his appearance as he spoke of T'ran. His voice hung heavy with sadness that he poured into it and put a pained expression on his face. "Do sit, we must talk."

Hallek led her over to the pair of chairs and the small table. He reached for his glass and took a dainty sip with a casual smile. There could be no faults in his act. True confidence had to fill his every move and word. Everything would go according to plan and yes, they did have to talk. Did Gimna suspect him? No, she could not know what his plans were to overcome his father's accomplishments with his own.

"There is to be a campaign and I do very much wish to discuss it with you. I would like to ensure that I have the Weyr's support and her dragonriders." Hallek said, starting the conversation with the hope to get Gimna to agree now to doing what he requested. He could hold her honor up if she ever went against her word.

[stolenhart]

She had to be careful with Hallek. He was dangerous, T'ran had told her this. But Gimna had dealt with the man's father successfully and she felt she could deal with the son. After all did they not share the same blood? T'ran was also a dangerous man and you could predict him, if you knew what to look for. Hallek was the same, if you paid attention. "Yes, T'ran split from the Hold permanently when Knymawth Impressed him", she said carefully, taking the seat he had indicated. It had been a rather public display, the young man cutting all ties with his Lord Holder father at the Hatching Feast. Yet nothing had come of it, at least not the Weyr noticed.

"A Campaign my lord?", she asked, lifting a dark blonde eyebrow. She was, in terms of art, a classical beauty. A decent height but she was plump rather than thin, with the perfect hourglass figure that needed no corset to strengthen. There was muscle, she could do and had done a hard day's work before, but it was pleasantly covered. Tiny cupid's bow mouth, big blue eyes and clear slightly tanned skin with no scars. She could catch a man's eye and make him wish for things he shouldn't. "What kind of campaign are we talking of?", she wondered if he would offer her a glass of wine and if she should turn it down.

[shouriko]

"This particular campaign would be, in a manner of speaking, a raid against our Northern foe." Hallek still hadn't taken his seat, but he did return his glass to the table. He spoke slowly, carefully, but did not dance about the words. He had to make is sound as if there were no other way around it. That it would have to be done this way. "It will be spring in the North and winter is closing in on the South."

He took a deep breath, as if the decision he was making about the campaign was a difficult one. He had shown that he was happy to see her, sad and dismayed that his brother had not come, and told her that he needed her support for a campaign. It was all going to lead slowly up to the moment he told her all.

"You will help me, will you not, Weyrwoman Gimna?" Hallek asked, turning his gaze fully on her from where he stood.

"You had helped my father once before, surely you can help me. Surely the Weyr will be in the skies over the boats that see Southern men to Northern shores." He poured a pleading voice out with his words as he revealed not only the obvious destination, but who would be going. Never had they sent men before, the Northerners would never suspect it and if the dragons were there...

He turned his back on her and approached his desk, "How rude of me, I did not offer you the glass of wine that I thought you might care for. Would you care for a glass? It is a fine red wine, you may test my glass to see if it is to your liking." Hallek offered this is a show of trust and to see if indeed she would not deny his hospiltality. It would be very rude of her to do so.

[stolenhart]

She narrowed her blue eyes, wondering just why a campaign was needed to go North. Didn't the man have enough power without becoming Overholder of the entire world? That was just a bit too greedy in her tastes. And she did not want dragons going to war. Never before has the dragons been used for such, the Weyr remained aloof, delivering only messages and important personal. "I cannot in good conscience order my riders to do that", she found herself replying carefully, "without a compelling reason". She leaned back in her chair, not liking the way he was playing with her.

"We know that North has only two golds and we know that the Weyrleaders have promised to step down when she rises. They have not bothered to send a patrol below Ista in two turns. Besides that we have no reason to go North, honor aside", she could not forget that over a hundred and twenty-five turns ago Northern riders stole a Southern queen but she could look past it. "What are you planning Lord Hallek?", she asked. A Conclave of Lords had not been called since the firing of Keroon, but surely if this man thought to go North one could be called, differences could be set aside.

She paused for a moment when he asked if she would like a glass. She could not refuse it, he would think her weak, and to try a sip from his own glass. She did not think he would poison her, after all Vandyith was the only gold at Southern. "I would like it. It is hard to find a good red from the South", the North still made the best wines, it was hard to bring it South safely, pirates and Northern sailors out to steal it away.

