Nobody liked the idea that their lives were in danger, but none of them could dispute the idea. Onirioago’s crimes proved that no deed was too nasty for her, and they all knew that underestimating her was fatal. And considering that wrapping her in chains with a mask over her face had turned out to be underestimating her, Kaldalis didn’t even know where to start to plan for whatever she had up her sleeve.

“There’s only one thing I can think of,” Kaldalis said with a grimace. “And it’s kind of the last resort.”

“Well, you have the better of the rest of us,” Gavinkim said, gesturing around the table at the other concerned faces.

“I wish I had something better,” Kaldalis began, “but my first priority has got to be everyone’s safety. The simplest way to survive a fight is to escape it. We need the ability to get out of Baimer fast. Fast enough to outrun whatever she throws at us.” He pointed across the table at Big Mike. “The only way we can do that is if we’re on the boat, and ready to cast off, from the moment the trial starts until the end of it.”

Big Mike grimaced, but nodded. It seemed he had something to say about that, but it must have been a logistical matter, and not something that would invalidate the suggestion, because he didn’t speak up.

“Obviously, Gavinkim, Bangen, and I will have to be at the trial,” Kaldalis continued. “But if everyone else is packed and ready, we can make a run for it if we have to, and be out at sea before whatever trap snaps closed on us.”

Kaldalis wanted to add that it would also let him throw himself on the grenade if he had to, to let everyone else escape, but he didn’t want to give his friends the opportunity to shoot down that aspect of the plan.

“I don’t like it,” Garyung said with a scowl. “I don’t know if you can even call that a solution. I don’t mind having an exit strategy, but what’s your endgame? If she escapes custody and we flee back to Cotanaku, what do we do from there? She’s on the loose unopposed.”

“Garyung is right,” Reno said, though she had a grimace to match Kaldalis’s, rather than a scowl. “If she’s on the loose, it’s only a matter of time before she gets back to Cotanaku, and who knows what plan she’ll have for us at that point. Like a spider in the house, I think I’m way more afraid of not knowing where she is than I am with looking her in the eye.”

“I don’t disagree in principle,” Balrim cut in, “but I’m with Kaldalis on this one. I’m sure we’d all love to outwit Onirioago once and for all, but if nobody has any suggestions for that, what other choice do we have?”

“The only thing I could think of is for all of us to be at the trial together,” Myrin added, “and that sounds like exactly what she would plan for.”

“Right,” Kaldalis said, looking over at Garyung. “If Onirioago had made any visible moves so far, maybe there could be something to look for. If we had absolutely any clue what her attack was going to be, we could move to defend ourselves. But she’s kept everything below our radar, and our schedules have been chock-full of bullshit.” He looked around the table. “If you have a suggestion, I’m open to it, but I say again: my first priority is our safety. I’d rather lose and live to fight another day than have us all trade places with her and be imprisoned while she goes back to reclaim her seat in Cotanaku unopposed.”

“I know what you’re doing,” Reno grumbled, “because it’s you. You’re letting your tank mentality build the plan for you. But we’re not all made out of glass, Kal. We can take a hit if we need to.”

“Not if that hit is a one-shot,” Kaldalis shot back. “Garyung and I spoke to Onirioago, and she didn’t say anything. I don’t just mean she didn’t gloat about a coming victory. I mean she didn’t say anything. No taunting, no mockery… She didn’t even lean forward to flash some cleavage.” He shuddered at the memory. “She has total confidence in her plan, if she wouldn’t take a free opportunity to rattle me. Whatever she’s planning, it’s big. Too big for us to take on the chin.”

“Again,” Myrin said, her voice calm and metered, “complaints aren’t alternatives. What else can we do? If you don’t want to do Kaldalis’s plan, put your own idea on the table.”

Silence reigned. Garyung, Reno, and Gavinkim were clearly unhappy with Kaldalis’s plan, but they had nothing to put forward. Without even the vaguest impression of Onirioago’s oncoming attack, how could they form a defense?

“I can think of nothing,” Gavinkim rumbled, breaking the silence. “Nothing that doesn’t leave us all vulnerable if she doesn’t strike exactly how we expect.”

