"Good thinking." Yamanu turned to his men and motioned at the plane's open cargo hull. "Let's get it loaded up, boys. Food is waiting."
Esag doubted that all the equipment would fit in one van or that their team of twenty-one would fit in the other two. In addition to the diving suits, scuba tanks, and underwater scooters, they also had three Zodiacs, climbing equipment, weaponry, and enough ammunition to supply a small army.
Unsurprisingly, Okidu did most of the work transferring crates of heavy equipment to the van, and he refused to allow the Guardians to assist him until Yamanu commanded him to do so.
The Odus were programmed to serve, and they didn't take kindly to others doing what they perceived as their jobs. They also accepted orders only from their masters, so before their departure, Kian had temporarily transferred ownership of Okidu to Yamanu, ensuring that the bio-mechanical butler would follow Yamanu's orders and defend him if needed.
"Yes, master." Okidu dipped his head with a distinct note of displeasure in his voice.
Esag had been told that the Odus were slowly becoming more sentient, which was wonderful and worrisome at the same time. Wonderful because they were proof that machines could become autonomous people, but troubling for the same reason. If they became independent and decided that they didn't need to follow orders, their potential for causing harm was great because they were incredibly strong and practically indestructible.
When Okidu and the Guardians were done loading the van that Boshev had indicated for the equipment, they moved to theother two, and when everything was finally transferred, they squeezed into what space remained.
"I don't get it," Anandur said to Yamanu, who was sitting beside him. "How come you get to lead the mission when I'm the most senior Guardian here?"
Yamanu shrugged. "I'm better looking, that's why."
Several of the Guardians chuckled, some made comments, and Anandur shook his head.
"I know it's because of your shrouding and because you've done this before," Anandur said. "But when you are doing a massive shroud, you can't function at all and need someone to shield you. Who is going to lead then?"
Yamanu didn't seem to mind Anandur's doubts. "This mission doesn't require a massive shroud. I only need to convince a couple of human harem guards and any servants that might be in the vicinity that Tula jumped off the cliff instead of climbing onto my back. I can do a shroud like that in my sleep."
"What if more than that is needed?" Anandur pressed on.
"Then we are screwed. If things go wrong and the immortal guards show up, my shroud will be worthless."
Evidently, Yamanu's shrouding didn't work on immortals, which in a way invalidated the claim that it rivaled the abilities of the gods. Perhaps in scope it was as powerful as what the gods could do, but not in strength if immortals could see through it.
Yamanu leaned his head on the headrest and crossed his arms over his chest. "The humans are not really a problem. Even you could thrall them. But if we are discovered by the real warriors, our only option is to run as fast as we can. Frankly, you couldhave led the mission. Tula would love to see you at the top of that rope instead of me."
Anandur grimaced. "I'm afraid my shrouding is not good enough even for such a small job. I'm only good at messing with one human brain at a time."
A shit-eating grin bloomed on Yamanu's face. "Well then, it would seem that the chief knows what he's doing, and he chose the right Head Guardian to lead this mission."
The arguing further eroded Esag's confidence in the ability of this particular team to get Tula out of Navuh's fortress.
"Nervous?" Anandur eyed him.
"A little."
"It's natural for a civilian to feel anxious before a mission." Anandur turned to look out the window. "But don't worry. I've been doing this for a thousand years, and the other Guardians have been doing it for centuries. We've dealt with all kinds of trouble and came out swinging. We don't lose."
That was mildly reassuring.
When the vans finally cleared the jungle, sprawling training fields appeared on one side of the road, and barracks and several industrial and commercial buildings in various stages of completion appeared on the other.
The island used to be home to a mining operation and had belonged to Cobalt Industries until the company had gone bankrupt. It was small, but exactly what the clan needed to train their new army of humans in exoskeleton warfare. It was also close to Navuh's island, which could be counted as an advantage or a disadvantage depending on the goals Kian and Kalugal hadin mind. Kalugal liked to live dangerously, but Kian seemed like the cautious type, and Esag wondered why he had let Kalugal talk him into this crazy scheme.
Perhaps Yamanu was right, and everything would play out according to the Fates' grand design. At any rate, it wasn't his place to question their methods.
When the vans stopped next to a white stucco building, they spilled out of the vehicles, and Esag joined the others and walked inside.
The structure consisted of a sprawling dining hall, which looked big enough to serve all of the island's residents without having to do so in shifts, and as they continued to the back, they came to a section partitioned by a glass wall for private dining. Through the glass, he could see a long table that was set up and loaded with food.
"Welcome," Jade said as they entered the enclosure. She shook hands with Yamanu, Anandur, and Julian, saving him for last. "I didn't know you were part of the team."
"I'm just a spectator. Tula knows me, so she might appreciate a familiar face when she gets to the submarine."
