1:2:5 Middlethem (Part 2)

Magpie was allowed into the room to collect Lore and Char. His eyesight perfect for a pitch black extraction. Once the doors had been closed behind them, he revealed a key and freed them of their binds. The Sat’Mach that had once lined the halls were now nowhere to be seen.
“Right then, where too now?” Magpie returned the key to his side pouch.
“Are we just skipping over the part where you led us here, handcuffed, with the key in your pocket the whole time?” Char’s face reddened.
“I only got the key after you went in. Plus, I kinda promised that I wouldn’t do anything. I couldn’t break their trust.”
“It’s fine Magpie.” Lore rested their hand on Char’s shoulder. “We know what we need to do and no-one got hurt. I see that as a win-win.”
“They didn’t tell me that.” Magpie looked to Char in solidarity. “What are we doing then?”
“We need to find the stolen shield. According to Rhu’Anui, it’s still in the possession of one of the Middlethem.”
“Middlethem?” Char shook her head. “Who came up with that?”
“It started out as a slur coined by Undulia’s police force. Middlethem were humans who would report to Undulia; tell her about the goings on down here and the ways she could take advantage of the locals. She put a lot of strain on our community. Once they were identified, they were persuaded to stop. Human – Sat’Mach relations were pretty bad until Tolan suggested we act as a middle ground. They trusted us to keep order and through us, they trusted Tolan. We suggested recreating the Middlethem but under our supervision. The name went from being a slur to a fun pun and job title.”
“Okay… So, any ideas who might have the shield?” Char didn’t seem impressed.
“There are currently thirteen fully registered Middlethem.” Magpie thought for a second. “Seven vocally support the younger councillors so would most likely have already passed the shield along, two of them probably wouldn’t take such an item so we have four possible’s to look into.”
“Let’s get started then.” Lore turned to leave before turning back to Magpie. “Lead the way.”
“We’re already on the Middlethem’s level.” He looked over his shoulder then to the junction ahead of them before turning around and walking away from Lore and Char.
“I’m guessing we follow him then?” Char shrugged at Lore.
“I suppose so.” They joined him as he wandered seemingly aimlessly around the labyrinthian tunnels. While they were sure that they would eventually lead to where they needed to go, Lore was sure they had never walked this way before.
They weren’t walking for long when they made it back to the main spiral. A human and three smaller Sat’Mach were stood on the platform. They looked over to Lore but averted their gaze when they saw Char and Magpie. The Middlethem turned around and opened a small trunk; they removed a modified disrupter rifle and handed it over to one of the prospective buyers. The weapon, once designed for human use, now would struggle to fit in its creators hands; the trigger guard had been removed entirely, the trigger itself was now thrice as long and the grip and shoulder pad were likewise engorged so as to not alienate the alien hand of its new owner.
“That’s councillor Tau’Poss.” Magpie whispered. “He’s only been on the council for three months and he’s already earnt a lot of support in the lower levels for his revolution.”
“I’m guessing they’re planning to take the surface by force then.” Char looked over at the trade.
“The reclamation day.” Lore returned. “What’s the alternative then?” They turned to Magpie.
“The majority, for now, are calling for restraint and patience.” Magpie sounded defeated.
“So status quo…” Char sighed.
“Status quo.” Magpie nodded.
“There’s got to be a middle ground.” Char thought aloud.
“That’s what Rhu’Anui’s trying to be. Sure he’s a traditionalist but perhaps that’s what we need right now. He doesn’t want us storming Celreagaire but at the same time, he doesn’t want us sat on our hands. Middlethem diplomacy like the old days. He’s been nearly universally shunned for his ideas like, but he’s still one of the council’s heads so they can’t get rid of him.”
The gears were turning in Lore’s head. They came to a standstill when they factored in their current objective. “Why a shield? The humans thought it was a sword which, given the reclamation, makes sense but a shield?”
Char froze in thought. “Yeah?”
