I gestured respectfully at the clan leaders.
“We need help. And they need a refuge. They can’t go home. They have to work with us. And don’t forget, if we attack them in the Exclusion Zone, the System won’t be happy. Please let them stay.”
She stared at me for a minute. The room was deathly quiet.
PRIVATE MESSAGE / FROM DANIELLE BRAID: That was beautiful. But you did it again, didn’t you?
We had had a conversation about my new Skill. It scared her, but she had seen that I could be trusted with its power.
PRIVATE MESSAGE / TO DANIELLE BRAID: Yes. This has to work.
PRIVATE MESSAGE / FROM DANIELLE BRAID: All right. Just don’t get too used to it.
PRIVATE MESSAGE / TO DANIELLE BRAID: You can be my conscience.
PRIVATE MESSAGE / FROM DANIELLE BRAID: :)
The private messages flew back and forth in a few seconds. Long enough for the City Manager to make a decision and start telling the Sheriff.
“It’s not our problem, Marc. They obey the law, they pay for the land they use, and they can stay until the Feds manage to do something about them.” Her tone of voice said she felt this last thing would be a long time coming. He didn’t look happy, but nodded.
She turned to the clan masters.
“We expect you to follow our laws. No killing, no fighting except in self-defense. No stealing. No threatening people. You have a problem, you talk to the Sheriff and he deals with it. If you want to use someone’s private land, you get their permission and you pay them rent. If you want to settle on public land, you pay the town rent and we’ll account for it if the State or our national government ever shows up and tells us they’re taking control. Is this acceptable?”
“That’s just common sense, la… I mean, Ms. Adams,” said the dwarf. “It’s your town.”
“Of course,” said the elf. “The System encourages us to gain power, but we still have to live in a society.”
I managed not to snort at that.
“Then you may stay, as far as the town is concerned,” she said. “The next election isn’t for two years and if they don’t like it, they can recall me.” She smiled a satisfied smile at that. “Nobody really cared much about this job before. It just got a lot more interesting.”
“You are exactly the kind of person this town needs in charge,” I said, trying not to sound like too much of a kiss-up.
“Thank you, Mister Erickson,” she said with a politician’s smile. I suddenly got very uneasy. “Since you are so familiar with the situation, and spoke so eloquently on their behalf, I think it’s only reasonable that you take charge of our guests and see that they are settled properly.”
Wait, what?
“Excuse me?” I said. “I mean, I’m flattered, but I’m not even a resident of your town. Shouldn’t the Sheriff…”
She cut off my escape attempt like a razor going through a cheap string.
“The Sheriff and his deputies have their hands full. They barely have enough people in town to cover three shifts and maintain a presence. You and Ms. Braid are amazingly capable. I have faith in you.” She turned to the clan masters again. “Is this acceptable? To have Mister Erickson act as your… liaison… with the town? With humans?”
“It would be an honor,” said the elf.
“The lad’s got metal,” said the dwarf. “We’ll listen to him.”
“Thank you,” she said. Turning back to me, she said, with a ‘butter-wouldn’t-melt-in-my-mouth’ expression, “There you have it, Mister Erickson. They will listen to you and you are comfortable with them. I don’t have anyone to spare and even if I did, I have no one as qualified as you. Will you help?” She put the same emphasis on ‘help’ as I had when I was pleading.
Oh, you’re good, I thought to myself. Thank God you’re not a Mesmerist or not a one of us would be safe.
“How can I say no?” I said. I forced myself to smile. I don’t think I was fooling anybody.
“Then it’s settled,” said Ms. Adams decisively. “Sheriff, please have some of your deputies escort our new arrivals to the refugee area. I think we’re out of big event tents, but I’ll try to find them something.”
“That is kind but unnecessary, City Manager,” said the elf. “We have everything we need to be comfortable.”
“Same here,” said the dwarf. “Portable shelters, supplies and such. Just give us a place to lay our heads for a day or so, get used to the gravity and the air, and then we’ll start looking for a good place to mine.”
“There’s still some open space next to our tent,” I said. “I think it’ll be fine.”
“That’s wonderful,” the City Manager said. “Let me know if you need anything and when you find a place to think about settling.”
And with that, the meeting was over.
My fun, however, had just started.
Chapter 25
Not-So-Huddled Masses
The Sheriff walked out to the lobby with us, and each of us collected our people. I guess the Noobs counted as ‘our people,’ anyway.
The clan leaders gave the rest a quick summary. After Treesinger referred to me as “Adamant Erickson,” most of them turned and Examined me, and their expressions of surprise were a little terrifying. Was a Title that big a deal? I actually had three, the other two of which were a lot rarer as far as I could tell. This seemed sort of… insane.
As for the Noobs, I just told them to be on their best behavior and help the newcomers if they needed anything. They were staring wide-eyed at the… fantastic… immigrants, but straightened up at a pointed cough from Danielle.
Sheriff Gravelle started to head for the door, but I stopped him. “I know you’re busy, Sheriff, and people are getting antsy, but I have to say a few things.” He stood and watched me curiously.
“Gentlebeings,” I said to get the crowd’s attention. A few of them looked flattered to be addressed as such by me, presumably because of the Title.
“The town we are in contains several thousand humans. This is a relatively rural area. Many of the residents are not going to be very accepting of beings as different as you are. I need you to listen to what I say, do as I ask, and be patient. And, this is very important: no one goes anywhere alone. Preferably, no elf or dwarf goes anywhere without a human I or Ms. Braid…” I nodded at her and she waved a little uncertainly. “…have told you is safe. Is that reasonable?”
“The Adamant speaks with my voice when it comes to human things,” said Stonebender. He added a few words in that rock-chewing language and the other dwarves all bowed their heads to me.
“The wise know wisdom when they hear it,” said Treesinger. The other five elves nodded, heads low.
“Thank you. We will now pass through part of the town to an area where people who were trapped here at System Start are staying. I suggest we spend the rest of the day getting to know each other and figuring out how we can help each other. The humans will be watching. Some may be rude. They may blame you for the System. I know it doesn’t make sense, but they will. Stick close. Let the Sheriff and his deputies deal with any trouble. If you must fight please try not to kill anyone. Understood?”