“You know about that?” Quint asked.
“I do and I agree with the need to protect the work in your office. I’ll get a proper lock installed as well. I have an engagement to get ready for, Lieutenant Tirolo. You did the right thing by bringing this to me this evening. If you don’t mind…”
Quint took that as a dismissal and returned to his office. The day was over and he would visit the personnel office another day. After securing his office, he left, thinking it was a satisfying day. If the colonel was giving him a lock for his office, perhaps he wasn’t being given make-work after all.
Marena was out and Quint changed into civilian clothes before finding a Narukun restaurant. Many Narukuns were hubites and there were a few in the restaurant, but they weren’t dressed like Racellian hubites.
The food was not what Quint was used to. It was very spicy with thick sauces. A bowl of rice was served with bowls of the sauces along with cut vegetables and meat.
“You don’t eat the dish directly. You dip the vegetable or the meat in the sauce and put it on your rice bowl and eat rice with the dish,” the server said.
The spice wasn’t as strong and Quint could get to the taste of the dish with something to lower the intensity of the sauce. He hoped they had food less strong the next time he visited.
Fighting the food kept Quint from talking to anyone. He bought a jar of fruit juice from a street vendor and returned to the flat. His stomach was complaining, but the fruit juice seemed to settle everything down.
With nothing to do, Quint perusing the bookcases in the main room. He found a shelf of willot language books including a few dictionaries. The newest looking one had most of the words that had stumped Quint earlier when he read through the wizard’s speeches.
Marena walked in with a few bags of groceries. “You’ve already eaten?”
Quint nodded. “I experimented with Narukun cuisine. I’m not sure I’m built to enjoy it.”
Marena laughed. “You’re a hubite. It’s not a racial thing?”
“No. The Narukun culture is much different from Racellian hubites. If anything, our food is like any other food working people eat in Racellia.”
She smiled. “What are you reading? A willot dictionary? You know how to read books in our mother tongue?” Her smile faded. “That’s dangerous knowledge.”
“My commanding officer knows. I read opinion journals from the other South Fenolan countries that are written exclusively in willot. The one I read today had words I was unfamiliar with.” Quint held up the dictionary. “Most of them were in here. Are these books restricted?”
“No, but like my background, I ask you to use discretion.”
“I’ve been using a lot of discretion. There are three people who know my secret, Master Pozella, Colonel Gerocie, and now, you.”
Marena curtseyed. “I feel honored to be included in such august company. We are taught at an early age that willot is reserved for people from our race. Others who know it are heretics of a sort,” she said.
“It is part of my job. So I suppose I am a heretic in many people’s eyes, however, I am mostly a heretic because I am a hubite.”
“Probably just as much a heretic,” Marena said, “to some.” She smiled. “I’m on your side, Quint. Don’t forget that.”
“I won’t,” Quint said.
Chapter Twenty-On
e
Quint was called into the colonel’s office. An army general sat in the seat Quint generally used.
“Come in, Lieutenant and sit next to General Obellia.”
The general turned to Quint. “So you are our Level 3 research assistant.”
Quint recognized that he was not called out for being a hubite.
“We are cognizant that you have a relationship of sorts with Pacci Colleto.”
“The Gussellian wizard soldier?” Quint asked.
“The current leader of Gussellia.”
“I do. It really is an ‘of sorts’ kind of relationship, sir. He was hunting me after the Gussellian border battle.”
“He never told you why?”
Quint had specifically written his conclusions in his report. He wondered if General Obellia had read Quint’s version.
“All I know is that he was looking for the Level 3 wizard. Amaria Baltacco is not a Level 3 and I think she is barely a Level 2. That made me his target,” Quint said.
“And you were called to meet him because you returned his possessions including the horse you rode to escape from him?”
“That is my understanding, although there might have been other reasons for him to meet me.”
“Such as?” the general asked.