“Because the Sat’Mach have always lived underground, and only really left to hunt, with only a handful of entrances and exits, they had to focus on developing ways to ensure nothing entered their caves. In the early days, they’d throw a large piece of wood or stretched hide over the entrance and take turns holding the cave shut. Then they realised that taking their doors with them made for a great weapon and provided them an advantage when they had more than one.” Magpie paused to re-orient himself before continuing. “The shields could be used to funnel prey into more desirable locations like ambushes or storage areas for non-breeding seasons. Only then were knives used to kill and butcher the prey.” Char nodded along. “Sorry, Tolan tells me I talk too much. I like knowing these things and no-one ever asks me about them. Got excited. Sorry boss.”
“It’s actually quite interesting.” Lore sounded genuine. “Are you or any of your siblings trained in shield combat?”
There was much umming and arring from Magpie before he delivered a definitive answer. “Mid is, to a degree, and Curve definitely is. I think she prefers it to her sword some times. She only uses it because Tolan tells her she should.”
“What about you and Ace?”
“I wouldn’t call myself an expert but I have helped on more than a few hunting trips so I know how to use one like a native and I can hold my ground against Curve fifty percent of the time.” His eyes wrinkled as he thought about the statistic. “It’s probably closer to a good forty eight percent actually but I’d give it a go. And Ace hates getting their hands physically dirty like that. Crawling through ice and slush for hours, they’d do that but ask them to clean the Maadh you brought back with you from the hunt and they’re gone. A combat clone with close proximity haemophobia.” Magpie chuckled. “They’re fine with dealing with enemies with their pistol but the moment they get blood on their skin or armour, they can freak out.”

Ahead of them, they guessed there was an opening in the tunnels as the closer they got, the louder the sounds became. Char made sure to stay close to them as Magpie quickened his pace. Then, he stopped.
“I should probably give you a heads up. It’s going to get pretty loud in there. The Middlethem may only officially be made up of thirteen registered human traders but that’s for the council. Most Sat’Mach aren’t picky about who they get their stuff from. We try to keep order but with everyone on mission, it’s like a holiday for them.” Magpie gave a sorry smile as he continued toward the sound.
They entered the Middlethem quarter. Humans and Sat’Mach surrounded them, each with their own unique and grating sounds. Lore was certain that they were speaking some form of language but the overlapping noise made everything undiscernible. They inserted their Sonics to little effect. Char dug her hand into theirs which made things a little better but not by much. They just had to hold on. Their eyes laser focussed on Magpie as he wove and dodged his way through the crowds and toward a clearing in the cramped room. The hall was one big square with beams reinforcing the ceiling placed evenly around the walls and at regular intervals throughout the room. They provided the vendors adequate places to hang their drapes and established order in the bazaar. Lore focussed on the fact that they wouldn’t be there for long; it was just a stop on the way to check out the Middlethem’s storage areas. Magpie waited for them in a clearing.
“This is where things start to take their time.” Magpie began. “Over there, we have the twins. They share a slightly larger storage area down that way.” He gestured to across the square to another tunnel on their left. “Then we have Boday’s which is that way.” He gestured straight ahead. “And our last probable is Tim. Their storage is kinda hard to get to but it’s that way.” He gestured to the right. “Where do you want to start?”
Lore had barely understood a word, they just saw flapping lips but from context, they gathered what he was talking about. “That way.” They screwed up their eyes then pointed left.
“Tim’s it is then!” Magpie started through the crowd without checking if Lore and Char were following.
They caught up eventually, Char dragging Lore behind her. Unbeknownst to them, veiled by their shirt and armour, the triquetra around Lore’s neck had begun to glow. Whilst they may not have seen it, they felt its effect. The hustle and bustle of the bazaar were not that far behind them but something else seemed to nag at Lore. Magpie stormed ahead, confidence in every stride and maintaining a solid ten metre distance from them, toward Tim’s storage but there was almost something tugging at Lore, other than Char, trying to tell them that they were going the wrong way. Their head still pounding from the square, coupled with this new sensation, send them over the edge. In an instant, almost all of it came to a stop. The sound gone, replaced only by the soft breathing of Lore and Char. The world had lost its smell, its sounds but also its time. Magpie stood, frozen mid march; a look of determination plastered across his face. They were yet to realise it but the tables had turned. Their hands still linked, Lore looked to a confused but thoroughly defrosted Char with whom they had closed the gap.