[shouriko]

"No, the North has not bothered us for long because their numbers were so much fewer than ours." Hallek agreed as he took the cork off of the cask with a slight pop. So she needed a good enough reason, did she?

He took the cask in his hands and looked at it with narrowed eyes. The poison was odorless, colorless, but it did have a flavor. It was slight but there was no mistaking the distinct sweetness that was there. Too sweet for any Southern red wine. It would taste almost Northern, but such wines were so very rare that even he had only one himself since the last raid turns ago. Hallek had great doubts that Gimna would notice it and by the time she did, it would be too late for her then. The wine was poured slowly, carefully, as if he were worried about spilling it.

"Yet I have heard disturbing news." Hallek corked the cask and placed the bottle back where it had been. When he turned and continued to speak, the wine glass was in his hand and he appeared troubled. "Weyrwoman Gimna, Southern Weyr has sent female riders North and they were taken into the Weyr. Those riders resent the South, so much so that as they have grown and strengthened, they had been planning."

He walked slowly, looking at the glass as he paused halfway. Hallek inserted a heavy sigh and kept his head bowed. He wanted to make it seem as if what they had done was against their honor, that it was the Weyr's fault that they were going to attack. If he could place such guilt, Gimna might feel responsible for it, no, she should feel responsible for it.

"They plan not to attack the Weyr with your clutch on the sands, but the holds instead." Hallek looked up at her as if torn between anger and sadness. He approached her, closed the distance, and extended his hand with the wine glass towards her. "I cannot allow that to happen. That is why I wish to deploy a pre-emptive strike. If we do so with dragons in the skies on their Northern shores, they would not think to attack our people." He looked at her hard. "We will start at the coast and aim for Benden."

[stolenhart]

She watched him uncork the bottle, flinching at the pop. It was so quiet in his office that any new sounds just pulled that reaction from her. “I realize”, she began, “That our practice of sending females North is unfair. Whatever ancient thought was behind that barbaric custom where the men of this Weyr would rather see a dragon dead than Impressed to a female, it is changing. Our weyrleader has promised stop that practice”, she replied, “And I would hope in the future I could sit down with these riders and have them return home”it was a project she was working on, but it was difficult to say the least.

“The holds? Are you sure? We have not bothered their holds”, she replied, taking the wine glass from him. “Though I can believe many things of the Northern riders, coming south to attack our holds is not one of them. They’d have to attack here at Lidal first before moving further into the continent to attack any of the others. That would be stupid”, she held the wine glass in her palm, cupping the bottom of it.

“I cannot allow my riders to go on this pre-emptive strike of yours, I cannot allow them to do what you are telling me Northern intends to do”, she sat up in her chair, holding the glass tightly. “And the college? No, I cannot countenance that”, she shook her head, curls bouncing adamantly. “If you want a pre-emptive strike, take your men first. We will not be a part of any strike. We will do as we have always done, provide transport and messenger service”, she took a sip of the wine. It was a little sweet for her tastes but she found it palatable. “I am sorry my lord”, she added after taking another sip. It did grow on you though.

[shouriko]

"We will attack them, I assure you Weyrwoman Gimna, and I would have you with me." Hallek turned cold, but he still bore a smile as he saw her sip not once, but twice from the wine. He reached for his own and stepped away. Standing with his back to her, he drained half of his remaining glass and then turned to her.

"But if I do not, it is no worry of mine." His smile was cruel. The glint in his eye was sign that he knew something she did not. Of course he did, he was the one who had poisoned the wine himself. He poured her the glass and gave it to her. He watched her drink it. "You will not stand in my way. I will get what I want."

What was it that he wanted? He wanted more. More than just all of Southern. He wanted the Northern lands, too. And if he could grasp all the land, he could choke the power and strength of the dragonriders. He could have them, no, he would have them, too. It would all be his. Not Overholder Lidal of the South, but Overholder Lidal of all Pern. He would have dragons as his calvary for those who revolted and none would contest him. He could be King.

"Don't you see Weyrwoman Gimna, my brother is at the Weyr leading it as father would want and I am here leading the Southern Holds. No one can stop what is meant to be." Hallek chuckled a little, waiting for her reaction, the priceless expression on her face, the poison working it's way through her veins and taking hold of her. "Not even you."