“Retreat is not weakness,” Ess said, “it is strategy. To win, you must know when to fight and when not to fight.”

She nodded sagely, and Kaldalis was struck by the sudden reminder that this was Amy talking. It gave him a strange surge of confidence to hear her agree with him in the same manner that she had given him so much good advice in the past.

“And I would rather have you all with me in Cotanaku to deal with her there,” Kaldalis said, “than lose any or all of you here in Baimer before we even know what she’s planning.”

Balrim and Myrin nodded along with that. Bangen just looked uncomfortable with the whole discussion. Despite their complaints, Reno, Garyung and Gavinkim seemed to be coming around to the idea, even if it was only because of their own failure to come up with anything else.

“Unfortunately,” Kaldalis continued, “that does mean you all need to wrap up your business in Baimer today, and early. The trial starts in the afternoon, and if everything else has been any indication, it should run into the early evening with all the bullshit that will have to fill the time.”

“That should be fine for us,” Balrim said, gesturing at himself and Myrin. “We should have the questline wrapped by noon.”

“I need to finish setting things up at my estate,” Garyung said with a grimace. “Just to make sure that it stays intact until I get back.” He shook his head. “If I ever get back.”

“I might need some hands,” Big Mike said, looking around the table. “If I have to get ready to ship out, I have orders on cargo that I need to follow. Not to mention a few particulars I’ll want a hand with.”

“I’ll be happy to help with that,” Kaldalis said, “at least, right up until I need to leave for the trial.”

“Us, too,” Ess said, gesturing to herself and Reno. “Though you’ll have to show us what to do.”

“Yeah,” Reno said with a nod. “I still don’t like the idea, but I’m not gonna be dead weight to be carried if this is the only plan we have.”

Kaldalis was glad that everything was coming together. The more he thought about it, the more sound the plan seemed. He was putting a lot of faith in the Zaran system to fall on the side of justice and put Onirioago away, but Gavinkim had extended that faith to the system, and if there was one person on the planet more interested in keeping her behind bars than Kaldalis, Gavinkim was it.

The only obstacle was Onirioago. And what would she expect from Kaldalis? What would she plan for? She would plan for him to fight. If she had to push all her chips to the middle of the table, she’d bet them on him doing anything it took to keep her imprisoned. And if she knew that he had her War Weapon, she might try and goad him into using it.

What would she never see coming?

Kaldalis turning tail and running. She’d never expect that.

“First and foremost, we have to deal with the trial,” Kaldalis said, addressing Gavinkim and Bangen. “But once it’s over, we’re going to have to move fast to get to the ship. Either to let everyone know we’re clear, or to get the hell out of here.”

“I’ll have to go say my goodbyes then ahead of the trial,” Gavinkim said with a grimace.

“I have one last thing I need from the library here,” Bangen said, “but once that’s done, I’ll be free.”

“Alright, everyone,” Kaldalis said, clapping his hands as if to dismiss the meeting. “Get to business. Get your work done and your affairs managed, because I’d bet hard cash we’ll need to cut and run. And even if we don’t, I am gonna be glad to see the end of this place.”

Balrim and Myrin got up and headed out first, with Gavinkim close behind. Bangen had to get some of her notes together before heading back to the library, but Big Mike got moving right away to make ready ahead of Kaldalis and his friends joining him to help.

When Ess and Reno stepped away to clear out their inn rooms, Garyung sidled up beside Kaldalis before heading off himself.

“I have to ask,” Garyung said quietly, “do I still have to be worried about assassins?”

“I may have bought us some time,” Kaldalis said, struggling not to blurt out what Demriv had said to him. “But I don’t know how much. Be careful, and don’t get sloppy.”

Garyung nodded before heading out, and Kaldalis waited for Reno and Ess to come down before they left together to head down to the docks.

“I think that went well,” Ess said as they left the inn.

“I still don’t like it,” Reno grumbled.

“Look at it this way,” Kaldalis said with a smirk. “I can’t imagine literally anything about this trip going worse than it has. Every single thing that could have gone wrong has gone as badly as possible.” He patted Reno on the shoulder. “It was only a matter of time before the only plan we could reasonably make was to expect to be completely powerless and forced to flee.”