“What the hel is going on?” Char pulled herself closer to Lore. “Is he ok? What’s happening?”
“Calm down.” Lore patted her shoulder. “It’s fine. Time’s just stopped for a moment. It happens.”
Char took a deep breath in then exhaled suddenly at Lore’s last remark. “’Time’s just stopped. It happens?’ No it doesn’t!”
Lore tightened their grasp on Char’s hand. “I’m just wondering how you’re still moving. It’s never happened like this.”
“You’ve done this before?” Char was full of questions but Lore had only one concern: making sure they didn’t lose Char.
“Yeah but it doesn’t last long and I’ve never actually brought anyone with me before. Come on, we’ve got to make the most of the quiet.” Lore took the lead as they followed the tugging feeling down the next corridor.
“You’re acting like this is normal. This isn’t normal. Where are we even going?” Char was rambling to herself, understandably confused.
Lore slowed for a moment. “This isn’t normal? Well, how was I to know? I’ve only been given the bare minimum; I don’t know what the other Lore’s lives were like. I just assumed they all lost their perception of time every now and then.” They continued down the tunnel. “I’ve got this nagging feeling that we need to go this way.”
They kept running, time still still, until they came to their next obstacle. Blocking off the pathway, a large, locked door. Lore sat before it. Char sat beside them. They took a deep breath, inhaling slowly through their nose before then exhaling forcefully through their mouth. As the slightly warmed air rushed past their lips and the sound broke the silence and wrapped its way round to their ears, it was joined by the faint but definitely present hum of the market and the beat of Magpie’s boots against the stone floors of the tunnels behind them.
It took him a moment to catch up to them. Lore and Char remained sat before the door in silence, hands interlinked, eyes closed. Magpie slowed himself as he approached them. He was breathing harder than he had been when they left him but was by no means winded. He returned his comm unit to his armour before kneeling to speak to them.
“I’m not going to ask how you got here but are you going to clue me in as to why you’re sitting outside Alex’s warehouse? If they had the shield, trust me, they wouldn’t have the shield if you catch my drift.” He shook his head. “I don’t even know how they’re still a Middlethem anyway. They were the only one who managed to keep their position after the first regime fell.”
“I’ve got a hunch.” Lore didn’t know how to articulate their feeling. “Can you get us in?”
“Well, lucky for you, I’m an avid collector of keys. I should have something that’ll fit the lock.” He went to put his hand into one of his side pouches before realising he was still holding his communicator. “Oh, Destiny called. Tolan wanted to know what the amulet of the Reaper was in the end.”
“Tell her it was just a medallion with an old symbol on it. Nothing special.” Lore wanted to play this close to the chest. “Now, let’s get in there.” They nodded at the lock.
“Alright, keep your knickers on.” Magpie replaced his communicator and began sizing up the lock before rummaging through his satchel. He mumbled to himself as he forced a handful of keys into the lock. Two more attempts later and there was a deep and satisfying clunk followed by the squeal of hinges begging for oil. “There we go. It’s not technically breaking and entering if I’ve got the key is it?”
“Does it matter? Aren’t you the closest thing to a police officer down here?” Char smirked. Magpie nodded in agreement.
“We’re just going to have a nose about.” Lore peered through the door and into the room ahead. “Make sure we’re not followed and signal us if you see anyone coming then get yourself out of here.” Lore smiled. “We’ll be fine. We’ll Breach out at the first sign of danger.” That seemed to put Magpie at ease as he took up a guard position by the side of the door. “See you in a bit.” Deeper.