[stolenhart]

She set the wine glass down and stood up, leaning forward on the table with her arms straight. "And what do you mean by that?", she asked. Surely she could not be tipsy yet? She'd hardly touched the wine after all. Mine, come quick, Vandyith called for her rider. Gimna's little blue flitt, the one she had set to guarding Vandyith, suddenly popped into the room, screeching in excitement, flashing pictures of an egg to Gimna. "The eggs", the Weyrwoman replied, standing straight only to fall forward as a wave of dizziness hit her. Are you well? What is wrong?, Vandyith asked, concern in her mind voice.

"What you want is to kill innocent people", she replied calmly, though she could feel her heart beating faster. Something was wrong. She did not want Hallek to see, "Heeler", she called the blue flitt, "Go see to Vandyith", but she sent the flitt a picture not of Vandyith but of the Weyr's healer. It was too late to protect the secret of Vandyith's clutching but Hallek could not find out that Gimna suspected him of poison. "Your brother will have nothing to do with you. His leadership was an accident", she said, fighting against the waves of dizziness to stand up. Now her chest was hurting, it felt as if she was on fire. In the distance she heard Vandyith's alarming roars, rousing the dragons. They had to catch Hallek for this, he would be condemned to death for killing her. "Hallek, you bastard".

[shouriko]

"I am not the bastard, Gimna." Hallek's eyes were dark and he drained his glass as he returned to his desk. "T'ran is and he has always known that. He still has a service to do me as well and this is one step towards that."

The poisoned cask he picked up and traded places with the one beneath his desk using his body to block Gimna's sight. He hid the poisoned cask well amongst the other casks he had in store there. Casks of water and fruit juice. Each would be checked if someone wished to, but no one would taste them for fear of what might happen to them. As Hallek turned he approached her again, the cruel smile still there on his face.

"Some will die, yes, but they die to pave the way of my uniting all of Pern together." Hallek knelt down beside her as he spoke.

Soon someone would come and he would tell them that she had only drunk some wine and then suddenly felt ill. That there was something wrong with her heart and he feared for the Weyr and Gimna's dear Vandyith who was clutching. He would say that she had sworn that the Weyr would fly with his men when they went North to campaign. Everything Hallek had planned was coming out perfectly. Even though he needed Gimna alive and on his side, in this way, even if she wasn't she could not come between him and his plan.

A healer came running in suddenly.

"Thank the shells you've come!" Hallek looked up as he cried, holding the body of Gimna. "You must help her! She's Southern's Weyrwoman man, you must help her!" Yes, help her spend the rest of her life in this sleeping death she will never wake from.

[stolenhart]

"T'ran will not bow to you, nor do your bidding", she said softly. Her chest felt as if it was being crushed, she wanted to cough but was afraid of what it would do to her. She fell into the nearby chair uncontrolled, knocking the wine glass to the floor and spilling it out. "You'll unite Pern against you", she added, fighting to keep her eyes open against the waves of dizziness threatening to pull her into a dark blackness.

She tried to push him away as Hallek came to hold her, staging a scene for the Healer that burst through the door. "No", she mouthed but no sound came out. Her chest hurt and all she wanted to do was sleep. The Healer took stock of her pulse and another Healer oured something down her throat. "Hallek", she tried to curse but no more sounds came out as she finally gave in. "It looks like a heart attack", the Healers discussed as they laid her on the floor, "We need to get to the infirmary as soon as possible", the older gentleman of the two turned to Lord Hallek, "What would have happened if not for you", he shook his head, "to lose our only queen. Do not worry my lord, she will be fine". Within minutes, Gimna was bundled up and taken away to the infirmary.

[shouriko]

He did all that he could. Hallek went with the healers to the infirmary and stood nearby. He put on the look of extreme concern and worry. He asked questions: How is she? Will she recover? Is her dragon well? Any changes? Will she live? What has happened? Was there anything he could do?

Hallek played the part perfectly and because he was there, T'ran was not. It made him look the better leader. He was more worried, more concerned. He was offering up what he could for her sake. If only all the fools knew that she was in this state because of him. If this was the North, the healers might call a meeting and examine her and discover the truth, but he had done well. He selected a rare poison and he executed the plan perfectly.

Back in his office he collected the flasks and prepared to have them all emptied. He would forgo all wine for a whole sevenday in Gimna's honor. Once alone though, he laughed. It was a long, sinister, pleased laugh. Hallek cackled and crowed about how well he had done and no one could do anything about it. No one knew but he and the indisposed Gimna. He would get exactly what he wanted and no one could stop him, not even the Northerners.