Aquari by DD White
* * *
Eistia had been meaning to follow up with the Oldo case ever since he discovered Eromot’s blood soaked clothes in the farmer’s garbage. After losing track of Volock when the King won his war against the three families, Eistia figured this had been a good place to maybe find a way to catch up to Volock. Eistia figured Volock would be continuing his criminal mission to murder the scientists of the Ministry of Science. Although the King declared the Ministry restored, the Aungtalli had since responded with an all out terrorist campaign against the kingdom. Therefore the Ministry of Science had still been underground at an undisclosed location, which had even been unknown to Eistia as it hopefully also had been to Volock.
Eistia drove onto the Oldo farm, and approached the familiar door to knock and see if Oldo was home. The door swung open to greet Eistia with Oldo and his wife named Topaling. “I am sorry sir, but you should just go.
We’ve already told you all that we know.”
Eistia now had been ready to play his metaphorical evidence card. “I’m not interested in what you do.
I’m just here because I know that’s not true.
When I was last here to learn what you know
I checked your garbage when I left to go.
That was the moment when I found out you
had not told me everything that you knew.
That was where I found the truth I have got
in the bloody clothing of Eromot.
Don’t get defensive of what I derive.
I know that Eromot is still alive.
I’m here cause I need with your help to find
him before another who is less kind.”
Oldo knew Eistia had not been hostile to the Ministry of Science in hiding. Everyone after the news of the Volock arrest he made in Dogolus knew that. Oldo still considered Eistia’s words when Topaling spoke up. “I think its time for some trust to begin.
Investigator, won’t you please come in.”
Eistia wiped his feet on the foot towel while Topaling made everyone a cup of wiffsue, and then they sat at the kitchen table and talked. Eistia learned that they were hearers of the voice, which everyone learned about now since the appearance of the great Beataphoriah from ancient legends with the King. Eistia wondered if Beataphoriah, who knew the location of the hidden Ministry, had been more than able to protect those scientists. Oldo, after some whispering with his wife, told Eistia about the secret headquarters location in Gulfang. That, for Investigator Eistia, had been the shred of evidence well worth the drive from Keshdesh.
Eistia gratefully said goodbye to Oldo and Topaling with further condolences for the loss of their son Dolka, and then he returned back in his car for the drive back to Keshdesh. Oldo and Topaling waved goodbye while hoping that they were sending Eistia to avenge their murdered child. Travel became risky these days since the King’s war victory degenerated into a terrorist war against sore-losing Aungtalli. Eistia became taken aback by the hypocrisy as he drove down the road considering the so-called moral guardians of society, the Aungtalli’s bitter hate-filled violent lashing out at innocents. As Eistia drove inside the city limits he saw the fires of a recent terrorist suicide bombing. The Aungtalli fought this war by using their persuasion over those in their legions of brain-washed Uranian women. The Aungtalli would get them to put on vests of xenastic explosives to strategically blow themselves up in public around other Uranians.
The sheer horror and shock of these events had been underscored by a subtle message that the Aungtalli were the one’s in control, and Uranians only existed at the mercy of the Aungtalli. This particular terrorist event set a building on fire from the explosion that killed many Uranians who were inside. Eistia noticed, on closer inspection, that the building had been a restaurant. It had been a despicable strategy that personally only strengthened Eistia’s loyalty to the King, and his determination to bring these terrorist criminals to justice. He drove close by the incident, but then continued on his way back to headquarters after noticing other fire fighters and police responding. Beataphoriah didn’t miss the opportunity to use these terrorist events to convince Uranians that they would be much safer in the available star-door cities, which it obviously had been anxious to fill up.